Fig. 353.
Fig. 353, 1796-’97.—“Wears-the-War-Bonnet-died winter.” He did not die this winter, but received a wound in the abdomen from which the arrowhead could not be extracted, and he died of the “bellyache” years after.
Fig. 354.
Fig. 354, 1897-’98.—“Took-the-God-Woman-captive winter.” A Dakota war party captured a woman—tribe unknown—who, in order to gain their respect, cried out, “I am a Wakan-Tanka,” meaning that she belonged to God, whereupon they let her go unharmed. This is the origin of their name for God (Wakan Tanka, the Great Holy, or Supernatural One). They had never heard of a Supernatural Being before, but had offered their prayers to the sun, the earth, and many other objects, believing they were endowed with spirits. [Those are the remarks of Battiste Good, who is only half correct, being doubtless influenced by missionary teaching. The term is much older and signifies mystic or unknown.]
Fig. 355.
Fig. 355, 1798-’99.—“Many-women-died-in-childbirth winter.” They died of bellyache. The convoluted sign for pain in the abdominal region has appeared before. Cloud-Shield’s winter count for the same year records the same mortality among the women which was perhaps an epidemic of puerperal fever.
