Soon after the grand hunting-day I have described, our scout brought
word that a party of Sioux were in the neighbourhood. Our fighting-men
attacked them and killed several. A scalp-dance took place, and other
orgies which I will not describe. I was so horrified with what I saw,
that I agreed with Malcolm that we would get back to the settlements 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 which the Red men tortured their prisoners, and I dreaded lest such
should be the lot of my poor brother. The rage and fury of the Indians
at finding that their friends had thus been cut off was terrific, and
their threats of vengeance terrible.
I had hitherto, till this expedition, seen the Red men only under more
favourable aspects. I now perceived what they could become when excited
by passion. Still the loss of my brother made me anxious that they
should immediately undertake an expedition which might result in his
recovery. I saw the Indians examining the ground round on every side,
and they soon pronounced an opinion that the party who had attacked
their friends did not equal them in numbers, and would not have
succeeded had they not lain in ambush and taken them by surprise. We
must have passed close to the Sioux, but in consequence of the
superiority of our numbers they were afraid to attack us. A council was
immediately held; the principal men spoke, and various plans were
suggested. The result of them was, that it was determined to form a
camp on the spot, while twenty well-mounted warriors should go in
pursuit of the Sioux, I entreated Sigenok to allow me to accompany him.
"You are young for warfare, but your heart is strong--you shall go," he
answered. No time was to be lost. It was of great consequence to
follow up the foe so rapidly that they might not be prepared for our
approach. A hurried meal was taken, and each warrior furnishing himself
with a supply of pemmican for several days, we immediately set off.
Three men, on foot, always kept ahead to act as scouts and to feel the
way, while their horses were led by the rest, and when the first were
tired others took their places. The Sioux must have retreated very
rapidly, for two whole days passed, and though my friends assured me we
were on the right trail, we had not overtaken them. I was almost in
despair, and began to doubt that, even if Malcolm was alive, he could be
with them. I had just expressed my fears to Sigenok when one of the
scouts came hurrying back and exhibited a tag--the end of a boot-lace,
such as my brother had worn. This Sigenok considered a sure sign that
Malcolm was with them. My eagerness, therefore, increased to overtake
them, but the Indians assured me that great caution was requisite, and
that instead of going faster, it might be necessary to go slower. This
is often the case I have since found in other affairs of life.
More scouts were now sent out and still greater caution used. It was
the intention of my companions, if possible, to make the onslaught on
the camp of their foes at night. All depended, however, on our approach
not being suspected. The Sioux, of course, would have scouts out, and
the difficulty was to avoid their meeting ours, or discovering any
traces. At last, just before dusk, one of our scouts brought in word
that they had encamped, and that we were about two miles from them. It
was suspected, from the way in which they had formed their camp, they
must have thought that they had distanced us. We had now no longer any
doubt about overtaking them, but the question was as to the best means
of making the attack. The Indians' chief thought was of revenging
themselves for the loss of their relatives, my only desire was to
recover my brother should he still be alive. We continued to advance
till we got within about half a mile of the Sioux camp--the hilly nature
of the ground and the woods concealing our approach. Beyond that we
dared not proceed, as the country was so open that we might easily have
been seen had we made the attempt. The band, accordingly, here left
their horses under charge of five of their number, and as soon as it was
dusk they commenced their stealthy approach to the camp. Sigenok and
another young and active Indian undertook to look after me. Not a word
was spoken after we set out--not a leaf was moved, scarcely a blade of
grass was uselessly pressed down. On they crept slowly, and so gently
that I could scarcely hear the footfalls even of my two companions. I
imitated their way of walking, and as I had on mocassins I also was able
to avoid making the slightest noise. We had got within a thousand yards
of the camp when we all stopped to listen. The camp was still astir,
and there were sounds of feasting and revelry. The Indians with me
ground their teeth--their enemies, fancying themselves secure, were
about to indulge in a scalp-dance over the scalps they had taken in the
morning. As yet the scouts had not got near enough to ascertain if my
brother was with them. I entreated Sigenok to let me go and ascertain.
"Not without me," was his answer. "Bah, we will go."
