While at this village, the Nez Perce guide had held consultations with some of theinhabitants as to the mountain tract the party were about to traverse. He now began towear an anxious aspect, and to indulge in gloomy forebodings. The snow, he had beentold, lay to a great depth in the passes of the mountains, and difficulties would increaseas he proceeded. He begged Captain Bonneville, therefore, to travel very slowly, so asto keep the horses in strength and spirit for the hard times they would have toencounter. The captain surrendered the regulation of the march entirely to hisdiscretion, and pushed on in the advance, amusing himself with hunting, so asgenerally to kill a deer or two in the course of the day, and arriving, before the rest ofthe party, at the spot designated by the guide for the evening's encampment.
In the meantime, the others plodded on at the heels of the guide, accompanied by thatmerry vagabond, She-wee-she. The primitive garb worn by this droll left all his netherman exposed to the biting blasts of the mountains. Still his wit was never frozen, nor hissunshiny temper beclouded; and his innumerable antics and practical jokes, while theyquickened the circulation of his own blood, kept his companions in high good-humor.
So passed the first day after the departure from the patriarch's. The second daycommenced in the same manner; the captain in the advance, the rest of the partyfollowing on slowly. She-wee-she, for the greater part of the time, trudged on foot overthe snow, keeping himself warm by hard exercise, and all kinds of crazy capers. In theheight of his foolery, the patriarchal colt, which, unbroken to the saddle, was suffered tofollow on at large, happened to come within his reach. In a moment, he was on hisback, snapping his fingers, and yelping with delight. The colt, unused to such a burden,and half wild by nature, fell to prancing and rearing and snorting and plunging andkicking; and, at length, set off full speed over the most dangerous ground. As the routeled generally along the steep and craggy sides of the hills, both horse and horsemanwere constantly in danger, and more than once had a hairbreadth escape from deadlyperil. Nothing, however, could daunt this madcap savage. He stuck to the colt like aplaister [sic], up ridges, down gullies; whooping and yelling with the wildest glee. Neverdid beggar on horseback display more headlong horsemanship. His companionsfollowed him with their eyes, sometimes laughing, sometimes holding in their breath athis vagaries, until they saw the colt make a sudden plunge or start, and pitch hisunlucky rider headlong over a precipice. There was a general cry of horror, and allhastened to the spot. They found the poor fellow lying among the rocks below, sadlybruised and mangled. It was almost a miracle that he had escaped with life. Even in thiscondition, his merry spirit was not entirely quelled, and he summoned up a feeble laughat the alarm and anxiety of those who came to his relief. He was extricated from hisrocky bed, and a messenger dispatched to inform Captain Bonneville of the accident.
The latter returned with all speed, and encamped the party at the first convenient spot.
Here the wounded man was stretched upon buffalo skins, and the captain, whoofficiated on all occasions as doctor and surgeon to the party, proceeded to examinehis wounds. The principal one was a long and deep gash in the thigh, which reached tothe bone. Calling for a needle and thread, the captain now prepared to sew up thewound, admonishing the patient to submit to the operation with becoming fortitude. Hisgayety was at an end; he could no longer summon up even a forced smile; and, at thefirst puncture of the needle, flinched so piteously, that the captain was obliged to pause,and to order him a powerful dose of alcohol. This somewhat rallied up his spirit andwarmed his heart; all the time of the operation, however, he kept his eyes riveted on thewound, with his teeth set, and a whimsical wincing of the countenance, thatoccasionally gave his nose something of its usual comic curl.
When the wound was fairly closed, the captain washed it with rum, and administered asecond dose of the same to the patient, who was tucked in for the night, and advised tocompose himself to sleep. He was restless and uneasy, however; repeatedlyexpressing his fears that his leg would be so much swollen the next day, as to preventhis proceeding with the party; nor could he be quieted, until the captain gave a decidedopinion favorable to his wishes.
Early the next morning, a gleam of his merry humor returned, on finding that hiswounded limb retained its natural proportions. On attempting to use it, however, hefound himself unable to stand. He made several efforts to coax himself into a belief thathe might still continue forward; but at length, shook his head despondingly, and said,that "as he had but one leg," it was all in vain to attempt a passage of the mountain.
Every one grieved to part with so boon a companion, and under such disastrouscircumstances. He was once more clothed and equipped, each one making him someparting present. He was then helped on a horse, which Captain Bonneville presented tohim; and after many parting expressions of good will on both sides, set off on his returnto his old haunts; doubtless, to be once more plucked by his affectionate but needycousins. [Return to Contents].
