Chapter 11

Rival trapping parties Manoeuvring A desperate game Vanderburgh

and the Blackfeet Deserted camp fire A dark defile An Indian

ambush A fierce melee Fatal consequences Fitzpatrick and

Bridger Trappers precautions Meeting with the Blackfeet More

fighting Anecdote of a young Mexican and an Indian girl.

WHILE Captain Bonneville and his men are sojourning among the Nez

Perces, on Salmon River, we will inquire after the fortunes of

those doughty rivals of the Rocky Mountains and American Fur

Companies, who started off for the trapping grounds to the

north-northwest.

Fitzpatrick and Bridger, of the former company, as we have

already shown, having received their supplies, had taken the

lead, and hoped to have the first sweep of the hunting grounds.

Vanderburgh and Dripps, however, the two resident partners of the

opposite company, by extraordinary exertions were enabled soon to

put themselves upon their traces, and pressed forward with such

speed as to overtake them just as they had reached the heart of

the beaver country. In fact, being ignorant of the best trapping

grounds, it was their object to follow on, and profit by the

superior knowledge of the other party.

Nothing could equal the chagrin of Fitzpatrick and Bridger at

being dogged by their inexperienced rivals, especially after

their offer to divide the country with them. They tried in every

way to blind and baffle them; to steal a march upon them, or lead

them on a wrong scent; but all in vain. Vanderburgh made up by

activity and intelligence for his ignorance of the country; was

always wary, always on the alert; discovered every movement of

his rivals, however secret and was not to be eluded or misled.

Fitzpatrick and his colleague now lost all patience; since the

others persisted in following them, they determined to give them

an unprofitable chase, and to sacrifice the hunting season rather

than share the products with their rivals. They accordingly took

up their line of march down the course of the Missouri, keeping

the main Blackfoot trail, and tramping doggedly forward, without

stopping to set a single trap. The others beat the hoof after

them for some time, but by degrees began to perceive that they

were on a wild-goose chase, and getting into a country perfectly

barren to the trapper. They now came to a halt, and be-thought

themselves how to make up for lost time, and improve the

remainder of the season. It was thought best to divide their

forces and try different trapping grounds. While Dripps went in

one direction, Vanderburgh, with about fifty men, proceeded in

another. The latter, in his headlong march had got into the very

heart of the Blackfoot country, yet seems to have been

unconscious of his danger. As his scouts were out one day, they

came upon the traces of a recent band of savages. There were the

deserted fires still smoking, surrounded by the carcasses of

buffaloes just killed. It was evident a party of Blackfeet had

been frightened from their hunting camp, and had retreated,

probably to seek reinforcements. The scouts hastened back to the

camp, and told Vanderburgh what they had seen. He made light of

the alarm, and, taking nine men with him, galloped off to

reconnoitre for himself. He found the deserted hunting camp just

as they had represented it; there lay the carcasses of buffaloes,

partly dismembered; there were the smouldering fires, still

sending up their wreaths of smoke; everything bore traces of

recent and hasty retreat; and gave reason to believe that the

savages were still lurking in the neighborhood. With heedless

daring, Vanderburgh put himself upon their trail, to trace them

to their place of concealment: It led him over prairies, and

through skirts of woodland, until it entered a dark and dangerous

ravine. Vanderburgh pushed in, without hesitation, followed by

his little band. They soon found themselves in a gloomy dell,

between steep banks overhung with trees, where the profound

silence was only broken by the tramp of their own horses.

Suddenly the horrid war-whoop burst on their ears, mingled with

the sharp report of rifles, and a legion of savages sprang from

their concealments, yelling, and shaking their buffalo robes to

frighten the horses. Vanderburgh's horse fell, mortally wounded

by the first discharge. In his fall he pinned his rider to the

ground, who called in vain upon his men to assist in extricating

him. One was shot down scalped a few paces distant; most of the

others were severely wounded, and sought their safety in flight.

The savages approached to dispatch the unfortunate leader, as he

lay struggling beneath his horse.. He had still his rifle in his

hand and his pistols in his belt. The first savage that advanced

received the contents of the rifle in his breast, and fell dead

upon the spot; but before Vanderburgh could draw a pistol, a blow

from a tomahawk laid him prostrate, and he was dispatched by

repeated wounds.

Such was the fate of Major Henry Vanderburgh, one of the best and

worthiest leaders of the American Fur Company, who by his manly

bearing and dauntless courage is said to have made himself

universally popular among the bold-hearted rovers of the

wilderness.

Those of the little band who escaped fled in consternation to the

camp, and spread direful reports of the force and ferocity of the

enemy. The party, being without a head, were in complete

confusion and dismay, and made a precipitate retreat, without

attempting to recover the remains of their butchered leader. They

made no halt until they reached the encampment of the Pends

Oreilles, or Hanging-ears, where they offered a reward for the

recovery of the body, but without success; it never could be

found.

