sort of rivalry existed between the two chiefs, and this feeling was shared to some extent by their respective friends in the tribes. An incident is related by Maj. Beach to show how the traders were ready to take advantage of this state of things for their own mercenary purposes.

When Gen. Harrison became President in 1841, John Chambers, an excongressman of Kentucky, was appointed Governor of the Territory, succeeding Gov. Robert Lucas. The governor was ex-officio superintendent over the Indians and their agencies. Gov. Lucas had favored the Black Hawk band, whose chief was Hardfish. Accordingly when the new governor was appointed, both Keokuk and Hardfish felt that it would be something of an object to gain his favor. The latter desired the new governor to pursue the policy of his predecessor, while Keokuk wished at least an impartial course. Keokuk requested the consent of the agent for him and his principal men to visit the governor at Burlington. As it was the policy of the government to discountenance such pilgrimages of the Indians, Maj. Beach suggested that Gov. Chambers might see proper to visit them at the agency. With this expectation Keokuk chose to wait. The Hardfish band, under the influence of some of the traders, were less patient. They hastened to Burlington in a large body, and on their arrival encamped near the town, sending to the governor a written notice of their presence, and a request for supplies. The governor answered, declining to accede to their request, or to hold a council with them. Hardfish and his men returned over their weary journey of seventy miles to the agency, very much disappointed. In the meantime the governor communicated with Major Beach, informing him that he would visit the agency soon, and requesting him to use his influence to prevent the Indians from making incursions through the white settlements. When the governor fixed his time to be present, the bands were all informed, and it was arranged that a grand council should be held. When the day arrived all the Indians, except the Poweshiek band of Foxes, who were so far away on the Iowa river, were encamped within a convenient distance from the agency. Long before the hour fixed for the meeting, the Hardfish party, arrayed in all their toggery, and displaying their richest ornaments, came in grand procession upon the ground. Having dismounted from their ponies, they formed in file on foot and marched into the agency headquarters, where the governor was to receive them. Hardfish and some of his principal men shook hands with the governor and then sat down.

The reader will remember that at this time the nation was in mourning for the sudden loss of a President by death, and that Gov. Chambers had been one of the warmest and most devoted friends of Gen. Harrison, a fact of which Keokuk was fully advised. Chambers had been aid-de-camp to Gen. Harrison in the war of 1812, and they had ever after been as father and son. Keokuk was shrewd enough to make the most of this.

The appointed hour for the meeting had passed, and the governor began to become impatient for the appearance of Keokuk. At last the sounds of the approaching bands were heard faintly floating upon the breeze. After a time the procession marched with slow and solemn tread into view, not ar rayed in gaudy feathers, ribbons and trinkets, like the Hardfish band, but with lances and staves wrapped around with wilted grass. No sound of bells responded to the tramp of their ponies, and instead of being painted in vermillion, their faces presented the sombre hues produced by a kind of clay they were wont to use on occasions of solemnity or mourning. Their

appearace betokened sadness and affliction. Mr. Josiah Smart, the interpreter, informed Gov. Chambers that this was a funeral march, and that some one of their principal men must have died during the night. Even Hardfish and his men were at a loss to account for what they saw, and wondered who could have died. At last Keokuk and his men dismounted and filed slowly and solemnly into the presence of the governor. Keokuk signed to the interpreter, and said:

"Say to our new father that before I take his hand, I will explain to him what all this means. We were told not long ago that our Great Father was dead. We had heard of him as a great war chief, who had passed much of his life among the red men and knew their wants, and we believed that we would always have friendship and justice at his hands. His death has made us very sad, and as this is our first opportunity, we thought it would be wrong if we did not use it, to show that the hearts of his red children, as well as his white, know how to mourn over their great loss; and we had to keep our father waiting while we performed that part of our mourning that we must always attend to before we leave our lodges with our dead.”

At the conclusion of this speech, Keokuk steppped forward and extended his hand. The hearty grasp of the governor showed that the wily chief had touched the proper cord. The result was, that the Hardfish band received no special favors after that, at the expense of the other bands.

SKETCHES OF BLACK HAWK AND OTHER CHIEFS.

Black Hawk-Treaty of 1804-Black Hawk's account of the Treaty-Lieut. Pike-Ft. Edwards-Ft. Madison-Black Hawk and the British-Keokuk recognized as Chief-Ft. Armstrong Sac and Fox Villages-Black Hawk's "British Band"-Black Hawk WarBlack Hawk's old age-His death in Iowa-Hís remains carried away, but recoveredKeokuk-Appanoose-Wapello-Poweshiek-Pash-e-pa-ho-Wish-e-co-ma-que-Chaschun-ca-Mau-haw-gaw-Ma-has-kah-Si-dom-i-na-do-tah-Henry Lott-A Tragedy in Humboldt County-Ink-pa-du-tah-Spirit Lake Massacre-Expedition from Ft. DodgeDeath of Capt. Johnston and William Burkholder.

