THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 19 



Keokuk's love of humor was intense. While he resided in his village, 

 near the present town of Ottumwa, on Sugar Creek, in 1838, he received 

 a letter from Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, inviting the king of 

 the Sacs and Foxes to attend a regal council to be held in his palace 

 at Nauvoo, 111. Keokuk accepted, and with a mounted escort of In- 

 dians, went to Nauvoo. They were received in the Temple, where the 

 prophet made an address referring to the children of Israel and the lost 

 tribes. He tried to convince Keokuk that the Indians were the lost 

 tribes, and that this had been revealed to him, and that they must come 

 into his fold. Keokuk answered — 



If my brother is ordered by the Great Spirit to collect our lost tribes together and 

 lead them into a land flowing with milk and honey, it is his duty to do so. But I 

 wish to ask about some particulars that my brother has omitted. They are of great 

 importance to my people. The red men are not much used to milk. They prefer 

 streams of water, and in the country where they live there is a good supply of honey. 

 The points we wish to inquire about are whether the new government will pay large 

 annuities and whether there will be plenty of whisky ? 



The conference abruptly ended. 



Keokuk had an Anglo-Saxon force of expression in coining words. 

 One day in the fall of 1830 he was at the trading post at Iowaville, 

 Iowa. A man named Adams had been employed by Mr. Jordan, the 

 trader. Keokuk could not pronounce the name, Adams. He tried sev- 

 eral times, but failed. Just then Adams, who had been chopping wood, 

 removed his hat to wipe the perspiration from his head. His head was 

 entirely bald. Keokuk's face lit up and he exclaimed "inus-ke-tack!" 

 meaning " prairie-head," or a place with nothing upon it, or no growth. 

 Adams was ever afterwards known by this name. 



Keokuk was always the friend of the whites and they were his friends. 



In 1832 five of Keokuk's men killed a settler named Martin, in Warren 

 County, Illinois. Demand was made for the murderers. One of them 

 was a nephew of Keokuk ; the other four escaped. Keokuk called his 

 men together and told them of the consequences to follow ; that unless 

 these men were forthcoming war would follow. Four of his young men 

 rose up and volunteered to stand for the four guilty ones. They were 

 delivered up to the whites. At the trial Keokuk was a witness. He told 

 the court that the four young men were innocent and that the guilty men 

 had escaped, but that the four were ready to be hanged for the real mur- 

 derers, in the interest of peace. Of course they were acquitted and dis- 

 charged at oncei 



Keokuk's consummate tact with men and his ingenuity were well 

 displayed in his famous mourning scene for President Harrison. John 

 Chambers, of Kentucky, a close friend of General Harrison, was ap- 

 pointed by him governor of Iowa to succeed Governor Lucas. The gov- 

 ernor of a Territory at that time was also superintendent of Indian af- 

 fairs for the Territory. There was great rivalry in the Sac and Fox at 

 this time as to who should have favor with the new governor. Hard 

 Fish, a leading chief, was Keokuk's rival. He and his band hurried to 



