e in from all directions. He ordered
them to take our stock out on the ranch, feed and guard it, and bring it
in in the morning. He treated us generously to supper and breakfast,
including many delicacies to which we had long been strangers. In
consideration of my bringing the letters to him, he invited me to sleep
in his store, and, in the morning, introduced me to his Indian wife and
two sons, also, to several other women who were engaged in an adjoining
room, in cutting and making buckskin coats, pants and moccasins,
presenting me with an elegant pair of the latter. His wife was a bright
and interesting woman, to whom he was deeply attached. His two boys were
bright, manly fellows, the oldest of whom, about ten years old, was soon
to be taken to St. Joe or Council Bluffs and placed in school.

At an early hour in the morning, the Indians brought in the stock, in
fine condition, and we hitched up and bade our host goodbye. He sent
word to his sister at home, and seemed much affected at our parting.
This was the first morning when, in starting out, we knew anything about
what was ahead of us; what we would meet, or what the roads and
crossings would be. In fact, every one we saw, were going the same as
ourselves, consequently, all were quite ignorant of what the day might
bring forth. On this morning, we knew the conditions of the roads for
several days ahead, and, that Fort Laramie was thirty-six miles before
us.

Shortly after going into camp toward sunset, a party of horsemen was
seen galloping toward us, who, on nearer approach, proved to be a band
of ten or twelve Indians. When within about one hundred yards, they
halted and dismounted, each holding his horse. The chief rode up to us,
saluted and dismounted. He was a sharp-eyed young fellow, showing
beneath his blanket the dress-coat of a private soldier and
non-commissioned officer's sword. He gave us to understand that they
were Sioux, and had been on the warpath for some Pawnees, also that they
were hungry and would like to have us give them something to eat. After
assuring him that we would do so, he ordered his men to advance, which
they did after picketing their ponies, coming up and setting themselves
on the grass in a semi-circle.

We soon noticed that they carried spears made of a straight sword-blade
thrust into the end of a staff. On two or three of the spears were
dangling one or more fresh scalps, on which the blood was yet scarcely
dry. On pointin