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Updated: May 8, 2025
Orders were given, and the Indians worked back from the river and proceeded to make a night-camp. The landing had been made at the mouth of the creek, but the savages had spread out, and some of them were due east from us. "There's a heap of 'em!" whispered Cousin. "Lucky for us they didn't fetch any dawgs along, or we'd be smelled out an' have to leg it." "I hear squaws talking."
This gave us some hope, and next morning a deer hunt was proposed. We scattered in different directions in parties of two and three, and commenced tracking the deer. On re-assembling at our night-camp, our different parties came back wearied and empty-handed. The guides, Ike and Redwood, had gone by themselves, and were the last to reach the rendezvous. We watched anxiously for their return.
Although we had made a five miles' march from the place where we had halted to shoot the pigeons, our night-camp was still within the boundaries of the flock. During the night we could hear them at intervals at no great distance off. A branch occasionally cracked, and then a fluttering of wings told of thousands dislodged or frightened by its fall.
Lorand reached a grassy mound, shaded by juniper bushes. This spot he chose for his night-camp in preference to the wine-reeking, stenching rooms of the way-side inns. Putting on his boots, he drew from his wallet some bread and bacon, and commenced eating. He found it good: he was hungry and young.
The forest on the other side was more open; no doubt, because some former fire had burned down the underwood in that direction. The fan-like leaves of palmettos and yuccas growing all around, gave a southern and tropical aspect to the scene. The young hunters had halted nearly two hours before sunset, in order to give time to prepare their night-camp.
Within ten minutes of starting again we dipped into a wide-bottomed coulée and came on the place where the three had made their first night-camp a patch of dead ashes, a few half-burned sticks, and the close-cropped grass-plots where each horse had circled a picket-pin. Beyond these obvious signs, there was nothing to see.
To follow it, therefore, in the broad light of day, would expose our little party to view. If hostile Indians should be hanging after the caravan, they would be sure to see us, and equally certain to make an attack upon us; and from the traces we had noticed at the night-camp to say nothing of what Wingrove had seen we knew there were Indians in the valley.
The travellers, therefore, were compelled to ride on, until they should reach some spot having grass and water two of the necessary requisites of a "night-camp." After proceeding about ten miles the flowers began to appear more thinly scattered over the surface, and at length declined into the grass prairie.
I've had him four years, had him out all through Victoria's raid of the Gila, and he's a safer night guard than any ten men you can string around camp: nothing can approach he won't nail or tell you of. With Curly, a night-camp surprise is impossible." Whatever cross Curly represented was a mystery.
Another night-camp and he rode into Fort Faraway the next morning before the hour of noon. He was directed at once to the quarters of Buffalo Bill, and though, having been a soldier there, he recognized many old friends, he saw that, dressed as he then was, and with his beard grown, the recognition was not mutual.
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