\ e, 4 ¢ Pte; oe SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION ee BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY, J. W. POWELL, DIRECTOR OMAHA AND PONKA LE™™ = LIBRARY CATALOGUE SLIPS. Smithsonian institution. Bureau of ethnology. s Smithsonian institution | Bureau of ethnology: J. W. Powell, = director | — | Omaha and Ponka letters | by | James Owen Dor- £ sey | [Vignette] | S Washington | government printing office | 1891 8°. 127 pp.. Dorsey (James Owen). : Smithsonian institution | Bureau of ethnology: J. W. Powell, = director | — | Omaha and Ponka letters | by | James Owen Dor- = sey | [Vignette] | = Washington | government printing office | 1891 i 8°. 127 pp. [SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. Bureau of ethnology. ] Smithsonian institution | Bureau of ethnology: J. W. Powell, director | — | Omaha and Ponka letters | by | James Owen Dor- sey | [ Vignette] | Washington | government printing office | 1891 8°. 127 pp. [SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. Bureau of ethnology. ]~ Title for subject entry. rape = — oe — RY =) sey aa i aa) a anes | ~) ae) oe” ie ru tae + Me 409, ms, 3 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY, J. W. POWELL, DIRECTOR OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS BY JAMES OWEN DORSEY NVeae Eel NE GD. Oni GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE LS. 9a 7 Al Tid es, tf ry nea - CON Te Neles MIRO GING ULON Eee ios ose cae as ose e nf Ses ote see ome eels fae tees Explanation of characters occurring in the texts ..---..----- See ees A\TNTRENTENBIOINS 6 o Se aS Se SBno coeBoCmnaaoo nd Ueber SsBeouenS poo mECeceeBaS SEooue Omaharandeeonkanletbers: sos seme oereiecteiciss ister See icisieleisie oi eliwe selene sesiee nine 3 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. By J. OWEN DORSEY. INTRODUCTION. Since 1872, it has been the good fortune of the author to record two hundred and thirty-eight letters (epistles) in the (egiha, which is the language spoken by the Omaha and Ponka tribes of North American Indians. One hundred and sixty-one of these letters, with numerous myths, legends, and historical papers, appear in ‘Contributions to North American Ethnology. Vol.vi. The (egiha language. Myths, Stories, and Letters;” and it has been decided to publish the rest of the letters in the present form. It is thought that the accompanying texts will be found interesting, not only because of their linguistic value, but also on account of their sociologic references. EXPLANATION OF CHARACTERS OCCURRING IN THE TEXTS. a as in father ; German, haben. at a prolonged a; always a final sound. an a nasalized a. ant a prolonged nasalized a. ‘a an initially exploded a. ‘ae a nasalized ‘a, a nearly as ain what, and o in hot; German, man sagt. ‘B an initially exploded d@, as in wés‘a, snake. an a nasalized a. a as in hat. b as in be, rub. c as sh in shall. 9 a medial sh, between sh and zh. Not synthetic. Occurs be- fore n in Gegiha and before n and r in zoiwere. ¢ as th in thin (not used in @egiha). A zoiwere sound. 5 a medial th or ¢ (not heard in @egiha). A yoiwere sound. Not synthetic. (: as th in then, the. Seer. ab | INTRODUCTION. as in do; German, das; French, de. Used in Gegiha. See r. as in they; German, Dehnung; French, dé. a prolonged e. an initially exploded e. as in then; German, denn; French, sienne. an initially exploded ¢, as in imé, stone; ukit, enemy, joint. as in go; German, geben. as in he; German, haben. (Dakota letter) as German ch in ach. See q. (Pawnee sound) an evanescent h, a slight * putt” after a vowel. as in pique, machine; German, ihn; French, tle. a prolonged %. an initially exploded 7. a nasalized 7. a prolonged nasalized i. a nasalized ‘4. as in pin; German, will. a nasalized 7. as 2in azure; j aS in French, Jacques. as in kick; German, Hind; French, quart. a medial k (between k and g). Modified initially; not syn- thetic. an exploded k. as in mine; German, Mutter. as in nun; German, Nonne; French, ne. as ng in sing, singer. In goiwere it is often used when not fol- lowed by a k-mute. as in pipe. a medial p (between p and b). Modified initially ; not syn- thetic. an exploded p. as German ch in ich; Hebrew, kh. asin roar. Not used in Gegiha. A synthetic sound in goi- were and Winnebago. as in so. Corresponds to the yoiwere ¢. a medial s (between s and z). Modified initially; not syn- thetic. Occurs before n. as in touch. a medial ¢ (between ¢ and d). Modified initially; nof syn- thetic. an exploded ¢. as in rule, or as 00 in tool; German, du; French, doux. a prolonged wu. an initially exploded uw. a nasalized w; rare in @egiha, common in yoiwere. a prolonged nasalized wu. INTRODUCTION. j fl ne a nasalized ‘w; rare in Vegiha, common in yoiwere. tl as in pull, full, or as oo in foot; German, und. ee a nasalized @; rare in #egiha, common in goiwere. ii an umlaut, as in German, iiber. Common ix Kansa and Osage; not used in @egiha. W as in wish; nearly as ow in French oui. a gh; or nearly as the Arabic ghain. The sonant of q. Z as z and s in zones; German, Hase; French, zeéle. dj as j in judge (rare). te as ch in church, and c in Italian cielo; Spanish, achaque. qo a medial ch (or te), i.e. a sound between fe and dj (tsh and dzh). Modified initially; not synthetic. Common in yoiwere and Osage; not used in Pegiha. te’ an exploded fe. al as in aisle. au as ow in how, cow; German, Haus. Every syllable ends in a vowel, pure or nasalized. When a consonant appears at the end of a word or syllable, it is a sign of contraction. Almost every sound described in this list e:n be prolonged. When the prolongation is merely rhetorical, it is given in the notes and omit- ted in the text. Prolongations in the texts are usually interjections. ABBREVIATIONS. The following abbreviations are used in the notes and interlinear translations : F. Frank La Fleche, jr. st. sitting. G. George Miller. std. standing. J. Joseph La Fleéche. le. long. L. Louis Sanssouci. rec]. reclining. W. Wadjepa (Samuel Fremont). mv. moving. sub. subject. an. animate. ob. object. in. inanimate. col. collective. pl. plural. Brackets mark superfluous additions to the texts. Words within parentheses were omitted by the narrator, but, in most cases, they are needed to complete the sense. tT, Rad a “7 i oe ote, OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. ‘HEQAGA SABE TO H. G. NICHOLS. Wakan’da aka niaci”ga waqpani da™bai yi, ¢a‘é¢ai i, Wakanda the person poor seeshim when, pitieshim when, sub. ufya"i, ecé. Ada” niaci” ga uké¢i" b¢i” éde ca’ Wakan‘da tida™ helps you There- person, common, Iwas but © still Wakanda good him, said. fore Indian ordinary ya¢ica” ee Weé¢ihide “i té zani ufya’l yi, uga”ba téya i¢é towards Tool given the all hehelps when, ‘light tothe he him has gone ukikiji. pi uda® ag¢i” ka™b¢a. Wikage Wakan’‘dajatica™ Beets House good I sit I desire. My triend on God’s side red. yaje ana‘a™ ka™b¢a, ki iwin’ya" ka™b¢a. i béa™ utida’, his I hear I desire, and ihe helps me I desire. House smell good, name yéska wab¢i" ucka® té wéwacka™ taté, na"ba ¢i¢ijai yi ada’ ox I have deed the strong by means - shall, two are yours if tome them of them you give cka”na yi, [¢i¢ijai] a®¢ize anga”¢ai. Ada” wéwacka4an’ga you wish if, [yours] we take we desire. There- means of strength fore wanda" wab¢i" ka™’b¢a. Ie ¢ija uda™ ana‘a™ Iwi ¢aya™ bothio- ~ Ihave I desire. Word your good I hear. You help me gether them ka™b¢a, kagé(ha). i uda® ag¢i” ka”b¢a, niaci”ga uké¢i" I desire, O friend House good [ sit I desire, Indian = common wé¢ihide tda® qijébadi sagi da™bai ka“ b¢a. Wakan‘daja¢ica® tool good at the door od they see I desire. Towards God kagé, cub¢é. * * * Ja®™ go¢ddi™ u‘a™azé até yi'cté kige O friend, I go to . Cross shadow I die when: box you. ever aja” ke étea”. Wakan'da ¢inké b¢d-maji tédi, wé¢ihide; fre- thelg. should Wakanda the one I do not go when, tool; cline ob. at least. who wé'e, yéska, yéska mi” ga, kukusé, wajin’ga-jide, ma" zepe, plow, Ox, cow, hog, chic en: ax, javimasé, i” é-wéti", ma”zé wiugada", ja” yanga imasé, hand-saw, hammer, nails, crosscut saw, ja” ¢inan’ge, ja"hi’ be, na"bi¢iei", undji", wa¢age, nija-i¢ictide, wagon, shoe, gloves, shirt, hat what makes the ears comfortable, 9 10 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. qadina"sé, qadigasé, wamtsk-ina™jubé, qadi¢izé, can’ ge-nide- mowing ma- scythe, grist-mill, hay-fork, horse-col- chine, , wéi", yéska-ntide-wé", ma™ze-ukiatcatca, uqpuji wasés’-uqpé, lar, ox-yoke, iron chain, dish closet, earthen dishes, ni-i¢ata", ma™zuné¢é, agdi", uja”, i behi", wamuské wéna yu cups, stove, chair, bedstead, pillow, threshing machine, (ka™b¢a?). Ada” ja” @¢adi™ u‘a%’azé udatqti udha ka’ b¢a. (I desire). There- ~ Epes shadow very good =I follow I desire, fore its course I'wi™ ‘| ka™b I é, wi" ¢aya™i yiji uga”ba té pi ka™b¢a. e ¢i¢iqa, kag You (all) help me if Stcnt the I T desire. Word your, O fend ob. reach there and‘a"; nin’de i”uda™qti-ma™”. Wakan‘daja¢ica" b¢é. A”- T have heart it is very good for me. Towards God I go. To- heard; ba¢é wabaxu ¢i¢tja fe ana‘a® Mi, nan’de i” uda", wéaona® day letter your word Thear if. heart good for a I ane in héga-maji. "wi" ¢aya™ Ue wé¢ihide at‘a” etéga’. Weé¢ihide I nota little. You help me if, tool I have Bae Tool yaje ab¢ade zant ka”b¢a. Ca™® Wakan'da ¢in’keyA¢ica® fe his I have all I desire. Now Wakanda the one towards word name called wija zant a'¢ad ka™b¢a. Maja™ wija ¢a"™ gacibe b¢i’-maji. my all you give I desire. Land my the outside of Tam T-not. to me Irc‘tge pahan’ga ¢étaqti ut’af, waht udgig¢i™ ag@¢i"’, maja” Old man before up to this died in, bone I sit in my I sit, land very time own ¢a", ada® iteqi héga-maji. the there- precious T-not a little. ob., fore to me NOTES. Heqaga sabé, or Black Elk, a chief of the Ponka Wacabe gens. His name is the Ponka notation of the Dakota Heqaka sapa (Hehaka sapa). He was baptized in June, 1872, taking the name of John Nichols. Mr. H. G. Nichols, of Brooklyn, N. Y., wrote to the author, expressing his desire to make a present to his Ponka namesake, and sending twenty- five dollars for that purpose. This elicited the letter from John Nichols. 9,5-8. gi b¢at udam . . . wab¢it ka"b¢a. These sentences are badly constructed. Judging from analogy, and also from a com- parison of the criticisms of three Omahas, John should have said some- thing like this: gi b¢a” tida® wi” ka™b¢a ba, kagéha. yéska House smell- good one [ desire . O friend. Oxen ing wab¢i" 41, wéwacka" wadaxe etéga™ ha. Aki¢a a™¢aa cka™na yi, [have if, means of I regard apt : Both you give you wish if, them strength them me b¢ize ka™b¢a (ha). Ada™ wewackayanga, ete. L. rendered this by, I take I wish OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 11 ““T wish to be strong on both sides.” He suggested another transla- tion: ‘I wish to have them together (i. e. your two oxen and my two) for gaining strength.” But G. said (1889) that the sentence refers to hav- ing the house as well as the oxen. 9,11. An unintelligible sentence is omitted here. 9,12. Wakanda ¢inke b¢a-maji tédi, we¢ihide, etc. We can not say whether John asked everything for himself only, or for his tribe. 10,4. Ada ja® g¢adi", ete. L. rendered this by, “Therefore I wish to walk in a good shade of cross-wood (probably boards laid across to form a poreh in front of his house).” But, judging from the context, and some of John’s statements at various times, it is more probable that the reference is to the cross of Christ, and if so, the sentence must be translated, ‘Therefore I wish to follow the course of the very good shadow of the cross.” John favored the religion ‘of the white man,” as he considered it, on account of its supposed temporal benefits ! John Nichols probably heard some of the Dakota ministers speak of the ‘‘ shadow of the cross,” as he can speak Dakota. TRANSLATION. You say that when God sees a poor man and pities him, he helps him. Therefore I go towards the good God, though I was a common (or wild) Indian in the past. When one helps another by giving him all kinds of tools, and he goes to the light (they are), brothers to each other. I wish to dweli in a good house. I wish to hear the name of my friend on God’s side, and I desire him to help me. (I desire) a good smelling house. The oxen which I have shall be strong by means of ac- tion(?). If you wish to give me two of yours, we desire to receive them (?). Therefore [ wish to have them together for gaining strength (see note). I have heard your words well. O friend, I wish you to help me. I wish to dwell in a good house. I desire the wild Indians to see good tools by a stout door. O friend, I go to you and towards God. (Next sen- tence was unintelligible: something about the land.) Whenever I die (in) the shadow of the cross, I should, at least, be lying in a box (i. ¢., if he died as a Christian, he should be buried in a coffin). Before I go to- wards God I wish to have the following articles: plows, oxen, cows, hogs, chickens, axes, hand-saws, hammers, nails, cross-cut saws, wagons, shoes, gloves, shirts, hats, comforts, mowing-machines, scythes, a grist- mill, hay forks, horse-collars, ox-yokes, iron chains, dish closets, earthen dishes, cups, stoves, chairs, bedsteads, pillows, and a threshing-machine. Therefore I wish to follow the course of the very good shadow of the eross. If you all aid me, I desire to reach the light. Ihave heard your words, O friend, and they make me very glad. I go towards God. To- day when I heard the words in your letter, I was glad; I was very thankful. If you help me, I will be apt to have plenty of implements. I desire all the tools which I have called by name. Now I wish you to give me (according to) all my words towards God. I am not outside 12 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. of my land. JI am dwelling in the midst of the bones of my kindred, of the venerable men who dwelt here formerly and who have died in the land up to this very time; therefore the land is very precious to me. PART OF ANOTHER LETTER FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. Niaci’ga wi dqtci ma”zéska’ g¢éba-na”ba ke’di sata" Person — just one money twenty on the tive iwi" qpa¢é-na*-ma” ti minke, ecdé, and‘a®. Kde we¢iq¢i I lose only I have (?) I will, you said, I heard. But brain / ag _e&p/ rye . , ry / a ma” taja ab¢i’-na” ca™ca™ Niaci”ga uké¢i" no ¢iia ¢ida™’ bai within Ihave only always. Indian common house your they see you kept - , . . 2 , Sai ee ee , tida" inahi", e¢éga” taité. Hinda, éga" afg¢i” te e¢éga™ good indeed, they think — shall. Let us see! so we sit may they think ce Is taité, ecé te¢a™l. shall, you in the said past. TRANSLATION. I have heard that you said, ‘‘I will expend twenty-five dollars on one man.” And I have been keeping it within my brain continually. You said in the past, ‘* When the wild Indians see your house, they shall think, ‘It is very good!’ They shall think, ‘Let us see! Let us live so,’” UPTON HENDERSON, AN OMAHA, TO MR. LUSPEN, COX CITY, KANSAS (sic). ° if e Ve / Ww ° . Kagéha, i"tea" wind‘a® ka™b¢a. Wata™’¢é méha_ ta™iwi- My triend, now I hear from I wish. Tanning hides winter I who you hides ki¢é minké wie b¢i”. Ki méha gé d‘ttba ani” yi, ana‘a® dressed hides for a Tam. Aud winter thepl. some youhave if, T hear it you hides — in. ob. ka’ b¢a. Ki gad¢a™ wabde¢eze nize yi, uqée’ater ia ¢aki¢é g g 1¢e q I wish. And that (ob.) letter youre- when, very soon you send to me ceive it ro f nD ka"b¢éga”. T hope. TRANSLATION. My friend, I wish to hear from you now. I am the man who dressed winter hides for you, at your request. And I wish to hear whether you have some winter hides. When you receive this letter, | hope that you will send me one very soon. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. i CKA.LOE-YINE, A MISSOURI, TO BATTISTE DEROIN. OCTOBER 21, 1887. A™badé wabdg¢eze b¢izé, Friday, i“ ¢éeqti-ma™. Ca ticka® To-day letter Theve tee Friday, Tam very glad. And deed ceived it, wiwfia wabig¢eze nizé x1, uq¢é’qtci wabag¢eze gian’ki¢a-ga. my letter youre- when, very soon letter cause it to be return- i ceive it ing to me. , ° , oe , id , 14 2 y , Céma yi guad¢ica® nicitha-ma ¢ dAwawaké, eata "i te ana‘a® Those lodge beyond those whoare that Imeanthem, bowthey the I hear it elow are ka" béa, wigazi. A¢ai yi, wagaztiqti wabig¢eze tia” ¢aki¢é I wish, straight. They go if, very straight letter you send hither to me =o) fare , / an a ie ae 96/2) (E *n/ P /4) Y ka béa, gan’yi cag¢é ka" b¢a édthi ki. Nikaci™ ga a®¢a’ tage I wish, and then Igo back I wish if that has Person he who is to you occurred. jealous r , , & ? _—n/ T , P- , 2 ea dees — aka & ¢é yi, cag¢é ka”b¢a. Wa-ca-ka-¢u-ti, wakéga té of me that he if, I return T wish. Wagcakarutce sick the goes to you gini 4, twimaxe cu¢éadé. Nija yi, and‘a" ka™b¢a, t’é yi'cté, “has 2? Task you Isend to you. Alive if, lLhear it I wish, dead even if, vered. ana‘a™ ka’ b¢a. I hear it I wish. NOTE. 13,6. Wacaka¢uti, the Omaha notation for the Oto Wacika-riiyoe, or Watermelon, the name of an Oto man. TRANSLATION. I have received the letter to-day, Friday, and I am very glad. When you receive this letter (referring to) my affairs, return a letter to me very speedily. I refer now to those who dwell down below, in the lodges beyond (you?), I wish to hear just how they are. If they are going, I wish you to send me a letter giving aif exact account of them, as I wish to return to you if they have gone. If the man who is jealous of me goes, I wish to return to you. I send to you to ask you whether Wacaka-rujoe has recovered from the sickness. I wish to hear whether he 1s dead or alive. FRED. MERRICK, AN OMAHA, TO G. W. CLOTHER, COLUMBUS, NEBR. Kagcha, a’ ba¢é wabag¢eze ¢i¢ija a’ ba udatqti, hat ega™tce My friend, to-day letter your day very good, morning a! di re ‘hye 4 Mic Pa +n! qn! + / VE ‘a / té/di, b¢ize. A™bagé béize té Muda™-qti-ma™. (Qé ka™b¢a inthe, I have re- To-day Thave re- the it is very good for me. This I desire ceived it. ceived it 12 14 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. te’ éskana u¢aket‘a™ ka*b¢éga"-qti-ma™; ukét‘a® ga” ¢a-oa. the oh that you acquire it I earnestly hope; to acquire it desire! Fan e ae , JF , / To . Sy} Ki ma¢adi wateicka pi ké¢a4a ci pi ka™b¢a. Ki ujan‘ge And last winter creek I tothelg. again I I wish. And road reach ob. in reach ed there the past it . , e , if ane, , , ma¢adi pf ke¢a” é udgiha pi kab¢a. Ki cé¢u ihe caki last winter I thelg. that following I I wish. And yonder pass-_ I will’ reach- ob. in its course reach ing by edit the past again it that way , os , wo . X = i w , ke = Levey) vy ti minke, yf ¢ga tédi. Gan’yi wahd ké u¢aket‘a™ ninke’cé return there house your to the. And then hides the you who are acquiring them to you, ob. u LY *n/ cakf ka™b¢éga". Ki ¢ikige nikaci’ga udawagib¢a te, ecé Treturn I hope. And your friend person T tell them the, you thither said to you [the persons to whom you said that I should = r — ao ° sg Sapo te you (by request). gadi ticka® witécté éga™ ya”ba-maji i™tea"qtci ya“ be tcka® = rly deed even one a I did not see just now I see him deed . Wane , &n/ , Y air. OTA S. 4 té. Tibbles 6 Awake. Ki, nikaci" ga-macé, edida® iteqi ké the Tibbles him I mean And, O ye people, what hard the ob. him. for me b tigac ti udi¢ai yi, éskana ¢donize ka"b¢éga" éea", wib¢aha™ [!, he tells ai oh that you take it I caper ae I pray to you to you from him cu¢éadé. Eddda™ wéteqi gé fbaha™ji-ma eijai ctéctéwa™, ¢ I send it to What are hard the(pl. those who do not they Robrihetand= he you. for us in. ob.) know them doubt them ing, , ~ , C , LEE , , , f wedbaha™i éga" fe té ¢éonize etait. Ki Tiga™¢af aké ticka® he knows about Ss word the you will please re- And Grandfather the deed us ceive from him. sub. wéteqi gé wedbaha™-baji’-qtia’i, ki wakihidai ¢a™ja, égi¢e are hard thepl. he does not know at allaboutus, and he oversees us though, behold ‘or us in. ob. vé wéga¢al. Ca™ a®nfija afiga™¢ai éga", a™¢i¢aha™i, nika- to he iiehes for Yet we live we wish as, we pray to you, per- die as. Ys , (iO etch, v , , vl , ci”ga udwad¢aya™i-macé. Ki ticka™ ¢e wab¢ita™ ke ya b¢e. son ye who aid us. And deed this IT work at to the I go. various things Ucka" efjai b¢fze pi, ticka® ¢fai bguigaqti b¢ize té pi ha. Deed your (pl.) Itake Ihave deed your Itake the Ihave reached (pL) (act) reached there / le , £ *n/ Dega™ Iyiga"¢ai aka i’cte, “Wage ckaxe wika"b¢ai-maji ha,” But (or Grandfather the as if, You live as white I do not wish it for When so) sub. people you (pl.) 4 ae 4 pe 16 = Cs {1- sn/ as Fee is 4 7n/ ‘ / ay é aka éga*qtia”i. Ki nikaci”ga ¢é¢uta™ ¢é ¢i” a™bade he is say- it is just so. And person — hence he who is to-day ing it going Pa) fe On, ° *n/ . Paes , 5 ° agisi¢e. Bétiea wisi¢ai, nikaci”ga Ata-macé. Wad¢acka*-bi 1 think of All I think of ye persons who are great. That you have made him. you, ‘ efforts enéga"l ¢i"te, pi wa¢dicka™ ka”a™¢a™ ¢ai wib¢aha™i cu¢éa¢e. you think perhaps, anew you make we hope I pray to you (pl.)’ I send it to efforts you. Na"pewaté said:—Kagcha, nikaci” ga ¢e ata wa¢aha™i-ma My triend, person this __ be- those who pray yond all e an o . . , awasi¢e a™ba¢é. Ki nikaci”ga ¢e ¢i” é¢skana fe edé yi, I think of to-day. And person he who is oh that word what if, them going he says 15 18 12 18 22 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. bgvigadqti ¢éniza-bada®™ é¢ani‘a® ka™at¢a”¢ai. Ki nikaci”’ga you take and({pl.) you listen to we hope. And the (com- from him him and act accordingly 4 Fw , Oni 4 . uké¢i?-ma ta” warg¢a™ bgugaqti wé¢ita® ¢ai. Ki wé¢inda*qti mon) Indians tribe all to work he goes And _ it is made very for us (by re- good for us quest). 7, . e . ro ° o - *n/ té’di, nikaci”ga we¢énita"-macé ud¢diket‘a™i yi, nikaci’ ga when, fndian ye who work for us you succeed if, human beings angi” etaf ha. Waoninfaci’gai anga™¢ai. Nikaci™ga-ma we should be : You (pl.) make us human we wish. ‘The Indians beings Pica 2 ie Tyiga"¢ai ama wakihidai ida", éska" pahan’ga a™¢a™¢al ¢a™ Ja, Grandfather the pl. they watched good, thus first we thougit though, ; sub. over us an‘kaji téga" ha. Dada” angtyai éska" at¢a™¢ai ¢a™ja, égi¢e it is not so apt : What our own thus we thought though, behold yj Al oiea WA Vee w/ Sy s *n/ angtiya-baji kéga"qtia” an’gata’. Hea" téedihi yi’ji, niaci™ ga fat our own pee objects are we who std. So by the when, * person just so time w , ° Yiese , /s ae , y, / wajyip‘é ¢e-ma gicka™” éskana tiwa¢aya”i ka™b¢éga™ ha, Ca™ those who gototheones acting oh that you aid them I hope : And near them quickly ? *n/ =f n/ See , ne / ee ea) 0 nikaci”ga an’ga¢i” ujan’ge da" ké efa” angiyig¢ixidal person we who move road good the how we look all around for ob. it for ourselves , ! Fee: / th Spt esas 0 ganja, vida" i¢ciwa¢ai ka™ar¢a’¢ai. Ca arigu¢ixida-bi ehé though, good they cause us we hope. And that we have looked Isaid to find it ; all around for it Po, Fifty ae. , aif , . 7 ee. té, kagcha, cété uicka" ¢fya an’gugdaq¢ai ¢ awake. the, my friend, that deed your we have faced it I mean it. (ob.) toward them pe-uyaha said:—Ga", kag¢éha, nikaci” ga d‘tiba ¢éama ¢isi¢ai And, my friend, person some these they re- (pl. sub.) member you hi. Ki wawé¢enita" nai té a¢isi¢af a”ba¢é. Uma ¢inka And _ to work at various you the we think of to-day. Year things for us went you o¢éba-diba tédita™ waji’a"ski’ ¢a™ja, nikacig@a éga” i¢apaha?- forty from the T had sense thouch, person such T have not ) (time) maji, ticka™ wa¢d‘edé te. Ki ita" wamf afgugai té ki wami rade deed merciful the. And now blood our the and _ blood im, . : eyai té edabe d‘tibe-cté uthaji ¢a™ja, ca” ¢a‘edwat¢ai éga™ his the also mixed at he does though, yet he pities us as (blood) all not follow wawé¢ita’i. Ki ma”tanahd a ma’ ¢i"i té wage ama ca*ca”™ qti he works at vari- And wild we walk the white the forever ous things for us. people pl. sub. I / , *n/ . , ee , wéga*¢al, ki Wakan’da aka ita" wawé¢ita” agaji éga™ Mer wish for and God the sub. now to do various has or- as us, kinds of work dered him for us ; fie /* Fr . , . e e y ® : wawé¢ita™1, Ki i” ta™ nikaci’ga-ma ma®¢i"i kédi ma™b¢i?’ he works at vari- And now the people they walk at the I walk ous things for us. ‘ OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 8) ka"b¢éea” awayiwaha™‘e ha. Qimha aji b¢i” ¢arja, nika- I hope I pray tor that on my ° Skin differ- Lam though, per- own account ent enyse PAC oteaS 10 ay; ci“ga qi@ha-ska’-ma maja” mar¢i"i ¢an‘di édi ma*b¢i" kat- son those who have white land they walk inthe there I walk I skins ‘a b¢éga™. Ki wikage cu¢é ¢i" ¢éskana ie edada™ edé ké ¢ hope. And my friend the one who oh that word ~~ what what the he has gone to you he says wada™bai éga" cu¢é. Mskana nikaci”ga dta-macé, fe té o he has seen us as he has gone Oh that person ye whoareim- word the to you (by portant, request). [Ro 3iD ° , . , fea *n/ ¥; ¢énizai u¢éya"i ka"b¢éga’. Tjiga™¢at b¢ada-maji. Nikaci™ ga- youtake younaid him I hope. Grandfather Ido not eall him Indian- from him by name. ’ DW Ie Ieee , // i ° , Pops , oe , ri Dr ¥ i é¢é b¢ade: éskana ya”béqti ie gaté ati ka*b¢éga™. [?win'- slayer Icall him oh that Isee himin- word those I give T hope. He has not by name: deed to him Che; Y , , , . , la , E , wv, , Pires: , yayi té é awake. It¢adi¢ai ama fe edai té ie wé¢ize éga™ helped the it I mean it. Agent the pl. word what the word hetakes 80 me sub. they say from them atda’ be ctéwar yi. Wahat‘e haciazAqti-. béizega™ wib¢aha®’i J | P1Zee he does not even look at me. Petition at the very last as Ihave I pray to you taken it (pl.) , wa cu¢ea¢e. I send it to you. a hi ‘ Oo 5 4 a yn/ y TE 4 hy ve oy / A 5 1 Big Elk said: —Nikaci’ga wawé¢ita® ¢e ¢i” endqtei Person — to work at vari- he who is on he alone ous things for us his way / ro Zz , Zee tye vy ) - / op—ape Wakan’da fe té ana‘a% Weé¢ig¢a" ea té Wakan'da ¢inké God word the obeys it Mind his the God the ono who gaqa ga’ ¢aji té, uda® te. Ki maja” ¢a® Wakan‘da aka waxai to go ednes not the, good the, And land the God the made us beyond wish oh, sub. : Louse P: [2 ¢an‘di ‘‘Wiugace ¢ayickaxe,” Aji té Wakan’da ¢inké. Ca™ e‘a™ in the You (shall) consider yourselves did the God the st. And how in the way of others, not say one. n/ / - ahs nikaci”ga uké¢i" ctéwa™, ef” waqe-mict, Wakan‘da ¢inké Tareas common even, how ye white people, God the st. one , ic f ° oy °" n/ 17s Vea pe. 4 enaqtci waxai té maja™ ¢an‘di, ‘“Wiugace ¢ayickaxe taf,” Aji té he only madeus the land in the Youe paride sr yourselves in the — she all, did the way of others not say ~ / / , = ha Wakan’da aké. Wakan’da ak& eddda" gaéxai té e-na™” God the sub. God the sub. what ate has the itonly made , S oa : ; oy, OV; , 2 Pen ie da" ha. Ki edada® ¢at‘a”-macé’, ivcte é¢akiga™ qtia™ i; good A And what ye who have abun- as if you are just like him; dance, , , *n/ *n/ Le : y s , 4 Tah *n/ dda® niaci’ga ¢e ¢i” endqtci fe té c¢and‘a® etai. Niaci™’ ga there- person he who he alone word the youwill please listen Person tore ; has gone to him and act ac- cordingly. 18 15 18 24 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. wdg¢a an’gad¢i? wawédita" eugaf. Maja” ¢an‘di Wakan‘da suffering we who move to work at he has gone Land in the God various things to you. for us aki waxai éga™, 6’di a™ma™ ¢ii ¢a™ja, edada® anguyihi-baji. the madeus having, there we have walked though, what we have not suc- sub. ceeded at. —— . . a / , # — hi . Edaéda" anetyihi-baji ga”, ca” nikaci”ga ukéd¢i® ari’ga¢i" What we have not suc- as, yet Sinden we who ceeded at : move . , . ‘ w —n/ , , be , i¢ita® wackdxai. Gat piiji’qti ke-na™ Ijfga™¢ai aka tha work you have made And very fad the usu- Grandfather the to go (trouble) for us. ally sub. along the path . *n/ *n/ / oO ene , . wéga'¢al, Ada" nikaci”ga ce¢i” wada™ béqti cu¢é, wawé¢ita® wishes for us, there- person that one having really seen has gone to work at fore mv. near us to you (by various things you request), for us . / = ee ° , cu¢é. Nikaci” ga wacka™janga-micé, Wakan‘da naha"i-macé, has gone Person ye who are strong God ye who pray to him, to you (by re- quest). uiyari-ei. help ye him. Joseph La Fleche said: —IWagéha, maja” ¢an‘di United My friend, land in the United States &'di nikaci"’ga-macé, wib¢aha™ 1 ha. Nikaci™ ga-macé States there O ye fennie! I pray to you(pl.) . O ye people! b¢ugagti wib¢aha™i ha. Ca” wabdg¢eze ¢é¢a™ cta™ bai x1, all Ipray to you(pl.) . And letter this ob. you see it when, ¢a‘eawa¢a¢al anga™¢ai éga", i"¢ibaxti ha. Ca™ ¢é pahan’- you have mercy on us we wish as, we have writ- . And this for- ten to you gadi maja” ¢é¢andi a™ma’¢i" té'di, ¢éga" ctéwa™ a™¢a™ merly land in this we walked when, of this at all we did sort baha®-baji. Ga™ maja” ¢an’di Wakan‘da aké eddda® ectécté not know. And land in the God thesub. what soever an¢ate taité, jut‘a" wegdxai éga", a™¢ate a™ma™¢i” éea’, we eat it shall, to have he made for as, we ate we walked as, bodies us enaqtci weawaji’ska ama’ ¢i"l ha. Ki égi¢e, nikaci"’ga-macé, that alone we had sense by we walked : And penane O ye Seocin means of licka® giteqi wackdxai ha. Ki wéteqi yi, ini¢a wa¢in'gai _ deed hard for you make (for) : And hard for if, refuge we have none one us us wy , , w/ . was , . , / a /¢ ane, , y wi, Tyiga™¢ai é’di angddai éga", a™wa™¢aha™-na™i. Ki fe té if, Grandfather there we go as, we pray to them usu- And word the ally. ob. p: ge Shy Ao /e Fae cme . ve wé¢iza-baji-na™i. Ki weé¢iza-baji té Cgi¢e a®¢an’yidaha” i. they have not re- usu- And they have not the behold we know it for ourselves ceived from us ally. taken them (or by experience). from us , er / ee . Fy . Egi¢e nikaci’ga at ¢i"-baji-bi e¢éga" aka. Ki nikaci’ga Behold human beings that we are not they are thinking it. And human beings OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. a a” ¢i"-baji e¢éga™ té, a®¢an’ yidahani ha, Ada”, nikaci™ ga-macé, we are not they tie, we know it for our- ¢ there- Oye Feaplel though it selves fore, ¢imacé-ya¢ica™ canga¢ai yi, Liga™¢ats Abatu-nari: ‘1- -bajti-ga,’ towards you (pl.) wegoto you when, Grandfather blocks our usu- Do (ye) as ey way ally: coming, . ° . . ae . ye > / é égargtia™i. “Nikaci”’ea wika™b¢ai-maji,” é éga%qtia™i. Ca” he it is just so. Human beings I do not wish for you he it is just so. Yet pays (to be), says . 