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B ; who was then in command at Fort Snelling, sent word to the Chippeway chief of the murder that had been committed, and requested him to bring all his men in, as the murderer must be given up. But this did not satisfy the Dahcotahs; they longed to raise the tomahawk which they held in their hands.
Already the eager eyes of the boys had discovered a boat that answered the description of the one they expected to find awaiting them. Making straight for the place they found that they had guessed rightly. That good sized powerboat was the Chippeway Belle, the vessel which was to be their home for the next two weeks or more, as they pleased.
This old woman was a perfect virago an "embodied storm." In her time she had cut off the hands and feet of some little Chippeway children, and strung them, and worn them for a necklace. And she feasted yet at the pleasant recollections this honorable exploit induced.
A few nights ago, some young men belonging to the village of Marpuah Wechastah, had been drinking. They knew that the Chippeway interpreter was away, and that his wife was alone. They went, like cowards as they were, to frighten a woman. They yelled and sung, they beat against her door, shouting and laughing when they found she was afraid to come out.
"I will speak to her in her own language, if she is a Chippeway or any of the tribes about here, for they all have the same dialect," said Captain Sinclair. Captain Sinclair addressed her in the Indian language, and the Indian girl replied in a very soft voice. "She says her husband is gone to bring home venison." "Tell her we are coming to live here, and will give her anything she wants."
Thad learned later an that the poor old Chippeway Belle was fully insured, and no word of complaint ever reached them after they had furnished the owner with all the evidence he needed in order to collect the amount; so there may have been a little truth in what several of the scouts hinted among themselves, that the sinking of the powerboat cleared the air, and allowed the gentleman to replace her with a newer model.
The Chippeway left his body and arms behind him, and under the direction of the old man entered upon the road to the Blissful Island. He had travelled but a couple of bowshots when it met his view, even more beautiful than his fathers had painted it. He stood upon the brow of a hill which sloped gently down to the water of a lake which stretched as far as eye could see.
They had claimed the River Ottawa, in which was the Allumette Island upon which Piskaret and the Adirondacks had lived. The Ojibways were known as the "Puckered Moccasin People," from the words meaning "to roast till puckered up." Their tanned moccasins had a heavy puckered seam. The name Ojibwa, rapidly pronounced, became in English "Chippeway." As Chippeways and Chippewas have they remained.
Among the Indians he was a great man, but he was truly great in cunning and deceit. On this occasion, however, the Dahcotahs had perfect confidence in him, and it was on the first day of April, in the same year, that they arrived at the place appointed to meet the Chippeways, near the east branch of the Chippeway river, about thirty miles northeast of Lac qui parle.
The day of the Dahcotah is far spent; to quote the language of a Chippeway chief, "The Indian's glory is passing away." They seem to be almost a God-forgotten race. Some few have given the missionary reason to hope that they have been made subjects of Christian faith and the light, that has as yet broken in faint rays upon their darkness, may increase.
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