Westward Ho, the Wagons! (1956) - full transcript
Wagon master James Stephen leads a wagon train of settlers, including his wife and children, across the vast plains. Prominent among the settlers is Doc Grayson, who though not really a doctor provides what medical care he can to the travelers. The wagon train is beset by Pawnees, determined to make off with the horses. A later encounter with presumably friendly Sioux takes a dark turn when the son of the chief appears to be dying, and only Doc Grayson can help.
? Westward roll the wagons
? Always westward roll
? Westward roll the wagons
? For Oregon's our goal
? Westward roll the wagons
? Always westward roll
? Westward roll the wagons
? For Oregon's our goal
? America's in motion
? And her hopes are turnin' west
? Let's all get a-goin'
? For a new land's always best
? Westward roll the wagons
? Westward roll them far
? Westward roll the wagons
? Toward the western star
? Keep them bull whips crackin'
? And a smile on every face
? Keep the teams all pulled and even
? And each wagon in its place
? Westward roll the wagons
? Westward roll them far
? Westward roll the wagons
? Toward the western star
? It's time to halt the wagons
? Circle for the night
? Tomorrow roll the wagons
? When the sun is shinin' bright
? Westward roll the wagons
? Always westward roll
? Westward roll the wagons
? For Oregon's our goal ?
Ah, we did pretty good today.
Golly, l thought
you were never gonna stop.
Come on, princess.
Well, there you are, trail mates.
Chimney Rock.
Chimney Rock!
Wow, we're almost there.
- Almost where;
- Oregon.
Well, hardly, Jerry.
The rock is a milestone.
lt's one of the most famous
along the trail.
Sort of marks the end of the prairie.
Come on over.
l wanna show you over here.
See that notch up there;
Tomorrow we'll pull right up through it.
And once we're through it,
we'll be out of Pawnee country
and into friendly Sioux territory
all the way to Fort Laramie and beyond.
- A real fort;
- Now you just wait and see.
Now, come on,
we all got chores to do. Get!
This beats everythin'.
A layover to graze up the stock.
l tell you, Doc,
these stubborn pot hoppers think
they know more about this here land
than you and me put together.
Outvoting us like they was the Congress
of these here United States itself.
Well, majority rules, Hank.
Majority;
There ain't gonna be no majority
if the Pawnees catch us
lying out here in the open
with that precious herd of extra horses
that Obie Foster
and Armitage brought along.
Well, these folks are farmers.
Horses are important to 'em.
Yeah; Mighty important to Pawnees, too.
Best lnjun bait there is,
you know that.
Just a plain invitation to
any scouting party might happen along.
Now don't get your priming all afire.
We're almost across Pawnee territory
and we haven't seen
any sign of them yet.
When there ain't no sign of them
ornery, horse-thieving, red devils
is when l mistrust 'em most.
Why couldn't these wall-eyed,
greenhorn, sodbusters wait
until we get up that notch yonder
before they had to
sit down in the hunkers
to watch their horses graze grass;
l tell you, Doc,
if l ever get this outfit to Oregon,
l'm never gonna sign up
a bunch of greenhorns again...
What are you doing;
Sit down.
- What's the matter;
- Stick out your tongue. Stick it out.
Now, wait a minute, Doc.
That stuff ain't for me.
Oh, we can't afford
to lose our scout halfway to Oregon.
Just you listen to me! l never
taken that stuff in my whole life
and l ain't gonna start in now.
Well, now just simmer down before
you bust every pipe in your carcass.
Now, come on. What you need is a little
music. That's good for what ails you.
And dig a smile out of those whiskers.
All right.
Dr. John, how about that story
you've been promisin' us;
Please;
Well, l can't tell you a story
without my guitar.
Have at it, Doc.
Looks like there's no help for it.
- How about a mountain man story;
- A real mountain man;
- A true story;
- Yeah.
- Who was he;
- Well...
? John Colter was a trapper
? And he knew the ways of game
? But it wasn't for his trappin'
? That he won immortal fame
? He traveled up the Yellowstone
? And discovered Colter's Hell
? But it isn't of his geysers
? That my yarn is going to tell
No, sir!
? Sing of the bravest mountain man
? Sing of the strong and the fleet
? Colter's courage was in his heart
? And his speed was in his feet
? Now, John Colter heard the Blackfeet
? Claimed the land off to the west
? But he said he'd do his trappin'
? Where the trappin' it was best
? He went and took his share of fur
? Then started back to Fort Manuel
? And he didn't get no warnin'
? Till he heard the Blackfeet yell
? Sing of the bravest mountain man
? Sing of the strong and the fleet
? Colter's courage was in his heart
? And his speed was in his feet
Well, John Colter knew
the Blackfeet must believe him unafraid
He looked his captor in the eye
And a dangerous game he played
The Blackfoot chief said to his men...
''This prisoner is so brave.
We take his clothes and turn him loose
with a chance his scalp to save.''
They set him loose without his clothes
Without his shoes and gun
His courage was his only hope
A race for his life to run
Their fastest runners after him
Their lances waving high
The knowledge poundin' in his heart
That he had to win or die
? Sing of the bravest mountain man
? Sing of the strong and the fleet
? Colter's courage was in his heart
? And his speed was in his feet
Well, John Colter ran and ran
And he ran and he ran
like an antelope in fright
Straight across the cactus thickets
like an arrow in its flight
Lungs a-burstin' with the effort
Every muscle starts to scream
- Six miles of endless runnin'...
And suddenly there's a stream
Dives deep into the water
breathin' through a hollow reed
Leavin' Blackfoot runners baffled
by the wonder of his speed
John waited till the red men left
Then walked back to Fort Manuel
Three hundred miles of barefoot trail
Said he'd like to rest a spell
? Sing of the bravest mountain man
? Sing of the strong and the fleet
? Colter's courage was in his heart
? And his speed was in his feet
? And his speed was in his feet ?
All right now.
lt's time all you youngsters turned in.
Come on, Bobo.
Obie, l'm lookin' for Captain Stephen.
You seen him;
He pulled out with Hank and Doc
earlier this mornin'.
