Commissioner, British Columbia, I learn that changes in the management
of Indian affairs are about to be inaugurated in that province. It is
in anticipation of these changes that I feel prompted to address to you
this present letter, my object being to place before you the origin and
growth of the Indian settlement at Metlakahtla, and from these facts
thus brought out to deduce a policy, or at least certain principles of
action, which I am anxious to commend to the Government in the
treatment of all the Indian tribes in that part of the Dominion."
_[Here follows a history of the Mission.]_
"We number now about 750 souls, and, according to the testimony of
several medical men, who have had opportunities of judging, form the
healthiest and strongest Indian community on the coast.
"Next, as to our progress in law and order. It is in this aspect to
the outward observer, perhaps more than in any other, that our
advancement appears both real and striking. From a great number of
lawless and hostile hordes has been gathered out and established one of
the most law-abiding and peace-loving communities in the province. What
to the most sanguine minds seemed at least a generation of time distant
has been brought about in a few years. The isolated germ of a Christian
community gathered strength year by year, while every opposing force in
the vicinity gradually weakened and at last succumbed. The law has
triumphed. The liquor-selling vessels have long since ceased their
traffic. The Indians who took up the trade with their canoes have also
been stopped. Drunkenness, or even liquor-drinking, over a very large
district are now things of the past. The rushing to Victoria has
subsided into rare and legitimate visits, and peace, order, and
security reign in all the country round.
"The local means which have been instrumental in bringing about these
salutary changes were--First, we called out a corps of Native
constables, and afterwards selected, irrespective of rank, twelve older
men of good character to act as Native Council, and with these we have
deliberated upon every matter affecting the welfare of our settlement.
The Council has no pay, but only a badge of office, worn on stated
occasions. The constables, in addition to a simple uniform, receive a
small remuneration when on duty.
"As our settlement increased, and our work in the interests of peace
became more extended, I have increased the two Native forces year by
year until they now number over sixty men, and include several chiefs.
And further, in order to utilize these forces, and have every settler
under proper surveillance, I have divided all the male community into
ten companies, each company having an equal number of constables and
councilmen, who act as guides and monitors.
"Again, in order to enlist the energies of our younger men for the
public weal, I have organized a fire brigade of six companies and ten
to each company. These, I trust, will prove of real service to the new
town which is about to be built. And here I would acknowledge with
thankfulness the prompt help which has occasionally reached us from the
Provincial Government, and without which, of course, our local
machinery would have proved altogether inadequate for all emergencies.
"Lastly, as to our material and social progress. This, too, is already
encouraging, but by no means so complete as we hope to see it. The slow
progress of the Indians in this cause cannot be matter for wonder when
we consider--first, Their ignorance and inaptitude to find out for
themselves any fresh and permanent modes of industry; secondly, Their
want of capital, owing to which civilization may tend to the
impoverishment of the Indians by calling for an increased outlay in
their expenses without augmenting their income. Having these facts
before me, I have endeavoured to help and guide the males under my
influence to fresh modes of industry, and though our success has not
been very great, it is at least encouraging.
"Our first work of a secular kind was to establish a village store;
for, having left Fort Simpson, we soon felt the want of supplies. I may
here explain the Hudson's Bay Company refused to establish a shop in
our midst, and I feared to encourage the trading schooners to come to
us, as they invariably carried intoxicating liquor for sale, so we
determined to keep the village trade in our own hands and appropriate
the profits to the public works of our settlement.
"To this end we first purchased a schooner, one-third of the money
being given by the Governor, Sir James Douglas. The schooner took down
the products of our industry to Victoria, and returned laden with goods
for our store, proving a pecuniary success and a capital training for
the Indians who were employed.
"After some years the Hudson's Bay Company were willing to carry our
freight on their steamer, so we sold the schooner, and I refunded to
the Government account a proportionate part of the sale money.
"The managing of our village trade, principally by Indians, has given
me much anxiety, and exposed me to much slander and abuse from white
traders; but seeing the good results from my efforts in this way to our
settlement I have kept on, and feel loath to give it up till I can hand
it over entirely into the hands of the Natives.
