Progress in the valley--An Indian cavalier--The captain falls intoa lethargy--A Nez Perce patriarch-- Hospitable treatment--The baldhead--Bargaining-- Value of an old plaid cloak--The family horse--The cost of an Indian present A TRANQUIL NIGHT'S REST had sufficiently restored the broken downtraveller to enable him to resume his wayfaring, and all handsset forward on the Indian trail. With all their eagerness toarrive within reach of succor, such was their feeble andemaciated condition, that they advanced but slowly. Nor is it amatter of surprise that they should almost have lost heart, aswell as strength. It was now (the 16th of February) fifty-threedays that they had been travelling in the midst of winter,exposed to all kinds of privations and hardships: and for thelast twenty days, they had been entangled in the wild anddesolate labyrinths of the snowy mountains; climbing anddescending icy precipices, and nearly starved with cold andhunger.
All the morning they continued following the Indian trail,without seeing a human being, and were beginning to bediscouraged, when, about noon, they discovered a horseman at adistance. He was coming directly toward them; but on discoveringthem, suddenly reined up his steed, came to a halt, and, afterreconnoitring them for a time with great earnestness, seemedabout to make a cautious retreat. They eagerly made signs ofpeace, and endeavored, with the utmost anxiety, to induce him toapproach. He remained for some time in doubt; but at length,having satisfied himself that they were not enemies, camegalloping up to them. He was a fine, haughty-looking savage,fancifully decorated, and mounted on a high-mettled steed, withgaudy trappings and equipments. It was evident that he was awarrior of some consequence among his tribe. His whole deportmenthad something in it of barbaric dignity; he felt, perhaps, histemporary superiority in personal array, and in the spirit of hissteed, to the poor, ragged, travel-worn trappers and their half-starved horses. Approaching themwith an air of protection, he
gave them his hand, and, in the Nez Perce language, invited themto his camp, which was only a few miles distant; where he hadplenty to eat, and plenty of horses, and would cheerfully sharehis good things with them.
His hospitable invitation was joyfully accepted: he lingered buta moment, to give directions by which they might find his camp,and then, wheeling round, and giving the reins to his mettlesomesteed, was soon out of sight. The travellers followed, withgladdened hearts, but at a snail's pace; for their poor horsescould scarcely drag one leg after the other. Captain Bonneville,however, experienced a sudden and singular change of feeling.
Hitherto, the necessity of conducting his party, and of providingagainst every emergency, had kept his mind upon the stretch, andhis whole system braced and excited. In no one instance had heflagged in spirit, or felt disposed to succumb. Now, however,that all danger was over, and the march of a few miles wouldbring them to repose and abundance, his energies suddenlydeserted him; and every faculty, mental and physical, was totallyrelaxed. He had not proceeded two miles from the point where hehad had the interview with the Nez Perce chief, when he threwhimself upon the earth, without the power or will to move amuscle, or exert a thought, and sank almost instantly into aprofound and dreamless sleep. His companions again came to ahalt, and encamped beside him, and there they passed the night.
The next morning, Captain Bonneville awakened from his long andheavy sleep, much refreshed; and they all resumed their creepingprogress. They had not long been on the march, when eight or tenof the Nez Perce tribe came galloping to meet them, leading freshhorses to bear them to their camp. Thus gallantly mounted, theyfelt new life infused into their languid frames, and dashingforward, were soon at the lodges of the Nez Perces. Here theyfound about twelve families living together, under thepatriarchal sway of an ancient and venerable chief. He receivedthem with the hospitality of the golden age, and with somethingof the same kind of fare; for, while he opened his arms to makethem welcome, the only repast he set before them consisted ofroots. They could have wished for something more hearty andsubstantial; but, for want of better, made a voracious meal onthese humble viands. The repast being over, the best pipe waslighted and sent round: and this was a most welcome luxury,having lost their smoking apparatus twelve days before, among themountains.
While they were thus enjoying themselves, their poor horses wereled to the best pastures in the neighborhood, where they wereturned loose to revel on the fresh sprouting grass; so that theyhad better fare than their masters.
Captain Bonneville soon felt himself quite at home among thesequiet, inoffensive people. His long residence among theircousins, the Upper Nez Perces, had made him conversant with theirlanguage, modes of expression, and all their habitudes. He soonfound, too, that he was well known among them, by report, atleast, from the constant interchange of visits and messagesbetween the two branches of the tribe. They at first addressedhim by his name; giving him his title of captain, with a Frenchaccent: but they soon gave him a title of their own; which, asusual with Indian titles, had a peculiar signification. In thecase of the captain, it had somewhat of a whimsical origin.
As he sat chatting and smoking in the midst of them, he wouldoccasionally take off his cap. Whenever he did so, there was asensation in the surrounding circle. The Indians would half risefrom their recumbent posture, and gaze upon his uncovered head,with their usual exclamation of astonishment. The worthy captainwas completely bald; a phenomenon very surprising in their eyes.
