Mr. Stuart preserved his temper and again shook his head negatively.  The chief then seized the bridle, gave it a jerk that scared the horse, and nearly brought Mr. Stuart to the ground.  Mr. Stuart immediately drew his pistol and presented it at the head of the impudent savage.  Instantly his bullying ended, and he dodged behind the horse to get away from the intended shot.  As the rest of the Crow warriors were looking on at the movement of their chief, Mr. Stuart ordered his men to level their rifles at them, but not to fire.  Upon this demonstration the whole band incontinently fled, and were soon out of sight.

The chief, finding himself alone, with true savage dissimulation began to laugh, and pretended the whole affair was intended only as a joke.  Mr. Stuart did not relish this kind of joking, but it would not do to provoke a quarrel; so he joined the chief in his laugh with the best grace he could affect, and to pacify the savage for his failure to procure the horse, gave him some powder, and they parted professedly the best of friends.

It was discovered, after the savage had cleared out, that they had managed to steal nearly all the cooking utensils of the party.

To avoid meeting the savages again, Mr. Stuart changed his route farther to the north, leaving Bear River, and following a large branch of that stream which came down from the mountains.  After marching twenty-five miles from the scene of their meeting with the Crows, they camped, and that night hobbled all their animals.  They preserved a strict guard, and every man slept with his rifle on his arm, as they suspected the savages might attempt to stampede their horses.

Next day their course continued northward, and soon their trail began to ascend the hills, from the top of which they had an extended view of the surrounding country.  Not the sign of an Indian was to be seen, but they did not feel secure and kept a very vigilant watch upon every ravine and defile as they approached it.  Making twenty-one miles that day, they encamped on the bank of another stream still running north.  While there an alarm of Indians was given, and instantly every man was on his feet with rifle ready to sell his life only at the greatest cost.  Indians there were, but they proved to be three miserable Snakes, who were no sooner informed that a band of Crows were in the neighbourhood, than they ran off in great trepidation.

Six days afterward they encamped on the margin of Mud River, nearly a hundred and fifty miles from where they had met the impudent Crows.  Now the party began to believe themselves beyond the possibility of any further trouble from them, and foolishly relaxed their usual vigilance.  The next morning they were up at the first streak of day, and began to prepare their breakfast, when suddenly the cry of “Indians!  Indians! to arms! to arms!” sounded through the camp.