History of the Discovery of the Northwest by John Nicolet in 1634 Part 4

Compare Shea's _Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi_, pp. 6 (note) and 268; Foster's _Mississippi Valley_, p. 2 (note); Schoolcraft's _Thirty Years with the Indian Tribes_, p. 220 and note.

Two definitions of the word are current--as widely differing from each other as from the one just given. (See Wis. Hist. Soc. Coll., Vol. I., p.

111, and Webster's Dic., Unabridged, p. 1632.) The first--"the gathering of the waters"--has no corresponding words in Algonquin at all resembling the name; the same may be said of the second--"wild rus.h.i.+ng channel." (See Otchipwe Dic. of Rev. F. Baraga.)

Since first used by the French, the word "Wisconsin" has undergone considerable change. On the map by Joliet, recently brought to light by Gravier, it is given as "Miskonsing." In Marquette's journal, published by Thevenot, in Paris, 1681, it is noted as the "Meskousing." It appeared there for the first time in print. Hennepin, in 1683, wrote "Onisconsin" and "Misconsin;" Charlevoix, 1743, "Ouisconsing;" Carver, 1766, "Ouisconsin" (English--"Wisconsin"): since which last mentioned date, the orthography has been uniform.]

[Footnote 59: "Si tost qu'on l'apperceut toutes les femmes et les enfans s'enfurent, voyant vn homme porter le tonnerre en ses deux mains (c'est ainsi qu'ils nommoient deux pistolets qu'il tenoit)."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1643, p. 3.

Du Creux (Hist. Canada, p. 360) has this rendering of Vimont's language: "He [Nicolet] carried in each hand a small pistol. When he had discharged these (for he must have done this, though the French author does not mention the fact), the more timid persons, boys and women, betook themselves to flight, to escape as quickly as possible from a man who (they said) carried the thunder in both his hands." And thus Parkman ("Discovery of the Great West," p. xx.): "[Nicolet] advanced to meet the expectant crowd with a pistol in each hand. The squaws and children fled, screaming that it was a manito, or spirit, armed with thunder and lightning."]

[Footnote 60: Synonyms: Ouinipigou, Ouinbegouc, Ouinipegouc, Ouenibegoutz--Gens de Mer, Gens de Eaux de Mer--Des Puans, Des Puants, La Nation des Puans, La Nation des Puants, Des Gens Puants.

By the Hurons, this nation was known as A8eatsi8aenrrhonon (_Relation_, 1636, p. 92); by the Sioux, as Ontonkah; but they called themselves Otchagras, Hochungara, Ochungarand, or Horoji.]

[Footnote 61: Champlain's map of 1632 gives them that location. La Jeune (_Relation_, 1639, p. 55) approximates their locality thus:

... "Nous auons aussi pense d'appliquer quelques-vns a la connoissance de nouuelles langues. Nous iettions les yeux sur trois autres des Peuples plus voisins: sur celle des Algonquains, espars de tous costez, et au Midy, et au Septentrion de nostre grand Lac; sur celle de la Nation neutre, qui est vne maistresse porte pour les pas meridionaux, et sur celle de la Nation des Puants, qui est vn pa.s.sage des plus considerables pour les pas Occidentaux, vn peu plus Septentrionaux."

"We [the missionaries] have also thought of applying ourselves, some of us, to the task of acquiring a knowledge of new languages. We turn our eyes on three other nations nearer: on that of the Algonquins, scattered on every side, both to the south and north of our great lake [Huron]; on that of the Neuter nation, which affords a princ.i.p.al entrance to the countries on south; and on that of the nation of the Puants [Winnebagoes], which is one of the more important thoroughfares to the western countries, a little more northern."]

[Footnote 62: Fox river heads in the northeastern part of Columbia county, Wisconsin, and in the adjoining portions of Green Lake county.

Flowing, at first, southwest and then due west, it approaches the Wisconsin at Portage, county-seat of Columbia county. When within less than two miles of that river, separated from it by only a low, sandy plain--the famous "portage" of early days--it turns abruptly northward, and with a sluggish current, continues on this course, for twelve miles, to the head of Lake Buffalo, in the southern part of which is now Marquette county, Wisconsin. It now begins a wide curve, which brings its direction finally around due east. Lake Buffalo is merely an expansion of the river, thirteen and one-half miles long and half a mile wide. From the foot of this lake, the river runs in an irregular, easterly course, with a somewhat rapid current, to the head of Puckaway lake, which is eight and one-fourth miles in length, and from one to two miles wide. At the foot of this lake there are wide marshes through which the river leaves on the north side, and, after making a long, narrow bend to the west, begins a northeast stretch, which it continues for a considerable distance, pa.s.sing, after receiving the waters of Wolf river, around in a curve to the southeast through Big b.u.t.te Des Morts lake, and reaching Lake Winnebago, into which it flows at the city of Oshkosh.

