IN THE FAR WEST. 257 



was a stout, medium-sized man, about fifty years of age, and 

 was dressed in a glaring scarlet blanket, leggings of the same 

 material, and a hare-skin cap covered his head. He was 

 evidently a personage of importance, for he walked with a 

 certain air that indicated he was a chief, or at least a sub- 

 ehief. My companion, who was waiting for some overt act to 

 be done before commencing the battle, scanned him closely, 

 and after a scrutiny of a few seconds, said : " Why, I know that 

 old buck well ; that's Bannock Jem ; and I think he ought to 

 know me. I've made a fool of myself this time anyway. 

 Let's get out of here at once; but we mus'nt go the front 

 way, as they might think we were afraid and were hiding from 

 them, and we don't want any Injuns to think that." 



We therefore retreated for some distance, then struck to the 

 right and approached the camp in a roundabout way, to lead 

 our visitors to infer that we had been out hunting, yet we took 

 excellent care to have our rifles ready for instant use. When 

 we reached our head-quarters we saw some of the Indians un- 

 loosening our packs of provisions, and helping themselves to 

 some of them, but on seeing us they stopped their work 

 immediately, and looked at us with an air in which there was 

 not a little fear and suspicion. 



When my companion saw the chief, for such he proved to 

 be, he advanced towards him, held out his hand, and said 

 " How," and the salutation was promptly and, for an Indian, 

 earnestly returned. Both then conversed together for ton 

 minutes or more in the Indian language, the remainder of the 

 parly being wondering spectators; and when it was over mv 

 comrade gave the chief some tobacco, buckshot, tea, coffee, and 

 sugar. The others received a present of tobacco, but nothing 

 else, as the donor said he had not food enough to last while we 

 intended to be out. This seemed to satisfy them, for on going 

 away all said " How " to both of us, and a few moments later 

 vanished in the forest. 



I asked my companion who the Indians were, and how he 

 happened to know them so well ; and he, in response, told me 

 the following story : 



"'Bout twenty years ago I was trapping in the Blackleet 



