USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > A history of Van Buren County, Michigan a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 5
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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
walked out of the wigwam, for I began to feel sea sick. Coming back into the wigwam Wapsee said "Me be sorry you feel um so bad." Putting on a bold front I said "I am feeling good," and added "I came here to learn from your own lips if in chasing bear you can drive them home to kill them. Come tell me all about it."
"Well," said the old man, "at sun-up tomorrow, me be goin' to hunt um bear. Me ready now. Here see um dis mokak (bark box)." He put his hand into it and took out three or four pounds of jerked venison and a lot of popped corn. "Now," said he, "when me find um bear track me foller im till dark, den me lay um down and sleep um till day, sun-up. When me get hugry me eat um deer and corn. Meby foller his track two day ; then ma-kwa start um back towards im wigwam. When im get where me first find um track, me run bery fast after im. Me tire im out. He git bad tired. He find um big tree and climb um, and say 'come old Wapsey or come Mau-tchi Man-i-to (the Devil). Me can go no furder.' And Wapsey kill im close to wigwam." Remaining silent for a few moments with that stoical look peculiar to his race, he said "Yes, good many Ingun tink Manito help Wapsey drive ma-kwa near wigwam to kill um. Me tell um to foller um day and night as Wapsey do and dey will kill um ma-kwa as Wapsey do."
He then stepped outside of the wigwam, took a stick, marked out on the ground a small circle, making a number of them starting from the same point, increasing their size until the last one was very large. He then said "The small circle wa-boos (the rabbit) take when chased. Next sized circle es-si-kan (the raccoon) take. next sized circle him de wa-gosh (the fox) take. Next larger, him de ma-in-gam (the wolf) um take and next larger um suc-see (the deer) take. Next larger him ma-kwa (the bear) take. And dis longest line him mons (the moose) take. Foller track, im will go and go; you tink im neber will come back. Stick to im night and day, three times, and im will start back toward wigwam where im track am first found."
"Is it possible," I said, "that all animals will come round in that way when they are chased ? Why do they do so ?" I asked.
He replied "All me can tell is dat the Great Spirit made um so. Should dey keep goin' farder and farder away from wigwam. when killed poor Ingun would die before he got um pulled home."
I asked no more questions, accepting his version of what the Great Spirit had done for the Indians.
We slept that night between two green bear skins next to the hair. When I got up in the morning I found the old man cooking fish. He was just hauling them out of the ashes. I noticed he scaled them after they were cooked. I said "Where did you get
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your fish ?" "Me went to de lake before sun-up," he said, "and killed um." I ate them with a fair relish, as they were very soft and juicy. After eating I asked what kind of fish they were. He replied very stoically "O-nim gi-go (dog fish)."
The last time I saw old Wapsey was in July, 1893. Chief Poka- gon had just come from Chicago, where he had been a guest of the city at the World's Fair, and requested me to go with him to see Uncle Wapsey, as he called him, as he had been requested to bring him to the fair, from the fact, it had been learned, that he was the only surviving Indian who took part in the massacre of Fort Dearborn in 1812. The Chief told me the old man was one hun- dred and ten years old. Arriving at his wigwam, we found the old man smoking a big cigar he had made out of home-grown to- bacco. It was a foot long and he offered us each another. IIe seemed pleased to see the chief and he asked him "If he had killed any ma-kwa lately ?" He said "No kill um any more. Wapsey gitting bery old."
The chief began to talk to him in his native tongue. He told him he was the only Indian now living who took part in the Fort Dearborn massacre and that he had been sent to bring him to the World's Fair at Chicago. Then he asked "You took part in that massacre did you not ?"
He replied "Me did."
"How old were you at that time?" inquired the chief.
The old man began to count his fingers out loud, in his native tongue, taking hold of each finger as he counted it-"Be-gig, Nig, Nis-wi, Ni-win, Na-nan, Nin-get-was-wi, Nin-gwas-wi, Nish-was-wi, Jang-as-wi, Mi-das-wi" up to ten. He then raised his hand up three times, repeating "Mi-das-wi (ten) :" then said "Nis-si-mi- da-na Bi-bon (thirty years)."
The chief then said "You must then be certainly one hundred and ten years old ! Will you go to Chicago with us?"
He replied "Me fear to. They want to kill Wapsey."
Up to this time the old man had been walking about telling how well he felt. But now he sat down and humped up saying "Nind a-ki-we-si Nind-a-kos (I am old, I am sick). Nind be-si-ka (I can hardly crawl about )."
The chief then said "Come go with us, won't you?"
