Michigan historical collections. [Vol. 17]

IINTERVIEWS WITH VARIOUS INDIANS.

597

daughter, an agreeable young girl, and others. Our topics were,
resignation and dependence on Divine support, in the use of prudent
and lawful endeavours, for both spiritual and temporal blessings;-the
origin of the Indians, with remarks on many traces of antiquity found
in the wilderness. From all which, with their sacrifices; observations
of moons; care for the sepulchres and bones of their deceased ancestors;
division into so many tribes,-the probability, and almost certainty,
was inferred, of their being the dispersed tribes of Israel; and therefore, from Scripture testimony and prophecy (some part of which was
fulfilled, which strongly corroborated that which yet remained) it was
inferrible that they would be restored,-not to a Jewish, ceremonious
Israel, but to a spiritual Israel of the circumcision, made without
hands. It was also urged, that it was our duty to use endeavours to
promote, and pray for this, in preference to effecting their extermination. For which purpose, many dark and diabolical machinations are
proposed; one of these I had recently heard of, viz. To take a large
quantity of liquor, of which they are extremely fond, and infuse the
strongest poison therein: take it into an army which should make feint
shows, until the body of them should be collected, then make a sham
battle, and retreat with precipitation, leaving the liquor behind. The
subject was closely combated, and I thought, ended in favour of the
cause of injured humanity.
After our interview closed, three of us walked out to speak to the
Chipawas, lately arrived. We met five or six of them; but they could
not understand us, neither we them, only this much, Chemochteman,
BoRtoie. I offered my hand to them repeatedly, as also did John
Parrish, which they as often refused. They had come down the lakes
four hundred miles; which shows how wide and deep the prejudice
against our citizens has extended.
27th. Were visited at our lodgings by Dr. Wright, captain. Munsey,
Broadhead, Orawford, and several other officers, who continue very
respectful to us.
From this place, many hundreds of bushels of hominy go yearly to
Mackinoi, from whence it is forwarded to the Grand Portage; there it
is parceled out at one bushel to a man-who is more prudent than to
use one grain in his noith-western route of about eighteen hundred, or
as some say, two thousand miles from the Grand Portage, as it is to
be his main support in case of sickness, accidents, &c. one whole year.
But while health remains, they substitute huckleberries in their season,
which they dry in the smoke to take off the insipid sweet taste,-other
times, wild rye is, gathered and boiled-at others, they catch large fish,