OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. ao 
L hope that when you receive this letter you will soon reply. I wish to 
hear how your people are. By the time that your reply comes to me 
I will send another letter to you. I have made inquiries respecting the 
things about which you questioned me, but they say that there are 
none to be had. 
ICTAGABI TO MACAN AND HEQAGA-SABE. MARCH 1, 1880. 
Maca" Heqaga-sabé e¢a™ba, aktwa wawidaxti. A™ba¢é 
Feather Black Elk he too, both I write something To-day 
to you (pl.). 
wija™ bai ka™b¢a, a™wan’kandi¢é’-qti-ma™. Nikaci’’ga-ma 
I see you (pl) I wish, Iam very impatient for it. The people 
ts oe . Ci Na ° . m3 
ca” e¢éga?-baji ¢a™ja, winagtci ca” wija”be tai eb¢éga™ 
well they do not think though, only I at any I see you will I think it 
it rate 
uma” ¢inka ¢é¢uadi. Niaci™ ga amadi ¢anaji" té i"¢i" wa"piqti- 
year in this. People — with the youstood the it was very good for 
me on that account 
na” i’uda™-qti pi-na"-ma”. Ca™ edadda™ ticka™ ¢ingé ha. 
usu- very good for I used to be there. Well, what deed there is 
ally me none 
oy; — Oa, pee / 5 / Digt I AIO oO e , ° / 
Nié a'¢if’ge anaji. Ca™ efa™” ¢andji" té wind‘ai ka b¢a, 
Pain Ihave none T stand. Well, how you stand the Ihear from I wish, 
you (pl) 
ada" wawidaxui. iga”ha ¢ikage méga", ¢i a™nita”i té 
there- I write to you (pl.) O grandfather your likewise, you you have the 
fore about something. friend treated me 
*n/ th Tes / ° oe, fe ee ey ° Dire) a 
iuda"-na’-ma™. Wija™bai-maji ¢éga", waqpani i¢ate ha. 
it has been usually good I do not see you (pl.) as, poor I die from 
for me. it 
/ ° / ° a aay Oye. Minh Ae i 
A™ba¢é wija™ bai uwikie ag¢i” té ¢kiga™’qti ayidaxe. Wa- 
To-day Isee you (pl.) I talk to I sit the just like it IT make it for Pa- 
you myself. 
qivha wi™ ia™¢aki¢é tat. Meaigéeqtei aki wakéga té gint, 
per one you will send hither Very aged man the sick the has re- 
to me. sub. cov- 
ered, 
ma*¢i’1 hit. 
he walks 
NOTES. 
Icta¢abi is an Omaha. Maca™ and Heqaga sabé are Ponka refugees, 
staying among the Yankton Dakota. 
79, 10. Inctagéqtci, Ma™tcu-na™ba or Yellow Smoke (Cude-nazi), the 
father-in-law of Icta¢abi. 
TRANSLATION. 
O Feather and Black Elk, I write to you both. I wish to see you to- 
day, and I am hardly able to wait (till I can see you). The Omahas do 
not think about visiting you, but I alone think that I will see you this 
year. Whenever I visited the Yanktonus I was always pleased, because 
I had you for my interpreter, There is no news. I continue in good 