7 ° éskana ¢a‘edwa¢ada-bada™ ¢é¢utan¢é¢e nikaci™’ ga uhéawa¢a¢ai ob that you pity us and (pl) from this time human bei ae you admit us (to be) onward aga’ ¢ai. Ki ca” nikaci” ga a qi" tédihi, éskana cin’gajin’ga we wish. And yet human beings weare by the ob that child time, = , © e, / * Siv hems / O Lae Sni s anetyai ctéwa™ gisi¢é-na” ca™ca™ ka”at¢ar¢ai, nikaci™ ga our even here- — usu- always we hope, human being members ally wackaxai tédihi yi. Ki nfkaci’@a udwagiya’i ¢i° enaqtel you make us by the when. And person he helps us themv. he only time i one ucka™ té gaxaji te ha’. (isi¢ai dea" ticka” té gdxe te ha; deed the he willnotdoit . He thinks as deed the he will do it of you la fg , ~~, £ , - “I"win' ya" ta ama,” e¢éga"™ gga", gaxe te ha; ada™ éskana They will aid me, he thinks as, he will do it ; there- oh that fore u¢éya'i ka”at¢a™¢ai. Hskana, kagéha, Wakan’da aka nan‘de you aid him we hope. Ob that, my friend, God the sub. heart ¢i¢ija ¢i¢iciba-bada™ angu a¢a”ai té nan’de ¢i¢tja té udé your he pullsit and (pl.) we we speak the heart your the they open for you enter l . ° : rae : ° ¥ ka” ar¢a™¢ai. Ca™ niaci”ga Tibbles ai ¢i" fe wi"aqtci ctéwa” we hope. And person Tibbles the one word just one even mv. who is called Wagazuaji ad¢adaji eb¢éga®. Wagaztqti u¢i¢ai ha, kagéha. not straight he does not I think it. Very straight hehastold . my friend. mention te you Lge) feu ~ ) , ° , , ° , Wagija-baji-gi. Wada"bai éga" u¢i¢ai. Wada"bai éga’, Do not doubt the things He has seen us as he tells it He has seen us as. he tells. to you ate fe , 20 ~ Parsee {10 ~ ST) fi EL ibaha™i éga", wé¢ita’i: wéteqi té wé¢ita’i ha. Ca” ¢a‘éawa- he knows it aa he works for hardfor the he worksfor . And you pity us us us , I , : / ° Fahey *n/ dee Ape jee ¢ag¢a-ba éskana u¢éya™ ka”at¢a’¢ai, nikaci” ea nin’de-uda"- us and oh that you aid we hope, people ye who have good (pl.) him ta y mace. hearts. Two Crows said:—Kagcha, nikaci”ga udwa¢akie né ¢a¢i"- My triend, person you talked to us you who were going n/ LA} fs *n/ S 7 , if < / Me tl 4 SF Ae , Fe 2K ce¢a™, nikaci”ga ¢éama a™ba¢d ¢isi¢ai éga", wai"¢ibaxti in the person these to-day they remem- as, we have written past, ber you to you about sev- eral things 12 15 18 15 26 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. , ha. A*¢isi¢é-na™ ca®ca™ qtianl ha. “Ha” am¢ina‘a® tat éda”,’ We think of usu- always How we can hear from ? (in so- ally him liloguy), . . . vy a, . / D ad v¢andés ca” catgti a™¢imi ha’. Ca™ nikaci”ga Wakan‘da we think always we are A And person God wanaha™-macé, b¢uigagti u¢fya"l ka ania gai. fe ¢i¢ija ké you who pray about all they help We hope. Word ~~ your the different things, you (s.) r / fig 8 ae , , eT éskana fusictaji ¢fgaxe kaat¢a™¢ai. Ki ¢é¢u nikaci™ ga oh that not lying they make we hope. And here Indian (regard) you uké¢i" amadita™ ju¢atfa” wagaca" né éga™. Judge Dundy é common from the (pl.) you hada traveling you So. Judge Dundy he body go a4 . , Y , , ey , i yaar pale a (AIO y wé¢ig¢a"™ et té Uda™ hégaji éga™ a®¢a™ni¢al ha. EKdihi yi, decision his the good very as we take refuge : That being the in it case, : 3 9 Wie zt aire a Rone fa - “Weéuda® jin'ga etéga"™ aha*,” a®¢a™¢ai. Ki ticka™ ké “¢agé good for us a little apt ! (in so- we think. And deed the you liloquy), speak about né ké wi'¢akaji té ¢inge’qtia™i. B¢ugagti fepahaqti éga® you the you do not the there is none at all. All you know it well as went speak truly , , , , en , dea ZN v, / , né, ¢tja-bajiqtia” etat. Iyiga™¢at ¢inké ¢ija ctéctéwa™, wed- you they Race not doubt you Grandfather the st. he " even if, he does weut, at all. one doubts you baha"-baji ha. (fi wedepaha™i éga® GAwadadai. Ki Thiga™¢at not know us You you know us as youtalk aboutus. And Grandfather ginké wagaq¢a" ea ama iusicta™¢é’qtia”i. Ki Iyfga¢at the st, several his the pl. they really caused him to And Grandfather one sub. tell a lie. in : Ye Se ew, ¥ LS dinké, “Nikaci™ ga uké¢i*-ma giuda” qti wadixe,” e¢éga® té hit. the st. The Indians See prosperous Ihavemade he hasthought . one, them, it Gan'yi wegixal ¢a™ja, Editi yi, wegdxa-baji, ¢icé¢a®-na™i And then he does it though, by the when, ‘thee do not do it they pullit usu- for us time it for us, to pieces ally has come hither , , , ae) , Cpa , fe? wagaq¢a" er ama. Ki Tyiga™¢at ¢inké gfuda™ wegdxe-na™i servant his the pl. And Grandfather the st. good for hemakes it usu- sub. one one for us ally ¢a™ja, ididi¢af ama éditi vida" te & ¢izé-nai, ang uig¢a- though, agent the pl. by the good the it they usn- we suffering sub. time it take it ally, has come hither / *n/e WV Cs , , C} wl . na™ agi" i ha. Gan'yi Tigat¢at ¢inké wagibaxu ¢édai tédi, usu- We are : And then ranataier the st. to write differ- they when, ally one ent things to him send off td , , Ie idatgti at¢i”-bi & gibaxu ¢é¢é-na™i ha i¢adi¢at ama, fusicta® very eae that we are it they write they usu- : agent the pl. — they tell ittohim sendto ally sub., lies him w IN ets ore e/g ee . , . , ° héga- baji ha. Gan’yi Tyigat¢ai ¢inké tida"qti weedxai ‘ida Ae afew : And then Grandfather the st. very good — to do for us he one prom- ised OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. PAT | te¢a”ja, ca” i¢ddi¢ai ama uda™ wegaxa-bi e¢éga"-na™ téé though, yet agent the pl. good that they have he thinks usu- itis in the past sub. done for us it ally the ~ ~ Cif s ts / fee S f be 7) ha. Uda" té ¢izéna™i ¢a™ja, ca” pfiiji té-na™ Ahucigai, 5 Good the they usu- though, yet bad the usu- they persist : take it ally ally in (saying) , . Tao , , , , Y e¢éga"-nati té, Iyigat¢at aka. Ki uda”™ Isiga™¢ai “¢e té hethinks usu- the, , Grandfather the sub. And good Grandfather Dra the ally isec weeixa-baji-na™i éga", ucté ama’ naxide-¢ingé-na"l ha Caa™ tty, do not do usu- nee remain the are disobedient usu- . Dakota for us ally ones who ally , ane x 4 ° x 1f SAS 1 , Pa Ee hey ama. Ki gagéga" gé weéteqi gé ITyiga*¢ai na‘a™ in’ga™¢ai the pl. And like those the pl hardfor thepl. Grandfather to hear we wish for sub. in ob. me in. ob. it him . , . , , ioe he) fii = , , éga", i¢adi¢at amd baxu a™wa™ci-na™i. I¢adi¢ai ama baxt as, agent the pl. towrite weemploy usu- Grandfather the pl. to write sub. them ally. sub. a'wa™ci ctéwa™ égi¢e wébaxu- baji-na™i; wébaxu-bi at we employ notwith- behold they do not write usu- that they have they them standing for us ally; written for us say ctéwa™, win'’ka-baji-na™i ha i¢adi¢ai amd. Tyiga™¢al waga- notwith- they do not speak —usu- 5 agent the pl. Grandfather serv standing, truly ally sub. q¢a” eya ama na‘a™ in’gat¢ai éga™, wai"¢ibaxui ha. ant his thepl. to hear we wish for as, we write to you sub. it him about several things . . ° r , , / we, , i i Mazi-kide said :—Kag¢ha, ¢é a“”ba gé wagaca™ ne té’ a™ba My friend, this the days traveling you the day go . , OP PTS, ie ° , , / yaa O , — ~ i¢dugt¢e ¢isi¢é-na’1 ¢ikage amd. A™cte i¢didi wagacangi¢ée throughout theythink usn- your the pl. As if his father he causes his own (or, every) of you ally triend sub." e to travel 5 ye , 7 Fr égatqtia’i: “Hifa™ ana‘a® etéda®,” eb¢éga” a” ba i¢aug¢e. Hska it is just so: How I hear it apt? (in. I think it day throughout Oh that soliloquy), (or, every). wikage ukét‘a® ka™a*¢a"¢é-na™i. Wada™bai éga™ cu¢é, my friend sneceed we hope usu- He saw us as he has ally. gone to you (by request), / , , *n/ , vy % Wakan'da wa¢aha™ nikaci”ga-macé, wawfue-macéga", éskana God to pray vari- O ye people, lawyer ye who, oh that ous prayers to likewise u¢éya" ka” at¢a™ ¢ai. Eska inyawa¢é té ukét‘a" ka at¢a™ ¢ai. you aid we hope. Ohthat capable ofsus- the he acquires we hope. him taining life it Ta"wa"-gaxe jinga said :—Kagcha, ca” nikaci” ga-ma wab¢a- My triend, infect the people I pray to ha" ¢éa¢é fe wirdqtci. Ca” nikaci™ga eddida® wiu¢akiai yi, them Isend word just one. And person what you (pl.) speak if, away to them about it u¢u¢akikie-macé, Wakan’da wai¢aha"-macé edabe, wib¢aha™i O ye who speak to one an- God ye who pray various also, I pray to you other about it, prayers to him (pl.) ¢@ 12 15 18 12 28 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. bétigaqti. Nikaci”ga uké¢i® b¢tgagti ¢i¢iha’i té ha, udwa- all. Indian common really all they have prayed 4 O ye to you ragiya™i-macé. A™ba g@é wab¢ita®-na’-ma™ ctéwa™, nika- gh] ; who aid us. Day the pl. LTusually work at differ- even if, per- in. ob. ent things on Peay) r = Pp ci”ga wagica™ ¢e ¢i” o¢f yi, edada™ ie uda?qti agi” o¢i son tr: eine he who has he when, what word very good he brings gone returns 7 back n i Nel 2s ey vy ka” eb¢éga?-qti-na"-ma™, asi¢é-na® ca” ca". Hdada" ctéctéwa” Tam tignsily earnestly hoping it, think nsu- always. What soever et him ally * / es ae sagiqti ukét‘a" g@¢i ka”at¢a”¢ai, eb¢éga”. Ki cifi’gajin’ga very firm he acquires he we hope, T think it. And child returns wiwija sagiqti maja” ¢an‘di i”naji" ka"b¢éga®, my very firmly land in the he sti de T hope. for me qati’-napajyt. said: —Kagcha, waonita" né té éskana nfka- My friend, to work at you the ob that In- various went things ci”ga uké¢i" Uwa¢agiya™ tidarqti ug¢aket‘a® ¢ag¢i ka"b¢éga?. dian common you aid them very good yonacquireit you re- I oe turn hither Nikaci” ga watie-macé u¢éya"-macé, éskana wacka™qti u¢é- Person O ye lawyers O ye who help him, oh that making a great you effort render ~ ee °1)/ : : yy, yarqti ka"b¢éga" wib¢aha™i ha. Nikaci”ga cé¢i? wéteqi ké him much I hope I prayto you(pl.) . Person that mv. hard for the aid ob. us ibaha™i éga™ weé¢ita® cu¢al. he knows it as to work for has gone us @ to you, Wadjepa said: —‘Ta¢a-mayji ¢a™ja, te b¢uea wiwfja, ca™ ha. T have not though, word all my own, Tagree spoken about it to them NOTES. 22, 2, ¢ai. G. thought that it should read, “a¢ai,” but that means, he goes or went of his own accord. With “¢ai” compare the use of “cu¢e” instead of ‘cud¢ai,” 21, 4, 23, 4, 24, 5, and 27, 13, confirmed by W. 21, 13, ucka™ ¢ijai, ete. The ideais: I have attained to the afore- said stage of civilization, but the President ignores it (or, opposes it), acting just as if he meant to say, ‘I do not wish you Indians to live as white people!” 22, 7-8, niaci"ga wajap‘é ¢e-ma, etc. W. changed it to, niaci™’ga people wa¢ajyap‘é one-ma gick’ twa¢akial ka™b¢éga™ ha, ‘I hope that you will you arenear you those quick you talk to T hope : them go who them speak very soon to those people near you, to whom you go.” But that OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 20 hardly agrees with the context, as Na“pewa¢é was not addressing Mr. Tibbles but all the white people. 23,13. Supply “tai,” after “¢ayickaxe,” as in 23,15. Waxai in 23, 13, refers to the Indians alone, but, in 238, 15, to all races, including white people, Indians, ete. 23, 15-16, aji té ha Wakanda aka. If*‘aji” be retained, change “aka” to “¢inke,” ortherwise ‘“‘aji” should be changed to ‘a-baji” before “aka.” 25-27. Two Crows’ words were addressed directly to Mr. Tibbles; but some of the speakers addressed the white people of the United States. 26, 9, et passim. Tjiga"¢ai ¢inke. Used correctly in 26, 10-11, and 26, 16, where it is the ob. of verbs. It can be changed to “ Iyiga*¢ai aka” in 26,12; but that requires “ e¢egai” after it, instead of “e¢e- ga.” In 26, 14, ¢inke should be “aka” before “ wegaxe-na*i;” and in 26, 18, “aka” should be used before “ ‘i¢ai.” Had ‘“ ‘i¢e” been used there “ ¢inke” might stand, provided that action by request or permis- sion was referred to. W. said that Two Crows spoke hurriedly, when he used “ ¢inke” for “ aka;” and had he reflected he would have used the latter. G. said that Two Crows used Iyiga*¢ai ¢inke because he did not see the President, but this is inconsistent with his use of *“ liga*¢ai aka” in 27, 3. 27, 4, wegaxa-baji refers to the acts of Indian agents, not to that of the President. 27, 17, wiu¢akiai refers to Congress. Since this letter was written the author has talked with several Omahas, including four of the men who dictated parts of this letter. Judging from what they say, they have had reason to change their opinion of Mr. Tibbles, who has married a daughter of the late Joseph La Fleche, and has been residing among the Omahas for several years. As the author has not returned to the Omahas since he left them in 1880, all subsequent information respecting the tribe has been gained from letters and from Omahas who have visited Washington. TRANSLATION, (Duba-ma*¢i® said:)—My friends, ye persons who are the principal ones of the whole country, I think of you to-day, and so I petition to you. O ye people, O ye who understand something, a man who knows about us and who understands our troubles in this land has gone to you for the purpose of working for us. I refer to Mr. Tibbles. I hope and pray that you may accept his words and help him! As he under- stands some of the ways of all of us Indians, he has gone to you to accomplish something for us; but if he works alone we fear that he will fail. Therefore, O ye people, if you aid him, and all of you sue- ceed in doing something for us, I may hope to continue to work for myself with much gladness in this land. It is wrong for those people 30 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. who do not know our ways to doubt what. ‘Tibbles tells. But what Tib- bles says he says because he has indeed gone to you to right the wrongs of us Indians. (Sinde-xa®xa" said:)—My friend, as I think to-day of the principal people who are intelligent, I will petition to them. A man has gone hence to you, and he has gone with a full knowledge of our troubles, for he has seen us with his own eyes. In former days I never saw even one man who did such a thing; but just now I see the deed (done). I mean Tibbles. O ye people, I petition to you because I hope that when he tells you about all the things that are difficult for us, you will accept them from him. Notwithstanding those who know nothing about our difficulties doubt him, as he knows about us, you will please accept his words. The President does not have a full knowledge of our trouble, aud though he has the oversight of us, behold, he wishes us to die! But as we wish to live, we pray to you, O ye persons who help us! [am undertaking one thing; I am learning to do various kinds of work. I have accepted all your customs. But though I have done this, the President acts just as if he was saying, “I do not wish you (Indians) to live as white people!” I think of the man who is going hence to-day. O ye great men, I think of you all. Perhaps you think that you have persevered (in our behalf); I send to you to beg you to persevere again. (Na"pewa¢é said:)—My friend, to-day I think more of those who pray (than of any others). We hope that you may accept all the words of this man who is going, and that you may act accordingly. He goes to work for all the tribes of Indians, And when you succeed, and it is settled in a very satisfactory manner for us, O ye who work for us Indians, we ought to be human beings. We desire you to make us human beings! We used to think that the oversight which the President exercised over us Indians was a good thing, but now it is not apt to be so. We used to think that something was ours, but behold, we are virtually not their owners. If that be the case, I hope that you will do your best very soon to aid those who have been approximating to you. Though we Indians have been looking all aroun d in seareh of the good road for ourselves, we hope that they may cause us to find the goed (close at hand). My friend, when [ said that we had looked all around for it, I referred to our having faced toward your methods, those good things. (Le-uya"ha said :)--My friend (Tibbles), some of these Indians remem- ber you. We think of you to-day, because you went to work at various things for us. Though I have had sense for forty years, I have not known a person who resembles him (Tibbles) in doing kind acts. And now, though he does not at all belong to those who have in their veins our Indian blood mixed with the blood of another race, yet he pities us and works at various things for us! The white people have always wished us to continue wild; but now God has ordere! him (Tibbles) to do various kinds of work for us, and thus he does. And now, as [ OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. Sf hope that [I may live as the other people of the country do, I pray for that on my own account. Though I have a different skin, I hope that I may live in the land as do the people with white skins. The words spoken by my friend who has gone to you are in accord with what he has seen among us. O ye chief men, I hope that you may accept the words and help him. I do not mention the President by that name; IT call him the “Slayer of Indians!” I wish that I could see him face to face and give him these words! I refer to his not helping us. He accepts what words the agents say, but he does not even look at us! I have taken my place at the very end of the petition, and thus I send to you to pray to you. (Big Elk said :)—The man who is now on his way (to the Hast) is the only one who has obeyed God’s words. He has not wished to trans- gress the commandments of God: it is good. When God made us in this country, He did not say, ‘‘ You shall regard yourselves in the way of others.” God did not say this to any race of people, whether they were Indians or white people, such as you are. Only that which God made is good. And you who have an abundance of possessions, are, as it were, just like Him; therefore please listen to the words of no one except the man who has gone hence (to you). He has gone to you to rectify several matters for us who are suffering. God made us ip this country, and though we have continued in it, we have not succeeded at anything. Because we have not succeeded at anything you have made trouble for us Indians! The President desires us to go in the way in which there are usually very bad things. Therefore this man, who has really seen us, has gone to you to rectify several matters for us. O ye very strong men, O ye who pray to God, help him! (Joseph La Fléche said:)—My friends, ye people who dwell in the country of the United States, I petition to you! Oall ye people! I petition to you. We write to you because we wish you to pity us when you see this letter. In former days, when we dwelt in this land, we did not know of anything whatever like this! As God made various things for us to eat in this country, we continued to eat them; and we had sense enough for this, if for nothing else. And behold, O ye people, you have brought on us a great trouble! And when we had trouble, and were without a refuge, we used to go to the President and petition to him. But he made it a rule not to accept our words. At length we learned this by experience. Behold, thought we, he does not regard us as human beings! We know for ourselves that he does not regard us as human beings; therefore, O ye people, when we start to go towards you, the President usually blocks our way! He acts just as if he was saying, I do not wish you to be human beings.” Still, we wish you to pity us, and from this time forward to acknowledge us to be human beings! And we hope that by the time that we are looked upon as human beings he may always think of our children (even if he has not paid aay attention tous). The man who is aiding us can not accomplish ou OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. this business alone. He undertakes it because he thinks of you. He thinks, ‘*‘ They will aid me,” and so he does it. Therefore we hope that you will aid him. ©O friends, we hope that God may open your hearts, and that our thoughts may enter your hearts. Ido not think that this man called Tibbles has spoken even one false word. Friends, he has told you nothing but the truth. Do not doubt his words! He tells you what he has seen among us. He is trying to right our wrongs, after seeing us and gaining a knowledge of us. O ye people with good hearts, we hope that you will pity us and help him! (Two Crows said :)—My friend, you who were going after talking to us, aS these men remember you to-day, we have written to you about several things. We are ever thinking of you. Weare always think- ing, ‘* How can we hear from him?” We hope that all those who pray to God about different things may help you. We hope that they may regard your words as true ones. You have gone on a journey just as if you had been born here among us Indians! We take refuge in Judge Dundy’s decision, as it is very good. That being so, we think “It may be better for us!” There is no part of this matter about which you went to speak of which you do not speak truly! You knew all about it before you went, so they ought not to doubt you at all. Evenif the President doubts you, he does not know about us. You know about us, so you talk about us. The servants of the President have really caused him to tell alie! The President has thought, “I have made the Indians very prosperous.” And then, though he has done something for us (7. €., ordered it to be done), by the time that it gets here, it is not done for us, as his servants pull it to pieces! Though the Presi- dent may usually do what is for our good, the agents abstract the good when it gets here, and we suffer. And when the agents send to the President a report, they report to him that we are doing very well: they tell great lies!) And as the President promised in the past to do what was good for us, he thinks that the agents have done so for us. The President thinks, ** Though they generally get what is good, they persist in saying what is bad.” And as the agents do not carry out the good promises made to us by the President, the rest of the In- dians, the Dakotas, are disobedient. And as we desire the President to hear about our troubles such as these, we employ the agents to write. Though we employ the agents to write (to the President about these things), behold, they do not write for us! Notwithstanding they say that they have written for us, the agents do not speak the truth. As we wish the President to hear about his servants, we write to you about these things. . (Mazi-kide said :)—My friend, throughout all the days that you are traveling (for us), those who are your friends are thinking about you. It is just as if one would cause his father to goon a journey. We think throughout the day, “ How can I hear from him?” We hope, “Oh that my friend may succeed!” He has gone to you (white people) after OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 33 seeing us. O ye people who pray various prayers to God, and O ye lawyers, we hope that you will aid him! We hope that he may acquire something by means of which we may live! (Little Village-Maker said :)—My friend, I send but one word as my petition to the people. I petition to all of you, both to you who pray various prayers to God and you who speak to one another about the business of the country (in Congress). All the Indians have really prayed to you, O ye who aid us! Even if I work at different things every day, I am earnestly longing for the return of the man who has gone on a journey, hoping that he may bring back some very good words. Lam always thinking of him. I think that we (all) hope that he may succeed in bringing us something or other which may be of Pe sting benefit to us. T hope that my children may never be disturbed in the possession of the land. (qa¢i-na"pajl said :)—My friend, you went to work at various things for us, and I hope that by your aid to the Indians you may succeed in bringing back something very good. O ye lawyers who aid him, I pray to you. I hope that you may persevere and render him much assist- ance! That man who has gone (to you) knew about our troubles before he started; and he has gone to you to work for us. ‘Wadjepa said:)—Though I have not spoken about (anything), all the words are mine, and I agree to them. JOHN SPRINGER TO JOHN PRIMEAU. SEPTEMBER 11, 1879. Fe , , se / . ree td , . PpBoefity Kagéha, a’¢ina‘a"-baji’-qtia" yaci. Wabag¢eze ’ waga‘ia ji. ca) ) Ca) My friend, we have not heard from you a long Letter vou have not at all lime. given us. Wait wiwija Zuzet'te ¢ina‘a® ga ¢ai. Mi"jinga angiyal Woman my Susette to hear ~ wishes. Girl — our from you jinga ¢inké wakéga i’tea®. Mateti-ndaji" ama cag¢ai. Wa- small the one is sick now. Standing Bear themy. has gone I pur- who sub. back to you. b¢iqe pi cde naxide¢in’ge ga” fe té a™na‘a®-baji, wab¢icsa sued I but disobedient as word the he did not hear me, I spent more reached time than I him had intended , Paes , 44 . , . / , a / e J vo, acti - Ki ucka™ té ¢i‘agti caY ag¢ai. E‘a® ma*oni™ té I re- And deed the failedinal- — yet went back. How you walk the turned together hither sD x77! ‘ “ey 4 U Who Ve gD! ayy a4 vey D/ hey] Iwi" ¢a i¢a-ga. Matcu-na”ba yin'ge Caa”aja ¢é ga” ¢al to tell it to seni Two Grizzly bears his son to the Da- to go wished me hither. kotas 4 he la s ° , ‘2 , éde, ¢icta. I¢adi¢ai ama u¢t‘agai. but, he failed. Agent the sub. was unwill- ing. 10967——3 ( 34 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS, NOTES. 33, 4. For ‘“wab¢iésa,” W. and G. read, “ wab¢it‘a,” or, “ wab¢ic‘a,” I fuiled to accomplish anything. 33, 6. Ma"tcu-na"ba, better known among the people of Nebraska as * Yellow Smoke.” 33, 7, ¢icta. Accented peculiarly. G. said it should be, ¢ic‘a ha, the regular pronunciation. Standing Bear refused to remain any longer at Decatur, so despite the advice of the author, who was acting according to instructions from Standing Bear’s friends at Omaha, he started for his old home on the Niobrara River. He was pursued by John Springer, an Omaha policeman, who tried to bring him back. Standing Bear defied hint, showing Judge Dundy’s decision. John was obliged to let him go. TRANSLATION. My friend, we have not heard from you at all for along time. You have not corresponded with us. My wife Susette wishes to hear from you. Our younger daughter is sick now. Standing Bear has started back to you. I pursued him and overtook him, but he was disobedient and would not listen to my words; and so, after spending more time than I had intended, I had to come back without him. Although his affair was far from being settled, he started back to his old land. Send and tell me how you are. Two Grizzly Bears’ son wished to visit the Yanktons, bat he failed, as the agent was unwilling for him to go. TO REV. JOHN C. LOWRIK, NEW YORK, FROM TWO CROWS AND OTHER OMAHAS. SEPTEMBER 16, 1879. Kagcha, wair¢ibaxtii ha. Ca” te djubaqtei angti¢ikié O friend! we writs to you on : And word very few We speak to various subjects you 7 / ~ ~/ / , —/ : es ~ —~/ 3 cu¢ea”¢e tan’gata". Ca™ ucka" pahan’gadi ‘ia ¢é tan’gata™ we will send to you, And deed formerly we will speak of it ha. Ucka" pahan’gadi wabag¢eze d¢ade yi te ‘ia’ ¢e tan’gata™ Deed formerly hook reading house the we will speak of it ws / , aah . - , , i , y rye ha. I cte, kagéha, pahan’gadi wabag¢eze ag¢ade yi te waditi As if, O friend, formerly book reading house the you gave it to us wv re a Lee : / Bey pee aye té, wedééckaxdi ha. Ki ca” tida™qti a™¢a™ baha®-baji’qtia™ i ’ A the, you made it for us : And | yet very good we did not know it at all ga™ja, ca™ Odi cin’gajin’ga nayji’a™wan‘ki¢é-nami. — T’ta® though, yet there child we caused them tostand usu- Now ally. wabag¢eze ag¢ade te enaqtei tida® tédega™ a%¢a™ baha™i ha; book reading — the it only good — has been apt we know it ° OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 35 dda" afiga”¢ai héga-a”’¢i"-baji wabag¢eze ad¢ade té. Ga™ there- we desire it we are not a little book reading the And fore ob. / , , wif pas: . o./ ser / , eens Can wabag¢eze ad¢acde 1 té tida"qti em gajin ga ama nay" 1 Atany book vead- house the very good ehild the pl. stand rate ing sub. dha",” at¢a”¢ai ha. Ki ca” wabag¢eze a¢ade té ¢apiqti ! we think A And yet book reading the speaking it very well waséya" agai-de ébéwa'l ¢i"te wabag¢eze ad¢ade yi té rapidly they when whocausedit it may book reading house the went (the trouble) be . , : . , , ° n / , ¢icé¢a'i. Ga igadi¢af ama wa¢i", cin’gajin'ga a™ba_ hébe was broken And agent the pl. had them, child day part of up. sub. it bag¢eze A radewaki¢at, Ki ¢éama cin’ gajin’ga-ma pa- book caused them to read. And these the chiliiven De- =b , , *H/ , , 2; han’ga wabiag¢eze a¢ade ama ni“ya ama e¢éba-cade ki book read faye alive the ones — sixty and sub. who é’di sata’. Le ¢api, wabaxu ctéa™i. Te ¢api ¢anka edita™ onit five. Lan- speak they even write (letters). Lan- speak they who from guage well, guage well (them) wi” ITyziga"¢at i¢ska; ci edita™ wi" wabag¢eze weé¢ade one Grandfather (his) inter- again from one book reads for preter; (them) them ] x Cx li Pon : un} ur t ns ] a Ab Hessel Oc = J 1A. Vie edilta. oRasoa ja "i a"l ha, ci ¢ab¢i" wage ny gaxe Again from two va as car- : and three white house to (them) penters people make ibaha”i hai. Ci edita™ ¢ab¢i" ma” zégaxai ha. Ci edita™ they know 5 Again from three work as blacksmiths : Again from (them) (them) . / , . , . , wo, P ae ° / , . wv wi” u¢ijibadi wa¢ita" ha. Ki i tea" Quaker-mda wa¢i" té one at the grist mill works ; And new the Quakers have had the them / (a = w ceta” wi'aqtcicté wage ta-baji: ma™zéska té u‘a?’ ¢iNge’ gti so far even only one white donot speak money the allin vain people the language: uqpa¢e, edada” ctéctéwa" fyiyaxa-baji. Ki pahan’ga té tida® fell down what soever they did not make And before the good (lost), for themselves by means of it. , ° , / rye , , , rae , (Sao Tr inahi® tédega™, wé¢icé¢a® éga" wé¢a-baji héga-baji. Ucka* indeed was apt, but, — they broke it “as we are sad very. Deed up for us pahan’ga te¢a™ ci O'qti anyiya'¢at. Ki éska" Tyiga™¢af aka before the again that we desire for And probable Grandfather tie” (past) very ourselves. (or, per- sub. thing haps) uawagiya’ i e¢éga wade. Iki ci’ éskana, ka iecha, wdwa¢agi- he helps us is reasonable. And again oh that, ) friend, you help ve / . = . , . . , ~ . yan"1 at¢a™¢ai. Pahan’gadi udwad¢agiya”i éga" ci i’tea® us we ; thins Formerly you helped us as again how p 5 fe e : , uawa¢agiya”i anga”¢ai. I” cte ta” wate¢a" ¢a™ wabdag¢eze you help us we desire. Asif tribe the book 15 18 36 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. & , eee , Ne ° / P. pie la d¢ade té igitda" taté naya"qti a'da™be eawaga™i, ada" reading the shall be for its good shining very we see it we are so, there- brightly fore anga” ¢a-qtia’ 1. Day school te anga™ ¢a-baji. we strongly desire it. Day school the we do not desire, NOTE. This letter was dictated to the author at the Presbyterian mission — house, twelve Omahas being present. TRANSLATION. O friend, we write to you on various matters. We will send to you to speak to you avery few words. We will speak about something that was done formerly. We will speak about the school-house that was formerly in operation. When you, O friend, gave us a school-hotse, it was as if you made it forus. And though at that time we did not know at all that it was avery good thing, yet we generally put the children there. Now we know that the sole tendency of education at that time was towards improvement. Therefore we are not a little anxious for education (for the children). We think, ‘The children fare very well when they stay at the school-house!” And yet when the children were learning to speak English very well, and were improving rapidly, from some cause or other the school-house was broken up! And then the agents took the control, making the children study for half a day. Now there survive sixty-five of those who formerly learned at the boarding-school. They speak Mneglish, and they even write letters. Of those who speak English, one is a Government interpreter, one is a school teacher, two are carpenters, three know how to put up houses, three are blacksmiths, and one works at the grist-mill. And now, of those who have attended school since the Friends took control, not even one speaks English! The money has been expended all in vain. They have not made anything for themselves out of it. And what was in existence formerly was truly good in its tendency, but as they have broken it up to our disadvantage, we have been greatly displeased, We desire for ourselves that very thing which was here formerly. And it is reasonable to think that the President will aid us to get this. O friend, we think that you will help us. As you aided us formerly, so we desire you to aid us now. With reference to the boarding school, we regard it as something that is shining very brightly, and which must be for the good of the people. Therefore we strongly desire it. We do not want the day schools, q OMAHA AND FONKA LETTERS. ni HUPEGA TO WILLIAM M’KIM HEATH. OCTOBER Hy ke As)- a , / , ora / a , , ont Kagéha, a“ ba¢é waqi™ha ¢a" ya”be. Kagéha, nikaci™ ga My friend, to-day paper the I have My friend, people — seen it. S Dey, . : ‘ ° / OL ATs fe nankacé, éskana a™cta™ bai ka"b¢ééea", ci wija™ bai ka*b¢éga™. ye who, ok that you see me I hope, again I see you (pl.) I hope. Nikaci”ga-macé, wad¢iyiedital té qtawi¢ai éga" égima™ ha. O ye people. you work for your- the Llove you Fe I do that selves ; (pl.) je Wamiiské wéga"ze e¢cba-na™ ba uaji, uda*gti daxe. Wata" zi Wheat me asure twenty Tsowed, very good — I did. Corn wéga ze o¢éba-¢ab¢i" ui aul; mi wéea'ze e¢éba-na™ ba; maja’ gé, measure thirty po- measure e twenty ; onion, pli Ainae tato v2 = , U . nig¢e, ha"b¢in' ge, b¢tiga tidarati daxe Li cti wi ayidaxe, turnip, beans, very good I did. House too one I made for myself, ida" qti, éde i”na¢in’ge. Kukusi g¢éba wab¢i", yéska-mi"’ga very good, but it was Drae Hog ten I have cow for me. them, witiqtei, mi”xa duba wab¢i"; zizika wi'dqtei: céna wé¢ayi- just one, goose four Thavethen; turkey just one: enough you make for yourself ckixai gé é éskana eb¢éga", kagéha, 1tca"qtci wab¢i". by means thepl. that perhaps I think it, my friend, just now T have of them in. ob. them. I“teatqte: uwib¢a ha, Edada™ at¢a™baha"-baji éga", nika- Just now T tell it to : What we do not know it ~ 80, In- you *n/ hey Je i a . eh Soe ne Acne’ ‘J ES et cae . ci”ea uké¢i" al gad¢i”. ‘Ag¢aqti a’ ¢i. A*t’é té wea¢ingé’qti dian common Wwe who move. Suffering we are. Wedie the we have no means greatly at all / / Tl , / R23 , ca™ca" a™¢i" aba i¢daug¢e, edada™ a™¢a™baha®-baji, ehé. always we are day throughout, what we do not know it, I say. / , panes Y / ° / pred / , Wakan’da ama uf¢ita" gé ¢iga”zai ga”, nipi ga”, wda" God the my. work the pl. In rik as taught as, you do as, good (or pl.) sub. in. ob. you it well mani’. Ki wéga"za-baji ga”, kagéha, wétegi hi. Wanita > you walk. And he has uot taught us as, my friend, itis hard : Quadruped for us , eu + 4 *n/ , , . , “ , . , . . or , L éwaji” jut‘a™ ¢i” ¢ udwagi¢ail. u¢ita" wegaxai. Hébe matures of its own the it he has told us. It work he made for us, Part accord coll. (2) ob. a eta dbl 4 STIGMA ney! os rye Gay ANG angeimjar ga”, hébe afgtitati ga”, ki wi™ a™i™i. Kagéha, we put on as ae part we pat on as as, and one we wear My friend, moccasins leggins as robes. zy , ° ye > ule fe o 5 Oe am¢a™ baha"-baji ‘ag¢aqti a” ¢i". Udwaya™i-gat. Uawagaya”’ we do not know it suffering we are. Help us! You help us greatly yi, anija etéga". Udawad¢aya™i té nikaci”ga ukcé¢i"-ma nija if, we live apt. You help us ths Indian the common ones to live / , ie , / , we¢écka"nal éska" eb¢éga" ga’, uwib¢a. Atiguéja cti waqe- you Wish for us 1 think it may be as L tell it to We, on the too O ye you. one hand 12 18 12 15 18 38 | OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. mace, maja” pahan’ea ugdta'si te ¢afea™ ¢i¢e hégwa-a’ q¢i"-baji. white land first youleaped the we pitied you we were very. people, in it Fis, , / . =) rye e . , 5 , Wa Ki maja” ¢a" uda" cta”bai tédihi yi, wea¢at’anai, td And land the good yousawit bythetime when, you hated us, to it arrived die you wished for us. My friend, let (ye) us alone! Indian the common ones weééckatnat. Kaedcha, ea®méwadii-on. Nikacioa uké¢i?