of His Brothers Came to our Camp With one mule We had lost While With
them—for Which I gave them Some presents—one of them Went to our Horses
and Caught Hold [of] one Which Ward Head braught in a few days ago Which
He Soposed the Crows Had lost—but the Arrapoho Clames—and I have no doupt
of His being the oner—Ward derectly asked the Indean for presents Stating
that I Head given them Some thing for finding the mule that He Wanted
Some for finding the Horse—but this demand ofended the Indeans He Stated
that the did not Cut off the mules tail to alter its looks as Ward Had
don the Hors—and throing down What the Head Receved said the Wold keep
the mule and that they Head lost three Horses and Soposed that Ward Head
taken them all and that the other two Ware yet among our Horses and Went
and looked—but Cold find no more—I told them there Was but one braught to
Camp and that Ward Had don Rong to Cut the Horses tail—that He Head allso
don Wrong to ask any thing I gave them up the Hors and told them to take
What I Head given them—Presented the pipe Which the Smoked beged Some
Powder and Bullets Which gave them—the are now quite pleased—Set off to
go to their Camp Huging us all before the Start telling us the move Camp
to morrow and Will meet us in the Spring on the River as We go down
Saterday 5th Jany 1822
three men Went With Horses on the Hunt of Buffelow but Returned With out
seeing any this day finished our House and Packed in all the goods
Sunday 6th Jany 1822
Went up to the Warm Spring Branch[77] and Soot two traps but the Weather
is So Cold I beleve the bever Will not Come out—duglass in the Evening
on driveing up the Horses Reports Some Buffelow In Sight the Hunters Will
look for them In the morning
monday 7th Jany 1822
Went out to look for the Buffelow Seen them but killed none—Went With
Robert Fowler to the traps—Caught nothing on our Return We Went to the
Washed Rock as We Called it Which Stands near the Bace of the Second
bottom or low Hills the are about fifty feet Higher than the low Bottom
and Exstend back to Some miles With out Riseing much Higher it appeers
that this High land Exstended once Round this Rock and has been Washed a
Way by the River the Rock is about ten feet Higher than the Highest land
in the nibour Hood and in the neck of low ground betwen a point of from
5 to 7 acers nearly Squair—and the High lands back of the bottom—and In
my openion the best Setuation In all this Section of the Cuntry for a
garison as it is near Wood and Watter Which is in the River about 100 yds
on the South West side of this table and about 50 yds from the above Rock
Which [is] only asendable on the East Side Round on the top about fifteen
feet diameter—a stone Wall is Raised on the margin of Such a Hight that
a man may Sett With Safty from Small army in the nibor Hood and about
twelve men might [illegible] With Convenence this Rock is about 400
Hunderd yds from the mouth of the Warm Spring branch Which is West from
th Rock and Heads to the north its bottoms a bout ½ a mile Wide—a large
River bottom on the South and West mostly Pirarie—the High Ridge Exstends
from the Rock about South East—this Crick Contains Watter soffecent for
mills and With a long Raice plenty of fall may be Head—
tusday 8th Jany 1822
Went up to the mouth of the Crick from that to the Hill mentioned
yesterday and looking up the River Seen the glisning of a gun barrel or
Swoard blaid but Cold See nothin Elce Returned to Camp
Wensday 9th Jany 1822
my Self Robert Fowler and Jesey Vanbeber Went on Hors back to look for
Buffelow on the South Side of the River at about one and a Half miles up
the River We Ware Stoped by Vanbeber Calling to us that He Seen Seven or
Eight Indeans on the Pirarie on the north Side of the River—that He Seen
their gunbarrels gleson tho at about three miles distance We Returned to
Camp Emedetly—and Head the Horses drove up and garded the ballence of
the day—tho We Seen nothing more of the Indeans—I Exspect the Ware a War
party looking for the Arrapoho to Steel their Horses and that the Head
Seen nothing of us or the Wold Have paid us a viset—
thorsday 10th Jany 1822
