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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/6983.txt b/6983.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4077096 --- /dev/null +++ b/6983.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6981 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Missionary Work Among The Ojebway Indians +by Edward Francis Wilson + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Missionary Work Among The Ojebway Indians + +Author: Edward Francis Wilson + +Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6983] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on February 20, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MISSIONARY WORK AMONG THE OJEBWAY *** + + + + +This eBook produced by Avinash Kothare, Tom Allen, Juliet Sutherland, +Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + +MISSIONARY WORK + +AMONG + +THE OJEBWAY INDIANS. + +BY THE + +REV. EDWARD F. WILSON. + + + + +CONTENTS. + +CHAP. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +I. HOW IT CAME ABOUT THAT I WENT TO CANADA. + +II. FIRST MISSIONARY EXPERIENCES. + +III. OUR ARRIVAL AT SARNIA. + +IV. KETTLE POINT. + +V. INDIAN NAMES GIVEN. + +VI. CHRISTMAS ON THE RESERVE. + +VII. MISSION WORK AT SARNIA. + +VIII. THE BISHOP'S VISIT. + +IX. FIRST VISIT TO GARDEN RIVER. + +X. BAPTISM OF PAGAN INDIANS. + +XI. THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION. + +XII. CHANGES IN PROSPECT. + +XIII. ROUGHING IT. + +XIV. CHIEF LITTLE PINE. + +XV. OUR FIRST WINTER IN ALGOMA. + +XVI. CHIEF BUHKWUJJENENE'S MISSION. + +XVII. AN INDIAN CHIEF IN ENGLAND. + +XVIII. A TRIAL OF FAITH. + +XIX. LEARNING TO KNOW MY PEOPLE. + +XX. A WEDDING AND A DEATH. + +XXI. THE OPENING OF THE FIRST SHINGWAUK HOME. + +XXII. FIRE! FIRE! + +XXIII. AFTER THE FIRE. + +XXIV. PROSPECTS OF RE-BUILDING. + +XXV. LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE. + +XXVI. A TRIP TO BATCHENWAUNING. + +XXVII. THE WINTER OF 1874-5. + +XXVIII. THE NEW SHINGWAUK HOME. + +XXIX. RUNAWAY BOYS. + +XXX. CHARLIE AND BEN. + +XXXI. A TRIP UP LAKE SUPERIOR. + +XXXII. COASTING AND CAMPING. + +XXXIII. UP THE NEEPIGON RIVER. + +XXXIV. THIRTY YEARS WAITING FOR A MISSIONARY. + +XXXV. THE PAGAN BOY--NINGWINNENA. + +XXXVI. BAPTIZED--BURIED. + +XXXVII. THE WAWANOSH HOME. + +XXXVIII. A SAD WINTER. + +XXXIX. WILLIAM SAHGUCHEWAY. + +XL. OUR INDIAN HOMES. + +XLI. A POW-WOW AT GARDEN RIVER. + +XLII. GLAD TIDINGS FROM NEEPIGON. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +A few words addressed by the Bishop of Algoma to the Provincial Synod +may form a suitable preface to this little book, which aspires to no +literary pretensions, but is just a simple and unvarnished narrative of +Missionary experience among the Red Indians of Lake Superior, in the +Algoma Diocese. + +"The invaluable Institutions at Sault Ste. Marie still continue their +blessed work of educating and Christianizing the rising generation of +Ojebways. Founded in a spirit of faith, hope, and charity,--carrying +out a sound system of education, and in the past 'approved of God' by +many signs and tokens, the friends of these two 'Homes' may still rally +round them with unshaken confidence. Their history, like that of the +Christian Church itself, has been marked by not a few fluctuations, but +their record has been one of permanent and undoubted usefulness. + +"Only a person deeply interested and directly engaged in the work, as +the Rev. E. F. Wilson is, can understand the force of the difficulties +to be encountered from the ineradicable scepticism of Indian parents as +to the disinterestedness of our intentions with regard to their +children; the tendency of the children to rebel against the necessary +restraints imposed on their liberty; the reluctance of parents to leave +their children in the 'Home' for a period sufficiently long for the +formation of permanent habits of industry, and fixed principles of +right; the constitutional unhealthiness of Indian children, +terminating, as it has here in a few cases, in death; the all but +impossibility of obtaining helpers for subordinate positions, such as +teacher or servant, who regard the question of the evangelization of +the Indian from any higher stand-point than the financial. + +"Against this formidable array of obstacles Mr. Wilson has not only +struggled, but struggled successfully, till now these two Institutions, +over which he has watched with all the jealous vigilance of a mother +watching her first-born child, stand on a basis of acknowledged +success, as two centres for the diffusion of Gospel light and blessing +among the children of a people who have been long 'sitting in darkness, +and the shadow of death.' During the past year sundry improvements have +been made in the Shingwauk Home, which will largely increase the +comfort of the occupants. The most notable event, however, to be +recorded in this connection is the completion and consecration of the +'Bishop Fauquier Memorial Chapel,' a beautiful and truly ecclesiastical +structure, designed, in even its minutest details, by Mr. Wilson, and +erected by means of funds sent mainly from England, in response to his +earnest appeals for some enduring and useful memorial of the life and +labours of the late revered Bishop of this diocese. Long may it stand, +as a hallowed centre for the diffusion of Gospel light among hundreds +yet unborn, of the Indian tribes he loved so well." + + + + +MISSIONARY WORK AMONG THE + +OJEBWAY INDIANS. + + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +The largest freshwater lake in the world is Lake Superior, through the +centre of which runs the boundary line between the United States of +America and the Dominion of Canada. The Indians call it the "Ojebway +Kecheguramee," that is--literally translated--the Great water of the +Ojebways, or as they are often called the Chippeways. + +The Ojebways are an extensive Indian tribe spreading over a large part +of Canada, the Northern States, and the North West; specimens of their +language and customs appear in Longfellow's song of Hiawatha. Lake +Superior may be regarded as the centre of their ancient possessions. +Along its northern shores, and back into the interior they still roam +in wild freedom, hunting, and fishing, and paddling their birch-bark +canoes;--but in more civilized places, they are confined to reserved +lands set apart for them by the Dominion Government, and many of them +now gain their living by farming or by working for the neighbouring +white people. + +The Ojebway Indians are now just in that transition stage in which +they particularly require a helping hand to lift them up to a +respectable position in life, and to afford them the means of gaining +their livelihood as a civilised Christian people. As one of their own +Chiefs has said, "the time is passed for my people to live by hunting +and fishing as our forefathers used to do; if we are to continue to +exist at all we must learn to gain our living in the same way as the +white people." + +It is with the view of making the wants of these poor people known, +and of increasing the interest in a work which amid many difficulties, +has for the past ten years been carried on among them, that these pages +are written. The writer will tell what have been his experiences with +the Indians since he first came to settle among them as a Missionary, +and will describe how God in His providence gradually opened the way +for him, how dangers were met, and difficulties overcome, and how in +the end two Institutions for the Christian training and civilization of +Indian children were brought into existence; the one called the +_Shinywauk Home_, with accommodation for about seventy Indian +boys, and the other called the _Wavanosh Home_ with room for about +thirty Indian girls,--both of them built, and now in active operation, +at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, at the south-eastern extremity of Lake +Superior. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +HOW IT CAME ABOUT THAT I WENT TO CANADA. + + +All things are wonderfully ordered for us by God. Such has been my +experience for a long time past. If only we will wait and watch, the +way will open for us. + +Where shall I begin with my history as a Missionary? When I was a +child, it was my mother's hope and wish that I should bear the glad +tidings of the Gospel to distant lands. She was a Missionary in heart +herself, and it was her earnest desire that one of her boys would grow +up to devote himself to that most blessed work. + +However there seemed little likelihood of her wishes being fulfilled. +I disliked the idea of going to Oxford as my brothers had done. A wild +free life away from the restraints of civilization was my idea of +happiness, and after studying agriculture for a year or two in England, +I bade farewell to my native shores and started for Canada. + +Then God took me in hand. I had been only three days in the country +when He put it into my heart to become a Missionary. The impulse came +suddenly, irresistibly. In a few days it was all settled. Farming was +given up, and I entered upon my course as a theological student. That +same summer I spent a month or six weeks on an Indian Reserve, and +became, as people would say, infatuated with the Indians. For this and +other reasons, I preferred remaining in Canada that I might study for +the ministry, to returning to England; and whenever opportunity +allowed, I paid a visit to some Indian Reserve, or went on an exploring +tour up the great lakes. + +After rather more than two years' preparation, I returned to England, +and in December, 1867, was ordained deacon at the Chapel Royal, by the +Bishop of London, Dr. Tait, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. + +Shortly after this, it was arranged that I should go out again to +Canada as a Missionary to the Ojebway Indians, under the auspices of +the Church Missionary Society, the Rev. Henry Venn being then Hon. +Secretary, and on July 1, 1868, accompanied by my wife and an old +faithful servant named Jane, we started for Canada. + +My wife, accustomed to the refinement and comforts of a beautiful old +rectory home in Gloucestershire, knew not whither she was going--she +had never been out of England before, and all was new and strange to +her. Indeed, I for my part was going out also, "not knowing whither I +went." Whether our lot would be cast in one of the older and more +civilised dioceses of Canada, or whether we should find a home on the +very outskirts of civilization, I knew not. My instructions from the +Church Missionary Society Committee, were simply to go first to London, +Ont., where the late Bishop of Huron (Dr. Cronyn) then lived, and from +thence to travel around and select what might seem to be the best spot +to make the centre for a new mission. We had thought of Cape Croker on +the Georgian Bay, and we had thought of Michipicoten, on Lake Superior,-- +but nothing could be settled until after our arrival in Canada, and as +for my wife she was content to go with me wherever I went. + +We had a splendid view of icebergs on the eighth day of our voyage. It +was a clear, keen morning reminding one of Christmas time, the sailors +were washing the decks and all looked merry and bright, and around on +all sides were icebergs of every size and shape, some looking like +great sea monsters bobbing up and down on the water, others as if a +large extent of Dover Cliff were floating past. Twenty-seven we counted +at one time, and during the morning fully 150 must have passed us. +"Ah," said an old sailor, "if one of them had touched us, this ship +wouldn't be here." Then came the excitement of whales, spouting in the +deep, and at 10 a.m., on July 10th, the rocky coast of Belle Isle was +in sight. + +When we landed at Quebec, the heat was intense, the glass standing at 99 +deg. in the shade. My wife's first experiences of Canada are described in +a letter home, dated from London, Ont., July 22nd, '68. "At 4 p.m. we +left Quebec and started by boat for Montreal. The boats for the lakes and +river are simply splendid,--such large handsome saloons and everything +very nice, except that we had only one small towel between us and very +little water. After leaving Montreal we had to go through a succession of +locks which was slow work and made us feel the heat very much. On +Wednesday it was a little cooler, and we were able to enjoy the most +lovely scenery I had ever beheld, 'the thousand isles,'--that alone is +quite worth coming out for. From Hamilton we took train to London. No one +can remember such a summer before, for the last three weeks the glass has +been standing at between 103 deg. and 99 deg. except in the evening, when +we think it cold if it goes down to 80 deg. The boarding-house we are in +is cool and clean and quite English-like about a mile from the so-called +town." + +Almost immediately after settling in at our London boarding-house I +started on my first Missionary tour, the object being to choose a spot +suitable for the centre of our Mission. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +FIRST MISSIONARY EXPERIENCES. + + +My first service among the Indians was held in a little log-house on +the Indian Reserve, at Sarnia (south of Lake Huron), on Sunday, July +26th. Twenty-two Indians of the Ojebway tribe were present. They all +seemed most anxious to have a Church of England Mission established in +their midst, as many of them, inclusive of their venerable old chief, +Wawanosh, were already members of the Church, and had been from time to +time visited by a Missionary. I promised to visit them again on my +return from other Indian settlements and see what could be done. + +The following day, Monday, I took train to Toronto, and thence to +Collingwood, from which place I intended to branch off to Owen Sound +and visit the Cape Croker and Saugeen Indians. I had with me as +interpreter a young Indian named Andrew Jacobs, his Indian name being +Wagimah-wishkung, and for short I called him Wagimah. At Owen Sound we +met with some Cape Croker Indians, and engaged their boat and two men +to take us the following day to their settlement, about forty miles up +the Lake Shore. + +Soon after four the next morning we were up and dressed, and an hour +later were on our way. It was fine, but rather foggy, and the sun +scarcely visible through the mist. Not a breath of wind was stirring, +so we had to keep to our oars, sometimes one and sometimes another +rowing. At noon we reached Commodore Point, and put in for about an +hour, spending our time in eating raspberries, which were growing in +the greatest profusion, and bathing in the bay. Then on we pushed +again, past Griffith's Island, White Cloud Island, and King's Point, +and arrived at length, after a voyage of eight hours, at Cape Croker. +We found that there were about 350 Ojebway Indians in the place, the +majority of whom were Roman Catholics or Methodists: they had good +houses, some log, but mostly neat little frame weather-boarded +buildings; the land, however, was much neglected, very little attempt +being made at farming. A Church of England service was conducted on +Sundays by an Indian Catechist named Angus. The Chief's name was +Tabegwun. On the day after our arrival I held a meeting with the +Indians, and explained to them my object in coming to visit them, and +began by reading the Scriptures, and preaching to them, and baptizing +one or two children. They gave me the names of twenty-six persons who +professed to belong to the Church of England, and were desirous of +having a Mission established among them. During our stay we were guests +at Mr. Angus's house, a clean, respectable dwelling, and were regaled +with venison and huckleberry pie. + +The next Indian Reserve that we visited was Saugeen. To reach this +place we had to return by boat to Owen Sound, and then go across +country in a westerly direction to the shores of Lake Huron. The +journey was accomplished by "buggy." We started at 4 a.m. on the +morning of July 31st, and stopped to have our breakfast on the roadside +about 7 o'clock, sitting one at each end of a log facing each other, +our plates and cups in front of us. We reached the Indian village at +8.30 a.m., and went to the house of the chief whose name was Madwayosh. +Only his wife was at home, but we learnt all that we wanted from her. +There were about 250 Ojebway Indians on this Reserve, and nearly all +Methodists. They had a resident Methodist Missionary and a place of +worship in course of erection. I at once came to the conclusion that it +would be unsuitable for us to attempt any Mission work in this place; +and when we bade adieu to Mrs. Madwayosh we drove on to the Sauble +Reserve, five miles further. A most dreadful road it was the whole way. +We had both to get down and lead the horse more than half the distance, +and then our traps were in the most imminent danger of jumping out as +the buggy went jolting and rolling on over huge boulders and logs and +stumps. It took us over two hours to reach the place, and when we got +there, rain was coming down in torrents. We inquired for Waubesee's +house, he being a member of the Church, and after some trouble we at +length found it, but it lay back at a distance from the road, with only +a trail leading to it, so we had to take the horse out of the buggy and +lead him after us. The little house, made entirely of bark, stood in +the most picturesque spot, surrounded by lofty pines. Near the house +was a calf shed, into which we tried to squeeze our horse, but he would +not go, so we had to take him to a stable about a mile off. + +Waubesee and his family received us very warmly. They said there used +to be a great many Church people among them, but no missionary had been +to see them for many years, and now all who had belonged to the Church +were either gone away into the States, or had joined the Methodists. +Waubesee, his wife, children, and grandchildren, numbered eighteen in +all, and he said that the whole number of Indians on the Reserve was +about 250. He seemed to be an intelligent man, and got out his Ojebway +prayer-book and Testament to show us. Before we left, the family and a +few others were called together, and we had reading and prayer, and I +gave them a short address, Wagimah acting as my interpreter. + +We now had to drive to Southampton, a distance of eight miles, and it +was 6.30 p.m. when we reached it. My interpreter left me here to return +to his home by the way we had come, and I took steamboat to Goderich, +and from thence by train to London, where I rejoined my wife. + +My next trip was to Brantford, and my wife accompanied me. We started +on the 5th of August, and on our arrival there, were hospitably +entertained at the Rev. Mr. Nelles' house. From there I went to visit +the Indians on the New Credit Reserve, a considerable distance off. I +called on Chief Sawyer, a tall, fine man, with a sensible-looking face. +He said there were about 300 Ojebway Indians on the Reserve, and that +many of them were most desirous of having a Church of England teacher. + +The result of all these visits was, that after much earnest prayer for +Divine guidance, we finally decided upon making Sarnia our +headquarters, and on the 8th of August I paid a second visit to the +Indians there, and told them that I had decided to come and live +amongst them. We expected there would be a little difficulty at first, +as the Methodists were already in the field, and might oppose our +coming; but as the Chief and quite a large number of the people were +already professed members of the Church, having been frequently visited +by the Rev. Mr. Chase, the native minister at Muncy Town, it seemed +only fair that their oft-repeated petition to the Bishop of Huron +should be attended to, and that a Church of England Mission should be +established among them. On the 11th of August a Council was held, at +which some fifty Indians attended. They sat about indiscriminately on +benches, some smoking their pipes, others chewing tobacco. In a few +plain words I told them, how it was my own earnest desire to devote +myself as a Missionary to the Indians, and how I had been sent by a +great Society in England to search out and teach the Ojebway Indians of +the western part of Canada. I had already, I said, visited the Indians +of Cape Croker, Saugeen, Sauble, and the Grand River, and had now made +up my mind to make Sarnia my head-quarters, and to build a church in +their midst. We would not, I said, put up a large expensive one,--we +would begin with a small rough one, and see how we got on,--an Indian +had already promised us land, and now I wanted all Indians whose hearts +were in the work to lend us a helping hand and aid in erecting the +church; it should be a small log building, and cost not more than 200 +dollars. Mr. Chase was also present, and spoke very nicely after I had +finished. After the council was over I proposed to Mr. Chase and a few +other Indians that we should kneel down and ask God's blessing, and so +we knelt down and laid our case before God and asked Him to guide and +direct us, and to incline the hearts of the Indians to favour our +undertaking. Next morning I returned to London, and on the 15th we +moved down to Sarnia, and took up our abode temporarily at Mrs. +Walker's boarding-house. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OUR ARRIVAL AT SARNIA. + + +Mrs. Walker's boarding-house was a frame, white-painted house situate +in the town of Sarnia, a little way back from the main street. The +Indian Reserve almost adjoined the town, so that a quarter of an hour's +walk would take us on to their land. In front of the town and flowing +down past the Indian Reserve is the broad river St. Clair, connecting +Lake Huron with Lake Erie, its banks on the Canadian side dotted over +with the boats and fishing nets of the Indians. + +I at once invested in a horse and buggy, and also engaged Wagimah as +my interpreter. I could already read the service in Indian, but +required an interpreter's aid for conversing with the people and +preaching. Our Sunday services were held in a vacant log hut, in which +we had a little desk rigged up and some forms arranged as seats. On my +first Sunday among them I baptized two children, an infant in arms +named Jacob Gray, and a child of four or five named Thomas Winter. Both +of these boys some nine or ten years afterwards became pupils at the +Shingwauk Home. + +Our great object now was to build a log church and also a Mission +house for our own use with as little delay as possible. There was a +quaint old Indian, or rather half-breed, for he was partly French, with +whom I had some conversation in regard to our proposed operations. +"Well, Mr. Leviere," I said to him one day, "what do you think the +Indians will be willing to do? Will they cut down the trees,--square +and haul the logs?" "I have been thinking about it a good deal," he +replied. "You want a church forty feet long; this will take a great +many logs, not much black ash now in the bush. I don't think, Sir, you +will find enough trees. Why not build a frame church? If you build +frame, Indians get out logs, fit the frame one day, raise building next +day, board it next day, get done quick; not cost much money, cost +perhaps $100, not much money." "Now, supposing we were to do this, +what would the Indians be willing to give? Would they work without pay? +I want the white people to see that the Indians are really in earnest; +I should like to point to our church and say, 'The Indians built this +church without pay, because it was their wish to build a house to God.' +Do you think the Indians are ready to do this? Are you ready to give a +helping hand yourself?" "Oh, indeed, Sir, yes! I mean to work, and keep +on working till it is finished; I think there are many who will do so +too, perhaps ten or fifteen altogether; we shall want no pay, only +provisions." + +Our chief source of discouragement at this time was the opposition of +the Methodist party, who were considerably in the majority on the +Reserve. As Indian land is held in common by all the members of the +band, we were at one time in fear that we might be prevented from +building. A petition was sent to Government, and correspondence entered +into with the Indian Department, and in the end we were permitted to +take possession of one acre of land on the lot of a Church Indian named +Antoine Rodd. The opposition, however, was very bitter and rather +depressing, and our opponents went so far as to threaten to deprive the +old Chief, Wawanosh, of his chieftainship. + +On the other hand, we had every encouragement from the conduct of our +own Indians. The opposition that they met with only seemed to make them +more determined to stand by us and assist in the establishment of the +Mission. Directly the land question was settled, three or four of them +started back in the bush with their axes, to fell the trees and hew and +square the timbers for the frame-work of the church, and I heard that +the old Chief had been to the Indian Agent's office and borrowed ten +dollars of the Annuity-money to pay a professed hewer, as none of +themselves were good hands at such work. This, I told them, was more +than I expected of them; if they would give their labour, that was all +that I asked; but no, they would not be dissuaded; they were quite +determined, they said, to raise the frame-work unaided, and they would +much rather themselves pay for any labour they might have to employ. + +The "Raising" took place on the 22nd of September. About fifty Indians +were present, and all took part more or less in the work. In the +afternoon two teams arrived from the town with a large party of ladies +and gentlemen, well supplied with baskets of provisions for a feast, +which they had kindly arranged to give the Indians at the conclusion of +their work. The roughly extemporised tables looked most inviting when +all was spread out, and two or three of the Indian women were most +active and clever in getting everything ready. When the feast was over +the Indians gathered in a circle, and I expressed to them my pleasure +that we had got thus far with our work, and told them that I hoped we +should soon now, with God's blessing, have our little church open and +ready for service. Joseph Wawanosh on behalf of his father, the old +Chief, then expressed his gratitude that a Missionary had at length +come among them, and that a church was in course of erection. After +this we concluded with a short service in the Ojebway language. + +It was very encouraging to me to find that our cause was being taken +up in England; a little circular had been printed and distributed, and +by the middle of October L64 had been contributed towards the erection +of our Mission buildings. + +In the meantime I was holding service regularly every Sunday in the +vacant log cottage with an average attendance of from twenty to thirty +Indians, and during the week I visited a good deal among the people, my +interpreter usually accompanying me. I had prepared a little pocket +companion containing passages of Scripture, copied from the Ojebway +Testament, sentences of familiar conversation, and Indian prayers and +collects. With the help of this little book I was able to make myself +understood by the Indians, and soon became almost independent of an +interpreter. I had a plan of the Indian Reserve, and usually steered my +way through the bush with my compass, taking little notice of the rough +corduroy tracks and Indian trails which never seemed to lead to the +right place. + +One of these expeditions I will briefly describe: + +I wanted to find old Widow Kwakegwah's house, which lay about two +miles back through the bush in a south-easterly direction. Wagimah was +with me and, leaving the river road, we plunged back at once into the +bush without either path or track, and steered our way by my compass. +Sometimes it lay through a thick growth of young saplings, which bent +aside as we pushed our way through; sometimes over a mass of decaying +logs and upheaved roots; sometimes through long grass and swamp up to +our knees; occasionally we came to a fallen tree, which we had to +clamber over or under. Once or twice we came upon a little log hut +standing in the midst of a small clearing, sometimes empty with door +bolted, at other times showing signs of occupation. Into one of these +we entered; it was a tiny log shanty, with a patch of Indian corn and +potatoes enclosed by a snake fence. We pushed open the door, a fire was +burning on the hearth, and in a corner was a blanket enveloping +something that might be human. I told Wagimah to touch it, he did so, +and the bundle moved, part of the blanket wriggled back and a woman's +face appeared. She said she was sick, and that no one had been to visit +her. We staid and had a little conversation, and then as it was getting +late, hurried on to Widow Kwakegwah's. The old woman, who had a very +pleasant, honest-looking face, gave us quite a hearty reception. I got +her to tell me the number of her children and grandchildren, and then +taking up her Ojebway Testament read a few verses from St. John iii, +and spoke a few words which Wagimah interpreted, after which we knelt +for prayer. After this we visited Peter Gray, with his wife and family +of eight children, they lived in a small log hut, and there was no +glass in the windows. It was now five p.m. and we started on our two +miles' trudge back to Antoine Rodds' house, where I had left my buggy, +and then drove back to the town. