LOST, STRAYED OR STOLEN.
You have already learned something of the Nez Perces, who in our times
have produced one of the greatest Indian leaders of the past century.
He was Chief Joseph, who gave the United States regulars such a
brilliant campaign as to excite their admiration. Perhaps you saw the
aged chief on his visit to the East a short time since. He was
chivalrous, high-minded and a loyal friend of the whites, and showed
this when he handed his rifle to Colonel Miles and said: "From where
the sun stands in yonder heavens, I fight the white man no more."
You will recall that the Nez Perces are large, fine-looking men, of
dark complexion, and that the women have attractive features. A century
ago they had a rough time of it. They were forced to work hard during
the summer and autumn in gathering salmon and their winter supply of
edible roots. In winter they hunted deer on snow shoes, and, as spring
advanced, crossed the mountains to the headwaters of the Missouri to
traffic in buffalo robes. You will see, therefore, that they were kept
unusually busy, and red men have never shown a fondness for manual
labor. But, beside this, they had numerous fights with enemies from the
west, often losing some of their warriors and many of their horses.
At the time of the visit by our friends, Amokeat was principal chief of
the Nez Perces. He and Mul-tal-la the Blackfoot were attached to each
other, and the confidence of the latter in the dusky leader was
complete. Had he not been so warm in his expressions of this faith in
Amokeat, Deerfoot would never have left the stallion Whirlwind in his
care while the explorers were pressing their way down the Columbia to
tidewater.
As it was, the Shawanoe was troubled by misgivings from the hour he
parted company with his matchless steed. As the distance between him
and the Nez Perce village lessened, it was hard for the dusky youth to
suppress his nervousness. He was reserved, speaking only now and then
when necessary, and unconsciously hurrying his footsteps, until the
brothers were ready to drop from exhaustion. Had the village been a
mile farther off they would have been obliged to beg for rest.
The arrival of the party caused less excitement than would be supposed.
The majority of the men and women were away, assisting in the
harvesting of salmon, while fully a score of the ablest warriors were
off somewhere in the mountains, either hunting or scouting, preparatory
to some movement the Nez Perces as a tribe had in view. There were
enough on hand, however, to give our friends due attention and to
welcome them back.
The first inquiry of Deerfoot was as to the horses. To the south of the
main village stretched an expanse of undergrowth, bushes, succulent
grass and herbage, where the animals of the tribe were turned loose to
roam at will when not needed by their owners. The Nez Perces, with
gestures and the few words that were understood by Mul-tal-la, said the
horses of their visitors would be found at the place described. It was
not far off, and Deerfoot broke into a lope, his friends at his heels.
It required but a few minutes to reach the tract, which covered a
number of acres. At different points glimpses were caught of horses
cropping the grass and herbage. The first animal recognized was Zigzag,
who was so near that the moment the party debouched into the space he
raised his head, looked at them and gave a neigh of recognition. Then
he resumed his grazing, as if he felt that he had done all the honors
due from him.
"Yonder is Prince!" exclaimed Victor, running forward to greet his
horse, while George Shelton began searching hither and yon for Jack.
Mul-tal-la did not see Bug, and showed more interest in Deerfoot's
search than in his own animal.
The Shawanoe had halted on the edge of the pasturage ground, glanced
quickly over his field of vision, and then, placing a thumb and
forefinger between his teeth, he emitted a blast like that of a steam
whistle. It was a signal he had taught the stallion, and he knew that
if the horse was within a mile he would come toward him on a full
gallop. Deerfoot repeated the call twice and then waited and looked and
listened. None of the horses so much as raised his head, and the heart
of the youth became like lead.
"Whirlwind is not here," he said sadly to the Blackfoot. George and
Victor hurried back, drawn by the signal whose meaning they understood.
In truth, when they left his side it had been more for the purpose of
hunting for the stallion than for their own animals. Their hearts ached
for Deerfoot, whose face was the picture of disappointment and grief.
"Call to him again," suggested George.
"It can do no good. If he is near he would have heard Deerfoot; he is
gone."
"He may have wandered beyond reach of your signal," said Victor. "You
know he never felt friendly toward other horses and always kept by
himself."
