Proceed into the Hunting-Country of the Osages--Diluvial Hills and Plains--Bald Hill--Swan Creek--Osage Encampments--Form of the Osage Lodge--The Habits of the Beaver--Discover a remarkable Cavern in the Limestone Rock, having natural Vases of pure Water--Its geological and metalliferous Character--Reach the Summit of the Ozark Range, which is found to display a broad Region of fertile Soil, overlying a mineral Deposit. 101 CHAPTER X. Depart from the Cave--Character of the Hunters who guided the Author--Incidents of the Route--A beautiful and fertile Country, abounding in Game--Reach the extreme north-western Source of White River--Discoveries of Lead-ore in a Part of its Bed--Encamp, and investigate its Mineralogy--Character, Value, and History of the Country--Probability of its having been traversed by De Soto in 1541. 109 CHAPTER XI. Severe winter Weather on the Summit of the Ozarks--False Alarm of Indians--Danger of my Furnace, etc., being hereafter taken for Antiquities--Proceed South--Animal Tracks in the Snow--Winoca or Spirit Valley--Honey and the Honey-Bee--Buffalo-Bull Creek--Robe of Snow--Mehausca Valley--Superstitious Experiment of the Hunters --Arrive at Beaver Creek. 115 CHAPTER XII. Descend White River in a Canoe--Its pure Water, Character, and Scenery--Places of Stopping--Bear Creek--Sugar-Loaf Prairie--Big Creek--A River Pedlar--Pot Shoals--Mouth of Little North Fork-- Descend formidable Rapids, called the Bull Shoals--Stranded on Rocks--A Patriarch Pioneer--Mineralogy--Antique Pottery and Bones --Some Trace of De Soto--A Trip by Land--Reach the Mouth of the Great North Fork. 120 CHAPTER XIII. Detention at the Mouth of the Great North Fork--Natural History of the Vicinity--Great Blocks of Quartz--Imposing Precipices of the Calico Rock--A Characteristic of American Scenery--Cherokee Occupancy of the Country between the White and Arkansas Rivers-- Its Effects on the Pioneers--Question of the Fate of the Indian Races--Iron-ore--Descent to the Arkansas Ferries--Leave the River at this Point--Remarks on its Character and Productions. 128 CHAPTER XIV. Ancient Spot of De Soto's crossing White River in 1542--Lameness produced by a former Injury--Incidents of the Journey to the St. Francis River--De Soto's ancient Marches and Adventures on this River in the search after Gold--Fossil Salt--Copper--The ancient Ranges of the Buffalo. 134 CHAPTER XV.