The Elkhorn at this place is a deep and rapid stream, about 20 yards wide. Two French halfbreeds are living here, in order to keep a ferry for the emigrants.—Having passed over the Elkhorn, our road lay across a bottom prairie extending between the Elkhorn and Platte rivers. We now turned off from the wagon road, taking the village for our landmark; without any track across the prairie, and soon arrived on the north bank of the Platte.—The grass being somewhat more advanced in the bottom than on the high bluff on the opposite side, where the village is situated, the Pawnees had turned their ponies to graze in the bottom, watched by the women and children.—Many women were also engaged in digging for roots with their hoes, provisions being at present very scarce among them. We were soon surrounded by a crowd of young men, women and children, who by their smiling countenances seemed to bid us welcome.—It is difficult to describe our feelings on the present occasion. We were now in sight of the village, where the people lived, whom we had come to visit, in order to give them the opportunity of accepting or rejecting the offer of having Missionaries to live among them, to lead them to the Savior of sinners. A wide stream, over a mile across, separated us from the object of our journey, and could not be crossed without getting assistance from the very people, for whose benefit we had come. From the conversation of Mr. Allis and Mr. Sharpee with the Indians there seemed to be some difficulty in getting help, originating in a jealousy existing between the Chief in our company and the principal Chief of the village. Meantime it commenced raining, and a strong, chilly wind was blowing, which forced us to wrap ourselves in our blankets. In this perplexity nearly an hour was spent. At length a messenger was despatched across the river to inform the principal chief of the village, Siskatuppe, of our arrival, with the request that he would send us some men to assist us to cross. After another hour’s patient waiting we were cheered by seeing the chief with about twenty men coming to our help.—The ford of the river is only about four feet at the deepest places, but what makes this river peculiarly perilous in crossing is the shifting quicksand at the bottom, so that, while crossing, it is necessary to keep constantly moving;—for the moment a person stops he begins to sink on account of the uncertain foothold.—Our baggage was placed upon the backs of Pawnees, who immediately started off with their load. The mules having been unharnessed, and the harness placed in the wagon, a long rope was tied from the end of the tongue of the wagon to each single-tree. The Pawnees then took hold of the rope, while some pushed behind at the wagon, and thus proceeded into the river. Mr. Sharpee kindly offered br. Smith his horse, while he and br. Oehler each took a mule, and Mr. Allis borrowed a pony of the Pawnees, the mounted men taking up the rear. A full half hour was consumed in crossing, and passing over two islands on our route. At length we reached the opposite bank, where we were greeted by numbers of Pawnees, who were awaiting our arrival. A difficulty which now presented itself before us was to get the wagon up the steep bluff, the sides of which had become slippery by the falling rain. To obviate this difficulty it was necessary to go nearly a mile down the river, through their cornfields, in the bottom, to a place where it was not quite so steep as elsewhere.—At length, being arrived at the village, we found, in spite of the rain, crowds standing around the chief’s lodge, to receive and to welcome the missionaries.—
Having secured everything loose about the wagon that might be liable to be stolen, and entrusted our baggage, harness and animals to the care of the chief, we entered the lodge of our host. We were not a little surprised, when we came in, to find that it was a spacious apartment, a description of which will be given at another time. We had hardly reached the place when a young gentleman in the employment of the Government arrived in company with the United States interpreter at Fort Kearney, a black man, who speaks the Pawnee fluently. They had travelled the whole distance, without an escort, alone;—Fort Kearney being about 150 miles further up the Platte river. This young man was sent out to the different tribes of Prairie Indians, the Pawnees among the rest, in order to invite them to attend a General Council of Tribes at Fort Laramie, to be held about the beginning of September.
While Mr. Allis and ourselves, and the above-named persons from Fort Kearney lodged with Siskatuppe, the principal chief of the village, Mr. Sharpee put up at the lodge of the chief Gatarritatkutz, who had travelled with us, and with whom he is accustomed to tarry whenever he comes to the village to trade.
