The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29
BLACKHAWKTHE R
a SKETCH OF ONE OF THE MOST
FAMOUS OF RED MEN.
Intelligent and just, he Was . Nobienan
of Snvngery-Mow ne and Hts Tribe
Suffered at the Hands or tho Whites.

SuhcTcu NJ n hhbnuu OF tho "nIteo.
Prom the american FYeid.
eome time during the early part OF the last
century, probably, a wandering tribe Of In
dIans Of whom history 10 silent left tho bleak
shores OF the upper st. Lawrence for n more
conRenial climate.
The sources from which the first part Of this
sketch Is taken ara chiefly legendary; but. such
rs they are, IL is given as It was taken from the
lips OF one who 10 characterized by the editor Of
q ANAL volume called THE Autobiography OF
Rlack Hawk" as a warrior, q patriot, ana sub
sequontly a prisoner, Ma-ka-tai m she-kia-
kiak. or Black Hawk. Toward the latter part
of his life, this hero of many battles, when old,
poor, and obscure, became DESTROYS OF giving his
story to his white friends. that tho people OF
the United States might know the cause which
impelled him to act as he had done. and the
principles by which he was governed" This
was faithfully translated by Antoine Le Claire,
. half-breod of French and Indian parentage.
whose descendants live In Davenport, la.
1t must be remembered that, although Black
Hawks story is intermingled with legends. II 10
probably true as regards tho emigration of the
tribes tho Sacs, as they were called-from
place to place to their final destination, the
Rock River country. in Illinois. The tradition
of the causes which led to this great event in
their history was handed down to Black Hawk,
as canning from his Rreat-g OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ma-kee-who, by blaekening his face. fasting,
and invocation to the Great Spirit, appeared to
tho chief in dreams, telling him to fast one year
more, and then to take his brother chieftains
and travel to the left of the sun rising till
they could hear certain sounds. when they
would meet q white man who would be n father
to this people. The sounds were heard and the
white man appeared. He announced himself to
he also had tasted four years; that the Great
Spirit had visited hin! In dreams. telling him
he would meet his children the Indian and
They returned to their nation. The old chief,
mnsn pr rec iearhe the OF rre eae'r me @dieinaS b ane to wn HIS
son; saving IL vas the soul Of
was a young man, and there were some dissen-
sions among the people on account of so much
power being given to ono so young, but when
the talk" was at it's height o violent thunder
storm appeared and the lightning struck q tree.
burning branch, made q fire In the lodge. seated
the people around 1t, who were awed by what
me to take the rank / hold. Willie my father,
Spirit in causing that fire. I wish that the chiefs,
All were satisfied when they heard and saw
that the Great, Spirit had spoken and confirmed
his words by the burning tree.
In the legend OF the burning tree one is re-
minded Of the burning bush out Of which God
in ali accounts Of the religion Of the Indians,
know OF no record where they are represented
70 FORM wo oi MSds 81 tn: Stone, SGs.' FL FRITZ ar ls sn gp %fs' xs.
immortal and invisible.
After a long. absence the French Father re-
turned and a trade was kept up for some time
with the tribe. exchanging various commodities
for iS5d their heir. f fur, and n, x other T, s%5ti e.. Fr The British ri Iss;
eSyo5Sp9werssd dn them en- ,h and d,t gained ,, pSsse ;o;nsa Of Of
the war. aud aftervard united their forces
against the sacs and drove them to Montreal
and thence e Maefinas; TIL. They met the the British sr, !
them and furnished them with. goods. They
were troubled there with their enemies,
called sauK River. There they held council
doned their VILLAGES and Joined the sacs; A
party of young men had been on an expedition
Braves %a'es Sstar sS a. 70 e Green HsS. Bay aisf sali rs ef the ' sfsas
news OF the beautiful region they had 1ust left:
md from that time the history Of the two
possession Of the Mississippi Valley. from the
mouth Of the Missouri. a6ent zoo mile, in
length: At that time they had little intercourse
same to their villages for their peitriss. At
that time Intoxicating, liquors were, unknown
by the traders. BiSSk Hawk was bitterly op-
posed to this. and sometimes, as said by an eye
witness, drove In the kegs OF whiskey.. or rum,
which were furnished them by traders"
They held their lands by their proSess as
wSrsiG 9ts. i, In 1874 an event o m;;5 red s Thieh
One OF their number had killed an, American.
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
Indian custom. Gen. William Clarke. the COM
pantoh OF Lewis, at that time was the general
affairs. Tho Government, through Clarke. re-
fused the COMPENSATION, but demanded lands.
Informed OF the circumstances were bitterly
opposed to parting with their lands, as, these
men bad no authority for this. but went simply
4, is said the men were made, drunk. and
while In that condition the sale OF the lands was
but =; he was running tES@ the jail he was shot
Ali their lands on 10 east side. of the Missls-
aippl River were sold, Black Hawk says, for
think Judge spencer. in his "Reminiscences"
say Rd he lHtte5' H. was one t Rf the a. 9!d settlers
honorable and just man; Black Hawk says:
= leave Il to the people of the United states
sented in that treaty, or whether We received
jIst compensation for The extent OF country
a clause in the sale said that the Indians
might occupy the lands while they belonged to
Black Hawk's narrative is sIngularly deficient
IN dates. He WAS the grandson OF Nana-ma-
a shs . Rts ist Of Ro %G' R Ryssa' n aaa M NJ wei il e em pti @n
into the Mississippi. There he remained till he
tnctj 10 years yea wo ola5i ,SE an he won h %Ris Nas dis iho
first event of his life which, he considers Of i'm.
portance enough to record. He was In battle
with the Osages. where he saw his father kill u
man and tear of his scalp. This fred his am
billion, and he attacked and killed and scalped
his enemy. There were several expeditions
against this tribe. In one OF these his father
was MORALLY wounded. and after his death
Black Hawk fell heir TO the great medicine bag
OF his forafathers. In all his successes in battle
he recognizes the aid ofthe Great Spirit.
FINALLY there was peace among the tribes ana
they settled quietly down In their villages: 1t
appears that the tribes occupying the land In
what is now illinois, Iowa. and Wisconsin had
been constantly at war with each other. The
Indians found the Rock River and Mississippi
country exceedingly attractive. The island OF
Rock Island was a favurite resort for the young
people OF the tribes. 1t was there they had
their games aud dances. They felt that they
had found the most beautiful and desirable spot
they had ever seen. and determined never to
leave II. After their harvests had been Sc
cured and the hunters had returned laden
themselves up To their favorito amuse-
ments. They raised corn. beans, squashes. aud
other vegetables, and cached for winter use. n
deep hole was dug in the ground, the, yege-
tables were placed therein and covered with
aarIh and bark. Frequently the Contents of tina