 Preface The Life and Adventures of James P. Beckworth Mountaineer, Scout and Pioneer and Chief of the Crow Nation of Indians Written from his own dictation by T.D. Bonner This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org We are buried amid the sublime passes of this year in Nevada, our old men, who, when children, strayed away from our crowded settlements and gradually moving farther and farther from civilization, have in time become domiciliated among the wild beasts and wilder savages. Have lived scores of years wetting their intellects in the constant struggle for self-preservation, whose only pleasurable excitement was found in facing danger, whose only repose was to recuperate preparatory to participating in new and thrilling adventures. Such men, whose simple tale would pale the imaginative creations of our most popular fictionists, sink into their obscure graves unnoticed and unknown, Indian warriors, whose bravery and self-devotion find no parallels in the preserved traditions of all history and their career on the warpath, sing in triumph their death song and become silent, leaving no impression on the intellectual world. Among the many men who have distinguished themselves as mountaineers, traders, chiefs of great Indian nations and as early pioneers in the settlement of our Pacific coast is James P. Beckworth, whose varied and startling personal adventures would have found no record but for the accident of meeting with a wanderer in the mountains of California, who became interested in the man and patiently listening to his story proceeded as it fell from his lips to put it upon paper. This autobiography was thus produced and was the result of some months' labor in the winter of 1854-55. In prosecuting the task, the author has in no instance departed from the story of the narrator, but it was taken down literally as it was from day to day related. Beckworth kept no journal and of course relied upon his memory alone. Consequently, dates are often wanting, which it was impossible to give with accuracy when recurring to events transpiring in the course of very many years. Beckworth is personally known to thousands of people living on both sides of the mountains and also from his service under the United States government has enjoyed the acquaintance of many officers of the United States Army who have been stationed in Florida, Mexico and California. In his long resonance with the Indians, he adopted their habits and was in every aspect conformed to their ways. The consequence was, from his great courage and superior mental endowments, he rose rapidly in their estimation and finally became their chief. As an Indian therefore, he speaks of their customs and describes their characteristics and probably from his autobiography we have more interesting particulars than were ever before given of the Aborigines. Beckworth, after 10,000 adventures, finally became involved in the stream that set toward the Pacific and almost unconsciously he established a home in one of the pleasant valleys that border on Feather River. Discovering a pass in the mountains that greatly facilitated immigrants in reaching California his house became a stopping place for the weary and dispirited among them. And no doubt the associations thus presented have done much to a face his natural disposition to wander and seek excitement among the Indian tribes. In person, he is of medium height, of strong muscular power, quick of apprehension and for a man of his years, very active. From his neck is suspended a perforated bullet with a large, oblong bead each side of it secured by a thread of sinew. This amulet is just as he wore it while chief among the crows. With the exception of this, he has now assumed the usual custom of civilized life and in his occasional visits to San Francisco vies with many prominent residents in the dress and manners of the refined gentlemen. It is unnecessary to speak of the natural superiority of his mind. His autobiography everywhere displays it. His sagacity and determining what would please the Indians has never been surpassed. For on the most trying occasions where hundreds of others would have fallen victims to circumstances, he escaped. His courage is of the highest order and probably no man ever lived who has met with more personal adventure involving danger to life. Though in this respect, he is not an exception to all mountaineers and hunters who eagerly engage in the fur trade and face the perils of an unknown wilderness. End of preface. Chapter 1 The Life and Adventures of James P. Beckworth Mountaineer, Scout and Pioneer and Chief for the Crow Nation of Indians Written from his own dictation by T. D. Bonner This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. I was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia on the 26th of April, 1798. My father's family consisted of 13 children, seven sons and six daughters. I was the third child, having one sister and one brother older than myself. My father had been an officer in the Revolutionary War and had held a major's commission. He served throughout that glorious struggle, which raised the dignity of man and taught him to be free. I well recollect when a small boy, the frequent meetings of the old patriots at my father's house, who would sit down and relate the different battles in which they had taken part during those days that tried men's souls. According to the custom of those days, their meetings were occasionally in levied with some good old peach brandy. The same kind, I presume, as that with which the old Tory treated McDonald when he delivered his splendid charger, Salem, to him for presentation to Colonel Tarlington, which circumstance was very frequently spoken of by the old soldiers. Often during these reminisces, every eye would dim and tears coursed down the cheeks of the old veterans as they thus fought their battles over again and recalled their sufferings during the struggles they had passed through. My youthful mind was vividly impressed with the stirring scenes depicted by those old soldiers. But time and subsequent hardship obliterated most of their narratives from my memory. One incident I recollect, however, related by my father when he formed one of a storming party in the attack on Stony Point made under General Wayne. When I was about seven or eight years of age, my father removed to St. Louis, Missouri, taking with him all his family and 22 Negroes. He selected a section of land in the forks of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, 12 miles below St. Charles, which is to this day known as Beckworth Settlement. At this early period of our history, 1805 or 6, the whole region of country around was a howling wilderness inhabited only by wild beasts and merciless savages. St. Louis at that time was but a small town. Its inhabitants, consisting almost wholly of French and Spanish settlers, who were engaged in trafficking with the Indians the commodities of civilization, such as firewater, beads, blankets, arms, and ammunition, et cetera for Beltry, for protection against the Indians, who were at that time very troublesome and treacherous. It became necessary for the Whites to construct blockhouses at convenient distances. These blockhouses were built by the united exertions of the settlers who began to gather from all quarters since the Jefferson purchase had been affected from the French government. The settlers or inhabitants of four adjoining sections would unite and build a blockhouse in the center of their possessions. So that in case of alarm, they could all repair to it as a place of refuge from the savages. It was necessary to keep a constant guard on the plantations. And while one portion of the men were at work, the others, with their arms, were on the alert watching the wily Indian. Those days are still fresh in my memory. And it was then that I received, young as I was, the rudiments of my knowledge of the Indian character, which has been of such inestable value to me in my subsequent adventures among them. There were constant alarms in the neighborhood of some of the blockhouses and hardly a day passed without the inhabitants being compelled to seek them for protection. As an illustration of our mode of life, I will relate an incident that befell me when about nine years old. One day, my father called me to him and inquired of me whether I thought myself man enough to carry a sack of corn to the mill. The idea of riding a horse and visiting town possessed attractions which I could not resist. And I replied with a hearty affirmative. A sack of corn was accordingly deposited on the back of a gentle horse selected for the purpose. And young Jim, as I was called, was placed upon the sack and started for the mill two miles distant. About midway to the mill lived a neighbor having a large family of children with whom I frequently joined in boyish sports. On my way, I rode joyously out to the little fence which separated the house from the road thinking to pass a word with my little playmates. What was my horror at discovering all the children, eight in number from one to fourteen years of age lying in various positions in the door-yard with their throats cut, their scalps torn off, and the warm life-blood still oozing from their gaping wounds. In the doorway lay their father and near him their mother in the same condition. They had all shared the same fate. I found myself soon back at my father's house but without the sack of corn. How I managed to get it off I never discovered. And related the circumstance to my father he immediately gave the alarm throughout the settlement and a body of men started in pursuit of the savages who had perpetrated this fearful tragedy. My father, with ten of his own men accompanying them. In