History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 17

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1298

USA > Wisconsin > Richland County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 17
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 17

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I pray them to accept this testimony in their favor, as a small payment towards a large sum, justły due to them for their good conduct in every part of the Union where I have had the pleasure of meeting with them. My only re- gret is, that this honest, heartfelt approbation of them is all I have it in my power to bestow upon persons so worthy. Those who are in actual service on the Indian frontier, deserve more pay than they receive, in a country where everything is so extravagantly dear. Congress ought to remember these worthy men, and make future provision for them, and to Congress I submit their case. While those who shine in every fashionable circle at Washington, under the eye of Congress, are well paid for their ser- vices, it is to be hoped that others, who undergo

nothing but hardships, will not be forgotten, as I know they will not be by the Senate.

Having completed all our business of a public nature, so far as we could at this place, about the middle of August, as near as I now remem- ber, we concluded to give our friends here a ball on the evening preceding our leaving them. It was attended by all of the respectable part of the people in the garrison and in the village. It was a most interesting seene. Within the council house, where the civilized people were assembled, might be seen persons of both sexes, as polished and as refined in their manners, as well bred, and educated as well too, as any per- son in the United States; and at the same moment might be seen on the outside of the house, at the doors and windows, looking on and occasionally dancing by themselves, by way of experiment, or to show what they could do as dancers in the open air, as motley a group of creatures, (I can scarcely call them human be- ings) as the world ever beheld. They are a race peculiar to those parts of the upper Missis- sippi, where settlements were originally made by the French, soon after the conquest of Canada by the English, under Gen. Wolf. They are of a mixed breed, and probably more mixed than any other human beings in the world; each one consisting of negro, Indian, French, English, American, Scotch, Irish and Spanish blood; and I should rather suspect some of them to be a little touched with the prairie wolf. They may fairly claim the vices and faults of each and all the above named Nations and animals, without even one redeeming virtue.

The reader will see that we were on the very confines of civilized and savage life.

The officers and their families from Fort Crawford, and the best families in the Prairie, were all very happy, and we parted with them all in friendship, and retired to rest at about midnight.

INDIANS UPON THE MISSISSIPPI IN 1825. (By Schoolcraft.)

We finally left Mackinack for our destination on the Mississippi, on the 1st of July. The

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convocation to which we were now proceeding, was for the purpose of settling internal dis- putes between the tribes, by fixing the bonnda- ries to their respective territories, and thus lay- ing the foundation of a lasting peace on the frontiers. And it marks an era in the policy of our negotiations with the Indians, which is memorable. No such gathering of the tribes had ever before occurred, and its results have taken away the necesssity of any in future, so far as relates to the lines on the Mississippi.

We encountered head winds, and met with . some delay in passing through the straits into Lake Michigan, and after escaping an immi- nent hazard or being off into the open lake in a fog, reached Green Bay on the 4th. The journey up the Fox river, and its numerous portages, was resumed on the 14th, and after having ascended the river to its head, we crossed over the Fox and Wisconsin portage, and descending the latter with safety, reached Prairie du Chien on the 21st, making the whole journey from Mackinaek in twenty-one days.

We found a very large number of various tribes assembled. Not only the village, but the entire banks of the river for miles above and below the town, and the island in the river, was covered with their tents. The Da- kotahs, with their high-pointed buffalo skin tents, above the town, and their decorations and implements of flags, feathers, skins and personal "braveries," presented the scene of Bedouin encampment.

Wanita, the Yankton chief, had a most mag- nificent robe of the buffalo, curiously worked with dyed porcupine's quills and sweet grass, a kind of war flag, made of eagles' and vultures' large feathers, presented quite a martial air. War clubs and lances presented almost every imaginable device of paint, but by far the most elaborate thing was their pipes of red stone, enriously carved, and having flat wooden handles of some four feet in length, ornamented with the scalps of the red-headed woodpecker and male duek, and the tail feathers of birds artifi-

cially attached by strings and quill work, so as to hang in the figure of a quadrant, But the most elaborately wrought part of the devices consisted of dyed porcupine quills, arranged as a kind of aboriginal mosaic.

The Winnebagoes. who speak a cognate dia- lect of the Dacotah, were encamped near ; and resembled them in the style of lodges, arts and general decorations.

