Dahcotah | Page 4

for the slain--these are the overflowings of the essential poetry
of their untaught souls. Their eloquence is proverbially soaring and
figurative; and in spite of all that renders gross and mechanical their
ordinary mode of marrying and giving in marriage, instances are not
rare among them of love as true, as fiery, and as fatal, as that of the
most exalted hero of romance. They, indeed, live poetry; it should be
ours to write it out for them.
Mrs. Eastman's aim has been to preserve from destruction such legends
and traits of Indian character as had come to her knowledge during long
familiarity; with the Dahcotahs, and nothing can be fresher or more
authentic than her records, taken down from the very lips of the red
people as they sat around her fire and opened their hearts to her
kindness. She has even caught their tone, and her language will be
found to have something of an Ossianic simplicity and abruptness, well
suited to the theme. Sympathy,--feminine and religious,--breathes
through these pages, and the unaffected desire of the writer to awaken a
kindly interest in the poor souls who have so twined themselves about
her own best feelings, may be said to consecrate the work. In its
character of aesthetic material for another age, it appeals to our
nationality; while, as the effort of a reflecting and Christian mind to
call public attention to the needs of an unhappy race, we may ask for it
the approbation of all who acknowledge the duty to "teach all nations."

C. M. K.
NEW YORK, March, 1849.

CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION
MOCK-PE-EN-DAG-A-WIN; OR, CHECKERED CLOUD, THE
MEDICINE WOMAN
RED EARTH; OR, MOCKA-DOOTA-WIN
WENONA; OR, THE VIRGIN'S FEAST
THE DAHCOTAH CONVERT WABASHAW
THE DAHCOTAH BRIDE SHAH-CO-PEE
THE ORATOR OF THE SIOUX OYE-KAR-MANI-VIM
THE TRACK-MAKER ETA KEAZAH; OR, SULLEN FACE
TONWA-YAH-PE-KIN
THE SPIES THE MAIDEN'S ROCK; OR, WENONA'S LEAP
OECHE-MONESAH
THE WANDERER TAH-WE-CHUT-KIN
THE WIFE WHA-ZEE-YAN
ANOTHER OF THE GIANT GODS OF THE DAHCOTAHS
STORMS IN LIFE AND NATURE; OR, UNKTAHE AND THE
THUNDER BIRD HAOKAH OZAPE
THE DANCE OF THE GIANT U-MI-NE-WAH-CHIPPE; OR, TO
DANCE AROUND

INTRODUCTION.
The materials for the following pages were gathered during a residence
of seven years in the immediate neighborhood--nay--in the very midst
of the once powerful but now nearly extinct tribe of Sioux or Dahcotah
Indians.
Fort Snelling is situated seven miles below the Falls of St. Anthony, at
the confluence of the Mississippi--and St. Peter's rivers--built in 1819,
and named after the gallant Colonel Snelling, of the army, by whom the
work was erected. It is constructed of stone; is one of the strongest
Indian forts in the United States; and being placed on a commanding
bluff, has somewhat the appearance of an old German castle, or one of
the strongholds on the Rhine.

The then recent removal of the Winnebagoes was rendered troublesome
by the interference of Wabashaw, the Sioux chief, whose village is on
the Mississippi, 1800 miles from its mouth. The father of Wabashaw
was a noted Indian; and during the past summer, the son has given
some indications that he inherits the father's talents and courage. When
the Winnebagoes arrived at Wabashaw's prairie, the chief induced them
not to continue their journey of removal; offered them land to settle
upon near him, and told them it was not really the wish of their Great
Father, that they should remove. His bribes and eloquence induced the
Winnebagoes to refuse to proceed; although there was a company of
volunteer dragoons and infantry with them. This delay occasioning
much expense and trouble, the government agents applied for
assistance to the command at Fort Snelling. There was but one
company there; and the commanding officer, with twenty men and
some friendly Sioux, went down to assist the agent.
There was an Indian council held on the occasion. The Sioux who went
from Fort Snelling promised to speak in favor of the removal. During
the council, however, not one of them said a word--for which they
afterwards gave a satisfactory reason. Wabashaw; though a young man,
had such influence over his band, that his orders invariably received
implicit obedience. When the council commenced, Wabashaw had
placed a young warrior behind each of the friendly Sioux who he knew
would speak in favor of the removal, with orders to shoot down the first
one who rose for that purpose. This stratagem may be considered a
characteristic specimen of the temper and habits of the Sioux chiefs,
whose tribe we bring before the reader in their most conspicuous
ceremonies and habits. The Winnebagoes were finally removed, but not
until Wabashaw was taken prisoner and carried to Fort Snelling.
Wabashaw's pike-bearer was a fine looking warrior, named "Many
Lightnings."
The village of "Little Crow," another able and influential Sioux chief, is
situated twenty