[Footnote 93:  This work was published, I think, in 1841.]

26th.  Mrs. Morris brings a letter from Hon. A.E.  Wing, of Monroe.  She contemplates spending the summer on the island on account of impaired health.  The pure air and fine summer climate of Mackinack begin to be appreciated within a year or two by valetudinarians.  It is a perfect Montpelier to them.  The inhaling of its pure and dry atmosphere in midsummer is found to act very favorably on the digestive organs.  No process of health-making gymnastics is prescribed by physicians.  They merely direct persons to walk about and enjoy the sights and scenes about them, to saunter along its winding paths, or go fishing or gunning.  Its woods are delightful, and its cliffs command the sublimest views.  One would think that if the muses are ever routed from the bare hills of Olympus and the springs of Helicon, they would take shelter in the glens of Michilimackinack, where the Indian pukwees, or fairies, danced of old.  I received intelligence of the death of Ogimau Keegido (Speaker Chief), the head sachem of the Saginaws.  He had indulged some time in drinking, and, after getting out of this debauch, was confined by sickness three days.  Death came to his relief.  Some years ago this man met with an accident by the discharge of a gun, by which his liver protruded; he took his knife and cut off a small piece, which he ate as a panacea.  He was a man of strong passions and ungoverned will.  He visited Washington in 1836, and, with other chiefs, sold the Saginaw reservations.

The party of Saginaws who brought me the above information had among them twenty-two orphan children, whose parents had died of small-pox.  They were on their way to the Manitoulines.

28th.  Mud-je-ke-wis, a minor chief of Grand Traverse Bay, surrenders a belt of blue and white wampum, and a gilt gorget, which he had received from some officer of the British Indian Department in Canada, saying he renounces allegiance to that government, and reports himself, from this day, as an American.

29th.  Chingossamo (Big Sail), of Cheboigan, having migrated to the Manitouline Islands with thirteen families, about seventy-nine souls, an election was this day held, at this office, by the Indians, to supply the place of ruling chief.  Sticks, of two colors, were prepared as ballots for the two candidates.  Of these, Keeshowa received two-thirds, and was declared duly elected.  I granted a certificate of this election.  The present population is reduced to forty-four souls, who live in thirteen families.  This band are Chippewas.

Gen. Scott arrives at this post, on a general tour of inspection of the northern posts, and proceeds the same day to Sault St. Marie, accompanied by Maj.  Whiting.