buffalo next plunged his horns into a fine bay horse, the property of an officer in the Seventh Iowa Cavalry, and the poor fellow groaned with pain until the hills resounded.  Exhausted by his exertions and wounds, the bull laid down carefully by the side of the horse, as if afraid of hurting himself, and in a moment rolled over dead.  We skinned and dressed him, and carried the meat into camp for our suppers; but it was dearly bought beef, at the expense of the lives of two noble horses; and Colonel Brown notified us he wished no further contracts closed on such expensive terms.

While we lay encamped at the depot of supplies, on the Republican, Colonel Brown called for volunteer scouts, stating that he would give a purse of five hundred dollars to any one who would discover a village of Indians and lead the command to the spot.  This glittering prize dazzled the eyes of many a soldier, but few had the courage to undertake so hazardous an enterprise.  Sergeant Hiles, of the First Nebraska, and Sergeant Rolla, of the Seventh Iowa, came forward and said they would go upon the expedition provided they could go alone.  Both were shrewd, sharp men, and Colonel Brown readily gave his consent, well knowing that in scouting, where the object is not to fight, but to gain information and keep concealed, the fewer men in the party the better their chances of escape.

On the day after Hiles and Rolla had left camp, Nelson, who had come down and joined the army as a guide, proposed to me that we should go out and hunt an adventure.  My old love of Indian life was upon me, and I joyfully accepted his proposition.  I applied to Colonel Brown for permission to set out at once, but he declined to grant my request, on the ground that it was not necessary or proper for an officer to engage in such an enterprise.  I, however, coaxed the colonel a little, and he finally told me I might go.

Packing several days’ supplies on a mule, as soon as it was dark Nelson and I started, he leading the mule, and I driving him from behind.  We travelled over to the Little Beaver, then up the stream for some distance, when we crossed over and camped on Little Beaver.  Here we expected to find Indian signs, but were disappointed.  We rested for a short time, and then travelled down the Beaver until opposite Short Nose Creek, when we crossed the divide and camped on that stream.  Two days later we pushed on to Cedar Creek, and then crossed over to Prairie Dog Creek.  We had travelled only at night, hiding away all day in the brush that lined the creeks, and keeping a sharp lookout for Indians.  So far, we had seen no Indian signs, and began to despair of finding any, when one morning, just as we were preparing for breakfast, I heard several shots fired, apparently four or five miles up the creek.  Nelson ran out on the bluff, and, applying his ear to the ground, said he could distinctly hear the reports of many rifles.  We could