Part 6

the Horses out as ushal and about ten oclock two of the men Came Running In to Camp and Stated the Indeans Ware Cetching all the Horses—Which to us Was very unwelken nuse as part of the men Ware out So that We Cold not Spair men anof to fight them on the Pirarie—but In a few minets the Horses took the alarm and broak from the Indeans and Came Runing to Camp—and Was followed by the Indeans. but Heare the Horses did not stop but took to the Pirarie and the Indeans gave up the Chais—and Came to us as frends—the Ware the Same party of Crows that Ware With us a few days back and that Head Stolen So many things from us When the Ware going a Way I Emedetly Sent Some men after the Horses and Head them Shet up In the Pen—In the main time treeted the Indeans frendly give them Some tobaco to smoke and boiled meat to Eat but Put all the men to Wach as We new them to be theves It appeer the Have been In pursute of the Arrapoho but Have not bee able to tak Horses as the are all Returning on foot—and Will take our Horses if the Can their Hole party is now Collected and the are twenty Seven In nomber that [is] three less than When the left us—the Say the Had a fight With the Arrapoho and killed five and I Sopose the lost the three mising—but now our men are all Collected and the Horses fasned up in the Peen We think our Selves a full match for this party—the then offered me Some Roaps in Exchaing for tobaco Which I gave them as We Wanted Some Roaps the Chief then asken me for Some Powder Balls Paint and virdegrees—I gave Him a ltle of Each think Ing that if I gave Him What He asken for the Wold not Steel—but in that I was mistaken for When the begun to move of the began to Steel but two kittles being mised the Cheef maid Serch and found [one] the other He Cold not find—and Said the fellow that took it Had gon off—the now appeer to be all Readey to Start—and about ten of the go to the Hors Peen and Exmen it and I beleve the Intend takeing all the Horses—I ordeared all the men to Stand Readey With His [gun] In His Hand but not to use it till I Shot first—my Intention Was to avoid a fight If poseble—but not to let them take our Horses—but after looking Some time Round the Peen—the Cheef Spoke and Said you aught not to Stay Heare the Indeans Will take your Horses—go to mountains out of this Ware Road—I am the White mans frend and do not Want the Indeans to take your Horses—He then Shook Hands to go off—and one of His Cheefs Stole a bridle and put it in His bosem—Which I seen I Pulled oppen His Roab and took the Bridle from Him the then moved off about fifty yds and all stoped and appeered to prepair for Battle With their Backs towards us—We Ware Ready for battle but intend[ed] to let them brake the peece first but the Cheef looking Round to us and Pointing to the Pirarie Called out tabebo[78] Which We understood to be White men—and Heare a new difecuelty presents its self—these Indeans are at War With the Spanierds and if that Shold be Conl glann With His party the Indeans Will Sopose them Spanierds and atack them—but to Prevent that two of our men Run threw the Indeans and Joined the men and Came With them up to Camp and the Indeans Receved them as frends it proved to be Peno and Some Spanierds Sent by Conl glann to Conduct us to the Spanish Settlement Wheare the govenor and People Head Recd Him on the most frendly terms and thus our feer from that quarter Ware all Removed along With Peno there Was a french Indean or Half Breed that Spoke the Cro language We now Held a Counsel as our talk Heare to fore Was mostly by Signs. Heare our terms of frendship Was Renued the Cheef Stateing that He Hated that His nation Shold be Called theves that He Wold as much as poseble Hender them from Steeling that He Had Cursed them for Steeling but Cold not find the Kittle—Still telling us to go to the mountains and out of the War Path that He Had Hard Work to keep His People from Steeling our Horses—at the Eand of the talk I gave them Some Powder and tobaco—the Shok Hand and moved off—the Weather Became Cloudey and about dark Began to Snow a little

tusday 29th Jany 1822

Sent the Horses out Early the Hands to Packing up the goods So as to Set out in the morning for the Spanish Settlement agreable to advice from Conl glann We now under Stand that the mackeson [Mexican] provence Has de Clared Independance of the mother Cuntry and is desirous of a traid With the people of the united States Conl glann also advises me that He Has obtained premition to Hunt to trap and traid In the Spanish provences—

Wensday 30th Jany 1822

We moved about ten oclock and Steered a little South of the 3rd mountain over a level plain about ten miles to a Crick a bout 30 feet Wide and Runs north East and Heads in the mountains the Bottoms in this Crick is from three to four Hunderd yards Wide and Well Covered With Cotten Wood and Boxelder the Bluffs about one Hunderd feet High frunted With [stone] of a grayis Coller and to appeerence Weell adapted for Building—the Hunters killed two Buffelow Bulls—