Said they was going up through
the notch yonder to take a look.
Probably looking for lndians.
Won't be satisfied
till they find some.
Yeah, they're sure trying
to keep us worked up, all right.
Pretty fair stock you got, Obie.
Lot of money tied up in them.
lt'll be a big risk
trying to drive them through to Oregon.
Same risk you're taking with yourn.
Speculation's my business.
Take them off your hands at a price.
What kind of price;
- Oh, 50 dollars a head.
These folks with just wagon horses
is gonna hit Oregon
with a bunch of gone'd wind-broke stock
that won't be fit to work in the fields.
They'll have clearing and plowing
and log-raising to head up.
You have to have fresh stock
to even get a crop in.
And where are they gonna get it;
From me, naturally.
That's the whole idea.
Yeah, at maybe ten times the price
you're offering me.
l told you. l am a speculator.
Well, Mr. Armitage,
l'm keeping my horses.
[clicks tongue]
Mrs. Stephen,
have you seen the children;
Oh, they're around somewhere
gathering firewood.
They'll probably turn up
and start raising dust
- the minute l get my wash on the line.
- Here, let me help you.
Say, we got pretty far away from camp.
Nothing but a lot
of old buffalo chips back there.
lndians! l think they saw me.
Scatter and hide.
- Let's get out of here.
- Dan said not to move.
Maybe more of 'em around.
Better wait here till dark.
[crying]
Jim, l thought you'd never get here.
- What's the matter;
- The children are missing.
Missing; What do you mean;
Bobo and Jerry and Jim,
they haven't come back yet.
- Dan and Myra...
- And my boy, too.
The last l saw them, they were going up
on the ridge late this afternoon.
The ridge! What tarnal idget would
ever let them get that far out of camp;
Well, the two older boys
were with 'em. l don't...
Of all the redneck greenhorns
l ever see'd...
- Hold it, Hank.
- Hold it, nothing!
l've told 'em before
and l'll tell 'em again that...
Oh, Mommy!
Are you all right; You had your mother
scared to death, you know that;
Hold on, young'uns. Hold on.
What's this all about;
The lndians took Dan.
- lnjuns;
- Yeah, they were all painted up.
- How many;
- We saw four.
But they didn't see us.
Dan walked right up to them
before they could.
Scouts for a war party.
Well, let's just don't stand here,
let's go after 'em.
Come on.
- Just when did this happen;
- lt was still sunlight...
- Maybe three, four hours ago.
- Four hours.
Hank.
Might as well unsaddle.
They got a four-hour start.
''Unsaddle;''
What do you mean ''unsaddle;''
Only the good Lord knows
what that boy is up against out there.
And only the good Lord can track
them Pawnees before daylight.
John, isn't there
anything we can do to...
Do we have to wait;
Afraid so, until daylight, anyway.
lf we went out there now,
we'd just trample out any tracks
they may have left.
? Hear us, O Lord
? We need your guiding light
? Hear us, O Lord
? Shine upon the prairie night
? Hear us, O Lord
? Strengthen our faith
? We must be brave at dawn...
Be light enough to reach Cheyenne
in another hour.
Thought l caught a wink
of something moving out there.
l told you l see'd something.
lt's no Pawnee. Come on.
Easy, boy.
lndians.
Where, Danny;
They're back on the hills.
Now, how many was there;
Hundreds.
Some of them chased me.
Maybe... close.
The main Pawnee war party.
And they know we're here.
- They'll hit with the sun.
- Yeah.
And we ain't got a chance.
Well, not here.
We might up in the notch.
Yeah, if we could get up there in time.
We sure can try.
All right, break up the camp.
Laura!
Dan! Are you all right;
He'll be all right soon as he gets
some rest. Let's get him in the wagon.
- Hold it! Hold it!
Now don't get excited,
but there's a Pawnee war camp nearby.
They may attack.
Our best bet's to get up into the notch
yonder afore daylight.
Span up your wagons
as fast as you can.
Lighten up your loads
'cause every extra pound counts.
Throw away everything you can spare
and half of what
you can't get along without.
All right, get moving! Come on!
Come on, now get moving!
l'll get your team.
Hurry up there with them horses!
Jim, get the horses.
All right now! You don't need
to keep that stuff. Throw it out.
Throw out that stuff!
You don't need it!
- About ready, Cap;
- Just about.
- Got our packs made up, Doc.
- Good.
Send any extra men and guns
to the end of the train.
l'm gonna rig a couple of wagons
as sort of a rear guard.
We ain't never used
these horses before, Pa.
Yep, l'm just making sure
nobody runs off and leaves us.
This will be the toughest drive yet.
Sure you can make it;
- l have so far, haven't l;
- Sure have.
Get those horses over there!
Hitch 'em up.
- Joe.
- Yeah.
- Take over my pack horse, will you;
- Sure thing, Doc.
All right, boys, the best shots
take the guns, the rest load.
- Pile in.
- Let's go. Come on.
Roll your wagons!
Get 'em moving. l'll cover the rear.
Rope up them wagons!
Hyah! Hyah!
Let 'em have it!
- Spread out! Spread out!
- When the wagons clear, fall back!
Let's pull back a bit
where we're not spread out so much.
Pull back!
They'll come
straight through this time.
We couldn't turn 'em
if we had three times as many guns.
Obie, Armitage.
This involves you two.
They're gonna charge straight up here
and we can't stop them.
- There's just one thing to do.
- What's that;
Well, a Pawnee'd rather take a horse
than a scalp any day.
l wanna turn your loose horses
against them.
- Now, wait a minute, Grayson.
- lt's the horses or our hide.
Obie!
- Not my horses, you won't.
- No;
[grunts]
Come on, give me a hand.
? Wringle wrangle
? Jingy jong jangle
[whistles] Ha!
? A mighty fine horse
looking round the course
? Gonna find me a pretty woman's love
? Wringle wrangle
? Jingy jong jangle
Ha!
? Got my spurs on my boots
? And I don't give a hoot
? Gonna find me a pretty woman's love
? I'll get a dollar's worth of beans
? A new pair ofjeans
? Get a woman to cook and wash
? And things
? Wringle wrangle
? Jingy jong jangle
[whistles] Ha!
