A LETTER FROM SITTING BULL.



  " In this manner we advanced several miles, and then halted
for the night upon a depression of the high prairie, the escort
holding the surrounding ridge. The Indians now had attempted
every artifice. They had pressed every point of the line, had run
their fires through the train, which we were compelled to cross
with great rapidity, had endeavored to approach under cover of
smcke, when they found themselves overrnatched by the officers
and men, who, taking advantage of the cover, moved forward and
took them at close range. They had met with considerable loss,
a good many of their saddles were emptied, and several ponies
wounded. Their firing was wild in the extreme, and I should
consider them the poorest of marksmen. For several hours they
kept up a brisk fire and wounded but three of our men.
  " Upon the morning of the 16th, the train pulled out in four
strings, and we took up the advance, formed as on the previous
day. Many Indians occupied the surrounding hills, and soon a
number approached, and left a communication upon a distant hill.
It was brought in by Scout Jackson, and read as follows:-
                      " YELLOWSTONE. '
  "I want to know what you are doing traveling on this road?
you scare all the buffalo away. I want to hunt on the place. I
want you to turn back from here: if you don't I will fight you
again. I want you to leave what you have got here, and turn
back from here.
                      "I am your friend,  SITTING BULL.
  "I mean all the rations you have got and some powder; I wish
you would write as soon as you can.."

  "I directed the Scout Jackson to inform the Indians that I
had nothing to say in reply, except that we intended to take the
train through to Tongue River, and that we should be pleased to
accommodate them at any time with a fight. The train continued
to proceed, and about eight o'clock the Indians began to gather
for battle.
  "We passed through the long, narrow gorge, near Bad Route
Creek, when we again watered the stock, and took in wood and
water, consuming in this labor about an hour's time. When we
had pulled up the gentle ascent, the Indians had again surround-
ed us, but the lesson of the previous day taught them to keep at
long range, and there was but little firing by either party. I
counted 150 Indians in our rear, and from their movements and
position I judged their numbers to be between 300 and 500.