Of feasts—of fasts and dreaming—their idea of the human soul, and of a future existence—customs of burial—of their knowledge of astronomy—traditions concerning the sun and moon—of totems—of their acquaintance with plants, animals, and minerals.
Of feasts—of fasts and dreaming—their idea of the human soul, and of a future existence—customs of burial—of their knowledge of astronomy—traditions concerning the sun and moon—of totems—of their acquaintance with plants, animals, and minerals.
Among the Indians, the man who gives many feasts, or who, in the language of their songs, “causes the people to walk about continually,” is accounted great. In times, therefore, when game is abundant, feasts are multiplied. Before the whites introduced among them intoxicating drinks, it is probable the assembling together for feasts, was their principal and most favourite source of excitement in times of peace, and comparative inactivity. They have several kinds of feasts:—
1st.Metai-we-koon-de-win—Medicine feast, or that feasting which forms a part of their great religious ceremony, the Metai. This is under the direction of some old men, who are called chiefs for the Metai,[38]and the initiated only are admitted. The guests are invited by a Me-zhin-no-way,or chief’s man of business, who delivers to each of the guests a small stick. In the south they use small pieces of cane; in the north, quills are sometimes substituted, which are dyed and kept for the purpose. No verbal message is delivered with this token. The numerous preparatory measures, and the various steps in the performance of this ceremony, need not be here detailed.[39]Dogs are always chosen for the feast, from a belief, that as they are more sagacious and useful to men, so they will be more acceptable to their divinities, than any other animals. They believe that the food they eat, at this and some other of their feasts, ascends, though in a form invisible to them, to the Great Spirit. Besides the songs sang on occasion of this feast, and some of which have been translated for this work, they have numerous exhortations from the old men. Among much of unintelligible allusion, and ridiculous boasting, these addresses contain some moral precepts and exhortations, intermixed with their traditionary notions concerning Na-na-bush, and other personages of their mythology. Whenever the name of the Great Spirit is uttered by the speaker, all the audience, who, if they remain sober, seem wrapped in the deepest attention, respond to it by the interjection, Kwa-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho! the first syllable being uttered in a quick and loud tone, and each of the additional syllables fainter and quicker, until it ceases to be heard. They say the speaker touches the Great Spirit, when he mentions the name, and the effect on the audience may be compared to a blow on a tense string, which vibrates shorter and shorter, until it is restored to rest. This peculiar interjection is also used by the Ottawwaws, when theybloworshootwith their medicine skins, at the persons to be initiated.
2d.Wain-je-tah We-koon-de-win—Feast called for by dreams. Feasts of this kind may be held at any time, and no particular qualifications are necessary in the entertaineror his guests. The wordwain-je-tahmeans common, or true, as they often use it in connection with the names of plants or animals, aswain-je-tah o-muk-juk-ke, means a right or proper toad, in distinction from a tree frog, or a lizard.
3rd.Ween-dah-was-so-win—Feast of giving names. These are had principally on occasion of giving names to children, and the guests are expected to eat all, be it more or less, that is put into their dish by the entertainer. The reason they assign for requiring, at this and several other feasts, all that has been cooked to be eaten, is, apparently, very insufficient; namely, that they do so in imitation of hawks, and some other birds of prey, who never return a second time to that they have killed.
4th.Menis-se-no We-koon-de-win—War feast. These feasts are made before starting, or on the way towards the enemy’s country. Two, four, eight, or twelve men, may be called, but by no means an odd number. The whole animal, whether deer, bear, or moose, or whatever it may be, is cooked, and they are expected to eat it all; and, if it is in their power, they have a large bowl of bear’s grease standing by, which they drink in place of water. Notwithstanding that a man who fails to eat all his portion, is liable to the ridicule of his more gormandizing companions, it frequently happens that some of them are compelled to make a present of tobacco to their entertainer, and beg him to permit that they may not eat all he has given them. In this case, and when there is no one of the company willing to eat it for him, some one is called from without. In every part of this feast, when it is made after the warriors leave home, they take care thatno bone of the animal eaten shall be broken; but after stripping the flesh from them, they are carefully tied up, and hung upon a tree. The reason they assign for preserving, in this feast, the bones of the victim unbroken, is, that thus they may signify to the Great Spirit, their desire to return home to their own country, with their bones uninjured.
5th.Gitche-we-koon-de-win—The great feast. This is a feast of high pretensions, which few men, in any band, and only those of principal authority, can venture to make. Theanimal is cooked entire, as far as they are able to do it. This kind is sometimes calledmez-ziz-z-kwa-win.
6th.Waw-bun-no We-koon-de-win—Wawbeno feast. This, and the other mummeries of the Wawbeno, which is looked upon as a false and mischievous heresy, are now laid aside by most respectable Indians. These feasts were celebrated with much noise and disturbance; they were distinguished from all other feasts, by being held commonly in the night time, and the showing off of many tricks with fire.
7th.Je-bi Naw-ka-win—Feast with the dead. This feast is eaten at the graves of their deceased friends. They kindle a fire, and each person, before he begins to eat, cuts off a small piece of meat, which he casts into the fire. The smoke and smell of this, they say, attracts the Je-bi to come and eat with them.
8th.Che-bah-koo-che-ga-win—Feast for his medicine. During one whole day in spring, and another in autumn, every good hunter spreads out the contents of his medicine bag in the back part of his lodge, and feasts his neighbours, in honour of his medicine. This is considered a solemn and important feast, like that of the Metai.
9th.O-skin-ne-ge-tah-ga-win—Boy’s feast. This might be called the feast of the first fruits, as it is made on occasion of a boy, or a young hunter, killing his first animal, of any particular kind. From the smallest bird, or a fish, to a moose, or buffalo, they are careful to observe it. Numerous instances of it occur in the foregoing narrative, therefore it need not be dwelt upon.
Rigorous and long continued fasting is enjoined upon young and unmarried persons of both sexes, and they begin at a very early age. The parent, in the morning, offers the child the usual breakfast in one hand, and charcoals in the other; if the latter is accepted, the parent is gratified, and some commendations, or marks of favour, are bestowed on the child. To be able to continue long fasting, confers an enviable distinction. They, therefore, inculcate upon their children the necessity of remaining long without food. Sometimes the children fast three, five, seven, and some, as is said, even ten days; in all of which time they take only a little water, and that at very distant intervals. During these fasts, they pay very particular attention to their dreams, and from the character of these, their parents, to whom they relate them, form an opinion of the future life of the child. Dreaming of things above, as birds, clouds, the sky, etc. is considered favourable; and when the child begins to relate any thing of this kind, the parent interrupts him, saying, “it is well, my child, say no more of it.” In these dreams, also, the children receive impressions, which continue to influence their character through life. A man, an old and very distinguished warrior, who was some years ago at Red River, dreamed, when fasting in his childhood, that a bat came to him, and this little animal he chose for his medicine. To all the costly medicines for war or hunting, used by other Indians, he paid no attention. Throughout his life he wore the skin of a bat tied to the crown of his head, and in his numerous war excursions, he went into battle exulting in the confidence that the Sioux, who could not hit a bat on the wing, would never be able to hit him. He distinguished himself in many battles, and killed many of his enemies; but throughout his long life, no bullet ever touched him, all of which he attributed to the protecting influence of his medicine, revealed to him, in answer to hisfasting in boyhood. Of Net-no-kwa, his foster mother, the author of the foregoing narrative relates, that at about twelve years of age, she fasted ten successive days. In her dream, a man came down and stood before her, and after speaking of many things, he gave her two sticks, saying, “I give you these to walk upon, and your hair I give it to be like snow.” In all her subsequent life, this excellent woman retained the confident assurance, that she should live to extreme old age, and often, in times of the greatest distress from hunger, and of apparent danger from other causes, she cheered her family by the assurance, that it was given to her to crawl on two sticks, and to have her head like the snow, and roused them to exertion by infusing some part of her own confident reliance upon the protection of a superior and invisible Power.
