CHAPTER VII. FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE KONZA NATION. ROBBERY OF MR. SAY'S DETACHMENT BY A WAR-PARTY OF PAWNEES. ARRIVAL AT THE PLATTE. THE Konza warriors, like those of some others of the Missouri tribes on their departure on a war excursion, sometimes make vows, binding themselves never to return until they have performed some feat which they mention, such as killing an enemy, striking an enemy's dead body, or stealing a horse. An instance lately occurred of a warrior who had been long absent under a vow of this sort, and finding it impossible to meet an enemy, and being in a starving condition, he returned to his own village by night, with the determination of accomplishing his vow, by killing and scalping the first person he should meet. This person happened to be the warrior's own mother, but the darkness of the night prevented the discovery until he had accomplished his bloody purpose. On the 23d of August, Mr. Say's party began to prepare for leaving the Konza village, where they had been treated with much hospitality. They purchased a number of articles for their use on the journey they proposed to take, such as jerked bison meat, pounded maize, bison fat put up like sausages, mockasins, leggings, spoons made of the horn of the bison, two large wooden dishes, &c. They received also an addition to their cavalcade of two horses, one belonging to Major O'Fallon, and another which they procured from a Frenchman residing in the village. A Pawnee prisoner, an interesting young man, was brought to them, who said he was desirous to accompany them to his nation, but at the same time was afraid his people would not recognize him, and would kill him for a Konza. He was promised protection, but at the same time it was remarked to him, that if he should attempt to steal the horses of the party on the way, they would certainly pursue him and take his scalp. On the 24th, says Mr. Say, having been detained until afternoon in searching for our horses, we departed, accompanied by several Indians, who intended to pass the night with us and to return to the village the following morning. Our path led along the margin of Blue Earth Creek, a stream of the width of twenty-five yards, and greatest depth of three feet, which discharges into the river a mile or two above the Konza village. The soil supports but a thin growth of grass, and the timber is far from abundant, consisting principally of different sorts of oak, confined to the margin of the creek, its ravines and tributaries. One of our Indian followers, who, although a chief of the extinct Missouri nation, has yet much influence with the Konzas, wished to exchange a horse he had with him for one of ours, which was evidently a less valuable animal. The reason he assigned in explanation of his desire of such an apparently disadvantageous exchange was, that his horse had been presented to him by a person, who, he feared, intended to reclaim him, but that if he should exchange him for another horse, he would be secure in the possession of the individual so obtained, as an Indian will not reclaim a present which is not identically the same he had given. At the distance of seven miles from the village, our party encamped by the side of the creek, in a narrow, but beautiful and level prairie bottom, which was bounded by an abrupt, though verdant range of bluffs. Mr. Dougherty and one of the Indians went in * quest of game, and having supplied the two remaining Indians with a pipe and tobacco, we were partaking of some refreshment, when one of the party suddenly drew our attention to an extensive cloud of dust, which arose from the plain, and which we soon perceived but partially concealed a body of Indians, who had already approached within a quarter of a mile, and were now running with great swiftness. Our Indian followers now displayed all their activity; the chief seized his gun, and ran towards the advancing multitude to obtain his horse, which he mounted and rode off at full speed, whilst his companion disappeared in the bushes in an instant. This was a sufficient intimation that a hostile party was before us, and a timely admonition of the approach of danger. Our men were therefore drawn up in a line, and all prepared themselves for defence in case of extremity. The advancing party were armed, decorated, and painted, for battle, but they manifested, as they rushed up to us, the most pacific deportment, shaking us by the hand, putting their arms about our necks, and raising their hands with the palm towards us, in token of peace. We were not, however, disposed to rely upon these assurances of friendship, being fully aware of the difficulties which their partizans would have to surmount in checking the inconsiderate prowess of the younger warriors. younger warriors. We now observed some of them seizing our horses, which were staked at some distance: they mounted them and rode swiftly in the direction that the chief had taken, but they soon returned. It soon became necessary to protect our baggage by arranging ourselves around it; still, however, in despite of our vigilance, many of our small articles were stolen. They begged for whiskey and tobacco; and a small portion of the latter was given them. Amidst the confusion arising from the incessant and rapid movements of the Indians, we observed an individual bearing off a small package of very fine pounded meat; I immediately pointed out the circumstance to the partizan, and directed him to recover it and punish the thief; he complied by wresting the meat from the grasp of the latter, and from that of several others who had been contending for portions of it, placed it beneath his feet, and defended it with his lance; but Chabonneau, to whom the meat belonged, declaring that he had given it to them, they were permitted to retain it. A tent which had been pitched for me in consideration of my illness, and in which my blanket, pistols, together with some small articles, had been deposited, was plundered of its contents; it was finally cut down, and would have been taken away, had we not made an effort to preserve it. During the whole transaction those warriors, who stood at a short distance, intently watched our movements, as if they were led to believe, from the attitude we assumed, that we would attempt to repel them, even with our inadequate force. No sudden action or motion of any one of the party escaped them; and individuals were frequently observed to draw their arrows to test the elasticity of the bows. At a critical juncture, a tall and graceful Indian cocked his gun fiercely, and put his war whistle to his mouth, but the signal was not blown. Amongst numerous incidents that occurred during the half hour that we were surrounded by them, an individual attempted to seize a knapsack belonging to one of the soldiers, and immediately under his observation; the latter placed his foot upon the knapsack to detain it, and at the same time prepared his gun as if to shoot the offender, who leaped backward with great agility, and with an ejaculation of pleasure, drew his arrow to the head. The whole party precipitately retreated just as Mr. Dougherty returned from hunting; being briefly informed of the nature of their visit, he called aloud to the fugitives in their own language, but they passed on without heeding him, taking our horses with them. I had by a rough estimate fixed their number at one hundred and forty; they were chiefly armed with the bow and arrow, and lance, with the usual accompaniments of tomahawks, warclubs, and knives, together with a few guns. Fortunately no personal indignity was offered us; yet we could not repress a sensation of much mortification at the prospect of a frustration of our enterprise, which now seemed inevitable, and of extreme vexation at the irreparable loss of our horses, which no exertions of ours could have saved: an appeal to arms, except in the last extremity, would have been the height of imprudence, conquest being hopeless, and escape almost impossible. Soon after their departure Mr. Jessup and Chabonneau set out for the village to procure assistance, for the purpose of removing our camp to that place from which we recommenced our journey at a moment so unpropitious; whilst we busied ourselves in removing the baggage to a situation amongst the neighbouring bushes, which appeared favourable for concealment, and for defence, in case of a night attack, which was confidently anticipated. Several alarms occurred during the night, and on the return of day we observed thirty mounted Indians riding swiftly towards us. The chief, who left us so precipitately the preceding evening, on his arrival at the village, hastily assembled a little band of warriors for the purpose of returning immediately to our assistance, and it was he and his party, that we had now the pleasure to greet. They expressed great satisfaction, when they learned that we were all uninjured. After saluting us cordially, they pursued the trail of the Pawnees for some distance, and from the footsteps in the grass, and other appearances, to be duly appreciated only by the eye of an Indian, they estimated the number of the Pawnees at one hundred and thirty. On their return they restored to us some bacon and other articles, which had been |