They All Hung Down Their Heads
For Some Time, Till Black Cat Apologized By Saying That The Danger
Was Such That They Were Afraid Of Sending Any One Of Their Chiefs,
As They Considered His Loss Almost Inevitable."
Although there was so much reluctance on the part of the Indians
to leave their roving life, even for a few months, there were
some white men among the explorers who were willing to give up
their home in "the States." The journal says:
-
"In the evening Colter applied to us for permission to join the two
trappers who had accompanied us, and who now proposed an expedition
up the river, in which they were to find traps and to give him
a share of the profits. The offer was a very advantageous one;
and as he had always performed his duty, and his services could
be dispensed with, we consented to his going upon condition
that none of the rest were to ask or expect a similar indulgence.
To this they all cheerfully assented, saying that they wished
Colter every success, and would not apply for liberty to separate
before we reached St. Louis. We therefore supplied him, as did
his comrades also, with powder and lead, and a variety of articles
which might be useful to him, and he left us the next day.
The example of this man shows how easily men may be weaned
from the habits of civilized life to the ruder, though scarcely
less fascinating, manners of the woods.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 341 of 362
Words from 104069 to 104321
of 110166