With a weak hope that his friend was right, Deerfoot walked a hundred
yards to where an uprooted tree lay on its side, climbed upon the
trunk, and, facing the different points of the compass in turn,
whistled so shrilly that in the afternoon stillness the sound awoke the
echoes for miles in every direction. Then he stood in the attitude of
intense attention. Certain that the stallion had not gone far of his
own accord, he knew these calls would bring him dashing to the spot,
provided no person had had a hand in his disappearance.
But the minutes passed without anything of this nature occurring, and
the Shawanoe sprang down from the slight elevation and came back to
where his sympathizing friends awaited him. They were silent, for none
could say aught to comfort him.
"We will look for Amokeat," he quietly remarked, leading the way to the
village. There the inquiries of Mul-tal-la brought the first definite
information of the missing horse. It was of anything but a pleasant
nature.
It has been said that about a score of Nez Perce warriors were absent
on a scouting or hunting expedition. They were under the lead of
Amokeat, who rode away on the back of Whirlwind. They had been gone
several days and were liable to return at any hour, or they might be
absent for a week or more longer.
When Deerfoot gained this information he was filled with indignation.
Without speaking, he turned his back upon his friends and walked to and
fro for several minutes. He was striving to gain control of his
emotions, and some time passed before he could do so. When he succeeded
he rejoined his comrades, several of the Nez Perces gathering round and
watching the four with no little curiosity.
"Amokeat did not ask Deerfoot that he might ride Whirlwind," said the
Shawanoe, the flash not fully gone from his eyes, and a slight
tremulousness showing in his voice.
"He had no business to do so," added the impulsive Victor; "I wonder
that the horse allowed anyone to ride him except you."
George Shelton tried to soothe his troubled friend.
"I understand how you feel, Deerfoot, but it looks to me as if it will
come out all right. The Nez Perces rode off on their horses, with
Whirlwind in the lead. Why should they not come back the same way, with
Whirlwind none the worse? Amokeat did not expect you for some time, and
who can wonder that he wished to ride such a steed?"
Deerfoot turned and looked in the face of the lad.
"Does my brother wish Deerfoot to sit down and fold his hands and wait
for days and weeks, all the time not knowing whether Whirlwind will
come back again or not? Does not my brother see that there is not a day
nor an hour to be wasted? Deerfoot would die many times while waiting
for Amokeat; he cannot do it."
This was another way of declaring that the young Shawanoe meant to set
out to recover his steed without an hour's unnecessary delay. All felt
in the circumstances that it was the best thing to do. No one offered
further suggestion. Mul-tal-la, who had spoken hardly a word, now told
Deerfoot he would find out all that was to be learned of Amokeat and
his party.
Left alone with the lads, the Shawanoe explained the plan he had
formed.
"Mul-tal-la will take my brothers to his home among the Blackfeet,
where they will stay until spring comes; winter is too near for them to
travel any farther toward the Ohio. Mul-tal-la will make them welcome
and they will not want for food and comforts."
"And what of _you_?"
"When Deerfoot meets Whirlwind, the two will join his brothers and all
will be together till the sun begins to melt the snow on the sides of
the mountains. Then they will set out for the Ohio which they left so
many months ago."
"Will you make this search for Whirlwind on horseback or on foot?"
"On foot; there is no horse that can help me. Whirlwind would be
offended if he saw me come after him on any other of these animals.
Deerfoot can travel better on foot than any other way."
"You wish us to take our horses with us to the Blackfoot country?"
The Shawanoe nodded.
"Take the four and keep them among the Blackfeet; they will be needed
by us when spring comes."
"You have plenty of bullets and powder. Is there anything of ours that
you would like?" asked Victor.
"Yes,--_that_; it may be of help to Deerfoot."
The dusky youth pointed to the spyglass suspended by a cord around the
neck of George Shelton. The owner instantly slipped the string over his
head.
"You are welcome to it and to anything else of ours."
"Deerfoot thanks his brothers, but there is nothing more he wishes. He
has his rifle, his powder horn, his bullet pouch, his flint and steel
and his hunting knife. Anything more would be a burden, but his heart
is warm with gratitude to his brothers."
At this point in the conversation, Mul-tal-la returned with news of
what he had learned by his inquiries among the Nez Perces.
The knowledge amounted to little. Chief Amokeat had led his warriors
northward three days before, starting just as the sun appeared. He gave
no word as to when he would come back, and none could do anything more
than guess, nor was the leader clear as to the nature of the business
on which he ventured. Perhaps he himself did not know.
