However, he was not long kept in suspense; one of
his men came back, and reported a wonderful adventure with a "big squaw,
taller than the greatest warrior," who killed a number of the Indians, he
said, and when two of the others undertook to get down the chimney, "big
squaw took up mighty great wallet, all full of feathers, more than was on
all the eagles of all the hunting grounds of the red men, and tearing it
open, easy as we tear a leaf, poured them on the fire. Big black smoke puff
up quick as powder flash, and down come Indian like he shot. White squaw
take up big tomahawk, and strike both on the head. Me nearly in the door by
this time; big squaw jump at me with he great tomahawk, so big the great
chief no lift it, and lifted it to strike. Me no like to be killed by old
squaw, so me come away." A very marvelous story told the Indians, full of
high flourishes and exaggerations, but founded on truth, nevertheless.[B]
[Footnote B: "Western Adventure," page 187.]
Durant saw that some mistake had been made, and that his attempt had
signally failed, notwithstanding his confidence and boasting, and the care
with which he had laid his "hidden toils." He was greatly exasperated at
the failure of his plots, on the success of which he had built such
sanguine hopes.
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