Historic Diaries: James Doty, 1820
June 29, 1820: Return to the Lake Shore
Editor's Note:
Schoolcraft, who would later make his reputation interpreting Indian culture for white audiences, was less impressed than Doty with the hospitality of their Ojibwe hosts:
"In the afternoon a council was held with the Indians, and presents distributed among them, and one of the number, who appeared to merit it, constituted a chief, by being invested with a flag and silver medal. In the evening, they danced upon the sand for our amusement. I have already spoken of Indian dancing and music. It is perhaps all we could expect from untutored savages, but there is nothing about it which has ever struck me as either interesting or amusing, and after having seen these performances once or twice, they become particularly tedious, and it is a severe tax upon one's patience to sit and be compelled, in order to keep their good opinions, to appear pleased with it."
Location: Ontonagon, Mich.
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Early this morning we rose and embarked, determined if possible to leave this river before farther difficulties & disappointments should reach us. A short distance above the copper rock, the 'Ntenagon' is divided into 2 forks of an equal size, one coming from the country towards the Mississippi, and perhaps interlocking with the Chippeway, the other from Green Bay and interlocking with the Menomine riv. Three miles below the rock, it receives the waters of a large stream running in an Easterly direction. The general course of the river from the rock to the point on which we encamped was S. E…
The Indian who acted as guide told us he would point out a small piece of copper on the banks of the river near the lake. In about 150 yds of the camp he jumped on shore and said he would go alone a short distance & get it. We then suspected him of not intending to show it, and he soon returned without it, saying the late freshets must have covered it with mud. However on reaching camp which we did about 11 o'clock for a few presents he was prevailed upon to find it — that is, bring it from his lodge where it had been all the time! It weighed about 3 lbs. It was virgin copper. Few traders visit these Indians — the whiskey we gave them was the first they had had for a long period. It appeared to relish very well…
The Indians we met at this place have in general a better appearance than any I have seen. They are large and fleshy, have a light copper colored skin, and generally good features. Their subsistence is sturgeon, large quantities of which they had hung up on poles in the sun to dry. They began to be very free and sociable before our departure, and the evening before we left they gave us several dances. At these they always expect a little tobacco and whiskey, and that is the sole object of one, called the begging dance. One young fellow dressed himself up — that is painted and decorated his person with ornaments — went into the Govs, tent and made a long speech to him. He closed very unexpectedly by saying — "he did not know that he had spoken correctly or as he ought, he had spoken his thoughts. His father, he said, died when he was very young, and before he had taught him how to speak to his great Father. If any thing was badly said he hoped it would be forgiven." His countenance, his address, his whole appearance was so modest and unassuming that there were none present who did not admire and respect him. A flag and a medal were given to him, with which he appeared much pleased, and pledged his friendship for our country by giving us about 2 fathoms of wampum.
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