MATTHEW BRAYTON'S NARRATIVE.
Marries the Chiefs Daughter -- Tattooing -- Packing for the
south -- Camping out -- Crossing the Mountains -- Skirmish
with Blackfeet -- Wounded -- The Red River Settlements.
The fact that the traders at the Hudson Bay Company's post had claimed
me to be of white birth was communicated to the principal chief after
the war excitement of the latter was over, and caused considerable
anxiety on his part. Nothing was said to me about it but I could see
that the old chief feared my escape and that the tribe would be made
to suffer some punishment at the hands of the whites for my captivity.
I had always considered myself as an Indian captured from some other
tribe and could not yet think it possible that I was one of the pale
faces.
With the return of Summer the tribe again sought the Northern regions
and I had almost forgotten the affair at the trading post. The old
chief, Owash-kah-ke-naw, appeared to have taken a great liking to me
and in September of that year (1851) he gave me his youngest daughter,
Tefronia (Tame Deer) to be my squaw. She was then nineteen and a
handsome Indian woman. My own name in Copper-Head language is
Owah-owah-kish-me-wah. By this squaw I have two children, Tefronia, a
girl now over five years of age, and Tululee, a boy over two years
old.
After marrying his daughter I was kept by the old chief around the
village and was not allowed to join any expeditions in the lower
country. Three years passed in this manner and my girl was born. The
tribe once more moved farther south and the old chief become anxious
about my being claimed by the whites. One day he told me that if I
went south with the tribe I must be tattooed, so that I could be
identified by them in case I should be carried off by the traders
under pretence that I was of white parentage. I did not consent to
this but was then told that there was no choice left me as it was the
will of the chief that it should be done.
Next day I was seized by two men of the tribe and made to lie on my
back along a log. I was next bound down so that I could neither move
my head, body, hands or feet. My breast was bared and one of the
Indians came forward to do the work of tattooing.
First he took a sharp knife and made some light incisions down my
breast so that small strips of skin were cut. These he peeled off and
threw on one side. My agony was intense but I did not wish to be
considered a coward so I held my tongue, though the pain made me bite
my lips till the blood came; other similar strips were next taken off
at the distance of about an inch, but parallel with the first marks. I
now suffered tortures and was racked with an intense thirst. The
attendant Indians brought me water and poured it into my mouth and
over my head to keep me from fainting.
Parallel strips were now cut at right angles to the first incisions
and then other strips at right angles to the second series of cuts.
Some other incisions were also made but by this time I was almost
insensible to pain. During these operations a smooth stone had been
remaining in a strong fire and as the marks were all cut the stone was
taken up and applied to my lacerated breast. The pain for the moment
was maddening but the effect was to sear the wounds and stop the
bleeding. I was now released from my fastenings and sought my lodge,
with marks on breast that I still carry and shall to my dying day.
After this time I was allowed to go with the rest of the tribe in the
excursions to the southern part of the territory over which we ranged.
About two years since I joined the half yearly train that left for the
Selkirk settlement on the Red River and for St. Paul's.
As I stated before, the train starts twice a year--in the Spring and
Fall, laden with furs and brings back supplies of various kinds. The
journey occupies about six "moons" each way and one "moon" is allowed
for stoppage at St. Paul's, so that the trains meet about half way on
the journey. A large number of Indians travel in these trains so as to
fight their way down in case of resistance by hostile Indians.
Previous to starting on the journey all the furs, skins and other
articles intended to be taken down together with dried meats for the
journey, were packed in readiness to be carried by ponies and elks, or
by the squaws in the manner already described. When everything was
ready a grand Council was held, at which the old men of the tribe sat
around the council fire, smoking their pipes in silence. Then the
principal chief arose and appointed one of the subordinate chiefs to
the command of the party, giving him in a few words some general
instructions relative to the policy to be adopted in dealing with the
whites and exhorting the warriors attached to the party to drive from
the face of the earth all who should oppose their progress. Particular
charge was given that I should be kept away from the whites as much as
possible, and watch kept that I might not be stolen from them by the
pale faces.
The old chief sat down, and the newly appointed chief of the
expedition rose and made a speech, as did some others of the tribe.
Then there were some dances, after which the Council broke up and all
retired to their lodges.
Early next morning the party set out on their journey. The ponies and
elks were loaded with packs, the squaws carried some articles attached
to the straps passed across their forehead, and the men rode or walked
in single file. The journey was long and tedious, day after day
passing with but few incidents to change the monotony of our progress.
Hunting parties started off occasionally in pursuit of game for the
support of the band, and met at appointed places, but the main body
kept advancing steadily in the one direction.
Only four hours was allowed for sleep, when fires were lit and we all
lay around in our blankets, with our feet to the fire, and heads
outward. There are two reasons for adopting this mode of sleeping: it
keeps the feet warm, which is very important, and it allows more
people to sleep around one fire than would be possible in any other
position. On stopping for sleep the ponies were hobbled in such a
manner that they could feed or sleep, but could not run away.
Sentinels were posted to prevent the camp being surprised either by
wild animals or by hostile Indians.
As soon as the time was up the signal was given and the whole camp was
speedily awake and ready for resuming the journey. A hasty meal was
despatched, and then, after determining the course to be taken, the
band set forward. There were no fixed hours for meals, and no stoppage
for that purpose, but each person took a piece of dried meat whenever
he became hungry, and gnawed away as he felt disposed.
