114 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



there must be at least a hundred warriors engaged in the 

 attack. Not a shot had yet been fired by the trappers, 

 but as the light increased, they eagerly watched for an 

 Indian to expose himself, and offer a mark to their trusty 

 rifles. La Bonte, Killbuck, and old Bill, lay a few yards 

 distant from each other, flat on their faces, near the edge 

 of the thicket, their rifles raised before them, and the 

 barrels resting in the forks of convenient bushes. From 

 their place of concealment to the position of the Indians 

 who, however, were scattered here and there, wherever a 

 rock afforded them cover was a distance of about 150 

 yards, or within fair rifle-shot. The trappers were obliged 

 to divide their force, since both sides of the creek were 

 occupied ; but such was the nature of the ground, and the 

 excellent cover afforded by the rocks and boulders, and 

 clumps of dwarf pine and hemlock, that not a hand's- 

 breadth of an Indian's body had yet been seen. Nearly 

 opposite La Bonte, a shelving glade in the mountain-side 

 ended in an abrupt precipice, and at the very edge, and 

 almost toppling over it, were several boulders, just of 

 sufficient size to afford cover to a man's body. As this 

 bluff overlooked the trappers' position, it was occupied by 

 the Indians, and every rock covered an assailant. At one 

 point, just over where La Bonte and Killbuck were lying, 

 two boulders lay together, with just sufficient interval to 

 admit a rifle-barrel between them, and from this breast- 

 work an Indian kept up a most annoying fire. All his 

 shots fell in dangerous propinquity to one or other of the 

 trappers, and already Killbuck had been grazed by one 

 better directed than the others. La Bonte watched for 

 some time in vain for a chance to answer this persever- 

 ing marksman, and at length an opportunity offered, by 

 which he was not long in profiting. 



The Indian, as the light increased, was better able to dis- 

 cern his mark, and fired, and yelled every time he did so, 

 with redoubled vigour. In his eagerness, and probably 

 whilst in the act of taking aim, he leaned too heavily 

 against the rock which covered him, and, detaching it from 

 its position, down it rolled into the canon, exposing his 



