Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/183

 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 135 merit. Whatever he slated to be a fact could be relied on. He frequently camped with me, and it was my especial delight to fill our camp-kettle with eatables enough for a dozen men, and in addition thereto make a corresponding amount of pezuta-saps (black medicine or coffee) and then drawl over the meal, eating slowly, constantly replenishing Wakon-toppy 's plate and cup, which he made a point of honor to empty as soon as possible, until the old fellow would heave a deep sigh and cry out 'Ozhuta!' (full). Whenever this was accomplished, look out for yarns. I have lain in the tent and listened for five long hours at a stretch to the tales, traditions, history of the feats in war and hunting. He had never gone on a raid against the Chippewas, but he had followed the warpath south and west against the Saukies and Omahas. His father was adopted into a Dakota family, having been taken prisoner when he was very young in one of the Dakota forays against the Sauks and Foxes, and finally married a sister of Ti-tan-ka Monia, or Walking Buffalo, a very influential chief, and father of Wacoota. Wakon-toppy was very anxious to adopt civilized habits, and I wrote several letters, at his dictation, to the Indian Agent, in which he desired the government to give him eighty acres of land, and he would release all claims to annuities. He even went so far as to stake out his claim, which was where the village of Mazeppa now is. and was where he made his winter hunting ground for a long period of years, and where he wished his bones to rest when the Master of Life should summon him hence to a residence in the spirit world. His letters were. unan- swered and he was not allowed to hold his claim when the whites came, but was driven off with threats of violence. He stayed around here until after the Spirit Lake massacre. Finally, con- cluding to go up to Red Wood, the then place of residence of our old band, he gave me a history of Ink-pa-duta and his followers, and told me if he could get permission he would lead his party against them. In the fall an Indian messenger on his way to Wabasha stopped at my house, at the old man's request, and gave me an account of the expedition. Wakon-toppy had kept his word. Nearly all the inmates of the three lodges perished by the hands of their own kindred. This man, so prompt to avenge the wrongs of the whites, perished miserably in confinement at Daven- port, for no other crime than that of not being able to control the young men of his family in the Indian difficulties on the frontier. From his imprisonment at Mankato he sent me word, by Lieu- tenant Comstock, that his fault was in letting his son have a horse, not knowing the purpose for which it was to be used. If previous good character in any man is to be relied on, then was Wakon-toppy an innocent victim.