September 20, 1805

Watkuwueis 

I remember sitting around the warm fire, watching everyones tired faces morph to intrigued fearful stairs as Watkuweis told us her horrifying stories. Watkuweis is a woman who went to the mountains with her family to hunt buffalo when she was a young girl.  When they were about to leave the blackfeet a tribe of indians came and killed her whole family and took her with them.  She lived in there village for a long time as a slave.  It was harsh and they were cruel.  She was then traded to another man for a musket.  This man was good to her and treated her well.  She lived with him for many years and bore him a baby boy. One day a women told her that the men were going back to their homes across the big river and never coming back and they were going to take her with them.  Then the woman helped her escape!! She went towards the mountains.  The trail was harsh but she was tough.  Watkuwueis built a raft in order to cross a big river. I will never forget when watkuwueis told us about the bear that attacked her and that she killed all by herself! I can't believe she has such courage to kill a bear with only a hatchet to protect her. Not only did she do these amazing deeds but she kept her baby alive for a shockingly long time. There was nothing more for him to eat when she was already feeding her son most of the food but she still could not keep them both alive herself.  The young boy died and she dug a shallow ditch and barried her infant son.