-ma Q y] Cc] céna ‘wa¢ti-gt. A™wan'yig¢ita’’ wada™be-na"i Uma"™ha" enough — speak (ye) about We work for ourselves they see us usu- Omaha them. ally =I) ~/ qs Lone Typhi eke ~ / / an’gata". Pahan’ga té’di u¢ita® ¢i¢tjai gé da™“be ga ¢a- we w io stand. At the first work yout the pl. to look they had in. ob. at : ro fy ° ic 5 ctéwa™-baji. Ki i’tea®qtci ud¢ita™ ¢i pe oé ¢éama da™bai, not the least de- And just now work your the pl. these they look sire. in. ob. at it, re eo fe , , n/ . = i ida® ca™méwa¢ii-ea. Kagdéha, nikaci ga uké¢i" an’ga¢i" there- let them alone ! My friend, Indian common we who fore move = = , e , bg a , ¢ & F é Me ; , 5 yf 7 , - ‘Ao¢awa¢a¢al tedabai. Wanita dada”, yqti, 4¢, a™ pa", yatcuge, you make us suffer very Quadruped what deer, buf- elk, antelope, greatly. (sort), falo, : / , 3 ’ Ae . Cae ‘a’ wanita bétiga tfa™i ga” wéuda™ oa, téwadd¢ai. Qingal, in quadruped all they “as good forus as, you killed them. There are fact abounded none, , Y f s./ an guginal yi. ....- Nikaci™ va-maceé, ¢ati te ceta™ cm ga- we cea them, when. O ye pe opto: you the so far child our own came hither jin’ga Ahigi fda ama, can’ge mi"ga ama maja” ¢an‘di fda ama. many have been horse female the pl. land in the have been born, sub. born. ee apes A ry epee \daws bo waoahe ‘ Wage wi¢i® ama wi” e¢déba idawa¢e waza be. Leéska mi” va White have the pl. one ten has given I have seen Cow people them sub. birth to them. maja” wiwija ¢an’di ahigi wéda¢e waja™ be-na*-ma™. Maja™ land my in the many have had I have usually seen them. Land young ones ¢an‘di pahan’ga ti tédi, af ¢ingé’qti wa¢fta™ naj’ ama. in the first had when, house none atall working they were stand- come ing, it is said. hither 7 ie , e , = ~ / , af f -_ os ae ia 2 pa ae Ki yf ag¢tthage geixe-na” ama. Nikaci™ga-macé, wa¢aha And house — at the last they have usually been Oye People clothing making, it is said. , . e / e me , ~ / m 7 tida*gti wija”bai. Ki edida® fgaxe 4. an‘de ¢andita* very good I have seen And what hasit been ? Ground from the you. done by means of izé ama. éski-ma ci qti waja™be-na"-ma™. Ki maja™ Aha | it has been The cows very fat T have usually seen them. And land taken, they say. s / ° , o Prai® eae , , : . , . wija ¢an‘di qide geé fei” ama Kagdéha, ticka™ ¢i¢fjai my in the grass the pl. they are fat by My friend, deed your in, Ob, by means of it, they say. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 39 , ° , 7 , Oo e , , yv b¢étigagti qtaadé b¢éé Uadwaya" wa¢in’gai. Waqe-macé, all I love it I vo. To help us we have none. O ye white people, udwad¢aya”i yi, a™nija etéga®. Kagéha, niu¢an ‘da be¢u tiga you help us if, we live apt. My friend, island éskana niaci”ga und‘a"wad¢iki¢at ka™b¢éga". Niaci ga-ma oh that people you cause them to hear I hope. The onl about it atwa’na‘a™i tédihi yi, waqi”ha wi” a™i i¢a-oa. Te uda*qti they hear about me by the when, paper one give se ni it Word very good time to me hither. arrives , ° , ~, Wa , edibe gaxe-‘i i¢i-ga. Ikagewi¢e’qti ayidaxe. Kagcha, also to make give send it I have you for my TI make it My friend, it it hither. true friend for myself. . . a , *1)/ ~ me wagazugqti uwib¢a. (hika dge-ma Uwagida-ga. Kagéha, i’ ¢éqti very straight T tell it to Your friends teil it to them. My friend, Iam very you. (pl ob.) glad ;, i , aie [| (oe ra ie ; / Su wija™ be ag¢i™ dea” a” ba ida™qti uwikie. Kag¢éha, a®cta™ baji IT see you I sit so day very good I talk to My friend, you have not : you. seen me gva”ada™ a™¢an’da té uwibé¢a ta minke. Ma¢é o¢éba-¢ab¢ir > as, therefore I was born the I will tell you. W inter thirty Se) we / en/ ki 6di na™ba bd¢i”. and on it two Tam. NOTES. Mr. Heath asked this letter for publication in *¢ The Cincinnati Com- mercial.” 37,19. Aigueja marks a contrast between the Omahas and the white men. Supply a sentence, such as, Pieja cti, waqe-macé, maja” ¢a® tda® cta™bai-dé weadat’anai, Vé we¢écka"nai: “ But you, on the other hand, O ye white people, when you saw that the land was good, you hated us and wished us to die.” L. wrote angti eja. 38, 10. Hupe¢a began the dictation of the following in Omaha, but the author did not record it in that dialect, except the first clause | Ii maja™ pahan/ga u¢ag¢i" ¢ar, And (in) the part of this land in which you Jirst dwelt|: * And we did not say that you were bad, when you were in the part of this land to which you first came. But if we, in turn, were to, cross over to that land from which you came, they would send us back home.” TRANSLATION. My friend, I have seen the letter to-day. My friends, O ye people, I hope that you may see me, and that I may see you. O ye people, as L love you because you work for yourselves, I do that (7. e., | work for myself). Il sowed twenty bushels of wheat, and did very welll I planted thirty bushels of corn, twenty bushels of (Irish) potatoes, onions, turnips, beans; Isucceeded very well with all. [also made an excellent house for myself, but I have lost it by fire. I have ten hogs, one cow, four geese, and one turkey: I think, my friend, that jast now [ have all the things by means 40 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. of which you accomplish something for yourselves. I tell it to you just at this time. We Indians have been ignorant. We have suffered much. We are always dying, throughout the day, being entirely destitute, L mean that we are dying in poverty because we know nothing. - You have prospered because God taught you different kinds of work, which you do well. It is hard for us, my friend, because he did not teach us. But he has told us about the quadrupeds that mature of their own accord. Suchis the work which he has assigned to us. We put on part (of the animals) as moccasins, part we put on as leggins, and one part we wear as robes. My friend, we have suffered greatly because of our ignorance. Help us! If you aid us, we ought to live. I teli it to you because [ think that you wish us wild Indians to live, as you have aided us. We, on the one haad, O ye white people, treated you very kindly when you first landed in this country. But you, on the other hand, when you saw that the land was good, hated us, and wished us to die! My friends, let us alone! Do not speak any more about the Indians. You see that the Omahas work for themselves. Formerly they had not the least wish to look at your customs. But just now these (Indians) are interested in your customs, therefore let them alone! My friend, you have caused great sufferings to us Indians. You have killed various quadrupeds, deer, buffalo, elk, antelope, in faet ail the animals which abounded for our good. There are none to be found when we seek for them. (We did not say that you were bad when you were in the part of this land to which you first came. But if we in turn were to cross over to the land from which you came, they would send us back home.) O ye (white) people, if is said that many children have been born (to you) since your arrival in this country, and that (many?) mares have been born here. I have seen one of those (mares) which the white people have, that has given birth to ten (colts). [ have seen from time to time, in my country, cows that have had many (calves). When they first came to this country, it is said that they continued at work without any houses at all. But subsequently they usually made houses. O ye peopie, I have seen you (wearing) very good clothing. And how has it been acquired? It has been taken from the ground. I have generally seen very fat cows. And they have become fat from eating the grass growing on my land. My friend, [ am going to love all your customs. We have no one to heip us. O ye white people, if you help us, we ought to improve. My friend, [ hope that you will let the people in the whole world hear of (this letter). And by the time that the people have heard about me, give me a letter and send it hither! Add some very good words to it and send it tome. I regard you as a true friend, on my own account. My friend, I have told you a very straight story. Tell it to your friends! My friend, I talk to you on a beautiful day, just asif T sat beholding you with great joy. My friend, you have not seen me, so Twill tell you when [was born. IT am thirty- two years of age. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. Al TAXWAX-GAXE-JINGA TO MINGABU, A YANKTON. Pahan’ga waytit‘a” tédita” wija™’ be ka"b¢éde, téqi hes oaji. 3efore — harvest season from the I see you IT wished, but, difficult very. / C / Edada® béfjut‘a’ té aa“ b¢a cub¢é té i’teqi héga-mayi. I''ta™ What Thave raised the Iaban- Igoto the difficult ie am very. Now don it you for me / =a , , Ne / ° ane ; Geta’ na", edada™ béijut‘a” b¢i'a ha. ..... Gam, nistha, only so far, what Lhave raised Ihave not. And, my child, finished ; Neon ee Y Cele nay ; can’ge at¢dti-na™i-ma i“cena. Ga” é& ha, wigta"be ka’ b¢a horse the ones that yougave have been And that. I see you, my I want me at different times expended 1s it . owh for me. té. Ca™ ga™ nikaci’ga itaxaja amd indada" wé¢ig¢a™ gaxe- the. And at any Indian ~ at the head the pl. what plan they rate ot the Mis- sub. : make souri \ na"i ¢éi"te éskana, nisiha, fe ¢ana‘a" ctéctéwa® i°wi" ¢ana usu- it may oh that, my child, word you hear it soever you tell it to me ally be , v afin . N i TEL. wy os o ti¢ag¢e, uq¢e qtcl. ja” Cif gajin ga wa‘ cti nié ctéwa? ' OC you send very soon. And ehild woman too pain soever it hither, ¢ingé, éskana, nisiha, égija" wina‘a"l ka"b¢éga". A” ba ata™- have oh that, my child, youdo — Lhear from I hope. At ditterent none, that you etéwa™, nisiha, wisi¢é ca” ca”. Eskana awigija™ be ka*b¢céea", times, (W.) mychild, Ithinkof always. Oh that Tsee faent my own T hope, you ey i. , Pee , orf, fens a“ba gata” yi. Te dada" ctéctéwa™ éskana, nisiha, a™¢agi- day that far when. Word what ~ soever ob that, my child, you write to me, cpaxu ifad¢ai ka*b¢éga”. yourown you (pl.) I hope. send hither NOTES. 41,5. The hiatus denotes that a sentence was recorded in English, but not in the original. See translation. 41, 8-9, aba ata"ctéwa?, 7. e., aba i¢aug¢e, every day (G.). 41,10. A"ba gata” yi, 7. ¢., a"bata™cté, some day or other, hereafter (G.). One might say, instead, Gata’ qtihi (or, AY ba gata’ qtihi) yi4ji, awazi- qu’ be ka"b¢ega", I hope that L may see them at last (after so long a sep- aration). Used when several years have passed without his seeing his (adopted) kindred (W.). TRANSLATION. I have been wishing to see you since the first part of the harvest sea- son, but it has been difficult. It would be very difficult for me to leave what I have raised, in order to go to you. I have not yet finished my work with what I have raised. (When my wheat is threshed and put in the barn, and the leaves fall, | will come to see you and your 4) A? OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS four brothers.) My child, the horses that you have given me from time to time are all gone. That is the reason why I wish to visit you. My child, [ hope that you will send and tell me very soon if you hear any words whatsoever respecting the plans decided upon by the Indians up the river {probably Spotted Tail’s Tetons]. [ hope, my child, to hear from you that your children and wife are well, and that you are, too. My child, I think about you every day. I hope that I may visit my Yankton kindred some day or other. My child, L hope that you will write and send me some word or other. LE-JE-BALE TO T. H. TIBBLES, SEPTEMBER 29, 1879. Pe , . / vy , ° Zz | dears , . ce ee, Kagéha, a”ba gé fpi etéga". A*¢agiwacka’i yi, O friend! day the pl. good apt. You exert yourself if in. ob. by for me, your own, means of *y/ Le , , / : , Di ge ani"ya taté. ..... Pi¢a™¢a® ¢a‘ea”¢a-bi endéga™ Piqti I shall live. Again and that you have you think it. Anew agalu pitied me ¢a‘ean gigdi-ea Wage ama kig¢aha' té éga" wig¢aha”, pity ye me! Whites the pl. praying toone the 30 I pray to you, people sub. another as my owa, kinsmen / Pe pee = waha™‘e téja¢ica®. with reference to petitioning for something. NOTES. Most of this letter was recorded in English; such parts are marked in the accompanying translation by parentheses. 42,1, a*ba gé=a*ba wi, referring toa year, not a day (W.). ‘Ipi” refers to the material benefits hoped for, i. e., new clothing, food for horses, ete., as the days rolled by he hoped to get these things (G.). TRANSLATION. (I came up to the Omaha agency to-day. The words which you sent me as you passed by on your way home make me glad. I wished to tell you about one thing, but you went away. My horses have no food, and so Tam suffering. Winter is close at hand. I hope that you will let me know in what land lam to stay. [do not wish to transgress the com- mands of your friends and yourself.) My friend, as the days pass, good should result from them. If you persevere in my behalf, I ought to improve. (My pants are in holes, and the cold weather is coming.) You think that you have treated me kindly very often. O pity me again! I petition to you as my relation, just as the white people peti- tion to one another. (1 hope that you will write and show me your words. I wish to know what you have to say and advise.) OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 43 NAXZANDAJI TO JAMES O’KANE. Ca” wabagteze ie djiba widaxu cii¢ea¢ée. Wabag¢eze And letter word ‘afew I write to I send to Letter you you cu¢éwi¢e améde qa¢a wiréctéwa" tia’ ¢aki¢aji. Ca"’-na™ it is said that I sent it to back even one you have not sent And only you (but 1 do not know again hither (to me), it: sie) but a’ patha yaqtiha edabe i"¢écka"na ‘i¢agé ¢acti, ca” a™ba elk hides deer hides also you desired for you formerly, yet day me promised omer. w fi / / ; 5 Twigs ene i¢dug¢e asi¢é-na"-ma™. Ca™ a™patha méha da cté wi'a” wa throughout I think of it from And elk hides winter or which ones time to time. hides e *H/ g Pas. . pA , ~~, , e x v/s Ve tia" gti ni” wi" ka"b¢éga". Ca” méha gé ataqti ka™b¢a. are very you buy I hope. And winter thepl. exceed- I wish. plentiful hides in. ob. ingly / ii) gee? , , : *n/ b , ... Ca” ugq¢é’qtci, éskana, qa¢a i*wi’¢ana ka*b¢éga". And very soon, oh that, back you tell me I hope. again NOTES. 43, 1. “ Wabag¢eze cu¢ewi¢e amede” would imply that the sender was drunk or otherwise, and ignorant of what he had sent in the letter (G.). Read, “Wabag¢eze cu¢éwiki¢é-na"-ma” édega", qa¢a wi'éctéwa" Letter I sent to you often by but (past), — back even one special messenger again tia’ ¢aki¢aji ha” (G.). This sbould be either, Wabag¢eze cu¢éaté you have not : Letter T sent to sent tome you éde qga¢a witéctéwa™ tia’ ¢aki¢aji ha, or, Wabag¢eze cu¢e¢e amede but back even ore you have not : Letter it is said that they again sent it to me sent to you, but qa¢a witéctéwa" ti¢aki¢aji ha (W.). back even one you have not agai sent it hither 43, 6. ‘The parenthetical sentence of the translation was not recorded in the original. TRANSLATION. I write you a few words. I have written to you, but you have not sent even one reply. As you promised to be on the lookout for elk and deer hides for me, I have been thinking of it regularly every day. I hope that you may buy elk hides or winter (buffalo) hides, which- ever kind you find plentiful. I desire winter hides above everything. (Wherever you hear about them, whether in Kansas or somewhere else, I hope that you may buy them.) I hope that you will reply very soon. Go 44 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. GAHIGE, AN OMAHA, TO MACA™, A PONKA, AND HEQAKA-MANI, A YANK'TON. NOVEMBER 10. Ucka" ¢é cka™na té téqi héeaji. Wi-na" ewédaxti-na"-ma”™ Deed this youdesire the diffi- very. 1 only I usually write for them cult , - tres a) wy, 5 , a a / #9 , a ie af cde giteqi ha. Wabigd¢eze ¢ea’ gai eé wenag¢e-na™i, Pan‘ka but difficult : Letter we send fie pl. they conceal — usu- Ponka for him away in. ob. from them ally, a er ; , pel y? , ee fi ° TS. OT At A eR , a ¢anka watt-baji-na™i, dda" an’gabdg¢ai.- Ki Maqpi-jide fe ea the pl. they donot usu- — there- we hesitate, not And Red Cloud word his ob. vive to them ally, fore liking to ask for the favor. té pi wagazu ana‘a" ka” bé¢a, ug¢akiai tédthi yi. Ki ecé céna the anew © straight T hear Saari you talk to whenthe time And you cnough him arrives. say it e ae tf *H/ / Loom ha. Ki Thank’ta"wi"-ma a"wa?’da"be taité eb¢éga™. Watita And the Yanktons we see them shall I think it. Work , , e 7 / a'¢icta™ ei am ¢cama nikaci ga wada"be ga™¢ai. Qe wawiké, we have these people to see them they wish. You Imean eH finished i¢ con) Feather. People you with them you wall cause him (some one) to entertain them well. Mica", Nikaci oa jiwadig¢e mani” wéeaska” ¢éki¢e’qti-ea Uda" waga¢a et. We's‘a-qan’ea t’é¢a-bi. at, Cea cuki¢ai Good desire them. Big Snake thathe has they Yonder one causes been killed say. it to reach there again where you are Aa) ae ail sey alot So el'te ahaa" anga” ¢at. Wheth- we hear it we wish. Cr NOTE. 44,8, Ceya may be followed by wabag¢eze, a letter, or that word can be omitted. The sentence can end with ha, the oral period. (W.) TRANSLATION. This course of action which you desire is a very difficult one. IT have generally written for them, but (this) is (a) difficult thing for (one to undertake), The (agents) usually conceal from the Ponkas the letters that we send them; they do not give them the letters; therefore we hesi- tate about asking the favor |of the Ponka agent?|. When you shall have visited Red Cloud, I wish to hear a true account of bis words. What you have said(?) is enough. I think that we shall see the Yank- tons. These Indians wish to see them, as we have finished work. I refer to you, O Feather! Pe sure to get some one of those people with whom you dwell (é e., some Yanktons) to entertain the visiting Omahas. And do you have an eye to their interests. It is said that big Snake has been killed. We wish to hear whether a letter has been sent to you about it. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. Ah CYRUS PHILLIPS, AN OMAHA, TO BATTISTE DEROIN AND SON, OTO INTERPRETERS, NOVEMBER 11, 1879. Wija”be ka” b¢a. I’tea" cub¢é ka™ bea. (hé¢inke, Wanita- I see you I wish. Now Igotoyou I wish. This st. one, Li- ia r ObSn Ly aha a , , : A wage, cu¢é tad¢inkd, é’di: cub¢é taté, eb¢éga™. Wija™’be on, the one who will go then I go to shall, I think it. I saw you to you, you / , ef “na tn/ ° , Zaks ete ag¢i te¢a”, kagéha, nan’de i'¢i™udaqti ag¢i. Ki ¢é¢inke I came in the O friend, heart nine Was very good I came And this st. one back past, back. hither > id ree , , , , , Sy, S © igaq¢a"” ¢inké wéda¢ édega" wakéga: 1 té wami qta”-na", his wife the st. has given birth to she is sick: mouth the blood drops usu- one children, but ob. ally, , ere, ee F: , re , , ; éde waqe-jin'ga wabig¢eze gaxe ¢a™ ga™jinga eb¢ééga" dada” but white man’s son letter made it the hedidnotknow I think it there- ob. how to do it fore , . , 4 SM; ° , . ° dgahédi cu¢é. Eskana uq¢é’qtci wabag¢eze tia’ ¢aki¢é ka®- inaddition it goes Ob that very soon letter you send hither af to it to you. to me , , r S , . J 3 , S i , ose ey b¢éga". Wanita-wagqe cult tédihi yi, indada® ctéwa™ ‘t-bajti-ga hope. Lion he by the time what ever do not ve give reaches that. to him you r . , / ; Ore ae, Sy, / = 6; 5S “Ae ,- ha. Niniba a”¢a ¢inkéé ha, nuda”hanga ¢inké. Ki éde ! Pipe toaban- he is one : leader > the one And but don it who who. . Oy) , Hi , Tee , : ro ihe niniba a¢i” cu¢é ga ¢a, éde ticka" dada® ¢éckaxa-baji ka?- pipe totakeitto you he wishes, but deed what you do not for him I b¢éga", Kaga. hope, O Third- son, NOTES. 45, I. (ie¢inke, etc. Correct, but there is an alternate reading: (léaka Wanita-wage aka, ca¢é ta aka ha’, édega™ @/di cub¢é taté This one Lion thesub, will be going to . but then I shall go to (the sub.) to you you eb¢éga® ha. (G.) 1 think 45, 3, ¢e¢inke, 7. e., Auguste La Dieu, named in the letter of Lion, on page 49. Note the abrupt transition from the first “¢ed¢inke” (Lion) to the next one (La Dieu), 45, 8. Ki ede=i"téde, denoting «@ reversal of his previous course: Lion had given up the sacred pipes, bué now he wished to take them again! (G.) Both sentences may be expressed thus: Niniba a’¢a ¢inkeée ha, Pipe to aban-, he is tho don one nuda”hanga ¢inké 6 édega™ niniba agi” cu¢é ga’¢ai éde ticka® leader heis the but pipe to take it to you wishes but deed the — afore® one — said ° dada" ¢éckaxa-baji ka*b¢égar, kagéha (W.). what youdo not for him 1 hope, O friend 9 ic) oO 46 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. TRANSLATION. I wish to go now to see you. I think that I shall go te you when Lion does. My friends, when | visited you, [ came home highly pleased. This man’s wife has given birth to a child, and she is ill: she has fre- quent hemorrhages from the mouth. The white man’s son [either La Dieu or some half-breed interpreter], in my opinion, did not know how to write the former letter, so this letter is sent in addition to that one. I hope that you will send me a letter very soon. Do not give anything at all to Lion when he reaches you. He is the leader, as it were, of those who have abandoned the sacred pipes. And though he is the chief one who gave up the sacred pipes, he now wishes to take a pipe to you (and get presents by means of it); but, O Third-son, I hope that you will do nothing for him. - % WAKIDE TO MAWATA‘NA, A YANKTON. NOVEMBER 12, 1879. Niaci’ ga wija™ be ka™ b¢éaqti ha. Wab¢ita” té i’ ta® b¢icta®. Person | I see you I strongly de- : T work at dif- the now I have fin- sire ferent things ished. , Ce, ep. Bey oe een Se wet eae ; Ben peckaha, niaci’ ga ikigewi¢é ninkd, udaqti i"wi’¢ana ka”’- O sister's son, person Thave youfora you who yery good vou tel! it to I friend are me b¢a ha. Cat wagi™ha e¢iiji ca” cub¢é etéga®. Hskana wish ‘ And paper has not yet I goo apt. Oh thit come back you . . . , , / ° e r , e . waqi" ha tia’ ¢aki¢é kathb¢éga", wana” q¢i'qti. Te waqpaniqti paper you send it T hope, very hastily. Word Very poor hither to me éga" uwib¢a. Wagi"ha a™ba¢é ¢icta” té ama hidji 16 cub¢e so I tell it to Paper to-day finished the the hasnot when Igo you other reached to you oue there \ , , i / .e . , etéga". [dada" ayidaxe ka™b¢a ké4a wana q¢i'qti cub¢é apt. What I make for I wish on account very hastily I will go fov myself of the ti minke. to you. TRANSLATION. You are the man whom [ have a strong desire to see. I have now finished the various kinds of work which have oceupied my time. O sister’s son, you whom I regard as my friend, I wish you to tell me something very good! In fact, I may start to visit you before your letter is received here in reply to this one. TFT hope that you will send the letter to me very quickly. I tell you words that are somewhat poor. [| may start to visit you on this day when the letter to you is finished, before the next day arrives. I will go to you very hastily on account of my wish to do something for myself. ad OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. ATW MIXMA‘E-JINGA, AN OMAHA, TO KE-YREJE, AN OTO. NOVEMBER 12, 1879. Wagqi”ha ti¢ ‘ite cde, tiaji ha, ada" wawémaxe cu¢éade. Paper to be was but, it has ; there- to ask about I send it to sent prom- not come fore several things you. hither ised, Mig ce cunt sr. waqi ha ¢a® ti gicat¢ar. ~Ucka> “e’ay co) And this it when paper the to he wishes Deed how reaches come for it (2). you hither *n/ ae / ° EN / - rate i Ay , = , mani” yi, na‘a™ ga™¢ai. Ca” wat¢ikega ¢ag¢é té ana‘a® 3 you walk if,’ to hear it ne wishes. And you were sick you went the I hear it back nil { Fal a an) $s ka™b¢a. Ca™ e'a™ nikaci’ga ucka™ e lgaxal té ana‘a” I wish. And how person deed ae they didfor the TI hear it , you f Yon/ r een 1 ka™b¢a. Ca™ efa™ ¢aki ¢tita" ana‘a™ ka™ bé¢a. I wish. And he you correctly I hear it I wish. reached home NOTES. Ke-yrede, or Charles Moore, an Oto, had eloped with another man’s wife (or widow). He brought her to the Omaha Reservatioz, where he remained for some time. The writer met him there. The above letter was sent after his return to the Otos. 47,1, wawemaxe. Wawéwimaxe, J ask you about several things could have been used. 47, 5, ea” ¢aki, etc. Supply “eitte,” perhaps, between ¢aki and ¢ata™. TRANSLATION. I send to you to ask about several things, because the letter which was promised has not come. (The sender of this) wishes a letter to be send hither when this one reaches you. He wishes to hear how you are faring. I wish to hear about your going home when you were sick. I desire to hear the truth about your reaching home, and how the people treated you. I-TU-TI-TA-HAY-GAY, AN OMAHA, TO TA-PI-KA-(@A-WA-HUY, PAWNEE. Ga™ ca” ¢anija té ¢at'é té wita”wa ¢ina‘a™ ga™¢ai, 6 (See note.) you live the youare the which one to hear he wishes, dead about you 144A ve n/ vey hl baa. iy N, Ve «yh f ‘I bars Ye hy at ‘ hy 1] reves oy’ ¢isi¢é ca™ca", ¢ijin’ge. Ca™-na" ucka” ¢i¢tja disi¢e-na"i he re- always, your son, And usually deed your he usually remem- members bers you. you GA if , , , . / . / . , Uda" wani" té ga” ¢anija ¢idatbe ckiga gti ga ai, ¢ina‘a’ Good yonhave the — so you live to see you just like it he wishes, to hear them from you A8 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. S Ti , See Pes : ae [he x Nia 17 Ceol —/ is LAL > té. Wa‘u jug¢e icpaha” git’e ha. Ca” ea” uq¢é'qti ¢idabe the. Woman hewith youknow isdead . And how very soon to see you her her to him w, a Pu S / , vu , , © / ° té gingéé ha. Ca” ¢anija té ga” ¢ida"be ckiga”’qti ¢ina‘a® the there is : And youlive the 0) to see you just like it to hear none from you / . =e / read . , oa Z Ser ty 7 E , : tf F on ga” gail. Ca” watt ¢i¢ija cin’gajin’ga edibe e‘a” ma?¢i” he wishes. And woman your children also how they walk wand‘a" ga” dai. Qijin’ge cugé. Ceta™ anfja matb¢i’. E¢e to hearabout he wishes. Your sou goes to So far Tlive IT walk. Kin- them you. dred ee ; 4 teds Ara core sen Died BVO), ext hp ¢i¢ja cti ¢ina‘a® ga™¢ai. Ucka™ ¢i¢tja b¢tiga na‘a™ ga ¢ai. your too to hear they wish. Deed your all to hear — they wish. from you ea 2 roe r / *n/ pyeqse , Qida"be u¢ici éga", ca” ga" waqi™ha cu¢é¢iki¢at. f Lo see you it is almost im- yet at any paper he sends it to you, possible, rate by some one. NOTES. 1¢e Omaha name of the sender is unknown. The recor ame 1S ¢ The Omaha nat f the sender is unknown. ‘The recorded name is a Pawnee one. 47,6. Ga" ea", precedes words denoting @ choice between two things, events, ete. (W.). The use of ‘*Ga" ca” here is a singular one (G.). 47,6, ¢aniga té, etc. Rather, “¢anija da”etéa” 16 ¢avé da™ctéa™ you live whether the you or are dead té wita’wa éi"te ¢inata™ ga’ ¢ai, ¢isi¢é ca”’catl ha, ¢ijin’ge aka.” But tue which may be tohear he wishes he re- always : your son the of the about {volun- members (yvolun- sub two you tarily), you tarily) one can also use the text with a single change: ¢ina‘a" ga™¢a ha, to hear Wishes A from you (by per- mission, etc.) ¢isi¢® camea", ¢ijin’ge (G.). G. makes no difference between ‘ca remem alw ays your son bers (by per- you mission, etc.) ga",” “ca®-na® ga",” and “Ga? ca” Judging from analogy, “¢ijinge aka,” ete., must be correct, as the wish and remembrance were volun- tary, and not in consequence of a command or permission. 48,4. Qijinge cu¢e. The name of this “son” was not given; but he was distinct from the sender of this letter. TRANSLATION. Your son always thinks of you, and he wishes to hear whether you are dead or alive. He generally thinks about your habits. As you have treated him well heretofore, he wishes to hear from you as well as to see you again before you die. He has lost his wife whom you used to know. There is no prospect of his seeing you very soon, still, he wishes to hear from you as well as to see you once more before you die. He decires to hear how your wife and children are Your son OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 49 goes to see you. I am still alive. Your kindred among the Omahas also wish to hear from you. They wish to hear of all your deeds. It is impossible to visit you just now, but a letter is sent to you at any rate. LION TO BATTISTE DEROIN AND THE OTO CHIEFS. Ga” wija”be ka”b¢a ctéwa™, ca” edada” ibgigga’ '-maji And I see you I wished notwithstand- yet what I did not decide on ing, nugeidi. Ki awa gpani béga-maji ¢éga", wija™ bai-maji- last summer. And Tam poor lam very as, Thave not seen you (pl.) from na"-ma”. Ca” Uma™ha"-ma ca¢é t& ama i™tca’. Ie wi" time to time. And the Omahas are going to you now. Word one , ye or . Bey, géce wi" Mwi'¢a. we-ge¢éze nigeii'di cug¢é tédi iwi" you one he told it Keapece ees summer he went when he told it to said as to me. back me. follows to you f , f , oO , Y Usni ¢é ma¢e ¢é wiréctéwa” Umaha®™ ama abhi-baji ta-bi Cold this winter this even one Omaha the pl. that they must not sub. reach there , , ye , r . , , (ee / a” Wa¢utida-madi, ¢ ti¢ai, wabig¢eze, ada” éga™ ka”b¢a. Th to the Otos, he he sent letter, there 80, I wish. Him said it tore it hither, win kea¢é. Macté té’di wada™be ga™¢ai yi, wada”be ga” ¢ai T regard him as Warm when to see them they wish if, to see them they wish speaking truly. ca”. Ki nijinga wiwtja Sam Allis: “Wa¢aha ahigi ai” ag¢i proper. And boy — my own Sam Allis: Clothing BOK I have carried back hither agt-i-oa ha,” ecéga" wab¢ita" b¢ieta™ yi, adicub¢é ta minke. Bet thou com- ! as youhave Iwork at dif- I finish if, I will go to you for it. ing for it said it ferent things Itean’ki¢a-ga. Ca” céna uwib¢a cu¢déage. Edada™ fuga Put them aside for And enough I tell it to T send to What ueWws me. you you. piaji ci fe ida" ke’ cti akiwa ana‘a™ ka™b¢a. Gus La Dieu bad again word good the too both I hear it I wish. Auguste La Dieu ON, , , Os , / T v igaq¢a™ i tca® wakéga hégaji. Weédad¢ée ga™ t’é tatéga I té his wile now she is sick very. She gave as she is very an Mouth the birth to to die. a child , Hi . wami qta" -na"l, blood drops usn- ally. NOTES. 49, 5. Sam Allis, or, Ckayoe-yine, the brother-in-law of Battiste Deroin. 49,11. Gus La Dieu, ete. See 45,5. The usual Omaha appella- tion for this man was, Ga-ca, an approximation to the pronunciation of his first name. . 10967——4 g 12 3 50 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. TRANSLATION. I did not form any plan last summer, notwithstanding I wished to see you. Andas I have been very poor, I have not visited you from time to time. But the Omahas are now going to visit you. A message from you, given hereafter, was told me by Ke-yred5e, last summer when he was starting back to you. The letter which came said that during this winter not even one of the Omahas must come to the Otos; there- fore I wish accordingly. Ll regard him as speaking the truth. Tf they wish to seo the Otos when the warm weather comes, no one can object. As you, Sam Allis, my boy, have said: “1 have brought home a great quantity of clothing. Come after it,” I will go to you when I finish the various kinds of work which I have on hand. Put the clothing aside forme. Ihave told you enough. I wish to hear both kinds of news, the bad as well as the good. Gus La Diew’s wife is now very ill, She gave birth to a child, and is very apt to die, as she has frequent hem- orrnages from the mouth. WAQFE-CA, AN OMAHA, TO MAWATCEPA, A YANKTON. NOVEMBER 26, 1879 ; : n Kag¢éha, tu¢a djtibaqtci and‘a® éga" cu¢ea¢e téinke. Pan‘ka O frien, news very few IT have as I will send it to you. Ponka heard *n/ hate ° , ~/ ~ if , =i} wi t’é¢a-biama, We's‘a-yan’ga, and‘a®. Pan‘ka-ma ‘agéaqti one it is said that he has Big Snake, I have The Ponkas suffering been killed, heard it. (pl. ob.) greatly penis vw = ° / , ms wa¢i" té ha. Maja” cé¢u ¢anaji" té uda*qti ¢anaji®. Céya cupt he has had 4 Land yonder you sti and the very good you stand. Yonder I them (=as) reached you C / / ie ° : Aw / Ti *n/ *n/ wija™ be-na"-ma™, udaqti wija™be-na™-ma™. Niaci™ ga wi" T used to see you regularly, very good T used to see you from time Person one to time. N / 2 inégia¢é ecya cu¢é, Undji®-ska. Cta™ be yi, ¢a‘é¢é-qti-nan’-ga. T call him paiva has gone White Shirt. You see when, have great pty for hee uncle to you, him trom time to time. (by request?) , *n/ , oe w 7 *n/ , , ° if wi. . . / G , Waspe ma?