9th.  Rev. William McMurray writes, from the Canadian side of Sault St. Marie:  “Our excellent governor, Sir John Colbourne, has resigned his situation, which is at present filled by Sir Francis Head, who has recently arrived from England.  As far as I can learn, he is rather a literary character, and is the same person who, some years ago, visited South America on a mining expedition.  The most correct intelligence I have received respecting him is by an express from Toronto.  From it I learn that he is disposed to be kind and good towards the poor Indians.  As an instance of which, he intends visiting every Indian mission next summer, in order that he may see for himself their secret wants, and how their condition may be best ameliorated.”

My brother James gives a somewhat amusing account of Indian matters at the Sault after the leaving of their delegates for Washington.

“Since Whaiskee’s departure, the whole Sault has been troubled; I mean the ‘busy bodies,’ and this, by the way, comprises nearly the whole population.  A council has accordingly been held before the Major-Agent, in which the British chief, Gitshee Kawgaosh, appeared as orator.  The harangue from the sachem ran very much as follows:—­”

’Father, why and for what purpose has the man Whaiskee gone to the home of our great father? Why did he leave without notifying me, and the other men of influence of my tribe, of the nature of his mission?  Why should he, whose totem-fathers live about Shaugawaumekong (La Pointe), be, at his own will, made the representative of the ancient band of the red men whose totem is the lofty Crane?  Say, father?  Father, we ask you to know; we ask of you to tell why this strange man has so strangely gone to smoke with the great chief of the “long knives?” Kunnah-gakunnah!’

“Here the chief, drawing the folds of his blanket with perfect grace, and extending his right arm with dignity to the agent, seated himself again upon the floor, while, at the same time, a warrior of distinction, whose eagle-plumed head spoke him the fiercest of his tribe, gave to the sachem the lighted pipe.  The eyes of the red men, like those of their snowy chief, were now riveted to the floor.”

‘Sons of the forest,’ answered the American agent, ’I, like yourselves, know nothing of this strange business! I, the father of all the red men, have not been consulted in this man’s going beyond the lakes to “the great waters!” I am the man through whom such messages should come! I, the man who should hand the wampum, and I, the man to whom the red men should look for redress!  Friends, your speech shall reach the ears of our great father, and then this strange man of the far-off totem of Addik shall know that the Crane totem is protected by me, the hero of the Southern clime!  Men of the forest, I am done.’

“Tobacco was then distributed to the assembly, and, after many hoghs, the red men dispersed.”