In March of 1823 Hubbard had to visit a band of Indians who were camped at the “Big Woods” on the Fox River.  On his return to his trading post he was accompanied by an Indian from another band that was visiting the Big Woods camp.  During the morning trek, Hubbard noticed his companion walked very fast. 

“About noon he stopped to smoke, but having made up my mind that he wanted to race, I kept on as fast as possible and got a long distance ahead of him.” 

It was nearly dark when he reached his post on the Illinois River above the town of Hennepin.

The next morning he sent his men to look for the Indian.  They found him:

“very much chagrined and disappointed at his defeat.  I then learned that the band which I had visited made a wager with the band to which (the Indian) belonged that I could outwalk any one they could produce.  They planned the race without intending that I should know of it.   The distanced walked that day is seventy-five miles.  I suffered no inconvenience from it, thought the Indian was very lame for a day or so”.  

But he “long had the reputation among the Indians of being a very rapid traveler, and had, in consequence, been named by them Pa-pa-ma-ta-be, The Swift Walker."

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