Page:Enterprise and Adventure.djvu/207

Rh "Gertrude of Wyoming;" and the striking legends of Indian life connected with that romantic spot, which had long been familiar to him, contributed to increase his interest in these people. To preserve by pictorial illustration their manners and customs appeared to him an object worthy of a lifetime's toil, and this idea acquired over his mind so powerful a fascination, that he finally resolved to sacrifice everything to its accomplishment. Accordingly, in the year 1832, having fully equipped himself for his expedition, he took leave of friends and home, and started for the far west.

The steam-boat in which he ascended the Missouri, was three months toiling against the current of that rapid stream. The poor Indians on the banks of the river, for the distance of two thousand miles, had never before seen or heard of a steam-boat, and in some places they seemed at a loss to know what to do. They had no name for it, so it was like everything else with them which is mysterious and unaccountable, called medicine (mystery). The voyagers had on board one twelve-pound cannon, and three or four eight-pound swivels, which they were taking up to arm the Fur Company's Fort at the mouth of the Yellow Stone River; and at the approach to every village they were all discharged several times in rapid succession, which threw the inhabitants into confusion and amazement. Some of them threw their faces to the ground and cried to the Great Spirit—some shot their horses and dogs, and sacrificed them to appease the Great Spirit, whom they conceived was offended—some deserted their villages and ran to the tops of the hills some miles distant; and others in