22d.  On this day, there suddenly presented themselves, at the office of Indian Agency, the Chippewa war party who committed the murders at Lake Pepin, on the Mississippi, last year, who, on the demand made upon the nation, with a threat of military punishment, surrendered the murderers.  I immediately commenced their examination, after having an additional special interpreter sworn in (Truman A. Warren), and sending for a justice of the peace to assist in their examination.  The entire day was devoted in this manner, and at the close, six of the party against whom an indictment for murder would lay, committed on a mittimus, with a note requesting the commanding officer to imprison them in the guard house, until he could have them conveyed to the sheriff of the county, at Michilimackinack.  Their names were, Sagetone, Otagami, Kakabisha, Annimikence, and Nawa-jiwienoce—­to whom was afterwards added Kewaynokwut, the leader of the party.  The incidents of this transaction, as they appeared in that examination, have been narrated on a previous page.

This surrendery was evidently made on representations of the traders, who acted on strong assurance that it would avert the marching of a military force against them, and on some mistaken notions of their own about public clemency.

When the examination was finished, and while preliminary steps were in process, for their committment, I addressed them as follows:—­

Chippewas—­I have listened attentively to all that has been said, either for or against you, and have been careful to have it put upon paper, that nothing might be forgotten.  It appears you went to the Mississippi, for the purpose of attacking the Sioux, to revenge murders which they had committed in your country.  In an evil hour you encountered a party of Americans, consisting of four persons, encamped at the foot of Lake Pepin.  It was night.  They were all asleep.  You went to their tent in a hostile manner, and were received as friends.  They gave you tobacco and presents; and your war chief told them they need not fear, that they should not be molested.

On this declaration he withdrew, followed by the whole party, and had proceeded some distance, when an evil suggestion occurred to one of the party, who said, “that when he went out hunting he did not like to return without having killed something.”  Guns were fired.  An electric effect was produced and a rush towards the tent they had left took place among those who were in the rear.  The strife seemed who should get there first, and imbrue his hands in blood.

“Of this number you Sagetone, you Kakabisha, you Otagami, you Annimikence, and you Nawajiwienoce, were principal actors, and you had the meanness to put to death men who had never harmed you, and who, by your own confession, you had robbed of their arms, but whom you had, nevertheless, promised their lives.  This was not an evidence of courage, but of cowardice.  By this perfidious act you also violated your promises, and proved yourselves to be the most debased of human beings—­liars!