Still the task that Deerfoot had set himself seemed possible of
accomplishment. Knowing the point at which the party left the village
and the course taken by them, he could strike the trail, and to keep to
it would not be more difficult than many feats he had performed amid
the forests and canebrakes of Kentucky and Ohio. He made sure that
there was no mistake at the beginning. Then he bade his friends
good-bye.
Before doing so he talked for some minutes with Mul-tal-la. The
Blackfoot favored the course Deerfoot had laid out for himself, though
it was not unlikely that the fact that opposition was useless may have
had its weight in the conclusion reached by Mul-tal-la. He told the
Shawanoe that he would proceed straight to the Blackfoot country, and
there await the coming of his friend, who expected like the boys to
spend the winter in that northern region.
Deerfoot disliked "scenes" as much as did George and Victor Shelton.
The only ceremony between him and the three was the shaking of hands
and the expression of good wishes. Thus they parted. The dusky youth
made his way directly to the point where he had been informed Amokeat
and his party had left on their northward excursion, and, without
looking behind him, found the trail and began his long journey.
Mul-tal-la waited for some minutes after his departure and then gave
the word for the brothers to make ready. Accordingly, the horses were
brought to the village, the saddles and bridles taken from the lodge of
the chieftain, where they had been stored, together with the
superfluous articles left behind when the explorers started on their
canoe voyage down the Columbia. To this property was added that which
had gone on the voyage. Everything was carefully packed on the back of
Zigzag, saddles and bridles were put in place, all three mounted, waved
good-bye and thanks to the Nez Perces, most of those that remained
behind having gathered to see the visitors off. Then these in turn
began the journey which was to take them through a pass in the Rocky
Mountains and into the extensive Blackfoot country. For a time we will
leave them to themselves and give our attention to Deerfoot, who was
never more resolute of purpose than when he determined not to rejoin
his friends until he had recovered Whirlwind, or at least gained
tidings of him.
It may be said that the young Shawanoe was hopeful of finding the
stallion unharmed, and he had reasonable ground for such hope. He could
not help feeling displeased with the action of Amokeat, who certainly
had presumed in thus using the property of another. Still, if no harm
had befallen the steed, the Shawanoe would check the reproof he had in
mind.
Several facts caused Deerfoot uneasiness. The beauty and nobleness of
the stallion could not fail to excite envy wherever and by whomever
seen. His owner believed that Amokeat would steal him if he had the
chance, but it need not be explained that the circumstances rendered
that impossible. In venturing upon this raid, the Nez Perces were sure
to come in collision with hostile Indians. They had lost warriors and
horses before. Indeed, their enemies had invaded the homes of the Nez
Perces and robbed them. Suppose Amokeat and his companions got into a
fight with some of the northern tribes. As likely as not the Nez Perces
would be defeated. In that case, Whirlwind would be first of the spoils
gathered in by the victors.
Suppose again the Nez Perces were victorious. The possession of the
matchless stallion must be betrayed to their enemies, who would leave
no stone unturned to capture him. There was every reason, too, to fear
that the hostiles would be successful; for they would be in their own
country and have every advantage on their side. With all the charity
that Deerfoot could feel, he could not help condemning the Nez Perce
chieftain for taking the great risk of causing the loss of Whirlwind.
You need hardly be reminded that if Deerfoot found this had taken
place, he had no thought of giving up the hunt. If it was conceivable
that the steed had fallen into the hands of the Eskimos, and they had
journeyed to the Arctic circle with him, the Shawanoe would have kept
straight on until he overtook the despoilers.
The Shawanoe gave a fine exhibition of his consummate skill in tracking
a party of horsemen. When this party numbered a score, more or less, it
was no trouble to keep to the trail, which was plainly marked; but had
he done this his progress would have been delayed, for he would have
had to follow every turning and doubling, which would have made the
journey twice as lengthy as a straight line.
When Deerfoot was hardly a mile from the Nez Perce village he followed
the footprints to the top of a ridge, where he paused and scanned the
broad, mountainous country spread out before him. He knew the Nez
Perces must have reached this point shortly after sunrise. He noted the
general direction of the trail as it descended the slope in front, and
accepted that as the course which the horsemen intended to follow. Then
he fixed upon the point where they would be likely to make their midday
halt. It was a clump of trees and undergrowth on the shores of a small
lake, whose waters gleamed in the sun. Paying no further attention to
the trail itself, Deerfoot set out at a swift lope for the body of
water.