Astoria; Or, Anecdotes of an Enterprise Beyond the Rocky Mountains by Irving (top romance novels .TXT) 📗

of the Voyageurs.—Indian Scouts.— Threatened Hostilities.—A Council of War.—An Array of Battle.—A Parley.—The Pipe of Peace.—Speech-Making.

CHAPTER XIX. -- The Great Bend of the Missouri—Crooks and M’Lellan Meet With Two of Their Indian Opponents—Wanton Outrage of a White Man the Cause of Indian Hostility—Dangers and Precautions.-An Indian War Party.—Dangerous Situation of Mr. Hunt.—A Friendly Encampment.—Feasting and Dancing.— Approach of Manuel Lisa and His Party—.A Grim Meeting Between Old Rivals.—Pierre Dorion in a Fury.—A Burst of chivalry.

CHAPTER XX. -- Features of the Wilderness—Herds of Buffalo.—Antelopes— Their Varieties and Habits.—John Day.—His Hunting Strategy—Interview with Three Arickaras—Negotiations Between the Rival Parties—The Left-Handed and the Big Man, two Arickara Chiefs.—Arickara Village—Its Inhabitants— Ceremonials on Landing—A Council Lodge.—Grand Conference— Speech of Lisa.—Negotiation for Horses.—Shrewd Suggestion of Gray Eyes, an Arickara Chief—Encampment of the Trading Parties.

CHAPTER XXI. -- An Indian Horse Fair.—Love of the Indians for Horses— Scenes in the Arickara Village.—Indian Hospitality.—Duties of Indian Women. Game Habits of the Men.—Their Indolence. —Love of Gossiping.—Rumors of Lurking Enemies.—Scouts.— An Alarm.—A Sallying Forth.—Indian Dogs.—Return of a Horse —Stealing Party.—An Indian Deputation.—Fresh Alarms.—Return of a Successful War Party.—Dress of the Arickaras.—Indian Toilet.—Triumphal Entry of the War Party.—Meetings of Relations and Friends.—Indian Sensibility.—Meeting of a Wounded Warrior and His Mother.—Festivities and Lamentations.

CHAPTER XXII. -- Wilderness of the Far West.—Great American Desert—Parched Seasons.—Black Hills.—Rocky Mountains.—Wandering and Predatory Hordes.—Speculations on What May Be the Future Population.—Apprehended Dangers.-A Plot to Desert.—Rose the Interpreter.—His Sinister Character—Departure From the Arickara Village.

CHAPTER XXIII. -- Summer Weather of the Prairies.—Purity of the Atmosphere— Canadians on the March.—Sickness in the Camp.—Big River.— Vulgar Nomenclature.—Suggestions About the Original Indian Names.—Camp of Cheyennes.—Trade for Horses.—Character of the Cheyennes.—Their Horsemanship.—Historical Anecdotes of the Tribe.

CHAPTER XXIV. -- New Distribution of Horses—Secret Information of Treason in the Camp.—Rose the Interpreter—His Perfidious Character— His Plots.—Anecdotes of the Crow Indians.—Notorious Horse Stealers.—Some Account of Rose.—A Desperado of the Frontier.

CHAPTER XXV. -- Substitute for Fuel on the Prairies.—Fossil Trees.— Fierceness of the Buffaloes When in Heat.—Three Hunters Missing.—Signal Fires and Smokes.—Uneasiness Concerning the Lost Men.—A Plan to Forestall a Rogue.—New Arrangement With Rose.—Return of the Wanderers.

CHAPTER XXVI. -- The Black Mountains.—Haunts of Predatory Indians.—Their Wild and Broken Appearance.—Superstitions Concerning Them— Thunder Spirits.—Singular Noises in the Mountains—Secret Mines.-Hidden Treasures.—Mountains in Labor.—Scientific Explanation.-Impassable Defiles.—Black-Tailed Deer.-The Bighorn or Ahsahta.-Prospect From a Lofty Height.—Plain With Herds of Buffalo.-Distant Peaks of the Rocky Mountains.—Alarms in the Camp.-Tracks of Grizzly Bears.— Dangerous Nature of This Animal.-Adventures of William Cannon and John Day With Grizzly Bears.

CHAPTER XXVII. -- Indian Trail.—Rough Mountain Travelling.—Sufferings From Hunger and Thirst—Powder River.—Game in Abundance.-A Hunter’s Paradise.—Mountain Peak Seen at a Great Distance.— One of the Bighorn Chain.—Rocky Mountains.—Extent.— Appearance.—Height.-The Great American Desert.—Various Characteristics of the Mountains.—Indian Superstitions Concerning Them.—Land of Souls.—Towns of the Free and Generous Spirits—Happy Hunting Grounds.

CHAPTER XXVIII. -- Region of the Crow Indians—Scouts on the Lookout—Visit From a Crew of Hard Riders.—A Crow Camp.—Presents to the Crow Chief.-Bargaining.-Crow Bullies.-Rose Among His Indian Friends.-Parting With the Crows.—Perplexities Among the Mountains.—More of the Crows.—Equestrian Children.—Search After Stragglers.

