CHAPTER XVI

Northern excursion--Salmon--Indian mode of catching them--

Flathead children--A storm on the bay--Pintail ducks--

Simple mode of killing salmon--Return to Chinook--Indian

garrulity--Return to Fort George--Preparations for a

second trip to the Sandwich Islands--Detention within

the cape, 365

NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, &c.

CHAPTER I

Arrival at St. Louis--Preparations for the

journey--Sâque Indians--Their appearance, dress, and

manners--Squaws--Commencement of a pedestrian tour--Sandhill

cranes--Prairie settlers--Their hospitality--Wild pigeons,

golden plovers and prairie hens--Mr. P. and his daughters--An

abundant repast--Simplicity of the prairie maidens--A deer and

turkey hunt--Loutre Lick hotel--Unwelcome bed-fellows--A colored

Charon--Comfortable quarters--Young men of the west--Reflections

on leaving home--Loquacity of the inhabitants--Gray

squirrels--Boonville--Parroquets--Embarkation in a

steamboat--Large catfish--Accident on board the boat--Arrival

at Independence--Description of the town--Procure a supply of

horses--Encampment of the Rocky Mountain company--Character

of the men--Preparation for departure--Requisites of a

leader--Backwoods familiarity--Milton Sublette and his

band--Rev. Jason Lee, the missionary--A letter from

home--Mormonites--Military discipline and its consequences.

On the evening of the 24th of March, 1834, Mr. NUTTALL[66] and

myself arrived at St. Louis, in the steamboat Boston, from Pittsburg.

[66] For sketch of Thomas Nuttall, see preface to Nuttall's

_Journal_, our volume xiii.--ED.

On landing, we had the satisfaction to learn that Captain WYETH was

already there, and on the afternoon of the next day we called upon

him, and consulted him in reference to the outfit which it would be

necessary to purchase for the journey. He accompanied us to a store

in the town, and selected a number of articles for us, among which

were several pairs of leathern {10} pantaloons, enormous overcoats,

made of green blankets, and white wool hats, with round crowns,

fitting tightly to the head, brims five inches wide, and almost hard

enough to resist a rifle ball.

The day following we saw about one hundred Indians of the Sâque

tribe, who had left their native forests for the purpose of treating

for the sale of some land at the Jefferson barracks.[67] They were

dressed and decorated in the true primitive style; their heads

shaved closely, and painted with alternate stripes of fiery red

and deep black, leaving only the long scalping tuft, in which was

interwoven a quantity of elk hair and eagle's feathers. Each man

was furnished with a good blanket, and some had an under dress of

calico, but the greater number were entirely naked to the waist.

The faces and bodies of the men were, almost without an exception,

fantastically painted, the predominant color being deep red, with

occasionally a few stripes of dull clay white around the eyes and

mouth. I observed one whose body was smeared with light colored

clay, interspersed with black streaks. They were unarmed, with the

exception of tomahawks and knives. The chief of the band, (who is

said to be Black Hawk's father-in-law,[68]) was a large dignified

looking man, of perhaps fifty-five years of age, distinguished

from the rest, by his richer habiliments, a more profuse display

of trinkets in his ears, (which were cut and gashed in a frightful

manner to receive them,) and above all, by a huge necklace made

of the claws of the grizzly bear. The squaws, of whom there were

about twenty, were dressed very much like the men, and at a little

distance could scarcely be distinguished from them. Among them was

an old, superannuated crone, who, soon after her arrival, had been

presented with a broken umbrella. The only use that she made of

it was to wrench the plated ends from the whalebones, string them

on a piece of wire, take her knife from her belt, with which she

deliberately cut a slit of an inch in length {11} along the upper

rim of her ear, and insert them in it. I saw her soon after this

operation had been performed; her cheeks were covered with blood,

and she was standing with a vast deal of assumed dignity among

her tawny sisters, who evidently envied her the possession of the

worthless baubles.

[67] For the early history of the Sauk Indians, see J. Long's

_Voyages_, in our volume ii, p. 185, note 85. By the treaty of 1804

they ceded a large portion of their lands (in the present Wisconsin,

Iowa, and Illinois) to the United States. Upon removing to the west

of the Mississippi, as per agreement with the federal government,

they broke into several well-defined and often quarrelsome bands.

This division was intensified by the War of 1812-15, when part

of the tribe aided the British against the American border. The

so-called Missouri band, dwelling north of that river in the present

state of the name, in 1815 made with the United States a treaty of

friendship, which was kept with fidelity. In 1830 a second land

cession was made by the Sauk, and after the Black Hawk War (1832),

in which the Missouri band took no part, they were desirous of

moving to some permanent home south of the Missouri River. It was

in pursuit of this intention, doubtless, that the visit recorded by

Townsend was made. The final treaty therefor was not drawn until

1836.

Jefferson Barracks, just south of St. Louis on the Mississippi

River, were built for the federal government (1826) on a site

secured from the village of Carondolet (1824). General Henry

Atkinson was in charge of the erection of the fort to which the

garrison was (August, 1826) transferred from Bellefontaine on the

Missouri. The post has been in continuous occupation since its

erection.--ED.

[68] Black Hawk whose Indian name was Makataineshekiakiah (black

sparrow-hawk) was born among the Sauk in 1767. A chief neither by

heredity nor election, he became by superior ability leader of the

so-called British band, with headquarters at Saukenak, near Rock

Island, Illinois. He participated in Tecumseh's battle (1811), and

those about Detroit in the War of 1812-15, and made many raids upon

the American settlements, until 1816 when a treaty of amity was

signed with the United States. The chief event of his career was the

war of 1832, known by his name. Consult on this subject, Thwaites,

"Black Hawk War," in _How George Rogers Clark won the Northwest_

(Chicago, 1903). At its conclusion this picturesque savage leader

was captured, sent a prisoner to Jefferson Barracks, and later

confined at Fortress Monroe, Virginia. After an extended tour of the

Eastern states, Black Hawk returned to Iowa, where he was placed

under the guardianship of his rival Keokuk, and where in 1838 he

died. His wife was Asshawequa (Singing Bird), who died in Kansas

(1846).--ED.

_28th._--Mr. N. and myself propose starting to-morrow on foot

towards the upper settlements, a distance of about three hundred

miles. We intend to pursue our journey leisurely, as we have plenty

of time before us, and if we become tired, we can enter the stage

which will probably overtake us.

_29th._--This morning our Indians returned from the barracks, where

I understand they transacted their business satisfactorily. I went

on board the boat again to see them. I feel very much interested in

them, as they are the first Indians I have ever seen who appear to

be in a state of uncultivated nature, and who retain the savage garb

and manners of their people. They had engaged the entire covered

deck for their especial use, and were lolling about in groups,

wrapped in their blankets. Some were occupied in conversation,

others seemed more contemplative, and appeared to be thinking

deeply, probably of the business which brought them amongst us. Here

and there two might be seen playing a Spanish game with cards, and

some were busily employed in rendering themselves more hideous with

paint. To perform this operation, the dry paint is folded in a thin

muslin or gauze cloth, tied tightly and beaten against the face,

and a small looking-glass is held in the other hand to direct them

where to apply it. Two middle-aged squaws were frying beef, which

they distributed around to the company in wooden bowls, and several

half loaves of bread were circulating rapidly amongst them, by being

tossed from one to another, each taking a huge bite of it. There

were among the company, several younger females, but they were all

so _hard favored_ that I could not feel much sympathy with them,

and was therefore not anxious to cultivate {12} their acquaintance.

There was another circumstance, too, that was not a very attractive

one; I allude to the custom so universal amongst Indians, of seeking

for vermin in each other's heads, and then _eating_ them. The fair

damsels were engaged in this way during most of the time that I

remained on board, only suspending their delectable occupation to

take their bites of bread as it passed them in rotation. The effect

upon my person was what an Irishman would call the attraction of

repulsion, as I found myself almost unconsciously edging away until

I halted at a most respectable distance from the scene of slaughter.

At noon, Mr. N. and myself started on our pedestrian tour, Captain

Wyeth offering to accompany us a few miles on the way. I was glad

to get clear of St. Louis, as I felt uncomfortable in many respects

while there, and the bustle and restraint of a town was any thing

but agreeable to me. We proceeded over a road generally good, a

low dry prairie, mostly heavily timbered, the soil underlaid with

horizontal strata of limestone, abounding in organic remains,

shells, coralines, &c., and arrived in the evening at Florisant,

where we spent the night.[69] The next day Captain Wyeth left us

for St. Louis, and my companion and myself proceeded on our route.

We observed great numbers of the brown, or sandhill crane, (_Grus

canadensis_,) flying over us; some flocks were so high as to be

entirely beyond the reach of vision, while their harsh, grating

voices were very distinctly heard. We saw several flocks of the same

cranes while ascending the Mississippi, several days since. At about

noon, we crossed the river on a boat worked by horses, and stopped

at a little town called St. Charles.[70]

[69] Florissant is an old Spanish town not far from St. Louis,

founded soon after the latter. At first it was a trading post and

Jesuit mission station, whence it acquired the name of San Fernando,

which still applies to the township. Later it was made the country

residence of the Spanish governors, and in 1793 was by their

authority incorporated and granted five thousand arpents of land for

a common. The titles were confirmed by the United States in 1812. In

1823 there was established at Florissant a Jesuit novitiate, among

whose founders was Father Pierre de Smet, who was buried there in

1873. Florissant had (1900) a population of 732.-- ED.

[70] For St. Charles, see Bradbury's _Travels_, in volume v of our

series, p. 39, note 9.--ED.

We find it necessary, both for our comfort and convenience, to

travel very slowly, as our feet are already becoming tender, and

that we may have an opportunity of observing the country, and

collecting interesting specimens. Unfortunately for the pursuits of

my companion, the plants (of which he finds a {13} number that are

rare and curious) are not yet in flower, and therefore of little use

to him. The birds are in considerable numbers, among the principal

of which is the large pileated woodpecker, (_Picus pileatus._)

Mr. N. and myself are both in high spirits. We travel slowly, and

without much fatigue, and when we arrive at a house, stop and rest,

take a drink of milk, and chat with those we see. We have been

uniformly well treated; the living is good, and very cheap, and at

any house at which we stop the inhabitants are sure to welcome us to

their hospitality and good cheer. They live comfortably, and without

much labor; possess a fruitful and easily tilled soil, for which

they pay the trifling sum of one dollar and a quarter per acre;

they raise an abundance of good Indian corn, potatoes, and other

vegetables; have excellent beef and pork, and, in short, every thing

necessary for good, wholesome living.

_31st._--The road to-day was muddy and slippery, rendered so by a

heavy rain which fell last night. This morning, we observed large

flocks of wild pigeons passing over, and on the bare prairies were

thousands of golden plovers; the ground was often literally covered

with them for acres. I killed a considerable number. They were very

fat, and we made an excellent meal of them in the evening. The

prairie hen, or pinnated grouse, is also very numerous, but in these

situations is shy, and difficult to be procured.

Towards evening we were overtaken by a bluff, jolly looking man, on

horseback, who, as is usual, stopped, and entered into conversation

with us. I saw immediately that he was superior to those we had

been accustomed to meet. He did not ply us with questions so

eagerly as most, and when he heard that we were naturalists, and

were travelling in that capacity, he seemed to take considerable

interest in us. He invited us to stop at his house, which was only

a mile beyond, and as night was almost {14} upon us, we accepted

the invitation with cheerfulness. Upon arriving at his mansion, our

good host threw wide his hospitable doors, and then with a formal,

and rather ultra-dignified politeness, making us a low bow, said,

"Gentlemen, my name is P., and I am very happy of your company."

We seated ourselves in a large, and well-furnished parlor. Mr. P.

excused himself for a few minutes, and soon returned, bringing in

three fine looking girls, whom he introduced as his daughters. I

took a particular fancy to one of them, from a strong resemblance

which she bore to one of my female friends at home. These girls

were certainly very superior to most that I had seen in Missouri,

although somewhat touched with the awkward bashfulness and prudery

which generally characterizes the prairie maidens. They had lost

their mother when young, and having no companions out of the

domestic circle, and consequently no opportunity of aping the

manners of the world, were perfect children of nature. Their father,

however, had given them a good, plain education, and they had made

some proficiency in needle work, as was evinced by numerous neatly

worked _samplers_ hanging in wooden frames around the room. Anon,

supper was brought in. It consisted of pork chops, ham, eggs, Indian

bread and butter, tea, coffee, milk, potatoes, _preserved ginger_,

and though last, certainly not least in value, an enormous tin dish

of plovers, (the contents of my game-bag,) _fricaseed_. Here was

certainly a most abundant repast, and we did ample justice to it.

