CHAPTER XX

STAY AT FORT MC KENZIE, FROM AUGUST 9TH TO SEPTEMBER 14TH

Indian Invitations--Baptism of the new comers--Trade with the

Indians--Distinction conferred on Ninoch-Kiaiu--Affront

to the Chiefs--Visit to Kutonapi--Death of Martin, the

_Engagé_--Dispute occasioned by it--Ride to Snow River--The

Blood Indians murder the Relation of Ninoch-Kiaiu--Arrival of

the Corpse at the Fort--Quarrel of the Blackfoot and Blood

Indians--Battle with the Assiniboins--Expedition to the

Kutanas--Trade with the Main Body of the Blackfeet--Their

principal Chief, Tatsiki-Stomik--War Party of the

Siksekai--A Party of Blood Indians, with their Chief,

Stomik-Sosak--Defeat of our Intention to proceed further--The

Building of a new Fort--Preparations for the Voyage down the

Missouri to Fort Union.

Fort Mc Kenzie, at the time of our arrival, was inhabited by people of

several nations, and pains were taken to occupy the motley multitude in

various ways. Handicraftsmen, of various kinds, were set to work, and

our hunters, among whom were two Spaniards from the neighbourhood of

Santa Fe, were sent out whenever circumstances permitted. Yet all these

people were not sufficiently employed, and measures were, therefore,

taken to reduce the number. Having made our arrangements on the first

day of our arrival, and viewed the Indian camp, with its many dogs, and

old dirty brown leather tents, we were invited, on the following day,

together with Mr. Mitchell, to a feast, given by the Blackfoot chief,

Mehkskéhmé-Sukahs (the iron shirt). We proceeded to a large circle in

the middle of the camp, enclosed with a kind of fence of boughs of

trees, which contained part of the tents, and was designed to confine

the horses during the night, for the Indians are so addicted to horse

stealing that they do not trust each other. The hut of the chief was

spacious; we had never before seen so handsome a one; it was full

fifteen paces in diameter, and was very clean and tastefully decorated.

We took our seats, without ceremony, on buffalo skins, spread out on

the left hand of the chief, round the fire, in the centre of the tent,

which was enclosed in a circle of stones, and a dead silence prevailed.

Our host was a tall, robust man, who at this time had no other clothes

than his breechcloth; neither women {262} nor children were visible.

A tin dish was set before us, which contained dry grated meat, mixed

with sweet berries, which we ate with our fingers, and found very

palatable. After we had finished, the chief ate what was left in the

dish, and took out of a bag a chief's scarlet uniform, with blue

facings and yellow lace, which he had received from the English, six

red and black plumes of feathers, a dagger with its sheath, a coloured

pocket-handkerchief, and two beaver skins, all which he laid before Mr.

Mitchell as a present, who was obliged to accept these things whether

he liked or not, thereby laying himself under the obligation of making

presents in return, and especially a new uniform. When the chief began

to fill his pipe, made of green talc, we rose and retired (quite in

the Indian fashion) in silence, and without making any salutations.

We crept through the small door, which was besieged by numerous dogs,

and stepped over the foremost, who grinned at us maliciously. Mr.

Mitchell was immediately invited to three or four similar feasts, an

honour which can only suit an Indian stomach. In the afternoon the

_engagés_ of the fort gave us what they call baptism; namely, a welcome

on our happy arrival in this remote wilderness by firing several

salutes in the court-yard of the fort, for which it is usual to give

them something to drink, or else a present. Our entertainment for the

evening was the noise of the drum of the Indian camp, which is employed

not only to drive the evil spirit out of the sick, but in their dances

and other amusements, and is, therefore, heard almost every day and

every hour. We were likewise much entertained by the antics of three

young bears (_Ursus ferox_), which ran about in the court-yard. Another

very pretty animal had been brought up in the fort: this was a young

prairie fox (_Canis velox_, Say), which Mr. Mitchell made me a present

of, and which, by its tameness and vivacity, helped to amuse us during

the following winter. Our new lodging swarmed with mice, which ran

over our feet while we were writing, and kept the traps set for them

continually in motion. We trained my pretty little fox to this sport,

which was new to him, and he soon became a capital mouser.

On the 10th of August preparations were made for the solemn reception

of the Indians, which always precedes the opening of the trade, and

which is considered by the Indians as a matter of great importance.

The flag being hoisted, two small cannons, placed in the middle of the

court-yard, fired signals for the commencement of the trade. It was

full half an hour before a noise arose in the Indian camp: we heard

singing, firing of guns, and saw the mass of the Indians advancing on

all sides. When Ninoch-Kiaiu (the bear chief) approached the gate, it

was opened, and the two cannons were again fired. He entered, followed

by three or four chiefs, who approached Mr. Mitchell with their heads

inclined; and, after shaking hands with him, were made to sit down in

the Indian apartment. Soon afterwards another body appeared, and Mr.

Mitchell went out of the gate to meet them. They advanced in small

parties, headed by their chiefs, who always bring a present consisting

either of some beavers' skins or of a horse. The first horses that

we received in this manner were two greys and a light bay, which

were variously {263} painted with red, chiefly on the forehead, the

shoulders, and the haunches, and marked on the legs with transverse

stripes like a zebra, and on each side of the backbone with figures in

the shape of arrow heads. The chiefs and about thirty of the principal

warriors were admitted, and, after being seated on buffalo hides in the

dining apartment, they refreshed themselves by drinking and smoking. In

this manner three or four different bands advanced with rapid strides,

repeatedly discharging their guns, and singing their rude songs. We

observed some remarkable, martial-looking physiognomies among these

men, painted in the strangest manner, marching with a very warlike

air. The chiefs wore, for the most part, the uniform received from

the Company, made in the fashion of a great coat, with round hats and

tufts of feathers, on which they prided themselves greatly, but which

disfigured them most lamentably. Their faces, painted of a bright red,

surrounded with their thick, lank hair, and surmounted by a round hat

with a tuft of feathers, such as our German post-boys used to wear, had

such a ridiculous appearance, that we could not refrain from laughing.

Some of their uniforms were of two colours--one half red, and the other

half green, not unlike the dress of some of our prisoners in Bridewell.

Mehkskéhmé-Sukahs was dressed in the true Indian fashion, and

interested us more than any of the others. His face was black, with the

eyelids, mouth, and some stripes on the forehead and cheeks, vermilion.

After three or four bands of the Blackfeet had been received, they were

followed by one of the dangerous Blood Indians, under their chief and

medicine man, Natohs (the sun),[105] and these, too, were admitted;

after which a detachment of from sixty to eighty of the Gros Ventres

des Prairies arrived, who, having likewise brought a horse and some

beaver skins as a present, were treated like the others. The chiefs

were always welcomed by firing the cannon, and then delivered up their

colours, most of which they had received from English merchants, and

which were carried before them on long ensign staffs, quite in military

style. Mr. Mitchell had attempted, in the preceding year, to dispense

with these salutations, but the Indians immediately took offence and

were even going to part without transacting any business; for they are

extremely punctilious in points of honour.

While the company of Indians were employed in smoking, Mr. Mitchell

took Ninoch-Kiaiu[106] (who had always been very faithful and devoted

to the Whites and the Fur Company), into his own room, and presented

him with a new uniform, half red and half green, with red and green

facings, and trimmed with silver lace; a red felt hat, ornamented

with many tufts of feathers; in short, a complete dress, and a new

double-barrelled percussion gun. Mr. Mitchell wished particularly to

distinguish this man, because he had never been to the north to trade

with the Hudson's Bay Company. When he had equipped himself in his

new uniform, which was worth 150 dollars, and entered the assembly

of the chiefs in the court-yard of the fort, it immediately became

evident that the distinction conferred upon him made no favourable

impression on them; some chiefs who had made presents to Mr. Mitchell,

and had not yet received anything in return--for instance, {264}

Mehkskéhmé-Sukahs, could not conceal their feelings; the latter hid

his head behind the person who sat next to him, while others hung down

their heads, and seemed lost in thought. When Mr. Mitchell perceived

this, he caused it to be intimated to the chiefs, that "they saw how

the American Fur Company distinguished its faithful friends; that

they, on the contrary, had generally taken their beaver skins to the

English; that he, therefore, could not give them much now, but would

make every chief a present. That it would be their interest to deal

with him in future, like Ninoch-Kiaiu, and then it would be in his

power to make them more considerable presents." The Bear Chief was then

made to mount his grey horse, that he might show himself out of the

fort in his new dress. In a rather constrained manner he made a speech

to the warriors assembled before the fort, then rode into the camp,

returned, and alighted. It must be observed, that this man was not

popular, and that his situation at this time was very dangerous; and we

afterwards saw him sitting, with his head drooping, like a proscribed

person, and afterwards retiring to Mr. Mitchell's room, where he

remained alone. Soon there arose violent debates among the chiefs;

and as Berger, the proper interpreter for the Blackfoot language, was

absent, this circumstance, perhaps, increased the misunderstanding.

Several Indians rose, among whom was Haisikat (the stiff foot, formerly

the old head), who, with violent gesticulations, made a long speech.

