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BY THOMAS L. >[■ KENNEY, T.ATi: OF Till: INIUAN 1> K I' A K T M E N T , W A S 11 1 N li T cl N . TWO VOLS. I'l.ATKS.— TWO VOI.S. TEXT. VOL. I.— TEXT. ^ VIC^^''^' I'UBLl.SlIKl) BY 1). RICE & CO. r^ ^ .-)0H MIXOU .STUKKT. UJjo V. I This edition of tiie " HisnjuY oi- the Indian Triiiks i>i- NoKTii America " consists of two volumes, folio, containin^t,'- 80 Largk Cdi.orki) PoRiRAirs, and two volumes, imp(,'rial 8vo., con- taining historical and descriptive text, and is Limiti-.d id 35 Skis, of which this is Ku ..^ •'./. BUFFALO HUNT. The frontispiece prefixed to this volume exhibits a lively repre- sentation of the noblest sport practised upon this continent — the hunting of the buflJalo. These animals were formerly spread over the whole of the great western valley, and formed the most important article of food, not only for the natives, but the early white settlers of that fertile region. They retired as the country became settled by civilized men, and are now found only on the great prairies of the far West, whose immense extent, with the scarcity of timber and water, readers them uninhabitable by human beings. Here these animals are seen congregated in numbers which seem almost incredible. As the eye roves over a verdant surface, nearly as boundless as that of the ocean, the herds are beheld grazing over the whole of the wide space, in countless multitude. The buifalo, though large and unwieldy, is not easily approached by the hunter. Extremely vigilant, and gifted witli an exquisite sense of smelling, they readily discover the scent of a human being. and fly before him with precipitation. The Indians overcome this wariness by a variety of devices. Sometimes, having killed the prairie wolf, of which the buffalo lias no fear, an Indian wraps him- self in the skin, keeping tlie head in its proper position, and drags himself slowly towards the grazing herd, talcing care to advance from the leeward, so that the watchful animal shall not seem his approach upon the tainted breeze. When the object is tirst seen, the buffaloes raise their heads, and eye it suspiciously, but the appearance of the wolf's head, with which they are familiar, reus- ■listorv Dcpt. VICTORIA, B. G. ppr\\V. "pRO^Tir-i-r: ^:A -.J fc.-v,"-i^^ ARY BIOGRAPHY. sures tliem — nor are they undeceived until tlieir wily foe darts his arrow into one of the fattest of the herd, with an aim so true, that it is sure to pierce a vital part, ritfalls and inclosures are also sometimes contrived. But, although these devices are practised, the number thus taken is inconsiderable ; and the only mode of taking this noble prey, which is commonly practised, is that of meeting him openly in the field. For this purpose most of the tril)cs who reside in the vicinity of the great plains, resort to them, after having planted their corn in the spring, and spend the whole summer and autumn in the chase. As the bufl'alocs often change their pastures, and the laws which direct their migrations are but imperfectly known, the wanderings of the natives in search of them are often long and wearisome ; hundreds of miles are sometimes traversed by a wayworn and starving band, before they are glad- dened by the sight of their favorite game. Sometimes they are mocked by discovering the foot-prints of a retreating herd, which they pursue for days with unavailing toil ; not unfrcquently a hos- tile clan crosses their track, and they are obliged to diverge from their intended course; ami sometimes having reached a suitable hunting-ground, they find it preoccupied by those with whom they cannot safely mingle, nor prudently contend. At last the young men, who scout in advance of the main body, espy the black, slow, moving mass, wading in the rich pasture, and preparations are made for a grand hunt. An encampment is made at a spot affording fuel and water ; the women erect lodges, and all is joy and bustle. But the hunting is not commenced without due solenniity. It is not a mere sport in which they are about to engage, but a national business, that is to supply the summer's sustenance and the winter's store, as well as to afford a harvest of valuable articles for traflSc. Horses and harness are inspected ; weapons are put in order; the medicine men practi.se incantations; offerings are made to the Great Spirit; the solemnities of the dance are gone through ; and the more superstitious of the warriors BUFFALO HUNT. 5 orten impose upon themselves the austerities of fasting, wounding the body, and incessant prayer, during the night, or even a longer period, preceding the hunt. Duly prepared at length, they mount for the chase, well furnished with arms, but divested of all super- lluous clothing and furniture— and approach the herd cautiously from the leeward,-keeping some copse, or swell of the land, between themselves and the game, until they get near enough to charge, when the whole band rush at full speed upon the herd. The affrighted buffaloes fly at the first appearance of their enemies. The hunters pursue; each selects his prey, choosing with ready skill the finest and fattest of those near Inm. The horse beinn- the fleeter animal, soon overtakes the buffalo. The hunter drops the bridle-rein, fixes his arrow, and guiding his well-trained horse with his heel, and by the motion of his own body, watches his oppor- tunity to let fly the weapon with fatal aim. This he does not do until his steed is abreast of the buffalo, and the vital part, imme- diately behind the shoulder, fairly presented ; for it is considered disgraceful to discharge an arrow without effect. Usually, there- fore, the wound is fatal, and instances have been known when the missile has been sent with such force as to pass through the body of this sturdy quadruped. If, however, the first arrow is but par- tially successful, the hunter draws another, the horse continuin"- to run by the side of the buffalo. But the chase now becomes more dangerous, for the wounded buffalo not unfrequently turns upon his assailant, and dashing his horns furiously into the flank of the horse, prostrates him, mortally wounde(5, on the plain, and pursuing his advantage, tramples on horse and rider, unless the latter escapes by mere agility. When, however, the hunter dis- covers that the first or second arrow has taken effect, he reins up his steed, pauses a moment until he sees the huge beast reel and tumble, and then dashes away into the chase to select and slay another victim. Thus an expert and well-mounted hunter will kill several buffaloes in one day— es])ecially if the band be nume. 6 BIOGRAPHY. rous, and so divided as to have reserved pnrties to meet and drive back the retreating herd. When the sliiughter ceases, the hunters retrace their steps to gather the spoil, and the sqiuuvs rash to the field to cut uj) and carry away the game. Eacli hunter now claims his own, and the mode of ascertaining their respective shares is simple. Tlio arrows of each hunter bear a distinctive mark, and each carries an equal num- ber. The carcase, therefore, belongs to him by whose arrow it is found to be transfi.xcd; and these being carefully withdrawn, every hunter is obliged to produce his original number, or to account for the loss of such as arc missing, in default of which ho sufl'ers the discredit of having missed the object, or permitted a wounded buffalo to escape with a weapon in his llcih. The animating scene which we have endeavored to describe, will be better understood by an inspection of the beautiful drawing of Rhinedesbacker, a young Swiss artist of uncommon talent, who, lured by his love of the picturescjue, wandered far to the West, and spent several years iipon our frontier, employing his pencil on subjects connected with the Indian modes of life. His was the fate of genius. His labors were unknown and unre- quited. Few who saw the ex(iui.site touches of liis pencil knew their merit. Th^y knew them to be graphic, but valued slightly the mimio presentations of familiar realities. They miglit won- der at the skill which placed on canvass the war-dance, or the buffalo-hunt, but they could not prize as they deserved, the copies of exciting scenes which they had familiarly witnessed. Since his death these beautiful pictures have attracted attention, and some of them have passed into the possession of those by whom they are properly appreciated. In that which graces tViis number there are slight defects, which we notice only because we are jealous of the fidelity of our work. The prominent figure in the foreground is a little too much encumbered with drapery. The costume is correct in itself, but misplaced ; and there is a slight inaccuracy in BUFFALO HUNT. ^ the mode in wijicli tlic iwi-aw is yraspcd \,y tlic n'l^ht liaiul. All else is true to nature. The lantLscapc and llio animals are faith- fully depicted; and the wild scene wliieli is daily acted u])on our prairies, is placed vividly heforc the eye. The chase over, a scene not less animated, but widely different, is presented. The slaughtered animals are cut up, and the mo.st valuable parts carried to the camp. A busy scene ensues. The delicious humps arc roasted and the warriors feast to .satiety. The laborious squaws prepare the skins for use, and for market, and the meat for preservation. The hitter is cut in thin slices and dried in the sun or over a slow fire, anti is then packed in small compact bales, suitable to be carried. If, however, more is taken than can be conveniently transported, the surplus is buried in holes, which our hunters call cacJics — from the French word which signifies to hide.. A cache is a hole dug in a dry spot, and carefully lined with bark, grass, or skins, in w liich the Indians deposit jerked meat, or any other valuables which they cannot conveniently carry away. They are carefully covered over, and the leaves and rubbish that naturally cover the ground replaced, so that the deposit is com- pletely concealed. Property thus left is reclaimed at leisure, and sometimes furnishes timely relief to a lamished war party, or an unsuccessful band of hunters. The skins of the buffaloes are very '"ngeniously dressed by the Indian women, either with or without ti.-- hair. This is done liy partially drying the hide, then rubbing It 1 iboriously from day to day, with the brains of the animal, until the juices and fleshy parts are entirely ab.sorbed, and the fibre only left, which remains soft, A\hitc, and flexible. The lodges of the Indians and their clothing are made of these dressed skins; and immense quantities are annually sold to the traders. BIOCrllAPJIY. IU:J) JACKIiT. TiiK Scno'^.i tribe was tlie most iiKportnnt of the ccloljratcd con- federacy, known in llic early liistory of tlie vVinorican colonies, as the Iroquois, or Five Nations. Tiiey were a iiowerl'ul and Marlilve people, and acquired a great ascendency over the surroundincr tribes, as well by their prowess, as by the systematic skill Avith which their affairs seem to have been conducted. Their hunting-jrrounds, and l)riiicipal residenco, were in the fertile lands, now embraced in the western limits of the State of New York— a country whose prolific soil, and majestic Ibrests, whose limpid streams, and chain of pic- turesque lakes, and whose vicinity to the shores of Erie and Onta- rio, must have rendered it, in its savage state, the paradise of the native hunter. Surrounded Ijy all tliat could render tlie wilderness attractive, l)y the greatest luxuriance of nature, and by the most pleasing, as well as the most sublime scenery, and inheriting proud recollections of poAver and conquest, these tribes were among the foremost in resisting the intrusion of the wliites, and the most tardy to surrender their independence. Instead of receding before the European race, as its rajiidly accumulating population pressed ujjou then- border.s, they tenaciously mahitained their ground, and when forced to make cessions of territory to the whites, reserved lai-ge tracts for their own i.se, which they continued to occupy. The swelling tide has passed over and settled around them; and a little (9) 10 BIOGRAPHY. remnant of that once proud and fierce people, remains broken and flispiritcd, in tiie heart of a civiUzed country, mourning over the ruins of savage grandeur, yet spuming the richer blessings enjoyed by the civilized man and the Christian. A few have embraced our religion, and learned our arts; but the greater part have dwindled away under the blasting elTects of idleness, intemperance, and su- perstition. Red Jacket was tlie last of the Seneca s : there are many left who may boast the aboriginal name and lineage, but with him expired all that had remained of the spirit of the tribe. In the following noti(!e of that eminent man we pursue, chiofly, the narrative fnr- nishcd us by a di.stinguislied gentleman, whose information on this subject is as authentic, as his ability to do it justice is unquestion- able. That is a truly affecting and highly poetical conception of an American poetess, which traces the memorials of the aborigines of America, in the beautiful nomenclature which they have indehbly impressed on the scenery of our coiintry. Our mountains have become their endvn-ing monuments; and their epitaph is inscribed, ni the lucid language of nature, on our majestic rivers. " Ye say lli:il ;ill lirivo pap^f(l away, 'I'lic nohlo rat'C ami hrave — Tliat llicir liglit Ciinncs have vaiiislmd From olT llip (Teslpil wavii ; Tliat, 'mill the (ornsls where lliny roamed, 'JMierc rinses no liiiiiter's shout; Hilt their name is on your waters, Ye may not wash it out. ' Ye say tiieir cone-liUe cabins 'JMiat clustered o'er the vale, Have disappeared as withered h'aves Before the autuiiin iialc ; RED JACFvET. But tlieir memory livnth on your hills, Their bapiism on your shore; Your ever rolling rivers speak, Their dialect of yore." 11 These associations are well filled to excite sentiments of deeper emotion than poetic tenderness, and of more painful and practical effect. They stand the landmarks of our broken vows and unatoned oppression; and they not only stare us in the face from every hill and every stream, that bears those expiessivc names, but they hold up before all nations, and before God, the memorials of our injustioe. There is, or was, an Indian artist, self-taught, who, in a rude but most graphic drawing, exlubitcd upon canvass the events of a treaty between the white men and an Indian tribe. The scene was laid at the moment of settling the terms of a compact, after the proposals of our government had been weighed, and well nigh rejected by the Indians. The two prominent figm-es in the front ground, were an Indian chief, attired in his peculiar costume, standing in a hesi- tating posture, with a hand half extended towards a scroll hant to the dcgcnvn-ate condi- tion of his tribe, into which he permitted himsslf to fall, was that of intoxication. Like all Indians, he loved ardent spirits, and although his ordinary habits were u^mperate, he occasionally gave himself up to the dreadful tcmpta^^ion, and spent several days in succession, in continual drinking. The circumstances attending his decease were striking, and we shall relate them in the language of one who witnessed the facts RED JACKET. 27 which he states. For some months previous to his death, time had made such ravages on his constitution as to rendeii him fully sen- sihle of his approaching dissolution. To that event he often ad- verted, and always in the language of philoisophic calmness. lie visited successively all his most intinuxte friends at their cabins, and conversed with them upon the condition of the nation, in the most impressive and affecting manner. lie told them that he was passing away, and his comisels would soon be heard no more. He ran over the history of his people from the most remote period to which his knowledge extended, and pointed out, as few could, the wrongs, the privations, and the loss of character, which almost of themselves constituted that history. "I am about to leave you," said he, " and when I am gone, and my warnings shall be no longer heard, or regarded, the craft and avarice of the white man will pre- vail. Many winters have I breasted the storm, but I am an aged tree, and can stand no longer. My leaves are fallen, my branches are withered, and I am shaken by every breeze. Soon my aged trunk will be prostrate, and the foot of the exulting foe of the Indian may be placed upon it in safety ; for I leave none who Mill be able to avenge such an indignity. Think not I mourn for myself I go to join the spirits of my fathers, where age cannot come; but my heart fails, when 1 think of my people, who are soon to be scattered and forgotten." These several interviews were all concluded with detailed instructions respecting his domestic affairs and his funeral. There had long been a missionary among the Senecas, who was sustained by a party among the natives, while lied Jacket de- nounced "the man in dark dress," and deprecated the feud by which his nation was distracted. In his dying injunctions to those around him, he repeated his wishes respecting his interment. "Bury me," said he, "by the side of my former wife; and let my funeral be according to the customs of our nation. I-et me be dressed and ef[uip[)ed as my fathers were, that their spirits may rejoice in my coming. Be sure that my grave be not made bv a 28 BIOGRAPHY. white man ; let them not pursue me there !" He died on the 20th of January, 1830, at his residence near BufVulo. With him fell the spirit of his people. They ry steed of the prairie, was a graceful and very imposi.ig person- age. His people looked upon him as a great brave, and the young men especially regarded him as a person who was designed to great distinction. After his return from Washington his popularity increased .so greatly as to excite the jealousy of his elder brother, tlic head chief, who, lio\\ ever, did not long survive that event. He died a few weeks after the return of Sharitarish, who succeeded hiai, but who also died during the succeeding autumn, at the age of little more tlian thirty years. He was succeeded by .lis brother Ishcatape, the wicked chief, a name given him by the Omahas, or Pawnee ]\Ialias, and which also has been applied by some to the subject of this notice. SEQUOYAH, THE INVENTOR OF THE CHEROKEE ALPHABET. TuK portrait of this remarkable individual is one of great interest. It presents a mild, engaging countcnanee, entirely destitute of that wild and fierce expression which almost invariably marks the features, or characterizes the expression of the American Indians and their descendants. It exhibits no trace of the ferocity of the savage ; it wants alike the vigilant eye of the warrior and the stupid apathy of tlie less intellectual of that race. The contour of the face, and the wliole style of the expression, as well as the dress, are decidedly Asiatic, and might be triumphantly cited in evidence of the oriental origin of our tribes, by those who maintain that plausi- ble theory. It is not merely intelligent and thoughtful, but there are almost a feminine refinement and a luxurious softness about it, which might characterize the features of an eastern sage, accustomed to ease and indolence, but are little indicative of an American origin^ or of a mind formed among the wilds of our western frontier. At an early period in the settlement of our colonies, the Chero- kees received with hospitality the Mhite men who Avcnt among them as traders ; and having learned the value of articles of Euro- pean fabric, became, in some mea.sure, dependent upon this traflic. Like other Indians they engaged in hostilities against us, when it suited their convenience, or when stimulated by caprice or the love of plunder. But as our settlements approached, and finally sur rounded them, they were alike induced by policy, and compelled (35) 36 niOGKAPIIY. by Ihuir situul ion, to desist from llicir predalory iiiodo of life, jiiid becaiiic, compiiralivi'Iy, iiioll'cMisivc neighbors to llu; wliilcs. The liirircr nuinl)or roiitinucd to snlisist by huiitinjf, wliili; n few entragcd in ayrii'ultnre. luliiibitiiiy a fertile couiilry, in a houtherii rliniate, within tlie limits of Cleorgia, their locid jiosition held out strong temptations to white men to settle among them as traders, jnid many availed themselves of these advantages. \\ itii tlu; present objeet of carrying on a prolltable traHie, and the ulterior view of actjuiring titles to liu'ge l)odies of land, tlu^y took up their residence iiinong the Indians, and intermarried Avith tlie females of that race. !Somo of these were prudent, energetic, men, who made themselves re- spected, and ac(|uired influence, which enabled them to r;ink as head men, and to triuismit the authority of chiefs to their descend- ants. Many of them became planters, and grew wealthy in horses and cattle, and in negro shives, which they purchased in the southern states. The only art, however, which tliey inlroduced, was that of agriculture; and this but few of the Indians had the industry to learn and practise, further than in the rude cultivation of small fu'lds of corn by the s{|uaws. In this condition they Merc found by the missionaries who were sent to establish schools, and to introduce the Gospel. The half- breeds liad now become numerous; many of them were persons of influence, using with e(|ual facility the respective tongues of their civilized and savage ancestors, and desirous of procuring for their children the advantages they had but partially enjoyed themselves. By them the missionaries were favor;d)ly received, their exertions encouraged, and their schools sustained; but the great mass of the Chcrokees were as little improved by these as other portions of the race have been by similar attempts. Sequoyah, or, as he was commonly called, George Guess, is the .son of a white man, named Cist, and of a female who was of the mixed blood. The latter was perfectly untaught and illiterate;, having been reared m the wigwam in the laborious and servile SKQUOYAII. 37 litibits (if tlio TtnUan women. Slio soon bectinio oithrr a widow or a noirlcctcd svilb, for in tho inluufy of George, wo lioar notliin, and to aljstain from giving (illence to the whites, or to each oilier. When his companions grew quarrelsome, he would sing songs to amuse them, and while thus musically employed would often fall asleep. Guess was in a fair way of becoming an idle, a harmless, and a useless vagabond; but there was a redeeming virtue in his mind, which enabled it to react against temptation. His vigorous intellect ■foresaw the evil tendencies of idleness and dissipation, and becoming weary of a life so luicongenial with his natural disposition, he all at once gave up drinking, and took up the trade of a blacksmitli. Here, as in other cases, he was his own instructor, and his first task was to make for himself a pair of bellows; having effected which, he proceeded to make hoes, axes, and other of the most simple implements of agriculture. Before he went to work, in the year 1820, he paid a visit to some friends residing at a Cherokee village on the Tennessee river, during which a conversation occurred on the subject of the art of writing. Tlie Indians, keen and quick- sighted witii regard to all the prominent pomts of difference between themselves and the whites, had not failed to remark, with great curiosity and surprise, tlie fact that what was wiitten by one person was understood by another, to Avhom it was delivered, at any dis- tance of time or place. This mode of communicating thoughts, or of recording facts, has always been the subject of much iiKpiiry among them; the more intelligent liavc sometimes attempted to detec* tlie imposition, if any existed, by showing the same writing SEQUOYAH. 41 to different persons; but fnitling the result to be uniform, have become satisfied that the white men possess a faculty unknown to the Indians, and which they suppose to be the effect of sorcery, or some other supernatural cause. In the conversation alluded to, great stress was laid on this power of the white man — on his ability to put his thoughts on paper, and send them afar off to speak for him, as if he who wrote them was present. There \\a.s a general expression of astoni.shment at the ingenuity of the whites, or rather at tlieir possessioii of what most of those engaged in the conversa- tion considered as a distinct faculty, or sense, and the drift of the discussion turned u^jon the iiiquir; whether it was a faculty of the mind, a gift of the Great Spirit, or a mere imposture. Guess, who had listened in silence, at length remarked, that he did not regard it as being so very extraordinary. lie considered it an art, and not a gift of the Great Sjjirit, and he believed he could invent a plan by which the red men could do the same thing. lie had heard cT a man who had made marks on a rock, which other white n.ou interpreted, and he thought he could also make marks which would be intelligible. He then took up a whetstone, and began to scratch figures on it with a pin, remarking, tliat he coukl teach the Chero- kecs to talk on paper like white men. The company laughed lu"irlily, and Guess remained silent during the remainder of the c'-onu.^-. The subject that had been discussed was one upouAvhich I: 1 a<; long and seriously reflected, and he listened with interest to v ry conversation which elicited new facts, or drew out the opinicb of other men. The next morning he again employed himself in making marks upon the whetstone, and repeated, that lie was satisfii>(1 he could invent characters, by the use of which the Cherokees couid learn to read. Full of this idea, he returned to his nwn hqme, at Will's town, in Will's valley, on the southern waters of the Coosa river, procured paper, which he made into a book, and coirmienccd making charac^ '.ers. His reflections on the subject had led him to the conclusion, 42 BIOGRAPHY. that the letters used in writing represented certain words or ideas, and being uniform, would always convey to the reader the same idea intended by the writer — provided the S3'stem of characters which had been taught to each was the same. His project, there- fore, was to invent characters which should represent words ; but after proceeding lal)oriously for a considerable time, in prosecution of this plan, he fov -^ tliat it would require too many characters, and that it would bu It to give the ref|uisite variety to so great a number, or to coiu. them to memory after they should be invented. But his time was not wasted; the dawn of a great dis- cover}^ was breaking upon his vision ; and although he now saw the light but dimly, he was satisfied that it was rapidly increasing. He had imagined the idea of an alphab(>t, and convinced himself of the practicability of framing one to suit his o\vn language. If it be asked whv he did not apply to a white man to be taught the use of the alphabet already in existence, rather than resort to the hope- less task of inventing another, we reply, that he probably acted upon the same principle which had induced him to construct, instead of buying, a pair of bellows, and had led him to teach him- self the art of the blackt.mith, in preference to ajiplying to others for instruction. Had he sought information, it is not certain he could have obtained it, for he was surrounded by Indians as illite- rate as himself, and by whites who were but little better informed ; and ho was possessed, besides, of that self-reliance which renders genius available, and which enabled him to appeal with confidence to the resources of his own mind. He now conceived the plan of making characters to represent sounds, out of which words might be compounded — a system in Avhich single letters should stand for syllables. Acting upon this idea, with his usual perseverance, he worked diligently until he had invented eighty-six characters, and then considered that he had completely attained his object. Whil(>. thus engaged be was visited by one of his intimate friends, who told him he came to 1)eg him to quit his design, which had SEQUOYAH. 43 made him a laughing-stock to his people, who began to consider him a fool. Sequoyah replied, that he was acting upon his own responsibility, and as that which he had undertaken was a personal matter, which would make fools of none beside himself, he .should persevere. Being confirmed in the belief that his eighty-six characters, with their combinations, embraced the Avhole Cherokee language, he taught them to his little daughter, Ahijokah, then about six years of age. After this he made a visit to Colonel Lowry, to whom, although his residence was but three miles distant, he had never mentioned the design which had engaged his constant attention for about three years. But this gentleman had learned, from the tell- tale voice of rumor, the manner in which his injjenious neifdibor was employed, had regretted the supposed misapplication of his time, and participated in the general sentiment of derision with which the whole community regarded the labors of the once popu- lar artisan, but now despised alphabet maker. "Well," said Colonel Lowry, "I suppose you have been engaged in making marks." "Yes," replied Guess; "when a talk is made and put down, it is good to look at it afterwards." Colonel Lowry suggested, that Guess might have deceived himself, and that, liaving a good memory, he might recollect what he li:id intended to write, a.id suppose he was reading it from the paper. " Not so." rejoined Guess; "I read it." The next day Colonel Lowry rode over to the house of Guess, when the latter requested his little daughter to repeat the alpha- bet. Tlie child, without hesitation, recited the characters, giving to each the sound which the inventor had assigned to it, and per- forming the task with such case and rapidity that the astonished visitor, at its conclusion, uttered the common expression — " Yoh!" with which the Cherokees express surprise. Unwilling, however, to yield too ready an assent to that which he had ridiculed, he added, " It sounds like Muscogee, or the Creek language ;" meaning to 44 BIOGRAPHY. convey the idea that tho sounds did not resemble the Cherokeo. Still there was something strange in it. He could not permit himself to believe that an illiterate Indian had invented an alphabet, and perhaps was not sufficiently skilled in philology to bestow a very careful investigation upon the subject. But his attention was arrested ; he made some further inquiry, and began to doubt whether Sequoyah was the deluded schemer which others thought him. The truth was, that the most complete success had attended this extraordinary ;iUcmpt, and George Guess was the Cadmus of his race. Without advice, assistance, or encouragement — ignorant alike of books and of the various arts by which knov\lcdge is dis- seminated — with no prompter but his own genius, and no guide but the light of reason, he had formed an alphabet for a rude dialect, which, until then, had been an unwritten tongue ! It is only necessary to state, in general, th;it, siibsequently, the invention of Guess was adopted by intelligent individuals engaged in the benevolent attempt to civdize the Cherokecs, and it was determined to prepare types for the purpose of printing books in that tongue. Experience demonstrated that Guess had proved himself successful, and he is now justly esteemed the Cadmus of his race. The con- ception and execution are wholly his own. Some of tlie characters are in form like ours of the English alphabet ; they were copied from an old spclling-l)Ook that fell in his way, but have none of the powers or sounds of the letters thus copied. The following are the characters systematically arranged with the sounds. D a s ga o ka oi ha w la x' ma R c r gc f he cT le w me na t, hna r. nah a ne T 1 y gi A hi r, li 11 mi h ni dS A go !■ ho G lo ■s mo z no 1 qua J3 que •» qui 11 as liis courago, is said to Imve Ijccu roinarkahly dcvoh)pc(l in his wholo clfportnitiit. One only exception is rcport(t(l to have occurred, in which this leader, like tho no loss illustrious Jlcd Jacket, stained his youthful character by an :u t of pusillanimity. At the ago of rd'teen ho wont, for the tirst time, into l)attlo, under tlio cliarge of liis elder brother, and at the commencement of the engagement ran off, completely panic- stricken. This event, which may be considered as remarkable, in the life of an individual so conspicuous through his whole after career for daring intrepidity, occurred on the baidis of Mad River, near the present site of Dayton. But Tocumtlio poss ssed too much pride, and too strong a mind, to ri>main long under tlu> disgrace incurred by a momentary weakness, and ho shortly after- wards distinguished himself in an attack on some boats descending tlic Ohio. A prisoner, taken on this occasion, was burnt, with all the horrid ceremonies attendant upon this dreadful exhibition of savage ferocity; and Tccumthe, sliocked at a scene so unbe- coming the character of the warrior, expressed his abhorrence in terms so strong and olorpieut, that the wholo party came to the resolution that they woidd discontinue the practice of torturing the prisoners at the stake. A more striking proof of the genius of Tccumthe could not be given ; it must have rocpiired no small degree of independence and strength of mind, to enaljle an Indian to arrive at a conclusion so entirely at variance with all tho established usages of his people ; nor coidd he have impressed others with his- own novel opinions without the exertion of great powers of argument, lie remained firm in tho benevolent reso- lution thus early formed; but we are unable to say how far his example conduced to the extirpation of the horrid rite to which we have alluded, and which is now seldom, if at all, practised. Colonel Crawford, who was burned in 17S2, is the last victim to 52 BIOGRAPHY. the savage propensity for reven.scd of their choicest hunting-grounds. Wars followed, the history of which we have not room to relate — wars of the most unsparing character, fought with scenes of hardy and romantic valor, and with the most heart-rending incidents of domestic distress. The vicissitudes 54 BIOGRAPHY. of these hostilities were such as alternately to flatter and iilarir. each party ; biii as year after year rolled away, the truth becamhdity to the Propliet, and were kindled into ardor by tlie cloquem. nf Tecumthe. The hitter continued to travel from tribe to tribe, pursuing the darling object of his life, with incessant laixir, commanding respect by the dignity and manliness of his character, and winning adherents by the boldness of his public addresses, as well as i)y the sul)tlety witli which, in secret, he app(%iled to individual interest or pas.sion. This .state of things continued for several years. Most of the fiidian tribes were ostensibly at peace with the United Sta'es; liut TENSKWAUTAWAVV fi? the tribes, tlioiigli unaiiiinous in their hatred against the wliite people, wore divided in opinion as to the proper poUey to be pur sued, and distracted by intestine conflicts. The more prudent deprecated an open rupture with our government, which would deprive them of their annuities, tlieir trallic, and the presents which llowed in upon them periodically, while the great mass thirsted for revenge and plunder. The British authorities in Canada, alarmed at the rapid spread of our .settlements, dispersed their agents along the frontier, and industriously fomented the.se jealousies. Small parties of Indians scoured the country, com- mitting thefts and murders — unacknowledged by their tribes, but undoubtedly approved, if not expressly sanctioned, at their ouncil lires. The Indiana territory having been recently organized, and Governor Harrison being invested with the olllce of superintendent of Indian afTairs, it became his (hity to hold fre(pient treaties with the Indians; and, on these occasions, Tecunithe and the Prophet were prominent men. The latter is described as the most graceful and agreeable of Indian orators; he was eas}', suljlle, and insinuat- ing — not powerful, but persuasive in argument ; and, it was remarked, tliat he never spoke when Tecumthe was present. He was tlie instrument, and Tecumtlie the master-spirit, the bold warrior, the able, elocpient, fearless speaker, who, in any assembly of his own race, awed all around him by the energy of his cliaractcr, and stood forward as the leading individual. Tiie ground assumed by tlieso l)rothers was, that all previous ticalirs between the Indians and the American gcni-rnnient were invalid, having l)een made without authority. They asserted that the lauds inlial)it(N| by the Indians, In-longed to all tlu! trii)es indiscriminately — that tlie (Ireat Spirit had given them to Ihr Indians for Imnting-grounds — that eacli tril)e had a right to certain tracts of country so long as they occupied them, but no longer — that if one Irilie moved away, another might take possession ; and 58 •BIOGRAPHY. tlipy contended ibr a kind of entail, which prevented any tribe from alienating that to which ho had only a present possessory right. Tliey insisted, therefore, that no trihe had authority to transfer any'oil to the whites, without the assent of all; and that, consecpiently, all the treaties that had been made were void. Jt was in support of tlie.se plausible propositions that Tecumtho made his best speeches, and showed especially his knowledge of human nature, by his artful appeals to the prejudices of the Indians. He was, when he pleased to be so, a great demagogue ; and wiien he coi descended to court the people, was eminently successful. In his public harangues he acted on this principle; and, while he was ostensibly addressing the governor of Indiana, or the chiefs who sat ill council, his speeches, highly inflammatory, yet well digested, were all, in fact, directed to the niidtitudc. It was on such an occasion that, in ridiculing the idea of selling a country, he broke out in the exclamation — " Sell a country ! why not sell the air, the cloud.s, and the great sea, as well as the earth? Did not the Great Spirit make them all for the use of his children ?" We select the following pas.sages from the "Memoirs of General Harrison." "In 1809, Governor Harrison purchased from the Delawares, Miamis, and Potawatimies, a large tract of country on both sides of the "Wabash, and extending up that river about sixty miles above Vincennes. Tecumthe was absent, and his lirother, not feel- ing himself interested, made no opposition to the treaty ; but the former, on his return, expressed great dissatisfaction, and threat(>ned some of the chiefs with death, who had made the treaty. Governor Harrison, hearing of his displeasure, despatched a messeiig(>r to invite him to come to Vincennes, and to assure him, 'that any claims lie might have to the lands which had been ceded, were not affected by tlu; treaty; that he might come to Vincennes and exhibit his pretensions, and if they were found to be valid, the land would be cither given up, or an ample compensation made for it.' TENSKWAUTAWAW. 59 "Having no conficlonoe in the faith of Tccumthe, the governor directed that he should not hring witli liim more than thirty warriors; but he came with four hundred, completely armed. The people of Vincennes were in great alarm, nor was the governor without apprehension that treachery was intended. This suspicion was not diminished by the conduct of the chief, who, on the morning after his arrival, refused to hold the council at the place appointed, under an affected belief that treachery was intended on our side. " A large portico in front of the governor's hou.se had been pre- pared for the purpose with seats, as well for the Indians as for the citizens who were expected to attend. "When Tecumthe came from his camp, with about forty of ids warriors, he stood off, and on being invited by the governor, through an interpreter, to take his seat, refused, observing that he w ished the council to be held under the shade of some trees in front of the house. When it was objected that it would be troublesome to remove the seats, he replied, ' that it would only be necessary to remove those intended for the whites — that the red men were accustomed to sit upon the earth, which was their mother, and that they were always happy to recline upon her bosom.' "At this council, held on the 12th of Aupfust, 1910, Tecumthe delivered a speech, of which we find the following report, contain- ing the sentiments uttered, but in a language very diflerent from that of the Indian orator : " ' I have made myself what I am ; and I would that I could make the red people as great as the conceptions of my mind, when I think of the Great Spirit that rules over all. I would not then come to Governor Harrison to a.sk him to tear the treaty ; but 1 would say to him. Brother, you have liberty to return to your own country. Once there was no white man in all this country: then it belonged to red men, children of the same parents, placed on it by the Great Spirit to keep it, to travel over it, to eat its fruits. and fill it with the same race — once a hapfjy race, but now madu 60 BIOGRAPHY. c miserable by the white people, who are never contcntetl, but alw ajs encroaching. They liave driven us from the great salt water, forced us over the mountains, aid would shortly push, us into th i lakes — but we an; determined to go no farther. The only way to stop this evil, is for all the red men to uuite in claiming a common and e(pial right in the land, as it was at first, and shonUl be now — for it never was divided, but belongs to all. No tribe has a right to sell, even to each other, much less to strangers, who demand all, and will take no less. The white people have no right to take the land from tlie Indians who had it first — it is theirs. They may sell, but all must join. Any sale not made by all, is not good. Tlie late sale is bad — it was made by a part only. Part do not know liow to .sell. It requires all to make a bargain for all.' "Governor Harrison, in his reply, said, 'that the white people, when they arrived upon this continent, had found the Miamis in the occupation of all the country of the Wabash ; and at that time the Shawanese were residents of Georgia, from which they were driven by the Creeks. That the lands had been purchased from the Miamis, who were the true and original owners of it. That it was ridicnlous to assert that all the Indians were one nation; for if such had been the intention of tlic Great Spirit, he would not have put six different tongues into their heads, but would have taught them all to speak one language. That the Miamis had foiuid it for their interest to sell a part of their lands, and receive for tlicm a further annuity, in addition to what they had long enjoyed, and the benefit of which they had experienced, from the punctuality with which the seventeen fires complied with their engagements ; and that the Shawanese had no right to come from a distant country, to control the Miamis in the disj)osal of their own property.' " The interpreter had scarcely finished the explanation of these remark.s, when Tecumthe fiercely exclaimed, 'It is false!' and giving a signal to his warriors, they sprang upon their feet, from the TENSKWAUTAWAW. 61 green grass on which they were sitting, and seized tlicir war-clubs. The governor, and the small train that surrounded him, were now in imminent danger. He wiis attended l)y a few citizens, wlio were unarmed. A military guard of twelve men, who hud l)een stationed near him, and whose presence was considered rather as an honorary than a defensive measure — being exposed, as it was thought unnecessarily, to the heat of the sun in a sultry August day, had been humanely directed by the governor to remove to a .shaand, who was heating her, and declared that no man was worthy of the name of a warrior who could raise his hand in anger against a woman. He treated liis prisoners with uniform kindness; and, on several occasions, rescued our countrymen from the hands of his enraged followers. 'I'he l'ro[)liet was living, when we last heard of him, west of th< Mi.s.sissippi, in obscurity. YOIIOLO MICCO. YoHOLo Micco was principal chief of the Eufalo town, which hes between Tallassee and OakuiKkee, in the Creek nation, the Talhipoosa river running through it. In the war of 1813-14, he served with Mcintosh against the hostile Indians, and shared largely and honorably in all the battles that were fought. His bravery was equalled only by his eloquence, which gained him great distinction. He was the speaker of the Creek nation, as Opothlc Yoholo was of the division called the Upper towns, and opened the councils on all occasions. At the council called in lb27, by the Little Prince, to receive the propositions offered by the government through Colonel M'Kcnney, which we have noticed in another place, Yoholo Micco explained the object of the mission, in a manner so clear and pointed as not to be easily forgotten by those who heard him. lie rose with the unonibarra,«scd dignity of one who, while he felt the responsiliility of his high ofiice, was familiarly versed in its duti(!s, and satisfied of his own ability to discharge it with success. He was not unaware of the delicacy of the sul)ject, nor of the excital)le state of the minds to which his argument was to l)c addressed, and 'lis harangue was artfully suited to the occasion. With the pcr- Mia-Mvc manner of an accomplished orator, and in tin- silver tones jf a most flexible voice, he placed the siibject before his savage audience in all its details and bearings — making his several points vvitli clearness and in order, and drjiwing out his deductions in the lucid and conclusive manner of a finished rhetorician. The deportment of this chief was mild, his disposition sincere (r,y) 70 BIOGRAPHY. and generous. ITc advocated varmly the principles and practices of civilized life, and took so decided a part in favor of tlic plans to improve the condition of his pe()[)li', proposed by the American ffoverninent, and hy individuals, that lit becauK. unpopular, and lost his place and induencc in the ireneral council, and tlic diicf- taincy of his tribe. His successor as principal chief of the Eufola town is Oclearchc Micco. Yoholo Micco was amiable in his family relations, and brou;rht up his children with care, giving them the best a he would be as likely to receive it from the meri! circninstance of being seen to jilay with the animal, or to wear its 10 (71) 78 BIOGRAPHY. skin, or to iiiiitaU- some of its iiidtidus. On tiic otlicr liuiul, Mincchcc, which siifiiilies little, smart and active, is tiic approjiriato name of a fi'iiiale child. These names are retained duriiitj child- hood, and until the youthful character begins to .show its bias, when others are given which are supposed to he more descriptive; and we Ijelieve it is always usual, when a young man is aihnilted into the war councils, to give him a name with relerence to his (jualifications as a warrior. For instance, a youth wiio is modest and retiring may be called Chojixico, which would be interpreted, "timid as the deer;" yet the s ord is a com[>ound used chiilly as a jjropcr name. Clio is an abbreviation of echo, a deer— y/.c is abbreviated hmw J'lgcr, whi.ii means life or spirit — and ivo is a contraction of sicco, gone — IVoiii all which we get the very poetical compound above mentioned. A bold and fearless spirit is called Yithn Ifiii/Jo, the Crazy Wolf, from j/ii/ia, a wolt', ami hndjo, crazy. Another class of names are given still later in life, and are sucli as refer to some exploit or adventure by which the individual became distinguished for the time, as, " 7/r tilio xtmnLs and i,lrikcs," "lie ivfiojig/ils as he /lies," or " T/ic wolf killer." Mistippee escaped having the name of an animal conferred upon him, in tlie manner we have seen, but spent his boyhood, as is usual with the Indian children, in practising witii the blow-g\ui and bow, and in hunting the smaller kinds of game. The blow-gun is a favorite weapon among the boys of the southern tribes. It is simply a hollow reed of eight or ten feet in Icngtli, made ]ier- fectly smooth within, iVom which a small arrow is blown with much ic.rce by the breath. The arrow is made of light wood, armed with a pin, or small nail, at one end, and with thistle down oarefullv wrapped round the other, in a sidru-ient (piantity to fill the reed, so that, when pla<'ed in the end to which the mouth is applied, it is forced tlu-ouirh the reed with great swiltness, and, if well dircctiMJ, with tlie certainty of the ride ball. At a distance IM 1 S I' I P P f: K 73 of tfii y.'inls, tlio little Crooks will smilT a ciiiKlIts wiili ono nt" tlit'se arrows, four tim(>s out of llvo; and as no noise attends tiio (liscliarj^e, they arc (luito siiecessfiil in killinir small birds l)y means of this simple contrivance, which is called, in the Creek tongne, Culimnotchrr. By tlicse exercises the 3'onns('(l, tlicri'lorc, to penult him to sell his reservation, i.dilrr ' le ( xpeelatiuu that lu^ would ('(uncrl the jiroeeeds into eallle and horses, and be williu;,' to remove with his luojile to the fertile lauds provided lor theui. The arrauyemeut was, however, not elFeeted ; and the iullueiice i " Neamatiila heiui; used iu opp.)- sitiou to lii( views of the j^ovcruniei;;, aud of that which was esteemed the hest interests of the Seminoles, he was deposed, upon whieh he aiiaudoned the Seminoles and retiu'ued to the Creek nation. 'I lial ho was well received l>y the ('reeks, and reeoL'ni/.ed as a per.son of eonsideratinn, appear.-; from the fact, that wiicn Colonel M'Keniu'V, !is I iiitt'd States commissioner, asscndiieil the (Jreeks in 'general council at 'ruckhahatchee, in l''-7, to settle the eon- troversv at that time |j;oinu- on lietwccn the I'niled States Mid ( Jeor^na, anil the Creek nation, Ncamathla, took his seat umoM ivcd from an authentic source an auecdot*.) of this chief, whicli i- hiuldy characteristic of his race, and cxhihits a remarliJilile coincidence in the opinio'is of Neamalhla with those of other ;:!stini_nii^hed Indians. Pontiac, l{ed Jack(>t, Little Turtle, Tecumthe, aud a few other of th(! ma.ster spirits annmg the red men, uniformly oppcsed all attempts to introduce the civilization and arts of the Euro|)ean race amoULr the Indians, luider tiio ])lausii)l(; aruument that the Great Sjiirit had created the sevehd races for diHcrent purposes, and had given to each the arts pr.iper to its destination. These sagacious men saw tliat as tlie Indians adopted the hahits of %\hile men, they acipiired new wants, whieh coidd only he supplied hy an intercourse v.ith civili/.ed people, upon whom they thus became depeiwlent. Tlu^y felt tliat they wore the weaker i)arty in numi)er, and the inferior in ingenuity; and as tiiey knew of no contact between nations but N KAMA rill.. \, HI lliat ill wliicli one nmst n liv w hieh I we wiiidd win tlieni nxer to onr eiistoii le sivlli arti. tlie treat V of Moultrie Crei k, in tiio lerritorv of I'lorida, coiicliided N-ptemher '""th, !•>•,':{, it was pro- Miled, amonir other tliinus. that the stun of one thonsand r twcntv ysii ner t< ln>l lan alFairs at Washington received no information liir some tunc fonchinu that one for the estahlishment of the sdiool. anil sn[i- pos('(l it to liJive heen overliMiked, when on inijuiry it .vas found that the Indians declined receivinLj it. The delii'ate ollice of I'oinmunicatini.'' this deliiiiLitiMi, wKo lias lakcii pity on liis red cliildri'ii. ami wdiilil tcai'li lis to speak (ui jiajior like the cliildren ol' tl.u wlii'f Dii'ii. It is very ;!l(> know, and it is ri^dit lor tlicm to tcaili tlicm 1o llu'ir cliildri'ii. We also instrui't ours in our own wav: wi; tcacli lliciii to iirornrc food liy iMiiitiiu.'. and to l\il| tin ir cncniics. Unt wf want no scliools, sni'li as yon oU'rr n<. W V wish our ihildron to rrniain as llio (iri'at Sjiirit made thcni, and as their fatlwrs are, Indians. 'V\\v. (ireat Spirit has made dillerent kinds of men, and u:iveii them separate eonntries to live in; find he has yiven to eaeh the arts tliat arr suileij to his eondiliou. It is not I'or ns to ehanjjc tlie desi'jns oi' the ( Ireal Masti r of Life. If yon ''.stalilish a sehool, and Itaeli onr 'hildreii the knowh (lfj;e of the \vhile peopli . llicv \^■ill cease to lie Indians. The (Ireat Spirit wishes no ehaniie in his red ehiidn ii. Tliev aii^ \ery trood as he madi^ them; if the while man attempts 1o im|)ro\e, iir will spoil them. " I'athir, wi' thank yon for vom- oiler; Imt we ^lo not wish our children to lie lau'^ht the ways of your people . '• Listen, father, and I will lell you how tin- f ireat Spirit made man, and how he ^'ave to men of diilrn nt colors III. dill'M-cnt einplovments that we find them eii^ajrcd in. After die world was made, it was solitarx'. It was very lieautitnl; the li.rrsts alioimded in ;r;iii,(' and i'niit : llic 'jrcat jilains were covrri'il \* ilh ricer .'«iiil elk, and 'lulfdo, and the rivers were full of fish ; there wcfi' inuiiv hears and heaver, aiii olhi r fat animals. Itiil therr wac iio heii.g t .s1o«hI up Uf-ri' hm Maki r, he was ir/ii/i ! The (ireat Spirit was sorr\ ; \tc saw that tlic heiii|,f he had made was pale and weak; he tonk pity '»i him, and therefore did not unniahe him. hut li't him live, lie tried tij^ain, for he was determim-d to make a jierfect man; lint in his endeavor to avoid making another white man, he went inu» tlie NKA.M A llllw\, 88 nijposito extreme, and \\\w\i the; scciukI Ijciiiii, rose, up, ami ^t()(Hl Iicforo liim, ho Wiis ///(.•(.•^•/ Tlus fJi-cat S|iiiit likcil the black man less than ihi^ \vli!t(>, and lie sliuvcil him aside 1 am ithcr trial. Tlici. it was tliat lin ma niaUc iMom |(ir and llii! red man iilcascil liun. '■ .My lather, listen — I have nut tnld yim all. In this u ay tho CJrcat S|)irit made iIk; wliite, thci hlark, and the red man, when lie pnt them nimn the eartli. Ih're they were — hut they wi'H! very poor. 'J'hoy had nn Idd'jes nnr horses, no lools to woriv with, no tra|)s, n"r any tliinsf with wluih to kill j^amc. All at onee, thnso three nii'n, Innkinif up, saw thret; lari^e ho.xes coniiiiij down ■'1 till' sky. 'I'liev deseendetl very slov^ly, Ijul at last reaehed i'v gronnd, while these lluve poor men sto(Kl and looked ;il lliein, not knowintj what In ilo. Then dietin^at Spirit spoke ami siiid, W lite man, voii are ])ale anil \\v:\ wil rivi' on liul I made yon lirst. and 1 the lirst choice ; an to tin; boxes, oiicn llicin and l(M)k in, and choose v\hich you will lake for your portion. 'I'l ic wiiitt* man o|)ened the boxes, liniked in, and said, 'I will lake tins' it was filled with pens, and ink, and thinifs as your peojile now \ise. pajier, and cnnipasses, and such 'i'lie ( I real Spirit spoke ar of Life knew what was liesl lor Ins i hill] ren. W c are salisliei l,.t T .f tl IIS is a liaj)[)y instancu ol tlie modi! ol illuslralioii hy |)aral)l( III us alone. 1) iral) \viiich, lH'iii'4 tilt! iiio.st simple and natural iiietliotl of explanation, seems to have heeii ado[)ted hy all rude nations. The I'Mdiii;^^ idea ia the haranirue of Neumathla was not oriifinal with him, hut was llie (■omiiiiiiilv receivi'i notion amnii''' tiie Iiid ians, from the earliest times of whieh ui; have any account. Tiie vast dill'cr- enee hetwoon them and tlie Europeans, hotli pli\sical and moral, naliir: sULrii'i'sted th(! iiiea that tl ley were distinct races, created lur dilleriMit pur|)oses; and the iinha]i|)y results of the intercourse Iictwccn tlieiii, and of e\('rv attciniit to unite them, itavc additional oilier politicians streni^th to the npininii. The chiefs, who, likt Knew hnw to avail tliemselves of a popular prejudici 'ho i,freat advaiitaucs of eiicoiiraniui^ a helief which perpetiiateil at once tl MMr own au'hority, hv excludiiiu; the foreiLiii iiillueiices that would liavi! uestroved alike tiie ualional character ol the sava";es .f th Old their cvistiijir fnriiis t .f sill KM'diiiatKin. lie wea hh, tl le arts, and the luimhers of the invading: race alarmed their jealousy; for they had the .saijfa<'ity to pe'ceive that if amic;ii)le relations and an unrestricted familiar interv'our,se should he estahlished with a people po.ssessintf such ample means of conquest, the latter must inevitably, either hy iirce i>r iuLfemiily, ohtaiu the complete ascendencv. The lictiou emiiloved hv Neamiithla, to coiivev the ideas entert;iiiicd ly Ills people, is his own invention. d is creditaiile to hi ii'trciiiiity. It is a fair specimen of the Indian style of eIo(pience. They do not attempt wlmt wo wonld call ar<,nimeiit; iiure abstract rea.soninuf is heyond their comprchensicm. But thev are expert in the (Muplovmeiit nf lioures, I IV w hicli till' fiiiniliar ohjects arouiil tlicm are made to represent tlieir ideas. Thev ln\e no theories nor traditions, in rcLrard to the creation, whicli se(>m to NEAMA IIH.A. 85 hav. ..-nnl..nv..,l In.,,. a,.y n.spoC.l.l.. sour.o.ur (.. be VM.-ra....! '"r tlnn- aMt,.,Mity, n.,r any, iu.h.,.,1, vvlucb l.av. n.uch autlu.ritv known to tlio Knijlisli, who rf((ii'ni/.i' I nitendt'd to have written liook on that suhjeet. I ImIicm' lie (.\ddison) ha.'" spent il ail m reserveil in tin Brit isli Tl M leir iinr- u.sewm ; and Steelo says, of these illustrious stranv'ers: "they were placed in a handsome a[)artment, at an upholsterer's iu King street, Covenl Canlen." In Oldmixon's History we IiikI the foHowinir notice; "For the :.U<"ees8es in Spain, and lor the lakinij of Dcuav, Helliune. and Aiff, hy the l)uk«< of Miu'lliomniih, ni I'landers, tlien- was a 12 I"'?) 88 I! km; It A I'll Y tliiiiiksun ih^ il:i\ :i|i|i()iiitt>*l, wliich llu; C^urii Nuliiiuii'/nl at St. •I. 'I'd liavo j^oiir, as usual, lo S|. j'aiil's, ami tin re In aiiifs riiaiM I' lia\i' liail 7' /^( ////f siiiiir, (Ml that (iccasimi, wmilil liavc sliowii tno iiiiii'li ('iiuiiti'iiaiii't' til tlmst' lii'avo iiml vicliiiiniis liiiu'lisli ^ciit'rals \\lnt wrrc tii,'litiii'^ lur Itatllcs alirnail, wWiU- lli'^li Cjmn'li wan |ili)ttiii<_'. ami railiiiix, and aildrcssiht^ aLraiasI tlicm at laani'. 'I'lir i-arryiiii; "t llvi^ Imliaii casiKiurs alioiit in the (^la rn's (•(lacjus. was all till' tniiiM|ili of tlif llai'lfi:iii adiiiinistraliuii ; tlay wire (allrd Kin^s, mid clotlud \ live nionanlis, whow prt'sriifc did so iiimli lionor tlir new ministry." In a work rntitlcd "'I'la' Annals ol' (.^ mi' a .\nia'"s Hriiiii, A'car llif l.\,llir 17li>," \\ritlrn liy Mr. Hoytr, wi- lind tlic rollouint^ rrniarks: "On tlu' I'.ttli April, 'r»-y<-nt«n-lio!,'.i-|iro\v, and Sa-^a- yfan-<|iia-|)ra-lon, ol' \\tv Maijuas, I'dow-oli-kanin, and ( Hi-iaali- y»'alli-ton-no-|iro\\, of Ihr ri\rr Sailicni, and ihr ( itnajolidion! sarhiin, lour kinus, or I'lud's, of tin' Six Nations, in tin- Wot miles, w lui'li lie licluiiu .New Mntiland and Ninv Franrt-, or Canaila, who lately eana' over with tlu; West India lleet, and wero clothed and entertained at the ijueen's e\|iense, had a pnlilic. ludienee o| her majesty, at the palaec i iC St. .!i unes, liemi^ eon dueled in two of her majesty's eoaehes, hy Sir Janus CoHerel, master ot' eereinonies, and inl'MiIiieed li\ llie hidvi- ol Somerset, lord ehamlierlain." 'I'lie historian then jiroeeeds •,. re' ite a Innuf xpt'eeh, whieh these hwUviwx /loiii Ihi ''• >7 Mrs, lirliivrii .