ROCKY MOUNTAIN LIFE OR, STARTLING SCENES AND PERILOUS ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST DURING AN EXPEDITION OF THREE YEARS. BY RUFUS B. SAGE. PREFACE. The following work was written immediately after the author had returned from the perilous and eventful expedition which is here narrated. The intense interest which every citizen of the Union feels in relation to that vast region of our country lying between the Mississippi and the Pacific Ocean, will, it is believed, render the publication of a volume like this of more than usual importance at the present time. The lofty cliffs of the Rocky Mountains are soon to echo to the tread of advancing civilization, as symbolized in the Pacific railway, which will, in a few years, speed the iron horse and his living freight from Boston to San Francisco, forming a bond of social and commercial intercourse across the continent. CONTENTS. PREFACE. CHAPTER I. Objects of a proposed excursion. Primary plans and movements. A Digression. Rendezvous for Oregon emigrants and Santa Fe traders. Sensations on a first visit to the border Prairies. Frontier Indians. CHAPTER II. Preparations for leaving. Scenes at Camp. Things as they appeared. Simplicity of mountaineers. Sleep in the open air. Character, habits, and costume of mountaineers. Heterogeneous ingredients of Company. The commandant. En route. Comical exhibition and adventure with a Spanish company. Grouse. Elm Grove. A storm. Santa Fe traders. Indian battle. CHAPTER III. The Pottowatomies. Crossing the Wakarousha. Adventure at the Springs. The Caw chief. Kansas river and Indians. Pleading for whiskey. Hickory timber. Prairie tea. Scenes at the N. Fork of Blue. Wild honey. Return party. Mountaineers in California. Adventure with a buffalo. Indian atrocities. Liquor and the Fur Trade. Strict guard. High prices. CHAPTER IV. Country from the frontiers to Big Blue; its geological character, &c. Novel cure for fever and ague. — Indian trails. — Game. — Large rabbits. —Antelope, and their peculiarities. —Beaver cuttings. — Big Blue and its vicinity. — Dangerous country. —Pawnee bravery. —Night-alarm, (Prairies on fire.) —Platte river. — Predominant characteristics of the Grand Prairies, and theory explanative of their phenomenon. — Something to laugh at. —"Big Jim" and the antelope. CHAPTER V. Deserted camp. Big Jim's third attempt as a hunter. Buffalo and other particulars. Big Jim lying guard. Butchering. Strange selections. Extraordinary eating, and excellence of buffalo meat. Brady's Island. The murderer's fate. Substitute for wood. A storm. Game in camp. Strange infatuation. Tenacity of buffalo to life, and how to hunt them. Cross S. Fork of Platte. Big Jim's fourth adventure. CHAPTER VI. Ash Creek. Pawnee and Sioux battle-ground. Bread-root. The Eagle's Nest. Mad wolf. Number and variety of prairie wolves, —their sagacity. Mad bull. Making and curing meat. Big Jim still unfortunate. Johnson's creek. McFarlan's Castle. Deceptiveness of distances. Express from the Fort. Brave Bear. Bull Tail. Talk with the Indians. Speech of Marto-cogershne. Reply. Tahtungah-sana's address. CHAPTER VII. The Chimney. A bet. Spur of the Rocky Mountains. Scott's Bluff. Romantic scenery. Mimic city. A pyramid. A monument. An elevated garden. Mountain sheep. An Eden. Death in camp. The wanderer's grave. Horse creek and gold. Goche's hole. Arrival at Fort Platte. Remarks by the way. Prairie travel. Locality and description of the Fort. Indian lodges. Migratory habits of mountain and prairie tribes. Scenes at Fort. Drunken Indians. Tragical event. Indian funeral. Speech of Etespa-huska on the death of his father. CHAPTER VIII. Coast clear, and Trade opened. More visitors. Smoking out the natives. Incident illustrative of Indian character. Expeditions for trade. Black Hills Rawhide. An Indian and a buffalo chase. Deep snow, extreme cold, and painful journey. L'eau- qui-court. Remarks. Lost. White river; its valley, fruits, and game. Building site. The Devil's Tea-pot. Troubles with Indians. Theft and its punishment. Indian soldiers. Christmas extras. Outrageous conduct. Rascality of traders. "That Old Serpent." Indian superstition, religious tenets and practices. Notions upon general morality. CHAPTER IX. Dangers connected with the liquor trade. Difficulty with Bull Eagle. Scenes of bloodshed and horror. Cheating in the fur trade. How the red man becomes tutored in vice. A chief's daughter offered in exchange for liquor. Indian mode of courtship and marriage. Squaws an article of traffic. Divorce. Plurality of wives. CHAPTER X. Tahtunga-egoniska. High gaming. Weur-sena Warkpollo, a strange story. The Death Song, a tale of love. Medicine-men. Extraordinary performance of Tahtunga-mobellu. Wonderful feats of jugglery. CHAPTER XI. Food for