Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black HawkBlack Hawk, Sauk chief
History
Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk
Black Hawk, Sauk chief
Black Hawk War, 1832; Black Hawk, Sauk chief, 1767-1838; Sauk Indians -- Biography
A party of our people were about starting for the Iowa village to give
the young man up, and I agreed to accompany them. When we were ready
to start, I called at the lodge for the young man to go with us. He was
sick, but willing to go, but his brother, however, prevented him and
insisted on going to die in his place, as he was unable to travel. We
started, and on the seventh day arrived in sight of the Iowa village,
and within a short distance of it we halted ad dismounted. We all bid
farewell to our young brave, who entered the village singing his death
song, and sat down on the square in the middle of the village. One of
the Iowa chiefs came out to us. We told him that we had fulfilled our
promise, that we had brought the brother of the young man who had killed
one of his people--that he had volunteered to come in his place, in
consequence of his brother being unable to travel from sickness. We
had no further conversation but mounted our horses and rode off. As we
started I cast my eye toward the village, and observed the Iowas coming
out of their lodges with spears and war clubs. We took the backward
trail and travelled until dark--then encamped and made a fire. We had
not been there long before we heard the sound of homes coming toward us.
We seized our arms, but instead of an enemy it was our young brave with
two horses. He told me that after we had left him, they menaced him with
death for some time--then gave him something to eat--smoked the pipe
with him and made him a present of the two horses and some goods, and
started him after us. When we arrived at on, village our people were
much pleased, and for their noble and generous conduct on this occasion,
not one of the Iowa people has been killed since by our nation.
That fall I visited Malden with several of my band, and was well treated
by the agent of our British Father, who gave us a variety of presents.
He also gave me a medal, and told me there never would be war between
England and America again; but for my fidelity to the British, during
the war that had terminated some time before, requested me to come with
my band and get presents every year, as Colonel Dixon had promised me.
I returned and hunted that winter on the Two Rivers. The whites were now
settling the country fast. I was out one day hunting in a bottom, and
met three white men. They accused me of killing their hogs. I denied it,
but they would not listen to me. One of them took my gun out of my
hand and fired it off--then took out the flint, gave it back to me and
commenced beating me with sticks, ordering me at the same time to be
off. I was so much bruised that I could not sleep for several nights.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account