Went out on the South Side of the River took Pall With me I went about
three miles over leavel Loos Sandey land to a High Ridge from Which We
Seen one Buffelow about 2 miles beyound us—We Returned to Camp Killed
nothing—the Hunters killed nothing—our meet scarce this morning Head the
Ice Sanded So as to make a Road for the Horses fine grass on the north
Side We put them over and Return them at night in to the Pen Whear We
feed them With the tops of the Young Cotten Wood—of Which the are very
fond
Friday 11th Jany 1822
Sent the Horses over Early. duglas to Hord them as Has been the Case Ever
Since the Conl left us. one man all day With the Horses and drive them up
at night the Wach by day is taken by turns amongest the Hands We Have now
thirty Horses In Cluding those belonging to Indeviduels—about 12 oclock
the Hunters Came In from the mountains Six in nomber the Weather Is So
Cold the Cannot trap the Have Caught only Seven Bever killed Some deer
Ealk and buffelow our Hunters kill one deer this day our Sperets are a
little Raised We are now fifteen In nomber and this party bringing In
With them Six Horses and two mules We have thirty Eight In all
Saterday 12th Jany 1822
Sent four Hunters With Seven Horses on the South Side of the River to the
mountains to Hunt Buffelow and not to Return In less than three days
Sent the Horses over the River to Paster—With Barbo to Hord them Who
braught them all In at night
Sunday 13th Jany 1822
Sent the Horses over the River Dick Walters to Hord them—all Returned
Safte at night—the Hunters not Returned—
monday 14th Jany 1822
Sent the Horses over the River With Bono to atend them—He killed one Deer
and Braught it to Camp the Hunters Returned With Small Buffelow—the Head
Killed Several old ones but the Ware Poor and left out the Horses all up
at night
tusday 15th Jany 1822
drove the Horses over the River on the Ice as ushal—I then Went to
look out a good Setuation for a new Settlement on the north Side of
the River—Intending to move tomorrow Should no acoumpt Reach us from
Conl glann—as We began to Sopose He Is now not at liverty to send or
Return there being the full time Elapsed in Which He promised to Send
an Exspress—and We think that a party of Spanirds may be Sent to take
us prisnors—for Which Reason Intend makeing a Strong Hous and Hors Pen
on the Bank of the River Wheare it Will not be In the Powe of an Enemy
to aproch us from the River Side—and Shold the Spanierds appeer In a
Hostill manner We Will fight them on the Ameraken ground. the River Hear
being the line by the last tretey—the Horses all up at night
Wensday 16th Jany 1822
moved Camp Early up the River on the north Side to the Spot I looked out
yesterday—We Built a Strong Hors Peen and Put up the Horses at night—no
Word from Conl glann—We begin to Conclude as Is not Well Him [all is not
well with him]
thorsday 17th Jany 1822
Sent the Horses out to grase With Dick Walters to atend them Robert
Fowler and my Self Each Shott one aughter [otter] on the Ice the Horses
all up at night no Word from Conl glann We Intend building a Hous to
morrow about one Hour In the night thirty Indeans of the Crows Came In to
our Camp and Ware frendly Recogniseing the three men the maid Prisnors
on the 30th of last month and Exspressed much Joy to See them. and that
the Head got Saft out of the fight With the Arrapohos—Stateing the Ware
going to War With that nation We gave them Plenty of boiled meet of Which
the Eat Hartily I gave them Some tobaco to Smoke—after the Head don
Eating and Smokeing the Sung a long Song and all lay down and Slept tell
morning—
Friday 18th Jany 1822
the Cheef this morning asked for Some tobaco Powder and lead for His
People Which I gave Him With Which he appered Well Pleesed and gave me
a Hors and I then [gave him] four knives—the Indeans begun now to move
off—but takeing What the Cold lay their Hands on—one of our men lost a
Pistle I toled [the] Cheef Who Returned [it] Emedetly—and Caused all to
be Returned He Cold but Some of the Indeans Head gon before the artickels
Ware mised on fellow Came In to my tent threw down His old Roab and took
a new one—I took it from Him and toled Him to take His own—and on His
