once induced to suspect, it is very difficult to remove the impression.
They carry their resentments with them to the grave, and bequeath them
to the rising generation.
Those who have associated with them, though they may admire their
heroism in war, their resolution in supporting the most excruciating
tortures, and the stability of their friendships, cannot but lament the
dreadful effects of their displeasure, which has no bounds. It is this
violence of temper, which is generally in the extreme, that makes them
so difficult to subdue, and so dangerous to encourage; too much
indulgence they attribute to fear, and too much severity brings on
resentment.
To remove these strong prejudices (which, however prone human nature may
be to encourage them, would never prove so prejudicial to society,
unless continually promoted by the advice and example of the aged), has
been the constant endeavour of those nations who have been {31} in
alliance with them, and some attempts have been made to soften their
manners by the introduction of the Christian religion, whose precepts
are so wonderfully calculated to destroy every blood-thirsty sentiment,
and make mankind happier in themselves, and better members of the
community. In this laudable pursuit our neighbours the French have been
most successful, at least so far as an alteration in external behaviour
may be considered as an indication of the amendment of the heart. The
good conduct of the inhabitants of several Indian villages in Canada
bears testimony to this observation. Nevertheless, in contradiction to
this remark, Mr. James Adair observes, that the French Canadians are
highly censurable for debauching our peaceable Northern Indians with
their “infernal catechism.”
Though I am not an advocate for creeds inimical to the peace of society,
I believe the censure is too severe, for however formerly they might
have been influenced by bigotted priests instilling into their minds
sentiments unfavourable to the subjects of Great Britain, I am clearly
of opinion, that they have for many years used their best endeavours to
inculcate the principles of the Gospel: indeed, it is always to be
lamented when either politics or religion are made subservient to each
other: this being properly considered, perhaps the French are not more
blameable than other nations. We are too apt to involve others in our
disputes, and religion is too frequently introduced by bigots to assist
the cause they wish to support.
With regard to those Indians who have been accustomed to the society of
English traders, and even preachers (sorry am I to observe it), their
sentiments, manners, and practices are very different. The {32}
alteration is manifestly for the worse; they have become more
degenerate, and added to the turbulence of passions unsubdued by reason
the vices of lying and swearing, which unfortunately they have learned
from us.
The testimony of Mr. Sargeant, a gentleman of New England, supports this
assertion; who relates, that in a journey to the Shawanese Indians (the
allies and dependants of the Six Nations),[41] and some other tribes,
when he offered to instruct them in the Christian religion, they
rejected it with disdain; they even reproached Christianity, told him
the traders would lie, cheat, and debauch their young women, and even
their wives, when the husbands were from home. They further added, that
the Senekas had given them their country, but charged them never to
receive Christianity from the English.
I shall subjoin one more proof to this. Governor Hunter, by order of
Queen Anne, presented the Indians with cloaths, and other things of
which they were extremely fond; and addressing them at a council, which
was held at Albany, told them that their good mother the Queen had not
only generously provided them with fine cloaths for their bodies, but
likewise intended to adorn their souls by the preaching of the Gospel,
and that some ministers should be sent to instruct them. When the
governor had finished his speech, the oldest chief rose up and said,
that, in the name of all the Indians, he thanked their good mother the
Queen for the fine cloaths she had sent them; but that in regard to the
ministers, they had already some of them, who, instead of preaching the
Gospel to them, taught them to drink to excess, to cheat and quarrel
among themselves, and entreated the governor {33} to take from them the
preachers, and a number of Europeans who came among them; for before
their arrival, the Indians were honest, sober and innocent people; but
now most of them were rogues; that they formerly had the fear of God:
but that now they hardly believed his existence.
To extenuate as much as possible this charge against the English, let it
be observed, that the vice and immorality complained of, is to be
attributed in a great measure to the traders, who used to purchase
convicts, and hire men of infamous character to carry up their goods
among the Indians, many of whom ran away from their masters to join the
Savages: the iniquitous conduct of those people essentially injured the
English in the opinion of the Indians and fixed an odium which will not
be soon or easily removed.
{34} _Description of the_ INDIAN _Dances, &c._
Having finished this long digression, I shall continue my history from
the time of going to the village of the Connecedagas, where I stayed
some months, making several excursions in scouting parties, and
frequently bringing in prisoners, which did not escape the notice of Sir
Guy Carleton, who at the next interview approved my conduct, and wished
me to serve again in his regiment. I told him I was extremely happy I
had rendered myself useful to my country, and considered myself highly
honoured by so flattering a mark of his approbation; but that the life
of a volunteer, though very honourable, would not entitle me to pay, and
there was not a vacancy in any of the British regiments: he then
appointed me a midshipman on board the ship Fell, commanded by captain
Barnsfer, lying in the river St. Laurence, in which service I continued
till she was ordered for England.