I endeavored to do the agreeable to the fair ones in the evening,

and Mr. N. was monopolized by the father, who took a great interest

in plants, and was evidently much gratified by the information my

companion gave him on the subject.

The next morning when we rose, it was raining, and much had

evidently fallen during the night, making the roads wet and muddy,

and therefore unpleasant for pedestrians. I confess {15} I was not

sorry for this, for I felt myself very comfortably situated, and

had no wish to take to the road. Mr. P. urged the propriety of our

stopping at least another day, and the motion being seconded by his

fair daughter, (my favorite,) it was irresistible.

On the following morning the sun was shining brightly, the air was

fresh and elastic, and the roads tolerably dry, so that there was no

longer any excuse for tarrying, and we prepared for our departure.

Our good host, grasping our hands, said that he had been much

pleased with our visit, and hoped to see us again, and when I bid

good bye to the pretty Miss P., I told her that if I ever visited

Missouri again, I would go many miles out of my way to see her and

her sisters. Her reply was unsophisticated enough. "Do come again,

and come in May or June, for then there are plenty of prairie hens,

and you can shoot as many as you want, and you must stay a long

while with us, and we'll have nice times; good bye; I'm so sorry

you're going."

_April 4th._--I rose this morning at daybreak, and left Mr. N.

dreaming of weeds, in a little house at which we stopped last night,

and in company with a long, lanky boy, (a son of the poor widow,

our hostess,) set to moulding bullets in an old iron spoon, and

preparing for deer hunting. The boy shouldered a rusty rifle, that

looked almost antediluvian, and off we plodded to a thicket, two

miles from the house. We soon saw about a dozen fine deer, and the

boy, clapping his old fire-lock to his shoulder, brought down a

beautiful doe at the distance of a full hundred yards. Away sprang

the rest of the herd, and I crept round the thicket to meet them.

They soon came up, and I fired my piece at a large buck, and wounded

the poor creature in the leg; he went limping away, unable to

overtake his companions; I felt very sorry, but consoled myself with

the reflection that he would soon get well again.

{16} We then gave up the pursuit, and turned our attention to the

turkies, which were rather numerous in the thicket. They were shy,

as usual, and, when started from their lurking places, ran away like

deer, and hid themselves in the underwood. Occasionally, however,

they would perch on the high limbs of the trees, and then we had

some shots at them. In the course of an hour we killed four, and

returned to the house, where, as I expected, Mr. N. was in a fever

at my absence, and after a late, and very good breakfast, proceeded

on our journey.

We find in this part of the country less timber in the same space

than we have yet seen, and when a small belt appears, it is a great

relief, as the monotony of a bare prairie becomes tiresome.

Towards evening we arrived at Loutre Lick.[71] Here there is a place

called a _Hotel_. A Hotel, forsooth! a pig-stye would be a more

appropriate name. Every thing about it was most exceedingly filthy

and disagreeable, but no better lodging was to be had, for it might

not be proper to apply for accommodation at a private house in the

immediate vicinity of a public one. They gave us a wretched supper,

not half so good as we had been accustomed to, and we were fain to

spend the evening in a comfortless, unfurnished, nasty bar-room,

that smelt intolerably of rum and whiskey, to listen to the profane

conversation of three or four uncouth individuals, (among whom were

the host and his brother,) and to hear long and disagreeably minute

discussions upon horse-racing, gambling, and other vices equally

unpleasant to us.

[71] Loutre Lick appears to be the hamlet now known as Big Spring,

on Loutre Creek, in Loutre Township, Montgomery County. The

settlement was made between 1808 and 1810, and was on the highway

between St. Charles and Côte sans Dessein.--ED.

The host's brother had been to the Rocky Mountains, and soon

learning _our_ destination, gave us much unsought for advice

regarding our method of journeying; painted in strong colors the

many dangers and difficulties which we must encounter, and concluded

by advising us to give up the expedition. My fast ebbing patience

was completely exhausted. I told him that {17} nothing that he

could say would discourage us,--that we went to that house in order

to seek repose, and it was unfair to intrude conversation upon us

unasked. The ruffian made some grumbling reply, and left us in

quiet and undisturbed possession of our bench. We had a miserable

time that night. The only spare bed in the house was so intolerably

filthy that we dared not undress, and we had hardly closed our

eyes before we were assailed by swarms of a vile insect, (the

very name of which is offensive,) whose effluvia we had plainly

perceived immediately as we entered the room. It is almost needless

to say, that very early on the following morning, after paying

our reckoning, and refusing the landlord's polite invitation to

"_liquorize_," we marched from the house, shook the dust from our

feet, and went elsewhere to seek a breakfast.

Soon after leaving, we came to a deep and wide creek, and strained

our lungs for half an hour in vain endeavors to waken a negro boy

who lived in a hut on the opposite bank, and who, we were told,

would ferry us over. He came out of his den at last, half naked and

rubbing his eyes to see who had disturbed his slumbers so early

in the _marning_. We told him to hurry over, or we'd endeavor to

assist him, and he came at last, with a miserable leaky little skiff

that wet our feet completely. We gave him a _pickayune_ for his

trouble, and went on. We soon came to a neat little secluded cottage

in the very heart of a thick forest, where we found a fine looking

young man, with an interesting wife, and a very pretty child about

six months old. Upon being told that we wanted some breakfast, the

woman tucked up her sleeves, gave the child to her husband, and went

to work in good earnest. In a very short time a capital meal was

smoking on the board, and while we were partaking of the good cheer,

we found our vexation rapidly evaporating. We complimented the

handsome young hostess, {18} patted the chubby cheeks of the child,

and were in a good humor with every body.

_6th._--Soon after we started this morning, we were overtaken by

a stage which was going to Fulton, seven miles distant, and as

the roads were somewhat heavy, we concluded to make use of this

convenience. The only passengers were three young men from the far

west, who had been to the eastward purchasing goods, and were then

travelling homeward. Two of them evidently possessed a large share

of what is called _mother wit_, and so we had jokes without number.

Some of them were not very refined, and perhaps did not suit the

day very well, (it being the Sabbath,) yet none of them were really

offensive, but seemed to proceed entirely from an exuberance of

animal spirits.

In about an hour and a half we arrived at Fulton, a pretty little

town, and saw the villagers in their holiday clothes parading along

to church.[72] The bell at that moment sounded, and the peal gave

rise to many reflections. It might be long ere I should hear the

sound of the "church-going bell" again. I was on my way to a far,

far country, and I did not know that I should ever be permitted

to revisit my own. I felt that I was leaving the scenes of my

childhood; the spot which had witnessed all the happiness I ever

knew, the home where all my affections were centered. I was entering

a land of strangers, and would be compelled hereafter to mingle with

those who might look upon me with indifference, or treat me with

neglect.

[72] Fulton is the seat of Callaway County, laid out in 1825, and

originally christened Volney; but its appellation was soon changed

in honor of Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat. The first

settler and proprietor was George Nichols. In 1832 the population

was about two hundred; by 1900 it had increased to nearly five

thousand.--ED.

These reflections were soon checked, however. We took a light

lunch at the tavern where we stopped. I shouldered my gun, Mr. N.

his stick and bundle, and off we trudged again, westward, ho! We

soon lost sight of the prairie entirely, and our way lay through a

country thickly covered with heavy timber, the roads very rough and

stony, and we had frequently to ford {19} the creeks on our route,

the late freshets having carried away the bridges.

Our accommodation at the farm houses has generally been good and

comfortable, and the inhabitants obliging, and anxious to please.

They are, however, exceedingly inquisitive, propounding question

after question, in such quick succession as scarcely to allow you

breathing time between them. This kind of catechising was at first

very annoying to us, but we have now become accustomed to it, and

have hit upon an expedient to avoid it in a measure. The first

question generally asked, is, "where do you come from, gentlemen?"

We frame our answer somewhat in the style of Dr. Franklin. "We

come from Pennsylvania; our names, Nuttall and Townsend; we are

travelling to Independence on foot, for the purpose of seeing the

country to advantage, and we intend to proceed from thence across

the mountains to the Pacific. Have you any mules to sell?" The last

clause generally changes the conversation, and saves us trouble. To

a stranger, and one not accustomed to the manners of the western

people, this kind of interrogating seems to imply a lack of modesty

and common decency, but it is certainly not so intended, each one

appearing to think himself entitled to gain as much intelligence

regarding the private affairs of a stranger, as a very free use of

his lingual organ can procure for him.

We found the common gray squirrel very abundant in some places,

particularly in the low bottoms along water courses; in some

situations we saw them skipping on almost every tree. On last

Christmas day, at a squirrel hunt in this neighborhood, about thirty

persons killed the astonishing number of _twelve hundred_, between

the rising and setting of the sun.

This may seem like useless barbarity, but it is justified by

the consideration that all the crops of corn in the country

are frequently {20} destroyed by these animals. This extensive

extermination is carried on every year, and yet it is said that

their numbers do not appear to be much diminished.

About mid-day on the 7th, we passed through a small town called

Columbia, and stopped in the evening at Rocheport, a little village

on the Missouri river.[73] We were anxious to find a steam-boat

bound for Independence, as we feared we might linger too long upon

the road to make the necessary preparations for our contemplated

journey.

[73] Columbia, seat of Boone County and of the Missouri State

University, was organized first as Smithton. Later (1820), when made

the county seat, the name was changed, and a period of prosperity

began. The location of the university was secured in 1839. In 1900

the population was 5,651.

Rocheport, on the Missouri River, at the mouth of Moniteau Creek,

was laid out in 1832 on land obtained on a New Madrid certificate.

At one time the place rivaled Columbia. Its present population is

about six hundred.--ED.

On the following day, we crossed the Missouri, opposite Rocheport,

in a small skiff. The road here, for several miles, winds along

the bank of the river, amid fine groves of sycamore and Athenian

poplars, then stretches off for about three miles, and does not

again approach it until you arrive at Boonville. It is by far the

most hilly road that we have seen, and I was frequently reminded,

while travelling on it, of our Chester county. We entered the

town of Boonville early in the afternoon, and took lodgings in a

very clean, and respectably kept hotel. I was much pleased with

Boonville. It is the prettiest town I have seen in Missouri;

situated on the bank of the river, on an elevated and beautiful

spot, and overlooks a large extent of lovely country. The town

contains two good hotels, (but no _grog shops_, properly so called,)

several well-furnished stores, and five hundred inhabitants. It was

laid out thirty years ago by the celebrated western pioneer, whose

name it bears.[74]

[74] For Boonville, see note 59, p. 89, _ante_. Townsend is in error

in attributing its founding to Daniel Boone, although named in his

honor.--ED.

We saw here vast numbers of the beautiful parrot of this country,

(the _Psittacus carolinensis_.) They flew around us in flocks,

keeping a constant and loud screaming, as though they would chide

us for invading their territory; and the splendid green and red of

their plumage glancing in the sunshine, as they whirled and circled

within a few feet of us, had a most magnificent appearance. They

seem entirely unsuspicious of danger, and after being fired at, only

huddle closer together, as if to obtain protection {21} from each

other, and as their companions are falling around them, they curve

down their necks, and look at them fluttering upon the ground, as

though perfectly at a loss to account for so unusual an occurrence.

It is a most inglorious sort of shooting; down right, cold-blooded

murder.[75]

[75] For the appearance of paroquets in this latitude, see Cuming's

_Tour_ in our volume iv, p. 161, note 108.--ED.

On the afternoon of the 9th, a steamboat arrived, on board of

which we were surprised and pleased to find Captain Wyeth, and our

"_plunder_." We embarked immediately, and soon after, were puffing

along the Missouri, at the rate of seven miles an hour. When we

stopped in the afternoon to "wood," we were gratified by a sight

of one of the enormous catfish of this river and the Mississippi,

weighing full sixty pounds. It is said, however, that they are

sometimes caught of at least double this weight. They are excellent

eating, coarser, but quite as good as the common small catfish of

our rivers. There is nothing in the scenery of the river banks to

interest the traveller particularly. The country is generally level

and sandy, relieved only by an occasional hill, and some small rocky

acclivities.