takeing it took my Saddle bagg all So—I took them from Him and Pushed Him
out of the tent—by this time one of the [men] Called out the an Indean
Was going off With His Blanket I applyed to the Cheef Who followed the
fellow and braught back the blanket—but the fellow Coming back Presented
His gun at Simpson—on Which We Ware all Redey for Battle In an Instent
but the Indean let down His gun Picked up an old Roab He Had left as it
appeered in place of the blanket the Cheef then moved them all off before
Him—but after the Ware gon Several things Ware missing amongst the Rest a
Roal of large Brass Wier three blankets five knives a smelting ladle and
Dick Walters Shot pouch and Powder Horn With their Contents the Cheef
toled me the Ware In Sarch of the Arrapohos Who He Said Head left [this]
part of the Cuntry and gon to the South that He Wold Return Home to the
River Wheare the White men Ware traid Ing With His nation and Stated that
the Whites Ware Sixty five in nomber—the Indeans Have Eaten up nearly all
our meet and We feel alarmed least the Shold Return—and Soon Set about
building a Hous—nor did We let out the Horses till We Ware Well ashored
the Indeans Ware all gone off—
We built the Hous With three Rooms and but one out Side door and that
Close to the Hors Pen So that the Horses Cold not be taken out at night
Without our knoledge We got the Hous Seven logs High and Well Chinked the
goods al stoed a Way before night—two of our Hunters Went Some distance
on the Indean trail and See two of them Sitting on a Hill as a Rear
gard—and on our men Returning the Cold See three Indeans following them
Some distance but least the Should Come back and take our Horses the
Ware all drove Into the Peen and garded the balence of the day and all
night—We now felled trees a Cross the Hors Peen So that it Was Imposeble
for the Indeans to take the Horses out With out Choping them off and our
door and Hors Peen door Ware So Setuated that [they] Cold not be taken
out With out our knoledge as We kept two Sentnals all night and all
the men Slept With their armes Readey beleveing the Indeans from the
disposetion Shoon to Steell When the left us Wold Return at night and
Steel our Horses—
Satterday 19th Jany 1822
Sent out the Horses Early and Bono to Watch them—the Ware all up at night
and two Sentnals up all night We See nothing of the Indeans but Exspect
them In a few days—the Cheef toled us He Exspected to Return In a few
days and that We Shold move up betwen the mountains out of the Ware path
that a great many parteys Wold Com this Way and Wold Steel all our Horses
and take our goods to avoid Which We must go up betwen the mountains out
of their Way and Whear there Was plenty of deer Elk and Buffelow and that
as the White mans frend He Wold viset us there—
How Ever good this advice I Cold not Pursue it till the time Sott by
Conl glann to Return Shold Run out Which Wold be on the 2nd day of
febury—and if He did not come by that it Wold be becaus He [was] detained
a prisnor—and then I was to go Whear I thaught best
Sunday 20th Jany 1822
the Horses out Early Ward and maxwell to gard them—Robert Fowler and
Slover Caught one bever and a bever took off our trap Which appeers Was
Swept a Way by the Runing of the Ice—I sott 2 traps In the Evening the
Horses all up at night
Monday 21st January 1822—
I Caught one large bever this morning—and Slover a Small one—the Horses
out Early—We are all most out of meet—and our Corn begining to be Scarce
Con Clude to Send Hunters out tomorrow to kill buffelow Horses all up at
night
tusday 22nd Jany 1822
I Sent off three men with four Horses to kill Buffelow Findley out to
Wach the Horses Caught one Bever the Hunters Return at night but killed
nothing found one mair Soposed to Have been Stolen by the Indeans found
two Horses and braught them to Camp—Seen one other Hors the did not take
Will go after Him to morrow Horses all up at night
Wensday 23rd Jany 1822
Horses out Early—High Wind and Clear—tho a little Cloudey before day
light—the Hole of this month up to this time Clear Hard frosts at night
the last ten days Warm the Ice Which Was Eighteen [inches] thick on the
