Chapter 18

18.

Meeting with Hodgkiss Misfortunes of the Nez Perces Schemes

of Kosato, the renegado His foray into the Horse Prairie-

Invasion of Black feet Blue John and his forlorn hope Their

generous enterprise-Their fate-Consternation and despair of the

village- Solemn obsequies -Attempt at Indian trade -Hudson's Bay

Company's monopoly-Arrangements for autumn- Breaking up of an

encampment.

HAVING now a pretty strong party, well armed and equipped,

Captain Bonneville no longer felt the necessity of fortifying

himself in the secret places and fastnesses of the mountains; but

sallied forth boldly into the Snake River plain, in search of his

clerk, Hodgkiss, who had remained with the Nez Perces. He found

him on the 24th of June, and learned from him another chapter of

misfortunes which had recently befallen that ill-fated race.

After the departure of Captain Bonneville in March, Kosato, the

renegade Blackfoot, had recovered from the wound received in

battle; and with his strength revived all his deadly hostility to

his native tribe. He now resumed his efforts to stir up the Nez

Perces to reprisals upon their old enemies; reminding them

incessantly of all the outrages and robberies they had recently

experienced, and assuring them that such would continue to be

their lot until they proved themselves men by some signal

retaliation.

The impassioned eloquence of the desperado at length produced an

effect; and a band of braves enlisted under his guidance, to

penetrate into the Blackfoot country, harass their Villages,

carry off their horses, and commit all kinds of depredations.

Kosato pushed forward on his foray as far as the Horse Prairie,

where he came upon a strong party of Blackfeet. Without waiting

to estimate their force, he attacked them with characteristic

fury, and was bravely seconded by his followers. The contest, for

a time, was hot and bloody; at length, as is customary with these

two tribes, they paused, and held a long parley, or rather a war

of words.

"What need," said the Blackfoot chief, tauntingly, "have the Nez

Perces to leave their homes, and sally forth on war parties, when

they have danger enough at their own doors? If you want fighting,

return to your villages; you will have plenty of it there. The

Blackfeet warriors have hitherto made war upon you as children.

They are now coming as men. A great force is at hand; they are on

their way to your towns, and are determined to rub out the very

name of the Nez Perces from the mountains. Return, I say, to your

towns, and fight