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diff --git a/10794-0.txt b/10794-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..52f5d94 --- /dev/null +++ b/10794-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8152 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10794 *** + + DAHCOTAH; + + OR, + + LIFE AND LEGENDS OF THE SIOUX + + AROUND FORT SNELLING. + + + BY MRS. MARY EASTMAN, + + + WITH + + PREFACE BY MRS. C. M. KIRKLAND. + + + + ILLUSTRATED FROM DRAWINGS BY CAPTAIN EASTMAN. + + + +TO HENRY SIBLEY, ESQ., + +HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. + +It was my purpose to dedicate, exclusively, these pages to my beloved +parents. What correctness of sentiment appears in this book is mainly +ascribable to a principle they endeavored to instil into the minds of +their children, that purity of heart and intellectual attainment are +never more appropriately exercised than in promoting the good of our +fellow-creatures. + +Yet the sincere sentiments of respect and regard that I entertain for +you, the remembrance of the many acts of friendship received from you +during my residence at Fort Snelling, and the assurance that you are +ever prompt to assist and protect the Indian, induce me to unite your +name with those most dear to me in this dedication. + +An additional inducement is, that no one knows better than yourself the +opportunities that presented themselves to collect materials for these +legends, and with what interest these occasions were improved. With +whatever favor this little work may be received it is a most pleasing +reflection to me, that the object in publishing it being to excite +attention to the moral wants of the Dahcotahs, will be kindly +appreciated by the friends of humanity, and by none more readily +than yourself. + +Very truly yours, + +MARY H. EASTMAN. + +New London, March lst, 1849. + + + + +PREFACE. + +My only title to the office of editor in the present case is some +practice in such matters, with a very warm interest in all, whether +relating to past or present, that concerns our western country. Mrs. +Eastman,--wife of Captain Eastman, and daughter of Dr. Henderson, both +of the U. S. army,--is thoroughly acquainted with the customs, +superstitions, and leading ideas of the Dahcotahs, whose vicinity to +Fort Snelling, and frequent intercourse with its inmates, have brought +them much under the notice of the officers and ladies of the garrison. +She has no occasion to present the Indian in a theatrical garb--a mere +thing of paint and feathers, less like the original than his own rude +delineation on birch-bark or deer-skin. The reader will find in the +following pages living men and women, whose feelings are in many +respects like his own, and whose motives of action are very similar to +those of the rest of the world, though far less artfully covered up and +disguised under pleasant names. "Envy, hatred and malice, and all +uncharitableness," stand out, unblushing, in Indian life. The first is +not called emulation, nor the second just indignation or merited +contempt, nor the third zeal for truth, nor the fourth keen discernment +of character. Anger and revenge are carried out honestly to their +natural fruit--injury to others. Among the Indians this takes the form +of murder, while with us it is obliged to content itself with slander, +or cunning depreciation. In short, the study of Indian character is the +study of the unregenerate human heart; and the writer of these sketches +of the Dahcotahs presents it as such, with express and solemn reference +to the duty of those who have "the words of eternal life" to apply them +to the wretched condition of the red man, who is, perhaps, with all his +ignorance, quite as well prepared to receive them as many of those who +are already wise in their own eyes. The very degradation and misery in +which he lives, and of which he is not unable to perceive some of the +causes, prepare him to welcome the instruction which promises better +things. Evils which are covered up under the smoothness of civilization, +stand out in all their horrible deformity in the _abandon_ of savage +life; the Indian cannot get even one gleam of light, without instantly +perceiving the darkness around him. Here, then, is encouragement to +paint him as he is, that the hearts of the good may be moved at his +destitute and unhappy state; to set forth his wants and his claims, that +ignorance may no longer be pleaded as an excuse for withholding, from +the original proprietor of the soil, the compensation or atonement which +is demanded at once by justice, honor, and humanity. + +Authentic pictures of Indian life have another and a different value, in +a literary point of view. In the history and character of the aborigines +is enveloped all the distinct and characteristic poetic material to +which we, as Americans, have an unquestioned right. Here is a peculiar +race, of most unfathomable origin, possessed of the qualities which have +always prompted poetry, and living lives which are to us as shadowy as +those of the Ossianic heroes; our own, and passing away--while we take +no pains to arrest their fleeting traits or to record their picturesque +traditions. Yet we love poetry; are ambitious of a literature of our +own, and sink back dejected when we are convicted of imitation. Why is +it that we lack interest in things at home? Sismondi has a passage to +this effect:-- + +"The literature of other countries has been frequently adopted by a +young nation with a sort of fanatical admiration. The genius of those +countries having been so often placed before it as the perfect model of +all greatness and all beauty, every spontaneous movement has been +repressed, in order to make room for the most servile imitation; and +every national attempt to develop an original character has been +sacrificed to the reproduction of something conformable to the model +which has been always before its eyes." + +This is certainly true of us, since we not only adopt the English view +of everything, but confine ourselves to the very subjects and imagery +which have become consecrated to us by love and habit. Not to enter into +the general subject of our disposition to parrotism, our neglect of +Indian material in particular may be in part accounted for, by our +having become acquainted with the aborigines after the most unpoetical +fashion, in trying to cheat them out of their lands, or shooting them +when they declined being cheated; they, in their turn, driven to the +resource of the weak and the ignorant, counterplotting us, and taking, +by means of blood and fire, what we would not give them in fair +compensation. This has made our business relations very unpleasant; +and everybody knows that when this becomes the case, it is hard for +parties to do justice to each other's good or available qualities. +If we had only read about the Indians, as a people living in the +mountain-fastnesses of Greece, or the, broad plains of Transylvania, we +should without difficulty have discovered the romantic elements of their +character. But as the effect of remoteness is produced by time as well +as distance, it is surely worth while to treasure up their legends for +our posterity, who will justly consider us very selfish, if we throw +away what will be a treasure to them, merely because we cannot or will +not use it ourselves. + +A prominent ground of the slight regard in which the English hold +American literature, or at least one of the most plausible reasons given +for it, is our want of originality, particularly in point of subject +matter. It is said that our imitativeness is so servile, that for the +sake of following English models, at an immeasurable distance, we +neglect the new and grand material which lies all around us, in the +sublime features of our country, in our new and striking circumstances, +in our peculiar history and splendid prospects, and, above all, in the +character, superstitions, and legends of our aborigines, who, to eyes +across the water, look like poetical beings. We are continually +reproached by British writers for the obtuse carelessness with which we +are allowing these people, with so much of the heroic element in their +lives, and so much of the mysterious in their origin, to go into the +annihilation which seems their inevitable fate as civilization advances, +without an effort to secure and record all that they are able to +communicate respecting themselves. + +And the reproach is just. In our hurry of utilitarian progress, we have +either forgotten the Indian altogether, or looked upon him only in a +business point of view, as we do almost everything else; as a +thriftless, treacherous, drunken fellow, who knows just enough to be +troublesome, and who must be cajoled or forced into leaving his +hunting-grounds for the occupation of very orderly and virtuous white +people, who sell him gunpowder and whiskey, but send him now and then a +missionary to teach him that it is wrong to get drunk and murder his +neighbor. To look upon the Indian with much regard, even in the light of +literary material, would be inconvenient; for the moment we recognize in +him a mind, a heart, a soul,--the recollection of the position in which +we stand towards him becomes thorny, and we begin dimly to remember +certain duties belonging to our Christian profession, which we have +sadly neglected with regard to the sons of the forest, whom we have +driven before us just as fast as we have required or desired their +lands. A few efforts have been made, not only to bring the poetry of +their history into notice, but to do them substantial good; the public +heart, however, has never responded to the feelings of those who, from +living in contact with the Indians, have felt this interest in them. To +most Americans, the red man is, to this day, just what he was to the +first settlers of the country--a being with soul enough to be blameable +for doing wrong, but not enough to claim Christian brotherhood, or to +make it _very_ sinful to shoot him like a dog, upon the slightest +provocation or alarm. While this feeling continues, we shall not look +to him for poetry; and the only imaginative writing in which he is +likely to be generally used as material, will be kindred to that known +by the appropriate title of "Pirate Literature." Mr. Cooper and Miss +Sedgwick are, perhaps, alone among our writers in their attempts to do +the Indian justice, while making him the poetical machine in fiction. + +Missionaries, however, as well as others who have lived among the +aborigines for purely benevolent purposes, have discovered in them +capabilities and docility which may put to the blush many of the whites +who despise and hate them. Not only in individual cases, but in more +extended instances, the Indian has been found susceptible of religious +and moral instruction; his heart has warmed to kindness, like any other +man's; he has been able to perceive the benefits of regular industry; +his head has proved as clear in the apprehension of the distinction +between right and wrong as that of the more highly cultivated moralist; +and he receives the fundamental truths of the gospel with an avidity, +and applies them--at least to the lives and characters of his +neighbors--with a keenness, which show him to be not far behind the rest +of mankind in sensibility and acuteness. Without referring to the +testimony of the elder missionaries, which is abundant, I remember a +most touching account, by Rev. George Duffield, jr., of piety in an +Indian wigwam, which I would gladly transfer to these pages did their +limits admit. It could be proved by overwhelming testimony, that the +Indian is as susceptible of good as his white brother. But it is not +necessary in this place to urge his claim to our attention on the ground +of his moral and religious capabilities. Setting them aside, he has many +qualifications for the heroic character as Ajax, or even Achilles. He is +as brave, daring, and ruthless; as passionate, as revengeful, as +superstitious, as haughty. He will obey his medicine man, though with +fury in his heart and injurious words upon his lips; he will fight to +the death for a wife, whom he will afterwards treat with the most +sovereign neglect. He understands and accepts the laws of spoil, and +carries them out with the most chivalric precision; his torture of +prisoners does not exceed those which formed part of the "triumphs" of +old; his plan of scalping is far neater and more expeditious than that +of dragging a dead enemy thrice round the camp by the heels. He loves +splendor, and gets all he can of it; and there is little essential +difference, in this regard, between gold and red paint, between diamonds +and wampum. He has great ancestral pride--a feeling much in esteem for +its ennobling powers; and the _totem_ has all the meaning and use of any +other armorial bearing. In the endurance of fatigue, hunger, thirst, and +exposure, the forest hero has no superior; in military affairs he fully +adopts the orthodox maxim that all stratagems are lawful in war. In +short, nothing is wanting but a Homer to build our Iliad material into +"lofty rhyme," or a Scott to weave it into border romance; and as we are +encouraged to look for Scotts and Homers at some future day, it is +manifestly our duty to be recording fleeting traditions and describing +peculiar customs, before the waves of time shall have swept over the +retreating footsteps of the "salvage man," and left us nothing but lake +and forest, mountains and cataracts, out of which to make our poetry +and romance. + +The Indians themselves are full of poetry. Their legends embody poetic +fancy of the highest and most adventurous flight; their religious +ceremonies refer to things unseen with a directness which shows how bold +and vivid are their conceptions of the imaginative. The war-song--the +death-song--the song of victory--the cradle-chant--the lament for the +slain--these are the overflowings of the essential poetry of their +untaught souls. Their eloquence is proverbially soaring and figurative; +and in spite of all that renders gross and mechanical their ordinary +mode of marrying and giving in marriage, instances are not rare among +them of love as true, as fiery, and as fatal, as that of the most +exalted hero of romance. They, indeed, live poetry; it should be ours to +write it out for them. + +Mrs. Eastman's aim has been to preserve from destruction such legends +and traits of Indian character as had come to her knowledge during long +familiarity; with the Dahcotahs, and nothing can be fresher or more +authentic than her records, taken down from the very lips of the red +people as they sat around her fire and opened their hearts to her +kindness. She has even caught their tone, and her language will be found +to have something of an Ossianic simplicity and abruptness, well suited +to the theme. Sympathy,--feminine and religious,--breathes through these +pages, and the unaffected desire of the writer to awaken a kindly +interest in the poor souls who have so twined themselves about her own +best feelings, may be said to consecrate the work. In its character of +aesthetic material for another age, it appeals to our nationality; +while, as the effort of a reflecting and Christian mind to call public +attention to the needs of an unhappy race, we may ask for it the +approbation of all who acknowledge the duty to "teach all nations." + +C. M. K. + +NEW YORK, _March_, 1849. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +INTRODUCTION + +MOCK-PE-EN-DAG-A-WIN; OR, CHECKERED CLOUD, THE MEDICINE WOMAN + +RED EARTH; OR, MOCKA-DOOTA-WIN + +WENONA; OR, THE VIRGIN'S FEAST + +THE DAHCOTAH CONVERT WABASHAW + +THE DAHCOTAH BRIDE SHAH-CO-PEE + +THE ORATOR OF THE SIOUX OYE-KAR-MANI-VIM + +THE TRACK-MAKER ETA KEAZAH; OR, SULLEN FACE TONWA-YAH-PE-KIN + +THE SPIES THE MAIDEN'S ROCK; OR, WENONA'S LEAP OECHE-MONESAH + +THE WANDERER TAH-WE-CHUT-KIN + +THE WIFE WHA-ZEE-YAN + +ANOTHER OF THE GIANT GODS OF THE DAHCOTAHS + +STORMS IN LIFE AND NATURE; OR, UNKTAHE AND THE THUNDER BIRD HAOKAH OZAPE + +THE DANCE OF THE GIANT U-MI-NE-WAH-CHIPPE; OR, TO DANCE AROUND + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +The materials for the following pages were gathered during a residence +of seven years in the immediate neighborhood--nay--in the very midst of +the once powerful but now nearly extinct tribe of Sioux or +Dahcotah Indians. + +Fort Snelling is situated seven miles below the Falls of St. Anthony, at +the confluence of the Mississippi--and St. Peter's rivers--built in +1819, and named after the gallant Colonel Snelling, of the army, by whom +the work was erected. It is constructed of stone; is one of the +strongest Indian forts in the United States; and being placed on a +commanding bluff, has somewhat the appearance of an old German castle, +or one of the strongholds on the Rhine. + +The then recent removal of the Winnebagoes was rendered troublesome by +the interference of Wabashaw, the Sioux chief, whose village is on the +Mississippi, 1800 miles from its mouth. The father of Wabashaw was a +noted Indian; and during the past summer, the son has given some +indications that he inherits the father's talents and courage. When the +Winnebagoes arrived at Wabashaw's prairie, the chief induced them not to +continue their journey of removal; offered them land to settle upon near +him, and told them it was not really the wish of their Great Father, +that they should remove. His bribes and eloquence induced the +Winnebagoes to refuse to proceed; although there was a company of +volunteer dragoons and infantry with them. This delay occasioning much +expense and trouble, the government agents applied for assistance to +the command at Fort Snelling. There was but one company there; and the +commanding officer, with twenty men and some friendly Sioux, went down +to assist the agent. + +There was an Indian council held on the occasion. The Sioux who went +from Fort Snelling promised to speak in favor of the removal. During the +council, however, not one of them said a word--for which they afterwards +gave a satisfactory reason. Wabashaw; though a young man, had such +influence over his band, that his orders invariably received implicit +obedience. When the council commenced, Wabashaw had placed a young +warrior behind each of the friendly Sioux who he knew would speak in +favor of the removal, with orders to shoot down the first one who rose +for that purpose. This stratagem may be considered a characteristic +specimen of the temper and habits of the Sioux chiefs, whose tribe we +bring before the reader in their most conspicuous ceremonies and habits. +The Winnebagoes were finally removed, but not until Wabashaw was taken +prisoner and carried to Fort Snelling. Wabashaw's pike-bearer was a fine +looking warrior, named "Many Lightnings." + +The village of "Little Crow," another able and influential Sioux chief, +is situated twenty miles below the Falls of St. Anthony. He has four +wives, all sisters, and the youngest of them almost a child. There are +other villages of the tribe, below and above Fort Snelling. + +The scenery about Fort Snelling is rich in beauty. The falls of St. +Anthony are familiar to travellers, and to readers of Indian sketches. +Between the fort and these falls are the "Little Falls," forty feet in +height, on a stream that empties into the Mississippi. The Indians call +them Mine-hah-hah, or "laughing waters." In sight of Fort Snelling is a +beautiful hill called Morgan's Bluff; the Indians call it "God's House." +They have a tradition that it is the residence of their god of the +waters, whom they call Unk-ta-he. Nothing can be more lovely than the +situation and appearance of this hill; it commands on every side a +magnificent view, and during the summer it is carpeted with long grass +and prairie flowers. But, to those who have lived the last few years at +Fort Snelling, this hill presents another source of interest. On its top +are buried three young children, who were models of health and beauty +until the scarlet fever found its way into regions hitherto shielded +from its approach. They lived but long enough on earth to secure them an +entrance into heaven. Life, which ought to be a blessing to all, was to +them one of untold value; for it was a short journey to a better land--a +translation from the yet unfelt cares of earth to the bright and endless +joys of heaven. + +Opposite the Fort is Pilot Knob, a high peak, used as a burial-place by +the Indians; just below it is the village of Mendota, or the "Meeting of +the Waters." + +But to me, the greatest objects of interest and curiosity were the +original owners of the country, whose teepees could be seen in every +direction. One could soon know all that was to be known about Pilot Knob +or St. Anthony's falls; but one is puzzled completely to comprehend the +character of an Indian man, woman, or child. At one moment, you see an +Indian chief raise himself to his full height, and say that the ground +on which he stands is his own; at the next, beg bread and pork from an +enemy. An Indian woman will scornfully refuse to wash an article that +might be needed by a white family--and the next moment, declare that she +had not washed her face in fifteen years! An Indian child of three years +old, will cling to its mother under the walls of the Fort, and then +plunge into the Mississippi, and swim half way across, in hopes of +finding an apple that has been thrown in. We may well feel much +curiosity to look into the habits, manners, and motives of a race +exhibiting such contradictions. + +There is a great deal said of Indian warriors--and justly too of the +Sioux. They are, as a race, tall fine-looking men; and many of those who +have not been degraded by association with the frontier class of white +people, nor had their intellects destroyed by the white man's +fire-water, have minds of high order, and reason with a correctness +that would put to the blush the powers of many an educated logician. Yet +are these men called savages, and morally associated with the tomahawk +and scalping knife. Few regard them as reasonable creatures, or as +beings endowed by their creator with souls, that are here to be fitted +for the responsibilities of the Indians hereafter. + +Good men are sending the Bible to all parts of the world. Sermons are +preached in behalf of fellow-creatures who are perishing in regions +known only to us in name. And here, within reach of comparatively the +slightest exertion; here, not many miles from churches and schools, and +all the moral influences abounding in Christian society; here, in a +country endowed with every advantage that God can bestow, are perishing, +body and soul, our own countrymen: perishing too from disease, +starvation and intemperance, and all the evils incident to their unhappy +condition. White men, Christian men, are driving them back; rooting out +their very names from the face of the earth. Ah! these men can seek the +country of the Sioux when money is to be gained: but how few care for +the sufferings of the Dahcotahs! how few would give a piece of money, a +prayer, or even a thought, towards their present and eternal good. + +Yet are they not altogether neglected. Doctor Williamson, one of the +missionaries among the Sioux, lives near Fort Snelling. He is exerting +himself to the utmost to promote the moral welfare of the unhappy people +among whom he expects to pass his life. He has a school for the Indian +children, and many of them read well. On the Sabbath, divine service is +regularly held, and he has labored to promote the cause of temperance +among the Sioux. Christian exertion is unhappily too much influenced by +the apprehension that little can be done for the savage. How is it with +the man on his fire-water mission to the Indian? Does he doubt? Does +he fail? + +As a great motive to improve the moral character of the Indians, I +present the condition of the women in their tribes. A degraded state of +woman is universally characteristic of savage life, as her elevated +influence in civilized society is the conspicuous standard of moral and +social virtue. The peculiar sorrows of the Sioux woman commence at her +birth. Even as a child she is despised, in comparison with the brother +beside her, who is one day to be a great warrior. As a maiden, she is +valued while the young man, who wants her for a wife, may have a doubt +of his success. But when she is a wife, there is little sympathy for her +condition. How soon do the oppressive storms and contentions of life +root out all that is kind or gentle in her heart. She must bear the +burdens of the family. Should her husband wish it, she must travel all +day with a heavy weight on her back; and at night when they stop, her +hands must prepare the food for her family before she retires to rest. + +Her work is never done. She makes the summer and the winter house. For +the former she peels the bark from the trees in the spring; for the +latter she sews the deer-skin together. She tans the skins of which +coats, mocassins, and leggins are to be made for the family; she has to +scrape it and prepare it while other cares are pressing upon her. When +her child is born, she has no opportunities for rest or quiet. She must +paddle the canoe for her husband--pain and feebleness must be forgotten. +She is always hospitable. Visit her in her teepee, and she willingly +gives you what you need, if in her power; and with alacrity does what +she can to promote your comfort. In her looks there is little that is +attractive. Time has not caused the wrinkles in her forehead, nor the +furrows in her cheek. They are the traces of want, passion, sorrows and +tears. Her bent form was once light and graceful. Labor and privations +are not preservative of beauty. + +Let it not be deemed impertinent if I venture to urge upon those who +care for the wretched wherever their lot may be cast, the immense good +that might be accomplished among these tribes by schools, which should +open the minds of the young to the light of reason and Christianity. +Even if the elder members are given up as hopeless, with the young +there is always encouragement. Many a bright little creature among the +Dahcotahs is as capable of receiving instruction as are the children of +civilization. Why should they be neglected when the waters of +benevolence are moving all around them? + +It is not pretended that all the incidents related in these stories +occurred exactly as they are stated. Most of them are entirely true; +while in others the narrative is varied in order to show some prevalent +custom, or to illustrate some sentiment to which these Indians are +devoted. The Sioux are as firm believers in their religion as we are in +ours; and they are far more particular in the discharge of what they +conceive to be the obligations required by the objects of their faith +and worship. There are many allusions to the belief and customs of the +Dahcotahs that require explanation. For this purpose I have obtained +from the Sioux themselves the information required. On matters of faith +there is difference of opinion among them--but they do not make more +points of difference on religion, or on any other subject, than white +people do. + +The day of the Dahcotah is far spent; to quote the language of a +Chippeway chief, "The Indian's glory is passing away." They seem to be +almost a God-forgotten race. Some few have given the missionary reason +to hope that they have been made subjects of Christian faith--and the +light, that has as yet broken in faint rays upon their darkness, may +increase. He who takes account of the falling of a sparrow, will not +altogether cast away so large a portion of his creatures. All Christian +minds will wish success to the Indian missionary; and assuredly God will +be true to his mercy, where man is found true to his duty. + +The first impression created by the Sioux was the common one--fear. In +their looks they were so different from the Indians I had occasionally +seen. There was nothing in their aspect to indicate the success of +efforts made to civilize them. Their tall, unbending forms, their savage +hauteur, the piercing black eye, the quiet indifference of manner, the +slow, stealthy step--how different were they from the eastern Indians, +whose associations with the white people seem to have deprived them of +all native dignity of bearing and of character. The yells heard outside +the high wall of the fort at first filled me with alarm; but I soon +became accustomed to them, and to all other occasional Indian +excitements, that served to vary the monotony of garrison life. Before I +felt much interest in the Sioux, they seemed to have great regard for +me. My husband, before his marriage, had been stationed at Fort Snelling +and at Prairie du Chien. He was fond of hunting and roaming about the +prairies; and left many friends among the Indians when he obeyed the +order to return to an eastern station. On going back to the Indian +country, he met with a warm welcome from his old acquaintances, who were +eager to shake hands with "Eastman's squaw." + +The old men laid their bony hands upon the heads of my little boys, +admired their light hair, said their skins were very white; and, +although I could not then understand their language, they told me many +things, accompanied with earnest gesticulation. They brought their wives +and young children to see me. I had been told that Indian women gossiped +and stole; that they were filthy and troublesome. Yet I could not +despise them: they were wives and mothers--God had implanted the same +feelings in their hearts as in mine. + +Some Indians visited us every day, and we frequently saw them at their +villages. Captain E. spoke their language well; and without taking any +pains to acquire it, I soon understood it so as to talk with them. The +sufferings of the women and children, especially during the winter +season, appealed to my heart. Their humility in asking for assistance +contrasted strongly with the pompous begging of the men. Late in a +winter's afternoon, Wenona, wife of a chief named the "Star," came to my +room. Undoing a bundle that she took from under her blanket, she +approached and showed it to me. It was an infant three days old, +closely strapped to an Indian cradle. The wretched babe was shrivelled +and already looking old from hunger. She warmed it by the fire, +attempting to still its feeble cries. + +"Do you nurse your baby well, Wenona?" I asked; "it looks so thin and +small." + +"How can I," was the reply, "when I have not eaten since it was born?" + +Frequently we have heard of whole families perishing during severely +cold weather. The father absent on a winter's hunt, the mother could not +leave her children to apply to the fort for assistance, even had she +strength left to reach there. The frozen bodies would be found in the +lodges. The improvident character of the Indian is well known. Their +annuities are soon spent; supplies received from government are used in +feasting; and no provision is made for winters that are always long and +severe. Though they receive frequent assistance from the public at the +fort, the wants of all cannot be supplied. The captain of the post was +generous towards them, as was always my friend Mrs. F., whom they highly +esteemed. Yet some hearts are closed against appeals daily made to their +humanity. An Indian woman may suffer from hunger or sickness, because +her looks are repulsive and her garments unwashed: some will say they +can bear the want of warm clothing, because they have been used to +privation. + +The women of the Sioux exhibit many striking peculiarities of +character--the love of the marvellous, and a profound veneration for any +and every thing connected with their religious faith; a willingness to +labor and to learn; patience in submitting to insults from servants who +consider them intruders in families; the evident recognition of the fact +that they are a doomed race, and must submit to indignities that they +dare not resent. They seem, too, so unused to sympathy, often comparing +their lives of suffering and hardship with the ease and comfort enjoyed +by the white women, it must be a hard heart, that could withhold +sympathy from such poor creatures. Their home was mine--and such a home! +The very sunsets, more bright and glorious than I had ever seen, seemed +to love to linger over the scenes amongst which we lived; the high +bluffs of the "father of many waters" and the quiet shores of the +"Minesota;" the fairy rings on the prairie, and the "spirit lakes" that +reposed beside them; the bold peak, Pilot Knob, on whose top the Indians +bury their dead, with the small hills rising gradually around it--all +were dear to the Sioux and to me. They believed that the rocks, and +hills, and waters were peopled with fairies and spirits, whose power and +anger they had ever been taught to fear. I knew that God, whose presence +fills all nature, was there. In fancy they beheld their deities in the +blackened cloud and fearful storm; I saw mine in the brightness of +nature, the type of the unchanging light of Heaven. + +They evinced the warmest gratitude to any who had ever displayed kind +feelings towards them. When our little children were ill with scarlet +fever, how grieved they were to witness their sufferings; especially as +we watched Virginia, waiting, as we expected, to receive her parting +breath. How strongly they were contrasted! that fair child, unconscious +even of the presence of the many kind friends who had watched and wept +beside her--and the aged Sioux women, who had crept noiselessly into the +chamber. I remember them well, as they leaned over the foot of the bed; +their expressive and subdued countenances full of sorrow. That small +white hand, that lay so powerless, had ever been outstretched to welcome +them when they came weary and hungry. + +They told me afterwards, that "much water fell from their eyes day and +night, while they thought she would die;" that the servants made them +leave the sick room, and then turned them out of the house--but that +they would not go home, waiting outside to hear of her. + +During her convalescence, I found that they could "rejoice with those +that rejoice" as well as "weep with those that wept." The fearful +disease was abating in our family, and "Old Harper," as she is called +in the Fort, offered to sit up and attend to the fire. We allowed her to +do so, for the many who had so kindly assisted us were exhausted with +fatigue. Joy had taken from me all inclination to sleep, and I lay down +near my little girl, watching the old Sioux woman. She seemed to be +reviewing the history of her life, so intently did she gaze at the +bright coals on the hearth. Many strange thoughts apparently engaged +her. She was, of her own accord, an inmate of the white man's house, +waiting to do good to his sick child. She had wept bitterly for days, +lest the child should be lost to her--and now she was full of happiness, +at the prospect of her recovery. + +How shall we reconcile this with the fact that Harper, or Harpstinah, +was one of the Sioux women, who wore, as long as she could endure it, a +necklace made of the hands and feet of Chippeway children? Here, in the +silence of night, she turned often towards the bed, when the restless +sleep of the child broke in on her meditation. She fancied I slept, but +my mind was busy too. I was far away from the home of my childhood, and +a Sioux woman, with her knife in her belt, was assisting me in the care +of my only daughter. She thought Dr. T. was a "wonderful medicine man" +to cure her; in which opinion we all cordially coincided. + +I always listened with pleasure to the women, when allusion was made to +their religion; but when they spoke of their tradition, I felt as a +miser would, had he discovered a mine of gold. I had read the legends of +the Maiden's Rock, and of St. Anthony's Falls. I asked Checkered Cloud +to tell them to me. She did so--and how differently they were told! With +my knowledge of the language, and the aid of my kind and excellent +friend Mr. Prescott, all the dark passages in her narration were made +clear. I thought the Indian tone of feeling was not rightly +appreciated--their customs not clearly stated, perhaps not fairly +estimated. The red man, considered generally as a creature to be carried +about and exhibited for money, was, in very truth, a being immortally +endowed, though under a dispensation obscure to the more highly-favored +white race. As they affirmed a belief in the traditions of their tribe, +with what strength and beauty of diction they clothed their +thoughts--how energetic in gesture! Alas! for the people who had no +higher creed, no surer trust, for this and for another world. + +However they may have been improved, no one could have had better +opportunities than I, to acquire all information of interest respecting +these Indians. I lived among them seven years. The chiefs from far and +near were constantly visiting the Fort, and were always at our house. +Not a sentiment is in the Legends that I did not hear from the lips of +the Indian man or woman. They looked on my husband as their friend, and +talked to him freely on all subjects, whether of religion, customs, or +grievances. They were frequently told that I was writing about them, +that every body might know what great warriors they were. + +The men were sometimes astonished at the boldness with which I reproved +them, though it raised me much in their estimation. I remember taking +Bad Hail, one of their chiefs, to task, frequently; and on one occasion +he told me, by way of showing his gratitude for the interest I took in +his character, that he had three wives, all of whom he would give up if +I would "leave Eastman, and come and live with him." I received his +proposition, however, with Indian indifference, merely replying that I +did not fancy having my head split open every few days with a stick of +wood. He laughed heartily after his fashion, conscious that the cap +fitted, for he was in the habit of expending all his surplus bad temper +upon his wives. I have sometimes thought, that if, when a warrior, be he +chief or commoner, throws a stick of wood at his wife's head, she were +to cast it back at his, he might, perhaps, be taught better behaviour. +But I never dared to instil such insubordinate notions into the heads of +my Sioux female friends, lest some ultra "brave," in a desperate rage, +might substitute the tomahawk for the log. These opinions, too, might +have made me unpopular with Sioux and Turks--and, perchance, with some +of my more enlightened friends, who are self-constituted "lords of +creation." + +I noticed that Indians, like white people, instead of confessing and +forsaking their sins, were apt to excuse themselves by telling how much +worse their neighbors were. When told how wicked it was to have more +than one wife, they defended themselves by declaring that the +Winnebagoes had twice or thrice as many as the Sioux. The attempt to +make one right of two wrongs seems to be instinctive. + +I wished to learn correctly the Indian songs which they sing in +celebrating their dances. I sent for a chief, Little Hill, who is a +famous singer, but with little perseverance as a teacher of music. He +soon lost all patience with me, refused to continue the lesson, +declaring that he could never make me sing like a Sioux squaw. The low, +guttural notes created the difficulty. He very quickly became tired of +my piano and singing. The chiefs and medicine men always answered my +questions readily, respecting their laws and religion; but, to insure +good humor, they must first have something to eat. All the scraps of +food collected in the kitchen; cold beef, cold buckwheat cakes; nothing +went amiss, especially as to quantity. Pork is their delight--apples +they are particularly fond of--and, in the absence of fire-water, +molasses and water is a most acceptable beverage. Then they had to smoke +and nod a little before the fire--and by and by I heard all about the +Great Spirit, and Hookah the Giant, and the powers of the Sacred +Medicine. All that is said in this book of their religion, laws, and +sentiments, I learned from themselves, and most of the incidents +occurred precisely as they are represented. Some few have been varied, +but only where it might happily illustrate a peculiar custom or opinion. + +Their medicine men, priests, and jugglers, are proverbially the greatest +scamps of the tribe. My dear father must forgive me for reflecting so +harshly on his brother practitioners, and be reconciled when he hears +that they belong to the corps of quacks; for they doubt their own +powers, and are constantly imposing on the credulity of others. On +returning from an evening walk, we met, near the fort, a notable +procession. First came an old medicine man, whose Indian name I cannot +recall; but the children of the garrison called him "Old Sneak"--a most +appropriate appellation, for he always looked as if he had just +committed murder, and was afraid of being found out. On this occasion he +looked particularly in character. What a representative of the learned +faculty! After him, in Indian file, came his wife and children, a most +cadaverous looking set. To use a western phrase, they all looked as if +they were "just dug up." Their appearance was accounted for in the +following ludicrous manner--the story is doubtless substantially true. +There was a quantity of refuse medicine that had been collecting in the +hospital at the fort, and Old Sneak happened to be present at a general +clearing out. The medicine was given to him; and away he went to his +home, hugging it up close to him like a veritable old miser. It was too +precious to be shared with his neighbors; the medicine of the white man +was "wahkun" (wonderful)--and, carrying out the principle that the more +of a good thing the better, he, with his wife and children, took it all! +I felt assured that the infant strapped to its mother's back was dying +at that time. + +The "dog dance" is held by the Sioux in great reverence; and the first +time it has been celebrated near the fort for many years, was about five +summers ago. + +The Chippeways, with their chief, "Hole in the Day," were down on a +visit, and the prairie outside the fort was covered with Indians of both +tribes. The Chippeways sat on the grass at a little distance, watching +the Sioux as they danced, "to show how brave they were, and how they +could eat the hearts of their enemies." Most of the officers and ladies +of the garrison were assembled on the hospital gallery to witness +the dance. + +The Sioux warriors formed a circle; in the centre was a pole fastened in +the ground. One of the Indians killed a dog, and, taking out the heart +and liver, held them for a few moments in a bucket of cold water, and +then hung them to the pole. After awhile, one of the warriors advanced +towards it, barking. His attitude was irresistibly droll; he tried to +make himself look as much as possible like a dog, and I thought he +succeeded to admiration. He retreated, and another warrior advanced with +a different sort of bark; more joined in, until there was a chorus of +barking. Next, one becomes very courageous, jumps and barks towards the +pole, biting off a piece of the flesh; another follows and does the same +feat. One after another they all bark and bite. "Let dogs delight" would +have been, an appropriate melody for the occasion. They had to hold +their heads back to swallow the morçeau--it was evidently hard work. +Several dogs were killed in succession, when, seeing some of the +warriors looking pale and deadly sick, Captain E. determined to try how +many of their enemies' hearts they could dispose of. He went down among +the Indians and purchased another dog. They could not refuse to eat the +heart. It made even the bravest men sick to swallow the last +mouthful--they were pale as death. I saw the last of it, and although +John Gilpin's ride might be a desirable sight, yet when the Sioux +celebrate another dog feast, "may I not be there to see." + +Our intercourse with the Sioux was greatly facilitated, and our +influence over them much increased, by the success attending my +husband's efforts to paint their portraits. They thought it supernatural +(wahkun) to be represented on canvas. Some were prejudiced against +sitting, others' esteemed it a great compliment to be asked, but all +expected to be paid for it. And if anything were wanting to complete our +opportunities for gaining all information that was of interest, we found +it in the daguerreotype. Captain E., knowing they were about to +celebrate a feast he wished to paint in group, took his apparatus out, +and, when they least expected it, transferred the group to his plate. +The awe, consternation, astonishment and admiration, surpassed +description. "Ho! Eastman is all wahkun!" + +The Indians are fond of boasting and communicating their exploits and +usages to those who have their confidence. While my husband has +delineated their features with the pencil, I have occupied pleasantly +many an hour in learning from them how to represent accurately the +feelings and features of their hearts--feeble though my pen be. We never +failed to gain a point by providing a good breakfast or dinner. + +With the Rev. Mr. Pond and Dr. Williamson, both missionaries among the +Sioux, I had many a pleasant interview and talk about the tribe. They +kindly afforded me every assistance--and as they are perfectly +acquainted with the language of the Sioux, and have studied their +religion with the view to introduce the only true one, I could not have +applied to more enlightened sources, or better authority. + +The day we left Fort Snelling, I received from Mr. Pond the particulars +of the fate of the Sioux woman who was taken prisoner by the Chippeways, +and who is represented in the legend called The Wife. Soon after her +return to her husband, he was killed by the Chippeways; and the +difficulty was settled by the Chippeways paying to the Sioux what was +considered the value of the murdered man, in goods, such as calico, +tobacco, &c.! After his death, the widow married a Sioux, named "Scarlet +Face." They lived harmoniously for a while--but soon difficulties arose, +and Scarlet Face, in a fit of savage rage, beat her to death. A most +unromantic conclusion to her eventful life. + +How vivid is our recollection of the grief the Sioux showed at parting +with us. For although, at the time, it added to the pain naturally felt +at leaving a place which had so long been our home; yet the sincere +affection they evinced towards us and our children was most gratifying. +They wished us to remember them, when far away, with kindness. The +farewell of my friend Checkered Cloud can never be forgotten. She was my +constant visitor for years; and, although a poor and despised Sioux +woman, I learned to look upon her with respect and regard. Nor does my +interest in her and her nation cease, because, in the chances of life, +we may never meet again. It will still be my endeavor to depict all the +customs, feasts and ceremonies of the Sioux, before it be too late. The +account of them may be interesting, when the people who so long believed +in them will be no more. + +We can see they are passing away, but who can decide the interesting +question of their origin? They told me that their nation had always +lived in the valley of the Mississippi--that their wise men had asserted +this for ages past. Some who have lived among them, think they crossed +over from Persia in ships--and that they once possessed the knowledge of +building large vessels, though they have now entirely lost it. This idea +bears too little probability to command any confidence. The most general +opinion is the often told one, that they are a remnant of God's ancient +and chosen people. Be this as it may, they are "as the setting sun, or +as the autumn leaves trampled upon by powerful riders." + +They are receding rapidly, and with feeble resistance, before the giant +strides of civilization. The hunting grounds of a few savages will soon +become the haunts of densely peopled, civilized settlements. We should +be better reconciled to this manifest destiny of the aborigines, if the +inroads of civilization were worthy of it; if the last years of these, +in some respects, noble people, were lit up with the hope-inspiring rays +of Christianity. We are not to judge the Heathen; yet universal evidence +gives the melancholy fact, that the light of nature does not lead the +soul to God: and without judging of their destiny, we are bound to +enlighten their minds. We know the great Being of whom they are +ignorant; and well will it be for them and for us, in a day that awaits +us all, if yet, though late, sadly late--yet not too late, we so give +countenance and aid to the missionary, that the light of revealed truth +may cheer the remaining period of their national and individual, +existence. + +Will it be said that I am regarding, with partial eye and sentimental +romance, but one side of the Sioux character? Have they no faults, as a +people and individually? They are savages--and that goes far to answer +the question. Perhaps the best answer is, the women have faults enough, +and the men twice as many as the women. But if to be a savage is to be +cruel, vindictive, ferocious--dare we say that to be a civilized man +necessarily implies freedom from these traits? + +Want of truth, and habitual dishonesty in little things, are prevalent +traits among the Sioux. Most of them will take a kitchen spoon or fork, +if they have a chance--and they think it fair thus to return the +peculations of the whites. They probably have an idea of making up for +the low price at which their lands have been valued, by maintaining a +constant system of petty thefts--or perhaps they consider kitchen +utensils as curiosities, just as the whites do their mocassins and +necklaces of bear's claws. Yes--it must be confessed, however +unsentimental, they almost all steal. + +The men think it undignified for them to steal, so they send their +wives thus unlawfully to procure what they want--and wo be to them if +they are found out. The husband would shame and beat his wife for doing +what he certainly would have beaten her for refusing to do. As regards +the honesty of the men, I give you the opinion of the husband of +Checkered Cloud, who was an excellent Indian. "Every Sioux;" said he, +"will steal if he need, and there be a chance. The best Indian that ever +lived, has stolen. I myself once stole some powder." + +I have thus, perhaps tediously, endeavored to show, that what is said in +this work has been learned by intimate association, and that for years, +with the Indian. This association has continued under influences that +secured unreservedly their confidence, friendship--and I may say--truly, +in many instances--their affection. If the perusal of the Legends give +pleasure to my friends--how happy am I! To do more than this I hardly +dare hope. + +M. H. E. + + + + +PRELIMINARY REMARKS + +ON + +THE CUSTOMS OF THE DAHCOTAHS. + + + +I. + + +SIOUX CEREMONIES, SCALP DANCE, &c. + +The Sioux occupy a country from the Mississippi river to some point west +of the Missouri, and from the Chippewa tribe on the north, to the +Winnebago on the south; the whole extent being about nine hundred miles +long by four hundred in breadth. + +Dahcotah is the proper name of this once powerful tribe of Indians. The +term Sioux is not recognized, except among those who live near the +whites. It is said to have been given by the old French traders, that +the Dahcotahs might not know when they were the subjects of +conversation. The exact meaning of the word has never been ascertained. + +Dahcotah means a confederacy. A number of bands live near each other on +terms of friendship, their customs and laws being the same. They mean by +the word Dahcotah what we mean by the confederacy of states in our +union. The tribe is divided into a number of bands, which are subdivided +into villages; every village being governed by its own chief. The honor +of being chief is hereditary, though for cause a chief may be deposed +and another substituted; and the influence the chief possesses depends +much more upon his talents and capacity to govern, than upon mere +hereditary descent. To every village there is also a _war-chief_, and as +to these are ascribed supernatural powers, their influence is +unbounded. Leading every military excursion, the war-chief's command is +absolute with his party. + +There are many clans among the Sioux, and these are distinguished from +each other by the different kinds of medicine they use. Each clan takes +a root for its medicine, known only to those initiated into the +mysteries of the clan. The name of this root must be kept a secret. Many +of these roots are entirely destitute of medicinal power. The clans are +governed by a sort of free-masonry system. A Dahcotah would die rather +than divulge the secret of his clan. The clans keep up almost a +perpetual warfare with each other. Each one supposes the other to be +possessed of supernatural powers, by which they can, cause the death of +any individual, though he may live at a great distance. This belief is +the cause of a great deal of bloodshed. When a Dahcotah dies, it is +attributed to some one of another clan, and revenge is sought by the +relatives of the deceased. All their supposed supernatural powers are +invoked to destroy the murderer. They first try the powers of their +sacred medicine, imagining they can cast a fatal spell on