202 SYSTEMS OF CONSANGUINITY AND AFFINITY 



I. Gichigamian, or Great Lake Nations. II. Mississippi Nations. III. Atlantic 

 Nations. IV. Rocky Mountain Nations. 



The Algonkin nations fall naturally into the foregoing groups. As an inter- 

 classification it is sustained by dialectical affinities, and by special features in their 

 respective systems of relationship. Under the operation of the same inexorable 

 law that produced the repeated subdivision of the Dakotan stem, and scattered its 

 parts over wide areas, they have been broken up into a large number of politically 

 distinct nations. Relying chiefly upon fish and game for subsistence, when an 

 excess of population appeared within a particular area, the surplus were forced to 

 spread abroad in search of a new seat, where, in due time, they established an 

 independent nationality. Their form of government, which was incapable of 

 following the people by expansion from a fixed centre, was perfect in every band ; 

 whence every band was a nation in embryo. The subdividings and the migrations 

 of the Ganowanian nations were pre-eminently under the control of physical causes, 

 the unbroken supremacy of which continued from the commencement of their career 

 upon the North American continent down to the period of European colonization. 

 It is still possible to retrace to a very considerable extent, the lines of the outflow 

 of these nations from each other ; and the direction of the spread of the several 

 stocks from a common initial point. Were it not for the breaking up and absorp- 

 tion of nations that would have constituted the intermediate links, the precise 

 relations of these stocks and stems of peoples to each other, as members of a com- 

 mon family, might not be beyond hope of recovery. At least the family may be 

 resolved into great branches represented by stock languages, and the branches into 

 groups represented by closely affiliated dialects. More than this is material only 

 to establish the unity of these stock languages. Upon this last question their 

 system of relationship offers an independent testimony which seems to be sufficient 

 for its determination in the affirmative. 



I. Gichigamian, 1 or Great Lake Nations. 



1. Ojibwas. 2. Otawas. 3. Potawattamics. 4. Crees. 



When the Jesuit missionaries first reached Lake Superior (1641) they found the 

 principal establishment of the Ojibwas at St. Mary's Falls or rapids, at the outlet 

 of this lake, and spread for some distance above upon both its northern and south- 

 ern shores. At the same time the Otawas 2 inhabited the Manitoulin Islands 

 scattered along the north side of the Georgian Bay, of Lake Huron, and the 

 islands in the straits of Mackinaw ; while a portion of them were then spreading 

 southward over lower Michigan. Their previous home country was upon the 

 Otawa River of Canada, and between it and Lake Superior, north of the Huron 

 area ; but they had been forced to leave this region by the irruptions of the Iro- 

 quois, who had extended their forays to the Otawa River, and thence to the shores 

 of Lake Superior. With respect to the Potawattamies 3 their precise location is not 



1 Gl-chi-gd-me, "the Great Lake," from the Ojibwa, Gi'-chi, or GirtcM, great, and ga'-me, lake. 

 They applied this name to each of the great lakes ; Ma-she-ga'-me to all large lakes ; and Sa-ga-e'- 

 fjus to the small lakes. 



3 Pronounced O-la'-wa. * Pronounced Po-ta-wat'-ta-me. 



