GRAND TETON NATURE NOTES

TRAILMAKERS Part LV.
ROBERT STUART- THE RETURN FROM ASTORIA

by Walcott Watson
former Temporary Ranger

A new record was established in 1812-13 by Robert Stuart and his small party of men in making the cross-continental journey from Astoria on the mouth of the Columbia to St. Louis. The preceding year the overland expedition of the Astorians had made the westward crossing in 340 days, and on the return Stuart reduced this time to 306 days.

The hardships and dangers and obstacles to travel at this early day when no marked trails, highways, no villages except transitory Indian camps existed to give directions, are better emphasized in our minds when we reflect that by automobile, traveling this same route, the journey may be comfortably made in five or six days, and that less than a day now separates these points by airplane.

Stuart's purpose in making the hazardous trip was to carry back to John Jacob Astor despatches and reports from Astoria. Astor's sea expedition had arrived at Astoria on March 22, 1911 after a voyage around the "horn" lasting 195 days, and the overland expedition had joined them in February, 1812. But in the meantime had occurred the Indian attack on the Tonquin, the ship which had brought the sea expedition to the mouth of the Columbia. The ship itself had been destroyed by the last survivor of the crew when in desperation and to revenge himself on the Indians who had captured the ship, he set fire to the powder magazine.

An earlier attempt to send despatches had been thwarted by bands of marauding Indians that frequented the Columbia River, and only the aggressiveness of Stuart's party carried them past the Indians and to the Snake River region. Originally the party consisted of Stuart, Ben Jones, McLellan, John Day, Ramsey Crooks, Andri Vallor and Frances LeClerc. Day soon developed a mental derangement, and was sent back to Astoria in the care of friendly Indians. On the Snake River the party met John Hoback, Miller, Rezner, and Robinson who had been left near Ft. Henry the previous year to trap beaver. These men were in desperation after having lost their furs and equipment to the Indians, but upon being supplied with new traps and guns, all but Miller, who replaced Day on the return journey, remained to try their skill against the forces of nature and the Indians another season.

The return party became lost for a time near the Idaho-Wyoming boundary, and just before the Tetons came into view, McLellan, a very self-willed man, abandoned the group to push forward by himself. He probably passed through Jackson Hole about October 3, 1912. The rest of the party, delayed by the illness of Crooks, nearly exhausted from a month of aimless wandering without any forward progress, and nearly half-starved as a result of their inability to kill game that for some reason was unusually scarce, probably did not reach Jackson Hole until about October 7. The six men did not linger in Jackson Hole, but pushed onward up the Hoback, and on October 13 overtook McLellan who by this time was nearly starved and completely exhausted. The plight of the party had become so desperate that one of the men suggested that "one should die to save the rest". He desisted from this idea only when Stuart threatened to shoot him on the spot if he continued to insist on that procedure. The next day brought relief to the party, however. An "old, run-down buffalo bull" was sighted, and, after considerable effort and anxiety on the part of the men, was killed.

The path of the Astorians then led from the head of the Hoback River, down Lead Creek to the Green or Spanish River. This stream was followed for some distance, then the party diverged toward the southeast crossing several tributaries of the Green flowing from the Wind River Mountains. The continental divide was crossed near South Pass which was later to become the gateway to the West over the Oregon Trail, Mormon Trail, California Trail, the Overland Stage Route, and the original Pony Express Routes. It is not definitely known whether or not the historic pass was actually used by the Stuart party, and most historians claim the discovery of the pass for later explorers.

The Sweetwater River, flowing southeatward from the mountains, formed the natural route to the Platt and Missouri Rivers, but Stuart, thinking that this stream must flow southward, crossed it and entered the difficult and desolate area east of the Wind River Mountains. In passing to the south of the Rattlesnake Mountains, the party again encountered the Sweetwater River, and followed this stream through Devil's Gate, past Independence Rock, and to the North Platt River.

It was by this time late October, and the group prepared to spend the winter in a wooded area along the stream. A cabin was built in the bottomland, and a good supply of game was killed for winter use. But Arapahoe Indians soon discovered the location of the cabin, and the begging and stealing activities of these Indians soon depleted the stores. The comfortable cabin, "the first building within the limits of the present state of Wyoming"*, now no longer considered safe, was abandoned, and the party pushed on down the Platt and established a second winter camp near what is now Wellsville, Nebraska, a few miles downstream from the later location of Ft. Laramie, Wyoming.

During the winter canoes were built, and with the coming of Spring, the journey was resumed by boat. "In perfect health and in fine spirits" the group arrived at its destination on April 30, 1813.

* Chittenden, The American Fur Trade
Other quotations from Washington Irving, Astoria.

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