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
“_Wa haguarmissey Kitchee Mannitoo kaygait cockinnor nishinnorbay ojey
kee candan hapadgey kee zargetoone nishinnorbay mornooch kee tarpenan
nocey keen aighter, O, dependan nishinnorbay, mornooch towwarch weene
ojey mishcoot pockcan tunnockay._—The Master of Life gives courage. It
is true, all Indians know that he loves us, and {75} we now give our
father to him, that he may find himself young in another country, and be
able to hunt.”
The songs and dances are renewed, and the eldest son gives his father
the death-stroke with a tomahawk: they then take the body, which they
paint in the best manner, and bury it with the war weapons, making a
bark hut to cover the grave, to prevent the wild animals from disturbing
it.
Thus do the unenlightened part of mankind assume a privilege of
depriving each other of life, when it can no longer be supported by the
labour of their own hands, and think it a duty to put a period to the
existence of those to whom they are indebted for their own, and employ
those arms to give the fatal stroke, which, in more civilized countries,
would have been exerted for their support.
I remained with Mr. Shaw until the return of his men, and took an Indian
slay, loaded with wild rice and dried meat, and two of his Canadians to
assist me. In my way I called at the place where I left the Indians who
communicated to me the first account of the tumult at Mr. Shaw’s but
they were gone. My Indian and his wife waited for me, and were rejoiced
to see me again. On my return to Lac la Mort, I found all my men in good
health and spirits, having been well supplied with provisions by the
Savages, during my absence, and had increased my stock of peltry by
barter. Mr. Shaw’s men rested at my house one night, and the next
morning set off for Manontoye.
{76} _Indian Manner of going to War, &c._
Lake Manontoye, where Mr. Shaw wintered, is not so large as Lac
Eturgeon: it abounds with excellent fish and wild fowl; and oats, rice,
and cranberries, grow spontaneously in the swamps. There are very few
islands on it. There are about three hundred of the Chippeway nation who
resort to it; they are very wild, and delight in war, which they
sometimes wage against the Sioux, on the Mississippi; and they are
frequently absent from their families fifteen months, scarce ever
returning without a prisoner or a scalp.[61]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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