Edwards, Ninian W. History of Illinois from 1778 to 1833; and Life and Times of Ninian Edwards . Springfield: Illinois State Journal Company, 1870. [format: book], [genre: history; bibliography; letter]. Permission: Northern Illinois Library
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=edwardsillinois.html

With a view of being acquainted with the country, the Indian villages and the respective forces of different Indian tribes, Gov. Edwards employed agents to ascertain the different routes of travel to and from the lakes, the location of the villages and the number of warriors belonging to each tribe, and such other information as might be useful during the year.

Prom notes furnished to him, and the maps on which are designated the rivers, villages and routes from Mackinaw to St. Louis, in the year 1812, I find the following:

Michilimakanac is an island, situated between Lakes Huron and Michigan. From Mackanac to the main land on the north side of Lake Michigan it is six miles to a place called Point St. Ignace; from Point St. Ignace to Point de Chène, or Oak Point, the distance is six miles; from Point de Chène to the Poussette Island it is fifteen miles. These islands are situated about one mile from the shore, in very shallow water. From the Poussette Islands it is fifteen miles to a small river, called by the Indians Min-a-coquin; from Min-a-coquin River it is fifteen miles to a point called Patterson's Point, at which place it is very rocky, the water is very shallow, and the navigation is very dangerous when the wind is high. Mr. John Hays, a very intelligent person, with whom I am well acquainted, says that it was called Patterson's Point from the fact that a Mr. Charles Patterson, one of the principal members of the Northwest Fur Company, with all his crew, perished there in a bark canoe, about the year 1788. Mr. Hays says he passed through there soon afterwards, and that he was well acquainted with Mr. Patterson.

From Patterson's Point to Soucheware (an Indian name) it is fifteen miles. At this place there is a most excellent harbor, situated behind a rock; it is very difficult to enter in high winds, and it is an excellent place to catch white-fish. From Soucheware it is fifteen miles to a very handsome river called Manesty; a few miles up this river there was a small Indian village of Chippeways. From the River Manesty it is nine miles to Point de Ecoise, or Bark Point. From thence to Detour it is twenty-one miles, from which place cross over to the south side of the lake, leaving a large bay or bend, called the Bay de Knocke, on the north, about one hundred miles from Green Bay; a number of Indians — Ottaways, Chippeways and Wild-oats — resided in this bay. From Isle Detour it is three miles to Isle Broulès, or Burnt Island; from thence it is six miles to Isle Vert, or Green Island; from thence to Isle de Pou, or Pottawottamie Island, it is six miles; from Pottawottamie Island to Petite Etraite, or Little Strait, it is nine miles; at this place there is a village of

