Thirdly, that the verbs are also altered according to the person to whom they refer. Thus "I use a cap," Nitaouin agouniscouchon. But if I mean to say "I use his cap," I must instead of nitaouin, say nitaouiouan. And all these verbs have their moods, times, and persons; and they have different conjugations, according to the difference of their terminations.

Fourthly, that the verbs again differ if the action is done by land or by water. Thus "I am going to fetch something;" if it is by land, and the thing is inanimate, you must say ninaten; if by water ninahen; if animated, and by land, ninatan; if animated, and by water, ninahouau; &c.

Fifthly, that the adjectives vary according to the substantives with which they are joined; of which he gives several instances. And he further adds that all those adjectives may be conjugated. Thus "The stone is cold," Tabiscau assini; “it was cold," tabiscaban; "it will be cold," catatabischan.

Sixthly, that they have an infinite number of words signifying many things together, which have no apparent affinity with the words which signify those several things. Thus "The wind drives the snow; "wind is routin, snow is couné; and snow being, according to the Indians, a noble or animated thing, the verb "drives," should be rakhineou. Now, in order to say "The wind drives the snow," the Indians, instead of saying routin rakhineou couné, say, in a single word, piouan. Thus, again, nisticatchi means "I ain cold," and nissitai means "my feet"; but, in order to say that my feet are cold, I must use the word nitatagouasisin.

Besides the abovementioned specimens of the Montagnar, and some others interspersed in the Annual Relations of New France by the Jesuits, we have no other ancient vocabulary of the Algonkin but that of La Hontan. The fictitious account of his pretended travels beyond the Mississippi has very deservedly destroyed his reputation for veracity. Yet it would seem that he ventured to impose on the public, only with respect to countries at that time entirely unknown, and that his account of the Canada Indians may generally be relied upon. There cannot be any doubt, notwithstanding the observations of Charlevoix, of the correctness of his vocabulary, which has been transcribed verbatim by Carver and by John Long, and appears to have been the only one used for a long time among the Indian traders.

Among the Algonkin inhabitants of the River Ottawa were the Ottawas themselves (called by the French Outaouais),

who were principally settled on and in the vicinity of an island in the river, where they exacted a tribute from all the Indians and canoes going to, or coming from, the country of the Hurons. It is observed by the same Father Le Jeune, that, although the Hurons were ten times as numerous, they submitted to that imposition; which seems to prove that the right of sovereignty over the river, to which the Ottawas have left their name, was generally recognised. After the almost total destruction, in the year 1649, of the Hurons by the Five Nations, the Algonkin nations of the Ottawa River generally abandoned their abodes and sought refuge in different quarters. A part of the Ottawas of that river, accompanied by a portion of those who lived on the western shores of Lake Huron, amounting to about one thousand souls, and by five hundred Hurons, after some wanderings, joined their kindred tribes, towards the southwestern extremity of Lake Superior.*

They were followed there in the year 1665, by the Missionaries. Their principal missions in that quarter were at Chagouamigong on that lake, and at or near Green Bay on Lake Michigan. They enumerate all the Indian nations in that quarter, excepting only the Chippeways and the Piankeshaws; and an uncertain tribe, the Mascoutens, is added. In every other respect the enumeration corresponds with the Indians now known to us there. The Sauks and Outagamies on the one hand, and the Miamis and Illinois on the other, are specially mentioned as speaking Algonkin dialects, but both very different from the pure Algonkin. This last designation is dropped, with respect to all the Indians south of Lake Superior, except in reference to language. The nation south of that lake, mentioned as speaking pure Algonkin, is uniformly called Outaouais; and the Chippeways, by whom they were surrounded at Chagouamigong, are never once mentioned by that name. It is perfectly clear that the Missionaries considered the Ottowas and the Chippeways, as one and the same people. Of the Potowotamies they say, that they spoke Algonkin, but more difficult to understand than the Ottawas. As late as the year 1671, the Potowotamies were settled on the islands called Noquet, near the entrance of Green Bay. But, forty years later, they had removed to the southern extremity of Lake Michigan, where we found them, and on the very grounds (Chicago and River St. Joseph), which in 1670 were occupied

* Relations, F. Allouez, A. D. 1666. † Ibid. A. D. 1666–1671.

by the Miamis.* They are however intimately connected by alliance and language, not with these, but with the Chippeways and Ottawas.

About the year 1671, the Ottawas of Lake Superior removed to the vicinity of Michillimackinac, and finally returned to their original seats on the west side of Lake Huron. It is well known, that this nation occupied till very lately a great portion of the Michigan Peninsula, north and west of the Potowotamies, whilst the Chippeways, who are much more numerous, are situated around Lake Superior, extending northwestwardly to Lake Winnipek, and westwardly to Red River, that empties into that lake. They are bounded on the north by the Knistinaux, on the west and southwest by the Sioux, on the south and southeast by the Menomenies and the Ottawas. We have not sufficient data to ascertain the dividing line which, north of Lake Superior, separates them on the east from the residue of the old Algonkin tribes. Both names, Algonkin and Chippeway, have become generic, and are often indiscriminately used.