\rii< r./iif/'im/ timl Ciiiintld, WW siipposed In ha*- made to tlie Uritisli monanli, Imt whuli is so e\ideiitl\ of lln^lish mannrai'ture, that wo refrain from 'jivin'j il a |ilnee. We ue fartlur informed, that our ehiefs remained in London, alter tlnir audienee uith her Miajestv, alMint a tort niudit, and were entertained hy Hoveral persons of distinetion, partieularlv the Diike of Oriuond, who r)>^rali'r New N'uik, we lire tnlil, "Tlie aiiival nl tlieso livi' saelienis \\i I'iii^lanil, made a u;i°eal limit tlirniHjrlniiit tlie vvlmle kiiiU[v relerriiiy; them to fatalilv, or to maific. A lew of tin' more acute, obtained distant and misty glimpses ol the Irulli, and were willinij to spare the weaker intellects of their people, from a kiiow- lediie which tilled themselves w itli dread and sorrow; for, in the little which they eoinpreheiided of lliiropean power, they saw the varied and overwhelming; eleineiits of a siiperiori* v which threatened iicr tht ir wisest ail! most patiiotic ehiels their clestruction II. have lieeii |irudeiitly jealous ol eivili/.ation; while the Indians in yenerul have feare circnnistanccs, shows also how slit^lit are tiie iinprcHsi^ y /A Photographic Scienc^es Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716)872-4503 ? €v 93 BIOGRAPHY. "I am liappy to be with you in this wonderful canoe, moved by the Great Spirit, and conducted by the Big Fist of the great deep. "I v.-ish to bo with you until I go to the land where my fathers have gone. Take back the ring, and give me that which I value more — yourself.'" On the next da}^ the ring was bartered for a drink of whisky ! Such is the singular race whose history we are endeavoring to exemplify — patient under hardship, sul)lle in war, inflexible in the stern purpose of revenge, Init fickle in every good resolution, and irreclaimable in barbarism. In the multitude, bravery is a cornnum virtue, a prominent and almost a single merit; while liere and there a noble character shines like a bright peculiar star among the host of more warriors, adorned with the highest qualities that dignify and soften the harslicr features of manlicod. Tlic name of Corn Plant is very famiUar to most of our country- men, yet we have been unable to obtain the materials for a connected account of his whole career. He was a chief of the Senecas, and the rival of Red Jacket, from wliom he dilfercd in character, while he ecpialled him in influence. Without the commanding • genius of Red Jacket, lie possessed a large share of the common «iense which is more efficient in all the ordinary affiiirs of life. They were botli able men; both acquired the confidence of their people ; but the patriotism of Red Jacket was exhibited in an unyielding hatred of the wliit(^s, between whom and the red men, he would have cut off all intercourse; while Corn Plant adopted the opposite policy of conciliation, towards his more powerful neigh- bors. The one was a warrior of unblemished reputation, the other an orator of unrivalled elotiuencc ; both were shrewd, artful, and expert negotiators, and they prevailed alternately over each other, as opportunities were offered to either for the exertion of his peculiar abilities. The one rose into power when the Senecas were embit- tered against the whites, and the other acquired conscfpience when it became desirable to cultivate friendly relations upon the frontier. COKN PLANT. 93 The fiitlicr of Corn Plant was a white man, and is said to liave Deen an Irishman; but nothing is now known of him, except what may Ije gathered from a letter of Corn Plant to the Governor of Pennsylvania. This siiignlar production was, of course, dictated to an interpreter, who acted as amanuensis, bvit the sentiments are luidouhtedly his own. It was dated in 1S2'2, when the lands r. s Tved for the Indians in the north-western part of Pennsylvania became surrounded by the farms of the whiles, and some attempt was made to tax the property of the Seneca chief; in consequence of which he wrote this epistle to the governor. "I *cel it my duty to send a speech to the Governor of Pennsyl- vania, at this time, and inform him of the place where I was from — which was at Connewaugus on the Genessee river " Wlicn I was a child I played whh the butterfly, the grass- hopper, and the frogs; and as I grew up I began to pay some atten- tion, and play with the Indian bo3's in the neighborhood, and they took notice of my skin being of a different color from theirs, and spoke about it. I inquired of ni)' mother the cause, and she told mc that my father was a residenter in Albany. I still cat my victuals out of a bark dish. I grew up to be a young man, and married me a wife, and I had no keltle nor gun. I then knew where my father lived, and went to sec him, and foimd he was a while man, and spoke the English language. He gave me victuals while I was at his house, but when I started home, he gave me no provision to eat on llio way. lie gave nic neither kettle noi gun, neither did he tell mc that the I'liitod States were about to rebel atrainst the government of Entiland. "I will now tell yon, brotliers, who are in session of the Legis- lature of Pennsylvania, that the Great Spirit has made known to me that I have been wicked; and the cause tliereof has been the revolutionary war in America. The cause of Indiims being led into sin at that time, was lliat many of them were in the practice of drinking and getting intoxicated. Great liritain requested us te 94 BIOGRAPHY. join ^\•ith them in the conflict airninst the Americans, and promised the Indians land and liquor. I myself was opposed to joining in the conflict, as I had nothing to do with the dilFiculty tliat existed hctween the two parties. I have now informed you how it hap- pened, that the Indians took a part in the revolution, and will relate to you some circumstances that occurred after the close of the war. General Putnam, who was then at Philadelphia, told me tlicre was to lie a coimcil at Fort Stanwix; and the Indians requested me to attend on behalf of the Six Nations, which I did, and there met Mith three commissioners who had been appointed 1o hold the council. They told me that they would inform me of the cause of tlie revolution, which I requested tliem to do minutely. They then said that it originated on account of the heavy taxes that had been imposed upon them by the British government, which had been Ibr fifty years increasing upon them; that the Americans had grown weary tlicreof, and refused to pay, which alfronted the king. There had likewise a difliculty taken place about some tea which they wished me not to use, as it had been one of the causes that many people had lost their lives. And the British government now ])eing affronted, the war commenced, and the cannons began to roar in our country. "General Putnam then told me, at the council at Fort Stanwix. that by the late war the Americans ha me, and I wish for the interference of the governor. The \\hite people who live at AA'arren, called upon me some time ago to pay taxes for my land, which I objected to, as I never had been called upon for that purpose before; and having refused to pay, ihcy became irritated, called upon me iVequently, and at length brought 13 96 BIOGRAPHY. four guns with Uiem and seized our caUle. I still refi scd to pay, and was not willing to let the cattle go. After u time of dispute they returned home, and I understood the militia was ordered out to enforce the collection of the t:ix. I went to Warrci, and, to avert the impi'uding dill'iculty, was obliged to give my note for the tax, the amount of which was forty-three dollars and seventy-nine cents. It is iny desire that the governor will exempt me from paying taxes for my land to white people ; and also to cause that the money I am now oblig(Hl to pay, he refunded to me, as I am very poor. The governor is the person who attends to the situation of the people, and I wish him to send a person to Alleghany, that I may inform him of the particulars of our situation, and he be authorized to instruct the white peo[)le in what manner to conduct themselves towards the Indians. "The government has told us that, whendilTicidtips arose between the Indians and the white people, they would attend to having them removed. We are now in a trying situation, and I wish the governor to send a person authorized to attend thereto, the fore part of ne.vt summer, about the time that the grass has grown big enough for pasture. "The governor formerly requested me to pay attention to the Indians, and take care of them. We are now arrived at a situation in which I believe tlie Indians cannot exist, unless the governor should comply with my request, and send a person authorized to treat between us and the white people, the approaching sumrier. I have now no more to speak." It is unfortunfite that most of the interpreters through whom the productions of the aboriginal intellect have reached us, have been so entirely illitcate as to be equally incapable of appreciating tlie finer touches of sentiment and eloquence, and of expressing them nppropriately in our language. The letter of Corn Plant is distin- guished by its simplicity and good sense, and was no doubt dictated in the concis(>, nervous, and elevated style of the Indian orator, CORN PLANT. 9t while we Imvc received it in a garbled version of very shabby Englisli. His account of his parentage is siini)le and touching; I'is nnprotectod yet happy infiuicy, wlien he phijed nith the butterjlij, the grasshopper, and the fi'og, is sketched with a scriptural felicity of hlyle; llierc is soinothing very striking in the description of his povcnMy, wlicn ho grew up to be a young man, and married a wife, and had no kdtlc nor gun ; while the brief aci^ount of his visit to his fill her is marked by the pathos of genuine feeling. It is to be regretted that he did not pursue the narrative, and inform us by what steps he rose from his low estate to become the head of a trilje. We learn from diher sources that he was a successful war- rior, and it is probable that the tra<.lers and the missionaries, whose interest he espoused, in opposition to Red Jacket, aided in his elevation. In the latter part of the letter he has given a synopsis of the evils which his nation endured in consequence of their alliance with the whites, and which invariably attended the unna- tural contact of civili/ed and savage men. Corn Plant was one of the parties to the treaty at Fort Stanwix, in 1781, when a large cession of territory was made by the Indians; at the treaty of Fort Ilarmer, five years afterwards, he took the lead in conveying an immense tract of countrv to the American government, and became so unpopular that his life was threatened by his incensed tribe. But this chief, and those who acted with him, were induced to make these liberal concessions by motives of sound policy; for the Six Nations having fought on the royal side during the war of the revolution, and the British govern- ment having recognized our independence, and signed a peace, without stipulating for her misguided allies, they were wholly at our mercy. In an address sent to tlie President of the United States, in 1790, by Corn Plant, Half Town, and Dig Tree, we find the following remarks in allusion to these treaties: '^Father: — We will not conceal from you that the Great Spirit, and not men, has preserved Corn Plant from the hands of his own 98 BIOGllAPIIY. nation, for thoy ask contimially, 'wliorc is llic IiiikI upon Avliieli our children, and llicir children al'ti'r tlieni, arc to lie down? You told us that; the line drawn IVoni Pennsylvania to Lake Ontario -would mark it lor ever on the east, and the line runninu from Beaver Creek to rennsylvania would, mark it on the west, and wo sec it is not so; f r, first one corncs, and then another, and takes it awav, by order of lliat p oph; \\hich yon ti^U us promised to secure it to us.' He is silent, for he has nothing to answer. \\'hen the sm\ goes down he opens his heart before the (Jreat Spirit, and earlier than the sun ajipears a'j^ain upon the hills, ]\v gives thanks for his protec- tion during the night; for he feels that among men become desperate by the injuries they have sustained, it is God only that can protect him." In his reply to this address. President AVashington remarked: — "The merits of Corn Plant, and his fritMidship for the United States, are well known to me, and shall not be forgotten; and as a mark of the esteem of the United States, I have directed the Secretary of War to make him a present of two hundred and fifty dollars, either in money or goods, as the Corn Plant shall like best." It would be tedious to pursue the history of this chief through the various vicissitudes of his life. Ilis reputation as a warrior was gained previous to the American revolution, and during that war. Shortly after that struggle, the lands reserved for the Scnecas became surrounded b)' the settlements of the American people, so as to leave them no occasion nor ojiportunity for hostilities A\itii other tribes. In his efforts to preserve peace with his powerful neighbors. Corn Plant incurred, alternately, the suspicion of both parties — the whites imputing to him a secret agency in the depre- dations of lawless individtials of his nation, while the Senecas have sometimes become jealous of his apparent fame with the whiles, and regarded him as a i)cnsionary of their oppressors. His covu'sc, however, has been pnident ami consistent, and his influence very great CORN PLANT. 0!) lie resided on tlio banks of tlic Alleghany river, a few miles below its jnnetion with tlic Connowango, upon a Iniet of fine land, \\ ithin Uie limits of Pennsylvania, and not far from the line lietween that state and New York. lie owned lliirteen hundred acres of land, of which six hundred were comprehended within the villago occnpied by his people. A considerable portion of the remainder he cultivated as a farm, which was toleral)ly well stocked with horses, cattle, and hogs. Many of his people cultivated the soil, and evinced signs of industry. Tlie chief favored the Christian religion, and welcomed those who came to teach it. lie lived in simple style, surrounded with plenty, and practising a rude hospi- tality, while iiis sway was kind and patriarchal. In 1815, a missionary society had, at his earnest solicitation, establislied a school at his village, which at that time promised success. We arc not aware that any permauent results were attained by the eflbrt. Corn Plant imbil)ed, in the feebleness of age, the superstition of the less intellectual of his race. Ilis conscience reproached him for his fricndsliip towards the whites, and in a moment of alarm, fancy- ing that the G reat Spirit had commanded him to destroy all evidence of his connection with the enemies of his race, he burned an elegant sword and other articles which he had received as presents. A favorite son, who had been carefully educated at one of our schools, became a drunkard, adding another to the many discourag- ing instances in which a similar result has attended the attempt to educate the Indian j'outh. When, therefore, the aged chief was m-ged to send his younger sons to school, he declined, remarking, in broken English, "It entirely spoil Indian.'.' Corn Plant died on his reservation on the Alleghany river, .some time in the winter of 1830 — supposed to have been over ninety years old. Ilis Indian name was Ki-on-twog-ky. The likeness we have given of him was taken in New York, about the year 1788, and when the original is supposed to have been in his forty-eighth 100 BIOGRAPHY. year. It wns intended for some friend of the Indians, in London, but Caplaiii M'Dontrall, who, at tliat time, conuiianded a merchant ship, bctwceu lMiila(l('l|)hia and Livrrjiool, and who was 1o liave roMveycd it to Liverpool, sailing without it, the portrait fell into the hands of Timothy Matlock, Esq., who cherished it, not only because of its admirable and close resemblance to the original, but because he was indebted to Corn Plant for his life. At his death the portrait was still cherished by his daughter. It was from that original the copy before the reader was taken. CAATOUSEE. It is, perhaps, not to be regretted, tliat some of the portraits con- tamed in our gallery, are thos(s of persons of little repute; for, although many of llie biograpliies may, on tliis account, be less interesting in themselves, a greater variety of the aspects of the Indian character will, on the whole, be presented to our readers. The wandcriug savages who inhal)it the sterile and inliospitablo shores of the northern lakes, arc the most miserable and degraded of the native tribes. Exposed to the greatest extremities of climate, and forced by their situatiou to spend the greater portion of their lives in ol)taining a wretched subsistence, they have little ambition, and few ideas, which extend to the supply of their most immediate and pressing wants. The region which they hdiabit affords but little game; and when the lakes are frozen, and the land covered with deep snow, there arc seasons in which scarcely any living animal can be found, but the wretched tenant of the wigwam, whose hal)itual improvidence has prevented him from laying iip any store for the winter. Lingering at the spot of his temporary residence until the horrors of starvation press him to instant exer- tion, he must then lly to some distant region, to which the wild animals of the plain, with a truer instinct, have already retreated, or seek a sheltered haunt where he may subsist by fishing. Many perish during these long journeys, or are doomed to disappointment on reaching the place of their destination, and thus they drag out, month after month, their weary existence, in the eager search for food. (101) ■~] l(V2 lUOCKAl'IIY. We know not lin-,/ the iiuUviduul before us came to bo designated by llie nume atUichcd to the portrait. Tlac true name is A-(iua-o-da, which sioiiifies Crcrping out of the Water, llis usual residence is I. a I'oinU', or Shagoiniclvoong, upon Lake Superior. He is a person of lilllc repute, either with white or red men. He is too idle to luuit, and lias no name as a warrior ; nor is liis character good in oilier rcsiiects. lie is, however, an e.vpert fisherman and canocman, in whicli eapiieity he is occasionally employed by the tnulers. lie lias never advanced any pretensions to ehieftainship, except to be a chief among the dancers, and in his profuse use of paints and orna- ments. xAIENAWA. This chief is a lialf-Muoded Creek, of the Oakfuskeo towns, wiiicli lie oil the Tallapoosa river, in Alai)Uiiia, Iw was formerly I illed Ilolhlepoya, or Tlie crazy >rar hunter, in con.-;c jiiencc of his (larini^ feats as a marauder upon the frontiers ol Tennessee, at an (^arly period in the settlement of that state, llewuh in the habit of passing over annually to the Cumberland river, fti the pnri)ose i.f >li .iling horses, or, as the fierce clansmen of Scdland would have ])hrased it, driving caltlo. The great m-xleru novelist has desig- nated treason as a gentlemanly crime, and border warriors, of whatever race, have, in like manner, considered the occui)ation of transferring each other's horses, either by stealth or violence, as a reputable martial employment. llothlcpoya was widely known and feared by the new settlers along the bor ler, as a bold and suc- cessful adept in this species of warfare, which he practised m itli the least possible breach of the public jjcacc — seldom shedding blood if unresisted, but fighting with desperation when opposed. Various are the adventures attributed ti him while thus engaged, in some of which lie is represented as punsuing his object with daring audacity, and in others obfaining it by ingenious trickery. On one occasion, "As bursts the levin in its wrath, lie shot him down llie winding path. ]tock, wood and stream rung wildly ont, To his loud step and savage sihout;" wliile again the honest farmer, bereaved of his noblest steed, sus- pected not the felonious deed until the crazij irar hunter was fur beyond the reach of pursuit. 11 (103) 104 BIOGRAPHY. The stories told of this individual are so numerous as to warrant t'i3 inference that his celobritj in the peculiar species of horse- jockeyship to which he devoted his attention, induced those mIio suH'cred injury at his hand to give him credit, not only for his own exploits, but those of his various contemporaries, as the Greeks attributed to their deified Hercules the deeds of numerous heroes who bore that name. Some of these adventures are too marvellous to be readily believed ; man}', that seem plausible enough, want confirmation, and but few have reached us, in detail, in such an unquestionable shape as to Ije worthy of repetition. We pass them ov.>r, therefore, with the single remark, that while enough is known to establish the character of Ilothlcpoya as an adroit and bold taker of the horses of his civilized neighbors, we are unable to give so minute a detail of these enterprises as would be edifying to the public, or instructive to the youthful aspirant after similar honors. One incident is well vouclied for, which shows that our marauder could emulate the liberality of the famous Robin Hood. Returning once from a successful excursion, he fell in with a tired pedestrian, trudging along the trail that in those dtiys led from Augusta to the Tombigbee. The latter was a white man, who had lost his good nag; whether, like Fitz James, " (oiiclicd with pity and remorse, He sorrowed o'er the expiring horse," we arc not told, but we learn that he wa.s on foot, in a cheerless wilderness, with no other companion than a hoiind, who, " With drooping tail and humble crest," followed the fallen fortunes of his master. Had Ilothlepoya encountered this traveller mounted upon a good horse, the proba- bility is that he would, either by stratagem or force, have despoiled him of the animal. As it was he gave him a fine steed, worth two hundred dollars, which he had just stolon at the hazard of his life, MENAWA. 103 and received in exchange the stranger's hound — not as an equiva- lent, for the dog was of little value, but as a something to stand in place of the horse, and to be shown as a trophy on his return home. The acquisitive propensity of so heroic a person is not excited by the value of the thing stolen, but by the glory of the capture. When Tecunithe visited the southern Indians, about the year 1811, for the pvirpose of endeavoring to unite them with the northern tribes in a general conspiracy against the whites, the subject of this notice was second cliief of the Oakfuskce towns, and had acquired the name of Mcuawa, which mens, T/ie Great Warrior; and the ])olitic Sliawanoe leader distinguished him as one of those whose co-operation would be necessary to the accomplishment of his pur- pose. lie made a special visit to Monawa, and formally communis cated his plan, in a set speech, artfully framed to foment the latent hatr(!d of the Creek chief towards the whites, and to awaken the ambition which he well knew must form a prominent feature in a character so daring and restless. Menawa heard his illustrious visitor with deep attention, for he loved war, and was not unwilling to strike the pale faced enemy of his race. War is always a populai measure among the Indians, and the chiefs readily indulge theii followers in a propensity that diverts their attention from domestic affairs, and kcej)s up the habit of subordination in these wild and factious bands, who are at all times ruled with difficulty, but more especially when peace brings its season of idleness, intemperance, and license. Another reason which, doubtless, had a powerful though secret influence upon the mind of the (.)nl--f'^skee chief, was his jeiilousy of the growing power of Mcintosh, »vhoin he disliked, and who was known lo favor the whites. A murder had recently beei« committed upon some white men, in the direction of the Oakfusk(!0 towiif in revenge for which the people of Georgia, charging the crime upon Menawa's band, had burned one of his villages. It was secretly rumored, and believed by Menawa, that Mcintosh, who feared to attnck him opeidy, and perhaps luul no plausible pretence 106 BIOGRAPHY. for a public rupture with his rival, had instigated the murder, and had then caused it to be charged to the Oakfuskce baud, for the express purpose of exposing the latter to the vengeance of the Geor- gians ; and he was soured alike at the whites who had chastised his people without a cause, and at Mcintosh, who was the supposed author of the injury. The proposed war had, therefore, the Jiddi- tional recommendation, that as Mcintosh would most probably join the whites, he would be converted from a secret enemy, ])rotected by rank and position, into an open foe, leagued with the oppressors of his race. We have already spoken of the Creek war, and we now recur to it to detail the part acted by Menawa, who engaged in it with great alacrity. Although he was the second chief of his band, his reputation for valor and military skill placed him foremost on occa- sions when danger tlueatened, or when enterprise wafj required. The principal chief was a medicine man, who relied more on his incantations than upon the rifle or tomahawk — a peaceable person, who probably inherited his station, and owed his elevation to good blood rather than a meritorious character. He wore around his body a number of gourds, containing the herbs and other articles which constituted his medicine, and which he believed had power to repel the bullets of the enemy, to preserve his own life, i >d give success to his party. Menawa, though a man of vigorous in. Uect, was slightly infected with the superstition of his people, ano im habit venerated the character of his chief; but the miracles wh. l were said to have followed the visit of Tecumthe, and which we alluded to elsewhere, so far outshone the gourds of the Oakfuskce juggler, as to create some little contempt, and perhaps distrust towards the spells of the latter. But the faith of the principal chief only waxed stronger and stronger, and he continued to juggle without intermission, and to prophesy with confidence, while the Indians, partaking of his fanaticism, generally believed in him, and relied upon his power. MENAWA. 107 Thus incited by the blind zeal of fanaticism, added to the many existing causes of hatred against the whites, and to the belief that a general war to be waged under supernatural guidance was about to aflbrd the opportunity for aini)lc revenge, the Creeks proceeded m earnest to actual hostilities. We pass over a number of engage- ments that occurred in this war, in several of whicli Menawa acted a leading part, sparing our readers from the mere details of blood- shed, which could afford them but little interest, and passing on to the great battle of the Horseshoe, wherein it was the fate of this chief to act and suffer as became the military head of a gahant people. The scene of this disastrous conflict has already been described in another part of our work ; and we shall only repeat here, that the Indians were posted on a small tongue of land, sur- rounded by tlie river Tallapoosa on all 'sides but one, where it was joined to the main land by a narrow isthmus, across which they had thrown a strong breastwork of logs. Tlie Oakfuskeo proplict, after performing certain incantations, informed his followers that the impending assault ^\•oul(l be made in the rear of their position, which was swept by the river; and by presumptuously assuming to predict the plan which would be adopted by his enemy, uninten- tionally misled the Indians, \\ho, instead of trusting to their own natural sagacity, arranged tlieir defences in reference to an imagi- nary j)lan of assault. General Jackson, who, to an inflexible firm- ness of purpose, united a vigorous judgment, perceived the im- pregnable nature of the points the Indians had prepared to defend, and conceived the bold as well as judicious step of assading the breastwork that extended across tlic isthmus. The movement of the American General was so ra])id, that ils object was not disco- vered until his cannon were planted in front of the intreuchment. But when the battery was opened upon this point, when the Ten- ncssceans were seen rushing forward with impetuous valor, and it was discovered that the main force of the American army was about to be precipitated upon the breastwork, Menawa, enraged at. 108 BIOGRAPHY his chief, whose juggling hml betrayed the Indians 'nto a fatal error, flew at the unfortunate prophet, ;ind, aided by others alike incensed, slew him \ipon the spot. lie then placed himself at the liead of the Oakfuskee braves, and those of the neighboring towns, and uttering, witli a voice of unusual compass, a tremendous war- whoop, leaped the breastwork and tlu'cw himself in the midst ot the assailants. A Greek or Roman leader, who had thus slain his chief, assumed the command, and abandoning the shelter of his fortifications, plnngcd into the thickest ranks of the enemy, to con- quer or die for liis people, would have been immortalized in clixssic story; while in the American savage such conduct will only be remembered as among the evidences of the extraordinary ferocity of his race. The comrades of Menawa followed him into the battle, and fought at liis side with desperate valor, until nearly all were slain, and he fell wounded by seven balls. Tlie whole fight was of llie most desperate character. The waters of the Tallapoosa river were red with blood. The ferocity with which the Indians fought may be attributed in part to their custom of not suffering themselves to be taken as prisoners, while thoir position cut them o(T from retreat, and still more perhaps to the iaci that the ground of the Ilonseslioe was a consecrated spot, where they considered themselves protccteil by friendly spirits, and were nerved to desperation by a faith Uke that which excites the frantic valor of the Mahometan. Of nine hundred warriors led into that sanguinary fight by Menawa, only seventy survived, and one only, who fled at tlie first discharge of cannon, escaped unwounded. * When the storm of the battle suljsided, Menawa remained on tlie field, lying in a heap of the sbiin, devoid of consciou.sness. Recovering his senses, he found himself weltering in blood, with his gun firmly grasped in his hand. The battle had ceased, or swept by, but straggling shots announced that the work of death was not over. Raising liimself slowly to a sitting posture, ho perceived a MEN AW A. 109 lot •A soldier passing near him, whom, with a dehberate aim, he shot, but at the same moment received a severe wound from a bullet, whicli, entering his cheek near the ear, and carrying away several of his teeth, passed out on llic opposite side of the face. Again he fell among the dead, ri'taining, however, so much of life as to feel the victors trejitling upon his body as they passed over it, su])posing hitn to be slain. When night came he felt revived, and the love of life grew strong in him. lie crawled cautiously to the bank of the river, and descending to its margin, found a canoe, which lie entered, and, by shaking it from side to side, loosed it from the shore. Tlie canoe floated down the river until it reached the neighborhood i:f a swamp at Elkahatchee, where the Indian women and children had been secreted previous to the battle. Some of these wretched beings, who were anxiously looking out for intelligence from the scene of action, espied the canoe, and upon going to it, discovered the mangled chief lying nearly insensible in its bottom. Menawa was removed to a place of rendezvous which had been appointed on the Elkahatchee creek, where he was joined by the unhappy survivors of that dreadfid battle. For the purpose of brooding over their grief, mourning for the dead, and deciding upon tile measures necessary to be adopted in consequence of the recent (lis;uster, a silent council was held, that lasted three days, during which time these moody warriors neither ate nor drank, nor per- mitted their wounds to be dressed. At the expiration of the third day it was determined that the Indians should return to their respect- ive homes, submit to the victors, and each man make his own peace as best he might. Their wounds were then dressed by the women, M'lio usually ofliciate as surgeons, as did the ladies of Europe in the days of chivalry. The Indians are said to dis})lay, under such cir- cumstances, a remarkable tenacity of life, and to recover rapidly from the eflects of the most serious wounds, in conse(iuonce proba- bly of their active and abstemious habits, rather than of the absence of physicians. They soon dispersed, and all of them surrendi-red no BIOGRAPHY. formiilly to the American authorities, except Menawa, whose wounds prevented him from leaving his retreat until after the close of tlie war. As soon as he was able to travel he sought his homo, at the Oakfuskee towns, but found neither shelter nor proj)erty. The desolating hand of war had swept all away. Before the break- ing out of hostilities, Menawa was among the richest of the Indians of the upper towns. Like many of his nation, of the mixed blood, he had partially adopted the habits of the wliite man, keeping large herds of cattle, which he exchanged for merchandise, and bartering tlie latter with his own people for the products of the cliase. lie had ouliroly abandoned the predatory haljits of his early life, was the owner of a store, and of more than a thousand head of cattle, an etjual number of hogs, and several hundred horses. He c.irried on a brisk trade with Pensacola, and was known to load, at one time, a hundred horses with furs and peltries. Like the famous Rob Roy, he was by turns a chieftain, a drover, and a marauder, a high mettled warrior, and a crafty trader; and like him, his propensity for war was luifortunately stronger rhan his prudence. All his etarnings were now destroyed. He found his village burned ; not a vestige remained of all his property — horses, cattle, and merchan- dise, h;id alike disappeared. The Oakfuskee chief was as poor a.s the most abject individual of his band, and has lived in poverty ever since that fatal campaign. He could never be prevailed upon afterwards to revisit the battle-ground at the Horseshoe. It is Ijelieved that he entertained a superstitious dread of the spot, at which he supposed a malign influence existed, fatally hostile to his people and himself This is not improbable, and is entirely con- sistent with the Indian character. But this aversion may be attri- oiited to a more natural cause. Men of high spirit are liable to strong prejudices and ob.stinate antipathies, and Menawa may have felt an unconqueral)le reluctance to revisit a spot so replete with humiliat- ing recollections — the scene of signal defeat and mortification to himself as a man and as a chieftain. Napoleon, bereft of imperial MEN AW A. Ill power, would have tiikeu no pleasure in retracing the road to Moscow. Menawa rogainod his health, reassumed his authority over the remnant of the Oakfuskce band, and hccame an influential person in the Creek nation. In the conflict of opinion Avhich for many years distracted this luifortunate people, he acted with those who resisted the encroachments of the whites, refused to sanction further cessions of territory, and opposed every measure which would lead to the compulsory emigration of his people. McInto.sh, as we have seen, espoused the ojiposite side, and when lliat chief was sentenced to death for having signed a treaty of cession in violation of the known wishes of the majority, INIenawa was selected to execute the fatal decree. Between these leaders there had never e.vi .ted any friendly feeling, nor is it supposed that Mcnawa would have been seduced into the imprudent measure of taking up arms asainst the American government, but for tlie spirit of rivalry mutually enter- tained, and tlie belief of the one that he had been deeply injured by the other. The knowledge of these facts, as well as their confidence in the firmness and bravery of Menawa, may have led the Creeks to select him as the executioner of their sentence. He at first declined the ofiicc, and requested the council to intrust it to a more impartial hand ; but that body adliering to their choice, he accepted the trust, and discharged it in the manner we shall relate in our sketch of Mcintosh. The subject of this notice vas one of the delegation sent by the Creeks to Wasliington, in 1 820, to remonstrate against the treaty of the Indian Springs, and to cfi"ect some compromise wh>h sho I'd (luiet the troubles that preceded and ensued the deatli of Mcintosh. Ilis conduct on that occasion was calm and dignified, and the force of his character was felt in all the negotiations which took place at the seat of government. lie was decidedly opposed to the emigra- tion of the entire Creek people, but was willing to sell the country, reserving certain lands to be parcelled out to such individuals as 15 112 15I0GIIAPIIY. might choose to remain, to be held by them scvenilly in fee simple. ]\y this plan the entire sovereignty and jurisdiction of tlie country vvonld have been yielded, tlie Creeks as a nation would have re tained nothing, but any individual choosing to continue within the ceded territory, would have had a tract of land' granted to hin\ in perpetuity, wliicli he would hold under the state government. None would have accepted tlicse conditions but such as proposed to sid)- sist Ijy agriculture,, or some of the kindred arts, and were willing to submit to the restraints of law. The untamed Indian who preferred his owni savage mode of life, woidd have sought a home more con genial to his taste in the forests and prairies of the West. This jjlan is more consonant with justice tiian any other that has been sug- gested; wlietlier it would liave satisfied tlie ])Oople of Georgia, or have ultimately promoted the happijiess of the Indians, we do not pretend to decide. Failing in this proposition, he succeeded in getting a provision inserted in tlie tri-aty, by which it was agreed that patents should be issued after five years to such Indians as might choose to occupy land. As it turned out, eventually, this provision afforded no benefit to him,seif, for, by an arbitrary mode adopted of making the allotment, the tract on which he had resided — his ho}ne — was given to another, and the land offered to himself not being acceptable, he sold it and purchased other land in Alabama. INIenawa was not only brave and skdful, but was a gentleman in appearance and manners. Although he was a savage in the field, or in the revel, he could at any moment assume the dignity and courtesy proper to his high station. Not long after his return from Washington, a gentleman, to whom we are indebted for some of the incidents ri>latcd in this memoir, called upon this chief He found him surrounded by his liravcs, engaged in a deep carouse; but Menawa had too much tact to receive iiis visitor under such circumstances. As the gentleman approached the house in which the Indians were carousing, he was met by an aid of tlie chief, who directed him to another house, where he was requested to remain until the next MENAVVA. 113 morning. The hint was taken. In the morning early Mcnawa was soon approaching well inounlod, and in llio full iniiform of a general oflicer, from ehapcau 1o spur.s — being the dress presented to him at Wasliington at the conclusion of the treaty. At the cioor of llie liousc at whicli his visitor was lodged ho reined up his steed, iind gracefully dismounted. Advancing with his chapeau under his arm, and bowing to the stranger, he desired to know the busi- ness of the latter which luid induced his call. Being informed, he said promptly, " 1 am now engaged Avith my people in a frolic. I must return to them, but will see you to-morrow, and attend to your business." Whereupon he remounted, bowed, and galloped off. Punctual to his promise, he returned on the following morning, and adjusted the matter of business. Notwithstanding the hostility of Mcnawa towards tlie whites, and the injuries he had received, he remained inviolably faithful to the treaty he had made, and the pacific policy to which he w;i . pledged. He said that, when at Washington, he had smoked the pipe of peace with his Great Father, and had buried the tomahawk so deep that he never again could dig it up. When, therefore, in 1S3G, the tem- jjorary successes of the Scminoles kindled a contagious spirit of insurrection among the Creeks, Menawa was among the first to tender his services to the authorities of Alabama; and his ofier l)eing accepted, he collected his braves and led them to the field, in combination with those of Opothle Yoholo. On this occasion he was dressed in a fall suit of American uniform, and aifected the conduct of a civilized leader, whose sole object was to prevent the effusion of blood. In addition to his own services, he sent his oldest son to Florida to aid in the defence of the country against the Scminoles. Under these circumstances he had reason to expect that lie should be gratified in his ardent wish to spend the remnant of his days in his native land, and lay his bones with those of his forefathers. He paid a visit to the Catawba Indians, in North Caro- lina, to see how they prospered under the laws of that state; and Ill BIOGRAPHY. having satisfied liinisclf that tliero was no insurmountable objection to such a mode of life, used every exertion to be excluded from the emigrating party, lie was at List, in consideiaiiou of liis recent services, gratified with the promise of being permitted to remain. But this act of justice had scarcely been conceded to him when, by some strange uiadvertence, or want of faith, he was ordered to join the emigrating camp. We hope and believe that this, with many other wanton acts of injustice towiirds the Indians, arc not chargeable to our government. The complicated relations with the tribes are necessarily intrusted to numerous agents, acting far from the seat of government, and vested with discretionary powers, which are not always discharged in good faith ; nor is it easy for the executive to arrive at the truth iu reference to such transactions, where .some of the purtics are iiitcrcstod, some unprincipled, and the majority both lawless and illiten'te. On the eve of his departure, this veteran chief said to a liighly reputable gentleman, who is our informant, presenting him at the same time with his portrait — a copy of the one wliicli accompanies this sketch — "I am going awn}'. I have brought you this jiicture — I wish you to take it and hang it up iu your house, that when your children look at it, you can tell them what I have been. I have always found you true to mc, but great as my regard for you is, I never wish to see you in that new country to which I am going — for when I cross the great river, my desire is that I may never again see tlie face of a white man!" When it Avas suggested to him that many supposed his repug- nance against emigrating arose from the apprehension that he would meet in Arkansas the hostility of the Mcintosh party, wlio had pre- ceded him, he 'shook his head and said, "They do not know me who suppose I can be influenced by fear. I desire peace, but wruld not turn my back on danger. I know there will be blood shed, but I am not afraid. I have been a man of blood all my life; now I am old and wish for peace." MENAVVA. 115 Before lie took a final leave of the land of his fathers, he request- ed permission to revisit the Oakfuskco town, which iiad been his favorite residence. lie remained tliere one ni^ht. The next morn- iiit,'- lie commenced tlio long dreaded journey towards the place of exile. After crossing the Tallapoosa ho seemed for some time abstracted and unea.sy. His conduct was that of one who had for- gotten something, and under this supposition it was proposed to him to return for the purpose of correcting the omission. But ho said, "No! Last evening I .saw the sun set for the last time, and its light shine upon the tree tops, and the land, and the water, that 1 am never to look upon again. No other evening will come, bringing to Menawa's eyes the rays of the setting sun upon the home he lias leftyb?" ecerT The portrait of this distinguished chief, in the gallery of the War Department, which wq copy, was taken in 182G, when ho was sup- posed to be about sixty years of age. It is one of the most spirited of the works of that gifted artist. King, and has been often recog- nized by Menawa's countrymen, who, on seeing it, have exclaimed, "Menawa!" and then, fired by the remembrance of the deeds which gaineil him the name of the Great Warrior, they have gone on to recount them. If this extraordinary person be yet living, he is f;ir from his native land and all the scenes of a long and most eventful career, and is forming new associations at a period of life beyond the three score and ten allotted to man. KAll'OLIUlUA This ilistingiiiMlird warrior is the chief of a ilivisioii of llio Saukio nation, which forms part of a singular institution, that, so far as wo know, is peculiar to that people. The warriors of the Satikie nation are divided info two hands, or parties, one of which is called Kishkof[uis, or the Long Hairs, and llie other Oshmish, or the brave; tlio former heing considertHl as something more than merely brave. In 1819 each party numbered al)ont four hundred warriors; in 182G they numbered about five lunidred each, but have not increased since that time. The Kisli- koquis, or Long Hairs, are commanded by the iiereditary war chief Keokuk, whose standard is red; the head man of the O.shcushies is Kaipolcqna, the subject of this sketch, whose standard is blue. The Long Hairs take precedence in point of rank. The formation of these parties is a matter of national concern, and is effected by a simi)le arrangement. The first male child who is born to a Kish- koqui, is marked with white paint, the distinguishing color of the Kishkofjuis, and lielongs to that party; the next male of the same funily is marked with l)lack paint, ami is attached to the Osli- cushies, and .so on alternately — tlie first son belonguig to the same band with his father, and the others being assigned in turn, first to one band, and then to tlie other. Thus all the warriors are attached to one or the other l)and, and the division is as nearly equal as it could bo by any arrangement commencing with infancy. Wlienever the whole nation, or any large party of warriors, turns out to engage in a grand hunt, or a warlike expedition, or for the (117) 118 BIOGRAPHY. purpose of performing sliam battles, or ball plays, the individuals belonging to the two bands arc distinguished by their appropriate colors. If the purpose of the assemblage is for sham figliting, or nther diversion, the Kishkoquis daub their bodies all over with white clay, and the Oshcushics blacken themselves with charcoal; the bands are ranged under their respective leaders, and play against each other, rallying under the red and blue banners. In war and hunting, when all must be ranged on one side, the white and black paints are mingled with other colors, so ihat the distinction is kepi up, and after the close of the expedition, the scalps, plunder, game, and other trophies of each band collectively, are compared, and the deeds of each repeated. The object of these societies vn\l be readily seen. They form a part of the simple machinery of a military government, and are founded in consummate wisdom, with the view of exciting emula- tion, and of placing every warrior in the nation under the constant observation of all the others. From early youth each individual is taught to feel, that, wh.cther engaged in war, in hunting, or in athletic sports, the honor of his band, as well a.s his own, is con- cerned in his success or failure, and thus a sense of responsibility is awakened and kept alive, which has all the moral foice of a constant and rigid discipline. Kaipolequa attained the high rank of leader of his band through his military abilities; and he is considered as one of the most dis- tinguished braves of the nation. TSHUSICK. A PORTION only of the history of this extraordinary woman lias reached us. Of her early life we know nothing; but the fragment which we are enabled to present, is sufficiently indica- tive of her strongly marked character, while it illustrates with singular felicity the energy of the race to which she belongs In tracing the peculiar traits of the Indian character, as developed in many of the wild adventures related of them, we are most forcibly struck with the boldness, the subtlety, the singleness of purpose, with which individuals of that race jilan and execute any design in which tliey may be deeply interested. The youth of ancient Persia were taught to speak the truth. The le.s.son of infancy, inculcated with equal care upon the American savage, is, to keep his own counsel, and he learns witli the earliest dawnings of reason the caution wi:ich teaches him alike to deceive his foe, and to guard aga'.ist the imprudence of his friend The story of I'shnsick sh jws that she possessed those savage qualities, quickened and adorned by a refinement seldom found in any of her race; and we give it as it was cnmmunicaled to the writer by the gentleman who was best acquainted with all the facts. In the Minter of 1S2G-27, on a cold night, when the snow was lying on the ground, a wretched, ill-clad, way-worn female knocked at the door of our colleague. Colonel McKenney, then Commissioner of Indian Affairs, at the city of Washington. She was attended by a Ijoy, who explained tlie manner in which she 10 (11!)) 120 BIOGRAPHY. had been directed to tlie residence of Colonel McKenney. It seems that, mIhIc wandering through the streets of Georgetown, in search of a shelter from tlic inclemency of tlie weather, she was allured by the blaze of a furnace in the shop of Mr. Ilaller, a tin worker. She entered, and eagerly approached the fire. On being asked who she was, she replied, that she was an Indian, that she was cold and starving, and knew not where to go. Mr. Ilaller, supposing that Colonel McKenney, as Commissioner for Indian AfHiirs, was bound to provide for all of that nice who came to the seat of government, directed her to him, and sent his l)oy to conduct her. On this representation the Colonel invited her into his house, led her to a fire, and saw before him a young woman, with a ragged blanket around her shoulders, a pair of man's boots on her feet, a pack on her back, and the whole of her meagre and fdthy attire announcing the extreme of want. She described herself to be, what her complexion and features sufficiently indicated, an Indian, and stated that she had travelled alone, and on foot, from Detroit. In reply to qi stions which were put to her, for the purpose of testing the truth of her story, she named several gentlemen who resided at that place, described their houses, and mentioned circumstances in reference to their families which were known to be correct. She then proceeded, with a self- possession of maimer, and an ease and Ihiency of language that surprised those who heard her, to narrate the cause of her solitary journey. She said she had recently lost her husband, to whom she was much attached, and that she attributed his death to the anger of the Gre;it Spirit, whom she had always venerated, but who was no doubt olfended Avith her, for having neglected to worship Ilim in the nuinner which she knew to be right. She knew that the red people did not worship the Great Spirit in an acceptable mode, and that the only true religion was that of the white men. Upon the decease of her husband, therefore, she had knelt down, and vowed that she would immediately proceed to TSHUSICK. 131 Washington, to the sister of Mrs. Boyd, who, being the wife of the great father of the white pcoj)lc, would, she hoped, protect her until she should be properly instructed and baptized. In conformity with this pious resolution, she had immediately set out, and had travelled after the Indian fasliion, not by any road, but directly across the country, pursuing the cour.sc which she supposed would lead her to the capital. She had begged her food at the farmhouses she chanced to pass, and had slej)! in the woods. On being asked if she had not been afraid when passing the night alone iri the forest, she replied, that she had never been alarmed, for that she knew the Great Spirit would protect her. This simple, though remarkable recital, confirmed as it was by its apparent consistency, and the correctness of the references to well-known individuals, both at Detroit and Mackinaw, carried conviction to the minds of all who heard it. The Mrs. Boyd alluded to, was the wife of a highly respectable gentleman, the agent of the United States for Indian affairs, residing at Mackinaw, and she was the sister of the lady of Mr. Adams, then President of the United States. It seemed natural that a native female, capable of acting as this courageons individual had acted, should seek the protection of a lady who held the highest rank in her nation, and whose near relative she l-:nc\v and respected. There was some- tliing of dignity, and much of romance, in the idea of a savage convert seeking, at the mansion of the chief magistrate, the pure fountain of the religion which she proposed to espouse, as if unwilling to receive it from any source meaner than the most elevated. Colonel McKenney recognized in the stranger a person entitled alike to the sympathies of the liberal, and the protection of tlio government, and, in the exerci.se of his official duty towards one of a race over whom ho had been constituted a sort of guardian, immediately received his visitor under his protection, and con- ducted her to a neighboring hotel, secured her a comfortable 122 BIOGRAPHY. apartment, and placed her under the especial care of the hostess, a kind and excellent woman, Avho promised to pay her every requisite attention. On the following morninrr, the first care of the commissioner was to provide suitable attire for the stranger, and, having pur- chased a quantity of blue and scarlet clothes, feathers, beads, and other finer}^, he presented them to her ; and Tshusick, declining all assistance, set to work with alacrity, and continued to labor with- out coasing, until .she had completed tlie entire costume in which ^he appears arr.ayed in the portrait accompanying this notice — except the moccasonr and hat, which were purchased. There she sits, an Indian belle, decorated by her own hands, according to her own taste, and smiling in the consciousness that a person to whom nature had not been niggard, had received the most sjilendid embellishments of whicli art was capable. Tshusick was now introduced in due form at the presidential mansion, where she was received with great kindness ; the fami- lies of the secretary of war, and of other gentlemen, invited and caressed her as an interesting and deserving stranger. No other Indian female, except the Eagle of Delight, was ever .so great a favorite at Washington, nor has any lady of that race ever presented higher claims to admiration. She was, as the faithful pencil of King has portrayed her, a beautiful woman. Her manners had the mistudied grace, and her conversation the easy fluency, of high refinement. There was nothing about her that was coarse or common-place. Sprightly, intelligent, and quick, there was also a womanly decorum in all her actions, a purity and delicacy in her v\holc air and conduct, that pleased and attracted all who saw her. So agreeable a savage has seldom, if ever, adorned the fashionable circles of civilized life. The success of this lady at her first appearance on a scene entirely new to lier, is not surprising. Youth and beauty are in themselves always attractive, and she was just then in the full I TSHUSICK. 123 bloom of womanhood. Her age mifrlit have been twenty-eight, lilt she seemed much younger. Her dress, though somewhat gaudy, was picturesque, and well calculated to excite attention by its singularit}^ while its adaptation to her own style of beauty, and to the aboriginal character, rendered it appropriate. Neat in her person, she arranged her costume with taste, and, accustomed from infancy to active exercise, her limbs had a freedom and grace of action too seldom seen among ladies who arc differently educated. Like all handsome Momen, be their color or nation what it may, she knew her power, and used it to the greatest advantage. But that part of Tshusick's story which is yet to be related is, to our mind, the most remarkable. Having attended to lier per- sonal comforts, and introduced her to those whose patronage might be most serviceable. Colonel McKenncy's next care was to securi^ for her the means of gratifying her wish to embrace the Christian religion. She professed her readiness to act immediately on the subject, and proposed that the Colonel should administer the rite of baptism — ^lie being a great chief, the, father of the Indians, and the most proper person to perform this parental and sacerdotal office. He of course declined, and addressed a note to the Keve- rend Mr. Gray, Rector of Christ Church, in Georgetown, who immediately called to see Tshusick. On being introduced to him, she inquired whether he spoke French, and desired that their conversation might be held in that language, in order that the otlier persons who were present v.iight not understand it, alleging, as her rea.son for the request, the sacredness of the subject, and the delicacy she felt in speaking of her religious sentiments. A long and interesting conversation ensued, at the conclusion of which Mr. Gray expressed his astonishment at the extent of her knowk'dge, and the clearness of her views, in relation to the whole Christian scheme. lie was surprised to hear a savage, reared among her own wild race, in the distant regions of the northern I 124 BIOGRAPHY. lakes, mIio could neither read nor Avrite, speak with fluency and precision in a forcij^n tongue, on llie great doctrine of sin, repent- ance, and the atonement. lie proiioniiced lier a fit subject f( r baptism; and accordingly that rite was administered, a few days afterwards, agreeably to the form of the Ei)iscopalian church, in the presence of a large company. When tlie name to be given to the new convert -was a.sked by Mr. Gray, it appeared that none had been agreed on ; those of the wife and daughter of the then secretary of war were suggestcjd on the emergency, and were used. Throughout this trying ceremony, she conducted herself with great propriety. Iler deportment was calm and self-possessed, yet characterized by a sensibility which seemed to be the result of genuine feeling. Another anecdote shows the remarkable tact and talent of this singular woman. On an occasion when Colonel INIcKemiey introduced her to a large party of his friends, there was present a son of the celebrated Theobald Wolfe Tone, a young Frenchman of uncommon genius and attainment. This gentleman no sooner heard T.shusick converse in his native tongue, than he laughed heartily, insisted that the whole affair was a deception, tliat Colonel McKenncy had dressed up a smart youth of the engineer corps, and had gotten up an ingenious scenic representation for the amusement of his guests — because he considered it utterly impos- sible that an Indian could speak the French language with such purity and elegance. He declared that her dialect was that of a well educated Parisian. We do not think it surprising that a purer French should be spoken on our frontier, tlian in the province of France. Tlie language was introduced among the Indians by the priests and military oflicers, who Avere educated at Paris, and were persons of refinement, and it has remained there without change. The same state of facts may exist there whicli we know to be true with regard to the United States. The first emigrants to our country were educated persons, who introduced a TSHUSICK. 