USA > Wyoming > The history of Wyoming from the earliest known discoveries > Part 14
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small tributary of the north branch of the Nebraska, about sixty miles above the cliffs just men- tioned. Here one of the party, by the name of Scott, was taken ill, and his companions came to a halt, until he should recover health and strength sufficient to proceed. While they were search- ing round in quest of edible roots they discovered a fresh trail of white men, who had evidently but recently preceded them. What was to be done? By a forced march they might be able to overtake this party and thus be able to reach the settlements in safety. Should they linger they might all perish of famine and exhaustion. Scott, however, was incapable of moving ; they were too feeble to aid him forward, and dreaded that such a clog would prevent their coming up with the advance party. They determined, therefore, to abandon him to his fate. Accordingly, under pretense of seeking food and such simples as might be efficacious in his malady, they de- serted him and hastened forward upon the trail. They succeeded in overtaking the party of which they were in quest, but concealed their faithless desertion of Scott, alleging that he had died of disease. On the ensuing summer these very individuals, visiting in these parts in com- pany with others, came suddenly upon the bleached bones and grinning skull of a human skele- ton which by certain signs they recognized as the remains of Scott. This was sixty long miles from the place where they had abandoned him; and it appeared that the wretched man had crawled that immense distance before death had put an end to his miseries. The wild and pic- turesque bluffs in the neighborhood of his lonely grave have ever since borne his name."
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preciated their friendliness, but he leaves upon record the fact that they were great thieves, as they managed to steal, while in his camp, articles from the pockets of his men and even the buttons from their coats. Fortunately the Crow warriors departed early the next morning.
On May 26th the trappers encamped at Laramie's Fork. This was two years before the trading post was established at that point. From that place on west the Captain had great difficulty with his wagons. Ravines had to be filled up and in many places a road made before the cavalcade could pass on. On the 12th of July the party left the banks of the North Platte and three days later reached the Sweetwater. Up this stream they now shaped their course with more or less difficulty. The men complained of sore mouths, chapped lips, violent headaches and in some cases severe colic. To add to the difficulty, the woodwork of the wagons shrunk so that the tires and spokes became loose and the wagons al- most refused to stand up. At this point they came upon immense herds of buffaloes, of which the hunters connected with the expedition secured large numbers. Here happened an amusing incident, which is admirably told in Washington Irving's "Adventures of Captain Bonneville."
"Among the motley retainers of the camp was Tom Cain, a raw Irishman, who officiated as cook, whose various blunders and expedients in his novel situation, and in the wild scenes and wild life into which he had been suddenly thrown, had made him a kind of a butt or droll of the camp. Tom, however, began to discover an ambition superior to his station, and the conversation of the hunters and their sto- ries of their exploits inspired him with a desire to elevate himself to the dignity of their order. The buffalo in such droves presented a tempting opportunity for making his first essay. He rode, in the line of march, all prepared for action; his powder flask and shot pouch knowingly slung at the pommel of his saddle, to be at hand; his rifle balanced on his shoulder. While in this plight a troop of buffalo came trotting by in great alarm. In an instant Tom sprang from his horse and gave chase on foot. Finding they were leaving him behind, he leveled his rifle and pulled the trig- ger. His shot produced no other effect than to increase the speed of the buffalo and to frighten his own horse, who took
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to his heels and scampered off with all the ammunition. Tom scampered after him, hallooing with might and main, and the wild horse and wild Irishman soon disappeared among the ravines of the prairie. Captain Bonneville, who was at the head of the line and had seen the transaction at a dis- tance, detached a party in search of Tom. After a long interval they returned, leading the frightened horse; but though they scoured the country and looked out and shouted from every height, they had seen nothing of his rider. As Captain Bonneville knew Tom's utter awkwardness and in- experience, and the dangers of a bewildered Irishman in the midst of a prairie, he halted and encamped at an early hour, that there might be a regular hunt for him in the morn- ing. At early dawn on the following day scouts were sent off in every direction, while the main body, after breakfast, proceeded slowly on its course. It was not until the middle of the afternoon that the hunters returned, with honest Tom mounted behind one of them. They had found him in a complete state of perplexity and amazement. His appear- ance caused shouts of merriment in the camp; but Tom for once could not join in the mirth raised at his expense; he was completely chapfallen, and apparently cured of the hunting mania for the rest of his life."
