_
CHAPTER 41
A voyage in a bull boat.
IT was about the middle of August (1833) that Mr. Nathaniel J.
Wyeth, as the reader may recollect, launched his bull boat at the
foot of the rapids of the Bighorn, and departed in advance of the
parties of Campbell and Captain Bonneville. His boat was made of
three buffalo skins, stretched on a light frame, stitched
together, and the seams paid with elk tallow and ashes. It was
eighteen feet long, and about five feet six inches wide, sharp at
each end, with a round bottom, and drew about a foot and a half
of water-a depth too great for these upper rivers, which abound
with shallows and sand-bars. The crew consisted of two
half-breeds, who claimed to be white men, though a mixture of the
French creole and the Shawnee and Potawattomie. They claimed,
moreover, to be thorough mountaineers, and first-rate hunters --
the common boast of these vagabonds of the wilderness. Besides
these, there was a Nez Perce lad of eighteen years of age, a kind
of servant of all work, whose great aim, like all Indian
servants, was to do as little work as possible; there was,
moreover, a half-breed boy, of thirteen, named Baptiste, son of a
Hudson's Bay trader by a Flathead beauty; who was travelling with
Wyeth to see the world and complete his education. Add to these,
Mr. Milton Sublette, who went as passenger, and we have the crew
of the little bull boat complete.
It certainly was a slight armament with which to run the gauntlet
through countries swarming with hostile hordes, and a slight bark
to navigate these endless rivers, tossing and pitching down
rapids, running on snags and bumping on sand-bars; such, however,
are the cockle-shells with which these hardy rovers of the
wilderness will attempt the wildest streams; and it is surprising
what rough shocks and thumps these boats will endure, and what
vicissitudes they will live through. Their duration, however, is
but limited; they require frequently to be hauled out of the
water and dried, to prevent the hides from becoming water-soaked;
and they eventually rot and go to pieces.
The course of the river was a little to the north of east; it ran
about five miles an hour, over a gravelly bottom. The banks were
generally alluvial, and thickly grown with cottonwood trees,
intermingled occasionally with ash and plum trees. Now and then
limestone cliffs and promontories advanced upon the river, making
picturesque headlands. Beyond the woody borders rose ranges of
naked hills.
Milton Sublette was the Pelorus of this adventurous bark; being
somewhat experienced in this wild kind of navigation. It required
all his attention and skill, however, to pilot her clear of
sand-bars and snags of sunken trees. There was often, too, a
perplexity of choice, where the river branched into various
channels, among clusters of islands; and occasionally the
voyagers found themselves aground and had to turn back.
It was necessary, also, to keep a wary eye upon the land, for
they were passing through the heart of the Crow country, and were
continually in reach of any ambush that might be lurking on
shore. The most formidable foes that they saw, however, were
three grizzly bears, quietly promenading along the bank, who
seemed to gaze at them with surprise as they glided by. Herds of
buffalo, also, were moving about, or lying on the ground, like
cattle in a pasture; excepting such inhabitants as these, a
perfect solitude reigned over the land. There was no sign of
human habitation; for the Crows, as we have already shown, are a
wandering people, a race of hunters and warriors, who live in
tents and on horseback, and are continually on the move.
At night they landed, hauled up their boat to dry, pitched their
tent, and made a rousing fire. Then, as it was the first evening
of their voyage, they indulged in a regale, relishing their
buffalo beef with inspiring alcohol; after which, they slept
soundly, without dreaming of Crows or Blackfeet. Early in the
morning, they again launched the boat and committed themselves to
the stream.
In this way they voyaged for two days without any material
occurrence, excepting a severe thunder storm, which compelled
them to put to shore, and wait until it was passed. On the third
morning they descried some persons at a distance on the river
bank. As they were now, by calculation, at no great distance from
Fort Cass, a trading post of the American Fur Company, they
supposed these might be some of its people. A nearer approach
showed them to be Indians. Descrying a woman apart from the rest,
they landed and accosted her. She informed them that the main
force of the Crow nation, consisting of five bands, under their
several chiefs, were but about two or three miles below, on their
way up along the river. This was unpleasant tidings, but to
retreat was impossible, and the river afforded no hiding place.
