My Sixty Years on the Plains: Trapping, Trading, and Indian Fighting (1905)

by William Thomas Hamilton

Many outfits, within my knowledge, have come to grief through placing confidence in the red man, who always covets the belongings of the paleface. Nothing disturbed us during the night, and in the morning we started down Salt Creek to the Platte River, where Williams expected to find Cheyennes, hoping to trade them out of some furs. We travelled up the Platte River to Cherry Creek, seeing plenty of fresh Indian signs, but no Indians.

Then came the feast, which included buffalo tongue, the choicest of meats, coffee, hardtack, and molasses. This last article is a favorite with all Indians.

Generally each division has a leader, who gives the order to go. We rode to within a quarter of a mile of the herd before the word was given. Here would have been a grand scene for an artist to put on canvas — this wild array of naked Indians, sending forth yell after yell and riding Uke demons in their eagerness to bring down the first buffalo. For this is quite a feat and is commented upon by the whole village.

I wanted to see the Indians shoot their arrows, which many of them used. One arrow was sufficient to bring the buffalo to its knees. They shot behind the shoulder, sending the arrow deep enough to strike the lungs. One shot there is enough for any animal in the United States.

The Cheyennes were and are to-day a proud and brave people. Their domestic habits were commendable and could be followed to advantage by many white families. To violate the marriage vow meant death or mutilation. This is a rule which does not apply to all tribes. Meat is their principal food, although berries of different kinds are collected in season, as well as various roots. The kettle is on the tripod night and day. They use salt when they can get it, and are very fond of molasses, sugar, coffee, and flour. They are hospitable to those whom they respect, and the reverse to those for whom they have contempt.

When going on the war-path the Indians would take some dried meat and some depuyer to live on, and nothing else, not even if they were to be gone for months.

It is a question in my mind if the Sioux would have recovered these ponies but for us. They will not approach a solid body of timber with a heavy growth of underbrush. I thought then that Indians were not such terrible fighters as some writers made them appear; and my first impressions have never changed, although I have contended against some who apparently knew no fear, but they are exceptions.

I thought the Sioux were cowards, but I have learned by experience since that a white man, on the plains at least, will risk where an Indian dreads.

I have made mention of coup-sticks. While all tribes do not call it by the name “coup," the custom and usages of all are identical. These sticks are generally made of willow, and are from seven to ten feet in length and one inch in diameter. The bark is peeled and they are painted with vermilion, after the

fashion of barbers' poles. Warriors invariably carry these sticks in action, and when a foe falls the one who strikes him with a stick claims the “coup,'' or one brave action done. A brave's valor is determined by the number of ''coups” he has to his credit. Sometimes a half dozen Indians strike the same foe, and each one claims a coup and is entitled to and gets part of the scalp.

There are five Indians down there who shot at and insulted us. They shall have what they would have given us had they been successful in their attack. Boy, never, if possible, let an Indian escape who has once attacked you.'' I was receiving a practical lesson.

A wounded Indian is a

dangerous animal when approached by an enemy.

All Indians dreaded trappers when once brought to bay. Any tribe to-day will confirm this statement. A few shots were exchanged and then the Indians withdrew.

We had an abundance of reading matter with us; old mountain men were all great readers. It was always amusing to me to hear people from the East speak of old mountaineers as semi-barbarians, when as a general rule they were the peers of the Easterners in general knowledge.

All Indians have that weakness, showing their wounds to all and looking for smiles from their lady loves for their bravery.

I fail to see the wonderful strategy with which Indians are credited. I had a quick eye and I observed every move of both parties.

I dashed after a tall Indian, who had his arrow strung, passing him at a run. We both fired at the same time, his arrow lodging in the fleshy part of my horse's shoulder, which would have ruined him if the arrow had had force behind it, but the Indian was scared. My shot knocked him down, and I heard Williams yell out, “ Well done, boy!” There were only three left and they were having a combat with a few young Shoshones who were doing poor execution. Some older men stepped in and put a quietus to any further fighting by sending the three to join their companions in the happy hunting-grounds.

