Just recieved new book

[50cal.cliff]

I just recieved a copy of Rocky Moutain Rendezvous, A history of the Fur Trade Renezvous 1825-1840, by Fred R. Gowans.
I just scanned a few page but looks like really interesting reading. Can't wait to get into the book. Anyone else read this one?

 

[david50]

good book,you'll like it

 

[pab1]

Its been on my shelf for a while, but I have not got around to reading it yet.

 

[Mike Moore]

very good book, will give alot of information (but not too much to be boring)- on all the rendezvous, what happened a each, any special events at them....
well recommended!
mike.

 

[Rod Lassey]

A very good book, highly recommended. If you ever get a chance to hear Fred Gowans speak, don't miss it. He's my kind of speaker, no notes, just conversational. The first time I heard him was at a fur trade symposium in Pinedale, WY, after a number of informative, but somewhat "boring" lectures where the speakers read their thesis, Fred walks out and looks at the podium. Says something to the effect that he didn't much use one, walked around to the front of it, leaned back on the podium, and just started talking. The audience and myself were spellbound. One of my all-time favorite speakers, if you couldn't tell. I had the distict honor of introducing him at the Ft. Union fur trade symposium several years ago.

Rod

 

[50cal.cliff]

Was just getting into this book and run across a refrence to a request for resupply sent to Andrew Henry from William H Ashley in spring of 1822. The request was sent via Jedediah Smith, from Henry at the mouth of the Powder River to Asley in St. Louis.
The book states on page 12. "Upon recieving Henry's request, Ashley assembled the boats, however, were attacked by the Arikaras and Ashely lost 15 men and a large amount of cargo".
I was wondering about this refrence. I thought I knew about pretty much all the Indian tribes in the area. I have never heard of the Arikaras.
Can anyone she any light on this tribe! I have never run across this name before that I remember.
I did find a reference to the tribe, and the Lewis and Clark expediton. Thye seemed to be friendly with them. Makes you wonder what had changed by the time of the Ashley incident! Too many white men in their lands I guess. Anyone else care too comment on their take of this!

 

[Desert Ratxx]

50.cal, you may have come across them by other names. They were reffered to as "Rees" or "Rickas" as nicknames. I don't have info in front of me but I think they got ticked either because the traders after L&C weren't "paying" enough tribute to them or one of their chiefs died after leaving with L&C. Either way they became a major thorn in the Missouri river trade until they abandoned the river and went further to the plains. They kept popping up here and there after the Ashely battle.

 

[50cal.cliff]

I have heard of them under thosde other names. I read some other info today and Pox nearly wiped them out. That may have been why they had a attitude after L&C!
Any way this book ahs been real goo reading.
I read another refrence today that kind of surprised me. It was a refrence was by Joe Meek and the1831 Rendezvous. The trappers were camped and Fitzpatrick had nto arrived so they sent out a party to look for them.
The passage is as follows. The camp was without blankets and without ammuniton;knives were not to be had; traps were scarce;............!
What the heck did they do with all this stuff. I could understand some of it but no knives. :shake:

 

[Mike Moore]

What lead up to the battle with Ashley's men was a series of encounters with the Missouri Fur Compamy. First, the company bypassed them and had a trading post upriver from them and cut the tribe out of the position as a middle man in trading and having control of all goods going up river to the other tribes and bands. Second, they had a Sioux woman slave escape and head toward a MFC post. When the Woman and her captors
came within sight of the fort, the MFC men came out firing and killed at least one of the Arikara.
The group took out their anger on the next group of whites that came along and that was the Ashley band. This was a commone effect and killed many whites who had no connection with what called the problem. Old Bill Williams is another example of this revenge killing on non involved people.
The tribe was usually described as greedy, would take tolls of everyone that went up river and their two villages located on The Missouri River had a good place to stop all water traffic. The Ashley battle was one major reason why the later supply trains and people went to a more across the plains approach to getting west.
mike.

 

[50cal.cliff]

Hey thanks for the info. :thumbsup: I have been doing some more research since reading this and had come to a similar conclusion based on some excerts from a journal entry. I didn't know the whole story at the fort but, knew that a memeber of the tribe had been killed there.

 

[50cal.cliff]

The more I read of this book the more interesting it gets. Talk about about a bunch of cutthroat players. The big shots behind the various fur Companies were constantly wheeling and dealing!
The huge amount of monies lent and repayed in these deals were unreal. Especially when you stop and think of the times. The profits made on the goods sold at Rendezvous was also unreal, sometimes 300%! There was a good risk to those fronting out the cash for this Rendezvous. They never knew an Indian attack might mean a great loss.
It looks like alot of the cost of supplies at Rendezvous depended on who you were and who you were trading with too!
I wonder if any of the free trappers ever carried there furs back to St.Louis to sale on there own? Although they seemed to get alot better prices than paid the Company trappers at Rendezvous according to the journal enteries!
Really informative reading! Opens up an ew insight into this time in history!