260
THE SUB-INDIAN AGENT'S COMPANY.
quantity of furs, and accompanied through the hostile country by the latter. As Bridger no longer required his services, Fitzpatrick was induced by White, who claims to have acted with authority, to guide the com- pany to Fort Hall at the expense of the government. 11
The new guide soon had an opportunity to show his skill in dealing with the natives; for while at Independence Rock, where some of the party were am- bitious to inscribe their names, Hastings and Love- joy, who had fallen behind, were cut off by a party of Sioux, and narrowly escaped to camp after several hours of detention, the savages following, and being- met by Fitzpatrick, who succeeded in arranging mat- ters. 12
The Sweetwater was reached on the 13th of July, and here one of the company, a young man named Bailey, was accidently shot by another of the party. At this place all remained . for several days to hunt buffalo and to dry the meat. The Sioux, who infested the country in considerable numbers, caused the hunt- ers great annoyance, frequently robbing them of both horses and game, though they were kept at a safe distance from the camp. The last that was seen of them was on a tributary of the Sweetwater, where the principal chiefs were invited to camp and con- ciliated with presents.
As soon as they were clear of the enemy, "White and a dozen others who were well mounted pushed on before, taking Fitzpatrick with them. This left Has- tings in charge of the heavier portion of the train, without a guide, and accordingly caused much dissat-
11 Hastings says that White had no authority to employ a guide at the expense of the government. Or. and CaL, 9. Lovejoy, who was Hastings lieutenant, says the same. Founding of Portland, MS., 7. White undoubtedly had verbal assurances that the necessary expenses of his expedition would be paid, see Letter of J. C. Spencer, in Whites Ten Years in Or., 322-5, and was encouraged to expect the protection of Fremont's exploring expedi- tion, which did not, however, leave the frontier until the 10th of June, nor arrive at Laramie until the 15th of July, when White's party had been a Meek gone.
12 Lovejoy 's Portland, MS., 9-18; Hastings Or. and CaL, 11-17; Whites Ten Years, 155-7,