Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-08-30
THAT TRIP.
An Indian village-Crooked River
and Lake.

About one mile up the shore of Burt
lake from where the Solid Comforts"
were encamped, is an Indian village, and
one forenoon of our STAY was mainly Oc-
cupied i'm a visit of curiosity with them.
They are lingering remnant OF the
once powerful OttawaS, and number
about one hundred, of whom the larger
proportion are of mixed blood. The men
were ready to answer questions. but vol
| unteered very few remarks. The 'vll-
lage" consists of few small houses and
out buildings, church, school house
and burying ground. A general air of
thriftlessness was over all, much Of the
land once cleared had been suffered to
go back to a state of nature, and it was
problem to us how some of them made
out an existence. They gave as the reason
for neglecting to improve the land, that
it had been decided to the governor
of the state in trust for the tribe, which
prevents individual ownership; nearly
three hundred are included in this grant,
the deeds or patents, signed by James X.
Polk. President of the q. s., one OF them
brought out for us to examine. Some OF
them, therefore, have taken hOmesteads
farther back, which they are farming
after their style. p -a 'i'-.5 D". y
1t is some fifteen years since they
have given up their tribal relations, but
"Chief Joseph" is still their head man.
We found him quite intelligent, rather
shrewd, but quite suspectible to fiattery.
He is the owner of considerable proper
ty, and has one farm with clearing of
perhaps thirty acres, in meadow, wheat
and corn, on which is erected a we'll
built twO-story frame house, just ready
for occupancy, all the work on which was
done by indian mechanics. Joseph has
| been town treasurer for several years. He
presented us his autograph Joseph W.
Webwetam" written on birch
bark. Only once was Joseph betrayed
into showing any curiosity or surprise:
noticing fine meerschaum pipe that
one of the party was smoking, he asked,
'HOw much you pay for himw and
when informed it was purchased In
Germany, but would sell in this country
| for about fifty dollars, exclaimed, "As
much as one of my pOnies!" He proud was
to tell us he was of pure blood.
We were much interested in visiting
their church. They are all Roman Cath
Olics, being descendants of those who
were early converted by the French Je-
suit missionaries. The church has a
very old appearance, never having re-
ceived any paint, and the floor being un-
even from the decay that is well pro-
gressed. The walls are Ornamented
with small cOlOred prints, representing
| scenes i'm the life of our Lord, while the
alter was gotten up with considerable
| display. Just over the door on the out
side hangs bell. In this church Chief
| Joseph each Sunday reads the mass
on which all who are able regularly at
tend, while about once in four months
they are visited by priest from Traverse
City, who administers the sacrame1ts
hears their confessions, &c. One OF the
young men brought out prayer book
in their own language and read from ii
at our request. On the Sunday before
several went up from camp to attend
church, but they would not ring the
bell or hold service while they remained
/ We learned by inquiry from several of
their white neighbOrs that their reputa-
ton for truthfulIness and honesty was
most excellent. A public school is kept
up for them. 1920.
| Opposite the church is a small bury.
ing ground, thickly planted with graves
Il A WOOutIl CIOSS was db tllo HCdu VI HlOSt
of these, while upon all was an upright
stick bearing in the form of circle
rather crude representations OF flowers
made eff different cOlOred cloths, and
with strips of bark. These gave the
grounds very singular appearance
They are annually renewed on the first
day of November, which is kept as a
holiday by them, and we were Informed
that this was not a custom introduced
| by the ROmish priests, but was one OF
the ancient practices of their OWL
people, handed down by example and
tradition from time immemOriul. ..'
| There are other of their native Gus
, toms, also, which they continue to OBJ
serve, besides keeping the various holy
:. days of their church. They love to have
Il big feasts. Chief Joseph gives several
tOf these during the year, not cOnfnine
his invitations alone to the Indians; and
it is a grave of Offense if any who art
hidden remain away without sending
a sufficient excuse. At the first of these
i'm the fall, a large cake is prepared
containing three small coins, which il
cut and handed around among the men
Those who get the pieces containing tn,
coin have each to spread feast for al
during the ensuing winter. If one falls
to poor man, those who are more able
aid him in providing a suitable enter
J tainment.
| These beautiful inland lakes will
their connecting streams, must have
been favOrite resort for their fore
fathers-a type of that happy hunting
ground which constituted their vision
of the blissful hereafter. As they were
occasionally seen to silently paddle by
i'm their dug out canoes, keeping close
to the shore, it was easy for imagination
to re-peOple all this region with it:
+ earlier inhabitants, and to recall tht
many legiOns about them which in NOR,
youthful days we SO delighted in pc
rusing.
+ We left camp on the afternoon Of the
day before it was to be broken up, and
accompanied by two of the club, startet
{ for PetOskey on the same boat that hat
brought us from ChebOygan. Our leavin,
was among the hearty good wishes O
all, and was followed with loud cheer
. as the Belle again got under way. Tn
connecting link between Burt lake an,
: Crooked klake is Crooked rivera narrow
l swift-running stream, rightly named
! as the captain said we would ad
+ NIT. Its turns and twistings ar
frequent and sharp, requiring in
number of places that the bow 0
: the boat be pushed off the banl
e into the channel with poles, which Onl
I added variety to the journey. Through
portion of the way there is marsh
land ON either side, from which cram
: would. occasionally start, and with it
j long legs to the rear slowly flap his grea
q wings and sail away, or wild duck 0
other bird demand our attention. Duck
u are very plenty at tcertain seasons. Whit
70 water lilies grew just beyond reach, bu
warned by the captains recital of sa