Handwritten description of the picture, 'When guns were their Pas[s]port' signed by Charles M. Russell.

When Guns were Their Passport (Original spelling by Charles M. Russell, 'When guns were their Pasport')

When guns were their Passport This picture shows three prospectors who have met a large band of Indians since Columbus landed the whits have lept many jumps ahead of his red brother in wepons. When Chris came he was headed with some wooden cannons and bow guns the last would drive an iron bolt through a brest plate of steel, the wild men he meets are naked and armed with wooden bows and stone headed arrows. The Indian would have stood as good a chance to win with bean shooters aganst those Spaniards in their black smith made suits. It’s the same in my picture, “When guns were their passport” the Whits are out numbered but the Indans who are armed with bows and arrows and a few muzzle loding smooth bores – send one of their men up to look the whits over, he rids up and makes the sign of Chief he talks friendly but he aint a sheep he sees all breech loaders and one long range Sharps- full cartridge belts and every cartridge with a man behind it that can read sights, will send one of his people to shadow land if their whits had muzel loders, him and his painted friends would have taken them in but the guns have changed his mind he tells his white brothers to go hunt the Yellow Iron he and his people are their Friends CM Russell

[Transcribed by Jennifer McKinney. No changes have been made to the original letter; all gramatical and spelling errors remain in the document. , 2014-02-13]