DUKE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 

COMPLETE HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 ©ttawa anb Chippewa Unbians 
 
 OF MICHIGAN 
 
 ant> Grammar of tbeir language, 
 
 BY THE 
 
 NOTED CHIEF, MACK-A-DE-PE-NESSY, 
 
 OB 
 
 Andrew J. Blackbird. 
 
MB 
 
 CHIEF BLACKBIRD 
 ,Who Wrote an Ottawa Grammar 
 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2017 with funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 https://archive.org/details/completebothearl01blac 
 
Complete botfy Carly an 6 Cate £)istory of tfye 
 
 OhhaWa apd GbippeWa ipdiaps, 
 
 OF MICHIGAN , 
 
 A GRAMMAR OF THEIR LANGUAGE, 
 
 Personal and Family History Mhor 
 
 By ANDREW J. BLACKBIRD, 
 
 Late U. S. Interpreter, Harbor Springs, Emmet County, Michigan. 
 
 BABCOCK & DARLING, PUBLISHERS. 
 Harbor Springs, Mich., 
 
 1897. 
 
Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1887, 
 By Andrew J. Blackbird, 
 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 Revised by the Author in the year 1897 
 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Andrew J. Blackbird, the author of this little book, is ati 
 educated Indian, son of an Ottawa Chief. His Indian name is 
 Mack-aw-de-be-nessy * Black Hawk), but he generally goes by the 
 name of "Blackbird," taken from the interpretation of the 
 French "L'Oiseau noir.“ Mr. Blackbird's wife is an educated 
 and intelligent white woman of English descent, and ihey have 
 four children. He is a friend of the white people, as well as of 
 his own people. Brought up as an Indian, with no opportunity 
 for learning during his boyhood, when he came to flunk for 
 himself, he started out blindly for an education, without an_v 
 means but his brains and his hands 
 
 He was loyal to the Government during the rebellion in the 
 United States, for which cause he met much opposition by' de- 
 signing white people, who had full sway among the Indians, and 
 who tried to mislead them and cause them to be disloyal; and 
 he broke up one or two rebellious councils amongst his people 
 during the progress of the rebellion. 
 
 When Hon. D. C. Leach, of Traverse City, Mich., was Indian 
 Agent, Mr. Blackbird was appointed United States Interpreter 
 and continued in this office with other subsequent Agents of the 
 Department for many years. Before he was fairly out of this 
 office, he was appointed postmaster of Little Traverse, now 
 Harbor Springs, Mich., and faithfully' discharged his duties as 
 such for over eleven years with but very little salary. 
 
 He has also for several years looked after the soldiers' claims 
 for widows and orphans, both for the whites as well as for his 
 own people, in many instances without the least compensation, 
 not even his stamps and paper paid. He is now decrepit with 
 old age and failing health, and unable to perform haid manual 
 labor. 
 
 We therefore recommend this work of Mr. A. J. Blackbird as 
 interesting and reliable. 
 
 James L. Morrice. Treasurer of Emmet County. 
 
 C. F. Newkirk. Principal Harbor Springs Public Schools. 
 
 Charles R. Wright, Ex-President Harbor Springs. 
 
 Charles W. Ingalls, Notary Public for Emmet County. 
 
 Albert L. Hathaway, County Clerk, Emmet County. 
 
 Wm. H. Lee, Probate Clerk and Abstractor of Titles. 
 
 Arch. D. Metz, Deputv Register of Deeds. 
 
 Willard P. Gibson, Pastor Presbyterian Church. 
 
 William H. Miller, U. S. A. 
 
 Babcock & Darling, Proprietors of “Graphic.'' 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 I deem it not improper to present the history of the last race 
 of Indians now existing in the State of Michigan, called the 
 Ottawa and Chippewa Nations of Indians. 
 
 There were many other tribes of Indians in this region prior 
 to the occupancy of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of this 
 State, who have long ago gone out of existence. Not a page of 
 their history is on record; but only an illusion to them in our 
 traditions. 
 
 I have herewith recorded the earliest history of the Ottawa 
 tribe of Indians in particular, according to their traditions. I 
 have related where they formerly lived, the names of their 
 leaders, and what tribes they contended with before and after 
 they came to Michigan, and how they came to be inhabitants of 
 this State. Also the earliest history of the Island of Mackinac 
 and why it is called •‘Michilimackinac” — which name has never 
 been correctljr translated by white historians, but which is here 
 given according to our knowledge of this matter long before we 
 came in contact with white races. 
 
 I have also recorded some of the most important legends, 
 which resemble the Bible history; particularly the legends with 
 regard to the great flood, which has been in our language for 
 many centuries, and the legend of the great fish which swal- 
 lowed the prophet Ne-naw-bo-zhoo, who came out again alive, 
 which might be considered as corresponding to the story of 
 Jonah in the Sacred History, and concerning the tradition of 
 circumcision as related by Ottawa and (Jhipewa Indians. 
 
 Beside my* own personal and our family history, I have also, 
 quite extensively, translated our language into English and 
 added many other items which might be interesting to all who 
 may wish to inquire into our history' and language. 
 
 1887 ' Andrew J. Blackbird. 
 
 This little book^has been revised by the author, in both the 
 history and grammar portions. The object of the author in 
 publishing this work is to perpetuate the history' of his people. 
 All other tribes who ever existed in this state have gone with- 
 out a single word as to their former occupancy. Most of the 
 people have erroneous ideas about those now remaining, they 
 having been misinformed by those pretending to know about 
 the Michigan Indians’ even giving wrong definitions of their 
 words, particularly of names of local places. This little book 
 is worth possessing by any one who can read English, and who 
 is interested in even the slightest degree in their early history, 
 the formation of their language, or their peculiar traditions, 
 some of which closely resemble Bible records on some of the 
 important events in the annals of the world. This book is wor- 
 thy of admission to any library in the State of Michigan. 
 
 Harbor Springs, Mich., Aug. 2, 1897. A. J. Blackbird. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 History of the Ottawas of Michigan — Preliminary Remarks in Regard to Other 
 Histories Concerning the Massacre of the Old British Fort on the Straits of 
 Mackinac — British Promise to the Ottawas — Ravages of Small Pox — First R ic- 
 ollection of the Country of Arbor-Croche and its Definition — Uprightness and 
 Former Character of the Indians. 
 
 I have seen a number of writings by different men who at- 
 tempted to give an account of the Indians who formerly occu- 
 pied the Straits of Mackinac and Mackinac Island, (that histor- 
 I- ic little island which stands at the entrance of the strait.) also 
 giving an account of the Indians who lived and are yet living 
 in Michigan, scattered throughout the counties of Emmet, Che- 
 boygan. Charlevoix, Antrim, Grand Traverse, and in the region 
 of Thunder Bay, on the west shore of Lake Huron. But I see 
 no very correct account of the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of 
 Indians, according to our knowledge of ourselves, past and pres- 
 ent. Many points are far from being credible. They are eith- 
 er misstated by persons who were not versed in the traditions 
 of these Indians, or exaggerated. An instance of this is found 
 in the history of the life of Pontiac (pronounced Bwon-diac). 
 the Odjebwe (or Chippewa) chief of St. Clair, the instigator of 
 the massacre of the old fort on the Straits of Mackinac, writ- 
 ten by a noted historian. In his account of the massacre, he 
 says there was at this time no known surviving Ottawa chief 
 living on the south side of the Straits. This point of the his- 
 tory is incorrect' as there were several Ottawa chiefs living on 
 the south side of the Straits at this particular time, who took 
 no part in this massacre, but took by force the few survivors 
 of this great, disastrous catastrophe, and protected them for 
 awhile and afterwards took them to Montreal, presenting them 
 to the British Government; at the same time praying that their 
 brother Odjebwes should not be retaliated upon on account of 
 their rash act against the British people, but that they might 
 be pardoned, as this terrible tragedy was committed through 
 mistake, and through the evil council of one of their leaders by 
 the name of Bwondiac (known in history as Pontiac). They told 
 the British Government that their brother Odjebwes were few 
 in number, while the British were in great numbers and daily 
 
INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 increasing from an unknown part of the world across the ocean. 
 They said, “Oh, my father, you are like the trees oj. the forest, 
 and if one of the iorest trees should he wounded with a hatch- 
 et, in a few years its wound will be entirely healed. Now, my 
 father, compare with this: this is what my brother Q&Jebwe did 
 to some of your children on the Straits ot Mackinac, whose sur- 
 vivors we now bring back and present to your arms. O my fath- 
 er. have mercy upon my brothers and pardon them; for with 
 your long arms and many, but a few strokes of retaliation would 
 cause our brother to be entirely annihilated from the face of 
 the earth!’' 
 
 According to our understanding in our traditions, that was 
 the time the British Government made such extraordinary 
 promises to the Ottawa tribe of Indians, at the same time 
 thanking them for their humane action upon those British rem- 
 nants of the massacre. She promised them that her long arms 
 would perpetually extend around them from generation to gen- 
 eration, or as long as there should be a rolling sun. They should 
 receive gifts from her sovereign in the shape of goods, provi- 
 sions, firearms, ammunition, and intoxicating liquors! Her sov- 
 ereign's beneficent arm should be even extended unto the clogs 
 belonging to the Ottawa tribe of Indians. And what place so- 
 ever she should meet them, she would freely unfasten the fau- 
 cet which contains her living water — whiskey, which she will 
 also cause to run perpetually and freely unto the Ottawas as 
 the fountain of a perpetual spring. Poor Indians! Little did 
 they know this perpetual spring would cause their utter ruin, 
 soui and body. And furthermore, she said, “I am as many as 
 the stars in the heavens; and when you get up in the morning, 
 look to the east: you will see that the sun, as it will peep 
 through the earth, will be as red as mj r coat, to remind you why 
 I am likened unto the sun, and my promises will be as perpetual 
 as the rolling sun!” 
 
 “Ego-me-nay" (Corn-hanger) was the head counselor and 
 speaker of the Ottawa tribe of Indians at that time, and, ac- 
 cording to our knowledge, “Ego-me-nay” was the leading one 
 who went with those survivors of the massacre, and he was the 
 man who made the speech before the august assembly in the 
 British council hall at Montreal at that time. “Ne-saw-key” 
 (Down-the-hill) the head chief of the Ottawa Nation, did not go 
 with the party, but sent his message, and instructed their coun- 
 selor in what manner he should appear before the British Gov- 
 ernment. My father was a little boy at that time, and my 
 grandfather and great-grandfather were both living then, and 
 both held the first royal rank among the Ottawas. My grand- 
 father was then a sub-chief and my great-grand father was a 
 war-chief, whose name was Pun-gowish. And several other 
 chiefs of the tribe I could mention who existed at that time, 
 but fhis is ample evidence that the historian was mistaken in 
 asserting that there was no known Ottawa chief existing at 
 the time of the massacre. 
 
 However it was a notable fact that by this time the Ottawas 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPHWA. 
 
 3 
 
 were greatly reduced in numbers from what they were in form- 
 er times, on account of their mortality with small-pox which 
 they brought from Montreal during the French war with Great 
 Britain. This small-pox was sold to them shut up in a showy 
 tin box. with the strict injuctiou uot to open the box on their 
 way homeward, but only when they should reach their country: 
 and that this box contained something that would do them and 
 their people great good. The supertitious and foolish people 
 really believed there was something in the box supernatural, 
 that would do them great good. Accordingly, after they reach- 
 ed home, they opened the box: but behold there was another 
 tin box inside, smaller. They took it out and opened the sec- 
 ond box. and behold, still there was another box inside of the 
 second box. smaller yet. So they kept on in this way r till they 
 came to a very small box, which was not more than an inch 
 long: and when they opened the last one they found nothing 
 but mouldy particles in this last little box. They wondered 
 very much what it was. and a great many closelv inspected it 
 to try to find out what it meant. But alas, alas! pretty soon 
 there burst out a strange and terrible sickness among them. 
 The great Indian doctors themselves were taken sick and died. 
 The tradition says it was indeed awful and terrible. Every one 
 taken with it was sure to die. Lodge after lodge was totally 
 vacated — nothing but the dead bodies lying here and there in 
 their lodg-es — entire families being swept off with the ravages 
 of this terrible disease. The whole coast of Arbor G’roche. or 
 Wow-gaw-naw-ke-zee, where their principal village was situat- 
 ed. on the west shore of the peninsula near the straits, which 
 is said to have been a continuous village some fifteen or sixteen 
 miles long and extending from what is now called Cross Village 
 to Seven Mile Point (that is, seven miles from Little Traverse, 
 now Harbor Springs) was entirely' depopulated and laid waste. 
 It is generally believed among the Indians of Arbor Croche 
 that this wholesale murder of the Ottawas bv this terrible di- 
 sease sent by the British people, was actuated through hatred, 
 and expressly to kill off the Ottawas and Chippewas because 
 they were friendly to the French Government or French King, 
 whom they called "Their Great Father.’’ The reason that to- 
 day we see no full-grown trees standing along the coast of Ar- 
 bor Croche. a mile or more in width along the shore, is because 
 the trees were entirely cleared away for this famous long vil- 
 lage which existed before the small-pox raged among the Otta- 
 was. Sho-ko-we-sy. the head chief of the Ottawa Nation, and 
 At-chi:e. the old prophet, died at this time. 
 
 In my first recollection of the country of Arbor Croche, *which 
 
 *The word Arbor Croche is derived from two French words: Arbre. a tree: and 
 Croche, something very crooked or hook-like. The tradition says when the Ot- 
 tawas first came to that part of the country a great pine tree stood very near the 
 shore where Middle Village now is. whose top was very crooked, almost hook- 
 like. Therefore the Ottawas called the place ‘•Wau-gaw-naw-ke-zee’'— meaning 
 the crooked top of the tree. But by and by the whole coast from Little Traverse 
 to Tehin-gaw-beng,now CrossVillage, became denominated as AVaug-aw-naw-ke- 
 zee. same as district of a certain portion of the country or territory. 
 
4 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 is seventy years ago, there was nothing but small shrubbery 
 here and there in small patches, such as wild cheery trees, but 
 the most of it was a grassy plain; and such an abundance of 
 wild strawberries, raspberries and blackberries that they fair- 
 ly perfumed the air of the whole coast with fragaut scent cf 
 ripe fruit. The wild pigeons and every variety of feathered 
 songsters filled all the groves, warbling their songs cheerful^ 
 and feasting upon these wild fruits of nature; and in these wa- 
 ters the fishes were so plentiful that as you lifted up the an- 
 chor stone of your net in the morning, your net would be so 
 loaded with delicious whitefish as to fairly float with all its 
 weight of the sinkers. As you looked toward the course of your 
 net, you see the fins of the fishes sticking out of the water iu 
 every direction. Then I never knew my people to want for 
 anything to eat or wear, as we always had plenty of wild meat 
 and plenty of fish, corn, vegetables, and wild fruits. I thought 
 (and yet I may be mistaken) that my people were very happy 
 in those days, at least I was happy myself, as a lark, or as the 
 brown thrush that sat daily upon the uppermost branches of 
 the stubby growth of a basswood tree which stood near by upon 
 the hill where we often played under its shade, lodging our lit- 
 tle arrows among the thick branches of the tree and then 
 shooting them down again for sport. 
 
 Early in the morning as the sun peeped from the east, as I 
 would yet be lying close to my mother’s bosom, this brown thrush 
 would begin his warbling songs perched upon the uppermost 
 branches of the basswood tree that stood close to our lodge. I 
 would then say to myself, as I listened to him, “here comes 
 again my little orator,” and I used to try to understand what he 
 had to say; and sometimes thought I understood some of its ut- 
 terances as follows: “Good morning, good morning! arise, arise! 
 shoot, shoot! come along, come along!” etc., every word repeat- 
 ed twice. Even then,- and so young as I was, I used to think that 
 little bird had a language which God or the Great Spirit had 
 given him, and every bird of the forest understood what he had 
 to say, and that he was appointed to preach to- other birds, to 
 tell them to be happy, to be thankful for the blessings they en- 
 joy among the summer green branches of the forest, and the 
 plenty of wild fruits to eat. The larger boys used to amuse 
 themselves by playing a ball called “Paw-baw-do-way,” foot- 
 racing, wrestling, bow-arrow shooting, and trying to beat one 
 another shooting the greatest number of squirrels in a day 
 
 I never heard any boy or any grown person utter any bad 
 language, even if they were out of patience with anything. 
 Swearing or profanity was never heard among the Ottawa and 
 Chippewa tribes of Indians, and not even found in their lang- 
 uage.Scarcely any drunkedness,only once in a great while the old 
 folks used to have a kind of short spree, particularly when there 
 was any special occasion or a great feast going on. But all the 
 young folks did not drink intoxicating liquors as abeverage in 
 those days. And we always rested in perfect safety at night in 
 our dwellings, and the doorways of our lodges had no fastenings 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 5 
 
 to them, but simply a frail mat or a blanket was hung- over our 
 doorways which might be easily pushed or thrown one side with- 
 out any noise if theft or any other mischief were intended. But 
 we were not afraid for any such thing to happen us, because we 
 knew that every child of the forest was observing and living un- 
 der the precepts which their forefathers taught them, and the 
 children were taught almost daily by their parents from infancy 
 unto manhood and womanhood, or until they were separated 
 from their families. 
 
 These precepts or moral commandment by which the Ottawa 
 and Chippewa nations of Indians were governed in their primi- 
 tive state, were almost the same as the ten commandments 
 which the God Almighty himself delivered to Moses on Mount 
 Sinai to the tables of stone. Very few of these divine precepts 
 are not found among the precepts of the Ottawa and Chippewa 
 Indians, except with regard to the Sabbath day to keep it holy; 
 almost every 7 other commandment can be found, only there are 
 mauv more as there were about twenty of these “uncivilized'’ 
 precepts. They also believed, in their primitive state, that the 
 eye ot this Great being is the sun by day. and by night the moor, 
 and stars, and. therefore, that God or the Great Spirit sees all 
 things everywhere, night and day, and it would be impossible to 
 hide our actions, either good or bad, from the eye of this Great 
 being. Even the very threshold or crevice of your wigwam will 
 be a witness against you, if you should commit any criminal ac- 
 tion when no human eye could observe your criminal doings, 
 but surely your criminal actions will be revealed in some future 
 time to your disgrace and shame. There were continual incul- 
 cations to the children by their parents. Every parent was a 
 preacher to his children, and in every feast and council, by 7 the 
 “instructors of the precepts'' to the people or to the audience 
 of the council. How often I heard the speaker in council mak- 
 ing preliminary remarks saying, “as the Great Spirit who cre- 
 ated us and created all things for the good of his creatures, 
 will kindly look down upon us as Pis council.” For these reas- 
 ons the Ottawas and Chippewas in their primitive state were 
 honest and upright in their dealings with their fellow-beings. 
 Their word of promise was as good as a promissory note, even 
 better, as these notes some times are neglected and not perform- 
 ed according to their promises; but the Indian promise was very 
 sure and punctual, although, as they had no time pieces they 
 measured their time by the sun. If an Indian promised to exe- 
 cute a certain obligation at such a time, at so many days, and 
 at such height of the sun. when that time comes he would be 
 there punctually to fulfill this obligation. This was formerly 
 the character of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan. 
 But now, our living is altogether dfferent, as we are continually 
 suffering under great anxiety and perplexity, and continually 
 being robbed and cheated in every manner." Even our houses 
 have been forcibly entered for thieving purposes and murder; 
 people have been knocked down and robbed; great safes have 
 been blown open with powder in our little town and their con- 
 
6 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 tents carried away, and even children of the Causcasian race 
 are heard cursing and blaspheming' the name of their Great 
 Cieator. upon whose pleasure we dependod for our existence. 
 
 According to my recolletion of the mode of living in our vil- 
 lage, so soon as darkness came in the evening, the young boys 
 and girls were not allowed to go out of their lodges. Every one of 
 them must be called in to his own lodge for the rest of the 
 night. And this rule of the Indians in their wild state was im- 
 plicitly observed. 
 
 Ottawa and Chippwa Indians were not what we would call en- 
 tirely infidels and idolaters, for they believe that there is a 
 supreme ruler of the universe, the Creator of all things, the 
 Great Spirit, to which they offer worship and sacrifices in a cer- 
 tain form. It was customary among them, every spring of the 
 year, to gather all the cast off garments that had been worn 
 during the winter and rear them up on a long pole while they 
 were having festivals and jubilees to the Great Spirit. The ob- 
 ject of doing this was that the Great Spirit might look down 
 from heaven and have compassion on his red children. And be- 
 sides tattered bundles of these old garments, a dog is suspend- 
 ed by the neck on this pole as a sacrifice to the Creator “Kit- 
 chi-manito” or the Great Spirit. Herein great companies of 
 them, consisting of men. women and children danced around the 
 pole, according to the time by the beating of the holy or conse- 
 crated drum and sacred rattle, which is made from the hard 
 shell of a smooth winter squash, these instruments are very 
 old and kept for that purpose only, and accompanied by two 
 musicians with the following words (in song ): 
 
 "The Great Spirit will down upon us.” The Great Spirit will 
 have mercy upon us.” Many times repeated, and response is 
 occasionally heard from the company of dancers, "we-ho we-ho” 
 which signifies, “so be it so be it.” This was the beginning of the 
 jubilee in the spring .time. There were many dances during 
 the summer time, such as strawberry dance, green corn dance, 
 fire dance and medicine dance, and all these dances were con- 
 sidered as thanksgiving dances to the Almighty giver of all 
 things. This is one of the customs. The cruel “Sun dance” 
 was never practiced among the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians 
 of Michigan, as it was formerly practiced among the Dakota 
 Indians. 
 
 Only this, that they foolishly believe that there are certain 
 Deities all over the lands who to a certain extent govern or pre- 
 side over certain places, as a Deity who presides over this river, 
 over this lake, or this mountain, or island, or country, and they 
 were careful not to express anything which might displease such 
 Deities; but that they were not supreme rulers, only to a cer- 
 tain extent they had power over the land where they presided. 
 These Deities were supposed to be governed by the Great Spirit 
 above. Therefore, they are not allowed to be on the face of the 
 earth, to go about at liberty here and there to frighten the in- 
 habitants of the earth. Ottawa and Chippewa Indians believed 
 that the thunder, whose inhabitant was among the clouds, was 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 especially created by the Almighty as a guard against the en- 
 croachment of these' deities, or to keep them in their pioper 
 bounds, or to keep them continually in their proper place. 
 
 These Deities are in various forms, as some are like a great 
 tiger and others like a great serpenr. and at their will they 
 could turn into a human shape and converse with the people in 
 dreams, and especially to the young people, whi’e the young 
 people performed the custom of fasting ten days in each 3-ear. 
 During that time whoever had dreamed of having conversed 
 with deities, such persons would either become a great warrior 
 I or a great medicine man, prophet or leader among his people. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Cases of Murders AmoDg Ottawas and Cliippewas Exceedingly Scarce— Ceding 
 the Grand Traverse Region to the Chippewas on Account of Murder. Immor- 
 ality Among the Ottawas not Common— Marriage in Former Times. 
 
 The murders in cold blood among the Ottawa and Chippewa 
 nations of Indians in their primitive state were exceedingly- few. 
 at least there was only one account in our old traditions where a 
 murder had been committed, a young and foolish Ottawa having 
 stabbed a 3-oung Chippewa while in dispute over their nets when 
 they- where fishing for herrings on the Straits of Mackinac. This 
 nearly- caused a terrible bloody- war between the two powerful 
 tribes of Indians (as they- were numerous then) so closely- related. 
 The tradition sa3's they- had council after council upon this sub- 
 ject. and many- speeches were delivered on both sides. The Chip- 
 peyvas proposed war to settle the question of murder, while the 
 Ottayvas proposed compromise and restitution for the murder. 
 Finally- theOttawas succeeded in settling the difficulty- by ceding 
 part of their countrj- to the Chippewa nation, which is now 
 known and distinguished as the Grand Traverse Region as their 
 hunting ground. A strip of land which I believe to hay-e extend- 
 ed from a point near Sleeping Bear, down to the eastern shore of 
 the Grand Traverse Bay-, some thirty or forty- miles yvide. thence 
 between two parallel lines running southeasterly until they 
 ^strike the head waters of Muskegon river, which empties into 
 Lake Michigan not ver}- far below Grand Haven. They were al- 
 so allowed access to all the rivers and streams in- the Lower Pen- 
 insula of Michigan, to trap the beavers, minks, otters and musk- 
 rats. The Indians used these furs in former times for garments 
 and blankets. This is the reason that to this day the Odjebwes 
 (Chippewas) are found in that section of the countrj-. The chief 
 We-we-gen-de-hej-, who discovered a great copper kettle while 
 hunting in that region, was the first settler of the Grand Trav- 
 erse region according to the treaty- betyveen the Ottawas and 
 
INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 8 
 
 Chippewas. 
 
 It may be said this is not true; it is a mistake. We have known 
 several cases of murders among' the Ottawas and Chippewas. I 
 admit it to be true that there have been cases of murders among 
 the Ottawas and Chippewas since the white people knew them. 
 But these cases of murders occurred sometime after they came 
 in contact with the white races in their country; but I am speak- 
 ing now of the primitive condition of Indians, particularly of 
 the Ottawas and Chippewas, and I believe most of those cases of 
 murders were brought on through the bad influence of white 
 men, by introducing into the tribes this great destroyer of man- 
 kind, soul and body, intoxicating liquors! Vet, during seventy 
 years of my existence among the Ottawas and Chippewas, I have 
 never witnessed one case of murder of this kind, but I heard 
 there were a few cases in other parts of the country, when in 
 their fury from the influence of intoxicating liquors. 
 
 There was one case of a sober murder happened about sixty 
 years ago at Arbor Croche. where one young man disposed of 
 his lover by killing, which no Indian ever knew the actual cause 
 of. He was arrested and committed to the Council and tried ac- 
 cording to the Indian style; and after a long council, or trial, it 
 was determined the murderer should be banished from the tribe. 
 Therefore, he was banished. This man was one of Egnace Pe- 
 toskey's half-brothers and was a mixed blood. In 1852 he return- 
 ed to Harbor Springs from his banishment with quite a large 
 family, and one of his sons enlisted in the late Rebellion of the 
 United States, but he died or was killed during the war and old 
 father died in 1896. He was about 100 years .old when he died. 
 He applied for a pension on account of his son. but he died be- 
 fore he could get it from the pension bureau. Also, about this 
 time, one case of sober murder transpired among the Chippewas 
 of Sault Ste. Marie, committed by one of the young Chippewas 
 whose name was Wau-bau-ne-me-kee (White-thunder), who 
 might have been released if he had been properly tried and im- 
 partial judgement exercised over the case, but we believe it was 
 not. This Indian killed a white man. when he was perfectly sob- 
 er, by stabbing. He was arrested, of course, and tried and sen- 
 tenced to be hanged at the Island of Mackinac. I distinctly re- 
 member the time. This poor Indian was very happy when he 
 was about to be hanged on the gallows. He told the people that 
 he was very happy to die, for he felt that he was innocent. He 
 did not deny killing the man, but he thought he was justifiable 
 in the sight of the Great Spirit, as such wicked monsters ought 
 to be killed from off the earth; as this white man came to the In- 
 dian’s wigwam in the dead of night and dragged the mother of 
 children from his very bosom for licentious purpose. He remon- 
 strated, but his remonstrances were not heeded, as this ruffian 
 was encouraged by others who stood around his wigwam, and 
 ready to fall upon this poor Indian and help their fellow ruffian; 
 and he therefore stabbed the principal party, in defense of his 
 beloved wife, for which cause the white man died. If an Indian 
 should go to the white man's house in the dead of night and com- 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 9 
 
 mit that crime, he would be killed, of course; but what man is 
 there who would say that is too bad, this Indian to be killed in 
 that manner? But ever}’ mau will say amen, only he ought to 
 have been more tortured before he was killed; and let the man 
 who killed this bad and wicked Indian be rewarded! This is what 
 would be the result if the Indian would have done the same thing 
 as this white man did. 
 
 Let me here further relate about this interesting Indian, 
 “Wau-baw-mi-ne-kee.” It is said that he had the most super- 
 natural strength of any man that ever walked on the face of the 
 earth. Those persons who relate this matter are creditable and 
 reliable persons. They were both Christians and leaders of the 
 church of Harbor Springs, and their names are Ta-gwa-ney and 
 Louis Wapon. The latter was a deacon of the church of Har- 
 bor Springs. The recital of the story is this: They had a long 
 visit with Wau-bau-ne-me-kee in his confinement at the Fort of 
 Mackinac. Some time after the trial and while they were con- 
 versing with the prisoner, he told his visitors that he could get 
 away from his conflement if he wished to, but he did not wish to 
 get away because he was willing to die. and willing to observe 
 the council of one of the man of God who visited him soon after 
 he was confined. The chain and fetters on my hands and feet 
 are nothing to me. as I could break them all to pieces. As they 
 were talking they lit their pipes to smoke. He too(the prise ner) 
 was trying to light his pipe with two hands, but he could not do 
 so very well on account of his hands being chained and conse- 
 quently spilt some of his tobacco on his lap, and all at once be 
 exclaimed. "Ho-wah! Te-way!” (These words were used among 
 the Ottawas and Chippewas as an exclamation for disappoint- 
 ment), at the same time jerking and breaking his fetters and 
 throwing them violently on the floor and doing the same way 
 with those on his feet, although the chain was attached to 
 them and fastened to the floor. The visitors were almost out 
 of their wits, frightened and astonished. He then said, “This 
 is the way I could do if I wished to escape from this prison.” 
 The keeper came in soon ofter with the look of astonishment 
 and picked up the broken irons and went out without a word, 
 but he soon returned with new fetters and again fastened them 
 on his prisoner. When he was about to be hung, many Chris- 
 tian men and women came and put on his grave clothes, and 
 when they all started to the place of execution he went before 
 them, leaping and skipping and rejoicing and saying that he 
 was going to the place where he would suffer no more. 
 
 The Ottawas and Chippewas were quite virtuous in their 
 primitive state, as there were no illegitimate children reported 
 in our old traditions. But very lately this evil came to exist 
 among the Ottawas — so lately that the second case among the 
 Ottawas of Arbor Croche is yet living in 1897. And from that 
 time this evil came to be quite frequent, for immorality has 
 been introduced among these people by evil white persons who 
 bring their vices into the tribes. 
 
 In the former times, or before the Indians were Christianized, 
 
10 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 when a young’ man came to be a fit age to get married, he did 
 not trouble himself about what girl he should have for his wife; 
 but the parents of the young man did this part of the business. 
 When the parents thought best that their son should be separ- 
 ated from their family by marriage, it was their business to de- 
 cide what woman their son should have as his wife: and after 
 selecting some particular girl among their neighbors, they 
 would make up quite a large package of presents and then go 
 to the parents of the girl and demand the daughter for their 
 son’s wife, at the same time delivering the presents to the par- 
 ents of the girl. If the old folks said yes, then they would 
 bring the girl right along to their son and tell him, ‘“We have 
 brought this girl as your wife so long as you live; now take her, 
 cherish her, and be kind to her so long as you live.” The young 
 man and girl did not dare to say aught against it, as it was the 
 law and custom among their people, but all they had to do was 
 to take each other as man and wife. This was all the rules and 
 ceremony of getting married in former times among the Otta- 
 was and Chippewas of Michigan; they must not marry their 
 cousins nor second cousins. The young couple always stayed 
 with their parents in the same wigam two or three years after 
 they were married or until they could have enough “Pa-quas” 
 to have a separate wigwam to live in. These “Pa-quas” are 
 made from the marsh reeds by sewing them together some ten 
 or twelve feet in length, and are very light and easily portable 
 from place to place, and they must also possess a great bark ca- 
 noe to which the parents and neighbors always help the young 
 couple to obtain these things and everything which is necess- 
 arj' to sustain themselves separately as a family. When the 
 Indian family possessing these portable wigwams and one great 
 bark canoe, one wooden canoe, which he can push off at any 
 time to hunt and looking for some fishes in lakes and rivers for 
 his wife and children, and twb kinds of spears as he must have 
 one for spearing larger fishes and the other for smaller fishes. 
 He must also have two guns, one for shooting larger game and 
 one for smaller. He must have a hunting knife and hunting 
 ax. Any Indian possessing all these things is considered an in- 
 depently rich and happy man. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 11 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Earliest Possible Known History of Mackinac Island— Its Historical Definition 
 Who Resided at the Island — Massacre at the Island by Senecas — Where the 
 Ottawas were Living at that Time— Only Two Escape the Massacre — What 
 Became of Them— The Legends of the Two Who Escaped— Occupants of the 
 Island Afterwards — Who Killed Warrior Tecumseh! 
 
 Again. most every historian, or annalist so-called, who writes 
 about the Island of Mackinac and the Straits and vicinity, tells 
 us that the definition or the meaning of the word “Michili- 
 mackinac” in the Ottawa and Chippewa language is “large 
 turtle,” derived from the word Mi-she-mi-ki-nock in the Chippe- 
 wa language. That is, “Mi-she” is one of the adnominals or ad- 
 jectives in the Ottawa and Chippewa languages, which would 
 signify tremendous in size; and “Mikinock” is the name of mud 
 turtle— meaning, therefore, “monstrous large turtle,” as the 
 the historians would have it. But we consider this to be a clear 
 error. Where-ever those annalists, or those who write about 
 the Island of Mackinac, obtain their information as to the defi- 
 nition of the word Michilimackinac, I don’t know, when our 
 tradition is so direct and so clear with regard to the historical 
 definition of that word, and is far from being derived from the 
 word “Michilimackina,” as the historians have told us. Our 
 tradition says that when the Island was first discovered by the 
 Ottawas, which was sometime before America was known as an 
 existing country by the white man, there was a small indepen- 
 dent tribe, a remnant race of Indians, who occupied this island, 
 and who became confederated with the Ottawas when the Ot- 
 tawas were living at Manitoulin, formerly called Ottawa Island, 
 which is situated north of Lake Huron. The Ottawas thought 
 a good deal of this unfourtunate race of people, as they were 
 kind of an interesting sort of people; but, unfortunately, they 
 had most powerful enemies, who, every now and then, would 
 come upon them to make war with them. Their enemies were 
 of the Iroquois of New York. Therefore, once in the dead of 
 winter while the Ottawas were having a great jubilee and war 
 dances at their island, now Manitoulin, on account of their 
 great conquest over the We-ne-be-goes, of Wisconsin, of which 
 I will speak more fully in subsequent chapters, during which 
 time the Senecas of New York, of the Iroquois family of In- 
 dians, came upon the remnant race and fought them, and al- 
 most entirely annihilated them. But two escaped to tell the 
 story, who effected their escape by flight and by hiding in one 
 of the natural caves at the island, and therefore that was the 
 end of this race. And according to our understanding and tra- 
 ditions the tribal name of those disastrous people was “Mi-shi- 
 ue-mack-i-naw-go,” which is still existing to this day as a monu- 
 ment of their former existence; for the Ottawas and Chippewas 
 
12 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 named this little island “Mi-shi-ne-mack-i-nong’’ for memorial 
 sake of their former confederates, which word is the locative 
 case of the Indian noun “Michinemackinawgo.’’ Therefore, we 
 contend, this is properly where the name Michilimackinac is or- 
 iginated. 
 
