maw, who existed about the time America was first discovered by white
men, he met with great disaster, as many of his warriors were killed;
so on returning homeward with his remaining survivors, they crossed
Little Traverse Bay in a canoe and approached the shores of Arbor
Croche at the place now called Seven Mile Point, where there was a
large village of Mush-co-desh. Saw-ge-maw said to his few warriors,
"Let us take our sad news to our relations the Mush-co-desh." So as
they approached the shore they began to make an unearthly wailing
noise, according to the custom of the Ottawas, which was called the
death song of the warriors. When the Mush-co-desh heard them they said
to one another, "Hark, the Ottawas are crying. They have been marauding
among some tribes in the west; but this time they have been worsted--
good enough for them. See, they are coming ashore. Let us not permit
them to land." So instead of preparing to join in their mourning, as
would have been proper, they rashly determined to express their
disapproval of the marauding expeditions and their contempt for those
who engaged in them. Before Saw-ge-maw had fairly touched the beach,
parties of Mush-co-desh ran down to the shore with balls of ashes
wrapped up in forest leaves and with these they pelted Saw-ge-maw and
his party as they came ashore. This treatment dreadfully provoked Saw-
ge-maw, and the insult was such as could only be wiped out with blood.
He told his warriors to pull homeward as quickly as possible. "We will
come back here in a few days; we will not have to go so far again to
look for our enemies." Arriving at Manitoulin Island, he immediately
prepared for a great war. After they were completely equipped, they
came back to the southern peninsula of Michigan, stealthily and
carefully landing at the most uninhabited part of the shore. They then
marched to one of the largest villages of Mush-co-desh, which was
situated between Cross Village and Little Traverse, in a beautiful
valley in the northern part of the township now called Friendship.