“Post No. 1, nine o’clock, all is well!  Post No. 2, nine o’clock, all is well!” etc.

The Pawnees, who had their regular turns at standing upon guard, were ordered to call the hour the same as the white soldiers.  This was very difficult for them to do, as there were but few of them who could express themselves in English.  Major North explained to them that when the man on post next to them should call out the hour, they must call it also as near like him as possible.  It was very amusing to hear them do this.  They would try to remember what the other man had said on the post next to them.  For instance, a white soldier would call out:  “Post No.  I, half-past nine o’clock, all is well!” The Indian standing next to him knew that he was bound to say something in English, and he would sing out something like the following: 

“Poss number half pass five cents—­go to ——!  I don’t care!”

This system was really so ridiculous and amusing that the General had to give it up, and the order was accordingly countermanded.

Nothing of any great interest occurred on this march, until one day, while proceeding up Prairie Dog Creek,[D] Major North and myself went out in advance of the command several miles and killed a number of buffaloes.  Night was approaching, and I began to look around for a suitable camping ground for the command.  Major North dismounted from his horse and was resting, while I rode down to the stream to see if there was plenty of grass in the vicinity.  I found an excellent camping spot, and returning to Major North told him that I would ride over the hill a little way, so that the advance guard could see me.  This I did, and when the advance came in sight I dismounted and laid down upon the grass to rest.

[Footnote D:  Near the lonely camp where I had so long been laid up with a broken leg, when trapping years before with Dave Harrington.]

Suddenly I heard three or four shots, and in a few moments Major North came dashing up towards me, pursued by eight or ten Indians.  I instantly sprang into my saddle, and fired a few shots at the Indians, who by this time had all come in sight, to the number of fifty.  We turned our horses and ran, the bullets flying after us thick and fast—­my whip being shot from my hand and daylight being put through the crown of my hat.  We were in close quarters, when suddenly Lieutenant Valkmar came galloping up to our relief with several soldiers, and the Indians seeing them whirled and retreated.  As soon as Major North got in sight of his Pawnees, he began riding in a circle.  This was a sign to them that there were hostile Indians in front, and in a moment the Pawnees broke ranks pell-mell and, with Major North at their head, started for the flying warriors.  The rest of the command pushed rapidly forward also, and chased the enemy for three or four miles, killing three of them.

But this was a wrong move on our part, as their village was on Prairie Dog Creek, while they led us in a different direction; one Indian only kept straight on up the creek—­a messenger to the village.  Some of the command, who had followed him, stirred up the village and accelerated its departure.  We finally got back to the main force, and then learned that we had made a great mistake.  Now commenced another stern chase.