River is nearly gon and the River oppen—Caught one bever and lost one
trap Which Caught a bever Which pulled up the Stake to which the trap
Was fasned and all Went off together—the Horses all up at night two of
the men drove a Hors Soposed to Have Strayed from the Indeans—the men
now begin to gro verey un Easey no Word from the Conl—He promised to
Send Peno back in fifteen days it is now twenty three days and no Word
We Exspect they are all prisnors—and that a party of Spanierds to take
[us] will be Heare Shortly but them We Intend to fight and not be taken
and not leeve our House till the month is out—and then go to Some Secure
place in the mountains and Remain traping and Hunting till the grass
groes So that our Horses Can travel a Cross the grand Pirarie and then
make our Way Home
thorsday 24th Jany 1822
the Horses Sent out Early Simpson to atend them—Slover and Robert Fowler
Caught one bever—the men maid Soap yesterday and this day the are Washing
their Cloths four men out to try and kill Some der—Findley Caught one
bever I am feerfull of sending to any great distance from Camp least the
Spanierds Shold make an atack on us in their absence—and We not Strong
Enf to keep them off—In the Evening I found one of the lost traps With a
large bever In it the Horses all up at night no Word from the Conl—
Friday 25th Jany 1822
the Horses out as ushal—Ward [and] Bono killed a buffelow bull Braught In
Some of the meat it Was not fatt—taylor Road out to Hunt this morning Has
not Returned—the Horses all up at night—
Saterday 26th Jany 1822
Horses out as ushal—this morning a little Cloudy and looks like Rain of
Which We Have Seen not more than Wold Wet a mans Shirt Since We left
White River in october last taylor Returned—but killed nothing—the Horses
all up at night two Bever Ware Caught this day—
Sunday 27th Jany 1822
the Horses Sent out Early I too[k] Pall With me and Road up the north
fork on the Warm Spring branch about three miles no Ice to be Seen Except
a little on the Shores from Hear I Crossed the Cuntry to the main River
a distance of a bout five miles and Struct the River a bout three miles
above the forkes Heare the River Has all the appeerence of a Clos Hard
Winter the Ice is Close and Strong all over the River down to the forks
While below as far as We Have been for a few days the there Is but little
Ice to be Seen and a long the Shores—the Watter from the Warm Spring must
Shorly be the Caus—five Bever Braught Into Camp this day the Horses all
up at night—
monday 28th Jany 1822
the Horses out as ushal and about ten oclock two of the men Came Running
In to Camp and Stated the Indeans Ware Cetching all the Horses—Which to
us Was very unwelken nuse as part of the men Ware out So that We Cold
not Spair men anof to fight them on the Pirarie—but In a few minets the
Horses took the alarm and broak from the Indeans and Came Runing to
Camp—and Was followed by the Indeans. but Heare the Horses did not stop
but took to the Pirarie and the Indeans gave up the Chais—and Came to us
as frends—the Ware the Same party of Crows that Ware With us a few days
back and that Head Stolen So many things from us When the Ware going a
Way I Emedetly Sent Some men after the Horses and Head them Shet up
In the Pen—In the main time treeted the Indeans frendly give them Some
tobaco to smoke and boiled meat to Eat but Put all the men to Wach as We
new them to be theves It appeer the Have been In pursute of the Arrapoho
but Have not bee able to tak Horses as the are all Returning on foot—and
Will take our Horses if the Can their Hole party is now Collected and the
are twenty Seven In nomber that [is] three less than When the left us—the
Say the Had a fight With the Arrapoho and killed five and I Sopose the
lost the three mising—but now our men are all Collected and the Horses
fasned up in the Peen We think our Selves a full match for this party—the
then offered me Some Roaps in Exchaing for tobaco Which I gave them as
We Wanted Some Roaps the Chief then asken me for Some Powder Balls Paint
and virdegrees—I gave Him a ltle of Each think Ing that if I gave Him
What He asken for the Wold not Steel—but in that I was mistaken for When