two days the band returned bringing with them eighteen Indian scalps for the back woodsmen fought the savage in Indian style and it was scalp for scalp between them. The day when I beheld the harrowing spectacle of my little murdered playmates is still as fresh in my memory as at the time of its occurrence and it never will fade from my mind. It was the first scene of Indian cruelty my young eyes had ever witnessed and I wondered how even savages could possess such relentless minds as to wish to bathe their hands in the blood of little innocence against whom they could have no cause of quarrel. But my subsequent experience has better acquainted me with the Indian character as the reader will learn in the course of the following pages. I also recollect a large body of Indians assembling in their war costume on the opposite side of the Mississippi River in what is now the state of Illinois. This was at Portage Dissue twenty five miles above St. Louis in about two miles from my father's house and their intention was to cut off all the white inhabitants of the surrounding country. The alarm was given. A large party of the settlers collected crossed the river and after a severe engagement defeated the Indians with great loss and frustrated their bloody purposes. Three days after this battle a woman came into the settlement who had been three years captive among the Indians. She had made her escape during the confusion attending their defeat and reached her friends in safety after they had long supposed her dead. The name of this woman I do not remember but I have no doubt there are old settlers in that region who yet recollect the circumstance and the general rejoicing with which her escape was celebrated. The news that she brought was of the most alarming nature. She related how several of the Indian tribes had held a grand council and resolved upon a general attack upon St. Louis and all the surrounding country with the view to butcher indiscriminately all the white inhabitants. French and Spanish accepted. This intelligence produced the greatest alarm among the inhabitants and every preparation was made to repel the attack. New blockhouses were erected old ones repaired and everything placed in the best posture for defense. The Indians soon after appeared in great force opposite St. Louis. Blondo, an interpreter, was dispatched across the river to them to inform them of the preparations made for their reception. He informed them of the intelligence communicated by the women fugitive from their camp and represented to them that the people of St. Louis were provided with numerous big guns mounted on wagons which in case of attack could not fail to annihilate all their warriors. They credited Blondo's tail and withdrew their forces. At the period of which I speak the major part of the inhabitants of St. Louis were French and Spanish. These were on friendly terms with all the Indian tribes and wished to confine their long established traffic with the red men to themselves. For this reason they discontent the settlement of Americans among them as they considered it an invasion of their monopoly of the traffic with the Indians. And St. Louis being the grand trading depot for the regions of the west and northwest the profits derived from the intercourse were immense. The Indians too thinking themselves better dealt with by the French and Spanish united with the latter in their hostility to the influx of the Americans. When about ten years of age I was sent to St. Louis to attend school where I continued until the year 1812. I was then apprenticed to a man in St. Louis named George Kastner to learn the trade of blacksmith. This man had a partner named John L Sutton who is yet a resident in St. Louis. I took to the trade with some unwillingness at first but becoming reconciled to it I was soon much pleased with my occupation. When I had attained my 19th year my sense of importance had considerably expanded and like many others of my age I felt myself already quite a man Among other indiscretions I became enamored of a young damsel which leading me into habits that my boss disapproved of resulted finally in a difficulty between us. Being frequently tempted to transgress my boss's rules by staying from home somewhat late of an evening and finding the company I spent my time with so irresistibly attractive that I could not bring myself to obedience to orders. I gave way to my passion and felt indifferent whether my proceedings gave satisfaction or otherwise. One morning I was assailed by my principal in language which I considered unduly harsh and insulting and on his threatening to dismiss me his house I was tempted to reply with some warmth and acknowledged that his doing so would exactly square with my wishes. Provoked at this he seized a hammer and flung it at me I dodged the missile and threw it back at him in return A scuffle then ensued in which I, being young and athletic came off master of the ground and accepting his polite dismissal walked straight to my boarding house but a few moments elapsed before my assailant walked in and forbade my landlady to entertain me farther on his account I replied that I had plenty of money and was confident to pay my own board This provoked him to a second attack in which he again came off worsted Here upon resolving to leave the house I began to prepare for my departure but before I had completed my preparations a one-armed constable presented himself at the stairs and demanded to see me Well, knowing his errand I took a well-loaded pistol in my hand and went to meet him, assuring him that if he ascended the steps to capture me I would shoot him dead In my exasperated state of mind I really believe I should have executed my threat The constable, perceiving my resolute bearing after parlaying a while went away feeling confident that he had gone for another officer who I feared might capture me I expedited my departure and taking refuge in the house of a friend concealed myself for three days and then shipped on board a keelboat proceeding to the mines on Fever River but I was discovered by my boss and detained He, holding himself responsible for my appearance until my father's decision was learned Accordingly, I went home to my father and related the difficulty I had recently had with my master He counseled me to return to my apprenticeship but I declared my determination never to be reconciled again My father then wished me to set up in business in his settlement but I expressed disinclination and declared a growing wish to travel Seeing my determination my father finally consented to my departure He admonished me with some wholesome precepts gave me $500 in cash together with a good horse, Saddle Amrital and bade me Godspeed upon my journey bidding adieu to all my friends and then I headed to the boat and went on board The object for which the boat was dispatched up the Fever River was to make a treaty with the Sack Indians to gain their consent to our working the mines at that time in their possession The expedition was strictly of the pacific character and was led by Colonel R. M. Johnson A brother of the colonels accompanied us and several other gentlemen went in the boat as passengers End of Chapter 1 Chapter 2 The life and adventures of James P. Beckworth Mountaineer, Scout and Pioneer and Chief of the Crow Nation of Indians Written from his own dictation by T. D. Bonner This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The expedition consisted of from 6 to 8 boats carrying probably about 100 men The party in our boat numbered some 8 or 10 men among whom were Colonel Johnson, his son Darwin Johnson Mr's January, Sims, Keneerly and others whose names have escaped me I engaged in the capacity of Hunter to the party We pushed off and after a slow and tedious trip of about 20 days arrived at our place of destination Galena of the present day We found Indians in great numbers awaiting our disembarkation who were already acquainted with the object of our expedition The two tribes, Sax and Foxes received us peaceably But being all armed they presented a very formidable appearance There was a considerable force of United States troops quartered in that region under the command of Colonel Morgan stationed in detachments at Prairie de Jean Rock Island, St. Peter's and Des Moines After 9 days parlaying a treaty was affected with them and ratified by the signatures of the contracting parties On the part of the Indians was defined by Black Thunder, Yellow, Bank and Kuyukkuk Father to the Kuyukkuk who figured in the Black Hawk War On the part of the United States Colonel's Morgan and Johnson attached their signatures This negotiation concluded the mines were the first open for civilized enterprise During the settlement of the preliminaries of the treaty there was great difficulty with the Indians and it was necessary for each man of our party to be on his guard against any hostile attempts of the former who were all armed to the teeth On the distribution of presence which followed the conclusion of the treaty consisting of casks of whiskey, guns gun powders, knives, blankets, etc there was a general time of rejoicing Powwows, drinking and dancing diversified the time and a few fights were indulged in as a sequel to the entertainment The Indians soon became very friendly to me and I was indebted to them for showing me their choicest hunting grounds There was an abundance of game including deer, bears, wild turkey, raccoons and numerous other wild animals Frequently they would accompany me on my excursions which always proved eminently successful thus affording me an opportunity of increasing my personal knowledge of the Indian character I have lived among Indians in the eastern and western states on the Rocky Mountains