The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-02-27


later years bad practice has obtained
among government agents, Of breaking
and creating chiefs at pleasure. To
such extent has this been carried, that
4 among this tribe there are now nearly
sixty chiefs; twelve years ago, there
1 we're but seven principal, and less than
i twelve sub-chiefs. The evil consequent
ces are visible in the envy and dissen-
sions engendered among themselves
i Frequently, chiefs have been created
through the influence Of traders; and, as
these feel bound to support the interests
Of the trader to whose Offices they are
indebted for their dignity, when the lat
ter disagree, the quarrel is transferred.
with increased acrimony, to the Indians.
The .Me-da-,re, or priesthood, interfere
but little in the civil polity of the tribe,
and are admitted to the national coun.
cils-not as class. but solely on per-
sonal considerations.
1t is to be regretted that the appropri-
alton of Congress to defray the expen-
scs of removal and subsistence Of the
Chippewas from the lands ceded by them
in Michigan and Wisconsin was not
made at day sufficiently early to war;
rant removal this fall. In these high
latitudes, the removal Of a whole people
after the first of November would be at
tended with much hardship, both to them
and to the employees attached to the
service; and the probability is, that &C.
tive measures will have to be suspended
until next spring.
Early in this year, however, plan of
removal was fully matured in this office,
and agents, ready for service at mo-
ment's notice, were designated to super
intend each band, and counsel and as
sist them upon the march. Provisions
for subsistence were placed at convent
ent points of depot upon the line; and, to
insure the greatest despatch, a gentle
man of great influence with the tribe was
appointed to superintend the removal,
and aid the sub-agent in the additional
duties thereby imposed. Should the de-
partment defer further action until spring,
1t is TO be hoped that We may still profit
by what has already been done.
Preparatory also to the removal, ear
ly in the summer, l visited the Ojibwa
country, for the purpose of selecting Il
suitable site for an agency. Composing
the party of exploration were Judge
Cooper, of the supreme court Of the Ter
ritory, J. S. Watrous, Chippewa sub
agent, Mr.. Warren, and other gentle
men. Our departure from ST. Paul oc-
Cured about the middle of June; and
from the Falls of ST. Anthony to Sauk
Rapids we enjoyed the accommodation
OF steamer.
The appearance Of the Mississippi be-
low and above the falls is entirely dis
similar. Below, the banks are bold and
! precipitous; above, the inclination is
gradual, with gentle ascent as far back
as the eye can reach. The country is
principally prairie, though well wooded,
and pretty well watered, either by bright,
beautiful, and gushing springs issuing
from the banks of the river, crystal
brooks coursing from the highlands, or
transparent and Iimpid lakes dotting the
plain. The prairie is fertile, undulating,
and broken here and there by green
groves of handsome oaks.
\ A'ohi Saun A>dptuS VIC JoufueJCu oJ
land to Crow Wing, at which point we
met the royagems who were to be Or
pilots above. Crossing the Mississippi
above Grow Wing, we directed our
course to Gull lake. In the centre OF
this lake is high conical pile of bouId-
ers, looking as if rolled up by the stud
led efforts Of art into kind of cone, up
l k,nh IL. l., ,cd ,,h = IL.
here, lay and hatch The lake abounds
in the choicest species of fish, and in the
vicinity are found sugar bushes and rice
fields.
I Traversing in our canoes this lake,
(which is about five miles in width and
twelve to fourteen in length, we entered,
after portage of mile and half,
Lake Siblcy; from thence, with port
age oftwo miles, we came to Spirit lake,
and followed an outlet from that into
Cooper, large and beautiful lake;
thence we passed through White Fish
lake, and up Pine river to rapid stream
which we named Stanley river. The
wood upon this river is pine, oak, ma
pie, birch, sc. The shores are fertile;
AuC "oltf PoiSt Uut vi SISut uHUVA Npt-
or, occasioned by the immense pine for
ests through which it runs. From this,
after making several short portages, and
crossing number of small lakes, we
came to Sa-na-be lake. This is the
summit of the ganglionic chain Of lakes
which stretches over this country, and
abounds in the Indian edibles of fish and
rice. The margin is thickly tirnbered
with small trees of every variety, and in
the rear is fine natural meadow. Pass
ing over Little Boy lake, which is some
six or seven miles long and two wide,
and down Little Boy river, We entered
the great reserroir, Lecch lake.
This is very extensive sheet of wat
er, being about twenty-five miles in
length and from fifteen to eighteen in
width. Its shores have very crooked
outline, which, with its nine bays, give
it an oblong circumference of about one
hundred and sixty miles. Ice forms up
on it about the middle of November, and
leaves about the middle Of May. The