El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-29
SOME OLD
RECORDS.

any stage of the water 1t is 60 feet
wide. two and a half feet deep at a
medium stage, and not rapid.
From the San Bots to Cooper'S creek
the course is 20 degrees 80 south of
west.
Our road lay between two ranges of
mountains. in a beautiful prairie val
ley, and assembled very gradually until
we reached the summit of the ridge di-
viding the waters of the Sans Bois
from those of the south fork of the
Canadian or Gaines's creek.
From Cooper's creek to where the
road touches a bend of the Sans Bots.
81 miles from Fort Smith, our course
was west; from that point to the sum-
NIT of the dividing ridge, 80 degrees
south of west. and from thence to the
south for kof the Canadian 20 degrees
south of west.
The south fork of the Canadian is
76H miles from Fort Smith; is one
depth at the ferry. There is a ford 300
yards above the ferry. where the
stream can be crossed when the water
is not high.
From here our course was Is degrees
south of west. over rolling prairie.
for ten miles, until we struck the bot
tom OF Coal creek, IS miles from Fort
Smith.
The creek is thirty yards wide, has a
gravelly bed, with two feet of water in
the cahnnel Although it is sometimes
above fording for a few days at time.
yet it can generally be crossed without
difficulty. We worked upon the banks
and made a good passage for wagons.
Bituminous coal is found upon tht
creek, and used by the blacksmiths OF
| the country, who pronounce II or an
excellent quality.
From here to the Shawnee trail, our
road runs Is degrees south of west:
from thence to the second ford of Coal
creek 80 degrees 30 south OF west,
| thence to Little Cedar mountain, 100
miles from Fort Smith, the course is %
degrees south of west; here the road
runs 1S degrees north of west o Stony
Point. 5 degrees north of west to the
Shawnee village, and 20 degrees south
of west to Shawneetown, 125 miles
from Fort Smith.
| At this place the road forks; the
right going to Edwards clearinghouse,
| (eight miles Off, and the left is our
trail. Should travellers desire to pur-
chase supplies, this is the point where
they can be obtained, as the road here
leaves the settlements. Horses, cat
tie, corn, and many articles of mer-
chandise, can be had at Edwards set
Element, on the north side of the Ca
madam.
| While here 1 engaged a Delaware In
| dian. named BLACK Beaver, to ac-
| company us as guide and Interpreter:
and he proved to be the most useful
man. He has travelled a great deal
among many of the western and nor
thern tribes of Indians, is well ac-
ouainted with their character and hab-
| its. and converses f1uently with the Co
| manches and most of the other prairie
| tribes.
He has spent five years in Oregon
and California-two years among the
Crow and Black Feet Indians; has
trapped beaver in the ella, the Column
bia, the Rio Grande, and the Pecos; mas
crossed the Rocky mountains at many
| different points, and indeed Is one OF
those men that are seldom met with
except in the mountains.
| While encamped opposite the mouth
/ of Little river, we were visited by some
of the Shawnees who live in the vicin-
ity, and l discovered, much to my sur
prise, that their language was very
similar to that of the Chippewas; in
deed. many of their words were the
same; for instance. they both call f1re
scotia" water. "nepish," tobacco
"sama," bear, "mucqua," and many
others are the same. They live prin-
cipally by agriculture. and have some
| good farms; they raise corn, wheat,
| cattle. hogs and horses, and appear to
have an abundance of everything.
ITO Be Continued Tomorrow