? When I die, I ain't a-gonna cry
? If I have me a pretty woman's love
? If I have me a pretty woman's love ?
Bissonette, you old horse!
Breckenridge!
So you're still alive, eh, mon ami.
So, the trading post is still up
and you're running the fort.
Meet Doc Grayson.
Bissonette, here,
is the boss of Fort Laramie.
Please to meet you, doctor.
This country sure needs
some white medicine men, eh;
l'm afraid l'm a better mule skinner
then l am a doctor.
Oh, welcome to Fort Laramie.
You have good crossing;
Kind of rough, thanks to the Pawnees.
lt's mighty good
to see friendly lndians for a change.
Oh, the Sioux are never
what you call ''friendly,'' by God.
- That's why l rode out to meet you.
- They got their dander up again;
Yeah, that's Chief Wolfs Brother's men.
Oh, l never heard of him
making trouble for wagon outfits.
Oh, no, not usually.
But the last wagon train through here
killed a couple of his braves
and the whole tribe's
in a pretty bad mood.
They wouldn't try nothing
this close to the fort.
Oh, probably not.
But it's Sioux country
for a long way west of here.
You think he might close up the trail;
Mon ami, how do you guess
with an lndian;
Well, it won't do no harm
to keep out of his way.
Supposing you show us
where you want us to camp.
Here will be a good place. Right here.
Circle your wagons!
Looks like that hide
has seen better days.
We're gonna make robes out of them.
Real robes,
like the lndian chiefs wear!
Well, if that's what you want,
aren't you going about it the wrong way;
How do you mean;
Well, if an lndian wants something
a white man has,
- what does he do;
- Scalps 'em!
l mean a friendly lndian.
He takes what he has to trade to their
trading post and trades for something.
l... wonder who'd be going in
to Fort Laramie this morning.
Mr. Armitage.
Seeing as you don't mind
for company this morning,
how about taking
my young friends over to the fort
and helping them with their trading;
Well, l...
Tell Bissonette to see
that they get a fair trade.
Why don't you take care
of your own errands, Grayson;
Can't this morning.
l got something else to do.
As a matter of fact, l need your help.
Well, come on, let's go.
How about playing teacher;
Injuries to the Head.
Must have suffered one myself
to think l can learn this.
Let's see that.
Salvage. Hope you don't mind.
l hoped this would happen
when l threw them away.
l think Dad would be pleased, too,
if he could know.
- Oh, will you give me a hand;
- Later.
But l have this washing to do now.
And a little soap and water
wouldn't hurt this either.
Careful with that shirt!
lt's the only dress-up one l got!
Lean 'em up against there.
Are you arming these savages,
knowing the mood they're in;
That savage, as you call him,
is my customer.
And guns are good for hunting
as well as fighting, by God.
But if he pays my price,
l sell him what he wants.
To sell is my business.
No matter who gets the bullet
in the back, eh;
lt's an easier way to die
than by the arrow, monsieur.
Can l do something for you;
Yes, my little friends here
would like to make a trade.
And see you make it a fair one.
And what is your pleasure,
ladies and gentlemen;
- Well, we got these here hides.
- Real good hides!
From real buffalo!
They smell a little
but they're almost cured.
Oui, l can see.
And what do you want for these
real good... [sniffs] hides, huh;
- Buffalo robes.
- All finished up.
- Like the lndian chiefs wear.
- One for each of us.
You... You catch me
at just the right moment.
l'm over-stocked
with these finished robes.
And l just cannot get my hands
on enough good green... hides.
What should l do with these;
Drop them right there.
This way.
One each a piece, huh;
He says to tell you
to keep them folded this way.
And when you get to the snows
of the big montagne,
put them on your beds.
They'll keep you warm
and you'll have no sickness.
Pretty soon then you'll be big enough
to wear them like chiefs, huh;
[speaking native language]
He says to tell you
his name is Many Stars,
the great medicine man of the Sioux.
He says to tell you
your days will be long
and your enemies will fall before you.
You had better buy him
the tobacco, monsieur.
lt is customary, eh.
Now, just a minute.
Now, look...
- What's going on;
- Shh.
Daughter of Rising Sun.
Skin like white snow on mountain.
Daughter of Rising Sun, great medicine.
Take your hands off her!
Wolfs Brother, hold on!
You could have
lost your scalp, monsieur.
- Never put a hand to an lndian.
- But he put his hand to her.
Only because he thought
she was pretty.
Because Many Stars told him
she was good medicine, good luck.
Go back to your camp now.
l try to make this right with the chief.
- Oh!
Little Thunder.
Dan.
Let's try that once more.
Just once more.
Dan says some of the company are
getting impatient to be moving again.
Still a long way to Oregon.
l know.
But just a few more days.
Trouble is...
...every day lost brings us just that
much closer to snow in the mountains.
l suppose.
But today l wish
the whole world were like this.
The good grass, the sun.
No problems, no hardships.
lt's asking a lot, isn't it;
l'll settle for an hour like this
whenever it comes along.
- Laura.
- Hmm;
That old chief made
Little Thunder go home
just when we were
starting to have fun.
Well, maybe it's time for his supper.
And it's nearly time for yours.
Run along, get cleaned up.
l didn't want to say nothing in front
of Laura, but that bull-headed Armitage
had a run-in with Wolfs Brother
down at the fort.
What about;
The chief seemed quite taken
with little Myra.
Said something about
her being good medicine.
l think we've been in his camp
just about long enough.
Cap, we better get out of here
before something else happens.
l agree.
Let's keep it
just between the three of us.
And just be sure we're
ready to roll in the morning.
And then,
Dr. John told Captain Stephen
that it would be forever
before he got to wear his clean shirt
- if we didn't have the dance tonight.
And Hank said
that we wouldn't have any dancing
after we left here tomorrow morning.
So Captain Stephen said, ''Yes.''
- You look awfully pretty.
- And so do you.
And you're a pretty accomplished
little gossip, too.
l wonder if Bobo
would like this for her hair.
Look, you get your shoes and stockings
on, l'll be right back, hmm;
All right.
