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Show 442 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 01<' We served all the women to their entire satisfaction, and closed out our stock of dry-goods. We then proceeded to the whisky. Before opening the kegs, I laid down my rules to the chic£ I told him that his people might spree as long as they chose, but that they must not obstruct my business, or interfere with me. As the liquor was served out to them, they must carry it out of the lodge, and not stay to be in my way and give me trouble. This was readily assented to, and the sales began. Whisky will have the same effect every where, and if a man will traffic in the "cursed stuff," he must submit to his share of the mischief he creates. My understanding with the chief was productive of no effect. He came into the lodge, saying, "I have killed an Indian;" I looked, and saw that his battle-axe was dripping with blood. Yells and tumult increased outside ; the chief was again making his way toward the lodge, protected by a host of friends, while behind him, and striving to get at him, was an infuriated throng, fighting and yelling like devils. My store in an instant was £lied to overflowing with opposing parties, composed of outlaws from a dozen tribes. I sprang to secure my gun ; and my companions, mistaking my movement, supposed I had started to run, and they broke out at the back of the lodge, and did not stop _nntil they reached our post on the Platte. Battle-axes and knives fairly rung through the lodge during the continuance of the fight ; but it was over in a few minutes, and they withdrew to the place outside, and renewed it to greater advantage. At the restoration of peace, some ghastly wounds were shown to me, but, singular to say, none of the belligerents were killed. JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 443 Mo-he-nes-to, after a short interval, returned, without having received a single scratch, and said all was quiet again, and they wanted more whisky. The women wished to get son1e also, he informed me. I knew that, if the women were going to join in, I must have another supply, and I told the chief I had not enough left to get the women drunk. " Send for more, then," said he. " Our women are buried up and smothered with robes, and will buy very 1nuch." I soon found a volunteer to run to the post to carry an order to Sublet to send me twenty gallons more of whisky. lVIy assistants, after making their hasty exit from the back of the chief's lodge, reported at the post the state of affairs at the village of the Outlaws at the time they left. Guns were being fired, they said, and, beyond all doubt, Beckwourth was killed. No one dared to go and ascertain the result. Sublet was in great trouble. " I did my utmost to prevent his going," he consoled himself by saying, "but he went in opposition to all orders and advice; so, if he is killed, the responsibility does not rest upon me." By-and-by my messenger arrived with the order for more whisky. Sublet took the letter and read it. " Ho ! " said he, "Jim is not dead yet. He has sent for more fire-water. Who will take it to him ?" Four men volunteered for the errand, and arrived with it next day. The Indians took their horses away from them, and they became alarmed ; but when they shortly after saw me up to my neck in buffalo robes, their fear subsided. These two kegs went off as actively as the preceding, and the robes fairly poured in. The whole village moved on toward the post, singing, dane- |
