THE RED MEN OF IOWA.

When Ma-has-kah returned from his visit to Washington, in 1824, it was his purpose to take the advice of the great father (President Monroe), and devote himself to the cultivation of his land. He built a double log house, and for a time lived in great comfort.

In 1833 the son of Crane, a subordinate chief of the Iowas, was killed by the Omahas. A party of Iowas applied to Ma-has-kah to conduct them in pursuit of the enemy. He declined, saying that he had buried the tomahawk; that he was now a man of peace, and that the treaty made with the great father provided for the punishment of such outrages. The party, however, resolved to punish the aggressors, and for that purpose made an incursion into the enemy's country. They returned, bringing with them six scalps. A feast was prepared, and the scalpdance performed, but Ma-has-kah refused to participate in either.

General Clark, at St. Louis, was notified of the murders on both sides, and assigned to his agent, General Hughes, the duty of arresting the Iowas. He called on Ma-has-kah, and made known to him the order. The chief answered: "It is right: I will go with you." The offenders were arrested and conveyed to Fort Leavenworth. While confined there one of the prisoners called Ma-has-kah to the window of the prison one day, and looking him full in the face, said: "Inca (father), if ever I get out of this place alive I will kill you. A brave man should never be de-

The Indian who made the threat against the life of Ma-has-kah succeeded in making his escape from prison, and, with a companion, forthwith proceeded in pursuit of the object of his revenge. It was during the year 1834 they found Ma-has-kah encamped one evening on the Nodawa about sixty miles from his village. They approached clandestinely, and from ambush, and under cover of darkness murdered him in a most cowardly manner. At the time of his death Ma-has-kah was about fifty years of age. The scene of his murder is supposed to be in what is now the southeastern corner of Cass county.

The news of Ma-has-kah's death soon reached the village. According to the custom of the tribe, his surviving wives went into mourning and poverty. One of them, whose name was Mis-so-rah-tar-ra-haw (Female-deer-that-bounds over-the-prairies), refused to the end of her life to be comforted. She said her husband "was a great brave, and was killed by dogs"--meaning low, vulgar fellows. It is recorded that Ma-has-kah was indeed a brave and successful leader. He led his warriors in some eighteen battles against the Sioux on the north and the Osages on the south, rarely failing to achieve a victory.

One of the assassins of Ma-has-kah sought refuge among the Otoes, but when they learned of the deed he had committed they shot him. The other returned to the village of the murdered chief. Young Ma-has-kah, on learning of the murder of his father, and that one of the murderers had returned to the village, went to his lodge, killed his dogs and horses, and demolished the lodge. The assassin