He was brother-in-law to the Bear Chief, and plainly advised him to

go home, and keep himself sober, because otherwise something serious

might happen. The Blood Indians were offended; they spoke loudly of

shooting Ninoch-Kiaiu, between whom and his friends long conferences

took place. While this was passing, we saw all the other Indians sit

down in half circles before the gate of the fort, as represented in the

accompanying woodcut: _a a_, the warriors sitting in seven semicircular

lines; _b_, the main body of the Indians; _c_, the front of the fort,

with a block-house, _d_.[107] The warriors sat on the ground, and,

while liquor and tobacco were distributed among them, they sang without

ceasing, and sometimes fired their guns. At six in the evening, when

we were relieved from these troublesome guests, and hoped to have some

repose after the fatigues of the day, a violent dispute arose among the

_engagés_, which might have had serious consequences. {265} Blows had

been exchanged, and the example which the Whites gave the Indians was

not very creditable to them. It was late before this dispute was ended,

and, during the night, there was no rest, as the trade with the Indians

continued till a late hour in their camp, which was, indeed, detached,

but at no great distance.

[Illustration: Indians seated before Fort Mc Kenzie]

[Illustration: Head of _Cervus macrotis_]

The offence taken by the Indians, at the distinction conferred on

Ninoch-Kiaiu, gave rise to a report, that the Blood Indians would

attack the fort, and murder all the Whites; and, though this report

was not literally correct, it was a proof of a hostile temper, which

manifested itself in various ways; for example, they thought of

withdrawing, and endeavoured to steal our horses. They had already

got one in their power, but it was recovered, and six armed men

were sent to keep guard in the meadows. The ill-temper of the Blood

Indians made Ninoch-Kiaiu expect no good from them, and he had brought

all his horses, during the night, into the fort. Some well-disposed

Indians, who came to give us assurances of their devotedness, received

refreshments, as they happened to come just at breakfast-time. Mr.

Bodmer had undertaken to paint Mehkskéhmé-Sukahs in full dress, with

his face painted black and red, a leather shirt ornamented with slips

of otter skin and ermine, a large bunch of the feathers of birds of

prey, woodpeckers' bills, ermine and pieces of red cloth in his hand--a

remarkably colossal figure.[108] Another Indian, usually called the Big

Soldier, came to have his portrait painted, on being paid for it. His

real name was Haschasto (the orator), his dress very richly ornamented,

and his stature nearly six feet. It was not easy to make a bargain

with him, as he estimated his handsome person very high, and was much

offended at our refusal to paint him at such an extravagant price.

Mr. Mitchell having been informed of the speedy arrival of the

Blackfoot chief, Kutonapi (the old Kutona), we undertook, on the 11th,

in the afternoon, an excursion to go to meet him, he having been

hitherto kept away by the beaver hunting. We crossed the river near

the part where a great number of young Indians were bathing. They ran

across the keel-boat which was lying here, and leaped from it into the

water. Their mode of swimming was not like that of the Europeans, but

perfectly resembled that of the Brazilians. These slender, well-made

young men were extremely active; their colour was a very dark shining

reddish-brown, more red than that of most of the Brazilians that I

have seen, whose colour is often more yellowish or grey brown. It

was not far from the landing-place to a small lateral valley full of

poplar copses, where a couple of leather tents were set up. Kutonapi

received us, sitting at the further end of his tent, while the other

Indians fired their guns on our arrival. In this small indifferent

hunting tent, we had to sit down on buffalo skins, while all the

inmates, consisting of four or five men, several women, and many

children, crowded about the door to see us. The Spanish hunter, Isidore

Sandoval,[109] acted as interpreter. There were fifteen or twenty

horses grazing about the tent, but there are Blackfeet who possess a

much greater number. After we had shaken hands with the men, a vessel,

with very fresh water from the Missouri, was presented, to cool

ourselves, on which Mr. Mitchell distributed {266} some small presents,

tobacco, &c., which Kutonapi accepted with thanks, and immediately

began a song in praise of the sun (Natohs), or the lord of life. A

wooden dish was set before each of us, containing boiled beaver's tail,

with prairie turnips (_pomme blanche_). The beaver's tail was cut into

small slices, and was boiled very tender. It did not taste amiss, and

is reckoned a good dish even in the United States. After the Indians

had eaten what was left, bundles of beaver skins were produced, and

the chief presented Mr. Mitchell with nine skins, and the son gave me

a tenth, and continually squeezed my hand to thank me "for having come

so far to visit them." The interpreter translated the compliments on

both sides, and I can with truth affirm, that the cordiality and the

unaffected, respectful politeness with which we were here received,

could not be surpassed among civilized nations. The beaver skins were

very carefully cleaned and dried, so that they resembled parchment. My

double-barrelled gun pleased them much, and the son wished to fire it

off, which he did, with the right-hand barrel, which was loaded with

ball. The old women smoked with us, but remained before the door of the

tent. The merry dark brown children seemed to be cleaner than usual,

which might, indeed, be said of the whole of Kutonapi's family. We

cordially took leave of these friendly people, and the chief said he

should shortly pay us a visit.

On our return to the fort, the trade had been resumed, and was going

on very briskly; it gave occasion to many droll scenes; pleasure and

discontent were expressed in many different ways. Many Indians were

quite affectionate, and embraced the Whites; others were noisy and

angry. There was a woman feeding her four or five small children with

meat, the youngest of whom, though it had no teeth, had got a little

piece crammed into its mouth. There we saw boys holding a mouse, which

they shot from each other's hands with arrows, &c. &c.

On the 12th of August, about noon, Kutonapi arrived in the fort with

his band, firing their guns, and was received with the usual discharge

of the cannon. The cheerfulness that then prevailed among us was

immediately interrupted by discord and mourning. Some Blood Indians

had stolen three horses belonging to the fort, and search was made in

vain after the thieves, when, in the afternoon, a much more serious

event occurred. Mr. Bodmer had just begun to paint the portrait of

Hotokaneheh (the head of the buffalo skin), with his large, handsomely

ornamented calumet, when we heard a shot in an adjoining room, and

immediately saw the people running together. A Blood Indian, who had

often been in the fort, and had, till that time, always conducted

himself well, had shot, with a pistol, one of our young men named

Martin. All the people were assembled round the perpetrator, and

nobody knew the cause of this event. The Indian seemed, indeed, to

be rather confounded, but affirmed that his pistol had gone off by

accident. Many of the young men were for having him shot, because, as

they said, he had doubtless committed the murder designedly; but Mr.

Mitchell decided with more moderation, considering the occurrence as an

unfortunate accident. When the first moments of exasperation were {267}

past, he forbade the murderer the fort, but at the same time strictly

enjoined the _engagés_ to refrain from all acts of violence towards

this Indian. Ninoch-Kiaiu, who was present, did not take the matter so

easily. Though he had been offended in the forenoon, because brandy

was refused him, he warmly took part with the Whites, and was going to

shoot the murderer; but being prevented in this, he beat him with the

butt-end of his gun, and drove him, as well as several Gros Ventres

des Prairies, who happened to be present, with blows, out of the fort.

Kutonapi, who was likewise present, stepped forward, and made a violent

speech, in which he described, in lively colours, the offences of the

Blood Indians against the Whites, and exhorted us to take vengeance for

them. Mr. Mitchell thanked him, but persevered in the more temperate

course, which, in his situation, was the most judicious. Berger, the

interpreter, returned, whom Mr. Mitchell had sent to summon a numerous

body of Blackfeet of 250 tents, which he had left on the Muscleshell

River, and who might join us in about a week. Most of the Indians

about the fort had withdrawn, so that, on the 14th of August, there

were only twenty-three tents; but on the same day others came, and

with them one Bird, a half Indian, and a treacherous, very dangerous

man, who had great influence among the Blackfeet. He had been formerly

in the service of the American Fur Company, had then gone over to the

Hudson's Bay Company, and cheated both. He was a tall, strong man, with

a brownish complexion, thick black hair, spoke the language of the

Blackfeet perfectly, and lived constantly among them. At present he was

not in the service of either Company, but lived by catching beaver,

and hunting, for his own account.[110] At this time, however, he came

from Fort Union, and brought letters for Mr. Mc Kenzie. Niatohse, the

chief of the Gros Ventres des Prairies, who has been already mentioned,

also arrived, and, being a man who was much esteemed, was very well

received. Mr. Patton, clerk of the Company, who had hitherto had the

direction at Fort Mc Kenzie, a man well known in the Rocky Mountains,

and thoroughly acquainted with the business of the fur trade, left us

on this day with eleven _engagés_, in a strong _pirogue_, to return

to Fort Union, and thence to Fort St. Louis. The vacancy left in the

fort by their departure was soon filled up by the number of Indians

who arrived; among whom we were visited by Mexkemanastan, whom we

had lately seen on Bighorn River, whose portrait was taken by Mr.

