gAGl-NA'PAIJLS WAR PARTY IN 1853. 447 
TRANSLATION. 
We killed deer when we went on the autumnal hunt. We hunted all sorts of 
small leaping animals. When we approached any place to pitch the tents, we were in 
excellent spirits. Day after day we carried into camp different animals, such as deer, 
raccoons, badgers, skunks, and wild turkeys. We had ten lodges in our party. AS we 
went, we camped for the night. And we camped again at night, being in excellent 
spirits. At length we reached a place where sonie white farmers dwelt. They gave us 
food, which was very good. Atlength they assembled us. “Come, ye Indians, we must 
talk together. Let us talk toeach other at night.” “Yes,” saidwe. As they came for 
us when a part of the night had passed, we said, “Let us go.” They came with us to 
a very large house. Behold, all of the whites had arrived. That place was beyond the 
Little Sioux River, at Boyer Creek, where the first white men were, across the country 
from this place. They talked with us. “Oho! my friends, though I, for my part, talk 
with you, you will do just what I say,” said one. ‘We will consider it. If it be good, 
we will do so,” said the Omahas. “I am unwilling for you to wander over this land,” 
said the white man. je-sa" (White-Buffalo-in-the-distance) said, “As you keep all 
your stock at home, you have no occasion to wander in search of them; and you dwell 
nowhere else but at this place. (But we have wild animals, which are beyond our 
dwelling-place, though they are on our land.)” ‘Though you say so, the land is mine,” 
said the white man. “Theland isnot yours. The President did not buy it. You have 
jumped on it. You know that the President has not bought it, and I know it full 
well,” said ze-sa®. “If the President bought it, are you so intelligent that you would 
know about it?” said the white man, speaking in a sneering manner to the Omaha. 
gye-sa” hit the white man several times on the chest. ‘‘ Why do you consider me a fool? 
You are now dwelling a little beyond the bounds of the land belonging to the President. 
It is through me that you shall make yourself a person (7. e., you shall improve your 
condition at my expense). I wish to eat my animals that grow of their own accord, so I 
walk seeking them,” said ye-sa". ‘Nevertheless, I am unwilling. If you go further, 
instead of obeying my words, we shall fight,” said the white man. “I will go beyond. 
You may fightme. As the land is mine, I shall go,” said ye-sa®. ‘Yes, if you go to-mor- 
row, I will go to you to see you. I shall collect the young white people all around, and 
go with them to see you,” said the white man. Having removed the camp in the 
morning, we scattered to hunt for game. I went with three men. About forty white 
men arrived, and stood there to intercept us. They waved their hands at us, saying, 
“Do not come any further.” As we still went on, they came with a rush, and tried to 
snatch our guns from us. When we refused to let them go, they shot at us: “Ku! 
ku! ku!” As we went back, we were driven towards the rést of our party. The 
leader of the white men said, “Do not go. If you go, I will shoot at you.” We stood 
on an island; and the white men surrounded us. “ You have already shot at us,” said 
the Omahas. The white men doubted their word, saying, “It is not so about us.” 
“You have already shot at us, so we will go at all hazards. I am following my trail 
in my own land. Iam going to hunt. Why do you behave so? Make way for us. 
We will go to you,” said ye-sa". “If you speak saucily to me, I will shoot at you,” 
said the white man. ‘Ho! if you wish to do that, do it,” said the Omahas. As they 
