Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1877 — THE BIG-HEADED MEDICINE MAN. [ARTICLE]

THE BIG-HEADED MEDICINE MAN.

The North American Indians, especial, ly the Algonquin tribes, were exceedingly superstitious in regard to deformed persons, deeming them divine in some sense, or in league with the Great Spirit. Many of the “medicine men”—"manitowatou”—among Ahoee tribes were hunchbacked, club-footeOThare-lipped or something ot the kind. Red Jacket, a famous Seneca Chief, had a brother who was considered a prophet because deformed. Elskatawa, twin brother of Tecumseh, and Ute most renowned of all Bhawanese medicine men, did not belong to the regular priestly family of the tribe, but assumed his office “ because the Great Spirit gave him six toes on each foot and six fingers on each hand.” Enos Owen was a deformity belonging o a family of pioneer whites. His father and brothers were stalwart and athletic, engaging in all the struggles of their times; but Enos was a dwarf. He used to say of himself that he was all “ understanding," for at the age of thirty his head and feet were as large as other men's, while his body was like a child of twelve. He had the mind necessary to endow a first-class man, but his shrunken frame made him dependent and incapable. In the year 1782, in a night attack by the Indians, Enos found himself dragged out of bed in the darkness, and instead of having his big head tomahawked and scalped, he was tied in a gang of captured women and children and marched off into the northwest wilderness. A summer of bondage followed in the Indian towns, probably somewhere in the Wabash or Maumee country . But be made the best ot it, acquiring quite a smattering of the red people’s language, and conducting himself so admirably according to their notions as to become a general favorite with Sachem, squaw and pappoose. No doubt the Indian superstition regarding deformed persons had much to do with the respect and kindness shown him by the savages, and he was not slow to take advantage of their bigotry by the use of every superior art and power known to him as a white man. Tne Indians called him “ Ge-che nin-de-ba me-dah," —“ big-headed medicine-man.” And, furthermore, they knew he could neither escape to his home nearly two hundred miles distant nor do any harm if he remained in their villages. Therefore he was gradually liberated from every species of control and went and came as he chose. Most of his time was passed among the lads at their games, oi in learning Indian lore ot venerable Chiefs too old to join the hunt or the war party. But he took particular care also to so associate with the able-bodied warriors as to keep himself posted in passing events and plans for new campaigns. Thus he heard of the attack of a blockhouse, tlie destruction of a flat-boat on the Ohio, the scalping of a farmer in bis field and tlie capture'* of school children by the road-side; and also the reverses that befell the red men at the hands of the whites.

He contrived to place his ears within hearing of a council of war that occurred in the autumn, and comprehended enough of the sonorous speeches to know that the tribe were about to send an army on the warpath. How ho wished then that he had the strength of other men, to fly to the settlements and spread the alarm. At length the usual message arrived from the Chief selected ta lead the expedition, “ Let the braves keep their shoes ready to join the warriors,” and Enos’ heart sickened at thought of the cruelties that were about to fall somewhere along the line of the settlements. With a man’s spirit, but a child’s strength, he chafed at his inability to do anything to avert the bloody blow. And he pondered and grieved over the matter until he was wrought up to decide upon some expedient by which to warn his countrymen. But how, and where, and by whom ? t There were scores "of frontier points where the whites were exposed, and which one of these was to be attacked was known only to the Chief in command, and he dwelt in a distant village. 80 that whatever Enos should undertake would depend on guess-work, and might be even hundreds of miles out of the wav. But " where there’s a will there’s a way,” and adopting Miles Standish’s motto, “If you want anything well done do ft yourself,” he resolved to wait the departure of the warriors, and, haunting their steps until he knew where they meant to strike, give the alarm at the last moment. To be sure such a venture would involve, perhaps, greater endurance than he possessed; but he could do no more than perish in the effort, which was only what would befall the settlers if he did not warn them. And should the Indians discover him on their trail, he believed their superstition respecting his deformity would save him from their vengeance. At length the night of the Anal wardance and pow-wow came and passed, and early in the morning the painted, blood-thirsty band departed, Enos witnessed the scene and then returned into the wigwam where he lodged, only to emerge at the rear and disappear in the dense forest that skirted the Indian village on that side. Half an hour later he mght have been seen gliding like a shadow along the train of the marching red-skins. No wild animal was ever more alert than he against surprise. His eyes and ears had need to look and listen every way qt once lest some warrior who had lagged behind or loitered by the side of the trail, should discover him. For five hard days he kept the path, eating nuts and roots, and sometimes finding a morsel dropped by the Indians. Occasionally he caught a glimpse of the object of his pursuit, but always taking care not to be seen in turn. At the close of each day when the savages made their camp for the night he crept within -hearing, and thus gleaned some Information concerning their plans. The story seems incredible that any person, and especially an invalid, should

