Page:California Digital Library (IA openingwestwithl00sabirich).pdf/50

 The United States would go with us to the Omahas, but we told them we were afraid. We are poor and weak and the Omahas would kill us."

"Good," approved We-ah-rush-hah.

"There are two of the white chiefs," added We-the-a, or Hospitable One, the Missouri chief. "They wear long knives by their sides. Their hair is of strange color. The hair of one is yellow like ripe corn; the hair of the other is red as pipe-stone. The Red Head is big and pleasant; the yellow-haired one is slim and very straight, and when he speaks he does not smile. Yes, the Red Head is a buffalo, but the other is an elk."

"They have three boats," added Shos-gus-can, or White Horse, who was an Oto. "One boat is larger than any boat of any trader. It has a gun that talks in thunder. Of the other boats, one is painted white, one is painted red. The chiefs are dressed in long blue shirts that glitter with shining metal. The party are strong in arms. They have much guns, and powder and lead, and much medicine. They have a gun that shoots with air, and shoots many times. It is great medicine. They have a man all black like a buffalo in fall, with very white teeth and short black hair, curly like a buffalo's. He is great medicine. They carry a white flag with blue and red borders. Red, white and blue are their medicine colors. The flag is their peace sign. There are French with them, from below, and another, a trader from the Sioux. They