The Sun. — 1846-04-06 (London, England)

THREATENED ATTACK BY INDIANS. _  MAY s.—On account of our animals, it was necessary to remain to-day at this place. Indians crowded namerously around us in the morning ; and we were obliged to keep arms in band all day, to keep them out of the camp. They began to surround the horses, which, for the convenience of' grass, we were guarding a little above, on the river. These were immediately driven in, and kept close to the camp. In the darkness of the night, we had made a very bad encampment, our fires being commanded by a rocky bluff within fifty yards; but, notwithstanding, we had the river and small thickets of willows on the other side. •Several times during the day the camp was insulted by the Indians ; but, peace being our object, I kept simply on the defensive. Some of the Indians were on the bottoms, and others haranguing us from the bluffs ; and they were scattered in every direction over the hills. Their language being probably a dialect of the Utah, with the aid of signs some of cur people could comprehend them very well. They were the same people who had murdered the Mexicans ; and towards us their disposition was evidently hostile, nor were we well disposed towards them. They were barefooted, and nearly naked ; their hair gathered up in a knot behind ; and with his bow, each man carried a quiver with thirty or forty arrows partially drawn out. Besides these, each held in his hand two or three arrows for instant service. Their arrows are barbed, with a very clear, translucent stone, a species of 'pal, nearly as hard as the diamond ; and, shot from their long bow, are almost as effective as a gunshot. In these Indians, I was forcibly struck by an expression of countenance resembling that in a beast of prey ; and all their actions are those of wild animals. Joined to the restless motion of the eye, there is a want of mind—an absence of thought —and an action wholly by impulse, strongly expressed, and which constantly recalls the similarity. A man who appeared to be a chief, with two or three others, forced himself into the camp, bringing with bim his arms, in spite of my orders to the contrary. When shown our weapons, he bored his ears with his fingers, and said he could not hear. " Why," said he, " there are none of you."-Counting the people around the camp, and including in the number a mule which was being shod, he made out 22. "So many," said he, showing the number, " and we—we are a great many ;" and he pointed to the hills and mountains round about. "If you have your arms," said he, twanging his bow, " we have these." I had some difficulty in restraining the people, particularly Carson, who felt an insult of this kind as much as if it had been given by a more responsible being. " Don't say, that, old man," said he ; " don't you say that—your lifes in danger"—speaking in good English ; and probabl:,- the old man was nearer to his end than he will be before he meets it. Several animals had been necessarily left behind near the camp last night ; and-early in the morning, before the Indians made their appearance several men were sent to bring them in. When I wastth beginning to be uneasy at their absence, they returned with information that they had been driven the tarcks, in a short distance they found the off from the trail by Indians ; and, having ! out upon bushes. In the evening I gave a fatigued horse to a r feast; and the village which eanfinmls cut up and spread a with the others, who loud complaints f Many of the rocks of the partial dishoifm the off Indiansrrue4foror someried to tribution.ala share these Indians had long sticks, hooked at the end, which they other small animals, from their holes. These belong to the people who are generally known under the Fizards, and ns, of Diggers ; and to these I have more particularly haarreference, when occasionally speaking of a people whale sole occupation is to procure food sufficient to support existence.—Captaiu Freemont's United States' Ex-wloring Expedition in Oregon and California.