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Council with the Indians at Yellow Lake--Policy of the Treaty of
Prairie du Chien of 1825--Speech of Shaiwunegunaibee--Mounds of
Yellow River--Indian manners and customs--Pictography--Natural
history--Nude Indians--Geology--Portage to Lac Courtorielle--Lake of
the Isles--Ottawa Lake--Council--War party--Mozojeed's
speech--Tecumseh--Mozojeed's lodge--Indian movements--Trip to the
Red Cedar Fork--Ca Ta--Lake Chetac--Indian manners.
1831. COUNCIL.--I pitched my tent and erected my flag on an
eminence called by the Chippewas Pe-li-co-gun-au-gun, or The
Hip-Bone. Accounts represented a war party against the Sioux to be
organizing at Rice Lake, on a branch of the Chippewa River, under
the lead of Neenaba, a partisan leader, who had recently visited
Yellow River for the purpose of enlisting volunteers. He had
appealed to all the bands on the head waters of the Chippewa and St.
Croix to join, by sending their young men who were ambitious of fame
in this expedition. Neenaba himself was an approved warrior who
panted for glory by leading an attack against their old foe, the
Dacotahs. It was still possible to arrest it or break it up. I wrote
to the Indian Agent at St. Peter's. A message was dispatched by
Kabamappa to Chacopee and Buffalo at Snake Rivers, with directions
to forward it to Petit Corbeau, the leading chief of the River
Sioux. I determined to hasten back so as to meet my appointment with
the large band of Mozojeed at Lac Courtorielle, and to proceed
myself to Neenaba's village. I stated my determination to the Yellow
Lake Indians, and urged their concurrence in my plans, assuring them
that I spoke the voice of the President of the United States, who
was determined to preserve and carry out the principles of
pacification which had been commenced and agreed to, as the basis of
the general treaty of Prairie du Chien of 1825. He had spoken to
them at that treaty by two men whom they all well know from St.
Louis to Lake Superior--namely, by the Red-Head (so they call
General William Clark) and their Great Father at Detroit (General
Cass). He would not suffer their words to fall to the ground and be
buried. I stood up to renew them. It was by peace and not war that
they could alone flourish. Their boundaries were all plainly
established by that treaty, and there was no sound pretence why one
tribe should pass over on the lands of another. If he did pass,
there was no reason at all why he should carry a hatchet in his hand
or a war eagle's feather in his hair.
Shai-wun-e-gun-aibee responded in favorable terms as to the general
subject. The old men desired peace, but could not always control
their young men, especially when they heard that their men had been
struck. His voice and hand would be ever on the side of his great
American father, and he believed his hands were long enough to reach
out and hold them still. He concluded by some complaints against
their trader Dingley. Said that he had presented them a map of the
Yellow River country, and wished them to give it to him. That he had
ill-used some of them by taking away goods which he had before sold
them, because they had not paid all.
MOUNDS, SO CALLED.--Before quitting Yellow River, I asked Kabamappa
whether the Pe-li-co-gun-au-gun was a natural or artificial mound.
He replied, that it was natural. There were three more of these
elevations on the opposite side of the river. He knew nothing
further of them. A large pine was growing on the top of one of them.
Having concluded the business with the Indians, I distributed
presents of provisions, ammunition, and tobacco. I purchased a canoe
of small draft from an Indian named Shoga, and immediately embarked
on my return up the St. Croix. That night we lodged in our camp of
the 31st. The next morning we were in motion by five o'clock, and
reached the grand forks by nine. We entered and began the ascent of
the Namakagun.
