V
THE PEACE-MAKER
One of the most remarkable women of
her day and nation was Eyatonkawee,
She-whose-Voice-is-heard-afar. It is
matter of history among the Wakpaykootay
band of Sioux, the Dwellers among the Leaves,
that when Eyatonkawee was a very young
woman she was once victorious in a hand-to-
hand combat with the enemy in the woods of
Minnesota, where her people were hunting the
deer. At such times they often met with stray
parties of Sacs and Foxes from the prairies of
Iowa and Illinois.
Now, the custom was among our people that
the doer of a notable warlike deed was held in
highest honor, and these deeds were kept con-
stantly in memory by being recited in public,
before many witnesses. The greatest exploit
was that one involving most personal courage
and physical address, and he whose record was
adjudged best might claim certain privileges,
not the least of which was the right to interfere
in any quarrel and separate the combatants.
The peace-maker might resort to force, if need
be, and no one dared to utter a protest who
could not say that he had himself achieved an
equal fame.
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