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THE
ANNALS OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE

SAUI/T STAR PRESSES
1904

This edition is limited to three hundred
copies, numbered and signed.

REPUTED PORTRAIT OF MARQUETTE
(From oil portrait by unknown artist, discovered in Montreal 1897)

Story of

beirjg the Ar>t)als of
SAULT SAI]HTe JVIARIG

- .v>
EDWARD H. CAPP

RECTOR ST. CUKE'S PRO-CATHEDkAI,

HON'Y CHAPLAIN 9?TH REGIMENT
CANADA

SAULT SAINTE MARIE

CANADA

1904"

ELECTRONIC VERSION
AVAILABLE

NO.

DEDICATED

MY MOTHER.

PREFACE

The production of this work is the outcome
of a belief on the part of the writer that one of
the several sources of impetus to patriotism is a
knowledge of one's native land. In the more
settled sections of our country men and women
alike have vied with each other in gathering up
and presenting to the people of Canada in general
and of their own vicinity in particular such facts
as are of local historical value, with the result
that societies and institutes have been organized
to prosecute a diligent search for facts and relics
which link this busy present with the interesting
past

The author of this volume can find no such
work dealing fully with the story of Sault Sainte
Marie, and it is with the sole object of collecting
and preserving tradition, songs and stories that
might otherwise be lost that he has undertaken
to weave them together with the better known
facts into a home-spun production of which, he
hopes, Algoma may not be ashamed.

The book is printed in the county town of
Sault Sainte Marie, and so claims the proud dis-
tinction of being the first volume from Algoma's
presses.

VI PREFACE.

The writer wishes to acknowledge with gratir
tude the help he received from time to time from
the many who were able to set him right on
various points. Among the number Viscount
Wolseley, Commander-in-Chief of the British
Army, who as Sir Garnet Wolseley headed the
expedition to the Northwest in 1870; Major
Wilson, who has entered upon his sixty-first year
of residence in the Sault ; Father Jones, of Mont
real ; Reuben Thwaites, Esq., of Madison ; His
Honour Judge Steere, of the Michigan Sault ;
the late Mr. Diggings, Mr. Joseph Cozens, the
late Joachim Biron, Francis T. Hughes, Esq.,
J. P. : Mrs. Pim, J. B. Mastat, Mr. Frank Falkner
and a host of others have rendered valuable ser-
vice to him in his undertaking.

If the work is not as voluminous as some
might wish it to be, it may perhaps serve as a
skeleton to be clothed by a more perfect form of
words by some writer of the future.

The humble work is now hesitatingly launched
with the one hope that it may be received with
tolerance by all who have learned to love the
Canadian town at the foot of the Rapids.

THE RECTORY,

SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE,

JANUARY,. 1904.

INTRODUCTION

It is the hour of the setting sun.

Away to the west the fiery orb sinks slowly
into the Father of Lakes, splashing as it goes the
tumbling waters of St, Mary's leap with wondrous
tints of shimmering glory as colours laid on by a
divine painter.

In a few minutes, if you care to wait, you will
see the Western Express glide swiftly across the
great bridge which here unites two sturdy nations.

How plainly does every bar and girder stand
out in the glow of the sunset !

To those who have caught the spirit of the
past it looks like the raised last resting-place of
some mythical Ojibway god who, in the days
almost forgotten, held sway over the thoughts and
imagination of the people.

The air is full of mysticism, and as the roar of
the train dies away and night sets in there grows
on the ear the importunate boom of the tossing
Sault as a voice eager to tell the story of its
flowing and of the men who have come and gone.

Man-ab-osho no longer holds the Saulteaux
in the bondage of fear.

Some day you will take the steamer, whose
mighty form has superceded the lithe canoe, and

VIII INTRODUCTION.

you will journey west until you reach the farther
shore of Lake Superior. There, stretched out in
giant length you will see the recumbent figure of
the god fast asleep. He has lain so for centuries,
speechless, indifferent to the offerings and deaf to
the prayers of his trembling devotees, until des-
pairing of his ever waking again, the dusky Red
man has given up his worship and sworn fealty to
Him whose heralds armed with a simple cross
braved untold dangers to proclaim.

Of the past of Sault Sainte Marie, its tradi-
tions, its loves and hates, and its ever changing
sons and daughters, we know somewhat and herein
is set down in writing what love both ancient and
modern has been collected.

If in the perusal of its pages some one may be
stirred to greater interest and better love for the
town of his birth or adoption, the work of gather-
ing these few notes will not have been in vain.

CONTENTS

Dedication Ill

Preface V •

Introduction . . VII

CHAPEE I.

The Coming of the Indians

CHAPTER II.

Legends and Traditions ..,., .. 17

CHAPTER III.

The Coming of the French 29

CHAPTER IV.
The Building of the Mission 43

CHAPTER V.

Abandonment of the Mission 57

CHAPTER VI.

Courreurs de Bois et Boia Brules .. 65

x CONTENTS

CHAPTER VII.
Eepentigny and His Fort ..... 1

CHAPTER VIII.

The Coining of the English

CHAPTER IX.
Alexander Henry, Trader ......................................................... 93

CHAPTER X.
The Great Turtle ..................................................................... 105

CHAPTER XI.
The Rival Companies ............................................................... 115

CHAPTER XII.
The Coming of John Johnston ................................................. 129

CHAPTER XIII.
War of 1812-15 ......................................................................... 139

CHAPTER XIV.
After the War, Canadian Sault ................................................ 151

CONTENTS XI

CHAPTER XV.

After the War (continued) 165

CHAPTER XVI.
From '43 to '66 173

CHAPTER XVII.
The Fenian Raid 191

CHAPTER XVIII,
The Schools and Churches 207

CHAPTER XIX.
Years of Growth amj Organization 223

CHAPTER XX.

The Fathers of the Present Town 235

CHAPTER XXI.

A Last Word.... .. 251

ILLUSTRATIONS

HALF-TONE

Father Marquette Frontispiece

In Days Long Since Forgotten to face Page 17

The Final Stand 40

Father Isaac Jogues 44

Second Post of North-west Company (1816) 152

Hudson's Bay Company Post (1842) 173

Original Roll Call of First Volunteer Company 184

Sault Ste. Marie (West End) 18G3 188

Sault Ste. Marie (East End) 1870 204

St. Luke's pro-Cathedral 208

Some Sault Ste. Marie Homes 216

The Old Methodist Chapel (1870) 220

First Newspaper in the Sault (1875) 224

The Sault's Foot Soldiers and Half Battery 228

Three Anglican Bishops 233

Citizens Past and Present 236

First Post Master's License in the Sault 240

A Blockade in St. Mary's Eiver 244

Sault Ste. Marie (West End) 1899 248

The Lake Superior Company's Works 252

The Steel Plant 256

OTHER THAN HALF-TONE

Page.

Ojibway Brave 1

Medawe Shells 3, 4

Indian Lodge ; , 4

St. Mary's Rapids 5

ILLUSTRATIONS XIII

Bows and Arrows 6

Scalp Lock 8

Teepee 13

Gitchi Manido Giving the Medicine Eite to the Indians. 16

Indian Bow 18

Ojibway Pottery 19

Pottery Marking 21

Totem Pole 23

War Club 26

Medicine Rattle 27

Tobacco Pouch 30

Tomahawk 32

Pottery Decoration 33

Scalping Knife 34

Hunting Knife 36

Quiver of Arrows and Tomahawk 39

Indian Pipe 43

Ojibway Axe 45

War Club 47

War Hatchet 49

French Officer 51

War Spear with Flint Top 55

Medicine Man Extracting Disease From Patient 56

Indian Charm 57

Indian Pipe 58

Flint Arrow Head 59

War Hatchet : 59

Ojibway Gambling Game 61

Medicine Charm 61

Ojibway Moccasin and Legging 63

Islands in the North Channel 67

War Club 69

Arrow Head 70

Arrow 70

XIV ILLUSTRATIONS

Awl for Sewing Buck-skin

War Hatchet » 72

*7A

French Gentleman

Repentigny's Fort 79

Flint Lock Pistols 82

Baggatiway Sticks and Ball 89

War Club 90

Quiver and Tomahawk

Arrow Heads • 9<*

Hunting Spear ••• 95

War Clubs 96

Bludgeon "

French Small Swords 100

Bow and Arrows «. 102

Tomahawk and Pipe ~ 103

Arrow 104

Indian Lodge 106

War Axe 107

Axe with Human Thigh Bone for Handle 109

Decorated Legging , 110

Indian Axe 112

Arrow 113

French Post 117

Presumptive Plan of Original Lock 118

Foundation and Floor of Original Lock 120

Arrow Tips 123

Pipe 123

Tobacco Pouch 129

Ojibway Type 131

Spear 132

Arrow Tip ' 134

Pipe ........ .. 134

ILLUSTRATIONS XV

Indian Pottery 138

Flint Locks 139

British Officer 142

Site of North-west Company's Post (Government Plan) 144

British Foot Soldier 145

Rapids 148

American Indian Agency of 1822 152

Chemaun 153

Ojibway Tools 154

Tomahawk (taken from a Beaver Dam) 155

Shingwaukonce's War Dance Club 155

La Salle's Boat (Le Griffon) 156

The First Steamer to Visit the Sault 157

Indian Quiver and Arrows 158

Drying Fish for the Winter 159

Ojibway Ornamental Pouch 160

Ojibway Pipe 162

Tobacco Pouch 163

Canoe and Braves 164

Type of Cannon Used at the Sault 165

Jesuit's Early Map of Lake Superior 171

"Mariibosho" 172

Remains of Old Fort at St. Joseph's 173

Type of H. B. Post (still to be seen in Far North) 175

Brave 176

Old-time Cannon Balls 184

Indian in War Dance Dress 185

North Shore Scene 187

Ojibway Head Dress (also seen in the west) 188

One of the Thirty Thousand Islands 191

Ojibway Moccasin 193

Indian Charm 193

Cannon of Period ; 194

Mail Courreurs .. ..197

XVI ILLUSTRATIONS

Indian Birch Bark Picture l'>

Brave 202

First Anglican Church 20«.)

St. Luke's pro-Cathedral 'Jin

Shingwauk Home 217

Sacred H.'nrt Church 219

"Peace Pipe" Newspaper 290

Baptist Church JJ!

Pipe 'JiV.

Fish Hooks ±J(i

Bull Moose 229

International Bridge 230

Canadian Lock 1>:VJ

Claw Collar 233

Indian Charm 233

Chopper 233

Masonic Star 234

Old Canadian Lock of 1798 236

Sault Ste. Marie (East) 1899 •_"-

Muckwa.... .. 253

CHAPTER L

THE COMING OF THE INDIANS.

" Should you ask me whence these stories,
Whence these legends and traditions,
With the odour of the forest,
With the dew and damp of meadows,
With the curling smoke of wigwams,

With tJie rushing of great rivers.
*************

/ should answer, I s/tould tell you
From the forests and the Dairies,
From the great lakes of the Northland,
From the land of tJie Ojibways."

—HIAWATHA.

In this history of Sault Sainte-Marie it is
the intention to lay the foundations by relating
the traditions of its first Indian inhabitants.

That at least one other race overran
this country before the advent of Ah-an-
ish in-ab-ug,* there can be no doubt.

From time to time there have been
unearthed the copper tools of a nation ante-
dating the Indian occupation, tools whose

* Algonquin, meaning " Indian."

HISTORY OF SAUIvT SAINTE MARIE.

exquisite temper has long puzzled the scientific
world. Nor are these the only evidence of this
mysterious race's being. Throughout many parts
of the United States, beginning with Southern
Michigan, are pointed out to wondering tour-
ists pre-Indian fortifications which exhibit a
high degree of intelligence and some engineer-
ing skill. These temperers of copper and builders
of mounds were a people of whom we know
little but may conjecture much. Whether on
their journey of conquest from the West to the At-
lantic seaboard, the Red Men met and annihilated
them, or whether they had disappeared before the
arrival of these warriors, may never be absolutely
known. No Indian record makes mention of
them, neither song nor story hints at their exist-
ence, unless we see in the legends of supernatural
visitants, preserved in Aboriginal folklore, traces
of their influence in America's pre-historic past.

Certain, however, it is that the Indian, rude
in habit, simple in life, and having little inventive
genius, save in the matter of torturing his victims,
is not connected with the works which are dis-
covered and which point to a definite stage in the
progress of a nation toward civilization.

The Sault Sainte- Marie Indians are of the
Algonquin stock, that most numerous confederacy
of Red Men, whose bands and tribes the earlier
traditions find spread along the shores of the great

THE COMING OF THE INDIANS.

Atlantic, over Newfoundland and Labrador, across
the Valley of the Ohio, and west and north to the
Rockies and Hudson's Bay.

From whence they sprang, they do not know.

For them the almost certain theory that their
original home was Asia, has no reality but in the
poetic language of their Me-da-we-win, or Medi-
cine Rite, at the word of Kitchi-Manido they
" became."

Like all other nations their story finds its begin-
ning in the stream of legend and tradition, whose
weird narration by the old men at the camp fire
held spell bound in the early days the listening
braves and maidens.

For three hundred years has the white man
known of their existence around about St. Mary's
Rapid, but many generations further into the ob-
scure past are we carried by their statement.

The legends tell how once the Red Man lived
by a great ocean to the East, in evidence of which
a sea-shell is carried by their priests as a relic and
a proof.

There, in their prosperity, so the story goes,
wickedness overcame them and Kitchi-Manido,^
opening the doors of Heaven, drowned the earth
and washed away their dwellings.

But the Indians had a friend, one who altho'
the servant of the Manido, was still powerful in

* God.

HISTORY OF SAUIvT SAINTE MARIE.

his councils. He was Man-ab-o-sho, the uncle
of the Algonquins, who interceding on their behalf,
filled the Great Spirit with compassion, and -thus
were the people saved.

For many seasons they continued to sojourn
by the Eastern Sea till their good fortune once more
proving a rock of stumbling Kitchi-Manido sent
amongst them a plague which laid low many braves.

Again did Man-ab-o-sho plead on their behalf
and once more was the pestilence stayed, and that
its horrors might not overwhelm them in the
future, there was given to the nation a mystic rite,
a panacea for all ills. This rite was known as the
Me-da-we Rite, and around it were woven their
history and religion.

And now began a migration.

Westward poured the multitudes, fighting step
by step the Naud-o-ways,~* as they termed the
Iroquois, who were ever their inveterate foes.

At many places did they stop for a time to
light their camp-fires and watch the fading of suc-
cessive seasons, yet each step taken led them
farther from their ancestral home and claimed
them more thoroughly as children of the wilderness.

How many years or generations were spent in
this pilgrimage, they do not know, but finally they
were brought to a halt at the ninth place of
sojourn, Sault Sainte- Marie, wrhere the resistance

* Algonquin term meaning " Adders."

THE COMING OF THE INDIANS-

of the fierce Dakotas from the Western stretches
was first encountered and the attacks of the Iro-
quois redoubled.

They could press no further westward for the
time and back they refused to go, and no doubt
realizing the splendid situation of their camp for
purposes of attack and defence as well as the
magnificent supply of food in the abundant fish
of the rapids, they pitched their wigwams and
settled down, and Sault Sainte- Marie became
their home.

But Sault Sainte-Marie was not always the
name of this locality:

Gazing upon the tumbling waters, which
are here forced through the narrow straits
over a shallow bed of stone, their dashing spray
shimmering in the sunlight, with here and there
the ragged surface of a threatening rock exposed
to view above the turmoil, the braves,
gathered on the shore, murmured to each
other, <( Baw-a-teeg,v and from this, so far
as is known, was derived the first name *
of the site of the future town.

The generation who lived and died at
Baw-a-ting spent their time in hunting,
feasting and fighting.

* Baw-a-teeg or Paw-a-teeg was the word used in
speaking of the phenomenon, but Baw-a-ting or Paw-a-
ting when speaking of the place. — SCHOOI,CRAFT.

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE

When the leaf had fallen and the sky grew
grey and heavy, and the months of winter wrap-
ped the land in white enshrouding stillness,
would the different families travel away to their
independent hunting grounds, where otter and
red deer, moose and cariboo were hunted down
and compelled to learn the message of death
conveyed by the unerring, flint-tipped arrow.

Even Muk-wah, the bear, at times deified by
the pursuer, was stirred out of his slumber to
become the prey of the hunter.

When food was in abundance there was no-
stint. These children of nature know no foresight.
To eat, drink and be merry while the store lasted
was the highest good of existance.

But when the game disappeared and days of
searching failed to discover its haunt, then silently
and despairingly would Ah-an-ish-in-ab-ug return
to his lodge from the hunting, and sitting down
by his slowly dying fire would give himself to
despair. The day would pass and the fire die
out and the coming of the next day's sun found
him a frozen corpse.

In the Spring, those who survived the rigour
of Peboon,t returned to Bow a-ting by hundreds
and having seen their krall-shaped wigwams pitch-
ed by their squaws, joined in the orgies and dances
decked out in their most gaudy garb. Feasts

t Winter.

THE COMING OF THE INDIANS.

and pow-wows lasted many days. If one took
sick, the Midi, or Priest, came with his hollow
tube and rattle and drew the malady from the
patient's chest in the shape of bits of bone which
were supposed to travel through the tube and
were then taken from the lips of the Doctor.

So great was the confidence of all in these
Medicine men that few failed to recover — unless
the sickness were serious,

Jessakids, or Jugglers, entertained the delight-
ed groups, dancing uninjured in the blazing camp
fire and by wonderful feats of magic, such as
causing wooden buttons to move towards them
as they lay on the ground and making dolls to
perform weird motions, after they had been prop-
erly adjusted to the satisfaction of the wizards.
To add to the effect of their marvellous acts they
always performed in the deepening twilight.

In this holiday season was the Sacred Lodge
erected, and on payment of many deer by aspiring
braves, the Manido was consulted by the Priests
as to the aspirants' fitness for membership.

If the offerings promised to be large, Manido
was never known to withold a favourable verdict.
If, however, the gifts were few or unimportant
the spirit demurred until the price was forth-
coming, when the candidate for initiation was
pronounced a most promising and acceptable
person.

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

But life at Bawating was not all spent thus.
Apart from family and tribal feuds— never of a
lasting nature — were the wars against the Naud-
o-ways and Dacotas, and the feasting being
concluded, war paint would be donned, arrows
examined and slings and stone-headed bludgeons
tested. Scalps and eagle feathers would be pro-
duced on all sides to adorn the persons of those
who had taken life in battle. The war song would
be sung and the dance wax fast and terrible, the
Midi priest would invoke the aid of the Great
Spirit, then the warriors falling into a snake-like
line whose thin length stretched its sinuous course
along the river shore, would glide silently away
and melt into the forest in the direction of the
enemy.

Into the gloom, after the host, went the squaws
who, gathering up the rich trappings which had
been discarded by their lords in the umbrageous
shade returned to camp to await their coming,
while the braves, half naked, pursued their way.
Of the horrors of those wars much has been
written. The midnight surprise, the devilish
war-yelps, the crushing of skulls, the tearing of
scalps from struggling victims were the common
features. To relate the incidents of one such
fight is to picture the dreadful details of all for
the terror, the fury, the despair and fiendish tor-
ture were ever the same.

THE COMING OF THE INDIANS. 9

In spite of the statement of Schoqlcraft to the
contrary, such an authority as Warren — himself a
learned Ojibway — traces the derivation of the
tribal name to the mode of treating captives taken1
in battle.

Unlike the Iroquois, this branch of the Algon-
quins were quiet and deliberate in their method,
of torture.

Great fires were built on their return to camp,
and when the red hot coals were sufficiently deep
the prisoners were bound on spits and roasted
before the slow fire till the hours of exquisite
agony would be ended by the coming of merciful
death and the lifeless forms were puckered up by
the untold suffering they had endured.

From this terrible treatment of victims did the
tribe receive its name, which is simply a com-
pounding of the two words " Ojib" and " ub-way,"
to roast till puckered up/r

To spare a prisoner or to allow him to escape,,
unless he were adopted as a member of the tribe,
was thought by the Indians to be displeasing to
the War God.

* Schoolcraft, in his " Indian Tribes," derives the name from
a supposed peculiarity of pronounciation on the part of members
of the tribe.

Father Belcourt who ministered among them for many years
inclined to the same belief. Warren, however, is supposed to have
been more familiar with the Ojibway language than any other
authority. From a similar custom did the tribe of the Sioux take
their name of ' ' Ab-boin-ug. "

10 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

In early days, so the tradition runs, a party of
Iroquois was surprised by the Ojibways and four
of the number having been dispatched in the fight
which ensued, the remaining two were led back
to the camp and condemned to be burnt.

But an aged warrior, being filled with pity,
pleaded successfully for the life of one of the
prisoners. A council was held and declared in
the captive's favour. He was released and fled
back to his own people But that night did the
Manido appear to another of the warriors and
upbraided the tribe with its tenderness, and as a
proof of his wrath the place of execution was
riven by lightning, and the brave who had inter-
ceded was slain by the storm. The escaped pri-
soner the next summer found a grave in the
Algonquin country.

From early times was the tribe about St.
Mary known as the "Ojibway" tribe, for owing
to the repeated onslaught of their enemies on
either side, the nation had now broken up into
divisions, one going to the south, following the line
of least resistance, while the other, leaving the
vicinity, returned eastward, threading the forests
and rivers lying to the north of what is now Old
Ontario and settling along the shore of the Ottawa.

To the division which travelled south (because
they were unlikely to be molested), was entrusted
the keeping of the sacred fire, for when the fires

THE COMING OF THE INDIANS. 1 1

in the lodges of a tribe died out, a journey must
needs be taken to the nearest encampment to
restore by borrowing that which had failed.

And the division entrusted with this office was
called Pot-ta-wat-tam-ie, or " those who kept the
fire.7' Generations passed before the other wand-
erers received a distinctive tribal title. When
the coming of the trader opened up new possi-
bilities and this division became a community of
middlemen between the whites on the one hand
and their red brethern on the other, the name
given them was " Ot-taw-ay/ * which meant irr
the tongue of the Indian "a trader."

The Ojibways, after the departure of the other
two divisions, remained at Baw-a-ting for a time,
but gradually the determined onslaughts of the
Iroquois forced them back.

They finally took refuge at La Pointe in Lake
Superior where they remained about 120 years.
There they rekindled the sacred fire and establish-
ed again the Me-daw-we-win rites.

But the devotion of the tribe to superstition
allowed the priests aud jessakids to obtain so
great a power over the members that ere long a
reign of terror was established. Mysterious deaths
occurred and the bodies of the victims, spirited
away after burial in the dark hours of the night,
were feasted upon by their murderers.

* Ottaway or Outouac.

12 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

Mothers who offended the jessakids bewailed
the sudden death of their little children. Hus-
bands saw their new-made wives languish before
their eyes. No brave dared refuse the most
startling demands of these wizards for fear that
the pallid visitor would stop and knock for admis-
sion at his wigwam.

Manidos roamed about the borders of the
settlement when darkness fell and in the form of
bear or other monster terrified the people beyond
endurance till one man blessed with more courage
than the rest, having suffered too mnch at the
hands of the tormentors, knelt in ambush near the
burial place of his wife just dead and with deter-
mined aim pierced an uncanny creature which
had wandered too near.

The coming of day break revealed a priest
missing and a search and the discovery of the
creature shot revealed the missing priest cold and
lifeless wrapped in a Muck-wa ** robe.

But even this did not break the power of the
priests.

Nightly were the souls of the murdered ones,
the Che-bi-ug, heard as they roamed the village
with sobbing and cries of horror until unable to
stand it longer the tribe fled t precipitously back

* Indian name for bear ; one of the principle animals repre-
sented in the Me-da-we Rite.

f The date of the flight is about 1641.

THE COMING OF THE INDIANS.

to the old station, Baw-a-ting, whose waters they
hoped the spirits might not be able to cross.

La Pointe has ever since been regarded as a
place of terror,

The island, for such it is, soon surrendered
itself to the wilderness, and almost all traces of
former occupation by the Ojib ways, was obliterated.

Not all these priests or medicine men, how-
ever, were evil men, for the story has come down
to us of one whose name was venerated by the
people of his tribe, %

Ma-se-wa-pe-ga was the prophet's name and
to him was vouchsafed a vision. Ere the tribe
had left La Pointe the old man dreamed a dream.

In his dream he saw most wondrous beings
like men, yet not like men, for they were not red
but white and clad in strange garments and wear-
ing coverings on their heads. As he watched
them, fearful of the import of their coming, they
left their canoes and came towards him
with smiling faces and outstretched
hands, significant of their peaceful in-
tentions Before they could speak the
astonished priest awoke, and summon-
ing the chief men to a feast, he related
his story and informing them that the
spirits he had seen came from the
direction of the rising sun, announced
his determination to discover them.

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE-

In vain did they try to disuade him from the
perilous journey \vhich must need be made through
the Naud-o-way land. Firm in his belief, he began
his preparations which consumed a whole yean
He built a strong canoe of birch bark and cedar
wood, he hunted and cured plenty of meat for
provision, and in the spring when the ice had left
the streams, he bade his people farewell and started
on his travels.

Eastward,, over lake and river, he and his
spouse took this lonely way.

Undiscovered, he stole through the country
of the Iroquois, and at length (where the river
became wide like a lake) he observed for the first
time a hut made of logs. He noticed that the
stumps of large trees about the cabin had been
cut with an instrument sharper than the rude
stone axe of his fathers, but no spirit was to be
seen. Continuing his journey he reached a second
clearing from the habitations of which curled the
smoke of the hospitable settlers' fires.

All that had happened in his dream now came
true. He was welcomed most heartily and invited
to enter the houses and enjoy good cheer.

Before returning Ma-se-wa-pe-ga was glad-
dened with presents of a hatchet of steel, a knife,
some beads and a small strip of scarlet cloth,
which, carefully depositing in his medicine bag, he
brought safely home to his people. Again, the

THE COMING OF THE INDIANS. I 5

priest assembled the chiefs to council, and dis-
playing to their wondering eyes the sacred articles
he had procured, announced the fulfillment of his
vision.

The following spring a large number of his
people followed him to the abode of the supposed
white spirits, and hence sprang, at a date unknown,
the Ojibway acquaintance with the white man.

With these early Indians there was no written
language in the ordinary acceptation of the term.
The members of the Me-da-we-win lodge alone
perserved picture-records of the history and tra-
dition of the tribe. These records were done on
birch bark, sometimes many feet in length, and
during the migrations of the people they were
buried in secret places known only to the initiated.

Once in every seven years at least were they
exhumed and examined, and those which showed
any signs of decay were copied exactly and the
duplicates were buried in their stead. The priests
then divided amongst their members the original
bark records, and the pieces thus distributed were
kept and regarded not only as sacred but as
having certain curative powers when used in the
hands of their possessors.

To become a priest of the Midi rite required
much preparation, and the origin of that rite with
the manner of conferring the four degrees was
outlined in hieroglyphics as were their legends for

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

the guidance of the masters who performed the
ceremony.

When the tribe broke up in haste at La Pointe
and fled back again to Baw-a-ting some of these
records were destroyed, but among the copies
then made by the departing priests was one which
has come down to us through successive genera-
tions, the last repositor being the son of Me-toshi-
kosh, one of the Mississippi band. A copy of it
is here submitted and represents Kitchi-Manido'
summoning the subordinate spirits to conference
and their subsequent bestowal upon the Red
Men of the four degrees of the secret rite.

IN DAYS LONG SINCE FORGOTTEN.

CHAPTER II

LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS.

" Beyond the bounds our staring rounds,
Across the pressing dark,

The children wise of outer skies
Look hitherward and mark

A light that shifts, a glare that drifts
Rekindling thus and thus,

Not all forlorn for thou hast borne
Strange tales to them oj us."

To the Indian mind everything of value or
possession was filled with or controlled by a guar-
dian spirit.

When the thunder rolled ominously along the
heavens it was because the Manido wished to
warn his cowering children of the awfulness of
his wrath and had released the birds who lived
on human flesh.

When the north wind intruded its unwelcome
presence into their poor crazily built wigwams it
was because Ka-bib-on-oka in the meaness of his
spirit wished to rob them of their comfort and
possibly of their life, and although the terms from
which spring their word " Kitchi Manido" mean

1 8 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

much the same as " Father," Comforting One,"
" Sustainer," yet there was little in their practical
belief to comfort or to help.

But all spirits or manidos were not evil by
any means nor did the Indian want in appreciative
languag eto describe such as brought them any
relief.

On one occasion, in the forest, on the borders
of a lake did two beings meet. One of them
coming from the northerly direction, was old and
withered, and down his bowed back streamed the
straggly grey hair of unnumbered winters ; his
loins were girt about as though for a long journey
and in his hand he carried a rough stick whose
threatening proportions omened ill for whoever
opposed his wishes.

Seating himself on the bank of the lake he
watched its waters congeal until no longer did the
zephyrs stir its bosom into ripples. At the breath
of his coming, while he was yet a long way off,
had the trees shed their crimsoned foliage and
hung their saddened heads. Where'ere he step-
ped the grass was blackened under his feet and
birds fled before him to a warmer clime. The
other being who had came and who now stood
before him was young and comely. Upon his
splendid shoulders did the sunshine fall with genial
warmth, while through his thick hair were seen
entwined the snow-drops and the trilliums.

LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS

" Who are you and whence come you ?" de-
manded the Brave of the older one.

" From the North," came the retort, which
made the young man shudder, " over the lakes
and rivers, which freeze before me to pass over,
through pathless forests which shed their leaves
that I may see my way, for many moons have I
journeyed and I would fain journey further, but I
am weary." " Then, you are Winter?" cried the
other, "and from the South have I come to meet
and drive you back for all the world is dead
behind you, and no further shall you go."

Across the lake he started, but before him
the older one fled and as his grey locks and gaunt
body disappeared in the distance did the ice once
more begin to break, the air filled with the per-
fume of the buds and the trilling of the song birds
once more filled the awaking forests. At his feet
sprang up the blossoms of white and pink, of
yellow and blue, for he who now stood in the
- midst of nature was the Manido, Spring, the
conqueror of the Winter, of Famine and of Cold,

The birth of the water lily is, like the story of
the coming of Spring, wrapped in poetic imagery.

'Tis said that, in the early days ere men's
fingers learned to war, when perpetual summer
smiled upon the flower bedecked land and ere
the famine and fever had stalked with gaunt
visage among the Indians, a star appeared

2O HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

whose wondrous lustre attracted the attention of
the Braves. Night after night did it dazzle with
its splendour, but Kitchi Maraido vouchsafed no
reason for its being. Men ascended to the tops
of lofty mountains in the hope of reaching it and
solving the mystery but all to no purpose, until
one evening, when the fires had died low and the
tribe had gone to sleep, a maiden appeared at the
door of a young warrior's wigwam, and rousing
himr proclaimed herself the star incarnate.

She told him how she had watched the tribe's
doings and loved them for their innocence and
now begged for an abode among its members
wherein she might live.

In the morning the message was made public
and the warrior wras bidden by the council to wel-
come her to their midst and to let her choose for
herself the place most congenial.

At first, in answer to the welcome, the spirit
choose a high pine tree, but there she found her-
self so buried in the branches as to be unable to
see those among whom she had come to live.
Next she chose the prairie but fled from thence in
fear of the hoofs of the buffalo. Next a mountain
top was visited, but the people could not clamber
up its rugged sides and she was in danger of being
forgotten. Gazing down from her solitary height
she saw the river dotted with the canoes of the
Red Men and hearing the songs and shoutings of

LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS 21

the happy people exclaimed, "There on the water's
bosom shall be my resting-place, for there all may
see me and I in turn shall enjoy the company of
my adopted people where the children shall be
my playmates and I shall kiss their brows as they
slumber by the cool waters edge."

Following its decision the spirit alighted upon
the waters, and the. next day the Braves, awaking,
discovered thousands of white flowers covering
the bosom of the river as far as the eye could
reach; The star had assumed a tangible form
and from the grateful Indians received a new
name, Wah-be-gwon-nee, which means the Water
Lily.

When men pluck the Water Lily, tradition
says it should first be raised toward the skies that
it may say " Good-bye" to its sisters, the Morning
and the Evening Stars, before it be used for
human adornment.

A third legend which has to do with the origin
of the Iroquois is still related, it is said, by the
Indians about the State of Main.

A woman, a stranger, who wandered into a
camp of the Algonquins was, on account of her
beauty and her power of arousing compassion,
adopted into the tribe and at once became the
wife of one who was a leader among the "Bucks."

Hardly were they married, when the warrior
sickened and died, as indeed did more than one

22 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

other who had the hardihood to admit her to
their tepees.

Finally suspicion was aroused and the woman
summoned before the council, confessed that she
was a snake disguised as a human being to wreak
her hatred upon mankind. She was turned out
of the camp and driven off many days' journey,
and finally settling, she reared a family whose
descendants have ever been known by the term
Naud-o-way — Adder.

But a tradition of much more interest locally
is that told of the origin of the Attik-umaig, the
White Fish of St. Mary's Rapids.

An Indian woman had proved unfaithful to
her spouse, and the council being called and hav-
ing heard the case condemned the culprit to death.

She was led into the woods, and there mur-
dered, but her spirit ceased not to haunt her old-
time wigwam.

Never day passed but the mother's voice ter-
rified her shrinking children, and when the sha-
dows of night fell, the little ones — for they were
the objects of her special attack— listened in palsied
fear to her shrieks. At last, so bad did their state
become, that the medicine men advised them to
leave the village at Bow-a-ting and journey into
the interior that the spirit might lose itself in the
tangled glades of the forest. They set out upon
their journey — they were only two little children —

LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS 23

and for many moons they fled onward toward the
south, the boy killing food on which both sub-
sisted. Whenever, however, they journeyed there
also the spirit followed till, worn out with travel
and terror they retraced their steps and finally
arrived again on the bank of the River. They
had been told in the South that to cross this river
would ensure them peace forever afterward, but
when they reached the shore a mighty storm was
raging, the waves were swept mountain high and
no canoe could have lived to have borne them
over. Behind them, hurrying lest it should be
too late, raged the furious spirit, wrathful at the
idea of their attempted escape, and the children,
crouched upon the beach in agony, waiting for
the end.

But presently the Indians gathered on the other
shore, saw a crane * swoop down, which took
first the girl upon its back, and mounting high in
the air, flew over and deposited her among her
waiting people ; then returning and mounting the
boy upon its wings fetched him safely over.
By this time the spirit had reached the south
shore and now importuned the bird to once more
perform its charonian task, but the crane was
deaf to entreaty, till overcome by the prayers and
offers of future reward by the spirit, the bird

* The totem of the " Sault " Indians.

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTB MARIE.

mounted it too upon its wings and raised itself in
flight. Higher and higher it rose, battling with
the angry storm, to whose howlings the Manidos
joined their shrieks for and against the ghoul.
Out over the rapids drifted the storm beaten bird,
while the spirit, becoming frantic from fear,
clutched tightly at the carrier's throat in its wild
desire for safety. The bird became frightened,
A battle between itself and its burden began, and
as the storm clouds for a moment swept aside, the
moonlight revealed the falling spirit, which was
dashed to pieces in the rapids.

With the dawn of day the waters were found
to be swarming with fish that had not been known
before.