and in California I find their habits of living and their religious belief substantially uniformed through all the unmingled races all believe in the same great spirit all have their prophets, their medicine men and their soothsayers and are alike influenced by the appearance of omens thus leading to the belief that the original tribes throughout the entire continent from Florida to the most northern coast have sprung from one stock and still retain in some degree of purity the social constitution of their primitive founders I remained in that region for a space of 18 months occupying my leisure time by working in the mines during this time I accumulated $700 in cash and feeling myself to be quite a wealthy personage I determined upon a return home my visit paid I felt a disposition to roam farther and took passage in the steamboat Calhoun Captain Glover about to descend the river to New Orleans my stay in New Orleans lasted 10 days during which time I was sick with the yellow fever which I contracted on the way from Nanches to New Orleans it was mid-summer and I sought to return home heartily regretting I had ever visited this unwholesome place as my sickness abated I lost no time in making my way back and remained under my father's roof until I had in some measure recruited my forces being possessed with a strong desire to see the celebrated Rocky Mountains and the great Western wilderness so much talked about I engaged in General Ashley's Rocky Mountain Fur Company the company consisted of 29 men who were employed by the fur company as hunters and trappers we started on the 11th of October with horses and pack mules nothing of interest occurred until we approached the Kansas Village situated on the Kansas River when we came to a halt and encamped here it was found that the company was in need of horses and General Ashley wished for two men to volunteer to proceed to the Republican Paw and ease distant 300 miles where he declared we could obtain a supply there was in our party an old and experienced mountaineer named Moses Harris in whom the general reposed the strictest confidence for his knowledge of the country and his familiarity with Indian life this Harris was reputed to be a man of great leg and capable from his long sojourning in the mountains of enduring extreme privation and fatigue there seemed to be a great reluctance on the part of the men to undertake in such company so hazardous a journey for it was now winter it was also whispered in the camp that whoever gave out in the expedition with Harris received no sucker from him but was abandoned to his fate in the wilderness our leader seeing this general unwillingness desired me to perform the journey with Harris being young and feeling ambitious to distinguish myself in some important trust I asked leave to have a word with Harris before I decided Harris being called the following colloquy took place Harris I think of accompanying you on this trip very well Jim he replied scrutinizing me closely do you think you can stand it I don't know I answered but I am going to try but I wish you to bear one thing in mind if I should give out on the road and you offer to leave me to perish as you have the name of doing if I have strength to raise and caulk my rifle I shall certainly bring you to a halt Harris looked me full in the eye while he replied Jim you may proceed me the entire way and take your own jog if I direct the path and give you the lead it will be your own fault if you tire out that satisfies me I replied we will be off in the morning the following morning we prepared for departure each man loading himself with 25 pounds of provisions besides a blanket rifle and ammunition each we started on our journey after a march of about 30 miles I in advance my companion bringing up the rear Harris complained of fatigue we halted and Harris sat down while I built a large cheering fire for the atmosphere was quite cold we made coffee and partook of a hearty supper lightning our packs as we supposed for the following day but while I was bringing in wood to build up the fire I saw Harris sees his rifle in great haste and the next moment bring down a fat turkey from a tree a few rods from the camp immediately reloading for old mountaineers never suffer their guns to remain empty for one moment while I was yet rebuilding the fire crack when his rifle again and down came a second turkey so large and fat that he burst in striking the ground we were thus secure for our next morning's meal after we have refreshed ourselves with a hearty supper my companion proposed that we should kill each a turkey to take with us for our next day's provision this we both succeeded in doing and then having dressed the four turkeys we folded ourselves in our blankets and enjoyed a sound night's rest the following morning we breakfasted it off the choices portions of two of the turkeys and abandoned the remainder to the wolves who had been all night prowling round the camp for prey we started forward as early as possible and advanced that day about 40 miles my companion again complained of fatigue and rested while I made a fire procured water and performed all the culinary work the selected portions of last evening's turkeys with the addition of bread and coffee supplied us with supper and breakfast after a travel of ten days we arrived at the republic in Pawnee villages when wet was our consternation and dismay to find the place entirely deserted they had removed to their winter quarters we were entirely out of provisions having expected to find abundance at the lodges we searched diligently for their caches places where provisions are secured but failed in discovering any our only alternative was to look for game which so near to an Indian settlement we were satisfied must be scarce I would break my narrative for a while to afford some explanation in regard to the different bands of the Pawnee tribe a subject which at the present day is but imperfectly understood by the general reader the knowledge being confined to those alone who by living among them have learned their language and hence become acquainted with the nature of their divisional lands the reader perhaps has remarked that I related we are on a visit to Republican Pawnee villages this is a band of the Pawnee tribe of Indians which is thus divided the Grand Pawnee Band Republican Pawnee Band Pawnee Loops or Wolf Pawnees Pawnee Picks or Tattooed Pawnees and Black Pawnees the five bands constitute the entire tribe each band is independent and under its own chief but for mutual defense or in other cases of urgent necessity they unite into one body they occupy an immense extent of country stretching from beyond the Platte River to south of the Arkansas and at the time I speak of could race from 30,000 to 40,000 warriors like all other Indian tribes they have dwindled away from various causes the smallpox and war having carried them off by thousands some of the bands have been reduced to one half by this fatal disease in many instances introduced designally among them by their civilized brethren a disease more particularly fatal to the Indians from their entire ignorance of any suitable remedy their invariable treatment for all ailments being a cold water immersion it is not surprising that they are eminently unsuccessful in their treatment of the smallpox horse stealing practiced by one band upon the other leads to exterminating feuds and frequent engagements wearing great numbers are mutually slain the following interesting episode I had from the lips of the interpreter some 32 years ago during Monroe's administration a powerful Indian named Tuak's chief counselor of the Pawnee Loop Band went to pay his great father the president of visit he was over six feet high and well proportioned athletic build and as straight as an arrow he was delegated to Washington by his tribe to make a treaty with his great father being introduced his father made known to him through the interpreter the substance of his proposal the keen-witted Indian perceiving that the proposed treaty talked all turkey to the white man and all crow to his tribe sat patiently during the reading of the paper the reading finished he arose with all his native dignity and in that vein of true Indian eloquence in which he was unsurpassed declared that the treaty had been conceived in injustice and brought forth in duplicity that many treaties had been signed by Indians of their great father's concoction wherein they bartered away the graves of their fathers for a few worthless trinkets and afterward their hearts cried at their folly that such Indians were fools and women he expressed his free opinion of the great father and all his white children and concluded by declaring that he would sign no paper which would make his own breast or those of his people to sorrow accordingly two acts broke up the council abruptly and returned to his home without making any treaty with his great father End of chapter two Chapter three the life and adventures of James P. Beckworth mountaineer scout and pioneer and chief for the Crow Nation of Indians written from his own dictation by T. D. Bonner this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org my companion and myself took council together how to proceed our determination was to make the best of our way to the Grand Nemahaw River one of the tributaries of the Missouri we arrived at that river after nine days travel being with the exception of a little coffee and sugar entirely without provisions my companion was worn out and seemed almost disheartened I was young and did not feel much the worse for the journey although I experienced a vehement craving for food arrived at the river I left Harris by a good fire and taking my rifle when in quest of game not