When he
told the other Indians he was going to make a speech they all sat
down in a circle around the camp-fire, seventeen in number, and
were perfectly silent. I told them that this young Indian wanted
to know if they would care to hear him make a speech. All were
anxious to hear him, which would be something new to them. I told
them that he would make the speech in his own language and I would
interpret it word for word as near as I knew how.
When I told him they would be pleased to hear from him he walked
up to me, laid his hand on my shoulder, and said:
"I have known this friend of mine a great many years. A long time
ago when he use to come to our village, we always killed a dog,
and after we would have a feast on dog meat, we always smoked the
pipe of peace, and all of the Arapahoes are his friends."
He continued this manner of speaking about fifteen minutes, to the
amusement of the entire train, and when he took his seat he wanted
some one else to speak, but no one would attempt to respond to
him, thus winding up the amusements for the evening.
In a conversation that evening with the Indians, they told me
their business out there, which was to keep the Sioux Indians off
of their hunting ground.
The Sioux and they were on friendly terms, but sometimes the Sioux
would steal over on their hunting ground. They proposed to
accompany us through the dangerous part of the country.
Pages:
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371