USA > Iowa > Des Moines County > The history of Des Moines county, Iowa, containing a history of the country, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of citizens, war record of its volunteers > Part 37
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" A bitter and incurable feud existed in the tribe, during their time of resi- dence on the Des Moines River, between what was denominated as 'Keokuk's band' and 'Black Hawk's band,' the latter recognizing Hardfish as their leader. This distrust and, indeed, hatred were smothered in their common intercourse when sober ; but when their blood was fired with whisky it sometimes assumed a tragic feature amongst the leaders of the respective bands. An instance of this character occurred on the lower part of the Des Moines, on a return of a party making a visit to the 'half-breeds' at the town of Keokuk, on the Mississippi. In a quarrel, excited by whisky. Keokuk received a dan- gerous stab in the breast from a son of Black Hawk. The writer of the pres- ent sketch saw him conveyed by his friends homeward, lying in a canoe, unable to rise.
" Hardfish and his coadjutors lost no occasion to find fault with Keokuk's administration. The payments were made in silver coin, put in boxes, contain- ing $1,000 each, and passed into Keokuk's hands for distribution. The several traders received each his quota, according to their several demands against the tribes admitted by Keokuk, which invariably consumed the far greater portion of the amount received. The remainder was turned over to the chiefs and dis- tributed among their respective bands. Great complaints were made of these allowanees to the traders, on the ground of exorbitant prices charged on the goods actually furnished; and it is alleged that some of these accounts were spurious. In confirmation of this last charge, over and above the character of the items exhibited in these accounts, an affidavit was filed with Gov. Lucas by an inividual, to which the Governor gave credence, setting forth that Keokuk had proposed to the maker of the affidavit to prefer a purely fictitious account against the tribe for the sum of $10,000, and he would admit its correctness, and, when paid, the money should be divided among themselves, share and share alike. To swell the traders' bills, items were introduced of a character that showed fraud upon their face, such as a large number of · blanket coats,' articles which the Indians never wore, and 'telescopes,' of the use of which they had no knowledge. This shows the reckless manner in which these bills were swollen to the exorbitant amounts complained of, in which Keokuk was openly charged with being in league with the traders to defraud Hardfish's band. At this time, the nation numbered about two thousand three hundred souls. and only about one-third of the whole number belonged to Keokuk's party. Gov. Lucas warmly espoused the popular side in the controversy that arose in rela- tion to the mode and manner of making the annual payment, and the matter
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was referred to the Indian Bureau, and the mode was changed so that payments were made to the heads of families, approximating a per-capita distribution. This method of making the payments met the unqualified disapprobation of the traders. and, after one year's trial, fell back into the old channel. Keokuk led his tribe west to the Kansas country, in 1845, and, according to reports, died some years after of delirium tremens."
Maj. Beach tells of one of the numerous religious rites of Keokuk's band :
" The Sacs and Foxes were quite friendly and manageable; in fact, were very friendly and agreeable people to live among, and all public and personal intercourse with them rolled smoothly along the well-worn track, without much of incident or marvel, until the final sale of their remaining Iowa domain. Sometimes incidents would occur possessing excitement or amusement enough to encroach for a little upon the monotony that otherwise might have become tedious, of which the writer will endeavor to recover the memory of one or two that may amuse the reader.
" The Sacs and Foxes, like all other Indians, were very religious people in their way, always maintaining the observance of a good many rites, ceremonies and feasts in the worship of the Great Spirit. Fasts did not seem to be pre- scribed in any of their missals, however, because, perhaps, forced ones, under a scarcity of game or other edibles, were not of impossible occurrence among people whose creed plainly was to let to-morrow take care of itself. Some of these ceremonies bore such resemblance to some of those laid down in the books of Moses as to have justified the impression among biblical students that the lost tribes of Israel might have found their way to this continent.
