wax, nails, tops, toy pistols, crulls, doughnuts, fishing tackle, bullets, buttons, jews-harps, etc., that the strain on the suspenders often becomes too great), and were holding the surplus roots in one hand help up against the stomach. When the hand was full of yampas, they would spill and fall to the ground, and this much I know to be true. I saw some fall and picked them up and put them into my pockets, for I did not want such valuable property to "waste its sweetness on the desert air." I saw other boys, both white and Indian, picking up somethnigsomething, and then I saw an Indian picking himself up.
It appeared from the official report of this battle afterwards that the Indian who was picking himself up, had stooped down to pick up a yampa, when one of our boys attacked him in the rear with his foot, and the young warrior toppled over on his head. A race war now broke out instantly and the battle became general. Cries of vengeance arose from the whites and yells of defiance from the reds. It was now a hand to hand fight, for we were all mixed up together when the battle began. How we became separated I never knew, but presently we were some distance from the enemy and throwing pebbles about the size of black walnuts and Irish potatoes at them. They returned the fire with arrows and pebbles. The arrows at first alarmed us a little, and to admit the truth, I believe that if the Indians had charged us just then, we would have been routed, but we very soon discovered that we could see the arrows approaching and dodge them, as the range was not very close. As we pressed forward towards the enemy, throwing finger stones with great fury and dangerous precision, they fell back to the shelter of the potato house. As we had no field artillery heavy enough to hatter down a sand hill, we charged over and around the ends of the potato house, taking the enemy in front and on both flanks. This assault was made at a speed of about four double quicks, and was so impetuous as to be irresistable. The enemy now became demoralized and fled into the fort through an open gate. But we were not far behind and entering the court yard of the fort, gathered up more dangerous weapons and proceeded to slay and spare not. We found a pile of pack saddles, and one of the boys armed himself with a cinch, with which he attacked an Indian, striking him on the head with the iron ring on one end of the cinch.
