Page 249 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

EARLY HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
245
I had heard before where he was wounded, and took this course
to test his feelings, and his appreciation of my benevolent
designs towards him and his people, and I found he discrimi-
nated between my two employments-n, soldier, and a mission-
ary, and I found him afriend of the Americans. IIe bestowed
greab encomiums upon the American soldiers,-"they fight
hard," he said. But of the British he had formed a very dif-
ferent opinion, from what he had seen of them at Sandusky.
As the wars continued among the Indiana, pri~cipally be-
tween the Sioux and Chippewas, and the Sioux and Sauks nnd
Foxes, the Government, in 1826, called them together at
Prairie du Chien to settle, by treaty, the metes and bounds of
their respective lands or claims to them. Gov. CASS of Michi-
gan was the Government Commissioner. The Sioux, Chip-
pewas, Iowas, Winncbagoes, and the Sauks and Foxes were
present. The Menornonees, for some reason not declared, but
supposed to be from a fear that all the land they claimed
would not be awarded them, were not present. But the metes
and bounds were established, leaving the line between the
Winnebagoes and Menomonees an open question to be settle&
afterwards by treaty between them.
In coming to a settlement, there -as considerable disputa-
tion, and diplomatic ingenuity displayed. The Governor
heard the arguments, pro and con, and then decided the points
in question, according to the evidence, and in accordance with
the laws of nations, as far as they would apply to such tribes.
The dispute between the Sioux and Chippewas ran the highest.
The Sioux claimed the country to Lake Superior, and Green
Bay, on the ground that their ancestors owned it. This the
Chippewas did not deny, but claimed the country as far
south and wcst as Black river, the Mississippi, and the Min-
nesota rivers.
"Upon what ground do you claim the country," said Gov.
CABS, "if you adrnit their ancient possession of it?"
The then HOLE-IN-TIIE-DAY, who, for his braver3 nnd at-