The belief, that communications take place in dreams from superior beings to men, is not peculiar to this people, or this age of the world. Men, particularly, when their minds are little cultivated, are ever ready to believe themselves objects of particular attention, and the subjects of especial solicitude to their divinities. Among the Indians of the Algonkin stock, many, and perhaps all, believe that not only their prayers, in times of distress, are heard and answered, but they think, that to some among them, are communicated in dreams intimations of things which are to happen in remote times, and even after death. It is probable their traditional belief of a future state, and of the circumstances attending it, have made so strong an impression on the minds of children, that they may often dream of it, and continue to do so, at intervals during life. Accordingly, several may be found among them, who, having in extreme sickness had their thoughts particularly directed to this subject, and having, perhaps, been reduced so low as to be considered in a desperate condition—(of a person in which situation they speak as of one dead)—may have dreamed, or imagined the impressions of their early childhood to have been realized. Hence, we hear them relating, with confidence, that such and such persons have been dead, and have travelled along the path of the dead, till they have come to the greatstrawberry, which lies by the road, this side the river; they have seen the river itself, some have even passed over it, and arrived in the villages of the dead. Dreams of this kind seem to have been frequent among them. But they have, most commonly, to tell of vexation, annoyance, and disappointment. They have come to the great strawberry, at which the Je-bi-ug refresh themselves, on their journey; but on taking up the spoon, and attempting to separate a part of it, the berry has become a rock, (which, with the people about Lake Superior, is a soft, red sand rock, because the type exists in their country.) They have then gone on, have been much alarmed at the Me-tig-ush-e-po-kit, (the swinging log,) on which they have to cross, or at the great dog, who stands beyond it. They have received taunts, and gibes, and insults, among their friends; have been sneered at, and called Je-bi! have had ashes and water given them, in place of Mun-dah-min aw-bo, or corn broth, bark for dried meat, and O-zhush-kwa-to-wuk, or the large puckwi, called puff balls, for squashes. Some men have commonly seen, in that country, only squaws, numbers of whom have competed for them, as a husband, and the dreams of all have been tinged with some shade of colour, drawn from their own peculiar situation. How these people came first in possession of their opinions respecting the country of the dead, cannot, perhaps, be known; but having it, we should not be surprised that it influences their dreams.
In connection with this subject, we may devote a moment to the consideration of their idea of the human soul, or as they call it, the shadow.[40]They think this becomes unsettled, or as it were detached from the body in violent sickness; and they look upon a person who is very low, as one already dead. Hence it is not unusual to hear them speak of such and such a person, as being now dying, andyet to find him survive, not only many days, but years; and when told of this, they seem conscious of no impropriety in the expression: on the contrary, they often say of a person, hediedat such a time, butcame again. I have also heard them reproach a sick person, for what they considered imprudent exposure in convalescence; telling him that his shadow was not well settled down in him, and that therefore he was in danger of losing it. It would seem, however, that although they believe the soul leaves the body previous to the commencement of dissolution in the former, yet that it is not removed far from it until long after death. This is manifest from their usage in the feast of Che-bah-koo-che-ga-win, and from some of the ceremonies of interment, particularly in the case of women, when their husbands are buried.
In the spring of the year 1826, a man of the Menomonies died and was buried very near the encampment of a part of the fifth regiment of United States infantry, on the high prairie in the rear of the village of Prairie Du Chein, on the Mississippi. The body was attended to the grave by a considerable number of the friends and relatives, and when it was let down into the shallow grave, the wife of the deceased approached the brink, and after looking down on the rude coffin, she stepped upon it, and immediately across, taking her course over the plains, towards the bluffs there, about a mile distant. This is a common practice of the women of that tribe; and the mourner is careful, if she contemplates a second marriage, never to look back towards the grave she has left, but returns to her lodge by some devious and circuitous route. It is done, as they say, that the Cha-pi (Je-bi of the Ojibbeways,) or the dead person, may not be able to follow them afterwards. If the woman should look back, they believe she would either fall dead immediately, or become insane, and remain so ever after. On some occasions, but rarely, another person accompanies the mourner, carrying a handful of small twigs, and following immediately after her, flourishes it about her head, as if driving away flies. The verb applicable to this action, is inthe third person singular, Wai-whai-na-how, the more general one applicable to the whole ceremony, Ah-neuk-ken-new.
In the instance above mentioned, the woman walked rapidly, and without looking back, across the wide prairie, in a direction almost opposite that leading to her lodge; but her loud and bitter lamentings could be heard at a great distance, seeming to contradict the action by which she professed to seek an everlasting separation from the deceased.
The more common and well known observances paid to the dead by these people, seem not to indicate such a destitution of affection as the ceremony just described. In many of their customs relating to the treatment of the dead, we can discover, not only the traces of kind feeling, but a strong confidence in a future existence, and the belief that their departed friends can know and estimate the value of friendly offices rendered them after their departure. At the time of the great council at Prairie Du Chein, in 1825, a Sioux chief, of the remote band of the Sissitong, sickened and died of a bilious fever. He had been a distinguished man among his own people, and, as he had come a great distance from his own country, in obedience to the call of our government, the military commandant at that post was induced to bury him with the honours of war. The men of his band were gathered around his body, in the lodge where he died, and when the escort arrived, they raised him upon his bier, a hundred manly voices at the same time chanting forth a requiem, thus rendered by a person well acquainted with their language:
Grieve not, our brother! the path thou art walkingIs that in which we, and all men must follow.
Grieve not, our brother! the path thou art walkingIs that in which we, and all men must follow.
Grieve not, our brother! the path thou art walking
Is that in which we, and all men must follow.
And thus they continued to repeat, until they reached the grave. There is something impressive and affecting in their habit of preserving and dressing up the je-bi, or memorial of the dead, which, like our weeds and crapes, finds a place in many a dwelling where little of mourning is visible. Yet, though the place which death had made vacant in their hearts, may have been filled, they seem never to forget the supply they consider due the wants of the departed.Whenever they eat or drink a portion is carefully set apart for the je-bi, and this observance continues for years, should they not, in the mean time, have an opportunity to send out this memorial with some war party; when, if it be thrown down on the field of battle, as they aim always to do, then their obligation to the departed ceases.
Of the Chippewyans, the Sarcees, the Strong Bows, and other tribes inhabiting those dreary regions which border on the arctic circle, it is related, that they in many instances omit to bury their dead, and that they frequently desert their relatives and friends, whenever, from sickness or old age, they become unable to endure the ordinary fatigues of their manner of life. There is no more reason to question the accuracy of these statements, than of those in relation to the cannibalism, sodomy, and other shocking vices of more southern tribes. But as the destitution of natural affection manifested in the conduct of many of the American tribes towards their relatives in sickness and decrepitude, is undoubtedly that among their vices, which is most abhorrent to the feelings of civilized men, so we shall find the instances of rare occurrence, except where the rigour of the climate, or other natural causes, impose on them a necessity, to which we ourselves, in the same circumstances, should probable yield as they do. The horrible practices to which men of all races have been driven in besieged cities, in cases of shipwreck, and other similar emergencies, should admonish us that the Indians, as a race, deserve no peculiar detestation for crimes growing unavoidably out of their situation.
Ma-ni-hik—Norway pine.A-nee-naun-duk—Balsam fir.Kik-kaun-dug—Spruce. The black pheasant feeds on the leaves.Mus-keeg-wah-tick—Hackmatack, swamp wood.Kaw-waun-duk—Single spruce.Mis-kwaw-wauk—Red cedar.Ke-zhik—White cedar.Kaw-waw-zheek—Juniper bushes.Kaw-waw-zheen-sha, or Ah-kaw-wun-je—Yew.Kaw-kaw-ge-wingz—Hemlock spruce.Puk-gwun-nah-ga-muk—White pine, (peeling bark.)Shin-gwawk—Yellow pine.
Ma-ni-hik—Norway pine.
A-nee-naun-duk—Balsam fir.
Kik-kaun-dug—Spruce. The black pheasant feeds on the leaves.
Mus-keeg-wah-tick—Hackmatack, swamp wood.
Kaw-waun-duk—Single spruce.
Mis-kwaw-wauk—Red cedar.
Ke-zhik—White cedar.
Kaw-waw-zheek—Juniper bushes.
Kaw-waw-zheen-sha, or Ah-kaw-wun-je—Yew.
Kaw-kaw-ge-wingz—Hemlock spruce.
Puk-gwun-nah-ga-muk—White pine, (peeling bark.)
Shin-gwawk—Yellow pine.
