58 ELDORADO 



painted faces, as was their custom when prepared for 

 war. Thinking probably we were the vanguards of a 

 larger train, they evidently desired to make a demon- 

 stration of their numbers and prowess. It looked for a 

 time as though our little party would be gobbled up by 

 a hostile and overpowering savage foe. They circled 

 around us, flourishing their weapons, while we main- 

 tained a quiet indifference to their presence, merely 

 saluting as we led our little pack train along the road. 

 We displayed no arms ourselves, and when they no- 

 ticed our dust-stained appearance and the dilapidated 

 condition of our animals, they seemed to comprehend 

 that we were not "foemen worthy of their steel." The 

 whole calvalcade rode with us to their village, which 

 we soon reached. Captain Hardy, who still remained 

 with us, and made one of our party of ten, had re- 

 tained a few trinkets from our abandoned stores at In- 

 dependence Rock, where our wagons had been left. 

 These were displayed, and apparently greatly pleased 

 the few squaws and children in the village. The trink- 

 ets were quickly exchanged for some jerked meat and a 

 quarter of fresh antelope. 



As all Indians are not good Indians, even if they 

 have a "recommend," and as we were near the boun- 

 daries of the Shoshones, Arapahoes, Snakes, Crows 

 and Utes, who were often on the w^ar-path, we were 

 glad to put distance between ourselves and our late 

 "friends." The latter tribe, in their experience and 

 association with the "destroying angels" of the Mor- 

 mon prophet, in addition to their native cunning and 

 cruelty, had learned from their white "Christian broth- 

 er" the higher art of murder when no provocation ex- 

 isted. Speaking of these "recommends," I am re- 



