Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-12
White-man too many They say: Joseph.
you old woman. yousafraid.

Wmto-man TOO many. They say: Joseph,
you old woman. yousafAid.'
ResentedstheI Insult.
"Lee." said Josephssrising on his knees. a
savage fire lighting his ayes. mo man call
Joseph old woman mo- man call Joseph
coward"
They call me old woman. I say: we
fight That night Isput on war bonnet
dance.
''When white man say Joseph kill woman
and child you say him Lac he tell lie. one
night they bring white rwoman my tepee.
hide her. I put blanket and moccasIn on
white woman. make her look all same mum
squaw night time. L say my tilicums. NO
fight woman, fight soldier"
The mark of the sschool book ana the
Bible had now left Joseph as he recalled
and the words of his dying father: our
people live here this valley long time; white
man want take Wallowa you fight
First fight, White Bird creek. went on
Joseph, the custom of the Indian being 10
headline his story like an editor. Month
June; my tilicums kill some white men
close Mount Idaho. Lieutenant Perry come
from Fort Lapwai. He have ninety men
where creek come in Salmon river. l on
same side river. 1 take long-see lfield
glass;, look. I say my brother Ollicut.
White man soldiers-look.' Ollicut take
lOng-See, w mite BlrQ take lOHS-See lHey
say white man soldiers. White Bird say,
We cross river / say No. we fight. We
shoot white man horse scared
A Lively Skirmish.
'Bimeby scout come in. Scout say 100
white man. leave village behind 1 bring
squaw hold horses. 1 take all my tilicums.
go behind rocks on hill. 1 tell Ollicut and
White Bird stay on horse, drive soldiers
me. Soldiers come. We shoot; first man
we kill blow bugle. We shoot officers.
White man soldier horse scared Soldiers
come, me behind rocks. They come in line
four by four Easy mark. We let soldiers
come close. We shoot. Ollcut and White
Bird go behind rocks with tilicums. 1 drive
soldiers back. Ollicut and White Bird
soldier. They go back. That day we take
thirty scalp. My tilicums wear soldier
coats. | make one more fight. 1 kill Lieu
tenant Raines and ten soldier.
i take my people across river. Smoke
say, General Howard come 1,GOO men,
wait one week Howard come. 1 lead
Howard army Clearwater river, so he no
get eat for soldiers, grass for horse. This
Tune Howard have too many soldiers He
have Injun scout. We kill heap Howard
men, Howard kill twenty-three Nez Perces
wound forty.
Il cross river, I hold powwow. I say
my people: What I tell you? We no whip
white man. You see me kill forty men,
Howard bring 400 l say my people: we
leave this country; we go King George
country British Columbia), we find new
home
Il lead my people across Lolo trail.
rocky mountains; I find fort. Captain
Rawn say no pass. 1 say l fight. I take
twenty scout. l make scout fight heap far
pack. l take all my people around fort.
MY twenty scout follow"
rms, interrupted the major "was
nice bit of strategy. heard General Miles
speak of 1t. You see. Joseph simply out
generated the whites all the way through
Ihey couldn't catch him. despite the fact
mat INA, HoWard mad full-blood Indian scouts
II S no trouble, you see. for an Indian camp
10 cross river. They simply do I'D all OF
their traps in buffalo skins put the souaws
and papooses on top of them. then tie the
packs to ponies tails and let the nonies
tow the whole business
End of the Story.
II got close Fort Missoula," continued
Joseph. Il go up Bitter Root river. leave
one scout behind. He get on horse. He
see white man soldier pass White man
soldier no think him Nez Perces; he think
him Flathead Injun. ivy scout count white
man soldier. He ride I5O mile; he tell me
General Gbbon follow, Gibbon take nv
village. l take village, back. My squaw
hght all that day. L say my people: We
no big enough fight man bullet. White man
too many. We fight white man pony. We
mountain two times. Howard follow; Glib
bon follow"
Yes, and you bet he wore them both
out" put in the major. Howard wanted
to quit Joseph could march faster and
always kept one or two marches ahead If
Miles hadn't heard he was coming Joseph
never would have been caught. You know
the geography of the country. You see
Joseph was going northeast. Miles. who
was located at Fort Keough on the Yellow
stone river, heard Joseph was coming So,
guided by Piegan Jack, an old half-breed
scout, Miles marched northeast and met
Joseph unexpected to the Nez Perces In the
Bear Paw mountains In few days more
Joseph would have been beyond the Cana
dian border
Yes" said Joseph, miles catch me. We
have fight Miles soldier kill my brother
Ollicut. ! lose my heart 1 send white flag.
meet Miles. Miles say he treat me good.
l give my gun Miles. He say: Give gun
General Howard 1 say: No, 1 give YOU
my gun; Howard no catch me- I point to
sun; l say: fight white man no more
Some day" concluded the old Nez Per-
ces chief, II believe I get Wallowa."
CHARLES N. CREWDSON.
mo Rut I'm s,,re 7 co,,15 eoox, ,oou. L..