The“Alternate Statement”of Chief Seattle
西雅图酋长 / Chief Seattle
西雅图酋长（1786—1866），杜瓦米许族印第安人，勇武且善于领导，以酋长身份统治德奥米什和苏卡米什等6个部落。西雅图早年受法国传教士的影响，信仰天主教。他的父亲与当地白人建立了友好关系，而他多年来一直维护着这种关系。1855年他与白人签订了《埃利澳特港条约》，并建立印第安人保留地，当时美国政府要将当地土人驱逐到“保留地”定居。本文就是西雅图在美国政府压力下所给予的答复。
Ace in the Hole
Understand these new words before you read this article.
1. startle v. 使吓一跳；使惊奇
2. arrest v. 吸引
3. bud n. 芽，萌芽
Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon my people for centuries untold， and which to us appears changeless and eternal， may change. Today is fair. Tomorrow it may be overcast with clouds. My words are like the stars that never change. Whatever Seattle says， the great chief at Washington can rely upon with as much certainty as he can upon the return of the sun or the seasons.
White Chief says that Big Chief at Washington sends us greetings of friendship and goodwill. This is kind of him for we know he has little need of our friendship in return. His people are many. They are like the grass that covers vast prairies. My people are few. They resemble the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain. The great， and I presume—good， White Chief sends us word that he wishes to buy our lands but is willing to allow us enough to live comfortably. This indeed appears just， even generous， for the Red Man no longer has rights that he needs respect， and the offer may be wise also， as we are no longer in need of an extensive country.
There was a time when our people covered the land as the waves of a wind-ruffled sea cover its shell-paved floor， but that time long since passed away with the greatness of tribes that are now but a mournful memory. I will not dwell on， nor mourn over， our untimely decay， nor reproach my paleface brothers with hastening it， as we too may have been somewhat to blame.