caring what kind I met as fortune would have it I came across an elk and my rifle soon sent a leaden messenger after him we encamped near him promising ourselves a feast he was exceedingly poor however and hungry as we were we made a very unsavory supper of his flesh the next morning we continued our journey down the Nemahaw traveling on for five days after I had killed the elk without tasting food the elk had been so rank that we carried no part of him with us trusting to find some little game in which we were disappointed we had thrown away our blankets to relieve ourselves of every burden that would impede our progress which with all was extremely slow on the fifth day we struck a large Indian trail which bore evident marks of being fresh my companion now gave entirely up and threw himself to the ground declaring he could go no farther he pronounced our position to be 30 miles from the trading post I endeavored to arouse him to get up and proceed onward but he could only advance a few rods at a time I felt myself becoming weak still I had faith that I could reach Eli's if I had no hindrance if I lingered for Harris I saw we should both inevitably perish he positively declared he could advance not a step farther he could scarcely put one foot before the other and I saw he was becoming bewildered in the dilemma I said to him Harris, we must both perish if we stay here if I make the best of my way along this trail I believe I can reach Eli's some time in the night for I was aware that the Indians whose trail we were following were proceeding tether with their peltry but Harris would not listen to it oh Jim he exclaimed don't leave me don't leave me here to die for God's sake stay with me I did my best to encourage him to proceed I assisted him to rise and we again proceeded upon our journey I saw by the progress we were making we should never get on so I told him if I had to advance and leave him to throw himself in the trail and await my return on the following day with a good horse to carry him to the trading post we walked on I a hundred yards in advance but I became convinced that if I did not use my remaining strength in getting to Eli's we should both be lost accordingly, summoning all my forces I doubled my speed determined to reach the post before I stopped I had not proceeded half a mile or I heard the report of two rifles and looking in the direction of the sound I saw two Indians approaching with demonstrations of friendship on reaching me one of them exclaimed you are dead you no live I explained to him that I had left my companion behind and that we were both nearly starved to death on this they spoke a few words to each other in their own language and one started off like a racehorse along the trail while the other returned with me to my companion as we approached him I could hear him moaning oh Jim come back come back don't leave me we went up to him and I informed him that we were safe that I had met the Indians and we should soon be relieved after waiting about three hours the rattling of hooves was heard and looking up we discovered a troop of Indians approaching at full speed in another moment they were by our side they brought with them a portion of light food consisting of cornmeal made into a kind of gruel of which they would give us but a small spoon full at short intervals when Harris was sufficiently restored to mount a horse with the assistance of the Indians we all started forward for the post it appeared that the two Indians whom I had so fortunately encountered had lingered behind the main party to amuse themselves with target shooting with their rifles the one that started along the trail overtook the main body at a short distance and making our case known to them induced them to return to our sucker we encamped with them that night and they continued the same regiment of small periodic doses of gruel several times a large Indian seized hold of an arm of each of us and forced us into a run until our strength was utterly exhausted others of the party would then support us on each side and urge us on till their own strength failed them after this discipline a spoon full or two of gruel would be administered to us this exercise being repeated several times they at length placed before us a large dish containing medicine, bear meat and turkey with the invitation to eat all we wanted it is unnecessary to say that I partook of such a meal as I never remember to have eaten before or since early the next day we arrived at the trading post of Eli and Curtis situated on the Missouri River near the mouth of the Kansas as I entered the house I heard someone exclaim here comes Jim Beckworth and black Harris the name he went by where he was known Eli sprang up to welcome us sure enough said he it is they but they look like corpses another voice exclaimed hello Jim what is the matter with you is it yourselves or only your ghost come along and take some brandy anyway living or dead you must be dry we accepted the invitation and took each a glass which in our greatly reduced state quite overpowered us left to my reflections I resolved that if I survived my present dangers I would return to civilized life the extremities I had been reduced to had so moderated my resentments that had I encountered my former boss I should certainly have extended my hand to him with ready forgiveness the Indians we had so opportunally fallen in with belong to the Kansas band of the Osage tribe and were on the way as we had surmised to dispose of their goods at the trading post their wares consisted principally of peltry obtained by their great sagacity in trapping and their skill in hunting the wild animals of the plains and purchasing their skins of them Mr. Eli and Curtis rewarded the Indians very liberally with government stores for their humanity and suckering us when exhausted and as an encouragement to relieve others whom they might chance to find similarly distressed after thoroughly recruiting at the trading post where I received every attention from Mr. Eli and Curtis I started for St. Louis on my arrival at G. Chateau's trading post I calculated the intervening distance to St. Louis and abandoned my attention of proceeding tither delaying my return till the spring when the ice would break up in the Missouri Mr. Chateau engaged me to assist in packing peltries during the winter at $25 per month when the river was free from ice I took passage in a St. Louis boat and after a quick run arrived safe in the city early in the evening of the fifth day shortly after my arrival I fell in with General Ashley who had returned to the city for more men the general was greatly surprised to see me he having concluded that my fate had been the same with hundreds of others engaged to fur companies who had perished with cold and starvation the general informed me that he had engaged 120 men who were already on their road to the mountains he declared I was just the man he was in search of to ride after and overtake the men and accompany them to the mountains and added that I must start the next morning my feelings were somewhat similar to those of a young sailor on his return from his first voyage to sea I had achieved one trip to the Wild West and had returned safe and now I was desirous of spending a long interval with my father I suffered the arguments of the old general to prevail over me however and I re-engaged to him with the promise to start on the following morning this afforded me short time to visit my friends to whom I just paid a flying visit and returned to the city in the morning after attending to the general's instructions and receiving $800 in gold to carry to Mr. Fitzpatrick an agent of General Ashley then stationed in the mountains I mounted a good horse and put on in pursuit of the party who were five or six days journey in advance I may here remark that the general had been recently married and feeling some reluctance to tear himself away from the delights of Hammond he set me on for the performance of his duties the general followed after in about a week and overtook the party at Franklin on the Missouri it was early May when I commenced my journey unfolding nature presented so many charms that my previous sufferings were obliterated for my mind the trees were clothing themselves with freshest verger flowers were unveiling their beauties on every side and birds were caroling their sweetest songs from every bow these sights and sounds struck me more pleasantly upon my senses than the howl of the wolf and the scream of the panther which assailed our ears in the forest and prairies of the wild west after being joined by our general we proceeded up the Missouri to counsel Bluffs and then struck out for the Platt country soon after our arrival on the Platt we had the great misfortune to lose nearly all our horses amounting to about 200 head stolen from us by the Indians we followed their trail for some time but deeming it useless to follow mounted Indians while we were on foot our general gave up the pursuit we could not ascertain what tribe the robbers belonged to but I have since been convinced they were either the Eotons or the Arapahos our general then gave orders to return to the Missouri and purchase all the horses we needed while he returned to St. Louis to transact some affairs of business and possibly pay his devotions to his very esteemable lady we succeeded in obtaining a supply of horses after retracing about 200 miles of our journey paying for them with drafts upon General Ashley in St. Louis we then again returned to our camp on the Platt this adventure occupied nearly the whole summer and we guarded against the repetition of the misfortune by strictly watching the horses day and night while a portion of the company were engaged in making