them all about the trouble the tribes that had become hostile were going to get into, and exhorted them to keep quiet. As we advanced farther into the hostile country, our crew had to be on the alert day and night, not to be surprised.
A word upon the habits of the Indians of these parts will not be out of place. Our regular troops are going to meet these wandering tribes of marauders, exasperated to the highest pitch against the whites. The Sioux are five or six thousand warriors in number, mounted for the most part on swift horses. War is to them not only a business or a pastime, but the occupation par excellence of their lives. The tactics followed by these Indians renders the regular system of warfare impotent or almost useless. They are here to-day and somewhere else to-morrow. All at once they are scattering panic among the horses and mules of the emigrants, who are crossing the desert in long caravans, and then they reappear once more on the Missouri river, waiting for the passage of boats to pillage them and massacre the feeble crews. The Indian has the gift of being everywhere without being anywhere. These savages assemble at the moment of battle, and scatter whenever the fortune of war is contrary to them. The Indian puts his wife and children in shelter in some retired place, far from the scene of hostilities. He has neither towns, forts nor magazines to defend, nor line of retreat to cover. He is embarrassed with neither baggage trains nor pack-horses. He goes into action when a favorable occasion is presented, and never risks himself without having the advantage of
numbers and position on his side. The science of strategy is consequently of little use in operating against such a peo ple. There is not on earth a nation more ambitious of military renown, nor that holds in higher estimation the conduct of a valiant warrior. No Indian could ever occupy a place in the councils of his tribe until he had met the enemy on the field of battle. He who reckons the most scalps is most highly considered among his people. The redskins are