On the 20th of July they came in sight of the Wind River range, and to the Captain this mountain was an in- spiration, for soon he would reach the goal of his ambition, the trapping country in which he intended to operate. The rugged peaks stood out bold and gloomy in their awful grandeur. The veteran hunters and trappers of the party told many a story of adventure among the savage tribes which haunted the dark recesses of this grand old mountain. Four days later the caravan left the banks of the Sweet- water, taking a westerly course, and passed over a rocky ridge and after several hours' travel reached a small river running south. Here they encamped, discovering that there were fish in the stream. A shout of joy went up, as they had been told that the streams on the opposite side of the continental divide contained fish, while those on the easterly side were barren of this great luxury. Fish-hooks and lines were procured and a dozen of the men soon caught trout for a dinner for the party. Captain Bonneville felt great exul-
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tation that he had been able to take the first wagon train over the crest of the Rocky Mountains. Feed was fairly good at this point and the Captain would have gladly given his stock a rest, but he was anxious to reach the banks of Green River, and so the next morning he pushed on. On the 26th he was overtaken by sixty mounted trappers belonging to the American Fur Company with Mr. Fontenelle in charge. After pleasant greetings the newcomers took the lead, hoping, as Mr. Fontenelle said, to reach Green River by night, but he told the Captain that he would not be able to get through with his wagons before the day following. Cap- tain Bonneville made all the haste that circumstances and the jaded condition of his horses would permit and arrived at Green River the following day at noon. Here the animals were turned out to graze and rest, as they were in a lameta- ble condition. As he was obliged to remain for some time in that locality to recruit the strength of both his men and animals, he proceeded to fortify his camp by the erection of log breastworks, a precaution that proved his military train- ing. The Green River country at that time was infested with roving bands of Blackfeet Indians, and it was necessary to use great caution to insure the safety of the party. Captain Bonneville, being an educated soldier, was very careful not only in camp but while on the march to prevent a surprise. He likewise used great diplomacy, thus avoiding trouble with the Indians.
Captain Bonneville, during his stay in his fortified camp at Green River, undertook the study of the practical part of trading and trapping. He realized that there was much to learn about the business, and so he applied himself to the task of gathering up all the details. He had not been many days in his camp before Fontenelle taught him some of the strategy of a trader. He had procured at the Osage mission a number of Delaware Indians, most excellent hunters, who he thought would be of great service to him. These the rival leader had won over to his service by the promise of increased pay. The captain was astonished at this breach of courtesy and he resolved to retaliate on the first opportuni-
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ty, and learning that Fontenelle intended to remain in his present camp until the arrival of a certain band of free trap- pers who were to meet him there, he sent out two scouts to bring these to his own camp, and they in due time arrived. Captain Bonneville exerted himself to entertain them. A keg of fresh liquor was brought out and the health of every- body was pledged in many a royal round. Then the trappers were invited to a feast which was washed down by again tapping the keg. By this time the guests were in a condition to relate stories of successful trapping as well as wonderful feats of daring in connection with Indian fights. These he- roes of the wilderness voted their entertainer a royal good fellow and were completely won to his service-that is, as many as he cared to engage. During their stay in the camp they were a center of attraction, yet these were a part and parcel of the great fur trade as it was then carried on in this locality. Captain Bonneville has left a capital description of these worthies and of the manner in which they entered his camp. He calls them rangers of the wilderness. They came dashing forward, he says, at full speed, firing their fusees and yelling in Indian style. Their dark, sunburned faces and long, flowing hair, their leggings, flags, mocca- sins and richly dyed blankets, and their painted horses gaudily caparisoned, gave them so much the air and appear- ance of Indians that it was difficult to persuade oneself that they were white men and had been brought up in civilized life. The free trapper deserves more than a mere mention, and I therefore insert Captain Bonneville's description .* They come and go, says he, when and where they please; provide their own horses, arms and other equipments; trap
*I desire to here remark that I have in some instances used Washington Irving's account of Captain Bonneville's hunting experience, but only such portions as relate to the mountains, plains and streams of Wyoming. Mr. Irving tells us the adventures of Bonneville are substan- tially the narrative of the worthy Captain and that many pages are but little varied from his own language. The work was originally prepared by Captain Bonneville for publication, but becom- ing disgusted with his task he turned the manuscript over to Mr. Irving, who interwove in it the stories of other trappers and thus was enabled to bring out a volume of more than usual interest which has been a popular book for all classes for more than fifty years. Bonneville was one of those interesting characters almost from his birth, and I have often regretted that Washington Irving's book did not contain the early history of this remarkable hero. This, I am glad to say, I have been able to gather from reliable sources, and the subsequent history of Irving's hero, down to the close of his life. My friend, Hon. M. P. Langford, was kind enough to contribute the portrait of Captain Bonneville which is given in this volume, and thus I am enabled to give for the first time the complete story of the man whose life and adventures will always form a part of the history of Wyoming.