A shocking accident happened on board during this trip. A fine

looking black boy (a slave of one of the deck passengers) was

standing on the platform near the fly-wheel. The steam had just

been stopped off, and the wheel was moving slowly by the impetus it

had acquired. The poor boy unwittingly thrust his head between the

spokes; a portion of the steam was at that moment let on, and his

head and shoulders were torn to fragments. We buried him on shore

the same day; the poor woman, his mistress, weeping and lamenting

over him as for her own child. She told me she had brought him up

from an infant; he had been as an affectionate son to her, and for

years her only support.

_March 20th._--On the morning of the 14th, we arrived at

Independence landing, and shortly afterwards, Mr. N. and {22} myself

walked to the town, three miles distant. The country here is very

hilly and rocky, thickly covered with timber, and no prairie within

several miles.

The site of the town is beautiful, and very well selected, standing

on a high point of land, and overlooking the surrounding country,

but the town itself is very indifferent;[76] the houses, (about

fifty,) are very much scattered, composed of logs and clay, and

are low and inconvenient. There are six or eight stores here, two

taverns, and a few tipling houses. As we did not fancy the town,

nor the society that we saw there, we concluded to take up our

residence at the house on the landing until the time of starting on

our journey. We were very much disappointed in not being able to

purchase any mules here, all the salable ones having been bought by

the Santa Fee traders, several weeks since. Horses, also, are rather

scarce, and are sold at higher prices than we had been taught to

expect, the demand for them at this time being greater than usual.

Mr. N. and myself have, however, been so fortunate as to find five

excellent animals amongst the hundreds of wretched ones offered for

sale, and have also engaged a man to attend to packing our loads,

and perform the various duties of our camp.

[76] For Independence, see our volume xix, p. 189, note 34

(Gregg).--ED.

The men of the party, to the number of about fifty, are encamped

on the bank of the river, and their tents whiten the plain for the

distance of half a mile. I have often enjoyed the view on a fine

moonlight evening from the door of the house, or perched upon a

high hill immediately over the spot. The beautiful white tents,

with a light gleaming from each, the smouldering fires around them,

the incessant hum of the men, and occasionally the lively notes of

a bacchanalian song, softened and rendered sweeter by distance.

I probably contemplate these and similar scenes with the more

interest, as they exhibit the manner in which the next five months

of my life are to be spent.

{23} We have amongst our men, a great variety of dispositions. Some

who have not been accustomed to the kind of life they are to lead in

future, look forward to it with eager delight, and talk of stirring

incidents and hair-breadth 'scapes. Others who are more experienced

seem to be as easy and unconcerned about it as a citizen would be

in contemplating a drive of a few miles into the country. Some have

evidently been reared in the shade, and not accustomed to hardships,

but the majority are strong, able-bodied men, and many are almost as

rough as the grizzly bears, of their feats upon which they are fond

of boasting.

During the day the captain keeps all his men employed in arranging

and packing a vast variety of goods for carriage. In addition to the

necessary clothing for the company, arms, ammunition, &c., there are

thousands of trinkets of various kinds, beads, paint, bells, rings,

and such trumpery, intended as presents for the Indians, as well

as objects of trade with them. The bales are usually made to weigh

about eighty pounds, of which a horse carries two.

I am very much pleased with the manner in which Captain W. manages

his men. He appears admirably calculated to gain the good will, and

ensure the obedience of such a company, and adopts the only possible

mode of accomplishing his end. They are men who have been accustomed

to act independently; they possess a strong and indomitable spirit

which will never succumb to authority, and will only be conciliated

by kindness and familiarity. I confess I admire this spirit. It is

noble; it is free and characteristic, but for myself, I have not

been accustomed to seeing it exercised, and when a rough fellow

comes up without warning, and slaps me on the shoulder, with,

"stranger what for a gun is that you carry?" I start, and am on the

point of making an angry reply, but I remember where I am, check the

feeling instantly, and submit the weapon to his inspection. Captain

W. {24} may frequently be seen sitting on the ground, surrounded

by a knot of his independents, consulting them as to his present

arrangements and future movements, and paying the utmost deference

to the opinion of the least among them.

We were joined here by Mr. Milton Sublette, a trader and trapper of

some ten or twelve years' standing. It is his intention to travel

with us to the mountains, and we are very glad of his company,

both on account of his intimate acquaintance with the country, and

the accession to our band of about twenty trained hunters, "true as

the steel of their tried blades," who have more than once followed

their brave and sagacious leader over the very track which we intend

to pursue. He appears to be a man of strong sense and courteous

manners, and his men are enthusiastically attached to him.[77]

[77] For Milton Sublette, see note 44, p. 67, _ante_.--ED.

Five missionaries, who intend to travel under our escort, have also

just arrived. The principal of these is a Mr. Jason Lee, (a tall

and powerful man, who looks as though he were well calculated to

buffet difficulties in a wild country,) his nephew, Mr. Daniel Lee,

and three younger men of respectable standing in society, who have

arrayed themselves under the missionary banner, chiefly for the

gratification of seeing a new country, and participating in strange

adventures.[78]

[78] The establishment of the Oregon mission was due to the appeal

published in the East, of a deputation (1831) of Flathead chiefs

to General William Clark at St. Louis for the purpose of gaining

religious instruction. The leaders of the Methodist church, thus

aroused, chose (1833) Jason Lee to found the mission to the Western

Indians, and made an appropriation for the purpose. Jason Lee was

born in Canada (1803), of American parents; he had already taught

Indians in his native village, and attended Wesleyan Seminary

at Wilbraham, Massachusetts. After several efforts to arrange

the journey to Oregon, he heard of Wyeth's return, and requested

permission to join his outgoing party. Arrived at Vancouver, he

determined to establish his mission station in the Willamette

valley, where he labored for ten years, building a colony as well

as a mission. Once he returned to the United States (1838-40) for

money and reinforcements. In 1844, while visiting Honolulu, he

learned that he had been superseded in the charge of the mission,

and returned to the United States to die the following year, near

his birthplace in Lower Canada.

Daniel Lee, who accompanied his uncle, seconded the latter's efforts

in the mission establishment. In 1835 he voyaged to Hawaii for

his health, and in 1838 established the Dalles mission, where he

labored until his return to the United States in 1843. The other

missionaries were Cyrus Shepard, a lay helper and teacher--who died

at the Willamette mission, January 1, 1840--C. M. Walker, and A. L.

Edwards, who joined the party in Missouri.--ED.

My favorites, the birds, are very numerous in this vicinity, and I

am therefore in my element. Parroquets are plentiful in the bottom

lands, the two species of squirrel are abundant, and rabbits,

turkies, and deer are often killed by our people.

I was truly rejoiced to receive yesterday a letter from my family.

I went to the office immediately on my arrival here, confidently

expecting to find one lying there for me; I was told there was none,

and I could not believe it, or would not; I took all the letters in

my hand, and examined each of them myself, and I suppose that during

the process my expressions of disappointment were "loud and deep,"

as I observed the eyes of a number {25} of persons in the store

directed towards me with manifest curiosity and surprise. The obtuse

creatures could not appreciate my feelings. I was most anxious to

receive intelligence from home, as some of the members of the family

were indisposed when I left, and in a few days more I should be

traversing the uncultivated prairie and the dark forest, and perhaps

never hear from my home again. The letter came at last, however, and

was an inexpressible consolation to me.

The little town of Independence has within a few weeks been the

scene of a brawl, which at one time threatened to be attended

with serious consequences, but which was happily settled without

bloodshed. It had been for a considerable time the stronghold of

a sect of fanatics, called Mormons, or Mormonites, who, as their

numbers increased, and they obtained power, showed an inclination to

lord it over the less assuming inhabitants of the town. This was a

source of irritation which they determined to rid themselves of in

a summary manner, and accordingly the whole town rose, _en masse_,

and the poor followers of the prophet were forcibly ejected from

the community. They took refuge in the little town of Liberty, on

the opposite side of the river, and the villagers here are now in

a constant state of feverish alarm. Reports have been circulated

that the Mormons are preparing to attack the town, and put the

inhabitants to the sword, and they have therefore stationed sentries

along the river for several miles, to prevent the landing of the

enemy.[79] The troops parade and study military tactics every day,

and seem determined to repel, with spirit, the threatened invasion.

The probability is, that the report respecting the attack, is, as

John Bull says, "all humbug," and this training and marching has

already been a source of no little annoyance to us, as the miserable

little skeleton of a saddler who is engaged to work for our party,

has neglected his business, and must go a soldiering in stead. A day

or two ago, I tried to convince the little man that he was of no

use to the army, {26} for if a Mormon were to say _pooh_ at him, it

would blow him away beyond the reach of danger or of glory; but he

thought not, and no doubt concluded that he was a "marvellous proper

man," so we were put to great inconvenience waiting for our saddles.

[79] For these Mormon troubles, see Gregg's _Commerce of the

Prairies_, in our volume xx, pp. 93-99.--ED.

{27} CHAPTER II

Departure of the caravan--A storm on the prairie--Arrangement

of the camp--The cook's desertion--Kanzas Indians--Kanzas

river--Indian lodges--Passage of the river--Buffalo

canoes--Kanzas chief--Costume of the Indians--Upper Kaw

village--Their wigwams--Catfish and ravens--Return of Mr.

Sublette--Pawnee trace--Desertion of three men--Difficulties

occasioned by losing the trail--Intelligence of Mr. Sublette's

party--Escape of the band of horses--Visit of three Otto

Indians--Anecdote of Richardson, the chief hunter--His

appearance and character--White wolves and antelopes--Buffalo

bones--Sublette's deserted camp--Lurking wolves.

On the 28th of April, at 10 o'clock in the morning, our caravan,

consisting of seventy men, and two hundred and fifty horses,

began its march; Captain Wyeth and Milton Sublette took the lead,

Mr. N. and myself rode beside them; then the men in double file,

each leading, with a line, two horses heavily laden, and Captain

Thing (Captain W.'s assistant) brought up the rear. The band of

missionaries, with their horned cattle, rode along the flanks.

I frequently sallied out from my station to look at and admire the

appearance of the cavalcade, and as we rode out from the encampment,

our horses prancing, and neighing, and pawing the ground, it was

altogether so exciting that I could scarcely contain myself. Every

man in the company seemed to feel a portion of the same kind of

enthusiasm; uproarious bursts of merriment, and gay and lively

songs, were constantly echoing along the line. We were certainly a

most merry and happy company. What cared we for the future? We had

reason to expect that ere long difficulties and dangers, in various

shapes, {28} would assail us, but no anticipation of reverses could

check the happy exuberance of our spirits.

Our road lay over a vast rolling prairie, with occasional small

spots of timber at the distance of several miles apart, and this

will no doubt be the complexion of the track for some weeks.

In the afternoon we crossed the _Big Blue_ river at a shallow

ford.[80] Here we saw a number of beautiful yellow-headed troopials,

(_Icterus zanthrocephalus_,) feeding upon the prairie in company

with large flocks of black birds, and like these, they often alight

upon the backs of our horses.

[80] Townsend is here in error. It would be impossible to reach

the Big Blue River the first day out from Independence, and before

crossing the Kansas. The former stream is a northern tributary of

the latter, over a hundred miles from its mouth. The Oregon Trail

led along its banks for some distance, crossing at the entrance of

the Little Blue.--ED.

_29th._--A heavy rain fell all the morning, which had the effect

of calming our transports in a great measure, and in the afternoon

it was succeeded by a tremendous hail storm. During the rain, our

party left the road, and proceeded about a hundred yards from it

to a range of bushes, near a stream of water, for the purpose of

encamping. We had just arrived here, and had not yet dismounted,

when the hail storm commenced. It came on very suddenly, and the

stones, as large as musket balls, dashing upon our horses, created

such a panic among them, that they plunged, and kicked, and many of

them threw their loads, and fled wildly over the plain. They were

all overtaken, however, and as the storm was not of long duration,

they were soon appeased, and _staked_ for the night.

To stake or fasten a horse for the night, he is provided with a

strong leathern halter, with an iron ring attached to the chin

strap. To this ring, a rope of hemp or plaited leather, twenty-two

feet in length, is attached, and the opposite end of the line made

fast with several clove hitches around an oak or hickory pin, two

and a half feet long. The top of this pin or stake is ringed with

iron to prevent its being bruised, and it is then driven to the

head in the ground. For greater security, hopples made of stout

leather are buckled around the fore legs; and then, {29} if the

tackling is good, it is almost impossible for a horse to escape.

