University of Virginia Library

TAH-WE-CHU-KIN;
THE WIFE.

In February, 1837, a party of Dahcotahs (Warpetonian)
fell in with Hole-in-the-Day, and his band. When Chippeways
and Dahcotahs meet there is generally bloodshed;
and, however highly Hole-in-the-Day may be esteemed as
a warrior, it is certain that he showed great treachery
towards the Dahcotahs on many occasions.

Now they met for peaceable purposes. Hole-in-the-Day
wished permission to hunt on the Dahcotah lands without
danger from the tomahawk of his enemies. He proposed
to pay them certain articles, which he should receive from
the United States Government when he drew his annuities,
as a return for the privilege he demanded.

The Dahcotahs and Chippeways were seated together.
They had smoked the pipe of peace. The snow had
drifted, and lay piled in masses behind them, contrasting
its whiteness with their dark countenances and their gay
ornaments and clothing. For some years there had been
peace between these two tribes; hating each other, as they
did, they had managed to live without shedding each
other's blood.

Hole-in-the-Day was the master spirit among the Chippeways.

He was the greatest hunter and warrior in the
nation; he had won the admiration of his people, and they
had made him chief. His word was law to them; he
stood firmly on the height to which he had elevated himself.

He laid aside his pipe and arose. His iron frame
seemed not to feel the keen wind that was shaking the
feathers in the heads of the many warriors who fixed their
eyes upon him.

He addressed the Dahcotah warriors. “All nations,”
said he, “as yet continue the practice of war, but as for
me, I now abandon it. I hold firmly the hand of the
Americans. If you, in future, strike me twice or even
three times, I will pass over and not revenge it. If wars
should continue, you and I will not take part in them.
You shall not fight, neither will I. There shall be no
more war in that part of the country lying between Pine
Island and the place called Hanwi catintipi, (They shot
them in the night). Over this extent of country we will
hold the pipe firmly. You shall hold it by the bowl, and
we will hold it by the stem. The pipe shall be in your
keeping.” So saying, Hole-in-the-Day advanced and presented
the Dahcotahs with a pipe.

After a moment he continued his speech. “On account
of your misconduct, we did desire your death, and if you
had met us last winter to treat of peace, however great
your numbers, we should have killed you all. White men
had ordered us to do so, and we should have done it;
because the Mendewakantonwans had informed us that
you intended by treachery to kill us.”

The Dahcotah chief then replied to him saying, that the

Dahcotahs were willing that the Chippeways should hunt
on their lands to the borders of the prairie, but that they
should not enter the prairie. The Chippeways then agreed
to pay them a large quantity of sugar, a keg of powder,
and a quantity of lead and tobacco.

After their engagement was concluded, Hole-in-the-Day
rose again and said, “In the name of the Great Spirit,
this peace shall be forever,” and, turning to Wandiokiya
(the Man that talks to the Eagle), a Dahcotah who had been
taught by the missionaries to read and write, requested
him to commit to writing the agreement which had just
been made.

Wandiokiya did so, and has since forwarded the writing
to the Rev. Mr. P—, who resides near Fort Snelling.
The Dahcotah adds, “We have now learned that the
object of Hole-in-the-Day was to deceive and kill us; and
he and his people have done so, showing that they neither
fear God nor the chief of the American people.

“In this manner they deceived us, deceived us in the
name of the Gods.

“Hole-in-the-Day led the band of murderers.

2. CHAPTER II.

We shall see how faithfully the Chippeway chief kept
the treaty that he had called upon the Great Spirit to
witness. There has been great diversity of opinion concerning
Hole-in-the-Day. The Chippeways and Dahcotahs

all feared him. Some of the white people who
knew him admired, while others detested his character.

He was certainly, what all the Chippeways have been,
a friend of the white people, and equally an enemy to the
Dahcotahs. He encouraged all attempts that were made
towards the civilization of his people; he tried to induce
them to cultivate the ground; indeed, he sometimes
assumed the duties which among savages are supposed to
belong exclusively to females, and has been frequently
seen to work in his garden. Had it been possible, he
would even have forced the Chippeways to civilization.

He had three wives—all sisters. He was fond of them,
but if they irritated him, by disputing among themselves,
or neglecting any thing which he found necessary to his
comfort, he was very violent. Blows were the only arguments
he used on such occasions.

The present chief is one of his children; several of them
died young, and their father felt their loss most keenly.
Grave and stoical as was his deportment, his feelings were
very strong, and not easily controlled.

He was a man of deep thought, and of great ambition.
The latter passion was gratified to as great a degree as
was possible. Loved by his tribe, feared by his enemies,
respected and well treated by the white people, what more
could a savage ask? Among the Indians he was a great
man, but he was truly great in cunning and deceit.

