Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-06-06

and slew all they met. with but few
killed was Blackfeet. In this he was
mistaken, it was proved later.
BIackfeet Language Used
One reason for calling Gros Ventres
Blackfeet came from the former using
the Blackfeet Language when commu
nicating with white men. Their own
language was extremely difficult to
master.
All through the journals and diaries
of trappers and explorers, eros Ven
tres are constantly referred to as
Blackfeet. 1t is not strange that the
remarkably accurate Captain Lewis
should have erred in this instance.
1t was probably Gros Ventres Of the
Prairie who entertained Father De-
Smet on one of his return journeys to
st. Louis from the Bitter Root The
only proof Of their being Blackfeet
would lie in the fact that the chief
who stood over him with an appraised
knife in his hand did not kill the
father, who was entirely at his mercy,
being unarmed and half asleep on his
buffalo couch, when reused by the
step Of the chief
The writer has already mentioned
the friendship existing between the
eros Ventres and the Arapahoes,
which was apparently greater on the
part of the former, than displayed by
the latter. We are told of no north
ward journey undertaken by the Arap- !
ahoes, while it was known that the
Gros Ventres went south about once
in every two years to visit their rela
tives there.
On these occasions one Of two routes
was taken. They either went through
the Crow country and the Black Hills, I
or by way of the upper Snake river
and the Colorado mountains, and woe
to the white man who crossed their I
trail going or coming. 1t was when
they were returning from one Of these
visits, that the battle of Pierre's Hole
1t was also because of the
Gros Ventres that 1t was never posi-
BILE to establish a permanent trading
post at the Three Forks Of the Mis-
souri,.
Whichever route was chosen for
these trips to the south, lay through
the lands Of hostile tribes, where they
must at any time be prepared to give
battle, and northern and southern trail
was red with the blood of white and
indian alike.
The battle Of Pierre's Hole took
place at the time Of the rendezvous
IF the American and Rocky Mountain
Fur Cos, in the summer of 1882. The
custom of having a rendezvous was
the result of the discovery OF South
pass. This route via the Platte and
sweetwater rivers becoming known,
General Ashley decided to cease the
Of forts, to further the
indian trade, but to hold an annual
instead.
Bore British Flag
That summer in 1882. the GroS Ven
res on their way to and from the
Arapahoes, had been very troublesome
N the headwaters Of the Snake and
Green rivers, but it was not until the
conclusion Of the rendezvous that the
1att1e occurred. The attacking Indians
lore q British. flag they had captured
rom HudsonS Bay traders. The story
Il this battle has been often recounted.
md perhaps its Importance unduly
emphasized, on account Of the well
mown persons who attended the rem
iezvous, like Wyeth, Sublette and {
3ridger, and others who were ON their
way to the meeting, such as Bonnie
lille.
Before the battle, Fitzpatrick had
,een set afoot, and wandered IN the
Mountains for five days without food. {
When he reached the rendezvous, says
Jhittenden, "he was more dead than
live"
While the Indians were defeated in !
he battle, they had not ceased their
lloody work. vanderbsugh OF the
American FUR Co., 1t, win be remem- !
lered, followed the trail OF Bridger
md Fitzpatrick TO discover their trap !
IarR grounds. and were Led BIZ them