About the same time two traders from another fur company appeared and one had liquor and the other goods to trade. The Indians were treated, and as usual, commenced to fight. In the end they attacked the other trader. He was compelled to flee, and through the friendly assistance of squaws, he managed to escape with his life. His goods were taken, and one of the Indians who had defended him, was

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

murdered, while several others suffered wounds.

Not long after, Choteau's man was shot at three or four times, and one of his guards wounded. Another, while serving liquor was stabbed, and but for timely assistance would have been murdered. And still another was compelled to stand over a hot fire, nearly roasting alive, while Indians helped themselves to his stock. Two warriors entered a trader's post for a blanket. They were intoxicated and one of them was in the act of stabbing an unsuspecting clerk, when Sage caught his wrist. This trader was later, when surrounded by all his men. shot at and narrowly escaped death. And then, one night a party of Indians tried to burn his store, but the logs were too green to burn.

Sage was a partisan of the American Fur Company, and sought to enlist the interest of an old chief, by giving him a "soldier suit" to wear. Bull Eagle, another chief, was intoxicated and laughed at him. Inflamed he rushed to Sage's quarters, intending to kill "Yellow Hair," as Sage was called. He was tall, well made, and wild-eyed. Bull Eagle, in sudden anger appeared, and made a thrust at him with his knife, but the old chief caught the blade and nearly severed two of his fingers. His wife then interfered, but twenty of the partisans fought it out, while the white people stood around observing neutrality.