INDIAN MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.--We soon met a brother of Kabamappa,
called the Day Ghost, and four other heads of families, with their
families, on their way to the council at Yellow River. Informed them
of what had been done, and gave them tobacco, whereupon they
determined to re-ascend the Namakagun with us. There were ten
persons. One of the young men fired at a flock of pigeons, hitting
and killing two. A distance above, they went through a cut-off, and
saved a mile or more, while we went round, showing their superior
knowledge of the geography. At the great bends, the women got out of
the canoes and walked. The old men also walked up. We reached their
lodges about 4 o'clock. I exchanged canoes with Day Ghost, and gave
him the difference. We encamped at a late hour on the left bank
(ascending), having come about forty-two miles--a prodigious effort
for the men. To make amends, they ate prodigiously, and then lay
down and slept with the nightmare. Poor fellows, they screamed out
in their sleep. But they were up and ready again at 5 o'clock the
next morning, with paddle and song.
PICTOGRAPHY.--At 11 o'clock we landed, on the right bank, at the
site of an old encampment, for breakfast. I observed a symbolic
inscription, in the ideographic manner, on a large blazed pine--the
Pinus resinosa. It consisted of seven representative, and
four symbolic devices, denoting the totems, or family names, of two
heads of families, while encamped here, and their success in hunting
and fishing. The story told was this: That two men, one of whom was
of the Catfish clan, and the other of the clan of the Copper-tailed
Bear--a mythological animal--had been rewarded with mysterious good
luck, each according to his totem. The Catfish man had caught six
large catfish, and the Copper-tailed Bear man had killed a black
bear. The resin of the pine had covered the inscription, rendering
it impervious to the weather.
NATURAL HISTORY.--The nymphaea odorata borders the edge of
the river. Dr. H., this morning, found the bidens, which has
but two localities in the United States besides. He has also, within
the last forty-eight hours, discovered a species of the locust, on
the lower part of the Namakagun. The fresh-water shells on this
river are chiefly unios. Wild rice, the palustris, is chiefly
found at the two Pukwaewas, more rarely along the banks, but not in
abundance. The polyganum amphibia stands just in the edge of
the water along its banks, and is now in flower. The copper-head
snake is found at the Yellow River; also the thirteen striped
squirrel.
NUDE INDIANS.--The Indians whom we met casually on the Namakagun,
had nothing whatever on them, but the auzeaun. They put on a
blanket, when expecting a stranger. The females have a petticoat and
breastpiece. When we passed the Woodpecker Chiefs party, an old
woman, without upperments, who had been poling up one of the canoes,
hastily landed, and hid herself in the bushes, when her exclamation
of Nyau! Nyau! revealed her position as we passed. Two young married
women had also landed, but stood on the banks with their children;
one of the latter screaming, in fear, at the top of its lungs.
The men were much fatigued with this day's journey. They had to use
the pole when the water became shallow. Yet they went about
thirty-six miles. At night one of them screamed out with pains in
his arms. We were up and on the river again at six the next morning
(the 4th). The word with me was, PUSH; to accomplish the object, not
a day, not half a day was to be lost, and the men all entered into
the spirit of the thing. At half past nine, we reached our breakfast
place of the 30th, and there gummed our canoes. We noticed yesterday
the red haw, and pembina--the latter of which is the service
berry. This day the calamus was often seen in quantity.
GEOLOGY.--Rapids were encountered at various points, at which there
appeared large boulders of syenite and greenstone trap. No rock
stratum appears in place, but from the size of the boulders, it
seems probable that the trap formation crosses the bed of the
Namakagun. There is no limestone--no slate. Small boulders of
amygdaloid, quartz, granite, and sandstone mark the prevalence of
the drift stratum, such as overspreads the upper Mississippi
uplands. The weather was cloudy and overcast, producing coolness. I
found the air but 64 deg. at 2 o'clock, when the water stood at 69
deg..
Some fish are caught in this stream, which serve to eke out the very
scanty, and precarious subsistence of the Indians at this season. At
the lodge of an Indian, whom we knew as the "Jack of
Diamonds"--being the same who loaned us a canoe--I observed some
small pieces of duck in a large kettle of boiling water, which was
thickened with whortleberries, for the family supper.
