by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XVIII
BACK TO DENVER
"When are you going to make a start again?" Jerry asked, after drinkinga pannikin of tea.
"We are not going on to-day; perhaps not to-morrow. It will depend onhow you get on."
"I shall be a nuisance to you anyway," the miner said, "and it would bea dog-goned sight the best way to leave me here; but I know you won'tdo that, so it ain't no use my asking you. I expect I shall be all rightto-morrow except for this shoulder, but just now my head is buzzing asif there was a swarm of wild bees inside."
"You will be all the better when you have had a good sleep; I reckon wecould all do a bit that way. Young Tom and Hunting Dog are going to trya bit of fishing with those hooks of yours. We talked about it when westarted, you know, but we have not done anything until now. We want achange of food badly. We may be a month going down this canyon foranything I know, and if it keeps on like this there ain't a chance ofseeing a head of game. It ought to be a good place for fish at the footof the rapids--that is, if there are any fish here, and I reckon thereshould be any amount of them. If they do catch some, we will wait heretill we can dry a good stock. We have nothing now but the dried fleshand some of the big-horn. There ain't above twenty pounds of flour left,and we could clear up all there is in the boat in a week. So you neednot worry that you are keeping us."
Half an hour later Hunting Dog and Tom put out in one of the canoes, andpaddling to the foot of the rapids let the lines drop overboard, thehooks being baited with meat. It was not many minutes before the Indianfelt a sharp pull. There was no occasion to play the fish, for the linewas strong enough to hold a shark, and a trout of six pounds weight wassoon laid in the bottom of the boat.
"My turn now," Tom said; and the Indian with a smile took the paddlefrom his hand, and kept the boat up stream while Tom attended to thelines. Fish after fish was brought up in rapid succession, and whenabout mid-day a call from below told them that it was time for dinner,they had some thirty fish averaging five pounds' weight at the bottom ofthe boat.
There was a shout of satisfaction from Harry as he looked down into thecanoe, and even the chief gave vent to a grunt that testified hispleasure.
"Hand me up four of them, Tom; I did not know how much I wanted a changeof food till my eyes lit on those beauties. We saw you pulling them out,but I did not expect it was going to be as good as this."
The fish were speedily split open, and laid on ramrods over the fire.
"I reckon you will want another one for me," Jerry, who had been asleepsince they started, remarked. "I don't know that I am good for one asbig as those, but I reckon I can pick a bit anyhow."
A small fish was put on with the others, and as soon as they weregrilled, all set to at what seemed to Tom the best meal he had evereaten in his life. He thought when he handed them to Harry that twowould have been amply sufficient for them all, but he found nodifficulty whatever in disposing of a whole one single-handed.
"Now, Tom, the chief and I will take our turn while you and Hunting Dogprepare your catch. He will show you how to do it, it is simple enough.Cut off the heads, split and clean them, run a skewer through to keepthem flat, and then lay them on that rock in the sun to dry. Or wait, Iwill rig up a line between two of the rocks for you to hang them on.There is not much wind, but what there is will dry them better than ifthey were laid flat."
Jerry went off to sleep again as soon as the meal was finished, and thebandages round his head re-wetted. The paddle from which the strips hadbeen cut furnished wood for the skewers, and in the course of half anhour the fish were all hanging on a line. Twenty two more were broughtin at sunset. Some of these, after being treated like the others, werehung in the smoke of the fire, while the rest were suspended like thefirst batch.
The next morning Jerry was able to move about, and the fishing went onall day, and by night a quantity, considered sufficient, had beenbrought ashore.
"There are over four hundred pounds altogether," Harry said, "though bythe time they are dried they won't be more than half that weight. Twopounds of dried fish a man is enough to keep him going, and they willlast us twenty days at that rate, and it will be hard luck if we don'tfind something to help it out as we go down."
They stopped another day to allow the drying to be completed. The fishwere taken down and packed on board that evening, and at daylight theywere afloat again. For the next ten days their labours were continuous.They passed several rapids as bad as the one that had cost them so dear;but as they gained experience they became more skilful in letting downthe boats. Some days only two or three miles were gained, on others theymade as much as twelve. At last they got out of the granite; beyond thisthe task was much easier, and on the fifteenth day after leaving theirfishing-ground, they emerged from the canyon.
