Page 220 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

216 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS.
,
While speaking of the early history of the country, and
its first settlers, we should not pass over in silence, the
history and sad fate of another race that formerly, not
only occupied but owned the soil. I allude to the Indian
tribes or Aborigines. When the country was first visited
by white men, it was occupied by the Sacs and Foxes,
and other tribee now extinct. In process of time these
. tribes were driven farther west by more numerous and pow-
erful northern tribes; many sanguinary battles were fought
between the Sacs and Foxes, and their invaders, beforo they
abandoned the country on, the Fox and Wisconsin rivers.
The only monuments to remind us that these tribes were once
the proprietors of the country, are to be found in the Mounds or
Hills of Death, which contain their bones and cover their
battle grounds. For many years prior to 1824, the northern
portion of Wivconsin was occupied by the Winnebagoes, Me-
nomonees, Chippewas, and some Pottawatamies. But the two
first named tribes, owned nearly all of the country in the pres-
ent State, lying On Lake Michigan and the Mississippi, Wis-
consin, Fox and Wolf Rivers. The Winnebagoes on the west
side of Winnebago Lake and the Upper Fox and the Wiscon-
sin Rivers. The Menomonees, on the east side of the Lake,
Fox and Wolf Rivers, Green Bay, and the west shore
of Lake Michigan. Both of these tribes mere then pow-
erful and held in great awe by the few white inhabitanbs
then in this country. The Winnebagoes in 1824, num-
bered perhaps upwards of six thousand. The Menomonees
between three and four thousand. Their character and
habits differ very essentially. The former tribe, although
they could scarcely be called either brave or warlike, were
yet worse, they were cruel and treacherous; and would
much rathcr dispatch an enemy in secret ambush than face
him in fair and equal combat. They mere friendly to
the British, and for many years were their ~ensioners-
going openly every year ;to Canada to receive their presents
from the British Government. They hated the Americana,