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Show 344 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF luxury. By the size of the village, it was evident we had a powerful enemy before us, and that he was brave we had learned by previous experience. After surveying it as well as we could by the gleam of the star~, I determined to go down into their village, and obtain a closer observation. - I took three braves with me, and, turning our robes the hair side out, we descended the hill and entered the village. We found they had recently built a new medicine lodge, and the national council was in session that night. We walked up to the lodge, where there were a number of Cheyennes s1noking and conversing, but we could not understand a word they said. I passed my hand inside to reach for a pipe. One was handed to me ; and after all four of us had taken a few whiffs, I handed it back to my accommodating lendei·. We then strolled leisurely through their town, and returned to our own camp somewhat late in the evenihg. About midnight we visited their herd, and started out quite a large drove, which we found at daylight consisted of eight hundred head ; with these we moved with all possible speed toward home, taking the directest route possible. We drove at full speed, wherever practicable, until the next day at noon; we then turned short round the po~nt of a mountain, and awaited the arrival of our pursuers. Our animals were well rested when the enemy came up, and we had just transferred ourselves to the backs of some that we had borrowed from them. As soon as they had rounded the· point-about two hundred and fifty in number-we· issued out to at~ack them ; and, although they were somewhat surprised to behold so la;rge a force, they quickly formed and awaited the onset. We were soon upon them, killing several and having a few of our i l JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 345 own wounded. We withdrew to form another charge; b~t? before .we. were ready to fall on them again, they divided their line, and one half made a daring attempt to surround our horses, but we defeated their aim. !hey then retreated toward their village, they finding It nece~sary to re-enfor.ce th.eir numbers before they co.uld either recover their animals or fight our party With any show of success. ~ afterward learned, when a trader in the Cheyenne natiOn for Sublet, that their main body, consisting of two thousand warriors, had started with them, but turn~ d back when within four miles of our temporary restIng- place. The smaller division traveled back as fast as possible in the endeavor to reach them, and bring them back to the attack. After proceeding two or three hours in their trail, they suddenly came in sight of them as they were resting to dress some buffalo. By means of couriers and signals, they soon had the whole army on the march again; but by this time we were "over the hills and far away," having resumed our retreat immediately our pursuers left us. Those who are driving horses in a chase such as this have a great advantage over their pursuers, since the pursuer must necessarily ride one horse all the time, but those that are driving can change as often as they please, taking a fresh horse every half hour even if.occasion requires. In case there is great urgenc; With a drove, a number of warriors are sent in advance t~ lead them, whi.le others are whooping and yelling belund_. Under th1s pressure, the animals generally get over the ground at a pretty good rate. On our arrival at home with thirteen scalps over eight hundred horse~, and none of our party killed, it may be judged that we made much-noise and shouting. P2 • |