"The first profits of our trade I spent in building a large market-house
and court-house. The market-house was to shelter and accommodate all
those visiting us from other tribes, and for this purpose we found it to
be of great advantage. We were thus enabled to keep strange Indians from
impeding our social progress, having them under better surveillance
during their stay, and rendering them more accessible to Christian
instruction. The other works for public advantage to which we have
severally applied the monies resulting from our village trade, along
with the contributions of friends of the Mission, are road-making,
building a saw-mill, blacksmith's shop, soap-house, and large
carpenters' shops and work-sheds. For the last two years we have been
engaged erecting entirely by Indian labour a new church capable of
holding 1,200 people. This we completed so far as to be able to use it
about five months ago.
"The finishing we hope to do this summer, and when complete we expect
we shall have spent altogether about 8,000 dollars. Of this sum the
Indians of the settlement contributed over 800 dollars. We have now
going up a school-house, 60 by 27, which will be paid for out of the
trade profits, with the exception of 200 dollars sent us by the Indian
Commissioner.
"Our latest undertaking is the building of a massive sea-wall round
the village. The Indians contribute the material, and I pay for the
labour of putting it up.
"This brings me to mention a few particulars relative to the greatest
of all our undertakings in building, viz., that of a new town of some
200 houses. It was hardly to be expected that the plan of our village
and the first houses erected at Metlakahtla would prove satisfactory to
us as we advanced in civilization. The people were then in a transition
state, and I had to be content to see houses go up only a little
improvement upon their old style of building; but about five years ago
they began to be dissatisfied with their houses, and I then succeeded
in persuading them to cease putting up fresh buildings until we should
all agree upon the right model for a dwelling-house and a better plan
of a town site. It has taken all this time to educate them up to a
really substantial plan for both, but-I am happy to say that after much
discussion we are now agreed. The old village is to be pulled down and
a new town built up. I have already surveyed the land, and drawn out a
map showing town lots, which the Indians highly approve. The lots are
60 by 120, and on each will be erected a double house. One hundred such
lots are already taken, and builders have begun to work. As the new
houses are to be substantial and commodious buildings, and beyond their
means to build without aid, I have pledged myself to assist them to the
amount of 50 dollars each single house, which will, I anticipate, be
sufficient to purchase nails, windows, and whatever else they must
import, as well as pay the workmen at the saw-mill for sawing their
lumber. Thus the Indians will only be required to bring their own logs
to the mill and find the labour to erect their houses.
"As our mill is small, and our means limited, we do not expect to
complete all our buildings in less than three years, but when completed
we trust to show to the Natives around a real model town, and hope it
will stimulate them to follow in our steps.
"Having thus very briefly sketched an outline of the history of
Metlakahtla, it remains for me to say that whatever of moral or
material progress the Indians there have made, they owe it all to the
hold which religious truth has obtained over their hearts and
consciences. It is only because they have felt the inspiring influence
of the Gospel that they have aspired to a higher degree of social life,
and are exerting themselves to obtain it.
"Our church and schools (both Sunday and day schools) are well and
eagerly attended. The appearance of our large Native congregation in
their new church is a thrilling and heart-gladdening sight.
"Quite a number of intelligent Natives are devoting themselves
gratuitously to evangelistic work among their brethren, and with much
success. We have two Native teachers in the day-school and one Native
evangelist, also over twenty Sunday-school teachers employed in the
Mission, and thus this little settlement, under God's blessing, bids
fair to become at no very distant day a happy and thriving Christian
home."
Accompanying this Report, there was a paper of practical suggestions
for the provision and administration of Reserve Lands for the several
tribes. These were embodied in an official Memorandum, drawn up by the
Attorney General of the Province, which concluded with these words:--
"The undersigned has the honour to recommend that the above
suggestions be adopted, and that if this Memorandum be approved, His
Honour the Lieutenant-Governor be respectfully requested to forward a
copy thereof, and of the Minute of Council referring thereto, to the
Dominion Government, for their consideration and assent; and he further
recommends that another copy be sent to the Dominion Government, for
transmission to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the
Colonies.
