Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-01-08

When w. III. Ashley sold out his
interest in the Rocky Mountain
Fur Co. TO Jedediah Smith, VIII
liam Sublette and David Jackson,
the partners arranged that each
should take with him a certain
number of men and cover different
portions of the field they claimed
as their own. The report Of the
fortune acquired by Ashley had its
natural effect in turning the atten-
ton of a good many adventurous
spirits to the fur trade, with the
resulting influx of at least 500 men
into the Rocky mountain region be-
tween the years of 1869.
Competition became so fierce that 1t
was as much as a trapper's life was
worth to sell his furs TO anyone but
the party to whom they were con-
tracted. Another trader might offer
higher price. It made no difference.
Even the free trapper could not avail
himself of such an opportunity to in
crease his profits.
Under these conditions, the newly or
ganized company began its business for
1926. According to arrangements, as al
ready noted, the partners separated,
and Smith set out for Santa Fe, from
which point he was to circle around
to the Columbia. Smith knew the Ore
gon country, having, before the organ
iZation of the company, taken party
of five trappers into that territory be-
ing the first American trader to do so
after the failure Of MIR. Astors fur
trading venture at the mouth OF the
Columbia.
When Smith went into Oregon at
that time, relations between the Amer !
lean and Hudson's Bay traders seem
to have been on better footing than
later, for it is recorded that Smith on
that trip fell In with a company OF
HudSon's Bay trapperS and went with !
them to the FIathead country, where |
they spent the winter together.
This second Oregon trip Of Smiths
would be q deliberate invasion OF ter
ritory the British company felt entitled |
to by purchase and might have been
expected to give him an unpleasant re-
Attacked by Indians
Until the party reached the south
bank of the Umpquah river, 200 miles
south Of the Columbia, all went well. /
Camp was made as night approached |
and there was no indication that they
were in danger. Unfortunately, they
were in the territory of the Shasta In
dams, who resembled in warlike quail
tiles eastern Indians, being in every
respect superior to the other California
IlA0 nlCL I'll LIS way AtO4 Siks
In the morning the Indians collected
around the camp but this did not
awaken any suspicion that their mis-
sion was other than to beg. Smith, and
"a little EngliShman," had gone to the
river to look for q good place to ford.
An Indian had also accompanied the
white men. Without any warning of
his purpose, the latter seized Smiths
gun and jumped into the river. Quickly
wrestling his gun from the astonished
Englishman, Smith fired at the Indian
In the river, who dropped dead.
Yells and Indian war cries from the
camp told of what was going on there,
where the attacking party greatly out
numbered the whites, who had been
5aken completely by. surprise. 1t was
not likely that any Of the latter would
escape and under the circumstances
Smith realized his only chance lay in
rapid flight before the enemy discov-
red that he had killed the gun thief.
A raft was moored nearby. This the
wo fugitives managed to pole across
he river without being noticed. Arrived
1t the opposite shore, they abandoned
he raft and took to the mountains.
While they were not followed, their
condition was not to be envied; wander
rs in q strange land surrounded, they
cared. by hostile Indians, with only
me gun and no provisions for the Jour-
icy, the prospect Of ever being rescued
r reaching place Of safety was not
what might be termed alluring How
yer. but in what length of time we are
lot informed, the two came at last to
Tort Vancouver, then in charge Of DR..
dcLoughlin.
Aided by Mclaughlin
Consider the situation. These men
Who stood in pressing need Of help from
he supreme ruler Of the northwest,
we're members, and one Of partner Of ,
rival company, which, to express it
mildly, had not been overScrupulous
n its operations when dealing with the
7udson's Bay Co. There was q gus- ,
yicious similarity between the amount
4 money which enabled Ashley to re-
ire from business and the value Of the !
Ilrs taken from Peter Ogden. DR.. Nc
soughlin was not ignorant OF this cir
unstance, yet here were D couple Of
nen. worn with travel, half starved,
nd absolutely beggared, the Indians
aving taken or destroyed the result Of
months OF trapping. What would q
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