They continued forward, therefore, trusting that, as Fort Cass
was so near at hand, the Crows might refrain from any
depredations.
Floating down about two miles further, they came in sight of the
first band, scattered along the river bank, all well mounted;
some armed with guns, others with bows and arrows, and a few with
lances. They made a wildly picturesque appearance managing their
horses with their accustomed dexterity and grace. Nothing can be
more spirited than a band of Crow cavaliers. They are a fine race
of men averaging six feet in height, lithe and active, with
hawks' eyes and Roman noses. The latter feature is common to the
Indians on the east side of the Rocky Mountains; those on the
western side have generally straight or flat noses.
Wyeth would fain have slipped by this cavalcade unnoticed; but
the river, at this place, was not more than ninety yards across;
he was perceived, therefore, and hailed by the vagabond warriors,
and, we presume, in no very choice language; for, among their
other accomplishments, the Crows are famed for possessing a
Billingsgate vocabulary of unrivalled opulence, and for being by
no means sparing of it whenever an occasion offers. Indeed,
though Indians are generally very lofty, rhetorical, and
figurative in their language at all great talks, and high
ceremonials, yet, if trappers and traders may be believed, they
are the most unsavory vagabonds in their ordinary colloquies;
they make no hesitation to call a spade a spade; and when they
once undertake to call hard names, the famous pot and kettle, of
vituperating memory, are not to be compared with them for
scurrility of epithet.
To escape the infliction of any compliments of this kind, or the
launching, peradventure, of more dangerous missiles, Wyeth landed
with the best grace in his power and approached the chief of the
band. It was Arapooish, the quondam friend of Rose the outlaw,
and one whom we have already mentioned as being anxious to
promote a friendly intercourse between his tribe and the white
men. He was a tall, stout man, of good presence, and received the
voyagers very graciously. His people, too, thronged around them,
and were officiously attentive after the Crow fashion. One took a
great fancy to Baptiste the Flathead boy, and a still greater
fancy to a ring on his finger, which he transposed to his own
with surprising dexterity, and then disappeared with a quick step
among the crowd.
Another was no less pleased with the Nez Perce lad, and nothing
would do but he must exchange knives with him; drawing a new
knife out of the Nez Perce's scabbard, and putting an old one in
its place. Another stepped up and replaced this old knife with
one still older, and a third helped himself to knife, scabbard
and all. It was with much difficulty that Wyeth and his
companions extricated themselves from the clutches of these
officious Crows before they were entirely plucked.
Falling down the river a little further, they came in sight of
the second band, and sheered to the opposite side, with the
intention of passing them. The Crows were not to be evaded. Some
pointed their guns at the boat, and threatened to fire; others
stripped, plunged into the stream, and came swimming across.
Making a virtue of necessity, Wyeth threw a cord to the first
that came within reach, as if he wished to be drawn to the shore.
In this way he was overhauled by every band, and by the time he
and his people came out of the busy hands of the last, they were
eased of most of their superfluities. Nothing, in all
probability, but the proximity of the American trading post, kept
these land pirates from making a good prize of the bull boat and
all its contents.
These bands were in full march, equipped for war, and evidently
full of mischief. They were, in fact, the very bands that overran
the land in the autumn of 1833; partly robbed Fitzpatrick of his
horses and effects; hunted and harassed Captain Bonneville and
his people; broke up their trapping campaigns, and, in a word,
drove them all out of the Crow country. It has been suspected
that they were set on to these pranks by some of the American Fur
Company, anxious to defeat the plans of their rivals of the Rocky
Mountain Company; for at this time, their competition was at its
height, and the trade of the Crow country was a great object of
rivalry. What makes this the more probable, is, that the Crows in
their depredation seemed by no means bloodthirsty, but intent
chiefly on robbing the parties of their traps and horses, thereby
disabling them from prosecuting their hunting.
