96 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



This caused no little wailing on the part of the squaws, but 

 was interpreted by the whites as a favorable augury. A little 

 after sunrise, on the second morning, the long line of the re- 

 turning warriors was discerned winding over the prairie, and 

 a scout having galloped in to bring in the news of a great 

 victory, the whole village was soon in a ferment of paint and 

 drumming. A short distance from the lodges, the warriors 

 halted to await the approach of the people. Old men, children, 

 and squaws sitting astride their horses, sallied out to escort 

 the victorious party in triumph to the village. With loud 

 shouts and songs, and drums beating the monotonous Indian 

 time, they advanced and encircled the returning braves, one 

 of whom, his face covered with black paint, carried a pole on 

 which dangled thirteen scalps, the trophies of the expedition. 

 As he lifted these on high, they were saluted with deafening 

 whoops and cries of exultation and savage joy. In this man- 

 ner they entered the village, almost before the friends of those 

 fallen in the fight had ascertained their losses. Then the 

 shouts of delight were converted into yells of grief; the 

 mothers and wives of those braves who had been killed (and 

 seven had " gone under") presently returned with their faces, 

 necks, and hands blackened, and danced and hopped around 

 the scalp-pole, which had been deposited in the centre of the 

 village, in front of the lodge of the great chief. 



Killbuck now learned that a scout having brought intelli- 

 gence that the two bands of Rapahos were hastening to form 

 a junction, as soo^as they learned that their approach was 

 discovered, the Yutas had successfully prevented it ; and at- 

 tacking one party, had entirely defeated it, killing thirteen 

 of the Rapaho braves. The other party had fled on seeing 

 the issue of the fight, and a few of the Yuta warriors pursued 

 them. 



Such is the life of peril and excitement led by the hunters 

 of the west. At no moment can they feel secure. Natur- 

 ally, they attach themselves to some particular tribes, and by 



