Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/559

Rh be seen were clad only in a short skirt, with feathers in their hair. One of them, notwithstanding the cordon of soldiers, escaped out of the fortress over the rocky ridge and bluff, giving a triumphant whoop as he gained the level ground, and distancing his pursuers. It was conjectured that he must have gone either for supplies or rëenforcementsreënforcements [sic].

Thus wore away the afternoon. As night approached Crook, who by this time had reconnoitred the position from every side, directed rations to be issued to the pickets stationed around the stronghold to prevent escapes. When darkness fell the scouts left the bluff and crept down among the rocks of the ridge intervening between the bluff and the fortress, getting within a hundred feet of the east fort. The troops also now carefully worked themselves into the shelter of the rocks nearer to the Indians, who evidently anticipated their movements and kept their arrows flying in every direction, together with stones, which they threw at random. In the cross-fire kept up in the dark one of Madigan's men was killed by Parnell's company. All night inside the forts there was a sound of rolling about and piling up stones, as if additional breastworks were being constructed. Whenever a volley was fired by the troops in the direction of these noises, a sound of voices was heard reverberating as if in a cavern. During the early part of the night there were frequent flashes of lightning and heavy peals of thunder. In the mean time no change was apparent in the position of affairs.

At daybreak Parnell and Madigan were directed to bring in their pickets and form under the crest of the ridge facing the east fort, while the scouts were ordered to take position on the opposite side of the ridge, and having first crawled up the slope among the rocks as far as could be done without discovering themselves, at the word of command to storm the fort. At sunrise the command Forward! was given.