198 mOIAN KiJNDN£S8. 



Leaving our new-found friends, we continued on for a few miles, ana 

 halted a brief interval under the shade of a cottonwood grove. WhUe thus 

 reclining upon the green grass, what was our surprise at seenig three In- 

 dians, who appeared suddenly in our midst extending their hands to greeJ 



US ! 



They belonged to a war-party of Chyennes,— had been to the Pawneos, 

 and were now on their return, with three horses captured from tlie enemy. 



Continuing our course, towards sundown I began to find my rifle rathei 

 cumbersome, and, yieldmg to the advice of all hands, threw it away. 



Havhig travelled till late at night, we laid ourselves down m the trail 

 for repose ;— the rausquetoes, however, together with the heat, were so 

 annoying, sleep was impossible. 



I never in my life before was so tortured by these relentless persecutors. 

 Their sting v/as far more tolerable to me than the unending hum of their 

 music. To exterminate them was a hopeless task, for, at the death of one, 

 fifty would coma to its fuueral,~and to submit quietly to theiv rapaciLy and 

 be eaten up alive by such loving friends, was more than human flesh and 

 blood could endure. 



For tliree hours I lay, sweltered by the heat and pierced by the hungry 

 myriads that swarmed around, until my agony became so great it obtained 

 the mastery of reason, and I was scarcely self-conscious whether a being 

 of earth or an inhabitant of the realms of woe. 



In the height of my phrenzy I fancied four demons had hold of the ex- 

 tremities of my robe, and were fiercely dragging me over a prairie of sharp 

 rocks, that tore my flesh at every bound. The remainder of the party suf- 

 fered equally witli myself, and none of them were permitted to close their 

 eyes that night. 



June 29th. We started at early day, and pursued our journey till ten 

 o'clock, which brought us to the foot of Grand Island,— a distance of sixty 

 miles from the place of our adventure witli the Indians during the previous 

 afternoon. Here we indulged in a slight repast, and, reclining upon the 

 grass, enjoyed a few hours' sleep, despite the continued annoyance of mus- 

 quetoes. 



On arousing to resume tlie painful march, our legs were found m a yer} 

 unenviable plight, and almost refused to sustain the accustomed burthen. 

 Our feet, also, (softened and made tender by the raoUifying effects ot the 

 v^ater, to which they had been so long familiar, and, unused to the oSices 

 now newly forced upon them,) were sore and swollen to a frightful size. 

 From this on, our journey was most intensely painful. 



But, notwithstanding all, we were compelled to keep moving, though oui 

 progress seemed more like the passage of Mahomet's " bridge of swords 

 than aught else imaginable. 



July 2d. This morning our stock of provisions was entirely exhausted, 

 and yet a long distance intervened between us and the settlements. 



Towards night, however, chance brought us in the way of a plentiful 

 tupper, by our encountering the Pawnee village on its way ^ the buf- 

 falo rau'-'e. We were entertained by the head chsef m . nospitable 

 ■»aiuiar, who formshed us bountifully with boiled com and iflush; and 



