218 CALENDAR HISTORY OF THE KIOWA [eth.asn.17 



panied ouly by his brotber and anotber friend, rode up coolly, as if un- 

 aware of wbat migbt be going on inside. Securing tbeir ponies, they 

 entered the office, Kicking-bird in advance. Looking around tbe circle, 

 he took in the situation at once, and seating themselves, be and his 

 companions coolly proceeded to place their bows, arrows, and revolvers 

 in tbe same position for convenient use if necessary. Then addressing 

 tbe agent, Kicking-bird informed him of the charges against himself 

 (Kicking-bird), and called upon hiui to keep back nothing that he had 

 told hiui, but to tell his people bis whole talk {Battey, 13). 



CHANGED CONDITIONS 



With the close of the outbreak and tbe subsequent readjustment of 

 affairs came a great change in the condition of the Kiowa and their 

 confederated tribes. The old chiefs who had so often led them on the 

 wai'i^ath were dead or in prison ; their horses, which to prairie warriors 

 were almost as essential as tbe bow or ritle, bad been taken from them, 

 together with their weaimn.s; military posts and garrisons had been 

 established in their midst and tbe chain of white settlements had been 

 drawn closer around them; their old allies, tbe Cheyenne, had been 

 rendered powerless to help them, and, more than all, their unfailing 

 commissary, tbe buffalo, bad practically disappeared. They felt that 

 they were powerless in the bands of the stronger race, and with a deep 

 sigh of regret for tbeir vanished sovereignty they literally put tbeir hands 

 to the plow and endeavored in their weak fashion to follow the white 

 man's road. Tbe warriors, realizing that their time was too short to 

 learn new ways, were anxious to see their children prepared to meet 

 tbe changed conditions, and in consequence the schools were soon 

 crowded, some of the chiefs even assisting the teachers in the work of 

 organizing. Henceforth we find them trying to follow tbe new path 

 with patient resignation, in spite of diflQculties and frequent neglect, 

 with only occasional weak ebullitions of the old fighting temper when 

 aroused by some particularly aggravated grievance. 



EPIDEMICS OF MEASLES AND FEVER IN 1877 — FIRST HOUSES BUILT 



In 1877 an epidemic of measles in the tribe carried off a large num- 

 ber of children. It was followed immediately afterward by an outbreak 

 of fever. In the fall of the same year the government, through agent 

 Haworth, built a number of bouses for tbe prominent chiefs, these 

 being the first Indian houses on the reservation (see the calendar). 

 In accordance with a new plan of employing Indians at agencies, a 

 police force of about thirty natives was organized in 1878. The result 

 in this as in all other cases has been eminently satisfactory (Eeport, CO). 



AGENCY REMOVED TO ANADARKO — THE LAST OF THE BUFFALO 



For years Indians and agents alike had complained of tbe location 

 of the agency at Fort Sill. In consequence of repeated representa- 



