Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-01-21
LAST OF THE MOHICANS,
CAREER OF NAw-GAw-NEE, AN INDIAN
90 YEARS OLD.
He Knew Gen. Hull and Lewis Cass, He Says
"A Man Of Toad tional Endurance How
He Lost His Squaw = Tragic
Death Of H Sons

Death Oils Sons.
Peter Naw-gaw- nee, OF the Chippewa tribe
OF Indians, Is one OF tue last wing links con-
n citing the civilization OF the present with the
history Of the past. correspondent OF the
Detroit Journal visited the old man lew days
since, near Whiteville, Isabella county. BY
the OF Ju .ge Bennett and an Interpreter
the following sketth OF Naw-gaw-nee's lie
was drawn from him:
lie was the son of Sha-sa-boc (Timber-full-
of-holes), and was Torn near the site OF the
VI aye Of tc .tonyille at what was known
to the Indian. AS "Long Lake" near
the close of the last century. He knows this
because he was ID Yeas old when T,cu nseh
died; and as tn took place in 1913 he Is now
arl 30 years OF age. Sha-sa Doe wac noted
w4rriCr under Pontiac an participated with
b III n The siege Of Detroit, the ma sacros on
the Wabash, on the Mauner, the river Raj I'm
aud Bloody Jun. he was employed as spy
nj scout by the English in the warfare
again,C the F4ench previous to the revolution,
AID wa a. 1T We participant In the I ontler
war are UI that PERIOD. Daring the strugg c
o. 1sl2 he Was q firm and useful ally OF Ie-
cumseh and was present Mt the death Of that
Oh tain.
1t was durir & the bloody scenes of 1872 that
the young Naw-gaw nee began the remarkable
cdreet NV nearly closed. Being OF great
bravery and marvellous endurance, and wlthal
teet oi 10 lie was chosen 10 20 ON many
an important mission. Tecumseh' the re-
nowned chief OF the Shawnee, and his
prophet brother, had raised the war whoop
and sent around the war belt to all the
nSl5hb ring tribes, ur1ing them 10
on in conf dtracy against the whites.
Most of them o ned in the lea5ue, but tie
1eath OF their leader at the battle or the
Thames disorg anZed the banI and destroyed
their nope O. suect ss During this time Nav
gaw e was IRE ,uently at Detroit and knew
Gen. Hull, Lewis Cass and many Others whom
DC rem NIB % only by The names q ven them
ny tn ind ans. lie remembers HUI a. tall,
hne-loo ing man, lover of games, aud often
both u witness and he per in Indian sports.
One day a foot race was arranged between the
Guogees (Wyandots) and the Chippcwas In
answer to a challenge IRON the former, and
Gen. Hull seiected the 10y Naw-gaw-nee 10
run the race, which lie did, and won, RECEIVING
as his prize 80 and fine suit OF C o,hes.
After the settlement Of the war Nav gaw-nee
lived with his tr be at Long Lake, and became
as famous in the hunt as he had been as
scout lie could walk to his wigwam with
shoulders erect under the weight OF two deer
W thout fatigue. Bear, MODS; and elk were
plenty. aud often Tell b fore his gun About
| 80 he made trio alone 10 tie wet past the
sit of Chicago 10 the Grand River, Mississippi,
down to I Ohio up tie Naumcc TO his lone
without seeing trace OF whit men, hat
change could he take tn SAM trip now
One OF the pastim OF hi tribe vas wrest
Ing for the cham ionshp. Gathered on a set
day each OF the contestants stood by his post
or stoke, md as each was Ueit ated h post
was thrown down. Each was provided with
scalping knife in his belt and when angry did
no: hesitate TO use IL. one day says Nav
eaw-nec, brave became angry II his rival and
stabbed him in he neck SO that he died He
then stool at his post and erie q, "Nh) comes
neNt!' The next met the same late, and so
cid the next till eight had been slain, when
the chief appeared and stopped the carnage
Naw-gaw nee was PRESENT aud participated in
the treaties at DetIo and = nav, and often
met agents aud commissions OF the govern
ment as representative OF his 'trbe lie re,
members lass as q potly and bald-headed
man, kind t. the Indian in peace, but severe
in war, and Naw-gaw received many tokens
of his favor.
In ls4S the government gathered all the
scattered remnants OF the Pottawatomies
AID loo ted them on reservation In Nan
sas At this time the wife OF Naw-gaw-uee.
either having a trace of that flood in her
veins or for Sole other cause, became
frightened aud fcl to Canada, her
husband beng the meantime mploied III
he search for members OF the owing tribe.
He lei z thus engagt d for two wears she a
lowe he affect ons to rest upon anoihe', ana
he was iorcel In console h mseif with another
squaw. lie was a passenger on ihc Lewis
Cass on h. r first trip, ana sett ell "a lew miles
sOuthW e Of sag nav, where ne i've TILL 1874
when lie removed TO the Isabella iescrN alton
was CONVEX Cd 10 Christianity by the =. orts OF
a IN sSionary named snow, aud has sincc livol
quiet and peaceful fe. In lSS? two sons,
q | his family th,n living, oined COMPANY,
and went to Eu ope 10 exh b the manners
and cu.tpm- OF the North Amer can
nd an. aud hav ng spent succ ssfu
vcar were on their return home On board
the Scrvii when he was run into by tie
e. ia OF the banks of Newfoundland AMI
sunk b. tie rules Of the yessl those hold
ing first taJin tickets b ID the first chance Ot
being saved, the second class tickets had
second chance, AMI the steslage pa sengels
thirl chlnce. As n part OF The YES els DO Is
mad been de.troyod in tie coll on, only
art ~ her p ,ssengers couli be saved and
when the see ,ud-cinss was called The Indian
boys got III eio OFT Being steerag as en2ers
he al Ia n ord rel them To re Odt which
the dec nd To do. lie stcppy. aci on the
"" sci an &c ting O e boat ax spill the hea
Of one OF the int ans ut single niUw and the
OF or was thrown out aud drowned. Thus
tn last living rela i've of avg Iw-ne pase
from ear h and as tn. remnant OF bis u be Is
small and fast decreasing and ali II b Il rell-
ton are 10 t he Is virtusl!g the last OF the
Mohic n 81 II heat and robust, walks
with quici elastic ste >. w.tn form erect, and
a. a RAPID rate lie l. the owder OF u small
improved farm and comfortable Lolse.