The above Letter it will be seen, was written some time ago, and when
all hands (save those who were too sick) were on the start for the
Pawnee village. Amongst those exceptions was I, before the hour of
starting had arrived; and as the dragoons have made their visit there
and returned in a most jaded condition, and I have again got well
enough to write, I will render some account of the excursion, which is
from the pen and the pencil of my friend Joe, who went with them and
took my sketch and note-books in his pocket.
“We were four days travelling over a beautiful country, most of the
way prairie, and generally along near the base of a stupendous range
of mountains of reddish granite, in many places piled up to an immense
height without tree or shrubbery on them; looking as if they had
actually dropped from the clouds in such a confused mass, and all
lay where they had fallen. Such we found the mountains enclosing the
Pawnee village, on the bank of Red River, about ninety miles from the
Camanchee town. The dragoon regiment was drawn up within half a mile or
so of this village, and encamped in a square, where we remained three
days. We found here a very numerous village, containing some five or
six hundred wigwams, all made of long prairie grass, thatched over
poles which are fastened in the ground and bent in at the top; giving
to them, in distance, the appearance of straw beehives as in +plate+
173, which is an accurate view of it, shewing the Red River in front,
and the “_mountains of rocks_” behind it.
“To our very great surprise, we have found these people cultivating
quite extensive fields of corn (maize), pumpkins, melons, beans and
squashes; so, with these aids, and an abundant supply of buffalo meat,
they may be said to be living very well.
“The next day after our arrival here, Colonel Dodge opened a council
with the chiefs, in the chief’s lodge, where he had the most of his
officers around him. He first explained to them the friendly views
with which he came to see them; and of the wish of our Government to
establish a lasting peace with them, which they seemed at once to
appreciate and highly to estimate.
“The head chief of the tribe is a very old man, and he several times
replied to Colonel Dodge in a very eloquent manner; assuring him
of the friendly feelings of his chiefs and warriors towards the pale
faces, in the direction from whence we came.
[Illustration: 173]
“After Colonel Dodge had explained in general terms, the objects of our
visit, he told them that he should expect from them some account of the
foul murder of Judge Martin and his family on the False Washita, which
had been perpetrated but a few weeks before, and which the Camanchees
had told us was done by the Pawnee Picts. The Colonel told them, also,
that he learned from the Camanchees, that they had the little boy,
the son of the murdered gentleman, in their possession; and that he
should expect them to deliver him up, as an indispensable condition of
the friendly arrangement that was now making. They positively denied
the fact, and all knowledge of it; firmly assuring us that they knew
nothing of the murder, or of the boy. The demand was repeatedly made,
and as often denied; until at length a negro-man was discovered, who
was living with the Pawnees, who spoke good English; and coming into
the council-house, gave information that such a boy had recently been
brought into their village, and was now a prisoner amongst them. This
excited great surprise and indignation in the council, and Colonel
Dodge then informed the chiefs that the council would rest here; and
certainly nothing further of a peaceable nature would transpire until
the boy was brought in. In this alarming dilemma, all remained in
gloomy silence for awhile; when Colonel Dodge further informed the
chiefs, that as an evidence of his friendly intentions towards them,
he had, on starting, purchased at a very great price, from their
enemies the Osages, two Pawnee (and one Kiowa) girls; which had been
held by them for some years as prisoners, and which he had brought the
whole way home, and had here ready to be delivered to their friends
and relations; but whom he certainly would never show, until the
little boy was produced. He also made another demand, which was for
the restoration of an United States ranger, by the name of Abbé, who
had been captured by them during the summer before. They acknowledged
the seizure of this man, and all solemnly declared that he had been
taken by a party of the Camanchees, over whom they had no controul,
and carried beyond the Red River into the Mexican provinces, where
he was put to death. They held a long consultation about the boy,
and seeing their plans defeated by the evidence of the negro; and
also being convinced of the friendly disposition of the Colonel, by
bringing home their prisoners from the Osages, they sent out and had
the boy brought in, from the middle of a corn-field, where he had been
secreted. He is a smart and very intelligent boy of nine years of
age, and when he came in, he was entirely naked, as they keep their
own boys of that age. There was a great excitement in the council
when the little fellow was brought in; and as he passed amongst them,
he looked around and exclaimed with some surprise, “What! are there
white men here?” to which Colonel Dodge replied, and asked his name;
and he promptly answered, “my name is Matthew Wright Martin.” He was
then received into Colonel Dodge’s arms; and an order was immediately
given for the Pawnee and Kiowa girls to be brought forward; they were
in a few minutes brought into the council-house, when they were at
once recognized by their friends and relatives, who embraced them with
the most extravagant expressions of joy and satisfaction. The heart
of the venerable old chief was melted at this evidence of white man’s
friendship, and he rose upon his feet, and taking Colonel Dodge in his
arms, and placing his left cheek against the left cheek of the Colonel,
held him for some minutes without saying a word, whilst tears were
flowing from his eyes. He then embraced each officer in turn, in the
same silent and affectionate manner; which form took half an hour or
more, before it was completed.[9]
“From this moment the council, which before had been a very grave and
uncertain one, took a pleasing and friendly turn. And this excellent
old man ordered the women to supply the dragoons with something to eat,
as they were hungry.
