CHAPTER XIX.
On the Platte--A False Alarm--The Cheyennes--Fremont's Account of his Buffalo Hunt--Division of the Party--Fremont's Journey up the South Fork--The Band of Indians--Arrival at St. Vrain's Fort--The Journey to Fort Laramie.
Fremont and his party, after traveling something over three hundredmiles from the mouth of the Kansas reached the Platte river, where theyencamped in a charming place near Grand Island. The country was mostbeautiful, though they suffered somewhat from the violent storms whichfrequently broke over them.
The noon halt was made and all were lounging about the camp, when oneof the men on guard called an alarm. Everybody sprang to his feet andgrasped his rifle, expecting an attack from Indians. A strange wildlooking company were seen approaching, but, as they came closer, theywere discovered to be white men. They were a striking sight, numberingfourteen, in the most ragged and woebegone condition imaginable. Theyhad been on a trapping expedition, but having met with nothing butdisasters from the beginning, were now straggling back to St. Louis onfoot.
The explorers proceeded at a leisurely pace that day and having goneinto camp, observed three Indians drawing near, one of whom was a boyabout a dozen years of age. They were Cheyennes that had been outamong the Pawnees to steal horses, but having met with no success, werereturning home. Catching sight of the white men, they unhesitatinglyentered camp, confident of being treated well, as of course proved to bethe case. After supper one of the warriors drew a rude but correct mapof the country around them, and gave it to Fremont.
On the first of July, while riding over a delightful prairie country,on the right bank of the river, a herd of buffaloes, numbering nearlya thousand, came up from the water and began slowly crossing the plain,cropping the grass as they went. As the prairie was three miles broadonly, a fine opportunity was given the hunters to charge before theanimals could scatter among the hills.
The fleetest horses were quickly saddled and Carson, Fremont, andMaxwell prepared for the chase. By that time the herd was a half mileaway and they did not notice the hunters until they were within threehundred yards. Then followed an agitation of the animals, quicklyfollowed by their precipitate flight. The horses dashed after them. Acrowd of bulls brought up the rear, they having stationed themselvesthere to defend the females. Every once in a while they would whirlabout and stare, snorting at the horsemen, as if they had made up theirminds to fight; but when the hunters came nigher, they turned about andplunged after the herd. Describing the exciting incident, Fremont wrote;
"In a few moments, during which we had been quickening our pace, we weregoing over the ground like a hurricane. When at about thirty yards wegave the usual shout and broke into the herd. We entered on the side,the mass giving away in every direction in their heedless course. Manyof the bulls, less fleet than the cows, paying no heed to the ground,and occupied solely with the hunters, were precipitated to the earthwith great force, rolling over and over with the violence of the shock,and hardly distinguishable in the dust. We separated, on entering, eachsingling out his game.
"My horse was a trained hunter, famous in the west under the name ofProveau, and with his eyes flashing and the foam flying from his mouth,he sprang on after the cow like a tiger. In a few moments he brought mealongside of her. Rising in the stirrups, I fired, at the distance ofa yard, the ball entering at the termination of the long hair, passingnear the heart. She fell headlong at the report of the gun. Checking myhorse, I looked around for my companions.
"At a little distance Kit was on the ground engaged in tying his horseto the horns of a cow, which he was preparing to cut up. Among thescattered band at some distance, I caught a glimpse of Maxwell. WhileI was looking, a light wreath of white smoke curled away from his gun,from which I was too far to hear the report. Nearer, and between me andthe hills, toward which they were directing their course, was the bodyof the herd. Giving my horse the rein, we dashed after them. A thickcloud of dust hung upon their rear, which filled my mouth and eyes andnearly smothered me. In the midst of this I could see nothing, andthe buffaloes were not distinguishable until within thirty feet. Theycrowded together more densely still, as I came upon them, and rushedalong in such a compact body that I could not obtain an entrance, thehorse almost leaping upon them.
"In a few moments the mass divided to the right and left, the hornsclattering with a noise heard above everything else, and my horse dartedinto the opening. Five or six bulls charged on us as we dashed along theline, but were left far behind. Singling out a cow, I gave her my firebut struck too high. She gave a tremendous leap and scoured on swifterthan before. I reined up my horse, and the band swept on like a torrent,and left the place quiet and clear. Our chase had led us into dangerousground. A prairie dog village, so thickly settled that there were threeor four holes in twenty yards square, occupied the whole bottom fornearly two miles in length."
The stirring buffalo hunt ended, the company advanced over the prairiefor more than twenty miles, and encamped on the banks of a stream, wherethey enjoyed a fine feast on choice bison steaks. While they were thusemployed, the wolves were attracted thither by the smell of broilingmeat and prowled around camp, licking their chops, impatient for thetime when they would be permitted to gorge themselves upon what shouldbe left.
For several days there was little variation in the experience of theexplorers, and no special incident took place. At the junction of thenorth and south fork of the Platte, Fremont, who wished to explore thesouth branch and to secure some astronomical observations, set out withnine men intending to advance to St. Vrain's fort, where he was hopefulof obtaining some mules. The rest of the party followed the north forkto fort Laramie, where it was agreed they would wait for the others tojoin them.
Fremont's experience in going up the south branch was in strong contrastto the pleasant scenes of the previous. It was midsummer and the weatherwas suffocatingly hot. Fierce storms of wind and gusts of rain sweptthe country, while the bisons were everywhere. They literally numberedhundreds of thousands, and, look in whatsoever direction the men chose,they were sure to see the huge creatures cropping the grass or lumberingacross the prairie.
On the fourth day a band of three hundred mounted Indians suddenlyappeared. The chief proved to be an old acquaintance of Maxwell andshowed genuine pleasure in meeting him. They shook hands and the sachemconducted the little party to his village, where they received mosthospitable treatment.
Resuming their journey, they encamped in a cottonwood grove in a chillydrizzling rain. The next morning dawned bright and clear, and theycaught their first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains. They gazed long onthe snowy peaks outlined in the far distance like fleecy clouds againstthe blue sky.
St. Vrain's Fort was reached on the tenth day. They were made welcomeby Mr. St. Vrain, who was much interested in the expedition westward anddid everything he could to assist Lieutenant Fremont in the enterprise.The needed horses and mules were secured, and three men were hired toaccompany them across the country to Fort Laramie.
This station was a hundred and twenty-five miles distant, and the newhands engaged, as a matter of course, were so familiar with it, thatthere was no possibility of going astray. The journey was resumed onthe second day after reaching the fort, and without meeting with anyparticular incident they arrived at their destination, three days later.
Fort Laramie, at that time, was one of the most important posts of thefar west. It had large bastions at the corners, and its high walls werewhitewashed and picketed.
Several lodges of Sioux Indians were pitched close by, and the divisionunder charge of Kit Carson having arrived several days before, had alsogone into camp with the appearance of the commander of the expedition.
The Life of Kit Carson: Hunter, Trapper, Guide, Indian Agent and Colonel U.S.A. Page 19
