The intercession resulted in a long and disastrous war, in which the Ojibways were victorious. After this they enjoyed a free communication with the French, with whom they have had friendly intercourse from that time to the present.

They fought their way through the lands of hostile nations from the west end of Lake Superior along the entire lake country. The shores of Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and the River St. Lawrence, abound with their battle fields. The dust of many a brave now lies there, friend and foe in one common resting-place.

Exciting stories of the doings of those days have been passed down from mouth to mouth... So the old man related them the blood of the young Ojibways ran swiftly through his veins, and his eye shone with the fire of enthusiasm.

The war-whoop's shrill notes have now died away. Now the wigwam stands undisturbed, and the hymn of peace is chanted within their thatched walls.

Behold the change!. Commerce urged on by the pale-face, strides rapidly and withlessly into their midst, and orders them back, back, back, to make way for its houses and its merchandize. Scarce is he camped, ere once again he is told to go farther west. When will the last order be given? When will the red-man have a home?

CHAPTER III.

THEIR WILD GAME.

THERE is, doubtless, a greater variety of game to be found in the Ojibway Country than in any other equal extent of Western territory. The northern part is not so well supplied with large game as that district near the head waters of the Wisconsin, Chippeway, St. Croix, Mississippi and Red Rivers.

Small game is to be found on the Northern shores of the Lakes with the hardy Reindeer, such as the Rabbit, Lynx, Martin, and Fisher. The three latter have been a source of much profit on account of their furs. The rabbit has been the principal game for the Northern Indians, who snare them for their food and skins. These latter are made into strings and woven into blankets.They also make their garments of these skins, and are dressed in them from head to foot. The eyes of a pale face would considerably extend on beholding a fellow

3

in such accoutrement.

These Indians reside in the in

terior of the shores of Lake Superior, in the North. We call them (Nopeming Tah-she-e-ne-neh) Backwoodmen. The deer are found in almost all parts of the country, though not as much in the North as in the South. In the spring they migrate to the North, and return to the South in the fall, few ever wintering in the North on account of the great depth of snow in that quarter.

This animal was killed in four different ways before the introduction of fire-arms. The first was by a snare formed of a rope of wild hemp, and so placed that when the deer's neck was caught, the more stir he made the more he could'nt stir. At every movement the cord would wind about the neck tighter and tighter, until he was choked, for at one end of the rope would be fixed a small rail, which the large end slips off, and in falling it prys upon the deer, who in a short time dies. When they wished to get through soon, they placed these snares all around for half a day, then drive the deer all over the snares until some are caught.

The second was by driving sharp spikes of wood into the ground on the deer path, just the other side of a log over which they would be expected to jump. In jumping the logs, they must fall upon these sharp spikes, which would pierce them through, and thus kill them.

The third way was to drive the deer with dogs into the water, when, being out of their element, they could be captured. In winter, instead of driving them into water, a short chase in the deep snow would soon tire them, and they were soon at the disposal of the hunter.

The fourth and last manner of killing them was by means of bow and arrow. Bows were made of a power to enable them to shoot through the side of a deer without any difficulty. The Indian watched at the "Salt Licks," or at the borders of lakes or rivers, to which the deer often go to feed on the grass. An Indian can shoot a deer in the woods at a distance of fifty paces.

The bow was generally made of iron-wood or red cedar; sometimes of hickory, well seasoned. The arrows were made like spikes at the end. Before they had iron, they used bone and shell for the ends: the shells were carved in such a manner as to admit of being pointed at the end of the arrow. I have no recollection of killing but one deer with an arrow, as fire arms came into the field of action as soon as I did. I remember being at the foot of Rice Lake, Canada West, with others on a hunting tour in the night. Soon after nine o'clock, we heard the animal feeding in the grass by the shore. Having a lighted candle, we placed it in a three-sided lantern; opening one side, the light was

thrown upon the deer only. By this contrivance we were enabled to approach so near it in our canoe, that it appeared to be but ten or fifteen paces from us. I drew my bow-string-the arrow winged its way-the deer made a few short leaps, and died.

During my travels in the East, I have met with individuals whom I found it difficult to convince that the Indian's arrow could execute so much, and doubted me when I told them that with it they killed deer, bears, and such like.

Several years ago, in the State of New-York, an elderly gentleman, a farmer and myself were entertained by a kind family to tea. The gentleman monopolized all the time for conversation with questions about the Indian mode of life. I answered them all as well as I could, though some of them were so very odd, that it was with the exercise of the greatest muscular strength that I could refrain from laughing in the inquisitive person's face. He seemed satisfied with all my answers except those in relation to killing deer with bow and arrow.He doubted. He could'nt bring his mind to believe such a thing possible. After laboring half an hour to convince him of the fact that we could, he turned aside, firmly resolved not to believe me. I held my tongue, half mad; and made the proposition that the next day