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front nearly impassable； and before it dried a courier arrived with
orders to the troops to go back to camp。
This fulfilment of Sword…Bearer's prophecy of course raised his
reputation to the zenith and the young men of the tribe prepared for
war； while the older chiefs； who more fully realized the power of the
whites； still hung back。 When the troops next appeared they came upon
the entire Crow force； the women and children with their tepees being
off to one side beyond a little stream while almost all the warriors
of the tribe were gathered in front。 Sword…Bearer started to repeat
his former ride； to the intense irritation of the soldiers。 Luckily；
however； this time some of his young men could not be restrained。 They
too began to ride near the troops； and one of them was unable to
refrain from firing on Captain Edwards' troop； which was in the van。
This gave the soldiers their chance。 They instantly responded with a
volley； and Captain Edwards' troop charged。 The fight lasted but a
minute or two； for Sword…Bearer was struck by a bullet and fell； and
as he had boasted himself invulnerable； and promised that his warriors
should be invulnerable also if they would follow him； the hearts of
the latter became as water and they broke in every direction。 One of
the amusing； though irritating； incidents of the affair was to see the
plumed and painted warriors race headlong for the camp； plunge into
the stream； wash off their war paint； and remove their feathers； in
another moment they would be stolidly sitting on the ground； with
their blankets over their shoulders； rising to greet the pursuing
cavalry with unmoved composure and calm assurance that they had always
been friendly and had much disapproved the conduct of the young bucks
who had just been scattered on the field outside。 It was much to the
credit of the discipline of the army that no bloodshed followed the
fight proper。 The loss to the whites was small。
The other incident； related by Lieutenant Pitcher； took place in 1890；
near Tongue River； in northern Wyoming。 The command with which he was
serving was camped near the Cheyenne Reservation。 One day two young
Cheyenne bucks； met one of the government herders； and promptly killed
himin a sudden fit； half of ungovernable blood lust； half of mere
ferocious lightheartedness。 They then dragged his body into the brush
and left it。 The disappearance of the herder of course attracted
attention； and a search was organized by the cavalry。 At first the
Indians stoutly denied all knowledge of the missing man； but when it
became evident that the search party would shortly find him； two or
three of the chiefs joined them； and piloted them to where the body
lay； and acknowledged that he had been murdered by two of their band；
though at first they refused to give their names。 The commander of the
post demanded that the murderers be given up。 The chiefs said that
they were very sorry； that this could not be done； but that they were
willing to pay over any reasonable number of ponies to make amends for
the death。 This offer was of course promptly refused； and the
commander notified them that if they did not surrender the murderers
by a certain time he would hold the whole tribe responsible and would
promptly move out and attack them。 Upon this the chiefs； after holding
full counsel with the tribe； told the commander that they had no power
to surrender the murderers； but that the latter had said that sooner
than see their tribe involved in a hopeless struggle they would of
their own accord come in and meet the troops anywhere the latter chose
to appoint； and die fighting。 To this the commander responded： 〃All
right； let them come into the agency in half an hour。〃 The chiefs
acquiesced； and withdrew。
Immediately the Indians sent mounted messengers at speed from camp to
camp； summoning all their people to witness the act of fierce self…
doom； and soon the entire tribe of Cheyennes； many of them having
their faces blackened in token of mourning； moved down and took up a
position on the hill…side close to the agency。 At the appointed hour
both young men appeared in their handsome war dress； galloped to the
top of the hill near the encampment； and deliberately opened fire on
the troops。 The latter merely fired a few shots to keep the young
desperadoes off； while Lieutenant Pitcher and a score of cavalrymen
left camp to make a circle and drive them in； they did not wish to
hurt them； but to capture and give them over to the Indians； so that
the latter might be forced themselves to inflict the punishment。
However； they were unable to accomplish their purpose； one of the
young braves went straight at them； firing his rifle and wounding the
horse of one of the cavalrymen； so that； simply in self…defence； the
latter had to fire a volley； which laid low the assailant； the other；
his horse having been shot； was killed in the brush； fighting to the
last。 All the while； from the moment the two doomed braves appeared
until they fell； the Cheyennes on the hill…side had been steadily
singing the death chant。 When the young men had both died； and had
thus averted the fate which their misdeeds would else have brought
upon the tribe； the warriors took their bodies and bore them away for
burial honors； the soldiers looking on in silence。 Where the slain men
were buried the whites never knew； but all that night they listened to
the dismal wailing of the dirges with which the tribesmen celebrated
their gloomy funeral rites。
Frontiersmen are not； as a rule； apt to be very superstitious。 They
lead lives too hard and practical； and have too little imagination in
things spiritual and supernatural。 I have heard but few ghost stories
while living on the frontier； and these few were of a perfectly
commonplace and conventional type。
But I once listened to a goblin story which rather impressed me。 It
was told by a grisled； weather…beaten old mountain hunter； named
Bauman； who was born and had passed all his life on the frontier。 He
must have believed what he said； for he could hardly repress a shudder
at certain points of the tale； but he was of German ancestry； and in
childhood had doubtless been saturated with all kinds of ghost and
goblin lore； so that many fearsome superstitions were latent in his
mind； besides； he knew well the stories told by the Indian medicine
men in their winter camps； of the snow…walkers； and the spectres； and
the formless evil beings that haunt the forest depths； and dog and
waylay the lonely wanderer who after nightfall passes through the
regions where they lurk； and it may be that when overcome by the
horror of the fate that befell his friend； and when oppressed by the
awful dread of the unknown； he grew to attribute； both at the time and
still more in remembrance； weird and elfin traits to what was merely
some abnormally wicked and cunning wild beast； but whether this was so
or not； no man can say。
When the event occurred Bauman was still a young man； and was trapping
with a partner among the mountains dividing the forks of the Salmon
from the head of Wisdom River。 Not having had much luck； he and his
partner determined to go up i