43 [ 237 ] 



that these western voyageiirs are distinguished from the same set of men 

 who do service on the northern lakes, by their never singing, and, although 

 apparently sullen and discontented, are most faithful, cautious, and coura- 

 geous in the midst of all dangers. The fifth man was Louis Zindel, who 

 had belonged to the Prussian artillery, and, though totally inexperienced as 

 a traveller in the Indian conniry, possessed otherwise many qualifications 

 that rendered him most useful to me. He was a capital maker of rockets 

 and fire-works, which proved very serviceable to me both for defence and 

 for signal. 



Being; at Fort Pierre, I met with a Mr. May, of Kentucky, and a young 

 man from Pembina, who expressed a desire to join ray party, as they were 

 on their way to the Britisli colony situated on Red river of the North. 

 The accession of their company, and the great acquaintance possessed by 

 the former with all things relating to the west, made me rather anxious 

 than otherwise to have them among us. I had previously engaged Wil- 

 liam Dixon as a guide and interpreter, when we stopped at the Huppan- 

 kutey prairie. I now thought it advisable to engage, in the same capacity, 

 Louison Freaiere, and the son of Bapliste Dorion, the interpreter at the post. 

 Both Dixon and Freniere had the reputation throughout the country of 

 being the most adventurous and successful hunters, as well as the most ex- 

 perienced guides. 



On the 1st of July, Provost, whom I had promoted to the rank of head- 

 man, came to announce that all our equipu:ient was in readiness; at the 

 same time Louis Zindel reported that he had prepared his rockets and other 

 defensive missiles; which being duly inspected, I gave orders to have the 

 whole transported to the left bank of the Missouri. The roll being called, 

 it was found that, including Mr. Fremont, Mr. Geyer, and myself, we mus- 

 tered in all a force of nineteen strong. It was but a small one ; but, relying 

 on the pyrotecimics of Louis Zindel, the expectation of meeting with our 

 reuiforcement from Lac-qui-parle, our own good arms, and an abundance 

 of ammunition, we shouted our huzza of dejjarture, and got under way ; 

 not, however, without encountering some difficulties during two days, that 

 I will now relate. 



For the previous two weeks the waters of the Missouri had considerably 

 swollen, so that the breadth, of the river, at the place where we were to cross 

 it, was a mile and a half: the current was very strong, and our passage 

 could not be effected, notwithstanding all the activity and experience of my 

 men, in less than a day and a half. — the afternoon of the 1st, and the whole 

 of the 2d of July. Mr. Fremont, Mr. Geyer, and myself, took advantage 

 of this delay to close our scientific labors on the spot, and to post up our 

 journals and field-books. 



This would be the place to introduce a I'ew historical notices relative 

 to the Indian trade on the Upper Missouri, the introduction of steamboat 

 navigation in 1832, as well as its extension to the Yellow Stone river; 

 due, altogether, lo the enterprise of the American Fur Company of St. 

 Louis. 1 should like to treat here of the distribution of the Indian na- 

 tions in this region of country ; their respective numbers ; and their present 

 relations with the government. I could also give a painful account of the 

 terrible effects (of which I was often mysidf the witness, from 1836 to 1839) 

 of the smallpox; which scourge brought to light before me the strange 

 ideas and superstitions that control the moral existence of these children of 



