NAREATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 121 



an early, or ante-historical age, advanced from Lake Superior, 

 driving back the Sioux. The war between these two tribes is 

 known to have existed since the first entry of the French into 

 the country — then a part of New France — early in the seventeenth 

 century. Gov. Cass proposed to them to enter into a firm peace 

 with the Sioux, and to send a delegation with him to St. Peter's, 

 on his return from the sources of the Mississippi. To this they 

 assented. Speeches were made by the Indians, which it is not 

 my purpose to record, as they embraced nothing beyond the ordi- 

 nary, every-day style of the native speakers. 



It was determined to encamp the heavy part of the expedition 

 at this place, and to organize a sub-expedition of two light canoes, 

 well manned, to explore the sources of the Mississippi River. 

 While these arrangements are in progress, it may be proper to 

 state something more respecting the condition and history of the 

 Chippewa nation. And first, they are Algonqnins, having mi- 

 grated, at ante-Cartierian* periods, from the vicinity of Lake 

 Nippesing, on the Outawis summit. Anterior to this, their own 

 traditions place them further eastward, and their language bears 

 evidence that the stock from which they are sprung, occupied the 

 Atlantic from the Chesapeake, extending through New England. 

 The name Chippewa is derived from the term Ojibwa. The latter 

 has been variously, but not satisfactorily derived. The particle 

 hwa^ in the language, signifies voice. They are a well-formed, 

 active race of men, and have the reputation of being good hunters 

 and warriors. They possess the ordinary black shining eyes, 

 black straight hair, and general physiological traits of the Indian 

 race ; and do not differ, essentially, from the northern tribes in 

 their manners and customs. Pike, who was the first American 

 officer to visit them, in this region, estimates the whole number 

 seated on the Upper Mississippi, and northwest of Lake Superior, 

 in the year 1806, at eleven thousand one hundred and seventy- 

 seven. This estimate includes the entire population, extending 

 south to the St. Croix and Chippewa valleys, below St. Anthony's 

 Falls. It is believed to be much too high, for which it can be 

 plead in extenuation, that it was the rough estimate of foreign 

 traders, who were interested in exalting their importance to the 



* Cartier discovered the St. Lawrence in 1534. 



