Post by yellowhair1850 on Jun 4, 2011 13:22:49 GMT -5
When the Sioux, or the Dakota as they were then known, first laid eyes on a White Man, or a Wasichu, it was exactly one hundred and ninety-seven years to the day prior to Little Bighorn, their greatest military victory over the Wasichu. The date was 25 June 1679. And it was not a band of braves or a chief that first glimpsed the Wasichu. It was two young boys who should have been tending the wamnaheza (corn) crop with the women, but decided to go fishing instead.
The two youths, both ten winters old, walked the path that led to The Lake of The Knife; one carried a net, the other a coiled strip of rawhide. The net was to catch the fish with, the rawhide strip was to be used to string the fish once caught. “I bet you we catch so many fish our fathers will allow us to go fishing everyday instead staying with the women,” said the first child, whose named was Fast Wolf. “We are too old to stay with the woman,” exclaimed Fast Wolf’s friend, Little Deer.
The boys were so intent on their discussion that when they came around the bend in the trail they did not see the si’ca woniya (bad spirit) right away. However, after a few more steps they looked up to see the wowinihan (monster). He looked almost human, but instead of hair, his scalp was covered in fur, as was the lower half of his face.
The monster was tall, at least twelve hands. And his skin was not the color of a human being’s. It was lighter. When the monster saw that the boys had seen him, he smiled. Probably to lure them to their destruction. Then he held up his hand and said something only another monster could understand.
The boys did not wait around to be devoured. The net and the coil of rawhide lay on the path where the boys had stood. The boys themselves were hightailing it back to their village to warn the people that there was a monster in the woods.
When the monster saw the boys turn and run, he shrugged his shoulders, smiled, and hefted the large sack that hung from his left shoulder. From his right shoulder hung an iron stick with what looked like a block of wood attached to one end of it. And at a leisurely pace he followed the path that boys had fled down.
The boys flew into the village shouting that there was a monster in the woods and he had tried to eat them. Of course, the people of the village were amused. Some smiled tolerant smiles. Others laughed out loud. And still others shook their heads at the foolishness of children. That is until the monster walked into the village.
This particular monster had a name. It was Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut. He was from a land far to the east, a land called France. The monster had traveled many moons to find the Dakota. He had business to discuss with them.
The monster, who was not really a monster, but only a man, strode to the center of the village. The women stayed close to their tipis, the children stayed close to their mothers, and the men stayed where they were, but all eyes followed him.
To the men of the village he was not a monster, but a man. However, he was a type of man they had never seen before. What sort of man would allow hair to grow on his face? And he did not have a fur scalp; it was a covering of some sort, perhaps beaver.
When the man reached the center of the village he spoke in the Ojibwa tongue. “I have come to trade with you.” A few who heard him understood what he said and they told the others. He then laid the sack and the iron stick on the ground. Of course, the “iron stick” was a musket. Bending down he reached into the sack and withdrew a knife with a razor sharp edge and laid it on the ground. Then he pulled from the sack a steel kettle and metal eating utensils and placed them next to the knife. Again and again the man reached into the sack and each time he pulled out a new wonder until the sack lay empty.
Then Sieur du Lhut picked up the knife, stood, and said, “I would speak with your chief.” But by now a crowd had formed around him. The women were looking at the metal implements used for cooking and the men were looking at the brightly polished, steel blade of the knife.
After a few minutes, the crowd parted and two men approached him. The younger of the two spoke to Sieur du Lhut in the Ojibwa tongue. “I am Tatanka Sa (Red Buffalo) and this is Skoon Ka Ska (White Dog), our chief. I will speak for him. I understand the Ojibwa tongue; as a child I was captured and lived with them for three years before escaping.”
Extending his arms, holding the knife flat in the palms of his hands, and looking directly at White Dog, Sieur du Lhut spoke, “I give this to you in friendship.”
When Red Buffalo told his chief what was said, White Dog took the knife from the Sieur du Lhut. It was a beauty. The Blade was nine inches long, the handle, made of deer bone, five inches. White Dog turned the knife over and inspected it from every angle, finally testing the blade with his thumb.
Waiting for this moment, Sieur du Lhut took a green twig out of his side coat pocket and proffered it to White Dog. It was eight inches long and a half an inch thick. Speaking to Red Buffalo, he said, “Tell him to slice the knife through the wood.”
