ush along the banks
provided material for the temporary causeway and it did not take long to
build up a "bridge."

The more or less easy-going manner of the captain changed here and his
commands had a snap to them that should have given them an unquestioned
weight. Because of the restricted space chosen for the camp, the
circular corral was formed, and as the divisions reached and crossed the
causeway they fell in behind the last wagon of the one ahead and crawled
around until the circle was complete and compact. All animals were to be
staked outside the circle until twilight and then driven inside and
hobbled for the night. Care was taken to see that there were but few
gaps between the wagons and that those were securely closed by chains.

The length of the first tour of guard duty was increased considerably,
for the first watch went on as soon as the wagons stopped. They were
getting fairly into the Indian country now. Directly north of them lay
the range of the Pawnees; to the west of that the home of the Cheyennes;
directly west of the Little Arkansas roamed the Arapahoes, and to the
southwest were the Kiowas and Comanches, both of the latter superb
cavalrymen. The last three tribes were being stirred by jealous New
Mexicans to harass the caravans. And the interest of all these tribes,
and of others beyond them in several directions, was centered on the
prairie between the Little Arkansas and the valley of the Arkansas,
eastward from where the latter river left the mountains. This was the
great range of the buffalo, and the buffalo was food, clothing,
habitation, and figured very largely in other necessaries of the savage
tribes.

The peculiar, curving, and ever-shifting migration of the great herds
was followed by hunting parties, which became war-parties in a wink.
Many were the bloody battles fought between the tribes on that stretch
of prairie between the Little Arkansas and the two Coon Creeks. The
Pawnees claimed sovereignty over that part of the country around Pawnee
Rock, but it was one that the tribe did not dare to enjoy with any
degree of permanence. Raiding parties from the south, west, and north
constantly challenged their title, and because of these collisions
hardly a hunting party dared show itself unless in strength. There were,
it is true, small bands roaming the plains, especially after dark, which
traveled on foot; but these were out with the avowed and set purpose of
stealing horses, on which