my tribe with blood. I shot the murderer at arm's length
and in his own lodge., He did not die. His wound is
healed now. He is waiting to kill me. I am not afraid, I
am a chief too. Black-robe, I have heard your word, and
I have new feelings in my heart. I would like to make peace with my enemy; but his heart is so sore that he will not hear of any arrangement. My brother has done all that he could, but he still keeps his resolution of shedding my blood. This is what I will do; I will offer him a horse to cover up his wound. If he is satisfied, it is good. If not I shall kill him."
The Black-robes, as may be guessed, were of opinion that everything ought to be tried before coming to the latter alternative. I even offered myself as mediator between them, and we made a vow to the Holy Virgin, that the affair might be settled amicably. For, as I had never witnessed the spilling of one drop of human blood, I felt assured that Almighty God would spare me the painful sight on this present occasion. We rode on. Little Chief and his companions prepare their arrows and load their guns. When we are within sight of the fort, two Blackfeet come out in haste to meet us; they tell Little Chief that if he or any of his men come nearer, their lives are in danger. They return
at once to announce our arrival. Soon the great bell of the fort is heard. In honor of whom? It is the priests to whom this honor is addressed; for the defenders of the fort are French, or Spanish, or Canadians, that is to say, nearly all Catholics. Paying no heed to the advice we have received, we start for the fort at a gallop. The gates were opened to us at once and all the whites saluted us with the greatest cordiality, despite the absence of the commandant, who came in a few minutes later to add still further to the civilities with which we were greeted. After the first compliments, two horses are brought up to us, and we repair to an island in the Missouri, upon which are a dozen lodges of the Blood Blackfeet, and in the midst of them that of the murderer in question. The extreme cleanliness that pre