As soon as I quitted the navy, I returned to the Lake of the Two
Mountains, and continued doing my utmost, in the line of an interpreter,
and at intervals perfecting myself in the Indian languages, particularly
in the Chippeway tongue, as I purposed engaging in the service of a
merchant, to go to the north west the first convenient opportunity. I
also applied myself sedulously to obtain a complete knowledge of their
manners and customs, and with that view partook of their amusements, and
was soon noticed as a good dancer. To this {35} qualification I also
added the perfect notes of the different war whoops, as naturally as a
Savage; and by conforming to their ways, and taking pleasure in their
diversions, I was soon endeared to them, and left them with regret.
The dances among the Indians are many and various, and to each of them
there is a particular hoop.[42]
1. The calumet dance.
2. The war dance.
3. The chief’s dance.
4. The set out dance.
5. The scalp dance.
6. The dead dance.
7. The prisoner’s dance.
8. The return dance.
9. The spear dance.
10. The marriage dance.
11. The sacrifice dance.
All these I was perfect master of, frequently leading the sett. If
accidentally a stranger came among us, (unless I chose to be noticed) no
one could distinguish me from the Indians.
Presuming on my appearing exactly like a Savage, I occasionally went
down in a canoe to Montreal, and frequently passed the posts as an
Indian. Sometimes I would distinguish myself at a charivari, which is a
custom that prevails in different parts of Canada, of assembling with
old pots, kettles, &c. and beating them at the doors of new married
people; but generally, either when the man is older than the woman, or
the parties have been twice married: in those cases they beat a
charivari, hallooing out very vociferously, until the man is obliged to
obtain their silence by pecuniary contribution, or submit to be {36}
abused with the vilest language. Charivari, in French, means a paltry
kind of music, which I suppose is the origin of the custom.
Not content with being a proficient in their sports, I learnt to make a
canoe, bark a tree for the purpose, and perform the whole business as
regular as the natives. I also made makissins, or Indian shoes, of deer
skins, drest and smoked to make the leather soft and pliable, and worked
with porcupine quills and small beads, to which are sometimes suspended
hawk bells. Those made by the Mohawks, at the Grand River near Niagara,
are preferred for their superior workmanship and taste, and are
sometimes sold so high as four dollars a pair, but in general they may
be purchased, without ornaments, for one dollar: they are more pleasant
to wear than English shoes: in summer they are cooler to the feet, and
in winter, from being made roomy, they will admit a thick sock, to
prevent the excessive cold from penetrating. The Indians, in their war
dances, sew hawk bells and small pieces of tin on them to make a
jingling noise, and at a dance where I was present, these, with the
addition of a large horse bell, which I gave the chief who led the
dance, made a noise not much unlike a Dutch concert.
The Savages are esteemed very active and nimble footed, but admitting
this general opinion to prevail, it is well known the Europeans are more
swift in running a small distance: their chief merit, I am of opinion,
consists in their being able to continue a long time in one steady pace,
which makes them useful in going express through the woods; and as they
require little sleep, and can subsist on roots and water, which they
take _en volant_, they do not waste much time in refreshment. {37} They
are also admirable swimmers, and are not afraid of the strongest
current. With these qualifications they are certainly a very useful race
of men; and as long as the English retain any possessions in Canada,
should be considered as the most valuable acquisition; indeed, as
indispensibly necessary; and every endeavour should be exerted to retain
them in our interest.
With regard to bodily strength, they are excelled by many; and even in
hunting, the Virginians equal them in every part of the chace, though
all the world allow them the merit of being good marksmen. I remember
seeing some Americans shooting at a loon, a bird nearly the size of an
English goose. This bird is remarkable for diving, and generally rises
some yards from the place where it dips. They fired at the distance of
one hundred and fifty yards with a rifle, several times without success:
an Indian standing by, laughed at them, and told them they were old
women: they desired him to try his skill, which he instantly did: taking
his gun, and resting it against a tree, he fired, and shot the loon
through the neck. I confess I never saw a better shot in my life, and
was highly pleased, as it gratified my pride, in giving the Americans a
favourable opinion of the Savages, for whom I always entertained a
predilection.
The loon is a very remarkable bird, from the formation of its feet: but
having no anatomical knowledge, I cannot describe it technically. They
are so made, that it can scarcely walk; it is therefore seldom seen on
land. In calm weather it rises from the water with great difficulty, and
flies as impelled by the wind, on which it seems to depend. The method
usually adopted by the Indians to kill these birds, is by fixing {38} a
large bough at the head of the canoe, to conceal themselves till they
paddle near the place where they are; when at a convenient distance,
they fire, though not always with success. In the Chippeway language it
is called a maunk, which agrees with the French word manquer, to fail;
it being, from its shyness, very difficult to kill. The skin, which is
very tough and thick, is dried and made use of as cases to cover their
guns, to prevent the wet from spoiling them.
