Shah-co-pee (or Six) is one of the chiefs of the Dahcotahs;
his village is about twenty-five miles from Fort Snelling.
He belongs to the bands that are called Men-da-wa-can-ton,
or People of the Spirit Lakes.
No one who has lived at Fort Snelling can ever forget
him, for at what house has he not called to shake hands and
smoke; to say that he is a great chief, and that he is
hungry and must eat before he starts for home? If the
hint is not immediately acted upon, he adds that the sun is
dying fast, and it is time for him to set out.
Shah-co-pee is not so tall or fine looking as Bad Hail, nor
has he the fine Roman features of old Man in the Cloud.
His face is decidedly ugly; but there is an expression of intelligence
about his quick black eye and fine forehead, that
makes him friends, notwithstanding his many troublesome
qualities.
At present he is in mourning; his face is painted black.
He never combs his hair, but wears a black silk handkerchief
tied across his forehead.
When he speaks he uses a great deal of gesture, suiting
the action to the word. His hands, which are small and
well formed, are black with dirt; he does not descend to the
duties of the toilet.
He is the orator of the Dahcotahs. No matter how
trifling the occasion, he talks well; and assumes an air of
importance that would become him if he were discoursing
on matters of life and death.
Some years ago, our government wished the Chippeways
and Dahcotahs to conclude a treaty of peace among themselves.
Frequently have these two bands made peace, but
rarely kept it any length of time. On this occasion many
promises were made on both sides; promises which would
be broken by some inconsiderate young warrior before long,
and then retaliation must follow.
Shah-co-pee has great influence among the Dahcotahs, and
he was to come to Fort Snelling to be present at the council
of peace. Early in the morning he and about twenty warriors
left their village on the banks of the St. Peters, for the
Fort.
When they were very near, so that their actions could
be distinguished, they assembled in their canoes, drawing
them close together, that they might hear the speech which
their chief was about to make them.
They raised the stars and stripes, and their own flag,
which is a staff adorned with feathers from the war eagle;
and the noon-day sun gave brilliancy to their gay dresses,
and the feathers and ornaments that they wore.
Shah-co-pee stood straight and firm in his canoe—and
not the less proudly that the walls of the Fort towered
above him.
“My boys,” he said (for thus he always addressed his
men), “the Dahcotahs are all braves; never has a coward
been known among the People of the Spirit Lakes. Let the
women and children fear their enemies, but we will face
our foes, and always conquer.
“We are going to talk with the white men; our great
Father wishes us to be at peace with our enemies. We
have long enough shed the blood of the Chippeways; we
have danced round their scalps, and our children have
kicked their heads about in the dust. What more do we
want? When we are in council, listen to the words of the
Interpreter as he tells us what our great Father says, and
I will answer him for you; and when we have eaten and
smoked the pipe of peace, we will return to our village.”
The chief took his seat with all the importance of a public
benefactor. He intended to have all the talking to himself,
to arrange matters according to his own ideas; but he
did it with the utmost condescension, and his warriors were
satisfied.
Besides being an orator, Shah-co-pee is a beggar, and one
of a high order too, for he will neither take offence nor a
refusal. Tell him one day that you will not give him pork
and flour, and on the next he returns, nothing daunted,
shaking hands, and asking for pork and flour. He always
gains his point, for you are obliged to give in order to get
rid of him. He will take up his quarters at the Interpreter's,
and come down upon you every day for a week
just at meal time—and as he is always blessed with a ferocious
appetite, it is much better to capitulate, come to
terms by giving him what he wants, and let him go. And
after he has once started, ten to one if he does not come
back to say he wants to shoot and bring you some ducks;
you must give him powder and shot to enable him to do so.
That will probably be the last of it.