? I used to have a sweetheart
But now I got none
? Since partin', my darlin'
I care not for one
? The day that I left her
she started to cry
? Says, ''If I can't love you
I surely will die''
? Green grow the lilacs
all sparklin' with dew
? I'm lonely, my darlin'
since parting with you
? And by your next meeting
I hope to prove true
? And exchange the green lilacs
? For the red, white and blue
? I passed my love's window
both early and late
? The look that she gave me
it made my heart ache
? The look that she gave me
was harmful to see
? She loved another one...
? Better than me
? Green grow the lilacs
all sparklin' with dew
? I'm lonely, my darlin'
since partin' with you
? But by next meetin'
I'll hope to prove true
? And change the green lilacs
? For the red, white and blue
? And change the green lilacs
? For the red, white and blue ?
Just a little song
to pay you for my laundry.
Why is it doctors
are never good at tying ties;
Here.
Hank.
Dan.
- Ride over and fetch Bissonette.
- Yes, sir.
And hurry!
Benjamin, you and Obie
spread some buffalo robes over there.
They want to palaver with us.
What does it mean, John;
lt's hard to tell.
Do as he did.
Be friendly,
but be very careful, mes amis.
Tell the chief he's welcome to our camp.
- You chief;
- l am.
Are you father, little daughter,
Rising Sun;
He means little Myra Thompson.
The little girl has no father.
Only a brother and sister.
Good.
The chief says his gods have told him
to make a trade with the white man.
Those ponies are trained hunters.
The best of the Sioux herd.
With them you will always be able
to keep your cooking pot full of game,
all the way to the Big Water.
The white buffalo robe is sacred.
That robe will protect you
from bad spirits
the rest of your journey.
The ceremonial whistle is a sign
to all Dakota chiefs and braves
that you are friends to be protected.
ln other words, mes amis...
ln other words, he's offering us
a guarantee of safe passage.
What does he want for it;
Well, these gifts
are the greatest he can give.
Them ain't no gifts.
He's looking to trade for something.
- What's he want;
- He wants to trade for the little girl.
Trade;
The chief claims that the great spirit
has spoken to him through Many Stars,
the great medicine man of the Sioux.
He says his gods have told him
that the little one will bring good luck
to the Dakotas.
And the chief also promises
to raise her like a Sioux princess
and take care of her as his own.
ln time, she will become wife
to Little Thunder, his son.
Tell him no.
You understand, Captain, if you try
to take your wagons on from here
without giving up the little one,
he will set the whole Sioux tribe
against you.
Does he think we're as pagan as he is;
The answer is no.
You not father.
- Who speaks for little yellow hair;
- l speak for my sister.
No talk with woman. You not father.
- l'm her father and mother.
- No talk to woman!
You'll talk to me! You pompous savage.
You heard our captain. We won't trade.
How about your son;
Would you trade him to us;
You have gods,
you must believe in them.
Would they let you do this;
Bissonette.
Tell the chief Little Yellow Hair
has no magic for his people.
No medicine.
Tell him she's a little child and
would sicken and die among strangers.
lf Many Stars
has told his chief otherwise...
...he gives bad advice
and his own medicine is weak.
[speaking native language]
Tell him...
Tell him we know the honor he pays us
and the value of the gifts he offers.
But we will not part with the child.
Well, what do we do now;
Camp right where we are
and be as stubborn as he is, l reckon.
l guess they won't try nothing
this close to the fort.
Stay out of it.
We're in enough trouble as it is.
The boy is hurt.
- That was mighty close.
- The boy is badly hurt.
l was talking about you.
You know that tap
you got on the shoulder;
That means your scalp belongs to him
now anytime he wants to claim it.
lf he's as seriously hurt
as l think he is,
he's out to get all of our scalps.
All right. Close up the gates.
- What's the idea closing up the fort;
- A Sioux was just now here.
Old Many Stars cannot bring
the boy around.
Most of the lndians
don't think he can do it.
- Even if he makes the buffalo prayer.
- The buffalo prayer;
Yes. The lndian believes his strength
comes from Tonka Shonka, the buffalo.
And when he has great trouble
he prays to him.
lt's a medicine man's
most powerful medicine.
He only uses it
when everything else fails.
lf that boy dies,
you folks are bad medecin.
We figure your fort's safer
than our wagons.
We wanna bring our women
and young'uns over here.
lf that boy dies,
the Sioux will get the little one,
even if they have to take my fort down
piece by piece.
- You mean you won't help us;
- Did l say that;
lt's just that my fort is not any safer
than your wagons.
lf there's trouble, l'll do what l can.
Well, the old man
made his talk to the buffalo
and it ain't done no good.
You go near that boy now
and they'll kill you.
lt's too late l tell you!
Maybe. But l've got to try.
He'll need help.
The crazy fools.
They ain't got a chance.
White man, big medicine.
Come to help you save boy's life.
Go!
Two medicines better than one.
Prayers of Many Stars good.
Great Spirit hear.
Your medicine bring white doctor.
Many Stars have big magic.
Now use magic.
The boy's mother
begging a chance for us.
Well, if l can help the boy,
the old man can claim the credit.
- He ought to see that.
- Don't worry.
He ain't missing no bets.
Not that old devil.
Right now he's figuring out
who he'll blame if the boy dies,
after you work on him.
You think of that.
This is the trouble.
lt's a broken clavicle.
Bone splinters punctured a vein
in the neck.
lnternal bleeding and swelling
are interfering with his breathing.
l'll try to relieve the pressure.
How much chance;
Hours ago,
would've been fairly simple.
- And now;
- l don't know.
How does it feel
to be a mighty important man
instead of a mighty dead one;
- We're all ready.
- Oh, yeah;
You are friend.
Wolfs Brother of the Dakotas
take you safe to Big Water.
Like to take my place up in front, Dan;
Sure. Come on, Chieftain.
Medical man's got more to do
than pound a saddle all day.
Yo! Hup!
Roll your wagons!
