les belonging to them. They were evidently scattering, and it
finally became difficult for us to keep on the main trail. When darkness
set in, we went into camp, it being useless to try to follow the Indians
after nightfall.

Next morning we were again on the trail, which led north, and back
towards the Beaver Creek, which stream it crossed within a few miles of
the spot where we had first discovered the Indians, they having made
nearly a complete circle, in hopes of misleading us. Late in the
afternoon, we again saw them going over a hill far ahead of us, and
towards evening the main body of warriors came back and fought us once
more; but we continued to drive them until darkness set in, when we
camped for the night.

The Indians soon scattered in every direction, but we followed the main
trail to the Republican river, where we made a cut-off, and then went
north towards the Platte river. We found, however, that the Indians by
traveling night and day had got a long start, and the General concluded
that it was useless to follow them any further, as we had pushed them so
hard, and given them such a scare that they would leave the Republican
country and go north across the Union Pacific railroad. Most of the
Indians, as he had predicted, did cross the Platte river, near Ogallala,
on the Union Pacific, and thence continued northward.

That night we returned to the Republican river and camped in a grove
of cottonwoods, which I named Carr's Grove, in honor of the
commanding officer.

The General told me that the next day's march would be towards the
head-waters of the Beaver, and he asked me the distance. I replied that
it was about twenty-five miles, and he said we would make it the next
day. Getting an early start in the morning, we struck out across the
prairie, my position as guide being ahead of the advance guard. About two
o'clock General Carr overtook me, and asked how far I supposed it was to
water. I thought it was about eight miles, although we could see no sign
or indication of any stream in our front.

"Pepoon's scouts say that you are going in the wrong direction," said the
General, "and in the way you are bearing it will be fifteen miles before
you can strike any of the branches of the Beaver; and that when you do,
you will find no water, for the Beavers are dry at this time of the year
at that point."

"General, I think the scouts are mistaken," said I, "for the Beaver has
more water near its head than