460 THE (EGIHA LANGUAGE—MYTHS, STORIES, AND LETTERS. 
TRANSLATION. 
We dwelt beyond Omaha City, and towards the Platte. The Dakotas came on 
foot to attack us. All of us Omahas dwelt on the Nebraska side of the river, at the 
point of timber near Sarpy’s village. Some of the women had buried corn in the ground 
at the village. Being hungry, they went back to eat it. Behold, the Dakotas who had 
come on the war-path reached there. And when the women reached there, they were 
attacked by the Dakotas, who killed two of the women. The remaining woman was 
struck with a gun, and gashed in many places, but she came back to us alive. The 
Dakotas cut off all the hair of the two women, and after cutting the scalps in pieces, 
they carried them homeward. We pursued them, but we did not overtake them. We 
could not find their trail in the dark. When I reached home, behold, men came for 
me at night. I arrived there. And behold, four men had assembled; and I was the 
fifth. At length they said, “Ccllect some men; these people, the Dakotas, have injured 
us; let us repay them. Assemble the young men.” All of them, too, assembled the 
men. And I collected the youngmen. We collected fifty persons. I said as follows: 
“Ho! they are just like us, and we resemble those who have treated us cruelly; we 
have guns and other weapons as they have. Let us repay them for what they have 
done to us. Come! let us go thither.” And all were willing. 
But before we could leave, the chiefs manifested their unwillingness for us to depart. 
They collected goods, and sent for us five leaders. When we arrived there, behold, the 
chiefs had invited us on account of the goods which they had collected. Behold, they 
commanded us not to go on the war-path. ‘You will not go on the war-path. Take 
these things. These chiefs went to the President to sell land. If they come back and 
consent to your going, you may then go,” said the chiefs who had not gone to Wash- 
ington. I was unwilling. I was displeased. I went home without taking any of the 
goods. So we did not go on the war-path, as we waited for the return of those who 
went to the President. They came home from the city of the President. When they 
had come back, I went to Joe. “I wished to go on the war-path, but the chiets forbade 
me; soI did not go. Consider the matter for me,” said I. “Oho!” said he, “go, of 
course, if you desire it.” 
When I reached home, I collected the men. I sent the messengers after ga¢i%- 
na"paji, Wanace-jinga, and Sinde-xa"xa™. We collected many young men. ‘Come!” 
said I, “it is my desire for us to go on the war-path, and to kill one of the Dakotas.” 
And we assembled at night. When that night was half gone, we were coming towards 
our present reservation. It was day when we reached Omaha City. And we continued 
our march in this direction. At that time there were no white people in that region 
above Omaha. At length two oxen were wandering about there. The young men, 
who were the servants, wished to eat them, so they spoke of killing them. ‘O war- 
chief, we will eat them,” said they. ‘Ho! servants, kill one and eat it; but do not 
disturb the other one,” said I. Passing on, we stopped again for the night. The next 
day we went on till we reached the hollow by Henry’s house, where we spent the night. 
Going thence the next day, we reached the present Winnebago reservation, sleeping 
when we arrived at the northern boundary. The following day, we went as far as Ni- 
base, which is on this side of the ancient farming-place of the lowas. When we arose 