? Westward roll the wagons
? Always westward roll
? Westward roll the wagons
? For Oregon's our goal
? There's magic in the wind
? And a brightness in the sky
? There's a promised land awaitin'
? And we'll get there by and by
? Westward roll the wagons
? Westward roll them far
? Westward roll the wagons
? Toward the western star
? Westward roll, westward roll
? Westward roll ?
? Always westward roll
? Westward roll the wagons
? For Oregon's our goal
? Westward roll the wagons
? Always westward roll
? Westward roll the wagons
? For Oregon's our goal
? America's in motion
? And her hopes are turnin' west
? Let's all get a-goin'
? For a new land's always best
? Westward roll the wagons
? Westward roll them far
? Westward roll the wagons
? Toward the western star
? Keep them bull whips crackin'
? And a smile on every face
? Keep the teams all pulled and even
? And each wagon in its place
? Westward roll the wagons
? Westward roll them far
? Westward roll the wagons
? Toward the western star
? It's time to halt the wagons
? Circle for the night
? Tomorrow roll the wagons
? When the sun is shinin' bright
? Westward roll the wagons
? Always westward roll
? Westward roll the wagons
? For Oregon's our goal ?
Ah, we did pretty good today.
Golly, l thought
you were never gonna stop.
Come on, princess.
Well, there you are, trail mates.
Chimney Rock.
Chimney Rock!
Wow, we're almost there.
- Almost where;
- Oregon.
Well, hardly, Jerry.
The rock is a milestone.
lt's one of the most famous
along the trail.
Sort of marks the end of the prairie.
Come on over.
l wanna show you over here.
See that notch up there;
Tomorrow we'll pull right up through it.
And once we're through it,
we'll be out of Pawnee country
and into friendly Sioux territory
all the way to Fort Laramie and beyond.
- A real fort;
- Now you just wait and see.
Now, come on,
we all got chores to do. Get!
This beats everythin'.
A layover to graze up the stock.
l tell you, Doc,
these stubborn pot hoppers think
they know more about this here land
than you and me put together.
Outvoting us like they was the Congress
of these here United States itself.
Well, majority rules, Hank.
Majority;
There ain't gonna be no majority
if the Pawnees catch us
lying out here in the open
with that precious herd of extra horses
that Obie Foster
and Armitage brought along.
Well, these folks are farmers.
Horses are important to 'em.
Yeah; Mighty important to Pawnees, too.
Best lnjun bait there is,
you know that.
Just a plain invitation to
any scouting party might happen along.
Now don't get your priming all afire.
We're almost across Pawnee territory
and we haven't seen
any sign of them yet.
When there ain't no sign of them
ornery, horse-thieving, red devils
is when l mistrust 'em most.
Why couldn't these wall-eyed,
greenhorn, sodbusters wait
until we get up that notch yonder
before they had to
sit down in the hunkers
to watch their horses graze grass;
l tell you, Doc,
if l ever get this outfit to Oregon,
l'm never gonna sign up
a bunch of greenhorns again...
What are you doing;
Sit down.
- What's the matter;
- Stick out your tongue. Stick it out.
Now, wait a minute, Doc.
That stuff ain't for me.
Oh, we can't afford
to lose our scout halfway to Oregon.
Just you listen to me! l never
taken that stuff in my whole life
and l ain't gonna start in now.
Well, now just simmer down before
you bust every pipe in your carcass.
Now, come on. What you need is a little
music. That's good for what ails you.
And dig a smile out of those whiskers.
All right.
Dr. John, how about that story
you've been promisin' us;
Please;
Well, l can't tell you a story
without my guitar.
Have at it, Doc.
Looks like there's no help for it.
- How about a mountain man story;
- A real mountain man;
- A true story;
- Yeah.
- Who was he;
- Well...
? John Colter was a trapper
? And he knew the ways of game
? But it wasn't for his trappin'
? That he won immortal fame
? He traveled up the Yellowstone
? And discovered Colter's Hell
? But it isn't of his geysers
? That my yarn is going to tell
No, sir!
? Sing of the bravest mountain man
? Sing of the strong and the fleet
? Colter's courage was in his heart
? And his speed was in his feet
? Now, John Colter heard the Blackfeet
? Claimed the land off to the west
? But he said he'd do his trappin'
? Where the trappin' it was best
? He went and took his share of fur
? Then started back to Fort Manuel
? And he didn't get no warnin'
? Till he heard the Blackfeet yell
? Sing of the bravest mountain man
? Sing of the strong and the fleet
? Colter's courage was in his heart
? And his speed was in his feet
Well, John Colter knew
the Blackfeet must believe him unafraid
He looked his captor in the eye
And a dangerous game he played
The Blackfoot chief said to his men...
''This prisoner is so brave.
We take his clothes and turn him loose
with a chance his scalp to save.''
They set him loose without his clothes
Without his shoes and gun
His courage was his only hope
A race for his life to run
Their fastest runners after him
Their lances waving high
The knowledge poundin' in his heart
That he had to win or die
? Sing of the bravest mountain man
? Sing of the strong and the fleet
? Colter's courage was in his heart
? And his speed was in his feet
Well, John Colter ran and ran
And he ran and he ran
like an antelope in fright
Straight across the cactus thickets
like an arrow in its flight
Lungs a-burstin' with the effort
Every muscle starts to scream
- Six miles of endless runnin'...
And suddenly there's a stream
Dives deep into the water
breathin' through a hollow reed
Leavin' Blackfoot runners baffled
by the wonder of his speed
John waited till the red men left
Then walked back to Fort Manuel
Three hundred miles of barefoot trail
Said he'd like to rest a spell
? Sing of the bravest mountain man
? Sing of the strong and the fleet
? Colter's courage was in his heart
? And his speed was in his feet
? And his speed was in his feet ?
All right now.
lt's time all you youngsters turned in.
Come on, Bobo.
Obie, l'm lookin' for Captain Stephen.
You seen him;
He pulled out with Hank and Doc
earlier this mornin'.
Said they was going up through
the notch yonder to take a look.
Probably looking for lndians.
Won't be satisfied
till they find some.
Yeah, they're sure trying
to keep us worked up, all right.
Pretty fair stock you got, Obie.
