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Show 402 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF er of the fall of her brother. She retired from the field of her glory, and became the affectionate wife of the Medicine Calf. The difficulty being now entirely removed, we quitted our encampment, and went on a hunting excursion. vVe were away but a few days, and then returned to the fort. One morning it was discovered a large drove of horses was missing. A party was dispatched along the trail, which conducted them precisely the same route they took before. I raised a party, and again struck across the Mussel Shell, and, finding I was before the fugitives, I secreted my warriors as before. We had waited but a few moments, when I saw the enemy emerge from the pines, not more than a mile distant. Pine Leaf and my little wife were with me. My new bride, as she saw the enemy approach, lost all recollection of her new character ; her eye assumed its former martial fire, and, had she had her former war equipments, beyond all doubt she would have joined in the dash upon the foe. The pursued, which was a party of Black Feet, were hard pressed by their pursuers in the rear, but very shortly they were harder pushed in the van. When within proper distance, I gave the word Hoo-ki-hi (charge), and every Black Foot instantly perished. So sudden was our attack, they had not time to fire a gun. I struck down one man, and, looking round for another to ride at, I found they were all dead. The pursuers did not arrive in time to participate in the fight. We took thirty-eight scalps, and recovered one thousand horses, with which we returned to the fort. This was my last battle in the Crow nation; the scalp I relieved the Black Foot of was the last I ever took for them. Before my sudden recall from St. Louis I had enter- JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 403 ed into negotiations which I now felt I ~ould like to complete. I had informed the Crows, after my marriaO'e with Pine Leaf, that I must return to the countryb of the whites, as they had ~ailed me away before I had had time to finish my business. vVhen the boats were ready to go down stream I stepped on board, and proceeded as far as Fort Union. Previous to departing, I informed the Crows that I should be back in four seasons, as I at that time supposed I should. I told them to credit no reports of my death, for they were all false; the whites would never kill me. Pine Leaf inquired if I would certainly come back. I assured her that, if life was preserved to me, I would. I had been n1arried but five weeks when I left, and I have never seen her since. I was disappointed in my expectation of entering into a satisfactory engagement to the agent of the comp~ny, so I kept on to St. Louis. In good truth, I wa_s tired of savage life under any aspect. I knew that, If I remained with them, it would be war and carnage to the end of the chapter, and my mind sickened at the repetition of such scenes. Savage life admits of no repose to the man who desires to retain the character of a great brave; there is no retiring upon _your la_urels. I could have become a pipe-man, but I did not hke to descend to that; and, farther, I could not reconcile myself to a life of inactivity. Pine Leaf and my little wife would have excited their powers of pleasing to procure me happiness; but I felt I was not doing justice to myself to relapse irretrievably into barbarisin. It certainly grieved me to leave a people who reposed so much trust in me, and with whom I had been associated so long; and, indeed, could I have made an engagement with the American Fur Company, as I had |
