We took a
different route on our return, and the second day we saw a small
band of Indians traveling toward the settlement, which we had left
four days previous. We started in pursuit of them and struck their
trail before it was dark. I was confident that they would camp at
the first water they came to, which was about seven or eight miles
from there, so we staked our horses out on good grass, sat down
and ate our lunch while we waited for the clear moon to make its
appearance and light us across the country where we might find the
noble red men of the plains and entertain them for a while at
least. We thought that it would take us about all night to track
them up by the light of the moon, find their camp and play them
just one little tune of "How came you so?"
About ten o'clock the moon arose, but we waited until it was two
hours high, giving our horses a chance to fill up, after which we
mounted and took the trail of the Pimas, which we had not great
trouble in finding.
After we had followed the trail about seven miles we came to their
horses, but could see no signs of any camp, and we at once made up
our minds that the Indians were not far away, but that they had
either built no fire or the fire had gone entirely out, for we
could see no signs of any.
Dismounting, George took one man with him and I took one with me,
leaving the other two with the horses, and started out in
different directions to look for their camp.
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