374 INDIANS. 



the Kepublican for the fall hunt. Learning of this their 

 opportunity, the Sioux assembled every available man, 

 and by stealthy marches surprised and fell upon the com- 

 paratively defenceless main camp of the Pawnees, utterly 

 and ruthlessly destroying every man, woman, and child, 

 and carrying off the ponies and plunder to their fastnesses 

 north of the North Platte. The Pawnees never recovered 

 from this blow, and shortly after went upon a reserva- 

 tion assigned to them by the Government. 



In August 1873 the Sioux struck another blow at 

 their hated enemies. The Pawnees, in charge of their 

 agent, were hunting on the waters of the Eepublican. 

 Leaving a few men and the squaws and children to pack 

 the animals, the bucks on the morning of the 4th of 

 August had scattered in search of buffalo. No sooner 

 were they at safe distance, when the unfortunate women 

 were attacked by an overwhelming force of Sioux, and 

 every one butchered. Thirteen men and fifty women and 

 children were massacred. The bodies were all scalped ; 

 those of the women violated after death and most horribly 

 mutilated. Even nursing babies were scalped, and their 

 bodies pinned to the ground by arrows. So bitter is the 

 animosity between these tribes that it is difficult to prevent 

 collision when they meet, no matter what the circum- 

 stances. 



In 1868, when Spotted Tail's band of Sioux was 

 encamped at North Platte station, they by some means 

 learned that a company of fifty Pawnees (then in the 

 United States service) were being transported west on 

 the cars. They immediately flew to arms, and a strong 

 guard of soldiers had to be stationed along the track to 

 preserve the peace. 



The Sioux are the meanest, most treacherous, and 

 most cowardly of plains Indians, and, though much petted 

 by the Indian Bureau, are the most constant in their 

 aggression on the whites. Their treatment by other 

 Indians makes the Pawnees the most reliable friends of 



