Page:Life Amongst the Modocs.djvu/303

 thicket, a

double-barrelled shot gun loaded with pistol balls was fired across my breast.

The assassin nearly missed his mark. Only my right arm was shot through and disabled by a pistol ball, and the mule was hit slightly in the neck. I did not see any one. The mule wheeled and dashed through the bushes on the back track at a furious speed.

How dreadful I felt. To think that this was done by one or more of the roughs, who had followed me, after having been my companions in war !

They had sneeringly cautioned me to look out for Indians that morning as I was preparing to leave. They had taken this course to murder me, and lay it on the Indians, as is often done on the border.

My bitterness knew no bounds. I could not return and overtake the company, wounded as I was. I rode on rapidly, bleeding and faint.

I laid the matter on the whole company. I some times felt that a good number must have consented to this, if they had not advised it. Then I came to the conclusion that they had determined from the first who I was, and that I should die; but after finding how useful I was, deferred my attempted execution till the campaign was over. I long nursed that thought, and am even now not certain that it was incorrect.

I reached the Now-aw-wa valley, now known, I believe, by the vulgar name of " Squaw valley," and found it still as a tomb. Mountain Joe and I had