GA3IE IN CAMP. 71 



lect. Mortification had already taken place, and death claimed him for a 

 victim. He expired in the presence of those whom the good chief had 

 called to his bed-side ; — but, before his tongue refused to speak, he con- 

 fessed the murder cf Brady, and owned the justice of his punishment in 

 all the untold miseries he had been compelled to endure. 

 "Vengeance is mine^ and I will repay it, saith the Lord!" 



On resuming our journey the road gradually bore towards the hills upon 

 the left, (which presented an outline of conical eminences, rising, as the 

 traveller advances, to an elevation of four or five hundred feet,) and finally 

 crossed them at the point of an angle formed near the confluence of the 

 two great forks of the Platte, upon the east side ; from thence, descending 

 to the opposite bottom, we reached a timberless spring and made camp 

 soon after nightfall. 



The lack of wood at this place was readily met by tlie great abun- 

 dance of hois de vache, (buflulo-chips,) the common substitute of the 

 prairies ; and, in a brief interval, the camp-fires were merrily blazing, with 

 all the appliances of cookery about them. 



Early the next morning, our hunter rejoined the caravan, bringing with 

 him the spoils of two more cows. He had passed the night upon the 

 prairie alone, without coat or blanket, or anything to screen him from the 

 bleak autumn winds, that swept over the naked plains, dancing their dirges 

 to the dying year. 



The sky gave evidence of an approaching storm, and we hastily started 

 in quest of some more sheltered spot in which to weather it. A few miles 

 brought us to the river, and, availing ourselves of a small supply of drift 

 wood, we made halt. 



The combustibles the vicinity afforded were soon collected, and the camp- 

 fires imparted their generous warmth despite the falling rain. Nor were 

 they permitted to remain long unembcllished by the numerous kettles, 

 frying-pans, and roasting-sticks at command. 



I here enjoyed full test of some of the many varieties of mountain fare 

 hitherto so freely enlarged upon by our vuyageurs, — which, as they now 

 asserted, would make a man " shed rain like an otter, and stand cold like a 

 polar bear !'' — quaintly adding, " if he could always lice upon sucli ' didins,' 

 he need never dieT 



I must in justice confess that the real merits of our present " bill of 

 fare," by far exceeded my previous expectations. 



The rain continued till near night ; but little did we care. The choicest 

 the prairie afforded, was now before us, and, rain or shine, we were con- 

 tented. Sound in health and buoyant in spirits, we fully enjoyed ourselves, 

 despite the trowning elements. 



A little before sundown, the rain subsided into a thick fog, and an old 

 bull, in the consequent obscurity, straggled close upon camp. 



The abrupt passage of a rifle-ball through his lights, was his ^rst feeling 

 sense of the presence of danger. The aflrighted customer then retreated 

 a few steps, and, falhng, surrendered himself to the resistless power of 

 cold lead. 



A large band of cows also made their appearance, in the same manner, 

 and our hunter struck out to waylay them. 



