Page:Life Among the Piutes.djvu/192

 General Forsythe said, “Can Mattie talk English well enough to talk to me?”

I said, “Yes.”

“Well, you will want some one to go with you, to see that no harm comes to you.”

I said, “No, General, I can go alone. It will be night.”

“No, Sarah, I must send some one with you. I will send Lieutenant Pitcher and two soldiers.” I said, “Very well, but I had as soon go alone as not.”

So everything was made ready for my going. About four o’clock, nine of my people came. Among them was Mattie’s brother. We were both made happy by it. At six o’clock we were ready for our journey. I kissed my sister and away I went. Oh, what riding we did all night long. We did not stop to rest all night long, nor did the lieutenant stop our horses from trotting from the time we started, and about four o’clock the next morning he stopped and said to the men, “Fix my saddle.” I said, “Lieutenant, can I go on?” He said, “Yes.” Oh, what a relief it was to gallop my horse! At last I stopped and looked back, but could not see them coming. I would not wait for them, and got to Camp McDermitt just at daybreak. I saw a great many encampments there,—yes, as many as six hundred camps. I rode up to one camp and said, “Here, you are sleeping too much; get up.”

One of the women jumped up and said, “Who is it? What is it?”

“Where is my brother’s camp? Where is Natchez?” “Ah, here, next to us.”

I rode up to the camp. “Halloo! Get up. The enemy is at hand!”

My brother jumped up and said, “Oh, my sister!” He helped me off my horse and said to his wife, “Jump up, wife, and make a fire, sister is so cold.” I had nothing on