Early Western Travels, 1748-1846: A Series of Annotated Reprints of Some of the Best and Rarest Contemporary Volumes of Travel, Descriptive of the Aborigines and Social and Economic Conditions in the Middle and Far West, During the Period of Early American Settlement, Volume 5Reuben Gold Thwaites A. H. Clark Company, 1904 - Mississippi River Valley |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
abundance accompanied acres afterwards Alleghanies American amongst animals appearance Aricaras Arkansas arrived ashore Astoria Astorian expedition bank betwixt bluffs boat Brackenridge BRADBURY buffalo called camp canoe chief Colter considerable corn cotton creek Crooks distance Dorion early emigrants employed encamped expedition feet fifty fire five Fort Osage four French Fur Company herds hills horses hundred miles Hunt hunters Indians informed island journey killed land Lewis and Clark Lisa lodge Louis M'Clellan Mahas Mandan Manuel Lisa Mississippi Missouri Fur Missouri Fur Company Missouri Territory morning mouth nation night North West Company o'clock observed Ohio Osage Osage language Pacific Fur Company party passed plants prairie proceeded procure quantity region river rock salt settlers side Sioux skins soon species square miles squaw Territory thousand tion ton-ga town trade travelled trees tribe United Upper Louisiana village warriors whilst wood yards
Popular passages
Page 49 - They were frequently on the raft during the day, and were seen through the chinks by Colter, who was congratulating himself on his escape, until the idea arose, that they might set the raft on fire. In horrible suspense he remained until night, when hearing no more of the Indians, he dived from under the raft, and - v.
Page 47 - Indian, and shot him dead on the spot. This conduct, situated as he was, may appear to have been an act of madness; but it was doubtless the effect of sudden, but sound reasoning; for if taken alive, he must have expected to be tortured to death, according to their custom.
Page 47 - They now seized Colter, stripped him entirely naked, and began to consult on the manner in which he should be put to death. They were at first inclined to set him up as a mark to shoot at, but the chief interfered, and seizing him by the shoulder, asked him if he could run fast. Colter, who had been some time amongst the...
Page 105 - These are the vilest miscreants of the savage race, and must ever remain the pirates of the Missouri, until such measures are pursued, by our government, as will make them feel a dependence on its will for their supply of merchandise.
Page 224 - Do not grieve — misfortunes will happen to the wisest and best men. Death will come, and always comes out of season; it is the command of the Great Spirit, and all nations and people must obey. What is past and cannot be prevented should not be grieved for.
Page 47 - Colter, who is a remarkably strong man, immediately retook it, and handed it to Potts, who remained in the canoe, and on receiving it pushed off into the river. He had scarcely quitted the shore when an arrow was shot at him, and he cried out, "Colter, I am wounded.
Page 49 - Although happy in having escaped from the Indians, his situation was still dreadful: he was completely naked under a burning sun: the soles of his feet were entirely filled with the thorns of the prickly pear; he was hungry, and had no means of killing game, although he saw abundance around him, and was at least seven days journey from Lisa's Fort, on the Bighorn branch of the Roche Jaune river.
Page 48 - He had now arrived within a mile of the river, when he distinctly heard the appalling sound of footsteps behind him, and every instant expected to feel the spear of his pursuer. Again he turned his head, and saw the savage not twenty yards from him. Determined if possible to avoid the expected blow, he suddenly stopped, turned round, and spread out his arms. The Indian, surprised by the suddenness of the action, and perhaps at the bloody appearance of Colter, also attempted to stop; but exhausted...
Page 48 - Indian, who carried a spear, was much before all the rest, and not more than a hundred yards from him. A faint gleam of hope now cheered the heart of Colter: he derived confidence from the belief that escape was within the bounds of possibility; but that confidence was nearly being fatal to him, for he exerted himself to such a degree, that the blood gushed from his nostrils, and soon almost covered the fore part of his body.