25th.  Chippewa Language.—­There is clearly a polite and a vulgar way of speaking the language.  Tradition says that great changes have taken place, and that these changes keep pace with the decline of the tribe from their ancient standard of forest morals and their departure from their ancient customs.  However this may be, their actual vocabulary is pretty full.  Difficulties exist in writing it, from the want of an exact and uniform system of notation.  The vowels assume their short and slender as well as broad sounds.  The language appears to want entirely the consonant sounds of f, l, r, v, and x.  In conjugating their verbs, the three primary tenses are well made out, but it is doubtful how much exactitude exists in the forms given for the oblique and conditional tenses.  If it be true that the language is more corrupt now than at a former age, it is important to inquire in what this corruption consists, and how it came about.  “To rescue it,” I observe at the close of a letter now on my table to his Excellency Governor C., transmitting him a vocabulary of one hundred and fifty words, “To rescue it from that oblivion to which the tribe itself is rapidly hastening, while yet it may be attempted, with a prospect of success, will constitute a novel and pleasing species of amusement during the long evenings of that dreary cold winter of which we have already had a foretaste.”

31st.  Public Worship.—­As Colonel Brady is about to leave the post for the season, some conversation has been had about authorizing him to get a clergyman to come to the post.  It is thought that if such a person would devote a part of his time as an instructor, a voluntary subscription could be got among the citizens to supply the sum requisite for his support.  I drew up a paper with this view this morning, and after handing it round, found the sum of ninety-seven dollars subscribed—­seventy-five dollars of which are by four persons.  This is not half the stipend of “forty pounds a year” that poor Goldsmith’s brother thought himself rich upon; and it is apprehended the colonel will hardly find the inducement sufficient to elicit attention to so very remote a quarter.

Nov. 1st.  We have snow, cold, and chilly winds.  On looking to the north, there are huge piles of clouds hanging over Lake Superior.  We may say, with Burns,

     “The wintry wind is gathering fast.”

This is a holiday with the Canadian French—­“All Saints.”  They appear as lively and thoughtless as if all the saints in the calendar were to join them in a dance.  Well may it be said of them, “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.”