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +KETTLE POINT. + + +Besides the four hundred Indians on the Sarnia Reserve, there were +about one hundred more living at Kettle Point, thirty miles distant, on +the eastern shore of Lake Huron. I had not been long settled at Sarnia, +when, in company with my interpreter. I started on a first visit to +these people. I will describe the journey. + +Taking the railway as far as Forest, we had to walk on a distance of +eight or nine miles. Neither of us knew the country, but a couple of +Indians, whom we happened to fall in with, showed us the way. + +It was nearly two o'clock when we reached David Sahpah's house. We +found the Indians most hospitable; some of them were Methodists, some +still pagans, and others members of the Church. They were most desirous +of having a Church Mission established among them, as there was no +school for their children and no regular services held. Not a single +individual, man, woman, or child, could read or write. They were very +anxious to have a school-house built and a schoolmaster sent to teach +them, indeed some of them had already got out logs with the view of +building a school. The Chief's name was Ahbettuhwahnuhgund (Half a +Cloud), a fine, broad-shouldered, intelligent-looking man, but still a +pagan, although he had had several of his children baptized in the +Church. There was also a large family named Shaukeens, all of whom were +pagans, and several others. They seemed, however, to have advanced more +in their farming operations than the Sarnia Indians. The Chief had a +capital house with several rooms in it, an orchard full of apples and +cherries, and well-cultivated fields. In the evening we had service at +David Sahpah's house, and then I spoke to the Indians and proposed that +we should at once commence a fortnightly school among them, myself and +my interpreter taking it alternately. There was an empty log-house +which they said we could use, and they all seemed pleased at the +proposal, and said that they would send their children to be taught. + +We had to start at 3.30 a.m. next morning to catch the early train for +Sarnia. It was a clear starlight night when we emerged from the +hospitable shelter of an Indian's log-house and started on our +pilgrimage through the bush. There was no moon, and we had some +difficulty in groping our way. Wagimah went first, and slowly and +cautiously we proceeded, carrying our wraps and satchels with us. +However, with all our care, we had soon lost our way, and found +ourselves stumbling along over a potato patch, without having the least +idea where we were. For nearly an hour we were wandering about, when at +length we came once more upon a beaten track; but whether it was the +right one or not we could not tell. However we followed it, and almost +before we were aware we found ourselves out of the bush and standing on +a broad clay road, and at length we arrived at Forest Station in good +time for the cars to Sarnia. + +After this we visited Kettle Point every fortnight, and many were the +amusing incidents connected with those trips. Sometimes I drove the +whole distance in my own trap, at other times took train to Forest or +Widder, and some of the Indians would meet me with a waggon or sleigh, +as the case might be, at the Station. It was on the 9th of September +that we commenced our school in the vacant log-house. We began with A, +B, C, as no one yet knew anything. There were eleven children and five +adults present. I was amused in the evening to see a game of draughts +going on, on a log outside the Chief's house; the draught-board was a +flat part of the log with squares carved out on its surface, the black +men were squares of pumpkin rind with green side up, the white men the +same with the green side down. That night we slept at Adam Sahpah's +house. + +Our sleeping places on these Kettle Point expeditions were various. One +bitterly cold night in the late autumn, I remember, passing in a little +boarded shanty used as a workshop. We were nearly perished in the morning, +and were glad to get inside David Sahpah's comfortable log-house; a huge +fire was blazing on the hearth, and the Indian women all busy, some with +their pots and frying-pans, boiling potatoes and baking cakes, others +dressing and cleaning the children. Mrs. Ahbettuhwahnuhgund gave me a +chair, and down I sat by the blazing fire and gazed with a feeling of +happy contentment into the yellow flames. The scene was certainly a novel +one. In a dark corner by the chimney sat a dirty old couple on the couch +where they had been passing the night; they were visitors from Muncey +Town, and were staying a few nights only at Kettle Point. The old woman +lighted up her pipe, and whiffed away with her eyes half shut; after +enjoying it for about twenty minutes or so, her old husband thought she +had had enough, and taking it from her put it in his own mouth and had his +whiff. When he had done, he restored it again to his wife. Underneath +another old bedstead were a couple of large dogs, which occasionally let +their voices be heard in a dispute; some of the stones on one side of the +fire-place had broken away, making a little window through which the dogs +could reach the fire, and it was amusing to see how they put their noses +and paws through the opening and warmed themselves just like human beings. +Down in another corner sat an antiquated old woman enveloped in a blanket, +and in vain endeavouring to comfort a little fat boy of about ten months +who was crying, as only children know how to cry, for his mother. Finding +that she could not content the baby, she at length got up, and taking off +her blanket, put one end of it round the baby's shoulders, tucked the ends +under its arms, and then with one sweep placed baby and blanket together +on her back, and with one or two pulls once more got the blanket wrapped +completely round her, and the little fat boy snugly ensconced between her +shoulders; then she marched off to give him an airing. The bigger children +were set to clean themselves, a tin bowl of water and a towel being given +them in turns. I was wondering whether my turn would come, when Mrs. +Ahbettuhwahnuhgund, having once more filled the bowl, addressed me with +the words, "Maund'uhpe," which in polite English would mean, "Here you +are!" "Ah, meegwach, ahpecte"--"thank you kindly"--said I, and forthwith +began my ablutions, while the children stood around me in wonderment. + +One night I slept with a pig. It was a vacant room in the Chief's new +house. After our services were over and we had had supper, Mrs. +Ahbettuhwahnuhgund took a clean blanket on her shoulder and a lantern +in her hand, and calling me to follow led me to the apartment. There +was a bedstead with a mattress on it in a corner, and on two chairs in +the middle of the room lay a pig which had been killed the day before. +Early next morning, before I was fully awake, the door opened, and Mrs. +Ahbettuhwahnuhgund appeared with a knife in her hand. What could she +want at this hour in the morning? I opened one eye to see. Her back was +turned to me, and I could not distinguish what she was doing, but I +heard a slicing and cutting and wheezing. Then the good lady turned +round, and closing the eye I had opened I did not venture to look out +again till the door was shut, and Mrs. Ahbettuhwahnuhgund departed; +then I peeped out from my rug--poor piggy was minus one leg! Next time +I saw the missing limb it was steaming on the breakfast table! + +I must not make this chapter longer. By-and-bye I shall tell of the +baptism of the Chief and several other of the pagan Indians of this +place. Suffice it to say now that our little school kept nicely +together, and services were held either by myself or my interpreter +every fortnight. In a little more than a year's time we had the +satisfaction of seeing both a school-church and a master's residence +erected, and a catechist placed in charge of the station. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +INDIAN NAMES GIVEN. + + +It is a custom with the Indians to bestow Indian names upon +missionaries and others who come to work among them, in order to make +them, as it were, one with themselves. We had not been many months +resident in Sarnia before we received an invitation from the pagan +Chief at Kettle Point, to come to a grand feast which the Indians were +preparing in our honour at that place, and to receive Indian names by +which we should be incorporated into the Ojebway tribe. + +It was one of the coldest of winter days when we started, the glass very +low, a high wind, and the snow whirling through the air in blinding +clouds. We went by train to Forest, and there Ahbettuhwahnuhgund met us +with his sleigh. It was just a common box sleigh with two seats, and the +bottom filled with straw, and two horses to pull us. We were all bundled +up in rugs and blankets and wraps; the Chief, who was driving, had his +head completely smothered up in a bright blue shawl belonging to his wife, +and wrapped so many times round that he was as wide at the top of his eyes +as at his shoulders. The only one of the party who appeared careless about +the cold was an Indian named Garehees, who had come with us from Sarnia, +and he sat with his feet hanging over the side of the sleigh; however, +when we asked him how it was that he did not feel the cold, he replied +with a grin, "Moccasins no cold,--white man boot cold,--ice!--two pair +socks under moccasins me--big blanket too!" In about an hour and a half we +arrived at the Chief's house; it was the first time my wife had been to +Kettle Point, and she was very much pleased to make acquaintance with the +Indians of whom she had often heard, and who had sent her presents of +apples and cherries from their orchards. She had brought with her a few +small gifts for the children, with which they were much delighted. A +little boy named Isaac had a sugar-dog given to him; he soon had its nose +in close quarters with his mouth, and the people laughed to see it +disappearing. Indians are nearly always very much behind time in their +arrangements; they do not appear yet to understand the value of time-- +whether in their councils, their daily work, their feasts, or their +attendance at church, they are generally behind the appointed hour. If a +council is called to commence at noon, three or four Indians will have +perhaps assembled at that hour; others straggle in as the day wears on; +they sit or lie about, smoking their pipes, chewing tobacco, and talking; +and it will probably be three o'clock before the council actually +commences. + +The Indian feast of to-day was no exception to the rule. It was +appointed to take place at noon, but hour after hour sped by, and it +was nearly four p.m. when they at length commenced. On entering the +room where the feast was laid out, we found two seats arranged for us +at the end of the apartment beneath an ornamented canopy decked with +cedar boughs, and we were requested to sit down. Then the Chief and +Shaukeens (both pagans) stood up, and the Chief made a brief oration to +the people, which John Jacobs, a young native, then studying for the +ministry at Huron College, interpreted for us. The Chief expressed his +pleasure in receiving us among them, and his desire that we should +become as one of them by receiving Ojebway names; and then, taking me +by the hand, he continued: "The name that I have selected for you is +one which we greatly respect and hold in fond remembrance; for it was +the name of an old and respected Chief of our tribe who lived many +years ago and whose name we wish to have retained; and seeing you are a +missionary to the Ojebway Indians, it is the wish of my tribe as well +as myself that you should be called after our late respected Chief; so +your name hereafter is 'Puhgukahbun' (Clear Day-light)." + +The moment my name was given, "Heugh! Heugh!" sounded from all sides, +that being the Indian mode of expressing approval when anything is said +or done. + +Mrs. Wilson then rose and received her name in the same manner. The +Chief, addressing her, said: "It is with great pleasure that I bestow +also on you, the wife of the missionary, an Ojebway name. The name I am +about to give you was the name of one of our sisters who has long since +passed away from our midst, and it is our wish that her name should be +retained among us. Your name therefore is 'Nahwegeezhegooqua' (Lady of +the Sky). + +"Heugh! Heugh! Heugh!" again sounded through the room, and then the +Indians one and all pressed forward to have a shake of the hand with +their new brother and sister. We almost had our hands shaken off, and +from all sides came the cry, "Boozhoo, Boozhoo, Puhgukahbun; Boozhoo, +Nahwegeezhegooqua, Boozhoo, Boozhoo!" + +As soon as order was restored, the feast began. I had the seat of +honour next to the Chief, and Mrs. Wilson sat next to me. The table was +well covered with eatables--venison, cakes, pork, Indian bread, +preserves, all in the greatest abundance. About thirty persons sat down +to the first table the others waiting with true Indian patience for +their turn to come; and a long time it was coming, for as soon as the +first set had finished, an intermission was made for music and +speechifying. Several very pretty songs were sung by the Indian choir, +some in English and some in Indian. + +After the feast was over and the tables cleared, I was asked to address +the people, and Wagimah interpreted for me. I told them briefly hew much +pleased I was to receive an Ojebway name, and thus become one of their +number, and how Mrs. Wilson and myself would now feel that we could +shake hands with them and regard them as our brothers and sisters. God, +I said, had greatly prospered our work since I came among them. We had +already our church completed and our Mission-house nearly so at Sarnia; +the great Society in England had contributed five hundred dollars +towards the erection of these buildings, and our friends in England +about five hundred dollars more; so that there would be no debt. As soon +as we had money enough I hoped that with their help we should be able +also to build a little church and teacher's house for them here at +Kettle Point, and send a catechist to reside among them and teach their +children. It was late in the evening when we bade good-bye and drove +back to Forest, where we remained for the night and the next morning +returned to Sarnia. On our arrival I found a letter awaiting me from the +Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, authorizing me to place a +catechist in charge of the Kettle Point Mission. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +CHRISTMAS ON THE RESERVE. + + +We were anxious as soon as possible to have both church and Mission- +house built on the Sarnia Reserve, so that we might move down among the +Indians and dwell in their midst. When therefore the matter of the land +was settled, and one acre of Antoine Rodd's farm had been given over +for the use of our Mission, we began preparations for the erection of +the two buildings. For the building of the church, I wished the Indians +to give as much in the way of labour and help as possible, so as to +show their earnestness in the cause; but for the erection of the +Mission-house, we had to depend largely on contributions from our +friends in England. However, the Church Missionary Society made us a +grant of L100, and friends helped liberally, so that we had no lack of +funds, and by the time the two buildings were completed and fenced +round with a board fence, all was paid for. + +We moved into our new house on the 29th of January, 1869, just six +months after our arrival in Canada. It was a nice little frame cottage, +with a large room or hall in the centre, study and bed-room on one +side, and sitting-room and bed-room on the other; and at the back, +connected by a covered passage, were the kitchen and pantry, with +servants' bed-room over. We were close to the river, and from our front +windows could see in summer-time all the shipping passing to and fro, +which made it quite lively. + +We were sorry not to get into our Mission-house before Christmas, but +this was impossible. Our little church, however, was opened for service +two days after Christmas Day, and was beautifully decorated for the +occasion. + +I must go back a little, and tell how it all happened. I had bought +some pews from an old Scotch church in the town which was going to be +pulled down, and one day early in December we got them carried down to +our little church building, and the Indians assisted me in putting them +up; there were ten on each side, and as they would seat five each we +had room for a congregation of just a hundred persons. On Christmas +Day, thirty-four people assembled in the log-house, which had been +beautifully decorated by the Indian women with cedar branches for the +occasion. After service I took the opportunity to say something to them +about the arrangements in the new church. Among other things I +suggested that they should sit together in families instead of the men +on one side and the women on the other, as had been their custom. The +proposal was well received and caused some amusement Shesheet said +humorously that he would consider it a great privilege to be allowed to +sit by his wife. Just as we were coming away the old Chief's wife, Mrs. +Chief as we used to call her, came running after Mrs. Wilson with a +parcel, and pushed it into her hand, saying, in her broken English, +"Christmas, Christmas!" It proved to be a prettily worked sweet-grass +basket, and the old lady giggled and laughed joyfully as Mrs. Wilson +expressed her surprise and pleasure at the present. + +Two clergymen besides myself assisted in the services at the opening +of the church, which on that occasion was crammed with about a hundred +and fifty people. One of the most interesting features was just at the +close of the service, when an Indian named Buckwheat, from the +neighbouring mission of Walpole Island, came forward, and, after giving +a short address expressing the sympathy that was felt by the Walpole +Islanders for the Indians of this newly-formed Church mission, +proceeded to loosen a belt from his waist, and to take from it a little +carefully wrapped up packet, which he brought forward and presented as +the offering of his brethren towards the erection of our church and +Mission-house. It contained nine dollars. + +The next day was the children's treat and Christmas tree. It was held +in the hall of the new house, although we had not yet moved in. It was +amusing to watch the faces of the children as they gazed upon the +unusual sight of a Christmas tree lighted up with tapers. Not even the +older people had ever seen one before. There were thirty-one children +present, and there was some little gift for each of them. During the +evening we taught them to scramble for nuts and candies. It was absurd +to see them, at first all standing in mute astonishment and wondering +at my ruthless waste in throwing away such excellent sweatmeats all +over the floor; however, they soon learned how to perform their part of +the game, and began scrambling for the good things as eagerly as any +English children. + +The Indians, although to all appearance so grave and stoical, have a +fund of quiet wit and humour about them, and are even sometimes quite +boisterous in their merriment. Joseph Wawanosh, the Chief's eldest son, +was a particularly quiet grave-looking man, and yet there was often a +merry twinkle in his eye, and sometimes he would come out with some +funny remark in his quaint broken English. He was our churchwarden, and +had a great weakness for making up large fires in the church, to which +my wife strongly objected, and they waged a chronic war on the subject. +Joseph, when spoken to used to pretend to shiver, and say he felt +particularly cold. One day Mrs. Wilson said to him, "How soon is your +wife coming home?" "Oh, about two weeks," he replied. "Why, you will be +starved before then; you have no one to cook for you." "Ah, no, I guess +not," replied Joe; "Indian never starve in bush." "Why not?" asked Mrs. +Wilson. "Oh," said Joe, shaking his head humorously; "lots of +squirrels." Old Antoine Rodd, or Shesheet, as he was more generally +called, was a huge portly man, and was often very comical in his +remarks, his good-natured face beaming with fun. One day Mrs. Wilson +nearly slipped into a large puddle while threading her way along the +ill-kept road, "What would you have done if I had been drowned?" she +asked jokingly, as the old man helped her out of her difficulty. "Oh, I +would, have dragged it!" he said. + +We, were very glad when at length we moved into our new house, and we +soon had plenty of our Indian friends to visit us. Widow Kwakegwah +brought a black and white cat as a present for my wife. She threw the +cat into the kitchen in front of her, and then followed laughing. It +was amusing to watch the cat making a survey of the whole house with +true Indian curiosity. The Indians did not generally venture beyond the +kitchen part without invitation; in that part, however, they made +themselves quite at home, and Jane was somewhat taken aback when Joe +Wawanosh told her he was going up to see her room. Mrs. Chief also went +up, and was delighted with Jane's trunks. She said she would come again +another day to see what was in them! + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +MISSION WORK AT SARNIA. + + +After settling in at our new home on the Sarnia Reserve, a great part +of my time was taken up in exploring through the Bush and visiting the +Indians in their houses. + +We found one very piteous case of a poor woman in the last stage of +consumption. The poor creature was worn to a skeleton lying on a most +miserable looking bed with nothing to cover her but a ragged strip of +black funereal-looking cloth. Although so very ill, she was able to +answer the questions that Wagimah put to her, and when I offered to read +the Bible to her she seemed very glad. She listened most attentively +while I read in Ojebway the eighteenth chapter of St. Luke, and told her +of the love of Christ in coming to save sinners. Then we knelt, and I +offered two prayers for the sick copied into my pocket-companion from +the Indian prayer-book. We visited the poor creature several times +again, and once Mrs. Wilson accompanied me and brought with her some +blanc-mange or jelly which she had made. She was much touched at the +sight of the poor creature's utter destitution. We were amused as we +went along to see a pair of babies' boots hanging on the branch of a +tree, evidently placed there by some honest Indian who had chanced to +find them on the road. This is what the Indians generally do if they +find anything that has been lost,--they hang it up in a conspicuous +place, so that the owner may find it again if he comes by the same way. + +I had been told of a poor widow who was very ill and living with her +three children in a destitute condition. Jane went with me to find her +out, and we took, a supply of medicine and food with us. After wending +our way along a narrow foot-track in the snow, which twisted about +among the tall black trees, we came in sight of what looked like a heap +of dirty boards and branches of trees piled together, but the blue +smoke curling from the top told that it was a human habitation. It was +the first time Jane had seen an Indian wigwam, and she was horrified to +think that people could live in such a hovel. We drew aside the dirty +cloth which covered the entrance and crept in. Two dogs saluted us with +snarls, but were soon quieted, and crouching along by the smoky sides +of the cabin we shook hands with the poor woman and her daughter (a +girl of about fifteen), and then gazed round for something to sit upon;-- +however, there was nothing but the earthen floor, so down we sat. The +little wigwam was just wide enough for a person of ordinary height to +lie down in, and in the centre was the fire, so that it may well be +imagined that there was not much room to turn round. On one side of the +fire lay the poor woman, doubled up in a dirty blanket, for she had not +been able to straighten herself for nearly two years, and was quite +unable to sit up; another blanket was fastened up against the side of +the place to shelter her from the wind. On the other side of the fire +crouched the daughter, listening to what I said about administering the +medicines. A little boy with bright eyes and a stock of uncombed black +hair was also crouching over the fire. This was Willie, the youngest of +the family, now about five years old, and little did I think then how +much I should have to do with that boy in his after life. Sitting down +by the poor woman, I uncovered my basket and displayed my medicines, +and explained to the daughter how the mixture was to be taken twice a +day, and the liniment to be rubbed on the affected parts. Jane then +changed places with me and applied some of the liniment, and the poor +creature immediately felt some relief and began talking about it to her +daughter. These poor people seemed to be entirely dependent on the +kindness of their neighbours; it was old Shesheet who first told me +about them, and I understood that he used often to send them food or +firewood. When I visited her on another cold day in October, +accompanied by my wife, we found her coiled up in her rags moaning with +pain, and only a few dying embers to keep her warm. Little Willie was +coiled up asleep in a sheepskin. While we stood, Willie roused up out +of his nest, and came to see what was going on; his sister, however, +motioned him to go back, and, like a discontented little puppy, he made +a low sort of whine, and buried himself again, head and all, in his +sheepskin. We went back to the Mission-house and brought some tea for +the poor woman, which she drank eagerly, and we provided her also with +a candle stuck in a bottle and some firewood, but she never smiled, or +said thank you. Her feelings as well as her features seemed to have +become hardened with constant pain and suffering. However, we were +agreeably surprised one day when she presented my wife with four tiny +baskets, tastefully made, and a smile for once actually played on her +lips. Some time after she was taken into a house by some friendly +Indians, and kindly cared for, the result of which was that she became +gradually better. + +Very soon after our arrival at Sarnia we had proposed to the Indian +women that they should meet together once a week for needlework and +reading, but the scheme was not carried into effect until we had +settled in our new house on the Reserve. The first meeting was held in +our hall in the summer of 1869. On the hall-table were spread out all +the articles of clothing sent to us from England, and we had on view +patterns of prints, flannels, &c., from one of the dry goods stores in +the town, the prices being affixed, and discount allowed at ten per cent. + +As soon as all were assembled I explained to them that the object in +meeting together was that they might provide clothing for themselves +and their children at as cheap a rate as possible, and at the same time +might have an opportunity for friendly talk and instruction. The plan +would be for them to engage in needlework for an hour and a half, +during part of which time I would read to them a story, which, my +interpreter had translated into Indian, and after that we would have +scripture reading, singing, and prayer to close the meeting. After all +who wished to become members of the meeting had given me their names, +they were invited to inspect the patterns and select the material with +which they wished to make a beginning. We found the plan answer very +well, and soon our "Mothers' Meeting" was thoroughly established. + +But it was not always that everything went on so harmoniously and +peacefully. Unhappily there was a considerable amount of whiskey- +drinking among the men, and sometimes drunken fights would occur in +close proximity to the house. A son of Antoine Rodd's was particularly +vicious when under the influence of liquor; once he frightened us all +by making a murderous attack on his father with his tomahawk and gun, +and the old man had to escape back into the Bush for his life. Another +time the wife of this same man came rushing into our house with her +infant on her breast and another daughter following,--her drunken +husband running after and threatening to kill them. We dragged them in +and shut and locked all the doors, and soon the man was pounding away +and trying to get in. The two women in great alarm locked themselves up +in the pantry and remained all night under our protection. The saddest +occurrence of all was when a man named Winter was actually killed by +his own son while in a state of intoxication. We did what we could to +try and stem the tide of drunkenness by forming a Temperance Society, +which a large number of the Indians joined; but a more effectual check +has of late years been put upon the terrible practice by the action of +the Dominion Government; it is now against law for a white man either +to give or sell liquor to an Indian on any pretence, and the penalty is +very heavy. + +I must finish this chapter with an account of an Indian funeral. The +daughter of one of our Indians, named Kwakejewun, had fallen sick and +died--died, as we hoped, trusting in her Saviour. As is usual among the +Indians, a large number of people gathered together to show their +sympathy with the bereaved parents, and to follow the body to the +grave. The coffin was first brought into the church. I read the usual +service, and a hymn was sung very sweetly and plaintively. Then we +proceeded to the cemetery, nearly a mile distant. The snow was deep on +the ground and sparkling in the sunlight. I drove in my cutter and +headed the long funeral procession. A sad and picturesque sight it was; +from eighty to a hundred people in all, some in sleighs, some ploding +through the snow on foot,--aged women in their white blankets, mothers +with their children, some of them in bright scarlet shawls, boys and +girls, all in their Sunday attire. Through the silent forest we wended +our way till we came at length to the wild little cemetery with its +rude snake fence encircling it. The coffin was taken from the sleigh +and carefully lowered into the grave; then the men took off their hats +and we sang another hymn. It sounded very sweet in that wild desolate +spot, and the poor mother stood enveloped in a blanket at the head of +the open grave, and, with her eyes fixed on her daughter's coffin, +joined in the singing. Then I read the remainder of the service, and, +having shaken hands with the poor father and mother, returned home. The +mother grasped my hand warmly, and met me with a happy smile. She +believed, I think, that her child was safe with the Saviour. