When I left the Mississippi, and proceeded up the Chipéway River in my way to Lake Superior, as related in my Journal, my guide, who was a chief of the Chipéways that dwell on the Ottawaw Lake, near the heads of the river we had just entered, fearing that some parties of the Naudowessies, with whom his nation are perpetually at war, might accidentally fall in with us, and before they were apprized of my being in company, do us some mischief, he took the following steps.
He peeled the bark from a large tree near the entrance of a river, and with wood-coal mixed with bear’s-grease, their usual substitute for ink, made in an uncouth but expressive manner the figure of the town of the Ottagaumies. He then formed to the left a man dressed in skins, by which he intended to represent a Naudowessie, with a line drawn from his mouth to that of a deer, the symbol of the Chipéways. After this he depictured still farther to the left a canoe as proceeding up the river, in which he placed a man sitting with a hat on; this figure was designed to represent an Englishman, or myself, and my Frenchman was drawn with a handkerchief tied round his head, and rowing the canoe; to these he added several other significant emblems, among which the Pipe of Peace appeared painted on the prow of the canoe.
The meaning he intended to convey to the Naudowessies, and which I doubt not appeared perfectly intelligible to them, was, that one of the Chipéway chiefs had received a speech from some Naudowessie chiefs at the town of the Ottagaumies, desiring him to conduct the Englishman, who had lately been among them, up the Chipéway river; and that they thereby required, that the Chipéway, notwithstanding he was an avowed enemy, should not be molested by them on his passage, as he had the care of a person whom they esteemed as one of their nation.
Some authors have pretended that the Indians have armorial bearings, which they blazon with great exactness, and which distinguish one nation from another; but I never could observe any other arms among them than the symbols already described.
A short Vocabulary of the Chipéway Language.
N. B. This people do not make use either of
the consonants F or V.
| A | |
| Above | Spimink |
| Abandon | Packiton |
| Admirable | Pilawah |
| Afterwards | Mipidach |
| All | Kokinum |
| Always | Kokali |
| Amiss | Napitch |
| Arrive | Takouchin |
| Ax | Agacwet |
| Ashes | Pingoe |
| Assist | Mawinewáh |
| B | |
| Ball | Alewin |
| Bag, or tobacco-pouch | Caspetawgan |
| Barrel | Owentawgan |
| Beat | Pakkite |
| Bear, a | Mackwah |
| Bear, a young one | Makon |
| Beaver | Amik |
| Beaver’s skin | Apiminiqué |
| Be, or to be | Tapaié |
| Beard | Mischiton |
| Because | Mewinch |
| Believe | Tilerimah |
| Belly | Mishemout |
| Black | Markaute |
| Blood | Miskow |
| Body | Yoe |
| Bottle | Shishego |
| Brother | Neconnis |
| Brandy, or Rum | Scuttawawbah |
| Bread | Paboushigan |
| Breech | Miscousab |
| Breeches | Kipokitie Kousah |
| Buck | Wasketch |
| C | |
| Canoe | Cheman |
| Call | Teshenekaw |
| Chief, a | Okemaw |
| Carry | Petou |
| Child, or Children | Bobeloshin |
| Coat | Capotewian |
| Cold, I am | Kekatch |
| Come on | Moppa |
| Come to | Pemotcha |
| Comrade | Neechee |
| Concerned | Tallemissi |
| Corn | Melomin |
| Covering, or a Blanket | Wawbewion |
| Country | Endawlawkeen |
| Courage | Tagwawmissii |
| Cup | Olawgan |
| D | |
| Dance | Nemeh |
| Dart | Sheshikwee |
| Die, to | Nip |
| Dish | Mackoan |
| Dog | Alim |
| Dead | Neepoo |
| Devil, or evil Spirit | Matcho-Manitou |
| Dog, a little one | Alemon |
| Done, it is done | Shiah |
| Do | Toshiton |
| Doubtless | Ontclatoubah |
| Dress the kettle | Poutwah |
| Drink | Minikwah |
| Drunken | Ouisquiba |
| Duck | Chickhip |
| E | |
| Earth | Aukwin |
| Eat | Owissiné |
| Each | Papégik |
| English | Sagaunosh |
| Enough | Mimilic |
| Equal, or alike | Tawbiscouch |
| Esteem | Nawpetelimáw |
| Eyes | Wiskinkhie |
| F | |
| Fast | Waliebic |
| Fall | Ponkisin |
| Far off | Watsaw |
| Fat | Pimmitee |
| Friend | Niconnis |
| Father | Noosah |
| Few, or little | Maungis |
| Fatigued | Taukwissi |
| Field sown | Kittegaumic |
| Fire | Scutta |
| Fire, to strike | Scutecke |
| Find | Nantounawaw |
| Fish | Kickon |
| Fork | Nassawokwot |
| Formerly | Pirwego |
| Fort | Wakaigon |
| Forward | Nopawink |
| French | Nechtegoosh |
| Freeze, to | Kissin |
| Freezes hard | Kissin Magat |
| Full | Mouskinet |
| Fuzee or Gun | Paskessigan |
| G | |
