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5 They have the credit of being the most determined horse and hog stealers, and amongst the Chippewas, Pottawatomie is only another word for thief crossed out: everything bad. However little credit can be attached to the character of an Indian given by one of a different tribe, for an hereditary enmity or rather jealousy is characteristic of these peoples, whose different tribes have been naturally born enemies from time immemorial. Knowing this, I did not listen with much attention to the following remarks of Peshigo, who after proceeding some way in silence, commenced an abrupt harangue to me on the Pottawatomie character.
Maybe, he began, you like these peoples. Well, they fine tall mens and great hunters. They almost good as Chippewas, and long time ago they great warriors
Howgh! exclaimed an old Indian, who understood the subject.
Well, they got plenty horses, continued Peshigo, plenty guns, maybe they got 5000. Well,they do'nt hunt none, they just steal -- steal -- all the time. They bad peoples. Maybe, they just come & tomahawk us tonight.
Howgh, assented the old Indian.
Well, again broke out Peshigo. They bad peoples, they just scalps everybody they find in the woods. Just like minks. I never want to see Pottawatomie in the woods -- bad peoples --
An exclamation of surprise from one of the party interrupted this charitably drawn character, caused by the fall of several heavy flakes of snow, which by the appearance of the sky, appeared to be the forerunner of a good fall.
The Indians halted, and I could see by their looks, and exclamations, that they considered this a proof of the Great Spirit being angry with them, having sent a hard frost, while they were hunting, & now on their return, a heavy snow, when they did not require it. Peshigo had before declared to me his belief that the Great Spirit was angry with us, and had punished us, by driving away the deer & snow in the following ? --
Well, we've just gone and done something very bad -- Great Spirit, he's very cross, and made the deer very wild, and melted all the snow -- we'll kill no deers here in 12 moons -- I don't know what we've done, maybe drunk too much whiskey --