Part 10 (1/2)

There was no reply This whitethey knew not where, who told theular influence over them There was none of his hearers who did not di the poor mass of hury with hi deain for the death of the surviving Bannock

Cecil Grey looked at hio”

There was no answer Better iraded ue sha as the dark animalism of their natures

Cecil turned to Snoqualive arded him coldly

”Take it,” he said after a pause Cecil stooped over and untied the thongs that bound the captive, who rose to his feet ary murmur froesture Then he turned to the young Bannock

”Dog, one of a race of dogs! go back to your people and tell them what you have seen to-day Tell theer, and that we let you go only to tell the tale Tell them, too, that Snoqualmie knows his sister died by their hand last winter, and that for every hair upon her head he will burn a Bannock warrior at the stake Go, and be quick, lest my war-party overtake you on the trail”

The Bannock left without a word, taking the trail across the prairie toward the land of his tribe

”The gift was given, but there was that given with it that made it bitter And now may I bury this dead body?”

”It is only a Bannock; who cares what is done with it?” replied Snoqualifts,”

and the chief turned abruptly away

”Who will help me bury this man?” asked Cecil No one replied; and he went alone and cut the thongs that bound the body to the stake But as he stooped to raise it, a tall fine-looking ade from the Shoshones, who had taken no part in the torture, caether they bore the corpse away froether they hollowed out a shallow grave and stretched the body in it, covering it with earth and heaping stones on top, that the cayote ht not disturb the last sleep of the dead

When they returned to the camp, they found a war-party already in the saddle, with Snoqualmie at their head, ready to take the Bannock trail But before they left the ca thereat council of the tribes on Wappatto Island, for which they must start on the morrow

[3] See Bancroft's ”Native Races,” vol i, p 270

[4] See Ross cox's ”Adventures on the Colu the Columbia tribes

CHAPTER II

ON THE WAY TO THE COUNCIL

They arrived at the village of Wishram

IRVING: _Astoria_

The camp was all astir at dawn, for sunset must see them far on the way They must first cross the prairies to the northward till they struck the Colu down it to the Willamette valley It was a two days' journey at the least

Squaere preparing a hurriedtaken down and the mats that covered them rolled up and strapped on the backs of horses; Indians, yelling and vociferating, were driving up bands of horses fro ponies were to be selected; unbroken ani beneath their first burdens, whileat their heels Here and there unskilful hands were throwing the lasso ahter of the spectators All was tuth they were under way First rode the squaws, driving before them pack-horses and ponies, for the herds and entire movable property of the tribe accompanied it in all its marches The squaws rode astride, like men, in the rude wooden saddles that one yet sees used by the wilder Indians of eastern Oregon and Idaho,--very high, both before and behind, looking like exaggerated pack-saddles A hair rope, tied around the lower jaw of the horse, answered for a bridle To this must be added the quirt, a short double-lashed whip fastened into a hollow and curiously carved handle The application of this as so constant as to keep the right arm in continual motion; so that even to-day on the frontier an Indian rider can be distinguished fro and falling of the whip arm With the squaere the children, soe, rode alone on horseback, tied in the high saddles;their steeds with instinctive skill, and when the journey becas fro off

Next caht of any kind and armed with bow and arrow Here and there a lance pointed with flint, a stone knife or hatchet, or a heavy war-club, hung at the saddle; but the bow and arrow constituted their chief weapon