I have said that the danger was not immediate. I did not conceive it so. My conception was based upon experience. I had met the prairie Indians before--in the south; but north or south, I knew that their tactics were the same. It is a mistake to suppose that these savages rush recklessly upon death. Only when their enemy is far inferior to them in numbers--or otherwise an under-match--will they advance boldly to the fight. They will do this in an attack upon Mexicans, whose prowess they despise; or sometimes in a conflict with their own kind-- when stimulated by warrior pride, and the promptings of the tribal vendetta. On other occasions, they are sufficiently careful of their skins--more especially in an encounter with the white trappers, or even travellers who tenter the prairies from the east. Of all other weapons, they dread the long rifle of the hunter. It is only after stratagem has failed--when _do or die_ becomes a necessity--that the horse-Indian can bring himself to charge forward upon the glistening barrel. The mere hope of plunder will not tempt even the boldest of red-skinned robbers within the circle of a rifle's range. They all know from experience the deadliness of its aim. Most probably plunder had been their motive for attacking the train; but their victims could only have been some straggling unfortunates, too confident in their security. These had not succumbed without a struggle. The death of all of them proved this: since not a prisoner appeared to have been taken. Further evidence of it was seen upon the sward; for as the crowd scattered, I observed through, the glass several corpses that were not those of white men. The robbers, though victorious, had suffered severely: hence the vengeful yells with which they were charging down upon us. With all their menace both of signs and sounds, I had no fear of their charging; up the mound, nor yet to its base. There were fifty yards around it within range of our guns; and the first who should venture within this circle would not be likely to go forth from it alive. "Not a shot is to be fired, till you are sure of hitting! Do not one of you pull trigger, till you have sighted your man!" This was the order passed around. On the skill of my comrades I could confide--on Sure-shot with all the certainty which his _soubriquet_ expressed; and I had seen enough of the young hunter, to know how he handled his rifle. About the Irishman alone was there a doubt--only of his coolness and his aim--of his courage there was none. In this, the infantry was perhaps equal to any of us.