Atwater, Caleb. Remarks Made on a Tour to Prairie Du Chien; Thence to Washington City, in 1829 . Columbus, OH: Isaac N. Whiting, 1831. [format: book], [genre: history; narrative; travelogue]. Permission: Illinois State University
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=atwater.html

Here we learned, that a large body of Indians had already been assembled at Prairie Du Chien, for some time, and were in readiness to meet us. Knowing the necessity of supplying them with food, that ours would not reach us for some time yet, and knowing this to be the last opportunity we should find to purchase any food, we purchased 500 bushels of corn, and loading all we could convey, we left this beautiful town on the next day, and departed for our final destination, where we arrived about the middle of July, 1829.

As soon as we were discovered by our red friends, a few miles below the fort, opposite to their encampment, they fired into the air, about 1500 rifles to honor us. Our powder had become wet, and, to our extreme mortification and regret, we could not answer them, by our cannon. Having fired their arms, some run on foot, some rode on their small horses, furiously along over the prairie to meet us where we landed. Amidst the motley group of thousands, of all ages, sexes, classes of society, colors and conditions, of men, women and children, who met us, on the wharf — NAWKAW and HOOCHOPEKAH, with their families, eagerly seized my hand, and I was happy indeed, to meet them here. During twenty years, I had seen them, several times, and they recognized me in a moment, among the crowd, and assured me of their friendship and good wishes. These chiefs of the Winnebagoes, and their families, pressed around me, and continued close by me until we reached the tavern, where we went. There we entered into a long conversation, and they introduced me to their red friends. I assured them, of my ardent friendship, and "that they, and their people, should be dealt with, not only justly but liberally." "That the President, their great father, was their friend, a warrior like them, and never would do them any injury; That I wished them all to remember what I now told them, and when we finally parted, if my solemn promise, thus

voluntarily made to them, had not been kept to the very letter, I wished them to publicly tell me so." Shaking me heartily by the hand, and assuring me of their friendship, they then appealed to Col. Menard, who heartily agreed with me, in assuring them of our good intentions towards them.

Dr. Wolcott, the agent, for the Chippeways, Ottowas, and Pottawatimies, here met us, and he had been, at incredible pains, to get his Indians here, where they had been for nearly a month, perhaps. Mr. Kinzy the sub agent of the Winnebagoes, whose sub agency is located it Fort Winnebago, had also come, and with him all the principal persons of that nation, residing in that direction.

All the Indians with whom we were sent to treat, were represented on the ground, and all that was waiting to be gin our councils, we urged forward, with all the energy that the officers of the government, and their numerous friends could muster. The next day, in company with Gen. Street, the agent of the Winnebagoes, resident here, several sub agents and interpreters, I met the principal men of the Winnebagoes, and we impressed upon them, the necessity of keeping their young man under subjection, and arranged with them, the outlines of the manner in which our business should be conducted. The talk was a long one and occupied the afternoon. Gen. Street was very zealous in the service of the government.

Gen. M'Neil and his officers at the Fort, erected a council shade, near the Fort and in about three days, we were ready to hold a public council; when Dr. Wolcotts' Indians informed me, that they could not meet in public council until an Indian was buried, and inquired of me if I objected to the burial, to which I replied that I could not object to the burial, certainly. On the next day to my regret, I learned, they would not assemble in council, until the Indian was buried, and again inquired, whether I was willing to have the person buried? To which question, I replied in the affirmative, when I was informed, that the relatives of the deceased, would not consent to the burial of the murdered person, until they had received a horse, as the compensation for his death. Understanding the difficulty at last, the commissioners gave the horse, the deceased was buried, and the Indians agreed to meet in council next day.

I took some pains to get the murderer and the relatives of the deceased together, in order to have a perfect reconciliation between them. They shook hands very cordially in appearance, but the relatives of the deceased person, informed me privately afterwards, that, as soon as the murderer got home with his horse and goods, they would kill him and take his property, which he could better keep, than they could, until then. If I am correctly informed, they did as they assured me they would, after their arrival in their own country. So that compounding for the murder only procrastinated for a time, the punishment of the crime.