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two lodges of Chippeways. From thence to Port des Mort, or Death's Door, (the mainland on the south side of the lake), it is six miles; this place was called Death's Door on account of a number of Indians, in their canoes, having been drowned there; it is a very high, rocky and dangerous place in high winds, and is about one hundred and sixty miles from Chicago. From Death's Door to Isle de Raccio, an island in form of a circle, it is twenty-one miles, at which place there is an entrance for boats in which no winds whatever can molest them, as there is a very large basin for a harbor; this island is about one and a half miles from the shore. From thence it is three miles to two small islands, near the shore, called by the Indians Nicola-Kechis, on which there is a village of two lodges of Chippeways. From Nichola-Kechis it is twenty-one miles to Bay de Tourgeon, or Sturgeon Bay, where there is a village of three lodges of Chippeways; this bay is very deep. From this bay to Red River it is twenty-one miles. From Red River to Cape de Pouant, or Winnebago Cape, (a very high and handsome place, and where there was formerly a Winnebago village,) the distance is fifteen miles. From Winnebago Cape to Point au Sable, or Sandy Point, a bay where a few Wild-oats live, it is three miles — from which point cross over to the entrance of Green Bay, a distance of six miles. From Green Bay to Minne-Wakey, on the route to Chicago, it is one hundred and fifty miles. From Minne-Wakey (at and near which there are a number of Pottawottamies, Ottaways and Chippeways) it is ninety miles to Chicago; the country around Green Bay is very beautiful, the land is excellent, and it is settled on each side of the river (which empties into the bay) by Canadians and some Americans; there are here about forty houses, and the inhabitants are mostly all farmers; the north side is the most settled; there is an excellent grist mill and distillery, and there is also, near this place, a large village of the Wild-oats, situated on the north side, who have always been very friendly. Three miles from Green Bay is Rapide de Pere, where there is a grist mill. Six miles from Rapide de Pere is Petite Kakalin Rapids, where there is a village of six lodges of Wild-oats. Nine miles from this place is the Grand Kakalin Rapids and portage, where there is a small village of Wild-oats. Six miles from the Grand Kakalin Rapids is the small falls of the Petite Calumi. Six miles from Petite Calumi is the Grand Calumi and the portage, where the falls are much more considerable. Nine miles from Grand Calumi is the Rapids de Pouant, at the head of the entrance of Lake de Pouant, where there is a village of about seven lodges of Ponants; this village, though now reduced to seven lodges, formerly contained as many as thirty. Lake Pouant is about twenty-one miles long and about four or five miles wide; at the end of this lake is the entrance to Fox River of the Wisconsin, at which place Mr. Hays says he haa seen a very large village of Pouants, but at that time (1812) there was not one lodge. From the mouth of Fox River it is nine miles to Bute de Morte, or Death's Hill — so called in consequence of a number of Indians having been killed there, a number of years ago, by the French; on the north side of the river at this place the Wild-oats have a village. From Death's Hill it is three miles to the Rivier des Loup, or Wolf River. From this river it is fifteen miles to Wakan, formerly a village of Winnebagoes, but now abandoned. From Wakan it is fifteen miles to Tounere Jannof, or Yellow Thunder. From Yellow Thunder it is fifteen miles to Le Plane, a remarkable place for encampment. From Le Plane to Mak-kan, a small river, on which there was formerly a Winnebago village, it is fifteen miles. From Mak-kan to Lake A-pock-way, where there is a village of two or three lodges, but where once there was a very large village, it is fifteen miles; this lake is nine miles long. From thence to Buffalo Lake it is fifteen miles; this lake is nine miles across. From Buffalo Lake to Little Rock it is fifteen miles. From Little Rock to