the offender; +if this fail, they have recourse to more destructive weapons, and the +axe, knife or gun may be fatally used. After the supposed murderer is +killed, his relations retaliate, and thus successive feuds become +perpetual. + +The Dahcotahs, though a reckless, are a generous people, usually kind +and affectionate to their aged, though instances to the contrary +frequently occur. Among the E-yanktons, there was a man so feeble and +decrepit from age as to be totally unable to take care of himself; not +being able to walk, he occasioned great trouble. When the band went out +hunting, he entreated the young men to drag him along, that he might not +fall a prey to the Chippeways, or to a fate equally dreaded, cold and +starvation. For a time they seemed to pity him, and there were always +those among the hunting party who were willing to render him assistance. +At last he fell to the charge of some young men, who, wearied with +carrying him from place to place, told him they would leave him, but he +need not die a lingering death. They gave him a gun, and placed him on +the ground to be shot at, telling him to try and kill one of the young +warriors who were to fire at him; and thus he would have so much more +honor to carry with him to the land of spirits. He knew it was useless +to attempt to defend himself. In a few moments he received his +death-wound, and was no longer a burden to himself or to others. The +Sioux have a number of superstitious notions, which particularly +influence the women. They are slavishly fearful of the spirits of the +dead, and a thousand other fancies. Priests and jugglers are venerated +from their supposed supernatural powers. + +Little is generally known of their religion or their customs. One must +live among them to induce them to impart any information concerning +their mode of life or religious faith; to a stranger they are +always reserved. + +Their dances and feasts are not amusements. They all have an object and +meaning, and are celebrated year after year, under a belief that neglect +will be punished by the Great Spirit by means of disease, want, or the +attacks of enemies. All their fear of punishment is confined to what +they may suffer in this world. They have no fear of the anger of their +deities being continued after death. Revolting as the ceremony of +dancing round a scalp seems to us, an Indian believes it to be a sacred +duty to celebrate it. The dancing part is performed by the old and young +squaws. The medicine men sing, beat the drum, rattle the gourd, and use +such other instruments as they contrive. Anything is considered a +musical instrument that will assist in creating discordant sound. One of +these is a bone with notches on it, one end of which rests on a tin pan, +the other being held in the left hand, while, with a piece of bone in +the right, which a medicine man draws over the notches, sounds as +discordant and grating as possible are created. + +The squaws dance around the scalps in concentric circles, in groups of +from four to twelve together, pressing their shoulders against each +other, and at every stroke of the drum raising themselves to their +utmost height, hopping and sliding a short distance to the left, +singing all the time with the medicine men. They keep time perfectly. In +the centre, the scalps are attached to a pole stuck in the ground, or +else carried on the shoulders of some of the squaws. The scalp is +stretched on a hoop, and the pole to which it is attached is several +feet long. It is also covered with vermilion or red earth, and +ornamented with feathers, ribbons, beads, and other trinkets, and +usually a pair of scissors or a comb. After dancing for a few minutes, +the squaws stop to rest. During this interval one of the squaws, who has +had a son, husband, or brother killed by a warrior of the tribe from +which the scalp she holds was taken, will relate the particulars of his +death, and wind up by saying, "Whose scalp have I now on my shoulders?" +At this moment there is a general shout, and the dance again commences. +This ceremony continues sometimes, at intervals, for months; usually +during the warm weather. After the dance is done, the scalp is buried or +put up on the scaffold with some of the deceased of the tribe who took +the scalp. So much for the scalp dance--a high religious ceremony, not, +as some suppose, a mere amusement. + +The Sacred Feast is given in honor of the sacred medicine, and is always +given by medicine-men or women who are initiated into the mysteries of +the medicine dance. The medicine men are invariably the greatest rascals +of the band, yet the utmost respect is shown them. Every one fears the +power of a medicine man. When a medicine man intends giving a feast, he +goes or sends to the persons whom he wishes to invite. When all are +assembled, the giver of the feast opens the medicine bag with some +formality. The pipe is lit and smoked by all present; but it is first +offered to the Great Spirit. After the smoking, food is placed in wooden +bowls, or other vessels that visitors may have brought; for it is not a +breach of etiquette to bring dishes with you to the feast. When all are +served, the word is given to commence eating, and those that cannot eat +all that is given them, must make a present to the host, besides hiring +some one present to eat what they fail to consume. To waste a morsel +would offend the Great Spirit, and injure or render useless the +medicine. Every one having finished eating, the kettle in which the food +was cooked is smoked with cedar leaves or grass. Before the cooking is +commenced, all the fire within the wigwam is put out, and a fresh one +made from flint and steel. In the celebration of the Sacred Feast, the +fire and cooking utensils are kept and consecrated exclusively to that +purpose. After the feast is over, all the bones are carefully collected +and thrown into the water, in order that no dog may get them, nor a +woman trample on them. + +The Sioux worship the sun. The _sun dance_ is performed by young +warriors who dance, at intervals of five minutes, for several days. They +hop on one foot and then on the other, keeping time to the drum, and +making indescribable gestures, each having a small whistle in his mouth, +with his face turned towards the sun. The singing and other music is +performed by the medicine men. The drum used is a raw hide stretched +over a keg, on which a regular beating of time is made with a short +stick with a head to it. Women pretend to foretell future events, and, +for this reason, are sometimes invited to medicine feasts. + + + + +II. + + +INDIAN DOCTORS. + +When an Indian is sick and wants "the Doctor" as we say, or a medicine +man, as they say,--they call them also priests, doctors and jugglers,--a +messenger is sent for one, with a pipe filled in one hand, and payment +in the other; which fee may be a gun, blanket, kettle or anything in the +way of present. The messenger enters the wigwam (or teepee, as the +houses of the Sioux are called) of the juggler, presents the pipe, and +lays the present or fee beside him. Having smoked, the Doctor goes to +the teepee of the patient, takes a seat at some distance from him, +divests himself of coat or blanket, and pulls his leggins to his ankles. +He then calls for a gourd, which has been suitably prepared, by drying +and putting small beads or gravel stones in it, to make a rattling +noise. Taking the gourd, he begins to rattle it and to sing, thereby to +charm the animal that has entered the body of the sick Sioux. After +singing _hi-he-hi-hah_ in quick succession, the chorus _ha-ha-ha, +hahahah_ is more solemnly and gravely chanted. On due repetition of this +the doctor stops to smoke; then sings and rattles again. He sometimes +attempts to draw with his mouth the disease from an arm or a limb that +he fancies to be affected. Then rising, apparently almost suffocated, +groaning terribly and thrusting his face into a bowl of water, he makes +all sorts of gestures and noises. This is to get rid of the disease that +he pretends to have drawn from the sick person. When he thinks that some +animal, fowl or fish, has possession of the sick man, so as to cause the +disease, it becomes necessary to destroy the animal by shooting it. To +accomplish this, the doctor makes the shape of the animal of bark, which +is placed in a bowl of water mixed with red earth, which he sets outside +of the wigwam where some young men are standing, who are instructed by +the doctor how and when to shoot the animal. + +When all is ready, the doctor pops his head out of the wigwam, on his +hands and knees. At this moment the young men fire at the little bark +animal, blowing it to atoms; when the doctor jumps at the bowl, +thrusting his face into the water, grunting, groaning and making a vast +deal of fuss. Suddenly a woman jumps upon his back, then dismounts, +takes the doctor by the hair, and drags him back into the teepee. All +fragments of the bark animal are then collected and burned. The ceremony +there ceases. If the patient does not recover, the doctor says he did +not get the right animal. The reader must be convinced that it is not +for want of the most strenuous exertions on the part of the physician. + +These are some of the customs of the Dahcotahs, which, however absurd +they may appear to us, are held in sacred reverence by them. There are +some animals, birds and fishes, that an Indian venerates; and the +creature thus sacred, he dare neither kill nor eat. The selection is +usually a bear, buffalo, deer, otter, eagle, hawk or snake. One will not +eat the right wing of a bird; another dare not eat the left: nor are the +women allowed to eat any part that is considered sacred. + +The Sioux say it is lawful to take revenge, but otherwise it is not +right to murder. When murder is committed, it is an injury to the +deceased; not a sin against the Great Spirit. Some of their wise men say +that the Great Spirit has nothing to do with their affairs, present or +future. They pretend to know but little of a future state. They have +dreamy ideas of large cities somewhere in the heavens, where they will +go, but still be at war with their enemies and have plenty of game. An +Indian woman's idea of future happiness consists in relief from care. +"Oh! that I were dead," they will often say, "when I shall have no more +trouble." Veneration is much regarded in all Indian families. Thus a +son-in-law must never call his father-in-law by his name, but by the +title father-in-law, and vice versa. A female is not permitted to handle +the sac for war purposes; neither does she dare look into a +looking-glass, for fear of losing her eyesight. + +The appearance of a brilliant aurora-borealis occasions great alarm. The +Indians run immediately for their guns and bows and arrows to shoot at +it, and thus disperse it. + + + + +III. + + +INDIAN NAMES AND WRITING. + +The names of the Sioux bands or villages, are as fanciful as those given +to individuals. Near Fort Snelling, are the "Men-da-wahcan-tons," or +people of the spirit lakes; the "Wahk-patons," or people of the leaves; +the "Wahk-pa-coo-tahs," or people that shoot at leaves, and other bands +who have names of this kind. Among those chiefs who have been well-known +around Fort Snelling, are, + + Wah-ba-shaw, The Leaf. + Wah-ke-on-tun-kah, Big Thunder. + Wah-coo-ta, Red Wing. + Muzza Hotah, Gray Iron. + Ma-pe-ah-we-chas-tah, The man in the Cloud. + Tah-chun-coo-wash-ta, Good Road. + Sha-ce-pee, The Sixth. + Wah-soo-we-chasta-ne, Bad Hail. + Ish-ta-hum-bah, Sleepy Eyes. + +These fanciful names are given to them from some peculiarity in +appearance or conduct; or sometimes from an occurrence that took place +at the time that they usually receive the name that is ascribed to them +for life. There is a Sioux living in the neighborhood of Fort Snelling, +called "The man that walks with the women." It is not customary for the +Indian to show much consideration for the fair sex, and this young man, +exhibiting some symptoms of gallantry unusual among them, received the +above name. + +The Sioux have ten names for their children, given according to the +order of their birth. + + The oldest son is called Chaskè, + " second, Haparm, + " third, Ha-pe-dah, + " fourth, Chatun, + " fifth, Harka, + The oldest daughter is called Wenonah, + " second, Harpen, + " third, Harpstenah, + " fourth, Waska, + " fifth, We-barka. + +These names they retain until another is given by their relations or +friends. + +The Dahcotahs say that _meteors_ are men or women flying through the air; +that they fall to pieces as they go along, finally falling to the earth. +They call them "Wah-ken-den-da," or the mysterious passing fire. They +have a tradition of a meteor which, they say, was passing over a hill +where there was an Indian asleep. The meteor took the Indian on his +back, and continued his route till it came to a pond where there were +many ducks. The ducks seeing the meteor, commenced a general quacking, +which so alarmed him that he turned off and went around the pond, and +was about to pass over an Indian village. Here he was again frightened +by a young warrior, who was playing on the flute. Being afraid of music, +he passed around the village, and soon after falling to the earth, +released his burden. The Indian then asked the meteor to give him his +head strap, which he refused. The Indian offered him a feather of honor +for it, and was again refused. The Sioux, determined to gain his point, +told the meteor if he would give him the strap, he would kill a big +enemy for him. No reply from the meteor. The Indian then offered to kill +a wigwam full of enemies--the meteor still mute. The last offer was six +wigwams full of dead enemies for the so much coveted strap. The meteor +was finally bribed, gave up the head-strap, and the Sioux went home with +the great glory of having outwitted a meteor; for, as they met no more, +the debt was never paid. + +The _language_ of the Sioux would, with proper facilities, be easily +acquired. It is said, in many respects, to resemble the ancient Greek. +Even after having acquired considerable knowledge of the language by +study, it is necessary to live among the people in order to understand +their fanciful mode of speaking. + +One of the chiefs, "Sleepy Eyes," visited a missionary not many weeks +since, and on being asked why he did not come at the time appointed, +replied, "How could I come when I have no mocassins," meaning that he +had no horse. The horse had recently been killed by a man who owed him +a grudge; and his way of alluding to the loss was the mocassins. On +another occasion, this same chief, having done what he considered a +favor for the missionaries, at _Traverse des Sioux_, told them that his +coat was worn out, and that he had neither cloth nor thread to mend it; +the fact was, that he had no coat at all, no cloth nor thread; his +brawny neck and arms were entirely bare, and this was his way of begging +for a new coat. + +In Indian warfare, the victor takes the scalp of his enemy. If he have +time, he takes the entire scalp, including the ears; but if hurried, a +smaller scalp-piece is taken. As an inducement to be foremost in battle, +the first four that touch the dead body of an enemy, share the honors +that are paid to the one who slew the foe and took the scalp. But the +victors in Indian fight frequently suffer in this way; a wounded savage +feigns death, and, as some warrior approaches to take his scalp, he will +suddenly rise, discharge his gun, and fight desperately with the +tomahawk until killed. Deeds of valor performed by Indians are as often +done from desperation as from any natural bravery. They are educated to +warfare, but often show great disinclination to fight; strategy goes +farther with them than manly courage does. At Fort Snelling, the Sioux +have more than once crouched under the walls of the fort for protection, +and on one occasion a chief, who came in to give information of the +approach of some Chippeways trembled so as to shake the ornaments about +his dress. + + +INDIAN WRITING. + +[Illustration: No. I and 3, prisoners captured by No. 2. (No hands on +the prisoners.) No. 1, female prisoner. No. 3, male.] + +[Illustration: Nos. 4 and 5, female and male killed; 6 and 7, boy and +girl killed.] + +[Illustration: No. 8, that he has killed his enemy; 9, that he has cut +the throat of his enemy, and taken the scalp; 10, that he was the third +that touched the body of his enemy after he was killed; 11, the fourth +that touched it; 12, the fifth that touched it.] + +[Illustration: No. 13, been wounded in many places by this enemy; 15, +that he has cut the throat of the enemy.] + +The above represents the feathers from the war eagle. They are worn in +the hair of the warriors, as honors. + +The above represents the only way that the Sioux have of writing an +account of an engagement that has taken place. + + + + +IV. + + +INDIAN CHILDREN. + +The children among the Sioux are early accustomed to look with +indifference upon the sufferings or death of a person they hate. A few +years ago a battle was fought quite near Fort Snelling. The next day the +Sioux children were playing foot-ball merrily with the head of a +Chippeway. One boy, and a small boy too, had ornamented his head and +ears with curls. He had taken the skin peeled off a Chippeway who was +killed in the battle, wound it around a stick until it assumed the +appearance of a curl, and tied them over his ears. Another child had a +string around his neck with a finger hanging to it as an ornament. The +infants, instead of being amused with toys or trinkets, are held up to +see the scalp of an enemy, and they learn to hate a Chippeway as soon as +to ask for food. + +After the battle, the mother of a Sioux who was severely wounded found +her way to the fort. She entered the room weeping sadly. Becoming quite +exhausted, she seated herself on the floor, and said she wanted some +coffee and sugar for her sick son, some linen to bind up his wounds, a +candle to burn at night, and some whiskey _to make her cry_! Her son +recovered, and the mother, as she sat by and watched him, had the +satisfaction to see the scalps of the murdered Chippeways stretched on +poles all through the village, around which she, sixty years old, looked +forward with great joy to dance; though _this_ was a small gratification +compared with her recollection of having formerly cut to pieces the +bodies of sundry murdered Chippeway children. + +A dreadful creature she was! How vividly her features rise before me. +Well do I remember her as she entered my room on a stormy day in +January. Her torn mocassins were a mocking protection to her nearly +frozen feet; her worn "okendo kenda" hardly covering a wrinkled neck +and arms seamed with the scars of many a self-inflicted wound; she tried +to make her tattered blanket meet across her chest, but the benumbed +fingers were powerless, and her step so feeble, from fatigue and want of +food, that she almost fell before the cheerful fire that seemed to +welcome her. The smile with which she tried to return my greeting added +hideously to the savage expression of her features, and her matted hair +was covered with flakes of the drifting snow that almost blinded her. + +Food, a pipe, and a short nap before the fire, refreshed her +wonderfully. At first she would hardly deign an answer to our questions; +now she becomes quite talkative. Her small keen eye follows the children +as they play about the room; she tells of her children when they were +young, and played around her; when their father brought her venison +for food. + +Where are they? The Chippeways (mark her as she compresses her lips, and +see the nervous trembling of her limbs) killed her husband and her +oldest son: consumption walked among her household idols. She has one +son left, but he loves the white man's _fire-water_; he has forgotten +his aged mother--she has no one to bring her food--the young men laugh +at her, and tell her to kill game for herself. + +At evening she must be going--ten miles she has to walk to reach her +teepee, for she cannot sleep in the white man's house. We tell her the +storm is howling--it will be dark before she reaches home--the wind +blows keenly across the open prairie--she had better lie down on the +carpet before the fire and sleep. She points to the walls of the +fort--she does not speak; but her action says, "It cannot be; the Sioux +woman cannot sleep beneath the roof of her enemies." + +She is gone--God help the Sioux woman! the widow and the childless. God +help her, I say, for other hope or help has she none. + + + +GODS OF THE DAHCOTAHS. + +First in order of the gods of the Dahcotahs, comes the Great Spirit. He +is the creator of all things, excepting thunder and wild rice. +Then there is, + + Wakinyan, or Man of the West. + Wehiyayanpa-micaxta, Man of the East. + Wazza, Man of the North. + Itokaga-micaxta, Man of the South. + Onkteri, or Unktahe, God of the Waters. + Hayoka, or Haoka, the antinatural god. + Takuakanxkan, god of motion. + Canotidan, Little Dweller in Woods. This god is said to live in + a forest, in a hollow tree. + Witkokaga, the Befooler, that is, the god who deceives or fools + animals so that they can be easily taken. + +[Illustration] + + + + +DAHCOTAH; + +OR, + +THE LEGENDS OF THE SIOUX. + +MOCK-PE-EN-DAG-A-WIN: + +OR, + +CHECKERED CLOUD, THE MEDICINE WOMAN. [Footnote: A medicine woman is a +female doctor or juggler. No man or woman can assume this office without +previous initiation by authority. The medicine dance is a sacred rite, +in honor of the souls of the dead; the mysteries of this dance are kept +inviolable; its secrets have never been divulged by its members. The +medicine men and women attend in cases of sickness. The Sioux have the +greatest faith in them. When the patient recovers, it redounds to the +honor of the doctor; if he die, they say "The time had come that he +should die," or that the "medicine of the person who cast a spell upon +the sick person was stronger than the doctor's." They can always find a +satisfactory solution of the failure of the charm.] + +Within a few miles of Fort Snelling lives Checkered Cloud. Not that she +has any settled habitation; she is far too important a character for +that. Indeed she is not often two days in the same place. Her wanderings +are not, however, of any great extent, so that she can always be found +when wanted. But her wigwam is about seven miles from the fort, and she +is never much farther off. Her occupations change with the day. She has +been very busy of late, for Checkered Cloud is one of the medicine +women of the Dahcotahs; and as the Indians have had a good deal of +sickness among them, you might follow her from teepee to teepee, as she +proceeds with the sacred rattle [Footnote: Sacred rattle. This is +generally a gourd, but is sometimes made of bark. Small beads are put +into it. The Sioux suppose that this rattle, in the hands of one of +their medicine men or women, possesses a certain virtue to charm away +sickness or evil spirits. They shake it over a sick person, using a +circular motion. It is never, however, put in requisition against the +worst _spirits_ with which the Red Man has to contend.] in her hand, +charming away the animal that has entered the body of the Dahcotah to +steal his strength. + +Then, she is the great legend-teller of the Dahcotahs. If there is a +merry-making in the village, Checkered Cloud must be there, to call to +the minds of the revellers the traditions that have been handed down +from time immemorial. + +Yesterday, wrapped in her blanket, she was seated on the St. Peters, +near a hole which she had cut in the ice, in order to spear the fish as +they passed through the water; and to-day--but while I am writing of +her, she approaches the house; even now, her shadow falls upon the room +as she passes the window. I need not listen to her step, for her +mocassined feet pass noiselessly through the hall. The door is slowly +opened, and she is before me! + +How tall she is! and with what graceful dignity she offers her hand. +Seventy winters have passed over her, but the brightness of her eye is +undimmed by time. Her brow speaks of intellect--and the white hair that +is parted over it falls unplaited on her shoulders. She folds her +blanket round her and seats herself; she has a request to make, I know, +but Checkered Cloud is not a beggar, she never asks aught but what she +feels she has a right to claim. + +"Long ago," she says, "the Dahcotah owned lands that the white man now +claims; the trees, the rivers, were all our own. But the Great Spirit +has been angry with his children; he has taken their forests and their +hunting grounds, and given them to others. + +"When I was young, I feared not wind nor storm. Days have I wandered +with the hunters of my tribe, that they might bring home many buffalo +for food, and to make our wigwams. Then, I cared not for cold and +fatigue, for I was young and happy. But now I am old; my children have +gone before me to the 'House of Spirits'--the tender boughs have yielded +to the first rough wind of autumn, while the parent tree has stood and +borne the winter's storm. + +"My sons have fallen by the tomahawk of their enemies; my daughter +sleeps under the foaming waters of the Falls. + +"Twenty winters were added to my life on that day. We had encamped at +some distance above the Falls, and our hunters had killed many deer. +Before we left our village to go on the hunt, we sacrificed to the +Spirit of the woods, and we prayed to the Great Spirit. We lifted up our +hands and said, 'Father, Great Spirit, help us to kill deer.' The arrows +of our hunters never missed, and as we made ready for our return we were +happy, for we knew we should not want for food. My daughter's heart was +light, for Haparm was with her, and she never was sad but when he +was away. + +"Just before we arrived at the Falls, she became sick; her hands were +burning hot, she refused to eat. As the canoe passed over the +Mississippi, she would fill her cup with its waters, to drink and throw +over her brow. The medicine men were always at her side, but they said +some evil spirit hated her, and prevented their spells from doing +her good. + +"When we reached the Falls, she was worse; the women left their canoes, +and prepared to carry them and the rest of the baggage round the Falls. + +"But what should we do with We-no-nah? the flush of fever was on her +cheek; she did not know me when I spoke to her; but she kept her eyes +fixed upon her lover. + +"'We will leave her in the canoe,' said her father; 'and with a line we +can carry her gently over the Rapids.' I was afraid, but with her +brothers holding the line she must be safe. So I left my child in her +canoe, and paddled with the others to the shore. + +"As we left her, she turned her eyes towards us, as if anxious to know +what we were about to do. The men held the line steadily, and the canoe +floated so gently that I began to feel less anxious--but as we +approached the rapids, my heart beat quickly at the sound of the waters. +Carefully did her brothers hold the line, and I never moved my eyes from +the canoe in which she lay. Now the roaring of the waters grew louder, +and as they hastened to the rocks over which they would fall they bore +with them my child--I saw her raise herself in the canoe, I saw her +long hair as it fell on her bosom--I saw no more! + +"My sons bore me in their arms to the rest of the party. The hunters had +delayed their return that they might seek for the body of my child. Her +lover called to her, his voice could be heard above the sound of the +waters. 'Return to me, Wenonah, I will never love maiden but you; did +you not promise to light the fires in my wigwam?' He would have thrown +himself after her, had not the young men prevented him. The body rests +not in the cold waters; we found it and buried it, and her spirit calls +to me in the silence of the night! Her lover said he would not remain +long on the earth; he turned from the Dahcotah maidens as they smiled +upon him. He died as a warrior should die! + +"The Chippeways had watched for us, they longed to carry the scalp of a +Dahcotah home. They did so--but we were avenged. + +"Our young men burst in upon them when they were sleeping; they struck +them with their tomahawks, they tore their scalps reeking with blood +from their heads. + +"We heard our warriors at the village as they returned from their war +party; we knew by their joyful cries that they had avenged their +friends. One by one they entered the village, bearing twenty scalps of +the enemy. + +"Only three of the Dahcotahs had fallen. But who were the three? My +sons, and he who was as dear as a son to me, the lover of my child. I +fled from their cries of triumph--I longed to plunge the knife into my +own heart. + +"I have lived on. But sorrow and cold and hunger have bowed my spirit; +and my limbs are not as strong and active as they were in my youth. +Neither can I work with porcupine as I used to--for age and tears have +dimmed my sight. I bring you venison and fish, will you not give me +clothes to protect me from the winter's cold?" + +Ah! Checkered Cloud--he was a prophet who named you. Though the cloud +has varied, now passing away, now returning blacker than before--though +the cheering light of the sun has for a moment dispelled the gloom-- +'twas but for a moment! for it was sure to break in terrors over your +head. Your name is your history, your life has been a checkered cloud! +But the storm of the day has yielded to the influence of the setting +sun. The thunder has ceased to roll, the wind has died away, and the +golden streaks that bound the horizon promise a brighter morning. So +with Checkered Cloud, the storm and strife of the earth have ceased; the +"battle of life" is fought, and she has conquered. For she hopes to meet +the beloved of earth in the heaven of the Dahcotahs. + +And who will say that our heaven will not be hers? The God of the +Dahcotahs is ours, though they, less happy than we, have not been taught +to know him. Christians! are you without blame? Have you thought of the +privations, the wants of those who once owned your country, and would +own it still but for the strong hand? Have you remembered that their +souls are dear in His sight, who suffered for them, as well as for you? +Have you given bright gold that their children might be educated and +redeemed from their slavery of soul? Checkered Cloud will die as she has +lived, a believer in the religion of the Dahcotahs. The traditions of +her tribe are written on her heart. She worships a spirit in every +forest tree, or every running stream. The features of the favored +Israelite are hers; she is perchance a daughter of their lost tribe. +When she was young, she would have listened to the missionary as he told +her of Gethsemane and Calvary. But age yields not like youth to new +impressions; the one looks to the future, the other clings to the past. +See! she has put by her pipe and is going, but she is coming oft again +to talk to me of her people, that I may tell to my friends the bravery +of the Dahcotah warrior, and the beauty of the maiden! the legends of +their rivers and sacred isles--the traditions of their rocks and hills! + +If I cannot, in recounting the wild stories of this prophetess of the +forest, give her own striking words, I shall at least be faithful to the +spirit of her recitals. I shall let Indian life speak for itself; these +true pictures of its course will tell its whole simple story better than +any labored exposition of mine. Here we may see, not the red man of the +novel or the drama, but the red man as he appears to himself, and to +those who live with him. His better characteristics will be found quite +as numerous as ought to be expected under the circumstances; his faults +and his sufferings should appeal to the hearts of those who hold the +means of his salvation. No intelligent citizen of these United States +can without blame forget the aborigines of his country. Their wrongs cry +to heaven; their souls will be required of us. To view them as brutes is +an insult to Him who made them and us. May this little work do something +towards exciting an interest in a single tribe out of the many whose +only hope is in the mercy of the white man! + + + + +RED EARTH; + +OR, + +MOCKA-DOOTA-WIN. + +"Good Road" is one of the Dahcotah chiefs--he is fifty years old and has +two wives, but these two have given a deal of trouble; although the +chief probably thinks it of no importance whether his two wives fight +all the time or not, so that they obey his orders. For what would be a +calamity in domestic life to us, is an every day affair among the +Dahcotahs. + +Good Road's village is situated on the banks of the St. Peter's about +seven miles from Fort Snelling. And like other Indian villages it +abounds in variety more than anything else. In the teepee the farthest +from us, right on the edge of the shore, there are three young men +carousing. One is inclined to go to sleep, but the other two will not +let him; their spirits are raised and excited by what has made him +stupid. Who would suppose they were human beings? See their bloodshot +eyes; hear their fiendish laugh and horrid yells; probably before the +revel is closed, one of the friends will have buried his knife in the +other's heart. + +We will pass on to the next teepee. Here we witness a scene almost as +appalling. "Iron Arms," one of the most valiant warriors of the band, is +stretched in the agonies of death. Old Spirit Killer, the medicine man, +is gesticulating by his side, and accompanying his motions with the most +horrid noises. But all in vain; the spirit of "Iron Arms," the man of +strength, is gone. The doctor says that his medicine was good, but that +a prairie dog had entered into the body of the Dahcotah, and he thought +it had been a mud-hen. Magnanimous doctor! All honor, that you can allow +yourself in error. + +While the friends of the dead warrior are rending the air with their +cries, we will find out what is going on in the next wigwam. What +a contrast! + +"The Whirlpool" is seated on the ground smoking; gazing as earnestly at +the bright coals as if in them he could read the future or recall the +past; and his young wife, whose face, now merry, now sad, bright with +smiles at one moment, and lost in thought the next, gained for her the +name of "The Changing Countenance," is hushing her child to sleep; but +the expression of her features does not change now--as she looks on her +child, a mother's deep and devoted love is pictured on her face. + +In another, "The Dancing Woman" is wrapped in her blanket pretending to +go to sleep. In vain does "The Flying Cloud" play that monotonous +courting tune on the flute. The maiden would not be his wife if he gave +her all the trinkets in the world. She loves and is going to marry "Iron +Lightning," who has gone to bring her--what? a brooch--a new blanket? +no, a Chippeway's scalp, that she may be the most graceful of those who +dance around it. Her mother is mending the mocassins of the old man who +sleeps before the fire. + +And we might go round the village and find every family differently +employed. They have no regular hours for eating or sleeping. In front of +the teepees, young men are lying on the ground, lazily playing checkers, +while their wives and sisters are cutting wood and engaged in laborious +household duties. + +I said Good Road had two wives, and I would now observe that neither of +them is younger than himself. But they are as jealous of each other as +if they had just turned seventeen, and their lord and master were twenty +instead of fifty. Not a day passes that they do not quarrel, and fight +too. They throw at each other whatever is most convenient, and sticks of +wood are always at hand. And then, the sons of each wife take a part in +the battle; they first fight for their mothers, and then for +themselves--so that the chief must have been reduced to desperation long +ago if it were not for his pipe and his philosophy. Good Road's second +wife has Chippeway blood in her veins. Her mother was taken prisoner by +the Dahcotahs; they adopted her, and she became the wife of a Dahcotah +warrior. She loved her own people, and those who had adopted her too; +and in course of time her daughter attained the honorable station of a +chief's second wife. Good Road hates the Chippeways, but he fell in love +with one of their descendants, and married her. She is a good wife, and +the white people have given her the name of "Old Bets." + +Last summer "Old Bets" narrowly escaped with her life. The Dahcotahs +having nothing else to do, were amusing themselves by recalling all the +Chippeways had ever done to injure them; and those who were too lazy to +go out on a war party, happily recollected that there was Chippeway +blood near them--no farther off than their chief's wigwam; and eight or +ten braves vowed they would make an end of "Old Bets." But she heard of +their threats, left the village for a time, and after the Dahcotahs had +gotten over their mania for shedding blood, she returned, and right glad +was Good Road to see her. For she has an open, good humored countenance; +the very reverse of that of the first wife, whose vinegar aspect would +frighten away an army of small children. + +After "Old Bets" returned, Good Road could not conceal his satisfaction. +His wife's trip had evidently improved her good looks, for the chief +thought she was the handsomest squaw in the village. Her children were +always taunting the sons of the first wife, and so it went on, until at +last Good Road said he would stand it no longer; he told his oldest wife +to go--that he would support her no longer. And for her children, he +told them the prairies were large; there were deer and other game--in +short, he disinherited them--cut them off with their last meal. + +For the discarded wife, life had now but one hope. The only star that +shone in the blackness of her heaven, was the undefined prospect of +seeing her rival's blood flow. She would greatly have preferred taking +her life herself; and as she left the wigwam of the chief, she grasped +the handle of her knife--how quick her heart beat! it might be now +or never. + +But there were too many around to protect Old Bets. The time would +come--she would watch for her--she would tear her heart from her yet. + +The sons of the old hag did not leave the village; they would keep a +watch on their father and his Chippeway wife. They would not easily +yield their right to the chieftainship. While they hunted, and smoked, +and played at cards, they were ever on the look-out for revenge. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +"Red Earth" sits by the door of her father's teepee; while the village +is alive with cheerfulness, she does not join in any of the amusements +going on, but seems to be occupied with what is passing in her own mind. + +Occasionally she throws a pebble from the shore far into the river, and +the copper-colored children spring after it, as if the water were their +own element, striving to get it before it sinks from their view. + +Had she been attentive to what is passing around her, she would not have +kept her seat, for "Shining Iron," the son of Good Road's second wife, +approaches her; and she loves him too little to talk with him when it +can be avoided. + +"Why are you not helping the women to make the teepee, Red Earth?" said +the warrior. "They are laughing while they sew the buffalo-skin +together, and you are sitting silent and alone. Why is it so? Are you +thinking of 'Fiery Wind?'" + +"There are enough women to make the teepee," replied Red Earth, "and I +sit alone because I choose to do so. But if I am thinking of 'Fiery +Wind' I do right--he is a great warrior!" + +"Tell me if you love Fiery Wind?" said the young man, while his eyes +flashed fire, and the veins in his temple swelled almost to bursting. + +"I do not love you," said the girl, "and that is enough. And you need +never think I will become your wife; your spells cannot make me love +you. [Footnote: The Sioux have great faith in spells. A lover will take +gum, and after putting some medicine in it, will induce the girl of his +choice to chew it, or put it in her way so that she will take it up of +her own accord. It is a long time before an Indian lover will take a +refusal from the woman he has chosen for a wife.] Where are Fiery Wind +and his relations? driven from the wigwam of the Chief by you and your +Chippeway mother. But they do not fear you--neither do I!" + +And Red Earth looked calmly at the angry face of her lover. For Shining +Iron did love her, and he had loved her long. He had loaded her with +presents, which she always refused; he had related his honors, his brave +acts to her, but she turned a deaf ear to his words. He promised her he +would always have venison in her teepee, and that he never would take +another wife; she was the only woman he could ever love. But he might as +well have talked to the winds. And he thought so himself, for, finding +he could not gain the heart of the proud girl, he determined she should +never be the wife of any other man, and he told her so. + +"You may marry Fiery Wind," said the angry lover, "but if you do, I will +kill him." + +Red Earth heard, but did not reply to his threats; she feared not for +herself, but she trembled at the prospect of danger to the man she +loved. And while she turned the bracelets on her small wrists, the +warrior left her to her own thoughts. They were far from being pleasant; +she must warn her lover of the threats of his rival. For a while she +almost determined she would not marry Fiery Wind, for then his life +would be safe; but she would not break her promise. Besides, it was hard +for her to destroy all the air-built castles which she had built for her +happy future. + +She knew Shining Iron's bravery, and she doubted not he would fulfil his +promise; for a moment prudence suggested that she had better marry him +to avoid his revenge. But she grasped the handle of her knife, as if she +would plunge it into her own bosom for harboring the dark thought. Never +should she be unfaithful; when Fiery Wind returned she would tell him +all, and then she would become his wife, and she felt that her own heart +was true enough to guard him, her own arm strong enough to slay +his enemy. + + * * * * * + +All women are wilful enough, but Dahcotah women are particularly so. +Slaves as they are to their husbands, they lord it over each other, and +it is only when they become grandmothers that they seem to feel their +dependence, and in many instances yield implicit obedience to the wills +of their grandchildren. + +They take great delight in watching over and instructing their +children's children; giving them lessons in morality, [Footnote: The +idea is ridiculed by some, that an Indian mother troubles herself about +the morals of her children; but it is nevertheless true, that she talks +to them, and, according to her own ideas of right and wrong, tries to +instil good principles into their minds. The grandmothers take a great +deal of care of their grandchildren.] and worldly wisdom. Thus while Red +Earth was making her determination, her old grandmother belonging to the +village was acting upon hers. + +This old woman was a perfect virago--an "embodied storm." In her time +she had cut off the hands and feet of some little Chippeway children, +and strung them, and worn them for a necklace. And she feasted yet at +the pleasant recollections this honorable exploit induced. + +But so tender was she of the feelings of her own flesh and blood, that +the thought of their suffering the slightest pain was death to her. + +Her son ruled his household very well for a Dahcotah. He had a number of +young warriors and hunters growing up around him, and he sometimes got +tired of their disturbances, and would use, not the rod but a stick of +wood to some purpose. Although it had the good effect of quelling the +refractory spirits of the young, it invariably fired the soul of his +aged mother. The old woman would cry and howl, and refuse to eat, for +days; till, finding this had no effect upon her hard-hearted son, she +told him she would do something that would make him sorry, the next time +he struck one of his children. + +But the dutiful son paid no attention to her. He had always considered +women as being inferior to dogs, and he would as soon have thought of +giving up smoking, as of minding his mother's threats. + +But while Red Earth was thinking of her absent lover, Two Stars was +beating his sons again--and when the maiden was left alone by Shining +Iron after the warning he had given her, she was attracted by the cries +of one of the old women of the village, who was struggling 'mid earth +and heaven, while old and young were running to the spot, some to render +assistance, others to see the fun. + +And glorious fun it was! the grandmother had almost hung herself--that +is, she seriously intended to do it. But she evidently did not expect +the operation to be so painful. When her son, in defiance of her tears +and threats, commenced settling his household difficulties in his own +way she took her head-strap,[Footnote: The head-strap is made of buffalo +skin. It is from eight to ten, or sometimes twenty-four feet long. The +women fasten their heavy burdens to this strap, which goes around the +forehead; the weight of the burden falls upon the head and back. This +occasions the figures of the Indian women to stoop, since they +necessarily lean forward in order to preserve their balance.] went to a +hill just above the village, and deliberately made her preparations for +hanging, as coolly too as if she had been used to being hung for a long +time. But when, after having doubled the strap four times to prevent its +breaking, she found herself choking, her courage gave way--she yelled +frightfully; and it was well that her son and others ran so fast, for +they had well nigh been too late. As it was, they carried her into the +teepee, where the medicine man took charge of her case; and she was +quite well again in an hour or two. Report says (but there is a sad +amount of scandal in an Indian village) that the son has never offended +the mother since; so, like many a wilful woman, she has gained +her point. + +Red Earth witnessed the cutting down of the old woman, and as she +returned to her teepee, her quick ear warned her of coming footsteps. +She lingered apart from the others, and soon she saw the eagle feathers +of her warrior as he descended the hill towards the village. Gladly +would she have gone to meet him to welcome him home, but she knew that +Shining Iron was watching her motions, and she bent her steps homeward. +She was quite sure that it would not be long before he would seek her, +and then she would tell him what had passed, and make arrangements for +their course of conduct for the future. + +Fiery Wind was the nephew of Good Road, but he, like the sons, was in +disgrace with the chief, and, like them, he had vowed vengeance against +"Old Bets." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +The gun is now generally used among the Dahcotahs as a weapon of +warfare. But those bands in the neighborhood of Fort Snelling considered +it as a necessary part of their war implements, before the distant bands +were at all acquainted with its use. + +Some time ago, one of the Mun-da-wa-kan-tons gave a gun to a Sisse-ton, +who, proud of the gift, went out immediately to use it. On his return to +his village he came up with a drove of buffaloes. His first impulse was +to use his bow and arrow, but a moment's thought reminded him of the +gift of his friend. He loaded the gun, saying at the same time to it, +"Now, the Dahcotahs call you 'wah-kun' (supernatural), kill me the +fattest cow in the drove." He waited a few moments to see his orders +executed, but the gun was not "wah-kun" enough to fire by order alone. +Seeing that it did not go off, the Sisse-ton flew into a rage and broke +the gun into pieces. "I suppose," said he "that if a Mun-da-wah-can-ton +had told you to kill a buffalo, you would have done it, but you do not +regard what a Sisse-ton says." So he threw the pieces of the gun away, +and found his bow and arrows of far more service. + +However naturally the usages of warfare may come to the Indians, they +are also made a part of their education. + +The children are taught that it is wicked to murder without a cause; +but when offence has been given, they are in duty bound to retaliate. + +The day after the return of Fiery Wind, the boys of the village were to +attack a hornet's nest. This is one of the ways of training their sons +to warfare. One of the old warriors had seen a hornet's nest in the +woods, and he returned to the village, and with the chief assembled all +the boys in the village. The chief ordered the boys to take off all +their clothes, and gave them each a gun. He then told them how brave +their forefathers were--that they never feared pain or danger--and that +they must prove themselves worthy sons of such ancestors. "One of these +days you will be men, and then you will go on war parties and kill your +enemies, and then you will be fit to join in the dog feast. Be brave, +and do not fear the sting of the hornet, for if you do, you will be +cowards instead of warriors, and the braves will call you women and +laugh at you." + +This was enough to animate the courage of the boys--some of them not +more than five years old pushed ahead of their elder brothers, eager to +show to their fathers, who accompanied them, how little they feared +their enemies, as they termed the hornets. And formidable enemies they +were too--for many of the little fellows returned sadly stung, with +swollen limbs, and closed eyes; but they bore their wounds as well as +brave men would have endured their pain on a battle-field. + +After leaving their village, they entered the woods farther from the +banks of the river. The guide who had seen the nest led the way, and the +miniature warriors trod as lightly as if there was danger of rousing a +sleeping foe. At last the old man pointed to the nest, and without a +moment's hesitation, the young Dahcotahs attacked it. Out flew the +hornets in every direction. Some of the little boys cried out with the +pain from the stings of the hornets on their unprotected limbs--but the +cries of Shame! shame! from one of the old men soon recalled them to +their duty, and they marched up again not a whit discomfited. Good Road +cheered them on. "Fight well, my warriors," said he; "you will carry +many scalps home, you are brave men." + +It was not long before the nest was quite destroyed, and then the old +men said they must take a list of the killed and wounded. The boys +forced a loud laugh when they replied that there were no scalps taken by +the enemy, but they could not deny that the list of the wounded was +quite a long one. Some of them limped, in spite of their efforts to walk +upright, and one little fellow had to be assisted along by his father, +for both eyes were closed; and, although stung in every direction and +evidently suffering agony, the brave boy would not utter a complaint. + +When they approached the village, the young warriors formed into Indian +file, and entered as triumphantly as their fathers would have done, had +they borne twenty Chippeway scalps with them. + +The mothers first applauded the bravery of their sons; and then applied +herbs to their swollen limbs, and the mimic war furnished a subject of +amusement for the villages for the remainder of the day. