On this #TBT, we return to our series on the adventures of Wilson P. Hunt and the Astorians.

As John Jacob Astor’s agent in the fur trade, Hunt led an 1811 expedition of roughly 60 men to secure a fur trading post at the Columbia River’s mouth. These explorers, dubbed the Astorians, were the first large group of fur traders to strike a trail through the Powder River Basin and the Bighorn Mountains.

In our last post, Hunt described the group’s interactions with Crow Indians near present-day Buffalo. Washington Irving described his interpretation of the events of August 31st through September 1st, 1811:

 The following day [August 31st] had scarce dawned, when a troop of these wild mountain scamperers came galloping with whoops and yells into the camp, bringing an invitation from their chief for the white men to visit him. The tents were accordingly struck, the horses laden, and the party were soon on the march. The Crow horsemen, as they escorted them, appeared to take pride in showing off their equestrian skill and hardihood; careering at full speed on their half-savage steeds, and dashing among rocks and crags, and up and down the most rugged and dangerous places with perfect ease and unconcern…

A ride of sixteen miles brought them, in the afternoon, in sight of the Crow camp. It was composed of leathern tents, pitched in a meadow on the border of a small clear stream at the foot of the mountain. A great number of horses were grazing in the vicinity, many of them doubtless captured in marauding excursions…

The Crow chieftain came forth to meet his guests with great professions of friendship, and conducted them to his tents, pointing out, by the way, a convenient place where they might fix their camp. No sooner had they done so, than Mr. Hunt opened some of the packages and made the chief a present of a scarlet blanket and a quantity of powder and ball; he gave him also some knives, trinkets, and tobacco to be distributed among his warriors, with all which the grim potentate seemed, for the time, well pleased. As… their general feelings towards the whites were known to be by no means friendly, the intercourse with them was conducted with great circumspection.

 

Sources:

Hunt, Wilson P., and V.A. Malte-Brun. Nouvelles annales des voyages

Irving, Washington. Astoria, Or Anecdotes of an Enterprise Beyond the Rocky Mountains.