Nin-au-tik—Sugar maple, (our own tree.)She-she-gum-maw-wis—River maple, (sap flows fast.)Shah-shah-go-be-muk—low-ground maple.Moons-omais—Striped maple, (Moose wood.)Shah-shah-go-be-muk-oons—Spiked maple, (little shah-shah-go-be-muk.)We-gwos—White birch.Ween-es-sik—Black birch.Buh-wi-e-me-nin aw-gaw-wunje—Red Cherry, (the wood of the shaken down fruit, or berry.)Sus-suh-way-meen ah-ga-wunje—Choke cherry.Buh-wi-me-nah-ne-gah-wunje—Black Cherry.Nai-go-wim-me-nah gaw-we-zheen—Sand-cherry bushes.Me-tik-o-meesh, (Mait-e-koma, Menomonie)—Black oak, (wood cup.)Meesh-a-mish—White oak.Ah-sah-tia—White poplar.Mah-nu-sah-tia—Balsam poplar, (ugly poplar.) Mat-heh-me-toos—Cree. Franklin’s narrative, p. 78.Be-zhew-au-tik—Coffee bean tree, (wild cat tree.) Found only in the south.Way-miche-ge-meen-ah-ga-wunje—Honey locust, southern.Uz-zhuh-way-mish—Beech; none northward of Mackinac.Me-tig-wawb-awk—Smooth hickory, (smooth wood bow tree.)Nas-kun-nuk-a-koosit Me-teg-waub-awk—Hickory, (rough bark bow tree.)A-neeb—Elm, white.O-shah-she-go-pe—Red elm, two varieties: the bark of one only used for sacks.Wa-go-be-mish—Linn, (bark tree.)Bug-gaun-awk—Black walnut.Ke-no-sha bug-gaun-awk—Butternut, (long walnut.)Ahn-za bug-gaun-awk—Pecan, southern.Suz-zuh-wuh-ko-mist—Hackberry.As-seme-nun—Pawpaw.Boo-e-auk—White ash.We-sug-auk—Black ash.Bug-gaun-ne-me-zeesh-ah—Hazel bush.Waw-bun wah-ko-meezh—White arrow wood.We-ah-ko-meezh—Arrow wood.Mus-kwaw be-muk—Red ozier.O-to-pe—Alder. O-to-peen—Alders.Sis-se-go-be-mish—Willow.Bug-ga-sah-ne-mish—Plum tree.Mish-she-min-nuh ga-wunje—Crab apple tree.Mish-she-min au-tik—Crab apple wood, or tree.Ne-be-min-ah-ga-wunje—High craneberry bush.Tah-tah-te-mun-ah-ga-wunje—Black haw bush.Ke-teg-ge-manito—New Jersey tea, (red root.)Koose-gwaw-ko-mizhe-ga-wunje—High blue berry bush.O-zhusk-ko-mi-zheen—Musk rat berries.Be-mah-gwut—Grape.We-gwos-be-mah-gwut—Birch grape.Manito-be-mah-gwut, or manito-meen-a-gah-wunje—Cissus, a climbing vine, with scattered berries, somewhat like grapes.Mus-ke-ge-min[41]—Cranberry, crane berries, (Swamp berries.)Sa-zah-ko-me-nah gah-wah-zheen, pl.—Saccacommis, or arbutus. The leaves of this plant, theuva ursaof the shops, are commonly used by the Ojibbeways, in whose country it abounds, to mix with their tobacco.Waw-be-ko-meen-ah-ga-wunje—Nine bark, or spiraw.Wis-seg-ge-bug, sing., wis-seg-ge-bug-goon, pl.—Bitter leaf; an andromeda, very highly esteemed by the Indians, as a remedy, and by them said to grow only about the Grand Traverse, in Lake Huron.Ne-kim-me-nun—Swamp whortle berries.Shug-gus-kim-me-nun—Thimble berries, or flowering raspberries.Kaw-waw-be-ga-koo-zit—White bark, a small tree at Lake Traverse.Ut-tuh-be-ga-zhin-nah-gook—A shrub said to be found only in the north.Pah-posh-geshe-gun-au-tik—Red elder, (popgun wood,) very common about Me-nau-zhe-taun-naug, and the islands in the Lake of the Woods.Bwoi-jim-me-nah-ga-wunje—Whortleberry bush.Ne-kim-me-nah-ga-wunje—High blue berry bush.Mus-keeg o-bug-goan—Labrador tea, (swamp leaves,) one of the most esteemed of the products of cold and swampy regions; used in decoction as tea.Pe-boan-meen-ah-gaw-wunje—Winter berry bush, a prinos.Mun-no-mun-ne-chee-beeg[42]—Red paint root.Me-nais-sa gaw-wunje—Thorn apple.Buz-zuk-ko-me-nais, sing., buz-zuk-ko-me-nais-ug, pl.—A kind of thorn apple growing in the north, which sometimes kill bears when they eat them in large quantities. The Indians suppose that it is in consequence of the strongly adhesive quality of the pulp, that they have this deleterious property.Meen—Blue berry; mee-un—Blue berries, (fruit.) This is a word that enters into the composition of almost all which are used as the names of fruits or berries of any kind; as me-she-min, or me-she-meen, an apple, o-da-e-min, a strawberry, or heart berry, etc. The word ga-wunje, added to the name of any fruit or berry, indicates the wood or bush.Meen-ah-ga-wunje—Blue berry, or whortle berry bush.Ma-ko-meen-ah-ga-wunje—Black currant bush.Mish-e-je-min-ga-wunje—This is a bush growing at and about the Lake of the Woods, which bears red currants, like those of the gardens; but the currants are beset thickly with hairs.Shah-bo-min-nun—Goose berries; Shah-bo-min ga-wunje—the bushes.Mis-kwa-min—Raspberry; mis-kwa-min-nug—Raspberries.Gaw-waw-ko-meesh—Black raspberries.O-dah-tah-gah-go-min—Blackberry; O-dah-tah-gah-go-me-nug—Blackberries.Muk-kwo-me-nug, or muk-kwaw-me-nug—Bear berries; Muk-ko-me-nah-ga-wunje—The mountain ash, or American service tree.O-gin-ne-mee-nah-wa-wunje—Rose bush. The fruit is much eaten in winter by the starving Indians in the north.All these are called Me-tik-goag, or woody plants.
Nin-au-tik—Sugar maple, (our own tree.)
She-she-gum-maw-wis—River maple, (sap flows fast.)
Shah-shah-go-be-muk—low-ground maple.
Moons-omais—Striped maple, (Moose wood.)
Shah-shah-go-be-muk-oons—Spiked maple, (little shah-shah-go-be-muk.)
We-gwos—White birch.
Ween-es-sik—Black birch.
Buh-wi-e-me-nin aw-gaw-wunje—Red Cherry, (the wood of the shaken down fruit, or berry.)
Sus-suh-way-meen ah-ga-wunje—Choke cherry.
Buh-wi-me-nah-ne-gah-wunje—Black Cherry.
Nai-go-wim-me-nah gaw-we-zheen—Sand-cherry bushes.
Me-tik-o-meesh, (Mait-e-koma, Menomonie)—Black oak, (wood cup.)
Meesh-a-mish—White oak.
Ah-sah-tia—White poplar.
Mah-nu-sah-tia—Balsam poplar, (ugly poplar.) Mat-heh-me-toos—Cree. Franklin’s narrative, p. 78.
Be-zhew-au-tik—Coffee bean tree, (wild cat tree.) Found only in the south.
Way-miche-ge-meen-ah-ga-wunje—Honey locust, southern.
Uz-zhuh-way-mish—Beech; none northward of Mackinac.
Me-tig-wawb-awk—Smooth hickory, (smooth wood bow tree.)
Nas-kun-nuk-a-koosit Me-teg-waub-awk—Hickory, (rough bark bow tree.)
A-neeb—Elm, white.
O-shah-she-go-pe—Red elm, two varieties: the bark of one only used for sacks.
Wa-go-be-mish—Linn, (bark tree.)
Bug-gaun-awk—Black walnut.
Ke-no-sha bug-gaun-awk—Butternut, (long walnut.)
Ahn-za bug-gaun-awk—Pecan, southern.
Suz-zuh-wuh-ko-mist—Hackberry.
As-seme-nun—Pawpaw.
Boo-e-auk—White ash.
We-sug-auk—Black ash.
Bug-gaun-ne-me-zeesh-ah—Hazel bush.
Waw-bun wah-ko-meezh—White arrow wood.
