indian heroes & great chieftains-第21章

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beside　a　section　of　land　near　the　village　of　Crow　Wing；　and　the

government　was　induced　to　build　him　a　good　house　upon　this　land。　

In　his　home　he　had　many　white　servants　and　henchmen　and　really

lived　like　a　lord。　　He　dressed　well　in　native　style　with　a　touch

of　civilized　elegance；　wearing　coat　and　leggings　of　fine

broadcloth；　linen　shirt　with　collar；　and；　topping　all；　a　handsome

black　or　blue　blanket。　　His　moccasins　were　of　the　finest　deerskin

and　beautifully　worked。　　His　long　beautiful　hair　added　much　to　his

personal　appearance。　　He　was　fond　of　entertaining　and　being

entertained　and　was　a　favorite　both　among　army　officers　and

civilians。　　He　was　especially　popular　with　the　ladies；　and　this

fact　will　appear　later　in　the　story。



At　about　this　time；　the　United　States　government　took　it　upon

itself　to　put　an　end　to　warfare　between　the　Sioux　and　Ojibways。　　A

peace　meeting　was　arranged　at　Fort　Snelling；　with　the　United　States

as　mediator。　　When　the　representatives　of　the　two　nations　met　at

this　grand　council；　Hole…in…the…Day　came　as　the　head　chief　of　his

people；　and　with　the　other　chiefs　appeared　in　considerable　pomp　and

dignity。　　The　wives　of　the　government　officials　were　eager　for

admission　to　this　unusual　gathering；　but　when　they　arrived　there

was　hardly　any　space　left　except　next　to　the　Sioux　chiefs；　and　the

white　ladies　soon　crowded　this　space　to　overflowing。　　One　of　the

Sioux　remarked：　〃I　thought　this　was　to　be　a　council　of　chiefs　and

braves；　but　I　see　many　women　among　us。〃　　Thereupon　the　Ojibway

arose　and　spoke　in　his　courtliest　manner。　　〃The　Ojibway　chiefs　will

feel　highly　honored；〃　said　he；　〃if　the　ladies　will　consent　to　sit

on　our　side。〃



Another　sign　of　his　alertness　to　gain　favor　among　the　whites

was　seen　in　the　fact　that　he　took　part　in　the　territorial

campaigns；　a　most　unusual　thing　for　an　Indian　of　that　day。　　Being

a　man　of　means　and　influence；　he　was　listened　to　with　respect　by

the　scattered　white　settlers　in　his　vicinity。　　He　would　make　a

political　speech　through　an　interpreter；　but　would　occasionally

break　loose　in　his　broken　English；　and　wind　up　with　an　invitation

to　drink　in　the　following　words：　〃Chentimen；　you　Pemicans

（Republicans）；　come　out　and　drink！〃



From　1855　to　1864　Hole…in…the…Day　was　a　well…known　figure　in

Minnesota；　and　scarcely　less　so　in　Washington；　for　he　visited　the

capital　quite　often　on　tribal　affairs。　　As　I　have　said　before；　he

was　an　unusually　handsome　man；　and　was　not　unresponsive　to　flattery

and　the　attentions　of　women。　　At　the　time　of　this　incident　he　was

perhaps　thirty…five　years　old；　but　looked　younger。　　He　had　called

upon　the　President　and　was　on　his　way　back　to　his　hotel；　when　he

happened　to　pass　the　Treasury　building　just　as　the　clerks　were

leaving　for　the　day。　　He　was　immediately　surrounded　by　an

inquisitive　throng。　　Among　them　was　a　handsome　young　woman　who

asked　through　the　interpreter　if　the　chief　would　consent　to　an

interview　about　his　people；　to　aid　her　in　a　paper　she　had　promised

to　prepare。



Hole…in…the…Day　replied：　〃If　the　beautiful　lady　is　willing　to

risk　calling　on　the　chief　at　his　hotel；　her　request　will　be

granted。〃　　The　lady　went；　and　the　result　was　so　sudden　and　strong

an　attachment　that　both　forgot　all　racial　biases　and　differences　of

language　and　custom。　　She　followed　him　as　far　as　Minneapolis；　and

there　the　chief　advised　her　to　remain；　for　he　feared　the　jealousy

of　some　of　his　many　wives。　　She　died　there；　soon　after　giving　birth

to　a　son；　who　was　brought　up　by　a　family　named　Woodbury；　and　some

fifteen　years　ago　I　met　the　young　man　in　Washington　and　was　taken

by　him　to　call　upon　certain　of　his　mother's　relatives。



The　ascendancy　of　Hole…in…the…Day　was　not　gained　entirely

through　the　consent　of　his　people；　but　largely　by　government　favor；

therefore　there　was　strong　suppressed　resentment　among　his

associate　chiefs；　and　the　Red　Lake　and　Leech　Lake　bands　in　fact

never　acknowledged　him　as　their　head；　while　they　suspected　him　of

making　treaties　which　involved　some　of　their　land。　　He　was　in

personal　danger　from　this　source；　and　his　life　was　twice　attempted；

but；　though　wounded；　in　each　case　he　recovered。　　His　popularity

with　Indian　agents　and　officers　lasted　till　the　Republicans　came

into　power　in　the　sixties　and　there　was　a　new　deal。　　The　chief　no

longer　received　the　favors　and　tips　to　which　he　was　accustomed；　in

