218 ON THE FRONTIER. 



impressing the dog. All the English, however, he appeared 

 to know was not much ; and what there was of it was 

 certainly more expressive than elegant. It consisted of a 

 short word commencing with a D, and a description of 

 the dog's descent on the maternal side expressions he 

 had doubtlessly picked up round some frontier camps. It 

 was an animated and expressive scene ; but, fearing my 

 appearance would encourage Nip into taking the initiative, 

 and so bring about a catastrophe, I terminated the " situa- 

 tion" by ordering him to down-charge. I then stacked my 

 rifle against a bush, and held up in the air my open right 

 hand with its palm towards the Ute' (the well-recognised 

 Indian sign for peace). Relaxing his bow the Ute' Indian 

 laid it and the arrow down, and, keeping a sharp eye 

 on the dog who was watching him with an expression 

 of countenance not encouraging advanced and shook hands 

 with me. 



We soon discovered we could only exchange ideas 

 through the Indian sign-language ; but he had no difficulty 

 in making me comprehend what, indeed, I had already 

 suspected that he had wounded the deer, and was follow- 

 ing it when captured and pulled down by my dog. The 

 Ut^ then made some further signs which I confess I did 

 not comprehend in the least ; but I made the sign of 

 acquiescence, on general principles, and then, for it was 

 cold, lit a fire to warm my hands at and as an excuse to 

 loiter and see what the Indian meant and what he was 

 going to do. Drawing his knife he quickly skinned and 

 cut up the deer in a most workmanlike manner. Then 

 he tied the fore-half of it up in the skin and placed it to 



