el for their kindred as
well as white men. We know this; and for that reason have I raised the
banner of peace, that each may restore to the other his own. It will
please the Great Spirit, and will give satisfaction to both of us; for
that which you hold is of most value to us, and that which we have is
dear only to you. Navajoes! I have spoken. I await your answer."

When Seguin had ended, the warriors gathered around the head chief, and
we could see that an earnest debate was going on amongst them. It was
plain there were dissenting voices; but the debate was soon over, and
the head chief, stepping forward, gave some instructions to the man who
held the flag. The latter in a loud voice replied to Seguin's speech as
follows--

"White chief! you have spoken well, and your words have been weighed by
our warriors. You ask nothing more than what is just and fair. It
would please the Great Spirit and satisfy us to exchange our captives;
but how can we tell that your words are true? You say that you have not
burned our town nor harmed our women and children. How can we know that
this is true? Our town is far off; so are our women, if they be still
alive. We cannot ask them. We have only your word. It is not enough."

Seguin had already anticipated this difficulty, and had ordered one of
our captives, an intelligent lad, to be brought forward.

The boy at this moment appeared by his side.

"Question him!" shouted he, pointing to the captive lad.

"And why may we not question our brother, the chief Dacoma? The lad is
young. He may not understand us. The chief could assure us better."

"Dacoma was not with us at the town. He knows not what was done there."

"Let Dacoma answer that."

"Brother!" replied Seguin, "you are wrongly suspicious, but you shall
have his answer," and he addressed some words to the Navajo chief, who
sat near him upon the ground.

The question was then put directly to Dacoma by the speaker on the other
side. The proud Indian, who seemed exasperated with the humiliating
situation in which he was placed, with an angry wave of his hand and a
short ejaculation, answered in the negative.

"Now, brother," proceeded Seguin, "you see I have spoken truly. Ask the
lad what you first proposed."

The boy was then interrogated as to whether we had burnt the town or
harmed the women and children. To these two questions he also returned
a negative answer.

"Well, brother," said Seguin