Region of the Crow Indians--Scouts on the Lookout--Visit
From a Crew of Hard Riders.--A Crow Camp.--Presents to the
Crow Chief.-Bargaining.-Crow Bullies.-Rose Among His Indian
Friends.-Parting With the Crows.--Perplexities Among the
Mountains.--More of the Crows.--Equestrian Children.--Search
After Stragglers.
THE travellers had now arrived in the vicinity of the mountain regions
infested by the Crow Indians. These restless marauders, as has already
been observed, are apt to be continually on the prowl about the skirts
of the mountains; and even when encamped in some deep and secluded
glen, they keep scouts upon the cliffs and promontories, who, unseen
themselves, can discern every living thing that moves over the subjacent
plains and valleys. It was not to be expected that our travellers could
pass unseen through a region thus vigilantly sentineled; accordingly, in
the edge of the evening, not long after they had encamped at the foot
of the Bighorn Sierra, a couple of wild-looking beings, scantily clad
in skins, but well armed, and mounted on horses as wild-looking as
themselves, were seen approaching with great caution from among the
rocks. They might have been mistaken for two of the evil spirits of the
mountains so formidable in Indian fable.
Rose was immediately sent out to hold a parley with them, and invite
them to the camp. They proved to be two scouts from the same band that
had been tracked for some days past, and which was now encamped at some
distance in the folds of the mountain. They were easily prevailed upon
to come to the camp, where they were well received, and, after remaining
there until late in the evening, departed to make a report of all they
had seen and experienced to their companions.
The following day had scarce dawned, when a troop of these wild mountain
scamperers came galloping with whoops and yells into the camp, bringing
an invitation from their chief for the white men to visit him. The tents
were accordingly struck, the horses laden, and the party were soon on
the march. The Crow horsemen, as they escorted them, appeared to take
pride in showing off their equestrian skill and hardihood; careering
at full speed on their half-savage steeds, and dashing among rocks and
crags, and up and down the most rugged and dangerous places with perfect
ease and unconcern.
A ride of sixteen miles brought them, in the afternoon, in sight of the
Crow camp. It was composed of leathern tents, pitched in a meadow on
the border of a small clear stream at the foot of the mountain. A great
number of horses were grazing in the vicinity, many of them doubtless
captured in marauding excursions.
The Crow chieftain came forth to meet his guests with great professions
of friendship, and conducted them to his tents, pointing out, by the
way, a convenient place where they might fix their camp. No sooner had
they done so, than Mr. Hunt opened some of the packages and made the
chief a present of a scarlet blanket and a quantity of powder and ball;
he gave him also some knives, trinkets, and tobacco to be distributed
among his warriors, with all which the grim potentate seemed, for the
time, well pleased. As the Crows, however, were reputed to be perfidious
in the extreme, and as errant freebooters as the bird after which they
were so worthily named; and as their general feelings towards the whites
were known to be by no means friendly, the intercourse with them was
conducted with great circumspection.
The following day was passed in trading with the Crows for buffalo robes
and skins, and in bartering galled and jaded horses for others that were
in good condition. Some of the men, also, purchased horses on their own
account, so that the number now amounted to one hundred and twenty-one,
most of them sound and active, and fit for mountain service.
Their wants being supplied, they ceased all further traffic, much to the
dissatisfaction of the Crows, who became extremely urgent to continue
the trade, and, finding their importunities of no avail, assumed an
insolent and menacing tone. All this was attributed by Mr. Hunt and his
associates to the perfidious instigations of Rose the interpreter, whom
they suspected of the desire to foment ill-will between them and the
savages, for the promotion of his nefarious plans. M’Lellan, with his
usual tranchant mode of dealing out justice, resolved to shoot the
desperado on the spot in case of any outbreak. Nothing of the kind,
however, occurred. The Crows were probably daunted by the resolute,
though quiet demeanor of the white men, and the constant vigilance and
armed preparations which they maintained; and Rose, if he really
still harbored his knavish designs, must have perceived that they were
suspected, and, if attempted to be carried into effect, might bring ruin
on his own head.
The next morning, bright and early, Mr. Hunt proposed to resume his
journeying. He took a ceremonious leave of the Crow chieftain, and his
vagabond warriors, and according to previous arrangements, consigned
to their cherishing friendship and fraternal adoption, their worthy
confederate Rose; who, having figured among the water pirates of the
Mississippi, was well fitted to rise to distinction among the land
pirates of the Rocky Mountains.
It is proper to add, that the ruffian was well received among the tribe,
and appeared to be perfectly satisfied with the compromise he had made;
feeling much more at his ease among savages than among white men. It is
outcasts from justice, and heartless desperadoes of this kind who sow
the seeds of enmity and bitterness among the unfortunate tribes of
the frontier. There is no enemy so implacable against a country or a
community as one of its own people who has rendered himself an alien by
his crimes.
