The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-07-31
SITTING.BULL.

... SlTIlNG.BULL.
The Great Warrior Falls Prey to the In
terviewer, and Unbosoms Himself on the
| Subject of Past Conduct.
Mr.. Stanley Huntley, correspondent
of the Chicago Tribune, writing from
Sitting Bulls camp thus reports his in
terview with the famous chieftain:
| Three thousand eyes regard me with
suspicion and distrust. From the half
breeds come looks of encouragement.
Even the horses seem to gaze upon me
with wonder, while the hot air appears
to be burdened with oppressive doubts.
"You are an American" broke in
Sitting Bull upon its stiffness that had
almost become stilling. "You are an
American. What do you want? You
are spy"
beckoned to the interpreter to draw
near, and, dropping my hat on the
ground, approached the chief. Some
how l seem more impressed with de-
tails than ever before in my lite. The
slightest outlines in my surroundings
are defined with terrible distinctness.
Long Dog picks up my hat, and, after
examining the blue mosquito netting
around it, places it on his head. The
other chiefs are perfectly impassive,
waiting for the reply to the charge
against me:
+" Listen to me, comrade, for have
come long way from the country down
by the sea, that may talk with you and
hear what you have to say. l am an
American, but am not a spy. My peo-
pie think your heart bad. They hear
stories of your cruelty to their brothers.
They are told that it is you and your
people who steal their horses. The
chief of the paper that talks to the white
men has sent me to ask you if this is
true. will make pictures of what you
tell me, and my people will listen to
them with their eyes, and will learn to
know your heart. My chief does not feel
unkindly toward you, but he does not
know your heart. If you will put words
in my ears, l will paint them for my peo-
pile. l will tell them what you say, and
how you feel towards them"
There was profound silence for a
few moments as concluded, and then
Sitting Bull spoke again, the wide band
of warriors closing around to catch
every word:
"How do know you will tell your
! people the truth? You have said that
. your brothers tell stories about me, and
/ my people say they say we have killed
, the white man and stolen horses. These
, stories are lies. will tell my people
what you say to me, and no more. II
you tell me the truth, will tell them
the truth. If you don't tell me the
truth, then what tell them will be lies.
have not killed the whites. have
not stolen their horses but your people
, sent the long-knives (soldiers) against
me. Why do you do that?"
"Because they have believed the sto-
ries they have heard. Do you not hate
I the Americans?''
81 hate them. Do you ask me why
I Because and my people have always
been deceived by them. They asked US
to 90 to the gift-houses (reservations)
T and said they would care for US and feed
I us. Many of my people went. They
believed what the Americans said tt
> them. They were there but a shor
Z time, and then they we're told they mus
: farm. Some of them would not do this
Then they found their rations were
;. short. 1t is not many years ago you
' people said they would give us tn,
country of the Black Hills. They sale
q our children should have it and own
T for them; that it should be our hunting
q ground. As soon as they fount
T there was shining dust there the,
9 drove us from it, and told us th
. country did not belong to us. Such &C
= tions make me SO that can not believ
. them. We went away from there peace
fully, though we knew it was rich witt
I gold, for the sake of peace to our wiye
- and children. The American peopl
:. sent the Long Hair (Custer) to folloy
I us. Do you know of any thing We di'
- to bring the Long Hair upon US at tn
Z Z Little Big Horn RiverP No, you didn't
!, Do your people know of any thing W
, did? No, they don't. We were assem-
> bled there in a peaceable camp, hunt
=, ing for meat to feed our families. Wha
! stories did your people hear that the
~ sent the Long Hair upon us? Who tol
. you these storiesp If you were eve
:. told that we were hostile, IL is liz
a. Whoever told you so is liar. 1t was
:. hunting camp. We had attacked noti
.t ing but the buffalo. 1t is for that I di
T T like the Americans. 1t is for their col
30 duct towards me-"
to "You tell me you dislike the Amer
.. cans. Do you want war with them?"
20 "No, do not want war with them.
ID am tired of war. l am tired of bloo'
went with my people into the Viii
Mothers country so as to get away fro
war. If had wanted to fight wou
have stayed in my own country"
% "You have come back to your ov
q, country, and have you come for wa
lie Your warriors cover the prairies. A
". they on all the hills?'
10. aWe have come to hunt the buffalo
he els it to huntp The buffalo is scar
bv in the White Mothers country?"
Of "The buffalo have come down hel
ed and we follow them. We want met
,at Our women and children are hungr
pe There is nothing for us but the wi
he game. We have not come to injure t
mt white man or his property. We we
is, forced to come" -.....
he Have you been told that if you GRO
he ed the line the Long-Knives would
cut tack you?''
led "We have been told so, but we ha