Bodmer.[111] This business attracted many Indians, who were often

troublesome. When the portrait of such a man struck the Indians as

being very like, they said, "Bodmer could write very correctly," as

they have no proper word for drawing. A certain Blood Indian, with his

wife, was present the whole time, and was a constant trouble to us. He

repeatedly invited us to his tent, which we were at last obliged to

accept. On our way to his tent, we saw in the Indian camp a great many

women with their noses cut off; a frightful mutilation, the punishment

for infidelity, which, as I have already said, is frequently inflicted

among these people. In the spacious and light tent we found the owner

lying on a kind of couch {268} of basket-work, with a back to it, and

covered with a buffalo skin. He was a man of bad character, who, only

the year before, had fired his gun, loaded with small shot, in the face

of a white man. In the centre of the tent there was a small fire, which

emitted great heat. Dried berries were set before us and this neat

tent was not disagreeable, as these people had no children, and great

cleanliness prevailed in their dwelling. Isidore Sandoval acted as

interpreter. We had every day conversations of this kind, in which we

always found something new to observe.

Mr. Mitchell thought now of building a new fort, for which he

endeavoured to choose the most suitable situation. On the 16th of

August we rode out for this purpose, ascended the chain of hills behind

the fort, where the little prairie dogs retreated into their burrows,

and then perceived two armed Indians, who, as soon as they observed

us, turned their horses, and galloped up to us. They had not noticed

our double-barrelled guns, and doubtless came up to frighten us, and

to try their fortune with us; for, as soon as they came near, and saw

our arms, they turned round and trotted away.[112] On our calling

after them, they stopped at some distance; one of them gave his gun to

the other, returned to us, and gave us to understand by signs, "that

an Indian had run away with his sister, the wife of a third person,

and they had ridden out to look for him, in order that they might

shoot him." Apparently following the traces, they quickly disappeared

from our view. A little further on we met with about twenty of our

own people, who were sent to work at the foundation of the new fort.

They were well armed, and had carts with their bedding, and other

necessaries. They had orders to remain out the whole week, and not

return till Saturday. Other men were sent out to burn charcoal for the

smith, for which poplar wood is very serviceable. We rode before these

people, and had, on our right hand, a fine prospect into the valley

of the Teton River, which, as a stripe of verdure, made an agreeable

break in the yellow, scorched prairie. In the valley we saw three or

four Indian tents under high poplar trees. Looking to the left hand

from this high ridge, we saw, in the foreground, a great bend of the

Missouri, on which there were several beautiful copses of poplar, and

bright verdant spots; and further upwards, on the south bank, the

mouth of the stream, called, by Lewis and Clarke, Snow River,[113]

which was the most extreme point of my journey on the Upper Missouri,

though at that time I still hoped to reach the three principal sources

of that river, the Jefferson, the Madison, and the Gallatin.[114]

Before us, a little to the left, in a south-western direction, we saw,

at some distance, the first chain of the Rocky Mountains, which does

not reach the snowy region,[115] and behind us the beautiful {269}

mountain called the Bear's Paw. From this lofty point we rode to the

left, over steep eminences, to the Missouri, and then along the banks

of the river, through thickets of willows and shady tufts of poplars,

maples, and elms, mixed with buffalo-berry, roses, dogwood, and other

shrubs. The ground was covered with luxuriant grass, of which some hay

had been made by the people of the fort, and it was still lying in

cocks. The path led along the north bank, under shady trees, and we

overlooked the spot, on the opposite bank, where Mr. Mitchell thought

of building his new fort, in a verdant prairie, near an extensive

poplar forest. We there saw several Gros Ventres walking about, their

horses grazing, their tents being pitched in a neighbouring wood.

We had scarcely set out on our return to the fort, and reached the

shady spot on the bank, when Dauphin, one of our people, came galloping

on an Indian horse, quite out of breath, and told Mr. Mitchell that

Ninoch-Kiaiu desired to inform him that his nephew had been murdered

by the Blood Indians--that he should immediately attack them, and,

therefore, advised us to return as speedily as possible. He added,

that he had instantly caused the people, who had been sent to work at

the new fort, to return. We rode rapidly back to the eminence, and

there found our people, who, with several Indians, were returning

to the fort. Mr. Mitchell very seriously reprimanded them for their

conduct, since he had not revoked his orders; on which Latresse[116]

answered, in a very loud voice, that "they had not come to be shot

by the Indians;" in short, they behaved in a cowardly and rebellious

manner; but nothing was to be done, and we all went together to the

fort. We learned, now, that the nephew of the Bear Chief, a very quiet,

well-disposed Indian, had ridden out in the morning to look for a horse

which had been stolen from him, and had been murdered not far off, on

the hills near the Teton River, by the Blood Indians, who had attacked

him with their guns, knives, and clubs. Ninoch-Kiaiu was furious.

Some Blood Indians had been immediately pursued, but without success,

and then it was proposed to kill the man who lived near the fort, to

whose tent we were lately invited; this idea, however, was abandoned,

because he was quite innocent of the murder; they had spared him, and

smoked their pipes with him. Another of those Indians had been forced,

by firing at him, to cross the river; the Bear Chief now came to Mr.

Mitchell to consult with him what was to be done. A sensible old Indian

advised that this matter should not be treated as a concern of the

whole tribe, but as a private affair, and, consequently, they should

wait patiently for an opportunity when they might take vengeance on

some member of the murderer's family. The chief, who felt that his

honour was deeply wounded, was silent, and lost in thought. As a sign

of mourning, he had put on his worst clothes, but not cut off his hair,

saying that "his head was too great and strong to do this." He had

loaded with ball the double-barrelled gun which he had lately received,

and suddenly hastened away without saying a word. He afterwards sent

word to Mr. Mitchell, that he must go to revenge his kinsman, whose

dead body he would not see; but, that it might fall into good {270}

hands, he would make a present of it to Mr. Mitchell, whom he requested

to bury it.[117] As the murder of the Indian was a consequence of the

offence which Ninoch-Kiaiu had offered to the Blood Indians, on the

occasion of Martin's death, the present could not well be refused, and

we were obliged to be very cautious how we left the fort, as the Blood

Indians were hostilely disposed towards us.

On the 17th August, early in the morning, the howling and lamenting of

the Indians in the camp was heard; and, soon afterwards, the corpse

of the murdered man was brought into the fort. It was wrapped up very

tightly in buffalo skins, and tied to a sledge drawn by one horse.

An old man, with a multitude of women and children, his relations,

followed the body with loud lamentations. An aged woman in the train

had just cut off one joint of her little finger as a sign of mourning,

and held the bleeding stump wrapped in a handful of wormwood leaves.

When our people had taken the body from the sledge between the two

gates of the fort, and carried it into the Indian apartment, a young

man, the brother of the Bear Chief, made a speech to the weeping

relatives, saying--"Why do you lament and cry?--see, I do not cry:

he is gone into the other country, and we cannot awaken him; but, at

least, two Blood Indians must accompany him and wait upon him there."

An infant, and a boy, the brother of the deceased, died on the same

night; and the Indians said that the murdered brother had called the

others away. Thus we had three dead bodies in the fort. As that of the

Indian had long been exposed to the air and the sun, it was necessary

to make haste to get it out of the way; and Berger, the interpreter,

had the disagreeable office of painting, putting on its best clothes,

and ornamenting it in the Indian fashion. The two Indians were laid

in the same grave, wrapped in a red blanket and buffalo skin, over

which was laid a piece of coloured stuff, given by Mr. Mitchell. The

bottom and sides of the grave were lined with boards; the body, too,

was covered with wood; his bridle, whip, and some other trifles, were

thrown in, and the grave filled up with earth.

Towards noon, on the same day, a number of Indians, with their loaded

dog sledges, and all their baggage, were seen descending the heights

on the other side of the Missouri. It was the band of the Blackfeet,

announced by Berger. Some of these people, handsomely dressed, soon

arrived as messengers, one of whom carried in his hand the ensign of

the Crows. Ninoch-Kiaiu came with them, who now continually talked of

going to a little camp of the Blood Indians, on the other side of the

river, to take vengeance, yet still remained with us. His brother,

who likewise made a great noise, walked about the fort with a loaded

pistol, and, at last, begged Mr. Mitchell to have him conveyed over

the river, because it was thought that two Blood {271} Indians had

been seen, whom he wanted to shoot; to which Mr. Mitchell very calmly

replied, that "if he intended to kill any body, he would not assist

him." With an expression of violent passion, the Indian, on this,

mounted his horse and galloped away, "in order," as the chief said,

"to quiet his heart for the present, by the death of a Kahna, as they

might, at some future time, shoot the real murderer." The chief's aged

uncle, Natoie-Poóchsen (the word of life), was one of the principal

mourners. He had cut off his hair, and besmeared it, as well as his

feet and legs, with whitish clay. Mr. Bodmer made a good portrait of

him in this dress. He went about howling and crying, while the Bear

Chief thought only of procuring brandy. He had in his hand a little

mustard-glass filled with this precious liquor; and one of his friends,

who also possessed some brandy, sipped a small quantity, and, embracing

the chief, discharged it into his mouth, which is considered, among the

Blackfeet, as the highest proof of friendship.[118]

The _engagés_ of the Company were now employed in packing up the

skins obtained by barter from the Indians, for which purpose there

is a particular machine. It consists of a frame of laths, which

mark the size of the packages, and in which the skins are laid. In

putting up small, light furs, a couple of planks are passed through

the frame-work, on each end of which a man stands to press the skins

together, and then to cord them. The buffalo hides, which are much

thicker, are pressed together by means of a thick beam; in this

operation six or eight men are required. Others of our people were

engaged in sawing plank, burning charcoal, and the like; they had,

however, much leisure time, which they spent in various amusements.

