NO. 7 SOHON's portraits of INDIANS — EWERS 47 



GUSTAVUS SOHON'S PORTRAITS OF UPPER PEND D'OREILLE 



LEADERS 



The eight pencil portraits of Upper Pend d'Oreille leaders drawn 

 by Gustavus Sohon in the spring of 1854 include likenesses of the 

 three most important chiefs of the tribe during the period 1848-1890. 

 These three, Alexander, Big Canoe, and Michelle, were signers of 

 both the Flathead and Blackfoot Treaties of 1855. Bonaparte, a 

 minor chief, is also included. The remaining four portraits of Choits- 

 Kan, Pierre Xu-ah-ute-se, Louis Ramo, and Broken Leg (Kou- 

 sheene), represent men of less standing in the tribe about whom no 

 additional biographical information is available. Their portraits are 

 not reproduced in this paper. 



Alexaxder, Head Chief of the Upper Pend D'Oreille (Plate 16) 



Alexander (English Name) 



Tuni-cle-hot-cut-se (Indian name) 



Alexander the principal chief of the Pends-d-oreilles is not a Pend-d-Oreille 

 proper but descended on the father's side from the Snake Indians and on the 

 mother's from the Pends-d-Oreilles. He was made "First Chief" by the Pends- 

 d-oreillcs themselves and by the Jesuit Priests in 1848. He is noted for his 

 high-toned, sterling and noble traits of character. He is a brave man. When a 

 party of his tribe had stolen horses from Fort Benton on the Missouri in 1853, 

 he started with only five of his men and carried them back, passing through 

 the whole camp of the Blackfeet Indians, then most deadly enemies. He still 

 rules the Pends-d-oreille tribe of Indians and is 45 years old. 



Flathead Reservation Indians have translated Alexander's Indian 

 name as "No Horses." 



In addition to the return of the stolen horses, cited by Sohon above, 

 other known exploits of Alexander testify to his courage. As a young 

 man he volunteered to go alone to a trading post in the country of 

 the hostile Crow Indians to obtain powder and lead which was badly 

 needed by his tribe. Again, in the spring of 1856, after he had ac- 

 companied Major Owen to Fort Benton to obtain ammunition for 

 his people, Alexander and two of his men set out alone on the return 

 trip through the country of their Blackfoot enemies, killed nine buf- 

 falo on the plains, and rejoined Owen at the eastern base of the 

 Rockies. (Ronan, 1890, pp. 73-76; Owen, 1927, vol. i, pp. 118-121.) 



Alexander succeeded Joseph as chief of his tribe. (Ronan, 1890, 

 p. 73.) At the Flathead Treaty Council, he claimed to be chief of 

 the Lower Pend d'Oreille as well. Governor Stevens promptly de- 

 nied Alexander's claim to leadership of the Lower Pend d'Oreille or 

 his right to speak for that group at the Council. (Partoll, 1938a, pp. 

 299-300.) 