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE BISHOP'S VISIT. + + +We were now well settled into our Indian home at Sarnia and my work +was clearly defined. The Sarnia Reserve was our head-quarters. Here +there were some 400 Indians, and at Kettle Point, thirty miles away, +were about 100 more. The out-stations were to be New Credit, Saugeen, +and Cape Croker, which places together contained about 1150 Indians. +The idea was to place a catechist at each of these distant settlements, +and for me to visit them twice or three times in the year. With the +view of providing catechists suitable for the work I was authorized by +the Church Missionary Society to receive and educate some young men; +and within a few months after we had taken up our residence on the +Reserve I commenced to teach two young Indians, named Wilson Jacobs and +William Henry, with the view of their becoming catechists. + +The great event of the summer was a visit we received from the Bishop +of Huron and Mrs. Cronyn. The fact that twenty-five persons were +confirmed, and that forty-five came forward afterwards to receive the +Holy Communion, will show that our work among these poor Indians had +already made some progress. Among the candidates for confirmation was +poor old Quasind, who came up bare-footed, a great-grandfather, and, I +suppose, about ninety years of age. In the evening our own child, +Archibald Edward, was christened during the time of Divine service by +the Bishop. + +The following day we had appointed to have a gathering of Indians, a +sort of social party, to meet the Bishop. When morning broke, however, +rain was pouring in torrents, and a picnic on the grass became +altogether out of the question. So, after early dinner, our hall was +cleared, and the business of cutting up bread-and-butter and cake and +preparing the tea began. Two or three Indian women had made their +appearance, and were soon hard at work with merry faces and busy hands. +About 6 p.m. the Indians began to arrive, and by half-past seven sixty +had collected. Tea being ready, we called in as many as we could pack +into our hall; others sat in the passage or on cordwood piles outside; +then each had a cup and saucer given him, and baskets full of bread-and- +butter, buns, and cake, and tea were carried round, and all ate their +fill. + +The hall table was covered with books, illustrated magazines, maps, +&c., and as soon as the Indians had finished tea they took up these and +amused themselves with the pictures. There was a draught-board also, +which engrossed the attention of some of the young men, many of them +being very clever in playing the game. An old Indian, generally known +as "the Doctor," caused great merriment by singing one or two old +Indian songs in that peculiar tone of voice which only an Indian can +command. The great event of the evening was the conferring of an Indian +name on our little boy, only a few months old. The task was delegated +to old Shesheet. The old man came forward with his usual radiant face, +and after a few prefatory remarks, expressing his great pleasure in +meeting the Bishop and Mrs. Cronyn, he took "the pale-faced babe" into +his arms and conferred upon it the name of "Tecumseh," a great warrior +who many years ago fell in battle fighting under the British flag. +After I had thanked the Indians for making my little boy one of +themselves, the Bishop rose and gave a very nice address, which Wagimah +interpreted. He told them how anxious he had been to see these, his +Indian brothers and sisters, ever since he had heard of their becoming +members of the Church of their great mother the Queen. He was very +pleased indeed to see them, and so was his "squaw," who had come with +him, and he wished them every prosperity and happiness and the blessing +of God on the Mission. Before parting we sang a hymn, and then closed +with prayer and the blessing. The Bishop and Mrs. Cronyn stood up at +the end of the hall and shook hands with the Indians one by one as they +passed out. + +In accordance with the instructions I had received from the C.M.S., I +made arrangements as soon as practicable for placing a catechist in +charge of the Kettle Point Mission, and about this time gave up +employing an interpreter, as his services would be no longer needed, +and I had now a good stock of sermons written in Indian which I could +use at my Sunday services. Before long, John Jacobs, the young native +student already mentioned, and who, after satisfactorily passing his +course at the Theological College, was ordained in July 1869, took up +his abode at Kettle Point as my assistant Missionary. Besides preaching +on the Sunday, he taught school during the week, so that his time was +well occupied. + +It was just about this time that I had a severe attack of fever, which +for the time quite prostrated me, and my medical adviser ordered me to +go away for a few weeks' rest and change of air. So Mr. Jacobs came to +take my place at Sarnia and with two of his sisters occupied the +Mission-house during our absence. After spending a week with friends in +Toronto, we thought we would explore a more northern region, and visit +Mr. Chance's Mission at Garden River, which we had often beard of, so +we took train to Collingwood, and were soon on our way up the lakes in +the beautiful steamboat _Chicora_. + +Thus was God gradually opening the way for us, and preparing for us a +larger and more important sphere of work. + +It was on this visit to Garden River that I first felt drawn in spirit +towards the Indians of the Lake Superior region, that there first +entered into my mind the idea of an institution for training the young +Indians, and that I first made the acquaintance of the old Indian +chief, Augustin Shingwauk. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +FIRST VISIT TO GARDEN RIVER. + + +We met with a hearty welcome from Mr. and Mrs. Chance, though we had +never seen them before. Their church and Mission-house and little log +school-house were picturesquely situated on rising ground quite close +to the river. The Mission-house, which occupied the centre of the three +buildings, was constructed of logs clapboarded over and whitewashed. It +had a verandah in front, over the trellis work of which hops grew in +profusion, and clambered upwards to the roof. In front of the house was +a neat little garden, with two or three fir-trees, some lilac bushes, +and well-filled flower-beds. There was quite a profusion of roses, +which, even at this late season of the year, scented the air +deliciously. Outside the garden fence with its green gate, was a field +of Indian corn which sloped down almost to the water's edge. The view +from the steps of the verandah was very pretty; one could see the broad +deep St Maria River, nearly a mile wide, and long lines of sailing +vessels towed by small tugs, occasionally passing and repassing on +their way from the upper to the lower lakes. Across the river were the +well-wooded hills of Sugar Island, with here and there a settler's +shanty and clearing. To the left hand could still be seen the broad +river winding its course down toward Lake George, the smaller stream, +called Garden River, joining it a short distance below. Then behind, +the scene was equally, if not more grand--high rocky hills scantily +clad with fir and birch-trees. We felt that we were now indeed in the +land of the Indian, far away from civilization; no railways, no +telegraphs, no omnibuses or street cars, no hotels or shops for many +hundred miles. + +There was something very attractive and fascinating about this first +visit to the wilds of Algoma. We were entertained royally. Peaches, +cream, and preserved fruits were among the dainties which covered the +table. Where all the good things came from was a matter of wonder to us. +The meat, however, consisting of a hind quarter of mutton, had, we +found, come with us on the boat, and it just lasted out our four days' +visit. We were told extraordinary stories about the difficulty of +procuring the necessaries of life, and the manner of overcoming +difficulties. Until quite lately the steamboats in their passage up the +lakes had never deigned to stop at Garden River; now, however, through +Mr. Chance's exertions, a dock had been made and a Post-office erected; +and about once in ten days a steam vessel would stop to leave or receive +the mails. Mr. and Mrs. Chance were Postmaster and Post-mistress, and we +had many a joke with them on the subject. Their fresh meat was always +procured from the steamboats. Before this new arrangement was made, the +steward on the boat used to tie the meat to a log of wood, and haul it +overboard opposite the Mission-house, and Mr. Chance had to go out in +his boat to pick it up. They had a capital large sail boat, with two +sails, called _The Missionary_. It had lately been presented to the +Mission by the Cathedral Sunday School, Toronto. It was very interesting +to meet with the Indians of this locality. Many of them were tall, fine- +looking men; notably so Augustin Shingwauk and Buhkwujjenene, both of +them Chiefs, and very intelligent-looking men. Augustin was at this time +about 60 years of age, and his brother Buhkwujjenene eight or ten years +his junior. They could trace their ancestry back for four generations. +Their father's name was Shingwaukoons (Little Pine), and he appears, +from all accounts, to have been a very intelligent Chief. The father of +Shingwaukoons was partly French, but his mother, Ogemahqua (Queen), was +pure Indian, and daughter of a Chief named Shingahbawuhsin, and this +Chief again was son of a Chief named Tuhgwahna, all of them residents of +the Sault Ste. Marie district. + +The Indians of Garden River were not nearly so far advanced in +civilization as those of Sarnia; very little was done in the way of +cultivating the soil, and very few of them could speak any English. +They, however, seemed to evince great interest in religion, the +services were well attended, the responses in the Indian tongue well +made, and the singing hearty. + +I must relate one sad incident that occurred during our short visit. +It was a beautiful Sunday towards the end of September; we had had +service in the white frame church, and very attentive and orderly had +the congregation been while Mr. Chance read the service and interpreted +my preaching. I had been speaking on the subject of "Eternal Life"-- +"This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only True God, +and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." Very wrapt was the attention as +I endeavoured to unfold before my simple hearers the great and wondrous +subject of eternal life. Had they--sitting there before me--anything to +do with this eternal life? Perhaps their thoughts day by day were on +the things of this world--their fishing, their hunting, their basket- +making, or planting or digging potatoes. Did they ever think that they +had souls to be saved; that before another Sunday came round these +things which now took up their time and thoughts might have passed away +for ever, and they themselves have entered upon the eternal state? If +they were true Christians, they would then be meeting with God, +beholding Him face to face; they would be with the holy angels, with +Jesus. But if not prepared, where would they be? A great gulf would be +between them and heaven--a great impassable gulf; they would be with +the lost! Before another Sunday came round this great and wonderful +change might take place. Were they prepared? + +Among my hearers were two women; one on the left hand side of the +church was a newly-married young woman wearing a scarlet shawl and a +hat with flowers. She could not have been more than twenty. The other, +who was her mother, sat on the opposite side; an old woman--a widow-- +wrapped in a black shawl. The husband of the young woman was in the +gallery overhead. + +Service was over, and we had wended our way back to the parsonage, +followed by several Indians, men and women with their babes, who had +come to shake hands or to ask for "muskeke" (medicine). All at once we +heard a shout from the garden, and a girl came rushing up, crying: +"Quick! help! there are people drowning." We all ran off with great +haste to the shore, the Indian women wailing in their own peculiar way, +some burying their heads in their shawls and sobbing with grief. Quite +a little fleet of boats and canoes were already off to the rescue; six +or seven in all. We could not at first make out where was the scene of +the disaster, but soon it became only too apparent. There, far out in +the very centre of the broad river, being carried away by the current, +were four or five specks, the heads of people struggling to save +themselves. The boats were still a long distance from them, and +breathlessly we watched as they made their way onward. Two, three of +the specks had disappeared; only two were now visible. "How many were +in the boat?" was anxiously asked. "Oh, there must have been eight or +nine;" and only two now above water. It was sickening to think of. The +wailing cries of the women on the shore increased each moment, and +great was the suspense as the foremost boat drew with all speed towards +the poor drowning creatures. I waited to see the two who were afloat +pulled into the boats, and then hurried up to the house to see if all +needful preparations had been made. Mrs. Chance had got everything +ready; a good bright fire, blankets, and brandy. When I went back to +the shore, the poor half-drowned creatures had just landed. Shaking and +shivering they were lifted out of the boat and supported up to the +house. Four had been saved: two men--and two women. One was still +missing, the young wife who had worn the hat and flowers! The children +who were supposed to have gone, it was found on inquiry had been +providentially left behind. As soon as we could get the poor creatures +up to the house, we set to work to revive them. + +One of the men, the husband of her who had not yet been found, was on +the point of giving in when the boat reached him, and in a moment more +would probably have sunk. He was perfectly cold when we brought him in, +and being in a consumptive state at the time of his immersion, we much +feared that he would not survive the shock. The poor old woman's heart +seemed almost broken at the loss of her daughter, and she sat wailing +in the kitchen the whole afternoon. The house was of course crowded +with Indians who came in to help or sympathize. From those who went to +the rescue we learned that the poor woman who was drowned had her hand +above the water when the boat came up, but she sank before the people +could seize it. Her hat was afterwards found about two miles below the +place where she sank. In the evening the poor old woman described how +the accident had happened. She said the boat was small and rather too +heavily-laden. Just as they got to the middle of the river, a breeze +sprang up, and the waves began coming over the side. One of the men +jumped into the water to lighten it, but it was of no use. The boat +filled, and in a few moments they were all struggling in the water. The +poor old creature described how she sank to a great depth, and then +rose again; how she prayed to Kezha-Musnedoo (the Good Spirit) to save +her; how she sank again; and then, while under the water, saw the dark +shadow of the boat coming over her; how again she rose to the surface +and was saved. + +We met again for service in the evening, and Mr. Chance preached very +solemnly to a large congregation from the words, "Prepare to meet thy +God." + +A day or two after this we left the Garden River Mission and returned +to Sarnia. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +BAPTISM OF PAGANS. + + +There were not many genuine Pagans either at Sarnia or at Kettle +Point. Pagan practices had fallen altogether into disuse. There were +some Indians living who had been "medicine men," but we never heard +that they practised their charms. Still there were several families who +held aloof from Christianity. When spoken to about being baptized, +their reply was that they thought the Christian Indians behaved worse +than the Pagan Indians, and they were afraid that if they were baptized +they would become as bad. It was sad that such a thing could be said, +and sadder still that there should be any truth about it. Of course the +mere fact of the Indians being brought into contact with white people +would lead them into temptations from which, in their wild wandering +state, they had been comparatively free. It has been said even by white +travellers that they have found the pagan Indiana of the North more +honest and trustworthy than those in a semi-civilized and nominally +Christian state. The Indian when he mixes with the Whites soon learns +their bad habits, but is more slow to learn what is holy and good. + +There were several families at Kettle Point who at the time when we +established our Mission were still nominally Pagan. Chief among them +were Ahbettuhwahnuhgund and his sister, and Shaukeens, with his wife +and family. Ahbettuhwahnuhgund's wife had been baptized, and so also +had his two eldest children. One of the first religious rites that I +was asked to perform when I began to visit Kettle Point was to receive +into the Christian fold the Chief's little boy and aged sister; and at +the same time the wife of Shaukeens, who had had several rather +dangerous attacks of illness, was baptized. We called the little boy +Cornelius, and Mrs. Shaukeens received the name of Tabitha. + +It was strange how superstitious the Indians continued to be even +after their acceptance of Christianity. They seemed never to lose +altogether their faith in witchcraft, especially in that form by which +it was believed that certain persons had power to cause sickness or +misfortune to others. They seemed also to have a firm belief in dreams. +Once I was visiting at a poor miserable little shanty on the Sarnia +Reserve, and found an old man and his son both lying very sick. The +poor creatures were in a wretched condition, the hovel they were in +consisting merely of strips of bark and old boards outside and inside +hung with rags and tatters and old cloths of every description. The +only person to tend them was an old woman--wife, I suppose, of the +elder man--who was crouching over the fire smoking her pipe. When we +came in, the sick man was gnawing a duck bone, some one having shot him +a wild duck. He said it was the first time he had eaten anything for +several days; his son was too ill to eat anything. The old man told +Wagimah that he had seen me before, a night or two ago in a dream. I +had made a garden, and divided it into four parts, and one of these +parts was very miserable and wretched. I was walking through this +miserable part one day, when I found this poor man. He was very sick +indeed, and I took him up and brought him into another part of the +garden which was very beautiful, and told him that he might stay there +and work, and be happy for ever. Such was his dream. I repeated some +verses of Scripture to the poor creature, and then we knelt and prayed. +I heard afterwards that the people around believed the old man to be +bewitched; some evilly-disposed "medicine man," they said, had brought +this sickness upon him by his enchantments. + +It was a very interesting occasion, when the whole of Shaukeens' +family, consisting of seven children, were brought to me for baptism. + +At 2 p.m. the horn was blown, and the people began to come together to +our little temporary school-house. About twenty-eight assembled, and we +began service with a hymn; then I read the evening prayers from my +Ojebway prayer-book, and at the close of the lesson began the baptismal +service. David Sahpah, his wife, and Adam stood sponsors for the +children. The names given to them were Stephen, Emma, Sutton, Esther, +Alice, Talfourd, and Wesley. Before their baptism, they had no names, +and I had to register them in my book as No. 1 boy, No. 2 girl, and so +on. It was curious to notice how Pagans attending our services never +made any change in their position as the service proceeded. This time +the mother, who had been baptized about two months before, kneeled, or +stood, or sat with the other people; but the father and children sat +quietly on their seats. After the service the children joined in the +devotions, and the father only remained sitting. + +The Chief Ahbettuhwahnuhgund for a long time refused to be baptized, +although I very often had conversations with him on the subject, and I +felt that in his heart he fully believed the great truths of +Christianity. It was partly, perhaps, pride that kept him back, and +partly that he was waiting, as he said, to see the Church of England +Mission firmly established at Kettle Point. + +In the first week of January, 1870, our new school-church and master's +house at Kettle Point were opened for use. Very pretty they looked as +we approached; three flags were flying, and there were crowds of +Indians around. Mr. Jacobs, who was now settled in charge of the +Mission, met us on the steps of the little church, and accompanied us +in. It was most tastefully decorated, and fitted up with a reading-desk +on each side, dark-stained communion rails, and crimson coverings. +Forty-five persons assembled at the opening service, and just filled +the seats. It was a cause of much satisfaction to the Indians to have +their little church, which they had worked so hard to build; at length +completed. They had themselves supplied all the saw-logs out of which +the lumber was made, and had put up the framework, so that it had been +but a very small expense to the Mission. + +Shortly after this I received word from the Chief that he was anxious +to be baptized. His answer to my questions were very simple and +childlike, and I had every reason to hope that he was sincere in his +desire to be a Christian. "Many of these things that you tell me," he +said, "are new to me. I hear them now for the first time; nevertheless, +I believe them. I believe all that the Christian's book teaches; I +cannot but believe it. No man could have written that book. I receive +it all as true, and I trust that I may gradually learn all that there +is to be learnt about the Christian religion." + +I gave him the name of Isaac, that being a name by which he had been +commonly known among the white people for some time past. It was very +interesting to kneel with that newly-baptized Indian Chief, and hear +him for the first time pronounce those sacred words, "Wayoosemegooyun +Kezhegoong ayahyun"--"Thou who art our Father, in heaven who art." The +Chief, his wife, his sister, and his children were all now Christians, +and could unite together in prayer and praise and Christian worship. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION. + + +The year 1870 was memorable in Europe for the great war between France +and Germany, followed by the loss of the Pope's temporal power, and the +establishment of secular government in Rome. Here in Canada the +excitement of the day was the Red River rebellion, to quell which a +military expedition was despatched under the command of General (then +Colonel) Wolseley. I had arranged to make a Missionary tour to Lake +Superior during the summer, and it so happened that I fell in with the +troops on their way up the lake and did service for them as chaplain +while they were encamped at Thunder Bay. + +It was a busy scene in the dock at Collingwood just prior to starting. +There were about a hundred Iroquois Indians who had been engaged as +guides and boatmen, and these were to precede the expedition and +arrange for the portaging and crossing the rivers before the arrival of +the troops. The steamship _Chicora_ was moored to the dock, the +whole vessel from stem to stern being heavily laded down, and there was +considerable delay before we started, but at length the ropes were let +go, the planks drawn in, and we were off. This was the _Chicora's_ +first trip of the season, and large crowds gathered about the docks at +the various places where we stopped on our way up the lakes, the +general expectation evidently being that the troops would be on board. +The disappointment was great when it was found that we had only an +advanced guard of Indian Voyageurs with us. One old lady, accosting one +of the passengers, in her enthusiasm exclaimed, "Have ye got the army +on board?" Above Manitoulin Island the channel becomes very narrow and +is sprinkled with little rocky islets clad scantily with fir and birch +trees. On one was living an old grey haired man in charge of a +lighthouse; he had been there the whole winter shut in by ice and snow, +and was so full of delight at witnessing "the first boat of the season" +that he saluted us by firing his gun, to which we responded by a +grunting whistle. At last we reached Garden River, and stepping on +shore, I was soon exchanging hearty greetings with Mr. and Mrs. Chance. +The _Chicora_ was detained four hours at this place, as all the +boats for the expedition were to be taken off before they proceeded +further and to be rowed by the Indians to Sault Ste. Marie, a distance +of twelve miles. It was necessary to do this because the only way for +the _Chicora_ to get into Lake Superior was through a canal on the +American side of the river, and if the boats were left on board they +might be regarded by the American Government as munitions of war and so +be refused passage. So the Indians were to take charge of the boats and +pole them up the rapids, while the _Chicora_ expected to go +innocently through the locks as a boat of peace. However the plan did +not answer; the _Chicora_ even though divested of her boats, was +refused passage, and having unloaded everything on the Canadian side +was obliged to return whence she came. Then a road had to be cut along +the Canadian shore, the red-wheeled waggons brought into use, and +everything conveyed a distance of some three miles to a point above the +rapids, where a dock was constructed and another Canadian vessel, the +_Algoma_ employed to carry the things on to Thunder Bay on the +shore of Lake Superior. + +As there was likely under these circumstances to be considerable delay +before I could continue my journey, I passed my leisure time under the +hospitable roof of Mr. and Mrs. Chance, and was glad of the opportunity +to renew my acquaintance with the Indians whom we had met last fall. I +had hoped that Mr. Chance would have been able to accompany me on my +expedition up the Lake; indeed it had been his own wish to do so, and +in that case we should have taken his own boat _The Missionary_ +and a crew of Indians, and so have been independent of the steamboats. +Circumstances however occurred to prevent the carrying out of this +plan, and in the end I started alone by steamboat, with my tent, camp- +bed, a good stock of books, provisions, &c., and a Garden River Indian +named James as my attendant. Col. Wolseley and his staff and a large +detachment of troops were on board the steamboat, and on arrival at +Thunder Bay, about 300 miles distant from Sault Ste. Marie, we found a +scene of the greatest activity and excitement. The troops, about 1200 +in number, were encamped on a wild bare spot with only a few rough +shanties and houses, about three miles from the Hudson Bay Company +Post, Fort William. The Bush had been burnt over, and it was a most +desolate, uninviting looking place, although the distant scenery around +was grand. There was considerable difficulty in disembarking, as the +water near the shore was shallow and there was no dock, so everything +had to be taken from the steamboat to the land in a flat scow hauled to +and fro by a rope. We pitched our tent on the shore, close to the +soldiers' camp, other tents of explorers and travellers being close +around us. From this point the troops were to start on their journey to +Winnipeg. First, forty miles of road had to be constructed, and boats +and everything had to be carried on waggons till the first water in the +chain of lakes and rivers was reached. This had to be done for the +whole of the 700 miles to Winnipeg; wherever possible the troops went +by boat, and where there was no water on the route, a road had to be +constructed and the waggons used. It was no easy task that Colonel +Wolseley had before him in this wild, uninhabited and rocky country. + +Very soon after my arrival at Thunder Bay I began to look about for +Indians, that being the primary object of my visit. I found quite a +large settlement of them at Fort William, but was disappointed to +discover that they were all Roman Catholics. The Jesuits, it appeared, +had been among them for more than a century. They had a priest resident +among them, an old man, I was told, gentlemanly, courteous, and +generally beloved and respected both by Indians and Whites; they had +also a little church decorated with flowers and images. However, I +managed to draw a few people around me, and scarcely a day passed but I +had Indian visitors to my tent. The Indian Chief, whose name was +Mungedenah, did not seem to be at all bigoted in his religion. Pointing +to the sky, he said, "I know there is only one God, and I do not think +Christians ought to be divided." He seemed most anxious to have an +Ojebway Testament. I told him that the Garden River Indians could +nearly all read the Testament for themselves. Tears came into his eyes +and he said he wished indeed it could be the same with them. When he +rose to leave, he thanked me, and pointing up to heaven said God would +bless me. + +After the visit of their Chief the Indians got quite friendly, and used +often to come and see me in my tent. One of them remarked once that he +thought there must be a great many white people in the world, to judge +by the large number that had come together that summer in such a short +space of time. Some of the poor creatures were evidently afraid of being +reported to their priest when they came to visit me; they generally +squatted at the entrance of the tent, and appeared to be keeping a watch +all the time, so that it was very seldom that I had an opportunity of +reading to them. Perhaps the most interesting incident that occurred was +an interview that I had with some wild pagan Indians from the Interior. +Some one put his head in at my tent door, and said, "Have you seen the +Indian Chief from Rainy Lake?" "No," I replied, "where is he to be +found? I should like very much to see him." Indeed I was most anxious to +meet some Indian from that quarter, as I had heard that there was a +large settlement there of some thousand Ojebway Indians all in the +darkness of paganism. I was directed to a store where the Chief had gone +in, and immediately went in search of him. There he stood, a fine, +upright, muscular man, with sharp set features, and a fierce forbidding +eye; long shaggy black hair straggled down his back, a mink-skin turban +graced his forehead, into which were stuck four white eagle feathers, +and behind it hung an otter skin appendage like a great bag, and covered +with little pieces of bone or metal, which rattled as he walked. I +addressed the Chief in Indian, and he turned and shook hands with me, +and after a little conversation he agreed to accompany me to my tent, +where I prepared a meal for him. He was very ready to converse, and told +me that his name was "Makuhda-uhsin" (Black Stone), that he had arrived +at Midday, that he was accompanied by four other men, two boys, and a +woman, that they had come by canoe, and had camped six nights on the +way. Koojeching, he said, was the place where they had come from, and +there he had left a thousand warriors. + +While he was talking, the rest of the party arrived, seeking their +Chief. They all squatted down, and I had to feed them all, and then +give them tobacco for a smoke. They were all wild-looking creatures, +their countenances as thoroughly unchristianlike as could be conceived. +As soon as their hunger was satiated, and they had filled their pipes, +they were rising to go, but I asked them to remain as I had a few words +still to say to them. I then told them briefly who I was, where I had +come from, and