Beyond the Old Frontier

he discovery, exploration, and settlement of that vast territory which we now call the Empire of the West. He left St. Louis in 1842 with a company of f

907, at the age of eighty-five, he still lived among the mountains of Montana, and still mad

dinary skill as a sign talker. A good mountain man is, of course, a keen observer, but Hamilton possessed also a retentive memory which enabled him in his later years to make valuable contributions326 to the history of the early West

er, the first treaty with the Indians of northern Montana. The object of this treaty was to bring about a general peace among the

arious tribes to come into Fort Benton and attend this council. Some of the tribes were brought in and a treaty was made, but it did not last long. The account which follows is crowded with the lore of the plai

M T. H

n's story of the Cou

Smith was appointed its first governor, and General Francis M

ained serious losses in stock, and many miners and cattle-herders had been killed by the Indians. There was no protection for life and property. At the mouth of t

carried all the supplies of every description needed by the rapidly increasing population, which was rushing into the Terr

and tin plates that I could get from the Fur Company employees, and opened my hotel at one dollar per meal.328 I bought some beef steers and slaughtered one on the river bank. Two whiskey barrels on end, with three slabs on them, set up by the hotel, formed the coun

tley combination. There were some trappers and free traders, good men; but the remainder were Fur Company employees, in all about forty-five men. There were some half-breeds, but none of them could be trusted except one, Joe

ointed to consider this subject. It consisted of Acting Governor Meagher, Judge Munson, and E. W. Carpenter.329 They arrived at Benton early in September, and after holding a council determined that the Piegans, Bloods, Blackfeet, Gros Ventres, and Crow

lly overrun by war parties of Sioux, Cheyennes, Arapahoes, and Blackfeet, makin

They sent, asking me to call on them at the agency, which was then at Benton, and when I came, the governor said: "Sheriff, we want a man to go and get the Crow an

"if I have special busine

also to put an end to hostilities against the white people. In a few days a steamboat load of goods330 will arr

g house, the butcher shop, the duties of sheriff, and of marshal.

phrase has it, they were going to get me into a jack pot. To cut it short

d a runner to Little Dog, the chief, with a paper, asking him to send Eagle Eye to Benton as soon as possible. In two days Eagle Eye was there. I had chris

ned two of the fastest horses in the country, and got two good horses for Jack. I selected one pack-horse, a fast one which would follow li

ng in a buckle. On the nigh-side pannier a strap was fastened at the bottom, and these straps were buckled together under the horse's belly. This held both panniers down close to the horse's body. The panniers can be made of any size

and not having time to saddle. Such an occurrence may take place notwithstanding all your alertness. My other horse I rode with a California saddle. Jack was similarly fitted out, except that he had two Indian pads. I had bought from Judge E. R. Munson the first Henry rifle that ever

e government. Their questions and manifest ignorance of Indians brought a smile to the faces of many of those present, as if a war party would care what business we were engaged in, or, if they did care, would stop to a

m Benton as the crow flies, but had moved their village some days before. He also told me there were three Blackfeet war parties out after Crows and Gros Ventres. We should have to look out for them. With this i

ns, were in a dangerous country. It was a famous resort for war parties, and game of all kinds was abundant. Here we stood guard turn about. Because you see no Indians nor signs of any, it does not follow that none are in the neig

get one with an arrow. It was too dangerous to use a gun to kill this game. If any Indians were within hearing, the report would have brought them to us in force, and might have caused us annoyance. Many a party has com

some trees upon it, and from this point looked over the country in order to learn, if possible, what had caused the buffalo to "raise," for buffalo seldom stampede unless they are frightened by somebody in the vicinity. We discovered nothing, and at length went on to Wolf Creek, where, on the south side of the stream, we came across foot-tracks where seven men had been walking. Jack declar

buffalo were feeding quietly; a sure sign that no Indians were about, and that there had been none before our arrival. Th

ion, so that, if in case of any emergency335 we were forced to mak

The game still fed about us undisturbed. We crossed Plum Creek (Judith River) and d

of village smokes. Now began the dangerous part of our trip. A comparatively open country lay before us. To follow the lodge-pole trail was dangerous, yet that was our only means of finding the Crow village. All Indian war parties are likely to follow the village trail of those they are after. Jack said that there were two more Blackfeet war parties out besides the o

persons had been present I think they would have believed that

ver and the Bull Mountains were fifty miles to the southeast. There we e

men or horses. If either should be discovered, we would have to act according to circumstances

I could see by his look that he had discovered something that troubled him. When I asked him what he had found he pointed up the creek and said: "South of that butte are the pony tracks of a mounted party of twenty-five going toward the south end of the Bull Mountains." If this party was hostile,337 it was the scouting party from some larger one, or it might be a scouting party of Crows. We had no means of knowing which. In a

ndle of Texas to the British line. As an expert scout would say, "you

ollowed it. As Jack had said, it led toward the south end of Bull Mountains. When I reached a ridge on which were some trees, a plateau lay before me about one mile in extent and ending in a broken country with scattering trees. I could see that the trail led directly through a cluster of pines.