We should observe that this year, the Rocky Mountain Company were
pushing their way up the rivers, and establishing rival posts
near those of the American Company; and that, at the very time of
which we are speaking, Captain Sublette was ascending the
Yellowstone with a keel boat, laden with supplies; so that there
was every prospect of this eager rivalship being carried to
extremes.
The last band of Crow warriors had scarcely disappeared in the
clouds of dust they had raised, when our voyagers arrived at the
mouth of the river and glided into the current of the
Yellowstone. Turning down this stream, they made for Fort Cass,
which is situated on the right bank, about three miles below the
Bighorn. On the opposite side they beheld a party of thirty-one
savages, which they soon ascertained to be Blackfeet. The width
of the river enabled them to keep at a sufficient distance, and
they soon landed at Fort Cass. This was a mere fortification
against Indians; being a stockade of about one hundred and thirty
feet square, with two bastions at the extreme corners. M'Tulloch,
an agent of the American Company, was stationed there with twenty
men; two boats of fifteen tons burden were lying here; but at
certain seasons of the year a steamboat can come up to the fort.
They had scarcely arrived, when the Blackfeet warriors made their
appearance on the opposite bank, displaying two American flags in
token of amity. They plunged into the river, swam across, and
were kindly received at the fort. They were some of the very men
who had been engaged, the year previously, in the battle at
Pierre's Hole, and a fierce-looking set of fellows they were;
tall and hawk-nosed, and very much resembling the Crows. They
professed to be on an amicable errand, to make peace with the
Crows, and set off in all haste, before night, to overtake them.
Wyeth predicted that they would lose their scalps; for he had
heard the Crows denounce vengeance on them, for having murdered
two of their warriors who had ventured among them on the faith of
a treaty of peace. It is probable, however, that this pacific
errand was all a pretence, and that the real object of the
Blackfeet braves was to hang about the skirts of the Crow band,
steal their horses, and take the scalps of stragglers.
At Fort Cass, Mr. Wyeth disposed of some packages of beaver, and
a quantity of buffalo robes. On the following morning (August
18th), he once more launched his bull boat, and proceeded down
the Yellowstone, which inclined in an east-northeast direction.
The river had alluvial bottoms, fringed with great quantities of
the sweet cotton-wood, and interrupted occasionally by "bluffs"
of sandstone. The current occasionally brings down fragments of
granite and porphyry.
In the course of the day, they saw something moving on the bank
among the trees, which they mistook for game of some kind; and,
being in want of provisions, pulled toward shore. They
discovered, just in time, a party of Blackfeet, lurking in the
thickets, and sheered, with all speed, to the opposite side of
the river.
After a time, they came in sight of a gang of elk. Wyeth was
immediately for pursuing them, rifle in hand, but saw evident
signs of dissatisfaction in his half-breed hunters; who
considered him as trenching upon their province, and meddling
with things quite above his capacity; for these veterans of the
wilderness are exceedingly pragmatical, on points of venery and
woodcraft, and tenacious of their superiority; looking down with
infinite contempt upon all raw beginners. The two worthies,
therefore, sallied forth themselves, but after a time returned
empty-handed. They laid the blame, however, entirely on their
guns; two miserable old pieces with flint locks, which, with all
their picking and hammering, were continually apt to miss fire.
These great boasters of the wilderness, however, are very often
exceeding bad shots, and fortunate it is for them when they have
old flint guns to bear the blame.
The next day they passed where a great herd of buffalo was
bellowing on a prairie. Again the Castor and Pollux of the
wilderness sallied forth, and again their flint guns were at
fault, and missed fire, and nothing went off but the buffalo.
Wyeth now found there was danger of losing his dinner if he
depended upon his hunters; he took rifle in hand, therefore, and
went forth himself. In the course of an hour he returned laden
with buffalo meat, to the great mortification of the two regular
hunters, who were annoyed at being eclipsed by a greenhorn.