Some of these were immediately caught by the
Braves and opened, and were found by a peculiar
evidence (which was the presence in the stomach
of a pearly substance) to have been created from
the spirit s brain. So was infidelity punished, and
from the death of this very tangible ghost was
produced, for the Indian, the white fish.

The word for white fish " Attik-umaig," is a
compound, meaning the " deer-of-the-water," and
he who recalls the value of the deer in the Red
Man's eyes, which is to him a source of weapon,
food and clothing, must perceive in the imagina-
tive title their appreciation of this splendid fish.

Of the origin of the Rapids a beautiful legend

LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS 25

is told of how a brave, when the beaver were
dying out, built a darn across the narrows where
now the " Sank" lays, and forced the water back
in order to entrap the coveted game. Leaving
his wife to watch at the dam he went up the river
to hunt his prey, but while he was absent Man-
ab-o-sho, chasing a deer, caused him to leap into
the water above the newly constructed dam. As
the deer leapt the great uncle of the Ojibways
shouted to the girl to drive it back and she in her
eagerness to do his bidding left the dam and gave
chase. Immediately the beavers appeared which,
clambering over and forcing down the piled up
stones, escaped from the trap,, while the stones
rolling down lay in the channel and thus formed
the rapids.

The brave, in anger, came hurrying back, and
hearing his wife's excusesr was filled with jealousy
and slew her and left her body in the flood.

When white men visit the Sault they exclaim,
" Listen to the roar of the waters !" but the Indian
will tell you that it is not the sound of rushing
water, but the voice of the murdered woman, cry-
ing her explanation to her angry husband, and as
the bubbles rise from beneath to the surface the
Red Man will point and cry, " Behold the tears
of her who was wrongfully slain."

Man-ab-o-sho now received a visit from the
Great Spirit who demanded from him an account

26 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

of the tragedy. On hearing the story Kitchi
Manido was wrath and pronounced a curse upon
the friend of the Indians. He became a great
stone and was doomed to lie, helpless to aid, yet
able to hear and feel the prayers and wants of the
people until the crime of the murder should be
expiated.

So Man-ab-o-sho became a stone and lies in
the harbour of Port Arthur, where he may be
seen to this day. Nor does any Red Man pass
his recumbent form without the salutation, " Aho,
aho, Man-ab-o-sho."

Every Indian had a guardian spirit, a Manido
which took the form of reptile, animal or inani-
mate thing.

When about the age of fifteen years the boys
left the tribal camps, and proceeding each to some
secluded place alone, built there a wigwam where-
in to sojourn.

The period of trial lasted from three to ten or
more days, according to the strength and will
power of the lad, who in his dreamings hoped to
have brought before his mind's eye some parti-
cular form.

To one the vision was of a bear or a serpent,
to another it was a bird, and henceforth that seen
in his visions became the young buck's particular
totem.

Never afterwards did he go forth without a

LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS 27

skin or at least a bone of the creature represented
to him. It was his talisman against all ills, but
often when the talisman failed in its work it was
discarded and some other selected in its stead.

Sometimes, descending to the abodes of the
tribe, after the lengthy fast, a boy would tell
with awe-stricken voice how in ecstatic mood he
had seen a man of great beauty and strength
standing and regarding him with favour and would
ask the meaning of his vision and the old men
would whisper to each other that the lad had seen
the Great Spirit himself and was thus assured of
long and happy days. But if he failed to return
within a reasonable time a party went in search
of him, and if he had died of exposure and starva-
tion he was regarded as having entered upon his
journey which would one day lead him to the
happy hunting ground.

To that happy hunting ground, the Ish-pe-
ming * of the Ojibway, did all Indians alike direct
their steps, but not all to enjoy its bliss.

It was in truth a spirit world where everything
was a phantom. Spirit warriors hunted ghostly
animals and shot bodiless arrows from behind the
shades of rocks and trees. Spirit rivers flowed
to quench the thrist and carry the shadow canoes
of the departed ones who " packed" into that

* Heaven.

28 HISTORY OF SAUIvT SAINTB MARIE.

world beyond, the shades of those things depo-
sited in their graves at the time of their burial.
And so all things necessary for their comfort were
placed therein : blankets for warmth, bows and
arrows for the chase, tobacco for solace, mocas-
sins, snow-shoes, wampum belts and food, but in
the graves of cowardly ones were deposited no
such things, for Indian belief held that these
needed only their hands with which to gather
snakes and roots which Braves would disdain to
live upon.

Once in every ten or twelve years was a grand
burial feast held by some nation. Then the war
club was laid aside and all, who would, gathered
to pay the last mark of respect,

After the feasting, the remains, now merely
bones, were brought amid much wailing and sor-
row and deposited in one common grave and only
then were the spirits absolutely released from
their earthly prisons and permitted to escape to
the other world.

It was at one of these funeral feasts held by
the Hurons that the Jesuit Fathers first became
acquainted with the Ojibways which in time led
to the establishment of their mission at the Rapids
of Saint Mary.

CHAPTER 111

THE COMING OF THE FRENCH,

" C'etait une /regale,
Mon joli cceur de rose,

Dans la mer a touche,
Joli cceur d'une rose.

FRENCH SONG.

What time the foot of white man first trod
the beach of Sault Sainte Marie must ever be a
matter of conjecture.

The wildest fancies have been indulged in by
those who cling to flimsiest narrative rather than
sift the truth.

Down the North Channel, whose fairy islands
like the Manido's stepping stones, lead the way
to this growing city, there is pointed out a pro-
montory called Cabot's Head.

A legend, whose origin is unknown, asks us to
believe that the adventurous Vemtian penetrated
into the new-discovered country at least thus far,
but no record of such a journey exists, nor does
the map prepared by him, and published in 1544,
show any knowledge of this distant interior.

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

As early as 1603, however, the fur trade had
been established and once a year between six
hundred and seven hundred swarthy natives with
their canoes ladened with the choicest of peltries
came paddling down from the unknown waters to
barter with the French at Quebec, to drink, to
gamble, and once more to disappear in the wilds.

The " West," from whence these Indians came,
meant all the undiscovered country to the people
at Quebec, and the " whites " pictured it in their
mind's eyes as a land of fabulous wealth and bar-
barous splendour, while the vague remarks on the
part of the natives excited the Frenchmen to
learn more than they had been told.

With the true spirit of adventure, these traders
began their conquest of the. territory by pushing
their way into the interior to barter with the In-
dians for their furs.

In 1605 the " Beaver Company" * had sent
agents "to near and around the great lakes and
" Northwest Territory," and, according to some
French writers, they had even visited what is now
Athabasca.

^° t^iese men> not always rough and uncouth,
but oftentimes of noble birth, who had crossed
the Atlantic in search of adventure, must be given
the credit of opening up the mysterious wilderness.

* The Great Company, Beckles Willson, p. 20.

THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 3 1

Pushing their frail Chemaun * noiselessly
through strange waters whose over-arching banks
allowed the intermingling of the branches of cedar
and willow on either side, in constant danger from
the silent enemy who stealthily followed day after
day for the chance to strike the murderous blow,
now portaging over difficult pathways worn
through the virgin forest or gliding over the thin
thread of waters, so narrow and shallow as hardly
to allow a passage, or again shooting suddenly
out upon the bosom of a seemingly limitless inland
ocean, whose only boundary line was the sky, at
times intoxicated with the wildest expectations,
and again sunk in staring despair, they never-
theless persevered until they had accomplished
their journey and had claimed the new shore for
the king of France.

There arrived in Quebec in 1618, coming from
the Western Wilderness, Etienne Brule, t who
already more than once had acted as interpreter
for the intrepid Champlain. He brought a report
that he had shipped his canoes on the waters of
Lake Superior and backed his statement with
specimens of native copper. In all probability he
reached the great lake by St. Mary's River, por-
taging around the falls, but not until Champlain

* Ojibway for canoe.

f Parkman, "Pioneers of France in the New World."

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

published his map with its accompanying des-
cription in 1632, does the Sault receive author-
itative recognition.""" There its Indian name,
Baw-a-ting, was changed to Sault du Gaston in
honour of Jean-Baptiste Gaston, the younger
brother of Louis the Thirteenth and son of Henry
IV. and his wife Marie de Medici

Two years after Champlain's chart was pub-
lished, Jean Nicolet, a Norman Frenchman, who
had found his way to the Nipissing, coasted along
the shores of Mer Douce, t and, entering the
straits, paddled up the St. Mary River to the foot
of the rapids, and landing, stayed for some time
before pushing further west.

Close upon the trail of the voyageur, as eager
to win converts as the trader was to gain the furs,
came the Jesuit Fathers.

With everything to lose — from the material
standpoint — and little to gain in this world, they
nevertheless burned with zeal to win the new
country for the Christian Faith.

Like Boniface, the Apostle to Germany, who,
despite all offers of preferment and exaltation,

* It has been stated in a recent publication that the year 1615
found Le Caron, Viel and Sagard established at Sault Sainte Marie.
Such is an error and has undoubtedly arisen from the writer's con-
fusing the Mission of St. Mary among the Huron Indians with the
Mission of Sainte Marie du Sault. Vide Parkman, "Jesuits in
North America," pp. n, 13; " Pioneers of New France," p. 435.

t Lake Huron.

THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 35

persevered in his devotion to the pagans whom
he sought to win, these holy men, resigned their
professorships and incumbencies in Old France
and eagerly journeyed to the New World to press
their way through suffering, cold, starvation and
torture, into the hearts of the people whom they
came to save.

Like St. Boniface, too, was the end of many
of these holy men.

Whether, as in the case of some, it came
through days of agonizing torture, or as with
others through the swift and unseen blow from
tomahawk or knife, their death saw them willing
sacrifices because of their firm belief that the
blood of martyrs is after all the seed of the Church.

Among these priests who found their way to
Sault Sainte Marie were Isaac Jogues, Charles
Raymbault, Gabriel Druillette, Charles Dablon,
Louis Andre\ Claude Allouez, Hennepin and
Pere Marquette.

In 1641 some of the Algonquins from Lake
Superior descended to the country of the Hurons
to take part with them in the Feast of the Dead.
It was a most important occasion with the Indian
and only occurred once in every ten or twelve
years. The Fathers, who were established as
missionaries among the Hurons, were not slow to
seize this opportunity for friendship with the
strangers, and the year following saw Jogues and

HISTORY OF SAUIvT SAINTE MARIE

Raymbault on their way to Sault du Gaston, *
which they reached after a journey of 250 miles.
Upwards of two thousand Indians gathered and
received them with coarse hospitality. The
Fathers reciprocated with the usual presents and
feasts. For some days they stayed among them,
living in the friendly wigwams, healing the sick
with rude specifics, preaching and baptizing, but
it was not to be their privilege to remain.

The late months had come with all their glo-
ries of Indian Summer. From the leaf-carpeted
ground arose the misty haze which bade the Red
Men prepare for the Winter's hunting. Father
Raymbault began to sicken from the hardship of
his missionary life and he and Father Jogues
gathered the braves around them to bid them
" Adieu."

The Indians expressed genuine sorrow at the
idea of separation. "Stay with us,' exclaimed
one of them, approaching the Fathers, with en-
treating voice and outstretched hands, " and we
" will embrace you like brothers ; we will learn
" from you the prayer of the French, and we will
" be obedient to your word."t

But it was not right that they should stay.
They raised a large cross on the banks of the

*The Hurons called the Rapids " Skiae." Life of Jogues, p. 58.
f Relations, 1641.

THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 35

river to show the limits reached by the preaching
of its apostles and made it face toward the valley
of the Mississippi, to which their attention had
been called in a vague manner by the children of
the forest, and with much grief at the parting,
they stepped into their ladened canoes and pad-
dled away down the river.

Raymbault was quite broken by the rugged
life and privation he had been called upon to
endure from time to time, and being taken to
Quebec, he died October 22, 1642.^

Father Jogues' labours were continued among
the Hurons and the Mohawks, by one of whom
named by the French Le Berger, he was mur-
dered in 1646. t

It must be steadily borne in mind that until
the time of the American Revolution there was
no thought of dividing the history of the two
shores of the St. Mary's River.

All that happened on either side entered into
the story of the whole, and although the chief
events until the establishment of the Northwest
Company on the north shore, transpired on the
south, yet the two districts were so intimately
associated as to form merely one community.

Nicolet who, in 1634, was kindly received by

* Martin's lyife of Jogues.

t Parkman's Jesuits in North America, p. 402.

36 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

the Ojibways on his arrival, crossed to the north
bank on a tour of discovery, as indeed did Mar-
quette also, when in 1668 he came to establish
the mission,

Voyageurs passing up to the Gitchi Gummi,^
as the Indians termed Lake Superior, made the
portage impartially on the north side and on the
south. The ground of what is now the Canadian
Sault was, according to the compiler, Sauer, more
inviting for camps or wigwams than the other,
while the north hills lent themselves more effect-
ively for purposes of observation than those of
the south.

In 1660 came Groseilliers, the daring advent-
urer, spying out the land for the establishment of
a trading company.

It was through the efforts and determination
of this man together with Radisson that the Hud-
son's Bay Company was born.

Their story reads like exaggerated fiction so
full is it of marvellous exploit and success in the
face of apparently insurmountable difficulties.

In 1659 they had visited what is now Wis-
consin, and in 1660 had returned to Montreal
loaded with furs and with wonderful accounts of
the wealth of the newly visited land.

When their stock had been disposed of Gro-

* The Great Water.

THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 37

seilliers announced his intention of journeying
back on his own account. Immediately he was
beset by a multitude of voyageurs and couriers
anxious to accompany him. He chose six French-
men and prepared for the trip. The Jesuits, how-
ever, mistrusting his religious proclivities, insisted
on one of their number going with him.

The priest chosen was Rene* M^nard, an aged
missionary, who, with his servant Gu^rin, at once
joined the party. Up the St. Mary's, past the
Sault and across Superior they journeyed.

But calamity followed upon them, their trading
was most unsuccessful, Father Menard was mur-
dered by the natives and his body was consumed
in a cannibalistic feast.

Such was the report brought to Montreal on
the return of Groseillier.

The year following, 1662, the hatred existing
between the Algonquins and the Iroquois reached
a climax in this district and a war of extermina-
tion was determined upon by the latter.

The story is still told with gusto by the older
men who, not yet, have entirely forsaken Indian
ways and traditions, and the eye still brightens
with the lust of battle as the raconteur tells his tale.

Already had the Huron country been laid
waste by the fury of the Naud-a-ways. The Jesuit
missions for the time were unable to cope with
their power and the few Hurons who were the

38 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

wretched survivors of the terrible war, wandered
starving and freezing and crazed with fear like
cornered beasts, not knowing where to turn for
refuge.

Trading too was almost at a standstill although
there were still found those who took their lives
in their hands and pushed through the infested
country for the sake of trade and gain.

Hearing that the Iroquois, or Naud-o-ways,
were gathering to make war upon them, the Ojib-
ways met in force at Fond-du-Lac at the head of
Lake Superior, and paddling across that body of
water, camped at Gros Cap, from whence three
braves were despatched to discover the where-
abouts of the foe.

Strong in their insolent confidence of strength
these latter did not seek to hide their movements,
and the scouts, emerging from the forest below
St. Mary's Rapids, discovered them in the act of
torturing some victims whom they had seized on
their way. Hastily retracing their steps to Gros
Cap, they related what they had witnessed and
immediately the camp became the scene of excited
preparation for battle.

The Naud-o-ways, however, had no notion
that the Ojibways were so close at hand and the
torture ended, their victims being dead, they em-
barked above the Portage and made for the south
shore about to a point nine miles above the Sault,

THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 39

landing at the jut of land which was destined ever
afterward to bear their name.
There the orgies began,

The victims were roasted and feasted upon
and dancing and drinking filled to the brim the
cup of their fiendish pleasure.

From Gros Cap, the opposite point, did the
Ojibways listen to the pandemonium till the
sounds of the revelry grew faint, and finally ceased
altogether and the heaped up fires leaped no more.
The time for action had arrived, for the Indian
dearly loves a surprise, and pushing into the water
their silent barks they paddled breathlessly to the
slaughter.

The dawn of the awakening day was already
beginning to streak with its first grey tints the
eastern sky when the canoes were beached.

In silence the naked warriors crept upon the
foes,

A dog roused and barked, but a bone of one
of the victims of the previous night's revel being
thrown to him silenced his suspicions and the
camp lay undisturbed.

Nearer and nearer crawled the Ojibways till
the moment for attack arrived. The chief leapt
to his feet with the war cry of his people, the war- /
riors took it up, and all rushed to the kill.

From hundreds of throats were the triumphant
yells echoed as though all perdition had broken

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

loose upon the fated people. The Iroquois stum-
bled to their feet and groped for club and war
knife, but the excesses of the feasting and the fire
water of the traders had stupified them and little
resistance was possible.

On every side lay scalpless bodies still writh-
ing in anguish, the groans of the dying mingled
with the fierce yells of the victors, till when the
battle was stayed and the warriors drew off for
rest there remained of the proud invading army
only two stricken men.

The Ojibways, for once, had been sated with
the killing.

The two who remained were of no use to the
victors, and a council was called to decide their
fate. The decision was quickly reached,

They were led into the burning circle. Their
ears and noses were stricken off, then maimed and
almost dead, they were placed in a canoe and
bidden to paddle back to their own country to tell
their fellow warriors that such would be the treat-
ment meted out to all Naud-o-ways who ventured
into the Ojibway land.

The message proved effective.

From that time on, no band of Iroquois in-
truded upon the old enemies' territory and St.
Mary's River and Gitchi Gummi remained the
undisputed territory of the Ojibways and once

THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 41

more opened the doors of its friendly wigwams
to welcome the returning " black robes." *

* Indian name for priest. The name first applied to the Jesuits
by the O jib ways was Wa-mit-ig-oshe — "the men of the waving
stick" — from the fact that always on approaching an Indian settle-
ment the Father stood up in the canoe and held aloft the cross in
token of his mission.

CHAPTER IV

THE BUILDING OF THE MISSION.

u Anon from, the belfry
Softly the Angelus sounded"

EVANGBWNE.

'From the time of Jogues and Raymbault's
visit in 1642, Sault Sainte Marie was without a
missionary, until in 1665 Father Claude Allouez
arrived with a party of 400 Indians and traders
who were journeying from the East. Allouez did
not establish his headquarters here, but continued
with the fleet of canoes to Keweenaw Bay, a
place in Lake Superior from whence, as opport-
unity permitted, he visited the Redmen at the
village by the Rapids. Finding the necessity,
however, of a permanent station, Louis Nicolas
was sent to join him and he became the first
resident priest.

By 1668 a small white settlement of between
20 and 25 voyageurs had been formed, and this
fact, together with Pere Allouez' glowing des-
cription of the promising condition of the mission,
may have induced the superior of the Jesuits to
send to the Sault him who may justly be termed
the Apostle of the district.

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

Pere Jacques Marquette, for such was this
great man's name, left Montreal April 21, 1668,
to begin his work at the reclaimed mission.

He was a man in whose veins flowed the best
blood of France, for, through many generations,
had his ancestors as soldiers and statemen spent
their lives for country and for king.

At that period, the youth of France looked
longingly, for adventure, to the New World and
the spirit permeated every class of society.

The soldier volunteered eagerly to help in its
conquest.

The trader saw there a mint of profit from the
furs, while the novices in the colleges, to whom
the stories of atrocities and barbarism came,
thirsted to be allowed to join the number of those
who, as suffering preachers, were to win undying
glory and renown.

Having been selected for the new country's
conversion, Marquette set sail in a little craft with
a number of others and not long after his arrival
he began his journey westward.

In birch bark canoes, kneeling, on rushes all
alike white man and red, bending to the paddles,
the party sped away up the waters, and after
many days reached its destination. Here Allouez
had come to .meet them, and as quickly as possible
a location was chosen and preparations made for
the building of a station.

FATHER ISAAC JOGUES, OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS

THE BUILDING OF THE MISSION

The dense forest of the south shore where
they had landed afforded the best of pine and
cedar for the work.

First was erected a chapel where the sacrifice
that had been offered once for all on Calvary
might daily be pleaded before the throne of God,
and Marquette, in the hope of appealing more
strongly to the natives, adorned its rude walls
with sundry pictures of doctrinal meaning.

A house was also built for the Fathers, both
for their own abode and for the entertainment of
travellers, for this was ever regarded by them a
sacred duty, while necessity also existed for a
room other than the chapel where Indians could
be dealt with who came to enquire the " Way of
Salvation." The ground about the tiny "post'"
was ploughed and sown with wheat, peas and corn
in the hope that the Indians observing the ad-
vantages of having crops, would follow the exam-
ple of the Fathers.

In these days of medical missionaries, whose
splendid exploits fill us with admiration, it may
be well not to forget that priest-physicians in the
persons of such men as Father Drouillette at Sault
Sainte Marie, and Father Gamier among the
Hurons, were at work centuries ago healing the
diseased in body as well as those who were sick
of soul.

The chapel and community house having been

46 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

finished, the whole was surrounded with a strong
stockade of cedar twelve feet high as a means of
protection, should the necessity arise, and the
whole occupied a position as nearly as may be
determined, at the point where, in the American
town, Bingham avenue and Water street cross
to-day (1903).

If these men truly sought hardship they as
truly found it in the place wherein their lot had
fallen.

In the Relation of 1666-67 le Mercier, writing
of the whole district, says :

" Toil, famine, scarcity of all things, ill-treat-
ment from the Barbarians and mockery from the
Idolators form the most precious portion of these
missions.

" We have to bear everything from their bad
humour and their brutality in order to win them
by gentleness and affection. One must make
himself in some sort a Savage with these Savages
and lead a Savage's life with them and live some-
times on a moss that grows on the rocks, some-
times on pounded fish bones — a substitute for
flour — and sometimes on nothing— passing three
or four days without eating as they do whose
stomachs are inured to these hardships " *

It was at this time that Sault Sainte Marie
took its final name.

* Quoted from Thwaite's " lyife of Marquette."

THE BUILDING OF THE MISSION 47

Till then it had been known as Sault du
Gaston,

Tradition, fondly held by some of the old peo-
ple, tells how, overcome with weariness, vexation
and disappointment, the Fathers, soon after their
arrival, faltered in their work, but night brought
to one of the little community a vision of the
Blessed Virgin who gave assurance of protection
and bade all take heart.

After such an event it was only right that
something should be done by way of commemo-
ration, and so the name was changed from Sault
du Gaston to that of Sault Sainte Marie.

The probability is, however, that the name
was given merely because the mission had now
become firmly established and the Virgin invoked
as the interceding saint.

There came with Marquette, in 1668, a young
artificer, the very kind of man for a newly open-
ing country.

He was a lay brother, Louis le Boeme,* or
Bohesme, who became armorer and blackmith,
jeweller, lay brother, and, at times garrison to the
mission, as when in 1674 he manned the cannon
against the Sioux who sought to avenge the death
of one of their number, t

* Thwaites.
t Neill.

48 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

Louis made crosses and candlesticks among
other things, and may be considered the pioneer
manufacturer of the West.

Father Dablon arrived in the summer of 1669
to succeed Allouez as Superior of the mission,
and in his letter to le Mercier at Quebec, he de-
scribes the settlement, the Indians and the fishing.

Up to this time no religious order, save that
of the Jesuits, had sought to penetrate into the
Great Lake district, but in 1670 Fathers Dollier
and Galinee were fitted out by the Sulpitians of
Montreal and left with La Salle's expedition just
as Midsummer drew near. La Salle in the course
of the trip changed his plans, and the Sulpitians
came on alone, arriving at the Sault on the 25th
of May.

Here they were received by Dablon and
Marquette who, although treating them most hos-
pitably, showed unmistakably that they wished
no interference from them or from anyone else.

Three days did they sojourn in the mission
and then took their departure, not with Indians
to the West as they had hoped, but under a
French guide back whence they came.

With the unreasonable spirit, born no doubt
of eagerness for the triumph of the cause, but
which has unfortunately characterized the religious
enthusiasts of every age, Galinee criticized seve-
rely the apparent lack of results as noticed in his

THE BUILDING OF THE MISSION

three days visit. He says that " though the Jesuits
had baptized a few Indians at the * Sault,' not one
of them was a good enough Christian to receive
the Eucharist," and he intimates that the case by
their own showing was even worse at St. Esprit.*
Little did he appreciate the difficulties under
which his brethern wrought.

It has already been mentioned that Radisson
and Groseilliers passed up some years previous to
this. Then they were thinking of the interests
of France, but a change had taken place. A
British company had since been formed with head-
quarters in London, a company which was des-
tined to play a very considerable part in the history
of Canada. It was called *' The Governor and
Company of Adventurers of England Trading in
Hudson's Bay," but was most popularly known
as the Hudson's Bay Company. This organ-
ization engaged Radisson and his brother in-law
Groseillers as the men who were best acquainted
with the country and as those who had the great*
est authority among the natives and it was as the
inauguration of a policy to offset their power that
caused Talon, the Intendant, to send Daumont de
St. Lusson and his band of soldiers and gentle-
men in 1 676 t to take formal possession of the /,

* La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West, p. 29.
t La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West, p. 49.

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

whole western land in the name of Louis XIV.
of France.

The scene was set at Sault Sainte Marie.
Nicolas, Perrot, a young voyageur of twenty-six
years, who had formerly been attached to the
Jesuits, went to act as interpreter. He was not
only courageous but enterprising and as well a
man of good address. He spoke the Algonquin
fluently and was regarded with affection by the
Indians of many tribes.

St. Lusson wintered at the Manitoulin Islands
while his trusty lieutenant went for many miles in
every direction where natives would likely be and
summoned them to the parley to take place at the
Sault.

Everywhere he was received right royally.
At one place, Green Bay, the tribe received him
with a sham battle and an exhibition of their game
of lacrosse. *

When the winter slackened and the ice broke
up, Perrot and a number of Sacs Winnebagoes
and Mennominies started for the rendevous where
they arrived May the fifth, 1671.

Saint Lusson and his men, fifteen in number,
had alrea reached the Sault and the Indians
fast returning from the winter hunting grounds
thronged the beach.

* Parkman.

THE BUILDING OF THE MISSION

Two thousand braves, representing fourteen
distinct tribes, had gathered before the French-
men prepared to carry out their design.

On the fourteenth of June, the little host,,
with flags unfurled and swords drawn, marched
out from the mission gate and took its stand on
the brow of the hill. Following the soldiers,,
whose splendid uniforms and flashing weapons
fascinated the Indians, paced solemnly the Black
Robes, the Wa-mit-ig-oshe, as the Redmen were
pleased to term them, Claude Dablon, Gabriel
Druillette, Claude Allouez and Louis Andre*,,
arrayed in their robes of office, to take part in the
ceremony. The natives followed after and when
the party halted, " crouched around with eyes
and ears intent."

A large cross of wood had been
made ready, and Dablon now stepped
forward and blessed it, while firm hands
raised it and planted it firmly in the
ground.

With one accord the Frenchmen un-
covered and upon the charmed ears of
the Indians there fell the sweet sounds
of St. Bernard's hymn, known as the
Vexilla Regis.

5 2 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

The Royal Banners forward go,
The Cross shines forth in mystic glow,
Where He in Flesh, our flesh Who made,
Our sentence bore, our ransom paid.

The whilst He hung, His sacred Side
By soldier's spear was opened wide,
To cleanse us in the precious flood
Of Water mingled with His Blood.

Fulfilled is now what David told

In true prophetic song of old,

How God the heathen's King should be ;

For God is reigning from the Tree.

O Tree of glory, Tree most fair,
Ordained those Holy Limbs to bear,
How bright in purple robe it stood,
The purple of a Saviour's Blood !

Upon its arms, like balance true,
He weighed the price for sinners due,
The price which none but He could pay,
And spoiled the spoiler of his prey.

To Thee, Eternal THREE in ONE,
Let homage meet by all be done ;
As by the Cross Thou dost restore,
So rule and guide us evermore. Amen.

A post of cedar wood was then planted with a
metal plate attached on which were engraven the
royal arms, during which ceremony was chanted
the Exaudiat, and one of the Fathers uttered a
prayer for the king.

The Commandant now advanced, and holding
his sword in one hand he raised with the other a

THE BUILDING OF THE MISSION 53

sod of earth and proclaimed : " In the name of
the Most High, Mighty and Redoubted Monarch
Louis, Fourteenth of that name, Most Christian
King of France and Navarre, I take possession
of this place Sainte Marie du Sault as also of
Lakes Huron and Superior, the Island of Mani-
toulin and all countries, rivers, lakes and streams
contiguous and adjacent thereunto — both those
which have been discovered and those which may
be discovered hereafter, in all their length and
breadth, bounded on the one side by the seas of
the. North and West, and on the other by the
South Sea, declaring to the nations thereof that
from this time forth they are vassals of his Majesty,
bound to obey his laws and follow his customs,
promising them on his part all succour and pro-
tection against the incursions and invasions of
their enemies, declaring to all other potentates,
princes, sovereigns, states and republics — to them
and to their subjects — that they cannot and are
not to seize or settle upon any parts of the afore-
said countries, save only under the good pleasure
of His Most Christian Majesty and of him who
will govern in his behalf, and this on pain of in-
curring his resentment and the efforts of his arms.
Vive le Roi."

The Frenchmen fired their guns and shouted,
and the Indians mingled their cries with the tumult
hardly knowing why they did so.

54 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTB MARIE.

The ceremony of taking possession having;
been completed, Father Allouez harangued the
Indians,, and his words have been preserved for us
in the Relations of 1671.

Then arose and stepped forward Chief Ke-che-
ne-zuh-yauh, the old warrior from Lake Superior.
He was viewed with profound veneration by all
his people, who acknowledged him as head of the
nation.

As he approached the centre of the open spacer
Saint Lusson produced a golden heart which he
placed on the breast of the ancient brave as a
symbol that so did the great French King entrust
his confidence to the keeping of his fai.thful allies.

Addressing the Indians the envoy exclaimed :
'* Each morning you will look toward the rising
sun and you will see the fire of your French father
reflecting toward you and your people. If you are
in trouble you must arise and cry with your far
sounding voice,""" and I will hear you The fire
of your French father will last forever to warm
and comfort his children. "t

A treaty, which had been previously drawn
up, was now produced and, with much ceremony,
signed,and it may be interesting to know the names
of those who witnessed the signing of the document

* An allusion to the clan totem, which was the Crane,
t History of the Ojibways,

THE BUILDING OF THE MISSION

According to Margry, * they were Dablon,
Druillette, Allouez, Andre", Nicolas Perrot, Sieur
Joliet, Jacques Mogras, Pierre Moreau, Sieur de
la Taupine, Denis Masse, Francois de Chavigny,
Sieur de la Chevrottiere, Jacques Lagillier, Jean
Maysere, Nicolas Dupuis, Francois Biband, Jac-
ques Joviel, Pierre Porteret, Robert Duprat,
Vital Driol, William Bonhomme.

So much for the splendid function. Saint
Lusson, happy in the belief that he had accom-
plished much, departed immediately on a tour of
observation on Lake Superior, and returning soon
afterward missed the cedar post and the plate
with the arms of France.

In answer to his inquiries he was told that
immediately on his departure the post was up-
rooted and the plate torn off and carried away,
nor could his informant give a reason for the In-
dians' action.

Some day, mayhap, a -settler, ploughing his
field where now stands the virgin forest, will turn
up with his plough point a ragged green shield
and will hasten off on the first opportunity to some
one who can possibly explain it

The numismatist will hold it reverently before
him and exclaim as the truth downs upon him,
41 These are the arms, the crest of France and

* Vol. I, p. 97.

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

the plate Saint Lusson nailed to the post in 1671
at Sainte Marfe du Sault.

Earnestly now did the Fathers toil in their
efforts to Christianize the Savages. Up and down
the country, by land and water, in canoes and on
foot they journeyed, but success was not to be.

Once more the furious Iroquois advanced to
ravage the land. In terror the Ojibways fled
before them, yet for a time, in spite of all, the
Jesuits held on, but the end finally came. In 1689
the mission was abandoned, the priests passed
from the scene and with their departure dis-
appeared from St. Mary's Rapids the influence
of settled white men for a time.

CHAPTER V

ABANDONMENT OF THE MISSION,

" Raising together their voices,

Sang they with tremulous lips a chant of the Catholic Mission^
t Sacred heart of the Saviour I 0 inexhaustible fountain,
Fill our hearts this day with strength and submission and
patience.1 "

EVANGEWNE.

Mention has already been made of the action
of Boeme, the armorer, in training the mission
cannon on the Sioux.

The story is, that in 1674 a band of Sioux
warriors arrived at the mission for the purpose of
smoking the pipe of peace with the tribes of the
surrounding district.

While there, one of the local Indians killed a
member of the delegation, and of course a battle
ensued. Nine of the Sioux were killed in the
melee and the rest — only two in number — fled to
the mission house for refuge.

Here they were again assailed and opened
fire upon their beseigers.

A council was held. The Indians wished
to burn the mission and the Sioux in it, but the

58 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

Jesuits would not allow this, because of the valu-
able peltries stored in the garret. Boetne was
finally prevailed upon to train the cannon on the
place, the discharges from which quickly des-
patched the refugees, and so the deputation was
annihilated.

Governor Frontenac was very indignant when
he heard what had taken place, and at once re-
ported the case to Colbert, the Colonial Minister
of Louis Fourteenth, but no action seems to have
been taken.

During the latter years of this period, LaSalle
visited the district. His boat, the Griffon, the
pride of the French and the wonder of the Indians,
traversed Lakes Huron and Michigan, touching
Mackinac among other places, and it is quite
probable that the little craft, which was the first
4 Marge" vessel on the Upper Lakes, pushed its
way among those of the thirty thousand islands
which dot the passage up the river to the Sault,

We know that he visited Sault Sainte Marie
after Tonty's visit had proved fruitless.

Some members of LaSalle's party deserted
him and were trading on their own account at
Sault Sainte Marie. Their commander in 1679
dispatched Henry Tonty to arrest them and to
seize their furs. The deserters, however, induced
Louis le Bohesme or Boeme to secret the peltries
in the misison house and Tonty had to retire
and report his failure.

ABANDONMENT OF THE MISSION

Two years afterward the commander himself
made the journey and demanded of Father Ballo-
quet the production of the furs. The Reverend
Father informed LaSalle that there was a large
number of furs in the mission loft and that if La
Sa^lc could prove them to be his he might remove
them. LaSalle, always bitter of tongue, retorted
that he feared he might be excommunicated if by
mistake he took peltries that he could not dis-
tinguish from his own and so departed in wrath
for Mackinac. *

DuLuth also visited the mission between the
years 1678 and 1683, and it was he who in the
latter year caused Folle Avoine and his brother
next of age to be shot.

The incident was as follows : During the
Summer of that year two Frenchmen, Le Maire
and Berthot, were surprised by three Ojibways
(who were brothers) while on their way to Ke-
weenaw and murdered.

Their bodies were thrown into the marsh and
their goods hidden in various parts of the woods,

DuLuth was told the name of one of the crim-
inals and that he had gone to the Sault with
fifteen families for fear of the Sioux. The explorer
was too much the soldier to allow this to pass.
Since 1657 he had been under arms, first in the

* Quoted from Margry, Vol. II.

