This Furnished The Trappers And Their
Indian Friends A Perpetual Carnival; So That, To Slay And Eat
Seemed To Be The Main Occupations Of The Day.
It is astonishing
what loads of meat it requires to cope with the appetite of a
hunting camp.
The ravens and wolves soon came in for their share of the good
cheer. These constant attendants of the hunter gathered in vast
numbers as the winter advanced. They might be completely out of
sight, but at the report of a gun, flights of ravens would
immediately be seen hovering in the air, no one knew whence they
came; while the sharp visages of the wolves would peep down from
the brow of every hill, waiting for the hunter's departure to
pounce upon the carcass.
Besides the buffaloes, there were other neighbors snow-bound in
the valley, whose presence did not promise to be so advantageous.
This was a band of Eutaw Indians who were encamped higher up on
the river. They are a poor tribe that, in a scale of the various
tribes inhabiting these regions, would rank between the
Shoshonies and the Shoshokoes or Root Diggers; though more bold
and warlike than the latter. They have but few rifles among them,
and are generally armed with bows and arrows.
As this band and the Shoshonies were at deadly feud, on account
of old grievances, and as neither party stood in awe of the
other, it was feared some bloody scenes might ensue. Captain
Bonneville, therefore, undertook the office of pacificator, and
sent to the Eutaw chiefs, inviting them to a friendly smoke, in
order to bring about a reconciliation. His invitation was proudly
declined; whereupon he went to them in person, and succeeded in
effecting a suspension of hostilities until the chiefs of the two
tribes could meet in council. The braves of the two rival camps
sullenly acquiesced in the arrangement. They would take their
seats upon the hill tops, and watch their quondam enemies hunting
the buffalo in the plain below, and evidently repine that their
hands were tied up from a skirmish. The worthy captain, however,
succeeded in carrying through his benevolent mediation. The
chiefs met; the amicable pipe was smoked, the hatchet buried, and
peace formally proclaimed. After this, both camps united and
mingled in social intercourse. Private quarrels, however, would
occasionally occur in hunting, about the division of the game,
and blows would sometimes be exchanged over the carcass of a
buffalo; but the chiefs wisely took no notice of these individual
brawls.
One day the scouts, who had been ranging the hills, brought news
of several large herds of antelopes in a small valley at no great
distance. This produced a sensation among the Indians, for both
tribes were in ragged condition, and sadly in want of those
shirts made of the skin of the antelope. It was determined to
have "a surround," as the mode of hunting that animal is called.
Everything now assumed an air of mystic solemnity and importance.
The chiefs prepared their medicines or charms each according to
his own method, or fancied inspiration, generally with the
compound of certain simples; others consulted the entrails of
animals which they had sacrificed, and thence drew favorable
auguries. After much grave smoking and deliberating it was at
length proclaimed that all who were able to lift a club, man,
woman, or child, should muster for "the surround." When all had
congregated, they moved in rude procession to the nearest point
of the valley in question, and there halted. Another course of
smoking and deliberating, of which the Indians are so fond, took
place among the chiefs. Directions were then issued for the
horsemen to make a circuit of about seven miles, so as to
encompass the herd. When this was done, the whole mounted force
dashed off simultaneously, at full speed, shouting and yelling at
the top of their voices. In a short space of time the antelopes,
started from their hiding-places, came bounding from all points
into the valley. The riders, now gradually contracting their
circle, brought them nearer and nearer to the spot where the
senior chief, surrounded by the elders, male and female, were
seated in supervision of the chase. The antelopes, nearly
exhausted with fatigue and fright, and bewildered by perpetual
whooping, made no effort to break through the ring of the
hunters, but ran round in small circles, until man, woman, and
child beat them down with bludgeons. Such is the nature of that
species of antelope hunting, technically called "a surround."
47.
A festive winter Conversion of the Shoshonies Visit of two
free trappers Gayety in the camp A touch of the tender
passion The reclaimed squaw An Indian fine lady An
elopement A pursuit Market value of a bad wife.
GAME continued to abound throughout the winter, and the camp was
overstocked with provisions. Beef and venison, humps and
haunches, buffalo tongues and marrow-bones, were constantly
cooking at every fire; and the whole atmosphere was redolent with
the savory fumes of roast meat. It was, indeed, a continual
"feast of fat things," and though there might be a lack of "wine
upon the lees," yet we have shown that a substitute was
occasionally to be found in honey and alcohol.
Both the Shoshonies and the Eutaws conducted themselves with
great propriety. It is true, they now and then filched a few
trifles from their good friends, the Big Hearts, when their backs
were turned; but then, they always treated them to their faces
with the utmost deference and respect, and good-humoredly vied
with the trappers in all kinds of feats of activity and mirthful
sports. The two tribes maintained toward each other, also a
friendliness of aspect which gave Captain Bonneville reason to
hope that all past animosity was effectually buried.
The two rival bands, however, had not long been mingled in this
social manner before their ancient jealousy began to break out in
a new form.
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