Chapter I: Front Matter

RED CLOUD,
_THE SOLITARY SIOUX_.

A Story of the Great Prairie.

BY
LIEUT.-COLONEL BUTLER, C.B.

AUTHOR OF “THE GREAT LONE LAND,” “THE WILD NORTH LAND,”
ETC., ETC.

“Like a wind, that shrills
All night in a waste land, where no one comes,
Or hath come, since the making of the world.”

_Tennyson._

BOSTON:
ROBERTS BROTHERS.
1882.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

Our home in Glencar――A glimpse at the outside world――My
parents――My schoolmasters――Donogh――Cooma-sa-harn――The
eagle’s nest――“The eagle is coming back to the
nest”――Alone in the world――I start for the Great
Prairie――Good-bye to Glencar 1

CHAPTER II.

Sunset in the wilds――Our first camp――Outlooks――The solitary
Sioux――Losses――The Sioux again――A new departure――The
_cache_ at the Souri――The story of Red Cloud――The red
man’s offer 28

CHAPTER III.

To the West――Wapiti in sight――A stalk――A grand run――The
sand-hills in sight――The finish――A noble beast――A gorgeous
sunset――A vast landscape――The Hills of Life and Death 52

CHAPTER IV.

We reach the hills of the Wolverine――Something moves far out
upon the plains――The wounded Cree――His story――Adventure
with a grizzly bear――Left alone――A long crawl for
life――Hunger, thirst, and travail――A grizzly again――“The
Great Spirit, like an eagle, looks down upon the
prairie”――Saved――Watched 67

CHAPTER V.

An Assineboine camp――The trader McDermott――The chief
“Wolverine”――Fire-water and finesse――The Assineboine
war-party――A chance of a Cree scalp――The trader hears a
well-known name――A big bid for murder, two hundred skins! 82

CHAPTER VI.

The Sioux forecasts our course――On the watch――Directions――We
separate――Red Cloud is seen far out on the plains――Rival
tactics――Scent _versus_ sight――A captured scout――The edge
of the hills again――The signal fire 97

CHAPTER VII.

The watched one halts――A light to the north-east――The
Stonies find their mistake――Distant thunder――A light in
the dark――The fire wind――_Sauve qui peut_――How the fire
was lighted――We ride across the fire field――Enemies in
sight――A dilemma――Between friend and foe――The scout throws
in his lot with us――We ride to the rescue 111

CHAPTER VIII.

The fight――The Sioux and the swamp――The trader’s triumph――Red
Cloud fights on foot――The trader finds he has other foes
to reckon with――The Assineboine draws a straight arrow――The
trader’s flight――Our losses and gains――Winter supplies――Our
party is completed――“All’s well that ends well.” 129

CHAPTER IX.

We again go West――Hiding the trail――Red and white for once
in harmony――Peace and plenty――An autumn holiday――We
select a winter’s camp――The Forks――Hut-building――Our food
supply――The autumn hunt――The Great Prairie――Home
thoughts――Indian instincts――The Lake of the
Winds――Buffalo――Good meat――A long stalk――The monarch of
the waste――A stampede――Wolves――The red man’s tobacco 144

CHAPTER X.

Winter――Wolves――A night’s trapping――A retreat――In the teeth
of the north wind――The carcajou――A miss and a hit――News
of Indians――Danger ahead――A friendly storm――The hut again 177

CHAPTER XI.

Winter comfort――Snowshoe-making――Snow and storm――The
moose woods――A night camp――Memories――A midnight
visitor――Maskeypeton the Iroquois――Danger――A moose
hunt――Indian stalking――The red man’s happy
hunting-grounds――Plans――Raft-building 191

CHAPTER XII.

The winter draws to an end――A keen look-out――Signs――The
break-up of the rivers――An ice block――The evening
approaches――A noiseless arrow――The ice still fast――The
ice-floes――The war-cry of assault――A parley――We embark
on the rafts――The hut in flames――On shore
again――Freedom――Winter gone 212

CHAPTER XIII.

Horses wanted――New plans――We start south――The Prairie
in Spring――No buffalo in sight――Starvation――A last
resort――Buffalo at last――We fall in with Blood
Indians――The camp――Tashota――A trade――Rumours of war――We
depart from the Blood camp 228

CHAPTER XIV.

On the trail――A pursuit――The mark is overshot――A night
march――Morning――The curtain rises――We are
prisoners――Blackfeet――Penoquam――The Far-Off Dawn――His
history――His medicine robe――Interrogations――New
arrivals――The trader again 247

CHAPTER XV.

The council of the nation――The wager of battle――Signs of
friendship――A private interview――A fair field and no
favour――The trader on the scene――I leave the camp――I
camp alone――The rock on the hill――The skulking
figure――Preparations for the start――The race for
life――The snake in the grass――A desperate strait――The
odds are made even――Hand to hand――A last chance――Out
of range 260

CHAPTER XVI.

Revulsion――Home again――New plans――We depart for the
mountains――The Hand hills――The great range――Home
memories――A murderous volley――Donogh sees “the land
beyond the grave”――Vain regrets――We enter the
mountains――The island――A lonely grave――The Indian’s
home 279

CHAPTER XVII.

Signs of trouble――Reconnoitring――Precautions――We retire
into the island――Daylight――The enemy shows himself――A
search――He prepares to attack the island――A midnight
storm――The raft――“Aim low, and fire fast”――In the whirl
of waters――On the lip of the fall――The end of crime 297