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round it, at the top, and spread out at the bottom. The doors of the tents were made facing each other, before which they made a fire, and some times one in the tent. It was several days before the wounded Indians could be moved, and during our stay the Indians killed a deer, which is called the long tailed deer. It was larger than the red deer, of a darker colour, and with a white belly. Its horns are short, small and somewhat flat; its tail nearly eighteen inches long. They are said to be plenty in these plains.
The wounded Indians having so far recovered as to be able to be transported, on the 12th, we prepared for our departure, and removed a few miles. The Indians now treated me with a much greater degree of hospitality, than, from their former conduct, I had any reason to expect. On the 13th, we continued our course to the Kanzas river. This is a handsome stream, about twice as wide as the Osage, and flows through a rich country, but mostly destitute of timber, except on the water courses. We crossed it about forty miles from the mouth. The Kanzas nation of Indians reside near its head waters. On the 14th, continued a northwest course in a well beaten path, and the country somewhat hilly. The 15th, crossed a small stream of water running to the northwest, the land hilly, without timber. From this time to the 20th, very little difference in the appearance of the country. On the 20th, came to a branch of the river La
