THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GiLLERY. 481 



the atmosphere above; whilst an occasional huge yellow rattlesnake or a copperhead 

 could be seen gliding over or basking across their vari-colored tendrils and leaves. 



BUFFALOES. 



On the eighth day of our march wo met, for the first time, a herd of buffaloes ; and 

 being in advance of the command, in company with General Leavenworth, Colonel 

 Podge, and several other officers, we all had an opportunity of testing the mettle of 

 our horses and our own tact at the wild and spirited death. The inspiration of chase 

 took at once and alike with the old and the young ; a beautiful plain lay before 

 us, and we all gave spur for the onset. General Leavenworth and Colonel Dodge, 

 with their pistols, gallantly and handsomely belabored a fat cow, and were in together 

 at the death. I was not quite so fortunate in my selection, for the one which I saw 

 fit to gallant over the plain alone, of the same sex, younger and coy, led me a hard 

 chase, and for a long time disputed my near approach ; when at length the fall speed 

 of my horse forced us to close company, and she desperately assaulted his shoulders 

 with her horns. My gun was aimed, but missing its fire, the muzzle entangled in 

 her mane, and was instantly broken in two in my hands and fell over my shoulder. 

 My pistols were then brought to bear upon her; and though severely wounded, she 

 succeeded in reaching the thicket, and left me without " a deed of chivalry to boast." 

 Since that day the Indian hunters in our charge have supplied us abundantly with 

 buffalo meat ; and report says that the country ahead of us will afford us contiuual 

 sport and an abundant supply. 



THE POLICY OF THE EXPEDITION. 



We are halting here for a few days to recruit horses and men, after which the line 

 of march will be resumed ; and if the Pawnees are as near to us as we have strong 

 reason to believe from their recent trails and fires, it is probable that within a few 

 days we shall thrash them or get thrashed; unless, through their sagacity and fear, 

 they elude our search by flying before us to their hiding places. 



The prevailing policy amongst the officers seems to be that of flogging them first 

 and then establishing a treaty of peace. If this plan were morally right, I do not 

 think it practicable ; for, as enemies, I do not believe they will stand to meet us ; but 

 as friends, I think we may bring them to a talk if the proper means are adopted. We 

 are here encamped on the ground on which Judge Martin and servant were butchered 

 and his son kidnapped by the Pawnees or Camanchees, but a few weeks since ; and the 

 moment they discover us in a large body, they will presume that we are relentlessly 

 seeking for revenge, and they will probably be very shy of our approach. We are 

 over the Washita— the " Rubicon is passed." We are invaders of a sacred soil. We 

 are carrying war in our front, and " we shall soon see what we shall see." 



JUDGE MARTIN AND FAMILY. 



The cruel fate of Judge Martin and family has been published in the papers, and 

 it belongs to the regiment of dragoons to demand the surrender of the murderers and 

 get for the information of the world some authentic account of the mode in which 

 this horrid outrage was committed. 



Judge Martin was a very respectable and independent man, living on the lower 

 part of the Red River, and in the habit of taking his children and a couple of black 

 men-servants with him, and a tent to live in, every summer, into these wild regions, 

 where he pitched it upon the prairie and spent several months in killing buffaloes and 

 other wild game for his own private amusement. The news came to Fort Gibson, but 

 a few weeks before we started, that he had been set upon by a party of Indians and 

 destroyed. A detachment of troops was speedily sent to the spot, where they found 

 his body horridly mangled, and also one of his negroes ; and it is supposed that his 

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