CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
INTRODUCTION. | |
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Introductory Account of the Object of the Expedition, and the Persons who composed it | |
CHAPTER I. The Indian Country | |
CHAPTER II. The Rangers.—Indian Habits.—Crossing the Kanzas River | |
CHAPTER III. Shawanese and the Delawares | |
CHAPTER IV. The Prairie.—Arrival at Fort Leavenworth | |
CHAPTER V. The Sac Indian | |
CHAPTER VI. The Kanzas | |
CHAPTER VII. The Kanzas Chief | |
CHAPTER VIII. The Forest.—The Kickapoos | |
CHAPTER IX. Departure for the Pawnees.—Prairie Life | |
CHAPTER X. The Party of Sac Indians | |
CHAPTER XI. The Journey.—Saline River | |
CHAPTER XII. The Legend of the Saline River | |
CHAPTER XIII. The Otoe Messengers | |
CHAPTER XIV. An Otoe Warrior.—The Iotan Chief | |
CHAPTER XV. The Iotan and his Brother, or Indian Revenge | |
CHAPTER XVI. The Reception.—The Town | |
CHAPTER XVII. Indian Habits.—The Escape | |
CHAPTER XVIII. The Rival Chiefs.—Indian Feasts | |
CHAPTER XIX. Domestic Grievances | |
CHAPTER XX. A Man of the World | |
CHAPTER XXI. The Chase | |
CHAPTER XXII. The Metamorphosis | |
CHAPTER XXIII. Indian Dogs | |
CHAPTER XXIV. Indian Life | |
CHAPTER XXV. The Indian Guard | |
CHAPTER XXVI. The Otoe Council | |
CHAPTER XXVII. Distribution of Presents | |
CHAPTER XXVIII. Departure of Otoes for the Hunting Grounds | |
CHAPTER XXIX. Departure from the Otoe Village | |
CHAPTER XXX. The Alarm | |
CHAPTER XXXI. Preparations for Reception.—Reception by Grand Pawnees |
INDIAN SKETCHES.
INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTORY ACCOUNT OF THE OBJECT OF THE EXPEDITION, AND THE PERSONS WHO COMPOSED IT.
For several years past the government of the United States, as is well known, has been engaged in removing the Indian tribes, resident within the States, to tracts of wild but fertile land, situated beyond the verge of white population. Some of the tribes thus removed, however, when they came to hunt over the lands assigned them, encountered fierce opposition from the aboriginal tribes of the prairies, who claimed the country as their own, and denied the right of the United States to make the transfer. The migratory tribes were thus placed in a disastrous predicament: having sold their native lands to the United States, they had no place to which they might retreat; while they could only maintain a footing in their new homes, by incessant fighting.
The government of the United States hastened to put an end to the bloody conflicts thus engendered, by purchasing the contested lands, and effecting treaties of peace between the jarring tribes. In some instances, however, the aboriginals remained unappeased. This especially was the case, with a fierce and numerous tribe of Pawnees, inhabiting the banks of the Platte river, and who were backed in their hostilities by their allies the Otoes, who, though less numerous, were even more daring than themselves. These two tribes laid claim to all the land lying between the Platte and Kanzas rivers; a region comprising several hundred square miles. It had long been their favourite hunting ground, in which it was death for a strange hunter to intrude. This forbidden tract, however, had been granted by the United States to the Delawares; and the latter had made it the scene of their hunting excursions. A bitter feud was the consequence. The tract in question became a debateable ground in which war parties were continually lurking. The Delawares had been attacked, while hunting, by the Pawnees, and many of their tribe had fallen. The Delawares, in revenge, had surprised and burnt one of the Pawnee towns, while the warriors were absent on a buffalo hunt.