me iQ 
Fort Laramie was built in 1835 by Robert Campbell, 
and was then called Fort William. Later, it passed 
into other control, and was rechristened Fort Laramie 
after one Laramie, who was killed here by the In- 
dians. The custom of perpetuating the memory of 
departed friends by transferring their names to the 
place where they fell, is so habitual in the Rocky 
Mountains, and the occasions giving rise to it are 
unfortunately so frequent, that at least half the names 
owe their origin to such events. The fort is at present 
in possession of Piggit, Papin and Jaudron. In 
many respects it has a very favorable location. There 
is sufficient wood in the vicinity and good pasture. A 
few days’ journey further there is abundance of buf- 
falo and other game, and the Platte from this point 
is navigable for small boats; at least Campbell has 
already gone down from here to the Missouri in buf- 
falo boats. Then, too, it is a very suitable center for 
trade with important Indian tribes, especially the 
Sioux and Crows. The last named Indians had re- 
cently levied a small contribution from the fort, in 
that they had driven off sixteen horses grazing in the 
vicinity in full daylight and in view of two guards. 
Luckily the fort had a superfluity of horses, so that 
the loss was not serious. In addition to horses, the 
fort owns property that is of very great value in this 
region; that is, several cows. No attention is paid to 
agriculture, although the ground seems suitable for 
it. Hunting is the sole reliance for food. All we 
found in stock at that time was dried buffalo meat, 
Journey up 
the North 
Fork—The 
Prairie Dog 
—Fort 
Laramie 