¢i™ dgaji-ga. Mi” ¢é gua¢ica” ké’di wiya”be taf Soberly to walk command Moon this beyond in the Iwillseo — him. minke. Uata jin’ga fepaha"™ yi, iwi" ¢ana ti¢age téga® uwtbéa you (pl.) Desirable — sm: mT you know it if, youtellit tome yousend in race I tell it to thing hither that you ie , wv, / , re . , cli¢ged¢e. Cat edaida®™ wad¢ita® ¢ita™i ké b¢tiga ana‘a™ kat’ D¢a. I send it to And what work they work the all I hear it I desire. you. ob. Pahan’eadi nikaci” ea ¢i¢ija wajya™be té tckuda" héga-baji- Formerly person | your IT saw them the beneticent “very (when) OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 5] na™i. Winégi uddkie yi, e‘a™i té waqi™ha uq¢é’qtci tia’- usually My uncle youtalk when, how he the paper very soon you (pl.). to him is send 2 , , 1 , la ~ / jp e , Y ¢aki¢é ka*b¢éga". Wabag¢eze ¢éa¢é-na*-ma™ ¢a™ ja, wi"-écte- hither to I hope. Letters I have sent him regu. though, even one me larly wa" ti¢aji-na” ada" wawcéamaxe cu¢er¢e. hehas usu- — there- Task different IT send to not sent ally fore questions you, hither : TRANSLATION. My friend, as I have heard very few reports, [ will send them to you. I have heard it said that a Ponka, Big Snake, has been killed. (The agent) has been treating the Ponkas very cruelly. You are doing well to stay in that land (2. e.,the Yankton Reservation). I used to see you regularly when I visited you yonder, and from time to time I saw that you were prospering. White Shirt, a man whom [ call my uncle, has gone to you. If you see him, be very kind to him now and then. ‘Tell him to walk soberly. I will see you all next month. I send to tell you that if you know of any small (or, trifling) thing which [ would be glad to have, you will send and tell me. I wish to hear of all the kinds of work which they do. When I saw your people in former days, they were generally very beneficent. [hope that you will send me a letter very soon, and tell me how my mother’s brother is when you talk to him. Though I have been sending him letters regularly, he has not replied even once, therefore I send to you to ask different questions. NUDA*-AXA, A PONKA, TO T. H. TIBBLES, AND OTHERS. NOVEMBER, 1879. Nikaci’ ga uké¢i" a¢i"hé edada® daxe té da™jinga-na"-ma"™, Indian common I who what I do the I usually do not know move how to do it. e / , , ° o v, , . (fi-na® edada” ckaxai yi, Uda" eté yi ckaxai, Ada", ka- You alone what you (pl.) if, good ought you (pl.) there- oO do do it, fore, géha, ie ké uda"™ eté yi i¢éckaxe etéga™ aha® eb¢éga™ éga’, friends, word the good ought you make for me apt ! T think it as, , bed , , , v / , piqti wib¢aha" uwib¢a cu¢éade. Wakan’da aka, kag¢ha, anew I pray to you I tell it to T send it to God the sub., O friends, you you (s). *n/ = ae , 22'S , Z , . = oP waqi"ha ska’ a™i-baji, ¢i, kagéha, waqi™ha ska’ ¢a" ¢i‘f. paper white didnot give you, 0 friends, paper white the he it to me, ob. gave it to P you. , , & , oe . . , . Ada™ ¢i edada" ké fepaha™ hi. Ada™ im¢éckaxe tai-éga’, There- you what the you know it : There- you do it for in order that, fore ob. fore me (pl.), , s ° , , kagcha, uwib¢a cug¢éa¢ai ci, kagcha. O friends, I tell it to Isend it to again, O friends you you (pl.) 12 bz OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. NOTH. As this letter was addressed to several persons the senden should have said etega"i in 51, 6, cu¢ea¢ai in 51, 7, ¢i4i in 41, 8, and ‘cpaha"i in 51, 9. TRANSLATION. I, who am only an Indian, seldom know how to do anything properly. But what you do, my friends, ought to be good; therefore I send to you to petition to you anew, as I think that you will be apt to send me words caleulated to do good. -O my friends, God did not give me learn- ing, but he gave it to you. Therefore you understand things. There- fore, my friends, I send again to tell it to you, that you may do it for me. dAGIX-NA*PAJI AND LE-UMA‘HA TO T. H. TIBBLES, NEW YORK. DECEMBER, 1879. oa. Unaji"-qide, kagcha, wawe¢énita" nai te. Wackan’-g Gray Stee O friend, to work at different you went. Be strong ! things for us es . re , 7; , / _—n/ S , / y I¢aug¢ée’gti a°¢isi¢at. Wad¢acka™ ka”a'¢a”¢ai. U¢aket‘a” yi, ‘Continually we think of You make an we hope. You succeed if, you, effort /q: , kagéha, a"nija etéga’, Maja” ¢an‘di éskana wab¢ita" sagi t8) fiend, we live apt. Land in the oh that IT work at fir ae various things pee / man [el : / r / Ws we / , anaji" ka" b¢a. Ca® edada™, ca” yi ‘a g6 ctéwa”, beuga T stand I wish. And what, in house of whatever kind they all fact may be, sagiqti andji® ka”b¢a. Kagcéha, a” ba¢e’qtci wawidaxu very I stand I wish. O friend, this very day I write to you on tirmly different subjects , w Tie Leh tas / ’ , - / cugéag¢e. Wisi¢e ga” wib¢aha" cu¢géa¢e. Kskana Wakan‘da Tsend to you. I think of as I pray to you T send it Oh that God you to you. be 7 ~ hd z fe = , < Nie a1 , oe , pe ¢inké cti uawagiya™i ka"b¢éga™. (Pikige -ma ana élite the st. too he aids us I hope. Those who are your — how they ne friends many may be , 5 / ° , ° 4 wab¢aha® a” ba¢é wan’ ei¢e’q Kskana waha”™‘e wiwija ¢izai I pray to them to-day (to) all. Oh that — special prayer my \ they receive ib aa . ¢ , , , / ka"b¢éga®. Ki ¢izaf tédi-na" antja etéga". Wacka™ hacia- I hope. And they re- — only when I live apt. Maine an at the ceive it etfort very yaqti etéctéwa", kagcha, ¢agtia® ka"b¢éga". Taye dtuba last even if, O friend, you gain I hope. His some it name rye , / . nf iam |e S / andi cu¢ea’¢al ¢ wan'gi¢e a®¢i¢aha™ U¢aket‘a® yi-na”, Wwe vive we send to that all we pray to you, You sueceed only if, to you you . / / ° , r y *n/ maja” ¢an’di bamdxe wab¢ita" ka™b¢a. Wagqiha sagt land in the bowing the I work at IT wish. Paper firm head various things OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 53 li-na™ anija etéga”. Wanita” ma"™ni” té ven only I live apt. You work at you walk the a” ug¢e ub¢a”™ a tl the soon I take hold ob. of it various things / , , *1/ , 5 peer. : Figo S Wakan'da aka ¢ida"be gi’, qta¢i¢e te. Angticti qta™ ¢i¢ai, God the seeing you he sits, he has loved We too we love you, sub. you. . rye =f . > Ales hve , , , pas nikaci’ga uké¢i" an’ga¢i*. Kdada® uda" we¢écka"na, nija Indian common we who move. What good you desire for us, to live A sf *n/ , ° , , footy we¢écka"na. Kskana nikaci”ga wwa¢agind-ma_ fe piiiji you desire for us. Oh that people — the ones whom you have word bad told ~ / , PASS f , a be eae & ctéwa™, a™i-baji ka*b¢éga". Wab¢aha" che. soever, they do not I hope. I pray to them I say give to me that. NOTES. This letter was sent in the name of, and with the consent of the fol- lowing Omahas: Diba-ma™¢i", Ta” wa"-gaxe-jil’/ga, yaxé-¢aba, AX- pa"-yan’/ga, Wadjépa, Sin/de-xa”xa", Mimxa-tia", Qi¢a-gahige, Fred. Merrick, Maxéwa¢é, Mazi-kide, Hidaha, Mawada%¢i", Na®’/pewa¢é, Ba- za” -nan’ge i*cage, Baza’-nan’ge jil’/ga, Ha“da*-ma¢i", Na*bé-duba, Macti™’-‘a"sa, Qaga-man¢i’, Gia” ze-¢in/ge, Waji"/-aX’ba, pe-aq¢a, Héya- ¢a", Gihdji, Manga‘aji, qénicka, Ga‘i’-baji, Niv’daha™, Ma*agata, Uyi- daja”, Han/gaqti, Qade-bana® (younger brother of Na™pewa¢é), Waci?- tine, p¢-huta”bi (nephew of Maxewa¢é), gahé-jinga (or Badger), qasi- duba, Wa¢titata®, Maé-gahi, A™ba-hébe, Mactawaktide (or Richard Rush), Joel Rush, Ni-igacide, 76-da-a¢iqaga, 7ézi-hit-sabé, Wanukige, Nistu-ma”¢it, Wabahi-jin’ga, Joseph La Fléche, Noah Sammis (or Nan/- de ¢in’ge), and the two writers. yaxe-¢aba is Two Crows. Apar- qganga is Big Elk. Hidaha is Matthew Tyndali. 52, 10, ¢agi‘a" has the force of “u¢aket‘a"” in this connection. 53, 5, Wab¢aha" cehe, not exactly correct; should be, Wab¢aha™i éga" céhe ha, I say that because [ petition to them (W.). TRANSLATION. Friend Gray Shirt, you went to transact our business for us. Make an effort (or, Do your best!). We think of you constantly. We hope that you will persevere. Should you succeed, O friend, we shall have a chance to improve. I wish that I could stand firmly on the ground as I work at various things (@ e., [do not wish to be disturbed and driven away). And I wish to feel very secure in the possession of everything, including our houses of various kinds. Friend, | write to. you this very day upon different subjects. As | think of you, the let- ter goes to you with my petition for aid. I hope that God too may aid us! I do not know how many friends you have, but I petition to all of them to-day to aid us. { hope that they may receive my special petition. There is no prospect of my improving unless they receive it (and aid me). I hope, my friend, that after so many efforts on your part you may succeed, even though it be on the very last . 3 54 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. occasion When you can make an attempt. We send some names to vou: all of us petition you. L wish to work diligently in this land of ours, but it all depends upon your success. If I can soon get possession of a good title to this land, then, and only then, can I expect to improve. God is looking at you as you go about this undertaking, and he loves you. We Indians, too, love you. It is because you desire good things for us, and you wish us to live. I hope that the people whom you have told about us may not give me any bad message at all. I say that as a petition to them. FRED. MERRICK, AN OMAHA, TO GEORGE W. CLOTHER, COLUMBUS, NEBR. DECEMBER 17, 1879. A™ baté, kagéha, wawidaxu. Maja” edja eupt ‘Ade ’ g ) J | To-day, O friend, I write to you Land youder Treach I prom- about various you ised things te¢a” cupi-maji ti minke. Qaja wijiga® aké, Mixd-t‘a’, in the IT will not reach you. Though = my grand- the Mi" xat‘a" past father sub., w, , Fd , , / w , eugé taté ha, waha diiba éskana udiketta” yi, ¢a‘t kat- he shall go to z hides some ol that you aequire if, you af you gave 10 him , / , UE A 4 , . ° b¢éga” é cud¢é ta ¢inke, a” patha. Wa‘t na™biqti wakégai hope that =the one who will go © ik hide. Woman first two are sick to you, Y , , , / ~ : *n/ ha, ada® cub¢é béifa. Ca” kagéha, uq¢é’qtci waqi™ha and‘a™ there- [goto I fail. And O triend, very soon paper I hear it fore you 7 , , YW , e ~ haté e ka"b¢éga". And‘a® tédihi yi, cu¢é éka"b¢a. Wicti ka b¢a T hope. I hear it by the time that, to go I wish for I too desire to you him, , o , *n/ , , Tee , oS 3 waha té, wé¢i?wi" té adi” ci¢edki¢e ti minke edabe. Wagixe hides — the means of the I wiil cause him to take it to you also. Debt ob., buying ob. iP, . . , . *H/ 2 =. , - éwib¢i" masaniha agi” eti¢edki¢e t& minke edibe. Waha té Lhave for fifty cents I will canse him to take it to you also. Hides the you timaka i"¢éckaxe ke "b¢éga". Cé nikaci’’ga d‘ttba cu¢ai. Hfa™ cheap you make for I hope. That person some have gone How we to you. | 2 vy , / e , v , , ; , we¢éckaxe té and‘a" ka™b¢a hi. Waha té nize ai, and‘a® youdo forthem the — I hear it I wish : Hides the you they Ihave ob. have say, heard it received mya, watt na™bagti wakéeai cea", cub¢d-maji ta minke. though, woman just two are Bick as, I will not go to you. TRANSLATION. My friend, I write to you about various things to-day. I promised to visit you in your country, but (now I find that) I can not get to see OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 55 you. But my wife’s father, Mi®xa-t‘a”, shall go to see you. And I hope that if you acquire some elk hides you will give them to him. Just two women are ill, therefore [ am unable to go to you. I hope, my friend, that I may soon get a reply from you. By the time that I receive it, I wish for him to start to see you. I too desire hides, and I will send to you by Mi®xa-t‘a® the money for buying them, and also the fifty cents which I owe you. I hope that you may let me have the hides at a cheap price. Some persons have gone to see you. I wish to hear how you treat them. Though I have heard that: you have received hides, I will not go to see you, because the two women are ill. NA*ZANDAJI TO T. M. MESSICK. DECEMBER 20, 1879. Kagéha, wawidaxu. Ca" fe djtbaqtci uwib¢a cu¢da¢é. O triend, [ write to you Well, word very few I tell it to I send it to about something. you you. \ , / P ox f TOStOTRO Y , . / . / ; Ca" wagixe A pa*-jan’ga é¢i¢i" té u¢iwiya™-qti-ma™. Nfa- Well debt Big Elk he hasit the L have aided you greatly In- for you respecting your ewn. . rye , pits fae a7, . / ul , ci’ga uké¢i" cé¢a-baji éga", wabag¢eze tia ¢aki¢é ¢a™ udwa- dian common they disre- as, letter you sent it here the I told it gard him to me ob. , , NEA ase , , /e Tae pes Me w e eib¢a. And. (Pasi ak ibaha”i. Ki wagixe ¢agit‘a® tédthi tothem. Ibegged. Dorsey the he knows it. And debt you possess by the sub. your own time / l sce . , ee. , . , > ° / po , w/ ye av patha ar¢ad gage wabdg¢eze i¢écpaxu tia” ¢aki¢é té’di. elk hide you give you letter you wrote to. you sentit here when. to me promised me to me = , : , ml A™pa®-janh’ea u¢takié. Ca™ a™patha ka“ b¢a tedbe. Eskana, Big Elk I talked to Well, elk hide I wish. very. Oh that, him about it. , ° / . Y po kagcha, tia’ ¢aki¢é ka*b¢éga™. O friend, you send it here I hope. to me TRANSLATION. O friend, I write to you about something. I send and tell you a very few words. [have done allin my power for you in trying to get the sum that Big Elk owes you. As they disregard an Indian, I told them that you had sent a letter to me (about the debt). T begged for the amount. Mr. Dorsey knows it. When you sent the letter to me, you said in it that you promised to give me an elk hide by the time that you received the money owing to you. I talked to Big Elk about it. J am very anxious to obtain an elk hide. I hope, my friend, that you will send it to me. 56 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. WAQPE-CA TO KUCACA. DECEMBER, 1879. sy co / our —~'f = Y ens ¢ = Cin’gayin’ga ¢i¢a wan'gadi" udatqtia™i, uwibda cu¢ca¢e, Child your we have them they are vory [ tell it to I send it to good, you you. Cin’gajii’ga ¢i¢iya wan'ga¢i" weda¢at, tida*qti mi” jinga Child your we have them has hada baby, 9 very good girl ° ? ; , y eons / “nf ire / : ida¢ai, uwib¢a cu¢éa¢é. Ca™ efa” mani” éite ca” waqi"ha she has Itellitto Isend it to Well, how you walk if, well paper given birth you you. to it, cu¢éwiki¢é ha. Niaci”ga wi ea¢é, inégia¢é. Udakié. Hat tsend it to you , Person one Lhave Ihave him as You talk to How himasa a mother’s him. kinsman, brother. Oey ey - , 2 / EB) eee ape atyy cee P ° - mar¢i™ ite and‘a" ka™b¢a. Cin’gajin’ga eyi-ma ‘ai Gite he walks it T hear it I wish. Child ; those who how if arehis they are ( / awana‘a” ka™b¢a. 1 hear about I wish. them NOTES. Kueaca, 7. 6, Rousseau Pepin, an Omaha, staying at the Pawnee Ageney, Indian Territory. 56, 2. Cingajinga ¢i¢ija wangad¢i"® weda¢ai. This seems to imply that all of Rousseau’s children among the Omahas had become mothers! Such was not the case. Waqpeca should have said, Cin/gajii’ga ¢idiya Child your wi anga¢i" édega" wéda¢ai, one of your children whom we have kept one we have but (past) has a baby, has had a baby. Cin’gajin’ga ¢i¢iya wan/ga¢i"’-bi ehé aka weéda¢ai, that we have Tsaid the sub. Your child whom we have kept, and whom f have mentioned, has had a baby: said when the daughter is mentioned « second time. When there are more than one child, they can say, Cin/gajii’ega ¢i¢iya wan’ ga- ¢i’-bi ehe aka ama wédadai (literally, The other one of your children, the oth- er one i.e.) One of your children whom we have kept has had a baby (G.). TRANSLATION, { send to tell you that your children whom we have are very well. I send to tell you that one of them has given birth to a girl, and is doing very well. I have sent a letter to you by some one (because I wish to know) how you are. [ have one man as my kinsman, as my mother’s brother. You have talked to him. I wish to hear how he is. I also wish to hear how his children are. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 57 MA'TCU-NA‘BA TO WIYAKOIX, YANKTON AGENCY. DECEMBER 26, 1879. , , , et) ey , *n/ . , , / . e , ° vekdha, ¢a‘éat¢aée té nikaci’oa ¢i¢iia ¢atea’ ¢ai i¢ayi- uid ’ to) O sister’s son, you have pitied the people your have pitied me I knowit me daha”. HEdada” nikaci”’ga ¢i¢fa afigti tai gé é tii¢in’ki¢ai for myself. What people your we shall give the pl. it they send here back to in. ob. for me , / i} . . pes 5 7 , z , , ka"b¢éga". Iuda™ té'di, wigija"be etéga", ya°ckaha. Nika- I hope. Good for when, [see you, my apt, O sister’s son. Peo- mo own eri, ,- rey, ° e / . a - , / , ° / , civ’ga ¢iskié’qti ¢ida’ bai ewéka"b¢ édega™ a¢i‘ai. Ca™ d‘tiba ple allinamass theysee you TI have wished but we have Well, some for them failed. AO sOK : rae Pa eahi etéga". Wakan'di¢é ¢ida”be ga” ¢ai. Ca” Unajim they av In great haste (im- to see you they wish. Well, ae tiie reach patiently) you eéna"ba wigita"be ka’ béaqti. that two Isee you, my Istrongly desire. own NOTE. 57, 4, eweka"b¢, in full, eweka"b¢a. TRANSLATION. O sister’s son, [ know by expe:icnee that you and your people have pitied me. I tone that your people will send word to me what we shall give them in return. O sister’s son, when it is for my good, I may see you. IL have wished for our entire nation to visit you, buf we are unable. Yet some of them may come to see yeu. They are impatient to see you. [ have a strong desire to see you and White Shirt. WIIITE HORSE, AN OMAHA, TO TCEXA-APAPI, A YANKTON. JANU- ARY 10, 1880. Wiya™be ka"b¢dde, b¢ifa ha. Nistha, i¢adi¢at aka Iyiga™¢at Tsee you Ihave wished, Tam ; O child, - ayent the Grandfather but unable sub. . Fas bof , fees , = Ne $ jin'ea é¢a"ba iwi" ¢ifagat doa", cub¢a-miAyji ta minke. Ci ea” Sau he too they are unwilling as, I wiil not go to you. Again how for me Ce ae Spee AS ee NV. n/ SuoE encgea” yi, ¢ita™ meaxe gi¢a-gi, ¢iyin’ge é¢a™ba. Ca™ ukit'é you think if, correctly to make be sending your son he too. Well, foreigner for me back hither hint , S / aire , , , wf y . *n/ itaxaja-ma cti ca” edada™ iu¢a w¢and‘a" yi'cté, imwi"’¢ana those at the head. too well, what news you hear the even if, you tell it to of the stream report me 9 58 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. titagés ka"b¢éga™. Ca" efa” mani” yxi'cté, ¢uta®qti ana‘a* you send I hope. Well, how you walk even if, very cor- I hear it it here rectly ka™ b¢a. I wish. ; TRANSLATION. I wished to see you, but I failed. My child, the agent and the Com- missioner of Indian Affairs are unwilling for me to go, therefore I will not go to see you. Do your and your son send back to me a letter, stat- ing just what you think on the subject. [ hope that you will send and tell me whether you hear any news respecting those tribes higher up the Missouri River. I wish to hear just how you are. MAWADAX(IS, AN OMAHA, TO MAWATASNA, A YANKTON. JANUARY 12, 1880. O Rees! A *_/ hdd f = / i BND Pig te | Y op i , Qisan’ea cin/gajin’ga na” qti ke eft’e ha. Ha” ¢and‘a® Your younger ebild fullgrown the deadto . How you hear it brother recl.ob. him oY = / e aes eo /? , , _ is , 2) yi'cté, efa’qti ckaxaji te¢a™ja, ¢ana‘a"™ téva™ u¢i¢a cugé¢ai even if, just how youdid not though, in yonhearit inorder to tell it sends 1 the past, that to you to you ¢isat’ea aka. (Qisan’ga efpeji hégaji, ¢ani‘a™ téga™ udida your younger the Your younger — bail for very, you lwarit inorder to tell it brother sub. brother him that to you f 7 14 Emel ye hes Ree ve . nd ‘ t ee) a ae ee a ae ; cugé¢ai. Cénuin’ga ¢a® béugaqti ¢afea™ ¢ai, etpeyii"¢in’ ki¢ai. sends it to Young wan the all have pitied me, they have caused erief you. coll, for wy own (child). S ks f Sa ak ate “ye / « / ‘ hes Ie! 2] v6 ‘ Ca™ Akiha® bé¢tiga ¢itigé daxe ga™. ca” na™ji"cké’qtci ga" Well, beyond all T have made it as yet just barely ~ $0 nothing nisl f = : *n/ ff SEPe etl P. be , ae Vg = vy , man ete ag¢i’, wa juagie¢e. Uwatariga, édega” niind isa”- erect I sit, woman I with her, As soon as. but (7) TLhave nothing to my Own. ¢in’ge ga”, ata” wija”be cupi ka™“b¢a yi, cupi ta minke. cheer me as, how long Isce you I arrive I wish. if, I will arrive where you where you are. are GC nfo adéce Yate eqt! i 1 waadi’h: Hew etn Th a” te edece yicté, ca”. uq¢é qtel waqi"ha wi" ti¢a¢é 1, Well, word whatyou evenif, — well, very soon paper one yousend if, say here ana‘a® ka™ b¢a. I hear it I wish. NOTES. 58, 4-5, cu¢e¢ai ¢isaiiga aka, voluntary action. Qisatga gipéji hegajt, involuntary action, as no one wills to be sad, hence ‘‘aka” is not used ; but “¢isanga aka” is understood after “cu¢e¢ai” in the next line. 58, 6, gipejiim¢inki¢ai. L. and W. said that this could not be used here, though a genuine Omaha expression. They substituted ‘ gipé- OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 59 jian/ki¢ai,” they are sorry for me. But G. gave four readings of equal value; gipéjin¢in’‘ki¢al, gipejian’kidai, u¢digigd¢a-im¢in/ki¢ai, the strong- est expression of the four, and gi/¢ajian/ki¢ai. The differences in mean- ing will be explained in the Gegiha-English dictionary. W. gave gite- gi-it¢in’ki¢ai as a syn. of gipéji-in¢in’ki¢ai. The following might have been said by the bereaved father: Nija ginité eté yi, ‘ag¢agi¢é & (or, dha), i¢adi, He ought to have kept alive (but by not doing so) he has made his father suffer! (G.) 58, 8. Uwatanga edega’, not plain to W. But G. understood it, saying that the idea of the whole sentence was: “I have nothing to cheer me here, so send me word very soon, as I wish to visit you.” TRANSLATION. -The eldest child of your younger brother is dead! Your younger brother sends now to tell you about it, even though, if you have heard it through another source, you have not sent any message of sympathy! Your younger brother wishes you to know that he is in the depth of sorrow, so he sends this letter to you. All the young men have pitied me, they have condoled with me for the death of my only son. More- over, I have parted with everything, and my wife and I barely sit erect, being destitute. But as soon as the period of mourning is over I will visit you (if you send for me), since I have nothing to cheer me at home. If you have anything to say, please send a letter very soon, as f wish to hear it. MAWADA‘G(IX TO TUHI AND MAHI‘, NO HEART, NEBR. Cay See), ° , , , , , e Cin’gajin’ga ¢i¢ha aki¢a wabdg¢eze oig¢a™ weedxe tidai. Child your both letter that to make it he has for them begun. (izfga” aka (Mawada¢i") iyin’ege na™qti ké eftte, édega™ Your the sub. (Mandan) his son fully grown the dead but erand- recl. to him, father ob. eee ¢ijin'ge ¢igaq¢a" igahi ¢and‘a" tai-Cga" wabdg¢eze gi¢a™ your son your wife (mixed, or) you hear it in order letter that together tliat (pl) with : , ¢igaxai. Ca” i™¢a-maji héga-maji. Edada" i"wi qpa¢ée té © ? he has made Well, Tam sad [am very. What L have lost it the to you. ob., ¢ana‘a® téga" uwib¢a cu¢éa¢ai. A™wa™ qpani héga-miji, cat you hearit inorder I tellit to L send it to I am poor Iam very, yet that you you (pl.). ; i (dual) , wy , ee / , en/ o ; ; by . : A 5 ¢icti ucka™ ea” ma”oni™ yi, and‘a"™ ka™b¢a. Ca™ wabdg¢éeze you too deed how you walk its I hear it I wish. Well, letter . . / . ss wi? tia’ ¢aki¢é ka’ b¢a. one you send here I wish. to me 60 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. NOTES. Tuhi and Mahi" were Iowa chiefs. Hach had a son. 59, 1, wegaxe ti¢ai, should be, ewedaxe ati, J have come hither to make it for them (i. e., write it to them), fide W.; but ewedaxu cu¢éa¢é, I write it to them and send it to you, is suggested by G. It is probable that the sender really said, ‘ wegaxe té ‘i¢ai,” he promised to make it for them, as this, when pronounced rapidly, sounds like ** wegaxe ti¢ai.” 59, 3, igahi. This should be céna, enough (W., G.), or, méga?, like- wise (G.). TRANSLATION, He promised to write a letter to both of your children. The full- grown son of your grandfather (Mandan) is dead, so he (the bereaved father) has written a letter in order that you and yovr wives and sons likewise may hear it. I am very sad. I have sent to tell you that I have lost something. I am very poor, still I wish to hear how you are. L wish you to send me a letter. JAMES SPRINGER, AN OMAHA, TO W. M. C. GRANT, SIBLEY, IOWA. JANUARY 26, 1880. Kagcha, ag¢i te ceta” u‘a’¢ingé b¢i-maji. Ca™ uidaqti O friend, [have the — so far in Vain I have not been. Well, very good returned here , ws ie beamed / , ? ° / a} , ages agti té cin’g@ajin’ga wiag¢ab¢i", ca" wib¢aha™. Cu¢a-bayi [have the child T have kept them, yet ti thank you, They shall not returh- my own, ed here taité. Ca™ wabagteze ad¢adai, tida™qti najimi. Hat¢i cta™ be go to Well, book they read, very good they stand. Henry you see you. him ea 4 n f ni y ray ‘ a ray 6 yiji, u¢ena ka*b¢éga". if, you tell it ! hope. to him TRANSLATION. My friend, I have net been idle since my return from your place. I reached home in safety, and I have my children with me, so I thank you (for your past kindness to them). They shall not go to you, as they are getting along very well at school here. I hope that you will tell Henry, should you see him. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 61 TA‘ WA*-GAXE JINGA TO JAMES VORE. JANUARY 27 UF LSRO. Ca” ticka™ wi" nikaci’ga d‘tiba sidadi wad¢ita" hi éde And deed one person some yesterday todosome reach- but work ed there e , . la eso , , . la la 1 = - , o eur , i¢adi¢at ¢inké fe wi" ai ucb¢a. Gan’yi fe ké wif uwib¢a agent theone word one I gave _ I told it And then word the Igive I tellit to who it to to him. ob. it to you him you wv = , , , pice, if , ha ci ¢i. Wag¢ita™ té a"wa™je¢a héga-maji, a™¢a™ sabe héga- again you. Work the Lam tired Lam very, Tsuffer (from it) Tam ob. (of it) pics / AIG 2 h arice vie , maji. Ita" wab¢ita" té ceta™ uma ¢inka sata” wab¢ita”. very. Now IT work at the so far year tive I have worked something at something. / / , orp Tat wa' ‘o¢a” wagazu agiya"b¢a gam, ta ware¢a" aagikihide, Nation eect I wish for my as, nation I watched it, my own own, Picts ! ROD Peay : ag¢ita” anaji". A™¢a™cpaha"™ ¢anaji", edada” nikaci ga maja” Tworkat Istand. You know me you stand, what people land it, my own ¢an‘di Uda” anaji® ka“ b¢a té a’¢a”cpahaqti ¢anaji". Edada® in the good = I stand I wish the you know me very well you stand. What i ens , oS o , . °,? / t. ( nikaci”ga ¢é¢uadi'cti u¢dwikié-na"-ma” ¢and‘a®. Ki gat‘a person here at different I have been talking to you you have And ~ at last times in the past about it regularly heard. é cay, rye , (ems =f = 291) = f ee hi" yi éskana u¢ita™ dada” ctéctéwa™ ub¢a” ka"b¢éga". Wiya (future) oh that work what soever T take hold I hope. Laska of it favor of you ha. Iwin/yaii-ea hd. (fieji eti uwiya" héea-maji, ki bea" a. Ye Set ch. J Ja a0 Ei st a) 5 aN 5° 4 Help me ! You on the too IT have T not a little, and so one hand aided you . OA} = Me = , ey / , , . S , ° a win yan-ea. Ca” nikaci™ ga na™ba u¢ita® té tb¢a"i té éska™ ~ help me. Well, person two work the havebad the LThope it their fill of it eb¢éga™ ga", ¢and‘a" téga" uwib¢a. Uwib¢a té ga” uwib¢a may be so as, you hear it in ae I tell it to Itellitto the at any T tell it that you. you rate to you ~ —/ © Y, T We Q ) , v , .) =) ° ha: Can’ge-ska Ibaha”bi ¢¢a"ba. Ma¢é g¢éba-na™ba ki &'di White Horse Ibaha"bi he too. Winter | twenty and on it , ~ / , ° , *n/ ay) . , Tie ° cadé ceta™ wa¢ital cde, 1’ta" ujc¢ai eb¢éga™’. Nikaci™’ga sis so far they have but, now they are I think it. Person — worked tired wi" wa¢ita" ga”¢ai di"te gat‘fa™hi® té’di éskana niaci™ ga one work desires if at last oh that person pee , vy *n/ , , o , Aji wa¢ita™ té a¢i”’ ka*b¢éga™. Cani’ge-ska ii” ¢eage cde, ..... an- work the he T hope. White Horse Ihave him for but, oth- has it an elder er brother / angiqta-baji. ... Wa¢ana™baha-na" ca” ca". he does not wish He makes us (go) in usu- always. to be intimate two ways ally with me. 62 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. TRANSLATION. When some persons came yesterday to settle one matter, [ told the agent one thing. And now I tell you. Iam very tired of the work, I suffer exceedingly from it. I have now worked for five vears. As I wish my own nation to prosper, I have been overseeing it. I continue to do my own work (in that manner). You have known me; you have known very well that I wish to dwell and prosper in the land of the Indians. You have heard me talk to you about various kinds of people at this place. And I hope that at last, after waiting so long, I may obtain some situation or other under the agent. I ask a favor of you. O help me. I have aided you considerably on the one hand, and ,so you should aid me. There are two men, who, I hope, have had suffi- cient employment; aud as you ought to know it, [ tell you. I tell you at any rate. They are White Horse and Ibaha"bi. They have had their office for twenty six years, and I think that now they are weary. If one man has an office, [ hope that the time will come at last when another man can obtain it! White Horse is my elder brother, but... he does not wish to be on friendly terms with me. He is always mak- ing us go in two directions by his talking. ~ dAG:IS-NA*PAJI TO T. IL. TIBBLES. Kagcha, u¢dagaca” ne té’ ceta” Wakan’da wab¢aha" O friend, you traveled you the so far God Lhave prayed to went about some- thing. / , , e , . ‘+ , 5S , Wakan'da wa¢aha"-macé b¢étiigaqti ¢and‘a® tai. Ucka™ ¢ija God ye who pray to him ail you will hear it. Deel your about something. u¢uwihai, i¢apaha"-maji’qti, nid¢a-na™ té u¢twihaf. Aniqa I follow you I do not know it at all, at randomusu- the I follow you I live (pl) on account ally (pl ) on account of it, of it. | , Pp. , , e , etega”™ eb¢éga? ega” licka™ u¢tiwihat, apt I think it as deed I follow you (pl) on account ct it. TRANSLATION, My friend, I have prayed to God about something since you went about the country in our behalf. May you hear it, all ye who pray to God! I follow you on account of your mode of life, though I do not know it at all, [ follow you blindly (at random) on account of it. I fol- low your ways because I think that [ shall be apt to improve, OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 63 MAXEWA(E TO JOHN PRIMEAU, A PONKA. Ca” macté yi, cupi etéga", kagéha. Ca” ie té éskana Well, warm when, I reach apt, O friend. Well, word the Ob that you / ld ca" ca" ¢ag¢ice¢a’ yi ka*b¢éga®. ..... eave you do not break it, I hope. your own TRANSLATION. ’ frienc may come to see you when the weather gets warm. My f 1, I ma t ; | tl vuther gets war i hope that you will never break your word. UNE-MA‘¢IX, AN OMAHA, TO MRS. MINNA SCHWEDHELM, WEST POINT, NEBR. JANUARY 29. Ca” cé¢u wija™be. pi te¢an’di i¢te wiya™be pi ehé 3 Well, youder T see you I at the place, I spoke IT see you I T said where reached inthe past reach you are there ft e , , , jie 4 fea, 4 e JA , P te¢a” i¢dusicta" cea" ¢a™ja, ag¢i te’di ékita"hda Tjiga™¢at in the I told a lie so though, T came when just at that Grandfather past back here time aka yi wai ‘¢ai, ki nikaci”ga ¢éama bétigaqti Glkanie ve the house promised to and people these all were sub. give them to us, active. us o “at / /1. > U‘artiii’ga-maji ceta™ ag¢i‘a ja” ka™b¢a ké. Ki ca™ aba 6 1 am not at leisure so far I have not ae I desire the And yet day finished lg. ob. my work wija” be té i¢apaha?-maji’-qti-ma™. Wad¢ita" hegaji ab¢i” I see you the I oo not know at all. Word not alittle Ihave it, ja” ol ¢ajia ji-ea. Te ¢utaqti uwibd¢a cligeEdgs. Yet do not be sad ! Word very cor- I tell it to T send it to rectly you you, —/ , w , ° 3 ~Can’ge-ma cti wa¢ital. ... 