116 
not attempt to take them away. They 
thought only to save themselves. The Oma- 
has encamped with the Pawnees did not 
run, neither did they strike their tents, but 
remained in them, knowing they had no 
reason to fear the whites. 
The mounted settlers crossed the stream 
at once and followed the flying Pawnees, but 
some time was lost in getting the wagons 
across the miry stream. Finally the entire 
force was safely landed on the Western side 
of the creek and moved up the river. The 
tall slough grass through which they passed 
concealed a good many of the weaker ones 
among the Indians, who, finding themselves 
unable to keep up with the others, had 
dropped down in the rank grass hoping to 
be passed by. On either side could be heard 
the cries and yells of pappooses thrown away 
by the frightened squaws in their endeavor 
to travel light. Small dogs, pet badgers, 
wolves and “sich” had also been left by 
their masters to shift for themselves, and 
they added their cries to the noise and con- 
fusion. In a short time not an Indian was 
to be seen where but half an hour before 
thousands had swarmed. They had taken 
shelter among the willows on the river bank 
and in the breaks along the bluffs on either 
side of it. 
They did not permanently escape. An un- 
der chief of the Pawnees, a fat old codger 
who was trying to get away on foot, was 
overtaken by a horseman who shot at him 
and missed him. Just as the horseman had 
secured a better aim for a second attempt 
the Indian threw up his hands and surren- 
dered. He was told to call his tribe togeth- 
er for a parley immediately or he would be 
killed. The Indian was glad of this chance 
for saving his life and at once set up a ser- 
ies of terrific yells, in answer to which red- 
skins lifted their heads and approached 
with caution, when the prisoner explained 
that a parley with the “Cherokee man” was 
necessary. 
By that time the scattered white forces 
had gathered, the wagons were corralled 
and a line of battle was formed with a 6 
pound brass piece in front and the horsemen 
on the flanks. When the Indians who were 
looking about, discovered the weakness of 
the force they had been running from, they 
left their hiding places and approached read- 
ily. They were ordered to keep a respect- 
ful distance in front and only the chiefs 
were allowed to come to the wagons. The 
Indian force constantly received additions 
to its numbers, and before an hour had 
passed the whites were confronted by about 
2,000 redskins. The Pawnee chiefs were 
told that they could have their choice of 
giving up the braves who had been engaged 
in the robbing and burning about West 
Point and paying the expenses of the expe- 
RECREATION. 
dition out of moneys due them from the 
government, or of fighting. 
It was finally arranged, after several 
hours’ discussion, that the terms propesed 
would be acceded to. Then began a hunt 
for the braves who had been raising Cain in 
the settlements. By the middle of the af- 
ternoon 7 young fellows were tied behind 
one of the wagons and the party was mov- 
ing toward a suitable place to camp for the 
night. 
When the young Indians were given up, a 
squaw belonging to one of them insisted on 
being allowed to go with her brave. When 
this request was denied, she screamed and 
cried, tore the hair out of her head by great 
handfuls, threw her arms around the young 
fellow’s neck and gave way to the most vio- 
lent grief. She was dragged away from him 
with difficulty, and the party proceeded, 
traveling but a few miles before going into 
camp. One of the prisoners seemed to be 
suffering greatly and one of the doctors 
made an examination.. He found that the 
brave had been shot through the body and 
that the wound was mortifying. The young 
fellow was one of the party of 11 who had 
been shut up in the room at West Point and 
he had been shot in running from the 
house. The doctor said he would not live 
to reach the settlements. He was there- 
fore set free and told to go back to his tribe. 
He was found dead the next morning a 
short distance from camp. 
Having struck camp, a supper of black 
coffee, fat bacon, molasses and a certain 
kind of hot bread. peculiar to the plains was 
prepared and eaten with relish. 
Early the next morning the march was re- 
sumed. Within a few miles the company 
reached a high point of ground from which 
a magnificent and picturesque scene burst 
on their view. At their feet was the 
Indian camp, then a scene of active com- 
motion, for the red men had just discovered 
the approach of the whites and were rapidly 
gathering their ponies from the neighboring 
hills. It was a mutual surprise. The 
whites had supposed the Indians would re- 
main for the night at the place where the 
powwow was held, and the Indians thought 
the settlers had turned back that morning 
intending to go home by the route they had 
come. 
It was decided to get everything ready to 
repel an attack, move along as if the 
Indians were not there and trust to Fate for 
the rest. The 6 prisoners were tied together 
and fastened by a rope to one of the wag- 
ons, behind which they trudged quietly, sur- 
rounded by a mounted guard. The com- 
pany did not go through the camp, but 
passed along one side of it. A few squaws 
and pappooses came out to see them as they 
moved past, but the Indians generally re- 
mained about their tents. Among the squaws 

