verhanging bank. He said several
times the Indians in their search for him were within a few feet of him.

After finding of young Masterson, we returned to camp. Clark had lost a
great deal of property, besides that which had been consumed in his
burned home. He was positive the party did not comprise more than
fifteen or twenty warriors. He begged us to help him recover his
property, or to at least get revenge. Accordingly Perry Maupin, John
Atterbury, myself and three others, whose names I cannot now recall,
volunteered for the undertaking, making seven in all.

Getting off at daybreak we struck the trail of the Indians and followed
as fast as the nature of the country would permit. In places the trail
was very dim, and this occasioned considerable delay, but just about
sunset the camp of the savages was located. As night was now upon us, it
was deemed best to await until daylight to make the attack. We were
satisfied they would remain until morning, probably feasting on some of
the stolen stock. They were camped on the west branch of Trout Creek
about one mile above the forks. Their position was two hundred yards
from the creek at a spring, and surrounded by a few scattering willows
and quaking asps. On every side was open ground, with a high, bald
mountain on the north side, and presenting a splendid opportunity for
attack. The location of the camp also indicated that they felt secure
from pursuit. Everything being settled, both as to the manner of
approach and point of attack, we withdrew and awaited the coming of
morning. Unsaddling our horses and picketing them, a portion lay down in
an effort to get some sleep, the others standing guard.

At 3 o'clock we saddled our horses and by taking a circuitous route were
enabled to approach the camp from the southwest side, and by following a
slight depression in the ground reached a point within 150 yards of
where the savages rested in fancied security. To prevent the possibility
of arousing them by any accidental noise, we had dismounted some
distance back, and carefully led our horses by the head, lest a stumble
or neigh might discover us to the enemy. It was yet dark when we reached
a spot opposite the camp, and standing at our horses' heads, impatiently
awaited the dawn. Streaks of light soon began shooting through the
eastern sky, but it seemed an eternity before we could see well enough
to shoot. Any one who has ever experienced waiting under similar
circumstances