296 HILLS AND LAKES. 



selves with food, and slept soundly. I heaped knots 

 upon the fire, and it flamed up into a bright blaze, 

 Then I stepped back, and shouted. They sprang to 

 their feet, and looked round for their rifles. They 

 were gone, and there I stood before them with my 

 gun poised. " Dogs, wolves, (I shouted in their own 

 tongue, for I'd learned it when a boy,) murderers of 

 my kindred, die like dogs and wolves." One of 'em 

 fell dead at the crack of my rifle. It was the smaller 

 one. The other turned to fly, but I was upon him in 

 an instant. The strength of a hundred men was in 

 me. I hurled him to the earth. My grasp was upon 

 his throat, my knee upon his chest. Strong as he was, 

 he was like an infant in the grasp of a furious man. 

 I used no weapon in his destruction. I literally 

 strangled him with my hands. It seemed to me that 

 to use a rifle or a knife upon him, would be allowin' 

 him a death too noble. I left their carcasses where I 

 slew them, a prey for the wolves and the carrion 

 birds. 



" * "With their death, my desire for the blood of the 

 others of them eight, seemed, if possible, to increase. 

 Nay, their destruction would not appease the fierce 

 thirst for vengeance that was in me. I wanted to 