White Dog did not have to be told twice. Holding the twig in his left hand and the knife in his right, he brought knife to wood. When the knife cut the twig cleanly in half, White Dog smiled and told Red Buffalo to tell the stranger to collect his gear and follow them. He was to be an honored guest of the village. Sieur du Lhut put his things back into the sack, hefted it onto his shoulder, picked up his musket, and followed the two men through the crowd of on lookers to White Dog’s lodge.
Once the sacred pipe had been smoked and the food eaten that was brought by one of White Dog’s wives, the men got down to business. Speaking through the interpreter Red Buffalo, the two men spoke. “What do you want stranger?” “I am called Sieur du Lhut and I want to trade with you and your people.” “You have such wondrous things, what have we that you desire?”
It was then that Sieur du Lhut removed the fur from his head. “This is beaver pelt.” White Dog replied, “I know what it is.” “Well, I desire the pelts of the beaver and the fox. Also there are two other animals, but I don’t know the words for them in the Ojibwa tongue. But in my tongue they are called ermine and sable. If we come to an understanding, I will go into the woods and show the animals to your people. What I propose is that this autumn and winter your people trap as many animals as they can. And in the spring I will return for the skins with canoes filled with cloth, things made of metal, knifes and hatchets. But I have saved the best for last. If you would please follow me outside, I will show you something that will make the Dakota a mighty nation. With what I am going to show you, the Dakota will easily defeat the Ojibwa, the Huron, and the Ottawa.”
Picking up his musket and holding it out toward White Dog, Sieur du Lhut said, “This will win many battles for the Dakota.” “White Dog could not resist, “The Dakota win their own battles.”
When they were outside of White Dog’s tipi, Sieur du Lhut walked to the edge of the village where he pointed to an old birch. “Think of that tree as a man.” He then placed the stock of the musket on the ground with the barrel pointing up. Taking his time so that White Dog could follow his movements, he set the hammer to half cocked to be safe. He would be looking down the barrel and if the hammer was fully cocked the gun might go off.
He then took a charge from a pouch that hung at his side. On top of the charge was a ball. He tore the charge with his teeth and kept the ball in his mouth. Then he poured the powder down the barrel, put the ball of lead into the barrel and put the wadding from the package on top. Taking the ramrod, he tamped the powder, the ball and the wadding into the barrel. The wadding was there to make sure that the ball and gunpowder stayed put. Adding some gunpowder to the flash pan below the trigger, he fully cocked the musket and aimed at the birch.
There were a few people milling about, trying to observe what the stranger was doing. Sieur du Lhut asked Red Buffalo to tell everyone to stand behind him. He did not want to shoot anyone by accident. It might interfere with his trading plans. It might also considerably shorten his life.
When everyone was clear, he pulled the trigger. The loud report frightened some. Red Buffalo who was closest to Sieur du Lhut jumped at the noise. However, White Dog gave no indication of fear or surprise, but said, “Are loud noises supposed to defeat our enemies?” “No, but this will, follow me.”
Sieur du Lhut went to the tree and pointed to the hole that the ball had made. Taking out his knife, he dug the ball from the tree and handed it to White Dog. “If that little ball can do that to a sturdy tree, think what it can do to a man.”
White Dog looked thoughtful for a moment, then looked at the inquiring faces of his people who had crowded in close to see the musket ball, and then said to Red Buffalo, “Tell the … the …” and looking Sieur du Lhut over, said the word for the first time in the Dakota language. “Tell the Wasichu he will stay with us awhile, there are many things of which we must speak.”
Sieur du Lhut stayed three weeks. During that time he taught White Dog how to load and fire the musket. However, White Dog wanted to trade for the musket before Sieur du Lhut left, but it was politely explained to him that it was needed for the return journey.
He and White Dog agreed to trade muskets, balls and powder, plus knives, hatchets and other goods for the pelts of the beaver, fox, ermine and sable. How many pelts per musket would depend on the quality of the pelts.
Sieur du Lhut said he would return in nine moons with many men and canoes to carry away the pelts that would be harvested during that time. He told White Dog that he would take all the pelts that he could deliver. Sieur du Lhut left at the end of The Moon When Cherries Are Ripe (July) and would return during The Moon of the Red Grass (April).
