nto verse" by Longfellow in _Hiawatha_. Longfellow evidently took his
version from Schoolcraft. I took mine originally from the lips of
_Pah-go-nay-gie-shiek_--"Hole-in-the-day"--(the elder) in his day
head-chief of the Ojibways. I afterward submitted it to _Gitche
Shabash-Konk_, head-chief of the _Misse-sah-ga-e-gun_--(Mille Lacs band
of Ojibways), who pronounced it correct.

"Hole-in-the-day," although sanctioned by years of unchallenged use, is
a bad translation of _Pah-go-nay-gie-shiek_, which means a _clear spot
in the sky_.

[Illustration: HOLE-IN-THE-DAY. _From an original photograph in the
author's possession._]

He was a very intelligent man; had been in Washington several times on
business connected with his people, and was always shrewd enough to
look out for himself in all his treaties and transactions with the
Government. He stood six feet two inches in his moccasins, was
well-proportioned, and had a remarkably fine face. He had a
nickname--_Que-we-zanc_--(Little Boy) by which he was familiarly called
by his people.

The Pillagers--_Nah-kand-tway-we-nin-ni-wak_--who live about Leech Lake
(_Kah-sah-gah-squah-g-me-cock_) were opposed to _Pa-go-nay-gie-shiek_,
but he compelled them through fear to recognize him as Head-Chief. At
the time of the "Sioux outbreak" in 1862 "Hole-in-the-day" for a time
apparently meditated an alliance with the _Po-ah-nuck_ (Dakotas) and war
upon the whites. The Pillagers and some other bands urged him strongly
to this course, and his supremacy as head-chief was threatened unless he
complied. Messengers from the Dakotas were undoubtedly received by him,
and he, for a time at least, led the Dakotas to believe that their
hereditary enemies, the Ojibways, would bury the hatchet and join them
in a war of extermination against the whites. "Hole-in-the-day," with a
band of his warriors, appeared opposite Fort Ripley (situated on the
west bank of the Mississippi River between Little Falls and Crow Wing),
and assumed a threatening attitude toward the fort, then garrisoned by
volunteer troops. The soldiers were drawn up on the right bank and
"Hole-in-the-day" and his warriors on the left. A little speech-making
settled the matter for the time being and very soon thereafter a new
treaty was made with "Hole-in-the-day" and his head men, by which their
friendship and allegiance were secured to the whites. It was claimed by
the Pillagers that "Hole-in-the-day" seized the occasion to profit