zvous there and send out small scouting parties, learn if any enemies were in the vicinity, return, an

nts, if this party were enemies of the Crows, they had not as yet struck either the village or the lodge-pole trail, where the village had passed along. One thing was noticeable in this section. It was in the centre of the buffalo grazing ground at this season of the year, and yet as far as a powerful glass could view the surrounding country no buffalo were to be seen;

re taken to avoid being seen by their enemies and to circumvent them. They learn by the actions of animals and by the flight of birds if enemies are near, or of the people who

were getting out of the country. It had been several days since they were in this camp. As it was sundown when we reached there, we camped, and the night passed without our being disturbed. Breakfast was over before daylight next morning. We expected that the trail would follow up the river, but instead of that it went southeast, toward the divide of the Yellowstone River, and when we reached the divide the tra

camped either on upper or lower Porcupine Creek. As we went along we saw a few buffalo and antelope feeding quietly, good evidence that they had not been disturbed recently. As J

w long it takes for the sand to become inactive. All such signs are carefully studied by mountaineers and Indians. It was plain enough to us. We went on, keeping a sharp lookout. Some three-quarters of a mile before us, we could see some timbered buttes, and the trail led directly toward these trees. There was a possibility that those five Indians might be there, and we put our tools in condition for instant use. We got within three hundred yards of the buttes, wheeled to the right, and putting our horses on a run, passed between two small hills and got beyond the first butte. Nothing was discovered. When we reached the trail, Jack dismounted, looked at it carefully, followed it a short d

hing of arms and other property. If they had succeeded in taking us in, they could have returned to their people as great warriors, and would have been allowed to paint their spouses' fa

draw bows and arrows, the Sharp and the Henry got to work, and in less time than it takes to write this, five Blackfeet were on their way to their happ

trail. Jack justified our acts, saying that they fired upon and charged us. If they had succeeded in getting us they would have scalped us343 both, they knowing him to be a Piegan. He added that any Indian, whether Blackfoot, Blood, or Piegan that shot at him and missed, must expect to be scalped. He was asked if he were not afra

the lower or easternmost stream. It seemed to be about eight miles distant. We moved toward it at a lively gait, but when we were about a mile from the village, we could discern a great commotion beyond or south of it. Horsemen were galloping back and forth in every direction as if in a sham battle. Jack said that he heard shots and that he believed a fight was on. We pushed ahead and got to the village, and found, su

ut I would not allow it, for he might do some desperate act, such as to charge through the Sioux and might go under. At this time, he was too valuable a man to lose. A few young warriors went with me, and we soon got to the battlefield. The first man we met was Spotted Horse, a war chief. There were not over two h

hem would have made short work of either of these contending forces. By some poetical writers, the Indian is credited with possessin

made signs for every word spoken, and each sign was as a, b, c, to me, as of course they knew. They wished me to understand every word that they spoke. They asked my opinion of the fight and what they should do. I advised them to

re checked by a stand made by a few Sioux. This stand was made in order to give some of their wounded an opportunity to leave the field. As the Sioux were better mounted than the Crows, they outstripped us on the retreat. We followed them about a mile, forcing them to abandon some

tter in condensed form, the substance of which I have already given. I urged the Crows to go to Benton, telling them that it would be to their advantage to do so. They would receive many presents, and besides would make peace with their ancient enemies. They listened to me attentively, and then gave reply in the negative, saying that their ponies' feet were getting tender and the animals thin in flesh, that there were no buffalo between where we were and Fort Benton, and that they must remain where they

might be in good condition to make an early start next morning. During the night Jack and I stood guard turn about, and many young Crows did the same. By daylight we had breakfasted. The chiefs had assembled to see us off, and I asked them if they knew where we might find the Gros Ventres. They replied that we would find them either south or east of, and ne

s with the point of a knife, making the blood flow freely, and, as they did this, wailing and mourning the loss of friends and relatives in the fight. Jack, whose horses were good to lead, had saddled his

low twigs, put all our property on the raft, tied riatas to the end of it, and, mounting, drove the stock across the river, keeping hold of the ends of the ropes. The horses were good swimmers, and we soon had the raft acr

kies, we began to see carcasses of the buffalo in different places. The meat had been taken off, and a careful inspection showed that the bu

