As  we  had  frequently  reserved  our  fire  during  the  fight,
our  silence  would  not  be  noticed  immediately.  We  then
retired  in  Indian  file,  through  the  trees,  rocks  and  fallen
timber  in  rear  of  us.  Our  horses  were,  evidently,
plainly  visible  to  the  Indians — a  circumstance  that  facili
tated  our  escape.  We  retreated  for,  perhaps,  a  mile
through  the  forest,  which  was  filled  with  rugged  boulders
and  trunks  of  fallen  pine  trees,  through  which  no  horse
could  penetrate,  waded  one  of  the  branches  of  Tongue
river  up  to  our  waists,  and  gained  the  slippery  rocks  of
the  great  mountain  ridge,  where  no  mounted  Indians,
who  are  as  lazy  on  foot  as  they  are  active  on  horse
back,  could  pursue  us.  Then,  as  we  paused  to  catch  our
breath,  we  heard,  in  the  distance,  five  or  six  ringing
volleys  in  succession.  It  was  most  likely  the  final  fire
delivered  by  the  Indians  before  they  charged  our  late
position,  with  the  hope  of  getting  our  scalps.
"That  means  we  are  safe  for  the  present,"  said
Grouard,  u  but  let  us  lose  no  time  in  putting  more  rocks
between  us  and  the  White  Antelope."  We  followed  his
advice  with  a  feeling  of  thankfulness  that  those  only  who
have  passed  through  such  an  ordeal  can  appreciate.  How
astonished  and  chagrined  the  reinforced  savages  must  have
been  when  they  ran  in  upon  the  maimed  horses  and  did
not  get  a  single  scalp  !  Even  under  such  circumstances


286  A  MIEA C  ULO  US  ESCAPE.
