Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-08-21
When Bonneville Passed the Winter
In Montana NeZ Perez Indian CAMPS

ward way, fell In with the company
Of Fontenelle, who was conveying sup
plies for the American Fur Co., 70
the rendezvous at Pierre's Hole, but
failed 70 arrive in time 10 be q par
ticipant In the battle there. From this
company. Bonneville gained valuable
information as TO trappers, their
morals and manners, including the
unhesitancy with which his new &C
quaintance FontenelIe, proceeded 10
add Bonneville's Delawares-au but
one-to his own party. Those trappers
were first and last individualists.
But the captain felt recompensed in
measure for this loss, by the infor-
nation concerning the country. he was
able to extract from these denizens Of
the wilderness, who had roamed over
every foot Of it. Winter was approach
ing, and it was necessary for him to
go into winter quarters shortly, in q
favorable locality. Where should that
be? He decided that 1t was to be
found on the upper waters of the
Salmon river and thither he took his
way via Pierreis Hole, where. true to
his military training, and the direc-
tons OF his superiors to inform him.
self on Indian methods Of warfare.
Bonneville made a careful study of
the scene of conflict.
About this time he met Nez Perces.
His provisions were running low, and
fearing his party would soon face
starvation, he dispatched few hunt
ers to Horse Prairie, which Washing
ton Irving states was north of him,
but according to present day maps.
was apparently northeast, or east of
him, if he was then on the upper
waters of the Salmon His Indian ac-
quaintances, although themselves al
most starved, willingly shared their
supplies of roots and rose berries with
the white men, and taught them that
both were edible and nourishing. From
this it will be seen that when Letellier
was told that the fur company want
ed men who could live on rosebuds,"
there was more truth than humor in
the statement.
Bonneville liked the Nez Perces. He
found them friendly, generous, and
pios. They had tackled on a few
Roman Catholic forms to their ancient
beliefs, as has been the custom with
all peoples, and the combination was
strictly adhered to. What they believed,
they practiced, as Bonneville was soon
to discover.
Scout Sees Fire
A scout rode in one day with the
startling news that he had seen a
fire in the direction of Horse Prairie,
which could not be accounted for ex-
cept on the superstition that Blackfeet
(Gros Ventres) were there. This made
Bonneville apprehensive for the safe
ty of the hunters he had sent into
that region. A couple of hunters were
at once dispatched in search of the
lost ones, and had a serious time of it.
For three days they were without
food, but at length shot buffalo.
This they cooked and ate, then turned
back to camp, where they reported
the failure Of their errand.
Shortly afterward the missing hunt
ers appeared, little the worse for their
long absence from the party. It is now
supposed these hunted on, or near
Bald mountain. While they were kill
ing a plentiful amount of game there,
they were joined by Flatheads who
reported large body of the so-called
Blackfeet not far distant. The hunters
did not tarry to investigate the truth
of this story, but at once set out for
the Flathead village. and remained
there until, reinforced by Mr.. Ceres
men, they felt it safe to seek the
Bonneville winter camp. On their way
there, and quite near the camp, they
found evidence indicating that the
enemy had been in that vicinity re-
Gently.
Another of Bonneville's chief men
had gone into the neighborhood of
Horse Prairie with a company of 20
men. Perhaps because of their num-
Der, they relaxed their vigilance. AS
Irving writes: Feeling little too Sc
cure, and too much at home on these
prairies, (they) retired to small grove
to amuse themselves with a social
game of cards called old sledge,'
which is as popular among these
tramperS of the prairies as whist or
ecarte among the polite circles of the
cities. From the midst of their sport
they were suddenly reused by dis
charge of firearms and a shrill war
Starting to their feet, and
up their rifles, they beheld
in dismay their horses and mules al
ready in possession of the enemy, who
had stolen upon the camp unperceived.
while they were spellbound by the
magic of old sledge."
The Indians were attempting to
make off with their stolen animals,
when the hunters discovered they had
allies not to be despised, in the mules.
Mules diSliked Indians and could de-
tect them at great distance. In this
instance the hunters mules seriously
objected to having Indians on their
backs, and promptly threw them off.
The Indians gathered about those who
had been thrown in order to protect
them from the white men, who were
now pouring shot in their direction,
and the result was, both horses and
mules were abandoned by the fleeing
red men. "This adventure" Irving
adds, threw tenn
porary stigma upon the game of old
sledge." But he fails to tell us whether
the cards were recovered. If not, this
may have been an important factor
in the unpopularity OF the game.
First Card Game in Montana
While engaged in locating and
marking historic points in Montana,
the place where this game was inter-