xxii INTRODUCTION. 



almost exterminated, the Eiver and Mountain Crows, 

 who act as a frontier police between the Northern Sioux 

 and the white settlers of Montana, the Shoshones or 

 Snakes, and the Utes. 



Amongst their leading chiefs are ' Sitting Bull,' now 

 engaged in hostilities in Montana with the United States 

 troops, under Generals Terry, Crook, and Gibbon ; < Eed 

 Cloud ' and ' Eed Dog,' chiefs of the Ogallalla Sioux ; 

 and 'Spotted Tail,' chief of the Brute Sioux. 'Little 

 Crow,' who was the leader in the massacre in Minnesota 

 of 1862, was the head chief of the Minnecongou Sioux; 

 and up to the time of the outbreak had always been re- 

 garded as the friend of the whites. 



The Sioux and the Cheyennes are about the finest in 

 physique^ and most independent, warlike, and self-reliant 

 of all the tribes of the continent, and there is as much 

 difference between them and some of the inferior tribes 

 as there is between an American horse and an Indian 

 pony. 



The Cheyennes. The Cheyennes, also called Paikan- 

 doos or ' Cut- wrists,' are described by Catlin as a small 

 tribe about 3,000 in number, living as neighbours to the 

 west of the Sioux, between the Black Hills and the 

 Eocky Mountains. ' There is no finer race of men 

 than these in North America, and none superior in 

 stature, excepting the Osages, there being scarcely a man 

 in the tribe full-grown who is less than six feet in height. 

 They are undoubtedly the richest in horses of any tribe 

 on the continent, living in the country, as they do, where 

 great herds of wild horses are grazing on the prairies, 

 which they catch in great numbers and vend to the Sioux, 

 Mandans, and other tribes, as well as to the fur-traders. 

 These people are a most desperate set of horsemen and 

 warriors also, having carried on an almost unceasing war 

 with the Pawnees and Black-feet from time out of mind.' 



