TO THE CINCINNATI COMMERCIAL, FROM SEVERAL OMAHAS. 761 
about anything, still I will tell you. When we sell any vegetables, fruits, ete., which 
we have raised, the store-keepers invariably reckon those things as very light; but 
their things are always reckoned as very heavy (when we wish to buy them). 
Big Elk said:—I send to tell you the things which I (in my heart) think are 
difficult for me. The Indians haye been wishing to accomplish what is good for them- 
selves, but the agents have been the only ones who have not aided us. My friend, we 
can talk to you and only to those persons like yourself about the matters which give 
us trouble. The President usually thinks that the things which give us trouble are 
not troublesome to us; he continues to think that the agents whom he employs to 
watch over us are benefiting us. Therefore I hope to imitate the white people who 
do various things for themselves. I desire to live ds a good man in the land. I do 
not desire even to look again at my old life as a wild Indian. I wish all of you people 
to aid me by making the land fully strong enough to bear my weight. O ye people, 
O ye who have good thoughts in your hearts, we wish to retain our own land, and we 
beg you to aid us when you confer together about your own affairs (in Congress). 
Maxewa¢é said:—My friend, you who have sent a letter hither to me, I think 
and say that I send off (a letter) to petition to you. I am very glad, my friend, 
because you have sent me a letter, saying that you wished to aid me. We do not 
know about your ways at all, yet we love them very well. We hope that you will look 
around in search of something which may be for our good. The Indians who have 
come hither are very glad because you have sent them a letter; your friends are well 
pleased. Among our customs there is none of any kind whatever whieh is life- 
sustaining; we are destitute of all. Hven when we look all around us for something 
which can support life, we do not find it. Your ways alone can improve us. Friends, 
pity us! As we wish to live, we are ever making a special prayer for ourselves 
throughout the day. 
qa¢i"-na"paji said:—He who keeps the store on this reservation has a strong 
desire to injure us. Notwithstanding we have wished to dismiss him, the President 
has helped him, and that is hard for us to bear. He is always treating me most 
wantonly, snatching from me more than enough of what I have raised for myself to 
pay what I owe him; therefore we do not wish him to remain here after next summer. 
I hope that you will let the President hear of this. 
Two Crows said :—My friend, you wish to hear from us what we are doing and 
how we are progressing, therefore we will send to you to tell it to you. We have 
much trouble in this land, but we have no one to help us. The President placed some 
Winnebago Indians near the land where we dwell. The proximity of these foreigners 
has been a source of great trouble to our people. The Winnebagos have stolen three 
hundred horses from us. The agents have known all about our trouble, but they have 
not shown any desire to act in our behalf. Notwithstanding we have told the agents 
to inform the President of the matter, I think that they have not even sent him any 
letters on the subject. For this reason the President has not heard it. But when 
white men lose even a very small thing, it is always regarded as a great wrong, and 
as the President does not take any steps to correct our troubles when we lose what 
is of very great importance, we are displeased. Do you think that the President 
would consider it good if I returned the injury by stealing from them? Heretofore I 
did not repay them for their crimes against me, as I thought that it was right not to 
