River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-03-04


grouse. Then, iointing a light trout
pole, whipped the clear pools
Of the south fork of the Te-
ton, and WAS soon rewarded by string
Of fine half-pound trout. Then came
the pleasant walk through the cool, dry
air, and over the clispy grass of the
north. What luxury lite was in the
valley OF the Tetonl | turned my spells
over to the smiling Indian woRlan who
acted as cook for Burr the rest of the
day spent on horseback. running an
telope with Il lot Of halfblo0d Indians.
AT eight O'Clock supper was served and
eaten. The sherry WAS brought out,
and scattered on the table handful,
my last, of Rosa Conchas that had
never paid DUTY, and as we sat smoking,
Burr told me this story:
"In the fall of 1868 thought it might
be profitable to start n trading post in
the Yellowstone Valley. Learning from
the Biackfeet that the Sioux were
camped on the south side OF the river, /
determined to ride over and see what
arrangements could make with them.
/ crossed the Belt mountains, and,
riding down the valley, was soon at
their camp. Fon the north side of the
river, they on the south. sat on my
horse and hailed the camp. No an
swer. l could see plenty of Indians
waking about, and again hailed. No
answer. | 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 ges-
ture, and slowly wandered of. / went
there to trade, and having got angry at
the treatment, though | well knew that
| ought to leave the valley at once, |,
like a fool, resolved to cross the stream
and brave the danger. So forded and
rode into camp. [ spoke to no one; no
one spoke to me. The sullen braves
turned their backs on me as | rode up
the street. 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. | did not dare to ride
to the south, out of the camp, nor did l
have courage enough to attempt TO re-
cross the liver.
Before me stood great tent made
Of buffalo skins. 1t was the largest
had ever seen. | halted, dismounted,
and stood silently at my horses head.
No one noticed me, Indians went past
me- At last young woman came and
stood before me. Looking right into
my eyes she said: what do you want?
| locked her coldly in the face and
made no reply. Smiling, she asked
what brings you here? Steadily |
gazed into her eyes and was vOiceless.
She left 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. Speaking
Blackfoot, he said: why are you in
this camp? To him Ireplied: i wish
to trade with you More men came.
They took my horse, and selling hold of
my arm they led me into the great
lodge. Here | was seated and cOun-
Gil vas held. | sat and listened to them
talk of what it was best to do with so
presumptuous q white man. Some
were in favor of trading. The large
majority of the Indians were in favor OF
tOrturing me. 1t was soon decided that
/ should be tortured; and they sat and
discussed the many methods. After
two days talk it was decided to burn
me. | was in q strange condition
mentally. / would listen to plan of
torture, as though it were some other
man they were talking about; and l
would comment TO myself on that plan
as giving the chap out little chance for
his life. But when the dusky brave,
who talked blackfoot, told me that /
was to die by fire the next day, | I'M
derstoOd perfectly that | was the man
they had been talking about and | re-
piled: i know it, Clustering around
me they asked if had understood all
the talk. Yes, l had Then why not
answer the maiden when she spoke to
vou.' Il came, not to talk to squaWs,
but to trade with ren.' No use; l
could DO nothing by soft talk, and hav-
ing played my hands final y resigned
myself to my fate.
IL 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 buekskin shirt she was embroi-
dering with crow bair. Several times |
noticed this, and once | replied with a
smile. The lodge emptied. All were
gone except the girl. She quickly
came to my side, apparently to refold
some buffalo robes, and in a whisper,
said: "You are to die tomorrow. To
night will have the best horse in the
camp saddled and standing on the out
side Of the lodge. | will have the tent
cut rom the outside. You jump
through, mount, and ride for your lie.
You NAV escape. You will burn if
you stay Then with smile, The
mare is mine. She is the fastest animal
in tie valley of the Yellowstone. |
give her to you. She left me and
quickly resumed her work. AS she
wove the hair of many crow scalplocks
into the shirt, sat looking thankfully
at her. She never looked at Inc again.
As | saw a chance for my life, my heart
beat so loudly that | thought it would
be heard. | Gained my face and wait
ed. l ate fairly of supper. | smoked
a pipe All were very kind and atten-
tive to me. Night was passing away,
and still the Indians fingered, look
ing at the man they were to burn
on the morrow. | leaned back
against the tent to rest myself, when |
felt hand gently pushing me
| forward. Sitting whistling, | felt the
point of a knife come through and
strike my neck. ! did not finch; |
could feel the blood trickle down my
back; | could feel the knife carefully
drawn down until it hit the ground,
still whistling 1 waited, my heart
humping, my blood on fre-waited
minute to give whoever cut the tent
time to escape. Then grasping my
heart aud nerves for an instant | gather
ed myself, and turned backward through
the opening. Instantly jumping to my
| feet, | vaulted into the saddle that was
on the back of white horse that stood
there, and, in the midst of yells, of rife
shots, of pack of bowling dogs, we
rushed out OF the camp. 1t seemed to
me as though a thousand horsemen
were in pursuit of me instantly. We
galloped up the river to bend had
seen. Dashing in, we forded it under
a fire that made the water boil around
us, and were out of the water and on
/ the level land to the north of the river
before any Of the Sioux were half way
across. Striking the trail to the Boze-
man Pass, l took it and rushed boldly
ON, and though holly pursued, nay
! horse eutlasted theirs, and | escaped.
/ | never drew rein until | dismounted
to the west of the Pass. The girl saved
/ me. With any other horse | should