76 SHORT STALKS 



Shoshone Indians, on whose reservation we were ; and yet 

 under this fostering system this tribe are actually on the 

 increase. (3ne of two thino-s. Either a o;reat and indus- 

 trious nation must be content to have on its hands, in 

 perpetuity, a weak and thriftless race as a pensioner at full 

 wages, or when, as has recently happened at Pine Kidge, 

 the pinch comes, there will be cattle-stealing, reprisals and 

 a final massacre. Doubtless there have been pilfering, 

 blunders, misunderstandings, and cruelty on the part of 

 some of the American agents, but against these should be 

 set the persevering efforts of the Government to reclaim a 

 treacherous and untameable race. The Indian question is 

 one of the few " small grits," in the vast American 

 wheel. 



The centre of activity was not in the so-called "Fort," 

 which consisted of a railed-in enclosure and the officers' 

 quarters, but at the traders' store, which was constantly sur- 

 rounded l)y a group of squaws and ponies, while their lords 

 inside bartered their " ration certificates " for all sorts of 

 articles, useful or otherwise — but never for whisky. The 

 sale of that article is an offence visited with the severest 

 penalties on the trader, and here at any rate the law 

 seemed to be rigidly obeyed. 



Here also we found our " outfit " — an elastic term by 

 which, in this case, I mean the pasonitel of our expedition — 

 loafing around. They had started with our pack train nine 

 days before from Eawlins, and had arrived two days since. 

 They consisted of Bol), the "boss" hunter, Madden, the 

 packer, and Cris, the cook. In addition to these I enoao-ed 

 " Shoshone Dick." a local hunter, as guide, as none of the 

 others knew the country where we were going. English 



