Chapter 48

Breaking up of winter quarters Move to Green River A trapper

and his rifle An arrival in camp A free trapper and his squaw

in distress Story of a Blackfoot belle.

THE winter was now breaking up, the snows were melted, from the

hills, and from the lower parts of the mountains, and the time

for decamping had arrived. Captain Bonneville dispatched a party

to the caches, who brought away all the effects concealed there,

and on the 1st of April (1835) , the camp was broken up, and

every one on the move. The white men and their allies, the Eutaws

and Shoshonies, parted with many regrets and sincere expressions

of good-will; for their intercourse throughout the winter had

been of the most friendly kind.

Captain Bonneville and his party passed by Ham's Fork, and

reached the Colorado, or Green River, without accident, on the

banks of which they remained during the residue of the spring.

During this time, they were conscious that a band of hostile

Indians were hovering about their vicinity, watching for an

opportunity to slay or steal; but the vigilant precautions of

Captain Bonneville baffled all their manoeuvres. In such

dangerous times, the experienced mountaineer is never without his

rifle even in camp. On going from lodge to lodge to visit his

comrades, he takes it with him. On seating himself in a lodge, he

lays it beside him, ready to be snatched up; when he goes out, he

takes it up as regularly as a citizen would his walking-staff.

His rifle is his constant friend and protector.

On the 10th of June, the party was a little to the east of the

Wind River Mountains, where they halted for a time in excellent

pasturage, to give their horses a chance to recruit their

strength for a long journey; for it was Captain Bonneville's

intention to shape his course to the settlements; having already

been detained by the complication of his duties, and by various

losses and impediments, far beyond the time specified in his

leave of absence.

While the party was thus reposing in the neighborhood of the Wind

River Mountains, a solitary free trapper rode one day into the

camp, and accosted Captain Bonneville. He belonged, he said, to a

party of thirty hunters, who had just passed through the

neighborhood, but whom he had abandoned in consequence of their

ill treatment of a brother trapper; whom they had cast off from

their party, and left with his bag and baggage, and an Indian

wife into the bargain, in the midst of a desolate prairie. The

horseman gave a piteous account of the situation of this helpless

pair, and solicited the loan of horses to bring them and their

effects to the camp.

The captain was not a man to refuse assistance to any one in

distress, especially when there was a woman in the case; horses

were immediately dispatched, with an escort, to aid the

unfortunate couple. The next day they made their appearance with

all their effects; the man, a stalwart mountaineer, with a

peculiarly game look; the woman, a young Blackfoot beauty,

arrayed in the trappings and trinketry of a free trapper's bride.

Finding the woman to be quick-witted and communicative, Captain

Bonneville entered into conversation with her, and obtained from

her many particulars concerning the habits and customs of her

tribe; especially their wars and huntings. They pride themselves

upon being the "best legs of the mountains," and hunt the buffalo

on foot. This is done in spring time, when the frosts have thawed

and the ground is soft. The heavy buffaloes then sink over their

hoofs at every step, and are easily overtaken by the Blackfeet,

whose fleet steps press lightly on the surface. It is said,

however, that the buffaloes on the Pacific side of the Rocky

Mountains are fleeter and more active than on the Atlantic side;

those upon the plains of the Columbia can scarcely be overtaken

by a horse that would outstrip the same animal in the

neighborhood of the Platte, the usual hunting ground of the

Blackfeet. In the course of further conversation, Captain

Bonneville drew from the Indian woman her whole story; which gave

a picture of savage life, and of the drudgery and hardships to

which an Indian wife is subject.

"I was the wife," said she, "of a Blackfoot warrior, and I served

him faithfully. Who was so well served as he? Whose lodge was so

well provided, or kept so clean? I brought wood in the morning,

and placed water always at hand. I watched for his coming; and he

found his meat cooked and ready. If he rose to go forth, there

was nothing to delay him. I searched the thought that was in his

heart, to save him the trouble of speaking. When I went abroad on

errands for him, the chiefs and warriors smiled upon me, and the

young braves spoke soft things, in secret; but my feet were in

the straight path, and my eyes could see nothing but him.

