HISTORY
OF THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA INDIANS
OF MICHIGAN;


A GRAMMAR OF THEIR LANGUAGE,
AND PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY OF THE AUTHOR,

BY
ANDREW J. BLACKBIRD,

LATE U.S. INTERPRETER, HARBOR SPRINGS, EMMET CO.,
MICH.




INTRODUCTION


Andrew J. Blackbird, the author of this little book, is an educated
Indian, son of the Ottawa Chief. His Indian name is Mack-aw-de-be-nessy
(Black Hawk), but he generally goes by the name of "Blackbird," taken
from the interpretation of the French "L'Oiseau noir." Mr. Blackbird's
wife is an educated and intelligent white woman of English descent, and
they have four children. He is a friend of the white people, as well as
of his own people. Brought up as an Indian, with no opportunity for
learning during his boyhood, when he came to think for himself, he
started out blindly for an education, without any means but his brains
and his hands.