La Junta tribune., 1912-09-14
UNWILLING o. Mo..v,...y.
Continued fro. rir,. Pare,

country in 1929. The Arka.s.s x.s
the southern boundary OF the United
states. Hunters and trappers we're
the Americans here. and they were
Few Mexicans and Indiana we're
many and they wer. foes Herds nj,
buffalo. at certain times OF the lat.
fal! or early winter. made an app.r.
ent sea Of brown waves AS they moy.
ed southward Otherwise nm a,nos,
uninterrupted silence and sunshine
reigned
\ business climax was reached in
lsi'. when William Bent. becom. nj.
most a member OF the Cheyenne tribe
and a friend OF the Arapahoes. kep,
both busy all winter. at his home
at the Big Trees. near Lamar pre'
pairing buffalo robes for trade or
sale.
bents Fort was the most active
place In Colorado. The names OF
many OF Its frequenters are well
known to us. There were the Bent
brothers. with William as the con.
trolling spirit In Colorado. Captain
st Nrain acted as host at a tabl.
which Francis Parkman In 1876 found
laid with whit. cloth. with east.
ers In the center and chairs placed
around II. to his admiration" and
where he enjoyed an 'unwonted re-.
past. Captain st Vrain was de-
scribed as a perfect gentleman. be-
loved by all that knew him. kind"
"hospitabl. "obliging." "a man
OF fine tastes" so were Charles
Bent. William Bent. and George
Bent"
Here in lsi5 General Fremont met
Kit Carson and engaged him as
guide. interpreter and bearer of priv
Nate dispatches. Here two Bosgs
brothers. traders aud scouts. relatives
OF both Bents aud Carson. were fire.
quent visitors, Zebulon Pike camped
on this spot In 1906 on his Journey
west made memorable by the dis.
ccyery Of Pixies Peak.
Naturalisis ard botanists made
this their headquarters while they
studied the fauna and flora of this
new country.
General kearney stopped at Fort
Bent on his way west \ member II
his company lef, behind because of
Illness writes Of the busy life caus-
cd by daily travellers from Leaven.
worth.
For months OF each year idle In
d.ans were fed In III. fort and al.
lowed to camp near that they might
be friendly and ready for work when
needed, One Of these determined TO
keep n record OF the travellers. so
At one day near tAs saae. ssakine
notch In a stick for each conner. AZ.
ter filling two long sticks he gave
up In despair.
So many were the travellers and
soldiers coming TO the region. that
some traders aud trappers found II
too crowded and left In 1876 for Cal
if,rnia and solitude.
Fort Bent and Its people not only
prepared fer our day. but formed
connecting link with the opening OF
the northwest. for the baby of Lew
is and Clark's expedition. the son OF
the Indispensable Saeajaw. Bapiiste
Charbonnean. was called an "educat.
ID half breed. the hunter OF Bent's
Fort. the best man on foot on the
plains or In the Rocky Mountains.
a man trusted implicitly by his EN-.
pioyers and who never learned the
meaning Of graft" or "embexxie-
ment"
You see the remains Of the old
adobe walls which once rose TO the
heigAt OF seventeen feet. having a
thickness Of six feet At the base:
you see the outline OF the fort on
this monument. 70 heartily given by
Mr.. Reynoids. and you may even
trace the outlines OF the fort. the
twelve foot gateway and thirty foot
iowers. at the southwest and north.
east corners. no you see the re-
mains Of the old wcli-aimost the
most important thing In the fort
Not far away is the grave OF tht sol.
dicr Of the sos left alone no far
from home.
In iSs: business shifted 10 the
winter home OF Mr.. Bent. near La
mar Today Fort Lyon represents
the older forts and preserves the
house In which Ki, Carson died
When you come again this will be q