The tribes that occupy the shores of all these inland waters back of the
great lakes, belong to the Chippewa or Missasagua Indians, perhaps the
least attractive of all these wild people, both with regard to their
physical and mental endowments. The men of this tribe are generally
small of stature, with very coarse and repulsive features. The forehead
is low and retreating, the observing faculties large, the intellectual
ones scarcely developed; the ears large, and standing off from the face;
the eyes looking towards the temples, keen, snake-like, and far apart;
the cheek-bones prominent; the nose long and flat, the nostrils very
round; the jaw-bone projecting, massy, and brutal; the mouth expressing
ferocity and sullen determination; the teeth large, even, and dazzilngly
white. The mouth of the female differs widely in expression from that of
the male; the lips are fuller, the jaw less projecting, and the smile
is simple and agreeable. The women are a merry, light-hearted set, and
their constant laugh and incessant prattle form a strange contrast to
the iron taciturnity of their grim lords.
Now I am upon the subject, I will recapitulate a few traits and sketches
of these people, as they came under my own immediate observation.
A dry cedar swamp, not far from the house, by the lake shore, had been
their usual place of encampment for many years. The whole block of land
was almost entirely covered with maple-trees, and had originally been an
Indian sugar-bush. Although the favourite spot had now passed into the
hands of strangers, they still frequented the place, to make canoes
and baskets, to fish and shoot, and occasionally to follow their old
occupation. Scarcely a week passed away without my being visited by the
dark strangers; and as my husband never allowed them to eat with the
servants, but brought them to his own table, they soon grew friendly
and communicative, and would point to every object that attracted their
attention, asking a thousand questions as to its use, the material of
which it was made, and if we were inclined to exchange it for their
commodities? With a large map of Canada, they were infinitely delighted.
In a moment they recognized every bay and headland in Ontario, and
almost screamed with delight when, following the course of the Trent
with their fingers, they came to their own lake.
How eagerly each pointed out the spot to his fellows; how intently their
black heads were bent down, and their dark eyes fixed upon the map! What
strange, uncouth exclamations of surprise burst from their lips as
they rapidly repeated the Indian names for every lake and river on this
wonderful piece of paper!
The old chief, Peter Nogan, begged hard for the coveted treasure. He
would give “Canoe, venison, duck, fish, for it; and more, by and by.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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