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Show AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF We accepted the invitation, and took each a glass, which, in our greatly reduced state, quite overpowered us. Left to n1y reflections, I resolved that, if I survived my present dangers, I would return to civilized life. The extremities I had been reduced to had so moderated my resentments that, had I encountered my former boss, I should certainly have extended my hand to him with ready forgiveness. The Indians we had so opportune! y fallen in with belonged to the Kansas band of the Osage tribe, and were on the way, as we had surmised, to dispose of their goods at the trading-post. Their wares consisted principally of peltry, obtained by their sagacity in trapping, and their skill in hunting the wild animals of the plains. In purchasing their skins of them, Messrs. Ely and Curtis rewarded the Indians very liberally with government stores for their humanity in succo:ing us when exhausted, and as an encouragement to reheve others whom they might chance to find similar! y distressed. After tho_roughly recruiting at the trading-post, wher~ I received ~very atten~ion from Messrs. Ely and Curtis, I started for St. Lou1s. On my arrival at G. C_houteau's trading~post, I calculated the intervening distance to St. Lou1s, and abandoned my intention of proceeding_ thither, delaying my return till the spring, when the Ice would break up in the Missouri. Mr. ~houteau. engaged me to assist in packing pel tries durIng the Winter: at twenty-five doll~rs per month. When ~he r1ver was free from ice, I took passage in a St .. Louis boat, and, after a quick run, arrived safe in the c1ty early in the . ev~ning of the fifth day. Shortly after my arrival I fell in with General Ashley, who had returned to the city for more men. The JAMES P. BECKWOURTif. 33 general was greatly surprised to see me, he having coneluded that my fate had been the same with hundreds of others, engaged to fur companies, who had perished with cold and starvation. 'rhe general informed me that he had engaged one hundred and twenty men, who were already on their road to the mountains. He declared I was just the man he was in search of to ride after and overtake the men, and accon1pany them to the mountains, and added that I must start the next . morning. My feelings were somewhat similar to those of a young sailor on his return from his first voyage to sea. I had achieved one trip to the wild West, and had returned safe, and now I was desirous of spending a long interval with my father. I suffered the arguments of the old general to prevail over me, however, and I re-engaged to him, with the promise to start on the following morning. This afforded me short time to visit my friends, to whom I just paid a flying visit, and returned to the city in the morning. After attending_ to the general's instructions, and receiving eight hundred dollars in gold to carry to Mr. Fitzpatrick (an agent of General Ashley then stationed in the mountains), I mounted a good horse, and put on in pursuit of the party, who were five or six days' journey in ad vance. I may here remark that the general had been recently married, and, feeling some reluctance to tear himself away from the delights of Hymen, he· sent me on for the performance of his duties. The general followed after in about a week, and overtook the party at Franklin, on the Missouri. It was early May when I .commenced my journey. Unfolding Nature presented so many charms that my B2 |