d! Look upon the snow that appears to-day--to-morrow it
is water! Listen to the dirge of the dry leaves, that were green and
vigorous but a few moons before! We are a part of this life and it seems
that our time is come.

"Yet note how the decay of one nation invigorates another. This strange
white man--consider him, his gifts are manifold! His tireless brain,
his busy hand do wonders for his race. Those things which we despise
he holds as treasures; yet he is so great and so flourishing that there
must be some virtue and truth in his philosophy. I wish to say to you,
my friends: Be not moved alone by heated arguments and thoughts of
revenge! These are for the young. We are young no longer; let us think
well, and give counsel as old men!"

These words were greeted with an ominous silence. Not even the customary
"How!" of assent followed the speech, and Sitting Bull immediately got
up and replied in the celebrated harangue which will be introduced under
his own name in another chapter. The situation was critical for Spotted
Tail--the only man present to advocate submission to the stronger race
whose ultimate supremacy he recognized as certain. The decision to
attack Fort Phil Kearny was unanimous without him, and in order to
hold his position among his tribesmen he joined in the charge. Several
bullets passed through his war bonnet, and he was slightly wounded.

When the commission of 1867-1868 was sent out to negotiate with the
Sioux, Spotted Tail was ready to meet them, and eager to obtain for
his people the very best terms that he could. He often puzzled and
embarrassed them by his remarkable speeches, the pointed questions that
he put, and his telling allusions to former negotiations. Meanwhile Red
Cloud would not come into the council until after several deputations of
Indians had been sent to him, and Sitting Bull did not come at all.

The famous treaty was signed, and from this time on Spotted Tail never
again took up arms against the whites. On the contrary, it was mainly
attributed to his influence that the hostiles were subdued much sooner
than might have been expected. He came into the reservation with his
band, urged his young men to enlist as government scouts, and assisted
materially in all negotiations. The hostile chiefs no longer influenced
his action, and as soon as they had all been brought under military
control, General Crook named Spotted Tail head chief of the Sioux, thus
humiliating Red Cloud a