The beds were piled up at Fort Laramie, and I was assigned to watch them.

It was here that I had abundant time and opportunity to study the West at first hand.
Heretofore I had been on the march.

Now I was on fixed post with plenty of time for observation.
Fort Laramie was an old frontier post, such as has not existed for many years.

Nearby, three or four thousand Sioux, Northern Cheyennes and Northern Arapahoes were encamped, most of them spending much of the time at the post.

Laramie had been established by a fur-trading company in 1834.