OATLIN'S INDIAN GALLERY. 



INDIAN PORTRAITS. 



SACS ANI> FOXES. 



SACS (SlU-KIES). 



[Sac: Laws of United States. Sac and Sauk : Indian Bureau, June, 1885.] 



A tribe of Indians residing on the Upper Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers. 

 Present number (in 1840), about 5,000. The small-pox carried off half their popula- 

 tion a few years since, and a considerable number were destroyed in the "Black 

 Hawk War" in 1832. This tribe shave the head, leaving only a small tuft of hair on 

 the top, which is called the "scalplock." — G. C, 1835. 



1. Kee-o-kuk (Keokuk) (the Watchful Fox ?), the Running Fox* ; ijresent chief of the 

 tribe. Shield on his arm and staif of office (scejjtre) in his hand ; neck- 

 lace of grisly bear's claws, over the skin of a white wolf, on his neck.t 



(Plate No. 280, page 210, vol, 2, Catlin's Eight Years.) 



This man, during the Black Hawk war, kept two-thirds of the warriors of the tribe 

 neutral, and was therefore appointed chief by General Scott, m treaty, with the con- 

 sent of the nation. — G. C, 1848. 



In a former epistle I mentioned the interview which I had with Kee-o-kuk, and 

 the leading men and women of his tribe, when I painted a number of their portraits 

 and amusements as follows : 



Eee-o-lcuk (the Running Fox, No. 1, above, Watchful Fox) is the present chief of the 

 tribe, a dignified and proud man, with a good share of talent, and vanity enough to force 

 into action all the wit and judgment he possesses in order to command the attention 

 and respect of the world. At the close of the Black Hawk war in 1832, which had 

 been waged with disastrous effects along the frontier, by a Sac chief of that name, 

 Kee-o-kuTc was acknowledged chief of the Sacs and Foxes by General Scott, who held 

 a treaty with them at Rock Island. His appointment as chief was in consequence of 

 the friendly position he had taken during the war, holding two-thirds of the warriors 

 neutral, which was no doubt the cause of the sudden and successful termination of 

 the war and the means of saving much bloodshed. Black Hawk and his two s5ns, 

 as well as his principal advisers and warriors, were brought into Saint Louis in 

 chains, and Kee-o-kuk appointed chief with the assent of the tribe. In his portrait I 



* Mr. Catlin saw "Black Hawk" and his fellow-prisoners, at Jefferson Barracks, Saint Louis, Mo., 

 in the fall of 1832. He met Keokuk and the Sac and Foxes first in 1834 on the Des Moines Kiver, and 

 again in 1836.— T. D. 



The acute accent is used in the spelling of the Indian names merely to denote the emphasis. — G. C. 



tin the Cartoon Collection, page 9, No. 15, given as "A," Keokuk, "the Running Fox," head chief 

 of the tribe, holding his mace (symbol of authority), and his tomahawk ornamented with a scalp. — T. D. 



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