Care is always taken to stake him in a spot where he may eat grass

all night. The animals are placed sufficiently far apart to prevent

them interfering with each other.

Camping out to-night is not so agreeable as it might be, in

consequence of the ground being very wet and muddy, and our blankets

(our only bedding) thoroughly soaked; but we expect to encounter

greater difficulties than these ere long, and we do not murmur.

A description of the formation of our camp may, perhaps, not be

amiss here. The party is divided into messes of eight men, and each

mess is allowed a separate tent. The captain of a mess, (who is

generally an "old hand," _i. e._ an experienced forester, hunter, or

trapper,) receives each morning the rations of pork, flour, &c. for

his people, and they choose one of their body as cook for the whole.

Our camp now consists of nine messes, of which Captain W.'s forms

one, although it only contains four persons besides the cook.

When we arrive in the evening at a suitable spot for an encampment,

Captain W. rides round a space which he considers large enough to

accommodate it, and directs where each mess shall pitch its tent.

The men immediately unload their horses, and place their bales of

goods in the direction indicated, and in such manner, as in case

of need, to form a sort of fortification and defence. When all the

messes are arranged in this way, the camp forms a hollow square, in

the centre of which the horses are placed and staked firmly to the

ground. The guard consists of from six to eight men, and is relieved

three times each night, and so arranged that each gang may serve

alternate nights. The captain of a guard (who is generally also the

captain of a mess) collects his people at the appointed hour, and

posts them around outside the camp in such situations that they may

command {30} a view of the environs, and be ready to give the alarm

in case of danger.

The captain cries the hour regularly by a watch, and _all's well_,

every fifteen minutes, and each man of the guard is required to

repeat this call in rotation, which if any one should fail to do, it

is fair to conclude that he is asleep, and he is then immediately

visited and stirred up. In case of defection of this kind, our laws

adjudge to the delinquent the hard sentence of walking three days.

As yet none of our poor fellows have incurred this penalty, and

the probability is, that it would not at this time be enforced,

as we are yet in a country where little molestation is to be

apprehended; but in the course of another week's travel, when

thieving and ill-designing Indians will be outlying on our trail,

it will be necessary that the strictest watch be kept, and, for the

preservation of our persons and property, that our laws shall be

rigidly enforced.

_May 1st._--On rising this morning, and inquiring about our

prospects of a breakfast, we discovered that the cook of our mess

(a little, low-browed, ill-conditioned Yankee) had decamped in

the night, and left our service to seek for a better. He probably

thought the duties too hard for him, but as he was a miserable cook,

we should not have much regretted his departure, had he not thought

proper to take with him an excellent rifle, powder-horn, shot-pouch,

and other matters that did not belong to him. It is only surprising

that he did not select one of our best horses to carry him; but as

he had the grace to take his departure on foot, and we have enough

men without him, we can wish him God speed, and a fair run to the

settlements.

We encamped this evening on a small branch of the Kanzas river. As

we approached our stopping place, we were joined by a band of Kanzas

Indians, (commonly called _Kaw_ Indians.)[81] They are encamped in

a neighboring copse, where they have {31} six lodges. This party

is a small division of a portion of this tribe, who are constantly

wandering; but although their journeys are sometimes pretty

extensive, they seldom approach nearer to the settlements than

they are at present. They are very friendly, are not so tawdrily

decorated as those we saw below, and use little or no paint. This

may, however, be accounted for by their not having the customary

ornaments, &c., as their ears are filled with trinkets of various

kinds, and are horribly gashed in the usual manner. The dress of

most that we have seen, has consisted of ordinary woollen pantaloons

received from the whites, and their only covering, from the waist

up, is a blanket or buffalo robe. The head is shaved somewhat in

the manner of the Sâques and Foxes, leaving the well known scalping

tuft; but unlike the Indians just mentioned, the hair is allowed

to grow upon the middle of the head, and extends backwards in a

longitudinal ridge to the occiput. It is here gathered into a kind

of queue, plaited, and suffered to hang down the back. There were

amongst them several squaws, with young children tied to their

backs, and a number of larger urchins ran about our camp wholly

naked.

[81] For the first stretches of the Oregon Trail and the crossing

of the Kansas, see note 30, p. 49, _ante_. The Kansa Indians are

noticed in Bradbury's _Travels_, our volume v, p. 67, note 37.--ED.

The whole of the following day we remained in camp, trading buffalo

robes, _apishemeaus_,[82] &c., of the Indians. These people became

at length somewhat troublesome to us who were not traders, by a

very free exercise of their begging propensities. They appear

to be exceedingly poor and needy, and take the liberty of asking

unhesitatingly, and without apparent fear of refusal, for any

articles that happen to take their fancy.

[82] These are mats made of rushes, used for building wigwams,

carpets, beds, and coverings of all sorts. The early Algonquian term

was "apaquois;" see _Wisconsin Historical Collections_, xvi, index.

"Apichement" is the usual form of the word.--ED.

I have observed, that among the Indians now with us, none but the

chief uses the pipe. He smokes the article called _kanikanik_,--a

mixture of tobacco and the dried leaves of the poke plant,

(_Phytolacca decandra_.) I was amused last evening by the old chief

asking me in his impressive manner, (first by pointing with his

finger towards the sunset, and then raising his {32} hands high over

his head,) if I was going to the mountains. On answering him in the

affirmative, he depressed his hands, and passed them around his head

in both directions, then turned quickly away from me, with a very

solemn and significant _ugh_! He meant, doubtless, that my brain was

turned; in plain language, that I was a fool. This may be attributed

to his horror of the Blackfeet Indians, with whom a portion of his

tribe was formerly at war. The poor Kaws are said to have suffered

dreadfully in these savage conflicts, and were finally forced to

abandon the country to their hereditary foes.

We were on the move early the next morning, and at noon arrived at

the Kanzas river, a branch of the Missouri.[83] This is a broad and

not very deep stream, with the water dark and turbid, like that of

the former. As we approached it, we saw a number of Indian lodges,

made of saplings driven into the ground, bent over and tied at top,

and covered with bark and buffalo skins. These lodges, or wigwams,

are numerous on both sides of the river. As we passed them, the

inhabitants, men, women, and children, flocked out to see us, and

almost prevented our progress by their eager greetings. Our party

stopped on the bank of the river, and the horses were unloaded

and driven into the water. They swam beautifully, and with great

regularity, and arrived safely on the opposite shore, where they

were confined in a large lot, enclosed with a fence. After some

difficulty, and considerable detention, we succeeded in procuring a

large flat bottomed boat, embarked ourselves and goods in it, and

landed on the opposite side near our horse pen, where we encamped.

The lodges are numerous here, and there are also some good frame

houses inhabited by a few white men and women, who subsist chiefly

by raising cattle, which they drive to the settlements below. They,

as well as the Indians, raise an abundance of good corn; potatoes

and other vegetables are also plentiful, and they can therefore live

sufficiently well.

[83] For the Kansas River, see James's _Long's Expedition_, in our

volume xiv, p. 174, note 140.--ED.

{33} The canoes used by the Indians are mostly made of buffalo

skins, stretched, while recent, over a light frame work of wood, the

seams sewed with sinews, and so closely, as to be wholly impervious

to water. These light vessels are remarkably buoyant, and capable of

sustaining very heavy burthens.[84]

[84] For these skin canoes, see illustration in Maximilian's

_Travels_, atlas, our volume xxv.--ED.

In the evening the principal Kanzas chief paid us a visit in our

tent. He is a young man about twenty-five years of age, straight as

a poplar, and with a noble countenance and bearing, but he appeared

to me to be marvellously deficient in most of the requisites which

go to make the character of a _real_ Indian chief, at least of

such Indian chiefs as we read of in our popular books. I begin to

suspect, in truth, that these lofty and dignified attributes are

more apt to exist in the fertile brain of the novelist, than in

reality. Be this as it may, _our_ chief is a very lively, laughing,

and rather playful personage; perhaps he may put on his dignity,

like a glove, when it suits his convenience.

We remained in camp the whole of next day, and traded with the

Indians for a considerable number of robes, _apishemeaus_, and

halter ropes of hide. Our fat bacon and tobacco were in great demand

for these useful commodities.

The Kaws living here appear to be much more wealthy than those who

joined our camp on the prairie below. They are in better condition,

more richly dressed, cleaner, and more comfortable than their

wandering brothers. The men have generally fine countenances, but

all the women that I have seen are homely. I cannot admire them.

Their dress consists, universally of deer skin leggings, belted

around the loins, and over the upper part of the body a buffalo robe

or blanket.

On the 20th in the morning, we packed our horses and rode out of the

Kaw settlement, leaving the river immediately, and making a N. W.

by W. course--and the next day came to another village of the same

tribe, consisting of about thirty lodges, and situated in the midst

of a beautiful level prairie.

{34} The Indians stopped our caravan almost by force, and evinced

so much anxiety to trade with us, that we could not well avoid

gratifying them. We remained with them about two hours, and bought

corn, moccasins and leggings in abundance. The lodges here are

constructed very differently from those of the lower village. They

are made of large and strong timbers, a ridge pole runs along the

top, and the different pieces are fastened together by leathern

thongs. The roofs,--which are single, making but one angle,--are

of stout poplar bark, and form an excellent defence, both against

rain and the rays of the sun, which must be intense during midsummer

in this region. These prairies are often visited by heavy gales of

wind, which would probably demolish the huts, were they built of

frail materials like those below. We encamped in the evening on a

small stream called Little Vermillion creek,[85] where we found

an abundance of excellent catfish, exactly similar to those of the

Schuylkill river. Our people caught them in great numbers. Here we

first saw the large ravens, (_Corvus corax_.) They hopped about

the ground all around our camp; and as we left it, they came in,

pell-mell, croaking, fighting, and scrambling for the few fragments

that remained.

[85] Now usually known as the Red Vermilion, a northern tributary of

Kansas River in Pottawatomie County, Kansas.--ED.

_8th._--This morning Mr. Sublette left us to return to the

settlements. He has been suffering for a considerable time with a

fungus in one of his legs, and it has become so much worse since

we started, in consequence of irritation caused by riding, that he

finds it impossible to proceed. His departure has thrown a gloom

over the whole camp. We all admired him for his amiable qualities,

and his kind and obliging disposition. For myself, I had become so

much attached to him, that I feel quite melancholy about his leaving

us.[86]

[86] I have since learned that his limb was twice amputated; but

notwithstanding this, the disease lingered in the system, and about

a year ago, terminated his life.--TOWNSEND.

{35} The weather is now very warm, and there has been a dead calm

all day, which renders travelling most uncomfortable. We have

frequently been favored with fresh breezes, which make it very

agreeable, but the moment these fail us we are almost suffocated

with intense heat. Our rate of travelling is about twenty miles per

day, which, in this warm weather, and with heavily packed horses, is

as much as we can accomplish with comfort to ourselves and animals.

On the afternoon of the next day, we crossed a broad Indian trail,

bearing northerly, supposed to be about five days old, and to have

been made by a war party of Pawnees. We are now in the country

traversed by these Indians, and are daily expecting to see them, but

Captain W. seems very desirous to avoid them, on account of their

well known thieving propensities, and quarrelsome disposition.

These Indians go every year to the plains of the Platte, where they

spend some weeks in hunting the buffalo, jerking their meat, and

preparing their skins for robes; they then push on to the Black

Hills, and look out for the parties of Blackfeet, which are also

bound to the Platte river plains. When the opposing parties come in

collision, (which frequently happens,) the most cruel and sanguinary

conflicts ensue. In the evening, three of our men deserted. Like

our quondam cook, they all took rifles, &c., that did not belong to

them, and one of these happened to be a favorite piece of Captain

W.'s, which had done him good service in his journey across this

country two years ago. He was very much attached to the gun, and in

spite of his calm and cool philosophy in all vexatious matters, he

cannot altogether conceal his chagrin.

The little streams of this part of the country are fringed with

a thick growth of pretty trees and bushes, and the buds are now

swelling, and the leaves expanding, to "welcome back the spring."

The birds, too, sing joyously amongst them, grosbeaks, thrushes,

and buntings, a merry and musical band. I am particularly {36}

fond of sallying out early in the morning, and strolling around

the camp. The light breeze just bends the tall tops of the grass

on the boundless prairie, the birds are commencing their matin

carollings, and all nature looks fresh and beautiful. The horses

of the camp are lying comfortably on their sides, and seem, by the

glances which they give me in passing, to know that their hour of

toil is approaching, and the patient kine are ruminating in happy

unconsciousness.

