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29th. Osha-wus-coda-waqua, a daughter of Wabojeeg, a
celebrated war chief of the close of last century, of Lake Superior,
visited the office. She states that her name is the result of a
dream, by some ancient crone, who officiated at her nativity, and
that it means the Woman of the Green Valley. She is now about
60 years of age. When about 15 or 16, she is said to have been a
slender, comely lass, with large bright hazel eyes, and a graceful
figure. At this age, she married a young gentleman from the north of
Ireland, of good family and standing, and high connections, who made
a wild adventure into this region. This is the origin of the
Johnston family, in the basin of Lake Superior, and the Straits of
St. Mary's. She has had eight children, four sons and four
daughters, all of whom grew up to maturity, and all but the eldest
are now living. Her husband, who became a noted merchant or
outfitter, a man of great influence with the Indians, and high
intelligence and social virtues, died in 1828, at the age of about
66 years. She is now subject to some infirmities; fleshy and heavy,
and strongly inclined, I should judge, to apoplexy. Her father,
Wabojeeg, died of consumption, not very old. She told me that the
hieroglyphics and pictures which the Indians cut on trees, or draw
on barks, or rocks, which are designed to convey instruction,
are called KE-KEE-WIN--a word which has its plural in un. It
is a noun inanimate. She laughs at the attempts of the American and
foreign traders to speak the Indian, the rules of which they
perpetually, she says, violate.
31st. A new species of white fish appears in the St. Mary's
this spring. It is characterized by a very small mouth, and pointed
head, and a crowning back, and is a remarkably fat fish. The
Odjibwas call it o-don-i-bee, or water-mouth. Hence the
Canadian word Tulibee.
Wakazo, an Ottawa chief of Waganukizzie, and his band visit the
office, to confer on their affairs. He persists in his former
determination to form an agricultural settlement with his people, on
the North Black River, Michigan shore, and says that they will go
down, to open their farms, soon after the payment of the annuities.
Aug. 1st. Visited by the Baron Mareschal, Austrian Minister
at Washington, and Count de Colobiano, Minister of the kingdom of
Sardinia. These gentlemen both impressed me with their quiet, easy
manner, and perfect freedom from all pretence. I went out with them,
to show them the Arched Rock, the Sugar-loaf Rock, and other natural
curiosities. At the Sugar-loaf Rock they got out of the carriage and
strolled about. The baron and count at last seated themselves on the
grass. The former was a tall, rather grave man, with blue eyes, well
advanced in years, and a German air; the latter, three or four
inches shorter of stature, with black eyes, an animated look, and
many years the junior.
4th. My children arrived at Mackinack this evening, from
their respective schools at Brooklyn and Philadelphia, on their
summer vacation, and have, on examination, made good progress.
7th. Albert Gallup, Esq., of Albany, lands on his way to
Green Bay as a U.S. commissioner to treat with the Stockbridges.
This gentleman brought me official dispatches relative to his
mission and the expenditures of it, and, by his ready and prompt
mode of acting and speaking, led me to call to mind another class of
visitors, who seem to aim by extreme formality and circumlocution to
strive to hide want of capacity and narrow-mindedness. Mr. Gallup
mentioned a passage of Scripture, which is generally quoted
wrong--"he who reads may run"--which set me to hunting for it. The
passage is "that he may run that readeth it."--HABAKKUK ii. 2.
10th. Mr. Stringham, of Green Bay, reports that he had
recently visited the scene of a battle or affray between the Sioux
and Chippewas, on Lake St. Croix, near the mouth of the St. Croix
River, Upper Mississippi. One or two Sioux, it seems, had been
killed by some thoughtless young men of a party of Chippewas, about
three hundred strong. This party encamped on the south shores of
Lake St. Croix. They were secretly followed by the Sioux, who,
watching their opportunity, fell on the camp while they were asleep,
near daylight. One hundred and twenty were killed in the onset. As
soon as the Chippewas discovered their position, and recovered their
self-possession, they rallied, and, attacking the assailants, drove
them from the field, killed twenty, and chased them to near their
village. Hearing of this, the captain of the steamer, on board of
which Mr. S. was, went into the lake, and they viewed the dead
bodies.
