Tales from Temagami - Land of Deep Water
Iroquois battles and lookout pits"Alex Missabi, a retired traper from the Bear Island Reserve, told about an island in a nearby lake where Temagami Indians dug pits to hide from the Iroquois (Nadoways ). Alex used to trap the area north and west of Obabika Lake. Alex's grandfather, Old Misabi. taught him the lore of the area. Alex learned of the existence of the Round Lake pits from his father, Pete Missabie. Alex calls the island in the centre of this isolated lake "ones you make holes in". Alex's grandfather remembered stories about watching for the Nadoways while using the pits on the island. the pits exist today as Alex has seen them many times while trapping. Alex mentioned how the Nadoways would even come to raid the Temagami area in the winter time.
Alex told that there are several pits along the top of High Rock Island that were dug by the Temagami to watch for Nadoways raiding parties."
 High Rock Island on lake Temagami from Makominising (aka Bear) island |
