The greatest object of their lives seems to be to acquire possessions - to be rich. They desire to possess the whole world.

     For thirty years they tried to entice us to sell our land to them. Finally; their soldiers took it by force, and we have been driven away from our beautiful country.

 

     They are indeed an extraordinary people. They have divided the day into hours, like the moons of the year. In fact, they measure everything. Not one of them would let so much as a turnip go from his field unless he received a value for it. I understand that sometimes their great men make a feast and invite many; but when it is over, the guests are required to pay for what they have eaten before leaving the house ...

     I am also told, but this I hardly believe, that their Great Chief compels every man to pay him for the land he lives upon and all his personal goods - even those he needs for his own existence - every year. I am sure we could not live under such a law.

     In war they have leaders and war-chiefs of different grades. The common warriors are driven forward like a herd of antelopes to face the foe. It is because of this manner of fighting - from compulsion and not from personal bravery - that we count no coup on them. A lone warrior can do much harm to a large army of them - especially when they are in unfamiliar territory.

 

 

 

     The white man who is our agent is so stringy that he carries a linen rag in his pocket into which to blow his nose, for fear he might blow away something of value.

 

 

 

     I have carried a heavy load on my back ever since I was a boy. I realized then that we could not hold our own with the white men. We were like deer. They were like grizzly bears. We had a small country. Their country was large. We were contented to let things remain as the Great Spirit Chief made them. They were not, and would change the rivers and mountains if they did not suit them.