60 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE

Lion-rials Regiment, then as gendarme in the
King's Household, and savage license was not
excused by him. *

The Frenchman immediately, followed with
seven of his own nation and coming to within a
league of the settlement, landed and struck through
the bush to take Avoine by surprise. He was
entirely successful. The murderer was arrested
and a court instituted to try him. In the mean-
time Pere, another Frenchman, had started on the
search for the prisoner's companions in crime and
seizing them, brought them back and placed them
under guard in DuLuth's house.

The trial was now proceeded with.

Folle Avoine, who did not know of the arrest
of the; others, accused them of the whole responsi-
bility, his father also, he declared, was accessory
to the crime.

The old man was brought in and was ac-
quited by four of his sons. The father, finding
by their words that they had convicted themselves,
exclaimed, "It is enough you have accused your-
selves, the French are masters of your bodies."

During the two days following, the convicts
were held in the hope that the Indians would say
what ought to be done, but no result was ar-
rived at.

* Canadian Archives, 1899.

ABANDONMENT OF THE MISSION

DuLuth then called the Frenchmen together,
and after reciting all the evidence, received their
unanimous opinion that the three brothers were
guilty, but as only two Frenchmen had been killed
it was decided that only two lives should be de-
manded, and Folle Avoine and his next oldest
brother were ordered to prepare.

The Jesuit missionaries now baptized the
doomed men, and an hour afterward DuLuth and
forty -two other Frenchmen, in the sight of more
than four hundred Savages, shot the murderers
two hundred paces distant from the post.

Thus was the first regularly performed execu-
tion carried out in this place.

Lahontan was the last man to record his visit
to Sault Sainte Marie before the fear of the Iro-
quois drove the Jesuits out.

In June 1688 he arrived at the village and
found only a handful of Indian wigwams cowering
beneath the stockade of the mission. All the shore
of Lake Superior had been devastated, not a vil-
lage,, not a even a wigwam remained about the
Rapids. Slowly but surely were the hostiles clos-
ing in upon those who stayed. Indeed Lahontan
with his forty Ojibways had to fight his way
through a party of Iroquois in the following month,
July, and was able to overcome them merely
through his superior intellect and tactics as a
white man.

62 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

In spite of this hostility there were still some
few who ventured thus far into the enemies'
country.

Among these were La Ronde Denys who
with his son undertook to explore the copper
mines on the shores of the Great Lakes.

Denys was at this time 60 years of age. He
had served as a naval ensign, 1 703, as captain in
Acadia, then as captain at He Royale in 1714,
and as captain in Canada, 1723. *

In 1736 he and his son built a barque of forty
tons above the St. Mary's Rapids, having brought
the rigging and materials from the East.

In that year only thirty men of all the Ojib-
way tribe were found at the Sault, Little was
accomplished by the La Rondes, for in 1 740 the
father's health failed him and he was forced to
retire with his son to Montreal, from whence he
never returned. With this departure began the
waning of French ascendency.

Six years afterward, owing to the growing
influence of the British the Ojibways now spread
all over the country began to exhibit an unfriendly
spirit to their former masters

Two canoes filled with Frenchmen were at-
tacked at La Cloche, a Frenchman was stabbed
at Grosse Isle, horses and cattle were killed at

* Canadian Archives, 1899.

ABANDONMENT OF THE MISSION 63

Mackmac and the guard there was kept constantly
under arms. Governor Galissoniere in a despatch
of October, 1748, wrote to Count Maurepas in
charge of the colonies of France : " Voyageurs
robbed and maltreated at Sault Sainte Marie and
•elsewhere on Lake Superior, in fact there appears
to be no security anywhere." *

Such a state of affairs could not be long allow-
ed to exist, and 1750 Repentigny, a Canadian
gentleman, " brave and intelligent and well fitted
for service," t was chosen to ascend the St. Mary
River and to establish at the Rapids a French
military fort.

* N. Y. Col. Doc. X. 182, quoted by Neill.
t Description given in the Governor's Report.

CHAPTER VI

COURREURS DES BOIS ET BOIS BRULES.

" La gloire, c'est une couronne,
Faite de rose et de laurier;
J'ai servi Venus et Bellone,
Je suis epoux et brigadier,
Mais je pour suis ce meteor e
Qui vers Chalcos guida Jason.

OI,D FRENCH SONG.

From the abandonment of the mission till the
coming of Repentigny there was no official of
Church or government at the Sault.

Though men came and went they did so inde-
pendently of any help which here in former years
could have been obtained, and as they paddled up
the river to the site of the former settlement, in-
stead of the neat mission house with its curling
smoke cJid trim acres of wheat and garden, there
was presented to their view the veriest scene of
desolation, for the wilderness had been "let in"
here as in former years it had claimed the Indian
village at La Pointe.

During this interval of time the Redmen lost
not their devotion to the French, though often in

66 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

their extremity they must have recalled the brave
words of Saint Lusson to their fathers in 1671
and waited in vain for the fulfillment of the French-
man's promises.

But not entirely to the Indian's innate stead-
fastness— if such indeed is one of their virtues-
need be attributed their seeming fidelity, rather
may we turn our attention for a few minutes to
those of the Old World who had accepted the
Indian's lot as their own.

Perhaps there will arise some day, in Canada,
a writer of history whose facile pen will trace for
charmed readers the story of the Courreurs des
Bois, and then shall be unfolded a romance at
once pleasing and appalling, both gentle and
madly ferocious, a story of terrible wreaking of
vengeance and, at times, speedy and unaccount-
able forgiveness, and every stream and island,
town and river which may justly lay claim to
have been known in those early days will bring
its narrative to add to the general store.

But, until this is done, who may properly ap-
preciate the work of these hardy fellows ?

From old France they came in little groups,
each ship outward bound carrying among its pas-
sengers some few who, having reached the New
World and listening to the alluring music of
the streams and forest, would eventually dis-
appear into the sylvan mysteries only to come

COURREURS DBS BOIS ET BOIS BRULES

back for a day or a week now and again.
Nor were these men by any means taken entirely
from the lower strata of the people of fair France.
No doubt there were amongst the number some
desperate men with no family name to be proud
of nor ancestral honour to sustain, whose career
having come to a sudden stop so far as the Old
World was concerned, made their way across the
ocean to eke out an existance where they were
quite unknown.

Others again, of the steady bourgeois class,
who had felt the iron of calamity enter into their
soul, turned their eager eyes to Canada's shores
as to a promised land where fortune would per-
force favour them if they were only brave and
stuck to their purpose, while with the rest were to
be found not a few sons of the nobility who, hav-
ing tired of the stately indolence of their fathers'
halls or grown restive under the life of genteel
poverty in which their reduced circumstances
forced them to live, announced to their compa-
nions with characteristic sang-froid their intention
of adventuring themselves in the land beyond the
seas and mockingly call-
ed for a toast for the
treasures which would
one day be theirs.

But on reaching
Quebec their precon-

68 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

ceived ideas gave way. The desire for novelty
took possession of them, for it was in the air and
the monotenous round of duties and pleasantries
in the colony's chief settlement soon palled upon
them.

Only once in each twelve months did the rug-
ged old town take to itself any real appearance
of animation.

In the Spring, when the influence of Uab-ik-
um prevailed, from the West by dozens and scores,
by fiftys and hundreds came the trappers and the.
Indians with their stores of precious furs and
canoes were unloaded and pulled up upon the
shore by the dusky voyageurs, and barter, trade,
play and drink were the order of the day.

Then into the ears of the newcomers would
be poured by the Brave and Voyageur alike, tales
weird and wonderful, until it seemed as though
just beyond that fringe of pines, so few miles to
the West, was the fairy land of their childhood's
dreams. And then one day would begin the de-
parture, and with din of yelps and hearty adieux
the visitors would one and all embark and up the
river they would flash paddles, moving in time to
the voyageurs1 song, like the legs of some aquatic
monster, westward, westward they sped till song
and hurrah and canoe alike faded in the distance,
and they had gone for another year.

Then would silence steal over Quebec again,

COURREURS DBS BOIS ET BOIS BRUGES 69

where the greatest excitement was a squabble
over a game of cards or a question of precedence
between the Intendent and the Bishop, and the
men of spirit who were not forced to stay turned
their eyes involuntarily and wistfully toward the
river and longed for another party to come pad-
dling down.

The dullness of the city, the chances of making
money from the peltries and the craving for the
freedom of the wilderness, which to us all comes
irresistably at times, conspired to draw the new-
comers into the forest, and as they listened day
after day to the woodland voices and the murmur-
ing of the streams the free spirit seized upon them
and they disappeared.

The heads of the fur companies would have
explained, had they been asked, that the absent
ones had been fitted out with weapons, ammuni-
tion, cloth and beads and with other trinkets for
barter with the Savages, but henceforth, save for
a week at the annual ingathering, they were stran-
gers to civilization.

Perhaps this taking to the woodland life, in
some measure, explains tlie small total of the
number of Frenchmen in Canada 1676 when the
census reported in actual figures 7,832 white peo-
ple in Canada,* which return drew from the King

* Archives of Canada, 1869, p. 259.

7O HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

the complaint that he had sent over " a greater
number than that in the fifteen previous years
alone."

When one thinks of the happy facility with
which the French adapted themselves to the con-
ditions of their new homes, he is led to enquire as
to the causes for their failure as a colonizing
power.

For nearly two hundred years were they in
complete control. The natives became attached
to them, and when an enemy appeared were ready
to fight as though they themselves were being
attacked.

Perhaps we may find the answer in the story
of the Courreur des Bois who, instead of being the
leader of the Indian, dominating his will and gui-
ding him to better things, himself sank too often
to the Savage's level and became a member first
of the family and then of the tribe.

Penetrating into the wilderness these men
made their way to the Indian settlement or rende-
vous, and gradually dropping the habits of the
white men, took to themselves more and more
the habits and characteristics of the red.

European clothes were discarded, the body
was dyed and painted and the head was shavenr
save for the crest which was decorated with feath-
ers. Quick to adapt themselves to any mode of
life which appealed to them, they speedily became

COURREURS DBS BOIS ET BOIS BRUGES

experts in all the woodcraft of the natives, learning
to trace the game and the enemy alike by the evid-
ence of fallen leaf or broken twig, reading the
direction in the tangled forest from the tree bark
and the mosses.

Side by side with the Indians they fought in
their battles, married their daughters, spoke their
language, dropping their own and very often as-
suming an Indian name.

When they tired of their spouse, it was an
-easy matter to rid themselves and to select another.
Within the memory of some yet living was the
custom of trading a wife away for a hatchet or a
yard of gaudy cloth. It was the Indian way nor
did the women murmur at their treatment.

In every nook and corner were these men or
their children to be met with. Indian in every-
thing, save in one particular, they were French-
men in their loyalty to France, and these were no
doubt the ones who inspired in the breasts of
their dusky comrades the fidelity and devotion
which, for a time, was so very marked.

But even loyalty to the land of their birth
played a less and less important part in their life.

Their children were growing up, those wild,
untamable, erring sons and daughters, beautiful,
lawless, without fear of man, full of superstition
who mixed legend of Me-da-we lore with story
of saint and Bible hero, until in the stories, for

72 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE,

instance, of Noah, Jacob and the Virgin we hardly
recognize the true characters.

These knew nothing of La Belle France. To
them only one world existed, the woods, and rest-
less, wandering, turning up where least expected,
filling the older places with consternation at their
doings when they dropped for a time, among
them, they acquired the name since given to those
dreadful sand flies, known to everybody in the
district, the term " Bois Brule*s."

Like their fathers, they were hunters, ready
to engage to the highest bidder. Even then was
the influence of the British trader being feltr
and immediately on the fall of Quebec when Can-
ada was, theoretically, thrown open to all, English-
men pushed West and occupied the ground so
lately held by the Frenchmen, and through their
generosity as well as their capacity to command,,
not only won over the Indians and the Bois Ernie's
but those whose ardour for their fathers' land had
for years been on the wane, the Courreurs des Bois.

There are no more loyal subjects of King
Edward's to-day than the descendants of these
mixed marriages of the Indian and the French,
In Sault Sainte Marie the dark green uniform of
of the rifle regiment is seen on occasion on many
of these. The sturdy language of the Briton is
used by them in public although the soft accents of
the French tongue alone are heard in their homes.

COURREURS DBS BOIS ET BOIS BRULES 73

Their origin is unmistakable, for they are the
children of parents born under the green trees of
the forest and in whose veins mingled the chivil-
rous blood of the Old World and the resource-
fulness of the new.

Among the Birons and DuBois, the Sayers
and Mirons, the Boisenaults, Jollineaus and De-
vieux are to be noticed to-day, the delightful and
studied courtesy of the Frenchman and the lithe
and splendid forms and regular features of the
Brave.

CHAPTER VI!

REPENTIGNY AND HIS FORT.

" E'en now their vanguard gather s^
E'en now we face thejray,

As Thou didst help ourjathers,
Help Thou our host to-day."

KIPUNG.

A race, a community, an individual, awaking
to the unhappy fact that he is not progressing but
rather losing in the fight for place grows gradually
jealous of the more successful rival or rivals and
the spirit quickly develops into hate.

So it was with the British and the French.
The latter finding themselves out-distanced by
the people who were even then developing fast
into the " nation of shop-keepers," put forth every
effort to stop their onward march.

But the attempts proved unsuccessful,. Voya-
geurs were now used to the ways of the English-
men whose gold was as good to them as was that
of the French. The Courreurs des Bois and
their grown up sons were willing to engage with
anyone, irrespective of nationality, if the payments
were sufficient and regularly made and the powers

76 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

at Quebec saw the West rapidly slipping from
their grasp.

At that time Jonquiere was Governor under
Louis XIV. and to him was entrusted the work-
ing out of a scheme whereby the influence of the
newcomers might be ended. The plan adopted by
him was one calculated to prove efficient as well
as most economical.

He requested the home government to make
a grant of land on the south shore of the river six
leagues long by six leagues wide to his nephew,
a certain Captain Bonne, and to Chevalier de
Repentigny on condition that a fort be erected
and maintained at their personal expense and the
ground thereabout, comprised in their thirty-six
square leagues be placed under cultivation.

Of Bonne we know nothing, save of his rela-
tion to the Governor and that he fought at the
battle of Sillery, but of Repentigny and his people
the history of Canada has much to say.

The Repentigny family was one of the most
distinguished under the old regime.

The great grandfather of our hero came to
Canada in 1634, two years before Nicolet reached
Sault Sainte Marie. To the founder of the fam-
ily in the New World were born twenty-three
sons. Madame Repentigny and her husband
were eminently religious and in those first days
were noted and beloved for their work of charity
to the poor of Quebec.

REPENTIGNY AND HIS FORT

No Christian festival was complete without
them, and often did they encourage by their pre-
sence, the Fathers of the parish church, as they
taught the Pater Noster, the Credo and the Ave
to the Indian children assembled to learn.

The spirit of the soldier was inherited by each
generation in turn, until the middle of the eight-
eenth century found Louis Legardeur Repentigny
one of the most trusted and successful officers in
the colonial service. Mackinac, Acadia, Lake
George, Lake Erie, Lake Pepin, Sillery, Sche-
nectady and the Plains of Abraham, Quebec, at
various times, saw his daring exploits and bore
testimony to his achievements, and to him was
entrusted in 1750 the care and guard over the
West

Arriving at Michilmacanac he was met by the
chief of the Sault Sainte Marie Indians who pre-
sented him with four strings of wampum and most
hearty assurances of the cordiality of his tribe to
the French. The chief informed him that they
would ever be the friends of the French, reminded
him that he had already on a former visit .been
adopted by the Indians and besought him to for-
ward the belts to the Governor.

Repentigny replied in a similar strain, pre-
sented the chief with an equal number of wam-
pum strings, cjid shortly afterward proceeded to
his future headquarters at the Rapids of St. Mary.

78 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

He was received with great joy, and as a token
of the affection of the French for their Indian
subjects he presented them with a necklace, which
cemented the bond.

An Indian named Cacosagane, however, told
Repentigny of a similar necklace which had been
presented to the tribe by the English and which
was still kept secreted in their village. It had
been amongst them for five years and had been
first brought in as an inducement to the Ojibways
to join the confederacy of the Iroquois and Eng-
lish against the French. The object had proved
a failure and now the commandant secured pos-
session of the wampum and it disappeared from
history.

The deed of gift of the land had been made
as stated to Repentigny and de Bonne, but there
is nothing discoverable to show that the latter
ever became interested enough to visit and inspect
his acres.

The name of his associate alone appears in
many transactions which took place either with
the Indians or with the white people to whom
the Governor's relative must have been merely a
name.

Although the party arrived in the early Fall,
yet so severe did the weather become that work
on the proposed fort had to be delayed.

October loth of that year found the snow a

REPENTIGNY AND HIS FORT

foot deep and the time was spent in cutting down
the trees and preparing timber for the Spring
building.

Eleven hundred pickets fifteen feet in length
were prepared for a palisale and the necessary
material for the construction of three houses one
thirty feet long and twenty feet wide and two
others each twenty-five feet long and twenty feet
wide.

The fort when completed was enclosed in a
palisade one hundred and ten feet square with a
redoubt of oak twelve feet square and reaching
twelve feet above the centre gate.

Among other possessions of the resusitated
French colony were eight cattle and three horses
which Repentigny had caused to be forwarded
to him.

go HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

A Frenchman who had married an Indian
woman at Sault Sainte Marie was placed upon a
section of the grant of land for the purpose of
inaugurating farming operations and Repentigny
himself set two slaves to work to cultivate his
acres.

And so after a lapse of 60 odd years -was the
ground once more made to yield her increase.

Among those who came in the little band of
followers was one M. Cadeau whose descendants
were to earn for themselves through many suc-
cessive generations respected and honourable
report.

Cadeau married an Ojibway girl and settled
on his master's clearing. For what reason, it is
not known, the name was soon changed to Cadotte
and through all the Lake Superior district in after
years and far into the Great West the Indians
knew and trusted him and his sons.

But Repentigny was not to be left undisturbed
to work out his splendid plans. The enmity be-
tween France and Britain had broken out in open
war and every son of the former in the New World
was needed to defend the colony. In 1755, the
year following the renewal of hostilities, Repen-
tigny was under St. Pierre and fought at the head
of a regiment of Canadians at Lake George. The
next year found him again at Sault Sainte Marie
directing the efforts of his handful of settlers, but

iREPENTIGNY AND HIS FORT 8 I

once more the call to arms was heard. The Brit-
ish were rapidly getting the best of it and Quebec,
the stronghold, was threatened. Leaving Cadotte
in command of the fort, Repentigny hastened with
all speed to lend his aid to the Governor. With
him journeyed Ma-mong-e-se-da,* father of Waub-
o-jeeg, of whom we shall hear again, and a body
of Redmen. The party arrived safely at the Cita-
del, but were of little avail. Everyone knows the
story of its downfall and the consequent wiping
out of French rule in Canada. In the darkness
of the night, in the silence of the camp, the alarm
suddenly sounded, but it was too late.

As though they had risen from the ground at
their feet, were the British soldiers, on all sides,
and as far as the defenders could see. Bravely,
however, did the French and their allies give
battle, but without avail They were driven back
and put to confusion and the victory fell to the
besiegers.

Here first in history was the word " Shaug-
an-aush" applied to the conquerors. Those braves
who returned to the Fort at the Sault carried back
with them the story of the enemies' unaccountable
and sudden appearance on the Plains of Abraham
and henceforth the British were known by that
term, which means "those who dropped from the
cloud."

* Ojibway for " Big Feet."

$2 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

But Repentigny did not return.

The day was lost. France no longer held
proud sway over Canada and there was now no
further inducement to stay.

Long and vainly did Cadotte watch for his
commander's coming and heartened the natives
and settlers with his words, but one day there was
sighted coming up the river a flotilla of canoes
bearing a detachment of British soldiers under
Lieutenant Jernette. They landed and in the
name of the King took possession of the post.
The lilies of France drooping from their staff were
lowered after an ascendency, from the coming of
Saint Lusson, of ninety-one years, and the triple
cross of the ensign of Great Britain and Ireland
was unfolded and flung to the breeze.

If Bonne can be considered as indifferent in
regard to his landed estate, those who claimed
descent from him afterward were most zealous in
their efforts to regain possession.

In 1706 his interest in the property was sold
to one James Caldwell of Albany for something
in the neighborhood of ^1500, and long years
after the death of these men their heirs laid claim
to the acres. Agents were employed at great
^expense to obtain recognition by Congress of their
claims, and in 1860 that body passed an
act to the effect that if the courts decided
against the claimants their rights should

REPENTIGNY AND HIS FORT 83

be forever barred. Many perplexing questions of
international law arose, and finally the decision
was given by Hon, Samuel Nelson that the claim-
ants had failed to establish their case. Thus the
question was settled and the titles of the later
settlers were confirmed.

NOTE : The writer wishes to ackriowledge the very great
assistance which Reverend Mr. Neill's work has been to him on
this chapter and from which work he has quoted extensively.

CHAPTER VIII

THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH.

'" WhenJer we are commanded

To storm the palisades
Our leaders march with fusees

And we with hand grenades,
We throw them from the glacis

About the enemies' ears
With a tow row row row row row row

For the British Grenadiers"

SIXTEENTH CENTURY SONG.

In the poem " Le Drapeau Fantome," by
Frechette, the Canadian, is given a romantic but
wholly misleading story of the coming of the
English.

However one may be disposed to overlook the
vagaries of poetic natures, it can hardly be ad-
mitted that such writings are pardonable, for mis-
representation in popular form is the most suc-
cessful way of stirring up and keeping alive
bitternesses which would otherwise die away.

On the arrival of Lieutenant Jemette with his
company in the early Fall of 1762, the fort was
immediately handed over to the British and occu-
pied by them, and Mons. Cadotte who had proved

86 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE,

so faithful to Repentigny set himself to serve the
new possessors.

The hostility of the natives was not easily
overcome, nor indeed during the four following
years did they cease to harrass the new people
whenever the opportunity presented itself.

And in many cases the opportunity was made,
as when in one short day, June 4th, 1763, the
Indians seized nine of the twelve posts or forts
held by the British between Detroit and the West.

It is claimed, however, that the Lake Supe-
rior Indians were not in this great undertaking,
although their hostility was known by the French
Canadians to exist, and if their conduct was less
belligerent than that of their brethren it was prin-
cipally through the influence and mollifying words
of Cadotte.

The chief work now before the garrison was
that of gathering provisions against the coming
Winter, but although urged by Henry and Cadotte
to lay in great stores of the white fish, so easily
caught, Jemette considered that venison, bear and
small game would be in plenty when such should
be needed.

In this belief, he sent several canoe loads offish
to Michilimacinac, which had better have been kept
at the Sault, and watched with rather idle curiosity
the preparations of those others who were to winter
at the Rapids.

THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH

Thus was provision made :

Long poles were placed horizontally on two
upright supports driven in the ground and on
these were hung, to dry and freeze the fish secured
two and two by the tail. All along the shore by the
rapids were these frames placed, each family keep-
ing its own separate from the rest.

A calamity, however, relieved the officer of
the anxiety of securing provisions in the depth of
a western Winter for, three days before Christ-
mas, December 22th, the fort took fire and the
buildings were destroyed.

The alarm was given at one o'clock and Henry
with a rescuing party made his way to Jemette's
quarters and only rescued him through his bed-
room window.

On the morning dawning the question arose
as to the disposition of the soldiers, and finding
himself without a store of food as also without
shelter, the officer decided to send his men back
to Michilimacinac and himself to winter with the
inhabitants at the Sault.

This course was followed out with great an-
xiety, for if the ice were to form during the sol-
diers' progress to the main post, all hope of escape
would be gone, while to remain at Sault Sainte
Marie provisionless and unhoused would have
proved equally fatal

The detail, however, reached Michilimacinac

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

in safety and was of the number of the troops in
the. doomed fort at the time of the massacre.

For a month after their departure did Jemette
remain then thinking the ice bridge formed, pro-
posed to Henry and Cadotte that they also visit
the larger station. Together with a small retinue
on the 2Oth of January they set out across the
snow and ice, travelling on snowshoes, with which
Jemette proved himself most unfamiliar.

The expedition was slow and toilsome, a whole
week being consumed in only half the journey,
when arriving at Pointe de Tour, the men found
to their dismay that the lake was still open and
the ice drifting. Their provisions were nearly
expended and nothing remained but to send back
the Canadians and Indians to the Sault and them-
selves to live, until the return, on the remains of
the. store which consisted of two pounds of pork
and three pounds of bread. On the fourth day
all the edibles had disappeared, when to the joy
of the watchers, the returning servants arrived
with a renewed supply.

Immediately the camp broke up and the expe-
dition pushed on, but had only travelled two
leagues when Jemette gave out, his feet being so
blistered with the strings of the snowshoes that
he could walk no farther. For three days the party
struggled on, until again famine threatened them-
selves. But they were now too far from the Sault

THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH

to return, and Henry, detaching himself and one
guide from the rest, pushed forward and within
fifteen hours found himself at the fort.

A relief party was at once sent out with pro-
visions, and on the third day returned bringing
Jemette and the rest to the settlement.

Thus ended for a time the British military
occupation of Sault Sainte Marie.

But although they had escaped death by star-
vation a dreadful fate awaited them.

The Winter months fled by and Spring deve-
loped into Summer and in this monotenous coun*
try all the garrison looked forward to the coming
fourth of June.

It was the King's birthday and they intended
celebrating it in right royal fashion.

The Indians, too, were pouring in from every
quarter, each day adding greatly to their number,
nor did they longer wear the looks of dejection
and hatred with which on former occasions they
were wont to greet their new masters.

Permission had been asked and granted by the
Commandant for the natives on that, day to indulge
in their national game " bag-
gatiway," and all the garrison
flocked out on to the commons
to see it.

Henry, who had been to the
Sault and back again mean-

90 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

while, did not go out with the rest to see the sport
because on the morrow a canoe was to leave for
Montreal and he had many letters to forward
in it.

The game grew fast aud furious. From where
he sat writing Henry could hear the shouts of the
teams and of their backers, when suddenly he
realized that a change had taken place, the shouts
became in an instant the war yelp of the tribes
which grew alarmingly as the Indians rushed
pell mell into the stockades.

Crossing hurriedly to the window he saw the
Redmen hacking and hewing at the soldiery who
were unarmed and completely taken by surprise,
and scalping the convulsive, struggling wretches
as they held them between their knees.

In particular he witnessed the fate of his trav-
elling companion who had so lately fled from
starvation, Lieutenant Jemette, and he himself
orily escaped through the kind offices of an old
and influential Indian, Wawatum by name, who
had adopted him and now claimed him as one of
his own family.

The particulars of that terrible day with the
night of suspense that followed do not properly
belong to this work which only purports to relate
that which concerns the town at St. Mary's Ra-
pids and those who were an influence in its life
and growth.

THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH

The events are however setforth at length in
Henry's accounts of his travels.

Cadotte o.nd Henry soon afterward returned
to the Sault, the latter to indulge in his trading
operations, while the former became the custodian
of what few things remained about the fort and
proved himself to be an honourable man and
worthy of the confidence which was reposed in
him.

CHAPTER IX

ALEXANDER HENRY, TRADER.

..." Seeks the den where snowshoes track the
And drags the struggling savage into day"

GOLDSMITH

No Englishman knew the events transpiring
at Sault Sainte Marie during this period as well
as did Alexander Henry who, from purely mer-
cantile reasons, had found his way to the village
at the rapids.

He was born of English parentage in the colo-
nies in 1739, and from his earliest manhood
showed the thirst for adventure.

When twenty-one years old he joined Am-
herst's army in order to get a footing in the newly
acquired country as a trader, and in his " Travels
and Adventures," he has left us a series of pictures
invaluable to any who desire to know of those
stirring times.

The year after Montreal was taken Henry
pushed toward the West with a load of goods for
trade with the Indians, and here it will not seem

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

amiss if a description is given of the traders'
canoes such as he used on his journey.

The barques were five and a half fathoms in
length with a beam of four and a half feet ; they
had a carrying capacity of three tons of merchan-
dise, irrespective of the eight men who acted as
crew.

They were made of birch bark of a quarter of
an inch thickness sown together with the inside
fibrous root of the spruce tree, which was known
when used for this purpose as wattup. The bark
being sown and lined with cedar splints or strips,
it was set up in the required form and ribs, held
together from springing at the top were inserted
and bound together with the transverse pieces so
as to fcrm a frame. The ends were now trimmed
off and sown and all seams covered with pine gum.
The bars which held the ribs from springing acted
as seats, and the craft was ready for launching. So
steady were these that a man might readily stand
upon the gunwhale without their upsetting. No
party ever ventured out on an expedition without
both wattup and pine gum, so that in case of ac-
cident repairs might at once be made.

The canoes were often worked with a sail and
every four constituted a brigade with a guide.

The bowsmen and steersmen received double
the wages of the other members of the crew and
for the trip from Montreal to Michilimacinac and

ALEXANDER HENRY, TRADER

return their salary was $50.00 while the rest had
to be content with $25 oo a piece.

The food of these voyageurs was as unique as
their barques and belonged to the new country.
It consisted of Indian maize from which the husk
had been removed by boiling it in a strong
preparation of lye. The maize was then submitted
to pounding and drying and, fried in grease, form-
ed their only food. A quart of this with a very-
little tallow or fat was a day's ration, salt even was
not mentioned, and bread and tea were never heard
of. A bushel of corn with a pound of fat was a
man's provision for a month. Nor was there ever
any complaining, for the supplies were satisfactory.

Alexander Mackenzie, who between 1789 and
1793 made his famous voyage from Montreal
across the continent, relates the same fact with
reference to the provisioning of his crew.

Henry, prepared for his trip, left Montreal for
Michilimacinac where he found the natives instead
of friendly, filled with hostility towards him.

Here he was robbed of part of his supplies,
for the 6oth regiment which was to garrison the
post had not as yet arrived and he was unprotected.

He had been previously warned as to his pos-
sible fate if his nationality were discovered, and
at La Cloche, an island near the Manitoulin, he
had taken the precaution to dye his skin and

96 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

dress as a French Canadian that he might be well
received. His ruse was however of no avail.

Arriving at the fort, he was most civily treated
by the Canadians who told him, however, that the
Indians would not permit English traders in their
coasts. His apprehension was increased by the
arrival of many of the Ottawas who demanded the
goods on credit, while the interpreter, Farly, vol-
unteered the suggestion that if the request were
denied he would be murdered, Henry was here
joined by two other traders, Solomon * and God-
dard, and together they decided to withstand the
demand.

Day and night were councils held and the
traders, sent for and each time, presented with a
new ultimatum, till one morning, much to their
joy, they saw the Ottawas departing and presently
not an Indian was to be found. The reason soon
became plain, for ere long British uniforms were
descried and Lieutenant Leslie with 300 troopers
of the 6oth Regiment marched into the fort.

Henry remained at Michilimacinac for a time,
but being desirous of visiting Sault Sainte Marie,
he left the fort on the I5th of May in a canoe,
and soon arrived at the foot of the rapids. Here
was still standing the stockaded post which Re-
pentigny had erected and which, now in the keep-

* Solomon's descendants live in St. Joseph's Island at the
present time.

ALEXANDER HENRY, TRADER 97

ing of the faithful Cadotte, awaited the coming
of the conquerors.

He found a settlement of 50 warriors who still
clung to the krall-shaped wigwams of earlier days.
He described in his journal, written in later years,
the mode of making rabbit blankets so common
among the Indians then, and he mentions also the
quantities of pigeons and of the less desirable but
equally evident mosquitoes and black flies.

At rare intervals one may still see the Ojibway
rabbit blanket. It is made by cutting and sowing
the pelt in long strips about an inch wide and
weaving them much the same as other blankets
are woven, the ends of the strips being secured by
stitches.

It was in the Autumn of that year that the ill-
fated Jemette with his squad of soldiers arrived to
take possession of the fort and the incidents up to
the time of their journey to Michimilacinac have
been related in the foregoing chapter.

The loth March of 1763 saw Henry once
again travelling back to Sault Sainte Marie where
the natives were preparing for their annual sugar
making camp.

But his journey was fraught with trouble, for
he was overtaken by the affliction so common in
the snowshoe country and known among the
French settlers as the mal de raquettes.

It arose from the great strain on the muscles

.98 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

which were brought into play in snowshoeing,
inducing inflammation, The pain was very great
and the remedy prescribed, namely, holding a
candle to the tendons of the legs till they cracked
was hardly one to be submitted to without a degree
of hesitation. The trader, however, recovered
sufficiently to join the sugar makers and to aid
them in the work of emptying the sap from the
bark vessels into the pails and great moose skins
preparatory to its being carried to the boilers.

On the 25th of April the labour was concluded
and the tribe returned home with sixteen hundred
weight of sugar and nearly forty gallons of syrup.
The supply was very great although during their
sojourn in the maple bush, the sugar, as it was
made, had been their principal food.

Even then were tourists attracted to this coun-
try, for on his return Henry welcomed Sir Robert
Davers who was passing through on a pleasure
trip. Henry was one of the last white men seen
by Sir Robert, for shortly after * the news reached
the Commandant at Detroit that the traveller,
together with a Captain Robertson, had been
murdered above Lake St. Clair by Indians on their
way to join Pontiac in his attack on that fort.

The month of May found the ubiquitous Henry
again at Michilimacinac whither he had journeyed

* Ninth of May, 1763.

ALEXANDER HENRY, TRADER 99

with Davers on the latter's trip to his death.
Here Henry stayed till after the fateful fourth of
June

He who would read a story of exciting ad*
venture and well nigh incredible escapes must
peruse the journal of the intrepid trader as he
narrates day after day's events following that dark
" King's Birthday." * So long was the hope of
regaining liberty deferred that the trader assumed
more and more for protection the Indian ways,
and as the Ojibways were now returning from
Detroit where many had lost friends or relatives
in the fruitless attack and were consequently more
embittered against the English, Wawatum, his
friend, persuaded him to affect the Indian dress
as even more effective disguise.

To this Henry readily assented and in a very
short time the metamorphosis was complete.

His hair was cut off and his head shaved with
the exception of a small spot on the crown, His
face was painted with different colours, part black,
part red, a tunic painted with vermillion and grease
was substituted for his better garment and a large
collar of wampum was placed around his neck and
another suspended on his breast. Both his arms
were decorated with bands of silver above the
wrist and elbow, and his costume was completed

.* Travels and Adventures of Alexander Henry, edited by Jas^
Bain, published by Geo. Morang, Toronto.

IOO HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

by a pair of scarlet witasses, or leggings, a scarlet
blanket and a head dress of feathers. For months,
from June till the following April, did Henry
wander with Wawatum's family, save for a short
interval spent at Michilimacinac. He hunted and
fished with the natives, starved when they starved
and feasted when there was plenty. He joined
them in their rites and customs, filled with admir-
ation at the many qualities he saw displayed, until
he confesses in his narration, " If I could have
forgotten that I had been ever otherwise than as
I then was I could have enjoyed as much happi-
ness in this as in any other situation." Thus does
man tend to revert to the Savage.

The Winter ended, Henry and Wawatum's
family returned to Michilimacinac where the Win-
ter's ''take" in furs was bartered for stores and
all settled down for a season of quiet.

