Of his hoofs, as he had
been conveyed off at a round trot, bearing his savory cargo to
the hills, to furnish the scampering savages with a banquet of
roast meat at the expense of the white men.
The party returned to camp, balked of their revenge, but still
more grievously balked of their supper. Buckeye, the Delaware,
sat smoking by his fire, perfectly composed. As the hunters
related the particulars of the attack, he listened in silence,
with unruffled countenance, then pointing to the west, "the sun
has not yet set," said he: "Buckeye did not dream like a fool!"
All present now recollected the prediction of the Indian at
daybreak, and were struck with what appeared to be its
fulfilment. They called to mind, also, a long catalogue of
foregone presentiments and predictions made at various times by
the Delaware, and, in their superstitious credulity, began to
consider him a veritable seer; without thinking how natural it
was to predict danger, and how likely to have the prediction
verified in the present instance, when various signs gave
evidence of a lurking foe.
The various bands of Captain Bonneville's company had now been
assembled for some time at the rendezvous; they had had their
fill of feasting, and frolicking, and all the species of wild and
often uncouth merrymaking, which invariably take place on these
occasions.
