Old Mackinaw Part 5

Lake Huron -- Eastern sh.o.r.e of Michigan -- Face of the country -- Picturesque view -- Rivers -- Grand -- Saginaw -- Cheboy-e-gun -- Natural scenery -- Fort Gratiot -- White Rock -- Saginaw Bay -- Thunder Bay -- Bois Blanc Island -- Drummond's Island -- British Troops -- St. Helena Island -- Iroquois Woman's Point -- Point La Barbe -- Point aux Sable -- Point St. Vital -- Wreck of the Queen City -- St. Martin's Island -- Fox Point -- Moneto pa-maw -- Mille au Coquin -- Great fis.h.i.+ng places -- Cross Village -- Catholic Convent.

Lake Huron, which, with Lake Erie and St. Clair, washes the eastern boundary of the southern peninsula of Michigan, is two hundred and fifty miles long and its average width is about one hundred miles. Its depth is about eight hundred feet. The southeastern sh.o.r.e of Michigan presents a level surface covered with a dense forest, at points meeting the edge of the bank. The trees of this heavily-timbered land, with their ma.s.sive shafts standing close together, "cast a gloomy grandeur over the scene, and when stripped of their foliage appear like the black colonnade of a sylvan temple." In advancing into the interior, a picturesque and rolling country opens to view, covered with oak-openings or groves of white oak thinly scattered over the ground, having the appearance of stately parks. The appearance of the surface of the country is as if it was covered with mounds, arranged without order, sometimes rising from thirty to two hundred feet in height, producing a delightful alternation of hill and dale, which is sometimes varied by a rich prairie or burr-oak grove.

The princ.i.p.al rivers of the State are the Grand, St. Joseph's, Kalamazoo, the Raisin, the Clinton, the Huron, and the Rouge. The Grand is two hundred and seventy miles in length, and has a free navigation for steamboats which ply regularly between Lake Michigan and Grand Rapids, a distance of forty miles. The Saginaw empties into Lake Huron and is navigable for sixty miles. These, with the others we have named, interlock their branches running through different parts of southern Michigan, and while they beautify the landscape they afford water-power and fertilize the soil.

The river Cheboy-e-gun is the largest stream in the northern portion of the lower peninsula and empties into the Straits of Mackinaw opposite Bois Blanc Island. At its mouth is a village containing two steam saw mills and one water saw mill. A light-house stands a mile or two east from this point. Brook-trout, ba.s.s, pike, pickerel, and perch, are caught at the entrance of the river. In the fall and spring numerous water-fowl resort to the upper forks of the river and to the small lakes forming its sources. These lakes also abound with a great variety of fish, which can be taken by spearing.

The natural scenery of Michigan is imposing. The extensive tracts of dense forests, clothed with the richest verdure, fresh as when it first came from the hands of the Creator; the prairies and lakes which abound, the wide parks, whose soil is entirely covered for miles with large and rich flowers, present a striking and agreeable contrast. The beech and black walnut, the elm, the maple, the hickory, and the oaks of different species and large size, the lind and the ba.s.s-wood, and various other kinds of forest trees, plainly indicate the fertility of the soil from whence they spring. Grape vines often hang from the branches a foot in circ.u.mference, cl.u.s.tering around their trunks, or thickening the undergrowth along the banks of rivers; and, while the glades open to the sun like cultivated grounds, the more thickly-timbered forests, shut out from the sky by the ma.s.s of vegetation, present in summer a gloomy twilight.

In traveling along the main roads of Michigan, splendid tracts of park-like lawns sweep along the path for miles covered with flowers, broken by prairies, thick forests, and lakes.

Fort Gratiot stands at the foot of Lake Huron and commands the entrance to the upper lakes. Advancing along the western sh.o.r.e of this lake the voyager sees a long, alluvial bank covered with a forest of pine, poplar, beech, and hemlock.

On advancing further the banks become more elevated until they rise to forty feet in height. About fifty miles from Fort Gratiot, a large rock rises to the surface of the lake, a mile or so from the sh.o.r.e, which is called the "White Rock." From the earliest period this rock has been regarded as an altar or a landmark. It was to the early voyagers a beacon to guide them in their course; but to the Indians it was a place of oblation, where they offered sacrifices to the spirits of the lakes.