We-ah-ko-meezh—Arrow wood.
Mus-kwaw be-muk—Red ozier.
O-to-pe—Alder. O-to-peen—Alders.
Sis-se-go-be-mish—Willow.
Bug-ga-sah-ne-mish—Plum tree.
Mish-she-min-nuh ga-wunje—Crab apple tree.
Mish-she-min au-tik—Crab apple wood, or tree.
Ne-be-min-ah-ga-wunje—High craneberry bush.
Tah-tah-te-mun-ah-ga-wunje—Black haw bush.
Ke-teg-ge-manito—New Jersey tea, (red root.)
Koose-gwaw-ko-mizhe-ga-wunje—High blue berry bush.
O-zhusk-ko-mi-zheen—Musk rat berries.
Be-mah-gwut—Grape.
We-gwos-be-mah-gwut—Birch grape.
Manito-be-mah-gwut, or manito-meen-a-gah-wunje—Cissus, a climbing vine, with scattered berries, somewhat like grapes.
Mus-ke-ge-min[41]—Cranberry, crane berries, (Swamp berries.)
Sa-zah-ko-me-nah gah-wah-zheen, pl.—Saccacommis, or arbutus. The leaves of this plant, theuva ursaof the shops, are commonly used by the Ojibbeways, in whose country it abounds, to mix with their tobacco.
Waw-be-ko-meen-ah-ga-wunje—Nine bark, or spiraw.
Wis-seg-ge-bug, sing., wis-seg-ge-bug-goon, pl.—Bitter leaf; an andromeda, very highly esteemed by the Indians, as a remedy, and by them said to grow only about the Grand Traverse, in Lake Huron.
Ne-kim-me-nun—Swamp whortle berries.
Shug-gus-kim-me-nun—Thimble berries, or flowering raspberries.
Kaw-waw-be-ga-koo-zit—White bark, a small tree at Lake Traverse.
Ut-tuh-be-ga-zhin-nah-gook—A shrub said to be found only in the north.
Pah-posh-geshe-gun-au-tik—Red elder, (popgun wood,) very common about Me-nau-zhe-taun-naug, and the islands in the Lake of the Woods.
Bwoi-jim-me-nah-ga-wunje—Whortleberry bush.
Ne-kim-me-nah-ga-wunje—High blue berry bush.
Mus-keeg o-bug-goan—Labrador tea, (swamp leaves,) one of the most esteemed of the products of cold and swampy regions; used in decoction as tea.
Pe-boan-meen-ah-gaw-wunje—Winter berry bush, a prinos.
Mun-no-mun-ne-chee-beeg[42]—Red paint root.
Me-nais-sa gaw-wunje—Thorn apple.
Buz-zuk-ko-me-nais, sing., buz-zuk-ko-me-nais-ug, pl.—A kind of thorn apple growing in the north, which sometimes kill bears when they eat them in large quantities. The Indians suppose that it is in consequence of the strongly adhesive quality of the pulp, that they have this deleterious property.
Meen—Blue berry; mee-un—Blue berries, (fruit.) This is a word that enters into the composition of almost all which are used as the names of fruits or berries of any kind; as me-she-min, or me-she-meen, an apple, o-da-e-min, a strawberry, or heart berry, etc. The word ga-wunje, added to the name of any fruit or berry, indicates the wood or bush.
Meen-ah-ga-wunje—Blue berry, or whortle berry bush.
Ma-ko-meen-ah-ga-wunje—Black currant bush.
Mish-e-je-min-ga-wunje—This is a bush growing at and about the Lake of the Woods, which bears red currants, like those of the gardens; but the currants are beset thickly with hairs.
Shah-bo-min-nun—Goose berries; Shah-bo-min ga-wunje—the bushes.
Mis-kwa-min—Raspberry; mis-kwa-min-nug—Raspberries.
Gaw-waw-ko-meesh—Black raspberries.
O-dah-tah-gah-go-min—Blackberry; O-dah-tah-gah-go-me-nug—Blackberries.
Muk-kwo-me-nug, or muk-kwaw-me-nug—Bear berries; Muk-ko-me-nah-ga-wunje—The mountain ash, or American service tree.
O-gin-ne-mee-nah-wa-wunje—Rose bush. The fruit is much eaten in winter by the starving Indians in the north.
All these are called Me-tik-goag, or woody plants.
Me-zhus-keen, (Ma-zhus-koon on the Menomonies)—Grasses.Na-bug-us-koan—Coarse swamp grass.Anah-kun-us-koan—Bull rush, (matt grass.)Be-gwa-wun-us-koan—Soft coarse grass. The name of the Be-wi-o-nus-ko River and Lake, called Rush River on some of the maps, is from this word. This word seems, in some districts, to be used as the name of the cow parsley.As-ah-gu-nus-koan—Bug-gusk—Iris.Puk-kwi-usk-oge—Flags.O-zhusk-gwut-te-beeg—Muskrat root, (a grass.)
Me-zhus-keen, (Ma-zhus-koon on the Menomonies)—Grasses.
Na-bug-us-koan—Coarse swamp grass.
Anah-kun-us-koan—Bull rush, (matt grass.)
Be-gwa-wun-us-koan—Soft coarse grass. The name of the Be-wi-o-nus-ko River and Lake, called Rush River on some of the maps, is from this word. This word seems, in some districts, to be used as the name of the cow parsley.
As-ah-gu-nus-koan—Bug-gusk—Iris.
Puk-kwi-usk-oge—Flags.
O-zhusk-gwut-te-beeg—Muskrat root, (a grass.)
The following are not called Me-zhus-keen.
Muz-zha-nusk-koan—Nettles.Skib-waw-we-gusk—Artichoke, a species of sun flower.Ke-zhe-bun-ush-koan—Rushes.O-kun-dum-moge—Pond lilies.Ma-ko-pin, Ma-ko-pin-eeg, sin. and pl.—Chinkapin, or cyamus.Waw-be-ze-pin-neeg—Arrow head, (swan potatoes.) The roots of the common saggittaria, as well as the bulbs of some of the crest flowering lilies, which are eaten by the Indians, receive this name.Mus-ko-ti-pe-neeg—Lily, (Prairie potatoes.)Sah-sah-way-suk—Turkey potatoes.O-kah-tahk—Cicuta.Ma-ni-to O-kah-tahk—Sison? heracleum?O-saw-wus-kwun-wees—Green small balls.Sug-gut-ta-bo-way—Sticking burs; hounds tongues, etc.Nah-ma-wusk—Spear mint, (sturgeon medicine.)Wis-se-giche-bik—Indian’s physic, (bitter root; Callistachia.)Mis-kwe-wis-che-be-kug-guk—Blood root.A-zhush-a-way-skuk—Square stem scrophularia.Be-zhew-wusk—Wild cat medicine.Ke-na-beek-o-me-nun—Snake berries; Dracaena borealis.Mainwake—Angelica, or cow parsley.Me-tush-koo-se-min—Apple of the prairie of the Canadians, (Psoralia,) much eaten by the Crees and Assinneboins, in whose country it abounds.Mah-nom-o-ne gah-wah-zheen, pl.—Wild rice, (the grass.)Muk-koose-e-mee-nun—Young bear’s berries.We-nis-se-bug-goon—Wintergreen.Mus-kee-go-bug-goon—Swamp winter green; perhaps the little rough wintergreen.Be-na-bug-goon—Partridge flower.Mus-ke-gway-me-taus—Side saddle flower, (Swamp bottles, in allusion to the pitcher shaped leaves.)[44]Muk-kud-da-we-che-be-kug-guk—Black roots.Ta-ta-sis-koo-see-men—The flower that follows the sun.Pe-zhe-ke-wusk—Buffalo medicine. Wild carrot?She-wa-bug-goon—Sweet cicely, (sour leaf.)A-nich-e-me-nun—Wild pea vine.O-da-na-me-na-gaw-wun-zheen, pl.—Strawberry vines.Se-bwoi-gun-nuk—Corn stalks, (chaw sweet.)O-pin—Potato. O-pin-neeg—Potatoes.O-guis-e-maun—Squashes. O-zaw-waw-o-guis-se-maun—Yellow squashes.Mis-kwo-de-se-min—Bean. Mis-kwo-de-se-me-nug—Beans.As-ke-tum-moong—Melons.Gitche-un-ne-beesh—Cabbage, (big leaf.) Gitche-ne-beesh-un—great leaves.Skush-kun-dah-min-ne-kwi-uk—Plantain; the leaves of this are particularly observed by hunter, as they show, better than any thing else, the age of the tracks of game.Shig-gau-ga-win-zheeg,[45]pl.—Onions, (skunk weeds.)O-kau-tauk—carrots.Kitche-mus-ke-ke-meen—Red Pepper, (great medicine berry.)Ba-se-kwunk—This is a red astringent root, much valued by the Indians, as an application to wounds. Avens root?Shah-bo-ze-gun—Milkweed. The Ojibbeway word signifiespurgative.Waw-be-no-wusk—Yarrow, (Wawbeno medicine.)Ke-zhe-bun-ush-kon-sun—Small rushes, in prairie.Nah-nah-gun-e-wushk—Fern. Nah-nah-gun-ne-wush-koan—Ferns.Wese-bain-jah-ko-nun—Usnaco.Wah-ko-nug—Lichens; the edible gyrophora.Ween-de-go-wah-ko-nug—Gyrophora inedible.Waw-bah-sah-ko-nick—Sphagnun, used by the women to make a bed for young children.Ah-sah-ko-mik—Marchantia, and green mosses, on the shady sides of trees.O-zhusk-kwa-toan-suk—Reindeer moss-citrariac, etc.
