- - - - - - Route of main band of Nez Percé Indians. x x x x x x Route of marauding band to the north and back to main band. X Cowan party camp west of Fountain Geyser. 1 Nez Percé camp in lower Geyser Basin. 2 Where Cowan party was attacked and Cowan shot. 3 Mary Lake and Mary Mountain. 4 Nez Percé camp and crossing of Yellowstone River near Mud Volcano. 5 Helena party camp on Otter Creek where Indians attacked. 6 Mammoth Hot Springs. 7 Baronett’s Bridge across Yellowstone River. A telegram to Mrs. Cowan brought her posthaste from Radersburg. She reached Bottler’s ranch, a distance of one hundred and seventy-five miles, in thirty-one hours. The reunion was effected on September 24, exactly one month from the date of the attack. The Helena Tourist Party Other Yellowstone visitors were caught in the Nez Percé net as it rolled across the Park. It has been sufficiently indicated that Chief Joseph maintained a role of dignified restraint, but there were unprincipled factions under less responsible leadership which he could not keep under his thumb. While the main tribe was slowly weaving its course through the Park some of the reckless young men were foraging far and wide. It is also correct to observe that bitter resentment had been smoldering toward the entire white race since the battle of Big Hole. The Nez Percé were inclined to regard every white man as an enemy. This Indian psychology, or “bad heart,” helps account for the conduct of a marauding band of White Bird’s “bucks” toward a party of Helena tourists north of Hayden Valley. There were ten men in this company: A. J. Weikert, Richard Dietrich, Frederick Pfister, Joseph Roberts, Charles Kenck, Jack Stewart, August Foller, Leslie Wilkie, L. Duncan, and a negro cook named Benjamin Stone. On the morning of August 25 this party was traveling along between Sulphur Mountain and Mud Volcano when they observed a body of horsemen fording the river. They correctly apprehended that the mounted men were hostile Nez Percé.[203] Thereupon, the tourists hastily repaired to the timber near the forks of Otter Creek and formed camp. It was a well-chosen position and might have been defended effectively if the natural advantages had been utilized. However, no harm came to them that day or night. The next morning Weikert and Wilkie went reconnoitering in the vicinity of Alum Creek where they encountered a detail of the marauders. The white men retreated speedily, but Weikert was hit in the shoulder in the exchange of fire.