Saginaw Bay is a large indentation of the sh.o.r.eline like to that of Green Bay in Lake Michigan, but not so large. Near its centre are a number of small islands. Twenty miles from its mouth stands the thriving town of Saginaw. From the northwesterly cape of Saginaw Bay to Flat Rock Point, the sh.o.r.e of Lake Huron presents a bank of alluvial soil, with a margin of sand along its border intersected with frequent ma.s.ses of limestone rock, in some places ground to fragments by the surging of the waves.

Thunder Bay is also another indentation made by the Lake. It was thus called from the impression that at this point the air was more than ordinarily charged with electricity.

Bois Blanc Island, at the head of Lake Huron, stretches in the form of a crescent between the Island of Mackinac and the lower peninsula of Michigan. It is from ten to twelve miles in length by three or four in breadth. The lower part of this island is sandy, but the larger portion of it is covered with a fertile soil bearing a forest of elm, maple, oak, ash, whitewood and beech. It has been surveyed and a government light-house stands on its eastern point.

In the northern part of Lake Michigan are located Beaver Islands.

There are five or six of this group bearing different names. Big Beaver is the most considerable, and contains perhaps forty square miles. These islands all lie in the vicinity of each other, and within a few miles northwest of Grand and Little Traverse Bays in Lake Michigan. The Big Beaver was, up to July, 1856, in possession of the Mormons, who claimed it as a gift from the Lord.

Another interesting locality is Drummond's Island, between the Detour and the False Detour. It was taken possession of by the British troops when they surrendered Fort Mackinaw in 1814. On this island they built a fort and formed quite a settlement. Upon an examination of the boundary line between the United States and Great Britain, it was ascertained that this island was within the jurisdiction of the former, and it was accordingly evacuated by the British in 1828. The British subjects living on the island followed the troops, and the place was soon deserted and became a desolation.

St. Helena Island is a small island near the Straits of Mackinaw, not far from the sh.o.r.e of the northern peninsula, containing a few acres over a section of land. It is a great fis.h.i.+ng station, and enjoys a good harbor protected from westerly winds. Its owner, who has exiled himself _a la Napoleon_, spends his time in fis.h.i.+ng, and other pursuits adapted to his mind.

In addition to the numerous islands const.i.tuting the surroundings of Mackinaw there are a number of interesting localities denominated "Points", that we must not omit to mention. The first, because the most important, and one which is connected with many historic a.s.sociations which we shall direct attention to, is the "Iroquois Woman's Point," the Indian name for Point St. Ignatius on the opposite side of the straits from Mackinaw, distant between three and four miles, about the same as from the Battery at New York to Staten Island. The original inhabitants with their descendants have long since pa.s.sed away. Its present occupants are princ.i.p.ally Canadians. It has a Catholic chapel.

Point La Barbe, opposite to Green Island Shoals and Mackinaw, is a projection of the upper peninsula into the straits. It is four miles distant from Gross Cape, and derives its name from a custom which prevailed among the Indian traders in olden time on their annual return to Mackinaw of stopping here and putting on their best apparel before making their appearance among the people of that place.

About half way between Mackinaw and Cheboy-e-gun, a projection from the lower peninsula into the straits, is Point aux Sable. Point St.

Vital is a cape projecting into Lake Huron from the southeastern extremity of the upper peninsula. There is a reef of rocks off this point where the steamer Queen City was wrecked. On a clear day this point may be seen from Fort Holmes, and it presents an enchanting view. The St. Martin's Islands are also in full view from this point.

In the southwestern part of the straits, about twenty miles distant from Mackinaw, is Fox Point. A light-house has been erected on a shoal extending out two miles into the lake. Moneto-pa-maw is a high bluff still further west, on the sh.o.r.e of Michigan, where there are fine fisheries, and is a place of considerable resort. Further west, near the mouth of the Mille au Coquin river which empties into Michigan, there are also excellent fisheries, and to those who are fond of this kind of sport apart from the profit connected with it, there is no place in the world possessing half the attractions as Mackinaw and its surroundings, while the "Mackinaw trout," with the "Mackinaw boat" and the "Mackinaw blanket," are famous over the world.

