“’I was once a great warrior—­I am now poor.  Keokuk has been the cause of my present situation—­but do not attach blame to him.  I am now old.  I have looked upon the Mississippi since I have been a child.  I love the Great River.  I have dwelt upon its banks from the time I was an infant.  I look upon it now.  I shake hands with you, and as it is my wish, I hope you are my friends.’

“In the course of the day he was prevailed upon to drink several times, and became somewhat intoxicated, an uncommon circumstance, as he was generally temperate.

“In the autumn of 1838, he was at the house of an Indian trader, in the vicinity of Burlington, when I became acquainted and frequently conversed with him, in broken English, and through the medium of gestures and pantomime.  A deep seated melancholy was apparent in his countenance and conversation.  He endeavored to make me comprehend, on one occasion, his former greatness; and represented that he was once master of the country, east, north, and south of us—­that he had been a very successful warrior,—­called himself, smiting his breast, ’big Captain Black Hawk,’ ‘nesso Kaskaskias,’ (killed the Kaskaskias,) ’nesso Sioux a heap,’ (killed a great number of Sioux.) He then adverted to the ingratitude of his tribe, in permitting Keokuk to supersede him, who, he averred, excelled him in nothing but drinking whiskey.

“Toward Keokuk he felt the most unrelenting hatred.  Keokuk was, however, beyond his influence, being recognized as chief of the tribe, by the government of the United States.  He unquestionably possesses talents of the first order, excels as an orator, but his authority will probably be short-lived on account of his dissipation, and his profligacy in spending the money paid him for the benefit of his tribe; and which he squanders upon himself and a few favorites, through whose influence he seeks to maintain his authority.

“You enquire if Black Hawk was at the battle of the Thames?  On one occasion I mentioned Tecumthe to him, and he expressed the greatest joy that I had heard of him:  and pointing away to the east, and making a feint, as if aiming a gun, said, ‘Chemokaman (white man) nesso,’ (kill.) From which I had no doubt of his being personally acquainted with Tecumthe; and I have been since informed, on good authority, that he was in the battle of the Thames and in several other engagements with that distinguished chief.

“Soon after this interview with Black Hawk, he set out for the frontier, where a payment was soon to be made to the tribe, of a portion of their annuity.