125 pure tongue ; and tlie English language is spoken by Americans with greater correctness, than in any of the provincial parts of Great Britain. We shall only add to this part of our strange eventful his- Mry, that all who saw Tshusick at Washington, were alike impressed with the invariable propriety of her deportment; her hostess especially, who had the opportunity of noticing her beha- vior more closely than others, expressed the most unqualified approbation of her conduct. She was neat, methodical, and pure in all her habits and conversation. She spoke with fluency on a variety of subjects, and was, in short, a most graceful and interest- ing woman. Yet she was a savage, who had strolled on foot from the borders of Lake Superior to the American capital. When the time arrived for Tshusick to take her departure, she was not allowed to go empty handed. Iler kind friends at Wa.sh- ington loaded her with presents. Mrs. Adams, the lady of the President, besides the valuable gifts which she gave her, intrusted to her care a variety of articles for her young relatives, the children of Mr. Boyd, of Mackinaw. It being arranged that she should travel by the stage coaches as far as practicable, her baggage was carefully packed in a large trunk ; but as part of her journey would be through the >vilderness, where she must ride on horse- back, she was supplied with the means of buying a hor.se ; and a large sack, contrived by herself', and to be hung like panniers across the horse, was made, into which all licr property was to be stowed. Her money was placed in a belt to be worn round her waist ; and a distinguished oflicer of the army, of high rank, with the gallantry which forms so conspicuous a part of his character, fastened with his own hand this rich cestus upon the person of the lovely tourist. Thus pleasantly did the days of Tshusick pass at the capital of the United States, and she departed burdened with the favors and good wishes of those who were highest in station and most 126 BIOGRAPHY. worthy in character. On her arrival at Barnum's hotel in Balti- moro, u fuvorablc reception was secured for her by a letter of inlrodiiclion. ISIrs. Barniim took her into her private apartments, detained her several days as her guest, and .showed her the curiosi- ties of that beautiful city. She then departed in the western stage for Frederick ; the proprietors of the stages declined receiving any pay from lier, cither for her journey to Baltimore, or thence west, so far as she was heard of Having tlius, with tlio fidelity of an impartial historian, described the halcyon days of Tshusick, as the story was told us by those who saw her dandled on the knee of ho.spitality, or fluttering with childlike joy upon the wing of pleasure, it is with pain that we are obliged to reverse the picture. But beauties, like other con- querors, have their hours of glory and of gloom. The brilliant career of Tshusick was destined to close as suddenly as that of the conqueror of Europe at the field of Waterloo. On the arrival of the fair Ojibway at Washington, Colonel McKenncy had written to Governor Cass, at Det'-oit, describing, in glowing language, the bright stranger who was the delight of the higher circles at the metropolis, and desiring to know of the Governor of Michigan her character and history. The reply to this prudent inquiry was received a few days after the departure of the subject of it. The governor, highly amused at the success of the lady's adventure, congratulated his mmierous friends at Washington, on the acquisition which had been gained to their social circle, and, in compliance with the request of his friend, stated what he knew of her. She was the ^vife of a short squat Frenchman, who officiated as a scullion in the hoiisehold of Mr. Boyd, the Indian agent at Macliinaw, and who, so far from having been spirited away from his afflicted wife, was supporting her absence without leave with the utmost resignation. It was not the first liberty of this kind she haxl taken. Her love of adventure had more than once induced her to separate for a season the TSIIUSICK. 127 icir 3ncl, uat Mr. dug her not lure the coTijiigal tic, and to throw herself upon the cold charity of a world that has been called heartless, but which had not proved so to licr. She was a sort of female swindler, who practised upon the unsophisticated natures of her fellow men, by an aboriginal method of her own inveiition. Whenever stern necessity, or lier own pleasure, rendere?^ it expedient to replenish her exhausted coffers, her custom had been to wander oif into the settlements of the whites, and, under a disguise of extreme wretchedness, to recite some tale of distress; that she had been crossed in love; or was the sole survivor of a dreadful massacre; or was disposed to embrace the Christian religion ; and such was the effect of her beauty and address, that she seldom failed to return with a rich booty. She had wandered through the whole length of the Canadas to Montreal and Quebec; had traced the dreary solitudes of the northern lakes, to the most remote trading stations; had ascended the Mississippi to the falls of St. Anthony, and had followed tlie meanders of that river down to St. Louis, comprising, within the range of lier travels, the whole vast extent of the northern and north-western frontier, and many places in the interior. Iler last and boldest attempt was a masterpiece of daring and successful enterprise, and will compare well with the most finished efforts of the ablest impostors of modern times. It Mill be seen that Tshusick had ample opportunities for obtaining the information which she used so dexterously, and for beholding the manners of refined life, which she imitated with such success. She had been a servant in the families of gentlemen holding ofhcial rank on the frontier, and, in her wanderings, been entertained at the dwellings of English, French, and Americans, of every grade. Her religious knowledge was picked up at the missionary stations at Mackinaw, and from the priests at Montreal; and her excellent French resulted partly from hearing that lan- guage well spoken by genteel persons, and partly from an admira- ble perception and fluency of speech that are natural to a gifted 17 188 BIOGRAPHY. tew, and more frequently found in women than in men. Although an impostor and vagnuit, she was a rciiiafkahle person, possessing beauty, tact, spirit, and address, which tlie highest born and loveliest niiglit envy, and tlie j)crversion of which to purj)oses of deception and vice affords the most melancholy evidence of the depravity of oiir nature. Tshusick lei't Washington in February, 1829, and in the month of Juno following, Colonel iMcKenne3's oflicial (hities required him to visit tlie north-western frontier. On his arrival at Detroit, lie naturally felt some curiosity to see the singular being wlio liad practised so adroitly on the credulity of hini.self and his friend.s, and tlic more especially, as he learned that the presents witii which she had been charged l)y the latter, had not been delivered. On inquiry, he was told slie had just gone to Miickinaw. Proceed- ing on his tour, he learned at Mackinaw that she had left for Green Bay; from the latter place she preceded him to Prairie du Chien ; and when lie arrived at Prairie du Chien, she had just departed for St. Peters. It was evident that she had heard of his coming, and was unwilling to meet him ; she had lied before him, from place to place, probably alone, and certainly with but slender means of subsistence, for more than a thousand miles, giving thus a new proof of the vigilance and fearlessness that marked her character. In reciting this singular adventure, we have not been able to avoid entirely the mention of names connected ■\\ith it, but ve have confined ourselves to those of persons in jiublic life, whose stations i^ulject tlicm, without impropriety, to tliis kind of notice. The whrle affair affords a remarkaljle instance of the benignant character of our government, and of the facilitv with which the highest functionaries may be approached by any who have even a shadow of claim on their protection. Power does not assume, with us, the repulsive shape which keeps tlie lumilile at a dis- tance, nor are the doors of our rulers guarded by tedious official TSIIUSICK. 129 forms, that delay the petitions of those who claim either mercy or justice. The beautiful stories of Elizabeth, by Madame Cottin, and of Joannie Deans, by Scott, are botli founded on real events, vhich arc considered as affording delightful illustrations of the heroic self-devotion of the female heart ; of the courage and enthusiasm with which a woman will encounter danger for a beloved object. Had the journey of Tshusick been undertaken, like those alluded to, to save a parent or a sister, or oven been induced by the circumstances which she alleged, it would have formed a touching incident in the history of woman, little inferior to any which have ever been related. She came far, and endiu'cd much ; emerging from the lowest rank in society, she found favor in the highest, and achieved, for the base purpose of plunder, the success which would have immortalized her name, had it been obtained in a virtuous cause. This remarkable woman is still living, and, though broken by years, exhibits the same active and intriguing spirit which distin- giushed her youth. She is well known on the frontier; but, when we last heard of her, passed under a different name from that which we have recorded. J r r" ONGPATONGA. TiiKRE are few aboriginal clii fs Avhose character may be con- templated with 80 much complacency as that of the iiulividiial before us, wiio is not only an able but a highly estimable man. He is the principal chief of his nation, and the most considerable man among them in jmint of talent and influence. He uses his power with moderation, and the white men who have visited his country all bear testimony to his uniform fair dealing, ho,spitality, and friendship. He is a good warrior, and has never failed to effect tlie objects which he has attempted; being distinguished rather by the common sense and sagacity which secure success, than by the brilliancy of his achievements. While quite a young man, he performed an exploit which gained him great credit. The Omahas had sent a messenger of some distinction upon an embassy to the Pawnee Loups, who, instead of receiving him with the respect due to his character, as the representative of his nation, treated him with contempt. Ong- patonga, though young, was a chief of some distinction, and immediately took upon himself to revenge the insult. He deter- mined to do this promptly, before the aggressors could be aware of his intention, and while the sense of injury was glowing in the bosoms of his people. Placing himself at the head of the whole population of his village, men, women, and children, he proceeded to the Pawnee town, and attacked it so suddenly, and with such a show of numbers, that the inhabitants deserted it without attempt- (131) 132 BIOGRAPHY. ing a defence. He then destroyed the village and retired, taking with him a c-onsiderablc booty, consisting chiefly of horses. The Oniahas inliabit the shores of the Missouri river, abont eight hundred miles above its confluence with the Mississippi. They of course hunt over tliose beautiful and boundless prairies which aflbrd pasturage to the buflalo, and are expert in the capture of that animal, and the management of the horse. They have but one permanent village, which consists of huts formed of poles, and plastered Avith mud. A fertile plain, which spreads out in front of their town, aflfords ground for their rude horticulture, which extends to the planting of corn, beans, pumpkins, and watermelons. This occupation, with the dressing of the buffalo skins, procured in thci previous winter's hunt, employs the .spring months of the year; and, in June, they make their arrangements for a grand hunting expedition. A solemn council is held in advance of this important undertaking, at which the chiefs, the great warriors, and the most experienced hunters, dcliberaiely express their opinions in lelat.'on to tlie route propo.scd to be pursued; the necessary prejiarations, and all other matters connected with the subject. A feast is then given by an individual selected for the purpose, to which all the chief men are invited, and several of the fattest dogs are roasted for their entertainment. He'^e the principal chief introduces again the great subject of debate, in a set speech, in which he thanks each person {)resent for the honor of his company, on an occasion so important to the nation, and calls upon them to determine whether the state of tlieir stock of provisions will justify their remaining longer, to allow the squaws time to weed their corn, or whether they shall proceed at once to the pastures of the game. If the latter be the decision of the company, he invites them to determine whether it would be advisable to ascend the runninir village, during which tliey are occujiied in eating, sL^epinix, smoking, making speeches, waiting war. or st<'al- iiig horses; the other seven are actively employed in chasing the buffalo or the wild horse. 134 BIOGRAPHY. The Omahas liave one peculiarity in their customs, which we have never noticed in the history of any other people. Neither the father-in-law nor motlver-in-law is permitted to hold any direct conversation with their son-in-law; it is esteemed indelicate in these parties to look in each other's faces, or to mention the names of each other, or to have any intercourse, except through the medium of a third person. If an Omaha enters a tent in which the husband of his daughter is seated, the latter conceals his head with his robe, and takes the earliest opportunity to withdiaw, while the ordinary ofTices of kindness and hospitalit}" are peri" '•ine ' through the female, who passes the pipe or the message bo i-^>* her father and husband. Ongpatonga married the daughter of jNIecliapa, or tho Horsehead. On a visit to his wife one day, he entered the tent of her father, unobserved by the latter, who was engaged in playing with a favorite dog, named Arrccattawaho, which, in the Pawnee language, signifies Big Elk — being synonymous with Ongpatonga in the Omaha. This name the father-in-law was unluckily repeating, without being aware of the breach of good manners do was com- mitting, until his wife, after many ineffectual winks and signs, struck him on the back with her fist, and in that tone of conjugal remonstrance which ladies can use when necessary, e.vclaimed : " You old fool ! have yoa no eyes to see wjio is jirescnt? You had better jump on his back, and ride him about like a dog!" The old man, in surprise, ejaculated " Wah !" and ran out of the lent in confusion. We know scarcely an}' thing so odi^ ns this smgular custom, which seems to be as inconvenient as it is uiinieaniiig. The Big Elk has been a v^ry distinguished orator; fi;w uiiedn- cated men have ever cultivated this art with more success. We have before us a specimen of his oratory, which is very cred ..iMc to his al)ilities. In ISH, a council was held at the Port.iofe des f,>iK.ax, between Governor Edwards and Colv.iicl Miller, on the part of the American government, and a number of Indian chiefs, of different ONGPATONGA. 13S nations. One of the latter, the Black Buffalo, a highly respected Sioux chief, of the letan trihe, died suddenly during the confer- ence, and was buried with the honors of war. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Ongpatonga made the following unpremeditated address to those assembled : " Do not grieve. Misfortunes will happen to the wisest and best of men. Death will come, and always comes out of season. It is the command of the Great Sj)irit, and all nations and people must obey. What is past, and cannot be prevented, should not be grieved for. Be not discouraged nor displeased, that in visiting your father here, you have lost your chief A misfortune A' this kind, under such afflicting circum- stancos, may nevei again befall you; but this loss would have occurred to you, perhaps, at your own village. Five times have I visited this land, and never returned with sorrow or pain. Misfor- tunes do not flourish particularly in one path ; they grow every where. liow unhappy am I that I could not have lied this da)% instead of the chief that lies before us. The triflinj, loss my nation would have sustained in my death, would have been doubly repaid by the honors of such a burial. They would have wiped off every thing like regret. Instead of being covered with a cloud of sorrow, my warriors would have felt the sunshine of joy in their hearts. To me it would have been a most glorious occurrence. Hereafter, when I die at home, instead of a noble grave, and a grand procession, the rolling music, and the thundering cannon, with a flag waving over my li?ad, I shall be wrapped in a robe, and hoisted on a slender scaffold, exposed to the whistling winds, soon to be blown down to the eartli — my flesh to be devotircd by the wolves, and my bones trodden on the jilain by wild beasts. <"! lief of the soldiers! (addressing Colonel Miller,) your care has not been bestowed ih vain. Your attentions shall not be forgotten. My nation shall know thb respect that our white friends pay 1o the dead. When I return, I will echo the sound of your guns." Had this speech been uttered by a Grecian or Roman orator, it 18 136 BIOGRAPHY. would hnve been often quoted as a choice effusion of classic eloquence. It is not often that we meet with a funeral culogiutn so unstudied, yet so pointed and ingenious. This chief delivered a speech to the military and scientific gentlemen who accompanied Colonel Long in his expedition to the Rocky Mountaiiis, in 1819-20, iu which he asserted, that not one "" his nation had ever stained his hands with the blood of a whitv. The c 1 :ter of Ongpatonga is strongly contrasted with that of Wasliinggusaba, or the Black Bird, one of his predecessors. The latter was also an able man, and a great warrior, but was a monster in cruelty and despotism. Having learned the deadly quality of arsenic from the traders, he procured a quantity of that drug, which he secretly used to effect his dreadful purposes. lie caused it to be believed among his people, that if he prophesied the death of an individual, the person so doomed would immediately die; and he artfully removed by poison every one who offended him, oi thwarted his measures. The Ornahas were entirely ignorant of tho means by which this horrible result was produced ; but they saw the effect, and knew, from mournful experience, that the dis- pleasure of the cliicf was the certain forerunner of death ; and their superstitious minds easily adopted the belief that he possessed a power which enabled him to will the destruction of his enemies. He acquired a despotic sway over the minds of his people, which he exercised in the most tyrannical manner ; and so great wa.s their fear of him, that even when he became superannuated, and so corpulent as to be unable to walk, they carried him about, watched over him when he slept, and awoke him, when necessary, by tickling his nose with a straw, for fear of disturbing him toe abruptly. One chief, the Little Bow, whom he attempted ineffec- tually to poison, had the sagacity to discover the deception, and the independence to rcsi.st the influence of the im])ostor; but being unable to cope with so powerful an oppressor, he withdrew wit'i a ONGPATONGA. 137 small band of warriors, and remained separated from the nation until the decease of the Black Bird, which occurred in the year 1800. It is creditable to Ongpatonga, who shortly after succeeded 1o the post of principal chief, that he made no attempt to perpetuate llic absolute authority to which the Omahas had been accustomed, but ruled over them with a mild and patriarchal sway. In a conversation which this chief held, in 1821, with some gentlemen at Washington, he is represented as saying — " The same Being who made the white people made the red people; but the white are belter than the red pcojjlc ;" and this remark has been called a degrading one, and not in accordance with the int1e- pendent spirit of a native chief We think the comment is unju.st. Having travelled through the whole breadth of the United States, and witnessed the effects of civilization, in the industry of a great people, he might readily infer the superiority of the whites, and make the observation with a candor which .always formed a part of his character. But, it is equally probable, that the expression ^vas merely complimentary, and was uttered in the same spirit of courtesy with the wish, which he announced at the grave of the letan, that he had fallen instead of the deceased. This chief is a person of highly respectable character. His policy has alwaj's been pacific ; he has cndcavorod to Hve at peace with his neighbors, and used his influence to keep them upon good terms with each other. He has always been friendly to the whites, and kindly disposed towards the American government and people; has listened to their counsels, and taken pains to disseminate the admonitions which have been given for the iireservation and happi- ness of the Indian race. He is a man of good sense and sound judgment, and is said to be unsurpassed as a public speaker. He bears an excellent reputation for probity ; and is spoken of by those \\ho know him well, as one of the best men of the native tribes. He is one of the few Indians who can tell his own ag<' with accuracy. He is sixty -six years old. NESOUAaUOlT. Nesouaquoit, being interpreted, means, the Dear in the forks of a tree. The portrait before tlie reader \\a,s talcen at the city of Washington, in the winter of 1837, Nesouaquoit being, at that time, about forty years of age. He is full six feet higli, and in his proportions is a model of manly symmetry. He is a Fox Indian, and the son of the famous chief Chemakasee, or the Lance. This chief is yet living, but being old and superannuated, has retired from the chieftainship of his band, having conferred upon his son, Nesouaquoit, all his authority and dignity. In 1812, soon after the United States liad declared war against Great Britain, the agents of that kingdom, then among us, sought to draw the band, of which Chemakasee was chief, into an alliance with lliem. A council was held, at which a proposal to this effect was formally made. Chemakasee answered, by saying, " We will not fight fw the red coats, but we will fight against them." This laconic response being final, a strong excitement was produced, which threatened not only the peace, but the lives, of Chemakasee's band. To relieve them from this perilous situa- tion, the United States government directed that the)- should be remnvcd to a place of security, and protected both against the British and their Indian allies. General Clark, being charged with this order, caused them to be removed to Fort Edwards, where they were kept, and fed, and clothed at the expense of the United States, till the termination of the war. The band numbered then iibout four hundred souls. After the war, Chemakasee, instead of returning to his former (139) 140 BIOGRAPHY. position, and renewing his relations with the Sauks and Foxes of the Mississippi, determined to avoid the one and decUne tlie other — so he sought a country hy ascending the Missouri, until, arriving at La Platto, he settled on that river, near the Black Snake hills, where he continues to reside. In 1815, a treaty was concluded between this band and the United States; the third article of which stipulates, that a just proportion of the unnuitics, whicdi a previous treaty had provided lo be paid to tlic Sauk and Fo.v Indians, should be paid to the Foxes of La Platte. By some strange oversight, this j)rovision of the treaty had been overlooked — unintentionally, no doubt, by the government, whilst the age and infirmities of Chemakasee, it is presumed, caused him to forget it. An arrearage of twenty years had accumvdatcd, wlien Ncsouaquoit, having succeeded to tlie chieftainship of his band, resolved to ascertain why the govern- ment had so long delayed to fulfil this stipulation. lie first held a conference -with the agent; but this ofllcor had no power over the case. He then resolved to visit AVashington, and plead the cau.se of his people before his great father; and, if he should fail there, to present it to Congress. But he had one great difficulty to overcome, and that was to raise the money to pay his expenses to Washington. To accomplish this he opened a negotiation with a Mr. Risque, of St. Louis, who agreed to pay his expenses to Washington and home again, for "three boxes and a half of siher'" — equivalent to three thousand five hundred dollars. 'i'bat he might be punctual in paying the loan, he ordered his hunters to collect furs and peltries of suflicient value, and have them ready for the St. Louis market, in time to redeem his pledge for the return of the money. This being done, he started upon his mis.sion. Arriving at Washington, he explained the object of his visit. This he did in a firm and decided manner. The authorities recognized his claim, and he was a.,..,urcd that the provisions of the treaty in favor of his people, though so long o\erlooked, should be scrupulously NESOUAQUOIT 141 fiilfillofl, and rcspectoil in future. Having attained tlie object of his mission, ho returned liomc, highly pleased with the result. Tills chief is, perhaps, the only Indian of whom it can be said — he iteixr tasted a drop of spirit nous liquor or smoked a pipe ! Of many thousands, anil j)erhaps hundreds of thousands, it might be trulv aiiiimpd, that they never tasted a drop of spirituous liquor, l)ut that was before this bane of the Indians had found its way into their country ; but, with this single e.vceptiou, we believe it can be said of no Indian — he never smoked a pipe! It is certainly remarkable that, in the present abundance of these aboriginal luxu- ries, Nesouaquoit should have the Hrmncss to abstain from both. Ilis antipathy to whisky extends to those who sell it. He will not permit a whisky dealer to enter his country. Indeed, when- ever a trader, not informed of the determined purpose of this chief to keep his people free from the ruinous efl'ects of whisky, has strolled within his borders, he has been known to knock in the heads of his casks, and with the staves boat him out of the country. Though thus temperate, and free from the exciting influence of whisky and tobacco, Nesouaquoit is known to be as brave an Indian as ever made a moccason track between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. This chief has seven wives, who live, as Indian wives generally do, in the most perfect harmony with ea(;h other. lie is remarkable fur his generosity, giving freely of what he has to all who need assistance. To those who visit his lodge he is represented as being most courteous ; and this exterior polish he carefully preserves in his intercourse with his people. But his aversion to traders is perfect. He has long since formally interdicted marriage between ihem and the women of his band. So stern is his resolution on tills point, that no union of the kind has been known since he succeeded to the rank of chief In his deportment towards the whites he is most friendly, but he maintains his own rights with lirmness and dignity. PETALESIIAIIJIO. We have occn accustomed from childhood to hear but httlc of tlio Inchans, except in connection -vvi'li scenes of blood. The bor- der wars, with their tales of horror, are among the nursery stories that have left the deepest impressions on our memories. Tliis strife, between the red and tlie white man, is coeval with the first settlement of the countr\', and it continues even to this day. The ])roniinent feature in this long period of excitement and of war, and that on wiiich all eyes arc more intensely fixed, is the blood- thirsty cruelty of tlie Indian. This has been so often dwelt upon, and presented to our view under so mnny shocking forms, as to keep almost constantly before our eyes the war-club, the scalping- knife, and the tomahawk, together with the ferocious red man clad in the skins of beasts, the glare of whose eyes, with his attitude, and his blood-stained limbs, have all combined to fill our minds with terror, and our hearts vvith revenge. Indeed, we have been taught to consider the Indian as necessarily bloodthirsty, ferocious, and vindictive, until we have viewed him as a being deprived, at the creation of his species, of those faculties whence come the nobler and more generous traits which are the boast and glory of his civili/ed brother. It is certainly true of the Indian, tl: it his mode of warfare is barbarous. He spares neither age nor sex; and his victim is often subjected to the severest tortures. But it is no less true, that lie has never been taught those lessons of humanity which have, under the guidance of civilization and Chris- tianity, stript war of all its more appalling horrors, and without which we should be no less savage than the Indians. Indeed it 1" (143) 144 inOGUAPIIY. would be easy to (lemoiistrule, tliiit oven wlicn aided hy the Ii;,dit of civiliziitioii, and professing to be Cliristiiuis, tlie white man is no less cruel than the red man; and often, in our eontlicts with eaeii other, we eoine fully up to the uuvago muii iu all that is barbarous and revolting. In our wars with the Indians we have been our own ehronielers. And how rarely has it happened that justice has been done tho Indians, not only as to the causes of these wars, l)nt to the conduct of the parties to them? Every thing of a paUiative nature lias been mimitely registered, to justify or excuse tlio white man, whilst the red man has been held up to the view of the world, and eon- signed over to the judgment of posterity, not only as ///e cai/se of sanguinary and vindictive eonlliets, but as tlic Moloch of tli • liiiman race. The Indian lias never been able to leave a record liis wrongs; to illustrate liis own position, or to justify the dei ^ rate means he has resorted to in defence of his inheritance and his life. However true it is that the Indian mode of warfare is exclu- sively savage, yet there are excej)tions to its barbarities; and we have well authenticated instances of the most rellned humanity, confirming our decided belief, tliat tlie Indian is not, liy any law of his nature, bereft of the more noble qualities which are the pride and boast of civilized man, or that he is ncccssarihj savage. We might enumerate many cases in which the untutored Indian has melted into pity at sight of the perilous condition of the white man, and at the very moment when he was looked upon as an invader and enemy. The most beautiful illustration of the exist- ence of this feeling in the Indian, is in the intervention of Pocahontas, to save the life of Captain Smith. History has recorded that deed, and tlie civilized Avorld lias unit(>d in award- ing its plaudits to that noble ])rincess. Her memory has been embalmed by a grateful posterity. At the siege of Detroit, the garrison owed its safety to the agency of an Indian woman, who pi:TAFj;siiAiino 140 made luinwii lo llic conirTiaii(liii;j; odiccr llic jj1;iiis (if I'oiiliiic for its (Icsl ruction and niassacrc. Fndccd, llic Indian wnmi'n aro rcinarkablo for Iho ixcrcisd of tins jrcucrons fcciiii;! — v\cn anion;^ the Indians it is a coniinoii occiirrcnco for (lu'in, in times of cxcitc'incnt, to secrete kiuves and guns, and all kinds of iiistrn- inents of death; and, !)_)' so doing, often jtreveiil tlie shedding of hlood. IJnl tins feeling of compassion, this l)oast of the eivili/ed man and f 'hrislinn, is not confined to the Inilian women. We aro not uithont e\am|iles of the sani(! sort among the men. The famous I.ogan, notwithstanding the wrongs ho was made to endure, in his own i)er.soii, and in the jier.sons of Ids luniy and kindred, until he exriiiina'd, in all tiie l)itterness of bereiivoment, " T/icre runs not n drop aj' my hlooil in llic reins sharro to Washing- ton, lie and his deed .soon became the theme of the city. The PETALESHARRO. 149 Iho ladies, especially, as is their nature, hastened 1o do him honor. A medal was prej .ired. A time was appointed for conferring upon liiin this merited gift. An assendjly had collected to witness th ■ ceremony. He was told, in substance, that the medal was givtn liim in token of the high opinion which was eniertained of his act ill the rescue of the Itean maid. He was asked, by the ladies who presented it, to accept and wear it for their sake ; and told, when lie had another occasion to save a captive woman from toiture, and from the stake, to look upon the medal, think of those who gave it, and save her, as he had saved the Itcan girl. The reply of Petalesharro was ])rompt and excellent, but the interpretation of it was shocking! He was made to .say, "I did it (rescued the girl) in icjiiniance. I did not know that I diJ (jood! I now know that I (lid good, by your giving me this medal." We understood him to mean this; and so, we have no doubt, he spoke, in substance, though not in our words: — "He did not know, till now, that the act he liad performed was meritorious; but, as ins white bidlLers and sisters con.sidcred it a good act, and put upon it so high a value, he was glad they had heard of it W'v would almost ven- ture to represent the words of the brave ir. reply to the coinpliment. We saw the medal put on his neck, and saw hiiu tidce it in his hand, and look at it. Ihilding it before him, he said — "T!iis brings rest to my heart. I feel like the leaf after a storm, and when tlie wind is still. I listen to you. I am glad. I love the pale faces more than ever I did, and will open my ears wider when the- speak. I am glad you heard of what I did. I did not know the act was so good. It came from my heart. I was ignorant of its value. I now Icnow how good it was. You make me know this by ixiving me this medal." The rescue of tlie Itean sxirl might, if a solitary act, be looked upon as the result of" impulse, and not as proceeding from a gene- rous nature. It happens, however, not to stand alone, a-; li c onlv incident of the sort in the life of Petalesharro. One of his brother 150 BIOGRAPHY. warriors had brought in a captive boy. He was a Spaniard. The captor resolved to offer him in sacrifice to the Great Star. The chief, Letalashaw, had been for some time opposed to these barba- rous rites. He sent for the warrior, and told him he did not wish him to make the sacrifice. The warrior claimed his right, under the immemorial usages of the tribe. They parted. Letalashi.w sent for his son, and asked what was to be done to divert the captor from his purpose. Petalesharro promptly replied: "I will take the boy, like a brave, by force." The father thought, no doubt, that danger would attend upon the act, and resolved on a more pacific mode. It was to buy the boy. He accordingly gave out his inten- tion, and tho.sc who had goods of any kind, brought them to his lodge, and laid them down as an offering on the pile which the chief had supplied .'.om his own stores. The 'collection having been made, the captor was again sent for, anportunity of observing the habits of Shingaba WOssin; and occasionally to hear him t;dk. During tliis tim(\ the old chief made frequent visits to our tent, always in company w illi a voung Indian who attended him. At this time he wa ? a goorl deal con- cerned about a blindness which tiireatened him. lie spoke SIIINGABA W'OSSIN. 161 l)rlii('i[)ailv of this, hut never witliout sayiii|,f soineUiiiig in tavor of hii attendant. Among otlier tilings, lie said — "Father, I have not the eyes I once had. 1 now am old. I think soon this great world will be hid from me. But the Great Spirit is good. I want you, father, to hear me. This young man is eyes to me, and hands too. Will you not be good to him?'' At each visit, however, inllamed as were the old chief 's e^'es, ho would, like other Indian.s, be most gratelid for a little whisky; and like them, too, when he tasted a little, he wanted more. It is impossijjle to conceive the ratio -with which tiieir wants increase, after a first taste. The ( ll'ccts are maddening. Often, to e.ijoy a repetition of the beve- rage, have instances occurred, in which life itself has been taken, when it stood between 'he Indian and tiiis cherished object of his deli'dit. Shinyfaba WCssin wnuld indul-fe in the use of this destructive beverage, occasionally ; but even when most under its inlluence, ho was harmle.ss — so generally had the kindly feelings lalien possession of him. On the occasion referred to, we found him to be gentle, ol)liging, and free fnnii all asperities of manner or temper. He was then in his sixty-third year, and used to assist in the management of his canoe, and in all the business connected with the prosecution of his voyage. lie ke])t company with us to the Fond dii Lac; not alwavs, however, encamping where we did. The old man and his party partook of our refreshments; and when he would meet with any of ids peo|)lc who had been taking fish, he never failed to procure some, and al\\\ys divided his good luck with us — appearing liapj)y to have something to oiler in return for our attentions to him. Shingaba WOssin's father was named Mfii'il-O-Saligce. He was the chief and chronicler of his tribe. With him die(l much of tlicir traditionary information, lie was also noted Ibr the tales which he related for the amusement of the young. But he was ii voluptuary. He married four wives, three of whom were si.slers. By these wives he had twenty children. Each of the male 162 BIOGRAPHY. childron, iu time, deemed himself a legitimate chief, and attached to himself some followers. Political divisions were the con.se- qucnce. The harmony of tlie band was thus destroyed, and the j)ostcrity of the ancient chief scattered along the waters of the tSt. Mary's. The superior intellect of Shingaba W'Ossin, in these times of contention for the supremacy, became manifest. He secured the respect and conlidence of his band, and was at last acknow- ledged as the N/tti/?n, or fir.st man. His band became more and more attached to him, until, on all hands, the choice was admitted to be well ordered, and that he upon whom it had fallen, merited the distinction. Having secured the general confidence, he coun- selled his charge in all their trials, and enabled them to overcome many diiriculties, whilst by his kindness and general benevolence of character, he made himself beloved. He was on all occasions the organ for e\])ressing the wants and wishes of his pcojjle, and through him, also, they received both presents and advice from the oflicers and agents of our govcriunent. During the late war, in 1813, Shingaba W'Ossin went to York, in Canada, and had an interview with Proctor and Tccumthe. Nothing is known of the object or result of this interview, except that one of his brothers joined the Driti.sh, and fought and All in tlie battle of the Thames in Upper Canada. His death was deeply lameaied by Shingaba W'Ossin — so much so as to induce the belief that he counselled, c at least acquiesced in, his joining the British standard. STUMANU. Thk Chiiinool(s are a tribo of Indians inhabiting the shores of the Cohinibia river, near the Pacific ocean. Tliey practise the savage custom of flattening tlie foreheads of their infants by means of a board applied to tliat part, ^vhencc they are called Flatheads by tlie whites, as others are called Ncz Perces, Pierced Nose Indians, although neither of these terms is used among themselves. Most of those Indians who flatten the head also pierce the nose. These singular customs were found, by the first discoverers, among the savages on the shores of the Atlantic; but they seem to have l)ecome extinct in our country, except in the distant region of the Columbia. The name Flathead having been arbitrarily given, .some explanation is necessary to avoid confusion. The term Flathead was fornicrly applie(i, vaguclj', to all the Indians inhabiting the unexplored regions about the Rocky Moun- tains, except the Blackfeet; but as the country became better known, the name was confined to a small nation, who still bear it, and are not recognized among us by any other, and who live chiefly in the gorges of the mountains, and on the plains on either side. Tliey do not, however, flatten the IktmI, nor have they any term in tlieir language to express this idea. Beyond them, on the Cohnnbia river, are numerous tribes who pierce the nose and flatten the fore- head, who are mostly included under the name of Nez Perces — but the name Flathead is not commonly used in reference to them. The nation, to which our hunters and trappers apply the name of Flathead — the Flatheads of tlie Kucky Mountains — are a very 164 BIOGKAl'llY. iiilcrcsting people. Tlicy are honest, liosiiiliihlc, and kincllv dis- |)osed towards the whites. They excel most other Indians in sini- ])licity and iVanUness of eharaeter. 'I'iie iJlaekleet, a ninnerons trihe inliahitinir tiie si'iiie region, a treacherons, vindietive, and warlike jieople, are the iniplaeahle enemies of the Flathcads, and harass tliein eontinnally. 'I'liis war is of ih(> most nneoinproniisinjj eharaeter; the Mlaekleet pnrsnc their enemies with uncea.sinif hostility, dri\ iie^ them from piaee to plaee, huntin^r them down with untirini,'' viLjilanee, and allowini; them no rest. Bnt tlioiiirh forced to fly from their foes, in eonse(|n('nee of their \aslly inlirior numbers, the Flatheads sinj^ly an- more than a maleii for tin ir enemies in boldness and physical strentrth ; and as they never receive any (piarters from their crnel opjiressors, they flight with the most des- perate eonrMLr<' \\ lien forced into action. l'].\j)o.sed to the greatest extrenu^s and h:irdshiii.> to which the savage stale is incident, and ehas(;(l coaiinu.illy liy t'leir enemies, who nse every artifice to decoy and snr|)rise them, tlicv are as wild, as watchful, ami almost as fleet as the antelope of the pr.iiries. They are admirable horvinen. \\ ithout anv li.veil resid. :'<•(■, roving thronuhonl the year, engaged often in hunting the bufl'alo, and more freipientl^ in rapid lliyht from imminent danger, the Flathead and his liorse an; insiparable; and such is the skill ac(pnred by constant [iractice, that out; of this tribe will mount an nn brok en horse w i thout (11 saddle or bridh and retain his seat, in spite of all the elforts ol" the iMiraged animal to dislodge him. A friei id I'l the w riler saw tins teat performed liy Incilla, ihe present cliit'f of the Iri le, on the plains east i.f the Kocky .Mountains The chief threw himself upon liie back of a wild hor.se recently taken, holding in one hand a small Ihm, and in the otlier a hoop covered with a skin, after the tashion of a tamboriiie. On being turned loose, the animal dashed oil', rearing and pitching, and using the most violent e.verlioiis to disengage himself from his fearless rider, who, clinging with his heels, maintained his seat, in spite of STUMANU. 16S the ciTurts of llic liorsc to throw liim. \\ lien he wished to check the speed of tlie iiiiiinal, ho blinded him b}' throwing the flag across hi« face; while h<- triii(l''il liiiii, by striking him with the tiimbnriiie, on liic one side or llic other of the head. This exercise he continued, sconrinif the plain at full s|)ee(l, and directing tlic co\irso of the furi- ous st(H'(l at will, until the latter was wearied out and sul)(lue(l. ^^'('sl\^ar(l 111 tlio Flatheads, a number of small tribes arc found scattered along the shores of the Columbia, to the Pacific ocean, all of whom belong to the \e/, I'erces nation, b}' \vhich we mean only, that they acknowledge the tic; of kindred, and speak a com- mon laiiguag(>, for they do not apjiear to i)c united l)y anv other imnd, an management of tliiMr can(.<^s, in which they embark <"carlcssly on the waves of the I'aeific in the rouirhest weather ; and such is their skill that they kcej) adnat amid the angry billows, when it would seem impossible tlial su( h frail vessels could live. The upsetting of a canoe, in such cin umstances, is of little cimsequcnce, for these Indians are such admirable swimmers, that they right their canoes when over- turneil, bail out the w,iti-r, and resume their seats; or if necessary, abandon them, and swim to the shore. 166 BIOGRAPHY. The women arc adniiUed to a greater degree of equality witl; the men, than among tlic otlior American tritn's, hecause in fishing and in managing tlic canoe, they are e(|ually exjjert, and as tli(>y share all the toils and dangers of the other sex, they naturally become the companions and equals, and in virtue of their superior industry, the bcUer halves, of their lords ami masters. In the savage state, where the cmi)loyment.s of the men are confined to war and hunting, a certain degree of contempt attaches to the weaker sex, who are inillt for such rude loils, and a timid or imbecile man is, in derision, compared to a woman. But a dider- ent relation x^xists between the sexes, where; the employments arc such that h.)th engage in them alike, and where both contribute equally to the support of their families. The Columbia river was discovered by Captain Grey of Bo.ston, "n the ship Columbia, from which it received its name. Afterwards, Captains Lewis and Clark, of the army of the United States, with 1 small escort, performed a journey over land to the mouth of that river, under tiie aus])ices of the government, and for the purpose of exj)loraliori. This was one of the most remarkal)le journeys of which we have any account ; the extent of tlie territory exj)lored, the dangers and privations encountered, the great nuniljer of the savao'o tribes visited, and the successful i)rosecution of the enter- prise, display a degree of courage and per.scvcrance never excelled by any scientific travellers. A well digested account of the exjm- dition was publislied, written, from the notes of Lewis and Clark, l)y a gentleman who, in that work, gave to his country the first fruits of a genius, which, in its riper brilliancy, has since become the pride and admiration of his countrymen. The discoveries made by these tourists, turned the attention of the mercantile world to this wild and unfrecpiented region, wiiich now became the scene of an animated competition. John Jacob Astor, of New York, a German by birth, who came in early life an indigent adventurer to our shores, and had, by his unwearied industry and unrivalled STIMAXU. 167 talents for business, amnssed a prinecly fortiuie, matured a plan for secnrinir ti) his adopted country tlie fur trade of that coast. The <„nn-ernnieiit, to wlioni he conitiuuiicated his project, was too weak, at that time, to give any aid to an vnicertain enterprise, which mi^lit involve a heavy c.\|)eii shij) was erpiipjiiMJ for th(> voy- age by Mr. Astor, and j)laced under the cliarge of Captain Thorn, an intelligent oilieer bred in the American nav}', and who liad been bnt a short tinu; ])rr;'.'ious, enrolled in tiie Lrallant band that gained so much glory in the Tri[ioIitan war; while a party of hardy men, under Mr. Theodore limit, sit out from St. I^ouis, to cross the contiiKMit, and miM't the\essel at \]io mouth of the Cobuubia. Alter a ])rosperous vo^'age roviml Cape Horn, the ship reached her desti- nation; but an imfortunate affray occurring with the natives. Cap- tain Thorn sulfered himself to be surprised; the whole crew were massacred, and tlie vessel destroyed. Mr. Hunt was more success- ful. i\fter a protracted journey, attended liy toils and perils the most incredilile and discouraging, this dauntless part}- found them- selves on the sliorrs of the Cohimbia river, but in a condition too exhausted to enable them to carry out the plan proposed. They had accomplished nnicli in overcoming the dilhculties of the jour- iiev, and inspecting that vast field for commercial enterprise, of which scareelv any thing had been known bnt its existence. Mr. -\stor persevered in liis design; a trading post, called Astoria, was eslablislied on the Coliuniiia, a few miles from its mouth, and hunters were employed who scattcM'cd themselves over the whole region watered by the trib\itaries of that river. The British fur traders, who had alnadv' pervadeil the whole of the va>t territory hing north of tlie great lakes, as well as the wilderness country Iving within the north-western boundaries of the L'nited States, penetrateil also into these solitiules, and establisiied a strong post, called Fort \'ancouver, in honor of the navigator, for whom, with- r~ IfiS HIOGRAPIIY. out ;iny sumcicnt ovidonco, the discovery of tlio C'dlutnlna was claimed, and anotlicr called Fort Colville. When the war of 1S12, l)et\veeu the United States and Great Britain, was declared, the Americans were compelled to abandon this country, to whicli their government could not extend its protcclion; hut when, by the treaty of peace ned r(\gular comi)anies, for the purpose of carrying on this trade, which has been pro.secuted with an admirable degree of efficiency and success. Larg(! ])ar1ies, coniposed of liunters, well mounted and armed, annually leave St. liOuis, attended by pack horses, and on some occasiims by wagons, carrying merchandise, and stores for the expedition. The leaders are men of talent and courage, and the discipline thtit of a rigid military police. After pa.ssing the settlements of the I'nited States, and the hunting- grounds of tli(^ Indian triiies with whom pacific relations have been established l)y treaty, they have to traverse immense wilds inhabitcMJ by tli(! ]51ackfeet, and other roving bands, who live in perpetual war, and among whom safety can be secured only by unceasing vigilance. The march is conducted with the greatest precaution, and tlie camp is always guarded liy seiiliiiels. All this is beauti- fully told in Washington Irving's Astoria, a work which is not a ha on it ri mot was the STUM A NT 100 more commendaLle for the gracefulness of its style, than for the fidelity with which it doscribos the advctitnros of the li uppers in the wildciiioss. The subject is on(! with which we arc familiar, and we therefore refer 1o ,Mr. Irving's delightful work with confi- dence ; and forbear from repeating what has been narrated with an ease of style which would render dull the recital of any other pen, upon the same topic. Those who have seen those wild and hardy trappers, and who know any thing of the severe privations and fearful dangers, encountered by them in tlie wilderness, woidd scarcely expect to liiid science or religion marching in such rude companionship. But danger itself is alluring to the ardent temperament, while true jiiety, and the genuine love of science arc nnnppalled by its terrors. Manv gentlemen have been induced by curiosity alone, to accom- ])auy these parties, and a valuable family of missionaries, under the charge of the llev. Jason Lee, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, has already .settled on the \\'all;imette river, a branch of the Colum- bia. Although missions have not, heretofore, been successful, among the Indians, we think that, considering the pacific character of the people, and the favorable auspices under which this altenipt has been commenced, much good from it may bo confidently expected. The portrait which accompanies this article, represents an inte- resting individual. lie is one of that distant tribe inhal)iling the most western extremity of our continent — aChinnook, belonging to a band of tiie great family of Ncz Perccs. The name Stiimanu has no particular meaning that we have been able to discover ; the only account lu; could give of it himself, is that he was called by it after his grandfather, who is still living. lie was born ai a Chinnook village oa the Columbia river, about seven mih's from its mouth ; and having lost his father, when he was but two years old, was brought up by an uncle, who at an early age initiated him in the business of fishing, ;md in such other employments as engage 170 B10f:r APIIY. the attention of tliut iiulolciit race. In sjteakiiig of tlic skill of his tribe in the rniiimgcnient of their canoos, ho stated that he had often been alone on the ocean, when overtaken liy storms, and had never felt the slightest alarm, but uould right his little vess(>l, when overturned, and jjursue Ins voyage as if nothing had happened. Shortly after the estal)Iishment of the mission family on the Wallamette, this youth, being favorably impressed in regard to tlie advant;iges of ei\ ili/ation, voluntarily determined to place him- self at tlie school, and applied to Doctor M'Langhlin, a benevolent gentleman, at the British Fort Vancouver, -who iiad taken a lively interest in the missicmary enterjir' o, for his .advice on the subject. He cheerfully gave the applicain a letter of introduction to tiic l{ev. Mr. Lee, superintendent of the Wallamette station ; and thus encouraged, Stumanu, taking his younger brother by the hand, proceeded to the school, to offer himself and his brother as pupils. 'I'liey were cheerfully admitterl, ami this youth soon ])roved himself a valuable acquisition to the school, lie cpuckly showed a great fondness, as well a.s an aptitude, for learning, was industrious and useful on the farm, and won e.steem by the most amiable qualities of tenquT. He possessed, what was rcmarkaljle in an Indian, a decidedly mechanical genius, and exeelieit in the construction of tools and implements, and in the imitation of any simple articles of furniture that eanic^ under his notice, so ihat the mission family were fully repaid for the expenses of his education and subsistence by his lalior. His good sense, sobriety of temperament, and equa- bility of disposition, rendered him altogether a person of unconnnou interest. Stumanu was about twenty years of ago when this portrait was taken; he was about five feet in stature, thick set, and strongly made. He was on a visit to the Atlantic cities in conq)any with the Rev. Mr. I.cc, who was on a tour for the purpose of raising funds to sujiport his valuable estal)lishment. At New York, J'hiludelphia, and other places, the young Indian addressed large STUMANU. 171 confrrogatious, in his native tonjruc, on the destitute condition of Ills people, their readiness to learn from tl)e white people, and the ample field that was spread open to those whose hencivolcnco might iiiduec them to take ])ity on the jioor savages of the farther west. Some of these adtlrcsses wc re of a very impressive character, and Mr. Lee, who interpreted them, assured the congregations that what Stnmaiiu said was wholly his own in conception and language. On the eve of (he departure of the l?cv. Mr. Lee to the scene of his labors on the Wallamette, Stiimann, flushed with the pro.s- pert of once more mingling with his kindred and fricnd.s, and gratified with all he had seen of the while man's capacity and powers, was taken suddenly ill, in New York, and after a short but severe attack, died on tlie 29th of May, 1839. IS III. In qn civ .l;i; is I for we I liar tlio spai nns' ()k( [lice van cliil. n.lls ualt lliol (iniw OKKKM.VKKKaril). Otm ncqiiaiiiliiiu'c witli Okoemakcoqnid hrgnn and ended in ]^'2('>, at Lii Fond dii Lao Sii])('rior, On arrivinjf tlicro, among tin- ninltitudn of Indians, collcclod for tlio j)nrpose of attending a Irc'ity, our interest was at onre excited in relation to OkciMiiakce- (liiid. Ilis countenance was intellectual, and won; an nimsually civilized expression. After having l)e(>n at La Fond du Lac for some ilays, we determined to have huilt a first rate canoe of hark, Avhich is the oidy kind of canoe used in these lake reixions. On incpiiring for an experienced hand among the Indians, for that purpose, we were referred to Okeeinakeecpiid. Ho appeared directly, and tiui Iiargaiii was soon made. On expressing our apprehensions llial the structure of the canoe might consume more time than we could sptire, we were told to name our own time. \\'e did so, and the answer was, it xliall be done. In a moment afterwards, we saw OkecMuakeequid and his a.ssistant striding in the direction of a piece of level gromid, bordering the water, and altout two hundred yards from our encampment, followed \)\ a train of women and children. Then the s iii'^ht it aflerw;irds. On arri\iiiLr at it, !ii' fniind his daiiL;liter 'June, she liaviim' crawled a cpiarter of a mile, lie tr.aeked her by iier lilood on tiie slio\ le was scalpeil in two places. on til ri'_dit and left n|" her cniwn — the knife passim^ nnind her tliroat, cut a deep ijasli, drixiii!;; in [lieccs of waiii|iiini, w hicli reiiiaimd tiiere Siie survived, hnwever, and lived to marry three liusliaiids, all of wlidiii treated lur unKiiidlv, and tn lie the iiintlK r of nine sons aiK 1 cue daiiiiliter. e was snliseipieiitlv <'Uiiil of a disca.se in tlio forefinu''i'r, hy Ukeeiiiakeeipiid, after the Indian fa.sliion, by plaein'T it dn a liloek, lavintj a knife across it, and w ith a sinulo \>h if nw iipdii the knife with ilie e\-e ol a liatcliet, ciittii 1 ell'. W" e were shuw ii all these wdiiii am 'al so witnessed a sea ilpiii'T scene, by la-r twi sons, Okeeiiiakeeipiid and Ills lirother, wlio went throni^h tlio blank motions over the bead of tiin imitlier, to show linw the Sionx performed tli.at ceremony. At this time, I''",'*!, Oslieij'wnn \\'as a' out sixty ytars of nixe. The (h'ess in wliicli Okeeniakei^qnid appears is not a Chip[iewa, hut a Sionx dress. The Indians wmild often jibe him about tlio circnmstanci^s nmler wiiicli lie >>tA it. At the tre.atv of I'rairi'' du •Jl] I7r. niOORAPIIY. Cliien, in 1825, peace was concluded, which tcrniinated a war of nearly two Imudrod years' duration, between the Sioux and ( 'liii> pewas. In memorial of this oeeiirrenec a 8io\ix warrior proposed to exchantre dresses with Okcemakeecpiid. Tin latter acceded to the proposition. After the exeh!m!,'e had bcin made, the Sioux, lookini^ Okeemidieoquid archly in tiie face, and pointing to the heii.l-dress, said, " JJ/'oMfr, when yon put that dress on, feel up there— there are five feathers; I have; put one in for each scalp I took from vour people— remember that!" L MOANAIIONGA. MoANAiioNGA, which signifies Circaf Walker, was an loway hravc. This name was eonferred upon hini, not for his having peifornied any great feat as a walker against time, as in tlie case of llu' Sionx Killer, Imt on account of his great muscular strength, which enabled him to endure the toils of ihe chase, and to le:ul war l»urtics over a vast extent of country, without aj)puaring to he fatigued. This brave, like the Sionx Killer, was called hy another name, by wliich he was more generally known, vi/., iliy yirk ; and he was also known hy the name of M'inaugusroney, or the man who is not afraid to travel ; the meaning of uhicli is, tiiat he would traverse large tracts of country alone, utterly reckless of danger, lelying for protection and defence, upon his courage, and great physical strength, both of wiiich he nossessed in an extraoaii- nary degree. Moanahonga was of .1 morose lhhI sour disposition; the result, diiubtless, of his ha ing been the descendant of obscure parents, which circumstance much impeinii id liiiii^^ llic s\ili(inliii;ilc of any; Mini, ni'liii^ uinlt r llic iiilliuiici" of lliis ficliiiii, lie vvoiild M'paralo liiiiiM If from Ills hand and iicdjiIc, liiiild a iddnr df lijs own, and, takin;; with him as many as hail hccn won uwr In him hy his hraviTv, twcrcisc ihc aiitlinrity df ihcir chief This brave was one df a [lailv led by (iiiieral Chiik to \\ asiiiny- toH, in I'«v!l,at v'-liieh iinie he iiniled with MahasKali in cdnrhKiing a treaty, hy w liieh they ceded all their lands lyin;^ williin tiie Slato of Missouri, anionntinif to some millions of acres, lor tiie reiinint!