VOLUME III WASHINGTON: BEVERLEY TUCKER PRINTER 1856

Page 30

Cost of Construction

Section II From camp 33, head of Washita River, to Tucumcari Creek, two hundred and eighty one miles. Following the valley of the Canadian, the average grade is eight feet per mile. Although there is some good soil upon the streams, many sandy spots occur, and the general aspect of this section is that of sterility. Water can easily be obtained; but timber of good quality for railroad ties is scarce. Cedars are abundant, it is true; but it is doubtful whether they would be available except for fuel. The main supply would, therefore be of oak, obtained from the Cross Timbers at the eastern end of the section...

page 34

Altitudes

camp 41 Last Camp on Canadian River 2676.6

camp 42 Antelope Creek 2865.3

camp 43 Arroyo Bonito 3396.5

camp 44 Beautiful View Creek 3718.6

Camp 45 Arroyo Amarillo 4128.0

Page 30 (main Report)

September 9, Camp 39 At our last camp grama grass was more abundant than usual. The water in the channel of the Canadian was probably three feet deep and moderately clear. After leaving camp we crossed a spur of hills that approached the river and again descended to the valley, which became wide and contained good grass and clumps of trees. Six miles brought us to the mouth of a wooded creek without water flowing upon the surface. Here were the remains of an extensive Indian encampment with "signs" quite recent. The crotched sticks of hundreds of wigwams had been left standing. The grass was closely cropped and the trails to the river were large and fresh. Wild grapes were again abundant; tempting the men some of whom had already suffered severely from eating to excess. Few, however, can set bounds to an appetite so seldom gratified upon the prairie. We soon entered a large Indian trail, which, leading through a deserted camp, brought us in sight on an Indian village Great excitement was produced, each one being desirous to be among the first to encounter the strangers. The Indians met us at "Valley River," a rapid stream, flowing into the Canadian a hundred yards below. A curious scene was now presented. On one side of the stream was collected a crowd of wild Indians, apparently in great excitement; and on the other, our own party; each ignorant of the others and their designs. The Indians were evidently prepared for battle; decked out in their gayest attire, mounted on spirited horses, holding bows in their hands and arrows between their fingers. As we advanced, Vincente thought proper to place a white handkerchief at the end of a ramrod, and wave it as a signal. Upon sight of the banner the Indians set up a shout, and rode rapidly to meet us. They called themselves Kái-ò-wàs and professed friendship. They looked splendidly as they rode from point to point; their horses prancing, and their gay silver trappings glittering in the sun. The old fellow who appeared to be the chief, or probably medicine man, was on foot and almost naked. He begged to ride in the carretela; and, by the aid of Vicente, informed us that as friends we ought to camp at the village, and hold a council with them. The road beyond he represented as being exceedingly bad; and said that a long succession of sand hills for two days' journey would compel us to cross the river at this place. Thus accompanied by our new friends, we drove to the village, where among a heterogeneous mass of old men, women, and children, were two Mexicans endeavoring to trade flour, biscuits, and sugar for buffalo robes and horses. They confirmed the Indian statement that there was no other place so good as this for an encampment, and that we would here be obliged to cross the river. They added that they were defenceless, with only three peons accompanying them; and, the Indians having robbed them of nearly all their goods, they wished to accompany us towards New Mexico.

The village contained about a dozen large conical tents and as many wigwams. The tentframes were of well made poles, fifteen to twenty feet long interlaced at the top, and intersecting the ground in a circle ten to fifteen feet in diameter. The whole were covered with buffalo robes, beautifully7 dressed, painted with curious figures, and carefully spread with the hair inside. To our surprise we saw a good looking blue-eyed boy of three years old and found that his mother was a Mexican captive. She said that her name was José Maria; that she was from Rio de Naces; had been captured by the Comanches when she was twenty and had lived with them seven years. Her beautiful boy is the son of the chief; but she wishes to leave her hard masters and accompany us, in the hope of again reaching her home. She was watched and dared speak but little with us. There are other captives; one a man by the name of Andres Nuñes, from Chihuahua; he has been a prisoner five years. On a pole in the centre of the village hung two scalps, sacredly guarded by an old woman, who made much ado if any one attempted to approach them.

