ed, well mounted.
Maxwell recognized the chief. This secured for them a friendly reception.
They were led into their village. It consisted of a hundred and
twenty-five lodges bordering a broad irregular street.

After a hospitable entertainment, they continued their journey and
encamped in a little grove of cottonwood, in a cold drizzling rain. The
next morning they caught their first glimpse of the Rocky mountains, about
sixty miles distant. That day they came across a camp of four or five
white men who were on a trapping expedition. They had all taken Indian
wives, and a large number "of little fat buffalo-fed boys were tumbling
about the camp, all apparently of the same age, about three or four years
old." Their camp was on a rich bottom, luxuriant with grass, and they had
many well fed horses and mules.

They reached St. Vrain's fort on the tenth, where they were hospitably
received by Mr. St. Vrain. They purchased several horses and mules, and
hired three additional men to accompany them across the country, one
hundred and twenty-five miles, to Fort Laramie. On the twelfth they
recommenced their journey, and reached the fort on the fifteenth. This
trading post was quite an imposing military construction, with large
bastions at the corners, its lofty walls being whitewashed and picketed. A
cluster of lodges of Sioux Indians was pitched almost under the shadow of
its wall. The party which Kit Carson had accompanied had arrived a few
days before, and was encamped near by.

Here Fremont received the alarming intelligence that there was great
excitement among the Indians beyond. They were all assuming a hostile
attitude. Several parties of whites had already been cut off and
massacred. Most of the men, at the Fort, remonstrated against his advance
till the country should be somewhat settled. Even Kit Carson, though
perfectly ready himself to proceed, declared his conviction that the
danger was imminent, and that some encounters with the Indians were
inevitable. He made his will, left it at the fort and was prepared to go.

Just before starting, the Sioux chiefs encamped at the fort almost forced
themselves into Lieutenant Fremont's presence and presented him the
following remonstrance written in good French:

"Mr. Fremont:

"The chiefs, having assembled in council, have just told me to warn you
not to set out before the party of young men, which is now out, shall have
returned. They tell me that they are sure they