my object in coming to Thunder Bay. I had heard, I said, +that they were all pagans at Koojeching. I was very sorry for it, and +very anxious that they should embrace Christianity. A change came upon +their faces as I spoke; they shuffled uneasily, eyed me suspiciously, +and were evidently impatient to get away. They probably thought that I +had got them into my tent with the idea of using some enchantments or +exercising some witchcraft upon them. I did not understand all they +said, but James told me afterward that they were all very angry. They +said they were all pagans, and intended to remain so. When I asked +whether, if I were to visit them some day, they would listen to me, and +if they would like me to come to see them and tell them about God, +Black Stone replied, "Come if you will, but as for my people they will +never become Christians" I heard afterwards that a Jesuit priest once +visited their settlement, and after he had left the small-pox broke +out. In then superstitious ignorance, they attributed the disease to +the priest's visit, and so determined never to accept Christianity. + +I had arranged to visit the Lake Neepigon Indians on my way back down +the Lake, and took my passage on board a steamboat which was to call at +Red Rock at the mouth of the Neepigon River. But my purposes were +frustrated; the steamboats were under the direction of the military +authorities orders were changed at the last moment, and instead of Red +Rock I found myself at Michipicotun. At this place there is a Hudson Bay +Company Post and a small settlement of Indians. The approach to the Post +is very picturesque, the river being bordered by high-wooded banks, and +the clean-looking white-washed buildings of the Company presented a +striking contrast to the wild scenery around as we approached, rowing up +the river in one of the ship's boats. We pitched our tent in a cleared +spot just across the river, opposite to the Post and near to some Indian +wigwams. During our stay, which lasted about ten days, I visited every +day among the people, and at nightfall we would meet together in one of +their wigwams for reading the Scripture and prayer. The name of the +Chief was Tootoomenaun; he lived like the rest of his people in a simple +wigwam made of a circle of sticks sloping to a point, and covered with +birch-bark; and there, with his family and his dogs, he lay by the fire +and smoked his pipe, while I read or talked to them, the smoke +circulating about our heads and then finding its escape among the +blackened pole-ends at the apex of the little domicile. Another Chief +from the neighbouring settlement of Batcheewanig, about 90 miles +distant, was on a visit, and I had many a long talk with these two red- +skinned brethren. They said they had had no minister to visit them, +either Jesuit or Protestant, since the previous summer, and they seemed +very anxious to be taught, and listened very attentively when I read or +expounded the Scriptures. Finding the people all so anxious to learn, I +opened a little day-school in the Chief's wigwam. I had a box for my +seat, and the young people squatted round on mats. There was an +attendance of eleven scholars. Two of the young men I found already knew +the alphabet, so I set them on to commence the first book while the +others were kept busy with the A, B, C. They were sharp at learning, and +nearly all of them, with the exception of one or two of the youngest +children, knew the capital letters and figures from 1 to 10 by the time +the two hours of study were over. This school teaching was continued +every day until the steamboat arrived which was to take us the remainder +of our homeward voyage to the Sault. + +It is interesting to me to recall this, my first missionary visit to +Lake Superior. Certainly it did not seem that much was accomplished +during my tour, and I was a little disappointed that there was not a +larger number of pagan Indians among whom I might look forward to +establish Missions in the future. Still I had gained, at any rate, some +insight into the condition of the people; there were the obdurate +pagans from Rainy Lake, Blackstone, whom I was destined to meet again +at a future day, the Thunder Bay Indians all seemingly under Jesuit +influence; then these more accessible Red men of Michipicotun and +Batcheewanig. Some Pic River Indians also I had chanced to meet on my +travels, and had some conversation with. The Neepigon Indians I was +sorry to miss seeing. I was obliged to leave them for another time, +together with the people belonging to several other settlements on the +North shore. + +Altogether, the result of my trips to Garden River and to Lake +Superior was that I felt inwardly drawn to come and labour among the +people of these more Northern regions in preference to remaining among +the semi-civilized Indians of Sarnia. How the way would open I could +not at that time foresee, or how soon it might be my lot to move into +these wilder regions I could not tell. It was merely an unshaped +thought, the beginning of a desire created in my breast. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +CHANGES IN PROSPECT. + + +It was at the end of June that I arrived at Sarnia. Very glad was I to +be at home again after my long, rough journey, and very glad too was my +wife to see me, for it was but seldom that we had had an opportunity of +writing to one another during my absence. In the autumn our second +child was born--a boy--to whom the Indians gave the name of +Suhyahquahdung (proclaimer), and shortly after this we gave up our +cottage on the Indian Reserve to Mr. Jacobs, and moved to a larger +house in the town, where we should have room to take two or three +Indian pupils as boarders. This seemed to be a judicious step, as of +all things it appeared to be the most important, to commence preparing +young men who might afterwards act as catechists and school teachers +among their people. + +And so Mr. Jacobs, who had recently married, settled in at the Mission- +house as Pastor of the Sarnia Indians, and an Indian from Walpole +Island was appointed to take his place as catechist at Kettle Point. + +Our readers will not have forgotten poor Shegaugooqua, the poor +decrepid bed-ridden creature whom we found in such a pitiable condition +in an old wigwam back in the Bush. They will remember also the mention +we made of her little five-year-old boy, with his shock of rough, black +uncombed hair, and his bright intelligent eyes. This little boy, Willie +by name, we now took in hand. I arranged that the catechist who had +been appointed to the Kettle Point Mission should take two little boys +into his family, and train them up to a Christian and useful life. One +of them was to be Willie, and the other a grandchild of the unfortunate +man who was murdered--Tommy Winter. So, a few days before Joshua +Greenbird was expected, we brought Willie and Tommy to our house in +Sarnia to prepare them for entering upon their new life. The first +thing was to divest them of their dirty rags, and give them each a +thorough good scrubbing; then they were put into two new little suits +of grey cloth which my wife and I had each taken a share in making with +the sewing machine. Thus, clean and neat, these two little fellows of +six years old were shipped off to their new home. Walpole Island, where +Joshua the catechist was coming from, was some 40 miles south of +Sarnia, and Kettle Point was 30 miles or more to the north, the road +lying direct through the town; and as Joshua had arranged to drive in a +waggon the whole way with his family and baggage, he made our house his +stopping-place on the road, and we gave him and his wife and four +children all a lodging for the night; then in the morning they started +on again, taking Willie and Tommy with them. For the first week or two +the two little boys were quite happy and contented in their new home, +and went regularly to school with the other children who lived at +Kettle Point; but after a time they got home-sick, and then they did +what Indian boys often do when first taken in hand and put under +restrictions--they ran away. However, they did not get far on their +thirty mile journey homeward before they were accosted by a farmer who +was driving along in his waggon. Willie, always ready with his tongue, +and already knowing a little English, called to the former, "Say, you +going Sarnia?" The farmer immediately guessed what was in the wind, and +cried, "Yes, come along, boys; jump in." So in they jumped; but were +somewhat mortified--poor little fellows--to find themselves, half an +hour later, back again at the catechist's house. The lesson was a good +one for them, and from that day forward they had the impression deeply +printed on their minds that farmers were everywhere on the watch for +them, ready to bring them home if they tried to run away. + +It was during this winter (1870-71) that we began making plans for +building a church for the Sarnia Indians. The little building that we +had put up on our first arrival had never been intended as a permanent +church; so now that the Mission was fairly established and was +beginning to show good signs of prospering, it seemed to be only right +that a more substantial building should be erected for the purpose of +Divine worship, and that the little frame building should be kept +simply for a school. The first thing was to trundle the old building +out of the way; so a "bee" was called, and a number of the Indians +assembled, and with levers and rollers, and after working hard for a +couple of days, the school was twisted round and removed to the far +corner of the lot. Then the foundations were dug for the new church. It +was decided that it should be a brick building, with a spire, to cost +about 1500 dollars. Mr. Jacobs, my assistant, busied himself in the +matter, and together we managed to raise the requisite funds; and early +in the spring building operations were commenced. + +However, it was not my destiny to be the pastor of this little brick +church among the Sarnia Indians. God was calling me to other work. It +so happened that, in the providence of God, the Garden River Mission +just at this time fell vacant. The Rev. Mr. Chance, who had laboured +there so faithfully for the past 18 years, was called away to another +sphere in a more southerly district. Great were the lamentations of the +poor Garden River Indians when he left. Both he and his wife had become +much endeared to the people. Mrs. Chance was the schoolmistress and +doctor, and what would the poor children and the poor sick people do +without her? and what would they do without their Missionary who had +laboured so long and so faithfully among them: who had baptized their +children, and united their young people in marriage, and buried their +dead, and preached to them the glad tidings of the Gospel, and visited +them, and sympathized with them, and helped them in their homes? Mr. +Chance's children had all been born and brought up at Garden River; +Indian nurses had attended them and cared for them during their infant +days; the Indian women had learned to look upon them almost as their +own; and one dear little girl--Alice--had died after a short illness, +and was buried in the Indian Cemetery. It was a terrible wrench for +these poor Indians one and all to be separated from their Missionary +and his family. And the worst feature of all was that there seemed to +be considerable fear lest the Mission might be given up altogether. The +New England Company, under whose auspices Mr. Chance had worked, had +determined on withdrawing from that portion of the field; and unless +some other Society saw fit to take them up, there seemed but little +prospect that the work among them would be continued. + +All these things weighed with me, and I earnestly sought the guidance +of Almighty God in prayer, content to follow His will and to be led by +His hand. + +As Mr. Chance intended to leave Garden River early in the spring, and +it was a part of my duty to make extended tours among the scattered +Indians, and minister to their spiritual wants, I decided on making +another trip northward as soon as possible after navigation opened. My +wife accompanied me, and we took an Indian boy with us, named Aleck +Bird, as cook and general servant. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ROUGHING IT. + + +We expected that when we got to Garden River we should find an empty +house, and have to do everything for ourselves; so we came well provided +with a supply of flour, salt meat, etc., etc. Quite a crowd of Indians +came running down to the dock when we landed, and all were eager to +shake hands, crying, "Boozhoo, boozhoo," the Indian mode of address. +Then one seized a bundle, another a portmanteau, and, all laden with our +baggage and supplies, accompanied us up to the Mission-house. Chief +Buhkwujjenene was most warm in his greetings. "Would that you could +always remain with us!" he exclaimed. On arriving at the little white- +washed Parsonage, we were very glad to find that, although Mr. Chance +had been gone for more than a week, Mrs. Chance and two of the children +were still there; the furniture also had not been removed. + +Mrs. Chance taught me to bake bread before she left, which was very +useful, as I still often have to make camp bread. After a few days we +were left alone with our boy Aleck. It was a primitive style of living, +but we both enjoyed it immensely. The Indians were all so pleased to +have us with them, and the attendance at services both on Sundays and +Wednesday evenings, was very satisfactory. There was something quite +enchanting about our little log cottage, with the hops clambering up +the verandah, the garden-beds full of flowers, the broad river in front +of our windows, and the little sail-boat moored to the dock, which we +could use at our will and pleasure. Then there were plenty of fish in +the river, which the Indians brought to us, and an accommodating old +duck laid an egg every morning just beside the door-step. Aleck was a +capital boy; always cheery and ready, and would do anything he was +asked to do. During our month's stay we only had fresh meat twice--once +when a bear was killed, and again when we killed our drake. Among other +duties of a new and peculiar kind, that of Post-master devolved upon +me. The position was not an enviable one, and it took up a good deal of +time; but it was convenient to get the mail without having to send +twelve miles to Sault Ste. Marie for it. One day the boat arrived at +the dock while we were at Church, and I had to set the people on +singing a hymn while I ran down to change the mail. Another day an +Indian came shouting at my window at 6 o'clock in the morning that the +_Chicora_ was just coming in. Half awake and half asleep I turned +out of bed, seized the Post-office key, and in frantic haste rushed +down to get my mail ready. + + +My wife sent Aleck running after me with my boots, which I had +forgotten in my hurry! I was by this time able to preach to the Indians +in their own tongue. On the first Sunday after our arrival we had an +attendance of thirty-two persons at the Holy Communion, and among them +were a good many young men. The offertory collection amounted to just +one pound English money. + +The first week in July we went on a little camping expedition to Echo +River, where the Indians were making their birch-bark troughs ready for +the next year's sugar-making. It was a fine bright morning when we +started, and we went in _The Missionary_, with Aleck and two other +Indian boys to row us. Echo River is a deep, narrow stream, scarcely a +stone's throw wide, with the thick foliage of many and various trees +overhanging its banks. The only sounds which broke the stillness were +the notes of birds and the croaking of the bull-frog, mingled with the +measured splash of the oars. At length, after about two hours' pull, we +reached a little creek, and the Indian boys told us that their +encampment was a short distance up it. It seemed scarcely possible to +take the boat in, for the stream was very narrow, and nearly choked up +with floating saw-logs. However, we pushed along with poles, and +succeeded at length in reaching our destination. A good many of our +people ran down and welcomed us heartily to their camp. It must have +been strange to them, I suppose, to see a lady in so wild and out-of- +the-way a spot. + +A little clearing was cut with the axes, on which our tent was to be +placed, and a path cut up to it from the creek; poles and tentpins were +then made, and in a very short time our dwelling was ready for our +reception. Meanwhile the fight with the lords of the Bush had +commenced. While we were rowing we had not been much troubled with the +mosquitoes, but now that we had invaded their dominions, they evidently +regarded us as their lawful prey, and commenced the attack in good +earnest. My wife, with a very serious face, drew on my large mackintosh +coat, and sitting down on a heap of blankets, hid her hands, having +first guarded her head and face with a thick veil. I filled the frying- +pan with hot ashes, and covering them with green leaves, carried it in. +The place was soon full of smoke, and after a vigorous whiffing I +succeeded in making it habitable. Now we began to breathe a little more +freely. Later in the afternoon we ventured on a short walk to see our +neighbours. There were several wigwams all belonging to our own people. +They were not conical, but had, generally, rounded roofs, over which +were placed large sheets of birch-bark and Indian matting. + +The people were very busy at work, the men drawing out saw-logs with +two or three yoke of oxen; the women very busy with the birch-bark or +basket-making. We found the Chief's wife sitting in a very airy +apartment, there being nothing over her head but a few twisted sticks, +on which the bark had not yet been laid. When we returned to our tent +we found that good Aleck had already got the kettle boiling, and we +made a capital supper off fried fish and potatoes. All was very +comfortable. The Indians had put a thick layer of maple branches for a +floor; on these were laid first a couple of Indian reed mats, and then +our scarlet rugs and table cloth. After supper I sent Aleck to ask the +Indians to come together for some singing. A great many collected, and +we sang the "Te Deum" and several hymns in Ojebway. Then we sat round +the camp fire, which blazed up cheerily and gave light enough for us to +see our books. I was pleased to find how many of the people had their +Ojebway prayer-books and testaments with them, carefully wrapped up in +a pocket handkerchief. Each little knot of people lighted a small +smouldering mosquito fire in the midst, so that smoke was rising on all +sides. About ten o'clock I concluded with prayer; the people shook +hands and departed. Rain was beginning to fall heavily. This and the +clanging of cow-bells close outside the tent, and the music of +mosquitoes trying to make their entrance through the net suspended over +us, drove sleep from our eyelids. In the morning we had other enemies +in the shape of minute sand-flies, smaller than a pin's head, which +attacked us fiercely. It was no easy matter to light the fire in the +morning in the drenching rain. One of the good people came up with an +iron pot full of potatoes, which he hung over the fire to be cooked for +our breakfast. When it ceased raining I went out to visit some of the +people, and then we prepared to start homeward. We had only one Indian +to help Aleck at the oars, and a head-wind to row against, so that it +was late when we reached home; but, notwithstanding these drawbacks, we +had enjoyed our trip. + +The time for leaving Garden River was now drawing near, and the +American steamer _St. Paul_ was daily expected to pass. It would +not stop at Garden River, but we should have to run out to it in our +boat, so Aleck took up his position on the ridge of the roof to keep a +look-out, and the first appearance of smoke round the point would be +the signal for the boat to be got ready. I had frequently requested the +stewards on the boats to bring me fresh meat from Collingwood on their +up-trip. They at length complied with my request, and just the day +before we expected to leave came a big joint of thirteen pounds--the +first we had seen since we came up. So we had beef for breakfast, beef +for dinner, and beef for tea, and beef between times in the vain hope +of getting through it. At last we called in our Indian friends and +neighbours to partake, and they cleared off nearly all the food in the +house. Evening came, and our boat had not arrived. + +The next day was Sunday. Morning service was over, and the Indians, +remembering the good feast of yesterday, came sniffing round, thinking +to get another. We had a very spare luncheon, and we had to tell the +Indians that we were quite out of victuals. Then we sent Aleck to the +Jesuit priest to ask him if he would kindly send us a little butter and +milk. In the evening the good man came down himself, and expressed the +greatest distress at our laughable condition. He was a German by birth, +but spoke English very well. "I think I have a leetle cock," he said, +"and I will give him to you, and if you have some rice, you may make +some soup; that will be better than to starve." We thanked him warmly, +and Aleck went and brought the "leetle cock," and an Indian gave us a +pint of huckleberries, and we scraped the flour-barrel and made a +huckleberry pie, and so had quite a feast. On Monday morning the +steamboat arrived, and we bade adieu to our Indian friends, and +returned to Sarnia. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +CHIEF LITTLE PINE. + + +Chief Little Pine (Augustin Shingwauk) was following his work in the +lonely bush, his heart was sad at the thought of the black-coat +(missionary) leaving them. Suddenly a thought entered his mind, it was +as though an arrow had struck his breast; "I will go with him,--I will +journey with this black-coat where he is going. I will see the great +black-coat (the Bishop of Toronto) myself, and ask that Mr. Wilson may +come and be our teacher, and I will ask him also to send more teachers +to the shores of the great Ojebway Lake, for why indeed are my poor +brethren left so long in ignorance and darkness with no one to instruct +them? Is it that Christ loves us less than His white children? Or is it +that the Church is sleeping? Perhaps I may arouse them, perhaps I may +stir them up to send us more help, so that the Gospel may be preached +to my poor pagan brethren. So I resolved to go. I only told just my +wife and a few friends of my intention. I felt that the Great Spirit +had called me to go, and even though I was poor and had but a few +dollars in my pocket, still I knew that the great God in heaven, to +whom forty years ago I yielded myself up, would not let me want. I felt +sure that He would provide for my necessities. So when the raspberry +moon had already risen, and was now fifteen days old (July 15), and the +black-coat and his wife stepped on board the great fire-ship, I stepped +on also. I had not told him as yet what was my object in going and at +first he left me to myself, thinking, I suppose, that I was going on my +own business. I was a stranger on board; no one knew me, and no one +seemed to care for me. + +"When we arrived at Ahmejewunoong (Sarnia), the fire-waggons (railway +cars) were almost ready to start; so I still had to fast, and not until +we had started on our way to Pahkatequayaug (London), did the black-coat +know that I had been all that time without food. Then he was very sorry +indeed, and from that time began to take great care of me, and I told +him plainly what was my object in coming. It is not necessary for me to +say anything about London. The black-coats met together in council to +elect the great black-coat Chief (Bishop Hellmuth), and I went to the +big church to see them all. But I had nothing particular to say to them, +for their great black-coat had nothing to do with my people. I was +impatient to get on to Toronto to see the chief black-coat who has +authority to send teachers to my people on the great Ojebway Lake. We +arrived in Toronto on the sixth day of the week when the raspberry moon +was twenty-two days old. I was glad to see the great city again, for I +had seen it first many years ago, when it was but a papoose, and had but +a few houses and streets. We went to the place where the black-coats who +have authority over missions meet, and I opened my heart to them and +divulged its secrets. I said that at Garden River we were well content, +for we had had the Gospel preached to us now for forty winters, and I +felt our religious wants had been well attended to; but when I +considered how great and how powerful is the English nation, how rapid +their advance, and how great their success in every work to which they +put their hands, I wondered often in my mind, and my people wondered +too, why the Christian religion should have halted so long at Garden +River, just at the entrance to the great Lake of the Ojebways; and how +it was that forty winters had passed away and yet religion still slept, +and the poor Indians of the great Ojebway Lake pleaded in vain for +teachers to be sent to them. I said that we Indians know our great +mother, the Queen of the English nation, is strong, and we cannot keep +back her power any more than we can stop the rising sun. She is strong, +her people are great and strong, but _my_ people are weak. Why do +you not help us? It is not good. I told the black-coats I hoped that +before I died I should see a big teaching wigwam built at Garden River, +where children from the great Ojebway Lake would be received, and +clothed, and fed, and taught how to read and how to write, and also how +to farm and build houses, and make clothing, so that by-and-bye they +might go back and teach their own people. The black-coats listened to +what I said, and they replied their wish was the same as mine. +Afterwards I saw the Bishop of Toronto (Strachan), and he said that it +was his own wish that Mr. Wilson should become our Missionary. My heart +rejoiced more and more, and I felt now that the great object of my +journey was accomplished, and I could return again to my people. But +they did not wish me to go home yet. It was to be arranged that the +white people should meet together to hear me speak on the third day of +the following week. + +"Many were the thoughts that filled my mind at that time, as I walked +along the streets of Toronto, and looked at the fine buildings and +stores full of wonderful and expensive things. 'How rich and powerful +is the English nation! I thought. 'Why is it that their religion does +not go on and increase faster?' When I entered the place where the +speaking paper (newspaper) is made and saw the great machines by which +it is done, and by which the papers are folded, I thought, 'Ah, that is +how it is with the English nation, every day they get more wise, every +day they find out something new. The Great Spirit blesses them and +teaches them all these things because they are Christians, and follow +the true religion. Would that my people were enlightened and blessed in +the same way!' + +"The next day was the day of prayer, and I went to the big wigwam +where the children assemble to be taught. I stood up and spoke to them, +and told them how much I desired that my children should be taught in +the same way, and have such a beautiful wigwam to assemble in, where +they might hear about God and His Son Jesus Christ. It rejoiced my +heart to hear them sing. After this I entered the great house of prayer +(the cathedral). I was in Toronto when the first one was there. Since +that time it had been burnt down and rebuilt, and then all burnt down +again, and yet now it stands here larger and grander than before. 'The +white people,' I said to myself, 'have plenty of money; if they knew +how poor my people are, surely they would give more of their money to +build a house for us where our children may be taught.' I could not +understand the words of the service, but my heart was full of thoughts +of God, and I thought how good a thing it was to be a Christian, and I +rejoiced that I had heard of the love of Christ, who died for His red +children, as well as for the pale faces, for He is not ashamed, we know +now, to call us brothers. During the few days we remained in Toronto I +was out nearly all the time with Mr. Wilson, collecting money at the +people's wigwams. I am an old man of seventy winters, and I cannot walk +about as much as I could when I was young; so he got a waggon, and we +drove from house to house. I thought some of the people were very good. +One woman gave us ten dollars, but many of them gave us very little, +and some would not give us anything at all. + +"When we reached St. Catharine's Mr. Wilson and myself went from +wigwam to wigwam, asking for money to help the Indians on the great +Chippeway Lake. In the evening the white people met together in the +teaching wigwam, and there were so many of them that they had no more +room to sit, and I spoke to them and told them the thoughts of my +heart. This time I spoke more boldly than I had done before. I told +them that as an Indian chief I had a right to speak on behalf of my +poor people, for the land the white men now held was the land of my +fathers; and now that the white man was powerful, and the Indian was +weak, the Indian had a right to look to him for help and support. As I +closed my speech I looked around last of all upon the children; for I +wished my eyes last of all to rest upon these white children who had +received the benefit of education and Christian instruction; and I gave +them my beaver-skin to keep in their school, so that they might always +remember my visit and think upon my words. + +"On the second day of the week, early in the morning, we entered the +fire-waggon to go to the river of the Mohawks. I was greatly rejoiced +to see Mr. Chance once more, and also his wife and children. I remained +with them three days. + +"When the day came for me to leave, the black-coat, Chance, took me in +his waggon to the place where the fire-waggons start, and sent a wire- +message to Mr. Wilson to be ready to meet me when I arrived. + +"I sat in the fire-waggon, and smoked my pipe, and rejoiced in my mind +that my work was now over, and I should soon return to my people. For +many hours I travelled, and the sun had already sunk in the west, and I +thought I must be nearly arrived at Ahmujewunoong, when the fire-waggon +chief came to look at my little paper; and then he looked at me and +shook his head, and I understood I had come the wrong way. Presently the +fire-waggon stood still, and the chief beckoned me to get out, and he +pointed to the west, and made signs by which I understood that I must +now wait for the fire-waggons going towards the sun-rising, and in them +return part of the way back. By-and-bye the fire-waggons approached, +coming from where the sun had set; and a man told me to get in. It was +midnight when I reached Pahkatequayang (London), and they let me go into +the wire-house and lie down to sleep. I slept well all night, and early +in the morning a man beckoned to me that the fire-waggons were ready to +start for Sarnia, and showed me which way to go. + +"Thus I at length got back to Sarnia, and was glad to lie down and +rest in Mr. Wilson's wigwam; and now I am waiting for the fire-ship to +come, and as soon as it comes I shall go on board and return straight +home to my people. + +"The black-coat, Wilson, has asked me to let him write down all this +that I have told him, so that it may be made into a book and read by +everybody. And I hope that by-and-bye all the white people will see +this book, and that their hearts will be warmed towards the poor +ignorant Indians who live on the shores of the Great Ojebway Lake. + +"We have collected three hundred dollars, but three hundred dollars is +not enough to make religion increase. If we had but the worth of one of +those big wigwams, of which I saw so many in Toronto, I think it would +be enough to build a teaching wigwam at Garden River, and enough to +send teachers also to the shores of the Great Ojebway Lake. I must have +something done for my people before I die; and if I cannot get what I +feel we ought to have from the Great Chiefs of this country, I am +determined to go to the far distant land across the sea, and talk to +the son of our Great Mother, the Prince of Wales, who became my friend +during his visit to Canada, and gave me my medal, and who, I believe, +will still befriend me if I tell him what my people need." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +OUR FIRST WINTER IN ALGOMA. + + +Shortly after making this tour with Chief Little Pine, arrangements +were made for our finally leaving Sarnia and removing our head-quarters +to the Indian Mission at Garden River; the Committee of the Church +Missionary Society agreed to the change as an experiment, and undertook +to support the Mission for one year; but the withdrawal of the New +England Company and the fact of so many of the Indians having already +been converted by the Roman Catholics, made them a little doubtful as +to whether it would be a suitable spot for establishing one of their +Missions permanently. + +Before leaving Sarnia we had the satisfaction of seeing the little +brick church on the Reserve completed and opened for use. This, +together with the Kettle Point Mission, was now handed over to the +charge of the native pastor, the Rev. John Jacobs. + +I must mention one little incident that happened at this time. It was +in the evening, and I had called to see Mr. Jacobs. He met me with his +usual geniality, and we sat conversing for some time. Near the sofa was +a large clothes-basket with a blanket over it. By-and-bye some little +faint cries came from the neighbourhood of the basket. "What have you +got there, Kesheg?" I asked. Mr. Jacobs was a little confused, and +laughingly muttered something about an "arrival." The blanket was +removed, and there lay two little mortals nestled together, one fair +like his English mother, and the other dark like her father. The +Indians afterwards gave them Indian names--"River Prince" and "River +Princess." + +It was the end of September when we left Sarnia. A little girl had +been added to our family three weeks before. We had great difficulty in +getting servants to go to so wild and out of the way a place as Sault +Ste. Marie and Garden River were conceived to be. After many fruitless +endeavours we were obliged to give it up, and took no one with us +except our faithful Jane as nurse. There were no Canadian boats at that +time running from Sarnia, so we had to take passage on an American +vessel. We went well supplied with provisions sufficient to last us +through the winter, and had all our furniture with us, besides horse, +buggy, sleigh, and two cows. At that time there was but one clergyman +in all the Algoma district, and he was located on the Manitoulin +Island, 150 miles east of the point to which we were bound. To the west +and north our nearest clerical neighbours would be the Missionaries of +Hudson Bay and Rupert's Land, 500 or 600 miles away. It had been +arranged that we should spend the winter at Sault Ste. Marie, a village +of 300 or 400 people, twelve miles above the Garden River Mission, and +a house had been engaged there for us to live in; the Church people at +Sault Ste. Marie were anxious that we should do this,--a little stone +church, St. Luke's, had just been built, and they, of course, were +desirous to have regular services held; and I expected every Sunday to +hold one service at Garden River, besides visiting the Indians during +the week. + +It was late on Saturday night, about 10 p.m., when we reached Sault +Ste. Marie. The captain had kindly promised to put us off on the +Canadian side, but it being so late and dark, and the channel not a +safe one, he was unable to do so, and we were hurried off, boxes, +tables, cows, horse, and all on the American dock. This placed us in a +dilemma. Ten o'clock, Saturday night, and ourselves and our things all +in the wrong place,--the right, place being a mile and a-half across +the water. The first thing to do under the circumstances was to take my +family up to the hotel, after which I returned to the dock, and +fortunately found a friend in need, Mr. Church, the owner of a sawmill +on Sugar Island, a short distance below Garden River. He most +obligingly undertook to put all my things across to the Canadian side +for me. His men set to work with a will--several of them were Garden +River Indians--and in a little time all was packed on board his scow, +and we were steaming across the Ste. Marie River. Fortune, however, +seemed to be against us,--we were about one-third of the way across +when one of the cows who was tethered to a parlour stove jumped +overboard, taking the stove along with her. Happily the rope broke, the +stove sank, and the cow swam. A boat was put off, the cow taken in tow, +and rowed back to the American side. However, in due time she was once +more safely got on board and made fast, and in a little while we had +reached our destination, and everything was landed at the Canadian +dock. It was about one o'clock in the morning when I arrived there, and +I went up to the empty Mission-house which we had occupied in the +spring, and found a bed on which to snatch a few hours' rest. + +On Sunday morning the Indians came round, all delighted, to see me +again. After holding service in the church, I engaged two young +Indians, and getting into _The Missionary_, we started for Sault +Ste. Marie, as I was to have service there in the evening. + +During the next day or two we were moving our furniture, &c. into this +house which we had rented for the winter. It was roomy enough, but +close to the river, and intolerably damp; so after a week or two of +great discomfort we resolved on changing our quarters, and one fine +morning, almost before light, saw _The Missionary_ and another +boat, loaded with our household effects, and running before a stiff +breeze to Garden River. The Indians were delighted at the change, and +all welcomed us warmly; but now fresh difficulties arose: the little +log parsonage was so cramped and small that we had nowhere to bestow +our goods, and a considerable proportion of them had to be stowed away +in the stable until two additional rooms could be built. It was rather +late in the year for building operations, the winter being just about +to commence; nevertheless we managed to secure the services of a couple +of workmen, and in a little time a "balloon frame" was run up and two +new rooms added to the house. + +A terrible winter it was--one of the worst winters that had been known-- +the glass being sometimes from 30 to 40 below zero, and the snow very +deep. One great snowdrift completely blocked the east end of the +parsonage--it was about fifteen feet deep. The lower room was entirely +dark, and we had to make a tunnel through the snow bank to let in the +light. Some mornings it was so cold that we could not sit to the +breakfast-table, but had all to huddle round the stove with our plates +on our laps, and the empty cups that had been used when put back on the +table froze to the saucers. Bread, butter, meat, everything, was frozen +solid, and we began to realize what an Algoma winter was. But, apart +from these discomforts, we had a very pleasant winter with our Indian +friends; the services at the church were well attended, and there were +generally upwards of thirty at the Holy Communion. At Christmas time we +had a great feast; nearly a hundred of the people came, and after +partaking of the good things, we gave them a magic lantern exhibition, +which pleased them greatly. Then we always had service in the +schoolhouse every Wednesday evening, at which there was an exceedingly +good attendance; and on Friday evenings we held a cottage lecture, +sometimes at one house, sometimes at another. Perhaps the most +discouraging thing was the day-school. It is so hard to induce the +Indians to send their children regularly to school. There may be thirty +names on the register, but the average attendance is probably not more +than nine or ten, possibly at times twelve to fifteen. It seems to be +the same everywhere. The old people do not sufficiently realize the +advantages of education themselves, and so seem to care little whether +their children are in their place at class or roving about the bush with +a bow and arrow. The Indians are great people for medicine. I had a good +stock of it, and they were constantly coming to me with their ailments. +They make medicines themselves from roots and herbs, but prefer +generally to get the White man's physic. There was an old white-haired +woman, an aunt of the chief's, who used to come stumping along with a +thick stick, and caused some consternation in our nursery; she never +knocked at the door--Indians rarely do--but would come in and sit +herself down in the middle of the floor, the children scampering away to +hide. She was a good-natured old creature, and of course would do no +harm, but she frightened the children nevertheless. + +We had one rather narrow escape while driving on the ice. It was on +Christmas Day; I had been taking Morning Service at Sault Ste. Marie, +and was driving back to Garden River with my wife and a young lady who +was coming to stay with us; the wind was blowing, and the glass was in +the neighbourhood of zero. All went well till we were within four miles +of home; we had just passed a log cottage on the shore, and were +striking out to cross a bay; we fancied we heard a shout behind us, but +it was too cold to stop and look back; however it would have been +better if we had done so, for a few moments more and our horse was +plunging in the water, the rotten ice having given way beneath his +feet. As quick as thought we all hurried out at the back of the sleigh +and made for the solid ice. There were two or three inches of water on +the ice, and our feet got wet, but otherwise we were safe from danger. +In the meantime some Indians had seen us from the shore, and came +running to us with a rope and some rails. It was twenty minutes before +the poor horse was extricated; he was down in the water up to his neck, +his eyes looked glassy, and I was afraid the poor thing was dying. +However the Indians evidently knew what to do, they got the end of a +rail under him as a lever to raise him up, and put a noose round his +neck; then, having first loosened the harness, they pulled with a will, +and in a few moments had him out of the hole kicking on the ice; they +then gave him a good rubbing, and soon he made a plunge and was on his +legs again, trembling and shaking; one of the young fellows took him +off for a sharp trot to restore the circulation, then the sleigh was +fixed up, and after a delay of about an hour we were enabled to +continue our journey. + +During the winter our mail was brought by men on snow-shoes with a dog +train; they had to travel about 150 miles to a distant station, where +they were met by other couriers, who exchanged bags with them and took +them the remainder of the distance. The men go along at a jogging pace, +and at night camp out in the snow. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +CHIEF BUHKWUJJENENE'S MISSION. + + +It was sugar-making time, and Buhkwujjenene was at work three miles +back in the bush collecting the sap from the maple-trees, and, with the +assistance of his wife and a large family of daughters, boiling it down +in huge black kettles to transform it into maple-sugar. It was rather a +labour getting out there, and I had to take my snow-shoes. About two +miles back from where our parsonage stood is a long range of low, rocky +hills, about 300 feet high, nearly parallel with the course of the +river, and for the most part bare and naked, only sprinkled with a few +ragged balsams, pine, and birch. It was April, and the snow was gone +from the exposed parts of the hill, but beyond, in the valley where +sugar-making was going on, it was still a couple of feet deep. + +Wandering along through the bush, the first sign of your approach to a +sugar-camp is generally the sound of an axe or the barking of a dog; +these help to direct your steps; then, in a little while you see snow- +shoe tracks, and then--here are the little birch-bark troughs, one or +two to each maple-tree, and a slip of wood stuck in the tree about two +feet from the ground, which serves as a spout to convey the sap from the +tree to the trough. It does not run fast, about a drop in every three or +four seconds, or sometimes much slower than that; however the little +trough gets full in time, and then the Indians come round and pour it +into birch-bark pails and carry it to the camp to be boiled. The sap is +very nice when you are thirsty--slightly sweet and very cold, as the +nights must be frosty during sugar-making time, and there is generally a +little ice in each trough. Cold frosty nights and clear sunshiny days is +what the Indians like for their sugar-making. As soon as the weather +gets too warm the sap becomes bitter and is no longer of any use. + +Well, after my walk of course I took a draught of sap from the first +trough I found, and then wended my way on to Buhkwujjenene's camp. The +sugar camp is made of poles about four inches thick, laid horizontally +for walls, and fitted into each other at the corners, the crevices being +filled with moss. The walls are only about four feet high, and they +enclose a space about ten or twelve feet square; the roof is also made +of poles placed like rafters and covered over with sheets of birch-bark, +an opening being left the whole length of the ridge for the escape of +the smoke. In the centre of the earthen floor is the fire, over which +are suspended five or six large sugar-kettles, holding perhaps twenty or +thirty gallons each, and into these the sap is poured as it is brought +in from the trees. Along the inside of the wigwam on either side of the +fire is a raised floor of boards or sticks, covered with fir branches, +on which the Indians recline by day or sleep at night. The door is +generally an old blanket hung over the opening. In just such a camp as +this I found Chief Buhkwujjenene, for though chief of his band he yet +has to hunt and fish and make sugar for his living, the same as the rest +of his people. + +"Ah-ah-ah boo-zhoo boo-zhoo!"--That's the way we Indians greet one +another. Very warm and hearty, is it not? There they all were, busy +over their big pots--Isabel and Susette and Therese and Liquette, and +the old mother, who is very stout and comfortable-looking. + +I told Buhkwujjenene that I wanted to have a little talk with him, so +as soon as I had some maple syrup, and my pockets filled with sugar +cakes to take home to the children, he came with me out of the wigwam, +and we sat down on a log together for a pow-wow. Of course he lighted +his pipe the first thing, for Indians can't talk without smoking. I +told him I had been thinking that I would cross the great salt water to +the land of the pale-faces, and try to collect some money to build the +big teaching wigwam that we had been talking about, and I suggested the +idea of taking him with me, if he would like to go. I said his brother +"Little Pine" had already done a good work by addressing meetings in +Canada and thus giving a start to the scheme, and now it would be for +him, the other chief, to carry the work on and help to raise funds +sufficient to erect the institution. Buhkwujjenene listened attentively +while I spoke, and then, laying his pipe down, replied as follows: + +"It is true I have often thought that I would like to visit the great +country across the great salt water, and I have sometimes thought that +the day would come for me to do so; still, I am getting advanced in +years now. I am no longer young as I used to be. I am not always well, +and it is a long way to go. Nevertheless I am willing to accompany you +if the Great Spirit wills it. I committed myself to the hands of the +Great Spirit when I became a Christian forty years ago. If it is His +will that I should go, I will go; if it is not His will I will stay +here." + +A few days after this the Indians held a council in the school-house, +when it was definitely arranged that Buhkwujjenene should accompany me +to England, and the Indians agreed to sell an ox, which belonged to +them in common, to assist in defraying his expenses. + +The party who were to make the trip across the Atlantic consisted of +Mrs. Wilson, our little boy Archie (whom the Indians call Tecumseh, +after the celebrated chief who fought under Sir Isaac Brock in 1812), +Chief Buhkwujjenene, and myself. We started on a bright Monday morning +towards the middle of May, the first part of our journey being +accomplished in the steam-boat _Waubuno,_ which took us as far as +Collingwood, a distance of 300 miles. From Collingwood we took train +about 100 miles to Toronto, where we staid a few days; then from +Toronto we took train _via_ Niagara and Buffalo to New York. Our +train arrived a few hours only before the steamship _The India_ +was to start. + +So far Chief Buhkwujjenene had seen nothing more than he had seen +before in his life, for he had already on more than one occasion +travelled through Canada. Now however that he was embarked on an ocean +steamer, all would, for the next few months, be new to him. One of his +first experiences was the qualms of sea-sickness, and I verily believe +he thought he was going to die. However, as with the white man so with +the Indian, a few days on the salt water set him all right, and +strength, spirits and appetite returned. One evening on deck he told me +a dream he had had shortly before I proposed for him to accompany me. +"I thought I was working outside my house," he said, "when I heard the +note of a loon. (The loon is a favourite bird among the Indians, and +they regard it with superstitious reverence.) The sound came from the +Western sky, and I gazed in that direction to try if I could see the +bird. In another moment I heard the sweep of its wings over my head, +and there it flew sailing majestically along and drawing after it an +airy phantom ship with three masts; it sailed away off east, still +uttering its monotonous note till it was lost to view. Thus my dream +has come true," he said, "for this is the three-masted vessel that I +saw in my dream, and the loon is dragging us along!" + +At length the north coast of Ireland came in sight, and then the +Scotch coast, and finally we came to anchor in the harbour at Greenock. +It was late in the evening, about 8 p.m., when we arrived, and we heard +that there was a through train to London at 8.30, so we made a great +effort to catch it; we succeeded in boarding the train at the very last +moment, and were off by the night mail to London. + +The next morning there appeared the following interesting, though not +very truthful, notice in the _Glasgow Herald:_--"An interesting +stranger has arrived in this country, and it may possibly turn out that +the 'Coming Man' has come at last. His name, we understand, is Chief +Buhkwujjenene, which signifies 'a man of the Desert,' and he landed in +Greenock from the Anchor Line steamer _India_. The man was dressed +in the full costume of the Chippewa tribe, to which he belongs, namely, +skins, feathers, &c. He is described as being tall and handsome, with a +frank but thoughtful face, and appeared to be about thirty years of +age. It is understood that this chief, who proceeded immediately per +mail train to London, has been converted to Christianity, and has been +brought over to England under the auspices of the Church of England +Missionary Society, in order that he may be instructed in Christian +truth, fitting him to return as a native teacher and preacher among his +tribe in the backwoods of America. A more appropriate lodging for 'a +man of the Desert' cannot be found in the whole world than Leicester +Square; though whether he would receive much Christian truth in that +locality is another question. If he would send for his tribe, and +encamp there permanently, a picturesque effect might be produced at a +very trifling outlay." + +We travelled all night, and were due at Euston Square the following +day. Early the next morning we sent on the following telegram to +announce our arrival to our unexpecting friends:--"Myself, wife, +Archie, and Indian chief have arrived; shall reach Euston at 3 p.m." +This was the first intimation that our friends had of the certainty of +our paying them a visit, as we had come away by the first boat down on +the opening of navigation, and our letters sent by dog-sleigh a week or +two before that were still on the road. Still less had they any +expectation of an introduction to one of the natives of our wild +backwoods. + +Our train steamed into Euston Square punctual to the time after its +long run of 400 miles. And now familiar sights met our eyes after a +four years' absence from our native land; there were the cabs and the +running porters and the dense crowd of people filling the station; and +there--still more familiar sight--was my father's carriage and the well- +known figure of our coachman on the box. Then came hearty shakes of the +hand from my father and brother who had come to meet us, and Chief +Buhkwujjenene, who seemed quite lost, poor man, among the excitement +and bustle, was introduced and shook hands with the venerable English +Black-coat. + +It was strange the affection that Buhkwujjenene conceived for my +brother from the first; he misunderstood his name (Arthur), and +thinking it to be Otter, always called him _Neegig._ Upon my +father he conferred the name of _Pashegonabe,_ the great eagle, +and one of my sisters he was pleased to call _Wabausenooqua,_ +which title he explained to mean a little spot cleared by the wind; +though for what reason he gave this name we could never quite make out. +_Neegig_ and he became great friends; they had one thing in +common, and that was a love for tobacco, and in the summer evenings +after dinner the young white man and his grown companion would recline +on rustic seats in the garden, and smoke pipe after pipe, the red man +mixing his "baccy" with some savoury bark from his native land which he +produced from the depths of his martin-skin tobacco-pouch. They could +not understand each other's speech, but by dint of signs and a few +broken words of English occasionally introduced by the Chief, they +managed to carry on some conversation. + +Quite a sensation was caused not only in the house but in the +neighbourhood by the new-comer's arrival. It was strange to see him +sitting in his blanket coat in an easy chair beneath the gas-lights in +the drawing-room, strange to see him conducting a lady in to dinner and +sitting at table awaiting the arrival and removal of the various +courses, strange to see him walking the streets with his medals on his +breast, his skunk skin and leggings and feather in his hat, or riding +in the same attire on the top of an omnibus; and yet amid it all he +bore himself with such perfect grace and self-possession that every one +admired and wondered at him. People thought he had a very pleasant +expression and agreeable manner, and they were astonished at his +politeness and the cool self-possessed way in which he accepted the +many new experiences which kept crowding upon him. A photographer in +the neighbourhood soon heard of his arrival and asked him to sit for +his portrait. Several likenesses were taken--representing him as a +Christian Chief in his ordinary dress; and as a Chief of former days in +feathers and Indian costume. As he could scarcely speak a word of +English I was obliged to be tied rather closely to him as interpreter, +and assist him in receiving visitors, numbers of whom came almost +daily. We also had a visiting-card prepared for him on which was +inscribed Chief Buhkwujjenene, Garden River, Canada. At morning and +evening prayers and in church on Sundays he was most devotional, and +whenever the Lord's prayer was repeated he joined audibly in the Indian +tongue--"_Wayoosemegooyun keezhegoong ayahyun, tah keche- +ahpeetandahgwud kedezhenekausoowin_" &c. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN INDIAN CHIEF IN ENGLAND. + + +We were not long in setting the Chief to work. It was Friday when we +arrived, and on the following Thursday our first meeting was held in +Bishop Wilson's Memorial Hall, Islington. Notice was given of the +meeting in church on the intervening Sunday, the Chief occupying a seat +in one of the pews, and a circular was also issued headed:-- + +"A RED INDIAN CHIEF'S VISIT TO ENGLAND." + +The result was an overflowing meeting. The vicar occupied the chair +and a number of clergy were on the platform. Chief Buhkwujjenene +seeming to be just as much at his ease as if he were addressing a +council of his own people, stood forth and in simple eloquent terms +told his story, myself interpreting for him every time he paused. + +"My brothers and sisters," he began, "I salute you. I have come all the +way across the great salt water to see you, and it does my heart good +to see so many pale faces gathered together before me." He then +recounted what had led him to take the journey. It had not been his own +wish, but he felt that God had led him to do so; God had preserved him +amid the dangers of the ocean, and he trusted that God would prosper +the cause for which he came to plead. "Many years ago," he said, "I and my +people were in a very different state to what we are now: we had no +teaching, no churches, no missionaries, our medicine men taught us to +believe in good and bad spirits and to depend on dreams. I, when a boy, +was obliged by my father to blacken my face and fast for many days +together, and while doing this it was believed that whatever I dreamed +would come true. But now we Indians at Garden River are no longer +heathen, we have all now accepted Christianity and we have our church +and our missionary. The desire of my heart is to see our religion +spread among the other Indians; we want more Missionaries to be sent to +us, and greater efforts made to extend the blessings of the Gospel. We +want our children to be taught to follow civilized trades as the white +people do. We feel that the time is past for the Indians to live by +hunting and fishing as our forefathers used to do. We wish to give up +our old habits and adopt the customs of the pale faces. In order to +accomplish this we propose that a big teaching wigwam should be built +at Garden River where our sons may be taught to carpenter and make +boots and other such things as are useful, and where our daughters may +learn needlework and knitting and spinning. This is the desire of my +heart, this is the cause for which I have come to plead. We Indians are +too poor to help ourselves, and so we look to you white people who now +occupy our hunting grounds to help us. We know that our great Mother +Queen Victoria, loves her Indian subjects; often have we fought for her +and we are ready to fight her battles again. We have readily given up +our hunting grounds to you, and all that we ask of you is that you will +help us in improving ourselves and in educating our children." + +After this the Chief put on his Indian dress and sang a war song. Much +interest was stirred up by his address and the collection which was +made after the meeting amounted to upwards of L11. + +The following Sunday the Holy Communion was administered at the old +parish church of St. Mary's, and among those who knelt at the rails to +receive the sacred emblems of our Lord's passion and death, was the +Indian Chief Buhkwujjenene. I repeated the words to him in his own +tongue as I administered the bread and wine. + +The following day we visited the Rev. Henry Venn, the venerable +Secretary of the Church Missionary Society. He received us most kindly, +and for his own part he hoped that the Committee, whom we were to meet +on the morrow, would agree to continue their support of the mission at +Garden River, and to assist us in our proposed scheme for the +advancement and civilization of the Indians; he feared, however, we +might have some difficulty in the matter, on account of our proposed +plans not being strictly in accordance with the main object of the +Society, which is to carry the Gospel to the heathen. + +Among the earliest plans made for the edification and amusement of the +Chief was a visit to the Zoological Gardens at Regent's Park. Among the +birds the Chief quickly recognized the Canadian thrush, and doffed his +hat with evident pleasure at the rencontre. We went the regular rounds, +as every one does, through the monkey-house, through the parrot-house, +down through the tunnel and alongside the canal to the house of the +reptiles, then back to where the elephants and giraffes are kept. The +hippopotamus was on land so we saw him well; the giraffes walked round +and round and bowed their necks to the visitors as they always do; the +elephant obeyed his keeper, stood up on his hind legs, elevated his +trunk, trumpeted and consumed biscuits. Then we saw the lions and +tigers fed. The Chief had a ride on one of the camels, and looked very +picturesque in his white blanket coat, though scarcely oriental enough +in his appearance to produce a natural effect. + +Another day we had an interview with his Royal Highness the Prince of +Wales. It was not brought about in the way such things are generally +accomplished, but still it did very well. The occasion was the opening +of the Bethnal Green Museum. We had gallery tickets