Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-08-01
concluded that there must be about

concluded that there must be about
three hundred of them, all mounted,
but, fortunately for us, armed only with
spears, bows. and arrows Finding from
our attitude, and the result of our first
shot, that we were m ore dangerous than
they had supposed, after talking togeth-
err moment, they fell back to IA safer
distance, and deliberately arranged their
plans.
They did not leave us hong in doubt as
to their intentions. Forming single
line they completely surrounded lis, and
then began to make signs for us to sur
render. We knew them too well to
trust ourselves III their hands, and
speedily assured them 10y means of
pantomine that if they wanted us they
world have TO come and take us. As
soon as they comprehended our mean
ing, they tried to increase our fears by
riding around us in n circle and occa-
sionally discharging an arrow, which,
owing to the distance, always failed to
reach us In addition to this they gave
us the benefit Of II war-whoop vt short
intervals; in fact, they did everything
that their ingenuity could devise to ter
rifv and render us an easy prey On
the contrary, we remained perfectly
quiet, Watching them closely, and ready
to use our rifles if they should attempt
to sweep down upon us, and thus ac-
co,nplish their object suddenly and by
mere force of numbers.
After keeping up these demonstra-
tons for an hour or more, they brought
their ponies to halt. We soon per-
ceiyed that they were going to try some
new kind of strategy. A few inditfer-
ent parts of the circle dismounted, and
creeping toward us in the grass, threat
ened Ito disable us without our being
able to do them much harm in return
The grass in many places was two or
three feet high, and by creeping as
much as possible in the shelter of these
spots, they could get near to us with
little risk of our sending bullet
through them.
But even with this advantage, added
to that of superior numbers, they failed
to do more than increase our annoy
ance. An occasional bullet sent into a
bunch of rustling grass soon caused
every one of them, like towards to fall
back to the circle they had left This
state of things continued until late in
the afternoon Just before sunset, one
of their party, more daring than the
rest, crept up SO near that he sent an
arrow through the top of Fred's cap
before we were aware of his approach
Taking careful aim in the direction that
the arrow came, fired, and had the
satisfaction of knowing that | had
wounded the redskin, but how severely
I could not tell.
In q few moments | saw two in the
circle dismount, and, leaving their
weapons behind, apparently in token of
a truce, cautiously come toward their
fallen companion. We thought it best
not to interfere, and suffered them to
remove their friend.
The day was now almost spent, and
we began to fear that they were waiting
for the cover of the night, when they
would be able to overcome us with little
risk to themselves. In this we were
happily disappointed. Just rs the sun
was disappearing behind the hills they
held brief council, and Immediately
moved off toward the north
We waited until they had disappeared
in the distance, and then mounting our
horses, turned back to rejoin our party.
Our faithful animals, which had given
us very little trouble during the whole
of the exciting scene, were only too
glad to make the change. For the first
two or three miles we proceeded eau
tiously. We knew that there was some
danger of the Indians altering their
course as soon as they were out of our
sight, and by making n circuit cut off
our return. This did not prove to be
any part of their plan, and after we had
rode about an hour slowly, and keeping
Il constant lookout, we dismissed our
fears, and made all the haste possible.
When we reached our camp of the
previous night we found two of our
party waiting To guide us to the train
From them we learned that the teams
had been driven forward until nearly
noon, and then, because we failed to
appear, they had halted and waited for
us to come up. Becoming anxious on
account of our long absence, they had
sent back these two to search for us and
bring us in if we could be found
About ten o'clock we rejoined our
friends, and astonished them by the re-
cital of our narrow escape. Our horses,
that nearly lost two of us our lives, were
never heard from. At midnight we re-
tired to rest, only too glad to be sur
rounded by natures more congenlal
than those who Had made the day a
one in our lives.