Here They Found Traces Of The Band Of Indians Who Had Hunted Them
In The Defile Toward The Head Waters Of Wind River.
Having lost
all trace of them on their way over the mountains, they had
turned and followed back their trail down the Green River valley
to the caches.
One of these they had discovered and broken open,
but it fortunately contained nothing but fragments of old iron,
which they had scattered about in all directions, and then
departed. In examining their deserted camp, Captain Bonneville
discovered that it numbered thirty-nine fires, and had more
reason than ever to congratulate himself on having escaped the
clutches of such a formidable band of freebooters.
He now turned his course southward, under cover of the mountains,
and on the 25th of October reached Liberge's Ford, a tributary of
the Colorado, where he came suddenly upon the trail of this same
war party, which had crossed the stream so recently that the
banks were yet wet with the water that had been splashed upon
them. To judge from their tracks, they could not be less than
three hundred warriors, and apparently of the Crow nation.
Captain Bonneville was extremely uneasy lest this overpowering
force should come upon him in some place where he would not have
the means of fortifying himself promptly. He now moved toward
Hane's Fork, another tributary of the Colorado, where he
encamped, and remained during the 26th of October. Seeing a large
cloud of smoke to the south, he supposed it to arise from some
encampment of Shoshonies, and sent scouts to procure information,
and to purchase a lodge. It was, in fact, a band of Shoshonies,
but with them were encamped Fitzpatrick and his party of
trappers. That active leader had an eventful story to relate of
his fortunes in the country of the Crows. After parting with
Captain Bonneville on the banks of the Bighorn, he made for the
west, to trap upon Powder and Tongue Rivers. He had between
twenty and thirty men with him, and about one hundred horses. So
large a cavalcade could not pass through the Crow country without
attracting the attention of its freebooting hordes. A large band
of Crows was soon on their traces, and came up with them on the
5th of September, just as they had reached Tongue River. The Crow
chief came forward with great appearance of friendship, and
proposed to Fitzpatrick that they should encamp together. The
latter, however, not having any faith in Crows, declined the
invitation, and pitched his camp three miles off. He then rode
over with two or three men, to visit the Crow chief, by whom he
was received with great apparent cordiality. In the meantime,
however, a party of young braves, who considered them absolved by
his distrust from all scruples of honor, made a circuit
privately, and dashed into his encampment. Captain Stewart, who
had remained there in the absence of Fitzpatrick, behaved with
great spirit; but the Crows were too numerous and active.
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