CHAPTER XXIX -- Mountain Glens.—Wandering Band of Savages—Anecdotes of Shoshonies and Flatheads.—Root Diggers—Their Solitary Lurking Habits.—Gnomes of the Mountains.—Wind River.— Scarcity of Food.—Alteration of Route.—The Pilot Knobs or Tetons.—Branch of the Colorado.—Hunting Camp.

CHAPTER XXX. -- A Plentiful Hunting Camp.-Shoshonie Hunters—Hoback’s River —Mad River—Encampment Near the Pilot Knobs.—A Consultation.—Preparations for a Perilous Voyage.

CHAPTER XXXI. -- A Consultation Whether to Proceed by Land or Water— Preparations for Boat-Building.—An Exploring Party.—A Party of Trappers Detached.—Two Snake Visitors.—Their Report Concerning the River.—Confirmed by the Exploring Party.—Mad River Abandoned.—Arrival at Henry’s Fort.— Detachment of Robinson, Hoback, and Rezner to Trap.—Mr. Miller Resolves to Accompany Them.—Their Departure.

CHAPTER XXXII. -- Scanty Fare.—A Mendicant Snake.—Embarkation on Henry River—Joy of the Voyageurs.-Arrival at Snake River.—Rapids and Breakers.—Beginning of Misfortunes.—Snake Encampments.—Parley With a Savage.—A Second Disaster.— Loss of a Boatman.—The Caldron Linn.

CHAPTER XXXIII. -- Gloomy Council.—Exploring Parties—Discouraging Reports— Disastrous Experiment.—Detachments in Quest of Succor.— Caches, How Made.—Return of One of the Detachments— Unsuccessful.—Further Disappointments—The Devil’s Scuttle-Hole

CHAPTER XXXIV. -- Determination of the Party to Proceed on Foot.—Dreary Deserts Between Snake River and the Columbia.—Distribution of Effects Preparatory to a March—Division of the Party.— Rugged March Along the River.—Wild and Broken Scenery.— Shoshonies.—Alarm of a Snake Encampment—Intercourse with the Snakes.—Horse Dealing.—Value of a Tin Kettle.— Sufferings From Thirst—A Horse Reclaimed.—Fortitude of an Indian Woman.—Scarcity of Food.—Dog’s Flesh a Dainty.—News of Mr. Crooks and His Party.—Painful Travelling Among the Mountains.—Snow Storms.—A Dreary Mountain Prospect.—A Bivouac During a Wintry Night.—Return to the River Bank.

CHAPTER XXXV. -- An Unexpected Meeting.—Navigation in a Skin Canoe.-Strange Fears of Suffering Men.-Hardships of Mr. Crooks and His Comrades.—Tidings of M’Lellan.—A Retrograde March.—A Willow Raft.—Extreme Suffering of Some of the Party—Illness of Mr. Crooks.—Impatience of Some of the Men.—Necessity of Leaving the Laggards Behind.

CHAPTER XXXVI. -- Mr. Hunt Overtakes the Advance Party.—Pierre Dorion, and His Skeleton Horse.—A Shoshonie Camp.—A Justifiable Outrage.—Feasting on Horse Flesh.—Mr. Crooks Brought to the Camp.—Undertakes to Relieve His Men.—The Skin Ferry- Boat.—Frenzy of Prevost.—His Melancholy Fate.-Enfeebled State of John Day.-Mr. Crooks Again Left Behind.-The Party Emerge From Among the Mountains.—Interview With Shoshonies.— A Guide Procured to Conduct the Party Across a Mountain.— Ferriage Across Snake River.—Reunion With Mr Crook’s Men.— Final Departure From the River.

CHAPTER XXXVII -- Departure From Snake River—Mountains to the North.—Wayworn Travellers—An Increase of the Dorion Family.—A Camp of Shoshonies.—A New-Year Festival Among the Snakes.—A Wintry March Through the Mountains.—A Sunny Prospect, and Milder Climate.—Indian Horse-Tracks.—Grassy Valleys.—A Camp of Sciatogas.—Joy of the Travellers.-Dangers of Abundance.— Habits of the Sciatogas.—Fate of Carriere.—The Umatilla.— Arrival at the Banks of the Columbia.—Tidings of the Scattered Members of the Expedition.—Scenery on the Columbia.—Tidings of Astoria-Arrival at the Falls.

CHAPTER XXXVIII. -- The Village of Wish-ram.—Roguery of the Inhabitants.—Their Habitations.—Tidings of Astoria.—Of the Tonquin Massacre. —Thieves About the Camp.—A Band of Braggarts—Embarkation.— Arrival at Astoria.—A Joyful Reception.—Old Comrade.— Adventures of Reed, M’Lellan, and M’Kenzie Among the Snake River Mountains.—Rejoicing at Astoria.

CHAPTER XXXIX. -- Scanty Fare During the Winter.—A Poor Hunting Ground.—The Return of the Fishing Season.—The Uthlecan or Smelt.—Its Qualities.—Vast Shoals of it.—Sturgeon.—Indian Modes of Taking It.—The Salmon—Different Species.—Nature of the Country About the Coast.—Forests and Forest Trees.—A Remarkable