MISSION VILLAGE--SELF-DENYING TOILERS--PLEASANT VISITS--FLOURISHING
SCHOOL--SYLLABIC CHARACTERS--COMPETITIVE SPORTS--ARCHERY--FOOT RACES--
WRESTLING--SWIMMING--CANOE RACES.
Not many miles from Sagasta-weekee was an Indian mission village. There
a devoted missionary, Mr Evans, with his brave wife and a lady teacher,
Miss Adams, were nobly toiling and were not unsuccessful in their
efforts to Christianise and then to civilise the Indians. They were
pursuing the right methods in trying to Christianise first, as it has
ever seemed an impossibility to get much of an abiding civilisation out
of a pagan Indian. However, this devoted man with his helpers was not
toiling in vain. It is true that there were not many encouragements in
their efforts to civilise in a land where hunting and fishing were
nearly the only way by which a livelihood could be obtained.
One day there came from the mission an invitation to all at Sagasta-
weekee who could come, to attend the annual examination of the village
school, and to observe the progress made by the Indian children in the
studies both in the Indian and English languages.
Mr Ross had taken, since the beginning of the mission, a great interest
in the school, and not only attended at these examinations, but donated
prizes for competition among the children.
Frank, Alec, and Sam were delighted to be included among the invited
ones, as their curiosity was aroused to see the Indian youngsters in the
school. They had seen them at their sports, and had admired their
cleverness with their bows and arrows, and had almost envied the skill
and daring with which they could, in rapids or on stormy waters, manage
their light canoes.
When the morning arrived for the visit, Mr Ross sent on a canoe well-
loaded with supplies for a substantial lunch for the children when the
examinations were over, and he gave a hint to the boys that if they had
anything extra lying around that they did not specially need they would
doubtless have an opportunity to make some little dark-eyed, swarthy-
faced Indian children rejoice. So the hint was taken, and in due time
they all embarked in their canoes, and, adding their own strokes to
those of the strong Indians who had been secured by Mr Ross, they were
at the mission village before nine o'clock. They met with a very
cordial greeting from Mr and Mrs Evans, and also from Miss Adams.
It was a great pleasure to the boys to see the Indian children in the
school. Very frequently when the weather was fine had Mr Ross brought
his family and guests to church on Sabbath mornings, but, as up to the
present time the young white gentlemen had not yet visited the mission
on a week day, all they saw now was novel and interesting. It was
arranged that the school examinations should take place in the forenoon;
then, after they had partaken of the handsome lunch which Mr Ross had
prepared for them, they were to have the usual games and sports in the
afternoon.
A number of prizes were to be contended for by the young Indians. It is
true that from a civilised standpoint these prizes would not be
considered of much value, but by these young Indians they were much
valued. And then the honour of being the winner is just as much prized
by them as it has ever been in more highly favoured lands.
The missionary had the worthy idea in his mind that, as these native
races have so little literature in their own language, the sooner they
learned English the better for them. The result was that all the
lessons were in the two languages, with a decided preference for the
English as their studies advanced.
This was the first opportunity the boys had had of seeing the methods,
by which Mr Evans's syllabic characters were taught to the Indians.
With a home-made blackboard, and a very white kind of clay as a
substitute for chalk, these syllabic characters were put down upon the
board like the alphabet, and there to be studied like the A, B, C's. It
was committed to memory. The peculiarity about it, as the name
"syllabic" implies, is that each character is a syllable, and so there
is really no spelling in the language.
These are phonetic in character, and so, when the thirty-six characters
are impressed upon the memory, all that remains to be done is to open
the book, be it Bible, Testament, hymn book, prayer book, or catechism,
and begin to read; no long, tedious efforts at learning to spell first
words of one syllable, then words of two syllables, and so on. Each
character is a syllable, and thus the method of learning to read is so
simple that the intelligent boys and girls learn to read in their own
language in a few weeks. Even many of the old people, when they
renounce their pagan life and become Christians, readily get to
understand these characters and learn to read.