I eagerly and fearlessly pressed on. We had to crawl along the ground
lest our figures might be perceived, by the sharp eyes of the Sioux
against the sky. We reached a small stream. The camp was formed a
little way beyond it. We waded across it, and creeping up, looked over
the bank. In the centre was a fire which, as it blazed up, threw a
strange light on the groups of fierce savages clustering round it. At a
little distance was a figure which attracted all my attention--it was
that of my brother. He was seated on a log of wood, close to which a
stake was driven in, and to this his wrists were tightly secured, though
his feet were free. His head was bent down; he sat perfectly quiet, as
if resigned to his fate. By the gestures of his captors I thought that
they were talking about him, and I feared that they were proposing
forthwith to put him to death. I dared not ask Sigenok what he thought;
the slightest sound might have betrayed us. Oh how I longed to rush
forward and join his fate, whatever that might be. I believe that I
should have done so when I saw him lift up his pale countenance, so
expressive of grief and pain, had not Sigenok held me back. He was, I
was sure, thinking of me, and how miserable I should be when he was
taken from me, and I was left alone in the world. Sigenok now made a
sign to me to retreat; keeping close to him as before, I unwillingly
left the spot. We crawled on till we rejoined our companions. It may
seem surprising that the Sioux should have been so completely off their
guard; but this arose from their despising their foes, the fact being
that the Ojibways are generally very unwarlike, and they, therefore,
believed that they would not venture to follow them. My companions'
plans were soon formed. It was arranged that the whole party should
creep forward as we had done, and that each man should single out one of
the enemy according to his position, and that at a signal from Sigenok,
the low croak of a frog, all should fire at the same moment. With the
sound of the first shot the men with the horses were to come galloping
on, as if a fresh party were approaching the scene of conflict. As,
undoubtedly, all the Sioux would not be killed, some might, otherwise,
attempt to rush on their concealed foes, but, with the fear of falling
into the hands of their enemies, they would now take to flight.
My heart beat quick as we now moved on towards the camp of our
treacherous foes. The night was very dark, and so noiseless were the
movements of the Indians that, till I actually touched Sigenok's heel, I
fancied at one time that I must be alone. The shouting and shrieking of
the Sioux as they sang their songs of triumph yet farther assisted us to
approach. In another moment the death volley would be given, and most
of those fierce savages would be laid low. My only wish all the time
was to rush forward and to release my beloved brother. How breathlessly
I waited for the signal! The warriors were moving about, and Sigenok
was not yet satisfied, apparently, with the positions which they had
taken up. Little did they dream of the danger which threatened them.
Sigenok's object was to wait till the Sioux were separated as much as
possible, so that there should be no mistake as to which of them should
be aimed at by the warriors of our party. After sitting down for some
time, they all arose with eager and violent gestures; some went in the
direction of the temporary wigwams they had formed, and others advanced
towards Malcolm. By their looks and gesticulations I had little doubt
that it was with the intention of torturing him. Poor Malcolm lifted up
his countenance and gazed with calm resignation at his approaching
tormentors. My knees trembled for very anxiety. Just then I heard a
low "croak! croak!" Though warned, I believed that it was really a frog
close to me. It was followed by a click as if caused by the cocking of
the rifles. The Sioux one and all started and looked round. Their
quick ears had detected the sound. There was another low croak, and at
the same instant a rattling volley, and fourteen savages lay stretched
on the grass. The rest rushed in all directions seeking for shelter,
but in their alarm, scarcely perceiving whence the volley had proceeded,
some darted towards the bank of the stream where my friends still lay
concealed rapidly reloading their rifles.
Scarcely had the smoke cleared off than I saw through it a savage
darting towards Malcolm with uplifted knife, resolved apparently, before
he died, to plunge it in his bosom. I shrieked out, and sprang forward
to throw myself between them. The savage saw me, and was about to vent
his rage on my head, but at the moment his gleaming knife was uplifted
to strike, a bullet struck him, fired from Sigenok's rifle, and he fell
within a foot of me, in vain endeavouring to reach me with his weapon.
