He Was A
Gallows-Looking Dog, But Not More So Than Most Indian Dogs, Who,
Take Them In The Mass, Are Little Better Than A Generation Of
Vipers.
Be that as it may, he was instantly accused of having
devoured the skin in question.
A dog accused is generally a dog
condemned; and a dog condemned is generally a dog executed. So
was it in the present instance. The unfortunate cur was
arraigned; his thievish looks substantiated his guilt, and he was
condemned by his judges from across the river to be hanged. In
vain the Indians of the hut, with whom he was a great favorite,
interceded in his behalf. In vain Captain Bonneville and his
comrades petitioned that his life might be spared. His judges
were inexorable. He was doubly guilty: first, in having robbed
their good friends, the Big Hearts of the East; secondly, in
having brought a doubt on the honor of the Nez Perce tribe. He
was, accordingly, swung aloft, and pelted with stones to make his
death more certain. The sentence of the judges being thoroughly
executed, a post mortem examination of the body of the dog was
held, to establish his delinquency beyond all doubt, and to leave
the Nez Perces without a shadow of suspicion. Great interest, of
course, was manifested by all present, during this operation. The
body of the dog was opened, the intestines rigorously
scrutinized, but, to the horror of all concerned, not a particle
of the skin was to be found - the dog had been unjustly executed!
A great clamor now ensued, but the most clamorous was the party
from across the river, whose jealousy of their good name now
prompted them to the most vociferous vindications of their
innocence. It was with the utmost difficulty that the captain and
his comrades could calm their lively sensibilities, by accounting
for the disappearance of the skin in a dozen different ways,
until all idea of its having been stolen was entirely out of the
question.
The meeting now broke up. The warriors returned across the river,
the captain and his comrades proceeded on their journey; but the
spirits of the communicative old chief, Yo-mus-ro-y-e-cut, were
for a time completely dampened, and he evinced great
mortification at what had just occurred. He rode on in silence,
except, that now and then he would give way to a burst of
indignation, and exclaim, with a shake of the head and a toss of
the hand toward the opposite shore - "bad men, very bad men across
the river"; to each of which brief exclamations, his worthy
cousin, Hay-she-in-cow-cow, would respond by a guttural sound of
acquiescence, equivalent to an amen.
After some time, the countenance of the-old chief again cleared
up, and he fell into repeated conferences, in an under tone, with
his cousin, which ended in the departure of the latter, who,
applying the lash to his horse, dashed forward and was soon out
of sight.
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