THE TRAPPER S LAST SHOT.



hard that the arrow dropped, just as Meek, who' had- loaded
his gun running, was ready to fire, and the Indian dropped:
after his arrow.
  Newell too had a desperate conflict with a half-dead
warrior, who having fallen from a wound, he thought dead
and was trying to scalp. Springing from his horse he
seized the Indian's long thick hair in one hand, and with
his knife held in the other made a pass at the scalp, when
the savage roused up knife in hand, and a struggle took
place in which it was for a time doubtful which of the
combatants would part with the coveted scalp-lock. New-
ell might have been glad to resign the trophy, and leave
the fallen warrior his tuft of hair, but his fingers were in
some way caught by some gun-screws with which the sav-
age had ornamented his coiffure, and would not part com-
pany. In this dilemma there was'no other alternative but
fight. The miserable savage was dragged a rod or two in
the struggle, and finally dispatched.
  Mansfield also got into such close quarters, surrounded
by the enemy, that he gave himself up for lost, and called
out to his comrades: " Tell old Gabe, (Bridger,) that old
Cotton (his own sobriquet) is gone." He lived, however,
to deliver his own farewell message, for at this critical
juncture the trappers were re-inforced, and relieved. Still
the fight went on, the trappers gradually working their
way to the upper end of the enclosed part of the valley,
past the point of danger.
  Just before getting clear of this entanglement Meek be-
came the subject of another picture, by Stanley, who was
viewing the battle from the heights above the valley.
The picture which is well known as "The Trapper's Last
Shot," represents him as he turned upon his horse, a fine
and spirited animal, to discharge his last shot at an Indian