had many—­they were like the great prairies; but he has gone; another is our father; he is a great war chief; I want to see him; I shall be proud to take him by the hand; I have heard much of him, his head is gray, I must see him:  tell him that as soon as the snow is off the prairie, I shall come.  What I have said I wish spoken to him, before it is put upon paper, so that he shall hear it, as I have said it:  tell him that Keokuk spoke it:  What our brother said in council to-day, let us forget; he told me to speak; I spoke his words; I have spoken.”

Black Hawk then said, in a calm and dejected manner,

“I feel that I am an old man; once I could speak, but now I have but little to say; to-day we met many of our brothers; we were glad to see them.  I have listened to what my brothers have said, their hearts are good; they have been like Sacs, since I left them; they have taken care of my wife and children, who had no wigwam; I thank them for it, the Great Spirit knows that I thank them; before the sun gets behind the hills to-morrow, I shall see them; I want to see them; when I left them, I expected soon to return; I told our great father when in Washington, that I would listen to the counsels of Keokuk.  I shall soon be far away, I shall have no village, no band; I shall live alone.  What I said in council to-day, I wish forgotten.  If it has been put upon paper, I wish a mark to be drawn over it.  I did not mean it.  Now we are alone let us say, we will forget it.  Say to our great father and Governor Cass, that I will listen to them.  Many years ago I met Governor Cass in councils, far across the prairies to the rising sun.  His counsels were good.  My ears were closed; I listened to the great father across the waters.  My father listened to him whose band was large.—­My band was once large.  Now I have no band.  I and my son and all the party, thank our great father for what he has done.  He is old, I am old; we shall soon go to the great Spirit, where we shall rest.  He sent us through his great villages.  We saw many of the white men, who treated us with kindness.  We thank them.  We thank you and Mr. Sprague for coming with us.  Your road was long and crooked.  We never saw so many white men before.  When you were with us, we felt as though we had some friends among them.  We felt safe.  You knew them all.  When you come upon the Mississippi again, you shall come to my wigwam.  I have none now.  On your road home, you will pass where my village once was.  No one lives there now; all are gone.  I give you my hand; we may never meet again; I shall long remember you:  The Great Spirit will be with you, and your wives and children.  Before the sun rises, I shall go to my family.  My son will be here to see you before we go.  I will shake hands with my brothers here, then I am done.”

Early on the following morning, the Indians crossed to the west side of the Mississippi, and returned to their villages.