Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk | Page 4

guns,
powder and lead, spears and lances, and taught him their use, so that in
war he might be able to chastise his enemies, and in peace they could
kill buffalo, deer and other game necessary for the comforts and
luxuries of life. He then presented the others with various kinds of
cooking utensils and taught them their uses. After having given them
large quantities of goods as presents, and everything necessary for their
comfort, he set sail for France, promising to meet them again, at the
same place, after the 12th moon.
The three newly made chiefs returned to their village and explained to
Mukataquet, their father, who was the principal chief of the nation,
what had been said and done.
The old chief had some dogs killed and made a feast preparatory to
resigning his scepter, to which all the nation were invited. Great
anxiety prevailed among them to know what the three brothers had seen
and heard. . When the old chief arose and related to them the sayings
and doings of his three sons, and concluded by saying that the Great
Spirit had directed that these, his three sons, should take the rank and
power that had once been his, and that he yielded these honors and
duties willingly to them, because it was the wish of the Great Spirit,

and he could never consent to make him angry.
He now presented the great medicine bag to Nanamakee, and told him
that he "cheerfully resigned it to him, it is the soul of our nation, it has
never yet been disgraced and I will expect you to keep it unsullied."
Some dissensions arose among them, in consequence of so much power
being given to Nanamakee, he being so young a man. To quiet them,
Nanamakee, during a violent thunder storm, told them that he had
caused it, and that it was an exemplification of the name the Great
Spirit had given him. During the storm the lightning struck, and set fire
to a tree near by, a sight they had never witnessed before. He went to it
and brought away some of its burning branches, made a fire in the
lodge and seated his brothers around it opposite to one another, while
he stood up and addressed his people as follows:
"I am yet young, but the Great Spirit has called me to the rank I hold
among you. I have never sought to be more than my birth entitled me to.
I have not been ambitious, nor was it ever my wish while my father
was yet among the living to take his place, nor have I now usurped his
powers. The Great Spirit caused me to dream for four years. He told me
where to go and meet the white man who would be a kind father to us
all. I obeyed. I went, and have seen and know our new father.
"You have all heard what was said and done. The Great Spirit directed
him to come and meet me, and it is his order that places me at the head
of my nation, the place which my father has willingly resigned.
"You have all witnessed the power that has been given me by the Great
Spirit, in making that fire, and all that I now ask is that these, my two
chiefs, may never let it go out. That they may preserve peace among
you and administer to the wants of the needy. And should an enemy
invade our country, I will then, and not until then, assume command,
and go forth with my band of brave warriors and endeavor to chastise
them."
At the conclusion of this speech every voice cried out for Nanamakee.
All were satisfied when they found that the Great Spirit had done what
they had suspected was the work of Nanamakee, he being a very
shrewd young man.
The next spring according to promise their French father returned, with
his napequa richly laden with goods, which were distributed among
them. He continued for a long time to keep up a regular trade with them,

they giving him in exchange for his goods furs and peltries.
After a long time the British overpowered the French, the two nations
being at War, and drove them away from Quebec, taking possession of
it themselves. The different tribes of Indians around our nation,
envying our people, united their forces against them and by their
combined strength succeeded in driving them to Montreal, and from
thence to Mackinac. Here our people first met our British father, who
furnished them with goods. Their enemies still wantonly pursued them
and drove them to different places along the lake. At last they made a
village near Green Bay, on what is now called Sac river, having derived