all, but was naturally gifted as an orator. He was quite logical and
allegorical in his manner of speaking. I have heard several white
people remark, who had listened to his speeches through the imperfect
interpreters, that he was as good a speaker as any orator who had been
thoroughly educated.

My father was the only man who was friendly to education. When I was a
little boy, I remember distinctly his making his own alphabet, which he
called "Paw-pa-pe-po." With this he learned how to read and write; and
afterwards he taught other Indians to read and write according to his
alphabet. He taught no children, but only the grown persons. Our
wigwam, which was about sixty or seventy feet long, where we lived in
the summer time, was like a regular school-house, with my father as
teacher of the school, and they had merry times in it. Many Indians
came there to learn his Paw-pa-pe-po, and some of them were very easy
to learn, while others found learning extremely difficult.

We were ten of us children in the family, six boys and four girls. I
was the youngest of all who were living at that time. The eldest boy
was one of the greatest hunters among the Ottawas. His name was Pung-o-
wish, named after our great-grandfather, but he was afterwards called
Peter by the Catholic missionaries when he was baptised into the
Catholic religion. One of my brothers who was five or six years younger
than my eldest brother was a remarkably interesting boy. His name was
Pe-taw-wan-e-quot, though he was afterwards called William. He was
quick to learn Paw-pa-pe-po, and very curious and interesting questions
he would often ask of his father, which would greatly puzzle the old
man to answer.

All the Indians of Arbor Croche used only to stay there during the