The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-12-29
Events of a Hundred
Years Ago; A Black
foot Indian Romance

foot Indian Romance
(From Adventures of Capt. Bon
neville" by Washington Irving. Cour-
tesy Of G. P. Putnam's Sons, pub
fishers, New York and London.)
While the party was thus reposing
in the neighborhood of the Wind
River Mountains, solitary free
trapper rode one day into the camp
and accosted Captain Bonneville. He
belonged, he said, to- party of
thirty hunters, who had just passed
thru the neighborhood, but whom he
had abandoned in consequence Of
their i'll treatment of a brother
trapper; whom they had cast off from
the party and left with his bag and
baggage, and an Indian wife into
the bargain, in the midst of DESC
late prairie. The horseman gave a
piteous account of the situation of
this helpless party, and solicited the
loan of horses to bring them and
their effects to the camp.
The captain was not man to re-
fuse assistance to any one in dis
tress, especially when there was a
woman in the case; horses were i'm
mediately dispatched, with an escort,
to aid the unfortunate couple. The
next day, they made their appearance
with all their effects; the man, q stall
wart mountaineer, with peculiarly
game look; the woman, young
Blackfoot beauty, arrayed in the
trappings and trinketry Of free
traders bride.
Finding the woman to be quick
witted and communicative, Captain
Bonneville entered into conversation
with her, and obtained from her
many particulars concering the hab-
it's and customs of her tribe; espe-
cially their wars and huntings. They
pride themselves upon being the
"best legs of the mountains" and
hunt the buffalo on foot. This is
done in spring time, when the for
ests have thawed and the ground Is
soft. The heavy buffalo then sinks
over their hoofs at every step, and
are easily overtaken by the Black
feet; whose fleet steps press lightly
on the surface. 1t is said, however,
that the buffalo on the Pacific side
of the Rocky Mountains are fleeter
and more active than on the Allan
tic side; those upon the plains of the
Columbia can scarcely be overtaken
by a horse that would outstrip. the
same animal in the neighborhood of
the Platte, the usual hunting ground
of the Blackfeet. In the course OF
further conversation, Captain Bonne-
Vile drew from the Indian woman
her whole story; which gave a pic.
ture of savage life, and of the drug
cry and hardships to which an In,
dian wife is subject.
"I was the wife," said she, "of
a Blackfoot warrior, and / served
him faithfully. Who was so well
served as he? Whose lodge was SO
well provided, or kept SO clean? l
brought wood in the morning, and
placed water always at hand. |
watched for his coming; and he
found his meat cooked and ready.
If he rose to go forth, there was
nothing to delay him. ! searched the
thought that was in his heart, to
save him the trouble OF speaking.
When / went abroad on errands for
him, the chiefs warriors smiled upon
me, and the young braves spoke soft
things, in secret; but my feet were
in the straight path, and my eyes
could see nothing but him.
When he went out to hunt, or to
war, who aided to equip him, but !?
When he returned, l met him at the
door; l took his gun; and he entered
without further thought. While he
sat and smoked, unlOaded his
horses; tied them to the stakes;
brought in their loads, and was
quickly at his feet. II his moccasins
were wet, / took them of and put
on others which were dry and warm.
l dressed all the skins he had taken
in the chase. He could never say to
me why is 1t not done?" He hunted
the deer, the antelope, and the buf-
falo, and he watched for the enemy.
Everything else was done by me.
When people moved their camp, he
mounted his horse and rode away;
free as tho he had fallen from the
skies. He had nothing to do with
the labor of the camp; it was that
packed the horses, and led them on
the journey. When we halted in the
evening and he sat with the other
braves and smoked, it was I that
pitched his lodge, and when he came
to eat and sleep, his supper and his
bed were ready.
II served him faithfully, and what
was my reward? A cloud was al
ways on his brow. and sharp lighting
on his tongue. ! was his dog, not
his wife.
who was it that SCARED and
bruised me? 1t was he. My brother
saw how l was treated. His heart
was big for me. He begged me to
leave my tyrant and fly. Where could
60? II retaken, who would pro-
tect me? My brother was not a
chief, he could not save me from
blows and wounds, perhaps death.
At length l was persuaded. fol-
lowed my brother from the village.
He pointed the way to the Nez
Perce, and babe me 60 and live IN
peace among them. We parted. On
the third day saw the lodges OF the
Nez Perez before me. paused Tor