Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-01-15

[sat On red rock and musingly saxed At
the vast plains to the northeast, at the
foothills of the range, and at the rugged
rocky range beyond. I love the Rocky
Imountains, and never tire of their face.
| wasted hours in looking and in think
| ing of the many tales I had heard of the
range. When the sun was high above
me started for the willows. There
NEATLY shot the heads of of six grouse.
Then jointing d light trout pole, l
whipped the clear pools of the south
fork of the Teton and was soon reward.
ed by string Of tine half:pound trout.
Then came the pleasant walk back
Though the cool, dry air, and over the
crispy grass of the north. What lux
ury life was in the valley of the Teton |
turned my spoils over to the smiling
Indian woman who acted as cook for
Burr. The rest of the day I spent on
horseback, running antelope with lot
of half-blood 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 trading
post in the Yellowstone valley. Learn.
ing from the Blackfeet that the Sioux
were camped on the south side of the
river, determined to ride over and see
what arrangements I could make with
them. l crossed the Belt mountains, and
riding down the valley, was soon at
their camp. I on the Dorth side of the
river, they on the south. l sat on my
horse and hailed the camp. No answer.
could see plenty of Indians walking
about and again I 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 gesture, and
slowly walked off. 1 went there to
trade, and, having got angry at the
treatment, though 1 we'll knew that !
ough BIT to leave the valley at once, /,
like a fool, resolved to cross the stream
and brave the danger. So forded and
rode into the camp. I 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
curiCusly at me. Riding slowly along,
l cooled rapidly. saw that was not
wanted. and at last fully realized that
l was in danger. l did not dare to ride
to the south, out of the camp, nor did /
have courage enough to attempt to re-
cross the river
"Before me stood great tent made of
buffalo skins. 1t was the largest l had
ever seen. / halted, dismounted, and
stood silently at my horses head. No
one noticed me. Indians went past me,
apparently not seeing me. At last
young woman came and stood before me.
Looking right into my eyes she said:
what do you want?' I looked her
coldly in the face and made no reply.
Smiling, she asked: what brings you
here9' Steadily I gazed into her eyes
and was v0iceless. She left me and dis.
appeared 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: sWhy
are you in this camp7' To him I re-
piled: sIwish 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 council was held. I sat and lis
tened to them talk Of what it was best
to do with so presumptuous awhite man.
Some were in favor of trading. The
large majority of the Indians were in
favor of torturing me. It was soon de-
cided that I SHOULD be tortured; and
they sat aud discussed the many
methods. After two days talk it was
decided to burn me. was in strange
condition mentally. I would listen to a
plan of torture, as though it were some
other man they were talking about; and
1swould comment to myself Oh that plan
as giving the chap but 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 under
stood perfectly that l was the man they
had been talking about, and I replied:
1 know it, Clustering around me they
asked if I had understood all the talk.
Yes; l had Then why mot answer
the maiden when she spoke to you Il
came, not to- talk tosquaws, but to trade
with men, No use; l could do nothing
by soft talk, and, having played my
hand, finally resigned myself to my fate.
g 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
buckskin shirt she was embroidering
with Crow hair. Several times l noticed
this, and once I replied with smile.
The lodge emptied. All were gone ex.
cept the girl. She quickly came to my
side, apparently to refold some buff 4lo
robes, and in whisper said: You are
to die to morrow. Tonight I will have
the best horse in the camp saddled and
standing on the outside of the lodge. II
will have the tent cut from the outside.
You jump through, mount and ride for
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.
l give her to you She left me and soon
resumed her work. As she wove the
hair of many Grow scalplocks into the
shirt, sat looking thankfully at her.
She never looked at me again. As saw
a chance for my life, my heart beat 80
loudly that thought it would be heard.
I Gained my face and waited. I ate
fairly of supper. 1 smoked pipe. All
were very kind and attentive to me
Night was passing away, and still the
Indians fingered, looking at the man.
they were to burn on the morrow. I
leaned back against the tent to rest my.
self, when l felt a hand gently pushing
me forward. Sitting whist]ing, felt
the point of a knife coming through and
strike my neck. l did not finch; /
could feel the blood trickle down my
back; I could feel the knife carefully
drawn down until it hit the ground.
Still: vhistling, 1 waited, my, heart
humping, my blood on. fire waited .
minute to give whoever cut the tent
time to escape. Then grasping my heart
and nerves for an instant, | gathered
myself, and turned backward through
the opening: Instantly jumping to my
feet, I vaulted into the saddle that was
m tho ho ck .Of a whs<o hoes, <Lok .L.l