 paces off, and could distinguish every word said. Upon
some of the mutineers the liquor appeared to have a softening effect, for
several voices were heard in favor of releasing the captives altogether, on
condition of joining the mutiny and sharing the profits. The black cook, however
(who in all respects was a perfect demon, and who seemed to exert as much
influence, if not more, than the mate himself), would listen to no proposition
of the kind, and rose repeatedly for the purpose of resuming his work at the
gangway. Fortunately he was so far overcome by intoxication as to be easily
restrained by the less blood-thirsty of the party, among whom was a
line-manager, who went by the name of Dirk Peters. This man was the son of an
Indian woman of the tribe of Upsarokas, who live among the fastnesses of the
Black Hills, near the source of the Missouri. His father was a fur-trader, I
believe, or at least connected in some manner with the Indian trading-posts on
Lewis river. Peters himself was one of the most ferocious-looking men I ever
beheld. He was short in stature, not more than four feet eight inches high, but
his limbs were of Herculean mould. His hands, especially, were so enormously
thick and broad as hardly to retain a human shape. His arms, as well as legs,
were bowed in the most singular manner, and appeared to possess no flexibility
whatever. His head was equally deformed, being of immense size, with an
indentation on the crown (like that on the head of most negroes), and entirely
bald. To conceal this latter deficiency, which did not proceed from old age, he
usually wore a wig formed of any hair-like material which presented itself -
occasionally the skin of a Spanish dog or American grizzly bear. At the time
spoken of, he had on a portion of one of these bearskins; and it added no little
to the natural ferocity of his countenance, which betook of the Upsaroka
character. The mouth extended nearly from ear to ear; the lips were thin, and
seemed, like some other portions of his frame, to be devoid of natural pliancy,
so that the ruling expression never varied under the influence of any emotion
whatever. This ruling expression may be conceived when it is considered that the
teeth were exceedingly long and protruding, and never even partially covered, in
any instance, by the lips. To pass this man with a casual glance, one might
imagine him to be convulsed with laughter; but a second look
