Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/68

 38 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY from the place where he settled, "went on down to the site of the modern city of Red Wing, where game of all kinds, fish included, were found in great abundance. Here there seemed nothing lack- ing to their perfect happiness, and they lived for a great length of time, intermarrying like some families in Europe, until another chief, who might be styled the first of the name of Wah-pa-sha or his progenitor, drew attention to the efficiency of some of the warriors who could not complete the trail of the sun dance and bear dance and had been compelled to assume the garb and occu- pation of women, as was the custom among the Sioux. He also referred to the increasing number of skeletons they were com- pelled to place in their ossuaries on Barn and other bluffs in the neighborhood and ended by declaring that new alliances should be made with more vigorous tribes, and the customs of other In- dians, now extinct, should be strictly enforced. "It so happened that one of his own daughters was in ex- pectation of an alliance with Chaska, a brave of great repute, eldest son of a chief, but the talk of Wah-pa-sha had so impressed him that without saying anything of his purpose, he had started off as if for a hunt, but in reality to see and espouse the daughter of Yellow Thunder, a noted Winnebago chief, who. though of Dah-ko-tah origin, was very far removed from the original stock. Chaska 's absence was iirst noticed by his charming bride, who, jealous of his absence, complained to her father. Upon inquiry, it was found that the teachings of Wah-pa-sha had driven the young man away, but not to be baffled, the young girl, proving to the high priest her virginity, he was at once able to call good spirits to her aid. At first Rem-ne-chee and Wah-pa-sha had taken sides, one dor the son, the other for the daughter. Neither chief desired bloodshed, but old-time prejudices and customs are stronger than the authority of any chief, unless he has well- tested persona] bravery to enforce his commands. This seemed Lacking in the older chief, Rem-ne-chee, and bows were being strung and spears pointed, when the power of the secret incanta- tions of the priest burst forth in vivid flashes of lightning, the earth trembled and then all was enveloped in darkness most profound; while the Indians in affright cast themselves upon the ground, where they remained chanting their death-songs in expectation of destruction. But lo ! light again appeared, and those mi Red Wing found that a part of their possessions, includ- ing the dome-shaped peak and part of the Barn bluff ossuary, had disappeared, and during the seismic strife, Wah-pa-sha the elder, and part of his band, had also been torn from Remnechee's turbulent followers. Witch-e-ain, the virgin, had been left behind, but calling to the spokesman of the band for aid, she soon assem- bled a few young braves, who. in devotion to her father, and in