USA > Minnesota > Concise history of the state of Minnesota > Part 3
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1 This cave has almost di-appear-l. owing to excavations of the white -and- rock to give space for railway tracks. In I-if. Major Long. C. S. Army. visited it, but the mouth was so covered up that he was oblizal. to as a collomaiali-m. "to creup on all four-" to enter. In ]-mm. it was passed by Schoolcraft. who mis- took another cave, about two miles ale ve known as Forer in Cave. for that described by C'arver. The geologist Fonther-tonhangh made the same mistase. In IM. Nicollet the astronomer, and his assistant -. after removing the debris from the mouth. entered the cave. More than thirty year- aro, with the barsed German cartographer. Dr. John & Kohl. the writer visited the cave, and ar that time some Imalian hieroglyphics w. re visible. and on the roof of the cave. na le by the smoke of a torch or charcoal. w. re the initial -. J. N. N. and J. C. F. Fra period John C. Fremont was a-veiated with J. N. Nicollet. On the bluit ative are numerou- mounds. Under the supervision of the writer. one eighteen feet high and two hundred and sixty fert in circumference at the base. was opened to the depth of there or four fret. Fragments of skull, which crumbled on exposure, and perfect shells of human teeth, the interior entirely decayed, were found.
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HISTORY OF MINNESOTA.
tains? Why useless hang those arms that could climb the tallest tree, or draw the toughest bow? Alas! every part of that frame which we lately beheld with admiration and wonder, is now become as inanimate as it was three hundred years ago! We will not, however, bemoan thee as if thou wast forever lost to us, or that thy name would be buried in oblivion; - thy soul yet lives in the great country of spirits, with those of thy nation that have gone before thee, aud, though we are left behind, to perpetuate thy fame, we shall one day join thee.
" Actuated by the respect we bore thee whilst living. we now come to tender thee the last act of kindness in our power; that thy body might not lie neglected on the plain, and become a prey to the beasts of the feld or the fowls of the air, we will take care to lay it with those of thy predecessors who have gone before thee; hoping at the same time that thy spirit will feed with their spirits. and be ready to feed ours, when we shall also arrive at the great country of souls."
After Carver's book was published, Schiller read this speech, and wrote a poem called "Song of a Nadowessee Chief" which Goethe considered one of his best. Trans- lations of Schiller have been made by Bulwer and Hers- chell.
SIR E. L BULWER'S.
See on his mat-as if of yore. All life-like sits he here!
With that same aspect which he wore When life to him was dear.
But where the right hand's strength? and where
The breath that loved to breath,
To the Great Spirit aloft in air, The peace-pipe's lusty wreath?
And where the hawk-like eye, alas! That wont the deer pursue.
Along the waves of rippling grass, Or fields that s. one with dew?
Are these the liniber, bounding feet That swept the winter's suows?
What stateliest stag so fast and fleet?
Their speed outstripped the roe's!
SIR JOHN HERSCHELL'S.
See, whereupon the mat, he sits Erect, before his door,
With just the same majestic air That once in life he wore.
But where is fled his strength of limb. The whirlwind of his breath.
To the Great Spirit, when he sent The peace-pipe's mounting wreath?
Where are those falcon eyes, which late
Along the plain could trace.
Along the grass's dewy wave.
The reindeer's printed pace?
Those legs, which once with match- less speed, Flew through the drifted snow,
35
SCHILLER'S POEM.
1727559
These arms that then the steady bow Could supple from its pride,
How stark and helpless hang they now
Adown the stiffened side!
Yet weal to him-at peace he stays where never fall the snows; Where o'er the meadows springs the maize That mortal never sows.
Where birds are blithe on every brake Where forests teem with deer,
Where glides the fish through every lake
Que chase from year to year!
With spirits now he feasts above; All left us-to revere
The deeds we honour with our love, The dust we bury here.
Here bring the last gift! loud and shrill
Wail, death dirge for the brave!
What pleased him most in life may still
Give pleasure in the grave.
We lay the axe beneath his head He swung when strength strong,
was
The bear on which his banquets fed, The Way from earth is long!
And here, new sharped, place the knife
That severed from the clay,
From which the ax has spoiled the life, The conqured scalp away!
The paints that deck the dead bestow. Yes, place them in his hand,
That red the kingly shade may glow Amid the Spirit-land.
Surpassed the stag's unwearied course Outran the mountain roe?
Those arms, once used with might and main, The stubborn bow to twang?
See, see, their nerves are slack at last, All motionless they hang.
