Materials

Paper and ink.

Techniques or Format

Written with a quill pen.

Motifs and Patterns

Totemic signatures of a thunderbird, fish, bird, unknown mammal and unknown.

Description of Writing/Text

Docket

Rec.d in my office on the 24th March 1797

PA

No. 16 [written at a right angle, could be 6, not 16]

Registered in my office in AsBooth [unclear] No. 1 page 23 Peter Audrain

recorder

[red BHC stamp over the “No.”]

Front

Nous les Chefs de la Nation de Pautuewatamie après avoir delibérére l’etat actuel des terre qui nous …..de … longtems de l’ancient …. Avons determine …. A notre ami B… Brise-Boise de trios arpents …. A main droit en … jouir en toute proprieté ………………….. lui allumons en feur de paix & avons fait notre marque accoutrement Detroit 19th N.br 1786. La terre cou… puitite Riviere la montant …

Saguiouimby [totemic signature of a fish; long, thin, striped, no fins, split tail but tail pointing downwards, ink dark]

[?] [nearby words “le montant” name? Thin “Y” shaped mark with two points at base, like feet/ears. Water drop obscuring paper alongside mark – possibly a forked stick but no name attached to it, unlike the other totemic signatures]

Achequiby [totemic signature of a small animal: very dark, feet forwards, upright tail, straight back, long ears/antlers]

Buiallarme [unknown totemic signature: looks like a bird; wings curved back as if gliding, pointed head, straight rectangular tail, inked in completely. Over centre fold of paper which breaks it up. Alternatively, it could be a tree or tipi?]

Pénomee [totemic signature of a fish: split tail, pointy, dark head, almond shaped body, two pectoral fins and two dorsal fins, not quite opposing – possibly Channel catfish?]

Quarmia [totemic signature of a thunderbird: opposing triangles for body, wings outstretched, feather hanging down from wings, small side view of head with curved beak, lightning coming from eyes]

Moi Louis Badit Cousiaux tranport la ditte Contract de la taire du de fire purre Bresbot a gedolph francois tibouse pour la present somme de query positi dent

Back:

il Larécus a …mpt la som..de cent fran et parfette payg..nt Dans an de la dittat a declare ne sousr..sign..a fette da marque ordinaire.

Louis Boudit Cousinde

X

Jacques ..adnay

Le ..s…[red BHC stamp over word, very faint]

[second red BHC stamp on left side of manuscript back]

[third red BHC stamp below writing]

[bleed through from totemic signatures on lower half of back]

18 160

5 160

90 80

4…. [illegible]

[ink blot]

25

88

Dimensions: 0 × 0 × 0 mm

Condition: Fair – deep fold marks have worn away parts of manuscript, ink faint, totemic signatures, however, mostly legible.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Manuscript dated on docket. (DLM)

Current Location: Detroit Public Library, MI, USA

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: grasac_2949

GKS Reference Number: 1163

How to Cite this Item

MS Godfroy, Gabriel James March 24, 1797. Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).