THE PEOGEAMME. 309 



or rather our weakness ; and though these Indians had pro- 

 fessed a desire for peace, they were in a state of hostility, 

 and being Indians, their professions counted for little. 

 Neither would such a step on our part be conducive to 

 obtaining a conference; for the Indians not knowing the 

 object of our being there, would in all probability either run 

 off before we could get within hailing distance of any of 

 them, or, seeing we were so few in number, would suddenly 

 conceal themselves, surround and kill us. 



This, th erefore, was the programme : to remain where we 

 were until within a few hours of daybreak of the following 

 morning ; then make such repast as the circumstances 

 admitted, namely, a meal of army biscuit, raw bacon, and 

 cold water; give our horses a feed of corn, and start for the 

 main water-hole, situated some five miles off and about a 

 thousand feet below us ; approach noiselessly the edge of the 

 cleft in the lava close to the head of the path down to the 

 pool, dismount, and, every man holding his horse, wait for 

 daylight ; then make our way down the narrow path as 

 quickly as possible and get among the women and children 

 before the Indians could do anything. This bold move would, 

 if successful, achieve for us an interview under circumstances 

 which would deter the Indians from making an immediate 

 attack upon us, since they always seek to avoid a fight in 

 which there would be danger to their squaws or papooses. 

 Should we succeed in getting amongst them and commence 

 a parley we should be comparatively safe, so long as they 

 the women and children were present ; that is to say, so 

 long as we kept together, faced out, and did not give the 

 Indians a chance to practise a favourite trick of theirs on 



