54 THE WINNEBAGO TBIBE [bth. ann. 37 



Perrot also gives an account of the relentless war waged against 

 them: 



This nation was a populous one, very redoubtable and spared no one; they violated 

 all the laws of nature; they were Sodomites, and even had intercourse with beasts. 

 If a stranger came among them, he was cooked in their kettles. The Malhominia 

 (Menominees) were the only tribe who maintained relations with them; they did not 

 dare even to complain of their tyranny. 



Lawson goes on to say: 



So aggressive were the Winnebago that although their only arms "were stone 

 hatchets and knives," they declared war on all the other tribes. Envoys sent to 

 them by the Ottawa were eaten, which cruel deed so incensed the surrounding tribes 

 that they formed an alliance and sent frequent war expeditions against the common 

 enemy, and greatly harassed them. As a result of disagreements among themselves 

 and the continued troublesome activities of the allied tribes, civil wars broke out 

 among the Winnebago. For better protection against the tribes they were finally 

 forced "to unite all their forces in one village, where they numbered four or five 

 thousand men," but an epidemic occurred which soon reduced their number to 1,500. 



' ' Despite all these misfortunes, they sent a party of 500 warriors against the Outagamia 

 (Fox), who dwelt on the other shore of the lake; but all those men perished, while 

 making that journey, by a tempest that arose." 



We suppose that this disaster occurred on Little Lake Butte des Morts, as it haa 

 been stated that the Winnebago resided on an island, which we suppose was Doty 

 Island. The Winnebago being now greatly reduced by despair and famine, the other 

 tribes were moved to pity by their condition and ceased to make war, and the Illinois 

 sent 500 men, including "50 of the most prominent persons in their nation," to carry 

 to them a supply of provisions. These the Winnebago received "with the utmost 

 gratitude;" but at the same time meditated sacrificing the Illinois to the shades of 

 their dead. A large cabin was erected to lodge their guests, and arrangements made 

 for a dance in their honor. Wliile the Illinois were dancing their bowstrings were 

 cut, and the Winnebago "flung themselves upon the Illinois, massacred them, not 

 sparing one man, and made a general feast of their flesh." 



Reproaching themselves for tliis dastardly deed, and fearing the vengeance of the 

 allied tribes when it should become known to them, the Winnebago "resolved to 

 abandon the place which they were occup\'ing," and "took refuge on an island, 

 which has since been swept away by ice floes." There they considered themselves 

 safe, as the Illinois did not use canoes. The Illinois, finding that their people did 

 not return, investigated the place and found only their bones. In order to allow 

 a proper period for mourning for the dead: 



' 'They deferred hostilities until the second year, when they assembled a large body 

 of men from all Nations who were interested in the undertaking; and they set out in 

 the winter season, in order not to fail therein. Having reached the Island over the 

 ice, they found only the cabins in which there still remained some fire, the Puans 

 (Winnebago) had gone to their Hunt on the day before, and were traveling in a 

 body, that they might not, in an emergency, be surprised by the Illinois." 



They followed the hunters in the dead of winter, coming up to them on the sixth 

 day and attacking their camp. 



"So vigorous was their attack that they killed, wounded, or made prisoners all the 

 Puans, except a few who escaped, and who reached the Malhouminis' village, but 

 severely wounded by arrows." 



He [Perrot] again refers to these traditional events as those of "the ancestors" of 

 the tribe as he knew them, and which we judge to refer to ancestors of the Winnebago 



