Post by mdenney on Aug 25, 2007 13:15:26 GMT -5
CHAPTER XIV.
TROUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE AND BLOOMINGTON.
DURING the winter of 1843-44 the new station at
Traverse des Sioux encountered much opposi
tion from the Indians. Horses and cattle were killed,
and the Indians sought in every way to remind Mr.
Riggs of the fact that he had located there without
having first obtained permission. In a mele e over
the shooting of a horse, an Indian shot an arrow
at Mr. Riggs, which failed to hit him. About this
time S. W. Pond visited the Traverse on his way
from Lac Qui Parle to Fort Snelling. While he
was there a drunken Indian assaulted him with a
knife. The ladies of the family seemed to be in
mortal terror, Mrs. Riggs stating that they would be
compelled to leave that point unless relief could be
obtained.
On reaching the fort, Mr. Pond entered complaint
against the Indians, giving Captain Backus, then in
command at the fort, a full account of the state of
affairs at the Traverse. Shortly afterward Captain
Backus sent word to Oak Grove that he had confined
in the guardhouse an Indian who had just come down
17Q
TROUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE. 171
from Traverse des Sioux to buy liquor, and be believed
him to be the one who had made the assault on Mr.
Riggs. Mr. Pond went at once to the fort and found
the captain had the right man.
On learning of this arrest Mr. Riggs was some
what apprehensive of retaliation on the part of the
man s friends and wrote urging his immediate release.
As there was still some delay he came all the way
from the Traverse, with one named Tanka-Mani, to
obtain the release of the prisoner. In the examina
tion which took place he said he did not really think
the man meant to hit him. " Ah, Mr. Riggs, you
exceed the bounds of Christian charity," said Cap
tain Backus, who was unwilling to release the man
and probably would not have consented to do so,
except for the expense and inconvenience which
would attend sending him to Prairie du Chien for
trial. He was finally released. The arrest did him
good, and was followed by good results at the
Traverse, although the natives at that station were
never distinguished for either noble or humane traits
of character.
The years succeeding were years of seed-sowing at
all the stations. At Oak Grove the school was kept
up regularly in spite of much opposition and much
drunkenness on the part of the Indians. The winter
of 1844-45 was a very mild one. We learn from
172 TWO VOLUNTEER MISSIONARIES.
Gideon Pond s diary that the lowest point touched
by the mercury that season was ten degrees below,
Fahrenheit. In March the Indians were all convinced
that it was April, an error not very infrequent with
them. On April first, however, an Indian perished
with the cold. There was great mortality among them
that year. On the tenth of February occurs the entry :
"The ninth coffin I have made since October;"
a large death-rate considering the limited number
living at that place.
The following entries in the journal illustrate in
a striking manner some phases of life among the
Dakotas at that day :
Some of the Indians had a drunken frolic last night and one
bit off the nose of another, which, some say, he swallowed,
and others, that they found it near the house the next day. The
son of the one who lost his nose shot the one who bit it off
in the face with shot, but probably did not hurt him very much.
I am acquainted with some who have had their fingers and
thumbs bitten off on such occasions fine sport, but it some
times causes unpleasant feelings among them, which is more
than overbalanced, however, by affording an interesting subject
of conversation. *
July 12. The Indians have had high times to-day. I am more
and more confirmed in the opinion that, as a general thing, they
are extremely glad when one is killed by an enemy. A great
parade is always made at the burial.
To-day has been peculiarly interesting. What made it more
than usually so, they killed a beef, weighing between eight hun
dred and nine hundred pounds, and have eaten most of it. In
TEOUBLE AT THE TE AVERSE. 173
addition to beef, they had a keg of whiskey, which would greatly
enhance the interest of an event in itself interesting.
Those who have killed an enemy are permitted to sit together
and one by one relate their stories and have the event pictured on
a long board previously prepared and planed for the purpose.
This afternoon a neighboring Indian brought a keg of whiskey to
our village and invited the chief and chief soldier to drink. The
invitation was refused, and the refusal so angered the Indians that
now, about sunset, they are about killing Mahpiya-Wicaxta (the
chief) and are running about the village yelling in first-rate style.
12, Midnight. The women and children all fled and hid. I con
clude no one was killed, as they are all quiet and no coffin is
wanted.