purchase of our second supply of horses the other portion remained on the ground to hunt and trap and gather together a supply of provision for our consumption they met with excellent success and caught a great number of beavers and otters together with a quantity of game General Ashley rejoined us in September and by his orders Fitzpatrick and Robert Campbell proceeded to the Loop Fork taking with them all the men except eight who remained behind with the general to ascend the Platt in quest of the company he left there the preceding winter from which Harris and myself had been detached on our expedition to the Pawnee camp after several days travel we found the company we were seeking they were all well had been successful in trapping and had made some good trades with straggling parties of Indians in the exchange of goods for peltry they had fared rather hard a part of the time as game which was their sole dependence was often difficult to obtain I should here mention that we found Harris in the course of our second trip who rejoined our company well in Hardy fur companies in those days had to depend upon their rifles for a supply of food no company could possibly carry provision sufficient to last beyond the most remote white settlements our food therefore consisted of deer wild turkey which were found in great abundance deer meat and even in times of scarcity dead horses occasionally a little flower sugar and coffee might last over to the mountains but those who held these articles asked exorbitant prices for them and it was but few who tasted such luxuries we were now in the Buffalo Country but the Indians had driven them all the way before we left the settlements our party made free use of the beehives pigs and poultry belonging to the settlers a marauding practice commonly indulged in by the mountaineers who well knew that the strength of their party secured them against any retaliation on the part of the sufferers there were two Spaniards in our company whom we one morning left behind us to catch some horses which had straight away from the camp the two men stopped at a house inhabited by a respectable white woman and they, seeing her without protection committed a disgraceful assault upon her person they were pursued to the camp by a number of the settlers who made known to us the outrage committed upon the woman we all regarded the crime with the utmost abhorrence and felt mortified that any of our party should be guilty of conduct so revolting the culprits were arrested and they at once admitted their guilt a council was called in the presence of the settlers and the culprits offered their choice of two punishments either to be hung to the nearest tree or to receive 100 lashes each on the bare back they chose the latter punishment which was immediately afflicted upon them by four of our party having no cat or night tales in our possession the lashes were inflicted with hickory wits their backs were dreadfully lacerated and the blood flowed in streams to the ground the following morning the two Spaniards and two of our best horses were missing from the camp we did not pursue them but by the tracks we discovered of them it was evident they had started for New Mexico End of Chapter 3 Chapter 4 The Life and Adventures of James P. Beckworth Mountaineer, Scout and Pioneer and Chief of the Crow Nation of Indians Written from his own dictation by T. D. Bonner This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org On our arrival at the upper camp related in the preceding chapter we found the men, 26 in number reduced to short rations in weekly condition and in a discouraged state of mind they had been expecting the arrival of a large company with abundant supplies and when we rejoined them without any provisions they were greatly disappointed General Ashley exerted himself to infuse fresh courage into their disconsolate breaths well knowing himself however that unless we could find game the chances were hard against us we remained in camp three or four days until we were well refreshed and then deliberated upon our next proceeding knowing there must be game farther up the river we moved forward our allowance was half a pint of flour a day per man which we made into a kind of gruel if we happened to kill a duck or a goose it was shared as fairly as possible I recalled to mind the incidents of our Pawnee expedition the third evening we made a halt for a few days we had seen no game worth the charge of powder during our whole march and our rations were confined to the half pint of flour per day we numbered 34 men all told in a dollar encampment I suppose never was witnessed no jokes, no fireside stories, no fun each man rose in the morning with the gloom of the preceding night filling his mind we built our fires on partook of our scanty repast without saying a word at last our general gave orders for the best hunters to sally out and try their fortune I seized my rifle and issued from the camp alone feeling so reduced in strength that my mind involuntarily reverted to the extremity I had been reduced to with Harris about 300 yards from camp I saw two teal ducks I leveled my rifle and handsomely decapitated one this was a temptation to my constancy an appetite and consciousness I had long strife as to the disposal of the booty I reflected that it would be but an inconsiderable trifle in my mess of four hungry men while to roast and eat him myself would give me strength to hunt for more a strong inward feeling remonstrated against such an invasion of the rights of my starving mess mates but if by fortifying myself I gained ability to procure something more substantial than a teal duck my dereliction would be sufficiently atoned and my overruling appetite at the same time gratified had I admitted my mess mates to the argument they might possibly have carried it adversely but I received the conclusion as valid so roasting him without ceremony in the bushes I devoured the duck alone and felt greatly invigorated with the meal passing up the stream I pushed forward to fulfill my obligation at the distance of a bottom mile from the camp I came across a narrow deer trail through some rushes and directly across the trail with only the center of his body visible his two extremities being hidden by the rushes not more than 50 yards distant I saw fine large buck standing I did not wait for a near shot I fired and broke his back I dispatched him by drawing my knife across his throat and having partially dressed him I hung him on a tree close by proceeding onward I met a large white wolf attracted probably by the scent of the deer I shot him and depriving him of his meal devoted him for a repast to the camp before I returned I succeeded in killing three good sized elk which added to the former afforded a pretty good display of meat I then returned near enough to the camp to signal to them to come to my assistance they had heard the reports of my rifle and knowing that I would not waste ammunition had been expecting to see me return with game all who were able turned out to my summons and when they saw the booty awaiting them their faces were irradiated with joy each man shouldered his load but there was not one capable of carrying the weight of 40 pounds the game being all brought into camp the fame of Jim Beckworth was celebrated by all tongues amid all this graduation I could not separate my thoughts from the duck which had supplied my clandestine meal in the bushes I suffered them to appease their hunger with the proceeds of my toil before I ventured to tell my comrades of the offense I had been guilty of all justified my conduct declaring my conclusions obvious as it turned out my proceeding was right enough but if I had failed to meet with any game I had been guilty of an offense which would ever after have haunted me at this present time I never kill a duck on my ranch and there are thousands of teal duck there but I think of my feast in the bushes while my companions were famishing in the camp since that time I have never refused to share my last shilling my last biscuit or my only blanket with a friend and I think the recollection of that temptation in the wilderness will ever serve as a lesson to more constancy in the future the day following we started forward up the river and after progressing some four or five miles came in sight of plenty of deer sign the general ordered a halt and directed all hunters out as before we sallied out in different directions our general who was a good hunter forming one of the number at a short distance from the camp I discovered a large buck passing slowly between myself and the camp at about pistol shot distance as I happened to be standing against a tree he had not seen me I fired the ball passed through his body and whizzed past the camp leaving him I encountered a second deer within three quarters of a mile I shot him and hung him on a limb encouraged with my success I climbed a tree to get a fair view of the ground looking around for my elevated position I perceived some large dark colored animal grazing on the side of a hill a mile and a half distant I was determined to have a shot at him whatever he might be I knew meat was in demand and that fellow well stored was worth more than a thousand teal ducks I therefore approached with the greatest precaution to within fair rifle shot distance scrutinizing him very closely and still unable to make out what he was I could see no horns and if he was a bear I thought him an enormous one I took sight of him over my faithful rifle which had never failed me and then set it down to contemplate the huge animal still farther finally I resolved to let fly taking good aim I pulled trigger the rifle cracked and I then made rapid retreat toward the camp after running about 