Page 70

THE RED MEN OF IOWA.

Falls of St. Anthony the boats were unloaded, and, with great labor, raised above the falls and reloaded. On the 16th of October the party reached a point two hundred and thirty three miles above the Falls of St. Anthony, where they encountered a violent snow-storm. Here they constructed some cabins of logs, and prepared their winter quarters, making additions to their supply of provisions by hunting. Lieutenant Pike himself, with a portion of his men, loading their baggage and provisions in sleds, continued up the river, partly on the ice and partly by land, until they reached Red Lake, which was then supposed to be the head of the Mississippi. Lieutenant Pike and his little band then returned to winter quarters, and on the 28th of February, 1806, the expedition set out on its return, making very slow progress on account of the ice, and the necessity of holding conferences with various tribes of Indians. April 10th they arrived at the Falls of St. Anthony. At the mouth of the St. Peters another council was held with the Sioux and the Sauteurs, the latter being a branch of the Chippewas. Conferences were also held with several bands at Prairie du Chien, a trading-post which had been established by the French when the country was in their possession. The original village, however, was about a mile above that which existed at the time of Pike's expedition. The latter was first settled in 1783 by three traders named Giard, Antaya and Dubuque. In the village and vicinity, at the time of Pike's visit, there were thirty-seven houses, including three on the west side of the Mississippi, on a small stream then called Giard's River. After an absence of eight months and twenty-two days the party reached St. Louis, April 30th. This was the first

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TRIBES ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

exploration of the upper Mississippi River authorized by the government of the United States. While it was in progress Captains Lewis and Clark, under the same authority, were patiently pursuing their way among the strange tribes toward the head-waters of the Missouri.

Prior to the expedition of Lieutenant Pike; to-wit., November 3d, 1804, Governor Harrison, under instructions from President Jefferson, had concluded a treaty at St. Louis with the Sacs and Foxes. By the terms of this treaty the United States agreed to receive the Sacs and Foxes into their friendship and protection. The Indians relinquished their title to a tract embracing about fifty-one millions of acres, extending from the mouth of the Missouri to the mouth of the Wisconsin, and for this cession of land they were to receive an annual payment in goods to the value of one thousand dollars. The United States were never to interrupt the said tribes in the possession of the lands which they rightfully claimed, but were to protect them in the quiet enjoyment of the same against citizens of the United States, and other white persons who might intrude upon them. The tribes agreed never to sell their lands to any other power than the United States. The treaty contained the usual stipulations in relation to the surrender and punishment of offenders, the removal of intruders from the lands belonging to the Indians, and regulating trade and intercourse with the tribes. As long as the lands ceded remained the property of the United States the Indians were to enjoy the privilege of living and hunting upon them. The treaty contained an article under which the Sacs and Foxes agreed to put an end to the bloody war between themselves and the tribes known as

Pages 72 - 73

Chapter Five

Previous Pages:

Introductory Page| Portrait of MA-KA-TAI-ME-SHE-KIA-KIAH (Black Hawk)| Title Page| Page 2|

Preface (pages 3 - 6)| Illustrations (page 7)| Contents (pages 8 - 17)

Chapter One| Chapter Two| Chapter Three

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