The New York herald., 1877-02-05

mad been scalpcd. Near by were the loot tracks
moccasin made OF grcon buffalo hide This moccasu
taken an indication that the attacking party
were Cheyennes from the village we destroyed as we
thon must have driven OF them with barc ieei
from their lodges and they were obliged TO make
themselves moccasins from the undressed skin OF he
first buffalo they killed After the attack, which took
place about ten O'Clock at night the Indians pursued
course directly southwark, with nine horses captured
some distance, but concluded tho hostiles had too
much tho start OF them TO be overhauod they got
The same day a mail reached US from Reno, and we
learned that another party Of miners had been
attacked and two OF them wounded on piney Creek BY
another band OF Cheyennek SO we ind that Dull
Kne's late horde Is broken up into small parties
some OF which. no doubt, arc drifting toward the
agencies, bound to be very good Indians when they
return but determined make the most Of their op
p0rtuntcs until they got IN.
THE WANDERING MINERS
The chief sufferers by their depredstious meanwhile
will be the wandering bands Of miners and horse
thieves who hover on the borders OF civilized aud
savage life without any sense OF responsibility TO the
laws or customs OF either community. ana who are
frequently offenders against the rights OF both the
whito and the Indian.
These fellows become a perfect pest 10 command
operating against Indians In this region Winter and
summer they follow In It's wake picking and stealing,
dispose Of tor cnsh at tho irst settlement they como
upon. purity OF them who joined US In the Big Horn
Mountains stole my pack mule during our fight with
tho Cheyenn and atlcr deiacing the brands her
had the mpudence pack their own traps on her and
drive her along for several days within four or five
miles OF the column. BY chance surprised them IN
their camp near Pumpkin Buttcs alter enduring the
Inconvenience OF the loss for two weeks, and recov-
cred tho animal actually loaded with their bedding at
the moment came upon them. OF course they did
not steal her. Oh, mol They merely "found' her
hough she had not boon lost at all, and drove her
along that shc should not 20 asray IN the noun
tains.
While we have been resting here, awaiting tho
rival wagons and the return OF our Indian scouts
from Red Cloud, VIC have been favored with unusually
ne weather most Of the iime-a compensation Tor past
endu have been In excellent mood to
JOY. In our leisure moments II seems n pleasure TO
recall the times OF trials and such rccolccuons IN
variabiy summon up one character who Is always
prominent.
rME MULE DRIVER
This Is the mule driver-no unmportant parsonage
In the fold The mule driver is not always the meek
est oil men, and passes Tor n nero cypher when not
positively and originally profane. Often there Is
poor ANIMALS under his charge. But even the modest
mule will take scoldng and bite rather than 20
hungry and unrcbuked Oh It's toisomc and dreary
journey. At all hours. whenever you chance to be IN
his eghborhood you hear the voice OF the irrtated
mule driver arguing with or damning bis mules
sYou'rc at IL again, arc you? damn your heart cries
angry driver TO gaunt muo which Is trying 10
bite hole in a corpulent grain sack Look here, II
you dont't leave that there sack alone I take ham,
mer and knock every damned tooth out OF your head
What the devil do feed you forY'
Further the line you hear driver notso violent In
his threats but much sarcastic IN his convcrsa-
.Your name Is Humpy," he says. in bitter tones,
know your name is HumpyY" Then in a louder voice.
emphasized by u cruel OF the whip. he further IN
quircs OF his dumb servant, "Do you Know you're
mule Pa
Tolng along through binding storm, at another
time you listen to the strange oaths OF ''mulo
sknncr until are fairly astounded ut his tnven-
tveness the sngularty OF his combinations in the
matter OF swearing But these terrible threats and
compound hyphcnaled ''swears'' tall UNDECIDED Oh tho
weary mule and a final resort the driver appealing
to tho aded ANIMALS screspec with set teeth cries,
'Gt up. Kitty; git up. Won't you git out Of this
most inhospitabe region OF the American continent "
Doubtless there much provocaton for all this pro-
family but oh what flood of tears sympathetic re-
cording angel would require 10 blot out half the en-
tries against the mule drivers OF tho Powder River Ex-
pedition.
ARRIVAL OF SUPPLIES
Our wagon tram returned Sunday with about 600
pounds OF grain, equal 10 u half forage Of the COM
mand Tor ten days longer some CITIZEN teams pressed
into the service. are also on the way from Feterman
with supplies for One or two c0uriers have ar
rived here from Reno during the past week, bringing
information OF the surrender OF 200 ponies and thirty
stand Of arms to Colonel Mason, at the Rod Cloud
Agency. We have also learned that two Sioux Indians
were sent from the agency TO locate Crazy Horses
camp, instructed TO report to US on their return.
RANDALL's
Major Randall, have just learned Is at Reno,
with seventy-s,x Crow Indians, alter whom no went
before the column set out. On his way from their
country TO Reno ne is said to have had fight with
some of the hostile Cheyennes, and captured forty
regards this little collision q fortunate circumstance,
II will help 10 confirm tho hostiles IN the impress
sion now bec0mng prevalent among them that they
here safe from the assaults OF the whites and
their Indian allies.
our Indian scouts have not returned yet from Red
Cloud, and there is some uneasincss manifested on
OF the delay OF which they and the two spies
sent Crazy Horse the occasion. We are wasting
good weather aud consuming supplies here idly for
want OF knowledge OF the epemy's whereabouts
Major Jordan, of the Ninth Infantry, tells me that
he received letter from Red Cloud to-day stating that
thirty five lodges OF northern hostles had surrendered
there on December 2 and 200 Indians the day after
but that the Indians continue TO give up
their guns and ponies to Colonel Mason