would but issue the arms and ammunition. Believing their promises,

Sully thought that the delivery of the arms would solve all the

difficulties, so on his advice the agent turned them over along with

the annuities, the Indians this time condescendingly accepting.

This issue of arms and ammunition was a fatal mistake; Indian

diplomacy had overreached Sully's experience, and even while the

delivery was in progress a party of warriors had already begun a raid

of murder and rapine, which for acts of devilish cruelty perhaps has