An affair came off this afternoon, not a very common occurrence
among the Indians. Karboka s daughter quarreled with her little
brother, and as her father could not stop her without, he whipped
her. The girl being very angry came over to the hill by our
house, where the dead are laid upon the scaffolds, to bewail her
misfortune. Her grandmother, hearing her from the field where
she was picking corn, left her work and came over to see what
was the matter with her granddaughter. Like all good grannies,
on hearing from the girl that her father had punished her, she
became enraged, and in revenge hung herself by the portage col
lar to a scaffold on which the corpses lie.
The little girl, seeing her sympathetic grandmother in such a
predicament, was so terrified that she set up such a screaming that
it called us all out. It was in sight of our door. Jane was first on
the ground and had the old woman loosed before we arrived.
This she did in a quick-witted way, worthy the instincts of her
race. Rightly reasoning that the rope would not sustain her
weight in addition to that of the old lady, she grasped the rope
above the old woman s head and all came down together.
Even with their ideas of futurity, the old woman acted a very
foolish part, for when one hangs herself, as a punishment for the
174 TWO VOLUNTEER MISSIONARIES.
act, she has to drag through eternity that which she hangs herself
to, and at the same time be driven about by others. Now the old
woman would have had the whole scaffold, which would have made
her a severe load.
In the opinion of a Dakota, those who fall in battle are, in the
future state, happiest of the happy, while suicides are most miser
able of lost spirits.
Referring to the fact that those who usually at
tended Sabbath service had gone to a card-play
instead, Gideon writes, in 1845, " The card-play is
called * Game-of-the-departed-spirits " :
They believe that each person has four souls, or shades, one of
which remains with a lock of hair taken from the head of the
deceased, one by the corpse, one in the world of spirits, and one is
not confined to any place. The present game is played at the
expense and request of some individuals who have recently lost
relatives by death. The object of it is to conciliate the favor of
the spirits departed. They believe that the spirits of the dead
control the weather, making it pleasant or unpleasant at their
pleasure. This is a beautiful day, therefore they have positive
evidence that the game is pleasing to those for whom it is played.
The near relatives of the deceased furnish the property which is
staked and invite persons to play for it.
At our village a short time ago the son of the chief, Mahkah-
nartahkah (Ground kicker) made a ball-play to the spirit of a
child he lost last fall. He purchased $50 or $60 worth of
clothing and invited ninety men to play for it, forty-five on a side.
Besides this he feasted them all. However, the spirit did not seem
to be pleased, as we had a very tedious snowstorm. Heathenism
is expensive.
Last night a widow ran off with her family in the night and left
TROUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE. 175
her tent to the spirits, who frightened her away. An old man who
is here says the u spirits " scared her because she has plenty to eat
and does not feed them. They are always very particular to feed
the spirits of their deceased friends and honor them by various
performances. The spirits eat only the shade or spirit of the food ;
the substance is often devoured by the living, who are not unfre-
quently collected by invitation, under the scaffold where the body
lies, to feast on that which is presented to the spirit.
The following extracts are from a letter written by
Samuel Pond, August, 1844 :
So far as this world is concerned we are more comfortably and
pleasantly situated than we ever expected to be in an Indian coun
try, and I trust we have good hope through grace of eternal life
in heaven. Though we have not had such success in our labors for
the conversion of the Indians as we hoped and wished for, yet I
do not know as we have good reason to be discouraged. There is
much preparatory labor to be done by missionaries before they can
communicate the gospel to people of a strange language, and there
are peculiar difficulties in the way of the conversion of the first
who embrace the gospel among a heathen people. Though our
labors have not resulted in the conversion of many, and perhaps
not of any, yet we do not know that we are laboring in vain.
It is slow work to communicate the truths of the gospel to the
minds of the heathen, but many of this people are becoming more
and more acquainted with the way of salvation, and we hope the
word of God will not return unto him void but accomplish the
work whereunto he sent it.
There can be no harvest without a seedtime. For nearly twenty
years the English missionaries to the South Sea Islands sowed in
tears. A large amount of property and many lives were sacrificed,
apparently in vain, but now they or their successors reap in joy,
and that is one of the most successful of modern missions. Some
176 TWO VOLUNTEER MISSIONARIES.
of these Indians seem desirous to learn the way of salvation and a
few of them usually attend meeting at our house on the Sabbath,
but such as manifest a desire to listen to the truth meet with a
great deal of opposition.