Muz-zha-nusk-koan—Nettles.
Skib-waw-we-gusk—Artichoke, a species of sun flower.
Ke-zhe-bun-ush-koan—Rushes.
O-kun-dum-moge—Pond lilies.
Ma-ko-pin, Ma-ko-pin-eeg, sin. and pl.—Chinkapin, or cyamus.
Waw-be-ze-pin-neeg—Arrow head, (swan potatoes.) The roots of the common saggittaria, as well as the bulbs of some of the crest flowering lilies, which are eaten by the Indians, receive this name.
Mus-ko-ti-pe-neeg—Lily, (Prairie potatoes.)
Sah-sah-way-suk—Turkey potatoes.
O-kah-tahk—Cicuta.
Ma-ni-to O-kah-tahk—Sison? heracleum?
O-saw-wus-kwun-wees—Green small balls.
Sug-gut-ta-bo-way—Sticking burs; hounds tongues, etc.
Nah-ma-wusk—Spear mint, (sturgeon medicine.)
Wis-se-giche-bik—Indian’s physic, (bitter root; Callistachia.)
Mis-kwe-wis-che-be-kug-guk—Blood root.
A-zhush-a-way-skuk—Square stem scrophularia.
Be-zhew-wusk—Wild cat medicine.
Ke-na-beek-o-me-nun—Snake berries; Dracaena borealis.
Mainwake—Angelica, or cow parsley.
Me-tush-koo-se-min—Apple of the prairie of the Canadians, (Psoralia,) much eaten by the Crees and Assinneboins, in whose country it abounds.
Mah-nom-o-ne gah-wah-zheen, pl.—Wild rice, (the grass.)
Muk-koose-e-mee-nun—Young bear’s berries.
We-nis-se-bug-goon—Wintergreen.
Mus-kee-go-bug-goon—Swamp winter green; perhaps the little rough wintergreen.
Be-na-bug-goon—Partridge flower.
Mus-ke-gway-me-taus—Side saddle flower, (Swamp bottles, in allusion to the pitcher shaped leaves.)[44]
Muk-kud-da-we-che-be-kug-guk—Black roots.
Ta-ta-sis-koo-see-men—The flower that follows the sun.
Pe-zhe-ke-wusk—Buffalo medicine. Wild carrot?
She-wa-bug-goon—Sweet cicely, (sour leaf.)
A-nich-e-me-nun—Wild pea vine.
O-da-na-me-na-gaw-wun-zheen, pl.—Strawberry vines.
Se-bwoi-gun-nuk—Corn stalks, (chaw sweet.)
O-pin—Potato. O-pin-neeg—Potatoes.
O-guis-e-maun—Squashes. O-zaw-waw-o-guis-se-maun—Yellow squashes.
Mis-kwo-de-se-min—Bean. Mis-kwo-de-se-me-nug—Beans.
As-ke-tum-moong—Melons.
Gitche-un-ne-beesh—Cabbage, (big leaf.) Gitche-ne-beesh-un—great leaves.
Skush-kun-dah-min-ne-kwi-uk—Plantain; the leaves of this are particularly observed by hunter, as they show, better than any thing else, the age of the tracks of game.
Shig-gau-ga-win-zheeg,[45]pl.—Onions, (skunk weeds.)
O-kau-tauk—carrots.
Kitche-mus-ke-ke-meen—Red Pepper, (great medicine berry.)
Ba-se-kwunk—This is a red astringent root, much valued by the Indians, as an application to wounds. Avens root?
Shah-bo-ze-gun—Milkweed. The Ojibbeway word signifiespurgative.
Waw-be-no-wusk—Yarrow, (Wawbeno medicine.)
Ke-zhe-bun-ush-kon-sun—Small rushes, in prairie.
Nah-nah-gun-e-wushk—Fern. Nah-nah-gun-ne-wush-koan—Ferns.
Wese-bain-jah-ko-nun—Usnaco.
Wah-ko-nug—Lichens; the edible gyrophora.
Ween-de-go-wah-ko-nug—Gyrophora inedible.
Waw-bah-sah-ko-nick—Sphagnun, used by the women to make a bed for young children.
Ah-sah-ko-mik—Marchantia, and green mosses, on the shady sides of trees.
O-zhusk-kwa-toan-suk—Reindeer moss-citrariac, etc.
Waw-but-to—Pine touch-wood.Me-tik-o-mish O-zhusk-kwa-to-wug—White oak touch-woods much used to burn mortars for pounding corn.Sug-guh-tah-gun—Spunk.Je-bi-e-push-kwa-e-gun—Zylostroma; dead people’s moccasin leather, is the literal meaning of this word, which is applied to the leather-like substance in the fissures of old trees.O-je-bi-e-muk-ke-zin—Ghost or spirit moccasin; puff ball; dead man’s shoe; sometimes called Anung-wug—stars.
Waw-but-to—Pine touch-wood.
Me-tik-o-mish O-zhusk-kwa-to-wug—White oak touch-woods much used to burn mortars for pounding corn.
Sug-guh-tah-gun—Spunk.
Je-bi-e-push-kwa-e-gun—Zylostroma; dead people’s moccasin leather, is the literal meaning of this word, which is applied to the leather-like substance in the fissures of old trees.
O-je-bi-e-muk-ke-zin—Ghost or spirit moccasin; puff ball; dead man’s shoe; sometimes called Anung-wug—stars.
