y uncle presented me with a
flint-lock gun. The possession of the "mysterious iron," and the
explosive dirt, or "pulverized coal," as it is called, filled me with
new thoughts. All the war-songs that I had ever heard from childhood
came back to me with their heroes. It seemed as if I were an entirely
new being--the boy had become a man!

"I am now old enough," said I to myself, "and I must beg my uncle to
take me with him on his next war-path. I shall soon be able to go among
the whites whenever I wish, and to avenge the blood of my father and my
brothers."

I had already begun to invoke the blessing of the Great Mystery.
Scarcely a day passed that I did not offer up some of my game, so that
he might not be displeased with me. My people saw very little of me
during the day, for in solitude I found the strength I needed. I groped
about in the wilderness, and determined to assume my position as a man.
My boyish ways were departing, and a sullen dignity and composure was
taking their place.

The thought of love did not hinder my ambitions. I had a vague dream of
some day courting a pretty maiden, after I had made my reputation, and
won the eagle feathers.

One day, when I was away on the daily hunt, two strangers from the
United States visited our camp. They had boldly ventured across
the northern border. They were Indians, but clad in the white man's
garments. It was as well that I was absent with my gun.

My father, accompanied by an Indian guide, after many days' searching
had found us at last. He had been imprisoned at Davenport, Iowa, with
those who took part in the massacre or in the battles following, and
he was taught in prison and converted by the pioneer missionaries, Drs.
Williamson and Riggs. He was under sentence of death, but was among the
number against whom no direct evidence was found, and who were finally
pardoned by President Lincoln.

When he was released, and returned to the new reservation upon the
Missouri river, he soon became convinced that life on a government
reservation meant physical and moral degradation. Therefore he
determined, with several others, to try the white man's way of gaining a
livelihood. They accordingly left the agency against the persuasions of
the agent, renounced all government assistance, and took land under the
United States Homestead law, on the Big Sioux river. After he had
made his home there, he desired to seek his lost child. It was then a
dangerous undertaking