Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-12-15

and in token of friendship two dogs were kill.
ed and eaten. After the feast they all lay
down as if to sleep-alas! to most Of the Da-
kotas it was the sleep of death! AT midnight
the Ojbwas arose and killed all the men, wo-
men, children and babes. except four. One on
ly, a lad who could not sleep, escaped unhurt,
and two others seriously wounded. The
younger wife of the absent trapper was taken
prisoners
When they had finished their awful work by
breaking the guns and mutilating the bodies Of
the murdered, taking the furs. scalps, and one
head, they departed. The woman who essap-
ed, attempted fight with her babe, but it was
shot in her arms. Though wounded herself,
she was able to take refuge behind tree, where
she stood, fearful spectator of the horrid scene
as revealed by the dim light of the waving
moon. What must have been the feelings OF
that mother when she heard the shrieks of
children and felt their agony, as they writhed
under the scalping knife, applied before life
had fled! After the murderers had departed,
this wretched mother returned to those sepul-
chres of the dead and waited till morning light.
She then fastened the scalpiess little ones and
the wounded lad, who had also crept back, up
on two poles, and, attaching them to a horse,
proceeded to the nearest encampment. On
her way she met an Indian who returned with
he- to his lodge, and repaired to the field of
slaughter. They found several Of the bodies
lying as if massacred when quietly asleep,
though some of the children had been evident
ly killed in attempting TO escape.
They dug grave in little spot sheltered
by oaks, and hastily buried men, women and
children in one narrow house, skin or blank
b>.r nd hot =. e
known by the name of "Tee.ya-mne- wechkta-
pee"-the place where the three families were
killed.
After this startling intelligence reached US,
two old gray-headcd women, with disheveled
hair, and folded arms, passed around our house
and wailing-one exclaimed-"My nephew,
my nephew" and the other-"My son, my
son."
Early in August Of the same year, a small
war party was raised to revenge the slaughter
Of April. They met with moving family of
Ojibwas. Their first attempt to way lay and
shoot them. failed. Again they tried to go
round and intercept them. but becoming aware
of the presence of enemies, the men of the
family escaped. The woman was less fortu-
nate. Her circumstances prevented her es-
Gaping. She attempted to fee, but, in SWIM
ming a stream, lost the most Of her clothes.
and exhausted, sat down on the other side to
meet her fate. Overtaking her there they
stabbed her and scalped her. Then they start
ed home in triumph, and had already come
some distance when one of the party suggest
ed the circumstances of the woman. A new
idea passed through their minds They must
have the honor Of killing to, instead Of one.
They returned, and with savage cruelty, mutt
lated the woman and dashed the lfeess I'M
born child upon the ground.
That was in their estimation, a glorious deed.
They earned renown-earned honor-earned
an eagles feather. The laws of war among
the Dakotas allow four, and sometimes five per-
sons 10 share in the glory of each scalp that is
taken. The four are they who first successive
ly strike the body, and if it has been shot by
another, he forms the fifth. For killing wo-
man or child, feather of the common eagle is
added to the coronet of each, but for a share in
killing man. feather of the royal eagle is
worn. A man is honored for having taken
many scaIps-it gives him place and standing
among the braves Of his nation. When feast
is made, he is called among the first, and sits
in the most honorable place. But more than
this,-the man who has participated in taking
the greatest number Of scalps, has raised him
self to the exalted position Of being above all
law. Nor else has right to soldier kill, or ex-
ccute law, upon him, for any msdemeanor. In
such state OF things, it is not surprising that
the one great idea which fills the heart and soul
OF Dakota young man, is the 6 lory of having
taken many seal ps.
Very closely connected with this subject is
the armor feast. In this they partly consecrate
their weapons Of war. Going into a Dakota
camp, when the weather is pleasant, one cam
not but notice stake set up in front or near al
most every lodge, and hanging ON it, little
roll which contains more or less that is ,Dakan
-perhapsa drum and spear. That little dirty
roll contains the charms that are to protect them
in the day of battle, and the medicine which is
to cure them when wounded. Some kind of
skin, as that of a snake. little swans down,
some vermillion, and little brown and black
paints, such as will serve their purposes when
they meet their enemies, and also some grass
roots-these form the contents of the ,cotaDe
bundle. When great war-leader takes out
the young men and boys against their enemies,
he prepares these wotawe for those who have
none. In this connection may be mentioned
their ,cohdooze, which is a kind Of oath or COW
enant. The young warrior covenants to abb
stain from eating certain parts OF an animal, as
the heart, &c., that by this means he may pro-
pilidtc tnc ia'oi VI TIC Woi>Sou, anu uc SuC"
cessful in killing enemies. When he succeeds
in killing an enemy, the taboo is removed from
one of the things before embraced in the COW
enant Being partaker in the honor and glory
of taking another scalp, relieves him Of anoth.
er. and so on, until finally his bravery has
placed him above the conditions of his OATH
The taboo is taken off, and he is a free man
again.
The writer had never been present at one of
the feasts, but he had endeavored to sleep when
one was going on, but could not. The cry is
an exceedingly bitter one and seems to come
up from the bottom of their souls. 1t is cry
for the help of their gods in killing their enc
mics. Possibly il may bear some resemblance
to the wailing Of lost spirits. Their war-weap-
ons are consecrated when they a:e bathed in
the blood Of an enemy. The Dakota name
for gun, is mdgdrakan, sacred iron; but it
does not fully meet the idea Of pdkdn until it
has shot down an Ojibwa.
He believed it wrong for Indians and for all
nations to make war-that it is a diaboiical in
fraction Of the social system as established by
God-that it is rs plainly in opposition to the
principles Of the Bible, that whatsoever runneth
may read. And believing this, he ever felt it
to be his duty TO testify against war, and in all
possible ways to discoun,enance it.
About the LIST Of June. 1899, a war party Of
more than twenty left Lacquiparle, with the
settle determination Of taking as MANY Oiibv.