Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-09-22

cnolera MADE fearful havoc among the
laborers.
Fishing. the fur trade, and selling ar
ticles of Indian manufacture, form the
principal employments of the inhabitants.
The fishing, at the rapids. is done al
most entirely by the Chippewa Indians.
they only possessing the requisite skill.
Their mode of fishing is curious. Two
Indians take small bark canoe, and en-
barking below the rapids. they shove the
canoe up with poles right into the rapids.
when one stands up in the bow of the
boat, holding dip net. and looking
steadily into the water. The instant he
sees a fish or more than one, he drops
the net into the water, and as the boat
floats rapidly down the stream. drags the
net after him, and it is rare that he
brings it up without one or more fish,
Two white men could not stand up mo-
ment in one of these canoes, in smooth
water without getting a ducking, while
the Indians will fish in safety, for
months on these rapids where the waves
toss their light canoes about like feath-
ers.
The town seems to have been taking
Rip Van Winkle sleep for al least
century. The houses are mostly old
and dilapidated. and there is little evil
dence Of enterprise or prosperity in it, or
IFS vicinity. 1t contains about a thou,
sand inhabitants, Americans. (mostly Of
French and Canadian descent) Canadi-
ans and Indians, the latter predominant
ing. The town can boast of antiquity,
if nothing else. it being one of the old
est in the upper country.
Before the Pilgrims had landed from
the May Flower, at Plymouth Rock, a
mission had been established at this
place by the Jesuits, and at this day, the
Catholic church has more members here,
than all the Protestant churches com
bined. Bishop r + resides here,
his diocese reaching around the whole
of Lake Superior. He is one of the
most learned linguists of his age. is au.
thor Of the Ocbipwa Dictionary, Gram
mer, and several other works in that
tongue. There is also nunnery of the
Sisters of Mercy, and large Catholic
church. Also Baptist and Methodist
churches.
Near the town is Fort Brady, once an
important military post. and command
ing the St. Mary's River, but now va
cant and still. The sentinel no longer
walks his tiresome round, nor does the
reveille, at sunrise call the soldiers TO
parade. No stars and stripes ave from
the flag staff, but grass has grown over
its walks, and the barracks are decaying
and fast going to ruin. The stockade
encloses about six acres, and is made of
posts about twenty feet in heighth, point
ed at the upper end, standing close TO-
gether, with block house at the two
opposite corners. The block houses pro-
ject ten or twelve feet beyond the stock.
ade on each side, so that cannon point
ed from its embrasures command the
whole of the stockade, on every side
The Notifications are interesting as an
tiquities, but against modern military
science, would be of no avail whatever.
On the opposite side of the river is one
of the large depots of the Hudson Bay
Company. where they have ware houses.
a store, DC. On the day of our visit
there, two canoes manned by some
twenty Iroquois Indians had just arrived
with one of the Chief Factors of the
Company. his wife and two children,
from the Red River of the North. They
had come by Rainy Lake, Lake of the |
Woods, &C., and by portage to the wa
ters emptying into Lake Superior, hav-
Jog been Sc days on the route. The
camp equipage lay scattered on the |
wharf, Voyaguers, and Half Breeds were
walking around, with long boards and !
hair, compilations darkened with sun and
rain, until it was difficult to distinguish |
hem from the Indians themselves. The
assortment of goods in the store looked
strange to dweller on the Western Re
serve. There were snow shoes, Mecca
ins, Indian blankets, over coats with
FOODS and without buttons, boots OF half
AIMED OK hide, guns, pistols, tomahawks,
lnives, cord for fish nets, Indian leg gins,
read dresses for the squaws, rings for
he ears and noses. mixed with goods for
more civilized men.
George, an Indian famed for his skill
D plotting over the falls. with his son,
ONE IA years old, had rowed a party
# six. (including ourself,) over to the
Janada side, below the falls, in his ca
zoe, and having concluded 10 60 over
he rapids, we walked over the portage,
bout half a mile, while the Indians took
be canoe up the river. After we en-
arked, the canoe was rowed over to the
american channel, that being much the
sss dangerous. being least obstructed by
ocks. AS we nesred the rapids, the
snoe shot forward with great velocity.
he roar of the waters as they break
yer the rocks, which show their naked