PINUS ARISTATA 
3 
however, in the Botanical Appendix to his Report, 1843, p. 97. The next person who observed it seems 
to have been Mr. Creutzfeldt, the botanist of one of the United States Pacific Railroad Exploring 
Expeditions, under Captain Gunnison. The country explored by that expedition was the district stretch¬ 
ing from Fort Leavenworth at the junction of Kansas and across the Missouri River, the highest part 
of the range of the Rocky Mountains near Pike’s Peak, and thence to the Utah or Salt Lake and Lake 
Sevier. While completing their explorations about the latter lake, Captain Gunnison and a small detached 
party were treacherously and barbarously murdered. They had been for some time in the district of the 
Utah Indians, and were aware that they were all around them; but long-contmued impunity from a 
constantly threatened danger induces a reckless indifference to it, which often provokes the catastrophe. 
Captain Gunnison, tempted by abundant grass, fuel, and water, was imprudent enough to encamp in a 
little nook in a river bottom, with the river in front, sheltered by the high second bank of the river on one 
side, and thick willows, distant scarcely thirty yards, on two of the others, under cover of which an enemy 
might unseen steal close upon them. This tempting place of comfort and utility was accepted probably 
without a thought of danger. It was known to the party that a band of Indians was near them, for their 
fires had been seen daily since they entered the valley ; but an unusual feeling of security against them was 
felt, as Captain Gunnison had learned that a recent quarrel, resulting in several deaths, which they had 
had with the emigrants had terminated, and that, notwithstanding this difficulty, they had remained at 
peace with the neighbouring settlers, which had been confirmed and guaranteed for the future in a “ talk 
held with some of the Indians of this band by an agent of the Governor of the territory. His successor, 
Lieutenant Beckwith, thus concludes the tale :—“ The usual precaution of a camp guard had been taken, 
each of the party (including the commander) in turn having performed that duty during the night. At the 
break of day all arose and at once engaged in the usual duties of a camp preparatory to an early start to 
reach that day the most distant part of exploration for the season. The sun had not yet risen, most of the 
party being at breakfast, when the surrounding quiet and silence of this vast plain was broken by the 
discharge of a volley of rifles and a shower of arrows through that devoted camp, mingled with the savage 
yells of a large band of Pah-Utah Indians almost in the midst of the camp; for under cover of the thick 
bushes they had approached undiscovered to within twenty-four yards of the camp-fires. The surprise was 
complete. At the first discharge the call to ‘seize your arms’ had little effect. All was confusion. 
Captain Gunnison, stepping from his tent, called to his savage murderers that he was their friend ; but 
this had no effect. They rushed into camp, and only those escaped who succeeded in mounting on 
horseback, and even then they were pursued for many miles.” * Captain Gunnison fell pierced with 
fifteen arrows. The mutilation of scalping was spared them, that being a barbarity in which some of the 
tribes west of the Rocky Mountains seldom indulged in; but other mutilations of the dead, such as 
cutting off their arms at the elbow, took its place. 
The murder proved to be the unauthorised work of some of the inferior men of the tribe, who, seeing 
the opportunity afforded by the too accessible site of the camp, had been tempted to make the attack. 
Most of the property and instruments and all Captain Gunnison’s papers were recovered through the 
Mormon Governor, Brigham Young. “ Kenosh, the chief of the band of murderers, arrived at Filmore, 
having been sent for by Mr. Call, accompanied by fifteen or twenty of his people. He brought with him 
one of the public horses lost by Captain Gunnison’s escort, ‘.which,’ he said, ‘ he had taken from the fellow 
who came to him with the intelligence of their successful operation, and hastened to return it, meeting 
Mr. Call’s messenger (who had been sent for him) on the way; that he deeply regretted the tragedy; that 
it was done without authority by the young men—boys, as he called them—of the band, who had no chief 
with them, or it would not have happened.’ He subsequently informed the Governor’s agent that there 
* United States Pacific Railroad Exploration, vol. ii. p. 74. 
A 2 
[ 35 ] 
were 