The British knew the man Sieur du Lhut by his anglicized name Duluth. The same Duluth for which the city was named.
So ended the first encounter between the Wasichu and the Dakota. The Dakota thought that they had made a good bargain, and perhaps they did, but it was still a bargain with the devil.
The two youths, both ten winters old, walked the path that led to The Lake of The Knife; one carried a net, the other a coiled strip of rawhide. The net was to catch the fish with, the rawhide strip was to be used to string the fish once caught. “I bet you we catch so many fish our fathers will allow us to go fishing everyday instead staying with the women,” said the first child, whose named was Fast Wolf. “We are too old to stay with the woman,” exclaimed Fast Wolf’s friend, Little Deer.
The boys were so intent on their discussion that when they came around the bend in the trail they did not see the si’ca woniya (bad spirit) right away. However, after a few more steps they looked up to see the wowinihan (monster). He looked almost human, but instead of hair, his scalp was covered in fur, as was the lower half of his face.
The monster was tall, at least twelve hands. And his skin was not the color of a human being’s. It was lighter. When the monster saw that the boys had seen him, he smiled. Probably to lure them to their destruction. Then he held up his hand and said something only another monster could understand.
The boys did not wait around to be devoured. The net and the coil of rawhide lay on the path where the boys had stood. The boys themselves were hightailing it back to their village to warn the people that there was a monster in the woods.
When the monster saw the boys turn and run, he shrugged his shoulders, smiled, and hefted the large sack that hung from his left shoulder. From his right shoulder hung an iron stick with what looked like a block of wood attached to one end of it. And at a leisurely pace he followed the path that boys had fled down.
The boys flew into the village shouting that there was a monster in the woods and he had tried to eat them. Of course, the people of the village were amused. Some smiled tolerant smiles. Others laughed out loud. And still others shook their heads at the foolishness of children. That is until the monster walked into the village.
This particular monster had a name. It was Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut. He was from a land far to the east, a land called France. The monster had traveled many moons to find the Dakota. He had business to discuss with them.
The monster, who was not really a monster, but only a man, strode to the center of the village. The women stayed close to their tipis, the children stayed close to their mothers, and the men stayed where they were, but all eyes followed him.
To the men of the village he was not a monster, but a man. However, he was a type of man they had never seen before. What sort of man would allow hair to grow on his face? And he did not have a fur scalp; it was a covering of some sort, perhaps beaver.
When the man reached the center of the village he spoke in the Ojibwa tongue. “I have come to trade with you.” A few who heard him understood what he said and they told the others. He then laid the sack and the iron stick on the ground. Of course, the “iron stick” was a musket. Bending down he reached into the sack and withdrew a knife with a razor sharp edge and laid it on the ground. Then he pulled from the sack a steel kettle and metal eating utensils and placed them next to the knife. Again and again the man reached into the sack and each time he pulled out a new wonder until the sack lay empty.
Then Sieur du Lhut picked up the knife, stood, and said, “I would speak with your chief.” But by now a crowd had formed around him. The women were looking at the metal implements used for cooking and the men were looking at the brightly polished, steel blade of the knife.
After a few minutes, the crowd parted and two men approached him. The younger of the two spoke to Sieur du Lhut in the Ojibwa tongue. “I am Tatanka Sa (Red Buffalo) and this is Skoon Ka Ska (White Dog), our chief. I will speak for him. I understand the Ojibwa tongue; as a child I was captured and lived with them for three years before escaping.”
Extending his arms, holding the knife flat in the palms of his hands, and looking directly at White Dog, Sieur du Lhut spoke, “I give this to you in friendship.”
When Red Buffalo told his chief what was said, White Dog took the knife from the Sieur du Lhut. It was a beauty. The Blade was nine inches long, the handle, made of deer bone, five inches. White Dog turned the knife over and inspected it from every angle, finally testing the blade with his thumb.
Waiting for this moment, Sieur du Lhut took a green twig out of his side coat pocket and proffered it to White Dog. It was eight inches long and a half an inch thick. Speaking to Red Buffalo, he said, “Tell him to slice the knife through the wood.”
