Note 207 — {181} CHAPTER X

In corroboration of the remarks given in the text, we add the following account of an interview which Major O'Fallon had with Indians of the Mississippi,[B] whose agent has been hitherto unable to restrain them from carrying on warlike operations against the Missouri Indians.

In St. Louis, on the 3d April, 1821, B. O'Fallon, agent for Indian affairs on Missouri, met a deputation from the Saukee nation of Indians, on the subject of a most destructive war, carried on by them against the Otoes, Missouries, and Omawhaws of his agency, and spoke to them as follows:—

"Saukees,

"I am glad you have arrived, before my departure for the Council Bluff, as it affords me an opportunity to address you on a subject that has agitated my mind for some time past. Yes, Saukees, for some time past I have wished to speak to you on a subject that even now makes the blood run warm in my veins.

"In addressing you upon this important subject, I shall not speak to please your ears, but to strike your hearts.

"Saukees, you must recollect to have seen me frequently; but you do not know me, and I know you well. I recollect when I first visited your land, your balls whistled round my ears. I was then a boy, and wished to be a man—I am now a man, with a heart as strong as my strength.

"A few winters since, I was a chief to the red skins of the upper Mississippi (Sioux and Foxes); I am now chief to the red skins of Missouri, some of whose blood you have spilt. Listen that you may hear me; dispose your minds to understand me; and remember well what I am now going to tell you, and carry my words to your nation, that they may not deceive themselves.

"When I first climbed the rapid Missouri, I found the red skins as wild as wolves. Without ears they roved through the plains, only thirsting for each other's blood. They could only see the storm as it gathered around them; they could only see the clouds when they obscured the sun, and hear it thunder when it rained: but when I sat down on their land, they assembled around me; they listened to my words; I settled the difference that existed between them, and gave peace to the land. They then sat down to rest; but they could not rest long, for the Saukees of the Mississippi, you whom the Big Knives, like fools, have suffered to live, came and disturbed them in their sleep. When disturbed, not like women did they mourn their misfortunes; but like men, they rose in arms and came to me. I did not consult my feelings; I consulted the feelings of my nation, and I was for peace. I told them to sit down, and they did so. Keep your ears open that you may hear me, and raise your eyes that you may see me, for I have saved your blood. Yes, Saukees, I restrained their arms, and they sat down in tears. But you were not satisfied: you presumed upon their forbearance, and came again; but they were not asleep, and you did not spill their blood, but you stole their horses: you stole horses from the whites, who, like fools, had still suffered you to live; and you murdered some traders, who were also white. They again raised their arms; every body who were there at the time, both whites and red skins, raised their arms, and looked around them; but they could not see you; for, like the timid wolf, you had sought the wood, where they could not follow you, until they had consulted me—I, whose blood began to boil in my veins. Saukees, my heart was for war; but my nation was too much for peace, and it was my business to promote peace; therefore I gave them some tobacco, and told them once more to sit down, and endeavour to restrain their feelings: they did so; and I left them smoking their pipes, and came away to see the great American Chief. After I left them, you returned again to their land: you found them asleep; you stole their horses, murdered their women and children, took their scalps, and carried some of them prisoners to your villages.

"How long, how long, Saukees, will you continue to disturb the repose of other nations? How long will you (like the serpent creeping through the grass) continue to disturb the unsuspecting stranger passing through your country? Be cautious how you disturb the red skins of Missouri; or your women and children shall mourn the loss of husbands and fathers—husbands and fathers shall mourn the loss of wives and children.

"Yes, Saukees, the Otoes, Missouries, and Omawhaws, are unwilling to be disturbed any longer. They will no longer suffer you to make slaves of their children, and dance their scalps in your villages.

"Saukees, be cautious; you live in the woods, and the game of your country is nearly exhausted. You will soon have to desert those woods in which the red skins of Missouri cannot find you, and follow the buffalo in the plains, where the red-skins are not less brave than you, and as numerous as the buffalo. As long as you have the wood to conceal your warriors, you may continue to disturb the women and children of Missouri; but when hunger drives you from those woods, your bodies will be exposed to balls, to arrows, and to spears. You will only have time to discharge your guns, before, on horseback, their spears will spill your blood. I know that your guns are better than those of Missouri, and you shoot them well: but when you reach the prairies, they will avail you nothing against the Otoes, Missouries, Omawhaws, and Pawnees. As you have seen the whirlwind break and scatter the trees of your woods, so will your warriors bend before them on horseback. (Here B. O'Fallon paused, to give the Saukees an opportunity to reply; when one of their most distinguished partisans arose and spoke with energy and animation, recounting many of his feats in war. He mentioned how often he had struck upon the tribes of Missouri, and that the Otoes had killed his brother, whom he loved as a father, and whose spirit could not be appeased as long as an Oto walked erect upon the earth. He also spoke of the difficulty of restraining his young warriors, who were unwilling to die in obscurity. To which B. O'Fallon spoke to the following effect:)