BLACK HAWK.

THIS renowned chief, the "noblest Roman of them all," was born at the Sac village on Rock river, about the year 1767. His first introduction to the notice of the whites seems to have been in 1804, when William Henry Harrison, then the Governor of Indiana Territory, concluded his treaty with the Sac and Fox nation for the lands bordering on Rock river. Black Hawk was then simply a chief, though not by election or inheritance, of his own band of Sac warriors, but from that time he was the most prominent man in the Sac and Fox nation. He considered the action of the four chiefs who represented the Indians in making this treaty as unjust and refused to consider it binding. The territory ceded embraced over fifty-one millions of acres, extending almost from opposite St. Louis to the Wisconsin river. He claimed that the chiefs or braves who made the treaty had no authority to make it, and that they had been sent to St. Louis, where the treaty was negotiated, for quite a different purpose, namely: to procure the release of one of their people who was held there as a prisoner on charge of killing a white man. The United States regarded this treaty as a bona fide transaction, claiming that the lands were sold by responsible men of the tribes, and that it was further ratified by a part of the tribes with Gov. Edwards and

Auguste Choteau, in September, 1815, and again with the same commissioners in 1816. They claimed that the Indians were only to occupy the lands at the Sac village on Rock river until they were surveyed and sold by the government, when they were to vacate them. The treaty of St. Louis was signed by five chiefs instead of four, although Black Hawk claimed that the latter number only were sent to St. Louis for a different purpose. One of these was Pash-e-pa-ho, a head chief among the Sacs. Black Hawk himself thus describes the return of the chiefs to Rock Island after the treaty: "Quash-qua-me and party remained a long time absent. They at length returned, and encamped a short distance below the village, but did not come up that day, nor did any person approach their camp. They appeared to be dressed in fine coats, and had medals. From these circumstances we were in hopes that they had brought good news. Early the next morning the conncil lodge was crowded. Quash-qua-me came up and said that on their arrival in St. Louis they met their American father, and explained to him their business, and urged the release of their friend. The American chief told them he wanted land, and that they had agreed to give him some on the west side of the Mississippi, and some on the Illinois side, opposite the Jeffreon; that when the business was all arranged, they expected their friend released to come home with them. But about the time they were ready to start, their friend was let out of prison, who ran a short distance, and was shot dead! This was all myself or nation knew of the treaty of 1804. It has been explained to me since. I find, by that treaty, that all our country east of the Mississippi, and south of the Jeffreon, was ceded to the United States for one thousand dollars a year!"

The treaty was doubtless made in good faith on the part of the commissioners, and with the full conviction that it was by authority of the tribes. From this time forward Black Hawk seems to have entertained a distrust of the Americans.

Although Spain had ceded the country west of the Mississippi to France in 1801, the former power still held possession until its transfer to the United States by France. Black Hawk and his band were at St. Louis at this time, and he was invited to be present at the ceremonies connected with the change of authorities. He refused the invitation; and in giving an account of the transaction, said:

"I found many sad and gloomy faces, because the United States were about to take possession of the town and country. Soon after the Americans came, I took my band and went to take leave of our Spanish father. The Americans came to see him also. Seeing them approach, we passed out of one door as they entered another, and immediately started in our canoes for our village on Rock_river, not liking the change any more than our friends appeared to at St. Louis. On arriving at our village, we gave the news that strange people had arrived at St. Louis, and that we should never see our Spanish father again. The information made all our people sorry."

In August, 1805, Lieut. Zebulon M. Pike ascended the river from St. Louis, for the purpose of holding councils with the Indians, and selecting sites for military posts within the country recently acquired from France. At the mouth of Rock river he had a personal interview with Black Hawk, the latter being favorably impressed with the young lieutenant. Speaking of this interview, Black Hawk himself said:

"A boat came up the river with a young American chief, and a small party of soldiers. We heard of them soon after they passed Salt river.

Some of our young braves watched them every day, to see what sort of people he had on board. The boat at length arrived at Rock Island, and the young chief came on shore with his interpreter, and made a speech, and gave us some presents. We, in turn, presented them with meat and such other provisions as we had to spare. We were well pleased with the young chief. He gave us good advice, and said our American father would treat

us well."

Lieut. Pike's expedition was soon followed by the erection of Fort Edwards and Fort Madison, the former on the site of the present town of Warsaw, Illinois, and the latter on the site of the present town of Fort Madison, Iowa. When these forts were being erected, the Indians sent down delegations, headed by some of their chiefs, to have an interview with the Americans. Those who visited Fort Edwards returned apparently satisfied with what was being done. The erection of Fort Madison they claimed was a violation of the treaty of 1804. In that treaty the United States had agreed that if "any white persons should form a settlement on their lands, such intruders should forthwith be removed." Fort Madison was erected within the territory reserved for the Indians, and this they considered an intrusion. Some time afterward a party under the leadership of Black Hawk and Pash-e-pa-ho attempted its destruction. They sent spies to watch the movements of the garrison. Five soldiers who came out were fired upon by the Indians, and two of the soldiers were killed. They kept up the attack for several days. Their efforts to destroy the fort being unsuccessful, they returned to Rock river.

