SOURCE OF ST. PETER's RIVER. 153 



one time, well stocked with beaver, otter, and other small 

 animals, which, when sparingly used, may have support- 

 ed a tolerably large population, but which having been 

 almost hunted out of the country, in consequence of the 

 improvident destruction growing out of the fur trade, have 

 left the land totally destitute, and must have caused a 

 corresponding diminution in the number of inhabitants. 

 We doubt whether the population ever was large ; but if so, 

 it has certainly diminished very considerably. The Chip- 

 pewas are divided into small bands, designated by local 

 appellations, which indicate the spots near which they rove. 

 These bands consist of but few families each. Those near 

 whose residence we passed, are as follows : — 



1. Mlskwu-ki Mevve Sig&4gan Wenenewak, or the peo- 

 ple that inhabit the lake of Red waters. 



2. Onepowe S6pe Wenenewak, people of Death river. 



3. Sage Wenenewak, the people at the entrance or mouth 

 of Red river. 



4. W^basemo Wenenewak, or White Dog tribe. They 

 reside near a white rock, which is an object of great super- 

 stition. 



5. WanS.m^ke wS.j^nenik, or the people that eat of meat 

 out of skin bags, (pemmican.) These inhabit near the 

 Lake of the Woods, but hunt the buffalo annually on the 

 prairies to the south-west of the lake. 



6. Kocheche Wenenewak, those that live at the mouth 

 of Rainy river. 



7. Oschekkamega Wenenewak, or those of the cross or 

 transverse ridge. 



S. Kechekame Wenenewak, those near the great waters; 

 they reside in the vicinity of Fort William. 



9. Omaschkase Wenenewak, those of the white firestone 



