(cfr. Précis historiques, June 15 1855, Letter XII)
Letter XII.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRÉCIS HISTORIQUES, BRUSSELS.
Indian Warfare.
UNIVERSITY OF ST. LOUIS, August, 1854.
REV. AND DEAR FATHER
In my last I spoke of the. Indian hunting in the Great t. I will give you, to-day, some general observations on their wars, and especially what I could learn of an unhappy peace expedition, during my last visit to the Crows.
It may be said that war is the ne plus ultra of an Indian's glory. The ambition of becoming a great warrior absorbs attention, all his talents, all his braver ; it is often the object of all his voluntary sufferings. His prolonged its long war-paths, penances, and macerations, and his religious observances, have principally this sole end. To wear an eagle's plume, the emblem of an Indian warrior, is in his eyes supreme honor, and the most magnificent of ornaments ;for it betokens that lie has already distinguished himself in battle. Generally at the age of seventeen or eighteen years, after the first fast, and after having selected his wah-kon, manitou, or tutelary. spirit, the youthful savage joins the warparties, which are composed solely of volunteers.
A chief, or a partisan, who wishes to form a war-party, presents himself in the midst of the camp, tomahawk in hand, and painted with vermilion, the symbol of blood. He intones his war-song : this kind of song is short. The war chief proclaims with emphasis his lofty deeds, his patriotic and martial ardor-the sentiments and motives which prompt him to vengeance. His song is accompanied with the drum and the sischiquoin, or gourd filled with little pebbles. He stamps on the ground, as though he could shake the earth to the centre. All the youth listen to him with attention, and any one who rises becomes a volunteer in his party; he, in his turn, intones his war-song, and this ceremony has the force of a solemn pledge, from which a young man cannot honorably withdraw. Each volunteer arms and equips himself with all that will be necessary for him in his expeditions. The whole force of public opinion among the Indians appears to be concentrated on this point. The narration of their adventures and of their valorous deeds, their dances, their religious ceremonies, the speeches of their orators in their public assemblies; whatever, in fine, that can serve to, inflame ambition in the mind and heart of a barbarian, is referred to the idea of being one day distinguished in war.
I have now to speak of the Crows. Among all the tribes of the northwest portion of North America, this nation is considered as the most warlike and valiant. It counts about four.hundred and eighty lodges, ten individuals to a lodge, and roams over the valley of the Yellowstone, principally in the region of the Wind River Mountains, or Black Hills, and the Rocky Mountains. This race is one of the noblest in the desert; they are tall, robust, and well-formed, have a piercing eye, aquiline nose, and teeth of ivory whiteness. If they are considered as superior in intelligence to all their neighbors, they also surpass them in their wah-kon, or superstitious ideas and ceremonies, which reign in all their movements and actions. In illustration, I will cite the following trait, of which I was innocently and ignorantly the cause. In 1840, I first met the Crows, in the valley of the Big Horn, a tributary of the Yellowstone. In my quality of Black-gown, they received me with all possible demonstrations of respect, and with a sincere joy. I had with me a stock of lucifer-matches, which I used from time to time to light my pipe, and the calumet used in the Great Council. The effect of these matches surprised them greatly ; they lad never seen any. They conversed about them in all the lodges, and called them the mysterious fire which the Black-gown carried. I was at once considered the greatest medicine-man that had ever visited their tribe. They consequently seated me with distinguished respect, and listened to all I said with the greatest attention. Before my departure, the ,chiefs and principal warriors of the council requested me to leave them a portion of my matches. Unconscious of the superstitious ideas which they attached to them, I readily distributed them, reserving only what was necessary for my journey. In 1844 I visited them again. The reception they gave me was most solemn. I was lodged in the largest and finest lodges of the camp. All the chiefs and warriors were habited in their embroidered moccasins, leggins, and buckskin shirts ornamented with beads and porcupine, quills, while eagle's feathers crowned their heads, and they conducted me in grand ceremony from lodge to lodge. That I might participate in a grand banquet, I was provided with my band of eaters, who would do honor to the viands and eat for me. One of the great chiefs testified a special friendship for me. "It is to thee, Black-gown," said he to me, `that I owe all my glory in the victories I have gained over my enemies." His language astonished me greatly, and I begged him to explain. Without delay he took from his neck his wah-kon, or medicine-bag, wrapped in a bit of kid. He unrolled it, and displayed to my wondering view the remnant of the matches I had given him in 1840 ! "I use them," said he, "every time I go to battle. If the mysterious fire appears at the first rubbing, I dart upon my enemies, sure of obtaining victory." I had considerable difficulty in disabusing their minds of this singular superstition. As you see, it requires little to acquire a reputation among the Indians : with a few lucifer-matches, you may be a great man among the Crows, and receive great honors.
