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Show 30 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF never get on ; so I told him, if I had. to ad vane~ and leave him, to throw himself in the trail, and await my return on the following day with a go<?d. horse to carry him to the tradino·-post. We walked on, I a hundred yards in ad vance~ but I became convinced that if I did not use my remaining strength in getting to Ely's, we should both be lost. Accordingly, sumn1oning all my forces, I doubled my speed, determined to reach the post before I stopped. I had not proceeded half a mile ere I heard the report of two rifles, and, looking in the direction of the sound, I saw two Indians approaching with demonstrations of friendship. On reaching n1e, one of them exclaimed, ''You are dead-you no live ! " I explained to hin1 that I had left my con1panion behind, and that we were both nearly starved to death. On this they spoke a few words to each other in their own language, and one started off like a race-horse, along the trail, while the other returned with tne to my . companion. As we approached hin1 I could hear him moaning, "Ho, Jim! come back! come back! don't leave me!" We went up to him, and I informed him that we were safe ; that I had met the Indians, and we should soon be relieved. After waiting about three hours, the rattling of hoofs was heard, and, looking up, we discovered a troop of Indians approaching at full speed. In another moment they were by our side. They brought with them a portion of light food, consisting of corn-rneal made into a kind of gruel, of which they would give us but a small spoonful at short intervals. When Harris vvas sufficiently restored to mount a horse with the assist- J Al\iES P. BECK"\VOURTH. ance of the Indians, we all started forward for the post. It appeared that the two Indians whon1 I had so fortunately encountered had lingered behind the main party to arn use themselves with target-shooting with their rifles. The one that started along the trail overtook the main body at a short distance, and, making our case known to them, induced them to return to our succor. We encamped with them that night, and they continued the same regimen of small periodic doses of gruel. Several tin1es a large Indian seized hold of an arm of each of us, and forced us into a run until our strength was utterly exhausted. Others of the party would then support us on each side, and urge us on till their own strength failed them. After this discipline, a spoonful or two of gruel would be administered to us. This exercise being repeated several times, they at length placed before us a large dish containing venison, bear-meat, and turkey, with the invitation to eat all we " ranted. It is unnecessary to say that I partook of such a meal as I never remember to have eaten before or since. Early the next day we arrived at the trading-post of Ely and Curtis, situate on the Missouri River, near the mouth of the ICansas. As I entered the house, I heard some one exclaim, " Here comes Jim Beckwourth and Black Harris," the name he went by where he was known. Ely sprang up to welcome us. "Sure enough," said he, " it is they ; but they look like corpses." Another voice exclaimed, "I-Ialloo, Jin1! what is the matter with you? Is it yourselves, or only your ghosts? Come along and take some brandy, any way; living or dead, you n1nst be dry." |