It was on the 14th of May, that Black Hawk, while engaged in this ceremony, was informed that a large number of mounted volunteers, had been seen about eight miles from his camp.  “I immediately started,” says he, “three young men, with a white flag, to meet them and conduct them to our camp, that we might hold a council with them, and descend Rock river again:  and directed them in case the whites had encamped, to return, and I would go and see them.  After this party had started, I sent five young men to see what might take place.  The first party went to the encampment of the whites, and were taken prisoners.  The last party had not proceeded far, before they saw about twenty men coming towards them in full gallop.  They stopped and finding that the whites were coming so fast, in a warlike attitude, they turned and retreated, but were pursued and overtaken and two of them killed.  The others made their escape.  When they came in with the news, I was preparing my flags to meet the war chief.  The alarm was given.  Nearly all my young men were absent about ten miles off.  I started with what I had left, (about forty,) and had proceeded but a short distance, before we saw a part of the army approaching.  I raised a yell, and said to my braves; “some of our people have been killed, wantonly and cruelly murdered! we must avenge their death.”  In a little while we discovered the whole army coming towards us in full gallop!  We were now confident that our first party had been killed.  I immediately placed my men in front of some bushes, that we might have the first fire, when they approached close enough.  They made a halt some distance from us.  I gave another yell, and ordered my brave warriors to charge upon them, expecting that we would all be killed! they did charge—­every man rushed and fired, and the enemy retreated in the utmost confusion, and consternation; before my little but brave band of warriors.  After pursuing the enemy for some distance, I found it useless to follow them, as they rode so fast, and returned to my encampment with a few of my braves, (about twenty-five having gone in pursuit of the enemy.) I lighted my pipe, and sat down to thank the Great Spirit for what he had done.  I had not been long meditating, when two of the three young men I had sent out with the flag, to meet the American war chief, entered.  My astonishment was not greater than my joy to see them living and well.  I eagerly listened to their story, which was as follows: 

“When we arrived near to the encampment of the whites, a number of them rushed out to meet us, bringing their guns with them.  They took us into the camp, when an American who spoke the Sac language a little, told us that his chief wanted to know how we were, where we were going, where our camp was, and where Black Hawk was.  We told him that we had come to see his chief:  that our chief had directed us to conduct him to our camp, in case he had not encamped; and in that event to tell him, that he (Black Hawk)