Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-11-06

mackenzie held a council With them
to decide what could be done. General
Crook spoke kindly to them, and told
them that they might choose one of
three courses; either to go to the south,
or to the agency of the Shoshoni and
Arapahoes at Fort Washable, or to
stay at Fort Robinson for a year, at
the end of which time the authorities
would decide what should be done with
them. All the C%heyennes wished to re-
main at Fort Robinson, but they had
appointed Standing Elk to speak for
them, and presently he stood up and
declared that they were willing to go
south. When he said this the Indians
were all so much astonished and con-
fused at what he said that they agreed
to go. This decision pleased the army
officers.
They started south about May l, and
for one days march had an escort Of
troops, who then left them. Lieu
tenant-after GENERALIZATION, Fourth
cavalry, was in charge of the camp.
All through the trip things went pleas
antly and smoothly. They travelled
south for seventy days, and then
reached their destination, Fort Reno
and Darlington-the Cheyenne and
Arapaho agency, in what is now known
as Oklahoma.
Almost as soon as they arrived, they
began to be stricken with fever and
ague. OF 999 in the camp nearly two
thirds sickened within two months aft
er their arrival. Every lodge held one
or more sick people. During that win
ter Al died of sickness.
There was one physician at the
agency, and over 5000 Indians. Medical
supplies, which that year should have
been ready for use in the summer,
January. Besides this, the Indians
were ill-fed, receiving only about three
quarters r~ations, food of such charac-
ter that it was greatly complained Of.
Even the agent, who would be likely
to take a cheerful view of the supplies
he was issuing, could say nothing bet
ter about the meat than that 1T was
not grossly bad"
The Indians saw themselves sick,
starving and dying and were much
alarmed. They wished that they had
never come to this southern country;
they longed to be back again in their
old dry country, and they began to
talk about being taken back.
All shared the feeling expressed by
Little Chief-Who died in l906-when
he said of that time before the con-
gressional committee: "a great many
have been sick a great deal OF the
time since I have been down there
homesick and heartsick and sick in
every way. / have been thinking OF
my native country and the good home
I had up there where l was never
hungry, but when I wanted anything
to eat could go out and hunt buffalo.
1t makes me feel sick when I think
about it, and I cannot help thinking
about that"
About the middle of July Little Wolf
gathered together all his men and laid
plans to migrate to the northern coun-
try. When the agency's superintendent
was confronted with the question he
! refused to let the tribe return.
mo" Little Wolf said, I'VE cannot
| stay here. We want to go now. Be-
fore another year has passed we may
all be dead and there will be none
of us to travel north" They talked
with the government officials without
any success, and finally they voluntarily
started to the north country. They
travelled rapidly. On the evening OF
the second day, after they had camped
and were eating someone who was Out
watching the hills made signs to them
that many soldiers we're coming. They
were on Little Medicine river.
Little Wolf ran out of his lodge and
called to his young warriors. do not
any of you shoot until the troops have
fired. Let them shoot first. But you
all get your arms and horses and l
will go out and meet the troops, and
try to talk with them. If they Kill
any of us, I will be the first man killed.
Then you al fight"
When they had come within sight OF
the camp the soldiers halted. WIN
them were some Arapaho scouts and
Cheyenne policemen from the agency
The officers sent forward an Arapano'
whose name was Ghost Man TO taiK
with them. When he had come so near
to the camp that his voice could pc
heard, and quite close to Little won,
he called out the names OF Dull KNIFE,
Little Wolf, Wild Hog and Tansle HAIR
He said to Little Wolf: The white
men want you to go back. we are
aAtt >,& ANI rln