for the shivering, hungry travellers, whom he led into camp one mile
west of the memorable Big Blue. Despite stiff joints and severe colds,
all were anxious to resume travel at the usual hour next day, June the
first.




CHAPTER III

IN THE HAUNTS OF THE PAWNEES--LETTERS OF MRS. GEORGE DONNER--HALT AT
FORT BERNARD--SIOUX INDIANS AT FORT LARAMIE.


We were now near the haunts of the Pawnee Indians, reported to be
"vicious savages and daring thieves." Before us also stretched the
summer range of the antelope, deer, elk, and buffalo. The effort to
keep out of the way of the Pawnees, and the desire to catch sight of
the big game, urged us on at a good rate of speed, but not fast enough
to keep our belligerents on good behavior. Before night they had not
only renewed their former troubles, but come to blows, and insulted our
Captain, who had tried to separate them. How the company was relieved
of them is thus told in Mr. Bryant's Journal:

June 2, 1846, the two individuals at variance about their oxen and
wagon were emigrants to Oregon, and some eighteen or twenty wagons
now travelling with us were bound to the same place.

It was proposed in order to relieve ourselves from consequences of
dispute in which we had no interest, that all Oregon emigrants