Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the Indian Tribes On The American Frontiers Part 44

_Nov. 13th._ A remarkable display of the aurora borealis was observed last night. The Indians, who call this phenomenon _Jebiug nemeiddewaud_, or dancing spirits, describe it as radiating b.a.l.l.s, streams of fire or falling stars from the zenith into the lake.

Mr. Wm. Johnston, who was at Leech Lake, on the sources of the Mississippi, describes the changing phenomena as wonderful. "The weather," he says (13th Nov.), "is still very pleasant, with very little frost at night. About two or three o'clock in the morning one of the men came and awoke me. 'Come and see a strange sight,' he said. We went to the door, where we saw, every now and then, stars shooting or falling.

The centre from whence they first appeared to the eye was, to us, nearly in a direct line above our heads--from whence they went in all directions, to all points of the compa.s.s. Most all our village people were looking at them with fearful astonishment, and they were making their remarks as their feelings caused them. We went in the house, and each smoked his pipe, and we could not say much about the cause of what we had seen, but only expressed our astonishment to each other.

"Before going to bed, we thought we would take another look at the heavens. What a sight it was! The whole heaven appeared to be lit with the falling stars, and we could now more plainly see, as it were, the centre from whence they would shoot. The night was calm, the air clear; nothing to disturb the stillness, but the hushed breathings of the men.

The stars were accompanied with a rustling noise, and, though they appeared to fall as fast and as thick as hail, above them, now and then, we could see some of the fixed stars, s.h.i.+ning as bright as ever. But these (falling stars) appeared to be far below them. I can compare it to nothing more comprehensive than a hail storm. The sight was grand beyond description. Yet I must confess that my feelings were awed into a perfect silence. We stood and gazed, till we saw the bright streaks of day appearing, and the stars began gradually to be less in number, till the light of the sun caused them to disappear."

_28th_. I resumed the old traditions. Mrs. Michael Dousman observes that her father (McDonnel) came to the island, with the troops, in 1782. That the government house, so called, was then built, and a few other buildings, but nothing as yet had been done towards the present fort on the cliff. Gov. Sinclair, so called, was then in command. He was relieved that year by Captain Robinson.

She thinks the removal from old Mackinack must have taken place about 1778 or 1779, under Sinclair. The inhabitants transferred their residences gradually, bringing over the sashes and doors of their old houses and setting them up here.

After the ma.s.sacre, the troops remained some time. The Indians had not burned the fort.

Says that Wawetum, the Indian chief, became blind, and was burned, accidentally, in his lodge at the point (Ottawa Point). I had been inquiring about Henry's account of him.

The Indians at Mackinack, she says, opposed its occupancy. Things came to such a height in 1782 that Gov. Sinclair sent to Detroit for cannon.

It was a remarkable fact that the brig Dunmore, sent down on this occasion, was absent from the island but _eight day_, during which she went to and returned from Detroit, bringing the expected supply. She entered Mackinack harbor on the eighth day, on the same hour she had left it, and fired a salute.

Mrs. Dousman says that charges had been preferred against Gov. Sinclair (the term constantly used by the old inhabitants) for extravagance. He had, as an example, paid at the rate of a dollar per stump for clearing a cedar swamp, which is now part of the public fields.

Respecting the ma.s.sacre in 1763, she says that Mr. Solomons and a Mr.

Clark, the latter long resident with Mr. Abbot, were present.

_30th_. Mr. Abbot (Sam.) says he arrived at Mackinack in 1803. The government-house was then occupied by Col. Hunt. A man named Clark, who had formerly lived with him, was a boy in the employ of Solomons at the ma.s.sacre of old Mackinack. He crept up a chimney, where he remained a day or two, and was thus saved. Solomons hid himself under a heap of corn, and was thus saved.

Mr. Abbot does not know, with certainty, the date of the transfer of the post, but says the papers of all the notaries, including all grants of commanding officers, are in a trunk at Mr. Dousman's. Thinks these, by showing the date of the earliest grants, will decide the question.

_Dec. 1st_. Finished an article for the _Literary and Theological Review_, on the influence of the native priests, or metais, and the adaptation of the general principles of Christianity to the North American Indians. Some of the phenomena of the Chippewa language are of deep interest. The substantive verb _to be_, deemed by many philologists to be wanting in the Indian language of this continent, is perceived to be freely used by Mr. Peter Jones in the translation of John, as in c.

i. 1, 6, 15, &c. The existence of this verb in the northern dialects may be adverted to as affording the probable root of many active verbs. It is a subject eliciting discussion, as bearing on a point early stated by theologians, viz., the origin of the tribes. The verb _iau_, spelled "ahyah" in the verses referred to, with the particle, for past tense, "ke," prefixed, and "bun" suffixed, appears to be restricted in its use to objects possessed of _vitality_, but cannot, it seems, be applied to mere _pa.s.sion_ or _feeling_. These, by a peculiarity of the grammar, are referred to as subordinate parts, or increments inanimate of the organization, _i. e._, as things without flesh and blood, and not as units or whole bodies. The native speaker does not, therefore, say I _am_ glad, I _am_ sorry, &c., but merely I glad, I sorry, &c. This has, probably, led philologists to observe that the verb declarative of existence, was wanting, and discouraged them in the search of it. But is it so? When it becomes necessary for the Indian to describe the abstract truth of existence--as that G.o.d _is_--the appropriate p.r.o.nominal form of the verb _iau_ or _I-e-au_ is used, and apparently with great force and propriety. It is a rule of this grammar, not to apply it to emotions.

When nouns inanimate proper are used, or objects of a non-vital character, the corresponding verb is _atta_. The present tense, indicative of these two parallel verbs, for material and for G.o.d-like existence, are as follows:--

Iau (animate) _To be_. Atta (inanimate)--_To be_.