'Tis well with him, for he is gone Where snow no more is found,
Where the gay thorn's perpetual bloom Decks all the field around.
Where wild birds sing from every spray,
Where deer come sweeping by, Where fish from every brook, afford A plentiful supply.
With spirits now he feasts above, And leaves us here alone.
To celebrate his valiant deeds, And round his grave to moan.
Sound the death-song, bring forth the gifts,
The last gifts of the dead, - Let all which yet may yield him joy Within his grave be laid.
The hatchet place beneath his head, Still red with hostile blood: And add. because the way is long, The bear's fat limbs for food.
The scalping-knife beside him lay, With paints of gorgeous dye, That in the land of souls his form May shine triumphantly.
Carver's Book of Travels was published in 1778, and contains the first engraving of the Falls of St. Anthony. By authority of the King of England an order had been
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HISTORY OF MINNESOTA.
issued in October, 1763, positively forbidding private persons purchasing land from the Indians, yet Carver had the audacity to claim, by virtue of an alleged pur- chase made of the Sioux at the cave, in the bluffs of Saint Paul, a tract of land from the Falls of Saint An- thony to the Chippewa River, and in width one hundred miles, which alleged grant, without any law in its favor, was sold by his heirs.
Another daring and adventurous trader named Peter Pond, a native of New Milford, Connecticut, in 1774 established a post at Traverse des Sioux, in the valley of the Minnesota River, upon the upper bank,' near the present town of St. Peter. In 1778 he traded north of the Saskatchewan, and then at Athabasca Lake, and in 1785 made a rough sketch of the country north and west of Lake Superior, which is still in possession of the Hudson Bay Company at London, and a copy of the original in the State Department at Washington. Upon this map the post on the Minnesota River is called Fort Pond. Through information given by him, to the com- missioners to negotiate a treaty, it is said, the United States obtained, in 1792, the present boundary line through the Lakes, to the northwest corner of the Lake of the Woods.
During the war for Independence, Wapashah, the leading Sioux chief, adhered to the British, and annu- ally visited Mackinaw. where De Peyster was in com- mand. On the 6th of July, 1779, a number of Choctaws, Chickasaws and Ojibways were on a visit to the post then on the main shore, and not on the island of that name, when Wapashah arrived, and was received with a salute from the cannons of the fort. De Peyster wrote a song suggested by the scene:
-
1.
Surrey'd by Capt. Carver, Noe. 17, 1766.
M. A. Rooker, Sculpt.
Height of the Fall 30 feet perpendr.
The fall of St. Anthony, in the Soines MISSISSIPPI, neat 2,00 Miles from its entrance into the Gulfof Mexico. Published as the Act directs, by J. Carver, I May 1778.
Breadth, near 600 feel.
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WAPASHAH, SIOUX CHIEF,
"Hail to the chief! who his buffalo's back straddles, When in his own country, far, far from this fort;
Whose brave young canoe-men, here hold up their paddles. In hopes that the whizzing balls may give them sport. Hail to great Wapashaw!
He comes, beat drums, the Seioux chief comes.
"They now strain their nerves till the canoe runs bounding, As swift as the Solen goose skims o'er the wave, While on the Lake's border, a guard is surrounding A space, where to land the Sioux so brave.
Hail! to great Wapashaw! Soldiers! your triggers draw!
Guard! wave the colors, and give him the drum. Choctaw and Chicakasaw, Whoop for great Wapashaw; Raise the portcullis, the King's friend is come."
At a feast given by the Fox Indians, in 1780, Wapashah said: "It is true, my children, our great Father has sent me thisway to take the skins and furs that are in the Dog's Field [Prairie du Chien ], under Captain Langlade's charge, lest the Great Knives [ Americans ] should phin- der them. I am come with the white men to give you wherewithal to cover you, and ammunition to hunt." At this period the Sioux of the "Mille Lacs" region had come down to reside around Penneshon's post, on the banks of the Minnesota, a few miles above its mouth.
During the winter of 1783-4, there was a partnership formed by a number of traders, which was called the North-west Company. There were at first but sixteen shares, and the management of the whole was entrusted to the brothers Frobisher, and MeTavish, at Montreal.
A few that were dissatisfied formed an opposition company, one of the members of which was the explorer and author Alexander Mackenzie. After a keen rivalry
4
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HISTORY OF MINNESOTA.
this company was merged with the North-west, in 1787, and the number of shares was increased to twenty.
