James's Account of S. H. Long's Expedition, 1819-1820, part 4James, Edwin
History
James's Account of S. H. Long's Expedition, 1819-1820, part 4
James, Edwin
Indians of North America; Rocky Mountains; United States -- Discovery and exploration; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
S. H. Long, Major I. Engineers, commanding Expedition.
J. R. Bell, Capt. Lieut. Artillery, Journalist.
W. H. Swift, Lieut. Artillery, Assistant Topographer and
Commanding Guard.
T. Say, Zoologist, &c.
E. James, Botanist, Mineralogist, and Surgeon.
T. R. Peale, Assistant Naturalist.
S. Seymour, Landscape-painter, &c.
Joseph Bijeau, Guide and Interpreter.
Abraam Ledoux, Farrier and Hunter.
Stephen Julien, Interpreter.
H. Dougherty, Hunter.
Zachariah Wilson, Baggage Master.
J. Duncan, J. Oakley, and D. Adams, Engagees.
John Sweney, Private of the Corps of Artillery.
Joseph Verplank, William Parish, Robert Foster, Mordecai
Nowland, Peter Barnard, and Charles Myers, Privates of the
Rifle Regiment, Pack-horsemen and Hunters.
{193} The number of horses and mules, provided for the use of the
party, was thirty-four, including several that were the property of
individuals; so that we were able to have all of the party mounted,
and also a sufficient number of horses besides, for the transportation
of baggage. In addition to arms, ammunition, a small quantity of
provisions and other necessaries for the tour, our outfit embraced a
small supply of Indian goods for presents, not exceeding £150 in value.
The instruments for astronomical and other observations, comprehended
in our outfit, were very limited, both in number and variety. The
mode of transporting them that we were compelled to adopt was by no
means suited to the conveyance of delicate instruments, or such as
required much space in packing. We, however, took all belonging to the
expedition that were in good repair and of a portable construction. The
principal were the following: one sextant of five inches radius; one
snuff box sextant; one mercurial horizon with a glass frame; one patent
lever watch of an excellent quality; three travelling compasses; one
measuring tape; two thermometers; and some few articles of apparatus
for the use of the naturalists.
Every man being accoutred with a gun, shot-pouch, and powder-horn, and
most of them with pistols, the exploring party proceeded westwardly to
the Pawnee villages, situated on a branch of the Platte called the Loup
Fork, thence southwardly to the Platte, and thence westwardly along
the valley of the Platte, to the place where it issues from the Rocky
Mountains. Having examined the mountains at that place, and finding
the country too hilly and broken to penetrate with horses within their
range, we shaped our course southwardly along their base, taking
occasion to ascend the peaks and spurs of the mountains whenever a
favourable opportunity presented, for the purpose of ascertaining their
geological character, and that of the vegetables growing upon them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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