Below is only part of this chapter. You can see the whole chapter on the Iowa History Site. STORIES OF IOWA FOR BOYS AND GIRLS CHAPTER XVII BLACK HAWK AND KEOKUK When the American traders first came to the Iowa country they found the Sauk and Fox Indians living in villages along the Mississippi River. Lieutenant Pike on his journey up the Mississippi in 1805 found two villages of the Sauks on the east or Illinois side of the river, and two on the west side of the river in what is now Iowa. He also noticed three villages of the Foxes west of the Mississippi. At that time there were about four thousand of these Indians, half of whom were boys and girls. One of the largest Sauk villages, called Saukenuk, was located a short distance below the present site of Rock Island. Here Black Hawk was born in 1767, and Keokuk about thirteen years later. Neither of these Indians was born a chief, but both became chiefs through their own ability. At the age of fifteen Black Hawk killed a brave in a battle with the Osage Indians, and two years later he was the leader of a war party. Keokuk, too, at the age of fifteen killed a Sioux warrior, and was admitted to the circle of the braves. As they grew up Black Hawk and Keokuk became rivals. Black Hawk was about five feet eight inches in height, thin, and wiry. Keokuk was tall and portly. He was fond of wearing good clothes and liked fine horses. Black Hawk became a great warrior, but Keokuk was a better orator. Debbie Clough Gerischer Iowa Gen Web, Assistant CC, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ IAGENWEB: Special History Project: http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm Gerischer Family Web Site: http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/