ope, laid them under his thigh, and giving a contemptuous laugh, left the lodge.

The chiefs went into a third council, which was remarkably still, as they were probably becoming sleepy, allowing our little party to meet once more, and interchange their feelings relative to their prospect of reaching the United States, which they now considered rather dubious, as they were robbed of provisions, clothing, and, as far as they knew, every thing else. From this time, for two hours, all was perfect silence; but whether from the quantity of tea he had eaten, or the blows on his head, the doctor was very wakeful, till the crier passed round the camp, arousing its inmates. They obeyed the call with great alacrity, and in a few moments every lodge was levelled, and preparations were made for a start.

The captives looked on anxiously, not knowing what disposition would be made of them. While this was going forward, an old woman stepped up and offered the doctor a bark sack, containing about a peck of corn. He received it very gratefully, resolving, if ever he reached home, he would give her a newspaper puff, however he might serve the rest of her nation. But while he was reflecting upon the "generous, pitying nature of woman," to be found, in no matter what part of the earth, his cogitations were unpleasantly interrupted by her laying hold of his only remaining blanket, and claiming it in exchange for the corn. He was about putting an unfavorable construction upon this act, when a man came forward and offered to exchange horses with him—for his was standing near-at which his kind preserver of the day previous interfered, making signs that the white man's horse was worth two of his, driving him away, with demonstrations that he was a very bad fellow. Not

wishing to part with his horse, the doctor thought of him, "surely you are a noble spirit;" but before the first Indian was fully out of sight, the "noble spirit" brought out a horse not worth half as much as the other, and, reminding him o former services, forced him to trade. His romantic musings were effectually dissipated, and he concluded that the whole nation were a set of rascally, reckless scamps. This is the tribe among whom the accomplished Dr. Saturly, from Elmira, New York, a mission physician, was killed some eight years since.

CHAPTER XVXII.

Departure-Prairie on fire-Strong wind-Raw corn-Thirst-Dreams -Pool-Indians-Ruse-Living on raw corn- -Big Blue-GroveWild turkey-Lucky shot-Postponement of a feast-Sabbath-Bad night--Indian and family flour-Nice bread-Frozen squashes— Residence of Mr. Fish-Beautiful country-Westport-Mr. BrownIndependence-Divine worship-Visit to the mission.

WITH a few refuse Indian ponies, and the dearly bought bag of corn, Chapman, without a hat, and the rest deficient in articles equally necessary, accompanied by three Indians, our "forlorn hope" started for the hills, in the direction the chiefs had advised them to go the night before.

The agent felt as though he had been well picked, and Eike any thing else than a United States government officer. Indeed, he was ostensibly so no longer, for the Pawnees had robbed him of his commission. Their guides escorted them a few miles and left them; and the party had not proceeded far, when they discovered that the prairie was on fire directly behind them. This had probably been done by the young men, infuriated at not receiving a share of the booty.

It was the first of November, the wind strong, and from the north-west, while they were travelling to the south-east, driving the fire immediately upon them; and the long dry grass affording excellent combustible matter. They journeyed on till two o'clock, and then turned their horses loose upon the prairie, while they ate a few ears of dry corn,

which, as they were very hungry, relished much better than they had expected.

But the horses were so thirsty that they would not graze, so they remounted, the fire having gained rapidly upon them during the few moments they had tarried. They pushed on until between one and two o'clock at night, suffering from want of water, of which they had not found a drop, when, the heavy dews having somewhat checked the fire, they determined to rest.

They had hardly laid down on the old buffalo skins, graciously given them by the Indians, when, through excessive weariness, they dropped asleep. They had dozed but a short time, when Chapman screamed out "fire! fire! the fire is upon us!" The others started up, but laid down again, for the exclamation was caused by the feverish dreams of the sleeper. But their sleep was incessantly disturbed by visions of fire, Indians, and water.

At the end of an hour they were somewhat refreshed, and, guided by the north star, endeavored to keep to the eastward, and morning light soon came to their assistance. The fire now gained upon them, and they toiled on in severe suffering, until eleven o'clock, when, to their unspeakable joy, they found a pool of water. They drank as much as they dared for three hours, the wind veering so as measurably to relieve them; and as to the poor animals, they had much difficulty to prevent them from injuring themselves by excessive drinking.

At last they reluctantly moved forward, changing to a north-east direction, hoping soon to reach their road, but had gone only a few miles when they caught sight of Indians, manifestly in pursuit of them. This, with their late adventures, was heart-sickening and discouraging. They

knew that they came to plunder them of their little remaini ng property, and their scalps. Poor Brown was intensely agitated, and spoke tenderly of his wife and children. The doctor cheeringly told him that they should have time to despond when they were nearer their foes, as they were nearly two miles distant, and that now was the time for action. They pushed directly forward as though they had discovered nothing, till they descended into a ravine, and were hidden from the sharp eyes of their pursuers, when they turned quickly round the hill, and thus avoided them. Three hours from this they suddenly, to their infinite relief, came out upon the great Oregon wagon trail. They were all sufficiently grateful, but poor Saxton, like Columbus, fell upon his face, and kissed the ground, and blessed the God of Heaven. They travelled wearily, but gladly on, till three o'clock in the morning, when the doctor, from extreme pain in his wounded head, fever, and exhaustion from want of food and water, was about to say to his companions, "go on, and if you can reach the States, well. I can go no further!-but the reflection came that this would have a discouraging influence upon them, and that it was his duty, to persevere as long as he could stand. A short time after this they happily came in sight of a grove, a suitable place for encampment. They tarried here a couple of hours, taking more raw corn, with pure creek water, and were greatly refreshed. For eight long days they plodded on, subsisting upon corn, raw, boiled, and roasted. These days for the doctor were full of pain, debility, and anxiety. His injured head was in such a condition that he was some of the time in fearful danger of a brain fever. They could not make rapid progress, as the Pawnees, on the principle that “exchange is no robbery," among the rest of their favors had