All hands now set to work to prepare the midday repast. A fire
was made under an immense cotton-wood tree, that overshadowed a
beautiful piece of meadow land; rich morsels of buffalo hump were
soon roasting before it; in a hearty and prolonged repast, the
two unsuccessful hunters gradually recovered from their
mortification; threatened to discard their old flint guns as soon
as they should reach the settlements, and boasted more than ever
of the wonderful shots they had made, when they had guns that
never missed fire.
Having hauled up their boat to dry in the sun, previous to making
their repast, the voyagers now set it once more afloat, and
proceeded on their way. They had constructed a sail out of their
old tent, which they hoisted whenever the wind was favorable, and
thus skimmed along down the stream. Their voyage was pleasant,
notwithstanding the perils by sea and land, with which they were
environed. Whenever they could they encamped on islands for the
greater security. If on the mainland, and in a dangerous
neighborhood, they would shift their camp after dark, leaving
their fire burning, dropping down the river some distance, and
making no fire at their second encampment. Sometimes they would
float all night with the current; one keeping watch and steering
while the rest slept. in such case, they would haul their boat on
shore, at noon of the following day to dry; for notwithstanding
every precaution, she was gradually getting water-soaked and
rotten.
There was something pleasingly solemn and mysterious in thus
floating down these wild rivers at night. The purity of the
atmosphere in these elevated regions gave additional splendor to
the stars, and heightened the magnificence of the firmament. The
occasional rush and laving of the waters; the vague sounds from
the surrounding wilderness; the dreary howl, or rather whine of
wolves from the plains; the low grunting and bellowing of the
buffalo, and the shrill neighing of the elk, struck the ear with
an effect unknown in the daytime.
The two knowing hunters had scarcely recovered from one
mortification when they were fated to experience another. As the
boat was gliding swiftly round a low promontory, thinly covered
with trees, one of them gave the alarm of Indians. The boat was
instantly shoved from shore and every one caught up his rifle.
"Where are they?" cried Wyeth.
"There -- there! riding on horseback!" cried one of the hunters.
"Yes; with white scarfs on!" cried the other.
Wyeth looked in the direction they pointed, but descried nothing
but two bald eagles, perched on a low dry branch beyond the
thickets, and seeming, from the rapid motion of the boat, to be
moving swiftly in an opposite direction. The detection of this
blunder in the two veterans, who prided themselves on the
sureness and quickness of their sight, produced a hearty laugh at
their expense, and put an end to their vauntings.
The Yellowstone, above the confluence of the Bighorn, is a clear
stream; its waters were now gradually growing turbid, and
assuming the yellow clay color of the Missouri. The current was
about four miles an hour, with occasional rapids; some of them
dangerous, but the voyagers passed them all without accident. The
banks of the river were in many places precipitous with strata of
bituminous coal.
They now entered a region abounding with buffalo -- that
ever-journeying animal, which moves in countless droves from
point to point of the vast wilderness; traversing plains, pouring
through the intricate defiles of mountains, swimming rivers, ever
on the move, guided on its boundless migrations by some
traditionary knowledge, like the finny tribes of the ocean,
which, at certain seasons, find their mysterious paths across the
deep and revisit the remotest shores.
These great migratory herds of buffalo have their hereditary
paths and highways, worn deep through the country, and making for
the surest passes of the mountains, and the most practicable
fords of the rivers. When once a great column is in full career,
it goes straight forward, regardless of all obstacles; those in
front being impelled by the moving mass behind. At such times
they
will break through a camp, trampling down everything in their
course.
It was the lot of the voyagers, one night, to encamp at one of
these buffalo landing places, and exactly on the trail. They had
not been long asleep, when they were awakened by a great
bellowing, and tramping, and the rush, and splash, and snorting
of animals in the river. They had just time to ascertain that a
buffalo army was entering the river on the opposite side, and
making toward the landing place. With all haste they moved their
boat and shifted their camp, by which time the head of the column
had reached the shore, and came pressing up the bank.
