第47章 Irving’s Bonneville - Chapter 16(2)

current about twenty yards wide, passing rapidly through a defile to which it gives its name, andthen

enters the great plain where, after meandering about forty miles, it is finally lost in the region ofthe

Burned Rocks.

On the banks of this river Captain Bonneville was so fortunate as to come upon a buffalotrail.

Following it up, he entered the defile, where he remained encamped for two days to allow thehunters time to kill and dry a supply of buffalo beef. In this sheltered defile the weather wasmoderate and grass was already sprouting more than an inch in height. There was abundance,too,

of the salt weed which grows most plentiful in clayey and gravelly barrens. It resemblespennyroyal,

and derives its name from a partial saltness. It is a nourishing food for the horses in the winter,but

they reject it the moment the young grass affords sufficient pasturage.

On the 6th of March, having cured sufficient meat, the party resumed their march, andmoved on

with comparative ease, excepting where they had to make their way through snow-drifts whichhad

been piled up by the wind.

On the 11th, a small cloud of smoke was observed rising in a deep part of the defile. Anencampment

was instantly formed and scouts were sent out to reconnoitre. They returned with intelligencethat

it was a hunting party of Flatheads, returning from the buffalo range laden with meat. CaptainBonneville joined them the next day, and persuaded them to proceed with his party a few milesbelow to the caches, whither he proposed also to invite the Nez Perces, whom he hoped to findsomewhere in this neighborhood. In fact, on the 13th, he was rejoined by that friendly tribe who,since he separated from them on Salmon River, had likewise been out to hunt the buffalo, buthad

continued to be haunted and harassed by their old enemies the Blackfeet, who, as usual, hadcontrived to carry off many of their horses.

In the course of this hunting expedition, a small band of ten lodges separated from the mainbody

in search of better pasturage for their horses. About the 1st of March, the scattered parties ofBlackfoot banditti united to the number of three hundred fighting men, and determined uponsome

signal blow. Proceeding to the former camping ground of the Nez Perces, they found the lodgesdeserted; upon which they hid themselves among the willows and thickets, watching for somestraggler who might guide them to the present "whereabout" of their intended victims. As fortunewould

have it Kosato, the Blackfoot renegade, was the first to pass along, accompanied by hisblood-bought

bride. He was on his way from the main body of hunters to the little band of ten lodges. TheBlackfeet knew and marked him as he passed; he was within bowshot of their ambuscade; yet,much

as they thirsted for his blood, they forbore to launch a shaft; sparing him for the moment that hemight lead them to their prey. Secretly following his trail, they discovered the lodges of theunfortunate Nez Perces, and assailed them with shouts and yellings. The Nez Perces numberedonly