Year: 1871




we came to dry and parched waste, where
there was scarcely drop of water, scarcely
blade of grass, and not single living
animal of any description.


And now began the troubles of our jour-
ney. We had come into the country of
the warlke Indians, and they were not
slow to acquaint us of the fact. Every
day they prowlcd around us in great
numbers, threatening and insulting u.s.
Occasionally they used to snatch up some
thing and dart away on their horses We
did all we could to be friendly, and deter
mined to avoid an open rupture as far as
possible, for there were only twelve on our
side, and on their side apparently twelve
hundred.


Every day only made matters worse. In
spite of our precautions, the Indians grew
more and more abusive and insulting.
We became watchful and tried to be more
forbearing, but our forbearance was taken
for cowardice, and the savages began to
think they could do anything with us.


We held a council ofwar, and determined
to bring matters to crisis at once.


The crisis soon came.


One day big indian camo riding along
by us. He began talking in contemptu-
GUS way, and gosticulating furiously. At
last he asked one of our men for his gun.
The man refused. The Indian repeated
his question, and attempted to take the
gun from his hand. The man drew back.
The Indian sprang forward, flourishing his
knife and threatening. At this the man
calmly leveled his piece and shot the Indian
through the heart.


AS the wretch fell shrieking from his
horse, the plain seemed to be alive with
other Indians. From behind every clump
of trees, every hillock, every rock, and
every rising ground, they poured forth in
countless numbers. We had never before
seen so many assembled together as now.
And now our companion, the conjurer
came out conspicuously. He had been once
in the French army, he said, and under
stood all its admirable discipline. A few
words of warning and short explanation
sufIiced to make us form n circle of
the wagons and draw up behind them
with luggage heaped up for breastworks.
There we waited for the savages.


But they did not come just then. With
loud whoops and screams they gathered
upon the plain at distance from us. The
wretched towards, as soon as they saw our
slight preparations, were actually afraid
| to attack.


They waited till night.
Night came. Our defenses were made.
Our wagons were arranged more closely,
and the barricade of baggage was made
higher, deep and more effective. In the
center were our cattle. Behind this little
fortifcation we awaited our foes.


Shortly after dusk the tramp of thousands
of hoofs shook the plain Down upon us
thundered the Indians. Shouts and yells
burst around.


On they came, nearer, and still nearer.


We waited for them in breathless sus-
pense.


At last our volley burst in thunder upon
them.


Shrieks arose from amidst the gloom.
We saw not what the effect OF our shots
had been, but only conjecture that it had
been deadly.


There was wild uproar--the confused
sound Of trampling horses, the noise of
men calling to one another, intermingled
with groans and cries of pain. Without
giving them time to recover from their con-
fusion we poured in another volley, and
yet another, loading as rapidly as We could
and firing revolvers where we had them.


The effect was terrible. Many must have
been wounded or killed, judging by the
uproar that arose. For time there was
a confused hubub of sounds Horses
were trampling men calling groans were
mingled with cries of rage. During all
this time we fired at intervals whenever we
heard a sound, outstanding our ammunition
and not willing to waste shot


AT last there arose wild tramp of horses
the sound moving from us, and seeming to
show that our enemies had retired baflled
from the assault.


Yet we were afraid Of some plot. Grig-
non made us keep our watch, and all that
night we lay on our arms, expecting every
moment to hear the Indian yell, which an
nounced the assault Of the sayages.


After long night, which seemed inter
rninable, morning dawned. AS the night
illumined the wide plain we looked around