“Once,” said he, “I had a somewhat peculiar experience, which I think
I never related to you before. It was at the time of the fall hunt. One
afternoon when I was alone I discovered that I was too far away to reach
the camp before dark, so I looked about for a good place to spend the
night. This was on the Upper Missouri, before there were any white
people there, and when we were in constant danger from wild beasts as
well as from hostile Indians. It was necessary to use every precaution
and the utmost vigilance.
“I selected a spot which appeared to be well adapted to defense. I had
killed two deer, and I hung up pieces of the meat at certain distances
in various directions. I knew that any wolf would stop for the meat, A
grizzly bear would sometimes stop, but not a mountain lion or a panther.
Therefore I made a fire. Such an animal would be apt to attack a
solitary fire. There was a full moon that night, which was much in my
favor.
“Having cooked and eaten some of the venison, I rolled myself in my
blanket and lay down by the fire, taking my Ishtahbopopa for a bed
fellow. I hugged it very closely, for I felt that I should need it
during the night. I had scarcely settled myself when I heard what seemed
to be ten or twelve coyotes set up such a howling that I was quite sure
of a visit from them. Immediately after-. ward I heard another sound,
which was like the screaming of a small child. This was a porcupine,
which had doubtless smelled the meat.
“I watched until a coyote appeared upon a flat rock fifty yards away.
He sniffed the air in every direction; then, sitting partly upon his
haunches, swung round in a circle with his hind legs sawing the air, and
howled and barked in many different keys. It was a great feat! I could
not help wondering whether I should be able to imitate him. What had
seemed to be the voices of many coyotes was in reality only one animal.
His mate soon appeared and then they both seemed satisfied, and showed
no signs of a wish to invite another to join them. Presently they both
suddenly and quietly disappeared.
“At this moment a slight noise attracted my attention, and I saw that
the porcupine had arrived. He had climbed up to the piece of meat
nearest me, and was helping himself without any ceremony. I thought it
was fortunate that he came, for he would make a good watch dog for me.
Very soon, in fact, he interrupted his meal, and caused all his quills
to stand out in defiance. I glanced about me and saw the two coyotes
slyly approaching my open camp from two different directions.
“I took the part of the porcupine! I rose in a sitting posture, and sent
a swift arrow to each of my unwelcome visitors. They both ran away with
howls of surprise and pain.
“The porcupine saw the whole from his perch, but his meal was not at all
disturbed, for he began eating again with apparent relish. Indeed, I was
soon furnished with another of these unconscious protectors. This one
came from the opposite direction to a point where I had hung a splendid
ham of venison. He cared to go no further, but seated himself at once on
a convenient branch and began his supper.
“The canon above me was full of rocks and trees. From this direction
came a startling noise, which caused me more concern than anything I had
thus far heard. It sounded much like a huge animal stretching himself,
and giving a great yawn which ended in a scream. I knew this for the
voice of a mountain lion, and it decided me to perch upon a limb for the
rest of the night.
“I got up and climbed into the nearest large tree, taking my weapons
with me; but first I rolled a short log of wood in my blanket and laid
it in my place by the fire.
“As I got up, the two porcupines began to descend, but I paid no
attention to them, and they soon returned to their former positions.
Very soon I heard a hissing sound from one of them, and knew that an
intruder was near. Two grey wolves appeared.
“I had hung the hams by the ham strings, and they were fully eight
feet from the ground. At first the wolves came boldly forward, but the
warning of the porcupines caused them to stop, and hesitate to jump for
the meat. However, they were hungry, and began to leap savagely for the
hams, although evidently they proved good targets for the quills of the
prickly ones, for occasionally one of them would squeal and rub his nose
desperately against the tree.
“At last one of the wolves buried his teeth too deeply in a tough
portion of the flesh, and having jumped to reach it, his own weight
made it impossible for him to loosen his upper jaw. There the grey wolf
dangled, kicking and yelping, until the tendon of the ham gave way, and
both fell heavily to the ground. From my hiding-place I sent two arrows
into his body, which ended his life. The other one ran away to a little
distance and remained there a long time, as if waiting for her mate.
“I was now very weary, but I had seen many grizzly bears’ tracks in the
vicinity, and besides, I had not forgotten the dreadful scream of the
mountain lion. I determined to continue my watch.
“As I had half expected, there came presently a sudden heavy fall, and
at the same time the burning embers were scattered about and the fire
almost extinguished. My blanket with the log in it was rolled over
several times, amid snarls and growls. Then the assailant of my camp--a
panther--leaped back into the thick underbrush, but not before my arrow
had penetrated his side. He snarled and tried to bite off the shaft, but
after a time became exhausted and lay still.
“I could now distinguish the grey dawn in the east. I was exceedingly
drowsy, so I fastened myself by a rope of raw-hide to the trunk of the
tree against which I leaned. I was seated on a large limb, and soon fell
asleep.
“I was rudely awakened by the report of a gun directly under me. At
the same time, I thought some one was trying to shake me off the tree,
Instantly I reached for my gun. Alas! it was gone! At the first shake
of the tree by my visitor, a grizzly bear, the gun had fallen, and as it
was cocked, it went off.
“The bear picked up the weapon and threw it violently away; then he
again shook the tree with all his strength. I shouted:
“‘I have still a bow and a quiver full of arrows; you had better let me
alone.’
“He replied to this with a rough growl. I sent an arrow into his side,
and he groaned like a man as he tried hard to pull it out. I had to give
him several more before he went a short distance away, and died. It was
now daylight, so I came down from my perch. I was stiff, and scarcely
able to walk. I found that the bear had killed both of my little
friends, the porcupines, and eaten most of the meat.
“Perhaps you wonder, Ohiyesa, why I did not use my gun in the beginning;
but I had learned that if I once missed my aim with it, I had no second
chance. I have told of this particular adventure, because it was an
unusual experience to see so many different animals in one night. I have
often been in similar places, and killed one or two. Once a common black
bear stole a whole deer from me without waking me. But all this life is
fast disappearing, and the world is becoming different.”