It was not, however, to be of long duration,
for eight days after their arrival there came a band
of Indians beating up recruits among the Braves
to war against the English, and these proposed
that Henry be slain and a feast of his flesh be
indulged in to raise their courage.

His only hope now lay in flight, and feeling
sure that if he could but reach Cadotte at the
Sault he would be safe, he easily persuaded Wa-
waturn to accompany him on a journey thither,
but en route Wawatum's spouse took sick and

ALEXANDER HENRY, TRADER IOI

declared that she had been warned in a dream
that death awaited them if they continued on
their course.

To argue would have been fruitless, to have
returned meant disaster, and so camp was pitched
on Isle aux Outardes in the direct course between
Detroit and the Fort from whence they had fled.

Two days of apprehension followed which
were spent by Henry watching from the top of a
tall tree for the craft of friend or enemy. His
watch was finally rewarded by the discovery of a
sail which bore along a boat of Cadotte and which
was carrying the latter's wife back to the Sault.

Madame Cadotte cheerfully allowed the trader
to become one of the party, so bidding Wawatum
a deeply felt adieu, he embarked and the boat left
the shore. Upon the beach stood the affectionate
Indian with the members of his family invoking
the solicitude of Kitchi Manido on behalf of his
friend till they should meet again, and the craft
had proceeded out of earshot before the Ojibway
had ceased his prayer.

Once again was Henry to be threatened ere
he reached his destination, for on the second day
out the boat was surrounded by a number of canoes
whose occupants denounced him for an English-
man. Madame Cadotte, however, resorted to
subterfuge and finally, on the third day, the boat
was beached at Sault Sainte Marie and Cadotte
met them with a generous welcome.

JO 2 HISTORY OF SAUtT SAINTE MARIE.

Thirty warriors at the Sault were being kept
in check by this loyal Frenchman who, but for
Cadotte's influence, would have joined thehostiles
against Bouquet, and six days after Henry's ar-
rival, a canoe load of Braves pursuing him arrived
and enquired where the fugitive was. Cadotte
sent a message to Henry to conceal himself, and
for a second time, first at Michilimacinac, then at
Sault Sainte Marie, a garret afforded him a place
of refuge.

A parley was held in which Mutchikiwish,
the chief who led the pursuers and who was a
relative of Cadotte, confessed that they wi-shed to
murder Henry and to raise a party of warriors to
proceed against Detroit. An assembly was im-
mediately called, and Cadotte and the chief of
the village addressed the council in Henry's behalf.
While the trader's fate trembled in the balance, a
second canoe was reported as having just arrived
from Niagara.

This indeed was the storm centre and the
headquarters of Sir William Johnson, and word
was sent at once bidding the strangers attend the
council.

They came, and seating themselves, smoked
for a time in silence. All were eager to hear
the message, yet none would ask till they choose to
speak. Finally, the spokesman rising and ex-

ALEXANDER HENRY, TRADER

tending a belt of wampum, addressed the as-
sembly.

" My friends and brothers," he exclaimed, " I
.am come with this belt from our great father Sir
William Johnson. He desired me to come to
you as his ambassador and tell you that he is
making a great feast at Fort Niagara : that his
kettles are all ready and his fires lighted.

" He invites you to partake of the feast in
common with your friends, the Six Nations, who
have all made peace with the English.

" He advises you to seize this opportunity of
•doing the same as you cannot otherwise fail of
being destroyed : for the English are on their
march with a great army which will be joined by
•different nations of Indians. In a word, before
the fall of the leaf, they will be at Michilimacinac
and the Six Nations with them."

The message delivered, the orator resumed
his place, but his words had proved fruitful.

The fear of the invaders was upon the
Braves, and they resolved to conciliate the
British.

The council debated earnestly, and finally
it was decided to send twenty warriors to Nia-
gara as an evidence of the tribes' good will.

But such a step was fraught with grave

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

consequences, and that their decision might
prove to be the best, it was decided to seek
the approbation of the Great Turtle, the chief
Manido of the Ojibway people.

CHAPTER X

THE GREAT TURTLE.

" * Hia-au-ha /' replied the chorus y
' Way-ah-way /' the mystic chorus
' / myself, myself ! the prophet,
When I speak the wigwam trembles,
Shakes the sacred lodge with terror.
Hands unseen begin to shake it,
When I walk, the sky I tread on
Bends and makes a noise beneath me.1 "

HIAWATHA.

For the ceremony of invocation a large inclo-
sure was erected, in the middle of which was
placed a wigwam and in this latter the turtle was
supposed to speak to his priest.

The central tent was constructed of five poles
of different woods, each about ten feet in height
and eight inches in diameter, placed in a circle
four feet in diameter and bound together at the
top with a hoop after having been pLnted about
two feet in the ground.

This was in turn covered with moose skins
secured by thongs at the top and bottom save for

IO6 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

a small aperture through which the priest was to
enter.

As the darkness fell several fires were kindled
around the wigwam to give light and all the vil-
lage turned out to witness and to hear what would
be disclosed.

The priest was not long in coming and, almost
naked, he entered the enclosure and crawled on
hands and knees into the wigwam.

Hardly had his head and shoulders disappeared
beneath the moose skins, when the whole tent
began to tremble and sway and then to rock
furiously and a multitude of voices such as Henry
had never heard before, filled the air with weird
sounds like the barking of dogs, the howling of
wolves, cries and sobs as of souls in despair and
sharpest pain.

As the various voices issued from the swaying
wigwam, the assembled Indians greeted them with
hisses and jeers, for they affected to
recognize in them the voices of mal-
ignant spirits, but presently silence
fell and then arose a whining like the
cry of a young puppy. The voice
was no sooner heard, than all with
one accord leapt and danced, clapping
their hands and shouting, exclaiming
meanwhile, " It is the Chief Spirit,
the Turtle, the Spirit that never lied."

THE GREAT TURTLE 1 07

With the coming of the Turtle the other voices
died away, and presently there arose strains of
music for the space of an hour.

Not until these died away was the priest's voice
heard and, then for the first time since, he entered
the wigwam, he spoke to the assembly, telling
them how the Great Turtle had come and now
awaited to willingly answer questions.

Immediately the village chieftain strode for-
ward, and with an abundant offering of tobacco,
desired to know whether it were true that the
English were gathering at Niagara to make war
upon the Indians.

The chief's questions were followed by another
convulsion of the wigwam which threatened to
level it with the ground and a frightful cry an-
nounced the flight of the Spirits.

Silence again reigned for a time, while the
dusky warriors waited in breathless expectation
the next development which, indeed, quickly fol-
lowed, for in fifteen minutes the presence again
announced itself, and the priest interpreting stated
that it had been in the interval to Niagara and
even as far as Montreal.

The soldiers, it continued, were not numerous
at Niagara, but at the latter place the river was
dotted with boats and canoes in number like to
the leaves of the trees, and even now they were
on their way to war against the Indians.

I08 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

But the chief had a third question to ask.
" If," queried he, "we visit Sir William Johnston
will we be received as friends ?"

" Sir William Johnston," came the quick re-
sponse, " will fill your canoes with presents, with
blankets, kettles, guns, gunpowder and shot and
barrels of rum such as the stoutest of the Indians
will not be able to lift and every man will return
in safety to his own family."

All doubt was set aside by this answer. The
mind of the tribe, was fixed and on all sides then
arose the cry, " I will go too !"

The question of greatest import having been
settled, a number pressed toward the lodge to
make their offering and to enquire for absent
friends and of the ultimate fate of those who were
sick, and Henry, fascinated with the weirdness of
the whole proceeding and anxious to know his
own fate, timidly approached the tent, and, laying
his offering down, asked if he would ever again
see his friends, so far was he from civilization in
the Sault one hundred and fifty years ago.

To his query the Turtle gave a gratifying
answer, stating that, not only would he see his
friends again, but that no hurt should come to him.
The delighted trader, on hearing the response,
showed his gratitude by a second offering of the
coveted weed.

It was soon afterward arranged that Henry

rREAT TURTLE

IO9

should accompany the warriors who were to jour-
ney to Niagara, and so on the loth of June with
sixteen Indians, four less than it was originally
intended should go, he embarked to return once
more to the East.

The war party crossed Lakes Huron and
Simcoe, making a portage at what is now called
Holland's Landing, from thence they tramped to
Toronto, and on the banks of Lake Ontario, near
the mouth of the H umber, they hewed down an
elm tree from whose bark were quickly construct-
ed two canoes, one to hold nine men, the other
to hold eight, and in these frail things they made
their way across the waters to Sir William Johns-
ton's headquarters.

Here the Indians halted while Henry went
forward to announce their arrival and insure their
welcome.

The Commandant received him with such cor-
diality that the trader was greatly affected and
became firmly attached to the big hearted British
officers.

Here the detachment was placed under Brad-
street who was about to embark for Detroit and
Henry was given command of the Indians to
whom were added other eighty who had come
down from the head of Lake Simcoe and these
with the braves from the Sault made a unit of
96 men.

HO HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

The warriors, however, when they learned
that they were to fight against a tribe with whom
their own nation was at peace, demurred and
when the word to march was given, only ten were
ready to start. With the exception of four others
who joined the party at Fort Schlosser, the rest
found their way back to their own country and
Henry's battalion dissolved.

But the fighting was over and a few weeks
later saw a general peace concluded, Immediately
after, Captain Howard and two companies of reg-
ulars with 300 volunteers were told off to proceed
to Fort Michilimacinac, and Henry, attaching
himself to the force, journeyed back to the scene
of his trials.

Under the French regime it had been the rule
to license men to trade with the natives, and none
save those authorized might barter in any shape
or form.

To soldiers frequently was this privilege grant-
ed, and it cannot be doubted that this was one of
the chief inducements leading Sieur de Repent-
igny to plant his home on the edge of the wild-
erness.

To Alexander Henry was now granted by the
Commandant at Michilimacinac the exclusive right
to trade about Lake Superior, and on receiving
his license he immediately embraked for Sault

THE GREAT TURTLE 1 1 $

Sainte Marie and entered into partnership with
the faithful Cadotte for the prosecution of trade.

For two years this was carried on without in-
terruption, but in 1767 the hamlet was faced by
famine and Henry found his operations blocked.

The fish in the Rapids had unaccountably
failed and no communication could be established
with Michilimacinac from the fact that the ice had
formed unusually early, preventing canoeing, yet
being unsafe for walking.

In the extremity, he dispatched five men to a
•distant post that he might be relieved of providing
for them but they returned Christmas eve being
driven back by want. No time was now to be
lost unless they were to starve, so furnishing each
person with a pint of maize for the journey, he set
out for Goulais Bay, about twelve leagues from
the Sault, where it was thought fish might be
caught.

There they remained for some time and the
expiration of a fortnight saw their camp infested
with a party of Indians, like themselves, fleeing
from famine.

Two days after these had arrived there appear-
ed a solitary Indian who filled all with uneasiness
and apprehension. He claimed that he had left
his family in a starving condition too far gone to
continue their journey and that he alone was able
to pursue his way to the Bay.

112

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

His statements were doubted and a search
party being dispatched, returned with the horrible
intelligence that the man had killed and consumed
the others.

The Indians hold to the belief that he who
has once tasted human flesh becomes an evil
spirit embodied in fleshly form, in their own lan-
guage, becomes a " windigo," and can never be
satisfied with other food.

A secret council of the natives was called on
the discovery, and it was decided to put the man
to death.

All unconscious of his impending fate he
wandered next day about the camp, until a well
directed blow with a tomahawk from behind laid
him lifeless in their midst.

A legend had up to this time found root
among the " whites," if a lump of virgin copper
on the south shore of Lake Superrior but like the
traditional monster of the seas it had a faculty for
disappearing for years after each discovery nor
were men to accurately describe its location.

The mass was eventually placed by scientists
and in later years found its way into the Smith-
sonian Institute at Washington

Perhaps it was in a vain search for this mass
that Henry and Mr, Norburg, a Russian geologist,
discovered together in this region the immensely
rich nuggets of precious metal specimens of which

THE GREAT TURTLE 1 1 3

were carried to England by the latter gentleman.
The Indians refused to bear the copper away with
them, for it was thought to be the special prop-
erty of the Great Spirit who visited his anger on
those who touched it.

A story used to be related of some Braves who
thought to steal some copper ore from Kitchi
Manido and who journeyed up the Lake for that
purpose. The ore was collected and some of it
used in the preparation of fish for the evening
meal. The usual way of cooking fish was to make
a heap of stones red hot and to plunge them into
the water which covered that which was to be
cooked.

Immediately after the supper one of the braves
was seized with violent pain and died before the
eyes of his companions. Attributing his death
to the Spirit's wrath, the two remaining Indians
fled in their canoe, leaving the one behind, but
halfway down the lake a second was seized and
died paddle in hand. The remaining Redman
plyed his paddle desperately to reach the settle-
ment, and on arriving sprang to the shore and
related in horror-stricken terms the story of the
calamity. Ere the tale was fully told he too was
seized and died before the tribe. Of course the
explanation is that the copper, as poison, caused
the deaths, but no more did the Indian meddle
with Kitchi Manido's stones.

114 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

So impressed was Henry with the mineral
wealth of the country that, in 1771, he engaged
miners to open up Iseveral rich veins. A. sloop
was floated in Lake Superior for the carrying of
ore and a company formed with H. R. H. the
Du)ce of Gloucester at its head, but the venture
proved a slip, and 1774 saw it abandoned.

From this date Henry dropped out of the life
pf the little settlement at Sault Sainte Marie and
little of importance occurred until the coming of
Mr. Johnston.

CHAPTER XI

THE RIVAL COMPANIES.

4
*.....

" Some we got by purchase,
And some we got by trade,

And some we found by courtesy
Of pike and carronade.

THE MERCHANTMAN.

From the earliest days of Sault Sainte Marie's
acquaintance with the white man, the first position
of importance was of necessity given to the fur
trade.

From 1605, when the Beaver Company of
Montreal sent its agents up the river and over the
portages on either shores, till the coming of the
great Hudson's Bay Company the commerce
hardly ever ceased.

Now carried on by licensed merchants and
again by lawless freebooters, at times occupying
the attention and concern of military officers or of
priests, the trade continued until within the nine-
teenth century the last old post was abandoned
and pulled down to afford room for vaster enter-
prises.

I 1 6 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE

In 1670 Prince Rupert of England had been
granted by King Charles II. a charter for a new
company which called itself the Company of Mer-
chant Adventurers trading into Hudson's Bay.
To this association was given the control of all
that vast territory whose lakes and rivers drain
eventually into Hudson's Bay and to the posts
which they established at various points did the
natives bring their packs of furs for barter.

For nearly a century the work of the com-
pany's agents was uninterrupted from the interior
save for a raid at long intervals by the French,
but with the establishment of peace in 1763 the
country became a field of operations for great
numbers of independent barterers. For eleven
years little notice was taken of these, but their
traffic grew to such an extent that, in 1774, the
Hudson's Bay Company found it necessary to
establish outposts in its own defence.

This movement, however, was not sufficient
for the " independents" continued to grow in
strength, until in 1783 three of them, Peter Pond
and Thomas and Joseph Frobisher, formed them-
selves into a rival organization, which has come
down to us under the name of the North West
Company.

The new institution was peculiarly Canadian,
and with its 5.000 agents throughout the country,
most of whom were in some measure identified

THE RIVAL COMPANIES

with the natives, it gradually assumed the con-
trol of the great district.

The North West Company erected a post at
Sault Sainte Marie at the foot of the Rapids on
the north shore where were the house of the bour-
geois, or chief factor, the men's house, a magazine
and a number of stores for the reception of mer-
chandize, and here came all furs bound for the
west to Montreal and all goods en route from
Montreal to the interior.

To facilitate the traffic, a canal was cut for the
passage of bateaux and canoes between the islands
and the mainland and a lock, the first in the West,
the forerunner of the present wonderful engineer-
ing triumphs, was constructed, having a lift of
nine feet.

A description of this work will doubtless be
of interest here.

The lock was 38 feet long and 8 feet 9 inches
wide, the lower gate letting down by a windless
and the upper folding gates working with a sluice.
The sides were held in place by vertical timbers
tied together by horizontal pieces at the top and
high enough for the boats to pass beneath them.
A leading trough of timber framed
and planked, 300 feet long, 8 feet 9
inches wide and 6 feet high supported
and levelled on beams of cedar through

I I 8 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

THE RIVAL COMPANIES 1 19

the swamp was constructed to conduct the water
from the canal to the lock. The canal itself was
2580 feet long and along the whole length of lock,
trough and canal a roadway was cut 45 feet wide
and there was also laid a log towpath the full way,
12 feet wide for oxen to track the boats.

In the construction of the work 20,000 feet —
board measure — of 2 inch plank were used as
well as 5,000 feet — running measure — of hewn
timber.

Whatever year after 1783 it was begun it was
completed by 1798.

No record exists of the lock ever having been
used, and as a saw mill was built at the foot of the
canal used as a raceway, it may have proved un-
successful for its original purpose because of the
great fall of water which it was necessary to over-
come. However that may be, it is not mentioned
later than 1803 and at the time of the American
'occupation of the Sault it seems to have been
completelyforgotten. *

Impressed with the governmental report of
Captain Bruyeres referring to the lock and ad-
joining land, which report is reproduced by the
Canadian Archivist, three gentlemen, His Honour
Judge Steere, Mr. Joseph Cozens, D.L.S., and

* Canadian Archives, 1886 and 1889.

I2O HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

THE RIVAL COMPANIES I 2 I

Mr. A. S. Wheeler, General Superintendent of
St Mary's Falls Canal, Michigan, proceeded to
the site of the old lock and were successful in
unearthing it.

The measurement and details exactly corres-
ponded with those of the report of 1802 and the
lock, through the generous patriotism of Mr. Cler-
gue, was restored in form, if not in material, and
may be seen to-day to the north of the Lake Su-
perior Power Company's offices.

Although the North West Company was most
successful from a point of finance, yet internal dis-
putes marred every meeting of the directorate,
and in 1798 a new organization took its birth
with Alexander Mackenzie — afterwards knighted
for his Arctic exploration — the Richarclsons and
Forsyths at its head. It was styled the New
North West Company and was composed of part-
ners of the older firm, but the name by which it
was best known was the X. Y. Company,

And now began a three-cornered fight, for
each company was the bitter opponent of the
other two.

In 1799 the old N. W. Co. applied to the
Government for a grant of land at Sault Sainte
Marie which was opposed by Messrs. Phyn Inglis
& Co., the X. Y. Co.'s London agents, on the
ground that the grant would include the channel
and portage, and thus shut out other traders.

122 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

The Duke of Portland favored the X. Y. Co.
and recommended that a large section of the pro-
perty be reserved by the Government for the use
of all.

The same year a grant of land was made to
the X, Y. Company on the east side of the fort
creek, from the vicinity of which they constructed
a private road leading to the waters above the
Rapids. They also entered a claim for the right
to use the canal constructed while they were mem-
bers of the old firm and which claim was denied
with threatening by the " Nor Westers.''

Lord Selkirk who at this time was the virtual
head of the Hudson's Bay Company, no doubt
hoping to gain his ends while the others were
quarrelling, now applied for a grant of land at the
Sault for the purpose of establishing a colony and
a grant of 1 200 acres was made to his lordship to
be taken from any township not already appro-
priated, and the rest of such township was to be
reserved for a period of five years to be appro-
priated by him at the rate of 200 acres per each
family settled, provided he should settle 50 acres
to each such family which was to be in possession
before he claimed the extended grant. This was
in 1803 when the quarrel was at its most bitter
stage and when Forsyth, Richardson & Co., or
better the X. Y. Co., wrote the Government,
saying :

THE RIVAL COMPANIES I 23

" By Lst advices the grand crisis is considered
as not being far distant, and we fervently pray
that it may terminate in the ruin and disgrace of
our unprincipled enemy."

Yet, in spite of this, the North West Com-
pany proved so formidable that Lord Selkirk
dared not take the offer of land at the Sault, but
instead settled his colony near Lake St Clair.

The government returns for 1802 state that
the North West Company had 14 men employed
at the Sault, which number does not, of course,
include the voyageurs who made the village their
headquarters

The devotion of the servants of the various
companies was most remarkable and equalled the
spirit of at least old time missionaries labouring
in a nobler cause.

The spirit of self-sacrifice is admirably illus-
trated in a letter from Duncan Cameron of the
Nor' Westers to his friend, Alexander Fraser,
August 7th, 1803, m which he says :

" I was very ill a part of the Winter, owing,
I suppose to the great hardship 1 had to endure
last Fall going in * by the extraordinary bad
weather I met with and being badly maimed -r
but I recovered, as you see, and arrived here the
9th of July, by the way of the Nepigon, with

* To the Nepigon country.

124 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE

tolerable returns and at that time in good health,
which did not last long, for I can assure you that
it is with great difficulty I can hold my pen, but
I must tell you that the X. Y. sends in to the
Nepigon this year therefore if I should leave my
bones there I shall go to winter." *

It was with great relief that all concerned
learned three years later, in 1805, tnat tne breach
had been healed and that only one company re-
mained instead of two. The X Y. Co. in that
year joined forces once again with the older firm,
and from then until the outbreak of hostilities be-
tween Great Britain and the United States, the
history of the Sault is merely noted for its tran
quility.

Perhaps the best known melody of these
and even later days was the voyageurs' song
" A la Claire Fontaine," for it was sung from
Quebec right through to the West as far as canoes
could journey, and the song with its translation
by McLennan is here presented for its familiar
words were held in common by all employees of
the rival companies'.

* The North West Company.— Masson.

THE RIVAL COMPANIES 125

A LA CLAIRE FONTAINE

A la claire fontaine

M'en allaiit promener,
J'ai trouve 1'eau si belle

Que je m'y suis baigne".

/' ya longtemps que je t'aime?
Jamais je ne t'crublierai.

J'ai trouve 1'cau si belle
Que je in'y suis bai^n£,

Et c'est au pied d'tm cliene
Que je m'suis reposed

Et c'est au pied d'un ch£ne

Que je m'suis repose* ;
Sur la plus haute branche

IyC rossignol chantai.

Sur^la plus haute branche

lye rossignol chantai ;
Chante rossignol, change,

Toi qui as le coeur gai.

Chante rossignol, chante,
Toi qui as le coeur gai ;

Tu as le comr a rire,
Moi je l'ai-t-a pleu -er.

Tu as le cceur a rire,

Moi je l'ai-t-a pleurer ;
J'ai perdu ma maitresse

Sans pouvoir la trouver.

I 26 HISTORY OF SAUIyT SAINTE MARIE

J'ai perdu ma maitresse
Sans pouvoir la trouver ;.

Pour un bouquet de roses
Que je lui refusal.

Pour un bouquet de roses-

Que je lui refusal ;
Je voudrais que la rose

Ffit encore au rosier-

Je voudrais que la rose

Fiat encore au rosier,
Et que le rosier meme

Fut dans la mer jete\

/' ya longtemps que je t'airne*
Jamais je ne t'oublierai.

THE GREAT TURTLE I 2?

A LA CLAIRE FONTAINE

Down to the crystal streamlet

I straved at close of day ;
Into its limpid water,

I plunged without delay.

I've loved iliee long and dearly^
PR love thee. Sweet, for aye.

Into its limpid waters,
I plunged without delay ;

Then mid the flowers springing
At the oak -tree1 s foot I lay.

Then mid the flowers springing
At the oak-tree's foot I lay ;

Sweet the nightingale was singing,
High on the topmost spray.

Sweet the nightingale was singing,
High on the topmost spray ;

Sweet bird ! keep ever ringing
Thy song with heart so gay.

Sweet bird ! keep ever ringing
Thy song with heart so gay ;

Thy heart was made for laughter,
My heart's in tears to-day.

Thy heart was made for laughter,
My heart's in tears to-day ;

Tears for a fickle mistress,
Flown from its love away.

128 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

In tears for a fickle mistress,
Flown from its love away,

All for these faded roses
Which I refused in play.

All for these faded roses
Which I refused in play —

Would that each rose were growing
Still on the rose tree gay !

Would that each rose were growing
Still on the rose tree gay ;

And that the fatal rose tree
Deep in the ocean lay.

I've loved thee long and dearly,,
ril love thee, Sueet^or aye.

CHAPTER

THE COMING OF JOHN JOHNSTON,

" Yon Sun that sets upon the sea,
We follow in his flight,
Farewell awhile to him and thee
My native land — Good night."

BYRON.

No history of Sault Sainte Marie would be
complete without the relation of the coming of
John Johnston and his subsequent life here.

In the year 1792 there arrived in Canada from
Ireland a young man bearing letters of introduc-
tion to Lord Dorchester, the Governor.

A cloud seems to have rested on his youthful
days a shadow which was always a mystery to his
hosts of friends, and which he never ceased to
allude to with regret.

At first it was proposed that he should enter
military life in the colony, but a trading party for
the West affording an opening, the young Irish-
man embarked and was soon at the Sault.

This, Mr. Johnson made his headquarters and
afterward built himself a house which is still to be

130 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

seen in the American town of Sault Sainte Marie
and which evidences the quiet comfort in which
he lived.

His home for many years was the rendevous
of all the white men who found in the cultured
and intellectual geniality of the host that social
pleasure which, when absent, makes of the lonely
wilderness, a wilderness indeed.

Some months were spent at the Sault by the
young trader ere he journeyed further, but at last
reaching La Pointe he entered at once into his
work.

It was on this island that he first met * a far-
famed Indian chieftain who was to the natives of
this district what Pontiac had been to all a few
years earlier.

It was said that Wabojeeg's counsel was accept-
ed by all, that when he spoke none, even among
the elders, would advise differently from him and
the Braves were always anxious and ready to
follow him wherever he might choose to lead the
way.

Nor was his bravery held in less esteem by
the warriors than his wisdom in council. There
has come down to us a translation of his war song
which he and his warriors were wont to chant on
the eve of battle.

* Wabogish or Wabojeeg.

THE COMING OF JOHN JOHNSTON 13!

Where are my foes ? say, warriors? No forest is so black,

That it can hide from my quick eye, the vestige of their track ;

There is no lake so boundless, no path where man may go,

Can shield them from my sharp pursuit, or save them from my blow.

The winds that whisper in the trees, the clouds that spot the sky,

Impart a soft intelligence, to show one where they lie,

The very birds that sail the air, and scream as on they go,

Give me a clue my course to tread, and lead me to the foe.

The sun at dawn, lifts up its head, to guide me on my way,
The moon at night looks softly down, and cheers me with her ray,
The war-crowned stars, those beaming lights, my spirit casts at night
Direct me as I tread the maze, and lead me to the fight.
In sacred dreams within my lodge, while resting on the land,.
Bright omens of success arise, and nerve my warlike hand.
Where'er I turn, where'er I go, there is a whispering sound,
That tells me I shall crush the foe, and drive him from my ground.

The beaming west invites me on, with smiles of vermil hue,.
And clouds of promise fill the sky, and deck its heavenly blue,
There is no breeze, there is no sign, in ocean, earth or sky,
That does not swell my breast with hope, or animate my eye.
If to the stormy beach I go, where heavy tempests play,
They tell me but, how warriors brave, should conquer in the fray.
All nature fills my heart with fires, that prompt me on to go,
To rush with rage, and lifted spear, upon my country's foe.

The sixty foot lodge of this chieftain was
the largest and grandest in the land as far
at least as the Mississippi, to which his in-
fluence extended. Its walls were decorated
with trophies of the chase, and in the centre
was a strong upright pole which was sur-

132 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

mounted by an owl. This ornament had its sign-
ificance and conveyed to the mind of the Indians
the fact that the chief was also a Midi priest.

Wabojeeg did not marry until late in life when
he took as his partner a widow with two sons.
He soon tired, however, of his wife and — after
the manner of his tribe — attached himself to a
young and beautiful Ojibway maiden whom he
brought to his home. Here they lived in happi-
ness for many years, and Wabojeeb became the
father of six children.

To this family was Mr. Johnston presented in
his trading trip in 1792 and at once fell in love
with one of the beautiful daughters. He approach-
ed the " White Fisher," by which interpretation
of " Wabojeeg," he was known, but the wily old
chief was not as enthusiastic as Johnston had
hoped.

Too many Ojibway maidens had, he said, been
ardently wooed, and finally won by the young
traders who came from the front, and were
left to mourn their trustfulness which gave them
into unworthy hands, for when the traders had
sued successfully they left their spouse and de-
parted.

No such fate was to overtake O-shau-gus-co-
day-way-qua, * by which name his daughter was

* The Daughter of the Green Mountain.

THE COMING OF JOHN JOHNSTON 133

known, and Mr. Johnston was in despair. Fin-
ally it was arranged that he was to go away for a
year and if on his return his love was as strong as
ever then Wabojeeb promised that he would
listen to his plea.

Mr. Johnston left as soon as possible and
journeying to Montreal secured passage to Ireland
where he sold his estate at Craige, near the Giant's
Causeway, and returned to claim his Indian bride.

This time he could not be gainsaid, and after
making the young man sware that he would made
her his wife after the manner of the white, man,
Wabojeeg gave him his daughter, after a long
speech of advice to both.

Before the marriage could take place, however,
the maid must needs fast, and for that purpose
she withdrew from her father's lodge to a lonely
mountain for a ten day's vigil.

There she was approached in vision each day
by a white man holding a cup of water in his out-
stretched hand as he exclaimed, " Why do you
fast ! why, poor thing, do you punish yourself !"
In her dream she saw each time a dog accom-
panying the stranger which looked into her face
with deep solicitude. Her vision led to another
in which she saw many canoes of Redmen ap-
proaching to pay her homage, and again did a
third vision come to her, in which she saw as if
the whole earth were on fire and cried in her dis

I 34 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE,

tress that all her relatives would be burnt, but as
though to reassure her there came a voice saying,
" Do not be afraid, they will be rescued."

During the succeeding ten days when the girl
lived on water and on the coarse maize brought
to her by her grandmother — the spouse of the
famous Ma-mong-e-se-do of former time — she
became convinced that she had found her guar-
dian spirit, who was none other than the impulsive
Irish trader, and at once made ready for her wed-
ding.

But in spite of this she ceased not to regard
her future husband with fear, and on being con-
ducted to his lodge whither she went as sher poor
thing, after related, with fear and reluctance, she
took refuge in a dark corner, hid beneath a
blanket's folds and refused to be comforted.

Her husband strove to win her love by every
show of delicate tenderness but without success^
for on the tenth day the frightened O-shau-gus-
co-day-way-qua fled from her dwelling, and after
wandering and fasting for days in the woods,,
finally reached the wigwam of her grandsire. Her
father was away on a hunting expedition when
she arrived, but being warned in a dream of her
coming, he turned his steps homeward. His treat-
ment of the girl on returning was remarkable.
Giving her a beating he told her to go to her
husband and threatened the shrinking child that

THE COMING UF JOHN JOHNSTON 135

he would cut off her ears if she returned to him
again.

Together they set out for Sault Sainte Marie
whither Johnston had gone, and with many apol-
ogies and with presents of corn, furs and tobacco
did Wabojeeg restore to her husband his trem-
bling wife.

Soon afterward Mrs. Johnston expressed a
wish to return to visit her people. At once a
schooner was fitted out and with a retinue of
clerks and servants she began her journey.

Not till now had she been able to contrast
her present life with her former wild existence.

A short stay in the wigwams of her people
sufficed and she returned to the home at the Sault
where for thirty-six years she was the contented
helpmeet of the man who had won her for himself.
During the war of 1812-1815 Mr. Johnston
remained firm in his loyalty to the old flag, sup-
plying men, boats and weapons at his own cost.
His connection with that war, however, must be
left for another chapter.

Among the children of this henceforth happy
couple were in after years the wife of the Rever-
end (afterward Archdeacon) MacMurray who, in
1832, was sent to the Sault as a missionary to
replace a lay reader who had proved unfaithful,
and Mrs. Henry Schoolcraft, whose husband was
the famous Indian Agent, and from whom, it is

I 36 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

said, Longfellow obtained the data for his famous
epic poem Hiawatha.

Another of their eight children was the Louis
Johnston who was serving on board the Queen
Charlotte when, in 1813, she was captured by
Commodore Perry. George Johnston served in
the British army and was present at the attack
on Mackinac by the Americans in 1814. John
acted for many years as United States interpreter,
and Anna, who was the yougest, was the wife of
the ill-fated brother of the Indian Agent, James
L. Schoolcraft, who was shot by Lieutenant
Tilden 1846.

By treaty in 1827, known as the Treaty of
Fond du Lac, the family received from the Amer-
ican Government a tract of land on what is known
as Sugar Island in the St. Mary's River, and
here after her husband's death did Mrs, John-
ston retire each year and turn her attention to
the manufacture of maple sugar, several tons of
which she marketed each succeeding Spring.

The misgiving of her father, old Wabogish,
in regard to the unfaithful white men is well
voiced by one of his grand children whose song
with its translation will interest many.

THE COMING OF JOHN JOHNSTON 137

THE 0-JIB-WAY MAID.

Original of the O-JIB-WAY MAID.

Aun dush ween do win ane
Gitchy Mocomaun aince
Caw auzhaw woh da mode

We yea, yea haw ha, &c.

Wah yaw burn niaud e
Ojibway quainee un e
We maw jaw need e

We yea, yea haw ha, &c,

•
Omowe maun e

We nemoshain yun
We maw jaw need e

We yea, yea haw ha, &c.

Caw ween gush sha ween
Kin wainyh e we yea
O guh maw e maw seen

We yea, yea haw ha, &c.

Me gosh sha ween e yea
Ke bish quaw bum maud e
Tehe won ain e maud e

We yea, yea haw ha, &c.

Literal translation by Mrs. Schoolcraft :
" Why What's the matter with the young
American ? He crosses the river with tears in
his eyes. He sees the young Ojibway girl pre-
paring to leave the place ; he sobs for his sweel-
heart, because she is going away, but he will not
sigh long for her, for as soon as he is out of her
sight, he will forget her/'

138 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

VERSION.

That stream, along whose bosom bright,
With joy I've seen your bark appear ;
You cross, no longer, with delight,
Nor I, with joy, your greeting^hear.

And can such cause, alone, draw tears
From eyes, that always smil'd before ?
Of parting — can it be the fears ?

Of parting now — to meet no more ?

•

But heavily though now you sigh ;
And tho' your griefs be now sincere,
To find our dreaded parting nigh,
And bid farewell to pleasure dear —

When o'er the waters, wide and deep,
Far — thine Ojibwav Maid shall be,
New loves will make you please to weep.
Nor e'er again, remember me.

Saut de Ste. Marie, July 6, 1825. *

Of the descendants of the Johnston's there
are still some few remaining scattered over what
is known as the Upper Peninsula of Northern
Michigan

* Chapman's "Historic Johnson Family."

CHAPTER XIII

SAULT SAINTE MARIE IN THE WAR OF 1812-15,

" The trampled earth returns a sound of fear,
A hollow sound as if I walked on tombs,
And lights that tell of cheerful homes appear
Far off, and die like hope amid the glooms,
A mournful wind acroes the landscape flies,
And the wide atmosphere is full of sighs "

BRYANT.

