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Show The Old Spanish Trail and the Slave Trade 43 casins." 2o The horses were being used for food, suggesting that hunger had been the motivation for taking them. Fremont praised this exploit, saying: "this expedition . . . may be considered among the boldest and most disinterested which the annals of Western adventure, so full of daring deeds, can present." : Fremont and the party of Mexicans certainly had no respect for the territorial boundaries of the Nuwuvi, and it is amazing that he could consider an action so summary, arbitrary and brutal an act of justice. Fremont had some doubts about this vengeance, particularly for the "scalped alive Indian," and the details of the story suggest that he was glorifying an incident of which he was actually somewhat ashamed. The Mexicans' story and Carson and Godey's revenge have curious details which make them suspect. For instance, Fremont and the others believed that the Indians had taken two women captives in the attack, but no attempt was made to find them. Traveling from spring to spring, Fremont reached Las Vegas. No Nuwuvi were there, but as he approached the springs, he noticed that there were many tracks of Indians, indicating that they were avoiding meeting him.27 Fremont next met the Nuwuvi on the Muddy River. The party set up camp, and, wrote Fremont, "Indians crouched numerously around us in the morning; and we were obliged to keep arms in hand all day, to keep them out of camp." ; s These people were the Moapits, Nuwuvi who lived in the valley of the Muddy River. They apparently did not approve of Fremont's presence on their land, for the second day Fremont wrote that they continually "insulted" his camp. There were many of them taunting Fremont from the hills and surrounding him on the lowlands.29 Besides displaying verbal hostility, the Moapits also were armed. About their weapons Fremont wrote: "with his bow each man carried a quiver with thirty or forty arrows, partially drawn out. Besides these, each held in his hand two or three arrows for instant service. Their arrows are barbed with a very clear translucant stone, a species of opal nearly as hard as the diamond, and shot from their long bows, are almost effective as gunshot." 30 Though anticipating trouble with Fremont, the Moapits apparently did not use their weapons. During the day a man, whom Fremont thought was a chief, and two or three others forced themselves into the intruders' camp. |