Evening star., 1924-02-23
BY EMERSON HOUGH

; portion of Marias river. When you
come to the mouth of that river
which you will remember some of you
| held to be the real Missouri-you will
go into camp and wait for us You
Will remain there until the first day
of September. If by that time We
have not returned, you will pass on
down the Missouri to Capt. Clearks 5
| camp at the mouth OF the Yellow
stone and go home with him. BY
that time it will have become evident
that We shall not return. | plan TO
meet you at the mouth of Maria s
river somewhere about the beginning
| of August
| They parted. and it was almost by
| a miracle that they ever met again,
| for now the perils of the wilderness
| asserted themselves even against the
| marvellous good fortune which had
| thus far attended them.
Hitherto practically all the tribes
met had been friendly, but now they
, We're in the country of the dreaded
Blackfeet, who by instinct and train
ling We're hostile to all whites coming
| in from the south and east. party
or these warriors was met on the
second day of their northbound jour
| ney from the Missouri river. Lewis
gave the Indians such presents as he
| could and, as was his custom, told
! them of his purpose in travelling
! through the country. He showed no
7
own men outnumbered ten TO one.
| The two parties, the little band of
white men and the far more numer-
| Gus band of Elackfcet, lay down 10
sleep that night i'll company.
| But the Blackfeet were unable TO
resist the temptation to attain sud
den wealth by seizing the horses and
! guns of these strangers. Toward
! dawn Lewis himself, confident iii the
' integrity of his guests. and doHinE
& fnl hf1
/ pulled. felt something spring on his
/ face heard noise. His little dog was
barking loudly. eNcitedly.
| He was more fully awakened by
| the sound of 4 shout and then by u
| shot. Springing from his robes. he
saw Drouillard and both of the Fields
boys on their feet struggling with
the savages, who were trying TO
| wrench their rifles from them.
| Course you. turn loose of me-"
cried Reuben Fields
| He fought for a time longer with
, his bra|ny antagonist, till he saw
! others coming. Then his hand went
! to the long knife at his belt, and the
! next instant the Blackfoot lay dead
at his feet.
| Drouillard wrenched his rifle free
| and stood off his man for a moment,
| shouting all the time TO his leader
| that the Indians were trying to get
| the horses. Lewis saw the thieves
! Juggling at the picket ropes and
! hastened into the fray, cursinS him
| self for his own credulity. y giant
| Blackfoot engaged him, bull-hidc
! shield advanced. battle AK Whirling;
! but wrestling himself free. Lewis
! fired point blank into his body, and
another Indian fell dead.
| The Blackfeet found they had met
| their match. They dropped the
| picket ropes and ran as fast as they
! could, jumped into the river, swan
! across. and SO escaped, leaving the
! little party of hites unhurt but
Mount. men! Hurry" Lewis or
dered.
AS quickly as they could master
| the frightened horses hiS>men obeyed.
With all thought of further explora-
! tion ended. they set out at top speed
, and rode all that day and night as
! had made probably 120 miles when
! at length they came to the mouth OF
Marias river, escaped from the most
! perilouS adventure any of them had
had.
Here again. by that strange good
| fortune which seemed TO guide them.
they arrived just in time to see the
canoes OF Gass and his men coming
down the Missouri. These latter had
made the grand portage at the falls,
had taken up all the caches and had
brought the contests with them. The
stars still fought for the volunteers
for the discovery OF the west.
There was no time 70 wait. The
Blackfeet would be coming soon.
Lewis abandoned his horses here. The
i entire party took TO the baatS and
hurried down the river as fast as
they could. padding in relays, day
and night. Gaunt, eager, restless,
moody, silent, their leader neither
urging his men nor chided them, nor
did he refer to the encounter with
| the Blackfeet. He did not need to,
with Drouillard to describe it to them
all a dozen times.
At times it was necessary for the
boats to stop for meat. usually / short
errand in Il country alive with game;
and. as was his custom, Lewis stepped
ashore one evening to try for n shot
lat some nearby Eame-elk, antelope,
whatever offered. He had with him
CruZatte, the one-eyed FrenchmaH.
1t was now that fortune frowned
ominously almost for the first time.
The two had not been gone more
than a few minutes when the men
remaining at the boat heard u shot,
then cry and more shouting. Cru
zatte came running back to them
through the bushes, calling out at
the top of his voice:
The captain, I've keeled him
I've keeied the captain-Ive shot
him."
(coptipred in Tororrouis Sfarl