Lot of money tied up in them.
lt'll be a big risk
trying to drive them through to Oregon.
Same risk you're taking with yourn.
Speculation's my business.
Take them off your hands at a price.
What kind of price;
- Oh, 50 dollars a head.
These folks with just wagon horses
is gonna hit Oregon
with a bunch of gone'd wind-broke stock
that won't be fit to work in the fields.
They'll have clearing and plowing
and log-raising to head up.
You have to have fresh stock
to even get a crop in.
And where are they gonna get it;
From me, naturally.
That's the whole idea.
Yeah, at maybe ten times the price
you're offering me.
l told you. l am a speculator.
Well, Mr. Armitage,
l'm keeping my horses.
[clicks tongue]
Mrs. Stephen,
have you seen the children;
Oh, they're around somewhere
gathering firewood.
They'll probably turn up
and start raising dust
- the minute l get my wash on the line.
- Here, let me help you.
Say, we got pretty far away from camp.
Nothing but a lot
of old buffalo chips back there.
lndians! l think they saw me.
Scatter and hide.
- Let's get out of here.
- Dan said not to move.
Maybe more of 'em around.
Better wait here till dark.
[crying]
Jim, l thought you'd never get here.
- What's the matter;
- The children are missing.
Missing; What do you mean;
Bobo and Jerry and Jim,
they haven't come back yet.
- Dan and Myra...
- And my boy, too.
The last l saw them, they were going up
on the ridge late this afternoon.
The ridge! What tarnal idget would
ever let them get that far out of camp;
Well, the two older boys
were with 'em. l don't...
Of all the redneck greenhorns
l ever see'd...
- Hold it, Hank.
- Hold it, nothing!
l've told 'em before
and l'll tell 'em again that...
Oh, Mommy!
Are you all right; You had your mother
scared to death, you know that;
Hold on, young'uns. Hold on.
What's this all about;
The lndians took Dan.
- lnjuns;
- Yeah, they were all painted up.
- How many;
- We saw four.
But they didn't see us.
Dan walked right up to them
before they could.
Scouts for a war party.
Well, let's just don't stand here,
let's go after 'em.
Come on.
- Just when did this happen;
- lt was still sunlight...
- Maybe three, four hours ago.
- Four hours.
Hank.
Might as well unsaddle.
They got a four-hour start.
''Unsaddle;''
What do you mean ''unsaddle;''
Only the good Lord knows
what that boy is up against out there.
And only the good Lord can track
them Pawnees before daylight.
John, isn't there
anything we can do to...
Do we have to wait;
Afraid so, until daylight, anyway.
lf we went out there now,
we'd just trample out any tracks
they may have left.
? Hear us, O Lord
? We need your guiding light
? Hear us, O Lord
? Shine upon the prairie night
? Hear us, O Lord
? Strengthen our faith
? We must be brave at dawn...
Be light enough to reach Cheyenne
in another hour.
Thought l caught a wink
of something moving out there.
l told you l see'd something.
lt's no Pawnee. Come on.
Easy, boy.
lndians.
Where, Danny;
They're back on the hills.
Now, how many was there;
Hundreds.
Some of them chased me.
Maybe... close.
The main Pawnee war party.
And they know we're here.
- They'll hit with the sun.
- Yeah.
And we ain't got a chance.
Well, not here.
We might up in the notch.
Yeah, if we could get up there in time.
We sure can try.
All right, break up the camp.
Laura!
Dan! Are you all right;
He'll be all right soon as he gets
some rest. Let's get him in the wagon.
- Hold it! Hold it!
Now don't get excited,
but there's a Pawnee war camp nearby.
They may attack.
Our best bet's to get up into the notch
yonder afore daylight.
Span up your wagons
as fast as you can.
Lighten up your loads
'cause every extra pound counts.
Throw away everything you can spare
and half of what
you can't get along without.
All right, get moving! Come on!
Come on, now get moving!
l'll get your team.
Hurry up there with them horses!
Jim, get the horses.
All right now! You don't need
to keep that stuff. Throw it out.
Throw out that stuff!
You don't need it!
- About ready, Cap;
- Just about.
- Got our packs made up, Doc.
- Good.
Send any extra men and guns
to the end of the train.
l'm gonna rig a couple of wagons
as sort of a rear guard.
We ain't never used
these horses before, Pa.
Yep, l'm just making sure
nobody runs off and leaves us.
This will be the toughest drive yet.
Sure you can make it;
- l have so far, haven't l;
- Sure have.
Get those horses over there!
Hitch 'em up.
- Joe.
- Yeah.
- Take over my pack horse, will you;
- Sure thing, Doc.
All right, boys, the best shots
take the guns, the rest load.
- Pile in.
- Let's go. Come on.
Roll your wagons!
Get 'em moving. l'll cover the rear.
Rope up them wagons!
Hyah! Hyah!
Let 'em have it!
- Spread out! Spread out!
- When the wagons clear, fall back!
Let's pull back a bit
where we're not spread out so much.
Pull back!
They'll come
straight through this time.
We couldn't turn 'em
if we had three times as many guns.
Obie, Armitage.
This involves you two.
They're gonna charge straight up here
and we can't stop them.
- There's just one thing to do.
- What's that;
Well, a Pawnee'd rather take a horse
than a scalp any day.
l wanna turn your loose horses
against them.
- Now, wait a minute, Grayson.
- lt's the horses or our hide.
Obie!
- Not my horses, you won't.
- No;
[grunts]
Come on, give me a hand.
? Wringle wrangle
? Jingy jong jangle
[whistles] Ha!
? A mighty fine horse
looking round the course
? Gonna find me a pretty woman's love
? Wringle wrangle
? Jingy jong jangle
Ha!
? Got my spurs on my boots
? And I don't give a hoot
? Gonna find me a pretty woman's love
? I'll get a dollar's worth of beans
? A new pair ofjeans
? Get a woman to cook and wash
? And things
? Wringle wrangle
? Jingy jong jangle
[whistles] Ha!
? When I die, I ain't a-gonna cry
? If I have me a pretty woman's love
? If I have me a pretty woman's love ?
Bissonette, you old horse!
Breckenridge!
