ae [ 174 J 
* 
nard was in the service of Bent and St. -Vrain’s company, and had left 
their fort some forty or fifty miles above, in the spring, with boats laden 
with the furs of the last year’s trade. He had met the same fortune as 
the voyageurs on the North fork, and, finding it impossible to preceed, had 
taken up his summer’s residence ‘on this island; which he had named St. 
From the place at which we had encountered the Arapahoes, the Platte 
had been tolerably well fringed with timber, and the island here had a. 
were pitched, There was a large drove of horses in the Opposite prairie 
bottom; smoke was rising from the scattered fires, and the encampment 
vr 
‘had quite a patriarchal air. Mr. C. received us hospitably. One of the — 
of sugar, Were soon set before us. The people in his employ were gene- 
rally Spaniards, and among them I saw a young Spanish woman from 
peak. Jt is on the right bank, on the verge of the upland prairie, about 
ceived us with much kindness and hospitality. Maxwell had spent the 
They usually obtain about six dollars a month, generally paid to them in 
goods. They are very useful in a camp, in taking care of horses and 
mules; and I engaged one, 
ant 
‘her 
was | 
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