CHAPTER II 



FINDING THK MISSING LINK 



THE DISCOVERY 



OF THE KANKAKEE BY 



LASALLE, A FUR TRADER MEETING 



THE POTTOWATTOMIE INDIANS AND 



FINISHING THE MISSING LINK 



Look at the map of Indiana and you will see, 

 up in the left-hand corner of the State, a small 

 stream rising in the southern part of St. Joseph 

 county, which flows in a south-western direction 

 and drains the counties of LaPorte, Starke, Por- 

 ter, Jasper, Lake and Newton. It is also the 

 boundary line between the counties I have men- 

 tioned. Years ago the Kankakee was called 

 the eastern branch of the Illinois river, but that 

 theme has been disproved. The Indian name 

 of the Kankakee, from the two words "The-Ak 

 (wolf) and "A-Ki(iand) literally means Wolf- 



15 