It was a singular spectacle, by the uncertain moonlight, to
behold this countless throng making their way across the river,
blowing, and bellowing, and splashing. Sometimes they pass in
such dense and continuous column as to form a temporary dam
across the river, the waters of which rise and rush over their
backs, or between their squadrons. The roaring and rushing sound
of one of these vast herds crossing a river, may sometimes in a
still night be heard for miles.
The voyagers now had game in profusion. They could kill as many
buffaloes as they pleased, and, occasionally, were wanton in
their havoc; especially among scattered herds, that came swimming
near the boat. On one occasion, an old buffalo bull approached so
near that the half-breeds must fain try to noose him as they
would a wild horse. The noose was successfully thrown around his
head, and secured him by the horns, and they now promised
themselves ample sport. The buffalo made prodigious turmoil in
the water, bellowing, and blowing, and floundering; and they all
floated down the stream together. At length he found foothold on
a sandbar, and taking to his heels, whirled the boat after him
like a whale when harpooned; so that the hunters were obliged to
cast off their rope, with which strange head-gear the venerable
bull made off to the prairies.
On the 24th of August, the bull boat emerged, with its
adventurous crew, into the broad bosom of the mighty Missouri.
Here, about six miles above the mouth of the Yellowstone, the
voyagers landed at Fort Union, the distributing post of the
American Fur Company in the western country. It was a stockaded
fortress, about two hundred and twenty feet square, pleasantly
situated on a high bank. Here they were hospitably entertained by
Mr. M'Kenzie, the superintendent, and remained with him three
days, enjoying the unusual luxuries of bread, butter, milk, and
cheese, for the fort was well supplied with domestic cattle,
though it had no garden. The atmosphere of these elevated regions
is said to be too dry for the culture of vegetables; yet the
voyagers, in coming down the Yellowstone, had met with plums,
grapes, cherries, and currants, and had observed ash and elm
trees. Where these grow the climate cannot be incompatible with
gardening.
At Fort Union, Wyeth met with a melancholy memento of one of his
men. This was a powder-flask, which a clerk had purchased from a
Blackfoot warrior. It bore the initials of poor More, the
unfortunate youth murdered the year previously, at Jackson's
Hole, by the Blackfeet, and whose bones had been subsequently
found by Captain Bonneville. This flask had either been passed
from hand to hand of the youth, or, perhaps, had been brought to
the fort by the very savage who slew him.
As the bull boat was now nearly worn out, and altogether unfit
for the broader and more turbulent stream of the Missouri, it was
given up, and a canoe of cottonwood, about twenty feet long,
fabricated by the Blackfeet, was purchased to supply its place.
In this Wyeth hoisted his sail, and bidding adieu to the
hospitable superintendent of Fort Union, turned his prow to the
east, and set off down the Missouri.
He had not proceeded many hours, before, in the evening, he came
to a large keel boat at anchor. It proved to be the boat of
Captain William Sublette, freighted with munitions for carrying
on a powerful opposition to the American Fur Company. The
voyagers went on board, where they were treated with the hearty
hospitality of the wilderness, and passed a social evening,
talking over past scenes and adventures, and especially the
memorable fight at Pierre's Hole.
Here Milton Sublette determined to give up further voyaging in
the canoe, and remain with his brother; accordingly, in the
morning, the fellow-voyagers took kind leave of each other. and
Wyeth continued on his course. There was now no one on board of
his boat that had ever voyaged on the Missouri; it was, however,
all plain sailing down the stream, without any chance of missing
the way.
All day the voyagers pulled gently along, and landed in the
evening and supped; then re-embarking, they suffered the canoe to
float down with the current; taking turns to watch and sleep. The
night was calm and serene; the elk kept up a continual whinnying
or squealing, being the commencement of the season when they are
in heat. In the midst of the night the canoe struck on a
sand-bar, and all hands were roused by the rush and roar of the
wild waters, which broke around her. They were all obliged to
jump overboard, and work hard to get her off, which was
accomplished with much difficulty.
