History of the Ojibway Nation/Chapter 30
CHAPTER XXX.
OJIBWAYS OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI.
We will once more return to the division of the Ojibways, who had made their homes on the waters forming the sources of the Mississippi River. It has already been related how, in the year 1782, the village of Sandy Lake became nearly depopulated by the dreadful ravages of the smallpox. This band, however, gradually recovered their former strength and numbers, through accessions from the villages of their people located on Lake Superior, who were drawn to the Mississippi country by the richness of the hunting grounds, and facilities of obtaining a plentiful and easy livelihood.
In the year 1800 (as near as can be judged from the Indian mode of counting time), the ill-fated village of Sandy Lake again received a severe blow, which cut off its inhabitants nearly to a man. On this occasion, however, they suffered from the implacable hatred of the Dakotas. As it had become customary, in the fall of the year, the hunters with their families, had gone down the Mississippi, and joining with the Pillager camp at Crow Wing, they had proceeded to the rich hunting grounds in the vicinity of Long Prairie, to pursue the chase during the winter. This year the Dakotas did not approach them for the purpose of making a temporary peace, as they had been accustomed to do for some years previous. On the contrary, they kept a wary watch over the movements of the Ojibway camp, for the purpose of obtaining an opportunity of inflicting on them a sudden blow, which might have the effect of deterring them from again encroaching on their favorite hunting grounds.
As spring approached, the Ojibways again turned their faces homewards, and made slow marches towards their villages. The Dakotas collected their warriors, and to the number of four hundred men, they stealthily followed the return trail of their enemies. At Crow Wing the Pillager and Sandy Lake camps, as usual, parted company, and moved in different directions. The Dakotas followed the smaller camp, which led towards Mille Lac and Sandy Lake, and at Cross Lake, thirty miles northeast of Crow Wing, they fell on the Ojibways, and destroyed nearly the whole camp. The Ojibways, perfectly unaware that the enemy was on their tracks in such force, as it was not the season of the year when they usually carried on their warfare, had leisurely moved their camp from place to place, without taking any precautions to guard against sudden attack or surprise. In camping about in a dangerous neighborhood, they were accustomed to cut down trees and pile logs about their wigwams for defence against midnight attacks; but on this occasion, the fated Ojibways failed to follow the usual precautions which might have saved them from almost total destruction.
They encamped one evening at Sa-sub-a-gum-aw, or Cross Lake, on a long narrow point covered with pine trees, which ran across the lake nearly dividing it in two. They numbered eight long, or double wigwams, besides several smaller ones, altogether containing over two hundred men, women, and children. Luckily, several families residing at Mille Lac, had that day parted from the main camp, and had gone in the direction of their village, consequently escaping the fate which awaited their fellows. Early the next morning, also, a number of women left the camp, to carry heavy loads of meat some distance ahead towards their next camping ground, intending to return after other loads. On their return, hearing the noise of the battle, which commenced soon after their departure, they succeeded in making their escape.
Soon after the sun had arisen on this fated morning, several of the Ojibway hunters sallied out of their wigwams for the usual day's hunt, intending to rejoin their families at the next encampment. On reaching the ice on the lake, they perceived several wolves sitting a short distance off, apparently watching the encampment. The hunters ran towards them, but as they did so, the seeming wolves got up and retreated into the woods which skirted the lake. The hunters instantly recognized them for human beings, who, covered with wolf skins, had quietly been reconnoitring their camp, and counting their lodges. They ran back and gave the alarm, but the Ojibway warriors were given but a few moments to make preparations for the coming onslaught.
On being discovered, the Dakotas immediately marshalled their forces on the ice, and in long lines, dressed and painted for battle, they slowly approached the Ojibway encampment. So unusual was this mode of attack, that for a moment the Ojibways were deceived into the belief that they came for the purpose of making peace, and under this impression two of their bravest warriors, Be-dud and She-shebe, ran out upon the ice to meet them. They were welcomed with a shower of bullets and arrows. They, however, bravely stood their ground, and returned the fire of the enemy, and their fellow warriors joining them, a fierce fight ensued on the ice, which soon became crimsoned with blood.
Many times outnumbered by their enemies, the few surviving warriors of the Ojibways were finally forced to take shelter near their wigwams, but the Dakotas entirely surrounded them. After a brave, but hopeless, defence, their guns were silenced forever, and their scalps graced the belts of their victorious enemies. After annihilating the men, the Dakotas rushed into the perforated wigwams, and massacred the women and children who had escaped their bullets. Some few children were spared, who were afterwards adopted into the families of their captors. Some have since returned to their people and are still living,[1] who speak the Dakota tongue with great fluency. A grandson of the chief Bi-aus-wah was captured on this occasion, and he is said to be still living amongst his captors, at an advanced age, and much respected by them.