In the beginning of the nineteenth century
the colony of Canada, and the new born nation
lying at its door were to test the strength of their
martial forces.

The people of Canada ought one and all to
become acquainted with the causes and progress
of that struggle which carried its horrors to even
so distant a point as Sault Sainte Marie.

The intrigues of Napoleon whose diplomats,
by flattery, were able so easily to work upon the
too evident conceit of the new people,
the attitude of insolence and bragga-
dacio assumed to the Motherland so

J4O HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

lately repudiated and the ill-mannered denial of
Britain's rights on the high seas, all wrought
together to bring about the ultimate results, and
like heaped up fuel added to the burning.

As early as 1807 preparations were being ra-
pidly pushed forward in such centres as Detroit,
then was and the hungry eagerness of the Ame-
ricans omened not well for future peace, But
not until five years later did the flame shoot out
and spread throughout the continent.

On June i8th, 1812, the following declaration
of war was enthusiastically received by the United
States' Congress :

" An act declaring war between

the United Kingdom of Great

Britain and Ireland and the

dependencies thereof and the

United States of America and

, their territories."

" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of

Representatives of the United States of America

in Congress assembled, that war be and is hereby

declared to exist between the United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Ireland and the dependencies

thereof and the United States of America and their

territories, and that the President of the United

States be and is hereby authorized to use the

whole land and naval forces of the United States

THE SAUI/T IN THE WAR OF 1812-15 141

to carry the same into effect and to issue to pri-
vate armed vessels of the United States commis-
sions or letters of marque and general reprisal in
such form as he shall think proper and under the
seal of the United States, against the vessels,
goods and effects of the Government of the said
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
and the subjects thereof.
44 Approved.

"(Sgd.) JAMES MADISON,

"June 1 8th, 1812."

Fiercely from the first did the battle rage along
the frontier, especially about Niagara, where the
soldiers of the King won for themselves undying
glory, and the enemy was beaten at his own game.

The quiet little village by the Rapids was filled
with excitement and speculation as to the prob-
ability of the war being carried to its doors, but
for some time the people remained undisturbed.

At the beginning of hostilities the community
consisted of about fifteen white families on either
side of the river, all British in sympathy, presided
over by Mr. Johnston and the Canadian Factor.
The rest of the people were half-breeds and In-
dians.

The question arises from whence came these
white men and half-breed children other than
from French and Indian parents?

Joachim Biron still living in the Sault (1903)

HISTORY OF SAUIvT SAINTE MARIE.

at a very advanced age, relates how Scotsmen,,
travelling from the Hudson's Bay posts in the
North back to civilization through the forests and
over the rivers, tarried for a time and finally set-
tled in Sault Sainte Marie, stamping the impress
of their nationality upon the settlement, and so it
came about that most of the music at the happy
little dancing parties was decidedly Scotch in
character, and many a bright haired half-breed
child, like the famous Namgay Dhoola of Kipling
fame bore a name that savored of another land.
But to return : It is a remarkable fact that
three days before the news of war was received
at Michilimacinac, word had been conveyed to
St. Joseph's Island, the sturdy remains of whose
old fortress may still be seen overgrown by the
tangled ivy, and Captain Roberts, the command-
ant there, immediately set out for the Am-
erican post with a few regulars and about
two hundred voyageurs, the latter under
the command of M. Toussaint Pothier,
and accomplished the seizure sans coup
ferir, the astonished Americans not being
aware that war had been declared. *

Such a feat would naturally turn the
eyes of the belligerents westward and with
attention did the Americans regard the

* Masson — " Les Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord
Quest."

THE SAUI/T IN THE WAR OF 1812-15 143

hamlet at the Sault, which, small in numbers, was
yet large in patriotism and full of menace to the
-enemy of Britain.

In 1814 Colonel Croghan with a fleet of five
ships, the Niagara, Caledonia, Tigris, Scorpion
and St. Lawrence, set sail to retake the captured
post at Mackinac.

On board these vessels was a land force of
over 1000 men made up of 500 regulars, 250 militia
men and a regiment of Ohio volunteers. But
their coining was suspected, and Colonel R. Mc-
Douall, * who was then in command at Mackinac,
sent a hurried request to Mr. Johnston at the
Sault for immediate aid.

Loyally did Johnston at once respond.

Gathering from all the. vicinity, the voyageurs
and engages to the number of one hundred, he
armed and fitted them out at his own expense
and, embarking them in bateaux, led the way
down the river.

Croghan, the American, had evidently been
warned to watch for reinforcements going from
St. Mary's River, and in order that they might
be intercepted, he despatched two vessels under
Major Holmes to stop the party and capture their
stores. Johnston, however, had thought out his
plans most thoroughly, and while the two gun-

* Canadian Archives, 1887, p, cv.

144

HISTORY OF SAUIvT SAINTB MARIE..

et*ffffsvvo3 jji : : ""

i 1 t?

"a
|4

"~1

^^
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o
a

THE SAUI/T IN THE WAR OF 1812-15

1 45

boats were sailing slowly through the North
Channel, the bateaux were guided silently through
what is known as the False Detour Passage and
so arrived safely and in time at their destination.
But they were really not needed, for after " laying
off" from the Fort for three days without attempting
more than a feeble assault, Colonel Croghan, whose
sword was afterward stolen by the Indians, sent
an officer to demand Colonel McDouall's sur-
render. On receiving the bluff officer's curt reply
the blockading fleet directed a faint attack and
finally got under way and disappeared. In the
attack, however, Major Holmes, whe had joined
the squadron by this time, was killed together
with fourteen men.

At Sault Sainte Marie the patriots fared much
worse than those at the island fort.

Holmes, having failed in his principal under-
taking of intercepting Johnston, pushed on
to the Sault to wreak his vengeance on the
people left behind, but they had anticipated
his advent and had made what preparation
the time allowed.

Caches were made in the woods where
the most valuable portable possessions were
hidden. In one of these, Armitinger, the
trader, buried twenty bundles of furs, but ere
the work was completed the American boats
were sighted.

146 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINXE MARIE,

One hundred and fifty soldiers were soon
swarming the two shores, looting and destroy-
ing, as the inclination swayed them.

On the approach of the vessels Mrs. Johnston
and her children had iled to the woods and from
their point of vantage they saw the destruction
of their home.

On the north shore, the North West Com-
pany's post was gutted and the saw mill — which
boasted two saws — the only saw mill in the whole
Great West, was burned to the water's edge.

A schooner belonging to the company lay at
the upper end of the oH portage road spoken of
in the preceding chapter. This was set on fire
and turned adrift. It dashed down the rapids
and the blackened hulk was afterward discovered
foundered on the island whereon now stands the
International Dock.

Armitinger, the independent trader, seems to
have been the only man who stayed on the scene
to witness the end.

He was seized, as a matter of course, and was
brought before Major Holmes who demanded of
him whether he were a patriot, meaning thereby
an American, or a Britisher.

The prisoner thought from the form of the
question that he had a right to appear mystified
and would make no statement, save that " he was
an honest man, endeavouring to make a living and

THE SAUI/T IN THE WAR OF 1812-15 147

minding his own business, upon which, it is said,
he was given his freedom.

The caches remained undiscovered, and the
Americans having stolen as much as they could
carry away, among the rest, much of Mr. Johns-
ton's goods, re-embarked and sailed gallantly away
to join with the rest of the squadron in the in-
effectual attack on Michilimacinac.

It is related in the Canadian Archives how
Mr. McGillivray, who seems to have been the
Factor here, with a certain Captain MeCargo, a
lake officer, and his crew, escaped in a North
West Company's boat from the head of the rapids
and made for Michipicoten. *

There, on the 26th of July, they met Gabriel
Franchere at the east end of the Michipicoten
Bay and with him turned back to view the scene
of destruction.

As far as the company's stores were concerned,
the ruin was complete. The post site was chan-
ged to the east bank, of what is popularly known
as the Fort Creek where the foundations of the
Bourgeois' house, of the magazine and barn may
still (1903) be easily traced, t

Not until the next year, 1815, did Mr. Johns-
ton and his brave comrades return permanently

* Great Duck Bay.

t In July, 1903, the fields of the ruins were partially ploughed
up and the old indications were effaced.

148

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

to their homes. Peace was then declared and
busy hands at once began the work of recon-
struction and repair.

Three years afterward, in 1818, Mr. Armit-
inger, a free trader, erected the house which still
remains in part at the east corner of Queen and
Pilgrim streets, and four years later he erected
what is known as the Carney block, or stone house,
on Queen street, almost opposite his former cot-
tage. There was now no saw mill in the district
and all the timbers which would likely be exposed
were sawn and made ready in Montreal and ship-
ped by schooner to the Sault.

Until 1820 both sides of the river had been
virtually British, but in that year the final change
took place.

A detachment of soldiers of the United States
under General Cass arrived upon the scene and
the south shore once more saw the flying of a
hitherto unknown flag.

With bowed heads and sorrowful hearts
did the Johnstons and their fellow towns-
men with the assembled Indians watch
the fluttering down of the loved ensign,
and to the utmost height of the jealous
flagpole's top did they see hauled a banner
which to them was without meaning, asso-
ciations or traditions. But Time, the file
that wears and makes no noise, has smooth-

THE SAULT IN THE WAR OP 1812-15 149

ed away the asperities. To the descendents of
those loyal subjects of the King have the " Stars
and Stripes," becomes very dear for they stand as
the emblem of their great and wonderful country
and rightly do they doff their caps to its waving
glory as their brothers on the north shore rever-
ently raise theirs to the older " Union Jack."

CHAPTER XIV.

AFTER THE WAR — CANADIAN SAULT.

" The rude forefathers oj the hamlets."

GRAY.

The town on the north shore was now to enjoy
a. period of happy tranquility, enlivened from time
to time by holidays and feasts which were always
observed, and little were the inhabitants troubled
by feud or quarrel.

The number of houses had grown to be be-
tween 30 and 40, grouped around the stone house
like chickens nestling about their mother. These
all were exclusive of the Fort buildings which had
been erected on the east bank of what is known
as the Fort Creek, the graveyard of which now
adjoins St. John's Anglican Church.

Mr. Severight, who had been Bourgeois under
the North West Company, became the Factor of
the amalgamated concerns when, in 1823, the
North West and Hudson's Bay Companies joined
forces, and he filled in his time when not on duty,

152 HISTORY OF SAUIvT SAINTE MARIE.

with a round of calls and dinner parties, now at
the American barracks, now at Johnston's and
again at Armitinger's or at Schoolcraft's, to which
gatherings and their complimentary returns all
eligible people were invited.

Schoolcraft, although taking occasion in his
diaries to point out his disdain for these happy
relaxations, nevertheless seems never to have
missed an opportunity of being present with the
rest. So much for the magnetism of a jolly party.

The Trading Post, less busy than in for-
mer times, when under the Frobishers and
McTavishes, found labour for fewer men for now
all supplies went by way of Hudson's Bay to the
interior as did the peltries which reached the outer
world via Hudson's Bay and England.

The people, however, eked out a happy exist-
ence, living on the taking of snare and net together
with the product of their miniature gardens and
the trifle dolled out to them for their assistance at
the Fort when they were required.

Old Cagwayon, the Indian, who was said to
have passed his hundredth birthday anniversary,
still straight of limb and keen of eye, was wont
to gather the little boys about him at Biron's
modest store and relate to them wonderful tales

of his exploits when
in the olden days,
as a Brave, he had

AFTER THE WAR— CANADIAN SAULT 153

trodden the warpath with the fellow warriors of
his tribe, Nor did the crafty narrator scruple to
recount as his own exploits the deeds of daring
on the part of others who had lived and died ere
he was born,

'Twas ever so. Did he not tell them how he,
with two others, threaded their silent way through
the pine forest from Gros Cap to the Sault, to
spy upon the Naud-o-ways as they tortured their
victims by the Rapids of St. Mary's? And many
like yarns did he spin which carried his fascinated
auditors to the fires of death and to the camp of
undoing. Then, having finished, he would rise
and wrap his blanket about him and stalk away,
this old man, in majestic silence. No wonder he
was a hero among the habitants, though hardly
regarded at all by the few whites.

Sassaba, whose name meant " finery," still
strutted officiously through the American town,
openly proclaiming his loyalty to his King, whom
he could not renounce and whom he had served
at the head of his tribe clad in the scarlet and
gold uniform of a British officer, with sword,
epaulettes and sash.

Good reason had he, indeed, for his dislike,
for it was his brother who had been struck down
by his side, when together
under Tecumseh, they had
fought the Americans at the

154 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

Thames. But little by little did he realize that
the country had passed into other hands and a
gloomy sorrow settled upon him.

No longer did he appear on the street brilliant
with martial decking.

The veil of civilization tumbled from him as
the epaulettes from his shoulders.

Once more he was merely a Redman roaming
the country, his only covering a great wolf skin
which quite enveloped his body, the bushy tail
dragging sullenly behind him.

From " Sassaba " he became " My-een-gun,"
the wolf whose drinking bouts and ferocious ways
made him ominously notorious, so that mothers
hushed their papooses to rest with the threat,
" Lest the wolf get ye."

My-een-gun's fate was sad. Returning with
several others from a drunken revel at Pointe
aux Pins, his little barque was caught in the
swirl of the Rapids and carried down to destruc-
tion. He, and his wife and child, were dashed
to death. Odabit, an Indian who was with them
managed, he knew not how, to reach the shore
and crawl to safety, but Odabit's wife, the last of
of the party, shared the fate of the others.

So perished this old chieftain, Sassaba or My-
een-gun, whichever you please, and to his memory
did the Indian agent weave this eleagic wreath :

" The falls were thy grave as they leapt mad
along ;

AFTER THE WAR— CANADIAN SAUI/T

155

" And the roar of their waters thy funeral
song;

" So wildly, so madly, thy people for aye

" Are rapidly, ceaselessly passing away ;

" They are seen but a moment, then fade and
are past ;

" Like a cloud in the sky or a leaf in the
blast ;

" The path thou hast trodden thy nation shall
tread.

" Chief, warrior and kin to the land of the
dead.

" And soon on the lake or the shores or the
green,

" Not a war drum shall sound, not a smoke
shall be seen."

Shingwaukonce — "the little Pine" — was still
a power in the land, nor was he for many a year,
until 1856, to be called to take the journey to the
" Isles of the Blessed." He was an orator of no
mean ability, but better, like his son Augustin, he
was a mighty man of valour. In 1812 he had
summoned his bands around him and as speedily
as he might had journeyed to the threatened
frontier and had fought with Brock and Tecum-
seh's followers at Queenston Heights.

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

M Biron who in 1820 had sent to Detroit
a bill of goods for domestic use, kept the village
store, the site of which is covered now by Etienne
J oil mean's home.

Armitinger, ready of wit, rough in manner, a
shrewd trader, never lacking in hospitality, kept
open house for all who came, while Mr. Severight,
the Factor, who was alike magistrate and clerk with
power to baptize, marry and conduct the prayers
of the Church of England, which were read rev-
erently in every Hudson's Bay fort each Sunday,
completed the list of men one would have likely
meet in journeying through in the early 2o's.

In 1821 the first' steamer made her appear-
ance in the river.

She was not the first vessel of size, however,
to read's the Sault, for in 1681 LaSalle, then in
the hey day of his prosperity, had brought his
sailing craft, the " Griffon," around by the straits

of M a c k i n a c
when he visited
the mission in
order to claim his
own from the Fa-
thers and at least
one other craft
that belonging to
LaRonde Denys
father and son
had tossed upon
St. Mary's waters

AFTER THE WAR— CANADIAN SAUIvT

But a steamer was a thing unheard of and if
the idea caused a sensation in older lands it is not
to be wondered at if the same emotion was expe-
rienced at the foot of the Rap-ids.

Her coming had been anticipated and the set-
tlers and Indians gathered on the shore to see.

Presently she appeared puffing smoke like
some huge dragon of fable and pushing the waters
from her with her mighty paddles. The secret
of her propulsion had been explained to the nat-
ives, but the sight of her approach proved to be
too much for ordinary nerves, and one and all the
Indians fled to the woods which closed in the
town on every side But like all else in this world
of miraculous commonplace the steamboat lost
its terror inspiring powers and all went down
to examine it and only some few of the visitors
leapt ashore in fright on the sudden blowing of
the primitive whistle.

The Walk-in-the- Water, for such was the name
of this little craft, was short-lived, for in the same
year was burned at her moorings at Detroit.

As though envious of the notoriety of this new
kind of craft did the Napo-
leon, one of the old North
West Company's bateaux,
seek to draw attention to
herself and to her master.

158 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

On the union of the companies it was decided
among other local matters that the bateau was no
longer required on Lake Superior and M. Lame-
Hn Picquet was deputed to bring her down the
rapids. Picquet was a clever voyageur. but such
a thing had not been done before in the memory
of man, yet to receive instructions was to obey,
and with a picked crew he proceeded along the
old portage road to the head of the rapids where
lay the disused boat.

Carefully she was pulled to a good position
and began her perilous course. The people on
both sides of the river gathered to see the end.

A false move, a slip of the pole and all would be
lost. Faster and faster they rushed as the bateau
gained momentum until speeding like a race horse
she plunged into the rapids. Muscles were tight-
ened to breaking point as she strained and groan-
ed, pushing her sturdy way along ; on the shore
the good people held their breath, and the Factor,
no less moved though apparently undisturbed,
watched every turn and toss.

Once she dove and was swallowed up in the
angry waves and a gasp from the little handfull
told their fear, but now she appeared again, her
crew toiling and sweating in the agony of their
exertion. Straight ahead she shot, a dexterous
turn by the man at the stern and she hove into
the still waters below the disappointed billows,

AFTER THE WAR— CANADIAN SAUI/T 159

and a shout of relief and joy went up from the
throats of all at her safety and Picquet's triumph.

Once again, this time by inexperienced men,
were the rapids dared by a big boat. It was a
sailing vessel whose master offered, in a moment
of foolhardiness to bring her down the rushing
Sault. The attempt was made and, according to
the story of those living still who were in the vil-
lage at the time, out of a crew of six, only three
survived the venture.

It was about this time that Lieutenant-Colonel
Cockburn, the Deputy Quartermaster General,
when in attendance on Lieutenant-General the
Earl of Dalhousie on a tour of inspection, made
the following observation :

"On the Canadian side of the St. Mary's
River the North West Company (now the Hud-
son's Bay) have a large establishment. There
are several other houses * and one or two inhabit-
ants of respectability

"There are some houses on the American
side but not so many as on the Canadian side,
(March, i822)."t

Although the country was under Christian in-
fluence many of the Indians still retained the cus-
toms handed down to them by their fathers.

* Other than the log huts of the habitants,
t Canadian Archives, 1897.

-rflft — 1

r6o

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

And one of these customs was the readiness
to barter away a wife or to leave her on the slight-
est excuse.

An example of this was furnished in the Sault
in these early years where an Indian, who had
been married some years, became tired of his
squaw and setting his heart on a beautiful girl of
his tribe, determined to make the way clear for
himself to wed.

Embarking the squaw and her two children in
his canoe he journeyed up through the chain of
western lakes and rivers, until reaching a tributary
of the Red River wherein was a small island, he
put his wife off with a few provisions and he and
his children turned again to paddle home.

The poor creature was not long in realizing
her position. She was out of the line of travel,
away from all probable help, the water about her
was deep and she could not swim, but she imme-
diately set to work and out of the small bark of
the various trees she patched together a canoe,
using the inner fiber of the spruce to sow and the
spruce gum for filling, living meanwhile on roots
and berries.

Many weeks were consumed by the weakened
sufferer in her painfully slow task, but at last it
was completed and with a bough for a paddle
she started for home.

In the meantime the man had reached the

AFTER THE WAR— CANADIAN SAULT l6l

Sault and taken to himself the coveted girl and
settling down in his wigwam with his children
and his new-found mate, he tried to forget his
crime.

The time slipped by and he felt he was secure
till one day when the ice had broken up and
floated away over the rapids, the natives descried
coming down the river a crazy craft in which
was a dishevelled woman.

It was the discarded wife.

The man was angry and stormed with rage
but the woman was silent.

She set to work and built a wigwam of bark
and laid her snares and traps, uncomplainingly
living alone as though the man had never been.

One day Nemesis came.

It was several years after and in the late Fall
that the man took his gun and paddled away
down the river to shoot game and return.

His new squaw awaited his coming but he
did not appear. Fall advanced into Winter and the
snow piled thick and deep. Men came and went
on snowshoes, but no trace of the absent one was
seen.

Finally came the Spring time, when a number
of the inhabitants made their way from Sault
Sainte Marie down the river to the Duck Islands
for a Spring's shooting.

I 62

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

There they found the remains of the missing
Indian.

He, too, had landed on an island where the
water was deep and his canoe had been washed
away. After the manner of Indians he could not
•swim. No one passed by to whom he might shout
for help, and there the fate he had intended for
his wife overtook himself. He starved to death.

The habits of the people were most primitive.

There was no place of worship.

The Hudson's Bay officer was instructed to
read the service of the Church of England once
;each Sunday, and he and his clerks would gather
in the dining hall of the Fort and join their voices
in the prayers of that wonderful liturgy, but the
inhabitants were Roman and their nearest clergy-
man was on the Grand Manitoulin Island. Nor
were the people on the south shore any better off,
for though a chaplain was attached to the post,
he found the people to be Catholics like the Can-
adians and they were not interested in his minis-
trations. Indeed, as late as 1843, we learn of an
election on the American side of the river in which
one of the candidates promised, if elected, to give
a " ball " to last three days, while the other can-
didate promised, if he were returned, to have a
resident priest appointed.

In the Spring of the year when the sun, strong
in the day time, caused the vapor to rise from the

AFTER THE WAR— CANADIAN SAUI/T 163

river and the frost at night tightened its hold once
more upon the imprisoned earth, would all leave
their huts and journey to the maple bushes, for
now was the time to gather the quick flowing life
blood of the maple tree and to boil it down into
sugar. Then might a stranger have passed through
the deserted village and entered into any house,
for bolts and bars were unknown, and no one
thought of taking what was not his. In the Summer
they acted as voyageurs for the various parties
and expeditions that passed through these waters,
and in the Fall and Winter they hunted and fished
while the women indulged in the making of those
wonderful moccassins, powder pouches and coats,
whose dainty bead work has ever been the admir-
ation of lovers of beautiful things. But Christmas
Eve found most of the Saulteaux at home, and
though no priest came to celebrate the midnight
mass, still old M. Pereault gathered the people
together and all knelt and bowed their heads in
prayers and adoration to the New Born King.

Armitinger gave the land for a church and
Hyacinthe Davieux and Raymond Boiseneault
hauled the stone, but it never got beyond the
foundations, for what did these know of building
such a structure ?

All Saints' Day and New Year's Day were
times of especial feasting. All occupation save
that of enjoyment was suspended.

164 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

Schoolcraft, because not educated to observe
the former feast, remarks in his very superior
way that "the people are senseless and benighted."
Perhaps his feet were set in a larger room before
his passing away.

White fish, herrings, pork and potatoes were
the principle articles of diet among the people.
Wheaten bread was a thing almost unknown and
bread was made by the women folk from ground
Indian maze. And how primitive was the mode of
preparation ! Water poured into the bag of meal
and mixed together with salt into an adhesive
mass to be lifted out then and placed upon the
red hot stones till the lump was thoroughly baked.
Only the Factor was allowed wheat flour. Once
a year was a bag of the precious product deposited
by the Brigade at the Post for his use, and not
until twelve months had come and gone again did
another bag make its appearance.

CHAPTER XV.

AFTER THE WAR — CANADIAN SAULT — (continued.)

" The rude forefathers <of tJie hamlet."

GRAY.

From 1816 until 1842 the post erected on the
•east bank of the Fort Creek was the scene of
trading activity ; but the water rising higher each
year, rendered the buildings uninhabitable, and in
the latter year the final structure of the amalgam-
ated companies was raised. Mr. Severight had
been followed by Mr. Nourse, who became not
only the Bourgeois but the first magistrate the
district could boast, but he, too, had passed away
<ere the new buildings were completed,

They were reared on the site of the ancient
Fort at the foot of the rapids and thither each
year did the " Red Brigade," under Sir George
Simpson, find its way on its journey to the Red
River district and back.

What few letters reached the Factor came
through the United States, the rest of the
people were no longer interested in the

I 66 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

outside world, save when the chant of the voya-
geurs was heard in the distance. Then everybody
came down to the shore and great was the excite-
ment as the brigade swept into sight, singing
with their bell-toned voices,

Le fils dti Roi s'en va chassantr
Avec sou beau fusil d 'argent,

or,

Visa le noir, taa le blanc, etc,

Le bon vin m'endort,
Et lramour me reveille r

with the refrain,

En roulant ma boule.

Sir .George who was the son of a Presby-
terian minister, created opportunities for advance-
ment and rose to eminence through his own en-
deavour, nor were his efforts of a selfish nature,
for it was on account of his exertions in searching
for traces of the Franklin expedition that he was
knighted by his sovereign.

His advent at Sault Sainte Marie was an
event for factor and habitants, for the voya-
geurs were immediately takenpossession by the
people for a season of merriment, while the chief
and his agents went through the books and stores
of the Company and concluded with a lordly
banquet.

AFTER THE WAR— CANADIAN SAtTI/T 167

When the days of inspection were over, the
canoes were once more shipped, this time above
the rapids, and the " Red Brigade" was seen no
more for a time.

A grist mill at this period was set up, the
miller receiving as his reward for work done, one-
twelfth of the grain submitted.

Joshua Trot now became one of the charact-
ers of the slowly growing community, establishing
a store on the river shore, at Windmill point,
almost due south of the Jesuit church, and here
he lived for many years, charging unheard of prices
for his goods, inviting unsatisfied customers to
trade "next door," and stirring continually by his
oddities the sympathy of the residents

When visits were paid on New Year's Day
to the Factor by the villagers, the cask of whiskey
was tapped and a health drunk by all to the head-
man of the Fort.

When any of the fair ones were chosen by the
sterner sex and a marriage was agreed upon, then
word was sent to the priest at Manitoulin Island,
or perchance the Factor was impressed into the
service, and all indulged in a general rejoicing
and festivity over the bride and happy groom

"La Chanson des Noces" was always sung
on such occasions, and its sentiment must not be
taken too literally by those who would try to ap-
preciate the humble happiness of these gentle
people.

1,68 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

Beside the silent river
And running Brook I wander,

And light regard my wedding morn,
As children think of plav.

But, hark ! the trees are shelt'ring,
The birds who plaintive, say,

" Alas ! how wretched are the maids-
Who face their wedding day."

Full sternly then her father
Addressed his drooping daughter,

'Twas not blind fate nor ignorance
That moved you 'gainst your will,

Full oft' to ears unheeding
Was told life's earnest meaning.

The past is gone, the future comes,-
lyife may be happy still.

Ill

Conies now the wedding morning,
Maids are the bride adorning.

What garments must a virgin don
On such a festive day ?

Upon her head the cap of care,
Bound on with sweet long-suff 'ring,

Her gentle form must modestly
Be robed in white array,

Good-bye to you, my father,
Adieu ! my dearest mother,

My relatives a long good-bye
I leave you all to-day.

'Tis not until a year goes past,
Nor for a little season,

A home for both we now must make .
I leave you all for aye.

AFTER THE WAR— CANADIAN SAUI/T 169

This was not the only song which was heard
in the lowly log homes.

From manly throats were raised the strains of
" Alouette," now so vociferously sung by univers-
ity men the Continent over, and there were heard
as well the chansons that had been brought across
the waters from La Belle France centuries before
and whose melody and words were little changed
by their transfer to the New World.

One of these is here printed with a hesitating
attempt at a metrical translation ;

MA CHARMANTE ADELE

Ma charmante Adele,
J'viens t'faire mes adieux,
J'pars pour un voyage,
C'est pour un'longue anne"e,
Prie pour moi, ma belle,
Je reviendrai encore.

Quand tu seras rendu
A cette ile fort e'loigne'e
Tu voieras une jolie fille
Qui saura te charmer.
L'amour n'est pas constant
Quand on est e"loign<£.

170 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

III

Charmante Adele, sais-tu
Ce que j'tai promis ?
Amante, sois-moi fidele,
Conserve ton honneur,
Au retour du voyage,
Nous accouplerons nos coeurs.

MY CHARMING ADELE.

To thee, my sweet Adele,
I've coine to say Adieu !

A year must drag its weary length
'Ere I may meet with you.

Pray for me, then my love, Adele
And think of me as true.

Ah ! when you've paddled far
And touched the island shore,

Your heart some island belle will seize
You'll think of me no more.

No longer will my voyageur
His poor Adele adore.

Ill

Fie on thee now, Adele,
Have I not promised thee ?

Take thou my constant love
And give thy heart to me,

And when my voyage ends, Adele,
We'll gladly married be.

AFTER THE WAR—CANADIAN SAULT

171

But who will undertake to describe those early
days with any degree of power.

Men who lived before the town took so lately
its sudden leap into prominence sigh for the
" good old times " that preceeded these present,
while those who were among the settlers of forty
years since, think with regret of the happy days
of the "then," but old folks, whose age is mea-
sured at the four scores and over, sit by the fire
of a Winter night with their progressive grand-
children about their knees, and as they recall
from the past sweet memories of their own child-
hood and youth in the (to us) misty years of the
nineteenth century in Sault Sainte Marie, even
these whose heads are bowed with the snows of

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

many winters, think and speak longingly and
lovingly of those times and feel that such a mea-
sure of happiness and contentment as they knew
then will not again be theirs until the final journey
has been taken, the great divide been crossed,
and they, at last, have entered the Blessed Ish-
pem-ing.*

So does time mellow all things. And they
who are now the children and remain to take in
their turn the place of these reverend grey heads,
will tell, perhaps, the story to other little ones of
their happy childhood and longingly dwell upon
the memory of their " early days."

* Ojibway word for " Heaven."

CHAPTER XVI.

FROM '43 TO '66.

In the days of Auld Lang Syne"

QI,D SONG.

In September, 1843, there arrived in the Sault
to succeed his father as Government officer, one
who was to be the forerunner of its future growth.

In that month, Joseph Wilson, who had been
born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1818, and emi
grated to Canada when he was fourteen years old,
moved from Medonte to Sault Sainte Marie to
take the position of customs officer for the gov-
ernment.

The appointment was made under Lord Syd-
enham and Mr. Wilson has resided in the district
ever since.

From his first appearance he became the most
active of the people and from
being merely the customs offi-
cer he became the authority
and chief-in-general for the
place.

HISTORY OF SAUIiT SAINTE MARIE.

He represented the governmsnt to the Indians;
and was the arbiter in important disputes. The
control of the Crown Lands was placed in his-
hands, and he was also the Nemesis which
pursued the wrong-doer.

There was no "lock-up" in- the town then, and
if a man did what was wrong, he was sent, aloner
to Mr. Wilson's yard where he barred himself in*
and from thence he did not dare to'stir until that
gentleman arrived to set him free.

Among those who are still among the active
ones of the town are some few who relate — now
with amusement — how they were sent, in their
young days, to the Wilson yard to wait with im-
patience, yet withal with a certain fear, until he
eame and bade them unbar the gate and go.

If any one were sick he sent for Mr. Wilson.
If any one's landmark were moved the call went
out for Mr. Wilson, until he became what for
years he remained, a virtual patriarch and father
to the inhabitants, unravelling tangles where he
found them, inspiring loyalty where indifference
might have existed before, and enthusing those
who, till his coming, had not been stirred from)
the ever* tenor of their lives

Mr. Wilson found no soldiery on his arrival,,
but when the time proved ripe, that defect was-
remedied by him, as will be told in a later chapter,

Mr Nourse had passed away ere Major Wil-

FROM 1843 TO 1866

171

*son — as he is now known — came hereto live and
Jthe Factor's position was filled by Mr. Ballenden.

The two immediately became fast friends and
•so remained throughout the latter's tenure of
-office.

It is most interesting to peruse the story of
^growth arad development as related m the diaries
of this sturdy man. For fifty-eight years did the
Major keep these records faithfully, nor did he
miss a day in all that time. It has been the writ-
er's privilege to inspect the volumes and to bear
•testimony tiow to the inestimable value of such
work to those wh© live after the events therein
•set down.

Major Wilson tells us that on his arrival
lie found about thirty or forty houses^ the
settlement -being then as it still is, a little
/more extensive than the American town on
the opposite shore.

He crossed at once to inspect the south
«hore and observes that the American troops
would out a sorry figure be-
side the trim militia men of
Canada.

The Indians still felt they
had a right to dictate the
policy of the country, for
Shingawukonce arrived on
the 2 ist October of that first

TJ6

HISTORY OF SADIyT SAINTE MARIE.

year of the Major's residence, and for three
hours interviewed Her Majesty's officer, finally
dictating a three page letter to his great father,
the Governor, which was duly dispatched by the
next mail.

Shortly afterwards the Indian Agent School-
craft arrived to call, accompanied by his wife and
Dr. Burns.

They are described by the Major without the
halo which after writers are apt to shed about
them.

Schoolcraft is said to have been a typical
American of those days whose counterpart may
possibly be met in the story of Martin Chuzzle-
wit, while Dr. Burns, who was the soldiers' sur-
geon, spent the time during his visit in endeavour-
ing to convince his British host how easy it would
be for him to abandon his allegiance to his sov-
ereign.

If the population was limited it could not be
said to- be lacking in variety, for after Mr. School-
craft's visit is the record of a meeting with an*
Indian of the Goulais Bay district, Bah-bin-dah-
bay by name, who some years previously had
eaten his wife and family, but who in spite of this
fact, was now married again and happily settled
with a second wife after having settled his first.

The following year witnessed the firing of the
first Royal salute on the Canadian side of the

FROM 1843 TO 1866 177

river, a custom always observed till the late
Queen's death. In April, 1844, Major Wilson
purchased from the Hudson's Bay Factor a field
piece which he had removed to his own grounds,
and on the 24th of May he celebrated the anni-
versary of the Beloved Victoria's nativity, just
one hundred and seventy-three years after the
first salvo was discharged in honor of King Louis
of France.

The following week Bishop Mountain of Mon-
treal passed through on his trip to Ruper'ts Land,
an account of which he published in 1846 under
the heading, " Missionary Travels and Songs of
the Wilderness." Two years previous to that
Bishop Strachan of Toronto had visited the settle-
ment accompanied by Colonel Jarvis, the Indian
Agent and Lord Morpeth.

Of Bishop Strachan, who came from time to
time to this extreme part of his diocese, many
stories are related.

He belonged to the old school of clergymen
who in rugged times were equally rugged in their
honest manner of handling the questions brought
before them.

Coming from a poor family in Scotland he
won his way to the highest position in the gift of
the Colonial Church and for many years he exer-
cised a just rule over his brethren.

It is related how, on one occasion, a deputation

l;7:8 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

<of laymen waited upon the Bishop to complain
of their minister's monotonous preaching, charging
that the same dry sermon had been inflicted on
the congregation on three consecutive Sundays.

"You don't tell me that?" exclaimed His
Lordship, " what was the text ?"

The deputation was speechless, for none re-
membered it.

" Well, what did the man say ?" asked the
prelate. Again there was silence, for none could
recall the subject of the sermon.

