“Wapamukqua, the White Bear.”
“St. Louis, May 13th, 1816. Done in the presence of R. Wash, Secretary to the Commission; R. Paul, C.T. of the C.J. Bt. Caron, Samuel Solomon, Interpreters; Joshua Norvell, Judge Adv. M.M.; Joseph Perkins, Joseph Charless, B.G. Tavar, Charles Wm. Hunter, Cerré, M. La Croix, Guyol de Guirano, Boon Ingels, Moses Scott, James Sawyer.”
“To the Indian names are subjoined a mark and a seal.”[[45]]
After all the trouble given the Americans by Black Hawk, it is not to be presumed that this treaty was lightly considered, or that the Americans neglected to explain every line of it fully, thereby allowing opportunity for future contention from one only too apt to contend; yet Black Hawk later had the audacity to claim that he did not know his village passed by that treaty when it became time for him to enjoy another war with his ancient enemy, the Americans. Line upon line and section upon section the treaty was carefully read and interpreted by men whose names were above reproach, that no future claim of misunderstanding could be alleged, and to that solemn treaty Black Hawk placed his mark and declared and promised thereby that he would no longer torment the whites with his aggressions. The preamble of the document should forever have estopped Black Hawk from alleging ignorance of its provisions; with respect to all the others who signed that treaty, the facts recited in it were so truthfuly stated, and they were so well satisfied with its provisions, that not one of them was ever heard to complain.
CHAPTER X.
Fort Armstrong Built–Black Hawk as a Fault-Finder–Annihilation of the Iowas.
Black Hawk’s intermittent promises of good behavior and declarations of future tranquility were justly distrusted by the War Department, and rather than remain open to future disadvantage, it resolved to erect near his haunts a fort. Accordingly, on the 10th day of May, 1816, Gen. Thomas A. Smith and Brev. Lieut. Col. W. Lawrence, with a detachment of men, landed on Rock Island and soon thereafter, under the direction of the latter, began the construction of Fort Armstrong[[46]]–so called in honor of Gen. John Armstrong, then late Secretary of War.
Black Hawk witnessed these movements with dissatisfaction. The Indians had a superstitious veneration for the island, claiming, as will be seen from Black Hawk’s words:[[47]] “A good spirit had care of it, who lived in a cave in the rocks immediately under the place where the fort now stands, and has often been seen by our people. He was white, with large wings like a swan’s, but ten times larger. We were particular not to make much noise in that part of the island which he inhabited, for fear of disturbing him. But the noise of the fort has since driven him away, and no doubt a bad spirit has taken his place.” And in further contemplation of the beauties of the place and pleasures of this island to the Indians, Black Hawk was made to utter many fine sentiments, of a character to command our stanchest support and evoke a sympathy from one cover of this history to the other, had they been ingenuous and free from the suspicion that Col. Patterson may have allowed his generous nature to tint them a color not to be found in that Indian’s nature.
