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by order of the generalissimo of the warriors, Sitting Bull, and which was guarded night and day by a band of his most faithful soldiers. Hunger and weariness had taken possession of me; a mouthful of food was prepared for me in haste, and I took a little nap without delay.
When I awoke, I found Sitting Bull beside me, together with Four Horns, head chief of the camp, Black Moon, his great orator, and No Neck. Sitting Bull presently ad
dressed me, saying: " Black-robe, I hardly sustain myself beneath the weight of white men's blood that I have shed. The whites provoked the war; their injustices. their indignities to our families, the cruel, unheard of and wholly unprovoked massacre at Fort Lyon (where Chivington commanded)' of 6oo or 700 women, children and old men, shook all the veins which bind and support me. I rose, tomahawk in hand, and I have done all the hurt to the whites that I could. To-day thou art amongst us, and in thy presence my arms stretch to the ground as if dead. I will listen to thy good words, and as bad as I have been to the whites, just so good am I ready to become toward them." After this the chiefs talked with me of preparations to be made for the Great Council to be held on the morrow.
The remainder of the day, until a very late hour, was spent in visits and in conversation with the principal warriors and representative men of the camp. One incident that was both consoling and worth reporting took place in my lodge. A venerable old man, of remarkable stature but bowed beneath the weight of age, supporting himself on a staff tipped with an old bayonet, came to offer me his hand and express his happiness at seeing me again. He wore upon his breast a copper cross, old and worn. This was the only religious token that I had observed in all the camp; it filled me with joy and emotion. I questioned him
7 Sand Creek, Colorado, forty miles below Fort Lyon. Colonel Chivington, of the First Colorado Cavalry, organized the massacre; Major Anthony commanded at Fort Lyon and aided Chivington in person and with troops.