For many ages Satan has reigned here undisturbed and he will
not give up his dominion over this people without a struggle. Yet
Jesus has conquered the powers of darkness, and in due time all
the earth will be filled with his glory.
It would give me great pleasure to see you once more in this
world, but I have more hope of meeting you in that new world,
wherein dwelleth righteousness, than I have of seeing- you again
on earth.
The foregoing was to his mother. About the same
time-G. H. Pond wrote in a little different strain:
It is probable that we can do as much good here as we could
anywhere, and that we shall be less likely to become inordinately
attached to this life than we should in any other place.
During several of the years last preceding Mr.
Daniel Gavin had been laboring with little apparent
result at Red Wing village. In an interesting letter
written in his native language, which he always used
in writing to Mr. Pond, he speaks of the various trials
and discouragements encountered in his work at that
point. Mrs. Gavin also adds a word to Mr. and Mrs.
Pond, from which we quote :
Oh, that I could give you a cheering account of the result of our
labors here, but alas ! all is dark except to the eye of faith. " Lord,
increase our faith." Increase our confidence in thy precious prom-
TROUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE. 177
Ises is our prayer. What God is about to do with this people is
known only to himself. "Whether he will glorify himself in their
salvation or in their destruction, we know not now, but we shall
know hereafter.
The Winnebagoes are circulating the war-pipe among the Sioux
with the intention of making a formidable attack upon the Sacs and
Foxes. The lower band has accepted it, and it is expected to reach
us very soon and no doubt will be welcomed.
The Chippewas, report says, meditate an early attack upon this
band. Let us beseech the Lord to avert the stroke, peradventure
they may be saved.
Do you still observe Friday P.M.? [referring to the woman s
prayer meeting] . If so, do you remember your unworthy sister
C.? Oh, forget her not ! I am glad to hear that Master Yuwipi is
improving. If he does not make a " Wicaxtayatapi " * here, he
may, by the blessing of God, be fitted for a servant of the court of
heaven. Courage, my dear sister ! We have the promise of God
if we do our duty.
About the year 1845 it became necessary for Mr.
and Mrs. Gavin to withdraw from the Dakota Mission
on account of Mrs. Gavin s failing health. Soon after
wards the enterprise of the Lausanne Society was
abandoned, Mr. Denton having also engaged in other
work. Cornelia Stevens came into the Indian country
in 1835, a merry girl of sixteen, and had therefore
been in this section ten years. Laborious, weary
years they had been, and now, in broken health, she
was going away apparently to die.
Just before the Gavins left Red Wing, their nearest
1 Chief.
178 TWO VOLUNTEEE MISSIONARIES.
friends, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Pond, made a canoe
journey of one hundred and sixty miles (eighty miles
and return) down the Mississippi to bid them farewell.
After leaving the land of the Dakotas the Gavins
went to Upper Canada, where Mrs. Gavin regained
her health, and Mr. Gavin labored several years with
success at a place called Sabrevois. He died there
about ten years after leaving Red Wing.
Mrs. Gavin supported her family by teaching
French and music, until her children were grown.
She died in Baltimore in 1872. Her oldest son,
Daniel, born at Red Wing, had an intense longing for
the sea, and after the death of his father became a
sailor. He was wrecked in the mouth of the St. Law
rence on his first voyage, but again went to sea and
was buried in the Indian Ocean. At the time of Mrs.
Gavin s death but two of her children were living.
Long after Mr. Gavin s death, Mr. Pond wrote of
him as follows :
Friend of my youth, how few like thee
Through a long life my eyes have seen;
And who again can ever be
To me what thou hast ever been?
Ah, best of friends! can I forget,
Till death shall stop my beating heart,
That hopeful hour when first we met,
Qr that when we were called to part?
TEOUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE. 179
I have a record in my heart
Of choicest treasures, rich and rare,
Of loves and friendships, true and pure,
And Gavin s name is written there.
T is written there in letters bright,
A brightness which no age can dim:
For though I once had many friends,
I had no other friend like him.
TROUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE AND BLOOMINGTON.
DURING the winter of 1843-44 the new station at
Traverse des Sioux encountered much opposi
tion from the Indians. Horses and cattle were killed,
and the Indians sought in every way to remind Mr.
Riggs of the fact that he had located there without
having first obtained permission. In a mele e over
the shooting of a horse, an Indian shot an arrow
at Mr. Riggs, which failed to hit him. About this
time S. W. Pond visited the Traverse on his way
from Lac Qui Parle to Fort Snelling. While he
was there a drunken Indian assaulted him with a
knife. The ladies of the family seemed to be in
mortal terror, Mrs. Riggs stating that they would be
compelled to leave that point unless relief could be
obtained.
On reaching the fort, Mr. Pond entered complaint
against the Indians, giving Captain Backus, then in
command at the fort, a full account of the state of
affairs at the Traverse. Shortly afterward Captain
Backus sent word to Oak Grove that he had confined
in the guardhouse an Indian who had just come down
17Q
TROUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE. 171
from Traverse des Sioux to buy liquor, and be believed
him to be the one who had made the assault on Mr.
Riggs. Mr. Pond went at once to the fort and found
the captain had the right man.
On learning of this arrest Mr. Riggs was some
what apprehensive of retaliation on the part of the
man s friends and wrote urging his immediate release.
As there was still some delay he came all the way
from the Traverse, with one named Tanka-Mani, to
obtain the release of the prisoner. In the examina
tion which took place he said he did not really think
the man meant to hit him. " Ah, Mr. Riggs, you
exceed the bounds of Christian charity," said Cap
tain Backus, who was unwilling to release the man
and probably would not have consented to do so,
except for the expense and inconvenience which
would attend sending him to Prairie du Chien for
trial. He was finally released. The arrest did him
good, and was followed by good results at the
Traverse, although the natives at that station were
never distinguished for either noble or humane traits
of character.
The years succeeding were years of seed-sowing at
all the stations. At Oak Grove the school was kept
up regularly in spite of much opposition and much
drunkenness on the part of the Indians. The winter
of 1844-45 was a very mild one. We learn from
172 TWO VOLUNTEER MISSIONARIES.
Gideon Pond s diary that the lowest point touched
by the mercury that season was ten degrees below,
Fahrenheit. In March the Indians were all convinced
that it was April, an error not very infrequent with
them. On April first, however, an Indian perished
with the cold. There was great mortality among them
that year. On the tenth of February occurs the entry :
"The ninth coffin I have made since October;"
a large death-rate considering the limited number
living at that place.
The following entries in the journal illustrate in
a striking manner some phases of life among the
Dakotas at that day :
Some of the Indians had a drunken frolic last night and one
bit off the nose of another, which, some say, he swallowed,
and others, that they found it near the house the next day. The
son of the one who lost his nose shot the one who bit it off
in the face with shot, but probably did not hurt him very much.
I am acquainted with some who have had their fingers and
thumbs bitten off on such occasions fine sport, but it some
times causes unpleasant feelings among them, which is more
than overbalanced, however, by affording an interesting subject
of conversation. *
July 12. The Indians have had high times to-day. I am more
and more confirmed in the opinion that, as a general thing, they
are extremely glad when one is killed by an enemy. A great
parade is always made at the burial.
To-day has been peculiarly interesting. What made it more
than usually so, they killed a beef, weighing between eight hun
dred and nine hundred pounds, and have eaten most of it. In
TEOUBLE AT THE TE AVERSE. 173
addition to beef, they had a keg of whiskey, which would greatly
enhance the interest of an event in itself interesting.
Those who have killed an enemy are permitted to sit together
and one by one relate their stories and have the event pictured on
a long board previously prepared and planed for the purpose.
This afternoon a neighboring Indian brought a keg of whiskey to
our village and invited the chief and chief soldier to drink. The
invitation was refused, and the refusal so angered the Indians that
now, about sunset, they are about killing Mahpiya-Wicaxta (the
chief) and are running about the village yelling in first-rate style.
12, Midnight. The women and children all fled and hid. I con
clude no one was killed, as they are all quiet and no coffin is
wanted.
