88 EXPEDITION TO THE 



gentlemen of the Indian department, they found that tlie 

 memory of Little Turtle was so much revered by his na- 

 tion, and the visits of Indians to the grave of departed 

 friends were so frequent, that such an attempt could not 

 pass unnoticed, and that this apparent sacrilege would doubt- 

 less irritate them, and might lead to unpleasant consequences. 

 The hope of obtaining this head was therefore abandoned. 



The expedition was as kindly treated as they could have 

 wished, by the gentlemen attached to the Indian depart- 

 ment at this place. General Tipton, (the present Indian 

 agent,) and Mr. Hays, (the late agent,) afforded them all 

 the facilities in their power ; and to Mr. Kercheval, the 

 sub-agent, they are under great obligations for the infor- 

 mation which his long experience of the Indians, and his 

 acquaintance with their language enabled him to commu- 

 nicate. In order to afford to the party an opportunity of ob- 

 taining the best information, General Tipton sent for one 

 of the principal chiefs in that vicinity, with whom they 

 conversed for two days. 



The name of this man is Wt-V^-i', (which signifies in 

 the Potawatomi language, Kiss me. J He was represented 

 to us as being the greatest chief of the nation ; we had, 

 however, an opportunity of ascertaining afterwards, that 

 he is not the principal chief, but that he has, by his talents 

 as a warrior, and his eloquence as an orator, obtained con- 

 siderable influence in the councils of his nation. He may 

 be considered as a partisan, who, by his military achieve- 

 ments, has secured to himself the command of an indepen- 

 dent tribe. He resides on the St. Joseph, about nine miles 

 above Fort Wayne, at an Indian village called Mus-kwa- 

 w'a-s'^-p'e-o'-t'^n, {tow}i of the old red wood creek. J Be- 

 ing a chief of distinction, he came accompanied by his bro- 

 ther ; as his rank required that he should be assisted by 



