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. That he had received such good accounts from the Upper
Nez Perces of their cousins, the Lower Nez Perce-s, that he had
become desirous of knowing them as friends and brothers. That he
and his companions had accordingly loaded a mule with presents
and set off for the country of the Lower Nez Perces; but,
unfortunately, had been entrapped for many days among the snowy
mountains; and that the mule with all the presents had fallen
into Snake River, and been swept away by the rapid current. That
instead, therefore, of arriving among their friends, the Nez
Perces, with light hearts and full hands, they came naked,
hungry, and broken down; and instead of making them presents,
must depend upon them even for food. "But," concluded he, "we are
going to the white men's fort on the Wallah-Wallah, and will soon
return; and then we will meet our Nez Perce friends like the true
Big Hearts of the East."
Whether the hint thrown out in the latter part of the speech had
any effect, or whether the old chief acted from the hospitable
feelings which, according to the captain, are really inherent in
the Nez Perce tribe, he certainly showed no disposition to relax
his friendship on learning the destitute circumstances of his
guests. On the contrary, he urged the captain to remain with them
until the following day, when he would accompany him on his
journey, and make him acquainted with all his people. In the
meantime, he would have a colt killed, and cut up for travelling
provisions. This, he carefully explained, was intended not as an
article of traffic, but as a gift; for he saw that his guests
were hungry and in need of food.
Captain Bonneville gladly assented to this hospitable
arrangement. The carcass of the colt was forthcoming in due
season, but the captain insisted that one half of it should be
set apart for the use of the chieftain's family.
At an early hour of the following morning, the little party
resumed their journey, accompanied by the old chief and an Indian
guide. Their route was over a rugged and broken country; where
the hills were slippery with ice and snow. Their horses, too,
were so weak and jaded, that they could scarcely climb the steep
ascents, or maintain their foothold on the frozen declivities.
Throughout the whole of the journey, the old chief and the guide
were unremitting in their good offices, and continually on the
alert to select the best roads, and assist them through all
difficulties. Indeed, the captain and his comrades had to be
dependent on their Indian friends for almost every thing, for
they had lost their tobacco and pipes, those great comforts of
the trapper, and had but a few charges of powder left, which it
was necessary to husband for the purpose of lighting their fires.
In the course of the day the old chief had several private
consultations with the guide, and showed evident signs of being
occupied with some mysterious matter of mighty import. What it
was, Captain Bonneville could not fathom, nor did he make much
effort to do so. From some casual sentences that he overheard, he
perceived that it was something from which the old man promised
himself much satisfaction, and to which he attached a little
vainglory but which he wished to keep a secret; so he suffered
him to spin out his petty plans unmolested.
In the evening when they encamped, the old chief and his privy
counsellor, the guide, had another mysterious colloquy, after
which the guide mounted his horse and departed on some secret
mission, while the chief resumed his seat at the fire, and sat
humming to himself in a pleasing but mystic reverie.
The next morning, the travellers descended into the valley of the
Way-lee-way, a considerable tributary of Snake River. Here they
met the guide returning from his secret errand.
