Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/280

Willamette Valley—a Mrs. Vasques. This place was kept by old mountain men, and of course we were well treated. We exchanged our jaded animals for fresh ones, and got our larder well supplied. We left here and after eight days' travel our provisions gave out, but we were fortunate enough to kill a buffalo. That night we made a drive to get out of the country, as it was very unhealthy. We had seen fresh Indian signs. We traveled two days and came to Independence Rock. There we saw more Indian signs; then made another all night drive. The next day we laid by in the brush. Again at night we sallied forth and traveled that night and the next day. About nine o'clock we saw a band of buffalo, which to us mountain men was a sure sign that there were no Indians in the neighborhood. The second day from here we discovered wagon tracks. In two days more we arrived at the Fort,—Old Fort Laramie, in charge of an old Frenchman by name of Pappillian. The people of the fort told us there was danger ahead. We left, after two days' rest, and traveled three nights, laying by in the daytime. We reached Ash Hollow—Robidoux Fort—a trading post was here kept by a Frenchman named Le Beau. We here traded for sugar, coffee and buffalo meat. Rested one day and started on, reaching Little Platte the next day; thence down the Platte for eight or nine days, finding plenty of buffalo and killing what we needed. Meeting some Indians of the Pawnee tribe they tried to rob us by trying to intimidate us into giving up our guns. This we declined to do. Thence on to the Big Blue and down this stream three or four days' travel, with nothing to eat but one buffalo tongue and one duck which was killed by the party. Thence on to one fork of the Blue. Here we heard the familiar sound of the turkey, and most of the company were off like a shot to capture some of them; but when night came on so did the hunters, but no turkey came. Next morning, without breakfast or anything to eat, we cooked our old parfleches, which were greasy, and had a very good meal. We started on, expecting every hour to meet the immigration, as the spring was now advancing, and we had now come to the conclusion