saw-wa-quat was the only child remaining alive of the whole family of
Saw-gaw-kee. Therefore the child was brought back to this country and
was the last head chief of Little Traverse, now Harbor Springs.] This
is the second time that the Ottawas were terribly reduced in numbers in
the country of Arbor Croche.




CHAPTER V.

The Author's Father Appointed Speaker for the Ottawas and Chippewas--
The Only Ottawa Who was Friendly to Education--Making Alphabet--Acting
as School Teacher--Moving Disposition of the Ottawas--Mode of
Traveling--Tradition of William Blackbird Being Fed by Angelic Beings
in the Wilderness--His being Put into Mission School by His Father--
Studying to be a Priest--His Assassination in the City of Rome, Italy,
Almost the Day When He was to be Ordained--Memorial Poem--The Author's
Remarks on the Death of His Brother.


After my father's return to Arbor Croche, he became quite an orator,
and consequently he was appointed as the head speaker in the council of
the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. He continued to hold this office until
his frame was beginning to totter with age, his memory became
disconnected and inactive, and he therefore gave up his office to his
own messenger, whose name was Joseph As-saw-gon, who died during the
late rebellion in the United States while Hon. D. C. Leach, of Traverse
City, was the Michigan Indian Agent. As-saw-gon was indeed quite an
orator, considering his scanty opportunities. He had no education at