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the Forks it is fifteen miles. From the Forks it is fifteen miles to the Wisconsin portage; the length of the portage is two and a-half miles; at the portage there is a village of Winnebagoes, of three lodges, at which place a Frenchman lives who carries over the goods, boats, etc., with wagons; it is about three hundred and sixty miles from Lake Michigan to the Wisconsin River. From the portage of Wisconsin it is about one hundred and twenty miles to a village of Winnebagoes, of ten lodges, about sixty miles from its mouth, where it empties into the Mississippi River; there is nothing remarkable in the Wisconsin River except the big turn on the north side, about ninety miles from the mouth and the same distance from the portage. From the mouth of the Wisconsin it is six miles to Prairie du Chien, and twenty-one to Village La Porte, a village of ten lodges of Foxes. From Village La Porte to Turkey River it is nine miles; on this river there are about fifteen lodges of Foxes. From Turkey River to Village Batard, consisting of about eight lodges of Foxes, it is fifteen miles. From Village Batard to Little Prairie, a village of three lodges of Foxes, it is nine miles. From Little Prairie to Petite Makoketè, where there are six lodges of Foxes, it is nine miles. From Petite Makoketè to Old Mines it is nine miles. From Old Mines to New or Spanish Mines it is six miles; near this place there is a village of Foxes, up a small river. From Spanish Mines to Death's Head it is fifteen miles; this is the place where Hunt's men were killed. From Spanish Mines to the River Sussenneway, opposite Death's Head, it is also fifteen miles. From the River Sussenneway to Fever River, on both of which rivers there are excellent lead mines, it is three miles. From Fever River to Village Chaniere, containing ten lodges of Foxes, it is nine miles. From Chaniere to Grand Makoketé it is six miles. From thence to Apple River it is six miles. From thence to La Prairie de Frappeau it is fifteen miles. From thence to Potato Prairie it is fifteen miles. From thence to Che-che-qui-me-nanque, formerly an Indian village, it is about nine miles. From thence to Marais de Angè it is nine miles. From thence to Pecesuisenany, formerly an Indian village, it is nine miles. From thence to the Rapids of Rock River it is nine miles; these rapids are about eighteen miles in length; at the foot of them there are about thirty lodges, having formerly for their chief Peau Blanc, or White Skins, but at present his brother, Mohawk, is their chief. From this village to Rock River it is three miles, and about one and half miles up Rock River, on the south side, there is a very extensive village of Sacs, of nearly two hundred lodges; up this river, also, about twenty or thirty miles from the mouth, there is a considerable Winnebago village. From Rock River to Grand Muscatine it is thirty miles. From thence to Iowa River it is thirty miles. From Iowa River to Skunk River it is sixty miles. From thence to Horse-shoe it is twelve miles. From Horse shoe to to Fort Madison it is nine miles. From thence to the head of Rapids des Moine it is nine miles; these Rapids are eighteen miles long. From the foot of the Rapids to the River des Moine it is about three miles. From thence to Fox River it is six miles. From Fox River to River Wacanda it is twenty-one miles. From thence to Prairie Wacanda it is three miles. From thence to Bay Boston it is nine miles. From thence to L'eau Froide, or Fabian River, it is eighteen miles. From Fabian River to Two Rivers it is three miles, to Prairie Joffreon. From thence to Bay Charl it is fifteen miles. From thence to Petite Glaze it is twelve miles. From Petite Glaze to Fort Mason it is two miles. From thence to Salt River it is twenty-seven miles. From Salt River to River Denoyer it is three miles. From River Denoyer to Buffalo River it is three miles. From Buffalo River to River Callumè it is four and half miles; it was near this river that O'Neal's family were killed. From Callumè to Fort Boucher it is six miles. From Fort Boucher to Dog Island it

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is six miles. From thence to Bell's Point it is twenty-four miles. From Bell's Point to Cape au Grey it is fifteen miles. From Cape au Grey to Cuiver River it is three miles. From thence to La Peruque, a small French village, it is six miles. From La Peruque to the River Dedain it is six miles. From thence to the Illinois River it is six miles. From thence to Portage de Sioux it is nine miles. From Portage de Sioux to the Missouri River it is six miles. From thence to St. Louis it is eighteen miles. From St. Louis to Cahokia it is four miles.

The Pottawottamies, on the Illinois River, are divided into three bands, to-wit: that of Gomo, consisting of about 150 men; they reside at the end of Peoria Lake about seven leagues from Peoria. The Pepper's band at Sand River, about two leagues below the Quinqueque, consisting of about 200 men of different nations — as Pottawottamies, Chippeways and Ottaways; Letourneau and Mettetasse are of this band. Sand River is fifty leagues above Peoria and twenty leagues below Lake Michigan. Mainpoc's band resides seven leagues up the Quinqueque (now called the Kankakee), and consists of about fifty men. The remaining Pottawottamies live on the River St. Joseph, on which there are three or four villages. On the Fox River, which empties into the Illinois River at the Charboniere, or Coal-pit, about thirty-five leagues above Peoria, is another band of Pottawottamies, Chippeways and Ottaways, having for their leader Wa-bee-saux. This river takes its source from Mil-waa-kee. In this band there are only about 30 men.

The Kee kaa-poos are divided into three bands: Pamawatans, consisting of about 100 men, exclusive of those at the Prophet's, are now making their village on Peoria Lake, three leagues from Peoria. The Little Deer has also abandoned their great village, and is now forming his village opposite to Gomo's. His band consists of about 70 men. Of this band there are also about 50 men, and the same number of Pottawottamies with the Prophet. At the Little Makina, a river on the south side of the Illinois River, is a band, headed by no particular chief, but generally by warriors. Le Bourse Sulky is generally regarded as the main chief. This tribe consists of Kees, Chippeways, Ottaways and Pous, and number about 60.

