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Show 24 FORTY YEARS AMONG THE INDIANS. untarily give up, but plenty to fight; if he wanted any to kill he would have to fight for them. We were a half day's march from the great chief's camp, and I will admit that I was frightened, for I was much under the influence of the old guide, being con-versant with his language. I was in the habit of riding along with him and listening to his talk about the Indians; he often told me how he succeeded in making peace with them. Previous to this time we had had several " close calls," but Old Thomas seemed to always have some way to talk the Indians into* peace. This time he appeared uneasy and fearful. On arriving at the Big Bend of the Dolores, we took the best position possible for defence, where there was some fallen timber. Soon the Indians commenced crossing the river above us on horseback and fully prepared for battle. There were about fifty of them, all well armed and mounted. They took position some two hundred yards from camp in a line facing us, and there stood. I was keen to com-mence firing upon them, thinking if we got in the first shot we would be more likely to conquer and several of the company felt the same ; but when we tried to urge this upon the captain and Old Thomas for nothing was done without the guide's consent when Indians were in the question the old man smiled and said, " Wait, friend, there ain't enough yet to shoot at ; you might miss ' em." By this time we had learned that the old guide's wisdom and policy had saved us, when if a shot had been fired we would doubtless have been destroyed. It was not long until we understood his meaning ; we saw others coming in tens and twenties and doing as the first had done till they formed a half- circle around us. We were near the bank of the river, our rear being |