The Chippewas presented the more usually known traits, manners and customs of the great Algonquin family-of whom they are indeed the best representatives. The tall and warlike bands from the sources of the Mississippi- from La Point, in Lake Superior-from the val- leys of the Chippewa and St. Croix rivers, and the Rice lake reg on of Lac du Flambeau, and of Sault Ste. Marie, were well represented.

The cognate tribe of the Menomonees, and Pottawattamies and Ottawas from Lake Michi- gan, assimilated and mingled with the Chippe- was. Some of the Iroquois of Green Bay were present.

But no tribes attracted as intense a degree of interest as the Iowas, and the Sae and Foxes- tribes of radically diverse languages, yet united in a league against the Sioux. These tribes were encamped on the island, or opposite coast. They came to the treaty ground, armed and dressed as a war party. They were all armed with spears, elubs, guns and knives. Many of the warriors had a long tuft of red horse hair tied at their elbows, and bore a necklace of grizzly bears' claws. Their head dress con- sisted of red-dyed horsehair, tied in such man- ner to the scalp lock as to present the shape of the decoration of a Roman helmet. The rest of the head was completely shaved and painted. A long iron shod lance was carried in the hand. A species of baldrie supported part of their arms. The azian, moccasin and leggins consti- tuted a part of their dress. They were, indeed, nearly nude and painted. Often the print of a hand in white clay, marked the baek or shoulders. They bore flags of feathers. They

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beat drums. They uttered yells at definite points. They landed in compact ranks. They looked the very spirit of defiance. Their leader stood as a prince, majestic and frowning. The wild, native pride of man, in the savage state flushed by success in war, and confident in the strength of his arm, was never so fully depicted to my eyes, and the forest tribes of the continent may be challenged to have ever presented a spectacle of bold daring, and mar- tial prowess, equal to their landing.

Their martial bearing, their high tone, and whole behavior during their stay in and out of council, was impressive, and demonstrated, in an eminent degree, to what a high pitch of physical and moral courage, bravery and suc- cess in war may lead a savage people. Keokuk, who led them, stood with his war lance, high crest of feathers, and daring eye, like another Coriolanus, and when he spoke in council, and at the same time shook his lance at his enemies, the Sioux, it was evident that he wanted but an opportunity to make their blood flow like water. Wapelo, and other chiefs backed him, and the whole array, with their shaved heads and high crest of red horse hair, told the spec- tator plainly, that each of these men held his life in his hand, and was ready to spring to the work of slaughter at the cry of their chief.

Gen. William Clark from St. Louis, was asso- ciated with Gen. Cass in this negotiation. The great object was to lay the foundation of a per- manent peace by establishing boundaries. Day after day was assigned to this, the agents laboring with the chiefs, and making themselves familar with Indian bark maps and drawings. The thing pleased the Indians. They clearly saw that it was a benevolent effort for their good, and showed a hearty mind to work in the attainment of the object. The United States asked for no cession. Many glowing harangues were made by the chiefs, which gave scope to their peculiar oratory, which is well worth the preserving. Mongazid, of Fond du Lac, Lake Superior, said: "When I heard the voice of

my Great Father coming up the Mississippi valley calling me to this treaty, it seemed as a murmuring wind; I got up from my mat where I sat musing, and hastened to obey it. My pathway has been clear and bright. Truly it is a pleasant sky above our heads this day. There is not a cloud to darken it. I hear noth- ing but pleasant words The raven is not wait- ing for his prey. I hear no eagle cry, come let us go. The feast is ready-the Indian has killed his brother."

When nearly a whole month had been con- sumed in these negotiations, a treaty of limits was signed, which will long be remembered in the Indian reminiscences. This was on the 19th of August, 1825, ride Indian Treaties p. 371. It was a pleasing sight to see the explor- er of the Columbia, in 1806, and the writer of the proclamation of the army that invaded Canada in 1812, nniting in a task boding so much good to the tribes whose passions and trespasses on each others lands kept them per- petually at war.

'Tis war alone that gluts the Indian's mind, As eating meats, inflames the tiger kind. -Hute.

