Page:History of the Ojibway Nation.djvu/344

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334
MINNESOTA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS.

the midst of their numerous enemies, but this did not deter him from following the impulse of his good nature. He had borne the aggravating yells of the Foxes as long as his patience could last, and the moment the Fox war-chief returned the club to its place, amidst the cheers of his fellows, Bi-a-jig sprang up, and grasping the club, he struck the vaunting warrior in the mouth, and brought him to the ground, exclaiming, "My name is Bi-a-jig; I too am a man!" As the Fox warrior arose to his feet, Bi-a-jig again struck him on the mouth, and exclaimed. "You call yourself a man. I too am a man! we will fight, to see who will live to tell of killing a warrior!"

During this scene the Foxes had grasped their arms, and the Ojibways, though far outnumbered even within the lodge, jumped up and yelled their war whoop, all of course supposing that the Fox war-chief, who had made himself so conspicuous, would resent the blow of Bi-a-jig, which act would have led to a general battle. The disgraced warrior, however, disappointed their expectation. He quietly arose and left the lodge, with the blood gushing from his battered mouth. The old man, whose feelings he had been so unwarrantably harrowing, pointed at him with his fore-finger, and yelled a jeering whoop. His revenge was sweet.

The name of Bi-a-jig had become a common household word with the Foxes, with which mothers quieted their children into silence, and scared them into obedience. Their knowledge of his prowess, and belief in his being invulnerable, saved his Ojibway peace party from total destruction on this occasion.

Shosh-e-man (Snow Glider) became noted as a war-chief during the latter part of the eighteenth century. He belonged to the Awause Totem Clan. He was much loved by the traders, for his unvarying friendship to the whites. In company with John Baptiste Cadotte, he often encount-