PAWNEE ATTACK. 309 



though, he had passed the last eleven years 



of his life in Santa Fe, during the whole of 



which period he had seen neitlier his home 



nor liis relatiyes. 



The melancholy rites being concluded, we 



resumed our line of march. AVe now con- 

 tinued for several days without the occurrence 

 of any important accident or adventure. On 

 the 19th we encamped in the Cimarron val- 

 ley, about twelve miles below the Willow Bar. 

 The very sight of this desolate region, fre- 

 quented as it is by the most savage tribes of 

 Indians, was sufficient to strike dismay into 

 the hearts of our party ; but as we had not as 

 yet encountered any of them, w^e felt com- 

 paratively at ease. Our mules and horses 

 w^ere 'staked' as usual around the wagons, 

 and every man, except the watch, betook him- 

 self to liis blanket, in anticipation of a good 

 night's rest. The h our of midnight had passed 

 away, and nothing had been heard except the 

 tramping of the men oii guard, and the pe- 

 cuUar gratmg of the mules' teeth, nibbhng the 

 short grass of the valley. Ere long, however, 

 one of our sentinels got a gUmpse of some 

 object moving stealthily along, and as he was 



his eyes to ascertain what sort of 

 1 it could be, a loud Indian yell sud- 

 denly revealed the mystery. This was quickly 

 followed by a discharge of fire-arms, and the 

 shrill note of the ' Pawnee whistle,' which at 

 once made known the character of our \asit- 

 ors. As usual, the utmost confusion prevailed 

 in our camp : some, who had been snatched 



o 



