st.

These scenes filled me with disgust, and I often thought how happy those
brutes would be if they were only endowed with the wonderful attributes
of that little sea monster, the polyp, who, when his body is cut in
half, suffers no inconvenience, but gormandizes as much as ever, with
this advantage, that the food, instead of remaining in his stomach,
passes out at the other end; thus allowing him to indulge in the
pleasure of gluttony, without the inconvenience of being gorged.

CHAPTER XXVI.

DANGER AHEAD.

We started again at early dawn, and commenced the passage of the defile
through the mountain. The pass was tortuous and rugged, but as we rode
in single file we experienced but little difficulty, and after about
three hours of alternate ascents and descents, we gained its outlet and
debouched upon the plain beyond. It was a timber prairie, studded with
_mottes_ of tall cottonwoods, and bisected near its center by a small
stream. A heavy belt of timber fringed the northern horizon, and towards
this we directed our course.

As we were now liable to come in contact with hostile parties of other
tribes, Stonhawon exercised great caution. Nearly a hundred runners or
spies were sent in advance, while the main body advanced slowly; the
chief receiving frequent reports from the scouts.

About ten o'clock we halted on the banks of the _arroyo_, and while
watering our animals, one of the scouts returned and made some
communication to our leader. In a few moments it became known to the
entire band that a large war party of Arrapahoes had been discovered
ahead. Beyond the belt of timber was a large grass prairie, a favorite
haunt of the buffalo and upon this the Arrapahoes had halted to hunt,
and after getting a good supply of meat, were engaged in converting it
into tasajo, preparatory to an extended raid upon the tribes to the
southward.

It is probable that we, ourselves, were intended to receive their polite
attentions, but if this had been their object it was frustrated by the
fact that we were out upon the same errand as regarded themselves.

At the eastern extremity of the prairie, a mountain rose from the plain;
it was an isolated peak of small altitude, its height being but a few
hundred feet, and in shape almost a perfect "sugar loaf." The belt of
timber which formed the southern boundary of the prairie, extended to
the mountain, and fringed its base. Near the foot of the mountain the
Arrapahoes w