The river leaves Winnebago lake in two channels, at the cities of Menasha and Neenah, flowing in a westerly course to the Little b.u.t.te Des Morts lake, and through the latter in a north course, when it soon takes a northeasterly direction, which it holds until it empties into the head of Green bay. The stream gets its name from the Fox tribe of Indians formerly residing in its valley. Upon Champlain's map of 1632, it is noted as "Riviere des Puans;" that is, "River of the Puans"--Winnebago river. The name Neenah (water), sometimes applied to it, is a misnomer.]

[Footnote 63: "Plus auant encore sur les mesmes riues habitent les Ouinipigou [Winnebagoes], peuples sedentaires qui sont en grand nombre."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1640, p. 35.]

[Footnote 64: "Tous ces peuples entendent l'Algonquin, excepte les Hurons, qui out vne langue a part, comme aussi les Ouinipigou [Winnebagoes] ou gens de mer."--Ibid.]

[Footnote 65: The Winnebagoes and some bands of Sioux were the only Dakotas that crossed the Mississippi in their migratory movement eastward.]

[Footnote 66: Says Vimont (_Relation_, 1643, pp. 3, 4): "La nouuelle de sa venue s'espandit incontinent aux lieu circonuoisins: il se fit vne a.s.semblee, de quartre ou cinq mille hommes."

But this number is lessened somewhat by the _Relation_ of 1656 (p. 39):

"Vn Francois m'a dit autrefois, qu'il auoit veu trois mille hommes dans vne a.s.semblee qui se fit pour traiter de paix, au Pas des gens de Mer."

"A Frenchman [Nicolet] told me some time ago, that he had seen three thousand men together in one a.s.semblage, for the purpose of making a treaty of peace in the country of the People of the Sea [Winnebagoes]."]

[Footnote 67: "Chacun des princ.i.p.aux fit son festin, en l'vn desquels on seruit au moins six-vingts Castors."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1643, p. 4.]

[Footnote 68: Shea ("Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley," p. 20) has evidently caught the true idea of Nicolet's mission to the Winnebagoes. He says: "With these [Winnebagoes] Nicolet entered into friendly relations."]

[Footnote 69: Synonyms: Ma.s.scoutens, Maskoutens, Maskouteins, Musquetens, Machkoutens, Maskoutench, etc. They were called by the French, "Les Gens de Feu"--the Nation of Fire; by the Hurons, "a.s.sistagueronons" or "Atsistaehronons," from _a.s.sista_, fire and _ronons_, people; that is, Fire-People or Fire-Nation. By Champlain, they were noted, in 1632, as "Les Gens de Feu a Bistagueronons" on his map. This is a misprint for "a.s.sistagueronons," as his "Voyages" of that year shows. I., p. 262 [272].

"The Fire Nation bears this name erroneously, calling themselves Maskoutench, which signifies 'a land bare of trees,' such as that which these people inhabit; but because by the change of a few letters, the same word signifies, 'fire,' from thence it has come that they are called the 'Fire Nation.'"--_Relation_, 1671, p. 45.]

[Footnote 70: Synonyms: Sauks, Saukis, Ousakis, Sakys, etc.]

[Footnote 71: Synonyms: Outagamis, Les Renards, Musquakies.]

[Footnote 72: The distance by days up the Fox river of Green bay from the Winnebagoes to the Mascoutins, is given in accordance with the earliest accounts of canoe navigation upon that stream. The first white persons to pa.s.s up the river after Nicolet were Allouez and his attendants, in April, 1670. That missionary (_Relation_, 1670, pp. 96, 97, 99), says:

"The 16th of April [1670], I embarked to go and commence the mission of the Outagamis [Fox Indians], a people well known in all these parts. We were lying at the head of the bay [Green bay], at the entrance of the River of the Puants [Fox river], which we have named 'St. Francis;' in pa.s.sing, we saw clouds of swans, bustards, and ducks; the savages take them in nets at the head of the bay, where they catch as many as fifty in a night; this game, in the autumn, seek the wild rice that the wind has shaken off in the month of September.

