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Show [ J74 J 40 in the pr se nt state of things, when the cou.ntry is surrlied with alcohol, whf:'n a kcO' of it will purchase from an Ind tan every th1ng he pos csscsh i.· fnrs, hi ~ lodge, l1is horses, and even his wife and children-and . when anv vagabond who hns money enough to purchase a mule c~n go m.to a vilb<"P ...: -tnd trade aaa inst them sncccs. fnlly, without withdrawmg cnt~rcly frombthc trade, it i' impo sible for tllcm to clisconti nuc it!'\ usc. In th e~r opposition to this practice, tile company is susta ined, not only .by the1r obl10'ation to the laws of the country and the welfare of the Ind1ans, but clcn~ly, also, on grounds of policy ; for, with heavy and cxpcnsi ve ot~tfits, they contend at mauifestly great disad vantage Rgainst the mttncr?ns mdepcndcnt and unlicensed _trallers, who Cllter tl~ e co nu~ry from varwus av~ nnr from the United States and from Mextco, havwg no other !'tock 111 trade than some kegs of liquor, which they se ll at the modest p rice of thirt y- ix dollars per gallon . The <.li frcrence bc.tween the reg ul a ~· trader and t~1C coureur des bois, (as the French call the llinerant or pcddlmg tradc i~.) with respect to the ale of spirit~, is here as it always has heen, fixed and pcrmane11t, and growing out of the nat ure of th eir trade. The regular trader looks ah ead, and has n.n interest iu the preserv ation of the l11diaus, and in the reo·ular pursnit of their bu.iness, and the pre rvation of their arms, horses, and every thing necessary to their future and permane nt :succcs in hunting : the cou·rew · des bois has no permancut iutcrcst, and gets what he can , and for what he can, from every Indian he meets, ev n at the risk of di abli11g him from doing any thing more at hnntin o. The fort had a very cool and clean appearance. The great entrance, in which I found the oentlemen a scmblel! , and wllicll was,floored, and abont fift een feet lon O', made a plea '<Uit,. haded scat, throu oh which the breeze sw ept con tautly ; for thi conutry is famon ' for hiah winds. In the course of conversation, l learned the following particulars, which will expl a in the condition of the country: l1"'or several years the Cllcyl nn s and Sioux had gradua l! y become more a tHl HJOrc h o~ tile to the white , and in the l<tttcr part of August, 1 S4l, had had a rather severe cngagc rueut with a party oi sixty men, under th e comma11d of Nlr. Frapp, of St. Louis. The Indians lost e i ~ ht or ten wa rriors, atJd the wh ites had their lcadt•r and four men killed. This fight took place on the waters of Sna ke river ; aud it was this party, on their rctnm under Mr. Bridge r, which had sprend so m.nclt a!ann among my peo ple. In tile course of the spring, two other smll ll parties had been cnt ofT by the Sioux-one on th ei r re turn from the Crow nation, and the other amonO' the Black hills. The cmiorants to Oregon and .Mr. Bridger's party met here, a few days before our a rrival. Division and mi s nnd ~ r taiH]ings had <)'rown up amo11g theut; they were alread,Y somewhat dtshea rtened by the fatig ue of their long aud wearisome Journey, and the feel of tl ~e ir c~tttl c had become so mnclt worn as to be scarcely able to trav el. In this situa tion , they we re 110t likely to find encomagemeut in the ho tile attitndc of the luclians, aud the new and unexpected dill1cultics which sprang up before th em. They were told that the country was entirely swept of grass, and tha t few ot· uo l)ufl'aJo wer.·c to be found on their li tJC of ro ute; a nd, with their wcaketwu animals, tt would be. impo~si b l e for tltnm to tra u~po rt the ir hca vy wngons over the lllOUtltam. Under these cirC illlJStH llCCS, they ui~posed of their ~ ngo u s a1 .d ca ttle at .the _fort s; :-.ell ill ¥; them ;It the p1icc!': til ·y lwd paid ll1 the late,, :n1d talong 1n exchange cofl'L'e a11d sugal' u t 011e dulla.r a po uud, and lnl&crablc worn-out horse ·, which dietl I.Jcfore they reached ~ H ~ ~ ~ ~ H H ~ 0 fo1 !: !" "~" ' ' ~ -" .... ~ ~ |