“This little book (Le Jeune) was published a considerable time previous.  It appears by it that the Jesuits had, for several years previously, sent some letters; but I am confident that this is the first book ever published touching directly and minutely the history of the Iroquois.  Caleb Atwater, in his book on western antiquities, speaks of a little work published in Latin at Paris, I think, in 1664, as the first touching the history of New France and the Iroquois.  I could not at first decide whether it be of much value, I thought it to be such a book as would immediately find its way to the missionaries, and so small as to be easily overlooked.  I became at once so far interested in it, as to translate it into English, not certain that I should ever make any further use of it.  I have, however, been solicited by some, either to publish a translation of it, or a compendium of the principal matter contained in it, and beg to trouble you so much as to ask your views of the probability of the utility of doing so.  Will the task be equal to the reward?”

25th.  Troops from Green Bay pass Mackinack on their way to Florida, to act in the campaign against the Seminoles—­a weary long way to send reinforcements; but our army is so small, and has so large a frontier to guard, that it must face to the right and left as often as raw recruits under drill.

26th.  Received a copy of the Miner’s Free Press of Wisconsin of the 11th of August, containing an abstract of a treaty concluded by Gov.  Dodge with the Chippewas of the Upper Mississippi, ceding an important tract of country, lying below the Crow-wing River.

Sept. 3d.  The old chief Saganosh died.

4th.  The Chippewas of Sault Ste. Marie got into a difficulty, among each other, respecting the true succession of the principal chieftainship, and the chiefs came in a body to leave the matter to me.  The point of genealogy to be settled runs through three generations, and was stated thus:—­

Gitcheojeedebun, of the Crane totem, had four sons, namely, Maidosagee, Bwoinais, Nawgitchigomee, and Kezhawokumijishkum.  Maidosagee, being the eldest, had nine sons, called, Shingabowossin, Sizzah, Kaugayosh, Nattaowa, Ussaba, Wabidjejauk, Muckadaywuckwut, Wabidjejaukons, and Odjeeg.  On the principles of Indian descent, these were all Cranes of the proper mark, but the chieftainship would descend in the line of the eldest son’s children.  This would leave Shingabowossin’s eldest son without a competitor.  I determined, therefore, to award the first chiefs medal to Kabay Noden, the deceased chief Shingabowossin’s eldest son.

10th.  The annuity payments commence.