Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-10-02

y near the Mouth of Pryor's Fork, ma
KING skin canoes to bring down the falls
hunt: -Four of Mr. Henry's men have
also been killed near the falls. III en-
pears from Information dsripsd FROM H.
bisc.fsd Msmesss, that Ms British
@ars s'ro trading houses in their eo,ntyv
on "a .5naeraean Issriiosy, and from so,ns
ondEs Indians zee learned thai then hape
ssrsraf on Tie South Fork cfhs Colum-
bic -somethingdecisive should be done.
Believe me TO be your sincere friend
VIM. GORDON.
From the foregoing letter You VIII
perceive that the commerce ofthe Mis-
ssouri, under existing circumstances.
however valuable, is truly precarious.
This our second adventure In the noun
tains, had surpassed my most sanguins
expectations success had been com
plete and my views fulfilled in 10 every
respect. Mr. Immel and Mr.. Jones
had conducted these expeditions with
tue greatest skill and ability, and nroved
themselves worthy Of my confidence
Inc loss ofpropersy is severely felt. Yet
II IS little compared to the loss of those
valuable men to whom stand indebted.
for the Accomplishment of nv views-
In consequence of their late departure
last summer from Council Bluffs. II be-
comes necessary for them 10 confins
their operations last Fall to the Yellow
Stone and its tributary waters, and VIM
ter at TIE mouth ofthe BIZ Horn The
party originally consisted Of forty-three
persons, including themselves and
Messrs. Gordon and Kcemle, two young
gentlemen attached to the expedition.
and to whom | am much indebted for
their activity in bringing of the remain.
der OF the party and securing the pro-
perry which had been lefl on the yell
low Stone that the expedition moved to
the three Forks early In the Spring
The party had been reduced to thirty
part Of the men having deserted their
wintering post at the Big Horn, with
these they penetrated the country. a.
mentioned in Mr. Cordon's letter. | am
happy to say their defeat i not 10 be ate
tributed TO negligence, mistaken conf
dence of their own ability. or Of thu
good will of the Indians. Three hours
more would have taken them to the
Grow nati.n where they would have
been perfectly secure, this tribe being at
war with the Blackfoot and much attach
cd to the whites. But the Blackfeet had
marked their route. they knew the coun-
try and advantages Of the position selec.
ted by them for the attack; there they
intercepted them and awaited their ar
rival---nothing but defeat could be cx-
pected under such circumstances, and Il
is wonderful how any should escape
from such an overwhelming force when
attacked in such an unfavorable position
many circumstances Justify the opin-
ions expressed in MIR. Gordon's letter.
which | will hereafter relate, time viii
not allow me to do so at present.
MIR. keem!e arrived at the Mandan-
Sc in q short time after Mr. Gordon left
him on the Yellow Stone, and in letter
to me under date Of 10th of the present
month, he expresses himself as follows
Permit me, sir, Eere to remark, that
the present affair with the Ricarees is
the subject Of daily conversation with
the Gros-ventres and Mandans and
am OF opinion, from many remarks made
by the principal men OF both nations,
that much of the future welfare and in
terestof persons engaged in the BUSH
ness ofthe Missouri depends upon the
course Of conduct pursued towards that
band of savage villains In another let
ter from him ofthe 18th instant, be-
gives me the following information "a
council was held by the Mandans on TIE
10th inst. in which they have determined
10 send for the Ricarees to enter their
village, in order to protect them (asth
say from the whites. A similar propo-
sition was made to the Gros-ventres by
the former nation, but they shut their
ears against itn
The Aricarees opened fire upon The
men who came express with those letters.
and continued il till they had got beyond
their reach, though they did not succeed
in hurting either Of them. From these
circumstances you may suppose that tho
future conduct and disposition of all
those upper tribes, even the Sioux, de-
pends much on the steps taken il rela-
ton to the Aricarees.
There are many opinions respecting
the course the Arieareess will take nv
own impressions are, that they will not
abandon their villages, but viii await the
arrival of the expedition and give US h&tl
le many things induce belief that thew
will not attempt to 60 to the Mandans
for protection about twelve davs will