218 JOHN C. FREMONT. 



we followed it. On the fifth day we surprised an 

 Indian on the ice of the river. He proved to be 

 a Utah, son of a Grand River chief we had formerly 

 known, and behaved to us in a friendly manner. 

 "We encamped near them at night. By a present of 

 a rifle, my two blankets, and other promised rewards 

 when we should get in, I prevailed on this Indian 

 to go with us as a guide to the Red River settlement, 

 and take with him four of his horses, principally to 

 carry our little baggage. These were wretchedly 

 poor, and could get along only in a very slow walk. 

 On that day, (the sixth,) we left the lodges late, and 

 travelled only some six or seven miles. About sun- 

 set we discovered a little smoke, in a grove of tim- 

 ber off from the river, and, thinking perhaps it might 

 be our express party on its return, we went to see. 

 This was the twenty-second day since they had left 

 us, and the sixth since we had left the camp. "We 

 found them, three of them, Creutzfeldt, Bracken- 

 ridge, and Williams, the most miserable objects I 

 have ever seen. I did not recognise Creutzfeldt's 

 features when Brackenridge brought him up to me 

 and mentioned his name. They had been starving. 

 King had starved to death a few days before. His 

 remains were some six or eight miles above, near 

 the river. By the aid of the horses, we carried 

 these three men with us to Red River settlement, 