24th. Returned to Mackinack, after a trip of eight days to
Detroit. The Iowa papers give accounts of the recent shocking
murders committed by the Sioux. "We learn," says the Burlington
Patriot, "from Governor Lucas and another gentleman, who came
passengers on the 'Ione,' last evening, that two hundred and twenty
Indians were killed in the upper country about the 1st inst. The
facts, as they were related by a young gentleman who was at the
treaty, are as follows: The Sioux had invited the Chippewas to meet
them at St. Peter's, for the purpose of making a treaty of
everlasting friendship. The Chippewas assembled accordingly--the
pipe of peace was smoked--and they parted apparently good friends. A
large party of the Chippewas was encamped at the Falls of St.
Anthony, and a smaller party encamped on the St. Croix, on their way
home, without the least suspicion of treachery on the part of the
Sioux. While they were thus peaceably encamped, they were surprised
by the Sioux, who commenced their butchery. They immediately
rallied, but before the battle terminated the Chippewas lost one
hundred and fifty at the Falls and twenty on the St. Croix. The
number of Sioux killed on the occasion amounted to about fifty. We
do not much wonder at the hostility that has been exhibited by the
Sauks and Foxes against the Sioux, if this latter tribe has always
been as treacherous as they were on the above occasion."
Sept. 3d. A remarkable and most magnificent display of the
Aurora Borealis occurred in the evening. It began a quarter before
eight, as I was sitting on the piazza in front of my house, which
commands a view of the lake in front, and the whole southern
hemisphere. From the zenith points of light flared down the southern
hemisphere. The north had none. For five minutes the appearance, was
most magnificent. Streaks of blue and crimson red light appeared in
several parts. At ten minutes to eight, long lines began to form on
the east, then west, and varying to north-west, very bright, silvery
and phosphorescent. Before nine, the rays shot up from the horizon
north-east, and finally north--the southern hemisphere, at the same
time, losing its brilliance. This light continued in full activity
of effulgence to ten, and, after my retiring from the piazza, its
gleams were visible through the windows the greater part of the
night, till two o'clock or later.
11th. A chief from St. Mary's, called Iawba Waddik (Male
Reindeer), visited the office. This man's name affords an evidence
of the manner in which a noun or adjective prefix is joined to a
noun proper, namely, by the interposition of a consonant before the
noun, whenever the latter begins, and the former ends,
with a vowel. We cannot say, iawba-addik--male deer; but
euphony requires that, in these cases, the letter w should
precede, and soften the sound of the initial a.
This chief was first introduced to me in 1822. His tall and lithe
form, his ease of manners, and a certain mild and civilized air,
made me notice him. He turned out to be the youngest son of a noted
war chief, called the White Fisher--Wa-bo-jeeg. He had, however,
never been on the war path, but addressed himself early to the art
of hunting, in which he excelled, and furnished his family with a
plentiful supply of food and clothing. He had had twelve children by
one wife, giving an impressive lesson, that peaceful habits and a
plentiful supply of the means of subsistence, are conducive to their
usual results.
He is now about 45 years of age. The seventeen years during which I
have known him, have not detracted from his erect figure, his mild
and easy manners, or his docile and decidedly domestic disposition.
12th. The payment of the Indian annuities, which commenced on
the 3d instant, was continued till the 10th, and, skipping the 11th
(Sunday), finished this day. These payments were made as usual, in
specie, and per capita--man, woman, and child faring alike.
The annuities in provisions, tobacco, salt, &c., were, in conformity
with custom, turned over to the chiefs of bands in bulk; and by them
divided, with scrupulous care, among their people. The payments and
deliveries have engaged the whole force of the department for seven
or eight days, and have ended satisfactory to the Indians, who have
been subsisted, meantime, on the public provisions, without
trenching on their own stock.