At the close of the treaty, an experiment was made on the moral sense of the Indians, with regard to intoxicating liquors, which was evi- dently of too refined a character for their just appreciation. It had been said by the tribes that the true reason for the commissioners of the United States government speaking against the use of ardent spirits by the Indians, and refusing to give them, was not a sense of its bad effects, so much, as the fear of the ex- pense. To show them that the government was above such a petty principle, the commissioner had a long row of tin camp kettles, holding ser-' eral gallons each, placed on the grass, from one end of the council house to the other, and then, after some suitable remarks, each kettle was spilled ont in their presence. The thing was evidently ill relished by the Indians, They loved the whisky better than the joke.

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Impostor .- Among the books which I pur- chased for Gen. Cass, at New York, was the narrative of one John Dunn IInnter. I remember being introduced to the man, at one of my vis- its to New York, by Mr. Carter. He appeared to be one of those anomalons persons of easy good nature, without much energy or will, and little or no moral sense, who might be made a tool of. It seems no one in New York was taken in by him, but having wandered over to London, the booksellers found him a good subject for a book, and some hack there, with considerable cleverness, made him a paek-horse for carrying a load of stuff about America's treatment of the Indians. It was called a "captivity," and he was made to play the part of an adventurer among the Indians, somewhat after the manner of John Tanner. Cass re- viewed the book on our route and at the Prairie for the North American, in an article which created quite a sensation, and will be remem- bered for its foree and eloquence. He first read to me some of these glowing sentences while on the portages of the Fox. It was con- tinned, during the leisure hours of the confer- ences, and finally the critique was finished, after his visiting the place and the person, in Missouri, to which Hunter had alluded as his sponsor in baptism. The man denied all knowledge of him. Ilunter was utterly demol- ished, and his book shown to be as great a tissue of misrepresentation as that of Salmana- zar himself.

August 21st the party separates. I had de- termined to return to the Sault by way of Lake Superior, through Chippewa river. But, owing to the murder of Finley and his men at its month in 1824, I found it impossible to engage men at Prairie du Chien, to take that route. I determined, therefore, to go up the Wisconsin, and by the way of Green bay. For this pur- pose, I purchased a light canoe, engaged men to paddle it, and laid in provisions and stores to last to Green Bay. Ilaving done so, I em- barked about 3 o'clock P. M., descending the ma-

jestic Mississippi, with spirits enlivened by the hope of soon rejoining friends far away. At the same time, Mr. Holliday left for the same des- tination, in a separate eanoe. On reaching the mouth of the Wisconsin, we entered that broad tributary, and found the current strong. We passed the point of rocks called Petit Gris, and encamped at Grund Gris.

Several hours previous to leaving the Prairie, a friend handed me an enveloped packet, say- ing, "read it when you get to the mouth of the Wisconsin." I had no conception what it re- lated to, but felt great anxiety to reach tle place mentioned. I then opened it, and read as follows: "I cannot separate from yon without expressing my grateful acknowledgments for the honor you have done me, by connecting my name with your Narrative of Trarels in the Cen- tral Portions of the Mississippi Valley, etc." Nothing could have been more gratifying or un- expected.

22d. A fog in the valley detained us till 5 o'clock A. M. After traveling about two hours, Mr. Holliday's eanoe was erushed against a rock. While detained in repairing it, I ordered my cook to prepare breakfast. It was now 9 o'clock, when we again proceeded, till the heat of noon much affected the men. We pushed our canoes under some overhanging trees, where we found fine clusters of ripe grapes.

In going forward, we passed two canoes of Menomonees, going out on their fall hunt, on the Chippewa river. These people have no hunting grounds of their own, and are obliged to the courtesy of neighboring Nations for a subsistence. They are the most erratic of all our tribes, and may be said to be almost two- madie. We had already passed the canoes, when Mr. Lewis, the portrait painter, called ont stontly behind us, from an island in the river. "Oh! ho!" I did not know but there was some other breaking of the canoe, or worse dis- aster, and directed the men to put back. "See, see," said he, "that fellow's nose! Did you ever see such a protuberance?" It was one of

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the Menomonees from Butte des Morts, with a globular irregular lump on the end of his nose, half as big as a man's fist. Lewis' artistic risi- bles were at their height, and he set to work to draw him. I could think of nothing appropri- ate, but Sterne and Strasbourg.

