Page 237 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

EARLY HISTORY OF WISCONSIN. 233

Island was the safer position; another reason, was, the ex-
cellence of the harbor-one of the best, if not the best and
easiest of access on the Lake. The Pork being established
to keep the Sioux in check, and to protect the traders and
missionaries, these were important considerations. I was
shown the place on the Island, and also on the sand Penin-
sula south of it, where the last great battles were fought,
before the Sioux finally yielded the Island to tbo Chip-
pewas.
From what I could learn from their traditions, theee Chip-
pewaw came to this place by way of Isle Rogale, or Pigeon
river, arid in proof of this the Isle Rogale Indians claim re-
lationship, and constitute a part of this confederation.
After the permanent settlement of the Chippewas at La
Pointe, others came from Canada to them by the Lake, and
colonies were sent out in various directions from La Pointe to
Ke-wee-we-na, and the head waters of the Wisconsin, Chip-
pewa, St. Croix and Mississippi rivers, numbering, in 1843,
thirty-seven bands, making 5,037 souls, in that agency, which
then excluded the Leech, Cass, and Red Lake bands.
The next tribe, in point of importance in the eaaly occu-
pancy of our State, was the Winnebagoes. But there is so
much discrepancy in dates on the origin and numeral strength
of this tribe that if I had not seen them myself, I should
almost doubt their existence. One thing, I think is well
settled; that is, they were not of the Algonquin race. Some
of SHEA'S authorities found them at Green Bay as early as
1639. Winnebago is the name given them by the Algon-
quins, which means "fetid." It was because they were said
to have come from the salt water, which the Indians style
fetid water. This name, however, is corrupted. Weene,
means filthy, or fetid, be water, yo gives its character. TVeene-
be-go, is the name of the water in a marsh that is scented
or filthy, and the Algonquin race gave this people this name
because they were said to have come from the salt water,
or marshes. Ouinnebago is the French of it.
29m