In the course of the following day they saw three grizzly bears
at different times along the bank. The last one was on a point of
land, and was evidently making for the river, to swim across. The
two half-breed hunters were now eager to repeat the manoeuvre of
the noose; promising to entrap Bruin, and have rare sport in
strangling and drowning him. Their only fear was, that he might
take fright and return to land before they could get between him
and the shore. Holding back, therefore, until he was fairly
committed in the centre of the stream, they then pulled forward
with might and main, so as to cut off his retreat, and take him
in the rear. One of the worthies stationed himself in the bow,
with the cord and slip-noose, the other, with the Nez Perce,
managed the paddles. There was nothing further from the thoughts
of honest Bruin, however, than to beat a retreat. Just as the
canoe was drawing near, he turned suddenly round and made for it,
with a horrible snarl and a tremendous show of teeth. The
affrighted hunter called to his comrades to paddle off. Scarce
had they turned the boat when the bear laid his enormous claws on
the gunwale, and attempted to get on board. The canoe was nearly
overturned, and a deluge of water came pouring over the gunwale.
All was clamor, terror, and confusion. Every one bawled out -
the bear roared and snarled - one caught up a gun; but water had
rendered it useless. Others handled their paddles more
effectually, and beating old Bruin about the head and claws,
obliged him to relinquish his hold. They now plied their paddles
with might and main, the bear made the best of his way to shore,
and so ended the second exploit of the noose; the hunters
determined to have no more naval contests with grizzly bears.
The voyagers were now out of range of Crows and Black-feet; but
they were approaching the country of the Rees, or Arickaras; a
tribe no less dangerous; and who were, generally, hostile to
small parties.
In passing through their country, Wyeth laid by all day, and
drifted quietly down the river at night. In this way he passed
on, until he supposed himself safely through the region of
danger; when he resumed his voyage in the open day. On the 3d of
September he had landed, at midday, to dine; and while some were
making a fire, one of the hunters mounted a high bank to look out
for game. He had scarce glanced his eye round, when he perceived
horses grazing on the opposite side of the river. Crouching down
he slunk back to the camp, and reported what he had seen. On
further reconnoitering, the voyagers counted twenty-one lodges;
and from the number of horses, computed that there must be nearly
a hundred Indians encamped there. They now drew their boat, with
all speed and caution, into a thicket of water willows, and
remained closely concealed all day. As soon as the night closed
in they re-embarked. The moon would rise early; so that they had
but about two hours of darkness to get past the camp. The night,
however, was cloudy, with a blustering wind. Silently, and with
muffled oars, they glided down the river, keeping close under the
shore opposite to the camp; watching its various lodges and
fires, and the dark forms passing to and fro between them.
Suddenly, on turning a point of land, they found themselves close
upon a camp on their own side of the river. It appeared that not
more than one half of the band had crossed. They were within a
few yards of the shore; they saw distinctly the savages -- some
standing, some lying round the fire. Horses were grazing around.
Some lodges were set up, others had been sent across the river.
The red glare of the fires upon these wild groups and harsh
faces, contrasted with the surrounding darkness, had a startling
effect, as the voyagers suddenly came upon the scene. The dogs
of the camp perceived them, and barked; but the Indians.
fortunately, took no heed of their clamor. Wyeth instantly
sheered his boat out into the stream; when, unluckily it struck
upon a sand-bar, and stuck fast. It was a perilous and trying
situation; for he was fixed between the two camps, and within
rifle range of both. All hands jumped out into the water, and
tried to get the boat off; but as no one dared to give the word,
they could not pull together, and their labor was in vain. In
this way they labored for a long time; until Wyeth thought of
giving a signal for a general heave, by lifting his hat. The
expedient succeeded. They launched their canoe again into deep
water, and getting in, had the delight of seeing the camp fires
of the savages soon fading in the distance.