From that time the fur trade of the northwest was systematized. The agents at Montreal received the goods from England, and two of them went every year to the Grand Portage of Lake Superior, to receive packs and ship the furs for Europe. In 1798 the company was re-organized, new partners admitted, and the shares increased to forty-six.
The subordinate traders from the interior annually went to Grand Portage, near the mouth of Pigeon River, Minnesota, to deliver their furs to the company and re- ceive fresh supplies of goods. The trader at a lonely outpost during the winter was buoyed up, by the thought of the happy days of spring, when he would meet, and dance, and frolic with his fellow traders, on the shores of Lake Superior.
The love of adventure has often led educated young men "into the woods," as well as "before the mast." Sailor life, and Indian trade, in a majority of instances, render individuals "earthly, sensual and devilish." There have been scenes enacted in Minnesota which will never be known to its citizens, for which ignorance, there is reason for gratitude. The history of one trader at an outpost is generally the history of all his associates.
On the first day of November, in the year 1784, Alex- ander Kay, arrived at La Pointe, with an outfit, for trad- ing in the Mille Lacs region. His clerk was J. B. Per- rault, a Canadian. Entering the St. Louis River of Minnesota, at a little lake not far from its mouth, they found a trader named Default. who had come down from the Grand Portage. At the portage of the Saint Louis, he also met a partner in the trade, Harris, a native of
39
A RECKLESS TRADER.
Albany, N. Y., who had no food but salt meat. The voyageurs remonstrated about proceeding without proper provisions for the winter, but Kay, intoxicated and obsti- nate, drew his pistol and threatened to shoot those that did not follow. Taking Mr. Harris, an Indian named Big Marten, and seven men, he pushed on in advance, and the next day sent back word that he had gone on to Pine River, and desiring his clerk to winter at the Sa- vanne portage if possible.
After eleven days' hard toil amid ice and snow, sub- sisting on the pods of the wild rose, and the sap of trees, Perrault and the men reached the point designated. For a time they lived there on a few roots, and fish, but about Christmas, hunger compelled them to seek their employ- er at Pine River. Weak in body, they passed through Sandy Lake, descended the river, and at last arrived at Kay's post at Pine River. After he was recruited, Per- rault was dispatched to the Savanne portage, where, with his men, he built a log hut.
Toward the close of February, Brochet, Big Martin. and other Ojibway Indians, brought in meat. Kay shortly after visited his clerk, and told the troubles he had with the Indians, who exceedingly hated him. In April, Kay and Perrault visited Sandy Lake where Bras Casse, or Broken Arm, or Bo-koon-ik, was the Ojibway chief. On the second of May, Kay went out to meet his partner Harris coming from Pine River.
During his absence, Katawabada, who in 1S28 died at Sandy Lake, Mongozid, and other Indians, came and demanded rum. After much entreaty, Perrault gave them a little. Soon Harris, Kay, and Pinot arrived, all intoxicated. The Indians were ripe for mischief. An Indian named Le Cousin by the French, came to Kay's
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HISTORY OF MINNESOTA.
tent, and asked for rum, Kay told him "No," and pushed him out; the Indian then drew a concealed knife, and stabbed him in the neck. Kay, picking up a carving knife, chased him, but before he could reach his lodge, the passage was blocked up by Indians. The assailant's mother, approaching Kay, said, "Englishman! do you come to kill me?" and while imploring for her son, with savage cruelty, stabbed him in the side.
Le Petit Mort, a friend of the wounded trader, took up his quarrel, and sallying forth, seized Cul Blanc, an Ojibway, by the scalp lock, and drawing his head back, he plunged a knife into his breast, exclaiming "Die; thou dog!" The Indian women, becoming alarmed at this bacchanal, went into the lodges and emptied out all the rum they could find.
On the fifth of May, Kay's wound was better, and sending for Harris and Perrault to come to his tent, he said: "Gentlemen, you see my situation: I have deter- mined to leave you at all hazards, to set out for Macki- naw, with seven men, accompanied by the Bras Casse and wife. Assort the remainder of the goods, ascend to Leech Lake and wait there for the return of the Pilla- gers, who are out on the prairies. Complete the inland trade."