So you're still alive, eh, mon ami.
So, the trading post is still up
and you're running the fort.
Meet Doc Grayson.
Bissonette, here,
is the boss of Fort Laramie.
Please to meet you, doctor.
This country sure needs
some white medicine men, eh;
l'm afraid l'm a better mule skinner
then l am a doctor.
Oh, welcome to Fort Laramie.
You have good crossing;
Kind of rough, thanks to the Pawnees.
lt's mighty good
to see friendly lndians for a change.
Oh, the Sioux are never
what you call ''friendly,'' by God.
- That's why l rode out to meet you.
- They got their dander up again;
Yeah, that's Chief Wolfs Brother's men.
Oh, l never heard of him
making trouble for wagon outfits.
Oh, no, not usually.
But the last wagon train through here
killed a couple of his braves
and the whole tribe's
in a pretty bad mood.
They wouldn't try nothing
this close to the fort.
Oh, probably not.
But it's Sioux country
for a long way west of here.
You think he might close up the trail;
Mon ami, how do you guess
with an lndian;
Well, it won't do no harm
to keep out of his way.
Supposing you show us
where you want us to camp.
Here will be a good place. Right here.
Circle your wagons!
Looks like that hide
has seen better days.
We're gonna make robes out of them.
Real robes,
like the lndian chiefs wear!
Well, if that's what you want,
aren't you going about it the wrong way;
How do you mean;
Well, if an lndian wants something
a white man has,
- what does he do;
- Scalps 'em!
l mean a friendly lndian.
He takes what he has to trade to their
trading post and trades for something.
l... wonder who'd be going in
to Fort Laramie this morning.
Mr. Armitage.
Seeing as you don't mind
for company this morning,
how about taking
my young friends over to the fort
and helping them with their trading;
Well, l...
Tell Bissonette to see
that they get a fair trade.
Why don't you take care
of your own errands, Grayson;
Can't this morning.
l got something else to do.
As a matter of fact, l need your help.
Well, come on, let's go.
How about playing teacher;
Injuries to the Head.
Must have suffered one myself
to think l can learn this.
Let's see that.
Salvage. Hope you don't mind.
l hoped this would happen
when l threw them away.
l think Dad would be pleased, too,
if he could know.
- Oh, will you give me a hand;
- Later.
But l have this washing to do now.
And a little soap and water
wouldn't hurt this either.
Careful with that shirt!
lt's the only dress-up one l got!
Lean 'em up against there.
Are you arming these savages,
knowing the mood they're in;
That savage, as you call him,
is my customer.
And guns are good for hunting
as well as fighting, by God.
But if he pays my price,
l sell him what he wants.
To sell is my business.
No matter who gets the bullet
in the back, eh;
lt's an easier way to die
than by the arrow, monsieur.
Can l do something for you;
Yes, my little friends here
would like to make a trade.
And see you make it a fair one.
And what is your pleasure,
ladies and gentlemen;
- Well, we got these here hides.
- Real good hides!
From real buffalo!
They smell a little
but they're almost cured.
Oui, l can see.
And what do you want for these
real good... [sniffs] hides, huh;
- Buffalo robes.
- All finished up.
- Like the lndian chiefs wear.
- One for each of us.
You... You catch me
at just the right moment.
l'm over-stocked
with these finished robes.
And l just cannot get my hands
on enough good green... hides.
What should l do with these;
Drop them right there.
This way.
One each a piece, huh;
He says to tell you
to keep them folded this way.
And when you get to the snows
of the big montagne,
put them on your beds.
They'll keep you warm
and you'll have no sickness.
Pretty soon then you'll be big enough
to wear them like chiefs, huh;
[speaking native language]
He says to tell you
his name is Many Stars,
the great medicine man of the Sioux.
He says to tell you
your days will be long
and your enemies will fall before you.
You had better buy him
the tobacco, monsieur.
lt is customary, eh.
Now, just a minute.
Now, look...
- What's going on;
- Shh.
Daughter of Rising Sun.
Skin like white snow on mountain.
Daughter of Rising Sun, great medicine.
Take your hands off her!
Wolfs Brother, hold on!
You could have
lost your scalp, monsieur.
- Never put a hand to an lndian.
- But he put his hand to her.
Only because he thought
she was pretty.
Because Many Stars told him
she was good medicine, good luck.
Go back to your camp now.
l try to make this right with the chief.
- Oh!
Little Thunder.
Dan.
Let's try that once more.
Just once more.
Dan says some of the company are
getting impatient to be moving again.
Still a long way to Oregon.
l know.
But just a few more days.
Trouble is...
...every day lost brings us just that
much closer to snow in the mountains.
l suppose.
But today l wish
the whole world were like this.
The good grass, the sun.
No problems, no hardships.
lt's asking a lot, isn't it;
l'll settle for an hour like this
whenever it comes along.
- Laura.
- Hmm;
That old chief made
Little Thunder go home
just when we were
starting to have fun.
Well, maybe it's time for his supper.
And it's nearly time for yours.
Run along, get cleaned up.
l didn't want to say nothing in front
of Laura, but that bull-headed Armitage
had a run-in with Wolfs Brother
down at the fort.
What about;
The chief seemed quite taken
with little Myra.
Said something about
her being good medicine.
l think we've been in his camp
just about long enough.
Cap, we better get out of here
before something else happens.
l agree.
Let's keep it
just between the three of us.
And just be sure we're
ready to roll in the morning.
And then,
Dr. John told Captain Stephen
that it would be forever
before he got to wear his clean shirt
- if we didn't have the dance tonight.
And Hank said
that we wouldn't have any dancing
after we left here tomorrow morning.
So Captain Stephen said, ''Yes.''
- You look awfully pretty.
- And so do you.
And you're a pretty accomplished
little gossip, too.
l wonder if Bobo
would like this for her hair.
Look, you get your shoes and stockings
on, l'll be right back, hmm;
All right.
