John Long's journal, 1768-1782Long, J. (John), Indian trader
History
John Long's journal, 1768-1782
Long, J. (John), Indian trader
Fur trade -- Canada; Indians of North America; Indians of North America -- Languages; Ojibwa language
The Indians remained quiet all night, which induced me to hope that my
promise of rum to them, on their departure, had accomplished the desired
effect: but I flattered myself too much, as the storm was not yet even
at the height. At break of day they assembled, and asked for the rum,
which was immediately given them; and they got into their canoes, and
went off without burying their dead. This being very uncustomary,
alarmed me, as no people are more particular in paying the greatest
respect to the remains of the deceased. Suspecting the bad spirit was
still in them, and that they were only gone a short distance to drink
the rum, we prepared for an attack, loading twenty eight northwest guns,
and a brace of pistols, and sat down by the fire expecting their return
to compleat the design my fortunate arrival had hitherto prevented. In
about an hour they returned very much intoxicated, singing their dead
war songs, and every warrior naked, painted black from head to foot: as
they approached the house in Indian file, each one repeated the
following words; “_Mornooch toworch gunnesar_ {70} _cushshecance
neennerwind ojey dependan O wakaygan_:” or, “Nevertheless we do not mean
to kill the Cat, we only own this fort, and all that is in it.”
Whilst they were singing, we were preparing our guns, and placing them
so as to be ready for immediate use, if necessary; being determined to
make a vigorous resistance, although there remained only Mr. Shaw and
myself, the Canadian having fled to the woods.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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