the begun to move of the began to Steel but two kittles being mised the
Cheef maid Serch and found [one] the other He Cold not find—and Said
the fellow that took it Had gon off—the now appeer to be all Readey to
Start—and about ten of the go to the Hors Peen and Exmen it and I beleve
the Intend takeing all the Horses—I ordeared all the men to Stand Readey
With His [gun] In His Hand but not to use it till I Shot first—my
Intention Was to avoid a fight If poseble—but not to let them take our
Horses—but after looking Some time Round the Peen—the Cheef Spoke and
Said you aught not to Stay Heare the Indeans Will take your Horses—go to
mountains out of this Ware Road—I am the White mans frend and do not Want
the Indeans to take your Horses—He then Shook Hands to go off—and one of
His Cheefs Stole a bridle and put it in His bosem—Which I seen I Pulled
oppen His Roab and took the Bridle from Him the then moved off about
fifty yds and all stoped and appeered to prepair for Battle With their
Backs towards us—We Ware Ready for battle but intend[ed] to let them
brake the peece first but the Cheef looking Round to us and Pointing to
the Pirarie Called out tabebo[78] Which We understood to be White men—and
Heare a new difecuelty presents its self—these Indeans are at War With
the Spanierds and if that Shold be Conl glann With His party the Indeans
Will Sopose them Spanierds and atack them—but to Prevent that two of our
men Run threw the Indeans and Joined the men and Came With them up to
Camp and the Indeans Receved them as frends it proved to be Peno and Some
Spanierds Sent by Conl glann to Conduct us to the Spanish Settlement
Wheare the govenor and People Head Recd Him on the most frendly terms and
thus our feer from that quarter Ware all Removed along With Peno there
Was a french Indean or Half Breed that Spoke the Cro language We now
Held a Counsel as our talk Heare to fore Was mostly by Signs. Heare our
terms of frendship Was Renued the Cheef Stateing that He Hated that His
nation Shold be Called theves that He Wold as much as poseble Hender them
from Steeling that He Had Cursed them for Steeling but Cold not find the
Kittle—Still telling us to go to the mountains and out of the War Path
that He Had Hard Work to keep His People from Steeling our Horses—at the
Eand of the talk I gave them Some Powder and tobaco—the Shok Hand and
moved off—the Weather Became Cloudey and about dark Began to Snow a little
tusday 29th Jany 1822
Sent the Horses out Early the Hands to Packing up the goods So as to Set
out in the morning for the Spanish Settlement agreable to advice from
Conl glann We now under Stand that the mackeson [Mexican] provence Has de
Clared Independance of the mother Cuntry and is desirous of a traid With
the people of the united States Conl glann also advises me that He Has
obtained premition to Hunt to trap and traid In the Spanish provences—
Wensday 30th Jany 1822
We moved about ten oclock and Steered a little South of the 3rd mountain
over a level plain about ten miles to a Crick a bout 30 feet Wide and
Runs north East and Heads in the mountains the Bottoms in this Crick is
from three to four Hunderd yards Wide and Well Covered With Cotten Wood
and Boxelder the Bluffs about one Hunderd feet High frunted With [stone]
of a grayis Coller and to appeerence Weell adapted for Building—the
Hunters killed two Buffelow Bulls—
Sᵒ 25 West 10 miles[79]
Wensday [Thursday] 31st Jany 1822
Set out about 10 oclock and at about two miles [s]truck the Spanish Road
on our left Hand—which leads to touse [Taos, N. M.] Which We followed
and at five miles fell on a branch of the Crick on Which We lay last
night—the meet about one mile below our Camp—We kept up this Crick and
out at the Head of it and over a low Ridge to another Branch of the Same
Crick Which Puts in below the forkes of the other—We Went up this Crick
about one mile and Camped near the Mountain makeing about 10 miles in
all and a little West of South—the Hunters killed three deer and four
Buffelow one of Which Was two Poor for use and two left out all night
the Hunters being alone and not able to bring in the meet and it Was