Between Little Traverse and Mackinaw is the village of Cross, or La Crosse. The following interesting account of a visit to that place is taken from the Mackinaw Herald in 1859:

"The name of this village--'Cross,' recalls to one's mind, some reminiscences connected with the early history of the Indian Missions. Suffice it to observe, that it derives its name from the circ.u.mstance of a large cross having stood for many years on the brow of the hill, on which the present Indian village stands, planted there by some of the followers of James Marquette, during their explorations and missions in this part of the country. The old cross was of oak, and was still standing about forty-five years ago. Recently it has been replaced by another. An old Indian, called _The Short-Arm_, over whose head some eighty winters had pa.s.sed, was still living in 1836, and who, when a little boy, recollected to have seen the last Missionary of this place. 'I am old, my children,' said the aged Missionary, 'and I wish to die among my own people--I must leave you.'

He left; and in the course of time the Arbre-Croche Indians relapsed into Paganism. They continued in this state until a young Christian Ottawa, named _Aw-taw-weesh_, who had just returned from among the Catholic Algonquins in Canada, appeared among them and taught religion. He became also, in some respects, what Cadmus was of old, or Guess among the Cherokees--the first teacher of letters, among his people. As writing paper was then scarce, at least among the Indians, he taught them to write on birch bark, with sharpened sticks, instead of pens. This man is still living. He is now old, poor, almost entirely blind; and although having been a real benefactor to his people, he may go down to his grave, unpitied, and unknown.

"But awakened by his teachings, the Indians afterward called loudly on Missionaries to come among them, and they have had them during the past thirty or forty years.

"At this day two Catholic Clergymen and a Convent of four Brothers and twelve Sisters--being a religious community, of the Third Order of St.

Francis--are stationed at this place. But, to return: As rough voyaging generally gives keen appet.i.te, so the party did ample justice to the eatables, which had been prepared by the Indians. Perhaps some reader at a distance might suppose this supper to have been taken in a _wigwam_; with the fire-place in the centre, a hole above for the escape of smoke; and the party squatting down upon the ground, with legs crossed in tailor fas.h.i.+on, around a single dish: no, no; but it was prepared in a good, substantial house; on a table with a table-cloth, with crockery, dishes, tea-cups and saucers, and knives and forks, such as are used by common white folks. Then there stood the waiters, ready to a.s.sist the double-handed manipulations going on at the table. At a convenient hour, the party separated for the night; the agent was put in possession of the clergyman's house, then temporarily absent on a mission, by the Rev. Mr. Weikamp, the Superior of the Convent.

"The next day, after the forenoon services of the church at the village, the agent and party, according to previous invitation, went to the Convent for dinner. Arrived there, they were introduced first into a log cabin, situated at some distance in the rear of the convent, occupied by the four Brothers, belonging to the order, and the Rev. Superior. He occupies a single room, in real new-settler style. This is his sitting-room, library, study and bed-room. He has traveled in Europe, and some parts of Asia; he has various objects of curiosity; and among these is a silver coin of about the size and value of a Mexican quarter of a dollar, which he brought with him from Jerusalem. This piece of money is said to be one of the kind of which Judas received thirty pieces, from the chief priests and magistrates, the price for which he sold his Divine Master. Another thing, is a Turkish pipe, with its long, pliable stem, with which the lover of the 'weed' could regale himself without being annoyed by the smoke, as usual; for the pipe, which is made somewhat in the shape and of the size of a small decanter and half filled with water is so arranged that while the wet tobacco is burning in the cup on the top, the smoke, during suction at the stem, descends through a tube into the water, and none of it escapes visibly, into the open air. The Rev. Mr.