200 yards and hearing nothing in movement behind me I ventured to look round and to my great joy I saw the animal had fallen continuing my course on to the camp I encountered the general who perceiving blood on my hands addressed me have you shot anything Jim I replied yes sir what have you shot too dear and something else I answered and what is the something else he inquired I do not know sir what did he look like the general interrogated had he horns I saw no horns sir what color was the animal you can see him general I replied by climbing yonder tree the general ascended the tree accordingly and looking through his spy glass which he always carried he exclaimed a buffalo by heavens and coming nimbly down the tree he gave orders for us to take a couple of horses and go and dress the buffalo and bring him into camp I suggested that two horses could not carry the load six were therefore dispatched and they all came back well packed with his remains there was great rejoicing throughout the camp at such bountiful provision and all fears of starvation were removed at least for the present the two deer were also brought in besides a fine one killed by the general and ducks, geese and such like were freely added by the other hunters who had taken a wider circuit it appears strange that although I had traveled hundreds of miles in the buffalo country this one was the first I had ever seen the conviction weighing upon my mind as a huge bear I was approaching had so excited me that although within fair gunshot I actually could not see his horns the general in my companions had many a hearty laugh at my expense he often expressing wonder that my keen eye could not when close to the animal perceived the horns while he could see them plainly near two miles distant the severe storm setting in about this time had it not been for our excellent store of provisions we should most probably have perished of starvation there was no game to be procured and our horses were beginning to die for want of nourishment we remained in this camp until our provisions were all expended and our only resource was the flesh of the horses which died of starvation and exposure to the storm and the nutritious food as our fat buffalo and venison but in our present circumstances it relished tolerably well where general Ashley now living he would recollect the hardships and delights we experienced in this expedition when the storm was expended we moved up the river hoping to fall in with game we unfortunately found but little on our course when we had advanced 20 miles we halted our position looked threatening it was midwinter and everything around us bore a gloomy aspect we were without provisions and we saw no means of obtaining any at this crisis six or seven Indians of the Pawnee Loop Band came into our camp knowing them to be friendly we were overjoyed to see them they informed our interpreter that their village was only four miles distant which at once accounted for the absence of game they invited us to their lodges where they could supply us with everything that we needed but on our representing to them our scarcity of horses and the quantity of peltry we had no means of packing they immediately started off to their village our interpreter accompanying them in quest of horses we returned with a sufficient number packing our effects we accompanied them to their village two acts of whom I have previously made mention and a Spaniard named Anton Behele chief of the band forming part of our escort arrived at their village which we found well provided with everything we needed the Indians gave us a hospitable reception and spread a feast which as they had promised our hearts glad our horses too were well cared for and soon assumed a more rotund appearance we purchased for our future use beans, pumpkins, corn cured meat besides some beaver skins giving them an exchange of a variety of manufactured goods used in the Indian trade of which we had a great plenty we replaced our lost horses by purchasing others in their stead and now everything being ready for departure our general intimated to two acts his wish to get on two acts objected my men are about to surround the buffalo he said if you go now you will frighten them you must stay four days more then you may go his word was law so we stayed accordingly within the four days appointed they made the surround and killed 1400 buffaloes the tongues were counted by general Ashley himself and thus I can guarantee the truth of the assertion to the reader unacquainted with the Indian mode of taking these animals a concise description may not be uninteresting they were probably engaged in this hunt from one to two thousand Indians some mounted and some on foot they encompass a large space where the buffaloes are contained and closing in around them on all points form a complete circle their circle at first enclosed may measure perhaps six miles in diameter with an irregular circumference determined by the movements of the herd when the surround is formed the hunters radiate from the main body to the right and left until the ring is entire the chief then gives the orders to charge which is communicated along the ring with the speed of lightning every man then rushes to the center and the work of destruction is begun the unhappy victims finding themselves hammed in on every side run this way and that in their mad efforts to escape finding all chance of escape impossible and seeing their slaughtered fellows drop dead at their feet they bellow with a fright and in the confusion that welms them lose all power of resistance the slaughter generally lasts two or three hours and seldom many get clear of the weapons of their assailants the field over the surround presents the appearance of one vast slaughterhouse he who has been most successful in the work of devastation is celebrated as a hero and receives the highest honors from the fair sex while he who has been so unfortunate as not to kill a buffalo is jeered and ridiculed by the whole band flaying dressing and preserving the meat next engages their attention and affords them full employment for several weeks the surround accomplished we received permission from two acts to take up our line of march accordingly we started along the river and had only proceeded five miles from the village when we found that the plat forked taking the south fork we journeyed on some six miles when we encamp so we continued every day making slow progress some days not advancing more than four or five miles until we had left the Pawnee villages 300 miles in our rear we found plenty of buffalo along our route until we approached the rocky mountains when the buffalo as well as all other game became scarce and we had to resort to the beans and corn supplied us by the Pawnees end of chapter four chapter five the life and adventures of James P. Beckworth mountaineer scout and pioneer and chief of the Crow Nation of Indians written from his own dictation by T. D. Bonner this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org not finding any game for a number of days we again felt alarmed for our safety the snow was deep on the ground and our poor horses can obtain no food but the boughs and bark of the cottonwood trees still we push forward seeking to advance as far as possible in order to open a trade with the Indians and occupy ourselves in trapping during the finish of the season we were again put upon reduced rations one pint of beans per day being the allowance to a mess of four men with other articles in proportion here I had a serious difficulty with our general which arose in the following manner the general desired me to shoe his horse which I cheerfully proceeded to do I had finished setting three shoes and had yet one nail to drive in the fourth when about to drive the last nail the horse which had been very restless during the whole time withdrew his foot from me my patience becoming exhausted I applied the hammer several times to his belly which is the usual punishment inflicted by blacksmiths upon unruly horses the general who was standing near flew into a violent rage and poured his curses thick and fast upon me feeling hurt at such language from the lips of a man whom I had treated like my own brother I retorted reminding him of the many obligations he owed me I told him that his language to me was harsh and unmerited that I had thus far served him faithfully that I had done for him what no other man would do paroling my life for him on several occasions that I had been successful in killing when his men were in a state of starvation and warming at the recapitulation I added there is one more nail to drive general to finish shewing that horse which you may drive for yourself or let go undriven for I will see you dead before I lift another finger to serve you but little more was said on either side at that time the next morning the general gave orders to pack up and move on he showed me a worn out horse which he ordered me to pack and drive along I very well knew that the horse could not travel far even without a pack still influenced by the harsh language the general had addressed to me on the previous day I said general I will pack the horse but I wish you to understand that whenever he gives out there I will leave him horse and pack obey my orders and let me have none of your insolence sir said the general I was satisfied this was imposed upon me for punishment I however packed the horse with two pigs of lead and sundry small articles and drove him along in the rear the others having started a considerable time previous the poor animals struggled on for about a mile and then fell groaning under his burden I unpacked him assisted him to rise and repacking him drove him on again in the trail that the others