Volume 1

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FEAR AN EXCELLENT OVERSEER. 95
long, and carry them to the spot where I proposed
erecting the fort. Maymiutch, Liard, and Aceguemanche
arrived and camped
;
they had killed 12 bears. Crow, who
had gone hunting, returned, having killed two bears. I
shot a wolf that was passing on the opposite side of the
river, and killed him dead. My double-barreled gun is
an excellent piece. Buffaloes come down to drink, both
day and night, near our camp ; we seldom molest them,
but allow them to return in quiet. The Indians this evening
loaded our stage with bears' fat and choice meat. This
would have been a glorious time for my men, had not dread
of the Sioux deprived them of their appetite and made
them only anxious to finish the fort.
Sept. I2th. The Indians left early to hunt and make discoveries
above. My men were hard at work cutting and
carrying the stockades. It required the full strength of
two men to carry one log at a time on their shoulders, and
though the distance was only about 200 paces, this was
laborious, and soon took the skin off. Fear was an excellent
overseer, and the work went on with expedition. At
twelve o'clock the rest of the Indian families arrived, and
soon after the hunters returned, having been up about
four leagues to Salt river,' where they saw no sign of an
enemy ; they had killed four bears. I supposed they might
now drink in safety, and therefore began to trade rum
;
they were all soon drunk, men, women, and even some
of the children. I settled with Little Crane to hunt for
me. I promised that if he would behave well, and kill as
many animals as I might require for the season, I would
' Salt or Big Salt r. is a stream quite like Park r., on the same side of Red r.,
and next above or S. of Park r., with which its course is approx. parallel ;
but it is smaller. It rises in the same continuation of the Pembina mts.,
and runs chiefly in Walsh Co. ; but some of the courses of the Middle and
South fork run a little in Nelson Co., while most of the South fork, and much
of the main stream below the junctions of all the forks, are in Grand Fork
Co.; the mouth is in Walsh Co., only some 8 m. above the mouth of Park r.
and about 3 m. above the town of Acton. Big Salt r. must be distinguished
from several lesser ones of like name and similar alkaline character.