V.

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 pemmikon 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 through, 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."