The country through which we passed changed from dense forests to
barren plains, and then again to rolling prairies, high hills, and
grassy valleys. When large streams opposed our progress there was a
halt on the banks, and preparations were made for swimming across. The
packs were disposed of so as not to be wetted and then each animal,
led by an Indian, was brought to the stream and swam across to the
other side. When the animals and their burdens had all safely been got
over, the remaining men and squaws plunged in and swam over. The very
young children were carried on the backs of the swimmers or floated
across on boards, which the mothers pushed before them.
At the North Pass of the Rocky Mountains the band crossed from the
west to the east side. The crossing was the work of time and
difficulty, both animals and Indians having to creep slowly up the
rugged heights of the Pass. Sometimes we were many hours making half a
mile progress, and great caution was requisite to prevent serious
accidents among the precipices around which we crept. At times we
wound our way through a deep gorge, on either side of which the
enormous walls of rock towered far overhead. Then a toilsome ascent
brought us on an elevation from which we looked down on rugged peaks
and deep clefts below. At length the difficulties and dangers of the
pass were over, and we emerged on the rolling land to the east of the
mountains.
Up to this time we had met with no hostile Indians, or, at least, none
that attempted to molest us. We were now in the territory hunted by
the Bloods and Blackfeet, and were therefore not without fears of an
attack. On the second day after leaving the Pass I joined a hunting
party and set out in pursuit of buffalo. The party consisted of thirty
hunters, all well armed either for the chase or war. A herd of bulls
was discovered at a distance, and we rode quietly towards them.
As we rose on a ridge that commanded a wide view of the country, we
became aware of a party of mounted Indians at no great distance from
us, in pursuit of the same herd of buffalo. They appeared to have
discovered us at the same time, and both parties drew up to
reconnoitre. In numbers both were nearly equal, and there appeared to
be little doubt that the opposing band were some of our old enemies,
the Blackfeet. A short council was held without dismounting, and there
was a question as to the policy of fighting them on the spot, or of
falling back on the main body and keeping prepared for the larger band
of Blackfeet that probably lay in our course towards the Selkirk
settlement.
The question was settled, without farther discussion on our part, by
the appearance of the Blackfeet galloping towards us. Our party dashed
forward to meet them, and as the two bands neared each other, rapid
discharges of bullets and arrows were made by both sides. I received a
rifle ball in my instep, and was thrown from my pony by a Blackfoot
that dashed against me.
The fight was desperate, and several scalps were taken on both sides.
A Blackfoot warrior singled me out for combat, and for some time we
fought hand to hand. Severe blows were given on both sides, and I felt
faint from loss of blood, having received a frightful gash in the
thigh from a tomahawk, besides an ugly knife wound in one knee and in
the calf of one leg. In the end the hostile party was repulsed, though
with severe loss on our side, and we retreated to the main body of our
party.
Here my wounds were found to be of sufficient importance to require
some attention. I was lashed to a log in order to prevent my writhing
during the process of dressing the wounds. The gashes were then
cleaned out and washed with water. Some kinnikenick bark was chewed up
and a mixed with tobacco, which was then put into the wound to stop
the bleeding. The washing and dressing was repeated until the bleeding
had completely stopped. One of the men took a thin buckskin thong and
sewed up the wounds by piercing the skin and running the thong through
it. Only two stitches were made for each gash. The pain of this
operation was intense, and was more difficult to bear than the
original wounds. The marks of the stitches are still visible on my
person.
Whether the defeat of the smaller party of Blackfeet had discouraged
the larger band, or whether there was no large party in the
neighborhood at that time, I cannot tell, but it was certain that we
were not again troubled with them during our journey. Occasionally a
straggling hunter or two would be seen, but they always made off
before any of our warriors could reach them.
We had now reached the hunting grounds of the Selkirkers, or colonists
of English, Scotch, French and half-breeds, who lived on the territory
granted to Lord Selkirk for the purpose of establishing a colony
there. The land from the Rocky Mountains to the Red River is pleasant
to look at, and rich with game of all kinds. Buffalo, deer, and
smaller game, range in great numbers over the plains, and the hunters
and trappers of the Selkirk colony are scattered in the season, in all
directions over this splendid territory. Soon after getting into this
country we fell in with some trappers who were returning to the
settlements, and they traveled with our train as far as we went in
their direction.
In the course of our journey with them, they noticed my appearance and
spoke to me of my resemblance to whites, even though disguised with
paint as I was. They became interested in me and taught me several
words of English, which I learned very rapidly.
On reaching the Selkirk settlements we camped for a few days in order
to rest awhile before striking the Red River trail, and to do a little
trading with the settlers. Here the traders who had been teaching me
English told some of the other whites about me, and I was visited by
several Selkirkers. After conversing with me for some time they
summoned the chief, and charged the tribe with having stolen me when a
child from the whites. He denied it, but the Selkirkers became more
determined in their suspicions, and demanded that I should be given up
to them, threatening to take me by force if not surrendered peaceably.
I was appealed to as to what my wishes were on this subject. So much
had been told me by the traders about my having probably been stolen
from my white parents, that I had become anxious to know something
about the facts, and I frankly said so. On this the Selkirkers became
more eager to have me left with them, but our chief dissuaded me from
consenting, by representing that I had no clue to my parents, even if
it was true that I had been stolen from the whites, but that if I
returned to the tribe, I could undoubtedly get part of my history from
the old chief, who would also probably give me leave to go, in case I
chose to hunt up my family. With this I was content, and the
Selkirkers let me go after exacting a solemn promise from the chief
and principal warriors that I should be allowed to proceed in search
of my parents if I felt disposed to do so.