The Coolidge examiner., 1933-08-11
> Al OE VI
MARQUETTE AT MACKlNAC

my visitor. answered that could not think o
going to the Sault so soon after the arrival oi
my clerks Finding himself unable TO prevail
with me, he withdrew for that day. but early
the next morning he came again, bringing with
him his wife and present of dried meat. Al
this interview, after stating that he had severa
packs of beaver, for which he intended to dea
with me, he expressed a second time his appre
tensions from the numerous Indians who were
around the fort, and earnestly pressed to
consent TO an immediate departure for the Sault
"As a reason for this particular request he as
sured me that all the Indians proposed TO come
in a body that day TO the fort to demand liquor
OF the commandant, and that he wished me to
be gone before they should grow intoxicated.
had made, at the period to which i am now re-
ferring, much progress In the language in
which Wawatam addressed me- as to be able TO
hold ordinary conversation In the language in
il; but the Indian manner OF speech is so ex-
travagantly fgurative that II is only for a very
perfect master to follow and comprehend II en-
tirely. Had | been further advanced In this re-
spect l think | should have gathered so much
information from this, my friendly monitor as
would have put me into possession of the de-
signs of the enemy and enabled me to save
others as well as myself; as 1t was, it unfortu-
nately happened that / turned a deaf ear to
long and patient, but Intellectual efforts, to
depart alone. with detected countenance and
not before they had each let fall some tears.
'srhe next day, being the fourth Of June, was
the kings birthday The morning was sultry.
A Chippewa came TO tell me that his nation
was going to play at baggatiway, with the Sacs,
another Indian nation. for a high wager. He
invited me to witness the sport adding that the
commandant was to be there, and would be on
the side Of the Chippewas In consequence Of
this information, | went to the commandant, and
expostulated with him a little. representing that
the Indians might possibly have some sinister
end in view; but the commandant only smiled
at my suspicious.
''The game of baggatiway which the Indians
played upon that memorable occasion is the most
exciting sport in which the red man could en-
gage 1t was played with bat and ball. The
bat, so-called, was about four feet in length and
an inch in diameter 1T was made of the tough
est material that could be found. At one end
it was curved and terminated in sort of rack
ct. or perhaps more properly ring, in which q
network of cord was loosely woven. The play
ers were not allowed to touch the ball with the
hand but caught 1t In this network at the end
of the bat AT either end of the ground a tall
post was planted. These posts marked the sta
ton of the rival parties, and were sometimes a
mile apart. The object of each party was to
defend its own post and carry the ball tC
that of the adversary.
"At the beginning of the game the main body
of the players assembled halfway between the
two posts Every eye sparkes and every cheek
is already aglow with excitement The ball is
tossed high into the air, and a general struggle
ensues to secure ii as it descends He who sue
ceeds starts for the goal of the adversary hold
ing it high above his head. The opposite party
with merry yells, swift to pursue. His course
from him. he throws it, as the boy throws the
stone from the sling as far toward the goal Of
the adversary as he can. An adversary in the
game catches IT, and sends it whizzing bach
in the opposite direction. Hither and thither Il
goes. now far to the right now as far to the
left: now near to the one near to the
other goal; the whole band crowdng continual
" after it in the widest confusion, until finally
some agile figure, fleet of foot than the
Others succeeds in bearing it to the goal of the
opposite party
"In the heat of the contest, when all are
running at their greatest speed, if one stumble
and falls, fifty or hundred, who are in close
pursuit and unable to stop, pile over him, form
ing a mound of human bodies, and frequentl!
PLAYERS are so bruised as to be unable to pro
ceed in the game.
This game, with its attendant noise and vic
lence. was well calculated to divert the attention
of officers and men and thus permit the Indians