"At The Distance Of Three Hundred Paces They Entered A Steep Niche
In The River-Bluffs, When Captain Lewis, Being
Too much out of breath
to pursue them any further, called out, as he had done several
times before, that
Unless they gave up the horse he would shoot them.
As he raised his gun one of the Indians jumped behind a rock and
spoke to the other, who stopped at the distance of thirty paces.
Captain Lewis shot him in the belly. He fell on his knees and
right elbow; but, raising himself a little, fired, and then crawled
behind a rock. The shot had nearly proved fatal; for Captain Lewis,
who was bareheaded, felt the wind of the ball very distinctly.
Not having his shot-pouch, be could not reload his rifle; and, having only
a single charge also for his pistol, he thought it most prudent
not to attack them farther, and retired slowly to the camp.
He was met by Drewyer, who, hearing the report of the guns,
had come to his assistance, leaving the Fields to follow the
other Indians. Captain Lewis ordered him to call out to them to desist
from the pursuit, as we could take the horses of the Indians in place
of our own; but they were at too great a distance to hear him.
He therefore returned to the camp, and while he was saddling the horses
the Fields returned with four of our own, having followed the Indians
until two of them swam the river and two others ascended the hills,
so that the horses became dispersed."
The white men were gainers by this sad affair, for they had now in their
possession four of the Indians' horses, and had lost one of their own.
Besides these, they found in the camp of the Indians four shields,
two bows and their quivers, and one of their two guns.
The captain took some buffalo meat which be found in the camp,
and then the rest of their baggage was burned on the spot.
The flag given to one of the so-called chiefs was retaken;
but the medal given to the dead man was left around his neck.
The consequences of this unfortunate quarrel were far-reaching.
The tribe whose member was killed by the white men never forgave
the injury, and for years after there was no safety for white men
in their vicinity except when the wayfarers were in great numbers
or strongly guarded.
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