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Show 262 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF trail the next morning, and overtook me with his remaining followers. He advanced to me, and said, "Bloody Arm, you are a great warrior ; you do not wish me to go to war, but I will. I shall never return to the village. I am going to die. The Crows are fools. I have given them good counsel, and they would not listen to my words. I have fought for them during n1any years. I have shed much blood for them. I have tried to make them a great people, but they have closed their ears. I am going to the big village of the Great Spirit. If you do not wish to go in the path with me, you can go in another path ; I will find the enemy alone, and die." When he had finished speaking, he dismounted. Then, placing the edge of his shield on some buffalo chips, he said, "Warriors, you see my shield. If it rises, I shall die before I return to the village ; if not, I shall return." He then addressed the sun for some minutes, after which he took his lance and made several motions with it. Then, giving a bound, the shield was raised as high as his head, and not a warrior saw him touch it. Then every one present believed his words, namely, that he would never return alive to the village. I knew that the shield must have some elevating agency, but it was concealed: my attention was so riveted upon the chief, that I did not discover the power that produced the seeming miracle. The scouts now ran in to report that there were fourteen Black Feet but a short distance off, who were app~oaching us on foot. All was then bustle of preparatiOn for a moment, and the trick of the shield was forgot.ten. Away we sped to find the enemy. We speedily found them, and they, perceiving escape was ' ' I .. JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 263 impossible, prepared to sell their lives as dearly as they could. The old chief was the first to charge impetuously upon the scanty foe; as his steed plunged through them, - he cut down one with his battle-axe; then, wheeling and again passing their line, he clove a second. Again turning to pass the enemy's line a third time, he had already raised his arm to strike, when an arrow entered his body just below the hip, and passed clean through, showing itself near the shoulder. Every warrior paused in astonishment at seeing their chief thus furiously engaged; but when he fell a demon seemed suddenly to possess them, and the few surviving Black Feet were ·hewed to pieces in a moment. Every wanior gathered round the dying chief; his life-blood was fast draining from his mortal stroke. '·' Warriors," he said, " I came here to die. My wish will soon be gratified. A-ra-poo-ash will lead you · no more to war. My home will soon be in the Spirit Land. My people were fools, and would not listen to my counsel. Bloody Arm, come to me. You must now take the place of A-ra-poo-ash. You are brave and wise. You fight the enemy, and vanquish them without losing our own warriors. Your medicine is powerful. Warri01·s, listen to your dying chief! You, Bloody Arm, are the only brave who can keep the nation together. The Crows disobeyed my orders, and I did not like to punish them for it. I loved my people too well ; I was too kind to them for their own good. I was too indulgent~ They all fear you, and will obey your words. If they obey you, they will increase and become a powerful people, as I have wished them to be; but if they disobey you, they will not be a natio·n two winters more. Their enemies are |
