256 APPENDIX. 



vived, and the unboned bones still remain marking the situation 

 they occupied. From this band the infection was communicated 

 to a band residing upon St. Joseph's Island, and many died of it ; 

 but the surgeon of the military post then there succeeded, by judi- 

 cious and early measures, in checking it, before the infection 

 became general. 



In 1824 the small-pox again made its appearance among the 

 Indians at the Sault Ste. Marie. It was communicated by a voy- 

 ager to Indians upon Drummond's Island, Lake Huron ; and 

 through them several families at Sault Ste. Marie became infected. 

 Of those belonging to the latter place, more than twenty in num- 

 ber, only two escaped. The disease is represented to have been 

 extremely fatal to the Indians at Drummond's Island. 



Since 1824, the small-pox is not known to have appeared 

 among the Indians at the Sault Ste. Marie, nor among the Ghippe- 

 was north or west from that place. But the Indians of these 

 bands still tremble at the bare name of a disease which (next to 

 the compounds of alcohol) has been one of the greatest scourges 

 that has ever overtaken them since their first communication with 

 the whites. The disease, when once communicated to a band 

 of Indians, rages with a violence wholly unknown to the civilized 

 man. The Indian, guided by present feeling, adopts a course of 

 treatment (if indeed it deserves that appellation), which not un- 

 frequently arms the disease with new power. An attack is but a 

 warning to the poor and helpless patient to prepare for death, 

 which will almost assuredly soon follow. His situation under 

 these circumstances is truly deplorable ; for while in a state that 

 even, with proper advice, he would of himself recover, he adds 

 fresh fuel to the flame which is already consuming him, under the 

 delusive hope of gaining relief. The intoxicating draught (when it 

 is within his reach) is not among the last remedies to which he 

 resorts, to produce a lethargy from which he is never to recover, 

 Were the friends of the sick man, even under these circumstances, 

 enabled to attend him, his sufferings might be, at least, somewhat 

 mitigated ; but they too are, perhaps, in a similar situation, and 

 themselves without even a single person to minister to their wants. 

 Death comes to the poor invalid, and perhaps even as a welcome 

 guest, to rid him of his suffering, 



