nd; thither the most expert runners succeeded in driving
numbers of buffalo, which were killed hard by the camp, and the flesh
transported thither without difficulty. In a little while the whole camp
looked like one great slaughter-house; the carcasses were skilfully
cut up, great fires were made, scaffolds erected for drying and jerking
beef, and an ample provision was made for future subsistence. On the
15th of June, the precise day appointed for the rendezvous, Captain
Bonneville and his party arrived safely at the caches.

Here he was joined by the other detachments of his main party, all
in good health and spirits. The caches were again opened, supplies
of various kinds taken out, and a liberal allowance of aqua vitae
distributed throughout the camp, to celebrate with proper conviviality
this merry meeting.

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 de