d.

Leaving our horses and most of our weapons with the party, we set off at
once; the wild yells of the Arrapahoes, as they advanced to the attack,
ringing in our ears, and being echoed by the defiant war-cry of the
Camanches, as the latter prepared to receive the onslaught.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE ESCAPE.

Turning in the direction of the mountain, we put our horses into a hard
run, and in a few moments were tearing our way through the mezquite
bushes that fringed its base. The undergrowth became denser as we
advanced, and it was found advisable to abandon the ponies and forge
ahead on foot. The safety of our party depended in a great measure on
the celerity of our movements. Hastily dismounting, and tying the cattle
to some sturdy sage bushes, we continued our ascent, and it was not many
minutes before we had reached a portion of the mountain that shelved out
over the ravine, thus forming an admirable position for the signal
operations. My companion briefly explained the method of smoke signals,
which were made by gathering a quantity of very dry underbrush for the
fire, and green twigs, boughs of pine, balsam, and hemlock, being placed
upon the blazing wood, covers the flame and throws off a dense smoke
that may be seen at great distances. After ascertaining his views, and
receiving my instructions, I plunged into the wood and busied myself
collecting materials for our telegraph operations. It was not long
before we had a sufficient quantity of material gathered, and placing
the dry wood in such a manner that it might be easily ignited, my
companion produced his tinder apparatus, and was soon at work drilling
the block of hard wood, and frantically endeavoring to coax a spark that
might set the pile in a blaze.

As few, if any, of my readers understand the method by which Indians
light their fires, I will hastily describe it. The Indian is unfamiliar
with the use of matches; even the more primitive flint and steel is a
sealed book to him; hence he resorts to a very simple but laborious
contrivance. Each Indian supplies himself with two dried stalks of the
Mexican soap plant, about three-fourths of an inch in diameter. One is
made flat on one side; near the edge of the flat surface a small
indentation is made to receive the point of the other stick, and a
groove cut from this down the side. The other stick is made with a
rounded end, and placed upright upon the first. Placing the stick with a
flat surface b