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +It would be well for the Dahcotahs if they only sought the lives of +their enemies. But they are wasting in numbers far more by their +internal dissensions than from other causes. Murder is so common among +them, that it is even less than a nine days' wonder; all that is thought +necessary is to bury the dead, and then some relative must avenge +his quarrel. + +Red Earth told her lover of the threat of Shining Iron, and the young +man was thus put on his guard. The sons of Good Road's first wife were +also told of the state of things, and they told Fiery Wind that they +would take up his quarrel, glad of an opportunity to avenge their own +and their mother's wrongs. It was in the month of April, or as the +Dahcotahs say in "the moon that geese lay," that Red Earth took her +place by the side of her husband, thus asserting her right to be +mistress of his wigwam. While she occupied herself with her many duties, +she never for a moment forgot the threat of Shining Iron. But her cares +and anxieties for her husband's safety were soon over. She had not long +been a wife before her enemy lay a corpse; his life was a forfeit to his +love for her, and Red Earth had a woman's heart. Although she could but +rejoice that the fears which had tormented her were now unnecessary, yet +when she remembered how devotedly the dead warrior had loved her, how +anxiously he had tried to please her, she could not but shed a few +tears of sorrow for his death. But they were soon wiped away--not for +the world would she have had her husband see them. + +The oldest sons of Good Road were true to their word--and the son of Old +Bets was not the only subject for their vengeance. His sister was with +him at the moment that they chose to accomplish their purpose; and when +an Indian commences to shed blood, there is no knowing how soon he will +be satisfied. Shining Iron died instantly, but the sister's wounds were +not fatal--she is slowly recovering. + +It was but yesterday that we visited the grave of the dead warrior. On a +hill near the St. Peters his body is buried. The Indians have enclosed +the grave, and there is a "Wah-kun stone," to which they sacrifice, at +his head. No one reposes near him. Alone he lies, undisturbed by aught +except the winds that sigh over him. The first flowers of Spring are +blooming on the spot where he played in childhood, and here, where he +reposes, he often sat to mourn the unkindness of Red Earth, and vow +vengeance on his successful rival. + +But he is not unwatched. His spirit is ever near, and perhaps he will +again live on earth. [Footnote: The Sioux believe in the transmigration +of souls. Many of the Indians near Fort Snelling say they have lived +before on earth. The jugglers remember many incidents that occurred +during some former residence on earth, and they will tell them to you +with all the gravity imaginable.] His friends believe that he may hold +communion with Unk-ta-he,--that from that God he will learn the +mysteries of the Earth and Water; and when he lives again in another +form, he will instruct the Dahcotahs in their religion, and be a great +medicine man. + +Good Road is quite reconciled to his sons, for he says it was a brave +deed to get rid of an enemy. In vain does Old Bets ask for vengeance on +the murderers. Good Road reminds her that Shining Iron had made a +threat, and it was not proper he should live; and the chief insisted +more upon this, when he added that these children of her's were by a +former husband, and it was natural his sons should resent their father's +preference for them. + +So after all Old Bets doubts whether she, or the Chief's first wife, has +got the best of it; and as she dresses the wounds of her daughter, she +wishes that the Dahcotahs had killed her mother instead of adopting +her--lamenting, too, that she should ever have attained to the honor of +being Good Road's wife. + + + + +WENONA; + +OR, + +THE VIRGIN'S FEAST. + +Never did the sun shine brighter than on a cold day in December, when +the Indians at "Little Crow's" village were preparing to go on a deer +hunt. The Mississippi was frozen, and the girls of the village had the +day before enjoyed one of their favorite amusements--a ball-play on the +ice. Those who owned the bright cloths and calicoes which were hung up +before their eyes, as an incentive to win the game, were still rejoicing +over their treasures; while the disappointed ones were looking sullen, +and muttering of partiality being shown to this one because she was +beautiful, and to that, because she was the sister of the chief. + +"Look at my head!" said Harpstenah; "Wenona knew that I was the swiftest +runner in the band, and as I stooped to catch the ball she struck me a +blow that stunned me, so that I could not run again." + +But the head was so ugly, and the face too, that there was no pity felt +for her; those dirty, wrinkled features bore witness to her contempt for +the cleansing qualities of water. Her uncombed hair was hanging in +masses about her ears and face, and her countenance expressed cruelty +and passion. But Harpstenah had nothing to avenge; when she was young +she was passed by, as there was nothing in her face or disposition that +could attract; and now in the winter of life she was so ugly and so +desolate, so cross and so forlorn, that no one deemed her worthy even of +a slight. But for all that, Harpstenah could hate, and with all the +intensity of her evil heart did she hate Wenona, the beautiful sister of +the chief. + +Yesterday had been as bright as to-day, and Grey Eagle, the medicine +man, had hung on a pole the prizes that were to be given to the party +that succeeded in throwing the ball into a space marked off. + +The maidens of the village were all dressed in their gayest clothing, +with ornaments of beads, bracelets, rings, and ribbons in profusion. +They cared not half so much for the prizes, as they rejoiced at the +opportunity of displaying their graceful persons. The old women were +eager to commence the game, for they longed to possess the cloth for +their leggins, and the calico for their "okendokendas." [Footnote +"Okendokendas." This is the Sioux word for calico. It is used as the +name for a kind of short gown, which is worn by the Sioux women, made +generally of calico, sometimes of cloth.] + +The women, young and old, were divided into two parties; but as one +party threw the ball towards the space marked off, the others threw it +back again far over their heads, and then all ran back, each party +endeavoring to reach it first, that they might succeed in placing the +ball in the position which was to decide the game. + +But the ball is not thrown by the hand, each woman has a long stick with +a circular frame at the end of it; this they call a bat stick, and, +simple as it looks, it requires great skill to manage it. + +Wenona was the swiftest runner of one party, and Harpstenah, old and +ugly as she was, the best of the other. How excited they are! the +snow-covered hills, majestic and silent, look coldly enough upon their +sport; but what care they? the prize will soon be won. + +The old medicine man cheered them on. "Run fast, Wenona! take care that +Harpstenah does not win the game. Ho, Harpstenah! if you and your +leggins are old, you may have the cloth yet." + +Now Wenona's party is getting on bravely, but the ball has been caught +and thrown back by the other party. But at last it is decided. In the +struggle for the ball, Harpstenah received a blow from an old squaw as +dismal looking as herself, and Wenona catches the ball and throws it +into the appointed place. The game is ended, and the medicine man comes +forward to distribute the prizes. + +The warriors have looked on, admiring those who were beautiful and +graceful, and laughing at the ugly and awkward. + +But Wenona cared little for the prizes. She was a chief's sister, and +she was young and beautiful. The handsomest presents were given her, and +she hardly looked at the portion of the prizes which fell to her lot. + +Smarting with pain from the blow she had received, (and she spoke +falsely when she said Wenona had struck her,) stung with jealousy at the +other party having won the game, Harpstenah determined on revenge, "If I +am old," she said, "I will live long enough to bring misery on her; ugly +as I may be, I will humble the proud beauty. What do I eat? the +worthless heads of birds are given to the old woman for whom nobody +cares, but my food will be to see the eye of Wenona fall beneath the +laugh of scorn. I will revenge the wrongs of my life on her." + +Commend me to a Dahcotah woman's revenge! Has she been slighted in love? +blood must be shed; and if she is not able to accomplish the death of +her rival, her own life will probably pay the forfeit. Has disgrace or +insult been heaped upon her? a life of eighty years is not long enough +to bring down vengeance on the offender. So with Harpstenah. Her life +had not been a blessing to herself--she would make it a curse to others. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +In the preparations for the deer hunt, the ball-play has been forgotten. +The women are putting together what will be necessary for their comfort +during their absence, and the men are examining their guns and bows and +arrows. The young girls anticipate amusement and happiness, for they +will assist their lovers to bring in the deer to the camp; and the jest +and merry laugh, and the words of love are spoken too. The ball-play has +been forgotten by all but Harpstenah. + +But it is late in the afternoon; and as they do not start till the +morning, something must be done to pass the long evening. "If this were +full," said a young hunter, kicking at the same time an empty keg that +had once contained whiskey, "if this were full, we would have a merry +night of it." + +"Yes," said Grey Iron, whose age seemed to have brought him wisdom, +"the night would be merry, but where would you be the day after. Did you +not, after drinking that very whiskey, strike a white woman, for which +you were taken to the fort by the soldiers, and kept as a prisoner?" + +The young man's look of mortification at this reproof did not save him +from the contemptuous sneer of his companions, for all despise the +Dahcotah who has thus been punished. No act of bravery can wipe away +his disgrace. + +But Wenona sat pale and sad in her brother's wigwam. The bright and +happy looks of yesterday were all gone. Her sister-in-law has hushed her +child to sleep, and she is resting from the fatigues of the day. Several +old men, friends of Little Crow's father, are sitting round the fire; +one has fallen asleep, while the others talk of the wonderful powers of +their sacred medicine. + +"Why are you sad, Wenona," said the chief, turning to her; "why should +the eyes of a chief's sister be filled with tears, and her looks bent on +the ground?" + +"You need not ask why I am not happy," said Wenona: "Red Cloud brought +presents to you yesterday; he laid them at the door of your wigwam. He +wants to buy me, and you have received his gifts; why do you not return +them? you know I do not love him." + +"Red Cloud is a great warrior," replied the chief; "he wears many +feathers of honor; you must marry him." + +The girl wrapped herself in her blanket and lay down. For a time her +sighs were heard--but at length sleep came to her relief, and her grief +was forgotten in dreams. But morn has come and they are to make an early +start. Was ever such confusion? Look at that old hag knocking the very +senses out of her daughter's head because she is not ready! and the +girl, in order to avoid the blows, stumbles over an unfortunate dog, who +commences a horrible barking and whining, tempting all the dogs of the +village to outbark and outwhine him. + +There goes "White Buffalo" with his two wives, the first wife with the +teepee on her back and her child on the top of it. No wonder she looks +so cross, for the second wife walks leisurely on. Now is her time, but +let her beware! for White Buffalo is thinking seriously of taking +a third. + +But they are all off at last. Mothers with children, and corn, and +teepees, and children with dogs on their backs. They are all gone, and +the village looks desolate and forsaken. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +The party encamped about twenty miles from the village. The women plant +the poles of their teepees firmly in the ground and cover them with a +buffalo skin. A fire is soon made in the centre and the corn put on to +boil. Their bread is kneaded and put in the ashes to bake, but flour is +not very plenty among them. + +The next day parties were out in every direction; tracks of deer were +seen in the snow, and the hunters followed them up. The beautiful animal +flies in terror from the death which comes surer and swifter than her +own light footsteps. The hunter's knife is soon upon her, and while +warmth and even life are left, the skin is drawn off. + +After the fatigues of the day comes the long and pleasant evening. A +bright fire burned in the wigwam of the chief, and many of the Indians +were smoking around it, but Wenona was sad, and she took but little part +in the laughter and merriment of the others. + +Red Cloud boasted of his bravery and his deeds of valor; even the old +men listened to him with respect, for they knew that his name was a +terror to his enemies. But Wenona turned from him! she hated to hear the +sound of his voice. + +The old men talked of the mighty giant of the Dahcotahs, he who needed +not to take his gun to kill the game he wanted; the glance of his eye +would strike with death the deer, the buffalo, or even the bear. + +The song, the jest, the legend, by turns occupied them until they +separated to sleep. But as the warriors stepped into the open air, why +does the light of the moon fall upon faces pale with terror? "See!" said +the chief, "how flash the mysterious lights! there is danger near, some +dreadful calamity is threatening us." + +"We will shoot at them," said Red Cloud; "we will destroy their power." +And the Indians discharged their guns in quick succession towards the +northern horizon, which was brilliantly illuminated with the Aurora +Borealis; thus hoping to ward off coming danger. + +The brother and sister were left alone at the door of the teepee. The +stern warrior's looks expressed superstitious terror, while the maiden's +face was calm and fearless. "Do you not fear the power of the woman who +sits in the north, Wenona? she shows those flashes of light to tell us +of coming evil." + +"What should I fear," said Wenona; "I, who will soon join my mother, my +father, my sisters, in the land of spirits? Listen to my words, my +brother: there are but two of us; strife and disease have laid low the +brave, the good, the beautiful; we are the last of our family; you will +soon be alone. + +"Before the leaves fell from the trees, as I sat on the banks of the +Mississippi, I saw the fairy of the water. The moon was rising, but it +was not yet bright enough for me to see her figure distinctly. But I +knew her voice; I had often heard it in my dreams. 'Wenona,' she said, +(and the waves were still that they might hear her words), 'Wenona, the +lands of the Dahcotah are green and beautiful--but there are fairer +prairies than those on earth. In that bright country the forest trees +are ever green, and the waves of the river flow on unchilled by the +breath of winter. You will not long be with the children of the earth. +Even now your sisters are calling you, and your mother is telling them +that a few more months will bring you to their side!' + +"The words were true, my brother, but I knew not that your harshness +would hasten my going. You say that I shall marry Red Cloud; sooner will +I plunge my knife into my heart; sooner shall the waves of the +Mississippi roll over me. Brother, you will soon be alone!" + +"Speak not such words, my sister," said the chief; "it shall be as you +will. I have not promised Red Cloud. I thought you would be happy if you +were his wife, and you shall not be forced to marry him. But why should +you think of death? you saw our braves as they shot at the lights in +the north. They have frightened them away. Look! they flash no more. Go +in, and sleep, and to-morrow I will tell Red Cloud that you love +him not." + +And the cloudless moon shone on a happy face, and the bright stars, +seemed more bright as Wenona gazed upon them; but as she turned to enter +the wigwam, one star was seen falling in the heavens, and the light that +followed it was lost in the brightness of the others. And her dreams +were not happy, for the fairy of the water haunted them. "Even as that +star, Wenona, thou shalt pass from all that thou lovest on earth; but +weep not, thy course is upward!" + + * * * * * + +The hunters were so successful that they returned to their village soon. +The friends of Wenona rejoiced in her happy looks, but to Harpstenah +they were bitterness and gall. The angry countenance of Red Cloud found +an answering chord in her own heart. + +"Ha!" said she to him, as he watched Wenona and her lover talking +together, "what has happened? Did you not say you would marry the +chief's sister--why then are you not with her? Red Cloud is a great +warrior, why should he be sad because Wenona loves him not? Are there +not maidens among the Dahcotahs more beautiful than she? She never loved +you; her brother, too, has treated you with contempt. Listen to my +words, Red Cloud; the Virgin's Feast is soon to be celebrated, and she +will enter the ring for the last time. When she comes forward, tell her +she is unworthy. Is she not a disgrace to the band? Has she not shamed a +brave warrior? Will you not be despised when another is preferred +to you?" + +The words of the tempter are in his ear--madness and hatred are in his +heart. + +"I said I would take her life, but my revenge will be deeper. Wenona +would die rather than be disgraced." And as he spoke Harpstenah turned +to leave him, for she saw that the poison had entered his soul. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Among the Dahcotahs, women are not excluded from joining in their feasts +or dances; they dance the scalp dance while the men sit round and sing, +and they join in celebrating many of the customs of their tribe. But the +Virgin's Feast has reference to the women alone; its object is not to +celebrate the deeds of the warrior, but rather to put to the test the +virtue of the maiden. + +Notice was given among the Indians that the Virgin's Feast was to be +celebrated at Little Crow's village; the time was mentioned, and all who +chose to attend were welcome to do so. + +The feast was prepared in the neighborhood of the village. The boiled +corn and venison were put in wooden bowls, and the Indians sat round, +forming a ring. Those who were to partake of the feast were dressed in +their gayest apparel; their long hair plaited and falling over their +shoulders. Those who are conscious of error dare not approach the feast, +for it is a part of the ceremony that they shall be exposed by any one +present. Neither rank nor beauty must interpose to prevent the +punishment. Nay, sometimes the power of innocence and virtue itself is +not sufficient to guard the Dahcotah maiden from disgrace. + +And was Wenona unworthy? The white snow that covered the hills was not +more pure than she. But Red Cloud cared not for that. She had refused to +be the light of his wigwam, and thus was he avenged. + +Wenona advanced with the maidens of the village. Who can describe her +terror and dismay when Red Cloud advances and leads her from the sacred +ring? To whom shall the maiden turn for help? To her brother? his angry +countenance speaks not of comfort. Her friends? the smile of scorn is on +their lips. Her lover? he has left the feast. + +Her determination is soon made; her form is seen as she flies to the +woods. Death is the refuge of the friendless and the wronged. + +But as night came on the relatives of Wenona wondered that she did not +return. They sought her, and they found her lifeless body; the knife was +deep in her heart. She knew she was innocent, but what did that avail +her? She was accused by a warrior, and who would believe her if she +denied the charge? + +And why condemn her that she deprived herself of life, which she deemed +worthless, when embittered by unmerited contempt. She knew not that God +has said, "Thou shall do no murder." The command had never sounded +in her ears. + +She trusted to find a home in the House of Spirits--she may have found a +heaven in the mercy of God. + +The fever of the following summer spared neither age nor youth, and Red +Cloud was its first victim. As the dying Harpstenah saw his body carried +out to be placed upon the scaffold--"He is dead," she cried, "and Wenona +was innocent! He hated her because she slighted him; I hated her because +she was happy. He had his revenge, and I mine; but Wenona was falsely +accused, and I told him to do it!" and the eyes were closed--the voice +was hushed in death. + +Wenona was innocent; and when the Virgin's Feast shall be celebrated in +her native village again, how will the maidens tremble as they approach +the sacred ring! Can they forget the fate of their beautiful companion? + +And when the breath of summer warms to life the prairie flowers--when +the long grass shall wave under the scaffold where repose the mortal +remains of the chief's sister--how often will the Dahcotah maidens draw +near to contrast the meanness, the treachery, the falsehood of Red +Cloud, with the constancy, devotion, and firmness of Wenona! + + + +THE DAHCOTAH CONVERT. + +"Tell me," said, Hiatu-we-noken-chah, or 'woman of the night,' "the +Great Spirit whom you have taught me to fear, why has he made the white +woman rich and happy, and the Dahcotah poor and miserable?" She spoke +with bitterness when she remembered the years of sorrow that had made up +the sum of her existence. + +But how with the missionary's wife? had her life been one bright +dream--had her days been always full of gladness--her nights quiet and +free from care? Had she never longed for the time of repose, that +darkness might cover her as with a mantle--and when 'sleep forsook the +wretched,' did she not pray for the breaking of the day, that she might +again forget all in the performance of the duties of her station? Could +it be that the Creator had balanced the happiness of one portion of his +children against the wretchedness of the rest? Let her story answer. + +Her home is now among the forests of the west. As a child she would +tremble when she heard of the savage whose only happiness was in +shedding the blood of his fellow creatures. The name of an "Indian" when +uttered by her nurse would check the boisterous gayety of the day or the +tedious restlessness of the night. + +As she gathered flowers on the pleasant banks of the Sciota, would it +not have brought paleness to her cheek to have whispered her that not +many years would pass over her, before she would be far away from the +scenes of her youth? + +And as she uttered the marriage vow, how little did she think that soon +would her broken spirit devote time, energies, life, to the good of +others; as an act of duty and, but for the faith of the Christian, of +despair. For several years she only wept with others when they sorrowed; +fair children followed her footsteps, and it was happiness to guide +their voices, as they, like the morning stars, sang together; or to +listen to their evening prayer as they folded their hands in childlike +devotion ere they slept. + +And when the father returned from beside the bed of death, where his +skill could no longer alleviate the parting agonies of the sufferer: how +would he hasten to look upon the happy faces of his children, in order +to forget the scene he had just witnessed. But, man of God as he was, +there was not always peace in his soul; yet none could see that he had +cause for care. He was followed by the blessings of those who were ready +to perish. He essayed to make the sinner repent, and to turn the +thoughts of the dying to Him who suffered death on the cross. + +But for months the voice of the Spirit spake to his heart; he could not +forget the words--"Go to the wretched Dahcotahs, their bodies are +suffering, and their souls, immortal like thine, are perishing. Soothe +their temporal cares, and more, tell them the triumphs of the +Redeemer's love." + +But it was hard to give up friends, and all the comforts with which he +was surrounded: to subject his wife to the hardships of a life in the +wilderness, to deprive his children of the advantages of education and +good influences, and instead--to show them life as it is with those who +know not God. But the voice said, "Remember the Dahcotahs." Vainly did +he struggle with the conflict of duty against inclination. + +The time has come when the parents must weep for themselves. No longer +do the feet of their children tread among the flowers; fever has +paralyzed their strength, and vainly does the mother call upon the +child, whose eyes wander in delirium, who knows not her voice from a +stranger's. Nor does the Destroyer depart when one has sunk into a sleep +from which there is no awakening until the morn of the resurrection. He +claims another, and who shall resist that claim! + +As the father looks upon the still forms of his children, as he sees the +compressed lips, the closed eyes of the beings who were but a few days +ago full of life and happiness, the iron enters his soul; but as the +Christian remembers who has afflicted him, his spirit rises above his +sorrow. Nor is there now any obstacle between him and the path of duty. +The one child that remains must be put in charge of those who will care +for her, and he will go where God directs. + +But will the mother give up the last of her children? it matters not now +where she lives, but she must part with husband or child! Self has no +part in her schemes; secure in her trust in God she yields up her child +to her friend, and listens not to the suggestions of those who would +induce her to remain where she would still enjoy the comforts of life. +Nothing should separate her from her husband. "Entreat me not to leave +thee; where thou goest I will go, where thou diest I will die, and +there will I be buried." + +And as the Dahcotah woman inquires of the justice of God, the faces of +her children rise up before her--first in health, with bright eyes and +lips parted with smiles, and then as she last saw them--their hands +white to transparency, the hue of death upon their features; the +shrouds, the little coffins, the cold lips, as she pressed them for the +last time. + +The Dahcotah looked in astonishment at the grief which for a few moments +overcame the usual calmness of her kind friend; and as she wondered why, +like her, she should shed bitter tears, she heard herself thus +addressed-- + +"Do not think that you alone have been unhappy. God afflicts all his +children. There is not a spot on the earth which is secure from sorrow. +Have I not told you why? This world is not your home or mine. Soon will +our bodies lie down in the earth--and we would forget this, if we were +always happy. + +"And you should not complain though your sorrows have been great. Do not +forget the crown of thorns which pressed the brow of the Saviour, the +cruel nails that pierced his hands and feet, the desertion of his +friends, his fear that God his Father had forsaken him. And remember +that after death the power of those who hated him ceased; the grave +received but could not keep his body. He rose from the dead, and went to +Heaven, where he has prepared a place for all who love him; for me and +mine, I trust, and for you too, if you are careful to please him by +serving him yourself, and by endeavoring to induce your friends to give +up their foolish and wicked superstitions, and to worship the true God +who made all things." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +The Dahcotahs believe in the existence of a Great Spirit, but they have +very confused ideas of his attributes. Those who have lived near the +missionaries, say that the Great Spirit lived forever, but their own +minds would never have conceived such an idea. Some say that the Great +Spirit has a wife. + +They say that this being created all things but thunder and wild rice; +and that he gave the earth and all animals to them, and that their +feasts and customs were the laws by which they are to be governed. But +they do not fear the anger of this deity after death. + +Thunder is said to be a large bird; the name that they give to thunder +is the generic term for all animals that fly. Near the source of the St. +Peters is a place called Thunder-tracks--where the footprints of the +thunder-bird are seen in the rocks, twenty-five miles apart. + +The Dahcotahs believe in an evil spirit as well as a good, but they do +not consider these spirits as opposed to each other; they do not think +that they are tempted to do wrong by this evil spirit; their own hearts +are bad. It would be impossible to put any limit to the number of +spirits in whom the Dahcotahs believe; every object in nature is full of +them. They attribute death as much to the power of these subordinate +spirits as to the Great Spirit; but most frequently they suppose death +to have been occasioned by a spell having been cast upon them by +some enemy. + +The sun and moon are worshipped as emblems of their deity. + +Sacrifice is a religious ceremony among them; but no missionary has yet +been able to find any reference to the one great Atonement made for sin; +none of their customs or traditions authorize any such connection. They +sacrifice to all the spirits; but they have a stone, painted red, which +they call Grandfather, and on or near this, they place their most +valuable articles, their buffalo robes, dogs, and even horses; and on +one occasion a father killed a child as a kind of sacrifice. They +frequently inflict severe bruises or cuts upon their bodies, thinking +thus to propitiate their gods. + +The belief in an evil spirit is said by some not to be a part of the +religion of the Dahcotahs. They perhaps obtained this idea from the +whites. They have a far greater fear of the spirits of the dead, +especially those whom they have offended, than of Wahkon-tun-kah, the +Great Spirit. + + * * * * * + +One of the punishments they most dread is that of the body of an animal +entering theirs to make them sick. Some of the medicine men, the +priests, and the doctors of the Dahcotahs, seem to have an idea of the +immortality of the soul but intercourse with the whites may have +originated this. They know nothing of the resurrection. + +They have no custom among them that indicates the belief that man's +heart should be holy. The faith in spirits, dreams, and charms, the fear +that some enemy, earthly or spiritual, may be secretly working their +destruction by a spell, is as much a part of their creed, as the +existence of the Great Spirit. + +A good dream will raise their hopes of success in whatever they may be +undertaking to the highest pitch; a bad one will make them despair of +accomplishing it. Their religion is a superstition, including as few +elements of truth and reason as perhaps any other of which the +particulars are known. They worship they "know not what," and this from +the lowest motives. + +When they go out to hunt, or on a war party, they pray to the Great +Spirit--"Father, help us to kill the buffalo." "Let us soon see +deer"--or, "Great Spirit help us to kill our enemies." + +They have no hymns of praise to their Deity; they fast occasionally at +the time of their dances. When they dance in honor of the sun, they +refrain from eating for two days. + +The Dahcotahs do not worship the work of their hands; but they consider +every object that the Great Spirit has made, from the highest mountain +to the smallest stone, as worthy of their idolatry. + +They have a vague idea of a future state; many have dreamed of it. Some +of their medicine men pretend to have had revelations from bears and +other animals; and they thus learned that their future existence would +be but a continuation of this. They will go on long hunts and kill many +buffalo; bright fires will burn in their wigwams as they talk through +the long winter's night of the traditions of their ancients; their women +are to tan deer-skin for their mocassins, while their young children +learn to be brave warriors by attacking and destroying wasps' or +hornets' nests; they will celebrate the dog feast to show how brave they +are, and sing in triumph as they dance round the scalps of their +enemies. Such is the Heaven of the Dahcotahs! Almost every Indian has +the image of an animal or bird tattooed on his breast or arm, which can +charm away an evil spirit, or prevent his enemy from bringing trouble or +death upon him by a secret shot. The power of life rests with mortals, +especially with their medicine men; they believe that if an enemy be +shooting secretly at them, a spell or charm must be put in requisition +to counteract their power. + +The medicine men or women, who are initiated into the secrets of their +wonderful medicines, (which secret is as sacred with them as +free-masonry is to its members) give the feast which they call the +medicine feast. + +Their medicine men, who profess to administer to the affairs of soul and +body are nothing more than jugglers, and are the worst men of the tribe: +yet from fear alone they claim the entire respect of the community. + +There are numerous clans among the Dahcotahs each using a different +medicine, and no one knows what this medicine is but those who are +initiated into the mysteries of the medicine dance, whose celebration is +attended with the utmost ceremony. + +A Dahcotah would die before he would divulge the secret of his clan. All +the different clans unite at the great medicine feast. + +And from such errors as these must the Dahcotah turn if he would be a +Christian! And the heart of the missionary would faint within him at the +work which is before him, did he not remember who has said "Lo, I am +with you always!" + +And it was long before the Indian woman could give up the creed of her +nation. The marks of the wounds in her face and arms will to the grave +bear witness of her belief in the faith of her fathers, which influenced +her in youth. Yet the subduing of her passions, the quiet performance of +her duties, the neatness of her person, and the order of her house, tell +of the influence of a better faith, which sanctifies the sorrows of this +life, and rejoices her with the hope of another and a better state of +existence. + +But such instances are rare. These people have resisted as encroachments +upon their rights the efforts that have been made for their instruction. +Kindness and patience, however, have accomplished much, and during the +last year they have, in several instances, expressed a desire for the +aid and instructions of missionaries. They seem to wish them to live +among them; though formerly the lives of those who felt it their duty to +remain were in constant peril. + +They depend more, too, upon what the ground yields them for food, and +have sought for assistance in ploughing it. + +There are four schools sustained by the Dahcotah mission; in all there +are about one hundred and seventy children; the average attendance +about sixty. + +The missionaries feel that they have accomplished something, and they +are encouraged to hope for still more. They have induced many of the +Dahcotahs to be more temperate; and although few, comparatively, attend +worship at the several stations, yet of those few some exhibit hopeful +signs of conversion. + +There are five mission stations among the Dahcotahs; at "Lac qui parle," +on the St. Peter's river, in sight of the beautiful lake from which the +station takes its name; at "Travers des Sioux" about eighty miles from +Fort Snelling; at Xapedun, Oak-grove, and Kapoja, the last three being +within a few miles of Fort Snelling. + +There are many who think that the efforts of those engaged in +instructing the Dahcotahs are thrown away. They cannot conceive why men +of education, talent, and piety, should waste their time and attainments +upon a people who cannot appreciate their efforts. If the missionaries +reasoned on worldly principles, they would doubtless think so too; but +they devote the energies of soul and body to Him who made them for His +own service. + +They are pioneers in religion; they show the path that others will walk +in far more easily at some future day; they undertake what others will +carry on,--what God himself will accomplish. They have willingly given +up the advantages of this life, to preach the gospel to the degraded +Dahcotahs. They are translating the Bible into Sioux; many of the books +are translated, and to their exertions it is owing that the praise of +God has been sung by the children of the forest in their own language. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +However absurd may be the religion of the Dahcotahs, they are zealous in +their devotion to it. Nothing is allowed to interfere with it. Are their +women planting corn, which is to be in a great measure depended upon for +food during the next winter? whatever be the consequences, they stop to +celebrate a dance or a feast, either of which is a part of their +religion. How many Christians satisfy their consciences by devoting one +day of the week to God, feeling themselves thus justified in devoting +the other six entirely to the world! But it is altogether different with +the Dahcotahs, every act of their life is influenced by their religion, +such as it is. + +They believe they are a great people, that their country is unrivalled +in beauty, their religion without fault. Many of the Dahcotahs, now +living near Fort Snelling, say that they have lived on the earth before +in some region far distant, that they died, and for a time their spirits +wandered through the world seeking the most beautiful and delightful +country to live in, and that after examining all parts of, the earth +they fixed upon the country of the Dahcotahs. + +In fact, dreams, spells and superstitious fears, constitute a large part +of the belief of the Dahcotahs. But of all their superstitious notions +the most curious is the one which occasions the dance called +Ho-saw-kah-u-tap-pe, or Fish dance, where the fish is eaten raw. + +Some days since, an Indian who lives at Shah-co-pee's village dreamed of +seeing a cormorant, a bird which feeds on fish. He was very much +alarmed, and directed his friend to go out and catch a fish, and to +bring the first one he caught to him. + +The Indian did so, and the fish, which was a large pike, was painted +with blue clay. Preparations were immediately made to celebrate the Fish +dance, in order to ward off any danger of which the dream might have +been the omen. + +A circle was formed of brush, on one side of which the Indians pitched +a wigwam. The war implements were then brought inside the ring, and a +pole stuck up in the centre, with the raw fish, painted blue, hung +upon it. + +The men then enter the ring, almost naked; their bodies painted black, +excepting the breast and arms, which are varied in color according to +the fancy of each individual. + +Inside the ring is a bush for each dancer; in each bush a nest, made to +resemble a cormorant's nest; and outside the ring is an Indian +metamorphosed for the occasion into a wolf--that is, he has the skin of +a wolf drawn over him, and hoops fixed to his hands to enable him to run +easier on all fours; and in order to sustain the character which he has +assumed, he remains outside, lurking about for food. + +All being ready, the medicine men inside the wigwam commence beating a +drum and singing. This is the signal for all the cormorants (Indians), +inside the ring, to commence quacking and dancing and using their arms +in imitation of wings, keeping up a continual flapping. Thus for some +time they dance up to and around the fish--when the bravest among them +will snap at the fish, and if he have good teeth will probably bite off +a piece, if not, he will slip his hold and flap off again. + +Another will try his luck at this delicious food, and so they continue, +until they have made a beginning in the way of eating the fish. Then +each cormorant flaps up and takes a bite, and then flaps off to his +nest, in which the piece of fish is concealed, for fear the wolves +may get it. + +After a while, the wolf is seen emerging from his retreat, painted so +hideously as to frighten away the Indian children. The cormorants +perceive the approach of the wolf, and a general quacking and flapping +takes place, each one rushing to his nest to secure his food. + +This food each cormorant seizes and tries to swallow, flapping his wings +and stretching out his neck as a young bird will when fed by its mother. + +After the most strenuous exertions they succeed in swallowing the raw +fish. While this is going on, the wolf seizes the opportunity to make a +snap at the remainder of the fish, seizes it with his teeth, and makes +his way out of the ring, as fast as he can, on all fours. The whole of +the fish, bones and all, must be swallowed; not the smallest portion of +it can be left, and the fish must only be touched by the mouth--never +with the hands. This dance is performed by the men alone--their war +implements must be sacred from the touch of women. + +Such scenes are witnessed every day at the Dahcotah villages. The +missionary sighs as he sees how determined is their belief in such a +religion. Is it not a source of rejoicing to be the means of turning one +fellow-creature from a faith like this? + +A few years ago and every Dahcotah woman reverenced the fish-dance as +holy and sacred--even too sacred for her to take a part in it. She +believed the medicine women could foretell future events; and, with an +injustice hardly to be accounted for, she would tell you it was lawful +to beat a girl as much as you chose, but a sin to strike a boy! + +She gloried in dancing the scalp dance--aye, even exulted at the idea of +taking the life of an enemy herself. + +But there are instances in which these things are all laid aside beneath +the light of Christianity; instances in which the poor Dahcotah woman +sees the folly, the wickedness of her former faith; blesses God who +inclined the missionary to leave his home and take up his abode in the +country of the savage; and sings to the praise of God in her own tongue +as she sits by the door of her wigwam. She smiles as she tells you that +her "face is dark, but that she hopes her heart has been changed; and +that she will one day sing in heaven, where the voices of the white +people and of the converted Dahcotahs, will mingle in a song of love to +Him 'who died for the whole world.'" + + + + +WABASHAW. + + +CHAPTER I. + +Wabashaw, (or The Leaf,) is the name of one of the Dahcotah Chiefs. His +village is on the Mississippi river, 1,800 miles from its mouth. + +The teepees are pitched quite near the shore, and the many bluffs that +rise behind them seem to be their perpetual guards. + +The present chief is about thirty-five years old--as yet he has done not +much to give him a reputation above the Dahcotahs about him. But his +father was a man whose life and character were such as to influence his +people to a great degree. + +Wabashaw the elder, (for the son inherits his father's name,) is said by +the Dahcotahs to have been the first chief in their tribe. + +Many years ago the English claimed authority over the Dahcotahs, and an +English traveller having been murdered by some Dahcotahs of the band of +which Wabashaw was a warrior, the English claimed hostages to be given +up until the murderer could be found. + +The affairs of the nation were settled then by men who, having more mind +than the others, naturally influenced their inferiors. Their bravest +men, their war chief too, no doubt exercised a control over the rest. + +Wabashaw was one of the hostages given up in consequence of the murder, +and the Governor of Canada required that these Dahcotahs should leave +the forests of the west, and remain for a time as prisoners in Canada. +Little as is the regard for the feelings of the savage now, there was +still less then. + +Wabashaw often spoke of the ill treatment he received on his journey. It +was bad enough to be a prisoner, and to be leaving home; it was far +worse to be struck, for the amusement of idle men and children--to have +the war eagle's feather rudely torn from his head to be trampled +upon--to have the ornaments, even the pipes of the nation, taken away, +and destroyed before his eyes. + +But such insults often occurred during their journey, and the prisoners +were even fettered when at last they reached Quebec. + +Here for a long time they sighed to breathe the invigorating air of the +prairies; to chase the buffalo; to celebrate the war dance. But when +should they join again in the ceremonies of their tribe? When? Alas! +they could not even ask their jailer when; or if they had, he would only +have laughed at the strange dialect that he could not comprehend. But +the Dahcotahs bore with patience their unmerited confinement, and +Wabashaw excelled them all. His eye was not as bright as when he left +home, and there was an unusual weakness in his limbs--but never should +his enemies know that he suffered. And when those high in authority +visited the prisoners, the haughty dignity of Wabashaw made them feel +that the Dahcotah warrior was a man to be respected. + +But freedom came at last. The murderers were given up; and an +interpreter in the prison told Wabashaw that he was no longer a +prisoner; that he would soon again see the Father of many waters; and +that more, he had been made by the English a chief, the first chief of +the Dahcotahs. + +It was well nigh too late for Wabashaw. His limbs were thin, and his +strength had failed for want of the fresh air of his native hills. + +Little did the prisoners care to look around as they retraced their +steps. They knew they were going home. But when the waters of the +Mississippi again shone before them, when the well-known bluffs met +their eager gaze; when the bending river gave to view their native +village, then, indeed, did the new-made chief cast around him the "quiet +of a loving eye." Then, too, did he realize what he had suffered. + +He strained his sight--for perhaps his wife might have wearied of +waiting for him--perhaps she had gone to the Land of spirits, hoping to +meet him there. + +His children too--the young warriors, who were wont to follow him and +listen to his voice, would they welcome him home? + +As he approached the village a cloud had come between him and the sun. +He could see many upon the shore, but who were they? The canoe swept +over the waters, keeping time to the thoughts of those who were +wanderers no longer. + +As they neared the shore, the cloud passed away and the brightness of +the setting sun revealed the faces of their friends; their cries of joy +rent the air--to the husband, the son, the brother, they spoke a +welcome home! + +Wabashaw, by the command of the English Governor, was acknowledged by +the Dahcotahs their first chief; and his influence was unbounded. Every +band has a chief, and the honor descends from father to son; but there +has never been one more honored and respected than Wabashaw. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Wabashaw's village is sometimes called Keusca. This word signifies to +break through, or set aside; it was given in consequence of an incident +which occurred some time ago, in the village. + +"Sacred Wind" was a daughter of one of the most powerful families among +the Dahcotahs; for although a chief lives as the meanest of his band, +still there is a great difference among the families. The number of a +family constitutes its importance; where a family is small, a member of +it can be injured with little fear of retaliation; but in a large family +there are sure to be found some who will not let an insult pass without +revenge. Sacred Wind's father was living; a stalwart old warrior, +slightly bent with the weight of years. Though his face was literally +seamed with wrinkles, he could endure fatigue, or face danger, with the +youngest and hardiest of the band. + +Her mother, a fearfully ugly old creature, still mended mocassins and +scolded; bidding fair to keep up both trades for years to come. Then +there were tall brothers, braving hardships and danger, as if a Dahcotah +was only born to be scalped, or to scalp; uncles, cousins, too, there +were, in abundance, so that Sacred Wind did belong to a powerful family. + +Now, among the Dahcotahs, a cousin is looked upon as a brother; a girl +would as soon think of marrying her grandfather, as a cousin. I mean an +ordinary girl, but Sacred Wind was not of that stamp; she was destined +to be a heroine. She had many lovers, who wore themselves out playing +the flute, to as little purpose as they braided their hair, and painted +their faces. Sacred Wind did not love one of them. + +Her mother, was always trying to induce her to accept some one of her +lovers, urging the advantages of each match; but it would not do. The +girl was eighteen years old, and not yet a wife; though most of the +Dahcotah women are mothers long before that. + +Her friends could not imagine why she did not marry. They were wearied +with arguing with her; but not one of them ever suspected the cause of +her seeming coldness of heart. + +Her grandmother was particularly officious. She could not do as Sacred +Wind wished her,--attend to her own affairs, for she had none to attend +to; and grandmothers, among the Sioux, are as loving and devoted as they +are among white people; consequently, the old lady beset the unfortunate +girl, day and night, about her obstinacy. + +"Why are you not now the mother of warriors," she said, "and besides, +who will kill game for you when you are old? The 'Bear,' has been to the +traders; he has bought many things, which he offers your parents for +you; marry him and then you will make your old grandmother happy." + +"I will kill myself," she replied, "if you ask me to marry the Bear. +Have you forgotten the Maiden's rock? I There are more high rocks than +one on the banks of the Mississippi, and my heart is as strong as +Wenona's. If you torment me so, to marry the Bear, I will do as she +did--in the house of spirits I shall have no more trouble." + +This threat silenced the grandmother for the time. But a young girl who +had been sitting with them, and listening to the conversation, rose to +go out; and as she passed Sacred Wind, she whispered in her ear, "Tell +her why you will not marry the Bear; tell her that Sacred Wind loves her +cousin; and that last night she promised him she never would marry any +one but him." + +Had she been struck to the earth she could not have been paler. She +thought her secret was hid in her own heart. She had tried to cease +thinking of "The Shield;" keeping away from him, dreading to find true +what she only suspected. She did not dare acknowledge even to herself +that she loved a cousin. + +But when the Shield gave her his handsomest trinkets; when he followed +her when she left her laughing and noisy companions to sit beside the +still waters--when he told her that she was the most beautiful girl +among the Dahcotahs--when he whispered her that he loved her dearly; +and would marry her in spite of mothers, grandmothers, customs and +religion too--then she found that her cousin was dearer to her than all +the world--that she would gladly die with him--she could never live +without him. + +But still, she would not promise to marry him. What would her friends +say? and the spirits of the dead would torment her, for infringing upon +the sacred customs of her tribe. The Shield used many arguments, but all +in vain. She told him she was afraid to marry him, but that she would +never marry any one else. Sooner should the waves cease to beat against +the shores of the spirit lakes, than she forget to think of him. + +But this did not satisfy her cousin. He was determined she should be his +wife; he trusted to time and his irresistible person to overcome +her fears. + +The Shield's name was given to him by his father's friends. Shields were +formerly used by the Sioux; and the Eyanktons and Sissetons still use +them. They are made of buffalo skin, of a circular form; and are used as +a protection against the arrows of their enemies. + +"You need not fear your family, Sacred Wind," said her cousin, "nor the +medicine men, nor the spirits of the dead. We will go to one of the +villages, and when we are married, we will come back. Let them be angry, +I will stand between you and them, even as my father's shield did +between him and the foe that sought his life." + +But she was firm, and promised nothing more than that she would not +marry the Bear, or any one else; and they returned to her father's +teepee, little thinking that any one had overheard their conversation. +But the "Swan" had heard every word of it. + +She loved the Shield, and she had seen him follow his cousin. After +hearing enough to know that her case was a hopeless one, she made up +her mind to make Sacred Wind pay dearly for the love which she herself +could not obtain. + +She did not at once tell the news. She wanted to amuse herself with her +victim before she destroyed her; and she had hardly yet made up her mind +as to the way which she would take to inform the family of Sacred Wind +of the secret she had found out. + +But she could not resist the temptation of whispering to Sacred Wind her +knowledge of the true reason why she would not marry the Bear. This was +the first blow, and it struck to the heart; it made a wound which was +long kept open by the watchful eye of jealousy. + +The grandmother, however, did not hear the remark; if she had she would +not have sat still smoking--not she! she would have trembled with rage +that a Dahcotah maiden, and her grandchild, should be guilty of the +enormous crime of loving a cousin. An eruption of Vesuvius would have +given but a faint idea of her fury. + +Most fortunately for herself, the venerable old medicine woman died a +few days after. Had she lived to know of the fatal passion of her +granddaughter, she would have longed to seize the thunderbolts of +Jupiter (if she had been aware of their existence) to hurl at the +offenders; or like Niobe, have wept herself to stone. + +Indeed the cause of her death showed that she could not bear +contradiction. + +There was a war party formed to attack the Chippeways, and the "Eagle +that Screams as she Flies," (for that was the name of Sacred Wind's +grandmother) wanted to go along. + +She wished to mutilate the bodies after they were scalped. Yes, though +near ninety years old, she would go through all the fatigues of a march +of three hundred miles, and think it nothing, if she could be repaid by +tearing the heart from one Chippeway child. + +There were, however, two old squaws who had applied first, and the +Screaming Eagle was rejected. + +There were no bounds to her passion. She attempted to hang herself and +was cut down; she made the village resound with her lamentations; she +called upon all the spirits of the lakes, rivers, and prairies, to +torment the war party; nothing would pacify her. Two days after the war +party left, the Eagle that Screams as she Flies expired, in a fit +of rage! + +When the