138 UNCOMFORTABLE BREAKFAST-PARTY. 



to see what had become of the buffaloes, as it was much lighter 

 by this time, when I was very much startled to see that they 

 were three Indians, who had come nearer and were watching 

 me. I beckoned to them, making the peace sign, to come 

 into my camp, but they replied by pointing over the hill, and 

 beckoning me to go with them, and as I shook my head they 

 turned and were walking away. 



It was, of coarse, of the utmost importance to know whether 

 they were friendly or not, so I walked out towards them, on 

 which they turned and came back towards me. I had my rifle 

 in my left hand, and was holding my right in the air, with the 

 open palm to the front, the universal peace sign among Indians. 

 They answered my signal in the same way, and we met and 

 shook hands, when I again pointed to my fire, and intimated 

 that I wished them to come and have breakfast with me ; but 

 again they refused, and started to leave me. Now, of course, 

 this would never do, as they would soon be back again with a 

 number of their companions, and if they were Sioux, as I 

 strongly suspected from their moccasins, my hair was not 

 worth an hour's purchase. I called to them, therefore, and 

 made signs, that if they would not go with me, I should shoot 

 them, taking aim at one of them as I finished my signs. 



The party consisted of an old man, who had a musket with 

 the barrel cut short, and two young men, one of whom had a 

 bow and arrows, and the other a cavalry sabre ; and thinking I 

 meant what I threatened, they slowly followed me to the fire, 

 I going backwards, and keeping my rifle ready, till we all 

 stood by it. I then sat down on one side of the fire and they 

 on the other, and with my rifle in my left hand, I gave them 

 the kabobs with my right, and then passed the coffee, first 



