Their
Route Now Lay Over A Succession Of Steep And Isolated Hills, With
Profound Valleys.
On the second day, after taking leave of the
affectionate old patriarch, as they were descending into one of
those deep and abrupt intervals, they descried a smoke, and
shortly afterward came in sight of a small encampment of Nez
Perces.
The Indians, when they ascertained that it was a party of white
men approaching, greeted them with a salute of firearms, and
invited them to encamp. This band was likewise under the sway of
a venerable chief named Yo-mus-ro-y-e-cut; a name which we shall
be careful not to inflict oftener than is necessary upon the
reader This ancient and hard-named chieftain welcomed Captain
Bonneville to his camp with the same hospitality and loving
kindness that he had experienced from his predecessor. He told
the captain he had often heard of the Americans and their
generous deeds, and that his buffalo brethren (the Upper Nez
Perces) had always spoken of them as the Big-hearted whites of
the East, the very good friends of the Nez Perces.
Captain Bonneville felt somewhat uneasy under the responsibility
of this magnanimous but costly appellation; and began to fear he
might be involved in a second interchange of pledges of
friendship. He hastened, therefore, to let the old chief know his
poverty-stricken state, and how little there was to be expected
from him.
He informed him that he and his comrades had long resided among
the Upper Nez Perces, and loved them so much, that they had
thrown their arms around them, and now held them close to their
hearts.
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