He Has Already Made Proselytes Of One-Fifth
Of The Camp; Beginning By Working On The Women, The Children, And
The Weak-Minded.
His followers are all dancing on the plain, to
their own vocal music.
The more knowing ones of the tribe look on
and laugh; thinking it all too foolish to do harm; but they will
soon find that women, children, and fools, form a large majority
of every community, and they will have, eventually, to follow the
new light, or be considered among the profane. As soon as a
preacher or pseudo prophet of the kind gets followers enough, he
either takes command of the tribe, or branches off and sets up an
independent chief and "medicine man."
46.
Scarcity in the camp Refusal of supplies by the Hudson's Bay
Company Conduct of the Indians A hungry retreat John Day's
River The Blue Mountains Salmon fishing on Snake River
Messengers from the Crow country Bear River Valley immense
migration of buffalo Danger of buffalo hunting A wounded
Indian Eutaw Indians A "surround" of antelopes.
PROVISIONS were now growing scanty in the camp, and Captain
Bonneville found it necessary to seek a new neighborhood. Taking
leave, therefore, of his friends, the Skynses, he set off to the
westward, and, crossing a low range of mountains, encamped on the
head-waters of the Ottolais. Being now within thirty miles of
Fort Wallah-Wallah, the trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company,
he sent a small detachment of men thither to purchase corn for
the subsistence of his party. The men were well received at the
fort; but all supplies for their camp were peremptorily refused.
Tempting offers were made them, however, if they would leave
their present employ, and enter into the service of the company;
but they were not to be seduced.
When Captain Bonneville saw his messengers return empty-handed,
he ordered an instant move, for there was imminent danger of
famine. He pushed forward down the course of the Ottolais, which
runs diagonal to the Columbia, and falls into it about fifty
miles below the Wallah-Wallah. His route lay through a beautiful
undulating country, covered with horses belonging to the Skynses,
who sent them there for pasturage.
On reaching the Columbia, Captain Bonneville hoped to open a
trade with the natives, for fish and other provisions, but to his
surprise they kept aloof, and even hid themselves on his
approach. He soon discovered that they were under the influence
of the Hudson's Bay Company, who had forbidden them to trade, or
hold any communion with him. He proceeded along the Columbia,
but it was everywhere the same; not an article of provisions was
to be obtained from the natives, and he was at length obliged to
kill a couple of his horses to sustain his famishing people. He
now came to a halt, and consulted what was to be done. The broad
and beautiful Columbia lay before them, smooth and unruffled as a
mirror; a little more journeying would take them to its lower
region; to the noble valley of the Wallamut, their projected
winter quarters.
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