Nin, Diau--_I am_, or _my spirit is_. Atta--_It is_.

Ki, Diau--_Thou art_, &c. Atta-aun--_They are_.

Iau--_He (or she) is_. Atta-bun--_it was_.

Nin, Diau-min (ex.)--_We_ (excluding you) _are_. Atta-aubun--_They have been_.

Ki, Diau-min (in.)--_We_ (including you) _are_. Iah atta--_It shall be_.

Ki, Diau-ni--_Ye are_. Iah atta-win--_They shall be_.

Iau-wug--_They are_.

There is probably no language so barbarous as not to have words to address G.o.d. But, of all languages under heaven, the Indian dialects appear to me the most fruitful in terminations and adjuncts to point their expressions, and to give to them living and spiritual meanings.

They appear, by their words, to live in a world of spirits. Aside from the direct words for Father, as the universal Parent, and of Maker, and Great Spirit, they have an exact term for the Holy Ghost; and he who has ever heard a converted Indian pray, and can understand his pet.i.tion, will never afterwards wish to read any philological disquisitions about the adaptation of their languages to the purposes of Christianity.

_Dec. 2d_. I determined that part of the diversions of my first winter at Mackinack should consist of notices of its meteorology, the changes of winds and currents in the straits, &c. Shut out from the world by a long expanse of coasts, which cannot be navigated in the winter, much of the sum of our daily observation must necessarily take its impress from local objects. To pa.s.s a winter in the midst of one of the great lakes--the Huron--was itself a subject of excitement. Mild weather had characterized the season, which had been predicted by some persons as the consequence of the remarkable meteoric displays in November.

At the monthly concert in the evening, interesting statements were made on the efforts now in progress to evangelize the world. In this the Bible, tract, and mission causes were shown to act with harmonious power.

_3d_. I employed myself in the morning in a revision of papers relating to subjects of natural history, and in references to Conybeare and Phillips. In the evening, the Rev. Mr. Ferry and Mr. Barber were visitors.

_4th_. The last vessel for the season, the "Marengo," left the harbor for Detroit, taking on board our expressmen, who are to return by land.

The weather has continued mild, with the winds from the westward and southward.

_6th_. Some rain fell in the evening, which did not, however, prevent friends from pa.s.sing the evening with us.

_7th_. Weather still mild.

_10th_. The continued mildness of the atmosphere has induced the Indians from the adjacent sh.o.r.es to visit the island. There are no Indians permanently resident on it. Within the last ten days, rising of eighty souls have visited the agency and shops. Some have iron work to mend.

Most of them have applied for provisions. Several aged persons and widows have asked for blankets.

I employed the day in reading Humboldt's "Superposition of Rocks in both Hemispheres." Humboldt is the Dr. Johnson of geology.

_11th_. Kwewis, a Chippewa convert, returned, after spending a week or more among the Point St. Ignace Indians. He complained of the listlessness and want of attention of the Indians to the truths by Mr.

G., his spiritual guide.

I determined to send an express, as soon as the state of the ice will permit, to St. Mary's, with directions for its continuance from that place to La Pointe, in Lake Superior--the missionary station.

_12th_. The meteorologic phenomena begin to thicken. The thermometer, at 2 P.M. to-day, stood at 48, Some snow, of a moist, sleety character.

Wind easterly. Not a particle of ice has formed in the harbor up to this day.

_13th_. Perused Stewart's visit to the South Seas and the Sandwich Islands. Certainly the author is one of the most gifted religious travelers. He reminds the reader, by his graphic descriptions, sometimes of Bishop Heber. It is remarkable, that with every improvement, the population of these islands declines.

A blow from the east, with depression of temperature, and some snow.

_14th_. Easterly wind continues. Thermometer at noon 38.

_16th_. Strong easterly winds.

_17th_. On rising this morning and drawing the curtains aside, I observed a vessel in the harbor from Detroit. It proved to be the "General Warren," with supplies for the inhabitants, ordered in the fall, but, for two or three weeks back, not expected. By her we have New York city papers to Nov. 26th, and Detroit dates to Dec. 4th. What a jumble is a newspaper! Here we have the death of Ferdinand of Spain, and the report of troubles in Europe: the appointment of Mr. Butler as Attorney-General, and the busy note of editorial discussion preparatory to the meeting of Congress; the result of elections, progress of nullification, "cussin and discussion" by Jack Downing, a terrible list of murders, accidents, &c. Prominent among things for scientific readers, are accounts of the meteoric phenomena of November.

_18th_. Dispatched an express to St. Mary's with letters for the sub-agency, missionaries, &c. In the evening the vessel sailed for Detroit with a light westerly breeze, which is fair.

Mr. Abbot, being in the office during the day, remarked that he had examined the old records before alluded to; that the first public act of the commanding officer is the appointment of a notary by Gov. Sinclair in 1780; the next is a grant of land in 1781.

Stating these facts afterwards to Mr. Mitch.e.l.l (William), he observed that his father, who was the post surgeon, remarked that the removal of the troops from old Mackinack was the year after the ma.s.sacre, which would be 1764. This is astounding. Yet Carver's Mackinack, in 1766, appears to have been "old Mackinack."

_19th_. Thanksgiving day for the territory. A practical discourse from Mr. Ferry. Lieut. and Mrs. K., &c., to dinner. The Indian Kwewis returns to St. Mary's, accompanied by Mr. Cameron.

_20th_. Mr. Mitch.e.l.l pa.s.sed the evening.

_21st_. Visited Mr. Ferry in the afternoon. Conversation on various religious topics. Coming home, found company; Lieut. and Mrs. P., Miss D., and Miss H., who remained to tea, and spent the evening.