Chapter LXXIX: Section 3: Record of Migration

Fig. 796 is a pictorial account of the migrations of the Ojibwa, being a reduced copy of a drawing made by Sika'ssigĕ'. The account, especially in its commencement, follows the rule of all ancient history in being mixed with religion and myth. The otter was the messenger of Mi'nabō'zho and led the Âni'shinabē'g, who were the old or original people, the ancestors of the Ojibwa, and also of some other tribes which they knew, from an island, which was the imagined center of the world as bounded by the visible horizon, to the last seats of the tribe before interference by Europeans. The details of the figure were thus explained by the draftsman:

_a._ The circle signifies the earth’s surface, bounded by
the horizon, as before described, and the dot in the center is
the imagined island or original home of the human race. _b._
A line separating the history of the Midē'wiwin, that is, the
strictly religious tradition from that of the actual migration as
follows: When the Otter had offered four prayers, which fact is
referred to by the spot _c_, he disappeared beneath the surface
of the water and went toward the west, in which direction the
Âni'shinabég followed him, and located at Ottawa island, _d_.
Here they erected the Midē'wigân and lived for many years.
Then the Otter again disappeared beneath the water, and it a
short time reappeared at A'wiat'ang (_e_), when the Midē'wiwin
was again erected and the sacred rites conducted in accordance
with the teachings of Mi'nabō'zho. Afterwards an interrupted
migration was continued, the several resting places being given
below in their proper order, and at each of them the rites of the
Midē'wiwin were conducted in all their purity. The next place to
locate at was Mi'shenama'kinagung--Mackinaw (_f_); then Ne'mikung
(_g_); Kiwe'winang' (_h_); Bâ'wating--Sault Ste. Marie (_i_);
Tshiwi'towi' (_j_); Nega'wadjĕ'ŭ--Sand mountain (_k_), northern
shore of Lake Superior; Mi'nisa'wik [Mi'nisa'bikkăng]--Island of
Rocks (_l_); Kawa'sitshĭŭwongk'--Foaming rapids (_m_); Mush'kisi'wi
[Mash'kisi'bi]--Bad river (_n_); Sha'gawâ'mikongk--“Long sand
bar beneath the surface” (_o_); Wikwe'dâ^nwong'ga^n--Sandy bay
(_p_); Neâ'shiwĭkongk'--Cliff point (_q_); Neta-wa-ya-sink--Little
point of sand bar (_r_); Â^n'nibis--Little elm tree
(_s_); Wikup'bi^n-mi^nsh--Little island basswood (_t_);
Makubi^n'-mi^nsh--Bear island (_u_); Shage'skike'-dawan'ga
(_v_); Ne'wigwas'sikongk--The place where bark is peeled (_w_);
Ta'pakwe'-ĭkak [Sa'apakwe'shkwa'okongk]--The place where lodge-bark
is obtained (_x_); Ne'uwesak'kudĕze'bi [Ne'wisak'udĕsi'bi]--Point
dead wood timber river (_y_); A^nibi'kanzi'bĭ [modern name
Ashkiba'gisi'bĭ] rendered by different authorities both as Fish
Spawn river, and “Green Leaf river” (_z_).

This locality is described as being at Sandy lake, Minnesota,
where the Otter appeared for the last time, and where the Midē'wigân
was finally established. The Ojibwa say that they have dispersed
in bands from La Pointe, as well as from Sandy lake, over various
portions of Minnesota and into Wisconsin, which final separation
into distinct bodies has been the chief cause of the gradual changes
found to exist in the ceremonies of the Midē'wiwin.

Reference may be made to a highly interesting record of migration in Kingsborough, Codex Boturini, being a facsimile of an original Mexican hieroglyphic painting from the collection of Boturini, in twenty-three plates.