LIFE IN THE FAB WEST 81 



pierced his arm, inflicting, luckily, but a slight wound. 

 Again the Indian turned in his course, the others 

 encouraging him with loud war-whoops, and once more, 

 passing at still less distance, he drew his arrow to the 

 head. This time, however, the eagle eye of the white 

 detected the action, and suddenly rising from his knee 

 as the Indian approached, (hanging by his foot alone 

 over the opposite side of the horse,) he jumped towards 

 the animal with outstretched arms and a loud yell, 

 causing it to start suddenly, and swerve from its course. 

 The Indian lost his foot-hold, and, after a fruitless 

 struggle to regain his position, fell to the ground ; but 

 instantly rose upon his feet and gallantly confronted the 

 mountaineer, striking his hand upon his brawny chest 

 and shouting a loud whoop of defiance. In another 

 instant the rifle of La Bonte had poured forth its con- 

 tents ; and the brave savage, springing into the air, fell 

 dead to the ground, just as the other trappers, who had 

 heard the firing, galloped up to the spot. At sight of 

 them the Pawnees, with yells of disappointed vengeance, 

 hastily retreated. 



That night La Bont4 first lifted hair ! 



A few days later, the mountaineers reached the point 

 where the Platte divides into two great forks : the 

 northern one, stretching to the north-west, skirts the 

 eastern base of the Black Hills, and, sweeping round to 

 the south, rises in the vicinity of the mountain valley 

 called the New Park, receiving the Laramie, Medicine 

 Bow, and Sweet- Water creeks. The other, or " South 

 Fork," strikes towards the mountains in a south-westerly 



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