07/01/2026
Part of the talks between Po***ck, Grinnell, Clements, and the Aaniiih & Nakoda Nation’s. October 7, 1895.
“On this day Commissioner’s W. C. Po***ck and George Bird Grinnell met the Indian’s in council, and the Indian’s having requested that the proceedings might be reduced to writing. Their request was complied with, and the following is the stenographic report of said proceedings: the commissioners having announced to the Indian’s that they were ready to hear from them, the following Indian’s addressed them, each through the proper interpreter:
White Weasel (Aaniiih). You commissioners have come to get part of the reservation and I can’t very well spare any of it. I don’t like to sell. I don’t want to sell. That is all I can say. ( White Weasel here touches the stenographer’s pen in testimony of his statement.)
Sleeping Bear (Aaniiih). The Indian’s are taking all different and I don’t know what to do, so I think I will not sell; that is all I can tell you. I can’t sell any of the reservation.
Black Wolf (Aaniiih). I can’t sell any of the reservation; the reservation is small enough now; I can’t sell any of it. (Black Wolf here touches the pen in testimony of his statement).
Paddy Skinner (Aaniiih). I like my land and I can’t give any away. I don’t want to sell it, because I like my land.
Jerry Running Fisher (Aaniiih). I am willing to sell part of the reservation. I think I will do well afterwards if I sell part of the reservation.
Otter Robe (Aaniiih). I say the same as Jerry (Running Fisher) that is all I can say. I am willing to sell.
Flat Head (Aaniiih). I don’t like to sell.
Man Sits High (Aaniiih). I like what you told me; I want you to help me.
Bushy Head (Aaniiih). I am willing to do as you three men advise me. I would like to get more cattle; that is all.
Lame Bull (Aaniiih). Look at my hair; it is gray. I say the same thing as I said before - I don’t want to sell.
Many Eagle Tails (Aaniiih). I will not sell my reservation; I like it. This is proof I will not sell it. (Many Eagle Tails here touches the stenographer’s pen.)
White Bird (Aaniiih). I like my reservation and I want help.
Frank Loper (Aaniiih). My reservation is small enough and I don’t want to sell it. I want to touch the pen to prove that I don’t sell it. (Frank Loper here touches the pen.)
Mr. Po***ck here addresses the Indian’s, through interpreter’s as follows:
My friends, we had a short talk with you on Saturday. At that time you had not agreed amongst yourselves what to do; one of you would talk one way and another one another way. This is very bad; we were very sorry to see it. We had thought by waiting until today that you would have been able to come together and follow one path. We are sorry to find that you are not yet agreed. We are not here to try to force you to sell any of your land. We are willing to advise you what we think will be for your best good to do. We told you on Saturday that we saw no way for you to get beef, cattle, flour, wagons, or anything else after your present agreement expires, unless by the sale of some more of your land. We still believe this is the best plan for you. If the majority, the most of you do not think this, all we can do is go back to Washington without having done anything. If we do this and you come to the agent in three years from now and ask him for something to eat, or for a wagon, or for some cattle, you will be very much disappointed when you can not get it. If, then you go back to your women and babies without anything, and they are crying for something to eat, you will be sorry that you did not think better at this time. I understand that some young men think that they should have more voice in the affairs of tribes; but I want to say to them that the way to get that control and influence is not to go wrong; the way to do it is to go right. I want to say to these young men to think well what they are doing at this time, because if they are wrong now they will never have any influence with their people after this. The land which some of you are ready to sell is not used by anybody. We were up there and looked at it. There is no timber there; there is no grass there; there is no place that you could plow or sow oats or wheat; you can grow nothing there. As we said before, we don’t you to part with any of your grass lands; we don’t want you to sell any of your timber lands, and we want you to keep it so that you will have all of the water you need. All these things you will need, and in addition to them, all that you can do here is raise cattle. We want to see you put in the way of getting enough cattle so that you will have a good many to sell every year.
We are sorry that you had not done better with the cattle you had before, but we believe now that you are ready to do better when you get some more. I don’t know where you are going to get them, because you haven’t money enough now to buy cattle and feed your people as long as they need it. I will only say again, think over these matters carefully, and be sure you are right if you still refuse to sell.”
