Journeys West
Excerpted from: The University
of Northern Colorado Libraries
July 4.---...Our encampment was within a few
miles of the place where the road crosses to the North fork, and various
reasons led me to divide my party at this point. The North fork was
the principal object of my survey; but I was desirous to ascend the
South branch, with a view of obtaining some astronomical positions,
and determining the mouths of its tributaries as far as St. Vrain's
fort, estimated to be some two hundred miles further up the river and
near to Long's peak. There I hoped to obtain some mules, which I found
would be necessary to relieve my horses. In a military point of view,
I was desirous to form some opinion of the country relative to the establishment
of posts on a line connecting the settlements with the South pass of
the Rocky mountains, by way of the Arkansas, and the South and Laramie
forks of the Platte.
July 5.--Before breakfast all was ready. We had one led horse in addition
to those we rode, and a pack mule, destined to carry our instruments,
provisions, and baggage; the last two articles not being of very great
weight. The instruments consisted of a sextant, artificial horizon,
&c., a barometer, spy glass, and compass. The chronometer I of course
kept on my person. I had ordered the cook to put up for us some flour,
coffee, sugar, and our rifles were to furnish the rest. One blanket,
in addition to his saddle and saddle blanket, furnished the materials
for each man's bed, and every one was provided with a change of linen.
All were armed with rifles or double barreled guns; and, in addition
to these, Maxwell and myself were furnished with excellent pistols.
Thus accoutered, we took a parting breakfast with our friends, and set
forth.
1843
July 1...Travelling along up the valley of the river, here 4,000 feet
above the sea, in the afternoon of July 1 we caught a far and uncertain
view of a faint blue mass in the west, as the sun sank behind it; and
from our camp in the morning, at the mouth of Bijou, Long's peak and
the neighboring mountains stood out into the sky, grand and luminously
white, covered to their bases with glittering snow.
On the evening of the 3d, as we were journeying along the partially
overflowed bottoms of the Platte, where our passage stirred up swarms
of mosquitoes, we cam unexpectedly upon an Indian, who was perched on
a bluff, curiously watching the movements of our caravan. He belonged
to a village of Oglallah Sioux, who had lost all their animals in the
severity of the preceding winter, and were now on their way up the Bijou
fork to beg horses fro the Arapahoes, who were hunting buffalo at the
head of that river. Several came into our camp at noon; and, as they
were hungry, as usual, they were provided with buffalo meat, of which
the hunters had brought in an abundant supply.
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