The Crows have been invested during several years, on the north by the Black-Feet, on the east by the Assiniboins and Crees, and on the south by the Sioux. Each of these invading nations being more numerous than the nation invaded, the Crows were necessarily engaged in perpetual war, sometimes with one and sometimes with the other of these tribes. Hence the last ten years show a great diminution in their population, which numbers at the present time not more than four hundred warriors.
Occasionally the Crows have enjoyed peace with. the tribes of the Black-Feet, Sioux, Bonacks, Assiniboins, etc. and it is a quite remarkable fact, that they have never been the first to violate a treaty of peace, except in the following instance, which I will narrate in full.
In 1843, the great chief of the nation was known by the title of Tezi-Goe, a word which sounds bad enough, meaning Rotten Belly. He was as much renowned for his bravery in war as for his wisdom in council, and the patriotic love that he testified to the whole nation. Seeing with pain the great losses that the continual incursions of so many enemies caused his tribe, he resolved to conclude a solemn treaty of peace, if not with all, at least with a great part of the Black Feet. He made all suitable arrangements, and convoked his council, to deliberate on the most prompt and the most efficacious means of success in his great design. All the warriors hastened to his aid. After having discussed the different points, it was unanimously decided that a party of twenty-five braves should repair to the Black-Feet camp, to offer them the calumet of peace.
The guide chosen to conduct the band was one of the nation of Black-Feet, taken prisoner by the Crows, some years before, and hitherto retained in captivity. In order to attach him more securely to the good cause, the Crows granted him his liberty, with the title of brave, and the per mission to wear the eagle's plume. He was, besides, loaded with presents, consisting of horses, arms, and ornaments of every kind. Having received his instructions, he set out joyfully and with signs of gratitude, fully resolved to neglect nothing to obtain and consolidate an honorable and lasting peace between the two nations. A place had been designated in which the two tribes might meet as friends and brothers, to celebrate the grand event. The deputation, therefore, set out for the Black-Feet camp of four hundred lodges, commanded by the great chief “Spotted Deer," or Ponukah-kitzi-Pemmy, which they found encamped in the valley of the Maria River, a pretty large branch of the Missouri River, in the neighborhood of the Great Falls.
About a month before the departure of this expedition, two Crows had been killed, near their own camp, and their scalps carried away, by a war-party of Black-Feet. The two brothers of these unfortunate victims fasted, and took their oaths according to custom. These oaths consisted in vowing that they would each kill a Black-Foot, the first good chance. They communicated their intentions to no one. The bravery and determination of these two men were well known. They were elected to join the band of deputies, and promised ostensibly to forget their private wrongs for the public welfare; but in secret they renewed their first intentions, foreseeing that this excursion would probably furnish an occasion of avenging the double murder of their brothers.
The band progressed slowly, using many precautions, and redoubling them as they approached the camp of the Black-Feet. When within a few days' distance from it, they separated in companies of two or three, to scour the country and assure themselves whether any Black-Feet parties were out of the village. In the course of the day the two brothers . stayed together, and discovered two Black-Feet Indians returning from the chase, with several horses laden with buffalo-meat. Having with them a calumet-handle, they advanced boldly towards their enemies, and offered them the pipe, as on similar occasions. The Black-Feet Indians received the calumet, and were informed that a great deputation, commissioned on the part of the Crows, was repairing to their village, with pacific intentions. They acted with so much address, that, after some moments, the Black-Feet were entirely reassured, and conceived no suspicions nor suffered the least anxiety. One of them presented his gun to one of the two Crows, and the other gave his horse to the second. They took the same way together towards the camp, but their path led through a deep and lonely ravine. There the snare was discovered. The two Black-Feet suddenly received mortal blows, and were thus cowardly assassinated by the two Crows, who scalped their victims. They then killed the horses with arrows, and concealed their carcasses beneath the underwood and briers. The two scalps -were carefully secured in their bullet-bags. Having removed all traces of blood from their habiliments, they rejoined their companions, without making known the cruel act of private vengeance they had consummated, secretly and in violation of all received Indian usages. The day whiff followed this atrocious crime the deputation made a solemn entrance into the camp of the Black-Feet, and were received by the chiefs and braves with the greatest cordiality, and with every attention of Indian hospitality.
