64 LIFE IN THE FAB WEST. 



knew, and for his ' braves.' Let the White-face go back to 

 his people and return with the animals, or he, the * Brave 

 Bear,' would have to come and take them ; and his young 

 men would get mad and would feel blood in their eyes ; 

 and then he would have no power over them ; and the 

 whites would have to * go under.' " 



The trapper answered shortly. " The Long-knives," he 

 said, " had brought the horses for themselves their hearts 

 were big, but not towards the Yanka-taus ; and if they had 

 to give up their animals, it would be to men and not squaws. 

 They were not ' wah-keitcha'* (French engages), but Long- 

 knives ; and, however short were the tongues of the Yanka- 

 taus, theirs were still shorter, and their rifles longer. The 

 Yanka-taus were dogs and squaws, and the Long-knives 

 spat upon them." 



Saying this, the trapper turned his back and rejoined his 

 companions ; whilst the Indian slowly proceeded to his 

 people, who, on learning the contemptuous way in which 

 their threats had been treated, testified their anger with 

 loud yells ; and, seeking whatever cover was afforded, com- 

 menced a scattering volley upon the camp of the mountain- 

 eers. The latter reserved their fire, treating with cool in- 

 difference thfe balls which began to rattle about them ; but 

 as the Indians, emboldened by this apparent inaction, 

 rushed for a closer position, and exposed their bodies with- 

 in a long range, half-a-dozen rifles rang from the assailed, 

 and two Indians fell dead, one or two more being wounded. 

 As yet, not one of the whites had been touched, but several 

 of the animals had received wounds from the enemy's fire 

 of balls and arrows. Indeed, the Indians remained at too 

 great a distance to render the volleys from their crazy 

 fusees anything like effectual, and had to raise their pieces 

 considerably to make their bullets reach as far as the camp. 

 After three of their band had been killed outright, and 

 many more wounded, their fire began to slacken, and they 

 drew off to a greater distance, evidently resolved to beat a 



* The French Canadians are called icah-kettcha "bad medi- 

 cine " by the Indians, who account them treacherous and vin- 

 dictive, and at the same time less daring than the American hunters. 



