Of this band the Star family, so called, have long possessed the chieftainship, and are remarkable on several accounts.  There are eleven children of them now living, five of whom are males, all by one mother, who is still living.  Sabboo is the principal man.  The South Bird, his elder, and the ruling chief, has removed to Bay de Nocquet.  At this island, story says, formerly lived the noted warrior and meta, Sagima; and it was also, according to Indian mythology, the residence of Mishosha, who owned a magic canoe, that would shoot through the water by uttering a charmed word.

22d.  I have heard much of the ancient Chippewa capital of La Pointe, as the French call it, or Chegoimegon, in Lake Superior, situated near its west end, or head.  The Chippewas and their friends, the old traders and Boisbrules, and Canadians, are never tired of telling of it.  All their great men of old times are located there.  It was there that their Mudjekewis, king or chief ruler, lived, and, as some relate, that an eternal fire was kept up with a sort of rude temple service.  At that place lived, in comparatively modern times, Wabojeeg and Andaigweos, and there still lives one of their descendants in Gitchee Waishkee, the Great First-born, or, as he is familiarly called, Pezhickee, or the Buffalo, a chief decorated with British insignia.  His band is estimated at one hundred and eighteen souls, of whom thirty-four are adult males, forty-one females, and forty-three children.  Mizi, the Catfish, one of the heads of families of this band, who has figured about here this summer, is not a chief, but a speaker, which gives him some eclat.  He is a sort of petty trader too, being credited with little adventures of goods by a dealer on the opposite, or British shores.

23d.  There are few animals which the Indians reject as food.  On this subject they literally fulfil the declaration of Paul, “that every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused;” but I fear the poor creatures, in these straits, do anything but show the true spirit of thanksgiving in which the admonition is given.  There is nothing apparently in the assertion respecting Indians distinguishing between clean and unclean beasts; I have heard, however, that crows and vultures are not eaten, but, when they are pushed by hunger, whatever can sustain life is taken.

The truth is, the calls of hunger are often so pressing to these northern Indians, that anything in the shape of animal fibre, that will keep soul and body together, is eaten in times of their greatest want.  A striking instance of this kind has just occurred, in the case of a horse killed in the public service.  The animal had, to use the teamster’s phrase, been snagged, and was obliged to be shot.  To prevent unpleasant effects in hot summer weather, the carcass was buried in the sand; but as soon as the numerous bands of Indians, who are encamped here, learned the fact, they dug up the animal, which was, however, nowise diseased, and took it to their camp for food.