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Show 362 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ceded with me to exert myself in establishing~ peace between the two nations, which request I promised to comp 1y with. The chiefs inquire. d w. h. e.t her we woulhd take their lives in the event of then VISiting us on sue a mi·S SI·O n. I assu1·ed them that the Crows would hold their lives sacred; that they were not dogs, as many nations were, but that they were a grea~ and magnanimous nation, whose power was predominant, and who killed no enemies but in battle. I remained at the fort about three weeks, and, as most of the sub-traders, clerks, and interpreters were in we had a glorious time. It was at least three or fo~r years since I had last visited there ; ~or, though ,I fought a battle outside its walls lately, I did not see fit at that time to make them a call. The boats being ready to return, I star~ed with the~, but their progress was so slow and weansome on th~u way up to the Yellow Stone that I leaped ashore, Intending to make my way over dry land. I have always rejoiced that I was prompte~ to take :hat step, for I became instrumental thereby In performing a merciful deed among so many that might be termed unmerciful. I had not traveled more than three miles when I came across a white man, named Fuller, in a famishing condition. I had a companion with me, who~ I started off to the boats to bid them prepare something suitable to recover the poor fellow, and to order them to touch on shore when they came to where he lay. Fuller was quite delirious. I had discovered him just in the nick of time, as he could not have survived many hours longer. My companion was not long in per- · forming his errand, and, when the boat touched for him, we carried him on board, and gave him tea and JAMES P. BECKWOUR'rH. 363 warm restoratives. He shortly revived, and then gave me to understand, in a very incoherent manner, that he had four companions in a similar condition near to where I had found him. At this intelligence we went on shore again to succor them also. We had a long hunt before we succeeded in finding them, and when we at last discovered them, we found them picking and eating rosebuds, or, rather, the pods containing seed of last year's gTowth. When they saw us approaching they attempted to run, supposing us to be Indians; but, their strength failing them, they sought to conceal themselves in the bushes. ·We made known our errand to them, and invited them on board the boat. Our opportune offer of service seemed so providential, that the fortitude of the poor famishing fellows could not sustain them, and they all gave way to a plentiful flood of tears. We conveyed them on board the boat, and furnished them with food adapted to their emaciated condition. When in some measure restored, they informed us that they had been trapping in the mountains, their party originally consisting of eleven men ; that they were on their road to Fort Cass, with their pack-horses and four packs of beaver, when they were set upon by the Black Feet, who killed six of their party, and despoiled them of every article they had, and it was by a miracle that they escaped from their hands. When they had supposed themselves near the fort, they saw a great number of Indians, whom they took for Black Feet; to avoid them, they took a wide circuit through the prairie. The Indians whom they mistook for Black Feet were a party of Crows, and if they had gone up to them and made their case known, the Crows |
