I found by inquiry that there were appearances of a mineral deposit in this vicinity, which seemed to connect the hilly grounds of Strawberry river with similar indications which have been noticed near the Bull shoals, on White river. Appearances denote the existence of sulphuret of lead in the vicinity. The sulphate of barytes, calcareous spar, and white crystalline masses of quartz, characterize the uplands. When my foot and ankle would bear it, I proceeded by easy paces northward, going, the first day after leaving the Strawberry valley, ten miles, which brought me to a place called Dogwood Springs, so named from the _cornus florida_. The next day I went ten miles further, when I came to the banks of Spring river, where I was entertained by Major Haynes. Here I first saw cotton in the fields, being the unpulled bolls of the autumn crop, which had not been thought worth gathering.
Feeling no injury to result from these easy marches, which gave me time to examine the appearances of the surface, I ventured a little farther on the recovery of my ankle, and, the third day, went nineteen miles. In this distance I crossed the stream called Elevenpoints, a tributary to Spring river, and came, at a rather late hour in the evening, into a small valley called Foosh-e-da-maw, a popular corruption of the French _Fourche à Thomas_. It was quite dark when I applied for a night's lodging at a small cabin, being the only one I had encountered for many miles. The man and his wife, who were its only occupants, were manifestly not blessed with much of this world's goods; but they were kind, and, though they had already gone to bed, and had but one room, they permitted me to occupy a part of the floor. Spare bed they had none; but, had they possessed ever so many, I did not require one. Camping out under the open heavens so long, had created a habit which made it impossible for me to rest in a soft bed. I had declined one the night before, at Spring river, and thrown myself on a single blanket, on the hard puncheons. I wished to keep my nerves up to this tense state, and the hardy habits of the woodman, while I was compelled to foot my way, and take my chances for rough fare, for some time.