"GEO. A. WALKEM,
_"Attorney-General.
"Victoria, 17th August, 1875."_
The Lieutenant-Governor in Council adopted the following Minute:--
"_Copy of a Report of a Committee of the Honourable the Executive
Council, approved by His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, on the 18th
day of August, 1875._
"The Committee of Council concur with the statements and
recommendations contained in the Memorandum of the Honourable the
Attorney-General, on the subject of Indian affairs, dated 17th August,
1875, and advise that it be adopted as the expression of the views of
this Government as to the best method of bringing about a settlement of
the Indian Land Question.
"(Certified) W. J. ARMSTRONG, _Clerk of the Executive Council._"
The next thing was to secure the adoption of the scheme by the
Government of Canada; and with this view Mr. Duncan undertook the long
journey across the continent to Ottawa. The Hon. D. Laird, Minister of
the Interior, gave the most attentive hearing to his representations,
and also made him a donation of 1,000 dollars towards the work at
Metlakahtla; and on May 10th, 1876, Mr. Duncan wrote, "I am glad to
inform you that the terms set forth in the Report have been adopted
(with a small modification or two) by the Dominion Government, and so
the dead-lock about the land question seems in a fair way of being
removed."
Mr. Duncan's well-timed interposition in this matter was not the least
of the many services God has enabled him to render to the Indian
population of British Columbia.
About the same time, the Provincial Government gave another proof of
its confidence in the Mission, by appointing one of the Christian
Tsimsheans of Metlakahtla head constable of the district, with a salary
of 350 dollars per annum.
Year by year the Metlakahtla community has continued to increase, by
the admission to its privileges of new settlers. New Year's-day is
especially the time for enrolling them. A general meeting of the adult
males of the village is held, and before them all each applicant for
leave to join their body has to stand up and declare his adhesion to
the rules. He thus cuts himself off from all heathen customs, and
"places himself under Christian instruction" (to use the Tinnevelly
term [Footnote: In Tinnevelly, the progress of Christianity has been
mainly due to the adhesion of whole villages at a time to the Christian
community. These adherents cannot be called "converts," and the phrase
used of them is that they "place themselves under Christian
instruction." Subsequently they become candidates for baptism, and many
of them ultimately prove to be true converts.]). He probably knows
something of the Gospel from Christian Indians he has met at the
fisheries or elsewhere, and thus is already, to some extent, prepared
for the teaching he will now regularly receive. In course of time--such
is the frequent experience at Metlakahtla--his conduct and demeanour
give evidence of a work of grace in his heart; he becomes a catechumen,
and, after a due period of probation, is admitted by baptism, not only
into the community, but into the Church. On the New Year's-day of 1875,
no less than one hundred new comers were registered, and the number has
frequently been not much short of that.
VIII.
METLAKAHTLA--TWO CHRISTMAS SEASONS.
Christmas is a joyous time at Metlakahtla, and the accounts we have of
its services and festivities help not a little to bring the settlement
before the eyes of our imagination. Two such accounts are subjoined.
The first is from Mr. Duncan's Report for 1873. Christmas-day in that
year is memorable for a visit paid to Metlakahtla by the Indians who
still remained in the neighbourhood of Fort Simpson. These tribes had
not been forgotten by their Christian fellow-countrymen. Bands of
evangelists from the settlement frequently went up the coast in canoes
to the Fort on Saturday to hold services on the Sunday, and their
efforts received a manifest blessing. This work has since then been
interrupted by the establishment of a Canadian Methodist Mission at the
Fort.
The second account was sent home by Bishop Bompas, of Athabasca, after
his visit to the coast in 1877-8.
CHRISTMAS, 1873.
