ly we ascend the mountains from which we are to descend to the
Colorado river. Colonel Hoffman orders a halt, for the smoke of Indian
fires is seen ascending for miles along the banks of the majestic river.
Having got all things prepared for either peace or war, we march down into
the valley. The Indians have undoubtedly caught sight of us, for suddenly
the smoke disappears, all the fires apparently being extinguished. We
press on and soon reach the banks of the river.

Following down the stream a mile or two, the colonel searches for a good
spot for a camping-ground. As we are on the move, all mounted, well armed
and in military array, about thirty Indians showed themselves. Moving
cautiously at first, they gradually became emboldened and ran along our
lines asking sundry questions. But we returned no answers. Having selected
the spot for camping-ground, we lay out our camp in the form of a
triangle. On the one side is a bluff from six to ten feet high, on the
opposite side is a lake called Beaver Lake, about five hundred yards wide.
Here, upon the rich grass which borders the lake, we tether our animals,
each one having the range of a rope about thirty feet long. Here we
considered them safe, as the Indians would hardly attempt to attack them.
It was early in the month of January, 1859.

The third side of our triangle was a dry swamp, covered with a dense
growth of willow bushes. By order of the colonel, these bushes were cut
down for a distance of sixty or eighty yards, so that no foe could
approach unseen. By four o'clock in the afternoon, the labor of
establishing our camp was completed. At some distance from us there was a
large and constantly increasing band of Indians, curiously watching our
proceedings. They were all well armed with their native weapons of lances,
bows and arrows.

As I was talking in one part of the camp with Joe Walker, Colonel Hoffman
approached us and said,

"I want one of you to go and have a talk with the Indians."

"Very well sir," I replied, and turning to Joe, added, "will you go, or
shall I?"

"You had better go, I guess," Joe replied.

I at once set out towards the Indians, and when I arrived within speaking
distance, hailed them in Spanish, saying that I wished to see their chief
and to have a talk. I had left my rifle in the camp, but still had my
revolvers, and my knife. A young fellow, tall, of splendid proportions,
and one of the fiercest looking Indians I ever saw, stepp