"The 17th [of April of the same year], we went up the River St. Francis [the Fox]--two and sometimes three arpens wide. After having advanced four leagues, we found the village of the savages named Saky [Sacs, Saukis, or Sauks], who began a work that merits well here to have its place. From one side of the river to the other, they made a barricade, planting great stakes, two fathoms from the water, in such a manner that there is, as it were, a bridge above for the fishers, who, by the aid of a little bow-net, easily take sturgeons and all other kinds of fish which this pier stops, although the water does not cease to flow between the stakes. They call this device Mitihikan ["Mitchiganen" or "Machihiganing," now "Michigan"]; they make use of it in the spring and a part of the summer.

"The 18th [of the same month], we made the portage which they call Kekaling [afterwards variously spelled, and p.r.o.nounced "c.o.c.k-o-lin;"

meaning, it is said, the place of the fish. In the fall of 1851, a village was laid out there, which is known as Kaukauna]; our sailors drew the canoe through the rapids; I walked on the bank of the river, where I found apple-trees and vine stocks [grape vines] in abundance.

"The 19th [April], our sailors ascended the rapids, by using poles, for two leagues. I went by land as far as the other portage, which they call Oukocitiming; that is to say, the highway. We observed this same day the eclipse of the sun, predicted by the astrologers, which lasted from mid-day until two o'clock. The third, or near it, of the body of the sun appeared eclipsed; the other two-thirds formed a crescent. We arrived, in the evening, at the entrance of the Lake of the Puants [Winnebago lake], which we have called Lake St. Francis; it is about twelve leagues long and four wide; it is situated from north-northeast to south-southwest; it abounds in fish, but uninhabited, on account of the Nardouecis [Sioux], who are here dreaded.

"The 20th [of April, 1670], which was on Sunday, I said ma.s.s, after having navigated five or six leagues in the lake; after which, we arrived in a river [the Fox, at what is now Oshkosh], that comes from a lake of wild rice [Big b.u.t.te Des Morts lake], which we came into; at the foot [head] of which we found the river [the Wolf] which leads to the Outagamis [Fox Indians] on one side, and that [the Fox] which leads to the Machkoutenck [Mascoutins] on the other. We entered into the former [the Wolf]....

"The 29th [of April of the same year, having returned from the Fox Indians living up the Wolf river], we entered into the [Fox] river, which leads to the Machkoutench [Mascoutins], called a.s.sista Ectaeronnons, Fire Nation ["Gens de Feu"], by the Hurons. This [Fox]

river is very beautiful, without rapids or portages [above the mouth of the Wolf]; it flows to [from] the southwest.

"The 30th [of April, 1670], having disembarked opposite the village [of the Mascoutins], and left our canoe at the water's edge, after a walk of a league, over beautiful prairies, we perceived the fort [of the Mascoutins]."]

[Footnote 73: Champlain's "Les Voyages de la Novvelle France," I., p.

262 [272], previously cited. Upon Champlain's Map of 1632, they are located beyond and to the south of Lake Huron, he having no knowledge of Lake Michigan. In his "Voyages," his words are: "Ils [the Cheveux Releves--Ottawas] sont la guerre, a vne autre nation de Sauuages, qui s'appellent a.s.sistagueronon, qui veut dire gens de feu, esloignez d'eux de dix iournees." Sagard, in 1636 ("Histoire du Canada," p. 201), is equally indefinite as to locality, though placing them westward of the south end of the Georgian bay of Lake Huron, "nine or ten days' journey by canoe, which makes about two hundred leagues, or more." He says: "Tous essemble [the different bands of the Ottawas] sont la guerre a une autre nation nommee a.s.sistagueronon, qui veut dire gens feu: car en langue Huronne a.s.sista signifie de feu and Eronon signifie Nation. Ils sont esloignez d'eux a ce qu'on tient, de neuf ou dix iournees de Canots, qui sont enuiron deux cens lieues et plus de chemin."]

[Footnote 74: Allouez (_Relation_, 1670, p. 99, before cited) is the first to give their position with any degree of certainty. Unless, under the name of "Rasaoua koueton," the Mascoutins were not mentioned by Nicolet, in the list given to Vimont (_Relation_, 1640, p. 35). The "R"

should, probably, have been "M," thus: "Masaoua koueton."]

