bush, and while the fire was consuming the one, our people advanced and
stationed themselves at the end of the other, to intercept any of the
Piegans who might attempt the doubtful alternative of saving themselves
by taking refuge in it. To ensure success, our people left open the
passage from the one bush to the other, while they themselves stood
in two rows, one upon each side, with their guns cocked; suddenly the
half-roasted Piegans, after uttering a scream of despair, burst through
the flames and made a last and expiring effort to gain the other bush;
then our people poured in upon each side of them a fatal volley of
ball and buck-shot, which almost finished what the flames had spared.
Yet, notwithstanding all these sanguinary precautions, a remnant
escaped by getting into the bush. The wounded victims who fell under
the last volley, the Iroquois dealt with in their own way--with the
knife.
“After the massacre was ended, our people collected their dead and
returned to the camp at sunset; not we should suppose to rejoice,
but rather to mourn. We afterwards learned that only seven out of
the seventy-five which formed the party of the unfortunate Piegans,
returned home to relate the mournful tale. Although our people were
drawn into this unfortunate affair with justice on their side, yet they
persevered in it with folly and ended it with cruelty: no wonder, then,
if they afterwards paid for their cruelty with their own blood.”
After a short stay at Spokane House, Ross, who had been given--on
paper--a force of eighty men, was able to get together only forty, a
number of whom were quite unsatisfactory. At the Flathead River post,
at the foot of the mountains, he picked up fourteen more, making
the whole party fifty-five. It was a curious mixture of Americans,
Canadian Frenchmen, half-breeds, Iroquois, natives of eastern Canada,
Saulteaux, Crees, Spokanes, Kutenais, Flatheads, Kalispels, Palouse,
and one Snake. Of the Canadians, five were more than sixty years of
age, and two more than seventy. The Iroquois were good hunters, but
untrustworthy, while the local Indians were useful chiefly in looking
after the horses. Twenty-five of the people were married, so that in
the company there were twenty-five women and sixty-four children. They
carried with them a brass three-pounder cannon, more than two hundred
beaver-traps, and about four hundred horses. It is understood, of
course, that they carried no provisions, depending wholly on their
guns for food, and Ross complains that on the day of starting they had
killed but one deer, a slender repast for one hundred and thirty-seven
hungry mouths.
Trouble with the Iroquois began almost at once. Having received their
advances, they thought little about the debts that they owed for guns,
horses, traps, clothing, and ammunition.
At a defile in Hell’s Gate, where the Piegans and Blackfeet used to
cross the mountains on their war journeys, they camped for some little
time, and here the hunters, to their great satisfaction, killed four
wild horses, besides twenty-seven elk and thirty-two small deer. The
capture of the horses was a great triumph for the hunters, who were
more delighted with their success in this little adventure than if they
had killed a hundred buffalo.
Not long after this, two Iroquois deserted and turned back, and the
leader, having previously lost another Iroquois by desertion, felt that
this must be stopped. He therefore followed the deserters about sixteen
miles back on the trail and captured them, but they refused to return,
and it was necessary to threaten to tie one of them to a horse’s tail
before he would consent to go.
They were frequently meeting Indians; Piegans first and then Nez
Percés, and whenever strangers were met with, the Iroquois traded off
their property, even to their guns, receiving in return what Ross calls
“trash.”
The weather was now growing cold, partly, perhaps, because they were
climbing all the time. Beaver were plenty and elk, deer, and mountain
goats extremely abundant. They were now getting close to the head
of the Flathead River and were fronting great mountains, largely
snow-covered. Six men were sent out to try to find a way through
the mountains, and at length returned reporting that it was quite
impracticable to cross the mountains here, because after reaching
the plateau above the timber the snow was five or six feet deep for
about twelve long miles. Beyond the mountains, however, they said,
was a large open plain where the snow was scarcely a foot deep. These
scouts had killed buffalo and brought in backloads of it. To travel
with horses for a dozen miles, through snow five or six feet deep and
crusted, was quite impossible, and Ross was bitterly discouraged.
