第24章 Irving’s Bonneville - Chapter 7(1)

Retreat of the Blackfeet--Fontenelle's camp in danger--Captain Bonneville and theBlackfeet-- Free trappers--Their character, habits, dress, equipments, horses--Gamefellows of the mountains-- Their visit to the camp--Good fellowship and good cheer--A carouse--A swagger, a brawl, and a reconciliation THE BLACKFEET WARRIORS, when they effected their midnight retreat from their wildfastness in Pierre's Hole, fell back into the valley of the Seeds-ke-dee, or Green Riverwhere they joined the main body of their band. The whole force amounted to severalhundred fighting men, gloomy and exasperated by their late disaster. They had withthem their wives and children, which incapacitated them from any bold and extensiveenterprise of a warlike nature; but when, in the course of their wanderings they came insight of the encampment of Fontenelle, who had moved some distance up Green Rivervalley in search of the free trappers, they put up tremendous war-cries, and advancedfiercely as if to attack it. Second thoughts caused them to moderate their fury. Theyrecollected the severe lesson just received, and could not but remark the strength ofFontenelle's position; which had been chosen with great judgment.

A formal talk ensued. The Blackfeet said nothing of the late battle, of which Fontenellehad as yet received no accounts; the latter, however, knew the hostile and perfidiousnature of these savages, and took care to inform them of the encampment of CaptainBonneville, that they might know there were more white men in the neighborhood. Theconference ended, Fontenelle sent a Delaware Indian of his party to conduct fifteen ofthe Blackfeet to the camp of Captain Bonneville. There was [sic] at that time two CrowIndians in the captain's camp, who had recently arrived there. They looked with dismayat this deputation from their implacable enemies, and gave the captain a terriblecharacter of them, assuring him that the best thing he could possibly do, was to putthose Blackfeet deputies to death on the spot. The captain, however, who had heardnothing of the conflict at Pierre's Hole, declined all compliance with this sage counsel.

He treated the grim warriors with his usual urbanity. They passed some little time at thecamp; saw, no doubt, that everything was conducted with military skill and vigilance;and that such an enemy was not to be easily surprised, nor to be molested withimpunity, and then departed, to report all that they had seen to their comrades.

The two scouts which Captain Bonneville had sent out to seek for the band of freetrappers, expected by Fontenelle, and to invite them to his camp, had been successfulin their search, and on the 12th of August those worthies made their appearance.

To explain the meaning of the appellation, free trapper, it is necessary to state theterms on which the men enlist in the service of the fur companies. Some have regularwages, and are furnished with weapons, horses, traps, and other requisites. These areunder command, and bound to do every duty required of them connected with theservice; such as hunting, trapping, loading and unloading the horses, mounting guard;and, in short, all the drudgery of the camp. These are the hired trappers.

The free trappers are a more independent class; and in describing them, we shall dolittle more than transcribe the graphic description of them by Captain Bonneville. "Theycome and go," says he, "when and where they please; provide their own horses, arms,and other equipments; trap and trade on their own account, and dispose of their skinsand peltries to the highest bidder. Sometimes, in a dangerous hunting ground, theyattach themselves to the camp of some trader for protection. Here they come undersome restrictions; they have to conform to the ordinary rules for trapping, and to submitto such restraints, and to take part in such general duties, as are established for thegood order and safety of the camp. In return for this protection, and for their campkeeping, they are bound to dispose of all the beaver they take, to the trader whocommands the camp, at a certain rate per skin; or, should they prefer seeking a marketelsewhere, they are to make him an allowance, of from thirty to forty dollars for thewhole hunt."

There is an inferior order, who, either from prudence or poverty, come to thesedangerous hunting grounds without horses or accoutrements, and are furnished by thetraders. These, like the hired trappers, are bound to exert themselves to the utmost intaking beaver, which, without skinning, they render in at the trader's lodge, where astipulated price for each is placed to their credit. These though generally included in thegeneric name of free trappers, have the more specific title of skin trappers.