The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-06-25
Farm Life Among the Chippewas.

The best sample of Indian farming around
Lake Superior is found on the Bad River
reservation, near the farther shore. The
point is reached by canoe navigation,
twenty miles south Of Bayfield,, the only
beautiful village on the whole lake borders.
There are two thousand Chippewas OH the
reservation, under eleven chiefs. The chiefs
are all stalwart men, of the ancient, Indian
esque type-streng-l imbed, open-faced, and
high-headed. They are evidently the pick
and best men of the tribe. Their great
orator, Na-gau-nup, is well known at Wash
ington. His three daughters would be
noticed anywhere for their beauty, intelli-
gence, and fine manners. Four-fifths of
the tribe wear citizens dress, and at dis
lance have the air of Canadian gentle
man.
A stranger visiting the reservation will
need the aid of pilot and oarsman. The
best to be had are two Chippewa women,
who will make the twenty miles distance
from Bayfield,, with neat strokes, in six
hours. Should the wind favor, they will
hoist sail, and 60 down in four hours, pass
ing the largest of the Apostle Islands,
where Catholic mission has been planted
for two hundred.
Bad River reservation takes in five or six
townships, each six miles square, along the
river. 1t is rich bettom-land, heavily tim
bered, and bearing striking resemblance
to the famous Miami Valley in Ohio. The
river is deep, clear, and winding. Wide
hay meadows and wild-rice marshes border
the mouth. Farther up, we open into a
thick forest of elm, ash, cedar, birch, bal
sam, maple, and aspen, with occasional
clumps of pine. The air hereaway is daz-
zlingly clear, and on a still day the river
shines like polished glass. The reflection
of the green jackets of the cedars and the
red caps Of the naples, on an autumn day,
puts all Mr.. Prang's chromes to shame
AS we approach the village, five miles up
the river, our fair ears-women, using the
river surface for a mirror, slick up their
canoe with the swiftness Of steamer.
The village proper takes in three hun
dred acres of level clearing, including six
acres of graveyard, populous with small
ceops and crosses There are two little
churches, Protestant and Catholic, school
house, Playhouse, Government farmhouse,
store, shops, and forty or fifty bark and
log cabins stretching for mile along the
grassy river bank. Here dwells the ancient
Ojibway. The scene presented of a pleas
ant Sunday afternoon, when half the tribe
have gathered the groups in motion and
at rest the variegated costumes of pagan
and Christian; old chiefs with pipes and
paper collars; old women Of seventy in the
dress of seventeen stylish young bucks !;
modest maidens, half-naked children, and
wolfish dogs, form picture and study
rarely equalled on city boulevards.
ONE ACRE ENOUGH.
The averaged-sized Chippewa farmer is
satisfied with an acre of clearing near the
stream. There are two hundred, perhaps,
of these farmers scattered along the reser-
walton. They are assisted in making clear
ings with Government oxen. The trees
are felled, trimmed, and the logs pulled
aside in the edge of the timber. Their
cabins of logs or cedar-bark usually occupy
the north side of the clearing. The bark
is double rowed, set upright, with sloping
roofs. The sides are supported and bound
fast with poles, cressways and perpsndicu-
lar, inside and out. They have little
square window at one end, and a door at
the side. The walls are mostly lined with
rush-mats. A little raised platform, foot
or so high, at one side, answers for bed,
table, and chairs. A little hammock
swung from the corners takes the place of
the cradle. In most cases, a cracked stove
of some sort is seen in the centre, with
retinue of pots and dishes, kept clean and
shining by the dogs.
The philosopy of the Indian is to have
enough for the present, to drudge little,
trust fate, and follow his nature. The
Chippewa farmer don't care to add to his
acre of clearing. He has no yards NO
fences. Indian dogs are guardians of the
cabin lot. A few have ponies, few oxen,
many COW and calf, and some a pig, but
never a hog. Their stock is driven down
to the lake-shore in summer, where they
find good pasture and relief from flies
The COW is sometimes kept about the cabin,
watched by children, and tied at night
They work their bulls and oxen singly,
using bend for a bow, with long thills
attached to each end with ring and bolt
They use them to pillow, and to draw up
hay and wood in winter. They have sell
dom a wagon-read their canoe is coach
and carryall during the reign of summer.
sUGAR-MAKING.
Every family has a separate sugar-bush,
of one or two hundred trees, which has
come down to them from former genera
ton. Sugar-making begins in April, and
is followed up with unlimited frolic and
feasting. The troughs are made of man.
keen-colored bark, folded at the end. Flat
spiles with creases are driven into chisel-
cuts made in the trees. The women do all
the work, gathering wood and sap on snow
shoes. The sap is boiled in long iron ket-
ties, hung in the centre of the camps
Sugar is king. Children kick about on
their bellies, daubing their faces with can
dy, and rolling on the snow. Young bucks
gorge themselves by day, and carouse about
with rattles and drums at night Old men
start out for ducks and musk-rats with a
big cake Of sugar in their sacks. When
dry the sugar is put in bark mococks hold
ing from two to sixty pounds. Many of
the smaller are ornamented with dyed por-
cupine-quills, worked into stars, flowers,
and various figures. Families make from
three to five hundred pounds each season.
They sell more than half to the traders,
and then buy it back by the pound at double
price.
PLANTING.
Planting comes on early in June, lasting
two days. 1t is a family affair, the women
and children turning out en- naasse. They