THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Jesuit Relations
Vol. 58, (1673)
p. 101. "SECTION 3RD. DESCRIPTION OF THE VILLAGE OF MASKOUTENS: WHAT PASSED THERE BETWEEN THE FATHER AND THE SAVAGES. THE FRENCH BEGIN TO ENTER A NEW AND UNKNOWN COUNTRY, AND ARRIVE AT MISSISSIPPI.
Here we are at Maskoutens. This word may, in Algonquin, mean "the fire Nation,"-- which, indeed, is the name given to this tribe. Here is the limit of the discoveries which the french have made, for they have not yet gone any farther.
This village consists of three nations who have gathered there-- Miamis, Maskoutens, and Kikabous. The former are the most civil, the most liberal, and the most shapely. They wear two long locks over their ears, which give them a pleasing appearance. (p. 103) They are regarded as warriors, and rarely undertake expeditions without being successful. They are very docile, and listen quietly to what is said to them; and they appeared so eager to hear Father Allouez when he instructed them that they gave him but little rest, even during the night. The Maskoutens and Kikabous are ruder, and seem peasants in comparison with the others. As bark for making cabins is scarce in this country, they use rushes; these serve them for making walls and roofs, but do not afford them much protection against the winds, and still less against the rains when they fall abundantly. The advantage of cabins of this kind is, that they make packages of them, and easily transport them wherever they wish, while they are hunting.
When I visited them, I was greatly consoled at seeing a handsome cross erected in the middle of the village, and adorned with many white skins, red belts, and bows and arrows, which these good people had offered to the great Manitou (This is the name which they give to God). They did this to thank him for having had pity on them during the winter, by giving them an abundance of game when they most dreaded famine. (see fn. 19)
I took pleasure in observing the situation of this village. It is beautiful and very pleasing; for, from an eminence upon which it is placed, one beholds on every side prairies, extending farther than the eye can see, interspersed with groves or with lofty trees. The soil is very fertile, and yields much indian corn. The savages gather quantities of plums and grapes, wherewith much wine could be made, if desired.
p. 105 On the following day, the tenth of June, two Miamis who were given us as guides embarked with us, in the sight of a great crowd, who could not sufficiently express their astonishment, at the sight of seven frenchmen, alone and in two canoes, daring to undertake so extraordinary and so hazardous an expedition.
We knew that, at three leagues from Maskoutens, was a river which discharged into Missisipi. We knew also that the direction we were to follow in order to reach it was west-southwesterly. But the road is broken by so many swamps and small lakes that it is easy to lose one's way, especially as the River leading thither is so full of wild oats that it is difficult to find the Channel. For this reason we greatly needed our two guides, who safely conducted us to a portage of 2,700 paces, and helped us to transport our canoes to enter that river; after (p. 107) which they returned home, leaving us alone in this unknown country, in the hands of providence. (see fn. 20)
Thus we left the Waters flowing to Quebeq, 4 or 500 Leagues from here, to float on those that would thenceforward take us through strange lands. Before embarking thereon, we began all together a new devotion to the blessed Virgin Immaculate, which we practiced daily, addressing to her special prayers to place under her protection both our persons and the success of our voyage; and, after mutually encouraging one another, we entered our canoes.
The River on which we embarked is called Meskousing. It is very wide; it has
a sandy bottom, which forms various shoals that render its navigation very
difficult. It is full of Islands covered with vines. On the banks one sees
fertile land, diversified with woods, prairies, and hills. There are oak,
walnut, and basswood trees; and another kind, whose branches are armed with
long thorns. We saw there neither feathered game nor fish, but many deer, and a
large number of cattle. Our Route lay to the southwest, and, after navigating about
30 leagues, we saw a spot presenting all the appearances of an iron mine; and,
in fact, one of our party who had formerly seen such mines, assures us that the
one which we found is very good and rich. It is covered with three feet of good
soil, and is quite near a chain of rocks, the base of which is covered by very
fine trees. After proceeding 40 leagues on this same route, we arrived at the
mouth of our River; and, at 42 and a half degrees of latitude, we safely
entered Missisipi on the 17th of June, with a joy that I cannot express.
______________
19-- W. J. Hoffman thus explains (U. S. Bur. Ethnol. Rep., 1885-86, p. 155) the character of the cross erected by the savages: "Marquette was without doubt ignorant of the fact that the cross is the sacred post, and the symbol of the fourth degree of the Midewiwin, as will be fully explained in connected with that grade of the society. [Marquette's conclusion] was a natural one, but this same symbol of the Mide Society had probably been erected and bedecked with barbaric emblems and weapons months before anything was known of him.
The Midewiwin is "the society of the Mide or Shamans, popularly designated as the 'Grand Medicine Society;'" it is found in many Algonkin tribes. Its ritual, and "the traditions of Indian genesis and cosmogony . . . . constitute what is to them a religion, even more powerful and impressive than the Christian religion is to the average civilized man."-- See Hoffman, ut supra, pp. 155, 256, and plate xv. (facing p. 240), in which are depicted the "sacred posts" above referred to. Cf. vol. xxx, p. 23, where a similar society is mentioned by Ragueneau as existing among the Hurons; and note 1 to same volume.
20-- Reference in here made to the Fox-Wisconsin portage (vol. lviii, note 7). The name "Meskousing" is but one of numerous variants of "Wisconsin."
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