TRAVELS IN OREGON, NO. 2. 4^5 
could be obtained thereby. Encompassed with dangers 
at every step of his journey, Captain Fremont preserved 
a calm and resolute demeanor, and succeeded in avoid¬ 
ing hostilities throughout his expedition. The frequent 
interruptions of the Indians were occasioned by a num¬ 
ber of causes, sometimes not less amusing than annoying. 
Some came for presents, others for information as to his 
object in coming into the territory. Now and then one 
would dart up to the tent on horseback, jerk off his trap¬ 
pings, and stand silently at the door, holding his horse by 
the halter, signifying his desire to trade. Occasionally 
a savage would stalk in with an invitation to a feast of 
honor—a dog feast, and deliberately sit down and wait 
quietly until I was ready to accompany him. I went to 
one; the women and children were sitting outside the 
lodge, and we took our seats on buffalo robes spread 
around. The dog was in a large pot over the fire, in 
the middle of the lodge, and immediately on our arrival 
was dished up in large wooden bowls, one of which 
was handed to each. The flesh appeared very glutinous, 
with something of the flavor and appearance of mutton. 
The astronomical instruments excited their wonder and 
awe, the things employed in talking to the sun and stars 
being undoubtedly “great medicine.’’ They seemed to 
become attached to the adventurous leader of the expe¬ 
dition, and earnestly dissuaded him from the prosecution 
of the enterprise, assuring him that he would certainly 
be cut off by hostile tribes. Nothing daunted, however, 
he set out from Fort Laramie on the 21st July, keeping 
the north fork of the Platte on the right and the Laramie 
river on the left. He kept along the course of the Platte 
until he came to the Red Buttes (July 29th), a famous 
landmark, whose geological composition is red sandstone, 
limestone, and calcareous sandstone, and pudding stone. 
Here the river cuts its way through a ridge, on the east¬ 
ern side of which are the lofty escarpments of red argil¬ 
laceous sandstone called the Red Buttes. 
