 | CHAPTER III. The Crayon miscellany |  |
3. CHAPTER III.
An Indian Agency. Riflemen. Osages, Creeks,
trappers, dogs, horses, half-breeds. Beatte the
huntsman.
Having crossed the ford, we soon reached
the Osage Agency, where Col. Choteau has his
offices and magazines, for the despatch of Indian
affairs, and the distribution of presents and supplies.
It consisted of a few log houses on the
banks of the river, and presented a motley frontier
scene. Here was our escort awaiting our
arrival; some were on horseback, some on foot,
some seated on the trunks of fallen trees, some
crew; some in frock coats made of green blankets;
others in leathern hunting shirts, but the
most part in marvellously ill cut garments, much
the worse for wear, and evidently put on for rugged
service.
Near by these was a group of Osages: stately
fellows; stern and simple in garb and aspect.
They wore no ornaments; their dress consisted
merely of blankets, leathern leggins, and moccasons.
Their heads were bare; their hair was
cropped close, excepting a bristling ridge on the
top, like the crest of a helmet, with a long scalp
lock hanging behind. They had fine Roman
countenances, and broad deep chests; and, as
they generally wore their blankets wrapped
round their loins, so as to leave the bust and arms
bare, they looked like so many noble bronze
figures. The Osages are the finest looking Indians
I have ever seen in the west. They have
not yielded sufficiently, as yet, to the influence
of civilization to lay by their simple Indian garb,
or to lose the habits of the hunter and the warrior;
and their poverty prevents their indulging
in much luxury of apparel.
In contrast to these was a gaily dressed party
of Creeks. There is something, at the first
glance, quite oriental in the appearance of this
tribe. They dress in calico hunting shirts, of
fringes, and belted with broad girdles, embroidered
with beads: they have leggins of dressed
deer skins, or of green or scarlet cloth, with
embroidered knee bands and tassels: their moccasons
are fancifully wrought and ornamented,
and they wear gaudy handkerchiefs tastefully
bound round their heads.
Beside these, there was a sprinkling of trappers,
hunters, half-breeds, creoles, negroes of
every hue; and all that other rabble rout of nondescript
beings that keep about the frontiers,
between civilized and savage life, as those equivocal
birds, the bats, hover about the confines of
light and darkness.
The little hamlet of the agency was in a complete
bustle; the blacksmith's shed, in particular,
was a scene of preparation; a strapping negro
was shoeing a horse; two half-breeds were fabricating
iron spoons in which to melt lead for bullets.
An old trapper, in leathern hunting frock
and moccasons, had placed his rifle against a
work bench, while he superintended the operation,
and gossipped about his hunting exploits;
several large dogs were lounging in and out of
the shop, or sleeping in the sunshine, while a little
cur, with head cocked on one side, and one ear
erect, was watching, with that curiosity common
to little dogs, the process of shoeing the horse,
to be shod.
We found the Count and his companion, the
Virtuoso, ready for the march. As they intended
to overtake the Osages, and pass some time
in hunting the buffalo and the wild horse, they
had provided themselves accordingly; having,
in addition to the steeds which they used for
travelling, others of prime quality, which were
to be led when on the march, and only to be
mounted for the chase.
They had, moreover, engaged the services of
a young man named Antoine, a half-breed of
French and Osage origin. He was to be a kind
of Jack-of-all-work; to cook, to hunt, and to take
care of the horses; but he had a vehement propensity
to do nothing, being one of the worthless
brood engendered and brought up among the
missions. He was, moreover, a little spoiled by
being really a handsome young fellow, an Adonis
of the frontier, and still worse by fancying
himself highly connected, his sister being concubine
to an opulent white trader!
For our own parts, the Commissioner and
myself were desirous, before setting out, to procure
another attendant well versed in wood
craft, who might serve us as a hunter; for our
little Frenchman would have his hands full when
in camp, in cooking, and on the march, in taking
himself, or rather was recommended to us, in
Pierre Beatte, a half-breed of French and Osage
parentage. We were assured that he was acquainted
with all parts of the country, having
traversed it in all directions, both in hunting and
war parties; that he would be of use both as
guide and interpreter, and that he was a first
rate hunter.
I confess I did not like his looks when he was
first presented to me. He was lounging about,
in an old hunting frock and metasses or leggins,
of deer skin, soiled and greased, and almost japanned
by constant use. He was apparently
about thirty-six years of age, square and strongly
built. His features were not bad, being shaped
not unlike those of Napoleon, but sharpened
up, with high Indian cheek bones. Perhaps the
dusky greenish hue of his complexion, aided his
resemblance to an old bronze bust I had seen of
the Emperor. He had, however, a sullen, saturnine
expression, set off by a slouched woollen
hat, and elf locks that hung about his ears.
Such was the appearance of the man, and his
manners were equally unprepossessing. He was
cold and laconic; made no promises or professions;
stated the terms he required for the services
of himself and his horse, which we thought
rather high, but showed no disposition to abate
He had altogether more of the red than the white
man in his composition; and, as I had been
taught to look upon all half-breeds with distrust,
as an uncertain and faithless race, I would gladly
have dispensed with the services of Pierre Beatte.
We had no time, however, to look about for any
one more to our taste, and had to make an arrangement
with him on the spot. He then set
about making his preparations for the journey,
promising to join us at our evening's encampment.
One thing was yet wanting to fit me out for
the Prairies—a thoroughly trust-worthy steed:
I was not yet mounted to my mind. The grey
I had bought, though strong and serviceable,
was rough. At the last moment I succeeded in
getting an excellent animal; a dark bay; powerful,
active, generous-spirited, and in capital condition.
I mounted him with exultation, and
transferred the silver grey to Tonish, who was
in such ecstasies at finding himself so completely
en Cavalier, that I feared he might realize the
ancient and well known proverb of “a beggar
on horseback.”
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