The long journey that remained was made in comparative ease. He was back at Fort Colville near the end of May and went thence to Fort Vancouver and the Willamette.
The large extent of the work now established made it necessary that additional aid be sought from the States or from Europe and it was unanimously the opinion of the missionaries that Father De Smet should go. Outfitting himself with supplies for the stations in the upper country, he set out from Fort Vancouver to visit them and then to go on to the States. He arrived at St. Mary's Mission about August 10th, and left there on the 16th. As his mission of the previous winter had miscarried, so far as making peace with the Blackfeet was concerned, he resolved to try to accomplish that desirable object on his way home.
It happened that a considerable body of the Flatheads with thirty lodges of Nez Percés and, strange to say, a few lodges of Blackfeet, were at this time in the Yellowstone valley on the borders of the Crow country. The Crows were at war with both the Blackfeet and Nez Percés, and perceiving their own strength to be greater than that of the united camp, were eager to attack it. At the urgent interposition of the Flatheads they deferred action for a time. Father De Smet, when he discovered that there were both Nez Percés and Blackfeet with the Flatheads, foresaw what would probably happen should they meet the Crows, and accordingly dispatched his interpreters, Gabriel and Charles, at their utmost speed to announce his approach. This had, some effect, and the Crow chiefs made a strong effort to repress the turbulent spirit of their camp. But the strain was too great to be resisted and on the following day they attacked the allied camp with great impetuosity. Anticipating the attack, the allies had fortified themselves and were able to repulse it without loss. At the opportune moment, when their enemy was in disorder, they delivered a counter-charge