With the mastery of English, and learning to read in the ordinary way,
the work is very much slower. Still even here there is some progress,
and the visitors were all pleased with the intelligence and aptitude of
the scholars, both boys and girls. Mr Ross, who understood their
language perfectly, at Mr Evans's request conducted the examinations,
and Mrs Ross presented the prizes.
After the hearty lunch, which was very much enjoyed by the youngsters--
for Indians have glorious appetites--the sports and competitions for
various prizes began.
The highest prize, a good gun, presented by Mr Ross for archery, was
won by a son of Mamanowatum, "Big Tom," and richly did he deserve it.
At a hundred yards he sent every arrow of his well-filled quiver
whizzing through a paper hoop not three feet in diameter. For this
prize there were several competitors, and some of the lads did well; but
only the winner sent every arrow through, so this one was easily
decided.
The "many arrow" prize was not so easily decided, as there were many
competitors and they were evenly matched. This was a competition among
them to see who could get the greatest number of arrows into the air at
the same time. The method is this. Only one competes at a time. He
fills his quiver with arrows and places it on his back as he would to
carry it in hunting. Then he steps out a few feet in front of the
crowd, who to escape accident from falling arrows are all behind him.
He is allowed to feather the first arrow in the bow string, and then at
a given signal he instantly shoots. The object is to see how many
arrows he can shoot into the air before the first one fired reaches the
ground. It is a very interesting sight to watch a contest of this kind.
The eye can hardly follow, not only the arrows, but the rapid movements
of the archer, as he draws the arrows and shoots them with all his might
up into the blue sky above. Eight, ten, yes, sometimes even a dozen
arrows are thus sent with wondrous rapidity, sometimes following so
closely that it seems at times to the eye as though some succeeding
would catch up to the ones just on ahead. The greater rapidity of the
arrow just leaving the bow than that of those some hundreds of feet up
adds to this delusion.
This was ever with the Indians, ere the introduction of guns, a very
favourite sport, not only in these forest regions, but among the wild,
warlike tribes of the prairies. Exciting contests were numerous, and
sometimes rivals from different tribes contended for the honours in this
and other kinds of archery practice and feats of skill with the bow and
arrow. Catlin's brush has given us one of these exciting scenes.
After the various kinds of archery competitions the foot races began.
The first was the long race over a course that had been marked out for
two miles of a shore and back. It was not all an unbroken sandy beach.
Out in some places there were rock obstructions, and in others dense
underbrush. It was a race over a course that could well be styled good,
bad, and indifferent. It was one not only to test the endurance of the
lads, but to develop their judgment in the quickness of decision when in
a part full of difficulties. About a dozen competitors entered for this
race, and there were three prizes that were well-earned.
Then there were races for shorter distances, which were well run.
When the half-mile race was about to be run, which was open to all
comers, Alec rather mischievously suggested to Sam that he ought to
enter for this, as his practice in that famous escapade with the bear,
where he ran with such marvellous rapidity, might have turned out a good
training for this occasion. To the surprise of all, when Frank added
his banter to the others, Sam sprang up and asked permission from Mr
Ross, who was somewhat amused at this request, as he felt sure Sam would
be hopelessly beaten; but he readily granted Sam's desire. Surprises
often come from unexpected quarters. Sam quickly stripped off his outer
garments and, much to the Indians' delight, took his place among them.
Over twenty competitors started. The race was a spurt from the
beginning. To the surprise and delight of the whites, Sam came in
second, being only beaten by Emphasis, a noted runner, and whose name
means "the young deer."
Old Kapastick, the chief, was so delighted with Sam's success that he
presented to him a second prize, which was a pair of beautiful Indian
moccasins.
