The San Francisco call., 1897-01-03

kill more buffaloes during single run than
any other man have ever known. He not
only took the risks of desperate chase, but
he and his party had to be constantly on the
lookout for Indians"
Speaking of the Sand Creek massacre, which
occurred in 1864 under the personal direction
CT j. NJ. Chivington. colonel of the First Colo
RADIO Cavalry, he says: "It scarcely has par
allel III the records of Indian barbarity. Flee
ing women, holding up their hand and pray
ing for mercy, were shot down; infants were
killed and sealped in derision; men were tor
tured and mutiated in a way that would put
to shame the savages of interior Africa. No
one will be astonlshed that q war ensued
VIII ich cost the Government $50, 100000 and
carried conflagr ration and death into the bor-
der settlements" This is but sample of the
many things General Miles tells us about
which make it clear to US that the terrible re-
taliations of savages trained for generations to
believe that vengeance was virtue were in
evitabie.
One of the humorous things in the book is
the tale of how that grim savage, Sitting Bull,
could enjoy joke. When he came down to
the white settlements it was SO uncertain
whether he was bent on peace or war that one
day the master of a trading-post where the old
chief was wont to dispose of his furs jokingly
handed the savage red shirt and asked him
when he came to the settlements bent on mis-
chief to please wear that red shirt as sign.
Sitting Bull said that good time to wear it
was right now, and he proceeded 10 put it on.
He then jumped over the counter and took
charge OF the store in the most determined and
bushes s-like way, to the terror OF the trem-
bling trader and his assistants, but to the
hilarious delight of the warriors who were
with the chief. Then he began to trade with
md in mir oinb ad f1,a
traders methods of trying to overreach the
red men in shrewd bargaining. The tall
warriors seemed to have been in too sportive
mood to commit murder, but they bartered
their furs at the store that day to much better
advantage than they had ever done before
and displayed their enjoyment OF the i'm
provised comedy in deep grunts of satisfaction.
For the most thrilling incident perhaps the
capture of Lame Deer, chief of the tribe of that
name, might be safely selected. The chief in.
tending to surrender, had dropped his rifle
and General Miles rode up ana extended his
hand, which the Indian grssped in token of
friendship An indiscreet white scout desir-
ing to be sure of the safety of the General,
rashly covered the quick and powerful warrior
with his rife The savage thought the inten-
tion was to kill him, and quick as the thought
he wrenched his hand from the clasp OF amily
threw his rifle to his shoulder and fired at
Miles With equal swiftness the General jerked
his horse to one side. The bullet killed q
soldier near by. The truce was at an end, and
Lame Deer and his followers were soon lying
dead on the prairie.
A fine description is given OF a sham battle
which was fought by the wealthy and accom-
plished Crows for the entertainment of Cen
eral Miles. GAS they passed through the cam D
the horses were careering and prancing, and
oh ffrIn rlcrin
firing their rifles in the air. 1t was wild and
picturesque scene, and as they passed in re-
view before the head Chief Black Foot, and
myself, we were saluted with every mark OF re-
spect. In all my experience with Indians
have never seen such display of decorations
Tne'men were painted and ornamented with
the most brilliant feather-work. Their
eagle head-dresses were waving in the
air. Bear-claw necklaces hung about
their necks and scalp-locks adorned
their spears. Their war jackets were
bespangled with glittering pieces Of
flashing silver, elk teeth and mother of pearl
and one of the singular features of the display
consisted in the fact that in the whole num-
Der there were no two Indians decked alike
They did not copy or duplicate, and all their
work was of original design. The colors were
of the strongest and most durable character.
Many of the war jackets could hardly have
been purchased at any price, each one being
the result of almost the work of lifetime
Going to the end OF the camp they separated
into two large bodies, which took positions
about thousand yards apart and facing ea ch
other. Then at given signal from the chief
they dashed forward in sham battle, giving
one of the most perfect poItrayals of real
com bat l have ever witnessed. Discharging
their rifles in the air with great -apidity, they
went throuph yariOus eyOlu tions of an Indian
battle with wonderful rapidity and spirit"
In summing up the Indian problem General
Miles gives it as his opinion that the best o.