When every thing was in readiness for the opening of the council, the Indians of ail the tribes and nations on the treaty ground, attended and requested to have translated to them, severally, what we said to each tribe, which being assented to on our part, the Winnebagoes, the Chippeways, Ottowas, Pottawatimies, Sioux, Sauks, Foxes, and Munominees, half breeds, the officers from the fort, the Indian agents, sub agents, interpreters, and a great concourse of strangers, from every city in the Union — and even from Liverpool, London, and Paris were in attendance.

The commissioners sat on a raised bench, facing the Indian chiefs: on each side of them stood the officers of the army in full dresses, while the soldiers, in their best attire, appeared in bright array, on the sides of the council shade. The ladies belonging to the officers' families, and the best families in the Prairie, were seated directly behind the commissioners, where they could see all that passed, and hear all that was said. Behind the principal Indian chiefs sat the common people — first the men, then the women and children, to the lumber of thousands, who listened in breathless and death-like silence, to every word that was uttered. The spectacle was grand and morally sublime, in the highest degree, to the nations of red men, who were present, and when our proposition to sell all their country to their great father, had been delivered to them, they requested an exact copy of it, in writing, the request was instantly complied with, and the council broke up. Next day, we addressed the Winnebagoes, as we had the Chippeways, &c. the day before, and at their request gave them a copy of our speech.

After counciling among themselves, the Chippeways, &c. answered favorably as to a sale, though they would do no thing yet, until they had fixed on their terms.

The Winnebagoes appeared, in council, and delivered many speeches to us. They demanded, the twenty thousand dollars worth of goods. "Wipe out your debt, was their reply, before you run in debt again to us."

Our goods, owing to the low stage of the water, had not arrived yet, and the Indians feared we did not intend to fulfil Gov. Cass' agreement, of the year before. When our goods did arrive, and they saw them, they then changed their tone a little; but in the meantime, great uneasiness existed, and I was often seriously advised by Nawkaw and other friends, to go into the Fort, as Gen. M'Niel had done. Col. Menard's ill health, had compelled him to leave the ground and go to Gen. Street's, five miles (the General calls it three) from the council house. Unless we left the ground, we were told, by the Winnebagoes, that they "would use a little switch upon us." In plain English, they would assassinate the whole of us, out of the Fort. Two hundred warriors, under Keeokuk and Morgan, of Sauks and Foxes, arrived, and began their war dance, for the United States, and they brought word that 30 steam boats with cannon, and U. S. troops, and 400 warriors of their own, were near at hand! The Winnebagoes were silenced by this intelligence, and by demonstrations, not misunderstood by them.

When KEEOKUK arrived, he brought two deserters from the garrison here, whom he had made prisoners on his way up the river. Quasquawma and his son-in-law, Tiama came with Keeokuk. It was a season of great joy with me, who placed more reliance on those friendly warriors, than on all our other forces. Good us our officers were, our soldiers of the army, were too dissipated and worthless to be relied on, one moment. Taking KEEOKUK aside, and alone, I told him in plain English, all I wanted of him, what I would do for him, and what I expected from him and his good offices. He replied in good English, "I understand you sir, perfectly, and it shall all be done." It was all done faithfully, and he turned the tide in our favor.

The goods arrived and also our provisions, Col. Menard's and Gen. M'Niel's health were restored and they appeared

again at the council house, and every thing wore a new aspect. They approved of all I had done in their temporary absence.

On the 29th day of July, 1829, we concluded our treaty with the Chippeways, Ottowas, and Pottawatimies.

On the 1st day of August, a treaty was concluded with the Winnebagoes.

