Narrative of an Expedition Through the Upper Mississippi to Itasca Lake, the Actual Source of This River / Embracing an Exploratory Trip Through the St. Croix and Burntwood (or Broule) Rivers

by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft

Office Indian Agency, Sault Ste. Marie, October 20, 1832.

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Sir:

I herewith transmit a report for Dr. Douglass Houghton, who was employed to vaccinate the Indians, in the progress of the recent expedition to the sources of the Mississippi. I refer you to its details for the manner in which, so much of the instructions under which I acted, as relate to the subject, has been carried into effect, trusting that the result will prove as satisfactory to the Department, as it is to me.

I am, Sir,
very respectfully,
your ob serv’t,
Henry R. Schoolcraft.

E. Herring, Esq.
Office Indian Affairs,
War Department,
Washington.

Office Indian Agency, Sault Ste. Marie, October 20, 1832.

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IV.

Office Indian Agency, Sault Ste. Marie, November 21, 1832.

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Sir:

In obedience to such parts of the instructions of the third of May last directing me to proceed to the country on the heads of the Mississippi, as relates to the Indian population, and to the condition of the fur trade, I have the honor herewith to enclose a series of statistical tables which exhibit the geographical distribution of the lands, the name of each village or permanent encampment, its course and distance from the seat of the agency, the number of men, women and children, expressed in separate columns, the number of the mixed blood population, and the total population of districts. Also, the names and position of the trading posts established under the act of Congress of May 26th, 1824, the number and names of the clerks, and the number of interpreters and boatmen employed in the trade under licences from the Indian office, the amount of goods bonded for, agreeably to duplicates of the invoices on file, together with an estimate of the capital vested in boats and provisions, or paid out in men’s wages, and an estimate of the returns in furs and peltries, based on the outfits of 1832.

An examination of these tables will shew, that the entire Indian, mixed and trader population, embraced within the consolidated agency of St. Mary’s and Michilimackinac, is 14,279, of which number 12,467 are Chippewas and Ottawas, 1553 persons of the mixed blood, and 259 persons of every description engaged in the fur trade. That this population is distributed in 89 principal villages, or fixed encampments, extending by the route of Lakes Huron and Superior, through the region of the Upper Mississippi, to Pembina on Red River. That 302 of the whole number live in temporary encampments, or rather, migrate, along the bleak shores of Lake Huron west of the 2nd, or Boundary Line Detour; 436 occupy the American side of the straits and river St. Mary’s; 1006 are located on the southern shores of Lake Superior between the Sault of St. Mary’s and Fond du Lac; 1855 on the extreme Upper Mississippi, between Little Soc River, and the actual source of this stream in Itasca Lake; 476 on the American side of the Old Grand Portage, to the Lake of the Woods; 1174 on Red River of the North; 895 on the River St. Croix of the Mississippi; 1376 on the Chippewa River and its tributaries, including the villages of Lac du Flambeau and Ottawa Lake; 342 on the heads of the Wisconsin and Monominee rivers; 210 on the northern curve of Green Bay; 274 on the north-western shores of Lake Michigan between the entrance of Green Bay, and the termination of the straits of Michilimackinac, at Point St. Ignace; and 5,674, within the peninsula of Michigan, so far as the same is embraced within the limits of the Agency. The latter number covers an estimate of the Ottawa and Chippewa population indiscriminately.

For the accommodation of these bands, there have been established thirty-five principal trading posts, exclusive of temporary trading stations, occupied only in seasons of scarcity. These posts are distributed over six degrees of latitude, and sixteen degrees of longitude, and embrace a larger area of square miles, than all the states of central Europe. Much of it is covered with water, and such are the number and continuity of its lakes, large and small, that it is probable that this feature, constitutes by far, its most striking peculiarity. Its productions are fish, wild rice, and game. But such are the precariousness and dispersion of the supply as to keep the whole population of men, women, and children, in perpetual vacillation, in its search. The time devoted in these migrations, is out of all proportion, to the results obtained by agriculture, or by any other stated mode of subsistence. And the supply is after all, inadequate. Seasons of scarcity and want are the ordinary occurrences of every year; and a mere subsistence is the best state of things that is looked for.

