170 BUFFALO LAND. 



come to us hungry and be fed, or clothed and go 

 away so," and so on ad infinitum. Instead of all 

 this there was a tremendous smoking and grunting, 

 more like a farmer's fumigation of hogs than one of 

 those pipe-of-peace councils which I had so often 

 studied on canvas and in books. I have often re- 

 gretted since that our aborigines can not read. If 

 they could only learn from the white man's literature 

 what they ought to be, the contrast between it and 

 what they really are would be so violent that it 

 might make an impression, even upon an Indian. 



For a happy mingling of lies and truth our " big 

 talk " could hardly be excelled. A reporter could 

 have taken down the proceedings somewhat as fol- 

 lows : 



Scene — Six Indians and as many white men in a 

 ring. Postmaster Hall in the center, acting as inter- 

 preter. 



Indian — "Cheyenne love white man much (lie). 

 Forty-six warriors all hungry ( truth ). Us good In- 

 dians" ( lie ). And so on, alternately. 



Fale Brother — " White man love Cheyenne, Got 

 lots of food, but no whisky " (the latter a lie which 

 almost choked the speaker). 



It would not interest the reader to know all the re- 

 petitions or nonsense uttered, and w^e spare him the 

 infliction of even attempting to tell him. The In- 

 dians had for their object food, and they got it. The 

 whites had for their object permanent peace, and did 

 not get it. 



Indue time the council broke up, and in an incredibly 

 short time thereafter many of the Indians were reel- 