? I used to have a sweetheart
But now I got none
? Since partin', my darlin'
I care not for one
? The day that I left her
she started to cry
? Says, ''If I can't love you
I surely will die''
? Green grow the lilacs
all sparklin' with dew
? I'm lonely, my darlin'
since parting with you
? And by your next meeting
I hope to prove true
? And exchange the green lilacs
? For the red, white and blue
? I passed my love's window
both early and late
? The look that she gave me
it made my heart ache
? The look that she gave me
was harmful to see
? She loved another one...
? Better than me
? Green grow the lilacs
all sparklin' with dew
? I'm lonely, my darlin'
since partin' with you
? But by next meetin'
I'll hope to prove true
? And change the green lilacs
? For the red, white and blue
? And change the green lilacs
? For the red, white and blue ?
Just a little song
to pay you for my laundry.
Why is it doctors
are never good at tying ties;
Here.
Hank.
Dan.
- Ride over and fetch Bissonette.
- Yes, sir.
And hurry!
Benjamin, you and Obie
spread some buffalo robes over there.
They want to palaver with us.
What does it mean, John;
lt's hard to tell.
Do as he did.
Be friendly,
but be very careful, mes amis.
Tell the chief he's welcome to our camp.
- You chief;
- l am.
Are you father, little daughter,
Rising Sun;
He means little Myra Thompson.
The little girl has no father.
Only a brother and sister.
Good.
The chief says his gods have told him
to make a trade with the white man.
Those ponies are trained hunters.
The best of the Sioux herd.
With them you will always be able
to keep your cooking pot full of game,
all the way to the Big Water.
The white buffalo robe is sacred.
That robe will protect you
from bad spirits
the rest of your journey.
The ceremonial whistle is a sign
to all Dakota chiefs and braves
that you are friends to be protected.
ln other words, mes amis...
ln other words, he's offering us
a guarantee of safe passage.
What does he want for it;
Well, these gifts
are the greatest he can give.
Them ain't no gifts.
He's looking to trade for something.
- What's he want;
- He wants to trade for the little girl.
Trade;
The chief claims that the great spirit
has spoken to him through Many Stars,
the great medicine man of the Sioux.
He says his gods have told him
that the little one will bring good luck
to the Dakotas.
And the chief also promises
to raise her like a Sioux princess
and take care of her as his own.
ln time, she will become wife
to Little Thunder, his son.
Tell him no.
You understand, Captain, if you try
to take your wagons on from here
without giving up the little one,
he will set the whole Sioux tribe
against you.
Does he think we're as pagan as he is;
The answer is no.
You not father.
- Who speaks for little yellow hair;
- l speak for my sister.
No talk with woman. You not father.
- l'm her father and mother.
- No talk to woman!
You'll talk to me! You pompous savage.
You heard our captain. We won't trade.
How about your son;
Would you trade him to us;
You have gods,
you must believe in them.
Would they let you do this;
Bissonette.
Tell the chief Little Yellow Hair
has no magic for his people.
No medicine.
Tell him she's a little child and
would sicken and die among strangers.
lf Many Stars
has told his chief otherwise...
...he gives bad advice
and his own medicine is weak.
[speaking native language]
Tell him...
Tell him we know the honor he pays us
and the value of the gifts he offers.
But we will not part with the child.
Well, what do we do now;
Camp right where we are
and be as stubborn as he is, l reckon.
l guess they won't try nothing
this close to the fort.
Stay out of it.
We're in enough trouble as it is.
The boy is hurt.
- That was mighty close.
- The boy is badly hurt.
l was talking about you.
You know that tap
you got on the shoulder;
That means your scalp belongs to him
now anytime he wants to claim it.
lf he's as seriously hurt
as l think he is,
he's out to get all of our scalps.
All right. Close up the gates.
- What's the idea closing up the fort;
- A Sioux was just now here.
Old Many Stars cannot bring
the boy around.
Most of the lndians
don't think he can do it.
- Even if he makes the buffalo prayer.
- The buffalo prayer;
Yes. The lndian believes his strength
comes from Tonka Shonka, the buffalo.
And when he has great trouble
he prays to him.
lt's a medicine man's
most powerful medicine.
He only uses it
when everything else fails.
lf that boy dies,
you folks are bad medecin.
We figure your fort's safer
than our wagons.
We wanna bring our women
and young'uns over here.
lf that boy dies,
the Sioux will get the little one,
even if they have to take my fort down
piece by piece.
- You mean you won't help us;
- Did l say that;
lt's just that my fort is not any safer
than your wagons.
lf there's trouble, l'll do what l can.
Well, the old man
made his talk to the buffalo
and it ain't done no good.
You go near that boy now
and they'll kill you.
lt's too late l tell you!
Maybe. But l've got to try.
He'll need help.
The crazy fools.
They ain't got a chance.
White man, big medicine.
Come to help you save boy's life.
Go!
Two medicines better than one.
Prayers of Many Stars good.
Great Spirit hear.
Your medicine bring white doctor.
Many Stars have big magic.
Now use magic.
The boy's mother
begging a chance for us.
Well, if l can help the boy,
the old man can claim the credit.
- He ought to see that.
- Don't worry.
He ain't missing no bets.
Not that old devil.
Right now he's figuring out
who he'll blame if the boy dies,
after you work on him.
You think of that.
This is the trouble.
lt's a broken clavicle.
Bone splinters punctured a vein
in the neck.
lnternal bleeding and swelling
are interfering with his breathing.
l'll try to relieve the pressure.
How much chance;
Hours ago,
would've been fairly simple.
- And now;
- l don't know.
How does it feel
to be a mighty important man
instead of a mighty dead one;
- We're all ready.
- Oh, yeah;
You are friend.
Wolfs Brother of the Dakotas
take you safe to Big Water.
Like to take my place up in front, Dan;
Sure. Come on, Chieftain.
Medical man's got more to do
than pound a saddle all day.
Yo! Hup!
Roll your wagons!
? Westward roll the wagons
? Always westward roll
? Westward roll the wagons
? For Oregon's our goal
? There's magic in the wind
? And a brightness in the sky
? There's a promised land awaitin'
? And we'll get there by and by
? Westward roll the wagons
? Westward roll them far
? Westward roll the wagons
? Toward the western star
? Westward roll, westward roll
? Westward roll ?