Having grown tired of living entirely with the Savages, I made an
excursion to Montreal, where I met with an offer to go as interpreter to
the north, which, at first, I did not care to accept; but as the salary
proposed was handsome, upon mature deliberation, I embraced the
opportunity of entering into that way of life, from which I fully
expected profit at least, if not pleasure; but alas! I had often
abundant reason to repent the pursuing the bent of my inclinations.
On the fourth of May, 1777, I left Montreal, with two large birch
canoes, called by the French, maître canots, having ten Canadians in
each, as the number of portages require many hands to transport the
goods across the landings, which can only be done on men’s shoulders. As
their voyage is so essentially different from the English manner of
travelling, I shall relate it particularly.
The canoes are made at Trois Riviéres; they are, in general, eight
fathoms long, and one and a half wide, covered with the bark of the
birch tree, and sewed very close with fibrous roots; and of this size
they will carry four tons weight each. As early in the spring as the ice
will permit, they are brought up to La Chine, a village nine miles above
Montreal.
{39} La Chine takes its name from the following story. Le Sieur La
Salle, who was afterwards murdered by two of his own party, in Canada,
in the year 1686, was very intent on discovering a shorter road to China
than was then known, but his project failing by an accident which
happened to him at this place, he was obliged to postpone his journey to
the east, which induced the Canadians, by way of derision, to call it La
Chine, or China; and by that name it has ever since been known.[43]
At this place the Indian goods are put on board very carefully; the dry
merchandise in bales about eighty pounds weight, the rum, powder, and
shot, in small kegs. The voyage from Trois Riviéres to La Chine is
tedious and troublesome, as there is a strong current to combat; and
without a fair wind, and occasionally a brisk gale to assist or relieve
the constant use of the paddles, it would be impossible to make any way.
Where the water is shallow, the canoes must be forced forward with long
setting poles, while the men wade knee deep, and pull against the
current with ropes; this is a labour and fatigue beyond what will be
easily imagined. Custom has however made the Canadians very expert, and
I must do them the justice to say they encounter these difficulties with
uncommon chearfulness, though they sometimes exclaim, “C’est la misere,
mon bourgeois.”[44]
From La Chine to Michillimakinac, there are thirty six portages; the
distance by land and water is about nine hundred miles: in favourable
weather the journey is frequently performed in about a month. Great care
is necessary to steer the canoes up the strong rapids; to labour and
care must also be added experience to keep them upright, and prevent
their striking or rubbing against the stones, as they are very slight,
and {40} easily damaged. Whenever by accident they receive an injury, as
they frequently do, the hole is stopped with gum, melted with a piece of
charcoal; the gum by wetting immediately becomes hard, and is capable of
resisting the impression of the water. When the hole is too large to be
stopped by gum only, the inner bark of the birch tree, pounded and
tempered like mortar, is put on the aperture, this is covered by a linen
rag, and the edges firmly cemented with gum.
We continued our voyage to La Barriére, at the head of the Long Saut, or
long water fall, a very dangerous current from the extreme rapidity of
the fall. At the top of this fall there are some traders settled, but
they are not of any consequence either for the extent of their commerce,
or the profits arising from the peltry they collect, the Savages in
those parts being too well acquainted with the value of furs and skins
to be imposed upon, unless when they are intoxicated, an advantage I
must confess too frequently taken.
From this fall we proceeded to the Lake of the two Mountains, where
there is a village belonging to the Connecedaga Indians, already
described. At this place I stayed a day among my old friends, which was
all the time my engagements would allow, as it is of the most material
consequence in this branch of trade to be early at the wintering ground.
We proceeded to the Uttawa, or Grand River, coasting all the way till we
came to Lake Nipissin, from whence the River St. Laurence takes its
rise. We then entered the French River, leading to Lake Huron, and
proceeded with very favourable weather to Michillimakinac, where we
arrived on the 17th of June.[45]
{41} The country every where abounds with wild animals, particularly
bears, moose and other deer, beavers, beaver eaters, lynx, foxes,
squirrels, fishers, otters, martins, minx, wood cats, racoons, wolves,
musquashes, &c.——There are scarce any but savage inhabitants to be
found, who rove from place to place for subsistance, feeding on the
animals they kill, except the skunk, or pole cat, which they never eat,
unless pressed by the most extreme hunger.
Monsieur La Salle relates, that in his voyage on the banks of the
Mississippi, among the nation of the Oumas, who live on a river of the
same name, he saw a most extraordinary animal between the wolf and the
lion; the head and shape resembling the former, and the tail and claws
like those of the latter: he asserts it would attack all other animals,
but was never known to hurt a man; that sometimes it would carry its
prey on its back, and when it had eaten till satisfied, it concealed the
rest under the leaves, or other cover; that every animal dreaded it to
such a degree, that they would not touch any part of the prey it had
left; and that the Indians called it Michibichi, which is an animal of
the species of the tiger, but smaller and less speckled, and is now
known to be the panther.