- ratiigi of li\e hundred dollars jier annum, tor ten ^cars, in connei;- linii with sonic other paltry consK dcral ions. ll a|i|iears that i e ilKl iii>t conipnlicnd tlic imporl of the treaty; and, on his rctiir:. to his cdiiiitrv, findiii;; it o\errnn with the whites, who had taken |)os- sessi'iii o|" the ground that eiucred tlii' hones of his aiuestdrs, he is sail! to have heeome ^M'eatly allected. He soii<.hl relii'f, hut was told the treaty was made, and that he and Mahaskah had sold the (•(nintry. ,1 e ciPiilinued to endure liiis state ol' thiiiiis i:ii til ]• when, uiialilc to sustain it aii\ |oii;;cr, he dcti iniinc( I t O Od Id I*^!. ] OlllS, statt hi.-, "rievaiices to (ieiieial (lark. On 1 lis way thither, he eiieamii'tl on the liordcrs of the ri\( r ( hariton, his jiarl\' I ^'iisistini; of ahoiit sixty persons. While tlure, restintf his eom- rades iVoiii the falij,nies of their march, a jiarty ol" whites eanu' up, li;i\ Ul'J with tlielii solilt if whiskv. It was not loiiLj hetoie the Indians were eomplclily besotted, whin the \vhiles pliindrnd them of tiicii blankets and horses, and whatever else was of value, and retired. Hecoverinti from their debauch, the Indians felt how dearly they had paid for the whisky with whiih the whites had regaled Iln m, and 1m in^; huiinry, one of the youiii.'' nun shot a lio|,f. Hig Noek relinked him, sa\ iie.', "That is w■|■oll^ ; it is true, we nro iioor, and ha\e bei n rohhcil, hut the hmj; was Tit ours, and vl th in token oi frieiidshi he pipe is a saen d lliii e nariv, and IS, ainoncr nio>t ol' the Iniliaii tnlies, ihe.enililem ot' peace ; imr lia\(! they \er li •en known to permit .'.ny outrage lo he eommilteil upon a man who advanees towards anolhcr willi this syinliol of peaco in his inoulli. \\ hile in the act of reacliinij: liis hand to the leader of the party, and as the Indians came out ot" their !odt,'es to sec the iMValeadc ol'wldte men, tlii'\- were I'ircd upon. One child wa.s !\dled, as was also the iiroijier of I'.ii,' Nii-k, who I'ell at his side. r!nrainent, a liite m:iii, nanieil \\ in, shot a s(|uaw, sister of Hi'j; Neck; as si slic cxclaimcil Hrolli er I im eoin if to d le iiiiKiccut — avenue od !" She had scarcely spoken, when an Indi.iii. soinetin eilled lowa\ Jim. ai It oil rr- and dis( handed its contents in A Inrioiis Ijiiiit ensued, in \\!ii dri\e!i from the eioniid. M; to W III s K( Irher, levelled his rille t! iuli, fraetiirinu the hone. ■li tl le w lutes w ere de lied, and 150 niOCill APIIY, Win, being unable 1o escajx', was fouml on the battle-t an American ; the child never wronged you — it was inno- cent ; tiie\' ha\(" gone to the (ireat Spirit. 1 I'ame In meet you wilii the pipe of peace in m\' mouth. 1 did you no wrong; you (ired u]iou me, and see wliat you lia\e done — see my own scpiaw with Ik.t iiead l)leeding; thougli not dead, she is woundi'd. Now listen — you are not a /mirr, you are a dotj. If you were a Iruvc, 1 would treat you ;is !i brave, but as you are a dog, I will treat you as a t/iif/. IIt>re l?ig Nei'k paused, listeii(>i| to the crackling of the fagots, and, with his knife drawn, eyed his victim for a monn iit, when, as the (lames liurst forth, and werc^ approaching tlie body, he s])rang over diem, scalped the tated W in, and, wiule yet alive, cut open his breast, tore out his hcirt, liit oil" a piece, then tlirowing it back into tlie Ihiiues, i! was consumed with tlie body. The tidings of this all'air soon reaciied the settlements; every where it was proclaimed, "'I'lie Indians are killing the whites." Most of tin- bonier settlers aljandoiied their homes. An order was issued from Jelfer.soii Jhirraeks, to tiio odicer in commaiid at Fort Leavenworth, to march forthwith ;igaiiist the liiilians. A largo detachmeat ol' I iiited States infaiilr\ was sent IVoiii Missouri in a uleamboal, ^vhil.st the governor ordered out the militia. The agent of the lowavs, fieiieral Hughes, was ntpiired to eo-operato. The militia were marched direct to the battle-ground, and thence bav^k •train, having accom])]isheil notliin:: The first Mep taken by the agen* was to deliver elexeii of the jiriiicipal men of the loway MOANAIIONflA. 181 nation as lioslajjjfs for tlu^ i^ooil cunilnit of llnit projdo. With tlioso, Gciii'ial Lcavciiwnrtli nlnrncd wilii liis command to St. Louis. 'I'lio aifc'il iIkm proci'cdcd willi tnnr men to tlio hnttli:- ;ironnd ; takinj^ the trail from tlicncp, he puimkmI liiir Ni-'i'k and liis jtarly to tlic H|)|H'r Mississippi, and to lli(> waters of tlic lower loway rixcr, a disiancc hut liltlc, if anv, sliort of four liundrcti miles, line lie fill in w itli Taiuiali, or tlie Bear w hose screams lualu' the rocks Irenihle, ami his son, Apanuise, who were on tin; I'olecat river, near Fort .Madison. From 'J'aimali and his son, lit! leiu'ued where Hig' Neck was (Mican>ped, and was acconi])anied to llu! spot hy a party of flanks and Fc-ii-s. Caution hecanio neces- sary ; and, as tliey approached Big Xeck's party, tliey lay con- cealed in the (lay, and advanced upon it only in the night. Jusi hcforc day, having had the camp in view the previous evening, when all was still, the agent approached, and stepped quickly into Big Xeck's lodge. Here he was safe; for, in accordance with the iudian practice, i|o outrage i.s ever lu-rmitted upon any person, though an enemy, who takes refuge within i lodge; no blood is allowed 1o stain the groinid within its precincts. Big Neck was just in the act of raising himself from his hulfalo skin, as the agent enten^l his lodge. The object of the visit was explained. But few words were spoken, when Big Xeck said, " Fll go with you; a brave man dii-s hut once — cowards are always dying." Where- upon he surrendered liimself and his party. They were marched to the Kapidc Des Moines. On arriving there. Big Neck ordered his squaws to return. The agent at once interpreted the object, and turning to his iV.ur men, said, " Get your guns ready, for Big Xeck means to kill us." The squaws ascended the hill that rises from the margin of the river at that ])lace, and were clustering al)out its summit ; and just as they were turning to witness the m\ird(T of the agent and his four men, a point which makes out into the river was suddenly turned by the advan^'C of a little lleetof live boats, filled with United States troous, uader the command of 18'J nr()(iu Ai'ii V Liciiti iiiiiit Morris. 'I'lic sipiaws, scciiiif lliis, nislicd suddenly ildwii llii' liill, with linwls iiiid crios, ;iii^ Xick led a war party of ahoiit fil'ty men in pursuit of a part\ of Sioux, who had pi'iietrated the eountrv to his villai;e, and stole nine of his horses. lU; took w ith him in this expedition a famous hrave, called I'ekeiima, or the Little Star. The party soon came within sinht of lln! Sioux, who lied, tlirowin^if heliind tlii-m thi'ir leo;o;ins and nioccasons, and drie(' hufValo mi-at, which indieateil tlh'ir defeat. Ui^f Neck, however, wu>i re.solved on jiunishin;^ them, and ordered his men to charge. MOANAII()N(i A. l''.! 'I'lif Sioux had tiilu'ii n I'lii:*' in a larj;^ lia/.rl tliickcl, aliovo wliiili lowcrt'd Irros, tliick set witli Inliairc, into tuo of wliicli, two Sioux, nuf a chii I", liaii cliiiilii'il. Ilacli (if llicsi' Siiiii\ M Irctcd his iii: III, one III' lliciii Hi'.i- N('<'K, tlic ntlicr, the I,itt!i' Star, and as the |iarly nishrd into the lliickft, tlu-y Itotli tired — lliy; \(ck was slmt tiiroHL'li till' iircast ; tln^ Litth' Star frll dead iVoiii his horse. Seeing theiii fall, tiio two Sioux sj)raiii,' from tlu; trees to take tlieir sealps. The Sioux (diicf, who liad siiot ]Viir Neek, hastened to ids liody, and while in the act of takiiiLf his scaij), the dviuLr savage ih'ew luife wilii one hand, and with the other trra.' ped the Sioux, I iron rht 1 iiui 111 eonl.aet m itli hini, threw luiii, and tiieii, w i ith 1 us reniaiiiint,' streiiiflli, fell upon the hody of the Sioux, and slahhed, and sralped hiiii. A\'li( n they were fouml, that was their position — the Sioiix on till' ground, and HiLT Xeek lyiiiLT across his dead liody, \vilh Ids scalp drippiiiif with iilndd in one iiand, and Ins knife lirnily ijrrasped in tlic other. On witnessiiej; this spictacle, Ijoth parties retired from the liiilit, each (h(^p!y deploriiiif the death of their favorite chief, and iuter- retiim' so I'l'i'at a calamitv unto the aiiuer of the Great, Siiirit, the\' made ]iea(a', and remain iViends to this da^ . 24 PUSHMATAHA. Tins iiidiviihial \\;ih a disliii^niislicd warrior nf the Choctaw ii;iti(iii, ami a I'air siicciiiicii of tlir lalcnls and ))r(>|H'iisiti('s (if tlit; iiKidrrn Indian. It will liavu lifcri noticed, by those who havt; j)ai(l attention to Indian history, that the savaj,'e character is always seen in a niodilled aspect, anionir those of the trihes who resiile in jnxta- ]iosition with till' w lutes. We are not |ire|i,ired to sav that it is either elevated, or softened, liy this relation; hut it is certainh' chani;ed. The strong hereditary bias of the u ild and untamed rover of the forest, remains in jirominent de\elo|tment, \Nhile some of the arts, and many of the vices nf the civili/ed man, arc en<4ral'tcd npon tliem. The Chnctaws have had their ])rinci|)al residence in that part of the country cast of the Mississippi river, which now forms the State of Mississippi, and have had intercourse with tlu! Jluro- pean race, from tlu^ time of the discovery of that region hy the I'lencli, nearly two ceiituri(\s ay llio hand, and arc satisfied. This is tho lirst time \vc have .seen 3'on ; it will ])ro])alily bo the hist. \Vc have no more to .say. The eartli will part ns for over." The did warrior prnnonncrd lliese words with an alleded solem- nity of voice and manner. He seemed to feil a presentiment of the brevity of his own life. The, concluding remark of his s])eccli was proj)lic'tic. In a few days, he was no more. lie was ta.ken sick at ^^'ashington, and died in a slnnmc land. A\'hen he found that his end was ajiproaching, he called his companions around him, and desired them to raise him up, to bring his arms, and to decorate him with all his ornaments, that his death might bo that of a man. He was particularlv anxious that his interment should be accompanied with militaiy honors, and when a j)romise was kindly given that his wishes should bo fulfilled, he b,'camc cheerful, and conversed with comjjosure until the niomont when he expired without a groan. In conversation with his Indian friends, shortly before his death, he said, " I shall die, Ijut you will return to our brethren. As you go along tlie paths, you will see the flowers, and hear the birds sing, but rushmataha w ill see them and hear them no more. A\ hen you shall come to your home, they will ask you, W/icre is PnahniataJui / and von will say to tliem. He is no more. Thoy will hear the tidings like the sound of tlie fall of a mighty oak in the stillness of the woods." The onl}' speech made by Pushmataha, on the occasion of his visit to ^^'ashing1on, was the follow ing. It was intended by him to be an opening address, which, had lie lived, he would doubtless have followed by anotlier more like himself "We took it down as he spoke it. The jier.soii addressed was the Secretary of War. " Faliter — I have been here some tinic!. I have not talked — have been sick. You shall hear me talk to-day. I belong to another district. You have no douijt heard of me — I am Vushmataha " Father — \\ hen in my own eoiinliy, I often looked towards this PUSHMATAHA. 191 Council House, and wanted to come hero. I am in trouble. I will tell my distrcs.scs. I feel like a small child, not half as high as its father, who comes up to look in his fatlicr's face, hanging in the bend of his arm, to tell him his troubles. So, Father, I hang in (he bend of your arm, and look in your face, and now hear me speak. " Viithcr — "When I was in my own cnun1r\-, I heard there were men appointed to talk to us. I would not si)eak lliere; I chose to <'ome here, and speak in this beloved house. I can boast, and say, and tell the truth tliat none of my f ithcrs, or grandfathers, nor any Clioctrw ever drew bows against the United States. They have always been friendly. "We have held the hands of tlie United Stales so long, that our nails are long like birds' claws ; and there is no danger of their slipping out. " Father — I have come to s])eak. My nation has always listened to the applications of the white jieople. They have given of their country till it is very small. I repeat the same about the land east of the Tonil)igl)y. I came here when a young man to see my Fathei^Jefferson. lie told me if ever we got in trouble, we must run and tell him. I am come. This is a friendly talk ; it is like a man who meets another, and says, How do you do ' Another will talk fu.tlier." The celebrated John Ilandol])h, in a speech upon the floor of the Senate, alluded thus to the forest chieftain, whose brief memoirs we have attempted to sketch : " Sir, in a laic visit to the public grave-yard, my attention was arrested by the simple monu- ment of the Choctaw Chief Pushmataha. He was, I have been told by those who knew him, one of nature's nobility ; a man who would have adorned any society. lie lies quietly by the side of our statesmen and high magistrates in the region — for there is one such — where the red man and the white man are on a level. On the sides of the plain shaft that marks his place of burial, I read these words : ' rushmntnha, a Choctair CJiirf, lirs licre. T/iis monu- 86 192 BIOGRAPHY. incnt to his incmorij is erected hi/ his brother ehie/s, vho were asso- lialrd irith him in a dchtjation from thir nation, in the year 182 I, to tJie (jorernment of tlie United States. Piis/uiiataha vas a ivarrior of great distinction. lie was wise in council, eloquent in an e.rlra- ordinari/ degree ; and on all occasions, and under all circumstances, the white mail s friend. lie died in Washington, on the ~ith of Deeeniher, 1S'.24, ff the croup, in the 00/// gear of his age.' " Ani()iiir jjeople, and u liose genius elevated tlu'in above the operation of general rules; and, in the ease of Ked Jaeket, there were a nationality, a zeal, and tenacity, with which ho adhered to tlie side of his own jieople, right or wrong, in all their controversies with the whites, and clung to the customs and pre- judices of his ancestors, that endeared him to the Senecas. But these arc rare examples, in which the strong law of human nature jirevails over the peculiarities of national character. It follows, that tho.se who are incapacitated by indolence, bodily debility, and mental weakness, from earning laurels on the field of battle, sink into insignificance and even contempt, unh'ss they can strike out some other mode of securing respectability. Tlic same causes which render them unfit for warriors, operate e.pially against tlieir success in cither of the occuj)ations we have alluded to. But no debility, either pliysical or menial, prevents a man from becom- ing a doctor; as in this occidt science, skilful practice and skilful imposture ajjproaeli as nearly as the sublime and the ridiculous. We think that the majority of the Indian pro])hets, conjurers, and medicine-men, have their origin in this principle. Though indo- lent, or pusillanimous, or vuifortunato in laboring under some ph3'sical deticiency, they have been compensated by a sufficient portion of that cunning which Nature bestows upon inferior crea- tures, to enable them to impose on the credulity of the people. A few of these persons have undoubtedly been fanatics, who were self-deluded ; but we suppose the greater part of them to be crafty impostors, whose highest motive is to gain a livcliliood, without incurring the danger and fatigue of war or hunting, and to rise above the contempt of a wholly idle and useless life. The standing of this class may be readily imagined. A savage people, without arts or literature, who scarcely ever reason, and act TSinzrMIAUK'AU. 197 tilmost ciilirrly from impulse, am casilv illl|l(l^(•(l iijidii. Supcrsti- liuii is (iiic (if llic tliriClicsl pl;iiils ill ihc wildcnicss (if nil iiiiciilii- v:iI(m1 iiilcjicci ; it lldiirisiics iiiulcr the nidc (■iiihirc (if liic iiiost iiiiiiy;liii<^ imj)ost(ir. 'I'iir iiiiiMhcr of siicli persons is small, for tlio reasons indieatod above; inactivo employments are imsiiited to IIkj liiihits and renins of llie savage; few will condescend 1o fi-!l( w sueh pnrsiiils, and still iiinre few u ill undertake the mental exer- tion of llionirlit and deeeption refpiired for tlie oflice. 'J'ho con- jurers, therefore, rank Id^li, hecan.se they are u small class, ])ractis- iiiLT an occult art, amomx a superstitions people. The failures of this class, on the other hand, are numerous, he- c:ins(> the capital of intellect emharkeil in it is small, and the indo- lence and improvidence of the race w ■ uch, that iVw persevere long in any occupation rerpiirinif continued attention. TIk; medicine- men and projihets, therefnic, often fill into (lisre])nle, either from n.'peated want of success in their incantations and predictions, or i'rom the la/.iness or dissoluteness of life conseipieiit upon a lirief harvest of successful [)raclice; and the same man who was revered on account of his siip[)osed intercourse with the world of spirits, is heartily dos[)iscd when di.scovered to he a cheat. The brother of Tecnmthe, wlio.sc reputation was very hiizh, and whose influence, extending; through several tribes besides his ow n, lasted for several years, dwindled into a very iijsiiiuificant p(-rson, and in his old age there were "none so poor to do him reverence." There are some who, from honesty of jjurpose, or great native sagacity, become skilful in public business, or useful counsellors in sickness and domestic calamity, and retain the conlidiMice of the people; but we lliink that usually this class of persons, like the ipiacks and hum- hngs of civilized society, enjoy a short-lived celebrity; the delusion itself survives in ever-blooming vigor; the gullibility of mind which sustains it remains fresh and prolific as the bountif'il earth, while the inijiostors lloiirish and fade, like the annual plants, in rapid succession. 198 BIOGRAPHY. We need not enlarge upon the practice of the Indian conjurer, for although tlie details of tlie modes of operation may exhilnt con siderable variety, none of them cxliil^it nnicli ingenuit}-, and the leading features are few, and exceedingly superficial. The Indians are not an imaginative people ; they have no poetry, no sprightli- ness of fancy, scarcely any perceptible creative faculty. They liave no mythology, no belief nor theory in regard to ailother world, which is general, or which lasts from one gencralion to anotlier. The whole subject is to them a blank. The conception or idea, inseparable from the existence of spirit, and which the human mind, in a sane state, nourishes under every modification of life, of a hereafter, and a superhuman power, is prevalent among them ; but the conception is so vague and feeble as to be fruitless of any j)rac- tical result. No svstem of worship ol)tains amongst them, no fabric of superstition has been reared. AN'hen their minds awaken for a moment from the lethargy that benumbs them, and soar into the regions of speculation, the flight is too feeble, and llic newly acquired vision too dim, to yield materials for any connected chain of reasoning, and the only product of such efforts, consists of the most puerile and shapeless vagaries. A few traditions are handed down from times past, but so mutilated as to be scarcely traced from one generation to another. The legends, dreams, and visions in current circulation, are mostly of modern date, but are fabricated from the fragments and reminiscences of other times. Their knowledge of the medicinal qualities of herbs is not exten- sive. The medicine-men have a few simple remedies of this character, which are elFicacious in ordinary cases of disease and injury, and in tlie use of these the women are e(]ually expert. In more difficult cases they resort to incantations and prayers addressed ti good or evil spirits. To produce dreams they resort to fasting and boddy penance, carried often to the utmost power of cndurunce, °and by these means a disturbed state of mind is induced, ^\lli(•Il gives rise to visions of more or less coliereiice. Great confidence TSHIZUNHAUKAU. 195) is placed in these dreams; and this circumstance affords a si ffi- cient temptation to cunning men to feign them, while it points out to sagacious chiefs an efficient mode through which a secret though powerful influence may be exerted over the people. Tshizunhaukau was not a regular medicine-man, hut he prac- tised the art when it suited his convenience, and had the reputation of possessing the gift. He was a sagacious man, who knew and thought more than those around him. He noticed the seasons and changes of the atmosphere, and had a strong memory for dates and events. The portrait represents him holding in his hand a rod, which was an invention of his own, and was covered with marks and figures representing the divisions of time, and certain changes of the seasons, to which were added signs, indicating the results of certain calculations he had made respecting the weather. It was a curious and original invention, the fruit of an inquisitive and active mind, and the ir.dication of a spirit that rose above the sluggish incuriousness of his race. He had noticed the phe- nomena which took place around him, with deep attention, and had recorded upon the tablet of a retentive memory all that seemed worthy of remark. He had endeavored, to the extent of his limited knowledge and means of information, to trace effects to their causes, and to find out the reasons of uncommon events. The results of these inquiries were carved upon his wand, which became thus an almanac, and doubtless as complete a one, in reference to his wants, as our common almanacs are to the enlightened astronomer. He maintained a high character as a warrior, and was one of the depu- tation who accompanied Nawkaw, the principal chief of the Win- uebagoes, to Washington, in 1828. 86 WAKECHAI, A SAUKIE CHIEF. Wakechai, or the Crouching Eagle, was one of the village chiefs, or civil magistrates, of the Saukie nation, and resided at the principal town of that people, near the confluence of Rock river with the Mississippi, in one of the most beautiful regions of Illi- nois. This neighborhood has been abandoned by its Indian inha- bitants, who have recently removed to the Iowa territory, on the opposite shore of the Mississippi ; but it will always be considered as classic ground, by 'hose who shall be engaged in researches into the history of the Aborigines, as well on account of the unrivalled beauty of the scenery, as from the many interesting recollections connected with the soil. T'he subject of this notice was a person of low stature, with a stoo^'ng and ungraceful form, a shuffling gait, a stern savage exprtv 'on of countenance, and a deportment altogether displeasing and urn, .nified. Though named after the noble bird, regarded by the Indians as the most warlike of the feathered tribes, and whose plumage is appropriated to the decoration of the warrior's brow, this chief never acquired any reputation as a bravo, nor do we know that he ever performed any warlike feat worthy to be mentioned. That he has l)een upon the war-path, is most probable, for among a people so entirely military, some service is expected of every indi- vidual. But it is certain, that the Crouching Eagle, or as we should interpret the name, the Eagle stooping upon his prey, gained no (201) 202 BIOGRAPHY. laurels in the field, and never rose to be a leader in any expedition. Ncitlier did ho excel in manly sports, or in the ceremonious dances, so highly esteemed in savage life. It may ho very naturally inquired, by what means a person des- titute of tlie qualities which are held in the highest repute among his people, became a chief and a jierson of influence among them Without tlie physical powers which are so greatly valued in savage life, with no reputation for valor, nor any trophy snatched from the enemy by force or cunning, it would not seem that there was any community of feeling between him and his associates, through which he could conciliate their kindness, or command respect. The answer to the inquiries which we have suggested, shows the vast superiority of mind over any and all endowments that are merely physical. Even in the savage state, under all the disad- vantages which surround it, prevent its culture, and cramp its exercise, the i itellcct silently asserts its supremacy, and the war- rior, while he affects to despise it, unconsciously yields to its sway. The Eagle was a man of vigorous and clear mind, whose judicious counsels were of more advantage to his tribe, than any services he could have rendered in the field even supposing his prowess to have been equal to his sagacity. If nature denied him the swift foot, and the strong arm of the wai'rior, it endowed him with a prompt and bold heart, and a cool judgment to direct the energies of others. He was not an orator, to win the admiration of multi- tudes, nor had he those popular and insinuating talents and man- ners, which often raise individuals of little solid worth to high station and extensive influence. He was a calm and sage man. His nation had confidence in his wisdom ; he was considered a prudent and safe counsellor. He gave his attention to public busi- ness, became skilled in the affairs of his peojile, and acquired a character for fidelity, which raised him to places of trust. Perhaps tlie braves and war-chiefs, the hot-blooded, turbulent, and ambitious a-spirants for place and honor, submitted the more readily to the WAKECHAI. 203 counsels of one who was not a rival, and cheerfully yielded him precedence in a sphere in which they were not competitors. It is recorded of Tccumthe and of Hod Jacket, that each of them in his first engagement with the enemy showed discreditable symp- toms of fear; the former became afterwards the most distinguished Indian leader of his time, and both of them enjoyed deservedly the most unlimited influence over their respective nations. These facts are interesting from the evidence they afford of the supremacy of the intellectual over the physical man, in savage as well as in civilized life. The man of peace, however valuable his services, seldom occu- pies a brilliant page in history ; and Wakechai, though a diligent and usefid public man, has left but little trace of his career. The only striking incident which has been preserved in relation to him, is connected with his last moments. He had been lying ill some days, and was laboring under the delirium of a fever, when he dreamed, or imagined, that a supernatural revelation directed him to throw himself mto the water, at a spot where Rock river unites with the Mississippi, where his good Manito, or guardian spirit, would meet him, and instantly restore him to health. The savage who knows no God, and "Whose soul proud science never taught to stray, Far as the solar walk, or milky way, is easily deluded by the most absurd superstitions. Every human spirit looks up to something greater than itself; and when the help- lessness induced by disease or misfortune, brings aa humbling sen.se of self-abasement, the sava^x , as well as the saint and the sage, grasps at that which to each, though in a far different sense, is a religion — the belief in a superior intelligence. The blind credulity of the Indian in this respect, is a singular feature in his character, and exhibits a remarkable contrast between the religion of the savage and that of the Christian. In his intercourse with men, whether friends or 204 BIOGRAPHY. enemies, the savage is suspicious, cautious, and slow in giving his confidence ; while in regard to the invisible world, he yields cre- dence to the visions of his own imagination, and the idlest fables of the ignorant or designing, not ordy without evidence, but against the plain experience of his own senses. In the in.stance before us, a man of more than ordinary common sense, a sagacious counsellor, accustomed to the examination of facts, and to reasoning upon questions of difllcnlly, suifered himself to be deceived into the beli(!f that he could j)lunge with impunity into the water, while enfeebled by disease, and that in the bosom of that element he should meet and converse with a supernatural being, such as he had not only never seen, but of which he could have lieard no dis- tinct, rational, or cre(lil)le account. We cannot avoid the persuasion, that such a fact, wliile it cvim-cs the imbecility of the human intellect, in reference to the contemplation of the hidden things of another life, does also strongly indicate an innate belief working in the natural mind, and a want, which nothing but a revelation can rightly direct, or fully satisfy. Wakechai believed and oljcyod the vision, nor did any venture to interpose an objection to the performance of that which seemed a religious duty. He aro.se, and with nmch difliculty proceeded to the margin of the river. He paused for a moment at that romantic spot, which presents one of the loveliest land.scapes ever offered to the human eye. Perhaps he paused to contemplate the great river, which, rising in far distant lakes on the one hand, and rolling away to the ocean on the other, and washing far distant, and to him unknown, lands in its course, may have figured to him his own existence, the beginning and the end of which were equally beyond his comprehension. The fatal plunge was made, with imdauntcd courage, and doubtless with unaltered faith, and the deluded man awoke to the consciousness that he was deceived. The clear stream received and enclosed him in its cold emijrace, but no mysterious form met his eye, nor did any friendly voice impart the desired WAKECH\I. 205 secret. The limbs thiit should have been renovated, scarcely re- tained sufficient strength to enable the deluded sufferer to rise again into his native element; he regained the shore with difficulty, where he sunk exhausted, and being carried back to his lodge, died in the evening of the same day. Wakechai was a popular and respected chief, and wa.s a great favorite of the whites, who found him uniformly friendly, honest, and disj)osed to maintain peace between his own nation and the American peo])le. He was a person of steady mind, and may Ije regarded as one of the few statesmen of this little repul)lic who watched and reflected over its interests, and directed its affairs, while others fought its battles. His death was greatly regretted by his own people, and by the American residents of Rock Fsland. He was one of tlie delegation who accompanied General Clarke to Washington, in 1824, when his portrait was taken. SELOCTA. One of the most unhappy circumstances attending the late war between the United States and Great Britain, was its effect upon the Indian tribes residing witliin our limits. Tliat all of these tribes have grievances to complain of, there can be no question ; it would be impossible for two distinct races, dilfering so widely in character and in power, to iulmbit the same country without frequeut collisions, in whicli the weaker would generally be the injure 1 and oppressed party. We have said elsewhere, and we take pride in repealing, that the American nation and government have acted towards that unfortunate race with great magnanimity. The inten- tions of our people, and the oflicial action of our government towards them, has been decidedly benevolent; but irritating causes liave continually occurred to thwart the generous intentions enter- tained towards them ; dishonest agents have diverted the liberality of the government from its intended direction ; and the selfishness or violence of unprincii)led individuals have kindled hatred, jealousy, and bloodshed. Naturally prone to war, and habitually vindictive, the passions of the Indians are easily aroused, and those wlio have tampered with them, for sinister purposes, have ever l)cen but too successful in the accomplishment of their detestable ends. When the war of 1812 was about to break out, tlie Briti.sh govern- iricnt availed itself of the precarious relations existing between the American government and the Indian tribes within its bouniiaries; and the agents of lliat jiower traversed the whole frontier upon the ^^ (207) 209 BIOCiRAPIIY. fatal errand of discord. Tlic fainoiis Tooiiintlic was tlio missionary sont to oxcitc tlic Sontliorn Iribi-s, hy innaniniiitory liarang'iios and lavisli pniiiiiscs of assislaiice. IJrilics wvvc sfultorcil among tlicir mlhuMitiiil men, and tlieir prophets wore seduced to ntter predic- lioiis such as were hut too well calculated to misU'ad an ignorant and indammatory people. Inferior as the Indians were in numbers, and in all the elements of physical power — surrounded by the while jiopidation — and dejiendent as they were upon us for their very existence — we can iiardly conceive a more cruel project, than that which would lead lliem into a hopeless and ruinous contest with the only power which could !it pleasure protect or destroy them. The Creek Indians, the most powerful of the Soulliern tribes, were, on this occasion, dividetl into two parties, one of whicli adhered 1o the riiilcd States, and proposed to take no part in the expected war, while the other madly engaged in the conspiracy against tlieir own best intm-ests. 'J'lie latter were called Rcd.sfich, because, in preparing for hostilities, each individual armed himself with a war-club which was painted red. Tiie fu'st demonslralion of tiiis spirit betrayed itself in a series of murders and other outrages which were committed upon the white settlements, attended 1)}' tlie mo.st atrocious circumstances of savage cruelty. The massacre at Fort Mimms was the earliest act of open war. This was a frontier post, in the Mississippi territory, containing about one Inmdred and fifty men, under the command of Major Beasle}', liesides a number of women and children, who had lied to it for protection. Weatherford, a di.stinguislied chief of the hostile Creeks, having procured a supply of anununition from the Spaniards at Pensacola, and assembled a force of six or seven hundred warriors, surj)rised this i)lace on the 30th of Augu.st, 1812, and slaughtered nearlv three Inmdred persons, including women and children, in cold blood, and with every aggravation of delibe- raie crnelty. None were spared ; tlic mother and child fell under the same blow; seventeen individuals only escaped. SKI. OCT A. i»()!J The news of this unprovoked outnige carried terror and indigna- lion tlu'oiigliout the sontii-weslern iVoulii'r, and in all tlie neiylihor- iiig states the peo[)le llew to iirnis. In Tennessee, large Lodihs of gallant men volunteered llieir services, and Andrew Jackson, a citizen already distingnislied for liis abilities and patriotism in civil life, was placed at their head. It is not our ])urpose to follow this distinguished leader tlu'ough the perils, diHicullies, and euibarrass- ments of this war, to its brilliant victories and successful result. Among the Creek warriors who adhered to the United States in this war, and rendered efficient services in the field, were Chinnaby, a j)rin<'ipal chief of that people, and his son Selocta, the subject of this notice. The former occupied a fort on the Coosa river — a rude primitive fortress of logs, surrounded by a stockade, sucli as are conunonly resorted to in our Ijorder wars. Upon General Jackson's first advance into the savage territory, he was met by Selocta, wlio sought his camp to fight under his banner, and to solicit aid for liis father, wliosc decided measures had alread}- excited the vengeance of the war faction, by whose forces his fort was surrounded and threatened. From this time until the close of the Indian war, Selocta continued with our army, an intelligent and sagacious guide during its marches, and a lirave warrior and leader in battle. It was during this war, that the striking scene occurred between General Jackson and Weatherford, the leader in the atrocious butchery at Fort Mimnis. After a series of active hostilities, and several general engagements in which the Indians had been beaten, and their forces cut up and dispersed, a number of the chiefs of the hcstilc party sought the presence of General Jackson, and otfered submission upon his own terms. The victor treated them with clemency, admonishing tlieni to a pacific course of conduct for the future, but demanded as a preliminary to any amicable intercourse, tliat Weatherford should be delivered up to him. A few days afterwards, an Indian presented liimself at the camp, and desired to be conducted to the General, to whom he announced 210 UHXiilAIMIY. himself lis Wciitlicrfdnl. Tlic Amcricim •oinniniulcr expressed liis astoiii^liiiK'iit lliat mil! wliosc IiuikLs wen; stained u ilh an iiiluiiiiaii iinii'der of eaplives, slmuld daro to appear in his presence, know iny, as li(! must, lliat liis arrest had been ordered for tlie purpose of biin^^iiiLi liiiii to ptiiiislinient. Tiie undaunted chieftain replied, "1 am Ml \(iiii- power; do with me as yon please. I am a warrior. [ have done the while people all the liariu I could; 1 have fonylil them, and fought tliein iiri.velv; if I had any warriors left, I would still liyht, and I'oiileiid to tiie last. But 1 have none; my peoi)le arc uU gone; and now I can only mourn over the misfortunes of inv nation." Struck willi tlu^ magnanimity so nearly akin to his ow n high spirit, the General e.\j)lained to Ids visitor the terms upon whicli his j)eo])le might have peace, adding, thai lie should take no advantage of his voluntary .surrender, that he was now at liberty to remain and be ])ro1ec1ed, or retire, and reunite himself with the war J)arty; liut lliat, if taken. Ins life sliovdd pay the forfeit of his crimes. The undisma3-ed savngo, maint.aining the self-posse.ssion which distinguishes his race, replied: "I may well be addressed in such language now. There \mis a time when I i.ould have answered you ; I then had a choice, l)ut now I have none — even hope has ended. Once I could lead my warriors to battle ; but I cannot call the dead to life. j\Iy warriors can no longer lieiir my voice; their bones are at TaUadega, Talluschatchee, F/muckfaw, and Toho- peka. I have not surrendered myself without reflection. While there was a chance of success, I never left my ])ost, nor asked for peace. But my peo])le :ire gone, mid I now a.sk for peace for my nation and for in\'self I look back with sorrow upon the miseries and misfortunes brought upon my country, and wish to avert still greater calamities. Our best warriors arc slain, our cattle and grain arc destroyed, and our women and (diildren are destitute of ])rovisions. If I had been left to contend with the Georgia army, I would have raised my corn on o'lo l.);iid; of the river, and fought SRLOCTA. Oil tliciii (HI tlic iillicr ; liiit your pcuplc liuvc ilcslrttycil iii^- ii:ili(iii. You aro a liiMvi! iiiuii; 1 iv^ly on your gciusrosity. ^'(hi will cMict, lu) terms from a coiunicrcd iicople Ijiit siicli its tlic) (sliduld iicccpl ; wliatcvcr tlicy iiiay lie, il would lie iiuidiicss in us lo oppose tlieiu. If ;niy oppose tliem, you will find mo sicrii in ciiforcinLr ohcdieiico. 'I'lioNC who would still hold out, c;i i lie iiiduciicrd oul\ hv a spirit of rcvi'iin'c, and to this ihcy must not, iuid shall luit, sacrilii'i' the last remnant of their nation. You liavct told us where we must <''o, and he sat'e. 'i'his is a yood talk, and they onylit to listen to it. They shall listen to it." At the eoni'lusion of tlie war, a council was lield hy Cieiieral Jackson, at wliicli the chiefs and warriors of hoth factions of tlio Crocks attended, and the suhject of the removal of that ])eop]e to the lands assiifued them west of the Mississippi, was di.scu.ssed. A majority were opposed to the .scliemc, and several of the cliiefs dononncod it in l)old and clcKpicul languajre. The speech of the liiir A\'arrior on that occasion, has lieen (pioted as a line specimen of savaj^e elocution. Major Malon, in liis Life of General Jackson, from which wo liave ^athererl the jinM'cdinii' facts, after descri hi iijj; the speeches of some of the chiefs, adds, "l)Ut tlie inflexibility of the person with whom they were 1reatiny had all received new guns, ammunilion, and a variety of clothing. In the evening a messenger cnme to me to visit Colonel Dixon. I went to his t(>nt, in which were two other war chiefs and an interpreter. He received me with a hearty shake of the hand, and presented me to the other cliiefs, who shook my hand cordially, and seemed much pleased to see me. After I was seated, Colonel Dixon said: 'General Black Hawk, I sent for you to explain to you what we are going to do, and the reasons that have brought us here. Our friend, La Gutrie, informs us in the letter yon brought from him, what has lately taken place. You will now hold us fast by the hand. Your English Father has foiuid out that the Americans want to take your country from you, and has sent me and his braves to drive them back to their country. He has likewise sent a large quantity of arms and lunmunition, and we want all your warriors to join us.' "About the same time a deputation from tlio Sauk and Fox nation visited Washington, and on their return, reported that Presi- dent Madison had said to them, lliat, in the event of a war willi Great Britain, he wished them not to interfere on either side, but to remain neutral. H(! did not want their help, but wi.shed them to hiuit, and support their families, and live in peace." There seems to have been at this time a difference of opinion 21S HIOCHAl'IIY amoiif? these Indians, as to wliicli side they should take in the ap- proachinjx war. Individual chiefs may have had their predilections towards one side or the other; bnt most probably they hesitated onlv to ascertain which party would offer them the most advan- tageous terms. AVhen the war actually broke out, a large party went to St. Louis, and ofTercd the services of the tribe to the Ame- rican covcrnment. The offer was promptly declined, because our government had resolved that lliey would not employ the savages. A small party claimed ])rotection, and, separating from the nation, were sent to a new home provided for ihcm on the Missouri, where they still live; but the great body of the S;udvs and Foxes joined the British standard, and fought witli their troops during the war. An anecdote which Black Hawk relates a.s having occurred about this time, has probably many parallels in frontier history. A friend of his, who was old and crippled, had an only son, who had been adopted by Black Hawk, though he continued to live with his father. lie had called to see his old friend on his way to join the British. Their next tneetiuf was on his return, and is thus de- scribed: "We were in the vicinity of our village, when I discovered a smoke ascending from a hollow in the bluffs. I directed my party to proceed to the village, as I wished to go alone to the ])lace from whence the smoke proceeded, to sec who was there. I approached the spot, and when I came in view of the tire, saw a mat stretched, an old man sitting under it in sorrow. At any other time I would have turned a\vay without disturbing him, knowing that he had come there to be alone, to humlilc himself before the Great Spirit, that he might take pity on him. I approached, and seated myself beside him. lie gave one look at me, and then iixcd his eyes on the ground. It was my old friend. I anxiously inquired for his son, my adopted child, and what liail befallen our people. My old comrade seemed scarcely alive; he must have fasted along time. I liiihted my pipe and put it in his nioutli. He eagerly drew a few puffs, cast up his eyes, which met mine, and recognized me. His BLACK HAWK. 219 wyes were glassy; he would ngain have fallon off into forget fulness, had I not given him some water, which revived him." Tlio wretched man who was thus mourning in solitude, told the cause of his sorrow. Ili.s l)oy l:ad gone out alone to hunt. Night came, and he did not return. T'le ;i!armed ])arcnts passed a sleeples.s night. In the morning, the mother applied to tlie other lodges for assistance, and all went in pursuit of the ahsent boy. There being snow on the ground, they soon came upon his track, and after following it some time, found also the trail of a deer which he had been pursuing. The}' cruno to the place where he had stood and fired, and found a deer which had been skinned hanging u])on a branch of a tree. But here they found also the tracks oi ivliilc men. They had takeu the boy prisoner. Thi-ir tracks led acro.ss the river, and then down towards a fort ; and after following the footsteps for some distance, the boy was found dead. His body was shot and stabbed, and his head scalped ! Tiie mother died soon after, and tiie old Indian, left alone in the world, and, perhaps, destitute of the means of subsistence, hied him to a solitary' place to die. This recital exhausted his strength, and Black Hawk had onlv time to promise to avenge the murder of his son, when tlie eyes of the old man closed in death. Such arc the atrocities of border warfare — when national animosity becomes embittered by private injiu'ies; the invasion of dwellings, and the destruction of private jjroperty jilant the feeling of revenge deep in the heart, and one deed of violence is retaliated by another, until mercy and generosity are wholly forgotten. Shortly after this occurrence. Black Hawk, with a party of eighteen warriors, descended the Mississippi in canoes, and landed near Cap au Gris, in Illinois. They struck into the country, until they came to one of those rude fortrc.;.-rs of loirs, which the settlers of the frontier erect for their protection, near which they concealed themselves. Presently two white men, riding upon one horse approached, when the Indians tired and killed the horse and one 220 uioGUAPiiy. of the riders, while the other oscnpcd into tlic fort. The Indiiins rctrciitod, but were iinmediately pursued by a [)arty of mounted men, who surrounded tlieiu, ;uid forced them into one of tliose funnel-shaped cavities, which in this country are called sink-holes. Taking advantage of this position, the Indians threw themselves on the ground, and, being covered as 1)3- a breastwork, fired from the brink of the liole. The backwoodsmen were not to be thns foiled. A part of them retired, and soon returned with an ox-cart, the body of which was tilted so as to be nearly perpendicular, and pushing this moveable ramjiart forward to the edge of tlie cavity, they fired from behind it. Such was the ingenuity displayed nuitually, that but one man was killed on each side at this spot ; when, night coming on, the Americans retired to their fort, and the Indians retreated. The incident thus related 1)}^ Black Hawk in his autobiograj)hy, is substantially confirmed by a narrative repeated to us some years ago by one of tlie wliite men wlio was concerned in the afTair, and wlio is now an aflluent citi/en of Illinois. At the conclusion of the war between Great Britain and the United States, the Saux and Foxes made peace with the American government, and the latter soon after established a fort on Rock Island. The planting of a military post so near their principal village, was little relished Ijy this warlike community, nor did they willingly give up a beautiful island, which abounded in wild fruits, and was nuich frequented by tliem in the summer. They believed that a good spirit had the care of it, who lived in a cave in the rocks, immediately under the place where the fort was built. He is said to have been often seen by tlie Indians; and was white, with wings resembling those of a swan, but ten times larger. They were careful to make no noise in that pan of the island which he inhabited, for fear of disturbing him. He has never been seen since the building of Fort Armstrong, and is supposed to have been driven away by the din of the drums and cannon, or by the boisterous mirth of a licentious soldiery. BLACK HAWK. 221 A permanent peace was now established between these Indians and the Americans, -wliich has not since been intcrrupti-d by any general war. Hut many causes of dissatislaction occurred. I'lie facilities aflbrded to an intercourse with the whiles enabled the Indians to procure ardent spirits more frequently than in former times, and a train of evil consequences ensued. The treaty, by which the lands they still inhabited were ceded, was a subject of bitter reflection; and, as the settlements of the whites cxjjanded from year to year, they saw that the time was rapidly aj)j)roaching when they must abandon their j)leasantly situated village, and the delightful plains of Illinois. Collisions occurred between their hunters and the peoj)le of the frontier. The latter were in the habit of suiferiiig their cattle and hogs to roam at large in the woods and over the prairies, and when any of these animals were lost, the Indians were suspected — in most instant.'es, we think, nnjustly — of having stolen them. On one occasioii, when Black Hawk was hunting near the settlements, a party of white men seized him, charged him with having killed theii- hogs, and beat him severely with sticks. At another time, an Indiiui having discovered a hive of wild bees, cut down the tree for the piu'pose of taking the honey, and although trees were then considered of no value, but Mere consitantly hewed down by any wlio pleased, this unfortunate Indian was pursued, and rribbed of all the furs he had taken dur- ing a winter's hunting, luu'.er the pretence of compen.sation for the injury he was alleged to lu.ve connnitted. It is believed that Keokuk regarded these deeds of violence in the proper light, as the unauthorized acts of lawless individuals, who received no countenaacc from the American governn;pnt or people. This chief was non' at the head of his nation, and, althc ugh a distinguished warrior, his policy was pacilic, and his professions of friendship towards the Americans sincere. Black Hawk, w'.io viewed him with dislike and jealousy, was at the head of a f?.-.'tion called the "Britisli Band," who continued to make annual ' isits to 222 BIOGRAPHY. the British post at Maiden, where tliey made tlieir purchases, and received presents, while the majority of the tribe conformed to the regulations in rei^ard to tlicm made by the American goverimient, and traded at St. Louis. 'I'liis slate of things continued for about twenty years after tlie war, with but little alteration. In the mean while, the territory of Illinois had been formed into a state, and the settlements which had commenced in the soutiiern part of this deligiitful country, were rapidly extending to the north. The Sauks and Foxes still occupied the most desirable part of the state, and around their village in every direction was an immense districl of wilderness, over which they hunted. In the extreme north-western part of the state, at Fever river, a rich mineral region was discovered, and began to be occupied, and the flourishing town of Galena sprung into existence. We shall now turn our attention to the war in which Black Hawk acted a conspicuous part. By a treaty made in 1804, at St. Louis, between Governor Harrison, on tlie |)artof the United States, and certain chiefs of the united Sauk and Musquakee nation, the latter ceded all their lands in Illinois to the United States, under a reservation, however, contained in the following words : "As long as the lands wliich are now ceded to tlie United States remain their property, the Indians belonging to the said tribes shall enjoy the privilege of living and hunting upon them." This treaty was disclaimed hy the Sauk and Fox nation, as having been made hy persons who were not authorized to treat on that subject; but it was afterwards confirmed by the treaty of Portage des Sioux in 1815, and by another treaty made in 1810. The provision which allowed the Indians to occupy the ceded territory, occasioned no inconvenience so long as the settlements in Illinois were confined to the southern part of that state; nor would any have occurred, had the citizens of the United States been content to observe the simple and salutary regulations of their own laws. The statutory provisions for the protection of the Indians are BLACK HAWK. 223 numerous and ample. White men arc strictly prohibited from purohasiiii^r or occupying the lands of the Indians, and from entcrinir the Indian country, for any pnr[)Osc whatever, without a license; and the latter are only granted to a limited nund)er of traders. The lands of the Indians are, therefore, in the eye of tiie law, sacred from intrusion, and the two races are so separated as to prevent any contact or collision, wliich might be likely to disturb llie harmony of eitlicr ])arty. Not less guarded are the laws by which the lands of the government, previous to their conversion into private property, are protected from intrusion. "When a jjortion of die Indian territory is purchased, it becomes part of what is termed tlio public domain of the United States, and individuals are strictly ])rohibitcd from inhabiling, or in any manner occi.|)ying, or tres- passing upon such lauds, until tliey are regularly olfered for sale. The jjractice of the government has been to remove the Indians from the public lands previous to any measures being taken to bring them into market. A portion of the territory is then surveyed, divided into tracts of a convenient size, by lines corresponding with the cardinal points of the compass, and the lands are then olfered for sale. By these cautions enactments, the Indians are not oidy |)rotected in the enjoyment of their own lands, but, after having ceded them, the progressive steps by which the new population are admitted, oppose barriers, which, if not broken down by lawless violence, would effectually prevent the one race from crowding oppressively upon the other. Unhappily, however, these humane and wise provisions have l)een but little regarded ; and the greater number of our Indian wars "have been incited by the impatience of our own people to possess the hunting-grounds of the receding savage. The pioneers, or first settlers of our country, are a hardy, erratic, adventurous race, uniting the habits of the hunter and the farmer, and among tlu'in tlie desirw for new lands is a passicm as strong as it is univer- sal. They delight in the wilderness. A fertile vuiinhabited tract 29 8S4 UIUGRAI'IIY. combines the requisites wliirli they deem necessary to liappincss; !i virgin soil, fresh jukI liixuriiiiit, wliicli yields an uhuiidiiiil harvest without lalxirious culture — a wide raiii^o of natural pasture over which their cattle may roam at large — and a country stocked wntli game. Allured by such advantages, thousands of individuals are constantly in the practice of breaking through the wholesome re- straints to whieli we have alluded, and intruding, not oidv on tlie public domain, but the lands of the Indians. Having found a eiioico spot, the j)ioneer erects his cabin, as fearless of the law as he is reckless of danger from the savage or the wild brute, and takes (piiet possession, in the confidence that when the district shall be brouglit into market, an indulgent government will grant the right of ])rc-emj)tion to those who shall have settled within it in contra- vention of its laws, or, that those who shall lawfully enter the country at a future day for the purpose of becoming purchasers, will be generous enough to refrain from buying a tract already occupied, and on which the tenant lias expended his labor. How- ever unreasonaljle such calculations may secin, they have seldom proved fallacious. In the winter of IS'27, when the Sauks and Foxes were absent from their town on Koek river, engaged in hunting, some evil disjjosed persons, who were probably impatient to hasten their departure ^m the ceded territoiy, svl fire to the vacant lodges, of which al t.iit forty were consumed. The Indians made no attempt to resent this outrage, but on their return quietly rebuilt t^.eir deso- lated village. In the following year, six or seven fami'ie.s of whites moved out and settled upon a choice tract of land adi Miiing the village. At that time, nearly the entire northern lialf of Illinois was a wilderness, with a few scattered settlements thinly dispersed, at distant j)oir,ts, none of which were within fifty miles of Rock Island. There was, therefore, no reason founded upon necessity or inconvenience, nor any limitation of choice which confined the selection to that particular spot; millions of acres, untrodden by BLACK HAWK. 