war-party returned, the Shield was the observed of all +observers; he had taken two scalps. + +Sacred Wind sighed to think he was her cousin. How could she help loving +the warrior who had returned the bravest in the battle? + +The Swan saw that she loved in vain. She knew that she loved the Shield +more in absence; why then hope that he would forget Sacred Wind when he +saw her no more? + +When she saw him enter the village, her heart beat fast with emotion; +she pressed her hand upon it, but could not still its tumult. "He has +come," she said to herself, "but will his eye seek mine? will he tell +_me_ that the time has been long since he saw me woman he loved?" + +She follows his footsteps--she watches his every glance, as he meets his +relations. Alas! for the Swan, the wounded bird feels not so acutely the +arrow that pierces, as she that look of recognition between the cousins! + +But the unhappy girl was roused from a sense of her griefs, to a +recollection of her wrongs. With all the impetuosity of a loving heart, +she thought she had a right to the affections of the Shield. As the +water reflected her features, so should his heart give back the devoted +love of hers. + +But while she lived, she was determined to bring sorrow upon her rival; +she would not "sing in dying." That very evening did she repeat to the +family of Sacred Wind the conversation she had overheard, adding that +the love of the cousins was the true cause of Sacred Wind's refusing +to marry. + +Time would fail me to tell of the consequent sufferings of Sacred Wind. +She was scolded and watched, shamed, and even beaten. The medicine men +threatened her with all their powers; no punishment was severe enough +for the Dahcotah who would thus transgress the laws of their nation. + +The Shield was proof against the machinations of his enemies, for he was +a medicine man, and could counteract all the spells that were exerted +against him. Sacred Wind bore everything in patience but the sight of +the Bear. She had been bought and sold, over and over again; and the +fear of her killing herself was the only reason why her friends did not +force her to marry. + +One evening she was missing, and the cries of her mother broke upon the +silence of night; canoes were flying across the water; friends were +wandering in the woods, all seeking the body of the girl. + +But she was not to be found in the river, or in the woods. Sacred Wind +was not dead, she was only married. + +She was safe in the next village, telling the Shield how much she loved +him, and how cordially she hated the Bear; and although she trembled +when she spoke of the medicine men, her husband only laughed at her +fears, telling her, that now that she was his wife, she need +fear nothing. + +But where was the Swan? Her friends were assisting, in the search for +Sacred Wind. The father had forgotten his child, the brother his sister. +And the mother, who would have first missed her, had gone long ago, to +the land of spirits. + +The Swan had known of the flight of the lovers--she watched them as +their canoe passed away, until it became a speck in the distance, and in +another moment the waters closed over her. + +Thus were strangely blended marriage and death. The Swan feared not to +take her own life. Sacred Wind, with a nobler courage, a more devoted +love, broke through the customs of her nation, laid aside the +superstitions of the tribe, and has thus identified her courage with the +name of her native village. + + + + +"THE DAHCOTAH BRIDE." + +The valley of the Upper Mississippi presents many attractions to the +reflecting mind, apart from the admiration excited by its natural +beauty. It is at once an old country and a new--the home of a people who +are rapidly passing away--and of a nation whose strength is ever +advancing. The white man treads upon the footsteps of the Dahcotah--the +war dance of the warrior gives place to the march of civilization--and +the saw-mill is heard where but a few years ago were sung the deeds of +the Dahcotah braves. + +Years ago, the Dahcotah hunted where the Mississippi takes its rise--the +tribe claiming the country as far south as St. Louis. But difficulties +with the neighboring tribes have diminished their numbers and driven +them farther north and west; the white people have needed their lands, +and their course is onward. How will it end? Will this powerful tribe +cease to be a nation on the earth? Will their mysterious origin never be +ascertained? And must their religion and superstitions, their customs +and feasts pass away from memory as if they had never been? + +Who can look upon them without interest? hardly the philosopher--surely +not the Christian. The image of God is defaced in the hearts of the +savage. Cain-like does the child of the forest put forth his hand and +stain it with a brother's blood. But are there no deeds of darkness done +in our own favored land? + +But the country of the Dahcotah,--let it be new to those who fly at the +beckon of gain--who would speculate in the blood of their +fellow-creatures, who for gold would, aye do, sell their own souls,--it +is an old country to me. What say the boundless prairies? how many +generations have roamed over them? when did the buffalo first yield to +the arrow of the hunter? And look at the worn bases of the rocks that +are washed by the Father of waters. Hear the Dahcotah maiden as she +tells of the lover's leap--and the warrior as he boasts of the victories +of his forefathers over his enemies, long, long before the hated white +man had intruded upon their lands, or taught them the fatal secret of +intoxicating drink. + +The Dahcotahs feel their own weakness--they know they cannot contend +with the power of the white man. Yet there are times when the passion +and vehemence of the warriors in the neighborhood of Fort Snelling can +hardly be brought to yield to the necessity of control; and were there a +possibility of success, how soon would the pipe of peace be thrown +aside, and the yell and whoop of war be heard instead! And who would +blame them? Has not the blood of our bravest and best been poured out +like water for a small portion of a country--when the whole could never +make up for the loss sustained by one desolate widow or +fatherless child? + +The sky was without a cloud when the sun rose on the Mississippi. The +morning mists passed slowly away as if they loved to linger round the +hills. Pilot Knob rose above them, proud to be the burial place of her +warrior children, while on the opposite side of the Mine Soto [Footnote: +Mine Soto, or Whitish Water, the name that the Sioux give to the St. +Peter's River. The mud or clay in the water has a whitish look.] the +frowning walls of Fort Snelling; told of the power of their enemies. Not +a breath disturbed the repose of nature, till the voice of the song +birds rose in harmony singing the praise of the Creator. + +But a few hours have passed away, and how changed the scene. Numbers of +canoes are seen rapidly passing over the waters, and the angry savages +that spring from them as hastily ascending the hill. From the gates of +the fort, hundreds of Indians are seen collecting from every direction, +and all approaching the house of the interpreter. We will follow them. + +Few have witnessed so wild a scene. The house of the interpreter +employed by government is near the fort, and all around it were +assembled the excited Indians. In front of the house is a piazza, and on +it lay the body of a young Dahcotah; his black hair plaited, and falling +over his swarthy face. The closed eye and compressed lips proclaimed the +presence of death. Life had but recently yielded to the sway of the +stern conqueror. A few hours ago Beloved Hail had eaten and drank on the +very spot where his body now reposed. + +Bending over his head is his wife; tears fall like rain from her eyes; +and as grief has again overcome her efforts at composure, see how she +plunges her knife into her arm: and as the warm blood flows from the +wound calls upon the husband of her youth! + +"My son! my son!" bursts from the lips of his aged mother, who weeps at +his feet; while her bleeding limbs bear witness to the wounds which she +had inflicted upon herself in the agony of her soul. Nor are these the +only mourners. A crowd of friends are weeping round his body. But the +mother has turned to the warriors as they press through the crowd; tears +enough have been shed, it is time to think of revenge. "Look at your +friend," she says, "look how heavily lies the strong arm, and see, he is +still, though his wife and aged mother call upon him. Who has done this? +who has killed the brave warrior? bring me the murderer, that I may cut +him on pieces." + +It needed not to call upon the warriors who stood around. They were +excited enough. Bad Hail stood near, his eyes bloodshot with rage, his +lip quivering, and every trembling limb telling of the tempest within. +Shah-co-pee, the orator of the Dahcotahs, and "The Nest," their most +famous hunter; the tall form of the aged chief "Man in the cloud" leaned +against the railing, his sober countenance strangely contrasting with +the fiend-like look of his wife; Grey Iron and Little Hill, with brave +after brave, all crying vengeance to the foe, death to the Chippeway! + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +But yesterday the Dahcotahs and Chippeways, foes from time immemorial, +feasted and danced together, for there was peace between them. They had +promised to bury the hatchet; the Chippeways danced near the fort, and +the Dahcotahs presented them with blankets and pipes, guns and powder, +and all that the savage deems valuable. Afterwards, the Dahcotahs +danced, and the generous Chippeways exceeded them in the number and +value of their gifts. As evening approached, the bands mingled their +amusements--together they contended in the foot-race, or, stretching +themselves upon the grass, played at checkers. + +The Chippeways had paid their annual visit of friendship at Fort +Snelling, and, having spent their time happily, they were about to +return to their homes. Their wise men said they rejoiced that nothing +had occurred to disturb the harmony of the two tribes. But their +vicinity to the Fort prevented any outbreak; had there been no such +restraint upon their actions, each would have sought the life of his +deadly foe. + +"Hole in the Day" was the chief of the Chippeways. He owed his station +to his own merit; his bravery and firmness had won the respect and +admiration of the tribe when he was but a warrior, and they exalted him +to the honor of being their chief. Deeds of blood marked his course, yet +were his manners gentle and his voice low. There was a dignity and a +courtesy about his every action that would have well befitted +a courtier. + +He watched with interest the trials of strength between the young men of +his own tribe and the Dahcotahs. When the latter celebrated one of their +national feasts, when they ate the heart of the dog while it was warm +with life, just torn from the animal, with what contempt did he gaze +upon them! + +[Illustration: FALLS OF ST. ANTHONY.] + +The amusements of the dog feast, or dance, have closed, and the +Chippeway chief has signified to his warriors that they were to return +home on the following day. He expressed a wish to see several of the +chiefs of the Dahcotahs, and a meeting having been obtained, he thus +addressed them-- + +"Warriors! it has been the wish of our great father that we should be +friends; blood enough has been shed on both sides. But even if we +preferred to continue at war, we must do as our great father says. The +Indian's glory is passing away; they are as the setting sun; while the +white man is as the sun rising in all his power. We are the falling +leaves; the whites are the powerful horses that trample them under foot. +We are about to return home, and it is well that nothing has happened to +occasion strife between us. But I wish you to know that there are two +young men among us who do not belong to my band. They are pillagers, +belonging to another band, and they may be troublesome. I wish you to +tell your young men of this, that they may be on their guard." + +After smoking together, the chiefs separated. "Hole in the Day" having +thus done all that he deemed proper, returned with his warriors to +his teepee. + +Early in the morning the Chippeways encamped near St. Anthony's falls; +the women took upon themselves all the fatigue and labor of the journey, +the men carrying only the implements of war and hunting. The Chippeway +chief was the husband of three wives, who were sisters; and, strange to +say, when an Indian fancies more than one wife, he is fortunate if he +can obtain sisters, for they generally live in harmony, while wives who +are not related are constantly quarreling; and the husband does not +often interfere, even if words are changed to blows. + +In the mean time, the two pillagers were lurking about; now remaining a +short time with the camp of the Chippeways, now absenting themselves for +a day or two. But while the Chippeways were preparing to leave the +Falls, the pillagers were in the neighborhood of Fort Snelling. They had +accompanied Hole in the Day's band, with the determination of killing an +enemy. The ancient feud still rankled in their hearts; as yet they had +had no opportunity of satisfying their thirst for blood; but on this +morning they were concealed in the bushes, when Red Boy and Beloved +Hail, two Dahcotahs, were passing on horseback. It was but a moment--and +the deed was done. Both the Chippeways fired, and Beloved Hail fell. + +Red Boy was wounded, but not badly; he hurried in to tell the sad news, +and the two Chippeways were soon out of the power of their enemies. They +fled, it is supposed, to Missouri. + +The friends of the dead warrior immediately sought his body, and brought +it to the house of the interpreter. There his friends came together; and +as they entered one by one, on every side pressing, forward to see the +still, calm, features of the young man; they threw on the body their +blankets, and other presents, according to their custom of honoring +the dead. + +Troops are kept at Fort Snelling, not only as a protection to the whites +in the neighborhood, but to prevent, if possible, difficulties between +the different bands of Indians; and as every year brings the Chippeways +to Fort Snelling, either to transact business with the government or on +a visit of pleasure, the Chippeways and Dahcotahs must be frequently +thrown together. The commanding officer of the garrison notifies the two +bands, on such occasions, that no hostilities will be permitted; so +there is rarely an occurrence to disturb their peace. + +But now it is impossible to restrain the excited passions of the +Dahcotahs. Capt. B----; who was then in command at Fort Snelling, sent +word to the Chippeway chief of the murder that had been committed, and +requested him to bring all his men in, as the murderer must be given up. + +But this did not satisfy the Dahcotahs; they longed to raise the +tomahawk which they held in their hands. They refused to wait, but +insisted upon following the Chippeways and revenging themselves; the +arguments of the agent and other friends of the Dahcotahs were +unavailing; nothing would satisfy them but blood, The eyes, even of the +women, sparkled with delight, at the prospect of the scalps they would +dance round; while the mother of Beloved Hail was heard to call for the +scalp of the murderer of her son! + +Seeing the chiefs determined on war, Capt. B---- told them he would +cease to endeavor to change their intentions; "but as soon" said he, "as +you attack the Chippeways, will I send the soldiers to your villages; +and who will protect your wives and children?" + +This had the desired effect, and the warriors, seeing the necessity of +waiting for the arrival of the Chippeways, became more calm. + +Hole in the Day with his men came immediately to the Fort, where a +conference was held at the gate. There were assembled about three +hundred Dahcotahs and seventy Chippeways, with the officers of the +garrison and the Indian agent. + +It was ascertained that the murder had been committed by the two +pillagers, for none of the other Chippeway warriors had been absent +from the camp. Hole in the Day, however, gave up two of his men, as +hostages to be kept at Fort Snelling until the murderers should be +given up. + +The Dahcotahs, being obliged for the time to defer the hope of revenge, +returned to their village to bury their dead. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +We rarely consider the Indian as a member of a family--we associate him +with the tomahawk and scalping-knife. But the very strangeness of the +customs of the Dahcotahs adds to their interest; and in their mourning +they have all the horror of death without an attendant solemnity. + +All the agony and grief that a Christian mother feels when she looks for +the last time at the form which will so soon moulder in the dust, an +Indian mother feels also. The Christian knows that the body will live +again; that the life-giving breath of the Eternal will once more +re-animate the helpless clay; that the eyes which were brilliant and +beautiful in life will again look brightly from the now closed +lids--when the dead shall live--when the beloved child shall +"rise again." + +The Dahcotah woman has no such hope. Though she believes that the soul +will live forever in the "city of spirits," yet the infant she has +nursed at her bosom, the child she loved and tended, the young man whose +strength and beauty were her boast, will soon be ashes and dust. + +And if she have not the hope of the Christian, neither has she the +spirit. For as she cuts off her hair and tears her clothes, throwing +them under the scaffold, what joy would it bring to her heart could she +hope herself to take the life of the murderer of her son. + +Beloved Hail was borne by the Indians to his native village, and the +usual ceremonies attending the dead performed, but with more than usual +excitement, occasioned by the circumstances of the death of +their friend. + +The body of a dead Dahcotah is wrapped in cloth or calico, or sometimes +put in a box, if one can be obtained, and placed upon a scaffold raised +a few feet from the ground. All the relations of the deceased then sit +round it for about twenty-four hours; they tear their clothes; run +knives through the fleshy parts of their arms, but there is no sacrifice +which they can make so great as cutting off their hair. + +The men go in mourning by painting themselves black and they do not wash +the paint off until they take the scalp of an enemy, or give a +medicine-dance. + +While they sit round the scaffold, one of the nearest relations +commences a doleful crying, when all the others join in, and continue +their wailing for some time. Then for awhile their tears are wiped away. +After smoking for a short time another of the family commences again, +and the others join in. This is continued for a day and night, and then +each one goes to his own wigwam. + +The Dahcotahs mourned thus for Beloved Hail. In the evening the cries of +his wife were heard as she called for her husband, while the rocks and +the hills echoed the wail. He will return no more--and who will hunt the +deer for his wife and her young children! + +The murderers were never found, and the hostages, after being detained +for eighteen months at Fort Snelling, were released. They bore their +confinement with admirable patience, the more so as they were punished +for the fault of others. When they were released, they were furnished +with guns and clothing. For fear they would be killed by the Dahcotahs, +their release was kept a secret, and the Dahcotahs knew not that the two +Chippeways were released, until they were far on their journey home. But +one of them never saw his native village again. The long confinement had +destroyed his health, and being feeble when he set out, he soon found +himself unequal to the journey. He died a few days before the home was +reached; and the welcome that his companion received was a sad one, for +he brought the intelligence of the death of his comrade. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +But we will do as the Dahcotahs did--turn from the sadness and horror of +an Indian's death, to the gayety and happiness of an Indian marriage. +The Indians are philosophers, after all--they knew that they could not +go after the Chippeways, so they made the best of it and smoked. Beloved +Hail was dead, but they could not bring him to life, and they smoked +again: besides, "Walking Wind" was to be married to "The War Club," +whereupon they smoked harder than ever. + +There are two kinds of marriages among the Dahcotahs, buying a wife and +stealing one. The latter answers to our runaway matches, and in some +respects the former is the ditto of one conducted as it ought to be +among ourselves. So after all, I suppose, Indian marriages are much like +white people's. + +But among the Dahcotahs it is an understood thing that, when the young +people run away, they are to be forgiven at any time they choose to +return, if it should be the next day, or six months afterwards. This +saves a world of trouble. It prevents the necessity of the father +looking daggers at the son-in-law, and then loving him violently; the +mother is spared the trial of telling her daughter that she forgives her +though she has broken her heart; and, what is still better, there is not +the slightest occasion whatever for the bride to say she is wretched, +for having done what she certainly would do over again to-morrow, were +it undone. + +So that it is easy to understand why the Dahcotahs have the advantage of +us in runaway matches, or as _they_ say in "stealing a wife;" for it is +the same thing, only more honestly stated. + +When a young man is unable to purchase the girl he loves best, or if her +parents are unwilling she should marry him, if he have gained the heart +of the maiden he is safe. They appoint a time and place to meet; take +whatever will be necessary for their journey; that is, the man takes his +gun and powder and shot, and the girl her knife and wooden bowl to eat +and drink out of; and these she intends to hide in her blanket. +Sometimes they merely go to the next village to return the next day. But +if they fancy a bridal tour, away they go several hundred miles with +the grass for their pillow, the canopy of heaven for their curtains, and +the bright stars to light and watch over them. When they return home, +the bride goes at once to chopping wood, and the groom to smoking, +without the least form or parade. + +Sometimes a young girl dare not run away; for she has a miserly father +or mother who may not like her lover because he had not enough to give +them for her; and she knows they will persecute her and perhaps shoot +her husband. But this does not happen often. Just as, once in a hundred +years in a Christian land, if a girl will run away with a young man, her +parents run after her, and in spite of religion and common sense bring +her back, have her divorced, and then in either case the parties must, +as a matter of course, be very miserable. + +But the marriage that we are about to witness, is a "marriage in high +life" among the Dahcotahs, and the bride is regularly bought, as often +occurs with us. + +"Walking Wind" is not pretty; even the Dahcotahs, who are far from being +connoisseurs in beauty do not consider her pretty. She is, however, tall +and well made, and her feet and hands (as is always the case with the +Dahcotah women) are small. She has a quantity of jet-black hair, that +she braids with a great deal of care. Her eyes are very black, but +small, and her dark complexion is relieved by more red than is usually +seen in the cheeks of the daughters of her race. Her teeth are very +fine, as everybody knows--for she is always laughing, and her laugh is +perfect music. + +Then Walking Wind is, generally speaking, so good tempered. She was +never known to be very angry but once, when Harpstenah told her she was +in love with "The War Club;" she threw the girl down and tore half the +hair out of her head. What made it seem very strange was, that she was +over head and ears in love with "The War Club" at that very time; but +she did not choose anybody should know it. + +War Club was a flirt--yes, a male coquette--and he had broken the hearts +of half the girls in the band. Besides being a flirt, he was a fop. He +would plait his hair and put vermilion on his cheeks; and, after seeing +that his leggins were properly arranged, he would put the war eagle +feathers in his head, and folding his blanket round him, would walk +about the village, or attitudinize with all the airs of a Broadway +dandy. War Club was a great warrior too, for on his blanket was marked +the Red Hand, which showed he had killed his worst enemy--for it was his +father's enemy, and he had hung the scalp up at his father's grave. +Besides, he was a great hunter, which most of the Dahcotahs are. + +No one, then, could for a moment doubt the pretensions of War Club, or +that all the girls of the village should fall in love with him; and he, +like a downright flirt, was naturally very cold and cruel to the poor +creatures who loved him so much. + +Walking Wind, besides possessing many other accomplishments, such as +tanning deer-skin, making mocassins, &c., was a capital shot. On one +occasion, when the young warriors were shooting at a mark, Walking Wind +was pronounced the best shot among them, and the War Club was quite +subdued. He could bear everything else; but when Walking Wind beat him +shooting--why--the point was settled; he must fall in love with her, +and, as a natural consequence, marry her. + +Walking Wind was not so easily won. She had been tormented so long +herself, that she was in duty bound to pay back in the same coin. It was +a Duncan Gray affair--only reversed. At last she yielded; her lover +gave her so many trinkets. True, they were brass and tin; but Dahcotah +maidens cannot sigh for pearls and diamonds, for they never even heard +of them; and the philosophy of the thing is just the same, since +everybody is outdone by somebody. Besides, her lover played the flute +all night long near her father's wigwam, and, not to speak of the pity +that she felt for him, Walking Wind was confident she never could sleep +until that flute stopped playing, which she knew would be as soon as +they were married. For all the world knows that no husband, either white +or copper-colored, ever troubles himself to pay any attention of that +sort to his wife, however devotedly romantic he may have been +before marriage. + +Sometimes the Dahcotah lover buys his wife without her consent; but the +War Club was more honorable than that: he loved Walking Wind, and he +wanted her to love him. + +When all was settled between the young people, War Club told his parents +that he wanted to marry. The old people were glad to hear it, for they +like their ancient and honorable names and houses to be kept up, just as +well as lords and dukes do; so they collected everything they owned for +the purpose of buying Walking Wind. Guns and blankets, powder and shot, +knives and trinkets, were in requisition instead of title-deeds and +settlements. So, when all was ready, War Club put the presents on a +horse, and carried them to the door of Walking Wind's wigwam. + +He does not ask for the girl, however, as this would not be Dahcotah +etiquette. He lays the presents on the ground and has a consultation, +or, as the Indians say, a "talk" with the parents, concluding by asking +them to give him Walking Wind for his wife. + +And, what is worthy to be noticed here is, that, after having gone to so +much trouble to ask a question, he never for a moment waits for an +answer, but turns round, horse and all, and goes back to his wigwam. + +The parents then consult for a day or two, although they from the first +moment have made up their minds as to what they are going to do. In due +time the presents are taken into the wigwam, which signifies to the +lover that he is a happy man. And on the next day Walking Wind is to +be a bride. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Early in the morning, Walking Wind commenced her toilet--and it was no +light task to deck the Indian bride in all her finery. + +Her mocassins were worked with porcupine, and fitted closely her small +feet; the leggins were ornamented with ribbons of all colors; her cloth +shawl, shaped like a mantilla, was worked with rows of bright ribbons, +and the sewing did honor to her own skill in needle-work. Her breast +was covered with brooches, and a quantity of beads hung round her neck. +Heavy ear-rings are in her ears--and on her head is a diadem of war +eagle's feathers. She has a bright spot of vermilion on each cheek, +and--behold an Indian bride! + +When she is ready, as many presents as were given for her are collected +and put on a horse; and the bride, accompanied by three or four of her +relations, takes the road to the wigwam of the bridegroom. + +When they arrive within a hundred yards of the wigwam, Walking Wind's +father calls for the War Club to come out. He does not come, but sends +one of his relations to receive the bride. Do not suppose that Walking +Wind's father takes offence at the bridegroom's not coming when he is +called; for it is as much a part of the ceremony, among the Dahcotahs, +for one of the bride's relations to call for the bridegroom, and for the +groom to refuse to come, as it is for us to have the ring put upon the +third finger of the left hand. + +As soon as the warrior deputed by the husband elect to receive the bride +makes his appearance, the Indians raise a shout of applause, and all run +towards him as he approaches them, and while they are running and +shouting they are firing off their guns too. + +But the ceremony is not over yet. Walking Wind, in order to complete the +ceremonies, to be a wife, must jump upon the back of her husband's +relative, and be thus carried into the wigwam of which she is to be +the mistress. + +What a situation for a bride! Walking Wind seriously thinks of +rebelling; she hesitates--while the man stands ready to start for the +wigwam so soon as the luggage is on. The bride draws back and pouts a +little, when some of her friends undertake to reason with her; and she, +as if to avoid them, springs upon the back of the Dahcotah, who carries +her into the wigwam. + +But where on earth is the bridegroom? Seated on the ground in the +teepee, looking as placid and unconcerned as if nothing was going on. Of +course he rises to receive his bride? Not he; but Walking Wind is on her +feet again, and she takes her seat, without any invitation, by the side +of him, who is literally to be her lord and master--and they are man and +wife. As much so, as if there were a priest and a ring, pearls and +bride-cake. For the Dahcotah reveres the ceremony of marriage, and he +thinks with solemn awe of the burial rites of his nation, as we do. +These rites have been preserved from generation to generation, told from +father to son, and they will be handed down until the Dahcotahs are no +more, or until religion and education take the place of superstition and +ignorance--until God, our God, is known and worshipped among a people +who as yet have hardly heard His name. + + + + +SHAH-CO-PEE; + + +THE ORATOR OF THE SIOUX. + +Shah-co-pee (or Six) is one of the chiefs of the Dahcotahs; his village +is about twenty-five miles from Fort Snelling. He belongs to the bands +that are called Men-da-wa-can-ton, or People of the Spirit Lakes. + +No one who has lived at Fort Snelling can ever forget him, for at what +house has he not called to shake hands and smoke; to say that he is a +great chief, and that he is hungry and must eat before he starts for +home? If the hint is not immediately acted upon, he adds that the sun is +dying fast, and it is time for him to set out. + +Shah-co-pee is not so tall or fine looking as Bad Hail, nor has he the +fine Roman features of old Man in the Cloud. His face is decidedly ugly; +but there is an expression of intelligence about his quick black eye and +fine forehead, that makes him friends, notwithstanding his many +troublesome qualities. + +At present he is in mourning; his face is painted black. He never combs +his hair, but wears a black silk handkerchief tied across his forehead. + +When he speaks he uses a great deal of gesture, suiting the action to +the word. His hands, which are small and well formed, are black with +dirt; he does not descend to the duties of the toilet. + +He is the orator of the Dahcotahs. No matter how trifling the occasion, +he talks well; and assumes an air of importance that would become him if +he were discoursing on matters of life and death. + +Some years ago, our government wished the Chippeways and Dahcotahs to +conclude a treaty of peace among themselves. Frequently have these two +bands made peace, but rarely kept it any length of time. On this +occasion many promises were made on both sides; promises which would be +broken by some inconsiderate young warrior before long, and then +retaliation must follow. + +Shah-co-pee has great influence among the Dahcotahs, and he was to come +to Fort Snelling to be present at the council of peace. Early in the +morning he and about twenty warriors left their village on the banks of +the St. Peters, for the Fort. + +When they were very near, so that their actions could be distinguished, +they assembled in their canoes, drawing them close together, that they +might hear the speech which their chief was about to make them. + +They raised the stars and stripes, and their own flag, which is a staff +adorned with feathers from the war eagle; and the noon-day sun gave +brilliancy to their gay dresses, and the feathers and ornaments that +they wore. + +Shah-co-pee stood straight and firm in his canoe--and not the less +proudly that the walls of the Fort towered above him. + +"My boys," he said (for thus he always addressed his men), "the +Dahcotahs are all braves; never has a coward been known among the +People of the Spirit Lakes. Let the women and children fear their +enemies, but we will face our foes, and always conquer. + +"We are going to talk with the white men; our great Father wishes us to +be at peace with our enemies. We have long enough shed the blood of the +Chippeways; we have danced round their scalps, and our children have +kicked their heads about in the dust. What more do we want? When we are +in council, listen to the words of the Interpreter as he tells us what +our great Father says, and I will answer him for you; and when we have +eaten and smoked the pipe of peace, we will return to our village." + +The chief took his seat with all the importance of a public benefactor. +He intended to have all the talking to himself, to arrange matters +according to his own ideas; but he did it with the utmost condescension, +and his warriors were satisfied. + +Besides being an orator, Shah-co-pee is a beggar, and one of a high +order too, for he will neither take offence nor a refusal. Tell him one +day that you will not give him pork and flour, and on the next he +returns, nothing daunted, shaking hands, and asking for pork and flour. +He always gains his point, for you are obliged to give in order to get +rid of him. He will take up his quarters at the Interpreter's, and come +down upon you every day for a week just at meal time--and as he is +always blessed with a ferocious appetite, it is much better to +capitulate, come to terms by giving him what he wants, and let him go. +And after he has once started, ten to one if he does not come back to +say he wants to shoot and bring you some ducks; you must give him powder +and shot to enable him to do so. That will probably be the last of it. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +It was a beautiful morning in June when we left Fort Snelling to go on a +pleasure party up the St. Peters, in a steamboat, the first that had +ever ascended that river. There were many drawbacks in the commencement, +as there always are on such occasions. The morning was rather cool, +thought some, and as they hesitated about going, of course their toilets +were delayed to the last moment. And when all were fairly in the boat, +wood was yet to be found. Then something was the matter with one of the +wheels--and the mothers were almost sorry they had consented to come; +while the children, frantic with joy, were in danger of being drowned +every moment, by the energetic movements they made near the sides of the +boat, by way of indicating their satisfaction at the state of things. + +In the cabin, extensive preparations were making in case the excursion +brought on a good appetite. Everybody contributed loaf upon loaf of +bread and cake; pies, coffee and sugar; cold meats of every description; +with milk and cream in bottles. Now and then, one of these was broken or +upset, by way of adding to the confusion, which was already intolerable. + +Champaigne and old Cogniac were brought by the young gentlemen, only for +fear the ladies should be sea-sick; or, perhaps, in case the gentlemen +should think it positively necessary to drink the ladies' health. + +When we thought all was ready, there was still another delay. +Shah-co-pee and two of his warriors were seen coming down the hill, the +chief making an animated appeal to some one on board the boat; and as he +reached the shore he gave us to understand that his business was +concluded, and that he would like to go with us. But it was very evident +that he considered his company a favor. + +The bright sun brought warmth, and we sat on the upper deck admiring the +beautiful shores of the St. Peter's. Not a creature was to be seen for +some distance on the banks, and the birds as they flew over our heads +seemed to be the fit and only inhabitants of such a region. + +When tired of admiring the scenery, there was enough to employ us. The +table was to be set for dinner; the children had already found out which +basket contained the cake, and they were casting admiring looks +towards it. + +When we were all assembled to partake of some refreshments, it was +delightful to find that there were not enough chairs for half the party. +We borrowed each other's knives and forks too, and etiquette, that petty +tyrant of society, retired from the scene. + +Shah-co-pee found his way to the cabin, where he manifested strong +symptoms of shaking hands over again; in order to keep him quiet, we +gave him plenty to eat. How he seemed to enjoy a piece of cake that had +accidentally dropped into the oyster-soup! and with equal gravity would +he eat apple-pie and ham together. And then his cry of "wakun" +[Footnote: Mysterious.] when the cork flew from the champaigne bottle +across the table! + +How happily the day passed--how few such days occur in the longest +life! + +As Shah-co-pee's village appeared in sight, the chief addressed Col. +D----, who was at that time in command of Fort Snelling, asking him why +we had come on such an excursion. + +"To escort you home" was the ready reply; "you are a great chief, and +worthy of being honored, and we have chosen this as the best way of +showing our respect and admiration of you." + +The Dahcotah chief believed all; he never for a moment thought there was +anything like jesting on the subject of his own high merits; his face +beamed with delight on receiving such a compliment. + +The men and women of the village crowded on the shore as the boat +landed, as well they might, for a steamboat was a new sight to them. + +The chief sprang from the boat, and swelling with pride and self +admiration he took the most conspicuous station on a rock near the +shore, among his people, and made them a speech. + +We could but admire his native eloquence. Here, with all that is wild in +nature surrounding him, did the untaught orator address his people. His +lips gave rapid utterance to thoughts which did honor to his feelings, +when we consider who and what he was. + +He told them that the white people were their friends; that they wished +them to give up murder and intemperance, and to live quietly and +happily. They taught them to plant corn, and they were anxious to +instruct their children. "When we are suffering," said he, "during the +cold weather, from sickness or want of food, they give us medicine +and bread." + +And finally he told them of the honor that had been paid him. "I went, +as you know, to talk with the big Captain of the Fort, and he, knowing +the bravery of the Dahcotahs, and that I was a great chief, has brought +me home, as you see. Never has a Dahcotah warrior been thus honored!" + +Never indeed! But we took care not to undeceive him. It was a harmless +error, and as no efforts on our part could have diminished his self +importance, we listened with apparent, indeed with real admiration of +his eloquent speech. The women brought ducks on board, and in exchange +we gave them bread; and it was evening as we watched the last teepee of +Shah-co-pee's village fade away in the distance. + +But sorrow mingles with the remembrance of that bright day. One of those +who contributed most to its pleasures is gone from us--one whom all +esteemed and many loved, and justly, for never beat a kinder or a +nobler heart. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +Shah-co-pee has looked rather grave lately. There is trouble in the +wigwam. + +The old chief is the husband of three wives, and they and their children +are always fighting. The first wife is old as the hills, wrinkled and +haggard; the chief cares no more for her than he does for the stick of +wood she is chopping. She quarrels with everybody but him, and this +prevents her from being quite forgotten. + +The day of the second wife is past too, it is of no use for I her to +plait her hair and put on her ornaments; for the old chief's heart is +wrapped up in his third wife. + +The girl did not love him, how could she? and he did not succeed in +talking her into the match; but he induced the parents to sell her to +him, and the young wife went weeping to the teepee of the chief. + +Hers was a sad fate. She hated her husband as much as he loved her. No +presents could reconcile her to her situation. The two forsaken wives +never ceased annoying her, and their children assisted them. The young +wife had not the courage to resent their ill treatment, for the loss of +her lover had broken her heart. But that lover did not seem to be in +such despair as she was--he did not quit the village, or drown himself, +or commit any act of desperation. He lounged and smoked as much as ever. +On one occasion when Shah-co-pee was absent from the village the +lovers met. + +They had to look well around them, for the two old wives were always on +the look out for something to tell of the young one; but there was no +one near. The wind whistled keenly round the bend of the river as the +Dahcotah told the weeping girl to listen to him. + +When had she refused? How had she longed to hear the sound of his voice +when wearied to death with the long boastings of the old chief. + +But how did her heart beat when Red Stone told her that he loved her +still--that he had only been waiting an opportunity to induce her to +leave her old husband, and go with him far away. + +She hesitated a little, but not long; and when Shah-co-pee returned to +his teepee his young wife was gone--no one had seen her depart--no one +knew where to seek for her. When the old man heard that Red Stone was +gone too, his rage knew no bounds. He beat his two wives almost to +death, and would have given his handsomest pipe-stem to have seen the +faithless one again. + +His passion did not last long; it would have killed him if it had. His +wives moaned all through the night, bruised and bleeding, for the fault +of their rival; while the chief had recourse to the pipe, the +never-failing refuge of the Dahcotah. + +"I thought," said the chief, "that some calamity was going to happen to +me" (for, being more composed, he began to talk to the other Indians who +sat with him in his teepee, somewhat after the manner and in the spirit +of Job's friends). "I saw Unk-a-tahe, the great fish of the water, and +it showed its horns; and we know that that is always a sign of trouble." + +"Ho!" replied an old medicine man, "I remember when Unk-a-tahe got in +under the falls" (of St. Anthony) "and broke up the ice. The large +pieces of ice went swiftly down, and the water forced its way until it +was frightful to see it. The trees near the shore were thrown down, and +the small islands were left bare. Near Fort Snelling there was a house +where a white man and his wife lived. The woman heard the noise, and, +waking her husband, ran out; but as he did not follow her quick enough, +the house was soon afloat and he was drowned." + +There was an Indian camp near this house, for the body of Wenona, the +sick girl who was carried over the Falls, was found here. It was placed +on a scaffold on the shore, near where the Indians found her, and +Checkered Cloud moved her teepee, to be near her daughter. Several other +Dahcotah families were also near her. + +But what was their fright when they heard the ice breaking, and the +waters roaring as they carried everything before them? The father of +Wenona clung to his daughter's scaffold, and no entreaties of his wife +or others could induce him to leave. + +"Unk-a-tahe has done this," cried the old man, "and I care not. He +carried my sick daughter under the waters, and he may bury me there +too." And while the others fled from the power of Unk-a-tahe, the father +and mother clung to the scaffold of their daughter. + +They were saved, and they lived by the body of Wenona until they buried +her. "The power of Unk-a-tahe is great!" so spoke the medicine man, and +Shah-co-pee almost forgot his loss in the fear and admiration of this +monster of the deep, this terror of the Dahcotahs. + +He will do well to forget the young wife altogether; for she is far +away, making mocassins for the man she loves. She rejoices at her escape +from the old man, and his two wives; while he is always making speeches +to his men, commencing by saying he is a great chief, and ending with +the assertion that Red Stone should have respected his old age, and not +have stolen from him the only wife he loved. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Shah-co-pee came, a few days ago, with twenty other warriors, some of +them chiefs, on a visit to the commanding officer of Fort Snelling. + +The Dahcotahs had heard that the Winnebagoes were about to be removed, +and that they were to pass through their hunting grounds on their way to +their future homes. They did not approve of this arrangement. Last +summer the Dahcotahs took some scalps of the Winnebagoes, and it was +decided at Washington that the Dahcotahs should pay four thousand +dollars of their annuities as an atonement for the act. This caused much +suffering among the Dahcotahs; fever was making great havoc among them, +and to deprive them of their flour and other articles of food was only +enfeebling their constitutions, and rendering them an easy prey for +disease. The Dahcotahs thought this very hard at the time; they have not +forgotten the circumstance, and they think that they ought to be +consulted before their lands are made a thoroughfare by their enemies. + +They accordingly assembled, and, accompanied by the Indian agent and the +interpreter, came to Fort Snelling to make their complaint. When they +were all seated, (all on the floor but one, who looked most +uncomfortable, mounted on a high chair), the agent introduced the +subject, and it was discussed for a while; the Dahcotahs paying the most +profound attention, although they could not understand a word of what +was passing; and when there was a few moments' silence, the chiefs rose +each in his turn to protest against the Winnebagoes passing through +their country. They all spoke sensibly and well; and when one finished, +the others all intimated their approval by crying "Ho!" as a kind of +chorus. After a while Shah-co-pee rose; his manner said "I am Sir +Oracle." He shook hands with the commanding officer, with the agent and +interpreter, and then with some strangers who were visiting the fort. + +His attitude was perfectly erect as he addressed the officer. + +"We are the children of our great Father, the President of the United +States; look upon us, for we are your children too. You are placed here +to see that the Dahcotahs are protected, that their rights are not +infringed upon." + +While the Indians cried Ho! ho! with great emphasis, Shah-co-pee shook +hands all round again, and then resumed his place and speech. + +"Once this country all belonged to the Dahcotahs. Where had the white +man a place to call his own on our prairies? He could not even pass +through our country without our permission! + +"Our great Father has signified to us that he wants our lands. We have +sold some of them to him, and we are content to do so, but he has +promised to protect us, to be a friend to us, to take care of us as a +father does of his children. + +"When the white man wishes to visit us, we open the door of our country +to him; we treat him with hospitality. He looks at our rocks, our river, +our trees, and we do not disturb him. The Dahcotah and the white man +are friends. + +"But the Winnebagoes are not our friends, we suffered for them not long +ago; our children wanted food; our wives were sick; they could not plant +corn or gather the Indian potato. Many of our nation died; their bodies +are now resting on their scaffolds. The night birds clap their wings as +the winds howl over them! + +"And we are told that our great Father will let the Winnebagoes make a +path through our hunting grounds: they will subsist upon our game; every +bird or animal they kill will be a loss to us. + +"The Dahcotah's lands are not free to others. If our great Father wishes +to make any use of our lands, he should pay us. We object to the +Winnebagoes passing through our country; but if it is too late to +prevent this, then we demand a thousand dollars for every village they +shall pass." + +Ho! cried the Indians again; and Shah-co-pee, after shaking hands once +more, took his seat. + +I doubt if you will ever get the thousand dollars a village, +Shah-co-pee; but I like the spirit that induces you to demand it. May +you live long to make speeches and beg bread--the unrivalled orator and +most notorious beggar of the Dahcotahs! + + + + +OYE-KAR-MANI-VIM; + + +THE TRACK-MAKER. + + +CHAPTER I. + +It was in the summer of 183-, that a large party of Chippeways visited +Fort Snelling. There was peace between them and the Sioux. Their time +was passed in feasting and carousing; their canoes together flew over +the waters of the Mississippi. The young Sioux warriors found strange +beauty in the oval faces of the Chippeway girls; and the Chippeways +discovered (what was actually the case) that the women of the Dahcotahs +were far more graceful than those of their own nation. + +But as the time of the departure of the Chippeways approached, many a +Chippeway maiden wept when she remembered how soon she would bid adieu +to all her hopes of happiness. And Flying Shadow was saddest of them +all. She would gladly have given up everything for her lover. What were +home and friends to her who loved with all the devotion of a heart +untrammeled by forms, fresh from the hand of nature? She listened to his +flute in the still evening, as if her spirit would forsake her when she +heard it no more. She would sit with him on the bluff which hung over +the Mississippi, and envy the very waters which would remain near him, +when she was far away. But her lover loved his nation even more than he +did her; and though he would have died to have saved her from sorrow, +yet he knew she could never be his wife. Even were he to marry her, her +life would ever be in danger. A Chippeway could not long find a home +among the Dahcotahs. + +The Track-maker bitterly regretted that they had ever met, when he saw +her grief at the prospect of parting. "Let us go," he said, "to the +Falls, where I will tell you the story you asked me." + +The Track-maker entered the canoe first, and the girl followed; and so +pleasant was the task of paddling her lover over the quiet waters, that +it seemed but a moment before they were in sight of the torrent. + +"It was there," said the Sioux, "that Wenona and her child found their +graves. Her husband, accompanied by some other Dahcotahs, had gone some +distance above the falls to hunt. While there, he fell in love with a +young girl whom he thought more beautiful than his wife. Wenona knew +that she must no longer hope to be loved as she had been. + +"The Dahcotahs killed much game, and then broke up their camp and +started for their homes. When they reached the falls, the women got +ready to carry their canoes and baggage round. + +"But Wenona was going on a longer journey. She would not live when her +husband loved her no more, and, putting her son in her canoe, she soon +reached the island that divides the falls. + +"Then she put on all her ornaments, as if she were a bride; she dressed +her boy too, as a Dahcotah warrior; she turned to look once more at her +husband, who was helping his second wife to put the things she was to +carry, on her back. + +"Soon her husband called to her; she did not answer him, but placed her +child high up in the canoe, so that his father could see him, and +getting in herself she paddled towards the rapids. + +"Her husband saw that Unk-tahe would destroy her, and he called to her +to come ashore. But he might have called to the roaring waters as well, +and they would have heeded him as soon as she. + +"Still he ran along the shore with his arms uplifted, entreating her to +come ashore. + +"Wenona continued her course towards the rapids--her voice was heard +above the waters as she sang her death song. Soon the mother and child +were seen no more--the waters covered them. + +"But her spirit wanders near this place. An elk and fawn are often seen, +and we know they are Wenona and her child." + +"Do you love me as Wenona loved?" continued the Sioux, as he met the +looks of the young girl bent upon him. + +"I will not live when I see you no more," she replied. "As the flowers +die when the winter's cold falls upon them, so will my spirit depart +when I no longer listen to your voice. But when I go to the land of +spirits I shall be happy. My spirit will return to earth; but it will be +always near you." + +Little didst thou dream that the fate of Wenona would be less sad than +thine. She found the death she sought, in the waters whose bosom opened +to receive her. But thou wilt bid adieu to earth in the midst of the +battle--in the very presence of him, for whose love thou wouldst venture +all. Thy spirit will flee trembling from the shrieks of the dying +mother, the suffering child. Death will come to thee as a terror, not +as a refuge. