fluttering, and the water
below me was crowded with men and horses passing through, while the
meadow beyond was swarming with the restless crowd of Indians. The sun
was just setting, and poured its softened light upon them through an
opening in the hills.

I remarked to Reynal that at last we had found a good camping-ground.

"Oh, it is very good," replied he ironically; "especially if there is a
Snake war party about, and they take it into their heads to shoot down
at us from the top of these hills. It is no plan of mine, camping in
such a hole as this!"

The Indians also seemed apprehensive. High up on the top of the tallest
bluff, conspicuous in the bright evening sunlight, sat a naked warrior
on horseback, looking around, as it seemed, over the neighboring
country; and Raymond told me that many of the young men had gone out in
different directions as scouts.

The shadows had reached to the very summit of the bluffs before the
lodges were erected and the village reduced again to quiet and order. A
cry was suddenly raised, and men, women, and children came running out
with animated faces, and looked eagerly through the opening on the hills
by which the stream entered from the westward. I could discern afar
off some dark, heavy masses, passing over the sides of a low hill. They
disappeared, and then others followed. These were bands of buffalo cows.
The hunting-ground was reached at last, and everything promised well for
the morrow's sport. Being fatigued and exhausted, I went and lay down in
Kongra-Tonga's lodge, when Raymond thrust in his head, and called
upon me to come and see some sport. A number of Indians were gathered,
laughing, along the line of lodges on the western side of the village,
and at some distance, I could plainly see in the twilight two huge black
monsters stalking, heavily and solemnly, directly toward us. They were
buffalo bulls. The wind blew from them to the village, and such was
their blindness and stupidity that they were advancing upon the enemy
without the least consciousness of his presence. Raymond told me that
two men had hidden themselves with guns in a ravine about twenty yards
in front of us. The two bulls walked slowly on, heavily swinging from
side to side in their peculiar gait of stupid dignity. They approached
within four or five rods of the ravine where the Indians lay in ambush.
Here at last they seemed conscious that something was wrong, for they
both stopped and stood pe