by Terry Grosz
Ben began his lessons again, teaching Jacob and Martin about what to expect at rendezvous, ticking off items on his fingers as he spoke: “With rendezvous comes a whole lot of hell-raising, trading, shooting, wrestling, foot racing, eating, drinking and visiting. Rendezvous also lets us see who lost their hair, and who didn’t. If you listen to the loose tongues and boasting conversations, you might discover the location of some new trapping grounds. This will also be our only chance to hear the latest news of the civilized world, even though that news is going to be months old. Some of our more vulgar comrades will whore around and trade squaws as if they were merely livestock. But most importantly, pay attention to any discussions about where next year’s rendezvous is going to be located.”
No matter how hard the trappers looked, there was no evidence in sight of the supply train in the valley. As the men cast far and wide, they ran across other trappers and friendly Indians looking for that year’s rendezvous site and supply train as well. Word had been let out at the last rendezvous that Cache Valley was the site for the next one and everyone was now responding. That is, those who were still left alive to do so. Soon tepees and lean-tos dotted the valley along the many waterways in anticipation of being supplied.
Come the first of July however, no supply trains were on hand in the valley to begin the trading.
* * *
One day, Glass and Oliver rode into camp late one evening, just a yellin’ and a hellin’. “They’re here, they are here!” yelled Glass.
The two camps came alive as everyone quickly gathered around the men for the news.
“I saw the pack strings and wagons gathered along a creek just south and west of here. There must be eighty mules loaded from stem to stem. They also brought five wagons heavily loaded, by the looks of the wheels sinking into the dirt. Henry Fraeb is leading the pack and says he will be ready tomorrow to trade so bring your plews, an empty gut and your drinking cups.” Glass gushed out the words with a twinkle of anticipation in his eyes.
The rest of that evening was spent wolfing down great slabs of a freshly killed elk and making ready for the magic of the morrow that the rendezvous would bring.
* * *
Daylight found Jacob, Ben, Martin and Singing Bird packed and on the move. Jim Bridger and party, having less gear to assemble, had left earlier. By noon the rendezvous grounds were in sight. Approximately one hundred gleaming-white Indian tepees dotted the green meadows near a small creek. Pack strings of trappers and their pelts streamed into the area from all points of the compass, making the meadow come alive with the noises made by happy humanity.
Getting closer, Jacob’s team could see the company’s wagons in a rough semi-circle with buffalo robes scattered around on the ground and draped over quickly made wooden tables. That year’s trade items and necessaries were laid out in gay profusion on the robes.
There were brass pots, frying pans, Dutch ovens, trade muskets and a few of the new Hawkens—which really hadn’t yet hit their stride in the backcountry. On another side of the trade circle were coffee mills, bags of gaily colored trade beads, flintlock rifles, fowling pieces, Hudson’s Bay Company two-and-a-half and three-point blankets. Near where the blacksmiths assembled, there were bridles, brass wire, fourth proof rum, spurs, horseshoes and shoe nails. Loaded on the hastily assembled tables were tin pans, ribbons, shot for fowling pieces, scarlet cloth, looking glasses, flints, copper kettles and stacked bars of washing soap. Closer to the fur-grading stations, laid out on more buffalo robes, were steel bracelets, iron rings, gunpowder, pigs of lead, spare rifle parts, the newest pistols and everything else in between. Off to one side of the main trading area stood small mountains of coffee beans in cloth bags, bags of salt, hard brown cones of sugar, flour, cornmeal, dried fruit, raisins, hard candy and other items vital to a quality of life in the wilderness.
The word was that Henry Fraeb was the man in charge of the merchant company’s trades. And apparently, he had a convoluted excuse for being so late to rendezvous.
Thomas Fitzpatrick, it seems, had returned to St. Louis for backing and supplies for the Cache Valley rendezvous, without success. Then Smith, Sublette and Jackson, who were new owners of the company, were responsible for providing supplies to the current rendezvous, but they had traveled clear to Santa Fe to check out the trapping and trade opportunities in that area and to procure supplies. In route, Jed Smith was killed by the Comanches on the Cimarron River.
