ce between
the Sioux and Chippeways, is drawn from a letter from that officer, to
the war department.[16]
"Some years since, mutually weary of hostilities, the chiefs of both
nations met, and agreed upon a truce. But the Sioux disregarding the
solemn compact they had formed, and actuated by some sudden impulse
attacked and murdered a number of Chippeways. The old Chippeway chief
was present at the time, and his life was saved by the intrepidity and
self-devotion of a Sioux chief. This man intreated, remonstrated,
threatened. He adjured his countrymen, by every motive, to abstain from
any violation of their faith: and finding his remonstrances useless, he
attached himself to the Chippeway chief, and avowed his determination to
save him or perish. Awed by such intrepidity, the Sioux finally agreed
that he should ransom the Chippewa. This he did at the expense of all
the property he possessed. The Sioux chief now accompanied him on his
journey, until he considered him safe from any of the parties of the
Sioux, who might be disposed to pursue him.
"Believing it equally inconsistent with humanity and sound policy, that
these border contests should be suffered to continue; and feeling that
the Indians have a full portion of moral and physical evils, without
adding to them the calamities of a war, which had no definite object,
Governor Cass being at Sandy lake, offered his mediation to the
Chippeway chiefs, to which they readily acceded. In consequence, a
deputation of ten of their men descended the Mississippi with him.
"The Chippeways landed occasionally, to examine whether any of the Sioux
had recently visited that quarter. In one of these excursions, there was
found, suspended to a tree, in an exposed situation, a piece of
birch-bark, made flat, by being fastened between two sticks, about
eighteen inches long by fifteen broad. This bark contained the answer of
the Sioux nation, to overtures which the Chippeways had made, on
Governor Cass' offer of mediation:--which overtures had been found and
taken off by a party of the Sioux. So revengeful and sanguinary had the
contest been between these tribes, that no personal communication could
take place. Neither the sanctity of the office, nor the importance of
the message, could protect the ambassador of either party from the
vengeance of the other.
"The preliminaries to a peace being thus settled, the Sioux and
Chippeways met in joint council--smoked the pipe of peace to
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