The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-28
THE NAVIGATING MIAMIS
INDIANS OF THE WABASH REGION
ONCE PRACTICED CANNIBALISM.
Tribal Feasts Made on Such Occasions
Privilege Descended to Ger
tain Families.

Over sixty years ago the writer was
resident Of Fort Wayne, Ind, near which
place the remnant of the Miami tribe of
Indians were living upon their reservation.
Fort Wayne was the principal trading
point and had been the seat of government,
so to speak, of the Miamis from time i'm
memorial. Here also lived many Cana
dams, retired French traders and aged
voyaguers, from whom the writer OBJ
tanned fund of information regarding that
once powerful and influential confederation
Of Indians. One OF the most interesting
facts that had Investigated was the
charge that prior to the beginning Of the
last century there existed society of saw
ages among the Miamis known as the
''man-eaters"-those that Toasted upon the
bodies of prisoners of war burned at the
stake.
During the time that / resided In Fort
Wayne had often seen a very old. shriv
eled-up squaw a repulsive-looking crea-
ture. who. it was said. was descended from
the family of man-eaters.
remember one Sabbath afternoon, in the
month of September. 1886. while taking
stroll with my aged friend. John Battiste
Bruno. an old French engage and Indian
trader, then at least eighty years old. a
very intelligent man, having been educated
for the priesthood and possessing an
extraordinarily good memory; we had
reached a beautiful spot. a small grove that
skirted the banks of the ST. Joseph river, a
mile above the town. Seated upon a log on
the elevated bank Of the stream he gave me
thrilling description of the terrible defeat
1871. He, was spectator Of this engage
ment. so sanguinary and disastrous in its
results. While talking, canoe with sew
eral Indians in it was passing down the
stream. On discovering Bruno the canoe
was headed for the shore, landing at our
feet, and I at once recognized that same
disgusting old hag of a squaw as one
of the party. After a short talk with Bruno
they turned into the stream again and
passed on to the town.
A CANNIBAL FAMILY.
I then told my companion the oft-repeated
story that had heard regarding this wom-
an. He said it was true; that he had
known her for forty years; that she was
| the only daughter Of white Skim" the last
head of the family of man eaters.
ct knew her father when I first came to
| this part of the country to trade with the
| Indians. in no. continued Bruno. white
| Skin at that time said to be near a
hundred years old, and no doubt 1t was
| true, yet he was an active, industrious
man, possessed Of a very retentive memory.
| The family. during the time that / knew
| them, consisted of the old man, an aged
son and this daughter. They resided on
Eel river, some distance west of the Tur-
| tie village the home of the great war chief
| of the Miamis, Little Turtle, and about
| thirty-five miles northeast from Fort
| Wayne. They were known far and near
as the man-eating family. They hadn't any
| friends that 1 knew of, with one exception,
and that was Father Baden, French
missionary, for many years in this section
of the country. He frequently visited them
and helped them when they were in want
They lived very secluded lives. The In
| dams seemed to shun them.
1.-The old man and his family manufac-
tured buckskins, were tanners. or dressers
of deerskins. They exceled in that bust
ness. For a number of years traded with
them, purchasing their skins for the De.
| troit market, where 1 found ready sale
| for them. 1t was in this way that became
1
orally went to their camp to make my pur-
| chases and often had to remain over night
at their hut. But 1 seldom partook of my
meals with them, for they were too filthy
in their manner of living, and were too FOND
| of dog meat to suit me, although 1 had
from necessity, often eaten dog meat, but
| it was prepared In different manner from
the way they served it.
| ST found the old fellow had no reluctance
to talk about the man-eating charges made
against him, particularly with me. ha6
| gained his entire confidence. Having heard
so much about this dreadful organization
| when 1 was a small boy, I remember
dreaded to have my father leave home t
| go among the Miamis. He was trader al
this point before 1 was born. When HI
died took his place, and continued righ
along until a few years ago.
my good friend Pierre Beaubien, of De
troit, had requested me, at the first oppor
tunity I would have, to get from White
Skin history of the man-eating order (ht
| wanted it for the Historical Society, which
| / did, as follows: One night-a beautiful
moonlight night-while seated upon tn
grass In front Of the bark hut smoking oul
kinnikinnic. the old man gave me the entire
history of that portion of his life connected
with the Order of Man Eaters And thi!
story 1 have written and told so often tina
know X by heart, as the schoolboys say
| have had to repeat ii to many of tn,
| great men of the land. Among the number
was Gen. Lewis Cass, General (or Gov
ernor) Harrison, when / was at Vincennes
also the French savant and traveller, Coun
Volney, who was visiting there.
A RELIGIOUS RITE.
white Skin said: To eat human flesl
was a religious rite conferred upon hi.