Kay, then taking hold of Perrault's hand, Harris hav- ing retired, said: "My dear friend! you understand the language of the Ojibways. Mr. Harris would go out with me, but he must accompany you. He is a good trader, but he has like myself, and others, a strong pas- sion for drinking, which takes away his judgment." In the afternoon, Kay, on a litter, left for Mackinaw, and Harris proceeded to Leech Lake, where they had a suc- cessful trade with the Pillagers. Returning to the Sa-
41
DEATH OF KAY.
vanne River, they found Reaume from Turtle Portage, and Picquet or Paquett. The former had wintered at the outlet of Red Lake. By way of Fond du Lac, they also went to Mackinaw, and found Kay there in much pain, who soon left for Montreal, bat on the twenty- eighth of August, 1785, died on his way, at the lake of the two Mountains. Another trader of prominence in the valley of the Minnesota River, when Anderson was there, was a shrewd and daring Scotchman, Murdoch Cameron. He died in that country, and for years, the voyageurs on the Minnesota, pointed out the spot known as Cameron's grave.
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HISTORY OF MINNESOTA.
CHAPTER THIRD.
BRITISH INTERLOPERS.
British traders, during the latter part of the last century, roamed over the Spanish and United States ter- ritory, and the valley of the upper Mississippi, without any remonstrance from the authorities. The North West Company, of Montreal, even sent their geographer and astronomer, David Thompson, to survey the country, and the sources of the Mississippi. On the fourteenth of March, 1798, he reached the Company's post, near the junction of the Pembina, and Red River of the North, then in charge of Charles Chabouillier, and dis- covered that it was just below the 49th degree of North latitude, and within the territory of the United States. From there, he proceeded southward, ascending the Red River of the North, and in four days, came to the post of J. Baptiste Cadotte, which he ascertained to be in latitude 47 degrees, 54 minutes, 21 seconds. On the ninth of April he proceeded toward the northernmost source of the Mississippi. Afraid of finding ice he did not, at first, ascend Red Lake River, but went up the Clear Water, and then after a four mile portage, entered the Red Lake River and ascended it for thirty- two miles to Red Lake. On the twenty-third of April, he reached Turtle Lake, the most northern source of the Missis- sippi river. He then proceeded southward to Red Cedar Lake, where there was a trading house of the
43
DAVID THOMPSON'S SURVEY.
North West Company, in charge of John Sayer, who, with his men, had been obliged to live all the winter before, on wild rice and maple sugar. He came to Sandy Lake, on the.sixth of May, where Charles Brooskey was in charge of the company's post. From this point, he followed the usual eastward-route, to the St. Louis river, and descended to near its entrance into Lake Superior, where he found the post of which M. Lemoine was at the head. Count Andreani of Milan, Italy, who, in 1791, was at the Grand Portage, severely criticised the North West Company. He wrote: "All the men employed in this trade, are paid in merchandise, which the company sells at an enormous profit. They purchase of the com- pany every article they need. These menial servants are generally extravagant, given to drinking to excess, and those are exactly the people the company wants. The speculation in the excesses of these people is car- ried so far, that if one of them happens to lead a sober, regular life, he is burdened with the most laborious work until, by continued ill-treatment, he is driven to drunk- enness, and debauchery, which causes the rum, blankets and trinkets to be sold to greater advantage."
Alexander Henry, a nephew of the trader of the same name, who was at La Pointe, of Lake Superior, a quarter of a century before, was one of the partners of the North West Company, and in 1800, was at the junction of the Assineboine and Red River of the North, where the ruins of the old French post was visible. The habits of the traders can be learned from an inspection of his journal, in the Parliament library, Ottawa, Canada. Under date of the twenty-second of August, he wrote: "This afternoon, the Indians brought ine a horse, which I purchased for liquor, and about sunset, the Indians all
44
HISTORY OF MINNESOTA.
arrived, and camped with us. Old Buffalo, still half drunk, brought me his eldest daughter, a girl about nine years of age, and would insist on my taking her for a wife, in hopes I would give him a keg of liquor, but I declined the offer."
He visited, on September the fifth, Pembina River, and saw on the east side of the Red River the ruins of the first post, established by Peter Grant several years before. Two days later, while ascending the Red River, he saw a large herd of buffalo crossing the stream from the east side. On the eighth of September he came to Park River, and selected a place for a post, on a beauti- ful level near a small stream. Here he remained during the winter of 1800-1, and made some salt from the water of the Little Saline stream. On the second of January, 1801, there arrived one Beardash, the eccentric son of Le Sucre, or Old Sweet, an Ojibway chief of Red Lake. Although swift-footed and well formed, he had adopted the peculiar walk and occupations of a woman. A few years before, his courage and fleetness had been tested on the banks of the Cheyenne River. where a party of Sioux and Ojibways had a conflict. One of the latter, had captured a bow, but had few arrows, and perceiving that the Sioux were gaining on them, Beardash took the bows and arrows of his comrades and told them to run and not be anxious for him. Facing the foe he shot his arrows, and checked their pursuit. The Sioux then attempted to surround him, but at intervals he would stop, dis- charge some of his arrows, and keep them at bay. At length he reached the woodland, when the Sioux gave up the chase.
