﻿A RESIDENCE AMONG THE INDIANS. 



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numbers together, as they frequently do, they form an interesting 

 appearance. The dogs are very harmless, but very impudent and 

 saucy. Their " bark is worse than their bite." 



About mid-day we fell in with a small herd of buffaloes. We 

 were fortunate enough to kill a nice fat cow, and Jollie immediately 

 cut out the tongue, which is the most delicious part of the animal. 

 .while Jack loaded me with other choice bits of meat, from various 

 parts of the carcass, which he seemed to know where to find readily, 

 together with several marrow-bones ; and we retraced our steps to- 

 wards our- canoe. We built a fire, and round it placed our beef, to 

 be cooked. We then seated ourselves upon a green spot, and par- 



f 



took of our repast, a feast that to me tasted far better than the most 

 dainty morsel I have ever eaten. 



Night soon came on, and as soon as it was sufficiently dark, we 

 again pushed off down stream. We toiled hard all night and all the 

 next day, and just at nightfall we arrived in sight of the fort. I 

 was glad enough to get into my old quarters again, and determined 

 not to leave them again for a single night if I could possibly help it. 



The next day I learned that the party upon horseback had re- 

 turned a few hours before us. They had been surprised and 

 attacked near the spot which had nearly seen us destroyed, and 

 seven, of their number killed. . They had in return- killed and 

 wounded a considerable number of their enemies, and had succeeded 

 in bringing home several scalps. I confess that these bloody knots 

 of hair looked any thing but pleasant to me, and I almost invol- 

 untarily raised my hand to ascertain that my own top-piece was 

 safe. I was reminded of ray youthful fears. Then, when the wind 

 whistled around my father's dwelling, I almost instinctively exam- 

 ined the door fastenings, and drew my chair closer and closer to- 

 wards that of my elder brother. I knew very well that there were 

 no murdering, scalping savages about, yet so great were my preju- 

 dices against the whole race, awakened, no doubt, by reading about 

 their bloody acts, that, in spite of my better feelings, a thrill of hor- 

 ror would come creeping over me. I have no doubt that many of 

 my young readers have experienced moments of terror similar to my 

 own ; and they will hardly believe me when I tell them that not- 



