342 A PROTRACTED MEETING. 



tiie intent of renewing his depredations, accompanied by two other adven- 

 turers whom he had pursuaded to become the partners of his criminal enter- 

 prise ; but, before proceeding far, he fell in with the same company of Mex- 

 ican traders from whom he had stolen the horses. They immediately re- 

 cognized him and the animal he n)de, and took possession of the latter. 

 As for Old Bob, notwithstanding his protestations of innocence and stoat 

 resistance, they stripped him of gun, pistol, and ammunition — gave him a 

 severe flogging, and again turned him adrift upon the prairie, destitute of 

 everything except the baseness of his own heart ! 



" Well, Bob," said one of his comrades ; " this business appears no: so 

 profitable, after all ; though yon, doubtless, have become quite ivarmed in 

 its pursuit. For my own part I shall quit it before I begin, and return to 

 the States." 



" And I, too ;" chimed in the other. 



"The fact is," replied Bob, " this country is getting rather too hot forme, 

 and I'll bear you company ! What d'ye say to that ?" 



" Just as you like," responded his two companions ; " that is, provided 

 you wont attempt the grab game on us." 



" Come, boys ; now that's too bad! OJi, you may rest assured I will 

 never repay a kindness with ingratitude, neither will I abuse the confidence 

 of friends." 



Thus arranged, the three started on their way. Coming upon a camp of 

 hunters, a few miles below Bent's Fort, they concluded to remain a short 

 time in order to procure a supply of meat for their journey. Here our slip- 

 pery customer borrowed a horse and rifle of his comrade, pretendcdly for a 

 bulialo hunt, and under a most solemn pledge of returning them ; how- 

 ever, on finding himself again armed and mounted, he was not slow to im- 

 prove the opportunity of bidding an abrupt farewell to the unsuspecting 

 dupe, and resumed his course toward the States. 



How he eventually succeeded through this last shift, I am unable to say ; 

 yet, the brief story of his adventures thus far is sufficient to prove, that 

 iniquity sometimes, even in this life, receives a severe reward. 



Toward the last of August the Arapahos and Chyennes held a grand 

 convocation, in the vicinity of Fort Lancaster, for the porpose of medicine- 

 making ; or, in other words, paying their united devotions to the Great 

 Spirit. The gathering might with propriety have been termed a" Pro^rac/- 

 ed Meeling,^^ as it continued for three successive days and nights, exclusive 

 of the time occupied in preliminary arrangements. 



Besides the two tribes above named, a large number of Sioux, Cuman- 

 ches, Blackfeet, and Riccarees, were present, swelling the concourse to 

 nearly a thousand lodges. 



The regular participants in the ceremonies of the occasion had pre- 

 viously prepared themselves by a fast of three days, attended with frequent 

 washings and purifications. A large lodge had been erected in the 

 form of an amphitheatre, as described upon a former page, with a pole in its 

 centre pointing to the zenith, near the top of which was affixed the head 

 of a buffalo. Here the throng assembled, with up-turned eyes, encircling 

 it around in solemn dance, accompanied by a low musical chant, as they 

 addressed the " Big Medicine.''^ Tliis strange worship was maintained 