" I think," suggested Dr, Strachan, " you'd
^better go home and I shall write your clergyman
to preach that sermon again in order that you
may get to know its contents."

But whether he carried out his threat or not
the sufferers never made known.

Another anecdote tells how a parish com-
plained to the bishop that its clergyman drank ale.
"How do you know that your charge is true?"
came the query when they had laid the charge.

" Oh, we know/' came the ready reply of an
-eager faultfinder, " we have seen the bottles."

" Bottles r cried the irate bishop, "A man
on his salary drinking out of bottles I shallrebuke
him and tell him that if ale in the keg is good
enough for his bishop it is certainly good enough
for him."

FROM 1843 TO 1866

One more story of this historic character has
been preserved.

His brother, a simple crofter, came across the
ocean to visit the one of the family who had be-
come so great.

The episcopal palace at that time was on Front
Street, Toronto, opposite the present Union
Station where its brick fence may still be seen.

The good bishop showed his brother, with
pardonable pride, the whole of his establishment,
and having concluded the survey, turned to him
with the remark, "Well, what do you think of it
all ?"

" Aweel, Jock," came the hesitating reply, " I
hope ye come by it a' honest."

But his people loved the quaint old man who
moved amongst them and no less did his clergy
regard him with veneration for their wants were
his.

In 1837 Bishop Strachan sent the Reverend
F. A. O'Meara, who had come from England
under the Upper Canada Clergy Society, to be
the missionary for Manitoulin Island and the north
shore, and although at first his visits to the Sault
were only paid about once a year, yet did the few
white people welcome his coming as men have
ever welcomed one who brought the ministrations
of the Church.

l8o HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

If the reverend gentleman's attentions to the
Sault were not great, yet his work amongst the
Indians was fraught with great success, and the
Bible translated in the Ojibway tongue and used
by the Redmen throughout Algoma to-day, is a
monument to his learning, his devotion, his appli-
tion and his zeal for the cause of his Master.

The mantle of the deceased priest has fallen
upon the shoulders of the present missionary at
Garden River, and in the future the Indian mis-
sions will ever be associated in Algoma with the
name of Frederick Frost

In 1845 a bush fire which raged on the Amer-
ican side of the river did a great deal of harm,
the people fearing for their lives, but no life was
lost and the settlement soon recovered

On March i8th of the following year a remark-
able thing took place.

It seems that a citizen of the United States,
named Theophilus Church, had cut down timbers
belonging to Canada and which were properly
and promptly attached by the Crown Lands officer,
Major Wilson.

The Major was coaxed and threatened in turn
but all to no purpose, when on the day mentioned,
crossing on business to the Michigan town, he
was arrested by an officer and lodged in the com-
mon jail

1?ROM 1843 TO 1866

No explanation was forthcoming in response
to his enquiries, until another officer appeared
with a paper on signing which the Major was
told he would be set at liberty

The document was an authority to Church to
cut and remove the timber he wished. The Major
indignantly refused to sign, saying he would rather
starve than be a party to any such rascality.

Until the 2Oth of that month he was left in
jail, his only companion a common felon, when
the authorities, becoming alarmed at what they
had done, released him and bade him go back
whence he came.

Returning home, he found the town and espe-
cially -his own family in a state of great alarm far
none knew his whereabouts.

The Major complained to headquarters and in
due course there arrived from Washington an
apology for the action of his persecutors.

It was at this time that there appeared upon
the scene a strange character named Tanner who
soon became a terror to all who met him.

Schoolcraft, who tells of him as do several
others, relates how he was born in 1770 in the
Ohio Valley and was stolen from his parents by
Kishkako of the Saginaw Chippewas when he
was seven years old. In 1825 he was rescued
from the Indians by traders and went to Kent-
ucky to hunt his relatives, but the wild life he had

r8'2 HISTORY OF S'AOTT' SAINTE MARIE.

i>een forced to lead made civilization unendurable,,
and, leaving them, he wandered North

His hand raised against every one and every
©ne on the defensive with regard to him, the olcf
man soured and lacking all virtue, yet embodying;
the vices and craft of the Indian', he became a
terror and a bye-word.

The Indian Agent tired to befriend him but
his actions were misunderstood. He was ap»
pointed interpreter to the American staff but
would have none of the necessary restraint im-
posed on him.

Whatever went wrong was lard at this old man's
door and not without some show of reason for he
ever promised the most terrible consequences if
his wishes were not met.

When Schoolcraft's house was burned in 1846-
it was charged to Tanner. When fire once more
burst out on all sides and threatened to destroy
not only the American town but the Canadian
town as well, men said it was Tanner's doings, and
when on July 6th of the same year a cart entered
the settlement bearing the body of Schoolcraft's
brother, found shot in the bush, what more natural
than that he should have been called Tanner's
victim. To add colour to the belief the wild man
disappeared, and though the woods were scoured
no trace of him was found. The people were
shocked some few years after when Lieutenant

FROM 1843 TO 1866 183

Tilden, an army officer, dying near St. Paul, con-
fessed that it was he who had shot Schoolcraft.

There are two stories purporting to account
for Tanner's death.

One is that riding home from a meeting in the
Red River country, whither he had fled and where
he was endeavouring to incite the Metis against
.the British, he was thrown from his horse and
killed. The other is more likely : It tells how,
some time after the shooting of Schoolcraft, some
trappeurs found the skeleton of a man lying
beside a gun, and some claimed to have identified
th^ remains as poor Tanner's

September 2nd of the same year, 1846, found
the bush fires so bad that the people had removed
their household ^effect to the river, but gradually
they subsided and the danger passed.

On the 29th April, 1848 the steamer Detroit
arrived having on board Sir John Richardson
and his.party en route to the Arctic regions to
search for traces of Sir John Franklin.

Major Wilson interested himself at once in
the undertaking and at his instance the party en-
gaged several voyageurs, among whom was Jean
Baptist Mastat, whose son, an aged man himself
now, still (1903) lives in the Sault

The expedition was one of great hardship and
peril, the survivors being forced to live on their
dead companions in order to sustain life. Several

184

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

discoveries were made and from one of Franklinrs<
caches, Mastat brought back a sealskin tobacco-
pouch which is now in possession of the writer.
The expedition arrived back at the Sault on July
25th. 1847, a day noted as that of the most ter-
rible electric storm ever known rn the lake district.

May 9th, 1858, saw the post office removed
from the Hudson's Bay Fort to the town, where
k was located under Major Wilson, in the " stone
house."

In 1848 two more white men threw m their
lot with the tiny settlement. They were Messrs.
Bowker and McTavish. The descendants of the
former are now living at Hilton on the Island of
St. Joseph.

May 24th of 1849, witnessed the first attempt
under Major Wilson to establish a rifle company.

The closing days of this year were marked by
a certain excitement.

The government had leased to a company of
speculators the mines at Point Maimanse much
to the chagrin of the Indians who still regarded
the property as theirs.

In November the Redmen about the Sault
gathered and put off in two de-
tachments to take possession of
the mines. They were led by a
half-breed named McDonald who

tZZZT-S*. J-ffr-T, *.£. ' rtju/rfT

ORIGINAL ROLL CALL — VOLUNTARY INFANTRY COMPANY
1863

FROM 1843 TO 1866

instigated them to steal a cannon which they took
in one of their boats. Major Wilson with three
companions followed and soon passed them on
the waters of Whitefish Bay, and arriving at the
mines gave warning of the approach of the hostiles.

There were neither weapons or ammunition
in the camp and it was decided to surrender
everything to McDonald and his horde and await
the action of the government.

This was done, and on December 2nd Captain
Cooper with a detachment of troops arrived in
the Sault and immediately placed the leader and
four others under arrest. The prisoners were
sent next day to Penitanguishene and the soldiers
embarked on the Independence for Point aux
Mines. But the expedition was doomed to dis-
aster, for a heavy storm broke over them and the
steamer going aground in Whitefish Bay was
abondoned and the force returned to the Post.

In May 24th, 1850, the troops were still at
Sault Sainte Marie and fired a feu de joie in
honor of the Queen,

They remained until October of that year,
when they took passage for Kingston.

In July 4th, 1850, the little town was wrapped
in gloom for of the handful of white people one
had passed away.

Mrs. Bowker who had shed a kindly influence

1 86 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

by her womanly presence was dead and two days
after all the town followed sadly to the grave.

At that time the only English people in the
Sault were Mr. Hargreaves of the Hudson's Bay
Post and his lady, and son, Major Wilson and his
sister, Miss Marsh and Mr. and Mrs. Bowker.
Of these the only one remaining is the Major.
In 1852 the colony was augmented by the coming
of David Pirn and his wife, who rightly claim to
be the first English " settlers " here, for those who
preceded them were either government officials or
Hudson's Bay officers.

Mr. Pim became the second post-master and
his widow still holds the office (1903).

In June 6th, 1853, the American town became
the scene of activity for the engineers and work-
men had arrived to begin work on the new canal.

It was considered, when completed, to have
been a tremendous feat, but in the face of the
present wonders on each side of the river it was
as a mere dredging of a ditch for their future
building.

In 1854 cholera visited the Sault and two
members of the Factor's family, his wife and his
only child, were stricken down. Day after day
did Hargreaves and Mr, Wilson care for the sick
ones, but all to no purpose, the disease was vict-
orious and they died. They were buried in a little
plot at the south east corner of Superior and

FROM 1843 TO 1866

I87

Huron streets from whence they were afterward
removed. None other in the white colony was
smitten. Shingwaukonce, the old chief, was laid
to rest the year following, 1855, and so was snap-
ped another link binding the Sault to the past.
The Indians' Church, dedicated to St. John the
Divine, marks the chieftain's grave at Garden
River.

In Major Wilson's diary we read that in spite
of the remoteness cf Sault Sainte Marie from the
"front," yet all were keen for any news which
concerned the Motherland, and when the news of
the fall of Sebastopol was received there was
much rejoicing, a salute was fired and at night
the windows of the houses were illuminated with
candles to mark the satisfaction of the people.

And now another settler was received and
welcomed into the little circle. It was Henry
Pilgrim who for many years graced the Sault
with his kindly presence and ever stood as an
example of honour and integrity to the youngsters
growing up about him.

Of Mr. Pilgrim is told a curious story. In
earlier times he was passing through Newmarket

l88 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

on his way North when he attracted the attention
of William Lount, who was afterward concerned
in the trouble of 1837.

Observing the young man, Lount inquired of
him where he was going. " To the woods," an-
swered Mr. Pilgrim, " to take up a grant and to
carve out a home for myself."

" Then, my friend," responded the other,
"come with me," and taking him to a store, he
bought and presented to him a four pound axe,
saying at the same time, " You'll need that for the
'* carving' you're about to engage in," and wishing
him good luck he bade him good-bye and Pilgrim
resumed his journey.

Going into Medonte he began the clearing of
a claim, using Lount's axe, but one day when the
chopping was hard and the black rlies and mos-
quitoes were worse than usual the young pioneer
became discouraged and driving the tool into a
tree he left it and walked out never to return,

When Mr. Pilgrim in after years related the
story, one of his auditors enquired, "What became
of the axe?" " I fancy," replied he, " if someone
were to go over my old claim he'd find the
axe still driven deep into the wood just as I left
it the day I tramped away."

May jrd, 1859, Lady Elgin, the consort of the
Governor General, passed through on a pleasure
trip, and sixteen days later the first Registrar of

z _

H c

FROM 1843 TO i865 189

Algoma arrived in the person of Colonel Savage,
He was said to have been a sometime aide to the
•Governor of Corfu where he had met and married
his wife. At the outbreak of the Crimean War his
;good lady persuaded him to sell his commission,
which caused him to fall into disfavour with his
brother officers. Shortly afterward he sailed for
Canada where he was given a military appoint-
ment.

The great Sir John A. Macdonald offered him
the position of Registrar of Algoma which the
Colonel quickly accepted and journeyed to Ottawa
to get information.

For days he haunted the corridors and finally
ran down the Premier of whom he inquired, after
-effusive thanks, where Algoma might be.

Those who feel a proper loyalty for this dis-
trict of their adoption or birth will not be over
shocked when they learn that the great man re-
torted that, " He'd be hanged if he knew where
Algoma was."

Taken somewhat aback at the answer Colonel
Savage inquired as to what book would be neces-
sary for him to take, and Sir John answered,
" A pocket diary, Savage, a pocket diary, I fancy
you'll not fill it all with your official entries."

And so was the first Registrar despatched to
the scene of his labours.

f 90 HISTORY' OF SAUI,T SAINTE MARIE.

The newly appointed officer could find n©>
residence to suit him on the Canadian side of the
river, and so, for some considerable time, he lived
in the American Sault whither our people were
compelled to journey in order t© registrer their
property.

Later on Colonel Savage moved to the bun-
galow at the corner of Spring and Queen streets,
a picturesque building, which was torn down to
make room for the Cornwall Hotel which now
occupies its site.

On the opposite corner from the Savage home
stood for many years the Customs House whose
unhandsome walls, like others, have since beera
pulled down to make room for better structures.
The site of that old institution is now occupied
by one of the principle business houses in Sault
Sainte Marie, Messrs. Moore & Browne's hard-
ware store

Since Colonel Savage's time the office of Re-
gistrar has been filled by several equally worthy
men. In 18^90 Mr. Lyon was appointed to the
position on his retirement from Parliament where
he represented Algo na, and shortly after his death
the present incumbent, Mr. Charles F. Farwell,
K. C, till then representing Sault Sainte Marie
in the Ontario Legislature, assumed the post and
is the present Registrar.

CHAPTER XVIL

THE FENIAN RAID.

" The soldiers of the Queen."

Mention has been made of the Trent Affair
and its effect on the growing town of Bruce Mines.

In 1 366, only two years later, the shore for
many miles down the river was in a state of intense
•exciteme-nt owing to the report of a probable in-
vasion from the south.

A large number of Irish agitators who had
made their headquarters in the United States,
had formed themselves into militant bodies and
were allowed to drill in va-
rious towns and cities of that
country without interference
from the authorities.

Their aim and object was
the invasion of Canada with
the idea of wresting it from
British sovereignty and
they wrought in the hope ^if^
that the majority of Can- :

f 92 HISTORY OF SAtJl/T SAINTE MARIE

adians were ready and anxious to take up
against the Motherland on the slightest encour-
agement.

When the time seemed to be ripe a body of
these Fenians crossed the frontier under a certain
ft General " O'Neil and were met by the volunteers-
at Ridgeway, in Old Ontario,, and not receiving
the aid they had looked for they fell back again,
leaving some of their number dead and many
prisoners.

In the meantime word reached Sault Sainte
Marie that 400 Fenians were mobilizing at Mar-
quette in the State of Michigan and the officials-
in the American Sault intimated that they would
give the warning of any nearer approach.

Under Captain Wilson — as his title was then —
with Lieutenant Prince and Ensign Towers, a
company of volunteers, fifty-two strong, was called
out on June 6th and placed under arms, taking
up a position on the river beach in Marchbank, the
old Wilson residence on the north west corner of
Bay and March streets, and for thirteen long days
anxious watch was kept for fear of surprise.

During the first two days of the guard the
town was repeatedly startled by the booming of
cannon, and it was found that Americans who were
working at Pointe aux Pins, and who had come
from Detroit, were discharging a |field piece from
time to time in order to create a sensation.

THE FENIAN RAID

193

On June 8th, Captain Wilson despatched a
squad of men under Mr. Brown, who was the
Customs officer. They seized the gun and brought
it to Sault Sainte Marie. Repeated alarms were
experienced, as on the night of June 9th, when
an attempt was made to shoot from the river the
sentry on duty, his shako being torn by the bullet
which passed through the cap and carried away
the button on the back. The night was intensely
dark and the would-be murderers escaped.

On the 1 5th there was another alarm which
brought Colonel Prince with his duck gun and
Mr. Wymess Simpson with his shotgun, hurrying
along to the company's headquarters in the hope
of getting a shot at the Fenians, but nothing came
of it and the inhabitants retired again to their
houses.

One incident of the affair will quite bear relat-
ing. Captain Wilson did not believe in men
being idle and the volunteers were set to work to
straighten up the barracks wherein they were
housed. Some years previous Father Kohler
had requested of the Captain permission to store
a small keg of wine on the premises that it might
be near at hand when he came to the Sault for
service, but the poor priest had long since depart-
ed and the existence of the keg was completely
forgotten. In the course of cleaning up, however,
it was discovered and as the easiest way to learn

194 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

the nature of a keg's contents seemed to the men
to be to sample them, they proceeded to do so
with the result that, on the return of the Com-
mandant, he found a number of his warriors
placed hors de combat, but not by Fenian bullets.
On the 1 9th of June the trouble was over and the
company was disbanded and uniforms once more
laid aside.

At the same time, as the company was under
arms at Sault Sainte Marie, Captain Plummer
and Captain Bennetts with their Lieutenants,
W. H. Plummer, our present Mayor (1903) and
Mr. Biggings, Clerk of the Court (1903) guarded
the mines at the Bruce with their two companies,
numbering in all about 200 men, but their duty,
like that of the men of the Sault, was no more
than that of patrolling the beach and the roads.

The following year saw the union of the prov-
inces into the Dominion and July ist took its
place as the most important day in the history of
Canada as a growing nation. On August 6th,
1867, Colonel Fred. Cumberland arrived to begin
electioneering, and on the I3th of September he
and Mr. Simpson were returned by the electors
as their representatives in Parliament.

On the 7th of October the little militia com-
pany was once more placed under arms to be
inspected by Colonel Durie, who at one
time commanded the Queen's Own Rifles

THE FENIAN RAID 195

of Toronto, and Frenchmen and Englishmen,
brought up with different traditions, but one and
all staunch Britishers, were found by him in the
unique volunteer corps.

In December of the year of the Fenian excite-
ment, there had arrived in the Sault a young
fellow who started a saw mill, much to the delight
of the people, but 1869, his money gone and the
mill inoperative, poor T.... went mad and his
wife became afflicted in the same terrible way.

For many days did the people watched over
them with deep solicitude and long meetings of
the hamlet's fathers were held as to the best
course to pursue. The unfortunate ones were
finally carried away by relatives and the people
settled again into their quiet rut.

It was in this year that the Chicora first be-
came known at the Sault.

During the American war a blockade-runner,
owned by the Confederacy, proved wonderfully
adventurous and successful, and after the peace
the vessel was taken into dry dock and made
into two sea-faring crafts.

One of these became known as the Southern
Belle and the other as the Chicora, which latter
is still in commission, plying daily during the sea-
son between Toronto and Queenston on Lake
Ontario.

96 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

On March 8th, of the following year, 1870,
the Postmaster David Pirn died. He could lay
claim with perfect right to having been the first
settler, other than government officials, to come
to Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, since the war of
1812-14, and together with his wife succeeded in
winning the good-will and friendship of all with
whom he came in contact.

His widow, the Postmistress, is still amongst
us, and with her family occupies the old home
which was mentioned in a former chapter as
having been the first church. Mr. Charles Pirn,
a son, now fills the office of Town Clerk, and may
he live to occupy the position for many years.

In Mr. Pirn's day the arrival of the mail was
a great event and already has the excitement oc-
casioned by the advent of the mail courier been
dwelt upon.

At one time the people of the Sault thought
to expedite matters by having their letters and
papers sent by way of Detroit and so render it
impossible for one to write in his diary such a
legend as " mail three months late," or, ''Couriers
arrived without mail from Penetang, no letters
for Christmas."

For a short while, after this change, all went
well, then the mail ceased altogether, and after
some weeks had elapsed a search party was form-
ed which, after a hunt, found the mail bags twenty

THE FENIAN RAID

197

in number suspended from the limbs of the trees,
near Detour, The American mail carriers had
became tired of their undertaking and had left
their burden in the wilderness After that the
town reverted to the old fashioned way on the
ground that it is better to get one's letters late
than not to get them at all.

There is still one of the couriers left in Sault
Sainte Marie, hale and strong. He is Louis Miron
and. Louis delights to tell in his honest way the
adventures which befell him on the line of travel.

Louis lives in a quaint frame house with his
family abput him, and on one occasion saluted me
when I called on him, with a hearty :

." Come in seet down, nice day today outside.
I haf not see you much round Pere some time
now.

" Yes ! I been 'way myself, up Michipicoten.
" I go wit' explorer. Dat' my work now.

" Wat you ask?

" De storee of de time when Say- X:;^;C;>
ers and me were de mail coureurs ? ; :;^ v'; , •
Why dat's noting, I tell you all I J:'--: .-.',;•
remember.

" We used to carry mail to Kil- " -^ :•. ••;;>••';- •
larney in dos day and it was cold, I
tell you, some time I thought I freeze
but here I am to tell you 'bout it to-
day. Yes, Pere, der were tree

198

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTK MARIE.

mail each month den. We git here on the ist
and the i ith and the 2ist of each month and we
haf hard work to do it sometam.

" Cold ! der are no winter now !

" I think 40 degres below zero was de reg'lar
ting den. We went by Missisaqua to La Cloch'
den cross de lac to Manitawaning den back to
the mainlan' at Killarney.

"How we make it ? Dog and snowshoe —
two hunder mile, yes, by gar ! we wear oud de
racquet each trip but we carry 'noder pair to
bring us home.

" In de winter we pack de mail bag on a
dog sleigh and follow de rivere down when we
could and sometam we haf to tak to de wood
and den it was hard. De dogs pull fast and de
snow she clog de snowshoe ver' much, and when
night come and de stars shine out we was perty
glad to strike some Indian party camp on de
shore and haf our supper wid dem. Indian? Why,

THE FENIAN RAID. 199

yes, all 'long de shore was Indian, de wigwam
could be seen purt' near any place, an dey no
longer wicked. We eat an sleep with dem and in
de mornin go long again.

" How far we go ? o 'bout 35, 40 mile, some-
times a man would go 60 mile in a day. Yes, you
no think dat ? but we used to dat : we not think
much of long tramps dos days.

" I start in 1856 and mak five trip dat winter.
I tol you we go tree time each month. Dat was
when de traval was good.

" Sometam it tak tree day from Mississigua to
La Cloch. Haf you heard why dey call him La
Cloch ? Dey tol me when I go down long tarn
ago dat some rocks back der haf so much metal
in dem dat when you strike them dey soun just
like de bell at Quebec, and so dey say the place
is La Cloch. You are priest like our priest ?
Yes, den I guess I make you understand ! I
think when de Bon Dieu he haf no church den
he mak dat rock lik church bell so we not forget.
You see ! Great thing, Pere, not to forget, eh !

" Will we reach Killarney an der we meet de
coureur from Penetanguishene. Sometam dey
not come ; den we leave the mail and come back
without a load. Sometam we try to get to Pene-
tang before the other coureur arrive, so dat we
come back widout any mail ; that mean without

20O HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTB MARIE.

any load. What you say in English, ' Tricks in
all trade but ours !' ha, ha. ...

" But, oh ! sometam den I .wish I was dead.
Now I sit by the fire and think an it all seem lak
fun in dose days, but then all de fun was squeeze
out and we only haf the real ting.

" I remember one day we leave Killarney
early in de mornin, de day was fine an de sun she
high above in de heaven. Everybody was happy
but me, and 1 was thinkin of de ice. How she
stan us ? we haf no dogs wid us Only my uncle
an me was togeder. Well we start out early
'cross de lak and work our way 'long and ever-
where we strike de pool, but I not think much of
dat till 'bout five mile out I was busy thinkin of
somethin else and forget altogeder I was on de
lak I heard someding crack. Den, I tell you, I
not forget no more, but we both jump at de same
tarn, and when my uncle he come down again he
go clean thro'.

"What I do? No courir, he not ready for
dat. We haf de long pole an I run dat pole ond
to him and he grab it, and little by little he work
his way on to de solid ice. We no say a word,
we just work, an when he get out he tak de sleigh
an' start for de town as fas' as he can go. Dat
kep' him from freezin, and when I get der too, he
was all right.

THE FENIAN RAID 2OI

" Did I ever tell you, Pere, how we brought
John Egan up to Sault Ste. Marie ?

" Joe Sayer and me were carryin de mail at
dat tarn, and when we arrive at Killarney, John's
fader he say to me, says he, ' Louis, my boy he
want to go to de Sault, will you take him thro' ?'
" I think for one little minut, an den I say,
' You see my pardner, Mr. Egan, and if he say
oui, den I say oui, too.'

''Just den Joe he come in and John's fader he
say to him, ' Can John go wid you and Louis to
de Sault?' an Joe he ask, 'what do Louis say?'
an when he hear ' I am willin,' he say, 'all right/
says I and nex mornin' we start for home De
day was clear and de sun he shine high up but he
give no heat at all. I think we be going to have
a hard tam to get home, Joe, I says, but Joe he
just push ahead an me an Egan we come behind.
My, it was de cold traverse, and John Egan he not
much good on de snowshoe, and many time we
haf to camp to let him hav a rest, when we want
to get on, but I say I would not leave him, and I
mean what I say. Well, we push on an on as best
we can and Joe he was gettin madder an madder
ever' day until when we were 'bout thirty mile
from de Sault John he got behin altogeder.

" At first we did not miss him, but pull away
at our sleigh wid our head down, and den I say
to Joe, ' By gar, where John ?'

2O2

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

" Then Joe he growl at me an say, ' I doan

know, leaf him he Louis, and come on or we be

frozen too.' We were crossing the lak den and

der had been a heavy thaw, and altho' it was now

40 degre below zero, yet under the snow the

water was still unfroz' and ever' tarn you plant

your snowshoe it go 'way down and you see de

slush underneath. Well, I turned an go back,

and wad you tink I foun ? Why dat faller John

when he couldn't kep up wid us had just taken

off his snowshoes to run

and of course ever step

he took he went down

deep into de slush an

den he freeze, mon Dieu !

his feet were

froze, his hand

were froze, his

face wus hard,

he was all froze

when I find

him, and so I

took him back

to de islan' we

wast just pass

and light a big

xy y " /mJ^F^^j-^-^ 3-

JfcJ^wr *5

THE FENIAN RAID

fire of pine an cedar and mak de big cup of tea
and try to thaw him oud again.

"Wad you think, Pere, I haf hard tarn, and
dat Joe he went right on an would not help, an
after John was thaw out we start again, but ever'
little while I haf to stop an rub his hans an cheeks.
I never forget dat last thirty mile pull, but at las'
we get to the Saut,

"Der was Joe in de pos' office. He haf toft
de people we were perish in de water an dey
were gettin ready to go an bring us in when we
arrive.

" Den dey all shout and come 'bout us an
shake us by de han an help pull off our frozen
tings and get us warmr some .more. Poor John
he not haf wer' much life in him until he see Joe,,
den, by gar, he forget he is sick. Dey haf to hoi'
him back an he cry, ' Joe, you can dank your stars
I haf not a pistol wit me now or I would teach
you to have frozen men thirty mile from a house/ "

The same year that witnessed the death of
Mr. Pirn saw the outbreak of the first Kiel rebel-
lion. Sault Sainte Marie was the point of debark-
ation of Colonel Wolsley and his troops since the
Michigan authorities refused the use of the canal
to our soldiers. Vessels were brought down to
the Portage at the old Hudson's Bay F«,.rt, and
the stores were carried from Phipps' wharf, which
was begun by David Pim, and is now replaced by

2O4 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

the Government Dock, to the wharf at the Portage
and then placed on board the transports.

Mrs. Pirn's house, on Pim street, was made
headquarter's office by Colonel Wolsley who had
on his staff at that time Captain Duller, now Lord
Buller who served recently in the South African
war, and Lieutenant Hewish who was killed in
action in Egypt.

A number of voyageurs were engaged at the
Sault and accompanied the expedition.

Mr. T. A. P. Towers, one. of our well known
citizens, was also attached to the staff of the. Com-
mandant, and recently received from England a
D. S. medal for his office at that time.

In the accompanying letter does the Field
Marshal thus speak of the campaign :

" That you also had much to do with the ex-
pedition which went with me to Fort Garry in
1870. I hope you retain as pleasant a recol-
lection of that undertaking as I do.

" I shall never forget the energy which the
two militia battalions representing the two great
provinces of Quebec and Ontario displayed during
that undertaking. I wish all the battalions at the
present moment in the King's Army were com-
posed of as fine men.

Believe me to be,

Very truly yours,

(Sgd.) WOLSLEY.

THE FENIAN RAID. 205

Much questioning has been indulged in with
regard to the several cannon which still lie in the
water at the foot of the Government dock. Joa-
chim Biron relates that the guns were originally at
the North West Post, and on the coming of the
Americans during the war of 1812-15 they were
placed in a bateau for conveyance to Mackinac,
but the hostile fleet being sighted, they were cast
overboard at the point where they now lay.

At St. Joseph's Island is to be seen another
battery of guns lying under the water and which
it is supposed was abandoned about the same time
as were those at the Sault.

CHAPTER XVIIL

THE SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

How often have I loitered o'er thy green.
Where humble happiness endeared each scene."

GOLDSMITH.

In early days of Canadian story, to speak of
the parish parson, brought to mind not only the
idea of worship but also that of schooling, for in
him was usually found — because of the pioneer
condition of the country — the embodiment of all
the learning in his district. Nor was this less
true of Sault Sainte Marie than of other places,
for here we find the schoolmaster clad in the
sombre garb of the Church of England priest
who took upon himself the duty of instructing the
youth in letters.

It has been said before that wherever the
Hudson's Bay Company's Post was, there was
read the service of the Anglican Church each
Sunday, indeed the factor was ex-cfficio a deacon
in that Communion, with powers of baptizing,
marrying and burying in his district, in fact hold-
ing the same church authority as a ship's captain
at sea or of the chief officer of a military post in

2O8 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MAPJE.

the absence of the Anglican priest, but in 1830
the Church Society of Upper Canada sent a Mr.
D Cameron to minister solely to the people at
and about the Sault who were not ministered to
by the Jesuit Fathers, and he was in 1832 suc-
ceded by Mr. William — afterward Archdeacon —
MacMurray, who wrought his good work here
until the year of the coronation of the late beloved
Queen Victoria.

Mr. MacMurray established himself on the
south side of the river with the Johnston family,
one of the daughters of the household acting as
his interpreter and whom he afterwards married.

Even at that late date, 1832, the route to Sault
Sainte Marie was very vague, for, as the Arch-
deacon related in a speech delivered in Toronto
in 1889, when he received the notification of his
appointment he applied to Sir John Colborne, the
Governor of Upper Canada, for information, as
to the way to the new field, and by Sir John he
was sent to Detroit with the assurance that some-
one there would surely be able to direct him.
Arriving in Detroit he was sent to Mackinac and
from thence he was paddled to his destination,

A parcel of land on what is now know as the
Great Northern Road was selected by him as the
site of a church which was soon erected by the
Government.

The church stood where Borron avenue and

THE SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES

209

the Great Northern Road join, and there has been
preserved for us in a little book entitled the
" Recreations of a Long Vacation," by Reverend
Dr, Bevan, a picture of the quaint structure which
is here reproduced.

Adjoining the church was a little graveyard
whose humble mounds were to be seen on the side
of the ridge overlooking the town, but all traces
of the graves have disappeared.

When David Pirn came to live in Sault Sainte
Marie he bought from the Crown the property
whereon the church stood, and one morning, bor-
rowing a yoke of oxen from Mr. Simpson, he hitch-
ed them to the building and pulled it down to the
lower ground, converting it into a dwelling house
for his family, and this, the first church building
in the settlement, may be seen and recognized to-
day in the old homestead of the family nestling
among the trees, on Pirn street.

During the week, in the years of its public
life, benches and desks occupied the floor of the
church, and there the children gathered to learn
from the lips of their reverend teacher. And when
Sunday came it found the desks pushed back and
the benches arrayed for the reception of the devout

2IO

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

worshippers. It was in this same school- house
that the little company of soldiers drilled under
the guidance of Major Wilson.

In 1837 Mr. MacMurray was succeeded by
Mr. O'Meara, who visited the Sault once in each
six months, staying two or three days at each
visitation and then hieing away to the mission on
the Manitoulin.

Sir F. Head, who had succeded Governor
Colborne, came to think the work done hardly
called for Government aid, and so the mission
was closed and the settlers of that period were
left again without regular ministration. However
Mr. MacMurray's work told, for when the Rev.
Mr. G. A. Anderson was sent in 1849 to re-estab-
lish work among them and the Indians of Garden
River, he found the most affectionate memory of
the church in the minds of all who had refused to
listen to the preaching of sectarians.

At that tims the district was under control of
the Bishop of Toronto, who m 1842 visited the
mission with a small company. Service, after
the removal of the church building, was held in
1 the stone house, where it conti-
nued off and on until in 1870 the
first stone church was begun, the
corner-stone being laid by Bishop
Bethune in the presence of the
soldiers who were on their way to
quell the Red River rebellion.

THE SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES 2 T I

Some years ago there were discovered in the
vault of the Court House the minutes of the Vestry
of the Parish, and among other interesting things
was a record of a motion of thanks tendered to
Captain Wilson, which reads as follows :

" Proposed by Colonel Savage ;

" Seconded by Mr. Hamilton,

" That the thanks of the Vestry be given to
Mr. Wilson for his kindness in lending the field
piece (gun) for the purpose of being fire half an
hour before Divine Service as a warning to the
Congregation, and that the expense be defrayed
by the Yestry.

" (Sgd.) JOHN CARRY,

" Incumbent."

Thus did the sometime instrument of war lend
itself to more peaceful occupation.

While holding service in the stone house the
clergy were not always masters of the situation.
It is a tradition that the good and sturdy house-
holder had theological views of his own and no
preacher was allowed to continue his discourse
until he comformed to the views of the general
host. No doubt this unique feature helped mate-
rially to hurry the erection of a proper church
edifice. This was begun in 1870, the year of the
Red River trouble, and the following account of
of the laying of the corner-stone is copied from a
Toronto daily paper :

2 I 2 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

"Sault Sainte Marie. — On Friday, July 22,
the Bishop of Toronto, accompanied by the Rev.
James Chance, Indian Missionary at Garden
River, and the Rev. C. I. S, Bethune, M.A , of
Port Credit, laid the corner-stone of the Sault
Sainte Marie church. Under the corner-stone a
glass jar was deposited, containing the names of
the Bishop and accompanying clergymen ; year
of the Queen's reign ; names of the Governor-
General and Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario ;
names of architect and contractor ; names of the
subscribers to the building fund ; silver coins,
fractional currency, postage and bill stamps of
Canada and the United States; the latest copies
of the Toronto newspapers, Canada and Ontario
Gazettes, and Scottish American. In the record
it was also noted that the Canadian Volunteers
' encamped at Sault Sainte Marie,' whilst en route
for Red River, most generously contributed to-
wards the erection of the church. The church is to
be built of stone, design and plan by Mr. Charles
J. Bampton ; the contractor is Mr. John Damp,
the builder of the Sault Sainte Marie gaol and
Court House."