for the Chief and +myself. It was an imposing display. The centre of the hall was occupied +by all the great grandees in brilliant dress including natives of many +a foreign clime. The arrival of Royalty was signalized by a clarion +blast which thrilled through one's veins and set one on the tiptoe of +expectation. The Royal party entered, the necessary ceremonies for the +opening of the building were gone through, and then commenced a tour of +the galleries. The Prince and his suite would pass close to us. This +was a chance not to be thrown away. I had a photograph of Buhkwujjenene +in my pocket. Buhkwujjenene on his breast wore a silver medal presented +to him in common with other chiefs by the Prince on the occasion of his +visit to Canada some years before. I stepped up to one of the managers +of the Institution--Here was an Indian chief, a medal on his breast, +given him by the Prince of Wales. Would it be out of place for the +Chief to present his _carte de visite_ to the Prince? The manager +good-naturedly said that he would speak to one of the suite when they +approached and ask if it could be done. Soon the word came that the +Prince would be pleased to have Chief Buhkwujjenene presented to him. +So space was made for us by a policeman in the front ranks of the crowd-- +and we awaited His Royal Highness's arrival. The moment came. His +Royal Highness greeted the Chief most cordially and pleasantly, +examined the medal on his breast, and said that he remembered his face +among the Indian chiefs who had been presented to him in Canada. "Tell +him," said the Prince to me; "tell him I remember his face perfectly." +We were then permitted to join the Royal procession and make the round +of the building. + +But our time was not all taken up in sightseeing. We had plenty to do, +and only a little time to do it in. Nearly every night there was a +meeting, and often we had two or three engagements in the course of a +day. Never did an Indian chief have such a hard time of it. Wherever he +went, he wore his blanket coat, his feather in his hat, his leggings +and moccasins, and the skunk skin on his arm. Very seldom was any +attempt made to treat him rudely, though occasionally it was necessary +to hurry him through the streets to avoid a crowd collecting. Wide +guesses were made at his nationality; one would take him for a New +Zealander, another for a native of Japan. + +One of our best meetings was a garden-party at Mitcham Vicarage. There +was a large gathering of ladies and gentlemen beneath the dark +spreading cedars on the soft lawn. The Chief put on his feathers and +ornaments, and at once became the centre of attraction. I think it was +on this occasion that he narrated the Indian tradition of the Flood: + +"Nanaboozhoo," said the Chief, "had a son. He loved his son. He told +his son never to go near the water lest evil should come to him. The +son disobeyed his father: he went out in a canoe and was never seen or +heard of more. Nanaboozhoo then vowed vengeance against the gods of the +water, who had destroyed his son. There were two of these gods, and one +day they lay sleeping on the shore. Nanaboozhoo was looking everywhere +for them, determined to kill them. A loon offered to show him where +they were sleeping. He followed the loon till he found them, and then +he made short work of them with his tomahawk and his war-club. But lo, +and behold, no sooner were the gods dead than the waters of the great +lake rose up in vengeance; they pursued Nanaboozhoo up on to the dry +land, and he had to run for his life. He sought the highest mountain +and climbed to the top of the highest pine-tree. Still the waters +pursued him. They rose higher and higher. What could he do? He broke +off a few of the topmost branches, and made a raft upon which he got +and saved himself. He saved also a number of the animals that were +kicking and struggling in the water all around him. At length he +bethought himself of making a new world. How should he do it? Could he +but procure a little of the old world he might manage it. He selected +the beaver from among the animals, and sent it to dive after some +earth. When it came up it was dead. He sent the otter, but it died +also. At length he tried the musk rat. The musk rat dived. When it came +up it was dead. But in its claws was clenched a little earth. +Nanaboozhoo carefully took this earth, rubbed it in his fingers till it +was dry, then placed it in the palm of his hand, and blew it gently +over the surface of the water. A new world was thus formed, and +Nanaboozhoo and all the animals landed. Nanaboozhoo sent out a wolf to +see how big the world was. He was gone a month. Again he sent him out, +and he was gone a year. Then he sent out a very young wolf. This young +wolf died of old age before it could get back. So Nanaboozhoo said the +world was big enough, and might stop growing." + +About L80 was collected on this occasion. + +We paid two visits to the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth. On +both occasions he was most cordial and kind, and appeared to take much +interest in the work of evangelizing the Indians. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +A TRIAL OF FAITH. + + +After this, meetings were held at Hastings, Reading, Eynsford, +Bayswater, Hampstead, Tooting, Wimbledon, Coleshill, Kensington, Ware, +and many other places; all much of the same character--money was +collected, and photographs and articles of birchbark sold. The Chief +excited much interest by recounting the circumstances of his own +conversion to Christianity. "When I was a little boy, not older than +that little fellow there," he said, pointing to a child in the +assembly, "I was very badly off. My mother was dead, and my father +loved the fire-water. I was often cold and hungry, and at night would +sometimes crawl into the wigwam and lie down beside my drunken father. +After I was grown older, a preacher came into our neighbourhood and +began to preach the Gospel to the Indians, and I used to go sometimes +to listen to him. I thought the words he spoke were very wonderful, and +I was so much impressed by them that I took every opportunity I could +of going to listen. As for my father, he would not go to hear the +preaching, and he did not wish me to go, but I used to go secretly +without telling him. One, evening I was going as usual to hear the +Missionary speak, wending my way alone through the dark lonely bush. My +path led me out into a clearing where I could see the distant horizon, +and the sun was setting in great splendour, the heavens all lighted up +with gold and crimson. Suddenly, like an arrow, there darted into my +breast the words which I had heard the preacher use about the last +great day when the Saviour would return again in glory surrounded by +all the holy angels. I sank upon my knees, and there and then offered +up my first prayer to God. The next morning I called on the Missionary, +and told him that I wished to become a Christian, and a short time +after that I was baptized. Some time after this I was very sick, and my +life was despaired of. My father, though disapproving of my having +accepted Christianity, was nevertheless very fond of me; he was much +grieved that I was sick, and I noticed that he had begun to think more +seriously of the Christian religion, for I had often spoken to him and +urged him to become a Christian; I had also prayed constantly to God +that He would change my father's heart. One day my father came to me as +I still lay sick upon my bed, and he said to me, 'My son, +Buhkwujjenene, I do not know whether you will get well again or not, +for I know you are very sick indeed, but I wish to tell you this, that +I have resolved to become a Christian, and to-morrow morning myself and +all your brothers and sisters are going to the Missionary to be +baptized.'" + +It was a sore blow to us when word came from the Secretary of the +Church Missionary Society that the Committee had decided not to +continue the Garden River Mission. + +It was to me a great trial of faith to be told that my choice lay +between accepting a more lucrative post in Rupert's Land or +relinquishing connection with the Society under whose auspices I had +first gone forth. What was I to do? How could I break the distressing +news to my poor friend Buhkwujjenene? I went down upon my knees, and +laid the matter before my God in prayer. And very soon the answer came. +A letter was put into my hand which said, "A friend will guarantee you +L100 a year if you will remain at your post at Garden River." How I +thanked God. I felt it was His hand directing, and I at once accepted +the offer. The Colonial and Continental Church Society guaranteed a +yearly grant, and I was sure that we were being led by God, and that +all would be right. I could meet my poor Chief now with a bright face +and a light heart. I could tell him that all was well; that the Garden +River Mission would be permanently established, and that the "big +teaching wigwam" should (D.V.) be built. + +The next thing was to organize an English Committee and to open a +subscription list for the support of the proposed Institution. Among +them were the late Ven. Archdeacon Hunter, of Bayswater, and the Rev. +J. Halcombe. + +A circular which was issued stated that the Chief had been greatly +encouraged by the sum of money (L740) already collected towards the +object he had so much at heart, and that the object of the Committee +was to further the good Chief's wishes by the erection of an Industrial +School at Garden River, where children both of Christian and of pagan +parents from all parts of the Ojebway territory, would be received, +clothed, boarded, educated, instructed in Christian truth, and also +taught to farm and to follow useful employments. The Committee did not +expect to do anything great at once, but to begin with small things, +and gradually extend their work as the way might open. The amount +required for the annual support of the Mission would be at least L600. +It was expected that the Canadian Government would make a grant towards +the support of the Institution when once fairly started, and the hope +was expressed that many friends would be found both in England and in +Canada to assist, so that the poor Indians might not be left destitute +and uncared for, but rather learn that it was the wish of their white +friends, while sending them the good tidings of salvation, also to help +them to become prosperous and happy in this life, and enable them to +maintain their rights as original owners of the soil. + +These steps having been thus satisfactorily taken and money sufficient +collected to make a commencement, it seemed unnecessary to keep the +good Chief away any longer from his home, and one day in the first week +in August we put him on board a steamboat in London Docks and started +him off for Quebec. He preferred thus to go alone rather than wait to +accompany our party a month later, as he wanted to get home to see to +his cattle and crops and make provision for the winter. I gave him a +letter, with full directions as to time of trains, &c., which he could +show to any one, and Indians are always clever in finding their way +about, so that I felt no anxiety about him. When I met him afterwards +at Garden River, he pointed to his little log cottage, and said that +was better than all the great houses in England. However, he retained +very pleasing recollections of his visit, and often has he since asked +me to write a letter for him to one or another of the good friends whom +he made while in the country of the pale faces. + +When we started on our homeward voyage, about a month later, we took +with us a young man from the Rev. D. B. Hankins' congregation at Ware, +named Frost, to be school teacher at the Institution when built, and +also a man and his wife from a farm in Kent as servants. On board the +steamboat we fell in with a family of emigrants, and persuaded them to +accompany us to Sault Ste. Marie. The man was a carpenter by trade, and +helped us in many ways, but the following year he fell ill and died. We +then took the widow into our employment as laundress, and she is with +us still. Our two younger children who had been with their nurse at +London, Ontario, during our absence, now rejoined us, and we were soon +once more settled and ready for a second Algoma winter. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +LEARNING TO KNOW MY PEOPLE. + + +The Indians are a people requiring a good deal of patience on the part +of their teachers, as, those who have tried working among them have +generally found. There is on the one hand a charming fascination about +their simple manners and habits, their readiness to receive and accept +Gospel teaching, the bright winning smile that lights up their faces +when pleased, their stoical behaviour under adverse circumstances, +their gentleness and politeness, the absence of that rough manner and +loud talk which is so common among white people of the lower classes; +and yet on the other hand we must admit that there are certain strong +points in their natural character which are anything but pleasing; and +it is, I believe, these points coming to the notice of people who are +not inclined to befriend them that have earned for them the character +of an idle, ungrateful people. Many a time has it been said to me, "How +can you waste your time working among those Indians? They will never +get any better for all you can teach them or do for them." And yet I +have continued labouring, and do still labour among them, believing +that it is God's will that every wandering sheep should be sought out +and, if possible, be brought into the Good Shepherd's fold. If at times +I have found them trying, yet, after all, I doubt if they are much more +so than many a community of white people. + +I will now give a few extracts from, my journal of the winter 1872-73. + +_Oct._ 21, we were up at 5.30 a.m., preparing for the "Bee;" I +rang the church bell to bring the Indians together, and hoisted the +Union Jack. Mrs. Cryer got tea made, and pork and potatoes cooked, and +about 7.30 a.m. twelve stalwart Indians sat down to breakfast. Then +axes were shouldered, the oxen yoked, and we started for the farm land +a little way back from the house. We mustered twenty-two in all and had +a good days' work--chopping down trees and brush-wood, grubbing up +roots, and making huge fires to burn all up. About twelve acres were +cleared sufficiently for ploughing, and this will be fenced round. In +the evening, when the men all came in for supper, I showed then my +plans for the new buildings, and they seemed very much pleased with +them. Later in the evening I was asked to come in to Bubkwujjenene's +house, as they wished to settle the matter about the ox. + +_Nov._ 21.--The Indians held a great council in the school-house +this evening. Chief Buhkwujjenene was the principal speaker. He spoke +very eloquently, feelingly, and quite to the point,--describing his +journey to England and his kind reception by so many friends there. +Then he spoke of the proposed Institution, for which money had been +collected, and told the people that an opportunity was now given them +of improving themselves and their children, and he urged upon all to +support the movement and to give up their children to be educated. +Chief Little Pine spoke of the increasing value of their land and the +desire of the white people to purchase it from them. Our wealth, he +said, is our land. As long as it lies idle it is worthless. We must +clear our land and farm it, and then it will be of the greatest value. +He also spoke of the Institution, and advised the people to send their +children. Misquaubuhnooke and Shabahgeezhik also spoke, and each found +fault with the Indians for not exerting themselves more; they said the +congregations were not large enough on Sundays, and that many of the +people who had families did not send their children to school. + +_Dec._ 1, _Advent Sunday._--Heavy snow falling, but good +congregations. I preached from Rom. xiii. 12. "The night is far spent, +the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, +and let us put on the armour of light." We have commenced a weekly +offertory, and it amounts to nearly two dollars a Sunday. Two +churchwardens have been appointed, and one of them has charge of the +Church funds and is supposed to purchase all that is necessary in the +way of fuel, oil, &c. The collections ought to be ample to meet all +expenses besides paying the sexton; but if not constantly watched the +Indians are apt to spend the money on things not really wanted, while +we are shivering for want of fire, and blinding ourselves for want of +light. + +_Dec. 27._--Evening Communicants' meeting at William +Shabahgeezhik's; about twenty-five present. I spoke very plainly to the +people, and urged none to come forward to the Sacrament without due +preparation. I said I would rather see ten persons kneeling at the rail +and feel that they were truly in earnest, than thirty people who had +come forward without thinking of what they were doing. I invited them +to come and talk with me individually in private. I said God had +brought me to this place to be their friend and counsellor, and to help +them on their road to heaven, and I hoped that they would regard me as +such. + +_Dec. 28._--Our first winter mail arrived to-day. The first mail +we hear was lost and one of the couriers drowned, so this must be the +second that has now arrived. I had only just brought up a large packet +of letters and papers to the house, when I was called away three miles +distant, to see a man who had been taken suddenly ill and was supposed +to be dying. I went in the sleigh and administered medicine to him. +Then came a call in an opposite direction to see Chief Little Pine, who +is also sick. He has no serious symptoms, but is very weak, and eats +nothing. He says he does not wish to say anything about his illness, +and wants no medicine. "The great God," he said, "knows a11, and He can +take care of me." + +_Dec. 29, Sunday._--We had twenty-seven at Holy Communion to-day,-- +little over half the number that assembled last year. I take this for +a good sign. I trust that our people are beginning to think more, and +to realize how solemn is this Holy Feast. The offertory collection was +nearly four dollars. This I take for the relief of the sick. On the +other Sundays the money is used for church expenses. + +_Jan._ 3, 1873.--Meeting to-night at Peter Jones'--about twenty- +four present. After it was over I told the people that the meeting next +week would be at Misquaubuhnooke's, on Sugar Island, and we had made a +plan for Mr. Frost to go over and teach school there three times a +week. I also made some reference to the dancing, in which they so much +indulge at this time of the year,--exhorting them not to keep up their +parties late at night, to finish with reading and prayer, and not to be +ashamed for the Bible to be seen on the table; also not to let the +whiskey bottle appear. I said God willed that we should enjoy +ourselves, but in our enjoyment we must remember Him, and not give way +to sin. + +_Jan._ 4.--Yesterday, while out, I was called in to see a poor +boy in a very suffering state, a large piece of cord-wood having fallen +on his arm and created some internal injury. The accident happened five +days ago, and nothing yet had been done. I immediately applied a +cooling lotion. The poor little-fellow, who is only about thirteen +years old, was in great pain. His home is some three miles off, on +Sugar Island, and his mother had only heard of the accident to-day, and +had just arrived when I was called in. This morning I have brought him +up in the sleigh to my house and placed him on a bed in the little old +school-house; there is a nice fire in the stove, and we have given the +mother cooking utensils and food, so they will be quite comfortable. + +_Jan._ 5.--About eleven o'clock last night the poor boy's mother +came knocking for me at the window; so I went over to see him. He +seemed much worse, and was screaming with the pain; his arm was quite +black and the inflammation extending to the hand. The mother seemed in +great trouble, and being Roman Catholics, I told her I would go over to +see the priest, and perhaps he would send some one to the Sault for the +doctor. The priest came back with me, but seemed to think it no use to +send for the doctor, as, if mortification was beginning, he could do no +good, I then left the priest alone with him, while I went to prepare a +soothing draught. While walking with the priest, I took the opportunity +to say a few words to him about my visiting his people. I told him I +was often called in by has people to visit their sick ones, and +hitherto had made it rather a point of honour not to speak to them +about religion, as I thought he would not like it, and only on one +occasion had done so. I however, did not like this plan; as a clergyman +I felt that I ought to have the privilege of speaking to those whom I +was called on to visit, especially the dying; so, if he objected to my +doing so, it would be best for him to tell his people not to send for +me. The priest said he certainly should not like his people to be +talked to; still he would be sorry for me to give up visiting the sick, +and "if I wished sometimes to offer words of consolation I must do so." + +At the close of my sermon to-day I mentioned this circumstance to our +people, showing them first of all the difference between our religion +and that of the Roman Catholics--the latter shut the Bible up, we give +it to all; the latter teach people to depend on the priest for +everything, we point only to God and to Jesus Christ. I said I indeed +desired to see all the people on this Reserve members of our Church; +still I felt that this would not be effected by strife and quarrelling, +but only by love. I wished, I said, to try and copy the Saviour, who +loved all men alike. For this reason, when called to help Roman +Catholics or to give them medicine, I was willing to do so, as I +thought it was right to do so. Still I had long felt dissatisfied that +my tongue should be tied when visiting these people, for fear of +offending the priest. For that reason I had now had a talk with the +priest, and told him that in future, if I visited his people, I must be +allowed to talk to them. If he did not like me to do this, he must +forbid them sending for me. A good many of our people went in after +service to see the poor sick boy. I took Archie in also to see him. The +boy seemed much pleased to see him, saying, 'Kagat minwahbumenahgooze' +(he is very pretty), and afterwards repeated the same words to his +mother when she came in. + +_Jan. 7._--This evening I had quite a nice talk with my poor boy- +patient. I told him the story of God's love in sending His Son to die +for us; also about the penitent thief on the cross being saved in his +last hour of life. The child listened very attentively, and appeared to +drink in all that I told him, and I then knelt by his bed-side and +prayed for him. + +_Jan. 10._--My poor boy is, I hope, getting a little better. His +arm gives him less pain. I again had a little talk with him, and +prayer. I asked him if he thought God treated him hardly in sending him +so much suffering, and he replied, "No." I then told him that God had +certainly sent it all in love for his soul, so that he might be led to +think and prepare for the future life: God had already heard our +prayers for him, and if he should get quite well, I hoped he would +always love and serve God. + +_Jan._ 19.--Frost has begun his school on Sugar Island. The first +day he had thirteen children and the second day fourteen. He is getting +on wonderfully with the Indian language, and can read the lessons in +church. + +_Feb._ 2, _Sunday._--To-day we had about seventy at at +morning service, and twenty-seven communicants. Chief Little Pine came +yesterday to see me about the Holy Communion. He said that recently I +had spoken so strongly about the danger of receiving it unworthily that +he was afraid. I knew, he said, that he owed Penny over twenty dollars; +also that he had not yet paid his promised subscription of ten dollars +to the school. I told him God knew the secrets of all our hearts. If he +really intended to pay what he was owing as soon as possible, it was +not sin for him to be in debt, and he might partake of the Sacrament +with a clear conscience. I was rather glad, however, to see him turn +away at the end of the service. It is the first time that he has done +so, and I trust he is really beginning to think more of what it all +means. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +A WEDDING AND A DEATH. + + +_Feb_. 3, 1873.--To-day William Buhkwujjenene, the Chief's only +son, was married to Philemon Atoosa. The wedding was appointed for 10 +a.m., and early in the morning William was off to fetch his bride and +her party, their house being about four miles off, on Sugar Island. It +was long past the hour when Buhkwujjenene, Atoosa, and several other +Indians came to me in a rather excited state, and Buhkwujjenene, as +spokesman, explained that, although Atoosa, the father, was willing for +his daughter to be married in our church, the mother and brother were +opposed, and wanted the priest to marry them. I replied briefly that +there were two religions, Roman Catholic and Church of England. When +marriages took place between parties of different Churches, agreement +must be made in which Church they would be married; this agreement had +already been made in this case, banns had been published, and the bride +and her father were both willing, so there was no need for any trouble. +Chief Buhkwujjenene said that was enough, and he would go for the +party. However, I waited on and on, and at length went over to +Buhkwujjenene's house to ascertain the cause of delay. I found that he, +Atoosa, and his son, had gone over to see the priest. They soon +returned, and brought word that the priest raised no objection to the +marriage being performed in our Church, and had even said, "If you do +what is right in the Church of England you will go to heaven the same +as if you belonged to the Roman Catholic Church;" rather liberal +language for a Jesuit priest. + +It was now past noon, and still there came one cause of delay after +another, so that was 1.45 p.m. before the party had actually assembled +in the church. All passed off very well. Bride and bridegroom put their +marks in the register, and then all repaired to Chief Buhkwujjenene's +dwelling. The bride wore a blue merino dress with green trimmings, a +smart crimson necktie, gold brooch, chain, and locket, her hair in a +net with blue ribbons. The bridesmaids were Isabel, Nancy, Sophy, and +Therese Weesaw. + +The feasting began at 2.30 p.m., the table very well spread--wedding- +cake, wine, turkey, goose, rabbit, beef, tarts, buns, and preserves. +About twenty-five sat down at a time, the bride and bridegroom at the +head. Two tables were cleared before the speeches began. Chief Little +Pine made a capital speech, relating the happiness of his own married +days, and wishing for a like blessing on the young couple just united. + +_March_ 15.--Last evening our cottage reading was at +Buhkwujjenene's. I had just given out the first hymn when a message +came that I was wanted immediately at George Pine's, for Eliza was very +ill, and, they feared, dying. I got my medicines and jumped into the +sleigh. George Pine had gone away last Monday beaver-hunting. Only +Sarah was in the house. Eliza was lying on a couch on the floor, her +head to the wall, her feet toward the stove,--Sarah sitting about two +yards from her on the floor by the wall, with Eliza's baby on her +knees. The other two little children, Benjamin and Esther, were lying +on some blankets, on the floor at the other side of the room. While I +was taking off my cap and muffler George Angisteh bent down and looked +at Eliza, and then said to Sarah, "She is dead!" He then got up +quickly, and went out to summon the neighbours. In the meantime I felt +her pulse and heart, but her eyes were fixed, and she evidently was +dead; the women who came in tried rubbing her arms and legs, but +without any effect. Gradually the room became crowded with persons, the +two chiefs among the number. I gave a short address, expressed my +belief that Eliza was fully prepared for death, and was now happy; and +told the people her words about the eight true Christians whom she +thought might be found in Garden River. I pitied, I said, the three +little orphan children, and I trusted that God would care for them. I +spoke to Benjamin, the eldest (six years old), and told him his mother +was in heaven, and that he must try and love God, and then he would go +to see her again by-and-bye. + +_March_ 18--To-day was the funeral. The church was crammed. I +gave a short address after the lesson, and we sang a hymn. The coffin +was opened in the church that all who wished might take a last look. +This is a prevalent custom with the Indians. There was no road cut to +the cemetery, so I had to go on snow-shoes, and the sleigh, with the +coffin, was drawn by four men. Again at the grave I said a few words, +and commended the three little orphan children to God's care. + +_May_ 28.--A very satisfactory meeting to-night. After the usual +evening service was over (in the school) I asked all the people to +remain, so that we might have a little talk together about the +Institution which I hoped would be built during the summer. The +Indians, I said, had now transferred the land to us by deed, so that +there was nothing to prevent our commencing the buildings at once. It +was necessary, however, to consider what children would be received +into the Institution when it was completed. Many friends were ready +with their money to pay for the support of pupils, but they wanted +first of all to know their names and ages, and other particulars. I +felt, I said, that this was an important matter, and it was time now +for me to ask them whether they were willing to give up their children +to be trained in our Institution. I knew that it was a great +responsibility for me to undertake the charge of their children; if it +were not that I was persuaded that our whole undertaking had been from +first to last ordered by God, I should consider it too heavy a burden, +but I was sure God would be with us and bless us--it was His work, and +not mine. Chief Buhkwujjenene replied. He alluded briefly to our visit +to England, spoke of the generosity of the English people in +contributing, and ended by saying that he should gladly send two of his +daughters to our Institution. Chief Little Pine then rose. He addressed +himself specially to the women, and told them a great work had been +done for their children, and they must make up their minds now to give +them up. In a humourous tone, be said, all the _weaned children_ +must be sent to the Institution at once, and the infants be kept until +they were old enough. Their Missionary, he added, seemed to think it +would be a heavy burden on him, and so indeed it would be if he were +alone: but he was not alone, God would help him, and so it would be +light. He concluded by urging on the people to listen to the good +counsel they had received. All that had been spoken was truth--it was +all truth. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE OPENING OF THE FIRST SHINGWAUK HOME. + + +On June 3rd, 1873, the contract for the erection of the new Industrial +Home was signed. It was to cost 1550 dollars, and to be completed by +August 25th. The specifications showed that it was to be a frame +building, having, with the old parsonage, a frontage of 100 feet, two +stories high, with verandah in front for each flat; suitable farm +buildings were also to be erected on the land in the rear. + +It was interesting to us to watch the progress of the work day by day, +to see the walls rising up, the partitions made between the rooms, and +at length the roof put on and shingled. + +The plastering was not yet done when the first batch of children +arrived. They came from our old Mission at Sarnia, and were accompanied +by Mr. Jacobs. Their names were Mary Jane, Kabaoosa, Mary-Ann Jacobs, +Betsey Corning, Eliza Bird, John Rodd, Tommy Winter (who was at Kettle +Point); also Nancy Naudee and Jimmy Greenbird, from Walpole Island. It +was difficult to find accommodation for them all, as the rooms were not +ready; however, we managed to pack them in. + +It was just at this time that the district of Algoma, with Parry Sound +and Muskoka, was set apart by the Church as a Missionary Diocese, and +on the 10th September,1873, Archdeacon Fauquier, of the Huron Diocese, +was elected our first Missionary Bishop. His consecration was appointed +to take place October 28th. + +And now I must tell about the opening of our Home, which took place on +Monday, the 22nd of September. + +It was a fine bright day, and preparations began early in the morning +with the hoisting of flags, ringing the church bell, and firing of +guns. A string of flags--blue, yellow, red, and white--adorned the face +of the building, and a large Union Jack, given by Mrs. Buxton, was +hoisted on the centre of the roof. Men on the Reserve met first, early +in the morning, for a "clearing bee" on the farm; and at 4 p.m. a +general gathering of all the people was appointed to take place at "The +Home" for the opening ceremony. + +We had at this time the promise of twenty-three pupils, but only +sixteen had as yet arrived--eight boys and eight girls. Six came from +Sarnia, two from Walpole Island, two from Manitoulin Island, and six +belonged to Garden River. Among the latter were Eliza Pine's little +orphan boy Benjamin. They all seemed very happy and contented in their +new home. Those who came from a distance had their travelling expenses +paid by their band; and we thought, if anything, it was rather an +advantage to get them, as their homes were too far off for them to be +likely to run away if they became home-sick. Both boys and girls worked +very well, helping the matron (Mrs. Shunk) and schoolmaster to get +everything ready by 4 p.m. The dining hall was prettily decorated with +stag-horn, moss, and flowers, and laid out with tables bearing, on one +side of the room, a "heavy dinner" for those who had been toiling at +the "Bee," and on the other side a light repast for other visitors. The +hall was soon crowded with people, and all came in for some share of +the feast. Then we had croquet and other games in the garden until 6 +p.m., when a bell was rung, and all gathered in the hall. + +The two Indian Chiefs, Buhkwujjenene and Augustin Shingwauk (Little +Pine), Mr. Frost, and myself, sat at a table at one end, with the boys +and girls of the Home ranged on our right and left, the rest of the +room being occupied by the people. + +The opening ceremonies were conducted in a very simple manner, with a +short service, a special prayer for the occasion, hymns, and the +declaration that the building was now open, and was to be known by the +name of "The Shingwauk Industrial Home," Shingwank (a pine tree) having +been the family name of the Garden River Chiefs, for several +generations back. + +Then I invited the whole crowd of people to follow me in order through +the building, that they might see every part of it. I went first, with +a lamp, and was followed by the Chiefs and all the Indians, and the +schoolmaster, with another lamp, brought up the rear. We ascended the +boys' staircase, through the master's bedroom into the boys' +dormitories, looked into the clothing store well supplied from English +and Canadian Sunday-schools, then down our own staircase, into the +dining-room, out again into the hall, through our kitchen and the +Institution kitchen, and the matron's sitting-room, into the girl's +work-room and dormitories, and so back to the dining-hall. Then all +again took their places, and the meeting was continued. I read over the +rules which had been placed on boards and hung up in the dining-hall; +read over the names of the children already admitted, gave a few +particulars about our work, and then invited the Chiefs each to give an +address. They spoke very warmly, and expressed themselves as highly +gratified with all that had been done and was being done for their +advancement, and thanked God that this "big teaching wigwam," which +they had so long wished for, was now built and opened for use. We then +concluded the meeting with another hymn and the blessing. + +I had been very successful in getting support for my Indian children. +Several Sunday-schools in Toronto and elsewhere had kindly undertaken +the support of individual children, and Tommy and Jimmy were provided +for by kind friends in England. We thus had much reason to be hopeful +and to thank God. + +During the remainder of the week our Indian children attended +regularly every day at school. + +At last, Saturday night came; tea and prayers were half an hour +earlier than on other days. Mr. Frost played the harmonium, and the +children sang sweetly "Shall we gather at the river?" Then they had +their baths, and all retired to rest, looking forward to a happy day on +the morrow, the first Sunday in our new Institution. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +FIRE! FIRE! + + +At 10 o'clock that Saturday night (September 27th) I went my rounds as +usual to see that all was well. Earlier in the evening we had fancied +that we smelt burning, but it was accounted for by the matron, who said +that she had put some old rags into the washhouse stove. Everything +seemed to be safe and comfortable, and at 11 p.m. I retired to rest. + +About 3 o'clock in the morning Mrs. Wilson and myself were +simultaneously awakened by the running to and fro of the boys in the +dormitory overhead, and the shouting of the schoolmaster. We were both +up in an instant. I lighted a candle, put on a few clothes, and opened +the door leading into the nursery. The cause of alarm was immediately +apparent. Flames were leaping up at the back of the house, seeming to +come from the cellar, which was entered by a staircase from the +outside, just under the nurseries. Every one now was crying "Fire!" and +all seemed to be rushing about frantically. Mrs. Wilson called to the +servants to wrap our children in blankets, and escape with them. I ran +from the nursery to the kitchen, where was a door that led out to the +back; there I found Cryer and Frost vainly endeavouring to stifle the +flames by throwing on buckets of water. It was raining in torrents. Not +a soul was at hand to help us. I sent Cryer and Frost to the river for +more water. It was pitch dark, and the river a considerable distance +off, so that by the time they returned, the flames had made great +headway. It was evidently too late to save the building. Mrs. Wilson +and the servants had collected the children; I caught up one of them, +and we all ran to the church through the vestry. I rang the church bell +hard for some minutes; still no one came. The children were wrapped in +blankets, all four of them ill with coughs; the youngest, Mabel Laurie, +very ill with inflammation of the lungs. I ran back to the wash-house; +the flames now were leaping up madly, and lighting all the country +round. I collected the Indian children in the garden, and counted them +over; two were missing. Frost said he was sure they were all out; but +we could not tell. We shouted into the burning building; afterwards we +found that they were all right. I ran into my study, keeping my head +low to avoid the smoke, unlocked three or four drawers, and rapidly +collected important papers; then, half smothered, groped my way back to +the hall. Mrs. Wilson had followed me, and held the door closed while I +was in to keep the fire from drawing outwards; the staircase was on +fire, and my hair and whiskers were singed. All our watches, jewellery, +&c., were lost. My wife had collected and put them together in a basket +on the floor, but it was too late to save it. Some of the Indians had +now arrived, and I told them to save what they could, but every room +was full of flame and smoke. The harmonium in the dining-hall might +have been saved, but no one thought of it; it had only been brought in +the day before, and was a gift from a lady in England. The church was +now in danger; it was only 20 feet from the burning building; where +should we go? We took up the children, and ran back to the farm +buildings. It was still drenching with rain; the fire looked terrible, +and we feared it would reach us even here. We must beat another +retreat. Should we go to the Jesuit priest? He was a hospitable man, +and would surely give us shelter. "Take up the children again," I said, +"we must go at once." My wife persisted in carrying little Laurie, the +youngest; I took the other little girl, and the servants carried the +two boys. Thus we went through the pelting rain, the women with only +shawls wrapped round them; my wife in her dressing-gown and slippers. I +hastened on to the priest's house, and after a good deal of loud +knocking succeeded in rousing him. He expressed the greatest sympathy, +and invited us in. The rain had drenched us to the skin. I left Mrs. +Wilson in charge of the priest's housekeeper, and ran back for the +other children. If I did give way at all it was just now when, for the +moment, I was alone. I felt that all my hopes and prospects were +dashed; still I could pray, and God was not far off. I was comforted. +Man might fail me, but God would not. If anything, it was good to feel +every earthly prop give way, and to cling alone to the Mighty One. + +On the road I met the servants with two of the children. The flames were +advancing on the barn; they had already seized on some out-buildings +which lay between, and a pile of cordwood. Archie, our eldest boy, of +four years old, was sitting under the fence, not crying, but a smile was +on him lips, his blue eyes gazing calmly on the flames, his sunny locks +wet with the falling rain. I took him up, and ran back with him to the +priest's house. "Naughty fire to burn down papa's house," he said. +"Papa, shall we go away in the big boat now our house is burnt?" Leaving +the little fellow safely with his mother, I returned quickly to see +after my Indian children. The Indians, had already taken some of them +away to their houses, and the rest I sent into an empty log house which +Shunk had occupied. Then I turned my attention to the church. The people +were standing round doing nothing. I saw the church was in imminent +danger; part of the bell-tower had caught, and the roof was smoking with +the heat. I called aloud to the Indians to bring wet blankets and put +them on the roof, then I seized a rail, told some of the Indians to do +the same, and together we pushed over the burning end-wall of the doomed +building, and it fell with a crash into the glowing embers. Thus the +church was saved. + +When I got back to the priest's house I found Mrs. Wilson very ill; +but the housekeeper, a kind-hearted French woman, was doing all she +could for her. The sexton, an Indian, came to know if he should ring +the bell for service. I was scarcely aware it was Sunday, but I said, +"Yes and I would come myself." I had no hat, but the priest lent me his +fur cap, also his boots. I would not go into the reading-desk, but +knelt in the church, and read the Litany. All the people seemed greatly +affected. I spoke a few words to them, comparing our position to that +of the Israelites when, on setting forth, full of hope and joy, on +their road to the Promised Land, found their way suddenly barred before +them by the Red Sea. I told them that the events that had happened +seemed sad and distressing to us, but who were we that we should +understand God's purposes? We must believe that it was all for the +best; we must wait on God; He would make the way clear for us. If it +were His will, no doubt these ruins would be built up again, and we +should all rejoice once more. Buhkwujjenene then said a few words, and +spoke very feelingly. When this little service was over, I returned to +the priest's house, and sat down at his table to write a telegram. +There was telegraphic communication with the outer world through the +United States, the wires having been extended to the American Sault +only a few months previously; thus I was enabled to telegraph to +England. I wrote, "All is burned down; no lives lost; nothing saved." +The priest, who had been most kind throughout, sent it for me to the +telegraph office, thirteen miles off. He sent also at the same time for +the doctor and medicines, and a message to our friends at the Sault +telling of our sad plight. + +We now determined to go as soon as possible to Collingwood by the +steamship _Cumberland_, which was due on her way down. Poor little +Laurie was very ill, and we anxiously awaited the arrival of the +doctor. During the afternoon, I poked through the ashes with a stick, +and found the remains of our watches and two sovereigns welded +together. We also collected a quantity of silver, all welded together, +scarcely a spoon or fork retaining its shape; still it was valuable, +and I disposed of it afterwards in Toronto. Among the chief valuables +destroyed were our piano, recently brought from England, the harmonium, +a library of 500 volumes, and all our stores for the winter which had +just been laid in. The whole loss was estimated at about L1300. The +carpenters had only been out a day or two, and I was intending to +insure the building the following week. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +AFTER THE FIRE. + + +Late in the afternoon Dr. King, of the American side, arrived. He was +very kind and did all he could both for my suffering wife and our sick +child; there seemed but little hope that the latter would live, in her +weak state the shock had been too great. After tea I went over to see +my poor Indian children. All were lacking in clothing more or less. +Jimmy Greenbird, who ran into Frosts' room after the fire began and +saved his coat for him, was rolled up in a counterpane. Little Nancy, +eleven years old, had her hand to her head and looked ill. She said, +"My brain pains me." She seemed inclined to faint, so I took her in my +arms and gave her some restorative. All night our little Laurie was +very ill, and Mrs. Wilson never slept at all. Next day, Monday, the +Indians held a council to hear from me what I proposed to do. They +asked me whether I felt "weak or strong about it," whether I would +collect money to re-build again, or whether I should give up the +Mission. I reminded them of what I had said in the church. I could only +wait on God till I saw my way. Some of them said it was unfair to ask +me just now when the calamity was but just over, and my wife and child +sick; it would be better for them to set to work and try and repair the +damages and leave me more time to think: they then talked of putting up +a house at once for our school-master, as he would remain and take my +place this winter. Old Chief Little Pine, spoke very nicely; addressing +me, he said, "The destruction of these buildings and property is not +loss. Were you to lose your wife and children it would be loss, for +they cannot be replaced. I have just lost a son, and I know what that +is." Our friends at the Sault were most kind and sympathising; they +sent us a portmanteau full of clothing and food. + +One more sad event has to be recorded. Tuesday was a clear cold +morning, and the stars were still shining brightly, undimmed as yet by +the streaks of dawn in the East, as I wended my way to the church. I +was going to toll the bell, for our little daughter Laurie was dead. +The soft morning star beamed down upon me as in pity; all was quiet, +all looked calm, serene, and peaceful,--the silence only broken by the +deep tolling of the bell. The little coffin had to be made in haste, +and was only just ready in time, for the steamship _Cumberland_ +arrived at 10 a.m. My wife was carried on a mattress down to the +steamer. The boat could only stay a short time. The servants and the +other children were already on board. I gently lifted my child into her +last narrow bed, then Cryer and I carried it on board with our hats +off. Frost remained behind to take charge of the Mission temporarily. +The Indian children who had come from a distance were left with him and +the Matron until we could decide what to do. The captain and officers +were very kind. When we got to Bruce Mines, I went up to a store to buy +a great coat and other necessaries. My wife was still in her dressing +gown, being too ill to dress. We had special prayer on board for fine +weather, the captain and others joining with us. On reaching +Collingwood, we were most kindly received by Dr. and Mrs. Lett. They +were greatly distressed to hear of our sad misfortune, and my wife was +carried up with the greatest care to their house. They gave up their +own bedroom to her on account of its being warm and comfortable, and +would not hear of our going elsewhere. Late in the evening a vehicle +was engaged, and Dr. Lett, my two little boys, and myself went together +to the cemetery which is some distance off--taking the little coffin +with us. It was too late to read from the Service-book, but Dr. Lett +repeated some portions of the service from memory, and our little +girl's body was committed to the ground--"earth to earth, ashes to +ashes, dust to dust,--in sure and certain hope of the glorious +resurrection." + +The telegram announcing our disaster was received at my father's house +in England at 8 p.m. Oct. 1st, three days after it happened, and a +reply expressing much sympathy was immediately telegraphed to us. A +week later came a letter saying that L250 had already been subscribed +towards the rebuilding: this simply in response to the telegram. Very +great sympathy was aroused, and letters came pouring in from kind +friends both in England and in Canada. By Oct. 16th the "fire fund" in +England had reached L518, and this before any letters with details had +arrived. Our friends up to that time knew only that "all was burnt +down." They were anxiously expecting letters, and hoped to hear that we +had at least saved some of our personal property. The following are +extracts from some of the earliest letters received in response to the +first detailed tidings of our calamity. "Your letter, giving the +details of that terrible escape and your great anxiety, only reached us +yesterday morning (Oct. 22). It made our hearts bleed for you. But how +comforting to know that you were kept in peace, even amid _such_ +sorrow. I knew you would be helped and comforted, as God's children +always are, when their need is the greatest. And now our fears and +longings have been greatly relieved by the short telegram which arrived +at 4 a.m. to-day. We do indeed rejoice and thank God with you for this +great mercy. After your sad account of your dear wife and her falls in +escaping we feared much for her, but what a joy to have another living +babe in place of the sweet little one whom the Good Shepherd has folded +in His own arms.... How mysterious it seems that everything, just when +completed, should thus in a moment have been destroyed; and then, just +when the fire came, that the children should have been so ill: but if +trials like these do make us cling the more to the Mighty One shall it +not be well?... L550 is now in hand for you, and more keeps coming in." + +Another writes:--"I cannot say how we all felt for you in your great +trial, such an overwhelming, overpowering misfortune; and then your +darling child's death too, it all seems to have come upon you like an +avalanche. Well, you have the best comfort. I came upon such a nice +verse for you this morning, 'David encouraged himself in the Lord, his +God.'" + +On the 30th October, a large packing case and bale were despatched +from England containing full supplies of clothing and house requisites, +books, &c., and many handsome presents from our kind and sympathizing +friends. + +But besides all this help from England we received also very much +sympathy and a great deal of substantial help from our friends in +Canada. The very first contribution I received towards rebuilding was +from the Methodist minister of the Sault, although I had never made his +acquaintance or spoken to him. One lady sold a diamond ring from her +finger and sent us the proceeds, and many others helped liberally. Dr. +Lett was indefatigable in his exertions for us. The following is from +our dear Bishop, who had been elected only a few weeks before the fire +occurred and was not yet consecrated. + +"My dear Mr. Wilson,--I have only to-day been able to ascertain with +any probable certainty where I could hope that a letter, conveying my +deep and heartfelt sympathy with you and yours under the late severe +visitation which Our Heavenly Father, doubtless for wise and good +purposes, has seen fit to bring upon you, might find you.... I feel +assured that you have gone to the right quarter for comfort and support +in the trying hour; and that so doing you have experienced the +faithfulness of Him, who hath promised that He will never leave nor +forsake such as trust in Him, and have been comforted. If, in the midst +of all your cares, you can find time to send me a line, first to tell +how your dear partner is--whom I pray may be spared to you--as well as +how you are yourself, and then what your plans for the future are, I +shall indeed feel greatly obliged. Such trials as these must not +discourage us, but rather quicken our exertions and stimulate our zeal. +Praying that you may be strengthened and supported in this your hour of +need, and realize that it is _good to be afflicted_, believe me to +remain your affectionate and sympathizing brother in the Lord, F. D. +FAUQUIER." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +PROSPECTS OF RE-BUILDING. + + +"Shingwauk--an announcement!" Such was the heading of a communication +which appeared in the correspondence columns of the "Church Herald" in +the Spring of 1874, between four and five months after our fire,--and +it ran thus: "A little more than four months ago the Shingwauk +Industrial Home at Garden River was burnt to the ground, and not a +vestige of it left. An appeal was then made to Church people of Canada, +England, and Ireland to assist in re-building it, and the sum required +being L2000; the building to comprise an Industrial School for boys and +girls, and principals residence. I am happy to announce that this sum +is, so far as I can ascertain, almost, if not already, secured. From +the Canadian Church, 1410 dols.; from Government, 1000 dols.; and the +balance from the Old Country. I mention this in no spirit of +boastfulness, but in humble gratitude to God the Father and our Lord +Jesus Christ, that the Holy Spirit hath thus inclined the hearts of His +people to give. All that has been contributed has been 'offertory +money' in the truest sense of the word. No expense (beyond printing) +has been incurred, and every contribution that has been offered, +whether of a hundred pounds or a penny, has I believe been given with a +full and grateful heart, as unto God and not as unto men." + +It was indeed a very great cause not only for thankfulness, but for +deepened faith and more earnest trust in God, the Giver of all good +gifts, that a work which had seemed so completely destroyed should +thus, in the short space of four and a half months, without any effort +being made on my part, be in a fair way towards re-establishment on a +larger scale and on a more sure and permanent basis than before. Truly +can we say, + + "God moves in a mysterious way + His wonders to perform." + +If only we have faith in God, how much more may be accomplished than +we have any idea of. He is _able_ to do for us far more than we +can either ask or think. + +I feel it only right, at this point, to place it on record, as an +encouragement to others who would fain trust simply in God, that the +effect on myself of that fire--I cannot call it that disastrous fire-- +was to draw out fresh faith and trust in my heavenly Father. At that +time, when every earthly prop seemed to have given way,--when we +suspected incendiarism and knew not whom to trust, and my little +daughter was dead, and my wife seemed to be dying, and all things +seemed to be against me,--I was enabled in that hour of deep trial to +look above, to realize that God was my Father--my good Father--who +would not let me want; in my helplessness I just cast myself upon Him, +and rested on His strong arm. Before, I had often been anxious and had +worried myself about the future, but in this my hour of distress I felt +very deeply how insecure are all earthly investments, and that as His +servants,--"labourers together with God," our work not of earth, but of +heaven,--the truest happiness was to depend very simply on our heavenly +Father for the supply of all our daily needs. + +Certainly it was wonderful how the money came in for re-building our +burnt Institution. The English fund kept mounting up. First it was +L250; that was a little more than a week after the telegram was +received, and before any details had arrived. Eighteen days after the +fire it was L518; a week later, L550. In four and a half months it had +mounted up to L1500; just double the amount we had collected for the +first Institution. And all without any great effort being made. It +seemed like a fulfilment of the verse, "The Lord shall fight for you, +and ye shall hold your peace." + +And now we must return to Collingwood. + +Spring has come; the Indian grammar and dictionary are completed, and +have been sent to Toronto for publication; the ice is moving out of the +bay,--the first steamboat preparing to start northward. We bid adieu to +our kind friends, and are off once more to Algoma! + +On the second morning we pass the Garden River dock. Our poor +Institution is gone; and in its place stands a very desolate-looking +frame cottage, with only a door in front, and not a single window +facing the river. It has been built on the site of the burnt building, +and is occupied by Mr. Frost, the Catechist. The poor old church is +standing still, scorched on one side. Some of the Indians are waving to +us as we pass;--but we are not going to stop there,--the boat goes +gliding on, and an hour later we are landed on the Sault Ste. Marie +dock. [Footnote: Shortly after this the Rev. P. T. Rowe was appointed +by the Bishop missionary to Garden River. It was thought better for +many reasons to erect the new Institution at Sault Ste. Marie in +preference to Garden River.] + +We had engaged a house for the summer, near the river, and here we +took up our residence on the 18th day of May. Early the next morning I +started off to look for land whereon to build the new Institution. +East, west, and north, high and low, land was looked at, but none +seemed sufficiently desirable to choose as a site for the new Shingwauk +Home; either it was too near the village, or too far away, or too far +from the river, or of too high a price. At length, however, the spot +was decided on. One sultry evening, almost the last day of May, my wife +and myself sauntered down the road along by the bank of the broad Ste. +Marie River, a distance of nearly a mile and a half from the village. +Here was a little open clearing, while all around was thick, tangled, +almost impenetrable bush, but in front was the beautiful sparkling +river, a mile and a half in width, and two pretty green islands just in +front of us. Cryer, the farm-man, had followed us with a spade, and we +got him to turn up the sod in several places that we might see what the +soil was like. We decided there and then to make this the site of the +Shingwauk Home. The soil indeed was somewhat stony, but the distance +from the village was just what we wanted, and the land was cheap (only +L1 an acre) and, best of all, it was close to the river, which meant +plenty of boating and fishing and swimming for the boys, and skating in +winter. We bought ninety acres, but it cost us nothing, as the +Municipal Council gave us a bonus of 500 dols. On the 3rd of June (our +wedding-day) I selected the spot on which to build, measured it and +staked it out, and assisted Cryer to chop out a clearing. The bush was +so dense that we could see nothing of the river from where we were +working; but after a few days' labour the clearing was extended to the +roadway, and we could then see where we were; we made some big fires, +and burnt up the brush-wood as fast as we cut it down. On the 24th June +the contract was signed, and excavations for the building were commenced. + +The first week of June saw the arrival of Bishop Fauquier to take up +his residence at Sault Ste. Marie. + +The first week of June also saw the first issue of our little +Missionary paper, at that time called the "Algoma Quarterly," but now +the "Algoma Missionary News." + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE. + + +On Friday, the 31st of July, 1874, the foundation stone of the new +Shingwauk Home was laid by the Earl of Dufferin, Governor-General of +Canada. + +It was fortunate that his Excellency had planned a trip to the Upper +Lakes just at this very time. Two days before his arrival a telegram +was received from Col. Cumberland, Provincial A.D.C. who was +accompanying his lordship--"I have his Excellency's commands to say +that it will give him much pleasure to lay the corner-stone of your +School on his arrival, which will probably be Friday afternoon." All +now was bustle and excitement, and great preparations were made; +triumphal arches erected, flag-poles put up