HUNTING WITH THE INDIANS SKELETONS. 337 



One of the Indians had risen lo look to the fire, and 

 Bearsgrease thought it rather suspicious. My beautiful 

 tin-am was gone, and I could no longer recollect whether 

 I barked or not. I fell asleep again, but the dream 

 never returned. 



Early in the morning we began to move, dividing 

 into two parties, for the better chance of finding game. 

 Conwell went with some of the Indians, amongst whom 

 he had found an old acquaintance, to make a circuit 

 round the Pilot-rock, while Erskinc and I, with three 

 Cherokees, proceeded to the sources of the Frog bayou. 



About ten o'clock we came to a cave, which seemed 

 worth examining. We made torches, there being plenty 

 of strips of juno lying about ; it was settled that I 

 should try my luck, with one of the Indians. Erskine 

 remained with the two others by the fire, saying he 

 had searched so many caves within the last four days 

 without finding any thing, that he was tired of it. The 

 entrance was rather small, but it became gradually 

 larger, and we went a long way in. There were 

 evidences of its having been tried before, as we found 

 moccasin marks, and pieces of burnt wood. An un- 

 expected sight suddenly arrested our progress, the 

 skeletons of a man and of a bear, lying peaceably 

 within three feet of each other. A rifle thickly covered 

 with rust, and a corroded knife, lay by the side of the 

 first, and some glass beads convinced us that it was 

 the skeleton of an Indian, who had bravely attacked 

 the bear single-handed, and had fallen in the struggle, 

 the skeleton of the bear proving that he had sold his 

 life dearlv. 



The skeleton was perfect, except some of the small 

 2'J 



