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Show 334 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF our horses down toward them, and left them there, while we took a circuit aropnd, displaying our scalps, but still keeping over gunshot distance. The old men came out to us, carrying drums~ each of us took one, and then we bounded away to the rear of our horses. We raised a well-known song, and all listened to the tones of the returning Medicine Calf. At length our wives and relatives broke away from the throng, and darted over the plain to meet us. They fairly flew over the intervening space to welcome us in their arms. A tall sister of mine outstripped the rest, and arrived first, and immediately after my little wife was also by my side. After a warm greeting exchanged with these, the warriors came up, and saluted us with a shout that would have aroused Napoleon's Old Guard from their graves. We were lifted from our horses, and almost denuded of our clothing, and carried by the impetuous throng into the village. My father had painted his face into an exact resemblance of Satan, in token of his joy at my happy return. I was kissed and caressed by my mother, sisters, and wives until I fairly gasp-ed for breath. · Any person who has never beheld a real downright rejoicing among savages can form but a faint conception of their unrestrained manifestations ; words can convey no adequate idea of it. Being untutored and natural, and not restricted by any considerations of grace or propriety, they abandon themselves to their emotions, arid no gesture is too exaggerated, no demonstration too violent for thmn to resort to. My friend, with many others, had given me up for dead, and had adopted another in my place ; so that there were now three of us who all knew one another's secrets. Pine Leaf was overjoyed at my return. JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 335 She had become confident of my death, and was only waiting to ascertain the nation that had killed me in order to revenge my loss, or be sacrificed to my manes. Couriers were immediately dispatched to the other village to acquaint them with our return, and to invite them to participate in the celebrations of the event. Long flair returned for answer, "Tell my brother I will fly to see him." They lost six warriors on their way to our village, through carelessly straggling in detached parties, consequently they came to us in mourning for their loss. The two droves of horses which the Crows had re-leased us of were all religiously returned. Those that the captors had given away were promptly delivered up, so that we were now in possession of a very numerous drove. I distributed my share among my relatives, friends, wives, and wives' relatives, until I had only just enough for my own use. I gave my father an elegant steed, the largest in the whole drove. To the heroine I gave a spotted four-year-old, a perfect beauty, one that I had intended for her as we were driving them home. He proved to be a superior warhorse, and there were but few among the thousands that we possessed that could distance him with her upon his back. She was very proud of him, and would suffer no one but herself to ride him. It took me a long time to rehearse all our adventures while away. I was required to do it very minutely and circumstantially-even to describe all our camping-grounds, and relate every minute occurrence that transpired during our long pilgrimage. We had certainly incurred exceeding risk in the route we had traveled; in recurring to it I marveled at our escape. Any five men might start upon such |
