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Show 132 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. the time never grow big; everything goes away from them; that is bad. Indians will never do weil until they quit that ; they must act like good white men. You see some bad white men who lie and steal, and cheat the Indians, drink whisky, and are always bad. It is the same way with the Indian ; it' he does so, he is always bad. You have been told this before, and you know it yourselves; I hope you will do right. There are men who would like to have your lands ; they will always want them ; they will say, " The Indians do no good with them." You don't want to lose your lauds. I want you and your children to have them. I say that the Indians can be just as good as white men if they will. You can have houses and work like the whites, but unless you do it the bad white men will have the advantage. You help them instead of aiding your friends who want you to keep your reservation. When Governor Stevens made the treaty, and gave you this reservation, there were a large number of Indians, but many of them are dead and gone; there are but few left; it is because you have remained wild Indians so long. You don't want to decrease in number; you want to increase. I think you are beginning now, and if you do right you will become as numerous as you were when the treaty was made ; but if you do as many are doing wander about, drink whisky, and spend your money when the treaty runs out the reservation will be here with but few Indians on it. I want to see you do right. There are two or three things some Indians do that are very bad. You should have but one wife, and must quit gambling. Nobody makes any money gambling. I never knew a man get rich gambling ; it is all bad. The CHIEF said: So I have always told them, have almost talked myself into my grave, but they won't hear me. Mr. BRUNOT. You know it is good when I tell you some of the tribes have a foolish habit of flattening the head. I hope there will be no more of it. God made man in His own image, He did not intend us to spoil our heads. There is another thing 1 called " tema-nanms" or sorcery; it is foolish and bad. I might talk mure, but I want to hear what you have to say. If you have anything you wish to say, you can speuk it. DAVID CROCKETT ( the chief) said he had nothing to ask for himself; that all he wanted was to live here so that when he died he would go to Heaven ; but his men wanted to talk, and he hoped they. could meet to- morrow morning. It was decided to meet at 10 a. ru. to- morrow. SECOND DAY. Council met at 10 a. m. The opening prayer was made by Mr. Cree, followed by David Crockett, all the Indians responding. Mr. buiJNOT. I talked to you yesterday evening. I think all the Indians who are here know that what I said was good. The same things they have heard before, and I think they are trying to do right. I regret that the rest of your people are not here. I wanted to see all of you, and I wanted to hear what all had to say. ' It will be put on paper, so that it may be taken to Washington. 1 want you to talk sense no foolish talk. I don't know what the President will say about it, but we will know that after awhile. DAVID CROCKETT. I want to talk to my chief to- day. Some time ago I intended not to say much when the chief from Washington came, but I have changed my mind, and am now ready to talk. I have talked to my people till my voice is gone. I want to ta^ k to you fully to- day. 1 do not see things now as I used to. My eyes were as it were blinded. All I wish is to talk to God, and when I die go to Heaven. I know what Governor Stevens said when the treaty was made; half the Indians put a wrong construction on it, and it fooled them. Governor Stevens gave us to understand that we were to have the half of all this country, and the whites the other half. We thought the reservation took in both sides of the river, but the surveyor changed the boundary from what we thought it was. I want you 10 assist us in defining the boundary line of the reservation, so that the whites and others will know just where it is, and there may never be any trouble about it. My people are increasing in number, and we want much land for them, and we want the line so fixed that the whites will not encroach on us, and our children may inherit the land. I don't want bad Indians on the reservation among my people. I want all my people to be good, and set their children a good example, that they may be good alter us, and their children alter them. I want my people to be like white men, have cattle and horses, and imitate the good whites. This is my wish, and I . wish you to receive what I say into good hearts. I would like all the Indians influenced to become good, and I would like you to help make them so. 1 want now to taik on another subject ; about what we have received on the reservation. When Governor Stevens came here and issued the first annuities to the Indians, he told them there was not much this time, but next time they might expect more. When Mr. Howe was agent he gave us a gi od many things. Mr. Shaw also gave us our annuities when he was agent. 1 feel sorry that Mr. Waterman, the foitner superintendent, died ; he was kind to the Indians; he furnished lumber for the buildings on the reservation, of which we are. proud ; also the cattle that the Government gave us. ami two horses and a wagon; also plows, oxen, and yokes. We teel thankful for what Mr. Waterman gave us. It seemed that we got all that belonged k> us. Since that time we have received but little, and we thought we were to receive no |