An affair came off this afternoon, not a very common occurrence
among the Indians. Karboka s daughter quarreled with her little
brother, and as her father could not stop her without, he whipped
her. The girl being very angry came over to the hill by our
house, where the dead are laid upon the scaffolds, to bewail her
misfortune. Her grandmother, hearing her from the field where
she was picking corn, left her work and came over to see what
was the matter with her granddaughter. Like all good grannies,
on hearing from the girl that her father had punished her, she
became enraged, and in revenge hung herself by the portage col
lar to a scaffold on which the corpses lie.
The little girl, seeing her sympathetic grandmother in such a
predicament, was so terrified that she set up such a screaming that
it called us all out. It was in sight of our door. Jane was first on
the ground and had the old woman loosed before we arrived.
This she did in a quick-witted way, worthy the instincts of her
race. Rightly reasoning that the rope would not sustain her
weight in addition to that of the old lady, she grasped the rope
above the old woman s head and all came down together.
Even with their ideas of futurity, the old woman acted a very
foolish part, for when one hangs herself, as a punishment for the
174 TWO VOLUNTEER MISSIONARIES.
act, she has to drag through eternity that which she hangs herself
to, and at the same time be driven about by others. Now the old
woman would have had the whole scaffold, which would have made
her a severe load.
In the opinion of a Dakota, those who fall in battle are, in the
future state, happiest of the happy, while suicides are most miser
able of lost spirits.
Referring to the fact that those who usually at
tended Sabbath service had gone to a card-play
instead, Gideon writes, in 1845, " The card-play is
called * Game-of-the-departed-spirits " :
They believe that each person has four souls, or shades, one of
which remains with a lock of hair taken from the head of the
deceased, one by the corpse, one in the world of spirits, and one is
not confined to any place. The present game is played at the
expense and request of some individuals who have recently lost
relatives by death. The object of it is to conciliate the favor of
the spirits departed. They believe that the spirits of the dead
control the weather, making it pleasant or unpleasant at their
pleasure. This is a beautiful day, therefore they have positive
evidence that the game is pleasing to those for whom it is played.
The near relatives of the deceased furnish the property which is
staked and invite persons to play for it.
At our village a short time ago the son of the chief, Mahkah-
nartahkah (Ground kicker) made a ball-play to the spirit of a
child he lost last fall. He purchased $50 or $60 worth of
clothing and invited ninety men to play for it, forty-five on a side.
Besides this he feasted them all. However, the spirit did not seem
to be pleased, as we had a very tedious snowstorm. Heathenism
is expensive.
Last night a widow ran off with her family in the night and left
TROUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE. 175
her tent to the spirits, who frightened her away. An old man who
is here says the u spirits " scared her because she has plenty to eat
and does not feed them. They are always very particular to feed
the spirits of their deceased friends and honor them by various
performances. The spirits eat only the shade or spirit of the food ;
the substance is often devoured by the living, who are not unfre-
quently collected by invitation, under the scaffold where the body
lies, to feast on that which is presented to the spirit.
The following extracts are from a letter written by
Samuel Pond, August, 1844 :
So far as this world is concerned we are more comfortably and
pleasantly situated than we ever expected to be in an Indian coun
try, and I trust we have good hope through grace of eternal life
in heaven. Though we have not had such success in our labors for
the conversion of the Indians as we hoped and wished for, yet I
do not know as we have good reason to be discouraged. There is
much preparatory labor to be done by missionaries before they can
communicate the gospel to people of a strange language, and there
are peculiar difficulties in the way of the conversion of the first
who embrace the gospel among a heathen people. Though our
labors have not resulted in the conversion of many, and perhaps
not of any, yet we do not know that we are laboring in vain.
It is slow work to communicate the truths of the gospel to the
minds of the heathen, but many of this people are becoming more
and more acquainted with the way of salvation, and we hope the
word of God will not return unto him void but accomplish the
work whereunto he sent it.
There can be no harvest without a seedtime. For nearly twenty
years the English missionaries to the South Sea Islands sowed in
tears. A large amount of property and many lives were sacrificed,
apparently in vain, but now they or their successors reap in joy,
and that is one of the most successful of modern missions. Some
176 TWO VOLUNTEER MISSIONARIES.
of these Indians seem desirous to learn the way of salvation and a
few of them usually attend meeting at our house on the Sabbath,
but such as manifest a desire to listen to the truth meet with a
great deal of opposition.