After we had spent an hour in drying our clothes, smoking, and conversing with some of the chiefs and braves, a messenger arrived from Mr. Sharpee, inviting us to be present at a feast of coffee and crackers, which he had prepared for the chiefs, during which he intended to make inquiries respecting his stolen horse. When we arrived Mr. Sharpee informed us that, as the principal men were now assembled, it would be a convenient opportunity for us to hold a council with them. We accordingly commenced by informing them of our object. The jealousy between the chiefs, however, became apparent, and after some consultation among themselves Siskatuppe intimated that some of the chiefs were not present, and as the business before us was of great importance to the whole band they ought also to be summoned. It was, therefore, resolved immediately to adjourn to his lodge, in order to receive our communications. Accordingly all the chiefs and braves having been assembled, we were informed that they were now ready to hear us. Br. Smith then in a speech, which was interpreted by Mr. Allis, informed them of the object of our visit. Hereupon Siskatuppe made an address, welcoming us in the kindest manner and hoping that we might send missionaries among them. Br. Oehler then, in an address, explained to them more particularly the object which missionaries have in view, and that it was especially our present aim among them to find out whether they were desirous not only of having their outward condition bettered, but of having the missionaries among them to teach them about a Savior, who came into this world to save us from our sins, to preach whom was our first and principal design. Several other chiefs and braves then made speeches, expressive of their satisfaction at our coming to see them, and welcoming us to live with them, promising us their protection; so that we should in no wise be hindered by any of their people; and that we might rest assured that our cattle and all other property which we might bring along with us should not be destroyed or molested by any one. Moreover, they acknowledged that they needed instruction, and that they would all be willing to listen to us. We were very much pleased with the apparent earnestness with which these remarks were made, and have no doubt that they made these promises in good faith. Before us were thus assembled the nobility of the village,—the chiefs and braves, besides numbers of the common people, at least 500 in all, sitting in solemn council. What a spectacle for the humble missionaries of the cross! Here were the representatives of a village, numbering at least 2,500 souls, deliberating upon the acceptance or rejection of missionaries,—holding a council, unconsciously, whether the time in the providence of the Lord had at length arrived, when they should again be instructed in the knowledge of the “Unknown God,” whom they, and their fathers and forefathers have worshipped, though in great ignorance and superstition. O, how cheering to our hearts, when we were not merely coldly permitted to make our abode with them, so that they might derive from us some temporal good, in supplying their wants when hungry and destitute; but when we were hailed and welcomed among them as the “Medicine men of the Great Spirit,” to have whom among them, would better their outward condition, and perhaps (as we ardently hope and pray, through the blessing of our Lord,) make them a happy and christian nation. Of what vast importance may have been this solemn hour for these people?—the future, we humbly trust, will develop many happy results from the decision of this council; but Eternity alone may reveal, that the happiness or misery of many a soul, bought by the precious blood of Jesus, was connected with the results of this occasion!
Our business with them being over, the above-named young man, in the employ of the government, also made known to them that their Great Father at Washington had invited them to a grand council of the different nations, to be held at Fort Laramie for the purpose of defining the territories of the different prairie tribes, who were also to receive presents there from him, as a compensation for the losses which they have in later years sustained, on account of the scarcity of the buffaloes, occasioned by the great emigration to the far West, etc.,—at all which they expressed their great satisfaction. After the crowd had somewhat dispersed, a dish of soup, made of hominy and beans, was placed before us, with two spoons, made of buffalo horns, in the dish. Having fasted since sunrise, we could not complain of our appetites, and the dish, though not attractive in its appearance, was soon emptied of its contents. We then prepared some coffee, and having supped, gave our chief and his family a feast of the remaining coffee, with some crackers and slices of ham. We had hardly finished, (much time was not consumed in washing our dishes,) when a messenger arrived, inviting us to a feast, which one of the chiefs had prepared for us. When we arrived, and had seated ourselves on mats around the fire, (for there are no chairs in a Pawnee lodge,) a dish of soup, made of corn, was again placed before us. As our appetites had previously been satiated, we could merely partake of a few spoonsful, to please our kind host. We had hardly entered into a conversation when an invitation came from another chief;—and so we were led from lodge to lodge, till we had partaken of about a dozen feasts. At last we returned to the lodge of Siskatuppe, and, having wrapped ourselves in our blankets, and laid ourselves down on mats on the ground, were soon in the land of visions.
May 8th.—Early in the morning we were awakened by the shrill voices of the Pawnee women, who were engaged in cleaning up the lodge, and collecting their hoes, previous to their going out to the fields to prepare the ground for planting corn. Our breakfast being over, and having had our animals brought from the pasture, we, together with the gentleman from Fort Kearney and his interpreter, started for the upper village, distant about 25 miles, accompanied by our old friend Gatarritatkutz and another Pawnee. Our road was again for several miles across the high prairie. We then descended into the bottom prairie of the Platte, travelling about five miles in sight of the river, when we made a halt near the stream in order to prepare dinner. The situation here pleased us very much, as very suitable for a mission station, should the Pawnees be permanently located where they at present reside. The timber on the islands in the Platte is very easily obtained here. The prairie bottom is from two to three miles wide, gently ascending to the bluffs, and extends about ten miles along the Platte, before the bluffs again approach the river. A mile or two from where we took our lunch a beautiful spring of never failing water gushes forth from the bluff. After dinner, having permitted our animals to graze a while, we proceeded on our journey, travelling partly on the high prairie, after ascending the bluff, and partly in the bottom. At a certain place, as we were travelling along, we noticed, that our Pawnee friends rode aside to a spot, where their attention seemed to be rivetted upon something on the ground. Inquiring what it was, they informed us, that at that place about nine or ten months ago, a Sioux chief had been killed by the Pawnees. It seems, he had made a hostile incursion upon the Pawnees, with a company of his people, and having found some squaws engaged at work in their fields, he had killed them. The Pawnees, irritated at this unprovoked attack, immediately made up a party, who hotly pursued their enemies, and, the horse of the Sioux chief being wearied, and not able to keep up with the rest, he called to his men: “Stop not for me, but save yourselves; I shall die fighting.” His pursuers soon came up with him and killed him, fighting bravely. The spot where he had been killed still presented the marks of Indian barbarity; stones, arrows, and small pieces of the skull, which had been cleft by their tomahawks, lying around,—the bones having been carried away with the carcass by the wolves of the prairie. We turned away in disgust from a place, which had been the scene of such a barbarous atrocity, praying only the more fervently to the Lord, that the passions of these poor people might be softened down by the all-subduing influence of His blessed gospel, through the happy effects of which alone, we have been made to differ.—
As we were approaching the upper village we observed sentinels standing on the highest bluffs, posted there, it seems, to watch the approach of any strangers. The first that we observed was at a distance of five miles from the village. In the bottom prairie, numbers of ponies, the property of the village, were grazing, watched by women and children. As we approached the village, young men and boys joined our caravan, and when at last we arrived there a dense crowd of children surrounded us, eager to see the visitors of their village, so that it was necessary for a chief to come to our aid, who opened a way through the immense throng for our wagon to proceed on to the lodge, where we were to put up. We were here, as well as at the other village, struck with the large proportion of children, a circumstance not generally observable among Indians. Mr. Allis informed us that visiting them a few months previous (the smallpox having appeared among some of the Indian tribes) he had vaccinated about 1,500 under 14 years of age (in a population of hardly 6,000); the last time that the whole tribe had been vaccinated, having been 14 years ago.