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and trade on their own account, and dispose of their skins and peltries to the highest bidder. Sometimes, in a dan- gerous hunting ground, they attach themselves to the camp of some trader for protection. Here. they come under some restrictions; they have to conform to the ordinary rules for trapping and to submit to such restraints and to take part in such general duties as are established for the good order and safety of the camp. In return for this protection, and for their camp keeping, they are bound to dispose of all the beaver they take to the trader who commands the camp, at a certain rate per skin; or should they prefer seeking a mar- ket elsewhere, they are to make him an allowance of from thirty to forty dollars for the whole hunt.
The wandering whites who mingle for any length of time with the savages have invariably a proneness to adopt savage habitudes; but none more so than the free trappers. It is a matter of vanity and ambition with them to discard everything that may bear the stamp of civilized life, and to adopt the manners, dress, habits, gesture and even walk of the Indian. You cannot pay a free trapper a greater compli- ment than to persuade him you have mistaken him for an Indian brave; and in truth the counterfeit is complete. His hair, suffered to attain a great length, is carefully combed out, and either left to fall carelessly over his shoulders, or plaited neatly and tied up in otter skins of parti-colored ribbons. A hunting-shirt of ruffled calico of bright dyes, or of ornamented leather, falls to his knees, below which curiously fashioned leggings, ornamented with strings, fringes and a profusion of hawks' bells, reach to a costly pair of moccasins of the finest Indian fabric, richly embroidered with beads. A blanket of scarlet or some other bright color hangs from his shoulders, and is girt round his waist with a red sash, in which he bestows his pistols, knife, and the stem of his Indian pipe; preparations either for peace or war. His gun is lavishly decorated with brass tacks and ver- million, and provided with a fringed cover, occasionally of buckskin, ornamented with a feather. His horse, the noble minister to the pride, pleasure and profit of the mountaineer,
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is selected for his speed and spirit and prancing gait, and holds a place in his estimation second only to himself. He shares largely of his bounty, and of his pride and pomp of trapping. He is caparisoned in the most dashing and fan- tastic style; the bridles and crupper are weightily embossed with beads and cockades; and head, mane and tail are inter- woven with abundance of eagles' plumes which flutter in the wind. To complete this grotesque eqipment, the proud ani- mal is bestreaked and bespotted with vermilion, or with white clay, whichever presents the most glaring contrast to his real color.
While the two camps were occupying positions near each other on Green River, there arrived a large band of Blackfeet warriors at the camp of Fontenelle. These war- riors had just suffered defeat in Pierre's Hole in an engage- ment with the bands of trappers under William Sublette and his brother Milton, Robert Campbell and Nathaniel J. Wyeth, which has been told in a previous chapter. Fonte- nelle did not know of the fight, and it was fortunate that his camp was a strong one. The Blackfeet had evidently intended to attack him, but on approaching they discovered that his position was a strong one and so a talk took place. Fontenelle treated them kindly, though his long experience with Blackfeet had convinced him of their dangerous char- acter. On the first opportunity he informed them of the presence of Captain Bonneville's band in the neighborhood, at the same time assuring them that the Captain was a great war chief and that his followers were brave and well-armed warriors. At the request of the Indians, Fontenelle sent one of his Delaware Indians to conduct fifteen of them to Fort Bonneville. On arriving there, the Captain entertained them in a friendly manner. There were two Crow visitors in the camp at the time and as they were the implacable ene- mies of the Blackfeet they looked with horror as well as surprise on the friendly reception given the dangerous war party. They took the first occasion possible to inform Cap- tain Bonneville that the Blackfeet were bad Indians; that the best thing he could do was to put them to death on the
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spot. The soldier trapper saw no reason for extreme uneasi- ness and they were therefore allowed to remain in the camp some little time. They were evidently satisfied that it would be useless for them to attack a fortified position the defense of which was provided for in true military style. They went back to their warriors and must have reported that the trap- pers were dangerous enemies to attack, as they left the country and nothing more was heard of them.