_11th._--We encountered some rather serious difficulties to-day in

fording several wide and deep creeks, having muddy and miry bottoms.

Many of our horses, (and particularly those that were packed,) fell

into the water, and it was with the greatest difficulty and labor

that they were extricated. Some of the scenes presented were rather

ludicrous to those who were not actors in them. The floundering,

kicking, and falling of horses in the heavy slough, man and beast

rolling over together, and _squattering_ amongst the black mud, and

the wo-begone looks of horse, rider, and horse-furniture, often

excited a smile, even while we pitied their begrimed and miserable

plight. All these troubles are owing to our having lost the trail

yesterday, and we have been travelling to-day as nearly in the

proper course as our compass indicated, and hope soon to find it.

_12th._--Our scouts came in this morning with the intelligence that

they had found a large trail of white men, bearing N. W. We have

no doubt that this is Wm. Sublette's party, and that it passed us

last evening.[87] They must have travelled very rapidly to overtake

us so soon, and no doubt had men ahead watching our motions. It

seems rather unfriendly, perhaps, to run by us in this furtive way,

without even stopping to say good morning, but Sublette is attached

to a rival company, and all stratagems are deemed allowable when

interest is concerned. It is a matter of some moment to be the first

at the mountain rendezvous, {37} in order to obtain the furs brought

every summer by the trappers.

[87] For biographical sketch of William Sublette, see our volume

xix, p. 221 note 55 (Gregg). His haste to reach the rendezvous in

the mountains before the arrival of Wyeth's party, was connected

with the arrangements for supplies; see preface to the present

volume.--ED.

Last night, while I was serving on guard, I observed an unusual

commotion among our band of horses, a wild neighing, snorting, and

plunging, for which I was unable to account. I directed several of

my men to go in and appease them, and endeavor to ascertain the

cause. They had scarcely started, however, when about half of the

band broke their fastenings, snapped the hopples on their legs, and

went dashing right through the midst of the camp. Down went several

of the tents, the rampart of goods was cleared in gallant style, and

away went the frightened animals at full speed over the plain. The

whole camp was instantly aroused. The horses that remained, were

bridled as quickly as possible; we mounted them without saddles, and

set off in hard pursuit after the fugitives. The night was pitch

dark, but we needed no light to point out the way, as the clattering

of hoofs ahead on the hard ground of the prairie, sounded like

thunder. After riding half an hour, we overtook about forty of them,

and surrounding them with difficulty, succeeded in driving them

back, and securing them as before. Twenty men were then immediately

despatched to scour the country, and bring in the remainder. This

party was headed by Mr. Lee, our missionary, (who, with his usual

promptitude, volunteered his services,) and they returned early this

morning, bringing nearly sixty more. We find, however, upon counting

the horses in our possession, that there are yet three missing.

While we were at breakfast, three Indians of the Otto tribe, came

to our camp to see, and smoke with us.[88] These were men of rather

short stature, but strong and firmly built. Their countenances

resemble in general expression those of the Kanzas, and their

dresses are very similar. We are all of opinion, that it is to these

Indians we owe our difficulties of last night, and we have no doubt

that the three missing horses are now in their {38} possession, but

as we cannot prove it upon them, and cannot even converse with them,

(having no interpreters,) we are compelled to submit to our loss in

silence. Perhaps we should even be thankful that we have not lost

more.

[88] For the Oto, see Bradbury's _Travels_, in our volume v, p. 74,

note 42.--ED.

While these people were smoking the pipe of peace with us, after

breakfast, I observed that Richardson, our chief hunter, (an

experienced man in this country, of a tall and iron frame, and

almost child-like simplicity of character, in fact an exact

counterpart of _Hawk-eye_ in his younger days,) stood aloof, and

refused to sit in the circle, in which it was always the custom of

the _old hands_ to join.

Feeling some curiosity to ascertain the cause of this unusual

diffidence, I occasionally allowed my eyes to wander to the spot

where our sturdy hunter stood looking moodily upon us, as the

calamet passed from hand to hand around the circle, and I thought

I perceived him now and then cast a furtive glance at one of the

Indians who sat opposite to me, and sometimes his countenance would

assume an expression almost demoniacal, as though the most fierce

and deadly passions were raging in his bosom. I felt certain that

hereby hung a tale, and I watched for a corresponding expression,

or at least a look of consciousness, in the face of my opposite

neighbor, but expression there was none. His large features were

settled in a tranquillity which nothing could disturb, and as he

puffed the smoke in huge volumes from his mouth, and the fragrant

vapor wreathed and curled around his head, he seemed the embodied

spirit of meekness and taciturnity.

The camp moved soon after, and I lost no time in overhauling

Richardson, and asking an explanation of his singular conduct.

"Why," said he, "that _Injen_ that sat opposite to you, is my

bitterest enemy. I was once going down alone from the rendezvous

with letters for St. Louis, and when I arrived on the lower {39}

part of the Platte river, (just a short distance beyond us here,) I

fell in with about a dozen Ottos. They were known to be a friendly

tribe, and I therefore felt no fear of them. I dismounted from my

horse and sat with them upon the ground. It was in the depth of

winter; the ground was covered with snow, and the river was frozen

solid. While I was thinking of nothing but my dinner, which I was

then about preparing, four or five of the cowards jumped on me,

mastered my rifle, and held my arms fast, while they took from me

my knife and tomahawk, my flint and steel, and all my ammunition.

They then loosed me, and told me to be off. I begged them, for the

love of God, to give me my rifle and a few loads of ammunition, or

I should starve before I could reach the settlements. No--I should

have nothing, and if I did not start off immediately, they would

throw me under the ice of the river. And," continued the excited

hunter,--while he ground his teeth with bitter, and uncontrollable

rage,--"that man that sat opposite to you was the chief of them. He

recognised me, and knew very well the reason why I would not smoke

with him. I tell you, sir, if ever I meet that man in any other

situation than that in which I saw him this morning, I'll shoot him

with as little hesitation as I would shoot a deer. Several years

have passed since the perpetration of this outrage, but it is still

as fresh in my memory as ever, and I again declare, that if ever an

opportunity offers, I will kill that man." "But, Richardson, did

they take your horse also?" "To be sure they did, and my blankets,

and every thing I had, except my clothes." "But how did you subsist

until you reached the settlements? You had a long journey before

you." "Why, set to _trappin'_ prairie squirrels with little nooses

made out of the hairs of my head." I should remark that his hair

was so long, that it fell in heavy masses on his shoulders. "But

squirrels in winter, Richardson, I never heard of squirrels in

winter." "Well but there was plenty of them, though; little white

ones, that lived among the {40} snow." "Well, really, this was an

unpleasant sort of adventure enough, but let me suggest that you

do very wrong to remember it with such blood-thirsty feelings." He

shook his head with a dogged and determined air, and rode off as if

anxious to escape a lecture.

A little sketch of our hunter may perhaps not be uninteresting,

as he will figure somewhat in the following pages, being one of

the principal persons of the party, the chief hunter, and a man

upon whose sagacity and knowledge of the country we all in a great

measure depended.

In height he is several inches over six feet, of a spare but

remarkably strong and vigorous frame, and a countenance of almost

infantile simplicity and openness. In disposition he is mild and

affable, but when roused to indignation, his keen eyes glitter and

flash, the muscles of his large mouth work convulsively, and he

looks the very impersonation of the spirit of evil. He is implacable

in anger, and bitter in revenge; never forgetting a kindness, but

remembering an injury with equal tenacity. Such is the character of

our hunter, and none who have known him as I have, will accuse me

of delineating from fancy. His native place is Connecticut, which

he left about twelve years ago, and has ever since been engaged in

roaming through the boundless plains and rugged mountains of the

west, often enduring the extremity of famine and fatigue, exposed

to dangers and vicissitudes of every kind, all for the paltry, and

often uncertain pittance of a Rocky Mountain hunter. He says he

is now tired of this wandering and precarious life, and when he

shall be enabled to save enough from his earnings to buy a farm

in Connecticut, he intends to settle down a quiet tiller of the

soil, and enjoy the sweets of domestic felicity. But this day will

probably never arrive. Even should he succeed in realizing a little

fortune, and the farm should be taken, the monotony and tameness

of the scene will weary his free spirit; he will often sigh for a

habitation {41} on the broad prairie, or a ramble over the dreary

mountains where his lot has so long been cast.

_15th._--We saw to-day several large white wolves, and two herds

of antelopes. The latter is one of the most beautiful animals I

ever saw. When full grown, it is nearly as large as a deer. The

horns are rather short, with a single prong near the top, and an

abrupt backward curve at the summit like a hook. The ears are very

delicate, almost as thin as paper, and hooked at the tip like the

horns. The legs are remarkably light and beautifully formed, and as

it bounds over the plain, it seems scarcely to touch the ground,

so exceedingly light and agile are its motions. This animal is

the _Antelope furcifer_ of zoologists, and inhabits the western

prairies of North America exclusively. The ground here is strewn

with great quantities of buffalo bones; the skulls of many of them

in great perfection. I often thought of my friend Doctor M. and his

_golgotha_, while we were kicking these fine specimens about the

ground. We are now travelling along the banks of the Blue river,--a

small fork of the Kanzas. The grass is very luxuriant and good, and

we have excellent and beautiful camps every night.

This morning a man was sent ahead to see W. Sublette's camp,

and bear a message to him, who returned in the evening with the

information that the company is only one day's journey beyond, and

consists of about thirty-five men. We see his deserted camps every

day, and, in some cases, the fires are not yet extinguished. It

is sometimes amusing to see the wolves lurking like guilty things

around these camps seeking for the fragments that may be left;

as our party approaches, they sneak away with a mean, hang-dog

air which often coaxes a whistling bullet out of the rifle of the

wayfarer.

{42} CHAPTER III

Arrival at the Platte river--Wolves and antelopes--Saline

efflorescences--Anxiety of the men to see buffalo--Visit

of two spies from the Grand Pawnees--Forced march--A herd

of buffalo--Elk--Singular conduct of the horses--Killing a

buffalo--Indian mode of procuring buffalo--Great herd--Intention

of the men to desert--Adventure with an Indian in the

tent--Circumspection necessary--Indian feat with bow and

arrow--Notice of the Pawnee tribes--Disappearance of the buffalo

from the plains of the Platte--A hunting adventure--Killing

a buffalo--Butchering of a bull--Shameful destruction of the

game--Hunters' mode of quenching thirst.

On the 18th of May we arrived at the Platte river. It is from one

and a half to two miles in width, very shoal; large sand flats, and

small, verdant islands appearing in every part. Wolves and antelopes

were in great abundance here, and the latter were frequently killed

by our men. We saw, also, the sandhill crane, great heron, (_Ardea

heroidas_,) and the long-billed curlew, stalking about through the

shallow water, and searching for their aquatic food.

The prairie is here as level as a race course, not the slightest

undulation appearing throughout the whole extent of vision, in a

north and westerly direction; but to the eastward of the river, and

about eight miles from it, is seen a range of high bluffs or sand

banks, stretching away to the south-east until they are lost in the

far distance.

The ground here is in many places encrusted with an impure salt,

which by the taste appears to be a combination of the sulphate and

muriate of soda; there are also a number of little pools, of only a

few inches in depth, scattered over the plain, the water of which

is so bitter and pungent, that it seems to penetrate {43} into the

tongue, and almost to produce decortication of the mouth.

We are now within about three days' journey of the usual haunts

of the buffalo, and our men (particularly the uninitiated) look

forward to our arrival amongst them with considerable anxiety. They

have listened to the garrulous hunter's details of "_approaching_,"

and "_running_," and "_quartering_," until they fancy themselves

the very actors in the scenes related, and are fretting and fuming

with impatience to draw their maiden triggers upon the unoffending

rangers of the plain.

The next morning, we perceived two men on horseback, at a great

distance; and upon looking at them with our telescope, discovered

them to be Indians, and that they were approaching us. When they

arrived within three or four hundred yards, they halted, and

appeared to wish to communicate with us, but feared to approach

too nearly. Captain W. rode out alone and joined them, while the

party proceeded slowly on its way. In about fifteen minutes he

returned with the information that they were of the tribe called

Grand Pawnees.[89] They told him that a war party of their people,

consisting of fifteen hundred warriors, was encamped about thirty

miles below; and the captain inferred that these men had been sent

to watch our motions, and ascertain our place of encampment; he was

therefore careful to impress upon them that we intended to go but

a few miles further, and pitch our tents upon a little stream near

the main river. When we were satisfied that the messengers were out

of sight of us, on their return to their camp, our whole caravan

was urged into a brisk trot, and we determined to steal a march

upon our neighbors. The little stream was soon passed, and we went

on, and on, without slackening our pace, until 12 o'clock at night.

