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Show THE NOBLE RED MAN. 535 peace; and that, at any rate, it would be cheaper to feed all the Indians to repletion than to fight them. And as to this last point they are emphatically correct. There is, next, a considerably larger num-ber, mostly on the frontiers, who believe in a war of extermination, but they have little or no political influence. There are also . the traders and agents, some honest and some otherwise, whose interests are involved; and the sensible middle class, who believe in keeping treaties with the Indians, and thrashing them if they break treaties. Of course it sometimes happens that one of these parties is ahead, and then another. As a result our policy is strangely crooked, inconsist-ent and expensive. The Indian no sooner gets accustomed to one policy than another is adopted; he has scarcely learned to trust one officer till another is in his place, who takes a malicious pleasure, apparently, in undoing all that the former has done. This uncertainty entails frightful expense both in treasure and life. But it is a diffi-culty inseparable, apparently, from our form of government. It is unnecessary to trace the causes which led to Hancock's cam-paign against the Indians in 1867. It was a formidable affair on paper, but accomplished nothing. Our whole force consisted of eight troops of cavalry, seven companies of infantry and one battery of artillery, the whole numbering 1,400 men. General Hancock, with seven companies of infantry, four of the Seventh Cavalry, and all the artillery, marched from Fort Riley to Fort Harper, and there was joined by two more troops of cavalry. Thence they marched south-west to Fort Lamed, near the Arkansas. The hostile Indians, con-sisting of Cheyennes and Sioux, had appointed a council near by ; but all sorts of difficulties seemed to arise to prevent their comi- ng up to time. First, there was a heavy snow, although it was the second week in April ; and the runners reported that the bands could not come. Then word came that they had started, but found it necessary to halt and kill some buffalo; and again that they had once come in sight, but were afraid on account of so many soldiers being present. Then General Hancock proceeded up the stream to hunt the Indian camp, and was met by an imposing band of warriors. Another par-ley ensued: midway between the hostile forces Generals Hancock, A. J. Smith and others met Roman Ncse, Bull Bear, White Horse, Gray Beard and Medicine Wolf, on the part of the Cheyennes, and Pawnee Killer, Bad Wound, Tall- Bear- that- walks- under- Ground, Left Hand, Little Bull and Little ' Bear, on the part of the Sioux. There was no fighting, but after a few days more of excuses, the mounted Indians suddenly departed. Then it was discovered that the |
