explained their willingness to enter into relations with the surrounding nations, as well as with the white men.
“But,” said Pee-eye-em, the chief of the Shirry-dikas, a man above six feet high, and of immense muscular strength—“but my tribe cannot answer for the Banattees, who are robbers and cannot be punished, because they dwell in scattered families among the mountains. The Banattees are bad; they cannot be trusted.”
None of the Banattees were present at the council when this was said; and if they had been it would have mattered little, for they were neither fierce nor courageous, although bold enough in their haunts to murder and rob the unwary.
The second chief did not quite agree with Pee-eye-em. He said that it was impossible for them to make peace with their natural enemies, the Peigans and the Blackfeet, on the east side of the mountains. It was very desirable, but neither would consent to it, he felt sure.
Upon this Joe Blunt rose and said,—
“The great chief of the War-are-ree-kas is wise, and knows that enemies cannot be reconciled unless deputies are sent to make proposals of peace.
“The Pale-face does not know the Blackfeet,” answered the chief. “Who will go into the lands of the Blackfeet? My young men have been sent once and again, and their scalps are now fringes to the leggings of their enemies. The War-are-ree-kas do not cross the mountains but for the purpose of making war.”
“The chief speaks truth,” returned Joe; “yet there are three men round the council fire who will go to the Blackfeet and the Peigans with messages of peace from the Snakes if they wish it.”
Joe pointed to himself, Henri, and Dick as he spoke, and added,—“We do not belong to the fur-traders; we only lodge with them for a time. The Great Chief of the white men has sent us to make peace with the Red-men, and to tell them that he desires to trade with them —to exchange hatchets, and guns, and blankets for furs.”
This declaration interested the two chiefs greatly, and after a good deal of discussion they agreed to take advantage of Joe Blunt’s offer, and appoint him as deputy to the court of their enemies. Having arranged these matters to their satisfaction, Cameron bestowed a red flag and a blue surtout with brass buttons on each of the chiefs, and a variety of smaller articles on the other
