LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 201 



her devotion to her father, the Indian drew himself back, 

 exclaimed " Howgh ! " and drew the cover again on his 

 piece, went up to old Brand, who all this time looked him 

 sternly in the face, and, shaking him by the hand, motioned 

 at the same time to the other to be peaceable. 



The other whites presently coming into camp, the In- 

 dians sat quietly down by the fire, and when the supper 

 was ready, joined in the repast, after which they gathered 

 their buffalo-robes about them, and quietly withdrew. 

 Meanwhile Antoine, knowing the treacherous character of 

 the savages, advised that the greatest precaution should be 

 taken to secure the stock ; and before dark, therefore, all 

 the mules and horses were hobbled and secured within the 

 corral, the oxen being allowed to feed at liberty for the 

 Indians scarcely care to trouble themselves with such 

 cattle. A guard was also set round the camp, and relieved 

 every two hours ; the fire was extinguished, lest the savages 

 should aim, by its light, at any of the party, and all slept 

 with rifles ready at their sides. However, the night passed 

 quietly, and nothing disturbed the tranquillity of the camp. 

 The prairie wolves loped hungrily around, and their 

 mournful cry was borne upon the wind, as they chased 

 deer and antelope on the neighbouring plain ; but not a 

 sign of lurking Indians was seen or heard. 



In the morning, shortly after sunrise, they were in the 

 act of yoking the oxen to the waggons, and driving in the 

 loose animals which had been turned out to feed at day- 

 break, when some Indians again appeared upon the bluff, 

 and, descending it, confidently approached the camp. 

 Antoine strongly advised their not being allowed to enter ; 

 but Brand, ignorant of Indian treachery, replied that, so 

 long as they came as friends, they could not be deemed 

 enemies, and allowed no obstruction to be offered to their 

 approach. It was now observed that they were all painted, 

 armed with bows and arrows, and divested of their buffalo- 

 robes, appearing naked to the breech-clout, their legs only 

 being protected by deer-skin leggings, reaching to the 

 middle of the thigh. Six or seven first arrived, and others 

 quickly followed, dropping in one after the other, until a 



