[145] On the 4th of February, 1832, there was a great fire at Fort Union, which would have completely destroyed it, if it had communicated to the powder magazine, in which there were 2,000 lbs. of powder. The buildings on the west side (five rooms) were burnt; 800 planks, and 1,000 dried buffalo tongues, served as fuel to the fire. An east wind fortunately kept the flames from the powder magazine. The palisades were immediately cut away, and the meat stores saved. Soon after the fire 270 trees were felled, and the new palisades were put up on the 9th of February.—Maximilian.
[146] The Chippewa (Ojibwa) are the largest and most important branch of the Algonquian family. They were first met by early French explorers in the neighborhood of Sault Ste. Marie; hence their French appellation of Saulteurs, which gradually extended to the entire tribe. Their habitat was the region of Lake Superior and the headwaters of the Mississippi, although bands like the one here mentioned frequently ranged much farther westward. They participated in Pontiac's Conspiracy (1763), but gradually became reconciled to British and afterwards to American rule. A large number of this tribe yet live on reservations in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, with many bands in Ontario and the Canadian Northwest. For the best published history of this tribe, consult W. W. Warren and Edward J. McNeill, "History of the Ojibway," in Minnesota Historical Collections, v.—Ed.
[147] Most American authors write this French name incorrectly; for instance, Sautoux or Sautous, as King likewise does. See his Journey with Captain Back to the Frozen Ocean, Vol. I. p. 32, and Vol. II. p. 44.—Maximilian.
[148] Maximilian here cites a statement of General Zebulon M. Pike, quoted in H. R. Schoolcraft, Narrative Journal of Travels ... in the Year 1820 (Albany, 1821).—Ed.
[149] This work, entitled History of the Indian Tribes of North America (Philadelphia, 1836-44) is chiefly composed of a series of biographies of famous Indian chiefs, illustrated by many plates from portraits (since destroyed by fire) in the possession of the war department at Washington. It derived its vogue from the fact that Colonel Thomas L. Mc Kenney, one of the joint authors, had been officially connected with the Indian department for many years, serving as superintendent of United States trade with the Indians (1816-24), and in charge of the bureau of Indian affairs (organized 1824).—Ed.
[150] On this subject see Schoolcraft's Narrative of an Expedition to Itaska Lake, &c., 1834, pp. 93, 94, 144, 146, 169, 217; and Tanner's Life among the Indians, where there are many particulars respecting this nation, their language, and written characters. In Governor Cass's Expedition, p. 211, Schoolcraft likewise speaks of the hieroglyphic characters of the Ojibuas in the forest, &c. Other circumstantial accounts are given by Mc Kenney (Tour to the Lakes, p. 318), who describes the birch canoes, and gives a poem on the subject. Schoolcraft thinks that the Christian religion would be easily propagated among the Ojibuas, because they do not worship the sun and moon, nor have any other imaginary gods; but they have their medicines, as well as the other Missouri Indians, and Monedo (Munito) is considered by them as the Great Spirit (Schoolcraft, Loc. cit. p. 68). Warden (Vol. III. p. 450) says, "The Chippeways are designated, in different parts of the country, by different names, as Crees, Ottawas, &c.," which, properly speaking, is incorrect, for they all speak the Algonquin language. According to this author (Vol. III. p. 541), those Indians are more pusillanimous in their disposition than the Sioux, Crees, and other tribes; but the very reverse is the case, if we may believe the Canadians, whose statements, on this point, I found everywhere to agree. Good accounts of the several tribes of the Ojibuas, and their abode, are given in Major Long's Travels to the source of St. Peter's River, Vol. II. pp. 151, 152.—Maximilian.
[151] This same engagé hunted for Audubon in 1843. See Audubon and his Journals, ii, pp. 93, 98-101.—Ed.
[152] See Plate 64, in the accompanying atlas, our volume xxv.—Ed.
[153] The adventures of Hugh Glass appear to have been part of the current tradition among Western hunters. Several accounts were published, but not apparently this of Hamilton. Consult The Portfolio, xix (or xxxiii), p. 214; P. S. Cooke, Scenes and Adventures in the United States Army, (Philadelphia, 1857), pp. 135-148; R. B. Sage, Rocky Mountain Life (Boston, 1860), pp. 159, 160. The latter claimed that Glass was still living in Taos—an evident error. For what is known of his life see our volume xxii, p. 294, note 255, abridged from Chittenden, Fur-Trade, ii, pp. 668-706.
Johnson Gardner was a noted free-trapper of the mountains, for whom Gardiner River, of Yellowstone Park, was named. See his fur-trade accounts in Chittenden, op. cit., iii, pp. 941-944.—Ed.