CAMP IN DEATH HOLLOW. 49 



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Indians ! Indians I " In a moment 



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men 



■\vc lieard no war-whoop — saw no enemy. Two large objects, 

 however, quickly came in view, wliicli soon developed into 

 two stage-coaclies, covered ontside with soldiers and their 

 rifles. These soldiers had mistaken oiu- 



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Indians, and had fired at them, at which our escort, who were 

 mostly recruits and unaccustomed to being made targets of, 

 thought that their end had come, and that the Indians were 

 upon them ^^ sure." 



IS'ot much was said about the mistake, for both sides were 

 a little ashamed of it, and cur great desire was to hear the 

 news. It was the old story, but rather worse than usual, 

 Nearly a Week before, the coaches had left Fort Wallace, and 

 had tried to run the gauntlet together to Denver. On the 

 ]7th, however, before they had travelled more than thirty 

 miles, they were attacked by a band of 200 warriors, all 

 mounted and well armed. Unable to go farther, they tried to 

 retrace their steps, and had a running fight with the Indians 

 for eight miles, when the savages, after losing several 

 comi^ades, gave up the chase. Two soldiers and one civilian 

 were killed, and their bodies left on the road; two of the 

 'guards were woimded, and Mr. Blake, of Philadelphia, who 

 had come out with the excursion party, and was on his way 

 to Denver, had been shot in the shoulder. He was sufficiently 

 recovered, however, to leave Fort Wallace that afternoon, and 

 commence his homeward jom-ney. From him we received a 

 description of the fight. The stages had started eastward 

 two days previously, and been driven back to the fort ; but 

 with indomitable perseverance, they had tried again, and this 



time 



night we dug rifle pits around our camp; and 



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