40 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 
of which you accomplish something for yourselves. I tell it to you just 
at this time. We Indians have been ignorant. We have suffered much. 
We are always dying, throughout the day, being entirely destitute, L 
mean that we are dying in poverty because we know nothing. - You 
have prospered because God taught you different kinds of work, which 
you do well. It is hard for us, my friend, because he did not teach us. 
But he has told us about the quadrupeds that mature of their own 
accord. Suchis the work which he has assigned to us. We put on 
part (of the animals) as moccasins, part we put on as leggins, and one 
part we wear as robes. My friend, we have suffered greatly because of 
our ignorance. Help us! If you aid us, we ought to live. I teli it to 
you because [ think that you wish us wild Indians to live, as you have 
aided us. We, on the one haad, O ye white people, treated you very 
kindly when you first landed in this country. But you, on the other 
hand, when you saw that the land was good, hated us, and wished us 
to die! My friends, let us alone! Do not speak any more about the 
Indians. You see that the Omahas work for themselves. Formerly 
they had not the least wish to look at your customs. But just now 
these (Indians) are interested in your customs, therefore let them alone! 
My friend, you have caused great sufferings to us Indians. You have 
killed various quadrupeds, deer, buffalo, elk, antelope, in faet ail the 
animals which abounded for our good. There are none to be found 
when we seek for them. (We did not say that you were bad when 
you were in the part of this land to which you first came. But if we 
in turn were to cross over to the land from which you came, they would 
send us back home.) O ye (white) people, if is said that many children 
have been born (to you) since your arrival in this country, and that 
(many?) mares have been born here. I have seen one of those (mares) 
which the white people have, that has given birth to ten (colts). [ have 
seen from time to time, in my country, cows that have had many (calves). 
When they first came to this country, it is said that they continued at 
work without any houses at all. But subsequently they usually made 
houses. O ye peopie, I have seen you (wearing) very good clothing. 
And how has it been acquired? It has been taken from the ground. 
I have generally seen very fat cows. And they have become fat from 
eating the grass growing on my land. My friend, [ am going to love 
all your customs. We have no one to heip us. O ye white people, if 
you help us, we ought to improve. My friend, [ hope that you will let 
the people in the whole world hear of (this letter). And by the time 
that the people have heard about me, give me a letter and send it hither! 
Add some very good words to it and send it tome. I regard you as a 
true friend, on my own account. My friend, I have told you a very 
straight story. Tell it to your friends! My friend, I talk to you on a 
beautiful day, just asif T sat beholding you with great joy. My friend, 
you have not seen me, so Twill tell you when [was born. IT am thirty- 
two years of age. 