They fired at a mark with their rifles, at which Papin and Morrin were

very expert. In the evening we generally had an interesting sight,

when the great number of horses belonging to the fort returned from

the hills. Eight armed men rode behind and at the sides, and as many

Indians, for the sake of safety, had joined with their horses. The

whole body was very numerous, and presented a striking appearance when,

in a cloud of dust, they galloped down the hills with a thundering

noise, and entered the fort.

In order to obtain a handsome, large mountain sheep, Mr. Mitchell gave

me the services of Papin, with whom my own hunter, Dreidoppel, joined

to make an excursion. Papin went very unwillingly, though, for the sake

of security, a Blackfoot was sent with them. He affirmed that he would

not undertake this dangerous enterprise for 100 dollars, if he had not

bound himself to the Company. They made arrangements to stay out a

couple of nights, and took a packhorse with them. Other hunters were

sent out with the Indians, and we soon received information that {272}

a good many buffaloes had been killed. At other times we were often

short of meat. Bird, who had set up his tent among the tall poplars

near the fort, where Ninoch-Kiaiu also lived, visited us frequently,

and gave out that he was obliged to undertake a journey to the north.

We urged him and the other Blackfeet to persuade Ninoch-Kiaiu not

to take vengeance on innocent Blood Indians, as they were much more

numerous and powerful than the Blackfeet, and the Whites would likewise

have felt the bad consequences of such hostility.

Meantime Mr. Bodmer had taken excellent likenesses of several Indians,

among whom were old Pioch-Kiaiu (the distant bear), whose face was

painted with blue earth, and was remarkable for a long chin, unlike

that of the Indians; likewise a very pretty young Blackfoot woman,

and an old Kutana or Kutneha, whose name was Homach-Ksachkum (the

great earth), and his son, Makuie-Poka (the child of the wolf), whose

mother was a Blackfoot, and was dressed entirely in the fashion of

that tribe, but had adopted several ornaments from their enemies, the

Manitaries. The old Kutana was a good-tempered, friendly man,[119]

with an extremely characteristic physiognomy, which is most faithfully

represented in the portrait. He gave me some account of his people and

some words of their language, which are very difficult to pronounce.

The picture, which was a most striking resemblance, and the other

drawings, much amused the Indians; they at once recognised them all;

and the fame of the able writer was so spread among them, that our

lodging was constantly besieged by a numerous assemblage of Indians,

who smoked tobacco, and incommoded us by the heat they occasioned.

These men would often not sit still a moment while their portraits were

taking; there were others, on the contrary, who would sit motionless

the whole day, if they were supplied with tobacco, for which care was

always taken. These visits often afforded us opportunities to get

acquainted with their customs and notions. The White Buffalo, who often

visited us, one day brought a very beautifully ornamented bow, taken

from the Flatheads, which, however, he could by no means be prevailed

upon to sell. On my making a higher offer, he answered, "I am very fond

of this bow." I was, therefore, obliged to give up my desire to possess

it, for the Indians would have greatly increased their demands if I had

persisted after this declaration. This man had a nice sense of honour,

was to be depended upon, and devoted to the Whites, and, at the same

time, a distinguished warrior. He had lately shot his sister, because

she kept up an intercourse with a man against whom he had constantly

advised her. A chief of the Blackfeet, with whom he had a quarrel, shot

him through the thigh; he, however, did not lose his presence of mind,

and killed his enemy notwithstanding his wound. Another old man, who

sometimes visited us, pretended to be a great doctor and magician. He

said that Death had got into a certain tent to an old woman: he saw him

come in at the aperture for the smoke, and touch the woman, on which

our doctor immediately applied his medicine to the place touched, and

remained with the patient the whole night. Death came again, but all

his attempts failed, because the remedy was always applied at the right

time.

{273} Bird introduced to us a chief named Mikotsotskina (the red horn),

a handsome Blackfoot and distinguished warrior, the leader in many

warlike expeditions, who had performed several great exploits. He was

well made, with an intelligent, animated, and good-tempered expression

of countenance, and very handsomely and neatly dressed. He brought two

white horses with him, and a fine panther's skin, lined with red cloth.

This man had formerly borne the name of Mastoenna (the chief of the

ravens), and was said to have killed more white men than any one of his

nation.

About this time, when we began to be in want of meat in the fort,

having, for some time past, had only a couple of beavers, many

unfavourable reports were spread of the hostile disposition of

Ninoch-Kiaiu and his adherents towards the Whites, which had,

doubtless, been excited by the pernicious influence of the treacherous

Bird, who was prejudiced against the Company. An Indian told us that

his countrymen would demand double the usual price for the beavers,

and, if that were refused, they would kill all the Americans. We did

not suffer ourselves to be alarmed by such reports, which indicated the

unsteady character of the Blackfeet; but the time was come when we were

to be put to a more serious trial.

On the 28th of August, at break of day, we were awakened by

musket-shot, and Doucette entered our room, crying, "Levez-vous, il

faut nous battre," on which we arose in haste, dressed ourselves, and

loaded our fowling-pieces with ball. When we entered the court-yard

of the fort, all our people were in motion, and some were firing from

the roofs. On ascending it, we saw the whole prairie covered with

Indians on foot and on horseback, who were firing at the fort; and

on the hills were several detached bodies. About eighteen or twenty

Blackfoot tents, pitched near the fort, the inmates of which had been

singing and drinking the whole night, and fallen into a deep sleep

towards morning, had been surprised by 600 Assiniboins and Crees. When

the first information of the vicinity of the enemies was received from

a Blackfoot, who had escaped, the _engagés_ immediately repaired to

their posts on the roofs of the buildings, and the fort was seen to be

surrounded on every side by the enemy, who had approached very near.

They had cut up the tents of the Blackfeet with knives, discharged

their guns and arrows at them, and killed or wounded many of the

inmates, roused from their sleep by this unexpected attack. Four

women and several children lay dead near the fort, and many others

were wounded. The men, about thirty in number, had partly fired their

guns at the enemy, and then fled to the gates of the fort, where they

were admitted. They immediately hastened to the roofs, and began a

well-supported fire on the Assiniboins.

In the fort itself all was confusion. If the men had been now and then

mustered and inspected, it would have been found that the _engagés_

had sold their ammunition to the Indians; they were, therefore, quite

unprepared to defend themselves, and it was necessary, during the

combat, to distribute powder as well among the Whites as the Indians.

Mr. Mitchell and Berger, the {274} interpreter, were employed in

admitting the Blackfoot women and children, who were assembled at

the door of the fort, when a hostile Indian, with his bow bent,

appeared before the gate, and exclaimed, "White man, make room, I

will shoot those enemies!" This exclamation showed that the attack

was not directed against the Whites, but only against the Blackfeet.

Mr. Mitchell immediately gave orders to his people to cease firing;

notwithstanding this, single shots continued to be fired, and our

Blackfeet were not to be restrained, nay, ten or twelve of our people,

among whom were Doucette and Loretto, went into the prairie, and

fired in the ranks of the Blackfeet, who were assembling, and every

moment increasing in numbers. Loretto had shot, at the distance of

eighty-six paces from the pickets, the nephew of the Assiniboin chief,

Minohanne[120] (the left-handed), and this was the only one of the

killed whom the enemy were unable to carry away, for we saw them lay

many others on their horses, and take them off. In the fort itself

only one man was wounded, having had his foot pierced by an arrow,

and likewise a horse and a dog. If the enemy had occupied the heights

on the other side of the river, they might, from that position, have

killed all our people in the fort.

When the Assiniboins saw that their fire was returned, they retreated

about 300 paces, and an irregular firing continued, during which

several people from the neighbourhood joined the ranks of the

Blackfeet. While all this was passing, the court-yard of the fort

exhibited very singular scenes. A number of wounded men, women, and

children, were laid or placed against the walls; others, in their

deplorable condition, were pulled about by their relations, amid tears

and lamentations. The White Buffalo, whom I have often mentioned, and

who had received a wound at the back of his head, was carried about,

in this manner, amid singing, howling, and crying: they rattled the

schischikué in his ears, that the evil spirit might not overcome

him, and gave him brandy to drink. He himself, though stupified and

intoxicated, sang without intermission, and would not give himself up

to the evil spirit. Otsequa-Stomik, an old man of our acquaintance, was

wounded in the knee by a ball, which a woman cut out with a penknife,

during which operation he did not betray the least symptom of pain.

Natah-Otann, a handsome young man, with whom we became acquainted on

our visit to Kutonapi, was suffering dreadfully from severe wounds.

Several Indians, especially young women, were likewise wounded. We

endeavoured to assist the wounded, and Mr. Mitchell distributed balsam,

and linen for bandages, but very little could be done; for, instead of

suffering the wounded, who were exhausted by the loss of blood, to take

some rest, their relations continually pulled them about, sounded large

bells, rattled their medicine or amulets, among which were the bears'

paws, which the White Buffalo wore on his breast. A spectator alone of

this extraordinary scene can form any idea of the {275} confusion and

the noise, which was increased by the loud report of the musketry, the

moving backwards and forwards of the people carrying powder and ball,

and the tumult occasioned by above twenty horses shut up in the fort.

