Chapter Twelve

KISH-KE-KOSH, THE MAHASKA COUNTY CHIEF, AND HIS PEOPLE.

The only Indian village that we have any record of in Mahaska county was the village of Kish-Ke-Kosh, located out near the Skunk river in what is now White Oak township. When Monroe county was first organized it was called Kish- Ke- Kosk county, but the name was afterward ehanged by an act of the legislature.

He is specifically described to us as having a splendid physique. Tall and straight as the arrow in its quiver, a fine, intellectual head, and an eye that delighted in humor. He was a magnificent type of the Indian brave that no more exists except in the best Indian literature.

Prior to the year 1837, Kish-Ke-Kosh was only one of the principal warrior chiefs in the village of Keokuk. The warrior chief was inferior in rank to the village chieftain, the latter ranking next to the chief of the tribe, who held absolute sway over all under him.

In 1837 General J. M. Street, who was the Indian agent at Agency City, conducted a deputation of Sac and Fox Indians to Washington City. The, party included Keokuk, Black Hawk, Poweshiek, Kish- Ke- Kosh and fifteen other chiefs of the Sac and Fox tribes.

Kish-Ke-Kosh was always regarded as the clown and wit at all the tribal councils, and in this journey to the east he had opportunity to give full play to his humor and sarcasm. The delegation took a steamer on the Mississippi, most likely at Keokuk, and descended to the Ohio, thence up that stream to Wheeling, Virginia, where they took stage across the mountains to Washington, where the embassy was received by the president.

On their way out a party of ladies came on the steamer and were, curious to learn all they could about the party of Indians. A young man accompanying the Indians, on becoming acquainted with the ladies, took particular pains to show the Indian trinkets and costumes, and went so far as to finger the garments and fringes of the chiefs and comment on them to the amusement of his guests. Kish- Ke- Kosh took decided exception to the liberty taken by this presumptive youth and determined to teach him some manners. So when the ladies had retired he stepped up to him and began vigorously to minutely examine his clothing, feeling his hair, his watch chain and exhibiting his teeth to the much-amused company of observers, chattering all the while in his native tongue. Before he had finished his pretended inspection he had taught the young man a lesson in considerate behavior not to be forgotten while his memory should serve him.

A party of Sioux chiefs were in Washington when the Sac and Fox chiefs arrived and as the two nations were constantly waging war, the government officials requested that a council be held with representative chiefs present from each of the tribes. The council was held in the chamber of the house of representatives.

Kish- Ke- Kosh took his place in one of the large windows dressed in a buffalo hide which he had taken in combat from a Sioux chief. The mane and horns of the buffalo were used as a head-dress and its tail was allowed to trail on the floor. The Sioux were sorely grieved at his suggestive costume and indignantly protested, claiming that it was aimed as an insult to them. The presiding officer informed them that he saw no reason why Kish-Ke-Kosh should not be allowed to appear in his own chosen costume. A Sioux chief opened the discussion, complaining bitterly how the Sacs and Foxes had overrun their lands, burning their villages, driying them from their homes and killing their warriors. Next came Keokuk, the greatest Indian orator of his day. Each address was repeated by an interpreter. Webster, Clay, Calhoun and Benton had spoken in this same hall. Those who heard Keokuk's impassioned eloquence that day were ready to declare that the old chief had surpassed them all.

Kish- Ke- Kosh was next called upon to speak. He ridiculed the complaints of the Sioux, laughed at their weakness and mimicked their tale of woe.

From Washington they proceeded to make a tour of several eastern cities. At New York they received but little attention. vVhen General Street attempted to show them the city on foot the party were so embarrassed by people crowding about them that they were glad to escape through a store into an alley and return to their hotel. At Boston an escort met them at the train and on the second day they were shown the city in open carriages. Governor Edward Everett gave them a banquet. On all occasions Kish-Ke-Kosh won popular favoi- by his witicisms, humorous stories and jokes, especially among the ladies. He returned home with many beautiful and costly presents which they had given him. For many years of his after life, he took great pleasure in displaying these presents, saying they were given to him by the "white squaws." The ability displayed and the distinction won by Kish- Ke- Kosh on this tour of the east led to his promotion as a village chieftain on the banks of the Skunk river farther towards the frontier of the hunting grounds of the tribe. After Kish-Ke-Kosh had returned from the east he made a hard effort to inaugurate some reforms among his people. He taught his warriors that it was manifestly wrong for them not to assist their wives in the drudgery of the camp and in raising the corn crop. Although he set them an example by helping his own wife in her toil, his advice and exampge had little effect on his people. This village contained about two hundred and fifty inhabitants. A short time after the treaty of 1842 they removed westward, locating on the Des Moines river three miles southeast of where the capital of the state is now located. Here they remained until 1845, when they were conveyed in government wagons to their reservation seventy miles southwest of Kansas City.