 This is the earliest possible history of this Island, as I have re- 
 lated, according to the Ottawa traditions; and from that time 
 forward there have been many changes in its history, as other 
 tribes of Indians took possession of the island, such as the Hu- 
 rors and Chippewas; and still later by the whites — French, Eng- 
 lish and Americans; and numbers of battles have been fought 
 from time to time there, by both Indians and whites, of which I 
 need not relate as other historians have already given us the 
 accounts of them. But only this I would relate, because I have 
 never yet seen the account of it. It is related in our traditions 
 that at the time when the Chippewas occupied the island they 
 ceded it to the United States Government, but reserved a strip 
 of land all around the island as far as a stone throw from its 
 water’s edge as their encampment grounds when they might 
 come to the island to trade or other business. 
 
 Perhaps the reader would like to know what became of those 
 two persons who escaped from the lamented tribe Mishinema- 
 ckinawgoes. I will here give it just as it is related in our tra- 
 ditions, although this may be considered, at this age, as a ficti- 
 tious story; but every Ottawa and Chippewa to this day believes 
 it to be positively so. It is related that the two persons escap- 
 ed were two young people, male and female, and they were lov- 
 ers. After everything got quieted down, they fixed their snow- 
 shoes inverted and crossed the lake on the ice, as snow was quiet 
 deep on the ice, and they went towards the north shore of "Lake 
 Huron. The object of inverting their snow-shoes was that in 
 case any person should come across their tracks on the ice, their 
 tracks would appear as if going toward the island. They be- 
 came so disgusted with human nature, it is related, that they 
 shunned every mortal being, and just lived by themselves, se- 
 lecting the wildest part of the country. Therefore the Otta- 
 was and Chippewas called thenr‘Paw-gwa-tchaw-nish-naw-bay.” 
 The last time they were seen by the Oftawas, they had ten 
 children — all boys, and all living and well. But they were not 
 with their children at the time they were seen. The Ottawas 
 did not see any of the children but they told them that they 
 had ten and all full grown roaming in the wildest part of the 
 country. Both of those old people were great doctors. They 
 cured every kind of sickness with nature’s laboratory which 
 they gathered from the wilds of the country. But the other 
 big medicine men among the Ottawas felt quite infatuated 
 about this matter because they could not get any business of 
 doctoring as nobody called upon them for medicine. Therefore 
 they held a secret council to determine in what manner they 
 might dispose of this old couple. But this old couple, having al- 
 ready become supernatural and prophets, knew what was going 
 on amongst the great medicine men. So they disappeared at 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 13 
 
 the twinkling- of the eye and notcdyever knew where they went. 
 
 And every Ottawa and C hippewa believes to this day that 
 • fhey are still in existence ard rot ming- in the wildest part of the 
 f lancl, hut as supernatural beings — Ibat is. they can be seen or un- 
 [ seen, just as they see fit to be: and sometimes they simply mani- 
 fest themselves as being present by throwing a club or a stone 
 at a person walking in solitude, or by striking a dog belonging to 
 the person walking', and sometimes by throwing a club at the 
 lodge, night or day, or bearing their footsteps walking around 
 ■ the wigwam when the Indians would be camping out in an unset- 
 tled part of the country, and the dogs would bark, just as they 
 would bark at any strange person approaching the door. And 
 [ sometimes they would be tracked on snow by hunters, and if fol- 
 ! lowed on their track, however recently passed, they never could 
 I be overtaken. Sometimes when an Indian would be hunting or 
 walking in solitude, he would suddenly be seized with an unearth- 
 ly fright, terribly awe stricken. apprehending some great evil. 
 He feels a very peculiar feeling from head to foot — the hair of 
 his head standing and feeling stiff like a porcupine quill. He 
 feels almost benumbed with fright, and yet he does not know 
 what it is: and looking in every direction to see something, but 
 nothing to be seen which might cause a sensation of terror. Col- 
 lecting himself, he would then say, “Pshaw! it’s nothing to be 
 afraid of. It’s nobody else but Paw-gwa-tchaw-nish-naw-baj r 
 that is approaching me. Perhaps he wanted something of me.” 
 They would then leave something on their tracks, tobacco, pow- 
 der or sometaing else. Once in a great while they would appear 
 and approach the person to talk with him, and in this case, it is 
 said, they would always begin with the sad story of their great 
 catastrophe at Mackinac Island. And whoever would be so for- 
 tunate as to meet or see them and to talk with them, such person 
 would always become a prophet to his people, either Ottawa or 
 Chippewa. Therefore, Ottawas and Chippewas called these 
 supernatural beings '•Paw-gwa-tchaw-nish-naw-bay,” which is, 
 strictly “Wild roaming supernatural being.” 
 
 Pine river country, in Charlevoix county. Michigan, w'hen this 
 country was wild, especially near Pine Lake, was once consid- 
 ered as the most famous resort of this kind of supernatural be- 
 ings. I was once conversing with one of the first white settlers 
 of that portion of the country, who settled near to the place now 
 called Boyne City, at the extreme end of the east arm of Pine 
 Lake. In the conversation he told me that many times they had 
 been frightened, particularly during the nights, by hearing 
 what sounded like human footsteps around outside of their cab- 
 in: and their dogs would be terrified. crouching at the doorway, 
 snarling and growling, and sometimes fearfully barking. When 
 i daylight came, the old man would go out in order to discover 
 what it was or if he could track anything around his cabin, but 
 he never could discover a track of any kind. These remarkable, 
 mischievous, audible, fanciful, appalling apprehensions were of 
 very frequent occurrence before any other inhabitants or set- 
 tlers came near to his place: but now, they do not have such ap- 
 
14 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 prehensions since many settlers came. 
 
 The massacre of Mishinimackinawgoes by Seneca Indians of 
 New York happened probably more than five or six hundred years 
 ago. I could say much more which would be contradictory of 
 other writers of the history of the Indians in this country. Ev- 
 en in the history of the United States I think there are some 
 mistakes concerning the accounts of the Indians, particularly of 
 accounts of our brave Tecumseh, as it is claimed that he was 
 killed by a soldier named Johnson, upon whom they conferred the 
 honor of having disposed of the dreaded Tecumseh. Even pict- 
 ured out as being coming up with his tomahawk to strike a man 
 who was on horseback, but being instantly shot dead with the 
 pistol. Now I have repeatedly heard our oldest Indians, both 
 male and female, who were present at the defeat of the British 
 and Indians, all tell a unanimous story, saying that they came to 
 a clearing or opening spot, and it was there where Tecumseh 
 ordered his warriors to rally and fight the Americans once more, 
 and in this very spot one of tTie American musket balls took ef- 
 fect in Tecumseh’s leg so as to break the bone. He was sitting 
 on the ground when he told his warriors to flee as well as they 
 could, and said, “One of my legs is shot off! But leave me one or 
 two guns loaded; I am going to have a last shot. Be quick and 
 go.” That was the last word spoken by Tecumseh. As they 
 looked back, they saw the soldiers thick as a swarm of bees 
 around where Tecumseh was sitting on the ground with his 
 broken leg, and so they did not see him any more; and, therefore, 
 we always believe that the Indians or Americans know not who 
 made the fatal shot on Tecumseh’s leg, or what the soldiers did 
 with him when they came up to him as he was sitting on the 
 ground. 
 
 CHAPTER .IV. 
 
 The Author’s Reasons for Recording the History of His People and Their Lan- 
 guage— History of His Nationality— A Sketch of His Father’s History — How 
 the Indians were Treated in Manitoba Country One Hundred Years ago— His 
 Father’s Banishment to Die on a Lonely Island by the White Traders — Sec- 
 ond Misfortune of the Ottawas on Account of the Shawanee Prophet. 
 
 The Indian tribes are continually diminishing on the face of 
 this continent. Some have already passed entirely out of exis- 
 tence and are forgotten, who once inhabited this part of the 
 country; such as the Mawsh-ko-desh, Urons, Ossaw-gees — who 
 formerly occupied Saw-gi-naw-bay; and the Odaw-gaw-mees, 
 whose principal habitation was about the vicinity of Detroit 
 river. They are entirely vanished into nothingness. Not a sin- 
 gle page of their history can be found on record in the history 
 
s 
 
 THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 15 
 
 of this country, or hardly an allusion to their existence. My 
 own race, once a very numerous, powerful and warlike tribe of 
 Indians, who proudly trod upon this soil, is also near the end of 
 existence. In a few more generations they will be so inter- 
 mingled with the Caucasian race as to be hardly distinguished 
 as descended from the Indian nations, and their language will 
 be lost. I myself was brought up in a pure Indian style, and 
 lived in a wigwam, and have partaken of every kind of the 
 wild jubilees of my people, and was once considered one of the 
 best "Pipe - ’ dancers of the tribe. But when nearly grown up, I 
 was invited by a traveling Protestant Missionarv, whose name 
 was Alvin Coe, to go home with him to the state of Ohio, with 
 the assurance that he would give me a good education like the 
 white man, and the idea struck me that I could be really edu- 
 cated and be able to converse with the white people. And al- 
 though at that time (in the fa'l of 1840) I missed the opportunity, 
 the idea was never after off my mind. So some time afterwards 
 I started out voluntarily to obtain an education; and I had near- 
 ly succeeded in completing mv professional studies when I was 
 | called away to come home and look after my aged father, in 
 : 1850. And now I have four children, but not one of them can 
 | speak the Indian language. And every one of the little Indian 
 urchins who are now running about in our town can speak to 
 . each other quite fluently in the English language; but I am very 
 sorry to add that they have also learned profanity like the 
 white children. For these reasons it seems desirable that the 
 history of my people should not be lost, like that of other tribes 
 who previously existed in this country, and who have left no 
 record of their ancient legends and their traditions. 
 
 Before proceeding to record the history of the Ottawas of the 
 State of Michigan, to whom I am immediately connected in their 
 future destinies, I propose to rehearse in a summary manner 
 my nationality and family history. Our tradition says that 
 long ago, when the Ottawa tribes of Indians used to go on the 
 warpath either towards the south or towards the west, even as 
 far as to the Rocky Mountains my remote ancestors were cap- 
 tured and brought to this country as prisoners of war. But they 
 were afterwards adopted as children of the Ottawas, and inter- 
 married with the nation in which they were captives. Subse- 
 quently these captives posterity became so famous among the 
 Ottawas on account of their exploits and bravery on the war- 
 path and being great hunters that they became closely con- 
 nected with the royal families, and were considered as the best 
 counselors, best chieftains and best warriors among the Otta- 
 was. Thus I am not regularly decended from the Ottawa na- 
 tions of Indians, but I am decended, as tradition says, from the 
 tribe in the far West known as the Underground race of people. 
 They were so called on account of making their habitations in 
 the ground by making holes 1 arge enough for dwelling purposes. 
 It is related that they even made caves in the ground in which 
 to keep their horses every night to prevent them from being 
 stolen by other tribes who were their enemies. It is also related 
 
16 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 that they were quite an intelligent class of people. By culti- 
 vating the soil they raised corn and other vegetables to aid in sus- 
 taining life besides hunting and fishing. They were entirely in- 
 dependent, having their own government and language, and 
 possessing their own national emblem which distinguished them 
 as distinct and separate from all other tribes. This symbolical 
 ensign of my ancestors was represented by a species of small 
 hawk, wh'ch the Ottawas called the “Pe-pe-gwen.” So we were 
 sometimes called in this country in which we live the ‘‘Pe-pe- 
 gwen tribe, - ’ instead of the ‘'Undergrounds.” As it was custom- 
 ary among the Ottawas, that is any one of our number, a decen- 
 dant of the Undergrounds, should commit any punishable crime, 
 all the Pe-pe-gwen tribe or decendants of the Undergrounds 
 would be called together in a grand council and requested to 
 make restitution for the crime or to punish the guilty one, ac- 
 cording to the final decision of the council. 
 
 There were several great chieftains of the Undergrounds 
 among the Ottawas who were living within my time, and some 
 are here mentioned who were most known by the American peo- 
 ple, particularly during the war with Great Britian in 1812. 
 Most of these chieftains were my own uncles. One was called 
 Late Wing, who took a very active part for the cause of the 
 United States in the war of 1812, and he was a great friend of 
 Governor Lewis Cass, of Michigan. Wing was pensioned for 
 life for his good services to the United States. He was one of 
 my father’s own brothers. Shaw-be-nee was an uncle of mine on 
 my mother’s side, who also served bravely for the United States 
 in the war of 1812. He traveled free all over the United States 
 during his life time. This privilege was granted to him by the 
 Government of the United States for his patriotism and brav- 
 ery. He died in the State of Illinois about thirty years ago 
 from this writing, and a monument was raised for him by the 
 people of the State. We-ke-zoo was another great chieftain 
 who died before my time in the county of Manitoba, out north. 
 He was also one of my father’s brothers. It is related that he 
 was also a prophet and a great magician or spiritualist. 
 
 My own dear father was one of the head chiefs at Arbor Cro- > 
 che, now called Middle Village or Good Hart, which latter name 
 was given at my suggestion by the postoflice department at 
 Washington. My father died in June, 1861. His Indian name 
 was Mack-a-de-pe-nessy, which means Black Hawk; but some- 
 how it has been mistranslated into Blackbird, so we now go by 
 this latter name. My father was a very brave man. He has led 
 his warriors several times on the warpath, and he was noted as 
 one who was most daring and adventurous in his younger days. 
 He stayed about twenty years in the country of Manitoba with 
 his brother, Wa-ke-zoo, among other tribes of Indians and white 
 fur traders in that section of the country. Many times he has 
 grappled with and narrowly escaped from the grizzly bear and 
 treacherous buffalo which were then very numerous in that por- 
 tion of the country. This was about one hundred years ago. 
 He has seen there things that would be almost incredible at this 
 
THE OTTAWA AXD CH1FFEWA. 
 
 17 
 
 present age: liquor sold to the Indians measured with a woman’s 
 thimble, a thimbleful for one dollar: one wooden coarse comb 
 for two beaver skins: a double handful of salt for one beaver 
 skin — and so on in proportion in everything else; the poor In- 
 dian had to give pile upon pile of beaver skins, which might be 
 worth two or three hundred dollars, for a few yards of flimsy 
 cloth. Englishmen and Frenchmen who went there expressly to 
 traffic with the Indians, generally started from Quebec and 
 Montreal, leaving their families at home: but as soon as they 
 reached this wild country, they would take Indian wives. When 
 they left the country, they would leave their Indian wives and 
 children there to shift for themselves. Consequently there are 
 in that region thousands of half breeds, most beautiful men and 
 beautiful women, but they are as savage as the rest of the In- 
 dians. No white man there ever told these poor Indians any- 
 thing about Christianity, but only added unto them their degra- 
 dations and robbed them. 
 
 My father was once there left to perish on a lonely island by 
 the fur traders, not because he had done any crime, but simply 
 from inhuman cruelty and disregard of Indians by these white 
 men. He was traveling with these traders from place to place 
 in a long bark canoe, which was their only means of conveyanc e 
 on the water in those days. It appears that there were two par- 
 ' ties, and two of these long bark canoes were going in the same 
 direction, one of which my father was paddling for them. He 
 was not hired, but simply had joined them in his travels. But 
 these two parties were thrown into a great quarrel about who 
 should have my father to paddle their canoe. Therefore they 
 landed on this little island expressly to fight amongst themselves 
 and after fighting long and desperately, they left my poor fath- 
 er on this little island to die. for they concluded that neither of 
 them should take him into their canoe. He was left to die! 
 What must be the feelings of this poor Indian, to whom life was 
 as sweet as to any human creature'? What revenge should he 
 take upon those traders? He had a gun which he leveled at 
 them as they started off in their canoes. His fingers were on 
 the trigger, when suddenly a thought flashed across his mind — 
 ‘•Perhaps the Great Spirit will be displeased.” So he dropped 
 his gun and raised a fervent prayer to the Almighty Ruler for 
 deliverance from this awful situation. After being several 
 days on this little island, when almost dying from starvation, 
 fortunately deliverance came. He spied a small canoe with 
 two persons in it within hail. They came and took him off from 
 his dying situation. It was an Indian woman with her little son 
 who happened to travel in that direction who saved my father's 
 life. 
 
 From this time hence my father lost all confidence in white 
 men, whatever the position or profession of the white man might 
 be, whether a priest, preacher, lawyer, doctor, merchant, or 
 common white man. He told us to beware of them, as they all 
 were after on great object, namely, to grasp the world’s wealth. 
 And in order to obtain this, they would lie, steal, rob, or murder, 
 
18 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 if it need be: therefore he instructed us to beware how the 
 white man would approach us with a very smooth tongue, while 
 his heart is full of deceit and far from intending' to do us any 
 good. 
 
 He left Manitoba country about 1800, or about the time when 
 the Shawanee prophet, “Waw-wo-yaw-ge-she-maw,” who was 
 one of Tecumseh’s own brothers, sent his emissaries to preach to 
 the Ottawas and Chippewas in the Lower and Upper Peninsula 
 of Michigan, who advised the Ottawas and Chippewas to confess 
 their sins and avow their wrongs and go west, and there to wor- 
 ship the Great Spirit according to the old style as their fore- 
 fathers did,* and to abandon everything else which the white 
 man had introduced into the tribes of Indians, to abandon even 
 their mode of making fire, which was by flint and steel, and to 
 start their fires by friction between two pieces of dry wood as 
 their forefathers made their fires before the white people came 
 to this country, and to eat no flesh of domestic animals, but to 
 eat nothing but wild game, and use their skins for their wearing 
 apparel and robes as the Great Spirit designed them to be when 
 He created them. He taught them that the Great spirit was 
 angry with them because they conformed to the habits of the 
 white man, and that if they did not believe and practice the old 
 habits, the Great Spirit would shake the earth as an evidence 
 that he tells them the truth. A great many Ottawas believed 
 and went far west accordingly. And it hapjmned about this 
 time that the earth did quake in Michigan. I think, if I am not 
 mistaken, the earth shook twice within a year, which is record- 
 ed in the annals of this country. At the earthquake many In- 
 dians were frightened, and consequently many more believed 
 and went west; but nearly all of them died out there because 
 the climate did not agree with them. Saw-gaw-kee (Growing- 
 plant) was the head chief of the Ottawa nation of Indians at 
 that time, and was one of the believers who went with the par- 
 ties out west, and he also died there. t This is the second time 
 that the Ottawas were greatly reduced in numbers in the coun- 
 try of Arbor Croche. 
 
 Just before my father came away from Manitoba country, 
 while he was with his brother Wa-ke-zoo, they made the treaty 
 with two tribes of Indians, the Kenishtennes and Blackfeet, for 
 a piece of land which they surveyed by twelve days foot 
 traveling around it somewhere very near at the outlet of Red 
 river, stating at a point on the west shore of Lake Winnepeg 
 and going West three day’s foot traveling, thence north three 
 
 *The worship of the Great Spirit consisted mostly in songs and dancing accom- 
 panied with an Indian drum, which has a very deep and solemn sound, although 
 not very large, about a foot in diameter, i used to think that the sound of it must 
 reach to the heaven where the Great Spirit is. 
 
 tThis Chief Saw-gaw-kee was Ne-saw-wa-quat’s father, the last head chief of 
 Little Traverse. Ne-.saw-wa-quat was the only child remaining alive of the 
 whole Saw-gaw-kee family. Theoefore the child was brought back to this coun- 
 try and was the last head chief of Little Traverse, now Harbor Springs, and he 
 died in the winter of 1857. H. C. Gilbert, of Coldwater, was the Indian agent for 
 Michigan at that time. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 19 
 
 days, thence east three days, thence south three days to place 
 of beginning. When they measured this land they did not trav- 
 el many miles each day on account of bad places and blazing the 
 trees as they went — probably they did not travel more than 1U 
 or 12 miles each day. In order to make presents to these tribes 
 thej - cleared out one of the British Fur Company's stores, kept 
 by Mr. Shaw, their agent, including all the intoxicating liquors, 
 which my father and uncle paid to Mr. Shaw with beaver skins 
 and other furs. This treaty was not simply verbal but it was 
 a written treaty. Mr. Shaw acted as secretary of this treaty 
 who promised to put these writings on record amongst the 
 archives of the British Government. I am of the opinion that 
 this treaty land lays just near or in the District of Manito- 
 ba. Also soon after that my father and uncle bought a bill of 
 ex h inge giving Mr. Shaw 1,000 beaver skins considering each 
 skin to be be worth $2, therefore the bill of exchange of $2,000, 
 which they also lost by fire. My uncle had it In his tobacco 
 pouch, father says, but his wigwam being burned, he lost every- 
 thing besides the bill of exchange. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The Author's Father Appointed Speaker for the Ottawas and Chippewas— The 
 Only Ottawa who was Friendly to Education — Making Alphabet — Acting as 
 School Teacher— Moving Disposition of the Ottawas— Mode of Traveling — 
 Traditition of William Blackbird Being Fed by Angelic Beings in the Wilder- 
 ness— His Being Put into a Mission School by His Father— Studying to be a 
 Priest — His Assassination in the City of Rome, Italy, on Almost the Day he 
 was to be Ordained— Memorial Poem— The Author's Remarks on the Death of 
 His Brother. 
 
 After my father's return to Arbor Croche he became quite an 
 
 f orator, and consequently he was appointed as head speaker in 
 the council of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. He contin- 
 ued to hold this office until his frame was beginning to totter 
 with age, his memory became disconnected and inactive, and he 
 therefore gave up his office to his own messenger, whose name 
 Joseph As-saw-gon, who died during the late rebellion in the 
 United States while Hon. D. C. Leach, of Traverse City, was the 
 Michigan Indian agent. As-saw-gon was indeed quite an ora- 
 tor, considering his scanty opportunities. He had no education 
 at all, but was naturally gifted as an orator. He was quite 
 logical and allegorical in his manner of speaking. I have heard 
 i several white people remark, who had listened to his speeches 
 through the imperfect interpreters, that he was as good a 
 i speaker as any orator who had been thoroughly educated. 
 
 My father was the only man who was friennly to education. 
 When I was a little boy, I remember distinctly his making his 
 
20 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 own alphabet, which he called “Paw-pa-pe-po - ” With this he 
 learned how to read and write: and alter wards he taught oth- 
 er Indians to read and write according to his alphabet. He 
 taught no children but only grown persons. Our wigwam, which 
 was about sixty or seventy feet long, where we lived in the sum- 
 mer time, was like a regular school house, with my father as 
 teacher of the school, and they had merry times in it. Many 
 Indians came there to learn his Paw-pa-pe-po, and some of them 
 were very easy to learn, while others found learning extreme- 
 ly difficult. 
 
 Tnere were ten of us children in the family, six boys and four 
 girls. I was the youngest of all who were living at that time. 
 The eldest boy was one of the greatest hunters among the Ot- 
 tawas. His name was Pung-o-wish, named after our great- 
 grandfather, but he was afterwards called Peter by the Catho- 
 lic missionaries when he was baptized into the Catholic relig- 
 ion. One of my brothers who was live or six years younger 
 than my eldest brother was a remarkably interesting boy. His 
 name was Pe-taw-wan-e-vuot, though he was arterwards called 
 William. He was quick to learn Paw-pa-pe-po, and very curi- 
 ous and interesting questions he would often ask of his father, 
 which would greatly puzzle the old man to answer. 
 
 Ail the Indians of Arbor Croche used only to stay there dur- 
 ing the summer time, to plant their corn, potatoes, and other 
 vegetables. As soon as their crops were put away in the 
 ground,* they would start all together towards the south, go- 
 ing to different points, some going as far as Chicago expressly to 
 trap the muskrat, beavers, and many other kinds of furs, and 
 others to the St. Joe river, Grand river, or Muskegon river, 
 there to hunt and trap all winter, and make sugar in the spring. 
 After sugar making they would come back again to Waw-gaw- 
 naw-ke-zee, or Arbor Croche, to spend the summer and raise 
 their crops again as before. 
 
 In navigating Lake Michigan they used long bark canoes in 
 which they carried their whole families and enough provisions 
 to last them all winter. These canoes were made very light, 
 out of white birch bark, and with a fair wind they could skip very 
 lightly on the waters, going very fast, and could stand a very 
 heavy sea. In one day they could sail quite a long distance a- 
 long the coast of Lake Michigan. When night overtook them 
 they would land and make wigwams with light poles of cedar 
 which they always carried iiqtheir canoes. These wig warns were 
 covered with mats made for that purpose out of prepared marsh 
 reeds or flags sewed together, which made very good shelter 
 from rain and wind, and were very warm after making fires in- 
 side of them. They had another kind of mat to spread on the 
 
 *The mode of securing their corn was first to dry the ears by fire. When per- 
 fectly dry, they would then beat them with a flail and pick all the cobs out. The 
 grain was then winnowed and put into sacks They were put into the ground in a 
 large cylinder made out of elm bark, set deep into the ground and made very dry, 
 filling this cylinder full and then covering it to stay there for winter and summer 
 use. They would also put away the potatoes in the same manner but without 
 any cylinder. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 21 
 
 ground to sit and sleep on. These mats are quite beautifully 
 made out of different colors, and closely woven, of well prepar- 
 ed bull-rushes.* After breakfast in the morning they are off 
 again in the big canoes. 
 
 My father's favorite winter quarters were somewhere above 
 Big Rapids on Muskegon River. He hunted and trapped there 
 alf winter and made sugar. A very mysterious event happened 
 to my brother William while my folks were making sugar there. 
 One beautiful morning after the snow had entirely disappeared 
 in the woods, my brother William, then at the age af about 
 eight or nine years, was shooting around with his little bow and 
 arrows among the sugar trees, but that day he never came home. 
 At sundown, our parents were beginning to feel very uneasy 
 about their little boy, and yet they thought he must have gone 
 to some neighboring sugar bush, as there were quite a number 
 ; of families also making sugar in the vicinity. Early in the 
 morning, my father went to all the neighboring sugar camps, 
 but William w T as nowhere to be found. So at once a search was 
 instituted. Men and boys were out in search for the boy, calling 
 and shooting their guns far and near, but not a trace of him 
 anywhere could be found. Our parents were almost distracted 
 with anxiety and fear about their boy, and they continued the 
 
 ■ search three days in vain. On the fourth day, one of our cousins, 
 
 - whose name was “Oge-maw-we-ne-ne,” came to a very deep gully 
 j. between two hills. He went up to the top of the highest hill in 
 i order to be heard a long distance. When he reached, the top, he 
 I began to halloo as loud as he could, calling the child by name, 
 
 “Pe-taw-on-e-quot.” At the end of his shouting he thought he 
 heard some one responding to his call, “Wan?’’ This word is 
 one of the interrogatives in the Indian language, and is equiva- 
 lent to “what” in the English language. He listened a few 
 minutes, and again he called as before, and again heard dis- 
 tinctly the same response, “Wau?” It came from above, right 
 over his head, and as he looked upwards he saw the boy, almost 
 at the top of the tree, standing on a sm ail limb in a very dan- 
 , gerous situation. He said. “Hello, what are you doing up there? 
 
 I Can't you come down?” “Yes, I can,” was the answer; “I came 
 up here to find out where I am, and which way is our sugar camp.” 
 “Come down, then; I will show you which way is your home.” 
 
 ! After he came down from the tree, our cousin offered him food, 
 but the child would not touch a morsel, saying that he was not 
 hungry as he had eaten only a little while ago. “Ah, you have 
 been fed then. Who fed you? We have been looking for you 
 
 ■ now over three days.” The boy replied, “I had everything that 
 I wanted to eat in the great festival of the “Wa-me-te-go-zhe- 
 
 ■ wog,” which is “the white people.” “Where are they" now?” 
 
 : asked our cousin. “That is just what I would like to know, too,” 
 
 ; said the boy; I had just come out of their nice house between the 
 
 *To prepare these hull-rushes for mats, they are cut when very green, and then 
 they go through the process of steaming, after bleaching by the sun: they are col- 
 ored before they are woven. They are generally made about six or eight feet long 
 and about four feet wide. 
 
 
INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 99 
 
 two hills, and as I looked back after I came out of their door I 
 saw no more of their house, and heard no more of them nor their 
 music. ’ Our cousin again questioned the boy, “How did you 
 come to find these Wa-me-te-go-zhe-wog here?” And little Wil- 
 liam replied, “Those Wa-me-te-go-zhe-wog came to our sugar 
 camp and invited me to go with them, but 1 thought it was very 
 close by. I thought we walked only just a few steps to come to 
 their door.” Our cousin believed it was some supernatural event 
 and hastened to take the boy to his anxious parents. Again 
 and again little William told the same story when interrogated 
 by any person, and it is firmly believed by all our family and 
 friends that he was cherished and fed three days in succession 
 by angelic beings. 
 
 When he was about twelve or thirteen years of age the Pro- 
 testant Mission School started at Mackinac Island, and my fa- 
 ther thought best to put him to that school. After being there 
 less than a year, he was going around with his teachers, acting 
 as interpreter among the Indian camps at the Island of Mack- 
 inac. I was perfectly astonished to see how quick he had ac- 
 quired the English language. After the mission broke up at 
 the island, about the time the Catholic mission was established 
 at Little Traverse, 1817, William came home and stayed with 
 us for about two years, when he was again taken by Bishop 
 Reese with his little sister, a very lovely girl, whom the white 
 people call Auntie Margaret, or Queen of the Ottawas.* They 
 were taken down to Cincinnati, Ohio, where they were put into 
 higher schools, and there my brother attained the highest de- 
 gree of education, or graduation as it is called. 
 
 Prom thence he was taken across the ocean to the city of 
 Rome, Italy, to study for the priesthood, leaving his little sister 
 in Cincinnati. It is related that he was a very eloquent and 
 powerful orator, and was considered a very promising man by 
 the people of the city of Rome, and received great attention 
 from the noble families, on account of his wisdom and talent 
 and his being a native American; and yet he had a much lighter 
 complexion than his cousin Aug Hamlin, who was also taken 
 over there and who represented himself as half French, yet he 
 was much darker skin than William. 
 
 While be was at Rome, the proposition arose in this country 
 to buy out the Michigan Indians by the Government of the Un- 
 ited States, and he wrote to his people at Arbor Croche and to 
 Little Traverse on this very subject, advising them not to sell 
 out nor make any contract with the United States Government, 
 but to hold on until he could return to America, when he would 
 endeavor to aid them in making out the contract or treaty with 
 the United States. Never to give up, not even if they should 
 be threatened with annihilation or to be driven away at the 
 point of the bayonet from their native jsoil. I wish I could pro- 
 duce some of this correspondence, but only one letter from him 
 
 * Auntie Margaret (my sister) was living when this manuscript was first pub- 
 lished, 1887, but she is now dead since 1892 at the age of 76 years. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 23 
 
 can now be found, which is here given to his little sister Mar- 
 agret. 
 
 Rome. April 17, 1833. 
 
 My Dear Sister: 
 
 It is a long time since I wrote you a few lines. I would write 
 oftener if the time would permit, but I have very few leisure 
 moments. However, as we have a holiday to-day, I determined 
 to write a line or two. I have to attend to my studies from 
 morning till sunset. I thank you very much for your kind letter 
 which I received some time ago by politeness of Rev. Mr. Sea- 
 jean. My dearest sister, you may have felt lost after I left you; 
 you must consider who loves you with all the affection of par- 
 ents. What can we return io those who have done us much 
 good, but humble prayers for them that the Almighty may re- 
 ward them for the benefit they have done in this poormoital 
 i world. I was very happy when informed by Father Mullen that 
 you had received six premiums at the examination: nothing else 
 would more impress my heart, than to hear of the success of 
 your scholastic studies. I entreat you, dearest sister, to learn 
 what is good and to despise the evil, and offer your prayers to 
 i the Almighty God and rely on Him alone, and by His blessing 
 | you may continue to improve your time well. You can have no 
 idea how the people here are devoted to the Virgin Mary. At 
 every corner of the streets there is the image of her, and some 
 ’ of these have lights burning day and night. I think of you very 
 often; perhaps I shall never have the pleasure of seeing you 
 ; again. I have been unwell ever since I came to this country. 
 However, I am yet able to attend my school and studies. I hope 
 I will not be worse, so that I may be unable to follow my inten- 
 tion. 
 
 There are really fine things to be seen in Rome. On the feast 
 of SS. Sebastian and Fabian we visited the Catacombs, two or 
 three miles out of the city, where is a church dedicated to those 
 t saints, which I have already mentioned in previous letters. 
 Perhaps our countrj T men would not believe that there was such 
 a place as that place which I saw myself with my own naked 
 eyes. We entered in with lights and saw the scene before us. 
 As soon as we entered we saw coffins on the top of each other, 
 in one of which we saw some of the remains. The cave runs in 
 every direction, sometimes is ascended by steps, and sometimes 
 runs deeper, and one would be very easily lost in it. There are 
 some large places and a chapel; I am told by the students that 
 the chapel is where Pope Gregory was accustomed to say mass. 
 I assure you it would excite any human heart to behold the 
 place where the ancient Christians were concealed under the 
 earth from the persecution of the anti-christians. Indeed they 
 were concealed by the power of God. They sought Jesus and 
 Him alone they loved. 
 
 It is the custom of the College of the Propaganda, on the 
 feast of Epiphany each year, that the students should deliver a 
 discourse in their own respective languages. This year there 
 were thirtyone different languages delivered by the students, 
 
24 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 so you may judge what kind of a college this is. At piesent it 
 is quite full; there are ninty-three, of which thirteen are from 
 the United States. 
 
