CLOSING OPERATIONS.



fluence with his tribe was great, to come and see me, promising
him safe passport back to his village. He accepted my invi-
tation, came to my camnp, and after a long talk promised to use
his influence for the best. No promise to deliver up the cap-
tives into our hands without the payment of a large ransom
could be obtained. I was determined to secure their release,
and that unconditionally, and thereby discourage the custom of
ransoming captives from Indians, which is really nothing more
or less than offering the latter a premium upon every captive.
   To obtain a better camp, and at the same time accomplish
my purpose, I told Little Robe I would change my camp the
following day, moving in the direction of his village, but that I
had no desire to approach its immediate vicinity, and that, after
my arrival in camp, if he and the other chiefs would visit me
I would talk with them.
   On the evening of the second day a chief who had accom-
panied Little Robe the first day, came to my camp to learn
what I had to say, and to procure, if possible, the release of the
chiefs and warriors held by me. No satisfactory statement
could be gotten from him regarding the return of the white
women or the intentions of the chiefs. I, therefore, determined
not to be put off any longer, and told him we had then waited
three days for them to give us the white women, and had ob-
tained no satisfactory response; that I should wait one day
longer, but if by sunset the following day the white women
were not delivered up, I would hang to a tree, which was there
designated, three of the men held captive by me (the fourth one
having been sent as a runner to Little Robe), and that the fol-
lowing day I would follow and attaek the village. With this
message the chief departed. The next day was one of no little
anxiety to all, and to none more than to the three captive Chey-
ennes whom I certainly intended to hang if their people failed
to accede to our demands. The ropes were ready, and the limb
selected when, about three o'clock P. m. a small party of Indian
warriors were seen approaching camp. They halted on a knoll



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