_From Mr. Duncan's Report._
"This is the first season that the heathen customs at Fort Simpson
have been generally disregarded, and hence we thought it well to
encourage Christian customs in their place. To this end we decided to
invite all the congregation at Fort Simpson to spend the festival of
Christmas with us at Metlakahtla, that they might receive the benefit
of a series of special services, and he preserved from falling into
those excesses which we had reason to fear would follow should they
spend the Christmas by themselves. About two hundred and fifty availed
themselves of our invitation, and they arrived at Metlakahtla the day
before Christmas in twenty-one canoes, which indeed presented a
pleasing picture as they approached us with flags flying.
"According to a previous arrangement they all clustered to the market
-house, which we at present use for our church, and which had been very
appropriately decorated. On our guests being seated I gave them a short
address, and after prayer, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Collison, shook
hands with them all. They then were quartered round the village, and a
very exciting scene ensued, all the villagers literally scrambling for
the guests. After the scramble, several came running to me to complain
that they had not succeeded in securing a single guest, while others
had got more than their share. To settle matters amicably, I had to
send two constables round the village to readjust the distribution of
our new friends.
"Our Christmas-eve was spent in practising, with a band of twenty
young men, a new Christmas hymn in Tsimshean, which I managed to
prepare for the occasion. About 1.30 on Christmas morning we
reassembled, when Mr. Collison and myself accompanied the twenty waits
to sing round the village, carrying the harmonium and concertina with
us. We sang in seven different places, and three hymns in each place.
The village was illuminated, and the singing was hearty and solemn.
This was the first attempt of the Indians at part-singing in their own
tongue.
"Christmas-day was a great day, houses decorated with evergreens,
flags flying, constables and council passing from house to house in
their uniforms, and greeting the inmates. Now a string of young men,
then another of young women, might be seen going into this house, then
into that; friends meeting on the road, shaking hands everywhere;
everybody greeting everybody; hours occupied with hand-shaking and
interchanging good wishes; nobody thinking of anything else but
scattering smiles and greetings, till the church bell rings, and all
wend their way to meet and worship God. The crowd seemed so great that
fears were entertained that our meeting-house could not accommodate
them. I at once decided that the children should assemble in the school
-house and have a separate service. Samuel Marsden kindly volunteered to
conduct it. Even with this arrangement our meeting-house was crowded to
excess. There could not have been less than seven hundred present. What
a sight! Had any one accompanied me to the Christmas-day services I
held twelve or fourteen years ago at Fort Simpson, and again on this
occasion, methinks, if an infidel, he would have been confused and
puzzled to account for the change; but, if a Christian, his heart must
have leaped for joy. The Tsimsheans might well sing on this day, 'Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.'
"After service all the Indians collected near the Mission-house to
greet us. In order to take advantage of the occasion I had them let in
by about fifties at a time, the Fort Simpson Indians preceding. After
giving each company a short address, we again shook hands with all. It
was three p.m. before we had gone through with them all in this way.
"The following day the young men engaged in the healthy game of
football, and all the people turned out to witness the sport. Mr. and
Mrs. Collison and myself were present to encourage them. After football
a marriage took place. A young woman, formerly trained in the Mission
-house, was married to a chief. A marriage feast was given, to which
between four and five hundred people were invited. During the day a
Fort Simpson young man came to see me and confess a crime of theft he
committed about a year and a half ago, and for which, when the proper
time arrives, he will have to go to gaol. In the evening the church
bell was rung, and all assembled for divine service. Some little time
after service the bugle was sounded 'Go to bed.'
"I held special services every night while the Fort Simpson people
were here with us. The subjects upon which I addressed them were as
follows, viz.:--'Thou shalt call His name Jesus,' 'Thy Word is a Lamp'
etc.; 'Understandst thou what thou readest?' 'Ye must be born again,'
'Can the Ethiopian change his skin?' 'What shall a man give in exchange
for his soul?' 'One thing is needful,' 'Give me thy hand,' 'Quit ye
like men.' In addition we had a midnight service on New Year's-eve. The
people attended the services regularly, and seemed to drink in the
Word. May God give the increase. On one of the evenings before the
service I exhibited the magic lantern to the Fort Simpson people,
showing them some Scriptural views and the sufferings of martyrs.
