600 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [etii.ann.40 



can stand and my voice holds good I shall never agree to what is 

 wrong nor be deterred from doing what is right. 35 I have spoken." 



It is the custom of most of the upper Missouri tribes when at the 

 fort for trading purposes for the principal men to make what are 

 called presents; that is, a portion of the buffalo robes are brought 

 into the office and with much ceremony laid at the feet of the gentle- 

 man in charge of the fort, which action is followed by a speech. 

 To a spectator only viewing the act as a gift, and only understanding 

 the literal meaning of their speeches on the occasion, they would 

 appear to be the most liberal people in the world, as often 100 to 150 

 buffalo robes are laid down and carried out to the store without any 

 merchandise being produced in payment at the time, besides each 

 Indian distinctly states many times in his speech that it is absolutely 

 for nothing he makes the present. 



But unfortunately for this generous appearance it has quite the 

 contrary signification. The trader during the course of this harangue 

 receives hints enough as to the compensation for the present and the 

 Indian fully expects both the honor done to the trader and the skins 

 given to be paid for; in fact, requiring in return nearly double the 

 amount in value had the skins been handed, as is usual by the mass 

 of the Indians, to the clerk of the store without any ceremony. It is 

 at these times that the principal men make the speeches, such as the 

 one which follows, which, though not distinguished for beauty of 

 allegory or force of argument, may serve to show their shrewdness 

 and cunning, also their reliance on flattery to gain their ends. It 

 was necessary to premise this much so that the speech could be 

 understood in all its bearings. 



SPEECH OF LE CHEF DU TONNERRE TO THE GENTLEMAN IN CHARGE OF 

 FORT UNION, JANUARY, IS 50 



" My friend, my Father, look at me. You see standing before 

 you one of the poorest of his nation, but one who has a good heart 

 and open hand. Our Great Grandfather, the Earth, is the parent 

 of us all — Indians and whites. When Wakohda created man he 

 made two sorts; one clothed, comfortable, rich, plenty to eat, and 

 endowed with wisdom; these were the white men. The other he 

 produced naked, in a cold climate, poor, ignorant, obliged to hunt 

 for their meat, to labor, to starve, to suffer, to die; these were the 

 red men. 



"Who receives the profits of their labor? The whites. Who pro- 

 tects them from their enemies? Themselves. When your Great 

 Grandfather across the sea sent you to reside with Indians, what did 

 he say? Did he pour no good words into your ears? Did he not 



33 Literally " my road shall be in a straight liue with iny talk and not frightened 

 to one side." 



