Having Arrived At The Mouth Of The
Shahaptan, He Ascended Some Distance Up That River, And
Established His Trading Post Upon Its Banks.
This appeared to be
a great thoroughfare for the tribes from the neighborhood of the
Falls of the Columbia, in their expeditions to make war upon the
tribes of the Rocky Mountains; to hunt buffalo on the plains
beyond, or to traffic for roots and buffalo robes.
It was the
season of migration, and the Indians from various distant parts
were passing and repassing in great numbers.
Mr. M'Kenzie now detached a small band, under the conduct of Mr.
John Reed, to visit the caches made by Mr. Hunt at the Caldron
Linn, and to bring the contents to his post; as he depended, in
some measure, on them for his supplies of goods and ammunition.
They had not been gone a week, when two Indians arrived of the
Pallatapalla tribe, who live upon a river of the same name. These
communicated the unwelcome intelligence that the caches had been
robbed. They said that some of their tribe had, in the course of
the preceding spring, been across the mountains, which separated
them from Snake River, and had traded horses with the Snakes in
exchange for blankets, robes and goods of various descriptions.
These articles the Snakes had procured from caches to which they
were guided by some white men who resided among them, and who
afterwards accompanied them across the Rocky Mountains. This
intelligence was extremely perplexing to Mr. M'Kenzie, but the
truth of part of it was confirmed by the two Indians, who brought
them an English saddle and bridle, which was recognized as having
belonged to Mr. Crooks. The perfidy of the white men who revealed
the secret of the caches, was, however, perfectly inexplicable.
We shall presently account for it in narrating the expedition of
Mr. Reed.
That worthy Hibernian proceeded on his mission with his usual
alacrity. His forlorn travels of the preceding winter had made
him acquainted with the topography of the country, and he reached
Snake River without any material difficulty. Here, in an
encampment of the natives, he met with six white men, wanderers
from the main expedition of Mr. Hunt, who, after having had their
respective shares of adventures and mishaps, had fortunately come
together at this place. Three of these men were Turcotte, La
Chapelle, and Francis Landry; the three Canadian voyageurs who,
it may be recollected, had left Mr. Crooks in February, in the
neighborhood of Snake River, being dismayed by the increasing
hardships of the journey, and fearful of perishing of hunger.
They had returned to a Snake encampment, where they passed the
residue of the winter.
Early in the spring, being utterly destitute, and in great
extremity, and having worn out the hospitality of the Snakes,
they determined to avail themselves of the buried treasures
within their knowledge. They accordingly informed the Snake
chieftains that they knew where a great quantity of goods had
been left in caches, enough to enrich the whole tribe; and
offered to conduct them to the place, on condition of being
rewarded with horses and provisions. The chieftains pledged their
faith and honor as great men and Snakes, and the three Canadians
conducted them to the place of deposit at the Caldron Linn. This
is the way that the savages got knowledge of the caches, and not
by following the tracks of wolves, as Mr. Stuart had supposed.
Never did money diggers turn up a miser's hoard with more eager
delight, than did the savages lay open the treasures of the
caches. Blankets and robes, brass trinkets and blue beads were
drawn forth with chuckling exultation, and long strips of scarlet
cloth produced yells of ecstasy.
The rifling of the caches effected a change in the fortunes and
deportment of the whole party. The Snakes were better clad and
equipped than ever were Snakes before, and the three Canadians,
suddenly finding themselves with horse to ride and weapon to
wear, were like beggars on horseback, ready to ride on any wild
scamper. An opportunity soon presented. The Snakes determined on
a hunting match on the buffalo prairies, to lay in a supply of
beef, that they might live in plenty, as became men of their
improved condition. The three newly mounted cavaliers, must fain
accompany them. They all traversed the Rocky Mountains in safety,
descended to the head waters of the Missouri, and made great
havoc among the buffaloes.
Their hunting camp was full of meat; they were gorging
themselves, like true Indians, with present plenty, and drying
and jerking great quantities for a winter's supply. In the midst
of their revelry and good cheer, the camp was surprised by the
Blackfeet. Several of the Snakes were slain on the spot; the
residue, with their three Canadian allies, fled to the mountains,
stripped of horses, buffalo meat, everything; and made their way
back to the old encampment on Snake River, poorer than ever, but
esteeming themselves fortunate in having escaped with their
lives. They had not been long there when the Canadians were
cheered by the sight of a companion in misfortune, Dubreull, the
poor voyageur who had left Mr. Crooks in March, being too much
exhausted to keep on with him. Not long afterwards, three other
straggling members of the main expedition made their appearance.
These were Carson, St. Michael, and Pierre Delaunay, three of the
trappers who, in company with Pierre Detaye, had been left among
the mountains by Mr. Hunt, to trap beaver, in the preceding month
of September. They had departed from the main body well armed and
provided, with horses to ride, and horses to carry the peltries
they were to collect. They came wandering into the Snake camp as
ragged and destitute as their predecessors. It appears that they
had finished their trapping, and were making their way in the
spring to the Missouri, when they were met and attacked by a
powerful band of the all-pervading Crows.
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