Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-04-06
Scenes at Fort Laramie.


H. w
has recently returned from an excurs ION
tothe Rocky Mountains, undertaken du.
ring the iaA season, with psrusal of a
volume OF sketches OF the journey, a few
pages OF which we are at liberty to lay
before the reader. The objects Of Mr..
Parkman's tour were adventure and the
prosecution of some scientific inquiries
relative to1Rdian languages, usages, &C.,
Ia the course ofwhich he met with incl
dents, the, opportunity for which is every
day passing rapidly away. At an adj
vanced Stage Of the Journey we find the
traveller at the trading post of Fort Lar
smie, the quiet Of which is invaded BY
the eager bands of emigrants who are
more numerous now than the Buffalo on
the great Western plains COWS ~sfe
Fort Laramie is post of the Ameri.
can Fur Company. The men who stood
atthe gate cast, at first, inquisitivc and
suspicious giances upon US. When,
however, we. had handed our letters to
tho deputy Bourgeois and the Clerk had
iTeadtl.em TO him--fol the men of that
region are not remarkable for their lit
terary attainments-they saw that we
a%erO not rival traders, and welcomed us
with scouftesy.9 The Apartment of the
absent' Bourgeois 'was assigned to US;
and in the. absence Of beds, which are
unknown at Fort Laramie, plenty of ex-
csliehtgbutalo robes were spread upon
theSfoor: 'Aspecies Of balcony, in front
ofour room, was jost5opposite sthe main
entrance. From this high station we
cold Conveniently look down into the
square area Of the Fort. s9s ~
Indians were, reclining in the sun, or
stalking hitler and thithar, enveIoped in
their whitehead SbuGalo robes, while
whole brood Of, smaller growth were run
ming breathlessly about, and dQdging in
sand out OF the,rooms which opened upon
the area. In someofa thes were lodged
the squaws Of the traders and hunters.
sin othes, the engages, of the company
for the'most part hardy and light hearted
Canadians, who are indiferentto danger
-excspt- whenitis Immediately presented,
careless of hardship, and live. on the
coarsess and ermost meagre fare. A
nupber softhese Ilen, sinewy and wealth
er beaten, were engaged in picking the
wagonsfhat were SOON to set out for
remote post in the mountains. A gaunt,
raw boned'o Frenchman, one Of the
"horse guards" was sauntering about
with q large pistol stuck, as necessary
weapon of defeAce, in his belt. a.....
-if| We were scarcely established in our
new quarters, before all the Indians were
crowding in to see and smoke with us.
They were chiefly the fathers, brothers,
and uncles Of the squaws in the fort,
whose unfortunate owners were obliged
to feed and sustain this rapacious herd
of relatives. '.a ''- 49,
Soon after our arrival Smokes village
come up and encamped close at hand.
The white wagons ofthe Oregon emf.
grants soon followed. Appearing, in
r slow Pfocessin on the opposite bank, and
,Plunging heavily through the stream, they
formed their usual circle about q quarter
Of md0-Rhoyessnd soon came crowd
ing in at the gate, men, women and chill
Devastating, wondering, asking a thou
sand questions, and searching thro' every
part softhe. forthwith curiosity. : They in.
Vadedthe apartments ofthe astonished
squaws, the men, and even of deputy
Bourgeois himself; at last our door was
pushed open, and a swarm of raw, awk.
ward looking men, and lank pale faced
women. came crowding in, but were
promptly expelled. Nothing could exceed
their CURIOSITY and wonderment; and be-
ing wholly guiItless ofany thing like a
perception ofdelicacy OF 'propriety they
seemed resolved to explore every mystery
to the bottom. $ ~
Intheir perfect ignorance ofthe country
NBdiss inhabitants, they appeared to think
that every one was combined to deceive
and injure them; in particular, a notion
was prevalent among them that the
French Indians, as, they are called, the
trappers and traders, were instigating the
Sioux to attack and cut them off. In their
attempts at bargain making, they were
exceedingly astonishsd and indignant al
Fort Laramie prices, when bad coffee
and the worst oft9baeco are each sold al
va'dollar and a halt pound. !. 81.
j. The Indians of Smokes village, in com.
.mon with all the rest, seemed resolved to
.msks the bsss Of the swarpls of Meanas-
vka that Of late had begun so mysteriously
TO pass through their country. Accord.
iTSiy the wagons were scarcely wheeled
--iate the circle when the Indians demand.
Ell fast %hichthe enigrants,I full o.
doubts and apprehensionsI did not dare
TO- deny. ,sna.l saI
The feast vas spread on the ground,
IN the open space surrounded by the
wagons. II consisted chiefly of wheat
bread q i'd cups Of coffee and the whole
rElilege lsta their encampment to partake
isof IT. Before it commenced, the squaws,
BY way OF expressing their Gratitude,