"This nation is like a spring freshet; it overruns its banks and destroys all who are in its path"

In this quote, Sitting Bull is comparing the country to a spring freshet, which is an unexpected and effective flood brought on by melting snow or heavy rain. He is suggesting that the nation is overruning with energy and force, similar to a spring freshet, but instead of nourishing and sustaining life, it ruins whatever in its path. This could be analyzed as a criticism of the destructive nature of the nation and its effect on those who are caught in its course. Sitting Bull may be highlighting the unfavorable effects of unchecked power and the need for balance and restraint in order to avoid triggering harm.