St. Paul daily globe., 1894-09-10

the germs of disease introduced among
their women by the voyageurs coui-
menced their downfall and destruction.
which may be characterized as silently
rapid and cOnciSely sure, can hardly be
made u question of dispute. Since that
fateful time when gioss appetites over
came nation OF warriors, the history
of the Ojibwa stands as one OF constant
and swift degeneration. with the eXcep-
tion OF what arresting and regenerate
influence Christianity has had upon
certain settlements. A degree of de.
cency has emerged from chaos where
Bishop Whipple and Rev. j. A. Gill
tllan have been able to reach and
Christianize these unfortunate people,
but even this class has the physical
taint OF their savage ancestors. and can
not stay the ultimate Obliteration of
these people of the woods.
Even now some Of the tribal Ojibwas
are seen to be bordering upon the
lowest types of humanity. They are
hlthy ana immoral to disgusting de-
gree. There are many "squaw men"
living among them. A ''squaw man" is
white man with long hair, seldom
uses razor il in the neighUOrhOod of a
liquor store; has a red nose, wears blue
overalls and n coarse shirt. He lives
with sQuaw as long rs both are salts
tied, and then each takes new partner.
He speaks the Ojibwa language. is first
class with birch bark canoe and uses
all the customs OF Semi-civiliZed natives.
Few blanket Indians remain. rs most
OF them reside in small houses, and are
Sutilclenily civilized to wear ordinary
clothing; yet those at White Earth
seem to be more prosperous and thrifty
than those on other reservations. The
inhabitants of one village at Winnibi-
goSlSh seem to live III abject poverty
and filtb. They live in bark houses,
and meal for fifteen or twenty will be
cooked in large pot out of doors, with
all that is to be eaten-fSh, flesh and
fowl-all boiled together with the
vegetables in the one vessel, with the
charms of cleanliness entirely absent.
The fire is replenished by a squaw
sitting on the ground. and when this
conglOmerate mess OF OJibwa bouillOu
is sufficiently boiled it is dished out
without the use of table or chairs. Men,
women and children miscelIaneously ap-
peaSe their hunger from the one COM
pounded articlesOt food. Obiivious to all
conditions save only the hunger to be
satisfied. However 1t Is well to give the
Cass Lake Ojibwas the credit of being
more cleanly and better civilized, as
observed by DR.. Young and others.
lHtIc Stcuu 10 UG dUOuI tuTGe cOIlul-
tions among the Ojibwas at the present
time. Those who have teams, small
farms and houses, and who live perma-
nently in one place: those who have
houses and cultivate grounds, but still
use the canoe in search of game, rice,
berries and fish, and those. who border
very nearly on the use OF the blanket
and tepee.
Many other items of interest were
CLEANED in conversation with the ex-
plorerS concerning discoveries made in
the region ot.the source of the MiSsiss-
ippi river. Much might be said of
beautiful lakes, and especially of Sandy
lake, probably the most beautiful of the
lakes in the state. Its scenery is said
10 far Surpass that Of Minnetonka.
Much more might be added concel ming
the Indians of the northern part of the
state and their wild habits, but that is
reserved for future communication.
Ii. b. n.