246 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



in the biggest kind of crowd. For twenty year I 

 packed a squaw along. Not one, but a many. First I 

 had a Blackfoot the darndest slut as ever cried for 

 fofarrow. I lodge-poled her on Colter's Creek, and 

 made her quit. My buffler hos, and as good as four 

 packs of beaver, I gave for old Bull-tail's daughter. He 

 was head chief of the Bicaree, and 'came' nicely ' round' 

 me. Thar wasn't enough scarlet cloth, nor beads, nor 

 vermilion in Subletted packs for her. Traps wouldn't 

 buy her all the fofarrow she wanted ; and in two years 

 I'd sold her to Cross-Eagle for one of Jake Hawkin's 

 guns this very one I hold in my hands. Then I tried 

 the Sioux, the Shian, and a Digger from the other side, 

 who made the best mocassin as ever / wore. She was 

 the best of all, and was rubbed out by the Yutas in 

 the Bayou Salade. Bad was the best ; and after she 

 was gone under, I tried no more. 



" Afore I left the settlements I know'd a white gal, 

 and she was some punkins. I have never see'd nothing 

 as 'ould beat her. Bed blood won't ' shine ' any ways 

 you fix it ; and though I'm h for ' sign,' a woman's 

 breast is the hardest kind of rock to me, and leaves no 

 trail that I can see of. I've hearn you talk of a gal in 

 Memphis county ; Mary Brand you called her oncest. 

 The gal I said / know'd, her name I disremember, but 

 she stands before me as plain as Chimley Rock on 

 Platte, and thirty year and more har'nt changed a 

 feature in her face, to me. 



" If you ask this child, he'll tell you to leave the 

 Spanish slut to her Greasers, and hold on till you take 