At the camping place of Chicago, three leagues from the lake, is a village of about 30 men, of Pottawottamies, Chippeways and Ottaways, having for their chief Co-wa-bee-may.

The distance from Peoria to the Rock River on the Mississippi, is about twenty leagues by land, and can be traveled in two days on foot and in one on horseback. The country is mostly prairie and very fine open woodland. Opposite to the River Vermilion, which is nearly thirty leagues above Peoria, by cutting across the land, one would reach Rock River near Milwaakee. The whole country between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers is a fine open country, easy to travel through, chiefly prairie, but high land. The Winnebago village on Rock River is about thirty or forty leagues from the mouth and within one day's march of their old village on the Lake Ap Quay, in the Fox River, that comes from Green Bay. The distance from the Winnebago River to Milwaakee can be traveled in one and half days.

Leaving Chicago to go to Makina, on the south side of Lake Michigan, the first river you reach is the Little Calumick, about five leagues from Chicago. There is on this river a village consisting of about one hundred men, of Pous, Chippeways and Ottaways. Old Camp pignan is their chief. He has a burnt hand and broken nose. It was reported this spring that he was killed, on his way from Niagara to Detroit. Man-mon-qai, who was his second, will probably be their next chief.

About ten leagues up the St. Joseph, a river about thirty leagues from Chicago, there is a village of about 10 men, of Pottawottamies, with no particular chief to

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head them. On the Terre-coupee, a small river that empties into the St. Joseph, there is a village of 100 men, of Pous, headed by Mock-kua gon, about ten leagues on a straight line from the lake and about thirty leagues by land, to Chicago. The roads from this place to the lake and to Chicago are very fine, and pass through an open country.

There is another village on the St. Joseph, about forty leagues above the mouth, of Pottawottamies, the number of whom is not known. This village is situated at the entrance of a small river called La Reviere Pirette, or Speckled River. The chief of this band is named Mon-neck-quai-bee.

On the Stagheart, a small river, which also empties into the St. Joseph, there is a village of Pous, the number of whom is not known. Their chief is Nan-quee-sai.

At the entrance of the Keck-kaa-ne ma-zo River into the lake, about fifteen leagues north of the St. Joseph, there is a small village of 7 or 8 men, without any chief and about twenty five leagues up the river there is a village of Pous and Ottaways, of about 60 or 70 men. Their chief is unknown.

On the Grand River, ten leagues beyond the Keck-kaa-ne-ma-zo, there are four villages of Ottaways, containing in all about 200 men. The first village is about three leagues, the second about fifteen, the third about twenty-five, and the fourth about forty leagues from the entrance, on a small river called Riviere de Plaines. This grand river extends very nearly to Detroit.

Four leagues beyond the Grand River is the Mash-kee-gon, on which there are two villages of Ottaways — the first about fifteen and the second about thirty leagues from the mouth. The chief of the first is Peck-kwa-nai, or Smoke; of the second, Wampum.

Four leagues beyond the Wash-kee-gon is White River, one league beyond which, on the bluffs, is a village called the Bluffs of Ottawa, of about 70 or 80 men, whose chief is not known. Twelve leagues beyond the White River is the River Pere Marquette, on which there is a small village of Ottaways, chief unknown.

