The autobiography of ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak ( Black Hawk )
Project Gutenberg - A free online e-book catalog - has an e-book posted
Title: Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk
Author: Black Hawk
Release Date: December, 2004 [EBook #7097]
[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]
[This file was first posted on March 10, 2003]
The historical value includes among other things a birds-eye view of the treaty that ceded the majority of the territories from the first nation to the early americans.
There are at least two stories claiming to be the autobiography, one post mortem, that I was able to find on the internet. This work is an english translation of the book authored by Black Hawk and recorded in french in 1882.
For those of you who have not found this already and are into first nation history, enjoy!
- Excerpt -
Some moons after this young chief had descended the Mississippi, one
of our people killed an American, was taken prisoner and was confined
in the prison at St. Louis for the offence. We held a council at our
village to see what could be done for him, and determined that
Quashquame, Pashepaho, Ouchequaka and Hashequarhiqua should go down to
St. Louis, see our American father and do all they could to have our
friend released by paying for the person killed, thus covering the
blood and satisfying the relations of the murdered man. This being
the only means with us for saving a person who had killed another, and
we then thought it was the same way with the whites.
The party started with the good wishes of the whole nation, who had
high hopes that the emissaries would accomplish the object of their
mission. The relations of the prisoner blacked their faces and
fasted, hoping the Great Spirit would take pity on them and return
husband and father to his sorrowing wife and weeping children.
Quashquame and party remained a long time absent. They at length
returned and encamped near the village, a short distance below it, and
did not come up that day, nor did any one approach their camp. They
appeared to be dressed in fine coats and had medals. From these
circumstances we were in hopes that they had brought good news. Early
the next morning the Council Lodge was crowded, Quashquame and party
came up and gave us the following account of their mission:
On our arrival at St. Louis we met our American father and explained
to him our business, urging the release of our friend. The American
chief told us he wanted land. We agreed to give him some on the west
side of the Mississippi, likewise more on the Illinois side opposite
Jeffreon. When the business was all arranged we expected to have our
friend released to come home with us. About the time we were ready to
start our brother was let out of the prison. He started and ran a
short distance when he was SHOT DEAD!
This was all they could remember of what had been said and done. It
subsequently appeared that they had been drunk the greater part of the
time while at St. Louis.
This was all myself and nation knew of the treaty of 1804. It has
since been explained to me. I found by that treaty, that all of the
country east of the Mississippi, and south of Jeffreon was ceded to
the United States for one thousand dollars a year. I will leave it to
the people of the United States to say whether our nation was properly
represented in this treaty? Or whether we received a fair
compensation for the extent of country ceded by these four
individuals?
I could say much more respecting this treaty, but I will not at this
time. It has been the origin of all our serious difficulties with the
whites.
Sometime after this treaty was made, a war chief with a party of
soldiers came up in keel boats, encamped a short distance above the
head of the Des Moines rapids, and commenced cutting timber and
building houses. The news of their arrival was soon carried to all
our villages, to confer upon which many councils were held. We could
not understand the intention, or comprehend the reason why the
Americans wanted to build homes at that place. We were told that they
were a party of soldiers, who had brought great guns with them, and
looked like a war party of whites.
