Mr.
Hunt held some conference with the remaining savage, and then recrossed
the river to his party.
These two Indians proved to be spies or scouts of a large war party
encamped about a league off, and numbering two hundred and eighty
lodges, or about six hundred warriors, of three different tribes
of Sioux; the Yangtons Ahna, the Tetons Bois-brule, and the Tetons
Min-na-kine-azzo. They expected daily to be reinforced by two other
tribes, and had been waiting eleven days for the arrival of Mr. Hunt's
party, with a determination to oppose their progress up the river; being
resolved to prevent all trade of the white men with their enemies the
Arickaras, Mandans, and Minatarees. The Indian who had galloped off on
horseback had gone to give notice of the approach of the party, so that
they might now look out for some fierce scenes with those piratical
savages, of whom they had received so many formidable accounts.
The party braced up their spirits to the encounter, and reembarking,
pulled resolutely up the stream. An island for some time intervened
between them and the opposite side of the river; but on clearing the
upper end, they came in full view of the hostile shore. There was a
ridge of hills down which the savages were pouring in great numbers,
some on horseback, and some on foot.
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