I changed saddle horses and then myself and two assistants rode
out north to watch the movements of the main band of Indians.
Before starting out Jim gave us the password of the pickets, which
was "Buffalo."
We rode until near sunset before we got sight of the big band of
Indians again, they having gone into camp about four miles west of
Barrel Springs, where our train was camped, and only about a half
mile from the trail or wagon road.
I crawled up as near their camp as I dared to go, and watched them
until about nine o'clock that night, at which time a number of
them had turned in, apparently for the night, and a number were
around their horses all the time, giving us no opportunity
whatever, to stampede them, which was my intention, provided they
gave us the least show. I told my assistants there would be no
danger whatever, until daybreak the next morning, and we would
return to camp and sleep until near daylight.
When we got to the train Jim had not gone to bed yet. I told him
where we had located the main band, and as near as I could the
number of the Indians--about one hundred and fifty--but that I did
not anticipate any trouble during the night.
Jim said he would sit up until four o'clock the next morning. "At
which time," said he, "I will call you and you can take as many
scouts with you as you like and watch every move made by the
Indians, and if they start this way telegraph me at once and I
will have everything in readiness to receive them, and I think we
will be able to give them quite an interesting entertainment.
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