Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-08-15
When Bonneville Passed the Winter
In Montana NeZ Perez Indian Camps

Of FOnteneile, who was conveying sup
plies for the American Fur Co, to
the rendezvous at Pierre's Hole, but
failed TO arrive in time TO 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 FOnteneIle, proceeded TO
add BonneviIIe's DeIawares-aH but
one-tO his own party. Those trappers
were first and last individuaIists.
But the captain felt recompensed in
q 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 a
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 hts
way via Pierre's Hole, where, true to
his military training, and the direc-
tionS 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 Nee 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 roats and rose berries with |
the white me- and taught them that
both were edtbM and nourishing. From
this it win 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
pious. They had tackled on 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-
cent ON the supposition that Blackfeet
(Gros Ventres) were there. This made
Bonneville apprehensive for the safe
hn 1oA 4T1fr j
hat region. A couple of hunters we're
1t once dispatched in search OF the
lost ones, and had a serious time OF 1t.
For three days they we're without
TODD, but at length shot buffalo. l
This they cooked and ate, then turned t
1ack to camp, where they reported c
he failure of their errand. !
Shortly afterward the missing hunt
RS appeared, little the worse for their
ong absence from the party. 1t is now C
imposed these hunted on, or near z
bald mountain. While they were kill Z
ng a plentiful amount of game there, h
hey were joined by Flatheads who t
exported a large body of the so-called
3lackfeet not far distant. The hunters Y
lid not tarry to investigate the truth r
I this story, but at once set out for e
he F1athead village. and remained C
here until, reinforced by MIR. Ceres Il
men, they felt it safe to seek the
Bonneville winter camp. On their way Il
here, and quite near the camp, they f
ound evidence indicating that the n
nemy had been in that vicinity re- b
emily. a
Another of Bonneville's chief men e
ad gone into the neighborhood Of q
Torse- Prairie with a company Of 20
hen. Perhaps because Of their num- v
er. they relaxed their vigilance. AS s.
rving writes: Feeling little too Sc a
ure, and too much at home on these n
rairies, (they) retired to small grove a
D amuse themselves with a social n
anne of cards called old sledge, u
l1ich is as popular among these e.
hampers of the prairies as whist or 3
carte among the polite circles of the e.
tiles. From the midst Of their sport g
ley were suddenly reused by dis
aarge of firearms and q shrin war 81
hoop. Starting to their feet, and Al
Matching up their rifles, they beheld n
dismay their horses and mules al N
lady in possession of the enemy, who n
I'D stolen upon the camp unperceived, bC
nile bO6y were cpcAADOuA0 w WIG VI
agic of old sledge." ID
The Indians we're attempting to
axe off with their stolen animals, "
hen the hunters discovered they had HI
lies not to be despised, In the mules. ii
ules disIiked Indians and could de- bs
ct them at a great distance. In this hs
stance the hunters mules seriously B
elected to having Indians on their 10
lcks, and promptly threw them off. ia
be Indians gathered about those who
I'd been thrown In order to protect WI
EN- from the white men, who we're til
w pouring shot in their direction, hi
I'd the result was, both horses and ar
ules were abandoned by the fleeing tn
d men. This adventure" Irving m
enthusiastically adds, threw tenn
rary stigma upon the game Of old ha
edge" But he fails to tell us whether he
e cards were recovered. If not, this bu
az have been an important factor wi
the unpopularity of the game. an
rgt Card Game I'm Montana lik