C or Df. The writer describes his journey from Detroit to Green Bay, Michilimackinac, L'Arbre-Croche, Sault Ste. Marie, Drummond Island, and his return to Detroit (27 April to 17 November 1825). The letter mainly deals with the United States, but many facts of Canadian interest are mentioned or described. In 1764, the Jesuits Le Franc and Du Jaunay were still at the former mission of Saint-Ignace (now Michilimackinac and L'Arbre-Croche or Aganakisti), established by Marquette in 1673, where new Jesuit missionaries are requested by the local 636 Ottawas (who sing in church in their language, while the [French-]Canadians sing in theirs).
L'Arbre-Croche old chief Le Papouas (also known as Oiseau Noir or Makate Pinetchi) is particularly fervent, and wrote to the President of the United States [Monroe, in 1823] and to Richard in September [1825?] to ask for Jesuit missionaries (or robes noires or matatekonia). Oiseau Noir's brother Assakinac, chief of the Drummond Island Indians, is also a fervent Catholic. In the Northwest territory there are 300/400 Catholic families, besides 600 voyageurs who spend every year two/three months trading in furs at Michilimackinac (merchant McGulpin mentioned), where residents are all French-Canadians.
The presence of Jesuit priests and martyrs at Green Bay is recalled, but there are currently no missionary in the Northwest and only four of them in the Michigan territory (Déjean at Rivière-des-Hurons, Bellamy at Rivière-aux-Raisins mentioned). The Drummond Island mission is assisted by a Canadian missionary who, however, makes rare appearances (former Jesuit J. Dunn is also mentioned). Some letters are mentioned or translated into French: [1] Ottawa Apoccossignati Sinimissimapami to E.[D.] Fenwick, L'Arbre-Croche, 2 September 1825; [2] 600 Ottawa notables to Richard, L'Arbre-Croche, 2 September 1825 [no signatures extant]; [3] Michel Takoukané and Mathieu Okitanak8et, Jacques Kaiosk, Joseph Kini8anaam, Louis Wasson, to É-.T. Badin, [L'Arbre-Croche, September 1825];
[4] Richard to Rigagnon, vicar general in Bordeaux of the bp. of Cincinnati [Fenwick], [Detroit], 26 January 1826 (describing Protestant efforts and 50 Huron children lured from Upper Canada to a school in Ohio). A meeting of the writer with the Prophet [Wabekieshiek] of the Puant nation is also mentioned. [The balance of this item deals with the United States].
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