308 Expedition to the 



excited, in proportion as the time of their departure approach- 

 ed. He despatched a boy, with a letter to his partner Mr. 

 Lisa, then trading at Council Blaff, a distance of thirty miles, 

 informing him of his situation, and of the fact, which had 

 but then come to his knowledge, that the low ays had form- 

 ed a small party for the purpose of visiting Council Bluff, 

 and committing some depredations there. 



On the reception of this intelligence Mr. Lisa sent a fa- 

 vourite Omawhaw, Wa-co-ra, to accompany the boy with 

 his reply. 



In the meantime the Ioway party had set out, and after 

 travelling a considerable distance, the partizan became lame, 

 and was left with a companion on the way. 



Wacora, fortunately, did not meet the party, but he saw 

 the partizan with his companion, calmly seated in fancied 

 security, amongst the thick bushes. He crept silently near 

 to them, who were distinctly recognized by the boy, and dis- 

 charging his gun, broke the arm of the partizan's companion. 



The partizan immediately perceiving the aggressor to be 

 an Omawhaw, exclaimed, " I am a half Omawhaw, I was 

 going to war against the Long knives, not against the Omaw- 

 haws, shoot no more, you have wounded one of us." Wa- 

 cora answered, " I am a Long knife," upon which the 

 wounded man, made a charge with a lance, and had nearly 

 transfixed the boy, when Wacora shot him ; he afterwards 

 killed the partizan, and bore off their scalps. Finding now 

 the trail of the party, which he readily ascertained by their 

 tracks, to consist of nine persons, he determined to return 

 immediately with his utmost speed, even at the risk of meet- 

 ing with the party, in order to inform Mr. Lisa of their pre- 

 sence in his vicinity ; this he accomplished at the imminent 

 hazard of his life. Thus proving that the most unlimited 

 confidence, might be safely reposed in his faithful perform- 

 ance of his trusts. 



Warriors often venture singly into the vicinity of an ene- 



