But “l’homme propose et Dieu dispose.”  Another heavy blow fell upon the Prince, which eventually proved the ruin of all his hopes.  After the loss of the vessel, we had but eight white men in the colony, besides the missionaries and ourselves; and the Prince, retaining only my father’s old servant, determined upon sending the remainder to purchase the cattle which we had been so anxious to obtain.

They departed on this mission, but never returned.  In all probability, they were murdered by the Apaches Indians; although it is not impossible that, tired of our simple and monotonous life, they deserted us to establish themselves in the distant cities of Mexico.

This second catastrophy weighed heavy upon the mind of the good old Prince.  All his hopes were dashed to the ground—­the illusions of the latter part of his life were destroyed for ever.  His proudest expectations had been to redeem his savage friends from their wild life, and this could only be effected by commerce and agriculture.

The farms round the settlement had for now nearly four years been tilled by the squaws and young Indians, under the direction of the white men; and although the occupation was by no means congenial to their nature, the Prince had every anticipation that with time and example, the Shoshones would perceive the advantages, and be induced to till the land for themselves.

Before our arrival, the winter was always a season of great privation to that portion of the Indians who could not repair to the hunting grounds; while now, Indian corn, potatoes, and other vegetables were in plenty, at least for those who dwelt near to the settlement.  But now that we had lost all our white cultivators and mechanics, we soon found that the Indians avoided the labour.

All our endeavours proved useless:  the advantages had not yet been sufficiently manifest:  the transition attempted had been too short; and the good, although proud and lazy, Shoshones abandoned the tillage, and relapsed into their former apathy and indifference.

Mortified at this change, the Prince and my father resolved to make an appeal to the whole nation, and try to convince them how much happier they would be if they would cultivate the ground for their support.  A great feast was given, the calumet was smoked; after which the Prince rose and addressed them after their own fashion.  As I had, a short time previous, been admitted as a chief and warrior, I, of course, was present at the meeting.  The Prince spoke:—­

“Do you not want to become the most powerful nation of the West?  You do.  If then such is the case, you must ask assistance from the earth, which is your mother.  True, you have prairies abounding in game, but the squaws and the children cannot follow your path when hunting.

“Are not the Crows, the Bannaxas, the Flat Heads, and the Umbiquas, starving during the winter?  They have no buffalo in their land, and but few deer.  What have they to eat?  A few lean horses, perchance a bear; and the stinking flesh of the otter or beaver they may entrap during the season.