30 MAJOR EILEY. 



enabled to make their escape to the wagons ; 

 the tliird, a IVIr. Lamme, who was unfortu- 

 nately mounted upon a mule, was overtaken, 



slain and scalped before any one could come 

 to his assistance. Somewhat alarmed at the 

 boldness of the Indians, the traders dispatch- 

 ed an express to Major Riley, who immedi- 

 ately ordered his tents to be struck ; and such 

 was the rapidity of his movements, that when 

 he appeared before the anxious caravan every 

 one was lost in astonishment The reinforce- 

 ment having arrived in the night, the enemy 

 could have obtauied no knowledge of the 

 fact, and would no doubt have renewed the 

 attack in the morning, when they would have 

 received a wholesome lesson from the troops, 

 had not tlie reveille been sounded through mis- 

 take, at which they precipitately retreated. 

 The escort now continued with the company 

 as far as Sand creek, when, perceiving no fur- 

 ther signs of danger, they returned to the Ar- 

 kansas, to await the return of the caravan in 

 the ensuing fall. 



The position of Major Riley on the Arkan- 

 sas was one of serious and continual danger. 

 Scarce a day passed without his being sub- 

 jected to some new annoyance from preda- 

 tory Indians. The latter appeared, indeed, 

 resolved to check all further concourse of the 

 whites upon the prairies ; and fearful of the 

 terrible extremes to which their 

 might be carried, the traders continued to 

 unite in single caravans during many years 



afterwards, for the sake of mutual protection. 