The first river, in going up the Illinois River, is the Fouchai River, on the south side and about six miles from the mouth of the Illinois River. The River Ma-ka-pinn is two miles above the Fouchai and on the same side of the Illinois. On the south side and three leagues above is the Lionoise. On the same side and two leagues above is La Pomme, or Apple River. On the north side and two leagues above Apple River is River Chabot. Mouse River, on the south side, is three leagues higher, and from this river it is one day's march to the Mississippi. Two and a half leagues higher, on the north side, is Blue River. Two leagues above Blue River, on the north side, is Pierre a la Fleche, or Arrowstone River. On the south side, two leagues above Pierre a la Fleche, is Negro River. Mauvaise-terre River is one and half leagues higher. Labellansine, on the south side, is four leagues above. Mine River, on the north side, is two leagues above, and from this river it is one and half day's march to the Mississippi. Four leagues above, on the north side, is La Riviere a Bordelle, or Brothel River. On the south side, one and half leagues above, is Sain-quee-mon River. This river extends to Wecas, near Vincennes, and on its branches were formerly Kee-ka-poo villages. On the south side, about ten leagues above the Sain-quee-mon, is the River Meequen, which keeps a direct line with the Illinois River for a long distance. Little Shwaa-yan, on the north side, is three leagues higher. Shee-shee-quen on the north side is four leagues higher. Little Makina is five leagues higher, on the south side; the Kickapoos

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have a village here. The river is four leagues higher on the north side and one league below Peoria. Lake Peoria is seven leagues long, at the end of which is Gomo's village and a river called Moran's River. Little Deer's village is opposite to Gomo's. Eight leagues higher is Corbeau River, or Blackbird River, on the south side. Bureau River is six leagues higher, on the north side. Vermillion River, on the south side, is nine leagues higher. Fox River, on the north side, is four leagues higher. River Massan is about nine leagues higher, on the south side. From here we can get to the Wabash, through a fine open country. Sand River, on the north side, is three leagues higher. One and a half leagues higher is the forks of the Quin-que-que. On the south side at this place the Illinois loses its name, and is called from here Chicago River, to the lake, a distance of about twenty leagues. On the north side of Lake Michigan, about thirty leagues from Chicago, is River Mill-waa-kee, where may be found villages of Pottawottamies and Nollesawanes. At the Sauk River, on the same side, is a village of Ottaways and Chippeways, and from this river it is but twelve miles to Green Bay.

The description of the several routes, villages, tribes and country is taken from notes and maps furnished to Gov. Edwards, in 1812, by Mr. John Hays and Mr. John Hay, both of whom filled important offices and were intelligent Frenchmen. The latter was, for many years, clerk of all the courts, and judge of probate of the county of St. Clair, in the State of Illinois. I extract the following from a letter of John Hays to Gov. Edwards, of August 20, 1812:

The route from Montreal to Michilimakanac, by the Grand River, is called 900 miles, the most difficult route perhaps in the world. There are 36 carrying places, where all the goods are carried on men's backs over these portages, and in most of those places the bark canoes are likewise carried on men's shoulders. There are also 36 places where half canoe loads are carried, owing to the great rapids. The canoe starts half loaded and deposits the half load at a certain place, and then returns for the other half load. No boats of any kind can ascend this river — only bark canoes which carry seventy pieces, weighing one hundred pounds each; every man carries two of those pieces over each carrying place. The canoes are navigated by ten or eleven men, with paddles. By this route all the merchandise from Montreal is carried to the Grand Portage, Nippegand Arthateaska, and all the other wintering places on Lake Superior, and the peltries return by the same route. A few years past all the merchandise from Montreal to Mackanac was taken by the same route. The fort St. Joseph is about seventeen leagues from Mackanac. Goods may be brought from St. Joseph along the main land and by the Island of Mackanac. Those brought the last fall into the Mississippi, by Mr. Dickson and others, were brought by this route.

The following description of Prairie du Chien is taken from a letter of N. Boilvine to the Secretary of War, of the 2d of February, 1811:

Prairie du Chien is an old Indian town, which was sold by the Indians to the Canadian traders about thirty years ago, where they have ever since taken their merchandise, from which place it was sent in various directions. The Indians also sold to them, at the same time, a tract of land measuring six leagues up and down the river and six leagues back of it — the village between thirty and forty houses, and the tract just mentioned about thirty-two families — so that the whole settlement

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contains about 100 families. These men are generally French Canadians, most of whom have married Indian wives; very few white females are to be found in the settlement. These people attend to the cultivation of their land, which is extremely fertile; they raise considerable quantity of surplus produce, particularly wheat and corn; they annually dispose of eighty thousand pounds of flour to the traders and Indians, besides a great quantity of meal, and the quantity of produce would be greatly increased if a suitable demand existed for it. Such is the beauty of the climate, that the country begins to attract the attention of settlers. A variety of fruit trees have lately been planted and promise to grow well. Prairie du Chien is surrounded by numerous Indiana, who wholly depend on it for their supplies. Great danger, both to individuals and the Government, is to be apprehended from the Canadian traders, who endeavor to incite the Indians against us, partly to monopolize their trade, and partly to secure their friendship in case a war should break out between us and England. They are continually making large presents to the Indians.

