ildered
manner, a party of something like forty Indians ran rapidly past. I
don't know whether they saw me or not, but I was by no means anxious to
engage their attention, and was glad enough when the last passed out of
sight. I then went in search of Jose, whom I found in the river up to
his neck in water--a position which he thought afforded the safest
means of concealment, as he knew his wild brethren would have
sacrificed him, and perhaps eaten him forthwith, if they had chanced to
discover him."

I at once set to work to dress Dowling's ear, and a wound which Don
Luis had received in his hand. The latter was merely a scratch, and the
only danger likely to arise from it was in the event of the arrow by
which it was inflicted having been poisoned. But Don Luis felt so
confident that this was not the practice among the tribes about here,
that he would not allow me to take the usual precautions against such a
contingency.

Our anxiety was now turned towards the party who were out hunting, and
we anxiously looked for their appearance. We had been so upset by the
events of the morning, that we all felt disinclined to resume our
labours after our meal was concluded, and we occupied ourselves in and
about the camp, and in discussing the reason of the Indians' attack,
and the probability of its being followed up by another. The day wore
on without any signs of our companions' return. Towards evening, a
rifle was fired off occasionally, to let them know of the danger which
in all probability awaited them from an attack on the part of the
Indians, and also to let the latter gentry know that we were on the
look-out. It was arranged that we should all keep watch until the
arrival of our friends, to be the better prepared for any danger which
menaced us and them; for we thought it not unlikely that the Indians
were hovering about the camp, and might attempt a surprise. Exhausted,
however, by excitement and fatigue, one by one we dropped off to sleep.
I was wakened up by the report, as I thought, of a rifle, which was
immediately followed by a horrible moaning, and the whole of us were
soon on our legs, rifles in hand, in the expectation of being butchered
in the course of a few minutes. Bradley's well-known whistle, however,
somewhat restored our confidence.

In a few minutes Lacosse, Bradley, and the old trapper were by the
camp-fire. "Is McPhail here?" asked all of them in a breath, anxiously
looking round the circle. The