They lost three scalps in the engagement that followed, which satisfied their pursuers. War signs were left by the Crows, as a warning forever to the Cheyennes ; and from this circumstance, Indians and whites who since have visited the ravine south of Pine Bluffs, referred to it as "Crow Creek," which name it bears today. The cow and calf with Bonneville's party came in for a full share of attention. The Indians remarked their extreme docility, and thought the calf must be "great Medicine,"

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

but their ideas were dashed when the men offered to trade it for a pony.

The extreme friendliness of the Indians was considerable of a nuisance to the members of the party, but was endured, and after they had gone upon their journey, they found many of them had lost their hunting knives, which explained the motive of the Indian's caresses.

Some days later the war party returned to the Platte, and followed Bonneville's trail until overtaking the caravan, in order to exhibit the scalps of their adversaries. They then proceeded toward the northwest "to appease the manes of their comrades by proofs that his death had been avenged, and they intended to have scalp dances and other triumphal rejoicings."

On the 26th, Bonneville's party camped at Laramie's fork "a clear and beautiful stream rising in the southwest, maintaing an average width of twenty yards, and winding through broad meadows, abounding in currants and gooseberries, and adorned with groves and clumps of trees.