James Duane Doty Journal of 1820 Part II.

Welcome to Discovering the Northwoods from the Manitowish Waters Historical Society. We will take you on a journey through our local history with the help of primary source documentation. To learn more about this rich history or about the historical society – check out our website at mwhistory.org. There you will find blog posts, show notes, our YouTube Channel, and a full transcription of this episode including maps and photographs.

This is Part II of the James Duana Doty journal from 1820. James Duane Doty was the secretary attached to the 1820 Lewis Cass expedition exploring the western portions of Michigan Territory.  Territorial Governor Cass had many objectives on his 1820 expedition, including delivering some of the earliest Northwoods reconnaissance. Specifically, Doty references a rough map and provides a narrative of portage and water routes into the Northwoods.  The accuracy of the map and narrative are limited, and should only be considered a baseline for poor early government knowledge of the Northwoods.

Interestingly, water course errors by Cass and Doty in 1820 foreshadow survey difficulties 20 years later when Thomas Jefferson Cram was tasked to establish the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Turns out, in 1840 the U.S. Government believed the Montreal River connected to Lac Vieux Desert, creating a survey dispute that will ultimately be settled by the U. S. Supreme Court in the 1920’s.

As with many historical works from this era, there are phrases, terms, and descriptions that are inappropriate to our modern sensibilities. The Manitowish Waters Historical Society in no way condones these offensive remarks or passages. For this episode, we choose to read this publication in its entirety for educational purposes and accurate historical context. It is important to note for this episode that Doty’s limited knowledge of the Northwoods is highlighted by the numerous inaccuracies in locations and names.

Transcript

Part II.

The Fond du Lac Indians are divided into bands, and have no fixed places of residence, wandering around on the rivers and lakes: their time is occupied alternately in hunting and fishing; their country being poorer than that of either of the before mentioned tribes. They hunt west to the Sandy Lake Indians, north to the sources of Snake River, which empties into the Fond du Lac River eighteen miles above the mouth of the Savannah, northwest to Encampment Island in Lake Superior; thirty-six miles above Fond du Lac, and on the southern shore of the Lake to the River Brule, and south to Pine Lake, the northern boundary of the Fols Avoine Indians, and about one hundred miles from the establishment on Fond du Lac.

Their principal game is moose, bear, marten, mink, muskrat, case cat (lynx), hedgehog, of which they have great numbers, otter, and a few beaver. They have neither the buffalo, deer, wolf, raccoon, fox, or wolverine.

The tribe consists of forty-five men sixty women and two hundred and forty children. There are about thirty half-breeds and three freemen, who have families. The freemen are Canadians married to squaws, living entirely with the Indians and are not engaged to the Southwestern Company, by whom, as well as the Indians they are considered a great nuisance, being forever exciting broils and disturbances. There is an old Black man in the employ of the Company who has a squaw for a wife, and a family of four children residing in Fond du Lac.

These Indians have in no degree the spirit and genius of those in the Upper Country, by whom they are considered very stupid and dull, being but little given to war. They consider the Sioux their enemies, but make few war excursions. They sometimes join those of the other tribes but have never taken that deep interest in the struggle that the others have. In their manner and customs, they resemble the Indians of Sandy Lake, but are in no respect their equal, particularly in those things which may be supposed to ameliorate their condition in life.

There are two grand water communications with this country; one by Lake Superior and the Fond du Lac River, and the other by the Mississippi. The first is considered the most eligible route. It is about thirteen hundred miles from St. Louis to Sandy Lake, and ten hundred and fifty from Detriot, by water, to the same place. There are many rapids in the Mississippi, particularly above the Falls of St. Anthony, which it is almost impossible to ascend with boats or canoes. The waters of the River are also considered unhealthy. On the other course, the greatest difficulties are found in the rapids of the Fond du Lac River; but as this River is ascended only one hundred and fifty miles, and the rapidity of the Mississippi continues for six hundred, and a strong current the residue, the difference in the exertion and fatigue between the two routes is very great. Lake Superior is computed by the voyagers to be four hundred and eighty-four miles long. It is three hundred miles from Detriot to Mackinac, and forty from there to mouth of the River St. Marys. That river is forty miles long.

