ed to them that when the man on
post next to them should call out the hour, they must call it also as
near like him as possible. It was very amusing to hear them do this. They
would try to remember what the other man had said on the post next to
them. For instance, a white soldier would call out: "Post No. I,
half-past nine o'clock, all is well!" The Indian standing next to him
knew that he was bound to say something in English, and he would sing
out something like the following:

"Poss number half pass five cents--go to ----! I don't care!"

This system was really so ridiculous and amusing that the General had to
give it up, and the order was accordingly countermanded.

Nothing of any great interest occurred on this march, until one day,
while proceeding up Prairie Dog Creek,[D] Major North and myself went out
in advance of the command several miles and killed a number of buffaloes.
Night was approaching, and I began to look around for a suitable camping
ground for the command. Major North dismounted from his horse and was
resting, while I rode down to the stream to see if there was plenty of
grass in the vicinity. I found an excellent camping spot, and returning
to Major North told him that I would ride over the hill a little way, so
that the advance guard could see me. This I did, and when the advance
came in sight I dismounted and laid down upon the grass to rest.

[Footnote D: Near the lonely camp where I had so long been laid up with a
broken leg, when trapping years before with Dave Harrington.]

Suddenly I heard three or four shots, and in a few moments Major North
came dashing up towards me, pursued by eight or ten Indians. I instantly
sprang into my saddle, and fired a few shots at the Indians, who by this
time had all come in sight, to the number of fifty. We turned our horses
and ran, the bullets flying after us thick and fast--my whip being shot
from my hand and daylight being put through the crown of my hat. We were
in close quarters, when suddenly Lieutenant Valkmar came galloping up to
our relief with several soldiers, and the Indians seeing them whirled and
retreated. As soon as Major North got in sight of his Pawnees, he began
riding in a circle. This was a sign to them that there were hostile
Indians in front, and in a moment the Pawnees broke ranks pell-mell and,
with Major North at their head, started for the flying warriors. The rest
of the command pushed rapidly forward also, and chased the ene