SAVAGE ALLIES OF NEW FRANCE
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lofty; they say that he left there some spirits, whom they call Imakinagos. As the inhabitants of this island are large and strong, this Mand has taken its name from those spirits; and it is called Michilimakinak, as who should say Micha-Imakinak - for in the Outaouak language micha means "great," "stout," and "much." This place is a strait, which separates Lake Huron from Mecheygan, otherwise "Lake of the Illinois." The currents which come and go in this strait form a flow and ebb, which is not regular, however. These currents flow so rapidly that when the wind blows all the nets which are stretched [in the stream] are torn out or de-strpyed; and in high winds ice-floes have been seen to move against the currents, as swiftly as if they had been swept along by a torrent.
When the savages of those regions make a feast of fish, they invoke those spirits, who they say live under this island-thanking them for their liberality, and entreating them to take care always of their families; and asking them to keep their nets from harm and to preserve their canoes from surging waves. Those who are present at this feast utter, all together, [a long drawn]
huge rocks, and masses of flint or chert "Before the Indians knew the art of fire-making Nanabozho taught them the art of making hatchets, lances, and arrowpoints." He dwelt with Chipiapoos in a land distant from that of men, and both were beneficent and powerful divinities. Through jealousy the evil manitos of the air, earth, and waters plotted to destroy the brothers, and succeeded in drowning Chipiapoos in one of the great lakes. Great was the wrath of Nanabozho, which was finally pacified by some of the good manitos, who initiated him into the mysteries of the grand medicine. Afterward the manitos brought back the lost Chipiapoos, but he was required to go to rule the country of the departed spirits; and Nanabozho again descended upon earth, and initiated all his human family into the medicine mysteries. He created animals for the food and raiment of men, and useful plants to cure sickness; and destroyed many ferocious monsters that would have endangered human life. Then he went to dwell on an ice-island in the far north, and placed at the four points of the compass beneficent beings who provide for man the light, heat, rain, and snow that are needed for his welfare." —J. N. B. HEwrrT, in Handbook Amer. Indians, art. "Nanabozho."    :
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