 On Easter Sunday the Holy Father celebrated mass in the 
 church of St. Peter. It is very seldom that his holiness is seen 
 personally celebrating mass in public except on great festivals. 
 The church was crowded with spectators, both citizens of Rome 
 and foreigners On the front part of the church there was an 
 elevated place beautifully ornamented. After the solemn cer- 
 emonies the Holy Father went up and gave his paternal bene- 
 diction to the people. There is a large square before St. Peter’s, 
 and it was crowded so that it was impossible to kneel down to 
 receive the benediction. 
 
 This week we are quite merry; we seem ro employ our minds 
 on the merriment which is always displayed amongst us on such 
 occasions. Our secretary is now Cardinal, and to-morrow he 
 will be crowned with the dignity of the Cardinal Our college 
 has been illuminated these two eveniugs. The congregational 
 halls of the Propaganda were opened on -this occasion. The 
 new Cardinal then received all the compliments of the Cardi- 
 nals, Bishops, Prelates. Ambassadors, Princes and other distin- 
 guished dignities. There are two large beautiful rooms, in one 
 of which the new Cardinal was seated and received all those 
 who came to pay him compliments. The visitors all came 
 through the same passage, and there was a man posted in each 
 room who received them and cried out to others that such a 
 man was coming, and so on through all those that were placed 
 for the purpose, and one called the Cardinal gentleman, intro- 
 duced them to the new Cardinal. If there was such a thing in 
 America it would be quite a novelty. 
 
 It is time for me to close, and I hope you will write me some- 
 times. My respects to the Sisters and Father Mullen. Farewell, 
 dear sister; pray for your Superior and for me. 
 
 I remain your most effectinate brother, 
 
 WILLIAM MaCCATEBINESSI. 
 
 After his death, some one at Cincinnati wrote the following, 
 to be repeated before a large audience in that city by his little 
 sister Margaret, who was there at school. The poetry was im- 
 pressively recited and listened to by many people with wet 
 eyes. This gifted child of nature died June 25, 1833 
 
 “The morning breaks: see how the glorious sun, 
 
 Slow wheeling from the east, new lustre sheds 
 O'er the soft clime of Italy. The flower 
 That kept its perfume in the dewy night, 
 
 Now breathes it forth again. Hill, vale and grove, 
 
 Clad in rich verdure, bloom, and from the rocks 
 
 The joyous waters leap. O! meet it is 
 
 That thou, imperial Rome, should lift thy head, 
 
 Decked with the triple crown, where cloudless skies 
 And lands rejoicing in the summer sun, 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 25 
 
 Rich blessings yield. 
 
 But there is grief today. 
 
 A voice is heard within thy marble walls, 
 
 A voice lamenting for the useful dead; 
 
 For o'er the relics of her forest boy 
 
 The mother of dead Empires weep. And low! 
 
 Clad in white robes the long procession moves; 
 
 Youths throng around the bier, and high in front, 
 
 Star of our hope, the glorious cross is reared, 
 
 Triumphant sign. The low, sweet voice of prayer, 
 Flowing spontaneous from the spirit’s depth’s, 
 
 Pours its rich tones; and now the requiem swells, 
 
 Now dies upon the ear. 
 
 But there is one 
 
 Who stands beside my brother’s grave, and tho’ no tear 
 Dims his dark eye, yet does his spirit weep. 
 
 With beating heart he gazes on the spot 
 Where his young comrade shall forever rest. 
 
 For they together left their forest home, 
 
 Led by Father Reese, who to their fathers preached 
 Glad tiding of great joy; the holj' man my brother, 
 
 Who sleeps beneath the soil that Father Reese’s labors 
 blessed. 
 
 How must the spirit mourn, the bosom heave, 
 
 Of that lone Indian boy! No tongue can speak 
 The accents of his tribe, and as he bends 
 In melancholy mood above the dead, 
 
 Imagination clothes his tearful thoughts 
 In rude but plaintive cadences. 
 
 Soft be my brother’s sleep! 
 
 At nature's call the cypress here shall wave, 
 
 The wailing winds lament above the grave, 
 
 The dewy night shall weep. 
 
 And he thou leavest forlorn, 
 
 Oh, he shall come to shade my brother’s grave with moss, 
 To plant what thou didst love — the mystic cross, 
 
 To hope, to pray, to mourn. 
 
 No marble here shall rise; 
 
 But o'er thy grave he’ll teach the forest tree 
 To lift its glorious head and point to thee, 
 
 Rejoicing in the skies. 
 
 And when it feels the breeze, 
 
 I’ll think thy spirit wakes that gentle sound 
 Such as our fathers thought when all around 
 Shook the old forest leaves. 
 
 Dost thou forget the hour, my brother, 
 
26 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 When first we heard the Christian's hope revealed, 
 
 When fearless warriors felt their bosoms yield 
 Beneath Almighty power? 
 
 Then truths came o'er us fast. 
 
 Whilst on the mound the missionary stood 
 And thro’ the list'ning silence of the wood 
 His words like spirits passed. 
 
 And oh, hadst thou been spared, 
 
 We two had gone to bless our fathers’ land, 
 
 To spread rich stores around, and hand in hand 
 Each holy labor shared. 
 
 But here the relics of my brother lie, 
 
 Where nature's flowers shall bloom o’er nature’s child, 
 Where ruins stretch, and classic art has piled 
 Her monuments on high. 
 
 Sleep on, my brother, sleep peaceful here 
 The traveler from thy land will claim this spot, 
 
 And give to thee what kingly tombs have not — 
 
 The tribute of a tear with me, my brother. 
 
 He died almost the very day when he was to be ordained a 
 priest. He received a long visit from his cousin Hamlin that 
 evening, and they sat late in the night, talking on various sub- 
 jects, and particularly on American matters and his ordination. 
 My brother was perfectly well and robust at that time, and full 
 of lively spirits. He told his cousin that night, that if he ever 
 set his foot again on American soil, his people, the Ottawas and 
 Chippewas of Michigan, should always remain where they are. 
 The United States would never be able to compel them to go 
 west of the Mississippi, for he knew the way to prevent them 
 from being driven off from their native land. He also told his 
 cousin that as soon as he was ordained and relieved from Rome, 
 he would at once start for America, and go right straight to 
 Washington to see the President of the United States, in order 
 to hold conference with him on the subject of his people and 
 their lands. There was a great preparation for the occasion of 
 his ordination. A great ceremony was to be in St. Peter’s 
 Church, because a native American Indian, son of the chief of 
 the Ottawa tribe of Indians, a prince of the forests of Michigan, 
 was to be ordaineda priest, which had never before happened 
 since the discovery of the Aborigines in America. In the morn- 
 ing, at the breakfast table, my brother William did not appear, 
 and every one was surprised not to see him at the table. After 
 breakfast, a messenger was sent to his room. He soon returned 
 with the shocking news that he was dead, Then the authorities 
 of the college arose and rushed to the scene, and there they 
 found him on the floor, lying iu his own blood. When Hamlin, 
 his cousin heard of it. he too rushed to the room, but he was 
 prevented to enter by the authorities. He says he tried to push 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 27 
 
 himself in but he could not succeed. They completely blocked 
 the door, and after his cousin's body was taken out, wrapped in 
 a cloth, he went in. and saw at once enough to tell him that it 
 was the work of the assassin. He saw the spots of blood even 
 on the walls.* 
 
 When the news reached to Little Traverse, now Harbor 
 Spring's, all the country of Arbor Croche was enveloped in deep 
 mourning, and a great lamentation took place among the Otta- 
 was and Chippewas in this country with the expression, ‘‘All our 
 hope is gone. - ’ Many people came to our dwelling to iearn full 
 particulars of my brothers death, and to console and mourn 
 with his father in his great bereavement. 
 
 No motive for the assassination has ever been developed, and 
 it remains to this day a mystery. It was related that there 
 was no known enemy in the institution previous to his death, 
 but he was much thought of and beloved by every one in the 
 college. It was an honor to be with him and converse with him. 
 as it is related that his conversation was always most noble and 
 instructive. It was even considered a great honor to sit by him 
 at the tables: as it is related that the students of the college 
 used to have a strife amongst themselves who should be the 
 I first to sit by him. There were several American students at 
 Rome at that time, and it was claimed by the Italians that my 
 r brother's death came through some of the American students 
 • from a secret plot originating in this country to remove this 
 Indian youth who had attained the highest pinnacle of science 
 and who had become their equal in wisdom, and in all the im- 
 portant questions of the day, both in temporal and spiritual 
 matters. He was slain, it has been said, because it was found 
 < out that he was counseling his people on the subject of their 
 lands and their treaties with the Government of the United 
 ; States. Therefore his death too deprived the Ottawa and Chip- 
 
 ■ pewa Indians of a wise counselor and adviser, one of their own 
 native countrymen: but it seems that it would be impossible for 
 the American people in this Christian land to make such a 
 
 ■ wicked conspiracy against this poor son of the forest who had 
 become as wise as any of them and a great statesman for his 
 
 j country. Yet it might be possible, for we have learned that we 
 | cannot always trust the American people as to their integrity 
 and stability in well doing, as they even assassinate their own 
 statesmen and their Presidents of the United States without a 
 just cause. 
 
 It is said the stains of my brother. s blood can be seen to this 
 I day in Rome, as the room has been kept as a memorial, and is 
 j shown to travelers from this country Hon. Theodore Wendell 
 of Mackinac, when he went to Rome, not many years ago, told 
 me that he saw the room where my brother William was assass- 
 inated. and also went to see his grave, and his statue in full size 
 i can also be seen there standing at the veranda of Pope’s Man- 
 
 *He says furthermore it appearing that after he was first stabbed, he must have 
 grappled the assassin until overpowered. 
 
28 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 sion, which is said to be a perfect image of him. His trunk con- 
 taining his books and clothing was sent from Rome to this coun- 
 try, and it came all right until it reached Detroit. There it 
 was lost, or exchanged for another, which was sent to Little 
 Traverse. It was sent back with a request to forward the right 
 one, but that was the end of it and no explanation was ever 
 received. 
 
 Soon after the death of mv brother William, my sister Mar- 
 garet left Cincinnati, Ohio, and came to Detroit, Mich., where 
 she was employed as teacher of the orphan children at a Cath- 
 olic institution. She left Detroit about 1835, and came to Little 
 Traverse, where she at once began to teach the Indian children 
 for the Catholic mission. She has ever since been very useful 
 to her people, but is now a decrepit old lady and sometimes 
 goes by the name of Aunty Margaret, or Queen of the Ottawas. 
 She is constantly employed in making Indian curiosities — wear- 
 ing out her fingers and eyes to make her living and keep her 
 home. Like many others of her race, she has been made the 
 victim of fraud and extortion. Some years ago a white man 
 came to the Indian country and committed many crimes, for 
 some of which he is now in prison. Soon after he came here, 
 this wicked man pretended he was gored by an ox — although 
 there were no marks of violence — which he claimed belonged to 
 Mr Boyd. Aunty Margaret's husband, and he therefore sued Mr. 
 Boyd for damages for several hundred dollars: and although the 
 ox which he claimed had injured him did not belong to Mr. 
 Boyd, and there was no eye witness in the case, yet he obtained 
 judgment for damages against him, and a mortgage had to be 
 given on the land which the Government had given her. The 
 Indian’s oath and evidence are not regarded in this country, 
 and he stands a very poor chance before the law. Although 
 they are citizens of the State, they are continually being taken 
 advantage of by the attorneys of the land; they are continual- 
 ly being robbed and cheated out of their property, and they can 
 obtain no protection nor redress whatever. 
 
 Before Mr. Hamlin, my cousin, left Italy, he was asked by 
 the authorities if William had any younger brother in America 
 of a fit age to attend school. He told the authorities that the 
 deceased had one brother just the right age to begin school — 
 that was myself. Then there was an order for me to be sent to 
 Rome to take the place of my brother: but when my father 
 heard of it, he said, “No; they have killed one of my sons after 
 they have educated him, and they will .kill another.” Hamlin 
 came home soon after my brother’s death, and some time after 
 the treaty of 1836 he was appointed U. S. Interpreter and con- 
 tinued to hold this office until 1861, at which time I succeeded 
 him. I was appointed as such by a new Indian agent, Hon. D. 
 C. Leach, who is now living at Walton, Mich., and he is yet a 
 good friend of mine. I continued to hold this office through 
 subsequent Indian agents, or until the Indian agency was done 
 away in the State of Michigan. Hon. D. C. Leach was the best 
 agent I ever served under, so also every Indian thought in Har- 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 29 
 
 bor Springs and elsewhere. The Indians were very disappoint- 
 ed when he resigned from the agency. 
 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Account of the Indians’ Roving Disposition, Their Feasts and Their Customs- 
 Saluting Arbor Croche Every Spring of the year— How the Catholic Re- 
 ligion was Introduced Among the Ottawas — The Missions — Signing the 
 Trea ty, March S, 1836. 
 
 I will again return to my narrative respecting how the Otta- 
 was used to live and travel to and fro in the State of Michigan, 
 and how they came to join the Catholic religion at Arbor Croche. 
 Early in the spring we used to come down this beautiful stream 
 of water (Muskegon River) in our long bark canoes, loaded with 
 sugar, furs, deer skins, prepared venison for summer use, bears 
 ■ oil. and bear meat prepared in oil, deer tallow, and sometimes a 
 lot of honey, etc. On reaching the mouth of this river we halt- 
 ed for five or six days, when all the other Indians gathered, as 
 • was customary, expressly to feast for the dead. All the Indians 
 and children used to go around among the camps and salute one 
 another with the words, “Ne-baw-baw-tche-baw-yew,” that is to 
 say “I am or we are going around as spirits,” feasting and 
 throwing food into the fire — as they believe the spirits of the 
 dead take the victuals and eat as they are consumed in the fire. 
 
 After the feast of the dead, we would all start for Ar- 
 bor Croche, our summer resort, to plant our corn and other veg- 
 etables. At the crossing of Little Traverse Bay at the point 
 called “Ki-tche-ossening,” that is to say, “on the big rock,” all 
 the Indians waited until all the canoes arrived, after which they 
 would all start together in crossing the bay. When about half 
 way across they would begin to salute Arbor Croche by shooting 
 with guns, holding them close to the water in order that the 
 sound might reach to each side of the bay, to be heard by those 
 few who always made their winter quarters around Little Tra- 
 verse Bay. Arriving at Arbor Croche, where our big wigwam 
 would be waiting for us — of which I have spoken in previous 
 i chapters — the very first thing my parents would do would be to 
 go and examine their stores of corn and beans. After all the 
 Indians arrived and had settled down, they would again have a 
 prolonged merriment and another feasting of the dead and 
 peace offerings. Grand medicine dances, fire dances, and many 
 other jubilant performances my people would have before they 
 would go to work again to plant their gardens. I distinctly re- 
 member the time, and I have seen my brothers and myself dan- 
 cing around the fires in our great wigwam, which had two fire- 
 places inside of it, 
 
 l 
 
30 
 
 INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 Now over 100 years the first Christianity was introduced 
 among' the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians in the lower penin- 
 sula of Michigan of as it is related, by Father Mar- 
 quette, Jesuit priest who explored in this part of the country 
 and finding the Indians in great numbers in and about the vi- 
 cinity of Arbor Croche; therefore he established a mission on 
 the northern extremity of this famous village, which I have al- 
 ready related in i he first chapter of this little book to have 
 been a continuous village of lb miles in length. They say he es- 
 tablished a church tnere at the place formerly called Tch-i-on- 
 ga-bong. He did not officiate himself but only erected a great 
 cedar cross just on the edge of the bluff of the village and for 
 this reason. I’ne place is now called Cross Village, and few In- 
 dians yet remaining there to this day; once numerous people or 
 about 40i) without the mixed blood. The old cedar cross disap- 
 peared a few years after the treaty of 1836. It is stated that 
 Marquette engaged one priest to stay here as missionary, who 
 began to teach the Indians a different kind of religion which 
 they had never heard before. Our tradition says he made a 
 goad inuay Indian be.ieve tins new religion. One of my grand 
 mothers was a little girl at that time and was baptized in this 
 mission. I don't suppose any of those Indians who were bap- 
 tized in this mission were ever really and truly converted into 
 Christianity, but simply joined the church for the sake of mo- 
 tive. I don't suppose tney understood the real spirituality of 
 tlie Gospel. Now so soon as the priest would talk about Christ's 
 suffering and dying, who is even God himself, the Great Creator 
 but being nailed ou the cross by the wicked people of this earth, 
 the Indians would immediately ask, “Where was that wicked 
 act done; was it here in America?” Then the old priest would 
 reply, saying, “No. This wicked act was done in the old coun- 
 try.” But the next question would be, “Was it the Indians or 
 the white people that did this act?” The priest would again re- 
 ply, saying, “No. It was the white people who did this wicked 
 act who are called -Jews.” Then the Indians would say “We 
 had no part in this matter or this great crime in killing your 
 God. You white people must make recompense for this great 
 crime.” 
 
 It is related that the priest had many contentions and dispu- 
 tations -with Indians, and particularly with the great medicine 
 men and magicians or spiritualists, so called, who had very great 
 influence among the Indians. All common Indians felt awe to- 
 wards these men. Now here is one o'f the anecdotes relative 
 with regard to this matter, as follows: One day one of those 
 great magicians or great medicine men, disputed and quarrel- 
 ed with the priest all day about the power of their religion; as 
 the day was drawing to a close, the Indian got up to leave the 
 priest’s residence, but he said to the priest, “I will come again 
 and visit you tonight without your permission.” The priest was 
 very much afraid, but he determined to foil nis atagonist. He 
 secured all his doors by locking them soon after dark. He then 
 sat down by his table reading a book and determined not to ad- 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA, 
 
 31 
 
 xnit him should he come to his house in the dead of night. Ac- 
 cordingly the Indian went to the priest's house, probably a lit- 
 tle aftermidnig-ht. As he came to the house he perceived that 
 there was a light in the house. Of course he knew the doors 
 were all fastened. But as he looked through the key hole in 
 one of the doors he saw the priest sitting by the table with a 
 book in his hand, reading. The magician had a little stick at 
 the end of which he rubbed some of his magical medicine, and 
 with this stick he pointed at the priest through the key hole, 
 and the priest soon began to bob his head with exceedingly 
 drowsiness, and he soon went to sleep resting his head on the 1 a- 
 ble. With his supernatural powers he was in the house standing 
 bv the priest and shaking him violently, saying •’Father, wake 
 up. wake up. and watch!”The priest was terribly surprised, saying, 
 “My child, how did vou come in?’ ‘’Father. I came through the 
 key hole,” replied the Indian. The priest acknowledged that 
 he was terribly beat en. And subsequently a great mortality 
 broke out among them. They called it ogavvabee or yellow sick- 
 ness or bilious colic. Very many died with this sickness and 
 consequently there was great confusion and lamentations of all 
 the Indians of Arbor Croche, and blaming the poor priest of be- 
 ing the cause of this prevailing malady because many of them 
 would not listen to him and consequently there was great quarrel 
 ing between the Catholic Indians and those who were yet under 
 paganism. 
 
 The tradition says that the pr iest was continually in hot wat- 
 er with those magicians and medicine m ?n. Finally he got so 
 discouraged that he abandoned the mission for good, after 
 scraping the dust from off the soles of his feet as a testimony 
 against the Cross Village Indians at the day of judgement. And 
 every Indian who was converted and baptized in this mission 
 went back to their former state and danced in their worship. 
 
 The second Catholic religion was introduced about in 1824, 
 there was an Indian came from Montreal whose name was “An- 
 dowish,” and who formerly belonged to Arbor Croche. He was 
 among the Stockbridge Indians somewhere near Montreal, and 
 this tribe speak a dialect of the Ottawa and Chippewa languag- 
 es, and most of them by this time had joined the Catholic 
 church. So Andowish, by their influence, also joined the Cath- 
 olic religion out there with the Stockbridge Indians. Coming 
 back to Arbor Croche, where he formerly belonged, he began to 
 teach some of his own relatives the faith of the Catholic relig- 
 ion. which some of them were very ready to recieve, but he 
 could not baptize them. Therefore, parties of Indians went to 
 Mackinac Island, headed by the principal chief of the Seven 
 Mile Point band of Indians, whose name was A-paw-kau-se-gun, 
 to see some of their half-breed relations at the island, relating 
 to them how they felt with regard to Christianity, and asking 
 advice as to what they should do in the matter. These half- 
 breed relatives promised they would do all they could to cause 
 the priest to come up to Arbor Croche and baptize all those In- 
 dians who felt disposed to receive the religion. Therefore in 
 
32 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 1825 Rev. Father Baden, an old priest, came up with his inter- 
 preters and landed at Seven Mile Point, and baptized quite a 
 number of grown folks, and a great many children were taken 
 into the Catholic religion. At this time, I was also baptized by 
 Rev. Father Baden; I was small, but I distinctly remember hav- 
 ing the water poured over my head and putting some salt in my 
 mouth, and changing my name from Pe-ness-wi-qua-am to 
 Amable. The mission was then established at Seven Mile Point 
 where a church was built with poles and covered with cedar 
 bark. This was the very way when the second religion was in- 
 troduced among theOttawas, although everybody supposes that 
 some white people or missionary societies brought the Christian 
 religion, but really it was not so among the Ottawa tribes of In- 
 dians at Arbor Croche. 
 
 My uncle, Au-se-go-nock, had before this joined the Catholic 
 religion. He was living at that time at Drummond's Island 
 with the British people, where all the Ottawas and Chippewas 
 used to go every summer to receive presents from the British 
 Government. And when he learned that his people had joined 
 the Catholic faith, he left his home at Drummond’s Island and 
 came to Arbor Croche expressly to act as missionary in the ab- 
 sence of the priest. Every Sunday he preached to his people 
 and taught them how to pray' to God and to the Virgin Mary 
 and all the saints and angels in heaven. At that time printed 
 books containing prayers and hymns in the Stockbridge Indian 
 language, which is a dialect of the Chippewa and Ottawa lan- 
 guages, were brought from Montreal, and could be quite intelli- 
 gently understood by the Ottawas. By this time many Indians 
 began to be stationery; they did not go south, as heretofore, but 
 remained and made their winter quarters at Arbor Croche. 
 
 About 1827, after several councils, it was determined to re- 
 move the mission from Seven Mile Point to Little Traverse, and 
 a French priest whose name was Dejan arrived expressly to re- 
 main there and carry on the hew mission established at Little 
 Traverse. A log church was built at the new mission, which 
 stood very near where the present church is now standing, and 
 a log school house was built just where the present institution 
 is now standing; also a log house was built for the priest to live 
 in, which was standing nearest to the church and was standing 
 at the date of writing of the first manuscript, or 1886. In 1827, 
 my father left his subjects at Arbor Croche, proper, now Mid- 
 dle Village, in charge of his brother Kaw-me-no-te-a, which 
 means Good-heart, as he was perstiaded by other chiefs to come 
 and establish himself where the mission was and send his chil- 
 dren to school. There were only three Indian log houses at 
 that time in Little Traverse, one belonging to my uncle, Au-se- 
 ge-nock. one for Joseph Au-saw-gon, my father’s messenger, 
 and another to Peter Sho-min. But we and all other Indians 
 lived in wigwams, and all the Indians were dressed in Indian 
 styde. Rev. Dejan brought with him one Frenchman from De- 
 troit named Joseph Letorenue as school teacher, and two girls 
 from Mackinac Island as domestic servants, and an old nun, 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 whose real name I never learned, and knew only as“Sister."She 
 ! was exceedingly kind to Indian children and we all liked her 
 very much. The log school house was used as a dwelling as 
 well as a school house, as all the boys and girls who attended 
 school were kept there continually, same as a boarding school. 
 The larger boys and girls were taught household duties and to 
 ; cook for the scholars. The children were kept quite clean. The 
 French teacher took great pains to teach them good manners, 
 and' they were taught no other but the French language. In 
 the spring of the year each family of Indians contributed one 
 large mocoke* of sugar which weighed from eighty to one hun- 
 dred pounds, which Priest Dejan would empty into barrels, and 
 then go down to Detroit with it to buy dry goods, returning 
 with cloth with which to clothe his Indian children. Bev. De- 
 jan did not say mass on week days, onlj^ on Sundays. He visited 
 the Indians a good deal during the week days, purposely to in- 
 struct them in the manners and customs of the white man, or- 
 dering things generally how to be done, and how the women 
 should do towards their domestic callings, not to work out of 
 doors, and to take good care of what belonged to their house- 
 hold. Mr. Dejan was a great friend of Col. Boyd. Indian Agent 
 at Mackinac, and in the second year of the school. Mr. Boyd's 
 two sons, James and George, wintered with the priest at the 
 mission, and were very great friends to the Indians. 
 
 In two years schooling the children progressed very much, 
 
 ■ both in reading the French language, and in learning the man- 
 ners and customs of the white man. But. alas, this was carried 
 on only two years. There was some trouble between Rev. De- 
 jan and Bishop Reese of Detroit, consequently Mr. Dejan was 
 removed from the mission, and Rev. Baraga was put in instead 
 in the year 1830. He promised to do the same as his predeces- 
 sor in regard to carrying on the Indian school at Little Trav- 
 erse: but he did not. He did not give as good care to the chil- 
 dren as his predecessor, and he did not teach them anything 
 but Indian and the catechism. He. however, made and pub- 
 lished a prayer book in the Ottawa language and a short Bible 
 history. Before two years the boarding school was out of ex- 
 istence at Little Traverse, and Mr. Baraga went away to Lake 
 Superior, where sometime afterwards he was made Bishop. Af- 
 ter he was in the Lake Superior country, he published an Odjet- 
 we dictionary and Odjebwe grammer, which were very hard to 
 understand to one unacquainted with the Indian language, and 
 he also made a new catechism. Father Simon succeeded Mr. 
 Baraga, and did about the same thing with regard to educating 
 the Indian youths, as did Father Pierce after Simon, and many 
 others from time to time up to this date, 1854. 
 
 At the beginning of 1825, the Indians were very strict in 
 their religion, at this time; they did not allow any drunkenness 
 in their village, nor allow anyone to bring intoxicating liquors 
 within the harbor. If any person, white or Indian, brought any 
 
 *A kind of box made of birch bark. 
 
34 
 
 INDIANS OF 1 MICHIGAN. 
 
 liquor into the harbor, by the barrel or in small quantites, and 
 it came to the knowledge of the old chief, Au-paw-ko-si-gan, 
 who was the war chief, but was acting as principal chief of Lit- 
 tle Traverse, he would call out his men to go and search for the 
 liquor, and if he found it he would order his men to spill the 
 vv.iiskey on the ground bv knocking out the head of a barrel 
 with an ax, telling the parties not to bring any more whiskey 
 into the harbor, or wherever the Ottawas are, along the coast 
 o: Arbor Croche. This was the end of it, there being no 
 law suit for the whiskey. 
 
 They used to observe many holidays, particularly Christmas. 
 New Years and Corpus Christi. At New Year’s eve every one 
 of the Indians used to go around visiting the principal men of 
 the tribe, shooting their guns close to their doors after so earn- 
 ing three times, ,- Happy New Year, - ’ then bang, bang, alto- 
 gether, blowing tneir tin horns and beating their drums, etc. 
 Early on New Year’s morning they would go around among 
 their neighbors expressly to shake hands with one onother,with 
 the word of salution, ‘‘Bozhoo,’, children and all. This practice 
 was kept up tor a long time, or until the white people came and 
 intermingled with the tribes to disturb them in their peaceful 
 homes. 
 
 I thought my people were very happy in those days, when they 
 were all by themselves and possessed a wide spread of land, and 
 no one to quarrel with them as to where they should make their 
 gardens, or take timber, or make sugar. And fishes of all kinds 
 were so plentiful in the harbor. A hook anywheres in the bay 
 a id at any time of the year would catch Mackinaw trout, as 
 many as one would want. And if a net were set anywhere on 
 shallow water in the harbor, in the morning it would be loaded 
 with fishes of all kinds. Truly this was a beautiful location for 
 the Indians and the mission. But now fishes are nearly all gone 
 out of the bay and every variety of birds, including pigeons, 
 have left this country since the ingress of the white people. 
 Every big council of the Indians was transacted in the village 
 of Little Traverse or We-kwe-ton-sing.* 
 
 I will mention one or two more things which might be inter- 
 esting to my neighbors to know. Up to 1835 and sometime af- 
 terwards, there was a very large double cedar tree, which ap- 
 peared to have been stuck together while they were growing, 
 but were two separate trees of the same size and height grow- 
 ing very close together, standing very near the edge of the wa- 
 ter, and leaning very much towards the bay. almost like a stair- 
 case projecting far out into the bay. Under the roots of these 
 trees issued a perpetual spring of water which was called Mr. 
 Carlow spring at the date of the first manuscript. It was just 
 a little west of the present depot. In the fall of 1835, I clear at 
 the top of those trees, with my little chums, watching our peo- 
 ple as they were about going off in a large bark canoe, and, as 
 
 * We-kwe-ton-sing is a denominitive nouD and is the locative case, from the 
 -word We kwet and accented on the last syllable. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 we understood, they were groin^ to Washington to see the Great 
 father, the President of the United States, to tell him to have 
 mercy on the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians in Michigan, not to 
 take all the land away from them. I saw some of our old Indian 
 women weeping as they watched our principal men going off in 
 the canoe. I suppose the}’ were feeling had on account of not 
 knowing their future destinies respecting their possession of 
 the land. After they all got in the canoe, just as they were go- 
 ing to start, they all took off their hats, crossed themselves and 
 repeated the Lord's prayer; at the end of the prayei , they cross- 
 ed themselves again, and then away they went towards the Har- 
 bor Point. We watched them until they disappeared in round- 
 ing the point. 
 
 Slarch 28th, 1836. a treaty was signed at Washington, not 
 with the free will of the Indians, but they say by compulsion. 
 That same year we received the first annuity at Mackinac Is- 
 land. our trading post, $10 cash per head, beside dry goods and 
 provisions. There was a stipulation expressed in the 7th clause 
 of the 4th article of said treaty, that there was to be giyen to 
 the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan $150,000 worth of 
 dry goods and provision until all was paid out. There is said to 
 haye heen paid out on the first payment in 1836, about $10,000. 
 which would then leave a balance of $140,000. At this time the 
 Ottawasand Chippewas held a big council and concluded to ask 
 the Government for cash instead of dry goods: because they saw 
 that there was a great deal of waste in distributing the goods 
 among them, as there were lots of remnants, and much of it 
 left after distribution which they never knew what became of. 
 Therefore their belief respecting it was that the Government 
 officials had appropriated to themselves some of these dry goods 
 and given away freely to their white friends and relatives. Af- 
 ter conclusion of the council, they came before the Indian a- 
 gent, Hon. H. Schoolcraft, and presented their views and their 
 request in this matter. He told them that he could not give 
 them any conclusive reply upon this subject, but that he would 
 make known their wishes to their Great Father at Washington, 
 and would inform them thereafter. That was the last of it. 
 In the next payment there were neither goods nor money in- 
 stead. as they requested, and no reply ever came to this day. 
 It was also stipulated that at the expiration of twenty -one years 
 $10,000 was to be given to the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, 
 that is. one year after the expiration of the payment of their 
 annuities. And where are those lawful promises gone to now? 
 Alas! when we inquire of them to the head department they re- 
 fer us to the third article of the Treaty of 1855. where it is 
 worded. "That the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians hereby release 
 and discharge the United States from all liability on account of 
 former treaty stipulations, either land or money, " etc. But this 
 part of the stipulation was never explained to them at the coun- 
 cil of Detroit, as they would never have consented to it. and 
 would not have signed the contract. We did not know anything 
 about it, but some time after we saw it with our own eyes, print- 
 
36 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 ed in the pamphlet form of the contract, where our names had 
 been already subscribed to it. This was a great misunderstand- 
 ing. The Indians of Michigan expected to meet again in coun- 
 cil with the Government, and try to settle up all these back 
 promises, particularly in Treaties of 1821 and 1836, where manj- 
 reservations have beeu sunk to the bottom of Lake Michigan. 
 There was also stipulated in the Treaty of 1821, a special pay- 
 ment annually to the Octawa Indians of Grand River $1000. per 
 year and the obligation was to be forever, or so long as these Ot- 
 tawa Indians were in existence. But this promise of 1821 was 
 done away when the treaty expired in 1855. This is the way 
 how these poor people have been deceived from time to time. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 More Personal History— Suffering the Trials in Early Life — MissiDg the Opportu- 
 nity to Go to School— Learning Trade as a Blacksmith— A New Start to 
 Seek for Education— J* rriving at Cleveland, O., to Find His Old Friend, 
 Kev. Alvin Coe— Visit with Rev. Samuel Bissell. of Twinsburg, O., Princi- 
 pal of the Twinsburg Institute— Attending School— Returning Home Advo- 
 
 cating Citizenship for His People — Delegated to Detroit and to the State 
 Legislature— His Pleasant Visit with State Authorities— Again Delegated as 
 Councilor to the New Treaty. 1855. 
 
 The first winter we lived at Little Traverse as a permanent 
 home was in the year 1828, and in the following spring my own 
 dear mother died very suddenly, as she was burned while they 
 were making sugar in the woods. She was burned so badly that 
 she only lived four days after. I was small, but I was old enough 
 to know and mourn for my dear mother. I felt as though I had 
 lost everything dear to me and every friend; there was no one 
 that I could place such confidence in, not even my own father. 
 So my father's household was broken up: we were pretty well 
 scattered after that. He could not very well keep us together; 
 being the least one in the family, I became a perfect wild rover. 
 At last I left Little Traverse when about 13 or 14 years of age. 
 I went to Green Bay, Wis., with the expectation of living w th 
 an older sister who had married a Scotchman, Sir Robert Gibson 
 and had gone there to make a home somewhere in Green Bay. 
 I found them at the place called Bay Settlement, but I did not 
 stay with them long. I left them and went to live with a far- 
 mer close by whose name was Sylvester. From this place I was 
 persuaded by another man to go with him on the fishing ground, 
 to a place called Sturgeon Bay, Wis. From there I came back 
 to Bay Settlement and sailed with Mr. Robert Campbell Mr. 
 Campbell wasa good m?n and a Christian His fhther had a 
 nice farm at Bay Settlement, near Green Bay, Wis.. where also 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 37 
 
 my sister settled down. I sailed with him one summer. We 
 came to Mackinac Island in the fall of 1840, and there I met my 
 father and all my relations, and great many Indians as they 
 were about receiving their aneual payment from the Govern- 
 ment. So I left the vessel and hired out in the store to act as 
 clerk during the payment time. 
 