When the enemy were still very near the fort, Mr. Mitchell had given

orders to fire the cannons of the right-hand front block-house among

them; but this had not been done, because the Blackfeet were partly

mixed with the Assiniboins; no use, therefore, had been made of

them, of which the Indians complained bitterly. The enemy gradually

retreated, and concentrated themselves in several detachments on the

brow of the hill,[121] and this gave us an opportunity to open the

gate, with due precaution, and view the destroyed tents and the bodies

of the slain. The Indian who was killed near the fort especially

interested me, because I wished to obtain his skull.[122] The scalp had

already been taken off, and several Blackfeet were engaged in venting

their rage on the dead body. The men fired their guns at it; the women

and children beat it with clubs, and pelted it with stones the fury of

the latter was particularly directed against the privy parts. Before I

could obtain my wish, not a trace of the head was to be seen. Not far

from the river there was a melancholy scene; old Haisikat (the stiff

foot) was lamenting over his grown-up daughter, who had concealed

herself in the bushes near the fort, and had been shot in mistake by

Dechamp, who thought she was an enemy.

At the very beginning of the engagement, the Blackfeet had despatched

messengers on horseback to the great camp of their nation, which was

eight or ten miles off, to summon their warriors to their aid, and

their arrival was expected every moment. Meantime, Ninoch-Kiaiu came

and called on Mr. Mitchell for assistance, for they had been attacked

by another party of the enemy. Hotokaneheh likewise came to the fort,

and made a long and violent speech, in which he reproached the Whites

with being inactive while the enemy were still in the vicinity; they

ought not to confine themselves to the "defence of the fort, if

they seriously desired the alliance of the Blackfeet, but endeavour

to attack the common enemy in the prairie," &c. All these reproaches

hurt Mr. Mitchell, and he resolved to show the Indians that the Whites

were not deficient in courage. With this view he made the best hunters

and riflemen mount their horses, and, in spite of our endeavours to

dissuade him from this impolitic measure, he proceeded to the heights,

where 150 or 200 Blackfeet kept up an irregular fire on the enemy. We

who remained in the fort had the pleasure of viewing a most interesting

scene. From the place where the range of hills turns to the Missouri,

more and more Blackfeet continued to arrive. They came galloping in

groups, from three to twenty together, their horses covered with

foam, and they themselves in their finest apparel, with all kinds of

ornaments and arms, bows and quivers on their backs, guns in their

hands, furnished with their medicines, with feathers on their heads;

some had splendid crowns of black and white eagles' feathers, and a

large hood of feathers hanging down behind, sitting on fine panther

skins lined with red; the upper part of their bodies partly naked,

with a {276} long strip of wolf's skin thrown across the shoulder, and

carrying shields adorned with feathers and pieces of coloured cloth. A

truly original sight! Many immediately galloped over the hill, whipped

their tired horses, in order to take part in the engagement, shouting,

singing, and uttering their war-whoop; but a great part of them stopped

at the fort, received powder and balls, and, with their guns and bows,

shot at the disfigured remains of the Assiniboin who was slain, and

which were now so pierced and burnt as scarcely to retain any semblance

of the human form. As the Indians near the fort believed themselves to

be now quite safe, they carried the wounded into the leather tents,

which were injured and pierced through and through by the enemy's

balls, round which many dead horses and dogs were lying, and the crying

and lamenting were incessant.

About one o'clock Mr. Mitchell and his people returned, much fatigued

by the expedition, and the great heat, the thermometer being at 84°.

Mr. Mitchell's horse had been shot through the withers; he himself fell

off and hurt his arm; another horse was shot through the neck, and

captured by the enemy; Bourbonnais, its rider, had escaped.[123] All

our people, however, had returned safe. The enemy had been driven back

to the Maria River, where, from the want of bravery in the Blackfeet,

they were able to maintain their ground behind the trees; nay, they

had sometimes advanced and repulsed their enemies. They were plainly

heard encouraging each other, on which they came forward in parties of

twenty or thirty, and renewed the attack. It was generally observed

that the Assiniboins fought better than the Blackfeet, many of whom did

not leave the fort during the whole day. Mr. Mitchell, with his people,

had always been in advance of the Blackfeet, and nearer to the enemy.

He had often shamed the Blackfeet, whose numbers had increased to 500

or 600, calling out--"Why did they lag behind? They had reproached the

Whites with cowardice, but now it was seen who were the most cowardly.

Now was the time to show their courage," &c. The hunter, Dechamp, had

especially distinguished himself by his bravery and well-directed fire

at the enemy, of whom he had killed or wounded several. They called out

to him that they knew him very well, for he is a. Half Cree Indian,

and had many relations among the enemy. He had been several times in

the heat of the action, and a Blackfoot gave him his horse, on which

he saved himself.[124] During this engagement Kutonapi came to Mr.

Mitchell, and asked him for a paper, which he had received on the

conclusion of the treaty with the Fur Company; and, being told that it

was in the fort, he said, "Oh, if I had it here, it would secure me

against every ball!" The Indians had fired quite at random, otherwise

the loss {277} must have been much greater on both sides. We learnt, in

the sequel, that the Assiniboins had three killed, and twenty severely

wounded. Many Indians took Mr. Mitchell by the hand, welcomed him as

their friend and ally, and offered him several horses, which he did not

accept.

After dinner, Doucette, Dechamp, and Berger again rode in quest of

the enemy, who still occupied the valley of the Maria River, and

many Blackfeet came back, boasting of their heroic exploits. Old

Ninoch-Kiaiu came full of joy, and told us that "no ball had touched

him; doubtless, because Mr. Bodmer had taken his portrait a few days

before." In the afternoon a number of Blackfeet arrived, and the dust

raised by their horses was visible at a great distance in the prairie.

The fort was filled with them; and they were refreshed with water and

tobacco. We visited the wounded in their tents, had the blood washed

from their wounds, and their hair, which was clotted with it, cut off;

and gave them medicines and plaster, and, instead of brandy, which they

asked for, sugar and water to refresh them. A child had died of its

wounds; they had daubed its face with vermilion. After the exertions

of this day, both Indians and Whites were covered with perspiration

and dust, and quite exhausted. Our people observed the enemy in their

position on the Maria; but, during the night, they retreated in

three strong divisions, in the direction of the Bear's Paw, and the

Blackfeet did not molest them.

In the morning of the 29th of August a part of the Blackfeet came to

us, fatigued and hungry, and reported that they had pursued the enemy,

and fired at them on both flanks, and had found one killed; but they

had not returned the fire, without doubt, for want of ammunition.

During the night we had lodged the principal chiefs in the fort; among

them were Tatsiki-Stomik (the bull from the centre), Penukah-Zenin

(the elk's tongue), Kutonapi, and Ihkas-Kinne (the bent horn); the

latter was a chief of the Siksekai, or proper Blackfeet. Most of the

Indians of the great horde went away, promising to return soon, with

their tents and baggage, and begin the trade. The tents, with the

wounded, were all removed, except a few, to better positions higher

up the river. Several Blackfeet having heard that they were accused

of cowardice, came to justify themselves. They alleged that their

horses were too much fatigued, which might in some measure be true;

but then they might have dismounted, and fought on foot, as very few

of the enemy were on horseback. Bird, to whom Mr. Mitchell had refused

to sell one of his best horses, left the fort in great anger; and an

Indian told us that he had promised the several Indian chiefs to give

them tobacco, if they would no longer dispose of their beaver skins

here, but take them to the north, to the English Company. This man had

said just the contrary to Mr. Mitchell; his insincerity therefore was

evident; and it would be highly important to the Company to deprive

this dangerous, influential Half-breed of the power of injuring them.

The expedition to the Kutanas, projected by Mr. Mc Kenzie, set out from

Fort Mc Kenzie on the 30th of August. The object of it was to trade

with that people, and especially to obtain skins of the white mountain

goat (_Capra Americana_). It consisted of Doucette, Isidore Sandoval,

{278} with his Indian wife, four _engagés_, and two Kutana Indians, one

of whom was Homach-Ksachkum, all mounted, and with nine pack-horses,

which carried the goods, the kitchen utensils, and the beds. They had

to proceed two days' journey along the banks of the Teton River, and

then to strike directly to the north, to the mountains; and, if the

Kutanas were found in their usual places of abode, they expected to

be able to reach them in twelve days.[125] They did not think that

they could be back before the next spring. This enterprise was very

dangerous; and we, in fact, learnt, in the sequel, that Doucette had

been shot by a Blood Indian, and that the expedition had proved a

complete failure. They had scarcely vanished from our sight behind the

heights, when a great number of Blackfeet arrived, and among them many

who were quite strangers to us, and who gazed on us with astonishment,

as they had been but little accustomed to the sight of white men.

They had put on their handsomest dresses, and were much dissatisfied

when they learnt that the trade could not begin that day, because Mr.

