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Show 276 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF and I thought no more of the matter. I soon. f'ell asleep, and woke no more till morning. On awaking, I heard a great rush or trampling of horses, and, springing out of bed, I inquired of a squaw what was tho matter in the village. "Why, don't you know the whites are all dead?" she made reply. "The whites are all dead!" repeated I, thunderstruck. I ran out and ordered Iny war-horse to be got ready in a moment. I next ran to the lodge where Winters slept, and found . it filled with Crows. I asked what all this uproar meant. "I don't know," said he; "I have wished to go to your lodge to see you, but they would not let me leave. They have been clamoring about Thomas-Thomas' rhomas, all night." At this moment Fitzpatrick rode up, with an Indian behind him. "Fitz," said I, " what in the name of God does all this mean ? Where are your men ?" " They are all dead, I expect, by this time," said he, blankly ; " and I presume you have sent for me to murder me at your own discretion." "When did you leave them? Were they alive when you left then1 ?" " They were going down the river, and a thousand Indians in hot pursuit after them," he said. " Go over to my father's lodge," I said to him, "and stay till I return." I then mounted my war-horse, being well armed, and addressed my father: "I am mad," I said; "I am going to die." , . H~ g_ave the war-hoop so loud that my ears fairly I JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 277 tingled, as a signal for my relatives to follow me. They gathered round. " Go," said he, " and die with the J\tledicine Calf." On I dashed, in mad career, for six or seven miles along the bank of the river, until I came in sight of the men. I seemed to have traveled the space in the same number of minutes, for the horse flew with lightning speed upon his errand. He dropped dead beneath me ; in his prodigious exertions he had burst a blood-vessel. I ran forward on foot, shouting to Fitzpatrick's men, "Run to me! Run to me quickly!" They heard me, and hesitated at my summons. At length one started, and the others follo:ved, running at their utmost speed toward me. A hill rose on each side the river, closing together and arching over the stream, at a short distance in advance of the party when I arrested their steps. In this pass the Crows had taken their position, intending to massacre the party as they attempted to force their passage. As they reached me, I serried them around me, the Crows charging from the hills upon us at the same time. I now saw my band of relatives and friends approaching us from the village. As the exasperated Indians came surging on toward us, I advanced toward them, and ordered them to desist. They arrested their course : "What do you want?" they asked; "do you wish those whites to live?" "After you have killed me," I said, "you can march over my dead body and kill them, but not before." They then wheeled, and fell in with my party of relatives, who were fast arriving and encircling the whites. I then requested each man to mount horse behind my |
