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CHAPTER XV.

 

OCCUPATION OF THE WISCONSIN AND CHIPPEWA RIVER VALLEYS BY THE OJIBWAYS.

 

The Ojibways of La Pointe send hunting parties into the midland country lying between the Mississippi and Lake Superior—First permanent residents at Lac Coutereille—Cause of the "three brothers" braving the attacks of their enemies—Lac Coutereille becomes an important Ojibway village—Families branch off who take possession of Lac Shatac, Red Cedar, and Long Lakes, and Puk-wa-wanuh on Chippeway River—The Ojibway pioneers to the headwaters of the Wisconsin—They form their village at Lac du Flambeau—Branches of this band occupy the Wisconsin River and Pelican Lakes—Present descendants of the Lac Coutereille pioneers—Origin of the name Lac Coutereille.

 

That portion of the present State of Wisconsin, comprising the valleys of the Chippeway and Wisconsin rivers, and the country watered by their numerous tributaries, have been occupied by a large section of the Ojibway tribe, for the past century. The beautiful inland lakes from which they head, have been for this length of time the sites of their villages.

After the Ojibways had driven the Odugamees from this section of country, also from the St. Croix rice lakes and the headwaters of the On-ton-a-gun, incited by the fur trade which had actively commenced at this period, large camps of Ojibway hunters began to explore and take possession of the rich hunting grounds which were comprised in the midland country lying between Lake Superior and the Mississippi. For a number of years, however, these hunters made no permanent stay on any spot throughout this country, because danger lurked behind every bush and every tree from the prowling war parties of the Dakotas and Odugamees. Having made their winter hunts, in the course of which they even reached as far as Lac du