"On New Year's-day, as heretofore, we held a general meeting for the
business of the village, at which all the males are expected to attend.
Only some three or four were absent. The male portion of our guests
from Fort Simpson also attended to witness the proceedings. The ten
companies, into which all males here are divided, were first examined,
after which I gave an address bearing upon matters of the past year,
and introduced the new settlers, who were already seated in the middle
of the room. This finished, each of the latter came forward in the
presence of the assembly, made his declaration to be a faithful member
of our community, and was registered. Speeches were then made by
several of the council, followed by about twenty speeches from the Fort
Simpson Indians, which were very interesting, being expressive of the
new feelings which animated them, and the line of conduct they meant to
pursue in the future, God being their helper. I concluded the meeting
with another address. We then adjourned to the open ground in front of
the Mission-house, stood in companies, two cannons were fired, then,
with hats off (though it snowed very hard), we sang 'God save the
Queen,' and dismissed.
"On Friday, the 2nd of January, our guests departed home. When ready
to start, the church bell rang, and they paddled their canoes to our
meeting-house, which is built upon the beach. Leaving their canoes,
they reassembled for a short address and a concluding prayer. This
over, again entering their canoes, they pushed a little from the beach,
a cannon was fired, and amid the ringing cheers of hundreds of voices
they dashed off paddling with all their might. In a few seconds they
simultaneously halted, and returned as hearty cheers as they were
receiving. The air now rang with the double cheering, caps,
handkerchiefs, and flags waving, the whole forming a very animated
scene. Thus our guests departed."
CHRISTMAS, 1877
_By the Bishop of Athabasca_
"The festivities of the season commenced here on Christmas Eve, when a
party of about twenty-five of the elder school girls were invited to
meet us at tea. After tea we were all entertained by Mr. Duncan, with
the exhibition of a galvanic battery and other amusements. This party
having dispersed to their homes in good time, at a later hour came
together the singers who were appointed to sing Christmas carols during
the night along the village street, led by Mr. Schutt, the schoolmaster.
After their singing they returned to supper at the Mission before
retiring to rest.
"On Christmas morning the first sight which greeted us was that of the
constables lengthening to its full height the flagstaff on the
watchhouse, to hoist the flag for Christmas, and all the village street
was soon gaily dressed with flags. The constables then marched about
the village to different houses to shake hands and make Christmas peace
with all whom they had been called to interfere with in the course of
the year. At eleven o'clock the church bell rang, and the large church
was thronged with a well-dressed and attentive congregation.
"After service all the villagers, to the number of about 600, had to
come and pass through the Mission-house to shake hands with all the
inmates. In doing this they so crowded the verandah that the boards
actually gave way beneath them, but the ground being only about two
feet below no injury resulted. After all the shaking of hands was over,
the villagers returned home to their own private entertainments, and
most of us at the Mission enjoyed a quiet Christmas evening together;
but Mr. Duncan entertained at tea a party of the chiefs and principal
persons of the village, whom we did not join, from inability to
converse in the Tsimshean tongue.
"The day after Christmas was again a gay one. The constables, twenty
-five in number, paraded and exercised on the green with banners and
music, and about fifty volunteers, in neat white uniforms, with drums
and fifes and banners flying, went through creditable evolutions and
exercises. All the strangers who had come from neighbouring villages to
spend Christmas at Metlakahtla were collected by Mr. Duncan in the
Mission Hall, and, after a suitable address received, all of them,
presents of soap, apples, sugar, tobacco, etc. In the evening the usual
week-day service was held in the schoolroom, always crowded.
"The following day all the children of the schools were assembled by
Mr. Duncan at his house, first the girls and then the boys, about 200
in all; and, after being amused by him, were treated to sugarplums and
apples, and each one received some article of clothing (cap or cape,
etc.), so as to be sent away to their homes rejoicing.