We then called a halt on the bank of the river, made a hasty meal,

threw ourselves down in our blankets, without pitching the tents,

and slept soundly for three hours. We were {44} then aroused, and

off we went again, travelling steadily the whole day, making about

thirty-five miles, and so got quite clear of the Grand Pawnees.

[89] On the different branches of Pawnee, see James's _Long's

Expedition_, in our volume xiv, p. 233, note 179.--ED.

The antelopes are very numerous here. There is not half an hour

during the day in which they are not seen, and they frequently

permit the party to approach very near them. This afternoon, two

beautiful does came bounding after us, bleating precisely like

sheep. The men imitated the call, and they came up to within fifty

yards of us, and stood still; two of the hunters fired, and both

the poor creatures fell dead. We can now procure as many of these

animals as we wish, but their flesh is not equal to common venison,

and is frequently rejected by our people. A number are, however,

slaughtered every day, from mere wantonness and love of killing, the

greenhorns glorying in the sport, like our striplings of the city,

in their annual murdering of robins and sparrows.

_20th._--This afternoon, we came in sight of a large _gang_ of the

long-coveted buffalo. They were grazing on the opposite side of

the Platte, quietly as domestic cattle, but as we neared them, the

foremost _winded_ us, and started back, and the whole herd followed

in the wildest confusion, and were soon out of sight. There must

have been many thousands of them. Towards evening, a large band of

elk came towards us at full gallop, and passed very near the party.

The appearance of these animals produced a singular effect upon

our horses, all of which became restive, and about half the loose

ones broke away, and scoured over the plain in full chase after the

elk. Captain W. and several of his men went immediately in pursuit

of them, and returned late at night, bringing the greater number.

Two have, however, been lost irrecoverably. Our observed latitude,

yesterday, was 40° 31', and our computed distance from the

Missouri settlements, about 360 miles.

{45} The day following, we saw several small herds of buffalo on our

side of the river. Two of our hunters started out after a huge bull

that had separated himself from his companions, and gave him chase

on fleet horses.

Away went the buffalo, and away went the men, hard as they could

dash; now the hunters gained upon him, and pressed him hard;

again the enormous creature had the advantage, plunging with all

his might, his terrific horns often ploughing up the earth as he

spurned it under him. Sometimes he would double, and rush so near

the horses as almost to gore them with his horns, and in an instant

would be off in a tangent, and throw his pursuers from the track.

At length the poor animal came to bay, and made some unequivocal

demonstrations of combat; raising and tossing his head furiously,

and tearing up the ground with his feet. At this moment a shot was

fired. The victim trembled like an aspen, and fell to his knees, but

recovering himself in an instant, started again as fast as before.

Again the determined hunters dashed after him, but the poor bull

was nearly exhausted, he proceeded but a short distance and stopped

again. The hunters approached, rode slowly by him, and shot two

balls through his body with the most perfect coolness and precision.

During the race,--the whole of which occurred in full view of the

party,--the men seemed wild with the excitement which it occasioned;

and when the animal fell, a shout rent the air, which startled the

antelopes by dozens from the bluffs, and sent the wolves howling

like demons from their lairs.

This is the most common mode of killing the buffalo, and is

practised very generally by the travelling hunters; many are also

destroyed by approaching them on foot, when, if the bushes are

sufficiently dense, or the grass high enough to afford concealment,

the hunter,--by keeping carefully to leeward of his game,--may

sometimes approach so near as almost to touch {46} the animal. If

on a plain, without grass or bushes, it is necessary to be very

circumspect; to approach so slowly as not to excite alarm, and, when

observed by the animal, to imitate dexterously, the clumsy motions

of a young bear, or assume the sneaking, prowling attitude of a

wolf, in order to lull suspicion.

The Indians resort to another stratagem, which is, perhaps, even

more successful. The skin of a calf is properly dressed, with the

head and legs left attached to it. The Indian envelopes himself in

this, and with his short bow and a brace of arrows, ambles off into

the very midst of a herd. When he has selected such an animal as

suits his fancy, he comes close alongside of it, and without noise,

passes an arrow through its heart. One arrow is always sufficient,

and it is generally delivered with such force, that at least half

the shaft appears through the opposite side. The creature totters,

and is about to fall, when the Indian glides around, and draws the

arrow from the wound lest it should be broken. A single Indian is

said to kill a great number of buffaloes in this way, before any

alarm is communicated to the herd.

Towards evening, on rising a hill, we were suddenly greeted by a

sight which seemed to astonish even the oldest amongst us. The whole

plain, as far as the eye could discern, was covered by one enormous

mass of buffalo. Our vision, at the very least computation, would

certainly extend ten miles, and in the whole of this great space,

including about eight miles in width from the bluffs to the river

bank, there was apparently no vista in the incalculable multitude.

It was truly a sight that would have excited even the dullest mind

to enthusiasm. Our party rode up to within a few hundred yards of

the edge of the herd, before any alarm was communicated; then the

bulls,--which are always stationed around as sentinels,--began

pawing the ground, and {47} throwing the earth over their heads;

in a few moments they started in a slow, clumsy canter; but as we

neared them, they quickened their pace to an astonishingly rapid

gallop, and in a few minutes were entirely beyond the reach of our

guns, but were still so near that their enormous horns, and long

shaggy beards, were very distinctly seen. Shortly after we encamped,

our hunters brought in the choice parts of five that they had killed.

For the space of several days past, we have observed an inclination

in five or six of our men to leave our service. Immediately as

we encamp, we see them draw together in some secluded spot, and

engage in close and earnest conversation. This has occurred several

times, and as we are determined, if possible, to keep our horses,

&c., for our own use, we have stationed a sentry near their tent,

whose orders are peremptory to stop them at any hazard in case of

an attempt on their part, to appropriate our horses. The men we are

willing to lose, as they are of very little service, and we can do

without them; but horses here are valuable, and we cannot afford to

part with them without a sufficient compensation.

_22d._--On walking into our tent last night at eleven o'clock,

after the expiration of the first watch, (in which I had served as

supernumerary, to prevent the desertion of the men,) and stooping

to lay my gun in its usual situation near the head of my pallet, I

was startled by seeing a pair of eyes, wild and bright as those of

a tiger, gleaming from a dark corner of the lodge, and evidently

directed upon me. My first impression, was that a wolf had been

lurking around the camp, and had entered the tent in the prospect of

finding meat. My gun was at my shoulder instinctively, my aim was

directed between the eyes, and my finger pressed the trigger. At

that moment a tall Indian sprang before me with a loud _wah_! seized

the gun, and elevated the muzzle above my head; in another instant,

a second Indian was by my side, and I saw his keen knife glitter

as it left the {48} scabbard. I had not time for thought, and was

struggling with all my might with the first savage for the recovery

of my weapon, when Captain W., and the other inmates of the tent

were aroused, and the whole matter was explained, and set at rest in

a moment. The Indians were chiefs of the tribe of Pawnee Loups,[90]

who had come with their young men to shoot buffalo: they had paid

an evening visit to the captain, and as an act of courtesy had been

invited to sleep in the tent. I had not known of their arrival, nor

did I even suspect that Indians were in our neighborhood, so could

not control the alarm which their sudden appearance occasioned me.

[90] For the Pawnee Loup (Wolf) Indians, consult Bradbury's

_Travels_, in our volume v, p. 78, note 44.--ED.

As I laid myself down, and drew my blanket around me, Captain W.

touched me lightly with his finger, and pointed significantly to his

own person, which I perceived,--by the fire light at the mouth of

the tent,--to be garnished with his knife and pistols; I observed

also that the muzzle of his rifle laid across his breast, and that

the breech was firmly grasped by one of his legs. I took the hint;

tightened my belt, drew my gun closely to my side, and composed

myself to sleep. But the excitement of the scene through which I

had just passed, effectually banished repose. I frequently directed

my eyes towards the dark corner, and in the midst of the shapeless

mass which occupied it, I could occasionally see the glittering orbs

of our guest shining amidst the surrounding obscurity. At length

fatigue conquered watchfulness, and I sank to sleep, dreaming of

Indians, guns, daggers, and buffalo.

Upon rising the next morning, all had left the tent: the men were

busied in cooking their morning meal; kettles were hanging upon the

rude cranes, great ribs of meat were roasting before the fires,

and loading the air with fragrance, and my dreams and midnight

reveries, and apprehensions of evil, fled upon the wings of the

bright morning, and nought remained but a feeling of surprise that

the untoward events of the night should have disturbed my equanimity.

{49} While these thoughts were passing in my mind, my eye suddenly

encountered the two Indians. They were squatting upon the ground

near one of the fires, and appeared to be surveying, with the

keenness of morning appetite, the fine "_hump ribs_" which were

roasting before them. The moment they perceived me, I received from

them a quick glance of recognition: the taller one,--my opponent

of the previous night,--rose to his feet, walked towards me, and

gave me his hand with great cordiality; then pointed into the tent,

made the motions of raising a gun to his shoulder, taking aim, and

in short repeated the entire pantomime with great fidelity, and no

little humor, laughing the whole time as though he thought it a

capital joke. Poor fellow! it was near proving a dear joke for him,

and I almost trembled as I recollected the eager haste with which I

sought to take the life of a fellow creature. The Indian evidently

felt no ill will towards me, and as a proof of it, proposed an

exchange of knives, to which I willingly acceded. He deposited

mine,--which had my name engraved upon the handle,--in the sheath at

his side, and walked away to his _hump ribs_ with the air of a man

who is conscious of having done a good action. As he left me, one of

our old trappers took occasion to say, that in consequence of this

little act of savage courtesy, the Indian became my firm friend;

and that if I ever met him again, I should be entitled to share his

hospitality, or claim his protection.

While the men were packing the horses, after breakfast, I was again

engaged with my Indian friend. I took his bow and arrows in my hand,

and remarked that the latter were smeared with blood throughout:

upon my expressing surprise at this he told me, by signs, that

they had passed through the body of the buffalo. I assumed a look

of incredulity; the countenance of the savage brightened, and his

peculiar and strange eyes actually flashed with eagerness, as he

pointed to a dead antelope lying upon the ground about forty feet

from us, and which one of {50} the guard had shot near the camp in

the morning. The animal lay upon its side with the breast towards

us: the bow was drawn slightly, without any apparent effort, and the

arrow flew through the body of the antelope, and skimmed to a great

distance over the plain.

These Indians were the finest looking of any I have seen. Their

persons were tall, straight, and finely formed; their noses slightly

aqualine, and the whole countenance expressive of high and daring

intrepidity. The face of the taller one was particularly admirable;

and Gall or Spurzheim, at a single glance at his magnificent head,

would have invested him with all the noblest qualities of the

species.[91] I know not what a physiognomist would have said of

his eyes, but they were certainly the most wonderful eyes I ever

looked into; glittering and scintillating constantly, like the

mirror-glasses in a lamp frame, and rolling and dancing in their

orbits as though possessed of abstract volition.

[91] Noted German phrenologists. Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828) was

founder of the school of phrenology; his chief work was _Anatomie

et Physiologie du système nerveux_ (1810-20). Kasper Spurzheim

(1776-1832) was a disciple of Gall's, publishing _Physiognomical

System of Drs. Gall and Spurzheim_ (1815). He died in Boston.--ED.

The tribe to which these Indians belong, is a division of the great

Pawnee nation. There are four of these divisions or tribes, known

by the names of Grand Pawnees, Pawnee Loups, Pawnee Republicans,

and Pawnee Picts. They are all independent of each other, governed

exclusively by chiefs chosen from among their own people, and

although they have always been on terms of intimacy and friendship,

never intermarry, nor have other intercourse than that of trade,

or a conjunction of their forces to attack the common enemy. In

their dealings with the whites, they are arbitrary and overbearing,

chaffering about the price of a horse, or a beaver skin, with true

huckster-like eagerness and mendacity, and seizing with avidity

every unfair advantage, which circumstances or their own craft may

put in their power.

