Three Years on the Plains | Page 8

on the part of the government, at Fort Laramie, now Wyoming Territory, with Ma-za-pon-kaska, Tah-shun-ka-co-qui-pah, Heh-non-go-chat, Mah-to-non-pah, Little Chief, Makh-pi-ah-hi-tah, Co-cam-i-ya-ya, Can-te-pe-ta, Ma-wa-tan-ni-hav-ska, He-na-pin-na-ni-ca, Wah-pa-shaw, and other chiefs and headmen of different tribes of Sioux. This treaty, among other things, contained an agreement that, "If bad men among the whites should commit any wrong on the property or persons of Indians, the United States would punish them and pay for all losses.
"If bad men among the Indians shall do wrong to white men, black, or Indian, the Indians making the treaty shall deliver up the wrong-doer to the government, to be tried and punished; also agreeing about certain lands for reservations, farms, annuities of goods, etc., to be paid them instead of money, thus:
"For each male person over fourteen years of age, a suit of good substantial woolen clothing, etc.
"Each female over twelve, a flannel skirt, or goods to make it, a pair of woolen hose, twelve yards calico, and twelve yards cotton domestics, etc.
"Ten dollars in money for those who roam and hunt, twenty for those who engage in farming. For such as farm, a good American cow and one pair broken oxen.
"1. The Indians agreed to withdraw all opposition to railroads built on the plains.
"2. They will not attack any persons at home, or traveling, nor molest or disturb any wagon trains, coaches, mules, or cattle belonging to the people of the United States, or to persons friendly therewith.
"3. They will never capture or carry off from the settlements white women or children.
"4. They will never kill or scalp white men, nor attempt to do them harm. The government agrees to furnish to the Indians a physician, teachers, carpenter, miller, engineer, farmer, and blacksmiths, and ten of the best farmers shall receive five hundred dollars a year who will grow the best crops."
The names of the chiefs who signed the treaty are as follows:
Brule Sioux.
Ma-za-pon-kaska, his x mark, Iron Shell. Wah-pat-thah, Red Leaf. Hah-tah-pah, Black Horn. Zin-tak-gah-lat-skah, Spotted Tail. Zin-tah-skah, White Tail. Me-wah-tak-ne-ho-skah, Tall Mandas. He-cha-chat-kah, Bad Left Hand. No-mah-no-pah, Two and Two.
Spotted Tail, who was at Fort D. A. Russell in 1868, just after the treaty, wore a coon-skin cap,--hence called Spotted Tail. Each chief gets his peculiar name from some event in his life, or some peculiarity of person, as for instance,--
Tah-shun-ka-co-qui-pah, Man-afraid-of-his-horses. His horse stampeded one day, when his tribe was fighting some other one, and ran into the ranks of the enemy. When his owner got back again, he left his horse behind and went in (as we say), on foot, to fight again. It is not a term of reproach, as he was not a coward, but did not want to lose his horse,--hence called "Man-afraid-of-his-horses."
Ogallahs.
Tah-shun-ka-co-qui-pah, his x mark, Man-afraid-of-his-horses. Sha-ton-skah, his x mark, White Hawk. Sha-ton-sapah, his x mark, Black Hawk. E-ga-mon-ton-ka-sapah, his x mark, Black Tiger. Oh-wah-she-cha, his x mark, Bad Wound. Pah-gee, his x mark, Grass. Wah-non-reh-che-geh, his x mark, Ghost Heart. Con-reeh, his x mark, Crow. Oh-he-te-kah, his x mark, The Brave. Tah-ton-kah-he-yo-ta-kah, his x mark, Sitting Bull. Shon-ka-oh-wah-mon-ye, his x mark, Whirlwind Dog. Ha-hah-kah-tah-miech, his x mark, Poor Elk. Wam-bu-lee-wah-kon, his x mark, Medicine Eagle. Chon-gah-ma-he-to-hans-ka, his x mark, High Wolf. Wah-se-chun-ta-shun-kah, his x mark, American Horse. Mah-hah-mah-ha-mak-near, his x mark, Man that walks under the ground. Mah-to-tow-pah, his x mark, Four Bears. Ma-to-wee-sha-kta, his x mark, One that kills the bear. Oh-tah-kee-toka-wee-chakta, his x mark, One that kills in a hard place. Tah-tonka-skah, his x mark, White Bull. Con-ra-washta, his x mark, Pretty Coon. Ha-cah-cah-she-chah, his x mark, Bad Elk. Wa-ha-ka-zah-ish-tah, his x mark, Eye Lance. Ma-to-ha-ke-tah, his x mark, Bear that looks behind. Bella-tonka-tonka, his x mark, Big Partisan. Mah-to-ho-honka, his x mark, Swift Bear. To-wis-ne, his x mark, Cold Place. Ish-tah-skah, his x mark, White Eyes. Ma-ta-loo-zah, his x mark, Fast Bear. As-hah-kah-nah-zhe, his x mark, Standing Elk. Can-te-te-ki-ya, his x mark, The Brave Heart. Shunka-shaton, his x mark, Day Hawk. Tatanka-wakon, his x mark, Sacred Bull. Mapia-shaton, his x mark, Hawk Cloud. Ma-sha-a-ow, his x mark, Stands and Comes. Shon-ka-ton-ka, his x mark, Big Dog. Tah-ton-kak-ta-miech, The Poor Bull. Oh-huns-ee-ga-non-sken, Mad Shade. Thah-ton-oh-na-an-minne-ne-oh-minne, Whirling Hand. Mah-to-chun-ka-oh, Bear's Back. Che-ton-wee-koh, Fool Hawk. Wah-ho-ke-zah-ah-hah, One that has the Lance. Shon-gah-manni-toh-tan-kak-seh, Big Wolf Foot. Eh-ton-kah, Big Mouth.
(This was the first Indian I saw at North Platte, when we came there in 1867. Looking out of the car window, I called my wife's attention to a big Indian, and said, "Did you ever see such a big mouth before?" Sure enough, it was the chief, and he was killed in a drunken row in Dakota recently, having been shot by Spotted Tail.)
Ma-pa-che-tah, Bad Hand. Wah-ke-gun-shah, Red Thunder. Wak-sah, One that cuts off. Cham-nom-qui-yah, One that presents the Pipe. Wah-ke-ke-yan-puh-tah, Fire Thunder. Mah-to-nenk-pah-ze, Bear with Yellow Ears. Con-reh-teh-kah, The