to sign, having refused to do so until all of the
forts within their territory should be vacated. All of his demands were
acceded to, the new road abandoned, the garrisons withdrawn, and in the
new treaty it was distinctly stated that the Black Hills and the Big
Horn were Indian country, set apart for their perpetual occupancy, and
that no white man should enter that region without the consent of the
Sioux.

Scarcely was this treaty signed, however, when gold was discovered in
the Black Hills, and the popular cry was: "Remove the Indians!" This
was easier said than done. That very territory had just been solemnly
guaranteed to them forever: yet how stem the irresistible rush for gold?
The government, at first, entered some small protest, just enough to
"save its face" as the saying is; but there was no serious attempt to
prevent the wholesale violation of the treaty. It was this state of
affairs that led to the last great speech made by Red Cloud, at a
gathering upon the Little Rosebud River. It is brief, and touches upon
the hopelessness of their future as a race. He seems at about this
time to have reached the conclusion that resistance could not last much
longer; in fact, the greater part of the Sioux nation was already under
government control.

"We are told," said he, "that Spotted Tail has consented to be the
Beggars' Chief. Those Indians who go over to the white man can be
nothing but beggars, for he respects only riches, and how can an Indian
be a rich man? He cannot without ceasing to be an Indian. As for me,
I have listened patiently to the promises of the Great Father, but his
memory is short. I am now done with him. This is all I have to say."

The wilder bands separated soon after this council, to follow the drift
of the buffalo, some in the vicinity of the Black Hills and others in
the Big Horn region. Small war parties came down from time to time upon
stray travelers, who received no mercy at their hands, or made dashes
upon neighboring forts. Red Cloud claimed the right to guard and hold
by force, if need be, all this territory which had been conceded to his
people by the treaty of 1868. The land became a very nest of outlawry.
Aside from organized parties of prospectors, there were bands of white
horse thieves and desperadoes who took advantage of the situation to
plunder immigrants and Indians alike.

An attempt was made by means of military camps to establish control and
force all the Indians upo