WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1860
31
part of the United States, at or near Fort Arbuckle for the con- tinuance and completion of the survey of the boundary line between the State of Texas and the United States. With this you will receive a copy of an extract from the Treaty of February 22nd 1819 confirmed April 5, 1832, between the United States and Mexico, wherein the boundary limits are clearly defined and laid down. In prosecuting the survey upon a correct basis, there can arise but one point of dispute, that is which of the three forks are to be regarded as the main prong of Rio Rojo, or Red River. The Treaty specifies that the boundary line shall be run accord- ing to the limits laid down in Melish's map improved to Janu- ary 1, 1819. It would appear from a reference to Marcy's survey, that the three prongs of Red River were traced to their sources, the first, or North fork, the second, or Middle fork, running and empty- ing into North fork, and Prairie Dog-Town River, or the South fork of the main prong. It would also seem from the particular notice given to the fork first explained, the North fork, that Mr. Marcy was clearly of the opinion that it was the true Rio Rojo, or Red River proper, and as such marked his encampment latitude 30° 35' 3" and longitude 101 ° 55' by burying under the roots of a large cotton- wood tree, near the river and below all others in the grove, a bottle containing various memoranda and by blazing the North and East sides of the tree, upon the North side of which is the following inscription, "Exploring expedition, June 10, 1832." Upon neither of the other forks were such measures taken to mark them as of particular importance other than branches of the main prong of the river. Mr. Marcy again says writing under the date of May 26th, "We are now in the immediate vicinity of the Wichita moun- tains," a range of mountains lying east by north east from the mouth of Otter Creek, and that "Red River which passes directly through the Western extremity of the chain is different in char- acte1· at the mouth of Otte1· Creek f1·om what it is below the junc- tion of the Ke-che-qui-ho-no." These significant facts as stated by Mr. Marcy can lead to no other conclusion than that he regarded the North fork as the main fork, or prong of the Red River proper. Melish's map of the date herein before mentioned lays down the North fork as the main prong, and the T'reaty limits also
Powered by FlippingBook