[ 237 ] m 



as well as that of the persons who accompanied me. We were, moreover, 

 fortunate in having for feUow-travellers two very amiable and intelligent 

 gentlemen, Mr. W. Laidlow and Mr. Kipp — the former going to the fort 

 on the Yellow Stone ; the other, if I am not mistaken, to that on the 

 Maria. 



The steamboat was commanded by a young officer both active and in- 

 telligent, on his first trip to the Upper Missouri, but was aided for the first 

 six liundred miles by the counsel of Major John F. A. Sundford, one of the 

 firm, whose remarkable presence of mind and ingenuity in surmounting 

 difficulties have often excited my admiration. The oilier passengers were 

 various employes of the company, among whom were sixty or seventy Cre- 

 oles, Canadians, and half-breeds, who, in the fur country, are dubbed joor/c- 

 caters, (^inangeurs de lard,) until a more hazardous and useful course of 

 life entitles them to the high qualification oi voyageurs. 



But, notwithstanding the great skill with which the navigation of our 

 boat was managed, and the liigh power that propelled it, our voyage was 

 sometimes interrupted for weeks, owing to the numerous obstacles presented 

 by the river. It would seem that a Missouri pilot ought to possess not only 

 a quick sight, but an intuitive perception to discover Through its turbid wa- 

 ters the channel which yesterday had no existence, presents itself today, 

 and will most probably change to morrow. 



The principal agents of the factory, on my arrival at Fort Pierre, were 

 Mr. P. D. Papin and the late Jacob Hulsey, to whom I feel much indebted 

 for the zeal manifested in aiding me with my preparations. 



All the information that I had been receiving for better than a year that 

 I meditated my voyage of exploration over the regions comprised between 

 the Missouri, the Coteau des Prairies, and the sources of the Mississippi, had 

 resulted in a conviclion that I should not hazard myself in this untravelled 

 country without a force of at least fifty men ; because of the risk of falling 

 in with some hunting camps that are not unfrequently occupied by hostile 

 nations, eager in the pursuit of the buffalo. 



Having foreseen that 1 could not, without difficulty, muster such a force 

 upon the Missouri, I had, during my exploration of the Coteau des Prairies, 

 and of the valley of the St. Peter's, in 1838, taken steps to secure a rein- 

 forcement, vf hich, starting from Lac-qui parle, would meet me at an appoint- 

 ed time and place on the river Jacques. But, in spite of all precautions, I 

 was disappointed in obtaining it ; though, luckily, 1 became sensible of the 

 disappointment only after I had taken a resolution which rendered ihis assist- 

 ance needless; for, until then, the conviction that 1 had it at my command 

 was used to operate upon the " morale'^ of my small squad, by flattering them, 

 under trying circumstances, with the hope (that was fast vanishing from 

 before myself) that we might soon expect all the relief that we wanted. In 

 reference to this, I may be permitted to relate some of the incidents in the 

 outset of this campaign. 



I supplied myself at Fort Pierre with all that I could desire in the way 

 of horses, vehicles, munitions, and provisions ;' but, in respect to men, the 

 post was at that time itself in want, so that it could spare me only six. I 

 had brought up with me from St. Louis only five men, who, for my pur- 

 poses, were certainly worth ten. Four among them had proved them- 

 selves by numerous journeys across the prairies, as well as voyages over 

 the Rocky mountains. One of them was Eticnne Provost, known as 

 Vliomme des tnontag-nes — the man of the mountains. I may remark here, 