They continued under way the greater part of the night, until far
beyond all danger from this band, when they pulled to shore, and
encamped.
The following day was windy, and they came near upsetting their
boat in carrying sail. Toward evening, the wind subsided and a
beautiful calm night succeeded. They floated along with the
current throughout the night, taking turns to watch and steer.
The deep stillness of the night was occasionally interrupted by
the neighing of the elk, the hoarse lowing of the buffalo, the
hooting of large owls, and the screeching of the small ones, now
and then the splash of a beaver, or the gonglike sound of the
swan.
Part of their voyage was extremely tempestuous; with high winds,
tremendous thunder, and soaking rain; and they were repeatedly in
extreme danger from drift-wood and sunken trees. On one occasion,
having continued to float at night, after the moon was down, they
ran under a great snag, or sunken tree, with dry branches above
the water. These caught the mast, while the boat swung round,
broadside to the stream, and began to fill with water. Nothing
saved her from total wreck, but cutting away the mast. She then
drove down the stream, but left one of the unlucky half-breeds
clinging to the snag, like a monkey to a pole. It was necessary
to run in shore, toil up, laboriously, along the eddies and to
attain some distance above the snag, when they launched forth
again into the stream and floated down with it to his rescue.
We forbear to detail all the circumstances and adventures of
upward of a months voyage, down the windings and doublings of
this vast river; in the course of which they stopped occasionally
at a post of one of the rival fur companies, or at a government
agency for an Indian tribe. Neither shall we dwell upon the
changes of climate and productions, as the voyagers swept down
from north to south, across several degrees of latitude; arriving
at the regions of oaks and sycamores; of mulberry and basswood
trees; of paroquets and wild turkeys. This is one of the
characteristics of the middle and lower part of the Missouri; but
still more so of the Mississippi, whose rapid current traverses a
succession of latitudes so as in a few days to float the voyager
almost from the frozen regions to the tropics.
The voyage of Wyeth shows the regular and unobstructed flow of
the rivers, on the east side of the Rocky Mountains, in contrast
to those of the western side; where rocks and rapids continually
menace and obstruct the voyager. We find him in a frail bark of
skins, launching himself in a stream at the foot of the Rocky
Mountains, and floating down from river to river, as they empty
themselves into each other; and so he might have kept on upward
of two thousand miles, until his little bark should drift into
the ocean. At present we shall stop with him at Cantonment
Leavenworth, the frontier post of the United States; where he
arrived on the 27th of September.
Here his first care was to have his Nez Perce Indian, and his
half-breed boy, Baptiste, vaccinated. As they approached the
fort, they were hailed by the sentinel. The sight of a soldier in
full array, with what appeared to be a long knife glittering on
the end of a musket, struck Baptiste with such affright that he
took to his heels, bawling for mercy at the top of his voice. The
Nez Perce would have followed him, had not Wyeth assured him of
his safety. When they underwent the operation of the lancet, the
doctor's wife and another lady were present; both beautiful
women. They were the first white women that they had seen, and
they could not keep their eyes off of them. On returning to the
boat, they recounted to their companions all that they had
observed at the fort; but were especially eloquent about the
white squaws, who, they said, were white as snow, and more
beautiful than any human being they had ever beheld.
We shall not accompany the captain any further in his Voyage; but
will simply state that he made his way to Boston, where he
succeeded in organizing an association under the name of "The
Columbia River Fishing and Trading Company," for his original
objects of a salmon fishery and a trade in furs. A brig, the May
Dacres, had been dispatched for the Columbia with supplies; and
he was now on his way to the same point, at the head of sixty
men, whom he had enlisted at St. Louis; some of whom were
experienced hunters, and all more habituated to the life of the
wilderness than his first band of "down-easters."
We will now return to Captain Bonneville and his party, whom we
left, making up their packs and saddling their horses, in Bear
River Valley.
Content of CHAPTER 41 [Washington Irving's book: The Adventures of Captain Bonneville]
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