Seeking out and outfitting Fitzpatrick in Santa Fe, Sublette and Jackson dissolved their partnership.
Realizing many men depended on the supplies getting through, Fitzpatrick quickly headed north for the rendezvous site with his supply train. He met Henry Fraeb just east of South Pass, where he transferred his supplies to Fraeb. Then he turned around and headed back to St. Louis to make sure next year’s supplies arrived on time.
Fraeb, now with the supplies, headed for the rendezvous site. Due to the number of delays, the general summer rendezvous in 1831 had been missed. Now, only a shortened later version could be held because the trappers had to get back and make winter camp before the snows fell, making trapping and travel difficult or impossible at best.
Henry Fraeb’s buyers were already sorting through and grading beaver, elk, muskrat, deer, wolf, grizzly bear, gray fox, coyote, martin, river otter and buffalo hides. Pointed haggling filled the air as the trappers tried to sell high and the buyers traditionally bought low. The haggling became even more intense as the “firewater” slammed into the bottom of empty guts with predictable results.
The bottom line was always the same. This was the only store in town and if a trapper needed supplies for another year, it was either get them here or nowhere. Ultimately, transactions were made and in most cases the trappers found themselves breaking even or in the red to the trading company. Few trappers got rich, but the merchants bankrolling the rendezvous did very well because of the one hundred to seven hundred percent—or more—profits the trading companies were making. Most of the trappers were learning that living in the beautiful and wild West had its price, in more ways than one, be it on the end of a speeding, round lead ball, the point of an arrow or lance, the cold steel of a knife, the killing force of a tomahawk, the death hug of a grizzly, or the quick moving hands of a rendezvous fur trader hell bent on making a killin’ off his fellow man.
Jacob and company moved their packs of furs into the trading zone shortly after their arrival. Henry Fraeb himself, after looking at the numerous packs being offloaded, came over to personally get involved in trading with Jacob and company. Breaking down a few of the packs, he began sorting the beaver pelts from the smaller sizes to those larger-sized pelts called blankets. The more he looked, the more excited he became over the quality of the offering. Jacob and his partners’ hides had been well cared for and showed it. Jacob looked over at Singing Bird and could tell she sensed her hard work on fleshing and stretching the hides was paying off, if the greedy look on Henry Fraeb’s face meant anything. The pile of “blankets” grew until even other trappers had to stop and admire with envy Jacob’s party’s success.
Henry Fraeb finally contained himself and said, “Jacob, you and your’n have done very well. Especially for first-time trappers. I would say this hoard of furs will bring...” He cupped his chin in calculation, “...about four thousand in credit. That is giving you a price of three dollars each for the buffalo hides, four dollars for the beaver, three for your otter and thirty-three cents a pound for the deer skins. I can only give you twenty-five cents for each coonskin and twenty cents each for the muskrats though. ” With those words, Fraeb stood back and intently looked at Jacob for his reply.
Without a word or hesitation, Jacob slowly shook his head no.
“That is a fair offer, Jacob,” retorted Fraeb.
Jacob looked at his partners and they all agreed with Jacob if the looks in their eyes meant anything. Jacob knew that except for salt, sugar, coffee beans, cornmeal and flour, they were in pretty good
shape supply-wise. Having really stocked up in St. Louis the year before, not really knowing what they would need, was now paying big dividends. Nonetheless, they did need those few staples.
Shaking his head once again, Jacob said, “No, nothing less than five thousand in trade. Those furs are nothing but excellent quality and in a quantity guaranteed to bring you a handsome profit back in St. Louis. Less than that and we keep what we have. We can always trap our way south to Santa Fe, sell our furs and then overwinter there in comfort. Or we can make our way to Bent’s Fort on the Arkansas River and sell them there for a higher price as well.”
Henry Fraeb looked hard at Jacob. Then his eyes darted about to the other fur trappers intently looking on and listening with great interest to their dickering conversation.
If he gives in to me, thought Jacob, he will have to give in to the others with higher prices as well.