Mitchell was indisposed. The fort was crowded with them; we saw them

smoking in every corner; and they were so idle, or so proud, that

they gave their pipes to the first white man they saw to light them,

though they were close to the kitchen fire. The gate was besieged by

Indians, who were by no means all permitted to enter, and we ourselves

all refrained from going out, because the great assemblage of these

people inside could not be trusted. The number of chiefs at this time

in the fort was small, in comparison with the preceding year, when

fifty-four of them were there at one time. Among the Blackfeet who

visited us there was an old man, called Homachseh-Kakatohs (the great

star), who had a remarkable hooked nose. He wore the round felt hat

with a tuft of feathers, which Mr. Bodmer made him take off, and then

drew his portrait, which was an excellent likeness. When the drawing

was finished, and he had received some tobacco, he rose, went into the

court-yard, and delivered, with good address, a long speech, the tenor

of which was--"The chief below (Mr. Mc Kenzie) had sent his children

hither, and recommended them to the Blackfeet; they ought, therefore,

to treat them well, to bring them good meat, that they might not lament

and complain, but be merry, and always have their bellies full."

Soon after the arrival of the Great Star, Tatsiki-Stomik and

Ihkas-Kinne came to the fort; they all asked for brandy, which seemed

to be the main subject of their thoughts. Ihkas-Kinne was a tall,

well-looking man, with a very marked countenance. He wore an otter's

skin over his shoulders, with the tail hanging down before, and which

was ornamented all over with pieces of shell. This man had rendered

some services to the fort, and was to be depended on. On this occasion

he stepped forward, with a noble, manly air, and delivered a long

speech. "The French," he said, "must have hearts ill-disposed towards

the Indians; for, on the evening after the battle, they had not given

the Blackfeet (he would not say a word of himself) anything to drink;

even the chiefs had received nothing. They had come to the fort hungry

and thirsty, and so they had left it, though they were fatigued by

their exertions in fighting for the Whites. He was just this moment

{279} come from an expedition against the Crows, in which they had

lost two of their people, and had no articles to trade with. They had

traversed, without shoes, great tracts of prairie; their feet were

sore, and tired, yet he had taken part in the action, and neither he

nor others had received any present from the Whites." Mr. Mitchell

answered that "he would make the chiefs some presents to-morrow;

though he thought that he had done enough, as he had distributed among

them, on the preceding day, a great quantity of powder and ball, and

received those that were in need into the fort. Though it was true

that the Whites possessed many medicines which they could employ to

the ruin of the Indians, he had no such thoughts. He would, however,

show them such a one to-day, to give them an idea of the power of the

Whites. When a cannon was fired, they should pay attention. To-morrow

he would have the colours hoisted, and a gun fired as a signal for the

solemn reception of the chiefs." One of the Blackfeet chiefs had before

observed, that "he was much surprised that the Whites always appeared

in their common every day clothes, whereas they (the chiefs) put on

their handsomest dresses. They had never seen the fine clothes of the

Whites."

The chiefs having left us about six in the afternoon, the gate of the

fort was shut, and, as soon as it was dark, Mr. Mitchell caused a gun

to be fired, and then some skyrockets to be successively thrown up,

which, as it happened, succeeded extremely well, rising to a great

height, and bursting into stars. Most of the Indians, however, did not

betray much astonishment at this exhibition, having already seen the

same at the English posts. The Indians before the fort had already

been dancing and singing to the sound of their drum; they now retired,

rejoicing, to their tents. It was a still, moonlight night, but the

noise of the Indians continued, and a watch was kept in the fort.

On the following morning we were surprised by the highly interesting

appearance of the great Indian camp, consisting of about 400 tents,

which stood close together, because the enemy was supposed to be still

in the neighbourhood.[126]

News had been received that the Assiniboins were scattered, and

perhaps concealed, in many small parties, in the adjacent country.

On the 31st of August the sky was very gloomy, but the clouds

dispersed, and at nine o'clock Mr. Mitchell had a gun fired as the

signal for the opening of the trade; on which about twenty-four of the

chiefs and most distinguished warriors of the Piekanns, and with them

the Blackfoot, Ihkas-Kinne, advanced, in slow procession, to the fort.

Mr. Mitchell passed through a great crowd of women and children to

meet the men, shook hands with them, and conducted them into the fort.

They had put on their best dresses, and were received with a salute

from the cannon of the fort; but the rain falling in torrents was

extremely unfavourable to this interesting ceremony. At this moment, a

numerous body of Blood Indians, with all their baggage, appeared on the

heights on the other side of the river, who intended likewise to encamp

near the fort; on this, Ninoch-Kiaiu {280} immediately appeared, and

declared "that he already felt an inclination to fire at those people;

and that there would certainly be blood shed, if they were not kept at

a distance; especially if the minds of the parties were excited by the

trade." In consequence of this declaration, Mr. Mitchell sent Berger,

the interpreter, over the river, to represent to the Blood Indians

the state of affairs, and to signify to them that it would be better

to defer their trade till that with the Piekanns was over; with this

declaration they were satisfied, and withdrew.

The chiefs who were now in the fort were the leaders of the Piekanns,

Tatsiki-Stomik, Penukah-Zenin, Sachkomapoh (the little boy),

Kitsipooch-Kiaiu (the spotted bear), Kiaiu-Stoman (the bear knife),

Ninoch-Kiaiu (the bear chief), who, however, did not enter with the

others, and was meanly dressed on account of his mourning: as also

Haisikat, Mikutseh-Stomik (the red buffalo), Achsapacké (the handsome

woman), Ihkas-Kinne (the bent cow-horn), and one or two others, whose

names I have forgotten.[127] Among them there were fine, tall, robust

men, and all wore extremely handsome and costly dresses, many of them

ornamented with strips of ermine. Tatsiki-Stomik, in particular, wore

a shirt of very white bighorn leather, embroidered on the sleeves

with blue flowers, ornamented on the right arm with long slips of

white ermine, rolled up, with red feathers, and on the left with tufts

of long black hair. Across his shoulder he wore a palatine of otter

skins, at each end of which there was a tassel of slips of ermine. The

faces of the chiefs were painted with vermilion and the blue earth of

the Rocky Mountains; they were unfortunately wet through, especially

their beautiful shoes, by the rain falling so inopportunely. The old

Middle-Bull had a venerable look; he was not tall; the expression of

his countenance was good natured and thoughtful. He promised to sit for

his portrait, which he did in the sequel, unhappily not in his handsome

dress, but in his everyday clothes. The portrait is extremely like, and

perfectly gives the honest expression of the old man's countenance.[128]

When the chiefs had taken their places in Mr. Mitchell's room, old

Middle-Bull spoke nearly to the following effect:--"He hoped that the

Whites would renounce their bad opinion of them, and not believe that

they took their skins and furs to the English: for it was evidently

their (the Piekanns') own interest to be on good terms with the fort

situated in their neighbourhood, the English settlements being at much

too great a distance; that, if some of their people talked of carrying

their beaver skins to the trading posts of the Hudson's Bay Company, it

was merely to try to obtain goods on lower terms." After this speech

the chiefs, having received presents, gradually withdrew, and the trade

began. It was not long before a dispute arose at the gate, in which an

Indian drew his knife against the doorkeeper; but he was turned out

by the chief, Penukah-Zenin, who was still there, and in this manner

tranquillity was restored. Meantime, some troops of {281} Blood Indians

had come near the fort, and the Piekanns fired at them with ball, which

they answered, so that the balls whistled over the fort. Mr. Mitchell

placed a strong, well-armed guard at the gate, and we could see, on the

heights on the other side of the river, the heads of the Blood Indians,

who had come down to observe what might happen.

We might now be considered completely as prisoners; for, at the gate,

there was an incredible crowd of Indians, who all attempted to enter

by force, pushed, crowded, fought, and struggled with each other, for

we could not venture to admit more than a certain number at one time

into the Indian magazines between the two gates. Several well-disposed

Indians supported the guard in this difficult and disagreeable

employment; yet, now and then, a man, with desperate violence, forced

his way through the gate, knocked down the guard, and it was a good

while before he could be turned out.

The trade continued on the 1st of September, and we saw in the fort

the wife of the chief of the Blood Indians, who had lately passed by

the fort, and who much regretted the misunderstanding that had arisen

between the Piekanns and her tribe. They had entered into a negotiation

with the Piekanns, to atone by presents for their blood-guiltiness,

which might lead to an amicable arrangement.

Among our most interesting visitors were a couple of Sassi Indians;

they were slightly-built men of the middle size, with nothing striking

in their appearance, and came to announce the speedy arrival of a

considerable body of their nation, who wished to dispose of their

beaver skins. While the trade was going on very briskly, on account

of the number of the men and women, a report was suddenly spread that

the Assiniboins were approaching, on which all the Indians hastily

withdrew; it proved, however, that the alarm had been caused by a new

band of the Blackfeet (Siksekai), who had appeared on the heights.

When any single Indians arrived, we saw them fire their guns at the

burnt remains of the enemy lately killed, though they could scarcely

be recognised. Then they generally soon came to us, and looked at Mr.