He shook his head firmly, saying "Kaw-es-so mika (No. I will not go.) Win-a-wa nish-i-we Wapsey (They will kill Wapsey). Nin-da-i-we tchi Smo-ka-man an-am-a-ka-mig (and send him to the white man's hell)."
I never saw the old man again. He passed away soon after- ward, to the happy hunting ground of his race.
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Do INDIANS CRY, LAUGH OR JOKE?
I am often asked, Do Indians ever joke, cry or laugh ? They cer- tainly do just as much among themselves as we do. Get well ac- quainted with them and that stoical characteristic for which they are noted disappears almost entirely. I have known Indians in the prime of life with whom I have hunted but a few days to shed tears as they bid me "An-a-mi-ka (good-bye)." Many times I have been present when friends meet each other, taking hold of each other's right hands and grasping with their left hands each others elbows, warmly shaking each other's arms, laughing and shedding tears at the same time.
As regards joking, they are the greatest jokers of any race I have ever met and many times their jokes are very effective. Mr. Brown, a white man in this place, one morning found his axe gone. From where it was taken he found moccasin tracks. He followed them into the woods where he found an Indian cutting down a bee tree. He openly charged him with stealing his axe, saying to him "I have been told that Indians did not steal, but certainly this is my axe and you stole it." The Indian looked him square in the face saying "Yes, me steal im. No steal im before white men come, but now we am gitting cibilized !"
One of our bishops stayed all night with an Indian chief in Minnesota, and as he was about leaving in the morning to visit a distant charge with the old chief he asked, "Do you think my valise will be safe left here until our return ?"
"Ob cose it will," he responded, "Not a white man lives within forty miles of here."
While I was acting as magistrate in the early days, an Indian claimed that a white neighbor had stolen his geese. He was ar- rested and brought into court. On the day of trial he brought a goose with him for evidence. He swore he had found the geese as goslings when hunting, and raised them; that they were the only domesticated wild geese in the country. He proved clearly that he had lost part of his flock, and that they were found shut up in an old smoke house where the defendant lived. The defendant's attorney from Bangor had him repeat several times how and where he got them and that there were none others like them in the country. The attorney finally faced down poor "Lo," telling him he had sworn falsely and stating to him with great pomposity, "Sir, I have a pair of geese marked exactly as the goose you brought to this court! What have you to say for yourself for the oath you have taken ?"
The Redskin looked at the lawyer as if surprised beyond measure and turning to the court said, "Me tink, him big law man, tellum
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truth. Me hab two more of dem goose stole afore dis man steal um."
It is unnecessary to state the uproar in the court room. The jury, after due deliberation, brought in a verdict of "guilty." An old man in the court room piped out "Who is guilty, the defendant or his lawyer?"
The three following Indian legends entitled "Legend of Man's Creation," "Legend of Paw Paw and the Paw Paw Valley" and "Legend of South Haven" were published by the late Pokagon in booklets made of the manifold bark of the white birch tree. Only a few copies are now known to be in existence and they will be valu- able relics in the fututre. This is the first time any of them were ever printed on paper. They came into my possession as adminis- trator of the old chief's estate. I am indeed glad that I have the opportunity of publishing them for the perusal of the people of Van Buren county, believing they will be highly appreciated, com- ing as they do from an Indian citizen of our county who was highly educated.
ALGONQUIN LEGEND OF MAN'S CREATION
By Pokagon .*
Within the inmost recess of the native soul There is a secret place, which God doth hold; And though the storms of life do war around, Yet still within, his image fixed, is found.
There is an old Pottawattamie tradition among our people, dimly seen through the mists of time, that Ki-ji Man-i-to (the Great Spirit) after he had created No-mash (the fish of the waters), bo- nes-sig (the fowls of the air) and mo-naw-to-auk (the beasts of the land), his works still failed to satisfy the grand conceptions of his soul. Hence he called a great council of Man-i-to-og (the spirits) that ruled over land and sea, his agents, and revealed unto them how it was the great desire of his heart to create a new being that should stand erect upon his hind legs, and possess the combined intelligence of all the living creatures he had made. Most of these spirits whom he had delegated to hold dominion over the earth, when they met in the grand council, encouraged his divine plans, but the head leading spiritual chiefs, when they considered the great power the proposed being might wield, quietly sneaked away from the council and held a private pow-wow of their own to frustrate, if
*Used by permission of C. H. Engle, administrator of the estate of the late Chief Pokagon.
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possible, How-waw-tock (the Almighty). The loyal Man-i-to-og who remained at the grand council stood aghast as Ki-ji Man-i-to re- vealed unto them his divine plan, that awaited the new creature he had conceived in his heart to create.
