PIONEER HUNTERS OF 1 HE KANKAKEE 



Again, if they would turn to the spot where the 

 great Chiefs held their councils and where the 

 pipe of peace was smoked by the great warriors 

 they would find cities, towns and villages. The 

 brick walls rise on the spot where once the 

 deer-skins were spread and the great oak tree 

 had been taken away. The memories of the 

 Redman have been buried beneath the white 

 man's axe, trowel and plow. Nau-nee-bee-zho 

 could not understand why they were banished 

 from the land that the great master gave them 

 unless it was for the treachery of Nau-non-gee, 

 or the murderer of Red Bird, on the trail that 

 run from Pottowattomie Ford on the Kankakee 

 (Eaton's Ferry) to Lake /Michigan. Oh memo- 

 ries of the Kankakee, which was the ideal hunt- 

 ing ground of my sire, are so shattered, all 

 about me is desolation and I turn from the 

 scene which 1 sought to return to the land of the 

 setting sun. The pale-face has no love fer our 

 memories and our traditions he regardeth not. 

 Sad is the heart of the Redman. Years and 



195 



