Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/354

 nly opposed

to the matter in hand, and some, especially the Cayuses, being evidently hostile, regarding the troops with scowling disapproval.

On the thirtieth, the council was finally opened and its object explained. But it was soon apparent to the com missioners that dealing with the tribes of the interior, healthy and robust, besides having had the benefit of the teaching and example of honorable traders and sincere Christian missionaries, was a more difficult matter far than making treaties with the decaying tribes of the Wallamet and lower Columbia, or the wild men of the southern Oregon valleys and coast.

Watchful, shy, and reticent, little progress was made day after day in the negotiations. Speeches were delivered on both sides, and although glimpses of shrewdness, and bits of eloquence adorned some of them, they advanced the real issue not at all. Concerning the sale of the Cayuse lands, the head chief gave* utterance to the following fanciful thoughts:

I wonder if the ground has anything to say? I wonder if the ground is listening to what is said. " ; I hear what the ground says. The ground says, "It is the Great Spirit which placed me here. The Great Spirit tells me to take care of the Indians, to feed them aright. The Great Spirit appointed the roots to feed the Indians on." The water says the same thing, "The Great Spirit directs me feed the Indians well." The grass says the same thing, "Feed the horses and cattle." The ground, water, and grass say, " The Great Spirit has given us our names. We have these names and hold them. Neither the Indians nor the whites have a right to change these names." The ground says, "The Great Spirit has placed me here to produce all that grows on me trees and fruit." The same way the ground says, " It was from me man was made." The Great Spirit in placing men on the earth desired them to take good care of the ground, and do each other no harm. The Great Spirit said, "You Indians who take care of certain portions of the country should not trade it off except you get a fair price." n

This speech was as interesting as any, and in its closing sentence embodied the summing up, which in brief was an

II Kips Indian Council, pp. 22- 26.