136 A. SOJOURN AMONG THE HALE-BBEEDS. 



peared to be led on by the scent of the dead carcasses. After hob- 

 bling the horses, putting up my tent and cooking the supper, I made 

 a sketch of our encampment, and then turned in for the night, not 

 without some apprehensions of a hostile visit from the Sioux, as we 

 were still on their hunting grounds and in the territory of the United 

 States, being still a few miles south of the boundary line. During 

 the night my guide, who was very ill and feverish, cried out that the 

 Sioux were upon us. I started up with my gun in my hand, for I 

 slept with it by my side, and, rushing out in the dark, was near 

 shooting my own horse who, by stumbling over one of the tent posts, 

 had alarmed my companion. We travelled on next day with the 

 greatest rapidity that the ill health of my guide would permit, and 

 on the evening of the 30th of June we encamped on the bank of the 

 Parabinaw. I lost considerable time next morning in catching the 

 horses, as they are able, from habit, to run a considerable distance and 

 pretty fast, in spite of their hobbles. In the afternoon we arrived 

 at the Swampy Lake, about fourteen miles across. A little before 

 sunset we reached about the middle of it, but my guide complained 

 so much that I could not proceed further. I succeeded in finding a 

 small dry spot above water, large enough for me to sit on, but not af- 

 fording room for my legs which had to remain in the water, there 

 being no more room in the small cart than was necessary for the sick 

 man. Having no means for cooking I was compelled to eat my dried 

 meat raw. I tried to compose myself to sleep, but found it impossible 

 from the myriads of mosquitoes which appeared determined to ex- 

 tract the last drop of blood from my body. After battling with 

 them until four o'clock next morning, my eyes almost blinded by their 

 stings, I went in search of the horses which had strayed away to 

 some distance into deeper water, tempted by some sort of flags grow- 

 ing there. I had to wade up to my middle in pursuit of them, and 

 it was not until nine o'clock that we were able to proceed. After 

 leaving this dismal swamp we were within a day's march of the settle- 

 ment, and my guide, believing himself to be much better, insisted 

 upon my leaving him to drive the cart, whilst I proceeded at a more 

 rapid rate on horseback. This, however, I would not do until I had 

 seen him safe across Stinking River, which the horses had almost to 

 swim in crossing. Having got him over safely, I left him, and pro- 

 ceeded onward in the direction of the fort. But I had not gone far 

 before I encountered one of the numerous swampy lakes that abound 

 in this region and render the travelling extremely difficult. I had 

 no doubt got upon a wrong track, for, on endeavouring to cross, my 

 horse quickly sank up to his neck in mud and water. Finding that 



