Volume 1

AN OBJECT OF SUSPICION.
I07
they would certainly kill him. During all this bustle he sat
in his tent singing and saying he was not afraid to die ;
he
had not even a knife with which to defend himself. At
four o'clock the wounded woman awoke. Her friends
insisted upon her drinking with them, telling her it would
do her good ; she accordingly did so and was drunk all
night.
Toward evening I
took my gun and went out for a walk
in the meadow to evade the Indians, as they were drunk
and troublesome. On turning about I perceived at some
distance, in a low piece of ground, something like a bear
moving in the long grass, along the river on the plain
between my fort and Park river. I had no doubt it was a
bear, and, being close to the bank, I ran down opposite to
where I supposed it would pass. Having crawled to the
bank of the river, I raised myself up with my gun cocked
;
but nothing appeared. I advanced a little further; nothing
was to be seen, although I could have discerned a ground
squirrel, had he been within half a mile. I ran to an oak
and climbed up to the top ; still saw nothing. I could not
conceive in what manner it could have escaped me. When
I first perceived the object, it appeared to stretch out the
neck, which did not resemble that of a bear, look toward
me, then toward the fort, and immediately disappear. I
went to the spot, but could perceive no tracks. I could distinctly
hear the Indians singing and talking. I went home
and, although it was getting dark, I informed Desmarais
We
privately, desiring him to take his gun and go with me.
went to the place, made a circuit, and searched a long time
in vain. Desmarais insisted upon its being a Sioux discoverer
[scout or spy], and attempted to show me many ways
by which he might have prevented my seeing him after I
had gone down to the bank. Let this be as it may.
On our return I was surprised to find the gates shut, and
all the men, women, and children still half drunk, in a row
Everyone
along the stockade, bawling out for admittance.
was loaded with his own baggage, kettle, and blanket, pup-