Vertical Section on the Parallel of Latitude 41 degrees North; and on the Parallel of Latitude 35 degrees North 185 PART IV OF JAMES'S ACCOUNT OF S. H. LONG'S EXPEDITION, 1819-1820 Chapters ix, x, and xi, General Description of the Country, and Observations on the Mineralogy and Geology, reprinted from Volume III of London edition, 1823 Calculations of Observations by Long and Swift, reprinted from Part II, Volume II, Philadelphia edition, 1823 Vocabularies of Indian Languages, by Say, reprinted from Volume II, Philadelphia edition, 1823 EXPEDITION FROM PITTSBURGH TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS [PART IV] {124} CHAPTER I [IX][1] Journey from Belle Point to Cape Girardeau--Cherokee Indians--Osage War--Regulator's Settlements of White River. The opportunity afforded by a few days residence at Fort Smith, was seized for the purpose of ascertaining, by several successive observations, the latitude and longitude of the place. The results of several observations of the sun's meridian altitude, and of lunar distances, had between the 14th and 19th September, give for the latitude of Belle Point, 34° 50´ 54˝, and for the longitude 94° 21´ west of Greenwich.[2] On the 19th, Captain Bell left the fort to proceed on his way to Cape Girardeau,[3] accompanied by Dougherty and Oakly, two of the engagees whose services were no longer required. On the 20th, Doctor James and Lieutenant Swift departed in company with Captain Kearny,[4] who had visited the post in the discharge of his duties as inspector and pay-master. It was the design of this party to descend the Arkansa to the Cherokee agency, and to proceed thence to the hot springs of the Washita. On the 21st, the party, now consisting of Major Long, Messrs. Say, Seymour and Peale, accompanied by Wilson, Adams, Duncan, and Sweney, the other soldiers being left at the fort, commenced their journey towards Cape Girardeau. We took with us five horses and five mules, two of the latter being loaded with packs. Captain Ballard kindly volunteered his services as guide, and, attended by a servant, accompanied us the first day's journey on our march. {125} Our route lay on the south side of the Arkansa, at considerable distance from the river, and led us across two small creeks--one called the Mussanne or Massern, and the other the Vache Grasse.[5] The latter stream has a course of several miles, but during the dry season, discharges very little water. The small path we followed lay for the most part through open woods of post oak, black jack, and hickory, occasionally traversing a narrow prairie. In these open plains, now covered with rank grass and weeds, we discovered here and there some traces, such as a skull or a hoof of a bison, indicating that the undisputed possession of man to these regions had been of a very recent date.