Bodmer while drawing, which he continued very diligently, and without

any opposition being made to it, because he had remarked that none

of the men whose portraits he had drawn, had been lately killed or

wounded. The musical box, in which they fancied that there was a little

spirit,[129] and many other European toys, generally made a lively

impression on these people, and afforded them much amusement.

During the night of the 2nd of September, some Indians had broken a

hole through the clay wall of the Indian magazine, and stolen several

articles, among which were some dresses of the chiefs; and it was

evident that the thief must have kept himself concealed in the fort

during the {282} night. Towards seven in the morning we heard some

musket shot fired in the fort, and the band of our friend Kutonapi,

about sixty or seventy in number, advanced to the fort, headed by

three chiefs, who were admitted. All the principal chiefs of the

Piekanns arrived afterwards, whom Mr. Mitchell clothed in red uniforms,

calico shirts, and every other article of dress--hung about their necks

round looking-glasses, or silver medals with the bust of the president,

&c. The most amusing was when he put on them the new red felt hats,

with red plumes of feathers. Their prodigious, long, thick hair was

too large for the hat, and the whole was, therefore, made into a great

bunch, and stuffed into the hat before it could be put on their heads.

They suffered themselves to be dressed like children, and received

other presents, such as powder, ball, tobacco, knives, &c. The dress

of every chief might be estimated at ninety dollars. Meantime, the

newly-arrived band of the Siksekai had pitched their tents, and the

fort was again surrounded by a multitude of dangerous men. Sometimes

they threatened to fire at our people when they appeared on the

pickets, and several things were stolen in the fort, because many men

were still admitted on account of the trade. The chiefs were constantly

begging, as well as the meanest Indians, and this may be justly stated

as a most troublesome habit of the Blackfeet. In this respect the

other tribes have much more delicacy. The Crows, in their visits and

negotiations, presented the Blackfeet with valuable articles, costly

feather caps, shields, horses, &c., but received nothing at all when

they came to the latter, by which all the other Indian nations are

incensed against the Blackfeet.

As the Indians became very troublesome towards evening, Mr. Mitchell

had all the arms loaded with ball. Three detachments, each consisting

of nine men and an officer, were commanded to keep guard, and he gave

orders to fire from the pickets the instant an Indian attempted to

climb over. All the chiefs were made acquainted with this order, that

they might communicate it to their people. A new report being spread,

that a thousand Assiniboins were approaching, the guards were doubled,

and the officers divided, from which we strangers were not excepted.

During this state of imprisonment our horses suffered from want of

food, as they could not be driven into the meadows, and there was but

little hay in the fort. The Indians had used or burnt the hay that was

in the prairies higher up on the Missouri, and we were, therefore, much

embarrassed about the horses.

On the 3rd of September, in the morning, some shots were fired, and

soon afterwards a new body of the Siksekai, consisting of between

thirty and forty men, arrived, of whom two of the principal warriors

were admitted. They were tall and handsome, in costly new dresses.

The name of the leader was Makuiè-Kinn (the wolf's collar). The other

carried in his hand the sign of the prairie dogs--a long crooked

staff wound all round with otter's skin, and adorned with bunches of

feathers.[130] He told us that this medicine had the effect of rallying

the warriors who were dispersed in the prairie. They told us that the

greater portion of their {283} people were in the north, but that two

strong parties of warriors were coming; and, in fact, one of them,

consisting of 150 men, soon appeared on the heights, where it halted,

and afterwards came down to the fort. The chiefs were admitted, but

soon dismissed, because they had no articles to trade with. The proper

Blackfeet (Siksekai) and the Blood Indians catch but few beavers, being

chiefly engaged in war parties, and especially selling meat to the

Hudson's Bay Company. The Piekanns, on the other hand, catch the most

beavers. Beaver traps (which are lent them) were distributed among them

to-day, and many Indians went away to hunt beavers.

Early in the morning of the 4th of September, the band of the Blood

Indians, who had lately been sent away, were seen approaching the

fort, because the trade with the Piekanns was concluded. Their old

chief, Stomik-Sosak (the ox hide), and a medicine man, Pehtonista (who

calls himself the east), entered the fort. The first, a very good

old man,[131] had saved the life of Mr. Mitchell the year before,

when an Indian was going to run him through with his spear: he is a

great friend to the Whites, and resolved, with his small band, to

remain faithful to the fort. He greatly regretted the late unfortunate

occurrence, when his son had shot, by accident, as he affirmed,

young Martin; and spoke much of his attachment to the French, as he

called them. He called Mr. Mitchell his son, and added that, "to his

great sorrow, he had been obliged to see the fort every day, without

daring to come near it, on account of the unhappy difference with

Ninoch-Kiaiu." One of the Siksekai took off all his clothes, and laid

them down as a present before Mr. Mitchell, on which Stomik-Sosak lent

him his robe to cover him. On such an occasion these people do not

hesitate to sit down quite naked. This was again a very unpleasant day

to us, for the press of the savage Siksekai was very violent. There

was no end of their most importunate begging, and dangerous men forced

their way into the fort. Most of them were very characteristic figures;

their faces were painted red and black, with medicine skins trimmed

with feathers or bells, with yellow ornaments, or buttons, glass beads,

&c., in their hair. Some of them were excessively curious, clambered

about every place, and wanted to examine everything. An extremely

dangerous man forced his way in with the chiefs, whom we could by no

means get rid of, though we repeatedly got the chiefs to desire him to

go out again. His face was painted yellow and red; the expression of

his features was that of a true hostile barbarian.

Two years before, at the conclusion of the treaty of peace, he had

boasted to Berger, at the very first interview, that he had already

shot five Whites; and it was not without the greatest difficulty that

we could now get rid of this savage.

During the night Mr. Mitchell sent all the good horses belonging to the

fort, about twenty in number, to Fort Union, by land, because we were

not able to feed them any longer. Dechamp and his brother, with Papin

and Vachard, were charged with this business, and arrived safe at Fort

Union. The speedy removal of the horses was the more necessary, as the

Indians intended to steal them, and so advantage was taken of the fine

moonlight night to send them away.

{284} It was my intention to pass the winter in the Rocky Mountains,

and I had the execution of this project much at heart; but

circumstances had arisen which rendered it very difficult, nay,

impossible. A great number of the most dangerous Indians surrounded us

on all sides, and had in particular occupied the country towards the

Falls of the Missouri, which was precisely the direction we should have

to take. They had obliged Mr. Mitchell to send away all the serviceable

horses; so that, with the best will in the world, he could not have

supplied us with these animals, which were indispensably necessary.

Without an interpreter we could not undertake a journey which was very

difficult for a few persons, and, Doucette having been sent away, Mr.

Mitchell had not one left; at the same time, a long stay, which would

be absolutely necessary for our researches in natural history, was

quite out of the question, as we should be obliged, in some sort, to

make our way by stealth. We had before asked old Tatsiki-Stomik whether

we should encounter much danger in such an undertaking? and his answer

was, that "the Piekanns might, perhaps, rob us, but would not probably

treat us as enemies; but that the Kahna and the Siksekai were fools,

and we must be on our guard against them;" and, in truth, we might

judge of the intentions of the latter, since they had fired with ball

at the Piekanns, though of their own nation, near the fort. For all

these reasons, I therefore found myself compelled to give up my plan

of going further up the Missouri, and therefore asked Mr. Mitchell for

a vessel to return down the rivers; but, as he had not one to spare,

he promised to have a new one built for me. As we might any day be

attacked by the Assiniboins, and such an attack might have proved

more serious than the preceding, and, at all events, much valuable

time would be lost by our being again imprisoned in the fort, as, in

this case, we should be, not to mention that, autumn being already

far advanced, a longer delay promised us a very unpleasant voyage, I

endeavoured to have the work hastened as much as possible, in which

Mr. Mitchell willingly co-operated. We had, besides, got pretty well

acquainted with the Blackfeet Indians, and collected a great number of

interesting portraits of them, and could not hope to observe anything

new during the winter, or to add to our collection. As the Assiniboins

were our enemies, to whom our scalps would doubtless have been a very

welcome acquisition, I intended, in case of need, to make use of the

night also, and had therefore no time to lose.

Planks were cut for my new Mackinaw boat, and the carpenter or

shipwright immediately set to work in the court-yard of the fort. The

weather was rather cool, and the Gros Ventres des Prairies, who visited

us early in the morning, came with their teeth chattering with cold,

the nights being already frosty. A sign of autumn was, that the locusts

sought their food on the shrubs, there being nothing more in the

prairies, and the crows began to take their flight in large flocks to

the south.

On the 7th of September, at noon, a band of about sixty Gros Ventres

des Prairies, of whom twenty-nine were mounted, approached the fort.

They marched abreast, and then alighted. Mr. Mitchell went to meet

them, and received from them a large horse, blind of one eye, as a

present; {285} after which the Indians were received in the usual

manner. Two chiefs, Mexkemauastan and Eh-Siss (the sun), were the

leading men; the latter was a good old man, with a very expressive

countenance. The fort was filled with these Indians, who importuned us

for medicines, many of them having old wounds which had been neglected.

Remedies were given to some for inflammation in the eye, on which

they embraced and kissed us. They had but few things to dispose of.

