The interview proved to be a stormy one, and Satanta made numerous threats, saying that if he wished, he could capture the whole post with his warriors.  Captain Parker, who was a brave man, gave Satanta to understand that he was reckoning beyond his powers, and would find it a more difficult undertaking than he had any idea of, as they were prepared for him at any moment.  The interview finally terminated, and Satanta angrily left the officers presence.  Going over to the sutler’s store he sold his ambulance to Mr. Tappan the past trader, and with a portion of the proceeds he secretly managed to secure some whisky from some bad men around the fort.  There are always to be found around every frontier post some men who will sell whisky to the Indians at any time and under any circumstances, notwithstanding it is a flagrant violation of both civil and military regulations.

Satanta mounted his horse, and taking the whisky with him, he rode rapidly away and proceeded straight to his village.  He had not been gone over an hour, when he returned to the vicinity of the post accompanied by his warriors who came in from every direction, to the number of seven or eight hundred.  It was evident that the irate old rascal was “on his ear,” so to speak, and it looked as if he intended to carry out his threat of capturing the fort.  The garrison at once turned out and prepared to receive the red-skins, who, when within half a mile, circled around the fort and fired numerous shots into it, instead of trying to take it by assault.

While this circular movement was going on, it was observed that the Indian village in the distance was packing up, preparatory to leaving, and it was soon under way.  The mounted warriors remained behind some little time, to give their families an opportunity to get away, as they feared that the troops might possibly in some manner intercept them.  Finally, they encircled the post several times, fired some farewell rounds, and then galloped away over the prairie to overtake their fast departing village.  On their way thither, they surprised and killed a party of wood-choppers down on the Pawnee Fork, as well as some herders who were guarding beef cattle; some seven or eight men in all, were killed, and it was evident that the Indians meant business.

The soldiers with the wagon—­whom I had met at the crossing of the Pawnee Fork—­had been out for the bodies of the men.  Under the circumstances it was no wonder that the garrison, upon hearing the reports of our guns when we fired upon the party whom we ambushed, should have thought the Indians were coming back to give them another “turn.”

We found that all was excitement at the post; double guards had been put on duty, and Captain Parker had all the scouts at his headquarters.  He was endeavoring to get some one to take some important dispatches to General Sheridan at Fort Hays.  I reported to him at once, and stated where I had met the Indians and how I had escaped from them.