After we were well started, I noticed that the Indians broke up into small bands. That night there were only twenty-five tepees left in our camp. Washakie said that it was better to travel in small parties, for we could make better time and get better pasture for our horses.
In two or three days we reached the big river where I had come near choking the papoose to death with my rope. It was quite wide and the current was very swift where we forded it. When we got in the deepest place, mother’s horse stumbled over a boulder and fell, and away went mother down the stream; for she could not withstand the swift current. I saw her going and started after her, but I could not catch her until she was carried into the deep, quieter waters. My horse was a good swimmer, and I was soon at her side. I pulled her to the bank and tried to help her out of the water, but the willows were so thick at this place we had a hard time getting on land. Washakie hurried to the rescue.
“You came nearly going to the Happy Hunting Grounds that time, mother,” he said.
Washakie thought that we had better stop there so that mother could put on dry clothes and get over her scare, for he was afraid it would make her sick. We pitched camp for the night by a grove of cottonwoods near the river.
Just before dark an Indian came running in and told Washakie that the Crows had overtaken a small bunch of our Indians and had killed them and taken all their horses. Washakie ordered the War Chief to take every one of our warriors and follow the Crows clear into the Crow country if necessary to punish them. The War Chief told his men to get ready for a long trip, and the women and children to hide in the willows until they heard from them. I never saw greater excitement among the squaws and papooses than we had that night. They were bawling, and yelling, and rushing everywhere.
“Come on, Yagaki,” called mother, “let us get into the brush.”
“Not much,” I said, “I am going with the warriors to kill Crows.”
Mother grabbed me by one arm and Hanabi by the other, and mother began to cry and say to Washakie,
“Make him come; make him come.”
Washakie laughed and said that I was just fooling, that I hadn’t lost any Crows. He said that he was going to guard the camp.