"Saukees, one of your partizans, forgetting to whom he was speaking, has had the presumption to recount his feats in war, how often he had struck the red skins of Missouri, and to insinuate that he was unwilling to restrain his young men. I believe him to be a man of sense; but he has spoken without reflection, he has spoken like a fool.

"Saukees, it has always been, and still is, my business to prevent (if possible) the effusion of human blood—to give peace and happiness to the land: but when I cannot stop the running of blood, I will probe the wound, and make it run more fast.

"I wish you to understand that the Otoes and Missouries, though few in number, and much exposed, do not beg for peace; and I do not ask it for them. They have not as yet revenged the death of some of their murdered countrymen: the spirits of these dead are not satisfied. No, Saukees, these red skins, whom you persecute, have opened their ears to my words, and are constantly looking towards me. They do not wish a dishonourable peace. I would sooner see you drink their blood, than suffer them to make a dishonourable peace. You have a few of their children as prisoners among you; if you consult the interest of your nation, you will send them to their mothers: if you do not deliver them up, the red-skins of Missouri will go after them; and in hunting them they may find some of yours.

"I tell you to be cautious, Saukees, how you disturb the red skins of Missouri. They call themselves my children: be cautious how you disturb my children, or I will no longer look to the pacific disposition of my nation, but consult my own feelings, and probe the wound which I cannot heal.

"I am not like many white chiefs whom you have been accustomed to see. I never act an humble part. I am one of those white men who never fear a red skin—when I move amongst them, it is not like a dog with his tail between his legs, but as becomes a man; and when I speak, I feel the strength of my nation.

"On the Missouri I have guns, powder and balls, blankets, breech-clouts, and leggings, and I am now getting more. I know where you have your village, and I know the face of the country over which you stretch your limbs. I know how and where you are scattered on hunting excursions. I know where you are most exposed, and what I do not know I can easily learn from the whites, and other red skins of the Mississippi.

"I have every thing that a red skin wants; and you all know he wants only the means of war. You know that all red skins are fond of war, and that I can make brother fight brother.

"Saukees; you are a strong nation of red skins; but if you don't endeavour to restrain the ungovernable disposition of some of your young men, they will expose your hearts in the midst of your strength.

"Yes, Saukees, be cautious how you offend me; lest I assemble an army of red skins, and from some high peak on Missouri, show them where to find your village, and your exposed and scattered lodges. I know that the red skins of Missouri cannot destroy you directly; but they can give you unpleasant dreams. Be cautious, Saukees, how you deceive yourselves, or suffer others to deceive you, or the day will come when some of your children will have the misfortune to behold the dogs fighting over the bones of their fathers upon this land; and as I may have many years to live, I don't intend to sit still; and if I continue to increase in strength as I have done, I may live to see the day when I can make you smile, or shed tears of blood. Saukees, I have done, I am going to the Council Bluff."

The Chief of the Saukees, after consulting each warrior separately, replied, (in substance) as follows:—

"American Chief, I have been attentive, and I have heard your words, and those of the red head (Gov. Clark). Yours entered one ear, and his the other: they shall not escape until my nation hears them. I feel the truth of all you have said, and have never been more for peace than now. All those braves have expressed their wish for peace with the red skins of Missouri. This partizan, who without reflection spoke exultingly of his feats, since he has heard your words is also for peace; not from any fear of those whom he has bled, but from an unwillingness to displease you, whom he conceives to be a man of truth.

"At our village on Rock river, and encampment at the De Moyen, we have five Oto prisoners, whom I will promise to deliver up, when you send for them.

"My brother, I only regret that my nation was not present on this occasion, to have heard your words. The wisdom of my nation, all the reflecting men, are for peace; but we have many young men difficult to restrain, whose ears, (I believe,) would open to words coming from your mouth, when mine, for the want of strength, may fail.

"My brother, I wish you to pause—I wish you to forbear until I disclose your words to my people, and you hear from them.

"My brother, we receive you as the son of the red head; and inasmuch as we love him, we love you, and do not wish to offend you."—James.