Sᵒ 25 West 10 miles[79]

Wensday [Thursday] 31st Jany 1822

Set out about 10 oclock and at about two miles [s]truck the Spanish Road on our left Hand—which leads to touse [Taos, N. M.] Which We followed and at five miles fell on a branch of the Crick on Which We lay last night—the meet about one mile below our Camp—We kept up this Crick and out at the Head of it and over a low Ridge to another Branch of the Same Crick Which Puts in below the forkes of the other—We Went up this Crick about one mile and Camped near the Mountain makeing about 10 miles in all and a little West of South—the Hunters killed three deer and four Buffelow one of Which Was two Poor for use and two left out all night the Hunters being alone and not able to bring in the meet and it Was lost—deer is plenty Heare but Wild We Will Stay Heare to morrow for the Purpose of killing meet to load the Spare Horses—

Sᵒ 25 West 10 miles[80]

thorsday [Friday] 1st Feby 1822

Hunters out Early—killed one Cow Buffelow With In four Hunderd yards of Camp—but So Poor the meat Was not Worth Saveing—three Bulls killed this day and three Hors loads of meat Braught to Camp—two deer braught into Camp—it is now Sunddown and three Hunters out yet—this morning Was Clouday and the Snow fell about 2 Inches deep—about 10 oclock at night the Hunters Came In Haveing killed three Buffelow and loaded their Horses to Camp one of them Slover—got His feet a lletle frost Bitten—Conclude to Hunt to morrow as our Horses Can Carry more meet

Friday [Saturday] 2nd Feby 1822

up Early to Start the Hunters out—but I now discover the men are all feerfull of meeting With the Indeans as We are near the War Road and Have maid So much Sign In the Snow that the Will track us up and Steel our Horses Whill We are So much Scattered as not to be able to defend our Selves—and to be left Heare Without Horses—at So great a distance from Home—there is no knolede of What destress We might Come to—

I then Con Cluded to load up and move on the Road Which We did and on loading up the Horses We find seven Hors loads of meet We moved on about six miles along the futt of the mountains to [a] Crick[81] Wheare We Camped for Wood and Watter—the Hunters killed two Bulls this day but two Poor for use—the Snow is Heare about three Inches deep on the leavel Pirarie but on the north Side of the Hills the old Snow is more than one futt deep and up the mountains it is Still deeper—

Sᵒ 25 West 6 miles

Satterday [Sunday] 3rd Feby 1822

Set out Early about South along the foot of the mountains for about ten miles to a Crick[82] [and] about five miles [further] to Whar there the Remains of a Spanish fort to apperence ocepied about one year back—Hear We Camped[83] for the night Which Was Cold and Windey—So that the two men kept out as gard With the Horses—Was like to frees—as We Have kept two men garding the Horses all night Ever Since We left our House on the River and Intend keeping them up till We Rech the Spanish Settlement We this day maid fifteen miles—

Sunday [Monday] 4th Feby 1822

the Wind High and Very Cold We set out Early up the valley[84] a little West of South for about two miles thence up the Point of a mountain and along a Ridge leave High Peeks on both Sides till We took up a High Hill and threw a Pine groave Whar the Snow is three feet deep—and at about five miles from Camp We Came to the top or Backbon of the mountain Which devides the Watters of the arkensaw from the Delnort Heare the Wind Was So Cold We Scarce dare look Round—

South 5 miles to the top of the mountain[85]

We then Steered more West down the mountain to a branch[86] of the delnort—and down that about South for nearly ten miles to Wheare the mountains are much lower Whear [we] Capted [camped] for the [night] We Hear find no timber but Piny and Roal Some old logs off the mountain for fier Wood—Dick Walters is mising and on Inquirey He Had lost His Blanke[t]s Comeing down the mountain and tyed His Hors to a tree and gon back to find them and that His Hors broke loos and overtook the Reer party at about four miles from Whare He tied Him the Hors Was Hear Caut and tied again it is now Sundown and no Word of Dick We are afraid He is frosen We maid fifteen miles this day—Walters got to Camp Some time In the night

Sᵒ 45 West 10 miles[87]

