1(5 EXPEDITION TO THE 



cocked, it is usual for the hunters to cover their gun lock? 

 with a piece of leather. The animal which our companions 

 killed proved to be a female; they were engaged until 

 near sunset in skinning and cutting it up, so that it was 

 late in the evening when they reached the camp ; this they 

 found in a state of activity, owing to the adventures which 

 the party had experienced in the afternoon. 



While riding quietly across the prairie, with the eye 

 intent upon the beautiful prospect of the buffaloes that 

 were grazing, our attention was suddenly aroused by 

 the discharge of a gun in the vicinity of the river, which 

 flowed about half a mile west of the course that we were 

 then travelling. While we were reckoning up our party, 

 to know if any had straggled to a distance, we saw two In- 

 dians running across the prairie ; their number increased 

 very soon to twelve or fifteen, who hastened towards us, 

 but as soon as they came near our party, stopped and exa- 

 mined us with minuteness; after which they presented 

 their hands to us ; we gave them oui's. It was immediately 

 observed that they were in a complete state of preparation 

 for war, being perfectly naked, with the exception of a 

 breech-cloth. They had even laid their blankets by. All 

 of them were armed with guns, apparently in very good 

 order, or with bows and arrows, and some with both. 

 Their appearance though at first friendly soon became in- 

 sulting. Their party had, in the mean while, increased to 

 thirty or forty, so that they outnumbered ours. We found 

 that they belonged to the Wahkpakota or Leaf Indians, 

 whose character, even among their own countrymen, is 

 very bad. Mr. Jeffries, who was to act as interpreter, be- 

 ing away, we availed ourselves of Mr. Snelling's know- 

 ledge of the language to communicate to them, in the 

 course of conversation, our objects and intentions,_as well as 



