Taking advantage
of its well known curiosity, he laid down flat among the grass, and
putting his handkerchief on the end of his ramrod, waved it gently
in the air. This had the effect of the fabled fascination of the
rattlesnake. The antelope approached timidly, pausing and reconnoitering
with increased curiosity; moving round the point of attraction in a
circle, but still drawing nearer and nearer, until being within range of
the deadly rifle, he fell a victim to his curiosity.
On the 10th of June, as the party were making brisk progress with a fine
breeze, they met a canoe with three Indians descending the river. They
came to a parley, and brought news from the Arickara village. The war
party, which had caused such alarm at the sand-bar, had reached the
village some days previously, announced the approach of a party of
traders, and displayed with great ostentation the presents they had
received from them. On further conversation with these three Indians,
Mr. Hunt learnt the real danger which he had run, when hemmed up within
the sand-bar. The Mandans who were of the war party, when they saw the
boat so completely entrapped and apparently within their power, had been
eager for attacking it, and securing so rich a prize. The Minatarees,
also, were nothing loath, feeling in some measure committed in hostility
to the whites, in consequence of their tribe having killed two white men
above the fort of the Missouri Fur Company.
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