Memories of a Bear Hunter 



of instruments. They had three more cavalry 

 horses in their bunch. Later the same day another 

 band appeared on the other side of the river, but 

 suddenly decamped, because they believed that the 

 whites were about to fire on them. 



All these Indians talked as if they did not wish 

 for war, and Medicine Cloud professed to have 

 been sent by Sitting Bull to ask for peace. They 

 said that they would not fight the soldiers unless 

 attacked, but if attacked, would defend them- 

 selves. All wished to buy ammunition. 



The Indians who Were coming in reported other 

 Indians on the way from Sitting Bull, and no one 

 knew what this scattering meant. Some believed 

 the Indians were trying to purchase ammunition to 

 take back to the hostile camp on Tongue River, 

 while others thought that Sitting Bull's force was 

 deserting him on account of the number of troops 

 being concentrated against him. 



Believing that there was reason for alarm, I 

 advised that a new block house, already begun in 

 front of the stockade, be finished at once and 

 stocked with ammunition and provisions, and that 

 if seriously threatened we should all retire into the 

 block house and burn everything in the stockade. 

 Major Mitchell declared that he would do this at 

 once. 



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