James's Account of S. H. Long's Expedition, 1819-1820, part 1

by Edwin James; Stephen H. Long; Thomas Say

28. Cast of the anterior portion of a valve of a shell like an ostrea, of the breadth of 2½ inches.

29. On the Missouri near the Platte, occur masses of rock, which seem to be almost exclusively composed of a remarkable petrifaction, belonging to the family of concamerated shells. This shell is elongated, fusiform, and when broken transversely, it exhibits the appearance of numerous cells disposed spirally as in the nummulite, but its longitudinal section displays only deep grooves. The shell was therefore composed of tubes or syphons, placed parallel to each other, and revolving laterally, as in the genus melonis of Lamarck, with which its characters undoubtedly correspond. But as in the transverse fracture, its spiral system of tubes cannot be traced to the centre in any of the numerous specimens we have examined, it would seem to have a solid axis, and consequently belongs to that division of the genus that Montfort regards as distinct, under the name of miliolites, which seems to be similar to the fasciolites of Parkinson, and altogether different from the miliolites of Lamarck. Our specimens are conspicuously striated on the exterior, which distinction, together with their elongated fusiform shape, sufficiently distinguish them as a species from the sabulosus which Montfort describes as the type of his genus. No aperture is discoverable in this shell, but the termination of the exterior volution very much resembles an aperture as long as the shell.

The length is three-tenths of an inch; and its greatest breadth one-twelfth.

We call it miliolites secalicus, Say.—Mr. T. Nuttall informs me, that he observed it in great quantities high up the Missouri.

In the same mass were some segments of the encrinus, and a terebratula with five or six obtuse longitudinal waves.

30. Another petrifaction, abundant in some fragments of compact carbonate of lime, also found on the shores of the Missouri, possesses all the generic characters which we have attributed to the preceding species, excepting that in the transverse fracture the cells distinctly revolve from the centre itself, and of course the shell was destitute of the solid nucleus as in melonis, Lamarck. It has about four volutions. We have named this species, which is, notwithstanding the difference of the central portion of the same genus with the preceding miliolites centralis, Say. As in the preceding, it is entirely filled solidly with carbonate of lime, and this substance being of a greater purity in the filled-up cavities of the fossil than in the mass, its interior divisions are very obvious.

The latter species we observed about one hundred miles up the Konzas river, where it forms the chief body of the rocks in extensive ranges. It seems to be a carbonate of lime containing iron.—James.

[177] John Gale, of New Hampshire, was surgeon in the rifles. He entered the army in 1812, as surgeon's mate in the 23d Infantry. After an honorable discharge in 1815, he was the same year reinstated as surgeon's mate in the 3d Infantry, and in 1818 made surgeon in the rifles. Three years later he became major-surgeon. He died in 1830.

Matthew J. Magee was captain of a Pennsylvania company of volunteers during the first two years of the War of 1812-15. In 1814 he was made captain in the 4th Rifles. After being discharged at the close of the war, he was reinstated (1816) as first lieutenant of ordnance with brevet rank as captain. A little later he was made captain, and in 1818 was transferred to the rifles. In 1821 he was transferred to the infantry. His death occurred in 1824.—Ed.

[178] Ietan, as he was called by the whites, is said to have been the son of Big Horse (Shonga-tonga). The name may have been given him for some exploit against the Ietan (Comanche) tribe. His Indian name (Shamonekusse, Shongmunecuthe) means Prairie Wolf. In 1821-22 Ietan accompanied a deputation of chiefs to the East; the Indians made careful observations of what they saw, after their own fashion, and, it is said, attempted to count the people of New York by means of notched sticks. Among his fellows Ietan was noted for his wit and sagacity, as well as for warlike prowess. His death resulted (April, 1837) from a wound received while pursuing some young braves who had seduced two of his wives.—Ed.