After these running races were the wrestling matches, and as Sam's
success had fired the ardour of both Alec and Frank, and had raised him
so much in the eyes of the Indians; they asked permission to try their
sturdy English and Scottish strength against the supple agility of these
lithe Indians. For good reasons Mr Ross only permitted one of them to
enter into this competition, and as Frank had a school reputation among
his chums at home he was settled on to uphold the honour of the paleface
against the dark-skinned Indians. Eight competitors entered the lists,
so there were four pairs of wrestlers, and the conquerors in each bout
would have to wrestle with each other, until eventually the prize winner
would have to throw three competitors.
At this time there was great interest in wrestling contests, but being
objected to by so many they have about disappeared in these later years
from the Indian mission schools.
The competitors were all placed in pairs upon the green, soft grass, and
warned not to get angry, but each to do the best he could to down his
opponent. It was "catch as you can," and get your opponent down until
both of his shoulders at the same time touch the ground.
Face to face, and with their hands extended so that they just touched
their opponent's, they waited the "How" of the chief to begin the
exciting struggle.
Frank was matched against a splendid young fellow, lithe and supple as
an eel. So quick was he that, as Frank afterward said, "Before he had
more than heard the word `go,' the fellow seemed to wind himself around
me and twist all over me." But Frank had what boys know as the "power
to hold his feet," and so, in spite of the cyclonic attack, he stood
firm and solid merely on the defensive, until he got a home grip that
suited him, and then with one quick, skillful twist he laid out his
opponent so neatly on the grass that the crowd gave him quite a cheer, a
difficult thing for an Indian crowd to do.
The other three pairs of contestants being Indians, and up to all Indian
wiles, struggled much longer ere the victors were announced. Now the
four conquerors in these struggles were again matched, two against two.
When Frank tried his favourite trick, which had won him his first
victory, he found that his second competitor had, although busy at the
time with his first opponent, observed it, and was not to be so easily
caught. Then Frank, after they had each tried various schemes well-
known to good wrestlers, very suddenly seized him fair and square around
the waist as they stood face to face, and, by what the boys know as the
"back-hold," threw him neatly and cleverly on his back. So Frank by
throwing the two had thus won the right to contend in the final struggle
for the prize with the victor who, like himself, had also thrown two
opponents.
Very excited yet very good-humoured were the people, whites and Indians.
There was no betting or anything else to make anyone mad or angry. It
was a friendly tussle of strength between young lads under the eye of
the missionary, who was ever at the front in their sports, and hence his
marvellous influence over them for good.
The final struggle was a very close and continued one. Each had his
clever tricks and plans, but they were well met by the other side.
After a time Frank thought he had a splendid back-hold, and suddenly
tried to finish the contest like he had the second one. But he had a
different lad this time. His supple _vis-a-vis_ so quickly turned
around in his grasp that, when Frank landed him on the ground, the
laughing Indian lad was fair on his face instead of on his shoulders.
Mr and Mrs Ross and the mission party led the crowd in the applause as
they witnessed the clever trick. Up again and at it with varying
success. There was one other method sometimes tried elsewhere that
Frank had in his mind when he had failed in his other plans. He had
sometimes tried it, but had not often been successful in doing so, as
his white competitors were generally on their guard against it. He
hesitated to try it here from the fact that his supple opponent was so
slightly clothed there was but little upon which to get much of a grip.
All these Indian lads had stripped to their moccasins, leggings, and
loin cloths, while Frank had only taken off his coat and vest. However,
as Frank was not able to succeed in other ways he determined to try it,
but to insure success he must not let his opponent have any suspicion of
it. So as they struggled in various ways Frank several times so gripped
him that he lifted him off his feet in a way that, after the first few
times, the Indian seemed to be amused at it. This was just what Frank
wanted, and so he let him have his laugh, while, alert against any
surprise, he watched for the right instant, and then suddenly, when it
came, he gripped him by the loin cloth and so completely threw him over
his head that he had him on his back with both shoulders on the ground
ere the crowd, quick and watchful as they were, could realise how it had
been done. A cheer greeted this well-earned victory, and Frank said he
had had enough for one day.
