340 « OLD BOB." 



The above is the most remarkable exhibition of human tenacity to life 

 that ever came under my personal observation ; I have, however, heard 

 of instances far more extraordinary. The case of Ex-Governor Boggs, of 

 Mo., in '41, who recovered from the effects of a wound, that not only frac- 

 tured his scull, but actually emitted particles of the brain, is doubtless well 

 known ; yet another of like nature, still more wonderful in its details, oc- 

 curred to an old French trapper, named Augustine Clermont, with whom 

 I am well acquainted. 



Clermont, in an affray with a Spaniard, had been prostrated by a blow 

 that fractured his scull in the occiput. His antagonist then fell upon him 

 and thrust the point of a knife into the brain repeatedly, and finally left him 

 for dead. 



Soon after, he was found by his friends in this deplorable situation, who, 

 on perceiving he yet breathed, kindly dressed his wounds, and bestowed 

 upon him the attention his situation demanded, and in a short time he be- 

 came perfectly sound and hearty. 



July 1 Zth. The Indian village before spoken of, on its way in quest of 

 buffalo, visited the Fort, and, as is customary on such occasions, the 

 squaws and children made themselves busy in appropriating to their own use 

 such little articles as came within their reach. I was minus a blanket 

 through their artfulness, and several other individuals suffered equally with 

 myself. 



Some six weeks afterward they returned, and again called at the Fort, 

 when, recognizing my stolen blanket in the possession of a young warrior, 

 I immediately took it from him. At first he stoutly resisted, and the more 

 so as several hundred of his tribe were present, — but, all to no purpose ; 

 and he at length yielded, as he saw me on the point of enforcing my claims 

 to it in a more feeling way, such as would doubtless have endangered his 

 own personal safety. 



I remained at Fort Lancaster for two months or more ; and the several 

 incidents which occurred in the interim may be thus briefly summed up : 



The first in order was an outrage of the Chyennes, in cruelly murdering 

 the young man with whom I had passed a portion of the preceding winter 

 upon Vasques' creek. 



The next was the appearance of a small party of emigrants, on their re- 

 turn to the States, — having become displeased with the management of 

 the company then en route for Oregon. 



A third was the arrival of one of the four men who had left for the Cim- 

 arone at the first disbanding of the Texan volunteers, and were subsequent- 

 ly taken prisoners by the Mexicans. 



After being incarcerated at Santa Fe for two or three weeks, they were 

 finally liberated, with the exception of one, who had died in the interval. To- 

 ward the last of their imprisonment, they were treated kindly, owing to the 

 exemplarv conduct of the Texans, as spoken of elsewhere. 



The fellow tnus introduced, responding to the name of " Old Bob," made 

 himself quite conspicuous by his subsequent conduct. The gentleman in 

 charge at Fort Lancaster, pitying his deplorable condition, kindly afforded 

 him employment at a liberal compensation, and Old Bob set to work faith- 



