THE GOLD EXCITEMENT. 17 



native tribes of the far west. His account may best be given in the words 

 of a letter written in March, 1 875, to General Sherman b}' General Sheridan, 

 who was personally acquainted with the holy father and learned from his 

 own lips the following story: 



That while living- with the Sioux Indians he was shown by them nuggets of gold, 

 which they informed hiin bad been obtained at different points in the Black Hills, 1 '- sup- 

 posed to be from the beds of the Bighorn, Bosebud, and Powder Bivers, and from 

 branches of the Tongue Eiver; and on his representation that such yellow metal was 

 of the greatest value, they told him they knew where there was a mountain of it. Sub- 

 sequent investigation, however, proved that the Indian mountain of gold was nothing 

 more than a formation of yellow mica, such as may be found in the above-described 

 country. 



The reports of General Custer brought this story of Father de Smet 

 again prominently to light. In the winter of 1874-75 several of the pros- 

 pectors who had accompanied General Custer in his expedition returned 

 from Sioux City with others to French Creek. Arriving there about Christ- 

 mas time, twenty-five in number, with the wife and child of one of the 

 party, they immediately proceeded to erect a stockade and cabins to protect 

 themselves from possible Indian attacks and from the severity of the climate 

 They prospected the valley of the creek in their immediate vicinity, and 

 although the snow and coldness of the winter prevented a thorough exami- 

 nation they were satisfied and encouraged. Two parties from the camp 

 returning in Februaiy to Cheyenne, fired anew the dormant spirits, ready 

 for excitement of any kind. 



The presence of this party in the Hills and the certainty that others 

 would follow their footsteps compelled the government to take some notice 

 of these unauthorized operations within the Indian Reservation, which they' 

 were bound by the terms of the treaty of 1858 to protect from the incur- 

 sions of the whites A company of cavalry under Captain Mix was there- 

 fore dispatched from Fort Laramie early in March, aud the remainder ot 

 the stockade party were brought back to Fort Laramie. Measures were 

 also taken at the various military posts to prevent the starting of others to 

 the Black Hills. 



The reports that had been brought in by the stockade party, in their 



* The recent discovery of nuggets weighing several ounces, in the northern parts of the Hills, 

 renders the knowledge of rich deposits there quite possible. 



2bh 



