of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, pages 381-382
A FASHIONABLE QUADRILLE AND AN INDIAN WAR DANCE. The following is one of Suel Foster's stories, in which an Indian war dance figured quite prominently: "In the spring of 1839, Stephen Whicher made a large social party at his house, then situated on the northwest corner of Second and Locust streets, at which was present about twenty Indians, with their squaws, in calico breeches, roundabouts, moccasins ornamented with beads and trinkets. The Indian men were also dressed for the party, with faces painted and gay blankets, with their war trophies on, jewels in their ears and noses, brass bands on their arms, long, ornamented pipes, weasel skin and skunk tobacco pouches, war clubs with feathers attached to them, bears' claws and tusks, buckskin breeches and waumsies highly ornamented. All the elite of the town were present--ladies and gentlemen, young and middle aged. We had no old folks then. George Lucas was there, Ralph Lowe and his wife, Matthew Mathews and his daughter, H. Mathews, his wife and two daughters, M. Couch and wife, and others, comprising a social and jolly company indeed. The center of the large front room was cleared and an Indian war dance introduced. They lacked music and Mrs. Whicher brought out some tin pans, and with the fire shovel and tongs and some sticks made the music.
"Kishkekosh, the noble chief, stepped out on the floor alone. He, was divested of nearly all his garments, a most splendid figure of human form, and led the dance in majestic style. Shortly one after another of the men joined until the floor was nearly filled the while circling around in all sorts of savage and frantic shapes and attitudes, keeping time with the ding of the pan and tongs, at the same time uttering low gutteral sounds--hew-wa-wa-hew-ha-wa-we-ho-hew-haw-woo, which increased in loudness and tone until it became a savage howl and they charged upon each other until the ladies were greatly frightened. The door was guarded so as not to allow any to escape and the tumult became very general all around, whites and copper. The squaws did not dance but laughed to burst to see the pale faced women so frightened. The dance gradually subsided, when one of the Indians sprang at one of the fairest of the fair ladies to kiss her but she would not and screamed. As compensation for this most excellent and extraordinary entertainment--the best ever witnessed in Muscatine--the Indians insisted on a dance by the whites, and more especially by the white 'squaws.' A good violin was tuned and the dance performed in most elegant style. The Indians appeared equally delighted as the whites did at their dance. Thus ended one of the most brilliant occasions in the history of our city. The party dispersed at the small hours of the night, the whites to their log cabins and the Indians to their whiskey up Pappoose creek, each in their peaceful and happy homes."
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