By this time Jerry had perfectly recovered, and was with greatdifficulty persuaded to keep his arm bandaged. He had chafed terribly atfirst at his helplessness, and at being unable to take any share in theheavy labours of the others; but after the rapids were passed he wasmore contented, and sat quietly at the bottom of the boat smoking, whileHarry and Tom paddled, the two Indians forming the crew of the othercanoe. The diet of fish had been varied by bear's flesh, Leaping Horsehaving shot a large brown bear soon after they got through the rapids. Ashout of joy was raised by the three whites as they issued from thegorge into a quiet valley, through which the river ran, a broad tranquilstream. Even the Indians were stirred to wave their paddles above theirheads and to give a ringing whoop as their companions cheered. The boatswere headed for the shore, and the camp was formed near a large clump ofbushes.
Their joy at their deliverance from the dangers of the canyon was dashedonly by the thought of the loss of their two comrades. The next daythree short canyons were passed through, but these presented nodifficulties, and in the afternoon they reached the mouth of the RioVirgen, and continuing their journey arrived five days later at FortMojarve. This was a rising settlement, for it was here that the traders'route between Los Angeles and Santa Fe crossed the Colorado. Theirappearance passed almost unnoticed, for a large caravan had arrived thatafternoon and was starting east the next morning.
"We had best hold our tongues about it altogether," Harry said, as soonas he heard that the caravan was going on the next morning. "In thefirst place they won't believe us, and that would be likely to lead totrouble; and in the next place we should be worried out of our liveswith questions. Besides, we have got to get a fresh outfit, for we arepretty near in rags, and to buy horses, food, and kit. We can leave theboats on the shore, no one is likely to come near them."
"I will stop and look after them," Tom said. "There are the saddles,buffalo-robes, blankets, and ammunition. This shirt is in rags, and thelast moccasins Hunting Dog made me are pretty nearly cut to pieces bythe rocks. I would rather stay here and look after the boats than gointo the village; besides, it will save you the trouble of carrying allthese bags of gold about with you."
Harry nodded, cut two of the little bags free from their lashings anddropped them into his pocket, and then went up to the Fort with Jerryand the Indians. Tom cut the other bags loose and put them on the groundbeside him, threw a buffalo-robe over them, and then sat for some hourswatching the quiet river and thinking over all they had gone through. Itwas almost dark when the others returned.
"It has taken us some time, Tom," his uncle said as they threw somebundles down beside him; "the stores and clothes were easy enough, butwe had a lot of trouble to find horses. However, we did not mind muchwhat we paid for them, and the traders were ready to sell a few at theprices we offered. So we have got five riding horses and twopack-ponies, which will be enough for us. That bundle is your lot,riding breeches and boots, three pairs of stockings, two flannel shirts,a Mexican hat, and a silk neck handkerchief. We may as well change atonce and go up to the village."
The change was soon effected. Harry and Jerry Curtis had clothes similarto those they had bought for Tom, while the Indians wore over t
heirshirts new deer-skin embroidered hunting-shirts, and had fringed Mexicanleggings instead of breeches and boots. They, too, had procured Mexicansombreros. Taking their rifles and pistols, and hiding their stock ofammunition, the gold, and their buffalo-robes and blankets, they went upto the village. It was by this time quite dark: the houses were all litup, and the drinking-shops crowded with the teamsters, who seemed benton making a night of it, this being the last village through which theywould pass until their arrival at Santa Fe.
They slept as usual, wrapped up in their buffalo-robes by the side ofthe boats, as all agreed that this was preferable to a close room in aMexican house.
They were all a-foot as soon as daylight broke, and went up andbreakfasted at a fonda, Tom enjoying the Mexican cookery after thesimple diet he had been accustomed to. Then they went to the stablewhere the horses, which were strong serviceable-looking animals, hadbeen placed, and put on their saddles and bridles.
The pack-horses were then laden with flour, tea, sugar, bacon, and othernecessaries. By the time all was ready the caravan was just starting.Harry had spoken the afternoon before to two of its leaders, and saidthat he and four companions would be glad to ride with them to Santa Fe.Permission was readily granted, the traders being pleased at theaccession of five well-armed men; for although Indian raids werecomparatively rare along this trail, there was still a certain amount ofdanger involved in the journey. Some hours were occupied in crossing theriver in two heavy ferry-boats, and the process would have been stilllonger had not half the waggons been sent across on the previousafternoon.