" Maj. Beach was a witness, one delightful forenoon in May, 1841, of a ceremony that seemed full of mystery, even to those Indians who took no part in celebrating it. A large lodge had been set up for the occasion on the level green, near Keokuk's village, and its sides left so entirely open that a view of the proceeding was unobstructed from without. Close around was a circle of guards or sentinels, evidently in the secret, as they were near enough to hear, but far enough away from the center to prevent eavesdropping. Low tones were observed by the speakers. Inside of the first circle of sentinels was a still more numerous row of guards, and a strict watch was maintained. Keokuk seemed to be the chief performer among those who were actively engaged. One old fellow, who held relations of importance with the tribe, seemed to be the one for whom all the display was made. He was distinguished from those about him by being clothed in a much scantier pattern of raiment than the rest. The first part of the ceremony seemed to be a general posturing of the subject, for the perform- ers would place the old Indian on his feet ; then they would force him to sit down, and then compel him to assume some other attitude. Meanwhile, they kept up a vigorous powwowing over him, gesticulating in their wildest manner. Finally, after they had placed him in a sitting position, with a pile of blankets at his back, Keokuk advanced toward him, pistol in hand, and apparently took deliberate aim at the fellow's forehead. There was an explosion quite audible to outsiders, followed by a little puff of powder-smoke, and the old savage fell over as though he was shot dead. The attendants quickly covered him with blankets, and the wise ones of the tribe gathered about in solemn manner Seated by the supposed dead man, the council indulged in many long talks. At last, Keokuk was inspired with some power from the Great Spirit, and, hastily stepping forward, he seized the hand of the prostrate man. He lifted the dead Indian to a sitting posture, and speedily restored him to full life. The outside witnesses looked on with mute surprise and awe throughout the entire
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performance. It was evident from their manner that they believed the old Indian had really been killed, and that their mighty chieftain had raised him to life and health. The ceremony was designed, doubtless, to represent the close relationship between Keokuk and the invisible forces of the Happy Hunt- ing-Grounds, but this is merely speculation, for no interpretation of the cere- mony was ever made, so far as Maj. Beach could learn."
Catlin, in his work on the North American Indians, speaks of his visit to Keokuk's lodge, in company with the Indian Agent, Gen. Street, probably in the summer of 1839. At that interview and at a subsequent one, Catlin found the chief to be an " exceedingly vain man." The artist-author sketched the chief's portrait, in full Indian costume. He also drew another picture of him, mounted on the " finest horse in the West." This animal is alluded to no less than three times by Catlin, and was so unusually beautiful as to create a degree of admiration for him that was general. Mr. LeClaire claimed to have sold the animal to Keokuk for $300, but that claim is disputed by Capt. Hillhouse, at present a resident of Burlington, who asserts positively that he was the original owner of the famous steed, and that he sold him to the chief for the sum stated.
Catlin relates no specially interesting incidents or anecdotes of the Sacs and Foxes, but confines his letters mostly to descriptions of his own personal suc- cesses as an artist. He drew innumerable sketches of savage scenes and native Americans, many of which are accepted as standard works of art or reference. His letters were, however, of a superficial, desultory character, scarcely worthy of careful perusal, so far, at least, as this particular section is concerned.
Of sundry general customs brief mention is made, as, for example, of the more common dances. From those portions of the work, we quote :
" The slave dance is a picturesque scene, and the custom in which it is founded is a very curious one. The tribe has a society which they call . slaves,' composed of a number of the young men of the best families in the tribe, who vol- unteer to be slaves for the term of two years, and subject to perform any menial service that the chief may order, no matter how humiliaring or degrading it may be; by which, after serving their two years, they are exempt for the rest of their lives from all menial occupations. These young men elect one of their number to be their master. * * * On a certain day they give a great feast, and open it with this dance.
