eft behind.

On the 27th of January, Mr. Pike observed, at a distance, a large river,
which he imagined to be the Red river; and, on the 30th, he reached its
banks. This, afterwards, proved to be the _Rio del Norte_. They
proceeded along its banks, for about eighteen miles; and, at length,
came to a spot, where they established a temporary residence, whilst
they sent men to assist, and collect together the unfortunate stragglers
who had been left in the rear.

The region they had traversed betwixt the Arkansaw and the Rio del
Norte, was covered with mountains and small prairies. From the Missouri
to the head of the Osage river, a distance of about three hundred miles,
Mr. Pike says that the country will admit of a numerous, extensive, and
compact population. From the Osage to the rivers Kanzes, La Platte, and
Arkansaw, the country could sustain only a limited population; but the
inhabitants might, with advantage, rear cattle, horses, sheep, and
goats.

On the 16th of February, whilst Mr. Pike and one of his men were
hunting, in the vicinity of their residence, they observed, at a
distance, two horsemen, armed with lances. They proved to be a Spanish
dragoon and an Indian, who had been sent from Santa Fe, a town of New
Spain, about four days before. On the 17th, some of the stragglers
arrived: several of them had lost the joints of their toes, by the
intensity of the frost, and were rendered cripples for life.

The Spanish dragoon and Indian had returned to Santa Fe; and the report
which they made of the appearance of the strangers, induced the governor
to send out fifty dragoons, and fifty mounted militia, for the purpose
of ascertaining their state and numbers. In an interview which took
place with the commanders of these troops, Mr. Pike learnt that the
river, on the bank of which he had encamped, was the Rio del Norte, and
not the Red river, as he had imagined. The officers stated to him that a
hundred mules and horses had been sent to convey him, his men, and
baggage, to Santa Fe; and that the governor was anxious to see them in
that town, to receive an explanation respecting their business on his
frontiers.

Mr. Pike and some of his men accompanied the officers to Santa Fe, while
others were left behind, to wait the arrival of those who had not yet
come up.

In their progress, they were treated, in all the villages, with the
utmost hospitality. On their march, they were frequently stopped by
women, who invi