Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-07-16
south fork Of the Tetoqn. an a wac go. -,

j turned my spoils over tosthe smilina
Indian woman who acted as cook for Burr
The rest of the day / spent on horseback
running antelope with lot Of half-bleo
Indians q At eight o'clock supper was
served and eaten. The sherry was
brought out, and I scattered on the table
handful, my last, of Rosa Conchas that
had never paid duty, and as we sat smok-
ing, Burr told me this story:
Tin the fall of 1868, I thought it
might be profitable to start trading
post In the Yellowstone valley. Learn
ing from the Blackfeet that the Sioux
We're camped on the south side Of the RI
ver, q determined to ride over and see
what arrangements I could make with
them. i crossed the Belt mountains, and,
riding down the valley, was soon at Their
camp, on the north side of the river,
they on the south. / sat on my horse and
hailed the camp. No answer; I could
see plenty of Indians walking about, and
again shouted. No answer I shouted
myself hoarse; and the only notice taken
of me was by an old buck, who walked
to the river bank, looked at me, made an
Insulting gesture, and slowly walked Off
went there to trade, and, having got
angry at the treatment, though I well
knew that l ought to leave the valley al
once, I, like too!, resolved to cross the
stream and brave the danger. So ford.
ed and rode into camp. I spoke to no one
no one spoke to me. The sullen braves
turned their backs on me as rode past
them. The young girls looked curiously
at me-, Riding slowly along, cooled
rapidly. saw that was not wanted,
and ] at last fully realized that was in
danger. I did not dare to ride to the
south, out of camp, nor did have cour-
age enough to attempt to cross the river.
f"Before me stood a great tent made of
buffalo skins. 1t was the largest had
ever seen. l halted, dlsmounted, and
stood silently at my horses head. No
one noticed me. Indians went past me,
apparently not seeing me. At last a
young woman came and stood before me
Looking right into my eyes, she said
t"What do you want2' I looked her cold
~ in the face and made no reply. Smil-
ing, she asked "what brings you here's
Steadily gazcd into her eyes and was
voiceless. She lett me and disappeared
into the great lodge. Soon an Indian
warrior, in full paint with bow and strung
arrow in his hands, came to me. Speak
ing Blacfoot, he said:, 'Wny are you
IN this campo To him I replied,I wish
to trade with you More men came.
They took my horse, and Selling me Dy
the arm they led me into the great lodge.
Here was seated and council was
held. I sat and listened to their talk of
what it was best to do with, 80 presump-
tuous white man. Some were in favor
Of trading. The large majority of the
Indians were in favor of torturing me.
It was soon decided that I should be tor.
tured; and they sat and discussed the
many methods. After two days talk
it was decided to burn me. was
in strange condition mentally. 1 would
listen to a plan of torture as though it
was some other man they were talking
about; and would comment to myself
on that plan at giving the chap but little
chance for his life. But when the dusky
brave, who spoke Blackfoot, told me that
was to die by fire the next day, un
derstood that I was the man they had
been talking about, and I said: / know
it, Clustering a.ound me, they asked
if had understood all the talk. Yes;
had.' Then why not answer the maiden
when she spoke to you? ! came not to
talk to squaws, but to trade with men,
No use; could do nothing by soft talk,
and, having played my hand, finally re-
signed myself to my fate.
II noticed that the girl who had first
spoken to me in front of the lodge was
watching me. She would quickly glance
at me, and then drop her eyes on the
buckshin shirt she was embroidering
with Crow hair. Several times I noticed
this, and once / replied with smile.
The lodge emptied. All were gone ex-
cept the girl. She quickly came to my
side. apparently to refold some buffalo
robes, and, in a Whisper, said: You are
to die tomorrow. Tonight / will have
the best horse in the camp saddled and
standing on the outside of the lodge. ]
will have the tent cut from the o Inside
You jump through, mount, and de fol
your life. You may escape. You will
burn if you stay Then with smile
The mare is mine. She is the fastest
animal in the valley of the Yellowstone
give her to you She left me and
quickly resumed her work. As she wove
the hair of many Crow scalp locks into
the shirt I sat looking thankfully at her
She never looked atme again. As / saw
a chance for my life my heart beat sc
loudly that thought it would be heard
I Gained my face and waited. I att
fairly of supper. I smoked pipe. Al
were very kind and attentive to me. Nigh
was passing away, and still the Indians
fingered, looking at the man to be burned
On the morrow. leaned back agains
the tent to rest myself, when I felt a
hand gently pushing me forward. Sitting
whistllng felt the point of knife come
: through and strike my neck. 1 did not
finch. I could feel the blood trickle
down my back, I could feel the knite
carefully drawn down until it hit the
ground. Still whistl1ng I waited, my
heart humping. my blood on fre-wait
ed a moment to give whoever cut the
tent time to escape. Then grasping my
heart and nerves for moment, I gath
cred myself and turned backward thro
the opening. Jumping instantly to my
feet, I vaulted into the saddle that was
on the back of white horse that stood
there, and inthe midst of wells, of rifle
shots, of a pack Of bowling dogs, We
rushed out of camp. It seemed to me a.
though thousand horse-men we're II
pursuit of me instantly. We galloped ur
the river to bend had seen. Dashing
in, we forded it under a fire that made
the water boil about us, and were out o.
the water before any the Sioux were hall
way across. Striking the trail to thu
Bozeman pass. I took it, and knowing it
pushed boldly on, and though holly pur
sued, my horse outlasted theirs: and es
capped. never drew reign until L dis.
mounted to the West Of the pass. The
girl saved me- With any other horse, ]
should have been lost. I have moi
got the girl. The love I have for her the
mare has instead. / returned to my
j post and made no trade in the Yellow
stone that year. l.<, }.>.'>
"Again. Last winter the snow was OF
/ the ground IN January, and for tire.
days ] had been hunting or running an
telope. The sun was very bright and my
leyes hurt me. i. saw specks flying about
little chains with small links were con
i stantly before me. Ny eyes burned smart
5Ily when returned to the agency. Daily
while hunting j had seen the low, blaci
clouds in the north that indicate the for
nation or mauhalllng Of the winds o
| the frozen North. DAILY the South vino
swept them beyond the northern hori