The buffalo still continue immensely numerous in every direction

around, and our men kill great numbers, so that we are in truth

living upon the fat of the land, and better feeding need {51} no

man wish. The savory buffalo hump has suffered no depreciation

since the "man without a cross" vaunted of its good qualities to

"the stranger;" and in this, as in many other particulars, we have

realized the truth and fidelity of Cooper's admirable descriptions.

_23d._--When we rose this morning, not a single buffalo, of the

many thousands that yesterday strewed the plain, was to be seen.

It seemed like magic. Where could they have gone? I asked myself

this question again and again, but in vain. At length I applied

to Richardson, who stated that they had gone to the bluffs, but

for what reason he could not tell; he, however, had observed their

tracks bearing towards the bluffs, and was certain that they would

be found there. He and Sandsbury (another hunter) were then about

starting on a hunt to supply the camp, and I concluded to accompany

them; Mr. Lee, the missionary, also joined us, and we all rode off

together. The party got under way about the same time, and proceeded

along the bank of the river, while we struck off south to look for

the buffalo. About one hour's brisk trotting carried us to the

bluffs, and we entered amongst large conical hills of yellow clay,

intermixed with strata of limestone, but without the slightest

vegetation of any kind. On the plains which we had left, the grass

was in great luxuriance, but here not a blade of it was to be seen,

and yet, as Richardson had predicted, here were the buffalo. We had

not ridden a mile before we entered upon a plain of sand of great

extent, and observed ahead vast clouds of dust rising and circling

in the air as though a tornado or a whirlwind were sweeping over

the earth. "Ha!" said Richardson, "there they are; now let us take

the wind of them, and you shall see some sport." We accordingly

went around to leeward, and, upon approaching nearer, saw the huge

animals rolling over and over in the sand with astonishing agility

enveloping themselves by the exercise in a perfect atmosphere

of dust; occasionally two of the bulls would {52} spring from

the ground and attack each other with amazing address and fury,

retreating for ten or twelve feet, and then rushing suddenly

forward, and dashing their enormous fronts together with a shock

that seemed annihilating. In these rencontres, one of the combatants

was often thrown back upon his haunches, and tumbled sprawling upon

the ground; in which case, the victor, with true prize-fighting

generosity, refrained from persecuting his fallen adversary,

contenting himself with a hearty resumption of his rolling fit,

and kicking up the dust with more than his former vigor, as if to

celebrate his victory.

This appeared to be a good situation to approach and kill the

buffalo, as, by reason of the plentiful distribution of the

little clay hills, an opportunity would be afforded of successful

concealment; we separated, therefore, each taking his own course.

In a very few minutes I heard the crack of a rifle in the direction

in which Richardson had gone, and immediately after saw the

frightened animals flying from the spot. The sound reverberated

among the hills, and as it died away the herd halted to watch and

listen for its repetition. For myself, I strolled on for nearly an

hour, leading my horse, and peering over every hill, in the hope

of finding a buffalo within range, but not one could I see that

was sufficiently near; and when I attempted the stealthy approach

which I had seen Richardson practise with so much success, I felt

compelled to acknowledge my utter insufficiency. I had determined to

kill a buffalo, and as I had seen it several times done with so much

apparent ease, I considered it a mere moonshine matter, and thought

I could compass it without difficulty; but now I had attempted it,

and was grievously mistaken in my estimate of the required skill. I

had several times heard the guns of the hunters, and felt satisfied

that we should not go to camp without meat, and was on the point

of altering my course to join them, when, as I wound around the

base of a little hill, I saw about twenty buffalo lying quietly on

the ground within {53} thirty yards of me. Now was my time. I took

my picket from my saddle, and fastened my horse to the ground as

quietly as possible, but with hands that almost failed to do their

office, from my excessive eagerness and trembling anxiety. When this

was completed, I crawled around the hill again, almost suspending

my breath from fear of alarming my intended victims, until I came

again in full view of the unsuspecting herd. There were so many

fine animals that I was at a loss which to select; those nearest

me appeared small and poor, and I therefore settled my aim upon a

huge bull on the outside. Just then I was attacked with the "_bull

fever_" so dreadfully, that for several minutes I could not shoot.

At length, however, I became firm and steady, and pulled my trigger

at exactly the right instant. Up sprang the herd like lightning, and

away they scoured, and my bull with them. I was vexed, angry, and

discontented; I concluded that I could never kill a buffalo, and was

about to mount my horse and ride off in despair, when I observed

that one of the animals had stopped in the midst of his career. I

rode towards him, and sure enough, there was my great bull trembling

and swaying from side to side, and the clotted gore hanging like

icicles from his nostrils. In a few minutes after, he fell heavily

upon his side, and I dismounted and surveyed the unwieldy brute, as

he panted and struggled in the death agony.

When the first ebullition of my triumph had subsided, I perceived

that my prize was so excessively lean as to be worth nothing, and

while I was exerting my whole strength in a vain endeavor to raise

the head from the ground for the purpose of removing the tongue,

the two hunters joined me, and laughed heartily at my achievement.

Like all inexperienced hunters, I had been particular to select

the largest bull in the gang, supposing it to be the best, (and it

proved, as usual, the poorest,) while more than a dozen fat cows

were nearer me, either of which I might have killed with as little

trouble.

{54} As I had supposed, my companions had killed several animals,

but they had taken the meat of only one, and we had, therefore, to

be diligent, or the camp might suffer for provisions. It was now

past mid-day; the weather was very warm, and the atmosphere was

charged with minute particles of sand, which produced a dryness and

stiffness of the mouth and tongue, that was exceedingly painful and

distressing. Water was now the desideratum, but where was it to be

found? The arid country in which we then were, produced none, and

the Platte was twelve or fourteen miles from us, and no buffalo in

that direction, so that we could not afford time for so trifling

a matter. I found that Mr. Lee was suffering as much as myself,

although he had not spoken of it, and I perceived that Richardson

was masticating a leaden bullet, to excite the salivary glands.

Soon afterwards, a bull was killed, and we all assembled around the

carcass to assist in the manipulations. The animal was first raised

from his side where he had lain, and supported upon his knees,

with his hoofs turned under him; a longitudinal incision was then

made from the nape, or anterior base of the hump, and continued

backward to the loins, and a large portion of the skin from each

side removed; these pieces of skin were placed upon the ground,

with the under surface uppermost, and the _fleeces_, or masses of

meat, taken from along the back, were laid upon them. These fleeces,

from a large animal, will weigh, perhaps, a hundred pounds each,

and comprise the whole of the hump on each side of the vertical

processes, (commonly called the _hump ribs_,) which are attached to

the vertebra. The fleeces are considered the choice parts of the

buffalo, and here, where the game is so abundant, nothing else is

taken, if we except the tongue, and an occasional marrow bone.

This, it must be confessed, appears like a useless and unwarrantable

waste of the goods of Providence; but when are men economical,

unless compelled to be so by necessity? Here are {55} more than a

thousand pounds of delicious and savory flesh, which would delight

the eyes and gladden the heart of any epicure in Christendom, left

neglected where it fell, to feed the ravenous maw of the wild

prairie wolf, and minister to the excesses of the unclean birds of

the wilderness. But I have seen worse waste and havoc than this, and

I feel my indignation rise at the recollection. I have seen dozens

of buffalo slaughtered merely for the tongues, or for practice

with the rifle; and I have also lived to see the very perpetrators

of these deeds, lean and lank with famine, when the meanest and

most worthless parts of the poor animals they had so inhumanly

slaughtered, would have been received and eaten with humble

thankfulness.

But to return to ourselves. We were all suffering from excessive

thirst, and so intolerable had it at length become, that Mr. Lee

and myself proposed a gallop over to the Platte river, in order to

appease it; but Richardson advised us not to go, as he had just

thought of a means of relieving us, which he immediately proceeded

to put in practice. He tumbled our mangled buffalo over upon his

side, and with his knife opened the body, so as to expose to view

the great stomach, and still crawling and twisting entrails. The

good missionary and myself stood gaping with astonishment, and no

little loathing, as we saw our hunter plunge his knife into the

distended paunch, from which gushed the green and gelatinous juices,

and then insinuate his tin pan into the opening, and by depressing

its edge, strain off the water which was mingled with its contents.

Richardson always valued himself upon his politeness, and the

cup was therefore first offered to Mr. Lee and myself, but it

is almost needless to say that we declined the proffer, and our

features probably expressed the strong disgust which we felt, for

our companion laughed heartily before he applied the cup to his own

mouth. He then drank it to the dregs, smacking his lips, and drawing

a long breath after it, with the satisfaction of a man {56} taking

his wine after dinner. Sansbury, the other hunter, was not slow in

following the example set before him, and we, the audience, turned

our backs upon the actors.

Before we left the spot, however, Richardson induced me to taste

the blood which was still fluid in the heart, and immediately as it

touched my lips, my burning thirst, aggravated by hunger, (for I had

eaten nothing that day,) got the better of my abhorrence; I plunged

my head into the reeking ventricles, and drank until forced to stop

for breath. I felt somewhat ashamed of assimilating myself so nearly

to the brutes, and turned my ensanguined countenance towards the

missionary who stood by, but I saw no approval there: the good man

was evidently attempting to control his risibility, and so I smiled

to put him in countenance; the roar could no longer be restrained,

and the missionary laughed until the tears rolled down his cheeks. I

did not think, until afterwards, of the horrible ghastliness which

must have characterized my smile at that particular moment.

When we arrived at the camp in the evening, and I enjoyed the luxury

of a hearty draft of water, the effect upon my stomach was that of

a powerful emetic: the blood was violently ejected without nausea,

and I felt heartily glad to be rid of the disgusting encumbrance. I

never drank blood from that day.

{57} CHAPTER IV

Change in the face of the country--Unpleasant

visitation--its effects--North fork of the Platte--A

day's journey over the hills--Wormwood bushes, and poor

pasture--Marmots--Rattlesnake and gopher--Naturalist's success

and sacrifices--A sand storm--Wild horses--Killing of a doe

antelope--Bluffs of the Platte--The chimney--"Zip Koon,"

the young antelope--Birds--Feelings and cogitations of a

naturalist--Arrival at Laramie's fork--Departure of two "free

trappers" on a summer "hunt"--Black Hills--Rough travelling--Red

butes--Sweet-water river, and Rock Independence--Avocets--Wind

river mountains--Rocky Mountain sheep--Adventure of one of the

men with a grizzly bear--Rattlesnakes--Toilsome march, and

arrival at Sandy river--Suffering of the horses--Anticipated

delights of the rendezvous.

On the morning of the 24th of May we forded the Platte river, or

rather its south fork, along which we had been travelling during

the previous week.[92] On the northern side, we found the country

totally different in its aspect. Instead of the extensive and

apparently interminable green plains, the monotony of which had

become so wearisome to the eye, here was a great sandy waste,

without a single green thing to vary and enliven the dreary scene.

It was a change, however, and we were therefore enjoying it, and

remarking to each other how particularly agreeable it was, when

we were suddenly assailed by vast swarms of most ferocious little

black gnats; the whole atmosphere seemed crowded with them, and

they dashed into our faces, assaulted our eyes, ears, nostrils, and

mouths, as though they were determined to bar our passage through

their territory. These little creatures were so exceedingly minute

that, singly, they were scarcely visible; and yet their sting

caused such excessive pain, that for {58} the rest of the day our

men and horses were rendered almost frantic, the former bitterly

imprecating, and the latter stamping, and kicking, and rolling in

the sand, in tremendous, yet vain, efforts to rid themselves of

their pertinacious little foes. It was rather amusing to see the

whole company with their handkerchiefs, shirts, and coats, thrown

over their heads, stemming the animated torrent, and to hear the

greenhorns cursing their tormenters, the country, and themselves,

for their foolhardiness in venturing on the journey. When we

encamped in the evening, we built fires at the mouths of the tents,

the smoke from which kept our enemies at a distance, and we passed a

night of tolerable comfort, after a day of most peculiar misery.

[92] There were two fords to the South Platte, both of which led

toward the North Platte at Ash Creek. Wyeth's party took the lower

ford, eight miles above the forks.--ED.

The next morning I observed that the faces of all the men were more

or less swollen, some of them very severely, and poor Captain W. was

totally blind for two days afterwards.

