THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 265 



In Irvine's Astoria is a short sketch of some of the romantic deeds of 

 Wa-shinga-sah-ba, or Blackbird : 



His dominant spirit and his love for the white man were evinced in his latest breath 

 with which he designated his place of sepulture. It was to he on a hill or promontory 

 upward of four hundred feet in height, overlooking a great extent of the Missouri, from 

 which he had been accustomed to watch for the harks of the white men. The Missouri 

 washes the base of the promontory, and after winding and doubling in many links and 

 mazes in the plains below, returns to within nine hundred yards of its starting place, 

 so that for thirty miles, navigating with sail and oar, the voyager finds himself con- 

 tinually near to this singular promontory, as if spell-bound. 



It was the dying command of the Blackbird that his tomb should be upon the sum- 

 mit of this hill, in which he should be interred, seated on his favorite horse, that he 

 might overlook his ancient domain and behold the barks of the white men as they 

 came up the river to trade with his people. 



The river has now changed its course (in 1885), running far to the eastward, leaving 

 at the foot of the hill a lake in the old bed of the river. The mound which was raised 

 over the chief and his horse is now nearly obliterated, u yet the hill of the Blackbird 

 continues an object of veneration to the wandering savage and a landmark to the 

 voyager of the Missouri. 



Mr. Catlin, in 1840, in writing of the habit of rifling Indian graves 

 (which he himself sometimes indulged in), says: 



I thought of the heroic Osceola, who was captured when he was disarmed and bear- 

 ing a white flag in his hand; who died a prisoner of war. and whose head was a few 

 months afterwards offered for sale in the city of New York. 



JUDGE JAMES HALI/S NOTES ON BLACKBIRD. 



Blackbird ( Washing a-sah-ba) was the predecessor of Big Elk, (No. 

 114) (Ongpatonga), as chief of the Omahas: 



"Blackbird" was au able man and a great warrior, but was a monster in cruelty 

 and despotism. Having learned the deadly quality of arsenic ironi the traders, he 

 procured a quantity of that drug, which he secretly used to effect his dreadful pur- 

 poses. He caused it to be believed among his people that if he prophesied the death 

 of an individual the person so doomed would immediately die ; and he artfully removed 

 by poison every one who offended him or thwarted his measures. The Omahas were 

 entirely ignorant of the means by which this horrible result Avas produced, but they 

 saw the effect, and knew from mournful experience that the displeasure of the chief 

 was the forerunner of death; and their superstitious minds easily adopted the be- 

 lief that he possessed a power which enabled him to will the desti action of his enemies. 

 He acquired a despotic sway over the minds of his people, which he exercised in the 

 most tyranical manner ; and so great was their fear for him, that even when he be- 

 came superannuated and so corpulent as to be unable to walk they earried him about, 

 watched over him when he slept, and awoke him, when necessary, by tickling his 

 nose with a straw, for fear of disturbing him too abruptly. One chief, the Little Bow, 

 whom he attempted ineffectually to poison, had the sagacity to discover the deception, 

 and the independence to resist the influence of the imposter, but being unable to cope 

 with so powerful an oppressor, he withdrew with a small band of warriors, and re- 

 mained separated from the nation until the decease of the Blackbird, which occurred 

 in the year 1800.— McKeuney & Hall, vol. 1, p. 138. 



365. View on Upper Missouri; " Blackbird's grave," a back view; prairies en- 

 ameled with wild flowers. (No plate.) (See No. 3G4.) 



