SEARCH FOR THE CIMARRON. 77 



and formed our camp a few hundred yards 



below them. The ' capitanes,' or head men 



of the whites and Lidians, shortly after met, 



and, again smoking the calumet, agreed to be 

 friends. 



Although we were now on the very banks 

 of the Cimarron, even the most experienced 

 traders of our party, whether tln:ough fright 

 or ignorance, seemed utterly unconscious of 

 the fact. Ha\ing made our descent, far be- 

 low the usual point of approach, and there 

 being not a drop of water found in the sandy 

 bed of the river, it was mistaken for Sand 

 creek, and we accordingly proceeded without 

 noticing it. Therefore, after our ' big talk' was 

 concluded^ and dinner dispatched, we again 

 set out southward, in search of the Cimarron. 

 As we were starting, warriors, squaws and 

 papooses now commenced flocking about us, 

 gazing at our wagons with amazement ; for 

 many of them had never, perhaps, seen such 

 vehicles before. A few chiefs and others fol- 

 lowed us to our next encampment ; but these 

 were sent away at night 



Our guards were now doubled, as a night 

 attack was apprehended; for although we 

 Were well aware that Indians never commit 

 outrages with their families at hand, yet 

 it was feared that they might either send them 

 away or conceal them during the night. A 

 httle after dark, these fears seemed about to 

 be realized ; as a party of thirty or forty Indians 

 were seen coming up towards the encamp- 

 KLent. Immediate preparations were made 



7 



