Skalkaho Chapter 1: Blackleaf Camp

Benjamin Skalkaho grew up on a ranch forty miles North of Augusta, Montana. The ranch settled at the foot of what is called the Rocky Mountain Front. Or others know it as the Continental divide which splits the North American Continent in half. The home ranch was near a place called Blackleaf, it faced the looming wall of mountains to the west. Benjamin Skalkaho went to high school in a town south of the ranch called Chateau, Montana.

Blackleaf Ranch View Of The Rocky Mountain Front

 

Not unlike all small-town high schools, everyone knew everyone's business and that knowledge controlled what would happen for generations. Benjamin was the silent type and only let people guess what he was about as a high school Senior. It was 1970 and the Vietnam war was at its apex for America's young men.

Skalkaho Falls

Before people were interested in genealogy, Benjamin Skalkaho had a sketch of where he came from and from what time it all had started. It was about the 1830's when Canadian French trappers came south looking for beaver. One such trapper was only known by his American Indian name, Skalkaho. In another place to the North, were the Blackfoot Indians, warriors against both whites and native Indians of the region. They were bluntly a fierce people with a heritage of war against all trespassers of their home. Skalkaho was interested only in beaver and sought a way allowing him a place for trapping beaver.

A rumor ran abroad the Rocky Mountain Front, there was a Piegan woman of the Blackfoot tribe.  She was revered as a foremost warrior. Many stories about her courage and valor circulated the region. Her name was Otaki and was known as Brown Weasel Woman by the Hudson Bay trappers of the area. Otaki went hunting with the men of the tribe even though it was a dangerous venture with so many enemies of the tribe. Her proud father was a member of this party on a fateful day. 

One such enemy was the Assiniboine. She was leading the party hunting Buffalo along the open "Front". The Assiniboine were hiding behind a bench with a scout spying the party. A shot rang out and it dropped Otaki's father's horse. She reacted and swooped in and grabbed her father, who by this time had regained his feet. 

Up slipped Otaki's father on her horse with her gripping his arm. In a race of life and death, Otaki won the day. Not only did she save her dad, she later raced into enemy fire while leading a charge driving the Assiniboine off. The tribe celebrated but feared she would not make a good wife. No man would even be her equal. There would be no man to marry an honored warrior.

After Skalkaho heard this campfire tale from other Hudson Bay trappers, he thought of a way into the beaver country north of his Blackleaf campsite. He would seek out Otaki's hunting party and make her his friend.

Skalkaho was a Hudson Bay trapper's name given in jest. In meant "Many Trails" by the Salish Indians. The Hudson Bay roustabouts loved to laugh at Skalkaho's many journeys to nowhere. He was a wandering trapper with big ideas. Actually, Skalkaho was of Scottish descent with a Christian name of Benjamin McPherson but he preferred the name Skalkaho because it matched his temperament of a wanderlust with those same big ideas. His next big idea concerned Otaki.

Benjamin Skalkaho had no Idea how he would capture Otaki’s attention. Other trappers remarked, “Good luck in trapping Running Eagle”. That was her trapper name translated out of the Blackfoot language.

It is important knowing Running Eagle was never to be underestimated. Today she is honored in Glacier National Park with a waterfall named after her, not unlike Skalkaho falls in the Bitterroot Valley south and west of the Blackleaf camp. The Glacial Falls is called Running Eagle Falls or as the locals call it fondly, “Trick Falls”.

Running Eagle Falls Glacier National Park

 

 AKA Trick Falls

Its often imagined Otaki is riding high over the falls with a  spear in hand. Trick Falls has no relationship to her other than she lived only a few miles from the falls during her lifetime.

Note: the story needs more background given for chapter one.

Skalkaho Chapter 2: Skalkaho Attacks