THE RED MAN OF TO-DAY.

1011

While the United States have thus undermined and destroyed the Indians' own laws and government, it has afforded no substitute. By the "treaty system" each tribe has been negotiated with as an independent nation. Its members are not regarded as citizens, nor subject to the laws of the United States. Dodge gives an illustration of the evils of this state of affairs. One day in November, 1880, Stone Calf, a prominent and intelligent Cheyenne chief, came to him with a complaint. His favorite child, a little girl of thirteen years, had been sent to a camp seven miles away, with a message from her father. She was accompanied by another girl. On their return home, a stalwart ruffian, of Stone Calf's tribe, sprang out of a ravine, seized the horse of Stone Calf's daughter, and, pointing a revolver at the other girl, told her to leave, which she did. The ruffian then took the maiden to his lodge, subjected her to frightful outrages ; and then, becoming fearful of Stone Calf's revenge, hid himself and the girl in a thicket. At night he took the girl with him to the neighborhood of the military post, and leaving her at a certain point, went to look for Stone Calf. In his absence the girl escaped to her father.

On the following morning the heart-broken chief repaired to Colonel Dodge, in command of the military post, and begged for help. He said that if he killed the scoundrel according to the law of his own people, the agent would imprison him in the guard-house, and wdien he got out not only his one daughter, but his wives and family Avould be outraged or stolen. The commandant told the father that there Avas no law of the Avhite men for the government of the Indians or the punishment of the criminal. When the old man had the matter fully explained to him, he turned his face, quivering Avith anguish, toAvard the commandant, and in a trembling and sorrowful voice, said: "-I am sick of the Indian road; it is not good." There Avas a moment's pause, then he added pitifully, " I hope the Good God will give us the white man's road before Ave are all destroyed."

When Major Rogers, the captain of the famous Bangers,