Communication may be had with the Mississippi from Lake Superior by the Ontonagon, Iron, Carp, Presque Isle, Black, Montreal, Mauvais, Brule, and Fond du Lac Rivers.

The Ontonagon is ascended thirty-s ix miles where a portage commences of two hundred pauses, to the “old plantation” as commonly called, but by the French “vieux deser,” “old deserted place,” which is on a small lake of the same name about four miles long, and three broad. Two Rivers rise in this Lake, one the Menominee, which empties into Green Bay; the other discharges into the Sauteur [Chippewa] River. They are both navigable for canoes.

Iron River is so rapid that a portage is commenced at its mouth. The canoe is scarcely put into its water in the whole length of the River. They are both navigable for canoes.

Three miles above the mouth of Carp River is a perpendicular fall of about forty-five feet, when it passes Porcupine Mountain; above, the stream is small, and with difficulty ascended.

Presque Isle River has many rapids, and is seldom used. Black River is the same.

The Montreal River is not navigable; but at its mouth on the East side, a portage is made of one hundred and twenty pauses to a small lake; in which distance the Montreal River is crossed twice, the first time at eleven pauses, and the second at eighty. The lake is three miles long, and is the head of another branch of the Sauteur [or Chippewa]. This fork runs fifteen miles into Turtle Lake, which is about two miles over, thence it runs a few leagues into a small lake, passing through which it continues on until it joins the fork from Old Plantation Lake, thirty-three miles from Turtle Lake. A lake of considerable size is connected with Turtle Lake on the northeast by a river. In Lake Du Flambeau the Southwest Company have an establishment of five traders and twenty hands, the return from which last season was about fifty packs. It lies from Turtle Lake near southeast. The route is from the mouth of the Montreal to Turtle Lake, from which there is a portage one-fourth of a mile to a small pond, thence up the outlet of a small lake one-fourth of a mile, from which a portage of three miles is made to the Old Plantation River. This is descended eighteen miles to the entrance of the Riviere du Flambeau, which rises in the lake of the same name, and is twenty-four miles long. The Company’s fort stands on the north side of the lake. The lake is crooked, is four miles long and one broad. From this there is a chain of lake which extend down to the headwaters of the Ouisconsin. Portages are made from one to another so as to connect the communication in that direction. The small river formed by the junction of the Turtle and old Plantation Rivers, is almost entirely a rapid; and, running over a bed of rocks, is very dangerous. It takes seven days to descend it, and is one hundred and seventy-five miles long. The River Sauteur (Chippewa) which is also rapid, is very wide, and about one hundred and eighty miles long, emptying into Lake Pepin. It is sixty-three miles from the Ontonagon to the Montreal River.

Mauvais River [or Bad] is ascended about one hundred miles. A portage is then made of twenty-two pauses to a small lake which is connected with another by a stream one-quarter of a mile long. From this is a portage of one pause to a lake; and another pause to another lake, which last is connected to a third by a small strait perhaps thirty rods long a portage of one pause is made to Clam Lake, in which a branch of the Sauteur rises. This lake is one mile long and three-fourths of a mile broad, which is the general extent of all the lakes on this route. It is from this six miles to Spear Lake, fifteen miles to Summer Lake, and twelve miles to a lake called by the Indians, Poc-qua-yah-wan. The branch continues through this Lake, and passes out on the southeast side. On the west a small river enters, which is ascended fifteen miles, whence a portage is made of ten pauses into Lake Coutere, on which the Southwest Company have an establishment. It is nine miles long and three broad and is connected with the Sauteur by a stream thirty miles long which issues from it. The Mauvais is twelve miles from the Montreal River.

The River Brule, seventy-eight miles from the Mauvais is ascended ninety miles to a bend, from which a portage of two pauses is made to Lake St. Croix, the headwater of the river of the same name. It is three miles long and two broad. On the River St. Croix, one hundred miles from the lake, the Southwest Company have an establishment. It discharges into the Mississippi three hundred miles from that trading post. Between the Mauvais and Brule Rivers, several small streams empty into Lake Superior; as the Raspberry, Sandy, Ses-caw-naw-be-kaw, Cranberry, Bullrush and the Little Iron Rivers. Goddard’s River is between the Brule and Fond du Lac.