" Another curious custom is called 'smoking horses.' When Gen. Street and I arrived at Keokuk's village, we were just in time to see the amusing scene, on the prairie, a little back of his lodges. The Foxes, who were making up a war party to go against the Sioux, and had not suitable horses enough by twenty, had sent word to the Sacs, the day before, according to ancient custom, that they were coming on that day, at a certain hour, to 'smoke' a number of horses, and that they must not fail to have them ready. On that day, the twenty men who were beggars for horses were on the spot, and seated them- selves in a circle on the ground, where they fell to smoking. The villagers flocked around in a dense crowd. Soon after, appeared on the prairie, at half a mile distance, an equal number of young men of the Sac tribe, who had each agreed to give a horse, and who were then galloping the horses about at full speed. Gradually, as they went around in a circle, they came nearer the cen- ter, until they were at last close upon the ring of young fellows scated on the ground. Whilst dashing about thus, each one with a heavy whip in his hand, as he came within reach of the group on the ground, selected the one to whom he decided to present his horse, and, as he passed him, gave him the most tre-
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mendous cut with his lash over his naked shoulders. This was repeated until the blood trickled down the fellow's back. Then the Sac placed the bridle of his horse in the sufferer's hands, and said, 'I present you a horse ; you are & beggar. but you will carry my mark on your back.' The privilege of marking the recipient of his bounty seemed ample compensation for the gift."
The discovery dance, by which the approach of enemies or wild animals was detected, was a notable ceremony ; also, the berdashe dance, which is performed about a man, dressed in woman's clothes, who submits to all sorts of degrada- tion, and thereby becomes a " medicine " or sacred man.
The word "medicine " was so diversified in its meaning as to excite pro- found surprise among the English-speaking races. All sacred, great or peculiar men or things were spoken of as medicine. No Indian would think of going to battle without his medicine-bag or charms.
The medicine dance was performed for fifteen days before the wigwam of a fallen brave, by the survivors of a battle. The widow erected a green bush before her door, and under that she sat and cried, while the warriors danced and brandished the scalps they had taken, and at the same time recounted the brave deeds of the dead.
The beggar's dance will be recalle .? to the minds of the earlier settlers of this region. The bedecked savages would dance and powwow from door to door, demanding presents for the good of the tribe and the pale-faces.
The list of dances was as varied as the superstition of the tribes was dense. No adequate description can be given in a work not exclusively devoted to the history of the red men.
Catlin was at Rock Island on the day the treaty was signed. He says (p. 216, Bohn's ninth edition,. 1857): "As an evidence of the great torrent of emigration to the Far West, I will relate the following occurrence which took place at the close of the treaty : After the treaty was signed and witnessed, Gov. Dodge, of Wisconsin Territory, addressed a few judicious and admonitory sentences to the chiefs and braves, which he finished by requesting them to move their families and all their property from this tract within one month, which time he would allow them to make room for the whites. Considerable excitement was created among the chiefs and braves by this suggestion, and a hearty laugh ensued, the cause of which was explained by one of them in the following manner: 'My Father, we have to laugh. We require no time to move. We have all left the lands already, and sold our wigwams to Chemo- kemons (white men), some for $100 and some for $200, before we came to this treaty. There are already 400 Chemokemons on the land, and several hundred more on the way moving in ; and three days before we came away, one Chemo- kemon sold his wigwam to another Chemokemon for $2,000, to build a great town.'
" The treaty itself, in all its forms, was a scene of interest. Keokuk was the principal speaker on the occasion, being recognized as the head chief of the tribe. He is a very subtle and dignified man, and well fitted to wield the des- tinies of his nation. The poor dethroned monarch, Black Hawk, was present, and looked an object of pity. With an old frock coat and brown hat on, and a cane in his hand, he stood the whole time outside the group, and in dumb and dismal silence, with his sons by the side of him, and also his quondam Aide-de-Camp, Nahpope, and the Prophet. They were not allowed to speak, nor even to sign the treaty. Nahpope rose, however, and commenced a very earnest speech on the subject of temperance ! But Gov. Dodge ordered him to sit down. as being ont of order, which probably saved him from a much more per-
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emptory command from Keokuk, who was rising at that moment with looks on his face that the devil himself might have shrunk from."
Mr. Charles Negus contributed the following anecdotes of Keokuk to the " Annals of Iowa ":
" In the fall of 1837, the General Government called to Washington a dep- utation from most of the tribes residing in the Valley of the Mississippi. Prominent among others were delegations from the Sacs and Foxes and the Sioux, between whom at the time open hostilities existed. The ostensible object in calling these deputations to the seat of government, at this time, was alleged to be for the purpose of restoring peace among the hostile nations, but negotia- tions were held for the purchase of lands. Cary A. Harris, Commissioner of Indian affairs, under the direction of J. K. Pointset, Secretary of War, con- ducted the business. The council was held in a church, and the negotiations between the Sacs and Foxes and the Sioux were spirited and attracted much attention.
