In spite of efforts to convince the
reader to the contrary, this book is entirely a work of fiction.
However, the seed that grew into a novel was sown in the author’s
imagination by an actual historical event: in 1854 at a peace
conference at Fort Laramie, a prominent Northern Cheyenne chief
requested of the U.S. Army authorities the gift of one thousand
white women as brides for his young warriors. Because theirs is a
matrilineal society in which all children born belong to their
mother’s tribe, this seemed to the Cheyennes to be the perfect
means of assimilation into the white man’s world—a terrifying new
world that even as early as 1854, the Native Americans clearly
recognized held no place for them. Needless to say, the Cheyennes’
request was not well received by the white authorities—the peace
conference collapsed, the Cheyennes went home, and, of course, the
white women did not come. In this novel they do.
Certain other historical events are
here rendered, but in an entirely fictitious manner. At the same
time, the real names of certain actual historical figures are used
in this novel, but the characters themselves are fictional
creations. In all other respects this book is a work of fiction.
Names, characters, places, dates, geographical descriptions are all
either the product of the author’s imagination or are used
fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or
to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Finally, while a genuine attempt was
made to render the Cheyenne language as accurately as possible,
certain misspellings and misuses inevitably occur in this book. For
these errors, the author offers sincere apologies to the Cheyenne
people.