Chapter 10

It took three days for Colonel Anderson to get to the Council grounds. Part of this time was spent avoiding and evading the security party that had been placed on him without permission.

Finally, after laying false tracks, that had rounded over onto themselves. Then dead-ended, or disappeared on rocks or hardpan. Joshua felt confident that he had shaken the trailing troopers.

The 4th day started at 2:00 AM on a moonless night. Joshua slowly walked his horse out of camp and headed to the Council basin.

When Joshua got to the basin, He was surprised to find the warrior that had been there before. “Big Steel, you are welcome to this place. But the others that follow you, they concern the warriors. What are their intentions?”

“Warrior, I thought that they had lost my trail. I’ll leave here and stop them.”

“No need, Big Steel. Your trail has been erased. New trails have been made and will lead the followers on false ways.”

“Tell me big steel, and tell me true. These followers have surprised the Warriors. They follow your trail, to where the warriors changed your tracks. They stopped and started searching for a new trail. The Warriors trail didn’t fool them. Must these followers be allowed to continue? Or can My brothers collect their hair? Some of the warriors think they are too smart, are dangerous to the Shoshone. Some are hungry for a fight with these pony riders. Some wish to see if they are as brave as they are smart.”

“No, it’s best to lead them away. Many of my people worry about my safety. As I’m sure, yours worry about Red Hawk and others on your council. They do what they do, without anger, but concern for my safety. When, or should I say IF, I’m allowed to return, I will talk with them

“As you wish, Big Steel. Still, many warriors would like to count coup on these pony riders. We will see what the council says, what Red Hawk says.”

Please tell the warriors that it isn’t our wish to be enemies of the Shoshone. Instead, we wish to be friends and maybe even brothers of the warriors. I feel that you have much to teach us.”

The next morning, Red Hawk was sitting at his usual place. Joshua rose and boiled his coffee. He then sat and regarded Red Hawk. As usual, the old man was unreadable. Once Joshua had finished his coffee, he stood and approached the pedestal. As usual, he ate a sprinkle of salt and started a pipe of tobacco. Once he had blown the column of smoke into the air, he waited for Red Hawk to join him. Red Hawk didn’t move. Several minutes passed.

Finally, Joshua broke the silence. “Are we to become enemies now?”

“Big Steel, you have not told the Shoshone the truth. You tell us that you bring your family to this land. But you bring pony soldiers. Pony Soldiers to hunt and kill the Shoshone. Will you join the brown skins and scalp hunters? Is this to be WAR?”

“Red Hawk, I DO NOT bring war. And I can only hope that My past actions prove this. You’re right. I bring pony riders to the land. But these are MY riders. I don’t fight the Shoshone. They don’t fight the Shoshone. I am at peace with the Shoshone. My riders are at peace with the Shoshone.”

“words, Big Steel, I have warned you about words in the past. The Shoshone council is yelling for war with you. They say that you lied, you bring warriors when you said you wouldn’t. Tell me Big Steel, why should you walk from this place?”

Joshua reached into his haversack and drew out a bundle of papers. He placed them on the pedestal. “Red Hawk, here is my peace with you and your tribe.”

“You bring us paper? Many others have offered paper. The words on paper are of less value than a man’s word. And the white man’s word isn’t worth the air to speak them. Do you offer worthless white man treaties that will be dishonored at the white man’s whim?”

“Red Hawk, these are not treaties. These are deeds and titles. This is how the white man shows that they own something. That they own land.”

“Big steel, you try my patience. How can a man own the earth?”

“Red Hawk, As I said, this is how the white man claims something. Soon more white men will be coming here. They will plant farms and raise cattle. They will dig holes in the ground, looking for valuable metals. And they will do it on land that they have deeds and titles on. If there is a dispute or disagreement, the white man’s way is these pieces of paper.”

“Big Steel, I don’t understand these things. How can a piece of paper have such power? Is this magic paper? are the spirits in the paper so powerful?”

“No Red Hawk, Not magic, just laws.”

“How would one get these papers? How are they made?”

“It’s a complicated thing Red Hawk. I don’t quite understand it myself. But, according to white man’s law. Those papers give ownership to the person that holds them.”

“And you are here to give Red Hawk these papers, give Red Hawk the land that is his already?”

“We could do that, Red Hawk. I could sign those papers over to you, or the chiefs or the council. But it wouldn’t work. The white man also has a law that the Indians, You, and the tribes, cannot own land. Only white men can own land.”

“Because of that, when the white men start arriving, Because the Indians can’t own land, the white man will get these pieces of paper and then force the Indians off the land.”

“Big Steel, Other tribes have tried to take what is ours. We fought, they lost. We would fight again. We would fight the white invaders.”

“And you would lose My Friend. If you kill one white man, a dozen will take his place. They will destroy your fields, your animals, your families. And when all are gone, they will get the deeds and titles. You and your brothers will be dust and quickly forgotten.”

“BUT I have a plan, Red Hawk. One that will benefit the Shoshone. Right now, those papers tell the world that I own your land. If a white man was to come here and wish to farm, or ranch, or mine, He would have to ask my permission. And I would tell him, No. He would need to go elsewhere. And nobody, Including the white government, could do anything to stop me. The white government would send soldiers and sheriffs and marshals to help me. Help me keep all whites off the land by using the white man’s law.”