The diminutive termination is used for the young of animals, and is, in the Ottawwaw dialect, generally in the sound ofns, ornce, when the noun ends with a vowel. Thus,gwin-gwaw-ah-ga, a wolverene;gwin-gwaw-ah-gaince, a young wolverene; thea, in the last syllable, retaining the samesound as in the word without the diminutive termination. When any distinction of sex is made, it is commonly by prefixing the wordsi-ah-baandno-zha, very similar in signification to ourmaleandfemale; thusi-ah-ba gwin-gwaw-ah-ga, is a male wolverene;no-zha gwin-gwaw-ah-ga, a female wolverene.Gwin-gwaw-ah-ga—Wolverene, (tough beast.) Carcajou, French,northern glutton, a very sagacious and mischievous animal, but not of common occurrence; now principally found among the lakes.Na-nah-pah-je-ne-ka-se—A mole? (foot wrong way.)Bo-taich-che-pin-gwis-sa—Gopher, (blow up the ground.)Manito Muk-kwaw—Great grizzly bear, always found in the prairie.Ma-mis-ko-gah-zhe-muk-kwaw—Red nail bear; very fierce and dangerous, more feared by the Indians than the former, who very rarely attacks a man, unless wounded; but the red nailed bear attacks when unprovoked, and pursues with great speed. He lives in rocky places in woods.Muk-kwaw—Common bear;ou-wash-ah, of the Menomonies.Muk-koons, or Muk-koonce—Cub;ou-wa-sha-sha, of the Menomonies.I-aw-ba-koonsandno-zha-koons, are used by the Ottawwaws and Ojibbeways to distinguish the male and female bear, where the Menomonies would useou-wa-shah e-nai-ne-wowandou-wa-shah ma-tai-mo-shuh.Me-tun-nusk, Ojib.—Toothless,Badger.Mish-she-mo-nah-na, Ott.—Great burrower,Mus-ko-tai Chit-ta-mo—Prairie squirrel.Mus-ko-tai Ah-gwin-gwoos—Prairie striped squirrel; small squirrel, with stripes and spots, burrowing in the prairie, sometimes with thechittamo.Ah-gwin-gwoos—Chipping squirrel.Atch-e-dah-mo—Red squirrel.O-zhug-gus-kon-dah-wa—Flying squirrel, (strikes flat on a tree.)Sun-nah-go, and Muk-kud-da As-sun-nah-go, andMis-kwaw-sun-nah-go—The grey, black and fox squirrels, not found in the country north of Lake Superior.Uk-kuk-koo-jees—Ground hog, smaller than in the states.Me-sau-boos—Hare, white in winter.Waw-boos—Rabbit, Meezh-way, Meezh-way-ug, sin. and pl.—Southern rabbit.Pish-tah-te-koosh—Antelope. This is reckoned the fleetest animal in the prairie country, about the Assinneboin.Pe-zhe-ke—Buffalo. No-zha-zha-pe-zhe-ke—A cow that has a young calf following her. O-neen-jah-nis-pe-zhe-ke—Farrow cow.Jah-ba-pe-zhe-ke—Bull. Pe-zhe-keence—A young calf. O-saw-waw Koo-shance—A calf while the hair is red. Poo-nah-koosh—Calf, a year old. Ah-ne-ka-boo-nah-koosh—two years old.Gitche-pe-zhe-ke—Fossil mammoth.Ma-nah-tik—Big horn.Gitche-mah-nish-tah-nish—Rocky mountain sheep.
The diminutive termination is used for the young of animals, and is, in the Ottawwaw dialect, generally in the sound ofns, ornce, when the noun ends with a vowel. Thus,gwin-gwaw-ah-ga, a wolverene;gwin-gwaw-ah-gaince, a young wolverene; thea, in the last syllable, retaining the samesound as in the word without the diminutive termination. When any distinction of sex is made, it is commonly by prefixing the wordsi-ah-baandno-zha, very similar in signification to ourmaleandfemale; thusi-ah-ba gwin-gwaw-ah-ga, is a male wolverene;no-zha gwin-gwaw-ah-ga, a female wolverene.
Gwin-gwaw-ah-ga—Wolverene, (tough beast.) Carcajou, French,northern glutton, a very sagacious and mischievous animal, but not of common occurrence; now principally found among the lakes.
Na-nah-pah-je-ne-ka-se—A mole? (foot wrong way.)
Bo-taich-che-pin-gwis-sa—Gopher, (blow up the ground.)
Manito Muk-kwaw—Great grizzly bear, always found in the prairie.
Ma-mis-ko-gah-zhe-muk-kwaw—Red nail bear; very fierce and dangerous, more feared by the Indians than the former, who very rarely attacks a man, unless wounded; but the red nailed bear attacks when unprovoked, and pursues with great speed. He lives in rocky places in woods.
Muk-kwaw—Common bear;ou-wash-ah, of the Menomonies.
Muk-koons, or Muk-koonce—Cub;ou-wa-sha-sha, of the Menomonies.
I-aw-ba-koonsandno-zha-koons, are used by the Ottawwaws and Ojibbeways to distinguish the male and female bear, where the Menomonies would useou-wa-shah e-nai-ne-wowandou-wa-shah ma-tai-mo-shuh.
Mus-ko-tai Chit-ta-mo—Prairie squirrel.
Mus-ko-tai Ah-gwin-gwoos—Prairie striped squirrel; small squirrel, with stripes and spots, burrowing in the prairie, sometimes with thechittamo.
Ah-gwin-gwoos—Chipping squirrel.
Atch-e-dah-mo—Red squirrel.
O-zhug-gus-kon-dah-wa—Flying squirrel, (strikes flat on a tree.)
Sun-nah-go, and Muk-kud-da As-sun-nah-go, andMis-kwaw-sun-nah-go—The grey, black and fox squirrels, not found in the country north of Lake Superior.
Uk-kuk-koo-jees—Ground hog, smaller than in the states.
Me-sau-boos—Hare, white in winter.
Waw-boos—Rabbit, Meezh-way, Meezh-way-ug, sin. and pl.—Southern rabbit.
Pish-tah-te-koosh—Antelope. This is reckoned the fleetest animal in the prairie country, about the Assinneboin.
Pe-zhe-ke—Buffalo. No-zha-zha-pe-zhe-ke—A cow that has a young calf following her. O-neen-jah-nis-pe-zhe-ke—Farrow cow.
Jah-ba-pe-zhe-ke—Bull. Pe-zhe-keence—A young calf. O-saw-waw Koo-shance—A calf while the hair is red. Poo-nah-koosh—Calf, a year old. Ah-ne-ka-boo-nah-koosh—two years old.
Gitche-pe-zhe-ke—Fossil mammoth.
Ma-nah-tik—Big horn.
Gitche-mah-nish-tah-nish—Rocky mountain sheep.
Na-ne-mo-why, Ott.Small wolf, in prairie countries.Mish-tuh-tah-si, Ojib.Mi-een-gun-nug—Common wolves.Mi-een-gun—Common wolf.Muk-hud-da-mi-een-gun—Black wolf.Waw-be-mi-een-gun—White wolf.Shoon-sho—Long eared hound.An-ne-moosh—Common dog.Ta-tah-koo-gaut-ta-was-sim—Short leg dog.Be-gwi-wa-was-sim—Long haired dog; Newfoundland.Ke-wis-kwa-mi-een-gun-nug—Mad wolves, sometimes seen, but rarely bite, unless attacked.
Mi-een-gun-nug—Common wolves.
Mi-een-gun—Common wolf.
Muk-hud-da-mi-een-gun—Black wolf.
Waw-be-mi-een-gun—White wolf.
Shoon-sho—Long eared hound.
An-ne-moosh—Common dog.
Ta-tah-koo-gaut-ta-was-sim—Short leg dog.
Be-gwi-wa-was-sim—Long haired dog; Newfoundland.
Ke-wis-kwa-mi-een-gun-nug—Mad wolves, sometimes seen, but rarely bite, unless attacked.
O-saw-waw-goosh—Common red fox.Muk-kud-da-waw-goosh—Black fox.Muk-kud-da-waw-goo-shug—Black foxes.Wa-whaw-goosh—White fox, fur long, but of no value.Ne-ke-kwa-tug-gah-wa-waw-goosh—Grey fox.Pis-tat-te-moosh—Swift fox, (small dog.)Kah-zhe-gainse—Common house cat, (little glutton.)Pe-zhew—Wild cat.Ke-tah-gah-pe-zhew—Lynx, (spotted wild cat.)Me-she-pe-zhew—Panther, (big wild cat.)Ah-meek—Beaver. Naub-ah-meek—Male beaver. Noazh-ah-meek—Female beaver. An-meek-koanse—Young beaver.Kin-waw-no-wish-shug, CreeBlack tailed deer.Muk-kud-da-waw-wash-gais, Ojib.Waw-wash-gais—Red or Virginian deer.O-mush-koons, Ojib.Elk. On Red River, Mouse River, the Saskawjawun, etc.Me-sha-way, Ottaw.Waw-was-kesh, Cree,Ah-dik—Reindeer. Ca-ri-bou, French. The feet very large and broad, fitting the animal to travel over smooth ice, or deep snow; found on all the shores of Lake Superior, and sometimes at the upper end of Lake Huron; but most frequent farther north.Mooze, or Moonce, Ojib.Moose. The nasal sound, at the end of this word is common in these dialects; but it is difficult to represent, by the letters of our alphabet.Moon-swah, CreeI-aw-ba-mooze—Buck moose. No-zha-mooze—Deer moose. Moonze-aince—Little moose, etc.A-yance—Opossum, only in the south. The word a-yance, meanscrafty.Shin-goos—Weasel, two kinds.Shin-goo-sug—Weasels.Ne-gik—Otter. Ne-gik-wug—Otters.Kwaush-kwaush-ko-tah-be-ko-sheezh.Keen-waw-no-wa waw-waw-be-gun-o-je—Long tail leaping mouse.Waw-waw-be-gun-o-je—Mouse.Ah-mik-waw-waw-be-gun-o-je—Beaver, or diving mouse.Kah-ge-bin-gwaw-kwa—Shrew. Two species are common about St. Maries, in winter.Kahg—Porcupine.[47]Kahg-wug—Porcupines.Shong-gwa-she—Mink.Wah-be-zha-she—Marten.Woapchees, Z. p. 18.A-se-bun—Raccoon.She-gahg—Skunk.O-zhusk—Muskrat.Ah-puk-kwon-ah-je—Bat.O-jeeg—Fisher weasel, a very stupid animal, easy to kill.
