Description of a Journey and Visit to the Pawnee Indians who live on the Platte River, a tributary to the Missouri, 70 miles from its mouth by Brn. Gottlieb F. Oehler and David Z. Smith, April 22-May 18 1851, to which is added A Description of the Manners and Customs of the Pawnee Indians by Dr. D. Z. Smith. [Illustration] Reprinted from the Moravian Church Miscellany of 1851-1852 New York, 1914 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION OF A JOURNEY AND VISIT TO THE PAWNEE INDIANS WHO LIVE ON THE PLATTE RIVER A TRIBUTARY OF THE MISSOURI 70 MILES FROM ITS MOUTH BY THE BRN. GOTTLIEB F. OEHLER AND DAVID Z. SMITH. (April 22d—May 18th 1851.) Having in the course of the winter written letters of inquiry to Mr. Samuel Allis, teacher of a government-school for Pawnee children, and Major Barrow, U. S. agent for the Pawnees, both residing at Bellevue, and having received letters from both, of an encouraging nature, we left Westfield on the morning of April 22d, on our intended trip. Br. Paul Oehler accompanied us to Weston, in order to take the wagon back, which was to convey us thither. Passing by the Baptist mission station, Briggs’ Vale, where we called in a few minutes, we soon struck the prairie, which we kept till our arrival at Fort Leavenworth, about twenty-four miles from Westfield. This is a very pretty prairie, undulating, and at places quite broken, with here and there a high bluff or mound, rising above the surrounding country. “Pilot Bluff,” a few miles from Leavenworth, stands picturesque in the prairie, and affords a beautiful prospect. We passed a company of infantry in the prairie, traveling from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Gibson. The quartermaster at the fort, Mr. Ogden, with whom Br. Oehler was previously acquainted, received us very courteously, and gave us a letter of introduction to the quartermaster at Fort Kearney, in case we should be obliged to go that way on our return home and need any assistance.—Fort Leavenworth is eligibly situated on a high prairie, near the bank of the Missouri, about 35 miles above the mouth of Kansas River. It is a place of considerable business, in the way of furnishing military stores for the more western forts. At the wharf a large storehouse has been built by the Government for the purpose of depositing military stores. The premises are kept in a very neat and cleanly condition, and a large garden has been prepared near by, for the soldiers to raise vegetables for their use. After crossing the Missouri on a horse-boat, which is kept here at the expense of the Government, we proceeded towards Weston, situated about five miles above. The first part of our road lay through