Nevertheless, he determined that this was the best way to cross the
mountains, and sent the men back to camp, with instructions to greatly
modify their story for the ears of the people. The outcome of it was
that, after much counselling and more or less quarrelling, the party
started to break a way through this snow-covered plateau. It proved
much more difficult than even Ross had supposed, but by working with
horses and men and using wooden mallets to break the crust, and shovels
to cut the way, they at length, thirty-three days from the time they
reached that camp and after twenty-one days’ extraordinary labor, got
through the snow and came out on the other side, where there was feed
for the horses and game for the men. Now, however, they were in the
enemy’s country, for it was here that the Blackfeet were constantly
travelling about, and just beyond here that McDonald had lost seven of
his men the year before.
Just after they came down out of the mountains, they crossed the trail
made by Lewis and Clark up the middle fork of the Missouri, nearly
twenty years before.
After they had passed beyond the snow, they found beaver
extraordinarily abundant in certain localities. At one place they
took ninety-five beaver in a single morning and sixty more during
the same day. But, as they continued to go down the mountains, the
beaver became more scarce, but the snow was less. The young grass had
started, and buffalo were enormously abundant, though at this time
not fat. Blackfeet and Piegan war roads were constantly crossed, and
fresh tracks of men and horses often seen. These signs made Ross more
and more vigilant, and presently he discovered that his Iroquois were
turning out their horses to wander among the hills, and although he
warned them against repeating this, they paid little attention to the
warning. Under such carelessness it was evident that any war-party
discovering the trappers would have no difficulty in running off the
animals. These, though nominally belonging to the individuals who used
them, had been obtained on credit from the company, and if they were
stolen, the loss would be the company’s. Only a day or two later,
Martin, an Iroquois, was discovered to have turned loose six horses,
whereupon Ross sent out for the horses, took them back into his own
charge, gave Martin credit for the horses, and proceeded to move camp.
Martin and his family remained sitting by the fire. However, the other
Iroquois brought them along on some of their horses, and at night old
men came to Ross to intercede with him, begging him to give back the
horses to Martin. After much persuasion he did so, and the example was
not forgotten either by the Iroquois or by others of the trappers.
The party proceeded eastward with disappointing results, for they found
few beaver. Before long, therefore, they turned back, and, passing over
the divide between the Salmon and Goddin Rivers, Ross sent off eight
men to trap it downstream, but made them leave their horses behind, in
order that they might more readily conceal themselves from the enemy,
for Piegan Blackfeet were thought to be in the country. Meantime, the
main party went off to John Day’s Valley to supply themselves with
buffalo meat, for recently game had been scarce and they had been
wasteful of food when they had passed through a country of abundance.
From a camp in Day’s Valley, two men were sent to Goddin River to bring
back the eight who had been trapping there, and these messengers,
carelessly advancing toward a smoke, which they took to be the fire of
their own people, walked into the camp of a Piegan war-party. Their
horses were captured, but the men threw themselves into the undergrowth
and escaped by creeping along the margin of the river under its banks,
which were overgrown with bushes. In the middle of the second night,
they reached the camp in rags, with moccasins wholly worn out. A party
of thirty-five started in pursuit of the Piegans. They did not overtake
them, but found the eight trappers safe. They had slept within half a
mile of the Piegan camp, neither party being aware of the presence of
the other.
Passing over high, rough country, and pestered by the Iroquois, who
spent most of their time in trying to get away from the main party,
they reached the Rivière aux Malades. Ross now thought it best to
let the Iroquois go off and hunt by themselves, but not all of them
wished to go, and two of those who had given most trouble--Grey and
Martin--preferred to remain with the main party. On the Malades River,
there were good signs of beaver, and in one place they counted one
hundred and forty-eight poplar trees cut down by that animal, in a
space less than one hundred yards square. The first night they got
fifty-two beaver, but were troubled by the rising and the falling
of the water, caused, of course, by the melting of the snows on the
mountains.
