e wounded. With the
two horses lost by Kit Carson's men, twenty-eight riding animals,
belonging to the United States government, were stolen by this band of
Camanches. But, had it not been for Kit Carson and his men, Lieutenant
Mulony would have lost his cattle likewise.

Young oxen, when stampeded, are sometimes lost by the Indians. When
not killed by wolves they usually join with the herds of buffalo and
soon become wild. In this state, they are represented as being quite
fleet of foot. More generally, they fall a prey to the wolves, and
sometimes, again into the hands of the savages. A party was crossing
the plains in the year 1854; the advance of the party sent back word
that the first buffalo was in sight. Many amateur hunters eagerly
volunteered for the chase, and soon, quite a squad of men were
traveling at a good round gallop towards the supposed game. On
approaching the game, it was found to be an old lame ox, which had
been turned out by some caravan to die. The disappointment which
prevailed in this crowd of neophyte hunters, on discovering this
mistake, can be better imagined than described. The poor ox,
apparently, had no idea of giving up the ghost quite yet. He was in
good health and spirits, and showed signs of being pleased to see a
white man again. The little birds of the prairies had used him as a
perch. This office he appeared quite accustomed to perform, for he
did not disturb the flock that was then occupying his back. How he had
escaped the wolves is a miracle.

From signs discovered after the Indians had decamped, it became
evident that several of the thieves had been mortally wounded; but,
being tied on their horses, they were carried out of sight before they
died. This is a fair sample of many of the Indian fights which have
occurred, and are yet not unfrequent, on the prairies; the object of
the savages is to plunder; therefore, an unguarded moment is selected
for their attacks. In this instance, by the time the whites had got
their firearms and men ready to commence the contest, the Indians had
perpetrated their intended assault and were off.

[Illustration: CAMANCHE WARRIOR.]

The Camanches are excelled by no men in the world in their
horsemanship, not excepting the famous Cossacks of Europe. The level
prairies are beautiful fields for them to act on. It is in a skirmish
similar to the one we have endeavored to describe, that they put these
qualifications to the test. The arena where th