New-York daily tribune., 1843-03-09
tnd their ssuaws will be though, easy and natu

hiHiseli squaW among tne Shshes; NC Lia'' |o.'
form 10 the laws and customs OF the tribe, that
have been ordained and established for the regr-
istion of all such matters And, whether the color
in anv individual case be of black or white, does
not seem 10 be question ever raised TO take II
out of the rules. The only difference Is, that the
properly. beauty, &c. of the whites frequently give
them the preference on change, and enable them
to obtain the best souaws of the nation. These
connections between the white trappers and squaws
I am told, are the cause of so mary OF the former
remaining during life in these valleys of blood
They seem to love them as ardenLy IS they would
female. OF their own color.
A trader is living there with young Eutew
squaw, for whose charms he has forsaken friends,
wealth and ease, and civilization, for an Indian
lodge among slI the dangers and wants OF Wldef
ness This gentleman is said 10 have a standing
offer of 500 for his dear one, whenever, IN the
course of limited time, he will sell her graces.
Butitis believed that his heart mas so much to do
with his estimation Of her value, that no consdera
ton could induce him voluntarily to deprive him
self Of her society.
The above anecdotes, &c. were related to me
daring the first evening | spent a, Fort David
Crockett. It was bright ethereal night Inc
Fort stood in the shade OF the wild and dark cliffs
while the light OF the moon ahone on the western
peaks, and cast deeper darkness into the nacces-
sible gorges on the face OF the mountains lhe
Sheetskadee flowed silently among the alders-the
fires in the Indian lodges were smouderlng sleep
had gathered every animate thing in it's embrace
Il was nigh, of awful sotude-the grandeur OF
an in?a1eRsity OF silence I enjoyed the lovely
scene ill near midnight in company with Mr.. St.
Clair; and when at last its excitements and the
thrilling pleasure Of being relieved from the pres
peel OF death from hunger allowed me to slumber
that gentlemen conducted ne TO his own room and
bed and bade me OCCUPY both while should re-
main with him. eexpressed regret that he had
so li,,e provisions in the Fort "a small quantity
Of old ierl;ed meat; little tea and sugar. But,
said he share 1t with me long as ii lasts; |
have hunters Out they viii be here in ten or twelve
daYs YOU have been starving eat while there Is
env thing lefI--and when all is gone we'll have q
mountain sheep, or q dog to keep oil starvation
till the hunters come in. My companions and
Guide were less fortunate. We purchased all the
meat that either meney or goods could induce the
Indians 10 sell 1t amounted 10 one days supply
for the company And as there was supposed TO
be no game within circuit of 100 miles, 1t be-
came matter OF serious inquiry whether we should
secl, in the direction of Fort Hall or on the head
waters OF Little Snake River, 100 miles off our
proper route to Oregon. In the latter place there
were plenty of fine fat buffalo but on the way 10
the other point there was nothing but antelope,
difficult to kill, and poor. a collateral crcum-
stance turned the scale Of our deliberations. That
circumstance was dog meat. We could get a
supply of these de!ecteble animals from the lnd-
ans they would keep life in us till we could i'm
msaately proceed on our Journey, cross the Blue
Mountains before the snow should render them
impassable end reach Vancouver on the lower
Columbia during the autumn On the contrary
if we sought meat on the waters OF Little Snake
River, it would be SO late before we should be pre-
pared to resume our journey, that we could not
pass those mountains until May or June of the
following spring The dogs, therefore, were psr-
chased and preparations were made for our de-
parture to Fort Hall, as soon ourselves and our
animals were sufficiently recruited for the under
taking. Meanwhile my companions ale upon our
stool; Of barking mutton. And thus we spent
seven days-dehghtful days. For although our
fare was humble and scan.y, yet the flesh began
10 creep upon cur skeletons, minds 10 resume
their usua! vivacity, and hearts TO warm again
with the. ordinary emotions of human existence.
The trials OF iou:ney in the western wilder
ness cen never be detailed in words. / be under
stood, they must be endured. Their effects upon
the physical and mental system arc equally pres
tratEg The desoation of one kind and another
which meets the eye every where; the sense OF
vastness associated with dearth and barrenness,
and of sublimity connected with eternal, killing
frosts; and of loneliness coupled with thousand
natural rauses Of ones destruction; perpetual
ia,1rnevings over endless decliyities--among tenn
pests through freezing torrents one hall the
tine on foot with nothing bat noccaslas TO pro-
tect the feet from the lty gravel and the thornS OF
tie prickly pear along the unbeaten way ard the
sarvings and thirstings swhch chwitthe muscles, SEND
pretarnatura activity into the nervous system, ad
through the whole animal aud mental economy
fesbeness and irritability altogether indescrbable
But AZ Fort David Crockett there were rest, and
food, and safety and old Father lime, as ne
moved away the passing moments and gathered
them into the great garner of the Past, cast upon
the Future few blossoms OF hope. and sweetened
the hours now snd then with bit OF information
about this portion OF his ancient domain heard
from various persons, more or less acquainted with
the Colorado of the Weat, continuation CT the
account OF that river given in the journals of pre-
vious DAYS and also that there reside at the
lower end OF its great kenyon band of the Club
Indiang-Yery many of whom are seven feet in
hiehr. arti well proportioned; that these Indians
raise large quantities OF black beans upon the san
iy intervals on the stream; that the oval leaf
pr;ckly pear grows there from fifteen TO twenty
feet in hight that these indians make molasses
from its fruit that their principal weapon of war
fare is the club, which they WELD with amazing
dexteritY and force; that they nhabit g wide ex-
tent of country northwest and southeast of the
lower part of this river; that they have never been
.ubdued bv the Spanierds, and are inimical to all
mamie SuDspHuaDt inGuIry IN California
satisfied me that this river is navgeble only 80 or
40 miles from its mouth, and that the Indians
who live upon It's barren banks near the Gulf are
such as have described.