succeed without detection, in dogging the steps of two or three hundred of the wildest and wariest warriors that ever took the war-path; but the writer is sketching history, mA fiction, confirmed by abundant personal testimony. On the fifth day of the march, soon after breaking camp, the savages crossed a stream by a ford where the current was too deep and rapid tor Enos to follow. And fortunate was It that he could not. Watching from a thicket, he saw the Indians turn down the stream and he fol-' lowed on the opposite shore, venturing even nearer than when on their direct trail; but not knowing whither their route led, and the river becoming broader and stronger at every mile, he thought himself defeated and his pursuit during these weary days a lost effort. As the day advanced, however, he began to perceive indications that white men had been there before him. The ax goes a! wavs in the van of civilization in a wooded country; and marks of the ax become frequent as night drew near. Boon, across a great bend in the valley that cradled tlie stream, Edos saw several miles ahead that sure signal of the pioneer’s presence—the smoke of a burning fallow. And what was the exhausted fellow’s joy to discover that it was on the same side of the water with himself; now he felt that In not being able to cross in the morning Providence was helping him, and courage lent new strength to his feeble frame. lie also readily guessed out the object of tlie Indians in taking the more wild and rugged side of the stream —it was to avoid being discovered by tlie whites until they had approached near enough to surprise the block-house of the settlement. As the shadows began to drop down on the woods and water, there were multiplied evidences of civilized people not far distant. And now be knew by the movements of the savages that they were seeking a camp, and soon they disappeared in a narrow ravine thickly grown with hemlocks. Here, doubtless they would pass most of the night and attack the settlement at daybreak. This was the usual method of Indians in such expeditions, and it was no great display of wisdom for Enos to guess out their intentions.

Waiting opposite their halting place until darkness sheltered him, lie stole down to the river’s edge and saw their fires under the low-bending hemlocks not twenty rods away. But the camp was very quiet as compared with former nights, another proof of proximity to the whites. Now if he had strength enough left to reach the settlement his object would be accomplished. Stealthily he crept away from the vicinity of the red-skins, and following the water pushed on as best he could toward those whom he sought to warn and save. But ah, what a night march was that for Enos! His moccasins were worn to strings, his big feet were blistered and swollen, and his big head ached effects of weariness and hunger. He was almost ready to drop to the ground. Another day of such hardships would have put an end to his ability to track the savages. At length, as he limped and struggled on his ears were saluted by the barking of a dog. This was the signal he longed for, and he pressed his way directly toward it. Soon he came so near as to greatly excite the animal, and he expected its furious barking would presently arouse its master; nor was he mistaken. In a moment he heard a low voice addressed to the dog, and then the creature was still. Now Enos called out, and his voice and words being recognized as belonging to a white man or boy, he was at once welcomed into the cabin. Before the firelight within he gave his name, briefly told the story of his captivity, and how he had come to approach the settlement thus at midnight. Of course the first result of his revelations was to send the alarm along the valley and prepare the people for defense. The women and children were hurried into the blockhouse, and the men, though but a handful, armed for -battle, and arranged an ambush at the spot where, owing to the conformity of the banks, the Indians would be most likely to cross the river. In the meantime poor Enos was fed, his blisters were dressed, and he was enabled to obtain a few hours' sleep. At daybreak came the enemy as was anticipated. A few shots were exchanged, when, discovering the advantages of the whites, the savages drew back under shelter of the bank and a parley ensued. But there being no interpreter on either side, Enos volunteered his services. Now appeared the superstition of the Indian nature. With a few words explaining to the Chiefe that he was about to take Ids post where he could talk with both sides, the dwarf walked out midway between whites and red men, very near and in plain view of both.

As he came in sight of the Indians tbeir amazement seemed to know no bounds. Scores of them ejaculated in alarm, “ Geche nin-de-ba me dahl” and by gestures peculiar to their religious ceremonies indicated their confusion. He instantly recognized the state of their feelings, and was not slow to avail himself of it. He told them the Great Spirit had brought him from the distant village in order to defeat their bloody purposes; which was true, considering his feebleness and the length of the journey. He warned tliem to return homo, or Manito would be offended and destroy them; which again was true, for it cannot be that the Great Spirit takes pleasure in carnage, and from the advantages of the whites and tlie proximitv of reinforcements the overthrow of the savages was probable. But, to shorten the story, it may be stated that the prudence of the Indians overbalanced their valor, and they retreated without scalp or spoil; and it was subsequently ascertained that the whole force returned demoralized to their distant villages. But they were disgraced in the estimation of the tribe, and their fruitless campaign was called in derision “ the battle of theoig-headed medicine-man."—lrving L. Reman, in Christian Union.