“I can’t go any higher, Jacob. I made you a fair offer and it will have to stand,” said Fraeb, but without a whole lot of conviction in his voice, Jacob thought.
“Please repack our furs. We have some horses to trade with the Indians along with some rifles, and when finished, we will return to claim our furs. Since the Indians have already traded with you, we can get in trade with them for the goods we need to see us through.” With that Jacob turned and walked away, followed by Martin and Ben. Not a further word was spoken as none were needed.
Leaving the trading area, Jacob remembered the papers he and Martin had signed before leaving St. Louis with Clayborn: To sell to the company and purchase your stock from the same company at the going rate. There were also the words that they could trade with anyone else if the contract trader did not have what they needed. Jacob figured the extremely low price offered met that part of the escape clause. He also figured when he signed those papers it would cost some, but he didn’t figure on taking such a big a loss and neither did his partners. If they had to, they would head for the nearest trading post or Taos—Ben knew the way—and trade their furs. Being a free trapper did have some benefits he reckoned.
Jacob, Ben and Martin returned to their herd of horses. They were being kept off at a safe distance by Singing Bird so they wouldn’t co-mingle with other trappers’ newly arriving horses. Jacob had heard from a fellow trapper that the Northern Ute contingent of Indians at the rendezvous were looking for a number of horses to help them pack back to their winter quarters all the supplies they had accumulated in trade from Henry Fraeb.
If that is the case, Jacob thought, maybe some good trades can be made in their camp. Jacob suggested to his partners that maybe they should explore that avenue of trade with their excess horses. They agreed and soon the three of them with the Crow horses in tow were en route to the Northern Ute camp, gaily set up in the meadow some half-mile distant.
When the men arrived, they were soon swamped with angry Ute Indians once the Indians saw and recognized fifteen horses being brought into their camp adorned with Crow markings. A riot almost ensued. The trappers were accused of being Crow lovers among many other words and taunts hurled their way that were even less civil. Soon Ute warriors surrounded and began threatening the men because of their affiliation with the hated Crow.
The chaos was soon stifled with the approach of Bull Bear, honored Ute war chief. Bull Bear walked gracefully up to the men and through sign language, asked who owned the horses belonging to the hated Crows. Jacob explained to Bull Bear that the horses had been taken in battle on the Big Sandy by his trappers.
Continually mindful of the problems that would follow if Bull Bear did not believe him, Jacob stressed that ownership of the horses had rightly passed to him and the other two men sitting on the horses behind him since all the Crow had been killed in hand to hand combat.
With those signed words, Bull Bear looked very surprised and a little amazed as did the other warriors standing around him watching the conversation. Bull Bear counted the horses, then signed his astonishment that Jacob and his men had been hugely outnumbered and yet somehow had survived.
Jacob could see the wheels turning in Bull Bear’s mind over the bravery of Jacob, Martin and Ben. That bravery brought a warm smile to Bull Bear when he saw Martin’s freshly damaged face, Jacob’s sensitivity sitting in the saddle at an angle from unseen but obvious wounds, and the fresh absence of Ben’s little finger on his still-swollen shooting hand.
“Come,” Bull Bear said in English. “We will talk about trading our goods for these horses.”
With that, he turned and walked towards a brightly decorated tepee at the center of the Ute camp. Pausing at the tepee flap, he made a gesture with his right hand of welcome and then entered the tepee. The three men dismounted but before heading for the tepee, Jacob, on a second thought, unrolled his saddle blanket.
Jacob picked out Bear’s massive and very impressive front-claw grizzly bear necklace. Wrapping the many strands around his hand and forearm, Jacob led the way with Ben and Martin in trail into Bull Bear’s tepee.
The three men entered and moved to the right, where they sat down facing Bull Bear. Jacob studied the older man. He was tall for an Indian and built like a small bull. His hands were almost ladylike as were his features. But his eyes spoke of a fierce pride and bravery honed by many moons of living, fighting and surviving in the wilds of North America.
