paper, ink, wax

The Principle Men of the Ojibeway Indians inhabiting the northern shore of Lake Superior, in consideration of the sum of two thousand pounds of good and lawful money of Upper Canada paid to them in hand; and for the further annuity of five hundred pounds paid each year no later than the first day of August do freely, voluntarily surrender unto Her Majesty all their right, title, and interest to the following territory of land: from Batchewanaung Bay to Pigeon River, at the western extremity of Lake Superior and inland throughout that extent to the height of land which separates the territory covered by the charter of the Honourable the Hudson's Bay Company from the said tract. And also the islands in the said lake within the boundaries of the British possessions therein. All this land described above shall be ceded to the Crown, save and except three reservations to be held and occupied by the Chiefs and their tribes in common for the purposes of residence and cultivation. The Indians have free privilege to hunt and fish on the ceded territory save those portions of it which have been leased to other parties. The Indians also agree that they will not sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any portion of their reservations without the consent of the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, nor will they inhibit any persons from exploring for minerals or other valuable productions in any part of the territory hereby ceded to Her Majesty. The Indians also agree that in case the Government of this province should before this date of this agreement, have sold or bargained to sell any mining locations or other property on the portions of the territory hereby reserved for their use and benefit, then and in that case such sale or promise of sale shall be perfected if the parties interested desire it, by the Government, and the amount accruing therefrom shall be paid to the tribe to whom the reservation belongs.

Schedule of reservations made by the above named and subscribing Chiefs and Principal Men:

First - Joseph Peau de Chat and his tribe, the reserve to commence about two miles from Fort William on the right bank of the River Kiminitiquia; then westerly six miles parallel to the shores of the lake; then northerly five miles; then easterly to the right bank of the said river, so as not to interfere with any acquired rights of the Honourable the Hudson's Bay Company.

Second - Four miles square at Gros Cap, being a valley near the Honourable Hudson's Bay Company's post of Michipicoton for Totomenai and tribe

Third - Four miles square of Gull River, near Lake Nipigon, on both sides of the said river, for the Chief Mishe-muckqua

Witnesses:

George Ironside, S.I. Affairs

Arthur P. Cooper, Capt. Comg. Rifle Bde.

H.N. Balfour, 2nd Lieut. Rifle Brigade

John Swanston, C.T. Hon. Hud. Bay Co.

George Johnston, Interpreter

T.W. Keating

First Nations Signatories:

Joseph Peau De Chat

John Ininwayu

Mishe-Muckqua

Totomenai

Jacob Wasseba

Ahmutchiwagabow

Michel Shebageshick

Manitonshanise

Chigenaus

Crown Signatories:

W.B. Robinson

Date document signed

Canada, Indian Treaties and Surrenders from 1680 to 1890, 2 vols., (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1891), 1: 147-149.

7 September 1850, Robinson-Superior Treaty, Library and Archives Canada, Indian Affairs, D-10a, Series A, Volume 1844, Reel T-9938, GAD REF IT147, http://grasac.org/gks, (heritage item id no. 2935, accessed [date]).

This record was created under the direction of Heidi Bohaker as part of a larger research project funded by an Aboriginal Research Grant titled ““Braiding Knowledges: Anishinaabe Heritage in Community Perspective”from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).