October 31st.  The Indian visits, from remote bands, which were very remarkable this year, continued through the entire month of August, and beyond the date at which I dropped the notices of them, during September, when they were reduced, as party after party returned to the interior, to the calls of the ordinary bands living about the post, and, at furthest, to the foot of Lake Superior and the valley and straits of the St. Mary’s.  With them, or rather before them, went the traders with their new outfits and retinues, chiefly from Michilimackinac.  As one after another departed, there was less need of that vigilance, “by night and by day,” to see that none of the latter class went without due license; that the foreign boatmen on their descriptive lists were duly bonded for; that no “freedmen” slipped in; and that no ardent spirits were taken in contrary to law.  Gradually my public duties were thus narrowed down to the benevolent wants of the bands that were immediately around me, to seeing that the mechanics employed by the Department did their duties, and to keeping the office at Washington duly informed of the occurrences and incidents belonging to Indian affairs.  All this, after the close of summer, requires but a small portion of a man’s time, and as winter, which begins here the first of November, approached, I felt impelled to devote a larger share of attention to subjects of research or literary amusement.  I missed two men in plunging into the leisure hours of my seventh winter (omitting 1825), in this latitude, namely, Mr. Johnston, whose conversation and social sympathies were always felt, and Dr. Pitcher, whose tastes for natural science and general knowledge rendered him a valuable visitor.

Letters from the civilized world tended to keep alive the general sympathies, which none more appreciate than those who are shut out from its circles.  Mr. Edward Everett (Oct. 6th) communicates his sentiments favorably, respecting the preparation of an article for the North American Review.  The Rev. Mr. Cadle (Oct. 7th) sends a package of Bibles and Prayer Books for distribution among the soldiers, which he entrusts to Mrs. S. The Rev. Mr. Wells, of Detroit, writes of some temporality.  Mr. Trowbridge keeps me advised respecting the all important and growing importance of the department’s fiscal affairs.

The author of “Sanillac” (Oct. 8th) acknowledges the reception and reading of my “Notes,” with which he expresses himself pleased.  The head of the Indian office writes, “The plan has been adopted of compiling a code of regulations for the Indian intercourse during the winter.  For this duty, Gen. Clarke, of St. Louis, and Gen. Cass, of Detroit, have been selected.”  Such were some of the extraneous subjects which the month of October brought from without.