ull of danger
and difficulty, and I wished to obtain the protection and support of the
guardian spirits of our people. If I did not ask them, how could I
expect them to grant me what I want? While I was staying at Roaring
Water, I heard your uncle pray to your gods; and I suppose that you
expected them to give you what you asked for."

I tried to explain to him that there is but one God, the Great Spirit of
whom his people knew, though they were sadly ignorant of his character;
and that we never prayed to inferior beings, as our God would not allow
us to do so. Much more I said, though at the time with little effect;
indeed, the chief was as deeply sunk in the grossest superstition as are
the Indian tribes among whom the gospel light has not yet shone.

On reaching his tent, he bade me lie down again, observing that he would
talk over the matter another day.

The next morning I was surprised to find that Maysotta had not returned.
Still, her father appeared to feel no anxiety about her.

The sun had been up a couple of hours or so when I heard shouts in the
camp, and the chief with all his braves hurried out. They went to
welcome the return of a party of their warriors, who marched in singing
and shouting,--the leading men having three or four scalps at the end of
their spears, while among them were dragged three or four unfortunate
Arrapahas, whom they had captured, and who were, according to the Indian
custom, to be put to death. Among them, to my surprise and horror, was
a young squaw, who, if not beautiful according to my taste, was
certainly interesting-looking. She bore herself with as much fortitude,
apparently, as the men, although she knew that her fate would be the
same as theirs.

The chief had said nothing to me about Piomingo, and I now felt
satisfied that it was the intention of his people to sacrifice him with
the rest of the prisoners. I resolved, however, to plead for him, as
well as for them, and make special endeavours to save the life of the
young squaw. According to the savage Indian custom, she would be
barbarously tortured before being put to death. It seems strange that
human beings can take a pleasure in thus treating their
fellow-creatures; it shows how debased, how diabolically cruel, men can
become when they have once gone away from God. At present, however, the
braves were too much occupied in recounting their deeds of valour to
think of their prisoners, who were left bound, a