 After all the Indians had gone away from the island, I was 
 still working in the store and thought to make my winter quar- 
 ters there, but did not. One day I met my father's old friend. 
 Rev. M. Alvin Coe, the traveling missionary of whom I have al- 
 ready spoken as having asked me to go with him to the State of 
 Ohio where I might have an opportunity to go to school and he 
 educated like the white man. I told him I will go with him, 
 provided he will take an interest to watch over me, that no one 
 would abuse me out there after getting into the strange country. 
 He faithfully promised that he would do all this, and would also 
 do all he could to help me along to obtain my education. He 
 said he was going that night and I must be on hand when the 
 boar arrived: but I failed to tell him my stoppiug place. So 
 when the boat arrived I was too sound asleep to hear it. Poor 
 old man! I was told that he felt disappointed to have to go with- 
 out me. As I woke in the morning I inquired if any boat had 
 arrived during the night. I was told there was. I was also told 
 there was an old man who seemed to be very anxious, and was 
 looking for me all over the crowd on the dock, but he could not 
 find me there. When the boat was pushing out he jumped on 
 board and then turned to the crowd, saying, “Tell my little boy, 
 Jackson, son of the old chief Macka-de-be-nessy, of Arbor Cro- 
 che. that I have gone on this boat. 
 
 Thus I was left, and missed the opportunity when I might 
 have been educated while I was yet much younger. A few days 
 afterwards, as I walked out from the store one evening, I met 
 two young men in the street, one of whom I frequently saw dur- 
 ing the payment time, but the other was entirely a stranger to 
 me. He was a most noble-looking and tall young man, but be- 
 hold, he spoke perfectly and freely the Indian language, saying 
 to me, “My boy, would you be willing to take us to that vessel 
 out there?', at the same time pointing to a vessel which was al- 
 ready outside of the harbor, sails up, but in a perfectly dead 
 calm, as there was not a breath of wind. I told them I would, 
 provided I could get the boat to get there; in which he replied 
 that they will do that part of the business, but they wanted 
 some one to bring the boat back. As I was walking with anoth- 
 er mate of mine, I ask. him to go with me to take these folks on 
 board. The next thing we were on the way towards the vessel. 
 As we went along this noble young man said to me, “My boy, 
 would you like to come with us to Grand Traverse?” I replied, 
 “I would like to see Grand Traverse, but am not prepared to go 
 just now.” “Would you not like to learn the blacksmith trade? 
 This man is a government blacksmith in Grand Traverse,” re- 
 ferring to his companion, “and he needs an assistant in the 
 business. We will give you position as an assistant and a salary 
 
38 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 of $240 yearly, or $20 per month.” I replied, “I will go. for I 
 would be very glad to find a chance to learn a trade and at the 
 same time to get my living.” Therefore I also got on board, 
 and my friend had to come back alone with the boat we borrow- 
 ed. This was the same vessel that 1 had sailed on that season. 
 We arrived at the place now called ‘‘The Old Mission.” where 
 there was a nice harbor.* This young man, whose name I now 
 learned was John M. Johnstone, of Sault Ste. Marie, the brother- 
 in-law of Henry Schoolcraft, our Indian agent, said when we ar- 
 rived, ‘“You have no commission yet to work in the shop; you 
 will therefore have to go back to Mackinac with this letter 
 which you will take to Indian agent j r ourself and nobody else. 
 Then come back at the first opportunity if he tells you to come.” 
 So I had to return to Mackinac on the same vessel with which 
 we came. At Mackinac, I received my commissisn without 
 any trouble. On arriving again at Grand Traverse the Indians 
 were having a big council which was concocted, I was told, by 
 the brother of my benefactor, who was trading there among 
 the Indians. They were getting up remonstrances and petition- 
 ing the Government against my appointment, setting forth as 
 reason of their complaint that I did not belong to that tribe of 
 Indians, and was therefore not entitled to the position, and they 
 would rather have one of their own boys belonging to the tribe 
 put to this trade. But my friend Johnstone told me “not to 
 mind anything, but go about my business. The blacksmith shop 
 had been established here for more than two years, and they 
 should have thought of putting their boy in the shop long before 
 this.” So accordingly I continued working and minding my own 
 business for five years, when I quit of my own accord. There 
 were no white people there at that time, only such as were em- 
 ployed by the government, and the missionaries and teachers, 
 and the Indians were very happy in those days. 
 
 I have told my readers in previous chapters of this little book 
 that from time to time I was invited by our most estimable 
 friend, Rev. Alvin Coe, to go with him to the State of Ohio in 
 order to receive an education, “that it was never blotted out of 
 my mind,” and therefore the very day that I quit the black- 
 smith shop at Grand Traverse, I turned my face toward the 
 State of Ohio, for that object alone. I came to Little Traverse 
 to bid good-by to my father and relations late in October, 1845. 
 I did not even stay half a day at Little Traverse. I started for 
 Middle Village the same day that I bid the last farewell to my 
 folks, in order to obtain an opportunity there to get to Mack- 
 inac Island, from which I intended to take my passage for Cleve- 
 land. Arriving at Middle Village, which is fourteen miles from 
 Little Traverse, I met an orphan boy, Paul Naw-o-ga-de byname 
 
 *The Mission was already established by this time. 1840, conducted by the Pres- 
 byterain Board of Missions. Rev. P. Dougherty, who was indeed a true Christian, 
 and good to Indians, was a preacher for the Mission. Daniel Rod, the half-breed 
 from St.Clair River. Mich., was his interpreter. Mr. Bradley acted as teacher, 
 who afterwards proved himself unworthy for the position, which produced a bad 
 effect among the Indians The Mission is now out of existence. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 39 
 
 a distant relative, and who wished to go with me, and I proposed 
 to pay his passage to Cleveland.. The" brother of this boy had a 
 boat of his own, and offered to take us to Mackinac Island, and 
 I was very glad of the opportunity. So the next day we started 
 for Mackinac, not knowing' what would become of us if my lit- 
 tle means were exhausted and we should be unsuccessful in find- 
 ing our old friend, Mr. Alvin Coe. 
 
 the day we arrived at Mackinac we took passage for Cleve- 
 land. Arriving there we were scared at seeing so many people 
 coming to us who wanted us to get into their cabs to take us to 
 some hotel which might cost us two or three dollars a day. But 
 we were advised by our fellow travelers to go to the Parmer's 
 Hotel. In the evening the landlady was somewhat curious to 
 know where we hailed from and where we weie going, I told 
 her we came from Michigan, but we did not know yet where we 
 should go to. I asked her if she ever knew or heard of a minis- 
 ter named Alvin Coe. ‘“What,” — she seemed to be very much 
 surprised— “Alvin Coe, the travelling missionary?” I said, 
 "Yes, the same.” “Why. that is my own uncle. What is there 
 about him?" "O, nothing; only I would like to know where he 
 lives, and how far.” I was equally surprised to think that we 
 had happened to meet one of his relatives, and thought at that 
 momeut, God must he with us in our undertaking. “You know 
 my uncle then.” she said. I said. “Yes; he is my particular 
 friend, and 1 am going to look for him.” Of course, she told us 
 the name of the town in which he lived, and how far and what 
 road to take to get there. It also happened that there was a 
 gentleman at the Farmer’s Hotel, who had been out west and 
 came on the same boat on which we came, and as he was going 
 the next day in that direction on foot, he said he would guide 
 us as far as he was going, which would be about 20 miles, and 
 there was thirty miles to go after that. So the next day we 
 started. Arriving late in the afternoon at the outskirts of the 
 little village called Twinsburg, our white companion told us 
 that that was the place where he intended to stop for a while, 
 and said, “You better stop with me for the night, and after 
 supper you can visit the institution in the village and see the 
 principal of the school here; you might possibly get a chance 
 to attend that school, as you say that was your object in com- 
 ing to this part of the country.” t was very much surprised, as 
 he had not said one word about it as we came along on the road 
 After supper I went as he directed. As I approached the sem- 
 inary I saw a good many boys playing on the square of the vil- 
 lage, and I went and stood close by. Very soon one of the 
 young men came up to me; saying, “Are you going to attend 
 our school here?” I told him, “No sir; I am going thirty miles 
 rurther to attend some school there.” This is the best school 
 that I know of anywhere about this country,” he said. I asked 
 him if he would introduce me to the proprietor of the school. 
 “Most cheerfully,” said he; “will you please tell me what place 
 you came from, and your name.” “I came from Michigan, and 
 my name is Blackbird.” “All right I will go with you.” So we 
 
 
40 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 went to the professor’s room, and he introduced me - ‘“Well, 
 Mr. Blackbird, do you wish to attend our school?” said the pro- 
 fessor, I said, “I do not know, sir, how that might be, as I have 
 not much means ts pay my way, but I am seeking' for a man who 
 invited me to come to Ohio some five years ago, and promised 
 fehat he would help me all he could for my education. His name 
 is Alvin Coe, a traveling missionary, my father’s old friend ” 
 “We have two Indian boys here attending sctiool, and I think 
 you will not be very lonesome if you should conclude to stay 
 with us.” “What are their names’?” I asked. “One is Francis 
 Petoskey, and the other is Paul Ka-gwe-to-song.” I said, “I 
 know them both: I came from the same place they did, but I did 
 not know they were here, I only knew they were attending 
 school somewhere among the whites. “Can you do anj r kind of 
 work?” "I am a blacksmith by trade, sir, and beside I can do 
 most every other kind of work.” He said, “If you conclude to 
 stay, I will try to aid you in finding a place where you could 
 work to pay for your lodging and board: and in the meantime 
 we will cause Mr. Alvin Coe to come and see you, and if he sees 
 fit to take you away he can do so. provided you would be willing 
 to go ifrith him.” I told him I would stay, if I found a place to 
 work to pay for my board, and provided that I could make some 
 arrangement for the little companion who came with me. Af- 
 ter considertng a few moments, he proposed to take my little 
 companion to his boarding house until a better arrangement 
 could be made. This was the end of my conversation with this 
 noble hearted professor and proprietor of this institution, whose 
 rfame was Rev. Samuel Blissell, of Twinsburg, Ohio. 
 
 In the morning, after breakfast, I went back to the village 
 and found arrangements were already made for both of us, and 
 all we had to do was just to shift our quarters. I came to live 
 with a young blacksmith in the village and work two hours in 
 the morning and two hours in the evening, and many times I 
 finished my hours at sunrise. Some time during the winter, my 
 friend Mr. Alvin Coe, came and took me off, with the under- 
 standing, however, that if I did not like the school where he 
 was, I was to come back to Twinsburg. So in about two weeks 
 I came back to the old institution, as I did not like the other 
 place. At last Dr. Brainsmade. of Newark, New Jersey, took a 
 deep interest in my welfare and education, and he proposed to 
 aid me and take me through the medical college. Therefore I 
 quit working my hours in the shop and boarded at the institu- 
 tion, attending solely to my studies for over four years. 
 
 I have already told my readers in previous chapters how bad 
 I felt when I had to return to Michigan. After I came home I 
 did everything towards the welfare and happiness of my peo- 
 ple, beside attending to my aged father, as I found my people 
 to be very different then from what they were, as they were be- 
 ginning to have a free use of intoxicating liquors. I immed- 
 iately caused the pledge to be signed in every village of the In- 
 dians, in which I was quite successful, as almost everyone 
 pledged themselves never again to to touch intoxicating drinks. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 41 
 
 I also advocated the right of citizenship for my people in the 
 State of Michigan, although we were repeatedly told by our 
 white neighbors that we could not very well be adopted as cit- 
 izens of the State as long as we were receiving annuities from 
 the general government on account of our former treaties. 
 My object in promulgating this cause was, I thought it would 
 be' the only salvation of my people from being sent olf to the 
 west of the Mississippi, where perhaps, more than one-half 
 would have died before they could be acclimated to the county 
 to which they would be driven. I have sutfered very great hard- 
 ships for this cause, as I had to walk from Little Traverse 
 through the dense forest, and almost the entire length of the 
 southern peninsula of Michigan, in order to reach the authori- 
 ties of the State to hold conference with them upon the subject 
 of the citizenship of the Ottawas and Chippewas, and walked 
 on snow-shoes in the middle of winter in company with one of 
 our young cheif tains from Cross Village.* We were subjected 
 to great exposure with only a camp fire for several days in the 
 month of February. 
 
 After crossing Houghton Lake, which is the head waters of 
 the Muskegon river, that evening we swallowed the last morsel 
 of food, and actually" we traveled and camped out with empty- 
 stomachs for two day-s and a half before we came to any- inhab- 
 ited place. At last we struck the Te-ti-pe-wa-say (Tittabawasse) 
 one of the principal branches of Saginaw river, and followin g 
 down that stream on the ice vve came to an Indian camp which 
 stood by r the river side, and also saw many human foot-prints on 
 the ice, but the camp was deserted and we found nothing to eat. 
 We left the place and once more followed the river, and after 
 walking about half a mile we came to another Indian camp, and 
 saw blue smoke coming out of it. As we came up to the camp 
 we found nothing but women and children (all the men were out 
 hunting.) It was about noon when we came to this camp. We 
 had to lay over half a -day in this camp because we were so ex- 
 hausted with fatigue and hunger. They gave us food, and we 
 went on our journey the next day-. 
 
 We went to see Judge Wing to obtain his legal opinion on the 
 subject of the citizenship of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians 
 of Michigan. We had a very- pleasant visit with him, and he 
 gave us as his legal opinion of this matter, that he did not 
 think that it would debar us from being citizens of the State, 
 because the Government owed us a little money on account of 
 our former treaties, provided we should renounce our allegiance 
 to our chiefs and recognize no other authority- than the Presi- 
 dent of the United States; and that we would not be required to 
 have any writ of naturalization as we are already naturalized 
 by being American born. After a pleasant visit with Hon. 
 Judge Wing, we next turned our faces to the State Legislature 
 and Governor, at Lansing. In this also we thought we were 
 
 *Mr. Wardsworth also accompanied us from Elk Rapids, on his way to Detroit 
 , to obtain a commission as surveyor on some part of the Grand Traverse region, 
 
42 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 very successful, for the Governor received us very kindly and 
 gave us much good counsel on the subject of citizenship, giving 
 us some instructions as to how we should live under the rule of 
 the State if we should become the children of the same. He 
 talked to us as though he was talking to his own son who had 
 just come from a far country and asked his father's permission 
 to stay in the household. 
 
 After a pleasant visit with the Governor, and seeing some of 
 the members of the State Legislature, receiving full assurance 
 that our undertaking and object would be well looked after, we 
 retraced our steps back to Little Traverse, to report the result 
 of our visit, After that, not many Indians believed these flying 
 reports gotten up by our white neighbors. In that year, the 
 clause was put in the revised statutes of the State of Michigan, 
 that every male person of Indian descent in Michigan not mem- 
 bers of any tribe shall be entitled to vote. 
 
 In the year 1855, I was again delegated to attend the council 
 of Detroit for the treaty of 1855, and in that council I made 
 several speeches before the Hon. Commissioner of Indian Affairs 
 Mr. Manypenny, of Washington, on the subject of our educa- 
 tional fund, $8000 per annum, which had been expended for the 
 education of the Indian youths for the last nineteen years, and 
 which was to be continued ten years longer, but to be carried 
 out just the same as it was before, the children to be taught on- 
 ly in the Indian language. This sum had never been used direct- 
 ly for any scholars, but it was stated that it was given to the 
 religious societies which had missions among the Michigan In - 
 uians. In that council I advocated that the said fund be re- 
 tained in the hands of the general Government for the benefit of 
 those Indian youths who really intended to be educated and who 
 went among the whites or in civilized communities to be educa- 
 ted, and if it need be, to be used for the collegiate education of 
 those Indian youths, but let the children at home be educated 
 at home by taxation, and giving fully my reasons in advancing 
 such proposition. The Hon. Commissioner was much taken up 
 with my remarks on this subject, I being the youngest member, 
 and told the older members of the council that he would like to 
 hear some of them on this subject. “The young man who has 
 been making remarks on this matter has a very good idea with 
 regard to your educational funds; now let us hear farther re- 
 marks on this subject by some other members of the council.” 
 But not one Indian stirred. And again and again the next day, 
 I tried to urge this matter to the Hon. Commissioner and the 
 Indians to co-operate with me, but they would not, because my 
 people were so ignorant they did not know the value of educa- 
 tion, or else they misunderstood the whole subject. On the 
 third day, as I was about getting up to make further remarks 
 upon this subject, one of the old members, who was the most un- 
 worthy of all the company^, as he got very drunk the day we ar- 
 rived in Detroit and was locked up in jail as disorderly two or 
 three days, arose and said to the Commissioner that I was not 
 authorized by any of the council to get up here and make such 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 43 
 
 ' remarks. “We did not come here to talk about education, but 
 came expressly to form a treat}'.” Then burst imo a great 
 laughter all the spectators of the council and some of the mem- 
 : bers too. I was told afterward that it was a put up job to pre- 
 ' vent any change by the persons who had been handling for 
 years this Indian educational fund, as there were a number of 
 j them in the council hall. Thus was lost one of the most noble 
 objects which ought to have been first looked after. 
 
 After the council dispersed and came home, I sat down and 
 wrote a long article, giving the full history of the past in regard 
 to this matter; how our educational fund, $8000 per annum, had 
 been handled and conducted for nearly twenty years, and yet 
 not one Indian youth conld spell the simplest word in the English 
 language, and these writings I had published in the Detroit 
 Tribune for public inspection, is hereby given as in the following 
 substance, which I found yet amongst my papers, dated Novem- 
 ber 22nd, 1855. 
 
 An appeal to the citizens of the United States by the Ottawa 
 Indians of Michigan, in council assembled at Little Traverse, 
 November 22, 1855. 
 
 Brothers and fellow citizens: — We deem it not improper to 
 call you fellow citizens since it has pleased God your instru- 
 mentality that we should be adopted as such, and thus come un- 
 der the laws of the State of Michigan, and those of the United 
 ' States. In short to have equal rights and privileges with Amer- 
 ican citizens. Viz., to have and to hold, to buy and to sell, to 
 ■ prosecute and be prosecuted, to cultivate the soil and educate 
 our children, that they may become men of wisdom, equity and 
 justice, and finally to be on equality as brothers, a-i one God 
 made us all and is no respector of person. So we are to be no 
 more as children of men, for we have been such already too 
 long. We wish now to become men, men of knowledge and ed- 
 ucation, that we may hold an equal standing with our white 
 brothers, since we have abandoned our laws, customs and man- 
 ners. having renounced our chiefdoms under the most solemn 
 declaration to uphold and support the government of the Unit- 
 i ed States as directed by the President, the head chief of the 
 nation. 
 
 Brothers — Our manner of speaking is simple and brief, frank 
 and fearless, believing that we are in the right upon this sub- 
 ject. Yet as we are a poor children of nature we ask for your 
 indulgence. We would first introduce you to the subject of our 
 council which was in session from the 25th of July to the 1st of 
 August before the commissioner of Indian affairs, the Hon. 
 
 ! Manypenny, in the city of Detroit, composed of delegates 
 from the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes. The object of the coun- 
 cil was to make a final settlement with the United States in a 
 friendly manner, and to fulfill what had not been attended to 
 in the promises which were made and agreed upon between our 
 forefathers and the government of the United States in var- 
 ious treaties extending up to that of 1838, which was the last. 
 You are doubtless aware of the proceedings of this council and 
 
 
44 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 heard what was said and done. The government agreed to 
 continue a small annuity for ten years to come, and in addition 
 to bestow a tract of 80 acres of land upon each family and 40 
 acres, more or less, to each single man of asre, all in the neigh- 
 borhood of our old homes, advising ns to settle on the tracts and 
 cultivate them, instead of moving west of the Mississippi — a 
 measure attended with far less expense to the Government, and 
 much more satisfactory for us to remain where we are. We 
 feel grateful for this measure adopted bv the Government: vet 
 what would be more gratifying to many of us, is to have had our 
 educational fund (amounting to about $8000 per annum) applied 
 in such a way as to derive the largest benefit from it. But it 
 was left upon its o'd basis until the great -father, the President, 
 should make more wise arrangements, and hope to be satisfac- 
 tory on the part of the Indians. We must educate! We must 
 educate! Or will sink into the vorex of destruction, unless a 
 different course shall be pursued than has been for the past 20 
 years. It is true, and we cheerfully admit it, that considerable 
 has been done in regard to our spiritual interest, and feel truly 
 grateful for this kind and liberal disposition shown towards us. 
 But in order to reap the greatest advantage in connection with 
 the propagation of the true religion and true enlightenment, 
 we must educate and become acquainted with the arts and sci- 
 ences. language, manners and custom of the white man. For 
 this purpose profossedlv, there was a fund set apart bv the Gov- 
 ernment in the treatvof 1836. The whole amount appropriated 
 already exceeds $100,000. This amount has gone principally into 
 the hands of the bishops and clergv of different denominations. 
 But in regard to some of us it may be affirmed that we have de- 
 rived no benefit from this appropriation. That is, not one In- 
 dian youth has been educated infact in our quarter section of 
 the country for the past 20 vears. who can spell “Baker . u al- 
 though it has been reported bv our bishops and clergy to the 
 head department, that the Indian bovs and girls are educated 
 in the English branches, so as to be taught grammer. geography, 
 arithmetic, reading and spelling, writing Indian and English, 
 ciphering, sewing and knitting, trimming with porcupine, etc, 
 and at the same time representing such teachers, for instance, 
 as M. Ka-bi-gi-ji-go-kwe, Ignatius Meak. Michael Kims, D. Ene- 
 we-sk-ki, Paul Kawe-go-moa. and several others as we observed 
 in the reports of 1851, and those representatives as we know 
 them to be our own brothers, and not capable of teaching those 
 branches as thev represented, for they read not nor speak a 
 word of English, and triming with porcupine, its perfectly ridic- 
 ulous and absurd: for this kind of trimming belonged to the In- 
 dians exclusively for many centuries. Therefore we affirm, and 
 we are sorry to say it. that the whole is inconsistent, that is, 
 not one Indian youth has been educated as it was reported, onlv 
 they have been catechised in our own language. Brothers, if 
 there is any doubt in your minds of what we have told you, look 
 to the reports from the Ottawa missions to the head depart- 
 ment of 1851, Re. N. 6 page 46-57-58, by Bishop, PP. L., of Detroit, 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 45 
 
 and then come to us and examine whether these thing's are so, 
 you will he convinced at once that we have told you the truth, 
 and the world ought to know how things are done. Our educa- 
 cational fund has been carried on blind-handed already too 
 long. Who are those who have been taught grammer, arithme- 
 tic, reading and spelling, etc.? We answer, it is the white chil- 
 dren at town Michilimackinac, and some other towns as we ob- 
 served in the reports of 1851-52-53. Was this the plan of our 
 Government when it made that provission* Never! Not even 
 the half-breeds to be benefited by it. at least we did not under- 
 stand it so. Since we knew these things to be true, it was then 
 proposed and pleaded before the Hon. Commissioner by one of 
 our speakers in the council, that our educational fund should 
 no longer come through the hands of the Bishops and Clergy T , 
 but be put directly into the hands of the Indians to be disposed 
 of by them, that with it we might hire our own teachers, who 
 will instruct the children in the English language and letters. 
 The Hon. Commissioner however, did not conclude to anything 
 specific in regard to the proposition, and only said (if we rightly 
 remember.) that he would see to it that we were properly edu- 
 cated. Again, since this proposition failed, we proposed anoth- 
 er of similar character before the Hon, Commissioner, that is, 
 that the Government will set apart a fund for the purpose of 
 educating our Indian youth among the whites, at least a select- 
 ed number of some ten or twelve at a time, that they may be 
 fitted for usefulness among our people. The Commissioner 
 seemed to be pleased with the proposition, but some of our dele- 
 gated brothers were so blind that they could not see into the 
 subject, nor appreciate the value of education, consequently 
 there was some division amongst us. We then drew up a peti- 
 tion in order to see how many of us were willing to have this 
 arrangment made by the Government, but we did not have time 
 to present it to the Commissioner before the council closed and 
 the treaty was signed. So we have left our educational fund 
 of somewhat on its old basis, which we feared to have run on in 
 the same manner as it has done for ten y r ears longer, making in 
 all 30 years, at the end of which, judging from the past, not a 
 youth will be able even to spell the most simple word in the En- 
 glish language, while the young men might have bestowed upon 
 him three or four hundred dollars, among our white brethren in 
 connection with what he might do for himself, and at the end 
 of 3 or 4 years he would probably compare with any of the white 
 youth and be capable of doing any sort of business in common 
 life among his countrymen. Among all those who have been 
 educated during the past 20 years, there is none but those who 
 have been educated among the whites, and these are very few 
 comparatively. Therefore, the most enlightened portion of us 
 have reconsidered upon these important subjects, and conclud- 
 ed that we would present the following petition to the head de- 
 partment, and would respectfully tell you that there is no white 
 man in connection with this statement. 
 
 The old copy of the petition has been lost, therefore we can 
 
46 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN, 
 
 not publish it in this book 
 
 P. S. — During these years subsequent to the treaty of 1885, 
 our educational fund had been arranged in a different manner. 
 School houses have been erected on different reservations of 
 Mich., and Indian teachers were hired at each reservation at a 
 salary of about $400. per annum. At this date the Government 
 has done more towards the advancement of the education of the 
 Indian youth in supporting these Indian boarding schools estab- 
 lished in Michigan, such as one at Harbor Springs, and Mount 
 Pleasant boarding school. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Becoming Protestant — Persecutions— Second Attempt to go to School— 1 Trials 
 With Indian Agent— Governor Lewis Cass— Struggles During Education— Get- 
 ting Married— Coming Home— Government Interpreter and Postmaster. 
 
 The next live years were passed among my people, doing a 
 little of everything, laboring, teaching, and interpreting ser- 
 mons among the Protestant missions — for there were by this 
 time two Protestant missions established among the Ottawas of 
 Arbor Croche, one at Bear River, now Petoskey, and another at 
 Middle Village or Arbor Croche proper, where I acted as an as- 
 sistant teacher and interpreter. I met much opposition from 
 the Catholic communitj'. because I had already become a pro- 
 testant and left the Romish church, not by any personal per- 
 suasion, however, hut by terrible conviction on reading the word 
 of God — “That there is no mediator between God and man but 
 one, which is Christ Jesus, who was crucified for the remission 
 of sins.” Therefore, Christ is the end of the law for rightous- 
 ness to every one that believeth, and through repentance we 
 must receive forgiveness through Jesus Christ — not the priest 
 nor pope, but to deny that, we deny the power of Christ and his 
 promises; and consequently an athema was pronunced against 
 me in the catholic church in 1852. One Sunday, some friend 
 persuaded me to come to the church, but when the priest saw 
 me he came and forcibly ejected me out of the room. The same 
 priest left the Indian country soon afterwards, and it seems he 
 went to England, and just before he died he wrote to my sister 
 a very touching epistle, in which he said nothing about himself 
 or any one in Little Traverse, but from the beginning to the 
 end of the letter he expressed himself full of sonow for what 
 he had done to me when in this country among the Indians, and 
 asking of me forgiveness for his wrongs towards me. 
 
 Soon after the council of Detroit, I became very discontented, 
 for I felt that I ought to have gone through with my medical 
 studies, or go to some college and receive a degree and then go 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 47 
 
 and studv r some profession. But where is the means to take me 
 through for completing my education was the question every 
 day. So, after one payment of the treaty of 1855, late in the 
 fall of 1856. I went up to Mr. Gilbert, who was then Indian agent, 
 and made known to him my intention, and asked him if he would 
 aid me towards completing my education, by arranging for me 
 to receive the benefit of our educational fund, which was set 
 apart at the last council for the education of the Indians in 
 this State, But he would not. He bluffed me off by saying he 
 was sorry I had voted the “black republican ticket,” at the gen- 
 eral election, which took place that fall of 1856. This was the 
 first time that the Indians ever voted on general election. Mr. 
 Gilbert was at North Port, Grand Traverse, on election day, 
 managing the Indian votes there, and he sent a young man to 
 Little Traverse to manage the voting there and sit as one of 
 the Board at the Little Traverse election. He sent the message 
 to Indians to vote no other ticket but the demociatic ticket. 
 At this election there were only two republican votes in Little 
 Traverse, one of which was cast by myself. As I was depositing 
 my ballot, this young man was so furiously enraged at me he 
 fairly gnashed his teeth, at which I was very much surprised, 
 and from my companion they tried to take away the ticket. 
 Then they tried to make him exchange his ticket, but he refus- 
 ed. We went out quickly, as we did not wish to stay in this ex- 
 citement. At that time I felt almost sorry for my people, the 
 Indians, for ever being citizens of the State, as I thought they 
 were much happier without these elections, and now it will 
 cause great contentions amongst them. 
 
 After payment of our annuities, as the vessel was about start- 
 ing off to take the Indian agent to Mackinac, they had already 
 hoisted the sails, although there was not much wind, and I 
 thought, this was the last chance to get to Mackinac. As I 
 looked toward the vessel I wept, for I felt terribly downcast. 
 As they were going very slowly toward the harbor point, I ask- 
 ed one of the Indian youngsters to take me and my trunk in a 
 canoe to the vessel out there. I had now determined to go, in 
 defiance of every opposition. I hurried to our house with the 
 boy, to get my trunk and bid good bye to my aged father, and 
 told him I was going again to some school outside, and if God 
 permitted I hoped to return again to Little Traverse. All my 
 father said was, “Well, my son, if you think it is best, go.” 
 And away we went. We overtook the vessel somewhere oppo- 
 site called Little Portage, and as I came aboard the agent’s 
 face turned red. He said, “Are you going?” I said, “Yes sir, I 
 am going.” So nothing more was said. The greater part of the 
 night was spent by the agent and the captain gambling with 
 cards, by which the agent lost considerable money. We arrived 
 the next day at Mackinac, and after paying the half breeds at 
 Mackinac, t again approached the Indian agent with the same 
 request if he could possibly arrange for me to have the benefit 
 of our Indian educational fund, set apart for that purpose at 
 the council of Detroit, 1855; and again he brought up the subject 
 
INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 48 
 
 of my voting. Then I was beginning to feel out of humor, and 
 I spoke rather abruptly to him, saying, ‘‘Well, sir, I now see 
 clearly that you don't care about doing anything for my welfare 
 because I voted for the republican party. But politics have 
 nothing to do with my education: for the Government of the 
 United States owes us that amount of money, not politics. I 
 was one of the councilors when that treaty was made, therefore 
 I know all about this matter, and I will see some other men big- 
 ger than you about this business. Elis face turned all purple, 
 and as I was turning about to keep away from him with double 
 quick step he called me back, saying, “how far do you intend to 
 go to get your education?” I said, “I intend to go to Ann Arbor 
 University, sir.” “Well, I will do this much for you; I will pay 
 your fare to Detroit. I am going by way of Chicago, but you 
 can go down by the next boat, which will be here soon from 
 Chicago.” I thanked him, and he handed me money enough to 
 pay my fare to Detroit. 
 
 So I reached Detroit, and stopped at Dr. Stuben’s house, one 
 of my old friends at Detroit. The next day I went to Governor 
 Cass’ residence; and when I knocked at the door, behold it was 
 he himself came to the door. I shook hands with him and said, 
 “My friend. I would like to speak to you a few moments.” “Is 
 it for business?” he asked. “Yes sir, it is.” “Well, my friend, 
 I have no time today to attend to you, but come again tomorrow 
 precisely at 9 o'clock. So the next day at 9 o'clock, I started for 
 his residence, knocking at the door as usual, and it was he 
 again came and opened the door. After shaking hands, he said, 
 “Sit down, I will listen to what you have to say.” I therefore 
 began, saying, “Well my friend, I came from Arbor Croche. I 
 am the nephew of your old friend, “Warrior Wing,” am seeking 
 for education, but I have no means; and I come to see you ex- 
 pressly to acquaint you with my object, and to ask you the favor 
 of interceding for me to the Government to see if they could 
 possibly do something towards defraying my expenses in this 
 object. That is all I have to say.” The old man raised his spec- 
 tacles and said, “Why, why! your object is a very good one. I 
 was well acquainted with your uncle in the frontier of Michigan 
 during the war of 1812. Have you seen and told the Indian 
 agent of this matter?” Yes sir, I have asked him twice, but he 
 would not do anything for me.” “Why, why! it seems to me 
 there is ample provision for your people for that object, and 
 has been for the last twenty years. What is the matter with 
 him?” I said, “I don't know, sir.” “Well, well; I am going to 
 Washington in a few 7 days, and shall see the Indian Commission- 
 er about this matter, and will write to you from there on the 
 subject. I know they can do something toward defraying your 
 expenses Where do you intend to go?” I said, “I dont know, 
 j-et. sir, but I thought of going to the University at Ann Arbor.” 
 “Is it possible? are you prepared to enter such a college?” I 
 told him I thought I was. Well, sir, I think you had better go 
 to Ypsilanti State Normal School instead of Ann Arbor: it is 
 one of the best colleges in the State.” This was the first time I 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 49 
 
 lever heard of that school, and it sounded quite big to ms; so I 
 told him that I would gladly attend that school, provided I had 
 ; means to do so. ‘‘Well, then, it is settled. _ You shall go to 
 Ypsilanti. and I will direct my letter to Ypsilanti when I write 
 to you. and now mind nobody, but just go about your business.” 
 (After thanking him for his good counsel I shook hands with the 
 old man and left. 
 
