102 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



minutes more, he would be completely at their mercy, when he 

 hit upon an expedient, as singular as it was bold and courageous. 

 Drawing his long scalping knife from the sheath at his side, he 

 plunged the keen weapon through his horse's neck, and severed 

 the spine. The animal dropped instantly dead, and the deter- 

 mined hunter, throwing himself behind the fallen carcass, waited 

 calmly the approach of his sanguinary pursuers. In a few 

 moments, one Indian was within range of the fatal rifle, and at 

 its report, his horse galloped riderless over the plain. The re- 

 maining two then thought to take him at advantage by approach- 

 ing simultaneously on both sides of his rampart; but one of them, 

 happening to venture too near in order to be sure of his aim, 

 was shot to the heart by the long pistol of the white man, at the 

 very instant that the ball from the Indian's gun whistled harm- 

 lessly by. The third savage, being wearied of the dangerous 

 game, applied the whip vigorously to the flanks of his horse, and 

 was soon out of sight, while Richardson set about collecting the 

 trophies of his singular victory. 



He caught the two Indians' horses ; mounted one, and loaded 

 the other with the meat which he had discarded, and returned to 

 his camp with two spare rifles, and a good stock of ammunition. 



On the morning of the 25th, we commenced baling up our 

 meat in buffalo skins dried for the purpose. Each bale contains 

 about a hundred pounds, of which a mule carries two; and when 

 we had finished, our twelve long-eared friends were loaded. 

 Our limited term of absence is now nearly expired, and we are 

 anxious to return to the fort in order to prepare for the journey 

 to the lower country. 



At about 10 o'clock, we left our pleasant encampment, and 

 bade adieu to the cold spring, the fat bufTalo, and grizzly bears, 

 and urging our mules into their fastest walk, we jolted along 

 with our provant towards the fort. 



