The  prairies  burned  off  both  on  the  north  side
of  the  Frenchman,  and  the  south  side  of  the  Republi-
can during  the  fall,  and  this  left  only  the  land  between
the  two  rivers  as  grazing  grounds  for  the  buffalo
that  had  remained  in  that  part  of  the  country  for  the
winter.  Many  Sioux  and  Cheyenne  Indians  were
hunting  that  winter  where  the  main  herd  was  grazing,
and  the  anxiety  of  the  homesteader  for  his  safety  was
constantly  on  a  strain.  Soldiers  were  scouting  over
the  country  between  the  settlements  and  the  Indians,
and  white  men  were  hunting  on  the  same  grounds
with  the  Indians,  and  it  was  feared  that  some  dis-
pute might  arise  at  any  time  between  the  white
hunters  and  the  Indians  that  might  cause  a  massacre
of  all  white  people  on  the  Republican  and  its  tribu-
taries. The  Indians  were  in  a  sullen  mood,  realiz-
ing that  the  white  man  was  fast  taking  possession  of
his  hunting  grounds,  and  that  the  United  States  sol-
diers were  there  to  guard  against  any  possible  danger
to  the  White  people.  But  the  Indian  was  hostile  to
the  whites,  and  with  their  anger  held  in  check,  fearful
of  the  results  of  an  attack  on  the  settlers,  yet  it  was
known  that  if  a  fight  between  the  Indians  and  the
white  hunters  ever  started,  it  meant  a  war  with  the
Sioux,  and  unless  there  was  soldiers  enough  on  the
ground  to  properly  handle  them  and  whip  them  com-
pletely, the  white  people  would  all  be  killed,  for  their
number  was  too  limited  to  stand  long  before  the
swarms  of  hostiles  on  the  buffalo  range.  Every  white
man  was  well  armed,  but  they  were  scattered  out  in
small  hunting  parties,  or  at  home  on  their  homesteads,
while  the  Indians  were  two  or  three  thousand  strong,

77


OSuflDing  a  Jl3eto  OBmpite

as  well  armed  as  the  whites,  and  were  all  condensed
in  or  near  one  central  camp.