I sprang to my brother's side, he was unhurt, my knife was busily
employed in cutting through the thongs which bound him. More shots were
heard as my Ojibway friends caught sight of their Sioux foes
endeavouring to escape. A few of the latter had, however, got to some
distance and were trying to catch their horses, on which their only hope
of safety now depended. The object of the Ojibways was, of course, to
prevent them, lest they should carry the news of what had happened to
their tribe, who would, in their turn, send off another war party in
pursuit of us.
The approach of our horses was now heard. Sigenok with a dozen other
men threw themselves on their backs almost without stopping them, and
galloped off in hot pursuit of their flying enemies. I stood by the
side of my brother, who was too much bewildered to understand what had
happened. His first words were, "Harry, dear Harry, tell me is it a
dream or a reality. Am I really free?"
"Free, Malcolm, I trust," I answered; "though I might almost ask you the
same question; I can scarcely believe my happiness."
"Now I take your hand and hear your voice, I know that it is true," he
said eagerly. "And that poor savage who lies so helpless there, I
thought he was going to kill me; but I have been mercifully protected; I
will tell you all about it by and by. Oh what a dreadful state of
existence is this wild life; we will quit it, and return to our quiet
home and never leave that. I had often read about savages, and thought
them very fine fellows, but little knew what they really are--how
bloodthirsty, cruel, murderous. Let us fly, Harry, let us fly at once.
Do not stay here."
I pacified him after a little time, and persuaded him to remain till
Sigenok returned. "He, though still a savage, is, at all events,
faithful," I observed; "he will not desert us till he has seen us home
and safe again with Sam Dawes. I wish that we could wean him altogether
from his mode of life, and induce him to become a civilised man."
While Malcolm and I were talking, the rest of the Ojibways had
collected, with the exception of those who had gone in pursuit of the
Sioux. The fire had sunk low, and I was thankful that the darkness
prevented us from watching the horrid task in which they were engaged--
that of scalping their fallen foes. The exclamations they uttered while
thus employed, showed the delight they took in the dreadful work. "Our
brothers are avenged! our brothers are avenged!" they kept shouting.
"Their mothers, and wives, and children will not mourn alone; there will
be grief and wailing also in the lodges of the Sioux. They will no
longer be able to boast that they are the great warriors of the plains.
We have conquered them; we have slain them; we have their scalps to
show." Nearly an hour thus passed; so greatly excited all the time were
the savages that they took little notice of us.
At last we heard shouts in the distance, which became louder and louder,
till by the light of the fire, which had been renewed, we saw Sigenok
and his companions ride into the camp flourishing at the end of their
spears the dreadful trophies of their success. But I should not have
described those scenes at all, were it not to afford you a true picture
of savage life, not as it is painted by romance writers, but as it
really is, debased, and wretched; and hopeless. We soon reached the
camp and recommenced our return to the settlements as rapidly as we
could push on.
Sigenok told us that the Sioux of whom they had gone in chase, had
nearly effected their escape, but that he had come up with them as they
were attempting to pass a broad river, and where, from being in the
water, not hearing the approach of their foes, he and his companions had
shot them all down, so that he believed not one had got off. Still, had
one escaped he might prove as dangerous as many, and therefore it might
be safer to proceed homeward at once. We urged him to do so, and
accordingly without even resting, we at once set out to return to the
camp. We reached it in safety; but I will not attempt to describe the
scenes which took place, and the savage triumph even of the women; how
they shrieked, and shouted, and danced, and clapped their hands till
they appeared like so many furies rather than human beings. As a war
party of the Sioux would be able to travel much faster than we could,
the household goods were at once packed, and we set out on our return
homeward. We travelled rapidly, and to guard against surprise we had
scouts in the rear constantly on the watch for the approach of a foe.
The conversation of the men all the way related to the events of the
expedition, and they evidently gloated over the way in which they had
put their enemies to death.
As we proceeded I often turned my head when I heard any noise behind me,
expecting to see the enemy darting out of a wood, or scouring over the
prairie in chase of us, and at night, while we were encamped, I
frequently started up under the belief that the Sioux were upon us.
"All our sufferings, and the dangers we have gone though, and the
horrors we have witnessed, have been owing to our folly," observed
Malcolm; "had we remained at home, steadily assisting Sam Dawes to
cultivate the farm, we should have escaped them all. We will be wiser
in future."