THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 1 89 



partners. During the first year, owing to the exigencies 

 of the occasion, a temporary, though substantial fort was 

 erected, which, however, served to protect the daring few 

 who undertook and accompHshed the perilous task. To 

 those who are quietly sitting by their firesides in the heart 

 of civilized life, enjoying all its luxuries, pleasures, and 

 comforts, and who are far removed from the prairie land 

 and the red men, the situation of this party can hardly be 

 pictured. They were surrounded by dangers of all kinds, 

 but more especially from the tribes of Indians before 

 mentioned. Two thousand lodges of Blackfeet were near 

 them, waiting only until an opportunity should offer to 

 satisfy their thirst for blood, to fall upon and kill them. 

 Apart from this tribe the others were loitering around 

 them for the same purpose ; add to this, privations, fatigues, 

 hardships, and personal ills which have to be encountered 

 in a country like this. All, however, was met coura- 

 geously; undaunted by appearances, unintimidated by 

 threats, not unmanned by hardships and fatigues, they 

 pushed ahead, completed the fort, and at last accom- 

 plished their object of establishing a trade with the tribes 

 above mentioned ; and they now enjoy a comparative 

 peace, and are living upon fairly friendly terms with their 

 late most violent enemies. During the following year 

 another fort was commenced and completed, and retained 

 its former name of Fort McKenzie, being named after 

 Kenneth McKenzie, Esq., one of the partners of the Com- 

 pany. The fort is situated on the north side of the 

 Missouri, about six miles above the mouth of the Maria, 

 and about forty miles below the 'Great Falls' of the 

 Missouri, on a beautiful prairie, about fifteen feet above 

 the highest-water mark, and about 225 feet from the river. 

 The prairie rises gradually from the v/ater's edge to the 

 hills in the rear, about half a mile from the river. It is 

 about a mile long, terminating at a * cote qui trompe de 

 I'eau ' on the lower end, and in a point at the upper end. 



