James's Account of S. H. Long's Expedition, 1819-1820, part 2

by Edwin James; Stephen H. Long; Thomas Say

18th. The creek was rapidly subsiding, so that a bridge constructed by the Omawhaws, which we had passed almost unobserved, was now two feet above the surface of the water, and rendered it necessary to unload the boat in order to drag her over. This structure is very simple; a double series of stout forked pieces of wood are driven into the bottom of the creek, upon these, poles are laid transversely, crossed by numerous smaller pieces, which form a support for dried grass covered by a proper quantity of earth. What necessity gave rise to the building of this bridge we know not, and we are inclined to believe, that bridge-building is a rare effort in our aboriginal architecture.

On the 20th, Major O'Fallon set out on a visit to the Pawnee villages, accompanied by Captain Riley, Adjutant Pentland, Lieutenants Talcott and Graham, Mr. Dougherty and myself, together with a guard of twenty-seven men, and with seventeen pack and riding horses.[38] In recording the events of this journey, it would be superfluous to note the appearance of the country over which we passed, or to describe the magnitude and direction of the water courses that intersect the route, as this will be detailed in another part of the work; our attention in the few following pages will be more particularly directed to our transactions and interviews with the natives. In the course of the two following days, we met with several Oto and Omawhaw Indians, who were occupied with hunting and trapping. On the 23d we halted a short time with a party of the latter nation, headed by a man of much note, known to the traders by the name of the Voleur,[39] the relics of whose former village, we had previously observed on Shell Creek.[40] {71} Near this stream of water we examined a great excavation in the brow of a bluff, to which the name of Pawnee Medicine has been applied, in consequence of its being an object of superstitious reverence to the people of that nation. It is evidently an artificial work, and the product of much labour, being about two hundred feet long, one hundred and thirty feet wide, and thirty feet deep. The origin and object of this effort of savage labour is involved in mystery, and the Pawnees cannot, at this day, give any rational history of it; the only advantage which we can suppose people to have derived from such a work, is security from the attack of a powerful enemy. An entire nation may have here defied the efforts of some allied army of an extensive coalition. We are inclined to conjecture, that the nation that has left us this monument of a primitive military art, is no other than the Rickarees,[41] who now reside on the banks of the Missouri, between the Sioux (Dacota) and Mandan nations, and who are, beyond a doubt, a branch of the Pawnee stock, and probably are more immediately descended from that branch of it, now known as Pawnee Loups. We are led to this conjecture, however, only from the fact, that ruins of their former village, apparently coeval with the excavation, exist within two miles of Beaver Creek.[42] In this vicinity, several antelopes (Cervicapra Americana, Ord) were seen by the party, but they were so shy and swift, that it was not possible to kill one of them.

On the succeeding day, a large body of Indians was observed in the distance moving towards us, which proved to be the principal portion of the Oto nation, who were now returning to their own village, from a trading visit to the Pawnees. We here met with numerous acquaintances, who saluted us cordially, although they appeared somewhat jealous of our visit to the Pawnees. The Little Soldier rode up with great animation, and communicated to some {72} of us, by means of signs, an intimation that a glorious battle had been fought by a party of Pawnee Loups, in which the greater part of them had been killed, and nearly all the remainder of them wounded.

We resumed our journey, and at the distance of two or three miles observed numerous horses grazing over the plain, squaws occupied in pitching skin lodges, and men advancing to meet us; they were soon recognized for Omawhaws, and informed us that they were engaged in hunting. We were soon joined by the Big-horse, Crenier, and other chiefs and warriors of the Oto and Omawhaw nations, who remained a considerable time, and received a small present of tobacco at parting.

At Willow Creek,[43] several Pawnees were observed on the opposite side at a distance, who avoided us, and as we continued on during the afternoon, many of them appeared at different times and places, on the bluffs, which, at a little distance, bounded our route to the right; but, like the first we had seen, they would not approach our party, but retired on our advancing towards them.

The evening encampment was pitched at a favourable position, on the bank of the Loup Fork, where we found a boy guarding horses; he had a melancholy air, and his appearance interested us much; a number of squaws had fled at our approach, but he remained unmoved. He invited us to continue onward to the village, stating the probability of a fall of rain on the coming night. "Are you not afraid," we asked, "to remain here all day, at such a distance from your village?" "No," said he, with the utmost indifference; "the Sioux have not been here this long time past, but I saw a great many men and horses to-day on the opposite side of the river: they may have been Sioux: I don't know." Being presented with a biscuit, he ate part of it, and put the remainder in his belt for his parents, that they might taste of the food of the white people.

