ns between us. The manner of holding a council was to select a
place on the prairie, plant an American flag in the center, and all
hands squat down in a circle around it. Then the speechifying would
commence, and last for hours without any satisfactory results. Anyone
who has had much experience in Indian councils is aware of the
hopelessness of arriving at a termination of the discussion. It very
much resembles Turkish diplomacy. But the weather was pleasant, and
everybody was patient.

The Indians, however, were concocting plans all this time to effect the
escape of the prisoner in the guardhouse. So one day they suggested a
certain place for the holding of the council, giving some plausible
reason for the change of location, and when the time arrived, everybody
assembled, and the ring was formed. Those present consisted of all the
traders, Superintendent Cullen, Major Sherman, Lieutenant Ayer,--in
fact, all the white men at the agency,--and about one hundred Indians,
everyone of whom had a gun in his hands. I had warned the major
frequently not to allow an Indian to come into council with a gun, but
he deemed it better not to show any timidity, and they were not
prohibited. The council on this occasion was held about four hundred
yards from the battery camp, and on lower ground, but with no
obstruction between them. The scheme of the savages was to spring to
their feet on a concerted signal and begin firing their guns all around
the council circle, so as to create a great excitement and bring
everyone to his feet, and just at this moment the prisoner in the
guardhouse was to make a run in the direction of the council, keeping
exactly between the guard and the whites in the council ring, believing
that the soldiers would not fire for fear of killing their own people.
When the time arrived every Indian in the ring jumped to his feet and
fired in the air, creating a tremendous fusilade, and as had been
expected, the most frightful panic followed, and everyone thinking that
a general massacre of the whites had begun, they scattered in all
directions. Instantly the prisoner ran for the crowd, and an Indian can
sprint like a deer. Contrary to expectations, every one of the ten
guards opened fire on him, and seven of them hit him, but curiously not
one of the wounds stopped his progress, and he got away; but the bullets
went over and among the whites, one ricocheting through the coat of
Major Cullen. The prisoner never was