Traders visit them annually with outfits of goods and provisions, to purchase the furs and peltries, which are gleaned in their periodical migrations. These persons purchase their outfits from capitalists resident on the frontiers, and make their payments during the spring or summer succeeding the purchase. They employ men who are acquainted with the difficulties of the route, and with the character and resources of the people amongst whom they are to reside. These men act as boatmen and canoe-men on the outward and inward voyage; they erect the wintering houses, chop wood, fish, cook for the bourgois, and are employed on durwin, or as runners during the hunting season. Much of the success of a trading adventure depends on their efficiency and faithfulness.

In the prosecution of this trade, the laws which have been prescribed by Congress for its regulation, are substantially observed. I am of opinion, however, that more efficiency would be given to the system, if a general revision of all the acts pertaining to this subject, were made. A legislation of thirty years, some of it necessarily of a hasty character, has multiplied the acts, which it is made the duty of Indian Agents to enforce, and the number of clauses which are repealed and modified, leave the original acts mutilated, and they do not, present as a whole, that clearness of intent, which is essential to their due and prompt execution. Some of the provisions have become obsolete; others are defective. A thorough and careful digest of the entire code, including the permanent treaty provisions, would present the opportunity for consolidation and amendment, and while leaving the laws easier of execution, adapt them more exactly to the present condition of the Indians, and to a just supervision of the trade.

The unconditional repeal by Congress, of every former provision relating to the introduction of ardent spirits, is a subject of felicitation to the friends of humanity. Of all the acts which it was in the power of the government to perform, this promises, in my opinion, to produce the most beneficial effects on the moral condition of the north-western tribes: And its enforcement is an object of the highest moral achievement. My recent visit, as well as former opportunities of remark, has afforded full proofs of the entire uselessness of ardent spirits as an article of traffic with the Indians, and I beg leave to add my voice, to the thousands which are audible on this subject, that the government may put into requisition every practicable means to carry into effect the act.

I have the honor to be, Sir,
very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
Henry R. Schoolcraft.

E. Herring, Esq.
War Department, Washington.

Office Indian Agency, Sault Ste. Marie, November 21, 1832.

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V.

NATURE AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE POPULATION.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRICT.	Name of the Village or Periodical Encampment.	No. of Men.	No. of women.	No. of children.	No. of persons of the mixed blood all ages & sexes.	Population of villages, &c.	Population of geographical districts.
N. W. Coast of Lake Huron.	Michilimackinac ([See note A.])	18	29	51	146	244	308
	St. Martin’s Islands
	Chenos
	Drummond Island	16	18	23	7	64
St. Mary’s River, American side.	Mineeshco river ([B.])	58	73	144	161	436	436
	Muscoda Sagi ([C.])
	Sugar Island
	Little Rapids Kinibitunoong([D.])
	Sault Ste Marie ([E.])
Southern Shores of L. Superior.	Misconabies Creek	42	46	98			1006
	Tacquimenon
	Heart’s blood Lake
	Manistic River
	White Fish Point ([F.])
	Shelldrake River (Onzig)
	Two hearted River
	Grand Marais
	Miner’s River and Pictured Rocks
	Grand Island	7	6	23	14	50
	Presque Isle and Granite Point	4	4	12		20
	Huron Bay	4	6	4		14
	Keweena Bay ([G.])	31	38	43	28	140
	Ontonagon ([H.])	29	32	76	15	152
	Mouth of Montreal River	32	40	113	28	213
	Mauvais River
	Lapointe of Chegoimegen ([I.])
	Fond du Lac ([K.])	44	46	103	38	231
Extreme Upper Mississippi.	Sandy Lake.	70	83	127	35	315	1855
	Pine River and Red Cedar Lake	20	19	33	6	78
	Pierced Prairie and Noka Seepi ([L.])	22	26	52	12	112
	Peckagama Falls (Mississippi.)	4	6	14		24
	Lake Winnepec ([M.])	20	18	41	10	89
	Turtle Lake	20	21	44	14	99
	Cass Lake ([N.])	40	51	66	11	168
	Lac Traverse and Itasca Lake ([O.])
	Leech Lake. Mukkundwas ([P.])	139	194	373	34	730
	Bear Island of Leech Lake	26	32	44		102
	Mille Lac	38	43	57		138
	Rum River ([Q.])
Old Grand Portage to the L. of the Woods, American side.	Old Grand Portage ([R.])	12	11	27		50	476
	Rainy Lake	38	40	65	16	159
	Vermillion Lake	37	40	48	7	132
	Lake of the Woods	31	34	61	9	135
Red River of the North.	Red Lake	84	74	100	32	290	1174
	Pembina ([S.])	142	150	288	304	884
St. Croix River of the Upper Mississippi.	Falls of St Croix	80	88	133	38	339	895
	Snake River
	Yellow River ([T.])	106	114	120	42	382
	Rice Lake and Lac Vaseux
	Nama Kowagun	30	32	33		25
	Lake of the Cross of the Namakagun	6	6	14		26
	Pukwaewa (Odabossa’s V.)	11	14	28		53
Chippewa River of the Upper Mississippi.	Rice Lake of Red Cedar fork	46	38	58		142	1376
	Red Cedar Lake of Lac Chetac	19	20	31		70
	Lac Courtoreille (Ottowa L.)	117	136	195	56	504
	Red Devil’s band of the Ochasowa.	49	37	66		152
	Lac du Flambeau	112	137	168	50	457
	Trout Lake and Tomahawk Lake	15	15	21		51
Sources of the Wisconsin and Monomones Rivers.	La Lac or Upper Wisconsin. ([U.])	30	30	60		120	342
	Plover Portage and Post Lake	18	23	36		77
	Metawonga	28	30	43	10	111
	White Clay Portage	8	9	14	3	34
Northern curve of Green Bay.	Bay de Nocquet	29	34	60	15	138	210
	Wcequaidons
	White Fish Creek	16	18	38		72
N. W. coast of Lake Michigan.	Mouth of Manistic	46	54	120	14	234	274
	Mille au Coquin
	Choiswa
	Straits of Michigan
	Point St. Ignace
Peninsula of Michigan.	River au Sable (Arenac.)	1350	1566	2384	374	5674	5674
	Thunder Bay
	Cheboigon
	L’Arbre Croche, Upper and Lower ([V.])
	Grand Traverse Bay
	Rivière au Becsie
	Maskegon
	Grand River
		3,144	3,571	5,752	1,553	14,020	14,020

