Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/288

28Cf CLYDE B. AITCHISON. ' ' The Pottawattamie came sad and tired into this inhospita- ble Missouri bottom, not many years back, when he was taken from his beautiful country beyond the Mississippi, which had abundant game, and timber, and clear water everywhere. Now you are driven from your lodges and lands there, and the graves of your people. We must help one another, and the Great Spirit will help us both. You are now free to cut and use all the wood you may wish. You can make all your im- provements, and live on any part of our land not actually occupied by us. Because one suffers and does not deserve, is no reason he shall always suffer, I say. We may live to see all right yet. However, if we do not, our children will. Bon Jour." The Pottawattamies had within the month ceded their lands to the United States, reserving two years' right of occupation, and with becoming dignity signed articles of convention with the Mormons. A large number of emigrants remained among the Potta- wattamies during the winter of 1846-7, living in shacks of cottonwood, in caves in the bluffs, in log cabins in the groves and glens wherever there was shelter, fuel, and water. The greater number of Mormons, however, crossed into the Indian country at the ferry established opposite present site of Flor- ence, or else at Sarpy's Ferry below, making their first large camp at Cutler Park, a few miles northwest of the ferry, where they built a mill. Here the chiefs of the Omaha tribe held a grand council with the Mormon leaders, and Big Elk, the principal chief of the tribe, gave permission to remain two years, invited reciprocal trade, and promised warning of danger from other Indians. The Mexican War was now in progress. About the time the exodus began, the Mormons applied to Washington for some form of work, to assist them in getting further west. Their tender of military services was accepted, and under orders from General Kearney, Captain James Allen raised a battalion of five companies in the Missouri camps, in two veeks. himself assuming command. After a farewell ball, the recruits marched away, accompanied as far as Fort Leaven- worth by eighty women and children. There each man re-