fact　he　was　in　want　of　luxuries；　and　worse　still；　his　pride　was

hurt　by　neglect。　　The　new　party　had　promised　Christian　treatment　to

the　Indians；　but　it　appeared　that　they　were　greater　grafters　than

their　predecessors；　and　unlike　them　kept　everything　for　themselves；

allowing　no　perquisites　to　any　Indian　chief。



In　his　indignation　at　this　treatment；　Hole…in…the…Day　began

exposing　the　frauds　on　his　people；　and　so　at　a　late　day　was

converted　to　their　defense。　　Perhaps　he　had　not　fully　understood

the　nature　of　graft　until　he　was　in　a　position　to　view　it　from　the

outside。　　After　all；　he　was　excusable　in　seeking　to　maintain　the

dignity　of　his　office；　but　he　had　departed　from　one　of　the

fundamental　rules　of　the　race；　namely：　〃Let　no　material　gain　be　the

motive　or　reward　of　public　duty。〃　　He　had　wounded　the　ideals　of　his

people　beyond　forgiveness；　and　he　suffered　the　penalty；　yet　his

courage　was　not　diminished　by　the　mistakes　of　his　past。　　Like　the

Sioux　chief　Little　Crow；　he　was　called　〃the　betrayer　of　his

people〃；　and　like　him　he　made　a　desperate　effort　to　regain　lost

prestige；　and　turned　savagely　against　the　original　betrayers　of　his

confidence；　the　agents　and　Indian　traders。



When　the　Sioux　finally　broke　out　in　1862；　the　first　thought　of

the　local　politicians　was　to　humiliate　Hole…in…the…Day　by　arresting

him　and　proclaiming　some　other　〃head　chief〃　in　his　stead。　　In　so

doing　they　almost　forced　the　Ojibways　to　fight　under　his

leadership。　　The　chief　had　no　thought　of　alliance　with　the　Sioux；

and　was　wholly　unaware　of　the　proposed　action　of　the　military　on

pretense　of　such　a　conspiracy　on　his　part。　　He　was　on　his　way　to

the　agency　in　his　own　carriage　when　a　runner　warned　him　of　his

danger。　　He　thereupon　jumped　down　and　instructed　the　driver　to

proceed。　　His　coachman　was　arrested　by　a　file　of　soldiers；　who　when

they　discovered　their　mistake　went　to　his　residence　in　search　of

him；　but　meanwhile　he　had　sent　runners　in　every　direction　to　notify

his　warriors；　and　had　moved　his　family　across　the　Mississippi。　

When　the　military　reached　the　river　bank　he　was　still　in　sight；　and

the　lieutenant　called　upon　him　to　surrender。　　When　he　refused；　the

soldiers　were　ordered　to　fire　upon　him；　but　he　replied　with　his　own

rifle；　and　with　a　whoop　disappeared　among　the　pine　groves。



It　was　remarkable　how　the　whole　tribe　now　rallied　to　the　call

of　Hole…in…the…Day。　　He　allowed　no　depredations　to　the　young　men

under　his　leadership；　but　camped　openly　near　the　agency　and　awaited

an　explanation。　　Presently　Judge　Cooper　of　St。　Paul；　a　personal

friend　of　the　chief；　appeared；　and　later　on　the　Assistant　Secretary

of　the　Interior；　accompanied　by　Mr。　Nicolay；　private　secretary　of

President　Lincoln。　　Apparently　that　great　humanitarian　President

saw　the　whole　injustice　of　the　proceeding　against　a　loyal　nation；

and　the　difficulty　was　at　an　end。



Through　the　treaties　of　1864；　1867；　and　1868　was　accomplished

the　final　destiny　of　the　Mississippi　River　Ojibways。　

Hole…in…the…Day　was　against　their　removal　to　what　is　now　White

Earth　reservation；　but　he　was　defeated　in　this　and　realized　that

the　new　turn　of　events　meant　the　downfall　of　his　race。　　He　declared

that　he　would　never　go　on　the　new　reservation；　and　he　kept　his

word。　　He　remained　on　one　of　his　land　grants　near　Crow　Wing。　　As

the　other　chiefs　assumed　more　power；　the　old　feeling　of　suspicion

and　hatred　became　stronger；　especially　among　the　Pillager　and　Red

Lake　bands。　　One　day　he　was　waylaid　and　shot　by　a　party　of　these

disaffected　Indians。　　He　uttered　a　whoop　and　fell　dead　from　his

buggy。



Thus　died　one　of　the　most　brilliant　chiefs　of　the　Northwest；

who　never　defended　his　birthright　by　force　of　arms；　although　almost

compelled　to　do　so。　　He　succeeded　in　diplomacy　so　long　as　he　was

the　recognized　head　of　his　people。　　Since　we　have　not　passed　over

his　weaknesses；　he　should　be　given　credit　for　much　insight　in

causing　the　article　prohibiting　the　introduction　of　liquor　into　the

Indian　country　to　be　inserted　into　the　treaty　of　1858。　　I　think　it

was　in　1910　that　this　forgotten　provision　was　discovered　and　again

enforced　over　a　large　expanse　of　territory　occupied　by　whites；　it

being　found　that　the　provision　had　never　been　repealed。



Although　he　left　many　children；　none　seem　to　have　made　their

mark；　yet　it　may　be　that　in　one　of　his　descendants　that　undaunted

spirit　will　rise　again。








End