had left in the snow proceeding half a mile farther he again fell I went through the same ceremonies before he advanced the few yards and fell a third time feeling mad at the general for imposing such a task upon me my hands tingling with cold through handling the snowy pack ropes I seized my hammer from the pack and striking with all my power it penetrated the poor animal's skull there said I take that I only wish you were general Ashley you do do you said a voice from the bushes on the side of the trail I well knew the voice it was the general himself and another volley of curses descended uninterruptedly upon my head I was not the man to flinch what I said I meant I exclaimed and it makes no odds whether you heard it or not you are an infernal scoundrel and I'll shoot you and suiting the action to the word he cocked his piece and leveled it I cocked my rifle and presented it also and then we stood at bay looking each other direct in the eye general at length I said you have addressed language to me which I allow no man to use and unless you retract that last epitaph you or I must surely die he finally said I will acknowledge that it was language which never should be used to a man but when I am angry I am apt to speak hastily but he added I will make you suffer for this not in your service general I replied you can take your horse now and do what you please with him I am going to return to st. Louis the general almost smiled at the idea you will play going back to st. Louis he said when in truth you were afraid of being killed by the Indians through being left too far behind with that old horse I left the general horse and pack and started on to overtake the advance party in order to get my saddle bags before leaving them approaching the party I advanced to Fitzpatrick in whose possession they were and addressed him hold up Fitzpatrick give me my saddle bags I am going to leave you and return to st. Louis what exclaimed he have you had more words with the general yes I replied words that will never be forgiven by me at least in this life I am bound to return well said he wait till we encamp a few hundred yards ahead your things are in the pack when we stop you can get them I accompanied them till they encamped then taking my goods from the pack I was getting ready to return when the general came up seeing me about to carry my thread into execution he addressed me Jim you have ammunition belonging to me you cannot take that with you luckily I had plenty of my own so I delivered up all in my possession belonging to him sir I said as fortune has favored me with plenty I deliver up yours but if I had had none of my own I would have retained a portion of yours or died in the attempt and it seems to me that you must have a very small soul to see a man turn to drift without anything to protect him against hostile savages or procure him necessary food in traversing this wild wilderness he then said no more to me but called Fitzpatrick and requested him to dissuade me from leaving Fitzpatrick came and exerted all his eloquence to deter me from going telling me of the great distance before me the danger I ran went alone of being killed by Indians representing the almost certain fact that I must perish from starvation he reminded me that it was now March and the snows were already melting that spring with all its beauties would soon be ushered in and I should lose the sublime scenery of the Rocky Mountains but my mind was bent upon going all my former love for the man was forfeited and I felt I could never endure his presence again Fitzpatrick's mission having failed the general sent a French boy to intercede toward whom I felt a great attachment he was named Baptiste Lejeuner and was about 17 years of age I had many times protected this lad from the abuse of his countrymen and had fought several battles on his account for which reason he naturally fled to me for protection and had grown to regard me in the light of a father when this boy saw that I was an earnest about leaving fearing that all attempts at persuasion would be useless he hung his nether lip and appeared perfectly disconsolate the general calling this lad to him desired him to come to me and persuade me from the notion of leaving he pledged his word to Baptiste that he would say no more to displease me that he would spare no efforts to accommodate me and offered me free use of his horses assigning as a reason for this concession that he was unwilling for word to reach the states that he had suffered a man to perish through a little private difficulty in the camp at this moment Le Point presented himself manifesting by his appearance that he had something of importance to communicate general said he more than half the men are determined to leave with Beckworth they are now taking ammunition from the sacks and hiding in a bout what is to be done I will do the best I can then turning to the lad he said I took Jim's ammunition thinking to deter him from going had he insisted upon going I should have furnished him with plenty go now he added and tell him I want him to stay but if he insists upon going to take whatever he wants Baptiste left the group which surrounded the general and made his way to me with his head inclined Montferre said the lad addressing me the general talked much good he want you tell him you know stay that you and Kolea I tell Montferre go by Gar I go too he say you go talk to Jim and get him to stay I tell him why I think you stay a little longer and if the general talk you bad one time more then we go by Gar you take Von Goodhorse me take Von Goodhorse too we carry our blanket some beyond and some pour today then we live we go now we take nothing then we die I knew that the boy gave good advice and for going my former resolve I concluded to remain my decision was quickly communicated to the whole camp and the hidden parcels of ammunition were restored to their proper places the storm in the camp ceased I have heard scores of immigrants when stopping with me in my hermitage in Beckworth Valley, California relate their hair breath escapes from Indians and various hardships endured in their passage across the plains they would dwell upon their perilous nights when standing guard their encounters with Indians or some daring exploit with a buffalo these recitals were listened to with incredulous ears for there is in human nature that traditionary deeds by dint of repetition become appropriated to the narrator and the tales that were related is actual experience now mislead the speaker and the audience when I recurred to my own adventures I would smile at the comparison of their sufferings with what myself and other men in the mountains had really endured in former times the forts that now afford protection to their traveler were built by ourselves at the constant peril of our lives amid Indian tribes nearly double their present numbers without wives and children to comfort us on our lonely way without well furnished wagons to resort to when hungry no roads before us but trails temporarily made our clothing consisted of the skins of the animals that had fallen before our unerring rifles and often whole days on insufficient rations or entirely without food occasionally our whole party on guard the entire night and our strength deserting us through unceasing watching and fatigue these are sufferings that made their superior trivial and our surpassing magnitude my power of relation without doubt many immigrants were subjected to considerable hardship during the early part of the immigration by the loss of cattle and the Indians came in for their full share of blame but it was through extreme carelessness that so many were lost and those who have charged their losses upon the Indians have frequently found their stock or a portion of it harness to wagons either far in advance of them or lagging carelessly in their rear the morality of the whites I have not found to exceed very much that of the red man for there are plenty of the former belonging to trains on the routes who would not hesitate to take an ox or two if any chance offered for getting hold of them but to return at the time when I had concluded to proceed with the party we were encamped in the prairie away from any stream having passed the fork of the plat and were again in a starving condition except an occasional harrow or rabbit there was no sign of supplying ourselves with any kind of game we traveled on till we arrived at pilot butte where two misfortunes befell us a great portion of our horses were stolen by the Crow Indians and General Ashley was taken sick caused beyond doubt by exposure and insufficient fare our condition was growing worse and worse and as a measure best calculated to procure relief we all resolved to go on a general hunt and bring home something to supply our pressing necessities all who were able therefore started in different directions our customary mode of hunting I traveled as near as I could judge about ten miles from the camp and saw no signs of game I reached a high point of land and on taking a general survey I discovered a river which I had never seen in this region before it was of considerable size flowing four or five miles distant and on its banks I observed acres of land covered with moving masses of buffalo I hailed this as a perfect godsend and was overjoyed with the feeling of security infused by my opportune discovery however fatigued and weak I accelerated my return to the camp and communicated my success to my companions their faces brightened up at the intelligence and all were impatient to be at them the general on learning my intelligence desired us to move forward to the river with what horses we had left and each man to carry a pack on his back and the goods that remained