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292 292 RANGE OP THE PiWNEES. was the more necessary, as our surveying expedition would take us far out upon that portion of the buffalo plains frequented by the Pawnees in their hunting excursions. Indeed, we were to pass through a por- tion of the Republican valley not very far from where the Pawnees long had a permanent village, the seat of the Pawnee republic, and which they had but a few years previous to the time of which I am speaking abandoned, removing to the Platte valley in Nebras- ka. Major Dougherty appointed a council with the Pawnee chiefs, to be held at Port Leavenworth on the 24th of September, 1830. "The Pawnees ranged west of the Big Blue to what is now Norton county, south along the Republi- can, and north to and beyond the Platte. Their vil- lages were on the Platte and Loup fork. Their war parties took wide range. They were at war with all the wild tribes in the plains: the Comanches and Kiowas on the south; the Arapahoes, Cheyennes and Sioux on the west and northwest. Though not num- bering near so many as their opponents, except the Arapahoes, they defended themselves so successfully that the enemy rarely got away without leaving some scalps. They were also the worst Indians the whites had to contend with on the northern overland trail. Though they would not attack well-armed parties, they were dangerous stock thieves, and the guards always doubled when the Big Blue was crossed. Af- ter having passed the Pawnees some forty miles west of Fort Kearney, traveUng was quite safe. Though they were numerous and powerful, the overland emi- gration with their immense flocks and herds were not