Kah-mee-yes-too-waegs, the Beardy, spoke for the people. He said some things were too little. He was anxious about the buffalo.
Say-sway-kees wished to tell our mother, the Queen, that they were alarmed about the buffalo. It appeared as if there was only one left.
The Beardy again addressed me and said,--"You have told me what you have done with the others you will do with us. I accept the terms; no doubt it will run further, according to our numbers; when I am utterly unable to help myself I want to receive assistance."
I replied to them, explaining, with regard to assistance that we could not support or feed the Indians, and all that we would do would be to help them to cultivate the soil.
If a general famine came upon the Indians the charity of the Government would come into exercise. I admitted the importance of steps being taken to preserve the buffalo, and assured them that it would be considered by the Governor-General and Council of the North-West Territories, to see if a wise law could be framed such as could be carried out and obeyed.
The three Chiefs and their head men then signed the treaty, and the medals and flags were distributed, when Mr. Christie intimated that he was ready to make the payments.
They then asked that this should be done at Duck Lake, but Mr. Christie informed them that, as we had to leave for Fort Pitt, this was impossible; and that, moreover their share of the unexpended provisions and the clothing and presents were at the fort, where they would require to go for them.
They then agreed to accept the payment, which was at once proceeded with.
The persistency with which these Indians clung to their endeavor to compel the Commissioners to proceed to Duck Lake was in part owing to superstition, the Chief Beardy having announced that he had a vision, in which it was made known to him that the treaty would be made there.
It was partly, also, owing to hostility to the treaty, as they endeavored to