Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-08

summit, never venturing on the top IN.
til he has peered over into the valley be-
Tond. If everything is clear he rides
boldly on top of the ridge; that means
to his comrades, leone on, all is well "
If, on the contrary, he suddenly dis
mounts and seoretes himself, it indicate,
immediate danger. If instead Of dis
mounting he rides rapidly TO and fro on
his pony or around in circles it indicates,
If in war, "enemies, il in
peace and on the hunt, "gams. "
The rapiditY with which he
mines the amount of danger or the ne
oessity for haste. l never shall forget
the morning, just at daybreak, in the
midst of the Sioux campaign Of 1876
when we with the Fifth cavalry were
heading off the rush of the Cheyenne In
dians to JOIN Sitting Bull. We reached
the crossing of the War Bonnet before
them during the night, and expected
them the first thing after daybreak. sure
enough, just at dawn, VS. could see the
Indians riding cautiously up on the
ridges on TO the southeast, peering over
towards us, aud then, of course, seeing
nothing of US, for we were concealed
down in the valley of the stream coming
boldly into sight. But the next thing
noticed was that the Indians far in front,
nearest to us. suddenly began darling
behind ridges that secreted them from
the west, and there riding rapidly around
in small circles, their ponies kicking up
dust, their riders displaying every H.
dication of great excitement. l conld
not imagine what it meant. OF course
know that ordinarily it meant ''enemy
in sight, - 'hurry up, hurry up, hasten
to the front;'' but felt sure they could
not have seen US, and that if they hsl
seen that We had eight strong troops
there, they would not have been 10 any
hurry to haYe come toward U.s.
In half an hour, however, the e1planA-
ton appeared. Far of to the southeast
q long train of wagons appeared coming
toward the Black Hills. The IndAD'
had seen them, believed them to Do WIN
out guards and were summoning up Ilsn
force to make sweep and dash upon 'n9
wagons, kill the teamstsrs and secure
the rich booty that they expected to llna.
But they did not get the wagons 'DA'
time.
I'M close to the Custer battle grouuui
they saw for the first time the WorAu5
of our signal flag, and the day we stA' ~.
out on the war path every one oil W., ~
Indians of our Grow aud ShoshOne am.
had decorated himself with mlniatll,
white flag with a red centre. They Ia
seen how the white chief, sitting 81 ~
door of his tent, could send messages
officers posted with the pickets TWO nm =
away, or TO the sergeants in enaIgo
the herds, and such was Their curiO'
and interest that in short time wv
three hundred gorgeous looking WIFI ~
had grouped about headquarters'
seating themselves on the ground OU -.
fonally making whispered comment, -,
watched every motion Of the slgna' ~,
and then the rapid waving OF tns .ss
dot of white flag far over asai is.a.b
dark green background Of the Cne.
Mountains. One or two could speos
little English, and their questions
ceaseless. They had signals .! -
they could convey preooneer'eu AFT
sages, but this was something veg ooun
ferent. "The white mans nas .oms
talk, - aud believing it to nave oncs
gift, they began -, an
making miniature copies Of II, ant
peared next day, every man VIII
little flag. -. ~ tbs
This is a characteristic trat thIoe
Indian. When he cannot explain , me
on natural grounds he attributes MS
to the action Of the DeiIy. -,sr-
the Great Spirits doing. well re he
Der Sitting Bull s Introduction ~ he
tslephone. II was his first yist I'll %
and I was hidden to ST.. t.s,tps
meet the old schemer in hopes Oh 10
something out Of him about his sD'