We
located them as well as we could, and the entire scout force,
being thirteen all told, started across the country for their
camp.
Seven of this number of scouts had never seen a wild Indian and
were over anxious to have a little sport with the redskins. The
Indians, being in a little ravine, we were able to get within a
half a mile of them before they could see us. After advancing as
far as we thought prudent, one of the scouts and myself dismounted
and crept through the sagebrush within three hundred yards of
them. Their fire was yet burning and the Indians were lounging
around, everything indicating that they had just cooked and eaten
their dinner. I counted them and made out twenty-one, my assistant
scout made twenty-three, and instead of being Pah-Utes, as we
expected, they were Utes. The boys all being anxious to try their
hand, I decided to make the attack at once. Returning to where I
had left the other scouts, I told them my plan of attack, telling
them to bear in mind that one shot well calculated was worth three
or four at random. I also told them as soon as I gave the war-
whoop for each of them to make all the noise he could.
Now we all mounted, and by riding up a little ravine we were able
to get within fifty rods of them before they could see us.
Before making the charge I told the boys to draw their pistols,
and when the pistols were emptied to draw sabres and cut the
savages down before they could get to their horses.
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