PORTAGE TO LAC COURTORIELLE.--We reached the portage at two o'clock
A.M., and immediately began to cross it, the men carrying all our
baggage at one load. Just after passing the middle pause, the
path mounts and is carried along a considerable ridge, from which
there is a good view of the country. It is open as far as the eye
can reach. Sometimes there is a fine range of large pines: in by far
the largest space ancient fires appear to have spread, destroying
the forest and giving rise to a young growth of pines, aspen,
shad-bush, and bramble. Some portions are marshy. A deep cup-shaped
cavity exists a little to the right of the path on the ridge,
denoting it to be cavernous or filled with springs.
We saw evidences of Lieut. Clary and Mr. Woolsey's march and
encampment on this height. We saw also evidences of Old Laporte's
prowess in voyageur life and exploits, by a notice of one of his
long pauses, recorded by Lieut. Clary in pencil, on a blazed
tree.
LAKE OF THE ISLES.--On reaching the Lake of the Isles at three
o'clock P.M., we found, by a little bark letter on a pole, that
Lieut. Clary and Mr. Woolsey had slept at that spot on the 1st of
August. All things had proceeded well. They were ahead of us but
four days.
While the men were sent back to the other end of the portage after
the canoes, I embarked on the lake in a small canoe found in the
bushes, with Mr. Johnston, to search out the proper channel. We
found it to draw to a narrow neck and then widen out, with six or
seven islands, giving a very sylvan and beautiful appearance. We
passed through it, then crossed a short portage that connects the
path with Lac du Gres, and then returned to the south end of Lake of
the Isles, where I determined to encamp and light up a fire, while
Mr. Johnston was sent back in the little Indian canoe to bring up
the canoes and men. While thus awaiting the arrival of the party, I
scrutinized the mineralogy of the pebbles and drift of its shores,
where I observed small fragments of the agates, quartz, amygdaloids,
&c., which characterize all the drift of the upper Mississippi.
But Mr. Johnston did not return till long after sunset. I was
growing uneasy and full of anxieties when he hove in sight in the
same small Indian hunting-canoe, with Dr. Houghton and one voyageur,
bringing the tent, beds, and mess-basket. They reported that the men
had not yet arrived with the large canoe, and it was doubted whether
they would come in in season to cross the lake. But they came up and
joined us during the night.
The next morning (Aug. 5th) we crossed the portage at Lac du Gres
before sunrise. This is the origin of the north-west fork of
Chippewa River. The atmosphere was foggy, but, from what we could
see, we thought the lake pretty. Pine on its shores, bottom sandy,
shells in its bed, no rock seen in place, but loose pieces of coarse
gray sandstone around its shores.
The outlet of this lake proved to be the entrance into Ottawa
Lake--the Lac Courtorielle of the French--a fine body of water some
ten miles long. It was still too foggy on reaching this point to
tell which way to steer. A gun was fired; it was soon answered by
Lieut. Clary and Mr. Woolsey from the opposite side of the lake. The
sound was sufficient to indicate the course, and we crossed in
safety, rejoining our party at the hour of early breakfast. We found
all well.
OTTAWA LAKE.--We were received with a salute from the Indians. I
counted twenty-eight canoes turned up on the beach. Mozojeed and
Waubezhais, the son of Miscomoneto (or The Red Devil), were present.
Also Odabossa and his band. The Indians crowded down to the beach to
shake hands. I informed them, while tobacco was being distributed,
that I would meet them in council that day at the firing of three
guns by the military.
COUNCIL.--At eleven o'clock I met the Indians in council. The
military were drawn up to the best advantage, their arms glittering
in the sun. My auxiliaries of the Michico-Canadian stock and the
gentlemen of my party were in their best trim. We occupied the
beautiful eminence at the outlet of the lake. The assemblage of
Indians was large, but I was struck by the great disproportion, or
excess, of women and children.