The village stands on a rising ground, about three miles from the river, and consequently the same distance from the nearest timber. In a valley near by flows a beautiful stream, from which the people of the village are supplied with water.
The lodge, where we were to remain, was the medicine lodge of the village, and just as we entered it we found a company of about a hundred men engaged in dancing a medicine dance, in order to propitiate the Great Spirit, to grant them prosperity in the approaching buffalo-hunting season, and protection from their enemies. Their naked bodies were painted in the most grotesque manner, their hair and weapons plumed with eagles’ feathers, and thus armed with bows and arrows, spears, and shields, they were dancing to the beat of the drum, intermingled with songs. Their yells rent the air, while the very earth seemed to shake under their feet. After we had sat in the lodge a few minutes, a dense crowd of two or three hundred children filling up the space at the entrance, whose curiosity was probably more attracted by us than by the dancers, a chief came forth from the dancing party, with a whip in his hand, at sight of whom the children made for the door, but as it took some time before the crowd could get out by the narrow opening he commenced plying his whip most unmercifully on the naked backs of the poor children till the entrance was cleared. We were then informed that on account of our arrival, out of deference to us, they would now dance outside; if, however, we wished to look at them while dancing, we were welcome to come out and see them.—After a little while we went out and looked at them for some time, while they were engaged in these religious exercises. Our hearts melted, and our eyes filled with tears at the thought of the benighted state of their minds, living without Christ, and without hope. We were not long engaged in these mournful reflections, when a messenger arrived inviting us to a feast. We followed the messenger, who led us to a lodge, which we entered. Our host, who had prepared a feast for us, was no other than the chief of the Grand Pawnee Band, and principal chief of the whole Pawnee nation. He received us in a very warm and affectionate manner, embraced us, and welcomed us among his people. His name is Asseruregarrigu;—he seems to be extremely old, on the verge of the grave, yet, in spite of his great age, is still very much respected by his nation. After being invited to sit down on mats, a dish of green corn soup was placed before us, which was very palatable. The old man complained, that the corn had not been sufficiently boiled, as he had ordered it to be put over when he heard of our arrival, and had been anxious to be the first to welcome us by a feast.—
Our repast being finished, we were yet invited to several feasts prepared by the chiefs of the village, whereupon we returned to the medicine lodge. In the evening a council of the chiefs and braves was called, in order to inform them of the business upon which we had come to visit them. We were received in the most cordial manner, embraced by several of the chiefs, and after informing them of our object the principal chief of the Pawnee tribe, aforementioned, made a reply to the following effect: “It appears to me this evening as though I had been dead a long time and had suddenly to-day risen from the dead,—so glad am I to hear the news that teachers are willing to come among us, in order to live with us and instruct us. We shall welcome you among us, and the chiefs will see to it, that your property and cattle shall be protected;—I hope you will come soon to live with us. I am now a very old man,—I must soon go hence; therefore come soon that I may behold the missionaries living among my people before I die.” Speeches to a similar effect were then made by Leezikutz, chief of the Republican band, Terrericawaw, chief of the Topages (pronounced Tuppay) band, and two or three other inferior chiefs, which were all interpreted; and finally a chief named Lalogehanesharn (or Fatty, as he is called by the whites, from his corpulence, something very unusual among wild Indians) closed by making a long appeal to the chiefs, delivered in a very loud and sonorous voice, exhorting them to keep the promises which they had just made. “Don’t cheat,” said he; “don’t act deceitfully. You have now promised these men that if they come to live among us you will take them under your protection, and will always restrain your people from molesting their property. Remember this, and now since you have made these promises, see to it that you also keep them.” The council then dispersed, not, however, before several chiefs had again embraced us, whereupon we laid ourselves down in our blankets upon the mats in the lodge for repose.