The Black-Feet declared themselves favorable to the treaty of peace. They received joyfully the proposition which the Crows made by their guide and interpreter, the recent prisoner. All the politeness and attention of which Indians are capable were lavished upon the deputies. They were invited to a great number of feasts, to amusements and public sports, which lasted late in the night. They were afterwards distributed to the lodges of the principal chiefs, in order to repose after their fatiguing journey.
The inclination to steal is very common among the women of several tribes of the Northwest.' The Black-Feet women share largely in this bad reputation. One of these feminine pilferers, favored by the darkness of night, silently entered the lodges where the Crows were peaceably sleeping. She relieved their pouches of all that could prove valuable to her. While searching, she laid her hand upon a damp, hairy object, and instantly perceived it to be a scalp. She seized it, quitted the camp in the greatest possible silence, and, by the glimmering of the watchfire which was burning in the middle of the camp, examined the bloody trophy. It is very difficult to move an Indian, for he is habituated to strange sights. Such an event would have spread alarm among white men, but it only tended to render the Indians more circumspect and more prudent in taking measures. The woman, after reflecting a moment, turned her steps towards the lodge of the great chief, awoke him, and communicated to his ear in the softest whisper the important discovery she had made. He lighted a pine torch, in order to examine the scalp?, At the first glance he recognized it as that of a young hunter who had not yet come back from the chase.
The chief instantly formed his plan. He made signs to the woman to follow him, recommended her to retire to her own lodge, because nothing could be done before daylight, and forbade her to divulge her secret, or to excite the slightest suspicion. He feared that in the confusion which would probably arise, and sheltered by the darkness, some of the Crows might escape.
The Spotted Deer then, alone and noiselessly, made the rounds of his camp. He aroused his bravest warriors, to the number of twenty or thirty, by a single touch, and also those whom he desired to consult in this circumstance. They followed him, asking no questions, and were conducted to a solitary place in the vicinity of the camp. There, forming a circle and lighting a torch, the chief displayed the scalp, and related to them the adventure of the woman.
The youngest of his counsellors desired instant revenge on the Crows, but the prudent chief represented to them that the night was not a favorable time ; besides, that having smoked together the calumet of peace, to kill them in their own lodges, and in the very camp of the Black-Feet, would be at variance with all their customs and practices, and would draw upon them the contempt of all other Indian nations. He, however, commanded them to hold themselves armed and ready at daybreak.
The Crows rose early. They were somewhat surprised to see the lodges they occupied surrounded by a baud of four or five hundred warriors, armed and mounted on their -fleetest coursers, and with countenances far from friendly, as on ,the previous eve. But Indians are not easily disconcerted ; they awaited the result in silence. As soon as the daylight appeared in the camp, the Spotted Deer convened a grand council and summoned the Crow deputies to appear. They at once obeyed, and took their places with the air of haughty indifference, peculiar to the Indian, in the centre of a circle of enemies who were burning with vengeance. When all were in order, the Spotted Deer arose, and thus addressed the Crows : " Strangers, only yesterday you arrived in our camp. You declared yourselves the deputies of your principal chiefs, sent to conclude with us, hitherto your foes, a solid and durable treaty of peace. We listened to your message. Your words and propositions seemed reasonable and advantageous. All our lodges have been open to you; you have shared in our feasts and hospitality; you joined in our games. Yesterday we had the intention of showing you to-day still greater liberality. But, before discoursing further, I have one single question to ask you, Crows! I must have an answer; and that answer will decide whether peace be possible, or whether a war of destruction must continue." Then drawing the scalp from the bulletpouch, and displaying it before them, he cried, "Tell me, Crows, whose hair is this ? Who among you claims this trophy ?" Those of the Crows who were ignorant of the affair, looked on with amazement, and could only imagine that the Black-Feet sought a pretext for quarrelling. No one replied. The chief resumed: “Will no one answer? Must I call a woman to question these Crow braves?" Then beckoning to the stealer of the scalp, lie said to her, " Show us to which warrior this trophy belongs." Without hesitation, she pointed to one of the brothers. Every eye was fixed upon him. The chief, Spotted Deer, approaching the murderer, said to him, "Knowest thou this scalp? Didst thou take it? Fearest thou now to avow it?" With one bound the young Crow placed himself opposite the chief, and shouted, "Spotted Deer, I fear not! It is I who took the scalp ! If I endeavored to conceal it., I did so with the desire of doing more evil ! Thou askest whose hair is this. Look at the hairy fringe of thy shirt and thy leggins. In my turn, I ask, whose hair is that ? Belongs it not to my two brothers, slain by thee or thine, hardly two moons ago ? or belongs it not to the relations of some Crow here present ? 'This vengeance brings me here ! My brother holds in his shot-bag the companion of this scalp. We determined, before leaving the camp, to cast into thy face these bloody tufts, at the same moment., as our challenge of defiance."
