A formal talk ensued. The Blackfeet said nothing of the late battle, of
which Fontenelle had as yet received no accounts; the latter, however,
knew the hostile and perfidious nature of these savages, and took care
to inform them of the encampment of Captain Bonneville, that they might
know there were more white men in the neighborhood. The conference
ended, Fontenelle sent a Delaware Indian of his party to conduct fifteen
of the Blackfeet to the camp of Captain Bonneville. There was [sic]
at that time two Crow Indians in the captain's camp, who had recently
arrived there. They looked with dismay at this deputation from their
implacable enemies, and gave the captain a terrible character of them,
assuring him that the best thing he could possibly do, was to put those
Blackfeet deputies to death on the spot. The captain, however, who had
heard nothing of the conflict at Pierre's Hole, declined all compliance
with this sage counsel. He treated the grim warriors with his usual
urbanity. They passed some little time at the camp; saw, no doubt, that
everything was conducted with military skill and vigilance; and that
such an enemy was not to be easily surprised, nor to be molested with
impunity, and then departed, to report all that they had seen to their
comrades.
The two scouts which Captain Bonneville had sent out to seek for the
band of free trappers, expected by Fontenelle, and to invite them to
his camp, had been successful in their search, and on the 12th of August
those worthies made their appearance.
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