Mozojeed, the principal man, was a tall, not portly, red-mouthed,
and pucker-mouthed man1, with an unusual
amount of cunning and sagacity, and exercising an unlimited
popularity by his skill and reputation as a jossakeed, or
seer. He had three wives, and, so far as observation went, I should
judge that most of the men present had imitated his voluptuous
tastes and apparently lax morals. He had an elaborately-built
jaunglery, or seer's lodge, sheathed with rolls of bark
carefully and skillfully united, and stained black inside. Its
construction, which was intricate, resembled the whorls of a
sea-shell. The white prints of a man's hand, as if smeared with
white clay, was impressed on the black surface. I have never
witnessed so complete a piece of Indian architectural structure, nor
one more worthy of the name of a temple of darkness.
This man, who had effectually succeeded to the power and influence
of Miscomoneto (or the Red Devil), had been present at the treaty of
Prairie du Chien, in 1825, and heard Gens. Clark and Cass address
the assembled Indians on that memorable occasion. I had been in
communication with him there. He was perfectly familiar with the
principles of pacification advanced and established on that
occasion. It was the more easy for me, therefore, to revive and
enforce these principles.
WAR PARTY.--Mozojeed's son was himself one of Neenaba's leaders in
the war party, and was now absent with the volunteers which he had
been able to raise in and about the Ottawa Lake village. He was
directly implicated in this movement against the Sioux. Mozojeed's
village was, in fact, completely caught almost in the very act of
sending out its quota of warriors. They had, but a short time
before, marched to join the main party at Rica Lake on the Red Cedar
Fork of the Chippewa. He felt the embarrassment of his position,
but, true to the character of his race, exhibited not a sign of it
in his words or countenance. Stolid and unmoved, he pondered on his
reply. Divested of its unnecessary points and personal localisms,
this speech was substantially as follows:--
MOZOJEED'S SPEECH.--"Nosa. I have listened to your voice. I have
listened to it heretofore at Kipesaugee. It is to me the voice of
one that is strong and able to do. Our Great Father speaks in it. I
hear but one thing. It is to sit still. It is not to cross the
enemies' lines. It is to drop the war club. It is to send word of
all our disputes to him.
"Nosa. This is wise. This is good. This is to stop blood. But my
young men are foolish. They wish to go on the war path. They wish to
sing triumphs. My counsels too are weak and as nothing. It seems
like trying to catch the winds and holding them in my fists, when I
try to stay their war spirit. How shall we dance? How shall we sing?
These are their words.
"Nosa. I do not lift the war-club. My words are for peace. I helped
to draw the lines at Kipesaugee six years, ago. I will keep them. My
advice to my people is to sit still. You have shown, by bringing
your flag here and hoisting it with your own hands in my village,
that you are strong, and able, and willing. You are the Indian's
friend. You encourage us by this hard journey through our streams
when the waters are low. You have spied us out and see how we live,
and how poor we are."
Waubezhais, the son of Miscomoneto, and bearing his medal and
authority, then spoke, responding frankly. Odebossa, of the Upper
Pukwaewa, spoke also favorably to my object, and thanking me for my
visit to his village on the Namakagun, which he said,
metaphorically, "had rekindled their fires, which were almost out."
All agreed that the waters were too low to go to the Lac du
Flambeau, and that my proposed council with the Indians at that
point must be given up or deferred. Besides, if the war party on the
Red Cedar or Folavoine Fork of the Chippewa was to be arrested, it
could only be done by an immediate move in that direction. I
therefore determined to leave Ottawa Lake the same day. I invested
Mozobodo with a silver medal of the first class, and a U.S. flag.
Presents of ammunition, provisions, iron works, a few dry goods, and
tobacco were given to all, and statistics of their population and of
their means taken. For a population of eighteen men, there were
forty-eight women and seventy-one children. Thirteen or fourteen of
the latter were Mozojeed's. Red Devil's son's band numbered
forty-nine men, twenty-seven women, and forty-six children.