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +When the Chippeways broke up their camp near Fort Snelling, they divided +into two parties, one party returning home by the Mississippi, the other +by way of the St. Croix. + +They parted on the most friendly terms with the Sioux, giving presents, +and receiving them in return. + +Some pillagers, who acknowledge no control, had accompanied the +Chippeways. These pillagers are in fact highwaymen or privateers--having +no laws, and acting from the impulses of their own fierce hearts. + +After the Chippeways had left, the pillagers concealed themselves in a +path near Lake Calhoun. This lake is about seven miles from +Fort Snelling. + +Before they had been concealed one hour, two Dahcotahs passed, father +and son. The pillagers fired, and the father was killed instantly; but +the son escaped, and made his way home in safety. The boy entered the +village calling for his mother, to tell her the sad news; her cries of +grief gave the alarm, and soon the death of the Sioux was known +throughout the village. The news flew from village to village on the +wings of the wind; Indian runners were seen in every direction, and in +twenty-four hours there were three hundred warriors on foot in pursuit +of the Chippeways. + +Every preparation was made for the death-strife. Not a Sioux warrior but +vowed he would with his own arm avenge the death of his friend. The very +tears of the wife were dried when the hope of vengeance cheered +her heart. + +The Track-maker was famous as a warrior. Already did the aged Dahcotahs +listen to his words; for he was both wise and brave. He was among the +foremost to lead the Dahcotahs against the Chippeways; and though he +longed to raise his tomahawk against his foes, his spirit sunk within +him when he remembered the girl he loved. What will be her fate! Oh! +that he had never seen her. But it was no time to think of her. Duty +called upon him to avenge the death of his friend. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +Woe to the unsuspecting Chippeways! ignorant of the murder that had been +committed, they were leisurely turning their steps homeward, while the +pillagers made their escape with the scalp of the Dahcotah. + +The Sioux travelled one day and night before they came up with the +Chippeways. Nothing could quench their thirst but blood. And the women +and children must suffer first. The savage suffers a twofold death; +before his own turn comes, his young children lie breathless around +him, their mother all unconscious by their side. + +The Chippeways continued their journey, fearing nothing. They had camped +between the falls of St. Anthony and Rum river; they were refreshed, and +the men proceeded first, leaving their women and children to follow. +They were all looking forward with pleasure to seeing their homes again. +The women went leisurely along; the infant slept quietly--what should it +fear close to its mother's heart! The young children laughed as they hid +themselves behind the forest trees, and then emerged suddenly to +frighten the others. The Chippeway maidens rejoiced when they remembered +that their rivals, the Dahcotah girls, would no longer seduce their +lovers from their allegiance. + +Flying Shadow wept, there was nothing to make her happy, she would see +the Track-maker no more, and she looked forward to death as the end of +her cares. She concealed in her bosom the trinkets he had given her; +every feature of his face was written on her heart--that heart that beat +only for him, that so soon would cease to beat at all! + +But there was a fearful cry, that banished even him from her thoughts. +The war-whoop burst suddenly upon the defenceless women. + +Hundreds of Dahcotah warriors rose up to blind the eyes of the +terror-stricken mothers. Their children are scalped before their eyes; +their infants are dashed against the rocks, which are not more +insensible to their cries than their murderers. + +It is a battle of strength against weakness. Stern warrior, it needs +not to strike the mother that blow! she dies in the death of her +children. [Footnote: The Dahcotahs believe, or many of them believe, +that each body has four souls. One wanders about the earth and requires +food; a second watches over the body; the third hovers round its native +village, while the fourth goes to the land of spirits.] + +The maidens clasp their small hands--a vain appeal to the merciless +wretches, who see neither beauty nor grace, when rage and revenge are in +their hearts. It is blood they thirst for, and the young and innocent +fall like grass before the mower. + +Flying Shadow sees her lover! he is advancing towards her! What does his +countenance say? There is sadness in his face, and she hopes--aye, more +than hopes--she knows he will save her. With all a woman's trust she +throws herself in his arms. "Save me! save me!" she cries; "do not let +them slay me before your eyes; make me your prisoner! [Footnote: When +the Sioux are tired of killing, they sometimes take their victims +prisoners, and, generally speaking, treat them with great kindness.] you +said that you loved me, spare my life!" + +Who shall tell his agony? For a moment he thought he would make her his +prisoner. Another moment's reflection convinced him that that would be +of no avail. He knew that she must die, but he could not take her life. + +Her eyes were trustingly turned upon him; her soft hand grasped his arm. +But the Sioux warriors were pressing upon them, he gave her one more +look, he touched her with his spear, [Footnote: When a Dahcotah touches +an enemy with his spear, he is privileged to wear a feather of honor, as +if he had taken a scalp.] and he was gone. + +And Flying Shadow was dead. She felt not the blow that sent her reeling +to the earth. Her lover had forsaken her in the hour of danger, and what +could she feel after that? + +The scalp was torn from her head by one of those who had most admired +her beauty; and her body was trampled upon by the very warriors who had +so envied her lover. + +The shrieks of the dying women reached the ears of their husbands and +brothers. Quickly did they retrace their steps, and when they reached +the spot, they bravely stood their ground; but the Dahcotahs were too +powerful for them,--terrible was the struggle! + +The Dahcotahs continued the slaughter, and the Chippeways were obliged +at last to give way. One of the Chippeways seized his frightened child +and placed him upon his back. His wife lay dead at his feet; with his +child clinging to him, he fought his way through. + +Two of the Dahcotahs followed him, for he was flying fast; and they +feared he would soon be out of their power. They thought, as they nearly +came up to him, that he would loose his hold on his child; but the +father's heart was strong within him. He flies, and the Sioux are close +upon his heels! He fires and kills one of them. The other Sioux follows: +he has nothing to encumber him--he must be victor in such an unequal +contest. But the love that was stronger than death nerved the father's +arm. He kept firing, and the Sioux retreated. The Chippeway and his +young son reached their home in safety, there to mourn the loss of +others whom they loved. + +The sun set upon a bloody field; the young and old lay piled together; +the hearts that had welcomed the breaking of the day were all +unconscious of its close. + +The Sioux were avenged; and the scalps that they brought home (nearly +one hundred when the party joined them from the massacre at Saint Croix) +bore witness to their triumph. + +The other party of Sioux followed the Chippeways who had gone by way of +the St. Croix. While the Chippeways slept, the war-cry of the Sioux +aroused them. And though they fought bravely, they suffered as did their +friends, and the darkness of night added terror to the scene. + +The Dahcotahs returned with the scalps to their villages, and as they +entered triumphantly, they were greeted with shouts of applause. The +scalps were divided among the villages, and joyful preparations were +made to celebrate the scalp-dance. + +The scalps were stretched upon hoops, and covered with vermilion, +ornamented with feathers, ribbons and trinkets. + +On the women's scalps were hung a comb, or a pair of scissors, and for +months did the Dahcotah women dance around them. The men wore mourning +for their enemies, as is the custom among the Dahcotahs. + +When the dancing was done, the scalps were buried with the deceased +relatives of the Sioux who took them. + +And this is Indian, but what is Christian warfare? The wife of the hero +lives to realize her wretchedness; the honors paid by his countrymen are +a poor recompense for the loss of his love and protection. The life of +the child too, is safe, but who will lead him in the paths of virtue, +when his mother has gone down to the grave. + +Let us not hear of civilized warfare! It is all the work of the spirits +of evil. God did not make man to slay his brother, and the savage alone +can present an excuse. The Dahcotah dreams not that it is wrong to +resent an injury to the death; but the Christian knows that God has +said, Vengeance is mine! + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +The Track-maker had added to his fame. He had taken many scalps, and the +Dahcotah maidens welcomed him as a hero--as one who would no longer +refuse to acknowledge the power of their charms. They asked him eagerly +of the fight--whom he had killed first--but they derived but little +satisfaction from his replies. They found he resisted their advances, +and they left him to his gloomy thoughts. + +Every scene he looked upon added to his grief. Memory clung to him, +recalling every word and look of Flying Shadow. But, that last look, +could he ever forget it? + +He tried to console himself with the thoughts of his triumph. Alas! her +smile was sweeter than the recollection of revenge. He had waded in the +blood of his enemies; he had trampled upon the hearts of the men he +hated; but he had broken the heart of the only woman he had ever loved. + +In the silence of the night her death-cry sounded in his ear; and he +would start as if to flee from the sound. In his dreams he saw again +that trustful face, that look of appeal--and then the face of stone, +when she saw that she had appealed in vain. + +He followed the chase, but there he could not forget the battle scene. +"Save me! save me!" forever whispered every forest leaf, or every +flowing wave. Often did he hear her calling him, and he would stay his +steps as if he hoped to meet her smile. + +The medicine men offered to cure his disease; but he knew that it was +beyond their art, and he cared not how soon death came, nor in +what form. + +He met the fate he sought. A war party was formed among the Dahcotahs to +seek more scalps, more revenge. But the Track-maker was weary of glory. + +He went with the party, and never returned. Like _her_, he died in +battle; but the death that she sought to avert, was a welcome messenger +to him. He felt that in the grave all would be forgotten. + + + + +ETA KEAZAH; + +OR, + +SULLEN FACE. + + * * * * * + +Wenona was the light of her father's wigwam--the pride of the band of +Sissetons, whose village is on the shores of beautiful Lake Travers. +However cheerfully the fire might burn in the dwelling of the aged +chief, there was darkness, for him when she was away--and the mother's +heart was always filled with anxiety, for she knew that Wenona had drawn +upon her the envy of her young companions, and she feared that some one +of them would cast a spell [Footnote: The Indians fear that from envy or +jealousy some person may cast a fatal spell upon them to produce +sickness, or even death. This superstition seems almost identical with +the Obi or Obeat of the West India negroes.] upon her child, that her +loveliness might be dimmed by sorrow or sickness. + +The warriors of the band strove to outdo each other in noble deeds, that +they might feel more worthy to claim her hand;--while the hunters tried +to win her good will by presents of buffalo and deer. But Wenona thought +not yet of love. The clear stream that reflected her form told her she +was beautiful; yet her brother was the bravest warrior of the Sissetons; +and her aged parents too--was not their love enough to satisfy her +heart! Never did brother and sister love each other more; their +features were the same, yet man's sternness in him was changed to +woman's softness in her. The "glance of the falcon" in his eye was the +"gaze of the dove" in hers. But at times the expression of his face +would make you wonder that you ever could have thought him like his +twin sister. + +When he heard the Sisseton braves talk of the hunts they had in their +youth, before the white man drove them from the hunting-grounds of their +forefathers;--when instead of the blanket they wore the buffalo +robe;--when happiness and plenty were in their wigwams--and when the +voices of weak women and famished children were never heard calling for +food in vain--then the longing for vengeance that was written on his +countenance, the imprecations that were breathed from his lips, the +angry scowl, the lightning from his eye, all made him unlike indeed to +his sister, the pride of the Sissetons! + +When the gentle breeze would play among the prairie flowers, then would +she win him from such bitter thoughts. "Come, my brother, we will go and +sit by the banks of the lake, why should you be unhappy! the buffalo is +still to be found upon our hunting-grounds--the spirit of the lake +watches over us--we shall not want for food." + +He would go, because she asked him. The quiet and beauty of nature were +not for him; rather would he have stood alone when the storm held its +sway; when the darkness was only relieved by the flash that laid the +tall trees of the forest low; when the thunder bird clapped her wings as +she swept through the clouds above him. But could he refuse to be happy +when Wenona smiled? Alas! that her gentle spirit should not always have +been near to soften his! + +But as the beauty and warmth of summer passed away, so did Wenona's +strength begin to fail; the autumn wind, that swept rudely over the +prairie flowers, so that they could not lift their heads above the tall +grass, seemed to pass in anger over the wigwam of the old man--for the +eye of the Dahcotah maiden was losing its brightness, and her step was +less firm, as she wandered with her brother in her native woods. Vainly +did the medicine men practice their cherished rites--the Great Spirit +had called--and who could refuse to hear his voice? she faded with the +leaves--and the cries of the mourners were answered by the wailing +winds, as they sang her requiem. + +A few months passed away, and her brother was alone. The winter that +followed his sister's death, was a severe one. The mother had never been +strong, and she soon followed her daughter--while the father's age +unfitted him to contend with sorrow, infirmity, and want. + +Spring returned, but winter had settled on the heart of the young +Sisseton; she was gone who alone could drive away the shadow from his +brow, what wonder then that his countenance should always be stern. The +Indians called him Eta Keazah, or Sullen Face. + +But after the lapse of years, the boy, who brooded over the wrongs of +his father, eagerly seeks an opportunity to avenge his own. His sister +has never been forgotten; but he remembers her as we do a beautiful +dream; and she is the spirit that hovers round him while his eyes are +closed in sleep. + +But there are others who hold a place in his heart. His wife is always +ready to receive him with a welcome, and his young son calls upon him to +teach him to send the arrow to the heart of the buffalo. But the +sufferings of his tribe, from want of food and other privations, are +ever before his eyes. Vengeance upon the white man, who has caused them! + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Winter is the season of trial for the Sioux, especially for the women +and children. The incursions of the English half-breeds and Cree +Indians, into the Sisseton country, have caused their buffalo to recede, +and so little other game is to be found, that indescribable sufferings +are endured every winter by the Sissetons. + +Starvation forces the hunters to seek for the buffalo in the depth of +winter. Their families must accompany them, for they have not the +smallest portion of food to leave with them; and who will protect them +from the Chippeways! + +However inclement the season, their home must be for a time on the open +prairie. As far as the eye can reach, it is a desert of snow. Not a +stick of timber can be seen. A storm is coming on too; nothing is heard +but the howling blast, which mocks the cries of famished children. The +drifting of the snow makes it impossible to see what course they are to +take; they have only to sit down and let the snow fall upon them. It is +a relief when they are quite covered with it, for it shelters them from +the keenness of the blast! + +Alas! for the children; the cry of those who can speak is, Give me +food! while the dying infant clings to its mother's breast, seeking to +draw, with its parting breath, the means of life. + +But the storm is over; the piercing cold seizes upon the exhausted +frames of the sufferers. + +The children have hardly strength to stand; the father places one upon +his back and goes forward; the mother wraps her dead child in her +blanket, and lays it in the snow; another is clinging to her, she has no +time to weep for the dead; nature calls upon her to make an effort for +the living. She takes her child and follows the rest. It would be a +comfort to her, could she hope to find her infant's body when summer +returns to bury it. She shudders, and remembers that the wolves of the +prairie are starving too! + +Food is found at last; the strength of the buffalo yields to the arrow +of the Sioux. We will have food and not die, is the joyful cry of all, +and when their fierce appetites are appeased, they carry with them on +their return to their village, the skins of the animals with the +remainder of the meat. + +The sufferings of famine and fatigue, however, are followed by those of +disease; the strength of many is laid low. They must watch, too, for +their enemies are at hand. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +In the summer of 1844 a large party of half-breeds and Indians from Red +river,--English subjects,--trespassed upon the hunting grounds of the +Sioux. There were several hundred hunters, and many carts drawn by oxen +for the purpose of carrying away the buffalo they had killed. One of +this party had left his companions, and was riding alone at some +distance from them. A Dahcotah knew that his nation would suffer from +the destruction of their game--fresh in his memory, too, were the +sufferings of the past winter. What wonder then that the arrow which was +intended for the buffalo, should find its way to the heart of the +trespasser! + +This act enraged the half-breeds; they could not find the Sioux who +committed it--but a few days after they fell in with a party of others, +who were also hunting, and killed seven of them. The rest escaped, and +carried the news of the death of their braves to their village. One of +the killed was a relative of Sullen Face. The sad news spread rapidly +through the village, and nothing was heard but lamentation. The women +cut long gashes on their arms, and as the blood flowed from the wound +they would cry, Where is my husband? my son? my brother? + +Soon the cry of revenge is heard above that of lamentation. "It is not +possible," said Sullen Face, "that we can allow these English to starve +us, and take the lives of our warriors. They have taken from us the food +that would nourish our wives and children; and more, they have killed +seven of our bravest men! we will have revenge--we will watch for them, +and bring home their scalps, that our women may dance round them!" + +A war party was soon formed, and Sullen Face, at the head of more than +fifty warriors, stationed himself in the vicinity of the road by which +the half-breeds from Red river drive their cattle to Fort Snelling. + +Some days after, there was an unusual excitement in the Sioux village on +Swan lake, about twenty miles northwest of Traverse des Sioux. A number +of Indians were gazing at an object not very distant, and in order to +discover what it was, the chief of the village, Sleepy Eyes, had sent +one of his young men out, while the rest continued to regard it with +looks of curiosity and awe. + +They observed that as the Sioux approached it, he slackened his pace, +when suddenly he gave a loud cry and ran towards the village. + +He soon reached them, and pale with terror, exclaimed, "It is a spirit, +it is white as the snow that covers our prairies in the winter. It +looked at me and spoke not." For a short time, his fears infected the +others, but after a while several determined to go and bring a more +satisfactory report to their chief. They returned with the body, as it +seemed only, of a white man; worn to a skeleton, with his feet cut and +bleeding, unable to speak from exhaustion; nothing but the beating of +his heart told that he lived. + +The Indian women dressed his feet, and gave him food, wiped the blood +from his limbs, and, after a consultation, they agreed to send word to +the missionaries at Traverse des Sioux, that there was a white man sick +and suffering with them. + +The missionaries came immediately; took the man to their home, and with +kind nursing he was soon able to account for the miserable situation in +which he had been found. + +"We left the state of Missouri," said the man, whose name was Bennett, +"for the purpose of carrying cattle to Fort Snelling. My companions' +names were Watson and Turner. We did not know the road, but supposed a +map would guide us, with what information we could get on the way. We +lost our way, however, and were eagerly looking for some person who +could set us right. Early one morning some Sioux came up with us, and +seemed inclined to join our party. One of them left hastily as if sent +on a message; after a while a number of warriors, accompanied by the +Indian who had left the first party, came towards us. Their leader had a +dark countenance, and seemed to have great influence over them. We tried +to make them understand that we had lost our way; we showed them the +map, but they did not comprehend us. + +"After angrily addressing his men for a few moments, the leader shot +Watson through the shoulder, and another sent an arrow through his body +and killed him. They then struck Watson's brother and wounded him. + +"In the mean time the other Indians had been killing our cattle; and +some of the animals having run away, they made Watson, who was sadly +bruised with the blows he had received from them, mount a horse and go +with them to hunt the rest of the cattle. We never heard of him again. +The Indians say he disappeared from among the bushes, and they could +not find him; but the probability is that they killed him. Some seemed +to wish to kill Turner and myself--but after a while they told us to go, +giving us our horses and a little food. We determined to retrace our +steps. It was the best thing we could do; but our horses gave out, and +we were obliged to leave them and proceed on foot. + +"We were soon out of provisions, and having no means of killing game, +our hearts began to fail us. Turner was unwell, and on arriving at a +branch of Crow river, about one hundred miles northwest of Fort +Snelling, he found himself unable to swim. I tried to carry him across +on my back, but could not do it; he was drowned, and I barely succeeded +in reaching the shore. After resting, I proceeded on my journey. When I +came in sight of the Indian village, much as I needed food and rest, I +dreaded to show myself, for fear of meeting Watson's fate. I was spared +the necessity of deciding. I fainted and fell to the ground. They found +me, and proved kinder than I anticipated. + +"Why they should have molested us I know not. There is something in it +that I do not understand." + +But it is easily explained. Sullen Face supposed them to belong to the +party that had killed his friends, and through this error he had shed +innocent blood. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Who that has seen Fort Snelling will not bear testimony to its beautiful +situation! Whichever way we turn, nature calls for our admiration. But +beautiful as it is by day, it is at night that its majesty and +loveliness speak to the soul. Look to the north, (while the Aurora +Borealis is flashing above us, and the sound of the waters of St. +Anthony's Falls meets the ear,) the high bluffs of the Mississippi seem +to guard its waters as they glide along. To the south, the St. Peter's +has wandered off, preferring gentle prairies to rugged cliffs. To the +east we see the "meeting of the waters;" gladly as the returning child +meets the welcoming smile of the parent, do the waves of the St. Peter's +flow into the Mississippi. On the west, there is prairie far as the eye +can reach. + +But it is to the free only that nature is beautiful. Can the prisoner +gaze with pleasure on the brightness of the sky, or listen to the +rippling of the waves? they make him feel his fetters the more. + + I am here, with my heavy chain! + And I look on a torrent sweeping by. + And an eagle rushing to the sky, + And a host to its battle plain. + + Must I pine in my fetters here! + With the wild wave's foam and the free bird's flight, + And the tall spears glancing on my sight, + And the trumpet in mine ear? + +The summer of 1845 found Sullen Face a prisoner at Fort Snelling. +Government having been informed of the murder of Watson by two Dahcotah +Indians, orders were received at Fort Snelling that two companies should +proceed to the Sisseton country, and take the murderers, that they might +be tried by the laws of the United States. + +Now for excitement, the charm of garrison life. Officers are of course +always ready to "go where glory waits" them, but who ever heard of one +being ready to go when the order came? + +Alas! for the young officer who has a wife to leave; it will be weeks +before he meets again her gentle smile! + +Still more--alas for him who has no wife at all! for he has not a shirt +with buttons on it, and most of what he has are in the wash. He will +have to borrow of Selden; but here's the difficulty, Selden is going +too, and is worse off than himself. But no matter! what with pins and +twine and trusting to chance, they will get along. + +Then the married men are inquiring for tin reflectors, for hard bread, +though healthy, is never tempting. India rubber cloaks are in +requisition too. + +Those who are going, claim the doctor in case of accidents. Those who +stay, their wives at least, want him for fear of measles; while the +disciple of Esculapius, though he knows there will be better cooking if +he remain at home, is certain there will be food for fun if he go. It is +soon decided--the doctor goes. + +Then the privates share in the pleasure of the day. How should a +soldier be employed but in active service? besides, what a capital +chance to desert! One, who is tired of calling "All's well" through the +long night, with only the rocks and trees to hear him, hopes that it +will be his happy fate to find out there is danger near, and to give the +alarm, Another vows, that if trouble wont come, why he will bring it by +quarrelling with the first rascally Indian he meets. All is ready. +Rations are put up for the men;--hams, buffalo tongues, pies and cake +for the officers. The battalion marches out to the sound of the drum +and fife;--they are soon down the hill--they enter their boats; +hand-kerchiefs are waved from the fort, caps are raised and flourished +over the water;--they are almost out of sight--they are gone. + +When the troops reached their destination, Sullen Face and Forked Horn +were not there, but the chief gave them three of his warriors, (who were +with the party of Sullen Face at the time of the murder,) promising that +when the two murderers returned they would come to Fort Snelling, and +give themselves up. + +There was nothing then to prevent the immediate return of our troops. +Their tramp had been a delightful one, and so far success had crowned +their expedition. They were in the highest spirits. But a little +incident occurred on their return, that was rather calculated to show +the transitoriness of earthly joys. One dark night, when those who were +awake were thinking, and those who slept were dreaming of their welcome +home, there was evidently a disturbance. The sleepers roused themselves; +guns were discharged. What could it be? + +The cause was soon ascertained. To speak poetically, the birds had +flown--in plain language, the prisoners had run away. They were not +bound, their honor had been trusted to;--but you cannot place much +reliance on the honor of an Indian with a prison in prospect. I doubt +if a white man could be trusted under such circumstances. True, there +was a guard, but, as I said, 'twas a dark night. + +The troops returned in fine health, covered with dust and fleas, if not +with glory. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +It is time to return to Sullen Face. He and Forked Horn, on their return +to the village, were informed of what had occurred during their absence. +They offered to fulfil the engagement of the chief, and accompanied by +others of the band, they started for Fort Snelling. The wife of Sullen +Face had insisted upon accompanying him, and influenced by a +presentiment that he should never return to his native village, he +allowed her to do so. Their little boy quite forgot his fatigue as he +listened to his father's voice, and held his hand. When they were near +the fort, notice of their approach was sent to the commanding officer. + +The entire force of the garrison marched out to receive the prisoners. A +large number of Indians assembled to witness the scene--their gay +dresses and wild appearance adding to its interest. + +Sullen Face and Forked Horn, with the Sioux who had accompanied them, +advanced to meet the battalion. The little boy dressed as a warrior, his +war-eagle plumes waving proudly over his head, held his father's hand. +In a moment the iron grasp of the soldier was on the prisoner's +shoulder; they entered the gate of the fort; and he, who had felt that +the winds of Heaven were not more free than a Dahcotah warrior, was now +a prisoner in the power of the white man. But he entered not his cell +until he had sung a warrior's song. Should his enemies think that he +feared them? Had he not yielded himself up? + +It was hard to be composed in parting with his wife and child. "Go my +son," he said, "you will soon be old enough to kill the buffalo for your +mother." But to his wife he only said, "I have done no wrong, and fear +not the power of my enemies." The Sissetons returned to the village, +leaving the prisoners at Fort Snelling, until they should be sent to +Dubuque for trial. + +They frequently walked about the fort, accompanied by a guard. Sullen +Face seemed to be indifferent to his fate, and was impressed with the +idea that he never would return to his home. "Beautiful country!" said +he, as he gazed towards the point where the waters of the Mississippi +and St. Peter's meet. "I shall never look upon you again, the waters of +the rivers unite, but I have parted forever from country and friends. My +spirit tells me so. Then welcome death! they guard me now with sword and +bayonet, but the soul of the Dahcotah is free." + +After their removal to Dubuque, the two prisoners from Fort Snelling, +with others who had been concerned in the murder, suffered much from +sickness. Sullen Face would not complain, but the others tried to induce +him to make his escape. He, at first, refused to do so, but finding his +companions determined upon going, he at last consented. + +Their plans succeeded, and after leaving the immediate neighborhood, +they broke their shackles with stones. They were obliged, however, to +hide themselves for a time among the rocks, to elude the sheriff and his +party. They were not taken, and as soon as they deemed it prudent, they +resumed their route. + +Two of the prisoners died near Prairie du Chien. Sullen Face, Forked +Horn, and another Sioux, pursued their journey with difficulty, for they +were near perishing from want of food. They found a place where the +Winnebagoes had encamped, and they parched the corn that lay scattered +on the ground. + +Disease had taken a strong hold upon the frame of Sullen Face; he +constantly required the assistance of his companions. When they were +near Prairie le Gros, he became so ill that he was unable to proceed. He +insisted upon his friends leaving him; this they at first refused to do, +but fearing that they would be found and carried back to prison, they +consented--and the dying warrior found himself alone. + +Some Indians who were passing by saw him and gently carried him to their +wigwam. But he heeded not their kindness. Death had dimmed the +brightness of his eye, and his fast-failing strength told of the long +journey to the spirits' land. + +"It was not thus," he said, "that I thought to die! Where are the +warriors of the Sissetons? Do they listen to my death song?" I hoped to +have triumphed over the white man, but his power has prevailed. My +spirit drooped within his hated walls? But hark! there is music in my +ears--'tis the voice of the sister of my youth--"Come with me my +brother, we wait for you in the house of the spirits! we will sit by the +banks of a lake more beautiful than that by which we wandered in our +childhood; you will roam over the hunting grounds of your forefathers, +and there the white man may never come." + +His eyes are closing fast in death, but his lips murmur--"Wenona! I +come! I come!" + + + + +TONWA-YAH-PE-KIN; + + +THE SPIES. + + * * * * * + +CHAPTER I. + +IT was in the spring of 1848, that several Dahcotahs were carefully +making their way along the forests near the borders of the Chippeway +country. There had recently been a fight near the spot where they were, +and the Dahcotahs were seeking the bodies of their friends who had been +slain, that they might take them home to bury them. + +They moved noiselessly along, for their enemies were near. Occasionally, +one of them would imitate the cry of a bird or of some animal, so that +if the attention of their enemies should be drawn to the spot, the +slight noise they made in moving might be attributed to any but the +right cause. + +They had almost given up the hope of finding their friends, and this was +the close of their last day's efforts to that intent. In the morning +they intended to return to their village. + +It was a bright clear evening, and the rays of the setting sun fell upon +some objects further on. For a time the Dahcotahs gazed in silence; but +no movement gave sign of what it was that excited their curiosity. All +at once there was a fearful foreboding; they remembered why they were +there, and they determined to venture near enough to find out what was +the nature of the object on which the rays of the sun seemed to rest as +if to attract their notice. + +A few more steps and they were relieved from their terrible suspense, +but their worst fears were realized. + +The Dahcotahs recently killed had been skinned by the Chippeways, while +their bodies were yet warm with life, and the skins were stretched upon +poles; while on separate poles the hands were placed, with one finger of +each hand pointing to the Dahcotah country. The savages were in a +fearful rage. They had to endure a twofold insult. + +There were the bodies of their friends, treated as if they were but +beasts, and evidently put there to be seen by the Dahcotahs. And +besides, the hands pointing to the country of the Dahcotahs--did it not +plainly say to the spies, go back to your country and say to your +warriors, that the Chippeways despise them, that they are not worthy to +be treated as men? + +The spies returned as cautiously as they had ventured near the fatal +spot, and it was not until they were out of reach of danger from their +foes, that they gave vent to their indignation. Then their smothered +rage burst forth. They hastened to return and tell the event of their +journey. They forgot how grieved the wives and sisters of the dead would +be at being deprived of the solace of burying the remains of their +friends--they only thought of revenge for the insult they had received. + +When they arrived at their village, they called together their chiefs +and braves, and related to them what they had seen. A council of war was +held, which resulted in immediate preparations being made to resent the +indignity offered to their friends, and the insult to the whole tribe. + +The war-dance is always celebrated before a war party goes out to find +an enemy, and there is in every village a war chief, who conducts the +party. The war dance is performed inside of a wigwam, and not out of +door, as is usually represented. + +The "Owl" felt himself qualified in every respect to conduct the present +party. He was a great warrior, and a juggler besides; and he had a +reputation acquired from an act performed when he was a very young man, +which showed as much cunning as bravery; for one of these qualities is +as necessary to a Dahcotah war chief as the other. + +He was one of a party of Dahcotahs who went to war against the +Chippeways, but without success. On their way back "the Owl" got +separated from the rest of the party, and he climbed a tree to see if he +could discover his comrades. While in the tree a war party of the +Chippeways came in sight and stopped quite near the tree to make +their camp. + +The Owl was in a sad predicament; he knew not what to do to effect his +escape. As he knew he had not the power to contend with his enemies, he +determined to have recourse to stratagem. When it was quite dark he +commenced hooting like an owl, having previously transformed himself +into one. The Chippeways looked up towards the tree and asked the owl +what he was doing there. The owl replied that he had come to see a large +war party of Dahcotahs who would soon pass by. The Chippeways took the +hint, and took to their heels too, and ran home. The Owl then resumed +his form, got down from the tree and returned home. + +This wonderful incident, which he related of himself, gave him a great +reputation and a name besides; for until now he had been called Chaskè, +a name always given to the oldest son; but the Indians after this gave +him the name of the Owl. + +It being decided that the war party should leave as soon as their +preparations could be made, the war chief sent for those who were to +dance. The dance was performed every third or, fourth night until the +party left. For each dance the war chief had a hew set of performers; +only so many were asked at a time as could conveniently dance inside the +wigwam. While some were dancing, others were preparing for the +expedition, getting extra mocassins made, drying meat, or parching corn. + +When all was ready, the party set out, with every confidence in their +war chief. He was to direct them where to find the enemy, and at the +same time to protect them from being killed themselves. + +For a few days they hunted as they went along, and they would build +large fires at night, and tell long stories, to make the time pass +pleasantly. + +The party was composed of about twenty warriors, and they all obeyed +implicitly the orders of their war chief, who appointed some warriors to +see that his directions were carried out by the whole party. Wo to him +who violates a single regulation! his gun is broken, his blanket cut to +pieces, and he is told to return home. Such was the fate of Iron Eyes, +who wandered from the party to shoot a bird on the wing, contrary to the +orders of their chief. But although disgraced and forbidden to join in +the attempt to punish the Chippeways for the outrage they had commited, +he did not return to his village; he followed the tracks of the war +party, determining to see the fun if he could not partake of it. + +On the fourth night after they left home, the warriors were all +assembled to hear the war song of their chief. They were yet in their +own country, seated on the edge of a prairie, and back of them as far as +the eye could reach, there was nothing to be seen but the half melted +snow; no rocks, no trees, relieved the sameness of the view. On the +opposite side of the Mississippi, high bluffs, with their worn sides and +broken rocks, hung over the river; and in the centre of its waters lay +the sacred isles, whose many trees and bushes wanted only the warm +breath of summer to display their luxuriance. The war chief commenced. +He prophesied that they would see deer on the next day, but that they +must begin to be careful, for they would then have entered their +enemies' country. He told them how brave they were, and that he was +braver still. He told them the Chippeways were worse than prairie dogs. +To all of which the warriors responded, Ho! + +When they found themselves near their enemies, the chief forbade a gun +being fired off; no straggling was allowed; none but the spies were to +go beyond a certain distance from the party. + +But after they entered the Chippeway country the duties of the war chief +were still more important. He had to prophesy where the enemy, was to be +found, and about their number; and besides, he had to charm the spirits +of their enemies, that they might be unable to contend with the +Dahcotahs. The spirits on this occasion took the form of a bear. + +About nine o'clock at night this ceremony commences. The warriors all +lie down as if asleep, when the war chief signifies the approach of the +spirits to his men, by the earnestness of his exertions in singing. + +The song continues, and increases in energy as the spirit gets nearer to +the hole in the ground, which the chief dug and filled with water, +previous to commencing his song. Near this hole he placed a hoop, +against which are laid all the war implements of the chief. Before the +song commences the warriors sit and look steadfastly at their leader. +But when the spirit approaches this hole, the warriors hardly dare +breathe, for fear of frightening it away. + +At last the spirit gets close to the hole. The war chief strikes it with +his rattle and kills it; this ensures to the Dahcotahs success in +battle. And most solemnly did the Owl assert to his soldiers, the fact +that he had thus dealt with the bear spirit, while they as earnestly +believed it. + +The next morning, four of the warriors went in advance as spies; one of +them carried a pipe, presented as an offering to deceive the spirits of +their enemies. About noon they sat down to rest, and waited until the +remainder of the party came up. When they were all together again, they +rested and smoked; and other spies were appointed, who took the pipe and +went forward again. + +They had not proceeded far when they perceived signs of their enemies. +In the sand near the borders of a prairie were the footprints of +Chippeways, and fresh too. They, congratulated each other by looks, too +cautious even to whisper. In a few moments a hundred Chippeways could +be called up, but still the Dahcotahs plunge into the thick forest that +skirts the edge of the prairie, in order to find out what prospect they +have for delighting themselves with the long wished for revenge. + +It was not long before a group of Chippeways was discovered, all +unapprehensive of evil. At their camp the Chippeways had made pickets, +for they knew they might expect retaliation; but those who fell a +sacrifice were not expecting their foes. + +The spies were not far ahead--they returned to the party, and then +retraced their steps. The low cries of animals were imitated to prevent +any alarm being given by the breaking of a twig or the rustling of the +leaves. They were very near the Chippeways, when the war chief gave the +signal on a bone whistle, and the Dahcotahs fired. Every one of the +Chippeways fell--two men, three women, and two children. + +Then came the tomahawk and scalping knife--the former to finish the work +of death, the latter to bear a trophy to their country, to say, Our +comrades are avenged. Nor was that all. The bodies were cut to pieces, +and then the warriors commenced their homeward journey. + +They allowed themselves but little rest until they were out of their +enemies' country. But when they were out of the reach of attack, when +their feet trod again upon Dahcotah soil, then they stopped to stretch +each scalp on a hoop, which was attached to a slender pole. This is +always the work of the war chief. + +They look eagerly for the welcome sight of home. The cone-shaped teepees +rise before their view. They know that their young wives will rejoice +to see the scalps, as much as to know that the wanderers have returned. + +When they are near their village the war chief raises the song of +victory; the other warriors join their voices to his. The welcome sound +rouses the inhabitants of the village from their duties or amusements. +The warriors enter the village in triumph, one by one, each bearing the +scalp he took; and the stout warrior, the aged woman, and the feeble +child, all press forward to feast their eyes with the sight of +the scalps. + +There was a jubilee in the village for weeks. Day and night did the +savages dance round the scalps. But how soon may their rejoicings be +lost in cries of terror! Even now they tremble at the sound of their own +voices when evening draws near--for it is their turn to suffer. They +expect their foes, but they do not dread them the less. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Many of the customs of the Dahcotahs are to be attributed to their +superstitions. Their teepees are always made of buffalo-skins; nothing +would induce them to use deer-skin for that purpose. Many years ago a +woman made a teepee of deer-skin; and was taken suddenly ill, and died +immediately after. Some reason must be found for the cause of her death, +and as no other was known, the Indians concluded that she brought her +death upon herself by using deer-skin for her teepee. They have always, +since, used buffalo-skin for that purpose. + +Nothing would induce a Dahcotah woman to look into a looking-glass; for +the medicine men say that death will be the consequence. + +But there is no superstition which influences them more than their +belief in Haokah, or the Giant. They say this being is possessed of +superhuman powers: indeed he is deemed so powerful, as to be able to +take the thunder in his hand and cast it to the ground. He dresses in +many colors, and wears a forked hat. One side of his face is red, the +other blue, his eyes are also of different colors. He always carries a +bow and arrow in his hand, but never has occasion to use it, as one look +will kill the animal he wants. + +They sing songs to this giant, and once in a long time dance in honor of +him; but so severe is the latter custom, that it is rarely performed. +The following incident will show how great is their reverence for this +singular being. An Indian made a vapor bath, and placed inside of it a +rude image of the giant, made of birch bark. This he intended to pray to +while bathing. + +After the hot stone was placed inside of the wigwam, several Indians +went in to assist in giving the bath to their sick friend. One of them +commenced pouring the water on the hot stone, and the water flew on the +others, and scalded them badly; the image of the giant was also +displaced; the Indians never dreamed of attributing their burns to the +natural cause, but concluded that the giant was displeased at their +placing his image there, and they considered it as an instance of his +mercy that they were not scalded to death. + +However defective may be the religion of the Dahcotahs, they are +faithful in acting up to all its requirements. Every feast and custom +among them is celebrated as a part of their religion. + +After the scalp-dance had been performed long enough, the Dahcotahs of +the villages turned their attention to making sugar. Many groves of +sugar trees were in sight of their village, and on this occasion the +generous sap rewarded their labors. + +Nor were they ungrateful; for when the medicine men announced that they +must keep the sugar-feast, all left their occupation, anxious to +celebrate it. Neither need it be concluded that this occasioned them no +loss of time; for they were all occupied with the construction of their +summer wigwams, which are made of the bark of trees, which must be +peeled off in the spring. + +But every villager assembled to keep the feast. A certain quantity of +sugar was dealt out to each individual, and any one of them who could +not eat all that was given him was obliged to pay leggins, or a blanket, +or something valuable, to the medicine man. On this occasion, indeed on +most occasions, the Dahcotahs have no difficulty in disposing of any +quantity of food. + +When the feast was over, however, the skill of their doctors was in +requisition; for almost all of them were made quite ill by excess, and +were seen at evening lying at full length on the ground, groaning and +writhing with pain. