The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-27
THE FLIGIIT OF THE ANTELOPE.

THE FLIGHT OF THE ANTELOPE.
An Episode in the Life OF ISit Carson.
welrrIs foa rnE y, " DAVID 4. DEows
Ill
few months previous 10 the incidents which We
have attempted 10 narrtei young physician had ar
lived al ST. Lewis, at the Fur Company's post on
lh- Yellow Stone. lie had brought along with him
some OF the genuine Small Pox virus, Being iaior,
I'D thai the Indians in the Plains had, at different
times Suffered greatly from this loathsome scoufee,
and knowing their anxiety 10 be freed nom Its raya-
GEES he induced some principal chiefs among the
hackfeet, this tribe being In the habit OF trading
largely this establshment,--to consent TO be In
noculaied. The consequences which were probably
foescen and intended Were disastrous in the extreme
The tribe was cut of by thousands The poor
wretches, wholly nnacqnainted with the nature oil
the fearful malady that snote them like destroying
angel and looking only to present relief from the In
tense fever-thirst and fire that was raging within
them sought the rivers by scores and hundreds and
persisted in their agony The effects OF this frghtu
defamation may be partially realized when Il Il un-
derstcod that previous 10 this visitation, the tribe
was supposed TO number thirty thousand warriors;
and now, moi more Than half that number was In ex-
is,enee. We pissed by a lodge, surrounded by
willows The banks Of the Madison, which WINS
literally filled with the dead bodies Of their men, wo-
men aud children, all of whom had fallen prey 20
This fell disease. II stood ON the bright green sward
looking 10 all outward appearance, the habiia,ion of
living senIient beings but inclosing only In It's snow
while folds the ghastly and unburied remnants Of
mortality. II WIS said that nm only brother OF the
doctor had ut some time or other been murdered by
the Blnckfeet and This his rerenge. OF course
nothing is to be said in defence excavation OF a
crime SO appalling. Nevertheless, very much qnes
lion If there was single man in our camp, who did
not consider IL lusiihable and everything consider
ed even praiseworthy mode OF getting nd o Il
troublesome enemy.
A few days subsequent TO Showenn's dispapear
ance when about 10 enter narrow gorge through
which the Madison fork Of the Missouri forces lis
way, leaving only sufficient space for mounted men
10 pass between the liver and The pfecpice The
frowns incumbent its northern bank, we found
ingress barred by large party Of Biackisei,
This being the only practicable route 10 the parcn
lar portion Of country through which We designed
10 trap and whose streams considered 10 be
nffineni in beaver than almost any other por
lion oil The mountain regions we had no alterna-
tive eii, other Than 10 turn back, or hight our way
through II. We decided upon the latter The sayages
were about Two hundred IN number, mounted on
horseback and drawn mp in line directly across the
mouth OF the pass. Oar leader, Jim Bridgor, IA eel
ebraied character in those regions had ut first OBJ
ected attack them bur being strongly urged there
TO- bya number OF our resolue spirits he finally gave
his consent.
Our party when altogether. amounted TO about
eighty men, bar there were not over fifty present.
thirty of our best hunters having set out short
lime previous 10 trap on The Muscle Shell and It's
tributaries
These sayaees had quite an imposing appearance,
with their tall, slender, symmetrical forms entirely
naked with tia exception Of slight covering about
their loins; their fnces and heads decorated the
former with red paint, and the latter with eagles
iished barrels on which The sun kept glancine and
flashing, their horses, impatient in restraint,
pranced and curetied in The ranks.
When al the distance OF about four hundred yards
from the savages they raised their peculiar yell or
war-whoop; at the same time putting spurs TO their
horses and discharging some Of their guns, they
dashed towards us at full speed Our horses, which
were quite eager for the afirny their masters,
n IL
like arrows through the rushing of the enemy,
delivered weldirecfed fire that swept many
saddle Of lis occupant The fight now became
extremely animated, the coniending parties spread
ing themselves over large space and fighting
independently, riding parallel TO each other al
full gallon, and loading and firing without check
Ing their speed for an instant. Notwithstanding
The great advantage which the Blankfeet possessed
In This species Of recommendations consider
Ing their great superiority OF numbers-from being
able, when in full career, to throw themselves
On the sides of their horses opposite their antago-
nista, In horizontal position that nothing but
their heels exposed TO be shot at, and in this
mnnner firing from under the necks OF their horses
with almost perfect immunity from danger-yel
we shortly succeeded in driving them before us.
My horse having been sho, under me at the begin
ming OF the fight had nothing TO do but TO observe
the scene before me. In looking over the ground,
MY attention was attracted especially TO two of the
eombaiants One Of these recognized TO be Major
Joe Meek, famous hunter; the other was n very
powerful looking savage. Both appeared TO be
ded, and both were riding at full speed-the former
In pursuit Of the latter, who bending the neck
OF his horse, and apparently doing every thing in
his power 10 increase his speed. Meeks face
covered with blood from ghasy wound in his
forehead. He was mounted on fleet and powerful
bay horse that was gaining at every jump upon his
red-skinned antagonist who was evidently riding
for life, as he cast, from time 10 time fierce and
despairng look behind him, as 10th to fly yet certain
OF death. The Majors rifle was dubbed, and as he
came within striking distance, he dealt upon the
head Of the Indian blow so tremendous that II
hurled him 10 the ground senseless mass, when
his masterless horse dashed suddenly and
continued his course with frantic speed
The MAJOR having refined up rode to the place where
The savage lay, and jumped from the saddle having
in the first place cleaned his eyes Of the blood with
which his entire face covered he deliberately
stabbed and scalped him, and hosting the bleeding
trophy on the muzzle Of his rifle, gave prolonged
unearthly yell Of triumphant vengeance that rivaled
in gusfo the ruthless demonstrations Of our mercess
antagonists. The Blackfeet now In full flight,
pursued by our men, who drove them like flock Of
sheep down precipitous decent on the bank Of the
Madison where II would have been madness TO fol-
low, and dismissed them with parting yolley that
told fatally 10 the crowded band
TO be continued
.
far obi