On this occasion, however, the Dahcotahs had perfect
confidence in him, and it was on the first day of April, in
the same year, that they arrived at the place appointed to
meet the Chippeways, near the east branch of the Chippeway
river, about thirty miles northeast of Lac qui parle.

The women raised the teepees, six in number, and prepared
the scanty portion of food for their families. Here they
remained, until their patience was almost exhausted, constantly
expecting Hole-in-the-Day to appear; but day after
day passed, and they were still disappointed. Now and
then the reports of fire-arms were heard near them, but
still the Chippeways did not visit the camp of the Dahcotahs.

Famine now showed itself among them. They had neither
corn nor flour. Had the wild ducks flown over their
heads in clouds, there was but little powder and shot to
kill them—but there were few to be seen. Some of the
Indians proposed moving their camp where game was more
plenty—where they might see deer, and use their bows and
arrows to some purpose. But others said, if they were not
at the appointed place of meeting, they would violate the
contract, and lose their claim to the articles that Hole-in-the-day
had promised to deliver to them.

It was finally concluded that the party should divide, one
half moving off in search of food, the other half remaining
where they were, in hopes that Hole-in-the-Day would make
his appearance.

Three teepees then remained, and they were occupied by
seventeen persons, all women and children excepting four.

It was drawing on towards evening, when the Dahtocahs
heard the sound of footsteps, and their satisfaction was very
great, when they perceived the Chippeway chief approach,
accompanied by ten of his men. These men had been
present at the council of peace in February.

One of the Dahcotahs, named Red Face, had left his
family in the morning, to attend to the traps he had set for
beaver. He had not returned when the Chippeways arrived.

His two wives were with the Dahcotahs who received the
Chippeways. One of these women had two children; the
other was quite young, and, according to Indian ideas,
beautiful too. She was the favorite wife.

The Dahcotahs received the Chippeways with real pleasure,
in full faith and confidence. “Hole-in-the-Day has
been long in coming,” said one of the Dahcotahs; “his
friends have wished to smoke the pipe of peace with him,
but some of them have left us to seek for food. We welcome
you, and will eat together, and our friendship shall
last forever.” Hole-in-the-Day met his advances with every
appearance of cordiality. One thing, however, the Dahcotahs
observed, that the Chippeways did not fire their guns
off when they arrived, which is done by Indians when they
make a visit of friendship.

The party passed the evening in conversation. All the
provisions of the Dahcotahs were called in requisition to
feast the Chippeways. After eating, the pipe went round
again, and at a late hour they laid down to sleep, the Chippeways
dividing their party, several in each teepee.

Hole-in-the-day lay down by the side of his host, so
motionless you would have thought that sleep had paralyzed
his limbs and senses; his regular breathing intimates a
heart at peace with himself and his foes; but that heart
was beating fast, for in a moment he raises himself cautiously,
gazes and smiles too upon the sleeping Dahcotah
beside him. He gives the appointed signal, and instantaneously
plunges his knife into the heart of the trusting
Dahcotah. It was child's play afterwards to quiet the
shrill shrieks of the terrified wife. A moment more, and
she and her child lay side by side, never to awake again.

For a short time broken and shrill cries were heard from
the other teepees, but they were soon over. The two wives
of Red Face had laid down without a fear, though their
protector was absent. The elder of the two clasped her
children to her heart, consoled, in a measure, while listening
to their calm breathing, for the loss of the love of her husband.
She knew that the affections of a husband might
vary, but the tie between mother and child is indissoluble.

The young wife wondered that Red Face was not by
her side. But he would return to-morrow, and her welcome
would be all the greeting that he would wish for.
While her thoughts are assuming the form of dreams, she
sees the fatal weapon pointed at the mother and child.
The bullet that kills the sleeping infant on its mother's
breast, wounds the mother also; but she flies in horror,
though not soon enough to escape the sight of her other
pleading child, her warrior son, vainly clasping his hands in
entreaty to the savage, who, with another blow from his
tomahawk, puts an end to his sufferings. The wretched
mother escapes, for Hole-in-the-Day enters the teepee,
and takes prisoner the younger wife. She escapes a
present death—what will be her future fate?

3. CHAPTER III.

The elder of the two wives escaped from the murderous
Chippeways. Again and again, in the darkness of the
night, she turns back to flee from her deadly foe, but far

more from the picture of her children, murdered before her
eyes. She knew the direction in which the Dahcotahs who
had left the party had encamped, and she directed her steps
to find them. One would think she would have asked
death from her enemies—her husband loved her no more,
her children were dead—but she clung to life.

