Kit Carey knew Big Foot, the Sioux chief, as a brave, cunning, and dangerous man, and one whose influence was great among the different tribes. Colonel Forsythe, he knew, was watching him, but would the soldiers be able to surround the Sioux leader and force his surrender before aid came from the hostiles in the Bad Lands, was a question hard to answer. Still he was well aware that there was no better officer in the service than Colonel Forsythe, and if not hampered by orders from Washington,[3] he would accomplish all that the commanding general in the field expected of him. On his way to scout around the band of Chief Big Foot, Kit Carey visited a fourth squad of his Indian scouts, and the largest one in point of numbers. He sent four redskins from there to the band near the Bernard ranch, and dispatched two couriers, one to General Carr's command, another to General Brooke, with a full report of the situation as he had thus far discovered it. In his report he stated: "From what I can learn from my Indian scouts, old Chief Red Cloud is forced to remain among the hostiles, and there is some trouble between the Ogallalas and Brules. The following chiefs are known to be among the hostiles: Kicking Bear, Short Bull, High Hawk, Turning Hawk, and Little Wound, the last most dangerous of all. My Indian cavalry nearly surround the hostiles' camp, for I have seven squads of men in hiding, with a couple of men from each scouting by day and night. Each squad has orders to send couriers at once with any information of reinforcements of the hostiles, or movements of raiding bands. I go now toward the advanced camp of Chief Big Foot, whom Colonel Forsythe is moving against. If Big Foot's band is not plotting mischief I shall be surprised." Written in duplicate on copying-paper, these reports were dispatched with all haste, and, scouting his way as he went, Kit Carey moved toward Wounded Knee Creek, where Big Foot's band were camped. It was perilous and tedious work for the daring officer and the two Indian scouts who accompanied him; but he at last reached the vicinity of the Indian camp, and, unfolding his blanket, proceeded to carefully "make up." In other words, the daring soldier intended to "play Injun," and get at the bottom facts of the situation. His Indian scouts shook their heads dubiously as he progressed with his toilet, but aided him all in their power. His handsome mustache was first sacrificed, and his face clean shaven. Next came the coloring of the skin, face, neck, hands, and arms to the elbows. The war-paint followed, with a wig of long, black hair, the head-dress and war-bonnet, buckskin suit of hunting-shirt, leggings, and moccasins. The "ghost shirt[4]" was next put on, and last the never-failing blanket. If any one could then detect the dashing, handsome Lieutenant Kit Carey of the Seventh, beneath the paint, feathers, and make-up of an Indian chief, a keen eye he would have, indeed.