About Chief Joseph: Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt.
I saw that the war could not be prevented. The time had passed.
Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work.
It does not require many words to speak the truth.
If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace.
Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.
We did not know there were other people besides the Indian until about one hundred winters ago, when some men with white faces came to our country.
The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark. They brought many things that our people had never seen. They talked straight. These men were very kind.
For a short time we lived quietly. But this could not last. White men had found gold in the mountains around the land of winding water.
We soon found that the white men were growing rich very fast, and were greedy.
We ask to be recognized as men.
I saw clearly that war was upon us when I learned that my young men had been secretly buying ammunition.
I would give up everything rather than have the blood of white men upon the hands of my people.
Our people could not talk with these white-faced men, but they used signs which all people understand.
When my young men began the killing, my heart was hurt.
War can be avoided, and it ought to be avoided. I want no war.
I said in my heart that, rather than have war, I would give up my country.
It required a strong heart to stand up against such talk, but I urged my people to be quiet and not to begin a war.