_25th._--We made a noon camp to-day on the north branch or fork of

the river, and in the afternoon travelled along the bank of the

stream.[93] In about an hour's march, we came to rocks, precipices,

and cedar trees, and although we anticipated some difficulty and

toil in the passage of the heights, we felt glad to exchange them

for the vast and wearisome prairies we had left behind. Soon after

we commenced the ascent, we struck into an Indian path very much

worn, occasionally mounting over rugged masses of rock, and leaping

wide fissures in the soil, and sometimes picking our way over the

jutting crags, directly above the river. On the top of one of the

stunted and broad spreading cedars, a bald eagle had built its

enormous nest; and as we descended the mountain, we saw the callow

young lying within it, while the anxious parents hovered over our

heads, screaming their alarm.

[93] See note 32 (Wyeth), _ante_, p. 52.--ED.

In the evening we arrived upon the plain again; it was thickly

covered with ragged and gnarled bushes of a species of wormwood,

(_Artemesia_,) which perfumed the air, and at first was {59} rather

agreeable. The soil was poor and sandy, and the straggling blades of

grass which found their way to the surface were brown and withered.

Here was a poor prospect for our horses; a sad contrast indeed to

the rich and luxuriant prairies we had left. On the edges of the

little streams, however, we found some tolerable pasture, and we

frequently stopped during the day to bait our poor animals in these

pleasant places.

We observed here several species of small marmots, (_Arctomys_,)

which burrowed in the sand, and were constantly skipping about the

ground in front of our party. The short rattlesnake of the prairies

was also abundant, and no doubt derived its chief subsistence from

foraging among its playful little neighbors. Shortly before we

halted this evening, being a considerable distance in advance of the

caravan, I observed a dead gopher, (_Diplostoma_,)--a small animal

about the size of a rat, with large external cheek pouches,--lying

upon the ground; and near it a full grown rattlesnake, also dead.

The gopher was yet warm and pliant, and had evidently been killed

but a few minutes previously; the snake also gave evidence of very

recent death, by a muscular twitching of the tail, which occurs

in most serpents, soon after life is extinct. It was a matter of

interest to me to ascertain the mode by which these animals were

deprived of life. I therefore dismounted from my horse, and examined

them carefully, but could perceive nothing to furnish even a clue.

Neither of them had any external or perceptible wound. The snake had

doubtless killed the quadruped, but what had killed the snake? There

being no wound upon its body was sufficient proof that the gopher

had not used his teeth, and in no other way could he cause death.

I was unable to solve the problem to my satisfaction, so I pocketed

the animal to prepare its skin, and rode on to the camp.

The birds thus far have been very abundant. There is a considerable

{60} variety, and many of them have not before been seen by

naturalists. As to the plants, there seems to be no end to them, and

Mr. N. is finding dozens of new species daily. In the other branches

of science, our success has not been so great, partly on account of

the rapidity and steadiness with which we travel, but chiefly from

the difficulty, and almost impossibility, of carrying the subjects.

Already we have cast away all our useless and superfluous clothing,

and have been content to mortify our natural pride, to make room for

our specimens. Such things as spare waistcoats, shaving boxes, soap,

and stockings, have been ejected from our trunks, and we are content

to dress, as we live, in a style of primitive simplicity. In fact,

the whole appearance of our party is sufficiently primitive; many of

the men are dressed entirely in deerskins, without a single article

of civilized manufacture about them; the old trappers and hunters

wear their hair flowing on their shoulders, and their large grizzled

beards would scarcely disgrace a Bedouin of the desert.

The next morning the whole camp was suddenly aroused by the falling

of all the tents. A tremendous blast swept as from a funnel over the

sandy plain, and in an instant precipitated our frail habitations

like webs of gossamer. The men crawled out from under the ruins,

rubbing their eyes, and, as usual, muttering imprecations against

the country and all that therein was; it was unusually early for a

start, but we did not choose to pitch the tents again, and to sleep

without them here was next to impossible; so we took our breakfast

in the open air, devouring our well sanded provisions as quickly as

possible, and immediately took to the road.

During the whole day a most terrific gale was blowing directly in

our faces, clouds of sand were driving and hurtling by us, often

with such violence as nearly to stop our progress; and when we

halted in the evening, we could scarcely recognise each other's

faces beneath their odious mask of dust and dirt.

{61} There have been no buffalo upon the plain to-day, all the

game that we have seen, being a few elk and antelopes; but these

of course we did not attempt to kill, as our whole and undivided

attention was required to assist our progress.

_28th._--We fell in with a new species of game to-day;--a large

band of wild horses. They were very shy, scarcely permitting us to

approach within rifle distance, and yet they kept within sight of

us for some hours. Several of us gave them chase, in the hope of

at least being able to approach sufficiently near to examine them

closely, but we might as well have pursued the wind; they scoured

away from us with astonishing velocity, their long manes and tails

standing out almost horizontally, as they sprang along before us.

Occasionally they would pause in their career, turn and look at us

as we approached them, and then, with a neigh that rang loud and

high above the clattering of the hoofs, dart their light heels into

the air, and fly from us as before. We soon abandoned this wild

chase, and contented ourselves with admiring their sleek beauty at a

distance.

In the afternoon, I committed an act of cruelty and wantonness,

which distressed and troubled me beyond measure, and which I have

ever since recollected with sorrow and compunction. A beautiful doe

antelope came running and bleating after us, as though she wished to

overtake the party: she continued following us for nearly an hour,

at times approaching within thirty or forty yards, and standing to

gaze at us as we moved slowly on our way. I several times raised

my gun to fire at her, but my better nature as often gained the

ascendency, and I at last rode into the midst of the party to escape

the temptation. Still the doe followed us, and I finally fell into

the rear, but without intending it, and again looked at her as she

trotted behind us. At that moment, my evil genius and love of sport

triumphed; I slid down from my horse, aimed at the poor antelope,

and shot a ball through her side. Under other circumstances, {62}

there would have been no cruelty in this; but here, where better

meat was so abundant, and the camp was so plentifully supplied,

it was unfeeling, heartless murder. It was under the influence of

this too late impression, that I approached my poor victim. She was

writhing in agony upon the ground, and exerting herself in vain

efforts to draw her mangled body farther from her destroyer; and

as I stood over her, and saw her cast her large, soft, black eyes

upon me with an expression of the most touching sadness, while the

great tears rolled over her face, I felt myself the meanest and

most abhorrent thing in creation. But now a finishing blow would be

mercy to her, and I threw my arm around her neck, averted my face,

and drove my long knife through her bosom to the heart. I did not

trust myself to look upon her afterwards, but mounted my horse, and

galloped off to the party, with feelings such as I hope never to

experience again. For several days the poor antelope haunted me, and

I shall never forget its last look of pain and upbraiding.

The bluffs on the southern shore of the Platte, are, at this point,

exceedingly rugged, and often quite picturesque; the formation

appears to be simple clay, intermixed, occasionally, with a stratum

of limestone, and one part of the bluff bears a striking and almost

startling resemblance to a dilapidated feudal castle. There is also

a kind of obelisk, standing at a considerable distance from the

bluffs, on a wide plain, towering to the height of about two hundred

feet, and tapering to a small point at the top. This pillar is known

to the hunters and trappers who traverse these regions, by the name

of the "_chimney_." Here we diverged from the usual course, leaving

the bank of the river, and entered a large and deep ravine between

the enormous bluffs.[94]

[94] These are called "Scott's Bluffs;" so named from an unfortunate

trader, who perished here from disease and hunger, many years ago.

He was deserted by his companions; and the year following, his

crumbling bones were found in this spot.--TOWNSEND.

_Comment by Ed._ See this story in detail in Irving, _Rocky

Mountains_, i, pp. 45, 46.

{63} The road was very uneven and difficult, winding from amongst

innumerable mounds six to eight feet in height, the space between

them frequently so narrow as scarcely to admit our horses, and some

of the men rode for upwards of a mile kneeling upon their saddles.

These mounds were of hard yellow clay, without a particle of rock of

any kind, and along their bases, and in the narrow passages, flowers

of every hue were growing. It was a most enchanting sight; even

the men noticed it, and more than one of our matter-of-fact people

exclaimed, _beautiful, beautiful_! Mr. N. was here in his glory.

He rode on ahead of the company, and cleared the passages with a

trembling and eager hand, looking anxiously back at the approaching

party, as though he feared it would come ere he had finished, and

tread his lovely prizes under foot.

The distance through the ravine is about three miles. We then

crossed several beautiful grassy knolls, and descending to the

plain, struck the Platte again, and travelled along its bank. Here

one of our men caught a young antelope, which he brought to the

camp upon his saddle. It was a beautiful and most delicate little

creature, and in a few days became so tame as to remain with the

camp without being tied, and to drink, from a tin cup, the milk

which our good missionaries spared from their own scanty meals. The

men christened it "_Zip Coon_," and it soon became familiar with its

name, running to them when called, and exhibiting many evidences of

affection and attachment. It became a great favorite with every

one. A little pannier of willows was made for it, which was packed

on the back of a mule, and when the camp moved in the mornings,

little _Zip_ ran to his station beside his long-eared hack, bleating

with impatience until some one came to assist him in mounting.

On the afternoon of the 31st, we came to green trees and bushes

again, and the sight of them was more cheering than can {64} be

conceived, except by persons who have travelled for weeks without

beholding a green thing, save the grass under their feet. We

encamped in the evening in a beautiful grove of cottonwood trees,

along the edge of which ran the Platte, dotted as usual with

numerous islands.

In the morning, Mr. N. and myself were up before the dawn, strolling

through the umbrageous forest, inhaling the fresh, bracing air, and

making the echoes ring with the report of our gun, as the lovely

tenants of the grove flew by dozens before us. I think I never

before saw so great a variety of birds within the same space. All

were beautiful, and many of them quite new to me; and after we had

spent an hour amongst them, and my game bag was teeming with its

precious freight, I was still loath to leave the place, lest I

should not have procured specimens of the whole.

None but a naturalist can appreciate a naturalist's feelings--his

delight amounting to ecstacy--when a specimen such as he has never

before seen, meets his eye, and the sorrow and grief which he feels

when he is compelled to tear himself from a spot abounding with all

that he has anxiously and unremittingly sought for.

This was peculiarly my case upon this occasion. We had been long

travelling over a sterile and barren tract, where the lovely

denizens of the forest could not exist, and I had been daily

scanning the great extent of the desert, for some little _oasis_

such as I had now found; here was my wish at length gratified, and

yet the caravan would not halt for me; I must turn my back upon the

_El Dorado_ of my fond anticipations, and hurry forward over the

dreary wilderness which lay beyond.

What valuable and highly interesting accessions to science might

not be made by a party, composed exclusively of naturalists, on

a journey through this rich and unexplored region! The botanist,

the geologist, the mamalogist, the ornithologist, and {65} the

entomologist, would find a rich and almost inexhaustible field

for the prosecution of their inquiries, and the result of such an

expedition would be to add most materially to our knowledge of the

wealth and resources of our country, to furnish us with new and

important facts relative to its structure, organization, and natural

productions, and to complete the fine native collections in our

already extensive museums.

On the 1st of June, we arrived at Laramie's fork of the Platte, and

crossed it without much difficulty.[95]

[95] Wyeth relates in his journal that he found thirteen of

Sublette's men building a fort at this place. Such was the origin

of the famous Fort Laramie, first known as Fort William, then

Fort John, and in 1846, removed a mile farther up the stream, and

re-christened Fort Laramie. It became a government post in 1849.--ED.

Here two of our "free trappers" left us for a summer "hunt" in the

rugged Black Hills. These men joined our party at Independence, and

have been travelling to this point with us for the benefit of our

escort. Trading companies usually encourage these free trappers

to join them, both for the strength which they add to the band,

and that they may have the benefit of their generally good hunting

qualities. Thus are both parties accommodated, and no obligation is

felt on either side.

I confess I felt somewhat sad when I reflected upon the possible

fate of the two adventurous men who had left us in the midst of a

savage wilderness, to depend entirely upon their unassisted strength

and hardihood, to procure the means of subsistence and repel the

aggression of the Indian.

Their expedition will be fraught with stirring scenes, with peril

and with strange adventure; but they think not of this, and they

care not for it. They are only two of the many scores who annually

subject themselves to the same difficulties and dangers; they see

their friends return unscathed, and laden with rich and valuable

furs, and if one or two should have perished by Indian rapacity, or

fallen victims to their own daring and fool-hardy spirit, they mourn

the loss of their brethren who have not returned, and are only the

more anxious to pursue the same track in order to avenge them.