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +The day after the sugar feast, the Owl told his wife to get ready her +canoe, as he wanted to spear some fish. She would rather have staid at +home, as she was not fully recovered from her last night's +indisposition. But there was no hesitating when the war chief spoke; so +she placed her child upon her back, and seated herself in the stern of +the canoe, paddling gently along the shore where the fish usually lie. +Her husband stood in the bow of the canoe with a spear about six feet in +length. As he saw the fish lying in the water, he threw the spear into +them, still keeping hold of it. + +When the war chief was tired, his wife would stop paddling, and nurse +her child while he smoked. If the Owl were loquaciously inclined, he +would point out to his wife the place where he shot a deer, or where he +killed the man who had threatened his life. Indeed, if you took his word +for it, there was not a foot of ground in the country which had not been +a scene of some exploit. + +The woman believed them all; for, like a good wife, she shone by the +reflected light of her husband's fame. + +When they returned home, she made her fire and put the fish to cook, and +towards evening many of the Indians were assembled in the wigwam of the +war-chief, and partook of the fish he had caught in the morning. + +"Unk-ta-he," [Footnote: The God of the Waters] said one of the oldest +men in the tribe (and reverenced as a medicine man of extraordinary +powers), "Unk-ta-he is as powerful as the thunder-bird. Each wants to be +the greatest god of the Dahcotahs, and they have had many battles. My +father was a great medicine man; he was killed many years ago, and his +spirit wandered about the earth. The Thunder-bird wanted him, and +Unk-ta-he wanted him, for they said he would make a wonderful medicine +man. Some of the sons of Unk-ta-he fought against the sons of the +Thunder, and the young thunder-birds were killed, and then Unk-ta-he +took the spirit of my father, to teach him many mysterious things. + +"When my father had lived a long time with Unk-ta-he in the waters under +the earth, he took the form of a Dahcotah again, and lived in this +village. He taught me all that I know, and when I go to the land of +spirits, my son must dance alone all night, and he will learn from me +the secret of the medicine of our clan." + +All listened attentively to the old man, for not an Indian there but +believed that he could by a spell cause their instant death; and many +wonderful miracles had the "Elk" wrought in his day. + +In the corner of the wigwam sat the Bound Spirit, whose vacant look told +the sad tale of her want of reason. Generally she sat quiet, but if the +cry of an infant fell upon her ear, she would start, and her shriek +could be heard throughout the village. + +The Bound Spirit was a Sisseton. In the depth of winter, she had left +her village to seek her friends in some of the neighboring bands. She +was a widow, and there was no one to provide her food. + +Accompanied by several other Indians, she left her home, which was made +wretched by her desolate condition--that home where she had been very +happy while her husband lived. It had since been the scene of her want +and misery. + +The small portion of food they had taken for their journey was +exhausted. Rejoiced would they have been to have had the bark of trees +for food; but they were on the open prairie. There was nothing to +satisfy the wretched cravings of hunger, and her child--the very child +that clung to her bosom--was killed by the unhappy mother, and its +tender limbs supplied to her the means of life. + +She reached the place of destination, but it was through instinct, for +forgetting and forgotten by all was the wretched maniac who entered her +native village. + +The Indians feared her; they longed to kill her, but were afraid to do +so. They said she had no heart. + +Sometimes she would go in the morning to the shore, and there, with only +her head out of water, would she lie all day. + +Now, she has been weeping over the infant who sleeps by her. She is +perfectly harmless, and the wife of the war chief kindly gives her food +and shelter whenever she wishes it. + +But it is not often she eats--only when desperate from long fasting--and +when her appetite is satisfied, she seems to live over the scene, the +memory of which has made her what she is. + +After all but she had eaten of the fish, the Elk related to them the +story of the large fish that obstructed the passage of the St. Croix +river. The scene of this tradition was far from them, but the Dahcotahs +tell each other over and over again the stories which have been handed +down from their fathers, and these incidents are known throughout the +tribe. "Two Dahcotahs went to war against their enemies. On returning +home, they stopped at the Lake St. Croix, hungry and much fatigued. + +"One of them caught a fish, cooked it, and asked his comrade to eat, but +he refused. The other argued with him, and begged of him to eat, but +still he declined. + +"The owner of the fish continued to invite his friend to partake of it, +until he, wearied by his importunities, consented to eat, but added with +a mysterious look, 'My friend, I hope you will not get out of patience +with me.' After saying this, he ate heartily of the fish. + +"He then seemed to be very thirsty, and asked his companion to bring him +some water out of the lake; he did so, but very soon the thirst, which +was quenched for a time only, returned; more was given him, but the +terrible thirst continued, and at last the Indian, who had begged his +companion to eat, began to be tired of bringing him water to drink. He +therefore told him he would bring him no more, and requested him to go +down to the water and drink. He did so, and after drinking a great +quantity, while his friend was asleep, he turned himself into a large +fish and stretched himself full length across the St. Croix. + +"This fish for a long time obstructed the passage of the St. Croix; so +much so that the Indians were obliged to go round it by land. + +"Some time ago the Indians were on a hunting excursion up the river, and +when they got near the fish a woman of the party darted ahead in +her canoe. + +"She made a dish of bark, worked the edges of it very handsomely, filled +it with water, and placed some red down in it. She then placed the dish +near the fish in the river, and entreated the fish to go to its own +elements, and not to obstruct the passage of the river and give them so +much trouble. + +"The fish obeyed, and settled down in the water, and has never since +been seen. + +"The woman who made this request of the fish, was loved by him when he +was a Dahcotah, and for that reason he obeyed her wishes." + +Nor was this the only legend with which he amused his listeners. The +night was half spent when they separated to rest, with as firm a faith +in the stories of the old medicine man, as we have in the annals of the +Revolution. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE MAIDEN'S ROCK; + +OR, + +WENONA'S LEAP. + +Lake Pepin is a widening of the Mississippi river. It is about twenty +miles in length, and from one to two miles wide. + +The country along its banks is barren. The lake has little current, but +is dangerous for steamboats in a high wind. It is not deep, and abounds +in fish, particularly the sturgeon. On its shores the traveller gathers +white and red agates, and sometimes specimens streaked with veins of +gold color. The lover reads the motto from his mistress' seal, not +thinking that the beautiful stone which made the impression, was found +on the banks of Lake Pepin. + +At the south end of the lake, the Chippeway river empties into the +Mississippi. + +The Maiden's rock is a high bluff, whose top seems to lean over towards +the water. With this rock is associated one of the most interesting +traditions of the Sioux. + +But the incident is well-known. Almost every one has read it a dozen +times, and always differently told. Some represent the maiden as +delivering an oration from the top of the rock, long enough for an +address at a college celebration. It has been stated that she fell into +the water, a circumstance which the relative situation of the rock and +river would render impossible. + +Writers have pretended, too, that the heroine of the rock was a +Winnebago. It is a mistake, the maiden was a Dahcotah. + +It was from the Dahcotahs that I obtained the incident, and they believe +that it really occurred. They are offended if you suggest the +possibility of its being a fiction. Indeed they fix a date to it, +reckoning by the occurrences of great battles, or other events worthy +of notice. + +But to the story--and I wish I could throw into it the feeling, and +energy of the old medicine woman who related it. + +About one hundred and fifty years ago, the band of Dahcotahs to which +Wenona belonged, lived near Fort Snelling. Their village was on the site +now occupied by Good Road's band. + +The whole band made preparations to go below Lake Pepin, after +porcupines. These animals are of great value among the Dahcotahs; their +flesh is considered excellent as an article of food, and the women stain +their quills to ornament the dresses of the men, their mocassins, and +many other articles in use among them. A young girl of this band had +received repeated offers of marriage from a Dahcotah, whom she hated +with the same degree of intensity that she loved his rival. + +She dared not marry the object of her choice, for she knew it would +subject herself and him to the persecutions of her family. She declared +she never would consent to be the wife of the man whom her parents had +chosen for her, though he was young and brave, and, what is most valued +by the friends of an Indian girl, he was said to be the best hunter of +the tribe. + +"Marry him, my daughter," said the mother, "your father is old; he +cannot now hunt deer for you and me, and what shall we do for food? +Chaskè will hunt the deer and buffalo, and we shall be comfortable +and happy." + +"Yes," said her father, "your mother speaks well. Chaskè is a great +warrior too. When your brother died, did he not kill his worst enemy and +hang up his scalp at his grave?" + +But Wenona persevered in her refusal. "I do not love him, I will not +marry him," was her constant reply. + +But Chaskè, trusting to time and her parent's influence, was not +discouraged. He killed game and supplied the wants of the family. +Besides, he had twice bought her, according to Indian custom. + +He had given her parents cloth and blankets, calico and guns. The girl +entreated them not to receive them, but the lover refused to take them +back, and, finally, they were taken into the wigwam. + +Just as the band was about leaving the village for the hunt, he came +again with many presents; whatever would make the family comfortable on +their journey, and a decided promise was then given that the maiden +should become his wife. + +She knew it would be useless to contend, so she seemed to be willing to +submit to her fate. After encamping for a time opposite the Maiden's +Rock to rest from their journey, the hunters determined to go further +down the river. They had crossed over to the other side, and were seated +nearly under the rock. + +Their women were in their canoes coming over, when suddenly a loud cry +was heard from an old woman, the mother of Wenona. + +The canoe had nearly reached the shore, and the mother continued to +shriek, gazing at the projecting rock. + +The Indians eagerly inquired of her what was the matter? "Do you not see +my daughter?" she said; "she is standing close to the edge of the rock!" + +She was there indeed, loudly and wildly singing her dirge, an invocation +to the Spirit of the Rock, calm and unconcerned in her dangerous +position, while all was terror and excitement among her friends +below her. + +The hunters, so soon as they perceived her, hastily ascended the bluff, +while her parents called to her and entreated her to go back from the +edge of the rock. "Come down to us, my child," they cried; "do not +destroy your life; you will kill us, we have no child but you." + +Having finished her song, the maiden answered her parents. "You have +forced me to leave you. I was always a good daughter, and never +disobeyed you; and could I have married the man I love, I should have +been happy, and would never have left you. But you have been cruel to +me; you have turned my beloved from the wigwam; you would have forced me +to marry a man I hated; I go to the house of spirits." + +By this time the hunters had nearly reached her. She turned towards them +for a moment with a smile of scorn, as if to intimate to them that their +efforts were in vain. But when they were quite near, so that they held +out their arms towards her in their eagerness to draw her from her +dangerous station, she threw herself from the rock. + +The first blow she received from the side of the rock must have killed +her, for she fell like a dead bird, amidst the shouts of the hunters +above, and the shrieks of the women below. + +Her body was arrayed in her handsomest clothing, placed upon a scaffold, +and afterwards buried. + +But the Dahcotahs say that her spirit does not watch over her earthly +remains; for her spirit was offended when she brought trouble upon her +aged mother and father. + +Such is the story told by the Dahcotahs; and why not apply to them for +their own traditions? + +Neither is there any reason to doubt the actual occurrence of the +incident. + +Not a season passes away but we hear of some Dahcotah girl who puts an +end to her life in consequence of jealousy, or from the fear of being +forced to marry some one she dislikes. A short time ago a very young +girl hung herself, rather than become the wife of a man who was already +the husband of one of her sisters. + +The parents told her they had promised her, and insisted upon her +fulfilling the engagement. Even her sister did not object, nay, rather +seemed anxious to forward the scheme, which would give her a rival from +among her nearest relations. + +The young girl finally ran away, and the lover, leaving his wife, +pursued the fugitive, and soon overtook her. He renewed his entreaties, +and finding her still obstinate, he told her that she should become his +wife, and that he would kill her if she made any more trouble. + +This last argument seemed to have the desired effect, for the girl +expressed her willingness to return home. + +After they arrived, the man went to his wigwam to tell his wife of the +return of her sister, and that everything was now in readiness for +their marriage. + +But one hour after, the girl was missing; and when found, was hanging to +a tree, forever free from the power of her tormentors. Her friends +celebrated the ceremonies of death instead of marriage. + +It must be conceded that an Indian girl, when desperate with her love +affairs, chooses a most unromantic way of ending her troubles. She +almost invariably hangs herself; when there are so many beautiful lakes +near her where she could die an easier death, and at the same time one +that would tell better, than where she fastens an old leather strap +about her neck, and dies literally by choking. But there is this to be +taken into consideration. When she hangs herself near the village, she +can manage affairs so that she can be cut down if she concludes to live +a little longer; for this frequently occurs, and the suicide lives forty +and sometimes sixty years after. But when Wenona took the resolution of +ending her earthly sorrows, no doubt there were other passions beside +love influencing her mind. + +Love was the most powerful. With him she loved, life would have been all +happiness--without him, all misery. Such was the reasoning of her +young heart. + +But she resented the importunity of the hunter whose pretensions her +parents favored. How often she had told him she would die before she +would become his wife; and he would smile, as if he had but little faith +in the words of a woman. Now he should see that her hatred to him was +not assumed; and she would die such a death that he might know that she +feared neither him nor a death of agony. + +And while her parents mourned their unkindness, her lover would admire +that firmness which made death more welcome than the triumph of +his rival. + +And sacred is the spot where the devoted girl closed her earthly +sorrows. Spirits are ever hovering near the scene. The laugh of the +Dahcotah is checked when his canoe glides near the spot. He points to +the bluff, and as the shades of evening are throwing dimness and a +mystery around the beauty of the lake, and of the mountains, he fancies +he can see the arms of the girl as she tosses them wildly in the air. +Some have averred they heard her voice as she called to the spirits of +the rock, and ever will the traveller, as he passes the bluff, admire +the wondrous beauty of the picture, and remember the story of the +lover's leap. + +There is a tradition among the Dahcotahs which fixes a date to the +incident, as well as to the death of the rival lovers of Wenona. + +They say that it occurred about the time stated, and that the band of +Indians went and obtained the porcupines, and then they returned and +settled on the St. Croix river. + +Shortly after the tragical death of Wenona, the band went again down the +Mississippi, and they camped at what they call the medicine wood. Here a +child died, and the body was laid on a scaffold. The father in the +middle of the night went out to mourn for his child. While he leant +against the scaffold weeping, he saw a man watching him. The stranger +did not appear to be a Dahcotah, and the mourner was alarmed, and +returned to the camp. In the morning he told the Indians of the +circumstance, and they raised the camp and went into the pine country. + +The body of the child was carried along, and in he night the father went +out again to lament its death. The same figure appeared to him, and +again he returned, alarmed at the circumstance. + +In the morning the Indians moved their camp again, and at night the same +occurrence took place. + +The Dahcotahs are slaves to superstition, and they now dreaded a serious +evil. Their fears were not confirmed in the way they anticipated, for +their foes came bodily, and when daylight appeared, one thousand +Chippeway warriors appeared before them, and the shrill whistle and +terrible whoop of war was heard in earnest. + +Dreadful were the shouts of the Chippeways, for the Dahcotahs were +totally unprepared for them, and many were laid low at the first +discharge of the rifles. + +The merciless Chippeways continued the work of death. The women and +children fled to their canoes, but the Chippeways were too quick for +them; and they only entered their canoes to meet as certain a fate as +those who remained. + +The women had not their paddles with them, and there was an eddy in the +current; as soon as the canoe was pushed from the shore, it would whirl +round, and the delighted Chippeways caught the canoes, and pulled them +ashore again, while others let fall upon their victims the +uplifted tomahawk. + +When the Chippeways had killed until they were tired they took what they +wanted from the Sioux camp, and started for home, taking one Dahcotah +boy prisoner. The party had not travelled far, when a number of +Dahcotahs attacked the Chippeways, but the latter succeeded in killing +many of the Dahcotahs. One of the latter fled, and was in his canoe on +the lake St. Croix, when the Chippeways suddenly came upon him. + +The little Dahcotah saw his only chance for liberty--he plunged in the +water and made for the canoe of the Dahcotah. In a moment he had reached +and entered it, and the two Dahcotahs were out of sight before the +arrows of their enemies could reach them. + +A very few of that band escaped; one of them says that when they were +first attacked by the Chippeways, he saw he had but one chance, so he +dived down to the bottom of the river, and the Chippeways could not +see him. + +He found the water at the bottom of the river very cold, and when he had +gone some distance, he ventured where the water was warmer, which he +knew was near the shore. He then came out of the water and made +his escape. + +Even this latter trifling incident has been handed down from father to +son, and is believed universally by the Dahcotahs. And according to +their tradition, the lovers and family of Wenona perished in this +battle. At all events, there is no one who can prove that their +tradition or my translation may not be true. + + + + +THE INDIAN IN A TRANCE. + + * * * * * + +About forty years ago, Ahak-tah, "The Male Elk," was taken sick with a +sore throat. It was in the winter too, and sickness and cold together +are hard to bear. Want was an evil from which they were suffering; +though the Dahcotahs were not so poor then as they are now. They had not +given so much of their lands to the white people; and they depended more +upon their own exertions for support than they do at present. + +The medicine men did all they could to cure Ahaktah; they tried to charm +away the animal that had entered into his body; they used the sacred +rattle. But Ahaktah's throat got worse; he died, and while his wives and +children wept for him, he had started on his long journey to the land +of spirits. + +He was wrapped in scarlet cloth, and laid upon a scaffold. His wives sat +weeping in their teepee, when a cry from their young children drew their +attention to the door. There stood he for whom they mourned. The dead +man again took his place among those who sat beside the household fire. +Tears of grief were shed no more--food was given to Ahaktah, and when he +was refreshed he thus addressed his wondering family:-- + +"While you were weeping for me, my spirit was on its way to the great +city where our fathers, who have taught us all the wonders of our sacred +medicine, of Haokah the giant, and of the Thunder bird, are now living. +Twice has the sun ceased to shine since I left you, and in that short +time I have seen many strange things. First, I passed through a +beautiful country; the forest-trees were larger than any you have ever +seen. Birds of all colors filled them, and their music was as loud as +when our medicine men play for us to celebrate the scalp dance. The +broad river was full of fish, and the loon screamed as she swam across +the lakes. I had no difficulty in finding my way, for there was a road +through this country. It seemed as if there must have been many +travellers there, though I saw no one. + +"This great road was made by the spirits of those who were killed in +battle. No warrior, however brave he may have been, has ever assisted in +making this road, except those who sang their death songs under the +tomahawk of their enemies. Neither did any woman ever assist. She is not +considered worthy to touch the war implements of a Dahcotah warrior, and +she was not permitted to do anything towards completing the path in +which the braves of the Dahcotahs would walk, when they joined their +forefathers in the land of spirits. + +"As I pursued my journey, I saw near the banks of the river a teepee; I +entered it, and saw paint and all that a warrior needed to dress himself +in order to be fit to enter the city of spirits. I sat down and plaited +my hair, I put vermilion on my cheeks, and arranged the war-eagle +feathers in my head. Here, I said to myself, did my father rest when he +was on the same journey. I was tired, but I could not wait--I longed to +see my friends who had travelled this path before me--I longed to tell +them that the Dahcotahs were true to the customs of their forefathers--I +longed to tell them that we had drunk deep of the blood of the +Chippeways, that we had eaten the hearts of our enemies, that we had +torn their infants from their mothers' breasts, and dashed them to +the earth. + +"I continued my journey, looking eagerly around me to see some one, but +all was desolate; and beautiful as everything was, I would have been +glad to have seen the face of a friend. + +"It was evening when a large city burst upon my sight. The houses were +built regularly on the shores of the river. As far as I could see, the +homes of the spirits of my forefathers were in view. + +"But still I saw no one. I descended the hill towards the river, which I +must cross to reach the city of spirits. I saw no canoe, but I feared +nothing, I was so near my journey's end. The river was wide and deep, +and the waves were swiftly following one another, when I plunged among +them; soon I reached the opposite shore, and as I again stood on the +land, I heard some one cry, 'Here he comes! here he comes!' I approached +the nearest house and entered; everything looked awful and mysterious. + +"In the corner of the room sat a figure whom I recognized. It was my +mother's brother, Flying Wind, the medicine man. I remembered him, for +it was he who taught me to use my bow and arrow. + +"In a bark dish, in the corner of the room, was some wild rice. I was +very hungry, for I had not eaten since I left the earth. I asked my +uncle for some rice to eat, but he did not give it to me. Had I eaten of +the food for spirits, I never should have returned to earth. + +"At last my uncle spoke to me. `My nephew,' said he, 'why are you +travelling without a bow and arrow? how can you provide yourself with +food when you have no means of killing game? When my home was on the +Mississippi, the warriors of the Dahcotahs were never without their bows +and arrows--either to secure their food or to strike to the hearts of +their enemies.' + +"I then remembered that I had been travelling without my bow and arrows. +`But where,' said I to my uncle, `where are the spirits of my +forefathers? where is my brother who fell under the tomahawk of his +enemy? where is my sister who threw herself into the power of Unktahe, +rather than to live and see her rival the wife of the Sun? where are the +spirits of the Dahcotah braves whose deeds are still told from father to +son among us?' + +"'The Dahcotah braves are still watching for their enemies--the hunters +are bringing in the deer and the buffalo--our women are planting corn +and tanning deer-skin. But you will not now see them; your step is firm +and your eye is bright; you must return to earth, and when your limbs +are feeble, when your eye is dim, then will you return and find your +home in the city of spirits.' + +"So saying, he arose and gave me a bow and arrow. I took it, and while +trying it I left the house; but how I do not know. + +"The next thing that I remember was being seated on the top of the +cliffs of Eagle's Nest, below Lake Pepin. I heard a sound, and soon +distinguished my mother's voice; she was weeping. I knew that she was +bending over my body. I could see her as she cut off her hair, and I +felt sad when I heard her cry, 'My son! my son!' Then I recollect being +on the top of the half-side mountain on Lake Pepin. Afterwards I was on +the mountain near Red Wing's village, and again I stood on a rock, on a +point of land near where the waters of the Mississippi and St. Peter's +meet, on the 'Maiden's Jumping Rock;' [Footnote: Near Fort Snelling is a +high rock called the Maiden's Jumping Rock; where formerly the Dahcotah +girls used to jump for amusement, a distance of many feet from the top +to the ground.] here I recovered my right mind." + +The daughter of Ahaktah says that her father retained the "wahkun" bow +and arrow that was given him by his uncle, and that he was always +successful in hunting or in war; that he enjoyed fine health, and lived +to be a very old man; and she is living now to tell the story. + + + + +OECHE-MONESAH; + + +THE WANDERER. + + * * * * * + +Chaskè was tired of living in the village, where the young men, finding +plenty of small game to support life, and yielding to the languor and +indolence produced by a summer's sun, played at checker's, or drank, or +slept, from morn till night, and seemed to forget that they were the +greatest warriors and hunters in the world. This did very well for a +time; but, as I said, Chaskè got tired of it. So he determined to go on +a long journey, where he might meet with some adventures. + +Early one morning he shouldered his quiver of arrows, and drawing out +one arrow from the quiver, he shot it in the direction he intended +to go. + +"Now," said he, "I will follow my arrow." But it seemed as if he were +destined never to find it, for morning and noon had passed away, and the +setting sun warned him, not only of the approach of night, but of +musquitoes too. He thought he would build a fire to drive the musquitoes +away; besides, he was both hungry and tired, though he had not yet found +his arrow, and had nothing to eat. + +When he was hesitating as to what he should do, he saw in the bushes a +dead elk, and behold! his arrow was sticking in its side. He drew the +arrow out, then cut out the tongue, and after making a fire, he put the +tongue upon a stick to roast. But while the tongue was roasting, Chaskè +fell asleep and slept many hours. + +At day-break a woman came up to him and shook him, as if to awake him. +Chaskè started and rubbed his eyes, and the woman pointed to the path +which led across the prairies. Was he dreaming? No, he felt sure he was +awake. So he got up and followed the woman. + +He thought it very strange that the woman did not speak to him. "I will +ask her who she is," said he; but as he turned to address her she raised +her arms in the air, and changing her form to that of a beautiful bird, +blue as the sky that hangs over the morning's mist, she flew away. +Chaskè was surprised and delighted too. He loved adventures; had he not +left home to seek them? so he pursued his journey, quite forgetting his +supper, which was cooking when he fell asleep. + +He shot his arrow off again and followed it. It was late in the evening +when he found it, and then it was in the heart of a moose. "I will not +be cheated out of my supper to-night," said he; so he cut the tongue out +of the moose and placed it before the fire to roast. Hardly had he +seated himself to smoke, when sleep overcame him, and he knew nothing +until morning, when a woman approached and shook him as before, pointing +to the path. + +He arose quickly and followed her; and as he touched her arm, determined +to find out who she was, she, turning upon him a brow black as night, +was suddenly changed into a crow. + +The Dahcotah was completely puzzled. He had never cared for women; on +the contrary, had avoided them. He never wasted his time telling them +they were beautiful, or playing on the flute to charm their senses. He +thought he had left all such things behind him, but already had he been +twice baffled by a woman. Still he continued his journey. He had this +consolation, the Dahcotah girls did not turn into birds and fly away. At +least there was the charm of novelty in the incidents. The next day he +killed a bear, but as usual he fell asleep while the tongue was +roasting, and this time he was waked by a porcupine. The fourth day he +found his arrow in a buffalo. "Now," said he, "I will eat at last, and I +will find out, too, who and what it is that wakes me." + +But he fell asleep as usual, and was waked in the morning by a female +who touched him lightly and pointed to the path. Her back was turned +towards him, and instead of rising to follow her, he caught her in his +arms, determined to see and talk with her. + +Finding herself a prisoner, the girl turned her face to him, and Chaskè +had never seen anything so beautiful. + +Her skin was white as the fairest flower that droops its head over the +banks of the "Lac qui parle." Her hair was not plaited, neither was it +black like the Dahcotah maidens', but it hung in golden ringlets about +her face and neck. The warm blood tinted her cheeks as she met the +ardent gaze of the Dahcotah, and Chaskè could not ask her who she was. +How could he speak when his heart was throbbing, and every pulse +beating wildly? + +"Let me go," said the girl; "why do you seek to detain me? I am a +beaver-woman, [Footnote: According to the wise men of the Dahcotahs, +beavers and bears have souls. They have many traditions about bear and +beaver-women] and you are a Dahcotah warrior. Turn from me and find a +wife among the dark-faced maidens of your tribe." + +"I have always despised them," said the Dahcotah, "but you are more +beautiful than the Spirits of the water. I love you, and will make +you my wife." + +"Then you must give up your people," replied the girl, "for I cannot +live as the Dahcotah women. Come with me to my white lodge, and we will +be happy; for see the bright water as it falls on the rocks. We will sit +by its banks during the heat of the day, and when we are tired, the +music of its waves will lull us to sleep." + +So she took Chaskè by the hand, and they walked on till they came to an +empty white lodge, and there they lived and were very happy. They were +still happier when their little boy began to play about the lodge; for +although they loved each other very much, still it was lonely where they +lived, and the child was company for them both. + +There was one thing, however, that troubled the Dahcotah; he could not +turn his mind from it, and day after day passed without relieving him +from his perplexity. His beautiful wife never ate with him. When he +returned in the evening from hunting, she was always glad to see him, +and while he rested himself and smoked, she would cook his meat for him, +and seem anxious to make him comfortable. But he had never seen her eat; +and when he would tell her that he did not like to eat alone, and beg +her to sit down and eat with him, she would say she was not hungry; and +then employ herself about her wigwam, as if she did not wish him to say +any more about it. + +Chaskè made up his mind that he would find out what his wife lived upon. +So the next morning he took his bow and arrows, as if he were going out +on a day's hunt. After going a short distance from the lodge, he hid +himself in the trees, where he could watch the motions of his wife. + +She left the lodge after a while, and with an axe in her hand she +approached a grove of poplar trees. After carefully looking round to +satisfy herself that there was no one near, she cut down a number of the +small and tender poplars, and, carrying them home, ate them as if she +enjoyed them very much. Chaskè was infinitely relieved when he saw that +his wife did eat; for it frightened him to think that she lived on +nothing but air. But it was so droll to think she should eat young +trees! surely venison was a great deal better. + +But, like a good husband, he thought it was his duty to humor his wife's +fancies. And then he loved her tenderly--he had given up country and +home for her. She was so good and kind, and her beautiful hair! Chaskè +called her "The Mocassin Flower," for her golden ringlets reminded him +of that beautiful flower. "She shall not have to cut the trees down +herself," said Chaskè, "I will bring her food while she prepares mine." +So he went out to hunt, and returned in the evening; and while his wife +was cooking his supper, he went to the poplar grove and cut a number of +young trees; he then brought them to the lodge, and, laying them down, +he said to his wife, "I have found out at last what you like." + +No one would suppose but that the beaver-woman would have been grateful +to her husband for thinking of her. Instead of that, she was very angry; +and, taking her child in her arms, she left the lodge. Chaskè was +astonished to see his gentle wife angry, but he concluded he would eat +his supper, and then follow her, hoping that in the meantime she would +recover her good temper. + +When he went out, she was nowhere to be seen. He called her--he thought +at first that she had hid herself. But, as night came on, and neither +she nor the child returned, the deserted husband grew desperate; he +could not stay in his lodge, and the only thing that he could do was to +start in search of her. + +He walked all night, but saw no trace of her. About sunrise he came to a +stream, and following it up a little way he came to a beaver dam, and on +it sat his wife with her child in her arms. And beautiful she looked, +with her long tresses falling into the water. + +Chaskè was delighted to find her. "Why did you leave me?" called he. "I +should have died of grief if I had not found you." + +"Did I not tell you that I could not live like the Dahcotah women?" +replied Mocassin Flower. "You need not have watched me to find out what +I eat. Return to your own people; you will find there women enough who +eat venison." + +The little boy clapped his hands with delight when he saw his father, +and wanted to go to him; but his mother would not let him. She tied a +string to his leg and told him to go, and the child would plunge into +the water, and when he had nearly reached the shore where his father +sat, then would the beaver-woman draw him back. + +In the meantime the Dahcotah had been trying to persuade his wife to +come to him, and return to the lodge; but she refused to do so, and sat +combing her long hair. The child had cried itself to sleep; and the +Dahcotah, worn out with fatigue and grief, thought he would go to +sleep too. + +After a while a woman came and touched him on the shoulder, and awaked +him as of old. He started and looked at her, and perceiving it was not +his wife, felt inclined to take little notice of her. + +"What," said she, "does a Dahcotah warrior still love a woman who hates +him?" + +"Mocassin Flower loves me well," replied the Dahcotah; "she has been a +good wife." + +"Yes," replied the woman, "she was for a time; but she sighs to return +home--her heart yearns towards the lover of her youth." + +Chaskè was very angry. "Can this be true?" he said; and he looked +towards the beaver dam where his wife still sat. In the meantime the +woman who had waked him, brought him some food in bark dishes worked +with porcupine. + +"Eat," she said to the Dahcotah; "you are hungry." + +But who can tell the fury that Mocassin Flower was in when she saw that +strange woman bringing her husband food. "Who are you," she cried, "that +are troubling yourself about my husband? I know you well; you are the +'Bear-Woman.'" + +"And if I am," said the Bear woman, "do not the souls of the bears enjoy +forever the heaven of the Dahcotah?" + +Poor Chaskè! he could not prevent their quarrelling, so, being very +hungry, he soon disposed of what the Bear woman had brought him. When +he had done eating, she took the bark dishes. "Come with me," she said; +"you cannot live in the water, and I will take you to a beautiful lodge, +and we will be happy." + +The Dahcotah turned to his wife, but she gave him no encouragement to +remain. "Well," said he, "I always loved adventures, and I will go and +seek some more." + +The new wife was not half so pretty as the old one. Then she was so +wilful, and ordered him about--as if women were anything but dogs in +comparison with a Dahcotah warrior. Yes, he who had scorned the Dahcotah +girls, as they smiled upon him, was now the slave of a bear-woman; but +there was one comfort--there were no warriors to laugh at him. + +For a while they got on well enough. His wife had twin children--one was +a fine young Dahcotah, and the other was a smart active little bear, and +it was very amusing to see them play together. But in all their fights +the young Dahcotah had the advantage; though the little bear would roll +and tumble, and stick his claws into the Dahcotah, yet it always ended +by the little bear's capering off and roaring after his mother. Perhaps +this was the reason, but for some reason or other the mother did not +seem contented and happy. One morning she woke up very early, and while +telling her husband that she had a bad dream, the dog commenced barking +outside the lodge. + +"What can be the matter?" said Chaskè. + +"Oh!" said the woman, "I know; there is a hunter out there who wants to +kill me, but I am not afraid." + +So saying, she put her head out of the door, which the hunter seeing, +shot his arrow; but instead of hurting her, the arrow fell to the +ground, and the bear-woman catching up her little child, ran away and +was soon out of sight. + +"Ha!" said Chaskè, "I had better have married a Dahcotah girl, for they +do not run away from their husbands except when another wife comes to +take their place. But I have been twice deserted." So saying, he took +the little Dahcotah in his arms, and followed his wife. Towards evening +he came up with her, but she did not seem glad to see him. He asked her +why she left him; she replied, "I want to live with my own people." +"Well," said the Dahcotah, "I will go with you." The woman consented, +though it was plain she did not want him; for she hated her Dahcotah +child, and would not look at him. + +After travelling a few days, they approached a grove of trees, which +grew in a large circle. "Do you see that nest of trees?" said the woman. +"There is the great village of the bears. There are many young men there +that loved me, and they will hate you because I preferred you to them. +Take your boy, then, and return to your people." But the Dahcotah feared +not, and they approached the village of the bears. + +There was a great commotion among the bears as they discovered them. +They were glad to see the young bear-woman back again, but they hated +the Dahcotah, and determined on his death. However, they received him +hospitably, conducted him and his wife to a large lodge, gave them food, +and the tired travellers were soon asleep. + +But the Dahcotah soon perceived he was among enemies, and he kept a +careful look out upon them. The little Dahcotah was always quarrelling +with the young bears; and on one occasion, being pretty hungry, a cub +annoying him at the time very much, he deliberately shot the cub with +his bow and arrow, and ate him up. This aroused the vengeance of the +bears; they had a consultation among themselves, and swore they would +kill both father and son. + +It would be impossible to tell of the troubles of Chaskè. His wife, he +could see, loved one of the bears, and was anxious for his own death; +but whenever he contended with the bears he came off victor. Whether in +running a foot race, or shooting with a bow and arrow, or whatever it +might be, he always won the prize, and this made his enemies still +more venomous. + +Four years had now passed since Chaskè left his native village, and +nothing had ever been heard of him. But at length the wanderer returned. + +But who would have recognized, in the crest-fallen, melancholy-looking +Indian, the gay warrior that had left home but a few years before? The +little boy that held his hand was cheerful enough, and seemed to +recognize acquaintances, instead of looking for the first time on the +faces of his father's friends. + +How did the young girls laugh when he told of the desertion of his first +wife; but when he continued his story, and told them of the +faithlessness of the bear woman also, you heard nothing but shouts of +derision. Was it not a triumph for the Dahcotah women? How had he +scorned them before he went away!--Did he not say that women were only +dogs, or worse than dogs? + +But there was one among his old acquaintances who would not join in the +laughter. As she looked on the care-worn countenance of the warrior, she +would fain have offered to put new mocassins upon his feet, and bring +him food. But she dared not subject herself to the ridicule of her +companions--though as night came on, she sought him when there was no +one to heed her. + +"Chaskè," she called--and the Dahcotah turned hastily towards her, +attracted by the kindness of her voice--"there are no women who love as +the Dahcotah women. I would have gone to the ends of the earth with you, +but you despised me. You have come back, and are laughed at. Care has +broken your spirit, or you would not submit to the sneers of your old +friends, and the contempt of those who once feared you. I will be your +wife, and, mingling again in the feasts and customs of your race, you +will soon be the bold and fearless warrior that you were when you +left us." + +And her words were true; for the Indians soon learned that they were not +at liberty to talk to Chaskè of his wanderings. He never spoke of his +former wives, except to compare them with his present, who was as +faithful and obedient as they were false and troublesome. "And he. +found," says Chequered Cloud, "that there was no land like the +Dahcotah's, no river like the Father of waters, and no happiness like +that of following the deer across the open prairies, or of listening, in +the long summer days, to the wisdom of the medicine men." + +And she who had loved him in his youth, and wept for him in his absence, +now lies by his side--for Chaskè has taken another long journey. Death +has touched him, but not lightly, and pointed to the path which leads to +the Land of Spirits--and he did not go alone; for her life closed with +and together their spirits watch over the mortal frames that they +once tenanted. + +"Look at the white woman's life," said Chequered Cloud, as she +concluded the story of Chaskè, "and then at the Dahcotah's. You sleep on +a soft bed, while the Dahcotah woman lays her head upon the ground, with +only her blanket for a covering; when you are hungry you eat, but for +days has the Dahcotah woman wanted for food, and there was none to give +it. Your children are happy, and fear nothing; ours have crouched in the +earth at night, when the whoop and yell of the Chippeways sent terror to +their young hearts, and trembling to their tender limbs. + +"And when the fire-water of the white man has maddened the senses of the +Dahcotah, so that the blow of his war club falls upon his wife instead +of his enemy, even then the Dahcotah woman must live and suffer on." +"But, Chequered Cloud, the spirit of the Dahcotah watches over the body +which remains on earth. Did you not say the soul went to the house +of spirits?" + +"The Dahcotah has four souls," replied the old woman; "one wanders about +the earth, and requires food; another protects the body; the third goes +to the Land of Spirits, while the fourth forever hovers around his +native village." + +"I wish," said I, "that you would believe in the God of the white +people. You would then learn that there is but one soul, and that that +soul will be rewarded for the good it has done in this life, or punished +for the evil." + +"The Great Spirit," she replied, "is the God of the Dahcotah. He made +all things but thunder and wild rice. When we do wrong we are punished +in this world. If we do not live up to the laws of our forefathers, the +spirits of the dead will punish us. We must keep up the customs of our +tribe. If we are afraid that the thunder will strike us, we dance in +honor of it, and destroy its power. Our great medicine feasts are given +in honor of our sacred medicine, which will not only heal the sick, but +will preserve us in danger; and we make feasts for the dead. + +"Our children are taught to do right. They are not to injure one who has +not harmed them; but where is the Dahcotah who will not rejoice as he +takes the life of his enemy?" + +"But," said I, "you honor the thunder, and yet it strikes you. What is +the thunder, and where does it come from?" + +"Thunder is a large bird, flying through the air; its bright tracks are +seen in the heavens, before you hear the clapping of its wings. But it +is the young ones who do the mischief. The parent bird would not hurt a +Dahcotah. Long ago a thunder bird fell dead from the heavens; and our +fathers saw it as it lay not far from Little Crow's village. + +"It had a face like a Dahcotah warrior, with a nose like an eagle's +bill. Its body was long and slender, its wings were large, and on them +was painted the lightning. Our warriors were once out hunting in the +winter, when a terrible storm came on, and a large thunder bird +descended to the earth, wearing snow-shoes; he took but a few steps and +then rose up, leaving his tracks in the snow. That winter our hunters +killed many bears." + + + + +TAH-WE-CHU-KIN; + + +THE WIFE. + + * * * * * + +In February, 1837, a party of Dahcotahs (Warpetonian) fell in with +Hole-in-the-Day, and his band. When Chippeways and Dahcotahs meet there +is generally bloodshed; and, however highly Hole-in-the-Day may be +esteemed as a warrior, it is certain that he showed great treachery +towards the Dahcotahs on many occasions. + +Now they met for peaceable purposes. Hole-in-the-Day wished permission +to hunt on the Dahcotah lands without danger from the tomahawk of his +enemies. He proposed to pay them certain articles, which he should +receive from the United States Government when he drew his annuities, as +a return for the privilege he demanded. + +The Dahcotahs and Chippeways were seated together. They had smoked the +pipe of peace. The snow had drifted, and lay piled in masses behind +them, contrasting its whiteness with their dark countenances and their +gay ornaments and clothing. For some years there had been peace between +these two tribes; hating each other, as they did, they had managed to +live without shedding each other's blood. + +Hole-in-the-Day was the master spirit among the Chippeways. He was the +greatest hunter and warrior in the nation; he had won the admiration of +his people, and they had made him chief. His word was law to them; he +stood firmly on the height to which he had elevated himself. + +He laid aside his pipe and arose. His iron frame seemed not to feel the +keen wind that was shaking the feathers in the heads of the many +warriors who fixed their eyes upon him. + +He addressed the Dahcotah warriors. "All nations," said he, "as yet +continue the practice of war, but as for me, I now abandon it. I hold +firmly the hand of the Americans. If you, in future, strike me twice or +even three times, I will pass over and not revenge it. If wars should +continue, you and I will not take part in them. You shall not fight, +neither will I. There shall be no more war in that part of the country +lying between Pine Island and the place called Hanoi catnip, (They shot +them in the night). Over this extent of country we will hold the pipe +firmly. You shall hold it by the bowl, and we will hold it by the stem. +The pipe shall be in your keeping." So saying, Hole-in-the-Day advanced +and presented the Dahcotahs with a pipe. + +After a moment he continued his speech. "On account of your misconduct, +we did desire your death, and if you had met us last winter to treat of +peace, however great your numbers, we should have killed you all. White +men had ordered us to do so, and we should have done it; because the +Mendewakantonwans had informed us that you intended by treachery to +kill us." + +The Dahcotah chief then replied to him saying, that the Dahcotahs were +willing that the Chippeways should hunt on their lands to the borders of +the prairie, but that they should not enter the prairie. The Chippeways +then agreed to pay them a large quantity of sugar, a keg of powder, and +a quantity of lead and tobacco. + +After their engagement was concluded, Hole-in-the-Day rose again and +said, "In the name of the Great Spirit, this peace shall be forever," +and, turning to Wandiokiya (the Man that talks to the Eagle), a Dahcotah +who had been taught by the missionaries to read and write, requested him +to commit to writing the agreement which had just been made. + +Wandiokiya did so, and has since forwarded the writing to the Rev. Mr. +P----, who resides near Fort Snelling. The Dahcotah adds, "We have now +learned that the object of Hole-in-the-Day was to deceive and kill us; +and he and his people have done so, showing that they neither fear God +nor the chief of the American people. + +"In this manner they deceived us, deceived us in the name of the Gods. + +"Hole-in-the-Day led the band of murderers. + +"WANDIOKIYA." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +We shall see how faithfully the Chippeway chief kept the treaty that he +had called upon the Great Spirit to witness. There has been great +diversity of opinion concerning Hole-in-the-Day, The Chippeways and +Dahcotahs all feared him. Some of the white people who knew him +admired, while others detested his character. + +He was certainly, what all the Chippeways have been, a friend of the +white people, and equally an enemy to the Dahcotahs. He encouraged all +attempts that were made towards the civilization of his people; he tried +to induce them to cultivate the ground; indeed, he sometimes assumed the +duties which among savages are supposed to belong exclusively to +females, and has been frequently seen to work in his garden. Had it been +possible, he would even have forced the Chippeways to civilization. + +He had three wives--all sisters. He was fond of them, but if they +irritated him, by disputing among themselves, or neglecting any thing +which he found necessary to his comfort, he was very violent. Blows were +the only arguments he used on such occasions. + +The present chief is one of his children; several of them died young, +and their father felt their loss most keenly. Grave and stoical as was +his deportment, his feelings were very strong, and not easily +controlled. + +He was a man of deep thought, and of great ambition. The latter passion +was gratified to as great a degree as was possible. Loved by his tribe, +feared by his enemies, respected and well treated by the white people, +what more could a savage ask? Among the Indians he was a great man, but +he was truly great in cunning and deceit. + +On this occasion, however, the Dahcotahs had perfect confidence in him, +and it was on the first day of April, in the same year, that they +arrived at the place appointed to meet the Chippeways, near the east +branch of the Chippeway river, about thirty miles northeast of Lac qui +parle. The women raised the teepees, six in number, and prepared the +scanty portion of food for their families. Here they remained, until +their patience was almost exhausted, constantly expecting +Hole-in-the-Day to appear; but day after day passed, and they were still +disappointed. Now and then the reports of fire-arms were heard near +them, but still the Chippeways did not visit the camp of the Dahcotahs. + +Famine now showed itself among them. They had neither corn nor flour. +Had the wild ducks flown over their heads in clouds, there was but +little powder and shot to kill them--but there were few to be seen. Some +of the Indians proposed moving their camp where game was more +plenty--where they might see deer, and use their bows and arrows to some +purpose. But others said, if they were not at the appointed place of +meeting, they would violate the contract, and lose their claim to the +articles that Hole-in-the-day had promised to deliver to them. + +It was finally concluded that the party should divide, one half moving +off in search of food, the other half remaining where they were, in +hopes that Hole-in-the-Day would make his appearance. + +Three teepees then remained, and they were occupied by seventeen +persons, all women and children excepting four. It was drawing on +towards evening, when the Dahcotahs heard the sound of footsteps, and +their satisfaction was very great, when they perceived the Chippeway +chief approach, accompanied by ten of his men. These men had been +present at the council of peace in February. + +One of the Dahcotahs, named Red Face, had left his family in the +morning, to attend to the traps he had set for beaver. He had not +returned when the Chippeways arrived. His two wives were with the +Dahcotahs who received the Chippeways. One of these women had two +children; the other was quite young, and, according to Indian ideas, +beautiful too. She was the favorite wife. + +The Dahcotahs received the Chippeways with real pleasure, in full faith +and confidence. "Hole-in-the-Day has been long in coming," said one of +the Dahcotahs; "his friends have wished to smoke the pipe of peace with +him, but some of them have left us to seek for food. We welcome you, and +will eat together, and our friendship shall last forever." +Hole-in-the-Day met his advances with every appearance of cordiality. +One thing, however, the Dahcotahs observed, that the Chippeways did not +fire their guns off when they arrived, which is done by Indians when +they make a visit of friendship. + +The party passed the evening in conversation. All the provisions of the +Dahcotahs were called in requisition to feast the Chippeways. After +eating, the pipe went round again, and at a late hour they laid down to +sleep, the Chippeways dividing their party, several in each teepee. + +Hole-in-the-day lay down by the side of his host, so motionless you +would have thought that sleep had paralyzed his limbs and senses; his +regular breathing intimates a heart at peace with himself and his foes; +but that heart was beating fast, for in a moment he raises himself +cautiously, gazes and smiles too upon the sleeping Dahcotah beside him. +He gives the appointed signal, and instantaneously plunges his knife +into the heart of the trusting Dahcotah. It was child's play afterwards +to quiet the shrill shrieks of the terrified wife. A moment more, and +she and her child lay side by side, never to awake again. + +For a short time broken and shrill cries were heard from the other +teepees, but they were soon over. The two wives of Red Face had laid +down without a fear, though their protector was absent. The elder of the +two clasped her children to her heart, consoled, in a measure, while +listening to their calm breathing, for the loss of the love of her +husband. She knew that the affections of a husband might vary, but the +tie between mother and child is indissoluble. + +The young wife wondered that Red Face was not by her side. But he would +return to-morrow, and her welcome would be all the greeting that he +would wish for. While her thoughts are assuming the form of dreams, she +sees the fatal weapon pointed at the mother and child. The bullet that +kills the sleeping infant on its mother's breast, wounds the mother +also; but she flies in horror, though not soon enough to escape the +sight of her other pleading child, her warrior-son, vainly clasping his +hands in entreaty to the savage, who, with another blow from his +tomahawk, puts an end to his sufferings. The wretched mother escapes, +for Hole-in-the-Day enters the teepee, and takes prisoner the younger +wife. She escapes a present death--what will be her future fate? + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +The elder of the two wives escaped from the murderous Chippeways. Again +and again, in the darkness of the night, she turns back to flee from her +deadly foe, but far more from the picture of her children, murdered +before her eyes. She knew the direction in which the Dahcotahs who had +left the party had encamped, and she directed her steps to find them. +One would think she would have asked death from her enemies--her husband +loved her no more, her children were dead--but she clung to life. + +She reached the teepees at last, and hastened to tell of her sorrows, +and of the treachery of Hole-in-the-Day. For a moment the utmost +consternation prevailed among the Indians, but revenge was the second +thought, and rapidly were their preparations made to seek the scene of +the murder. The distance was accomplished in a short time, and the +desolation lay before their eyes. + +The fires in the teepees were not gone out; the smoke was ascending to +the heavens; while the voices of the murdered Dahcotahs seemed to call +upon their relatives for revenge.. There lay the warriors, who, brave as +Hole-in-the-Day, had laid aside their weapons, and reposed on the faith +of their enemies, their strong limbs powerless, their faces turned +towards the light, which fell upon their glassy eyes. See the mother, as +she bends over the bodies of her innocent children!