23d. A heavy fog detained us at Caramanis village till near 6 A. M. The fog, however, still continued so thick as to conceal objects at twenty yards distance. We consequently went cautiously. Both this day and yesterday we have been constantly in sight of Indian canoes on their return from the treaty. Wooden canoes are exclusively used by the Winnebagoes. They are pushed along with poles.

We passed a precipitous range of hills near Pine creek, on one of which is a cave, called by our boatmen, L'diable au Port. This supersti- tion of peopling dens and other dark places with the "arch fiend," is common. If the "old serpent" has given any proofs to the French boatmen of his residence here, I shall only hope that he will confine himself to this river,and not. go about troubling quiet folks in the land of the lakes.

At Pine river we went inland abont a mile to see an old mine, probably the remains of French enterprise, or French credulity. But all its golden ores had flown, probably frightened off by the old fellow of L'diable au Port. We saw only pits dug in the sand overgrown with trees. Near this spot in the river, we overtook Shingabowossin and his party of Chippewas. They had left the prairie on the same day that we did, but earlier. They had been in some dread of the Winnebagoes, and stopped on the island to wait for us.

In passing the channel of Detour, we observed many thousand tons of white rock lying in the river, which had lately fallen from the bank, leaving a solid perpendicular precipice. This roek, banks and ruins is like all the Wisconsin valley rocks-a very white and fine sandstone.

We passed five canoes of Menomonees, on their way to hunt on Chippewa river, to whom

I presented some powder, lead and flour. They gave me a couple of fish, of the kind called pe-can-o by the Indians.

24th. We were again detained by the fog till half past 5 A. M., and after a hard day's fatiguing toil, I encamped at 8 o'clock P. M., on a sandy island in the center of the Wisconsin. The water in the river is low, and spreads stragglingly over a wide surface. The very bed of the river is moving sand. While supper was preparing I took from my trunk a towel, clean shirt and a cake of soap, and spent half an hour in bathing in the river upon the clean yellow sand. After this grateful refreshment, I sank sweetly to repose in my tent.

25th. The fog dispersed earlier this morning than usual. We embarked a few minutes after 4 A. M., and landed for breakfast at 10. The weather now was quite sultry, as indeed it has been during the greater part of every day since leaving Tipesage-i. e. the prairie. Our route this day carried us through the most picturesque and interesting part of the Wisconsin, called the Highlands or River Hills. Some of these hills are high, with precipitons faces towards the river. Others terminate in round, grassy knobs, with oaks dispersed about the sides. The name is supposed to have been taken from this feature. * Generally speaking, the country has a bald and barren aspect. Not a tree has apparently been ent upon its banks, and not a village is seen to relieve the tedium of an unim- proved wilderness. The huts of an Indian locality seem "at random cast." I have already said these conical and angular hills present masses of white sandstone wherever they are precipitous. The river itself is almost a moving mass of white and yellow sand, broad, clear, shallow, and abounding in small woody islands and willowy sandbars.

While making these notes I have been com- pelled to hold my book, pencil and umbrella, the latter being indispensible to keep off the

*Sin, the terminal syllable, is clearly from the Algonquin- Os-sin, a stone. The French added the letter o, which is the regular local form of the word, agreeably to the true Indian.

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almost tropical fervor of the sun's rays. As the umbrella and book must be held in one hand, you may judge that I have managed with some difficulty; and this will account to you for many uncouth letters and much dis- jointed orthography. Between the annoyance of insects, the heat of the sun, and the difficulties of the way, we had incessant employment.

At 3 o'clock p. M. we put ashore for dinner in a very shaded and romantic spot. Poetic images were thick about us. We sat upon mats spread upon a narrow carpet of grass between the river and a high perpendicular cliff. The latter threw its broad shade far beyond us. This strip of land was not more than ten feet wide, and had any fragrants of rock fallen, they would have crushed us. But we saw no reason to fear such an event, nor did it at all take from the relish of our dinner. Green moss had covered the face of the rock and formed a soft velvet covering, against which we leaned. The broad and cool river ran at our feet. Overhang- ing trees formed a grateful bower around us. Alas, how are those to be pitied who prefer palaces built with human hands to such seques- tered scenes. What perversity is there in the human understanding to quit the delightful and peaceful abodes of nature, for noisy towns and dusty streets.

