Subject: HISTORY: Isaac Knight partt 4, Kentucky 1793

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Contributed for use in USGENWEB Archives by:
Bob & Kate Cook <rcnkc@compaq.net>
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 13:47:45 -0500
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Isaac’s Indian father and family now started with him and their fresh supply
of goods to return to Chicago.  Noting of importance transpired on the route.
Sailing along the shore of Lake Michigan they encamped every night as before,
and at length arrived at the mouth of the Chicago river, where they had 
embarked for Mackanaw.  Here, having raised their canoe on forks, and so
securing it, the removed from place to place, principally up the river, 
trading with the Indians, and making a living fishing, they steered their
course for the old hunting ground on the Illinois river.  The fatigue of 
traveling was not so great as formerly, in some sense, as Isaac’s father had
along with him too large a pack to take all at once.  They would take one 
load, some ten or twelve miles, and, having but one horse, would return for
another, and so in a few days, move all.  They were seldom in a hurry; being
always at home, having even their mats with them to repair their tents.

By the time the weather became cook they reached their hunting ground, and
had considerable success in killing deer, raccoons, &c., &c. Isaac, in 
company with an Indian, was sent by his Indian mother some distance to an
Indian hutt, for the purpose of getting what was due for her merchandize; but
the debtor, intending to remove near to Isaac’s Indian father, they got 
nothing, and returned that night to their own camp.  Isaac is of the opinion
that he traveled farther than he has ever done on horse back in the same
length of time.

Some time after this, two Indians come to Isaac’s Indian mother with sacks of
skins to pay their debts, and after settling their accounts, they purchased
some more goods, and rum enough to make them both drunk.  Now they were for
battle, and attempted to kill Isaac’s Indian father, who was also drunk.  
Acquainted with their custom, Isaac and his mother had concealed their knives
and tomahawks as soon as they commenced drink, but had neglected one gun. 
When he became enraged, he felt for his knife, then for his tomahawk, and,
finding neither, he sprang to the gun, and making his way to Isaac’s Indian
father, who was too drunk to help himself, Isaac clenched him by both arms,
and in the scuffle got hold of the breech of the gun, and presently took it
from him and threw it out the door, where the snow was near a foot deep, and
then, by the dexterity of Isaac and his Indian mother, they put the drunk 
Indians out, and kept them out until they became so cold that they were glad
to be quiet and sit by the fire, until they both fell asleep and took a good
nap.  In the mean time, Isaac and his mother stole all the deer skins and fur
skins they had left, and when they awoke and enquired for them, they told
them ‘they had drank them up, - and they then went off quietly.

After the river and lake became closed by ice, they returned to the Illinois
river, near the little island where the small pox had been so fatal, and here
turned their attention to killing muskrats; this business they followed for
some time, and Isaac and his Indian father had the fortune to kill about 500
of them.  These rats had become the more numerous in this lake, in 
consequence of the Indians that formerly lived there having either died with
the small pox or move away. 

The manner in which they killed these muskrats was with bearded spears, 
somewhat similar to a gig; and the rats built their houses of grass 
principally, and they were elevated above the surface of the water.  When the
water froze, Isaac and his Indian father cut off their houses level with the
ice - they would resort to them for fresh air, and as they raise their heads,
or even their noses in view, they threw their spears and killed them. 

Towards spring, but while the snow was yet on the ground, they turned their
course again for Chicago, spending the time in hunting and trading, until in
good time for sugar making, they arrived at their old camp.  Here again, they
met a vast number of Indians, who had collected for the purpose of making 
sugar; and, introductory to the exercise, they danced three days and night,
around two large kettles of hominy, which were boiling over slow fires,
during that time.  This was a common custom with them, whenever many of them
came together.

In this dance Isaac figured amongst them in no ordinary style, being richly
ornamented by his Indian mother, and attracted the attention and admiration
of many of the young squaws, with whom, as well as the older one, he had 
become quite popular.  At the close of the dance, they ate the hominy in 
their usual manner, and went out quickly to work.  This was no drunken dance,
was all conducted in good order. 