Monday [Tuesday] 5th Feby 1822

Set out Early down the Crick nearly South at five miles [leaving] the Crick on our Right Hand Came to Crick[88] Runing West With Some Cottenwood and Willows We Crossed this Crick Into an oppen plain[89] of great Exstent We Have now left the mountains behind us and on our left Hand tho there are Some to be Seen at a great distance on our Right and In frunt—our Cors is now South and Crossing a Small Crick at three miles and at twelve miles farther Camped on a Crick[90] 40 feet Wide full of Running Watter Some Cotten Wood trees and Willows We this day maid twenty one miles—South 21 miles

tusday [Wednesday] 6th Feby 1822

Set out the Sun about one Hour High nearly South along the mountains leave them on our left and pasing Some Small mounds[91] on the Right Which Stand alone in the Pirarie at fifteen miles Crosed a Small Crick[92] Runing West from the mountains a Cross the plain and In the Evening Crossed two more Small Streems Runing as before and at night Camped on a Small Crick at the lower Eand of this large [San Luis] vally Heare the mountain Puts a Cross the Plain to the River Delnort about 6 miles to our Right as We Have been going down that River at about the above distance Ever Since We Came in to this plain—on this Crick there Is a Small Spanish vilege but abandoned by the Inhabetance for feer of the Indeans now at War With them We this day troted the Horses more than Half the time and maid thirty miles nor did We Stop till In the night

South 30 miles—

Wensday [Thursday] 7th Feby 1822

We Set [out] at an Early Hour Crossing a Crick[93] Well adapted for mills of Ither the Saw or the grinding and plenty of tall Pitch Pine—We Heare proceded up the Side of a High mountain and Continueing alonge the Side of it the River Runing Close under the futt of it So that the Was no other Way to pass—We Continued over Ruff grounds and deet guters for nine miles to a Small vilege[94] on a Crick[94]—Heare We Capped [camped] in the vileg for the night—and our gides left us as Well as the Intarpreter after Shewing us Into a Hous as He Said of Honest People—and telling on ordors that I Had no money but wold pay in Such artickels as We Had the land lord Was verry Kind I obtained Some taffe[95] for the men as the Have not tasted any Sperits Since We left the virdegree He put all our goods in a dark Room and locked them up—and We lodged in an outer Room—the Inturpreter and guide promised us to Return to us Early—Sᵒ 30 West 9 miles

thorsday [Friday] 8th Feby 1822

We Had the Horses up Early and With Some defequeelty got out the Saddles and Bridles—and then atempted to Settle the Bill but the Spanierd Ither Cold not or Wold not under Stand me I Soposed the amt about Six dollers—and layed ten Dollers Worth of Knives and tobaco—Which He took up and put a Way I demanded the goods but to no purpose He Wold not let me Have them Still Saying that Battees[96] told Him not to let the goods go till He Came now this Battees Was one of the men Imployed Heare and Sent by Conl glann to asist us over the mountain—and I began to ConClude that Some vilenus Skeem Was at Worke betwen Him and the landlord as He did not Return as He promised—but after about three Hours disputeing and Indevering to get the goods I Seen that nothing but force Wold do I Steped to my gun and So did Robert Fowler I told the men to do the Same—and [when] I Seen all Readey I Spoke loud Saying I Wold Have the goods and Shoing much anger—the Spanierd got in a better umer and gave up the goods—So We loaded and moved on Crossing a Crick Which Run West threw the villege Steered a little South of East about twelve miles over a High Butifull plain to the villege of St Flander[97]—In the nibor Hood of touse.[98] about two miles from the villege We meet With Conl glann at the Crossing of a Crick[99] Which [ran] West—on our a Rivel at the villege We mised one of the Hors loads of meet and on Inquiery it was found that one of the Spanierds Head taken it of to His own Hous at about three miles distance So We lost it there being no moad of Recovering it—He was one of the men Sent out to asist us over the mountains and that morning With out being notised put the load on His own Hors—and falling behind maid His Eskape With the meet—We Heare found the people extremly poor. and Bread Stuff Coud not be Head amongest them as the Said the grass hopers Head Eat up all their grain for the last two years and that the Head to Pack all their grain about one Hunderd miles—for their own use—We found them Eaqually Scarce of meet and Ware offered one quarter of a doller a bound for the meet We Braght in With us—but this We Cold not spair and Haveing nothing Els to eat it Will not last us long—and no Bread Stuff to be got Heare We must Soon leave this Reeched place—and now in the dead of Winter and the Waters frosen tite Exsept the River Delnort Which is Said to be oppen to Which We Intend to go as Soon as poseble to Cetch Bever to live on as there is no other game In this part of the Cuntry—

