sudden action or motion of any one of the party escaped them; and individuals were frequently observed to draw their arrows to test the elasticity of the bows. At a critical juncture, a tall and graceful Indian cocked his gun fiercely, and put his war whistle to his mouth, but the signal was not blown. Amongst numerous incidents that occurred during the half hour that we were surrounded by them, an individual attempted to seize a knapsack belonging to one of the soldiers, and immediately under his observation; the latter placed his foot upon the knapsack to detain it, and at the same time prepared his gun as if to shoot the offender, who leaped backward with great agility, and with an ejaculation of pleasure, drew his arrow to the head. The whole party precipitately retreated just as Mr. Dougherty returned from hunting; being briefly informed of the nature of their visit, he called aloud to the fugitives in their own language, but they passed on without heeding him, taking our {126} horses with them. I had by a rough estimate fixed their number at one hundred and forty; they were chiefly armed with the bow and arrow, and lance, with the usual accompaniments of tomahawks, war-clubs, and knives, together with a few guns. Fortunately no personal indignity was offered us; yet we could not repress a sensation of much mortification at the prospect of a frustration of our enterprise, which now seemed inevitable, and of extreme vexation at the irreparable loss of our horses, which no exertions of ours could have saved: an appeal to arms, except in the last extremity, would have been the height of imprudence, conquest being hopeless, and escape almost impossible.