I have heard some men claim that an Indian could lie on the side of a horse and shoot under its neck with bow and arrow, without the use of pad, saddle, or rope ! To my knowledge such is not the case. I have many times been in action with mounted Indians and I have never seen it accomplished.

The domestic habits of the Shoshones are commendable for Indians. They are clean, inclined to be proud, and think a great deal of their women and children. They like to see them well dressed as Indian dress goes. Many of them have more than one wife, but one of the wives is superior to the others, who do all the hard work, such as dressing robes, collecting fuel, and packing the horses. Take them as a whole, the Shoshones are a contented and hospitable tribe and, no doubt owing to Washakie's great influence, friends of the whites.

Leaving the valley Docket and I went across country, keeping a good lookout for bears, of which many signs were visible. About three miles from the trappers' camp we discovered a she-bear with three cubs passing over a ridge. Hurrying to the ridge, we saw the bears about two hundred and fifty yards away, turning over rocks in a hollow. We dismounted and crept to within one hundred yards, when Docket said, “You kill the old one." Taking careful aim I placed the bullet within an inch of the spot aimed for. She bounded forward and rolled over, with blood rushing from mouth and nostrils. Docket shot a cub, the other two running around thoroughly bewildered. We both shot again, each one getting his cub. We took the hide off the old one and packed the young ones to camp. At this season of the year a cub is the daintiest of food, and one which few mortals have an opportunity of partaking of at the present day.

The other men had shot four bears, besides making a good catch in the traps. We were kept busy dressing and stretching until dark.

Give me the man who has been raised among the grand things of nature! He cultivates troth, independence, and self -alliance. He has lofty thoughts and generous impulses. He is true to his friends and true to the flag of his country.

The whites and Indians held shooting contests on horseback, and the former showed their superiority. Three posts were set in the ground, about twenty-five yards apart. They stood six feet out of the ground and were ten inches in diameter. The top of the post was squared for a distance of about twelve inches. The arms to be used were Golfs six-shooters. Horses were to be put at full speed, passing the posts not closer than ten feet, and the contestant was to fire two shots at each post.

With rifles the whites defeated the Indians still worse, shooting at all distances from twenty to three hundred yards. In those days the best rifles used were the Hawkins, and they carried three hundred and fifty yards. Wagers were always made, and the Indians always insisted that the whites should take first shot. Nine times out of ten the whites won, and then the Indians as an excuse would claim that “ their medicine was not strong that day."

After they had disappeared we held a council, and Perkins thought that we would have to give up going any farther south, as their village was located somewhere in that direction. We were not afraid of the Indians, but we wanted to collect furs and would have no opportunity to do this without being greatly annoyed.

Then I thought of Leonidas and his handful of men repelling Xerxes and his immense Persian army.

The Indians, knowing our number, would attack us seven or eight to one, and perhaps more.

Perkins told the Indian to remain outside until he held council with his men. He was quite a diplomat, and made a strong speech to the effect that it would be best to make peace. It would certainly be to our advantage in collecting furs. The Indians had received a repulse which they had not expected. They would now return to their village, taking their dead and wounded, and mourn for many days. This would give us time to trap the Malade River and other streams before they got through mourning.

A vote was taken and resulted in seven wanting to continue the fight and thirteen declaring for peace. We did not fear the Indians, but we wanted to collect furs, not to fight. Perkins told the Indian to go back and bring five of his comrades to our camp.

Almost every shot brought down an Indian, who in the meanwhile attempted to fight with his arrows. In less than three minutes there were eleven dead Indians.

I then spoke to my pony — “ Catch him.'' He needed no whip nor spur, and I never saw him do better. When within fifty feet the Indian wheeled and let fly an arrow, but Runner would spring to the right" or left by pressure of my knee and the arrow flew harmlessly by. Before the Blackfoot could fit another arrow to the string I was close to him and had sent him to join his companions.