 The next day was a terrible snow storm, but. however. I start- 
 led out for Ypsilanti, which is only about thirty miles from De- 
 troit. Of course, as I was totally a stranger in the place, I^put 
 up at a hotel, although my means were getting very short. r ihe 
 next: day I went about to find out all about the institution, cost 
 of tuition, and private board, etc., and saw some of the profess- 
 ors of the institution, but I did not dare to make any arrange- 
 I ments for a steadv boarding place and begin school for fear 
 Governor Cass should fail of getting help from the Government. 
 Therefore, instead of beginning to go to school. I went and hir- 
 ed out on a farm about three miles from the city, and continued 
 to work there for about three weeks before I heard from Gov- 
 ernor Cass. At last, as I was chopping cord wood on his farm, 
 the old farmer brought a package of letters from the post-office. 
 ;one of which was post marked at Washington, D. C.. and anoth- 
 er from Detroit. I fairly trembled as I opened the one which I 
 : thought was from Governor Cass, as between doubt and hope, 
 i 'but my fears were suddenly changed into gladness, and quickly 
 as possible I settled with the farmer, and away I went towards 
 the citjq singing' as I went along. B_v intercession of Governor 
 Cass, it was proposed to pay my whole expenses — board, clothes, 
 
 , books, tuition, etc. The other letter was from the Indian Agent, 
 calling me to come down to Detroit, as he had already received 
 ! some instructions from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to 
 ■ look after me and to arrange the matters of my schooling at 
 Ypsilanti State Normal School. Oh, how I did hate to have to 
 meet the Indian Ag'ent again on this subject: to stand before 
 him, and to have him think that I had overcome him. and suc- 
 ! ceeded in spite of his opposition to my desire. Oh, how I wished 
 this matter could have been arranged without his assistance. 
 However. I started for Detroit the same evening I received 
 these communications. I got to Detroit just a little after dark 
 and went immediately to the agency to meet the Indian agent. 
 There I stood at the door trembling and with confused mind. 
 Finally 1 knocked and Mr. Adam the clerk, came and opened 
 the door, I saw the Indian agent sitting in the big rocker; as he 
 I saw me he went backward in his chair, looking very much con- 
 fused: he never even said, how do vou do, but began immediate- 
 ly saying, '‘Well, sir, how much do you think that it will cost 
 for your schooling at Ypsilanti'?” ‘T don’t know, sir,” I respond- 
 ed. “Well, who knows? I think you ought to know, as you have 
 been there,” he said, in a gruff voice. “I have not been to 
 school at all, sir,” I said, “but have been working on a farm up 
 to this morning.” “Working on a farm, eh? I thought you came 
 here on purpose to attend school?” I did, sir; but you know I 
 
50 
 
 INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 was very short of means, so I had to do something to keep me 
 alive."' ‘‘Can't you tell me the cost for your hoard per week?” 
 “The private board is from $3.50 to $4 per week, sir. as accord- 
 ing' to accomodation.” “How much for books and clothing?” 
 "I don't know, sir; but I think I have enough clothing for at 
 least one year.” After interview with the agent, I went to the 
 Howard House for lodging. 
 
 In the morning I went back to Ypsilanti, and with the aid of. 
 the professors of the institution I got a good boarding place. I 
 attended this institution almost two years and a half, when I 
 could not hold out any longer, as my allowance for support from 
 the Government was so scanty it did not pay for all my neces- 
 sary expenses. I have always attributed this small allowance 
 to the Indian agent who was so much against me. I tried to 
 board myself and to live on bread and water; and therefore ; 
 hired a room which cost me 75 cents a week, and bought bread 
 from the bakeries, which cost me 50 cents a week, and once in 
 a while I had lire-wood as I did not keep much fire. I stood it 
 pretty well for three months, but I could not stand it any long- 
 er. I was very much reduced in flesh, and on the least exertion 
 I would be trembling, and I began to be discouraged in the pro- 
 secution of my studies. By this time I was in the D class, but 
 class F was the graduating class in that institution, which 1 
 was exceedingly anxious to attain; but I imagined that I was 
 beginning to be sick on account of so much privation, or that I 
 would starve to death before I could be graduated, and there-' 
 fore I was forced to abandon my studies and leave the institu- 
 tion. 
 
 As I did not have any money to pay my passage homeward, I 
 went about working and occasionally lecturing on the subject 
 of the Indians of Michigan, and at last I had enough means to 
 return home and try to live once more according to the means 
 and strength of my education. September 4th, 1858, I was join- 
 ed in wedlock to the young lady who is still my beloved wife, 
 and now we have four active children for whom I ever feel much 
 anxiety that they might be educated and brought up in a Chris- 
 tian manner. Soon after I came to my country my father died 
 at a great age. The first year we lived in Little Traverse we 
 struggled quite hard to get along, but in another year I was ap- 
 pointed Interpreter by the Hon. D. C. Leach. U.S. Indian Agent 
 for Mackinac Indian Agency, to whom I ever feel largely in- 
 debted, and I continued to hold this situation under several of 
 his successors in office. 
 
 During the Rebellion I was loyal to the Government, and op- 
 posed the bad white men who were then living in the Indian 
 country, who tried to mislead my people as to the question of 
 the war, to cause them to be disloyal. After the war was over, 
 I was appointed as an auxiliary prosecutor of the Indian soldier 
 claims, as quite a number of our people also helped to put down 
 this relbellion, and many were killed and wounded. But most 
 of this kind of business I performed without reward. 
 
 Before I was fairly out as interpreter* I was appointed with a 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 51 
 
 vert small salary as postmaster at Little Traverse, now Harbor 
 Spring's, Hon. T. W. Ferry of Washington was the cause of my 
 appointment as such, where I discharged my duties faithfully 
 and honestly for eleven years. But the ingress of the white 
 population in this Indian country increased much from 1872-73 
 and onward. The office was beginning to be a paying one, and 
 I was beginning to think that I was getting over the bridge, 
 when others wanted the office, parties once came to me and re- 
 quested me to give up the office and let the white people have 
 a chance to run the office I thought this a very curious re- 
 quest. I thought the Indians ought to have as much chance to 
 hold the office, same as any other class of people, provided they 
 are educated. My opponents being the most prominent persons, 
 petitions were forwarded to Washington to have me removed, 
 although no one ever had any occasion to complain of having 
 lost his money or letter through this office during my adminis- 
 tration. At last, the third assistant postmaster general at 
 Washington wrote me a kind of private letter, stating that the 
 main ground of the complaint was, that my office was too small 
 and inconvenient for the public, and advising me to try and 
 please the public as well as I could. And consequently I took 
 what little money I had saved up and built a comfortable office, 
 ibut before the building was thoroughly completed I was remov- 
 ed. This left me penniless in this cold world, to battle on and 
 to struggle for mv existence; and from that time hence I have 
 not held any office. I was in debt at the close of this business, 
 for which I was sued afterward. My white neighbors seem- 
 ed to want to dragme to the very dust from which I had risen. 
 It seemed they did not wish me to do any kind of work amongst 
 them by which to obtain my living and support my family. As 
 I was once carrying a trunk in the street for my neighbor, and 
 met an officer who threatened to prosecute me and make me 
 pay $5 for carrying the trunk in the street, claiming that I had 
 no license for lugging such things in the street: I said to the 
 [officer that I did not know there were any such licenses issued 
 for this kind of business; he said there was, and I had put my- 
 fself under liability. I immediately went to the authorities to 
 I inquire about this matter, but they all say that there was no li- 
 cense ever issued for this kind of business. The officer who 
 I threatened me in this manner was himself a drayman. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 fSome of the Legends of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Respecting the Great 
 Flood of the World— A Person Swallowed Up Alive Like a Prophet Jonah. 
 
 Before proceeding with the history of the Ottawas and Chip- 
 
INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 pewas some of their most important and peculiar legends will 
 be given. They have a tradition of a great flood, as is recorded 
 in the Bible History, and many other tribes of Indians who speak 
 dialect of the Ottawa and Chippewa languages have the same 
 story. The legends say it was caused, not by a rain, but by the 
 great “Ne-naw-bo-zhoo,” who was the most remarkable, wonder- 
 ful, and supernatural being that ever trod upon the earth. He 
 could transfigure himself into the shape of all animals and live 
 with them for a great length of time. He has done much mis- 
 chief and also many benefits to the inhabitants of the earth 
 whom he called “his nephews:” and he shaped almost every- 
 thing, teaching his nephews what materials they should take 
 for their future utensils. This mischievous Ne-naw-bo-zhoo 
 spoiled the sugar trees by diluting their sap with water. The 
 legends say, that once upon a time the sugar trees did produce 
 sap at certain season of the year which was almost like a pure 
 svrup; but when this mischievous Ne-naw-bo-zhoo had tasted it, 
 he said to himself, “Ah, that is too cheap. It will not do. My 
 nephews will obtain this sugar too easily in the future time and 
 the sugar will be worthless.” And therefore he diluted the sap 
 until he could not taste any sweetness therein. Then he said, 
 “Now my nephews will have to labor hard to make the sugar out 
 of this sap, and the sugar will be much more valuable to them 
 in the future time.” in former times the heart of every tree 
 contained fat from which all inhabitants of the earth obtained 
 delicious oil to eat; but this mischievous Ne-naw-bo-zhoo, in his 
 supernatural way, pushed his staff Into the heart of every tree; 
 and this is the reason why the heart of every tree has a differ- 
 ent color. 
 
 There was no great ark in which to float during the great 
 flood, but when Ne-naw-bo-zhoo could not find any more dry land 
 to run to when he was pursued with mountains of water, he said 
 “let there be a great canoe.” So there was a great canoe which 
 he entered with his animals and floated. 
 
 As to the origin of Ne-naw-bo-zhoo, the legend says, that once 
 upon a time there lived a maiden with her grandmother, who 
 was a very dutiful and obedient child, observing every precept 
 which was taught her by her grandmother, and she spent much 
 time fasting; during which time she had wonderful dreams 
 which she related to her grandmother every morning during 
 her fast days. She very often had a vision of holding conversa- 
 tion with some deities and flnallj' she was assured in a vision, 
 that her children would be terrible and would redeem all the 
 inhabitants of the earth from their various calamities; and ac- 
 cordingly, she bore two sons. The first born was like any other 
 humanchild, but the last one was a monster which caused the 
 death of its mother, and, although shaped like a human being, 
 as soon as born ran off in the wilderness and was never again 
 seen by any person; but the first child was nourished and reared 
 by the grandmother. When this child grew to be playful and 
 talkative by the side of its grandmother, he was so strange 
 that very often she would say to him. “Your actions are like a 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 53 
 
 ; Ne- naw-bo-zhoo.” Then the child would reply, “I am the 
 great Ne-naw-bo-zhoo on the earth'” The meaning of this 
 ; word in the Algonquin language is “a clown” and therefore he 
 i meant that he was the great clown of the world. 
 
 When Ne-naw-bo-zhoo became a man he was a great prophet 
 for his nephews and an expert hunter, His hunting dog was a 
 great black wolf. When he learned from his grandmother, that 
 his mother was dead and that his brother was a monster with a 
 body like flint stone which caused her death, Ne-naw-bo-zoo was 
 : in a great rage after hearing the stoiy and he determined to 
 seek for this evil being and slay him. Then he immediately 
 prepared for a long journey, and trimmed his ponderous war- 
 club nicel_y and prepared to be in a great battle. So off he went 
 with his great black wolf on the war path. As he passed 
 through the forest, for a trial of his strength and the strength 
 of his war club, he simply made motions with it towards one of 
 the tallest pines of the forest and the gigantic tree came down 
 all into slivers. “Ah” said Ne-naw-bo-zhoo, “who could stand 
 i against my strength and the strength of my war club.” After 
 many days journey going into every nook and loop hole of the 
 earth, he succeeded at last in having a glimpse of the object of 
 his search. Ne-naw-bo-zhoo ran to overtake him, and chased 
 j him all over the world: and every now and then he would be 
 . close enough to reach him with his war club and to strike at 
 , him. but he would only break a piece of the monster's stonj- 
 body, which was like a mountain of hard flint-stone. So the le- 
 gend says that whenever find a pile of hard flints lying on the 
 face of the earth, there is where Ne-naw-bo-zhoo overtook his 
 brother monster and struck him with his tremendous war-club. 
 At last he vanquished him on the east shore of Grand Traverse 
 • bay, Michigan, near the place now called Antrim City, hut for- 
 i merly by the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, it was called “Pe- 
 wa-na-go-ing,” meaning “Flinty Point,” so called because there 
 were great rocks of flint lying near the edge of the lak& shore. 
 And so the Ottawas and Chippewas say it is there where the old 
 carcass of the monster is now lying — the brother of the great 
 Ne-naw-bo-zhoo. After that he traveled over almost every part 
 of this continent sometimes in the shape of an animal and 
 I then again in human shape. There is an impression of human 
 foot tracks on a very smooth rock some where along the Otta- 
 e wa river in Canada, and also a round hole about as large and 
 deep as a common "brass kettle on this flat rock near where the 
 track is and every Ottawa and Chippewa calls these “Ne-naw- 
 bo-zhoo's track., and “Ne-naw-bo-zoo’s kettle where he dropped 
 it when chasing his mother,” and then they would drop a piece 
 of tobacco in the kettle as a sacrifice, at the same time praying 
 for luck and a prosperous journey to Montreal and back to 
 i Michigan, their native home, when passing this place. 
 
 J Now the cause of the great flood was this: The god of the 
 deep was exceedingly jealous about Ne-naw-bo-zhoo’s hunting 
 dog (the great black wolf) and therefore, one day the god of 
 the deep succeeded in alluring the black wolf to his confidence, 
 
INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 54 
 
 when he killed it and made a great feast with it and invited 
 man} - guests, which were represented as sea-serpents, water-ti- 
 gers, and every kind of monster of the deep, and they had a jol- 
 ly feast. When Ne-naw-bo-zhoo found out what had become of 
 his hunting dog', he was furiously enraged, and determined to 
 kill his god of the deep. 
 
 There was a certain place where he was accustomed to come 
 on the shore with his hosts, particularly on very fine days, to 
 sun themselves and enjoy the pleasure of being on drj^ land. Ne- 
 naw-ho-zoo knew this lovely spot very well. So right away he 
 strung up his bow and trimmed his arrow nicely, and went there 
 to watch, transforming himself into a black stump, near where 
 these water gods usually lay down to enjoy themselves. And 
 therefore, one very fine day the sea-serpent and water-tigers 
 were very anxious to come on shore as usual and asked master 
 to accompany them, but he replied: “I fear the great Ne-naw- 
 bo-zhoo might be lurking about there, and he will kill me be- 
 cause I have killed and eaten up his black wolf." But he at last 
 told them to go on shore and examine the place and report if it 
 was all clear: but they found nothing unusual about the place ex- 
 cept the old black stump, which they never before observed to 
 be there. Therefore, they went back to their master and re- 
 ported that nothing was there to be afraid of except the old 
 black stump which they never noticed before. “Go again,” 
 said their master “and closely examine the stump: peradven- 
 ture, it was he transfigured into the shape of the stump.” So 
 again they came ashore and one of the water-tigers climbed up- 
 on it, inserting his long, sharp claws as he went up, but he saw 
 nothing strange. So, also the sea-serpent went up to it and coil 
 ed himself around the stump so tight that Ne-naw-bo-zhoo near- 
 ly screamed with pain. At last the serpent uncoiled himself 
 and they went back to their master and reported to him that it 
 was nothing but an old stump, So the god of the sea concluded 
 to come ashore with all his hosts, slowly and cautionsly looking 
 in every direction as he was still afraid that Ne-naw-bo-zhoo 
 might be lurking around there and watching. Soon they were 
 dozing upon the hot sand of the beach, then, Ne-naw-bo-zoo nn- 
 masked himself and fixed one of his best arrows into his bow 
 and shot the god of the deep right through the heart. Then 
 all the host started to pursue the slayer of their master. Ne- 
 naw-bo-zhoo fled for his life; but he was pursued by the host 
 with mountains of water. He ran all over the earth, still pur- 
 sued with a mountain of water. So when he could not find any 
 more dry land to run to he commanded a great canoe to be 
 formed in which he and the animals who were fleeing before 
 the water, were saved. After they floated, Ne-naw-bo-zhoo 
 wondered very much more how deep was the water. Therefore, 
 he ordered one of the heavers to go down to the bottom of the 
 deep and bring up some earth if he could, as evidence that he 
 did go to the bottom. So the beaver obeyed, and he went down 
 but the water was so deep the beaver died before he reached 
 the bottom, and therefore, he came up and floated as a dead 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 55 
 
 heaver. Ne-naw-bo-zhoo drew him up in to his canoe and re- 
 suscitated the beaver by blowing' into his nostrils. 
 
 So he waited a little while longer, and afterwards he ordered 
 the muskrat to go down; but the muskrat did not like the idea, 
 for he had seen the beaver coming up lifeless. So he had to 
 hatter him a little in order to induce him to go down, by telling 
 him. “Now, muskrat, I know that thou art one of the best div- 
 ers of all the animal creation: will you please go down and as- 
 certain the depth of the water, and bring up some earth in 
 your little paw, if you can, with which I shall try to make an- 
 other world? Now go my little brother,? — the legend says that 
 he called all the animal creation his little brothers, — “for we 
 cannot a ways live on the waters.” At last the muskrat obeyed. 
 He went down and descended clear to the bottom of the water, 
 and grabbed the earth and returned. But it was so deep that 
 before he reached the surface of the water he expired. 
 
 As Ne-naw-bo-zhoo drew him into his great canoe to resus- 
 citate him. he observed the muskrat still grasping some thing in 
 his little paws, and behold, it was a piece of earth. Then Ne- 
 naw-bo-zhoo knew that the muskrat went clear to the bottom of 
 the deep. He took this piece of earth and fixed it into a small 
 parcel, and fastened it to the neck of the raven which was 
 with him. Now, with this parcel, Ne-naw-bo-zhoo told the rav- 
 en to fly to and fro over the face of the waters; then the wa- 
 ters began to recede very fast, and soon the earth came back 
 to its natural shape, just as it was before. 
 
 Again this same Ne-naw-bo-zboo was once swollowed by a fish 
 and after being carried about in the midst of the deep, he came 
 out again and lived as well as ever, like the prophet Jonah. 
 This Ottawa and Chippewa legend is, that once upon a time 
 there was a great fish that resided in a certain lake, and as the 
 people passed through this lake in their canoes, this great fish 
 was accustomed to come after those crossing the lake and if he 
 overtook them he would swollow them up, canoe and all, like 
 swollowing a little clam in the shell. So Ne-naw-bo-zhoo said 
 to himself, ‘‘This great fish will eat up all my nephews. Now I 
 must somehow dispose of him.” So finally he went to the lake 
 in his canoe expressly to look for the fish, singing daring songs 
 as he went along. After he came in the midst of it, there he 
 stopped, but kept on singing the following words; “Mishe-la- 
 ne-gwe Pe-le-wi-ko-lishim, Pe-le-wi-ko-lishim" — daring the fish 
 to come and swollow him up. So at last the great fish, Mish-la- 
 me-gwe, did come and swollow the great Ne-naw-bo zhoo. But 
 this was just what he wanted. After being swollowed, he was 
 able to dispose of his big fish, for with his weapons he caused 
 the great fish such pain that it became crazy. He started on 
 full speed, but not knowing which way he was steering because 
 he was now out of his senses, so he ran against the dry land, 
 but as he was going so fast his whole body was on dry land and 
 soon expired, after which Ne-naw-bo-zhoo came out like the 
 prophet Jonah, and he went home and sat down to smoke his 
 pipe, perfectly satisfied that he had saved many people by dis- 
 
56 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN, 
 
 posing of the great fish. 
 
 These are some of the legends told among the Ottawa and 
 Chippewa Indians, as related in their own language, which are 
 in some things quite similar to the records of the bible. And 
 there was also existing a tradition among the Ottawas and 
 Chippewa Indians with regard to circumcision, which they say 
 this practice was abandoned on account of the severity of the 
 custom, or being dangerous to the human existance, therefore, 
 they abondon it, and change it into different form, which might 
 be entirely harmless and which however will be considered to 
 be as good virtue or accomplish the same object, — that is, to 
 make the male child brave as he grows up into manhood, — par- 
 ticularly in battles, as they say this was the object of circum- 
 cission. So whenever the male child born among them, the se- 
 lected number of them who have been accustomed to being in 
 battles with the human race, and having equipped ihemselves 
 with guns and war clubs, they would then attack the wigwam 
 where the child was born. With tremendous war-whoop and 
 cracking their guns and tapping the wigwam all around with 
 their war-clubs and at the same time dancing and singing these 
 words: Haig-bey Oba-qua-tae, Haig-bey Oba-qua-tae, Za-zahe, 
 etc., and finallv they would take up this new born babe and 
 daftice with it in their arms, after which they would go through 
 with the preliminary exercises which they always performed 
 just before going to war. Now they say this is the performance 
 in place of circumcision, which they abandoned many genera- 
 tions ago. Many times have I seen these performances among 
 our people in the presence of their preacher just for the sake of 
 curiosity. Now my idea of this matter is, these natives of Am- 
 erica must have descended from the Jewish people, because 
 there are no other people on eaith had that kind of rite of 
 circumcision except the Jewish people. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Tradition of the Ottawas regarding their early history— Their wars and their Con- 
 federations with other Tribes of Indians. 
 
 Very many centuries ago, before the discovery of the Ameri- 
 can continent by the white people, the traditions of the Otta- 
 was say they lived along the banks of one of the largest tribu- 
 taries of the St. Lawrence, now known as the Ottawa river. 
 The Ottawas spread over the country around the head waters 
 of this stream, subduing all their tribes of Indians which they 
 happened to encounter, except the Chippewas and Stockbridge 
 Indians. They have always friendly and closely related with 
 these tribes, and consequently no war-club was ever raised by 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 57 
 
 either of these against the other. Their language is of the 
 same root, as they could quite intelligently understand each 
 other. Their manners and customs in every way correspond. 
 Their legends, particularly respecting the flood, and their be- 
 lief in the Supreme Being, the great creator of all things — 
 Ketchi-mat-ne-do — is very much the same; also their belief in 
 the evil spirit, habitation was under the earth. To this deitj 1 - 
 they offered sacrifices as weli as to the other gods or deities. 
 These offerings were called in these days peace-offerings. Down 
 offerings are for the devil or the evil spirit. They never sacri, 
 Seed flesh of animals to the evil spirit. Their offering to this de- 
 ity was parched corn pounded, then cooked into hominy; this 
 was sacrificed to the evil spirit, not because they loved him, but 
 to appease his wrath, as they believed. 
 
 Although the Chippewas speak almost the same language as 
 as the Ottawas and Stockbridge Indians, yet they seem to be- 
 long to anotner family of Indians, as they are much taller than 
 ; the Ottawas and broader across the shoulders, having a full 
 ' chest, very erect and striding firmly in their walking. They 
 are much more numerous than the Ottawa Indians. They ex- 
 tended from lower Canada north westward up to Manitoba. 
 There are three kinds of Chippewas, each kind having a differ- 
 
 ■ ent dialect. The Chippewas in Canada, around the Straits of 
 
 ■ Mackinaw, the islands in Lake Michigan. Sault Ste. Marie, and 
 west of Lake Superior, are much more enlightened and intelli- 
 gent. and these we called common Chippewas: but those on the 
 plains further north or northwest of Lake Superior, “the wild 
 Chippewas:” and those on the north side of Lake Superior go- 
 ing towards Hudson Bay we called "the Backwoodsmen.” The 
 latter race lived entirely by hunting and fishing and endured 
 very great hardships and particularly when there was scarcity 
 of game, and they lived mostly on rabbits in the winter. The 
 
 ' Chippewas were very brave people on the war path, and their 
 principal foes were the Sioux Indians on the plains. They were 
 called in the Ottawa language Naw-do-wa-see, and in the Chip- 
 pewa, Au-bwan. The plurals are Naw-do-wa-see-wog and Au- 
 bwan-og. The Naw-do-wa-see-wog are deadly enemies of the 
 Ottawas and Chippewas, and they are most careless of their 
 lives, for they taught their children from infancy not to fear 
 death. The Chippewas say that the Sioux Indians just as soon 
 die or be killed today as next day or hereafter. But the Otta- 
 was were, however, considered as the most ancient tribe of In- 
 dians and were called by the other tribe “their big brother.” 
 Although they are a smaller race in statute than many other 
 tribes, they were known as the most wise and sagacious people. 
 Every tribe belonging to all the Algonquin family of Indians 
 looked up to the Ottawas for good counsel; and they were as 
 brave as the Ottawas and very expert on the warpath. 
 
 Everv tribe of Indians has a different coat of arms, or symbol- 
 ical sign, by which they are known to one another. The em- 
 blem of the Ottawas is a moose; of the Chippewas, a sea gull; 
 of the Backwoodsmen, a rabbit; of the Underground tribe, to 
 
58 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 which I belong', a species of hawk;and that of the Seneca tribt 
 of Indians, a crotch of a tree. The Ottawas are very nearly ex 
 tinct in the State of Michigan as there are only two or t"hre< 
 families in the state, whose national emblem is a moose, show 
 ing them to be descended from pure Ottawa blood; but those 
 who represented themselves as the Ottawas in this state are de 
 scendants from various tribes of Indians, even some are Sene 
 cas, of the Iroquois family — formerly deadly enemies of the Ot' 
 tawas. The cause of this mixture is by intermarriage, and b; 
 prisoners of war in former times. 
 
 The first man who signed the treaty of 1836, one of the Chip! 
 pewas of the Grand River Indians, whose name was “Mixinene ! 
 was a descendant of the Backwoodsmen, whose emblem was ; 
 rabit. Therefore, all the rest of those Chippewas who went t 
 Washington to form a treaty with the Government felt dis 
 pleased about this matter and tried to ignore the signature o 
 “Mixinene,” because they thought that the first signatur 
 should have been made by a pure Ottawa or a pure Chippewa^ 
 because they had the first right to the land of Michigan. Bu 
 the ‘'Backwoodsmen,” they considered, had no claim nor titl 
 to this land which they ceded to the Government of the Unite 
 States. But the Government did not know the dfference, hov 
 ever, — all she wanted was the land. So all the Chiefs of th 
 Ottawas and Chippewas signed this said treaty, not with fre 
 will, but by compulsion. |J 
 
 The tradition gives no reason why the Ottawas continuall 
 moved towards the northwest at this early period: but is i: 
 however, supposed that it was on account of their deadly enem 
 ies, the Iroquios of New York, as they were continually at wa 
 with the six nations of Indians. Quite often, the Iroquo 
 would attack them, but the tradition says that in almost ever 
 battle the Ottawas would come out victorious over the Iroquoi 
 The Ottawas too, in retaliation, would goto the Iroquois com 
 try to scalp some of the Iroquois; then have their jubilees ovt 
 these scalps by feasting and dancing around them. At th 
 stage of their existence they were an exceedingly fierce ar 
 warlike people, not only contending with these tribes, but alt 
 with many others out west and south, even to the Chockta 
 and Cherokee country and to the Platheads, Sioux Indians ar 
 Underground race of people out west. 
 
 As the Ottawas continued moving up on this beauttiful strea 
 of water, they at last came to a large lake, the head waters f 
 the river. The surrounding scenery of the lake was most su 
 prisingly biautiful. They immediately named this lake “K 
 tchi-ne-bissing,” which name it bears to this day. Here the 0> 
 towas concluded to stop and occupy the surrounding countr 
 Therefore, they pitched their tent* and formed a great villag 
 They continued to reside around the lake for untold ages. Ai 
 here too they had many hard battles with the Iroquois; but tl 
 Iroquois were not able to conquer them or drive them from tl i 
 country. But at last the Ottowas became discontented wit i 
 the place. They concluded that the place was haunted by sod ! 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 59 
 
 presiding deity who was not favorable to them. The}' probably 
 obtained this idea throug having sometimes great disasters in 
 war with the Iroquois at this place. I will here relate another 
 strange incident which happened to the Ottowas at about this 
 time, and which was the origin of their belief that the deity of 
 the place was unfavorable to them. It may be considered as 
 purely fictitious, but every Ottowa and Chippewa to this day, 
 believe it to have actually occured. as every Christian believes 
 that Jonah was s vollowed up by a whale and lived again. 
 
 A woman went down to the beach of lake Ke-tchine-bissing 
 to wash some of her clothing, taking along her infant child, 
 which was tied up on a board, according to the fashion of the 
 Indians. When she reached the beach, she set her child down 
 ! very near the edge of the water that it might watch its mother 
 ! while at work. Her wigwam stood not far from the lake, and 
 in a few moments she ran to it for something. On her return 
 - to the spot she was terribly surprised not to find her child where 
 i' she had left it but a few minutes before. She ran frantically 
 through the village, crying and screaming', and saying that 
 l some one had stolen her baby. A search was immediately insti- 
 tuted but found no trace of it whatever. A few days after this. 
 t two lovers sat upon the top of the highest hillock which stood 
 
 ■ back of the village. While they were talking very much love 
 ! to each other, they heard an infant crying bitterly, in the 
 • ground directly under them. They were terribly frightened, 
 
 | and ran down the hill and reported to everyone they saw about 
 p this matter. Everyone who heard the report said at once that 
 . it must be the same baby who was mysteriously missing on the 
 I beach a few days before. The next day all the magicians were 
 called together and requested to divine this mystery. Some 
 (r went and put themselves into the state of clairvoyance, which 
 I was a very common practice among the Ottawas and Ohippewas 
 J within my time, and is still practiced to-day where there is no 
 k Christianity predominating among the Indians. Other magi- 
 i: cians built themselves lodges in which to invoke what we might 
 call Spiritualism. a c was practiced among the Indians as much 
 [ as among the whites at the pretent day. The form of these 
 f lodges was like a tower in circular form built with long poles 
 f. set deep in the ground ten or twelve feet high, then covored 
 tight all around with canvass or skins of animals, except the 
 
 ■ top is left open. Now the magician or the performer comes 
 f with the little flat magician's rattle like a tamborine. They 
 
 always build a fire close to the lodge so that the attendants and 
 > spectators could light their piper, as thev generally smoke 
 . much during the performance. The magician sits by the fire 
 ! also, and begins to talk to the people, telling them that he could 
 i call up various spirits, even the spirit of those who are yet liv- 
 i ing in the world, and that they should hear them and ask them 
 any questions they wish. After which he begins to sing a pe- 
 culiar song which scarcely anyone could understand. Then he 
 either goes into the lodge by crawling under, or sits out side 
 I with the rest of the audience, and in this case he simply throws 
 
60 
 
 INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 something- of his wear in the lodge — his blanket or his robe or 
 coat. And immediately the lodge begins to tremble, appearing 
 to be full of wind. Then voices of various kinds are heard from 
 top to bottom, some speaking in unknown tongues, and when the 
 spectators ask any questions they would receive replies some- 
 times with unknown tongues, but among the spirits there is al- 
 ways a special interpreter to make known what other spirits 
 says. 
 
 After the magicians had finished their incantations, one of 
 them, whom they thought greatest of all, went down to the 
 beach to the place where the child had been missing. The wa- 
 ter was very deep there along the beach quite close to the shore 
 He plunged in the lake and was gone under water for a long 
 time. At last he came up and reported that he had discovered 
 a doorway under deep water for a passage which seemed to lead 
 toward the top of the hill. He believed through this passage 
 the child was conveyed to the top of the hill by some evil mon- 
 ster. and all the rest of the magicians agreed with him. There- 
 fore, they held a council to determine what they should do and 
 they concluded to dig down wherever the magicians would di- 
 rect and try to find the passage. The whole city turned out to 
 dig, and after making a very deep hole they found the passage, 
 which evidently run up towards the top of the hill; they kept 
 on digging, leaving a great hole as they dug along, and when 
 they come to the top of the hill, two monsters came out; the 
 first one about as large as a wolf, jet black but the tail of it red 
 as fire, and possessed much agility for he escaped from the 
 crowd quite easily, and ran down to the lake and plunged in the 
 lake. That was the last seen of him. Pretty soon another 
 monster came forth in the form of a great bear; but this one 
 the aboregines surronded him aud commenced a battle, and fin- 
 ally they pounded him to death. After vanqiushing the mon- 
 ster, they went on digging again and pretty soon they came to 
 a great cavern in which they found the identical child, but it 
 was dead; the monster killed it just before he came forth by in- 
 serting his great claws on the top of the childs head, as revenge 
 it was supposed. The next thing they did is to make a big fire, 
 and there they rolled the great bear, same as thej’ always serv- 
 ed the common bears when they wish to make a feast, to scorch 
 its hair off. So after being nicely scorched and scraped, they 
 cut him up into small pieces and cooked it; the aborigines made 
 a great feast of it. The traditions say, it tasted just the same 
 as any other bears which are found in the forest. The depres- 
 sion of the earth or hole where those monsters were dug out by 
 the Ottawas at Ke-tchine-bissing is said to be visible to this 
 day. After Montreal was being settled by the whites, our peo- 
 ple here used to start pretty much every summer for Montreal 
 to traffic or exchange their furs for such articles as they most 
 need; and this was their route to Montreal, and in passing this 
 place, they say they always stopped expressly to view the de- 
 pression which the Ottawas made when they dug the monsters. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 61 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Tlie Ottawas Movii g Again Towards the Setting Sun— Coming to Manitoulin. or 
 Ottawa Island — Tne names of Thesr Leaders— The Wenebago v arriors Com- 
 ing to Ottawa Island in a Hostile Manner, Heaced by O-saw-wa-ne-me-kee, 
 "The Yellow Thunder" — Deeth of Kaw-be-naw. one of the Greatest Prophets 
 •end Warriors of the Ottawas — Massacre in the Country of Waw-gaw-na-ke- 
 zhe, or Arbor C.oche, Emmet County, Michigan. 
 
 Soon after the loss of the child, the Ottawas abandoned the 
 country and again moved toward the setting sun until they 
 came to Lake Huron. Here they discovered a great island, full 
 of game both large and small, wnich is now called Manitoulin, 
 but formerly, the Ottawa Island. Here tne Ottawas remained 
 for mam- more centuries. Here too, was born one oi the great- 
 est warriors and prophets that the Ottawas ever had, whose 
 name was "Ka-be-naw.” This word is accented on the last syl- 
 lable, — its definition is — ‘"He would be brought out." There are 
 many chrious and interesting ad ten tures related of this great 
 warrior and prophet, a recoid o± which would require a large 
 book. But I will here give one or two of the curious legends of 
 . this great man. 
 
