of the first Crow
Indians to make peace with the Sioux after we had been on the warpath, and
now I can say farewell to all the chiefs with peace in my heart for all
men.

[Chief Two Moons Addressing the Council]

Chief Two Moons Addressing the Council

CHIEF TWO MOONS: I feel that I am engaging in a great work in helping to
make this historic picture of a great Indian council. I have led the
Cheyennes in so many battles, and my life has been so full, that I felt
when I came here that I was an old man, but since meeting the chiefs and
having a share in the great council and recalling my old life for this
record, I feel like a young man again. It is a great day for all of us,
because there are no more wars between us, and we meet in peace and hold
this great council of the chiefs and smoke the pipe of peace. I am glad
at heart that this great picture is to be made of us, as we are assembled
here, because our old chiefs are fast dying away, and our old Indian
customs soon will pass out of sight. This record will survive for our
children, and their children will reap the benefit. I am glad we are
here, but my heart is sorry to say farewell.

CHIEF RED CLOUD: I think this a great and good thing. Good things have
come to us from the white man. When the white man came across the ocean
we heard he was coming because there was land over here, and he brought us
food to eat. The coming of this man to make these pictures, to be
preserved in Washington and to be shown in great cities, means good to us,
because the generations to come will know of our manners and customs. It
is good, besides, to meet all these chiefs who are as brothers to one
another. We have never met them before; we shall never see their faces
again, and it is, therefore, I think, a great and good thing to have this
last council of the chiefs.

MOUNTAIN CHIEF: I think it was one of the greatest things that ever
happened when we had this great council. It will be remembered forever.
As for myself, it will not be very long until I go to the happy hunting
grounds, but I have left this record for the coming generations. While I
was sitting in the council I was thinking of the past when we used not to
see each other's faces, except with the firing of guns, and now we have
met the different tribes in council to talk with one another in the sign
language. It shows that the Government is greater than the Indian. I
t