Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk | Page 8

these
circumstances we were in hopes that they had brought good news.
Early the next morning the Council Lodge was crowded, Quashquame
and party came up and gave us the following account of their mission:
On our arrival at St. Louis we met our American father and explained
to him our business, urging the release of our friend. The American
chief told us he wanted land. We agreed to give him some on the west

side of the Mississippi, likewise more on the Illinois side opposite
Jeffreon. When the business was all arranged we expected to have our
friend released to come home with us. About the time we were ready to
start our brother was let out of the prison. He started and ran a short
distance when he was SHOT DEAD!
This was all they could remember of what had been said and done. It
subsequently appeared that they had been drunk the greater part of the
time while at St. Louis.
This was all myself and nation knew of the treaty of 1804. It has since
been explained to me. I found by that treaty, that all of the country east
of the Mississippi, and south of Jeffreon was ceded to the United States
for one thousand dollars a year. I will leave it to the people of the
United States to say whether our nation was properly represented in
this treaty? Or whether we received a fair compensation for the extent
of country ceded by these four individuals?
I could say much more respecting this treaty, but I will not at this time.
It has been the origin of all our serious difficulties with the whites.
Sometime after this treaty was made, a war chief with a party of
soldiers came up in keel boats, encamped a short distance above the
head of the Des Moines rapids, and commenced cutting timber and
building houses. The news of their arrival was soon carried to all our
villages, to confer upon which many councils were held. We could not
understand the intention, or comprehend the reason why the Americans
wanted to build homes at that place. We were told that they were a
party of soldiers, who had brought great guns with them, and looked
like a war party of whites.
A number of people immediately went down to see what was going on,
myself among them. On our arrival we found that they were building a
fort. The soldiers were busily engaged in cutting timber, and I observed
that they took their arms with them when they went to the woods. The
whole party acted as they would do in an enemy's country. The chiefs
held a council with the officers, or head men of the party, which I did
not attend, but understood from them that the war chief had said that
they were building homes for a trader who was coming there to live,
and would sell us goods very cheap, and that the soldiers were to
remain to keep him company. We were pleased at this information ad
hoped that it was all true, but we were not so credulous as to believe

that all these buildings were intended merely for the accommodation of
a trader. Being distrustful of their intentions, we were anxious for them
to leave off building and go back down the river.
By this time a considerable number of Indians had arrived to see what
was doing. I discovered that the whites were alarmed. Some of our
young men watched a party of soldiers, who went out to work, carrying
their arms, which were laid aside before they commenced. Having
stolen quietly to the spot they seized the guns and gave a wild yell! The
party threw down their axes and ran for their arms, but found them
gone, and themselves surrounded. Our young men laughed at them and
returned their weapons.
When this party came to the fort they reported what had been done, and
the war chief made a serious affair of it. He called our chiefs to council
inside his fort. This created considerable excitement in our camp, every
one wanting to know what was going to be done. The picketing which
had been put up, being low, every Indian crowded around the fort, got
upon blocks of wood and old barrels that they might see what was
going on inside. Some were armed with guns and others with bows and
arrows. We used this precaution, seeing that the soldiers had their guns
loaded and having seen them load their big guns in the morning.
A party of our braves commenced dancing and proceeded up to the gate
with the intention of, going in, but were stopped. The council
immediately broke up, the soldiers with their guns in hands