The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-02-20

yearly obliged tog traverse hundrc1s Of
miles. The 6ub-Agency, also, which
had been located at Grow Wing, was
from this time discontinued, and, Us a
natural sequence, the vigilant supetvis-
ion of governmcnt~o then. much de-
ranged.
la this state they continued up to the
convention ut Fond du Lac in 1917,
wherein they sold to- the United Suites
the country at present occupied by the
Winnebagoes. They also in this treaty
stipulated for an agent to reside among
them, and for the payment Of their
share of annuities upon the Mississippi
A farmer and blacksmith have beeis al
lowed them, and for two years pack
they have of their own accord rcserved
from their annuities one thousand dol
lars per annum for an agricultural
fund. A farm last year was located at
Gull Lake, in tract covered with a
heavy growth Of maple timber; and the
lower hands of this division, who had
been accustomed to rove over ceded ter
ritory and Sioux lands, have beer in
duced to move to Gull Lake, and com
mcuce farming. They have become
convinced of the necessity Of agricul-
ture; and many families, who heretofore
had never planted potato or grsGn of
corn, have now little patches of cultiva-
ted ground, from which they raise al
most enough for their winter support
During planting time last spring, they
procured liquor from .ceded lands below
Fort Gaines; and, on account of a sud
den inroad of the Sioux, which resulted
in the death Of favorite son of ole OF
their chiefs, the war fever ragged fierce
ly, causing them to neglect farming OPP
erations. Notwithstanding these d:sad-
vantages, over one thousand bushels of
potatoes have been raised tais season at
Gull Lake, and a respectable quantity
OF corn, turnips and pumpkins. There
are five chiefs residing here with their
bands. The advantages attached to the
location are not sufficient to accorumo-
date them all, and another farm Should
be opened in the spring either on Long
or Mite Fish lake.
The Mile Lac band number about
three hundred Being removed forty or
fifty miles from any white settlement,
and possessing a lake Astounding in fish
aud wild rice, and bCrdered by. extern
sive maple groves, they live amid great
err plenty than any of their surrounding
brethren.
The Rabbit river band, numbering
over one hundred, are anxious to be-
come farmers. Last spring they eager
ly awaited themselves of tools and ;seed
furnished from the agricultural fun.
The Sandy lake band number about
three hundred. For the last five years
they have been allowed farmc. and
blacksmith, and among them is mis-
sion house. Notwithstanding these ia
vors, they have not improved. Their
location is blessed with few natural adj
vantages; the lake affords no rcef and
but few fish. The occasional AoSdir q
of their fields by the Mississippi has dis.
cOuraged them, and their farm for two
years passed has been discontinued.
For two years their rice crops have
failed, and the majority OF this oand
have passed the winters in the VICINITY
Of Grow Wing and Fort Gaines, on ce-
ded lands, hunting and begging tor a
living
| The Piiiagers--This branch Of the
Chippewa tribe resides on unceded
lands in Minnesota, west of the MISS
sippi. They number one thousand and
fifty, and have their villages at Leech
and Ottertail lakes. They are called
.Mak-un-dua n-in-e-tcing, or the MEN
who take by force" Only in theii- dis
tinctivc name do they differ iro4, the
Chippcwas of the Mississippi and lake
Superior; they spring from the same
stock, speak in every respect the same
language. They were invited to the
treaty at St. Peters in 1887, and made
parties thereto--their chief. Fiat .I0uih
being the first to affix his signature but,
through the caprice and injustice Of the
other bands, the Pillagers have been
refused their share in the annuitie.s &C
cruing under the treaty. This bad faith
has created breach between thers and
their brethren ofLakc Superior and the
Mississippi; and it will be extremely diff
cult to persuade them to coalesce: with
the latter, and hold with them, as r.lutu-
al advantage dictates, lands in com
mon.
The Pillagcrs own in their own fright
a tract of country four hundred miles in
area, interspersed with innumes'able
fresh water lakes, which abound in fish
The region has been well suited tojtheir
rowing modes of life; but, as the ami
mails which are valuable for food or furs
have receded, the hunters seek their
game upon the lands Of the Sioux. i:
In 1917, they ceded by treaty about
six hundred thousand acres of their best
hunting ground as home for the Me-
nomones For this they annually re-
ceive for five years stated amount OF
goods, averaging about three dollars
per head. The insigni6cance of this an
;. nuity causes ilkwill among themselves,
and dissatisfaction with government
They evidently misunderstood the terms
of the treaty; and feeling of distrust,
even Of hostility, is generating in their