Volume 1

l6o
NEEDLESS ALARM—NOSELESS FAT EARTH.
meat, and my negro went to his traps, so that I was alone.
I cHmbed my oak as usual for a view of the plains ; bulls
and red deer were passing. Suddenly I saw to the S. W.
a person coming on horseback. I supposed it to be somebody
on Crow's mare who had made an unusual turn southward
on a hunting excursion. But soon after I perceived
a second person on horseback, and then a third, coming
full speed, raising a cloud of snow. I was perplexed to
know what this could mean, being fully persuaded there
were no horses in that quarter but Crow's mare. When
they came within about a mile of me, I thought it was
high time to prepare for battle. Accordingly I made the
best of my way into the fort, shut the door and barred
the gates, ran into the house for my gun, and repaired to
the S. W. bastion, where I took my stand, reflecting that
this certainly was my last day. However, I was determined
to defend myself as long as I could. As I peered through
the loop-holes, I saw them enter the little wood, and on a
nearer approach recognized their faces. I jumped down,
leaving the gun in the bastion, and opened the gates before
they reached the stockade, as I did not wish them to know
of my alarm. They had been to all the Indian camps to
carry tobacco concerning the war," and were on their
way to their tents from Salt river ; they had chased a herd
of buffalo, which had taken them out of their road.
They had purchased their horses from the Crees at the
Hair hills. On the 19th some of the Red Lake Indians,
having traded here for liquor which they took to their
camp, quarreled among themselves. Cautoquoince ^*
jumped on Terre Grasse, and bit his nose off. It was some
time before the piece could be found ;
but at last, by
tumbling and tossing the straw about, it was recovered,
32 That is, these Indian runners had been canvassing the subject of going to
war, and had as usual taken tobacco to smoke in
council with those whom they
wished to draw into that enterprise.
^ Name not found before, but probably same as Quiniss, No. 35 of the list
on p. 54. For a similar nose-biting story, see Tanner, p. 164.