, and leading their pack-horses down a hill of the
forest, looked like banditti returning with plunder. On the top of some
of the packs were perched several half-breed children, perfect little
imps, with wild black eyes glaring from among elf locks. These, I was
told, were children of the trappers; pledges of love from their squaw
spouses in the wilderness.

7.

Retreat of the Blackfeet--Fontenelle's camp in danger--
Captain Bonneville and the Blackfeet--Free trappers--Their
character, habits, dress, equipments, horses--Game fellows
of the mountains--Their visit to the camp--Good fellowship
and good cheer--A carouse--A swagger, a brawl, and a
reconciliation

THE BLACKFEET WARRIORS, when they effected their midnight retreat from
their wild fastness in Pierre's Hole, fell back into the valley of the
Seeds-ke-dee, or Green River where they joined the main body of their
band. The whole force amounted to several hundred fighting men, gloomy
and exasperated by their late disaster. They had with them their wives
and children, which incapacitated them from any bold and extensive
enterprise of a warlike nature; but when, in the course of their
wanderings they came in sight of the encampment of Fontenelle, who
had moved some distance up Green River valley in search of the free
trappers, they put up tremendous war-cries, and advanced fiercely as if
to attack it. Second thoughts caused them to moderate their fury. They
recollected the severe lesson just received, and could not but remark
the strength of Fontenelle's position; which had been chosen with great
judgment.

A formal talk ensued. The Blackfeet said nothing of the late battle, of
which Fontenelle had as yet received no accounts; the latter, however,
knew the hostile and perfidious nature of these savages, and took care
to inform them of the encampment of Captain Bonneville, that they might
know there were more white men in the neighborhood. The conference
ended, Fontenelle sent a Delaware Indian of his party to conduct fifteen
of the Blackfeet to the camp of Captain Bonneville. There was [sic]
at that time two Crow Indians in the captain's camp, who had recently
arrived there. They looked with dismay at this deputation from their
implacable enemies, and gave the captain a terrible character of them,
assuring him that the best thing he could possibly do, was to put those
Blackfeet deputies to death on the spot. The captain, however,