Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-01-24

crossed the mountains. In the hearts
OF the trappers burned a desire for
vengeance against these southern In
dlahs. Erudges for many privations,
ior wounds and for lost comrades re-
NAMED 10 be paid. So reckless were
they, says Ruxton, that they invited
trouble and at night their wild war
songs and grotesque scalp dances,
borrowed from the Blackfeet and 9TH
er tribes, made a weird scene in what
ever valley they happened to be
Their First Battle
Soon after Killbuck and La Bonte
Joined them, they suddenly one day
surprised a band OF 20 Sioux, scat
tered on small prairie, butchering
buffalo. Before the Indians could
concentrate or escape. the whites we're
on them with their war cries, and In
rev minutes II scalps were dangling
from their saddlehorns.
On their way to Salt Lake, they
passed rapidly the heads Of the Green
ana Grand rivers, and at last reached
the edge Of the desert lying along
the southeastern shore Of the Great
Salt lake. Plunging into the desert,
they no longer chanted Indian songs
and charged forward with war whoops
ringing. Instead they rode silently and
we're more thoughtful. They passed
many bands Of Yutas and miserable
Digger Indians. who scurried out Of
their paths.
Soon they entered the country OF
the Yamparicas, or Root Diggers. the
most abject and degraded of all the
western tribes. These Indians, al
though towards. had their british wits
sharpened by hunger, and their at
lacks often feared than
those Of holder tribes. especially v
they gathered an overpowering num-
Der and charged into camp at night.
Early one morning an attack came
and the Diggers killed one of the trap
pers who was standing guard, scalping
him and running off three horses.
Five trappers at daylight tracked the
Indians to their village, into which
they dashed headlong, recovering the
scalps dangling at their belts.
Reach Spanish Settlements
They suffered from thirst and hun
ger, having to kill several Of their
horses and eat them, but they re-
placed these after a battle with q
band Of Indians returning from a
successful raid into California after
horses. In the fight with these reds
the trappers killed six and got 20
horses.
They met with one horrible expert
ence. when, reduced to the last straits
of hunger, they met a small band
of Indians who proved friendly and
offered them meat. Starting to eat
1t they discovered it was human flesh,
and from white men, at that.
At last they reached their destina-
ton, the mission Of San Fernando.
which appeared like paradise after
their weeks spent in the desert. Fig
trees, bananas. cherry and apple trees
abounded. and the landscape became
dotted with groves Of olive trees. The
mission of San Fernando was STU
ated on a small river called Las
Animas. a branch of Los Martires.
They could see its rude tower and
trees. About it we're scattered the huts
OF the Indians. built of stone and
adobe. The monastery housed queer
of priests and servants,
with attaches Of all degrees Of Span
Sh and Indian blood mixture. Fray
AuguStin, a Capuchin monk with a
huge paunch and fat jowls, was IN
charge.
Being apprised by cattle herder
Of the approach Of the trappers, the
Of the mission prepared to
fight. Half a hundred half-breed cow
boys, a handful Of Spaniards and a
few Indians were mounted and armed
An old brass cannon was mounted on
the walls and loaded to the muzzle
with bullets and powder. Fray Angus