Soon after this, Isaac and his Indian brother, hearing in the night, the
voice of an Indian whom they knew to be drunk in the woods, had curiosity to
see him; but when they found him, though he was lying on the cold ground, and
the snow was falling on him, they were afraid to go near enough to assist him,
until their Indian uncle came, who was a stouter man then either of them.  
Isaac then went along with him and assisted the drunk Indian (who had all
the time been singing his death song), and took him to the nighest, but where
they place him by the fire, still singing in a lower and lower tone, until he
fell over and fell into a deep sleep.  Here he remained until morning; then 
awoke, stole something, and made his escape. 

Before they left the sugar camp they had many drunken sprees, in some of
which Isaac’s life was greatly endangered, but some means preserved. 

The sugar season was over, we again moved to Lake Michigan, near the mouth of
the Chidago, where the Indians had much sport in their ball plays.

Isaac’s Indian mother not sent him to the sugar camp for some kettles that
had been left; and, as he was about to leave the camp with his load, three
young Indians, one larger and two smaller than himself, approached, dragging
a fish; the largest one demanded his knife; Isaac refused to let him have it;
and the Indian, drawing one from his belt, presented it at him, as if for 
battle; Isaac then grew his knive and advanced towards him, when he gave back,
and they walked off and left him. Isaac then started with his kettles on his
back, and one of those little Indians shot an arrow at him, which wa
prevented from hurting him by the kettles he carried.  He went on home, and
they interrupted him no more. 

Isaac’s Indian father’s rum was now nearly exhausted, and his mother
frequently made him water it when they sold it to the Indians. 

Unwilling to let it all go at once, she and Isaac had emptied the last keg
into a tin kettle, intending to show the Indians the empty keg, and so
convince them there was not more.  This kettle they took out and concealed in
a thicket not far from the wigwam, which happened to be discovered by some 
Indians, who took a small kettle to it, and stole some of the rum. When his
mother discovered this, she suspected that Isaac had told them of this and
calling him to her, he ran to obey and do her will, when suddenly as he came
up to her, she raised a club, which she held in her hand behind her, and
striking him with it on the side of his head, brought him bawling to the
ground.  His cries roused his Indian father who was lying drunk in the wigwam.
Coming out with his knife drawn, and finding what was done, he pursued his
squaw, who ran with all speed, and would doubtless have killed her, if he had 
overtaken her. 

Arrangements were now made for another trip to Macanaw; and, having collected
all the skins they could, they thought of taking Isaac along with them, but 
fearing that he would get away, they called in an old Prophet, in whom they
placed great confidence, who went into what they call a sweat house, to 
pow-wow, and form them of such things as they wished to know, what would
happen in future.  Accordingly, Isaac went to work to prepare the sweat house,
within the wigwam, covering it with skins and blankets, rolling in a large
hot stone, on which the Prophet poured water, and leaving a place at the top
for the steam to pass out. Into this house the old Prophet entered,
pow-wowing and singing, while Isaac and his little brothers danced around it,
waiting on the Prophet as he ordered, until the smaller boys, becoming sleepy,
laid down and went to sleep.  Some time elapsed, and the Prophet came out. 
 
Isaac immediately, as if worn out and overcome by sleep, threw himself down
on some deer skin, and pretended to sleep.  The old Prophet took a seat near
his Indian mother and commenced speaking.  She asked him many questions, and
he answered them; but non of them so much interested Isaac until she wished
to know if she would keep him if she took him all the way to Mackanaw.  The 
Prophet, much to Isaac’s gratification, told her she would, but she must be 
careful not to let him talk much to white people.

Now, full of glee and in fine spirits, they loaded their bark canoe and
started.  After many days of toil and sailing, they all arrived safely at
Mackanaw.