13th. The Maumee Ottawas arrive at Louisville, Ky., on their
way to the west. Among this band there are two chiefs, Anto-kee, the
head chief, and Petonoquette, a much younger man. Anto-kee is a son
of the celebrated chief Tushquaquier, who was looked upon by the
Ottawas as the father of the tribe. Petanoquette is half French, son
of Louisan, a distinguished chief, who was killed, when Petonoquette
was a mere child, by that most barbarous and ferocious of all
warriors, Kish-kau-go, who afterwards committed suicide in the
Detroit jail, in which he was confined for murder. Anto-kee and
Petonoquette are represented as very good men, well informed, and
not much inclined to barbarity. The former is said to be a relative
of the great Pontiac.
14th. Leave Mackinack for Detroit.
27th. Return from an official visit to the office at Detroit.
30th. A London paper of Sept. 4th notices a brilliant display
of the aurora borealis and falling stars, on the same day of the
extraordinary display of the same kind, witnessed on this island.
The first impression in that city, was of a great fire in some
distant part of the city, there being, at first, a dense red light.
The difference between the two places is about 25 deg. of latitude.
Its commencement was about half, or three quarters of an hour later.
The editor says:--
"Between the hours of ten last night and three this morning in the
heavens were observed one of the most magnificent specimens of that
extraordinary phenomena--the falling stars and northern lights--ever
witnessed for many years past. The first indication of this singular
phenomenon was about ten minutes before ten, when a light crimson,
apparently vapor, rose from the northern portion of the hemisphere,
and gradually extended to the centre of the heavens, and by ten
o'clock, or a quarter past, the whole, from east to west, was in one
vast sheet of light. It had a most alarming appearance, and was
exactly like that occasioned by a terrific fire. The light varied
considerably; at one time it seemed to fall, and directly after rose
with intense brightness. There were to be seen mingled with it
volumes of smoke, which rolled over and over, and every beholder
seemed convinced that it was 'a tremendous conflagration.' The
consternation in the metropolis was very great; thousands of persons
were running in the direction of the supposed catastrophe. The
engines belonging to the fire brigade stations in Baker Street,
Farringdon Street, Wattling Street, Waterloo Road, and likewise
those belonging to the West of England station; in fact, every
fire-engine in London was horsed, and galloped after the supposed
'scene of destruction' with more than ordinary energy, followed by
carriages, horsemen, and vast mobs. Some of the engines proceeded as
far as Highgate and Holloway before the error was discovered.
"These appearances lasted for upwards of two hours, and towards
morning the spectacle became one of more grandeur. At two o'clock
this morning, the phenomenon presented a most gorgeous scene, and
one very difficult to describe. The whole of London was illuminated
as light as noonday, and the atmosphere was remarkably clear. The
southern hemisphere, at the time mentioned, although unclouded, was
very dark, but the stars, which were innumerable, shone beautifully.
The opposite side of the heavens presented a singular but
magnificent contrast; it was clear to the extreme, and the light was
very vivid; there was a continual succession of meteors, which
varied in splendor. They apparently formed in the centre of the
heavens, and spread till they seemed to burst; the effect was
electrical; myriads of small stars shot out over the horizon, and
darted with that swiftness towards the earth that the eye scarcely
could follow the track; they seemed to burst also and throw a dark
crimson over the entire hemisphere. The colors were the most
magnificent that ever were seen. At half-past two o'clock the
spectacle changed to darkness, which, on dispersing, displayed a
luminous rainbow in the zenith of the heavens and round the ridge of
darkness that overhung the southern portion of the country. Soon
afterwards, columns of silvery light radiated from it; they
increased wonderfully, intermingled amongst crimson vapor, which
formed at the same time; and, when at the full height, the spectacle
was beyond all imagination. Stars were darting about in all
directions, and continued until four o'clock, and all died away.
During the time that they lasted, a great many persons assembled on
the bridges across the river Thames, where they had a commanding
view of the heavens, and watched the progress of the phenomenon
attentively."
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Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the
Indian Tribes on the American Frontiers, 1851
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