Michigan historical collections . and in their seasons, the hillsides werered with strawberries, and other berries grew in profusion along thewayside. Never was a State more favored by nature than this one—forthe lakes surrounding it are filled with fish, and I doubt whether thereis a locality anywhere more thickly inhabited with wild animals; evenin 1840 it was in verity the Elysium for hunters. Those good old timesare now with the past. The mission of the Indian is ended; his happyhunting grounds are supplanted by the white mans fields. Henceforth,the future welfare of the few remaining Indi
Michigan historical collections . and in their seasons, the hillsides werered with strawberries, and other berries grew in profusion along thewayside. Never was a State more favored by nature than this one—forthe lakes surrounding it are filled with fish, and I doubt whether thereis a locality anywhere more thickly inhabited with wild animals; evenin 1840 it was in verity the Elysium for hunters. Those good old timesare now with the past. The mission of the Indian is ended; his happyhunting grounds are supplanted by the white mans fields. Henceforth,the future welfare of the few remaining Indians must depend upon theirassimilation of the manners and customs of the white. He, too, bythe sweat of his brow must earn his bread. I presume there are some, I know there are, who will cherish and holdAvitli me sympathetic remembrances of the red men and women whotrod these grounds long before the sturdy pioneers came to drive themfrom their homes and lands. Where is now the noble Pec-i-ti-ae gone? Where are his faithful fol-. HARVEY J. HOLLISTER. GRAND RAPIDS. FIFTY YEARS AGO. 643 lowers and associates? All gone. Some of them died in the fullnessof years, but the mass of them in the prime of life. They quickly fadedcaway as they came in touch with civilized life. Their simple natures,only too rapidly, took up the vices and ignored the virtues of the whiteman. And the one great source of evil, the demon, Scatawaabeo—fire-water —why was it brought into contact with them to debauch and hurrythem to untimely graves? Lo! the poor Indian. FIFTY YEARS AGO. Events in Grand Rapids from 1850 to 1860.^ BY HARVEY J. HOLLISTER. As one seeks to recall the scenes and occurrences of his earlier years,how delightful are the remembrances that arise when, as a young man,,the faces and expressions of those now gone f6rever come before himi:My own experience, brought out in some degree by the preparation thatI have given to this imperfect paper, assures me of this fact. It was a bleak day
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