Right glad to be delivered from this treacherous companion, Mr. Hunt
pursued his course along the skirts of the mountain, in a southern
direction, seeking for some practicable defile by which he might pass
through it; none such presented, however, in the course of fifteen
miles, and he encamped on a small stream, still on the outskirts. The
green meadows which border these mountain streams are generally well
stocked with game, and the hunters killed several fat elks, which
supplied the camp with fresh meat. In the evening the travellers were
surprised by an unwelcome visit from several Crows belonging to a
different band from that which they recently left, and who said their
camp was among the mountains. The consciousness of being environed by
such dangerous neighbors, and of being still within the range of Rose
and his fellow ruffians, obliged the party to be continually on the
alert, and to maintain weary vigils throughout the night, lest they
should be robbed of their horses.
On the third of September, finding that the mountain still stretched
onwards, presenting a continued barrier, they endeavored to force a
passage to the westward, but soon became entangled among rocks and
precipices which set all their efforts at defiance. The mountain seemed,
for the most part, rugged, bare, and sterile; yet here and there it was
clothed with pines, and with shrubs and flowering plants, some of which
were in bloom. In tolling among these weary places, their thirst became
excessive, for no water was to be met with. Numbers of the men wandered
off into rocky dells and ravines in hopes of finding some brook or
fountain; some of whom lost their way and did not rejoin the main party.
After a day of painful and fruitless scrambling, Mr. Hunt gave up the
attempt to penetrate in this direction, and, returning to the little
stream on the skirts of the mountain, pitched his tents within six miles
of his encampment of the preceding night. He now ordered that signals
should be made for the stragglers in quest of water; but the night
passed away without their return.
The next morning, to their surprise, Rose made his appearance at the
camp, accompanied by some of his Crow associates. His unwelcome visit
revived their suspicions; but he announced himself as a messenger of
good-will from the chief, who, finding they had taken the wrong road,
had sent Rose and his companions to guide them to a nearer and better
one across the mountain.
Having no choice, being themselves utterly at fault, they set out under
this questionable escort. They had not gone far before they fell in with
the whole party of Crows, who, they now found, were going the same road
with themselves. The two cavalcades of white and red men, therefore,
pushed on together, and presented a wild and picturesque spectacle,
as, equipped with various weapons and in various garbs, with trains of
pack-horses, they wound in long lines through the rugged defiles, and up
and down the crags and steeps of the mountain.
The travellers had again an opportunity to see and admire the equestrian
habitudes and address of this hard-riding tribe. They were all mounted,
man, woman, and child, for the Crows have horses in abundance, so that
no one goes on foot. The children are perfect imps on horseback. Among
them was one so young that he could not yet speak. He was tied on a colt
of two years old, but managed the reins as if by instinct, and plied
the whip with true Indian prodigality. Mr. Hunt inquired the age of this
infant jockey, and was answered that “he had seen two winters.”
This is almost realizing the fable of the centaurs; nor can we wonder
at the equestrian adroitness of these savages, who are thus in a manner
cradled in the saddle, and become in infancy almost identified with the
animal they bestride.
The mountain defiles were exceedingly rough and broken, and the
travelling painful to the burdened horses. The party, therefore,
proceeded but slowly, and were gradually left behind by the band of
Crows, who had taken the lead. It is more than probable that Mr. Hunt
loitered in his course, to get rid of such doubtful fellow-travellers.
Certain it is that he felt a sensation of relief as he saw the whole
crew, the renegade Rose and all, disappear among the windings of
the mountain, and heard the last yelp of the savages die away in the
distance.
When they were fairly out of sight, and out of hearing, he encamped on
the head waters of the little stream of the preceding day, having come
about sixteen miles. Here he remained all the succeeding day, as well
to give time for the Crows to get in the advance, as for the stragglers,
who had wandered away in quest of water two days previously, to rejoin
the camp. Indeed, considerable uneasiness began to be felt concerning
these men, lest they should become utterly bewildered in the defiles of
the mountains, or should fall into the hands of some marauding band of
savages. Some of the most experienced hunters were sent in search of
them; others, in the meantime, employed themselves in hunting. The
narrow valley in which they encamped being watered by a running
stream, yielded fresh pasturage, and though in the heart of the Bighorn
Mountains, was well stocked with buffalo. Several of these were killed,
as also a grizzly bear. In the evening, to the satisfaction of all
parties, the stragglers made their appearance, and provisions being in
abundance, there was hearty good cheer in the camp.