Whitehead, Wamitegosh, and Sagito, who began crying they wanted to kill the whites.  Sagito then said that it was a very hard thing that they should return light—­that when one went out a hunting, he did not like to return without killing something.  “What,” he said, “did we come here for?  Was it not to kill?” At this Kewaynokwut wavered, who had promised safety, and did not interpose his authority to check the brooding evil, although he took no part in it.  Whitehead, Okwaykun, and Wamitegosh, who were in the rear of the party, leveled their arms and fired, killing on the spot the three men, who were immediately scalped.  The wildest fury was instantly excited.

Finley, in the mean time, had gone to the Indian canoes to recover his papers, saying they were of no use to them, and of importance to him.  Hearing the report of guns behind him, he perceived that his companions were killed, and took to flight.  He threw himself into the water.  Annamikees, or the Little Thunder, then fired at him and missed.  He quickly reloaded his gun, and fired again, effectively.  Finley was mortally shot.  The Indian then threw himself into the water, and cut off the unfortunate man’s head, for the purpose of scalping it, leaving the body in the water.  The party then quickly returned back into the region whence they had sallied, and danced the scalps in their villages as Indian scalps.

Mr. Holliday was also the bearer of a speech from Gitshe Iauba, the ruling chief of Ance Kewywenon, through whose influence this occurrence was brought to light.  He first addressed his trader in the following words:—­

“We were deceived.  Word was sent to us to come and fetch the scalp of a Sioux Indian of our enemy.  This was my reason for sending for it.  But, ah me! when they brought word that it was the scalp of an American, I sent for the young man whom you left in charge of your house and store, and asked him what should be done with the scalp of our friend.  It was concluded to have it buried in the burying-ground.”

He then addressed the United States agent at Sault Ste. Marie, in the following words, accompanying them with a string of wampum:—­

“Our father.  This wampum was given to me that I might remain in peace.  I shook hands with you when I left St. Mary’s.  My heart was in friendship.  I have taken no rest since I heard of the foul deed of our friends, the people of Vieux Desert, and Torch Lake, in killing a citizen of the American Government, the government that protects me.

“Now, Americans, my situation is to be pitied.  My wish is, that we should live in friendship together.  Since I shook hands with you, nothing on my part shall be wanting to keep us so.”

I immediately forwarded the little scalp-coffin received from the interior, with a report of this high-handed outrage to the Executive of the Territory and Superintendent of Indian Affairs, at Detroit, that the occurrence might be reported promptly to the War Office at Washington.