Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-04-24
The STORY Teller.
A RUNNING FIGHT.

| Did you ever hear of women going
on the the war-path, or take to trap
ping in the heart of the Indian coun'
try ?" abruptly asked old Pierre Lajoie
one evening. 81 never tried it but
once, and that fairly sickened me. I'll
tell you how it was.
~ had engaged with the American
Fur company for the spring hunt, they
paying me $500. Our company was
fitted out on a new plan, at least twas
new to me. Each trapper had a Ser.
vant-a squaw, or half-breed woman
to keep his clothes in repair, look to his
his weapons, cook for him, besides gain.
ling the pelts, and thousand other
Items. It was thought that by this we
would get through more work.
"We struck out for the Blackfeet
country, as we numbered nearly two
hundred mountain men, and felt able
to handle the entire tribe should they
offer to molest us. We kept on until
we came to Sheephorn mountain, but
finding that it was impossible on &C.
count of the deep snow drifts, we
changed our course, striking over to
the Pont Neuf, trapping down it to its
Junction with Snake river.
"At this point our trouble with the
redskins began. We met strong
party of Blackfeet, but evidently they
didn't like our looks, for they made
the signal of peace, and after a short
palaver, few of the "big bucks were
allowed to enter our camp. As you
may guess, we kept close guard over
our animals, on the the alert for an at
tempt at a stampede. Yet, despite
our vigilance, some half dozen young
soldier Indians, who had never struck
human foe, and who, because they
have name to win, are ever more to
be dreaded than the old, experienced
warriors, managed TO creep through
our lines, and each one mounting a
horse, attempted to stampede the rest
by dashing through their middle, yell
ing like fiends and waving their blan-
kets and robes. But our forethought
in side-hobbling the animals, saved
them.
II don't believe, now, that the lead
ing Blackfeet had anything to do with
this attempt to dismount US, or the
stampede would have been supported
hut we did think so then, and as some
body yelled out 60 shoot down the In
dams, the chief and his more promi-
nent braves, who remained in our
camp, fell dead, riddled with bullets,
and to this fact we probably owed
what followed. If it was u crime, we
paid dearly enough for it, assure you.
"The Blackfeet retreated, and we
retraced our steps up the Pont Neuf,
crossing Sheephorn mountain without
much difficulty, the snow drifts having
melted. We trapped along Bear river,
stopping for time on Sage and some
other good sized streams, finally rem
dezvousing at Weaver Lake.
"While here, a party OF friendly
Flatheads came in and told us that a
small party of trappers were corralled
by Blackfeet on creek dozen miles
distant that they were making good
fight but their ammunition was getting
low, and unless help came right speed
| lily they must 60 under.
"Such a call as this was never de-
MED by true mountain man, and
twenty of us started to lift the siege.
This we succeeded in doing without
loss on our side, stealing up within
range and letting the redskins have
volley that threw a dozen cold, and
scattered the rest like covey of quail
before coyote. We were none too
soon, either, for the trappers were al
most down to their last charge of pow
der.
"Riding double, we started back for
the rendezvous, where, I forgot to say,
we were waiting for Lublette and the
rest of the company, who had started
out before US. From Weaver Lake
we were all going to Fort Union, to ht
out for a winter season on the Yellow
stone headwater.
'sIt was now but little after sunrise,
as we had ridden to the rescue before
day, and as we passed through h deile
out into the open ground, we heard
singing and shouting to our left and
rear. Looking around, we saw very
large body of mounted Indians, at
least five hundred in number. 1t only
needed second glance to tell us that
they were Blackfeet.
"Had they charged US then, riding
double as we were, they must have
rubbed US all out, but instead they
made motions for us to ride on and
join our friends. I afterward learned
from a brave who was engaged in the
fight that they felt so certain OF US that
the resolved to take us all together.
"Reaching camp, we gave the alarm,
and mounting the squaws upon pack
animals, sent them on ahead to gain q
patch of growing willows, some
ten miles away, while we formed our
selves to hold the Blackfeet in check.
One fact aided us. 1t was impossible
for the Indians to surround us. Upon
one hand we had a lake, upon the
other long, rugged mountain that a
goat could scarcely scale. Still, by
forcing us to retreat, the Indians knew
-,o ,,oplJ axoptnol1y ha n ri yan into the