hoot as far as I
could see. The scouts said the Indian chiefs laid their defeats to that
fact. Then again they were very superstitious about my power in other
matters. When the overland telegraph was built they were taught to respect
it and not destroy it. They were made to believe that it was a Great
Medicine. This was done after the line was opened to Fort Laramie by
stationing several of their most intelligent chiefs at Fort Laramie and
others at Fort Kearney, the two posts being 300 miles apart, and then
having them talk to each other over the wire and note the time sent and
received. Then we had them mount their fleetest horses and ride as fast as
they could until they met at Old Jule's ranch, at the mouth of the Lodge
Pole, this being about half way between Kearney and Laramie. Of course
this was astonishing and mysterious to the Indians. Thereafter you could
often see Indians with their heads against the telegraph poles, listening
to the peculiar sound the wind makes as it runs along the wires and
through the insulators. It is a soughing, singing sound. They thought and
said it was "Big Medicine" talking. I never could convince them that I
could not go to the telegraph poles the same as they did and tell them
what was said, or send a message for them to some chief far away, as they
had often seen me use my traveling-instrument and cut into the line,
sending and receiving messages. Then again, most of the noted scouts of
the plains who had married into the different tribes had been guides for
me, and many of these men were half-breeds, and were with these hostile
Indians. Some of them took part with them, but more of them had tried to
pacify and bring them to terms, and they gave me information about those
who were not engaged in the depredations.

I was supposed to be, by the Indians of the plains, a person of great
power and great moment. These half-breeds worked upon their superstitions,
endeavoring to convince them it was useless to fight "Long Eye." No doubt
my appearing on the plains the time I did, and the fact that from the time
I appeared until the time I left, the troops had nothing but success,
carried great weight with them, and seemed to confirm what the old
voyageurs and guides told them, and had much influence in causing their
abandonment of the Platte country and returning to their villages.

My own experience on the plains led me to be just as watchful and just as
vigilant when I knew the Indians