9 The horses too are working. TRANSLATION. When I went to see you and said that | would come to see you and speak to you again, I told a lie (but unintentionally); but as soon as I came home the President promised to give us houses; hence all ee Indians have been stirring. I have not yet had any leisure; I have not yet finished my work. I refer to the logs which I desire (for my aes I do not know at all on what day I can see you. I bave an abundance of work. Yet, do not be displeased! I send to tell you a correct account (of affairs here). The horses, too, are working, oD) 6 9 64. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. GAHIGE TO HIS SON SILAS WOOD. NIOBRARA, NEBR. FEBRUARY 7, 1880. r , , a , r {eye - ine / , Wacpaxu tif¢a¢e ¢a™ and‘a" cde wa” ¢ingé. (Qita’ ta ama You wrote you sent the Theardit — but im vain. Those who will work something it here ob. if} wasnin’dai. Ki ca” juga wiqtci wé¢ie¢a" té idatqti daxe are slow. And yet “body I myself plan the very good Tmadeit édega" bd¢i‘a ta minke. Qrand‘a” téga" uwib¢a cu¢éa¢é but I shall fail You hear it in order I tell it to I send it to that you you. , vy *1/ / ~/ be / / , ita U / Ukit‘é-ma wi” ya" be té’di cka” a"waseya" cde i’teqi. Cat The foreign one I saw it when motion I was rapid but difticult Well, nations for me. r vi Sy} © at ae S ° roe o BS , ida" téya wackan’-gi. Mskana da” té i'¢dési¢é ka™b¢éga™. good with re- inake an effort. Oh that good the vou remem- hope. gard to the ber it for me Wee , : , , , z 1 / *n/ Yi , ? , Sindé-g¢ecka ¢ awake. Ca™ waqi™ha Sindé-e¢ecka eq Spotted Tail him Imean him. Well, paper Spotted ‘Vail his / w ‘n/a Pore 8 ye v / , rae ya” be yi, 1’¢é, ula’ ¢ingé ’¢e. Uma™ha™ ama wé¢ihide I see it if, Tam for no reason Tam > Omaha the pl. implement glad, glad. sub. si oye ur , P fg yy) 2 : / fo : ké’ cti ¢izé ta ama ha, macté tédihi yi, ga” na‘afi’-ga: wé‘i?, the too — will receive , wart by the time — at any hear it! horse- ob. when, rate collar, jama’ ¢i", weé'e, wayu. Nié a¢in’gé-qti-ma™” ha. lu¢a 5 wagon, plow, pitehtork. Pain I have none whatever a News amin’ ee, I have none. NOTE. 64,9. Wayu generally means, an aiel; but in this case it refers to pitchforks, which are usually called, “qad-ibaqapi,” or “ qad-i¢ize.” Wayu jaqa, ‘forked awl,” is a table fork, and wayu jinga, “small awl,” a pin or needle, TRANSLATION. I have heard what you wrote and sent hither, but it is in vain. Those who will transact the business are delaying. J myself have formed a very good plan, but [ shall fail. I send to tell you. When I saw one of the foreign nations I was rapid in my movements, but it was difficult for me. Persevere with regard to the good! TI hope that, for my sake, you will remember what is good. I refer to Spotted Tail. Tam glad when If see a letter from him, though it is to no purpose. (It is Said that?) the Omahas will receive various implements against the summer comes, including horse-collars, wagons, plows, and pitehforks. Hear it at any rate (whether you intend coming back to get your share or not). | am very well. I have no news. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 65 UNE-MA*¢1* TO MRS. SCHWEDHELM. FEBRUARY 9, 1880. / ava siel® , , . A™ba pi taté. Uheé piiji-ma t‘a™i éga", ca” a™ba-waqtbe Day I tall reach Path the bad ones abound as, and mysterious day there. ¢é ehébe pi ka™b¢a ctéctéwa" b¢i‘a etéga® éga™,... this part of it I I wish even if I fail apt as, reach there NOTE. This is only part of the letter. TRANSLATION. I shall reach the day (when I can visit you ?) There are many bad roads at this season of the year, and though I wish to reach there before ali of this week shail have passed, I shall probably fail to do so. Therefore (de not be displeased if [ postpone my coming). GEORGE MILLER TO LOUIS ROY. YANKTON AGENCY, D. T., FEBRU- ARY 10, 1880. Nugé pahan’gadi cupi té’di i’tcea™ ci wija”be ka b¢a. Summer formerly ITreached when now again Jsee you I wish. you r we ~ Pe 7 / Wisin! fee. ae es fs Watita” ag¢icta" yi, cub¢é ka™b¢a. Wii ¢é cti ¢isi¢e-na”i. Work I finish mine when, I go to I wish. My elder too thinks usu- you brother of you ally. Than’‘kta"wi” ama e‘a” éite waqi”ha cuhi yi, awadna‘a® | ; Yankton the pl. how perhaps paper reaches when, I hear about sub. you them / . jae . ld , —— \/ as Ghose , , ka™b¢a. Winaqtci ga" cub¢é ta minke. (i-ninke’cédi cupt IT wish. I alone at any I will go to you. To you who sit { will rate reach ta minke. there where you are. NOTES. George Miller, or A*¢abi, an Omaha of the Ictasanda gens, wrote other letters in 1889. See later pages. Louis Roy was the son of a French father and a Ponka mother. 65, 4. Wijim¢e, Edward Miller, George’s cousin according to civilized kinship systems, and a member of the same gens. 65, 6. Pi-ninkécédi, contr. from ¢ininkéce and edi. TRANSLATION. During a former summer I went to visit you, and now again I wish to see you. I wish to go to you when I finish my work. My elder : 10967——d Cr - 66 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. brother, too, remembers you. I wish to hear how the Yanktons are when this letter reaches you. I will go to you by myself. I will come to your house. BIG ELK, AN OMAHA, TO REV. JAMES POWELL, CHICAGO. FEBRU- ARY 11, 1880. Kag¢éha, wisi¢é-na" ca™ca®. Cé pi te'di. edadat vidas ] O friend, Ithink — usu- always. That I when what you of you ally reached there on Oa , . / ° / , / , ma?oni” ninké wija™bai. Wakan’da wa¢aha" ¢ awake. Ag¢ti you walked you who T saw you, God praying to it I mean it. Icame sat him about back « something here . f bd VE M4 f , ~ utd , vy éga® udwakié nikaci“ga-ma. Ca” o¢cba-cadéqti¢ga™ yi té having I talked to the people (pl. ob.). Well about sixty house the them ob. udai eb¢éga", Nicide kée‘di. I’ tea™ a™ba-waqube te’di e¢é- | Ss entered a shine it, Missouri R. — by the. Now niysterious day onthe just baqti nf ¢ata™i, nackf agaqta™i: A*’ba-hébe iquepa, Mac‘a- ten water they head they dropped Half-a-day his grand- Richard drank, on: son, wakiide, ye-jin’ga-wada¢inge, Ma‘a-qude, Wadjépa ijin’ge, Rush, Skittish Buffalo Calf, Gray ane eee Wadjepa his son, Ki uda"™ wija”bai ga”, éga" ka”b¢a. Ag¢i te’di éga® gaxal And good Isaw you (pl.) as, so T wish. I came when so they did back here ian pe ane ° Vis ay isle ¢éama d‘tiiba. Ki eondgtct Wakan’'da ¢inké a™¢an’gunaji® these some. And he alone God the st. we stand by (we one depend on) him = *n/ Ww * : e : ° , — , yi, a ni™ja tai, ehé. Maja” ¢an'‘di enaqtci gaxe ¢inké if, we will live Isay. Land in the he ouly the one who is (sits) making amgan cundji” tai-bi éga" wegaxai. Ki“ Wi-na” a®si¢é ma*¢i™ 1-8 that we will depend on him 80 he wales it And Tonly to remem- walk ye for us. ber me , ® cw, / / ha. Wi-ona™ uda™ té ab¢i’.” Maja” ¢an‘di ctéwa™ a’ma™ ¢i” ! I only good the I bave it. Land in the soever we walk y A Vf VA rd 2 , la v . , té eona™ at¢a” wacka" etéga’i. Cé¢u cupi tédi, fe daxe the it only we make an effort by apt. Yonder Lreach when word I make means Of it where you there are where you are asi -y/ Ld , Ke hd ¢a™ja, djiba daxe. Piqti wib¢aha" cu¢cad¢ai, Wakan‘da although, few I make. Anew I pray to you I Sa you God (pl), , j oS ha , cae , Ta paere y wa¢aha"-mace. (fiondqtei oniwagazu onai. Wartie-macé, ye who pray to him Only you you cor rae tit you go. O ye lawyers, about something. ccna u¢iwindyi"i maja” ¢an‘di. Ki nikaci™ ga uké¢i" an’ga¢i" enough I depend on you land on the. And Indian common we whomoyve (pl) maja” agd¢a¢i® wed¢écka"onat ¢éga" wed¢dnita® matni™i. Ki Jand to have his you wish it for us as you ‘work for you walk. And own us OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 67 i¢dugde’ gti wisi¢ai marbd¢i’. Eskana maja™ ¢a" ag¢ab¢i” continually I think of I walk. Ob that land the I have my you (pl.) ob. own gi’ wanket‘a'i ka’ eb¢éga*-na® ca ca". Nan‘de ¢a® i“uda*qti they acquire mine for me I hope it usu- always. Heart the very good ally for me Wakan'da ¢inké enaqtei ugiiandye ma"b¢i™. Nikaci’ga uké¢i" God the st. He only I depend on T walk. Indian common one him amma’ ii té wag¢a™¢i"i té we¢énicé¢a" cka™nai, we¢éa"na we walked the we are foolish the you abolish it far you (pl.) you throw it us wish, away from us e os 2 e or = , ~~ ecka™nai. Nikaci™ga wackixe cka™nai. Ucka™ gaté nicta™ you (pl.) Human Renee you make us you (pl.) Deed that you fin- wish. wish. ish it v - vy U ° ° / . tédihi yi, nikaci”ga a™ma™¢i" ¢ga™qtia™ tai, maja" ¢an‘di. by the time human beings we walk ~ just so will, land in the. when (or that), Ki wacka” wa¢in’gai. Wacka™ganga’qti wackaxe éga” tal. And strength we have none. Very sane you make us 80 will. TRANSLATION. My friend, I am thinking of you from time to time. When I arrived at the place where you are, [ saw you continue at what is good. I refer to praying to God. After my return home, I talked to the people. I think that about sixty of them entered the (mission) house near the Missouri River. During this present week just ten have been baptized, and they have partaken of the Lord’s supper (?). Among them are the grandson of Half-a-Day, Richard Rush, Skittish Buffalo Calf, Gray Cottonwood, and Wadjepa’s son. And as I saw that you were good, so I desire. Upon my return home some of these (Omahas) did so (7. e., they resolved to be Christians). I said, ‘If we depend upon Him who alone is God, we shall improve.” He (God) has ordained for us that we should depend (07, stand by) the only one who accomplishes any- thing by means of the ground (7. e., the white man?). (God says to us:—) ‘Continue to think about Me alone! I alone have what is good.” In whatsoever country we walk, we can persevere only by means of that (advice). When I was with you I made only a few remarks. O ye who pray to God, I send anew to petition to you. You alone continue to do what is right. O ye who are under the protection of the law, on you and the Christian people [ depend for the preserva- tion of my title to my land. As you wish us Indians to retain our own land, you continue to make efforts in our behalf. I am thinking of you without intermission. I am ever hoping that they may acquire my own land for me. I[ continue with joy to depend on God alone. You desire to abolish for us the foolishness of our lives as Indians; you wish to throw it away from us. You wish to make men of us. By the time that you accomplish that thing we shall walk in this country as human beings. But we have no strength. Please make us very strong. 15 68 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. MA*TCU-NAXBA TO MIGGA’ XE WA@ATAI, YANKTON AGENCY, DAKOT ’ ’ TERRITORY, 1879 A*wan'kega teabe ¢a™ja, ca” waqi"ha cu¢éwiki¢é. Pahan Tam sick very though, yet paper T send it to you by Often, some one. f eadieti nikaci’ ea dea" wi? ti¢e ha, wiya’ bal pi yi. Wawe o oD tan) ) formerly Indian like one was . Tsaw you(pl.) I when. You aske sent reached question hither there about na'xe pahan‘ga té zaniqti ab¢i’ (Ca” edada" twa™xe i¢é6 1 various before the all Thave it. Well, what to ask a he t things question sent hither , —~/ é awake.). Wija"béqti uwib¢a tai minké ha. A*™wai’keg it Imean it. I really see you I will tell it to you (pl.) : Iam sick [een if e vy, *H/ . édega™ at’é taté i¢dyidaha™-ctéwa"-maji, ci ani” taté idday! but I shall die I do not know the least thing about again I shall live. I do nc) myself, / ig pire = , , ° / / ee daha” -ctéwa-maji. Ca®™ ucté ama ¢ida™ be ga ¢ai éga® cul know at all about myself. Well, they the pl. to see you they wish as they remain sub. shal | taité. Qéganka @e‘dge ¢anka cuhi taité ¢a™ja, cin’ gajin’g reach These old man the ones shall reach you though, child you. who WY fs , ¢ , — , . . wiwija, Icta-basude, ¢ pahan’ga taté. Anegtikikié ka” bd ) : ) o my own, Icta-basude, he shall ee the first. We talk together I wish 7: peqie? Tp eys : / ~/ ¢a™ja, Thank’ta"wi” yi ¢an‘di é’di ¢ana™’cta® ka"b¢éga™: &¢ though, Yankton vil- in the there you stop walk- I hope: the | lage ing eahi etaf. Maapf-jide, Iyfga"¢at ¢inkéya ef yi, in’ yiya-e | 8 [}; a-g they may reach Red Cloud, Grandfather to the st. you if, request that m you. one reach petition be there granted as a fav to yourself. , : nL e / ray (ee wa °n/ / Uawakié ka”b¢a ha. Uma ha?-madi ticka"™ wi a"wa™ ¢a- IT talk to them I wish : To the Omahas deed one tell about me about some- - thing ha, 6ya hii yi. IThank’ta"wi” yi ¢ati yi, uq¢é waqi"h ! there they if. Yankton house you when, soon paper arrive . come there . , / ra la = le / - tian’ ki¢a-git. Winda‘a" ka™“b¢a. Edi yi, cuhi da ctéa send hither to mee I hear from I wish. In that case, they perhaps you reach you taité ha. shall (pl.) To Wivyakoi":)—Ta"ekaha, a™ ba¢é a®wan/kega héea-maj te y a) ) oD oD O sister’s son, to-day Tam sick J am very. Angini yi, wija™be ta minke, ki angini-maji yi, wija™ ba-ma, I recover if, I will see you, and I ae not recover if, I will not ta minke. see you, OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 69 NOTES. This letter was dictated by Ma™tcu-na®ba when all thought him dying, He was surrounded by the chiefs and his kindred when the author recorded his words. yig¢a*xe-wa¢atai was probably intended for the Dakota, Tulimaga-wiéayutapi (Tuqmaxa-witcayutapi), a person who has not been identified. The name probably means, Honey Eater. Part of the letter was addressed to the chief, Red Cloud, and the clos- ing sentences to the Yankton Wiyakoi". 68, 1. Pahangadicti nikaci"ga ega® wi? ti¢é ha, wiga"bai pi ki. This sentence puzzled L. and F. as well as the author; but G. has explained it, after transposing “ega™” and “ wi",” supplying wabag¢eze, a letter, and changing “pi” to “ag¢i,” I have returned. TRANSLATION. Though I am very ill I send you a Jetter by some one. Often in the past, when I returned home after visiting you, a letter would come from you, just like a person (to ask for presents for the Yanktons). I have all the things about which you formerly asked questions. (Hx- planatory sentence adiressed to the writer: Well, I refer to some things concerning which he sent hither to ask questions.) I will tell you when I see you face to face. I.am ill, but I do not know at all whether I shall live or die. But as the others wish to see you, they shall reach you (as they are not ill?). ‘These venerable men shall get to see you, but my child, Icta-basude, shall be the first (or leader). I wish that we might talk together, but I hope that you will stop (awhile?) at the Yankton village (Agency ?); and there they (the other Omaha chiefs) may reach you. O Red Cloud, when you reach Washington, ask that my petition be granted as a personal favor to you. I wish to talk to him about several matters. When the Omahas reach the Yankton vil- lage, tell them what you will give tome. When you come (on your way hither) to the Yankton lodges, send mea letter quickly. I wish to hear from*you. In that case he(?) may reach you. (To Wiyakoi?:)—O sister’s son, I am very ill to-day. If I recover, I shall (go to) see you, and if I d6 not recover, 1 shall not (go to) see you. GAHIGE TO BATTISTE DEROIN, OTO AGENCY, NEBR. FEBRUARY 14, 1880. Waqi”ha ¢a® sididi ti ha. Sidddi tf té b¢ize ékita"haqtei Paper the yester- came . Yester- came the Itook just at that time ob. day day it is fe nN eA = vit a) = ‘ & © ‘ ae 7 . f ae / « fi 4 4 "<« nikagahi waxai. Ca™ edadda”™ fu¢a ¢itgé. Ar¢a™naxaf éea™ chief they made Well, what news there is You (pl.) asked me as them. none. a question , . rs , en/ , , - . , , . uwib¢ai. Ca" nikaci”’ga amd wayig¢ita’i dea" waqe waxai 3 I tell it to Well, the people the pl. they work for as white they act you (pl.) sub. themselves people 70 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. ita". Ja™qganen ¢ita™’i te & dawake. Wagéita™ wad¢iAna‘a?- = now. Large logs they work the it I mean it. Work you have usually at (act) heard about fie, ey , . , my; / , *n/ , na” i ita" wa¢ita"l. Nikaciga uké¢i® ya™“haha ¢ag¢i"-maceé, them now they work. Indian common you who sit on the borders of dif- ferent (tribes), wacka™-ega™i-gh. Jtaji-na’i wind‘a"i: wanita"-baji é awake. do make (ye) an effort. Inferior —usu- T have heard you do not work it I mean it. ally about you: 77° i , id Maja™ ¢an‘di wage ama akictigai, Ada” i¢ddi¢ai edada® edé Land in the white the pl. stand very there- agent what what people sub. thick, fore he says ~ nN / . fe t® an’ g win’ ya"-na™i. Ca? edada® si¢éwa¢é ¢iigé. A™wa™ ¢ita™l the we usually help him. Well, what memorable eres is We work none. ~ , Shi ™ jf if Lane i poaie, Poy tédita® wai" sagi a™i™i. Ceta™ wijiga” a¢an’gunaji"-baji, since (or Dlankets firm we have So far my grand- we have not depended ou conse- worn. , father him, quently) ec , ‘. , , ° /e v of na"bé té wacka”atgiki¢ai. I¢adi¢ai ug¢ikie-na™i té éga™ hand the we cause our own, to Agent he speaks — usn- the so make an effort. to you ally oixai-ga: é-na"™ uda®" té eb¢éga® ha. U Twa¢agina téga" uwib¢a 5° p< do ye! itonly good the I think it j Youtellsomething inorder I tell it to to him that you Li ~ , Le ie if ta , cu¢éa¢e. Nikaci”ga ¢i¢itja-ma na‘a™. ewdéka"b¢a. Waweé¢e- I send it to People — those who are to hearit IJ wish for them. You teach you. your own them {4 , LAA es , . , ia / ye cka™ze téga™ uwib¢a. Id¢adi¢at é¢a"ba na‘a” ¢éka™b¢a. various inorder I tell it to A gent he too to hear it I wish for things that you. him. TRANSLATION. The letter came yesterday. Just at the time that I received it they made (new) chiefs. There is no news. As you (pl.) have asked mea question, I tell you (pl.). As the Tcaaiis work for themselves, they now live as white people. I refer to their logging operations. _You have generally heard about their working, but now they are working indeed! O ye who dwell on the borders of different tribes of Indians, do make some efforts to better your condition! I have heard about you those things which are ans discreditable to any one: I refer to your not working. ‘The white people are very plentiful in this coun- try, therefore we usually help the agent when he says anything. There is nothing worthy of remembrance. Since we have learned to work we have worn good blankets. We have not yet depended on the Gov- ernment for a support; we have caused our hands to make efforts. Whenever the agent talks to you, do as he says. I think that that is the only good thing for you. I send and tell you that you may tell something to him. I wish your people to hear (iny advice to you). I tell you because I wish you to teach them various things. I wish the agent too to hear it. ie! Se OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 71 WASABE-LANGA TO NICGA™-CINE, AN OLO: Wagqi™ha cu¢éa¢é ta minke. Haqtde wai” jide uctat Paper I will send it to you. Robe blanket red remains te'di, pe-jéga ¢af wika"b¢a. (la‘i-baji yi, eub¢é ta minke when, ‘Le-jega you give I wish for you. You do not if, I will go to you it to him give it to him wl ° » toe eee / rcs / PASS ° rice Rie Zan sy} uq¢é qti. Caii’ge ta” ar¢a4 ta” ajiqti a%¢ao. Wace cafi'ge very soon. Horse’ thestd. yougave thestd. entirely you gave White horse ob. it to me ob. different it tome. people one , , wl ye rare Fie e Bey Goo , evi uctal té'di a®¢a‘i-baji 1 ¢a-mayjiqti pl. their remain when you have not I was very sad I was given it to me returning hither. NOTES. This letter was also dictated in Oto by Ckaqoe-yine. 71,2. pejega, te. Tee-reye, an Oto. The name means Hind quar- ter (reye) of a Buffalo (tee). 71, 3. Cai/ge ta", ete. Either of the following can be substituted: Can‘ge ta® agai ‘i¢adé-de ajiqti a™¢a‘i, You promised to give me the Horse the you you prom- very dif- you std.ob. gave ised, but ferent gave me me, horse, but you have given me one that is entirely different. 2. Can/ge ta® Horse the std. ob. an¢asi ka” b¢a ta" an¢a‘i-aji éga", djiqti an¢a, You did not give me you I wish the you did not as, very dif- you gave std. give to me ferent gave me ob. me horse that I desired you to give to me, but you have given me an entirely dif- JSerent one. TRANSLATION. I will send you a letter. If a robe or red blanket is left over (after the distribution ?), I wish you to give it to ye-jega. If you do not give it to him, [ will go to (see) you very soon. You gave me a different horse from the one which you promised to give me. I was exceedingly displeased as I came hither, because when there were some American horses remaining vou did not give me one. NUDA*-AXA, A PONKA, TO NILA-LAN GA-WA‘I, A KANSA. FEBRUARY 16, 1880. / e / . . Ga” waqi™ha ¢and-na™ ¢a” wi'i cu¢déa¢ai. Ca™ ea” And paper you have often theob. I give I send it to Well, how begged it to you you (pl.). *nH/ e . . . Fans ma"ni™ yi ga” a”ba ¢é¢uddi wina‘a ka™b¢a. Ki macté you walk if at any day on this I hear from I wish. And warm rate you (pl.} 5 A ~ . aay ETC tédihi a®cta™be ka™b¢éea® Cat tida™qti ma®b¢i™ ¢é¢uddi. o by the you see me I hope. Well, = very goud I walk here. lime it is reached 72 OMAHA AND: PONKA LETTERS. Anita ya" gé ean’giga® éga" atdin’dé-qti-ma™. A®wa cka?- Limbs mus. thepl iam asI was as I have them very firm. T am very cles in. ob. formerly i / / *n/ n/ Varig GO RS *n/ qyafi'ga-qti-ma™ ada”. ‘ya™ze wi” Na™pewa¢é yaje agi ~ strong because. Kansas one Dangerous his name he has e¢a” ba, waqi”ha cu¢déa¢e ¢a” cuhf tédihi yi, uq¢é’qtei wi" he too, paper ITsenttohim the itreaches by the time very soon one ob. you that Roe ta , NS awf *1/ A es fay / vga katb¢éga™. (higan ge wi” ¢at‘a™ éga™ asi¢é-na"-ma" you give I hope. Your sister one you have as Tam usually think- it to me ing of her , if ,ce ree Cé¢du wanita na”ba afi ¢ankd awdgisi¢é-na™-ma™, ji’¢eha. Yonder quadruped two you gave theones’ Iam usually thinking of then O elder where to me that brother. you are ‘ NOTES. Niga-janiga-wa‘i is the Ponka notation of the Kansa, Na"ta-tanga- wak’ii, Mule-Giver, a nickname. 72, 2. Na*pewa¢é, the Ponka notation of the Kansa, Nu™pewaye. TRANSLATION. i send you the letter which you have often begged of me. I wish on this day to hear from you; how you are getting along. I hope to see you against the warm weather arrives. I am doing very weil here. As my limbs and muscles have recovered their former condition, I am very sound (or hardy). For that reason I am very strong. I send this letter to you and toa Kansa named Na"pewa¢é. When it reaches you, I hope that you will send me one very soon. As you have a sister, I am usually thinking of her. O elder brother, I am usually thinking about my two animals which you gave me when I was yonder where you are. DUBA-MAXGIN TO MAN‘E-GAHI, A PONKA, NIOBRARA, NEBR. FEBRU- ARY 16, 1880. Wabdgteze wi" g¢ia’¢aki¢é ¢a™ b¢izé ha, ¢agdé tédi. Letter one you havesentback the Ihave re- é you went when. to me ceived it back thither NS nh) Sip foonf aw ° / v / 9 Maja™ itéxajya ne té i” ¢é-qti-ma”. Ki ca” ne té 1”¢a- Land towards the you the I was very glad. And yet you the Iwas head of the went went river BS) G / a / , A ie inf pes I atte =e) [ OEY gO ies, Om maji’-qti-ma™. Ki a”ba¢dé nikaci”ga ¢é¢ifike ikagea¢é ¢inké very sad. And to-day person — this st. one T have him the st. for a friend one wabigteze iwi ¢a, i” ¢é-qti-ma” ya“ be té. Ugq¢e’qtei can’ge letter has told it to T was very glad T saw it when. Very soon horse me, oy, *H/ , Fay , , *niiv ¥ , Y ft wi” ab¢i’, ecé. Ki ¢ dwake, i”¢é ehé té. Maja” ¢é¢u ¢anajr one Ihave, you And it Imeantit, Iwas Isaid the. Land here you stood said. glad OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 3 Re aa -té'di iu¢a ¢ingé. A’ ba-waqube dma te¢an’di a“ba wéduba té when news there Mysterious day other — on the, iu day fourth the is none. the past / , /e 4 S ° a *n/ / Uma™ha” ama cka™i. ji té ugipi. Ki nikaci”ga-ma baza”™ Omaha the pl. were House the wasfull. And the people pushing sub. acting. ob, the way through *H/ se: . fe or . / , ° ma"b¢i”. Ki ¢icta’i té’di a™ba-waqube ¢¢, nikaci™ga I walked. And they fin- when mysterious day this, people ished Ss ee . , . Pee , *n/ ama ci u¢éwinki¢at b¢tgaqti. Ki nikaci"’ga ama cé te ¢a- the pl. again assembled all. And people the pl. that word you sub. sub. Oy, ° , re ry rs Pa he Ovise ° na‘a"-na" ké ¢iuda"™ S¢ai. Ki ukikie gé fe uda*qti iigaxai -heard usu- the todo good prom- And talking thepl. werd very good did forme ally ised together in. ob. Shee ae ~/ — | aise ree nikaci”ga ama. Ki ca” éskana can’ge ¢ima™¢a"i té i¢agi¢ée people the pl. And yet ob that horse was stolen the you have sub. from you (act)? found your own < \ Cie : . , / / Opes té wa¢iona tédihi xi, ¢agicta*be etéga®. Ca” e‘a™ nikaci”ga the visible itarrives when, you see vour apt. Well, how people there own rs J , Oye ~ lA w itixaja-ma ma¢i"i té wabiag¢eze ¢é¢a" cuhi, nize yi, e‘a” those toward the they walk — the letter thisone reaches youre- when, how head of the river you ceive it *H/ . ° Se ¢ i ” : , e ma¢im i"wi’¢ana ti¢a¢é ka*b¢éga™. Ca™ éskana tdaaqti they walk yontellittome you send I hope. Well, oh that very good it here -ma’ni” ka®. Edada® ctéctéwa™ iida® ani” ka"b¢éga™. Wisité you walk Ut W hat soever good you have I hope. I think = hope (?). of you "n/ esa 1 / / aie , , , . / ma™b¢i” téinke. Ca™ ga™-na™ edada™ iu¢a céna na*buwib¢a” I walk will (?). Well, still usu- what news enough TI shake hands with ally you [ t ] DS ° , GIVE PIL as, ~/ ye o y+ / . té ékiga". QM nikaci”ga ukikiaf té/di, y,e-j¢-baye waha" ‘ai. the itislikeit. This people they talked when, Lejebaye prayed for a together special object. wl ye re ns ite rife Oe) fe pane reas eerie “Uq¢e'qti wigia’b¢a ag¢é ti minke, eb¢éga",” ai. Ga'’-na™ Very soon Tleave you, my I will go back (or home- I think, he And — usn- own ward), said. ally Ovi Pe Peas , vy 4 , Sn *n/ 4 itaxajya eddda® u¢ane né té éskana edada"™ wi” ab¢i™ enéga™ toward the what you you the oh that what one IThaveit youthink head of sought went i the river wa¢acka" etéga". Ga” céna uwib¢a. you make an apt. And enough I have told effort it to you. TRANSLATION. When you returned to your old home on the Niobrara, you sent me a letter, which I have received. IT was very glad that you went to the land towards the head of the Missouri River. And yet IT was very sad. And to-day, this person whom I regard as my friend (the writer), has told me what you have 4 se hte tine iy e an 74 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. said, and I was very glad to see it (your letter). You said, “TI have soon possessed a horse.” I refer to that when I say, “I was glad.” There was no news when you were here. On Wednesday of last week (?) the Omahas were acting. The house was filled. And I was in the crowd of people. They adjourned the meeting till this week, when they assembled again the entire nation. And the people promised to do good, according to the words which you used to hear often. And having talked together several times (?), the people spoke a very good word for me. I hope that you may see your horses again that were stolen from you. I hope that you will send me a letter when you receive this one, and tell me what the tribes are doing that dwell on the Upper Missouri. I hope that you are prospering. I hope that you have various good things. I will continue to remember you. Well, I have sent you some news, and it has been like shaking hands with you. When these men talked together, ye-je-baje prayed to them for a special object. He said, “I think that I will leave you very soon and go home (to my old land on the Niobrara).” Now, when you go towards the head of the Missouri River in search of something, I hope that you will do what you can to acquire something which you may think I ought to have. I have told you enough. PART OF A LETTER OF GAHIGE TO HIS SON SILAS. FEBRUARY, 1880. Nikaci”ga ama yie¢iwagdzu ha, wigazu ha. People the pl. have made them- ; straight sub. selves straight TRANSLATION. The people have acted uprightly for their own advantage, and all is well. TA‘WA*‘-GAXE JINGA, AN OMAHA, TO MAWATA®NA, A YANKTON. FEBRUARY 17, 1880. Nikaci”ga-macé, cka” efa” mani” éskana wagaziqti O ye people, act how you walk oh that very straight *nn/ , y iE Vier Yon/ a ea be N / Sse fe 3 Mwi"¢ana i¢a¢dé ka"b¢éga’. Ga™ cé¢anika, Caa™ jin’gs to tellitto me you send I hope. And those, Dakota small hither cin’gajin’ea wadaxe ¢ankd, waja”be ka™b¢a. Uma ¢iika child I have made the ones IT see them I wish. Year them who, *n/ , Ce apyrs 2] Ge . , , / / ¢adai té akiha® ci uma™¢inka wi" pi, éde ca™ “A™ba mentioned — the beyond ~~ again year one I but yet Day to me reached there, OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 15 edgu waja™be tatdé,” ehé t& iteqi. Qa ja wé¢ig¢a" yiydxa- there I shall see them, I said it difficult Though plan they make for me. for them. selves , i , i v OS bada® iwi" ¢a i¢ai tédthi yi'ji, cub¢é ta minke ha. Cin’ga- and (pl.) to tell it they by the time that, I will go to you : Child to me send hither ony jim ga Wiwija - ma tiwag giga-g - OA. 5 . Qisan’g oa nuya¢i” ha, those who are my tell it to en Your younger bare to the own brother waist lan x , iy , ih w edada™ icka’cka" ¢ifgé. Piqti uwib¢a cu¢éa¢ée. Paht-sa"- what by means of there is Anew I tell it to I send it to Pahi-sa"- which he can none. you you. act often mani ijfga" é¢a"ba, edada" t‘a” yi, éskana fe wagaziqti mani his gather: he too, what, he has if, oh that word ~_- very straight 1n-law qi¢a gia’ ¢aki¢é ka™b¢éga*. back Sa cause it to I hope. again be returning to me TRANSLATION. O ye people, I hope that you will send and tell me exactly how you are, and what you are doing. I wish to see those young Dakotas whom I made my children (in the pipe-dance). I failed to visit them in the year that they named to me, and I have reached another year, but still it is difficult for me to say, “I will see them on that particular day.” But by the time that they send and tell me what decision they have made for themselves, I will go to (see) you. Tell my children. Your younger brother (Mandan) is bare to the waist. He has nothing by means of which he can act often(?). I send to you to tell it anew. If Pahi-san-mani and his father-in-law have plenty of things, I hope that you will send a correct report back to me. GEORGE MERRICK TO KE-MREOE, AN OTO. Kag¢éha, nikaci’ga amd ¢éama wabdaji"a"¢ai. Ki ie té, O friend, people the pl. geese (pl. have caused me to And word the sub. sub.) take a message. ob., Chas , : en/ , kagéha, uwib¢a tai-éga" uwib¢a ta’ minke. Nikaci™ ga ama 10) friend, I tell it to in pre r I will tell it to you (s.). People the pl. you that (pl.) sub. , , *n/ a We : w , , u , : ¢éama ie wi” yind‘ai ha. Ud¢tida™bai yi, kagéha, giteqi. these (pl. word one have heard 5 They considered when, O Fiend: it was dif- sub.) about them- it ficult for selves them. 20 eee , , Ca® giteqi héga-baji éga" wabaji"a¢at éga" uwib¢a. Mé pa- In difficult oo Fe they have caused as I tell it to Spring at fact for them me to take a you. message hai’ga té’di éga"qti, kag¢éha, Uma™ha®™ 4fi ¢an‘di ¢anaji’. othe first just as O friend, Omaha village in the you stood. (it came), ior) 76 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. Maeté té i¢dug¢e’qti ¢andji®. Ki Uma™ha® jin’ga ¢i™ efa™ gm Warm the throughout you stood. And Omaha sail the how he mv. ob. was / Saaean , / wf ctéwa™ fepaha’’-qti ja”, edida™ a¢i’ ge’ cté b¢tiga fepaha”. soever you fully understood, what hehad tbe pl. even all you knew. in. ob. . , v sf o~ , D ae vy / yv Giteqi-bi ehé te can’ge ¢ingai. Ki ukit'® a®wa™waya cté That itis difi- Isay the horse there is And foreign whither so- cult for them none. nation ever ugdca"-baji, ci made ifdug¢e’qti ci éga". Ada® nikaci’ga they have not again winter throughout again so. There- people traveled, fore , /s eis PP | , . e *y/ ama ¢i¢ahan’1. (hati yi'ji, nan’de wa¢iqpa¢i", ci nikaci"’ga-ma the pl. they pray to You if, heart yours (is) poor, again the people sub. you. come here U }ha2 ¢ nn‘d J byawa bhgat S457] hat yD! ma”ha"-ma nan'de waqpa¢iwa¢a¢al te byppyuhal, ca the Omahas heart you make them poor the they appre- in hend on their fact own account, Uma™ha?