45 6 AUDUBON 



pushing and squeezing each other, so as to make the 

 boards they walked upon fairly tremble. The Indians, 

 poor souls, were more quiet, and had already seated or 

 squatted themselves on the highest parts of the steamer, 

 and were tranquil lookers-on. After about three quarters 

 of an hour, the crew and all the trappers (these are called 

 engages) 1 were on board, and we at once pushed off and 

 up the stream, thick and muddy as it was. The whole of 

 the effects and the baggage of the engages was arranged in 

 the main cabin, and presently was seen Mr. Sarpy, book in 

 hand, with the list before him, wherefrom he gave the 

 names of these attaches. The men whose names were 

 called nearly filled the fore part of the cabin, where stood 

 Mr. Sarpy, our captain, and one of the clerks. All awaited 

 orders from Mr. Sarpy. As each man was called, and 

 answered to his name, a blanket containing the apparel for 

 the trip was handed to him, and he was ordered at once 

 to retire and make room for the next. The outfit, by the 

 way, was somewhat scanty, and of indifferent quality. 

 Four men were missing, and some appeared rather reluc- 

 tant; however, the roll was ended, and one hundred and 

 one were found. In many instances their bundles were 

 thrown to them, and they were ordered off as if slaves. I 

 forgot to say that as the boat pushed off from the shore, 

 where stood a crowd of loafers, the men on board had 

 congregated upon the hurricane deck with their rifles and 

 guns of various sorts, all loaded, and began to fire what I 

 should call a very disorganized sort of a salute, which 

 lasted for something like an hour, and which has been 

 renewed at intervals, though in a more desultory manner, 



1 The Engagis of the South and Southwest corresponded to the Coureurs 

 de Bois, of whom Irving says, in his "Astoria," p. 36: " Originally men who 

 had accompanied the Indians in their hunting expeditions, and made them- 

 selves acquainted with remote tracts and tribes. . . . Many became so 

 accustomed to the Indian mode of living that they lost all relish for civili- 

 zation, and identified themselves with the savages among whom they 

 dwelt. . . . They may be said to have sprung up put of the fur trade." 