'i22r, the fiiot of civili/ed ?ii;ni, ;uiil l)Io{miiii" cntcd. Not a blow was struck. I'he Indians, after resting days in their village, pursued their march towards the coui.icy of the Potawatimies, without concealment or violence. Notwithstanding their merciless rule of warfare, which spares no foe who may fall into their hands, however helpless, tliey passed the isolated cabins in the wilderness, without offering tlie slightest outrage to the defenceless inhabitants, '['he property of the settlers, ininiders upon the lands of these very Indians, remained untouched. Travellers between St. Louis and Ctalena proceeded singlv, or in small parties, through a ^\•ild region, now the reputed seat of war, without molestation, wliile an army was on its march to the frontier, ;uid the newspapers were filled with reports of an Indian war in all its " pomp and circum- stance." Matters did not remain long in this condition. A bat- tuHon of mounted militia, which hat! been sent in advance of the army, falling in with five or six Indians, who were approaching them with pacific signals, unhappily captured and put to death all except one, wlio made his escape, bearing the news of tlie slaughter of his conu"ades to the Indian camp, which was near. Black Hawk, who alleges that he was euffaured in entertaining some visitors with a dog feast, immediately planned an ambuscade, into which the militia were enticed. On receiving the fire of the Indians, they became panic-struck, and fled in great disorder, with the loss of about fourteen men. Tlie Indians, finding tiiat tlie war was commenced in earnest, now determined to do all the mischief in their power. Dividing BLACK HAWK. 231 tlieir little force into numerous p;u1ics, they struck into tlio settle- nieuts, wliicli, at that time, were thinly scattered over an immense region of frontier, hurninjj the huts of the selthrs, and slaughter- iiig such as fell in their way. In tlie course of a few wccli.s, tliey committed much bloodshed and destruction. The whole state of Illinois became greatly excited. Two thousand additional militia were ordered out, and the citizens of every jjrofession or calling were eager to participate in the campaign. Il uould be imj)ossilj]e for those who have never witnessed such scenes, to realize the state of public feeling which ])ervaded the country at that period. Tlie greater portion of the ])opulation of Illinois were emigrants iVom the older western states, and had either e.vperienced the horrors of Indian warfare, or were the immediate descendants of those who had seen and felt the atrocities of savage barbarity. They had liccn accustomed from infuicy to hear of the midnight conllagration and the slaughter of women and children, and to regard the Indian with fear and hatred. They thought of the red man only as one vihose hand was ever ready to slu^l innocent Ijlood ; and there were few who could not tell of some friend or relative whoso hearth-stone had been desolated by the tomahawk. Although man}' years had rolled on in peace, and a new generation had grown up, the feuds of the border were not forgotten. With such feelings, tlie whole population rose at the first alarm, and so pojndar was the war, that it was hardly creditabhi tor any able-bodied man to remain at home. I'armers, lawyers, ])liysicians, mercliants, civil officers of every grade and department, were among the volunteers; and especially were all gentlemen who had any asj)iration for jiolitical preferment, eager to signalize; thiinselves in this field. The ])lan of our work would not authorize a detailed account of this war. It is enoutjh to say, that the little band of Black Ilawk were soon com|)('lleil to lly bi'lbre the inimenso force arrayed against them, directing tlieir course north and west over the unin habited waste lying Ijolwceu the head waters of Rock river and the 30 232 BIOGllAPIIV. Mississippi. Tlic army pursued willi ardor, but under many dis- advantages. Alllunigh the country was level and open, the Indians being tlic smaller party, were enabled to elude tlieir pursuers, while the armv, too numerous for the service allotted Uiem, and encumbered wiUi wagons, moved with heavy steps. After several weeks' laborious marching, and some skirmishes in which gallantry was displayed on both sides, the Indians were overtaken on the shore of the ]Mi.ssissi[)pi, near the mouth of a stream called Bad A.x;e, and nearly the whole |)arly shiin or captured. Black Hawk was among the few who escaped ; but he A\as delivered, a few days after, to General Street, the Indian agent at I'rairie du Chien, by two Winnebagoes. Thus ended a war instigatLd by a i'cw indi- viduals to forward their own sinister views, but which cost the government more than two njillions of dollars, besides needles.sly sacrificing many valuabi" lives. ]5u1 while we condemn the begin- ning of this coiit(-st, we would award credit to those who aftcrwanls became engaged in it. However nnjustly a war may be brought about, it becomes the cause of our Cv)untry whenever hostilities have connnenced, and lionor should be awarded !o the citizen who draws his sword to repel an armed fie from our borders. In the s])ring of i^'Vi, several of the captive leaders of the hostile band were conducul to Wa.shington. Among the.se was the Proj)het, who was su])[)osed to have been the chief plotter, Noopope, who was the active military leader. Black llawk and his son, a fine looking young man, who was facetiously called by some of the editors of the day. Tommy Ilawk. On their arrival at the Federal city, they were admitted to an audience with the President, to whom Bhu.-k Hawk, on being presented, said, "I am a man, you are another." Being informed by President Jackson that it was intended to hold them captive until the treaty made with General Gaines should be complied witli, the Prophet made a speech, in which b(> remonstrated against this decision, and Black Hawk, after giving a history <.f the causes of the war, con- HLACK HAWK. 233 chidod u Ioiinuce liis intmtioii; and at noon, the following da}', the dull, nioiiotondus sound of the Indian drum proclaimed the approach of tlie chief lie led the cavalcade, with two large canoes lashed togetlier, and sliadiul by a canopy, under which, with his tlinc wives, Ik^ sat in state. Ahout twenty canoes followed, each containing six or eight l)raves, who siuig their wild songs as they ])\m\ tlie paddle. They asceiKk'd the river slowly until they came abreast of tlie fort, and then landed on the riglit l)ank, where tliey remained about two hours, engaged in painting themselves, and arranging their dresses. They tlien crossed the river, and, on landing, Keokuk said to liis followers, "The fireat Sj)irit has sent our brothers back; let us shake hands in friendsliip." On reaching the spot where Dlack Hawk and his comiianions were encamped, they found these nn- fortunate braves seated in front of their tent, silent and motionless, as if absorbed in sorrowful relied ion — tloubtful, perhajis, of the reception that awaited them. Keokuk e.xtcMided his hand to Black Hawk, and then to the rest of the newly returned party, without speaking; his followers imitated his example; the .salutation was reciprocated with apparent cordiality, and then the wlioh? comj)any seated themselves on the ground. No one sjioke, each waiting until the chief should l)reak the silence. After an interval of fifteen minutes, Keokuk asked ]31ack Hawk how long he had been on the road, adding that he had been expecting him, and was on the way to meet him when lie heard of his arrival. I'ipes were then introduced, and a general conversation ensued; afti^r which the parties separated. Black Hawk and his jiarty remaining in their camp at Fort Armstrong, while Keokuk with his li;ind returned to the western shore of the river, where they spent the night in singing and dancing. A council was held the next day, in a large room in the fort Keokuk came, attended by a hundred braves, decked in their 336 BKXJRAPIIY. savage finery, and singing their wild songs, iinlil ihoy reached the fort, whicli they entered in silenee. Keokuk seated hinisell" with Pashepidiaw on one side, and Wapellu on the other. The hraves Silt behind, and maintained a profound silenee during tlie wliole interview. Biaek Hawk with liis [larty entered afterwards, and Mere seated opposite, facing the rest of the tribe. 'I'iie ehiefs rose and sliook iiands with iheni. IMack Hawk and his son appeared dejeeted; tliey had unwillingly consented to attend this eouneil, whieh to them could be no oilier than a scene of pidilie humilialion. He had parted from his ])eople in anger and rebellion, stigmatizing them as cowards, and heaping, especially nixni Keokuk, the iiiosl al)usive ejiithets, because they would not rashly plunge into a w!i,r with a nation which could crush them at any moment. Keokuk had |u-edicted the event of such a contest, and Black Hawk, who had broinrht it on his followers by imprudently entering the country of an incensed enemy, now stood liefore his jieople a ruined man, owiiitr his life to the cleinency of his captors — his reputation for prudence and conduct blighted, his followers nearly all slaughtered, his lonix-nursed scheme of superseding Keokuk blasted for ever. Major Garland was the first to speak, lie expressed his grati- fication at the friendly reception which had l)een extended to Black Hawk and his companions, and hoped that the nation would now live at peace. He reminded them of a speech made to the prisoners by the President, in which the red men were dissuaded from war n-yl domestic broils, and caused that address to be interpreted at full length. Keokuk arose and said, " The heart of our Great Father is good; he has spoken like the father of many children. The (Jreat Spirit made his heart big in council. We receive our brothers in friendship; our hearts are good towards them. They once listened to bad advice, now their ears are closed against evil counsel. I give them my hand. When they .shake it, they shake the hands of all. I will sliake hands with them, and then I have done." BLACK HAWK. 237 They wero tlion told by Miijor (iiirland llial the President con- sidered Keokulv the i)riiiri|)id cliicl" of the nation, and drsircil lie shouhl he acknowledtied as snch; ii(> expected IMack Hawk Movdd listen, and eonforni to this arranircini'iit ; he hojied the dissensions in tile trihe would cease, that he should hear no more of two hands, but that all would unite in living together as one nation. From some mistake of tlie interpreter, JMack Ilawk iniderstood that lie was ordered to submit to tlie advice of Keokidv, and Ijccame greatly excited. Losing all eonnnand of himself, he arose, trembling with anger, and exclaimed, "I am a man — an old man. 1 will not obe}- the coun.sels of any one! I will act for myself — no one sludl govern me! lam old, my hair is gray. I once gave counsels to young men — am I to lie ruled l)y others? 1 shall .soon go to the (ircat Spirit, where I sliall be at rest! \\ hat 1 said to our Great Father at Washintiton, I say again — I will listen to him. I am done !" This address caused a momentary excitement throughout the a.ssemblage. It was an imusnal de])arlur(! from the decorum wliich ordinarily ])revails in an Indian council; and was not expected from so old a man — still less from one who had recently be(Mi severely ])unished for givin.ij way to his passions, 'i'he oil'ensive remark was explained : he was told that the President had not commanded, but advised him, to submit himself to the chief of his peo])le. He made no reply. His galled spirit h;id been touched; he liad tiiven loose to feelings which had long been restrained, and he now sat in moody silence. Keokidv, in a low tone, said to him, '■\\'liy do you speak thus before white men? You trembled — you did not mean what you said. I will speak for you." The okl man consented, and Keokuk arose : "Our brother, who has lately come back to us," .said he, "has spoken, but he s]K)k(^ in anger. His tongue was forked. He did not speak like a man, like a Sauk. He felt that his words were bad, and trembled like a tree whose roots have been washid by many rains. He is old — let us forget what he said. He savs he 238 DIOCHAI'IIY. (lid not iiicMii it. He wislics it I'or^rottcii. \\ li;it T liiivc said art' liis words, iidt iiiiiio. I. lit us say liiat our hrDliicr siiokc iu cnuucil to-dav, !Uid tliat his words were j^uod. 1 iiavc siiokcu." Conciliatory rt'Uiarks were luado by Culoucl J)uvrii|ior1, \\\i' coiuiuandiuij odiccr at Itock Island, and by Major (Jarlaud, alter uliicli J}lack Hawk n'i|U('s1fd, that if his words had lii'cu written ' n to him, and attempted to enter at a window, hut was mot hy his amiai)!e parent, who stood prepared to defend her castle against the unknown intruder, armed with a tough and well seasoned stick, with which she was wont to stir lier hominy. He was, of course, compelled to retreat, I)ut soon after succeeded in eflfecting, at some other point, a practicable lireach, hy which he entered, and was immediately recognized and cordiallv welcomed hy his mother. After remaining at home but three months, he accompanied another party, -am posed of about fifteen hunters, to tlie Red river, wlio, being unsuccessful, .soon returned. During their absence, another party near for the onset, tiie finest animals were selected, and the huntiMs f the huntiM". I{eturnin<_'', loaded w itii the sjioils of the chase, be nnist again trace his long, and weary, and soli- tary route, through the haunts of open foes and faithless friends, uncertain whom to trust, or what changt>s the revolution of seve- ral niontlis mav liavc elicited in the relations of liis trilie. And he nachi's his hom(^ at last, after a series of almost incredibh; dangers and hardships, with the acquisition of a few skins, whi(di are exchanired for a bottle of whisky, and a supply of g\ui|iowder, and, haviu'j enjoyeil a brief revel, and a lonu; rest, is driven fortli again li\ nec(>ssitv, or the love of a vagrant life, to encounter a repetition of ihe same .savaije vicissitudes. 268 BiOGRAPlIY. Soon after the return of 'I'ahclu'o, a Cherokee woman was killotl by the Osaifcs, jind, I 'iiig the daiighlcr of an aged Ibniale, wlio had no male relatives to rovciigi! ihc murder, the bereaved motlicr came to him in deep distress, and, with tears in iicr vycs, bcsonght him to liecome tlie avcngor of the iiijnry. lie complied willi the request, and, liaving raised a war part\-, k'd tliem agsHnst the enemy, nor did he return without bringing witli liim a sulfi- cient niiml)er of bloody trophies to satisfy tlie mourning relatives of the deceased. After a brief but active war, peace was again established between the belligerent parties — if that can be called a peace, which may be interrupted by the bail passions of any individual who may clioosc to gratify his propensity for stealing horses, or shedding liuman blood, regardless of the vengeance which is sure to follow, and of the war into which his misconduct is certain to plunge his trilie. The treaty n\i\i\c by the United States with the Cherokces, in the year 1S2S, gave great dissalisfiiction to many of that tribe, and was so offensive to Tahchce, thai he det(>rmined to abandon the country. On this occasion, our friend Dutch removed to Red river, where ho resided three years, when he emigrated to Bowles's settlement, ill Tevas. A year afterwards, he went witli a war |)arty against the Tawakanak.s, of whom lifty-five were killtnl, and their village ilestroyed, while but five of Taiichee's party were slain, lie next returned to Red river, on whoso banks, near the junction of the Kiamiska, he lived tiinu! years, continuing to luaki; war uj)on liie O.sages. The government of the I'liited States having, in various treaties with the Indian tribes, stipulated ihit they should live in ])pace, and having undertaken to interpose their authdrity, if neces- •sary, for the preservation of harmony, had forbidden this war between the Cherokees and Osagis, and, as Tahchce was now an active partisan leader, he was admonished to discontinue his j)redu- TAIICIIEE. 2C9 tor}' career. Pcrscvcriiiijr in a coiirsc of iiivclerate linstility, when most of the leaders of lii.s trilx; had coiisenled to a peace, the com- iTiaiidinif oflicer of llie Aiuericaii army, for that district, offered a reward of five huiKh'eil dollars for his capture. Intelligence of this offer was conveyed to Tahehee by soirie of liis friends, who souglil to ])revail on him to lly ; but it served oidy to make him more desperate. To show his utter contempt of this mode of seeurinjr liis caj)ture, he .started in the direction of the fort, and, approachiniT a trading-house near the moulh of the Neosho, at which were .some Osages, he sprang in among them, and, within hearing of the drums of the fort, killed and scalped one. With his rille in one hand, and the bleeding trophy in the other, he made for a precipice near by, and, as he sprang from it, a rifle ball grazed his cheek — but he made his escape in safety to Ked river, where he received a message from the Indian agent of the United States, and Colonel Arbuckle, the commanding olhcer, inviting him to return; lie at iirst declined, but on being informed that it was the wish of his Great Fatlicr, and a.ssurcd that the offer of a reward was recalled, he buried the tomahawl:, and came back. In one of the late expeditions of a portion of our army, Dutch was cho.sen, by the commanding olhcer, to accompany it. To his accu- nite knowledge of the country to be traversed, he added the skill of the hunter. Uc went, therefore, in the twofold capacity of guide and hunter. His services, on this occasion, were of incalculable vahie. lie literally fed the troops. \o man knew better than he uiiere to fnid the buHalo, ho\.' to capture him, and from what part of his IkxIv to cut the choicest pieces. To thu rile and in- clement .shores of Lake Superior, where a ])orti(in o<' them now derive a precarious subsistence by (IshinLr and huntin;.,'', wiiile the remainder have emisrrated to the far west. On" of the most celebrated of all the northern Indians was Pontiac, tlie head chief of this tril)e, whose daring exploits, and able oppiwition against the early British settlements on the lakes, are too well known to require re])etition in tliis pl;ice. Ilt^ lived on tlie south bank of the river St. Clair, al)ove Detroit. His son Ti.s.son, with a \mv\. of the tribe, lived on tiie lands at the junction of the Maumeo with Lake Erie, since, and perliaps before, the revolutionary war. Ti.sson le(l iiis people in nn ex[)edition against the post of Vincennes, about the tim(> of tlie first .setth-ment of Kentucky. The Indians were defeated; and the chief, with a number of his warrior.s, were taken |)risoners, and senteiieed or threatened to be shot, according to the usages of retaliation toyes a dark gray, and liis lips prominent. Ho was allalilc, court(^ous, and hospitalile in his intcrcour.sc! with the whites, but dignified, firm, and somewhat reserved in bis manners towards his lands of this baud of the Ottawas, with a vi(;w to their removal to the west, he received twenty-five huiulred dollars ibr his proportion, after which he became profuse in his expenditures. He had two wives, who lived totrether in perfi'ct harmony. Our intelligent corn^spoiideiit adds, " He, and this braneh of the tribe, have moved over the Missi.ssippi, to the lauds appropriated for them by the government. ^Mien about leaving his inheritance, he ap- peareil sometimes tliouLrbtful, but neither expressed hope, nor joy, nor regret. Near the time of his (!e|)ar1ure, I oliserved him stand- ing in the ]iviiicip;il street of the tow u we liad laid out on a part of their council-grniiud and iuirial-pl.ice, with his .arms folded on his KAN A I' I MA. 26:} breast, lookinj^ on the liiiid, tlu; river, and tlio ha}-, willi ihat deep composure of foutures wliicli tlio Indian so comnionly preserves, hnt wliich is so diflieult to describe, for the closest ohserver conld not discover in his countenance the indicalion of a siny;lu passion that moved in his breast." The larger portion of the Ottawas dwell in the province of Upper Canada. At the commencement of the war lictwcen the United States and Great Britain, the Canadian Ottawas joined the ]?rilish, and were received inio service, and thev retpiired the bands residiuLf within the American i)0un{Iaries to repair to the same standard. The latter ' et it is a fact, that not a single individual of this race in North America, amoii'.r the many who have been educated, and the still larger nuniljcr who have iieeii converted to Christianity, has ever become; a minister r upon whom this experiini'iit was tried, and they w(>ro aeconlingly seal to Koine in I8:3'i, to ])riis(ciite tlieir studies in the Propaganda V'h\o. After remauung there about two vears. M iccoda H iiinasee i lied. aiK Kanapiiiia immediately afterwards returiird to this <'ouiitiv, became the (diief of his trili(\ and resumed tlu^ costume and liaiiits of his people. His manners have much of the case and poli.sh of civil lite l)Ut his feeliniis, his allectioi IS, and his opinions hav< resunuid their nati\e channels. In the latter part of ISUo, lie conducted a parlv of his tribe to Washington city, and was one KA NAP IMA. 265 of those who were spi-cially iippuiiitcHl by tho OUavvas lo iiiukc a treaty. The aH'cctiii^f circuinstanco of tlic dciitli of tlio yoim^f Ottawa Btiideiit at Uoiiic, lias hcoii roiiimoiiioratcd in the; followiiiy beauti- ful lilies by the Ilev. Eduarcl J'liicill, of Ciiiciiinali. ON THF-: DEATH OF MACCODA BINNASKK, AT ROME. Till' morning breaks. .See iiuw the glorious .sun, Slow wheeling from the .sea, new lustre sheds O'er tlie soft climes of Italy ! 'I'lic flower That kept its perfume through the dewy nigiit, Now breathes it forth again. Hill, \ le, and grove, Chid in rich verdure, bloom, and from the rock The joyful Wiiters leiip. Oh! meet it is Tiiat thou, hiiperiul Kome, should lilt thy head, Deeked with the triple crown, when cloudless skies And lands, rejoicing in the summer sun. Rich blessings yield. Hut there is grief to-fci To hope, to pray, to mourn. " No marble here shall rise ; But o'er thy grave I'll teach the forest tree To lift its glorious head, and point to thee, Rejoicing in llie skies: " And when it feels the bree/e, I'll think thy spirit wakes the gentle sound; Such was nur father's thought, when all around Shook the old forest leaves. " Dost thou forget tlie hour When first we heard the Christian's hope revealed. When fearless warriors felt their bosoms yield Beneath Almighty jiowerr KANAi'I.M A. " Then tnillis came o'er us fnst Wliilst on the iiiDiiiiil \]\f Mi.s>i()iiiuj stoo'!, Anil lliri)ii(r|i iliL' list'iiiiii,' .silence of the wuoil His words, like spirits, piusseil. "And (ill! liiiiNt thou liicn ,>-|iiiitil, We (oo Um\ j,'one to l-icss liiu riiilicrliinil, Tip s|irca(l rich stores iuoiind, ;iiiil, U.iwi m li.ui I, K;ii'li holy hdicir sliiircd. " Um licit' thy relics lie, Where Nature's Ihiwcrs .shall bloom o'er Nature's child, Where ruins stretch, and classic art lias )iiled Her monuments on hij^h. "Sice]) on, sleep iiencerul here; The traveller from thy iiall-e land will claim this sjioi, And rtin^f life, and impose tlie most distressi !!;,•■ iiurdeiis on the weak'M" .sex. '\'\w Chit tl th ppeway, or, as tney iironouiice tlieir own name, tlie Ojilnnnj nalioii, is seatli'reil aloiii,'' the bleak sliores of oiir north-western lakes, over a rei.noii of barren plains, or dreary swamps, which, dnrin covered with snow and ice, and arc, at all times, desolate and nniiivitiii>r. 11 ere the wretched Indian ideans a precarious sii bsist eiii'e at on<> se.-ison bv ifatlieriii'j the wi Id ri ce in the rivers and swamps, at another bv lisii Mil! and a third liv inintiii;^. l.cinii' interval^ however, occur when these resources fail, and, wh(>ii exposed to absolnte and hopeless want, the conraufe of the w.arrior and the iiiifemiitv of tlie hunter sink into despair. The woman wlio, diirini; the .season o|' pjcntv, was worn diuvn with the laiior o( fnl- jowiiilf the hunter to the chase, carryiiiLT the name and dressiii<„f the food, now becoiii''s the jinrveyor of tlic family, roamintr the CJCII) 270 BIOdUAlMIY. forest ill soarcli of borrics, I)iirrmviiir, the fui^itives from tlu^ Indi.-n Irilies resliiin dis- all'ccted. Thev fnuiid here some small remnants of tlie Vema.sses, (iiic(> a powerful and warlike people, whose name occurs frerpiently in tlie earlv hi.storv of South Carolina and (Jeor;.Ma. Kxhaiisted bv fierce and lonu;-coiitiiined wars with the Creek Indians, as well as the English colonists, they sougiit refuffe in the hammocks of 36 ■••iTl) 272 nroGiiAi'HY. Florida, wlicni tlio Seiniiuili's a.ss:iiK's, there is one inevitable result- hoove r may be in foih, or whatever mav be the character of the ipiarrel, the whites and the Indians resjicctively espouse opposite sides, and pr pa.'e tor the la.-.t rr>ort. 'The leaders on both sides may be disjJOsiHl to eoiiciliatt, but there are always indivnluals in either 274 BlO'oUAI'HY. party, wlio, at smli a jiuiotiire, isci/.i- tlio occasion to plunder, and to slicd blood, an.! thus brin^f on a war. Tlicrc' is, tlicn, but oni) alternative, on llio part of our ffovcrnnjeiit, wiiicli is to separate tlic belligerenis hy the removal oi' one party, an 1 the Indians, being the weakest, must cmij^rate. After years of disturbance, and tlie commission of numiierless acts of violence by individuals on both sides, it became necessary that some measure should be adoptecl to prevent a jL^eiieral war; and, on tlie ilth of May, IS-i'-i, (.'olonel Gadsden, a connnissioner on the ]iarl of llie I iiited Slates, met the 8enunoles in council at a place called Payne's Landin^^s and ell'ceted a treaty, liy wliiili the Seminoles ceded all their country lo the United States, in exchange for lands to be assioiied them west of the Mississippi; pruvideil, that on examination by a committee of tlieir chiefs, they should approve the lands offered tliem. Tiie cxandnation was made, and the cliiei's, l)einy others governor of tjic ScMuinoles. VVi' [irel'er the title of cliief, as we do not find in the ojlice of head man, any diil'erenee between tliis and any <»tli<'r Indian nation, nor do we disco\'er in any of them tiie slighti'si, resemblani.-e to the state or authority i>f a king. Tiiose goifrmnents, so far as tliey can bi! termeil such, are military and republican, and tin; leader mingles with nis i>eopl«> oil terms of the luiiit perfect efjuality, except when actin*^ ofTicially. MICANOPY. 376 Kii!!f I'ii)iio, \\w (lovernor,"' and the " Pond Governor. " Mi("uiopv \^■as ainnnu^ tiioso who, from the he'^iuninu;, opposed tlie \iews of our j.jovernment in ri'hilion to the removal of his peopli!. H(! iloes not appear to have bi^en a man of much activity or enterprise, !)ut, in ri'ijard to this matter, lie remained firm, in * consecpience, perhaps, of tht! intluence of .Vssiola and others, who eonstaiitlv ur<4ed liim lo adhere to his purpose. At a council with the Seminole chiefs, held liy (ienend Wiley 'riiompson on the 'J-Jd of April, \<^^'^, Micanojiy boldly opposed the agreements of the aj^ent, and objected to the removal of his ])eo]ile. TIk! rie.xt dav, when the council reassembled, lii^ was ai).sent, and General I'liompson was informed that the chief was sick; but this was considered as a subterfui^e, and as an indication that he was not disposed to listen to any further discussion of a qnestion which lie had settled in his own mind. A veteran chief, poke I.uste llajo, who had always a'reat e.xcite- ment must have existed amonij them — for thi' liidiaiis are re- iiiarkal)le for tlieir decorum in council, ami I'or the patience with which thev listen to the speakers, to interrupt whom is considered a llagrant breach of good manners. The writer of " The War la ~l 276 BIOGRAPHY. Florida, by a lute StufT Ollicir, " I'idiu wliose pages we coni[»ilu tlieso facts, adds: "III coiisi'(|iicii('(.< of llif l)(il(l and manly di'daratUui i)f tlio cliitf Foko Liisto liajo, fi^lil of tlie princijial cliiifs of tlic nation, anil eight sub-chiefs, advanced and signed the article, (allirniing the treaty of I'ayni^'s Landing.) Five of the principal chiefs remained opposed, vi/: .Micanopy, Jnm|>er, llolato Mieo, Cou llnjo, and Arpincki. The former cliiet", as Ix-fore minlioned, was absent, and, as tiie agent knew that Micanopy controlleil the movements •if many of them, he di'manded of jumper, "whetlier Micaiio()y intended to aljide by the treaty or not .'" And when Jumper linally eonli'ssed that he was authorizeil to .-ay that Micanopy ilid not, the a;'". it promptly declared, that he. no longer considered .Micanoj)y as cliief ; tliat his name sliould be struck from tlic council of the nation ; that lie shoidd treat all who acted like him in the like man- ner ; and that he woidd neither acknowledge nor do business witli him, nor with any otlier as a chief, who did nut honestly comply with the leriiis of his eiigag(^ments; that tlie door was, however, still open to them, if tliey wished to act honestly, in conse(pience of this, the names of the above five op|)osing tain Frazer's companv ]}. :td Infantry, of fifty men each, with eight ollici'rs, having with tliem ten days' provisions, and a light si.x-pounder. A nolilo display of disinterested gallantry atteiuled the setting out of this party. Major Dade was iicil originally detailed for duty \Mtli this detachment, to make, up which, his own company had in'eii trans- ferred to those of Gardiner and Frazer. The st.-rvice was coii- sidereil dangerous in tlie, liigiiest degree, as it was probable the Indians would attem)ii to cut oil' the detachment, 'i'lie wife of Captain Gardiner was exceedingly ill at Fort Brooke, and it was feared that if he then left her, she would die; but he could not be prevailed uj)on to reliiupiish the command, and, after making vwiy preparation, mounted liis horse, and placed hin.self at the head 278 BIOGRAPHY. of lliL' j>iiity. At tliis iiioiiii'iit, Major Dado voluntarily projiosud to take lli( placi' ol' liis iVinid Captain Gardiiior, and Major Jlclton, tlio coniniaiidm^f olIiciT, acrcjited the ollrr. Dade niountfd ids liorso and took tlir coniiMaiid, (.Jardini r rt'lircd to llio sirk idiand)er ol" Ids will', and tiio j^'aliant lilUu party niovcd oil'. Jlcloro tlicy had jirococdt'd far, Captain (.iardincr ascertained thai a transjiort Kcliooner was on tin; evt; of departure for Key U est, where Mrs. Gardiner's father and iddldren then were, and she consented to ^'o there and K^avo him at lil)erly to join ids company. Slie wius ac- eiirdinyly placed on hoard the transport, and he resumed his post in tlie ill-i'ati'd expedition, while Didc, unwillinjr now to give up the cdiiiiiiaml, ri'iaaiiuMJ with it. A series of untoward circimistances attemled tlu! ni;u'ch. The oxen that ilrew tlie fuld-piece broke down early in tlie fir.st day, and tlie foniniannt liu; enemy, snrroumiini,' the little breastwork, sliot down every man who attempted to work tlie j^uii, and soon rendered it useless, (lallantly did these heroic men defend tiiemselves and maintain tlie liimnr of tiieir lla^ ; liut, mcr- powercd liy nundicrs, ami fii^lilini.; under e\try disadvantaife, tiiey fell, one by one, without the prosp(!ct of any eliaiifje of fortune At lenLj;lh the ammunition uave out, the Indians iiroke into the enclosiu'c, and e\erv man was either killed or so hadiv \\'ounded as to 1)1! ineaiiahle of resistance. The work of iiavoc done, the dead were plumlercd, and the Indians relrcateil; then came a party of nt'irroes, u ho de.soatched and muldatcd all who showed .siiins of lite. Three persons only cscaj)ed to tell the story ol this dreadful massacre Mr. Cohen, ii .f .M I his '• Xolice.s of Florida,*" |.qves the t'ollowin^' I icanopy '•T d description ^ro.ss statnn is bloated anil cariiuncled, eyes heavy and d like his person, ('oiniiel (iadsdcii told mc, le ( i(.\ernor is of low, stout, am what IS called lo;.4i;y in his iiio\ements — bis lace and w illi a .nind I'ayne's Landin^r^ after haviii)^' (loiihlc rations, he comj)lained lA' ^litrri/ii/. |[e reminds ine of the Inrroes of the Trojan war, who could eat u|) a whole lamb, or half a calf lie owns a hundred uejfroes, and a large ip (ioveriior' Ins two wives, •r a half breed neitn^ss. She! stoe one k of eatlli' aiii liorses. 'J a V{!ry pretty sipiaw, and liie IS the uirliest ol all U'dv woint Hi reca lis tl 10 itnaife o f n omnie, of the Frisktl Head, in i'auMiny's Koningsmarke. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V /. A 4. f/, fc ^ 1.0 U^|2^ 12.5 ■^ 1^ 12.2 *- .. lll'-8 1.4 III ,.6 I.I 1.25 ^ — — — ■ 6" ► V] <^ '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation ;V m fV \\ "% V «^ 6^ ''■^'% ^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, Nf. 14580 ( " > fr ) B/i-4503 A^ ii^-,A^iSuj ^.^i /i: '■] -4 OPOTHLE YOIIOLO. The last homes of the Creek Indians, on the eastern side of the Mississippi, was in Oieorgia and Ahibaina, from whicli, in con- formity with tlie provisions of a treaty witli tlie United States, made in 1S32, they emigrated in 1530-7. Tliey were divided inio what were called the Upper and Lower towns, the former of whicli were situated upon the banks, and among tlie tributaries of the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers. Over these towns the Big Warrior was chief, urder whom Opotlde Yoholo held the rank of principal coimcillor, or speaker of the councils, over which he presided with great dignity. His influence was so great tint the questions sub- mitted to the council were generally decided according to his will, for the Indians, considering him as the organ of tlieir chief, sup- posed he only spoke as he was directed. The great council-house of the Upper towns was at Tuckabatchee, where the Big Warrior resided, and near which was the rcsiihMire (,f Opotlile Yoholo. We have, in the biography of Mcintosh, pointed out the singu- larly embarrassing circumstances in which the Creeks were placed at this time. The United States, hy a compact made with Georgia, wh.-n the limits of that stale comprehended the territory which' afterwards was formed into the state of Alabama, became bound to remove all the Indians within tlie boundaries of Georgia, whenever it could lie done peaceably. To comply with this engagement, and to fulfil a benevolent policy, having for its object tlie civiliza tion of the Indians, and tlie securing to them a permanent home, the United States set ap.-irt a fertile and extensive tract of wilder (2S1) 2S2 BIOGKAPIIY. iioss, beyond the Missisjsi])))!, upon wliicli they proposed to settle the several remnants of tiibes that still lingered within the statcjs, and were becoming demoralized and destroyed by contact witii a race with w liom they could not amalgamate. Uuluippily, some ol' the tribes were not willing to emigrat(;, and among them the Creeks. The pledge of the government to remove them, although qualilied by llie condition, " when it could be ]),'aceably elfected," was } el to bo at some time redeemed; and while the Creeks were, on the one hand, aver.se to the removal, the more intelligent among them saw, upon the otlier, that the existence of such a compact doomed them to an exile, which, although it might be delayed, could not lie avoided. Year after 3ear the govermneut, to redeem its ])romise to Georgia, sent commissioners to ])urchaLe from the Creeks their lands, who as often returned unsuccessful, or succeeded only in part, while the inhabitants of Georgia and Alabama discovered a dispo- sition to resort to more urgent measures, and frecjuent collisions between the white [)eople and tlie Indians were the unliappy conse- quence. The Creoles themselves became divided; jMcIntosli, the head chief of the Lower towns, advocating the removal, and the Big Warrior, who ruled the Upper towns, opposiug that measure. The Little I'rince, an aged chief, who ruled the whole nation, was will- ing to leave the question to those whom it immediately concerned. In 1S"J4, Messrs. Campbell and .Merriwether were sent by the government to effect this long-desired purchase, and held an inef- fectual treaty at a place called the Broken Arrow, where they found a i'cw of the chiefs willing to yield to their views, but others so decidi'dly oppo.sed, that, forgetting the grave and decorous cour- tesy which usually prevails in their solemn councils, they would give no other answer than a sullen, but emphatic " No." The deputv of the Big Warrior said, that he would not take a liouse- full of money for his interest in the land, and that Uiis was his final answer. Failing in tlieir object, the commi.ssioners called another council, to meet at the Indian Springs, in February, 1S25. OPOTHLK YOHOLO. 2S3 Previous to tliis j)cri()d, litllc is kiinwii of iho cljamctt'r nf Opothlc Voliolo, cxiH'pl that Ik: was cunsidcri'd, in early lilc, a youlli ol' pro- iiiiso. The; lirst public service in which lie distinguished luiuseir, us ut the council at the Indian !>})rings, to w hieh lie was sent to counteract the inllueiice ol' Mcintosh, and to remonstrate uith him against selling any part of the Creek country. It is said that lie executed this mission with great lidelity ; he pursued his oliject with unyielding (irmness, and his remoiist ranees were marked witii energy and eloquence. The substance of bis address to tiie commissioners was as fol- lows: "We met you at the Broken Arrow, and then told you we had no land to sell. I heard then of no claim against our nation, nor have I heanl of any since. A\'e have met you here ujkmi a very short notice, and I do not think the chiefs present have anv authority to treat. General Mcintosh knows that we are liovmd l)y our laws, and that what is not done in ])ublic council, is not !)indiiig. Can tlic council be ])ublic if all the chiefs have not had notice, and man}- of them are abse;it? I am, therefore, under the necessity of repealing what I told you at the Broken Arrow, that we have no lands to sell. No part of our lands can be sold cxce[)t in full council, and by consent of the whole nation. This is not a full council; there are but fvw here from the Upper towns, and of the chiefs of tlie Lower tow ns many are absent. From what you told lis yesterday, I am inclined to think it would be best for us to remove; l)ut we must have time to think of it, and to consult our jieople. Should the chiefs now here undertake to sell our country, it woulil cause dissension and ill l)loo(l among ourselves, for there are manv wlio do not know that we have been invited hiire for that purjiose, and many who would not consent to it, if the. wen; here. I liave received a messaLTi; from my head chief, the Big ^\"arri^)r, directing me to listen to what the commissioners have to say — to meet :\n(! part with them in peace — but not to sell any land. I am also instructed to invite vou to meet us at the Broken Arrow three •294 BIOGRAPHY. months lionco, when a trcuty may be finally made. I gave you but one .speech at the Broken Arrow, and I irivc you but one here. To-morrow I return home, I liave delivered the mcssjige of my head chief and have no more to say. I sliall listen to whatever you may ttiiidt proper to communicate, but shall make no further answer." This speech was delivered with the calmness and dignity becom- ing the occasion; respeclful to the commi.ssioners, yet decisive in tone and langunge, it was the refusal of a little band of untutored men, confident of right, to the demand of a powerful nation. All that was fiery and alarming was reserved for Mcintosh, who was supposed to have nlready promised to accede to the proposed trans- fer. Turning to that ill-fated chief, with an eye full of meaning, he extended his arm towards him, and in the low, bitter tone of prophetic menace, he added, " I hare told you your fate if you sign that paper. I once more say, leirare!" On the following morning, he left the Indian Springs, and returned to Tuckabatchee. IMcIn- to.sh persisted in his determination to sell the country, signed the treaty, and, as we have narrated in another place, paid the penalty with his life. Arrangements were soon I'fter made to scud a deputation of chiefs to Washington, to protest, in the name of the Creek nation, against the execution of the treaty of the Indian Springs, and to conclude one which should be more acceptable. Ojiothle Yohclo was placed at the head of this deputation, and proceeded with his colleagues to the seat of government. In all the negotiations con- nected with that exciting occasion, he conducted himself Mith great dignity and firmness, and displayed talents of a superior order. lie was cool, cautious, and sagacious; and with a tact which woidd have done credit 1o a more refined dijjlomatist, re- fused to enter into any negotiation until the offensive treaty of the Indian Springs should 1)C annulled. The executive being satisfied that the treaty had not been made with the consent of the natioTi, OPOTHLE YOHOLO. 285 nor in accordance with its laws, but in opposition to the one, and in defiance of the other, disapproved of it, and another was made at Washington in January, 1S'2G, the first article of wliicli declares the treaty of tlie Indian iSprings to Ijc null cnid void. By the same compact the Creeks surrendered all their lands lying within the chartered limits of Georgia, except a small strip on the Chatahoo- chee, which formed afterwards a subject of much dispute. The intention of the parties, as declared and understood at the time, was to convey the whole of the Creek country, but, in undertaking to lay down boundaries, from an office map, wrong lines were as- sumed, and the Creeks left in possession of a tract, which they were afterwards induced, by the advice of indiscreet friends, to insist upon retaining. It was in reference to this tract that a cor- respondence took place between the executives of the federal go- vernment and Georgia, characterized, on one side, at least, by much warmth. As the great oljject of the purchase of the Creek country was to remove that tribe from the vicinity of a people with whom they lived in constant contention, and from the limits of a state which insisted on their departure, as of right, the retention of a portion, however .small, and whether eifeeted by accident or artifice, de- feated alike the wishes of Georgia and the intentions of the United States. Several ineffectual attempts were made to settle the ques- tion by a further purchase, that should include the v.liole of the di.sputed territory; the federal government adhering to its usual conciliating policy, and ])referring to buy again what had been already purchased, ratlier than practise the slightest injustice, while Georgia, stimulated by the discontent of her citizens, and offended by what she conceived an artful evasion on the part of the Creel'iS, vehemently urged a speedy decision. All these efforts having failed, a special commission was issued in 1S27, to Colonel McKennciV, directing him, after discharging certain duties upon the Upper Lakes, to cro.ss over to the Mississippi, descend thai 2s() lUOfaiAlMIY. river, and liokl councils witli tlio Chicitasaws, Choctaws, Chero- kees, and Creeks — and, if j)ossil)le, lo bring tliis iinlKij)])y contro- versy to a close, by piircliasin;^ the dis[)uted tract. Fully a[)])reciating the character of Opothle Yoholo, tlie first object of Colonel McKenney, on his arrival in the Creek country, was to conciliate that chief, on M'iiose th'cision, Im foresaw, tin; result would depend. A messenger was accordingly dcsj)atched to Opothle Yoholo, to announce his arrival, and solicit an interview at Fort Mitchell. That politic leader, understanding well the pur- pose of this visit of the commissioner for Indian all'airs, declined the proDosed meeting under llie pk'a of indisposition. Tiiis was considered a subterfuge to gain time until the attendance of two educated Cherokees, v\ho were the secri't advisers of Opothle Yoholo, could be procm'cd; and anotiier messenger was despatched to inform him that if he was not well enough to ride on horseback, a suitable conveyance should be provided, and that the business to bo discussed was of great interest to him and his people. In short, he was told emphatically that he must come. The next day he made his apj)earance, and entered, with ap[)arent frankness, upon the subject of Colonel .McKenney's mission. In tiie interview of that gentleman and Colonel Crowell, the agent, with this chief, he discovered a tact which the more enlightened might imitate with advantage, lie spoke of his readiness to do whatever might be most acceptable to his Great Father; and admitted that the land iu question was not worth much to his j)eople, while it was a bone of contention between them and Georgia. In evidence of the unhappy state of things which exist d, and that he deplored, he stated, that when his people crossed the Chatahoochee, to look after their cattle or hogs that roamed in the woods, they were sliot by white men, against whom he could have no reilress. lie had, therefore, every ■ lesire to comply with the wishes of the President, Ijut insisted that he could not sell the land except in open council, and by consent )f the nation. He woidd most cheerfidly do any thing to promote OPOTHLE YOHOLO. 287 peace, but he was only an individual, unauthorized to act for the nation, and unal)lc to control its decision — and finally he expressed ills belief that the Creeks would not be willing to sell the land. He was told in rej)ly, that it was not intended to make the pur- chase, except in conformity with their laws — that he was sent for, because he was known to be the friend of his people, and of their welfare — and that by advising them in open council, where it was proposed to meet them, he could do much towards satisfying their minds of the justice and propriety of settling this controversy in the mode proposed by the go\ernment. It would be just, because the intention of the parties to the treaty at Washington, had been to embrace all the land of the Creeks within the limits of Georgia, and this strip was excluded, because the maps were incorrect upon which the lines were traced. It would be proper, because the safety of the Indians, and the quiet of the borders, could in no other way be insured. In a word, he was told that the Creeks were required to carry into effect the treaty according to its true intent, and that the government proposed again to purchase that which was already theirs by .solemn compact. The Creeks were not asked to make a new sale, but to ratify and execute a contract which had been previously made. Still their Great Father was willing to i-emunerate them for their expected compliance with his wishes — he knew they were poor, and would again pay them for the land. The reply of the wary chief showed, as his previous conversation had indicated, that his object was to gain time. It was smooth, plausible, and evasive. At last it was agreed to hold a council at Tuckabatchee, and runners were sent out to invite the chiefs of the towns to be present. At the appointed time from twelve to fifteen hundred Indians had assembled, and after some delay, O pot hie Yoholo, as the chief person present, was called upon to open the council. He still hesitated, and, upon various pretences consumed three days, when it was understood that the two edu- 37 888 BIO{JkAl'HY. cited Cliprokcos had arrived. 'J'lie.se j)crsons having loariicd llm white man's art oftalkin;,' upon paper, Merc much esteemed l)v llu" elm r, will) proljably e.\])ee'ied tlirouyh them to bo abh) to jjrotecl himself from any artifice thut might be practised in the plirase- ol uv of the treaty that should bo proposed, while tlie}' used their advantage, on this, and other occasions, to thwart the designs of the government, and keep alive the existing agitation. No other apology for delay remaining, certain ceremonies, pre- jiaratory to the council, were performed with a .solemnity and care- ful attention which showed that they were considered of great im- portance. These were not only singular, but, as we believe, pecu- liar to the Creek nation ; and they form one of the many curious examples exhibited in savage life, in which the human intellect is seen to act, on an occasion demanding the exertion of its highest powers, with an absurdity which intentional levity could scarcely surpass. In the centre of the square of the village, four long logs were placed in tlie forjn of a cross, with tlieir ends directed towards the four cardinal points, and a fire kindled at the intersec- tion. The Indians were seated around in groups. A decoction had been previously prepared, called the black driitk, which is made by boiling the leaves of a small bush, greatly esteemed and carefully preserved by them, which they call arsce. The black and nauseous licpiid, thus produced, was poured into large gourds, each holding three quarts, or a gallon, and being handed round by persons appointed for the purpose, was drunk in such liberal quan- tities as to fill the stomach. The disgusting draught acted as an emetic, and was drunk and thrown up until the evidences of the hideous ceremony covered the scjuare. Having thus purified them selves for business, a messenger was sent to inform the commis- ■sioner that the council was ready. But little hope was entertained that this council would lead to a successful result; for it was ascertained that, during the previous night, the proposition of the commissioner had been debated, and a OPOTHLH YOnoLO. 960 ucj^riilive reply decided uju)ii. It was believed lliiit the two liidl- hreed Chorokees liad prevailed upon Opothlc Yoliolo to refuse to riiuke tlio transfer of the disputed territory until a i^overnnient eould 1)0 orgiinized, like that which had heen established by the ('herukees, after which the sale was to be made, and the money put into the Creek treasury — one of the half-breeds bcitiff the j)rospoct- ive minister of linanco. Unpromisinjf as the j)rospeet appeared, the commissioner determined to leave no eliort untiit'd to ell'ect an object essential to the j)eace of the frontier, ;ind to the preservation of amicable relations between the federal [government and Georgia. When, therefore, in reply to the proposition he was instructed to make, he received the decided negative of Opothle Yoliolo, in which the council unanimously concurred, he availed liimself of the information he had received of the secret intrigue of the Chero- kees, and bokll}' disclosed the plan to the assendjled Creeks. For the lirst time, perhaps, in his life, Oj)othle Yoliolo became alarmed. lie knew ♦he jealous and vindictive temper of his people. The fate of Mcintosh was too recent, his own part in that tragedy too prominent, to leave any doubt as to the result of a tampering by the i'ew with the rights of the many. He saw the danger in which he n'as placed by the disclo.sure of a jjlan prompted by a foreign in- (luence, doubtful in itself, and not yet matured, lie knew as well as the accomplished jurist of Great Britain, that popularity may be gained without merit, and lost without a faidt — that t/ie people, civilized or savage, are easily ruled, and as easily offended; and that, in the excited state of his tribe, the memory of his own ser- vices might be instantly obliterated by the .slightest shadow cast upon the patriotism of his motives. He grew restless, and said to the interpreter, "Tell him he talks too much." Colonel McKenney r(>plied, that the welfare and happiness of the Creeks were all that their Great Father at Washington sought in this interview, and if what had been said was tliat which thev ought to know, their chief should take no exce])tion to it. He hoped there was no impro 990 BIOGRAI'IIY. pricty in tolling the trutii, and liuviny (M)ninicnced a tiiik.lit' slioiild finish it, no niultor what nii|rht be tlio ('()nsi'(iiR'nco. Tlio (di'fct was olcrtrical. A hum ol' voices was hi'ard til^oll^fll tlio ('(niiicil. and it was niaiiil'est that Opotlilo Yoliolo, tliuiiij;li he iiiaintaincd the calmness of a warrior, saw that his life hung upon a thread. The commissioner, knowing that tlio Little Prince, head chief of the nation, whose power was absolute, was cncainpiMl in the neigh- borhood, concluded his exposition by saying ho should appeal to him, and if he spoke the language of that council, their talk would be reported to the President for his decision. The appeal to Ciesar gave a now direction to the thoughts of the savage asssembly, and probably arrested the dissension that might have v iisued. 'l"he commissioner, without waiting for a reply, left the council, followed by the whole body of the tuwiiy warriors, who rushed towards him as he was about to mount his lioise. 8urpri.sed by this sudden movement, he demanded to be informed of its object, and was an- swered, " We came to look at the man who is not afraid to speak." The Little Prince was then .stricken in years. The commis- sioner found him in the primitive state of a forest chief, lying upon a blanket under a tree ; near him were a fire, and the ])reparations for cooking, and suspended from a bough over his head were the provisions that weye to form his bancpiet. He was approached with great veneration ; for in the history of the southern Lidians there is not found a name of more .sterling worth, llis mind was enlightened on all matters that concerned his peojile; his spirit unflinching; his sense of justice keen and abiding. To him the commissioner made known the whole matter, not omitting the offensive interference of the Cherokee young men. It was this disclosure that Opothle Yoholo feared. He could manage his own chief the Big Warrior, near whom he was officially placed, and of wnose ear he had possessed himself, but he could not encroach upon the authority of the Little Prince, who ruled the whole Creek nation, uniting under his authority the Upper and Lower (JPOTHLK yOHOLO. 291 towns. 'I'lio I'riiice hoard tho 8talcinont in silence Altlioiiyli to liis visitor ho paid every becoming attention, not a s} liable ot" com- ment escaped liini; not a look of assent or (iisapj)n)l)ation. With that caution which marks the whole tenor of the Indian's life, and especially governs, his intercourse as a public man, lie withheld the expression of any opinion until he could make up n decision which should be sanctioned by deliberate reflection. Tlie loin- missioner, though well aware of this feature of the Indian character, sui)pose(l, from tho apparent apathy with which he ..as listened to, that he had only related what the chief knew and approved, and concluded the brief interview by saying, " I now leave you and y')w passed with cnnlit through college. Tlie real Indi'in, while he despised and spurned at civilization, when ofiered to himself, or his children, respected in others the practical advantages which he saw it gave them; and thus the 298 BIOGRAPHY. Imlf-brccds, Imving the Indian blood on the one hand, and the advantajro of property and education on the other, became very influential, and, had they been perniitted to form governments, as was attempted in one instance, would probably have concentrated in their own hands all tlie property of the Indians. To this class mainly, was confined the civilization among the southern tribes, so much sj)okcn of a few years ago. Timpoocheu Barnard was the son of a Ucliee woman. His father was a Scotchman, said to be of gentle blood, whose name was Timothy Barnard. It is supposed tliat large estates may be in reversion for the descendants of Timpoochee. The Uchees were once a distinct and powerful people, but were subdued by the Creeks, upwards of a century ago, and tliose who escaped the massacre, which usually attends an Indian victory, were taken into the country of the victors, and held in servitude. Being unaccustomed to labor, they were probably of little value as slaves, especially to a people who had no agricul- ture, and who needed warriors more than servants. They gradually became emancipated, and incorporated with the Creek nation, with whom they have ever since remained in close and cordial union, although, as is customary with the Indians, they have preserved their identity as a tribe, and retained their language. The latter is described, by the venerable and learned Mr. Gallatin, in his elaborate worlv, just puljlished, as "the most guttural, uncouth, and dilHcult to express, with our alpliabet and orthography, of any of the Indian languages within our knowledge." The Creeks do not attempt to speak it, although the Uchees speak the Creek language as well as tluir own. Timpoochee's mother carefully imparted her own dialect to lier son, while his father, though a practised inter- preter of the Creek, never attein])ted to master the Uchee. The subject of this memoir was first known in public life in 1814, when he took part with the American forces against the hostile Creeks, and commanded alwut one hundred Uchee war- TIMPOOCHEE BARNARD. 299 riors, witli llic coiiiinission of Major. He was at the battle of Callabec, under General Floyd, and distinguished himself by an act of gallantry. An attempt was made to surprise the Anerican camp at night, and to cut oifa detaciunent under General Brodnax, encamped near the main body. Timpoochee Barnard, discovering this movement, made a desperate onset upon the assailants, at the head of his Uchee braves, and, after a severe loss, succeeded in driving back the enemy, or in opening the way for the detachment to join the main body. During the war he acquired a 'high -repu- lation for skill and bravery. He was often honored by being placed in the post of danger, and he did not, in any instance, dis- appoint the expectations of the commanding General. He took part in nearly all the battles in the south, during that war, and was twice wounded. On the return of peace he rejoined his family, near the Creek agency, on Flint river, in Georgia. His wife was a Creek, and is reported to have been remarkable for her good sense and propriety of conduct, while Major Barnard is said to have been domestic in his habits, and devotedly attached to his children, of whom he had six. Of the latter, two were girls, who were extremely beautiful; and the family, taken together, was considered the handsomest in the Creek nation. One of the daughters fell a victim to a delicacy not often found in her race, nor in the women of any country where the practice of polygamy debases the m rriage relation. She was overruled in the choice of her husband, and compelled to marry against her will; and, although licr husband was a Creek chief of distinction, she could not brook the degradation, as .she esteemed it, of being a second and subordinate wife, and put an end to her life by poison. On his return from the Creek nation, in 1*^27, Colonel McKcnney brought to Washington with him two little Indian boys, one of twelve, and the other nine years of age, with the intention of having them educated under his own care, at the expense of the govern I 300 BIOGRAPHY. iiicnt. Tlic older of these was William, son of Tiinpooclioe Bar Hard; llie Indian name of the oilier was Arl)or, hut he was called Lee Compere, after the missionary of that name, who lived in the Creek nation. After they had travelled ahout a luindred miles, at the beginning of their journey, Lee discovered some symptoms of discontent, and Colonel McKeniiey, having learned through "William, who spoke a little English, that he was dissatisfied at Ijeing sent from home, requested the stage driver to stop his horses, and told L'ee that he might return. l"he boy's countenance in- stantly brightened, and, seizing his bundle and his little blow-gun, he began to clamber out of the carriage. He was, of course, not ])ermitted to go; but the anecdote is mentioned to show tiie fear- lessness with which the young savage throws himself upon his own resources. They remained in Colonel IMcKenney's family about three years, and until his connection with the Indian depart- ment ceased, when they wore sent home. They went to school during this period, and William made consideral^le progress, and bade fair to become an honor to his name and country, lie was intelligent and docile, while Lee had all the Indian's stubbornness of temper, impatience of restraint, and disinclination for sedentary [jursuits. The school selected for these boys was one of those at which, in imitation of the discipline at West Point, the pupils were required to perform martial exercises, and to submit to a military police. The young Indians were ])leased with this routine, which was in unison with their naturally martial disjiositions. The uni- forms and the parades were j)recisely suited to gratify their tastes, but neither of them liked the e.vact enforcement of strict rules. On one occasion, Lee was ordered, for some delin(piency, to be ])laced under guard, during the hours allotted for recreation. He was accordingly confnied in a room, wjiich was called the black-hole, and anotiier boy placed as a sentinel at the door. Lee sat for a litth^ time, gazing wistfully at the boys who were playing on the outside, and at the sentinel wlio paced to and fro with a musket T I M P O O CII [■: E BAR N A R T). 