The divine council was prolonged by debate, from the set of sun until morning dawn. Ke-sus (the sun) arose in greater brilliancy than ever before. The spirits anxiously began to inquire of His Ma- jesty, how many suns and moons would pass before he could ac- complish His wonderful work? While yet the inquiry hung on "ki- o-don-o (their lips,) He said unto them "Follow me." He led them into a great wilderness to Sa-gi-i-gan, a most beautiful inland lake, and as he stood upon the shores thereof in presence of them all. His eyes flashed "Waw-saw-mo-win (lightning)." The lake began to boil; hissing streams rose high in the air; the earth trembled. He then spake in tones of thunder: "Come forth ye lords of Au-kee (the world !)" The ground opened and from out the red clay that held the lake came forth Au-ne-ne wa-ga-e i-kwe (man and woman) like flying fish from out the waters. In pres- ence of the new-born pair, all was still as death. A dark cloud hung over the lake. Again it began to boil. Again Ki-ji Man-i-to said : "Come forth, ye servants of Au-nish-naw-be!" Forth leaped at once from out waters "Ni-ji Wa-be gon O-nim-og (a pair of snow white dogs") and lay down where stood the new made pair, kissing their feet and hands. The bride and groom then each other fondly kissed, as hand in hand they stood in naked innocence in the full bloom of youth, perfect in make and mold of body and of limb. "Ki-gi-nos maw-kaw mis-taw-kaw (their long black hair)" almost reached the ground which gently waving, in "nip-nong oden (the morning breeze,)" in contrast with their rich color, grace, and forms erect, they outrivaled in beauty all other creatures he had made. They gazed all about in wonder and surprise; surveyed all living creatures that moved in sight; gazed upon the trees, the grass, the flowers, the lake, the sunshine and the shade. Again each other fondly kissed, as their eyes looked love to eyes, with no other language their feelings to express. At length I-kwe, the maiden fair, slyly let go Os-ki-naw the young man's hand, and stole away into the dark shades and hid herself that she might watch and test his love, and learn thereby if it was akin to hers. With unbounded joy she watched him as vainly he sought to find her. At length the snow-white dogs following her trail, joyfully howled out "Here she is." Now when "Mau-tchi Manito (the dis- loyal spiritual chiefs) " first learned that Ki-ji Manito had finished his crowning works, as he had proposed to do, they sought diligently for the new made pair until they found them. As they surveyed the beauty of their forms standing erect and their surpassing love-
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liness of body and of limb, their wonder and admiration was un- bounded. But when they saw the soul of the Divine reflected in their faces, like the noonday sun, their hearts were stung through and through by "mutchi a-mog (the cruel wasps) " of envy and jealousy, they were mortally offended. Hence they resolved in "nin-o-daw (their hearts)" that instead of trying to live in peace with them, as they had done with the first creation, they would do all they could to make them discontented, unhappy and miser- able.
As time rolled on, "O-nig-go-maw (our first parents) " and gen- erations after them began to realize there were bad and good spirits that held dominion over mountains, lakes, streams and plains, and that they were in a measure controlled by them. They also began to learn that "au-nish-naw-be" possessed the nature and intel- ligence of all the combined animal creation, and that he was en- dowed with a spiritual nature, given by the creator of all things on earth and in heaven. Hence, when they were unfortunate in securing game, or unsuccessful in battle, it was all attributed to bad spirits that held dominion over the country wherein they dwelt.
But when successful in the chase or battle it was attributed to good spirits that had control over the country in which they lived. In order to appease the bad spirits, they often made offerings of fruit and grain; but they sacrificed animals to Man-i-to Wew-quin (the God of Heaven) who alone they recognized as the great crea- tor and ruler of all things in heaven and on earth. Our fathers and mothers in their primeval state, did not name their children as do the civilized races simply that they might be known and designated by them. When a child was born whatever animal or bird they imagined it most resembled they called it by that name and, strange as it may appear to the white race, in after genera- tions those bearing the name claimed to have descended from the animal bearing their name. It might be maw-qua, wa-gos or mi- gi-si (the bear, fox, or eagle). And so it was in after generations, each tribe or clan adopted as their totem the animal whose name the patriarch of the tribe was called when a child. Sometimes, when in war, the animal was taken with them alive, but generally it was painted on a tanned hide, and used as white men use their flags. It was an emblem of royalty, as well as a symbol of loyalty, and when engaged in battle a warrior would rather die than sur- render his totem. It matters not how foolish our legends may ap- pear to those races who call themselves civilized, they were as sacred to us as holy writ to them.
