the north and south, and the groves which grew
near them. We often speak of the scarlet line of the British troops
advancing on the foe, and such in appearance was the fire; for we could
see it from the heights where we stood, forming a line of a width which
it seemed possible to leap over, or at all events to dash through
without injury. Now it divided, as it passed some rocky spot or marshy
ground. Now it again united, and the flames were seen licking up the
grass which they had previously spared.

Our poor baggage-animals caused us much anxiety. Had they escaped or
fallen victims to the flames with our property, and the most valuable
portion of it--the ammunition? Charley declared that he heard some
ominous reports, and the Indians nodded as they listened to what he
said, and made signs to signify that the baggage had been blown up. For
some minutes we were surrounded by a sea of flame, and had to employ
ourselves actively in rushing here and there and extinguishing the
portions which advanced close upon us, our horses in the meantime
standing perfectly still and trembling in every limb, fully alive to
their dangerous position. At length, after a few anxious hours, the
fire began to die out; but here we were on the top of a rock, without
food or water, and with only so much powder and shot as each man carried
in his pouch. Still, we had saved our lives and our horses, and had
reason to be thankful. The spot was a bleak one to camp in, but we had
no choice. To protect ourselves from the wind, we built up a hedge of
brushwood, and lighted a fire. Food we could not hope to obtain until
the morning, but Pierre and one of the Indians volunteered to go down to
the river, and to bring some water in a leathern bottle which the
Canadian carried at his saddle-bow. He had also saved a tin cup, but
the whole of our camp equipage had shared the fate of the mules,
whatever that might be. The sky was overcast, and, as we looked out
from our height over the prairie, one vast mass of blackness alone could
be seen.

After quenching the thirst produced by the smoke and heat with the water
brought by Pierre and his companion, we lay down to sleep.

At daylight we were on foot. The first thing to be done was to
ascertain the fate of the mules, and the next to obtain some game to
satisfy the cravings of hunger. Pierre and the Indians descended into
the plain for both purposes. Charley and I started off in one
direction