STATISTICAL FACTS RESPECTING THE FUR TRADE.

Geographical District.	Name of the Village or Periodical Encampment.	Trading posts estab-lished by Indian Dept.	Number of clerks licensed to trade.	Number of inter-preters, boatmen &c. employed by the clerks.	Total number of white persons engaged in the trade.	Amount of goods bonded for, agreeably to duplicates of the invoices on file in the Agency Office.	Estimated amount vested in boats, or paid in men’s wages, &c.	Aggregate amount of capital vested in the trade within the Agency.	Estimated amount of returns in furs and pletries on on the outfits of 1832, computed at the quoted New-York prices of 1831.	Computed distance of the Trading Post from the seat of the Agency.	Course of the Post from the Agency.	Names of the persons who have received licences to trade, and executed bonds, with sureties, under the several acts of Congress, regulating trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, during the year.	Total population resident within the Agency in 1832, excluding inhabitants of M. T. at Sault Ste Marie & Michili-mackinac
N. W. Coast of L. Huron.	Michilimackinac,									Miles.
	St. Martin’s Islands,
	Chenos,									12	N.E.
	Drummond Island,	1	1	3	4					40	N.E.		306
St. Mary’s River, American side.	Mineeshco river,					$5,701,59	$5,701,59	$11,403,18	$15,204,24				436
	Muscoda Sagi,
	Sugar Island,
	Little Rapids, Kinibitunoong.
	Sault Ste Marie,
S. Shores of L. Superior.	Misconabies Creek,
	Tacquimenon,	1	1	4	5					120	N.N.E.	William Johnston.
	Heart’s blood Lake,											Edward Cadotte.
	Manistic River,											Ecstache Raussain.
	White Fish Point,	1	3	19	22					130	N.N.E.	Samuel Ashman.	1087
	Shelldrake River, Onzig.											Richardson May.
	Two hearted River,											William Johnston.
	Grand Marais,
	Miner’s River & Pictured Rocks,
	Grand Island,	1	2	8	10					180	N.N.W.	Louis Nolin. B. Marvin.
	Presque Isle & Granite Point,
	Huron Bay,											John Holiday.
	Keweena Bay,	1	3	16	19							William Holiday.
	Ontonagon,	1	1	10	11					500	N.W.	Jean Bt. Dubay.
	Mouth of Montreal river,	1	1	3	4					410	N.W.	George Bartlet. J. Brown.
	Mauvais River,									479	N.W.	Michael Cadotte, jun.
	Lapointe or Chegoimegon,	1	2	4	6					500	N.W.	L.M. Warren. M. Cadotte.
	Fond du Lac,	1	1	74	88	$13,817,00	$13,817,00	$27,634,00	$36,845,33	590	N.W.	W. Aitkin. W. Davenport.
Extreme Upper Miss.	Sandy Lake,	1	1							740	N.W.
	Pine River and Red Cedar Lake.	1	1							800	W.N.W.	John H. Fairbanks.
	Pierced Prairie & Noka Seepi,	1	1							940	W.N.W.	Benjamin F. Baker.
	Peckagama Falls, (Mississippi.)
	Lake Winipec,	1	2								N.W.	Alfred Aitkin.
