lements as
soon as we could. We expressed our wish to Sigenok, and he promised to
return with us on the following day. Malcolm's great wish was to
withdraw Sigenok from his savage companions, and to induce him to settle
down as a civilised man and a Christian. We talked to him on the
subject, but he replied, that he had been all his life accustomed to
hunting and fighting, and that he could not abandon them. The next day
we set out, leaving the larger body of Indians still encamped.

We had travelled on for two days, when the belief being entertained that
we had no enemies to fear, there was less than the usual caution
observed by the natives in our march. We were passing through a
sparsely wooded country, I was in advance with Sigenok, while Malcolm
and several young Indians, whose interest he wished to excite by
descriptions of England and the wonders of the civilised world, brought
up the rear, at a considerable distance. Suddenly Sigenok stopped, the
crack of a rifle was heard, several others followed. "The Sioux!" he
exclaimed, turning round his horse. "Quick! quick! our friends are
attacked." No other order was required; keeping close to him we all
galloped back the way we had come, getting our rifles ready for action
as we proceeded. A terrible anticipation of misfortune seized me as I
thought of Malcolm, and the fate which might have overtaken him. Still
he and his companions might be defending themselves, and we should be in
time to rescue them. My heart sunk when the firing ceased. I knew that
the Sioux would not have attacked the party unless greatly superior in
numbers, and I dreaded that all was over, and that having slaughtered
their victims they had retired victorious. Sigenok might have thought
the same, for he sent out scouts on either side, and advanced with
greater caution than before, though still at a rapid pace. We pulled up
at an open glade. Sad was the sight which met our eyes. On every side
were strewed the bodies of our companions, all denuded of their scalps.
I almost fell fainting from my horse. I dreaded to find the body of my
dear brother among them; still I eagerly hurried on to ascertain his
fate. He was not to be found among the slain. My hopes slightly
revived. He might have escaped and be concealed somewhere near, or he
might have been carried off as a prisoner. My blood ran cold when I
thought of this latter possibility, for I had heard of the horrible mode
in wh