CHAPTER XIV.
BONNEVILLE SENDS OUT HIS TRAPPERS.
VARIOUS DETACHMENTS IN THE FIELD-MAIN PARTY PASS THROUGH JACKSON'S HOLE AND PIERRE'S HOLE ON THE WAY TO SOLOMON RIVER-MEETS THE NEZ PERCES-HIS OPINION OF THIS TRIBE-EX- PERIENCES DURING THE WINTER-RENDEZVOUS ON GREEN RIVER IN 1833-STORIES OF HIS SEVERAL LEADERS-SCENES AT THE REN- DEZVOUS-A DIGRESSION BY THE AUTHOR, IN WHICH HE TELLS OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN CAPTAIN BONNEVILLE AND WASHINGTON IRVING-VALUABLE SERVICES RENDERED THE GOVERNMENT.
Captain Bonneville learned from the free trappers many important things regarding the methods and the proper sea- son to visit certain localities. He was informed that the Green River Valley was undesirable as a winter camp, as snow to the depth of several feet sometimes fell there and that winter came on very early. He therefore decided to cache his goods and supplies, also his wagons. This he ac- complished by the aid of a few confidential men. The bal- ance of his goods were placed in packs ready to be loaded on pack animals, and on the 21st of August his party headed for the upper waters of Solomon River, intending to trap on the way. His broken-down horses were given in charge of a reliable trapper named Matthieu. He was to take with him a brigade of trappers and to proceed west to Bear River, where there was good feed for the horses and oppor.
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tunities to secure beaver. It was expected he would meet a village of Shoshones on the way, and with them he was to trade for a time while his party was engaged with their traps and the horses were renewing their strength on the rich grasses that abound on Bear River, after which he was to join the Captain on the headwaters of the Solomon, where Bonneville intended to make his winter camp. The Captain's own command proceeded up the Green River Val- ley to near its headwaters. He crossed over into Pierre's Hole and came upon the battlefield where William Sub. lette and his friends had had the sanguinary encounter with the Blackfeet. They also passed on their way through the dark defile leading to Jackson's Hole, where More and Foy had been killed by the Blackfeet on the 23rd of July. Their remains were found among the rocks and the Bonneville party decently interred them. Arriving in Pierre's Hole, a camp was made on the celebrated battleground near the abandoned fortress of the Blackfeet.
The next two weeks were occupied in the march from Pierre's Hole to the upper waters of the Solomon River, and on the 20th of September they met a large body of Nez Per- ces Indians. Captain Bonneville says that the savages sent forward a single warrior, who made signals of peace and offers of friendship. The Captain, knowing that this tribe was friendly to white people, halted and went into camp and invited the savages to visit him. The warriors lingered long enough to put on their war paint and plumes. They placed themselves in martial array under their chiefs, and ad- vanced shouting, singing, firing off their fusees and clash- ing their shields. The Bonneville party at this time were sadly in need of provisions, and it turned out that the Indi- ans were nearly so, having only a small supply of dried sal- mon; this they offered to share with the white men. The Indians were on a hunting expedition and they expected to be able to secure a large amount of buffalo meat. Captain Bonneville sent with the party Mr. Cerre, accompanied by a few men with instructions to trade with the Indians for a winter's supply of meat. After the hunting party had
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passed, Captain Bonneville steered his course down the river a few miles and camping on the bank proceeded to erect winter quarters. Here he found abundance of feed for his horses and all the necessary surroundings for the construction of his winter cantonment. Temporary forti- fications were constructed and huts for the use of men and merchandise, and an inclosure was also built in which the horses could be driven at night. This done, three brigades were organized and sent off in different directions to hunt and trap, with orders to subsist themselves by hunting the buffalo. Twenty men remained with Captain Bonneville at the winter quarters and an attempt was made to supply the camp with wild meat, but it was soon discovered that the Indians had driven the game from that section and the hunters found themselve unable to supply sufficient food for the party and starvation stared them in the face. On the 8th of October five families of Nez Perces arrived and these visitors were in even a worse condition than themselves, and while they could not relieve the wants of the white men they taught them the edible qualities of certain roots and rosebuds, which for the time being kept off starvation. Af- ter this Captain Bonneville dispatched a party to Horse Prairie, some distance north of his winter quarters, to pro- cure a supply of buffalo meat, and he invited some of the Nez Perces to accompany his men, but this was declined, the excuse being given that it was a sacred day with them, and if they devoted it to hunting the great spirit would be angry. From this on he employed much time in studying the character of this tribe of Indians. He found them possessed of moral and religious qualities which in spite of their sav- age state and forlorn condition stamped them as superior to any tribe of Indians he met with while on his expedition. From his narrative it would seem that he explained to these people the Christian faith.