The long journey was made without incident, and no Indians were metwith. A few deer were shot, but as it was now late in the autumn thescanty herbage on the plains was all withered up, and the game had forthe most part moved away into deep valleys where they could obtain food.
The tale of their passage of the canyons was told more than once, butalthough it was listened to with interest, Harry perceived that it wasnot really believed. That they had been hunting, had been attacked byIndians, had made canoes and passed through some of the canyons wascredible enough, but that they should have traversed the whole of thelower course of the Colorado, seemed to the traders, who were all menexperienced in the country, simply incredible. The party stopped atSanta Fe a few days, and then started north, travelling through theMexican villages, and finally striking across to Denver. At Santa Fethey had converted the contents of their bags into money, which had beenequally shared among them. The Indians were not willing to accept morethan the recognized monthly pay, but Harry would not hear of it.
"This has been no ordinary business, Leaping Horse," he said warmly; "wehave all been as brothers together, and for weeks have looked death inthe face every hour, and we must share all round alike in the gold wehave brought back. Gold is just as useful to an Indian as it is to awhite man, and when you add this to the hoard you spoke of, you willhave enough to buy as many horses and blankets as you can use all yourlifetime, and to settle down in your wigwam and take a wife to yourselfwhenever you choose. I fancy from what you said, Hunting Dog has his eyeon one of the maidens of your tribe. Well, he can buy her father'sfavour now. The time is coming, chief, when the Indians of the plainswill have to take to white men's ways. The buffaloes are fast dying out,and in a few years it will be impossible to live by hunting, and theIndians will have to keep cattle and build houses and live as we do.With his money Hunting Dog could buy a tidy ranche with a few hundredhead of cattle. Of course, he can hunt as much as he likes so long asthere is any game left, but he will find that as his cattle increase, hewill have plenty to look after at home."
"We will take the gold if my brother wishes it," the chief repliedgravely. "He is wise, and though now it seems to Leaping Horse thatred-skins have no need of gold, it may be that some day he and HuntingDog may be glad that they have done as their brother wished."
"Thank you, Leaping Horse. It will make my heart glad when I may be faraway from you across the great salt water to know that there will alwaysbe comfort in my brother's wigwam."
On arriving at Denver they went straight to the Empire. As they enteredthe saloon Pete Hoskings looked hard at them.
"Straight Harry, by thunder!" he shouted; "and Jerry Curtis, and youngTom; though I would not have known him if he hadn't been with theothers. Well, this air a good sight for the eyes, and to-morrowChristmas-day. I had begun to be afeard that something had gone wrongwith you, I looked for news from you nigh three months ago. I got themessage you sent me in the spring, and I have asked every old hand whocame along east since the end of August, if there had been any news ofyou, and I began to fear that you had been rubbed out by the Utes."
"We have had a near escape of it, Pete; but it is a long story. Can youput us all up? You know Leaping Horse, don't you? The other is hisnephew."
"I should think I do know Leaping Horse," Pete said warmly, and wentacross and shook the Indian's hand heartily.
"I was looking at you three, and did not notice who you had with you. Inthat letter the chap brought me, you said that the chief was going withyou, and Sam Hicks and Ben Gulston. I did not know them so well; thatis, I never worked with them, though they have stopped here many atime."
"They have gone under, Pete. Sam was drowned in the Colorado, Ben shotby the Navahoes. We have all had some close calls, I can tell you. Wellnow, can you put us up?"
"You need not ask such a question as that, Harry," Pete said in anaggrieved tone, "when you know very well that if the place waschock-full, I would clear the crowd out to make room for you. There arethree beds in the room over this that will do for you three; and thereis a room beside it as Leaping Horse and his nephew can have, though Ireckon they won't care to sleep on the beds."
"No more shall we, Pete. We have been fifteen months and more sleepingin the open, and we would rather have our buffalo-robes and blanketsthan the softest bed in the world."
"You must have had a cold time of it the last three months up in thoseUte hills, where you said you were going."
"We left there five months ago, Pete. We have been down as low as FortMojarve, and then crossed with a caravan of traders to Santa Fe."
Pete began pouring out the liquor.
