caused peace loving men like Jacques Laramie to leave the partisans of the trade, and engage in free trapping. He held that the world was large enough for all. The result was that a large number who believed as he did, had decided to let the partisans fight it out ; and they had taken to the newer fields of enterprise, and had made a rendezvous at the junction of the Laramie Fork and the North Platte. And from this point they loaded their packs of beaver for St. Louis.

After the first year's experience, the historic spot became an annual rendezvous -- the place of meeting to journey to civilization, and point of dispersing into the wilderness.

History is somewhat of a desert as to the free trapping fraternity. Their independence, and for the most part illiteracy, combined to condemn them to obscurity.

It was the manner of many of the half wild people of the mountains to go with their peltries into the city, and after disposing of them, to spend the money royally, after which they would repair to the wilderness for more. The wild was a part of their lives.

The stormy petrol, -- Robert McLellan -- who returned with Stuart to St. Louis through the valley of the "Flat Water," in 1812-13, never again returned to the mountains. But civilization was not of his kind, and he died less than two years thereafter.

Jacques Laramie was an unusual character among the people of long ago. Too many of the wilderness men were inclined to forget their obligation. Expediency and the needs of the moment were of vastly greater concern to them than the vague uncomprehensive contract signed with "his x mark" made to some partisans of the fur trade.