132 GUN-, ROD, AND SADDLE. 



party in pursuit of mc, there was but one alternative 

 tlierefore for me to adopt. Last year, in this very 

 locality, tlie Indians had been unusually active ; 

 scarcely a gang of emigrants or traders avIio had 

 taken the southern route but had lost members of 

 their party ; in several instapces neither sex nor age 

 had been spared by these blood-thirsty marauders, 

 so vvdiat could I expect if alone I fell into the hands 

 of a party of braves on the war-path ? True, my 

 scalp — for it has long been ignorant of a scalp-lock — 

 would scarcely be worth lifting, but then I did not 

 want to knock under yet ; and if so I preferred mak- 

 ing a fight for it, as, I think, under the excitement, 

 the process of being wiped out is less painful. 



By tliis time my stalwart apparition had approach- 

 ed within eighty yards; he was a noble-looking fig- 

 ure, without the slouch of the red man when hunting, 

 and his step was as free and independent as if he had 

 been shooting over a private manor. A big bug he 

 evidently was, conscious of his own divinity, still no 

 eagle's feather or characteristic mark of a chief dis- 

 tinguished him ; presently he halted, and threw his 

 large gun across his arm, wlien I saw at once that he 

 was a white man. Great was his surprise when lie 

 saw me leave my ambush ; quick as thought his rifle 