301 oil Ids shoulder, wlien, esjniiifr a Ijnyoiiot in the room, lie sei/cil it, and nislicd upon the guard, who escaped its point at first by dodr^ing, and then l)y running away. On finding himself at lilierty, Lee threw down tlie weapon, and deliberately walked homo. Those who have paid attention to the subject, have not failed to remark, that, in the attempt to civilize the Indian, a little learning is a dangerous thing, and that a half educated savage seldom becomes a useful man. Such an individual, thrown back upon ravage life, is inferior lo those who had never quit it, in their own arts, witliout brinfriny; back much that is valuable of the habits of civilized men. Unless he has the strength of mind to attach himself decidedly to one side or the other, he is apt to vacillate between employments of the wlute man and the Indian, inferior to botli, and respected by neither. We do not say that such was tht- case with William Bar- nard. We only know that his career has been unfortunate. Though but fifteen years old on his return home, he fell into a series of dif- ficulties, with the precise nature of whicli we are not acquainted, l)Ut in course of which he killed several Indians, and he afterwards joined the Indian force sent to Florida, under Paddy Carr, to assist in the war against the ScMiiinoles. Thus did this worthy ami highly respected person reap las full share of those domestic afllictions which not unfrequently embit- ter the last days of those who have been most exemplary in private life, and whose affections are garnered up in the hoi}' and endiar- ing joys of the domeslic circle. Major Barnard had, however, the consolation to know that he had faithfully performed a parent's duty, gaining for himself the sincere attachment of those around him, and for his family the respect of tlie public. A compliment paid to this individual by a late President of the United States, is too striking to be omitted. During the resi- dence at Washington of ihc two Indian boys already mentioned, they were taken by Colonel McKenney to see the President, who received them with the paternid kindness of manner v Inch distin 30v BIOGRAPHY. piiished so remarkably tlie social intercourse of that, eminont man On hearinn- the name of William Barnard, he took the boy by the hand, and asked him if he was the son of Major Timpoochee I'ar- nard ; tlie reply being in the aflTirmative, General Jackson placed his hand on the head of the youth, and said, "A braver man th;m your father never lived." There is no applause which savors less of flattorj' tlian the spontaneous homage which is paid by one brave man to the courage of another. Timpoochee Barnard was one of the delegation chosen to pro- ceed to Washington, to remonstrate against the treaty of the Indian Springs, at which time his portrait was taken. After living in such affluence as his country afforded, distinguished for probity, bene- volence, and hospitality, as highly as he was by valor and public spirit, he died near Fort Mitchell, in Alabama, aged about fifi}- eight years LITTLE CROW. The name of this individual is, in his own language, Chatow wahtooamany, or the " Sparrowhuwk that conies to jou walking." The French gave him the name oi Petit Corbeaii, and the EngHsli appellation, placed at the head of this sketch, is a translation from the latter. He visited Washington city in 1824, and was, at that time, head chief of the Kahpozhay band, of tlio Mundaijivahhanton, and a person of some 'consideration. He claims to be, and perhaps is, by hereditary right, the head chief of the whole Sioux nation; but he has fallen into disrepute, and is, at this time, without any iiifluence even in his own band. He resides at a distance from his band, on or near the western shore of Lake Superior; is cunning, artful, and treacherous; is not much distinguished as a warrior, T;ut is very successful as a hunter, especially of beaver. The name Kuhpu/,- hay, or Kapoja, as others understand it, .signifies light, and is applied to this band, to indicate that they are more active than the other branches of the Sioux, or Dacotah family. Soon after peace was declared between the United States and Great Britain, in 1815, the Sioux were invited by the commanding officer at Drummond's island, to visit tliat jiost. On their arrival" the Indians were informed by the officer, that he had sent for rhem to thank ^hem, in the name of his majesty, for the aid they had rendered the British during the late war, and for the bravery thev ^^ (.'303) 301 UIOGKAI'IIY. luul (lis|)layrcl on scvornl occasions, as well as to commuiiicatt' tlio inlclli^ciH'c of llio peace which hail been declared Im tweeii the j^real belligerent parties. lie; coucliided liy pointing to a largo pile of goods that lay heaped upon the (loor, which, ho told thoin, were iuteiuled as presents for themselves. The Little Crow replied, that Ills people had been prevailed upon by the British to make war upon a people whom they scarcely knew, and who had never done them any harm. "Now," continued he, "after we have fought for you, endiu'cd many hard.sliips, lost some of our people, and awakened tlie vengeance of a powerful nation, our neighbors, you make a peace for yourselves, and leave us to get such terms as we can. Y(m no longer need our services, and oiler us these goods as a compen- sation for having deserted us. Hut no — we will not take them; we hold them and your.sclves in e((ual contempt." So .s;tying, he spurned the articles of mercliandi.se with his foot, and walked away. This conduct was the more remarkable, from its inconsist- ency with the gravity and decorum with which the chiefs usually deport themselves on public occasions. The Indians, however, who were not so sensitive in regard to the injury supposed to have been done them, received the goods. The Little Crow lias a son named Big Thunder, who is a fierce and terrible fellow. A few years ago, the father and son took a long journey to the north-west, in search, as they pretended, of knowledge. They visited the British settlement at l'emi)iiia, and attended a great meeting at Lake Travers, at which fifteen iiundred warriors are said to have been present, from the Assinilioin, Man- dan, Minnetarec, lowa)^ and other tribes, as well as from each of the tribes of the Dacotah nation. On this solemn occasion, the various speakers all addressed the Little Crow by tho title of "Father;" thu.s, according to their rules of etiquette, in the ol).servance of which they are exceedingly tenacious, acknowledging him to be superior, by hereditary right, to all other Dacotah chiefs, and the LITTLE riiOW. 305 Darotiili rntioii ;is snpn-ior to Uicir ,,uii. Th,' festivities, wliieli liis-e,! almost a fortiii-ht, .■onsistod of duiiers, sonars, and repasts; tlio principal feast was rel<.|,rated on the •,V,tli of June; and, as tlio Ixdfalo wore abundant at flial season, a ^-reat nund)er were; killed. Tlic Kahpoztny band have but one villafre, which is on Iho iMis- sissippi river, below the mouth of ijio St l'cter".s. McINTOSIl. MclNtosu, whose a.lmirablc likeness is befr.re the reader, was a halt-breed, of the Muscogee, or Creek nation. His father was a S^cotsman ; his mother a native of unmixed blood. Mcintosh wa,s intelligent and brave. In person he was tall, finely formed, and of graceful and commanding manners. To these qualities he pro- bably owed his elevation to the chieftainship of the Coweta tribe We know little of the early history of this chief. The first notice we have of him is after his junction with the American forces m IS 12. General Floyd mentions him in his report of the battle or as it may with more propriety be termed, the massacre of Autossee ' on which occasion two hundred Creeks were slain. The Indians were surprised in their lodges, and killed, before they could rally in their defcice. Mcintosh and his Indian forces are reported by General Floyd to have "fought with au intrepidity worthy of anv troop.s." •' -^ Autossee was a favorite spot, and had been selected bv the chiefs of eight of the Creek towns for a last and desperate stlnd against ll.e invading army; bu: th,> sudden and unexpected attack of General Floy.l tenninared tl,e contest. The kings of Autossee and lallassec were among the slain. Mclntosli i.s again spoken of by the commanding general Jack son, as Major Mcintosh, and is said by that ofllcer, in his report of 11.0 famous battle of the Horseshoe, to have "greatly distinguished I.nn.self He also signalized himself in the Florida campai-rn by various acts of gallantry. i o. ; (307) 308 BIOGRAPHY. Wc sliJill leave our warrior cliit'f lor ;i wliilc, and glaiu'c at a subject of great ])i]blie iiitere.st, in relation lo wliieli, lie was des- tined to act a consjiicuous part, and wliieli linall}- brought about his death. In 1S02, a compact was entered into between the United States and the State of Georgia; the fourth article of which stipulates, "tliat the United States shall, at their own expense, e.xtinguish, for the u.se of Georgia, as early as the satne can \)q pcaccahhj effected, on reasonable terms, the Indian title to the lands within the forks of the Oconnee and Oakmulgee rivers, &c. &c. ; and thaL the United States .shall, in the same manner, also, extinguish tlie Indian title to all the other lands within the State of Georgia." The United States, in pursuance of this compact, proceeded, from time to time, by treaties, to extinguish the Indian title to lands within the limits of Georgia. The first treaiy of cession, after the formation of the compact, was concluded on the Oconnee river, near Fort Wilkinson, in the month of June following; a .second was negotiated in the city of Washington, ir une, ISOG; a third was the treaty of conquest, of August, ISll; a fourth treaty was negotiated in January, 1S18; a fifth in January, 1S21. Und;'r these several treaties, the Indian title to al)out fifteen millions of acres of land was extinguished; and the United States paid Georgia, in money, one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in lien of lands which had been ceded to the Indians. These various and s\iccesst'"ul efforts to fulfil the intention of the compact of 1S02, so early as ISll alarmed the Creeks. In order to arrest this inroad u])on their domain, they enacted a law in that year, at Broken Arrow, forbidding, under the jienalty of deatli, the sale of any more lands, e\'cc[)t by the chiels of the nation, ratified in general council. This law was formally re-enacted in 1S'2I, at the Polecat Springs Mcintosh is said to have proposed this law. After the treaty of IS'-il, various unsuccessful efforts were made to consummate the stip.dations of the compact of 1802; but the McINTOSII. 30)) Creeks refused to listen to any overtures. Meanwhile, llic Execii- livc of Georgia became impatient of the delaj', and opened a highly excited and painful correspondence witli die government at "Wash- ington, in whicli llie President was charged with bad faith; and, among otlier tilings, with attempting to defeat tlie object of the treaty, by the introduction of schools, anil otlier plans of civilization and improvement among the Indians. If yon enlighten the Indians as to the value of their possessions, it was argued, you increase the diflioiilty of obtaining their consent to part with tliem. It was answered by the Federal Executive, that every ihing on the part of the United States had been done in good faith; and the improvement of the Indians, which was complained of, was only a continuation of the policy adopted by Washington, and continued throughout the successive adtninistrations to the present time. This policy, whicli one would think needed no defence before a civilized and Christian people, was maintained by unanswerable arguments. No efforts, consistent with princi|)le, were spared by the Executive at Washington to gratify the desires of Georgia, nor did Congress ever refuse the means to effect a purchase of all the lands held by the Creeks within her limits. During the latter part of the administration of President Monroe, Messrs. CamplK'U and Mcrriwether were appointcnl commissioners to make another attempt to treat with the Creek Indians. Letters were received at Washington from tlie commissioners, impiiring wiiether the Executive would recognize a treaty entered into \\ ilh Mcintosh? They were answered by the Secretary of War, Mr. Calhoun, that no treaty would be respected unless made with the cliiefs of the nation Meanwhile the commissioners called a meet- ing of the Indians at ihv Indian Sjirings, a reservation occu|)ied by Mcintosh, Among those wjio attended was the chief of 1'uckha- liatchee. When the jiroposition was made by the coimnissioncr.s, to ])urchase th(Mr country, that chief rose and said : " You asked us to sell you more lands at Broken Arrow; we told you we had noije 310 BIOGRAPHY. to spare. I told Mclntosli then, that he hicw no land could be sold except in full council, and by consent of the nation." The chief then added, " We have met here at a very short notice — only a few- chiefs are present from the upper towns; and many are absent from the lower towns." He concluded by s;iyinir, "that's all the talk I have to make, and I shall go home." Whereupon he left the ground, and returned to Tuckhabatchee. Though Mcintosh had attended the meeting to sell the country, he is said, at this point, to have wavered. He looked round among the Indians, but saw no chief of influence, except Etomie Tustennuggee, whose consent he had procured to his scheme. The commissioners, however, intent upon the treaty, calmed the fears of Mcintosh by a promise of protection from the United States. The treaty which had been prepared was read, and signed Ijy the commissioners, by " William Mcintosh, head chief of the Con-etas''' — next by Etomh Tustennug- gee, by his X, and by thirteen others, who, though chiefs, were of inferior rank ; and, lastly, by about fifty men of no rank or power whatever, many of them being of tlie lowest and most degraded of their countrymen. This treaty was execiited at the Indian Springs, on the 12th of Februar}-, 1S25, and on the 2(1 of March following, reached W^ish- ington. The very speed by wliicli it had been transmitted indicated the fears entertained by the commissioners, and by Georgia, that the nation would protest against it, and cause its rejection. The Creek agent, Colonel Crowell, sent with it to Washington a protest against its validity. This confirmed the apprehensions of the Secretary of War, who, as it was generally understood, preferred delaying its submission tothe Senate until further information could be received from the Indians, or to reopen the negotiation with a view to obtain the ratification of the treaty by the acknowledged chiefs of llio nation. It was feared that, if the treaty should prove, so far as the Creek nation was concerned, invalid, its ratification by the Senate would create intense excitement, and be the signal for bloodshed McINTOSH. 311 among the Indians. President Monroe, however, tlionght proper lo lay the treaty before the Senate, togetlier with the agent's pro- test, and leave it to that body to decide as in its wisdom it might think best, lie was led to this course by tlie consideration that the term of his oHice was about to close. The treaty was accord- ingly sent to the Senate, and was ratified on the 7th of March, 1525. Meanwhile Mr. Adams had succeeded to the presidency — ihe treaty was returned to him from the Senate, and apjnoved. The Creuk nation had now become greatly excited ; and Mcin- tosh, fearing the result, claimed protection I'rom Georgia. We believe it was promised. The Creeks, however, had resolved on revenge. Menawa, who.se likeness has appeared in this work, and who is called the "Great Warrior," was commissioned by the chiefs to raise a party, to march to the Indian Springs, and execute the judgment of their law upon Mcintosh, on his own hearth-stone, They were also directed to slay Etomie Tustennuggee, and any other chiefs who had acceded to the treaty. With the usual jjromptitude of the Indians, in the prosecution of bloody business, Menawa was soon at the head of one hundred of his Oakfuskoe braves, and after a rapid march arrived before the house of the fated Mcintosh, before day, on the morning of the first of May, just seventy-seven days after the signing of the treaty. The house having been surrounde.1, Menawa sj)oke: — "Let the white people who arc in this house come out, and .so will the women and chil- dren. We come not to injure them. Mclnto.sh has broken the law made by himself, and w" have come to kill liim for it." This summons was obeyed Ijy all to whom it was addressed. Mcintosh's son, Chilly, who, having signed the treaty, was in the list of medi- tated victims, was enabled, by his light complexion, to pass out with the whites, and escaped. Only two remained, and tlicse were Mclntosli and Etomie Tustennuggee. The house was fired; the two victims, forced by the llanics, appeared at the door, wliere thev were received by a shower of bullets, and instantly killed. A half- 40 312 BIOGRAPHY. breed, named Sam Hawkins, was taken the same day, and hanged ; and Ben, his brother, also a half-breed, was fired upon and severely wounded, but escaped. IMenawa was careful to give out that the while pco])le sliould not be molested ; that the Creek nation meant only to punish those who had violated their law. This bloody tragedy greatly excited the people of Georgia. Go- vernor Troup threatened vengeance. It was feared that the btate of Georgia might make it necessary for the general government to interfere, and that these two powers miglit come in collision. Pre- sident Adams, however, met the crisis with coolness and resolution, and at length the fever abated, and Georgia, though still demanding the possession of all the Indian lands within her limits, subsided into comparative (piiet. Upon minute inquiry into the circum- stances of the treaty of the Indian Springs, it was abandoned, and a new treaty was made at Washington on the 4th of January, 1826. The first article of the treaty of Washington declared the treaty of the Indian Springs "to be null and void, to every intent and pur- pose whatever; and any right or claim arising from the same, is declared to be cancelled and surrendered." It is not difficult to imagine the inducements which led Mcintosh to enter upon this treaty in defiance of the law of his nation, and its bloody penalty. He probably foresaw that his people would have no rest within the limits of Georgia, and perhaps acted with an honest view to their interests. The intercourse he had enjoyed with the army of the United States, and the triumph of their arms over the desperate valor of the Indians, which he had witnessed at Autossee, the Horseshoe, and in Florida, induced him to believe he would be safe under the shadow of their protection, even from the vengeance of his trilje. But there were, besides, strong appeals to his cupidity, in the provisions of the treaty of the Indian Springs, and its supplements. By one of these, the Indian Spring reserva- tion was secured to him; and l)y anotlicT it was agreed to pay him for it twenty-five thousand dollars. Moreover, the second article of McINTOSH. 313 tlio ireaty provided for tlic payment to the Creek nation, of four liiindred thousand doHars. Of this sum ho would of course have received liis share. Such inducements might have been sufficiently powerful to shake a virtue based upon a surer foundation than the education of a heathen Indian could afford. Besides this, he was flattered and caressed by the commissioners, who were extremely eager t > complete the treaty, and taught to believe that he waa consulting the ultimate advantage of the nation. These consi- derations, in some measure, remove the odium from his memory. But it must still bear the stain which Indian ju.stice affixes to the reputation of the chief who sells, under such circumstances, the graves of his fathers. Out of this occurrence arose two parties among the Creek In- dians. One was composed of the bulk of the nation, the other of the followers of Mcintosh, headed by his son, Chilly. The latter were intent on immediate removal. To aid them in this, the treaty of Washington, of January, 1826, provided for an examination of the country west of the Mississippi, and for the distribution of one hundred thousand dollars among the friends and followers of the late General Mcintosh, if their party .should number three thousand l)er.sons; fifteen thousand to be paid immediately after the ratifi- cation of the treaty, and the residue on their arrival west of the Mississippi. Provision was also made to ascertain the damages sustained by the friends and followers of General ?\TcIntosh, in consequence of the treaty of the Indian Springs, and contrary to the laws of the Creek nation. Every disposition was manifested by the general government to heal those breaches, and ([uiet tho.se animosities which had been produced by that unfortunate treaty. No subsequent collisions happened between the parties. The Creek nation were not long permitted to retain an inch of ground in Georgia. The treaty of \\'as]iington provided for a ces- sion of the wliole of it, except a small strip on the Chatahouchee. 314 BIOGRAPHY. This, Georgia insisted on liuving. In 1827, a special comuiissioii was made out, directing Colonel McKenney, after he should have executed certain trusts confided to him, as joint connuissioner wit!) Governor Cass, in the Lake Country, to pass over to the Missis sippi, descend the river, and thence proceed into the country occupied by the four southern tribes, to negotiate with the Creeks for the remnant of their inheritance in Georgia. This duty was performed. A treaty was concluded on the 15th of Novoml)cr, 1827, and ratified on tlie Itli of March following, which quieted for ever the controversy between Georgia and the United States, so far as it related to the Creek Indians. The Creeks retired to their possessions in Alabama. But they were not long left in peace even there. That state demanded their removal from her limits, and was soon gratified by the general government. A final treaty was made witli this wretched people. Subdued in spirit, and impoverished, they at length yielded to the power more than the persuasion of the whites, and crossed the Mississippi. Their present condition is said to be deplorable. Mclnto.sli died as he had lived, bravely. He knew the fate that .awaited him, and met it like an Indian warrior. Having been thrown into the society of the more polished of our people, and having been the associate of our oflicers in the wars on our southern borders, he had acquired all the manners and much of the polish of a gentleman. He lived in great comfort; possessed slaves, wliom he treated kindly, and at his death was about forty years old. We do not know enough of his family to furnish a sketch of its members. Chilly Mcintosh is an intelligent young man of good manners, and has considerable influence with his people, who emi- grated witli him to the west. One of his dauglitcrs, wc believe, married a Mr. Hawkins, a sub-agent of the government NAWKAW. The countenance of this chief is prepossessing, and indicative of his true cliaracter. He was a firm, sagacious man, of i,nri-.ht deportment, and pacific .iisposition, who filled his station w^ith dignity, and commanded respect by his fidelity to his encra.re- ments. II.s name is less expressive than most of those which are borne by Indians of reputation-the word Nawkaw sirr„ifvinlpe(l again, yet the turkey was in imminent jeopardy. The stranger was evidently hungry, and he looked like a man who would not trifle with his knife and fork. Luckily, however, he NAWKAW. 319 was not yet supplied with these necessiiry implements; there was a moment still left to l)e improved, and the red "gentlemen, haviajj cleared their plates, ocenpied it i)y dividing amoii;^ them an apple- pie, which (piickly vanished. A clean plate, knife and fork were now placed before the stranger, who was about to help himself, when, to his astonishment and utter discomfiture, one of the In- ilians rose, stei)ped to the head of the table, and adroitly fixing his fork in the turkey, bore it off to his comj)anii)ns, who very gravely, and without appearing to take the least notice of the details of the exploit, commenced dividing the sjunl, while the stranger, recover- ing from his surprise, broke out into a loud laugh, in which the Indians joined. . As the pjirty receded from the capital, the fare became more coarse, and the red men Ijegan to sigh for the fat poultry and rich joints that were left behind them. And now another idea occurred to their minds. Having noticed that payment was made regularly for every meal, they inquired if all the meals they ate were paid for, and being answered in the aflirmative, each Indian, on rising from the table, loaded himself with the fragments of the feast, until nothing remained. When they observed that this conduct was noticed, they defended it i)y remarking, that the provisions were all paid for. It has been well said that there is but a step between the sub- lime and the ridiculous; and this aphorism is strikingly illustrated in the conduct of savages or unedncatod men. The Indian has some heroic traits of character; he is brave, patient und(M- fatigue or privation, often generous, and sometimes tenacious of the point of honor, to an extreme which has scarcely a parallel, except in the records of chivalry. In all that relates to war or the covmcil, they are systematic, and the leading men exhibit much dignity and consi.stency of character. As hunters they are keen, skilful, and diligent; as warriors, bold, sagacious, and persevering Btit when the Indian is taken from this limited circle of duties, and thrown 41 320 BIOGRAPHY. into rnntact with llie white man, in social intercourse, his want oi vcrsatiht}'', and deficiency of intellectnal resources, often degrade him at one ' into meanness and puerility. For a time he may dis- \i\\\sv. himself in hi hal)itual gravity, and his native shrewdness, and prv-'sence of mind may enable him to parry any attemjits to prv into liis thoughts, ()r throw iiim oil' his guard, but the sequel inevitably betrays the jiaueity of the savage mind. Thus the chiefs and warriors of whom we have spolvcn were, some of them, distin- guished warrior , and others eminent in council; but wlien thrown out of their proper sphere, and brought into familiar contact with strangers, lliey become the sul)jects of anecdotes such as we have rel;ited, and which, except the (irst one, would be too trilling for repetition, were th.'y not illustrative of the peculiarities to whicii we have adverted \\ lien at \\ ashington, in 1S29, Nawkaw, in speaking of his own age, called himself ninety-four winters old. He died in \S'-V-i, at the advanced age of ninety-eight, and was .succeeded in liis rank and honors by his nephew, who was worthy to inherit them. Tiie l;>Uer is a person of t(>mperate habits, who abstains entirely from the use of ardent spirits. He also is Caroiuanic, and has assumed the name of his luicle. Nawkaw was a man of large stature and fine presence. He was six feet tall, and well made. His j)er.son was eiect, his muscles finely developed, and his appearance such as indicated activity and great strength. Like many of his race, he was remarkal)ly fond of dress; and < veu in tlie hist days of his protracted life, devoted the mi st sedulous care to the decoration of his per.son. His portrait allbrds am, le evidence of his taste; tlu; head-dress, tiie ear-rings, and the painted face, show that the lal)ors of tlie toilet had not been performed witlioui a full share of the time and study due to a matter ol' so much importance; wliile the three mcd;ds, presented to hnu at dilfereiit times, as the head of liis trii)e, antl as ti)k"ns of ri'Sjji ct for himself, are indicative of his rank, and are wot'n with NAWKAW. ;J21 as much jiriilc and as much propriety as the orders of nohilily wliich decorate the nobles of Europe. The memory of thi^ Jlistinguished chief and resnectahle man is clierished by his people, and his deeds are recounted in their songs. lie was one of those rul rs whose wisdom, courage, and parental sway, endear tliem to th ir people while living, and whose l)recepts retain the force of laws after their decease. CATAIIECASSA. The Shawaiioe nation was one of the most warlike of tlie Nortli American tribes. Little is known of their history previous to the middle of the last century, about .v-hich time they emigrated from Florida, under rircumstances which lead to the belief that their numbers had recently been much reduced by war. They seem to have been always a restless and enterprising people; for althougli their former residence was unquestionably upon the sea-coast, they had often penetrated to Tennessee and Kentucky, in tlieir wars .r hunting expeditions. On their removal to the west, a portion of them settled in Ohio, and the remainder ascended to Western Virginia and Pennsylvania. Immediately after the peace of 17G3, the whole nation, consisting of four tribes, and numbering several thousand warriors, collected upon the Miami, at Piqua, where they roa.nijied until tliey were dri\on away by tlie Kcntuckians, at the -\oH<: I the revolutionary war. Tlieir next residence was on tlie •.■\iti u{ the Maumee of Lake Erie, whence they removed, after ui' U .i-.^- of Greenville, to Wapakonetta, in Oiiio; and, finally, a remi. n/ ,,f al)out eighty souls, to which this once fierce and power- ful nation had dwindled, removed in lS;i.i to ver since that people has lieen known liy tiie wliites, were ])ersons of ability and courage. The most conspicuous of tho.se who lived in our own times were Catahecassa, or Bhick Hoof — Sheme- netoo, or the Snake, and Tecumthe. Black Hoof was one of the greatest warriors of his race, and it is supposed that few individuals have ever been engaged in so many liattles. III! was pri'sent at \]\v ilefeat of Braikiock in IT")'), and fought tliroiigh all the; sub,se(|ueiit wars until the treat\' of (Jreeii ville in IT'.io. Among the Indians none are compelleii to go to y2G BIOGRAPHY. battle; public opinion is the oul}- law by which any individual is bound to perform military .servii-e; and tlio war chiefs have no autliority but such as is derived from llio voluntary obedience of their followers. When a warrior conceives liimself capable of lead- ing an enterprise, he forms his [)lans, announces his intention, and publicly appoints a time and place at which ho may be met by those who may be disposed to join him. When the party is assem- bled, properly equipped, painted, and prepared in all respects, the leader explains his whole plan, which is usually assented to; if any warrior, however, chooses to malvc a susjcfestion, it is listened to with respect, and duly weighed; l)nt after the whole plan has been concerted, the leader assumes the responsibility of its execution, and his followers render him the most implicit obe- dience throutjbout the enterprise. The number, therefore, and the cliaracter of the party, are determined by the reputation of him who proposes to take the direction. If tlie invitation is given by a person of little reput", few acccj't it, and those few are warriors of inferior note, or youth."- who are willing to embrace any occasion to go to war; while, on tliu oihc; iiand, the bravest warriors will enlist eagerl}^ under (me who has already gained distinction. In other ca.'ha\\anoe warrior, whose miming, sagacity, and experience, were only equalled ])y the fierce and desperate bravery with which he carried into operation his military jilans. Like the other Shawanoe chiefs, he was the inve- terate foe of the white man, and held that no peace shoidd be made, nor any negotiation attempted, except on the condition that the whites should repass the mountains, and leave the great plains of the west to the sole occupancy of the native tril)es. He was the orator of his trilie during the greater part of his long life, and was an excellent speaker. The venerable Colonel Johnston, of Piqua, to whom we are indebted for much valuable information, describes him as the most graceful Indian he had ever seen, and as possessing the most natural and happy faculty of expressing his ideas. lie was well versed in the traditions of his people; no one under.stood better their peculiar relations to the whites, whose settlements were gradually encroaching on thein, or could detail with more minuteness the wrongs with which his nation was afflicted. But although a stern and uncomproinising opposition to the whites had formed his ])olicy through a series of forty years, and nerved his arm in a hundred battles, he Ijecame at h'ligth convinced of the madness of an ineffectual struggle against a vastly su})erior and hourly increasing foe. No sooner had he satisfied himself of this truth, than he acted upon it with the decision which formed a jirominent trait in his character. The temporary success of the Indians in several engagements previous to the campaign of General Waviie, had kejjt alive their expiring hopes; but their signal defeat by that gallant otricer, convinced the more rellectiiig of their leaders of the desperate character of the 42 328 BIOGRAPHY. coiidict. Bhick Hoof was among those who docided upon making terms with the victorious American commander; and having sitrned the treaty of 1795, at Greenville, he remained faithful to his sti[)u- lations diu'ing the remainder of his life. From that day he ceased to he the enemy of the white man; and as he was not ojie who ;"ould act a negative part, he hecame the firm ally and friend of those against whom his tomahawk had heen so long raised in vin- dictive animosity. He was their friend, not from sympathy, or Ca, wiction, hut in obedience to a necessity which h.'ft no middle course, and luider a belief that submission alone could save his tribe from destruction; and having adopted this policy, his sagacity and sense of honor alike forbade a recurrence either to open war or secret hostility. C'atahecassa was the principal chief of the Shawanoe nation, and possessed ;dl the influence and authority which arc usually attached to that office, at the ])eriod when Tecumthe, and liis brother the Prophet, commenced their hostile operations against the United States. Tecumthe had never been reconciled to the whites. As sagacious and as brave as Black Hoof, and resem- bling him in the possession of all the better traits of the savage character, he differed widely from that respectable chief in ins political opinions. They were both patriotic, in the proper scn.se of the word, and earnestly desired to preserve the remnant of tlieir tribe from the destruction that threatened the whole Indian race. Black Hoof, whose long and victorious career as a warrior placed his courage far above suspicion, submitted to what he believed inevitable, and endeavored to evade the effects of the storm by bending beneath its fury ; while Tecumthe, a younger man, an influential warrior, but not a chief, with motives equally public spirited, was no doubt biassed, unconscioiisly to himself, by personal ambition, and suffered his hatred to the white man to overmaster every other feeling and consideration. The one was a leadi of ripe fame, who had reached the highest place in his CATAHECASSA. 3-29 nation, and could adbrd to retire from tlio active- scenes of war- fare; the other was a candidate for higlier honors tlian lie had yet achieved; and bolli miirlit have been actuated by a common impulse of rivalry, which induced them to espouse dilTerent opi- nions, in op[)osition to each other. During several years immediately preceding ISll, the British cabinet prosecuted with renewed vigor their favorite policy of exciting the western savages into active hostilities against the United States. The agents of that government traversed the fron- tier, holding councils with the Indians, and seeking to inflame them by artful harangues, or to briix; them by liberal presents. The success of these intrigues is too well known. The tomahawk and firebrand were again busied in tlie fearful work of desolation, and a merciless war waged, not against tlic lorts and armies of the American government, but upon the property and lives of indi- viduals, upon the fields and firesides of a scattered population of enterprising farmers. Tecumtlie engaged eagerly in tliese scenes, and devoted all the energies of his bold genius to his darling scheme of fomenting the discord which should bring about a general war between the Americans on one side, and the united Indian tribes on the other. Aided by his brother the Prophet— a deceitful, treacherous, but cunning man, he endcavor<>d to enlist his own nation in the o-n-at conspiracy, but found an insurmountable obstacle in the deter- mined o{)position of Black Hoof, who, having made a treaty of pi-ace with the United States, resolved to maintain his plighted faith. In vain did Tecumtlie intrigue, harangue, and threaten; in vain did the pretended Prophet jiractise his incantations— equally in vain did the British agent spread out his alluring cargo of trinkets and munitions. Black Iloof preserved his integrity; the older and more reputal)le part of the tribe adliered to him; while the young and thoughtless, tiie worthless and dissolute, joined by a similar class from other tribes, followed the Prophet •,iM niOGRAlMIY. to his now town, and connncncod a system of robbery and murder, which, doiiblless, formed the extreme point to wliicli either he or they had extended tlicir views — wliile tlic more politic Tecunithe regarded them as a mere banditti, puslied forward to embroil the English witli the Americans, and to force the savage tribes into a general war. The firmness with which Black Hoof stood aloof on this occasion, and his success iu restraining the majority of his nation, showed alike liis prudence, his foresight, and his popularity. His course was honorable to his judgment and his integrity. Another trait in the character of this Indian is highly creditable, and indicates a perception of the social virtues not usually found in savage life. He lived forty years in harmony with one wife, and reared a numerous family, whom he treated with kindness, and by whom lie was greatly beloved. The; policy of the Indians, in this respect, is not fully understood. They permit, but do not in general encourage, polygamy. There is no law nor cu.slom ainoug them which forbids a plurality of wives; but they do not consider it creditable for any man to marry more women than he can sup- port; and it is even considered a proof of wealvuess for a warrior to encumber himself with loo large a family. The capacity to support a family differs among them, as with us, though not to the same extent. Their chief dependence for food being on the chase, the most expert himter is best able to provide a subsistence; and the evils of poverty are most severely felt by those who are lazy, ])hysi- cally weak, or destitute of sagacity in finding game. Those who have estaljlished a reputation in war or in hunting, have each a small train of friends and defenders, composed of their sons and nephews — of youth who attach Cliemselves to an experienced man for the benefit of his counsel or protection, or of the improvident, who need a leader. When a distinguished warrior, tlieretbre, speaks of his yoiuif/ men, he alludes to this train of relatives or pupils, who support him in his ([uarrels, and follow him to the CATAHECASSA. 881 cliasc; while a chief employs the same form of expression in a more enlarged sense, as applicable to the young warriors of his nation. This o.\j)lanation adurds a key to one of the sources of the sliglit distinction in rank which exists among the Indians. Dis- tinction in war or hunting draws around its i)osse.ssor a band of two or three, or .sometimes more, devoted followers, who, in a society where force is often the only law, increase the power of their leader, while they add to his wealth by attending him in the chase, and thus increasing his means of procurirg food. A warrior of this rank may, with jirojjriety, grace his wigwam with several wives, and may even require the .services of more tlian one to carry home his game, and perform the drudgery of his numerous family; while the improvident or unsuccessful hunlcr, or a youth who must rely entirely upon himself, may not venture to indulge him.self with the same liberality. These distinctions are closely observed by the Indians in every tribe with which wo are acquainted, and nothing more certainly provokes their contempt llian the marrying an un- reasonable number of wives. Black Hoof, as we have seen, wa.s satisfied with one; Tecumthe had but one at a time, while the hypocritical Prophet, who, from laziness or incapacity, was not an active hunter, maintained a numb(>r of wives, who were supported by the contributions which he artfully levied upon his credulous followers. The two former were respected as men, even by their enemies, while the latter, as soon as he ceased to be sustained in his imposture by his politic and manly brother, sunk into disrepute. lie died recently in Missouri. An intelligent gentleman, who spent many years among the Shawanesc, in the discharge of public duties, and was often ac- companied in long journeys through the wilderness ])y Black Hoof, describes him as a lively, agreeable, and instructive coni- ])anion. On one of these occasions, he shot a deer when he was more than ninety years of age. lie preserved his eyesight to tlie last, and never used or needed glasses, nor was known to be sick. 889 niorjuAPHY. He was a small man, ahoiit five I'cct v'\)S,]d indies in lici^rjit, well proportioned and active, and had a remarl- policy pursued by them and their allies in this war, by alleging that 33S BIOGRAPHY. the lUiui were more criu'l tlian otlicr Indians, and always burnea their prisoners; and that, in retaliation, they adopted the practice of delivering over siieh of the lUini as fell into their hands, to the women, to be tortured to dealli. During this contest, an incident occurred which may be men tioned in illustration of the uncompromising character of savage warfare. On the shore of the Illinois stands a singular rock, risinsx perpcndicidarly from the wfiter's edge, and inaccessible on three sides; while on the fourth, its sununit, which is level, may be reached l)y a very narrow jiatlnvay. A part>- of the Illiui, hotly pursued bv their enemies, took refuge on this rock with their women and children. Tliey were discovered and besieged; and such was the vigilanc of their adversaries, that, althougli certain death by starvation awaited tiiem w ithin their fortress, they were unal)le to eflect a retreat. They even stationed sentinels in canoes upon the river, by day and by night, to defeat any -attempt of the besieged to procure water, i)y lowering ves.sels into the stream; and the wretched garrison, having no stores nor means of supply, began soon to be tortured by the pangs of hunger and thirst. They resolved to die rather than surrender; aud, ibr a while, consoled themselves by hurling defiance and scoffs at their foes. At length the}' ceased to appear upon the ramparts, and their voices were no longer heard. The besiegers, cautious to the last, and .secure of their prey, delayed making any attempt to enter the fortress until so long ;i time had elapsed as to render il certain that famine had performed its deadly oihce. A\ hen at 1 i-l they ascended to the summit of the rock, but one soul was toiind limbering among the carcasses of the dead — an aged sipiaw was still breathing, and lived many years in captivity, the last of her tribe. The " Starved Rock" is .still pointed out by the inhabitants as the scene of this heart- rending adventure. Having possessed themselves of the country, the invaders con- tinued to pursue, with unrelenting hostility, the scatteiud remnants KEOKUK. 889 of the once powerful Illim, wlio lingered for protection about the settlements of the French and Spaniards. 'J'iieir last attempt to destroy this unhappy jieople was in 177'J, when they approached St. Louis willi fifteen hundred braves, in search of a small band of Pcorias, supposed to be lurking in that vicinity. The Spanish governor turned a deaf ear to the representations of the inhabit- ants, who believed their village to be in danger; and the latter, unal)le to prevail upon him to put the place in a post lu-e of defence, sent an express to the American colonel, George Rogers Clarke, who was then at Ka.skaskia, to .solicit liis protection. Clarke instantly marched with five hundred men, and encamped on the left bank of the river, oj)posi1e St. Louis. The governor, convinced at last of the hostile intentions of the Lidians, who, not finding mo Illini were marching upon St. Louis, ])ecame jjanic-struck, and offered to deliver over the colony to Clarke. The latter declined an offer which he had no authority to accept, but remained in his camp, prepared to assist the iidiabitants, if required. An attack was made. Clarke immediately crossed the river with a party of his men, but the Lidians, on seeing the "Long Knives,'" as the Virginia troops were called by them, ha.stily retreated, having previously killed about seventy of the Spaniards. Colonel Clarke afterwards sent a detachment of one hundred and fifty men, who scoured the country far above the Sauk village, and returned without molestation ; tjie Lidians, awed by tlie boldness of this measure, declaring that, if so few dared to invade their country, they were prepared to fight with desperation. There was a small tril)e of Lnvays in tl.e Illinois country at the time oi' the irruption by tiie northern Lidians, who were probably themselves intruders. ]}eing loo weak to o])pos(! tlie invaders, tJKiy received tliein hospitalily, and remained at peace witli them. Having coiupiered the country, tlie iMu.-lisiied them.selves on Rock river, near its junction with tlie ^Lssissipjii ; the Suuks soon followed them, and this spot became the principal 310 niOGRAPIIY. seat of llie united nation. Tiie wliolc of this ivgioii is fertile and ])ictures(|iie beyond deserii)tii)n. ll is u country of jjraines — of niai4iiifieent plains, spreading' out in every direction as far as tiip eye can rt'acli, and w hose heautiful, undulating surface is elotlied with a (;arpet of the richest verdure, studded with splendid groves, giving to the exti'udetl landscape an air of ornate elegance and rich enil)eliishinenl such as is seldom beheld in tiie scencu'y of ihe wilderuess. Tiie Mississij)pi, wiiicli, l)elo\v its junction with the Missouri, is a turl)id stream, meandering through low grounds, and margined l)y rnuddv banks, is iiere a clear and rapid river, flowing over l)eds of rock and gravel, and ijordered by the most lovely shores. Nothing of tiie kind can be more attractive than the scenery at the I'pper Kapids, in tlie viciiiily of the iSauk and Fox viUage. On tlie western shore, a series of slopes are seen commencing at the gravelly margin of the water, and rising, one above another, with a Ijarely percc^ptiijle aci'li\ity, I'or a considerable distance, until tlie back-ground is terminated by a chain of beautifully rounded hiP.s, over which trees are thinly .scattered, as if jilanted by the hand of art. This is the singular charm of prairie scenery : although it be a wilderness, just as nature mad(; it, it has no savage nor repulsive ieatiire — the verdant carpet, the gracefully waving outline of the surface, the clumps, the grove.s, and the scattered trees, give it the a|)|iearance of a noble park, boundless in extent, and adorned with exquisite taste. It is a wild but blooming desert, that does not awe ity its gloom, but is gay and cheerful, winning by its social aspect, as well as b\' its variety and intrinsic gracefulness. The eastern shore is not less beautiful. A iiroad llat jilain, of rich alluvion, extending from the water's edge, is terminated by a low range of wooded hills. A small collection of Indian lodges stood on this plain when the writer last saw it ; l)ut tin; principal villagi^ of the ►Sauks and Foxes was about three! miles distant, on IJock river. In the front of the landscape, and presenting its most prominent lea KEOKUK. 841 « lure, as viewed from aii ascondiiifr Ijoal, is JJock Islau'i, on the soutli(n-n point of wldcli, olovatcd npon a parapet of rock-, stands Fort Armstrong. Tiio surronnding region is hcaltliy, and amaz- ingly fruitful. The grape, the plum, llie gooseberry, and various other native fruits, abound ; the \v\U\ honeysuekle gives its perfume to the air, and a thousand indigenous llowers mingle their diversi- fied hues with the verdure of the pl;,in. These ])rairi(;s were formerly eovered with immense herds of bullalo, and abounded in game of every dese,ri])tion. The rivers lurnished excellent (ish, and the whole region, in every respect so rich in the i)ounties of nature, must have formed that kind of para- dise of which alone the Indian has any concejition. If e'er there was a spot on earth where scenic b(;auty, united with fecundity of soil and salubrity of climate, could exert a refining influence u])on the liuman mind, it was here; and those who claim for the savage an Arcadian simplicity of character, or who sup])ose the Inunan mind may become softened by the genial influence of cli- mate and locality, might reasonably look here for effects corre- sponding with such opinions. Blessed with abundance, there could iiave been no necessity for any intrusion upon the liunting-grounds of other.s, and the causes of war, otlier than the lust Ibr carnage, must have been Ihw. Surrounded by the clioicest beauties of nature, it would seem that a taste for the jjicturesque, a sense of the enjoyment of home and comfort, and an ardent love of country, would have been iinplant(>(l and fostered. But wc find no such results. The Sauks of Illinois ])resented the same character half a century ago which they now exhibit. They are savages as little ameliorated !)y place or circumstances as the Osages and the Ca- manches of the farther w.'st, or the Seminoles of Florida, and are in no resi)ec,t more assimilated to civilized men than the wr(>tclied Chippewa who wanders over the i)leak and sterile shores of Lake Suj)erior. The office of chief, among the Sauk.s, is jjartly elective, and r,i2 BIOfJIlAl'IIY. partly licnvlitiiry. Tlio .-on is usually cIkpscu as the successor of the falliLM', if worthy, but if \ir lio |)asst'(l over, tlic most iiicritoriinis of the fuiiiilv is selected. 'IMuTc an; several of these diti'iiitaries, and in describing their relative rank, th(\v narrate a tradition, \vhi(;b we siipposi! to bo merely ngurativ(\ They .say that, a great while ago, tinir fathers had a long lodge, in the centre of which were ranged four iircs. Uy tlie lirst lire stood two chiefs, one on tli(^ right hand, who was called tlie (J real iJear, and one on the let"t, called the Litth; J?car. Thcs«! were the village or peace chiefs. Tliev were the rulers of the band, and held the authority that wo should describe as that of chief magistrate — but not in equal degree, for th(! fireat Bear was t/ic chief, and tiie other, next in authority. At the second fire stood two chiefs, one on the right, culled the Crreat Fox, and one on the left, called the liittle Fox. These were the war chiefs or generals. At the third fu'o stood two braves, who were called respectively the Wolf and the Owl; and at the fourth fne were two others, who were the Eagle and the Tortoise. The last four w(U"(! not chiefs, l)ut braves of high reputation, who occu- pied honorable places in the council, and were persons of influence in ])eace and war. The lodge of four lires may have existed in fact, or the tradition may be merely metaphorical. It is quite con- sonant with the Indian character to describe events by figures, and tlie latter, in the confusion of bad translations, are often mistaken for facts. 'J'iie chiefs actually rank in the order pointed out in this legend ; and the nation is divided into families, or clan.s, each of which is distinguished by the name of an animal. Instead, how- ever, of there being but eight, there are now twelve. 'J'ho jilacc of peac(; chief, or head man, confers honor rather than power, and is by no means a desirable situation, unless the incuni- IxMit be a person of popidar talents, lie is nominally the lirst man m the tribe. lie presides at the councils ; all acts of inqmrtance are (lon(^ in his name; and he is saluteil by the patriarchal title of Fitner. But his power and influence depend entirely uiion his K'KOlvrk-, ai:! pcrsoiiiil uiiulit (if ciiaractor; and uIumi lie liajipciis to l)o a weak man, tlic authorily is virtually exorciscil liy tin; war cliicfs. II(> is usnally [hmv. \\ iiatcvcr may be liis skill or success as a limittT, he is c(>iii[H'l!e(l to <,nv(> away liis property in linspitality or l)ene\o leiice. Jle is expected to l)e airai)h! and generous, must entertain his people occasionally with feasts, and he liberal in giving pre- sents, lie must i)ractise the arts of gaining popularity, which are much the same in every state of society, luid among w Inch a prodi- gal hospitality is not the least successtul. If any one requires to borrow or beg a horse on any emergiMicy, he applies to the chief, who cannot refuse without subjecting himself to the eharce of meanness. Not unfrequently the young men take his horses, or other property, without leave, when he is, perhaps, the only indi- vidual in the tribe with whom such a liberty could be taken with impunity. He is the father who must regard, with an indulgent eye, the misdeeds of his children, when he is himself the injured party, but who must administer inile.\ible justice when others are aggrieved. A per.sou of energetic character may mainlain a high degree of inlluence in this station, and .some who have held it have been little less than despotic; but wlien a man of little capacity succeeds to the hereditary chieftaincy, he becomes ;i mere tool in the hands of the war chiefs, who, having command of the braves and young men. control the elements of power, and readily obtain the sway in a community essentially martial, where there is little law, and le.ss wealth. The jirincijial war chief is ol'ien, thercl'ore, the person whose name is most widely known, and he is fre(juentlv confounded with the head man. The station of war chief is not hereditary, nor can it propt>rly be .said to be elective; for, although in some cases of emergency, a leader is formally cho.sen, thev usually aeciuire n'j)utation by success, and rise gradually into con- fidence and connnand. The most distinguished warrior, especially if he be a man of jjojiular address, becomes l)y tacit consent the war chief. sw lUOCiRAl'HY. Wlicthor the eight fires, or laiuilies, iiieiitioned above, coiii{)rised at any period tlie whok- tril)e, we cannot ik'terniine. 'i'he Sanks are now divided into twelve I'aniiiies, and the Muscjnakees into eigiit; and, ahhongh great cure is taken to preserve tiiis distinc- tion, we may readily sujipose that a name sonietinies becomes extinct, and that a distingnislied man may lound a new I'amily. 'I'iiere is another division pei'idiar to this trilie, which is verv singidar. Every mah' child, shortly al't(n' its birth, is marked with iviiile or hliu.k paint, the mother bi'ing carelul to nse the two colors alternately, so that it her eldest son l)e marked with black, the second will be distingnislied by white. 'I'luis, if there be an ev( n numlier of males in a liunily, tlie number marked with each color respectively will be e((ual, and the whole nation will be nearly eqnally divided. The colors thns given, arc appro])riated to the individuals unchangeably through life, and in painting themselves u|)on any occasion, those of the one party use white, and those of the other black, in aildition to any other coU)rs they may fancy, all others being free alike to the whole nation. The oltject of this custom is to create u continual enndation between the two parties. At the public ball phiying, and all other games, the whites play against the blacks. In the dances of ceremony they endeavor to outdo each other; and in war, the scalps taken l)y each party arc numbered against tho.se of the rival division. The chiefs have the sole management of the public ad'airs, but the braves are consulted as advisers, and have great inllucnce. In the councils a (piestion is not usually considered as decided, unless there is a unaiumous voice. The discussions are deliberate and grave, seldom disturjjed by inlhunmatory appeals, or distracted by llippant or unadvi.sed counsels. The sj)eakers, in general, prepare tliem.selves carefully beforehand. Their style is sententious and ligurative, but their speeches are weakened by the lVe([uent rej)o- tition of the same idea. One circumstance in regard to their ])ublic speaking, which we have never seen noticed, has struck the writer KEOKUK. 845 forcil)Iy on sevfral occiisioiis. Tlit! saiiic ctitiucltc uliicli, in tlii! j)iirliaiii('ii1;irv Ixidifs of civilized nations, lurhids llic spcakfrs to alliidi' to cacli other l)y iiaiin', prevails anionic tiieni. W C do not pretend to say tliat tlie praelii-e is invariaiile; l)iit wiiciiever wo have attended tlieir coiineils, wo noticed tiiat, in eoMiineiitiny on each other's s|)eeches, they used expressions such as "tiie eliicf who has just spoken," "the I'hief wlio spoko lirst," "one of niv brothers has said," with oilier eirciiinlooutioiis, whiidi were ob- viously the result of u ^niarded intention to avoid a more direct allusion. They are, however, fond ot'speakini^r in die third person, and in doiiijr this the orator often uses his own name. The laws of this nation are ihw and simple. Debts are contracted but seldom, and no inace and dignity of the public, or is ])unishable as a national allair, except aiding or assisting tlieir enemies, unless it be some dereliction connected with military duty, wliicli always receives a prompt and contempt- uous rebuke. A sentinel, for instance, who lu-glects his duty, is publicly flogged with rods by the women. The traders consider the Sauks and Foxes jierfectly honest, and feel safe anionic them KROKUK. 847 rest of the trilic i\|)|)(';ir on liiiit, in procpssii/U.