-ma éwa¢a¢e’-cti-ma nin’de waqpa¢i"wa¢agi¢e te. the Omahas the ones, too, whom you heart you will cause them, your kindred, have for kindred to be poor. / oo % / fe 7? Ni. ye | fi Ca” ¢atiiiji ka” e¢éga™i. Qi¢aha™i. Ca® ¢ica®-baji A¢indsa- Well, you do they hope. They pray to Well, it does not they do not not come you. suit you prevent fu v v , "nD , ° baji ha, ¢i¢aha’i éga" cAi hi. Nikaci™ ga-ma can’ge-ma ¢ab¢i" you : they pray to ee they. The eonie the is ses three you have said it wi¢i"-baji, can’ge-ma wa¢ita” wiki¢é-ma eonaqtei we GIL. they do not have the Thorees the ones which they cause them only they have them, to work them. Nikaci”ga uké¢i® an’ga¢i? ga” nikaci™ga-ma pahan‘gadita® Indian common we who (use here the eon from the first move not plain) éki¢e yiyixai éga™ yiya™ bai. yiya” bai té’di wa¢ate y14, they made themselves as they looked at They looked at = when food they related to one another one another. one another gave to : one an- other, oF ae , 7 NS edida™ wi" yi'i. Ii ¢asi¢adé te. Ag and‘aryigti taté iM¢igaxa- what one they And you will think You shall not obey at all we do not gave to of it. make for you one an- (we do not other. reckon ba G e o Song t ti = tl OF n/ ak n Aji. Can’ge wa¢in’gai gga" ¢utaqti uwib¢a. Ca” weé¢ig¢a that Hotes, we have none = very cor- T have told Well, plan you). rectly it to you. Kees Il ras ule oP reer ts enega" té qa¢a g@¢iza-ga. youhave the back take your thought it again own. NOTES. 75, 10-11. Me pahaiga tédi ega™qti...d¢anaji". The addition of ega gti shows that Ke-yrede stayed a very long time (W.). Equivalent expres- sions are, Mé pahan/ga ¢an’/di égaqti ¢anaji", and Mé pahan’ga Sprivg first OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. ee tédita" ¢anaji® (G.). Stress seems to be laid on the extreme length of fromit you stood. the visit. 76, 7, ewa¢a¢ée-cti-ma, an unusual form of éwa¢a¢é-ma cti, from éwa¢e. TRANSLATION. My friend, these Indians have requested me to deliver a message. My friend, I will tell the words to you in order to tell them to all of you. These Indians have heard a message concerning themselves. After considering the subject, my friend, they have found it difficult Yor them. In fact, as it is very difficult for them, they have authorized me to speak for them, and so I tell you. At the very beginning of the spring, my friend, you came to the Omaha settlement, and you remained throughout the summer. You fully understand the situation of the Omaha young men. You know everything that they have. As they are without horses (to give away) I have said that what you propose is difficult for them (to perform). The people here have not traveled in any direction among the other tribes, and it has been so all through the winter. Therefore the Indians petition you (not to come). The Omahas fear that if you come you will be full of anxiety, and that you will make them full of anxiety, even those Omahas whom you have as your kindred. So they hope and pray that you will not come. If it does not please you (to stay away from us) the Omahas do not prevent your coming; they merely say that as a sort of petition to you. The Indians here do not have three horses apiece; they have only those [two ?| horses (apiece) which they use in working. We Indians |remem- ber how it has been told about?] the Indians of the olden times; how they visited one another in consequence of their regarding themselves as related. When they visited one another, they exchanged food and whatever else they had. You will think of that. We do not consider that you will disregard what has been said by me. As we have no horses (to give away), I have told you just how we are situated. Recon- sider the decision which you have reached. GIHAJI TO CORNELIUS RICKMAN. FEBRUARY, 1880. Te djttbaqtci widaxe. A™bad¢é té tidatqti éga" ie égar, Word very few I make to To-day the very good as Tam as, you. glad , rw , e , , Te ~ dda" wabae¢eze widaxe. Ki A¢ayikihide ka*b¢éga". Wicti there- letter [ make to And you take care I hope. I too fore you. of. yourself f 2. Pa , . *n/ . , prey *n/ éga" aayikihide. Ki tida®gqti ma™b¢i". Wind‘a®-maji i”’ta™ so Itake careofmy- And. very good I walk. I have not heard now self. from you a” ba-waqtibe té cadé gana. Ki eddda*-ctécte fwimaxe mysterious day the six that many. And whatsoever I baked you about 78 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. ge¢a™ wa¢ionaqti ka"b¢éga". Xi wa¢iona tédihi yi, wicti the pl. in. very plain I hope. And plain when it shall be, I too ob., in the past , , : ~ / Save a ° edida®-ctécte uwib¢a etéga®. Ita" waqi”ha ¢a* wagazugqti whatsoever T tell to you apt. Now paper theob. very straight widaxu cu¢éa¢e. Tusicta" waqi”ha daxa-maji. Nikaci™’ga I write it to I send it to To tell a lie paper I do not make it. Person you you. ig ° , oi , -. , ° = . wabaxuaki¢é ¢inké wagazu éga” baxtiaki¢é. Hskana waqi”ha the one wham I have caused to — straight as I have caused Oh that paper write something him to write. una” té’di, uq¢e’qtci ia“ ¢aki¢é ka*b¢éga® waqi™“ha wi". Nika- youtake when, very soon you send hither I hope paper one. Peo- hold of to me it ci’ ga ¢i¢ija cti awana‘a” ka" b¢a, e‘a” ditte. Ci ti tédihi i, ple your too J hear about I wish, how itmay Again it by the time them be. has that, come wi” cug¢éwiki¢ée ta minke. Wawéa"¢amaxe te¢a” wedamaxe one I will send to you by some one. What you asked ine about in the Tasked about past F See : : dega” ¢inga-bi, ai. but that there — they are none, say. NOTES. Cornelius Rickman, a white man, lived at Spring Valley, Monona County, lowa. Samuel White or Gihaji, the sender, could speak English. He pref- aced the letter with these words: “I have come home. For about three weeks since my return my eyes have been painful. I could not see. Now my eyes are well, and Iam in good health (in Omaha, Icta ¢a" angig¢aska, i’uda"). Let me know how you and all your family are (wakékega, da’ctéa™i, whether several of them are sick)”. Angi- g¢aska, mine is white again, i. e., no longer red or inflamed. Primary reference is to the cornea, but there is a secondary reference to the sight. 77, 1, i¢é ega™, ada™, etc. When “ega™” is used, ‘ada®” seems unnecessary. Hither one can be used without the other. 78, 7. Wawea*¢amaxe, etc. The inquiry was about fish. TRANSLATION. I write a very few words to you. This is a fair day, and I am glad; so I write you a letter. I hope that you will take care of yourself; 1 take care of myself. I am prospering. It has been six weeks since I have heard from you. I hope that whatsoever things I have asked you about are very easily understood. By the time that they are so, IL too may tell you something or other. I have now written a straight- forward letter to you. I have not written a lie in the letter. My aman- uensis (i. @., the author) is honest, so I have employed him to write. —— : OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. ao L hope that when you receive this letter you will soon reply. I wish to hear how your people are. By the time that your reply comes to me I will send another letter to you. I have made inquiries respecting the things about which you questioned me, but they say that there are none to be had. ICTAGABI TO MACAN AND HEQAGA-SABE. MARCH 1, 1880. Maca" Heqaga-sabé e¢a™ba, aktwa wawidaxti. A™ba¢é Feather Black Elk he too, both I write something To-day to you (pl.). wija™ bai ka™b¢a, a™wan’kandi¢é’-qti-ma™. Nikaci’’ga-ma I see you (pl) I wish, Iam very impatient for it. The people ts oe . Ci Na ° . m3 ca” e¢éga?-baji ¢a™ja, winagtci ca” wija”be tai eb¢éga™ well they do not think though, only I at any I see you will I think it it rate uma” ¢inka ¢é¢uadi. Niaci™ ga amadi ¢anaji" té i"¢i" wa"piqti- year in this. People — with the youstood the it was very good for me on that account na” i’uda™-qti pi-na"-ma”. Ca™ edadda™ ticka™ ¢ingé ha. usu- very good for I used to be there. Well, what deed there is ally me none oy; — Oa, pee / 5 / Digt I AIO oO e , ° / Nié a'¢if’ge anaji. Ca™ efa™” ¢andji" té wind‘ai ka b¢a, Pain Ihave none T stand. Well, how you stand the Ihear from I wish, you (pl) ada" wawidaxui. iga”ha ¢ikage méga", ¢i a™nita”i té there- I write to you (pl.) O grandfather your likewise, you you have the fore about something. friend treated me *n/ th Tes / ° oe, fe ee ey ° Dire) a iuda"-na’-ma™. Wija™bai-maji ¢éga", waqpani i¢ate ha. it has been usually good I do not see you (pl.) as, poor I die from for me. it / ° / ° a aay Oye. Minh Ae i A™ba¢é wija™ bai uwikie ag¢i” té ¢kiga™’qti ayidaxe. Wa- To-day Isee you (pl.) I talk to I sit the just like it IT make it for Pa- you myself. qivha wi™ ia™¢aki¢é tat. Meaigéeqtei aki wakéga té gint, per one you will send hither Very aged man the sick the has re- to me. sub. cov- ered, ma*¢i’1 hit. he walks NOTES. Icta¢abi is an Omaha. Maca™ and Heqaga sabé are Ponka refugees, staying among the Yankton Dakota. 79, 10. Inctagéqtci, Ma™tcu-na™ba or Yellow Smoke (Cude-nazi), the father-in-law of Icta¢abi. TRANSLATION. O Feather and Black Elk, I write to you both. I wish to see you to- day, and I am hardly able to wait (till I can see you). The Omahas do not think about visiting you, but I alone think that I will see you this year. Whenever I visited the Yanktonus I was always pleased, because I had you for my interpreter, There is no news. I continue in good SO OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. health. I wish to hear how you are, therefore I write to you. O grand- father, the way that you and your friend have treated me has always been pleasant to me. As I do not see you, I am dying from poverty. To-day I must content myself with talking to you instead of seeing you. Please send me a letter. The very aged man who was ill (Ma*teu-na"ba) has recovered, and is able to walk. TANWAN-GAXE JINGA TO MAWATA‘NA. MARCH 5, 1880. Ca® fe wi", negiha, ana™b¢i®. Ca™ cin’ga « yin'ga ¢anka ld Well word = one, O mother’s Iam uncertain Well, chi the ones brother, about it. who , Nis of, , , . Ser Palle / 7 , wadixe ¢anka’ & ... Weéawa® niniba uaket‘a” ka*b¢éga™. I have made theones_ they Calumet pipe IT acquire it I hope. them who 4 St ‘1. Edada® ctéctéwa® in¢éckaxe téga”™ ka*b¢éga"™ éga™ wib¢a- What soever you do forme in orde r I hope as I pray to : that , fei ha® cu¢ age. Wi can gejajin’ga witagtci ab¢i" éde nujinga you I send it to colt just one Thad it but boy you. : téké ga", nin‘de gipeji éga", ati, Mawada¢i". Adinge gxai. he lay as, heart bad for as, T gave Mandan. He parted with it on dead him it to him, . account of the dead. NOTES. Though this letter was dictated in Omaha, most of it was recorded in English at that time, as shown in the translation by the parenthet- ical sentences. 80, 5. A¢ifige gaxai, the sender gave “ wa¢inge.” Ta™wa"-gaxe jilga gave his colt to Mandan in order that the latter could give it away because of the death of his son. TRANSLATION. O mother’s brother, I am uncertain about one part of your letter. (I wish to make sure of your meaning. Do you refer only to yourself, or to all the Yanktons? Ask my son, Wiyakoi®. O Wiyakoi", [ hope that you will speak to) ny adopted children in your tribe. I hope to acquire a calumet, such as they use in the pipe-dance. (I do not refer to the children for whom I have already had the calumet dance. I put them aside. I wish to enter the house of Mi"xabu, and dance the calumet dance for his children. Speak to him in my behalf. I hope that you will speak to my four adopted children, Mi®xabu and others. Send me a reply to this letter very soon, in fact as soon as you receive this. O Mawata"na, I have your letter, and it is just like seeing you! It delights me!) I send to you to petition to you, as I hope that you will do something or other for me. I had just one colt, but when Man- dan’s son lay dead, I gave the colt to the father, as he was sorrowful, and he gave it away on account of his dead son, cad OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 1 LION TO MRS. MARY CANFIELD, ASPINWALL, NEBR. MARCH, 1880. Liaha, ¢i waji” ¢ya cki cka“na yi, uda® té. (lage O sister’s you mind your you you wish if, it will be You have daughter, own return good. returned hither tédthi ticka® wit ckaxe taté, nikaci™ga-ma u¢éwi" wacta™ be, at the deed one you shall do, the people assembled you see them, time uq¢e’qti ka"b¢éga". Ki nikaci™’ga-ma b¢ugaqti mah e¢e very soon I hope. And the pe nts erect ¢andji"-da” wanaha” te ha. ‘I”na"ha maja” a¢i™ ¢a® you stand and you will pray to j My mother land shehad — the (s.) them ob. vl = Ieee if 3 , 4 } , oe] weer $ / agdiza-da” di at’é ka™b¢a Ada™ ag¢i. Wage ¢inké, maja™ Itakemy and there Idie I wish because I have White the st. land own (s.) returned man one, here. eye) ee : eee, P ay is. aie ye uwédiaji Ab¢ixe ¢inké, wagaq¢a® ab¢i” ékiga", wai" ¢ita™L. in a different the one whom I took servant I have like it, he works at vari- place for my husband, him ous things for me. Ki wage ¢inké ta” watg¢a" @'di wacka”qti ¢éka™b¢a-maji ; And white the st. village in making a great I do not wish for him; man one etfort waw¢kitata éga" ma¢i” éka"b¢a-maji,” ecé te ha. Ha?¢i, a deceiver so to walk I do not wish for him, you will : Henry, say it * 2.1 ste T , ; *n/ iéska, Waha™¢ingé, Tbaha™bi, wi céna, i” ba"-baji ¢a™ja, ca interpre- Orphan, Ibaha%bi, I enough, we do not eall though, yet ter, to him 7% *Ln k , =: Giewajis .cKi Si, ... <. of yourown youare if, accord coming back NOTES. Though this letter was dictated in Omaha, the parenthetical sen- tences were recorded only in English. » 81,7. Ki wage ¢inke, ete. Lion and the other Omahas knew by experience what they had to expect from white men who took Omaha wives. Such men wished to control the tribe. So Mrs. Canfield was asked in this letter to say to the council that she did not wish her hus- band to have anything to do with tribal affairs. TRANSLATION, O sister’s daughter, if you, of your own accord, desire to return to this reservation, it will be good. At the time of your return you shall do one thing: I hope that you will not delay seeing all the people assembled. And then you should rise to your feet and petition all the people, thus: “I have returned because I wish to take possession of the tract of land which belonged to my mother, and I wish to die there. ~ The white man whom I took for my husband in another land works at _ various things for me, just as if 1 had him as my servant. But I do 10967——-6 Sh) 12 82 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. not wish the white man to be very prominent in the tribe. Ido not wish him to be cheating the Omahas.” Henry Fontenelle, Louis Sans- souci, Waha¢inge, Ibaha*bi, and I do not invite your husband to come, but if you should come of your own accord (we will ask the agent to attend to the matter, when the question of an agent is settled by the Government. If you postpone action for any time, we shall be unable to say anything more. So I send this in haste. As soon as you get it reply and let us know your decision. When you send this word, my son Henry will come at once with a wagon to get the young pigs which you promised. He sends to you in this letter to ask this favor). THE OMAHA CHIEFS TO THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. MARCH 18, 1880. Gahige said :—I¢adig¢at ayidaza” wa't ga™ ¢ai Agent by themselves — to Bie they wish. to them Duba-mani” said:—y,iga™ha, pahan’gadi i¢adi a"wan’ga¢i"- O ETERS ane his we had them father : na”i, ki edida® g@ wéuda™i etéga’i gé we¢éckaxe cka™na- usually, and what we pl. good for us ane the pl. you do for us you wished in. ob. “in. ob. navi; ki i"tea*qtci i¢adi¢at ¢inkd igagia- maji. Ca” i¢adig¢at usually. And just now agent the st. I do not speak Yet agent one against him. wi'aqtci afga¢i” té wcteqi héga-baji. Ii ta wa e¢a” ama just one we have the hard for ies And gentes the pl. him us sub. Jama a™ba i¢iug¢e cka™ ma¢i™i, ki cénujii’ga ta’ ware¢a™ these day throughout acting walk, and young man gentes — , e , , ° , ° , es , , Sw, , 2 - / / angtiyai ama edada® i¢adi¢at ¢inké ‘i¢é wagaji yi, ‘aa éga? our own the pl. what agent the st. to they com- if, reticent so sub. ob. speak mand us because about of sure failure amma” ¢ini. Ga we¢éckaxal ka?’a"¢a™ ¢ai, yiga™ha. we walk. Still you do it for us we hope, O grandfather. ' Ba AIS OC POT e Aaa VA bs zralhdagrx 70 DAY pay aca! £ n Two Crows said:—Jiga™“ha, wabaxu wi" iW¢igaxai ¢é¢a*, O grandtather, letter one we have made this ob., to you ‘2 ht ae vy wil ° ee: / / a ° pee) éskana nize yi, uq¢é’qti qa¢a a™na‘a® ka™at¢a™¢ai. Ki oh that you re- when, very soon back we hear it we hope. And ceive it again wéuda" ti-bi enéga® cea" ticka™ gé we¢éckaxe-na™i. Ucka® that it will be for our you think as deed thepl. you have done usu- Deed good it in. ob. for us ally. y, / eé weuda™-qti-baji ¢a™ja, ga” “Wijiga" ¢inké wegaxai,” ga® the not for our highest good though, © still My gr and- the st. has done it = any pl. father one to us rate lin. ob, OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 83 / . e eRe, . . id v a at¢a’¢ai ha, Ki ticka® i*’tea® wi" we¢éckaxai ha. ... Cam we think it : And deed now one you (pL) have 3 Well, done to us fe yv s PEG ° , . ° ticka" ¢@ wijiga” wada™ba-baji wegdxai ea™ wéteqi nai deed the pl. my grand- he does not see us he has done well, diffieult usu- in. ob. father to us for us ally 5 aene F é ¥ eas ¢a™ja, Ita" ¢éceta” wijiga" indé a®da™béqti éskana ticka™ though, now from this my grand- face we see him indeed * oh that deed time father wéteqi gé angug¢a anga™ ¢ai. difficuit thepl. we tell him we wish. for us in.ob. of our own White Horse said:—Nikaci”ga naxide-¢ingé edibe waki- People disobedient also to attend hidai té wéteqi. Naxide-¢ingé yi, edibe wa'da® wakihfde- fothem the — difficult Disobedient when, also together to cause them for us. to be at- ki¢at té weéteqi héga-baji. tended the trouble- very. to some to us Icta-basude said:— ... We¢énicta® ¢a™ja, ca” weéteqi Yon have finished though, yet trouble- doing it for us some to us té ani'gui’¢i¢a afga™¢ai. ..... *the we tellit to you we wish NOTES. The parenthetical sentences were recorded only in English. The ex-agent, Howard White, requested the author to send this let- ter, as he declined to act after his resignation. TRANSLATION. (Gahige said:)—The Indians wish the president to give them their respective agents (one for the Omahas and another for the Winnebagos. If we wish to see our present agent, we become very tired, because he does not come very often from the Winnebago Agency. So we tell this to the Commissioner). (Duba-ina"¢i" said :)—Grandfather, we used to have agents, and you generally did for us those things which were calculated to benefit us. But even now I do not speak a word against the agent himself; yet it is very hard for us Omahas to have an agent in common with the Win- nebagos. These Omaha gentes are busy throughout the day, and when our young men command us to speak to the agent about anything we hesitate and say nothing, because we can not see him. O grandfather, we hope that you will still do for us (what is beneficial for us). (Two Crows said :)—O grandfather, we hope that when you receive this letter which we have written to you, we shall very soon hear the reply. You have been doing things for us occasionally as you have considered that they would be beneficial to us. Though they have not turned out to be for our highest advantage, we think, “* My grandfather iar) 84 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. has done it for us.” Just now you have done one thing for us, (We are two tribes, yet you make one agent answer for both of us. This thing which you have done for us gives us much trouble.) Still, though the things which my grandfather has done to us without seeing us are difficult for us to endure, we wish that henceforth we could see the Commissioner face to face and tell him the things which are trouble- some to us. (White Horse said:)—It is troublesome to us to be attended to by an agent who has to watch over a disobedient tribe at the same time. It gives us much trouble to be assigned together with those who are dis- obedient to the care of a single agent. (We Omahas have been work- ing constantly, as you wish us to act for ourselves. The agent remains about a month at a time at the Winnebago Agency without seeing us, and that is very hard for us to endure.) (Icta-basude said :)—If a man has two horses, one is apt to excel the other. If one walks straight, he thinks, ‘‘I hope that I will always know what is good for me.” I am afraid of that nation, the Winne- bagos, and I think, grandfather, that from this time on we ought to have separate agents. Though you may have already made all your arrangements for sending a new agent for both tribes, still we wish to tell you how it gives us trouble. (It is hard for us to have no one to attend to our business; so, grandfather, [ send this to you to tell you. I think that it would be proper for my agent to live close to us, so that I could go to him and speak about my affairs whenever it becomes necessary. I have asked a man, who is one of your race, to write this. But these are not his words. They are the words of the seven princi- pal men of the tribe.) (Na™pewa¢eé said: —Grandfather, these men have spoken of the things which give them trouble. We know about the difficulty of having one agent for two tribes, so we ask that a business matter be attended to. There are many of us who would continue to improve the ground, and we would take the advice of a resident agent, and so we would progress in civilization year by year. But as it is now, that is difficult for us to do without an agent. You do something for us because you consider that it will benefit us, but I must tell you that it really injures us. The man beside whom I dwell is disobedient, and to have one agent with him will cause me to be in constant trouble. We do not wish to follow the bad ways of that man, the Winnebago.) (fire Chief said :—Grandfather, all these men tell you what is trou- blesome. You have caused this. I do not accuse my agents. But I do wish you to make a change, giving us an agent of our own, and let- ting the Winnebagos have one of their own. There are other things hard to be endured, but now I speak only of this subject of separate agents. I hope that I may soon be allowed to visit my grandfather and speak to him face to face about this and other matters. These are my words, not the words of my friend whom I have asked to write this _ before I leave.) OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. eh) for me. We write this to you after the resignation of one agent, Howard White, and before the arrival of another agent). (Duba-ma¢ir said :—Grandfather, I send to you to speak about one subject. There is one man here whom I have caused to send news occasionally. Now that he has gone to Washington I have heard bad things about him, and I am afraid of him; 7. ¢., Charles P. Morgan, the interpreter. I hope that when he reaches you, and you receive this letter, you will discharge him from his office at once. The young men have assembled, and they have said so. They have given these words to us seven chiefs, so we send this to let vou know what are our wishes and those of the tribe). PAHANGA-MA‘('I* TO HIS BROTHER, SILAS WOOD, NIOBRARA. MARCH 29, 1880. qéde-gahi Icti-bastide é¢a"ba twagi¢al éga®, nujimga ama Fire Chief Icta-basude hetoo theyhavetold as, ‘boy the pl. it to them A sub. gical. “Cki te,” ai. Nuijifiga ama égi¢a™i. Ca” ga” ¢é¢u are satis- You willbe they Boy the pl. said it to Well, atany here fied. coming back, say. sub. him. rate el Gan! sine Die, ails aay | i Pali hort f ¢ag¢i te ‘a” ¢ingé ¢a™ja, ca” nin’de giuda”i ¢ag¢i te. you will have nothing being although, yet heart theirs are you will have returned the matter good come back. pentiga-na”ba, Naxéwaka”, Huape¢a, Hat akipa, Maqptya- (Lenuga-na"ba, Naxewaka", Hupe¢a, Ha"akipa, Maqpiva- qaga, Waka”-ma¢i”, Wata™-ndji", Iteaii’ga-ska, qizi ¢ilge, qaga, Waka"-ma¢i", Wata"-naji®, Weasel, dizi-¢itge, o~— , Bey ee. ee a ae rf *n/: ty bees 5B] , Jingd-gahige, ki Agaha ntjifea b¢tiga mahivi. ‘“Cki te,” af. Boy Chief, and besides boy all are willing. Youwill be they (them) returning say. 4 J Urs / RRS 4 . ~ 4 J he 4 pe 1 Céna weddaha™ ¢a™ja, ca” ntjinga ¢é¢a*ské ama e¢éga™i Enough I know about though, yét boy — of the size the pl. they have them referred to sub. thought it , , , 4 soa", uwib¢a cu¢ca¢e, as, TI teil it to I send it to you you. TRANSLATION, The young men are satisfied because jede-gahi and Icta-basude have told them. They say, “ You can return (to the Omaha NKeservation).” The young men have said this to (Fire-Chief and Icta-basude), Though your return will affect nothing in your behalf, still they will be glad for youtoreturn. penuga-na"ba, Naxewaka", Hupe¢a, Ha"akipa, Maqpiya- qaga, Waka®-mar¢i7, Wata® naji”, I"teanga-ska, gizi-¢inge, Jinga-gahige, and all the other young men are willing, and they say, ‘* You can return.” I do not know any more about them, but I send to tell you what the young men, including all those of that size (?), have thought. (Iam going away in seven days. This is the last letter that I will send you 6 86 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. ACAWAGE, 4 PONKA CHIEF, TO SOME PONKAS AT CARLISLE, PA. DECEMBER, 1880. Niyinga nankace, wia™be cub¢é tai minke. Ha" ¢anaji" Bov ye who are, I see you I will go to you (pl.). How you stand té ga” {widaha” taf minke. Edada™ nita"i gé nipi xi, the atany I will know abont you. What youwork thepl. youdo if, rate at in.ob. well . / Re: / . . “er , ye , . iwidaha™ ka™b¢éa-qti-ma™. (if wagdyig¢ita"i té ¢iuda™i ¢tai ITknow about Ihave a strong desire. You youwork for your- the it ought to be good you selves for you tha" eb¢éga”. Ki nipi yi, a™qti¢ayi¢éga” taf. Ky ugita? ! I think it. And youdo if, you will think haehis of your- And work it well selves. , en/s vy St , / . 1 n/ ° / , , wiige a¢i’i g& Ad¢akfpa-na™ tai. Ca™ wija*’be etéga’, Kage. white they thepl. youmeet regu- will. Well, I see you apt, O Fourth- people haveit in.ob. (them) larly son. Cub¢é ka” bea. Wija™be ka” b¢a. Waqi™ha ¢a™ nize yi, éga"- Toto you I wish. I see you I wish. Paper the you when, just ob. receive it qti waqi“ha wi’ ug¢é’qtci ¢é¢uddi tia’ ¢aki¢é ka™bééga™. 80 paper one very soon to this place you send it I hope. here to me NOTE This letter and the next three were dictated by the Ponka delega- tion when in Washington, prior to the departure of the writer (with the Ponka Commission appointed by President Hayes) to the Indian Territory and Nebraska. The four members of the Commission were Generals Crook and Miles, and Messrs. Stickney, of Washington, and Walter Allen, of Boston. TRANSLATION. O vou boys, I will go to see you. At any rate, I will know how you are. I have a strong desire to know whether you are doing your work well. I think that if you work for yourselves it ought to be advan- tageous to you! And if you do it well, you can think highly of your- selves. You ought to undertake the different occupations of the white people. O fourth-son, I may see you. I wish to go to you. I wish to see you. When you receive this letter, I hope that you will send me very soon a letter just like it to this place. Se ee ee OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 87 FRANK LA FLECHE, SR., TO HIS DAUGHTER SUSANNE. DECEMBER, 1880. / , , e ~o . _ , ee — , —_ e , ae) Tyiga’¢ai akadi na*ba” @’di afgéhii, angtankiai Ki Grandfather to the twice there we reached we talked to him. And sub. here, edida" angaxai té ceta” wagazudji. Kdada™ wi" udawagi¢at what we have the so far is not straight. What one they have told ; done it to us éde, win’kai yi, ca’ ca® yi, nain’de ¢iuda” etéga™. Ki Monday but, they speak if, always if, heart good for apt. And Monday " truly you tédi edada™ wagazua’¢é tai. Ci di wéba"i. Ca™ ciii’ga- on what we will make it straight. Again there they have And child- called us. jin’ga ¢ankda cti wi” nid da”cté t'a” yi, wazé¢ée tiwawéci ren the ones too one pain perhaps has it if, doctor pay for many who rye , Wee / [RD , Tae , yas J , wa¢a'l tai. Hoi¢e a®¢a™¢ana™pé taf. Ki céna fe té cu¢é- you give will. Beware you fear me on ac- lest. And enough word the Isend to them count of it wiki¢é. Na*pé¢ihi yi, u¢izé té’di wagaxe ¢iza-ga. Aba to you. You hungry if, issue of at the debt take it. Day rations cafigag¢e taité i¢apaha™-maji. Ata” wagazu i¢apaha™ té- we shall start back to I do not know it. When straight I know it by you , . wr , “FF , on “y , . « , dihi yi, cu¢céa¢é ta minke. EKskana uda"qti wigija"bai the when, I will send it to you. Oh that very good I see you (pl.) time my own i ka™b¢éga®. I hope. TRANSLATION, We have gone twice to the White House, where we spoke to the President. What we have done is not yet settled. They have told us one thing, and if they speak truly, and it continues, it ought to make you rejoice. We may reach a satisfactory conclusion on Monday next. On that day have we been invited (to go again to see the President). If one of the children becomes ill, employ the doctor and pay him. Do not wait to consult me! I have written you enough. Should you be hungry, get food on credit, which you can repay at the time of the issue of rations. I do not knew on what day we shall start back to you. When I receive positive information on this point I will send you a letter. I hope to see you all in good health when I reach home. Qo §8 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. MASTCU-HIN-QTI, A PONKA, TO HIS WIFE MI*-AKANDA. DECEMBER, 1880, : PEO : a. LYShoo = , Tyiga"¢ai akadi na*ba™ angahu. Ceta™ wagazuajl. Wagazu Grandfather to the twice we reached So far itis not straight. Straight sub. there. o a. inc = , tédihi yi, tida® etéga™ Aha" eb¢éga". Wanie¢e ¢anka éskana ) : i) by the that, good apt ! I euinie it. Domestic ani: theones oh that time mals im¢in’kihidai ka"™b¢éga" niyjinga ama isan’ga wiwfja ama. they attend to I hope boy the (p).) his younger my own the (pl ) mine sub. brother sub. . a ae Cin’gajifi’ga wi" nié da™cté ta” yi, wazé¢ée twaweci Child one pain even hehasit if, doctor pay wati'i taf. Egi¢e at¢a™ ana” pe tai. Qéduddi ¢inké ceta’ you will give it Beware lest you fear me on account In this place the one so far to them of it who een *n/ / Tie agtja"bé’-ctéwa"-maji. Na™ona™ angi’. I?'tea® wa¢i". Agi aka T have not even looked at him, Feet slipping we are. Now they have The one who my own. us. 18 Comin Z back Ne ald / , aE , / us p le akiwa udwagib¢a. ya™be tat éska™ e¢éga i. Ga” ¢icta™i both 1 have told it to I shall see him they tine it probable. And they finish them. it tédfhi yi, wagazu ¢and‘a"l etégai, ccénujin’ga-macé. Uda by the time straight you hear it apt, O ye ance men. Good that da’ gti éga" Tyiga"¢ai aka weé¢adai. Wagazuaji cea" edhe beyond 80 Grandfather the mentioned Not straight as I have measure sub. to us. thought sO ceta™ wagazu té ar¢a™baha’-baji. Ki aba cag¢é té cti so far siaaizbe the we do not know about it. And day I go the too homeward i¢dApaha®-maji. I do not know it. NOTES. 88, 3, nujinga ama isaiga wiwija ama, an unusual expression : nujinga ama wisanga ama might have been used. See letter of Maca- ska, on a subsequent page. 88, 5. Pe¢uadi ¢ifke, Ca¢u, one of his children at Carlisle, Pa. 88, 6. Agi aka akiwa, probably Inspeetor Haworth and the agent, who returned to the Ponkas in I:.dian Territory in January, L881. TRANSLATION. We have gone twice to the President’s House. Our business has not yet been settled. When it is settled I think that it may be good! I hope that the young men, my younger brothers, will attend to my stoek in my absence. If one of the children becomes ill, employ the doctor and pay him! Peware lest you refuse through fear of me! I have not yet even looked at the one who is here, my relation. We had to pass by him without stopping. The officials are keeping us at present (and OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 89 we have no chance to see any one else). I have told it to both of those who are coming back (?).. They think that I shall see him. O ye young men, you may hear it correctly by the time that they complete the affair. The President mentioned to us something that was good beyond meas- ure. I have said above that it was not yet settled; we do not know all about it. Nor do I know on what day I shall start homeward to you. MA*‘TCU-HI*-QTI TO CAGU, AT CARLISLE, PA. DECEMBER, 1880. (héqu ati ha, Iyiga*¢af yi tée’di. Wiya™be ka™b¢a-qti-ma™ Here Ihave . Grandfather vil- to the. I see you I strongly desire come lage here , : / , , oe/, Aa eye seen), geil) w éde, wina™ona™ ati. ITyiga™¢af aka wija”be ka™b¢a yi, but, I passed by you I came Grandfather the I see you I wish if here. sub. udwagibéa yi, fnahi" yi, wija™be etéga™ ha. Qiji’¢e aka I tell it to him if, he is will- if, I sea you apt : Your elder the ing brother sub. vy f Y / , Y 7) e — Pee e 4 cti éga" ¢ija"cka aké cti wan'gi¢e angatii. K‘a" anyig¢iwa- too so your sister’s the too all we have How we correct it for son sub. come here. = Pyee , Leste eee Lee es E , eizu angati edada® am¢ita" afigatii a®¢icta™ tédihi yi, an¢i- our. we have what we work at we have we com- itarrives when, wesee selves come here come here plete it there ° da"be etéga’i ha. Wacka"-égan-gi céhe. Waqe ama you nae ; Do make an effort I think White the and say people pl. sub. that. ica’ zai té tida® ¢ioa® zai yu’ iD] 1/47 radiqnans iy ¢iga" zai te uda” ¢iga" zal e wi" nipl Yyrji, wa¢iqpania ji have taught the good they have that one you do if, you not poor you taught you well y, / *n/ : ji IE BIST an °/ ° etéga” ha. A™”ba wi” wija™ba-maji te’ i” teqi’-qti-na?