White Dog did not have to be told twice. Holding the twig in his left hand and the knife in his right, he brought knife to wood. When the knife cut the twig cleanly in half, White Dog smiled and told Red Buffalo to tell the stranger to collect his gear and follow them. He was to be an honored guest of the village. Sieur du Lhut put his things back into the sack, hefted it onto his shoulder, picked up his musket, and followed the two men through the crowd of on lookers to White Dog’s lodge.
Once the sacred pipe had been smoked and the food eaten that was brought by one of White Dog’s wives, the men got down to business. Speaking through the interpreter Red Buffalo, the two men spoke. “What do you want stranger?” “I am called Sieur du Lhut and I want to trade with you and your people.” “You have such wondrous things, what have we that you desire?”
It was then that Sieur du Lhut removed the fur from his head. “This is beaver pelt.” White Dog replied, “I know what it is.” “Well, I desire the pelts of the beaver and the fox. Also there are two other animals, but I don’t know the words for them in the Ojibwa tongue. But in my tongue they are called ermine and sable. If we come to an understanding, I will go into the woods and show the animals to your people. What I propose is that this autumn and winter your people trap as many animals as they can. And in the spring I will return for the skins with canoes filled with cloth, things made of metal, knifes and hatchets. But I have saved the best for last. If you would please follow me outside, I will show you something that will make the Dakota a mighty nation. With what I am going to show you, the Dakota will easily defeat the Ojibwa, the Huron, and the Ottawa.”
Picking up his musket and holding it out toward White Dog, Sieur du Lhut said, “This will win many battles for the Dakota.” “White Dog could not resist, “The Dakota win their own battles.”
When they were outside of White Dog’s tipi, Sieur du Lhut walked to the edge of the village where he pointed to an old birch. “Think of that tree as a man.” He then placed the stock of the musket on the ground with the barrel pointing up. Taking his time so that White Dog could follow his movements, he set the hammer to half cocked to be safe. He would be looking down the barrel and if the hammer was fully cocked the gun might go off.
He then took a charge from a pouch that hung at his side. On top of the charge was a ball. He tore the charge with his teeth and kept the ball in his mouth. Then he poured the powder down the barrel, put the ball of lead into the barrel and put the wadding from the package on top. Taking the ramrod, he tamped the powder, the ball and the wadding into the barrel. The wadding was there to make sure that the ball and gunpowder stayed put. Adding some gunpowder to the flash pan below the trigger, he fully cocked the musket and aimed at the birch.
There were a few people milling about, trying to observe what the stranger was doing. Sieur du Lhut asked Red Buffalo to tell everyone to stand behind him. He did not want to shoot anyone by accident. It might interfere with his trading plans. It might also considerably shorten his life.
When everyone was clear, he pulled the trigger. The loud report frightened some. Red Buffalo who was closest to Sieur du Lhut jumped at the noise. However, White Dog gave no indication of fear or surprise, but said, “Are loud noises supposed to defeat our enemies?” “No, but this will, follow me.”
Sieur du Lhut went to the tree and pointed to the hole that the ball had made. Taking out his knife, he dug the ball from the tree and handed it to White Dog. “If that little ball can do that to a sturdy tree, think what it can do to a man.”
White Dog looked thoughtful for a moment, then looked at the inquiring faces of his people who had crowded in close to see the musket ball, and then said to Red Buffalo, “Tell the … the …” and looking Sieur du Lhut over, said the word for the first time in the Dakota language. “Tell the Wasichu he will stay with us awhile, there are many things of which we must speak.”
Sieur du Lhut stayed three weeks. During that time he taught White Dog how to load and fire the musket. However, White Dog wanted to trade for the musket before Sieur du Lhut left, but it was politely explained to him that it was needed for the return journey.
He and White Dog agreed to trade muskets, balls and powder, plus knives, hatchets and other goods for the pelts of the beaver, fox, ermine and sable. How many pelts per musket would depend on the quality of the pelts.
Sieur du Lhut said he would return in nine moons with many men and canoes to carry away the pelts that would be harvested during that time. He told White Dog that he would take all the pelts that he could deliver. Sieur du Lhut left at the end of The Moon When Cherries Are Ripe (July) and would return during The Moon of the Red Grass (April).
The British knew the man Sieur du Lhut by his anglicized name Duluth. The same Duluth for which the city was named.
So ended the first encounter between the Wasichu and the Dakota. The Dakota thought that they had made a good bargain, and perhaps they did, but it was still a bargain with the devil.