As the Fond du Lac River was ascended by you, it will be unnecessary to describe it. I will merely state that it rises in Vermillion Lake, is near three hundred miles long, and that its general course is east. It may scarcely be called navigable above the Savannah which enters one hundred and thirty-six miles from its mouth. The Savannah is twenty-four miles long and is ascended to its source. The portage to the small river which empties into Sandy Lake is six miles — the river is descended twelve. Sandy Lake is four miles long and two wide. By the outlet of the lake to the Mississippi is two miles, but by land it is hardly the half of a mile. It is two hundred and fifty miles from Sandy Lake to Vermillion by way of the Mississippi and Trout Lake.

The accompanying map was drawn by the person who communicated the preceding facts, and, may, in some degree, convey an idea of the principal water-courses of the country.

About halfway from Sandy Lake to Red Cedar Lake below, a river empties into the Mississippi which rises in Duck Lake. A portage of six miles is made from the Mississippi, opposite Sandy Lake, to this River, which is ascended sixty miles. From Duck Lake the communication with Leech Lake is over a country, one-half of which is covered with lakes. The land is generally heavily timbered.

Trade – A skin is estimated at $2. A two and a half point blanket is sold for four skins; one fathon of stroud, the same; half a pint of powder, on skin; thirty balls, the same; five branches of wampum, or two hundred and fifty grand, one skin; a Northwest cased gun, ten skins; one beaver trap, four skins; a large scalping knife, half a skin; twist tobacco, two skins per fathom, three plugs for a skin, and four skins per carrot; a mesh, or forty branches of white beads, one skin; a pair of leggings with ribbons and beads to garnish; two skins; one-half axe, one skin; one hatchet, one skin.

These are the principal articles of trade. Divers other things are given as presents. If an Indian obtains a credit for his supplies for the season, he must be furnished with a flint, a needle, an awl, a gun worm, a little vermillion, rings, beads, and three or four inches of tobacco, besides various other articles, for which the trader charges nothing. In a credit of six hundred skins, if the trader gets three hundred in return for his goods, he considers himself recompensed. He frequently does not obtain even this proportion. The articles received from the Indians are sugar, rice, and skins. A mocock of sugar, weighing about forty pounds is received for four skins; a sack of rice, two skins; a larger prime beaver, two skins; a large prime otter, two skins; three martens, one skin; three minks, one skin; ten muskrats, one skin; a prime bear, two skins; two prime buck skins, one skin; three raccoons, one; two lynx, one; two fishers, one. An axe is so essential an article with an Indian that he is generally punctual in paying for it; and on returning from his hunt, he lays out a certain number of skins in payment for his axe, and calls the trader to notice it.

The Southwest Company have the chief trade of this country, but they sustain a considerable injury from the small traders. They sent the Leech Lake, last year, thirty-eight packs; from Sandy Lake, twenty-five; and Found du Lac, nine. This year, from the first place, fifty-three; the second, thirty-five; and the third, fifteen. Last year the whole return was not as much as usual, and this year rather more.

The dogs used for drawing in this country are of the middle size and a mixture of every breed. Their harness is made something like the common dray harness; being composed of collar with tugs, a belly-band, and two back-bands, on across the shoulders and the other the hips. Three horse bells on the second band, it seems are indispensable. They have no lines or breeching. Thus harnessed, the dogs are hitched to a train made of a white oak slab, dressed down smooth, about six feet long and fourteen inches wide, and turned up before in the shape of a sleigh runner. On the crust the ice a dog with travel, with two hundred pounds on his train, from morning to night, as fast as a man can walk. They frequently go sixty miles in a day. These dogs are starved in the summer so that they can scarcely stager around, but by the time the winter sets in, they are put into the finest order. When worked they are fed only at night – not a morsel is given in the day. Fish is their common food.