{73} In the evening Semino, a Canadian interpreter residing with the Pawnees, arrived with a letter from Mr. Papan,[44] (a trader in the nation,) stating, that as some misunderstanding had occurred amongst the chiefs, Tarrarecawaho had declined meeting the party, to escort us into the village, as he had previously intended to do.

This conduct of the chief was altogether unexpected, inasmuch as he had invited the agent, at the autumnal council, to visit his village, and requested him to halt his party at some distance, and inform him of his proximity, that he might be received with due ceremony. Major O'Fallon, immediately perceiving the necessity of supporting the dignity of his mission in the eyes of these Indians, in order the more effectually to command their respect, directed the messengers to return forthwith and tell that chief, that "he must consider well whom he is about to receive; if he will not meet me in a proper manner, I will pass through his village, without looking at him or his people, and visit the next village, and so on to the third; and if I shall not be properly treated at either, I will return to Camp Missouri to count the graves of the soldiers whom he has heard died there." No further communication was received respecting the intentions of the great chief, and early on the succeeding morning our journey was resumed.

After riding a considerable distance over a beautiful plain, we came in view of the village of the Grand Pawnees, and saw in every direction great numbers of horses and mules, and a few asses attended by men and boys. At some distance on the left, the Loup Fork meandered, on the bank of which stream was a long line of squaws bearing {74} heavy burdens of fuel towards the village. A chief was soon observed advancing with rapidity; he was received by our cavalcade with music playing, and flags displayed, and was recognized to be Sharitarish, eldest son of the chief of that name commemorated by Lieutenant Pike, and now second chief of the Grand Pawnees; the interpreters being absent, no particular communication was interchanged, and we moved on.[45] A short time, however, only elapsed before Tarrarecawaho approached in full dress. We could not choose but admire the lofty dignity of his appearance; but his extreme hauteur became manifest when he halted at the head of our line, by not offering his hand, or even deigning to look at us. This deportment was reciprocated, and we moved onward again without particularly noticing him, excepting by the short intermission of movements which had taken place, we were soon informed from the rear, that the Grand Chief was making signs to induce us to halt; but finding that his imperious deportment gained no respect, and that his present request was altogether disregarded, he at once relinquished the high grounds which he had seemed anxious to maintain, and riding forward, he condescended to offer his hand to each of us in succession.[46] The interpreters having rejoined the party, Major O'Fallon was enabled to communicate with the chief and principal men, such as Taritiwishta, chief of the Tappage band, Ishcatappa, brother of Sharetarish, and others, who successively arrived. He then addressed Tarrarecawaho briefly thus: "Long Hair, I have come to visit you agreeably to your invitation, and desire to know whether or not you are glad to see me." The chief answered, "That I am glad to see you, the display of these medals on my dress, and those flags of your nation which are waving in my village, will amply testify." He concluded by inviting us to his lodge, but we informed him that we had brought our own lodges {75} and provisions; we would, however, accept of his hospitality by partaking of his food. We then performed a half circuit around the village, and entered it with the sound of the bugle, drum, and fife, with which the commonalty and children seemed highly delighted, following, or rather walking beside the musicians obliquely in two extensive wings, exhibiting the form of the letter V. Of these instruments the bugle was most decidedly the favourite. We passed by and saluted the mansions of the chiefs, at each of which an American flag was hoisted, with the exception only of one that was passed unnoticed, owing to its being distinguished by a Spanish flag; which, however, was struck as soon as the cause of the procedure was understood. This ceremony being performed, the men were marched off to encamp, and we entered the dwelling of the Grand Chief. After partaking of some excellent boiled bison meat, he requested to know if we would condescend to eat at the houses of the warriors; but the agent informed him that we could only accept of the hospitality of chiefs. We were then conducted to six other feasts, in immediate succession, after which we retired to the encampment that had been formed in a low prairie near the town.

During our stay in Tarrarecawaho's lodge, Major O'Fallon spoke at some length to that chief. He informed him that thus far he was pleased with the reception he had given us; that he had come to repeat in the village, the same words that had been uttered at Engineer Cantonment, &c. The manner as well as the matter of the address, seemed to command undivided attention; every eye was riveted upon the speaker, and the most profound silence reigned throughout a crowded audience, that preserved a respectful distance behind the chiefs that were seated directly before us.