"HOLD, ENOUGH!" 371 



tion to seize a present advantage, to possess himself of 

 some coveted object, which is immediately in sight, or to 

 gratify his natural propensity to kill, by availing himself 

 of a presented chance to murder, is almost irresistible. 

 Irrespective of all ulterior consequences, forgetful of all 

 determinations and deliberations, of all or any settled plans, 

 he will often give way to a frenzy of unreasoning savagery. 

 It is this disturbing element in all calculations of what will 

 be the conduct of the American wild Indian, under given 

 circumstances this unknown quantity in the calculation 

 that is generally the cause of the disappointments and 

 disasters, which are the common results of all dealings 

 with him. 



But I must now cry, " Hold, enough ! " hoping not to 

 incur the penalty denounced against him who doth so first, 

 though I greatly fear my tediousness has deserved it. It 

 is written, " A visitor should not wear out his welcome," 

 neither should a writer wear oat his readers' patience. 

 Perhaps I may have done so long ago. How can I tell ? 

 As I have sat writing, many a half-remembered, many a 

 hitherto forgotten scene, has come again vividly before me. 

 The name of a place, a frontier phrase, a sporting term, has 

 brought with each a long train of old remembrances ; 

 some told, more left unmentioned. Of those which have 

 been here set down, many are likely enough of insufficient 

 interest ; some better deserving, perhaps, to have been 

 told, have been omitted. Many, from personal considera- 

 tions and out of regard to others actors in them could 

 not be related. Others again, perhaps the most interesting 

 of them all, have been passed over, out of respect to the 