-ma” apt ° Day one I do not see you the it is usually very trouble- (=as) some to me / : : ¢a™ja, ca” ¢égi¢e ¢ani”ya né ké’ya edada" tida™ wi™, i¢adé- though, yet behold you live ‘you on ac- what good one, you can go count of wa¢é wi" oixe¢iki¢ai yi akihida-ga. Enaqtci tida™ eb¢éga™. find it one they cause youto if attend to it. Tt only good I think it. make it Ts, *n/ rie /4°8 / oo , , Pe: Nikaci’ga uké¢i" a®mar’¢i" ke¢a™ ¢ingé; waqe amayi¢ica™ Indian common we walked along (as a there is white on the side of the road) in the past none; people pl. sub. Tesoro Q , RS Pcl Bis oF , ama’ ¢i'i é wé¢ig¢a” eya ké wian’guhaf. Ki ¢é6 ha, wage we walk it plan their the we follow them. And that. white ob. is it people , , ° / . e frie te , r ama edada™ ¢iga”zai yi, nipi yi, wéona"a¢aki¢é taté Ka- the pl. what they teach if, youdo if, you shall cause me to be O sub. you it well thankful. ° a ye seen . echa, wani" ninké cin’gajin’ga wiwija éskana ¢a‘cir¢i™ ¢aki¢d friend, you who keep them child my own oh that you purposely cause him, my own, to be pitied Sh) ge) 12 90) OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. ka"b¢éga". Wib¢aha®, ¢igaq¢a® ¢inke! cti akiwaqti wib¢aha™i I hope. T pray te you, your wife the one too both, indeed I pray to you | who (pl.) a Je / r apa ie pa foe , , y rae / eéhe. Aba ¢é¢uadi Igiga*¢ai édi ati, yi ea té. Ki e‘a® I think On this day Grandfather there Ihave house his the And how and say come, ob. that. = ae ‘ ni € a) re ‘I. 5 = = ‘ 77! & € ” 4 ne y ni" ké agha*be ka™b¢a. ‘“Uda?qti naji” dha” eb¢éga™ yi, you the ITsee him, my I wish. Very good he stands ! 1 think it if, are own sO! AX A t1.ma 2! A n 1 ¢eqti-ma" etega". Tam very glad apt. ~ NOTES. 89, 7. Wacka™-egan-ga, cehe. Rather, Wad¢acka® téga® céhe, I say you persevere inor- I say der that that (which T think), that in order to incite you to persevere. (G.) 89, 10. ca™ egi¢e ¢anitjya, etc. Another reading is as follows: ca™ égi¢e ida" wit’ i¢a¢éwa¢ée-nav ha. Ki edada" wi” gaxe¢iki¢ai yi, aki- hidaga, yet you can be finding something good very often (i. @., you can be learning something else). And do you attend to what they cause you to do. (G.) 90, 3, agija"be. Rather, wigija"be, J see you, my own, if ni® (you are) be retained. But as this seems to be addressed to Captain Pratt, it would be.better to read, “Ki e‘a™ éite agiga"be ka’ b¢a, I wish to see (my kinsman and learn) how he is..—Author. TRANSLATION. I have come hither to Washington. I have a strong desire to see you, but I passed you in coming (and I could not stop). As I wish to see you, if I tell the Commissioner and he is willing, I may see you. All of us have come, including your elder brother and your sister’s son. We may see you after completing the work for which we came, that is, the straightening of our affairs in some manner. I say what I think in order to urge you to persevere. If you do well one of the goo things which the white people teach you, you may become rich. Though it generally gives me much trouble not to see you for a single day, yet when they cause you to do one good thing, one thing which you can find, for the sake of your improvement, attend to it! I think that alone is good. There is no chance for us to continue to live as Indians, as we have been doing in the past: we walk towards the white people, and we follow them in carying out their plans. That is it: you shall make me thankful to you if you do something well when the white people teach it to you. ©O friend. you who have the control of the Indian children (Capt. Pratt), I hope that you will cause my child to be treated kindly. I have said what 1 think because I petition to you and your wife too, On this day I have come to Washington, and OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 91 I have come tothe house of: the President. TI wish to see you and observe how youare. If I think, “He is doing very well!” I shall have good cause for joy. MA*TCU-NILA TO MRS. AMOS ROSS. JANUARY, 1881. Qlisan’ga te te’ ¢iha” xagé yie¢atte ¢¢. Na, (busi Your younger is the your weeping she kills her-. she Why! Lucy brother dead (=as) mother : self by crying. goes. (Alas!) ae , . / . , Re fade ° eC Aju¢iki e¢at’ba, ¢igha"™ba-baji giteqi héga-baji, Qdéaka Angelique she too, she does not see you it is very difficult for her to This one (pl. obj.), her own bear. Si , kad are ite emis rere |; Dade opps Steyn Gentine CAE i am aKa Wau Wl uda qt o¢a 1, cin gayi ga ta 1, NUjINga. Sam the woman one Very good he mar- child he has, boy. sub. ried her, : — / >] vl —/ , , . ° oe. , By . / (isan ea tle te ecai’ge wija tidaqti wi" ¢ingéage. (iha™ our younger is the horse my very good one I have given Your brother dead (=as) away. mother nin wdatat) 17714 wagpanii ji uda"gti judg¢e. not poor very good Jam with her. NOTES. Dictated at Ponka Agency, Indian Territory, by the husband of Ujan- gedabi. The latter was the mother of Lucy Gayton (now the wife of Rev. Amos Ross), a ward of the writer in 1872~73. Mrs. Ross is with her husband, who is a Santee Dakota, and also a missionary to the Dakotas at Pine Ridge Agency. 91, 1. Gisanga, McClellan Gayton, who died in 1880. Aju¢iki, Ange- lique, was the youngest of the three. She died when she was eighteen, in 1884. 91, 3. Sam, Ma‘a-jin’ga, Inttle Cottonwood, or Sam Gayton, was the half brother (by the same mother) of Lucy, Mac, and Angelique. The last two sentences were not recorded in Ponka. TRANSLATION. Your mother is going to cry herself to death, as she has heard of the death of your younger brother. Alas! Lucey and Angelique! she is in sore trouble because she can not see you. Sam has married a fine woman, and they have achild, a boy. When I heard that your younger brother was dead, I gave away one of my best horses. I live with your mother very comfortably, as we are not poor. (Send your two pictures to your mother very soon. I wish your husband to send me a red Cat- linite pipe by mail.) 12 15 92 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. MACA*-SKA TO SEDA*-SABE. Maja” ¢é¢u angati te’di, uq¢e’qtci ¢ag¢é. Uma ¢inka Land here we came when, very soon you started Season back. en/ v/ oi) ° , vy = / , , vy - wi" 6ja ¢andjim ‘idddé. ‘Maja uda® ctécté anaji® xi, one there you stand you spoke Land good soever I stand if, of it. / 4 wil ye 4 , o , ~ yal es w made = ca” omé té’di atf ti minke. Ati tédihi yi, maja” ¢a> ubga yet spring when I will have come Thave by the time land ae hither. come that, ev.ob. aboutit hither ati +4 minke,” ecé. Cénujin’ga ¢i¢ija-ma ¢éama nié cté ¢ingaf. I will have come you Young men those who are these pain even they have ; hither said. yours (sub.) none. , Md , vy La 4 ! bs 7 , J wv , $e Waitt ¢i¢ija cti wa¢ixa-baji. Nié t‘a™i tédihi yi, niga ewe- Woman your too she has not taken Pain it by the time alive Lhave (another) husband. abounds that, , ® / jé . , Y ew A oem if, i ae, ka"b¢d-qti-ma” etéga”. Wiréctéwa" cil’gajin’ga ufqpa¢a-baji a strong desire for them apt (?). Even one children they did not lose him Seems pe r y , / Popa soy , re *n/ dij de ama cti akiwa. A™ba¢é ¢isan’ga aka qéje-hi"’-t‘a® your elder the too both. To-day your younger the aéje-hi’-t'a® brother (pl. sub.) brother (sub.) wa¢ita. Ga™ juga wigti minké iteqi, yWan'ge wiwija te he works (at And body I-very I-who difficult his sister my died various for me, things). nugéidi. Cif’gajin’ga wiwija cti té. Wa‘ wiwha cti teé. last summer. Child my too died. Woman my too died. « *n/ ~ Oe y / ay r rue *n/ sera e Ada® ita® t@ nié ctéwa” ¢ifgé wa‘t cti Aji ab¢i’. Wisi¢é There- now the pain soever there is woman too an- I have J think of fore none other her. you té iteqi héga-maji-na"-ma™. A™¢asi¢agéga" ¢agi"ed, waqi™ha the troubles nota alittle with reference to me, You remember me you who paper me usually. somewhat move, . / . , , 5 / vy , ° , ia’ ¢aki¢éea” eté yi. Ita" cag¢a-maji taté Edi hi, wandce you send it to me ought. - Now I shall not start tothe there ithas policeman place where you are reached, , Yann pee leg mY HRCI TI) a Ihde pale uche, ma” zéskii wawéci ingaxai. Wawéci ingaxai te’di Lyiga®- T follow money pay ier have Pay they made when Grand- it, made for me. for me , 7, af ; . pe Ne , is x 4 f ia ; ° 7 e ae ¢af aka can’ge wi" a™fi, Qatt wika"b¢-éde, cange ita” wiki¢- fath- the horse one he gave You I wished for you, horse I put aside for er sub. it to me. come bit, you, éde, ma®¢a"i, dda” wieti waqi"ha cti widaxa-maji, aakihtda- but, it was stolen, there- I too paper too Ididnotmakefor TI paid no atten- fore you, aa, nf , . j maji. Ta™ware¢a® amadi waakihide. Wa‘ wi" ag¢a™ ehé tion to Nation among Tattend to them. Woman one I married I it. them her said o , / cary, ° , . bi ae , C<— , la vyn/ , if ¢inké, A™ pa’-qan’ga igiqd¢a™ jingd ¢inké, ¢ agar’, & ab¢i™. the one Big Elk his wife snuul the one her J have her TI have who, who, married her, her. Se OT OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 93 NOTES. Dictated at Ponka Agency, Ind. T., in January, 1881. Sent to another Ponka, Seda"-sabé or Ma"teu da¢i", then at the Old Ponka Res- ervation, in Dakota, on the Niobrara River. The style is not that of the usual Ponka, e. g., itafige wiwiyja t’e (92, 8), instead of wijange inve; cingajinga wiwiga cti t’e (92, 9), instead of cifigajifiga cti ite; wa‘u wija eti te (92, 9), instead of wa‘u cti ive; though both forms are used, fide G., an Omaha. 92, 2. Maja" uda® etecte, etc. The words of Seda™-sabé, who had promised to return to the Indian Territory within a year and tell his people about the land on the Niobrara. Maja™ ¢a”’ ida® anaji® ctécté- Land the good Istand notwith- wa” ca” mé tédihi yi, ati ta minke. Ati tédibi yi, maja” ¢a® stand- yet spring bythe when, I will have come. Ihave bythe wher, land the ing time that come time that ub¢a ati ta minke. (G.) Itell I will have come. about it 92, 11. Av¢asi¢a¢ega™ ¢a¢irce, etc. Two readings of equal value given by G.: Avr¢asi¢a¢éga™ ¢a¢ircé ite waqi”ha ia’ ¢aki¢éga" eté yl, Youremember me you who _ per- paper you send tomea ought, somewhat move haps little and, An¢asi¢a¢e ¢ad¢ircé éimte, waqivha ia’ ¢aki¢é eté yi (“éga™” being Youremember you who per- paper you send to ought somewhat ; me move haps, me . (or, a little) omitted), TRANSLATION. You started back to the Old Agency very soon after we reached this land. You spoke of remaining there a year. You said, “ Even if I continue to prosper in that land, I will return hither next spring and tell about that land.” These young men, who were your associates, are well. Your wife, whom you left here, has not taken another husband. Should there be much sickness here, I will do what I can to enable them (your wife and other relations ?) to live. Neither one of your two elder brothers has lost even a child. Your younger brother, geje-hi"- t‘a", is working to-day. I myselt have had trouble: my sister died last summer. Then my child and my wife died. Therefore, now, that there is no sickness (here), I have another wife. When I think of you IT am continually in great trouble. You who continue to think of me should send me a letter. The time has now come when I can not go to see you, as I have joined the agency police force. Tor this work I receive pay in money. When they paid me the money the Commis- sioner of Indian Affairs gave me a horse. -I have wished you to come to this place, and so I reserved the horse for you, but it was stolen. Therefore I did not send you a letter. I paid no attention to it. Iam paying attention to the affairs of the tribe. (1 have been wishing to send you a letter, and now a man has come who can write for me. Send me a letter quickly, as soon as you receive this, and let me know 94 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. how you are, O brother-in-law, Black Elk. I remember you, too, O Black Elk. I have no relations. I remember you always, and also your wife. Send me a red Catlinite pipe very soon. When you visit my Dakota relations, let me know whether they give you any horses.) The woman whom I said that I have married is the younger wife of (the late) Big Elk. I married her. I have her. MA*TCU-HIX-QTI TO LENUGA-SABE, AT PONKA AGENCY, IND. T. JANUARY, 1881. ry, i: . oy: ~ . , , . ye Vv / f, Maja” ke weéahideé’qti ¢c¢u att, Nictide ké aa™b¢a att, Land the ata great distance here Ihave Missouri the faban- Lhave (ig. ob.) come, River (g.ob.) doned it come Isa” yati maja” eyai ké’ya. Edada® ¢ita™i té ata” ¢icta™ Mii, Santee land their atthe. What they work the how they fin- if, long ish it s bes , he / , / cak{ ti minke aha", eb¢éga® ¢a™ja, nié at‘a™ téga®-na*-ma” Iwill reach you again ! (in so- J think. it though, pain Ihave apt atin- I use, liloquy) tervals awan'kega ta minke dha", eb¢éga" ag¢i™. Cin’ gajin’ga ¢anka I eral be sick !(inso- LI think it i sit. Children the ones liloquy) who os (eek vy , e pey , 1 / ld bao] nié t‘a® yi'ji, wawéci té donizaji etéde. Ceta?’-na” pi-maji pain they if pay the you should not have So far I have not have grasped it lightly. reached there w , / ° f , Roe. , he ts - ha, b¢é ¢an’di ada® wagazuaji ca™té waqi™ha ¢a" cu¢edag¢é. Igo (theland) — there- not straight while yet paper the I send it to to which fore (or, at cv. obj. you. present so) NOTES. Mat*teu-hi®-qti and Cahie¢a were the two Ponkas appointed, with Peter Primeau, the interpreter, as an embassy to Standing Bear and the other Ponkas at Niobrara. They were sent to urge them to return to the rest of the tribe. The proposal was rejected. Ma*tcu-hi®-qti was sick after sending this letter. 94, 5, agnizaji etede (Ponka) =anizaji etede (or, etega", Omaha—G.). This means the very opposite of its literal rendering. Compare, wa¢aha pejiqti, very bad clothing (said in praise of good clothing), wa¢ate pii- jiiijiqtci, ‘food very-not-bad,” very good food (said of food that is bad). TRANSLATION. After traveling a great distance I have reached here, near the Santee teservation, having left the Missouri River. I have thought, ‘‘ When the business to which they are attending is transacted, I will return to you;” but now I am thinking, “I am inclined to be ill (or, I have fre- quent indications of coming illness). [T shall be ill,” When the chil- i ee ee OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 95 dren were ill, you should have given a large payment to the Indian doctor. I have not yet been to the place of my destination, therefore Tsend a letter to you before the business is settled. CAHIE¢A TO CANGE-Q'A. JANUARY, 1881. Or ee Oye / vf Su ° Pea Qijan’ge nié t'a” yi'ji, ca” pi ésa yi'ji Akihide mak‘a™ Your sister pain she if, yet again lasting if, attending medicine has longer to it than was anticipated ‘iwakifa-gi, wage wazcé¢e ui¢a-gi. Gasini ha™ega’tce yi, cause them to ae white doctor tell it to him. To-morrow morning when, to her, man mi” da"be saté” cide da” ctéa™, Ma"tct-ndji" ya”be etéga”. hour five six or, Standing Bear ie see him ape ey S . . . Tg ri? Ki @di ¢iadi ma™zé uéti® éga" ya™be taté eb¢éga", Petaxe And there your iron T hit it as I see him © shall I think, Live Coal. father for him NOTES. Cahie¢a was a Yankton by birth. He married a Ponka woman and was adopted into the tribe. His son Cafige-q¢a (Edward Jones) was one of the author’s scholars in 1872~75. This letter was sent to Ponka Ageney, Ind. T. 75, 1, mak‘a’, usually pronounced maka”. 75, 4. Petixa, in Riggs’s notation Petaga, probably a brother of Cahie¢a. The name is equivalent to the Ponka “ gede-zi.” TRANSLATION. Should your sister become ill and the illness last much longer than the first symptoms indicate, let them attend to her and give her medi- cine, besides telling the white doctor to prescribe for her. I may see Standing Bear to-morrow morning at five or six o’clock. After that I will telegraph to your other father, Live Coal, whom I think that I shall visit. ‘“MA*TCU-HI‘QTI TO A*PAX-SKA, OMAHA AGENCY, NEBR. JANUARY, 1881. A™ba¢é wiya™ be ka"b¢éga"-qti-ma™ éde wina™ona® pi. Isa”’- To day Isee you [have a strong inclination but Imissed you Iwas San- as I walked coming this way. yati maja” ké’di ati ha. Ki é gaja Macté maja” ké’ga tee land at the Ihave . And that at that Warm land to the lg. obj. come puke en place b¢é yi, edida™ wi? wégaska"¢é a ¢agaji. Macté maja” ¢a” Tzgo if, what one ao test it you com- Warm Jand the manded me. {=Indian Territory. ] ev. obi. 12 96 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. udgaca" ha éde i”tca" b¢icta. Ada® é'di ag¢i” ta minke. I Perea but now I have fin- There- there I sit I will. it ished it. fore Na‘an’-ga. Niaci”ga ama b¢uga égi¢a™l, ida" Ma tet-naji® Hear thou it! People the pl. all they have there- Standing Bear sub. saidittohim, fore o wf ye , , , , , . yv . ginke’di bee. (f ‘ama niaci“ga ama wad¢i¢uta" amadi di tothe st.an. Igo. These EE eee the pl. they pull things among there obj. sub. straight those who do it ris tobe: f a, / , , w/ , ee ma"b¢i™, a” ¢i" a¢ai. Ki e‘a” gaxe ta-aka té’ Ma*tet-naji? I walk, having they go. And how perhaps he will do it Standing Bear me (speaker is uncertain) 2 ele Or? . , ul . ae, Ye 75) Ae akd 6'di pi te’di. Ki é i¢apaha™ ka“ b¢a b¢é. Ki niaci'’ga the there I when. And that I know it I wish I go. And people sub. reach (indians) him if Pye , , , . Xr Pan‘ka ama ¢a‘é¢i¢e tetbe, and‘a®, juga ¢iqtci. Ga" edada Ponkas the pl. they (?) very, IT heard it, body your very And what sub. pitied you self. , i / . +? : (ae Pet ew 7° , wetéckaxe te¢a™ gisi¢ai éga" ¢a‘é¢i¢é-na™i: ¢ gate uwib¢a you did for us in the they re- as they have usually that Sahat T tell you past member it pitied you: thing ka™ b¢a-qti ga” uwib¢a. Iwish very so T tell you. And awa" qpani-na"-ma™ a®eta™ be-nan i ha. Ki ¢é¢u usni ké’di ma*b¢i here ” te¢an’ di cold in the T walked in the past I™tca™ Macté maja™ I was usually poor you saw me ae Now Warm land arly © wf qs : / : ou Oude . w keya pf té’di a®wa’ qpani-maji minké Aha", eb¢éga®. péska to the I at the Iam not poor I who sit ! (in I think. Cows reached past thought) (oxen) there time dhigi wab¢i® ha. Can’ge ecti ahigi wab¢i? ha, maja” ¢a” many I have Horse too many I have land the them them w , . 7 . vl wv . a . e cti uda®qti ab¢i’, 4f té cti sagiqti ab¢i”. Wagqi"ha ¢a® too very good LThaveit, house te too veryfirm I have it. Paper the ta . obj. i¢éna-na® ¢a™ja, wi'i-maji; a”ba¢é wif ha. Ga™ wija’be you begged of though, I did not give to-day I give And IT see 791 me usually it to you; it to you ékiga"gtia™, na*buwib¢a™ ég just like it, I shake your hand aqti céhe ha. ate so T said that NO'TES. This letter was apparently written in order to influence the Omanas to join the Ponkas in the Indian Territory. After dictating the above only in English: (on the cars) by Sloan Station, Low , Ma"teu-hitgti added the following, recorded ‘* Look Bat for us on nee or Saturday, as we go down Come over the Missouri River. — a a a ae OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 97 if possible. [I am here with my brother-in-law Cheyenne and Mahi*- ska (White Rock, or Peter Primeau), the captain of the Ponka police LOTCE.”” TRANSLATION. I am very desirous to see you to-day, but I passed you in coming hither. I have come to (the border of) the Santee Reservation. When I was going to the Indian Territory you commanded me to test one thing. I traveled all over the Indian Territory (before accomplishing it), but now I have completed it. Therefore I will dwell there. Hear it! All the people(on the Ponka Reservation in the Indian Territory) have said it to him (Standing Bear), therefore I am going to (the place where) Standing Bear (dwells). I have accompanied these persons who are rectifying our affairs; they are taking me with them. When -I reach Standing Bear, perhaps he will come to some decision. I go because I wish to know it. The Ponka people, as I have heard, have been very kind to you personaliy. They have generally been kind to you because they remember what you did for them in the past. I tell you because I have a strong desire to tell you that. When I used to spend the winters here, I was usually poor, and you saw me in that condition. But now, since I have been living in the Indian Territory, I think, “‘I am not poor!” I have many horses and cattle. I havea very good farm and a well-built house. You have been asking me to write to you, but I have not done so heretofore. [send you a letter to-day. I think thatitis just as if [saw you and shook hands with you. CAHIE¢A TO HE-SA*-GINKE. SAME DAY. Gata”adi ¢ana?’ ¢i"te wigika"b¢a’-qti-na’-ma™ ha. Wana- At last you may be grown [am generally very anxious to have ; Domestic you, my own ani- ee kaw nl ~ 4 , g¢e igi” kida a™¢in’ge. Wisi¢é-na"-ma™ ha. Cé¢u Umaha- mal towatchover Ihave ane Tam usually thinking : Yonder among the mine for me of you Oma- , . . is rs , . madi mani” té wa¢iqpa¢i® iwiyuhé. E’be Uméha wi" has you walk the you are poor I apprehend Who Omaha one it for you. — f , S , , vw, Pati‘kaja ¢é yi, u¢tihe f-ga. tothe Ponkas goes if, following be com- him ing. NOTE. He-sa"-¢inke was probably related to Cahie¢a. TRANSLATION. As you are probably grown by this time, I am very anxious to have you with me again. I have nobody to attend to my domestic animals. 10967 7 3 12 98 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. Tam generally thinking of you. I am afraid that you will become poor if you remain with the Omahas. If any Omaha goes to the Ponkas, accompany him. PETER PRIMEAU TO AGENT W. W. WHITING, PONKA AGENCY, IND. T. Uagaca™ pi té’ edada™ a™¢agaji yi, éga*qti daxe ka™b¢a. I travel Iwas when what you com- if, Saat so Ido I wish. coming manded me Nikaci’ga ama cti égi¢a™i ada" pi ha. U¢uag¢e’qti wisi¢é People the pl. too they paid there- Iwas. Without intermis- Iremem- sub. it to him fore coming sion ‘ber you . . . 2, , wZ . / - Ay ma"b¢i". Captain Martin cti asi¢e ma*b¢i’. Eskana a¢a- I walk. Captain Martin too I remem- I walk. Oh that you re- ber him siga¢é ka"b¢éga". Ma"tet-naji® ¢ita”i té Iyiga*¢ai ¢inkéd member I hope. Standing Bear they work the Grandfather the one me who edada" gdxai té wan'giéée’qti wagaztqti i¢apaha™ ka™b¢a, what they do the all very straight-very I know it I wish, Ada" nikagahi na™ba juawag¢e ma"b¢i”. Ki wagazu etéga™ there- chief two T with them I walk. And © straight apt fore dha", eb¢éga®. Céna égipe. Ki aji égipe té. Wat wiwfja ! (in I think. _ Bnoue h I have And an- Isayit will. Woman my thought), said it. other commissary te ‘di edida" ga“ ¢ai yi, ¢att ka"b¢éga", i¢éepaxu commissary at the what she desires if, you give I hope, you write for to her me ka"b¢éga", wi. Joe Sherman u¢éwi" adi” aka cti u¢éona I hope, ne Joe Sherman collected he has the too you tell it sub. to him ka*b¢éga": wa‘tt wiwija edada™ ga”¢ai yi, 4 ka eb¢éga™ I hope: woman my what she desires when, he I hope that. gives . to her Wata™zi ditiba Joe Sherman wait wiwija ‘i ka eb¢éga”™. Corn some Joe Sherman woman my he I hope that. gives to her pentga-ska asi¢é-na"-ma™: uif¢a-gi. Wanace te akihideé- White Buffalo Bull TI usually think of him: tell eee Policeman the he gives it his full qtia” té. Gasdani Ma*tett-naji® ya be ta minke. atten- let. To-morrow Standing Bear Iseehim I will. tion TRANSLATION. I desire to do just as you commanded me when I started on my journey. I came hither because the Indians, too, said so. I continue to think of you without the slightest srecnmiscion’ I also continue to think of Captain Martin. I hope that you (two) will remember me. I continue with the two chiefs (Cheyenne and Hairy Bear) because I wish OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 99 _ to have a full knowledge of everything that the President does in set- tling the difficulty with (or, case of) Standing Bear. I think “It is apt to end well!” I have said enough on this point. I will speak of something else. When my wife desires any article from the commis- sary, | hope that you will give it to her and charge it to my account. LT also hope that you will give instructions to that effect to Joe Sher- man, the keeper of the commissary. I hope that Joe Sherman will give some corn to my wife. Tell pentigaska& that I am always thinking about him. He should be paying strict attention to the police force (in my absence). I will see Standing Bear to-morrow. LALANGA-NAJIX JINGA TO STANDING BEAR, Ca” a™ba¢é, jim¢cha, fe wi'daqte: wawidaxu cu¢déa¢é. Well, to-day, elder brothe ie word just one I write some- I send it to thing to you you. Ma¢adi Ma™akibana” ama caki yi, ki in¢écka"ndqtia™ i Last winter Ma” akibana” the mv. he when, __ to you had a strong desire s sub. reached reach for me you again home yon- der éga" iwi" ¢a ag¢ii. Ha. A™ba¢é wawidaxu cu¢éa¢é. Ki as to tell me he had T To-day I write some- I send it to To come back. thing to you you. reach home yonder . / . / , ¢écka"naqti yi, ji'¢éha, a™nize ckana ka"b¢éga®. Ca® you have a strong if, elder brother, you re- you wish I hope. Well, desire for me ceive me , ° 6 Pan‘ka ama nikagahi ama ¢éama, ji"¢céha, ticka” i’ uda"qti Ponka the pl. chief ihe pk these, elder brother, deed not very good sub. sub. maji gga". Awayig¢ita® dea", jit¢cha, waqe ama iwin’ ya" yi © 5 5 3 ] forme some- I work for myself as, elder iremer white thepl. have helped me what. people sub, . {59 a . , Pu w . vw qtia’i.. Ki nikagahi ama ¢é ha, jit¢cha, giteqi té. I" udat- greatly. And chief the pl. they. elder brother, difficult the. Not good sub. are the for one ones 4 —/ 2 , maji, ehé té Pan’ka ama cag¢é ama a¢a™”baha’qtia™i for me, Isaid_ the. Ponkas the pl. Ost who have gone they know full well it sub. homeward to you about me me . , ° ° , E , y ticka” té. Nikaci”ga na"ba ni" dite, ama ¢ag¢é, ki Ama deed the. Men two you perhaps, theone youstarted and the are homeward other We's%-jan’ea ¢é¢u tée ha. pi ag¢i” té si-vigajide e@¢cba- Big Srake here hedied . House I sit the stride twen- ; / , w Arent, , y Onli eae /1. / na™ba qai té. Aci é¢a"be pi yi, mi”qé ké ya™be-na"-ma? ty he was the. Ontof going out- Lar- when, grave the lg. I see it regularly. buried doors side again rive ob. Cin’gajin’ga-ma ¢¢-ma winaqtei ua ¢inge’qti ga™ ¢a‘éawa- Chil Y , *H/ b¢a te, af Patékaama. Na, Iyiga™¢ai ¢inké’di cf té fe wi you shall, said Ponka the pl. (Intj.) Grand- | to the st. you when word one sub. See father ob. reach here! (?) there , il ee eal evi , Pes , as Oe Mes u¢éna te ha’. Maja” ¢a" ¢é¢a™ yéski uwa‘a"si-na™i édega” you tell shall. Land the this cattle they often leap (on it) but (er, as to him place place in the past) (ob.) , ° , ° ane, / , , fis : TEND *n/e = / wéteqi teabai. Ki na” kige g@¢éba-sata™ a™¢a’ @i?wi"'l maja" difficult it is very. And only box ; sixty we have bought it land for us with OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS, 103 — , ° e ~ ¢a", anevyai maja” ¢a®. Ki ja"¢inange-‘a”sagi maja” ¢a” anafi- the it is ours land’ the And wagon ewiibes land the runs place place place (ob.), (ob.). hae A . e P C ap ae gai. Ued¢adi® te sf e¢débahiwi® an’gua™ ‘ii: kige wi" ki e’di on. Width the foot one hundred we font them: a box one and there ob. e¢ébahiwi® dé¢aba wa‘ii ha, wwawéci. Ki waqe aji ama Okla- 3 hundred seven were : pay to the And white dif- thepl. Okla- given to tribe. people ferent sub. us homa eyita™ yéski-maé wati™ agii té Pan‘ka maja” adi ubaqpa¢ai homa from the cattle carrying were the Ponka ontheland they push them (in the return- and make cars) ing them fall te-mai. Maja™ ¢a® piiji hégaji, tiga”ha, wegaxai. Maja™ * keene diag) 5 ’ to) the dead Land the bad exceed- O grandfather, they have Land ones. ingiy, made it for us. ¢a® b¢tiga waqwi™. Ki na igadi¢at wi wan ga¢i®. Ki 6 the whole offensive. And See agent one we have them. And here! (2) n/ an’gua"waf gi¢ai: ‘‘Dadiha, maja” ¢a" piiji hégaji waxai,” we told it to them: O father, land the ob. bad very made us, /e 7? ° , ° 4 ye = / ~ Pees \ av¢a™i ¢a™ja i¢adi¢at aka udwagiya™ ctéwa"-baji. Ada® we said though agent the sub. helped us at least not. There- fore e*n/ at] f . , o . nikaci”ga an’ga¢i™ angtikikiai éga", “Tyiga™¢at Commissioner 9 people who my. we Seen to- as, Grandfather Commissioner gether ‘inké uf¢a ctécte ida" ha,” a®¢a™i éga", ma” zéska u¢éwi"an- thest. totell at any good : we said as, money we col- ob. him rate (?) ki¢al, e¢ébahiwi" nam ba u¢éwianki¢at. Ki thua”™ ¢i¢a-baji lected, hundred two we collected. And not consulting you . / , w, , ° 4 , Y ¢ida”be tai té giteqi éga" uwib¢a te, ai, ¢éga™ ati yi. 12 to see you will the difficult as Itell you shall, they thus Ihave when. for one said, come ae, ¥ , oe ~, = , ° Vv = . Ma” zéski fnatge té angtyai ha. Eskana nikaci ga na™ba- Money ‘*for roll- the is ours A Oh that persen two ing” col. ob. . , , . qtci ti ka*b¢éga", udwagiya” ka™ eb¢éga®. Maja™ ¢a’, just come I hope, to help us I hope. Le a the hither place (ob.) . / , Vv 7 , , . / . 2 S . ons yiga”ha, yéski ama uwa‘a"si-na" ca™ca’i ha, ada" ‘i¢@ i"win’- 15 O grand- cattle the pl. they are always leaping (on it) : there- tospeak we wish father, sub. fore about it oanat ha nikaci’ga b¢uga. Eskana wéagi¢iwagazu kan ane elition “1% people all. Oh that to straighten our affairs we for us / : Alea fe , , huy a Oe / S , ¢a’ gai. ... Edada™ edéce ¢a‘éwadade inig¢a” yi éskana hope. What you say you pity us you decide when Oh that something n/ d — , / Samy 7, , A ugq¢e’qtei ma” zé u¢iti™-da” Pan‘ka ¢ankéjya tiwag¢agina ¢é¢a¢e 18 very soon iron you hitit when Ponka to them you tell them you send ka” eb¢éga". (Wicti ma™zé uadti®-da” udwagib¢a ¢éag¢e ta T hope. I too iron Lhitit when I tell them IT will 18 104 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. minke.) (Pan‘ka ma™zéski’ te GA¢é ka™b¢a.) Hau. fe wi, send. Ponka "money the relat Iwish. — qT Word one, about yiga”ha, @ji ci uwib¢a tai minke. Pan’‘ka nikagahi ama, O grand- dif: again I will tell you. Ponka chief the pl. father, ferent sub., yiga™ha, ¢é¢u atti té. Ki iwa¢akié ga" oéwadigece: ‘ Maja™ O grand- here they (past And — you talked end you said as follows Land father, came sign). to them to them: , : Pee ae *n/ Wier , oak u¢gdgd¢i® ga” é'di ¢ag¢i” taité. Wayig¢ita’i-ga. [i yiya- you sit in the there you (pl.) shall sit. Work for yourselves. House make place (ob.) 74] 5” f be ae fore 1 rs w4oyva1-o05 es Kal-ga, ece te. Li ¢ayig¢asai te ypyaxal-ga. Kegi¢e for your- you (past House youcutfor your- when make for your- At selves, said sign). selves with axes selves. length wawéci nize taité,” ecé te. “Ki wandg¢e can’ge wacka™ anga pay you shall receive, you (past And domestic ani- horse strong said sign). mal fine / oa * ~ : / , / ae w wani"-mace, yan’de ¢iyubai-g%. pjan’de wéga"ze wi" ma™zéska you who havethem, ground work it fine. Ground measure one money rye , w, v4 - , wy oe na™ba f¢i¢awa tai,” ecé té. “Weéearze e¢cba nijubé yi, two shall be reckoned for you (past Measure ten you work if, you, said sign). fine lA 4 vy , *n/ ae | o¢éba-na”ba nize tal,” ecé té Ki nikaci”’ga minké, ¢¢é twenty you shallreceive, you (past And person Iwhoam, this said sign). minké, yiga™ha, a"wa™ ckayafi‘ga héga-maji. Can’ge ja" na™ ba 1 who am, O grand- I was strong I a very. Horse wood two father, (=span) . re J if PISS w, wab¢i® ada" a®wackayan’ga héga-maji, ehé té. Wi-na” Thad them there- I was strong I was very, Isaid (past I alone fore sign). Sy) i v , on , / y wi ys 5 [een r pahan’ga yf té ag¢icta", sf g¢éba-na”ba ki 6'di diba uha first - house the T finished — foot twenty and there four length std. ob. mine y Alc 3 Sn!) eh ers / , . té, ug¢adi® té ag¢i”’-cadé. Hau. yan’de ¢a" wéga"ze ag¢i'’- the, width the sixteen. q Ground the measure six- part (ob.) cAdé wigqtci ci ayle¢iyibe pahant ga. IXi i¢ddi¢at aka a™dat’- teen Imyself again I made it fine And agent the saw tor myself : sub. ] $ i hég =} vo nl sed ae (ta® tida® , ai té qta’¢é héga-baji, a"wa”sisige, ai, wa¢ita” Uda", al. me when — he liked pcceeantaly: I was active, he work good, he me said, said. , . ld , , *n/ I estes / I¢adi¢at aka fe wit égi¢a®: “Little Warrior yi wi" ¢é- Agent he word one — said to (me): Little Warrior house one you sub. ckaxe tai. Nicta™ yi, ma™zésk& ag¢i™ sata" nize te ha’,” ai. make for shall. You fin- when, money . fifteen youre- shall. he him ish it ceive it said. q v Vie ent oriee , , / , , 4 D eat tk n a an wey ll sea Kea” ci fe wi égi¢a" pi té. ‘“Maja™ ¢a™ wéga"ze g¢éba So again word one he said to I. when. Land the measure ten (me) reach- part ed there (ob.) ee os (ee e199 , y / pea 7 / 2 , v ¢enigubé te hi',” af. Ga” daxe ge¢a” ci b¢icta™ ha youmake please : he And Imade the things again I finished A tine for him said. in the past OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 105 etic ; . . re E ° oT aa peaks Ma™zéski g¢éba-na”ba ci a®fi. Ki ci’ égi¢e fe wi” égi¢a” Money twenty again he Ard again at word one _ he said to gave length (me) to me. . . , , . e ye i¢adi¢at aka: ‘Macdonald maja” wégatze g¢éba i¢éni- agent the sub.: Macdonald land measure ten you make yibe te ha’,” af aka i¢ddi¢af aka. E’di pf céga" diixe ha. finefor please. was saying agent the sub. There I as [ made it me reached 4 Y —/ , oay, (ART, / , / = , Bé¢icta" yi, can’ge aka ujé¢a-baji ca”akAé wacka™yangaf. Ifinished when, horse the col. were not weary then, but were strong. sub. would be so later = ae ~ | : Lae ° Can’gve aka wacka™yanga ucté’-qti ga” wéga"ze sata” wiqtci Horse the col. strong remained ex- as measure five I myself sub. ceedingly . : , , , piv *n/ 24 , idixied¢ig¢a™ ayidaxe. Hau, Iyiga™¢ai-a! Ag¢in’-sdta" béfcta® deciding for myself I made for Ho, O thou whom they Fifteen T finished myself, call grandfather ! nD 4’ dj ff Sorg2 1e4dibat vic §$ Ma aol 5 a! 5 abs 4 res ga” edi pi éga™ i¢adi¢al aka “‘Ma™zéska te’ qa¢a o¢éadée as there I as agent the sub. Money the back to I have arrived ob. the start- sent back ing place b¢icta®-qti-ma™,” af. Pan‘’ka ak& Macdonald akad can’ge I have already finished, ae Ponka the sub. Macdonald the sub. horse said. wawéci ewéna-na’-ma™. ‘‘Tyiga"¢at aka i¢adi¢ai é¢a™ba pay IT asked f6r them often. President the sub. agent he too wawéci wéna-ga,” i'¢ifi'ge-na™i. Ki can’ge wa¢ita"awa- pay ask from them, he said to me often. And horse those that I caused ki¢é-ma dtiba wi” ctéwa™ gaski i’t’e, t’éagi¢é, dda" nan‘de to work four one even mine nearlydied from LTkilled my _ there- heart shortness of breath, own fore i’ ¢a-maji ca’ca®, ga” uwib¢a a” bade. Tam sad always, so I tell you this day. NOTES. penuga-zi, or Yellow Buffalo-bull, was known in 1871 as yayaiga- naji" jinga, or Standing Buffalo, jr. See Contr. N. A. Ethn., Vol. v1, pt. il, pp. 609, 613, 633, and 639. In the spring of 1889 yenuga-zi came to Washington to assist the author in revising his Ponka linguistie material. The two letters dictated by this Indian are peculiar on ae- count of the number of English words which have been adopted. This text consists of the address made to Acting Commissioner Belt a few days after it was dictated in the original to the author. 