"Oh, you won't take one, chief, nor the young brave. Yes; I remember youdo not touch the fire-water, and you may be sure I won't press you.Well, luck to you all, and right glad I am to see you again. Ah! here ismy bartender. Now we will get a good fire lit in another room and hurryup supper, and then we will talk it all over. You have put your horsesup, I suppose?"
"Yes; we knew you had no accommodation that way, Pete."
The room into which Pete now led them was not his own sanctum, but oneused occasionally when a party of miners coming in from the hills wantedto have a feast by themselves, or when customers wished to talk overprivate business. There was a table capable of seating some twelvepeople, a great stove, and some benches. A negro soon lighted a largefire; then, aided by a boy, laid the table, and it was not long beforethey sat down to a good meal. When it was over, Pete said:
"Lend me a hand, Jerry, to push this table aside, then we will bring thebenches round the stove and hear all about it. I told the bar-tenderthat I am not to be disturbed, and that if anyone wants to see me he isto say that he has got to wait till to-morrow, for that I am engaged onimportant business. Here are brandy and whisky, and tobacco and cigars,and coffee for the chief and his nephew."
"I think you may say for all of us, Pete," Harry said. "After being ayear without spirits, Jerry, Tom, and I have agreed to keep withoutthem. We wouldn't say no to you when you asked us to take a drink, andwe have not sworn off, but Jerry and I have agreed that we have bothbeen all the better without them, and mean to keep to it; and as forTom, he prefers coffee."
"Do as you please," Pete said; "I am always glad to hear men say no. Ihave made a lot of money out of it, but I have seen so many fellowsruined by it that I am always pleased to see a man give up drink."
"There is one thing
, Pete," Tom said, "before we begin. We left ourbundles of robes and blankets in the next room, if you don't mind Iwould a deal rather spread them out here--and I am sure the chief andHunting Dog would--and squat down on them, instead of sitting on thesebenches. It is a long story uncle will have to tell you."
"We will fetch ours too," Harry agreed. "Benches are all well enough forsitting at the table to eat one's dinner, but why a man should sit onthem when he can sit on the ground is more than I can make out."
Pete nodded. "I will have my rocking-chair in," he said, "and then weshall be fixed up for the evening."
The arrangements were soon made; pipes were lighted; the landlord sat inhis chair at some little distance back from the front of the stove; Tomand the two Indians sat on their rugs on one side; Harry and JerryCurtis completed the semicircle on the other.
"Well, in the first place, Pete," Harry began, "you will be glad to hearthat we have struck it rich--the biggest thing I have ever seen. It isup in the Ute country. We have staked out a claim for you next our own.There are about five hundred pounds of samples lying at Fort Bridger, anda bit of the rock we crushed, panned out five hundred ounces to the ton."
"You don't say!" Pete exclaimed. "If there is much of that stuff, Harry,you have got a bonanza."
"There is a good bit of it anyhow, Pete. It is a true vein, and thoughit is not all like that, it keeps good enough. Fifty feet back we foundit run twenty ounces. That is on the surface, we can't say how it goesdown in depth. Where we struck it on the face it was about fourteen feethigh, and the lode kept its width for that depth anyhow."
"That air good enough," the landlord said. "Now, what do you reckon ondoing?"
"The place is among the hills, Pete, and the Utes are hostile, and wentvery nigh rubbing us all out. We reckon it ought to be worked by a partyof thirty men at least. They ought to be well armed, and must build asort of fort. I don't think the Utes would venture to attack them ifthey were of that strength. There is a little stream runs close to thevein, and if it were dammed up it would drive a couple of stamps, which,with a concentrator and tables and blankets, would be quite enough forsuch stuff as that. I reckon fifteen men will be quite enough to work,and to hold the fort. The other fifteen men would include three or fourhunters, and the rest would go backwards and forwards to Bridger forsupplies, and to take the gold down. They would be seven or eight daysaway at a time; and if there should be trouble with the red-skins theywould always be back before those at the fort were really pressed. Butwe should not be alone long, the news that a rich thing had been struckwould bring scores of miners up in no time.
