Page:The life and adventures of James P. Beckwourth, mountaineer, scout, pioneer, and chief of the Crow nation of Indians (IA lifeadventuresof00beckrich).pdf/276

262 raw hides for many of the men; still a number were badly frozen in their bodies and limbs.

This was my Russian campaign. I lost more men, and suffered more from the cold on this expedition, than in any other in which I had command either before or since.

The boys reached the fort with the horses before we did. They had more than enough to mount us all on our way home. There was great joy at the fort at our return in such numbers, as they had supposed it impossible for one of us to escape.

When I left the lamented Hunter upon the field, he said, "Jim, when you pass this way, I ask you to take my bones to the fort, and have them buried. Write home to my friends, and inform them of my fate. Good-bye! Now go and save yourself."

"It shall be done," I said; and the following spring it was done as I had promised.

We rested at the fort four or five days to recruit ourselves. While staying there, a party of thirty warriors from Long Hair's village came to see how they were progressing with the fort. There were some in my party who belonged to that village, and they returned with them. They also informed us where our village was, as it had been removed during our absence. Having provided ourselves with robes in the place of those we had left behind, we started onward with dejected feelings, and in deep mourning.

On our arrival we found the village likewise in mourning. They had lost four warriors by the Black Feet while resisting an attempt to steal our horses. When informed of our disaster, there was a general renewal of their lamentations; more fingers were lopped, and heads again scarified. The Medicine Calf had been defeated, and for some hidden cause the Great Spirit was again wroth with the Crows.