82 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VoL. V. 



posed to contain not less than 3,000 fighting men. The Sacs, numbering 

 1,300 men, had recently abandoned their villages on the Wisconsin 

 River, and removed to the west side of the Mississippi to avoid the 

 attacks of the warlike Chippewas, and the Spaniards were now reported 

 to be making vigorous efforts to " attach them to their interest." 



In consequence of these representations, Captain Dease was instructed 

 to proceed to Mackinac and make preparations for holding a general 

 council at that place in June, 1787, at which the Superintendent intended 

 to preside in person, and Mr. Joseph Ainse was sent among the Indians 

 with appropriate messages, to advise them to desist from hostilities, and. 

 invite their principal chiefs to the conference. 



Ainse went from Green Bay by the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers to 

 Prairie du Chien distributing presents and holding " talks " with the 

 Menomenees and Winnebagoes as he passed through their villages. He 

 then visited the Foxes and succeeded in detaining a large war-party 

 which was about to march against the Chippewas. Ascending the 

 Mississippi to the mouth of the Minnesota River he found the Sioux 

 preparing to attack the Chippewas, and not only persuaded them 

 to desist, but to release some of their prisoners. Continuing his 

 journey up the Minnesota through all the Sioux villages, he turned 

 back another large war-party and presented them with a pipe of 

 peace to smoke with their enemies. Marching overland for seventeen 

 days he arrived at the Falls of St. Anthony, in the heart of the country 

 of the Chippewas, and spent the rest of the winter going from village to 

 village describing what he had done among the Sioux, and urging them 

 to make peace. His efforts were attended with such success that on the 

 14th of March the Sioux, Chippewas, Menomenees and Foxes assembled 

 near the mouth of the Minnesota and concluded a treaty of peace, and 

 agreed to send a deputation of six chiefs from each village to Mackinac 



In May, Ainse returned to Prairie du Chien, accompanied by 196 

 chiefs, having despatched an equal number by way of Lake Superior, 

 and the entire delegation assembled at Mackinac about the first of July, 

 1787, when peace was solemnly ratified in the presence of Captain Dease, 

 the officers of the garrison, and traders of the post. The representatives 

 of the different " nations ' invoked ' the Great Spirit, the woods, the lakes 

 and rivers, and the very ground they stood upon " to bear witness to the 

 sincerity of their professions of friendship. At their own request, written 

 articles of peace were formulated by Dease and acknowledged to be 

 binding " whilst sun and moon shall remain." 



Ainse was then instructed to winter among the Sioux to see that the 

 terms of the treaty were faithfully observed by that fierce and turbulent race. 



