Lives of Famous Indian Chiefs: From Cofachiqui, the Indian Princess, and Powhatan; down to and including Chief Joseph and Geronimo. Also an answer, from the latest research, of the query, Whence came the Indian? Together with a number of thrillingly interesting Indian stories and anecdotes from historyWood, Norman B. (Norman Barton)
History
Lives of Famous Indian Chiefs: From Cofachiqui, the Indian Princess, and Powhatan; down to and including Chief Joseph and Geronimo. Also an answer, from the latest research, of the query, Whence came the Indian? Together with a number of thrillingly interesting Indian stories and anecdotes from history
Wood, Norman B. (Norman Barton)
Indians -- Origin; Indians of North America -- Anecdotes; Indians of North America -- Biography
"Time has worked great changes upon us both," said Lafayette, "Ah," replied
the chief, "time has not been so severe upon you as it has upon me. It has
left you a fresh countenance and hair to cover your head; while to
me--behold!" The chief pulled a handkerchief from his head and disclosed
its baldness. But Lafayette did not leave him to think thus harshly of time
but proved to him that the ravages had been nearly the same upon both, by
removing a wig and exposing a head almost as bald as the chief's; upon
which he remarked, with much pleasantry, that a scalp from some bystander
would renew his youth in the same manner!
Red Jacket pretended to understand no language but his own, and entertained
a great dislike for English. He would not reply to any of Lafayette's
questions until his interpreter had translated them into Seneca. Levasseur
states that in his conference with Lafayette, he evidently comprehended
everything uttered in his presence, while he would speak only Indian; and
that his former high opinion of the general seemed to be much increased by
a few chance-medley Seneca words, which the latter had the good fortune to
remember, and the courtesy to repeat.
Thatcher informs us that on another occasion the notorious fanatic, Jemima
Wilkenson, while trying to make proselytes, invited the Senecas to a
conference. This strange woman professed to be the world's Savior at his
second appearance upon earth, and was then living in fine style in the
western part of New York State with her dupes. Red Jacket attended the
council with his people and listened patiently to the end of a long
address. Most of it he probably understood, but instead of replying to her
argument in detail, he laid the axe at the root of her authority. Having
risen very gravely and spoken a few words in Seneca, he noticed her
inquire what he was talking about? "Ha!" He exclaimed with an arch
look--"she inspired--she Jesus Christ--and not know _indian?_" The solidity
of her pretensions was at once decided adversely, in the minds of at least
the heathen part of her audience.
{Illustration: Corn Planter, Ki-On-Twog-Ky, Seneca Chief.}
The gifted sachem on one occasion used the following figurative language,
in speaking of the enchroachments of the white people:
"We first knew you a feeble plant which wanted a little earth whereon to
grow. We gave it you and afterward, when we could have trod you under our
feet, we watered and protected you; and now you have grown to be a mighty
tree, whose top reaches the clouds, and whose branches overspread the whole
land, whilst we, who were the tall pine of the forest, have become a feeble
plant and need your protection.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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