| OCR Text |
Show 122 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CHAPTER XI. Removal of our Rentlezvous.-Battle with our Friends, the Black Feet. -A Race for dear Life.-Great Victory over the Grovan Band of Black Feet. AFTER we had rested we departed for Snake River, making the Black Foot buttes on our way, in order to pass through the buffalo region. I received a severe lecture from Mr. Sublet for my rashness while at the trading-post. The second day of our march, one of our men, while fishing, detected a party of Black Feet in the act of stealing our horses in the open day. But fo~· the man, they would have succeeded in making off w1th a great number. The alarm _was given, and we mounted and gave immediate chase. The . Indians were forty-four in number, and on foot; therefore they became an easy prey. We ran them into a thicket of dry bush, which we surrounded, and then fired in several places. It was quite dry, and, there being a good breeze at the time, it burned like chaff. This drivinO' the Indians out, as fast as they made their appearanc~ we shot them with our rifles. Every one of them was killed; those who escaped our bullets were consumed in the fire ; and as they were all more or less roasted we took no scalps. None of our party were hurt, ex-' cept one, who was wounded by one of our men. On the third day we found buffalo, and killed great nurn ~ers of them by a " surround." At this place we lost six ~orses, three of them belonging to myself, two ~o a Swiss.' and one to Baptiste. Not 1·elishing the · Idea of losmg them (for they were splendid animals), JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 123 and seeing no signs of Indians, I and the Swiss started along the back track in pursuit, with the understanding that we would rejoin our company at the Buttes. We followed them to the last place of rendezvous; their tracks were fresh and plain, but we could gain no sight of our horses. We then gave up ~he chase, and encamped in a thicket. In the mornmg we started to return, and had not proceeded far, when, hearing a noise in our rear, I looke~ roun~, ~nd saw between two and three hundred Ind1ans w1tlun a few hundred yards of us. They soon discovered us, and, from their not· making immediate pursuit, I inferred that they mistook us for two of their own party. However, they soon gave chase. They being also on foot, I said to my companion, "Now we have as good a cha.nce of escaping as they have of overtaI n .n g us. " The Swiss (named Alexander) said, "It is of no use for me to try to get away: I can not run; save your-self, an a never mm. d me. " ''No,"~ replied, ''I will not leave you; run as fast as you can until you reach the creek; there you can secrete yourself, for they will pursue me." He followed my ad vi'ce, and saved him self. I crossed'the stream, and when I again appeared in sight of the Indians I was on the summit of a small hill two miles in advance. Giving a general yell, they came in pursuit of me. On I ran, not daring to indulge the hope that they would give up the chase, for some ~f the Indians are great runners, and would rather die than incur the ridicule of their brethren. On, on we tore; I to save my scalp, and my pursuers to win it. At length I reached the Buttes, where I had expected to find the camp, but, to my inconceivable horror and dismay, my comrades were not there. They hacl found , |
