Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-11-10

News from the plains.


Yesterday evenieg Messrs. Gratz
Brown, Geo. Alexander and George Col.
lier, arrived in this city on their return
from the Plains. These young gentle
men went out with Majo. Fitzpatrick,
the u. s, Commissioner, who was sent
out 10 distribute the anuui,ies to the
Indians, stipulated for under the Fort
Laramie Treaty. They accompanied
the expedition for the benefit of their
health, and returned greatly improved.
Maj. Fitzpatrick is detained on the
Upper Missouri, but will be in the city
! in few days.
Major F. was authorized to make
treaties with the Camanches and Kiowas,
which he succeeded in. The leading
features of the agreement are these:
The u. s. Government, stipula,es to
give 10 the Two tribes. for limited period
OF time. an annuity, in goods suitable to
their necessities, of $4,000 per annum.
with sundry other stipulations of minor
import. In consideration of this the
tribes grant 10 the United States the
right of way over their lands for COM
mon, rail, or any other kind of roads
the free and unmoles.ed passage of emf
grants, &c.-.he liberty to the United
States 10 establish military posts, mis-
sions, places Of deposit, &C., &c. They
further stipulate. TO surrender iInme-
dia,ely all Americans or Mexicans who
have been taken prisoners by them, and
are now held by them, and also all such
as may hereafter be taken by any other
people. They are also TO maintain a
stric, peace towards the American citizens.
The treaty with each tribe is the same,
and SO we'll were they satisfied with its
! terms, the chiefs Immediately dispatched
couriers to the various bands to com.
| munica,e the substance Of the treaties
and requiring them to conform 10 them.
The Major also obtained from the
tribes of Sioux, Cheyennes, Araphoes
and Rickarees. the amendments to the
treaty made by Col. d ID. Mitchell. a.
Fort Laramie, as required by the United
States Senate. Throughou. the Indians
manifested friendly disposition. lfthey
will maintain their treaty stipulations i,
will be lasting benefit TO the country.
The party made the trip frow Fort
Laramie to Westport by easy stages,
and are The latest arrivals from that or
Fort Kearny. They report the health
of both posts as good, and their whole
trip up the Arkansas and thence across
to Fort Laramie as a delightful one.
Game throughout was abundant, and
immense bodies Of bufaloes were as far
down as the Little Blue, which has not
occurred before for several years. The
Pawness were hunting on the prairIes
and had been troublesome TO some of the
emigrants. A party of them met the
mail bound out TO Salt Lake. on the
waters of tine Little Blue, and after some
parley with The driver and guard, COM
PEELED them to give up their blankets and
bread, when they were permitted to pro-
coed.
A man who arrived a, Fort Laramie a
day or so before the party lefi there, and
who was direct from Green River, con-
fiden,ly con,radieted the report of the
death Of James Bridger, the founder OF
Bridger's Fort, near the Mormon settle.
ment, and one OF the most experienced
hunters and trappers in the mountains.
The Information is, that Bridger, when
the Mormons attempted to arrest him, on
a charge that he had sold guns and ANU
milton to the Indians, fled TO the post he
has on Green River, about one hundred
miles distant, and coached" (bid) him.
sell in the mountains. We are disposed
to give the more credit to this report,
from the fact that Bridger has been too
long in the mountains and has had too
many encounters with the Indians to be
surprised by the Mormons. The party
| lost but few of their animals on the
whole rou,e.--Missouri Republican.