For many ages Satan has reigned here undisturbed and he will
not give up his dominion over this people without a struggle. Yet
Jesus has conquered the powers of darkness, and in due time all
the earth will be filled with his glory.
It would give me great pleasure to see you once more in this
world, but I have more hope of meeting you in that new world,
wherein dwelleth righteousness, than I have of seeing- you again
on earth.
The foregoing was to his mother. About the same
time-G. H. Pond wrote in a little different strain:
It is probable that we can do as much good here as we could
anywhere, and that we shall be less likely to become inordinately
attached to this life than we should in any other place.
During several of the years last preceding Mr.
Daniel Gavin had been laboring with little apparent
result at Red Wing village. In an interesting letter
written in his native language, which he always used
in writing to Mr. Pond, he speaks of the various trials
and discouragements encountered in his work at that
point. Mrs. Gavin also adds a word to Mr. and Mrs.
Pond, from which we quote :
Oh, that I could give you a cheering account of the result of our
labors here, but alas ! all is dark except to the eye of faith. " Lord,
increase our faith." Increase our confidence in thy precious prom-
TROUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE. 177
Ises is our prayer. What God is about to do with this people is
known only to himself. "Whether he will glorify himself in their
salvation or in their destruction, we know not now, but we shall
know hereafter.
The Winnebagoes are circulating the war-pipe among the Sioux
with the intention of making a formidable attack upon the Sacs and
Foxes. The lower band has accepted it, and it is expected to reach
us very soon and no doubt will be welcomed.
The Chippewas, report says, meditate an early attack upon this
band. Let us beseech the Lord to avert the stroke, peradventure
they may be saved.
Do you still observe Friday P.M.? [referring to the woman s
prayer meeting] . If so, do you remember your unworthy sister
C.? Oh, forget her not ! I am glad to hear that Master Yuwipi is
improving. If he does not make a " Wicaxtayatapi " * here, he
may, by the blessing of God, be fitted for a servant of the court of
heaven. Courage, my dear sister ! We have the promise of God
if we do our duty.
About the year 1845 it became necessary for Mr.
and Mrs. Gavin to withdraw from the Dakota Mission
on account of Mrs. Gavin s failing health. Soon after
wards the enterprise of the Lausanne Society was
abandoned, Mr. Denton having also engaged in other
work. Cornelia Stevens came into the Indian country
in 1835, a merry girl of sixteen, and had therefore
been in this section ten years. Laborious, weary
years they had been, and now, in broken health, she
was going away apparently to die.
Just before the Gavins left Red Wing, their nearest
1 Chief.
178 TWO VOLUNTEEE MISSIONARIES.
friends, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Pond, made a canoe
journey of one hundred and sixty miles (eighty miles
and return) down the Mississippi to bid them farewell.
After leaving the land of the Dakotas the Gavins
went to Upper Canada, where Mrs. Gavin regained
her health, and Mr. Gavin labored several years with
success at a place called Sabrevois. He died there
about ten years after leaving Red Wing.
Mrs. Gavin supported her family by teaching
French and music, until her children were grown.
She died in Baltimore in 1872. Her oldest son,
Daniel, born at Red Wing, had an intense longing for
the sea, and after the death of his father became a
sailor. He was wrecked in the mouth of the St. Law
rence on his first voyage, but again went to sea and
was buried in the Indian Ocean. At the time of Mrs.
Gavin s death but two of her children were living.
Long after Mr. Gavin s death, Mr. Pond wrote of
him as follows :
Friend of my youth, how few like thee
Through a long life my eyes have seen;
And who again can ever be
To me what thou hast ever been?
Ah, best of friends! can I forget,
Till death shall stop my beating heart,
That hopeful hour when first we met,
Qr that when we were called to part?
TEOUBLE AT THE TRAVERSE. 179
I have a record in my heart
Of choicest treasures, rich and rare,
Of loves and friendships, true and pure,
And Gavin s name is written there.
T is written there in letters bright,
A brightness which no age can dim:
For though I once had many friends,
I had no other friend like him.