Mr.
Crooks himself, when voyaging in company with another trader of the name of M'Lellan, had been interrupted by these marauders, and had considered himself fortunate in escaping down the river without loss of life or property, but with a total abandonment of his trading voyage.
Should they be fortunate enough to pass through the country of the Sioux without molestation, they would have another tribe still more savage and warlike beyond, and deadly foes of white men.
These were the Blackfeet Indians, who ranged over a wide extent of country which they would have to traverse.

Under all these circumstances, it was thought advisable to augment the party considerably.

It already exceeded the number of thirty, to which it had originally been limited; but it was determined, on arriving at St.
Louis, to increase it to the number of sixty.
These matters being arranged, they prepared to embark; but the embarkation of a crew of Canadian voyageurs, on a distant expedition, is not so easy a matter as might be imagined; especially of such a set of vainglorious fellows with money in both pockets, and cocks' tails in their hats.

Like sailors, the Canadian voyageurs generally preface a long cruise with a carouse.

They have their cronies, their brothers, their cousins, their wives, their sweethearts, all to be entertained at their expense.