One afternoon a Piegan war-party, discovered approaching the camp,
caused the greatest excitement. They did not attack, and presently
Ross went out to meet them, gave them some tobacco, and told them to
remain where they were. There were ninety-two Indians, and after a time
Ross invited them to the camp, where they passed the night in smoking,
dancing, and singing. Ross secured the Piegan arms, ordered forty of
their horses hobbled and put in with the traders’ horses, and thus
provided against any hostile action. These Piegans claimed to be on a
peace mission to the Shoshoni, and denied all knowledge of the horses
taken from the two trappers only a few days before. Ross believed that
they felt themselves too few to attack his party and planning to give
them a fright, he seized two of their horses and four of their guns,
to repay the loss of the horses and traps on Goddin River. The Piegans
were humble and apologetic and denied everything, and finally Ross
returned their property and gave them a little tobacco and ammunition.
They went off in separate parties, but before they disappeared in the
mountains all gathered together again.
A little later another Piegan war-party came to the camp in Ross’s
absence; but he returned before they had entered the camp. There were
one hundred and ten of these, but they were badly armed, having only
twenty-three guns and little or no ammunition. They professed to be
friendly, and declared that they were not trying to take the property
of the whites; for two nights before they had come into the camp and
gone about among the horses, and had left evidences of their presence
by moving a piece of meat which was roasting at the fire, and by
rubbing two spots of red paint on a riding saddle at one of the tent
doors. The chief who talked with Ross seemed so honest and frank that
he was given some ammunition, tobacco, and a knife, and the two parties
separated in a very friendly manner. Only a little later, they came
across a Snake camp, to which also had come a number of Cayuse chiefs,
and here were held ceremonial smokes and speeches, of a most friendly
character.
Dropping down Reid’s River and trapping constantly, the party at last
reached another great Snake camp. By this time they had 1,855 beaver.
In this neighborhood there was more or less trouble. The Indians
practised all sorts of stratagems to secure the horses of the trappers,
and did succeed in getting ten of them, eight of which were later
returned. The natives also took a number of traps. Moreover, as they
were not punished for what they did, their boldness grew, and at last
an Indian picked up a bundle and when it was taken from him by force,
he strung his bow and threatened to shoot the man. Ross gave his people
much good advice, and pointed out that if they would stick together
they were perfectly able to cow the Snakes; but they must act together.
His plan was to capture and hold ten of the Indians’ horses as security
for property that had been taken. They went out and caught the horses,
and when they returned with them to the camp, finding two Indians
there, they counted out one hundred bullets, and loaded their cannon,
letting the Indians see what was being done, and sent a message to the
camp that as soon as the stolen traps had been delivered, they would
give up the horses.
“When the two Indians had returned with the message to their camp,
I instructed my people to have their arms in readiness, in such a
position that each man could have his eye upon his gun, and could lay
hold of it at a moment’s warning; but to appear as careless as if
nothing was expected. That if the Indians did come, as they certainly
would, to claim their horses, and insisted on taking them, I would
reason the matter with them; and when that failed, I would give the
most forward of them a blow with my pipe stem, which was to be the
signal for my people to act. The moment, therefore, the signal was
given, the men were to shout according to Indian custom, seize, and
make a demonstration with their arms; but were not to fire, until I had
first set the example. During this time there was a great stir in the
Indian camp; people were observed running to and fro, and we awaited
the result with anxiety.
“Not long after, we saw a procession of some fifty or sixty persons,
all on foot and unarmed, advancing in a very orderly manner towards our
camp; in front of which was placed our big gun, well loaded, pointed,
and the match lit. My men were in the rear, whistling, singing, and
apparently indifferent. On the Indians coming up to me and another
man, who stood in front to receive them near to where the horses were
tied, I drew a line of privilege, and made signs for them not to pass
it. They, however, looked very angry, and observed the line with
reluctance, so that I had to beckon to them several times before I was
obeyed, or could make them understand. At last they made a sort of
irregular halt.
