LOST ON THE PRAIRIE. 65 



rode out in search of them, and guns were fired at 

 intervals, to signal the position of the camp. A httle 

 after dark, however, Cheadle arrived with Zear, 

 drenched to the skin and miserably cold. They had 

 caught a glimpse of Treemiss several hours before, as 

 he passed them in full career after a band of buffalo. 

 A portion of the herd crossed about a hundred yards 

 in front, and Cheadle brought down the leader, to 

 the great admiration of Zear. This delayed them 

 cutting up the meat until darkness came on, and they 

 had some difficulty in finding the camj). We con- 

 tinued to fire occasional shots until after midnight, 

 and raised a firebrand on one of the lodge poles as a 

 beacon, but were fain to retire to rest minus our com- 

 panion. 



At daybreak next morning all the men were 

 dispatched in search, but without success. Presently, 

 however, a group of horsemen were descried riding 

 towards us, and proved to be Treemiss and a party of 

 Crees. After wandering about, the night before, until 

 after dark, completely lost, he turned aside into a 

 clump of trees, and attempted to light a fire. But 

 matches, tinder, and wood were all wet, and he could 

 not succeed. Mounting his tired horse once more, 

 he rode along for several hours, drenched to the skin, 

 and almost numb with cold. At length, by a fortu- 

 nate accident, he came upon an Indian camp, and was 

 most hospitably received. He was taken into the 

 chiefs lodge, his clothes dried, meat and Indian tea 

 set before him, and as a cordial after, a mug of warm 

 water mixed with grease. Weary as he was, how- 



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