Page:History of the Ojibway Nation.djvu/180

170 capture are such that the fact is always mentioned, in connection with the tale relating the above important event in their history.

It appears that during the heat of the battle, two young Ojibway lads who had accompanied their fathers on the war trail, entered a Dakota lodge which they supposed had been deserted by the fleeing enemy. They, however, found it to be occupied by a stout and full-grown Dakota warrior; he sat in the lodge in an attitude of sorrow, holding his head between his hands, and his elbows resting on his raised knees, his unstrung bow and full quiver of arrows lay at his feet, and his war spear stood planted before him. He did not even lift his head as the two lads entered, the youngest of whom immediately rushed on him, and being unarmed, he attempted to secure him as a captive. The Dakota took him by the arm and gently pushed him aside. The brave little lad, however, persisted, and calling on his older comrade to help him, they both fell on the Dakota and attempted to secure his arms. He pushed them easily away, and quietly resumed his former position, and remained thus till a number of Ojibway warriors attracted by the calls of the young lad, entered the lodge and secured him captive. He was given to the boy who first assaulted him as his prisoner.

When asked by an Ojibway who could speak his language, the reason why he had acted so strangely, he replied that the evening before, his father had scolded him without cause, and had heaped shameful epithets on him, under which he felt that he could not survive, and be a tenant of his lodge. During the night he had dreamed of living amongst the Ojibways, and early that morning he was preparing to leave his people forever and seek for a new home among their villages, when the attack commenced and he determined to risk the chances of neutrality. He became a great favorite with the family into whose hands he fell,