ld man, a young one,
three women, and a boy: they showed no surprise at the sight of him and
he therefore rode up to them, and after turning his horse loose to
graze sat down and began to converse with them by signs. They had just
finished a repast on some roots, and in about twenty minutes one of the
women spoke to the rest of the party, who immediately went out,
collected their horses and began to saddle them. Having rested himself,
Drewyer thought that he would continue his hunt, and rising went to
catch his horse who was at a short distance, forgetting at the moment to
take up his rifle. He had scarcely gone more than fifty paces when the
Indians mounted their horses, the young man snatched up the rifle, and
leaving all their baggage, whipt their horses, and set off at full speed
towards the passes of the mountains: Drewyer instantly jumped on his
horse and pursued them. After running about ten miles the horses of the
women nearly gave out, and the women finding Drewyer gain on them raised
dreadful cries, which induced the young man to slacken his pace, and
being mounted on a very fleet horse rode round them at a short distance.
Drewyer now came up with the women, and by signs persuaded them that he
did not mean to hurt them: they then stopped, and as the young man came
towards them Drewyer asked him for his rifle, but the only part of the
answer which he understood was Pahkee, the name by which they call their
enemies, the Minnetarees of fort de Prairie. While they were thus
engaged in talking, Drewyer watched his opportunity, and seeing the
Indian off his guard, galloped up to him and seized his rifle: the
Indian struggled for some time, but finding Drewyer getting too strong
for him, had the presence of mind to open the pan and let the priming
fall out; he then let go his hold, and giving his horse the whip escaped
at full speed, leaving the women to the mercy of the conqueror. Drewyer
then returned to where he had first seen them, where he found that their
baggage had been left behind, and brought it to camp with him.

Thursday, 22. This morning early two men were sent to complete the
covering of the cache, which could not be so perfectly done during the
night as to elude the search of the Indians. On examining the spoils
which Drewyer had obtained, they were found to consist of several
dressed and undressed skins; two bags wove with the bark of the silk
grass, each containing a bushel of dried serviceberries, an