We pitched camp on a slight eminence overlooking the village, and could not but admire their selection of ground. Valley River and the Canadian are at this point fringed with timber and the wide meadows are covered with a thick carpet of grass. Scarcely were the tents pitched when the Kái-ò-wàs began to assemble for the counsel. A wilder looking set can scarcely be imagined. Cunning, duplicity, and treachery, seemed stamped upon every lineament of their features. Men, women, and children - all, except the chiefs- were wrapped in fine blue blankets, which they said had been given them by their good father, the white haired man whom they had met on the northern trail. They said that he had told them that the Americans would continue to make presents to them so long as they behaved well. This they had apparently construed into a claim to receive tribute from every party of whites they might meet. Có-tat-sin, (Caballo Alazan) the great chief of the Kái-ò-wàs, is said to be upon a buffalo hunt north. Some, who appeared to be sub chiefs, with faces painted yellow, had colored the tops of their heads, where the long black hair was parted, with vermilion. Their noses were long and aquiline, chins beardless, and eyes small, bright, and sparkling. Their foreheads were retreating, and their cheekbones high and ugly. They carried superb bows of bois d'arc, ornamented with brass nails, silver plates, and wampum beads. The arrows were about twenty eight inches in length, with steel points and tinted feather trimmings. The quiver and belt of wolfskin, were wrought with beads. They wore moccasins and buckskin leggins, covered with wampum and beadwork, and fastened with silver buckles. From the crown of their heads was suspended a queue of horsehair, reaching nearly to the ground, ornamented with ten circular plates of silver, from one to three inches in diameter, and terminated by a silver crescent and wampum. They wore no pendants from the nose, but in their ears were brass rings, from which hung chains and bugle beads of bone or iridescent shells, reaching far down upon the shoulders. Similar ornaments were worn around the neck. All had bracelets of brass wire or silver bands. One of the chiefs had suspended from his neck a large silver cross, weighing half a pound or more, curiously wrought, and terminated with a crescent; a trophy, probably, from some Mexican church. Hanging upon a post in the village was a still more elaborate headdress. It consisted of a cap, richly embroidered with wampum, with a pendant eight feet long trailing behind, ornamented with a row of scarlet-dyed goose quills, which when worn stand perpendicularly from the body. We tried to purchase some of these things; but the Indians said that they loved their ornaments and could not part with them. Truly, in our whole train we had nothing to vie with them in magnificance to tempt an exchange.

Whipple's report 1853

P. 10 On reaching the Canadian the country improves; The valley grows wide and more fertile; herds of buffalo are occasionally seen grazing upon the hill-sides. Turkeys congregate under the dark green foliage of scattered copses that form an agreeable contrast to the pale red that is spread over the landscape of river and plain....P. 11 (top of page) Many of these rivulets are well wooded, and will furnish a small supply of timber.

#4 - ...we left the Canadian Valley , and passing several pleasant brooks and springs, gradually ascended to the Llano Estacado. That apparently boundless plain without a shrub or tree as far as sight could penetrate, is covered with a thick cover of buffalo grass.

... The northern slopes of the Llano, under the bluff edge, one or two hundred feet above the base, are covered with a dense forest of cedars... The supply of fuel from this source would be abundant. The wood is exceeding hard and durable – inferior only to mezquite, with which our route abounds.

Sept. 12 -Camp 42 (page 34 part I)

The grass looks parched and dry and since leaving the river, scarce a tree has appeared to relieve the landscape.

p. 15 part II

The broad valley (Plum Creek of today) is covered with a forest of timber consisting of cotton-wood, white oak and hickory.