Historic Diaries: James Doty, 1820
May 29, 1820: The Sacred White Rock
Editor's Note:
At several points in the diary Doty records the religious beliefs of his Ojibwe or Ottawa companions, or of the Indians whom the expedition visits. He is generally condescending, treating them the same way he treat objects of natural history that he encounters. Schoolcraft was both more interested in the region's Native American culture and more sympathetic to it; he would spent the next three decades in northern Michigan as Indian agent, marrying into an important Ojibwe family and traveling thousands of miles in Indian country over the next two decades.
Location: near modern Port Hope, Mich.
View Doty's handwritten manuscript of this page
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Rose at half after 4. Breakfasted and embarked at 6. Wind ahead. Course N. 20 W. to Kish-kah-bah-no-ne-kagong — (high clay bank) four miles — banks slate, clay and sand, from thence to another point 1 1/2 m. N. 2 W.
After paddling a distance of sixteen miles we landed and dined below a point on the upper side of which white river empties itself. Opposite to where we dined at considerable distance in the Lake lies a large white lime stone rock, from which I took a specimen. It is surrounded with granite. On this the Indians offer sacrifices to the Great Spirit. The breech of a gun, a part of the remains of one, I found on the rock. We then proceeded on about 14 ms. before a fair wind, course N. 15 W., until a thunder storm rising ahead compelled us to put in and encamp at 4 o'clock on a very rocky point, it was with great difficulty we landed.
For the first 16 m. the land & timber same as yesterday, then 14 mis. appeared very good — some parts of the banks handsome. Whole distance 30 miles.
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