GRAND RAPIDS 3 



The post is situated a mile below the Grand Rapids, which 

 are three and a half miles in length. A trail had been made 

 along each bank of the river by the Indian fishermen who re- 

 sort to the rapids to "scoop" white-fish. Beside this path, at 

 the foot of the rapids, lay a heap of brush, which, I was told, 

 marked the resting place of an old chief who, when dying, had 

 directed that his people should lay him to rest beside the sing- 

 ing waters, and that everyone in passing should break a twig 

 and throw it upon his grave. So faithfully had his wish been 

 complied with that a heap of brush three feet in height had 

 been accumulated. The tradition added to the probability that 

 the grave contained the remains of a Cree of pure blood. Any 

 investigation on my part, had it become known, would have 

 made further residence at Grand Rapids very unpleasant. I 

 proceeded, therefore, to examine the place alone. Clearing 

 away the rubbish and a poplar tree, six inches in diameter, 

 which grew directly over the grave, a number of flat stones were 

 exposed. After digging through three feet of sandy loam, a 

 mass of decayed birch-bark was disclosed, under which lay the 

 skeleton, reclining upon the left side with the legs drawn up. 

 The head was towards the east. A small neatly carved pipe of 

 dark fine-grained schist lay beside the skull. A few flakes of 

 rust — all that remained of a knife — and a couple of ounces of 

 shot, indicated that his death had occurred since the advent of 

 the whites. 



A few days later another grave was discovered a half mile 

 farther up the river. A French metis had broken through the 

 turf, disclosing the skull, at sight of which he had fled in super- 

 stitious terror. After some searching I found the grave in a 

 little opening among the pines, unmarked, and at some dis- 

 tance from the bank of the stream. The skeleton was drawn 

 up in nearly a sitting position, with the head towards the south- 

 east. Beside it were found the crumbling remains of a loon's 

 skull and a rude stone pipe-bowl. Mr. Otis J. Klotz mentions 1 

 the occurrence at Grand Rapids, of a "few pieces of broken 

 pottery which were found, together with some skeletons and 

 deer horn implements, by the Indians, while digging a hole for 

 storing next season's potatoes. Their date must be pretty old, 

 for the present generation of Indians here knows nothing, not 



1 Ann. Rft. Dep. Int., 1891. Pt. II, p. 19. 