Strict orders were given to make every shot count. It demoralizes Indians when they see their comrades fall. A few determined men can stand off a great many Indians. As soon as the foot Indians reached the opposite side of the creek they opened fire. Immediately the mounted Indians with yells and war-whoops began the charge.

The threat always had the effect of restraining them. Indians will not stand a white man's charge. They dread close quarters and get bewildered. I have heard it claimed that the Indians can hold their own in hand-to-hand conflicts. The experiences of old mountain men do not show this to be the case. Fifty determined white men of experience can rout almost any number of Indians. I know that this is so.

A corral was built and rifle-pits dug, the men jokingly saying, “ We are going to have another Bannock rupture with these devils.'' Just before sundown several Indians

All stock was watered and put back in corral, and we all ate breakfast. As these Indians used poisoned arrows the trappers prepared what they called their “coat of mail.'' All the men had heavy blacktail deer skins, which they wore over their shirts or coats, tied or buttoned up to the chin and reaching down to the thighs. Just prior to an engagement these were all soaked in water and wrung out. It is impossible for any arrow, whether iron or flintpointed, to penetrate buckskin so prepared. I have heard many people express doubts as to this, and I have always advised them to wet a piece of buckskin and try to penetrate it with a needle.

eight o'clock fully two hundred Indians had assembled on the knoll and were holding a great council. I told Williams that I would give one hundred dollars to be there and hear their comments on the easy manner in which they were going to “capture these few white dogs'' and all their horses. The thirty Indians whom we had met the day previous had counted our exact number, and had taken note of our fine horses and the many

Modocs Threaten to Rub us Out. The

Seventeen of their bravest warriors made a charge to the east of us and almost reached the corral, when ten of our party met them at close quarters. It was a furious hand-to-hand conflict and showed the great superiority of palefaces over Indians. Pistols, knives and hatchets did terrible work, and in less time than it takes to tell it fifteen of the Indians were dead.

An incident occurred in this same grove during the Modoc war of 1856, which will well illustrate the difference between the whites and Indians in attack and defence.

General Crosby was commander of the whites, and in his command was a company of sixty rangers, the original California Rangers of which I was a member. The Modocs were in possession of this grove, with the rangers on the outside, just the reverse of our present fight. The Indians outnumbered the rangers two to one, but in just one half hour's fighting the rangers routed the Indians, inflicting considerable loss, and secured possession of the

grove.

and Killed. A Sharp Fight and a Decisive Victory. We Capture Forty-three Horses. Our Revenge.

I have been told by intelligent men that it was cruel in us to cremate these Indians. Wherein the cruelty? Do not our leading scientists advocate cremation as the proper mode of disposing of the dead? It was practised in both ancient and modem times. Bear in mind that ninety-eight per cent, of mountain men were pronounced free-thinkers, and as a rule they were more humane, more generous, truer to friends, with less deception than those in civilization, with few exceptions.

A small band of Indians had their village about a half mile from our camp. They were a miserable and degraded set. I doubt if our ancestors of a million years back could have been more so. They could properly be classed with the savages of the flint age, as they used flint for the points of arrows and spears, of indifferent manufacture.

When the Indians saw us mount they gave yell after yell, thinking, no doubt, that we would become paralyzed with fear. They divided and charged us from two sides. We let them get to within one hundred yards, when we halted and brought our rifles into play. Dropping rifles on the ground, we charged them pistols in hand. Fully twenty-five Indians fell from the rifle shots. This bewildered them, and before they could recover we were amongst them.

A fight like this lasts only a few minutes, and very few Indians made their escape. One tall Indian was riding Crawford's horse and he tried to get away, but delayed too long. One of our men caught him and recovered horse, rifle, and pistols.

The Crows are not as intelligent as the Shoshones, and are not to be compared with them in independence and cleanliness.

is the reverse with Shoshones.

It was a sure thing on the Shoshones' side, for in the previous races they had gauged the speed of the Crow ponies.