ey be a goin'
to stake us." Sure enough this was their intention; seizing us one by
one, they stretched us on the turf in three files, the heads of one file
resting between the feet of the row above him; driving the stakes firmly
into the ground, they fastened thongs of raw hide to our wrists and
ankles, and passing them around the pins, drew our feet and arms out to
their utmost tension, making our joints fairly crack. Pinioned in this
way, our heads were the only moveable parts of our bodies, and our
upturned faces had the full benefit of the sun's rays, being subjected
at the same time to attacks of swarms of insects. This torture was so
very painful that many fainted, but the women soon brought the victims
to consciousness by dashing an olla of water in their faces, and with
yells of delight witnessed the renewal of the poor fellows' agonies. I
was so completely disguised in dirt, that the flies seemed to pass me by
in despair; and being thus in a measure relieved, I turned my attention
to my companion on my right, the trapper. He seemed to be taking things
very quietly, and evinced great patience and fortitude under his trials.
The squaws were particularly attentive to him; and at the time I turned
my head in his direction, two hags were amusing themselves sticking
sharp pointed sticks into his body; he bore it manfully, but I saw tears
of agony streaming from under his eyelids. Presently the air was filled
with yells and whoops; our tormentors rushed off pell-mell, the guards
only remaining. I asked what was the meaning of this new outbreak; to
which the trapper replied that he supposed it was caused by the arrival
of a new lot of those "gosh darned red niggers."

Deeming this a good opportunity, I questioned him as to the intentions
of our captors; to which he replied that we would be kept staked out in
this barbarous way until the games and feasting, with which they always
celebrated successful forays, had been completed; and then we would be
put to torture and death.

"How will they kill us?" I asked.

"O, darn 'em, the varmints have as many ways as I have fingers and toes,
to knock the life out of a chap; they most allus makes us run the
gantlet, leastwise the Kimanch does; but ye see, they air such mighty
unsartin niggers, they does a'most enything but what yer expect them
ter."

"Will we have to remain in this position until the Indians are ready to
torture us?" I asked.

"'Spect so," briefly answered