HISTORIC INDIAN COUNCILS 277 



"What can be done if Davis refuses to give up 

 these Indians?" I asked the ranking officer who 

 was present. 



"He must be persuaded not to refuse, for the 

 sake of our own people as well as the Indians. 

 The Government should have made no pledge 

 without knowing it could carry it out, for the In- 

 dians cannot be made to believe that it couldn't 

 keep its promise if it wanted to." 



There were officers at Fort Sill who understood 

 the Indians and were especially friendly to them, 

 who had become experts in the use of their sign 

 language, and whom the Indians had come to 

 trust. Governor Davis talked much with one of 

 these and became convinced of the gravity of the 

 situation and the imperative need of convincing 

 the tribes of the good faith of the Government. 



Finally he consented to give up Satanta and 

 Big Tree, but it w r as a real sacrifice. In return 

 for the concession the Commissioner agreed to 

 make a later demand for the arrest of the raiders 

 for whom the Governor had bargained. Davis 

 knew very well from those best acquainted with 