During the month of January, Henry daily saw herds of buffalo grazing on the plains, while piercing
.
45
FIRST RED RIVER CART.
winds were blowing. By the first of April, the Red River was free from ice, and for two days and two nights dead buffalo floated down the stream. In May, the an- nual visit was made to the Grand Portage, but on the fifteenth of September he was again at Pembina, where the Indians were very anxious to taste his "new milk " as rum was called. Here was constructed, at this time, the first Red River cart, without any iron fastenings, to take the place of horses in transportation. Carts of this style were used in carrying furs over the prairies to the city of Saint Paul. About this time one of his young men offered to work for the company for life. if he could be allowed dressed leather for clothing, some tobacco, and the privilege of having an Indian woman, with whom he had fallen in love.
Henry had taken the daughter of an Indian for a wife, but the father was anxious to give him a second daugh- ter, saying that all great men should have more than one wife, and that he had three, who were sisters. On the twenty-fourth of December, 1803, with a horse and carriole, he set out to visit a sub-trader, named Cotton, on Red Lake River, and made arrangements with two men to build a post and pass the summer at Red Lake, and by the last day of the year had returned to Riviere aux Marais, where Cadotte was left in charge of a post. and on the second of January, 1804, arrived at his fort at Park River. On the tenth, there arrived at the fort the body of trader Cameron, of Red Lake River, who had suddenly died a week before. It was brought by a dog train, wrapped in a tent and skins. In February Hesse, a sub-trader, and his wife, were sent to Red Lake to bring down maple sugar. Early in August. 1:05, Henry returned to Pembina from his annual visit to
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HISTORY OF MINNESOTA.
Grand Portage, and learned that on the third of July there had been a fight between a party of Sioux and Ojibways at Tongue River, not far from the post.
Among the first of the Ojibways killed, was the father of the Indian woman, who lived as a wife, with Henry. About eight o'clock in the morning he had climbed a tree, to see if buffaloes were near, and as soon as he reached the top, two lurking Sioux shot him, and before he died, he had only time to call out to his family, in a tent near the tree, to save themselves.
The discharge of the guns brought the Ojibways from their tents, who ran over the prairie, and reached a wooded island in Tongue River. An Ojibway who stayed behind to protect the women and children, acted bravely. As he saw the Sioux rushing toward him, he calmly stood and knocked one from his horse. Three young girls and a boy were taken prisoners, and the rest were killed and horribly mutilated. A mother with two children took one upon her back, and prevailed upon a young woman to carry the other, but the yelling Sioux drawing near, the young woman was so frightened that she threw down the child and ran to its mother, who, hearing the screams of the abandoned child, kissed the daughter she had been carrying, and said, "Run fast; take courage; I will return for your younger sister, or die in the attempt." She succeeded in reaching the child, but just as she was about to carry it off, a Sioux struck her with a war club, but as she fell to the ground she drew a knife and plunged it into the neck of her murderer. The scene after the fight was revolting. He who remained to protect the women and children had his skull partly removed and the muscles of his breast rip- ped up and thrown over his face. The mother of Henry's
47
TRADERS HENRY AND ANDERSON.
concubine was cut up in a shocking manner; and the bodies were pierced with arrows, which remained in the flesh.
In January, 1806, Henry was visited by an Ojibway, who told him that a party of American soldiers had reached Leech Lake, and on the thirteenth of March, messengers arrived from the chief trader, Hugh MeGil- lis, informing him that Lt. Pike of the United States Army had been to the post, and that hereafter they would be obliged to pay duties to the United States.
While British traders were gathering peltries toward the sources of the Mississippi, others, with the same sympathies, were trading in the valley of the Minnesota River. In the autumn of 1806, a Canadian, Thomas G. Anderson, one of the most respectable of his class, had a post on its banks, about fifty miles above its junction with the Mississippi, and during the winter found abun- dance of game; while the Indians, when spring arrived, brought in plenty of furs. The next year, however, was a mild one. and during the winter of 1806-7, there was a scarcity of deer, and he and his voyageurs were obliged to live on muskrats and even wolves. The Indians were in a famishing condition, and lived upon roots.
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