Odabossa's village consisted of eighteen men, thirty-eight women,
and seventy-one children--making 406 souls, who were chiefly
assembled at this point.
TECUMSEH.--I snatched this piece of history. During the late war
Tecumseh's messages reached this place, and produced their usual
effect. The Indians seized the post, took the goods, and burnt the
building occupied as a place of trade. Mr. Corban, having notice
from friendly Indians, escaped with his men to St. Mary's. This post
stood opposite the outlet, being on the present site of Mozojeed's
village.
MOZOJEED'S LODGE--This fabric is quite remarkable, and yields more
comforts and conveniences than usual. It has also the mysterious
insignia of a prophet. The faces of four men or gods are carved at
the four cardinal points. A hole with a carved image of a bird is in
front. Three drums hang on the walls, and many rattles. At his
official lodge men are painted joining hands. A bundle of red sticks
lies in one corner.
INDIAN MOVEMENTS.--I was informed by M. and W. that the Lac du
Flambeau Indians were not on Chippewa River, and that the message
from Yellow Lake had not reached them. That many of the Chippewas
were at Rice Lake on the Red Cedar Fork. That they had received a
message from Mr. Street, Indian Agent at Prairie du Chien, and were
in alarm on account of the Menomonies.
TRIP TO THE RED CEDAR FORK.--We embarked at four o'clock in the
afternoon in four canoes, one canoe of Indians to aid on the
portages, and two canoes of the military--Lieut. Clary's command.
Mr. B. Cadotte acted as guide as far as Rice Lake, the whole making
quite a formidable "brigade," to use a trader's term. Our course lay
down the Little Chippewa River. The water was very good and deep as
far as the fish dam. There our troubles began. Our canoes had to be
led along, as if they had been baskets of eggs, in channels made by
the Indians, who had carefully picked out the big stones. We met a
son of old Misco's, having a fawn and three muskrats recently
killed. I gave him a full reward of corn and tobacco for the former,
which was an acceptable addition to our traveling cuisine. It
was observed that he had nothing besides in his canoe but a gun and
war club, a little boy being in the boat. We descended the stream
some seven or eight miles, and encamped on the right bank. It rained
hard during the night. Next morning (6th) we were in motion at six
o'clock, which was as early as the atmosphere would permit. An
hour's travel brought us to the mouth of a creek, which led us in
the required direction. It was a narrow and deep stream, very
tortuous, and making bends so short that we with difficulty forced
our canoes through. In two hours we came to the portage to the Ca
Ta--a pond at the distance of 1916 yards, which we crossed at two
pauses.
LAKE CHETAC.--Before the canoes and baggage came up, I crossed over
to Lake Chetac. There is a portage road around the pond. After
passing the first poze from it, the canoes may be put in a
brook and poled down two pozes--then they must be taken out and
carried 1600 yards to Lake Chetac. The whole portage is 5600 yards.
It was seven o'clock in the evening before we could embark on the
lake. We went down it four miles to an island and encamped. The lake
is six miles long, shallow, marshy, with some wild rice and bad
water. Bad as it was, we had to make tea of it.
INDIAN MANNERS.--We found but a single lodge on the island, which
was occupied by a Chippewa woman and a dog. I heard her say to one
of our men, in the Chippewa tongue, that there was no man in the
lodge--that her husband had gone out fishing. She appeared in alarm,
and soon after I saw her paddle away in a small canoe, leaving her
lodge with a fire burning. On awaking in the morning, I heard the
sound of talking in the lodge, and, before we embarked, the man, his
wife, and two children, and an old woman came out.
Four lodges of Indians, say about twenty souls, usually make their
homes at this lake, which yields them fish and wild rice. But at
present the whole tendency of the Indian population is to Rice Lake.
The war party mustering at that point absorbs all attention.
1: He was named by the Indians from these two
traits.
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materials that may imply negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language
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historical record and should not be interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in
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Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the
Indian Tribes on the American Frontiers, 1851
Thirty
Years with the Indians
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