^ ;iiii1 dllirr I'crcrrin- iiioiis occ.'iNioiis, lie had llic |iriviI(L;(' of hcinn inoiiiilcd, iiiiil iiiii;lit liiiVL' Itccii (iftcii sci'ii rid'iii^ alniic and pnuidly aiiioiiM- his people. Sliorlly al'lcr tliis invent, and while Keokuk was yet too younir to In; admitted to the conneil, a ninior reached the villaire that, a larj^ro body of American troojis was approachini4' to attaidv it. .So tbrmida- lile was this enemy considered, that, althouiih still distant, and the olijoet oftlie expedition not (lertaiidy ascertained, ii great panic was excited hy tin; inti'lliucnce, and the council, alter revolving tlio wholt! matt(u-, decided upon abandoning the village. Keokidi, who stood near the entrance of the conneil lodge, awaiting the result, no sooner heard this determination than he stepped forward and begged to be admitted. The nwpiest was granted, lie asked |ierinission to address tin; council, which was accorded; and he ^lood up for the lirst tina; to speak before a public assend)lage. Having stated that he had heard witii sorrow the decision of his elder brethren, he j)roceeded with modesty, but witli the earnestness of a gallant spirit, to dei)recate an ignominious lliglit before an enemy still far distant, wliose ntinibers might bo exaggerated, and whose destination was unknown. lie pointed out the advantages of meeting the foe, harassing their mandi, cutting them n^) iu detail, driving them back, if po.ssible, and linally of tlying honorably in delence of their liomes, their women, and their ehiklren, rather than yielding all that was dear and valuable without striking u l)low. "Make me your header !"' he exclaimed ; '-let your young men follow nie, and the pale faces siiall ])e driven back to their towns ! Let the old men and tiie women, aniit he ascertained, rcnps liv \\lii(di this reniarkal)le man rose to the elii(^f place in his nation, and aiMpiircd a connnanding' and perma- nent inllnenee over his people. We shall, therefore, withont refer- ence to tl (' oi'der 111 collected with tliC events, present such tacts as we 1 iiav(! >reat care, partly Irom personid ol)scrvation, an partiv from the testimony o|" gentlemen whose statiMncnts mav lie relied on as authentic. Possessing a line person, and fitted with courage, prudence, and el oquence, Keokuk s( on I )ec me the t liief warrior ol Ins nation, and ifradually acfpiired the direction of civil allairs, altiioiigh the latter coiitiinied lor many years to Ik^ conducted in tlie name of the hereditary peace chief 'J'lio most daring and graceful rider of his nation, he was always well mounted, and no doiiht owed much ol' his popularity to his imposing appearance when eipiipped for war or ceremony, and to his feats of horseiiianshij). From a natur.il ])ride. or from piilic\. he always maih' tlie most of this advaii- tau'c liv indnlLnnu'. at ureat expense, his love >»f fmc horses, and eostiv caparisons, and e\hiliitiiiLr himself in tiie liest manni'r on pul)lic ot'casions. Keokuk was, in all resjiects. a ma<_Miiliceiit sa\aiie. Bnld. entcr- p. ising, and impulsi\<', he was also politic md possessed an intiirmto kiio\vle;lgo of human nat lire, and a tai't w iii> d iin nahled him to bring the re.sourci s o| Ins miiid into prompt n|ieratioii. Successful iii his undertakings, \cl there were a freshness and entlnisi.asm alioiit him that threw a tiiiL^' of romance over many of his deeds, and wo ild have indicated u mind acting for ell'ect rather than from the dictates KEOKUK. 849 nf policy, had tliore not l)o(-ii al)iiii(liiiil proofs of tlio culiu judgment which fortiied the Ijasis of iiis charaiiter. Keokuk uas fond of lravfliiii, wliich diil not fiil lo make a favorai)le impression. The mild season of aulunui, so peculiarly delinhlful in the prairie^ rcLrion of western Ani(>rica, u us the time chosin for tliesc excursions, that heinjj; the period of the year when ifame and forage are aljuii- dant. A hand of forty or fifty of the most active and finest looking young men were selci ted to accompany the chief, all of whom were well mounted and com|iIctcly cipiipptnl. 'i"he chief espociallv, spared no e.vpen.si! in his own outlit. 'I'he most super!) Iiorse that could he procured. th(! most showy Spanish saddle and housings, arms of faultless workmanship, a robe elaborateh wrought with all the coud)ined taste and skill of his six wives, iiud a pipe of state, were duly prepared. A ruumT wasseut forward to announce his intention; and in this style he visit<'(l some one o!' the tribes with whom he was at |)eac.e— either the 0.sag(\s, the Otocs. the Oiiiahas, the AN'inne- bago(«s, or the loways. 'I'lie honor was properlv appreciated, and ample provision made for the entertainment of .so illustrious a yuest. Food and tobacco were laid up in store airaiiist his coming, and especially, if at all attainable, was there a supjih' procured of the ClinslKiifs Jiir ifdlir. 'I'lic ^uc^ts were recci\c(l hospitablv, and with every mark of ostentatious cercimaiy that could be alforded bv tlu.' circumstances of the parties. The time was spent in a round of liuntin<>-, feasting, athli'tic sports, and a variety of games, llorse- racinuf. ball plav. lixit rai'cs, and tiamiiliny with dice, formed the amiisemenls; while daiiiuiiij. which mav be considered rather as a solcmnily than a recreation, tilled a due portion of the time. Keokuk was a great dancer, and had been an overmatch for most of his co- temporaries at all athletic sports. The warlike exploits of this chief ha\e been numerous; but lew of them are such as would intercut our readers On one occasion, .")U BIOGRAPHY. while cii^rjitioc], witli a body of his warriors, in huiilinL,^ on the LM-c at 1)1: HIS wliicli lie l)Ct\ wc'cn his iiuliuii and their iiinrlid riuMiiies, um thfiii. the fSioiix, a war [larty ol" tho hitter caiiu? siiddoiily 14 Ik.l! I 11: lilies were iiuninti'd hill ihe Sioiix, beiiiir the super periur iinr^t'iiieii, and lull}' ariiied lor hatlle, liad the ad\aiilav, and rode KKOKCK. 851 aloiK- into llic rruiip. Tlic war pole stood in tlic midst of tlie lodL,f('s, tlic war dance was ooiiiy wiiicli tlie Indians lasii tiicinsclvcs into Inrv, and stir iip tlie storm of venifcauec in each otiier's liosonis, were in full practice. ]{cven^fe upon the Sunk was tins !)iirdcn of their son^-. At such a moment Keokuli, mounted as usual on a fine horse, rode huldlv in amonir them,:- d demanded to see their chief "J |i;,ve come," said he, "to let you know that there are traitors in \oin-cam|i. 'I'he\- have told me that you arc preparin^f to attack mv village. [ knew tliev told me lies, for you could not, after smokiuL"' the |iipe of peace. i)e .so hase as to murder my women and children in mv aliscnce. Xduo hut cowards wouM In' LTinlty of such conduct !" 'I'he Siouv, w ho, for a juoment, were ahashed hy the audacil\- of their enemv, now heoau to crowd about him. in a mann(>r that showed a determina- tion to seize his |)erson : and they had already laiil hold of his ]e heard is true, then know that the Sauks are ready for you !" So sayini>-. he shook auks and Foxes ap|)eared in tlieir native tlress, evincinif a dij^nity and l!,i)ihI Uis\v wliidi atlraeled yeiu'ral notice. Another anecdote is illustrative of tlu! same habitual jjood order. touched for a {'vw luinules at Rock Island. A nuniiier of the In- dians saunlercd to tlic shore to <4a/e at it, and a passeni^er, expect- ing to see a scraniblc, hel(' up a u liisky bottle, and be(d\oned to the savages, wlio took no notice of his inotioiis. lie stc[)|)cd on sliore, asaiii showed the enticing A few vears ago a steamboat, ascending the Mississippi, bolth iiui made siiiiis, but witlioiit •irect. upposing the I iidians to be bash ful. :)r afraid the bottle on tiie ground, pointed to it, and returned to tlie boat, which now shoved oiV, while ids fellow-[)as,sen'_'"crs laughed loiidlv at ids want ol success. No sooner did the lioat leave the sliore than the Indians ran iVuni the lo|) of liie liaiilv, where tiiey had b(;cii standing, dow n to the water's edge, and the passciiiicr, beholding, as he .suppo.sc(l, the expected scramide, exulted in the success of his experiment ; but, to bis astoiiishmeiit, the Iii(Hans [licked up the bottle and threw it. with .symptoms ol' great glee, after the l)oat, into the water, at the same time clapping tlieir iiaiids. laugli- WWX- and evidentU' I'Miltiiiii in the disap|Hiiiitmeiit nf the passenger, in the \car [^'2U. tlie writer made an excursidii up tlie Missis- sippi, and having passed beyond the seltleineiits, stopped uiie day at a cabin 0:1 the siioi'e, inhabited b\' a respectable lariiier trout I cmisvlvaiiia, wiio liad iieeii i 'iitii li\ a fine tract ol land to sit down III the w ilderiie more than liftv miles from aii\- neiifliiior. \\ liile enjoyiiiL'' the iicispit;ible fare that was kindly spreail before us, we iiKpiirecj if these dwellers in the blooiniiiLi' desert were not afraid of the Sauks and l''oxes, w liost^ huntiiiLT-Lironnds extended around them. 'i'l ie\ sa id t lev had felt muc irm until after a circumstance which occurred shortiv before our visit. 'I'liey one k::okik. 353 day saw caiincs ascciKliiii; iIk; vlwv, and sm.-iH parties of Indians |)assiiiline. Fear- ing that, under these circumstances, some depredalion miLjhl he eomnu'lfed iqion the property of the backwoodsman, a war chief had taken post in ids house, and sentinels had been pla<'ed around it; and the farmer was assured, that if, hereafter, anv injury should he discovered to have i)eeii conmutled diuami tliat idght by the Indians, the chief would pay for it when he next came tiiat wav. Whether Keokuk was the person wiio .-lept in the .settler's cabin, we Jiad not the uu-ans of learning, but .as he was undoubtedly at ihe head of the band, tlie anecdote shows iiim desirous to a\()id giving oil'Mice to the whites, and exhiliils a careful attention to the discipline of his tribe. Keokidi wa.-. an able negotiator, lie several times made peai-e with the Sioux, inider the most unpronnsiny- cir^ they have as olh n broken the treatii (■umsl.ances, and Oi le ol iiis achievements in this way displayed Ids skill and ehxpience in a remarkable man- ner. Some of lii> warriors. fdiiiiL; in with an encampmenl of uu- ord. at I'r.aii'ie du ( 'hien, .Mcnomeiiies, ju.slly armed Menonienii s, in siulit of I'ori ( 'raw I wan loni y mil rdered thi; wliolj jjarty. T iiiciused at an !inpro\okeil and cowardly murder, declared war; 1 864 lilOCUAPIl V jiMii thi'ir iVicii'ls, llio Wimiebagocs, who wcri- previously Iioslilc to tin.' .Sauks, were also higlily indignant at this outrage. To pre vent a san^niinary war, Cieiieral .Street, the agent of the United .States at I'rairie ilu Chien, invited the several parties to a eonneil. 'I'liev assenililed at l''ort Crawlord, hut the Menonienies positivi-ly retiiseil 111 hold any negotiation with the oH'cnding partv. When Keokuk was informed of this resohitioii, he told the a'''ent eonlidentl\- tha It made no dilierenec; that he would make a treatv with tiie Meuonienies hefore they separated — all he aski'd was to hi' hroiiLiht ,ice to lace with them in the eouned nouse. •[' le st.nera I Iril) aecon liULd V assem'iled, ea.'h sittini"' apart ; hut when tin (•;'remon\ ot smoking, uliirh jirecedes all pultlie, discussions, was C(iunuenc(t a\erle(l tiieir fices, or listened with looks of defi ince. The ccnunenceiueut ol a speech, w ithoul a pre- vious smokiiiii' and shaking ol han(Js, was a breach of etupiette, and ides the liead of a trihe who had done them an injury lie w as ue.N III it iiotlii'iL' hut lilood coiilil atoiK lor. I nder all these disadvan- t:i!4es the nik i-liie procet ■ded with his haraninic, and such wa> llie pow er vT his elcKpieiicc. even upon minds thus |)redis[)osed, that Uis hearers i^railualh re [\fi\, lisleued, assented — ai Id w lieu III ( Olll luded I )V saving iiidiK div, ml in a concilialorx' tone 1 came here to sav that I am sorrv for the ini|)rudeuce of mv xtiuni; men — 1 came to maki> peace. I iiov\ oiler von the hand of Keokuk — who will ret'use it.'" tjicv rose; om; li\' one, and accepted the |iri.ll'ered 'jrasp. Ill the \('ar 1^:)!, a fiction of the Sauk trihe. formerlv called the IJritish iiand. hut latterh known d 1^; awk s iianii Decame eiitfaiied in a war with thi' whites, some account ol which is "ivun KHOKIK 855 ill our skclch «{' Black Hawk. Keokuk, willi lln- majority of llio 1 Fox nation, rcniaincil at peace uilli the I Hited States- auR au( Init it required all tlii' inlluence. Ilrinness, and tact of tins chief, to kee|) his ])eo]i!(^ in a position so little, consonant uitli their lialiits and feel iiiirs. 'I'lieir natural fondness for war, their love of jilunde: their restless dispositions, tlieir dislike towards the wliites, jiiid tli injustice with wliicli thev liad been treated. all cons|)U"ed to enlist their syni])!ithies with their eoinitrynien and relatives who were eiiirau-ed in ho.stilities. 'l"o preserve them from temptation, as well as to jfive assurance of liis |)acifio intentions. Keokuk, who liad ssi.vsippi, which was tlio (uiested the airent removed from the eastern side of the Mi theatre of war. to the western side of tlial ri\('r, ri if tl le American t:d\-eriimeiit to send Id his cami u hit e man w ho le sm- could speak tlie Sauk laniriiaiic. and who miuhl witiie: cerity witii which he was endeavorinir to restrain Ids hand. A person was sent. The e.vcitement in tin; tril )e continued and increased — a moody, vindictiv(>, and sensitive state of feel inallant lumd of their relatives who were at that moment chased over their own hiintintr- grounds hy ;m overwhelmin'j- force of well armed troops; iiv, iiisulls, imd 111" I()ii«f-clierislit«(l injuries iiillictrd hy llic uliilc niiiii. lie liiiilcil ;it the rciidy vcii'^nviiici' tli:it mitflit lie taken, ut an ex- posed frontier, defenceless eal)ins, and ricli liooty. 'I'iiese excitinij; topics were jiassed and cwaifirerated iVoni nmutli to nioutii — ardent, spirits were circulated, and the loiiir-sinotliered rebellion lieti:an to fester in the infill uneil bosoms o f tl le savaii'e lioril. lie i)ra\('s as- siMiibled about tiie war pole U) dance tlie war dance, and to smear tlieir faces with the hideons syndiols of reven^fe. Keoknk watched the risinir of tiie storm, and appeared to niin<^le in its ra^ini^. lie drank, listened to all that was said, :\\\i\ apparently assenteil to the inllammatory appeaU At Icntilh the warriors cried aloud to be led to battle, and the I'liief was called upon for his opinion — he was asked to lead tliein. lie stood forward, and adilressed them willi that elo(pience wiiich ide to tiie passions of his deluded people lever failed h sense of wront; nn Ml th the h our o' neei II e sympathized in their 'ir hatred of the while race, and their lust for xcniieance lie won their conlideiice bv descril iiiiii- mil mvini.'' utterance to the passions which they I'elt, and echoing back their own thoui^lits with the skill of a master spirit, llaviii;.;- thus secured their attention, li(> considered briclly tlu^ proposition to go and power of the Anieri- bers to war — alluded rajiidly to the nuni can people, and the utter hopelessness ol' a contest so uneipial. IJut lio told tliem he was their chief whoso duty it was to be at tlieir head in peace or war — to rule tlieiii as a father if they chose to lein if tliev determined to l^o to battle. remain at home, to lea 1 tl He concluded bv tellinir them, that in tlie pro|)o.sed war there could lie no niiddle course; the power of the Inited States was sucli. that, unless tliev conipn'red that great nation, tliey niu.st per isl at, therefore, he would lead them instanth- against tli wliites on one condition — which was, that they would first put all tl leir women am 1 children to deatl anil tl leii resolve, that. a Vint!; crossed the Mississippi, tliev would never return, but perish among tl le uraves o f tl leir fathers, rather than vield them to the white KEOKUK. 857 men 'I'liis pmpDsal, Imwcvcr (Icspcratc it nuiy scciii, presented tlie true issue. It poured tli(.' oil of relleetioii upon tlio wiives of passion. It iield up tlie trutii tliat a deelaration of war a, the Sioux on Ids right hand, and the Sauks and l'"o\es on his left, the w hok; t"oriniiig a semicircle, 'i'hese hostile tribe s presented in their appearaiit'c a remarkable contras t— li ic Sioux appearing tricke( 1 out ill blue coats, ejiaulettes, tur iiats, am various other articles of finery which had been presented to tliei n. lllll w liicl 1 were now incongruouslv worn in conjunclinn with portions of tiicir own proper costume- -wiiik' tli(? Sauks UK 1 1' oxes, with a commendable pride and good taste, wore their national dress without any admixture, and were studiously painted according to their own notions of propriety, lint the most striking oliject was Keokuk, who sat at tiic head of his delegation, on tiieir extreme eit, lacing ins mortal enemies, the Sioux, who occupic( I the oppo- KKOM K', 868 sue Hulo of ihc stjigf, Imviiiir tin; siicct.iliMs iijion liis li 11 >\i\v, his . Another and another followed, all and with much acriiuiniy. The burden of that it was useless to address pacitic langnar, hut their fcaturi's as coiuiioscil and stdhd as if they did not understand tiie disparaifiuir laiiy;iiaife tliat was iisei We reiiiarlied a deeided want (if (fracefuhiess in all tluisc s[)eak- ors. Kai'ii of tliein, liavinu; shaken hands witli the Sccrcturv of War, who sat facinavinu; tlu; rii,dit arm liare, to he used in action. I lis voice was line, his enunciation rcm.arkalily clear, distinct, and rapid. 'I'hose who have had the ifratification of iieariiiLf a distin- • riiislied senator tVom South Carolina, now in Compress, whost^ rapidity of utterance, concentration of thoufxht, and coiici.seui'ss of lantiuaife are alike; peculiar to himself, may form some idea ol" tin- style of Keokuk, the latter riddinir, however, an attention to tiie Uracos of attitude and action, to \\ Inch the tormer makes no pre- tension. Ic spoke w I til diiiiiits', l)ul with threat animation, and some of his retorts were e.vcellent. 'I"l lev tell vou, lid h "that our oars nuist ho horod with sticks; hnt, my father, you (^ould not penetrate iheir thick skulls in that way — il would re(piire hot iroi '["liev sav tiiev would as soon think of makiiiij peace. lilli this (diild as with us — hut they know hetter; for when they made war with iis thev found us men. 'I'hev 11 vou Uiat KKOKIK 861 pearo lins often Imm'h inailr, Km iIimi u,. hjivc \mikvu ii. ||n\\ Ii;,|). piMis it tlicii tliat so iniiiiy o|' thnr liniv.vs luivr Imvii sliiiii in oni conntry? I will tell you. 'I'licv invudcd ns — we iu'vit inviidcd llirrn— none of my itravcs liavc hccn killed in tlieir eoiinlry. We liiive tlieir s(-iil|)s, and ean tell where we took tlieni." We isliiill speak fnrllier of this eonneil in some of the other sketches of tlio Sanks and Foxes. It produced no clirct, unless that of wideninif lh(! breacii helween these tribes. Tiie fol!owine criers have; been eircnlatiiiir had news, informinif the whites that the Indians were pn^parinjr for war, and thai we are dissati.s- fied. My fatlier, you were ])resent wlien the t<.mahawk was buried, and assisted me to place it sodefp that it will never attain be raised again.st the white children of Illinois. "My Father— Very few of that misi w liisjiers. Our at'cnt lias not lieard of it. We Aish to live in |ii:ice wjlli the whites. If a white man comes to our i-amp or villaijc. we Ljive him a share of \\ li it uc hav.' to eat, a loilLriiiLf if he wants it, and nut him on the trail if he I,;:- los', it. "My Father — Advise the c.-ier.s of your villatrcs to tell the truth res|iectinir ns, and assist in streiiiftheMintr tiic ciiaia of frieiidship. that y. nr children may treat us I'riendlv when thev meet, ns; and he asviired that we are their friends, and that lat we h.ive leelii i''s as I'ell as the\' liavi .Mv l''ather — This is all I have to sav at presenf. • KFok'TK', '•('hii/' ,f l/ii Siiilli *'"/ii)/(." Keokuk was a larife and finely formed man. I lis maimers were dit'iiified and ifraceful, and his (.'lociitioii. as well in convta-sation as III )iiililic speakiiiii', hi'jhiv enei-Lietii- and aiiimatdl. Ills llow ot' laiiL;iiai.'-i ,iid rapidilv of nitrrance were remarkalile; \ci his eiiUii- ciatioii w is so clear and (hvimcl. that it is said not a s\l!al)le was lo.st. Ills voice was jiowrrliil and a'jreealile, ami his coiiiitcnance iri •lOssesMli''-. Il IS not ot'leii liiat so hae a lookiief man as this I irest chieltaiii has hi'in ^.^ i n, or one whose. de|iortnieiit ha so iiniformU correct. s lierli .\s liiuch I'l' t II- llls|or\' ikuk IS inlurwoveii with that of lilack llaw.'i, wc lia\e eidea\ored I , aMiid re|ietil ion, iiv omitii iiiaii\ |iarticiilars which are ri'laled in oiir sketcdi of the 1. liter. A.MlsaUAM. Ai.TiKiicii we siiiill soarcely infer the fact iVom liis name, Aiiiis(|ii;(iii, or llii' W'ooiliu Ladli. is a vcrv lutcd icadcr of tlio WinnobaLTofs, a licrcc and n sllcss tiilic ol' tin- lji|icr .Mis,si.ssi|i|)i. His inollii-r was a udiiiMii of llial nation, and liis father a Frcncli- maii named J)es('arrie, liy wliidi name also llic suljjccl of llns notice is known. He is a fine lookini; inan, of larj^e stature, and eoinmaiidin^- nnen. wliose inlluence over tlie entire mass of the warriors of this numerons trdie is very ^reiit. He lias led many war jiarties against llie ('lii|p|pewas, and lias always lieen snecess- liil. reliiniimj laden willi s|ioil and scalps. The leader of sueh parties seldom entiatres in a liirhr as a com- mon liia\c. nor does he nsiially even carry a ^iin. Tin* systematic and eaiitious tailics iA' Indian warfare, and the ine\i1al)le disyrace which results from defeat, imposes upon liim a responsilile (illice; and like ihe lieiieral in the ;irinv of a cmli/cd people, he is ex- peeled rather to direct the ell'orls of others, ihaii to fejht with his own hand. 'I'lie plan of the enterprise is ol'ten the suhjecl of a eouneil, in which all who are of siillicient .iLic may speak, and the deeision is nsually unanimotis; for we know of no inst.ance ainonu the Inilians in which (piestions are deciiied !i\- iii:jj'inties. \\ hen tlie leadinu: features of the scheme are aurced ;ipon, the exeention is left to tlie war chief, who may nly on the seereev, as well as the implicit obedience, of his well trained followers. On the eve of a iiattle, ]i(' "jives his orilers to his captains, or if the parlv be small, to the whole i)and ; and during tlu light he is engaged in overlook (IWl) Mi IHOCRAI'IIY. iririfSfs, wliciv it iriay he imipcr lur llic leader to place liiiiiiscif at, tlie head of his iiieii, and i>o Ibreiiiosi into hatdc; and in all cases when the tiiriil thii'keus so thai the iiraves meet hand to hand, the leader is thrown into personal contact with the enemy; hut the ireiieral practice is as we have stated. The Wooden Ladle was a !,n'neral, or war cliiei; who led lari>e parties of his people, and trained reputation hy the sauacitv wUh whiidi \w directed these military enterprises. He usnally assem- l)le(l his braves at i'ra du Chien; and hefore goin^r out always adorned himself witli a .Mrini^- of iieads which he wore round his neck. This was to bt- the prize of the fu'st warrior who should kill an eneinv, and hrinir his head to the leader, and the trophy was always iriven on the soot. KATAWAJU'DA. A CllIl'i'KW A V CIIIKF. Tl HEliK is, ill ^rciii'ial, M> grciit a siiiiifiifss in ll Iii.l liiii cliiiiac- tiT, tliut till' luilividiKils may lie said tu (liti'rr ratlicr iii tlu' dcgri'i' of plijsK'al and iiiciital strni'^tli witli u liicli liicy an; L'luiowfd, tiiaii in Uie i|iialilRs of llitir nimds. Tlir |iiirsnits of jill Iniiig tlic same, tlicTf must naturally l»c a sinulituilc ol' uitellcclual de\t'li)[i- mrut, and uc liiid HilumK hut Imlf \ainl\ mI' ('liaiat'l «'i', (•\c('|)t that arising linm i'\tra(irraeti>ing, with iimre or less success, the .same arts ot" sylvan warliire against the lprut( inlialiitants oi' the lake and loresl, (ir snatching hy siuiilai' di \ices the IiIikhU- tro[ihies ol' \ietory, in perpetual lends with each oilier. It is therelore an ayr';- ihle relief {<< turn lidin the nionotoiious recital of the w iles of hattli of a j)acilic character. T id aiiiliuscade, to the contemplation hiel, \v ho.se portrait is hefore us, tloserves hoiioraole na iitiun as dne n|' the \er\' lew i4 his race who eonilemned, hy precept and e\aih[ile, liie \iiidictl\e and lihioiU wars, so coiiimon. and so I'atalh destiucti\e, ainoiiL; the lU-st.irred aliorigiiiei Altl loiii^h u I do nut learn that his cnuiaLie \\ase\er cpiestioned. In- never tnnU an ai'tive [lart in war. iuit discouraged it on all occasi'iiis. as far as his situation and inlliieiice allowed. At arx! BIOCM AI'HV It' coiincils, HI winch, ;is an ahlc si ii'iikiT, lie was a |ii(irriiii('iil |ici-s(pii, Ik" nsnallv liaraniincil ni aMM' III iiai'ilif incasni'cs, iTiom HKiidcd iicydlialidii tnid n'moiistrantc, ratlicr tlian rt'vonifu aiu \ ID li'iicc, 111(1 s(in<4lit lo allay tin- cxcitt'ineiit wliicli onliiiariiy pro- viils at the nii't'tiuys of tliu autagoiiisl and turbulent denizi-ns of he w ilil sinli. Kataualiciia was an (iratnr iij" no sii,all rcjiutc. Iv\|)crt and nadv in dclialc, liis spt'cclics wrw marked In slii< wdncss. inircnnit\ , and sniillcty of aiLiuinrnt, ans(^ wl that Iniiely rcLsnin of lakes and t III was a native and a ruler. Id sat in tile coiinci Is of di-ests, d( whicli tl lis ninarkahlc Ind' II c w as the |)rii<'ipal villaov cliicr— the civil liead, as distin- guished IVdin the war chief, or inilitary leader — of a hanil of the ('iii]ipe\\ay nalidii, ulio reside at Sandy Lake, or Kdiiietoniidnii- inojr, iinioiiir tiie head sprin;4> of the Mississi|)pi, and was a seiisilije, onident. pnhtic man, who was revered i)\ his dw n iienpli aiuj looked UJI t d as a safe couiiselktr hy the surroundiny; villaues V^-r-c ..:- ^^. (.f tl WKsiH'iinn. Ksiicniii, thr Siirct, is a cliicr nC |{c,| I„-iK M', north ol' lli(> sources M ississippi. lie is tht; son of l,r Si/r,r, a rliicf w I lo IS riiciitioricd liv ( Jciicriil I'il allicr died on La kf >uiierior, V. lule nn liis return ionic Iroiii a visit to .Micliiliiiiaidun worlliy of the place lio holds in tlie estimation of I coiiMderi d a jnsl and irood man, Imt has ic. TIk! son is riprtseii'cd as lis tnlie le IS never evinced mnch ca- jiacity, nor shown a disjiosition to lead war |)artic»!. ']'he familv id noted for a sinu[nlar freak of the son of Weshcnhl), who feiirued or fancied himself a woman, and assniiied the female d ployineiits. till re.-.s and em- T H! cause of this traii.-.foi mation, so espeeiallv remark- ihlt; in a sava'^e, wiio considers the w oiiian an inferior Im iiiii, and in till! son of u chief, who 11) can asjiire to the ollicc of his fat In r. if uorthy, bnt not otherwise, is not known, it minhi have g 'stcd In a dreain, or induced liv iiioiioiiMinia, or hv some III en siiL! DodllV inarniitv. le, liowiMr, join ar |);iitiis, and after .serviiiii in SDveii exj)editions, was at last killed hv the eiiemv, ■W CIIONMOMCASK, ()|{ SIl.MMOM'KrSSi:. 1\ ill!' pro'^rrcss (ifdiir wdilv \\v Imvc liiiiiKl no smiill didiciilly in si'ttlin}.r the (irtlionrapliy of |)r(i|Hr iiimics. Not only ;in' llif Iiuliiiii l;iM"_ni;iLr<'^ iiiiwrittcu, Init tlic iiit('r|)r('t('rs, tlinuiL'li wlicuii most of our iiil'oniiatidii is iicccssarilv (•oniiiinnicatcd, arc illiterate iicrsons, will) aihitrarilv alliv to words the |)r(iiiuiiciatinii wliicli suits tlit'ir nw II I'aiK-w or wliiili aci'nrds hrst with tliiir own national or local idiom. 'I'lius the Indians, who call theinsehcs Saidiies, arc de- n per- sons who atteiiiled tiie chiefs as interpreters, in tlieir visit to Wash- insjlon. \N iiether thev liave hecn chanL'cd in copyinu" we <'annot sav ; hut some olthcm aii' evidcntiv incorrect. \\ c ha\e, however, ii most cases, left them unaiti red. |)relerrin'j to make our corre<'- tions in the lijoLMriphical notices, rather tlian alter that nhich may lia\ e lieen w ritten on autliorilv hetler than oiu' o\ui. W net her the indi\i'lual now heforc us shoulil l)c called ('liII Y aiillinriU uf ;lir writers ot Lonif's l'ir>t Iv\|m ilitjiiii In the Itoeky M. niinliims. III uliicli w r |il;ii'(' iiii|ilirit ciiiiliiltiii'c. Sliiiiiiiitiiifkiiss(' WHS (iisliii'_Miisli((l ciirlv iii litr us :i di ring, iclivi', and siii'CL'sst'iil wiirrior. W (• arr lint auan- nl Ills liavmix aiiv lii-rcilitarv I'laiins to tlie rliifCtaiiisliip oi' his triln-, In uliidi lit; lias risen ifradiially liy Ins own merits, lie is a |ier; |ieiietrali(in, and is i-apalile of aelinu'' with muih dn|ili ■ioll nl dee|) (•i;y II any occasion when he iiia\ eniisider it jiDJitii' in rniiceal Ins real \ie\vs. llaviiiij had intereourse with the traders, t'rnin his iiifaiicv. lie has ac(|iiired an iiitiiiiatc knowle'd^c oj' the, eliarai-ter nf liic white' men, and has studied to turn this ac(|iiisiti()ii to advaiitaire. The Ottocs have alwii\ s inaintaiiied triciidU relatimis w ith the Amerii'an peo- ple, and it was, tin rrl'dir. not diliieiilt tor this ehiel' tn eiiltivute lilt' ifood opinion of such ol onr coiintrN men as \ isited the distant sliores f tl (>t1( le npiier M issoiiri. and the Missoiiries ;ire remnants ol nnmi'rons and warlike nations which once roamed over these iMuindlcss ])luins, the nionarchs ol all they snrveyei duccd, that the w hole iiiiinli( lut w liieh are now so iirea tiy re- r of the warriors in holh trilns toifetlier is not more than two hundred. Beiii^ united !)y tiic closest friend- ship, tlicv have cast their lots in nnioii, and act toi^'ethcr as one |)cople ; and small as is tlieir a^irrcL^ated I'orce, they have sustained tl icmselves wi th such uniform bravorv and L^ood conduct as to command the respect of the trihes around them. 'I'hev arc more indebted to Shunmoneknsse than to any other individual for the high repntatioii lliey have niainlained, as he is not only one of the boldest of their warriors, but is very e\|)cr1 and politic in tlie tnanaireiiicnt of their all'airs. * lie is more cniniiinii|\- known to the wliitcs by the ii;niie ol' hhiti, or. as the i'^reiicli traders deiiominate him. L' Ichni, a title which was gi\in him iii.consc(pieiice of some exploit aixainst the triljc of that name nor o f (list : prnbably nil accoiin iiK tinii. t of liis htivinu: slain an letan war- 870 SUM MONKK I SSK 'I'iic I'dllMlcliaiiri' III this Imlliill i \|iri'SM'> llir i|l|;illllr.s wliU'li he is KlidWIl tn li:i\c |i(issrssfil III :ili iliillirlit iliiircr. Iilit vvlilill arc mil I'liiiiiiinii aiiidiiL; Ins race; lie was. \\ In n a \i>uii'j man, MX'ial, \s Ml> , aiiiiiiali'ii, ami iii> I'ciirial in liis ti'iii{ii laimiit. Allliniiuli lie nrvrr dlilaimil anv ri|iii1atHMi as an tiralur, lie iniiMTsctl wril, and was an aLini alilc i'(iiii|iani(in. \\ lull iiijuml I,(iiil;'s |)arl\ svcrc iiiiaiiiiird on llic ii|i|h'1 Mis- sonri. Ill I'^l'.i. llir\ \Mic \ isilnl li\ :i |iait\ nf ( )tiii(s, aiming; w Ikhii was Irian, linn a \iiiiiil: Inil a ilistiiiLiinslii'i! w ai'iinr. A ^'I'aml (lancr \\as |n rlnriinil in linunr nl llir Alin'iican dirirci-s; in tin' ciMii'sc (if \\hii'li, liic icadiis n| liir 'ji-i:it(st ic|iiit(' a"i.in!.' tlic Indians nairatrd tlirir cviilcuts Aiiinii|.f nilins, Irtin stt|i|)rd Inr- waiiland struck tiic lla'^jstall' w liicii li;iil lice n cicd, and ainund wiiicli tlic daiii'ci's iiKivi'd. 'I'liis ccrciiniii' s called sliihiiKj llir fitis/ : and siicli is tlic respect paid to it, thai ^vliatcvcr is spukcii iiy the pciMin who strikes, ina\' he relied upon as stncth' true; and, indeed. It ciiiild iidt well he otherwise, lor the speaker is siirrdiiiidrd hv rival w:irridrs, w Im wdiild not tail tn dele c|, .md iii--taiitl\ c\- I he slioiilil ciKJi a\ or to s\\ ell Ins 1 h |idse, aii\' exau'jcratidii li\ whi( own comiiarative inerits In recdiintinu: his martial deeds, Ictai said, he had stdlcn lidiscs .-even dr eitjht tiim s Iroiii the Koiisas ; In; had (irst struck the lioilies oj' three ol that natKJii, slam in hattle. lie had stdlcn horscN Iriun the letaii natidn, and had struck duc df till ir dead. 1 le had slcilcn hoises Iroin the I'awnces. and hail striick the liod\ dl one I'awiiee Lonp. lie had stolen lior>es se\ cral llliies Irdin the Omahas, and niicc rrum the i'nncas lie had struck the hddies dt' two Sidiix On a w;ir part\, in Cdinpaiu' with the Paw- nees, he had attacked the S|iaiii:iriis, ami penetrated iiild niic dl their camps ; the Spaniards, e\ceptm'_'^ a m.in and ,i lid\ , lied, him- seir licinii' ;it a distance heriiie his partv , he was shot at and missed, li\ the man whdin he immcdiateh shot down and struck "'I'liis," 8:ii(i lie, "is the only niarti;il .ict ol iii\ lile that I am ashamed ol." This would he considered, li\ an Indian audience, a lii"lil\- men- niOCillAIMIV. 371 torioiis ciitaldiruf iif iiiartiiil deeds ; iKir umdd Hie .stealiiiif (if liorses l»e llioil'jlit tlie least lldlinialile i>| lliese dailllL; e\|il(ilts. Altliollyll lilt! Wdl'd steallllli is used, and the |i|Meeeillii'j llseH' is attended witll llie soereey (if actual llielt, yet the act dues iml iiiMilve anv idea (if mealiness or criiiiiiiality, Iml is eonsidered as a lawl'iil ea|itiire oj' llie |)i()|ieity ol ail uiiemy. 'l'\u\ deem il dislidiiest to steal lioiii llu :•* friends or allies, Iml tiieir I'ude of inoralitv jiistilies anv deee|)- liDji or Hi|iir\ towards an eiieiiu', and aH'ords Imt sli<;lit iinilrction 1u llie |iei'son or |iro|H'r1\ oi' aii\' u lio are imt IhiuiiiI to thcin iiy some stroiij; l)ond lA' niteres! or tViendslii|i Main of the wars of llie Indians irrow oiil of these iindalorv liahits, aii\ stealinir horses. lie (tarried a whip in his hand, as did a consideralile nnmlier ol' the IndiaMs. and around his neck wen thrown se\eral lealln in tlioii/ 1/ i/i s I'l horses; II leii rode his toiiiaiiaw k hildreii ride llieir !ii'iioni>ticl\s. makiiijj; such ust; of his whip as to indicate llie neees>'|\ of rapid moveineiil, lest his foes should overtake him." The authority already (pioled, after remarkinu: lli^ I die Imha lis some limes indiiliic in pleas.antry in their conversation, adds, that ■• >li.iumoii('kiiss(! seemed to he eiiiineiilly witly, ;i (piiliU shun indicated h\ his well marked fealiires." I III! union helwcen the Mis.soiiries and Otioes look place ahoiil twenty years u^n, when the former were coiKpiered and dispersed few fiiiiilies in- Ihe aiiKs am I !• oxes, am I ti leir allies, wiien joined the Osatres; a few took refjiie aiiioiej' liie Kons.as, while lla lief part of the trilie liecaine aiii'ilijamaled with the 1 Mto av- inU I. (11 previously very iu-ariv assimilated in hahils, mannor-s 872 Sll AIMONKKUSSR Hiul iaiiy a remarkahle disphiv of liraverv, which no doulit gained liim ^^real credit, lie dechircd piil)licly tliat it was the only martial act ol' his life that liu was nsliainei lof. Tiiis iiidividiia! is distini^nislied not oiilv as a warrior, Itiit as a fjfreat Ininter; and it is evident that lie takes no small dejrree of pride in his exploits in tlie chase, Irom the manner in which his head was decora ted with the spoils of the field, when he sat for his [Hirtrait. 'i'lie horns of the hiill'alo are worn w ith a triumph w hich remlers it prohalile that a lci,feiid of more than onlinary sny of llic ,,ri^'iii;il „l tliis pretty i.ielniv. J.iko many li:iii(lsonie wunieii, her face was j.niha- l»!y lier i.niieipal treasure. 'I'lie eoimteiianee (|,.es iw.t iiiiiicate iniieli character; \vilh(.iit the iiilelliK,'iic,u of tlio civilized leiiiale, it has a soflMess rarely exhihited In the Indian s(|iia\v. '["here is a Chinese air u\' childishness and simplicity ahotit it, which is rallit'r striking:, and wiiich is as foreign U> tiio features of the iahorioiis, w.athcr-l.eaten female of the prairies as it would he to the counte- nance of a practised helle in one of our cities. She was the favorite wife of Shaumonekii.s.sc ; whelhor the; only cni', we are unahle to say, lor the red men are in the habit of mul lipl villi, the chuiiccs of connubial felicity by marrying as many rod laiJKs as they can support. A great hunter has usually several, while tile .sluggard, who has Maiiicd no reputati .n by his successes in the i-hase, is considered as very amply provided with a single hell i-ineet. We infer from the character of let: m, as well as from the para|(her!ialia which nates his |)ersoii, that he was entitled ity the .'iKpictte ,.: ■! t|ie economy of Indian life, to a |)liirality of wives, and that ho w;(> a per.soiiage who would probably live up to lii,« privijeg(>s. \VI en he visited tin city of A\'asliington. in js-ji \\. i\ lie hiiii, the Kagle of i)eli..ht. llu.lji was llie coni|)aiiioii o| his journey, ( •■i;.i , IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // u. 1.0 f^^ iM = Z 112 uiiioo I.I 1^ t \u 6" -- IIIIIM ill 1.8 1.25 mil 1.4 i 1.6 V] <^ n '^ >> -m .:>^? ^\ '^\°''' <^#^'''> > ^' V /A W w Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WES1 MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872 4503 t .vJ- \ \ <> M 374 BIOGRAPHY. Young, and remarkably bandsoine, with an interesting appearance of innocence and artlcssness, she attracted the attention of tlie citi- zens of our metropolis, who loaded her with presents and kind- nesses. Among other things, she received many trinkets; and it is said that her lord and master, who probably paid her the flattering compliment of thinking her, when unadorned, adorned the most, very deliberately appropriated them to his own use, and suspended them from his own nose, ears, and neck. If she was as good natured as her portrait bespeaks her, she was no doubt uellcr pleased in administering to her husband's vanity, than she would have been in gratifying her own. Shortly after her return home .she died, and the bereaved hus- band A\as .so sensibly affected by her decease, that he resolved to end his own life by starvation. With this view he threw himself on her grave, and for several days remained there in an agony of grief, refusing food, and repelling consolation. His friends, respect- ino- his feelin'Ts, suffered him for a time to indulge his sorrow, but at last forced him away, and his immoderate grief became gradually assuaged. i-1 ANACAMEGISIICA. Here is a forest chieftain with a name sufficiently long to gratify liie most aristocratic veneration for high sounding titles, but which, we regret to inform such of our readers as may not happen to be versed in the Ojibway tongue, dwindles, when interpreted, into the luiiul)le appellation of Foot Prints. How he acc[uired it, we are unable to say, but that it is an honorable designation, we are pre- |)ared to believe from the character of the wearer, who is a person of no small note. He is descended from a line of hyperborean chiefs, who, '.ike himself, have held undisputed sway over a clan of \\w. Chippeways inhabiting the borders of Rainy Lake. His great li rand father Nittum, was an Ottawa, wiio emigrated from Lake -Michigan to the Grand Portage and Rainy lake, at the time when tlie great Northwest Company, whose doings have been so adnn- ral)ly described by our countryman Irving, began to prosecute their traffic in parts northwestward from the Grand Portage. Nittum was an uncommon man. So great was his sagacity and conduct, that, although not a native of the region or tribe into which he had boklly cast ids lot, he soon came to be regarded as liie head chief of the Kenistoiio nation. He attained a reputaliou for bravery, activity, and prudence in council, as well as for tin' d(^cision of character evinced in all the vicissit\ides of a bii.sy and perilous career, which extended beyond the region of Rainy hko, and elevated him above the surrounding warriors and politicians. So great was the veneration in which he was held by the Indians, that the agents of the Northwest Company took especial pains to 48 ( «7f) ) in its vicinity. Captain Ileald, Uie com- mander, having received orders from General Hull to abandon the post, and retire to Detroit, left the property which could not lie moved under charge of a lew friendly Indians, and marclied out with tiic garrison, consisting of about fifty regulars In his train were some females and children, belonging to the garrison, and several families of the village, who were unwilhng to remain at this solitary and exposed jmint, after the withdrawal of the military T!!(>y had scarcely left their fortress when a band of Indians, who (;wi) :)&! IJIUGRAPHY. had been watchiuif the nioiioiis of this ill-liilcd party, rushed u])oii them and coiiinieiiccd the work of exttTuiiiiiition. 'rwciily-tivc of the regulars, and nearly all of the defenceless persons under their eliarf,rc', were slain. A few of the soldiers were made prisoners, and a few escaped Ijy means of some of tiiose miraculous chances so common in liorder warfare. Captain lleald and his wife, who accompanied him, were both weunded. We ha\e seen an accom- plished lady, at that time, thon;,di married, in the prime of her youtli, who was a partici|)ator in the iiorrors of that dreadlul scene. 8he concealed herself for a time by j)lnngin|r into the lake, on wlio.se borders the liloody tragedy was acted, and at last escaped by placing henself under the jjrotection of a yonnjf Indian, whom Aw. knew, and who with some diniculty extricated lior from the scene of slauyhter, and conducted her, after many days of perilous and toilsome wanderinij; in tlie wilderness, in safety to Detroit. Metea wa:^ a c'jns))icuous leader in this all'air. When CJeneral Harrison marched to Fort Wayne, in the autunni of 1S12, for the purpose of raising the siege of that post, Metea led a party of his tribe to meet and obstruct the advance of the Ameri- can army. Having posted his men advantageously in a swamp, five miles ea.st of the fort, through which the army of Harrison must ])ass, he advanced some distance in frcmt of them for the pur- pose of reconnoitering, and concealed himself behind a tree. Gene- ral Harrison, who was well skilled in the stratagems of Indian war- fare, had thrown his scouts out in front and on the Hanks of his line of march ; and as one of these was silently picking his \\ a}' through the bushes, the right arm of Metea, exposed from behind the truidv of a large tree, caught his eye. To throw his rifle to his shoidder, tf) aim witli unerring precision at the only part of his enemy which was visible, and to iire, required but an instant ; and the Pottawatimie cliief, with his arm Ijroken, retreated, closely pur- sued, to liis men, who, being discovered,- rai.sed their aml)uscade and retired. When narrating this anecdote afterwards to the gen mi: TEA, 888 tleman from whom \vc rrccivcd it, Mdca niiKirkcd tliat !io found yrciit diilicnlty in rsciipini^- ids jjursncrs, and saving ids uim. He uas asiicd wiiy In; did not tiiniw uuay liis gun, towidcli Ik; rcpiii'd, " [ woidd rallicr liavo lost my lilb. Had I rL'tiirnod fmni {\iv. hatllo witliont my gun, I slioidd liavc Ijct'ii (iisgraccd ; liut ii' I liad iallrn with my I'aco towards tin.' enemy, my yonng mvn would iiav(; saiil that Metca died liicc a bravo." Metea was a prominent s})eaker at tlie coinicil liehi at Chicago, in ls'21, ai 1(1 a terwards at tlie troatv of tlic \\ ahasli. in 1n2( ), ant on hoth occasions gave (h'cisive ovi(h'Mce of talent as a debater. Our informaid, who was for many years a member of ('ongress, and these and various (ither |)ul)lie occasions, who saw this individual on remarked that he had heard many bursts of elo(|uence from hi III, .sucri as were seldom exceeded by an\- [Hiblie speaker. There is an interesting account of this chief in the \arrative of Long's Second l'>.\[)cdition, performed in 1S'.2:}, from which we ex- tract the following paragraphs, descriptive of an interview with him at P'ort Wayne, where the party halted to collect information in regard to the Pottawatimies. "In order to afford the piyty an opportunity of obtaining the best information. General Tipton sent for one of the principal chiefs that vicinity, with whom they conv<'rsed two days. The name in tl lis man was IMetei 1, which signilies, in the Pottawatimie laii'ruaufi Kiss mr. IIu was represented to us as iieing the greatest chief of the nation; we had, however, an o|)j)ortnnity of ascertaining after- wards that he was not the. ])riiicipal chief, but that he had, bv his talents as a warr lor, and Ins eloq ueiice in orator, obtained con siderable influence in the councils of his n;ition. \le may be con- sidered as a partisan, wlio, hy his militarv achievements, lias se- cured to himself the command of an independent tril)e. He resides on tlie St. Joseph, about nine miles from Fort Wayne, at an Iiidi; 111 villagt; called Muskwawasejieotan, 'I'/ir toir?/ of thr old red n'ood creek. Being a chief of distinction, he came accompanied by his 49 33i BIOGUAl'lIY. brotlier, us his rank rcqiiirod that lie slioiikl liu assisted Uy some one to iij^lil his pipf, and pertunn snch other duties as always du- volve uj)on allenilauts. Metea appears to lie a man vi' ahout forty or fnrty-five yi'ars ut" aye. lie is a l'ull-l)UH)ded i'ottawatimiu ; his stature is ahoiit six i'eet; he has a I'orhidiiing aspect, hy no means delicient in dignity. His features are strongly marked, and exjjressive of a liaugiity and tyrannical disposition; his coni|ilexion is dark. Like most of tlu; i'otlawatiniies whom we met with, he is characterized l)y a low a(piiliiie and well shaped nose. His eyes are small, elongated, ami black; they are not ^(■t widely apart. His forehead is low and receding; the facial angle amounts to ahout eighty. His hair is black, and indii'ates a slight tend' ucy to curl. His cheek hones are remarkably high and pronnnent, even for those of an Indian; tliey are not, however, angular, but present very distinctly the rounded ap|)earauce which distinguishes the aboriginal American from the Asiatic. His month is large, the upper lip prominent. There is something (uiplcasant in his hioks, owing to his opening one of his eyes wider thiin the other, and to a scar which he has upon the wing of his nostril. On lirst inspec- tion his conntenanct! would be conside^'eil as (!xpressivc of deliance and impi'tuous daring, but ujion closer scrutiny it is found rather to announce obstinate constancy of pur|)ose and sullen liirtitude. We behold in hini all the characteristics of the Indian warrior to perfection, if (!ver an ex[)ression of pity or of the kinder allections belonged to his countenaiiee, it has been driven away by the .scenes of blootlshed and criU'lly through which he has jiassed. His dress was ohl and somewhat dirt v, liut ap| rareil to have been arranged upon his person with no small decree of care. It (•onsisted ot leather leggins, buttoned on the outside, a breechcloth of blue broadcloth, and a short che([uer(!d shirt over it; the whole was covered with a blanket, which was secured round his waist ijy a belt, and hung not ungracel'ully Irom his shouldei's, geuerally con- cealing his right arm, which is rendered useless and sonunvhat M i:ti;a. HH't witlierod from ii wniiiid rccoivcd tliirinif llu latu \v;ir, when lie iittiickcd, witli ;i siiiiill \n\v\\ of Indiiiiis, tlic fni-cc tliat was advaiu-- iiiLT lit tlic relief of Fori Wayne. His fai'e was carefully jiaiiited witli veriiiilioii round his lei'l eye. I'oiir feathers, colored with- oiil tastt^, hun!4' i)(diind, secured to a string w Inch was tied to a lock of his hair. In our second ii.:i'r\ii.w wilh hiui, lie woic a reil and white feiither ui his head, thai was covered with other ornaments (M[ually deficient in taste. Mr. Seymour took a likeness of liiui, wliich was considered u very striking one by all who knew Mete t ' "The chief was accompanied by his brother, who is ■' ui h younger, and resembles him, i)ut whose features indicate ,i mori^ amiable and interesting disjwsitioii. VVe observed that during tie interview the laller treated Muteu with nmch respect, always pr< - parin>:; ind lighting his pijie, and never interfering in. the conver- sation unless when adtlressed by the chief On entering the room wliere the gentlemen of the party were, Metea shook hands wilh the agent, but took no notice of the rest of the company, until (Jene- ral Tiplou had explained to him, through his interpreter, the nature of the expedition, tlie object of his Great Fatlier, the Pr^'sideut, in sendinsr it amontf the Indians, and the information which would be expected from him. lie informed him likewise that his time and trouble would be suitably rewarded. The cliief then arose from his seat, shook hands with all wlio were present, told them that ho would very willingly reply to all their questions, but that, accord- ing to usage, he was bound to repeat to his nation all the iiuestions that sliouM be asked and the replies that he would make ; that there were certaii. points, however, on which lit; could give no informa- tion without having first obtained the formal consent of his commu- nity ; that on these subjects he would remain silent, while to all others he would reply with cheerfulness ; and that after the_y should have concluded their inquiries, he would likewise ask them some (uestions upon points which he thought concerned his nation, and to which he trusted they would in like manner reply. He then resumed «j« 386 BIOGRAPHY. his scat, and answered with much intelhgoncc, and with a remark al)lc degree of patience, all the questions that were asked of him." This minule narrative is not only graphic in relation to the appearance and deportment of Metea, Ijut is highly descriptive of the decorum, the caution, and the gravity of the Indian character. After the war Metea was in the habit of visiting Maiden annually to receive jiay, as he expressed it, for his arn), from his Britisli father. It is probable that he received presents whenever he visited the British posts. In tlie latter part of his life Metea became a warm advocate for educating the youth of his trilje; and in 1827, having collected a nuinl)er of bo\s, he look them to the agent at Fort Wayne, who sent them to the C^hoctaw academy in Kentucky. General Tipton, formerly an agent in the Indian Department, and now a Senator in Congress, to whom we are indebted for the greater ])art of this sketch, describes Metea as possessing many iioi)le traits of (character, lie was aml)itious and fond of power, but he was brave and geiuTous, giving freely to his friends, and never betraying the littlene.ss of any selfish propensity. lie devoted much of his time, and all his care, to the interests of his nation, and was an al)le and faitldul chieftain. Witli all these good (|iialilies lie was the victim of that fatal passion for ardent s[)irits which has lirought sucli swift destruction upon iiis race. 'J'he last eonneil he attended was at Fort Wayne, in 1S"27, wiien several davs were spent in adillieult negotiation, during wliicii he attracted attention by the dignity and propriety of Ids bearing. When the i)usiness was concluded he remarked tliat he must have a frolic, and the aucnt perinillecl liini to receive a small bottle of spirits; bv some secret means he procured more, and unliapi)ily became into.vicated. In a state of fnnizy he ronmed through the village, demanding liquor; and ;it last is supposed to hav(> taken a bottle of aipia fortis from the window of a slio]), and swallowed the contents, which, in about half an hour, caused his death. WATELLA. Wapkli.a, whose name signifies the Prince, or the Chief, is the head man of the Musquakee, or Fox tribe. He was one of tlie delegation led by Keoknk to Washington in 1837, and made a favorable impression by llie correctness of his deportment on tliat occasion. In statnre he is shorter, and more heavily l)ui]t than mo.st of the Indians, and has the appearaiice of great strength and activity. In tlie council held l)y tlie Secretary of War, for tlie pnrpose of reconciling the 8ionx with the Sauks and Foxes, Wa])ella spoke next after Keoknk, and acquitted himself well. Altlioiigli he pos- sessed not the line form and striking manner of Keokulc, many thought his speech not inferior to that of the principal cliief It was well digested, sensiltle, and pertinent. We remarked that, in tlie opening of his harangue, the authority of Keokuk was distinctly recognized, as well as the identity of interest of the tribes re[)re- sented respectively by these two chiefs. "My father," said Wa- pelia, "you have heard what mj chief has said. He is the chief of our natiou. Ilis tongue is ours. What he savs wr- all sav — whatever he does we will be bound by it." Having concluded their visit at Washington, tlie delegates were conducteil to several of the principal cities of the Atlantic states, wliere they excited much curiosity, and, we are happy to say, were treated with uniform kindness and hospitality. Unfortunate as iu-e the relations between our government and the Indians, imposed by a train of circumstances for which, as a people, we are not account- 388 BIO(JRAI'IIY. able, there is evidently no lack of generous sympatliy towards tliat race in any part of onr conntrv. Tlie reception of these Indian deUs at Boston was conducted with more ceremony than at any otlier phice, and must have l)eeu highly gratifying to tliem, as wt^ll as interesting to numerous assemblages of citizens, most of whom saw, for tlie iirst lime, the American savage in his native costume. It is said that so great a multitude was never assembled in that city to witness a ]inl)lic spectacle. In the morning from ten to twelve, the cliiefs held a levee at Faneuil Hall, lor the reception of ladies exclusively, when it miglit doubtless have Ijcen said of the Boston ladies, as a New J-ingland poet wrote long ago, " All longed to see and touch the tawny man ;" for we are told that this ancient hall was crowded in everv part, floor and gallery, by the fair citizens. At II Mill the chiefs and warriors were conducted to the State- house, where the Governor, the members of the Legislature, and other dignitaries, were prepared to receive them. Governor Everett, whose celebrit}' as a scholar, statesman, and philanthropist, would have naturally placed him in a consj)icuous position at tiiis e.vhibi- tioii of civic hospitality, independently of hisoflice, addressed thcui in a bland and spirited manner. Tiie chiefs rejjlied separately. As usual, Keokuk spoke first, and after him Wapella. The retnarks of the latter were as follows : " I am very happy to meet niy friends in the land of my fore- fathers. When a boy I recollect my grandfather told me of this place, where tlie \\hite man used to take our fathers by tlie hand. 1 am very happy that this land has induced so many white men to come upon it; by tliat I think they get a living on it, and I am pleased that they content tliemselves to stay on it. (Great applause.) I am always glad to give the white man my hand and call him brother. The white man is the eldest of the two ; but perhaps you ; ' WAPELLA, have heard that my tribe is respected by all others, and is the oldest among the tribes. I have shaken hands with a great many diflerent tribes of people. I am very much gratified thai I have lived to come and talk with the white man in this house, where my fathers talked, which I have heard of so many years ago. I m ili go home and tell all I have seen, and it shall never be forgotten by my children." When the speaking was concluded, the Governor and the chiefs repaired to the balcony of the State-hou.se, ^\•llich overlooks a beautiful and extensive open square, where presents were distri- buted to the Indians. Keokuk received a s])lendid sword and a pair of pistols; his little son a ])retty little rifle. The principal chiefs were presented with costly swords, and otliers of less value were given to the warriors. Black Hawk had a sword and pistols. 8hawls, calico, and trinkets, were given to the women. "During this ceremony," says one of the Bo.ston editors, "a mass of at least fifteen acres of people stood below, filling the streets and the com- mo'i. The chiefs were escorted to the common by the cadets, and l)egan their war dance. The crowd very patiently kept outside tlie lines, leaving a space of many acres, in the centre of which were the Indians. Tiieir war exercises were not very .striking. One Ijeat a- drum, to wiiich tliey hummed monotonously, and jumped :ilioiit grotesquely. This lasted half an liour, when they moved otV in carriages to their Iddiiinu's." At Philadelphia, the delegations were taken to Cooke's splendid circus, and witnessed the equestrian exercises, which were i)ro])ablv more to their taste than anv exhibition with which thev were <>rati- fled during their lour. At \ew York they visited Mr. CatliiTs extensive gallery of Indian portraits, and are said to have borne testimony to the fidelity of the likenesses of tlieir ac(piaintances in that valuable collection. rerhaj)s the mo.st amusing incident of this tour was that which occurred at the Wa.shington theatre, to which the several In.hai. 390 BIOGRAPHY. delegations had access every evening during their stay in the metropolis. Their conduct on these occasions did not evince the apathy usually attributed to them, but struck us I'ather as charac- terizod by the habitual decorum and gravity of this singular people, mingled with an indifference resulting from their indistinct under- standing of the subject. There were exceptions to tliis general (loporlment. They sometimes whispered to each other, with an :i[)pearance of interest, and more than once laughed heartily at some stroke of buffoonery. But the occurrence alluded to was of a more decided character. Miss was acting the jjart of a sylph, which she did very charmingly. The merit of the perform- ance consisted in iier graceful attitudes, and in movements so liglit and easy that they seemed to be effected l)y means of mere mental volition, independently of the vulgar locomotive machinery com- monly used by mortals. The Sioux occupied a stage box, and were so much deliglited that, in the midst of the performance, one of llieni ro.so, and, taking a ilressed buffalo robe from his shoukler.s, threw it at the feet of the actress, with a speech, which, according to the established phraseology, sliould doubtless be called an appro- priate address; i.nother threw a head-dress, a third something else, u.itil tlie whole company had each given a token of his approba- tion. Though taken by surprise, the syl[)h showed great presence of mind; indeed, if there is any thing for which a woman is never wholly unprepared, it is admiration. Gathering up the unexpected trii)utc, she tlirew the articles over her arm, and continued to act in character, until showers of Indian finery became so thick that she was obliged to seek assistance to remove them. After a moment- ary absence she reappeared with a sheaf of ostrich feathers, which she distributed among the warriors — with an appropriate address. We may mention, in connection with the foregoing anecdotes, the conduct of some Pawnee and Oto chiefs and wiiriors, who visited the Cincinnati theatre, on their way to Washington, during file same season. The Ravel family were exhibiting their wonder- WAPELLA. 