Historic Diaries: James Doty, 1820
June 18, 1820: Starting along the Upper Peninsula
Editor's Note:
Doty began writing in a second pocket notebook this day.
Cass later described the history of the conflict between the Ojibwe and the Lakota: "The Chippewa and Sioux are hereditary enemies and Charlevoix says they were at war when the French first reached the Mississippi. I endeavored when among them to learn the cause which first excited them to war and the time when it commenced, but they can give no rational account. An intelligent Chippewa chief informed me that the disputed boundary between them was a subject of little importance, and that the question respecting it could be easily adjusted. He appeared to think that they fought because their fathers fought before them. This war has been waged with various success and in its prosecution instances of courage and self-devotion have occurred within a few years which would not have disgraced the pages of Grecian or Roman history." The specific encounter from which the warriors were returning has not been traced.
Location: Shelldrake, Mich.
View Doty's handwritten manuscript of this page
View page in the 1895 printed edition
We rose early and embarked, though we were threatened by a thunder storm. On turning the point above our encampment, the British shore at the mouth of the river was N. 70 W. The land appeared very high and mountainous. We steered west across the river, leaving a very deep bay to the left, and off a small point, an Island. The storm approaching, we went on shore and encamped.
The storm having passed over, we embarked again at 1 o'clock P. M. steering S. 80 W. to Iroquois point 9 miles, at the mouth of the River St. Mary. On entering Lake Superior the British shore is visible at a great distance, as well as the land on the American shore, forming apparently deep bays on both sides.
We steered a S. W. course ten miles to the Tauqaumanon River, off the mouth of which lies an Island of the same name. From Point Iroquois to White Fish point the course is S. 75 West. It is the farthest land seen on entering the Lake. The banks are high and sandy. The timber pine (white & yellow), hemlock, spruce, mountain ash, the leaf of which resembles that of the wild locust-tree, birch & maple.
We proceeded 9 miles farther to Shell Drake Creek and encamped. The water is very shallow off this creek and we found great difficulty in landing. A small dead stream enters at the mouth of this creek. We were piloted in by some Indians who were encamped here, on their return from the war with the Sioux Nation.
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