wess of Custer, and of
his death, was probably concocted with a view to currying favor with
white men, as it appears evident that "Sitting Bull" showed his usual
cowardice, and ran away before there was a battle within twenty-four
hours' distance.

Major James McLaughlin, during his experience as Indian Agent at
Standing Rock Agency, North Dakota, had an opportunity of gathering a
great deal of important information with reference to the battle-field
and incidents connected with it. At the request of Mr. Wheeler, whose
researches into the legends and history of interesting spots within easy
access by means of the Northern Pacific Railroad were most successful,
obtained from the Major the following valuable information concerning
many points of detail which have been the subject of debate and dispute:

"It is difficult," says this undoubted authority, "to arrive at even
approximately the number of Indians who were encamped in the valley of
the Little Big Horn when Custer's command reached there on June 25th,
1876; the indifference of the Indians as to ascertaining their strength
by actual count, and their ideas at that time being too crude to know
themselves. I have been stationed at this Agency since the surrendered
hostiles were brought here in the summer of 1881, and have conversed
frequently with many of the Indians who were engaged in that fight, and
more particularly with 'Gall,' 'Crow King,' 'Big Road,' 'Hump,' 'Sitting
Bull,' 'Gray Eagle,' 'Spotted Horn Bull,' and other prominent men of the
Sioux, regarding the Custer affair. When questioned as to the number of
Indians engaged, the answer has invariably been, 'None of us knew; nina
wicoti,' which means 'very many lodges.' From this source of
information, which is the best obtainable, I place the number of male
adults then in the camp at 3,000; and that on June 25th, 1876, the
fighting strength of the Indians was between 2,500 and 3,000, and more
probably approximating the latter number.

"'Sitting Bull' was a recognized medicine man, and of great repute among
the Sioux, not so much for his powers of healing and curing the
sick--which, after he had regained such renown, was beneath his
dignity--as for his prophecies; and no matter how absurd his prophecies
might be, he found ready believers and willing followers, and when his
prophecies failed to come to pass, he always succeeded in satisfying his
over-credulous followers by giving some absurd reason. For instan