Indians just turning an angle of the pass.
On they came at a rapid pace till the whole road, as far as the eye
could reach, seemed full of them. As soon as they perceived us, they
set up the most terrific yells, and rushed frantically forward. We
waited for them steadily, but I feared, by the very force of their
charge, that our people would be overthrown and driven back.

"Now, lads," exclaimed Laban, as they came on, "be steady. Wait till I
give the word. Fire low. Don't let the bullets fly over their heads.
Bring down the leading men. Now ready--Fire!"

All obeyed our brave leader, and several in the front ranks of the enemy
fell. Yet it did not stop the rest, but rushing on with the fiercest
shrieks, they threw themselves madly upon our party. The White Dog's
followers bore the brunt of the charge, and very gallantly did they
behave. Again and again the Flintheads were driven back, and again and
again they came on. They seemed resolved to conquer or die. There must
have been nearly a hundred warriors among them. The air was at times
darkened with their arrows, besides which a number had rifles. Four or
five of our Indian allies had been killed, as had one of our people, and
numbers had been wounded. We kept up at them a hot fire all the time,
and many of them fell. Still, in proportion to our numbers, we had lost
more men than they had. Once more the whole column rushed on together.
I fully thought that we were lost, when, as I glanced my eye upward, I
saw what I fancied was the mountain-top bend forward. Yes, I was not
mistaken! Down it came with a wild, rushing noise directly towards us,
shaking the very ground on which we stood. The Indians saw it too, but
it did not stop them, as with headlong speed they were rushing towards
us, about to make another onslaught. They and White Dog's people met,
and the last I saw of them they were dashing their tomahawks into each
other's brains.

I shouted frantically to Laban and the rest to retreat. It was a mighty
avalanche, a vast mass of snow and ice. As it descended it increased in
size, gathering fresh speed. As one mast of a ship drags another in its
fall, so did one mountain-top seem to lay hold of the one next to it,
and bring it downwards into the valley. Down, down came the mountains
of snow, thundering, roaring, rushing. My brain seemed to partake of
the wild commotion. I cannot attempt to describe the effect. I was
leaping, running, spr