thorsday 6th Sept 1821
We Set out from fort Smith[1] on the arkensaw and Crossing that River pased threw a bottom of Rich Land Well timbered and much Kaine[2]—thence over Low Ridges the land poor and in some places Rockey—at 30 miles crosed the tallecaw[3] a Crick about 150 feet Wid Large bottoms on bothe Sides and at ten miles farther Crosed the Illinios[4] River about 80 yds Wide and about one mile farther Stoped for the night at Beens[5] Salt Workes—this is the Second night Since We left the fort—the Workes one Small Well With a few kittles about 55 gallons of Watter make a bushil of Salt and the Well afords Watter to boil the kittles about three days in the Weake Been and Sanders Has permission of the govem [government] to Worke the Salt Spring—the Sell the Salt at one dollar per Bushil—from Heare We pased over Some High poor Hills Some valleys and Some pirarie lands about twenty miles to a large bottom Well Covered in parts With Caine and Well timbered—threw Which We pased about Eight miles to grand River or Six bull.[6] this is fine bold Streem of Clear Watter about 150 yd Wide Which We forded but not Without Some doupts—the Watter Runing With great force—about one mile above the mouth of this River is the mouth of the virdegree[7] a River of about one Hundred yds Wide deep and muddy at the mouth and up it to the Rapids about four miles Wheare there is a trading House. but we Stoped at the trading Hous of Conl Hugh glann[8] about mile up the VII degree Wheare We Remained till the 25th Sept makeing a Raingment for our gurney to the mountains—Heare five of our Hunters Left us and Went Home this Sircumstance much dispereted more of our men—tho We Still determined to purced—and on the 25th of Sept 1821 We found our Selves 20 men in all[9] and under the Command of Conl Hugh glann With mager Jacob Fowler Robert Fowler Battis Roy Battis Peno george Duglas Nat Pryer Bono Barbo Lewis Dauson Taylor Richard Walters Ward Jesey vanbeber Slover Simpson Maxwill Findley Battis moran and Pall a black man the property of mager Fowler we Head thirty Horses and mules Seventen of Which traps and goods for the Indean traid—and Each man mounted on Horsback—We Left the traiding House in the afternoon—North 50 West about five miles to a Small Crick Which Runs West in to the virdegree—the Bottom between the Six bull and verdegree is High and Rich Well timbered With Some Caine and is about one and a Half miles Wide to the Hills—from What We Cold Learn there is no Caine above this on the arkensaw—We pased to day Some Pirarie Cirted With Wood land Some timber on the Crick it Rained Hard We Packed up our goods and Covered them With Skins to keep them dry and Piched our tents for the night—Conl Hugh glann Haveing Left us and gon by the mishenerys,[10] and to meet us Some Wheare a Head—