Memories of a Bear Hunter 



As we were soon to come upon the trail where 

 the moving Nez Perces Indians had passed 

 through the Yellowstone National Park, I give 

 here a short account of what we saw and heard of 

 their operations there. 



The Nez Perces Indians 23 had arrived at 

 Henry's Lake, near the western border of Yellow- 

 stone Park, on their route to the buffalo country, 

 and to a refuge from the whites across the Canada 

 border. It is not out of place to relate in detail 

 the causes of this outbreak of this tribe. 



Some time about 1840, the Nez Perces, as well 

 as the Flatheads and some other tribes of Indians 

 on the western slope of the Continental Divide, 

 had been converted to Christianity, through the 

 efforts of Father de Smet, of St. Louis, and his co* 

 laborers, and had remained Christians. The Nez 

 Perces had a valuable reservation around the 

 Lemhi Agency on Snake River, which soon at- 

 tracted the greed of the aggressive white men. 

 They commenced a system of encroachments, re- 

 sulting first in individual killing, then the killing 

 increased until the entire tribe turned out on the 

 war path and all the white men in their reach were 

 killed. The movements of the military forced 

 them to action. 



Under Chief Joseph and Chief Looking Glass 

 53 