horses. Squaws and their performances. Dogs and dog-meat. Return to Fort. Starvation. Travel by guess. Death from drinking. Medicine-making. A Burial. Little Lodge and the French trader. A speech in council. Journey to White river. High winds and snow. Intense sufferings and painful results. CHAPTER XII. Another drunken spree. Horses devoured by wolves. An upset. A blowing up. Daring feat of wolves. A girl offered for liquor. Winter on the Platte. Boat building. Hunting expedition. Journey up the Platte. Island camp. Narrow escape. Snow storm. Warm Spring. Pass of the Platte into the prairies. A valley. Bitter Cottonwood. Indian forts. Wild fruit. Root-digging. Cherry tea and its uses. Geology of the country. Soils, grasses, herbs, plants, and purity of atmosphere. Horse-shoe creek. A panther. Prairie dogs and their peculiarities. CHAPTER XIII. The Creek valley. The Platte as a mountain stream. Cañon. Romantic prospect. Comical bear story. Perilous encounter with a wounded bull. Geological remarks. Division of party. Safety of spring travel. La Bonte's creek. Remarks by the way. Service-berry. Deer Creek. General observations. Moccasin making. Box-elder. Bear killed. Excellence of its flesh. Different kinds of bears in Oregon and the mountains. The grizzly bear, his nature and habits. CHAPTER XIV. Desperate encounter with a grizzly bear, and extraordinary instance of suffering. Close contest. A comical incident. Cross Platte. Cañon camp. Sage trees. Mountain sheep, and all about them. Independence Rock; why so called, and description of it. Devil's Gate. Landscape scenery. CHAPTER XV. Return route. Oregon trail from Independence Rock through the South Pass. Cross the Sweet Water and Platte. Mountain Fowl. Journey up Medicine Bow. Dangerous country. A fight with the Sioux. The "Carcague." A surprise. Visit to the Crow village. Number and character of the Crow nation. Selling a prisoner for tobacco. Description of Laramie Plains. CHAPTER XVI. Sibille's-hole. Novel bitters. Chugwater. Gold. Curiosity. Affairs at the Fort. Amusements. Gambling among squaws, and games played. Squaw dresses, and riding fashion. Items of interest to the curious, proving the intercourse of the ancient Romans with the people of this continent. CHAPTER XVII. Singular exhibition of natural affection. Embark for the States. Scarcity of provisions and consequent hardship and suffering. Extraordinary daring of wolves. Difficulties of navigation. Novel diet. Fishing. A fish story, and another to match it. A bull story. Hard aground and dismal situation. Extreme exposure. Cold, hungry, and wet. Again afloat. Re-supply of provisions. Camp on fire. A picture of Platte navigation. Country north of river. Adventure with a bull. Indian benevolence. Summary of hardships and deprivations. Abandon voyage. CHAPTER XVIII. Hunting excursion. Thirst more painful than hunger. Geological observations. Mournful casualty. Sad scene of sepulture. Melancholy night. Voyage in an empty boat. Ruins of a Pawnee village at Cedar Bluff. Plover creek. Cache Grove. Thousand Islands. Abandon boat. Exploring company. A horrible situation. Agony to torment. Pawnee village. Exemplary benevolence of an Indian chief. Miserable fourth of July. Four days' starvation. Arrival at Council Bluff. Proceed to Independence. CHAPTER XIX. The country between the Pawnee village and Bellevieu, and from that to Fort Leavenworth. Leave Independence for the Mountains. Meet Pawnees. Indian hospitality. Journey up the South Fork Platte. Fort Grove. Beaver creek. Bijou. Chabonard's camp. Country described. Medicine Lodge. The Chyennes; their character and history. Arrive at Fort Lancaster. Different localities in its neighborhood. Fatal Duel. Ruins. CHAPTER XX. Old acquaintances. Indian murders. Mode of travelling in a dangerous country. Mexican traders. Summary way of teaching manners. Fort Lancaster and surrounding country. Resume journey. Cherry creek and connecting observations. Sketch of the Arapahos, their country, character, &c. Camp of free traders. Blackfoot camp. Daugherty's creek. Observations relative to the Divide. Mexican cupidity. Strange visitors. The lone travellers. Arrive at the Arkansas. General remarks. Curious specimens of cacti. Fontaine qui Bouit, or Natural Soda fountain. Indian superstition. Enchanting scenery. Extraordinary wall of sandstone. CHAPTER XXI. Vicinity of the Arkansas. Settlement. The Pueblo. Rio San Carlos, its valleys and scenery. Shooting by moonlight. Taos. Review of the country travelled over. Taos; its vicinity, scenery, and mines. Ranchos and Rancheros. Mexican houses; their domestic economy, and filth. Abject poverty and deplorable condition of the lower classes of Mexicans, with a general review of their character, and some of the causes contributing to their present