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THE IOWAS.
Near the mound mentioned the Iowas had their racecourse, where they were frequently wont to resort to engage in the amusement of horse-racing. Unfortunately for them, this day they had selected for their sports. Unconscious of the proximity of a lurking foe they repaired to the racing-ground, leaving most of their arms in the village with the old men, women and children, unprotected. The Sacs and Foxes, under the leadership of their wily chief Pash-e-pa-ho, perceived their advantage. He directed his subordinate in command, Black Hawk, with a band of his young warriors, to file off through the tall grass, and avail themselves of the cover of the timber along the river bank, to reach the village with the utmost speed, and there commence the battle. This movement was successfully executed, while Pash-e-pa-ho with his division made a simultaneous assault from their ambush upon the unarmed Iowas who were engaged in their amusements at the race-course. Black Hawk with his warriors at the village poured a furious volley upon its defenseless inhabitants, completing the slaughter with tomahawk and scalping-knife. The unarmed Iowas at the race-course attempted to reach the village, two miles distant, but most of them were slain in their flight by Pash-e-pa-ho's warriors. The survivors reached their village only to find it in flames, and to behold their slaughtered friends in the midst of the devouring element. So great was the advantage of their assailants that the Iowas could make but a feeble resistance. Their enemies, however, accorded to them the credit of making a brave but hopeless resistance, and of yielding only because of the advantage their enemy had taken. The Iowas asked a parley and submitted their fate to the will of their con-
