INDIAN aUARTERS. 



361 



hive. Over his shoulders was thrown a poncho of 

 coarse blanket-stuff. He received us very gruffly, 

 and appeared irritated and sulky at having been 

 disturbed : he was still more offended when he 

 learned that we wished to see his captive. We in 

 vain endeavoured to explain our real views ; but 

 he grunted out his answer in a tone and manner 

 which showed us plainly that he neither did, nor 

 wished to understand us, and we were deterred 

 from pressing the matter further, by the sight of 

 his spear, which was within his reach : we had al- 

 ready heard too much of his habits to disregard 

 his displeasure. 



Whilst we were in conversation with Peneleo, 

 we stole an occasional glance at his apartment. By 

 the side of a fire, burning in the middle of the 

 floor, was seated a young Indian woman, with 

 long black hair reaching to the ground ; this, we 

 conceived, could be no other than the unfortunate 

 person we were in search of ; and we were some- 

 what disappointed to observe, that the lady was 

 neither in tears nor apparently very miserable ; 

 we therefore came away impressed with the unsen- 

 timental idea, that the amiable Peneleo had al- 