Weikamp, the Superior, is a German, and speaks English fluently. He is in the prime of life, and is full of energy and perseverance. He is not one of those who, from the fact of belonging to a religious order, may be supposed to be gloomy, with head bowed down, not hardly daring to cast his eyes up into the beautiful light of the heavens; but he converses with freedom, ease and a.s.surance; and he relishes a joke as well as any man, when it comes _a propos_. A fanciful peculiarity, though nothing strange in it, attends his steps wherever he goes, in the shape of a small black dog called "Finnie," with a string of small horse-bells round his neck. "Finnie" has two black, watery and glistening spots in his head for eyes, which seem ready to shoot out from their sockets, especially when spoken to. When told in German, to speak, 'Finnie' begins to tremble--he shakes his head--jingles his bells; and utters a kind of guttural snuffling, and half-suppressed growl or bark. But, as we are not acquainted with the German language, we cannot say, that "Finnie" p.r.o.nounces it well!

"Dinner being announced at the convent, the party went over with the Superior to partake of it. Everything about the table was scrupulously neat--an abundance of the substantial of good living had been prepared by the Sisters. Some time after dinner the vesper bell rang at the convent; and by special permission, the party were shown into the choir usually occupied by the Brothers alone during the services of the church. This was on one side of the altar; and on the other, was a similar choir for the sisters. In the body of the church, the Indians or others are admitted. For a few moments after entering, all was silence;--but the priest having intoned the vespers, the sweet tones of a large melodeon suddenly swelled through the sanctuary, mingling with the voices of the sisters. This for a time had a singular effect.

To hear music in these wild woods, far away from civilized society where instrumental music forms part of the ordinary pleasures and amenities of life, served to recall to one's memory other days and other climes. After vespers, the Superior of the convent conducted the party through the building to view it. The dimensions are: 160 feet long, 80 wide, and 28 feet high. There are two court yards, each 40 by 40 feet, and the church also 40 by 40, placed between them. When finished, this building will contain 108 bedrooms, a large schoolroom, carpenter and blacksmith shops, dining-rooms, kitchen, store-rooms, halls, corridors, &c. It will be separated into two parts; one to be occupied exclusively by the Sisters, and the other by the Brothers. At the time of this visit, there were some cultivated flowers yet in bloom in the court-yard. So much for the material building: and now a hasty sketch of this religious order may not be unacceptable to some of our readers.

"This religious community, is the Third Order of St. Francis, of a.s.sisi, inst.i.tuted in Europe by this saint in 1221. It was established for persons married or single living in the world, united by certain pious exercises, compatible with a secular state. It soon spread over all Europe, and even kings and queens on their thrones vied with the poorest peasants in eagerly entering this order, to share the labors of the mission within its sphere, and to partic.i.p.ate in its spiritual benefits. Among the persons of this order, who were expelled from their cloister homes during the revolution which agitated Europe in 1848, was Sister Teresa Hackelmayer. This nun, at the proposal of a missionary father in America, and by permission of her Superior, came to New York in the winter of 1851, to establish a community of her order in that State. But meeting with disappointment there, she finally established a convent at Oldenburg, in the State of Indiana.

In 1851, a second convent of this order was founded at Nojos.h.i.+ng, four miles from Milwaukee, on Lake Michigan. In 1853, the Rev. J. B.

Weikamp founded, in West Chicago, the third convent of this order, and also formed a community of Brothers;--and in October 1855, with the understanding of Bishop Baraga, then Vicar Apostolic of Upper Michigan, he transferred those two communities to 'Cross Village'--his present location.

