Gloucester County Democrat., 1912-05-23

difficult to turn. but at length / hooked
one horn into the ground. and, laying
hold of the lower hind leg. | actually
turned the carcass on its back.
That's the first time ever saw
bull die on his back. said Auberry.
"He did not die on his back | re-
piled. IT turned him over"
.sYon did-and aloneY It's rarely a
single man could do that, nor have
seen it done in all my life with so big
a bull"
ssrhe Indians don't bother to turn
bull over. They split the hide down
| the back and skin both ways. The
best meat is on top anyhow and then
| he gave me lessons in buffalo values,
| which later | remembered.
We had taken some meat from my
bull, since l insisted upon 1t in spite
OF better beef from young COW Au
berry had FILLED not far above, when
suddenly heard the sound of bugle.
sharp and clear. and recognized the
notes of the recall"
Whats up?" inquired Auberry as
we pulled up our galloping horses nsar
the wagon line.
"Indiansr' was the answer. "Fall
in!'
We could all now see coming down
from a little fiattened coulee to the
left head of line of mounted men,
who doubtless had been the cause of
the buffalo stampede which had cross
ed in front of us. The column of the
tribesmen came on toward US fearless
ly. They made long calyacade, 200
horses or more, with many travaux
and dogs trailing on behind. They
were all clad in their native fnery,
seemingly hearty and well fed and
each as arrogant as a king. They
passed us contemptuously, with not
sidelong glance.
In advance of the head men who
rode foremost in the column were
three or four young women. bearing
long lance shafts decorated with feath-
ers and locks of human hair, the steel
tips shining gray in the sun.
"Auberry," said Belknap, eve must
go talk to these people and see what's
up" a
They're Sioux said Auberry.
"But come on. They don't mean fight
right now
Belknap and Auberry took with
them the sergeant and dozen troop
ers. / pushed in with these and saw
Orme at my side. and Belknap did not
send us back We four rode on to-
gether presently. Two or three hun
dred yards from the place where the
Indians halted Auberry told Belknap
to halt his men. We four. with one
private to hold our horses, rode for
ward a hundred yards farther, halted
and raised our hands in sign of peace.
They rode out to us four of the head
men Of the Sioux, each a stalwart
man.
"Talk to them, Auberry," said Belk-
nap. And as the former was the only
one of US who understood the Sioux
tongue he acted as interpreter.
"What are the Sioux doing so far
east?" he asked of their spokesman
sterE,y
"Hunting,' answered the Sioux.
s'The white soldiers drive away our
buffalo The white men kill too many.
Let them go. This is our country"
1t seemed to me / could see the black
eyes of the Sioux boring straight
through every one of us.
go back to the north and west.
where you belong" said Auberry.
"You have no business here on the
wagon trails"
"The Sioux hunt where they please"
was the grim answer. "But you see
we have our women and children with
us the same as you have"-and he
pointed toward our camp.
'sWhere are you goingY' asked our
interpreter.
The Sioux waved his arm vaguely.
Heap hunt" he said. where you
go?'' he asked
Auberry answered that we were go
ing half sleep to the west to meet
a big war party coming down the
Platte, the white men from Laramie
The Indian looked grave at This.
eve are going on up to meet our sol
diers." said Auberry sternly. THE
Sioux have killed some of our men be-
low here. We shall meet our soldiers
and come and wipe the Sioux off the
land If they come into the valley where
our great road runs west"
THAT is good.' said the Sioux '.As
for us. we harm no white man. We
hunt where we please White men co.
Auberry now turned to us. 81 don't
think they mean trouble. lieutenant,
he said. .and think the best thing
we can do is to let them alone and go
on up the valley
Belknap nodded. and Auberry turn
ed again to the four Sioux, who stood
tall and mo.ionless. looking at us with
the same fixed. glittering eyes.
1--WE hav spoken" said Auberry.