--her boy, who walked +so proudly, and said he would kill deer for his mother; her infant, +whose life had been taken, as it were, from her very heart. She strains +them to her bosom, but the head leans not towards her, and the arms are +stiff in death. + +Red Face has asked for his young wife. She is alive, but, far worse than +death, she is a prisoner to the Chippeways. His children are dead before +his eyes, and their mother, always obedient and attentive, does not hear +him when he speaks to her. The remains of the feast are scattered on +the ground; the pipe of peace lies broken among them. + +In the course of the morning the Rev. Mr.----, missionary among the +Dahcotahs, with the assistance of an Indian named Round Wind, collected +the bodies and buried them. + +Of the fourteen persons who were in the three teepees, no more than four +escaped; two young men and two women. + +The Chippeways fled as quickly as possible from the country of the +Dahcotahs, with their prisoner--sad change for her. A favorite wife +finds herself in the power of ten warriors, the enemies of her people. +The cries of her murdered friends are yet sounding in her ears; and she +knows not how soon their fate may be hers. Every step of the weary +journey she pursues, takes her farther from her country. She dares not +weep, she cannot understand the language of her enemies, but she +understands their looks, and knows she must obey them. She wishes they +would take her life; she would take it herself, but she is watched, and +it is impossible. + +She sees by their angry gestures and their occasional looks towards her, +that she is the subject of their dispute, until the chief raises his +eyes and speaks to the Chippeways--and the difference ceases. + +At length her journey is at an end. They arrive at the village, and +Hole-in-the-Day and his warriors are received with manifestations of +delight. They welcomed him as if he had performed a deed of valor +instead of one of cowardice. + +The women gaze alternately upon the scalps and upon the prisoner. She, +poor girl, is calm now; there is but one thought that makes her tired +limbs shake with terror. She sees with a woman's quickness that there is +no female among those who are looking at her as beautiful as she is. It +may be that she may be required to light the household fires for one of +her enemies. She sees the admiring countenance of one of the young +Chippeway warriors fixed upon her; worn out with fatigue, she cannot +support the wretched thought. For a while she is insensible even to +her sorrows. + +On recovering, food is given her, and she tries to eat. Nothing but +death can relieve her. Where are the spirits of the rocks and rivers of +her land? Have they forgotten her too? + +Hole-in-the-Bay took her to his teepee. She was his prisoner, he chose +to adopt her, and treated her with every kindness. He ordered his men +not to take her life; she was to be as safe in his teepee as if she were +his wife or child. + +For a few days she is allowed to remain quiet; but at length she is +brought out to be present at a council where her fate was to be decided. + +Hole-in-the-Day took his place in the council, and ordered the prisoner +to be placed near him. Her pale and resigned countenance was a contrast +to the angry and excited faces that lowered upon her; but the chief +looked unconcerned as to the event. However his warriors might contend, +the result of the council would depend upon him; his unbounded influence +always prevailed. + +After several speeches had been made, Stormy Wind rose and addressed the +chief. His opinion was that the prisoner should suffer death. The +Dahcotahs had always been enemies, and it was the glory of the +Chippeways to take the lives of those they hated. His chief had taken +the prisoner to his teepee; she was safe; she was a member of his +family--who would harm her there? but now they were in council to decide +upon her fate. He was an old man, had seen many winters--he had often +travelled far and suffered much to take the life of an enemy; and here, +where there is one in their power, should they lose the opportunity of +revenge? She was but a woman, but the Dahcotah blood flowed in her +veins. She was not fit to live. The Eagle spoke next. He was glad that +the chief had taken the prisoner to his teepee--it had been always +customary occasionally to adopt a prisoner, and the chief did well to +keep up the customs of their tribe. The prisoner was young, she could be +taught to love the Chippeway nation; the white people did not murder +their prisoners; the Chippeways were the friends of the white people; +let them do as they did, be kind to the prisoner and spare her life. The +Eagle would marry the Dahcotah girl; he would teach her to speak the +language of her adopted tribe; she should make his mocassins, and her +children would be Chippeways. Let the chief tell the Eagle to take the +girl home to his teepee. + +The Eagle's speech created an excitement. The Indians rose one after the +other, insisting upon the death of their prisoner. One or two seconded +the Eagle's motion to keep her among them, but the voices of the others +prevailed. The prisoner saw by the faces of the savages what their words +portended. When the Eagle rose to speak, she recognized the warrior +whose looks had frightened her; she knew he was pleading for her life +too; but the memory of her husband took away the fear of death. Death +with a thousand terrors, rather than live a wife, a slave to the +Chippeways! The angry Chippeways are silenced, for their chief addresses +them in a voice of thunder; every voice is hushed, every countenance is +respectfully turned towards the leader, whose words are to decide the +fate of the unhappy woman before them. + +"Where is the warrior that will not listen to the words of his chief? my +voice is loud and you shall hear. I have taken a Dahcotah woman +prisoner; I have chosen to spare her life; she has lived in my teepee; +she is one of my family; you have assembled in council to-day to decide +her fate--I have decided it. When I took her to my teepee, she became as +my child or as the child of my friend. You shall not take her life, nor +shall you marry her. She is my prisoner--she shall remain in my teepee." + +Seeing some motion of discontent among those who wished to take her +life, he continued, while his eyes shot fire and his broad chest heaved +with anger: + +"Come then and take her life. Let me see the brave warrior who will take +the life of my prisoner? Come! she is here; why do you, not raise your +tomahawks? It is easy to take a woman's scalp." + +Not a warrior moves. The prisoner looks at the chief and at his +warriors. Hole-in-the-Day leads her from the council and points to his +teepee, which is again her home, and where she is as safe as she would +be in her husband's teepee, by the banks of the Mine So-to. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +While the wife of Red Face lived from day to day in suspense as to her +fate, her husband made every effort for her recovery. Knowing that she +was still alive, he could not give up the hope of seeing her again. +Accordingly, the facts were made known at Fort Snelling, and the +Chippeway interpreter was sent up to Hole-in-the-Day's village, with an +order from the government to bring her down. + +She had been expected for some time, when an excitement among a number +of old squaws, who were standing outside of the gate of the fort, showed +that something unusual was occasioning expressions of pleasure; and as +the wife of Red Face advanced towards the house of the interpreter, +their gratification was raised to the utmost. + +Red Face and some of the Dahcotah warriors were soon there too--and the +long separated husband and wife were again united. + +But whatever they might have felt on the occasion of meeting again, they +showed but little joy. Red Face entered the room where were assembled +the Indians and the officers of the garrison. He shook hands with the +officers and with the interpreter, and, without looking at his wife, +took his seat with the other Dahcotahs. + +But her composure soon left her. When she saw him enter, the blood +mantled in her pale cheek--pale with long anxiety and recent fatigue. +She listened while the Dahcotahs talked with the agent and the +commanding officer; and at last, as if her feelings could not longer be +restrained, she arose, crossed the room, and took her seat at his feet! + +The chief Hole-in-the-Day has been dead some years, and, in one of the +public prints, it was stated that he was thrown from his carriage and +killed. This was a genteel mode of dying, which cannot, with truth, be +attributed to him. + +He always deplored the habit of drinking, to which the Indians are so +much addicted. In his latter years, however, he could not withstand the +temptation; and, on one occasion, being exceedingly drunk, he was put +into an ox-cart, and being rather restive, was thrown out, and the cart +wheel went over him. + +Thus died Hole-in-the-Day-one of the most noted Indians of the present +day; and his eldest son reigns in his stead. + +[Illustration: HAOKAH THE ANTI-NATURAL GOD; ONE OF THE GIANTS OF THE +DAHCOTAHS. Drawn by White Deer, a Sioux Warrior who lives near Fort +Snelling.] + +EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWING. + + 1. The giant. + 2. A frog that the giant uses for an arrow-point. + 3. A large bird that that the giant keeps in his court. + 4. Another bird. + 5. An ornament over the door leading into the court. + 6. An ornament over a door. + 7. Part of court ornamented with down. + 8. Part of do. do. with red down. + 9. A bear; 10. a deer; 11. an elk; 12. a buffalo. +13, 14. Incense-offering. +15. A rattle of deer's claws, used when singing. +16. A long flute or whistle. +17, 18, 19, 20. Are meteors that the giant sends out for his defence, + or to protect him from invasion. +21, 22, 23, 24. The giant surrounded with lightnings, with which he + kills all kinds of animals that molest him. +25. Red down in small bunches fastened to the railing of the court. +26. The same. One of these bunches of red down disappears every time + an animal is found dead inside the court. +27, 28. Touchwood, and a large fungus that grows on trees.--These are + eaten by any animal that enters the court, and this food causes + their death. +29. A streak of lightning going from the giant's hat. +30. Giant's head and hat. 31. His bow and arrow. + + + + +WAH-ZEE-YAH + + +ANOTHER OF THE GIANT GODS OF THE DAHCOTAHS. + +Wah-Zee-Yah had a son who was killed by Etokah Wachastah, Man of the +South. Wah-zee-yah is the god of the winter, and Etokah Wachastah is the +god of the summer. When there is a cold spell early in the warm weather, +the Dahcotahs say Wah-zee-yah is looking back. When the son of +Wah-zee-yah was killed, there were six on each side; the Beings of the +south were too strong for those of the north, and conquered them. When +the battle was over, a fox was seen running off with one of the Beings +of the north. + +These gods of the Dahcotahs are said to be inferior to the Great Spirit; +but if an Indian wants to perform a deed of valor, he prays to Haokah +the Giant. When they are in trouble, or in fear of anything, they pray +to the Great Spirit. You frequently see a pole with a deer-skin, or a +blanket hung to it; these are offerings made to the Great Spirit, to +propitiate him. White Dog, who lives near Fort Snelling, says he has +often prayed to the Great Spirit to keep him from sin, and to enable him +and his family to do right. When he wishes to make an offering to the +Great Spirit, he takes a scarlet blanket, and paints a circle of blue +in the centre, (blue is an emblem of peace,) and puts ten bells, or +silver brooches to it. This offering costs him $20. Christians are too +apt to give less liberally to the true God. When White Dog goes to war, +he makes this offering. + +White Dog says he never saw the giant, but that "Iron Members," who died +last summer, saw one of the giants several years ago. + +Iron Members was going hunting, and when he was near Shah-co-pee's +village, he met the Giant. He wore a three-cornered hat, and one side +was bright as the sun; so bright one could not look upon it; and he had +a crooked thing upon his shoulder. + +Iron Members was on a hill; near which was a deep ravine, when suddenly +his eye rested upon something so bright that it pained him to look at +it. He looked down the ravine and there stood the Giant. Notwithstanding +his position, his head reached to the top of the trees. The Giant was +going northwards, and did not notice the Indian or stop; he says he +watched the Giant; and, as he went forward, the trees and bushes seemed +to make way for him. The visit was one of good luck, the Indians say, +for there was excellent hunting that season. + +The Dahcotahs believe firmly the story of Iron Members. He was one of +their wisest men. He was a great warrior and knew how to kill his +enemies. White Dog says that at night, when they were on a war party, +Iron Members would extinguish all the fires of the Dahcotahs, and then +direct his men where to find the Chippeways. He would take a spoonful of +sugar, and the same quantity of whiskey, and make an offering to the +spirits of their enemies; he would sing to them, and charm them so that +they would come up so close to him that he would knock them on the head +with his rattle, and kill them. These spirits approach in the form of a +bear. After this is done, they soon find their enemies and conquer them. + +The Dahcotahs think their medicine possesses supernatural powers; they +burn incense,--leaves of the white cedar tree,--in order to destroy the +supernatural powers of a person who dislikes them. They consider the +burning of incense a preventive of evil, and believe it wards off danger +from lightning. They say that the cedar tree is wahkun (spiritual) and +on that account they burn its leaves to ward off danger. The temple of +Solomon was built of cedar. + +Unktahe, the god of the waters, is much reverenced by the Dahcotahs. +Morgan's bluff, near Fort Snelling, is called "God's house" by the +Dahcotahs; they say it is the residence of Unktahe, and under the hill +is a subterranean passage, through which they say the water-god passes +when he enters the St. Peter's. He is said to be as large as a white +man's house. + +Near Lac qui parle is a hill called "the Giant's house." On one occasion +the Rev. Mr. ---- was walking with a Dahcotah, and as they approached +this hill the Dahcotah exclaimed, "Do you not see him, there he is." And +although no one else saw the Giant, he persisted in watching him for a +few moments as he passed over the hill. + +Near Lac qui parle, is living an old Dahcotah woman of a singular +appearance. Her face is very black, and her hair singed and +faded-looking. She was asked by a stranger to account for her singular +appearance. "I dreamed of the Giant," she said; "and I was frightened +when I woke; and I told my husband that I would give a dance to the +Giant to propitiate him; but my husband said that I was not able to go +through the Giant's dance; that I would only fail, and bring disgrace +upon him and all my family. The Giant was very angry with me, and +punished me by burning my face black, and my hair as you see it." Her +husband might well fear that she would not be able to perform +this dance. + +It would be impossible to give any idea of the number of the gods of the +Dahcotahs. All nature is animated with them; every mountain, every tree, +is worshipped, as among the Greeks of old, and again, like the +Egyptians, the commonest animals are the objects of their adoration. + +May the time soon come when they will acknowledge but one God, the +Creator of the Earth and Heaven, the Sovereign of the universe! + + + + +STORMS IN LIFE AND NATURE; + +OR, + +UNKTAHE AND THE THUNDER BIRD + +"Ever," says Checkered Cloud, "will Unktahe, the god of the waters, and +Wahkeon, (Thunder,) do battle against each other. Sometimes the thunder +birds are conquerors--often the god of the waters chases his enemies +back to the distant clouds." + +Many times, too, will the daughters of the nation go into the pathless +prairies to weep; it is their custom; and while there is sickness, and +want, and death, so long will they leave the haunts of men to weep where +none but the Great Spirit may witness their tears. It is only, they +believe, in the City of spirits, that the sorrows of Dahcotah women will +cease--there, will their tears be dried forever. + +Many winters have passed away since Harpstenah brought the dead body of +her husband to his native village to be buried; my authority is the +"medicine woman," whose lodge, for many years, was to be seen on the +banks of Lake Calhoun. + +This village is now deserted. The remains of a few houses are to be +seen, and the broken ground in which were planted the poles of their +teepees. Silence reigns where the merry laugh of the villagers often +met in chorus. The scene of the feast and dance is now covered with long +grass, but "desolation saddens all its green." + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +Dark and heavy clouds hung over the village of "Sleepy Eyes," one of the +chiefs of the Sioux. The thunder birds flapped their wings angrily as +they flew along, and where they hovered over the "Father of many +waters," the waves rose up, and heaved to and fro. Unktahe was eager to +fight against his ancient enemies; for as the storm spirits shrieked +wildly, the waters tossed above each other; the large forest trees were +uptorn from their roots, and fell over into the turbid waters, where +they lay powerless amid the scene of strife; and while the vivid +lightning pierced the darkness, peal after peal was echoed by the +neighboring hills. + +One human figure was seen outside the many teepees that rose side by +side in the village. Sleepy Eyes alone dared to stand and gaze upon the +tempest which was triumphing over all the powers of nature. As the +lightning fell upon the tall form of the chief, he turned his keen +glance from the swift-flying clouds to the waters, where dwelt the god +whose anger he had ever been taught to fear. He longed, though +trembling, to see the countenance of the being whose appearance is the +sure warning of calamity. His superstitious fears told him to turn, lest +the deity should rise before him; while his native courage, and love of +the marvellous, chained him to the spot. + +The storm raged wilder and louder--the driving wind scattered the hail +around him, and at length the chief raised the door of his teepee, and +joined his frightened household. Trembling and crouching to the ground +were the mothers and children, as the teepee shook from the force of the +wind. The young children hid their faces close against their mothers' +breasts. Every head was covered, to avoid the streaked lightning as it +glanced over the bent and terrified forms, that seemed to cling to the +earth for protection. + +At the end of the village, almost on the edge of the high bluff that +towered above the river, rose a teepee, smaller than the rest. The open +door revealed the wasted form of Harpstenah, an aged woman. + +Aged, but not with years! Evil had been the days of her pilgrimage. + +The fire that had burned in the wigwam was all gone out, the dead ashes +lay in the centre, ever and anon scattered by the wind over the wretched +household articles that lay around. Gone out, too, were the flames that +once lighted with happiness the heart of Harpstenah. + +The sorrows of earth, more pitiless than the winds of heaven, had +scattered forever the hopes that had made her a being of light and life. +The head that lies on the earth was once pillowed on the breast of the +lover of her youth. The arm that is heavily thrown from her once clasped +his children to her heart. + +What if the rain pours in upon her, or the driving wind and hail scatter +her wild locks? She feels it not. Life is there, but the consciousness +of life is gone forever. + +A heavier cloud hangs about her heart than that which darkens nature. +She fears not the thunder, nor sees the angry lightning. She has laid +upon the scaffold her youngest son, the last of the many ties that bound +her to earth. + +One week before, her son entered the wigwam. He was not alone; his +comrade, "The Hail that Strikes," accompanied him. + +Harpstenah had been tanning deer-skin near her door. She had planted two +poles firmly in the ground, and on them she had stretched the deer-skin. +With an iron instrument she constantly scraped the skin, throwing water +upon it. She had smoked it too, and now it was ready to make into +mocassins or leggins. She had determined, while she was tanning the +deer-skin, how she would embroider them. They should be richer and +handsomer even than those of their chief's son; nay, gayer than those +worn by the chief himself. She had beads and stained porcupine quills; +all were ready for her to sew. + +The venison for the evening meal was cooked and placed in a wooden bowl +before the fire, when the two young men entered. + +The son hardly noticed his mother's greeting, as he invited his friend +to partake of the venison. After eating, he filled his pipe, smoked, and +offered it to the other. They seemed inclined to waste but little time +in talking, for the pipe was put by, and they were about to leave the +teepee, when the son's steps were arrested by his mother's asking him if +he were going out again on a hunt. "There is food enough," she added, +"and I thought you would remain at home and prepare to join in the dance +of the sun, which will be celebrated to-morrow. You promised me to do +so, and a Dahcotah values his word." + +The young man hesitated, for he loved his mother, and he knew it would +grieve her to be told the expedition upon which he was going. + +The eyes of his comrade flashed fire, and his lip curled scornfully, as +he turned towards the son of Harpstenah. "Are you afraid to tell your +mother the truth," he said, "or do you fear the 'long knives' [Footnote: +Officers and soldiers are called long knives among the Sioux, from their +wearing swords.] will carry you a prisoner to their fort? _I_ will tell +you where we are going," he added. "The Dahcotahs have bought us +whiskey, and we are going to meet them and help bring it up. And now +cry--you are a woman--but it is time for us to be gone." + +The son lingered--he could not bear to see his mother's tears. He knew +the sorrows she had endured, he knew too (for she had often assured him) +that should harm come to him she would not survive it. The knife she +carried in her belt was ready to do its deadly work. She implored him to +stay, calling to his mind the deaths of his father and of his murdered +brothers; she bade him remember the tears they had shed together, and +the promises he had often made, never to add to the trials she +had endured. + +It was all in vain; for his friend, impatient to be gone, laughed at him +for listening to the words of his mother. "Is not a woman a dog?" he +said. "Do you intend to stay all night to hear your mother talk? If so, +tell me, that I may seek another comrade--one who fears neither a white +man nor a woman." + +This appeal had its effect, for the young men left the teepee together. +They were soon out of sight, while Harpstenah sat weeping, and swaying +her body to and fro, lamenting the hour she was born. "There is no +sorrow in the land of spirits," she cried; "oh! that I were dead!" + +The party left the village that night to procure the whiskey. They were +careful to keep watch for the Chippeways, so easy would it be for their +enemies to spring up from behind a tree, or to be concealed among the +bushes and long grass that skirted the open prairies. Day and night they +were on their guard; the chirping of the small bird by day, as well as +the hooting of an owl by night--either might be the feigned voice of a +tomahawked enemy. And as they approached St. Anthony's Falls, they had +still another cause for caution. Here their friends were to meet them +with the fire water. Here, too, they might see the soldiers from Fort +Snelling, who would snatch the untasted prize from their lips, and carry +them prisoners to the fort--a disgrace that would cling to them forever. + +Concealed under a rock, they found the kegs of liquor, and, while +placing them in their canoes, they were joined by the Indians who had +been keeping guard over it, and at the same time watching for +the soldiers. + +In a few hours they were relieved of their fears. The flag that waved +from the tower at Fort Snelling, had been long out of sight. They kept +their canoes side by side, passing away the time in conversation. + +The women who were paddling felt no fatigue. They knew that at night +they were to have a feast. Already the fires of the maddening drink had +made the blood in their dull veins course quickly. They anticipated the +excitement that would make them forget they had ever been cold or +hungry; and bring to them bright dreams of that world where sorrow +is unknown. + +"We must be far on our journey to-night," said the Rattler; "the long +knives are ever on the watch for Dahcotahs with whiskey." + +"The laws of the white people are very just," said an old man of the +party; "they let their people live near us and sell us whiskey, they +take our furs from us, and get much money. _They_ have the right to +bring their liquor near us, and sell it, but if _we_ buy it we are +punished. When I was young," he added, bitterly, "the Dahcotahs were +free; they went and came as they chose. There were no soldiers sent to +our villages to frighten our women and children, and to take our young +men prisoners. The Dahcotahs are all women now--there are no warriors +among them, or they would not submit to the power of the long knives." + +"We must submit to them," said the Rattler; "it would be in vain to +attempt to contend with them. We have learned that the long knives _can +work in the night_. A few nights ago, some young men belonging to the +village of Marpuah Wechastah, had been drinking. They knew that the +Chippeway interpreter was away, and that his wife was alone. They went, +like cowards as they were, to frighten a woman. They yelled and sung, +they beat against her door, shouting and laughing when they found she +was afraid to come out. When they returned home it was just day; they +drank and slept till night, and then they assembled, four young men in +one teepee, to pass the night in drinking. + +"The father of White Deer came to the teepee. 'My son,' said he, 'it is +better for you to stop drinking and go away. You have an uncle among the +Tetons, go and visit him. You brought the fire water here, you +frightened the wife of the Interpreter, and for this trouble you will be +punished. Your father is old, save him the disgrace of seeing his son a +prisoner at the Fort.' + +"'Fear not, my father,' said the young man, 'your Son will never be a +prisoner. I wear a charm over my heart, which will ever make me free as +the wind. The _white men cannot work in the night;_ they are sleeping +even now. We will have a merry night, and when the sun is high, and the +long knives come to seek me, you may laugh at them, and tell them to +follow me to the country of the Tetons.' The father left the teepee, and +White Deer struck the keg with his tomahawk. The fire water dulled their +senses, for they heard not their enemies until they were upon them. + +"It was in the dead of night--all but the revellers slept--when the +soldiers from the fort surrounded the village. + +"The mother of White Deer heard the barking of her dog. She looked out +of the door of her teepee. She saw nothing, for it was dark; but she +knew there was danger near. + +"Our warriors, roused from their sleep, determined to find out the cause +of the alarm; they were thrust back into their teepees by the bayonets +of the long knives, and the voice of the Interpreter was heard, crying, +'The first Dahcotah that leaves his lodge shall be shot.' + +"The soldiers found out from the old chief the teepee of the revellers. +The young men did not hear them as they approached; they were drinking +and shouting. White Deer had raised the cup to his lips, when the +soldier's grasp was upon him. It was too late for him to fly. + +"There was an unopened keg of liquor in the teepee. The soldiers struck +it to pieces, and the fire water covered the ground. + +"The hands of White Deer were bound with an iron chain; he threw from +him his clothes and his blanket. He was a prisoner, and needed not the +clothing of a Dahcotah, born free. + +"The grey morning dawned as they entered the large door of the fort. His +old father soon followed him; he offered to stay, himself, as a +prisoner, if his young son could be set free. + +"It is in vain, then, that we would contend with the white man; they +keep a watch over all our actions. They _work in the night_." + +"The long knives will ever triumph, when the medicine men of our nation +speak as you do," said Two Stars. "I have lived near them always, and +have never been their prisoner. I have suffered from cold in the winter, +and have never asked clothing, and from hunger, and have never asked +food. My wife has never stood at the gate to ask bread, nor have my +daughters adorned themselves to attract the eyes of their young men. I +will live and die on the land of my forefathers, without asking a favor +of an enemy. They call themselves the friends of the Dahcotahs. They are +our friends when they want our lands or our furs. + +"They are our worst enemies; they have trampled us under foot. We do not +chase the deer on the prairies as eagerly as they have hunted us down. +They steal from us our rights, and then gain us over by fair words. I +hate them; and had not our warriors turned women, and learned to fear +them, I would gladly climb their walls, and shout the war-cry in their +ears. The Great Spirit has indeed forsaken his children, when their +warriors and wise men talk of submission to their foes." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Well might Harpstenah sit in her lodge and weep. The sorrows of her life +passed in review before her. Yet she was once the belle of an Indian +village; no step so light, no laugh so merry as hers. She possessed too, +a spirit and a firmness not often found among women. + +She was by birth the third daughter, who is always called Harpstenah +among the Sioux. Her sisters were married, and she had seen but fourteen +summers when old Cloudy Sky, the medicine man, came to her parents to +buy her for his wife. + +They dared not refuse him, for they were afraid to offend a medicine +man, and a war chief besides. Cloudy Sky was willing to pay them well +for their child. So she was told that her fate for life was determined +upon. Her promised bridegroom had seen the snows of eighty winters. + +It was a bright night in the "moon for strawberries." [Footnote: The +month of June.] Harpstenah had wept herself to sleep, and she had reason +too, for her young companions had laughed at her, and told her that she +was to have for a husband an old man without a nose. And it was true, +though Cloudy Sky could once have boasted of a fine aquiline. He had +been drinking freely, and picked a quarrel with one of his sworn +friends. After some preliminary blows, Cloudy Sky seized his antagonist +and cut his ear sadly, but in return he had his nose bitten off. + +She had wept the more when her mother told her that in four days she was +to go to the teepee of her husband. It was in vain to contend. She lay +down beside the fire; deep sleep came upon her; she forgot the events of +the past day; for a time she ceased to think of the young man she loved, +and the old one she hated. In her dreams she had travelled a long +journey, and was seated on the river shore, to rest her tired limbs. The +red light of the dying sun illumined the prairies, she could not have +endured its scorching rays, were it not for the sheltering branches of +the tree under which she had found a resting-place. + +The waters of the river beat against her feet. She would fain move, but +something chained her to the spot. She tried to call her mother, but her +lips were sealed, and her voice powerless. She would have turned her +face from the waters, but even this was impossible. Stronger and +stronger beat the waves, and then parted, revealing the dreaded form of +the fairy of the waters. + +Harpstenah looked upon death as inevitable; she had ever feared that +terrible race of beings whose home was in the waters. And now the fairy +stood before her! + +"Why do you tremble maiden? Only the wicked need fear the anger of the +gods You have never offended us, nor the spirits of the dead. You have +danced in the scalp-dance, and have reverenced the customs of the Sioux. +You have shed many tears. You love Red Deer, and your father has sold +you to Cloudy Sky, the medicine man. It is with you to marry the man you +love, or the one you hate." + +"If you know everything," sighed the girl, "then you must know that in +four days I am to take my seat beside Cloudy Sky in his wigwam. He has +twice brought calico and cloth, and laid them at the door of my +father's teepee." + +"You shall not marry Cloudy Sky, if you have a strong heart, and fear +nothing," replied the fairy. The spirits of the water have determined on +the death of Cloudy Sky. He has already lived three times on earth. For +many years he wandered through the air with the sons of the thunder +bird; like them he was ever fighting against the friends of Unktahe. + +"With his own hand he killed the son of that god, and for that was he +sent to earth to be a medicine man. But long ago we have said that the +time should come, when we would destroy him from the earth. It is for +you to take his life when he sleeps. Can a Dahcotah woman want courage +when she is to be forced to marry a man she hates?" + +The waters closed over the fairy as he disappeared, and the waves beat +harder against Harpstenah's feet. She awoke with the words echoing in +her heart, "Can a Sioux woman want courage when she is to be forced to +marry a man she hates?" "The words of the fairy were wise and true," +thought the maiden. "Our medicine-men say that the fairies of the water +are all wicked; that they are ever seeking to do harm to the Dahcotahs. +My dream has made my heart light. I will take the life of the war chief. +At the worst they can but take mine." + +As she looked round the teepee, her eye rested upon the faces of her +parents. The bright moonlight had found its way into the teepee. There +lay her father, his haughty countenance calm and subdued, for the "image +of death" had chased away the impression left on his features of a +fierce struggle with a hard life. How often had he warned her of the +danger of offending Cloudy Sky, that sickness, famine, death itself, +might be the result. Her mother too, had wearied her with warnings. But +she remembered her dream, and with all a Sioux woman's faith in +revelations, she determined to let it influence her course. + +Red Deer had often vowed to take the life of his rival, though he knew +it would have assuredly cost him his own. The family of Cloudy Sky was a +large one; there were many who would esteem it a sacred duty to avenge +his death. Besides he would gain nothing by it, for the parents of +Harpstenah would never consent to her marriage with the murderer of the +war chief. + +How often had Red Deer tried to induce the young girl to leave the +village, and return with him as his wife. "Have we not always loved each +other," he said. "When we were children, you made me mocassins, and +paddled the canoe for me, and I brought the wild duck, which I shot +while it was flying, to you. You promised me to be my wife, when I +should be a great hunter, and had brought to you the scalp of an enemy. +I have kept my promise, but you have broken yours." + +"I know it," she replied; "but I fear to keep my word. They would kill +you, and the spirits of my dead brothers would haunt me for disobeying +my parents. Cloudy Sky says that if I do not marry him he will cast a +spell upon me; he says that the brightness would leave my eye, and the +color my cheek; that my step should be slow and weary, and soon would I +be laid in the earth beside my brothers. The spirit that should watch +beside my body would be offended for my sin in disobeying the counsel of +the aged. You, too, should die, he says, not by the tomahawk, as a +warrior should die, but by a lingering disease--fever should enter your +veins, your strength would soon be gone, you would no longer be able to +defend yourself from your enemies. Let me die, rather than bring such +trouble upon you." + +Red Deer could not reply, for he believed that Cloudy Sky could do all +that he threatened. Nerved, then, by her devotion to her lover, her +hatred of Cloudy Sky, and her faith in her dream, Harpstenah determined +her heart should not fail her; she would obey the mandate of the water +god; she would bury her knife in the heart of the medicine man. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +In their hours for eating, the Sioux accommodate themselves to +circumstances. If food be plenty, they eat three or four times a day; if +scarce, they eat but once. Sometimes they go without food for several +days, and often they are obliged to live for weeks on the bark of +trees, skins, or anything that will save them from dying of famine. + +When game and corn are plenty, the kettle is always boiling, and they +are invariably hospitable and generous, always offering to a visitor +such as they have it in their power to give. + +The stars were still keeping watch, when Harpstenah was called by her +mother to assist her. The father's morning meal was prepared early, for +he was going out to hunt. Wild duck, pigeons, and snipe, could be had in +abundance; the timid grouse, too, could be roused up on the prairies. +Larger game was there, too, for the deer flew swiftly past, and had even +stopped to drink on the opposite shore of the "Spirit Lake." + +When they assembled to eat, the old man lifted up his hands--"May the +Great Spirit have mercy upon us, and give me good luck in hunting." + +Meat and boiled corn were eaten from wooden bowls, and the father went +his way, leaving his wife and daughter to attend to their +domestic cares. + +Harpstenah was cutting wood near the lodge, when Cloudy Sky presented +himself. He went into the teepee and lighted his pipe, and then, seating +himself outside, began to smoke. He was, in truth, a sorry figure for a +bridegroom. Always repulsive in his looks, his present dress was not +calculated to improve him. He wore mourning for his enemy, whom he +had killed. + +His face was painted perfectly black; nothing but the whites of his eyes +relieved the universal darkness. His blanket was torn and old--his hair +unbraided, and on the top of his head he wore a knot of swan's down. + +Every mark of grief or respect he could have shown a dead brother, he +now assumed in honor of the man whom he had hated--whose life he had +destroyed--who had belonged to the hateful tribe which had ever been the +enemy of his nation. + +He looked very important as he puffed away, now watching Harpstenah, who +appeared to be unconscious of his presence, now fixing his eyes on her +mother, who was busily employed mending mocassins. + +Having finished smoking; he used a fan which was attached to the other +end of his pipe-stem. It was a very warm day, and the perspiration that +was bursting from his forehead mingled with the black paint and slowly +found its way down his face. + +"Where is your husband?" at length he asked of the mother. + +"He saw a deer fly past this morning," she replied, "and he has gone to +seek it, that I may dry it." + +"Does he come back to-night?" + +"He does; he said you were to give a medicine feast to-morrow, and that +he would be here." + +Harpstenah knew well why the medicine feast was to be given. Cloudy Sky +could not, according to the laws of the Sioux, throw off his mourning, +until he had killed an enemy or given a medicine dance. She knew that he +wanted to wear a new blanket, and plait his hair, and paint his face a +more becoming color. But she knew his looks could not be improved, and +she went on cutting wood, as unconcernedly as if the old war chief were +her grandfather, instead of her affianced husband. He might gain the +good will of her parents, he might even propitiate the spirits of the +dead: She would take his life, surely as the senseless wood yielded to +the strength of the arm that was cleaving it. + +"You will be at the feast too," said Cloudy Sky to the mother; "you have +always foretold truly. There is not a woman in the band who can tell +what is going to happen as well as you. There is no nation so great as +the Dahcotah," continued the medicine man, as he saw several idlers +approach, and stretch themselves on the grass to listen to him. "There +is no nation so great as the Dahcotah--but our people are not so great +now as they were formerly. When our forefathers killed buffaloes on +these prairies, that the white people now ride across as if they were +their own, mighty giants lived among them; they strode over the widest +rivers, and the tallest trees; they could lay their hands upon the +highest hills, as they walked the earth. But they were not men of war. +They did not fight great battles, as do the Thunder Bird and +his warriors." + +There were large animals, too, in those days; so large that the stoutest +of our warriors were but as children beside them. Their bones have been +preserved through many generations. They are sacred to us, and we keep +them because they will cure us when we are sick, and will save us +from danger. + +I have lived three times on earth. When my body was first laid upon the +scaffold, my spirit wandered through the air. I followed the Thunder +Birds as they darted among the clouds. When the heavens were black, and +the rain fell in big drops, and the streaked lightning frightened our +women and children, I was a warrior, fighting beside the sons of the +Thunder Bird. + +Unktahe rose up before us; sixty of his friends were with him: the +waters heaved and pitched, as the spirits left them to seek vengeance +against the Thunder Birds. They showed us their terrible horns, but they +tried to frighten us in vain. We were but forty; we flew towards them, +holding our shields before our breasts; the wind tore up the trees, and +threw down the teepees, as we passed along. + +All day we fought; when we were tired we rested awhile, and then the +winds were still, and the sun showed himself from behind the dark +clouds. But soon our anger rose. The winds flew along swifter than the +eagle, as the Thunder Birds clapped their wings, and again we fought +against our foes. + +The son of Unktahe came towards me; his eyes shone like fire, but I was +not afraid. I remembered I had been a Sioux warrior. He held his shield +before him, as he tried to strike me with his spear. I turned his shield +aside, and struck him to the heart. + +He fell, and the waters whirled round as they received his body. The +sons of Unktahe shouted fearful cries of rage, but our yells of triumph +drowned them. + +The water spirits shrank to their home, while we returned to the clouds. +The large rain drops fell slowly, and the bow of bright colors rested +between the heavens and the earth. The strife was over, and we were +conquerors. I know that Unktahe hates me--that he would kill me if he +could--but the Thunder bird has greater power than he; the friend of the +'Man of the West' [Footnote: Thunder is sometimes called the Man of the +West.] is safe from harm. + +Harpstenah had ceased her work, and was listening to the boaster. "It +was all true," she said to herself; "the fairy of the water told me that +he had offended her race. I will do their bidding. Cloudy Sky may boast +of his power, but ere two nights have passed away, he will find he +cannot despise the anger of the water spirits, nor the courage of a +Dahcotah woman." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +The approach of night brought with it but little inclination to sleep to +the excited girl. Her father slept, tired with the day's hunt; and her +mother dreamed of seeing her daughter the wife of a war chief and a +medicine man. + +The village was built on the shores of the lake now known as Lake +Calhoun. By the light of the moon the teepees were reflected in its +waters. It was bright as day; so clear was the lake, that the agates +near the shore sparkled in its waters. The cry of the whippoorwill alone +disturbed the repose of nature, except when the wild scream of the loon +was heard as she gracefully swept the waters. + +Seated on the shore, Harpstenah waited to hear the low whistle of her +lover. The villagers were almost all asleep, now and then the laugh of +some rioters was heard breaking in upon the stillness of night. She had +not seen her lover for many days; from the time that her marriage was +determined upon, the young warrior had kept aloof from her. She had +seized her opportunity to tell him that he must meet her where they had +often met, where none should know of their meeting. She told him to +come when the moon rose, as her father would be tired, and her mother +wished to sleep well before the medicine feast. + +Many fears oppressed her heart, for he had not answered her when she +spoke to him, and he might not intend to come. Long she waited in vain, +and she now arose to return to the teepee, when the low signal met +her ear. + +She did not wait to hear it a second time, but made her way along the +shore: now her steps were printed in the wet sand, now planted on the +rocks near the shore; not a sound followed her movements until she stood +on the appointed place. The bright moonlight fell upon her features, and +her rich dress, as she waited with folded arms for her lover to address +her. Her okendokenda of bright colors was slightly open at the neck, and +revealed brooches of brass and silver that covered her bosom; a heavy +necklace of crimson beads hung around her throat; bracelets of brass +clasped her wrists, and her long plaited hair was ornamented at the end +of the braids with trinkets of silver. + +Her cloth petticoat was richly decorated with ribbons, and her leggins +and mocassins proved that she had spent much time and labor on the +adorning of a person naturally well formed, and graceful. + +"Why have you wished to meet me, Harpstenah?" said the young man, +gloomily. "Have you come to tell me of the presents Cloudy Sky has made +you, or do you wish to say that you are ashamed to break the promise you +made me to be my wife?" + +"I have come to say again that I will be your wife," she replied: "and +for the presents Cloudy Sky left for me, I have trampled them under my +feet. See, I wear near my heart the brooches you have given me." + +"Women are ever dogs and liars," said Red Deer, "but why do you speak +such words to me, when you know you have agreed to marry Cloudy Sky? +Your cousin told me your father had chosen him to carry you into the +teepee of the old man. Your father beat you, and you agreed to marry +him. You are a coward to mind a little pain. Go, marry the old medicine +man; he will beat you as he has his other wives; he may strike you with +his tomahawk and kill you, as he did his first wife; or he will sell you +to the traders, as he did the other; he will tell you to steal pork and +whiskey for him, and then when it is found out, he will take you and say +you are a thief, and that he has beaten you for it. Go, the young should +ever mate with the young, but you will soon lie on the scaffold, and by +his hand too." + +"The proud eagle seeks to frighten the timid bird that follows it," said +the maiden; "but Red Deer should not speak such angry words to the woman +that will venture her life for him. Cloudy Sky boasts that he is the +friend of the thunder bird; in my dreams, I have seen the fairy of the +waters, and he told me that Cloudy Sky should die by my hand. My words +are true. Cloudy Sky was once with the sons of the thunder birds when +they fought against Unktahe. He killed a son of the water god, and the +spirits of the water have determined on his death. + +"Red Deer, my heart is strong. I do not fear the medicine man, for the +power of Unktahe is greater than his. But you must go far away and visit +the Tetons; if you are here, they will accuse you of his death, and will +kill you. But as I have promised to marry him, no one will think that I +have murdered him. It will be long ere I see you again, but in the moon +that we gather wild rice, [Footnote: September] return, and I will be +your wife. Go, now," she added, "say to your mother that you are going +to visit your friends, and before the day comes be far away. To-morrow +Cloudy Sky gives a medicine feast, and to-morrow night Haokah will make +my heart strong, and I will kill the medicine man. His soul will travel +a long journey to the land of spirits. There let him drink, and boast, +and frighten women." + +Red Deer heard her, mute with astonishment. The color mantled in her +cheek, and her determined countenance assured him that she was in +earnest. He charged her to remember the secret spells of the medicine +man. If she loved him it was far better to go with him now; they would +soon be out of the reach of her family. To this she would not listen, +and repeating to him her intention of executing all she had told him of, +she left him. + +He watched her as she returned to her teepee; sometimes her form was +lost in the thick bushes, he could see her again as she made her way +along the pebbled shore, and when she had entered her teepee he +returned home. + +He collected his implements of war and hunting, and, telling his mother +he was going on a long journey, he left the village. