feel secure again, and return to our watch-station
on the height.

We had shaved our time closely; for, on reaching the hill-top, we could
hear the exclamations of Indians, the "thump, thump" of hoofs on the
hard plain, and an occasional neigh, as their horses scented the water.
The foremost were advancing to the spring; and we could see the long
line of mounted men stretching in their deploying to the far horizon.

Closer they came, and we could distinguish the pennons and glittering
points of their spears. We could see their half-naked bodies gleaming
in the clear moonlight.

In a short time the foremost of them had ridden up to the bushes,
halting as they came, and giving their animals to drink. Then one by
one they wheeled out of the water, and trotting a short distance over
the prairie, flung themselves to the ground, and commenced unharnessing
their horses.

It was evidently their intention to camp for the night.

For nearly an hour they came filing forward, until two thousand
warriors, with their horses, dotted the plain below us.

We stood observing their movements. We had no fear of being seen
ourselves. We were lying with our bodies behind the rocks, and our
faces partially screened by the foliage of the pinon trees. We could
see and hear with distinctness all that was passing, for the savages
were not over three hundred yards from our position.

They proceed to picket their horses in a wide circle, far out on the
plain. There the grama grass is longer and more luxuriant than in the
immediate neighbourhood of the spring. They strip the animals, and
bring away their horse-furniture, consisting of hair bridles, buffalo
robes, and skins of the grizzly bear. Few have saddles. Indians do not
generally use them on a war expedition.

Each man strikes his spear into the ground, and rests against it his
shield, bow, and quiver. He places his robe or skin beside it. That is
his tent and bed.

The spears are soon aligned upon the prairie, forming a front of several
hundred yards; and thus they have pitched their camp with a quickness
and regularity far outstripping the Chasseurs of Vincennes.

They are encamped in two parties. There are two bands, the Apache and
Navajo. The latter is much the smaller, and rests farther off from our
position.

We hear them cutting and chopping with their tomahawks among the
thickets at the foot of the mountain. We can see them carrying faggots
out upon the plai