RED AND WHITE ON THE BORDER 



103 



charge, and the whoops by which it is accompanied, often scare horses so 

 as to stampede them ; but in Manitou I had perfect trust, and the old 

 fellow stood as steady as a rock, merely cocking his ears and looking 

 round at the noise. I waited until the Indians were a hundred yards off, 

 and then threw up my rifle and drew a bead on the foremost. The effect 



STANDING OFF INDIANS. 



was like magic. The whole party scattered out as wild pigeons or teal 

 ducks sometimes do when shot at, and doubled back on their tracks, the 

 men bending over alongside their horses. When some distance off they 

 halted and gathered together to consult, and after a minute one came for- 

 ward alone, ostentatiously dropping his rifle and waving a blanket over 

 his head. When he came to within fifty yards I stopped him, and he 

 pulled out a piece of paper all Indians, when absent from their reserva- 

 tions, are supposed to carry passes and called out, "How! Me good 

 Indian ! " I answered, " How," and assured him most sincerely I was very 

 glad he was a good Indian, but I would not let him come closer; and when 

 his companions began to draw near, I covered him with the rifle and made 

 him move off, which he did with a sudden lapse into the most canonical 



