The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-03-31
A COUNCIL OF THE DEAD.
Nnc scouts Went out. but None at Them
Ever Came Back.

hsssH.
We had cited the Cheyenne village
just before sundown, and ere the
night became too dark the whole
company had moved up TO within a
half a mile OF it, so as TO be ready for
an attack when the moon rose. Be-
tween US and the village was Il
wooded hill, and as night fairly set in
two OF our kiJwa scouts were sent
forward 10 spy out the strength and
location OF the village. The horses
were corraled in "A small valley no
tires were lighted, and lthe $50 men
looked TO he Llotches on the earth as
they rested after the long march.
Half an hour after the first scouts
were sent out two more were dis
patched. The first two ought to
have returned ut the end OF an hour,
but neither was heard OF. AS none
OF the tour had been heard OF at 10
o'clock the third pair were sent for
ward. We could hear the barking OF
the dogs In the village and catch the
tinkle OF the bells on the leaders OF
the herd OF ponies and We had the
utmost confidence that our presence
was unsuspected and unprepared for.
We had but 10 pick our WAY carefully
up the hillside, descend 20 the east
ern base, and there was the village
before us The moon would rise at
l0;30 We would wait half an hour
after that
"Can IL he that your young men
are afraid and are hiding in the
bushes:" asked the General o. hed
Fox, the chief OF the scouts, as the
latter crept up beside him In obedi.
ence 10 message,
"A Kiowa afraidw replied the
chief. Where Is the enemy who
dares charge kiowa warrior with
know ny what fear Is? The village
is large and my scouts wish To bring
you full information. They will even
tell you how many papooscs there are
in the village when they return"
Fifteen minutes later, as nothing
had vet been heard from the scouts,
Red Fox started out with two others,
promising 10 send back word within
quarter OF an hour. Ii did not
come. The general waited for three
quarters OF an hour, and then we got
the whispered command TO move up
the hill. Like shadows we followed
in each others ioOtsteps-turn ng,
twisting, and climbing, AT the
crest we paused to listen. Here and
there dog bayed at the moon now
and then came the tinkle OF "A bell
IL seemed as If every soul In the vii.
lage was fast asleep Now as we de-
scended. every man Increased his eau
tion, and the only sound listener
could have heard was slight rus
Il ny as OF "A summer breeze moving
twig aud leaf. We cleared the pines
At last and drew u I'm line beyond
them.
"Where was the yillagep"
Each man asked himself the ques-
tion as he stood staring at the spot
where the village had been and still
ought To be but was not A hundred
men had seen IL before sunset Ten
minues ago we had heard the dogs
and bells. The valley was clear Of
tepees There was not campfire.
The full moon showed us every blade
OF grass under our feet, and would
have betrayed pony mile away.
We stood aghast and appalled, when
we got the order 10 move forward. In
five minutes we were among the
ashes OF the extinguished campfres.
Five minutes later we were looking
ia horror upon the tate which had
befallen our scouts. There they were
nine OF them-seatcd In a circle
each body propped up by rock at its
back They faced inward, and their
feet uouched Some had been STAB.
bed. others killed by blow OF tn :
tomahawk. Nine dead men sitting
In council as IL were, with the blood
still ooziny from their mortal hurts
with their chins on their breasts and
their arms crossed! Around the dead
were $50 living men, looking up and
down and across the valley for trace
OF what had been. Five hundred
people, 300 ponies nearly 200 lodges
all had vanished of the face OF the
earth, leaving "A council OF dead men
20 point out the direction OF their
mysterious light. Chicago Times.