THE PRAIRIE WOLF. 181 



raiding in that direction. We had not travelled far before 

 we came to a smouldering wagon, and beside it we found 

 a man and his wife, and, evidently, his two daughters, lying 

 dead. They were terribly, unspeakably mutilated, and the 

 horrible expressions of their features showed what an ago- 

 nizing death they must have suffered. After burying these 

 in the rudest manner, to prevent them from being devoured 

 by wolves, we moved on, and at every few miles met indi- 

 cations of the savage fury of the demons who were scour- 

 ing over the country. Every house was burnt, and amidst 

 their ashes, or lying in the yards, were the mutilated remains 

 of men, women, and children ; not a person being spared, 

 from the babe to the gray-haired old man. The scene was 

 so sickening, and the destruction so wide-spread, that we 

 were compelled to desist and turn our faces homeward ; 

 for it was evident, by the numerous tracks of horses' hoofs, 

 that there were two bodies of Indians in the field, and that 

 the one we were following was much the larger, and could 

 not have numbered less than three or four hundred war- 

 riors. Fearing they might return through the valley, we 

 made all possible haste back to prepare a warm reception 

 for them, and, on reaching the mining hamlet once more, 

 we found the tallest tree there graced by four dangling 

 Sioux, who had been captured while trying to return to 

 their own camp. They were evidently those whose tracks 

 we had discovered the previous day; so their summary 

 fate was the cause of some rejoicing. 



The village was kept in a state of excitement for a week 

 by the reports of scouts and reconnoitring parties, who 

 reported the movements of several bodies of Indians that 

 were hovering in the woods adjoining the valley on the 

 north ; but as they did not come any nearer, hopes were 

 entertained that the severe lesson taught them would pre- 

 vent any further trouble. Suddenly, one evening, a large 

 war-party, driving an immense herd of horses, was report- 

 ed to be advancing at a gallop from the east, and every 

 available man present, except the camp-guard, went out to 

 meet them, and, seeking shelter in a ravine, waited until the 