"Many a time," says he, "was my little lodge thronged or rather piled, with hearers, for they lay on the ground, one leaning over the other, until there was no further room, all listening with greedy ears to the wonders which the Great
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Spirit had revealed to the white man. No other subject gave them half the satisfaction, or commanded half the attention, and but few scenes in my life remain so freshly on my mem- ory, or are so pleasurablecalled to my contemplation, as these hours of intercourse with a distant and benighted race in the midst of the desert."
The Captain calls these Indians exemplary people and says the only excesses they were guilty of were gambling and horse racing. In this respect they are no worse than white men, and I cannot close this part of the story without mak- ing another quotation regarding what Captain Bonneville has to say about the gambling propensities of these Indians:
"Knots of gamblers will assemble before one of their lodge fires, early in the evening, and remain absorbed in the chances and changes of the game until long after dawn of the following day. As night advances, they wax warmer and warmer. Bets increase in amount; one loss only serves to lead to a greater, until in the course of a single night's gambling the richest chief may become the poorest varlet in camp."
It is not my purpose to follow Captain Bonneville in de- tail beyond the borders of our state. One of the parties sent out came in contact with the Blackfeet. This party was under the charge of Mr. Walker, and at the time the Indi- ans came up the guard stationed over the camp had become interested in a game of cards and in the midst of the fas- cinating pastime the Blackfeet stole upon them unperceived, and springing upon the backs of the horses of the party would have carried them off had it not been for the stub- bornness of several mules which were in among the horses. These when the Indians had mounted them bareback and commenced yelling and discharging their firearms, became so confused that they imitated the bucking bronco and threw their riders to the ground. Those who had mounted the horses came to the rescue of their dismounted brethren in the face of a perfect fusillade from the camp. The Indi- ans were glad to steal away without taking any of the ani- mals, seeking shelter in a thicket, from which position they
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sent forth a shower of arrows and bullets, thus preventing Mr. Walker's men from following them. The party of hunt- ers sent out, after six weeks' absence returned in safety with plenty of meat for the winter. The Captain appears to have enjoyed this winter encampment and a hunter's life and the society of the Nez Perces, Flatheads and Hanging-Ears tribes. During the winter he conceived the idea of acting as a peace commissioner between the Nez Perces and Flatheads and Blackfeet, as he thought by such peace he would be placed upon a better business basis with the Blackfeet tribe. He submitted the proposition to the chief of the Nez Perces and Flatheads and these wise warriors took the matter un- der consideration and held a council for two days, at the end of which time they reported to Captain Bonneville the result of their deliberations. One of the chiefs rendered the decision thus: "War," said he, "is a bloody business and full of evil; but it keeps the eyes of the chiefs always open, and makes the limbs of the young men strong and supple. In war everyone is on the alert. If we see a trail we know it must be an enemy; if the Blackfeet come to us, we know it is for war, and we are ready. Peace, on the other hand, sounds no alarm; the eyes of the chiefs are closed in sleep, and the young men are sleek and lazy. The horses stray into the mountains; the women and their little babes go about alone. But the heart of a Blackfoot is a lie, and his tongue is a trap. If he says peace, it is to deceive. He comes to us as a brother; he smokes his pipe with us; but when he sees us weak and off our guard, he will slay and steal. We will have no such peace; let there be war."
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