“I then made signs for the Indians to sit down; but they shook their
heads. I asked where was Ama-ketsa; but got no satisfactory reply.
One of the fellows immediately introduced the subject of the horses,
in very fierce and insolent language; I however, to pacify him, and
make friends, spoke kindly to them, and began to reason the matter,
and explain it to them as well as I could; but the fellow already
noticed, being more forward and daring than the rest, sneered at my
argument, and at once laid hold of one of the horses by the halter, and
endeavoured to take it away without further ceremony. I laid hold of
the halter, in order to prevent him, and the fellow every now and then
gave a tug to get the halter out of my hand; the others kept urging
him on, and they were the more encouraged, seeing my people did not
interfere; the latter were, however, on the alert, waiting impatiently
for the signal, without the Indians being in the least aware of it.
Beginning to get a little out of humour, I made signs to the Indian,
that if he did not let go, I would knock him down; but, prompted no
doubt by the strong party that backed him, and seeing no one with me,
he disregarded my threat by giving another tug at the halter. I then
struck him smartly on the side of the head with my pipe stem, and
sent him reeling back among his companions; upon which my men sprang
up, seized their arms, and gave a loud shout! The sudden act, with
the terror conveyed by the cocking of so many guns, so surprised the
Indians that they lost all presence of mind; throwing their robes,
garments, and all from them, they plunged headlong into the river, and
swam with the current till out of danger, every now and then popping up
their heads and diving again, like so many wild fowl! In less than a
minute’s time, there was not a soul of the embassy to be seen about our
camp! Never was anything more decisive.
“It may be satisfactory to the reader to know what kind of pipe stem it
was that one could strike a heavy blow with. The pipe-bowls generally
used, both by Indians and Indian traders, are made of stone, and are
large and heavy; the stems resemble a walking-stick more than anything
else, and they are generally of ash, and from two-and-a-half to three
feet long.
“We had intended removing camp the same day; but after what had
happened, I thought it better to pass another day where we were, in
order to give the Snakes as well as ourselves an opportunity of making
up matters. Not a soul, however, came near us all that day afterwards,
and we were at a loss to find out what was going on in the Snake camp.
I therefore got about twenty of my men mounted on horseback, to take a
turn round, in order to observe the movements of the Indians, but they
having brought me word that the women were all employed in their usual
duties, I felt satisfied.
“During the following day, ten persons were observed making for our
camp, who, on arrival, spread out a buffalo robe, on which was laid
all our stolen traps! some whole, some broken into several pieces,
which they had been flattening for knives; the whole rendered almost
useless to us. Ama-ketsa, who had not been present at the affray of the
preceding day, accompanied this party, and made a long and apparently
earnest apology for the loss of our traps, and the misunderstanding
that ensued; but he did not forget to exculpate his own people from all
blame, laying the odium of the whole affair on the Banatees. We knew
the contrary: the War-are-ree-kas were the guilty parties, and perhaps
Ama-ketsa himself was not altogether innocent; at least, some of his
people said so. We, however, accepted the apology, and the traps, as
they were; and delivering up all the horses, treated the chief with
due honours, satisfied that the business ended so well.
“The chief had no sooner returned to his camp with the horses, than a
brisk trade was opened; the Indians, men, women, and children, coming
to us with as much confidence as if nothing had happened. On the next
morning, while we were preparing to start, one of my men fell from
his horse and broke his thigh; we, however, got it so set, as not to
prevent our removal. Although everything wore the appearance of peace,
yet I thought it necessary to take precautions, in order to avoid any
trouble with the natives in passing their camp. I therefore appointed
ten men mounted on horseback to go before, the camp followed in order
after, while myself and twenty men brought up the rear; and all was
peace and good order.”
After a wide round from here they found themselves again on the Malades
River, where thirty-seven of the people were poisoned, apparently by
beaver meat, and it was from this circumstance that the river got its
name. Just beyond this, they captured a Bannock, by whom they were
told that the beavers with the white flesh--supposedly poisonous--were
always roasted by the Indians and never boiled; unless roasted the meat
was bad.