, southeast of Lit

ht, unless some hostiles should come and veto our intention. Before unpacking we looked over the surrounding country for signs of village

e buttes, the trail bore to the left, going north, and now we saw fresh pony-tracks, a sure sign that the village was not far off. Before us lay a plateau, and beyond that was Beaver Creek, w

ton, and they asked me when they would be wanted there. I told them that the commissioners were now waiting for them, and that they had better start the village for Benton to-morrow, for it would take them350 two and a hal

brought in. Bear Wolf and Star Robe, two sub-chiefs, were selected to accompany us. Here Jack traded his mule for eight fine garnished robes. He wanted me to take seven of them, but I selected four. He packed the robes on one of his horses, and by seven o'clock we started, taking the best and mo

ch-clout, mounted his best horse, and took the ridge. I had Dick351 ready for emergency, in case something should happen to Jack. About half a mile up the stream Jack halted. Some two hundred yards beyond him the seven Indians came up on the ridge. I was watching every move made. One of the Ind

nd fifty yards wide, and on the farther, or south, side near the water there stood a stone about one foot in diameter. There were about one hundred and fifty Indians present at the time. I had practised at that rock more than once. I fired seven shots at it in rapid succession, and each shot would have hit an Indian. All the Indian

o days, and that two of their chiefs had come here with us. The commissioners requested me to take care of these chiefs until the village arrived. I did so, charging the commissioners one

little, was about four thousand, and more parties were constantly arriving, swelling the number. The other Blackfeet Indians were too far away to attend the council, and besides that, they had no right to be there to receive presents from the United States, as353 they belonged to Canada. The people from the north pitched their lodges mostly on the upper end of the Bottom, but the Gros Ventres pitched theirs on the lower end, some three hundr

are his children, but commonly s

the office. I asked General Meagher what was expected of me as marshal, and he replied: "Keep order, see that the chiefs are s

ouncil. I was armed at all points. Dick was saddled, and I went to the village. I got six of the leading chiefs, who wanted to bring their arms354 with them, but I gave them to understand that this would not be permitted by the white chiefs in council, that no one could en

n to twenty minutes to get through with one sentence, and even then neither interpreter nor Indians understood one-tenth of its meaning. I saw that it would take forty days to get through if a change was not brought about. Little Dog, the Piegan chief, told his interpreter to inform the commissioners that the council would be adjourned until next day in order to consult on the mode of procedure

character to see the warriors who, when they heard I was going to give all the chiefs their supper, came to me and claimed to be chiefs. We did feed perhaps a dozen leading

condense, must leave out "party of the first part," "party of the second part," "for and in consideration of, etc.," and must state in as few words as possible what they desir

the Marias River up the Marias to the Teton River, following the middle of the stream to its source, for a stipulated sum to be given them for twenty years. The Gros Ventres had no land to cede. The Blackfeet also had no land to cede, and according to the views of many they had no business in this treaty, because they lived in, and claimed to belong to, what they called Red Coat Land, namely, that belonging to King George. Some of them wore King George's medals, and showed that they felt proud of them

OF GOODS TO T

nes that took place. Two days were required to get through this distribution, and the goods that remained a

ip across the country, and I had Jack paid for his time, also from the goods. The commissioners then left fo

some whiskey and were getting ugly and singing their war-songs. Little Dog advised the whites to remain in their houses. He believed that these northern people would attack the Gros Ventres camp, and might also shoot at the whites. Some Indian women had warned us of the situation just before Little Dog came in. Now the agent had a twelve-pound brass cannon. We put this in a "doby" building which was used as a warehouse, and through the wall knocked a hole about twelve inches in diame

te men to defend them. At the fort, the Northwest Fur Company had twelve men, all o

ostiles came. He declared that he and his people would be their friends, and bidding them good-by, we returned. After looking over the ground and seeing that everything was in order for defence in the town, I went with Little Dog and Jack to the village of the South Piegans. The young men were busy putting their arms in order for action, for they expected a fight. It must be remembered that359 at this time bad blood existed between many of the North Piegans and the South Piegans, and though things were outw

ive men going to kill half of fifteen hundred warriors, saying

he proceedings below, expecting every moment to hear shots. The Indians rode around the Gros Ventres camp, some two hundred yards distant from it. If one shot had been fired360 by either party, a bloody fight would have followed, as those Indians who were now held back by their chiefs would then have joined their friends. The whites could not have left the town to give assistance to the Gros Ventres, nor could the Gros Ventres

d the whites they would have him to fight. They were all of th

ccepting the hostiles' challenges to fight. After a great deal of this verbal defiance, the hostiles rode back to their camp on a run, firing off their guns in the air. When opposite the town they halted and formed a half circle and began to sing their war-songs. After the songs a few approached361 wit

signs to the whites to remain in the houses. I mounted Dick and went with the chiefs, though many of the men called out to me: "Don't go, sheriff." I had decided what I should do in case of a fight. If the hostiles attacked the

ing in all directions, and each Indian was trying to make his pony step on the calico tied to the horse next in advance. They were yelling and firing off their guns in every direction. It was a wild orgy, such as neither I

oss the continent. The Indians who took part in the wrecking of this train have told me how the freight cars were broken open, the goods taken from them and scattered over the prair

ing all the Indians except Little Dog's band left for the north, to go to their own country. Before they left two war parties had b

y visible in their faces and their actions. We assumed the authority to notify the chiefs that they must control their young men and keep them from stealing363 from the

nd