When the war of 1812 broke out, Black Hawk and his band allied themselves with the British, which was the origin of his party, at a later date, being known as the "British Band." In narrating the circumstances which induced him to join the British, he says:

"Several of the chiefs and head men of the Sacs and Foxes were called upon to go to Washington to see the Great Father. On their return they related what had been said and done. They said the Great Father wished them, in the event of a war taking place with England, not to interfere on either side, but to remain neutral. He did not want our help, but wished us to hunt and support our families and live in peace. He said that British traders would not be permitted to come on the Mississippi to furnish us with goods, but that we should be supplied by an American trader. Our chiefs then told him that the British traders always gave them credit in the fall for guns, powder and goods to enable us to hunt and clothe our families. He replied that the trader at Fort Madison would have plenty of goods; that we should go there in the fall, and he would supply us on credit, as the British traders had done."

According to Black Hawk, this proposition pleased his people, and they went to Fort Madison to receive their promised outfit for the winter's hunt, but notwithstanding the promise of the Great Father, at Washington, the trader would not give them credit. In reference to their disappointment, Black Hawk says:

"Few of us slept that night; all was gloom and discontent. In the morning a canoe was seen descending the river; it soon arrived, bearing an express, who brought intelligence that a British trader had landed at Rock Island, with two boats loaded with goods, and requested us to come up immediately, because he had good news for us, and a variety of presents. The express presented us with tobacco, pipes and wampum. The news ran

through our camp like fire on a prairie. Our lodges were soon taken down, and all started for Rock Island. Here ended all hopes of our remaining at peace, having been forced into the war by being deceived."

Black Hawk and his band then espoused the cause of the British, who, as in the case of Tecumseh, gave him the title of "Gen. Black Hawk." But a large portion of the Sacs and Foxes, at the head of whom was Keokuk, chose to remain neutral, as well as to abide by the treaty of 1804. Of this party Keokuk was the recognized chief. The nation was divided into the war party" and "peace party." Black Hawk maintained his fidelity to the British until the end of the war, and was the intimate friend and supporter of Tecumseh, until the death of the latter at the battle of the Thames. At the close of the war of 1812, Black Hawk returned to his village on Rock river, to find Keokuk still the friend of the Americans, and the recognized war chief of that portion of the Sac and Fox nation which had remained neutral. As stated elsewhere, a new treaty was concluded in September, 1815, in which, among other matters, the treaty of St. Louis was ratified. This treaty was not signed by Black Hawk, or any one representing his band, but was signed by chiefs of both the Sacs and Foxes, who were fully authorized to do so. This treaty was held at Portage des Sioux,and was a result of the war of 1812, with England. In May, 1816, another treaty was held at St. Louis, in which the St. Louis treaty of 1804 was recognized. This treaty was signed by Black Hawk and twenty other chiefs and braves. The same year Fort Armstrong was erected upon Rock Island, a proceeding very distasteful to the Indians. Of this Black Hawk says:

"We did not, however, object to their building the fort on the island, but we were very sorry, as this was the best island on the Mississippi, and had long been the resort of our young people during the summer. It was our garden, like the white people have near their big villages, which supplied us with strawberries, blackberries, plums, apples and nuts of various kinds; and its waters supplied us with pure fish, being situated in the rapids of the river. In my early life, I spent many happy days on this island. A good spirit had care of it, who lived in a cave in the rocks, immediately under the place where the fort now stands, and has often been seen by our people. He was white, with large wings like a swan's, but ten times larger. We were particular not to make much noise in that part of the island which he inhabited, for fear of disturbing him. But the noise of the fort has since driven him away, and no doubt a bad spirit has since taken his place.”

The expedition which was sent up the river to erect a fort at or near Rock Island, consisted at first of the Eighth United States Infantry, and started from St. Louis in September, 1815, under the command Col. R. C. Nichols. They reached the mouth of the Des Moines, where they wintered. In April, 1816, Gen. Thomas A. Smith arrived and took command of the expedition. They reached Rock Island on the 10th of May, and, after a careful examination, the site for the fort was selected. The regiment being left under the command of Col. Lawrence, the work on the fort immediately commenced. It was named in honor of John Armstrong of New York, who had recently been Secretary of War.

After the establishment of the fort and garrison at Rock Island settlements began to be made at and near the mouth of Rock river, on the east side of the Mississippi. Keokuk, as the head chief of the Foxes, with his tribe, in accordance with the treaties they had made with the United States, left in 1828 and established themselves on Iowa river, but Black Hawk and his "British