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present time, that is
what the Indians derived from the lands
ceded by that treaty. This is one of
the grievances in which we think there has been wrong done to us. The understanding we had in that treaty was
that the reservation line was to begin at a point on the International
Boundary
Line at the Lake of the Woods on the western shore, and from thence to
the head
of Thief River; thence down the main channel of the said Thief River to
its
mouth on the Red Lake river; thence from the mouth of the Thief Hirer
direct
south to the Wild Rice River; thence along the Wild Rice River to its
head;
thence from the head of the Wild Rice River along a creek which flows
in from
the east; thence from the source of this creek in a direct line to
Portage
Lake; thence from the east end of Portage Lake direct to the
Mississippi River;
thence following the main channel of the Mississippi River to Lake
Bemidji;
thence direct from the south side of Lake Bemidji where the Mississippi
River
runs into Lake Bemidji in a direct line north from the north end of
Lake
Bemidji; thence in a direct line north to Little Birch Lake; thence
from Little
Birch Lake in a direct line to the island in Black Duck Lake; thence
from the
said island north to the high ridge; thence from the termination of
said high
ridge in a direct line to the source of Muddy creek; thence from the
source of
Muddy creek in a direct line to the source of Black River; thence along
the
said Black River down to the Rainy River; thence following the main
channel of
the Rainy River to the International Boundary Line; and thence west
along the
International Boundary Line to the place of beginning.
That is how all of the
old
men understood the reservation line when they made the treaty. This was our under standing, and the line
was entirely different when made by the whites.
What we want to ask you about is
this:- Who ceded
the 13 townships on the southwest of the reservation in Polk County, at
and
around Fosston, who ceded that and who got the benefit for it? Was
there any