The narrative of this bloody event was related to the writer by an aged woman, who is now[1] the mother and grandmother of a large and respectable family of half-breed children. She was a young maiden at the time of the massacre, and being present, she witnessed all its terrible incidents. She escaped the fate of her fellows by climbing into a pine tree, the thick foliage of which effectually screened her from the eyes of the bloody Dakotas. After they had finished the work of scalping and mutilating the dead, and setting the wigwams on fire, they left their bloody work, and returned homeward, singing songs of triumph. The young woman descended from her perch in the pine tree, and vividly she describes the scene which presented itself to her eyes as she walked about the encampment, weeping bitter tears for her murdered relatives. The defence had been so long and desperate, that not a lodge pole, or shrub about the late encampment, but what had the marks of bullets or arrows.
This was a terrible blow on the Ojibways who had taken possession of the Upper Mississippi country, and they felt it severely. But it did not have the effect of causing them to evacuate the hunting grounds, which cost them so much blood. On the contrary, they held their vantage ground against the Dakotas with greater determination and tenacity, and their warriors who had been slain at Cross Lake being soon replaced by others from Lake Superior, they were enabled, in a few years, to inflict a terrible retribution on the Dakotas.
It is at this time that the celebrated chief, Ba-be-sig-aun-dib-ay, or "Curly Head," first made his appearance on the Upper Mississippi. He belonged to the Crane family, and removed to this region with a small camp of his relative from the shores of the Great Lake. He did not stop at Sandy Lake, but proceeded down the Mississippi, and located his camp in the vicinity of Crow Wing, on a plentiful hunting ground, but in dangerous proximity to the Dakotas. The bravest warriors and hunters of the Mississippi Ojibways joined his camp and they soon formed a formidable body of hardy and fearless pioneers, who, ever wary against the advances of their enemies, were never attacked by them with impunity. Twice the Dakotas endeavored to destroy this daring band by sudden night attacks, but each time they were repulsed with severe loss.
Curly Head was much respected and loved by his people. In the words of one of their principal warriors, "He was a father to his people; they looked on him as children do to a parent; and his lightest wish was immediately performed. His lodge was ever full of meat, to which the hungry and destitute were ever welcome. The traders vied with one another who should treat him best, and the presents which he received at their hands, he always distributed to his people without reserve. When he had plenty, his people wanted not."
His band increased in numbers, and they eventually held the Crow Wing country without incurring the yearly and continued attacks of the Dakotas, who were thus finally forced to give up this portion of their hunting grounds and retire further down the Mississippi. The present Mississippi and Gull Lake band proper, now[2] numbering about six hundred souls, are the descendants of this hardy band of pioneers.
Curly Head became the third principal chief on the Upper Mississippi. He ruled the "men of the great river," while Ka-dow-aub-e-da (Broken Tooth), son of Bi-aus-wah, ruled the Sandy Lake village, and Esh-ke-bug-e-coshe, better known as Flat Mouth, presided over the Pillagers.
These three noted chiefs are mentioned by Lieut. Zebulon M. Pike, in his narrative of a journey to the sources of the Mississippi in 1805. The visit of this officer is an event of considerable importance to the Ojibways of the Upper Mississippi, as they date from it their first intercourse with the "Long Knives," or citizens of the United States. Previous to this time, they had been altogether under British influences, and all their chiefs wore the badges and medals of Great Britain, and her flag. They held intercourse only with British traders of the Northwest and Hudson's Bay companies, as the Americans had not as yet commenced to compete with these powerful companies in the fur trade. The object of the United States government in sending this expedition to the sources of the Mississippi, was to explore the country and take formal possession.
Lieut. Pike proceeded up the Mississippi with a party of soldiers in batteaux. Cold weather and ice prevented his further progress at the foot of Pike's Rapids, about thirty miles below the confluence of the Crow Wing with the Mississippi, and here he was obliged to pass the winter, erecting comfortable quarters for his people, and collecting an ample supply of provisions from the abundance of game, buffalo and elk, which at that time covered this portion of the Upper Mississippi country. During the winter he proceeded with a party of his people to Leech Lake, where the Northwest Fur Company held a stockaded trading post, and here he formally proclaimed our right to the country, by planting a flag stripes on which waved, for the first time, the stars and stripes. On this occasion, the young Pillager chief and warrior, Esh-ke-bug-e-coshe, who already held unbounded influence over his fellows, exchanged his British flag and medal for the flag and medal of the United States; and as the now aged chief expresses himself, "he ceased to be an Englishman, and became a Long Knife."
During this journey, Lieut. Pike had intercourse also with the chiefs, Curly Head and Broken Tooth, and recognized their rank and authority by bestowing on each a medal and flag.