This language determined the Black-Feet. "Young man, thou hast spoken well," replied the Spotted Deer; 11 thou art valiant and fearest not death, which will strike thee and thy companions in a few moments. Yet we have smoked the calumet together. It is not suitable that the ground on which that ceremony took place should drink thy blood. See, Crows, the hill before you! It is in the way that leads to your lodges. So far we allow you to go. When you get there, we will pursue you. Go on, and leave us."
The Crows instantly left the place, and advanced towards the hill designated by the Black-Foot chief, determined to sell their lives dearly in this unequal combat. Their enemies mounted their horses, and awaited with ardor the order for the pursuit.
As soon as the Crows reached the hill, the terrific warwhoop-the Sassaskivi-resounded through the camp. The Black-Feet, burning to avenge the outrage received, rushed forward with' the greatest impetuosity. The Crows, after running some moments, found a deep ravine excavated in the plain by the running waters: judging the position favorable, they took refuge in it, and maintained themselves for some time. As soon as, in their first ardor, the Black-Feet approached the ravine to dislodge them, a general discharge of muskets and arrows from the Crows killed eighty Black-Feet, and wounded a great number. This discharge routed them, and forced them to draw off. The Black-Feet dismounted, and on foot there were several skirmishes between the two bands; but all were disadvantageous to the Black-Feet, for the Crows were protected in the hole, and only bowed their heads through necessity, while their enemies fought in the open plain. A great number of Black-Feet lost their lives in these different attempts, while the Crows lost not a man. Spotted Deer, seeing the danger and the useless destruction of so many warriors, made an appeal to His braves. He proposed to them to place himself at their read, and to fall simultaneously on their enemies. His proposition was accepted; the war-whoop resounded anew through he bloody plain; they attacked the Crows en masse, and after having discharged on them their guns and arrows, armed only with their daggers and tomahawks, they darted with confused violence into the ravine, and in a few moments horribly massacred the whole band. In this last attack, it s worth noting that not a single Black-Foot lost his life. The combat ended, the scalps were carried off by the warriors who had most distinguished themselves in the affair. the women cut the corpses of their slain in such small pieces, that it would be difficult to detect among them the smallest race of the human form. The scalps, with all the torn craps of flesh, were then attached as trophies to the extremities of poles and lances, and triumphantly borne through he camp, mid chants of Victory, yells of rage, with howling and vociferations against their enemies. There was also a general mourning, caused by the loss of so many warriors fallen in this horrible engagement. Since that day, war continues without relaxation to the present time.
This shocking recital I learned in 1851, on that very battlefield, and from a chief who was in the engagement.
I request you, in a special manner, to pray very particularly for these poor Indians. During fourteen years they have implored the favor of having some of our Fathers sent to them. The scripture, "They asked bread, and there was none to break it to them," may be justly quoted in regard to them. In my short visits to them I have been touched with their affability, their beneficent hospitality, and the respectful attention they gave to my instructions. I augur very favorably of their good dispositions, and am convinced that .two or three fervent and zealous missionaries could gather consoling fruits for religion from these barbarians, who sigh to know and practice the Gospel of Peace. Since my last interview with them, in 1851, I have received several letters from them.
Do not forget me in your prayers, and be so good as to remember me to the Fathers and Brothers of St. Michael's College.
I have the honor to be, with the most profound respect and esteem,
Rev. and dear Father,
Your most devoted servant and brother in Christ,
P.J. DE SMET, S.J.