[Footnote 75: Synonyms: Miamees, Miramis, Myamicks, Omianicks, Ommiamies, Oumis, Oumiamies, Oumiamiwek, Oumamis, Twightwees. As to their place of abode, see Shea's _Hennepin_, p. 258.]

[Footnote 76: Synonyms: Kikabou, Kikapou, Quicapou, Kickapoux, Kickapous, Kikapoux, Quicapouz, etc.]

[Footnote 77: The name of this river is from the Algonquin _missi_, great, and _sepe_, water, or river. The popular notion that it means "the father of waters," is erroneous.]

[Footnote 78: "Le Sieur Nicolet qui a le plus auant penetre dedans ces pays si esloignes m'a a.s.seure que s'il eust vogue trois iours plus auant sur vn grand fleuue qui sort de ce lac, qu'il auroit trouue la mer."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1640, p. 36.]

[Footnote 79: That such was the fact, and that he did not reach the Wisconsin river, is deduced from the language of the _Relations_; also, from a consideration of the length of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers below the "portage," where they very nearly approach each other; and from a study of the time usually employed, at an early day, in their navigation. It has, however, been extensively published that Nicolet did reach the Wisconsin, and float down its channel to within three days of the Mississippi. Now, Nicolet, in speaking of a large river upon which he had sailed, evidently intended to convey the idea of its being connected with "ce lac" (this lake); that is, with Green bay and Lake Michigan--the two being merged into one by Vimont. Hence, he must have spoken of the Fox river. But Vimont (_Relation_, 1640, p. 36) understood him as saying, "that, had he sailed three days more on a great river which _flows from_ that lake, he would have found the sea."

The _Relation_, it will be noticed, says, "had he sailed three days more," etc. This implies a sailing already of some days. But such could not have been the case had he been upon the Wisconsin; as that river is only one hundred and eighteen miles in length, below the portage, and the time of its canoe navigation between three and four days only; whereas, upon the Fox, it was nine days; six, from its mouth to the Mascoutins, as previously shown, and three from the Mascoutins to the Wisconsin.

The first white men who pa.s.sed up the Fox river above the Mascoutins, were Louis Joliet and Father James Marquette, with five French attendants, in June, 1673. "We knew," says Marquette, "that there was, three leagues from Maskoutens [Mascoutins], a river [Wisconsin] emptying into the Mississippi; we knew, too, that the point of the compa.s.s we were to hold to reach it, was the west-southwest; but the way is so cut up by marshes, and little lakes, that it is easy to go astray, especially as the river leading to it is so covered by wild oats, that you can hardly discover the channel."

That Marquette, instead of "three leagues" intended to say "thirty leagues" or "three days," it is evident to any one acquainted with the Fox river from the "portage" down; besides, the mistake is afterward corrected in his narrative as well as on his map accompanying it, where the home of the Mascoutins is marked as indicated by Allouez in the _Relation_ of 1670. See, also, the map of Joliet, before alluded to, as recently published by Gravier, where the same location is given. Joliet and Marquette were seven days in their journey from the Mascoutins to the Mississippi; this gave them three days upon the Fox and four upon the Wisconsin (including the delay at the portage). Canoes have descended from the portage in two days.

The _Relation_ of 1670 (pp. 99, 100) says: "These people [the Mascoutins] are established in a very fine place, where we see beautiful plains and level country, as far as the eye reaches. Their river leads into a great river called Messisipi; [to which] their is a navigation of only six days."

But the question is evidently settled by the _Relation_ of 1654 (p. 30), which says:

"It is only nine days' journey from this great lake [Green bay and Lake Michigan--'Lac de gens de mer'] to the sea;" where "the sea," referred to, is, beyond doubt, identical with "la mer" of Nicolet.]

[Footnote 80: "Or i'ay de fortes coniectures que c'est la mer [mentioned by Nicolet] qui respond au Nord de la Nouuelle Mexique, et que de cette mer, on auroit entree vers le Iapon et vers la Chine, neantmoins comme on ne scait pas ou tire ce grand lac, ou cette mer douce, ce seroit vne entreprise genereuse d'aller descouurir ces contrees. Nos Peres qui sont aux Hurons, inuites par quelques Algonquins, sont sur le point de donner iusques a ces gens de l'autre mer, dont i'ay parle cy-dessus; peut estre que ce voyage se reseruera pour l'vn de nous qui auons quelque pet.i.te cognoissance de la langue Algonquine."--Vimont, _Relations_, 1640, p.