At a point on the Bear River the travelling party observed two animals
apparently playing in the water, and on approaching the place these
were found to be black bears, one of which was shot. They found that
the bears were apparently hunting a beaver which was found concealed
in the shoal water, and the signs seemed to indicate that this was a
hunting-place where the bears often came to kill beaver.
Returning to Canoe Point, they rested for a couple of days. Their
horses, which, of course, were unshod, had become very tender-footed,
and they provided moccasins--so to speak--for no less than twenty-seven
head. This, of course, is an old Indian practice. Not far from here
they found buffalo in great numbers, and began to kill and dry meat,
and just here Ross gives interesting testimony with regard to some
characteristics of the buffalo which is worth repeating in these days,
when the buffalo are no longer with us:
“While on the subject of buffalo, we may notice that there is perhaps
not an animal that roams in this, or in the wilds of any other country,
more fierce and formidable, than a buffalo bull during the rutting
season: neither the Polar bear, nor the Bengal tiger, surpass that
animal in ferocity. When not mortally wounded, buffalo turn upon man
or horse; but when mortally wounded, they stand fiercely eyeing their
assailant, until life ebbs away.
“As we were travelling one day among a herd, we shot at a bull and
wounded him severely--so much so, that he could neither run after us,
nor from us; propping himself on his legs, therefore, he stood looking
at us till we had fired ten balls through his body, now and then giving
a shake of the head. Although he was apparently unable to stir, yet we
kept at a respectful distance from him; for such is the agility of body
and quickness of eye, and so hideous are the looks of buffalo, that we
dared not for some time approach him: at last, one more bold than the
rest went up and pushed the beast over;--he was dead! If not brought to
the ground by the first or second shot, let the hunter be on his guard!
The old bulls, when badly wounded and unable to pursue their assailant,
prop themselves, as we have seen, and often stand in that position till
dead; but the head of a wounded bull, while in an upright position, is
invariably turned to his pursuer; so if the hunter be in doubt, let him
change his position, to see if the bull changes his position also. The
surest mark of his being mortally wounded and unable to stir, is, when
he cannot turn his head round to his pursuer; in that case, you may
safely walk up and throw him down.
“The wild cow calves generally at one period, and that period later by
a month than our tame cattle; then they all, as if with one accord,
withdraw themselves from the mountains and rocks, and resort in large
families to the valleys, where there is open ground, with small clumps
of wood affording shelter and preservation; as there they can see the
approach of an enemy from afar. The cows herd together in the centre,
and the bulls graze in the distance: all in sight of each other.
“The calving season is May, when the heat of the sun is sufficiently
strong for the preservation of their young in the open air; during
which time the herd feeds round and round the place as if to defend the
young calves from the approach of an enemy or from wolves. The resident
Indian tribes seldom hunt or disturb the buffalo at this season, or
before the first of July. The Indians often assured me, that, during
the calving season, the bulls keep guard; and have been frequently
known to assemble together, in order to keep at a distance any wolves,
bears or other enemies, that might attempt to approach the cows.”
A party sent after the Iroquois, who had gone off to trap by
themselves, returned on the 14th of October, bringing with them not
only the ten Iroquois but also seven American trappers. The Iroquois
had had their usual success. They had no beaver, no traps, were naked
and destitute of almost everything, and were in debt to the American
trappers for having been brought to the Three Tetons. According to
their story, they had been attacked by a war-party and robbed of nine
hundred beaver, all their steel traps, and twenty-seven horses. Ross
had the small satisfaction of saying to them, “I told you so,” but this
did not bring back the lost property. On the other hand, other stories
were told by certain of the Iroquois, which suggested that perhaps the
Iroquois had sold their beaver to the Americans.
It was not long before another war-party made its appearance, causing
the usual excitement and alarm, but these proved to be Nez Percés who
had started for the Blackfeet to steal horses. Before they got there,
the Blackfeet discovered and ambushed them, killing six of the Nez
Percés.