180 NOTES ON THE NORTHWEST. 



numerous Indian tribes, and eventually led to wars among 

 themselves, which resulted, mediately, in the almost total 

 extinction of the Illinois. Pontiac, a celebrated chief of some 

 of the lake tribes, perhaps Huron, had endeavored to stir up 

 all the nations of Northern Louisiana and the lakes to resist 

 the transfer of dominion. He was afterward murdered by a 

 Kaskaskia ; and, in revenge of his death, his friends made 

 war upon the Illinois, which nearly destroyed the latter 

 nation. Of the small remnant, a part were cut off by the 

 Sauks, in the beginning of this century. To the north of the 

 Illinois were the Saukis, on the Wisconsin River ; the Pota- 

 watamis, at Green Bay, together with the small band of 

 Nokes ; and, further up the Fox River, the Musquakis, 

 called, by the Chippewas, Outagamis, now the Foxes ; and, 

 to the north of that river, the Menominis, who remain there 

 to this day ; and, betw^een there and Lake Superior, some of 

 the Chippewa bands. The Winnebagos are not mentioned 

 by that name. Nor do we hear of the Dacotas, or of any of 

 that nation, by the names they now bear ; but, from the place 

 of residence, it is probable that those visited by Lahontan 

 were different bands of this nation. 



The Menomini country, at present possessed by them, is 

 bounded by the Wisconsin River to the west, the Fox River 

 south, the Wolf River to the east, and on the north by lands 

 lately ceded by the Chippew^as to the United States, by treaty 

 of 1842. The Nokes, at the earliest mention we have of 

 them, consisted only of a few families, scattered here and 

 there, but mostly frequenting the bay of that name in the 

 northwest part of Green Bay. The Malominis, says Charle- 

 voix, have a single village only, on the river of that name. 

 They are a very handsome race, and the best-made of all the 

 nations inhabiting Canada. They are larger than the Pota- 

 watamis. I am assured that they have a common origm with 