The United States, by the adoption of one simple measure, can secure this trade and put an end to the intercourse between the Canadian traders and the Indians. Prairie du Chien, from its central position, is well calculated for a garrison and factory. It affords health, plenty of fine timber and good water. The Indians have turned their attention to the manufacture of lead, from a mine about 60 miles below Prairie du Chien. During the last season they exchanged four hundred thousand pounds of that article for goods. They might be prevailed upon to open more mines, as the profits from the manufacture of lead are much greater than from the laborious pursuit of peltries. A few tools will be necessary for them, and perhaps a blacksmith to repair them. As soon as the Indians turn their attention to lead, the Canadian traders, who have no use for that article, in the way of commerce, would abandon the country. The factory ought to be well supplied with goods to be exchanged for lead. This trade would be more valuable to the United States than peltries, as lead is not a perishable article and is easily transported, whereas peltries are bulky and large quantities are annually spoiled before they reach market.

After the war, and in connection with Gov. Clark and Gol. A. Choteau of St. Louis, Gov. Edwards was appointed by the General Government to hold a treaty with the Indian tribes that had been concerned in the war. This treaty was of vital importance to the future interests of Illinois and Missouri, and no small portion of its advantages may be attributed to the forecast of Gov. Edwards. In one of his communications to the Legislature, he thus refers to one of the objects he had in making this treaty:

In 1816 a tract of land bounded by Lake Michigan, including Chicago, and extending to the Illinois River, was obtained from the Indians, for the purpose of opening a canal communication between the lake and river. Having been one of the Commissioners who treated for this land, I personally know that the Indians were induced to believe that the opening of the canal would be very advantageous to them, and that, under authorized expectations that this would be done, they ceded the land for a trifle. Good faith, therefore, towards these Indians, as well as the concurring interest of the State and of the Union, seems to require that the execution of this truly national object should not be unnecessarily delayed; and nothing is more reasonable than that the expenses should be defrayed out of the proceeds of the very property which was so ceded for the express purpose of having it done.

The replies to his communications, both from the Territorial Legislature and the Chiefs of the Departments at Washington, show in what high estimation his opinions in relation to the Indians, the salines, and his public services, were held. His intimate knowledge of the character of the Indian tribes enabled him, when requested by the General Government, to give important advice in the adoption of measures relative to our intercourse and trade with them; and in every instance, without an exception, his views were adopted by the Government. Wm. H. Crawford, who was Secretary of War in 1816, refers to Gov. Edwards' views on the subject of the Indian trade in a highly complimentary manner. He says, "his view of the subject, as well as several other important ideas, are more fully developed in the communication of Gov. Edwards;" and in a letter to Gov. Edwards, he says, "the Department has the fullest confidence in the rectitude with which your superintendence has been exercised." The same may be said of the views entertained and the opinions communicated by him in relation to the U. S. saline and lead mines, as will appear from his extensive correspondence on those subjects.

"Owing to his knowledge and experience with the Indian character and affairs," he was called upon by Mr. Calhoun, Secretary of War in 1818, for his views in relation to the Indian trade, and for his ideas, also, on the "relative merits of the system as it then was or with the improvements of which it was susceptible, and the one proposed to be substituted by Congress."

In the year 1817, he received a letter from a very distinguished gentleman, stating that his friends in Washington City were urging his appointment as Secretary of the War Department. The editor of the "National Register," in Washington, and one of the most influential papers of the city of Baltimore, also presented his claims for that office.

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