| God, or the Great Spirit | Kitchi Manitou |
| Go by water | Pimmiscaw |
| Girl | Jeckwassin |
| Give | Millaw |
| Glass, a mirror | Wawbemo |
| Good | Cawlatch |
| Good for nothing | Malatal |
| Govern | Tibarimaw |
| General, or Commander in Chief | Kitchi Okimaw Simáuganish |
| Grapes | Shoamin |
| Great | Manatou |
| Greedy | Sawsáwkissi |
| Guts | Oláwbish |
| H | |
| Hare | Wawpoos |
| Heart | Michewah |
| Hate | Shingaurimaw |
| Half | Nawbal |
| Hair, human | Lissis |
| Hair of beasts | Pewal |
| Handsome | Canogininne |
| Have | Tandaulaw |
| Head | Oustecouan |
| Heaven | Speminkakwin |
| Herb | Mejask |
| Here | Aconda |
| Hidden | Kemouch |
| Home | Entayent |
| Honour | Mackawalaw |
| Hot | Akeshotta |
| How | Tawné |
| How many | Tawnemilik |
| Hunt | Kewassa |
| Hut, or House | Wig-Waum |
| I | |
| Indians | Ishinawbah |
| Iron | Pewawbick |
| Island | Minis |
| Immediately | Webatch |
| Indian Corn | Mittawmin |
| Intirely | Nawpitch |
| Impostor | Mawlawtissie |
| It might be so | Tawneendo |
| K | |
| Kettle | Ackikons |
| King, or Chief | Okemaw |
| Keep | Ganwerimaw |
| Knife | Mockoman |
| Knife that is crooked | Cootawgon |
| Know | Thickeremaw |
| L | |
| Lake | Kitchigawmink |
| Laugh | Pawpi |
| Lazy | Kittimi |
| Lame | Kikekate |
| Leave | Pockiton |
| Letter | Mawsignaugon |
| Life | Nouchimowin |
| Love | Saukie |
| Long since | Shawshia |
| Land Carriage | Cappatawgon |
| Lose | Packilaugué |
| Lie down | Weepemaw |
| Little | Waubesheen |
| M | |
| Meat | Weas |
| Much | Nibbilaw |
| Man | Allissinape |
| March, to go | Pimmoussie |
| Marry | Weewin |
| Medicine | Maskikic |
| Merchandize | Alokochigon |
| Moon | Debicot |
| Mortar to pound in | Poutawgon |
| Male | Nape |
| Mistress | Neremousin |
| N | |
| Needle | Shawbonkin |
| Near | Pewitch |
| Nation | Irinee |
| Never | Cawikkaw |
| Night | Debicot |
| No | Kaw |
| Nose | Yoch |
| Nothing | Kakego |
| Not yet | Kawmischi |
| Not at all | Kagutch |
| Nought, good for nothing | Malatat |
| O | |
| Old | Kauweshine |
| Otter | Nikkik |
| Other | Coutack |
| P | |
| Pipe | Poagan |
| Part, what Part | Tawnapee |
| Play | Packeigo |
| Powder, gun, or dust | Pingo |
| Peace, to make | Pecacotiche |
| Pray | Tawlaimia |
| Proper | Sawsega |
| Presently | Webatch |
| Peninsula | Minnissin |
| Q | |
| Quick | Kegotch |
| R | |
| Regard | Wawbemo |
| Red | Miscow |
| Resolve | Tibelindon |
| Relation | Tawwemaw |
| Respect | Tawbawmica |
| Rain | Kimmewan |
| Robe | Ockolaw |
| River | Sippim |
| Run, to | Pitchebot |
| S | |
| Sad | Talimissie |
| Sail | Pemiscaw |
| Sack, or Bag | Maskimot |
| Sea, or large Lake | Agankitchigawmink |
| Shoes | Maukissin |
| Ship, or large Canoe | Kitchi Cheman |
| Sorry | Niscottissie |
| Spirit | Manitou |
| Spoon | Mickwon |
| Star | Alank |
| Steal | Kemautin |
| Stockings | Mittaus |
| Strong | Mashkauwáh |
| Sturgeon | Lawmack |
| Sun | Kissis |
| Sword | Simaugan |
| Surprizing | Etwah, Etwah |
| See | Wawbemo |
| Since | Mapedoh |
| Shirt | Papawkwéan |
| Slave | Wackan |
| Sleep | Nippee |
| Sit down | Mintepin |
| T | |
| Take | Emaundah |
| Teeth | Tibbit |
| That | Mawbah |
| There | Watsaudebi |
| This | Maundah |
| Truly | Kikit |
| Together | Mawmawwee |
| Tobacco | Semau |
| Tongue | Outon |
| Tired | Tawkonsie |
| Too little | Osaummangis |
| Too much | Ossauné |
| Thank you | Megwatch |
| To-morrow | Wawbunk |
| To-morrow the day after | Ouswawbunk |
| W | |
| Warriors | Semauganaush |
| Water | Nebbi |
| War | Nantaubaulaw |
| Way | Mickon |
| Well then! | Tauneendah! |
| What is that? | Wawwewin? |
| What now? | Quagonie? |
| Whence | Taunippi |
| Where | Tah |
| White | Waubé |
| Who is there? | Quagonie Maubah? |
| Wind | Loutin |
| Winter | Pepoun |
| Woman | Ickwee |
| Wood | Mittic |
| Wolf | Mawhingon |
| Y | |
| Yesterday | Petchilawgo |
| Yet | Minnewatch |
| Young | Wisconekissi |
| Yellow | Wazzo. |
The Numerical Terms of the Chipéways.
| One | Páshik |
| Two | Ninch |
| Three | Nissou |
| Four | Neau |
| Five | Naran |
| Six | Ningoutwassou |
| Seven | Ninchowassou |
| Eight | Nissowassou |
| Nine | Shongassou |
| Ten | Mittaussou |
| Eleven | Mittaussou Páshik |
| Twenty | Ninchtawnaw |
| Thirty | Nissou Mittawnaw |
| Forty | Neau Mittawnaw |
| Fifty | Naran Mittawnaw |
| Sixty | Ningoutwassou Mittawnaw |
| Seventy | Ninchowassou Mittawnaw |
| Eighty | Nissowassou Mittawnaw |
| Ninety | Shongassou Mittawnaw |
| Hundred | Mittaussou Mittawnaw |
| Thousand | Mittaussou Mittaussou Mittawnaw. |