pewa, Ottawa or Shawnce Indians, ten Ca nadian voyageurs and six United States soldiers, with light cedar paddles, and when the winds were right sails could be used. The departure of this expedition, as re ported in the "Detroit Gazette" of May 26, 1820, was a novel spectacle. "The canoes were propelled against a strong wind and current with astonishing rapidity, the voya geurs regulating the strokes of their paddles by one of their animated row-songs, and the Indians encouraging each other by shouts of exultation. On leaving the shore' con siderable exertion was made by the voyageurs and Indians to take the lead, and a handsome boat-race was witnessed, in which the Indians displayed their superior skill, and soon left the other canoes far behind." The expedi tion visited the Saulte Sainte Marie. Young Doty was present when Governor Cass went alone into the camp of a hostile band of Chippewas, and, in defiance of their menaces, pulled down the British flag which the In dians had displayed on the American side of the straits on his arrival, and trod it under foot. The party then hoisted the American flag in its place. The intrepid conduct of the young governor awed the savages, and prevented an attack on the American party. The party then passed into Lake Superior, skirted along its shores, passed by the Pic tured Rocks to the western part of Wisconsin, crossed over at the portage, descended into the Mississippi, thence up the Wisconsin River and down the Fox River to Green Bay; thence along the western shore of Lake Michi gan to Chicago, thence to Detroit, late in September, a five - thousand - mile journey, every day of which revealed things new and interesting. Judge Doty's appointment as judge of this court of the western part of Michigan Territory entailed dangers and responsibili ties little understood in the state of settled habits and the community wonted to law and order. It was no less than the establishment of judicial authority over a region unaccus
tomed to such restraints. The population might be said to be semi-savage. At the principal posts were a few soldiers; here and there were traders, French or half-breed, and trappers living with squaws, in a relation not sanctioned by the laws of the land, but perhaps good marriage by the common law. In October, 1824, Judge Doty held the first special term at Green Bay, and there the first grand jury of Wisconsin was empaneled. There were forty-five indictments found by the grand jury — twenty-eight of which were for illicit cohabitation, the aim being to break up the prevalent custom of taking Indian women as wives of the traders and trappers without the formality of a legal marriage, merely buying them of their fathers, as a canoe or a pony would be bought for a price. At first the inhabitants were disposed to re sent this interference with established cus toms, but they found the suave and courtly judge a man of iron and without fear. They for the most part pleaded guilty, and the judge suspended sentence whenever they consented to legally marry the dusky mothers of their children. One sturdy fellow refused to marry, paid his fine of fifty dollars, and continued to live with his unwed Indian mate. He was again indicted, and the court kindly advised him to marry before the open ing of the court next day. He at first stood out, but appeared in court next morning, presented his marriage certificate, and said : "There, I hope the court is satisfied. I have married the squaw." During the years 1825, 1826, 1827 and 1828, Judge Doty and Henry S. Baird, Esq., of Green Bay, the district attorney of the Ter ritory, traveled to Prairie du Chien, on the Mississippi, from Green Bay and back, in bark canoes, by way of the Fox and Wiscon sin Rivers, with a crew of six or seven Cana dians and Indians. The time of making the trip each way was seven days. The country was then an entire wilderness, the two points above named being the only white settle ments.