	Turtle Lake,										N.W.	Jean Bt. Belonger.
	Cass Lake,										N.W.	James Ermatinger.
	Lac Traverse & Itasca Lake,	1	2								N.W.
	Leech Lake, (Mukkundwas.)	1	5								N.W.	Pierre Cota.
	Bear Island of Leech Lake,											J. W. Abbott. G. Bungo.
	Mille Lac,											Charles Chabattio.
	Rum River,	1	2									A. Morrison. Jean Bt. Roy.	1870
Old G. Portage to the L. of the Woods, American side.	Old Grand Portage,	1	1								N.N.W.	Ambrose Davenport.
	Rainy Lake,	1	3									J. Cadotte. S. Lecomble.
	Vermillion Lake,	1	1								N.N.W.	V. Roy. P. Craphesa.
	Lake of the Woods,	1									N.N.W.	F. Brunet & A. Belonger.	481
Red River of the North.	Red Lake,	1	1								N.W.	J. Bt. Dejardin. L. Dufault.
	Pembina,	1	1								N.W.	David Aitkin.	1250
St. Croix River of the Upper Miss.	Falls of St. Croix,										W.S.W.
	Snake River,	1	2	8	10						W.S.W.	Thomas Connor.	349
	Yellow River,	1	1	4	5						W.S.W.	Souvraign Dawnee.
	Rice Lake & Lac Vaseux,	1	1	2	3						W.S.W.	Louis Ladabouche.	387
	Nama Kowagun,										W.S.W.		95
	L. of the Cross of the Namakagun,										W.S.W.		26
	Pukwaewa, (Odabossa’s V.)										W.S.W.		53
Chippewa River of the Upper Miss.	Rice Lake of Red Cedar Fork,										W.S.W.		142
	Red Cedar Lake of Lac Chetac,	1	1	3	4						W.S.W.	Louis Corbin.	74
	Lac Courtoreille, (Ottowa L.)	1	2	9	11						W.S.W.	Benjamin Cadotte.	515
	Red Devil’s band of the Ochasowa,										W.S.W.		152
	Lac du Flambeau,	1	1	7	8						W.S.W.	Charles H. Oaks.	465
	Trout Lake & Tomahawk Lake,										W.S.W.	Paul Grignon.	51
Sources of the Wisconsin & Monomonee Rivers.	La Lac or Upper Wisconsin,	1	1	4	5						S.W.	G. D. Cameron.	125
	Plover Portage & Post Lake,										S.W.		77
	Metawonga,	1	1	6	7						S.W.		118
	White Clay Portage,										S.W.		34
Noth’n curve of Green Bay.	Bay de Nocquet,										S.W.
	Weequaidons,										S.W.
	White fish Creek,										S.W.		210
N. W. coast of L. Michigan.	Mouth of Manistic,	1	1	4	5	$1000,00	$1000,00	$2,000	$2,666,66		S.	Joseph Troque.
	Mille au Coquin										S.
	Choiswa,										S.		239
	Straits of Michigan,										S.
	Point St. Ignace,										S.E.		40
Peninsula of Michigan.	River au Sable, (Arenac.)	1									S.E.		5698
	Thunder Bay,										S.E.
	Cheboigon,										S.
	L’Arbre Croche, Upper & Lower,	1									S.
	Grand Traverse Bay,										S.
	Rivière au Becsie,										S.
	Maskegon,	1	1	4	5	$994,00	$994,00	$1,988,00	$2,650,66		S.	George Campeau.
	Grand River	1	5	14	19	$5000,00	$5000,00	$10,000,00	$13,333,33			Rix Robinson. Joseph Daily. Francis Lacroix. William Lesley.
		35	53	206	259	$26,512,59	$26,512,59	$53,025,18	$70,700,22				14,279