 The tradition says that the reason he became so great a sup- 
 i ernatural being is, that in his younger day^s, while fasting ac- 
 cording to the custom, he had a vision in whicn he thought he 
 ! saw a man and talked with him, saying: "Ka-be-naw," could 
 you not offer me a sacrihce of one or your people': 1 "Ka-be-naw' 
 said, no, I will never give sacrifice to any deity in the shape of 
 my fellow man. So every time the ; fasted he had the same 
 ! vision and same request, but always refusing to comply. But 
 this deity kept on asking the same question over and over, and 
 ! finally he thought he would answer mm. in tne loilowing man- 
 I ner: "Yes, I will give sacrifice with my fellow creature in this 
 manner: "I will go to war agaiiiit my fellow creatures and ail 
 i those I kill in the war I will saennee them to you, provided. 
 
 | you will help me in my warfare." The deity said in reply, "Ka- 
 | be-naw, wiry did you not say that long ago, lor 1 should not have 
 I asked you so many times, and your request snail be complied.’’ 
 There the first time he went on the warpath he did not lose a 
 man. but he killed many of his fellow beings and brought home 
 many scalps to "Manitoulin’ or Ottawa Island. It - was proved 
 I afterwards that here Ka-be-naw's favorite deity was one of 
 those monsters living on the earth, in the shape of a great ser- 
 1 pent. It is also related that the "Ka-be-naw” was the largest 
 man among the tribe. He did not do any kind of work at all 
 I except leading in the warriors of the Ottawas. One day his 
 ;■ wife said to him, why- don't you go and set out some hooks in 
 ! the lake and catch some trout. Do you Dot want me to catch 
 
INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 62 
 
 some fish, said Ka-be-naw. Of course I do, said his wife. Don't 
 you know we have to beg from our neighbors whenever we want 
 some fish to eat. All right then I will go and set out some hooks 
 in the lake to catch some fish, and off he went with lines and 
 hooks and set them in a deep water, but after he had done so he 
 never went again to examine his hooks, although his wife had’ 
 tried to pursuade him to go, he always said, ,‘Oh, its not time 
 yet, till after middle of winter.” And he got up one morning 
 and said to his little son, “Let us go and look after our hooks, 
 may be we have got some fish on them, and the} 7 started, but 
 they did not go in their canoe but they went towards the dense 
 forest in the deep snow, and there they found their hooks and 
 lines and every one of them had a great bear on it. All they 
 had to do was to knock them in the head, and they took one of 
 them home, leaving the rest in the woods. He told his wife 
 that he caught so many bears she had better call some of the 
 neighbors to go with her and help fetch the rest. The whole 
 neighborhood turned out and brought all the hears, and the Ot- 
 tawas had a big time feasting. 
 
 It is related that he became tired of living and killing so 
 many people. He desired to die; but he could not. It is also re- 
 lated that the We-ne-be-gy tribe of Indians had also one man 
 who was almost equal in power to Ka-be-naw whose name was 
 “O-saw-wa-ne-me-kee” — the “Yellow Thunder.” Having heard 
 the fame of Ka-be-naw, he was very anxious to meet him on 
 the warpkth that he might have an opportunity to contend 
 with him in battle. And consequently he formed a most enor- 
 mous expedition to the island with his numerous warriors ex- 
 pressly to meet Ka-be-naw. But Ka-be-naw knowing ever-y 
 thing that was going in the Wenebago country, told his people 
 to prepare for a great war, for numerous Wenebagoes were 
 coming to the island headed with O-so-wa-waw-ne-me-kee in a 
 very hostile manner. 
 
 At last O-so-wa-waw-ne-me-kee landed with his warriors on 
 the island, and marched towards the largest village of the Ot- 
 towas, which was situated in the interior of the island where 
 there was a lake. So Ka-be-naw starts with his wife, pretend- 
 ing that he was going after cedar bark, but his real object was 
 to meet the Wenebagoes on their march towrnrd the village. 
 When he saw the Wenebagoes coming, he told his wife to run 
 home quickly and tell nobody what she had seen, and he alone 
 went to meet them. When they saw him he did not try to get 
 away, so they easily captured him. Of course the Wenebagoes 
 knew not that he was the very man they were seeking. They 
 asked him many questions as to the condition of the Ottawas, 
 how many there were in the village, and whether Ka-be-naw 
 was at home or not. He told them the Ottawas were in good 
 condition to fight, but Ka-be-naw was not at home just then, 
 but would probably be home by to-morrow or day after, as he 
 was gone only to get cedar bark somewhere. The Weneba- 
 goes made a deep pit in the ground and after tying Kaw-be- 
 naw thej 7 threw him into the pit and covered him with heavy 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 63 
 
 stones and dirt and then marched on. 
 
 When they came in view of the village they halted. They 
 concluded that they would not make the attack until morning'. 
 Kaw-be-naw, after lying awhile in the pit, magically released 
 himself and went home, and told his people that the Weneba- 
 goes were very close at hand; and by to-morrow there would be 
 a great battle, so every man must be well prepared. The vil- 
 lage was in terrible anxiety that night, the women and children 
 were all gathered in one place and the warriors in another, and 
 the village was well guarded. Early in the morning the war cry 
 was heard, and every warrior went forward to meet the Wene- 
 bagoes. but Kaw-be-naw remained in his lodge while his war- 
 riors were fighting. The old O-so-waw-ne-me-kee was nearly 
 naked and frightfully painted from head to foot, so that he 
 looked more like a demon than a human being. Of course he 
 did not know who might be Kaw-be-naw among the Ottawas, 
 therefore he sang out, saying, “Where is your great Kaw-be- 
 naw? I should like to meet him in this battle.” So one of the 
 warriors replied, “Don’t you know that you have buried our 
 great Kaw-be-naw in the pit yesterday?” “Thanks to the Great 
 Spirit for delivering the Ottawas into my hands,” said old O-so- 
 waw-ne-me-kee triumphantly. Just then, Kaw-be-naw came 
 out of his lodge in full uniform of black bear skins, with his 
 ponderous war club in his hand, and mocked his antagonist by 
 saying, “Thanks to the Great Spirit, here I am: and now meet 
 all you want.” Kaw-be-naw looked so grand and noble, and was 
 such an extraordinary personage that O-so-waw-ne-me-kee did 
 not know what to do with himself, whether to yield or to fight. 
 But remembering his previous threats, he made out to face him. 
 However Kaw-be-naw did not take long to dispose of him; O-so- 
 waw-ne-me-kee was soon slain. When the Wenebagoes saw 
 that their great warrior was no more, they immediately raised 
 a flag of truce, and requested that they might acknowledge 
 themselves as conquered and depart in peace. 
 
 During the affray with O-so-waw-ne-me-kee, Kaw-be-naw re- 
 ceived a little scratch on his nose which drew a few drops of his 
 blood, and therefore when he saw a flag of truce he disarmed 
 himself and went to the Wennebagoes. saying, “O, you have 
 killed me.” The Wenebagoes said, “How and where?” “Don’t 
 you see the blood on my nose?” “Pshaw, that is only a scratch,” 
 said the Wenebagoes. “Well, that very thing will cause me to 
 die.” The Wenebagoes tried to send him away, but he would 
 not leave them. At last they took him prisoner. They tied 
 him with small strong cord which every warrior generally car- 
 ries in case of capture. As they journeyed towards their home 
 one fine day. they began to council about him, saying, “This 
 man will never die. When we get him into our country, he will 
 make a terrible slaughter among our women and children. We 
 better dispose of him before we reach home.” So they conclud- 
 ed to sink him into deep water. Therefore they tied a big stone 
 about his neck and put him overboard. They went on rejoicing 
 and traveled all day in their canoes, thinking that they had 
 
64 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 disposed of the greatest man in the world and were very much 
 elated at the idea: forgetting how he had once escaped after 
 being buried in a deep pit. When evening came, thej- encamp- 
 ed for the night. While they were preparing their food, they 
 saw a man coming along on the beach toward them who appear- 
 ed to them like Kaw-be-naw. The Weneba'goes were in terrible 
 consternation. Soon he came up to them, and behold it was he. 
 Then the Wenebagoes were in great terror. But as he came 
 up to them he spoke very pleasantly, saying, "Ho, what a pleas- 
 ant journey we have had to-day. Well, children, have you any 
 meat? I am getting quite hungry after traveling all day. 1 ’ 
 Of course they had to treat him as well as they could, and Kaw- 
 be-naw came into the midst of them. That night the Weneba- 
 goes la3 r awake all night, and the} r thought every moment they 
 would be slaughtered by Kaw-be-naw in revenge for trying to 
 drown him. In the morning after breakfast as they were pre- 
 paring to go Kaw-be-naw spoke to them saying, ••Children, if 
 \ou want to kill me. I will tell you how. You must take all the 
 flesh from off my body bj r cutting it piece by piece with your 
 knives, and leave no flesh upon my bones; for this is the only 
 way that I can be killed.’’ The Wenebagoes were terribly 
 frightened as they thought that so soon as any one would touch 
 him he would kill every Wenebago. So they held a council to 
 determine what they should do. But the majority were in favor 
 of performing this dreadful act, as Kaw-be-naw ordered, for he 
 desired to die. When they came back, Kaw-be-naw persisted 
 that they should begin and assured them that he would never 
 resist. At last, one of the bravest Wenebagoes went up to him 
 and cut a piece of his flesh. Kaw-be-naw never stirred but sim- 
 ply smiled and said, “That is the way you must do. What are 
 you afraid of? Come all ye who have sharp knives.” Pretty 
 soon they were all around him taking his fle^h piece afterpiece. 
 When it was all done he said, “It is finished; now I shall surely 
 die. But as recompense for my flesh and life a great battle 
 wili be made against you by my successor, and as many of your 
 best young men shall fall in this battle as pieces have been cut 
 from” my flesh.” At the end of this st ntence, he fell backwards 
 and died. Thus ended the career of the great Kaw-be-naw, the 
 Ottawa warrior and prophet. 
 
 “Shaw-ko-we-sy was the successor of Kaw-be-naw and was al- 
 most equal in power to his predecessor. It is related that in 
 the following year, he went to the Wenebago country with his 
 numerous warriors and killed many Wenebagoes, as many as 
 Kaw-be-naw predicted, and returned late in the fall to their Is- 
 land with many of the Wenebagoes’ scalps. While they were 
 having jubilees, festivities, and war dances over these scalps of 
 the Wenebagoes, in the dead of winter, the tribe of Michili- 
 mackinawgoes. the remnant race of Indians who resided at the 
 Island now called Mackinac, whose fate has been given in a 
 previous chapter, were destroyed. This is the time, according 
 to the Ottawa traditions, that the Iroquois of New York came 
 upon this race of people and almost entirely annihilated them, 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 65 
 
 and the Ottawas and Chippewas called this Island Michilimack- 
 inong in order to perpetuate the name of these unfortunate In T 
 dians. Michilimackinong is the locative case in the Ottawa 
 and Chippewa languages. 
 
 There were also a small tribe of Indians, beside the Chippe- 
 wae, that resided on the north side of the strait whose principal 
 village was situated at the place now called St. Ignace, but the 
 Ottawas and Chippewas call this place to this day “Naw-do-we- 
 que-yah-mi-shen-ing,” which is a compound name from "Naw-do- 
 we,”"the name of the tribe who resided there, and "Na-yah-me- 
 shen,” point of land in water. And afterwards part of "the Ot- 
 tawas came over from their Island and resided with them, dur- 
 ing the days of old •’Saw-ge-maw,” who was one of the great 
 warriors and leaders of the Ottawas. But afterwards Saw-ge- 
 maw quarreled with them and broke up the confederacy and 
 drove them off. Here, too. at about this time, part of the Otta- 
 was left the country in anger because they were cheated out of 
 one of the great feasts they were having on some particular 
 occasion. Tnese went far west and joined the Sho-sho-nee tribe 
 of Indians, whose country lies on the west side of the Rocky 
 
 • Mountains, and consequently the Ottawas language is quite ex- 
 tensively spoken among that tribe of Indians to this day. 
 
 The south side of the straits, which now constitutes Emmet, 
 
 . Cheb03’gan and Charlevoix counties, our tradition says, was ex- 
 . ceedingly thickly populated by another race of Indians, whom 
 the Ottawas called Mush-co-desh, which means, ‘‘the Prairie 
 tribe.” They were so called on account of being great cultiva- 
 tors of the soil, and making the woodland into prairie as they 
 abandoned their old worn out gardens which formed grassy 
 plains. It is related, this tribe was quite peacable, and were 
 never known to go on a warpath. The Ottawas of Manitoulin 
 had joined hands with them as their confederates. They called 
 each other “brothers.” But on one of the western war trips of 
 the great Saw-ge-maw. who existed about the time America 
 was first discovered by white men, he met with great disaster, 
 
 [ as manj- of his warriors were killed; so on returning homeward 
 with his remaining survivors, thej^ crossed Little Traverse Bav- 
 in a canoe and approached the shores of Arbor Croche at the 
 place now cahed Seven Mile Point, where there was a large vil- 
 , lage of Mush-co-desh. Saw-ge-maw said to his few warriors, 
 I “Let us take our sad news to our relations the Mush-co-desh.” 
 
 [ So as they approached the shore they began to make an un- 
 earthly wailing noise, according to the custom of the Ottawas. 
 
 I which was called Au-bi-dji, or the death song of the warriors. 
 
 [ When the Mush-co-desh heard them they said to one another, 
 I “Hark, the Ottawas are crying. They have been marauding 
 
 • among some tribes in the west; but this time they have been 
 i worsted — good enough for them. See, they are coming ashore. 
 
 Let us not permit them to land.” So instead of preparing to 
 join in their mourning, as would have been proper, they rashly 
 i determined to express their disapproval of the marauding ex- 
 peditions and their contempt for those who engaged in them 
 
66 
 
 INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 Before Saw-ge-maw had fairly touched the beach, parties of 
 Mush-co-desh ran down to the shore with balls of ashes wrapped 
 up in forest leaves and with these they pelted Saw-ge-maw and 
 his party as they came ashore. This treatment dreadfullj' pro- 
 voked Saw-ge-maw, and the insult was such as could only be 
 wiped out with blood. He told his warriors to pull homeward 
 as quickly as possible. “We will come back here in a few days; 
 we will not have to go so far again to look for our enemies.” 
 Arriving at Manitoulin Island, he immediately piepared for a 
 great war. After they were completely equipped, they came 
 back to the southern peninsula of Michigan, stealthily and 
 carefully landing at the most uninhabited part of the shore. 
 They marched to one of the largest villages of Mush-co-desh, 
 which was situated between Cross Village and Little Traverse, 
 in a beautiful valley in the northern part of the township now 
 called Friendship. Arriving late in the afternoon within view 
 of the village, the Ottawas hid in ambush. One of the old wo- 
 men of the Mush-co-desh was going through the bushes looking ! 
 for young basswood bark from which to manufacture twine or 
 cord. She came right where the Ottawas were lying in ambush. 
 She was terribly surprised^ but the Ottawas persuaded her not 
 to reveal their presence by telling her they would give her a 
 young man as her husband, pointing to one of the best looking 
 youQg warriors there. They told her, early in the morning they 
 were going to fall upon the village and kill every one of the . 
 Mush-co-desh, hut when she heard the war-whoop she must run 
 to them and she should not be killed but be protected. The 
 foolish woman believed and kept the secret. Early in the morn- 
 ing the war cry was heard, and she ran to the Ottawas to be 
 protected, but she was the first one to be slain. It was indeed 
 a tetrible calamity for the Mush-co-desh. At the beginning of 
 the noise of massacre, the chief of the Mush-co-desh ran for- 
 ward and screamed loud as he could, saying, “O! My father, 
 Saw-ge-maw, what is the cause of your coming upon us so sud- 
 denly with death, as we have never wronged your race?” “Have i 
 you already forgotten” said Saw-ge-maw triumphantly, “that 
 you have greatly insulted me on your borders? You have pelted f. 
 me with ashes when I was lamenting over the loss of my braves.” j 
 When the Mush-co-desh saw they could not prevail on Saw-ge- 
 maw, nor could withstand an adversary so formidable and such 
 well prepared warriors, they endeavored to flee, but they were 
 overtaken and slaughtered. Only the swift-footed young men 
 escaped, taking the sad message to other villages of Mush-co- ; 
 desh, and as fast as the news reached them they fled with their 
 women and children toward the south along the shore of Lake 
 Michigan, and continued to fly, although they were not pursued I 
 by the Ottawas, till they reached the St.Joseph River, and 
 there they stopped, and formed a union village, and began to 
 cultivate the soil again. 
 
 The tradition says this was the greatest slaugteror massacre 
 the Ottawas ever committed. The inhabitants of this village 
 were probably from forty to fifty thousand. There were many 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 67 
 
 other villages of Mush-co-desh of minor importance everywhere 
 scattered through the northern part of the southern peninsula 
 of Michigan. Where this doomed village was situated is yet to 
 this day distinctly visible, as there are some little opening and 
 trails not overgrown by the forest. A few years ago, Middle 
 Village Indians say that they discovered a deep well near that 
 vicinity, and also a piece of ladder of wood in the well lying in 
 wat^r, in which notches still are perfect, which was used we 
 supposed in going down in the well to get water by Mush-co-desh 
 Indians, the former occupants of this county. 
 
 Soon after this the Ottawas abandoned their island and came 
 over and took possession of the couutry of the Mush-co-desh. 
 Most of them settled at the place now called Magulpin’s Point, 
 where the present lighthouse is situated, near old Mackinac. 
 At the time the French settled in Montreal, “Au-tche-a,” one 
 of the Ottawa prophets, told his people there were some strange 
 persons living in this continent, who were far superior to any 
 other inhabitants upon the earth. So Au-tche-a determined to 
 search for these wonderful people and he persuaded five of his 
 neighbors to accompany him in his undertaking. They started 
 out" but they went a very roundabout way, and it was a long 
 
 ■ time before they came to the Ottawa river; then floating down 
 they came out on the St. Lawrence. They were gone for more 
 
 ! than a year. When they came where the white men were, they 
 
 ■ first saw a vessel or ship anchored in the middle of the St. Law- 
 rence, which they thought was a monster waiting to devour 
 
 : them as they came along. But as they neared it they saw some 
 i people on the back of the monster. So Au-tche-a and his party 
 were taken on board, and his little frail canoe was hoisted into 
 the ship. They found some Stockbridge Indians there also, who 
 ' spoke a dialect of their language. After exchanging all they 
 had, and learning how to handle firearms, they started back 
 i again to the straits of Mackinac. The tradition says, they ar- 
 . rived at their village on an exceedingly calm day, and the wa- 
 ter was in perfect stillness in the straits. The Indians saw the 
 canoe coming towards the shore of the village, when suddenly 
 a puff of smoke was seen and a terrific clash of sound followed 
 immediately. All the inhabitants -were panic stricken, and 
 thought it was something supernatural approaching the shore. 
 But again and again they witnessed the same thing, as it came 
 nearer and nearer. At last they recognized the great prophet 
 [, Au-tche-a and his party coming back from his long trip, having 
 found his “Manitou” that he was looking after. The reader 
 may imagine how it was, when Au-tche-a landed and exhibited 
 : his strange articles — his gun with its belongings, his axes, his 
 knives, his new mode of making fire, his cooking utensils, his 
 clothing and his blankets, It was no small curiosity to the Ab- 
 origines. 
 
 The Ottawas gradually extended their settlements towards 
 the south, along the shore of Lake Michigan. The word Mich- 
 ' igan is an Indian name, which we pronounce Mi-chi-gum. and 
 simply means “monstrous lake.” My own ancestors, the Under- 
 
INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 68 
 
 grounds, settled at Detroit, and they considered this was the 
 extent of their possessions. But the greatest part of the Otta- 
 was settled at. Arbor Croche, which I have already related as 
 being a continuous village some fifteen or sixteen miles long. 
 But in the forest of this country were not many deer, and con- 
 sequently when the winter approached most of the Indians went 
 south to hunt, returning again in the spring loaded with dry 
 meat. ' 
 
 The Mush-co-desh were not long' in safety in the southern part 
 of the state. Intercourse had been opened between the French 
 and the Ottawas and Chippewas on the straits of Mackinac and 
 te ng supplied with fire arms and axes by the french people, it 
 ov cured to the Ottawas that these implements would be effect- 
 ive in battle. Anxious to put them to the test, they resolved 
 to try them on their old enemies, the Mr sh-co-desh, who had 
 not yet seen the white man and were unacquainted with fire- 
 arms. According^ an expedition was fitted out. As the Otta- 
 was approached the village of their enemies, each carrying a 
 gun, the Mush-co-desh thought they were nothing but clubs, so 
 came out with their bows and arrows, anticipating an easy vic- 
 tory. But they soon found out that they were mistaken. As 
 the Ottawas came up they suddenly haired, not near enough to 
 be reached bv any ariovrs of Mush-co-desh, but the Ottawas be- 
 gan to fire away with their guns. Poor Mush-co-desh; they suf- 
 fered more than ever in this second crushing defeat. The Ot- 
 tawas left only one family of Mush-co-desh at this time and 
 these went west to find a new home, My father and my uncles 
 in their younger days while they were making a tour out west, 
 happened to come across the descendants of this nearly anihil- 
 ated tribe of Indians, They had grown to nine lodges only at 
 that time, and they visited them in a friendly manner. The 
 old warriors wept as they were conversing with them on their 
 terrible calamities and misfortunes and being once powerful al- 
 lies and closely related: for these few still remembered the past, 
 and what had become of their ancestors. 
 
 After the Ottawas took complete possession of the southern 
 peninsula of Michigan, they fought some more tribes of Indians, 
 subdued them, and compelled them to form confederation with 
 them as their allies. Such as Po-to-wa-to-mies, Mano-me-mis, 
 O-daw-gaw-mies, Utons and Ossawgies, who formerly occupied 
 Saw-ge-naw-bay. Therefore the word Saginaw is derived from 
 the name Os-saw-gees, who formerly lived there. They have 
 been always closely united with the Chippewas and very often 
 they went together on the warpath, except at one time they 
 nearly fought on account of a murder, as has been herein re- 
 lated. Also the Shaw-wa-nee tribe of Indians were always 
 closely related to them. 
 
 But the Ottawa nation of Indians are always considered as 
 the oldest and most expert on the warpath and wise councilors; 
 and consequently every tribe of Indians far and near, even as 
 far as the Manitoba country, out north, deposited their pipe of 
 peace with the head chief of the Ottawa nation as a pledge of 
 
THE OTTAWA AXD CHIPPEWA. 
 
 69 
 
 continual peace and friendship. Every pipe of peace contain- 
 ed a short friendly address which must be committed to mem- 
 on - by every speaker in the council of the Ottawas. If there 
 was ever any outbreak among - these tribes who deposited their 
 pipe of peace with the head chief of the Ottawa nation, a gen- 
 eral council would be called by the chiefs of the Ottawas, and 
 the pipe of peace belonging to the tribe who caused the trouble 
 would be lighted up. and the short address contained in the pipe 
 would be repeated in the council by one of the speakers. When 
 the cause of the outbreak or trouble was ascertained, the re- 
 conciliation must be had, and friendly relation must be restor- 
 ed. in which case they almost invariably succeeded in making 
 some kind of reasonable settlement. This was the custom of all 
 these people: and this is what formerly constituted the great 
 Algonquin family of Indians. 
 
 There are many theories as to the origin of the Indian race 
 in America, but nothing but speculation can be given on this 
 subject. But we believe there must have been people living in 
 this country before those tribes who were driven out bj^ the Ot- 
 tawas and Chippewas, who were much more advanced in art 
 and in civilization, for many evidences of their work have been 
 discovered. About two hundred and fifty years ago, We-me- 
 gen-de-bay, the first settler of the Grand Traverse region and 
 one of our noted Chippewa chiefs, discovered while hunting in 
 the wilderness a great copper kettle which was partly in "the 
 ground, The roots of trees had grown around it and over it, 
 and when it was taken up it appeared as if it had never been 
 used, but seemed to be just as it came from the maker, as there 
 was yet a bright round spot in the centre of the bottom of it. 
 This kettle was large enough to cook a whole deer or bear in it. 
 For a long time the Indians kept it as a sacred relic. They did 
 not keep it near their premises, but securely hidden in a place 
 most unfrequented by any human being. They did not use it 
 for anything except for great feasts. Their iiea with regard 
 to this kettle was that it was made by some deity who presided 
 over the country where it was found, and that the copper mine 
 must be very close by where the kettle was discovered. One pe- 
 culiarity of its manufacture was that it had no iron rim about 
 it, nor bail for hanging while in use, as kettles are usually 
 made, but the edge of the upper part was much thicker than 
 the rest and was turned out square about three-fourths of an 
 inch, as if made to rest on some support while in use. When 
 the Indians came to be civilized in Grand Traverse country, 
 they began to use this “Mani-tou-au-kick,” as they called it, in 
 common to boil the sugar sap in it, instead of cooking bear for 
 the feast. And while I was yet in the government blacksmith 
 shop at the Old Mission in Grand Traverse, they brought this 
 magical kettle to our shop with an order to put an iron rim and 
 bail on it so that it could be hanged in boiling sugar, and I did 
 the work of fixing the kettle according to the order. 
 
 From this evidence of working in metals and from the many 
 other relics of former occupants, it is evident that this country 
 
70 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 has been inhabited for many ages, but whether bv descendants 
 of the Jews or of other Eastern races there is no way for us to 
 determine. However, considering the many curious discoveries 
 on both of these hemispheres, North and South America, ruins 
 of cities, underground aqueducts, great public roads in Peru, 
 and copper plates, gold plates and edge-tools of copper as far 
 north as Lake Superior, and others too numerous to mention in 
 this little book, even the Hebrew, Chaldean and Assyrian let- 
 ters, fragments of Bible literature in parchment, gold plates 
 and copper plates, being quotations from the Old Testament, 
 are claimed to have been discovered in three different locali- 
 ties, one in Massachusetts by Joseph Merric, which was in 
 parchment, one in gold plate in New York, by Joseph Smith, 
 whom many people believed to be the American prophet but 
 who was murdered for his cause in 1844, and one in Wisconsin 
 in copper plate by King Strang, who was also murdered at 
 Beaver Island, Mich., in 1856 — now, considering all these things, 
 we have come to the conclusion that the first inhabitants of 
 America were once civilized and God-fearing people, intelligent 
 and highly cultivated, possessing the arts and sciences and a 
 literature of their own: they must also have been wealthy, liv- 
 ing in even greater cities than the world has ever seen since, 
 one of which, the so-called 1 ‘Ruin of Stone City” in the country of 
 Guatemala, has been measured and was found to be 32 miles in 
 length and 12 miles in breadth! This is one of the earliest seats 
 of American civilization. But how these pre-historic people of 
 America became so degenerate — there must be some great 
 cause — we do not know. No one before Columbus, except the 
 old prophets, knew that there were such countries in existence 
 as North and South America. But the ancient prophets, par- 
 ticularly the prophet Isaiah, knew and saw in prophetic vision 
 that these two countries were in existence and peopled by a pe- 
 culiar race whose beginning was terrible and warlike and who 
 lived in cities, but whose end was to be downfall and to be scat- 
 tered and peeled and trodden under foot by other nations of 
 the earth. Therefore he exclaimed, saying, “Woe to the land 
 shadownig with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia; 
 that sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bul- 
 rushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a 
 nation scrttered and peeled, to a nation terrible from their be- 
 ginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose 
 land the rivers have spoiled.” Isaiah xviii. The last clause, 
 “whose land the rivers have spoiled,” is indeed an extensive 
 subject. As is believed by many people, on this continent once 
 took place terrible erruptions and great earthquakes. It is 
 said that during the crucifiction of our Saviour in Jerusalem a 
 great darkness came, and many cities were swallowed up in the 
 earth, and lakes were formed, and islands came up out of the 
 waters, and great rocks were thrown up out of the earth, and 
 the beds of some rivers were changed and many people perished 
 during this time, and there was great lamentation of the sur- 
 vivors after this great transaction of God, these terrible spoil- 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 71 
 
 ations had subsided. They say that for this reason we find 
 many artificial things far below the earth as they went 
 down when the earth cracked and opened. Even live animals 
 have been found many feet below the shrface of the soil, such 
 as toads and frogs. Search from pole to pole but you will never 
 find the two countries which correspond to the prophet’s de- 
 scription until you come to America, and thereupon you will 
 find yourself in the land which is shaped like wings. Here, too, 
 you will find that race of people who were once terrible, partic- 
 ularly in their beginning, but they are now 7 meted out, and scat- 
 tered, and peeled, and trodden under foot by other nations as 
 the prophet described, and whose manners and customs are al- 
 most universal, although speaking many different languages. 
 So has this prophecy come to pass to the very letter. 
 
 THE LAST CHIEF OF NIAGARA. 
 
 A blast rent the cloud and a flash the dark sky, 
 
 And the thunder was loud in its roaring, 
 
 When the plume of a chief and the flash of his eye 
 Were seen through the wind proudly soaring. 
 
 A chief, and chief of a nation gone by, 
 
 A nation for whom he was mourning. 
 
 A chief whom they call, from his dark eagle eye. 
 
 ‘‘Quick Sight.” Through the mists of the morning 
 He stood on a peak that was shattered and torn 
 From many a storm it had weathered, 
 
 And he heard the deep sound, the monotonous moan 
 Of Niagara’s waters when severed. 
 
 Mute was his tongue; his wild eyes were fixed 
 On the swift rushing waters beneath, 
 
 But dizziness could not the poising will mix 
 In the mind of the Indian chief. 
 
 And all at once he awoke as if from a trance 
 Into which he had fallen while grieving. 
 
 He drew not his bow, and he poised not his lance. 
 
 But he spoke of the world he was leaving. 
 
 “My father, my father! Oh where have you gone?” 
 
 He sighed at the stillness around. 
 
 “Far o’er the great waters, far to the lone sun, 
 
 Or to the Great Spirit you’re bound. 
 
 The land of our fathers no more we enjoy, 
 
 For the pale-face now calls it his own. 
 
 Our forests they lope and our game they destroy — 
 
 Oh, see how the stranger has grown! 
 
 He broke his bow and arrows, saying, 
 
 “Oh let me follow the footsteps of m3 7 fathers 
 
 Into the spirit land, for the red man 
 
 Will never live happy nor die happ\ 7 here.” 
 
72 
 
 INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 Thus saying, he laid himself low for the last 
 By the grave of his sires to breathe his last. 
 
 Most certainly the Ottawas and Chippewas were much hap- 
 pier and more contented before they came to be mixed up with 
 the white population in their primitive country. Although 
 they were living in frail wigwams they were united, contented, 
 joll, happy people, helping one another and cultivating the 
 land, which they held in common, wherever they could find a j 
 good place. There was no one to say to him, •‘Hello! What 
 are you doing there? You are trespassing. This land don't 
 belong to you.” When the neighbors knew that such a man or 
 such a family were going to clear up some wild land on which 
 to raise corn and vegetables for himself and family, everybody I 
 would turn out with his axe and clear up in one day as much as h 
 he would be able to cultivate and properly attend to I well re- 
 member when we sold to the white people the surplus of what 
 we raised from our gardens and of the fish which we took from 
 the lakes, and they were plenty. The least we ever got for our 
 potatoes was 50 cents per bushel, but now we are hardly able to 
 sell for 10 cents. The birds, the songsters and the wild pigeon, : 
 have all flown away, we don’t know where. Even the fish which 
 were so plentiful have left these waters since the white man 
 has settled in this country. What little land the Indians had 
 was taxed heavily, and consequently more than half of them 
 have been sold for taxes, besides being cheated out by schemers 
 and speculators in every way and manner. There are now very 
 few Indians in this country who have a piece of ground on 
 which to live and which they can call their own. Their morals, 
 their nobleness is now terribly perverted. Although there has 
 much religion come to this country in the last few years, pro- 
 fanity and grog-shops are are also brought in just the same 
 proportion. Here in our little town we have five churches, call- 
 ing themselves denominations, and two big saloons and three 
 drug stores where this hellish stuff is dealt out to people gener- 
 ally and to Indians in particular, Sundays as well as week days. 
 The religion of God was never fairly understood by the Ottawa 
 and Chippewa Indians of this country. I knew one man whose 
 name was Auque-na-ah, who joined the faith on account of hav- 
 ins heard the beautiful hymns sung among the worshipers of 
 God. After he had been baptized in the Catholic Church, that 
 being the first religion introduced among the Ottawa and Chip- 
 pewa Indians of Michigan, and he had learned a few of those 
 hymns, he sang them, keeping time with a drum while perform- 
 ing the “Wab-no dance.” or “Fire dance,” which was a pagan 
 custom among many tribes, and a good number dancing accord- 
 ingly. I knew another young man who joined the Catholic 
 Church for a new shirt. He saw a great many boys every Suu- 
 day who had new shirts and he was covetuous of their shirts. 
 He tried to persnade his mother to let him join the church so 
 she would give him anew shirt, and finally he succeeded. She 
 immediately gave him a new shirt and he wore it when he was 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 73 
 
 baptized. He got his wish. Many years after that one of our 
 priests asked him how he came to be a Catholic. He told him 
 he became a Catholic for a new shirt. This man died but a few 
 years ago and was one of my own relation. He said to me, “It 
 was a long' time before I could know that God looks after the 
 hearts of mankind — not the new shirts. ” One of the first com- 
 ers among the Ottawa Indians at Little Traverse (1827) was a 
 Frenchman from Detroit. Mich., who acted as teacher in the 
 Mission. I met him many years afterward at Detroit. He said 
 he never spent as happy days in his life as when he was with 
 the Indians at Little Traverse. He said that the Indians were 
 indeed a happy people; that although they were not rich and 
 living in mansions, they were always jolly, happy, and living 
 without quarrels, profanity or drunkenness. Mr. Louis Compou 
 of Grand Rapids, the pioneer trader among Grand River valley 
 Indians, told me the same thing. Mr. Richard Cooper, who 
 came to Harbor Springs as a trader in 1855, and Mr. Louis Mil- 
 ler. who came to the Grand Traverse country in 1844 when the 
 Indians (Chippewas) were all by themselves (and I was with 
 them), and who is now of Charlevoix City — these men each ex- 
 pressed the same complimentary opinion of the Indians as did 
 Joseph Latourno, the Frenchman of Detroit, Mich. From my 
 own experience I believe that this is a fact, that the Indians 
 were much more happy and independent before the ingress of 
 I white people into the Indian country. 
 
 CHAPTER XII, 
 
 The Present Condition of the Indians of this State. 
 
 Some histories have been written by white men of events 
 since the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians came in contact with 
 i white people in this part of the country, but here is given the 
 history of this race of Indians before that time. This account 
 of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians is of as much interest to 
 every inquirer into the histories of nations, as that of any other 
 people: and all philanthropic people, and those who are endeav- 
 oring to enlighten and Christianize the Indians, will feel deeply 
 interested in becoming acquainted with the past history as well 
 as the present condition of these once numerous and warlike 
 people. 
 
 There are now but comparatively few living in the State of 
 Michigan, trying to become civilized and to imitate their white 
 neighbors in agricultural industries and other civilized labors. 
 The greater part of them are being Christianized and are mem- 
 bers of various Christian churches of the country, erecting 
 houses of worship with their own hand in which to worship the 
 
74 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 true God in spirit and in truth. A few of them are becoming' 
 native preachers and expounders of the Gospel. 
 
