The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-11
BONNEVILLE. THE PATHFINDER.
Career Of rvnG5 Eero For Whom Lake Bonneville Was
Named.

two youths attended the famous Poly
techuic school, the students OF which
led the revolution of 1890. Bonneville
loved TO speak of this period in his
life. Nine. Lafayette Was lady OF
great taleut and high education. and
he dWelt on the motherly interest she
COOK in him and her close attention TO
youngsters at her table, where she
would converse with her daughters in
Italian and the boys in German. Moth
ms in their apparel or movements es-
capped her eye. Her mode OF correction
was not by reproacheS. but by pleasant
hints or suggestions. She encouraged
freedom Of manner and Sentlity, and
her girls often said that madame
mere" vas their most pleasant COM
panion. In her drawing rooms Bonne-
vile saw many Of the most distinguish
ed women of the time.
On his return to America Bonneville
was appointed q lieutenant and went
into service on the frontier, and was
ultimately promoted captain. During
his term OF service at these western
posts he often met adventurous hunt
ers, fur traders, trappers and Indians
and was inspired With a great curl0s-
range of the Rocky mountains He
realized the Importance to the govern
ment Of a correct knowledge of this
terra incognita." the strength of the
wild tribes and their modes of warfare.
He applied to the government for leave
of absence, stating his purpose, and it
was eagerly granted and approved by
General Macomb then major general
in command. and dated Aug. 3, 1881 A
part of the order reads as follows:
You are, therefore, authorized to be
absent from the army until October.
1888. 1t is understood that the govern
ment is to he at no expense in refer
ence to your proposed expedition, it
having originated with yourself. You
viii provide suitable instruments and
especially the best maps of the in
terror to be found. -
BcnSYNie row spent several months
in his IRE naIa tlnns far his expedition.
He secured several CT the best mountain
n1atn as guides, ARD employed ten Dega-
Wa.e IrlIl1ns as hunters and a number
OF eX7erienl56'd traoper5. i'm all a com
Talny Of 110 men. He had 20 Wagons,
drawn by nuces ard oxen, 1adi5'n With
e,nmWnf oiC'l, provisions and mercihan-
/ disc. This was the first wagon train
Started across the pratclizS. An rde-
V.l-us traur-0ut had bean by pack
h3Igsg. He STATED from Fort Usage,
on the Missouri river, on the lst Of May
I 1892. His remarkable experiences On his
( oxr11at.-n Uf-tch lasted over Unpe5
/ years, are familiar to am readers OF
Irving, as5 need not be detailed here
/ His rctucl was eagerly looked for. bun
/ rJtlillg Was heaU1 of kim. His leave
; OF cNJsenea vas expired. No report had
! Genre to the war department.. It was
suTnised that tne VIII Arabs of the
w59- had destroyed the wiU0bs party
/ Tine rcled On, (tltls mama was stricken
from the l-l and he was supposed to bt
/ dead. On the 22d Of August. 1885, &
( ragged ta,-d of men, under command on
( Bonneville, arrived at Font G,I1sCCl- He
! lad ta2n gene three yetrs ard foul
months.
When ne appeared at Washington II
repCrt his return, he was regarded al
nrs- as ona risen from the dead HI
presented his maps ARD notes ard wa
SURPRISED TO find he was deiD0Sad. He
asked to he reinSateA in IDS former
rank -Tl1-G made some confusion in tn
war department. HIS. restoration woutt
set back long linz of promotions
Although Bonneville richly deaerveS
This justice, his great services an(
claims weighed Eu,Ia as against tn
Tsunlsrous private interests Of the arm.
officers. The whole lime was again5
hiu He was malaqned. his service
moderated; he was charged with work
Ing fer his private interests and fur
tfarlnS the schemes of wealthy fu
traders such as Chouteau Of st. IfJui
and Aston of New York, although th
development of fur trade with the In
dams was a. part of his duty under hi
instructions. To crown all THIS, Genera
Niacoulh gave way to tala pressure am
sIdg1 Wia his opppnentaS- In this eX
trenlty he appealed 10 President An
drew Jackson. "0ld Hickory" heard hi
statements With attention and lcrlccke'
The ashes from dis cob pipe, You Wer
abgerha5 from duty for specific objects
such IS information in regard to Ia
Nd tribes. the mICn,aia routes diIu
passes ard maps of the country HaV
you these maps to prove This service
Il have, SIR Let me examine them.
. jackson nut on his s2ectacle5 and Wa
absorbed n them slJnls time BY IN
eternal. SIR, In see that YOU are Ie
; instated 10 your eonIMand. For thi
valuaNe service to the war departmer
and the country you deserve a fl.g
, promotion
Bonnsvllle vas restored.
Bonneville, while stationed on til
frontier, ofteH met Governor Sar
Houston. who. at the time, WAS Twin
a wild life among the Cherokees, an
always dressed in Indian costum
! Houston's wild yagaries amused til
officers at the post where he ofte
called and vas welcomed to their hos
pitality, but he always wound up n
, visits with wild orgie. "He was
mad man, sir. at the time and cause
! us much solicitude for his life sal
, Bonneville When tight he woul
, knock EN- down right and left. and i
| " ould floor chief as quick as a con
( | mon Indian But he had married II
. the daughter of a chief and was ver
/ popular among them. When he was III
: governable ard dangerous they wou
crowd around and tie him hand ar
z foot till he sobered up
2 Washington Irving first met Bonn