THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed. The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather, indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was published.

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The Road from Detroit
to the Illinois

(Due to length divided here into two parts)

In: Dunn, Jacob Piatt, ed., Documents
relating to the French Settlements on
the Wabash, Indiana Historical
Society Publications, 1894,
vol. 2, pp. 403-442.

pp. 437, 438.

(page 437)

Brought over			399
From Fort Ouiattanon Down the Ouabache to the River Vermillion		60
	N. B. This river is on the right & at some seasons is navigable for boats about 120 miles. A mile up it is a Village of Piankshaws of upwards of 150 Men.	3
To the Highlands^16or old Boundary between Canada & Louisiana		57
To Fort St Vincent		120	240
		_____
To the Illinois by Land, the road is chiefly through Plains & Extensive Meadows			240
			_____
From Detroit to the Illinois			879
	N. B. The above Distances are all computed.
The Road from Detroit to Fort St Josephs by land & from thence to the junction of the Illinois River with the Mississippi by water.
From Detroit to the River^17 Huron, or Haudewine Sippy		40
	N. B. There is a Village of Puttawattamees of six large Cabans- The River at this place is about Fifty feet wide & the water is generally from one and a half to two feet deep, when there are Floods Travellers are obliged to make rafts to cross it- The road to this place bad.
To the Salt River^18 or Wanadayon Sippy		12
	N. B. There is another Village of Pittawattamees of five Cabans- This river is never so high as to prevent people passing it.
To one of the Branches of Grand River^19 or Washtanon that falls into Lake Michigan		60
There is another Village of Pittawattamees of eight large Cabans.		_____	112
(page 438)
Brought over		112
To Reccanamazo River, or Pusawpaw Sippy otherwise the Iron Mine river^20		75
	N. B. There is another village of Pittawattamees of eight large Cabans, this river cannot be passed in Freshes on Rafts, at other time 1 or 2 feet deep.
To the Prarie ronde^21		30
	N. B. There is a small lake of about 3/4 mile wide and 11 miles long, abounding with several sorts of Fish, such as Maskenongi, White Fish &ca
To the Fort St Josephs^22		75
		_____	292
	N. B. There is a few Pittawattamees near the Fort the road after you pass the River Huron is very good being mostly on a small height of land & little wood till you come to St Joseph's where you pass through about a mile long and another about six miles long.
From Fort St Joseph's you ascend that River to a carrying place^23		12
From carrying place to Recankeekee river		4
To the Junction of this River with the Iroquois River		150
	N. B. In this fork is a village of 14 large Cabans of Mascoutains.
To the Junction of this River with the Chicangou^24 river which forms the Illinois River		45
	N. B. At this fork there is a village of Puttawatamees of 12 large Cabans.
To the Rocks or old French Fort called Pumetewes^25		90
To the Mississippi		240
		_____	541 _____
From Detroit to the Mississippi by way of the Illinois River			833

__________________________________________

¹⁶ (1, p. 437) The Highlands- a translation of the French name terre haute, which attached to the locality long before the city of Terre Haute was thought of.

¹⁷ (2, p. 437) Near the site of Ann Arbor.

¹⁸ (3, p. 437) Saline creek- the trail bore to the North from this point, either to avoid the tamarack swamps of Southern Michigan, or to reach the other Pottawattamie villages.

¹⁹ (4, p. 437) At Eaton Rapids- from this point the road was in a very direct line to Fort St. Joseph. (Michigan Pioneer Collections, Vol. 8, p. 380.)

²⁰ (1, p. 438) The Kalamazoo- near Battle Creek.

²¹ (2, p. 438) Prairie Ronde- in the southwest corner of Kalamazoo county, Michigan. The township still bears the name.

²² (3, p. 438) Near Niles, Michigan.

²³ (4, p. 438) Site of South Bend, Indiana.

²⁴ (5, p. 438) The Des Plaines.

²⁵ (6, p. 438) Pimetoui.

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