"The company having ranged through the building, as observed, took a walk outside. From the south side of the convent, a broad walk is laid out reaching to an inclosure of some forty feet square, at the distance of about fifteen rods. Another and narrower walk through the centre of this inclosure leads to a small square building, on the opposite side, having a four-sided roof meeting in a point, and surmounted by a cross. On entering this building, a lounge or settee, stands in front, and on the wall above it, hangs a piece of board or canva.s.s, painted black, on which are human skulls of different sizes, each with two cross bones painted in white. A trap-door is raised from the floor, and a deep, s.p.a.cious vault is opened to view: this is the place of burial for the Superior of the convent. On the outside, the s.p.a.ces on either side of the little walk are intended to be the last resting-places of the brothers and sisters. It is a solemn thought to see men thus prepare deliberately for _Death!_ But as the party retraced their steps in such cheerful, good humor, loitering toward the convent, one might have supposed that the beautiful weather, the bright suns.h.i.+ne, and the bracing air had, for the time, scattered away all thoughts of death. Among the questions proposed to the Superior was, 'Whether at any time the brothers and sisters were allowed to have social, familiar intercourse with each other?' The Superior answered, in substance, that they were not; nor even allowed to speak to each other, without permission of the Superior. 'Then according to your principle,' some one rejoined, 'the world would soon come to an end!' The remark raised a general laugh, in which the Superior himself joined heartily."

CHAPTER VIII.

Three epochs -- The romantic -- The military -- The agricultural and commercial -- An inviting region -- Jesuit and Protestant missions -- First Protestant mission -- First missionary -- Islands of Mackinac and Green Bay -- La Pointe -- Saut St. Mary -- Presbyterians -- Baptists -- Methodists -- Revival at Fort Brady -- Ke-wee-naw -- Fon du Lac -- Shawnees -- Pottawatimies -- Eagle River -- Ontonagon -- Camp River -- Iroquois Point -- Saginaw Indians -- Melancholy reflections -- Number of Indians in the States and Territories.

The history of this region, in the language of one, exhibits three distinct and strongly marked epochs. The first may be properly denominated the romantic, which extends to the year 1760, when its dominion pa.s.sed from the hands of the French to the English. This was the period when the first beams of civilization had scarcely penetrated its forests, and the paddles of the French fur trader swept the lakes, and the boat songs of the _voyageurs_ awakened the tribes on their wild and romantic sh.o.r.es.

The second epoch is the military, which commenced with the Pontiac war, running down through the successive struggles of the British, the Indians, and the Americans, to obtain dominion of the country, and ending with the victory of Commodore Perry, the defeat of Proctor, the victory of General Harrison and the death of Tec.u.mseh, the leader of the Anglo-savage conspiracy on the banks of the Thames.

The third may be denominated the enterprising, the hardy, the mechanical, and working period, commencing with the opening of the country to emigrant settlers, the age of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures, of harbors, cities, ca.n.a.ls, and railroads, when the landscapes of the forest were meted out by the compa.s.s and chain of the surveyor, when its lakes and rivers were sounded, and their capacity, to turn the wheel of a mill or to float a s.h.i.+p, were demonstrated, thus opening up avenues of commerce and industry. Its wild and savage character has pa.s.sed away, and given place to civilization, religion, and commerce, inviting the denizens of over-crowded cities to its broad lakes and beautiful rivers, its rich mines and fertile prairies, and promising a rapid and abundant remuneration for toil.

We have alluded to the labors and sacrifices of the Jesuit missionaries in the early period of the history of the northwest, and it is right and proper that the labors of the Protestant missionaries, though of a much later period, should not be forgotten. The Jesuit fathers were not alone in sacrifice and toil in introducing the Gospel among the tribes of the northwest. The first Protestant missions established in this region, as far as we have been able to learn, were those of the Presbyterian Church on the Island of Mackinac and at Green Bay.

The first missionary who visited Mackinaw was the Rev. David Bacon, father of the Rev. Leonard Bacon, D. D., of New Haven. He was sent out by the Connecticut Missionary Society in 1800, and commenced his mission in Detroit, where, after remaining a year or two, he relinquished his field to a Moravian missionary, Rev. Mr. Denky, and visited the Indians on the Maumee. From this he returned to Detroit, and from thence went to Mackinac, where he remained until the missionary society was compelled, from want of funds, to recall their missionary.