"We have taken up our own ten claims, which will include, of course, therich part. Then we have taken up the next eight or ten claims for ourfriends. As I said, we put yours next to ours. We have not registeredthem yet, but that will be the first job; and of course you and theothers will each have to put a man on your claims to hold them. The lodeshows on the other side of the creek, though not so rich; still plentygood enough to work. But as we shall practically get all the water, thelode cannot be worked by anyone but ourselves. Still the gravel is richall down the creek, as rich as anything I have seen in California, andwill be sure to be taken up by miners as soon as we are at work. Sothere will be no real danger of trouble from the Indians then. What wepropose is this. We don't what to sell out, we think it is good enoughto hold, but we want to get a company to find the money for getting upthe machinery, building a strong block-house with a palisade, laying instores, and working the place. Jerry, Tom, and I would of course be incommand, at any rate for the first year or so, when the rich stuff wasbeing worked."
"How much money do you think it will want, and what share do you thinkof giving, Harry?"
"Well, I should say fifty thousand dollars, though I believe half thatwould be enough. Not a penny would be required after the first ton ofrock goes through the stamps. But we should have to take the stamps andironwork from the railway terminus to Bridger, and then down. We mightcalculate on a month or six weeks in getting up the fort, making theleat and water-wheel, putting up the machinery, and laying down theflumes. Say two months from the time we leave Bridger to the time webegin to work. There would be the pay of the men all that time, the costof transporting stores, and all that sort of thing; so it would bebetter to say fifty thousand dollars. What share ought we to offer forthat?"
"Well, if you could bring that five hundredweight of stuff here and getit crushed up, and it turns out as good as you say, I could get you themoney in twenty-four hours. I would not mind going half of it myself,and I should say that a quarter share would be more than good enough."
"Well, we thought of a third, Pete."
"Well, if you say a third you may consider that part of the business isdone. You won't be able to apply for claims in the names of Sam and Ben,and if you did it would be no good, because they could not assign themover to the company. There are eight claims without them, and the oneyou have put down in my name is nine. Well, I can get say eleven men inthis place, who will give you an assignment of their claims for fivedollars apiece. That is done every day. I just say to them, I amregistering a share in your name in the Tom Cat Mine, write anassignment to me of it and I am good for five dollars' worth of liquor,take it out as you like. The thing is as easy as falling off a log.Well, what are you thinking of doing next?"
"We shall buy a light waggon and team to-morrow or next day and drivestraight over to Bridger, then we shall go to Salt Lake City andregister our claims at the mining-office there. We need not give thelocality very precisely. Indeed, we could not describe it ourselves sothat anyone could find it, and nobody would go looking for it beforespring comes and the snow clears. Besides, there are scores of wild-catclaims registered every year. Until they turn out good no one thinksanything of them. When we have got that done we will go back to Bridger,and fetch the rock over here. We will write to-morrow to Pittsburg forthe mining outfit, for all the ironwork of the stamps, the concentrator,and everything required, with axes, picks, and shovels, blasting toolsand powder, to be sent as far as they have got the railway."
"But they will want the money with the order, Harry," Pete said in atone of surprise.
"They will have the money. We washed the gravel for a couple of monthsbefore the Utes lit on us, and after buying horses and a fresh outfitfor us all at Fort Mojarve, we have between us got something like fivethousand dollars in gold and greenbacks."
"Jee-hoshaphat!" Pete exclaimed; "that was good indeed for two months'work. Well, look here, there is no hurry for a few days about yourstarting back to Bridger. Here we are now, nearly at the end ofDecember. It will take you a month to get there, say another fortnightto go on to Salt Lake City and register your claim and get back toBridger, then it would be a month getting back here again; that wouldtake you to the middle of March. Well, you see it would be pretty nighthe end of April before you were back at Bridger, then you would have toget your waggons and your men, and that would be too late altogether.
"You have got to pick your miners carefully, I can tell you; and it isnot a job to be done in a hurry. When they see what gold there is in therock they will soon set to work washing the gravel, and the day they dothey will chuck up your work altogether. I will tell you what I wouldrather do, and that is, pick up green hands from the east. There arescores of them here now; men who have come as far as this, and can'tstart west till the snows melt. You need not think anything more aboutthe money. You tell me what you crushed is a fair sample of that fivehundred pounds, and that is quite good enough for me, and the gravelbeing so rich is another proof of what the lode was when the stream cutthrough it. I can put the twenty-five thousand dollars down, and thereare plenty of men here who will take my word for the affair and planktheir money down too. If there weren't I would put a mortgage on myhouses, so that matter is done. To-morrow I will get the men whose namesyou are to give in for a claim each; it will be time in another twomonths to begin to look about for some steady chaps from the east,farmers
' sons and such like. That is, if you think that plan is a goodone. I mean to see this thing through, and I shall go with you myself,and we three can do the blasting."