Here, unloading the canoe, and preparing to encamp under it, Isaac was 
conducted by his Indian mother, in company with her two oldest boys, to the
house of merchant for whom they traded.  After showing Isaac to them, and
suffering him to talk but little with them, the merchant’s lady gave each of
the boys a slice of bread well buttered, which Isaac received very gratefully
and ate it saying, "it was very good."  It was the first bread he had tasted 
since he last ate at his father’s table! 

Here Isaac was permitted to walk about in company with the Indian boys, but
was generally accompanied by his Indian mother, and sometimes an uncle or
aunt who had accompanied them to that place in a small bark canoe.  In
company with these, as the walked along the beech, seeing a ship lying at the
wharf, and a man convenient to it whom Isaac supposed was the Captain, their
attention was mutually drawn to each other.  The Captain perceiving he was
white, asked him where he was taken prisoner; he replied from the Red Banks,
on the Ohio River.  Isaac asked him, "are you the Captain of this vessel?" 
He said he was, "Where are you bound?" said Isaac, "Detroit," was the reply.
When will you start?"  "In the morning." "Can I," said Isaac, "run away from
the Indians and get aboard of your vessel?" "Yes, but you must be careful how
you come."  Here Isaac was commanded to hush and was taken away by his Indian
Friends.  Towards evening, his Indian father being drunk, and some Indians 
being across an arm of the lake drinking and carousing, Isaac was called to 
convey him to them in the little bark canoe, belonging to his uncle.  Having
done this, he returned late in the evening, and landing near their camp, drew
his little bark partly on the shore, and went to the camp contended as usual.
Here he found an English soldier, who seemed to feel much solicitude about
him, whom Isaac told he would rather live with the Indians than the white 
people.  Fearing that such interviews with the white men would lead Isaac off,
his Indian mother made him lie down by her, for she had gone to bed.  The 
Englishman went away.

Isaac, however, did not sleep, but waiting until he thought the rest were 
locked up in the quietness of a pleasant nap, he caught his blanket with his
teeth, and softly stole from behind his mother, drawing his blanket with him.
He got out, straightened himself, and listening, he could hear no stir, 
except the quiet music of the lake before him, which invited him to LIBERTY!
He stepped softly to the little bark he ad drawn to the shore and seated 
himself in it, he moved as gently as possible around the ticketing that 
enclosed the town and extended into the lake, and again turned to the shore.
Giving his bark a push into the lake, he steered his course for the vessel on
which he had learned he could make his escape.  When he reached the vessel, 
the Captain was walking on the deck, and, seeing Isaac approach, he met him
and told him to follow him, they went together into the cabin. The Captain
was much perplexed to know what to do with Isaac, so as to secure him, and
screen himself from the censure of the Indians, with whom his greatest 
success in trade was carried on.  At length, however, he told him, "I have a
little Negro boy in the kitchen, who will find you out, let me do with you
what I may. " If you will got to him and tell him your situation and your
object, he can take care of you; -- but don’t tell him that I know anything
about you."  Isaac went into the kitchen and woke the negro, but he appeared
unwilling to have any thing to do with him.  Fearing that, between them, he
would have to go back to the Indians, Isaac told the little negro that his
master knew he was there, and had told him to come to him.  "Then," said the
negro, still lying in his bunk, "get in here."  Isaac tumbled in with him,
but not to sleep.  His fate, as yet, was too uncertain. 

By the side of the sleepy-headed negro he laid and watched for the day to 
dawn.  Seeing, as he did, the first appearance of light in the morning, with 
much difficulty, he awoke the little negro, and told him, "You must do 
something with me " this is no place for me."  The negro arose, unlocked the
lower part of their cupboard, and told Isaac to get in there.  He did so; and
the boy locked him up and left him.

He had been there but a short time, until he heard the voice of his Indian 
mother and brother, as they came down the hatchway, in pursuit of him.  
Presently the Captain sprang out of his bed and began to rail at the Indians
for disturbing him in that way before he was out of his bed.  The Indians 
being easily cowed by a white man of some character, and especially an 
officer, Isaac’s mother soon left the vessel.