" After the council was opened by a few remarks on the part of the United States, the representatives from the Sioux spoke. Their great effort seemed to be to show that it was useless to undertake to make a peace with the Sacs and Foxes, for they were treacherous and no confidence could be put in anything they might agree to do. 'My father,' said one of their orators, . you cannot make these people hear any good words, unless you bore their ears with sticks.' 'We have often made peace with them,' said another, 'but they would never observe a treaty. I would as soon make a treaty with that child (pointing to Keokuk's little boy ) as with a Saukee or Musquakee.'
" Keokuk did most of the talking on the part of the Sacs and Foxes, and with the spectators was the Cicero of the occasion, and in reply to these phi- lippics of the Sioux, he said : 'They tell you that our ears must be bored with sticks, but, my father, you could not penetrate their thick skulls in that way, it would require hot iron. They say they would as soon make peace with a child as with us ; they know better, for when they make war upon us, they find us men. They tell you that peace has often been made, and that we have broken it. How happens it. then, that so many of their braves have been slain in our country ? I will tell you, they invade us; we never invade them ; none of our braves have been killed on their land. We have their scalps, and can tell where we took them.'
"It may be proper here to notice some of the events in Keokuk's life. Keokuk was a descendant of the Sac branch of the nation, and was born near or upon Rock River, about the year 1780. He, like Black Hawk, was not an hereditary chief, but rose, by his energy and skill in managing the Indians, to be the head man in the nation. The first battle he was ever engaged in he encountered and killed a Sioux, which placed him in the rank of warriors, and he was presented with a public feast by his tribe in commemoration of the event. During the war of 1812 with Great Britain, a force was sent by the Government of the United States to destroy an Indian village at Peoria, on the Illinois River. A runner brought the news to the village that the same troops were going to attack the Sacs, and the whole tribe were very much alarmed. A council was instantly called, and it was determined to immediately abandon their village. Keokuk, who as yet had not been admitted into their councils, was standing by and heard the result of their deliberations. He went to the door of the council-lodge and asked the privilege of addressing the council on the subject about which they had been deliberating. He was admitted, and expressed his regret at the conclusion they had come to, and argued the pro-
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priety of preparing for a defense before a retreat, and concluded by saying, . Make me your leader, let your young men follow me, and the pale-faces shall be driven back to their towns. Let the old men and women, and all who are afraid to meet the white man, stay here, but let your braves go to battle!' This speech had its desired effect, and the warriors at once declared they were ready to follow Keokuk, and he was chosen their leader. The intelligence turned out to be a false alarm, but the conduct of Keokuk had its effect and raised him to the first rank among the braves.
"On another occasion, Keokuk, with his band was hunting near the country of the Sioux. Very unexpectedly a mounted band of Sioux came upon them, fully equipped for a hostile attack. The Sacs were also upon horse-back, but they had not the force or preparation to openly resist the attack of the enemy, nor could they safely retreat. In this emergency, Keokuk immediately formed his men into a circle and ordered them to dismount and take shelter behind their horses. The Sioux raised their war whoop and charged upon their enemy with great fury, but the Sacs, protected by their horses, took deliberate aim, gave them a warm reception and caused them to fall back. The attack was repeated, and, after several unsuccessful assaults, the Sioux retired much the worse for the encounter. Subsequent to this, when the Sacs supposed the Sioux were on friendly terms with them, they went out on a buffalo-hunt, leaving but few braves to protect their village. Unex- pectedly, Keokuk came upon an encampment of a large number of Sioux painted for war, and apparently on their way to attack his village. His war- riors were widely scattered over the prairies and could not speedily be collected together. These circumstances called into requisition the tact of a general. Keokuk was prepared for the emergency; he mounted his horse, and unat- tended, boldly rode into the camp of the enemy. In the midst of their camp, he saw raised the war-pole, and around it the Sioux were engaged in the war- dance and uttering expressions of vengeance upon the Sacs. Keokuk dashed into the midst of them and demanded to see their chief. At the approach of the chief, he said to him, 'I have come to let you know that there are traitors in your camp. They have told me that you were preparing to attack my vil- lage. I know they told me lies, for you could not, after smoking the pipe of peace, be so base as to murder my women and children in my absence; none but cowards would be guilty of such conduct.' When the Sioux had got a little over their surprise, they gathered around him, evincing an inten- tion to seize him. when he added in a loud voice, 'I supposed they told me lies, but if what I have heard is true, the Sacs are ready for you.' And immediately put spurs to his horse and left the camp at full speed. Several guns were fired at him, and a number of the Sioux mounted their horses and chased him but he escaped unhurt. Brandishing his tomahawk, and making the woods resound with the war-whoop, he soon left his pursuers in the distance.
