The Nez Perces, However, Notwithstanding
Their Recent Loss, Were Still Careless Of Their Horses; Merely
Driving Them To Some Secluded Spot, And Leaving Them There For
The Night, Without Setting Any Guard Upon Them.
The consequence
was a second swoop, in which forty-one were carried off.
This was
borne with equal philosophy with the first, and no effort was
made either to recover the horses, or to take vengeance on the
thieves.
The Nez Perces, however, grew more cautious with respect to their
remaining horses, driving them regularly to the camp every
evening, and fastening them to pickets. Captain Bonneville,
however, told them that this was not enough. It was evident they
were dogged by a daring and persevering enemy, who was encouraged
by past impunity; they should, therefore, take more than usual
precautions, and post a guard at night over their cavalry. They
could not, however, be persuaded to depart from their usual
custom. The horse once picketed, the care of the owner was over
for the night, and he slept profoundly. None waked in the camp
but the gamblers, who, absorbed in their play, were more
difficult to be roused to external circumstances than even the
sleepers.
The Blackfeet are bold enemies, and fond of hazardous exploits.
The band that were hovering about the neighborhood, finding that
they had such pacific people to deal with, redoubled their
daring. The horses being now picketed before the lodges, a number
of Blackfeet scouts penetrated in the early part of the night
into the very centre of the camp.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 118 of 442
Words from 31476 to 31734
of 118673
