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Show OLD SANTA FE TRAIL 121 The most dangerous division of the route between Independence and Santa Fé was that portion between the Arkansas and the Cimarron. This was a high plain, the eleTHE CIMARRON DESERT vation of which is about three thousand feet above sea-level. The natural difficulties here were many and in addition the Indians were most dangerous and there was a greater loss of life in this section than upon any other portion of the trail. Within the distance of sixtysix miles from the Arkansas to the Lower Springs of the Cimarron, there was not a single watercourse or pool upon which dependence the state of Massachusetts in 1744 and came to St. Louis in 1804, where he held several important offices and died in 1827. He had seven sons, the most distinguished of whom were William and Charles. They built the post on the Arkansas, known sometimes as Fort William but oftener as Bent’s Fort. When the American army under Brigadier-General Kearny occupied New Mexico, Charles Bent, then living General Kearny. In 1852, William another farther down stream called at Santa Fé, was named as governor by Bent destroyed Bent’s Fort and built Bent’s New Fort. He had offered the post to the government of the United States for the sum of fifty thousand dollars, which the government would not pay. The action of the government was very displeasing to Bent and he destroyed the post. a 7a dS aed moved to St. Louis where he married and passed the remainder of his life. He died in 1818, leaving five sons of whom the most celebrated was Céran, afterwards So closely identified with the social, official, military, and com- . jill ya Colonel Céran St. Vrain, whose name will appear often in a later chapter, was a very distinguished man in the west. His father came to America in 1770, ch mercial life of New Mexico. |. In fl WY = the Spring of 1837 the Pawnees were on the warpath, killing isolated Persons whenever found and attacking the smaller caravans. On one occasion two men were killed very close to Bent’s Fort. One day, shortly afterward, party of hunters led by Dick Wootton, left the fort for the purpose of meeting a 4 caravan coming from the east. At Pawnee Fork, where ‘ad occurred a bitter fight between the plainsmen and Comanches, Wootton’s party met a band of sixteen Pawnees and seeking an opportunity to rob some small party which a disadvantage. There was a strip of country in that the year previous a large band of watching the trail could be taken at vicinity which the sndians always considered the best fighting ground, and it was a lucky wagon at gop through without being attacked. The band of Pawnees were on foot and Wootton and his companions were mounted, so even though the Indians outnumbered the Americans two to one, still the advantage was with the latter. t was possible to keep almost entirely clear of the arrows of the Indians, While the Americans were able to approach within effective rifle range, and in © fight which ensued thirteen i s none. ehawks, The three of the sixteen Indians were slain, the Americans remaining bows and arrows eee Hovewasnin ’tsight. a customary,’’ Indians and running says escaped to the wagon Wootton, ‘‘to take by throwing down their train which just at this any prisoners in those ed ery dian warfare, but when an Indian came into camp in that way we a utte Same unwritten law that governed most of the Indian tribes under si oer ar circumstances, It was a custom of the Indians never to harm the man ° came into their camp voluntarily, so long as he remained there, although, |