320 ON THE FBONTIEK. 



as I could have done it myself, who knew the route, not 

 only by personal experience, but from being familiar with 

 the military surveys and itineraries of it. 



Then I asked what they had to give to the traders for 

 the goods, and was answered : " Buckskins, gold-dust, and 

 horses." But you have no horses, and you do not mine." 

 "True," was the reply, "but we get the gold-dust from 

 those who do, and the horses from those who have them. 

 We are obliged to. We must have powder, lead, and caps, 

 knives, blankets, and salt." 



At last the time came, beyond which we could not in 

 courtesy prolong the sitting ; we had to turn in, and so 

 rolling ourselves up in our blankets, all lay down in a row. 

 Of course it would not have done to set a watch openly, 

 but secretly we did, each man taking his two hours. Guard 

 was relieved by a quiet kick from the one coming off to the 

 one going on. The sentinel's chief duty was to notice if the 

 horses were molested, or if the women and children should 

 commence to withdraw themselves ; if he observed either of 

 these things happening, he was immediately to arouse all 

 hands. Such proceedings would have been conclusive that 

 an attack on us was contemplated, and without waiting for 

 it, we should at once have " opened the ball." 



At daybreak we excused ourselves from stopping for 

 breakfast, alleging that, on account of the extreme heat 

 during the middle of the day we were anxious to make a 

 good march before taking ;that meal, and thus utilise the 

 cool of the morning for travelling. Shaking hands with 

 Pah-Squal, and all who came forward to bid us d dios, we 

 sprung into our saddles and rode away. 