The gentlemen who were foremost in the
movement of building the church were Wymess
Simpson, the last H. B. Factor here ; Sheriff
Carney, Mr. Swinburne, Colonel Savage, to whose
memory a modest stained glass windows stands

THE SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES 2 I 3

m the present church ; Mr, Trott, the storekeeper,
now up in years ; Mr. Merton, Wm. Turner,
W. J. Carleton, Wm. Van Abbott, Colonel Prince,
Mr. Prior, Mr. Towers, Mr. Moore,'Mr. Hughes,
Mr. Fred. Falkner, Mr. Hamilton, Dr. Trew,
Henry Pilgrim, James Phipps, David Pirn and
James Bennetts, whose old house " Trelawn "
stands broken and shorn of its former beauty
below the Bruce Street Hill. The children of
many of these are still in Sault Sainte Marie and
in them as in their fathers does the church find
her most loyal sons and daughters.

A list of the clergymen who have guided the
affairs of the church may be of interest and will
be as follows :

D. Cameron

Wm. MacMurray 1832

F. A. O'Meara 1839

G. A. Anderson 1848

John Carry 1865

James Chance 1868

E. F. Wilson 1872

John W. Rolph i8;3

Thomas Appleby 1876

H. Heaton 1882

George B. Cooke 1884

Frank Greene 1885

W. Windsor 1889

Eustace Vesey ' 1890

Robert Renison 1894

Edward Capp 1899

2 T 4 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

In the diary of David Pirn there is an entry
for April 2nd, 1866, with reference to the census.
It relates that there were then 304 souls- in the
school district, and of that number 79 were be-
tween the ages of 5 years and 16 years, or between
the ages when children ought to be at school.
However little provision was made for their edu-
cation. One family afforded a governess while
the children of the rest of the people went — as
they took the notion — to a little school kept by
two maiden ladies, the Misses Hoige, till finally
a public school was erected by public subscription,
the site being near the north-east corner of Pirn
and Wellington streets,

Mr. William Turner, one of our respected
citizens, was the first teacher here paid by the
town, and he gathered out of the 79 eligible
children about 50 scholars. Mr. Turner was suc-
ceded by Miss Jane Cameron, wTho afterwards
was wedded to Judge McRae. On Sunday the
school-house was used alternatively by Mr. Sal-
low, a Methodist gentleman, and Mr. Chance, the
Anglicen missionary.

Apropos of the erection of the stone church
of 1870 is a story of the late Colonel Fred Cum-
berland who represented Algoma after the Con-
federation of 1867 in both the Ontario and Dom-
inion Houses,

THE SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES 2 I 5

Colonel Cumberland was in the Sault soliciting
votes, and on the Sunday afternoon in question
was engaged in a politico-friendly chat with a
number of townsmen in Phipps' store, where
Messrs. Plummer & Co's hardware store stands
at present.

One of the company threatened to put into
the field a candidate in opposition to the Colonel
who had during the course of the afternoon been
solicited for aid for the new church.

"I tell you," he finally exclaimed, "what I'll
do. If you return me by acclamation I'll present
your church with a stained glass window and I'll
have the words ' Peace on earth, good will to
men/ burnt into the glass " And so it was agreed.

Colonel Cumberland was returned by accla-
mation and in due time the window arrived and
was placed over the altar in the east end of the
church where it may be seen and admired to-day
standing as it does as a parable that politics should
not affect the peace and good will which obtain
in the present happy congregation.

And all in town helped in the good work with
money and labour, and St. Luke's pro-Cathedral
stands not only as the witness of Truth in the
town, but as the embodiment of the religious
devotion of all the town's people of 1870.

In 1873 the district was finally set apart as a
missionary diocese, and the first Bishop in the

2 1 6 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE

person of Frederick Dawson Fauquier was con-
secrated for its direction.

He was born at Malta in 1817 and educated at
Coburg College, being admitted to the diaconate
in 1845 and elevated to the priesthood in the
following year. He occupied successively two
incumbencies before his consecration, those of
S. Huntingford in 1851, and of Zorea, 1852-7.
He was consecrated at Toronto, October 28th,
and died at Toronto December 7th, 1881.

He was known throughout the district for his
simple, manly ways. His house, like Jean Val-
jean's Abbe", was ever ready to receive whoever
came. Even to-day throughout the Sault one
hears the name of good Bishop Fauquier, and his
former friends show with profound affection me-
mentoes of his visits to their homes.

During his episcopate the stately home of the
Bishops of Algoma, on Simpson avenue, was built
the foundations being laid two years after his
consecration.

In 1874 the present Shingwauk Home was
begun to take the place of a former institution
which had been burned at Garden River. The
event of the laying of the corner-stone was one
of great moment, for Lord and Lady Dufferin
passing on their way to the coast, stopped off to
perform the ceremony. They were welcomed by
a salute of 1 7 guns and the shouts of all the people

THE SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES

217

2 1 8 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

and, as Lady Dufferin in her "journal" relates,
proceeded under an arch to a small boat which
conveyed them to the site of the building.

Here were gathered the Indians from the
reservation as well as the towns-people and many
from the American side of the river, and Lady
Dufferin declared the stone " well and truly laid."
The Home was opened on its completion by
Bishops Hellmuth and Fauquier, the latter of
of whom is buried with his wife in the quaint ceme-
tery, a few hundred yards to the north.

The Home is the outcome of the efforts of the
Reverend E. F. Wilson, who came to Canada
from England to undertake farming. He settled
near Sarnia, and there the idea of working among
the Indians first seized him.

He studied for the ministry, and finally having
been received and ordained, he came to Garden
River where the first Indian home was erected.
It was, however, burned, it is said by incendiaries,
and Mr. Wilson, not to be discouraged, journeyed
to the Sault to erect a second home."

The Church Missionary Society which paid
his stipend at this time, objected to his Indian
work, and Mr, Wilson, after some correspondence,
was forced to continue his work without their
support. However, through the generosity of
some English sympathizers, he was able to carry
out his plans. One building after another grew

THE vSCHOOLS AND CHURCHES

119

up on the grounds of the new Home, until a little
community of picturesque stonehouses was formed.
The buildings to-day are much enlarged for
they contain not only the original Shingwauk
Home (named after Chief Pine of Garden
River), but the Wawanosh (or White Swan)
Home for Girls, originally on the Great Northern
Road, together with the Hospital servants' houses,
principal's house, gymnasium, and a beautiful
chapel in memory of the first Bishop.

The Ojibway-English paper published at the
Indian Homes in 1878 is here reproduced.

Until 1875 the Roman Catholic citizens had
worshipped in a wooden church immediately in
front of the present Sacred Heart Church and in
the upper part of which lived Sargeant Hynes
and his family. In early years (1841) an effort
had been made to build a stone edifice, but dis-
couragements were too great and the work
stopped.

In the wooden building, however, the people
met for devotions, until in the same year that
saw the building of Bishophurst, there was begun
the erection of their magnificent house of worship,
whose solid splendid tower of mingled browns
and greys must ever be an architectural
delight to lovers of the stately and beautiful.
A copy of the local paper in the pos-
session of the writer contains a notice of

22O

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

THE

PEACE

An Oiobway newspaper published monthly at the Shing-
wauk Home.

VOL. I

OCTOBER IST. 1878.

No. 1

The Peace Pipe,

IT is purposed to issue this paper in
eight page form.; same size as the
A. M. NEWS ; on the 1st. of October
next, provided not less than 300 sub-
scribers can be secured by that time,
the price being 85c per annum to in-
dividuals, or if any band will agree to
take 50 copies they may have them for
2Cc. a copy ; the sum of $12.50 to be
piid us in advance by the Indian
Agent.

SUBJECTS :— Indian correspondence ; a
atory from history ; editorial ; Euro-
pean news; American news; Ex-
tracts from Indian Arts and Reports ;
Advertisements of traders ; Sunday
fcohool questions ; Bible translation; ;
new hymns ; extracts from Indian
j grammar.

INDIAN TRANSLATION. -

OOO suh debahjemo muhzenuhegun
eight pages, tebisbko ALGOMA
MISSIONARY NEWS, "Peace Pipe," azhe-
nekahdagj tah rnahjetahmuhgud menuh-
wah kadnhgoojing October keezis
kishpin we-odohpinuhmoowaud nes-
wauk cgewh ahnishenahbag kamah uh-
wushema. 85c. ningo peboon tah-enuh-
ginchi. Kishpin dush mahmuhwe we-
odahpinnhmoowaud nahnemeduhnuh
ahnishenahbag pazhig Reserve taban-
daugoozejig, we enahkoone-gawaud
dush owh Indian Agent che-tebuhuh-
muhweyuugid — me $12.50 atuh tali*
tebuhuhniahgaiu oonje 50 copies.

England and Russia.

KAGAH ke-mahje-megalidewug
England kuhya Russia. Mag-
wah uhgwindanopn kuyahbc England
megahdewine-nahbequaunun ewede
wequadoong tebishko Constantinople,
Owh dush Russia kahween . ominwan-
dimseeu, enewag nishkahdese. Owh
suh Russia kahween kayahbe om'egah-
nahseen Turkeyuh; ahzhegwah oge-
ozhetoonah-wah pezaiinindewin. Kee-
uiooj guhnoonindewug magwah noon-
goom Russia kuhya Turkey. Keemopj
uhnoo keewug .wenuhwah. Owh dush
Russia odenaun Turkeyun, kege-mah-
mauzhein neeje, me dush weejikewain-
dedah, kahween ahpeche kegahkoodug
gfte'senoon, pezinduhweshin nesheema,
«zhechegan anenaun me dush kagah-

menodoodoon, kago pezinduhwahkan
pakaunezejig, neen atuh pezinduhwe-
slaui me dushkegah bemahdeze-in
men'ihwah — me suh Turkey azhe-guh-
noonegood Russia-un magwah noon-
goom. Me suh azhc-wabuk. Owh
suh Russia kahween onheenganeraah
seen Turkey-un osheenganemaun
atuh Englandun. Ahpeche mah-
nandum vRussia che-wahbundung
encwh England duhzhe megahdewine-
nahbequaunun agwindagin tebishko
Constantinople. Owh dush Russia
ogemahjebeiihmuhwaun Austria duh-
zhe kecho ogemaun ooo ke-enaud —
Howh neejee ! ke-meno-weejekewainde-
min kenuhwind. Howli 1 Howh ! wea-
dookuhweehin, kegah-keche-megahnah-

THE METHODIST CHAPEL OF '70

THE SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES 2 2 1

the event which took place on Sunday, July 2nd,
and which was presided over by the Archbishop
of Toronto, assisted by the Bishop of Sault Sainte
(Serepta) Right Reverend Dr. Jumot, with many
clergy from the surrounding country.

In 1870 the first Methodist tabernacle was
erected and continued to be used until 1901,- when
it became a public school and the congregation
betook themselves to the new edifice on Spring
street. The Baptist body came in in 1889 and
erected their place of worship at the corner of
March and Albert streets.

In 1897 the old parish church of St. Luke was
remodelled and the present spacious temple be-
came as the result. It was constituted a pro-
cathedral (that is, a parish church which is used
for a cathedral) by the present Lord Bishop, Dr.
Thorneloe, who was appointed in 1896, on the
resignation of Bishop's Fauquier's successor, Dr.
Edward Sullivan, who, racked and worn by the
hardship of his episcopal work retired from the
diocese to fill a less trying post, the Rectorship
of St. James, Toronto, where he shortly afterward
passed away.

Dr. Sullivan was a prince among men who
sacrificed himself for his work. His name was as
well known in England and the United States as
in Canada, and his death caused deep and wide-
spread sorrow.

222 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

From the one little school-room the town has
developed several schools. The first step from
Pim and Wellington streets was the erection, for
school purposes,of the building since burned, where
soon will stand the new post-office and customs
'house at the corner of Queen and East streets,
then followed the erection of the pile until recently
used as a municipal building and high school.

In 1889 the Central School was built and the
Fort School on Huron street quickly followed.

At present, counting the separate schools and
the main and branch public schools and high
schools, there are ten buildings set apart for the
purposes of secular education, with a staff of
twenty-seven teachers.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE YEARS OF ORGANISATION.
" The elders of the city."

In 1858 Algoma was organized into a judicial
territory with headquarters at Sault Sainte Mari-e
and a full complement of civil officers was ap-
pointed to carry out the demands of justice. The
distrit at that time stretched from French River
to James' Bay and to an undefined boundary in
the West, " for Manitoba had no existence then."

The gentlemen appointed to act in this huge
district with its coast frontage of 800 or more
miles were Honorable John Prince, Judge, suc-
ceeded in 1870 by Judge McCrae ; Richard Car-
ney, Sheriff; John McPherson Hamilton, Clerk of
the Peace and Crown Attorney ; Henry Pilgrim,
Clerk of the District Court ; Colonel John Savage,
Registrar ; Wm F. Moore, Gaoler, and Andrew
Hynes as Constable.

The Court was not occupied with serious
offences, the trespassing of cattle and other minor
counts being the stamp of offences adjudicated.

When grand jury met, if it was in the Winter
they were detained for days and sometimes weeks
before they could get off for home. There were

224

HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTB MARIE..

no hotels then and the jurymen were billeted at
the different houses.

Many stories of a rugged nature were wont in
old days to be narrated of Judge Prince, whose
patience was often times sorely tried by the liti-
gious few who met before him to air their dif-
ferences.

Not, however, until 1866 was the erection of
a proper court-house undertaken,

In that year the Ontario Government put the
project into operation, and two years later, 1868,
the present court-house and gaol stood finished,
and by far the handsomest building in the town.
The work cost $20,000. The brick and tiles used
were made and burned in front of the present
flagstaff site, and Mr. W. H. Carney became the
first resident gaoler.

Magistrates were known in those days to
render at times startling decisions. It has passed
into history that one of our most honoured
citizens, acting as magistrate, had brought before
him a culprit who was charged with stealing a
pair of boots. " Guilty or not guilty ?" demanded
the " Power," as the boots were produced and
evidence filed and the wretch pleaded "guilty."
" I sentence you then," came the judgment, " to
be hanged by the neck till you are dead and order
the officers to remove you." The prisoner was
prostrated with fright and begged to be heard.

AND DISTRICT GENERAL ADVERTISER

AULT STB. MAUIE OST.FUIOAY, JH'i.'i i 1

Gentlemen.

TIIB COMMERCIAL

THE YEARS OF ORGANIZATION

225

He told his story and the judge replied, "On
account of the extenuating circumstances I hereby
commute the sentence on the understanding that
you leave this side of the river within half an
hour."

The thief, who did not know the powers of
Canadian magistrates, left in a great hurry and
was no more seen.

It was in 1866-7, when the stone was being
quarried at Campment d'Ours for the court-house
that a certain judgment was rendered by a coro-
ner's jury at the Bruce Mines which is not inap-
propriate here.

Two men returning to the quarry for their
tools early in January stopped at Richard's Land-
ing and bought some goods. As they turned to
leave Richard's store, one of them espied a bottle
of pickles which he purchased and slipped into his
fur coat pocket. They left.

The following May, John Walker, a farmer
on Campment d'Ours — which it may be mentioned
is an historic island down the St. Mary's River,
on which, among other things, is an Ojibway
graveyard — found the body of an unknown man
on a small island near by called Doris Island.

The body was towed to the Bruce Mines and
an inquest held. The man's identity was estab-
lished by the fact that he had in his pocket a
bottle of pickles which was silently handed to each

226 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

of the empanelled jury for inspection. The jury,
after hearing all the evidence, retired and drew
up the following finding :

" Found drowned through want of carelessness
on the ice."

The man was now buried. Some one pro-
duced a hymn-book and read a hymn as a burial
service Exit cadaver. But the pickles. The party
returned and all sat down silently, smoking and
eyeing the pickles, till one bolder than the rest,
exclaimed, " Well, fellers, them pickles ain't much
the worse for wear, I moves we eat 'em." The
motion was not put, the cork was drawn. Exit
pickles !

Such is life in a frontier district.

The year 1875 saw the birth of our first town
newspaper "The Algoma Pioneer and District
General Advertiser."

It was the child of an enterprising citizen, the
sort of men who make a town to prosper. Mr.
W. H. Carney, our present Sheriff, The copy
here reproduced contains much interesting matter
and some quaint advertisements.

That year 1875 Simon J. Dawson was fran-
tically endeavoring to win over the electorate as
opposed to Colonel Rankin. The Indians had
received the right to vote and were being ap-
pealed to by both parties.

THE YEARS OF ORGANIZATION 227

In Mr. Dawson's address to the voters he
says : " The descendents of those once powerful
tribes who figured so conspicuously in the early
history of the country, are still to be seen, although
in numbers sadly thinned, in the forests and by
the crystal seas of Algoma, and they have rights
which should be respected. By a clause in the
treaty by which they surrendered their territorial
rights they are entitled to certain allowances
which have until now been witheld simply because
the matter had not been urged on the attention
of the Government. I have recently had com-
munication with the Department of the Interior
on this subject and am glad to be in a position to
say that the case of the Indians is engaging the
most serious attention of the Government and
that there is every prospect that the stipulations
of the treaty will within a short time be carried
out and the annuity to the Indians considerably
augmented." All of which is another proof that
there is nothing new under the sun

Until 1881 the settlement was not incorpor-
ated. In that year a town charter was granted
by the Provincial Legislature, and Sault Sainte
Marie became the proud possessor of a Mayor
and Board of Aldermen.

Among the most prominent of those who
served the town as Chief Magistrate to the pre-

228 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTK MARIE

sent are W. H. Plummer, W. J, Thompson, E.
Diggings and Wm. Brown.

The growth of a military organization has not
yet been dealt with in these pages.

The fostering of the martial spirit is due
entirely to the patriotism of Major Wilson, who
as Dearly as May 24th, 1849, made an attempt to
muster a rifle company.

The advent of troops under Captain Cooper
in 1850 aided in the development of the soldierly
instincts.

On December i8th, 1861 the Americans be-
came threatening and rifles were issued with ball
cartridge, Messrs. Pilgrim, Simpson, Davidson,
Hamilton and Prince being the chief advisers of
the officer in command.

The cloud, however, passed away and peace
was again assured.

In 1862 a second rifle company was formed
and the school-house was used for drill. The
following year, January, 1863, saw the artillery
company formed, which existed as a half battery
until very recently. The infantry was attached
to the artillery and the whole controlled by Mr.
Wilson, so that when the trouble from Fenianism
threatened in 1866, there was here a solid body
of sturdy men to guard the frontier.

In 1888 the Government organized the 96th
Battalion of the Militia of Canada and named it

THE YEARS OF ORGANIZATION

229

the Algoma Rifles. The local company was
placed under command of Captain W. J. Thomp-
son, who is one of the most important of the
Sault's citizens at the present day.

The organization was, however, changed by
order July ist, 1900, to the 97th Regiment with
its headquarters at the Sault, and in 1903 the
Battalion was authorized to use the title " Algon-
quin Rifles," a particularly appropriate name for
His Majesty's troops in the Ojibway country.

Amongst the names of those who have been
connected with the regiment, that of Father
Sennett, a sometime Parish Priest in Sault Ste.
Marie, will ever be held in high regard, for it was
he who received such honourable mention for his
deeds at the "front," where he was privileged to
act as an Army Chaplain.

The present officer commanding the 97th
Regiment is Lieutenant-Colonel T. H, Elliott,
the local company being officered by Captain and
Adjutant C. V. Campbell, Lieutenant H. Lynn
Plummer and Mr. George Johnson.

Tne crest of the regiment is the head of a bull
moose with the motto " Kee-she-nah," an Ojibway
expression meaning "We surpass."

The officers other than those already men-
tioned are Major Gordon and
Captain Cressey, Sudbury ; Cap-
tain McKee, North Bay; Pay-

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

master, Captain A. E. Dyment. M P. ; Quarter-
master Ainsley and Captain Gillespie, Thessalon.

Sault Sainte Marie's sons have ever been
ready to take their share of hardship in the de-
fence of their country. Already have been men-
tioned the instances when they shouldered their
muskets to do duty against possible invaders.

When in the recent trouble in South Africa
the Motherland turned her eyes to Canada for
assistance Sault Sainte Marie three times respond-
ed to the call for men. And here, as was the case
from Halifax to Vancouver, many more than could
be sent inportuned the authorities to be allowed
to go. Surely such a spirit speaks well for the
manhood of our common country.

In the decade from 1881 to 1890 two import-
ant works were brought to completion at the Sault.
The Canadian Pacific, in 1887, effected here a
junction with the railway system of the United
States and the Canadian Locks, which made pos-
sible an all-Canadian water route through the
great lakes system, were constructed and opened
for traffic.

THE YEARS OF ORGANIZATION

Sir Garnet Wolsley's experience in 1870 made
it apparent to the Canadian people that we were
dependent on a foreign and, at times, a not too
friendly nation, for access by water to our western
possessions, and in 1887-8 $4,000,000 were voted
by the Dominion Parliament for the construction
of the locks.

The Canadian canal is i1/^ miles long, 150
feet wide and 22 feet deep, with a lock 900 feet
long and 60 feet wide, having 22 feet on the mitre
sills.

The building occupied seven years, from 1888
to 1895, and was carried out under the direction
of the Honourable Collingwood Schreiber, Chief
Engineer of Dominion Canals, and W. G. McNeill
Thompson, Esquire, Government Engineer in
local charge, Messrs. Ryan and Haney being the
contractors,

Electricity generated by water power is used
for the operation of the lock, which can be filled
and opened in about nine minutes

A little to the north of this marvel of engineer-
ing skill stands the original lock restored — at least
as to its size — the forerunner of mighty warterway.

In 1902 the Canadian Lock passed 7,728.351
nett tons of freight and 36,599 passengers on
steamers, etc.

The 45 new vessels put in commission for the
Lake superior trade that year (1902) were large

2J2 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

THE YEARS OF ORGANIZATION 233

steam freighters ranging from 225 to 436 feet in
length and designed for economical speed of
twelve miles an hour on a draft of 19 to 21 feet.

One may form some idea of the increase of
tonnage in the last fifty-one years, when it is
remembered that in 1851 the estimated amount and
value of articles which crossed the Portage at
Sault Sainte Marie was 12,600 nett tons valued
at $1,675,000, while in 1901 the tonnage passing
through the Canadian and American locks com-
bined amounted to 28,403,065 nett tons valued at
$289,906,865.

This chapter on organization would not be
complete without a word in reference to that great
order which is said to extend to all parts of the
globe and which found a home in Sault Sainte
Marie, Free Masonry.

On May i3th, 1885' the first lodge was held
and on July i ith following a regular meeting was
called. The brethren met in a little room over
the old Pioneer office, on Pirn street, immediately
behind Messrs Plummer & Co 's storehouse, and
men journeyed from Thessalon, Richard's Land-
ing and even from Marquette in order to form a
quorum to carry on the work. The chief mover
in the matter was the late ex-Mayor E. Diggings
and the names of the brethren were : Captain
Wilson, Joshua Trott, Colonel Savage, John W.
Hamilton, Wm. Carney, Mr. Biggings and Rever-

234

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTB MARIE.

end Mr. McDermit, all of the Sault, and John
Boyd, Thessalon ; John Richards, St. Joseph's
Island, and Samuel Evans, of Marquette. The
first candidate was a David Murray.

From the small beginning has the order grown
until at the present time it occupies a magnificent
temple in the Harris Block, at Queen and Spring
streets. A list of the Masters of the Lodge from
its inception include among others the late Edward
Biggings, W. H. Hearst, Esquire, ex-Mayor
Thompson, C, F. Farwell, Esq., K.C. ex M.L.A.,
Dr. Fred Rogers, a writer of works both grave
and gay, M. McFadden, Esq., Town Solicitor,
Captain Campbell, W. J. Bradley, Esq., and J. B.
Way, the present Worshipful Master being Mr.
C. W. McCrea.

Many other orders have since then taken their
place in the lives of the people, and by their
fraternal teaching help, no doubt, to impress the
citizens with the divine doctrine of the Brother-
hood of Man.

CHAPTER XX.

THE FATHERS OF THE PRESENT TOWN.

" They came from near and they came from far,
The East and the West and the South gave men,
And they built new homes 'neath the north-set star.
They'll ne'er swing back to the old again"

Perhaps the best remembered man in Sault
Sainte Marie was until very recently the late
Colonel John Prince, first Judge of the District.

Born in Hereford, England, in 1797, he emi-
grated early to Canada and settled first in the
neighborhood of Sandwich where he engaged the
"rebels" during the 1837 episode.

The Colonel's action at that time in having
prisoners shot without a trial raised such a dis-
turbance that the Government was forced to act.
The punishment of the offender, however, was
not what some might have expected, for he was
ordered to proceed to Algoma, " the Siberia of
Canada," as he termed it in after years, and he
received here a grant of land and a position on
the Judicial Bench.

The reason of the Government's leniency is
found in the strong interest exhibited in his behalf

236 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE.

THE FATHERS OF THE PRESENT TOWN 237

by the Duke of Wellington, then Prime Minister
of England, who, when the case was presented to
the Home authorities, addressed the House of
Lords on the Colonel's behalf.

On reaching the Sault the Colonel proceeded
to clear his land, which lies to the east of the
present town, and there he built a spacious house
to which he gave the name of " Bellevue."

Here, until 1870, he lived and entertained
ever a tender friend albeit a rough foe, eccentric,
determined, prejudiced, loyal and chivilrous, giv-
ing quarter to none who transgressed or sinned
against him or his idea of the " Law."

His notion of vengeance was swift

It is said that he had a pet eagle for which he
had refused a large sum of money and which one
day offended him by swooping down upon his
chickens. The eagle's life immediately paid the
penalty for the transgression.

At another time the Colonel had a beaver, of
which he was particularly fond. The beaver was
wont to disport itself in the water which laps the
beach not a hundred yards from its master's door
and old Monsieur Perrault one day paddling along
the shore and seeing a beaver shot it and carried
it in as a present to the owner of Bellevue, for
whom he had a profound reverence. Colonel
Prince was sitting at his table when the polite
old gentleman arrived to offer with many bows

238 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

and words of respect his little gift. For an instant
the Colonel glared in angry silence at his neigh-
bour who, becoming alarmed, and rushing to the
door saw, as he fled, the bereft Britisher reaching
for his gun with which he might have taken — had
he been in time — a terrible revenge.

The Colonel's anger was quickly over, how-
ever, and there lived not in all the North a man
who could be a truer friend than he was.

On St. Andrew's Day, 1870, Colonel the Hon-
ourable John Prince died, and two days after all
the sorrowing town wended its way to Bellevue
to follow the remains to their last resting place.

As the tourist approaches the Sault from the
East he descries three little islands half-way be-
tween the Shingwauk Home and the town.

On one of these islands, alone, uncared for,
lies the body of the old man, where the snow in
the Winter months and the wild flowers in the
warmer weather make conspicuous the brown
sand stone monolith which marks his tomb. A
mural tablet in the south transcept of the pro-
Cathedral in Sault Sainte Marie also reminds us
of his life and death.

The last Factor of the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany here was Wemyss M. Simpson who came
to Canada from London, England, where he was
born in 1825.

THE FATHERS OF THE PRESENT TOWN 239

For twenty-four he served the H. B. C. and
for eight of these twenty-four was he a Factor.
With Colonel Fred Cumberland he represented
the district in Parliament from 1867-1872, being
like Colonel Prince, a Conservative

Where Upton Road crosses Queen street,
there stands an old-fashioned, homelike villa of
stone, at present owned by Mr. H. W. Evenden,
an English gentleman. The villa was built by
Mr. Simpson, when he retired to private life, and
there, surrounded by his family, he spent the rest
of his days. Mr. Simpson was married twice and
three of his children, Mrs. H. Plummer, Mrs.
Begg and Mr. A Simpson, are living at present
in the Sault. Upton is now known as Ste. Marie,

But to Major Wilson must be given the honour
of being called the oldest resident in the district
the Major having come here as Mr. Wilson, Cus-
toms officer, to succeed his father in that office,
and having dwelt continuously in the district since
September, 1843. The Major was born in Perth-
shire, Scotland, in 1818, reached Canada in 1832,
and served on the Government side in the trouble
of 1837. He was appointed to his office of Cus-
toms Collector by Lord Sydenham. Later on,
under Lord Clanricarde, Her late Majesty's Post-
master General, he received in 1848 the further
office of Postmaster. This he held for many years
until David Pirn succeeded him in the office.

240 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTB MARIE.

A photograph of the original " Authority " is
here presented.

For fifty-eight years has the Major hept his
diary of events, not missing a day, a set of vol-
umes of great value to the town or to book-lovers.*

Judge McCrae, who succeeded Judge Prince,
was a Canadian by birth, having been born at
Burritt Rapids, Ontario, 1810.

He first engaged in trade and later on, in 1850,
was called to the Bar. His Honour had, like his

* On Friday, March nth, 1904, Major Wilson passed away at
the ripe age of 87 years, and the following day, surrounded by his
friends of earlier days as well as those of more recent acquaintance,
his remains were carried to the Korah cemetery and there laid
beside his wife's.

The local militia company with reversed arms marched slowly
at the head of the funeral cortege, the 97th regiment band playing
a dead march. The casket, wrapped in the flag he loved, was
drawn on a black-draped sleigh, and about it, under Sergeant
Howe, strode six of the old battery men who had gathered so often
at the former soldier's call.

At the grave, heaped high with snow, the Chaplain of the
regiment read the beautiful service of the Church of England, the
firing party took their position and discharged their three volleys,
the last salute over a soldier's tomb, and from a single bugle floated
out over the desolate hills the lonely notes of the " Last Post," the
call known to every warrior, heard when the lights die out and the
army sinks to rest.

So passed from the scene one whose memory will linger among
the citizens to whom may be ascribed the credit of first infusing
military enthusiasm into the men of the district.

He was a loyal, honourable and consistent man, a good father
and a true friend, and now he is gone, no one may say the Major
ever did him a wrong. Such are the sturdy characters who of tea
unappreciated, unnoticed help to make a people great.

JOHN, MARQUESS OF CLANRICARDE,

Her Majesty's Post master' General,

TO ALL PEOPLE

to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting :

KNOW ye, that I, ULlfcK JOHN,
MARQUESS OF CLANRICARDE,

HKB MAJESTY'S POSTMASTER-GENERAL,
having received good Testimony of the Fidelity
aud Loyalty to Her Majesty of x-^-?

and reposing great Trust, and Confidence in the Knowledge, Care, and
Ability of the said <ttZ£&^ s&&&*&*-

to execute the Office, and Duties required of a Deputy Postmaster,
have deputed, constituted, authorized, and appointed, and by these
Presents, do depute, constitute, authorize, and appoint XK^#»
the lawful arid sufficient Deputy, to execute the Office of Deputy
Postmaster to the Deputy Postmaster General of &&&t rf~ **?*-'
at S^^^c^/^^% ^^-^' -U1 the ProvincFdf

&%£&% *tj%&Ls to have, hold, use, exercise, and

enjoy the said Office of Deputy Postmaster at the place aforesaid, with all
and every the Rights, Privileges, Benefits aud Advantages to the same
belonging, for and during the Pleasure of the Postmaster General, and also
for aud during the Pleasure of the Deputy Postmaster General of the said
Province, subject to such Conditions, Covenants, Provisoes, Payments,
Orders, and Instructions to be faithfully observed, performed and done by
the said Deputy Postmaster and Servants, as he or they shall from Time
toTime receive from Her Majesty's Postmaster General in England, or from
the Deputy Postmaster General of / ^#^^1 s*Ss^
for the time being, or by the Order of them, or either of them. Given at
the General Post-OUiee, London, under my Hand and Seal of the said
Office, this. ••'.-&*' day of <:^&Ve0t.>£* 184 /I

in the /^X^/V Year of Her Majesty's Reign,

THE FATHERS OF THE PRESENT TOWN 241

predecessor, taken a keen interest in military
matters, being ranked as a Captain in the volun-
teers. Judge McCrae was succeeded by His
Honour Judge Johnston, who holds the senior jud-
geship of Algoma, with His Honour Mr. Justice
O'Connor as Junior Judge.

Mr. Wm. V. Abbott, until recently the Indian
Agent, received his appointment to that office in
1873. He was born in Surrey in 1831 and came
to Montreal where for about twenty years he was
a wholesale dry goods auctioneer. He came to
the Sault in 1864 to carry on a wholesale liquor
trade, this being for two years a free port on
account of its distance from any other port of
Canada.

He has ever been an active citizen, and though
living in retired life he takes the keenest interest
in everything that concerns the Sault.

Like others already mentioned, Mr. Abbott
and his good lady have ever made their house a
centre of hospitality and have done much to make
the Sault the homelike town it claims to be. With
Glengarry cap and brier pipe he is one of the
best known figures on our streets, and long may
he be spared to be a binding link between the
happy past and the busy, growing future.

Another old time resident remains in Francis
Jones Hughes, who came to the Sault in 1856 in
company with a number of other pensioners to

242 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE

settle a disturbance, already mentioned, as having
taken taken place among the Indians. Poor Ser-
geant Andrew Hynes, who came at the same
time, has since passed away, but Mr. Hughes
still lives to tell his friends of early days.

He was born in Wales in 1828 and joined the
Royal Marines' service, fighting in the war with
China on Her late Majesty's first-class gunboat
" Lily," He tells how he smoked his first cigar
in Hong Kong ; was still in the service during
the Crimean war, and having found his way to the
town at the foot of the Rapids, was appointed
Chief Constable and Magistrate " under Royal
Seal." Mr. Hughes' district extended from the
French River to the Lake of the Woods (Lac
des Bois). Mr. Hughes was married twice, his
two sons living at the Sault in the present time.

The present Sheriff is another of the few left
from the early days. He was born in London,
England, in 1830, and came to Canada when he
was three years old. His early days were those
of a settler's son, working hard in the daylight
hours, studying after dark. His father had been
Collector of Customs at Owen Sound and again
at Niagara, but he resigned his post to enter the
mercantile life in Barrie.

The present Sheriff, who was the eldest son
of a large family, took an active part in his father's
business, and when the latter was appointed the

THE FATHERS OF THE PRESENT TOWN 243

first Stipendary Magistrate for Algoma, he re-
moved with him to the Sault. The office of Sti-
pendary Magistrate was abolished in 1860, and
the disestablished officer was appointed Sheriff,
which position he held until 1882, when the
present Sheriff, Wm. Henry Carney, succeeded
him. Mr. Carney was the first Municipal Treas-
urer of the town, and on resigning in 1888, was
succeeded by his son Richard, who is Treasurer
at the present time. Three of the Sheriff's sisters
still live near the old family homestead, while the
Sheriffand one son occupy the historic stone house
built by Armatinger in 1822.

The Diggings and Camerons, whose house
was down east of the town on the river banks ;.
the Towers and Davidsons, Ironsides and Pennos
are also to be ranked among the early settlers
whose quite tenacity helped to anchor Sault
Sainte Marie to the older civilization and thus to
lead to greater things.

One of our most respected citizens was Doctor
J. A. Reid whose charm and grace made him a
welcome guest in every house.

The Doctor, who was born in 1845, was a son
of the Honourable Alexander Reid who for many
years was Minister of Finance in the colony of
Newfoundland. The Doctor's education was car-
ried on first under his father — a thorough classic
scholar — and then at McGill University and the

244

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

Royal College of Physicians, London, where he
practiced, after graduation, with Dr. Cook, some-
time physician to Her late Majesty Queen Vic-
toria. There a brilliant course seemed to be
before him, but the call of his native land was
sounding in his ears, and in 1875, bidding fare-
well to England, he came across the water to
make his home.

