o 



THE FINAL TREATY. 81 



creased the uneasiness which aheady prevail- 

 ed to a considerable extent ; and many of us 

 would imagine it already moulded into bul- 

 lets, which we were perhaps destined to re- 

 ceive before morning from the muzzles of 

 their fusils. Some were even so Uberal as to 

 express a willingness to pardon the theft, 

 rather than give the Indians the trouble of 

 sending it back in so hasty a manner. After 

 a tedious night of suspense and conjecture, it 

 Was no small rehef to those whose feelin 

 had been so higlily wrought upon, to find, 

 waking up in the morning, that every man 

 still retained his scalp. 



We started at a much earlier hour, this 

 morning, in hopes to leave our Indian tor- 

 mentors behind; but they were too wide- 

 awake for us. By the time the wagoners 

 had completed the task of gearmg their teams, 

 the squaws had ' geared' their dogs, and load- 

 ed them with their lodge poles and covers, 

 and other light ' plunder,' and were travelhng 

 fast in our wake. Much to our comfort, how- 

 ever, tlie greatest portion abandoned us before 

 night ; but the next day several of the chiefs 

 overtnnk ns ao-ain at noon, seemincr anxious 



to renew the 'treaty of peace.* The truth 

 the former treaty had never been * sealed 

 they had received no presents, which form an 

 indispensable ratification of all their ' treaties^ 

 with the whites. Some fifty or sixty dollars 

 worth of goods having been made up for them, 

 they now left us apparently satisfied; and al- 

 though they contmued to return and annoy us 