Bull Bear examined the three men before him. “You are strong men. You, Jacob, are tall, even for White Man. The horses are fine horses. They are Crow horses, and you have many wounds from battle. You must be very brave and have good fighting spirit. You are welcome in my tepee, and we will talk of trade of horses for goods now.”
Now that Jacob was sitting down with Bull Bear, Chief of the Northern Ute Indians of the Bear Claw Band, he laid the magnificent grizzly bear-claw necklace at the chief’s feet.
Bull Bear’s eyes widened with very obvious surprise and amazement. He apparently had not expected such a gesture from a white man he did not know. In fact, everyone who had pushed their way into the tepee to view the proceedings looked at the necklace lying on the tepee floor and gasped in astonishment. Jacob knew that the size of the claws and their numbers meant that the necklace had been taken from at least four of the fearsome bears and large ones at that.
“It is yours!” said Jacob. An onerous hush overcame the crowd of Utes.
* * *
Bull Bear picked up the necklace and frowned. Does this man come to my tepee to insult me? This is a tremendous gift; I am not able to give anything of equal value. The Great Bear is our sacred spirit. A necklace of so many large claws is too great a gift.
Bull Bear’s thoughts moved quickly. If he could not come up with something of equal or greater value, he would lose face. My warriors will see me as a weak chief I cannot be dishonored. I may have to kill this white man and bury him with his gift.
The Ute Indian chief let the necklace’s claws slowly clatter dryly through his fingers and back onto the tepee floor. I have never seen such a necklace. Bull Bear recalled the faces of his two sons who had each tried to take the Great Bear. They were of the soil now, as were many of the warriors who had tried to take the Great Bear. Those warriors who had returned from a hunt had been terribly disfigured.
Bull Bear noticed that his lesser chiefs were looking at each other in amazement at the gift. They are wondering what I will give the white man in return. They are watching me to see if I am weak.
* * *
Innocent to all the consternation he had just caused but aware of the ripple of talk the necklace had created, Jacob just sat there waiting for Bull Bear’s response. In fact, all Jacob wanted was to trade some of his horses for some much-needed supplies. He had figured the bear claw necklace would break down any existing barriers for what they had to trade, they being Crow horses and all. Nothing more and nothing less.
Before Jacob could compound his error by opening up horse-trading talks, Bull Bear brusquely stood up towering over him. The chief said something to one of his warrior sub-c
hiefs standing inside the tepee loudly in the Ute language. The sub-chief hurriedly left the tepee.
Confused, Jacob continued sitting there in front of Bull Bear trying to figure out the meaning of the reaction he had just observed as a result of his gift.
The sub-chief returned shortly afterward with a large parfleche, a buffalo hide container used for storing items. Bull Bear signed that this was to be his gift to the white man in return for his great gift of the grizzly bear necklace. Then he took the parfleche from his sub-chief with great fanfare, and handed it to Jacob.
Because of its heavy and unexpected weight, Jacob almost dropped it.
Regaining his composure, Jacob slowly untied the leather thongs holding the top flap and looked inside. There inside were at least sixty ingots of gold, each stamped with the Queen of Spain’s seal. Jacob was floored, as were Martin and Ben when they looked in as well.
This was a small fortune, worth far more than the four thousand that Henry Fraeb had offered for their furs. There must have been sixty pounds of gold ingots in that parfleche, probably collected in battle many years previously from the Spanish miners and explorers that the Utes hated so much. Jacob smiled in amazement at the chief who, with obvious relief at Jacob’s surprise and pleasure, smiled back. Bull Bear made the sign of “Good trade.” Jacob replied in kind, and the awkward cultural moment passed.
Earlier, Jacob and company had decided to trade fifteen of the nineteen horses captured from the Crows on the Big Sandy. They had kept back four of the best horses for packing their soon to be acquired goods from the rendezvous, and so they had entered Bull Bear’s camp with the intention of trading the remaining horses for items they needed. Horses were always in short supply with the Indians and Jacob was now met eagerly with potential traders. Receiving the chief’s blessing after the grizzly bear claw incident in the tepee, the air had been cleared and the trading began in earnest.