Once the supreme rulers of a great commonwealth, they had become a crestfallen and humbled race, bandied about at the caprice of advancing civilization.

Some of the bark huts of Kish-Ke-Kosh village were still found in White Oak township when the white settlers came, and they afforded shelter to a nµmber of wandering pioneer families in their search for a home in the New Purchase. Near the village was found the burying place. There were yet to be seen graves covered by rude slabs. Here their dead had been tenderly laid away with such ceremonies as in their estimation lightened the sorrow of parting with their relatives and friends.

The Sacs and Foxes generally have their graveyards on a hillside. The body was wrapped in blankets and laid out in full length. The graves were shallow. The Indians believed that people have souls which live somewhere after they die, and these souls delight to do the things which they did in their lifetime. Hence they laid on the grave or buried with them various articles: for men, knives, tomahawks, bows and arrows; for women, buckets, pans, ornaments and choice treasures. When children died we are told that they would place on the grave its baby board on which it used to lie, and its rude little toys. Then a little dog was killed at the, grave to accompany the little one on its long jouney to the spirit land. They believed that animals and things had souls the same as persons and that the souls of these went with the departed to help them on their way to the happy spirit land.

When Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike ascended the Mississippi river in 1805 he found Sac and Fox villages on both sides of the Mississippi river. He reported 1,750 Foxes and 2,850 Sacs. In 1736, the Foxes having become greatly decimated by wars, had formed a confederacy with the Sacs. Both these tribes had come originally from the lake regions in the northwest. Fox river in Wisconsin took its name from the smaller tribe, and Saginaw, Michigan, received its name from the Sacs. Among the celebrated chiefs of these two nations were Black Hawk, Keokuk, Appanoose, Wapello, Poweshiek and Pash-e-pa-ho. During the first quarter of the nineteenth century the Sacs and Foxes were often at war with the Iowa tribe, the last battle being fought at Iowaville on the Des Moines river, near Eldon, about the year 1824. Authorities differ as to the date of this famous battle. Like many dates in Indian history, it is not very definite. At this battle the Sac and Fox tribes completely crushed their rivals and forced them to surrender.

Savage and fierce as were these Sacs and Foxes, they had periods of deep religious fervor and their religious ceremonies were observed with all the earnestness and sincerity of their nature. In April, 1843, when Dr. James L Warren with a party of five others were coming up the divide to look out for claims before the rush that would follow May 1st of that year, they came suddenly on to quite a large camp of disheartened and retreating Indians. The Doctor, who had some knowledge of military tactics, suggested they march through the place in military order. On entering the camp they found these children of the forests to be engaged in worship and gave no attention to their passing. The men were seated in a circle singing in a mournful, monotonous t011e to the rattle of. what seemed to be beans in gourds, which .were being shaken up and down to regular time. The door of the tent ,was closed to exclude intruders, but one of the white men, seeing that there was not the slight'est spirit of molestation, had his curiosity so aroused that he lifted the tent wall slightly and peeped under at the performance. The solemnfaced worshipers did not allow their devotions to be the least disturbed by this ungrateful intrusion. An old squaw who seemed to be the only guardian of the place, saw the impertinent fellow and ordered him away. When he did not promptly obey, she indignantly took hold of him, giving him a violent pull as she uttered the word "Manitou," which was their sacred word for God. She meant by this to convey to the rude white man the sacredness and seclusion of the exercises within.

Those were days of much heaviness of heart for the subdued Indians. They were about to leave forever the land of their fathers which they loved. We are told that at Appomattox, men who had never uttered the name of God but in blasphemy, were most fervent in prayer. It was the cry of the soul which would not be hushed in that hour of awful agony.

It was doubtless a feeling much like this that shadowed the gloomy heart of these Indian braves. Once the proud and happy monarchs of these western prairies and woods; now driven before the surging columns of civilization he knew not where. To his keen mind his doom was clear. In this thickening shadow his soul spoke to him of "Manitou," and he gave Him devotion.