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advantage over their enemies； in that whereas they lay still and
entirely concealed； the Indians of course had to move from cover to
cover in order to approach； and so had at times to expose themselves。
When the whites fired at all they fired at a man； whether moving； or
motionless； whom they could clearly see； while the Indians could only
shoot at the smoke； which imperfectly marked the position of their
unseen foes。 In consequence the assailants speedily found that it was
a task of hopeless danger to try in such a manner to close in on three
plains veterans； men of iron nerve and skilled in the use of the
rifle。 Yet some of the more daring crept up very close to the patch of
brush； and one actually got inside it； and was killed among the
bedding that lay by the smouldering camp…fire。 The wounded and such of
the dead as did not lie in too exposed positions were promptly taken
away by their comrades； but seven bodies fell into the hands of the
three hunters。 I asked Woody how many he himself had killed。 He said
he could only be sure of two that he got； one he shot in the head as
he peeped over a bush； and the other he shot through the smoke as he
attempted to rush in。 〃My； how that Indian did yell；〃 said Woody；
retrospectively； 〃/he/ was no great of a Stoic。〃 After two or three
hours of this deadly skirmishing； which resulted in nothing more
serious to the whites than in two of them being slightly wounded； the
Sioux became disheartened by the loss they were suffering and
withdrew； confining themselves thereafter to a long range and harmless
fusillade。 When it was dark the three men crept out to the river bed；
and taking advantage of the pitchy night broke through the circle of
their foes； they managed to reach the settlements without further
molestation； having lost everything except their rifles。
For many years one of the most important of the wilderness dwellers
was the West Point officer； and no man has played a greater part than
he in the wild warfare which opened the regions beyond the Mississippi
to white settlement。 Since 1879； there has been but little regular
Indian fighting in the North； though there have been one or two very
tedious and wearisome campaigns waged against the Apaches in the
South。 Even in the North； however； there have been occasional
uprisings which had to be quelled by the regular troops。
After my elk hunt in September； 1891； I came out through the
Yellowstone Park； as I have elsewhere related； riding in company with
a surveyor of the Burlington and Quincy railroad； who was just coming
in from his summer's work。 It was the first of October。 There had been
a heavy snow…storm and the snow was still falling。 Riding a stout pony
each； and leading another packed with our bedding； etc。； we broke our
way from the upper to the middle geyser basin。 Here we found a troop
of the 1st Cavalry camped； under the command of old friends of mine；
Captain Frank Edwards and Lieutenant （now Captain） John Pitcher。 They
gave us hay for our horses and insisted upon our stopping to lunch；
with the ready hospitality always shown by army officers。 After lunch
we began exchanging stories。 My travelling companion； the surveyor；
had that spring performed a feat of note； going through one of the
canyons of the Big Horn for the first time。 He went with an old mining
inspector； the two of them dragging a cottonwood sledge over the ice。
The walls of the canyon are so sheer and the water so rough that it
can be descended only when the stream is frozen。 However； after six
days' labor and hardship the descent was accomplished； and the
surveyor； in concluding； described his experience in going through the
Crow Reservation。
This turned the conversation upon Indians； and it appeared that both
of our hosts had been actors in Indian scrapes which had attracted my
attention at the time they occurred； as they took place among tribes
that I knew and in a country which I had sometime visited； either when
hunting or when purchasing horses for the ranch。 The first； which
occurred to Captain Edwards； happened late in 1886； at the time when
the crow Medicine Chief； Sword…Bearer； announced himself as the
Messiah of the Indian race； during one of the usual epidemics of ghost
dancing。 Sword…Bearer derived his name from always wearing a medicine
swordthat is； a sabre painted red。 He claimed to possess magic
power； and； thanks to the performance of many dexterous feats of
juggling； and the lucky outcome of certain prophecies； he deeply
stirred the Indians； arousing the young warriors in particular to the
highest pitch of excitement。 They became sullen； began to paint and
armed themselves； and the agent and the settlers nearby grew so
apprehensive that the troops were ordered to go to the reservation。 A
body of cavalry； including Captain Edwards' troop； was accordingly
marched thither； and found the Crow warriors； mounted on their war
ponies and dressed in their striking battle…garb； waiting on a hill。
The position of troops at the beginning of such an affair is always
peculiarly difficult。 The settlers round…about are sure to clamor
bitterly against them； no matter what they do； on the ground that they
are not thorough enough and are showing favor to the savages； while on
the other hand； even if they fight purely in self…defence； a large
number of worthy but weak…minded sentimentalists in the East are sure
to shriek about their having brutally attacked the Indians。 The war
authorities always insist that they must not fire the first shot under
any circumstances； and such were the orders at this time。 The Crows on
the hill…top showed a sullen and threatening front； and the troops
advanced slowly towards them and then halted for a parley。 Meanwhile a
mass of black thunderclouds gathering on the horizon threatened one of
those cloudbursts of extreme severity and suddenness so characteristic
of the plains country。 While still trying to make arrangements for a
parley； a horseman started out of the Crow ranks and galloped headlong
down towards the troops。 It was the medicine chief； Sword…Bearer。 He
was painted and in his battle…dress； wearing his war…bonnet of
floating； trailing eagle feathers； while the plumes of the same bird
were braided in the mane and tail of his fiery little horse。 On he
came at a gallop almost up to the troops and then began to circle
around them； calling and singing and throwing his crimson sword into
the air； catching it by the hilt as it fell。 Twice he rode completely
around the soldiers； who stood in uncertainty； not knowing what to
make of his performance； and expressly forbidden to shoot at him。 Then
paying no further heed to them he rode back towards the Crows。 It
appears that he had told them that he would ride twice around the
hostile force； and by his incantations would call down rain from
heaven； which would make the hearts of the white men like water； so
that they should go back to their homes。 Sure enough； while the
arrangements for the parley were still going forward； down came the
cloudburst drenching the command and making the ground on the hills in
front nearly impassable； and before it dried a courier arrived wi