Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1869-06-11

By ELIPHALET PRICE.

l
A few yards from the bank of Turkey riv.
er, on the prairie bottom, directly opposite
the mouth OF the Volga, there was fought in
the summer Of 1899, one Of the most fatal
and singular dGels that rerkaps has ever
| been recorded.
No~chnmp kah, the cbief,ain Of band
Of Winnebagoes, who for several wears had
been in occupancy of the hunting grounds
Of the Turkey river, few weeks previous to
the event We are about to narratc, attacked
in his canoe buck that had been wounded,
while fire bunting ut night upon the river.
During The struggle with the wounded ani>
NAL his canoe was upset and his young wife
drowned. For several days after the disas>
ter be had no intercourse with bis band, but
retired TO his wigwam Tor the purpose OF per-
forming the usual ceremony Of mourning.
Wien the Indian tribute to the dead had
been gone through with, bis band WIS suni>
moned before him, when be announced 10
them his intention of visiting numerous
bard Of the Menominees, who were at the
time encamped near the present town of
Clermont, for the purpose Of endeavoring TO
| pnrch.se from the Prophet or medicine man
Of the party q Winnebago girl raised ia his
family as an only child, and captured by
him while on scalping expedition against
the Winnebagoes many years previous when
the two nations wero ut war with each oth>
er.
| AS soon as the announcement was made
| TO his band, each came forward and contrib.
u:ed something to swell the bulk Of presents
that were to and him in his bridal purchase,
and IN few days be started upon his woo-
ing adventure, accompanied BIZ two Of his
hunters. each leading pony burdened by
q variety of presents.
At tie expiration Of about ten DAYS the
| young chef returned to the encampmcnt Of
his Dand, having descended The river in
canoe, bringing with him Korailnenah, the
Prophets daughter, whom be had succeed
ed in wooing and purchased.
| That night the festivities of bis band were
loud and joyous, but when the morning came
they discovered three wigwams standing
within . few rods Of their enca mpment, and
in the occupancy Of party Of Menominees.
During the day no connection passed be.
tween the two encampments until late in the
afternoon, when tall, dark comp!exioned
Indian OF giant form, his face deeply pitied
with scars Of the small pox and painted with
| q variety of colors, advanced from the Me-
nominees cncampment unariEed and ap>
preached the wigwam Of NocLumpkah, who
met him at his entrance.
IL have come," said the Menominee, "to
speak for my brother; be has raid many
| presents to our medicine man, and when the
deer shall come no more to view. his share
| Of the hunt was to be our Pro,het's, and
| kC-ahnenah was 10 live with him in his wig>
wan. Will Nochumpkah take what was 10
| ho Drnv,bass., a..J
glad ~
To which the Winnebago replied with
sarcastic smile on his face.
"When Nochumpkah shall becoEe Ne.
nominee be may sell his squaw, but not till
then"
"Nochumpkah is great hunter" con-
tinued the Menominee. "The track Of his
mocassin is fresh upon the war track that
leads into the country of the Decotah, and
the Menominee knows that be is no coward
Ny brother is young and weak, his knife is
dull Il am old and strong-my knife is like
Nochumpkah's; there Is no rust upon IT,
viii the chief Of the Winnebagoes draw his
knife With me or my brother r
With both p exclaimed the young chief,
~ be snatched his knife from its scabbard,
aud held il up before him, with The fose fin-
ger Of bis lett hand resting upon the blade.
Immediately the Menominee advanced and
placed the fore finger Of each ha,.d also up
on the blade, when both exclaimed, "It il
good T. as each turned his heel and retired
to his wigwam.
That night the two encampmens were
hushed to solemn stiffness, but when the
morning dawned there was q low mournlul
cry arose from the camp of the strangers.
Il was the wife Of the Menominee brave lis~
tcning to instructions from her husband, 10
be observed in the event Of his being killed
in the duel. The sun was scarcely up when
the monotonous sound Of the Iudian drum
rolled up from the two encampments, an
nounc;ng the readiness of the two combat,
tants for the conflict, which was followed by
the meeting Of an Indian from each party
At point cani distant from the two camps.
Here after short consultation they direct.
ed their steps ont on the prairie bottom,
about fifty rods from the river bank, where
they proceeded to dive into the ground
three stakes in the form of triangle, the
sides OF which being about fifty feet in length.
A raw bide thong was then drawn around
the the three stakes about two feet from the
ground, defining the arena within which the
combat was 10 take place. As soon as the
work was finished an Indian seated himself
on the ground in the centre of the triangle
and commenced singing aud beating on .
drum. The friends of the two parties un-
armed now approached the fatal ground
and seated themselves around it as silent
spectators.
In . few minutes the two Menominee
brothers were seen approaching the triangle
followed by an Indian conveying in each |
hand bunting knife. Both we're naked
with the exception Of nocsssins upon the |
feet and : girdle or frock that reached to |
the loins. Iu muscular power the contrast |
between the two brothers was great, the old. |
est being about thirty years Of age. aud in |
height seemed TO overtop the line Of ak feet, |
while the physical powers displayed in the |
rough character OF his person seemed to
give him q Herculean appearance. His I
brother appeared TO be q youth who had !
seen some eighteen years, displayed in his |
personal appearance slender and delicate |
forpation, while the expression Of the couu.
tenauce see0ed 10 denote . pleasant and !
friendly disposiiiop. No paint or coloring /
besmeared the fair expression Of his face Or |
perssa, vhich Was M the condition Of his |
brother Who was to AdVonce 10 ihe conflict |
90 the 1ett Of the youth, as vas indicated by |
Tho vpainting of The rightseheek and right |
arm being painled black, This position n
he 6xhs vs. assumed n order TO bring his
'sesier hsother .usder ~ protecting cover
Of NJ knife.
A. soca q The brothefs arrived upon the
sro.ad, the eldest tsck his position on the
noisA Of he angk Of the arena, nile his
brother occupisd the angle in the south, the
L. 4<@sm I~fe -