The following interesting account was given by C. J. Walker, Esq., before the Historical Society of Detroit:

"The Connecticut Missionary Society is, I believe, the oldest Missionary a.s.sociation in America. It was organized in June, 1795, the General a.s.sociation of Connecticut, at its annual meeting that year, having organized itself into a society of that name. Its object was 'to Christianize the heathen in North America, and to support and promote Christian knowledge in the new settlements within the United States.' For some years its efforts were princ.i.p.ally directed to sending missionaries 'to the new settlements in Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania,' and subsequently 'New Connecticut,' or the Western Reserve of Ohio, became an important field of its operations. The trustees, in June, 1800, determined 'that a discreet man, animated by the love of G.o.d and souls, of a good common education, be sought for, to travel among the Indian tribes south and west of Lake Erie, to explore their situation and learn their feelings with respect to Christianity, and so far as he has opportunity to teach them its doctrines and duties.' A very sensible letter of 'Instructions' was adopted and a long message 'to the Indian tribes bordering on Lake Erie' prepared, showing very little knowledge of Indian mind and character. Mr. David Bacon presented himself as a candidate for this somewhat unpromising field of labor. His son says he was one of those men who are called visionary and enthusiasts by men of more prosaic and plodding temperament. He had not a liberal education, but was a man of eminent intellectual powers and of intensely thoughtful habits, and beside a deep religious experience, he had endeavored diligently to fit himself for a missionary life, the self-denying labors of which he ardently coveted. On examination Mr. Bacon was accepted.

"On the 8th of August, 1800, Mr. Bacon left Hartford on foot with his pack upon his back, and on the 4th of September he was at Buffalo, having walked most of the distance. On the 8th, he left on a vessel for this city, which he reached after a quick and pleasant voyage on the 11th. He was made welcome at the house of the commandant, Major Hunt, where, I believe, his first religious services were held. Gen.

Uriah Tracy, of Litchfield, Conn., General Agent of the United States for the Western Indians, was then here, and, together with the local Indian agent, Jonathan Schieffelin, took an active interest in the mission of Mr. Bacon. John Askin, Esq., the same liberal-minded merchant, who so essentially befriended the Moravians twenty years before, and Benjamin Huntington, a merchant here, formerly of Norwich, Conn., rendered him valuable information and a.s.sistance. Learning from these sources that the Delawares at Sandusky, were about to remove, that the Wyandottes were mostly Catholics, and that there were no other Indians 'south and west of Lake Erie,' among whom there was an inviting field of labor, his attention was turned to the north, and, with the advice of these judicious friends, on the 13th of September, he took pa.s.sage with General Tracy in a government vessel bound for Mackinac, and went to Harson's Island, at the head of Lake St. Clair, near which there was quite an Indian settlement. Although only forty miles distant, he did not reach there until the 17th, being four days upon the voyage. Jacob Harson or Harsing, as it was originally spelled, the proprietor of this island, was an Albany Dutchman, who, in 1766, on appointment of Sir Wm. Johnson, came to Niagara as Indian blacksmith and gunsmith, and his original commission or letter of appointment, written by Sir William, is now before me. On the breaking out of the Revolution, finding Mr. Harson friendly to the Americans, the British stripped him of his property and sent him, sorely against his will, to this frontier. He established himself upon the island as early as 1786, where his descendants now reside, acquired great influence with the Indians, and lived in a very comfortable manner. He received Mr. Bacon in this beautiful retreat, with great kindness and hospitality, and he thanks the Lord that he is provided a comfortable house, a convenient study, and as good a bed and as good board as I should have had if I had remained in Connecticut. I know of no place in the State of New York so healthy as this, I believe the water and the air as pure here as in any part of New England, and I have never been before where venison and wild geese and ducks were so plenty, or where there was such a rich variety of fresh-water fish. There were many Indians in the vicinity. Mr. Harson encouraged the establishment of a mission, and Mr. Bacon deemed it a most favorable opening.

Bernardus Harson, a son of Jacob, was engaged as interpreter. He returned to Detroit on the same vessel with General Tracy, Sept. 30th, to attend an Indian Council which was held here on the 7th of October, when he was formally introduced to the Indians by General Tracy, and was most favorably received. He returned to the island and remained until the Indians departed for their winter hunting grounds, when he left for Connecticut, where he arrived about the middle of December.

He was soon ordained to the ministry, and I believe married, for he returned with a young wife of whom nothing is heard previously.