Satterday 9th Feby 1822

Remained In the villedge all day and In the Evening there Was a Colletion [of the] men and Ladys of the Spanyerds Had a fandango in our House Wheare the appeered to InJoy them Selves With the Prest at their [head]—to a great degree—

Sunday 10th Feby 1822

Remained In the villege all day But Sent out two parteys of trapes to Remain out till the first of may next—Hear it may be Remembered that a Capten and Sixty men of the Spanierds Came in from the arkensaw With Conl glann and little party—and now the Same Capten and party Has Crossed the mountaines again—but before He let [left] Home Has Interdused Conl glann and Mr. Roy to His family Consisting a Wife and two daughters both young Woman the old lady Haveing paid us a visid In the morning appered In a few minet quite formiler and as Well aquainted With us as If She Head knone us for several years tho She did not Stay more than about Half an Hour—But in the after noon a boy Came With a mesege for Conl glann mr Roy and the negro. Who after Some Ceremony acCompanyed the two gentlemen but With Some Reluctance aledgeing that He Was not Settesfyed to go With out His master aledgeing as the ladys appeerd more atached to Him than [to] the White men—that there might be Some mischeef Intended and uder those doupts He Went as I before Stated and from the Statement of those two gentlemen I Will Indevour to State What followed—it Is a Custom With the Spanierds When Interdused to Imbrace With a Close Huge—this Ceremoney So Imbareshed Pall and maid Him So Shaimed that I[if] a Small Hole Cold Have been found He Wold Sartainly Crept Into it. but unfortnetly there Was no Such place to be found. and the trap door threw Which the desended Into the Room being Shut down [for the Went In at the top of the House][100] there Was no Poseble Way for Him to make His Escape—now the Haveing but one Beed in the House and that So large as to be Cappeble of Holding the three Copple of poson—there Ware all to lodge to geather and the mother of the daughters being oldest Had of Corse the ferst Chois of Bows. and took pall for Hir Chap takeing Hold of Him and drawing Him to the beed Side Sot Him down With Hir arms Round His Sholders. and gave Him a Kis from[?] Sliped Hir Hand down Into His Britches—but it Wold take amuch abeler Hand than mine to discribe palls feelings at this time being naturly a little Relegous modest and Bashfull He Sot as near the wall as Was Poseble and it may be Soposed He Indevoured to Creep Into it for Such Was His atachment to the old lady that he kept His [eyes] turned Constently up to the trap door—and to His great Joy Some person oppened it to Come In to the Same Room—But Pall no Sooner Saw the light [for their Rooms are dark][101] than He Sprang from the old lady and Was out In an Instent—and maid to our lodgeing as fast as Poseble Wheare the other two Soon followed and told What Head Happened to Pall

monday 11th Feby 1822

Remained in the vilege all day nothin meterel took place.

tusday 12th Feby 1822

I Set out on a traping tower With Robert Fowler—Taylor Walters and Pall With Eight Horses We Went South West about ten miles to the bank of the River [Rio Grande]—Which Bank or Bluf Was So High We Cold see no Chance of getting down With the Horses for We looked some time before We Cold see the River the distance Was So great—and the River looked like a Small Spring Branch that a man might Easely Step over—and Head We not been told that the River Was In that gap We Cold not Have beleved the River Was there at all—We then Pased down a long the Bluff about two miles and found a path Way down the mountain—the Bluf or River Bank as you may Chose to Call it Which path We took but With great danger to our Horses and In about two Hours going down that mountain We got to the River Which is about one Hunderd yds Wide and is fordable With Horses—and now takeing a vew of the River I find it is at least one thousand feet below the leavel of Pirarie. and is bound With a bluf of Rocks on Each Side mostly Parpendickeler So that there Is but few plases that Ither man or Beast asend them—We are now at the mouth of the [Taos] Crick Which Pases threw touse Heare is two Houses With Each one family of Spanierds and it is not Poseble the Have more than Half an acer of ground to live on. and Shold a Rock Breake loos and Come down Wold destroy the Hole Settlement