lost—deer is plenty Heare but Wild We Will Stay Heare to morrow for the
Purpose of killing meet to load the Spare Horses—
Sᵒ 25 West 10 miles[80]
thorsday [Friday] 1st Feby 1822
Hunters out Early—killed one Cow Buffelow With In four Hunderd yards
of Camp—but So Poor the meat Was not Worth Saveing—three Bulls killed
this day and three Hors loads of meat Braught to Camp—two deer braught
into Camp—it is now Sunddown and three Hunters out yet—this morning Was
Clouday and the Snow fell about 2 Inches deep—about 10 oclock at night
the Hunters Came In Haveing killed three Buffelow and loaded their Horses
to Camp one of them Slover—got His feet a lletle frost Bitten—Conclude to
Hunt to morrow as our Horses Can Carry more meet
Friday [Saturday] 2nd Feby 1822
up Early to Start the Hunters out—but I now discover the men are all
feerfull of meeting With the Indeans as We are near the War Road and Have
maid So much Sign In the Snow that the Will track us up and Steel our
Horses Whill We are So much Scattered as not to be able to defend our
Selves—and to be left Heare Without Horses—at So great a distance from
Home—there is no knolede of What destress We might Come to—
I then Con Cluded to load up and move on the Road Which We did and on
loading up the Horses We find seven Hors loads of meet We moved on about
six miles along the futt of the mountains to [a] Crick[81] Wheare We
Camped for Wood and Watter—the Hunters killed two Bulls this day but two
Poor for use—the Snow is Heare about three Inches deep on the leavel
Pirarie but on the north Side of the Hills the old Snow is more than one
futt deep and up the mountains it is Still deeper—
Sᵒ 25 West 6 miles
Satterday [Sunday] 3rd Feby 1822
Set out Early about South along the foot of the mountains for about ten
miles to a Crick[82] [and] about five miles [further] to Whar there the
Remains of a Spanish fort to apperence ocepied about one year back—Hear
We Camped[83] for the night Which Was Cold and Windey—So that the two
men kept out as gard With the Horses—Was like to frees—as We Have kept
two men garding the Horses all night Ever Since We left our House on the
River and Intend keeping them up till We Rech the Spanish Settlement We
this day maid fifteen miles—
Sunday [Monday] 4th Feby 1822
the Wind High and Very Cold We set out Early up the valley[84] a little
West of South for about two miles thence up the Point of a mountain and
along a Ridge leave High Peeks on both Sides till We took up a High Hill
and threw a Pine groave Whar the Snow is three feet deep—and at about
five miles from Camp We Came to the top or Backbon of the mountain Which
devides the Watters of the arkensaw from the Delnort Heare the Wind Was
So Cold We Scarce dare look Round—
South 5 miles to the top of the mountain[85]
We then Steered more West down the mountain to a branch[86] of the
delnort—and down that about South for nearly ten miles to Wheare the
mountains are much lower Whear [we] Capted [camped] for the [night] We
Hear find no timber but Piny and Roal Some old logs off the mountain
for fier Wood—Dick Walters is mising and on Inquirey He Had lost His
Blanke[t]s Comeing down the mountain and tyed His Hors to a tree and gon
back to find them and that His Hors broke loos and overtook the Reer
party at about four miles from Whare He tied Him the Hors Was Hear Caut
and tied again it is now Sundown and no Word of Dick We are afraid He is
frosen We maid fifteen miles this day—Walters got to Camp Some time In
the night
Sᵒ 45 West 10 miles[87]
Monday [Tuesday] 5th Feby 1822
Set out Early down the Crick nearly South at five miles [leaving]
the Crick on our Right Hand Came to Crick[88] Runing West With Some
Cottenwood and Willows We Crossed this Crick Into an oppen plain[89] of
great Exstent We Have now left the mountains behind us and on our left
Hand tho there are Some to be Seen at a great distance on our Right and
In frunt—our Cors is now South and Crossing a Small Crick at three miles
and at twelve miles farther Camped on a Crick[90] 40 feet Wide full of
Running Watter Some Cotten Wood trees and Willows We this day maid twenty
one miles—South 21 miles
tusday [Wednesday] 6th Feby 1822