O-saw-waw-goosh—Common red fox.
Muk-kud-da-waw-goosh—Black fox.
Muk-kud-da-waw-goo-shug—Black foxes.
Wa-whaw-goosh—White fox, fur long, but of no value.
Ne-ke-kwa-tug-gah-wa-waw-goosh—Grey fox.
Pis-tat-te-moosh—Swift fox, (small dog.)
Kah-zhe-gainse—Common house cat, (little glutton.)
Pe-zhew—Wild cat.
Ke-tah-gah-pe-zhew—Lynx, (spotted wild cat.)
Me-she-pe-zhew—Panther, (big wild cat.)
Ah-meek—Beaver. Naub-ah-meek—Male beaver. Noazh-ah-meek—Female beaver. An-meek-koanse—Young beaver.
Waw-wash-gais—Red or Virginian deer.
Ah-dik—Reindeer. Ca-ri-bou, French. The feet very large and broad, fitting the animal to travel over smooth ice, or deep snow; found on all the shores of Lake Superior, and sometimes at the upper end of Lake Huron; but most frequent farther north.
I-aw-ba-mooze—Buck moose. No-zha-mooze—Deer moose. Moonze-aince—Little moose, etc.
A-yance—Opossum, only in the south. The word a-yance, meanscrafty.
Shin-goos—Weasel, two kinds.
Shin-goo-sug—Weasels.
Ne-gik—Otter. Ne-gik-wug—Otters.
Kwaush-kwaush-ko-tah-be-ko-sheezh.
Keen-waw-no-wa waw-waw-be-gun-o-je—Long tail leaping mouse.
Waw-waw-be-gun-o-je—Mouse.
Ah-mik-waw-waw-be-gun-o-je—Beaver, or diving mouse.
Kah-ge-bin-gwaw-kwa—Shrew. Two species are common about St. Maries, in winter.
Kahg—Porcupine.[47]Kahg-wug—Porcupines.
Shong-gwa-she—Mink.
Wah-be-zha-she—Marten.Woapchees, Z. p. 18.
A-se-bun—Raccoon.
She-gahg—Skunk.
O-zhusk—Muskrat.
Ah-puk-kwon-ah-je—Bat.
O-jeeg—Fisher weasel, a very stupid animal, easy to kill.
Nau-to-way—Thick, short rattle snake. (Sha-no-we-naw—The rattler?)She-she-gwa—Common rattle snake. Both these are occasionally kept tame by the Indians. They sometimes make feasts to them, and they are said to be very docile and intelligent.Me-tik-o-she-she-gwa—Adder.Na-wa—Moccasin snake.Pih-kun—Prairie snake. At the head of Mouse River, and in the prairies towards the Missouri, these snakes are more than six feet long, and proportionably large. Pih-kun-un are common snakes, but never half so large as the above.Mis-kwan-dib—Red head; copper snake?O-zha-wus-ko Ke-na-beek—Green snake.Muk-kud-da Ke-na-beek—Black snake.O-mus-sun-dum-mo—Water snake.Wa-in-je-tah Ke-na-beek—Garter snake, (right or true ge-na-bik.)O-kaute Ke-na-beek—Lizzard, (legged snake.)Gee-kut-tau-naung—Lizzard of some kind.Que-we-zains—Little boy, (also a lizzard.)Nib-be-ke O-muh-kuk-ke—Oribicular lizzard? (medicine frog.)Wain-je-tah O-muh-kuk-ke—Right frogs, or common frog.Dain-da—Bull frog,and Hannie, Z. 19.Mis-ko-muh-kuk-ke—Red toad.[48]Be-go-muh-kuk-ke—Common toads. These two last, at the approach of winter, place themselves erect on the surface of the ground, on their hams, and by turning themselves round and round, they sink into the ground, which closes over them, and they keep below the frost. They are often found, several within two or three feet of each other, buried deep in the earth, but keeping constantly their heads erect.O-shaw-wus-ko-muh-kuk-ke—Tree frog.Me-zhe-ka, Ottaw.Large tortoise.Me-kin-nauk, Ojib.Ta-ta-be-ko-nauk—Soft shelled tortoise.Boos-kut-ta-wish—A tortoise with round deep shells.Mis-kwaw-tais-sa—Terrapin.Sug-gus-kwaw-ge-ma—Leech.
Nau-to-way—Thick, short rattle snake. (Sha-no-we-naw—The rattler?)
She-she-gwa—Common rattle snake. Both these are occasionally kept tame by the Indians. They sometimes make feasts to them, and they are said to be very docile and intelligent.
Me-tik-o-she-she-gwa—Adder.
Na-wa—Moccasin snake.
Pih-kun—Prairie snake. At the head of Mouse River, and in the prairies towards the Missouri, these snakes are more than six feet long, and proportionably large. Pih-kun-un are common snakes, but never half so large as the above.
Mis-kwan-dib—Red head; copper snake?
O-zha-wus-ko Ke-na-beek—Green snake.
Muk-kud-da Ke-na-beek—Black snake.
O-mus-sun-dum-mo—Water snake.
Wa-in-je-tah Ke-na-beek—Garter snake, (right or true ge-na-bik.)
O-kaute Ke-na-beek—Lizzard, (legged snake.)
Gee-kut-tau-naung—Lizzard of some kind.
Que-we-zains—Little boy, (also a lizzard.)
Nib-be-ke O-muh-kuk-ke—Oribicular lizzard? (medicine frog.)
Wain-je-tah O-muh-kuk-ke—Right frogs, or common frog.
Dain-da—Bull frog,and Hannie, Z. 19.
Mis-ko-muh-kuk-ke—Red toad.[48]
Be-go-muh-kuk-ke—Common toads. These two last, at the approach of winter, place themselves erect on the surface of the ground, on their hams, and by turning themselves round and round, they sink into the ground, which closes over them, and they keep below the frost. They are often found, several within two or three feet of each other, buried deep in the earth, but keeping constantly their heads erect.
O-shaw-wus-ko-muh-kuk-ke—Tree frog.
Ta-ta-be-ko-nauk—Soft shelled tortoise.
Boos-kut-ta-wish—A tortoise with round deep shells.
Mis-kwaw-tais-sa—Terrapin.
Sug-gus-kwaw-ge-ma—Leech.