Sᵒ 45 West 10 to the River

Wensday 13th Feby 1822

Robert Fowler and my Self Went down the River about Six miles on foot to look for Bever no Sign of any the River is So bound With Rocks that With much difequaty We maid our Way Heare We found a nother Small villege[102] With Eight or ten Houses and a foot Bridge a Cross the River over Which We Went and Heare We found a Path up the River Hills Which [were] full as High as Wheare We first Came to it But Heare the Rocks are So broken that a Papth Way is found up threw them after a long and tedeous Walk We a Rived at the top of the Hil and found our Selves on oppen leave[l] Pirarie of from forty to fifty miles Wide. We are now on the West Side of the River and Went up along the Bluf about two miles and Came to a dry Crick Which put into the River but the Rocks Ware So High on Each Side that We Walked up it about one Hour before We found any Poseble Chance of Crossing it after Which We pased over the leavel Pirarie opset our Camp[103] Wheare We found a path leading down threw the Rocks to the River and it appeers that there is no poseble Chance of going up or down these Clifts but at those paths—for as Soon as you Come to the top of these Clifts and look down you are so struck With Horror that you Will Retret In an Instant

thorsday 14th Feby 1822

Crosed the River Early and Wound up the mountain along a path maid By the Spanierds among the Rocks till We arived at the top in the oppen World and Steereing to the north leaveing the River on our Right Hand and Camped at night opesed the villege Wheare We Head the defequeelty Withe the land lord We this day maid about fourteen[104] miles—and found no Watter for our Horses Sent two Kittles down to the River for Watter Heare We find the mountain about the Same Hight as Wheare We Ca[m]ped last night With a path up threw the Rocks maid by the People of the villege on the East side—14 miles

Friday 15th Feby 1822

We Set out Early up the margin of the River about twelve miles to the point of a mountain Cut off by the River forming a parpendickelor Bluff of about fifteen Hunderd feet High—over this mountain We Head to Clime on the top of Which the Snow Was nee deep—tho there Was none on the Pirarie We Went four miles farther and Camped on the margen of the River Sent down two kittles for Watter and sot two bever traps—Heare the Rocks or Bluffs are a little Broken and not quite so High as Wheare We Stayed the two nights past—tho Heare they are about nine Hunderd feet High and So Steep—Exsept the Spot Wheare Sent down the kittles that a Squerel Cold not Climb them—our distance this day is Sixteen miles—16 miles

Satterday 16th Feby 1822

found one Bever in a trap this morning Sott the two traps again and moved up the River about Six miles and Ca[m]ped on the margen of the River the Rocks not So High as last night but So Steep that We Cold not git Watter from the River and melted Snow for that Purpose Which We found among Some Rocks We found some dry Ceders for fier Wood—6 miles

Sunday 17th Feby 1822

Very Cold Haveing Snowed a little In the fore part of the night Sent for the two Bever traps—the River Had frosen over them So that We Caught nothing—Seen two men on Hors Back at a great distance Soposed to be Indeans—the Road off as fast as their Horses Cold Carry them—We this day Seen Six Wild Horses tho two of them must Have been In Hands as their tails Ware Bobed Short—We find no game yet and our Stock of provetion Is nearly out—

monday 18th Feby 1822

We Sot out Early up the River and at about 12 miles Came to the upper Eand of the High Rocks[105] and going down a gradual decent three or four Hunderd yds Came to a low Bottom on the River the Bank being low not more than six or Eight [feet] High the River butifull and a bout one Hundred yds Wide—But all frosen up tite—We Heare got Watter for the Horses—it Is Heare proper to Remark that the River as far as We Have Seen it pasing down betwen the High Rocks or mountains—dose not move In a very gentle manner as It appeers much Impeded by the Rocks falling from Each Side. and is forsed forward dashing from one Rock over others In almost one Continued foam the Hole distance threw the mountains Which from What I Can larn is about seventy miles When it appeers below In an oppen Cuntry—I Have no doubt but the River from the Head of those Rocks up for about one Hundred miles Has once been a lake of about from forty to fifty miles Wide and about two Hunderd feet deep—and that the running and dashing of the Watter Has Woren a Way the Rocks So as to form the present Chanel—We this day Crosed a dry Branch. But Have not Seen one Streem of Watter In all the distance We Have Came up on the [west] Side We travled nor Cold our Horses get one drop of Watter in all that distance but the Eat Snow When the Cold get it—We Went up the River a bout Six miles further and Camped on the East Side in a Small grove of Cotten Wood trees the Ice In [is] now so Strong the Horses Can Cross at pleasure—We find nothing to kill Exsept two of the Big Horned Sheep [_Ovis montana_] one of Which Robert Fowler shot but Cold not git it—

We this day maid Eighteen miles our Corse about north all the Way up the River—North 54 miles[106]

tusday 19th Feby 1822