103, 4-5, ubaqpa¢ai t’e-ma. They make the dead cattle “fall to the ground from the floor of the car.” 103, 6, na. A peculiar use, as this word is generally an interjection, fie! bosh! bother! 1038, 6. Wanga¢i™ used where anga¢i® would have been expected ; so angui"¢ai might have been used instead of angua"wangi¢ai (a peculiar 9 12 106 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. form of anguangi¢ai), as there was only one agent addressed by the Indians. 103, 19. Wicti ma"zé uati"-da", etc. jenuga-zi’s first plan omitted by his request from the translation sent to Mr. Belt. The next paren- thetical remark was intended for the author alone. 104, 2. Panka nikagahi ama ... ¢e¢u atii té. This refers to the visit of the delegation to Washington in December, 1880. 105, 9, ewena-na*-man. Another use of the pl. for the sing. (ena- na®-mar). TRANSLATION. O “Little Grandfather,” you who govern the Indians, I will speak to you to-day about two subjects. I have come to this place because my friend, Mr. Dorsey, sent for me to come and work with him (or, sent for me and promised to employ me). When I was at the railroad station at Ponca, Ind. T., just before I started hither, very many of the Ponkas followed me that far, and they said that I should have an interview with you. Said they, “When you reach Washington you shall speak to the President about one matter.” The cattle have been trespassing on our reservation from time to time, and that is hard for us to endure. We bought our present res- ervation for fifty thousand dollars, and it is ours. Wé sold to the rail- road company the right of way through our reservation, consisting of a tract one hundred feet wide, for one thousand seven hundred dollars. Other white people, not railroad officials, when returning with the stock cars from Oklahoma, shove out the carcasses of the dead cattle upon the Ponka land. (They drag them here and there over a large extent of territory, leaving them to decay, and making all the land smell and covering it with bones; without giving us any damages. Besides this, cattle are brought to the reservation, where they are sold to different persons who take them away in various directions, going at random over our fields and pastures. Thus are our crops injured, and we can not cut hay.) We begged the agent to help us about this, but he has done nothing. Therefore we Indians consulted together and said, “It is proper to tell this to the President and the Commissioner.” So we collected among ourselves two hundred dollars to pay the traveling expenses of some of our men to and from Washington. But since it is difficult to see you without obtaining your consent, they said that I should tell you when I came, as I now have done. The money to pay the railroad fare is our own. I hope that you will help us, and that you will allow at least two to come and speak about these matters. The cattle are continually trespassing on our land, therefore all of our people wish to speak about it. We hope that our affairs may be rectified for us. ... If you have something to say in reply, | hope OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. LO’ that you will decide to pity us, and that you will very soon telegraph to the Ponkas what you have to tell them. (I too will send a telegram in order to tell them.) (I wish to speak about the Ponka money.) Grandfather, I will tell you about a different matter. Grandfather, the Ponka chiefs came hither. You had an interview with them, and you said to them: ‘You shall remain in the land where you dwell. Work for yourselves. Make houses for yourselves. Fell the trees and build your own houses. Subsequently you shall receive pay for so doing. And those of you who have strong horses should break the prairie. For this work you shall be paid at the rate of two dollars an acre. If you cultivate ten acres you shall receive twenty dollars.” And this person, I myself, Grandfather, was very strong. When I say that I was strong, I refer to my having at that time two span of horses. I was the first Ponka to finish his house; it was twenty-four feet long and sixteen feet wide. I was the first one to cultivate the ground, and I broke sixteen acres. The agent saw me and he liked me. He said that I was active and the work was good. So the agent made a proposition to me: **Make a house for Little Warrior, and when you finish it you shall receive fifteen dollars.” I did this, and he made another proposition: ‘Cultivate ten acres for him.” Idid as I had been told, and I received twenty dollars. Again the agent. made a proposition to me: ‘Cultivate ten acres for Maedonald.” I went to the place and did as I had been requested. When [ had finished my horses were not yet weary, as they were strong ones. As the horses bad a great quantity of their strength left, I cul- tivated five additional acres without consulting the agent. O Grandfather, I finished fifteen acres. Then I went to the agent, who said, ‘‘I have already sent the money back to Washington.” After this I often asked Macdonald for pay for my horses, and he always replied, ‘Ask the President and agent for the pay.” Now, one of my four work horses died from exhaustion; I killed my own horse in this way, therefore I have been sad ever since (because I have failed to get my pay), and so I tell it to you to-day. LENUGA-ZI TO MACDONALD. MAY 16, 1889. Liga™ha, wabig¢eze tia’¢aki¢é ¢a™ b¢izé. Cin’gajin’ga O grandfather, letter you sent hither the Thavere- Child to me ob. ceived it. OE aap SP. 7 Ce ep) sastd , r *n/ 4 ~ ° / 7 wiwija ¢anka nié ¢ingé’-qti ecé tina, i”¢ée-qti-ma™. Ki my the ones pain have none at you you tell I am very glad. Anil who all say about them, , ~l _ 4 *n/ 4 s , / , i wl . pi taté’di fe wi égice: awdcka® te, ecé¢, Iyiga¢ai ¢inke’di. 3 whenI was word one you said Idomy best will, you Grandfather, at the st. ob. about to start to (me): said, 12 15 18 108 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. Ki ada* nikaci’ga na™”ba ¢é¢anka, Dasi Frank é¢a™ba And _ there- person two these, Dorsey Frank he too fore wacka™ héeaji judwaed¢e. Hau. Igiea™tat aké Commissioner gajl J 5 yg persevering exceed- Jam with them. q Grandfather the Commissioner ingly sub. , , ive Pal , i bi) ° / , ° . / VP. aka udawakié. Kdada" Pani‘ka maja” weéteqi ge¢a™” udwa- the I talked with What Ponka land difficult for the objects I told to sub. them (or they us in the past talked with us.) gib¢a. Ca™ wa¢acta"be nikagahi-ma ¢ida™be ga¢a-qti-a™], them. And you see them (?) the chiefs to see you they have a strong desire, ehé uawagib¢a. Ca” fe ahigi-qti Iyiga™¢af ¢inké udkie. I said I told to them. And word iS many oe and uher thest.ob, Italked to him. Ja", maja” ¢an’di yéska cti uwad‘a*si-na™i éga" ge b¢tiga-qti And, land in the cattle too they leap often ae ane pl. al in. ob. uawagib¢a. Lyiga™¢ai aké Cominissioner aka égi¢a™i: Cag¢eé I told to them. Gemdither the Commissioner the said it to I start sub. sub. (me): back to you tédihi yi, nikaci”ga juag¢e caki ti minke, Tyiga™¢ai jin’ga by the time man I with him I will reach there again Grandfather small that where you are, wi". Ca™ nikaci™ ga-mace, wetig¢a® gaxe g¢ii-gi, u¢uda"be one. And O ye people, plan a aking sit oe considering a op aa AS ! 14S 4 n/ f ts { Gc Litre WO /; e¢i'i-ca! Weéd¢ig¢a” unc g¢iMi-ga! ‘“Iyigat¢ai jin’ga cuht sit ye! Plan seeking sit ye! Grandfather smali reaches Bs you tédihi yi, edada™ wéteqi ge¢a™ b¢ugaqti u¢éna tai,” ai by the time what hard for us the objects, all you tellto ow il, said that, in the past, him Commissioner aka. Ca™ Commissioner aka nikaci ga i u- Commissioner the sub. And Commissioner the sub. person very da” qti-a”i, a’ ¢é-qtci-a”i a®wan’kie-na™i, Ca™ a™ba anaqtci good to me, very gently talked to me regularly. And day about how éga® wi ci Commissioner ¢inke’ya b¢é ta minke, ci udkie many when again Commissioner to the st. ob. I will go, again I will ti minke. Ca™ nikaci”ga ¢é¢i" Ddsi iwin'ya? hégaji talk to him. And person thismv. Dorsey helped me exceed- ob: ingly if y . ne , ce _y o ega”, ci uq¢é’qtci ya“be ta minke Iyiga™¢ai jin’ga ¢inké. as, again very soon I will see him Grandfather small the st. ob. Wabag¢eze cuhi tédthi yi, i¢ddi¢ai ¢inké da™be céka"b¢a. Letter reaches by the time agent the st.ob. to see it I wish for you that, him. Eidihi yi, wagazu u¢a tai. Pan‘ka b¢iiga cti na‘a” ewé- In that event, straight he tell — will. Ponka all too tohearit I wish it : ka"b¢a. for them. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 109 NOTES. 107, {, wabag¢eze, used in this letter instead of the regular Ponk: equivalent, “‘wabaxu.” ‘“Wabag¢eze” is the Omaha word. 108, 1. Dasi, instead of “Q@asi,” the latter being the form used by the Omahas and the Ponkas up to 1880. Frank, used instead of ‘Sasu.” 108, 2. Commissioner, instead of * Ijiga*¢ai jinga.” 108, 2-3. Iyigat¢ai ... aka uawakie: a seeming inconsistency, requir- ing a change to “Iyiga"¢ai ¢inke, Commissioner ¢inke, uawakie (or, Grandfather the st. Commissioner the st. I talked ob. ob. them uakie),” or, “Igiga*¢ai aka ... a®wati/kiai.” I talked to Grandfather the P he (07, they) to him, sub. talked to me. 108, 4, wa¢acta"be, a case of “‘hapax legomenon.” The author has not yet found a verb, “ wacta"’be ,” in the 3d sing.; but there is * wacta™ be,” you see them, from wada"™ be, 108, 7, egi¢a"l. genuga-zi does not quote tke decision of the Commis- » 4, e8 L s sioner, but he gives the substance of what he said, in the next sentence, followed by advice to the tribe. TRANSLATION. O father-in-law, I have received your letter. I am very glad because you have told me that my children are in good health. When I was about to start to this place you made one request. You said that I ought to exert myself in behalf of the tribe when I reached Washing- ton. For that reason I have been doing all in my power, and these two men, Frank La Fleche and Mr. Dorsey, have been aiding me. I have had an interview with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. I told him about the troubles in the Ponka land. I also told him that the chiefs had a strong desire to visit him in Washington (?). In fact, I spoke a great many words to the Commissioner. I told him about ali the trouble that had been given us by the cattle trespass- ing on our land, ‘Lhe Commissioner said what he would have done. When [ start back to you I shall be accompanied by aa inspector. O ye people, be making some plan before the arrival of the inspector. Be considering what shall be done. For the Commissioner says, *‘ When the inspector reaches your land, you shall tell him about all of your difficulties.” The Commissioner is a man with whom I am pleased, for he always talked very gently to me. After some days I will call again on the Commissioner, in order to talk with him once more before my departure. As this man, Mr. Dorsey, has been aiding me considerably, I shall see the Commissioner very soon. When this letter reaches you, I wish the agent to see it. In that event it will be told correctly. I also wish all the Ponkas to hear it. 110 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. GEORGE MILLER TO HIS WIFE. SEPTEMBER 27, 189. I’uda™-qti-rma”. Nié a” ¢ingé-qti-ma™”. Ca™ ¢icti égija™i (I find) it very good for Pain ., Ihave none at all And youtoo youdo so me. (pl.) kat” ebgéga" h di inf ewal’ a” eb¢éga™ ha, wan'gi¢é’-qti, ¢iadi ctéwa” ¢iyinu ctéwa T hope all, your even your elder even father brother 3 égati ka™ eb¢éga". Pahan’ga ati té’di éga" waqi”ha wi™ they I hope. Before ITeame when so paper one are so to this house cug¢éwiki¢é. Waqi”ha ctéwa™ tia’ ¢aki¢aji. Cin’ gajin’ga-ma Isent back to you . Paper even you have not sent The children (pl. ob.) by some one. hither to me, a’ ba ig¢aug¢ée’-qti awagisi¢é-na"-ma™, awagind‘a® ka b¢a, day throughout I am even thinking of them, I hear about them, I wish, my own, my own, 6 ca” e‘a™i ité. Cin’gajin’'ga-ma ¢-i ga” uagaca™ edada®™ that howthey may be. The children (pl. ob.) they as I travel what is are the ones / , / ~ 7 ire ctéctéwa” udawagiket'a® ka™ eb¢éga" ga™ udgaca™. Ci ¢feti soever I aeinits: for them, I hope. as I travel. Again you too my own, e‘a™ eb¢éga" té enéga™ ka™ eb¢éga®. Ca™ wia™b¢a pi té ¢iteqi how I think it the you think J hope. Now Tleft you Iwas the hard it coming for you hither er Oey 2 . / fs , , 4 ~ 4 ~ / 0 té i¢apaha’-qti-ma™ ¢a™ja, ca" ¢é ie uwib¢a gé si¢a-ga. Ca™ the I know it very well though, yet this word Itell you the remember. And pl. in. ob. ¢ijinu u¢iyai té nan’‘de i*¢i”uda”-qti pi ¢a™ja, i’ tea” efa"l your he helped when heart very goodformine Iwas though, now how he elder you coming brother hither bs ye . °n/ va N / / , ae fe ye , 1 éitte i"wi’¢ana té. Ca” Uma™ha?-ma cti e‘a”i dite awa- may be youtellme please. And the Omaha (pl. ob.) too howthey maybe I hear 4 NT: : ~ [anomalies w 12 na‘a" ka“ b¢a. Mi" ¢é céna yi, ca” ma”zésk& sata" ctécte about I wish. Moon this enough when, at any money five about (2) them rate cug¢éwiki¢é ta minke. Wackan’-ga ha’. Awatéga™ ada" Isend home to you” will I who. Do your best ! In what manner’ good etéga" éga" gdxe ga™ ga-ga ha’. Wahaba ké ¢isaji ctéctéwa™ con) apt so to do desire thou : Ears of corn the not even if ob. pulled off / os a / , / -/ y, , pay 2 eyiey2 re 15 ea” ¢ingé. Ki ca™ u¢iya™ ¢at‘fa” yi’cté d‘iba ¢iséwaki¢a-gi what there is And atany tobelp you have if some cause them to pull off. is the none. rate you matter , eee / ty / A | Banja (if wanita™qtia ji ka“ b¢éga". Cin’gajin’ga-ma wa¢agi- — Though you you do not work I hope. The children (pl. ob.) you attend hard to them, kihide ka” eb¢éga". Wahaba ké wé¢i"wi" juaji ctéctéwa’, your I hope. Kars ofcorn the to sell inferior notwithstand- own, ob. ing, OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 111 / / a eens eS : ca™ ga" ¢iteqi yi, wé¢i"win’-a. Ma zéska ¢izé té wasnin’de still so itis hard if, sell it. Money to the delay for you take it , ‘2 , y — taté eb¢éga" ha, dda" wagixe ¢izé’-qti-ii‘ji-ga. Can’ge-ma will I think it : there- on credit do not take sigh The horses surely fore (pl. ob.) ie ; 7 Pops LS : cti e‘a™i dite, can’ge g¢cje wahi¢age ¢acti e‘a™ 4, gini too how they are, hor, ne spotted lame formerly howisit ? recov- ered da” ctea” efa” a. Ci ¢iteqiqti yi'cté Mmwi"’¢a f¢a-ga. perhaps howisit ? Again you havea if to tell me cond very hard hither. time NOTES. - George Milier, or A"¢abi, of the Ictasanda gens of the Omaha, came to Washington in the autumn of 1889 to assist the author in verifying parts of his work. George’s wife, Mary, is the daughter of the ex- interpreter, Louis Sanssouci. 111, 2-3. Cange-ma cti e‘a"i ei"te, supply awana‘a" ka"b¢a, I wish to hear about them, and let the next ‘‘cange” begin a new sentence. TRANSLATION. It agrees very well with me here. I am in excellent health, and I hope that all of you, including your father and elder brother, are like- wise in good health. I sent you a letter before I came to this place to work with Mr. Dorsey. But you have not sent mea single letter. Day after day I am constantly thinking about my children, and I wish to hear how they are. The sole reason for my coming to the Hast was my desire to acquire something for my children. And I hope that you think as I do on this subject. I knew full well when I came that if I left you you would have some trouble, but even if you do have trouble, remember these words of mine (7. ¢., what I have said about acquiring something for our children). I started hither with a very light heart, as I knew of your brother’s promise to help you. But I wish you to tell me whether he is doing anything now. I desire to hear also how the Omaha people are. At the end of this month [ will send you at least five dollars. Exert yourself! Try to act in whatever way you think will be advantageous. [Even though the corn should not be har- vested, it will not matter! Yet, if you can get some persons to help you, let them harvest some of the corn. But, whether you succeed or fail to get any one, I hope that you yourself will not work very hard! I hope that you will attend to our children. I[f the corn should not bring a good price, do not hesitate to sell it, if you should find it diffi- cult to get along. I think that there will be some delay in the payment of the annuity money, therefore do not get much on credit. I wish to hear how the horses are. How is the spotted horse which used to be lame? Has it recovered? Be sure to send me word if you have a very hard time. 12 18 112 OMAHA GEORGE MILLER TO HIS WIFE. AND PONKA LETTERS. OCTOBER 7, 1889. Waqi™ha ¢a" a™badé b¢izé ha. Ca® i” ¢é-qti-ma™ ha, gat Paper the ob. to-day T have And Tam very glad A as taken it . e w + | . / , . Vv , ay uv wind‘al té. Ga™ niaci”ga ama iai ctéctéwa", wana‘a™ji-ga. I have heard from And people the pl. they notwithstand- do not listen to them. you (pl.) sub. have ing, spoken Cin’gajin’ga ¢anka wakibida-ga. Keti juga uya™adfi ha, Children the ones attend to them. They body — they are apart who too ga" ejai gé agikihide taf; ci wicti juga uya”adi b¢i™ and their thepl. let them attend to again I too body apart Tam. in. ob. their own; (fiadi, ¢iyinu, ¢ija"¢é cti Awawdka-maji, wédaji-ma Awawake, Your your elder yourelder too I do not mean them, those who are I mean them, father, brother, sister, elsewhere (pl. ob.) . ° / , w . die Da “ia” ¢a-bi ecé-ma. A™ba waqube ama té’di ma” zéska sata” that they those whom Day mysterious other on the money five talked about you said one me (pl. ob.) cug¢éwiki¢é. Ni™daha® ¢izé aci, nizé yi, iMwi"¢ i¢a-ga. I sent home to you. Philip Stabler totake Lasked you when, to tell me send it him to get it hither. do it i I’ ¢a-maji héga-maji can’ge-ma ¢i wa¢akihide ecé yi. Lobert I was sad T-not a little tiie horses you youattended to you when. Robert (pl. ob.) them said we a . *n/ . = , ° Mitchell ui¢a-ga ha: ju¢ig¢e gi’ tai can’ge-ma_ wakihide Mitchell — tell it to nin ! with you he sit will the horses he attend to (pl. ob.) them té. Inahi” yi, imwi’¢a i¢a-ga. Tom wahaha ¢isé ci-ga. will. He agrees if, to tell me send Thomas earsofcorn topull employ hither. Baxter off him. ° Tame ise / ; y y E‘a” fyig¢awa ctéctéwa™ inahin’- ga. Ci ¢iuda” ji How he reckons him- notwithstanding be willing. Again not good for self you wf ~ ql nts SH Sy og he dy ta ( PVs ~, c Tent- the Duy it ! Moon this enough when, money ten skin cug¢éwiki¢é ta minke. I send home to you will I who. yaxé-gia" Flying Crow uqpad¢e te: it gets lost lest. 4 wagazu and‘a™ ka™ bee straight I hear it I wish. Ahigi cug¢cagi ta té° na™ape, égi¢e mien Tsend home’ will the I fear it, beware edta™ qd¢a kfi 4 Edada™ cwa™ té why back hehas ? What caused — the again reached it home 1 Qh] y = a’ b: S Cta”be yi, wai”baxu agaji- ga. You see him if, to write to me command him 2 es 4 : a i OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 113 Mi"jinga wakdéga té i”¢a-mdji ¢a™ja, gini té uda™ hia. Girl sick the I was sad though, shehas_ the good recovered ENE se 7 i 7 : al ° , . , / Oy) Cin’gajin’ga-ma a™b-i¢aug¢ée qti awagina‘a® ka™b¢a. Wagqi”ha The children (pl. ob.) throughout the day I hear about I wish. Paper them, my own Gy cha poke, rane , , , : / 3 ¢a” tia’ ¢aki¢aji yaci: edta™ éda® eb¢éga", yuahe-na™-ma™ ha. the youhayvenotsent fora why 2? (in so- I think, I ama usually appre- hither tome long time: liloquy) hensive Ab: iy ae. , Va ° ea epee ML , . | a waqube g(€) i¢awaqti cin’gajin’'ga-ma awagind‘a Day mysterious the pl. each one the children (pl. ob.) T hear about in. ob. them, my own 7 y ka™ bea ha. I wish NOTES. 112, 2, iai. Some of the Omahas blamed George Miller for leaving his familyin Nebraska while he came to assist the author. In this letter he reminds them of the importance of attending to their own affairs. 112, 6, ‘ia"¢a-bi ece-ma, in apposition to wedaji-ma. TRANSLATION. J have received your letter to-day. I am very glad to hear from you. Notwithstanding the people talk about my absence, pay no attention tothem. Attend to your children. These people have nothing to do with me, and they ought to attend to their own affairs; and I have nothing to do with them. Ido not refer to your father, your brother, or your sister; I refer to other people, that is to those who, as you say, have been talking about me. Week before last I sent you five dollars. IT requested Philip Stabler to get it. Send me word when you receive it. When you said that you had been attending to the horses, it made me very sad. Tell Robert Mitchell to stay at the house with you and take care of the horses. Send me word whether he is willing. Employ Thomas Baxter to harvest the corn. Agree to pay him whatever price he charges for his services. (Recorded in English, not in Omaha: I send a sample of the blue flannel cloth which is sold here. it is not as good as what you desire. If you like the sample let me know.) If you do not like it, tell me so. But if I return home to you very soon, there is no prospect of my bringing you even one thing. If you have no one to stay with you, your parents ought to be with you. Buy a tent-skin. At the end of this month [ will send you ten dollars. I fear to send you much money, lest it should get lost. Why did Flying Crow return home? I wish to hear a true account of the cause. Should you see him, tell him to write to me about it. I was very sad on account of the sickness of my daughter, but’ now that she has recovered all is well. Throughout each day do I wish to hear about my children. You have not sent me a letter for a long time, and when I wonder what is the reason, | am apprehensive of some trouble at home, Every week do f wish to hear about my children. 10967 8 12 15 114 GEORGE MILLER TO MARK CLEVELAND, PONCA, IND. T. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. OCTOBER 15, 1889. A® bage fe djtibaqtei widaxu To-day word very few I write to you ¢é¢uadi wija™be te eb¢ég at this I see you will inka son ¢an‘di ati ha. atthe Ihave come Uma" ha?-ma the Omaha (pl. ob.) Tyiga"¢ai maja” Grandfather land Pan‘ka Ponka ama the pl. sub. ¢an’di hi at the ar- rived Ki And gacibe outside maja” land 1, when, n/ fe té and‘a® word the I heard it Ca 80 ¢a™ja, cub¢é'-q though, IT was going once (lam ja ikage wiwt Though his friend wy own éga™ ati ha. as Icame hither wi one C an yet Ki And cu¢a-biam édega™ it was said that but they had gone to see you qi¢a wa¢i? aki-biama, waqi”ha tian’ki¢at. paper “Ww they reached home, they say, back again qti nikaci”ga uké¢i® Indian having them an’ gain we who move a” ¢i?-baji ctéctéwar we are not notwithstanding, waqeqti real white men the a"ma™ ¢i" taite. we at walk. wéuda" good for us tédi-na”™ only then wi’ one Cc; n yet anyija"bat we see one ali- other an’ adi" we who move — , bs , ° an yLyaxe eta. I think, n/ wage angaxe tan’ga¢i” waqe-ma te'di when Uma"- Sea- (hé¢uadi At this bei”. Tam Pan‘ka Ponka ti minke, kagéha. will I who, O fr iend. ga", ehé-de_ b¢i‘a. I said, but T have failed. Akiha® beyond wi" one eta me Now moon waqe-gaxe-ma wi" those living as white one men Ls ViS2 ‘1¢é spoke of it Ki And / an hit. to leave him , ° hi¢ai was caused to reach there Ye Ad , . (asi aka im’ Dorsey the sub. bavi he called tome ti-ma” to you at eal when, 4 ae the pl. sub. , cage to go to you (es . , vy DOT, v igat yi, pi ha. spoke when, I . of it was coming hither ticka" jaji gaxai té dda® deed “wrong did the there- past fore act ¢a" b¢uga- the all Maja” as sent hither Land to me, ha, white we will act as we move man ‘1 té edwaga™i the We are so wa¢ita® white they work men eam C yet Ki nikaci”ea uké¢i" And Indian etéetéwa® soever edada™ what ca” c yet Wikage ama wan’gi¢e wage gaxai ¢a™ja, ca™ we ought to do for My friend the pl. all white ee act though, yet one another sub. man Ie y = z / eae v/ © : a / Ss y = ukit‘é-ma wi” da™bai té’di edida” giaxe ga™¢ai yi gidxe- the nations one they see when what a do for they wish when they usu- (pl. ob.) him him ally do ye? N / = vl S. / na"i. Ca® e‘a™ ni” yi, wind‘a” ka”b¢a. Ca™ Lentga-zi cti, it for And how you _ if, IThearfrom I wish. And (Lenuga-zi too, him. are you , / ONE? ana‘a® ka™b¢a. Céna uwib¢a. T hear I wish. Enough I tell you. about him OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 115 NOTES. 114, 2, ehe-de, in full, ehe ede. 114, 8, cu¢a-biam edega®, in full, cu¢abiama edega®. TRANSLATION. O friend, I will write to you to-day about a very few matters. I said that I thought that I would visit you this year, but I have failed, as I have come to this place near Washington. I have been (here) now over one month. Prior to my coming, word was brought to the Omaha land that when the Omahas who belong to the citizens’ party reached the Ponka land, the Ponkas threatened to keep one of the visitors out- side of their territory. As soon as I heard the news I was going at once to see you, but Mr. Dorsey summoned me, and I came to this place. I started hither just as my friends spoke of going to visit you. Word has been sent hither to me that it was reported that they had gone to see you, but one of their party had done something wrong, which caused the whole party to return home. We Indians in all parts of the country will become citizens: although we are not white people by birth, we know that only when we imitate the white men in working can we hope to prosper continually. When we Indians meet, we ought to do something for one another. Though all my friends among the Omahas belong to the citizens’ party, when they see a man of another tribe they generally do for him what they wish to do. I wish to hear from you how you are. I also wish to hear about Yellow Buffalo. I have told you enough. . GEORGE MILLER TO HIS WIFE. OCTOBER 18, 1889. Ca™ waqi”ha ¢a" b¢ize ha, ha” ega* tceadi. 1” ¢éqti-ma™ ha, And paper the Itookit . this ata SATA ast time). I am very glad nié ¢i¢in’ gal 4 Wicti nia’ ¢ingé’-qti-ma™ ha. Cin’gajin’ga pain you have I too I have no pain whatever : Children none ¢anka wi" sabaji nié t’a™ yi, piiiji yi, ma’zé ké uti” i¢a-gi. theones one suddenly pain has if, bad if: metal the lg. hit- send who ob. ting hither. (ié¢uadi ti¢a-ga. A™b’-i¢dugdée 6/di ati-na™-ma™, una" cta® To this place send Every day here I usually come, stopping place hither. te‘di.- (asi aké edi g¢i”i ha. Iddug¢e’qti daze hi te’di to the. Dorsey the there he sits é Every (time) after- ar- when sub. noon rives Tyiga*¢al yi ¢a4a ag¢é-na"-ma™. Ca™ éga?-qti-iiji ¢a™Ja, Grandfather to the village I usually go back. And not just so though, sabé égipe ha. Wicti cin’gajin’ga-ma_ a"b’-i¢dug¢e qti awi \- asa T said it 2 I too the children il: ob.) every day precau- me me tion 12 1) 18 116 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. gisi¢é. Ca™ Wallace ana‘a®-maji’-qti-ma”, ca” &jya béd taté’ them, my And Wallace I have not heard at all from iit yet thither I go shall own. cure rire / cti i¢apaha"-maji. Céya nankace, ab’-i¢aug¢e wisi¢ai. Ca™ too I do not know. Yonder ye whoatre st., every day I think OE And where you (pl.). you are . oS, . / v ° , ~ — = } iv ¢é-qti-ma™ ha, ¢iyinu u¢iya" té. Can’ge mi”ga ta”, Nelly, lam very glad : yourelder helped the Horse female ani- the Nelly, brother you (=as) mal std. ob., 7 Ope ys ce ° *n/ F / ene / wa¢itanki¢aji-ea, q¢i ecé iwi"¢ana. Ca™ wackan’-git ha’. do not cause her to work, lean yeu you told me. Still, persevere ! said Uda" etéga" gixe ga™¢a-ga. Cin’gajin’ga-ma wakihida-ga. Good apt to do desire the children (pl. ob.) attend to them. reo ee ° , , ~~ Ki Nuga-jin’ga wahdba ¢isé u¢iya", ecé, b¢aha®. Ui¢a-ga. And Nuga-jinga i ears of corn topull helped you I thank Tell it to you, said, him. him. , e1/ wv , oP. ° vu Wahaba uji dined é ha. pi ug¢i’ ké wahaba uwjiki¢a-ga, Kars of corn to put there is House to sit in the ears of corn cause him to them in none lg. ob. fill it, ca” tha" 4i, wi"a™ wa ctécte. Ca” ¢i awatéga™ ida" enéga and boiling house, which one soever. And you how good you think, Ve , Y , ey ° , , on H/ éga" gixa-ga. Mat zéska cug¢éwiki¢é t& minke, mi” ¢é 30 do. Money IT seni home to you will I who, moon this ecna tédihi yi. -Waqiha sabé cka™na yi, aji uane ta minke. enough by that time. Paper (orcloth) black you wish if, en Iseek will I who. other Uda"be té ivju-maji. gaze ¢é Odi aki yi, ana gdxai té Sight(or the Iam dissatis- After- , this there Ireach when, how they the sample) fied with noon again much make i¢imaxe ta minke. Céna uwib¢a ha, ¢¢. Ci aji wit fwi- Task aques- will I who. Enough I have told P this. Again an- one IJLask tion you other you , L ° wf Comey a re : , Uy, pete mixe té Sastt hi"ska’ idi¢age ¢éckaxe te, ehé, pi-maji aques- will. Frank bead belt you make for shall, I said, T had not tion him come wf ye aH AN r peste wf ° / [pres y te'di. Ki Sasi aké atb’-i¢aug¢é’-qti, na‘a” ga”’¢ai. Ki when. And Frank the every day, to hear wishes. And sub. about it : y em Ws rier , w 4 / wicti uingazan’de wi™ ia™¢aki¢é te, ehé. Ki wi ka™b¢a I too woman’s necklace one yousendtome will, Isaid. And Vf I desire it ke’ nf‘a yf, gaxaji-ga. Ki Sasi ¢éckaxe ka*b¢éga™, cag¢a- the you if, donot ints it. And Frank you make it I hope, I do not lg.ob. fail for him start tL “i Ve , ea he, pine Vico. Talsind 15 yn 190) maji té’di ti¢a¢dé katb¢éga". Céna widaxu hi. John iagi- home when yousend I hope. Enough I write to § John I kiss to you it hither you him, , , 4 ied / Leh Ne = owe f id , 4 / kigde cti¢edde. Qiya™ wattjinga-qti ¢inké fmaxd-gi. Tha™ my own I send it to Your very old woman the one ask her a ques- Her you. grandmother who tion. mother Y hd nd es pS *n/ } he) ké edada® ijaje a¢i™