the arrow then leveled at him. The boy must have shot the arrow with enormous force, for it entered under the lower left rib, the barb passing out under the right shoulder, leaving nothing but the feathers to be seen where it entered.
The chief fell dead. In an instant a volley was poured in upon the boy - his horse fell perfectly riddled, with the
rider under him. He was stunned by the fall, and lay to
all appearances dead. According to the custom of the Indians, of inflicting a heavy blow upon the dead body of their enemy, he received while in this position a severe stroke from each individual of the several bands of Crows that passed him. He was taken up half dead by his own tribe, when they passed in pursuit of the enemy.
The ardor and impetuosity of the young men belonging to the Flathead camp amazed the oldest warriors present, and formed the theme of universal admiration, as well as the dread of their enemies. Even the women of the Flat
heads mingled in the fray. One, the mother of seven chil
dren, conducted her own sons into the battle-field. Having perceived that the horse of her eldest son was breaking down in a single combat with a Crow, she threw herself between the combatants, and with a knife put the Crow to flight. Another, a young woman, perceiving that the quivers of her party were nearly exhausted, coolly collected, amidst a shower of arrows, those that lay scattered around her, and
brought them to replenish the nearly exhausted store. The celebrated Mary Quille,' already distinguished in numerous battles, pursued, with axe in hand, a Crow, and having failed
to come up with him, returned, saying: " I thought that
these great talkers were men. I was mistaken: it is not worth while even for women to attempt to chase them."
The little party of Blackfeet, animated by a spirit of revenge for the loss of half their tribe, massacred the preceding year by the Crows, and probably influenced by a feeling of
4 Fr. Marie Quilax. No clew is found in Father De Smet's writings as to the term " celebrated " here used.