The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-16

Mr.. Sabin to enter the lands, but de-
MED knowing anything Of the status
of the Indians claim to those lands.
From the information he gave me at
that time, and judging from what
happened afterwards, I was satisfied
he was entirely ignorant of the way
Sabin had acquired the land, but he
said he would communicate with
Sabin, who was in Washington, and
have him notify the authorities as to
the state of affairs. He engaged me
at that time to look after the lands in
his interest.
Having been then assured that
the Indians were wrong and that the
government expected me to take pos
session of my claim and conform to
the land laws, I determined to return
to the lake. Being of rather a COM
bative nature and not knowing Of
what danger I was running into, I
bought fine Remington repeating
rifle and good supply of ammuni-
ton. I loaded my skiff at Soule's
stopping place and started up the
river, reaching the trading post two
days later, where I loaded my
outfit in my large bateau, and hav-
ing rugged mast with my tent for a
sail, I started for the outlet. It was
the first boat the Indians had ever
seen propelled by sail and they
gathered along the shore where they
were camped to see me 60 by, but did
not modest me until reached the out
let, which was then hardly a creek,
and I had to pole my way up to the
main lake for at least forty rods.
There had assembled at the point
where Daigle's store is now located
about three hundred Indians, it being
Shaw-bosh-kung's (the head chief's)
headquarters. When they saw my
sail coming they gathered along the
outlet, big and little, and seemed to
view me with curiosity until the old
chief put in his appearance. He could
speak English quite we'll and he in
quired where I was going. Of course
I explained to him 1 was going to
my claim about one mile from there.
He said something to the other In
dians in Chippewa and they immedi-
ately grabbed my boat and almost
pulled it out of the water. He ex-
planned to me that could not go to
stay there, that the Indians were mad
in fix and said I would 60 upon
an island, about two miles up the lake
and wait until the O-ge-man (their
name for the head many who was
coming from Washington. He agreed
to that and the Indians pushed my
boat off and I proceeded on to the
island, where put up my tents, and
as it turned out I was obliged to stay
for about seven weeks. Opposite this
island on the point of the main land
there was a large settlement of Indians
and the young bucks took particular
pains to fire over that way every day.
Several of their bullets went through
the top of my tent. This was kept
up until my patience was exhausted,
when I set my old Remington to work
and shot an Indian through the leg.
This brought the old chief over to see
what was the matter. I showed him
the holes through my tent. He i'm
mediately returned, and from the
beating of the tom-toms I knew he was
calling a council. From that time
until I was visited by Judge Wright I
was not molested further. He came
accompanied by the Indian agent and
squad of Indian police with an
order from the Indian department. to
remove any whites he found occupying
the reservation. But on showing him
my homestead papers he said that
superseded his authority. He said
that the government officers, having
taken my money for this land,
were in honor bound to protect me.
However. he claimed that the Indian
department was not aware of any fl
ing being made when he left Washing
ton, all he could do was 10 call the
Indians together and instruct them to
leave me, or any others who had
straight flings,~ alone. This he did
and held a council for seven days at
the outlet, where at least fifteen hun
dred Indians had gathered. He finally
prevailed upon them to agree to let
the matter rest where it was until he
could return to Washington and COR
rect an affair which he assured them
was all mistake; that all settlers
would be removed by the government.
The chief Mah-eng-aunce, who claimed
the land I had filed on, positively re-
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