19th.  Thanksgiving day for the territory.  A practical discourse from Mr. Ferry.  Lieut. and Mrs. K., &c., to dinner.  The Indian Kwewis returns to St. Mary’s, accompanied by Mr. Cameron.

20th.  Mr. Mitchell passed the evening.

21st.  Visited Mr. Ferry in the afternoon.  Conversation on various religious topics.  Coming home, found company; Lieut. and Mrs. P., Miss D., and Miss H., who remained to tea, and spent the evening.

22d.  S. visited the infant-school in the village, and made some remarks.

24th.  Visited Mr. Barber, who directed conversation to various theological points, and the state of religion on the island.

25th.  Christmas.  The Catholics have had the usual services, and have gone to the usual extremes of a pantomimic ceremony at midnight, &c.  As a question of time, we cannot say that this is the exact day of the anniversary of the Saviour’s birth; but the computation and adjustment of dates were made, I believe, on the best astronomical data, and before the Romish Church assumed political power.

26th.  Wind N. W. Depression of temperature; freezes all day.  Mr. F. visited me, and directed my attention to the Mosaical geology, or account of the creation, which he thinks the pride of science has sadly misunderstood.

27th.  Snow.  No ice; not the slightest bordage yet in the harbor.  Lieut.  P., Mrs. P., Mrs. K., and Dr. Turner visit.  In the afternoon, the Maternal Association, at Mrs. Schoolcraft’s invitation, assemble.  I wrote to Prof.  Olmstead a notice of the falling stars of Nov. 13th, as described by the Indians.

28th.  Wind from the westward and southward; moderate for the season.

29th.  Wind veers to the east.

30th.  A blow on the lake, creating a perfect tempest.  Before noon, the wind veers south-easterly, and snow melts on the roofs.

Ackuckojeesh and band, from the north shore, visit the office.  He presents me a small mukuk of maple sugar, made during the month, as a proof of the mildness of the weather.

Continue my biblical readings, with a view of noticing the coincidence of passages referred to by clergymen who have visited me.  Quite satisfied that “day,” in Gen. i, 5, means, in that place, a natural day of twenty-four hours.  The context cannot be read without it.  Mr. M. and Mr. Stuart pass the evening.

31st.  No thawing to-day.  There has been quite a blow on the lake.  Began some sketches of biblical geology.

CHAPTER XLIX.

Population of Michilimackinack—­Notices of the weather—­Indian name of the Wolverine—­Harbor closed—­Intensity of temperature which can be borne—­Domestic incidents—­State of the weather—­Fort Mackinack unsuccessfully attacked in 1814—­Ossiganoc—­Death of an Indian woman—­Death of my sister—­Harbor open—­Indian name of the Sabbath day—­Horticultural amusement—­Tradition of the old church door—­Turpid conduct of Thomas Shepard, and his fate—­Wind, tempests, sleet, snow—­A vessel beached in the harbor—­Attempt of the American Fur Company to force ardent spirits into the country, against the authority of the Agent.