 A treaty was concluded in the city of Washington in the year 
 1836, to which my people — the Ottawas and Chippewas — Were 
 unwilling parties, but they were compelled to sign blindly and 
 ignorant of the true spirit of the treaty and the true import of 
 some of its conditions. They thought when signing the treaty 
 that they were securing reservations of lands in different local- 
 ities as permanent homes for themselves and their children in 
 the future; but before six months had elapsed from the time of 
 signing this treaty, or soon after it had been put in pamphlet 
 form so that all persons could read it and know its terms, they 
 were told by their white neighbors that their reservations of 
 l^ind would expire in five years, instead of being perpetual, as 
 they believed. At the end of this time, they would be compell- 
 ed to leave their homes, and if they should refuse they would 
 be driven at the point of the bayonet into a strange land, where, 
 as is almost always the case, more than one-half would die be- 
 fore they could be acclimated to the country to which they 
 would have been driven. At this most startling intelligence 
 more than half of my people fled into Canada; fled to the pro- 
 tection of the British government: fled, many of them, even be- 
 fore receiving a single copper of the promised annuities; fled to 
 a latitude like that in which they had been accustomed to live. 
 The balance of them determined to remain and await whatever 
 the consequences might be, and receive the annuities which 
 they were promised for twenty years. But fortunately their 
 expulsion from the State was suddenly stayed, in the years 1850 
 and ’51. By the kindness of the people of the State of Michigan, 
 they were adopted as citizens and made equal in rights with 
 their white neighbors. Their voice was to be recognized in the 
 ballot box in every election; and I thought, this is what ought 
 to be, for the same God who created the white man created the 
 red man of the forest, and therefore they are equally entitled 
 to the benefits of civilization, education and Christianity. 
 
 At that time I was one of the principal ones who advocated 
 this cause, for I had already received a partial education, and 
 in my understanding of this matter, I thought that was the on- 
 ly salvation of my people from being sent off to the west of the 
 Mississippi. In laboring for this object, I suffered very great 
 hardship and many struggles, but was at last successful. 
 
 But in order that my people can enjoy every privilege of civ- 
 ilization, they must be thoroughly educated; they must become 
 acquainted with the arts and sciences, as well as the whiteman. 
 Soon as the Indian youths receive an education, they should be 
 allowed to have some employment among the whites, in order 
 to encourage them in the pursuits of civilization and to exercise 
 their ability according to the means and extent of their educa- 
 tion, instead of being a class of persons continually persecuted 
 and cheated and robbed of their little possessions, in every way 
 and manner by speculators of this country. They should have 
 been educated amongst the civilized communities in order to 
 

 THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 75 
 
 leara the manners and customs of the white people. If this 
 method could have been pursued in the first instance, the abor- 
 igines of this country would have secured all the advantages of 
 civilization, education and Christianity. This was my plan and 
 my proposition at the council of Detroit, in the treaty of 1855, 
 as there was quite a large sum of money set apart and appro- 
 priated by the Government for the education of Indian youth of 
 the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan, and I made the 
 proposition at this council that the sum for that purpose be re- 
 tained in the hands of the Government solely to pay for the ed- 
 ucation of those Indian youths who should be educated in a civ- 
 ilized community, instead of committing this sum of money to 
 the Ottawas and Chippewa s. If my plan could have been adopt- 
 ed. even as late as 42 years ago, we should have had, by this 
 time, many well-educated Indians in this State, and brobably 
 some good farmers, and perhaps some noted professors of scien- 
 ces would have been developed, and consequently happiness, 
 blessings and prosperity would have been everywhere among 
 the aborigines of the State of Michigan. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Original Indian Lament by the Author. 
 
 ' 
 
 Hark! What is that I hear 
 So mournfully singing in my ear 
 Like a death song of warriors 
 For those who fell by their brave sires? 
 
 Is this the wail sounding 
 For my future destinj"? 
 
 Oh my destiny, my destiny! How my heart sinks as I behold 
 my inheritance all in ruins and desolation! Yes, desolation; 
 the land which the Great Spirit has given us in which to live, 
 to roam, to hunt and to build our council fires, is no more to be- 
 hold. Where once so many brave Algonquins and the daugh- 
 ters of the forest danced with joy, danced with gratitude to the 
 Great Spirit for their happy homes! Our forests are gone and 
 our game is destroyed. Hills, groves and dales they stripped. 
 Once clad in rich mantle of verdure and blooming on every 
 mountain side, and there the shouts of freemen rang. Oh 
 where is this promised land in which the Great Spirit had con- 
 descended to place his red children as their perpetual inherit- 
 ance for their future posterity and from generation to genera- 
 ■ tion? Ah, the pale-face who has left his father’s land, far be- 
 yond the ocean, has now come over us and dispossessed us of 
 our heritage with such cruel deceit and force of arms. Still are 
 
76 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 they rolling on, and rolling on, like a mighty spray from the 
 deep ocean, overwhelming the habitation of nature’s children. 
 Is it for the deeds of Pocahontas, of Massasoit, of Logan, and 
 hosts of others who have met and welcomed the white men in 
 their frail cabin doors when they were few in numbers, cold 
 and hungry? Is it for this that we have been plundered, and 
 expelled at the point of the bayonet from the hallowed graves 
 of our brothers and our sires? O, my father, thou hast taught 
 me from my infancy to love this land of my birth; thou hast 
 even taught me to say that “it is the gift of the Great Spirit, ’ 
 when yet my beloved mother clasped me close to ler peaceful 
 breast while she sang of the warlike deeds of the great Algon- 
 quins. O, my father, our happiest days are o’er and gone into 
 lasting oblivion and never again shall we enjoy our forest home. 
 The eagle’s eye could not even discover where once thy wigwam 
 and thy peaceful council fires. Ah, once it was the happy land 
 and all the charms were there which made every Indian heart 
 swell with thanks to the Great Spirit for their happy homes. 
 Melodious music was heard in every grove, sung by the wild 
 birds of the forest, who mingled their notes sweetly with the 
 wild chant of my beloved sisters at eve. They sang the song 
 of lullaby to the pawpose of the red man whilst swinging in the 
 cradle from the shady trees, wafted gracefully to and fro by 
 restless wind. The beautiful old basswood tree bending so 
 gracefully stood there, and the brown thrush sang with her 
 musical voice. That tree was planted there by the Great Spirit 
 for me to sport under when I could scarcely bend my little bow. 
 Ah, I watched that tree from childhood to manhood, and it 
 was the dearest spot to me in this wide world. Many happy 
 youthful days have I spent under this beautiful shady tree. 
 But alas, alas, the white man,s axe has been there! The tree 
 that my good Spirit had planted for me, where once the pretty 
 brown thrush daily sat with her musical voice, is cut down by 
 the ruthless hand of the white man. 'Tis gonei gone forever 
 and mingled with the dust, Oh, my happy little bird, thy warb- 
 ling songs have ceased, and thy voice shall never again be 
 heard on that beautiful shady tree. My charming bird, how oft 
 thou hast aroused me from my slumber at early morn with thy 
 melodious song. Ah, could we but once more return to our for- 
 est glade and tread as formerly upon the soil with proud and 
 happy heart! On the hills with bended bow, while nature’s 
 flowers bloomed all around the habitation of nature’s child, our 
 brothers once abounded, free as the mountain air, and their 
 glad shouts resounded from vale to vale as they chased o’er the 
 hills the mountain roe and followed in the otter’s track. Oh 
 return, return! Ah, never again shall this time return. It is 
 gone, and gone forever like a spirit passed. The red man will 
 never live happy nor die happy here any more. ’Tis passed, ’tis 
 done. The bow and quiver with which I have shot many thous- 
 ands of game is useless to me now, for the game is destroyed. 
 When the white man took every foot of my inheritance, he 
 thought to him I should be a slave. Ah, never, never! I would 
 
THB OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 77 
 
 sooner plunge the dagger into my beating heart, and follow in 
 the footsteps of m3’ forefathers, than be slave to the white 
 man. ~ McKa-te-be-nessy. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Th.e Twenty-one Precepts or Moral Commandments of the Ottawa and Chippewa 
 Indians, by Which They Were Governed in Their Primitive State. Before 
 They Came in Contact With White Races In Their Country— The Ten Com- 
 mandments, The Creed, and The Lord's Prayer in the Ottawa Language as 
 Translated by the Author. 
 
 1st. Thou shalt fear the Great Creator, who is the overruler 
 of all things. 
 
 2nd. Thou shalt not commit an} 7 crime, either by 7 night or by 
 day, or in a covered place: for the Great Spirit is looking upon 
 thee alway’8, and thy 7 crime shall be manifested in time, thou 
 knowest not when, which shall be to thy disgrace and shame. 
 
 3rd. Look up to the skies often, by day 7 and by 7 night, and see 
 the sun, moon and stars which shineth in the firmament, and 
 think that the Great Spirit is looking upon thee continually. 
 
 4th. Thou shalt not mimic or mock the thunders of the 
 cloud, for they were specially created to water the earth and to 
 keep down all the evil monsters that are under the earth, which 
 would eat up and devour the inhabitants of the earth if they 
 were set at liberty 7 . 
 
 oth. Thou shalt not mimic or mock any mountains or rivers, 
 or any prominent formation of the earth, for it is the habitation 
 of some deity 7 or spirit of the earth, and thy life shall be contin- 
 ually 7 in hazard if thou shouldst provoke ths anger of these 
 deities. 
 
 6th. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be 
 long upon the land. 
 
 7th. Honor the gray-head persons, that thy head may also 
 be like unto theirs. 
 
 8th. Thou shalt not mimic or ridicule the cripple, the lame, 
 or deformed, for thou shall be crippled thyself like unto them 
 if thou shouldst provoke the Great Spirit. 
 
 9th. Hold thy peace, and answer not back, when thy father 
 or thy mother or any aged person should chastise thee for thy 
 wrong. 
 
 10th. Thou shalt never tell a falsehood to thy parents, nor to 
 thy neighbors, but be always upright in thy words and in thy 
 dealings with thy neighbors. 
 
 11th. Thou shalt not steal anything from thy neighbor, nor 
 covet anything that is his. 
 
 12th. Thou shalt always feed the hungry and the stranger. 
 
INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 13th. Thou shalt keep away from licentiousness and all other 
 lascivious habits, nor utter indecent language before thy neigh- 
 bor and the stranger. 
 
 14th. Thou shalt not commit murder while thou art in dis- 
 pute with thy neighbor, unless it be whilst on the warpath. 
 
 loth. Thou shalt chastise thy children with the rod whilst 
 they are in thy power. 
 
 lBth. Thou shalt disfigure thy face with charcoals, and fast 
 at least ten days or more of each year, whilst thou art yet 
 young, or before thou reachest twenty, that thou mayest dream 
 of thy future destiny. 
 
 17th. Thou shalt immerse thy body into the lake or river at 
 least ten days in succession in the early part of the spring of 
 the year, that thy body may be strong and swift of foot to chase 
 the game and on the warpath. 
 
 18th. At certain times with thy wife or thy daughters, thou 
 shalt clean out thy fireplaces and make thyself a new fire with 
 thy fire-sticks for the sake of thyself and for the sake of th} r 
 childrens’ health. 
 
 19th. Thou shalt not not eat with thy wife and daughters at 
 such time, of food cooked on a new fire, but they shall be pro- 
 vided with a separate kettle and cook their victuals therein 
 with an old fire and out of their wigwam, until the time is pass- 
 ed, then thou shalt eat with them.* 
 
 20th. Thou shalt not be lazy, nor be a vagabond of the eartk, 
 to be hated by all men. 
 
 21st. Thou shalt be brave, and not fear any death. 
 
 If thou sljpuldst observe all these commandments, w^en thou 
 diest thy spirit shall go straightway to that happy land where 
 all the good spirits are, and shall there continually dance with 
 the beating of the drum of Tchi-baw-yaw-booz, the head spirit 
 in the spirit land. But if thou shouldst not observe them, thy 
 spirit shall be a vagabond of the earth always, and go hungry, 
 and will never be able to find this road, “Tchi-bay-kon,” in 
 which all the good spirits travel. 
 
 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 
 
 1st. Pay-zhi-go ki-zhe-maw-n.to mi-so-de kay-go kaw-gi- 
 zhi-tod; ki-gaw-pay-zhi-go-gwaw-nawdji-aw ani-go-ko-day-a- 
 yon ki-gaw-pay-zhi-go-saw-giaw. 
 
 2d. Kaw-wi aw-nish Ki-zhe-maw-nito ki-gaw-wa-wi-nassi. 
 
 3d. Au-n we-bi-wi-ni-gi-zhi-got bi-gaw-kwaw-nawdji-ton. 
 
 4th. Kouss kaie ki-gaw-she ki-gaw-mi-naw-teni-mawg ki- 
 nwezh-tchi-wi-pi-maw-deze-j'jan aw-zhon-daw aw-king. 
 
 5 th. Ke-go au-wi-yaw mi-saw-wa-ni-maw-gay. 
 nau-nawe i-nau-di-si-kay. 
 ki-mou-di-kay. 
 
 kaie ki-naw-wish-ki-kay tchi-baw-taw-maw-di- 
 
 Ke-go 
 
 Ke-go 
 
 Ke-go 
 
 6ih. 
 
 7th. 
 
 8th. 
 
 baw au-wi-ya. 
 
 9th. Ke-go mis-sau-wi-naw-mau-wi-ye-gay 
 si o-wi-di-gay-maw-gaw-non. 
 
 ki-dji-pi-maw-di- 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 79 
 
 10th. Ke-go kaie au-wi-yaw mis-saw-wendaw- mau-wi-ye- 
 ffay ke-go andaw-nidji. 
 
 THE CREED. 
 
 Nin da-bwe-taw- waw Pe-zhe-go-maw-nito we-ossi-mind, 
 mi-zo-day ke-go nay-taw-wi-tod wau-kwee aw-ki-kaie. Nin 
 day-bwe-taw-wi-mon kaie ogwisson paw-ve-zhi-go-nidjin Je- 
 sus Krist te-bay-ni-mi-nong. We-ni-zhe-shi-nidjin maw-niton 
 o-gi-aw-nishi-naw-bay-wi-igoun, Mari-yon kaw-gaw-go wi- 
 nidjin ogi-ni-gi-igoun. Ki-go-daw-gi-to me-gwaw o-gi-maw- 
 wit Ponce Pila-tawn. ki-baw-daw-kaw-ko-wou tchi-baw-yaw- 
 ti-gong, ki-ni-bo ki-naw-gwo-wau kaie au-naw-maw- kaw- 
 mig ki-i-zhaw, waw-ni-so-kizhg-nig ki-au-bi-tchi-baw. Waw- 
 kwing ki-izhaw, naw-maw-daw-bi o-da3 r -baw-ni-ni-kaw-ning 
 ki-zihe-maw-niton way-osse mi-midjin mi-zo-day ke-go nay- 
 tau- wi-to-mdjin mi-dawsh waw-di-bi ke-bi-ondji-bawd, tchi- 
 bi-ti-baw-ko-nod pay-maw-di-zi-nidjin, nay-bo-nidjin kaie. 
 Nin day-bwe-taw-waw Way-ni-zhi-shid-maw-nito, nin day- 
 bwe-tawn kitchi-iwo kaw-to.lic au-naw-mi-a-wi-gaw-mig, 
 kay-tchi-two-wendaw-go-zi-djig o-wi-do-ko-daw-di-wi-ni-wau 
 paw-taw-do-wini kawssi-au-maw-gay.win aw-bidji-bawin ezhi- 
 owi-yossing kaw-giye-pi-maw-di-si-win. Aw-pe-inge, or Amen. 
 
 THE LORD’S PRAYER. 
 
 Nossinaw wau-kwing e-bi-yon au-pe-gwish ki-tchi-twaw- 
 wend-aming ki-daw-no-zo-win, au-pe-gish pi-daw-gwi-shi-no- 
 maw-gok ki-do-gimaw-o-win, eni-daw-mon au-pe-gish izhi- 
 wa-bawk, ti-bish-ko wau-kwining migo kaie au-king. Me- 
 zhi-shi-nong nongo au-gi-zhi-gawk nin baw-kwe-zhi-gaw-ni- 
 mi-naw menik e-you-yong en-daw-so ki-zhi-gok. Po-ni-gi- 
 tay-taw-wi-shi-nong kaie kaw-nish ki-i-nangi ti-bish-kou 
 ezhi-poni-gi-day-taw-wou-gi-dwaw kaw-nishki-i-jm-mindjig, 
 ke-go kaie izhi-wi-zhe-shi-kong-gay kaw-gwe-ti-bandji- 
 gay-wi-ning. au-tchi-tchaw-yi-ing dansb etaw ini-naw- 
 maw-wi-shi-nong maw-tchaw-yi-e-wish. Kin maw-ki-daw- 
 yon o-gi-maw-owin, mawsh-kaw-wi-si-win kaie pi-shi- 
 gain-daw-go-si-win, kaw-ge-gav-kaw-mig au-pi-nay dash 
 kai-e-go kaw-gi-nig. Amen. 
 
 GRAMMAR OF THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA LAN- 
 GUAGE. 
 
 The grammar of any language is the art of speaking with 
 propriety in that language. My object is simply to show the 
 formation of words in the Indian language, and to do this I 
 have adopted both the French and English vowel sounds. 
 
 1. The vowel “a,” in French, always has the broad sound in 
 Indian; as all, tall, fall. Thus, aki, earth; akik, kettle; asin, 
 stone; etc. 
 
 2. The Indian “e” has the French sound, which is the English 
 “a;” as prey, they, ape, tape. Thus, eniwek, considerable; we- 
 
80 
 
 INDIANS OP MICHIGAN. 
 
 gonesh, what; weney, who; eta, only; etc. 
 
 3. “I.” in Indian, always takes the short English sound; as 
 in, ill, sin, incur. Thus, kin, you; win. he or she; nin, I: etc. 
 
 4. When the vowel “a” joins with the consonants “w,” “u” or 
 “h,” it takes the sound of “a” m aught, caught. Thus, auzhon- 
 da, here; aw-sham, feed him; kaw-wika, never; au-sema, tobac- 
 co; etc. 
 
 5. When “ie” or “ia” make a syllable, they are pronounced 
 “ye” or “ya.” as neiesh (neyesh), both: neiab (neyab), back again 
 The two ways of spelling have equal sound and equal meaning, 
 
 6. The vowel “u" never stands alone, but always joins with 
 “a” or “o:” as atoun auzhouda, put it here; pagituaun, let it go: 
 odoun. mouth; etc. 
 
 7. The vowel “o” never varies in sound when it stands at the 
 beginning of the syllable. 
 
 8. The letter “g” always takes the hard sound. 
 
 9. The letter “c” is seldom used except in the combination 
 “tch:” as tchiman. boat; mitchi, my friend; tchagite. it burned. 
 
 10. The letter “k” is generally used in preference to “q” al- 
 so has the same sound when combined with any of the vowels; 
 as akwe or aquay, woman: kwaiak or quayak, true or straight, 
 
 Indian grammar is divided into six parts, viz: nouns, pronouns, 
 adjectives, connectives, verbs and adverbs. Nouns or names 
 are divided into three classes, namely: animate, inanimate and 
 diminutive. Animate nouns are those which signify living ob- 
 jects: as persons, animals and sometimes plants, particularly 
 trees, when standing. Inanimate nouns signify objects having 
 no life. 
 
 When an animate or inanimate noun becomes the object of 
 a verb, particularly in the passive voice, the verb is effected in 
 its termination throughout all the moods and tenses; as, I see 
 some one, nin wabama; I see something, ninwabandan. Conse- 
 quently, verbs are incorporated with objects with which they 
 stand." Thus, the verb “wab” in the passive voice, the transla- 
 tion reading, “What do you see? A cow.” 
 
 Singular. Plural. 
 
 1st person, Nin wabama. 1st person, Ni wabama-na. 
 
 2nd “ Ki wabama. 2nd “ Ki wabama-wa. 
 
 3rd “ O wabaman. 3rd “ O wabama-wan. 
 
 With an inanimate noun, “What do you see? A stone.” 
 
 Singular. Plural. 
 
 1st person, Nin wobadan. 1st person, Ni wabanda-na. 
 
 2nd “ Ki wobadan 2nd “ Ki wobanda na wa. 
 
 3rd “ O wobandan. 3rd “ O wobanda na wa. 
 
 Again, the verb “strike” with an animate object; as “I strike 
 the pig.” 
 
 Singular. 
 
 1st person, Nin wepo-tawa. 
 2nd “ Ki wepo-tawa. 
 
 3rd “ O wepo-tawan. 
 
 The same noun with an inanimate object. 
 
 Plural. 
 
 1st person, Ni wepo-tawa-na. 
 2nd “ Ki wepo-tawa-wa 
 
 3rd “ O wepo-tawa-wan 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 81 
 
 Singular. Plural. 
 
 1st person. Niu wepo-tan. 1st person, Ni wepo-tana. 
 
 2nd “ Ki wepo-tan 2nd “ Ki wepo-tana-wa. 
 
 3rd “ O wepo- tana. 3rd “ O wepo-tana-wa. 
 
 Diminutive nouns are used to denote any less important, min- 
 
 or or small object, whether animate or inanimate. Therefore, 
 in using diminutives the -words “little” and “small - ’ are dis- 
 pensed with. These are formed by the terminations “ens.’ 
 “ons."’ “ns, - ’ “nes," and sometimes “s.” Thus, wikwet, the bay', 
 wikwetons. little bay: mitig, stick: mi'tigons, small stick: nibish. 
 pond: nibishens. small pond. Nearly every common noun has 
 become diminutive by adding one the above suffixes. 
 
 The plural of animate nouns are usually formed by adding 
 the syllables " 3 ’og," “og.” "ag” or “eg.” There are vem^ few 
 exceptions. Following are a few common nouns with plurals: 
 
 Sing. 
 
 Ki-goun. 
 
 Pi-nay, 
 
 Waw-gosh. 
 
 Pi-zhi kie. 
 Pi-zhi-kins, (dim.), 
 An-ni-moush, 
 An-ni-mouns, (dim.), 
 
 Plur. 
 Ki-goun- 3 'ag, 
 Pi-na 3 T -wog, 
 Waw-gosh-og, 
 Pi-zhi-kie-wog, 
 Pi-zhi-kins-og. 
 An-ni-moush-og, 
 An-ni-mouns-og, 
 
 Eng. 
 Fish. 
 
 Partridge. 
 
 Fox. 
 
 Cattle. 
 
 Calf. 
 
 Dog. 
 
 Pupp 3 % 
 
 an, 
 
 Eng. 
 
 Hat. 
 
 House. 
 
 Shoe. 
 
 Box. 
 
 Small box. 
 Boat. 
 
 Small boat. 
 
 The plural of inanimate nouns usuall 3 ' terminate in 
 “en," "on - ' or “n;” for example: 
 
 Sing. Plur. 
 
 Wi-ok-won, Wi-ok-won-an, 
 
 Wig-worn, Wig-wom-an, 
 
 Mo-ke-sin, Mo-ke-sin-an, 
 
 Maw-kok. Maw-kok-on, 
 
 Maw-kok-ons, (dim.), Maw-kok-on-son, 
 
 Tchi-mawn, Tchi-mawn-an, 
 
 Tchi-maw-nes, (dim.), Tchi-maw-nes-on, 
 
 Nouns have three cases, nominative, locative and objective, 
 The locative case denotes the relation usuall 3 ’ expressed in 
 English b 3 ' the use of the preposition, or by the genetive. dative 
 and ablative in Latin. Thus, 
 
 Nom, Aw-kik. Kettle. 
 
 Loc. Aw-kik-ong, In the kettle. 
 
 “ E-naw-bin aw-kik-ong, Do look in the kettle. 
 
 This relation can be expressed by the word “pin-je;” as. e- 
 naw-bin pin-je aw-kik, do look in the kettle; but this form is 
 seldom used. Tt is employed only for great emphasis or form. 
 
 The locative termination is “ong,” “eng” or “ing.” 
 
 The objective case is like the nominative when the subject is 
 in the 1st or 2nd person, but when the subject is in the 3rd per- 
 son the object takes the termination “won.” 
 
 Example of locative and objective cases: Chicago is derived 
 from she-gog-ong, the locative case of the Ottawa word she-gog, 
 meaning skunk: nominative, she-gog; locative, she-gog-ong; ob- 
 jective. she-gog or she-gog-won. The last case is used when the 
 third person is acting. 
 
INDIANS OP MICHIGAN, 
 
 Locative case — 
 
 Shi-gog-ong ni-de-zhaw, 
 Shi-gog-ong ni-do-je-baw, 
 She-gog-ong i-zhawn, 
 Objective case — 
 
 1st p. — Shi-gog ni-ne-saw, 
 2d p. — Shi-gog ki-ne-saw, 
 
 I am going to Chicago, 
 I come from Chicago. 
 Go to Chicago. 
 
 I kill the skunk. 
 
 You kill the skunk. 
 
 3d p. — Shi-gog-won o-ni-sawn, He kills the skunk. 
 
 All locative cases, prepositions, such as to, our, in, from or 
 for, are therefore understood from all nouns ending in “ong,” 
 “ing,” or “nang;” as, an-aka-ning, on the mat; etc. 
 
 Gender is distinguished by the word “quay,” either prefixed 
 or added to nouns, to indicate the feminine. 
 
 Aw-ni-ni, pi. wog; Man. Aw-quay, pi. wog; Woman. 
 
 Aw-nish-naw-bay; Indian man Aw-nish-naw-bay-quay; I. woman. 
 Osh-kee-naw-way; Young man. Osh-kee-ni-gi-qilay; Y. woman. 
 Qui-wi-zayns, pi. og; Bojc Quay-zayns, pi. og; Girl. 
 Aw-yaw-bay pi-zhi-kee; Bull. Quay-pi-zhi-kee; Cow. 
 
 Proper names always form the feminine by adding “quay,” 
 Ci-naw-day; Irishman. Ci-naw-day-quay; Irishwoman; 
 
 Some genders are irregular. 
 
 Aw-ki-wa-zee; Old man. Mi-di-mo-ya; Old woman. 
 
 Aw-bi-non-tchi, an infant, has no distinction of vender. 
 Os-see-maw, pi. g; Father. O-gaw-shi-maw, pl.g; Mother. 
 We-kaw-ne-see-maw; Brother. O-mi-say-i-maw; Sister 
 0-mi-shiw-mes-si-maw;Gr.father.O-ki-mes-ei-maw;Grandmother, 
 O-mi-shiw-nay-i-maw; Uncle' O-nou-shay-i-maw; Aunt. 
 Wi-taw-wis-see-maw; Wi-ni-mo-sha 3 '-i-maw; 
 
 Male cousin. Female cousin. 
 
 Diminutive nouns take the same modifications as the nouns 
 from which they are derived. 
 
 Verbs and adjectives are modified to agree with the animate 
 or inanimate nouns to which they belong, as will be illustrate 
 hereafter. 
 
 PRONOUNS. 
 
 Personal pronouns have no distinction of gender in the third 
 person singular. A pecuUarity of this language is the two 
 forms for the first person plural. These two forms for pronouns, 
 and for verbs in all moods and tenses, are like each other ex- 
 cept in the first syllable. In one form the first syllable is al- 
 ways “Ki,” and in the other “Ni,” The form commencing with 
 Ki is used only when speaking to one person, and that com- 
 mencing with Ni, which might be called the multiple form, is 
 used whenever more than one person is addressed, even though 
 no word may appear in the sentence indicating how many. 
 This is an idiosyncracy which perhaps would never have been 
 developed, certainly would not be perpetuated, in any except 
 an unwritten language. It is of no effect except in a language 
 always colloquial. The multiple form will be given in this 
 grammar as the first person plural, and, whether indicated or 
 not, the other may be understood as being the same with the 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 83 
 
 change of the first syllable from Ni to Ki. 
 
 PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 
 
 PI. 
 
 I. 
 
 bmg. 
 
 1st p. — Neen or nin, 
 
 2d p. — Keen or kin, 
 3d p. — Ween or win, 
 
 ( Ni-naw-wind, (mult.) 
 \ Ki-naw-wind, 
 Ki-naw-waw, 
 Wi-naw-waw, 
 
 We. 
 
 We. 
 
 You. 
 
 They. 
 
 Thou or you, 
 
 He or she, 
 
 When these personal pronouns are connected with other words 
 or when they become subjects or objects of verbs, the first sylla- 
 ble only is used or pronounced. In the third person of verbs the 
 pronoun is entirely omitted. 
 
 Sing. PI. 
 
 Ni-wob, I see, Ni-wob-me, we see. 
 
 Ki-wob, You see, Ki-wob-em, You see. 
 
 wo-be, He or she sees, wo-bi-wog, They see. 
 
 The whole pronoun is sometimes used when the emphatic or 
 intensive form is desired, as, 
 
 Sing. — Neen-ni-wob, I myself see. 
 
 Keen-ki wob, You yourself see. 
 
 ween wo-bi, He himself, or she herself sees. 
 
 PI. — Ni-naw-wind ni-wob-me, we ourselves see. 
 
 Ki-naw-waw ki-wob-em, You yourself see. 
 
 Wi-naw-waw wo-bi-wog, They themselves see. 
 
 POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS. 
 
 Ni-daw-yo-im, Mine; Ni-daw-yo-em-i-naw, Ours. 
 
 Ki-daw-yo-im, Thine. Ki-daw-yo-em-i-waw, Yours. 
 
 O-daw-yo-im, His or hers, O-daw-yo-em-i-waw, Theirs. 
 
 Emphatic form — nin ne-daw-yo-em, etc., throughout all the 
 different persons, when these possessive pronouns are used 
 with nouns, nearly all the syllables are omitted, except the 
 first, which is added to the noun in the plural; as — 
 
 Sing. PI. 
 
 Ni we-ok-won, My hat Ni we-ok-won-i-naw, Our hat. 
 
 Ki we-ok-won, Your hat, Ki we-ok-won-i-waw, Your hat. 
 
 O wi-ok-won, His hat, O wi-ok-won-i-waw, Their hat. 
 
 The emphatic form, ‘‘my own hat,” is made by prefixing the 
 personal pronouns, as — 
 
 Sing. PL 
 
 Neen ni we-ok-won, Ni-naw-wind ni we-ok-won-i-naw. 
 
 Keen ki we ok won, Ki naw waw ki we ok won i waw, 
 
 Ween o wi ok won, Wi naw waw o wi ok wod i waw. 
 
 THE IMPERSONAL PRONOUN, 
 
 The impersonal pronoun “maw-got,” plural “maw-got-on,” 
 may be represented by the English impersonal or neuter pro- 
 noun it, but it has a wider significance. The inanimate subject 
 of a verb is also represented by maw-got or maw-got on. We 
 po tchi ga maw got, or we po tchin ga sa maw got, it strikes; 
 plural, we po tchi ga maw got on, or we po tchin ga sa maw got 
 on, they strike. 
 
84 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 Au nish, interrogative pronoun what; i we, relative pronoun 
 that. 
 
 ADJECTIVES. 
 
 Adjectives take two forms, to agree with the animate or in- 
 animate nouns to which they belong. 
 
 Comparison of adjectives is made by other words; O ni zhe sbi 
 good: maw maw wi (or ni ga ne) o ni zhi, better; au pe tchi o ni 
 zhe she (or shin), best. A fourth degree is sometimes used:maw 
 mo we o ni zhe shi (or shin), very best. 
 
 The words, mi-no and maw-tchi, do not change when used 
 with other words, and they are the most common adjectives in 
 the Ottawa and Chippewa languages; they are used as adverbs, 
 as well as adjectives. 
 
 Mi no is equivalent to good, right and well; and mau tchi is 
 equivalent to bad, wicked, evil; as mi no au ni ni, good man: 
 mi no au quay, good woman: mi-no au-no-ky, he works well or 
 doing good business; me-no au-yaw, he is getting well, or conva- 
 lescent from sickness; mi-no waw-gaw-quat, good ax; mi-no ki- 
 zhi gut. good day or pleasant weather: mi-no au no-kaw-tchi- 
 gon, good goods or nice goods; mi no maw tchaw maw got, it 
 goes well. etc. 
 
 The word mau-tchi is equally useful; as, mau-tchi au-ni-ni, 
 bad man: mau tchi au quay, bad woman; mau tchi mau ne to, 
 evil spirit, or the devil: mau tchi wau gaw quat, bad ax; mau 
 tchi kizhi gut. bad day or rough weather; mau tchi wig warn, 
 bad house or wicked house; mau tchi au no ki win, bad business. 
 
 Another adjective equally comprehensive is Kwaw-notch: 
 kwaw notch au ni ni. well behaved man; kwaw notch au quay, 
 pretty women: kwaw notch au nau ki win, good business; kwaw 
 notchi won, pretty or nice (inanimate); kwaw notchi wi. pretty, 
 (animate); au pe tchi kwaw notchi wi au quay, very pretty wo- 
 man. 
 
 The following illustrates the changes of form in adjectives 
 animate and inanimate: 
 
 Animate. 
 
 Mi no e zhi wa be sy, 
 
 Ki no sy, 
 
 Ki zhi we sy. 
 
 Mush kaw we sy, 
 
 Ki zhi kaw, or ki shi be so 
 Ko si gwan nvq 
 Maw tchi i zhi wa be sy, 
 Ma tchaw yaw au wish, 
 Wi saw gi sy, 
 
 Wish ko bi sy, 
 
 Sou gi sy, 
 
 Si wi sy 
 
 Maw kaw te wi sy, 
 
 Ozaw wi sy, 
 
 Ozhaw wash ko sy, 
 
 Mis ko sy, 
 
 Inanimate. 
 
 Mi no e zhi wa bawt. 
 Ki nwa, 
 
 Ki zhi waw, 
 
 Mush kaw waw, 
 
 , Ki zhe be ta, 
 
 Ko si gwan, 
 
 Maw tchi i zhi wa bot, 
 Ma tchaw yaw i wish, 
 Wi saw gun, 
 
 Wish ko bun, 
 
 Sou gun, 
 
 Si won, 
 
 Maw kaw te way, 
 Ozaw waw, 
 
 Ozhaw wash kwaw, 
 Mis kwa, 
 
 Kind, mild. 
 Long, tall. 
 Hard. 
 
 Strong, tough. 
 Swift, fleet. 
 Heavy. 
 
 Bad no good. 
 
 Wicked. 
 
 Bitter. 
 
 Sweet. 
 
 Tough. 
 
 Sour. 
 
 Black. 
 
 Yellow. 
 
 Green. 
 