At first the young Doctor practiced among
the fishermen of his native island, but afterward
crossed to Canada and sojourned for a time in
Montreal.

There he contracted typhoid fever and for
many long weeks lingered between life and death,
but his work was not yet completed.

Chatting one day with a brother physician he
learned of the District of Algoma and of the need
of medical aid there. The splendid combination
of being likely to exercise his skill in a country
romantic and little known appealed strongly to
his nature, and as soon as he could stand the
journey he found his way to the great lakes region.
At first the Doctor settled at Bruce Mines where
he met and married Annie, daughter of George F.
Marks. In 1878 the Doctor, with his bride, came
to Sault Sainte Marie where they continued to
reside. For many years was he spared to carry
on his great and good work, and it was with a
deep and sincere sorrow that the people learned

THE FATHERS OF THE PRESENT TOWN 245

in the Fall of 1902 that he, whom they had learned
to honour and revere, had passed away to his
rest. Doctor Reid is survived by his widow, who,
in her own gentle way, exercises a quiet yet
mighty influence for good in the town — and by a
much respected family, one of whose members.
Mr. George Reid, is a prominent figure in all
matters athletic.

Mr. Robert Adam Lyon is another of the old
time citizens who have joined the great majority.
Born in 1830 in the city of Glasgow, he came, in
early years, across the water and Canada became
henceforth his home.

Mr. Lyon received his education like many
of our great Canadians in the public schools of
Old Ontario, the common ground upon which
alike all creeds and races meet, and which insti-
tution ought to be to the nation a source of sturdy
Christian patriotism for the upbuilding of a united
people.

In 1858 he married Sarah Moore who, with
his family, survives him. Mr. Lyon was ever an
active member of the district and won Parlia-
mentary honours at various times from 1878 to
1891, retiring in the latter year to private life.
In 1902 he became unwell and decided to visit
once more the land of his birth. All arrange-
ments were made, but it was not to be. In Mont-
real he was overtaken by a sickness which resulted

246 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

in his decease on June 4th, 1902, and thus passed
away from the scene of his former activity an old
and much respected man. Mr. R. A. Lyon, the
Manager of the Imperial Bank in Sault Sainte
Marie and President of the local Board of Trade,
is the only member of the family now residing in
the old town.

In the town proper, that is, the town apart
from " The Works," the most important business
man has long been Mr. W. H. Plummer who set-
tled here a young man in May 1 873, and succeeded
in centring, to a very great degree, the life of the
place around him. Nor is it merely in a business
way that Mr. Plummer is known

It is said that there are few old settlers in the
district but owe something to his kindnesses in the
past. He has ever been a hearty supporter of
improvement tending toward the advancement of
the district and his purse has always been ready to
emphasize his convictions.

Mrs. Plummer, too, was looked to by those
-who were sick or in distress, and now that she has
passed away does one hear from the lips of grate-
ful people many stories of her sweet generosity
and gentle provision for their needs.

The doors of Lynnehurst, the Plummer resid-
ence, seemed always to be open. None of any
importance came to Sault Sainte Marie but he
was right royally entertained there.

THE FATHERS OF THE PRESENT TOWN 247

Mr. Plummer and his wife became the wel-
come authorities to whom most questions were
submitted.

From the inception of the General Hospital
to her demise did Mrs. Plummer act as President,
a position now filled by Mrs. Reid, and in that
splendid institution is much that owes its exist-
ence to her initiation.

Mrs. Plummer is survived by a daughter and
son, the latter, Mr, H. Lynne Plummer, being
the first Lieutenant in the volunteer company.

It was mainly due to Mr. Plummer's efforts,
backed by a handful of citizens, among the number
Mr. W. J. Thompson and Mr. H. C. Hamilton,
that the great water power was first harnessed
and made to minister to the needs of the village
as the Sault was in those days. The idea in
developing the power from the mighty flow of the
rapids was to induce industries to locate on the
shores of St. Mary's River and so add to the
wealth of the community.

Mr. Plummer's efforts, with those of his con-
freres, were quite successful, for to the founder of
the great company whose works now occupy so
large an area here, did the plan prove attractive,
and to-day in place of the settlement of a few-
hundred people, there stands a town comprising —
with its outlying suburbs a population of many
thousands.

248 HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

THE OLD FIRE HALL

IE TOWN (IyooKiNG WEST)

THE FATHERS OF THE PRESENT TOWN 249

Of these great works, whose coming has
wrought such change, much has been already
written, nor is it within the scope of a volume
such as this to discuss them

On the site of the North West Company's
post of 1792 they are erected. The old powder
magazine of the Hudson's Bay Company of a
later occupation has, by Mr. Francis Clergue,
been added to and converted into bachelor's
quarters. It is now known as the " blockhouse."
Only one other building of the Fur Company
stands, while on every side are ranged the massive
stone structures wherein many think the future of
the town is being wrought.

So the old order ever changeth giving place
to the new. It is the working of the law of evo-
lution. The " Post " has vanished, the old school-
house has disappeared, the town-hall is no more,
but on its site, turning its ugly back upon the
river front, has risen a larger, if less beautiful, pile.

One by one the familiar faces of a few years
ago are dropping out, and when inquiry is made,
the voice is lowered in answer, " They are gone."
Three of the old time burial places have disap-
peared entirely, one being on the brow of the Pirn
street hill ; one at what is now the south east
corner of Superior and Huron streets, and one
between the Armatinger house and the Roman
Catholic cemetery ; two others have fallen into

350 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTB MARIE.

disuse : that in front of the Church of the Sacred
Heart and the other the old N. W. Co. cemetery
adjoining St. John's Anglican Church, in the west
end of the town. Within the corporation limits is
still the so-called " town cemetery," where on old
time shafts and headstones may be read the names
of families once influential in the district and whose
places others filled. May they, who still remain,
be long spared to enjoy the prosperity which
seems to be dawning for the growing Sault.

Since 1887, when Sault Sainte Marie became
an incorporated town with its Mayor and Civic
Board, the office of Chief Magistrate has been
-filled by only five gentlemen, Messrs. William
Brown, Edward Biggings, Henry C Hamilton,
W. J. Thompson, and the present Mayor, W. H.
Plummer.

CHAPTER XXL

A LAST WORD.

" One stone the more swings to her place
In that dread Temple of Thy Work,
It is enough that through Thy grace
I saw naught common on Thy earth"

KIPLING.

In these few pages the endeavour has been
made to set in order in simple form the story of
the Sault. The wish has ever been to give
honour where honour is due and to shed upon all
the light of impartiality.

The work is now sent upon its journeyings in
the hope of a kindly reception.

For the conservation of all things of interest
connected with our town two suggestions might
be made : The first is, that a society be formed
for the purpose of gathering together relics and
treasures of the past and of marking the sites of
historic buildings with small distinguishing plates.
The second suggestion is that the Town Council
set apart a suitable room in the Municipal build-
ings now in the course of erection (1903) where
relics and mementoes gathered by any society

252

HISTORY OF SAUI/T SAINTE MARIE.

which may be formed or contributed by any indi-
vidual for historical purposes, may be received
and properly cared for.

There are no doubt books and sketches with-
out number bearing directly or indirectly on the
history and scenery Algoma in general and of
Sault Sainte Marie in particular, many of which
may gradually find their way to such a repository
if it be but established.

If the suggestions made are not considered in
order by the readers, the only excuse which is
pleaded is that of an enthusiastic desire to see
such relics of the past history of the town placed
in safety ere they be lost to us altogether.

The story of our town as unfolded by legend,
tradition and history is somewhat unique. What
the future has in store, none may say.

It was Omar, the 4t Tent Maker," who in his
Rubaiyat wrote :

41 Up from Earth's centre through the Seventh Gate,
I rose, and on the throne of Saturn sate,
And a many a knot unravelled by the Road,
But not the Master-knot of Human Fate.

4< There was the Door to which I found no key,
There was the veil through which I might not see.
Some little talk awhile of Me and Thee
There was — and then no more of Thee and Me."

Thus one might sing concerning our little town
by the Rapids.

A LAST WORD 253

All men, from time to time, build castles-in-
the-air, and to Sault Sainte Marie1 s citizens at
castle-building, times, the unborn years, seem
indeed to have in store a long period of steady
growth and great prosperity. May it indeed
be so.

The brave who, at his new stopping-place, in
1400 A.D., shaded his eyes to scan the channel
of the River St. Mary, would not have believed
that white men could ever penetrate her wilds
and rear the mission and the trading post, nor did
Black Robes, the Wamitigosha and the swarthy
Bourgeois think as they, too, trod the shores that
towns of many thousands of people would one day
adorn St. Mary's banks.

Yet, nevertheless, has it all come to pass.
The " Brave " is only met with — even here — in
books ; his weapons of olden times find peaceful
repose as curios in the halls and studies of those
who have succeeded him ; his very language is
passing away, and he who among the whites can
speak the " Ojibway" is regarded with a certain
wonder by his fellows.

Muckwa, * the divine, like his red pursuer, has
gone to be hunted in the " Ishpeming," f beyond

* The Bear thought by the Ojibways to
be supernatural.

f The Indians' Happy Hunting Ground.

254 HISTORY OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE,

there to flee before spirit huntsmen discharging
ghostly arrows from phantom bows. Only on
White Fish Island, where crosses the International
Bridge, is to be found a semblance to the Indian
of a few generation ago, and even these are few
and unchoice.

Following the " Brave " and his victims the
humble log mission, too, has disappeared, but in
its stead have risen stately structures of noble
form wherein is offered the same memorial of
sacrifice as that which was pleaded in Bawating
in 1642.

Even to the settlers of 1843-56 the Saultseemed
as though it were always to be a mere child among
its sister towns, but behold, a greater town than
many another unfolds more fully each day its
glory to the view. May those who come after us
to carry on the work which we now indulge in
find our dreams quite fulfilled, and Baw-a-ting,
midway between the oceans, the centre of the
great lakes, an industrial centre and a loyal metro-
polis in a mighty and prosperous land. Adieu !

[THE END.]

INDEX

Abbott, Win. V., 213, 241.
Abraham, Plains of, 77,81.
Acadia, 62, 77.
Adders, 4, 22.
Adele, Ma Charamte, 169.
Ah-an-ish-in-ab-ug, 1, 6.
Ainsley, Captain, 230.
Algoma Bishops of, 216,
Algoma, 223.
Algoma Pioneer, 226,
Algoma Eifles, 96th Batt., 228.
Algonquin, 2, 4, 21, 33, 37.
Algonquin Eifles, 97th Batt.,

229.
All-ouez, Claude, 33, 43, 44, 48,

51, 54, 55.

All Saint's Day, 163,
Alouette, 169,
American Revolution, 35,
Amherst, General, 93.
Anderson, Eev. G. A., 210, 213.
Appleby, Eev, Thos., 213,
Armitinger, Charles, 145, 146,

148, 152, 156, 163, 249,
Asia, 3.
Athabasca, 30.
Attik-umaig, 22, 24.
Andre, Louis, 33, 51, 55,
August in, 155,
Avoine, 59, 60, 61..
Baggatiway, 89.
Bah-bin-dah-bay, 176.
Balloquet, Father, 59.
Bampton, C, J., 212,
Baw-a-teeg, 5, 16, 22, 32.
Baw-a-ting, 5, 6, 8, 11, 254,
Beaver, Company, 30, 115. .
Beaver, 25.
Bellevue, 237.
Bennetts, James, 213.
Berthot, 59,
Bethune, Eight Eev. Dr., 210,

212.

Bethune, Eev., C.I.S., 212.
Bevan, Eev. Dr., 209.

Biband, Francois, 55.
Biggings, Edward, 194, 22S,

233, 234, 243, 250.
Bingham, Ave., 46.
Biron, 73.

Biron, Joachim, 141, 205,
Biron, J. B., 156.
Bishophurst, 219,
Boeme or Bhoesme, vide Le

Beome.

Boissenault, 73, 163.
Bois brules, 72.
Borron, Ave.., 208.
Bonhomme, Wm., 55.
Bonne, Captain, 76, 78, 82,
Boniface, 32, 33,
Boyd, John, 233.
Bouquet, General, 102.
Bowker, Mr., 184, 185, 186.
Bradley, W, J., 234.
Bradstreet, General, 109.
Britain, 80, 82, 140, 141,
Brock, General, 155.
Brown, Wm., 193, 228, 250.
Bruyeres, Captain, 119.
Brule, Etienne, 31.
Bruce Mines, 191, 225.
Buller, Captain, 204.
Burns, Dr., 176.
Burritt Eapids, 240.
Cabots Head, 29.
Cacosagane, 78.
Cadeau, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 88,

91, 97, 100, 101, 102, 111.
Cadotte (vide Cadeau).
Cagwayon, 152,
Calvary, 45.
Caldwell, James, 82.
Caledonia, Frigate, 143.
Cameron, Duncan, 123.
Cameron, Miss Jane, 214.
Cameron, Mr. D., 208, 213.
Cameron, Family, 243.
Campbell, C. V., 229, 234,
Campment, d'ours, 225.

INDEX

Canada, 66, 69, 76, 81, 82, 212.
Carleton, W. J., 213.
Carney House, 148.
Carney, Wm., 224, 226, 233.
Carney, Sheriff, 212, 223.
Carry, Eev. John, 211, 213.
Champlain, 31.
Chemaun, 31.
Chance, Eev. Jas., 212, 213,

214.

Chavigny, Francois, 55.
Charlotte, Queen, 136.
Chevrottiere, Sieur de la, 55.
Christmas, 87.
Chicora, 195.
Church of England, 156, 162,

207.

Church Missionary Society ,218.
Chanson, des1, Noces, 167, et

seq.

Church Theophilus, 180, 181.
Charles II., 116.
Chuzzlewit, Martin, 176.
Clanricarde, Lord, 239.
Clergue, P. H., 249.
Coburg College, 216.
Cooke, Eev. Geo. B., 213,
Copper, Tools, 1.
Cooper, Captain, 185, 228.
Congress, 140.

Colbert, Colonial, Minister. 58.
Courreurs, des Bois, 65, 66,70,

72, 75.

Cozens, Joseph, 119.
Cockburn, Lieut. -Colonel, 159.
Colborne, Sir John, 208, 210.
Crane, 23, 54.
Craige, 133.
Cressey, Captain, 229.
Grog-ban, Colonel, 143, 145.
Cumberland, Col. Fred., 214,

215 239

Dablon, Charles, 33, 48, 51, 55.
Dalhousie, Earl of, 159.
Damp, John, 212.
Dakotas, 58.
Davidson, Mr., 228.
Davers, Sir Eobert, 98, 99.
Dawsoii, Simon J., 226, 227.
Deer-of-the-Water, 24.

De Tour, False, 145,
Denys, La Eonde, 62, 156.
Detroit, 86, 98, 99, 101, 102,

140, 157, 183, 192, 208.
Devieux, 73, 163.
Dollier, 48,
Doris Island, 225.
Dorchester, Lord, 129.
Driol, Vital, 55.
Druillette, Gabriel, 33, 45, 51,

Du Bois, 73.

Duck Islands, 161.

Du Luth, 59, 60, 61,

Dupuis, Nicholas, 55.

Duprat, Eobert, 55.

Durie, Colonel, 94.

Dufferin, Lord, 216.

Dufferin, Lady, 216, 218.

Dyment, Captain A. E., 230,

Egan, John, 201.

Elgin, Lady, 188.

Elliot, Lt.-Col., 229.

Erie, Lake, 77.

Evening Star, 21.

Evans, Samuel, 234.

Evenden, H. W., 239.

Exaudiat, 52.

Falkner, Mr. P., 213.

Farwell, C, F., K.C., 190, 234,

Fauquier, Bishop, 216, 218, 221.

Fenians, 191, 192, 193.

Feasts of the Dead, 33.

Fontain, a La, Claire, 125, et,

seq.

Fon-du, Lac, 38.
Forsyth, Eichardson & Co.,

121, 122.

Fort Creek, 147, 151, 165.
Fon du lac Treaty of, 136.
France, 33, 44, 53, 55, 72, 80,

82, 169.

Franklin, Sir John, 166, 183.
Franchere, Gabriel, 147.
Eraser, Alexander, 123.
Frobisher, Thomas and Joseph

162, 152.

Frechette, the Poet, 85.
French, 30.
Frontenac, 58.

INDEX

257

Future State, 27.

Galhiae, 48.

Gamier, 45.

Gaston, Jean Baptiste, 32.

Garden River, 180, 212, 218.

George Lake, 77, 80.

Germany, Apostle of, 32.

Giants, Canseway, 133.

Gillespie, Captain, 230.

Gitchi, Manido, vide Kitchi
Manido.

Gitchi, Gummi, 36, 40.

Glouchester, Duke of, 114.

Goddard, 96.

Gordon, Major, 229.

Goulais Bay, 111, 176.

Great Spirit, see Kitchi Mani-
do.

Great Duck Bay, 147.

Great Northern Eoad, 208, 209.

Green Bay, 50.

Green, Rev. F., 213.

Griffon, 58, 156.

Gros, Cap., 38, 39, 152.

Grosse Isle, 62.

Groseilliers, 36, 37, 49.

Guerin, 37.

Halifax, 230.

Hamilton, H. C., 247, 250.

Hamilton, Mr. John M., 211,
213, 223, 228, 233.

Haney, Mr., 231.

Hargreaves, Mr. and Mrs., 186.

Head, Sir F., 210.

Hearst, Win. H., 234.

Heaton, Rev. H., 213.

Hellmuth, Bishop, 218.

Hennepin, 33.

Henry IV., 32.

He wish, Lieutenant, 204.

Henry, Alexander, 86, 88, 89,
90, 91, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99,
100, 101, 108, 109, 110, 111,
112, 114.

Hiawatha, quotation from 1,
136.

Hilton, 184.

Hoige, Misses, 214.

Holland's Landing, 109.

Holmes, Major, 143, 145, 146.

Hong Kong, 242.
Howard, Captain, 110.
Hudson Bay, 3.
Hudson's Bay Fort, 203, 207.
Hughes, F. H., 213, 241, 242.
Humber, 109.
Huntingford, S., 216.
Hurons, 32, 33, 37.
Hudson's Bay Co., 249.
Huron Lake, (Mer Douce), 32,

53, 58, 109.

Hynes, Andrew, 223, 242.
He Royale, 62.
International Dock, 146.
Ironside Family, 243.
Iroquois, 5, 11, 21, 37, 38, 40,

56, 61, 78, 153.
Ishpeming, 155, 172, 253.
Isles of the Blessed, (vide

Is'hpeming).
Jacob, 72.
James Bay, 223.
Jarvis, Colonel, 177.
Jemette, Lieutenant, 82, 85,

86, 88, 89, 90, 97.
Jesuits, 28, 37, 41, 43, 49, 50

58, 61,

Jessakids, 7, 11.
Jogues, Isaac, 33, 35, 43.
Johnston, Sir Wm., 102, 103,

108, 109.

Johnston, Judge, 241,
Johnston, Louis, 136.
Johnston, George, 136, 229.
Johnston, John, jr., 136.
Johnston, Anna, 136.
Johnston, Mrs., 136, 146.
Johnston, John, 114, 119, 132,

133, 135, 143, 145, 147, 148,

208.

Joliet, Sieur, 55.
Jollineau, 73, 156.
Jonquiere, Governor, 76.
Joviel, Jacques, 55.
Jugglers, 7.
Jumot, Bishop, 221.
Ka-bib-on-oka, 17.
Keche-nezuh-yauh, 54.
Kentucky, 182.
Keweenan Bay, 43, 59.

258

INDEX

Killarney, 198, 199, 200.
Kingston, 185.
Kipling, 142.
Kishkako, 182.
Kitchi Manido, 3, 4, 16, 17, 20,

25, 26, 27, 101, 113.
Kohler, Father, 193,
La Cloche, 62, 95, 198, 199.
La Drapeau, Fantome, 85.
Lagillier, Jacques, 55.
Lahontan, 61.
Lake Superior Po\ver Company

121.

Lake of the Woods, 242.
La Laiipine, Sieurde, 55.
La Pointe, 11, 16, 65, 130.
La Salle, 48, 58, 59, 156.
Le Boenie, 47, 57, 58.
Le Berger, 35.
Le Caron, 32.
Le Maire, 59.
Le Mercier, 46, 48.
Leslie, Lieutenant, 96.
Lionnais Regiment, 60.
Locks, Sault, 230, 231, 233.
Longfellow, Henry W., 136.
Lount, Wm., 188.
Louis, Thirteenth, 32.
Louis, Fourteenth, 53, 58, 76.
Lyon, Registrar, 190, 245.
Lyon, R. A., jr., 246.
Lynnehurst, 246.
Mackinac, (Michilimacinac), 58,

59, 62, 77, 86, 87, 94, 95,

96, 98, 100, 102, 103, 110,

111, 136, 142, 143, 156, 208.
MacMurray, Archdeacon, 135,

208, 210, 213.

Mackenzie, Alexander, 95, 121.
Macdonald, Sir John A., 189.
Madison, President, 141.
Maimanse Point, (Point aux

Mines), 184, 185.
Malta, 216.

Ma Mong-e-se-da, 81, 134.
Manabosho, 4, 25, 26.
Manitoba, 223.
Manitoulin, 50, 53, 95, 162,

167, 179.
Manito waning, 198.

Manido, 7, 17, 19, 24, 26, 29.
Marie de Medeci, 32.
Marquette, 33, 36, 44, 47, 233.
Margry, 55.
Marchbank, 192.
March, Miss, 186.
Marks, Mr. Geo., 244.
Ma-se-wa-pe-ga, 14.
Masonry, Free, 233.
Mastat, J. B., 183, 184.
Masse, Denis, 55.
Maurepas, Count, 63.
Maysere, Jean, 55.
McCargo, 147,
McCrea, C, W., 234.
McCrea, Judge, 214, 223, 240,

241.

McDermid, Rev. Mr., 234.
McDonald, 184, 185.
McDonald, Colonel, 143, 145.
McFadden, M., 234.
McGillivray, Mr., 147.
McKee, Captain, 224.
McLennan, Wm., 124.
McTavish, Factor, 152,
McTavish, Mr., 184.
Me-da-we-win Rite, 34, 11, 15.

71.
Medicine, Rite, (vide Medawew-

in Rite).

Medonte, 173, 188.
Menard, Rene, 37.
Mennominies, 50.
Mer Douce, (vide Lake Huron).
Methodist Chapel, 221.
Metoshikosk, 16.
Michigan, 2.
Michigan Lake, 58.
Michipicoten, 147, 197.
Midi, 7.

Miron, Louis, 197.
Mississigua, 198, 199.
Mississippi, 35, 131.
Mission of St. Mary-note, 32.
Mogras, Jacques, 55.
Montreal, 36, 37, 44, 62, 93, 94,

95, 107, 113, 115, 117, i -!>,

177, 241.

Moreau, Pierre, 55.
Moore, Mr., 213.

INDEX

259

Moore, Wm. F., 223,
Moore and Browne, 190.
Mountain, Bishop, 177.
Morpeth, Lord, 177.
Mukwah, 6, 253.
Mutchikiwis'h, 102.
My-een-gun, 154.
Napleon, 139.
Napoleon, Batteau, 157.
Namgay, Dhoola, 142.
Naudoways, 4, 8, 14, 22, 37,
38, 40.
Navarre, 53.
Nelson, Judge S,, 83.
Nemesis, 161, 174.
Nepigon Lake, 123, 124.
Newfoundland, 3, 243.
Newmarket, 188.
New Year's Day, 163, 167.
Nicolet, Jean, 32, 35, 76.
Nicolas, Louis, 43.
Niagara Frigate, 143.
Niagara Fort, 103, 107, 109,

141.

Nipissing, 32.
Noah, 72.

North Channel, 29.
North-west Territory, 30.
North-west Company, 35, 116,

117, 121, 123, 146, 147, 151.

159, 205, 249.
Norburg, Mons, 112.
Nourse, Mr., 165, 174.
O'Connor, Judge, 241.
Odabit, 154.
Ohio, 3.

Ohio Volunteers, 147.
Ohio Valley, 182.
Ojibway— English Paper, 219.
Ojibways, 11, 25, 27, 2S, 38, 39,
40, 56.
O'Meara, Rev. F. A., 179, 210,

213.

Omar, Khayyam, 252.
Ontario Lake, 109.
O'Neil, General, 192.
Oshaw-gus-co-day-way-qua, 132,

134.

Ottaway, 11, 96.
Outardes, Isles1 Aux, 101.

Outouac, (vide Ottaway).

Paw-a-teeg, (vide Baw-a-teeg.

Paw-a-ting, (vide Baw-a-ting).

Peace Pipe Paper, 220.

Peboon, 6.

Penno Family, 243.

Penetanguishene, 185, 199.

Perrot, Nicolas, 50, 55.

Perrault, M., 163, 237.

Pere, 60.

Perry, Commodore, 136.

Perthshire, 173.

Peppin Lake, 77.

Pilgrim, Henry, 187, 188, 213,

223, 228. '
Pilgrim Street, 148.
Picquet, M. Lamelin, 157.
Pioneer Office, 233.
Pirn, David, 186, 196, 203, 209,

213, 214, 239.
Pirn, Charles, 196.
Pirn, Mrs., 196, 204.
Pine, Chief, 219.
Phyn, Inglis & Co., 121.
Phipps, Wharf, 203.
Phipps, James, 213, 215.
Plummer, H. Lynne, 229, 247,
Plummer, Mrs. H.
Plummer, Mrs. W. H., 246.
Plummer, Captain, 194.
Plummer & Co., 215, 233.
Plummer, W. H., 194, 228, 246,

247, 250.

Pointe, De Tour, 88.
Pointe Aux Pins, 154, 192.
Pontiac, 130.
Port Credit, 212.
Porteret Pierre, 55.
Pot-ta-wat-tam-ie, 1 1 .
Pothier, M. Touss'aint, 142.
Portage at the Sault, 233.
Pond, Peter, 116.
Prince, Col., 193, 213, 223, °?4,

228, 235, 237, 238, 239, 240.
Prince, Septimus, 192.
Priest, Indian, (vide Jessakid),

Prior, Mr., 213.
Queen Street, 148.
Queen's Own Panes, 194.

260

INDEX

Queenston Heights, 155, 195.

Quebec, 30, 31, 35, 67, 68, 72,
76, 81, 124.

Radisson, 36, 49.

Rankin, Col., 226.

Raymbault, 33, 34, 35, 43.

Bed Brigade, 167.

Red River, 160, 165, 183, 212.

Reid, Dr. J. A., 243, 244, 245.

lleid, Hon. Alexander, 243.

Reid, Mrs., 244, 245, 247.

Reid, Mr. George, 245.

Relations, Jesuit, 54.

Renison, Rev. R., 213.

Repentigny, Sieur de, 63, 65,
76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82,
86, 110.

Richardson, Sir John, 183.

Richards Landing, 225.

Richards, John, 225, 234.

Ridge way, 192.

Riel Rebellion, 203.

Roberts, Captain, 142.

Robertson, Captain, 98.

Rogers, Fred., D.C.L., 234.

Rolph, Rev. John, 213.

Rubaiyat, 252.

Rupert, Prince, 115.

Ryan, Mr., 231.

Sacs, 50.

Sacred Heart Church, 219, 250.

Sacred Lodge, 7.

Sallow, Rev. Mr., 214.

Sandwich, 235.

Sassaba, 153, 154.

Sault du Gaston, 32, 34, 47.

Saulteaux, 16&.

Sault Sainte Marie, 1, 3, 4, 29,
32, 33, 37, 43, 46, 47, 48,
50, 53, 56, 58, 61, 63, 65,
76, 77, 80, 81, 86, 87, 88,
89, 90, 93, 96, 97, 101, 102,
110, 111, 114, 115, 117, 123,
129, 130, 135, 139, 141, 142,
143, 145, 159, 161, 166, 171,
173, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187,
192, 193, 212, 227, 230, 252.

Sarnia, 216.

Sauer, 36.

Sayers, 197, 201.

Savage, Colonel, 189, 190, 211,

212, 223, 233.
Schoolcraft, Henry, 5, 135, 152.

164, 176, 179, 181, 182, 183.
Schoolcraft, Jas. L., 136.
School Central, 222.
School Fort, 222.
Schlosser Fort, 110.
Schreiber, 231.
Schenectady, 77.
Scotland, 173, 177.
Scorpion Frigate, 143.
Segard, 32.

Selkirk, Lord, 122, 123.
Sennett, Rev. Father, 229.
Severight, Factor, 151, 156,

165.

Sebastopol, 187.
Swinburne, Mr., 212.
Shaug-an-aush, 81.
Shingwaukonce, 155, 175, 187.
Shingwauk Home, 216, 238.
Simcoe Lake, 109.
Simpson Ave., 216.
Simpson, Sir George, 165, 166.
Simpson, Wymess M., 193, 209,

212, 228,' 238, 239.
Sillery, 76, 77.
Sioux, 47, 57, 59.
Skiae, (note), 34.
Solomon, 96.
Southern Belle, 195.
South Sea, 53.
Spring, 19.
St. Bernard, 51.
St. Clair, 98, 123.
St. Esprit, 49.
St. James' Church, Toronto,

221.
St. John's Church, Garden

River, 187.

St. John's Church, 151, 250.
St. Joseph's Island, 142, 184,

205.
St. Lusson, Daumont de, 49,

50, 54, 56, 66, 82.
St. Luke's pro-Cathedral, 215,

221, 238.

St. Mary's Falls Canal, 121.
St. Marys' River, 40.

INDEX

26f

St. Mary's Rapids, 22, 25, 32,

56, 62.

St. Paul, 183.
St. Pierre, 80.
St. Lawrence Frigate, 143.
Stars and Stripes, 149.
Strachan, Bishop, 177, 178,

199.

Steere, Judge, 119.
Sugar Island, 136.
Sudbury, 229.
Superior Lake, 31, 33, 37, 38,

43, 53, 54, 55, 63, 80, 86,

110, 112, 114, 158.
Sullivan, Bishop, 221.
Sulpitians, 48.
Surrey, 241.

Sydenham, Lord, 173, 239.
Talon, 49.
Tanner, 181.
Tecumseh, 153, 155.
Thames, 154.
Thompson, W. J., 228, 229,

234, 247, 250.
Thompson, Wm. M., 231.
Thorneloe, Bishop, 221.
TigrisFrigate, 143.
Tilden, Lieutenant, 136, 183.
Tonty, Henry, 58.
Toronto, 195, 208, 216.
Toronto Archbishop of, 221.
Toronto Bishop of, 212.
Towers, Mr., T.A.P., 192, 204,

213, 243.
Trew, Dr., 213.
Trott, Joshua; 167, 213, 233.
Trent, Affair, 191.
Turtle, Great, 104, 106, 107,

108.

Turner, Mr. Wm., 213, 214.
Uab-ik-um, 68.
United States, 140, 141, 148,

165, 212.

Union Jack, 149.

Union Station, Toronto, 179.

Upper Canada Clergy Society,

Valjean, Jean, 216.

Vancouver, 230.

Vesey, Rev. E., 213.

Vexilla, Regis, 51.

Victoria, Her Majesty Queen,

Viel, 32.

Virgin, Blessed, 47, 72.

Wabogish, (vide Waubojeeg).

Wah-be-gwon-nee, 21.

Walk-in-the-Water, 157.

Walker, John, 225.

Wamitigosha, 41, 51, 253.

Washington, 112, 181.

Water Street, 46.

Water Lily, 21.

Waub-o-jeeg, 81, 130, 132, 133,

136.

Wawatum, 90, 99, 100.
Way, J. B., 284.
Wheeler, A. S., 121.
White Fish, 22, 24.
White Fisher, (vide Waubojeeg

or Wabojeeg).
White Fish Bay, 185.
Wilson, Joseph, 173, 174, 175,

177, 180, 181, 183, 184, 185,

186, 187, 192, 193, 210, 211,

228, 233, 239, 240.
Wilson, Rev. E. F., 213, 218.
Winter, 19.
Windigo, 112.
Windsor, Rev. W., 213.
Winnebagoes, 50.
Wisconsin, 36.

Wolseley, Colonel, 203, 204, 231
X. Y., Company, 121, 122, 124.
Zorea, 216.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS

1 Cozens, Jos.

2 Cozens, Jos.

3 Johnston, Jos.

4 Hynes, Thos.

5 Butterfield, G. S.

6 Pirn, Chas.
7

8 Stribling, F. W.

9 Johnston, Judge.

10 Adams, C. T.

11 Thompson, W. J.

12 Strathearn, W. B.

13 Kaine, J. M.
14

15 Eeid, Geo. A.

16 Molony, E. P.

17 Armstrong, L. 0

18 McKay, John.

19 Harris, B. W.

20 Richardson, Jos. C.

21 Dingman, E.

22 Mackay, J. T.

23 Bartlett, Jos.

24 Plummer, C. V.

25 Plummer, C. V.

26 Pybus, J. W.
27

28 Lyon, R. A.

29 Marshall, Wm.

30 Byrne, Thos.

31 Hodgins, R. S.

32 Kehoe, J. J.

33 Public Library, S. S. M

34 Plummer, H.

35 Abrahams, Louis.

36 Elliot, Col. T. H.

37 McPhail, D. P.

38 Public Library, Bruce

39 Bassingthwaighte, C.

40 Carney, W. H.
41

42 Gracie, C. H.

43 Belyae, C, L.

44 Johnston, R. B.

45 Johnston, Geo. W.

46 Falkner, A. W.

47 O'Connor, Judge.

48 Turner, L.

49 Evenden, H. W.

50 Evenden, H. W.

51 Vicary, Sydney.

52 Rowland, P. T.

53 Lussier, Rev. T.

54 O'Connor, Chas. H.

55 Goodwin, Geo. W.

57 Thomson, Jas.

58 O'Flynn, J. L.

59 Robarts, A. W.

60 O'Donaghue, C. J.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS

61 Montague, J. A,

62 Parr, Fred J.

63 Fulton, A,

64 Hughill, W. M.

65 Fackenthal, B. F,

66 Fackenthal, B. F.

67 Iredale, Mrs. R.

68 Leland, Mrs. H. E.

69 Tomlinson, Geo. H.

70 Boyce, A. Cyril,
71

72 Brown, Mrs. Win,

73 Huckstable, Miss,

74 Price, Geo. W.

75 McCrae, Chas.

76 Dyment, A. E., M.P.

77 Dyment, A. E., M.P.

78 Watson, John R.

79 Curran, James W.

80 Buscombe, Mrs. II. A.
81

82 Dent, W. A.

83 Boyd, J. C.

84 Boyd, J. C.

85 Race, W. B.
86

87 Hilts, D. W.

88 Hughes, Frank,

89 Black, James.

90 Toronto Public Library,

91 Toronto Public Library.

92 Newall, A. G.

93 Plummer, H. Lynne.
91 Maughan, Jos.

95 Detroit Public Library,

96 Hamilton Public Library.

97 Printing Dept., Ottawa.

98 Willison, James S.

99 Sicotte, Judge.

100 Thwaites, Reuben G.

101 Education Department, Ontario.

102 Legislative Library, Toronto.
103

101 House of Common's, Ottawa.

928

-V-J

FEB 1 1988"

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