Chapter 12

12.

A winter camp in the wilderness Medley of trappers, hunters, and

Indians Scarcity of game New arrangements in the camp Detachments

sent to a distance Carelessness of the Indians when

encamped Sickness among the Indians Excellent character of the

Nez Perces The Captain's effort as a pacificator A Nez Perce's

argument in favor of war Robberies, by the Black feet Long

suffering of the Nez Perces A hunter's Elysium among the

mountains More robberies The Captain preaches up a crusade The

effect upon his hearers.

FOR the greater part of the month of November Captain Bonneville

remained in his temporary post on Salmon River. He was now in the

full enjoyment of his wishes; leading a hunter's life in the

heart of the wilderness, with all its wild populace around him.

Beside his own people, motley in character and costume--creole,

Kentuckian, Indian, half-breed, hired trapper, and free

trapper--he was surrounded by encampments of Nez Perces and

Flatheads, with their droves of horses covering the hills and

plains. It was, he declares, a wild and bustling scene. The

hunting parties of white men and red men, continually sallying

forth and returning; the groups at the various encampments, some

cooking, some working, some amusing themselves at different

games; the neighing of horses, the braying of asses, the

resounding strokes of the axe, the sharp report of the rifle, the

whoop, the halloo, and the frequent burst of laughter, all in the

midst of a region suddenly roused from perfect silence and

loneliness by this transient hunters' sojourn, realized, he says,

the idea of a "populous solitude."

The kind and genial character of the captain had, evidently, its

influence on the opposite races thus fortuitously congregated

together. The most perfect harmony prevailed between them. The

Indians, he says, were friendly in their dispositions, and honest

to the most scrupulous degree in their intercourse with the white

men. It is true they were somewhat importunate in their

curiosity, and apt to be continually in the way, examining

everything with keen and prying eye, and watching every movement

of the white men. All this, however, was borne with great

good-humor by the captain, and through his example by his men.

Indeed, throughout all his transactions he shows himself the

friend of the poor Indians, and his conduct toward them is above

all praise.

The Nez Perces, the Flatheads, and the Hanging-ears pride

themselves upon the number of their horses, of which they possess

more in proportion than any