"When he went out to hunt, or to war, who aided to equip him, but

I? When he returned, I met him at the door; I took his gun; and

he entered without further thought. While he sat and smoked, I

unloaded his horses; tied them to the stakes, brought in their

loads, and was quickly at his feet. If his moccasins were wet I

took them off and put on others which were dry and warm. I

dressed all the skins he had taken in the chase. He could never

say to me, why is it not done? He hunted the deer, the antelope,

and the buffalo, and he watched for the enemy. Everything else

was done by me. When our people moved their camp, he mounted his

horse and rode away; free as though he had fallen from the skies.

He had nothing to do with the labor of the camp; it was I that

packed the horses and led them on the journey. When we halted in

the evening, and he sat with the other braves and smoked, it was

I that pitched his lodge; and when he came to eat and sleep, his

supper and his bed were ready.

"I served him faithfully; and what was my reward? A cloud was

always on his brow, and sharp lightning on his tongue. I was his

dog; and not his wife.

"Who was it that scarred and bruised me? It was he. My brother

saw how I was treated. His heart was big for me. He begged me to

leave my tyrant and fly. Where could I go? If retaken, who would

protect me? My brother was not a chief; he could not save me from

blows and wounds, perhaps death. At length I was persuaded. I

followed my brother from the village. He pointed away to the Nez

Perces, and bade me go and live in peace among them. We parted.

On the third day I saw the lodges of the Nez Perces before me. 1

paused for a moment, and had no heart to go on; but my horse

neighed, and I took it as a good sign, and suffered him to gallop

forward. In a little while I was in the midst of the lodges. As I

sat silent on my horse, the people gathered round me, and

inquired whence I came. I told my story. A chief now wrapped his

blanket close around him, and bade me dismount. I obeyed. He took

my horse to lead him away. My heart grew small within me. I

felt, on parting with my horse, as if my last friend was gone. I

had no words, and my eyes were dry. As he led off my horse a

young brave stepped forward. 'Are you a chief of the people?'

cried he. 'Do we listen to you in council, and follow you in

battle? Behold! a stranger flies to our camp from the dogs of

Blackfeet, and asks protection. Let shame cover your face! The

stranger is a woman, and alone. If she were a warrior, or had a

warrior at her side, your heart would not be big enough to take

her horse. But he is yours. By right of war you may claim him;

but look!' - his bow was drawn, and the arrow ready! - 'you never

shall cross his back!' The arrow pierced the heart of the horse,

and he fell dead.

"An old woman said she would be my mother. She led me to her

lodge; my heart was thawed by her kindness, and my eyes burst

forth with tears; like the frozen fountains in springtime. She

never changed; but as the days passed away, was still a mother to

me. The people were loud in praise of the young brave, and the

chief was ashamed. I lived in peace.

"A party of trappers came to the village, and one of them took me

for his wife. This is he. I am very happy; he treats me with

kindness, and I have taught him the language of my people. As we

were travelling this way, some of the Blackfeet warriors beset

us, and carried off the horses of the party. We followed, and my

husband held a parley with them. The guns were laid down, and the

pipe was lighted; but some of the white men attempted to seize

the horses by force, and then a battle began. The snow was deep,

the white men sank into it at every step; but the red men, with

their snow-shoes, passed over the surface like birds, and drove

off many of the horses in sight of their owners. With those that

remained we resumed our journey. At length words took place

between the leader of the party and my husband. He took away our

horses, which had escaped in the battle, and turned us from his

camp. My husband had one good friend among the trappers. That is

he (pointing to the man who had asked assistance for them). He is

a good man. His heart is big. When he came in from hunting, and

found that we had been driven away, he gave up all his wages, and

followed us, that he might speak good words for us to the white

captain."