Here I remained making astronomical observations, and preparing for my march by land, until the 1st of September, when we took our departure for the Pawnee Republic, accompanied by some Osage chiefs, who were deputed by their nation to form a treaty of peace and amity with the nation of the Kans with whom they were then at war, under the auspices of the United States. I arrived at the Pawnee Republic about the 25th of said month [[p. 409]], where I caused to be held a conference between the Osage and Kans chiefs, and mediated a peace for the two nations. Having held councils with the Pawnees, made astronomical observations, etc., I marched from the said village on the 7th of October, and arrived at the Arkansaw on the 11th [read 15th] of said month, where we remained until the 28th, preparing canoes, etc., for Lieutenant Wilkinson, who descended the said river, with one sergeant, six men, and two Osage Indians.[VI'-3] During my stay at said river, I likewise made astronomical observations.
On the said day I marched with the remainder of the party up the Arkansaw. Nothing occurred worthy of note until about the middle [on the 22d] of November, when we met a party of Pawnees, of 60 warriors, who were returning from an expedition against the Kayaways. At first our conference was of the most friendly nature, and I made them some small presents; but as they commenced to steal and plunder whatever they could with impunity, we were finally obliged to take to our arms, and were on the point of coming to hostilities, when the Pawnees retired, and we pursued our march.
We arrived where the Arkansaw enters the mountains, on the 4th or 5th [5th] of December, where we remained until the 9th [10th], searching for the route across the mountains, when we marched by a trace which we discovered, leaving the main Arkansaw to our left. Much to our astonishment we arrived about the middle of said month [Dec. 13th] on a water of the Missouri, which I ascertained to be the [South fork of the] river Platte, on which we discovered signs of immense numbers of Indians. Here we remained a few days searching for those Indians, in hopes to obtain from them information as to a route to cross the mountains to the west; but not discovering any, we crossed a large chain [Park range] by a practicable route [Trout Creek pass] and fell on a large branch of water which I then conceived to be the head of the Red river [but which was the Arkansaw]. Here we remained a few days [till Dec. 21st] to recruit our horses and ourselves, when I ordered the party to proceed down said river, and I with two men ascended it [nearly] to its source, where I made some observations. I then returned and overtook the party, when we continued to descend said stream, until the perpendicularity of the rocks [of the Grand Cañon of the Arkansaw] and other difficulties rendered it impossible to proceed any further with horses, several of which had already been killed by falling from the rocks, etc.
I then caused sleds to be constructed, and soldiers to draw the baggage on the ice, and ordered a few men to endeavor to conduct the horses by a more eligible route out of the mountains; at the extremity of which we all arrived by the 9th of January, and found that we had descended the main branch of the Arkansaw, conceiving it to be the Red river, and were again at the same point [Cañon City] we had left on the 9th [10th] ult.
My remaining horses not being in a situation to allow me to hope for any further assistance from them, unless permitted further to recover, and as this would have engrossed a long time, I determined to leave some men with the horses and part of the baggage, and proceed with the remainder and the articles absolutely necessary, on foot. On the 14th of January, having constructed a small place for my men and baggage who remained, we marched, proceeding up a western branch [Grape creek] of the Arkansaw, which appeared to lead in a direct route through the mountains. On the 20th of said month, being obliged to cross a prairie [Wet Mountain valley] of some leagues in breadth, late in the evening, and many of the soldiers having their feet wet, we had it not in our power to make fire until eight or nine o'clock at night. We were so unfortunate as to ascertain that nine of the party were frozen. The ensuing day, discovering that they were not all able to march, we remained a few days to lay in provisions. Here I left two soldiers and four loads of our baggage, and proceeded on our march; but on the third day, finding another of my men not able to march, I was obliged to leave him encamped, having previously furnished him with sufficient provision. We then crossed another chain [Sangre de Cristo] of mountains, and on the 1st of February [31st of January] arrived on the waters of the Rio del Norte, which I then conceived to be the Red river, as some maps which I held portrayed the source of the Red river to lie between those of the Arkansaw and Rio del Norte. I then proceeded to choose a station [on the Rio Conejos] where there was sufficient wood to form canoes or rafts, in order to descend the supposed [Red] river to Natchitoches.
Having in many instances experienced the insolence and presuming dispositions of the Indians, when in superior numbers, I conceived it proper to throw up a small work for the protection of ourselves and baggage, until we should be prepared to descend the river.