“The little encampment, which heretofore was in a woeful condition,
having eaten up their last rations twelve hours before, were now
gladdened by the approach of a number of women, who brought their
“back loads” of dried buffalo meat and green corn, and threw it down
amongst them. This seemed almost like a providential deliverance, for
the country between here and the Camanchees, was entirely destitute of
game, and our last provisions were consumed.
“The council thus proceeded successfully and pleasantly for several
days, whilst the warriors of the Kiowas and Wicos, two adjoining and
friendly tribes living further to the West, were arriving; and also a
great many from other bands of the Camanchees, who had heard of our
arrival; until two thousand or more of these wild and fearless-looking
fellows were assembled, and all, from their horses’ backs, with
weapons in hand, were looking into our pitiful little encampment,
of two hundred men, all in a state of dependence and almost literal
starvation; and at the same time nearly one half the number too sick to
have made a successful resistance if we were to have been attacked.” *
* * * * * * * * * *
The command returned to this village after an absence of fifteen days,
in a fatigued and destitute condition, with scarcely anything to eat,
or chance of getting anything here; in consequence of which, Colonel
Dodge almost instantly ordered preparations to be made for a move to
the head of the Canadian river, a distance of an hundred or more miles,
where the Indians represented to us there would be found immense herds
of buffaloes; a place where we could get enough to eat, and by lying by
awhile, could restore the sick, who are now occupying a great number of
litters. Some days have elapsed, however, and we are not quite
ready for the start yet. And during that time, continual parties of the
Pawnee Picts and Kioways have come up; and also Camanchees, from other
villages, to get a look at us, and many of them are volunteering to go
in with us to the frontier.
[Illustration: 174 175]
[Illustration: 176 177]
[Illustration: 178 179]
[Illustration: 180 181]
[Illustration: 182]
[Illustration: 183]
The world who know me, will see that I can scarcely be idle under such
circumstances as these, where so many subjects for my brush and my pen
are gathering about me.
The Pawnee Picts, Kioways, and Wicos are the subjects that I am most
closely scanning at this moment, and I have materials enough around me.
The Pawnee Picts are undoubtedly a numerous and powerful tribe,
occupying, with the Kioways and Wicos, the whole country on the head
waters of the Red River, and quite into and through the southern part
of the Rocky Mountains. The old chief told me by signs, enumerating
with his hands and fingers, that they had altogether three thousand
warriors; which if true, estimating according to the usual rule, one
warrior to four, would make the whole number about twelve thousand;
and, allowing a fair per-centage for boasting or bragging, of which
they are generally a little guilty in such cases, there would be at
a fair calculation from eight to ten thousand. These then, in an
established alliance with the great tribe of Camanchees, hunting and
feasting together, and ready to join in common defence of their country
become a very formidable enemy when attacked on their own ground.
The name of the Pawnee Picts, we find to be in their own language,
Tow-ee-ahge, the meaning of which I have not yet learned. I have
ascertained also, that these people are in no way related to the
Pawnees of the Platte, who reside a thousand miles or more North of
them, and know them only as enemies. There is no family or tribal
resemblance; nor any in their language or customs. The Pawnees of the
Platte shave the head, and the Pawnee Picts abominate the custom;
allowing their hair to grow like the Camanchees and other tribes.
The old chief of the Pawnee Picts, of whom I have before spoken, and
whose name is We-ta-ra-sha-ro (+plate+ 174), is undoubtedly a very
excellent and kind-hearted old man, of ninety or more years of age,
and has consented to accompany us, with a large party of his people,
to Fort Gibson; where Colonel Dodge has promised to return him liberal
presents from the Government, for the friendship he has evinced on the
present occasion.
The second chief of this tribe, Sky-se-ro-ka (+plate+ 175), we found to
be a remarkably clever man, and much approved and valued in his tribe.
The Pawnee Picts, as well as the Camanchees, are generally a very
clumsy and ordinary looking set of men, when on their feet; but being
fine horsemen, are equally improved in appearance as soon as they mount
upon their horses’ backs.
Amongst the women of this tribe, there were many that were exceedingly
pretty in feature and in form; and also in expression, though their
skins are very dark. The dress of the men in this tribe, as amongst
the Camanchees, consists generally in leggings of dressed skins, and
moccasins; with a flap or breech clout, made also of dressed skins or
furs, and often very beautifully ornamented with shells, &c. Above the
waist they seldom wear any drapery, owing to the warmth of the climate,
which will rarely justify it; and their heads are generally uncovered
with a head-dress, like the Northern tribes who live in a colder
climate, and actually require them for comfort.
