the river valley, about half a mile distant. We saw him signaling with both horse and blanket, and in a very few minutes the bluffs for half a mile up and down the river were occupied by mounted Indians. This was interesting, but it became more so when they swarmed down from the bluffs and charged for our camp, a yelling, screeching line, beautifully painted and nearly naked. Some had rifles and pistols, but the greater part were armed with bows and arrows. Most of our little band, I think, felt that our time on earth would soon be ended, but as the Indians did not shoot, no one in our camp "pulled a gun." They were all riding bareback and made an impressive picture. Their impetuous rush soon brought them upon us, and they formed a complete circle about us. One old warrior with a badly scarred face dashed up almost to my feet and pulled his horse to a sudden stop. Trying to look greatly pleased to meet him, I said, in as strong and cheerful a voice as I could command, "How! my friend." He jumped from his horse and looked at me for a few minutes. I then said to him in the Dakota tongue, "I look at you. My heart is glad to see my friends." He stepped toward me and said, "What is your Dakota name?" I told him the name given me by the old chiefs of his people: such men as Red Cloud, American Horse, Little Wound, and Young Man Afraid of His Horses were friends of mine at that time. He then wanted to know where we came from and where we were going. I told him that we had just driven a herd of cattle to the Indians upon the Missouri river and were now on our way back to the Platte river to take a herd of cattle to the Red Cloud agency on the White River. I then said to him, "My Dakota friends have bad hearts, but they must not kill the cowboys who bring the cattle that the Great Father sends to them or the soldiers will come in great numbers, with many big guns, and wipe out the Sioux nation." He then said that his people were hungry. I told him that we had but little food and that we would be hungry before we could get to the Shell River (North Platte). Our talk probably did not take up the amount of time it has taken me to write this account of it, but it was very interesting, to me, at least. Springing onto his pony, the old warrior called out to all his people who I was, what our party was doing in the country, and what I had said to him. Yells of "Ho! Ho!" came back to him from every direction. Packing our camp outfit onto our ponies, we started in to round up our saddle horses and drive them across the river, the entire band of Indians helping us. Their mood had changed, and there were many "Hows" exchanged, as we parted on the south side of the Niobrara. I have always felt that if ever I had a close call to being used as a pincushion, with arrows in the place of pins, that was the time, and I think there were those about me that felt nearly as weak as I did after the ordeal was over. I think my efforts in picking up a little knowledge of the Dakota speech and sign language saved my scalp on that occasion, and perhaps those of the entire party, as there must have been at least three hundred Indians in the bunch that swooped down upon us so unceremoniously. In connection with this incident of my life I want to illustrate the fact that in almost all parties of men there are some that have very short memories, and for get to be grateful for mercies received. After we had left the Indians who had so kindly helped us across the river we "made tracks" pretty fast toward the Union 1 Pacific railroad. I was riding with one of my companions ahead of our band of saddle horses, leading the way. We approached the top of a steep sand-hill that lay in our course when we suddenly came upon two old Sioux warriors, leading two tired ponies loaded with carcasses of antelopes. These Indians were taken by surprise at our sudden appearance, but they put on a brave front and made signs of being greatly pleased at meeting us. They wanted to shake hands all around and say "How! How!" as fast as possible. One of our party troubled with a short memory drew a pistol and said, "Let's kill these two old devils anyway.' "He was quickly persuaded by the rest of our party not to do such a rash thing as to take advantage of these Indians who were at our mercy after our having, only by the mercy of God, been allowed to escape from their tribesmen and relatives. Those days are long since past, and when the last of the old Sioux warriors have visited me in my home each year, I have often told them of the awful scare they gave me on the banks of the river upon which I have made my home for so many years. We can all laugh over it now as a good joke on me, but at the time it seemed to me to be about as serious a proposition as had ever come my way. After Captain Cook's paper the chairman introduced James Mooney of the Department of American Ethnology, who gave an address on Systematic, Nebraska Ethnologic Investigation.1 1 Mr. Mooney's address is printed in Collections of Nebraska State Historical Society, volume XVII, page 103. Following Mr. Mooney's address Vice President Harvey introduced Mr. Edgar R. Harlan, curator of the Historical Department of Iowa, who gave an illustrated lecture on Influence of Visualized Ideas, during which he presented views of the building of the Historical Department of Iowa and of the collections housed therein. The meeting adjourned sine die. Dear Sir: CALL FOR SPECIAL MEETING. LINCOLN, NEB., April 15, 1911. There will be a special meeting of the board of directors of the Nebraska State Historical Society at the rooms of the Society, April 20, 1911, at 9:00 A. M. for the consideration of the budget for the ensuing year, the election of employees and routine matters of administration. Your presence is earnestly desired. CLARENCE S. PAINE, Secretary. The special meeting was held at the appointed time and place, present, John L. Webster, presiding, Chancellor Samuel Avery, Dr. H. B. Lowry, Horace S. Wiggins, and the secretary. On motion of Chancellor Avery, seconded by Dr. Lowry, the reading of the minutes of previous meetings was waived. The secretary then presented his quarterly report, which included the following statement of the appropriations for the benefit of the State Historical Society as passed by the legislature of 1911. STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Salaries for the biennium......... $10,920 For binding newspapers donated by Nebraska editors, for the biennium...... 1,000 For printing volumes 3 and 4 of the debates and proceedings of Nebraska Constitutional Conventions, and one volume of historical collections of original material.. Total for the biennium........ 3,000 17,720 For paving taxes chargeable to Historical Society building site at corner of Sixteenth and J Streets, Lincoln, Nebraska.... 2,000 The resignation of Mr. W. E. Hannan, superintendent of the newspaper department, to take effect April 1, |