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Show 100 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF while the bodies are warm) ; and the remaining Indian, having crawled into the river after receiving his wound, his scalp was lost. One of their chiefs was among .the slain. I-Ie was shot in our camp before he had time to make his retreat with the others, who all ran as soon as our camp was alarmed. Not a moment was then to be lost. We knew that their signal-fires would cover the whole p~·airie with savages, for we were in the very heart of their country. Packing up, in a few minutes we were on the retreat, which we pressed all day. We encamped the same night, as the Indians did not see fit to follow us. Soon after this occurrence a party of fur-trappers, consisting of twelve men, under the charge of one Loaan left our company to try their fortune, but were bn eve' r heard of afterward. Every exertw. n was sub se-quently made to obtain some clew to the cause of their disappearance, but nothing was ever learned of them. Beyond doubt, they fell victims to the treachery of the Black Feet. Our party continued trapping up the Port Nei~ until we came to Sheep Mountain, which we passed: Without difficulty, the snow having by this time disappeared. We proceeded on to Bear Ri:..er, a~d co~tinued .trapping upon that strearn and Its tnbutanes until we reached Sage River, where, very unexpectedly, and to our utter surprise, we met "two white men," Black I-Iarris and my old friend Portuleuse. . This verification of the prediction of the old chief was, to say the least, a remarkable coincidence, and one not easily accounted for. Our two friends informed us that they were from St. Louis, and had left General Ashley and Sublet but a short distance in the rear. We took up our traps and . • JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. • 101 moved immediately to Weaver Lake, and formed a rendezvous to wait the arrival of the general and Sublet. While resting there, a party of sixteen Flat Heads came to our camp, and informed us that there were thirty white men, with women and children, encamped on a creek twelve or fifteen miles distant. ~rhey stated that t1le party had twenty-six guns, but that their ammunition was expended. Having some splendid horses, in the very best condition, I proposed to go and take them some ammunition, in. the event of their l1aving need for it on their way to our· camp. Provo, J arvey, and myself mounted three of our fleetest steeds, and found the party in camp. As we had expected, we found they were Campbell's party, among whom were many of our personal friends. They had met with very good fortune in their crui8e, and had lost none of their men. We encamped with them that night, and escorted them to the rendezvous the next day. On our way to the rendezvous we heard singing in our rear, and, looking in the direction of the noise, we discovered a party of five hundred mounted Indians coming directly toward us. "Flat I-Ieads! Flat Heads ! " was shouted; and, believing them to be such, I and my two friends· wheeled to go and meet them. Approaching within a short distance, to our horror and 'surprise we discovered they were Black Feet-a tribe who prize white scalps very highly. Wishing to take us all together, probably, they ordered us back-an order we obeyed with alacrity, and we speedily gave the alarm. Placing the women and children in advance, and directing them to make all speed to a patch of willows six miles in front, and there to secure themselves, we formed to hold the Indians in check. The · women made good time, considering the jaded state of |