When dawn was beginning to push back the shadows of the night, an Indian herder came out to look after the ponies; he stumbled over the waiting soldiers. The alarm was given immediately and the herder was shot and killed. Instantly all was in confusion. Braves forgot their guns and fled; ponies broke bounds and ran wild; dogs barked; but the Indians reformed rapidly and the battle was on. It lasted all day and the Indians fought like demons. They captured the only cannon and two thousand rounds of ammunition. They set fire to the grass in which the troops had hid so that the soldiers were nearly suffocated at first, but the wind changed and the smoke blew in the red men’s faces. The troops were cheered by this turn in their favor, and fought bravely and desperately, although they had been so long without proper food or sleep. Suddenly the firing ceased. A captured man had told the Indians that more “walking soldiers” were coming. Fearing to be utterly destroyed the Indians fled, leaving eighty-nine dead men on the battle-field. Chief Joseph was compelled to surrender when only eighty miles from the Dominion line where strategic measures were used. In his desperate attempt for freedom, and by the record of his later life, he gained the high esteem of the United States government for his lofty character. His people had honorable intentions but they found it hard to submit to the conquering white man. Illustration: Courtesy of the American Bureau of Ethnology. CHIEF JOSEPH, LEADER OF THE NEZ PERCÉS AT THE BATTLE OF BIG HOLE As Brother Van reached Big Hole on his way to Missoula a scene of horror greeted his eyes. The bodies of the lately fallen heroes had been hurriedly buried, for another Indian attack was impending. A storm had followed which made the earth so soft that the prowling wild beasts of the plains had exhumed the bodies of the brave men and were devouring them. The missionary halted in his journey and sent a messenger to Fort Missoula, which was then in course of erection. From there a company of men was sent immediately to care for the bodies, which were taken back to the church for a public funeral. So Brother Van came for his first service in the new district into a scene of sorrow and distress. Hearts were tender over the loss of these men and to the waiting people he spoke words of comfort as he committed the bodies to the earth. After scenes of terror and bereavement it is not surprising that a great revival followed, and the new preacher was again able to find “first members” for “first churches” in that great section where the dread of the Indians’ fury was always present.