rui.UMi.NAUV OBSERVATIONS. 33 



Lake l»;iii(l. Oi' this he kept us ignorant till turning the same 

 pojnt, that ho might surprise us with in unexpected salute. The 

 Indians then approached in their canoes in a body, with a wel- 

 come, whuh could hardly have been more cordial, had we been 

 old friends. The) represented their residence to be on a large 



island, bearing BOUthwesI from the entrance. And lor this island 

 w< Mt forward, with every appliance. The Indians accompa- 

 nied us, imparting a spirit of emulation to the men. by -houts 

 and firing. In making this travejpe, we left the mouth of Tur- 

 tle ri\er. (the spot of Gov. Cass' landing in 1820,) on our right, 

 end diil not come near enough to the shore, distinctly to recog- 

 nise its features. We were upwards of an hour in reaching the 

 island, which is called Grand Island, or Colcaapi. On approach- 

 ing it. a number of Indians were observed, running across an 

 elevation, and pointing, with wild gestures, to a bay beyond. It 

 was the best place of landing. They were assiduous in direct- 

 ing the men to the spot. They ranged themselves along the 

 shore, fired a salute, and then came eagerly to the water's edge, 

 giving each one a hand, as* he alighted from the canoe. 

 II . who has formed his estimate of an Indian from the 

 ling of book<, in which he is depicted as cruel and morose, 

 without any insight into his social character, need only to be 

 ushered into a scene like this, to be convinced that he has con- 

 templated an overshadowed picture. We found these Indians 

 to be frank, cheerful, and confiding. 



On ascending the elevation before referred to, it was found 

 to be the site of an abandoned village, now covered partially 

 with corn-fields, and overgrown, in other parts, with sumac and 

 other shrubbery. The cutting down too much of the forest, 

 and the consequent exposure to winds, had probably been 

 their reason for removing the village to a more southerly 

 and sheltered part of the island. An Indian town, all America 

 over, is nothing but an assemblage of wigwam-, built, exclusively 

 to suit the particular convenience of the occupant, without righJ 

 angled streets, for which (a- they have no carts or waggons) they 