"He immediately collected his warriors and prepared to defend his village. His enemies, finding that they had been discovered and fearing that Keokuk, by his bold adventure to their camp had planned some stratagem, abandoned their enterprise and returned home without molesting the Sacs. Keokuk was more distinguished as an orator and statesman than as a general. Hc was one of the most eloquent speakers in his nation, and was not surpassed by any in managing his own people, and others with whom he had inter- course."
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BLACK HAWK, THE BRAVE.
The most conspicuous figure in the list of noted Indians of the Northwest is Black Hawk. In many of his tastes and characteristics, he was more like the white man than the savage. In personal appearance, he was distinguished. He was five feet and eleven inches tall, weighed about one hundred and forty pounds, and had an eye black and piercing as a wild beast's.
After his dramatic life-work was finished, the old man dwelt in solitude near the scene of his battle under Pashapaho, at Iowaville, and while there became intimately acquainted with James Jordan, who still lives (1879) on the farm claimed at an early day. Mr. Jordan's name will be recognized by scores of the readers of this work, and his statements will be received by all as worthy of credence. Mr. Jordan's opportunities for knowing the Indian, and also for acquiring a thorough knowledge of the language in which he spoke, were unusual. For years, the two families lived side by side, and maintained a degree of intimacy peculiar and incidental to the isolated life then led. A feeling of friendliness sprang up between the native and the pioneer resident, which was but little removed from that of brotherhood.
BLACK HAWK'S BIRTH.
Mr. Jordan asserts that many errors have crept into history concerning Black Hawk. The most important one is that which fixes his birth in 1767. It will be observed in the State history, which precedes this sketch, that he was born in the Sac village, about three miles from the junction of Rock River with the Mississippi. in Illinois, 1767. Mr. Jordan pronounces the date an error. From Black Hawk's own lips, he learned that the time of his birth was 1775, but the day is not given.
The date 1767 is given in no less an authoritative manner than that of Schoolcraft's standard work on the North American Indians, prepared under his supervision by order of Congress. The temerity of venturing to correct a statement made by so eminent an investigator, is not possessed by the compiler of these pages, but we feel that the duty of one who attempts to preserve his- toric fact is plainly of a character which necessitates apparent rashness. In the case in question, there is little doubt but that all writers subsequent to Schoolcraft have unhesitatingly accepted his conclusions, and have given less care to researches in that direction than would have been given had some more obscure man chronicled the event. Hence the general unanimity of belief that the brave began life in 1767.
As it is a question-since here we venture to raise the doubt-which future historians will probably seek earnestly to solve, let us review the grounds we have for regarding Mr. Schoolcraft in error, and then leave the subject to be definitely determined by more competent writers.
One can scarcely conceive of a more perplexing question than that of an Indian's age, if taken on general principles. Few among the more intelligent ones, are able to tell their years. Their methods of computing time are vague at best, and it is no uncommon thing to find an old Indian claiming greater age than is reasonably his allotted share. The birth of children among savage tribes is not a matter of record. Modern, as well as the more remote, events in the lives of such tribes partake of the traditionary character of recital, which leads to confusion. If, for example, a prominent figure in their history once becomes invested with qualities which distinguish him, he is ever afterward referred to by symbolic epithet. The names of Indian chiefs are chosen from
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