capital, also, and the manner in which their supplies are distributed at various posts, or forwardedby regular caravans, keep their traders well supplied, and enable them to furnish their goods tothe
Indians at a cheap rate. Their men, too, being chiefly drawn from the Canadas, where they enjoygreat influence and control, are engaged at the most trifling wages, and supported at little cost;the
provisions which they take with them being little more than Indian corn and grease. They arebrought
also into the most perfect discipline and subordination, especially when their leaders have oncegot
them to their scene of action in the heart of the wilderness.
These circumstances combine to give the leaders of the Hudson's Bay Company a decidedadvantage
over all the American companies that come within their range, so that any close competition withthem is almost hopeless.
Shortly after Captain Bonneville's ineffectual attempt to participate in the trade of theassociated
camp, the supplies of the Hudson's Bay Company arrived; and the resident trader was enabled tomonopolize the market.
It was now the beginning of July; in the latter part of which month Captain Bonneville hadappointed
a rendezvous at Horse Creek in Green River Valley, with some of the parties which he haddetached
in the preceding year. He now turned his thoughts in that direction, and prepared for the journey.
The Cottonois were anxious for him to proceed at once to their country; which, they assuredhim,
abounded in beaver. The lands of this tribe lie immediately north of those of the Flatheads andare
open to the inroads of the Blackfeet. It is true, the latter professed to be their allies; but they hadbeen
guilty of so many acts of perfidy, that the Cottonois had, latterly, renounced their hollowfriendship
and attached themselves to the Flatheads and Nez Perces. These they had accompanied in theirmigrations rather than remain alone at home, exposed to the outrages of the Blackfeet. They werenow apprehensive that these marauders would range their country during their absence anddestroy
the beaver; this was their reason for urging Captain Bonneville to make it his autumnal huntingground. The latter, however, was not to be tempted; his engagements required his presence at therendezvous in Green River Valley; and he had already formed his ulterior plans.
An unexpected difficulty now arose. The free trappers suddenly made a stand, and declinedto
accompany him. It was a long and weary journey; the route lay through Pierre's Hole, and othermountain passes infested by the Blackfeet, and recently the scenes of sanguinary conflicts. Theywere not disposed to undertake such unnecessary toils and dangers, when they had good andsecure
trapping grounds nearer at hand, on the head-waters of Salmon River.
As these were free and independent fellows, whose will and whim were apt to be law -- whohad the
whole wilderness before them, "where to choose," and the trader of a rival company at hand,ready
to pay for their services -- it was necessary to bend to their wishes. Captain Bonneville fittedthem
out, therefore, for the hunting ground in question; appointing Mr. Hodgkiss to act as theirpartisan,
or leader, and fixing a rendezvous where he should meet them in the course of the ensuingwinter.
The brigade consisted of twenty-one free trappers and four or five hired men as camp-keepers.
This
was not the exact arrangement of a trapping party; which when accurately organized is composedof two thirds trappers whose duty leads them continually abroad in pursuit of game; and onethird
camp-keepers who cook, pack, and unpack; set up the tents, take care of the horses and do allother
duties usually assigned by the Indians to their women. This part of the service is apt to befulfilled
by French creoles from Canada and the valley of the Mississippi.
In the meantime the associated Indians having completed their trade and received theirsupplies,
were all ready to disperse in various directions. As there was a formidable band of Blackfeet justover a mountain to the northeast, by which Hodgkiss and his free trappers would have to pass;and
as it was known that those sharp-sighted marauders had their scouts out watching everymovement
of the encampments, so as to cut off stragglers or weak detachments, Captain Bonnevilleprevailed
upon the Nez Perces to accompany Hodgkiss and his party until they should be beyond the rangeof
the enemy.
The Cottonois and the Pends Oreilles determined to move together at the same time, and topass
close under the mountain infested by the Blackfeet; while Captain Bonneville, with his party,was
to strike in an opposite direction to the southeast, bending his course for Pierre's Hole, on his wayto Green River.
Accordingly, on the 6th of July, all the camps were raised at the same moment; each partytaking its
separate route. The scene was wild and picturesque; the long line of traders, trappers, andIndians,
with their rugged and fantastic dresses and accoutrements; their varied weapons, theirinnumerable
horses, some under the saddle, some burdened with packages, others following in droves; allstretching in lengthening cavalcades across the vast landscape, making for different points of theplains and mountains. [Return to Contents].