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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
LEGEND OF PAW PAW, AND THE PAW PAW VALLEY
By Chief Pokagon .*
His was this broad and grand domain. The hills and vales, the sweep of plain, The hunting grounds, the rivers wide -- They all belonged, before he died, To Abel, my brother.
"Me-wi-ja, Me-wi-ja (Long, long time ago) " a great inland lake covered all the lands where Paw Paw village now stands, except the higher undulating lands extending as far as the village of Law- ton, and westward near to the village of Decatur. At that time the Paw Paw valley was occupied by a race of Indians who manu- factured flint arrow points and all those utensils made of flint found so profusely scattered throughout the valley. That pre- historic race is designated by the whites as the "Mound Build- ers." They must have occupied this country at least "Mi-das-wak Bi-bon (a thousand years ago)." Paw Paw river was called "Si- bi-gan (River of Lakes.)" In fact, it appears from various leg- ends that this once noted river, was a succession of small and great lakes, from source to mouth.
On the highlands just south of Paw Paw village, covering Pros- pect hill and beyond, was "Ki-tchi O-de-na (Big village of the valley)." This lake was called "Nib-i-wa (Lake of Plenty)" and supposed to be on the border-land of the spiritual kingdom, "wa-kwi (the happy hunting grounds)." Deer, moose, elk and buffalo roamed in multitudes around all its shores. Swans, geese and ducks moved like clouds over its surface, while myriads of all kinds of fish swarmed in its waters close to shore. It might well have been called the great commercial city of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Here, from the north and west, came the different tribes to exchange "sis-i-ba-kwat (maple sugar)," smoked fish, dried meats and all kinds of flint utensils then in use. The tribes also came from the east and from the south to exchange "Man- do-min and Naw-ni-maw (corn and tobacco)" for flint work, and Sis-i-ba-quat, of which large quantities were always kept in store, as sugar was generally used by many tribes in place of salt.
While O-de-na was in all its glory, receiving tribute from the surrounding tribes, it's commercial importance was suddenly cut short. One night about midnight, in the full of the moon, its in- habitants were aroused by a deep roaring sound as though a cy-
*Used by permission of C. H. Engle, administrator of the estate of the late Chief Pokagon.
.
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clone or earthquake was being born. The alarming sound ap- peared to be located at the west end of the lake near its outlet. A large number of the inhabitants, followed by crying children and whining dogs, started cautiously in the direction of the alarming sound. To add new fears to their imagination, all the waterfowls appeared to rise as one and circle to and fro about the lake in the utmost confusion. apparently screaming the cry of "ni-saw! (mur- der !)."
At length the outlet of the lake was reached, and to their amaze- ment they saw at a glance that the shore, which for ages had bound the lake at its outlet, had given way, and great forest trees were plunging into the abyss, with commingled rocks and masses of earth. Ever now and then a canoe with its occupant would plunge into the vortex to certain death. In dismay they returned to their village, there to await the consequences. When morning came they beheld, not "Nib-i-wa," their beautiful lake, but (where it lay the night before in all its sunset glory) a slimy mass of mud, alive with struggling, dying fish, while overhead the fowls of the air were still flying, uttering their notes of deepest sorrow. Their navy of canoes that were left unanchored the night before were swept away, and those that were tied to the shore were on dry land far from the water's edge. As the people stood on the line that marked the ancient shore, looked far out into the basin of the lake, and only saw in place of it a winding stream that, like some great serpent, was slowly moving on half concealed by mud and dying fish, they were so wrought upon by the change that they wept.
Be-mi-ba-tod-og, their fastest runners, were sent by the chief to go down the valley as far as Lake Michigan and report as soon as possible what effect the deluge of water from their lake had on those lakes farther down the stream. On the third day they re- turned saying "All the lakes in the valley below have been swept into lake Michigan. The Miami (the St. Joseph) river is dammed up at its o-don (mouth) and flowing inland forming a great lake. The big lake, three hours' travel from here, that no one could paddle round betwixt sun and sun, is gone, and the river flows through where it was; and nearly all the people who lived there are gone too.
We suffered much from decaying fish which without number were steaming in the sunshine; the stench was so bad that all animals except "chi-kog (the skunk) " fled away; and all the fowls of the air except "ka-ga-gi and an-dek (the buzzard and the crow)" had disappeared. Mountains of stone and gravel and trees appeared on every hand; nothing remains of our loved "wa- di-na (valley) " but mud and desolation.
