MIDWEST CITY

    þ Continue to 23rd Street and turn right/west.
    þ Continue on 23rd Street past Crutchco Creek to Sooner Road and turn left/south.
    þ Just beyond 10th Street on Sooner Road you will again cross Crutchco Creek.
    þ Continue south on Sooner Road and pass Tinker Air Force Base.

It was a ruddy daybreak over the mistletoe on October 26. The party finally saw some Indians out in the West, Osages. The party was not fearful of Osages.

. . . we beheld seven Osage warriors approaching . . . One of the Indians took the lead of his companions, and advanced toward us with head erect, chest thrown forward, and a free and noble mien. He was a fine-looking fellow, dressed in scarlet frock and fringed leggings of deer skin. His head was decorated with a white tuft, and he stepped forward with something of a martial air, swaying his bow and arrows in one hand . . . he and his comrades had set out on a war party, to waylay and hover about some Pawnee camp, in hopes of carrying of scalps of horses. WI 153

Commissioner Ellsworth became a peacemaker. He told the braves that the father in Washington wanted peace among all his children. The Osages listened with courtesy and decorum.

I urged the Indians to a pacific course; after being introduced to the as a big man come from their father the President - I told them I came to establish peace . . . and wished that the Osages and Pawnees, might bury the hatchet . . . they replied all very good - HLE 114

A few Osage words were spoken and the warriors went on off across the prairie. Irving asked Beatte about what had just taken place.

Fancying that I saw a lurking smile in the countenance of our interpreter, Beatte, I privately inquired what the Indians had said to each other after hearing the speech. The leader, he said, had observed to his companions, that, as their great father intended so soon to put an end to all warfare, it behooved them to make the most of the little time that was left them. So they had departed, with redoubled zeal, to pursue their project of horse stealing. WI 154

All the Tourists tried to talk the Osages into continuing with their party.

The reasons they gave for preferring to go back to their tribe, rather than repairing with us to hunt the Bison on the Big Prairie, and get presents of tobacco, blankets, and vermillion, were sensible enough. They said if they did not return to their comrades, they would be forthwith supposed dead; their relations would then shave their heads; their squaws would remarry, the Chiefs take possession of their gear, and all that would e a great misfortune. CJL 65 66 Irving chased buffalo that day. The chase led him far from the party and it took him a while to regain the trail and find camp. Irving camped on Crutchco Creek for three nights during foul weather, October 26, 27, 28.

On overtaking the troop, I found it encamping in a rich bottom of woodland, traversed by a small stream . . . a drizzling rain ushered in the autumnal storm that had been brewing. Preparations were immediately made to weather it; our tent was pitched, and our saddles, saddle-bags, packages of coffee, sugar, salt, and every thing else that could be damaged by the rain, were gathered under its shelter . . . The rain set in sullenly and steadily . . . The brook which flowed peaceably on our arrival, swelled into a turbid and boiling torrent, and the forest became little better than a mere swamp . . . Our poor, way-worn horses, reduced by weary travel and scanty pasturage, lost all remaining spirit, and stood, with drooping heads, flagging ears, and half closed eyes, dozing and steaming in the rain . . . WI 157

The rain went on and on. Stories were told. Poor Tonish was in a state.

The change of weather had taken sharp hold of our little Frenchman. His meagre frame, composed of bones and whipcord, was racked with rheumatic pains and twinges. He had the toothache-the earache-his face was tied up-he had shooting pains in every limb . . . he was in an incessant fidget about the fire, roasting, and stewing, and groaning, and scolding, and swearing. WI 158

Irving actually had conversations with Beatte. Beatte was depressed and Irving seemed to feel a certain amount of compassion for a man he didn’t like on sight way back at Fort Gibson.

. . . I did not like his looks when he was first presented to me. WI 25

Because the inactivity caused by the rain gave him lots of time to think, Beatte was feeling sorry for himself, but he couldn’t stay that way long.

“I am all broke to pieces and good for nothing,” said he; “I no care now what happened to me any more.” “However,” added he, after a moment’s pause, “for all that, it would take a pretty strong man to put me down, anyhow.” WI 163

At a break in the weather on October 28 Beatte, Tonish and other hunters left the camp. That evening they returned.

The lagging gait and reeking flanks of their horses gave evidence of hard riding; and, on nearer approach, we found them hung round with meat like a butcher’s shambles. In fact, they had been scouring an immense prairie that extended beyond the forest, and which was covered with buffalo . . . WI 168.

Now all that was left was to get rid of the rain. It was beyond serious. The Commissioner was as vocal about this foul weather as Irving was.

The mud around our tent was over shoe - I got some grape vines, & bushes to lay down before our door, to save mud from our parlour bed room drawing room & dining hall all together . . . M Pourteles & Brailey have nothing but mocassins and their feet are wet every moment . . . We go to rest tonight in a wet tent - and wet every thing . . . HLE 119

After three nights, the weather was almost too much to be endured.

. . . by this time the low jungle, in which the party had been lying, soaked with rain for the last forty hours, had become a perfect Slough of Despond, and not a blade of grass was left. CJL 69

On the third morning it was still cloudy, but they marched. There was exultation in the camp because tonight they would be cracking buffalo bones. It was certain. Irving described the animals he saw in detail. He recorded the stories he heard about the native animals. You will find them all through the Tour. The descriptions were used as the bronzes came into view in Tulsa. They were used in the Tour in Irving’s real time and real places. Use these descriptions if you take a side trip to the Oklahoma City Zoo. The Tourists traveled right over Midwest City and Tinker Air Force Base. They hunted buffalo back and forth across Highway 77 and Interstate 35. From Edmond to Noble the Tourists rode on October 29, 1832 and the Pioneers rode on April 22, 1889.

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