The Princeton union., 1902-08-28

ana LQo OLler s'haLQlO. " II IleSe me-
moirs contain the results of explora-
tions by Mr.. Brewer in the region of
the big lake and are valuable part of
the history of northern Minnesota.
Kathio afterwards became the battles
ground between the Ojibway and the
Sioux where the latter we're van
quished and driven forever from north
ern Minnesota -
Hon. VIM. W. Warren, himself an
Ojibway Indian, whose ancestor, Rich
ard Warren, was one of the Mayfower
pilgrims, wrote a very interesting his
tory of the Ojibways in which is given
an account of how the war between the
two races of Indians at Mile Laos lake
occurred. The story of the great In
dian conflict is an interesting one, as
the result of this battle marked the be-
ginning of the reign of the Ojibway in
northern Minnesota. -,
This battle occurred about 1850.
For years prior to that time the Ojib-
ways and the Sioux band visited back
and forth between Mile Lac and Lake
Superior and they were on the best of
terms. An Ojibway and Sioux brave
became enamored of a beautiful Sioux
or Dacotah maiden who chose the Ojib-
way lover. This incensed the Sioux
who shot his Ojibway rival. This did
not result in immediate war and not
until the Sioux had murdered the four
sons of an Ojibway at the Indian vii
lage of Fon du Lac did the Ojibway
make war on the Sioux, who occupied
three large villages, one at Cormorant
point where Vineland is now located,
another at the outlet to the lake and
third short distance south. The
Ojibways had provided themselves
with guns and ammunition which they
secured from the white mon at the head
of the lakes, and when they fell upon
the Sioux at Mile Lac and threw pow
der into the camps of the enemy and
sent bullets into them, the Sioux
stampeded and retreated down the
Rum river and never returned to
make the lake their home again. The
Sioux and the Ojibways remained
enemies until the war of the rebellion
when the Sioux chief, Little Grow, and
the Ojibway chief, Hole-in-the-Day, de-
cided to unite and massacre the white
settlers throughout the State, but the
band of Ojibways at Mile Lac lake re-
fused to go on the war path and thus
saved the lives of hundreds of settlers
in northern Minnesota.
In 1868 and 1864 when the govern
ment made treaty with the Chippe-
was or Ojibways and they were given
reservations, the government, mindful
OF the friendly acts of the Mile Lac
Indians, stipulated in the treaty that
the Mile Lac Indians could remain on
the reservation so long as they did not
molest the whites or the property of
the white settlers. The Mile Lac In
dians were thus given absolute possess
sion, Notwithstanding they did not
possess a quit claim deed to the same,
and were allowed to reside on the land
so long as they remained peaceable.
But subsequent dealings with the Mile
Lac Indians has been one long chap
ter OF misrepresentation and broken
promises on the part of representatives
OF the government. The Indian was
given what might be termed '''jolly
and knock down. all at the same
time. The word Ojibway means
shrunken and in it's relations and deal
ings with the Mile Lac Indian the
government has certainly contributed
IN large measure to the shrinking
process. In the cyclone of civiliza-
tlon the Indians of the whole country
have been scattered and extinguished.
1t could not be otherwise, and the In
dian has drifted with the tide. Tie
Mile Lac Indian is no exception to the
rule, but the fact that the government
made them a special pledge makes
their case little more conspicuous.
At the time of the treaty of 1864
Mile Lac lake was in the picturesque
solitude of Nature, and was surrounded
by majestic growth of white pine,
and along the banks of Rum river
dense growths of white pine stood in
silent grandeur. AS time went on and
the white man and the lumberman be-
gan cutting their way through the
forests the extensive growth of white
pine began to be coveted, and soon it
was not matter of coveting the pine,
but it was matter of getting it, and
despite the governments pledge pine
land syndicates and settlers were al
lowed to go on the reservation and
take up land. AS soon as the civiliza-
tion flash light revealed the pine
treasures then began the series of