Four or five days [seven] after I dispatched five men to return to those I had left in the mountains, and bring them on, if capable of marching; if not, to supply them with provision and bring on the baggage. Dr. Robinson, who had hitherto accompanied me as a volunteer, having some pecuniary demands in the province of New Mexico, conceived that this would be the nearest point from which he could go in and probably return, previous to my being prepared to descend the river. He left me on the 7th of February with that view.
A few days after [on Feb. 16th], hunting with one of my men, I discovered two men on horseback. I would have avoided them, agreeably to my orders; but, finding they continued to pursue us, I conceived it most proper to bring them to a conference. This, with great difficulty, I effected, as they appeared to be apprehensive that my intentions were hostile toward them. I conducted them to my camp, informed them of my intention to descend the river, and made them some small presents. Had they then informed me of my being on the Rio del Norte, I should have immediately retired; but, having executed their commission, they returned the following day on the immediate route to the [Spanish] settlements. The following day [Feb. 17th] the party I had detached for the men whom I had been compelled to leave in the mountains, returned with one only, and all the baggage, the other two not being able to come on. I then immediately [Feb. 19th] dispatched my sergeant and one man, to order and conduct on the men, horses, and baggage left on the Arkansaw, by a route which I conceived practicable.
On the 24th or 25th [26th] of February, in the morning, two Frenchmen arrived at my camp, and informed me that an officer and 50 men of his Catholic Majesty's troops had marched from Santa Fe, in order to protect me from the Utahs, who had exhibited a disposition to attack me, and would probably be at my camp in two or three days. In the course of two or three hours, I was informed by a sentinel, whom I always kept on a hill, of the approach of a party of strangers; and in a short period there arrived two officers and 100 men, at a small distance from the camp. The lieutenant commandant, having entered my works by my invitation, informed me that the governor of New Mexico had been informed of my situation; and, understanding I was bound for Red river, offered me any assistance which lay in his power to accommodate me. I replied that I stood in no need of assistance; that I could descend the river with craft which I proposed constructing. He then informed me I was on the Rio del Norte, which astonished me extremely, and that the source of the Red river was eight days' march below Santa Fe; and that the governor, being informed that I had missed my route, offered mules, horses, etc., to conduct me to the Red river, and wished to see me at his seat of government. I told him that if the whole of my party were here, I would not hesitate to pay my respects to his Excellency, with one or two men. He then assured me that there was not the least constraint; that I could go in before or after the arrival of my party, as my inclination dictated; that if I went in now he would leave an Utah interpreter and one man, with the men of my party I chose to leave, in order to conduct the sergeant and party when they arrived. I finally concluded it would be more consistent with the good understanding which existed between the government of the United States and his Catholic Majesty, to proceed to Santa Fe, and give to Governor Allencaster an explanation of my being on his frontiers. We then marched for his [the Spanish lieutenant's] camp, about 12 miles distant, leaving the [Utah] interpreter, one Spanish soldier, a corporal [Jackson] and one private [Carter] of my detachment, with orders for the conduct of my sergeant [Meek] when he should arrive.
The next day I was much surprised to find that the lieutenant and all the regular troops, except 10, were to remain, and that the militia officer was to conduct me to Santa Fe; the lieutenant giving as a reason the particular orders to see all my party in safety at the capital. We arrived at the town in four or five days [Mar. 3d], where I was received at first in a manner very different from what I had been taught to expect from the proffers of the lieutenant in the name of the governor. The arms of my men being taken possession of by the guard the first night of my arrival, without my knowledge, and my being likewise informed that Dr. Robinson was a prisoner at some leagues' distance, they induced me to believe that a rupture had taken place between Spain and the United States, and to address a letter to the governor, demanding if I was to consider myself and party as prisoners of war, and if the expense arising from the detention of myself and party was to be defrayed by the United States or his Catholic Majesty. To this his Excellency gave me a very polite verbal answer, assuring me that I was by no means to consider myself as a prisoner; that the arms of my men were taken unknown to him, and should be immediately restored; but that it was necessary I should march immediately to join Lieutenant Malgares and party, who were waiting for me at the village of St. Fernandez, in order to conduct me to Chihuahua, to be presented to the commandant-general with my papers for an explanation. On my arriving at said village, I addressed a letter to the governor, informing him that Dr. Robinson had accompanied my party as a volunteer. This I had not acknowledged at Santa Fe, as I was apprehensive that his coming on to the frontiers of the province with a military party, in case of a rupture between the two governments, might place him in a critical position.[VI'-4]