Chapter 8 - Page 2

they rot in such quantities along the river banks as to taint the

atmosphere. They are commonly from two to three feet long.

Captain Bonneville now made his arrangements for the autumn and

the winter. The nature of the country through which he was about

to travel rendered it impossible to proceed with wagons. He had

more goods and supplies of various kinds, also, than were

required for present purposes, or than could be conveniently

transported on horseback; aided, therefore, by a few confidential

men, he made caches, or secret pits, during the night, when all

the rest of the camp were asleep, and in these deposited the

superfluous effects, together with the wagons. All traces of the

caches were then carefully obliterated. This is a common

expedient with the traders and trappers of the mountains. Having

no established posts and magazines, they make these caches or

deposits at certain points, whither they repair, occasionally,

for supplies. It is an expedient derived from the wandering

tribes of Indians.

Many of the horses were still so weak and lame, as to be unfit

for a long scramble through the mountains. These were collected

into one cavalcade, and given in charge to an experienced

trapper, of the name of Matthieu. He was to proceed westward,

with a brigade of trappers, to Bear River; a stream to the west

of the Green River or Colorado, where there was good pasturage

for the horses. In this neighborhood it was expected he would

meet the Shoshonie villages or bands, on their yearly migrations,

with whom he was to trade for peltries and provisions. After he

had traded with these people, finished his trapping, and

recruited the strength of the horses, he was to proceed to Salmon

River and rejoin Captain Bonneville, who intended to fix his

quarters there for the winter.

While these arrangements were in progress in the camp of Captain

Bonneville, there was a sudden bustle and stir in the camp of

Fontenelle. One of the partners of the American Fur Company had

arrived, in all haste, from the rendezvous at Pierre's Hole, in

quest of the supplies. The competition between the two rival

companies was just now at its height, and prosecuted with unusual

zeal. The tramontane concerns of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company

were managed by two resident partners, Fitzpatrick and Bridger;

those of the American Fur Company, by Vanderburgh and Dripps. The

latter were ignorant of the mountain regions, but trusted to make

up by vigilance and activity for their want of knowledge of the

country.

Fitzpatrick, an