"We shall be wanted to look after the stamps and pans," Harry said. "Wehad best get three or four old hands for the rock."
"Yes, that is best," Pete said. "Between us it is hard if we can't layour hands upon men we can trust, and who will give us their word to staywith us if we offer them six dollars a day."
"We might offer them ten dollars," Harry said, "without hurtingourselves; but we can say six dollars to begin with, and put some moreon afterwards."
"There is old Mat Morgan," Jerry put in. "I don't know whether he isabout here now. I would trust him. He is getting old for prospectingamong the hills now, but he is as good a miner as ever swung asledge-hammer, and as straight as they make them."
"Yes, he is a good man," Pete agreed. And after some talk they settledupon three others, all of whom, Pete said, were either in the town orwould be coming in shortly.
"Now, you stop here for a week or two, or a month if you like, Harry,then you can go to Salt Lake City as you propose, and then go back toBridger. If as you pass through you send me five-and-twenty pounds ofthat rock by express, it will make it easier for me to arrange the moneyaffair. When you get back you might crush the rest up and send me wordwhat it has panned out, then later on you can go down again to Salt LakeCity and buy the waggons and flour and bacon, and take them back toBridger. When March comes in, I will start from here with some waggons.We want them to take the machinery, and powder and tools, and the teaand coffee and things like that, of which we will make a list, on toBridger, with the four men we pick out, if I can get them all; if not,some others in their place, and a score of young emigrants. I shall haveno difficulty in picking out sober, steady chaps, for in a place likethis I can find out about their habits before I engage them. However,there will be plenty of time to settle all those points. Now, let ushear all about your adventures. I have not heard about you since Tomleft, except that he wrote me a short letter from Bridger saying thatyou had passed the winter up among the mountains by the Big Wind River.That you had had troubles with the Indians, and hadn't been able to domuch trapping or looking for gold."
"Well, we will tell it between us," Harry said, "for it is a long yarn."
It was, indeed, past midnight before the story was all told. Long beforeit was finished the two Indians had taken up their rugs and gone up totheir room, and although the other three had taken by turns to tell thetale of their adventures, they were all hoarse with speaking by the timethey got through. Pete had often stopped them to ask question at variouspoints where the narrators had been inclined to cut the story short.
"That beats all," he said, when they brought it to an end. "Only tothink that you have gone down the Grand Canyon. I would not have mindedbeing with you when you were fighting the 'Rappahoes or the Utes, but Iwould not try going down the canyons for all the gold in California.Well, look here, boys, I know that what you tell me is gospel truth, andall the men who know you well, will believe every word you say, but Iwould not tell the tale to strangers, for they would look on you as theall-firedest liars in creation."
"We have learnt that already, Pete," Harry laughed, "and we mean to keepit to ourselves, at any rate till we have got the mine at work. Peoplemay not believe the story of a man in a red shirt, and, mind you, I haveheard a good many powerful lies told round a miner's fire, but when itis known we have got a wonderfully rich gold mine, I fancy it will bedifferent. The men would say, if fellows are sharp enough to find abonanza, it stands to reason they may be sharp enough to find their waydown a canyon. Now, let us be off to bed, for the heat of the stove hasmade me so sleepy that for the last hour I have hardly been able to keepmy eyes open, and have scarcely heard a word of what Jerry and Tom havebeen saying."
They only remained a few days at Denver. After the life they had beenleading they were very speedily tired of that of the town, and at theend of a week they started on horseback, with a light waggon drawn by agood team, to carry their stores for the journey and to serve as asleeping-place. There had been no question about the Indiansaccompanying them, this was regarded as a matter of course. It was by nomeans a pleasant journey. They had frequent snow-storms and bitingwind, and had sometimes to work for hours to get the waggon out of deepsnow, which had filled up gullies and converted them into traps. After astay of three days at Fort Bridger to rest the animals, they went on toUtah, having forwarded the sample of quartz to Pete Hoskings.
A fortnight was spent at Salt Lake City. Waggons, bullocks, and storeswere purchased, and Harry arranged with some teamsters to bring thewaggons out to Fort Bridger as soon as the snow cleared from the ground.