Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-09-24
Palmyra, Sept. 19th,, I845.
Correspondence of the Sentinel.
VIM: N. MER WIN
MAcKINAC, Sent. d. 184

~ mAChiNAC, oepI' 4, 1870
JMy. Dear Sirs:-In three or four days will
: be distributed to the Indians now collected
n and collected here, twenty eight thousand
e dollars, in specie. Waiting this payment
the wigwams of about 5000 Indians are pitch.
{; ed along the shore and among the houses Of
the inhabitants. 1t is supposed that the
: whole number. when all the bands come in,
will be about 5000, consisting of the North>
ern and Southern Chippeways, and Southern
Ottoways. The Northern Ottoways are paid
at the Sault Ste. Marie. Many of the Squaws
As soon as their barAs touch the sand, are
cheerfnlly greeted by their white relations en-
the island, and kisses, and warm salutations
are exchanged. The payment seems to be a
time for annual family gatherings among MAJ
ny Of the Indians and whites. The half and
fractional breeds, should think about as nu.
mcrous as either Of the two original races.
The "Treaty time," as it is here called, is
the harvest season of Macklnac. Besides Tn. |
dans, the whites from all the shores, islands,
and rivers, both sides of the boundary in this
region, who have had any deal with the In.
dams, come here to secure their pay; and such
as carry on no honest trade with them. but
are skilled in devising ways and means to
cheat, and defraud them, are here in scores.
Inc Inhabitants, and traders, on this island.
nave served an apprenticeship, and are pro.
ilclents IN the ''art and mystery" of fleecino
the whole. But this is not ali. or ali The
places ever visited, this is the best to soc
"a little of every thing" Here is sometime
more than "a confusion of Language" All ,
me plains OF Shinar never witnessed what ia 8
now here being daily exhibited in one street. .
aefe a: Is confusion Of COLOR and creeds-of =
Cpoways, and Jews, 'parlez vous," and Che,
Mohe emon. Members of Congress, and I
: sMexlcan Ministers, invalids, travellers. ira. f
.eIs' troops, miners-of the fashionably. and Il
lsny; Oh buckskin, and broadcloth, blankets. p
usties' ePau!etts, earbells, Reveilles, wells. =
.ahnhees' billiards, barracks, and blacklegs- a
.he. rich and poor, savage, civilized, SAINT p
na sinner. Now there is display at the "
arrlson, and now fight in the streets: now o,
steamer unoads motley crowd al the liz
.narls' now Indians call public attention to y,
he OF their national dances-nov row y
hong the wantons and now a rush to mass. &c
"a me confessional. In fine here is Babel qr
!. aone; or rather carrying on business in -
partnership with Bedlam, under the firm of .Je
eoe, bedlam Il Go. one of their main OBJ.
US oelng TO create most perfect msun, 49,
'rstandlng with reference to the usual OBJ, I'M
lvances o: day, and night. do not intend all
n make any unfriendly allusion to the reg- m,
US exercises which are mingled in among he
!, otner houriy exhibitions which may be do
messed. There seems certainly to he oe
me necessity for the care of the souls here POI
hgtegated, from almost every nation and de;
lgue under heaven; and the Catholics an. vol
a. 20 ieel 1t more sensibly than any other vol
domination. If the bishop should see f;t A.
use , for his text next Sabbath the old and it -
ul'ar passage, "wbere the carcass is," &c. t,'e
wouid md an abundance of illustration M
10 sne present appearance of Mackinac. the
.hs We 'hanner IN which the money intended wh
ine oeneht OF the Indians, and in payment ,yo
e"elf 'angs Is expended upon Indian dor Loa "o
u' ,;nS anu oormltory keepers, and other uel' "
',.e; ea suo agents, if correctly informed, is Eas
efVlng OF the severest censure. tiop
side from what public funds, of some kind nre
zone Tor Macklnac, the town presents n Co.
gre appearance. 1t would be bnt . n,ara o'a
ing village. There would be but littla laf, yea
'e credited to the enterprise of the r;nhab; the
81 81 am IN mistaken ifthe friends Of Missions. sucf
1ne war Department at Washington. have as II
ecuy understood the manner In which "
money has been appropriated. There A
race of men acclimated to this region md ~
raI'zed among the Indians, who have for ~"
en-, II they ever possessed, MANY of the talns
'iples Of justice, law and honor: and md phia
'e pursuit of wealth. and mode of Traffic 81
q meet the summary punishment thew Bost
!, were i. not for aua"k, ,he t,o ana scalping Com
IA TO protect them. This post. somo orig
waters since, was garrisoped only With with
seant v few men; and the alarm of ~. betv
1S' ana the stories Of the gathering Of ziI. c