Fortunately for this Captain, as well as for Isaac, a barge which had lain at
the wharf, started that same night about midnight, for Montreal, which 
circumstance afforded the Captain an opportunity of making the Indians
believe that Isaac had gone on board of it, and to convince them that he was
innocent and knew nothing about him, he remained there until eight o’clock 
in the morning.

Eight o’clock in the morning, the wind being fair, the sails of the Nancy 
were hoisted, Captain Mills commanding, Isaac started for Freedom! After they
sailed some short distance, perhaps a few leagues, the little negro boy
brought Isaac from his concealment.  He was resting in the negroe’ s bunk and
the Captain came down into the cabin, where the following dialogue passed
between him and his negro; the negro boy leaning on the table, as was his 
manner when he wanted any thing of the Captain:

"What do you want?" said the Captain.
"I have an Indian prisoner here," said the negro.
"Aye," said the Captain, "how large is he?"
A little larger than I am."
"Do you think you can keep him concealed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well," said the Captain, "go about your business."

The little negro went again on deck.  The Captain then came into the room 
where Isaac was lying in the negro’s bunk, and asked if he was sick?  He 
replied, "No; he ha, not long before that, been sick in a bark canoe."  He
then left him, and Isaac kept closed to the negro’s room until, in about five
days, the vessel came safe to port in Detroit.

The business of Captain Mills required him to leave the vessel before he went
ashore; therefore he came into the room where Isaac was, and told him to 
remain there concealed, until he should return, and suffer no one to see him.
The Captain did not return until about nine o’clock that night.  When he 
returned (the town being enclosed by pickets and gates, and the American Army
being stationed there, under the command of Col. Hamtramick, the whole town 
was guarded by sentinels), he told Isaac to go from the vessel a little left
of the gate fronting the wharf, where there was a picket down, that a man 
might pass through, "There," he said, "you will find a sentinel, who will 
hail you, when you must tell him, ‘a friend,’ that you have run away from the
Indians, and want him to protect you; but do not tell him, nor anyone else, 
who brought you here, or how you came, until you get to the commanding 
officer; then tell the whole truth."

Accordingly, Isaac bade Captain Mills adieu, and gave him his hearty thanks 
for his kindness and protection.  He started, and soon found himself at the
gate, and passing the pickets, the sentinel, a raw Irishman, cried, "who goes
there?"  "A friend," said Isaac, and added in a hurry, "I am running away
from the Indians and want you to protect me."   "Oh!  Be Jesus, my good 
fellow, come here," he said, "and damn the one of them shall hurt you."   
With this sentinel Isaac waited patiently for some minutes, when the relief 
guard came around.  The sentinel then informed the sergeant that he had a 
prisoner.  Isaac being delivered to the guard, was taken to the guard house,
where the curiosity of the soldiers kept him up all night, giving a history
of his sufferings with the Indians, and answering questions respecting the
country, rivers &c., &c., much of which information he made as he went.  This 
in accordance with the instruction given him by Captain Mills.

Next morning Isaac was conducted by the sergeant of the guard to the 
commanding officer, Col. Hamtramick, and here he heard that this was the
Sabbath day.  This was the first day of the week that Isaac had recognized
for more than two years!  This morning he old the Colonel his story from 
beginning to end; how he came there; and who brought him.  On learning who
he was, and where he was taken, the Colonel remembered to have heard of the
circumstances, and ordered that he should draw rations as a soldier, until 
he met with an opportunity to get home. 

It may be proper to state to the reader, that the object of Captain Mills, 
in charging Isaac to pursue the course he did, in concealing the truth from
the soldiers, and relating the whole truth to the Colonel, or commanding
officer, was, to prevent the Indians from finding out that he had been 
active in bringing him away.

to be continued.......


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