OCR Text |
Show 98 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF We gave the chief a scarlet blanket, as he had desired, and all was well again. CHAPTER IX. The Company removes from Cache Valley on a Hunting and Trapping Excursion.-Discovery of a Band of Black Feet.-A Battle ensues with them.-Description of the Battle.-Return to Rendezvous.Fulfillment of the Medicine Chief's Prophecy. THE peltry and other things not required in our expedition being all safely cached, our whole partynumbering two hundred and fifty, besides women and children-left Cache Valley for the country of the Black Feet, expecting to make a profitable hunt. I had· engaged to the Fur Company for the spring hunt for the sum of five hundred dollars, with the privilege of taking for servant the widow of one of the men who had been killed in the bank. She was of light complexion, smart, trim and active, and never tired in her efforts to please me, she se~ming to think that she belonged to me for the remainder of her life. I had never had a servant before, and I found her of great service to me in keeping my clothes in repair, making my bed, and taking care of my weapons. We kept on till we came to Sheep-horn Mountain, but, finding it impassable for the snow, we changed our · course, and proceeded down the Port N eif until we arrived at its junction with the Snake River, one of the main branches of the Columbia. No trappers having preceded us on the Port N eif, we met with excellent success all the way to the junction, a course which occupied us three weeks. An advanced party arriving at the junction before the main body came up, immediate- JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 99 ly upon !anding discovered Indians coming down the Snake River. They were not perceived by the Indians, who were as yet at a considerable distance. Our whole force was soo~ prepared to meet them. Leaving one hundred men In camp, the remaining one hundred and fift:y mar?hed up t~e river, keeping in the timber; our pohcy bemg to retain our foes in the open prairie w hilc w~ kept the protect~on of the woods. At last th:y perceived us; but, se~mg that we had the advantage of them, they made signs of great friendship. Not w~shing to be the aggressors, we contented ourselves With observing the enemy, and retired toward o~r camp, ~ithout any hostile demonstration on either Side. Semng signal-smokes arising on every side, we kn~w an attack on our little band was meditated by thmr thousands of mounted warriors. We therefore determined on a retreat as the safest course. There being many In~ian~ about our camp, it required a strict watch t~ be maintained, every man having his gun constantly In hand, and the priming well looked to. We were able to converse with them, as many of our men could speak their language; but they still pretended to ente~tain t?w~~d us feelings of the" most distinguished consideratiOn. We encamped that night, keeping a strong guard, and saw all around us, as far as the eye could extend, numerous signal-fires. . At 1 daylight one ~four men shouted, " Stop the Indian. s . stop the Indians ! My rope is cut ! " On looking, we found that three of our best horses had been stolen, notwithstanding our unceasing vigilance. The cry then passed around, " The ropes are cut ! Shoot them .down ! shoot them down ! " Rifles began to crack, and SIX of the Indians fell, five of whom were instantly scalped (for the scalps are taken off with greater ease |