Chapter 2

2.

Departure from Fort Osage Modes of transportation Pack-

horses Wagons Walker and Cerre; their characters Buoyant feelings

on launching upon the prairies Wild equipments of the

trappers Their gambols and antics Difference of character between

the American and French trappers Agency of the Kansas General

Clarke White Plume, the Kansas chief Night scene in a trader's

camp Colloquy between White Plume and the captain Bee-

hunters Their expeditions Their feuds with the Indians Bargaining

talent of White Plume

IT WAS ON THE FIRST of May, 1832, that Captain Bonneville took

his departure from the frontier post of Fort Osage, on the

Missouri. He had enlisted a party of one hundred and ten men,

most of whom had been in the Indian country, and some of whom

were experienced hunters and trappers. Fort Osage, and other

places on the borders of the western wilderness, abound with

characters of the kind, ready for any expedition.

The ordinary mode of transportation in these great inland

expeditions of the fur traders is on mules and pack-horses; but

Captain Bonneville substituted wagons. Though he was to travel

through a trackless wilderness, yet the greater part of his route

would lie across open plains, destitute of forests, and where

wheel carriages can pass in every direction. The chief difficulty

occurs in passing the deep ravines cut through the prairies by

streams and winter torrents. Here it is often necessary to dig a

road down the banks, and to make bridges for the wagons.

In transporting his baggage in vehicles of this kind, Captain

Bonneville thought he would save the great delay caused every

morning by packing the horses, and the labor of unpacking in the

evening. Fewer horses also would be required, and less risk

incurred of their wandering away, or being frightened or carried

off by the Indians. The wagons, also, would be more easily

defended, and might form a kind of fortification in case of

attack in the open prairies. A train of twenty wagons, drawn by

oxen, or by four mules or horses each, and laden with

merchandise, ammunition, and provisions, were disposed in two

columns in the center of the party, which was equally divided

into a van and a rear-guard. As sub-leaders or lieutenants in his

expedition, Captain Bonneville had made choice of Mr. J. R.

Walker and Mr. M. S. Cerre. The former was a native of Tennessee,

about six feet high, strong built, dark complexioned, brave in

spirit, though mild in manners. He had resided for many years in

Missouri, on the frontier; had been among the