It was finally resolved, therefore, to keep in a body, and to
proceed, in the first place, to search for the trail of the party
to the south. A calculation was made, upon the supposition that the
Indians had traveled for another twenty-five miles upon their old
course, and then separated, each party making directly for home. To
avoid all mistakes, and to allow for a detour, it was determined to
shape a direct course to a point considerably to the east of that
given by the calculation, to follow the edge of the burned ground
until the trail was arrived at, and then to cut straight across, in
order to find and examine the trail of the western Indians.
As this conclusion was arrived at, the first dawn of light appeared
in the east, and Mr. Hardy at once roused the sleepers.
He then gave them a brief account of the conclusions to which he
had arrived in the night, and of his reason for so doing. There was
a general expression of agreement, then the girths were tightened,
and in five minutes the troop was in motion.
How great was the change since the preceding evening! Then, as far
as the eye could reach stretched a plain of waving grass. Birds had
called to their mates, coveys of game had risen at their approach;
deer had been seen bounding away in the distance; ostriches had
gazed for an instant at the unusual sight of man, and had gone off
with their heads forward and their wings outstretched before the
wind.
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