Fig. 378.
Fig. 378, 1821-’22.—“Star-passed-by-with-loud-noise winter,” “Much-whisky winter,” and “Used-up-the-Omahas winter.” In the figure the meteor, its pathway, and the cloud from which it came are shown. Whisky was furnished to them for the first time and without stint. It brought death to them in a new form, many since then having died from the excessive use of it, Red-Cloud’s father among the number. Battiste Good, alias Wa-po’stan-gi, more accurately Wa-po-ctan-xi (Brown-Hat), historian and chief, was born. He says that Omaha bullets were whizzing through the village and striking and piercing his mother’s lodge as she brought him forth. Red-Cloud was also born. In the count of American-Horse for this year he makes no mention of the meteor, but strongly marks the whisky as the important figure for the winter.
Fig. 379.
Fig. 379, 1822-’23.—“Peeler-froze-his-leg winter.” Peeler was a white trader, and his leg was frozen while he was on his way to or from the Missouri river. The name is explained by White Cow Killer’s record as follows: “White-man-peels-the-stick-in-his-hand-broke-his-leg winter.” He was probably a Yankee, addicted to whittling.
Fig. 380.
Fig. 380, 1823-’24.—“General-——-first-appeared-and-the-Dakotas-aided-in-an-attack-on-the-Rees winter.” Also “Much-corn winter”. The gun and the arrow in contact with the ear of corn show that both whites and Indians fought the Rees. This refers to Gen. Leavenworth’s expedition against the Arikara in 1823, when several hundred Dakotas were his allies. This expedition is mentioned several times in this work.
