ter flow or Japanese
Current of the Pacific Ocean; and they themselves aided civilization by
building the massive Bent's Fort of the Plains, on the Arkansas River
in south-eastern Colorado--for many years the only trading-post and
supply depot that could be depended upon, in all the Southwest.

There had been a few traders killed, almost every year, by the Indians;
but in 1828 matters grew so bad that the St. Louis merchants asked help
from the Government. This year 1828 not only were several traders
killed; a party of Comanches who knew nothing of the killings were
invited into camp and were shot, except one, out of revenge. The one
escaped, to tell his friends. Of course, after this nothing but war
could be expected from the southwest Indians, who would be only too
glad of an excuse to capture the white man's goods and teams.

William Bent, and perhaps George, already were looking up a site for
the fort. They had been attacked, and almost wiped out in a fierce
battle. Charles Bent, who was older than they, had made the round trip
to Santa Fe. In the spring of 1829 he started again.

The caravan numbered thirty-five wagons and seventy men. He was
captain in charge. Under him there were Traders Samuel C. Lamme,
William Waldo, and other wagon owners, determined upon making the trip
as usual. It would never do to let the Indians close the trail.

Besides, President Andrew Jackson, "Old Rough and Ready," the hero of
the battle of New Orleans in 1815, had directed that a soldier escort
be furnished as far as the Arkansas River. The Arkansas was the
boundary line agreed upon between the United States and Mexico. It was
about half way. The Mexican government promised to meet the caravans
there, with other soldiers, and escort them the rest of the way, and
bring them back to the United States frontier.

That was the arrangement.

Fort Leavenworth, up the Missouri, had been located two years before.
Troops were ordered from there, to join the caravan. They were four
companies of the Sixth United States Infantry commanded by Captain
(brevet Major) Bennet Riley, after whom Fort Riley of Kansas is named.
Major Riley had fought as a young officer in the War of 1812. He had
just gained his brevet of major for having served as captain for ten
years. Promotion was very slow.

The caravan owners and its hunters and adventurers were glad to see the
sturdy infantry. Infantry is poor stuff with which to catch Indian