She reached the teepees at last, and hastened to tell of
her sorrows, and of the treachery of Hole-in-the-Day. For a
moment the utmost consternation prevailed among the
Indians, but revenge was the second thought, and rapidly
were their preparations made to seek the scene of the murder.
The distance was accomplished in a short time, and
the desolation lay before their eyes.

The fires in the teepees were not gone out; the smoke
was ascending to the heavens; while the voices of the murdered
Dahcotahs seemed to call upon their relatives for
revenge. There lay the warriors, who, brave as Hole-in-the-Day,
had laid aside their weapons, and reposed on the
faith of their enemies, their strong limbs powerless, their
faces turned towards the light, which fell upon their glassy
eyes. See the mother, as she bends over the bodies of her
innocent children!—her boy, who walked so proudly, and
said he would kill deer for his mother; her infant, whose
life had been taken, as it were, from her very heart. She
strains them to her bosom, but the head leans not towards
her, and the arms are stiff in death.

Red Face has asked for his young wife. She is alive,
but, far worse than death, she is a prisoner to the Chippeways.
His children are dead before his eyes, and their
mother, always obedient and attentive, does not hear him
when he speaks to her. The remains of the feast are scattered

on the ground; the pipe of peace lies broken among
them.

In the course of the morning the Rev. Mr.—, missionary
among the Dahcotahs, with the assistance of an
Indian named Round Wind, collected the bodies and buried
them.

Of the fourteen persons who were in the three teepees,
no more than four escaped; two young men and two
women.

The Chippeways fled as quickly as possible from the
country of the Dahcotahs, with their prisoner—sad change
for her. A favorite wife finds herself in the power of ten
warriors, the enemies of her people. The cries of her murdered
friends are yet sounding in her ears; and she knows
not how soon their fate may be hers. Every step of the
weary journey she pursues, takes her farther from her country.
She dares not weep, she cannot understand the language
of her enemies, but she understands their looks, and
knows she must obey them. She wishes they would take
her life; she would take it herself, but she is watched, and
it is impossible.

She sees by their angry gestures and their occasional
looks towards her, that she is the subject of their dispute,
until the chief raises his eyes and speaks to the Chippeways—and
the difference ceases.

At length her journey is at an end. They arrive at the
village, and Hole-in-the-Day and his warriors are received
with manifestations of delight. They welcomed him as if
he had performed a deed of valor instead of one of cowardice.

The women gaze alternately upon the scalps and upon

the prisoner. She, poor girl, is calm now; there is but
one thought that makes her tired limbs shake with terror.
She sees with a woman's quickness that there is no female
among those who are looking at her as beautiful as she is.
It may be that she may be required to light the household
fires for one of her enemies. She sees the admiring countenance
of one of the young Chippeway warriors fixed
upon her; worn out with fatigue, she cannot support the
wretched thought. For a while she is insensible even to
her sorrows.

On recovering, food is given her, and she tries to eat.
Nothing but death can relieve her. Where are the spirits
of the rocks and rivers of her land? Have they forgotten
her too?

Hole-in-the-Day took her to his teepee. She was his
prisoner, he chose to adopt her, and treated her with every
kindness. He ordered his men not to take her life; she
was to be as safe in his teepee as if she were his wife or
child.

For a few days she is allowed to remain quiet; but at
length she is brought out to be present at a council where
her fate was to be decided.

Hole-in-the-Day took his place in the council, and ordered
the prisoner to be placed near him. Her pale and
resigned countenance was a contrast to the angry and excited
faces that lowered upon her; but the chief looked unconcerned
as to the event. However his warriors might
contend, the result of the council would depend upon him;
his unbounded influence always prevailed.

After several speeches had been made, Stormy Wind
rose and addressed the chief. His opinion was that the

prisoner should suffer death. The Dahcotahs had always
been enemies, and it was the glory of the Chippeways to
take the lives of those they hated. His chief had taken
the prisoner to his teepee; she was safe; she was a member
of his family—who would harm her there? but now
they were in council to decide upon her fate. He was an
old man, had seen many winters—he had often travelled
far and suffered much to take the life of an enemy; and
here, where there is one in their power, should they lose the
opportunity of revenge? She was but a woman, but the
Dahcotah blood flowed in her veins. She was not fit to
live. The Eagle spoke next. He was glad that the
chief had taken the prisoner to his teepee—it had been always
customary occasionally to adopt a prisoner, and the
chief did well to keep up the customs of their tribe. The
prisoner was young, she could be taught to love the Chippeway
nation; the white people did not murder their prisoners;
the Chippeways were the friends of the white people;
let them do as they did, be kind to the prisoner and
spare her life. The Eagle would marry the Dahcotah girl;
he would teach her to speak the language of her adopted
tribe; she should make his mocassins, and her children
would be Chippeways. Let the chief tell the Eagle to
take the girl home to his teepee.

