280 APPENDIX. 



II. 



Detroit, October 21, 1820. 



Sir : I had tlie lionor to inform you some time since that I 

 had reached this place by land from Chicago, and that the residue 

 of the party were daily expected. They arrived soon after, with- 

 out accident, and this long and arduous journey has been accom- 

 plished without the occurrence of any unfavorable incident. 



I shall submit to you, as soon as it can be prepared, a memoir 

 respecting the Indians who occupy the country through which 

 we passed ; their numbers, disposition, wants, &c. It will be 

 enough at present to say, that the whole frontier is in a state of 

 profound peace, and that the remote Indians, more particularly, 

 exhibit the most friendly feelings towards the United States. As 

 we approach the points of contact between them and the British, 

 the strength of this attachment evidently decreases, and about 

 those points few traces of it remain. During our whole progress 

 but two incidents occurred which evinced in the slightest degree, 

 an unfriendly spirit. One of these was at St. Mary's, within 

 forty -five miles of Drummond's Island, and the other within thirty 

 miles of Maiden. They passed off, however, without producing 

 any serious result. 



It is due to Colonel Leavenworth to say, that his measures 

 upon the subject of the outrage committed by the Winnebago 

 Indians, in the spring, were prompt, wise, and decisive. As you 

 have long since learned, the murderers were soon surrendered ; 

 and so impressive has been the lesson upon the minds of the 

 Indians, that the transaction has left us nothing to regret, but the 

 untimely fall of the soldiers. 



In my passage through the Winnebago country, I saw their 

 principal chiefs, and stated to them the necessity of restraining 

 their young men from the commission of acts similar in their 

 character to those respecting which a report was made by Colonel 

 Smith. I have reason to believe that similar complaints will not 

 again be made, and I am certain that nothing but the intemperate 

 passions of individuals will lead to the same conduct. Should it 

 occur, the act will be disavowed by the chiefs, and the offenders 

 surrendered with as much promptitude as the relapsed state of 

 the government will permit. 



