Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/109



was in the Mohawk Valley of New York. During the generations through which their wars had extended the Illinois had been gradually driven into the region between Lake Michigan and the Wabash River and extending thence west across the Mississippi River. More than two hundred years ago, when visited by Marquette, they had become greatly reduced in numbers and strength from wars with the Iroquois on the east and the Chickasaws on the south. When Iowa was next visited by white men the once powerful Illinois Indians had been nearly exterminated by the Sacs and Foxes. In 1803 a few Iowas were found who were friendly with the Sacs and Foxes, with whom they made an alliance which lasted about twenty years.

THE MASCOUTINES

A tribe called Mascoutines, first mentioned by Father Allouez in 1670, then found in the valley of the Wisconsin River, had moved into Iowa. These Indians were on friendly terms with the Illinois and occupied a portion of Iowa west of Muscatine Island, where they located, having been driven out of their former lands by hostile tribes. The Algonquin word "Mascoutenck" means a place having no woods or prairie. The Mascoutines built a village on the island of that name, which was a level prairie embracing about twenty thousand acres.

In 1673 when Marquette and Joliet first penetrated the Mississippi Valley they found the Mascoutines living near the Fox River where they had a village near the Miamis and Kickapoos, who were friendly with them. They were a fierce tribe and usually at war with some other nation. Long before the advent of the first French explorers the Mascontines fought a great battle with the Sacs and Foxes on Iowa waters. These nations in large numbers descended the Mississippi in canoes. When near the mouth of the Iowa River, they were attacked by the Mascoutines. A desperate conflict ensued lasting an entire day. The Sacs [Vol. 1]