"Late in January 1801, Mr. Bacon commenced his return journey with his wife and her brother, Beaumont Parks, Esq., now of Springfield, Illinois, a young man who came with him to learn the Chippewa language and to become a teacher. The sleighing leaving them they remained at Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York, until spring, and did not reach here until May 9th. Mr. Bacon's plan was to remain at Detroit, until he became so familiar with the Indian language that he could successfully prosecute his mission. He remained here until the spring of 1802, holding regular religious services in the Council House. For a time he preached twice upon the Sabbath, but the afternoon attendance being thin, he accepted a call from the settlement on the river Rouge to preach to them half a day. To aid in defraying expenses he commenced keeping a school in the house where he lived on St. James street, just in the rear of the Masonic Hall, and in this he was a.s.sisted by his wife. One at least of our present fellow citizens was a pupil of Mr. Bacon, and has pleasant memories of that little school.

Amid many discouragements the study of the Chippewa was pursued by this missionary family, and although they made 'but slow progress' and it was 'hard work to commit their words to memory' and 'extremely difficult to construct a sentence according to the idioms of their language,' they 'hope and expect we shall be able to surmount every difficulty.'

"While thus toilfully but hopefully preparing for his antic.i.p.ated work, getting acquainted with Indians, their life and character, and as yet uncertain at what precise point to commence his mission, Mr.

Denhey, a Moravian missionary, desired to occupy the field upon the St. Clair River, which Mr. Bacon in some measure occupied the year before, and to this Mr. Bacon a.s.sented. His attention had been called to Mackinac and L'Arbre Croche, but he resolved to visit the Indians upon the Maumee, and ascertain by personal interviews and examination what encouragement there was for a mission in that vicinity. For this purpose, with his brother-in-law and a hired man, on 29th of April, 1802, he left in a canoe for the 'Miami,'as the Maumee was then called. He found most of the Indian chiefs engaged in a drunken debauch, and it was not until the 14th of May, and after repeated efforts, that he succeeded in gathering a full council, and addressing them upon the subject of establis.h.i.+ng a mission among them. He felt it his duty to have translated the message sent to the Indians by the Missionary Society. The poor savages listened courteously to this long piece of abstruse theological narrative and argument, but they must have been terribly bored, notwithstanding Mr. Bacon's efforts to 'express the ideas in language better adapted to the capacity and more agreeable to their ways of speaking.' No wonder that Little Otter was 'too unwell to attend in the afternoon.' After this translation, Mr.

Bacon made a well conceived speech of considerable length, setting forth the advantages which the Indians would derive from a mission.

There was no little point in the polished reproof of Little Otter, in the commencement of his speech, who said: 'Now brother, if you will listen to us we will give you an answer. But it is our way to be very short. Our white brothers, when they make speeches, are very lengthy.

They read and write so much that they get in a great many little things. But it is not so with your red brothers. When we go on any great business and have any great things to say, we say them in a few words.' With no little ingenuity, but with apparent courtesy, these sons of the forest declined a mission in their midst. The gist of the reply is contained in the following sentence: 'Brother, your religion is very good; but it is only good for white people. It will not do for Indians, they are quite a different sort of people.'

"On the following day Mr. Bacon started for Detroit, and remained here until June 2d, when, with his family, he removed to Missilimackinac, then the great centre of Indian population in our Territory. Here he remained until August 1804, perfecting himself in the language, teaching, preaching and pursuing the other labors incident to his mission. He very clearly saw that a successful Indian mission involved no inconsiderable expenditure in establis.h.i.+ng schools and in educating the Indians in agriculture and the ruder arts of civilization. These expenditures were too large for the means of the Missionary Society, and in January, 1804, they directed the mission to abandoned, and that Mr. Bacon should remove to the Western Reserve.

The intelligence of this reached Mr. Bacon in July, and in August he removed and became the first founder of the town of Tallmadge, Ohio.

Thus ended this first Protestant effort to convert the Indians of Michigan to the faith of the cross. It was while Mr. Bacon was residing here that Rev. Dr. Bacon was born. We may therefore, with pride, claim him as a native of our beautiful city."