Ke-neu—War eagle; the master of all birds.Me-giz-ze—White headed eagle. Me-giz-ze-wug, plural.Ka-kaik—Spotted hawk.Be-bo-ne-sa, Ottaw.Winter hawk.Ke-bu-nuz-ze, Ojib.No-je-ke-na-beek-we-zis-se—Marsh hawk, (snake eating.)Wa-be-no-je Ke-na-beek-we-zis-se—White marsh hawk.Mis-ko-na-ne-sa—Red tail hawk.Pish-ke-neu—Black tail hawk.Muk-kud-da-ke-neu—Black hawk.Bub-be-nug-go—Spotted tail hawk.Be-na-seen’s—Small pheasant hawk.Cha-een-sa—A small hawk, so named from its cry.Pe-pe-ge-wiz-zain’s—Smallest hawk.We-nong-ga—Turkey buzzard.Kah-gah-ge, Ojib.Raven. Kah-gah-ge-wug—Ravens.Gau-gau-ge-she, Ott.On-daig—Crow. On-daig-wug—Crows.As-sig-ge-nawk—Black bird.Mis-ko-min-gwe-gun-nah Sig-ge-nauk—Red wing black bird.O-pish-kah-gah-ge—Magpie. O-pish-kah-gah-ge-wug—Magpies.Gween-gwe-sha—Similar in habits and locality to the former, and closely resembling, in size and colour, the following.[49]Teen-de-se—Blue jay. These begin to lay their eggs before the snow is off the ground in the spring.Be-gwuk-ko-kwa o-wais-sa—Thrush.Ah-luk—Similar to the thrush in habits.Ween-de-go be-nais-sa—King bird, (the bird that eats his own kind.)O-pe-che[50]—Robin.Ma-mah-twa—Cat bird.Chaum-ma-wais-she—Another of the same size.Kos-kos-ko-na-ching—Ground bird? A small bird so named from its note.Put-tas-se-wis.Waw-be-ning-ko-se—Snow birds.Che-ki-che-gau-na-sa—A very small lively bird, peculiar to the north.Mis-kobe-na-sa—Red bird.Sa-ga-bun-wau-nis-sa—Waxen chatterer.O-zhah-wus-kobe-na-sa—Green bird.O-zaw-we-be-na-sa—Yellow bird.Ma-ma—Red headed wood pecker.Paw-paw-sa—Spotted wood pecker.Muk-kud-da paw-paw-sa—Black pawpawsa. The male of this kind, has a bright yellow spot on the top of the head. They are found about Lake Superior in winter.Mo-ning-gwan-na—Yarril, (highhold.)Ke-ke-ba-na—small spotted wood pecker.Che-gaun-do-wais-sa—Brown wood pecker, confined to cedar countries.Shin-go-beek-ai-sa—Cedar bird.Gitche-o-gish-ke-mun-ne-sa—Great king fisher.O-gish-ke-mun-ne-sa[51]—Common king fisher.Shaw-shaw-wa-ne-bais-sa—Swallow.O-ge-bun-ge-gush.O-kun-is-sa—Loxia enudeator, found at Lake Superior in February.Pe, sing. Pe-ug, pl.—A fringilla, smaller than the waxen chatterer. The female has a spot of red on the top of the head; the male, the whole head and neck of the same colour. The tail feathers are bent outwards near the ends. Found about Lake Superior in the winter.Mam-mah-twa.Bosh-kun-dum-moan—Parakeet, (croch perons.)Moash-kah-o-se We-kum-mo, (Menomonie)—Stake driver, (bittern.)Kun-nuh waw-be-mokee-zhis wais-sa—Fly up the creek, (sun gazer.)Me-mom-i-ne-ka-she—Rail, (rice bird.)Pud-dush-kon-zhe—Snipe.Gitche-pud-dush-kon-zhe—Wood cock.
Ke-neu—War eagle; the master of all birds.
Me-giz-ze—White headed eagle. Me-giz-ze-wug, plural.
Ka-kaik—Spotted hawk.
No-je-ke-na-beek-we-zis-se—Marsh hawk, (snake eating.)
Wa-be-no-je Ke-na-beek-we-zis-se—White marsh hawk.
Mis-ko-na-ne-sa—Red tail hawk.
Pish-ke-neu—Black tail hawk.
Muk-kud-da-ke-neu—Black hawk.
Bub-be-nug-go—Spotted tail hawk.
Be-na-seen’s—Small pheasant hawk.
Cha-een-sa—A small hawk, so named from its cry.
Pe-pe-ge-wiz-zain’s—Smallest hawk.
We-nong-ga—Turkey buzzard.
On-daig—Crow. On-daig-wug—Crows.
As-sig-ge-nawk—Black bird.
Mis-ko-min-gwe-gun-nah Sig-ge-nauk—Red wing black bird.
O-pish-kah-gah-ge—Magpie. O-pish-kah-gah-ge-wug—Magpies.
Gween-gwe-sha—Similar in habits and locality to the former, and closely resembling, in size and colour, the following.[49]
Teen-de-se—Blue jay. These begin to lay their eggs before the snow is off the ground in the spring.
Be-gwuk-ko-kwa o-wais-sa—Thrush.
Ah-luk—Similar to the thrush in habits.
Ween-de-go be-nais-sa—King bird, (the bird that eats his own kind.)
O-pe-che[50]—Robin.
Ma-mah-twa—Cat bird.
Chaum-ma-wais-she—Another of the same size.
Kos-kos-ko-na-ching—Ground bird? A small bird so named from its note.
Put-tas-se-wis.
Waw-be-ning-ko-se—Snow birds.
Che-ki-che-gau-na-sa—A very small lively bird, peculiar to the north.
Mis-kobe-na-sa—Red bird.
Sa-ga-bun-wau-nis-sa—Waxen chatterer.
O-zhah-wus-kobe-na-sa—Green bird.
O-zaw-we-be-na-sa—Yellow bird.
Ma-ma—Red headed wood pecker.
Paw-paw-sa—Spotted wood pecker.
Muk-kud-da paw-paw-sa—Black pawpawsa. The male of this kind, has a bright yellow spot on the top of the head. They are found about Lake Superior in winter.
Mo-ning-gwan-na—Yarril, (highhold.)
Ke-ke-ba-na—small spotted wood pecker.
Che-gaun-do-wais-sa—Brown wood pecker, confined to cedar countries.
Shin-go-beek-ai-sa—Cedar bird.
Gitche-o-gish-ke-mun-ne-sa—Great king fisher.
O-gish-ke-mun-ne-sa[51]—Common king fisher.
Shaw-shaw-wa-ne-bais-sa—Swallow.
O-ge-bun-ge-gush.
O-kun-is-sa—Loxia enudeator, found at Lake Superior in February.
Pe, sing. Pe-ug, pl.—A fringilla, smaller than the waxen chatterer. The female has a spot of red on the top of the head; the male, the whole head and neck of the same colour. The tail feathers are bent outwards near the ends. Found about Lake Superior in the winter.
Mam-mah-twa.
Bosh-kun-dum-moan—Parakeet, (croch perons.)
Moash-kah-o-se We-kum-mo, (Menomonie)—Stake driver, (bittern.)
Kun-nuh waw-be-mokee-zhis wais-sa—Fly up the creek, (sun gazer.)
Me-mom-i-ne-ka-she—Rail, (rice bird.)
Pud-dush-kon-zhe—Snipe.
Gitche-pud-dush-kon-zhe—Wood cock.
Mo-voke—Curliew, (a foreign word.)Mus-ko-da che-chees-ke-wa—Upland plover.Wain-je-tah che-chees-ke-wa—Yellow leg plover.Che-to-waik—Bull head plover.Che-chees-ke-wais—Tern.Wawb-uh-che-chawk—White Crane.O-saw-waw-che-chawk—Sand hill crane.Me-zis-sa—Turkey.Be-na—Pheasant.Mush-ko-da-sa—Grouse; confined to pine and cedar countries.Ah-gusk, (Ojib.) Ke-waw-ne, (Ott.)—Prairie hen.O-me-me—Pigeon; o-me-meeg—pigeons. Amemi, Z. 19.
Mo-voke—Curliew, (a foreign word.)
Mus-ko-da che-chees-ke-wa—Upland plover.
Wain-je-tah che-chees-ke-wa—Yellow leg plover.
Che-to-waik—Bull head plover.
Che-chees-ke-wais—Tern.
Wawb-uh-che-chawk—White Crane.
O-saw-waw-che-chawk—Sand hill crane.
Me-zis-sa—Turkey.
Be-na—Pheasant.
Mush-ko-da-sa—Grouse; confined to pine and cedar countries.
Ah-gusk, (Ojib.) Ke-waw-ne, (Ott.)—Prairie hen.
O-me-me—Pigeon; o-me-meeg—pigeons. Amemi, Z. 19.
Waw-wain-je gun-no—Great horned owl.Wain-je-tah koko-koho—Right owl.Koko-oanse—Little owl; gokhotit, Z. 18.Bo-dah-wah doam-ba—Size of a pigeon, (membrum virile.)Kaw-kaw-be-sha—Brown owl.Waw-be-ko-ko—Snow owl, very large.Waw-o-nais-sa—Whippoorwill.Baish-kwa—Night hawk.
Waw-wain-je gun-no—Great horned owl.
Wain-je-tah koko-koho—Right owl.
Koko-oanse—Little owl; gokhotit, Z. 18.
Bo-dah-wah doam-ba—Size of a pigeon, (membrum virile.)
Kaw-kaw-be-sha—Brown owl.
Waw-be-ko-ko—Snow owl, very large.
Waw-o-nais-sa—Whippoorwill.
Baish-kwa—Night hawk.