[...]Colonel McKenney was writing a report for Secretary of War James Barbour when he suddenly became aware of an Indian standing in the doorway.

He later recalled how shocked he was at the brave's gaunt dark face, sunken cheeks, and eyes glittering with fever. The Indian studied McKenney for a long moment in silence, then slowly raised a bony arm and whispered in Chippewa.

McKenney summoned his interpreter, but before he could appear the Indian had vanished into the forest.

The face of the obviously ill man haunted McKinney, and he ordered the interpreter to find him. On the eve of the opening ceremonies of the council the interpreter appeared with the Chippewa and told his story to McKenney.

Six years before, Governor Lewis Cass and Henry R. Schoolcraft, the early explorer, ethnologist, and one of McKenney's agents, had made a tour of the Upper Lakes region. One of their mission was to find the legendary copper boulder-later known as the Ontonagon copper boulder-and White Pigeon was selected as their guide.

The Chippewa were uneasy; the copper boulder was regarded as a manito, a holy place that guided their destiny, and it was considered a sacrilege for a white man to visit this spot.

White Pigeon was aware of his people's feelings and led Cass and Schoolcraft in a bizarre, round-about fashion that finally left them miles from the boulder.

Cass selected a new guide and White Pigeon returned to his village. A council was held and the ironic conclusion was reached that White Pigeon had not only offended Cass, the representative of the Great Father, but had been led away from the place by angry gods. The unfortunate warrior was then banished from the village.

Bad luck clung to him; arrows he shot at game missed their mark. His rifle backfired and split the barrel. His family refused to recognize him. His horse vanished. And in his village the people said that they knew it all the time-White Pigeon was a doomed man. For six years he had wandered through the forest living on small game and roots. McKenney wrote:
"Bereft of his usual activity and courage, destitute of confidence and self-respect, he seemed to have scarcely retained the desire or ability to provide himself with food from day to day."

After he heard White Pigeon's story McKenney advised Cass and Schoolcraft who were disturbed to learn that they were the cause of the Chippewa's miserable existence. McKinney recalled years later:
"They determined to restore him to the standing from which he had fallen, and having loaded him with presents...his offence was forgiven, and his luck changed."

[...]