Se OT 
OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 93 
NOTES. 
Dictated at Ponka Agency, Ind. T., in January, 1881. Sent to 
another Ponka, Seda"-sabé or Ma"teu da¢i", then at the Old Ponka Res- 
ervation, in Dakota, on the Niobrara River. The style is not that of 
the usual Ponka, e. g., itafige wiwiyja t’e (92, 8), instead of wijange 
inve; cingajinga wiwiga cti t’e (92, 9), instead of cifigajifiga cti ite; 
wa‘u wija eti te (92, 9), instead of wa‘u cti ive; though both forms 
are used, fide G., an Omaha. 
92, 2. Maja" uda® etecte, etc. The words of Seda™-sabé, who had 
promised to return to the Indian Territory within a year and tell his 
people about the land on the Niobrara. Maja™ ¢a”’ ida® anaji® ctécté- 
Land the good Istand notwith- 
wa” ca” mé tédihi yi, ati ta minke. Ati tédibi yi, maja” ¢a® 
stand- yet spring bythe when, I will have come. Ihave bythe wher, land the 
ing time that come time that 
ub¢a ati ta minke. (G.) 
Itell I will have come. 
about 
it 
92, 11. Av¢asi¢a¢ega™ ¢a¢irce, etc. Two readings of equal value 
given by G.: Avr¢asi¢a¢éga™ ¢a¢ircé ite waqi”ha ia’ ¢aki¢éga" eté yl, 
Youremember me you who _ per- paper you send tomea ought, 
somewhat move haps little 
and, An¢asi¢a¢e ¢ad¢ircé éimte, waqivha ia’ ¢aki¢é eté yi (“éga™” being 
Youremember you who  per- paper you send to ought somewhat 
; me move haps, me . (or, a little) 
omitted), 
TRANSLATION. 
You started back to the Old Agency very soon after we reached this 
land. You spoke of remaining there a year. You said, “ Even if I 
continue to prosper in that land, I will return hither next spring and 
tell about that land.” These young men, who were your associates, are 
well. Your wife, whom you left here, has not taken another husband. 
Should there be much sickness here, I will do what I can to enable 
them (your wife and other relations ?) to live. Neither one of your two 
elder brothers has lost even a child. Your younger brother, geje-hi"- 
t‘a", is working to-day. I myselt have had trouble: my sister died 
last summer. Then my child and my wife died. Therefore, now, that 
there is no sickness (here), I have another wife. When I think of you 
IT am continually in great trouble. You who continue to think of me 
should send me a letter. The time has now come when I can not go to 
see you, as I have joined the agency police force. Tor this work I 
receive pay in money. When they paid me the money the Commis- 
sioner of Indian Affairs gave me a horse. -I have wished you to come 
to this place, and so I reserved the horse for you, but it was stolen. 
Therefore I did not send you a letter. I paid no attention to it. Iam 
paying attention to the affairs of the tribe. (1 have been wishing to 
send you a letter, and now a man has come who can write for me. 
Send me a letter quickly, as soon as you receive this, and let me know 