In the meantime Fitzpatrick and Bridger, of the Rocky Mountain

Company, fared but little better than their rivals. In their

eagerness to mislead them they betrayed themselves into danger,

and got into a region infested with the Blackfeet. They soon

found that foes were on the watch for them; but they were

experienced in Indian warfare, and not to be surprised at night,

nor drawn into an ambush in the daytime. As the evening advanced,

the horses were all brought in and picketed, and a guard was

stationed round the camp. At the earliest streak of day one of

the leaders would mount his horse, and gallop off full speed for

about half a mile; then look round for Indian trails, to

ascertain whether there had been any lurkers round the camp;

returning slowly, he would reconnoitre every ravine and thicket

where there might be an ambush. This done, he would gallop off in

an opposite direction and repeat the same scrutiny. Finding all

things safe, the horses would be turned loose to graze, but

always under the eye of a guard.

A caution equally vigilant was observed in the march, on

approaching any defile or place where an enemy might lie in wait;

and scouts were always kept in the advance, or along the ridges

and rising grounds on the flanks.

At length, one day, a large band of Blackfeet appeared in the

open field, but in the vicinity of rocks and cliffs. They kept at

a wary distance, but made friendly signs. The trappers replied in

the same way, but likewise kept aloof. A small party of Indians

now advanced, bearing the pipe of peace; they were met by an

equal number of white men, and they formed a group midway between

the two bands, where the pipe was circulated from hand to hand,

and smoked with all due ceremony. An instance of natural

affection took place at this pacific meeting. Among the free

trappers in the Rocky Mountain band was a spirited young Mexican

named Loretto, who, in the course of his wanderings, had ransomed

a beautiful Blackfoot girl from a band of Crows by whom she had

been captured. He made her his wife, after the Indian style, and

she had followed his fortunes ever since, with the most devoted

affection.

Among the Blackfeet warriors who advanced with the calumet of

peace she recognized a brother. Leaving her infant with Loretto

she rushed forward and threw herself upon her brother's neck, who

clasped his long-lost sister to his heart with a warmth of

affection but little compatible with the reputed stoicism of the

savage.

While this scene was taking place, Bridger left the main body of

trappers and rode slowly toward the group of smokers, with his

rifle resting across the pommel of his saddle. The chief of the

Blackfeet stepped forward to meet him. From some unfortunate

feeling of distrust Bridger cocked his rifle just as the chief

was extending his hand in friendship. The quick ear of the savage

caught the click of the lock; in a twinkling he grasped the

barrel, forced the muzzle downward, and the contents were

discharged into the earth at his feet. His next movement was to

wrest the weapon from the hand of Bridger and fell him with it to

the earth. He might have found this no easy task had not the

unfortunate leader received two arrows in his back during the

struggle.

The chief now sprang into the vacant saddle and galloped off to

his band. A wild hurry-skurry scene ensued; each party took to

the banks, the rocks and trees, to gain favorable positions, and

an irregular firing was kept up on either side, without much

effect. The Indian girl had been hurried off by her people at the

outbreak of the affray. She would have returned, through the

dangers of the fight, to her husband and her child, but was

prevented by her brother. The young Mexican saw her struggles and

her agony, and heard her piercing cries. With a generous impulse

he caught up the child in his arms, rushed forward, regardless of

Indian shaft or rifle, and placed it in safety upon her bosom.

Even the savage heart of the Blackfoot chief was reached by this

noble deed. He pronounced Loretto a madman for his temerity, but

bade him depart in peace. The young Mexican hesitated; he urged

to have his wife restored to him, but her brother interfered, and

the countenance of the chief grew dark. The girl, he said,

belonged to his tribe-she must remain with her people. Loretto

would still have lingered, but his wife implored him to depart,

lest his life should be endangered. It was with the greatest

reluctance that he returned to his companions.

The approach of night put an end to the skirmishing fire of the

adverse parties, and the savages drew off without renewing their

hostilities. We cannot but remark that both in this affair and

that of Pierre's Hole the affray commenced by a hostile act on

the part of white men at the moment when the Indian warrior was

extending the hand of amity. In neither instance, as far as

circumstances have been stated to us by different persons, do we

see any reason to suspect the savage chiefs of perfidy in their

overtures of friendship. They advanced in the confiding way usual

among Indians when they bear the pipe of peace, and consider

themselves sacred from attack. If we violate the sanctity of this

ceremonial, by any hostile movement on our part, it is we who

incur the charge of faithlessness; and we doubt not that in both

these instances the white men have been considered by the

Blackfeet as the aggressors, and have, in consequence, been held

up as men not to be trusted.

A word to conclude the romantic incident of Loretto and his

Indian bride. A few months subsequent to the event just related,

the young Mexican settled his accounts with the Rocky Mountain

Company, and obtained his discharge. He then left his comrades

and set off to rejoin his wife and child among her people; and we

understand that, at the time we are writing these pages, he

resides at a trading-house established of late by the American

Fur Company in the Blackfoot country, where he acts as an

interpreter, and has his Indian girl with him.