LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 79 



Gonnevile turned his head, and extending his arm twice with 

 a forward motion up the creek, whispered — " Les sauvages " 



" Injuns, sure, and Sioux at that," answered Luke. 



Still La Bonte looked, but nothing met his view but the duck 

 with her brood, now rapidly approaching ; and as he gazed, the 

 bird suddenly took wing, and flapping on the water, flew a short 

 distance down the stream, and once more settled on it. 



" Injuns ?" he asked ; " where are they ?" 



" Whar ?" repeated old Luke, striking the flint of his rifle, and 

 opening the pan to examine the priming. " What brings a duck 

 a-streaking it down stream if humans ain't behint her ? and who's 

 thar in these diggins but Injuns, and the worst kind ? and we'd 

 better push to camp, I'm thinking, if we mean to save our hair." 



" Sign" sufficient indeed, it was to all the trappers, who, on 

 being apprized of it, instantly drove in their animals, and picketed 

 them ; and hardly had they done so when a band of Indians made 

 their appearance on the banks of the creek, from whence they gal- 

 loped to the bluff which overlooked the camp at the distance of 

 about six hundred yards ; and crowning this, in number some for- 

 ty or more, commenced brandishing their spears and guns, and 

 whooping loud yells of defiance. The trappers had formed a little 

 breastwork of their packs, forming a semicircle, the chord of which 

 was made by the animals standing in a line, side by side, closely 

 picketed and hobbled. Behind this defense stood the mountain- 

 eers, rifle in hand, and silent and determined. The Indians pres- 

 ently descended the bluff on foot, leaving their animals in charge of 

 a few of the party, and, scattering, advanced under cover of the sage 

 bushes which dotted the bottom, to about two hundred yards of. 

 the whites. Then a chief advanced before the rest, and made 

 the sign for a talk with the Long-knives, which led to a consulta- 

 tion among the latter as to the policy of acceding to it. They 

 were in doubt as to the nation these Indians belonged to, some bands 

 of the Sioux being friendly, and others bitterly hostile to the whites. 