The women and children begged, and were so troublesome, that it was

necessary to shut the gates.

Mr. Bodmer had now taken several views in the environs, and among the

rest had begun that of the Rocky Mountains and the Bear's Paw from

the heights behind the fort.[132] We went there every day, but were

obliged always to have somebody to keep a sharp look-out while Bodmer

was drawing, because we were never safe from a visit of the Indians.

Sometimes we were alarmed by false reports, and returned home without

doing anything. We, however, accomplished our object, and Mr. Bodmer's

above-mentioned drawings give a correct idea of that country.

On the 29th [9th] of September, Mr. Mitchell sent Harvey, with thirty

more, to begin the erection of the new fort. They took with them the

only pirogue that was left, and also the horses, for which there was

no hay in the fort. After this diminution of our numbers, we had only

twenty-eight persons remaining in the fort. So many Indians had been

seen on this day, at a distance, who did not come to the fort, that it

was necessary to have a stronger guard during the night; and when it

was dark, we were alarmed by a shot, but we soon found that it was some

of our people returning from the new fort, who fired as a signal to be

brought across the ice. They brought word that the Gros Ventres had, on

the preceding day, killed thirty buffaloes, and we might, therefore,

expect some fresh provision, of which we had been for some time

deprived. Our breakfast as well as our dinner had, for a long time,

consisted of old dried meat, in the morning with coffee, and some bread

baked with fat, and at noon with maize boiled in broth. The maize was

now all consumed, and we had only the dry meat, as tough as leather,

to eat; we had, therefore, the more reason to be rejoiced, when, on

the 10th of September, the Gros Ventres brought eighteen horse-loads

of fresh meat, all of which we purchased of them with knives, powder,

ball, and other things. On the 11th of September, twenty-one men,

belonging to the fort, took the boat, which had been built for me by

the carpenter, Saucier, to the Missouri: the necessary arrangements

for our voyage were made; large cages were made for my two live bears;

and kitchen utensils and beds were procured. The cases, containing my

collections, filled a great part of the boat, which, unfortunately,

proved too small. I had received from the Company Henry Morrin as

steersman, and, besides him, three young, inexperienced Canadians,

Beauchamp, Urbin, and Thiebaut, who were ill qualified for such a

voyage, and did not even possess serviceable fire-arms. Thus, there

were only seven persons in the boat, but the time was most valuable,

and I fixed my departure for the 14th of September.

FOOTNOTES:

[105] According to Catlin's Indian vocabulary, "Natose" means any form

of medicine or mystery.--ED.

[106] See his portrait in the central figure in Plate 79, in the

accompanying atlas, our volume xxv.--ED.

[107] See opposite page for diagram of Indians seated before Fort Mc

Kenzie.--ED.

[108] See Plate 78, in the accompanying atlas, our volume xxv.--ED.

[109] Isidore Sandoval was long employed on the upper Missouri by the

American Fur Company. In 1832 he was one of the men sent with Kipp

to begin the Blackfoot trade, and upon the latter's return to Fort

Union was left in charge thereof. He was a valued interpreter and

clerk, charged with many important missions. Finally he quarreled

with Alexander Harvey, who shot and killed him in the store at Fort

Union. See Culbertson's narrative in Montana Historical Society

_Contributions_, iii, p. 231; Larpenteur's account in his _Journal_, i,

pp. 168-170.--ED.

[110] Later glimpses of this renegade Bird are afforded by Townsend in

our volume xxi, pp. 353, 354, who reports that he was a great chief

among the Blackfeet, leader of their war parties, and in 1836 took

a treacherous revenge upon Antoine Godin, one of Wyeth's engagés at

Fort Hall. Father De Smet met Bird at the Rocky Mountain House of

the Hudson's Bay Company in 1845; he speaks of his treacherous and

suspicious character, which was proved when he deserted the missionary

priest in the wilderness. See H. M. Chittenden and A. T. Richardson,

_Life, Letters, and Travels of Father Pierre-Jean De Smet_ (New York,

1905), pp. 526-528.--ED.

[111] See Plate 20, in the accompanying atlas, our volume xxv.--ED.

[112] In the preceding summer Mr. Mitchell had had a similar adventure,

by which he was made acquainted with the nature of such meetings with

the Indians. He was riding out, unarmed, with one attendant, when he

met two Indians, who immediately demanded tobacco. He gave them what

he had, but could not satisfy them; they demanded his knife, threw the

tobacco which he had given them in his face, and with a menacing air

drew their bows. They did not suffer him to go till he promised to

give them more on board his vessel the next day. They came on board

accordingly, but Mr. Mitchell took no notice of them. Since that time

he never goes out unarmed.--MAXIMILIAN.

[113] Snow River, as named by Lewis and Clark, is a southern affluent

of the Missouri not far above its junction with Maria's. The present

name of this stream is Shonkin Creek, rising in Highwood Mountains, and

flowing nearly north, disemboguing just below the site of Fort Benton,

for many years the head of navigation on the Missouri, and the most

important post of the upper country.--ED.

[114] The three forks of the Missouri which unite at the present town

of Gallatin, Montana, in the county of that name. These names were

given by Lewis and Clark (1805) in honor of the president, and two

members of his cabinet.--ED.

[115] This range was probably the Highwood Mountains, for which see

note 71, _ante_, p. 83.--ED.

[116] Jean Latresse had acted as Mitchell's envoy to Fort Union, upon

the sinking of his keel-boat the preceding year.--ED.

[117] This is a frequent custom among the Indians, which always

occasions the Whites some expense. They must bury these bodies

decently at their own cost, for which blankets, cloth, red paint, &c.,

are necessary, and the Indians, by this means, avoid the obligation

of providing all these things themselves. If the Whites were to

refuse such a present, they would be considered as acting very

meanly.--MAXIMILIAN.

[118] In the year 1832, when Mr. Mitchell had a dispute with

Tatsiki-Stomik, who was on the point of withdrawing with his whole

band, he could not find any means of retaining him, till an Indian

proposed the above measure. Mr. Mitchell accordingly took a mouthful

of brandy, went into the Indian camp, embraced the angry chief, and

discharged the liquor into his mouth, by which the friendship of the

old man was restored, who became very kind, and entertained no further

thought of going away.--MAXIMILIAN.

[119] See Plate 79, the figure at the right hand of the page, in the

accompanying atlas, our volume xxv.--ED.

[120] Minohanne was the principal chief and the leader of the whole

party of Assiniboins engaged in this expedition, in which there were

likewise 100 Crees. After this battle he changed his name, and called

himself Tatogan (the antelope or cabri).--MAXIMILIAN.

_Comment by Ed._ See further account of this chief in Montana

Historical Society Contributions, iii, p. 209, note. Pierre De Smet,

_Western Missions and Missionaries_ (New York, 1859), pp. 168-205, also

gives a long biography of this dangerous and potent tribesman.

[121] See Plate 75, in the accompanying atlas, our volume xxv, for a

view of the contest.--ED.

[122] See description of the battle as given by Culbertson in M. R.

Audubon, _Audubon and his Journals_ (New York, 1897), ii, pp. 133-136;

also in Montana Historical Society _Contributions_, iii, pp. 207-209.

The prince here omits reference to his own participation, and to the

fact that he was possibly the slayer of the Assiniboin.--ED.

[123] For a further adventure of Augustin Bourbonnais, "a free

trapper," consult Coues, _Larpenteur's Journal_, i, pp. 117-123.--ED.

[124] This Dechamp was an excellent marksman, and very brave in action.

He had been in the service of the Northwest Company, and, in the battle

with Governor Semple, had killed an Englishman, a circumstance of which

he always spoke with great pleasure, having a genuine Indian spirit. An

account of the disgraceful defeat of Governor Semple by the Half-breeds

and Indians, among whom Maji-Gabowi was present, may be found in

Schoolcraft's Expedition to Itasca Lake, p. 102, and in Ross Cox's

Account of his Journey to the Columbia, p. 269.--MAXIMILIAN.

[125] The usual habitat of the Kutenai Indians was along the river

which takes its name from them--running chiefly in British Columbia,

with a loop into northwestern Montana.--ED.

[126] See the view of this great camp of the Piegan, in Plate 76, in

the accompanying atlas, our volume xxv.--ED.

[127] Onistahna (the chief of the white buffalo cow) was considered the

principal chief of all the Blackfeet.--MAXIMILIAN.

[128] See Plate 78, the left-hand figure, in the accompanying atlas,

our volume xxv.--ED.

[129] Captain Lyon (Private Journal, page 140), says, that the

Esquimaux took such a musical box to be the young one of a little

barrel organ, and which they, in like manner, thought to be animated by

a spirit.--MAXIMILIAN.

_Comment by Ed._ George Francis Lyon (1795-1832), who accompanied Parry

in his voyage of discovery in the "Hecla." His private journal was

published at London in 1825.

[130] See p. 113 for illustration of badge of Prairie-dog band.--ED.

[131] A very striking resemblance is found in the left-hand figure of

Plate 79, in the accompanying atlas, our volume xxv.--ED.

[132] See Plate 77, in the accompanying atlas, our volume xxv.--ED.