Frank was the idol of the Indian lads from that hour, and to many a one
had he to show how that clever feat had been performed, until they were
able to do it themselves, to the astonishment of Indian boys from other
villages with whom they competed.
As the spirit of emulation was up in every heart, Frank and his comrades
went in for the swimming contest, which took place in the beautiful bay
not far from the spot where stands the schoolhouse.
The white lads held their own for a time, but as the course marked out
was new to them and they were out of practice, while the Indian lads had
been in almost daily drill for the event, until they were as much at
home in the water as otters, they gradually forged ahead, and not being
so fleshy as their white competitors they nearly all of them came in as
victors.
However, our boys were glad to have had the glorious swim, and only
regretted that, amid the many other sports in which they had had such
pleasure since their arrival, they had not given more attention to
swimming. Alec was not slow in saying that he believed, if they had
been in practice for a few days, they would not have all been at the
tail end of the string at the close of the race.
The closing contests were the canoe races. For them the prizes were
given by the Hudson Bay Company's officials. These gentlemen were
present at the previous contests, and had been very much interested.
First there were races where only one lad was in each canoe. In
addition to paddling out to and around a certain island they were to
twice, out in deep water, upset their canoe and, unaided, get into it
again. This was rare sport, and while to persons unacquainted with
these youngsters, who are as much at home in the water as beavers, it
would seem dangerous, such a thing as any of them coming to harm is
unknown. The cleverness with which they would turn over and upset the
canoe and then get into it, never over the side but at the end, was
marvellous.
These various races, some with two, and others with four, Indian lads in
them, were well contested, and gave great pleasure to all the
spectators.
At the close the Indian boys, who perhaps were none too well satisfied
with the white lads for having carried off both a first and second
prize, went to Mr Ross, and through him challenged the white boys to a
canoe race. This our lads promptly accepted, but, of course, demurred
against the canoe upsetting process and climbing in again. This was
agreed to by the Indian boys, and it was decided the race was to be to a
large rocky island about a mile out and return. They were, however,
both to paddle twice around the island ere they returned on the home
stretch.
Two canoes were selected; and the Hudson Bay chief Factor was appointed
the judge. Ever since the arrival of the boys in the country they had
been learning how to manage the frail but beautiful birch canoe, and so
were no unworthy competitors to these young Indians, whose summer lives
were almost all spent in paddling their light canoes. A good start was
made, and while the alert Indians secured the advantage the good, steady
paddling of the heavier white boys enabled them, ere the island was
reached, to have their canoe a good half-length ahead of their dusky
opponents. But here at the island the long practice of the Indians in
the management of the canoe gave them a decided advantage. While Alec,
who plied the stern paddle, and thus was responsible for the turning
round and round the island, was cautiously and safely doing his work,
the Indians with a flash and a laugh went round and round, cutting off
corners where he never dreamed there was sufficient depth of water, and
were away on the home stretch with so many lengths to their advantage
that, in spite of their magnificent finish, our boys were utterly unable
to catch up.
The Indians winning this race put everybody in the best of humour, and
when, after a hearty lunch at the Mission House, our party paddled home
in the long summer gloaming it was voted to have been one of the most
delightful of days.
Good resulted from this visit in various ways. From that day forward
Frank and his comrades were very much more interested in mission work.
Although their families were members of different churches in the home
land, and all were interested in missionary operations for the genuine
benefit and uplifting of earth's millions who were in the darkness of
paganism, here for the first time the boys had the opportunity of seeing
for themselves something that was being done for these once degraded red
men, around whom such a halo of romantic interest has ever gathered.
Then it was instructive to these sturdy, active white boys to come in
contact with young Indians in their sports and hunting, and to observe
the points in which each excelled and to study the reasons why.
In the management of the canoe the white boys never learn to equal the
Indian lads, neither could it be expected that they could attain to the
accuracy with which they use their bows and arrows; but in all trials of
physical strength the Anglo-Saxon ever excels, and, surprising as it may
appear to some, in shooting contests with gun or rifle the pale faces
are ever able to hold their own.