after loading the cattle he further desired us to roll up snow to provide him with a shelter and to return the next day to see if he survived the men and their eagerness to get to the river which is now called Green River loaded themselves so heavily that three or four were left with nothing but their rifles to carry though my feelings toward the general were still unfriendly knowing that he had expressed sediments I could not reconcile myself to deserting him in his present helpless condition accordingly I informed him that if he thought he could endure the journey I would make arrangements to enable him to proceed along with the company he appeared charm with the magnanimity of the proposal and declared his willingness to endure anything and reason his consent obtained I prepared a light litter and with the assistance of two of the we placed him upon it in the easiest position possible then attaching two straps to the ends of the litter bars we threw them over our shoulders and taking the bars in our hands hoisted our burden and proceeded with all the ease imaginable our rifles were carried by the third man the anxiety of the general to remain with us prevented his giving utterance to the lease complaint and we all arrived in good season on the banks of the Green River we were rejoiced to find that our companions who preceded us had killed a fine buffalo and we abandoned ourselves that evening to a general spirit of rejoicing our leader in a few days entirely recovered and we were thus by my forethought in bringing him with us spared the labor of a return journey we all feasted ourselves to our hearts content upon the delicious coarse grain flesh of the buffalo of which there was an unlimited supply there were besides plenty of wild geese and teal ducks on the river, the latter however I very seldom ventured to kill one day several of us were out hunting buffalo the general who by the way was a very good shot being among the number the snow had blown from the level prairie and the wind had drifted in deep masses over the margins of the small hills through which the buffalo had made trails just wide enough to emit one at a time these snow trails had become quite deep like all snow trails in the spring of the year thus affording us a fine opportunity for lurking in one trail and shooting a buffalo in another the general had wounded a bull which smarting with pain made a furious plunge at his assailant burying him in the snow with a thrust from a savage looking head and horns I, seeing the danger in which he was placed, sent a ball into the bush just behind the shoulder instantly dropping him dead the general was rescued from almost certain death having received only a few scratches in the adventure after remaining in camp four or five days the general resolved upon dividing our party into detachments of four or five men each and sending them upon different routes in order the better to accomplish the object of our perilous journey which was the collecting all the beaver skins possible while the river was yet valuable accordingly we constructed several boats of buffalo hides for the purpose of descending the river and proceeding along any of its tributaries that might lie in our way one of our boats being finished and launched the general sprang into it to test its capacity the boat was made fast by a slender string with snapping with the sudden jerk the boat was drawn into the current and drifted away general and all in the direction of the opposite shore it will be necessary before I proceed farther to give the reader a description in a concise a manner as possible of this green river suck we were encamped as we had discovered during our frequent excursions at the head of the great fall of the green river where it passes through the Utah mountains the current at a small distance from our camp became exceedingly rapid and drew toward the center from each shore this place we named the suck this fall continued for six or eight miles marking a sheer descent in the entire distance of upward of 250 feet the river was filled with rocks and ledges and frequent sharp curves having high mountains and perpendicular cliffs on either side below our camp the river passed through a canyon or canon as it is usually written a deep river pass through a bluffer mountain which continued below the fall to a distance of 25 or 30 miles wherever there was an eddy or a growth of willows there was sure to be found a beaver lodge the cunning creatures having selected that secluded and as they doubtless considered inaccessible spot to conceal themselves from the watchful eye of the trapper to return to the general his frail bark having reached the opposite shore encountered a ledge of rocks and had hardly touched when by the action of the rolling current it was capsized and he thrown struggling into the water as provenance would have it he reached a bluff on the opposite side and holding on to the crevices and the high and perpendicular cliff sung out lustedly for assistance not a moment was to be lost someone must attempt to save him for he could not hold his present position in such cold water long I saw that no one cared to risk his life amid such imminent peril so calling to a Frenchman of the name of doorway whom I knew to be one of the best swimmers to come to the rescue I threw off my leggings and plunged in supposing he would follow I swam under water as far as I could to avail myself of the undercurrent this mode is always practiced by the Indians in crossing a rapid stream I struck the bluff a few feet above the general after taking breath for a moment or two I said to him by the way he was no swimmer there was only one way I could possibly save you and I may fail in that but you must follow my directions in the most minute degree or we are certainly both lost anything you say James I will follow said he then I continued when I float down to you and do not take hold of my neck then when I give you the word kick out with all your might and we may possibly get across I then let myself down to the general who was clinging to the rocks like a swallow he did as I had directed and I started he kicking in my rear like the stern wheel of a propeller until I was obliged to bid him to zist for with such a double propelling power as we produced I could not keep my mouth out of the water we swam to within a few yards of the opposite shore where the main sock caught us and my strength becoming exhausted we began slowly to recede from the shore toward inevitable death at this moment Fitzpatrick thrust a long pole toward us to the end of which he attached a rope which the party on shore retained possession of I seized the pole with a death grip and we were hauled out of the peril a situation, a few moments delay and the world had seen the last of us after this rescue the general remarked to Fitzpatrick that Beckworth is surely one of the most singular men I ever met I do not know what to think of him he never speaks to me except when absolutely unavoidable still he is the first and only man to encounter peril on my behalf three times he has now saved my life when not another man attempted to succor me he is a problem I cannot possibly solve agreeably to previous arrangement on the following morning our company proposed to disperse in different directions while preparing to leave our comfortable camp to take our chance in the mountains I happening to be out among the stock the general inquired for me and I was pointed out to him where I stood he is a singular being he exclaimed he knows we are about to separate yet he does not trouble himself to come and bid me goodbye I must go to him approaching me he said James we are now about to part these toilsome enterprises in the mountains are extremely hazardous although I hope to see you again perhaps we may never meet more I am under great obligations to you you have several times rescued me from certain death and by your skill in hunting you have done great service to my camp when my mind was irritated and harassed I was betrayed into the use of language towards you which I regretted immediately after and still regret I wish you to forgive me and desire to part in friendship so long as you continue to use the same precaution you have hitherto used I can securely hope you will escape all accident and look forward to meeting you again under more suspicious circumstances and he concluded by bidding me goodbye I bade him goodbye and we separated previous to this and after his rescue from the suck he mentioned to Fitzpatrick that I ought to have the lead of the party and that he believed I was as capable as anyone in the company for it Fitzpatrick told him he did not believe I would accept the responsibility the general bade him asked me he came and communicated to me our general's wish and asked me if I would take the leadership of one of our detached parties I declined the offer assigning as my reason that I was too young to undertake the responsibilities of the charge that this was my first trip to the mountains and I had but little experience in trapping and that they were older men better qualified for the duty the leadership of a party of a fur company is a very responsible post placed similarly to a captain of a whaling vessel where all depends upon his success if a captain is fortunate and returns from a profitable voyage of course in the eyes of the owners he is a first-rate officer and stands well for the future but if he has experienced unusual hardships and returns more or less unsuccessful he is disgraced in his command and is thrust aside for a more fortunate man it is just similar with trappers in the mountains whatever is their fortune good or bad the leader is this person on whom the praise or blame falls end of chapter 5