CLOSING OPERATIONS.



   A few days after, sure enough Little Robe and Yellow
Bear arrived and were handsomely received. The latter was
about the least cruel and most sensible of the chiets on the
plains, a great contrast to the peculiarly savage and insolent Sa-
tanta. He was the one good Indian whom Custer appears to
have met. The sequel to the visit is thus told by Custer:
   " They reported that their villages had had under considera-
tion the question of accepting our invitation to come in and
live at peace in the future, and that many of their people were
strongly in favor of adopting this course, but for the present it
was uncertain whether or not the two tribes would come in.
The two tribes would probably act in concert, and if they in-
tended coming, would make their determination known by
despatching couriers to us in a few days. In spite of the sin-
cerity of the motives of Little Robe and Yellow Bear, whom I
have always regarded as two of the most upright and peaceably
inclined Indians I have ever known, and who have since that
time paid a visit to the President at Washington, it was evident
that the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, while endeavoring to oc-
cupy us with promises and pretences, were only interested in
delaying our movements until the return of spring, when the
young grass would enable them to recruit the strength of their
winter-famished ponies and move when and where they pleased.
    "After waiting many long weary days for the arrival of the
promised couriers from the two tribes, until even Little Robe
and Yellow Bear were forced to acknowledge that there was no
longer any reason to expect their coming, it occurred to me that
there was but one expedient yet untried which furnished even.
a doubtful chance of averting war. This could only be resorted
to with the approval of General Sheridan, whose tent had been
pitched in our midst during the entire winter, and who evi-
dently 'proposed to remain on the ground until the Indian ques-
tion in that locality should be disposed of. My plan was as
follows:
    "After weighing the matter carefully in my own mind, I



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