The Eagle's speech created an excitement. The Indians
rose one after the other, insisting upon the death of their
prisoner. One or two seconded the Eagle's motion to keep
her among them, but the voices of the others prevailed.
The prisoner saw by the faces of the savages what their
words portended. When the Eagle rose to speak, she recognized
the warrior whose looks had frightened her; she

knew he was pleading for her life too; but the memory of
her husband took away the fear of death. Death with a
thousand terrors, rather than live a wife, a slave to the
Chippeways! The angry Chippeways are silenced, for
their chief addresses them in a voice of thunder; every
voice is hushed, every countenance is respectfully turned
towards the leader, whose words are to decide the fate of
the unhappy woman before them.

“Where is the warrior that will not listen to the words
of his chief? my voice is loud and you shall hear. I
have taken a Dahcotah woman prisoner; I have chosen to
spare her life; she has lived in my teepee; she is one of
my family; you have assembled in council to-day to decide
her fate—I have decided it. When I took her to my
teepee, she became as my child or as the child of my friend.
You shall not take her life, nor shall you marry her. She
is my prisoner—she shall remain in my teepee.”

Seeing some motion of discontent among those who
wished to take her life, he continued, while his eyes shot
fire and his broad chest heaved with anger:

“Come then and take her life. Let me see the brave
warrior who will take the life of my prisoner? Come! she
is here; why do you not raise your tomahawks? It is
easy to take a woman's scalp.”

Not a warrior moves. The prisoner looks at the chief
and at his warriors. Hole-in-the-Day leads her from the
council and points to his teepee, which is again her home,
and where she is as safe as she would be in her husband's
teepee, by the banks of the Mine So-to.

4. CHAPTER IV.

While the wife of Red Face lived from day to day in
suspense as to her fate, her husband made every effort for
her recovery. Knowing that she was still alive, he could
not give up the hope of seeing her again. Accordingly, the
facts were made known at Fort Snelling, and the Chippeway
interpreter was sent up to Hole-in-the-Day's village,
with an order from the government to bring her down.

She had been expected for some time, when an excitement
among a number of old squaws, who were standing
outside of the gate of the fort, showed that something unusual
was occasioning expressions of pleasure; and as the
wife of Red Face advanced towards the house of the interpreter,
their gratification was raised to the utmost.

Red Face and some of the Dahcotah warriors were soon
there too—and the long separated husband and wife were
again united.

But whatever they might have felt on the occasion of
meeting again, they showed but little joy. Red Face entered
the room where were assembled the Indians and the
officers of the garrison. He shook hands with the officers
and with the interpreter, and, without looking at his wife,
took his seat with the other Dahcotahs.

But her composure soon left her. When she saw him
enter, the blood mantled in her pale cheek—pale with long
anxiety and recent fatigue. She listened while the Dahcotahs
talked with the agent and the commanding officer;

and at last, as if her feelings could not longer be restrained,
she arose, crossed the room, and took her seat at his feet!

The chief Hole-in-the-Day has been dead some years,
and, in one of the public prints, it was stated that he was
thrown from his carriage and killed. This was a genteel
mode of dying, which cannot, with truth, be attributed to
him.

He always deplored the habit of drinking, to which the
Indians are so much addicted. In his latter years, however,
he could not withstand the temptation; and, on one occasion,
being exceedingly drunk, he was put into an oxcart,
and being rather restive, was thrown out, and the
cart wheel went over him.

Thus died Hole-in-the-Day—one of the most noted Indians
of the present day; and his eldest son reigns in his
stead.

EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWING.

1. The giant.

2. A frog that the giant uses for an arrow-point.

3. A large bird that that the giant keeps in his court.

4. Another bird.

5. An ornament over the door leading into the court.

6. An ornament over a door.

7. Part of court ornamented with down.

8. Part of do. do. with red down.

9. A bear; 10, a deer; 11, an elk; 12, a buffalo.

13, 14. Incense-offering.

15. A rattle of deer's claws, used when singing.

16. A long flute or whistle.

17, 18, 19, 20. Are meteors that the giant sends out for his defence, or to
protect him from invasion.

21, 22, 23, 24. The giant surrounded with lightnings, with which he kills all
kinds of animals that molest him.

25. Red down in small bunches fastened to the railing of the court.

26. The same. One of these bunches of red down disappears every time
an animal is found dead inside the court.

27, 28. Touchwood, and a large fungus that grows on trees.—These are
eaten by any animal that enters the court, and this food causes their death.

29. A streak of lightning going from the giant's hat.

30. Giant's head and hat. 31. His bow and arrow.