IN THE OLD WEST 63 



hostile expeditions against the natural foe of the 

 white man in the wild and barbarous regions of 

 the West. Ready to resolve as they are prompt 

 to execute, and combining far greater dash and 

 daring with equal subtlety and caution, they, 

 possess great advantage over the vacillating In- 

 dian, whose superstitious mind in a great degree 

 paralyzes the physical energy of his active body; 

 and who, by waiting for propitious signs and sea- 

 sons before he undertakes an enterprise, often 

 loses the opportunity by which his white and more 

 civilized enemy knows so well how to profit. 



Killbuck and La Bonte were no exceptions to 

 this characteristic rule ; and before the sun was" 

 a hand's-breadth above the eastern horizon, the 

 two hunters were running on the trail of the vic- 

 torious Indians. Striking from the creek where 

 the night attack w^as made, they crossed to another 

 known as Kioway, running parallel to Bijou, a 

 few hours' journey westward, and likewise head- 

 ing in the divide. Following this to its forks, they 

 struck into the upland prairies lying at the foot of 

 the mountains ; and crossing to the numerous water- 

 courses which feed the creek called Vermillion or 

 Cherry, they pursued the trail over the mountain- 

 spurs until it reached a fork of the Boiling Spring. 

 Here the war-party had halted and held a consul- 

 tation, for from this point the trail turned at a 

 tangent to the westward, and entered the rugged 

 gorges of the mountains. It was now evident to 



