Dougherty, who was indeed a true Christian, and good to Indians, was a
preacher for the Mission. Daniel Rod, the half-breed from St. Clair
River, Mich., was his interpreter. Mr. Bradley acted as teacher, who
afterwards proved himself unworthy for the position, which produced a
bad effect among the Indians. The Mission is now out of existence.]
This young man, whose name I now learned was John M. Johnstone, of
Sault Ste. Marie, the brother-in-law of Henry Schoolcraft, our Indian
agent, said when we arrived, "You have no commission yet to work in the
shop; you will therefore have to go back to Mackinac with this letter
which you will take to Indian agent yourself and nobody else. Then come
back at the first opportunity if he tells you to come."

So I had to return to Mackinac on the same vessel with which we went
away. At Mackinac I received my commission without any trouble. On
arriving at Grand Traverse the Indians were having a big council which
was concocted, I was told, by the brother of my benefactor, who was
trading there among the Indians. They were getting up remonstrances and
petitioning the Government against my appointment, setting forth as
reason of their complaint that I did not belong to that tribe of
Indians, and was therefore not entitled to the position, and they would
rather have one of their own boys belonging to the tribe put to this
trade. But my friend Johnstone told me "not to mind anything, but go
about my business. The blacksmith shop had been established here for
more than two years, and they should have thought of putting their boy
in the shop long before this." So accordingly I continued working and
minding my own business for five years, when I quit of my own accord.
There were no white people there at that time, only such as were
employed by the Government, and the missionaries and teachers, and the
Indians were very happy in those days.