FIGHTING. 385 



go.' So, after a few hours' siege, we saddled our horses and 

 returned to camp without molestation, but were followed 

 the whole way ; and from that time we had no sport or com- 

 fort in our hunt, the wretches preceding us by day, driving 

 away the game, and trying to burn us out every night ; 

 constantly making their unwelcome presence felt, and yet 

 never giving us a chance for even a long shot at them. 



In 1868, when crossing country with one cavalry 

 ' orderly,' I, on rising a little ridge, found myself within less 

 than 100 yards of two Indians, who, going up the ravine 

 at my feet, had just passed the position on which I was. 

 Fortunately, it was a drizzly, disagreeable day, and they, 

 having their heads covered up with their blankets, neither 

 saw nor heard us. Waiting until they had got out of 

 sight, I passed on a little distance, when I saw others and 

 others, until I found that I was actually surrounded on 

 three sides by parties of Indians, whose numbers I could 

 not estimate. Several stopped and looked at us, then 

 went on, evidently taking us for some of their own 

 parties ; and it was not until we had obtained a fair start 

 for a high and level table land which I knew of, about 

 two miles off, that they discovered we were whites. The 

 alarm was given, and they came for us. My ' orderly ' 

 being mounted on a mule, and the country being very 

 rough and difficult, they had a great advantage in the 

 race, and, on arriving at a good position on the plain, I 

 had only time to loosen the girth, and tie my horse's head 

 close down to his fore feet, when the whole yelling band 

 appeared on the edge of the table land. As soon as they 

 saw my position they stopped, consulted, scattered, and, 

 keeping well out of certain rifle range, went all around 

 me looking for some ravine or other cover for a safe 

 approach. Finding none, they returned to their first posi- 

 tion, and had another consultation ; after which they rode 

 off in the direction they had come, and I saw no more of 

 them. The whole affair, chase and siege, did not last 

 over half an hour. 



c c 



