The chief further informed me that the officer who commanded said party was too young to hold councils, etc.; that he had only come to open the road; that in the spring his superior would be here, and teach the Indians what was good for them; and that they would build a town near them. In short, it appears to me to have been an expedition expressly for the purpose of striking a dread into those different nations of the Spanish power, and to bring about a general combination in its favor. Under these impressions, I have taken the earliest opportunity of reporting the infringement of our territory, in order that our government may not remain in the dark as to the views of her neighbor.
I effected a meeting at this place between a few Kans and Osages, who smoked the pipe of peace and buried the hatchet, agreeably to the wishes of their great father; in consequence of which a Kans has marched for the Osage nation, and some of the latter propose to accompany the former to their village; whether this good understanding will be permanent, I will not take on me to determine; but at least a temporary good effect has succeeded.
From the Osage towns, I have taken the courses and distances by the route we came, marking each river or rivulet we crossed, pointing out the dividing ridges, etc. The waters which we crossed were the heads of the [Little] Osage, White [Neosho], and Verdigrise rivers, [the two last] branches of the Arkansaw, and the waters of the [Smoky Hill fork of the] Kans river. The latitude of this place, I presume, will be in about 39° 30´ N., and I hope to obtain every other astronomical observation which will be requisite to fix its geographical situation beyond dispute. I expect to march from here in a few days; but the future prospects of the voyage are entirely uncertain, as the savages strive to throw every impediment in our way, agreeably to the orders received from the Spaniards. Being seated on the ground, and writing on the back of a book, I hope will plead my excuse for this scrawl.
I am, Sir,
With high respect,
Your obedient servant,
[Signed] Z. M. Pike, Lt.
The Hon. Henry Dearborn,
Secretary War Department.
Art. 14. Letter, Pike to Wilkinson. ([Orig. No. 14], pp. 47-50.)
Pawnee Republic, Oct. 2d, 1806.
Dear General:
Inclosed you have a copy of my letter from this place to the secretary of war, in order that, should you think any communication on the contents necessary, you may have a perfect command of the information given the war department, and will be the more capable of illustrating the subject.