The beaver is a curious animal, but it has been described by so many
authors, that I shall only observe what I believe they have not yet
mentioned.—It is seldom seen in the day time: After sun set it leaves
its habitation, and ventures abroad either to work, or procure food. It
also takes this opportunity to wash itself. But the most remarkable
singularity of this animal, is, that it lies with its tail constantly in
the water, to prevent its getting stiff. The flesh of it is very good,
either {42} boiled or roasted, but the tail is the best part.[46] While
I am upon the subject of dainties, I may add, that the snout of the
moose is also highly esteemed. Not any of the animals in North America
are to be dreaded, except the grizzled bear, which generally keeps in as
warm a climate as possible: wherever it comes it makes dreadful havock,
destroying men, and even frequently whole families.
During the time I stayed at Michillimakinac, a remarkable circumstance
of bravery and generosity was communicated to me, which may not be
unentertaining to the reader.
An Indian boy, about fifteen years of age, was standing at some distance
from the fort, when a Savage fired his gun, and accidentally killed an
Englishman. As he was advancing, he discovered the boy leaning against a
tree, and not being of the same nation, he formed the resolution of
taking him prisoner: having no suspicion of the boy’s intention, he went
up to him, and took him by the arm; the boy very artfully drew back, and
shot the Indian through the chin: this so incensed him, that he was
raising his hand to tomahawk him, when another Indian instantly coming
up, asked his companion who had wounded him? he replied, the boy,
adding, that he would immediately take his scalp: the other prevented
his bloody purpose, and told him he would protect the lad, for he was
too brave to die. He carried him to the fort, where he was purchased by
the commanding officer, to prevent the Indian whom he had wounded from
killing him.
{43} _Description of_ LAKE SUPERIOR, _with the Ceremony of Indian
Adoption_.
Having taken in Indian corn, and hard grease, (the food all traders
carry to the upper country) and exchanged my large canoes, or maître
canots, for smaller ones, the latter being more convenient to transport
across the carrying places, and better calculated to run into small
creeks, we proceeded to the Falls of St. Mary, (a strait so called)
which is formed by two branches that separate from each other at the
furthest point of the lake. Here is a small picketted fort built by the
Indians, and about ten log houses for the residence of English and
French traders. The nation of the Sauteurs formerly were settled at the
foot of the Falls, and the Jesuits had a house near them.[47] At this
place there is abundance of fine fish, particularly pickerill, trout,
and white fish of an uncommon size. From this place we continued our
voyage to Lake Superior, formerly called Lake Tracy, in honour of Mons.
de Tracy, who was appointed viceroy of America by the French king in
June, 1665. It is reckoned six hundred leagues in circumference, and on
it are a great number of large and small islands. At the entrance of
this lake is a high rock, somewhat in the shape of a man, which the
Chippeway Indians call “Kitchee Manitoo,” or the Master of Life. Here
they all stop to make their offerings, which they do by throwing
tobacco, and other things, into the water: by this they intend to make
an acknowledgment to the rock, as the representative of the Supreme
Being, for the blessings they enjoy, cheerfully sacrificing to {44} him
their ornaments, and those things which they hold most dear.[48] An
example worthy of imitation, so far as respects the good intention of
the creature to the Creator, exhibiting an evident proof that man in his
natural state, without any of the refinements of civilization, is
sensible of his dependance on an invisible power, however ignorantly, or
unworthily, he may express his belief. God alone knoweth the heart, and
will judge every man by the knowledge he hath.
Superstition is a noxious plant, but it hath flourished in every climate
from the torrid to the frigid zone. If its effects have proved so
pernicious among civilized nations, as we know they have, is it to be
wondered that barbarians have suffered by it? The poor untutored Indian
will not incur a great degree of censure for obeying the dictates of his
uninformed nature, and following implicitly the custom of his ancestors.
Revealed religion has not been given to all, and it is a melancholy
reflection that those who have been enlightened by it, are not so
superior to the Savages as one should naturally expect to find them.
In this rock there are several cavities near a mile in length, and about
twenty feet in width, arched at the top. The lake freezes only close to
the shore, the water being constantly in a swell, and the waves
frequently mountains high, which is easily accounted for, when we
consider its immense extent. On a calm day, a little distance from
shore, sturgeon may be seen in very deep water. The surrounding land is
high and rocky, and the woods extremely thick. The palm, birch, ash,
spruce, and cedar, grow large, and in great abundance. The Northwest
Company, established at Montreal, keep a vessel on {45} the lake to
transport their goods from Michillimakinac to the grand portage on the
northwest side, and return with the peltry collected in the inlands.[49]