this region.  This is the origin of the Johnston family, in the basin of Lake Superior, and the Straits of St. Mary’s.  She has had eight children, four sons and four daughters, all of whom grew up to maturity, and all but the eldest are now living.  Her husband, who became a noted merchant or outfitter, a man of great influence with the Indians, and high intelligence and social virtues, died in 1828, at the age of about 66 years.  She is now subject to some infirmities; fleshy and heavy, and strongly inclined, I should judge, to apoplexy.  Her father, Wabojeeg, died of consumption, not very old.  She told me that the hieroglyphics and pictures which the Indians cut on trees, or draw on barks, or rocks, which are designed to convey instruction, are called KE-KEE-WIN—­a word which has its plural in un.  It is a noun inanimate.  She laughs at the attempts of the American and foreign traders to speak the Indian, the rules of which they perpetually, she says, violate.

31st.  A new species of white fish appears in the St. Mary’s this spring.  It is characterized by a very small mouth, and pointed head, and a crowning back, and is a remarkably fat fish.  The Odjibwas call it o-don-i-bee, or water-mouth.  Hence the Canadian word Tulibee.

Wakazo, an Ottawa chief of Waganukizzie, and his band visit the office, to confer on their affairs.  He persists in his former determination to form an agricultural settlement with his people, on the North Black River, Michigan shore, and says that they will go down, to open their farms, soon after the payment of the annuities.

Aug. 1st.  Visited by the Baron Mareschal, Austrian Minister at Washington, and Count de Colobiano, Minister of the kingdom of Sardinia.  These gentlemen both impressed me with their quiet, easy manner, and perfect freedom from all pretence.  I went out with them, to show them the Arched Rock, the Sugar-loaf Rock, and other natural curiosities.  At the Sugar-loaf Rock they got out of the carriage and strolled about.  The baron and count at last seated themselves on the grass.  The former was a tall, rather grave man, with blue eyes, well advanced in years, and a German air; the latter, three or four inches shorter of stature, with black eyes, an animated look, and many years the junior.

4th.  My children arrived at Mackinack this evening, from their respective schools at Brooklyn and Philadelphia, on their summer vacation, and have, on examination, made good progress.

7th.  Albert Gallup, Esq., of Albany, lands on his way to Green Bay as a U.S. commissioner to treat with the Stockbridges.  This gentleman brought me official dispatches relative to his mission and the expenditures of it, and, by his ready and prompt mode of acting and speaking, led me to call to mind another class of visitors, who seem to aim by extreme formality and circumlocution to strive to hide want of capacity and narrow-mindedness.  Mr. Gallup mentioned a passage of Scripture, which is generally quoted wrong—­“he who reads may run”—­which set me to hunting for it.  The passage is “that he may run that readeth it.”—­HABAKKUK ii. 2.