This report so worked on the minds of the natives that they were
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led to believe that evil spirits that were envious of their prosper- ity were the cause of the great catastrophe. And so it was, that one of the most beautiful valleys of Michigan became depopulated, and so remained for hundreds of years, all on account of their perverted spirituality.
Pokagon fully realizes that some who read the above Legend will say of our race, "How spiritually weak they are." That is true, and it can be as truthfully said of the whole human family. Many times since I have been educated in the white man's books, I have been astonished to witness well informed men of the domi- nant race show, without blushing, an old dried rabbit's foot, or an old horse chestnut, or withered potato, and say, as if proud of it, "This is my mascot ; it brings good luck." How or why it is that a Christian people can put their trust in such ridiculous things, ignoring their God, contrary to all the precepts of their religion, Pokagon cannot say. The only excuse he can give is that spiritual superstition is akin, alike, with savage and with sage.
I once camped out with a white preacher several days, hunting deer. He called me a red heathen because I refused to shoot at a white deer, which our people regarded sacred, and yet he would sit around the wigwam fire and shiver all day on Friday, claiming it was an unlucky day and he might get killed if he went out.
ALGONQUIN LEGENDS OF SOUTH HAVEN
By Chief Pokagon .*
No more for us the wild deer bounds; The plough is on our hunting grounds.
Our traditional account of South Haven given us by ki-os-ag (our forefathers) was held as sacred by them as Holy Writ by the white man. Long, long bi-bong (years) ago Ki-ji Man-i-to (the Great Spirit) who held dominion over Mi-shi-gan (Lake Michigan) and the surrounding country, selected Haw-waw-naw a place at the o-don (mouth) of Maw-kaw-te (Black river) as his seat of govern- ment. His royal throne (Ki-tchi-wik) was located on the highest point of that neck of land lying between Maw-kaw-te river and Lake Michigan. This high point of land was called Ish-pem-ing. meaning a high place.
Here it was that Ki-ji Man-i-to worked out the grand concep- tions of his soul. With giant strides he scattered broadeast along
*Used by permission of C. H. Engle, administrator of the estate of the late Chief Pokagon.
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the shore, a day's journey northward, a multitude of beautiful stones of various colors, shape and size, that in sunshine outshone tchi-be-kan-a (the galaxy on high). No such charming stones elsewhere could be found around all the shores of the Great Lake. He also planted in saw-kaw (the forest) the most beautiful wood- land flowers that ever bloomed on earth and filled all the trees with birds that sang the sweetest songs that ever fell on mortal ears. He also made a great mit-ig-wa (bow) at least ten arrow flights in length and laid it along the beach. He then painted it from end to end with beautiful lines, of various hues, that outshone the countless stones he had scattered along the shore. While thus at work a cyclone from the setting sun swept across the great lake. Waw-saw mo-win (lightning) flashed across Waw-kwi (the heav- ens) An-a-mi ka (thunder) in concert with ti-gow-og (the roaring waves) rolled their awful burden on the land. The earth shook. Hail and rain beat against Him. But he stood in his majesty, smiling in the teeth of the storm. At length the gloom clouds rolled away and the setting sun lighted up the passing storm. He then picked up the giant bow he had made, bending it across mi- ka-tik (his knee). Then with his breath he blew a blast that swept it eastward between the sun and clouds. As there as it stood each end resting upon the trees, it painted them all aglow, which, in contrast with their robes of green, added still more glory to the scene.
As he gazed upon its beauty and grandeur, arching the depart- ing storm, He shouted in triumph above the roaring waves, saying in tones of thunder "Kaw-ka-naw in-in-i nash-ke nin-wab-sa aw- ni-quod (All men behold my bow in the cloud). See it has no mit-ig "Bim-ins-kwan ke-ma pin-da-wan (bow, arrow, string or quiver). It is the bow of peace. Tell it to your children's children that Ki-ji Man-i-to made and placed it there, that generations yet unborn, when they behold it, might tell their children that Ki-ji Man-i-to placed it there, without arrow, string or quiver, that they might know he loved peace and hated war." The tradition above given was handed down to us by a tribe of Au-nish-naw-be-og (Indians) that lived in Michigan before my people, the Pottawattamies. They were called Mash-ko-de (Prairie tribe), on account of their clear- ing up large tracts of woodland and living somewhat as farmers. They were said to be very peaceful, seldom going on the war-path. The Ottawas, who have always been very friendly with our peo- ple tell us they drove them out of this country and nearly exter- minated them about four hundred years ago. We had great rever- ence for their traditions, as we occupied the land of their principal odena (village) about Black river. We named it Nik-onong, which
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