Chapter 27

27.

Route toward Wind River Dangerous neighborhood Alarms and

precautions A sham encampment Apparition of an Indian

spy Midnight move A mountain defile The Wind River

valley Tracking a party Deserted camps Symptoms of Crows Meeting

of comrades A trapper entrapped Crow pleasantry Crow spies A

decampment Return to Green River valley Meeting with

Fitzpatrick's party Their adventures among the Crows Orthodox

Crows

ON THE 18TH of September, Captain Bonneville and his three

companions set out, bright and early, to rejoin the main party,

from which they had parted on Wind River. Their route lay up the

Green River valley, with that stream on their right hand, and

beyond it, the range of Wind River Mountains. At the head of the

valley, they were to pass through a defile which would bring them

out beyond the northern end of these mountains, to the head of

Wind River; where they expected to meet the main party, according

to arrangement.

We have already adverted to the dangerous nature of this

neighborhood, infested by roving bands of Crows and Blackfeet; to

whom the numerous defiles and passes of the country afford

capital places for ambush and surprise. The travellers,

therefore, kept a vigilant eye upon everything that might give

intimation of lurking danger.

About two hours after mid-day, as they reached the summit of a

hill, they discovered buffalo on the plain below, running in

every direction. One of the men, too, fancied he heard the report

of a gun. It was concluded, therefore, that there was some party

of Indians below, hunting the buffalo.

The horses were immediately concealed in a narrow ravine; and the

captain, mounting an eminence, but concealing himself from view,

reconnoitred the whole neighborhood with a telescope. Not an

Indian was to be seen; so, after halting about an hour, he

resumed his journey. Convinced, however, that he was in a

dangerous neighborhood, he advanced with the utmost caution;

winding his way through hollows and ravines, and avoiding, as

much as possible, any open tract, or rising ground, that might

betray his little party to the watchful eye of an Indian scout.

Arriving, at length, at the edge of the open meadow-land

bordering on the river, he again observed the buffalo, as far as

he could see, scampering in great alarm. Once more concealing the

horses, he and his companions remained for a long time watching

the various groups of the animals, as each caught the panic and

started off; but they sought in vain to discover the cause.

They were now