THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE. 121 



fair-minded historian, Mr. J. P. Dunn, entitled "The Massacres of the 

 Mountains," a narrative is given, drawn from official documents and 

 other authentic sources, of the outbreak of the Nez-perces in 1876. 

 After enduring many wrongs with unexampled patience, they resisted 

 at last an order so manifestly unjust that the military officers charged 

 with its execution had protested against it — an order to de])rive tliem 

 of their lands. They were led by their famous chief, " Nez-perce 

 Josejih," whom the historian pronounces " the ablest uneducated 

 chief the world ever saw." In the preliminary negotiations, the 

 American commissioners reported that '' he exhibited an alertness 

 and dexterity in intellectual fencing that was quite remarkable." His 

 influence long withheld his people from rising. When they could no 

 longer be restrained, he put himself at their head, and displayed 

 as a leader talents worthy of Hannibal or Sertorius. He gained 

 battles by most ingenious strategy, and, when repulsed by numbers, 

 proved himself as formidable in retreat as in advance. Unable to 

 maintain his ground against the forces of the American army, he 

 adopted a bold resolution. The famous " Retreat of the Ten Thou- 

 sand " was about to be surpassed by these indomitable barbarians. 

 Oathering his whole tribe, old and young, women and children, with 

 his mounted warriors in front and lear, Joseph took up his desperate 

 march, tar eastward and northward, towards the Canadian line. The 

 distance was a thousand miles. The track led over the Rocky Moun- 

 tains in their ruggedest defiles, through wide rivers treacherous with 

 quicksands, and across long stretches of broken and arid plains. The 

 pursuing troops, guided by Indian scouts — the savage Bannocks — 

 hung upon the rear of the fugitives. Other troops from the forts on 

 the plains came hui'rying to intercept them. Joseph fought his way 

 thi'ough all, defeating them, capturing horses and ammunition, and in 

 •one instance a howitzer. His warriors who fell were scalped and 

 mutilated by the Bannock scouts ; their women when captured were 

 •subjected to every indignity. The Nez-perces refused to retaliate. 

 No slain enemy was scalped by them. The white women who were 

 taken were dismissed by them unharmed. Their conduct and their 

 wrongs awakened the sympathy even of the rude pioneer settlers. 

 When these were called upon to assist the soldiers, they replied, in 

 their expressive frontier phrase, that they " had not lost any Indians," 

 ■and consequently had no occasion to hunt for any. They traded 



