40 YEARBOOK, PUBLIC MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE [Vol. III. 



buildings are surrounded by water, except for one narrow neck of land. 

 As we used to say in our school days, it is bounded on the north by 

 Long and Mud lakes, on the east by Long and Flambeau lakes, on the 

 south by Pokegama lake and on the north by Pokegama channel, 

 leading from Long lake to Crawling Stone, Fence and many other 

 lakes. It is possible to run, even by motor boat, through this chain of 

 lakes for nearly a hundred miles without a portage. The camper with 

 an Evinrude is in luck at Lac du Flambeau. Clear streams flow 

 through forests of paper birch and evergreens. The water in these 

 lakes is everywhere pure enough to drink. Deer are often seen on 

 their banks and the tiger muskie, wall-eyed pike, bass and others of 

 the finny tribe abound everywhere. They are so unsophisticated, that 

 thej^ really do not know the difference between a live minnow and a 

 dead one. Anyone who tries Lac du Flambeau, is spoiled for any other 

 northern spot. Some of our Milwaukee friends are securing summer 

 homes here, for recently the government has permitted the Chippewa 

 Indians to sell some of their lake frontage. There is little formality 

 about the sale, which is conducted through the Indian Agent. A bid- 

 der deposits ten per cent of his bid, which is returned if he is unsuccess- 

 ful. If his bid is the highest, he then pays the Indian the balance in 

 five or six installments. Such land sells at about twenty dollars an 

 acre and, strange to say, quite a few holdings were unsold at the last 

 offering. 



On its face this sale of his lands by the Indian may look entirely 

 proper, but there seems to be considerable question as to the wisdom of 

 such a policy. Too many sell to the summer resident what little land 

 they own, thus losing their only chance to make a good living by farm- 

 ing. The money received is soon spent for autos, phonographs or 

 what not and the Indian is left in no better shape than before he sold 

 his land. In fact, the Chippewa at Lac du Flambeau have been gross- 

 ly spoiled by tourists. Most tourists are wealthy and readily give a 

 dollar for permission to take a photograph. They absorb practically 

 every Indian curio that the Chippewa produce, as well as quantities 

 of stuff shipped in from Canada and the Northwest Coast. Even 

 factory stuff is sold at Lac du Flambeau. The ordinary tourist does 

 not discern the real handicraft of the Chippewa, who are not nearly 

 such good workmen as the Menomini or the Meskwaki and seems 

 satisfied with any sort of souvenir. This encourages careless work and 

 gives the Indian such an easy living, that he will not put forth any 

 effort to make his farm pay. This trade, combined with the big de- 

 mand for Indian guides, employs all of the men capable of agriculture, 



