LAST DAYS WITH THE OGALALLA SIOUX—MASSACRE OF A PARTY RETURNING FROM IDAHO—A WOMAN’S SCALP—A SCALP DANCE—SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE—ARRIVAL OF BLACKFEET INDIANS—NEGOTIATIONS FOR MY RANSOM—TREACHERY.
My last days with the Ogalalla Sioux Indians were destined to be marked by a terrible remembrance.
On the first of October, while the savages lingered in camp about the banks of the Yellowstone River, apparently fearing, yet almost inviting attack by their near vicinity to the soldiers, a large Mackinaw, or flat-boat, was seen coming down the river.
From their hiding-places in the rocks and bushes, they watched its progress with the stealthy ferocity of the tiger waiting for his prey.
At sundown the unsuspecting travelers pushed their boat toward the shore, and landed for the purpose of making a fire and camping for the night.
The party consisted of about twenty persons, men, women, and children. Suspecting no danger, they left their arms in the boat.
With a simultaneous yell, the savages dashed down upon them, dealing death and destruction in rapid strokes.
The defenseless emigrants made an attempt to rush to the boat for arms, but were cut off, and their bleeding bodies dashed into the river as fast as they were slain. Then followed the torture of the women and children.
Horrible thought! from which all will turn with sickened soul, and shuddering, cry to Heaven, “How long, O Lord! how long shall such inhuman atrocities go unpunished?”
Not a soul was left alive when that black day’s work was done; and the unconscious river bore away a warm tide of human blood, and sinking human forms.