 Red. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 85 
 
 Wi bin go sy, We bin gwaw, Blue. 
 
 O-zawwon-so. O-zaw won-day, Yellow color. 
 
 Maw-kaw-te won-so, Maw-kaw-te won-d?y, Black color. 
 
 Maw kaw te au ni ni. black man. Maw kaw te mo kok, black box. 
 Mis-ko- au ni ni. red man. Mis-ko wau bo yon, red blanket 
 
 It will be observed that the last one or two syllables of the 
 adjective are dropped when in connection with a noun. 
 
 VERBS. 
 
 Ottawa and Chippewa verbs are changed in their conjuga- 
 tions to indicate. 
 
 1. Whether their subjects are animate or inanimate: 
 
 2. Whether their objects are animate or inanimate; 
 
 3. Whether they are transitive or intransitive: 
 
 4. Whether they are active, passive or reflective: 
 
 5. Whether the expression is common or emphatic. 
 
 Thej’ also express by their forms all of the distinctions of 
 mood and tense, person and number, found in the English, and 
 form their participles, and are changed into verbal or particip- 
 ial nouns: and these modifications are for the most part regu- 
 lar in forn. 
 
 I. Verbs with inanimate subjects correspond to English im- 
 personal or neuter verbs, but are much more extensively used. 
 They are usually formed by adding the impersonal pronoun, 
 
 ‘•maw-got,” it: as, 
 
 Animate subject. Inanimate subject. 
 
 Au-nou-kee, he works. Au-nou-ki-maw-got, it works. 
 
 Ki-au-nou-ki. he worked. Ki-au-nou-ki-maw-got, it worked. 
 
 Au-nou-ke-wog, they work. Au-nou-ke-maw-go-toun. things work. 
 Ivi-au-nou-ke-wog,‘‘ wrkd. Ke-au-nou-ke-maw-go-toun, “ worked. 
 
 Standing trees, as all living creatures and personified things, 
 a3e regarded as animate 
 
 II, III. The distinctions for animate and inanimate objects, 
 and for transitive and intransitive, are illustrated below; 
 Singular, I kill, Thou killest, etc. 
 
 Intransitive. Transitive 
 
 Pers. Animate object, Inanimate object, 
 
 1 Ni-ne-taw-gay Ni-ne-naw Ni-ne-ton 
 
 2 Ki-ne-taw-gay Ki-ne-saw Ki-ne-toun 
 
 3 Ni-taw-gay O-ne-sawn, or son O-ne-toun 
 
 Plural, we kill, you kill, etc. 
 
 1 Ni-ne-taw-gay-me Ni-ne-saw-naw Ni-ne-tou-naw 
 
 2 Ki-ne-taw-gawm Ki-ne-saw-waw Ki-ne-tou-naw-waw 
 
 3 Ni-taw-gay-wog O-ni-saw-wawn O-ni-tou-naw-waw 
 
 Singular, I see, thou seest, etc. 
 
 1 Niwob Ni wob maw Niwobdon 
 
 2 Ki wob Ki wob maw Ki wob don 
 
 3 Wau be Owobmon, or mawn O wob don 
 
 Plural, we see, you see, etc. 
 
 1 Niwob me Niwob maw naw Niwob daw naw 
 
 2 Kiwaubim Kiwobmawwaw Ki wob daw naw wan 
 
 3 Wobi wog O wob naw won O wob daw naw wan. 
 
86 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 IV. What is denominated the reflective form of the verb 
 is where the subject and the object are the same person oi 
 thing 1 ; as. in English, He hates himself. The passive and re- 
 flective forms are illustrated in the verb, to see, thus: 
 
 Passive. Reflective. 
 
 Ni wob me go, I am seen Ni wob dis, I see myself. 
 
 Ki wob me go, thou art seen. Ki wob dis, thou seest thyself. 
 
 Wob maw, he is seen. Wo baw de so, he sees himself. 
 
 Ni wob me go me, we are seen.Ni wob de so me, we see ourselves. 
 Ki wob me gom, you are seen. Ki wob de som, you see yourselves, 
 Wob maw wag, they are seen. Wob de so wag, they see themslves. 
 
 V. The emphatic form repeats the first part of the pronoun: 
 as, Ni-wob. I see; Nin-ni-wob. I do see (literally, I myself see). 
 
 Intransitive. 
 
 Common form, I eat, etc. Emphatic form, I do eat, etc. 
 
 1 Ni we sin Ninniwesin 
 
 2 Ki we sin Kin ki we sin 
 
 3 Wisene Winwiwesinni 
 
 Transitive — Animate Object. 
 
 1 Ni daw mwaw Nin ni daw mwaw 
 
 2 Ki daw mwaw Kin ki daw mwaw 
 
 3 O daw mwaw Win o daw mwaw 
 
 Transitive — Inanimate Object. 
 
 1 Ni me djin Ninnimedjin 
 
 2Kimedjin Kin ki me djin 
 
 3 O me djin Win o me djin 
 
 The object if frequently placed before the verb — always when 
 in answer to a question, Thus, the answer to the question, 
 What is he eating? would be, Ki-goon-yan o-daw mwawn — Fish 
 he is eating. 
 
 Nouns are formed from verbs by adding “win;” as, wob, to see, 
 wob-win, sight; paw-pi, to laugh, paw-pi-win, laughter; au-no-ki, 
 to work, au-no-ki-win, labor. 
 
 Conjugation of the Verb To Be. 
 
 Indicative Mood. 
 
 Pers. Sing. Present tense, I am, etc. Plur. 
 
 Pluperfect Tense — I might have been, etc. 
 
 Note.— A verb susceptible of both the transitive and intransitive office, and of 
 both animate and inanimate subjects, as, for instance, the verb To Blow may 
 have no less than fifteen forms for the indicative present third person singular 
 The intransitive may be both animate and inanimate as to subject, and the fori 
 mer both common and emphatic ; the transitive would have the same, multiplied 
 by animate and inanimate objects; and the passive and reflective would each 
 have inanimate, and common and emphatic animate— fifteen. Double these for 
 the plural, and we have thirty forms ; and that multiplied by the sixteen tenses 
 of the indicative, potential and subjunctive moods gives 480 forms of third person 
 The first and second persons have the same, minus the inanimate subject or 20 
 each for each tense, making 640 more, or 1120 all together in those three moods 
 The imperative singular and plural, and the infinitive present and past, and the 
 participles, add 25. Then there is the additional form for the first person plural 
 treated under “Pronouns, ” running through all the sixteen tenses, common and 
 emphatic, animate and inanimate and intransitive. 96 more— malting the astonish- 
 ing number of 1241 forms of a single verb !— [Editor. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 1 Tchish pin 
 
 2 Tchish pin 
 
 3 Tchish pin 
 
 1 Komaw au yaw yom baw Ko maw au yaw wong ge baw. 
 
 2 Ko maw ke au yaw yom baw Ko maw au _yaw ye go baw. 
 
 3 Ko maw au yaw go baw nay Komaw au yaw wo go baw nay. 
 
 Subjunctive Mood.— Present Tense— If I be, etc. 
 
 1 Tchish pin au yaw yaw Tchish pin auyawwong 
 
 2 Tchish pin au yaw yon Tchish pin auyawyeg 
 
 3 Tchish pin au yawd" Tchish pin au yaw wod 
 
 Imperfect Tense— If I were, etc. 
 
 ki au yaw yaw Tchish pin ki au yaw wong 
 
 ki au yaw yon Tchish pin ki au yaw yeg 
 
 ki au yawd Tchish pin ki au yaw wod 
 
 Perfect Tense— If I have been, etc. 
 
 L Tchish pin auzhegaw kiauyawyaw 
 
 2 Tchish pin auzhegaw kiauyawyon 
 
 3 Tchish pin au zhe gwa kiauyawd 
 
 Tchish pin auzhigwa kiawyawwog 
 Tchish pin au zhi gwa ki au yaw yeg 
 Tchish pin auzhigwa ki au yaw wod 
 "The syllable “gwa” is often omitted, merely saying, “au zhe.”] 
 Pluperfect Tense— If I had been, etc. 
 
 L Ni daw yaw Ni daw yaw mi 
 
 Ki daw yaw mi 
 Aw yaw waug 
 Imperfect tense, I was, etc. 
 
 Ni gi au yaw mi 
 Ki gi au j-awm 
 Ki au yaw wog 
 
 Perfect tense, I have been, etc. 
 ni gi au yaw Au zhe gwaw ni gi au yaw mi 
 Au zhe gwaw ki gi au yawm 
 Au zhe gwaw ki au yaw wog 
 Pluperfect tense, I have been, etc. 
 
 Ni gi au yaw naw baw Ni gi au mi naw baw 
 
 Ki gi au yaw naw baw Ki gi au mi naw baw 
 
 Ko au yaw baw Ki au yaw baw nig 
 
 Future tense, I shall or will be. etc, 
 
 Nigawauyaw Nigawauyawme 
 
 Kigawauyaw Kigawauyawm 
 
 Taw au yaw Taw au yaw wag 
 
 Potential Mood. — Present tense, I may or Can be. etc. 
 
 Ko maw ni taw au yaw Ko maw ni taw au yaw mi 
 
 kitawauyaw Komaw ki taw au yawm 
 
 tauyaw Komaw tauauyowog 
 
 Imperfect tense, I might be, etc. 
 rigiauyaw Komaw nigiauyawmi 
 
 ki gi au yaw Ko maw ki gi au yom 
 
 kiauyaw Komaw ki au yaw wog 
 
 Perfect tense, I may have been, etc. 
 
 Au zhe gwau ni tau gi au yaw Au zhe gwau ni tau gi au yaw mi 
 Au zhe gwau ki tau gi au yaw Au zhe gwau ki tau ge au yawm 
 Au zhe gwau taugiauyaw Au zhe gwau tau giau yaw og 
 
 12 Ki daw yaw 
 3 Awj'aw 
 
 1 Ni gi au yaw 
 
 2 Ki gi au yaw 
 
 3 Ki au yaw 
 
 L Au zhe gwaw 
 ! Au zhe gwaw ki giau yaw 
 ! Au zhe gwaw ki auyaw 
 
 Ko maw 
 Ko maw 
 
 Ko maw 
 Ko maw 
 Ko maw 
 
88 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 1 Au zhe ki duyaw yaw baw Au zhe ki.au yaw wong o baw 
 
 2 Au zhe ki au yaw yawm baw Au zhe ki auyaw ye go baw 
 
 3 Au zhe ki auyaw paw Auzhe ki au yaw wau paw 
 
 Future Tense— If I shall or will be, etc. 
 
 ITchishpin wiauyawyaw Tchish pin wi auyaw wong 
 
 2 Tchish pin wianj T awyon Tchish pin wiauyawyeg 
 
 3 Tchish pin wiauyawd Tchish pin wiauyawwod 
 
 Imperative Mood — Be thou, Do you be. 
 
 2 Auyawm - Auyawg 
 
 Infinitive Mood— To be, to have been. 
 
 Present — Tchiauyong Perfect — Auzhe tchikiauyong 
 
 Participles — Being, Been, Having been, 
 Auzhawyong Tchigeauyong Au zhe gwaw tchi gi au yong 
 Synopsis of the Verb To See. 
 
 I see, Niwob. I saw, Nigiwob. 
 
 I have seen, au zhe gwaw ni gi wob. I had s’n, ni gi wob naw baw, 
 I shall see, ni gaw wob. I shall have seen, au zhe ni gi wob 
 
 I may see, komaw nitawwab. I might see, komaw nigiwob. 
 
 I may have seen, au zhe gwaw ni taw gi wob. 
 
 I might have seen, komaw wobyawm baw. 
 
 If I see, tchish pin wob yon. If I saw, tchish pin ki wob yon baw. 
 If I have seen, tchish pin au zhi gwa wob yon. 
 
 If I had seen, tchish pin kiwob yon baw. 
 
 If I shall see, tchish pin wi wob yon. 
 
 If I shall have seen, tchish pin wiwobyonbaw. 
 
 See thou, wob bin. To see, tchi wob bing. 
 
 To have seen, tchi gi wob bing. Seeing, au wob bing. 
 
 Having seen, auzhegwaw augiwobbing. 
 
 Having been seen, au gi wob bing e baw. 
 
 I am seen, niwob mi wob. I was seen, nigiwob mi go, 
 
 I have been seen, au zhe ni gi wob mi go. 
 
 I had been seen, ni gi wob mi go naw baw. 
 
 I shall be seen ni gaw wob mi go. 
 
 I shall have been seen, shi gwa wi wobmi go yon. 
 
 ko maw wob mi go yon. 
 komaw ki wob mi go yon. 
 komaw auzhe ki wob mi go yon, 
 komaw auzhe ki wob mi go yon baw, 
 tchish pin wob im i go yon, 
 tchish pin auzhe ki wobmi go yon. 
 tchish pin ki wob mi go yon baw. 
 tchish pin wi wob mi go yon. 
 
 If I shall have been seen, tchish pin shi gwa wi wob mi go yon. 
 
 I see myself, newaubawdis. I saw myself, ne ge wau baw dis, 
 I shall see myself, ni gaw wau baw dis. 
 
 I may see myself, komaw ni daw wob dis. 
 
 See thyself, wo baw di son. To see thyself, tchi wob on di song. 
 
 I hope it is well understood that every verb, transitive or 
 passive voice are modified when the object is animate or inani, 
 mate and consequently this makes it a double conjugation 
 throughout in all the moods and tenses of the indicative verbs. 
 For example we will illustrate by the verb “to strike” in present, 
 
 I may be seen, 
 
 I might be seen, 
 
 I may have been seen, 
 
 I might have been seen, 
 If I be seen, 
 
 If I have been seen, 
 
 If I had been seen, 
 
 If I shall be seen, 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 89 
 
 past and future tenses only. 
 
 Present tense — Singular, I strike, you strike, etc, 
 
 Intransitive. 
 
 Pers. 
 
 1 Ni we po tchi gay 
 
 2 Ki we po tchi gay 
 
 3 We po tchi gay 
 
 Transitive, 
 
 Inanimate. 
 Ni we po tan 
 Ki vve po tan 
 O we p ) tan 
 
 Animate. 
 
 Ni we po ta wa 
 Ki we po ta wa 
 O we po ta wan 
 
 Plural, we strike, you strike, etc. 
 
 1 Ni we po tchi gay mi Ni we po ta wa na Ni we po ta na 
 
 2 Ki we po tchi gay mi Ki we po ta wa wa Ki we po ta na wa 
 
 3 We po tchi gay wog O we po ta wa wan O we po ta na wa 
 
 Past tense, I struck, you struck, etc. 
 
 Ni gi we po tchi gay Ni gi we po ta wa na Ni gi we po tan 
 Ki gi we po tchi gay Ki gi we po ta wa wa Ki gi we po tan 
 Ki we po tchi gay O gi we po ta wa wan O gi we po tan 
 Plural, we struck, you struck, etc, 
 
 Ni gi we po tchi gay mi Nigi we po ta wa na Nigiwepo tana 
 Ki gi we po tchi gay mi Ki gi we po ta wa na Ki gi we po ta na wa 
 Ki we po tchi gay wog O gi we po ta wa wan O gi we po ta na wa 
 Future tense, I shall or will strike, etc. 
 
 Ni ga we po tchi gay Nigawepotawa Ni gi we po tan 
 Ki ga we po tchi gay Kigawepotawa Kigawepotan 
 Ta we po tchi gay Ogawepotawan Ogawepotan 
 Plural, we shall or will strike, etc. 
 
 1 Ni ga we po tchi gay mi Ni ga we po ta wa na Ni ga we po ta na 
 
 2 Ki ga we po tchi gay mi Ki ga we po ta wa wa Ki ga we po ta na 
 
 3 Ta we po tchi gay wog O ga we po ta wa wan O ga we pot na nan 
 
 MINOR PARTS OF SPEECH. 
 
 Adverbs: When, au-pi, au nish; where, aunipi, aunizhaw; 
 there, i wo ti, au zhe wi. [The significance of the double forms 
 is not clear, but au zhe wi is more local. 
 
 Prepositions are few, and are oftener embraced in the form 
 of the verb, as in the latin. The most im portant are, pin-je, in; 
 tchish pin, or kish pin, if. Po taw wen pinje kezegun, make 
 some fire in the stove; Tchish pin mawtchawt, if he go away. 
 Or the same may be expressed, Po taw wen ki zhap ki zi gun- 
 ing (“ing” forming locative case, with the preposition implied); 
 and, maw yaw tchaw gwen (the latter form of verb expressing 
 subjunctive mood). The employment of the prepositson makes 
 the expression more emphatic. The most important Conjunc- 
 tions are, tchish pm, if, and ke maw, or. 
 
 Interjections embrace, yaw! exclamation of danger; au ta ya! 
 surprise; ati way! disappointment; taw wot taw! disgust; kiyoo! 
 disgust (used only by females.) 
 
 There is no Article; but the words, mondaw, that, and maw- 
 baw, (animate) this, are often used before nouns as specifying 
 terms, and are always emphatic. Ewi is common for that, di- 
 rected to things at a distance, wanda for proximity of the ob- 
 ject. A peculiarity, of uncertain significance, is the termina- 
 tion, sh, or esh, employed in connection with the possessive 
 case. It does not change the interpretation, and is perhaps an 
 expression of familiarity, or intimate relationship. Illustration: 
 
90 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 Ni gwiss, my son; 
 
 Ni daw niss, my daughter: 
 
 Ni wau bo yon, my blanket; 
 Nigwissog, my sons; 
 
 Ni daw niss og, my daughters; 
 
 Ni gwiss ish, my son, 
 
 Ni daw niss ish, my daughter. 
 Ni wau bo yon ish, my blanket. 
 Ni gwiss is shog, my sons. 
 
 Ni daw niss is shog, my da’ght’rs. 
 
 Vocabularies. 
 
 One, 
 
 Two, 
 
 Three, 
 
 Four, 
 
 Five, 
 
 Six, 
 
 Seven, 
 
 Eight, 
 
 Nine, 
 
 Father, 
 
 Brother, 
 
 Pa zhig. 
 
 Nizh. 
 
 Niss we. 
 
 Ni win 
 Naw non. 
 
 Ni gi twos we. 
 
 Nizh was we. 
 
 Tish shwas we. Eighty, 
 Shongswe Ninety, 
 
 Ten, 
 
 Twenty. 
 
 Thirty, 
 
 Forty. 
 
 Fifty, 
 
 Sixty, 
 
 Seventy, 
 
 Mi tass we. 
 
 Nizh ta taw. 
 
 Ni se mi tanaw. 
 
 Ni mi to naw. 
 
 Naw ni mi ti naw. 
 
 Ni go twa si mi to naw. 
 
 Nizh wo si mi ti naw. 
 
 Nish wose me to naw. 
 Shong gaw si mi ta naw. 
 
 One hundred, Gotwok. 
 
 Os si maw, pi. g. Mother, O gaw shi maw, pl.g. 
 Wi kaw ni si maw. Sister, O mi say i maw. 
 
 Gr’ father, O mi show mesi maw.Gr’mother, O ko mis se maw. 
 Cousiu, m. Wi taw wise maw. Cousin, fm. Wi ni mo shay emaw. 
 Uncle, O mi sho w maj r i maw Aunt, O nou shay i maw. 
 
 Boy, Qui wizayns,pl. og. Girl, Quay zayns, pi. og. 
 
 Man, Au ni ni, pi. wog Woman, Au quay, pi. wog. 
 
 Oldman, Au ki wa zin, pi. yog. Old woman, Mi di mo yay, yog. 
 
 Kau. no. Na go, now. 
 
 Kau win, no (emphatic). Au zhon daw, here. 
 Ka go, dont. Ewote, there. 
 
 Ae, yes 
 Ka ge ti, truly so. 
 Pi nau! hark! 
 
 Pe kah, stop. 
 
 Aush kweyong, behing. 
 
 Pi tchi naw go, yesterdaj'. 
 Pi tchi nog, just now. 
 
 Au no maw yaw. lately. 
 
 Au gaw won, hardly. 
 
 Au pi tchi, very. 
 
 Kay gaw, almost. 
 Mauzhawg, always. 
 Nasawb, alike. 
 
 Pin dig, inside. 
 
 Kage go, none. 
 
 Nigon, before. 
 
 Ni si wo yaw ing, between. 
 Woubung, to-morrow. 
 
 Wau e baw, soon. 
 
 Waywib, quickly. 
 
 Nawegotch, slowly. 
 
 Odjidaw, purposely. 
 
 Mi saw go, for example. 
 
 Mi naw gaj^kaw! to be sure! 
 Kaw maw mi daw, can’t, unable. 
 Pindigayn, come in. 
 
 Wiyaw, 
 
 The body. 
 
 Pi nay shen! 
 
 ' Bird. 
 
 Odib, 
 
 Head. 
 
 Mingge zee, 
 
 Eagle. 
 
 O tu gwan. 
 
 Face. 
 
 Pi nay si. 
 
 Hawk 
 
 Odoin, 
 
 Mouth. 
 
 Mong, 
 
 Loon. 
 
 Osh ki zhig, 
 
 Eye. 
 
 Mi zhe say, 
 
 Turkey. 
 
 O no wau e, 
 
 Cheek. 
 
 Shi shib, 
 
 Duck. 
 
 Otchawsh, 
 
 Nose. 
 
 Kaw yawskh. 
 
 Gull. 
 
 O daw mi kon, 
 
 Jaw. 
 
 Tchin dees, 
 
 Bluejay. 
 
 O di naw niw, 
 
 Tongue. 
 
 May may, 
 
 Woodcock. 
 
 Wi bid, 
 
 Tooth. 
 
 Pe nay, 
 
 Partridge. 
 
 Wine zes, 
 
 Hair. 
 
 Au dji djawk, 
 
 Crane. 
 
 O kaw tig, 
 
 Forehead. 
 
 O mi mi. 
 
 Pigion. 
 
 O maw maw, 
 
 Eyebrow. 
 
 Au pe tchi. 
 
 Robin. 
 
 Kaw gaw gi. 
 
 Palate. 
 
 Awn dayg 1 
 
 Crow. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 91 
 
 O kwa gun. 
 
 Neck. 
 
 Au nawk, 
 
 Thrasher. 
 
 O go daw dun. Throat. 
 
 Paw paw say. 
 
 Woodpecker. 
 
 O pi gwawn. 
 
 Back. 
 
 Ki wa nee, 
 
 Prairie hen. 
 
 O pi gay gun. 
 
 Rib. 
 
 Maw kwa, 
 
 Bear. 
 
 O mi sawt. 
 
 Stomach. 
 
 Mooz, 
 
 Moose. 
 
 O naw gish. 
 
 Bowel. 
 
 Mi shay we, 
 
 Elk. 
 
 Osh kawt. 
 
 Belly. 
 
 Maw in gawn, 
 
 Wolf. 
 
 O kwan, 
 
 Liver. 
 
 Au mick, 
 
 Beaver. 
 
 O kun, 
 
 Bone. 
 
 Waw boos, 
 
 Rabbit. 
 
 O ninj, 
 
 Hand. 
 
 Pi zhiw, 
 
 Lynx. 
 
 O neek. 
 
 Arm. 
 
 Au ni moosh, 
 
 Dog. 
 
 O dos kwon, 
 
 Elbow. 
 
 Au ni mouns, 
 
 Puppy. 
 
 O kawd, 
 
 Leg. 
 
 Au zhawshk. 
 
 Muskrat. 
 
 O gi dig, 
 
 Knee. 
 
 Wau goosh. 
 
 Fox. 
 
 O bwom. 
 
 Thigh. 
 
 Shaw gwav she. Mink. 
 
 O zeet. 
 
 Foot. 
 
 A se bon, 
 
 Raccoon. 
 
 O don don, 
 
 Heel. 
 
 Mi shi be zhi, 
 
 Panther. 
 
 O gi tchi zeet, Big toe. 
 
 Shin gos si. 
 
 Weasel. 
 
 Ogitchinenj. Thumb. 
 
 Au saw naw go, Squirrel. 
 
 Ki gon, fish, 
 
 Ki gons (dim.) minnow. 
 
 Naw me gon", trout. 
 
 Maw zhaw me goos, brook trout. 
 Naw may. sturgeon. 
 
 O gaw, pickerel. 
 
 Shi gwaw meg, dog fish. 
 
 Au saw way, perch. 
 
 N kay yaw wis, herring. 
 
 Au shi gun. black bass. 
 
 Au di kaw meg, whitefish. 
 
 Ki no zhay, pike, 
 
 Paw zhi toun, sheep head. 
 
 Naw maw bin, sucker. 
 
 l.Iaw ni tons, insect. 
 
 Ojee, housefly. 
 
 Mi zi zawk, horse fly. 
 
 Au mon, bumblebee. 
 
 Au moans (dim.) bee, hornet. 
 May may gwan, butterfly. 
 Au kou jish, louse. 
 
 Paw big, flea, 
 
 E zi gog, woodtick. 
 
 E naw g-o, ant. 
 
 E e big, spider. 
 
 Saw gi may, mosquito, 
 
 Mo say, cut worm. 
 
 O quay, maggot. 
 
 Paw gawn, nut: (paw gaw na\ r s, hazelnut or other small nut.) 
 Au zhaw way mish. pi. eg; beech tree. 
 
 Au zhaw way min, pi. on; beech nut. 
 
 Mi ti gwaw bawk. pi. og; hickory tree. 
 
 Miti gwaw haw ko paw gon, pi. on; hickory nut. 
 
 Mi shi mi naw gaw wosh, pi. eg: apple tree. 
 
 Mi shi min, pi. og; apple. 
 
 Shaw bo mi naw gaw wosh, pi. eg; gooseberry bush. 
 
 Shaw bo min, pi. og; gooseberry. 
 
 Aw nib, pi. eg; elm tree, Awdoup, pi. eg; willow. 
 
 Rhin gwawk, pi. wog; pine. Ki zhik, pi. og: cedar. 
 
 Au bo yawk, pi. wog; ash. Wi saw gawk, pi, og; black ash. 
 
 Mi daw min, pi. og; corn. O zawo min, pi. og; yellow corn. 
 
 Mis kou min. pi. og: red raspberrj r . 
 
 Mau kaw tay mis kou min, pi. og; black raspberry. 
 
 Auki, the world, the earth, land, country, soil. 
 
 Taw naw ki win, country or native land. 
 
 Kitaw kee mi naw, our conntry. 
 
 Ne daw keem, my land. 
 
92 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 Au ke won, soiled. 
 
 Ni bish; water; ni-bi-kaw, wet land. 
 
 Wau bawsh ko ki, marsh land. 
 
 Au ki kaw daw ko ki, tamarack swamp. 
 
 Ki zhi ki kee, cedar swamp. 
 
 Shin g waw ko kee, pine land. 
 
 Ni gaw wi kee, sand. 
 
 Kon:i ki tchi gaw mi, the ocean. 
 
 Sibi, (pi. won) river; si bi wens (pi. an) brook. 
 
 Ki ti g’awn (pi. on) farm; ki ti g’aw nes, garden. 
 
 Ki zes, sun; ti bik zes, moon; au nong, star, pi. wog. 
 Ki zhi gut, day; ti bi kut, night. 
 
 Ni bin, summer; pi boon, winter. 
 
 Tau gwan gee. fall;mi nou kawmi, spring. 
 Auwasiminou kawming, year ago last spring 
 Maw tchi taw gwan gi, bad or unpleasant fall. 
 
 No din, wind; no wau yaw, the air. 
 
 Nodinaw nimot, windy. 
 
 Tokisin. calm: nitchiwod, stormy. 
 
 Wig worn, house; wig worn an, houses. 
 
 Au naw mi e wigawmig, a church. 
 
 wigaw rnig, court house 
 
 A no kit, he that is working. 
 
 Pe mo sayt, he that is walking. 
 
 Pe me bot tot, he that runs. 
 
 Get it. naw din. 
 
 Ask for it, nawdoudon. 
 Nidjimay, I paddle. 
 
 Nidawnis, my daughter. 
 
 Ni kaw nis, my brother. 
 
 Ni ni tchaw nis, my child. 
 
 He is lazy; ki ti mish ki. 
 Augawsaw, small. 
 
 Only once, ni go ting e taw. 
 
 Fill it, mosh ki naw don. 
 
 Pi saw kon, come out. 
 
 Pi maw tchawn, come away. 
 
 Pi ton, fetch it. 
 
 Nos, my father. 
 
 Ash kom so gi po.more and more snowKos, your father. 
 
 Ash kom ki mi wau “ “ rain. O sawn, his father. 
 
 Ash kom ki zhaw tay, hotter & hotter. Ne gaw she, my mother. 
 Ashe kom kisinaw, colder and colder. Ke gaw she, your mother. 
 E naw bin. look;e naw bin au zhon daw, look here, 
 
 A zhawd, going; au ne pe a zhawd, where does he go? 
 
 Au ni mi kee, thunder: au ni mi ki kaw, it thundered. 
 
 Awsh ko tay, fire; awsh ko tay o zhi ton, make some fire. 
 
 Oh ji gaw, leaked: oh ji gaw tchi mon, the boat leaked. 
 
 Si gwan, spring; si gwa nong, last spring. (Chippewa dialect). 
 
 Mi gwetch, thanks; mi gwe tchi we au, he is thanked. 
 
 Taw kwo, short; on sawm taw kwo, too short. 
 
 Ki mi no pi maw tis naw? Are you well? 
 
 Te baw ko ni ga 
 Au no ki, work. 
 
 Pi mo say, he walks. 
 
 Pi mi bot to, he runs. 
 
 Get him, nawzh. 
 
 Call him, naw doum. 
 
 Ni dji mon, my boat. 
 
 Ni gwis, my son. 
 
 Ni taw wis, my cousin. 
 
 Ni daw kim, my land. 
 
 He is white, wau bish ki zee. 
 Au ko zee, sick. 
 
 Once, ni go ting, 
 
 Full, mosh kin. 
 
 Saw kon, go out. 
 
 Maw tchawn, go away. 
 
 Pe ton, bring it. 
 
 Ash kom, more and more. 
 
THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA. 
 
 93 
 
 Ae, ni mi no pe maw tis. Yes, I am well. 
 
 Ki taw kos naw? Are you sick? 
 
 Kau win ni taw ko si sy. No, I am not sick. 
 
 Ki gl wi sin naw? Have you eaten? 
 
 Ae, ni gi ash kwaw wi sin. Yes, I have done eating. 
 
 Ki baw kaw tay naw? Are you hungry? 
 
 Kaw win. ni baw kaw tay sy. No, I am not hungry. 
 
 Aum bay paw baw mo say taw, let us go walking. 
 
 Ni gi paw baw mish kaw. I have been boat riding. 
 
 Maw tchawn we wib, go on quickly. 
 
 Ki maw tchaw wog, they have gone. 
 
 Aum bay maw tchaw taw, let us go 
 
 We kon de win. a feast: we koum, I invite him (to a feast*). 
 Wi kau maw wog, they are invited (to a feast). 
 
 Mawzhe ah. overpowered: mawzhetwah, victorious. 
 
 Mou dji gi zi or mi naw wo mi zo ze, he rejoices. 
 
 Aupe tchi ke zhaw tay, it is very hot. 
 
 Kitchi no din, it is blowing hard. 
 
 Paw ze gwin we wib, get up quickly. 
 
 Mi no i naw kaw mi got, good news. 
 
 Shi kaw gong ni di zhaw mi, we are going to Chicago. 
 
 Shi kaw kong on ji baw, he came from Chicago. 
 
 Saw naw got, difficult to overcome. 
 
 Saw naw gi zi, he is in difficulty. 
 
 Sa gizi. he is frightened: sa gi zi win, fright. 
 
 Ki gus kaw naw baw gwe naw? Are you thirsty? 
 
 Au pi tchi ni gus kaw naw gwe. I am very thirsty. 
 
 Mi naw auwe, give him drink. 
 
 Nibish mi naw, give him water to drink. 
 
 O da mi tchaw ni. he has a big heart. 
 
 Ki ni si to tom naw? Do you understand? 
 
 Ki nisi to tow naw? Do you understand me? 
 
 Kau win, ki ni si to tos ny. No, I do not understand you. 
 Kipisindom naw? Do you listen? 
 
 Maw tchi i naw kaw mi got naw? Is it bad news? 
 Wegonesh wauauyaw mon? What do you want? 
 Aunipish azhawyon? Where are you going? 
 
 Au ni pish wendji baw yon? Where are you from? 
 
 Maw ne say, he chops: mi ni sayt. he that chops. 
 
 Ne bwa kaw, wise; ne bwakawt. he that is wise. 
 
 Nabwa kaw tchig, they' that are wise. 
 
 Wa zhe tou tchig awsh kou te, they that make lire. 
 
 O zhe tou aush ko tay pin je ke zhaw be ke se gun, 
 
 Make fire in the stove. 
 
 Win daw mow way naw paw nod au zhon daw, 
 
 Tell him the cheap place is here. 
 
 Taw bis kaw bi, Tawbeeshaw au zhon daw, 
 
 He will come back. He will come here. 
 
 On dji baw, Wakwing ondjebaw, 
 
 Coming from. He comes from heaven. 
 
 To dawn mon daw e ni naw, do that as I tell you. 
 
 Mi saw wen dji gay, Mi saw wen dji gay win, 
 
94 
 
 INDIANS OF MICHIGAN. 
 
 He covets, Coveting. 
 
 Eznawyon gawya nenegaw e zhaw. 
 
 If you will go and also I will go. 
 
 Odjidaw nigitotom tckibawping, 
 
 Purposely I did it to make laughter. 
 
 A naw bin, I naw bin e naw bid, 
 
 Do look. Do look in the way he iooks. 
 
 Mawnoenedong taw i zhitchi gay, let him do what he thinks 
 Au nish e zhe wa hawk mon daw? 
 
 What is the matter with that? 
 
 Au nish e zhi we bi sit au wi? 
 
 What is the matter with him? 
 
 Au nish e naw tchi moo tawk? 
 
 What did he tell you? 
 
 Ezhaw, Aunipish kawizhawd? 
 
 He went. Where did he go? 
 
 Ezhawwog, Harbor Springs kiizhawwog, 
 
 They went. They went to Harbor Springs. 
 
 Ni daw yaw naw i naw ko ni ga win, 
 
 We have a rule, or, a law. 
 
 Owiodwon ogiautawson. 
 
 His hat he pawned. 
 
 Ni bi mibaw to nawbaw au pi pengishinaw 
 I was running when I fell.