History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan | Page 2

Island of Mackinac, and why it is called "Michilimackinac"--which
name has never been correctly translated by white historians, but which
is here given according to our knowledge of this matter long before we
came in contact with white races.
I have also recorded some of the most important legends, which
resemble the Bible history; particularly the legends with regard to the
great flood, which has been in our language for many centuries, and the
legend of the great fish which swallowed the prophet Ne-naw-bo-zhoo,
who came out again alive, which might be considered as corresponding
to the story of Jonah in the Sacred History.
Beside my own personal and our family history, I have also, quite
extensively, translated our language into English and added many other
items which might be interesting to all who may wish to inquire into
our history and language.
ANDREW J. BLACKBIRD.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
The Ypsilanti Auxiliary of the Women's National Indian Association,
by whose efforts this book is published, take this opportunity to express
earnest thanks to those who have aided in this work.
Most generous donations of money from friends of Indians and equally
valuable liberality from publishers and papermakers have made
possible the preservation of this most rare and important history.
This is the only instance where a native Indian has recorded the story of
his people and given a grammar of their language; thus producing a
work whose immense value, as an account of a race and a language
already passing into oblivion, will become even more inestimable with
the lapse of time.
Ypsilanti, Mich., Oct., 1887.

CHAPTER I.
History of the Ottawa of Michigan--Preliminary Remarks in Regard to

Other Histories, Concerning the Massacre of the Old British Fort on the
Straits of Mackinac--British Promise to the Ottawas--Ravages of Small
Pox--First Recollection of the Country of Arbor-Croche and Its
Definition--Uprightness and Former Character of the Indians.
I have seen a number of writings by different men who attempted to
give an account of the Indians who formerly occupied the Straits of
Mackinac and Mackinac Island, (that historic little island which stands
at the entrance of the strait,) also giving an account of the Indians who
lived and are yet living in Michigan, scattered through the counties of
Emmet, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Antrim, Grand Traverse, and in the
region of Thunder Bay, on the west shore of Lake Huron. But I see no
very correct account of the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of Indians,
according to our knowledge of ourselves, past and present. Many points
are far from being credible. They are either misstated by persons who
were not versed in the traditions of these Indians, or exaggerated. An
instance of this is found in the history of the life of Pontiac
(pronounced Bwon-diac), the Odjebwe (or Chippewa) chief of St. Clair,
the instigator of the massacre of the old fort on the Straits of Mackinac,
written by a noted historian. In his account of the massacre, he says
there was at this time no known surviving Ottawa Chief living on the
south side of the Straits. This point of the history is incorrect, as there
were several Ottawa chiefs living on the south side of the Straits at this
particular time, who took no part in this massacre, but took by force the
few survivors of this great, disastrous catastrophe, and protected them
for a while and afterwards took them to Montreal, presenting them to
the British Government; at the same time praying that their brother
Odjebwes should not be retaliated upon on account of their rash act
against the British people, but that they might be pardoned, as this
terrible tragedy was committed through mistake, and through the evil
counsel of one of their leaders by the name of Bwondiac (known in
history as Pontiac). They told the British Government that their brother
Odjebwes were few in number, while the British were in great numbers
and daily increasing from an unknown part of the world across the
ocean. They said, "Oh, my father, you are like the trees of the forest,
and if one of the forest trees should be wounded with a hatchet, in a
few years its wound will be entirely healed. Now, my father, compare

with this: this is what my brother Odjebwe did to some of your children
on the Straits of Mackinac, whose survivors we now bring back and
present to your arms. O my father, have mercy upon my brothers and
pardon them; for with your long arms and many, but a few strokes of
retaliation would cause our brother to be entirely annihilated from the
face of the earth!"
According to our understanding in our traditions, that was the time the
British Government made such extraordinary promises to the Ottawa
tribe of Indians, at the same