391 ful feats of strength and agility, and the Indians evidently shared the universal admiration excited by tht^se surprising performances They confined themselves, however, to the ordinary expressions of pleasure, until the lad who was called the " Infant Hercules" exhi- bited a feat which displayed great muscular power, when tlie whole band evinced their admiration by loud shouts. ■50 TUSTENNUGGEE EMATIILA. This is a fine looking nuui, six feet uiid one inch in liciglit, of manly and martial appearance, and great physical strength, who seems well cidculated to command the respect of a band of savage warriors. Our brief sketch of him is framed from memoranda taken from his own lips. lie is a full-blooded Creek, and was born on the Tallapoosa river, about the year 1793, which would make him forty-five years old at the period to which we bring down his bio- graphy, lie is most generally known by the familiar name of Jim Boy, but is proj)erly entitled to that which we have j)lace(l at the head of tins article, Tustennuggee, meaning warrior, and Emathla, which signifies itext to (he /rurrior. When the war broke out in 1811, between the Creeks and the American people, he was too young to wield the tomahawk, \nit was permitted to follow the warriors of his nation to the field; and he thus wilnessoil the capture of Fort Mimms, a fortress which the Indians surprised at ihe conunencement of hostilities, and where they basely massacred all who fell into their hands, without regard to age or sex. lie was also present at the battle of C'ahawba, but took no furthc^r ])art in that war. lie afterwards accompanied Gene- ral Jackson, under the command of Mcintosh, towards Florida, but was not in any fight. When the Creek nation became divided into two parties, one of whom were friendly to the American people and government, and dis]iosed to vield to the settled and inevitable policy which de manded their entire separation irom the white race, and the other inOGRAPIIY. S'.r.i m hostile to our country auil unwilling to emigrate, Tustennuggee Ematlila uttaclied himself to the former party. He lias continued, since he readied the years of maturity, tlie undeviating friend : '' the Americans; and it allbrds us great pleasure to recognize, in the steady attachment of this individual and many others, the most intelligent and best disposed of their race, some proof that, what- ever abuses may have corrupted and disgraced our intercourse witli that unfortunate })eople, the general policy of our government towards them has been of a kind and liberal character. In the late war in Florida, Tustennuggee Emathla seems to have rendered some service. General Jessup sought his services to lead a party against the Seminoles, and he accordingly raised a band of seven hundred and seventy-six warriors, whom he con- ducted to the seat of war. lie descended the Chattahooche to Tampa Bay, having instructions from General Jessup not to engage in hostilities against the Seminoles until he should lirst have endea- vored, as a mediator, to induce them to abandon tlie bloody and fruitless contest in which they were unhappily engaged. In this attempt he was not successful; and we find him, soon after his arrival at Tampa, joining the camp of Colonel Lane, by whom he was sent, witli two hundred of his wprriors, to look after the Semi- noles. He fell in witli a party of tlie latter, and drove them into a swamp, from which they opened a fire and wounded several of his men. lie was then sent to meet Governor Call, and arrived at the spot where General Gaines was surrov nded, soon after that officer had been relieved. On the following day he joined Governor Call, and proceeded to Fort Drane. Thence they moved on one of Acee- Yoholo's towns, called Weecockcogee, or little river, about sixty miles from Fort Drane, where the Seminoles, though numerous, refused them battle, fled, and were pursued. The Creeks were unable to overtalce them ; but the Tennessee horse fell in with them on the following day, and a fight ensued, in whicn several were killed on each side. 39^ TUSTENNUGGEE EMATIILA. Pustennuggee and liis party joined the army again at Fort Dndf, and tlie Seminoles being in a Swamp hard by, an attack was planned, in which the Creeks were invited to go foremost, an lionor which they promptly declined, while they cheerfully agreed tc advance side by side with the white men. In this fight the Creeks lost four men, besides one who was accidentally killed by the whites; but the Seminoles were beaten. He was afterwards sent to a place towards Fort Augustine for provisions, and was in several skirmishes not worth recording. This chief stales that he joined our army under a promise made by the commanding general, that in the removal of the Creeks to the west of the ]Mi.ssissip[)i, which was about to take place, his family and properly should be attended to, and that he should be indemnified for any loss that might happen in consequence of his absence. These stipulations, he alleges, were broken by the removal of his women and children while he was absent in the service of the government, whereby Fus entire property was destroyed. Nor was this the worst of his misfortunes. His family, consisting of a wife and nine children, wore among the unfortanate persons who were on board the steamboat Monmouth when thai vessel was sunk by the mismanagement of those to whose care it was intrusted ; and tu'o hundred and lliirty-six of the Creeks, including four of the children of Tustenmiggec Emathla, were drowned. Melan- choly as such an occurrence would be under any circu.Tistances, the catastrophe is infinitely tlie more deplorable when happening to an ignorant people while emigrating unwillingly under the charge of our public agents, and to a people wliose whole inter- course with the wliites has tended to render them suspicious of the faith of civiUzed men. The more intelligent among them will d()ul)tless attribute the misfortune to culpable negligence, if not flosign, while the ignorant will see in it, with superstitious awe, another link in the chain of fatal events entailed upon the red men by their contact with the white race. So far as the chief before us BIOGRAPHY. 395 has any claim upon the justice or benevolence of our country, there can be no doubt that the government will maintain its faith in"io- late. Whatever may be thought of our policy towards the Indian tribes, as such, we are not chargeable, as a people, with any backwardness in the discharge of our obligations to individual claimants. PEAIIMUSKA. This person was the jirincipal chief of the Fox, or Musquakee tribe, and was considered a peaceable, well disposed man. An Indian of such a character has little history ; if not signalized by exploits of war, revenge, or depredation, his slothful life is expended in pursuits which afford no incident worthy of record. His sum- mers are spent in the chase, and his winters in sleep. The iMusquakees, as is remarked in another place, are the rem- nant of a tribe once powerful, but now incorporated with the Sauks, and the chief has but a narrow sphere of duty or influence. Although Peahnuiska lived an inoffensive, reputable life, we are sorry to record that he died by violence. He was proceeding, a few years ago, to Prairie du Cliien, with a small party, consisting of eight or ten warriors of his tribe, and had encamped for the night within a day's journey of that place, when a party of Menomenies, who had secretly pursued them, surprised the sleeping band and murdered tlicm all except one, who had the good fortune to escape. In revenge for this mtissacre, a war party of Sauks and Foxes after- wards stole upon a number of Menomenies, at Prairie du Chien, and slew them all, within siglit of the American fort. The com- manding officer, considering his authority insulted, and desiring to put a stop to these retaliatory measures, demanded of the Sauks the delivery of the murderers ; but Keokuk, the head chief, replied that they were so numerous that it was impossible for him to take them. The offenders, in the mean while, expecting that some at- tempt would be made by the agents of the American government, { 39f5 ) n I o r; r a p ii y. 897 to punish their audacity, had banded tliems(>lves under Black Hawk, and wore i)ro[)ariiiiiisli(,d iii tlio coiincil of the nation, was a famous liuntiir, and had onco taken tlic ^scal|) of an In(Uan warrior on the; Kaskaskia river. 'I'hc; snhject of tliis notice was the fonrth son of his parents, hut tiie (irst wlio reached the years of niatiwity ; and of two brothers and a sister youn<,fer tlian himself, hut one survives, wlio is tho father of Elias Houdinot. His motiier was a res|)ectahle Cherokee woman of the half hiood, her father ijeing a white man, of whose origiu or history we have not been able to collect any information. Tho most prominent feature in the early reniiiuscenees of Rid "-e, refers to tlie distressed situation to whieli the Cherokees were re- duced by the inva.sions of the white people, who burned their vil- laifes, and killed their peojjle. W hen his fatiier, wearied of these hostile incursions, resolved on flight, he took his family in canoes down the llighwassie to the Tennessee river, and ascended the smaller branches of that stream to the Sequochee mountains, in whose deep glens and rock-bound fastnes.ses they were secure from pursuit. Here the game alioiinded, and the young hunter received liis first lessons. His lit her taught him to steal with noiselpss tread upon the grazing imiuial — to deceive the timid doe by mimicking the cry of the fawn — or to entice the wary buck within the reach of his missile, by decorating his own head witji antlers. He was inured to patieiu.-e, fatigue, self-denial, and expo- sure, and acquired the sagacity which enal)]cd him to chase with success the .wild cat, the bear, and the panther. He watched the haunts, and studied the habits of wild animals, and became expert in the arts which enable the Indian hunter at all seasons to procure food from the stream or the forest. Having continued in this primary and parental school until he reached the age of twelve, the young Indian was considered as having made a proficiency which entitled liini to be advanced to a higher grade of studies; and a superstitious rite was required to be .51 400 MAJOR RIDGE. performed to give due solemnity to the ocoasioii. The usages of the nation made it requisite tliat liis martial training should he pre- ceded by a formal dedication to the life and business of a warrior, and an invocation to the Great Spirit to endue him with courage and good fortune. For tiiis purpose his jiarents solicited the assist- ance of an aged warrior, whose numerous aciiievements in battle had established for him a high reputation , and whose sagacity and valor gave him, in the estimation of his tribe, the envied rank of a Ulysses. The assent of the war-ciiief was conveyed in the brief avowal that he would mulie kirn (Jrcudfiil The ceremony took place immediatelv. Tlie hoary l)rave, standing upon the brink of a mountain stream, called upon the Great Spirit to fdl the mind of the young warrior with warlike inclinations, and his heart with courage. He then, with tlie bone of a wolf, tiie end of which ter- minated in several sharj) ])oints, scratched the naked l)oy, from tlie .palm of one hand along the front of the arm, across the l)reast, and along the other arm to the hand — and in like manner lines were drawn from the heels u|)ward to the shoulders, aii.l from the shoul- ders over the br(>ast downward to the feet — and from the bacdv of one hand along the arm, across the back, and to the back of the other hand. 7'he lines thus made each covered a space of two inches in width, and consisted of jiaralle! incisions which pene- trated through the skin, and caused an effusion of l)lood along their entire extent. lie was then required to plunge into the stream and bathe, after which the v.'ar-chief washed his whole body witli a decoction of medicinal herbs; and, in conclusion, he was com- lUiinded not to associate witii the fcmah' chiliU'en, nor to sit near a woman, nor, in short, to sutler the touch of one of that sex during {\\v space of seven days. At the end of this term the war-chief came to him, aid after delivering an address to the CJreat .Spirit, placed l)efore the young candidate foorl, consisting of partridg(!s and 7nmli. The partridu'e was used on this occasion, l)ecause, in its (light, this liird makes a noise, with its wings resembling lluiader BIOGRAPHY. 401 while in sitting or walking it is remarkably silent, and diflicult to discover — and thus wore indicated the clamor of the onset, and tiie cautions stealth which shoidd govern the movements of the warrior at all other times. It is thus that tlie Indian is made in early life the subject of superstition, is taught to believe himself sui)ernalu- rally endued with courage, and is artificially supplied with qualities which might otherwise never have been developed in his mind. When Ridge was fourteen years old, a war party was made up at Checstooyec, where his parents then resided ; the warriors danced the war-dance, and sung war songs to induce the young men to join in the expedition. These martial exercises had such an elfect upon young Ridge, that he volunteered against his father's wishes, and in despite of the tears of his motiier ; and went, with two hundred of the tril)C, against a fort of the Americans in 'rennessee, which was assaulted without success. In this expedition he endured, without a murmur, great hardship and dangers. In the same year the whites made an irruption at a place called the Cherokee Orchard, and retired after killing one Indian. The Cherokees, expecting that their enemies would return, arranged u force of about two hundred men in an ambuscade, near the Orchard, and had spies posted to watch tlie fords of the river Tennessee, where it was expected the while people would cross. It w;'s soon reported that thirty horsemen, and six men on loot w:.re approach- ing. I'he Cherokees were divided into two parlies, one of which was to attack the whites in front, while the other was to throw itself across their rear, to intcrcei)t their retreat. The whites being taken by surprise, were beaten, and sought safety in flight. Those on foot were taken and kilUvi, while the horsemen plunged into the river, where they coniinued to maintain the uneciual conllict with great obstinacy. A (vw who rode strong and fleet horses, escaped by clambering uj) a steep bank, and the rest were slain. One of the Cherokees ha\ ing overtaken a white man who was ascending the bank, after recrossing the river, grappled with him in deadly 402 AlAJOll IIIDGK. fight. The wliite man being- Ihe stronger, tiirew the Indian, wlien a second came to the assistance of tiie latter, and while the gallant Teniiessean was combatting with two foes, Kidge, who was armed with a spear oidy, came np and despatched the unfortunate white nian, '.ry j)Iunging his wea[)on into him. 'I'liis atl'air was considered . highly creditable to Ridge, liie Indians regarding not courage only, hut success, as indicative of merit, and appreciating highly the good fortone wliich enables one of their uumi)er to shed the bknid of an enemy, in however accidental or stealthy a manner. Soon after this ailair, he conducted his father, who was sic)-, to a place more distant from the pro!)al)le scene of war, and then joined a large army composed of the combined forces of the Creeks and Chcrolvees; the latter, led by the chiefs Little Turkey and White Dog, and the former i)y Chinnuhbe. Tiie object of this enterprise waste take Knoxville, then the chief place in Tennessee; but it w;',s not successful. In con.sequence of a disagreement among the chiefs, they returned without attacking the head-quarters of the white settlements, after capturing a .small garrison n- r Marvsville. In another ailair Ridge was scarcely more fortunate. lie joined a company of hunters, and jjas.sed the Cundjerland mountains info Kentucky, to cha.se the bullalo and the bear. While thus engaged, their leader, who was called Tah-cung-stee-.skce, or tiie Remover, propo.sed to kill souk; white men, for the piu-pose of supplying the party with tobacco, their whole store of which iiad been consumed. Ridge was left, with an old man, to guard the camp; the remainder of the party set out upon this righteous war, and after a brief ab- sence, returned with several scalps, and some tobacco which had been taken out of the pockets of the slain. This incident alTords an examj)le of the slight cause which is considered amon"- savai^es a .sufficient i-iJucemeiit for the sliedding of blood. We know not who were the unhappy victims; they might have been Inuiters, but were as |)roi)ably the mend)ors of some emigrant family which had settled in the wildeiaess, whose slumbers were broken at mid- BIOGRAPHY. 408 111 1,1 by the war-wlioop, and wlio saw eacli oilier butchered in cold blood by a i)arty of nuiraudcrs, who souylit to renew their exhausted store of tobacco! W a arc told that Kidge was so greatly mortified at having been obliged to remain inactive, far from the scene of danger, that he actually wept over tlu; loss of honor he had sustained, and that his grief was with dilHculty apj, eased. He returned home after an absence of seven months, and found that both his parents had died during th.at period, leaving liim, still a youth, with two younger brothers and a sister, to provide for themselves, or to depend upon the cold charity of relatives, whose scanty subsistence was derived from the chase. Under these depress- ing circumstances, he .spent .several years in ol)scurity, liiit always actively engaged either upon the war patii, in predatory excursions against the whites, or in hunting expeditions to remote places where the game al)ounded. On one occasion, when he was about seventeen years of age, he, with four others, killed some white men upon the waters of Ilolston, during one of those brief seasons of peace which sometimes beamed on the frontier, like sunny days in the depth of winter — a peace having been declared durintr the absence of this party. That unfortunate act was the cause of a new war. The enraged whites collected a force, invaded the Cherokees who were holding a council at Tellico, and killed a large number of their warriors. This event affords another illustration of the brittle nature of compacts between the inhabitants of the frontier, accustomed to mutual aggression, and ever on the watch to revenge an insult, or to injure a hated foe; while it sliows also that the beginnings of these wars arc often the result of the most fortuitous causes — growing more frequently out of the mistakes, or lawless acts of individuals, than from any deliberate national decision. Ridge and his companions, having been detained by the sick- ness of one of their number, did not arrive at the (-ncampment of the tribe, at the Pine Log, until after the consefiucnces of their 404 MAJOR UIDGE. rash act had been realized in the slaughter of some of tin? ])riiici- /)al men of the nation by the white people. Tliey were coldly rcjccived: the relatives of the slain were incensed, and disposed to take revenge for their loss, upon the young men who had occa- sioned the misfortune, nor were there wanting accusers to ujjbraid tliem openly as the authors of a great public calamity. Jluving no excuse to offer. Ridge, with a becoming spirit, proposed to repair his error as far as ])ossible, by warding oil' its effects from his coun- trymen. He raised the w;ir-whoop, entered the village, as is cus- tomary with those who return victorious, and called for '.olunteers to march against the enemy— but Uiere was no response; tije vil- l.'ige was still, no veteran warrior greeted the ])arty as victors, and those who mourned over deceased relatives, scowled at them as they pas.scd. The usual triumph was not allowed, and the young aggressors, .so for from being joined by others in a ne.v expedition, fell back al«ished by the chilling and contemi)tuous reception which they met. One old man alone, a conjurer, who had prophesied that when these young men should return, the war-pole would bo orna- mented with the scalps of their enemies, felt dis])osed to verify his own prediction by having those bloody trophies j)araded upon tiie war-post, and he exerted himself to cMect a change in the public mind. At length tlie voice of one chief declared, that fallen rela- tives would be poorly revenged by shedding the blood of friends, and that if satisfaction was required it should bo taken from the pale-faces. He then commenced the war-song, at the sound of which the habitual thirst of the Indian for vengeance began to be excited ; the young men responded, and volunteers offered tliem- selves to in against the common enemy, among whom Ridge was the first. The party proceeded immediately against a small fort on the frontier, which they took, and murdered all the inmates- men, women, and cliildren. Ridge lias since frequently relatea tlie foct, that the women and children w(>re at first made prisoners, but were hewn down by the ferocious leader Doublehead, who BIOGRAPHY. 40o aftorwanls became a conspicuous man, and a tyrant in the nation; he s])ol.c of this foul deod with abliorrencc, and declared that he t\u-ned aside, and looked another way, unwillinaders, and as little congenial with the grow tii of civilization. It was necessary, therefore, that those who exec-uted the laws should be firm tnd vigorous men; and among this class Ridge was soon distinguish.-.; as one possessing the energy of character so imijort- ant in a ruler. At tiie .second council in whicli he sat, one of the ancient laws of the Cherokecs was abrogated at his suggestion According to inimernorial usage, the life of a murderer was at the disposal of the relatives of the deceased, who might put him to death, or accept a price for the injury. Blood for blood was the rule, and if the guilty party fled, his nearest relative might be sacri- ficed in his place. The nation was divided into seven tribes, each preserving a distinct genealogy, traced through the female line of descent: and these tribes were held sacredly hound to administer this law, each within its own jurisdiction, and to afibrd facilities for its execution when the aggressor (led from one tribe to another. And we may remark here, as a curious illustration of the principle of Indian justice, that the ol)ject of this law was not to jninish guilt, to preserve life, or to prevent crime; neither the protection of the weaker, nor tlie conservation of the ])eace of society was its object; It was the kx tal/o/iis administered simply to appease individual passion — its sole purpose was revenge. For if any one killed another by acci(h?nt, liis life was as mucli forfeited as if he com- mitted a Avilful houncide, and if he could not be readi'y found a relative for a fugitive murderer, and succes.^fully advocated its repeal. The more difficult task remained of enforcing obedience lo the repealing statute— a ta.sk whiov(M-iun('nt. IJnt Ridun', ]iavinoks — anil thus was (■oiii])lotf(l the usual log-cabin of the fronlior settlor, an edilice which ranks iu architecture next above the lodge or wiirwani. And liere did the Indian warrior and his bride, forsaking the habits of their race, lietake themselves to iiloughing and chopping, knitting and weaving, and other Christian employments, wiiile insensibly ihey dropped also the unpronounceable heathen names in which they had hitherto rejoiced, and became known as Miijor Ridge and tSusaiuiah. It is hardly necessary to remark, that one of the iirst things which the Indian learns from his civilized neighbor, is his love of titles; and finding that every gentleman of standing on the frontier had one, and that neither a commission nor a njilitary em ployment is necessarily interred from the assumption of a martial designation, he usually, on taking an English name, jjrelixes to it the title of Captain or Major. 'The residence of Major Ridge was in the Ookellogee valley, where he lived more than eighteen years, employed in rural pur- suits, and gathering about him herds and other properly. He seems to have entirely abandoned the saviige life, and settled quietly down in the enjoyment of the comforts of civilization. His family consisted of five children, one of whom died in infancy, another was deficient in mind, and the other three were well edu- cated, llis son John, after attending the mission school at Brainerd, was sent to Cornwall in Connecticut, where he spent four years under the instruction of the Reverend Herman Daggett. He here lell m love with a beautiful and excellent young lady. Miss Northrop, who reciprocated his affection, and after an engugement of two years, they were mari'ied — she leaving for him her piirents, brothers, .sisters, and friends, and identifying herself with the Cherokees, among whom she has ever since resided. This couple have six children. The influence of this lady has already been most benignantly exerted over the rude people wi'!\ whom her lot ilO MAJOR RID(ii:. aus Ijoi'u cast; but tlic extent of lier iiset'ulucss will not Ik; I'ully kiinwn nor uppreciiited until it shall l)e seen iu the exertions of her children, whom she is carefully trauiiny up in the precepts of the Bible. The dauyliters of Major Uidyo were also educated. (Jau of them married and died early; the other is an accomplished younii' l'wly> ^'' superior mnid, who has travelled through most of the states of tho Union, and who devotes herself, with a Christian and patriotic ardor, to the improvement of her (•ountry women. 'I'he whole family are professors of religion, and aro exemplary in their lives. 'riie interesting domestic avocations in which Major liidge was now i)usily engaged, did not withdraw him from bis public duti(!s. He continued to be an active menii)er of the council, in which he gradually rose to be an inlluential leader, and be was the orator usually chosen to announce and explain to the people the decrees of that body. He was also engaged in riding what was termed tlie judicial circuit. To enforce the laws among a barbarous people recpiired a vigorous administration, and this office was assigned to twelve horsemen, persons of courage and intelligence, who were the judges, jurors, and executors of justice. Major llidge was placed at the head of this corps, whose duty it was to ride througb the nation, to take cognizance of all crimes and breaches of law, and to decide all controversies between individuals. In the un- settled state of the community, the want of forms, and tiie absence of precedent, much was left to their discretion ; and after all, these decisions were enforced rather by the number, energy, and phy- sical power of the judges, than through any respect paid to the law itself In addition to these arduous duties as a magistrate. Ridge was active and usi>ful in bis example as a private man. He encouraged the opening of roads, and caused some to be made at his own ex- pense. He advocated all |)ul)lic improvements, and endeavored to inculcate a taste for the relinements of civilization. He built a ni()(ii{Ai>iiY. 411 Iioiiso, pliiiilcd iin nrcliani, and went, Corwanl in tlio inarcli of im- lirovciiiciit, until his Carni was in a liiglier .state of cultivation, and his buildings belter, than those of any otlier person in that region. tlio whites not excepted. Abo\it tli(! close of tlie iidniinistration of President Jefferson, the (piestion as to emigrating to the west of the .Mississippi, began to be agitated among the Cherokees. Enolee, or Black Fox, the suc- cessor of Little 'I'urkey, was head cliief of the nation. He, with 'J"ah-lon-tus-kee, Too-chay-lor, tlie Glass, the Turtle at home, and otiiers, i)egan to advocate the removal; the public mind became, greatly excited, and those who possessed oratorical talents, employed them in popular harangues. While the people were discussing the subjects, the chi(;fs iiad matured their plan, and were procee<|- ing to carry it into eflect without the public consent, which the usages of the nation requinjd, but for wliicli they intended to sul)- stitutc a hasty vote of the council. Accordingly, at a council held at a post within the limits of Tennessee, Black Fox, and a few- other leaders, acting in concert with Colonel R. J. .Meigs, the agent of the United States, brought forward a project for sending a dele- gation to Washington, to exchange their country for lands further west. The deputies were already nominated by the head chief; Ills talk to the President of the United .States was delivered to Tah- lon-tus-kee, the leader of the deputation ; and a vote of the council was only wanting to sanction what had been done, and to authorize the making of a treaty under which the nation sliould be removed to a far distant wilderness. That talk was in substance as ff)llows : " Tell our Great Father, the President, that our game has disap- peared, and we wish to follow it to the Avest. We are his friends, and we hope he will grant our petition, which is to remove our people towards the setting .sun. But we shall give up a fine country, fertile in soil, abounding in water counses, and well adapted for the residence of white people. For all this we must have a good price." This bold and artful movement had the desired effect; the ])eople 412 MAJOR itii)(;i;. who had discusiscd tlio subject, w itiioiit rcrcrciicf to a ih-risicm so sudden and euiielusive, weR; not ready lor the i|ue.stiou: they wero taken hy .siu-prise, and as it was not, exjM'cled tliai any ono \\(jnld have the moral eoiu-aire to rise in u|i[iosition under sneli cireinn- stanees, it only remained to take a vote, uhieli would so far eomtnit the nation as to precluch' any I'nture dejjatc. A dead sih-ncu ensued — the assembly was apjjarently awed, or cajoled into eonipliance, when llid|a;e, who had a spirit ecpial to the oceasion, and who saw with indignation that tin; old men kej)t their seals, rose iVoui ihe midst of tlie youn^'ci ehiets, and, with a manner and tone ovinciiiy; great excitement, addressed tlic^ people. " I\Iy friends," said he, "you have heard the talk of the principal chief. He points to the renion of the setting- sun as the future habitation of this peo[)le. As a man he has a ri^lit 1o give his opinion ; but the ojiinion he has given as the chief of tliis nation is not l)inding; it was not formed in council, in the light of day, but was made up in a corner — to drag this people, witliout their consent, from their own rnuntrv, 1o the dark land of the setting sun. I resist it here, in my place, as a man, as a chief, as a Cherokee, having tlie right to be consulted in a matter of such importance. AVhat are your heads plac(;d on your bodies for, but to think, and if to think, why .should you not be consulted ? I scorn this movement of a few men to imsettle the nation, and trifle witii our attachment to the land of our forefathers ! Look abroad over the face of this country — along the rivers, the creeks, and their branches, and you behold the dwellings of the l)cople who repose in content and security. Why is this grand scheme projected, to load away to another country the jjcoplc who are happy here ? I, for one, abandon my respect for the will of a chief, and regard only the will of thousands of my people. Do I speak without the respon.se of any heart in this assembly, or do I speak as a free man, to men who are free and know their rights? I pause to hear." He sat down in the midst of acclamations. The people declared that his talk was good, that the talk of the head HKXillAlMI Y. 4i;< cliicf was l)a(l; tlio lattt-r was doposi'd ii|)(iii the spot, imd juiotlier ajipoiiilcd ill liis pliir(>. 'I'lio dolciralioii was cliaiigcd, w, that a iiiiij.irity ul' It were ojiposed to emigration, and Uidcrc was addrd to the niinilifi-. T\\r a(i\aiita),re of trav('llinf tlirous. An old man chanted a song of ancient times. No conversation was allowed during the ceremony; the fierce \ isiigo of the Intuan was bent in mute attention uj)on the exciting scene, and the congrcgaferl mass of mind was doubtless p'u-vaded by tlie solemnizing conviction that the Great Spirit was among them. At this o])])orl\iue crisis, a deputation from Coosa Wathla intnxhu'cd a hall-breed Cliirokee, from the mountains, who professed to l)e the liearer of a messaue from heaven. His name was Charles. He was received with marked respect, and seated close to Ridge, the j)riniipal ])ers()n present, and wlin, though lie deplored die su])erslition that induced tiie meeting, had thought proper to attend, and ostensil)lv to join in the ceremonies. The .savage missionary did not kee]. liiem liuiu in suspense; he rose and announced that the Great Spirit had sent him to deliver a message to his people; he said he had already de- liv(>red it to some of the Cherokees in l!ie mountains, but they dis- believed, and had lieateii him. But he would iiol desist; he would (leclare the will of the Great Sjiirit at all hazards. The (ir(>at Spi- rit said, that the Cherokees WL-re adopting- the customs of the whito people. Tiiey had mills, clothes, feather beds, and tables — woise still, they had books and domestic eats! This was not good — therefore the )Ulil lo and other game were di.sappeari nu- Th (ireat S[)irit was angry, and had witiidrawn his pnjtection. Tlu nation must return to the eustmns of their fathers. They must kill their cats, cut short their froidvs, and dress as become Indians and warriors, 'i'hey must discard all the fashions of the whites, abandon the u.se of any communication with each other except bv Is, their houses, and all tlu; He promised, that il iliey word of inoutii, and give up ti.eir mil iieople. arts learned 'Voni tin w believed and obeyed. tla man would (1 sap[)ear. a.K them to paint 0.'! thenisel ves, :n would game again abouiid, the w hite 1 God would love his })eople. He urged , to hold feasts, and to dance — to listen lo il6 MAJOR RIDGE. liis words, and to the words the Great Spirit would wliisper in (lieir dreams. lie concluded by saying, if an}- one says that he does not l)elieve, the Great Spirit will cut him ell' from the living. This speech, artfully framed to suit the prejudices of the Indians, and to inllarnc the latent discontent of such as were not fully enlisted in the work of reform, caused a great excitement among them. They cried out that the talk was good. Major Ridge per ceived at once the evil cH'cct that would be produc d by such harangues, and, with his usual decision, determined not tu tain[ier viilh ihe popular feeling, l)ul to ()p[)OM' and correct it. lie ro.se in his place, and addressing tlie tiiuiu.luous as.sendihige with liis wDiiled ciiergv, said, " My friends, the tiilk you have heard is not good. It would lead us to war with the United States, and we should sud'er. It is false; it is nut a talk from the Great Spirit. I siinid liiM'e (lelv 1' the threat that he who disbelieves tl llire;it sliall die. Let tl (U'ath come uj)on me. 1 oiler to test thi sctienic (il iniijostors The j)eople, mad with suj)erstilion rushed upon tlie orator who dared thus to brave their fury, and rei)uke their folly, and would j)robal)ly have put him to death, iiad he not dei'ended himself Being an athletic man he struck down 1 of tl severa ills Iriend le assailants, but was ^it last thrown to tl le uronnd, and Jotin Harris, .stabbed at !iis side. Jes.se Vaun and dther; ill rau.ed aroimd hiui, and beating back the crowd, enab lU bun to rise ; anu at Icngtii an old hiL't had suUiricnt mlluence over th infuriated savages to ((uell the tumult. .\s the tc'injiest of pas.sion 'I'lie His subsided, the fuiaticisin which had caused It died away. thri'atofthe pretended mes^' iiLL'er 111 hiMVcii hud proved lal.s ill cliallenge d been accepti'd, and t If (lai'Ui'' uidiviilual w iio liad defied him, lived, an cviileiice of his imposition T le storm of lanaticism jiassed on tn the Creek nation, amouii wliom dreams were (U'eamed and pro|)liel> ; I rose who pr roll jd U urn have talked with \\iv. Great Spirit. 'I'hi' daring ami restless Tec the, who had Iraver.sed the wilderiie.>s, for several hundred miles, 15IOGRA1M1Y. 417 for tlie purjHisc of stirring iIks siivaoes U> \\;ir against []\v Aiin'ricaiis, appeared among tlie (Jrceks at this juiicturc, and arUuil\ avaiKnl liiiusc'if of a state of things so well suited to Ids purpose. Jiesich's bringing tidings from the (.Jreul .Spirit, he brought assurances from the British king, and greetings Iroiii the tShauanoe nation. Tlic Creeks rose agiunst their chiefs, broke o\it into war against the United 8tates, and liaving surprised tlie frontier jmsl of Fort Mimrns, massacred the whole garrison, without di.stinetion of a-e intri among his people. But tlie sin that most easily Ijcsets the Indian has destroyed his usefulne.ss; habits of dis.sipation, with the j)remature decrepitude incident to the savage life, have made him an old man, at the age at which the statesmen of civilized nations are in the enjoyment of the highest degree of intellectual vigor. Ilis inllucnce has declined, and many of his band have left him, and joined the standards of other chiefs. This personage has been the husband of no less than eleven wives, and the father of a numerous progeny. With all the savage love of trinkets and finery, he had his full share of the personal vanity which nourishes that reigning propensity, and of which tbe following anecdote affords a striking illustration. In one of the ( 43!i ) 434 BIOGRAPHY. drunken l)roils, which have not boon unlVo(|\iont in the lattor part of Ills life!, a (iyht occurretl between liiiiiself and anotiier person, in whicli llie nose of the chief was severely bitten. The Reverend Mr. Lowry, superintendent of the scliooi, on hoarinthcr int()leral)!e. His only conso- lation was found in the declaration tliat his young men .should kill the autlior of his disgrace ; and accordingly tlie latter was scon aft-r murdereil. tliough it is not known l)y whom. Had not this injury biHMi of a kind by which tlu; vanity of Wakami Haka was aflectec', and his self-love mortilied, it might liave been Ibrgotten or ])assed over; we do not ^ny forf/irtit, as lliis word, in our acceptance of it, e.vpre.sses an idea to which the savage is a stranger, [{egardiiiii an \nircvenu-ed insult as a trader views an outstanding dcl)t, whicii he niav demaud wiiencver he can lind tiie d('lin(|ueiit parly in a con- dition to pay it. he is .satisfied i)y a suitable conipensatiou, if the injury i)e of a character to admit of compromise. Had his wife, for instance, eloped with a lover, or his brother been slain, tlie offender niiulit have ])urchased peace at the expense of a few horses; but wliat price could indemnify a great chief for the lo.ss of his no.sc ? Happily, tht; wound proved iiut slight, and Wakaun Haka lost neither his no.>;e nor liis reputation. We do not intend, howev(>r. by the last remark, tr do injustice to this chief, who, on another occasion, nursed his resentment, under the inllueuce of highly creditable feelings. We have had_ occasion WAKAIJN HAKA. •1:5.) to niPiition elsewhere, a striking- incident of border warfare, which occnrred in 1S;J4, when a war-])iirty of Saukies and Foxes surprised a small encampment of the \Vinuel)agoes, and massacred all the persons within it, except one gallant ho}-, about twelve years of age, who, after discharging a gun, and killing a Saukie brave, made his escape by swimming the Mississippi, and brought the news of the slaughter to Fort Crawford, at Prairie du Chien. That boy wjts the son of Wakaun llaka, and among tlie slain was one of the wives and several of the children of this chief The exploit was considered as conferring great honor on the lad, as well as upcm his family, and the father evinced the pride which he felt in his son, while he lamented over the slain meml)ers of his family with a lively sensi- bility. An exterminating war was expected to follow this bloody i\ei-i\ ; but by the ])rompt interposition of the agent of the United States, and the military officers, a treaty was held, and a peace brought about, chieily through the politic and conciliatory conduct of Keokuk', the head man of the offending nation. Forty horses were presented to tlie Winiiebagoes, as a full compensation for the lo.ss of about half that number of their people, who had been mas- sacred in cold blood ; the indemnity was accepted, the peace pipe was smoked, and the hands of the murderers, cleansed of the foul stains of midnight assassination, were clasped in the embrace of amity by the relatives of the slain. Wakaun Ilaka, with a disdain for so unworthy a compromise, which did honor to his feelings as a husband and father, stood aloof, and refused either to participate in the present, or to give his hand to tlie Saukies and Foxes. The Snake-Skin, like many other influential men among the Indians, has always been obstinately opposed to all changes in the condition of his people, and has declined taking any part in the benevolent plans of the American Covernment, or of individuals, for tlie civilization of his race. ()n one occasion, when the superin- tendent of the school called liis attention to the subject, and lu-ijed the advantages which the Winnebagoes might derive from those 436 BIOGRAPHY. benevolent measures, his reply was, that "the Great Spirit iiad niado the skin of the Indian red, and that soa]) and water could not make it white." At another time, when urged to use his iulluence to procure the attendance of the Indian youth at tlie governiu'jnt school, he replied that "their cliildren were all asleep, and could not be waked up." These answers were figurative, and contain the substance of the objection invariablj urged by the savages on tiiis subject: "Tiic Great S-pirit lias made us what we are— it is not his will that we should be changed ; if it was his will, he would let us know; if it is not his will, it would l)e wrong for us to attempt It, nor could we by any art change our nature." KISllKEKOSH. Among the Fox braves who upjjearod at Wasliington in 1837, on tiie^ occasion to which wo have ah-cady alluded, was Kishkekosh. or The man with one kg, whose name, however, is not descriptive of his person; for we discovered no deficiency in the limbs of this individual. At the council which we described in tlie life of Keokuk, wliere the Sauks and Foxes were confronted with the Sioux, Kish- kekosh appeared in the same iiideous headdress which is exhibited in the picture, and the attention of the spectators was stron stolen pro[)ert\ ; and, especially, it is agreed, that the Olos will not supply Ity sale, exchange, or presents, any nation or trihc, or hand of Indians, not in amity with the I'nited States, with gnns, ammniiilion, or other implements of \var. Among the names of the eiiihteen signers to this treaty, we find Hhuuk-co-pce. 'This is onr ( honcape. Tiie scribe who wrote his name Shnnk-co-pce, w roti' it as it sonnded to his ears. (.'Ikjh sounded to lam as Shtiiih — and tliis may he regarded as one of the thousand instances serving to illustrate the dilliciilty of handing down the iiiiriie of an Indian. 'I'he ear of the writer of it governs, an, of some other country, would, )irobali|\-, iji following tiie sound of this Indian's name, have written it 'I'shaii- ko-pee ; and thus uc might have bad three Indians manufactured out of one. The raj)idly increasing trade between .Missouri and the Me.vicau dominions, and the frequent interruptions which it had e.\'[ierienced from the Otos, and other Indian trilx's, tlie grounds of whose more distant excursions lay in the route of its prosecution, suggested the importance of this treaty. Hut the conditions of a treaty with distant and roving l)an(ls of Indians, w ho arc as wild ai\d imtamed as their builalo, were not relied upon as of snUii-ieiit strength out of which to erect i)arriers for the protection of the tradi^ which the treaty of 18'jr) was maiidy intended to seciu'c. There was one other resort on which greater reliance was placed; and that was, to select and bring to Washington, and through our populous cities, some of the leading chiefs of those bands whose pacilic dispositions it had become of such moment to secure. Among those who wen; s«'!ected •or tiiis object, was ('lionca])e. W C are to infer from this that 1 le CIIONCAIM': 4U was a man of infliiniiv !it liomc ; ami ihal lie liad tli )ii(Mlciicn of liis Irilu'. It is to iho reports of siicli u oiio alono tliat the Indians will list.'u; and it was t'li! dcsii,ni that lie and his comrades siionld not only witness our nnmhers and our power, but that the reports tiiat sliould l)e made of hoth, on their return, should operate upon the fears of their trihes, find thus remier more secure our trade with the Mexican frontier. 'i'liat ('lionca|)e had won tro]ihies in war is no more to lie doubted than tiiat lie had heen in contact with the ^rri/zly l)ear, wliose claws lie wore as an ornament around his neck, in token of his victory over that animal. But, while he was at Washington, he was peace- ful in his looks, and orderly in Ids conduct. Nothini,' occurred while on his visit to that city to mark him as a chief of any extra- ordinary talents. The impression he loft on our mind was, that lie was entitled to the distinction which his triho had conferred upon him, in making him a chief, and to be chosen as one of a i)artv to come among n.s, behold our strength, and report uj)on it to his people. He said nothing, which we heard, that is worth recording, and did nothing of which he or his tribe should bo ashamed. KISIIKALWA. KisiiKAi.WA is nominally and legally the head chief of the Sliaw- aiioc nation, l)iit is too far advanced in life to take any active part in its allairs. lie is l)elieved to be between ei'^dity-six an-l ninety years of age, and is living with a daughter upon the Kansas river, altlnngh liis band have settled in the neighboriiood of tbe Sal)in(! 'I'lio family of this chief is numerous and ver}' distinguislied : he is one of seven brothers, all renowned warriors, one of wiioin was tbe celebrated HIack Hoof, who died m 1^;}1, at tlie advanced age of from ninet\-ti\(' to one hundred xcars. This ciiief was about seventeen yi-ars of age when he engaged, for the tirst time, in a war-party ; and on tiiat occasion he made himself conspicuous for his bravt^ry. 'I'be ex|)e(lition was of a cha- racter which strikingly illustrates tlie bistory of savage life. The Shawanocs were a warlike triiie, tliat roved tbrougii the whole of the t( riitorv nortli-wcst of tbe (Miio, and were continually engaged in hostilities, at first with the Kntrlisli, and suliserpiently witb llinr descendants, wliile they maintaineil friendly relations with the rn-ncb Tbe latter occupied Fort Massa( , a military station, ovi tbe Udrtbcrn slmrc nf tbe Ohio, not far above its junction witli tlie Mississippi ; and were at variance with die Chickasaws wiin lost no (ip|ior1unit\ to do tbem an injury. .Among other stratagems which were practised by thost( Indians, was one that was frecpieiitly ado,, ted by all tiie tribes, and in which tli(> savages were very ,suc- ccssi'iil. A party of warriors, disguised in the skins of deer, or of bears, would ajipear creeping upon the shore of the river opposite BIO(;UAPHY. 4t:? the forf. Tlie widtli (;f llie strciim \v;is sn frrciit as to rondor it qiiitc! possihlo to pr;i(!liso tlic dccojjlioii uitli (jjood eirccl, even ifllin iiiiitiilioH of tlic aiiiiriiils liad hecn less porftTt than it really wa.s. Hilt l!ic Indians, aooiistonicd to notice tlie habits of the; bnite minuc animals app(>ared u[)on the shore; the I''rench soldiers, apprised of the |)lan of their allies, bnsi((l themselves in preparing a i)oat as if to cross the river, while the Shaw.vnoes, having made a circuit through the woods, and passed the river at a distant point, threw themsclvts into the rear of tlu! enemy. The Chickasaws were surprised and deteated \\illi';rcat loss. On such expeditions, the metlivine Ihhj, suppoM'd to possess sui)ernatural virtues, is carried, during the inarch from iiome, bv the leader of the enterpri.se, whose station is in tlie van of the party; but on tlic retiirn, this nivsterions batr is borne l)v the warrior who has ac(niircd the !:rcat(>st distinction duriiiL;- that e\|icilitioii. or. in soiiH" cases, liv him w Im Killed the first eiiemv, and the per.-sou thus honorecl marches tbrcninst. The youim' Kishkalwa. on this oci'a- sion, returned in the piniirl station of bearer of the medicine ba<'-. Ui KISIIKALWA. Anotlier advnitm-o occurnxl a year or two afterwards, tlio recital of wliicli will serve to throw some light, as well ou the character of Kishkalwa as ou the peculiarities of the ludiau. The beautiful and fertile couutrv, which uow forms the State of Kentucky, was not, previous to it.- o<'cupatioii iiy the whites, inhabited by any trdie of Indians, but was a common huntin«i;-ground and battle-field l()r the various sin-rounding triijes, whose tierce conllicts gave to this loveh reiiion the name of "the dark and bloody groimd." The Indian who ventured among those forests, was prepared alike for the chase and for war. The daring spirit of the young Kishkalwa led him into Kmtuckv, to hunt the i)ullalo, then abundant on the southern shore of the Ohio; but before he had sueceeded in getting anv game, he was discovered ami pnrsiied l)y a jiarty ol ho.Mili! Indians. Jieing ;done, resistance would have l)een unavailinii'. and his onlv hop(> of esca])e was in llii^ht. W hdr running with great speed ihrnuiih the woods, a vestment, which eouslituteil his only article of clethimi-. became entanLiled in tlic bushes, and was torn oil': but as the pursuit was very hot. he had not time to recover it. Having reached the river opposite I'ort .Massac, he lied his gun to his head with his loiiix hair and swam across. .Vmnnu' the Shawa- noes it is hiiihlv disreputable in a warrior to throw away his arms or cintbiui;-. when in lliuht from ;in I'neuiy, as the act mdicales cowardice, and supplies a 1ro|)l;\ to the jjiirsuer. '• Soiw." they s-|\. •■hilt ,111 ( )s;iije. w dl thus disencumber liimself. thai lie mav ruii the fister frnm his foes." When Kishkalva, therefore, arrived in sai'etx amouii' his friends, who had seen his pursuers r.illou iii;^ him to the water's eil'je, they no snnner noticed the aoM'nce ot the >j:irnient. llian a number of jokes w ere passed at liisexpiiix' I'e e\|ilained llie manner of the loss, and the urgency nf the case, but his companions. percei\inu tiial he was annoved, all'ected not to be satislied, and di plored with mock gravity, that so fun^ a yomiL'- man should l)e so destitute of activity as to be obliged to throw away his clothes in order to outrun his enemies. BIOGRAPHY. 41.-) As the ;u-cu.sa1i{)i> implied a want of courage, Kislikalwa .said that he would .siiow tiiat he was no coward. Accordingly ho set off, a few days Jifterwards, alone, in search of some enemy on whom he could prove his pro^^•e.ss. In die forest of Kentucky, late in the nigiit, he discovered a fire, by which slept two Indians, who Mere easily distinguished as belonging to a ho.stilc tribe, lie approached near to the i with a stealthy tread, then, crouching like the panther, waited, according to the custom of the Indian, until the Hrst indica- tions of the approaching dawn of day, when, taking a deliberate aim, he shot one of his foemen, and rushing upon the other, de- spatched him in.stantly with the tomaiiawk. 'i'liis ex|)l.)it u-ained him great credit: although it would seem characterized only bv the lowest species of cunning, and to be destitute of all the higher attri- butes of warfare, it was. according to the notions of the savage, not only in exceedingly good taste, but a fnie specimen of courage and military talent; for the Indian awards the highest honor to the success wliicii is gained at the least expense, and considers everv stratagem meritorious which leads to tiie desired result. Still ids companions continued to jeer him upon the lo.ss of a garment in the (brnu'r adventure. Xettled by these jokes, \kh\ determined to re- trieve his re])utation, he .secretly raised a j)arty of four or five young men, wliom he led on another expedition. Tliey were successful, and returned with seventeen scalps. 'I'ho.se who imagine that the apparent apalhy of the Indian clia- racter indicates the entire ah.sence of a |)ropeiisilv for nurili, will be surprised to learr. that the reinarkalile success which att. iidcd the arms of Kislikalwa, failed to blinit the point of that unhappv jest, uliich had become a source ol' serious inconveiiieuce to this L;reat warrior. The pcrtiiiacilv with which his com|);niions continued to allude to this subject, evinces, on their part, a strono- perception of the ludicnnis, and a relish for coarse raillery, which balanced even their flecided admiration of warlike (pialities, whil(> tlie extreme sen- sitiveness of Kishkahva shows how highly the Indian pri/e.s his 446 KISMKALWA. honor. Successful as he had Ix'cn, he conceived it necessary that tlie blood of his enemies should continue to flow, to l)lot out a stain aflixod upon him in the mere wantonness of hoisterous humor. He now took the field in a more imposing manner; and having raised a party of twenty-five warriors, went forth in pursuit of the enemies of histribe, travelling only in the night, and lying in ambush during the day. They proceeded down the southern shore of the Ohio and Mississippi, until they reached the Iron Banks, near which thev came upon an encampment of hostile Indians, consisting ot one hundred and fifty meii, women, nnd children. Kishkalwa halted his party, and having reconnoitercd tlie enemy, directed tiie mode of attack. His nien were so stationed as to surround the camp, and remained concealerl until the dawn of day, when, at a signal given, the dreadful war-whoop was uttered by the whole in concert, and the assailnnts rushed in. 'i'lie astonished enemy iie- lieving themselves hemmed in by superior nund)ers, lied in every direction; thirty-three men were killed, and seventeen women ami children taken prisoners. Kishkalwa returned in triumph witii his captives and the .scalps of the .slain. On his arrival, nrany of tin" tril)e who had lost thi'ir relatives in battle, clamoronslv (leniiuided veni'eance upon the prisoners; but Kishkalwa declured tliat not a drop of their blood should be spilt. He consented to tlie adoption of the ca|)tives into the families of tiio.se who had been killed in i)attle, and successfully protected these unfortunates from injury. Among them was a beautifu' young woman, whom Kishkalwa jjre- sented to the chief, to In; his wife, on condition that orders should be given, prohibiting the repetition of the jest wlncii had so long galled lis pride. 'I'iie proclamation was accordingly made, in tlu' manner in which all public acts are amiounced in the Indian vil- lages, by a crier, who j)assed about, declaring, in a loud voice, that Kishkalwa having pnwed that he could not have thrown away his clothes out of fear, no one was permitted diereafterto re|)ea1 or allude to that event. The reader will decide, wliether this warrior's sue- :iIO(JUAl'IIY. ■U7 cess, or his judicious prcstnt to tlu; cliit-f, .•oiilrihiited most to relieve liim from so auiioviiijf a dilemma. Wiiatcver inii^lit have been llie elleet upon hi.s private eiiaraeter, or social intercourse, these successful exj)editioiis, in which not a sinirle life hud been lost, establislied the reputation of Kislikalua as a brave, skilful, and fortunate warrior, and he was soon after raised to the dignit)- of principal brave, or war chief It luav be proper to remark here, that, in his old atre, uothiii^, nor has this portion of the tribe ever been engaged against the Americans, since the decisive battle of Point Pleasant. During the last war, a part of the Sauk and Fox nations, who had been in the habit of trading with the British, were removed from Illinoi.< to the interior of Missouri, at their own request, that they might not be within the reach of Briti.sh inlluence. But rest- less by nature, unal)le to remain neutral in lime of war, anil re- ceiving no eiuouragement to join the Americans, who from principle declined emp.oying the savages, they took up the hatchet against us, and after committing s.)ni(! dej)redations, lied to Canada. The alarm created by these hoKtilities, in which the Weas and Piunku- S7 ._. n 448 KISIIIvAI.WA. sliuwis were hcliovi'd to participato, iiulucrd llu; Govcriior (jf .Mis- souri 'I't'rrilory to call out the militia, ami to rcijurst the assistance ul' llu,' Slia\vau()(; aud JJilawai'u Indians. A partv ol'sixtv-six war- riors was accortlingly raised l)}' Kishkahva, and llii' other cliii-ls, and placed under the command of General Dodyc. 'i'he Sauks and Foxt's liavinii' lied belore tiu; arrival oi'the mili- tia, a small I'orl was surrounded in wliieli it was supposed that the W eas and Piankeshuws were concealed; but in the mornint^ it was (omid that they too had retreated. 'I'liey were pursued, overtaken, and made prisoners, 'i'hi' object of General l)odt;e, m their cap- ture, was to protect aud no! to injure them. The inhabitants of tlie frontier are at all times ipiick to take umbrage at an\ sujjposed hostility on the jiart of the Indians, aLfainst whom they have lonif lieen accustomed to entertain a nuu^led feeling- of fear and hatred; and believinli)Iess l)rute. 'I'lie last nnlitary adventure in which Kishkalwa engaged, was in a war underlakeu by the Chcrokees, Delawares, and ShLanoes, against the Osag.^s, in 1818. In a battle which was fought, and which resulted in the defeat of the Osages, this chief is represented as having displayed his nsual bravery and prudence, although he must then have been burdened by th.' weight of upwards of dghly years. In attacking their en.Muies, it is customary with tiie Osages to rush to the onset with great impetuosity, uttering the savage yell with deaf.'uing concert, and endeavoring to win the battle by the terrors attending the first blow; Init failing in this object, they usually abandon the contest. All the Indian tribes, indeed, act upon this system, to a greater or less extent, .-.eeking vi.'tory by cunning rather than force, .and avoiding the ha/.ar.l of a battle which must be contested upon ecpial terms. Kishkab- •-, aware of tins trait in the character of ins race, and knowing that the O.sages pursued this mode of warfare more invariably than his own fol- lowers, exhorted them to stand firmly, and resist the first attack: "Do not lie,..l their .shouts," said he; " they are but the yells of cowardly wolvs, who, as soon as they come nc-ar ...lough to look you m the eye, will flee; while if you turn y.uir backs on them, they will devour you." This counsel evinced the .sauacitv of one who had ob.served human nature, and could adapt his own mea- sures to the ciivumstances in which ho was placed. The result vcrihed liis |)rc(licti party of Kishkalw; on. O .sages, twice as numerous as the rushed to Ihc attack with their usual i inpetuo- sity.and with lou.l shouts; but failing in making an impression 460 KISIIKALWA. in the first onset, recoiled before the .steady firmness of their op- ponents, and fled in confusion, siiflering ixreat loss in killed and prisoners. Kishkahva visited Washington in 1825, as one of a delegation of chiefs, accompanied by Colonel Menard, a highly respectable agent of the Indian Department, to whom we arc indebted for the details included in the foregoing biograi)hical sketch. We have said that this chief was the brother of Black Hoof; but we are not certain that they n)ight not have l)een consin-s-gcr- man, as the term brother is applied among the Indians to this degree of relationship. END OP VOL. I.