So the treaties were executed at last, and about eight millions of acres of land added to our domain, purchased from the Indians. Taking the three tracts, ceded, and, forming one whole, it extends from the upper end of Rock Island to the mouth of the Wisconsin — from latitude 41 degrees, 30 minutes, to latitude 43 degrees, 15 minutes, on the Mississippi. Following the meanderings of the river, it is called 240 miles from south to north. It extends along the Wisconsin and Fox rivers from west to east, so as to give us a passage across the country from the Mississippi to lake Michigan. The south part of the purchase extends from Rock Island, to lake Michigan. South of the Wisconsin, the Indians now own only reservations, where they live, which as soon as the white people settle on all the ceded lands, will be sold to us, and the Indians will retire above the Wisconsin, or cross the Mississippi, where the bear, the beaver, the deer, and the bison invite them. The United States now own all the country on the east side of the Mississippi, from the Gulph of Mexico to the mouth of the Wisconsin. When I have crossed Rock river, after having passed over the interior of the ceded country, I will describe it, more particularly.

It remains for me, to make a few remarks upon the country, along the Mississippi, from Fort Edwards, upward, and briefly describe Prairie Du Chien.

Ascending the Mississippi, the country appeared to rise up out of the river at Fort Edwards, and the hills assume a greater elevation, still, at Du Buque's mine and tomb, not far from Galena. From thence upwards, the bottom lands are narrow, the river turns towards the north west, and becomes very crooked, bounded by high hilts. Cassville, thirty miles below Prairie Du Chien, stands on a narrow bottom, where an opening into the mineral country, in the direction of Mineral Point, presents itself. This easy passage down to the river, has located a town here, of a few

houses, consisting of a tavern, a store house for the lead, belonging to the United States; and here a government sub agent to collect and receive the government's share of lead resides, Major Beall.

Opposite to the mouth of the Wisconsin, stands Pike's hill, lofty and abrupt, and just above this place, on the eastern bank of the river, begins the low prairie ground on which Fort Crawford, and the village of Prairie Du Chien stand. The town begins to show itself three miles above the Wisconsin, and extends upwards, about nine mites, where it ends. The river is full of islands, and when at its highest altitude in a freshet, is three miles in width, from hill to hill. Originally settled by the French, it was once a place of some importance, as the remains of old cellars and chimneys show. That importance is no more, and probably never will be again. Overflowed by high waters, and but little good land near it, without water power, I see little inducement, to build up a town here. On the north side of the Wisconsin, there is no land, on which a town can be located near the Wisconsin, and the south side is preferable for it, where one will, one day, rise up. The town, though, is a seat of justice for a county of Michigan, and perhaps 30 families, besides those belonging to the garrison, reside here. No Indians reside near here, and there is no sort of need of, nor propriety in having an agency, &c. here, for the Winnebagoes, because Fort Winnebago is the proper place for the agency.

Gen. Street, the agent, and near relative of Mr. Barry, the Postmaster General, is the present agent, and his residence, I consider to be about five miles above the Fort, though I am aware, that Gen. Street's, estimated distance is only three miles.

The water found by digging in this prairie, is not always good, and that in our well, was the worst I ever tasted, operating upon the bowels like glauber salts, and I suffered excessively from using it. Even the food cooked in it affected me seriously. The well in the fort is better, and some persons obtain water, from springs in the river, when it is low. The river covers all the town, and where the fort is, in high water. The Mississippi rising late in the season, and subsiding in the summer solstice, this place must be sickly, in summer, every year, when a freshet takes

such a time to appear. In 1829, there was no rise in the river of any amount, and the place was healthy.

The only Indians living on this river, below this place, and near it are the Sauks and Foxes. The principal town of the former, on the east side of the Mississippi, is situated on the north side of Rock river, near its mouth, and in sight of the Mississippi. Not many years ago, this town contained, it is said, four or five thousand inhabitants. They have sold all the country east of the river Mississippi, and are withdrawing from it, to a new town, some ten miles west of their old town, and about the same distance from Rock island.

The principal town of the Foxes is on the brink, of the river near Du Buque's mine, and in sight of his tomb, which is erected on a high hill, where the cross on his grave can be seen from the river, to a considerable distance from it, Du Buque was an Indian trader and lived and died here.

The Fox town contains twenty wigwams or upwards, and I presume some two hundred Indians. I saw but a few acres of poorly cultivated corn near the town, and the wigwams looked shabby enough. Morgan is the principal warrior of this village, as Keeokuk is of the Rock river town.