Article March 29, 1900 Issue

Ojibways Visit Longfellow's Home

with contributions from Kabaoosa

Almost half a century has passed since the poet Longfellow visited the "Lord of the Pictured Rocks" and "Hiawatha's Playground" to gather the material which later appeared in his immortal "Song of Hiawatha." He remained in that country for some months as the guest of Bukwujjinene, the chief of the Ojibway tribe, and throughout the poet's life there were none of his friends and admirers who revered and loved him more than did the old chief and his subjects.

It is hardly possible that, during the time which Longfellow spent in the wigwams of the Ojibways, the thought ever entered his mind that some day the descendants of the old chief who entertained him so royally on the shores of Lake Superior would accept the hospitality of his daughters at the beautiful old mansion in Cambridge which has been so long celebrated as the "Home of Longfellow." Yet, strange as it would have seemed to him then, it came to pass recently that Kabaoosa, the nephew, and Wabunosa, the grandson of the old chief, were entertained at the old Craigie house by Mrs. Dana, Mrs. Thorp, and Miss Longfellow, the daughters of the poet, and also had presented to them eight of his granddaughters.

They sat at the same desk, in the same chair, and wrote with the same pen which Longfellow used when he wrote "Hiawatha," and, before they left, they invited the ladies and their friends to visit them at their home on the shores of Lake Superior.

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