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +The feast given in honor of their medicine was celebrated the next day, +and Cloudy Sky was thus relieved of the necessity of wearing mourning +for his enemy. + +His face was carefully washed of the black paint that disfigured it; his +hair, plentifully greased, was braided and ornamented. His leggins were +new, and his white blanket was marked according to Indian custom. On it +was painted a black hand, that all might know that he had killed his +enemy. But for all he did not look either young or handsome, and +Harpstenah's young friends were astonished that she witnessed the +preparations for her marriage with so much indifference. + +But she was unconscious alike of their sympathy and ridicule; her soul +was occupied with the reflection that upon her energy depended her +future fate. Never did her spirit shrink from its appointed task. Nor +was she entirely governed by selfish motives; she believed herself an +instrument in the hand of the gods. + +Mechanically she performed her ordinary duties. The wood was cut and the +evening meal was, cooked; afterwards she cut down branches of trees, and +swept the wigwam. In the evening, the villagers had assembled on the +shores of the lake to enjoy the cool air after the heat of the day. + +Hours passed away as gossipping and amusement engaged them all. At +length they entered their teepees to seek rest, and Harpstenah and her +mother were the last at the door of their teepee, where a group had been +seated on the ground, discussing their own and others' affairs. "No harm +can come to you, my daughter, when you are the wife of so great a +medicine man. If any one hate you and wish to do you an injury, Cloudy +Sky will destroy their power. Has he not lived with the Thunder Birds, +did he not learn from them to cure the sick, and to destroy his enemies? +He is a great warrior too." + +"I know it, my mother," replied the girl, "but we have sat long in the +moonlight, the wind that stirred the waters of the spirit lake is gone. +I must sleep, that I may be ready to dress myself when you call me. My +hair must be braided in many braids, and the strings are not yet sewed +to my mocassins. You too are tired; let us go in and sleep." + +Sleep came to the mother--to the daughter courage and energy. Not in +vain had she prayed to Haokah the Giant, to give her power to perform a +great deed. Assured that her parents were sleeping heavily, she rose and +sought the lodge of the medicine man. + +When she reached the teepee, she stopped involuntarily before the door, +near which hung, on a pole, the medicine bag of the old man. The +medicine known only to the clan had been preserved for ages. Sacred had +it ever been from the touch of woman. It was placed there to guard the +medicine man from evil, and to bring punishment on those who sought to +do him harm. Harpstenah's strength failed her. What was she about to do? + +Could she provoke with impunity the anger of the spirits of the dead? +Would not the Great Spirit bring terrible vengeance upon her head. Ready +to sink to the earth with terror, the words of the fairy of the waters +reassured her. "Can a Dahcotah woman want courage when she is to be +forced to marry a man she hates?" + +The tumult within is stilled--the strong beating of her heart has +ceased--her hand is upon the handle of her knife, as the moonlight falls +upon its glittering blade. + +Too glorious a night for so dark a deed! See! they are confronted, the +old man and the maiden! The tyrant and his victim; the slave dealer and +the noble soul he had trafficked for! + +Pale, but firm with high resolve, the girl looked for one moment at the +man she had feared--whose looks had checked her childish mirth, whose +anger she had been taught to dread, even to the sacrificing of her +heart's best hopes. + +Restlessly the old man slept; perchance he saw the piercing eyes that +were, fixed upon him, for he muttered of the road to the land of +spirits. Listen to him, as he boasts of the warrior's work. + +"Many brave men have made this road. The friend of the Thunder Birds was +worthy. Strike the woman who would dare assist a warrior. Strike--" + +"Deep in his heart she plunged the ready steel," and she drew it out, +the life blood came quickly. She alone heard his dying groan. + +She left the teepee--her work was done. It was easy to wash the stains +on her knife in the waters of the lake. + +When her mother arose, she looked at the pale countenance of her +daughter. In vain she sought to understand her muttered words. +Harpstenah, as she tried to sleep, fancied she heard the wild laugh of +the water spirits. Clouds had obscured the moon, and distant thunder +rolled along the sky; and, roused by the clamorous grief of the many +women assembled in the lodge, she heard from them of the dark tragedy in +which she had been the principal actor. + +The murderer was not to be found. Red Deer was known to be far away. It +only remained to bury Cloudy Sky, with all the honors due to a +medicine man. + +Harpstenah joined in the weeping of the mourners--the fountains of a +Sioux woman's tears are easily unlocked. She threw her blanket upon the +dead body. + +Many were the rich presents made to the inanimate clay which yesterday +influenced those who still trembled lest the spirit of the dead +war-chief would haunt them. The richest cloth enrobed his body, and, a +short distance from the village, he was placed upon a scaffold. + +Food was placed beside him; it would be long before his soul would reach +the city of spirits; his strength would fail him, were it not for the +refreshment of the tender flesh of the wild deer he had loved to chase, +and the cooling waters he had drank on earth, for many, many winters. + +But after the death of Cloudy Sky, the heart of Harpstenah grew light. +She joined again in the ball plays on the prairies. It needed no +vermilion on her cheek to show the brightness of her eye, for the flush +of hope and happiness was there. + +The dark deed was forgotten; and when, in the time that the leaves began +to fall, they prepared the wild rice for winter's use, Red Deer was +at her side. + +He was a good hunter, and the parents were old. Red Deer ever kept them +supplied with game--and winter found her a wife, and a happy one too; +for Red Deer loved her in very truth--and the secret of the death of the +medicine man was buried in their hearts. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Ten years had passed away since their marriage, and Red Deer had never +brought another wife to his teepee. Harpstenah was without a rival in +his affections, if we except the three strong boys who were growing up +beside them. + +Chaskè (the oldest son) could hunt for his mother, and it was well that +he could, for his father's strength was gone. Consumption wasted his +limbs, and the once powerful arm could not now support his +drooping head. + +The father and mother had followed Cloudy Sky to the world of spirits; +they were both anxious to depart from earth, for age had made them +feeble, and the hardships of ninety years made them eager to have their +strength renewed, in the country where their ancestors were still in the +vigor of early youth. The band at Lake Calhoun were going on a hunt for +porcupines; a long hunt, and Harpstenah tried to deter her husband from +attempting the journey; but he thought the animating exercise of the +chase would be a restorative to his feeble frame, and they set out +with the rest. + +When the hunters had obtained a large number of those valued animals, +the women struck their teepees and prepared for their return. +Harpstenah's lodge alone remained, for in it lay the dying man--by his +side his patient wife. The play of the children had ceased--they watched +with silent awe the pale face and bright eye of their father--they heard +him charge their mother to place food that his soul might be refreshed +on its long journey. Not a tear dimmed her eye as she promised all +he asked. + +"There is one thing, my wife," he said, "which still keeps my spirit on +earth. My soul cannot travel the road to the city of spirits--that long +road made by the bravest of our warriors--while it remembers the body +which it has so long inhabited shall be buried far from its native +village. Your words were wise when you told me I had not strength to +travel so far, and now my body must lie far from my home--far from the +place of my birth--from the village where I have danced the dog feast, +and from the shores of the 'spirit lakes' where my father taught me to +use my bow and arrow." + +"Your body shall lie on the scaffold near your native village," his wife +replied. "When I turn from this place, I will take with me my husband; +and my young children shall walk by my side. My heart is as brave now as +it was when I took the life of the medicine man. The love that gave me +courage then, will give me strength now. Fear not for me; my limbs will +not be weary, and when the Great Spirit calls me, I will hear his voice, +and follow you to the land of spirits, where there will be no more +sickness nor trouble." + +Many stars shone out that night; they assisted in the solemn and the +sacred watch. The mother looked at the faces of her sleeping sons, and +listened to their heavy breathing; they had but started on the +journey of life. + +She turned to her husband: it was but the wreck of a deserted house, the +tenant had departed. + +The warrior was already far on his journey; ere this, he had reached the +lodge where the freed spirit adorns itself ere entering upon its +new abode. + +Some days after, Harpstenah entered her native village, bearing a +precious burden. Strapped to her back was the body of her husband. By +day, she had borne it all the weary way; at night, she had stopped to +rest and to weep. Nor did her strength fail her, until she reached her +home; then, insensible to sorrow and fatigue, she sunk to the earth. + +The women relieved her from the burden, and afterwards helped her to +bury her dead. + +Many waters could not quench her love, nor could the floods drown it. It +was strong as death. + +Well might she sit in her lodge and weep! The village where she passed +her childhood and youth was deserted. Her husband forgotten by all but +herself. Her two sons were murdered by the Chippeways, while defending +their mother and their young brother. + +Well might she weep! and tremble too, for death among the Dahcotahs +comes as often by the fire water purchased from the white people, as +from the murderous tomahawk and scalping-knife of the Chippeways. + +Nor were her fears useless; she never again saw her son, until his body +was brought to her, his dark features stiff in death. The death blow was +given, too, by the friend who had shamed him from listening to his +mother's voice. + + * * * * * + +What wonder that she should not heed the noise of the tempest! The +storms of her life had been fiercer than the warring of the elements. +But while the fountains of heaven were unsealed, those of her heart were +closed forever. Never more should tears relieve her, who had shed so +many. Often had she gone into the prairies to weep, far from the sight +of her companions. Her voice was heard from a distance. The wind would +waft the melancholy sound back to the village. + +"It is only Harpstenah," said the women. "She has gone to the prairies +to weep for her husband and her children." + +The storm raged during the night, but ceased with the coming of day. The +widowed wife and childless mother was found dead under the scaffold +where lay the body of her son. + +The Thunder Bird was avenged for the death of his friend. The strength +of Red Deer had wasted under a lingering disease; his children were +dead; their mother lay beside her youngest son. + +The spirit of the waters had not appeared in vain. When the countenance +of Unktahe rests upon a Dahcotah, it is the sure prognostic of coming +evil. The fury of the storm spirits was spent when the soul of +Harpstenah followed her lost ones. + + * * * * * + +Dimly, as the lengthened shadows of evening fall around them, are seen +the outstretched arms of the suffering Dahcotah women, as they appeal +to us for assistance--and not to proud man! + +He, in the halls of legislation, decides when the lands of the red man +are needed--one party makes a bargain which the other is forced +to accept. + +But in a woman's heart God has placed sympathies to which the sorrows of +the Dahcotah women appeal. Listen! for they tell you they would fain +know of a balm for the many griefs they endure; they would be taught to +avoid the many sins they commit; and, oh! how gladly would many of them +have their young children accustomed to shudder at the sight of a fellow +creature's blood. Like us, they pour out the best affections of early +youth on a beloved object. Like us, they have clasped their children to +their hearts in devoted love. Like us, too, they have wept as they laid +them in the quiet earth. + +But they must fiercely grapple with trials which we have never +conceived. Winter after winter passes, and they perish from disease, and +murder, and famine. + +There is a way to relieve them--would you know it? Assist the +missionaries who are giving their lives to them and God. Send them +money, that they may clothe the feeble infant, and feed its +starving mother. + +Send them money, that they may supply the wants of those who are sent to +school, and thus encourage others to attend. + +As the day of these forgotten ones is passing away, so is ours. They +were born to suffer, we to relieve. Let their deathless souls be taught +the way of life, that they and we, after the harsh discords of earth +shall have ceased, may listen together to the "harmonies of Heaven." + + + + +HAOKAH OZAPE; + + +THE DANCE TO THE GIANT + + +CHAPTER I. + +The dance to the Giant is now rarely celebrated among the Dahcotahs. So +severe is the sacrifice to this deity, that there are few who have +courage to attempt it; and yet Haokah is universally reverenced and +feared among the Sioux. + +They believe in the existence of many Giants, but Haokah is one of the +principal. He is styled the anti-natural god. In summer he feels cold, +in winter he suffers from the heat; hot water is cold to him, and +the contrary. + +The Dahcotah warrior, however brave he may be, believes that when he +dreams of Haokah, calamity is impending and can only be avoided by some +sort of sacrifice to this god. + +The incident on which this story is founded, occurred while I resided +among the Sioux. I allude to the desertion of Wenona by her lover. It +serves to show the blind and ignorant devotion of the Dahcotah to +his religion. + +And as man is ever alike in every country, and under every circumstance +of life--as he often from selfish motives tramples upon the heart that +trusts him--so does woman utterly condemn a sister, feeling no sympathy +for her sorrow, but only hatred of her fault. + +Jealous for the honor of the long-reverenced feasts of the +Dahcotahs--the "Deer Killer" thought not for a moment of the sorrow and +disgrace he would bring upon Wenona, while Wauska loved the warrior more +than ever, triumphing in his preference of her, above her companion. +And Wenona-- + + A cloud came o'er the prospect of her life, + And evening did set in + Early, and dark and deadly. + +But she loved too truly to be jealous, and departed without the revenge +that most Indian women would have sought, and accomplished too. Her +silence on the subject of her early trial induced her friends to believe +that her mind was affected, a situation caused by long and intense +suffering, and followed by neglect; in such cases the invalid is said to +_have no heart_. + +The girl from whom I have attempted to draw the character of Wauska, I +knew well. + +Good looking, with teeth like pearls, her laugh was perfect music. Often +have I been roused from my sewing or reading, by hearing the ringing +notes, as they were answered by the children. She generally announced +herself by a laugh, and was welcomed by one in return. + +She was pettish withal, and easily offended, and if refused calico for +an okendokenda, or beads, or ribbon to ornament some part of her dress, +she would sullenly rest her chin on her hand, until pacified with a +present, or the promise of one. + +It is in Indian life as in ours--youth believes and trusts, and +advancing years bring the consciousness of the trials of life; the +necessity of enduring, and in some cases the power to overcome them. Who +but she who suffers it, can conceive the Sioux woman's greatest +trial--to feel that the love that is her right, is gone! to see another +take the place by the household fire, that was hers; to be last where +she was first. + +It may require some apology that Wauska should have vowed destruction +upon herself if the Deer Killer took another wife, and yet should have +lived on and become that most unromantic of all characters--a virago. +She was reconciled in time to what was inevitable, and as there are many +wives among the Sioux, there must be the proportion of scolding ones. So +I plead guilty to the charge of wanting sentiment, choosing rather to be +true to nature. And there is this consideration: if there be among the +Dahcotahs some Catharines, there are many Petruchios. + + * * * * * + +A group of Indian girls were seated on the grass, Wauska in the centre, +her merry musical laugh echoed back by all but Wenona. The leaves of the +large forest tree under which they were sheltered seemed to vibrate to +the joyous sounds, stirred as they were by a light breeze that blew from +the St. Peter's. Hark! they laugh again, and "old John" wakes up from +his noon-day nap and turns a curious, reproving look to the noisy party, +and Shah-co-pee, the orator of the Sioux, moves towards them, anxious to +find out the cause of their mirth. + +"Old John," after a hearty stretch, joins them too, and now the fumes +of the pipe ascend, and mix with the odor of the sweet-scented prairie +grass that the young girls are braiding. + +But neither Shah-co-pee the chief, nor old John the medicine man, could +find out the secret; they coaxed and threatened in turns--but all in +vain, for their curiosity was not gratified. They might have noticed, +however, that Wenona's face was pale, and her eyes red with weeping. She +was idle too, while the others plaited busily, and there was a subdued +look of sadness about her countenance, contrasting strangely with the +merry faces of the others. + +"Why did you not tell Shah-co-pee what we were laughing at, Wenona?" +said Wanska. "Your secret is known now. The Deer-killer told all at the +Virgin's feast. Why did you not make him promise not to come? If I had +been you, I would have lain sick the day of the feast, I would have +struck my foot, so that I could not walk, or, I would have died before I +entered the ring. + +"The Deer-killer promised to marry me," replied Wenona. "He said that +when he returned from his hunt I should be his wife. But I know well why +he has disgraced me; you have tried to make him love you, and now he is +waiting to take you to his lodge. He is not a great warrior, or he would +have kept his word." + +"Wenona!" said Wanska, interrupting her, "you have not minded the advice +of your grandmother. She told you never to trust the promises of the +bravest warriors. You should not have believed his words, until he took +you to his wigwam. But do not be afraid that I will marry the +Deer-killer. There was never but one woman among the Dahcotahs who did +not marry, and I am going to be the second." + +"You had better hush, Wanska," said the Bright Star. "You know she had +her nose cut off because she refused to be a wife, and somebody may cut +yours off too. It is better to be the mother of warriors than to have +every one laughing at you." + +"Enah! then I will be married, rather than have my nose cut off, but I +will not be the Deer-killer's wife. So Wenona may stop crying." + +"He says he will never marry me," said Wenona; "and it will do me no +good for you to refuse to be his wife. But you are a liar, like him; for +you know you love him. I am going far away, and the man who has broken +his faith to the maiden who trusted him, will never be a good husband." + +"If I were Wenona, and you married the Deer-killer," said the Bright +Star to Wanska, "you should not live long after it. She is a coward or +she would not let you laugh at her as you did. I believe _she has no +heart_ since the Virgin's feast; sometimes she laughs so loud that we +can hear her from our teepee, and then she bends her head and weeps. +When her mother places food before her she says, 'Will he bring the meat +of the young deer for me to dress for him, and will my lodge be ever +full of food, that I may offer it to the hungry and weary stranger who +stops to rest himself?' If I were in her place, Wanska," added the +Bright Star, "I would try and be a medicine woman, and I would throw a +spell upon the Deer-killer, and upon you too, if you married him." + +"The Deer-killer is coming," said another of the girls. "He has been +watching us; and now that he sees Wenona has gone away, he is coming to +talk to Wanska. He wears many eagle feathers: Wenona may well weep that +she cannot be his wife, for there is not a warrior in the village who +steps so proudly as he." + +But he advanced and passed them indifferently. By and by they separated, +when he followed Wanska to her father's teepee. + +Her mother and father had gone to dispose of game in exchange for bread +and flour, and the Deer-killer seated himself uninvited on the floor of +the lodge. + +"The teepee of the warrior is lonely when he returns from hunting," said +he to the maiden. "Wanska must come to the lodge of the Deer-killer. She +shall ever have the tender flesh of the deer and buffalo to refresh her, +and no other wife shall be there to make her unhappy." + +"Wanska is very happy now," she replied. "Her father is a good hunter. +He has gone to-day to carry ducks and pigeons to the Fort. The promises +of the Deer-killer are like the branch that breaks in my hand. Wenona's +face is pale, and her eyes are red like blood from weeping. The +Deer-killer promised to make her his wife, and now that he has broken +his word to her, he tells Wanska that he will never take another wife, +but she cannot trust him." + +"Wanska was well named the Merry Heart," the warrior replied; "she +laughs at Wenona and calls her a fool, and then she wishes me to marry +her. Who would listen to a woman's words? And yet the voice of the Merry +Heart is sweeter than a bird's--her laugh makes my spirit glad. When she +sits in my lodge and sings to the children who will call me father, I +shall be happy. Many women have loved the Deer-killer, but never has he +cared to sit beside one, till he heard the voice of Wanska as she sang +in the scalp-dance, and saw her bear the scalp of her enemy upon her +shoulders." + +Wanska's face was pale while she listened to him. She approached him, +and laid her small hand upon his arm--"I have heard your words, and my +heart says they are good. I have loved you ever since we were children. +When I was told that you were always by the side of Wenona, the laugh of +my companions was hateful to me--the light of the sun was darkness to my +eyes. When Wenona returned to her village with her parents, I said in +the presence of the Great Spirit that she should not live after you had +made her your wife. But her looks told me that there was sadness in her +heart, and then I knew you could not love her. + +"You promise me you will never bring another wife to your wigwam. +Deer-killer! the wife of the white man is happy, for her husband loves +her alone. The children of the second wife do not mock the woman who is +no longer beloved, nor strike her children before her eyes. When I am +your wife I shall be happy while you love me; there will be no night in +my teepee while I know your heart is faithful and true; but should you +break your word to me, and bring to your lodge another wife, you shall +see me no more, and the voice whose sound is music to your ears you will +never hear again." + +Promises come as readily to the lips of an Indian lover as trustfulness +does to the heart of the woman who listens to them; and the Deer-killer +was believed. + +Wanska had been often at the Fort, and she had seen the difference +between the life of a white and that of an Indian woman. She had thought +that the Great Spirit was unmindful of the cares of his children. + +And who would have thought that care was known to Wanska, with her merry +laugh, and her never-ceasing jokes, whether played upon her young +companions, or on the old medicine man who kept everybody but her in +awe of him. + +She seemed to be everywhere too, at the same time. Her canoe dances +lightly over the St. Peter's, and her companions try in vain to keep up +with her. Soon her clear voice is heard as she sings, keeping time with +the strokes of the axe she uses so skilfully. A peal of laughter rouses +the old woman, her mother, who goes to bring the truant home, but she is +gone, and when she returns, in time to see the red sun fade away in the +bright horizon, she tells her mother that she went out with two or three +other girls, to assist the hunters in bringing in the deer they had +killed. And her mother for once does not scold, for she remembers how +she used to love to wander on the prairies, when her heart was as light +and happy as her child's. + +When Wanska was told that the Deer-killer loved Wenona, no one heard her +sighs, and for tears, she was too proud to shed any. Wenona's fault had +met with ridicule and contempt; there was neither sympathy nor excuse +found for her. And now that the Deer-killer had slighted Wenona, and had +promised to love her alone, there was nothing wanting to her happiness. + +Bright tears of joy fell from her eyes when her lover said there was a +spell over him when he loved Wenona, but now his spirit was free; that +he would ever love her truly, and that when her parents returned he +would bring rich presents and lay them at the door of the lodge. + +Wanska was indeed "the Merry Heart," for she loved the Deer-killer more +than life itself, and life was to her a long perspective of brightness. +She would lightly tread the journey of existence by his side, and when +wearied with the joys of this world, they would together travel the road +that leads to the Heaven of the Dahcotahs. + +She sat dreaming of the future after the Deer-killer had left her, nor +knew of her parents' return until she heard her mother's sharp voice as +she asked her "if the corn would boil when the fire was out, and where +was the bread that she was told to have ready on their return?" + +Bread and corn! when Wanska had forgot all but that she was beloved. She +arose quickly, and her light laugh drowned her mother's scolding. Soon +her good humor was infectious, for her mother told her that she had +needles and thread in plenty, besides more flour and sugar, and that her +father was going out early in the morning to kill more game for the Long +Knives who loved it so well. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A few months ago, the Deer-killer had told Wenona that Wanska was noisy +and tiresome, and that her soft dark eyes were far more beautiful than +Wanska's laughing ones. They were not at home then, for Wenona had +accompanied her parents on a visit to some relations who lived far above +the village of Shah-co-pee. + +While there the Deer-killer came in with some warriors who had been on a +war party; there Wenona was assured that her rival, the Merry Heart, was +forgotten. + +And well might the Deer-killer and Wenona have loved each other. "Youth +turns to youth as the flower to the sun," and he was brave and noble in +his pride and power; and she, gentle and loving, though an Indian woman; +so quiet too, and all unlike Wanska, who was the noisiest little gossip +in the village. + +Often had they wandered together through the "solemn temples of the +earth," nor did she ever fear, with the warrior child for a protector. +She had followed him when he ascended the cliffs where the tracks of the +eagle were seen; and with him she felt safe when the wind was tossing +their canoe on the Mississippi, when the storm spirits had arisen in +their power. They were still children when Wenona would know his step +among many others, but they were no longer children when Wenona left +Shah-co-pee's village, for she loved with a woman's devotion--and more +than loved. She had trembled when she saw the Deer-killer watch Wanska +as she tripped merrily about the village. Sleeping or waking, his image +was ever before her; he was the idol to which her spirit bowed, the sun +of her little world. + +The dance to the giant was to be celebrated at the village where they +were visiting; the father of Wenona and "Old John" the medicine man, +were to join in it. The maiden had been nothing loth to undertake the +journey, for the Deer-killer had gone on a war party against the +Chippeways, and she thought that in the course of their journey they +might meet him--and when away from Wanska, he would return to her side. +He could not despise the love she had given him. Hope, that bright star +of youth, hovered over her, and its light was reflected on her heart. + +When they arrived at the village of the chief Markeda, or "Burning +Earth," the haughty brow of the chief was subdued with care. He had +dreamed of Haokah the giant, and he knew there was sorrow or danger +threatening him. He had sinned against the giant, and what might be the +consequence of offending him? Was his powerful arm to be laid low, and +the strong pulse to cease its beatings? Did his dream portend the loss +of his young wife? She was almost as dear to him as the fleet hunter +that bore him to the chase. + +It might be that the angry god would send their enemies among them, and +his tall sons would gladden his sight no more. Sickness and hunger, +phantom-like, haunted his waking and sleeping hours. + +There was one hope; he might yet ward off the danger, for the uplifted +arm of the god had not fallen. He hoped to appease the anger of the +giant by dancing in his honor. + +"We have travelled far," said old John the medicine man, to Markeda, +"and are tired. When we have slept we will dance with you, for we are of +the giant's party." + +"Great is Haokah, the giant of the Dahcotahs," the chief replied; "it is +a long time since we have danced to him." + +"I had been hunting with my warriors, we chased the buffalo, and our +arrows pierced their sides; they turned upon us, bellowing, their heads +beating the ground; their terrible eyes glared upon us even in death; +they rolled in the dust, for their strength was gone. We brought them to +the village for our women to prepare for us when we should need them. I +had eaten and was refreshed; and, tired as my limbs were, I could not +sleep at first, but at last the fire grew dim before my eyes, and +I slept. + +"I stood on the prairie alone, in my dream, and the giant appeared +before me. So tall was he that the clouds seemed to float about his +head. I trembled at the sound of his voice, it was as if the angry winds +were loosed upon the earth. + +"'The warriors of the Dahcotahs are turned women,' said he; 'that they +no longer dance in honor of the giant, nor sing his songs. Markeda is +not a coward, but let him tremble; he is not a child, but he may shed +tears if the anger of the giant comes upon him.' + +"Glad was I when I woke from my dream--and now, lest I am punished for +my sins, I will make a sacrifice to the giant. Should I not fear him who +is so powerful? Can he not take the thunder in his hand and cast it to +the earth? + +"The heart of the warrior should be brave when he dances to the giant. +My wigwam is ready, and the friends of the giant are ready also." + +"Give me your mocassins," said the young wife of Markeda to old John; +"they are torn, and I will mend them. You have come from afar, and are +welcome. Sleep, and when you awake, you will find them beside you." As +she assisted him to take them off, the medicine man looked admiringly +into her face. "The young wife of Markeda is as beautiful as the white +flowers that spring up on the prairies. Her husband would mourn for her +if the giant should close her eyes. They are bright now, as the stars, +but death would dim them, should not the anger of the giant be +appeased." + +The "Bounding Fawn" turned pale at the mention of the angry giant; she +sat down, without replying, to her work; wondering the while, if the +soul of her early love thought of her, now that it wandered in the +Spirit's land. It might be that he would love her again when they should +meet there. The sound of her child's voice, awakening out of sleep, +aroused her, and called to her mind who was its father. + +"They tore me away from my lover, and made me come to the teepee of the +chief," was her bitter reflection. "Enah! that I cannot love the father +of my child." + +She rose and left the teepee. "Where is the heaven of the Dahcotahs," +she murmured, as she looked up to the silent stars. "It may be that I +shall see him again. He will love my child too, and I will forget the +many tears I have shed." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +The dance to the Giant is always performed inside the wigwam. Early in +the morning the dancers were assembled in the chief's lodge. Their dress +was such as is appointed for the occasion. Their hats were made of the +bark of trees, such as tradition says the Giant wears. They were large, +and made forked like the lightning. Their leggins were made of skins. +Their ear-rings were of the bark of trees, and were about one foot long. + +The chief rose ere the dawn of day, and stood before the fire. As the +flames flickered, and the shadows of the dancers played fantastically +about the wigwam, they looked more like Lucifer and a party of attendant +spirits, than like human beings worshipping their God. + +Markeda stood by the fire without noticing his guests, who awaited his +motions in silence. At last, moving slowly, he placed a kettle of water +on the fire, and then threw into it a large piece of buffalo meat. + +Lighting his pipe, he seated himself, and then the dancers advanced to +the fire and lit theirs; and soon they were enveloped in a cloud +of smoke. + +When the water began to boil, the Indians arose, and, dancing round the +fire, imitated the voice of the Giant. + +"Hah-hah! hah hah!" they sung, and each endeavored to drown the voice of +the other. Now they crouch as they dance, looking diminutive and +contemptible, as those who are degrading themselves in their most sacred +duties. Then they rise up, and show their full height. Stalwart warriors +as they are, their keen eyes flash as they glance from the fire to each +others' faces, distorted with the effort of uttering such discordant +sounds. Now their broad chests heave with the exertion, and their breath +comes quickly. + +They seat themselves, to rest and smoke. Again the hellish sounds are +heard, and the wife of the chief trembles for fear of the Giant, and her +child clings closer to her breast. The water boils, and, hissing, falls +over into the fire, the flames are darkened for a moment, and then burst +up brighter than before. + +Markeda addresses the dancers--"Warriors! the Giant is powerful--the +water which boils before us will be cold when touched by a friend of the +Giant. Haokah will not that his friends should suffer when offering him +a sacrifice." + +The warriors then advanced together, and each one puts his hand into the +kettle and takes the meat from the boiling water; and although suffering +from the scalds produced, yet their calmness in enduring the pain, would +induce the belief that the water really felt to them cool and pleasant. + +The meat is then taken out, and put into a wooden dish, and the water +left boiling on the fire. The dancers eat the meat while hot, and again +they arrange themselves to dance. And now, the mighty power of the Giant +is shown, for Markeda advances to the kettle, and taking some water out +of it he throws it upon his bare back, singing all the while, "The +water is cold." + +"Old John" advances and does the same, followed by the next in turn, +until the water is exhausted from the kettle, and then the warriors +exclaim, "How great is the power of Haokah! we have thrown boiling water +upon ourselves and we have not been scalded." + +The dance is over--the sacrifice is made. Markeda seeks his young wife +and fears not. He had fancied that her cheeks were pale of late, but now +they are flushed brilliantly, his heart is at rest. + +The warriors disperse, all but the medicine man, and the chief's store +of buffalo meat diminishes rapidly under the magic touch of the epicure. + +Yes! an epicure thou wert old John! for I mind me well when thou camest +at dinner time, and how thou saidst thou couldst eat the food of the +Indian when thou wert hungry, but the food of the white man was better +far. And thou! a Dahcotah warrior, a famous hunter, and a medicine man. +Shame! that thou shouldst have loved venison dressed with wine more than +when the tender meat was cooked according to the taste of the women of +thy nation. I have forgotten thy Indian name, renegade as thou wert! but +thou answerest as well to "old John!" + +Thou art now forgotten clay, though strong and vigorous when in wisdom +the Sioux were punished for a fault they did not commit. Their money was +not paid them--their provisions were withheld. Many were laid low, and +thou hast found before now that God is the Great Spirit, and the Giant +Haokah is not. + +And it may be that thou wouldst fain have those thou hast left on earth +know of His power, who is above all spirits, and of His goodness who +would have all come unto Him. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Wenona had not hoped in vain, for her lover was with her, and Wanska +seemed to be forgotten. The warrior's flute would draw her out from her +uncle's lodge while the moon rose o'er the cold waters. Wrapped in her +blanket, she would hasten to meet him, and listen to his assurances of +affection, wondering the while that she had ever feared he +loved another. + +She had been some months at the village of Markeda, and she went to meet +her lover with a heavy heart. Her mother had noticed that her looks were +sad and heavy, and Wenona knew that it would not be long ere she should +be a happy wife, or a mark for the bitter scorn of her companions. + +The Deer-killer had promised, day after day, that he would make her his +wife, but he ever found a ready excuse; and now he was going on a long +hunt, and she and her parents were to return to their village. His +quiver was full of arrows, and his leggins were tightly girded upon him. +Wenona's full heart was nigh bursting as she heard that the party were +to leave to-morrow. Should he desert her, her parents would kill her for +disgracing them; and her rival, Wanska, how would she triumph over +her fall? + +"You say that you love me," said she to the Deer-killer, "and yet you +treat me cruelly. Why should you leave me without saying that I am your +wife? Who would watch for your coming as I would? and you will disgrace +me when I have loved you so truly. Stay--tell them you have made me your +wife, and then will I wait for you at the door of my teepee." + +The warrior could not stay from the chase, but he promised her that he +would soon return to their village, and then she should be his wife. + +Wenona wept when he left her; shadows had fallen upon her heart, and yet +she hoped on. Turning her weary steps homeward, she arrived there when +the maidens of the village were preparing to celebrate the +Virgin's Feast. + +There was no time to deliberate--should she absent herself, she would be +suspected, and yet a little while ere the Deer-killer would return, and +her anxious heart would be at rest. + +The feast was prepared, and the crier called for all virgins to enter +the sacred ring. + +Wenona went forward with a beating heart; she was not a wife, and soon +must be a mother. Wanska, the Merry Heart, was there, and many others +who wondered at the pale looks of Wenona--she who had been on a journey, +and who ought to have returned with color bright as the dying sun, whose +light illumined earth, sky and water. + +As they entered the ring a party of warriors approached the circle. +Wenona does not look towards them, and yet the throbbings of her heart +were not to be endured. Her trembling limbs refused to sustain her, as +the Deer-killer, stalking towards the ring, calls aloud--"Take her from +the sacred feast; should she eat with the maidens?--she, under whose +bosom lies a warrior's child? She is unworthy." + +And as the unhappy girl, with features of stone and glaring eyes, gazed +upon him bewildered, he rudely led her from the ring. + +Wenona bowed her head and went--even as night came on when the sun went +down. Nor did the heart of the Deer-killer reproach him, for how dare +she offend the Great Spirit! Were not the customs of his race holy +and sacred? + +Little to Wenona were her father's reproaches, or her mother's curse; +that she was no more beloved was all she remembered. + +Again was the Deer-killer by the side of Wanska, and she paid the +penalty. Her husband brought other wives to his wigwam, though Wanska +was ever the favorite one. + +With her own hand would she put the others out of the wigwam, laughing +when they threatened to tell their lord when he returned, for Wanska +managed to tell her own story first; and, termagant as she was, she +always had her own way. + +Wenona has ceased to weep, and far away in the country of the Sissetons +she toils and watches as all Indian women toil and watch. Her young son +follows her as she seeks the suffering Dahcotah, and charms the disease +to leave his feeble frame. + +She tells to the child and the aged woman her dreams; she warns the +warrior what he shall meet with when he goes to battle; and ever, as the +young girls assemble to pass away the idle hours, she stops and +whispers to them. + +In vain do they ask of her husband: she only points to her son and says, +"My hair, which is now like snow, was once black and braided like his, +and my eyes as bright. They have wept until tears come no more. Listen +not to the warrior who says he loves." And she passes from their sight +as the morning mists. + + + + +U-MI-NE-WAH-CHIPPE; + +OR, + +TO DANCE AROUND. + +I have noticed the many singular notions of the Sioux concerning +thunder, and especially the fact that they believe it to be a large +bird. They represent it thus. [Illustration:] This figure is often seen +worked with porcupine quills on their ornaments. Ke-on means to fly. +Thunder is called Wah-ke-on or All-flier. U-mi-ne-wah-chippe is a dance +given by some one who fears thunder and thus endeavors to propitiate the +god and save his own life. + +A ring is made, of about sixty feet in circumference, by sticking +saplings in the ground, and bending their tops down, fastening them +together. In the centre of this ring a pole is placed. The pole is about +fifteen feet in height and painted red. From this swings a piece of +birch bark, cut so as to represent thunder. At the foot of the pole +stand two boys and two girls. + +The two boys represent war: they are painted red, and hold war-clubs in +their hands. The girls have their faces painted with blue clay: they +represent peace. + +On one side of the circle a kind of booth is erected, and about twenty +feet from it a wigwam. There are four entrances to this circle. + +When all the arrangements for the dance are concluded, the man who +gives the dance emerges from his wigwam dressed up as hideously as +possible, crawling on all fours towards the booth. He must sing four +tunes before reaching it. + +In the meantime the medicine men, who are seated in the wigwam, beat +time on the drum, and the young men and squaws keep time to the music by +first hopping on one foot, and then on the other--moving around inside +the ring as fast as they can. This is continued for about five minutes, +until the music stops. After resting a few moments, the second tune +commences, and lasts the same length of time, then the third, and the +fourth; the Indian meanwhile making his way towards the booth. At the +end of each tune, a whoop is raised by the men dancers. + +After the Indian has reached his booth inside the ring, he must sing +four more tunes as before. At the end of the fourth tune the squaws all +run out of the ring as fast as possible, and must leave by the same way +that they entered, the other three entrances being reserved for the men, +who, carrying their war implements, might be accidentally touched by one +of the squaws--and the war implements of the Sioux warrior have from +time immemorial been held sacred from the touch of woman. For the same +reason the men form the inner ring in dancing round the pole, their war +implements being placed at the foot of the pole. + +When the last tune is ended, the young men shoot at the image of thunder +which is hanging to the pole, and when it falls a general rush is made +by the warriors to get hold of it. There is placed at the foot of the +pole a bowl of water colored with blue clay. While the men are trying +to seize the parts of the bark representation of their god, they at the +same time are eagerly endeavoring to drink the water in the bowl, every +drop of which must be drank. + +The warriors then seize on the two boys and girls--the representations +of war and peace--and use them as roughly as possible--taking their +pipes and war-clubs from them, and rolling them in the dirt until the +paint is entirely rubbed off from their faces. Much as they dislike this +part of the dance, they submit to it through fear, believing that after +this performance the power of thunder is destroyed. + +Now that the water is drank up and the guardians of the Thunder bird are +deprived of their war-clubs and pipes, a terrible wailing commences. No +description could convey an idea of the noise made by their crying and +lamentation. All join in, exerting to the utmost the strength of +their lungs. + +Before the men shoot at thunder, the squaws must leave the ring. No one +sings at this dance but the warrior who gives it; and while the +visitors, the dancers, and the medicine men, women and children, all are +arrayed in their gayest clothing, the host must be dressed in +his meanest. + +In the dance Ahahkah Koyah, or to make the Elk a figure of thunder, is +also made and fought against. The Sioux have a great deference for the +majesty of thunder, and, consequently for their own skill in prevailing +or seeming to prevail against it. + +A Sioux is always alarmed after dreaming of an elk, and soon prevails +upon some of his friends to assist him in dancing, to prevent any evil +consequences resulting from his dream. Those willing to join in must lay +aside all clothing, painting their bodies with a reddish gray color, +like the elk's. Each Indian must procure two long saplings, leaving the +boughs upon them. These are to aid the Indians in running. The saplings +must be about twelve feet in length. With them they tear down the bark +image of thunder, which is hung with a string to the top of the pole. + +All being ready, the elks run off at a gallop, assisted by their +saplings, to within about two hundred yards of the pole, when they stop +for a while, and then start again for the pole, to which is attached the +figure of thunder. + +They continue running round and round this pole, constantly striking the +figure of thunder with their saplings, endeavoring to knock it down, +which after a while they succeed in accomplishing. + +The ceremony is now ended, and the dreamer has nothing to fear from elks +until he dreams again. + +There is no end to the superstitions and fancies entertained by the +Sioux concerning thunder. On the cradle of the Indian child we +frequently see the figure of thunder represented. It is generally carved +on the wood by the father of the child, with representations of the Elk, +accompanied with hieroglyphic looking figures, but thunder is regarded +as the type of all animals that fly. + +There are many medicine feasts--and I saw one celebrated near the Oak +Grove mission, and near, also, to the villages of Good Road, and the +chief Man in the Clouds. It was on a dark cold day about the first of +March. We left the fort at about nine o'clock and followed the road on +the St. Peter's river, which had been used for many months, but which, +though still strong, was beginning to look unsafe. As we advanced +towards the scene of the feast, many Indians from every direction were +collecting, and hurrying forward, either to join in the ceremony about +to be celebrated, or to be spectators. We ascended quite a high hill, +and were then at the spot where all the arrangements were made to +celebrate one of the most sacred forms of their religion. Many of the +Indians to be engaged in the performance were entirely without +protection from the severe cold--their bodies being painted and their +heads adorned with their choicest ornaments, but throwing aside even +their blankets, according to the laws of the ceremony. The Indians +continued to assemble. At eleven o'clock, the dance commenced. Although +I could not faithfully describe, yet I never can forget the scene. The +dark lowering sky--the mantle of snow and ice thrown over all the +objects that surrounded us, except the fierce human beings who were +thus, under Heaven's arch for a roof, about to offer to their deities a +solemn worship. + +Then the music commenced, and the horrid sounds increased the wildness +of the scene; and the contortions of the medicine man, as he went round +and round, made his countenance horrible beyond expression. The devoted +attention of the savages, given to every part of the ceremony, made it +in a measure interesting. There were hundreds of human beings believing +in a Great Spirit, and anxious to offer him acceptable service; but how +degraded in that service! How fallen from its high estate was the soul +that God had made, when it stooped to worship the bones of animals, the +senseless rock, the very earth that we stood upon! The aged man, +trembling with feebleness, ready to depart to the spirit's land, weary +with the weight of his infirmities--the warrior treading the earth +with the pride of middle age--the young with nothing to regret and +everything to look forward to,--all uniting in a worship which they +ignorantly believe to be religion, but which we know to be idolatry. + +I was glad to leave the scene, and turn towards the house of the Rev. +Mr. Pond, who lives near the spot where the feast was celebrated. Here, +pursuing his duties and studies, does this excellent man improve every +moment of his time to the advantage of the Sioux. Always ready to +converse kindly with them in order to gain their confidence--giving +medicine to the sick, and food to the hungry; doing all that lies in his +power to administer to their temporal comfort, he labors to improve +their condition as a people. How can it better be done than by +introducing the Christian religion among them? This the missionaries are +gradually doing; and did they receive proper assistance from government, +and from religious societies, they would indeed go on their way +rejoicing. + +Placed under the government of the United States, these helpless, +unhappy beings are dependent upon us for the means of subsistence, in a +measure, and how much more for the knowledge of the true God? Churches +will soon rise where the odious feast and medicine dance are celebrated, +but will the Indians worship there? When the foundations of these +churches are laid, the bones of the original owners of the country will +be thrown out--but where will be the souls of those who were thrust out +of their country and their rights to make way for us? + +I have seen where literally two or three were met together--where in a +distant country the few who celebrated the death of the Redeemer were +assembled--where the beautiful service of our church was read, and the +hearts that heard it responded to its animating truths. We rejoiced that +the religion which was our comfort was not confined to places; here were +no altars, nor marble tablets--but here in this humble house we knew God +would meet and be with us. + +An Indian silently opened the church door and entered. As strange to him +was the solemn decorum of this scene, as to us were the useless +ceremonies we every day witnessed. He watched the countenance of the +clergyman, but he knew not that he was preaching the doctrine of a +universal religion. He saw the sacred book upon the desk, but he could +not read the glorious doctrine of a world redeemed by a Saviour's blood. +He heard the voice of prayer, but how could his soul like ours rise as +on eagle's wings, and ascend to the throne of God! Who was he, this +intruder? It may be a descendant of those who guarded the oracles of +God, who for a time preserved them for us. + +No wonder he tired and turned away. Not his the fault that he did not +join in the solemn service, but ours. If we disregard the temporal wants +of the Dahcotah, can we shut our ears against their cry, that rises up +day after day, and year after year,--Show us the path to happiness +and God? + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dahcotah, by Mary Eastman + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10794 *** |