When the Algonkin tribes of the River Ottawa were dispersed in the middle of the seventeenth century, a portion sought refuge amongst the French, and appears to have been incorporated with those of their nation, who still reside in several villages of Lower Canada. The Nipissings, and some other tribes, fled towards Michillimackinac, the Falls of St. Mary, and the northern shores of Lake Superior. It has already been stated that the Nipissings had returned to their old seats. What became of the others is uncertain.

John Long, an Indian trader, says that he first learnt the language amongst the Algonkins of the two mountains above Montreal, and that it was mixed and corrupt. Of this he might not be a proper judge; but his statement shows, that there was a difference between that dialect, and that spoken by the Indians with whom he afterwards traded. These, whom he calls Chipeways, reside north and northeast of Lake Superior from Lake Musquaway, north of the Grand Portage, eastwardly to the sources of Saguenay and to the waters of James's Bay. His Chippeway vocabulary must be that of the dialect of those Indians, and differs but little from those, either of the Chippeways

* They sent word to the Miamis, that they were tired of living on fish, and must have meat.

Relations, A. D. 1671, and Charlevoix, A. D, 1687.

proper, or of the old Algonkins. That which he calls the Algonkin vocabulary is, with few exceptions, transcribed from La Hontan's or Carver's.

Those who understand the language may judge, from the specimens Long gives of his speeches to the Indians, whether he was well acquainted with it. A good vocabulary of the modern Algonkin, as spoken in the villages of that nation in Lower Canada, is wanted.

We have but scanty specimens of the Ottawa and Potowotamie dialects, the last chiefly from Smith Barton, the first written, in M. Duponceau's presence, by M. Hamelin, an educated half-breed Ottowa. In the appended vocabulary of the Chippeway or Ojibway language, the words, so far as he has given them, are borrowed from Mr. Schoolcraft, who has lately thrown much light on its structure and character. It is hoped that, enjoying so much better assistance than any other American ever did, he will pursue his labors and favor the public with the result. The other words are principally taken from the copious and valuable vocabulary of Dr. E. James. The residue has been supplied by the vocabularies of Dr. Keating and of Sir A. Mackenzie. That of Mackenzie is designated by him as being of the Algonkin language. Coming from Canada, he gives that name to those Indians, from the Grand Portage to Lake Winnipek, whom we call Chippeways.

Although it must be admitted that the Algonkins, the Chippeways, the Ottawas, and the Potowotamies, speak different dialects, these are so nearly allied, that they may be considered rather as dialects of the same, than as distinct languages. The same observation applies, though with less force, to the dialect of the Knistinaux, between which and that of the Algonkins and Chippeways, the several vocabularies, particularly those of Mackenzie, exhibit a close affinity. The Northern Algonkin tribes enumerated under this head, may be said to form, in reference to language, but one subdivision; the most numerous and probably the original stock of all the other kindred branches of the same family.*

According to an estimate of the War Department, the Chippeways, Ottawas, and Potowotamies would amount to near twenty-two thousand. It is probable that those living in Canada are partly included. The Chippeways and Ottowas within the United States amount, by Mr. Schoolcraft's official report, to fourteen thousand. Adding some Ottowas not included and the Poto wotamies, they may together be estimated at about nineteen thousand. Including the Knistinaux, and the

Although it may be presumed, that the Mississagues did not, in that respect, differ materially from the other northern Algonkins (a question which Smith Barton's short vocabulary does. not enable us absolutely to decide), they appear to have, probably on account of their geographical position, pursued a different policy, and separated their cause from that of their kindred tribes. They were settled south of the River Ottawa, on the banks of Lakes Ontario and Erie, and must have been either in alliance with the Five Nations, or permitted to remain neutral. We are informed by Charlevoix, that, in the year 1721, they had still villages near the outlet of Lake Ontario, near Niagara, and near Detroit, and another situated between the two first on Lake Ontario. Twenty-five years later, their deputies attended a treaty held at Albany, between the Governor of New York and the Six Nations. These, whether from a wish to enhance their own importance, or because they began to feel the want of allies, announced to the British that they had "taken in the Mississagues for the Seventh Nation," of their confederacy.* That intended or pretended adoption. was not however carried into effect. The tribe still subsists in Canada; aud some amongst them are said to have lately wandered into the Eastern States.

NORTHEASTERN.

This division embraces the Algonkins of Labrador, the Micmacs, the Etchemins, and the Abenakis.

It is probable, though not fully ascertained, that the Algonkin or Montagnar language, with some varieties in the dialects, extended nearly to the mouth of the River St. Lawrence. No account has been published of the tribes of that family which inhabit the interior parts of Labrador. But vocabularies have been published, in the sixth volume of the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, of two kindred

Chippeways and Algonkins within the British possessions, I should think that the whole of this northern branch of the Algonkin-Lenape family cannot be less than thirty-five to forty thousand souls. All the other branches of the family do not together exceed twenty-five thousand.

*Colden, Five Nations, Treaty of 1746. The Tuscaroras had been previously adopted as the Sixth Nation. The Mississagues appear notwithstanding to have taken part against the British during the seven years' war. (1 Mass. Hist. Coll. Vol. x. page 121.)