The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-03-30

Edward Everett gave them han.
quet. On all occasions Kish-Ke-KoSa
won popular favor by his witticisms,
humorous stories and jokes, especial
| Iy among the ladies'. He returned
home with many beautiful and costly
presents which they had given him.
For many years of his after life he
took great pleasure in displaying
these presents, saying they were CIV
en- to him by the white squaws." :"
The ability displayed and the distinc-
ton won by Kish-Ke-Kosh on this
tour of the East led to his promotion
as village chieftain on the banks OF
the Skunk river farther toward the
frontier of the hunting grounds Of the
tribe After Kish-Ke-Kosh had re-
turned from the East hc made hard
effort to inaugurate some reforms
among his people. He taugns his
warriors that it was manifestly wrong
for them not to assist their wives in
the drudgery of the camp AMI in
raising the corn crop. Althougl he
set them an example by helping mis-
own wife in her toll, his advice and
example had little effect on his 30
pie. This village contained abcnt
two hundred and fifty inhabitants. A
short time after the treaty Of 1872,
they removed westward, locating on
the Des Moines river three miles
southeast of where the capital OF TIE
state is now located. Here they re-
mained until 1916 when they were
conveyed in government wagons 20
their reservation seventy miles south
west of Kansas City.
Once the supreme rulers of a
great commonwealth, they had be
come crestfallen and humble race,
banded about at the caprice o. adj
vancing civilization.
Some of the bark huts of Kish'ke-
Kosh village were still found in
White yak township when the white
settlers came, and they afforded shell
ter to a number of wandering pio-
neer families in their search for a
home in the New Purchase. Near
the village was found the burying
place. There were yet to be seen
graves covered by rude slabs. Here
their dead had been tenderly laid
away with such ceremonies as in
their estimation lightened the sorrow
of parting with their relatives and
friends. e..
The Sacs and Foxes generally have
their graveyards on hill side. The
body was wrapped in blankets and
laid out in full length. Inc graves
we're shallow. The Indians believed
that people have souls which live
somewhere after they die, and these
souls delight to do the things which
they did in their lifetime. Hence
they laid on the grave or buried with
them various articles: for men,
knives, tomahawks, bows and arrows;
for women, buckets, pans, ornaments
and choice treasures. When children
died we are told that they would
place its baby board on which 1t used
|
a little dog was killed at the grave
to accompany the little one on its
long journey to the spirit land. They
believed that animals and things had
souls the same as persons and that
the souls Of these went with the de-
parted to help them on their way to
the happy spirit land.
When Lieutenant Zezulon M. Pike
ascended the Mississippi river in 1905
he found Sac and Fox villages on
both sides of the Mississippi river.
He reported 1850 Foxes and 1850
Sacs. In 1876, the Foxes having be-
come greatly decimated by wars, had
formed a confederacy with the Sacs.
Both these tribes had come originally
from the lake regions in the North.
west. Fox river in Wisconsin took
its name from the smaller tribe, and
| Saginaw, Michigan, received its name
from the Sacs. Among the celebrat.
ed chiefs of these two nations were
Black Hawk, Keoluk, Appanoose,
Wapello, Poweshiek and Pash-e-pa-ho.
During the first quarter of the nine.
teenth century the Sacs and Foxes
were often at war with the Iowa
tribe, the last battle being fought, at
Iowayille on the Des MONIES river,
near Eldon, about the year 1924. Au.
thorities differ as to the date of this
famous bottle. Like many dates in
Indian history, 1t is not very definite.
At this battle the Sac and Fox tribes
completely crushed their rivals and
forced them, to surrender.
Savage and fierce as were t-rese
Sacs and Foxes, they had periods. Of
deep religious fervor and their re-
hgious ceremonies were observed
with 0all the earnestness and sincerity
of their nature. In April, 1S43, when
DR.. James L. Warren with a party of
five others were coming UP the divide
to, look out for claims before the rush
that would follow May first OF that
.,oa. ttar, N 49,, x,,d1nrIxx ook. c,.fk1