' 'To me more dear, congenial to my heart,

Ose native charm than all the gloss of art. "

At a late hour in the evening we reached the Wisconsin portage, and found Dr. Wood, U. S. A., encamped there. He had arrived a short time before us, with four Indians and one Cana- dian in a canoe, on his way to St. Peter's. He had a mail in his trunk, and I had reason to believe I should receive letters, but to my sore disappointment I found nothing. I invited Dr. Wood to supper, having some dueks and snipes to offer in addition to my usual stock of solids, such as ham, venison and buffalo tongues.

ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI IN 1829.

Galena stands on the land we afterwards pur- chased of the Indians, and is the largest town in

Illinois. When we arrived there it had been settled about three years. It contained several taverns, a considerable number of stores, about a dozen lawyers, and four or five physicians, with little to do, as the country is healthy. There were three religious congregations in the place -Methodists, Roman Catholics and Presbyte- rians. The town is built on the side hill, in the form of a crescent, on the north side of Fever river, and contains, perhaps, 1,000 inhabitants. It is a seat of justice of Jo Daviess Co., Ill., and is situated in latitude about 42 degrees, 30 minutes north. It con- tains at all times very large quantities of lead, brought here either as rent to the government, or for sale to the merchants. The superintend- ent of the mines and his assistant, Maj. Camp- bell, live here. The latter gentleman and his amiable and interesting lady had been with us on our passage from St Louis, and they were happy to find themselves at the end of as dis- agreeable a journey as was ever made on these waters,

Numerous groceries appeared in the town, to ns, and two billiard tables were occupied by persons who wished to amuse themselves at billiards.

Mr. James Barnes, formerly of Chillicothe, Ohio, kept an excellent boarding house, and I found many old acquaintances in the town, enjoying the best of health, and they appeared cheerful and happy.

Here we learned that a large body of Indians had already been assembled at Prairie du Chien, for some time, and were in readiness to meet us. Knowing the necessity of supplying them with food, that ours would not reach us for sometime yet, and knowing this to be the last. opportunity we should find to purchase any food, we purchased 500 bushels of corn, and loading all we could convey, we left this heanti- ful town on the next day, and departed for our final destination, where we arrived abont the middle of July, 1829.

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As soon as we were discovered by our red friends, a few miles below the fort, opposite to their eneampment, they fired into the air about 1,500 rifles, to honor ns. Our powder had become wet, and, to our extreme mortification and regret, we could not answer them by our cannon. Having fired their arms, some ran on foot, some rode on their small horses furiously along over the prairie to meet us where we landed Amidst the motley group of thousands, of all ages, sexes, classes of society, colors and conditions of men, women and children, who met us on the wharf-Nawkaw and Hoochope- kah, with their families, eagerly seized my hand, and I was happy, indeed, to meet them here. During twenty years I had seen them several times, and they recognized me in a moment, among the crowd, and assured me of their friendship and good wishes. These chiefs of the Winnebagoes and their families pressed around me, and continued elose by me until we reached the tavern where we went. There we entered into a long conversation, and they in- troduced me to their red friends. I assured them of my ardent friendship, and that they and their people should be dealt with, not only justly but liberally; that the President, their great father, was their friend, a warrior like them, and never would do them any injury; that I wished them all to remember what I now told them, and when we finally parted, if my solemn promises thus voluntarily made to them had not been kept to the very letter, I wished them to publicly tell me so. Shaking me heartily by the hand, and assuring me of their friendship, they then appealed to Col. Menard, who heartily agreed with me in assuring them of our good intentions towards them.

Dr. Wolcott, the agent for the Chippewas, Ottawas and Pottawattamies, here met us, and he had been at incredible pains to get his Indi- ans here, where they had been for nearly a month, perhaps. Mr. Kinzy, the sub-agent of the Winnebagoes, whose sub-agency is located at Fort Winnebago, had also come and with

him all the principal persons of that Nation, re- siding in that direction.

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 17

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1298

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1298