The San Francisco call., 1896-12-13

held undi3puted posse ssion of the Mississ-
ippi Valley, from the Ouisconsin to the
Portage des Sioux, near the mouth of the
Missouri, about 700 miles in length. AT
that time they had little intercourse with
the whites, except with the traders who
came to their villages for their peltries.
| AT that time Intoxicating liquors were un
known among them, although afterward
! introduced by the traders. Black Hawk
was bitterly opposed to this. and some
times, as said by al eyewitness, "drove
in the kegs of whisky or rum which were
furnished them by traders"
They held their lands by their prowess
as warriors In 1904 an event occurred
which gave rise to all their troubles with
the whites. One of their number had
killed an American, for which he was i'm
prisoned. Four or five Indians went down
to st. Louis where he was confined, to
secure his release and his return to his
family by offering compensation for the
life of the murdered man, according to
the Indian custom. General William
Clarke, the companion of Lewis at that
time was the general superintendent of
| Western Indians and their affairs.
The Government, through Clarke, re-
fused the compensation, but demanded
lands. Black Hawk and the other In
dians, who were informed of the circum-
stances, were bitterly opposed to parting
with their lands, as these men had no
authority for this, but went simply to res
cue the prisoner.
1t is said that the men were made drunk,
and while in that condition the sale of
the lands was consummated; the pris-
oner was set at liberty, but as he was run
ming from the Jail he was shot dead by one
of the men on guard.
All their lands on the east side of the
Mississippi River were sold, Black Hawk
says, for $1,000 year; other accounts say
$4,000. l think Judge Spencer, in his
"reminiscences" says the latter. He was
one of the old settlers of Rock Island. He
speaks of Black Hawk as an honorable
and just man. Black Hawk says:
IT leave it to the people OF the United
States to say whether our nation was
properly represented in that treaty, or
whether We received just pensation for
the extent OF country ceded by these four
individuals" 9
A clause in the sale said that the Indi-
ans might occupy the lands while they
belonged to the Government
Black Hawks narrative is singularly de-
tcient in dates He was the grandson OF
Nana-makee, his father was Tyesa, and he
was born on the shores of Rock River
near where it empties into the Mississippi
There he remained till he was 10 years
old, when he won honorable distinction
bv wounding an enemy. This was the
first event of his life which he considers of
i'm portance enough to record. He was in
battle with the Ossges, where he saw his
father kill a man and tear off his scalp.
This fired his am bition, and he attacked
and killed and scalped his enemy. There
were several expeditions against this tribe.
In one OF these his father was mortally
wounded, and after his death Black Hawk
fell heir to the great medicine bag of his
forefathers. In all his successes in battle
he recognizes the aid of the Great Spirit.
Finally there was peace among the
tribes and they settled quietly down in
their villages. 1t appears that the tribes
occupying the land in what is now Hi
nois, Iowa and Wisconsin had been con-
stantlv at war with each other. The
Indians found the Rock River and Missis-
sippi country exceedingly attractive. The
island OF Rock Island was a fayorite re-