nd themselves in
the presence of a scouting party, who were undoubtedly looking for them;
but perceiving the strength of the whites, they began retreating. Carson
and his men pressed them hotly, when, as anticipated, they fell back on
the main body and one of the old fashioned battles between trappers and
Indians began.

The Blackfeet always fight bravely, and, for a time, they held their
ground well, but they were forced to give way and retired to a small
island in the Yellowstone, where they had thrown up rude fortifications
and felt able to hold their own against a much superior force.

Darkness closed in upon the contending forces, and the assailants ceased
firing and encamped for the night on the bank of the river. They were on
the qui vive through the still hours, and so eager for the attack that
with the earliest streakings of light in the east, they plunged into the
stream and made for the barricades. It was not to be supposed that the
Blackfeet would be taken off their guard, and the trappers expected to
reach the defences through a hot fusillade from the dusky defenders.

To their surprise, however, not a single gun was discharged and they
rushed pell mell over the rugged fortifications to engage the enemy
in hand to hand conflict. To their chagrin, however, not a solitary
Blackfoot was visible. Despite the watchfulness of the white men, the
entire Indian force had withdrawn during the night without arousing the
least suspicion on the part of the watchers.

But the trappers were too wise to misconstrue the action of the
Blackfeet. Their withdrawal was a strategic movement, and did not by
any means signify they were afraid of the large force or that they would
prefer not to molest them. The signs around the fortifications showed
that the Indians had suffered severely and they would never content
themselves until full retaliation had been made.

The trappers returned to camp, where a long council was held. The
conclusion was that the Blackfoot village was near by, and when they
learned of the severe punishment received by the scouting party, they
would lose no time in entering upon a campaign of revenge. As the
Blackfeet nation included several thousand warriors, there was reason to
fear they would overwhelm the trappers, despite their bravery and skill.
Barricades were thrown up and the best men stationed as sentinels. One
of them hastened to the top of an adjoining hill, which commanded an
extensive view