Red Plume — page 34: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

84 ! RED PLUME. . inquiring into the truth of the report that hostile Indians were in the neighborhood As has been seen, it was not long before he discovered, by unpleasant experience, that the report was true. That night, in order still further to conciliate his new fienda, and to gain their good-will, Captain Steele gave a grand “ blow-out,” at which large amounts of alcohol and hone, and unlimited quantities of buffalo-meat, were disposed of, greatly to the satisfaction of all concerned. The trappers ‘yoted Captain Steele a “jolly good fellow,” and they “ walked into” the eatables and drinkables, in the style of men who had undertaken to eat and drink as much as possible in the short- est possible time. The result was, a vast deal of noise, boast- ing and rhodomontade, and a few private fights. The affair passed off in a reasonably quiet manner, however, the influence of Captain Steele being sufficient to prevent the occasional en- counters from spreading until they attained the proportions of a general or “free” fight, and nearly all. had settled down upon the ground, before daybreak, to sleep off the effecis of their exertions and their strong potations. There was one free and independent trapper eeaitt who, as atype of his class, and as being intimately connected with this tale, deserves a slight description. He was not one of the gay and rollicking party that had arrived in the morning, but had been traveling with Captain Steele for nearly two: weeks, and had been intimately acquainted with him: for years. In dress, habits and disposition, however, he was as much a roving son of the mountains as any of them... Bill Bush was aman of about forty-five years of age, rather short and stout, active and athletic, and the proprietor of a very sharp pair of eyes, and of a nose which, as he boasted, could smell an In- dian trail or a beaver-track 4 mile off. _He was dressed in. a long, leather hunting-skirt, reaching to the knee, curiously stamped, and ornamented with a profusion of bright colors and with gaudy fringes on the collar and sleeves; loosely fitting leggings, fringed with particolored ribbon, and ornamented with winiature bells ; moccasins of the best quality, quaintly embroid- ered with beads by the careful hands of some Indian woman ; a belt of scarlet leather, in which were placed a fine pair of pistols, a glittering knife, and an Indian pipe; and a neat cap conmicloooks.com ae