The women of the Camanchees and Pawnee Picts, are always decently and
comfortably clad, being covered generally with a gown or slip, that
reaches from the chin quite down to the ancles, made of deer or elk
skins; often garnished very prettily, and ornamented with long fringes
of elk’s teeth, which are fastened on them in rows, and more highly
valued than any other ornament they can put upon them.
In +plates+ 176 and 177, I have given the portraits of two Pawnee
girls, Kah-kee-tsee (the thighs), and She-de-a (wild sage), the
two Pawnee women who had been held as prisoners by the Osages, and
purchased by the Indian Commissioner, the Reverend Mr. Schemmerhom, and
brought home to their own people, and delivered up in the Pawnee town,
in the manner that I have just described.
The Kioways are a much finer looking race of men, than either the
Camanchees or Pawnees—are tall and erect, with an easy and graceful
gait—with long hair, cultivated oftentimes so as to reach nearly to
the ground. They have generally the fine and Roman outline of head,
that is so frequently found at the North,—and decidedly distinct from
that of the Camanchees and Pawnee Picts. These men speak a language
distinct from both of the others; and in fact, the Camanchees and
Pawnee Picts—and Kioways, and Wicos, are all so distinctly different
in their languages, as to appear in that respect as total strangers to
each other.[10]
The head chief of the Kioways, whose name is Teh-toot-sah (+plate+
178), we found to be a very gentlemanly and high minded man, who
treated the dragoons and officers with great kindness while in his
country. His long hair, which was put up in several large clubs, and
ornamented with a great many silver broaches, extended quite down to
his knees. This distinguished man, as well as several others of his
tribe, have agreed to join us on the march to Fort Gibson; so I shall
have much of their company yet, and probably much more to say of
them at a future period. Bon-son-gee (the new fire, +plate+ 179) is
another chief of this tribe, and called a very good man; the principal
ornaments which he carried on his person were a boar’s tusk and his
war-whistle, which were hanging on his breast.
Quay-ham-kay (the stone shell, +plate+ 180), is another fair specimen
of the warriors of this tribe; and, if I mistake not, somewhat allied
to the mysteries and arcana of the healing art, from the close company
he keeps with my friend Dr. Findley, who is surgeon to the regiment,
and by whom I have been employed to make a copy of my portrait of this
distinguished personage.
In +plate+ 181, Wun-pan-to-mee (the white weasel), a girl; and
Tunk-aht-oh-ye (the thunderer), a boy; who are brother and sister,
are two Kioways who were purchased from the Osages, to be taken to
their tribe by the dragoons. The girl was taken the whole distance
with us, on horseback, to the Pawnee village, and there delivered to
her friends, as I have before mentioned; and the fine little boy was
killed at the Fur Trader’s house on the banks of the Verdigris, near
Fort Gibson, the day after I painted his portrait, and only a few days
before he was to have started with us on the march. He was a beautiful
boy of nine or ten years of age, and was killed by a ram, which struck
him in the abdomen, and knocking him against a fence, killed him
instantly.
Kots-a-to-ah (the smoked shield, +plate+ 182), is another of the
extraordinary men of this tribe, near seven feet in stature, and
distinguished, not only as one of the greatest warriors, but the
swiftest on foot, in the nation. This man, it is said, runs down a
buffalo on foot, and slays it with his knife or his lance, as he runs
by its side!
In +plate+ 183, is the portrait of Ush-ee-kitz (he who fights with a
feather) head chief of the Wi-co tribe, a very polite and polished
Indian, in his manners, and remarkable for his mode of _embracing_ the
officers and others in council.
In the different talks and councils that we have had with these people,
this man has been a conspicuous speaker; and always, at the end of
his speeches, has been in the habit of stepping forward and embracing
friends and foes, all that were about him, taking each one in turn,
closely and affectionately in his arms, with his left cheek against
theirs, and thus holding them tightly for several minutes.
All the above chiefs and braves, and many others, forming a very
picturesque cavalcade, will move off with us in a day or two, on our
way back to Fort Gibson, where it is to be hoped we may arrive more
happy than we are in our present jaded and sickly condition.
[9] The little boy of whom I have spoken, was brought in the whole
distance to Fort Gibson, in the arms of the dragoons, who took
turns in carrying him; and after the command arrived there, he was
transmitted to the Red River, by an officer, who had the enviable
satisfaction of delivering him into the arms of his disconsolate
and half-distracted mother.
[10] I have several times, in former parts of this work, spoken
of the great number of different Indian languages which I have
visited, and given my opinion, as to the dissimilarity and
distinctness of their character. And would refer the reader for
further information on this subject, as well as for a vocabulary of
several languages, to the Appendix to this Volume, letter B.
LETTER—No. 44.