and flags hoisted, and a +cold collation prepared in the carpenter's shop, which was the only +building at present erected. The ladies of Sault Ste. Marie most +liberally gave us every assistance, and the "spread" of good things was +complimented by the Governor-General, who remarked that he had never +before seen a luncheon so tastefully laid out in Canada. + +On Friday, at 1 p.m., the steamship _Chicora_, which had been +chartered by the vice-regal party, drew up at the Sault dock. The +leading inhabitants of the place welcomed his Excellency on landing, +and presented him with a loyal address, to which he made a suitable +reply. During the procession a salute was fired by a company of +volunteers. The guns were two handsome brass field pieces, strongly +mounted, bearing the date 1776. An old Highlander who accompanied the +party remarked, "Captain Wilson's guns are twa sma' pieces, but they +make a tremendous noise;" and certainly the reports, as they followed +each other with the utmost regularity, justified the remark. + +After some introductions to the Governor-General, he and Lady Dufferin +embarked for the Shingwauk Home. They were followed by quite a fleet of +other boats, and in due time all landed at our own newly-made dock. +Here we met the distinguished party, and accompanied them to the site +of the new buildings. Our Bishop being away, the responsibility of the +occasion all rested on myself. After a short service, conducted by the +two visiting clergymen, Lord Dufferin advanced and gave us the +following address:-- + +"It is with great pleasure that I have taken an humble part in the +interesting ceremony of to-day. I am always glad to have an opportunity +of showing the sympathy which I feel and the interest which I take in +the welfare of our Indian fellow-subjects. We are bound to remember +that we are under the very gravest obligations toward them, and that +the white race, in entering their country and requiring them to change +their aboriginal mode of life, incurs the duty of providing for their +future welfare and of taking care that in no respect whatsoever are +their circumstances deteriorated by changes which are thus +superinduced. It must also be remembered that, although we ourselves +have the advantage of living under Parliamentary institutions, and that +the humblest person in the land is able to feel that his representative +is in a position to plead his cause and watch over his interests in the +High Court of the Parliament of the Dominion, for obvious reasons these +advantages have not yet been extended to the Indian population. On that +account, therefore, if on no other, we are bound to be very solicitous +in our endeavours to advance civilization, to settle the country, and +to bring it under cultivation, that we do them no wrong or injury. I +must say that no better or surer method could be adopted to secure +those results than that which we have now assembled to inaugurate. It +is very evident that so great a change as that from the wild life of +the hunter to the occupation of the cultivator could scarcely be +effected at all, unless those who are thus invited to alter all their +habits of thought and life are educated with that intent. For this +purpose it is obviously the best method to lay hold of the younger +generation, by instructing them in the arts and habits of civilized +life, and to put them in a position to join with us on equal terms in +our endeavour to build up this great country, so that the various races +may be united by common interests and in a common cause. I am happy to +think that with this intent there is further joined the interest of +religion, which is even a greater and stronger means of cementing the +hearts of men together than that of patriotism. But when the two are +united and combined, as they are upon this occasion, it is impossible +but to anticipate the happiest and most successful results. I can +assure you, Mr. Wilson, on behalf of those (and there are, perhaps, +many more than you can imagine) who take a deep interest in this work, +and on behalf of your Indian friends, that you deserve our heartiest +and warmest sympathy. I can only conclude these imperfect observations +by saying, on behalf of Lady Dufferin and myself, that we both wish +this Institution and those engaged in promoting it all the success that +they themselves could desire." + +At the close of this address, I, in a few words, tendered my grateful +thanks for the honour his Lordship and Lady Dufferin had conferred on +us by paying us this visit and laying the foundation stone of our +Institution, and then we repaired for luncheon to the carpenter's shop, +which was ornamented with flowers and scarlet bunting. + +All passed off most agreeably, and there were many hearty cheers when +the little steamboat crossed the great river under a salute to deposit +her noble freight on the other side. + +Twenty men were at work at the foundations of the new Home the day +after this visit, and all went forward with vigour. It may be well here +briefly to describe the general plan and appearance of the building. +The main building has a frontage of 75 feet, facing the river; it is +built of stone, and is three stories high; there was a wing at the +eastern extremity, and other additions have been added since; the +original cost of the building was 7000 dollars, and the additions have +made it worth about 3000 dollars more. At first all was swamp and +stumps, but the earth taken from the excavations helped to fill up the +low spots, and in time, after considerable labour, the place began to +look quite presentable, and a picket fence was put up along the roadway +in front. On the side nearest the river were the carpenters cottage and +shop (in one), which have already been mentioned, on the right, and on +the left another cottage of the same dimensions, intended at first for +an infirmary, but afterwards used as a laundry. These two cottages were +quickly erected at a cost of about 600 dollars each, and were found +very useful while the larger building was gradually rising into +existence; indeed, we were enabled, by making use of these cottages, to +re-open the Institution in a small way that very same autumn. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +A TRIP TO BATCHEEWAUNING. + + +Besides the Indian Home which was being built I had various other +objects to attend to. There were the Garden River Indians to visit from +time to time, and I wanted, if possible, to make another trip up Lake +Superior. One Indian settlement, about fifty miles up the lake, called +Batcheewauning, I had already visited, and the Bishop had consented to +my building a school-church there and placing a catechist in charge. So, +as soon as the new Institution was fairly started, I arranged to pay a +visit to this place, accompanied by Mr. Frost. We took with us a tent +and a good supply of provisions, also lesson books and slates, and a +voyage of some ten hours brought us to the saw mills, where we were to +land. It was a dark night and raining a little. The outline of the saw +mill and a cluster of small buildings was just visible. The inhabitants +of Batcheewauning consisted of about twelve men and three women--white +people, and some sixty or seventy Indians, whose village was six miles +off across the bay. We landed our things, a sack of camp kettles and +provisions, our bedding and tent. Jacob, the Indian boy who had come +with us, was left in charge, while Frost and I went off to look for a +suitable place to camp. The owner of the saw mill directed us to an open +spot on the shore, and we bent our steps thitherward; but after +wandering about for some time, searching in vain for a smooth spot, we +espied a man approaching with a lantern, and, accosting him, inquired +whether all the land around were as rough. "Yes," he replied, "it is +only lately cleared, but you will see better in the day-time where to +camp,--and to-night you had better turn into the shanty here." To this +proposition we agreed, and following our guide, were led into an old log +shanty with crevices in its sides and roof. He lighted us a dip, and +pointed to an unoccupied corner, where he said we could fix ourselves +for the night. The accommodation, certainly, was rude, and the place by +no means clean; yet we were glad of the shelter. We laid our blankets on +the floor, and, oiling our faces and necks to keep off the mosquitoes, +were soon asleep. At first streak of dawn we awoke. The mosquitoes would +not let us rest. They became exceedingly voracious, as always, just at +sunrise. It was a fine morning, the water in the bay sparkling in the +sunlight, and the thickly wooded mountains looking soft and blue in the +far distance. Frost and myself set out again to look for a place to +camp. There was not much choice. About eight acres had been roughly +cleared around the saw mill, and beyond this on all sides was the thick +bush. We overcame the roughness of the ground by borrowing some old +boards from the mill, with which we made a floor, and erected our tent +over it. Frost kindled a fire, and I made some oatmeal porridge for +breakfast, after which we strolled along the shore, and were surprised +to find an encampment of Indians quite close to us. They belonged to the +Indian village six miles off, and were camping here for the summer for +the sake of the fishing. They occupied the ordinary conical-shaped +wigwams made of poles covered with birch bark, a tire in the middle, and +an aperture above for the smoke to escape. We spoke to several, and they +said that there were no Indians now in the village; most of them were +camping here, and others had gone to Point aux Pins. We told them the +object of our visit, which was to ascertain their condition and wants, +and, if they appeared desirous to have their children taught, we +intended building a school and sending them a teacher in the summer. All +to whom we spoke appeared much pleased by this intelligence. Many of +them knew me, as I had visited them once before, and they seemed very +glad that we could both speak to them in their own language and +understand what they said. These people were nearly all Christians. Some +had been baptized by Mr. Chance, some by myself, and others by the +Methodists; but they had no school for their children and no regular +services, and they appeared to be delighted with our proposals to build +a school and to send them a teacher. By way of proving their sincerity +we invited them to begin sending their children at once to school, and +said that while we remained we would teach every day in our camp. This +proposal was readily accepted. We commenced at once with twelve +children, but found that unfortunately we had come without any alphabet +cards. However, this difficulty was soon overcome. We cut the letters of +the alphabet out of a newspaper, and pasted them on to a sheet of paper. +Mr. Frost taught the children to sing several Indian hymns--"There is a +happy land," "Here we suffer grief and pain," &c. They learned the hymns +readily, and soon began to join quite nicely in the singing. On Saturday +evening we held a council of the people, and I propounded all our plans +to them. I told them of the "big teaching wigwam" which we were building +of stone at Sault Ste. Marie for Ojebway children from all parts, and +told them also of the appointment of a Bishop to reside at the Sault, +who would take an interest in them, and would come round in the course +of the summer to visit them. Then we spoke of the school-house which we +proposed to build for them, and agreed on the spot which seemed to be +the most suitable for the site, just at the mouth of Batcheewauning +River, near to the Indian village. On Sunday we had three services, and +Sunday-school twice. The morning service was in an Indian wigwam, for +Indians only. In the afternoon at the saw mill, in English; all the +settlers and some Indians attended--in all about thirty. In the evening +we held an informal meeting at our own tent. The Indians came together +about sun-down, and, it being cold, we all sat round the camp fire. We +sang several hymns and I read the latter part of the I Thess. iv, +dwelling on the subject of the death of Christians as distinguished from +that of unbelievers, and then offered prayer, asking God's blessing upon +them and their children, and upon Missionary effort among them and their +heathen brethren. After the service I was asked to baptize a child, +which I did, and then the people returned to their camp. + +We chose a very pretty spot for the school; the soil was good, and I +purchased 120 acres at 2s. per acre to be the property of the Algoma +Diocese; I made a rough plan of the proposed school-house, with rooms +for the Catechist overhead,--pointed windows on either side to light +both floors, which, with a bell-tower, would give a church-like look to +the little building. The cost I estimated at about 500 dollars. We +intended to return to the Sault by steamboat, but none came, so we got +some Indians to take us back in their boat,--a man, a boy, and two +squaws,--and a leaky old tub it was with old rags stuffed in between +the boards. Happily we had fair weather. We camped one night on the +road, and got home in about twenty-two hours from the time of starting, +after ten days' absence. Very soon after my return I engaged a +carpenter, and the following week sent him up with a couple of men to +begin erecting the building. Within a month afterwards a Catechist was +engaged and placed in charge of the Mission. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +THE WINTER OF 1874-5. + + +By the time winter set in, the walls of the new Shingwauk Home were +erected and the roof on, but beyond this nothing could be done until +spring. However, we could not wait for the new building to be completed +before re-organizing our work. The two frame cottages, already +mentioned, had been finished and furnished, and these we intended to +utilize for the present. The first pupil to arrive, singularly enough, +was named Adam,--Adam Kujoshk, from Walpole Island. We had eighteen +pupils altogether, boys and girls; a lady was engaged to act as matron +and school teacher; they had lessons and meals in a large common room +in one of the cottages, and in this one the matron and the girls +resided. The other was occupied by the laundress and the boys. For +ourselves we had engaged an old house at the Point, not more than half +a mile distant across the bay; so all fitted in very well. + +It was a hard winter, but the children kept well, and they had a merry +and a happy Christmas. On Christmas morning we all drove in to the +Sault to church; such a sleigh load--twenty, I think, altogether,--some +sitting, some standing or hanging on, and two brisk ponies to pull. +Then there was the Christmas dinner of roast beef and plum pludding, to +which all the children did ample justice; and in the evening they came +over to our house, and we had a few amusements for them, and sang some +Christmas hymns. New Year's night was the time fixed for the Christmas +Tree and the prize-giving. Prizes were to be given not only for +reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also for laundry work, sewing, +baking, cutting wood, carpentering, &c. Such of the children's parents +as lived near enough were invited to be present, and a general +invitation had been given to our friends at the Sault, so we had a good +gathering both of whites and Indians, and the room was crowded. In the +building occupied by the matron and girls, coffee and refreshments had +been prepared for our guests, and in the other cottage was the +Christmas Tree. Passing from one building to the other, a pretty sight +was presented by the new Shingwauk Home, illuminated with half-a-dozen +candles in each window. The Christmas Tree was loaded with presents, a +large proportion of them being gifts from friends both in England and +in Canada, and prizes were given to the successful children. We had +several Christmas Carols and hymns during the evening, and all passed +off pleasantly and happily. + +After these festivities were over, I thought the matron needed a rest, +for what had been play to others had been in a great measure work and +anxiety to her. So I offered to take charge myself while she went to a +friend's house for a couple of days. + +I was curious to see how the children would manage after three months' +training in the ways of the Whites. Our principle was to teach them to +_do everything for themselves_, and so we kept no servants; the +matron superintended, and every week the children were appointed to +their various duties--two cook girls, two laundry girls, two house +girls, and so on; and the boys in like manner, some to farm work, some +to carrying water, some to chopping wood. Every Saturday the workers +received pocket-money from two to five cents each--that is--if they had +no bad marks. Well, as I have said, I was curious to see for myself how +these rules would work, and how the children would manage, and in no +way could I do better than by becoming at once their visitor, teacher, +and quasi-matron. Another point, too, I was anxious to ascertain, and +that was how "the four cents a meal" plan could be made to answer. + +For three months now had these children been fed, and by dint of +wonderful care and economy, the matron had managed to keep within the +mark. How she could do it had been rather a puzzle to me. The only time +that I had undertaken to cater for them, was in the Fall, when I took a +number of them down to Garden River, to dig potatoes on our land there, +and on that occasion I remember I gave them bread and jam for tea, and +found that the jam alone which they devoured cost more than four cents +a head, leaving out the bread and the tea. + +Well, it was half-past two when I arrived at the cottage. The matron +had just left, and it was time to commence afternoon school. The +children sat on benches round a long table, Eliza Jane and Betsy, and +Benjamin, David, Adam, eighteen of them altogether,--some of them +rejoicing in long Indian names as well: Menesenoons, the little +warrior; Puhgoonagezhigooqua, hole in the sky; and so forth. In ages +they ranged from the eight-year-old little warrior up to Adam and +Alice, the two eldest, who were both turned sixteen. And as regards +education, one (_not_ the little warrior) was still stumbling over +the Alphabet; while one or two who had attended school before they came +to us had advanced as far as the Fourth Reader, and were learning +English Grammar and Geography. + +School was over at 5 p.m., and then the workers fell to their duties, +and the non-workers went forth to play. Alice Wawanosh (grand-daughter +of the old Chief at Sarnia) was girl monitor for the week, and Mary +Jane and 'Hole in the Sky' the cook girls. I was interested to see how +very systematically they set to work: Alice got the scales and weighed +out the bread half a pound to each child; Mary Jane set the table with +a bright array of tin mugs and plates, and 'Hole in the Sky' put the +kettle to boil and measured out the tea. Then the bread and butter was +cut up, and in a very little time all was ready. At another table a +cloth was laid for me, and everything placed ready in the nicest order. +When the big bell rang the children all mustered and got themselves +tidy, and the small bell was the signal to take their seats. They stood +while I said grace, and then quietly and orderly took their evening meal. + +After tea came the washing up. Each one, without being told, fell to +his or her duty. The boys brought in wood, and filled up the kettle and +boiler with water; the girl monitor weighed out the oatmeal for to- +morrow's breakfast and handed over to the cook girls, who in their turn +carefully stirred it into the big iron pot on the stove. A wise +arrangement this to insure breakfast being in good time in the morning, +as the porridge has only to be heated up with a little fresh water, and +is none the worse. + +By seven o'clock everything was in order, books were got out, and the +children seated themselves quietly round the table, not for school, but +just to amuse themselves, as best they liked. I sat in the Matron's +rocking chair by the cook-stove, and was amused to hear them puzzling +over the English words, spelling, and helping one another; some of them +had copies of my Ojebway grammar, and were teaching themselves the +English sentences translated from the Indian. + +At half-past seven I suggested they should sing a few hymns before +prayers, so the monitor got the hymn books, and they started the tunes +themselves, and sang very prettily "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild," +"Beautiful River," and "Hark, hark my soul, angelic songs are +swelling." Then we had prayers. I read a short passage from the Gospels +in English, and explained it in Indian. Kneeling down, they all joined +audibly in the general confession and the Lord's prayer. After prayers +all went off to bed, the boys over to the Carpenter's Cottage, and the +girls into the three dormitories. The monitor and cook, girls, however, +had to stay up another hour, for bread had been set and was not yet all +baked. There was the large wooden kneading trough by the stove, and the +scales, and as fast as one batch of bread came out of the oven another +went in, one girl cutting the dough, weighing it--four pounds to a loaf-- +and another making up the bread and placing it in the tins. I think +twenty loaves altogether were baked that evening, and very nicely baked +too. + +John Rodd was the wood-cutter, and his task was to light the fire in +the morning. He was early to his work, and by 6 a.m. a bright fire was +burning up, lamps were lighted, the bell rung, and soon the occupants +of the dormitories began to make their appearance, shivering,--and so +indeed was I--for it was a cold morning, twenty degrees below Zero, or +thereabouts: the smoke seemed to freeze in the chimney, the window +panes were caked with ice, and nearly everything in the house frozen +solid. It was just as well that the porridge had been made over-night, +even though it was frozen; a little hot water soon brought it to, and +it did not take very long to heat up. "Hole in the Sky" stirred it, and +kept her fingers warm, and we all huddled round the stove, wishing the +wood would stop crackling and smoking, and begin to glow with a red heat. + +At last, by seven o'clock, breakfast was ready, the bell rang, and +each child sat down to his tin basin of steaming porridge, with a +tablespoonful of treacle in the middle. This, with a cup of tea, and a +hunch of bread, was their breakfast, and I don t think they fared by +any means badly. After breakfast the "workers" went to their house +duties, and the boys to their out-door work till half-past nine, when a +bell called them to prayers. Then books and slates were got out, and +school commenced. All were kept steadily at work till twelve, the cook +girls only occasionally getting up to poke the fire or peep into the +pots. Dinner was at half-past twelve, pork, beans, turnips, potatoes, +and bread; and then there was intermission until half-past two, when +they assembled again for school. + +Thus all went on very satisfactorily during my two days' visit to this +embryo Institution. Merry enough they were, chasing each other about, +laughing, talking, and singing, and yet all did their duties regularly +and systematically--no jarring or disputes, and no shirking of work, +all seemed kind and ready to help one another. + +Of the Indian children who were with us that first winter we know the +after-record of some. Adam Kujoshk and Alice Wawanosh married May 31st. +1878, and are now living comfortably in Sarnia. Adam is a first-class +carpenter, and can command high wages. He was employed in the cabinet- +work department, making and fitting the cabins on board the splendid +new steamship _United Empire_, which was launched at Sarnia in the +Spring of 1883. There is a young Adam, who we hope will one day be a +pupil at the Shingwauk Home. Mary-Jane died at her home in Sarnia, +trusting in her Saviour. "Hole in the Sky" has been out to service, is +a very respectable girl, and gives satisfaction to her employers. David +Nahwegahbosh married Sophia Esquimau, another of our pupils, and they +are living on the Manitoulin Island. Benjamin Shingwauk, "the Little +Warrior," is still with us, studying, and will, we hope, shortly pass +the public examination and receive a teacher's certificate. John Rodd +died at the Shingwauk in 1877, and was buried in our little cemetery; +he died trusting in the Saviour. Joseph Sahgejewh is still with us, +working at our sash and door factory, and receiving wages. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE NEW SHINGWAUK HOME. + + +Our new Shingwauk Home was formally opened on the 2nd of August, 1875, +by the Bishop of Huron and the Bishop of Algoma. There was a large +attendance including several friends from other dioceses; the day was +very fine, and all passed off most auspiciously. After partaking of a +sumptuous repast in the dining-hall, which was beautifully decorated +for the occasion, the guests assembled in the school-room for the +opening ceremony. A Special Service, prepared for the occasion, was +conducted by the Bishop of Algoma, who then offered a few interesting +remarks relative to the object of the Institution and the manner in +which it had come into existence. He reminded the friends present how +the original building had been destroyed by fire six days after its +completion, and that the present one, in which they were assembled, had +been erected to take its place; that the object was to train young +Indians to a Christian and civilized life, and to offer them all the +advantages which their white brethren enjoyed. His Lordship then called +upon the Bishop of Huron to formally open the building. Bishop +Hellmuth, on rising, said that it gave him great pleasure to be present +at the opening of this Institution, in which he felt a deep interest. +He was persuaded that the true way to do any permanent good to the poor +aborigines of this country, was to take their young, and train them. If +this had been done forty years ago, he felt assured that there would be +many a man now from among them holding high official position in the +country. In his own diocese he had at the present time three native +Missionaries and a considerable number of native school teachers, male +and female, all of whom worked to his entire satisfaction, He trusted +that children leaving this building would become centres for the +increased spread of Christian truth, and he felt no doubt but that the +blessing of God would rest upon a work which had been undertaken in +faith and with earnestness of purpose. + +The audience then rose, and the Bishop solemnly declared the building +open for its intended purpose as an Industrial Home for Indian +children, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy +Ghost. + +After the Doxology had been sung, short addresses were given by Mr. +Simpson (formerly Member for the district), and Mr. Dawson, our +Parliamentary Representative at Ottawa. + +Then, at the Bishop's request, I added a few remarks relative to the +system upon which we proposed to carry on the work of the Home. Forty- +one children, I said, were at that time present, and we were expecting +several more. My experience thus far had been that it was a somewhat +difficult matter to train Indians to a civilized life, still I had +great hopes that our present undertaking would, under God's blessing, +prove successful. The first thing, I felt, was to draw the children +around me, and let them feel that I cared for them and really sought +their good. I regarded them all as my children. A good proof that I had +in some measure gained their affection and confidence was, that many of +those who had been with us the previous winter, and had been home +during the summer for their holidays, had of their own accord come back +again, some of them from a great distance, and all seemed anxious to +get on and learn all they could. We keep no servants, I said, but, +every child is appointed to his or her work, and, as the company might +see, wore badges on their arms, indicating their employment for the +week. In regard to funds, all was prosperous. Ever since the fire God's +blessing had, in a most marked manner, rested upon our work. People had +given liberally, without any of the means usually used for raising +funds being resorted to. All was paid for, and a little balance in hand. + +At the conclusion of the speaking the clerical party retired to +disrobe, and then the Bishops, with a number of friends present, were +conducted over the various parts of the building. On arriving outside, +the Indian children were found drawn up in a line in front of the +building, each holding a flag; the National Anthem was sung, and then +all marched forward, two and two, in very tolerable order, singing the +hymn, "Onward, Christian soldiers." They were followed by the company, +and made a complete tour of the grounds. In the evening tea and coffee +were served to the assembled guests, and the day's entertainment +concluded with a display of fireworks and a bonfire on one of the +islands opposite the Institution. + +The whole cost of the Institution, with land, cottages, &c., in round +numbers, came to L2325. + +We soon got into regular working order. School hours were from 9 to 12 +in the morning, and from 2.30 to 5 in the afternoon, every day except +Saturday. We had fifty pupils, twenty-five boys and twenty-five girls, +varying in age from six or seven years up to seventeen. Some of them +were very poorly clad when they came to us, and very dirty; and the +first thing was to give them a bath and burn all their clothes, and rig +them out afresh. It was of course a great change to them to commence +regular habits, to run when they heard the bell ring, and do all that +they were told; and some of them began to pine under a sense of +captivity. Some of them, when home-sick, seemed to lose all control +over themselves, and made an unearthly noise; others would watch their +opportunity and run away. In the next chapter we shall tell about three +run-away boys, and their capture after ten days' absence. On the whole, +however, the children seemed to be wonderfully contented and happy, and +all went merrily and cheerfully day after day. The fish-boys used to go +out after their nets each morning, and bring in plenty of fish; the +water-boys had their grey pony, which they called "Muhnedooshish" +(Little Evil Spirit), because it had such a bad temper and was always +backing up and upsetting the water, instead of going forward with its +load. The baker-boys made and baked the bread, in the brick oven. The +sailor-boys, in their blue serge suits, had charge of _The +Missionary_, and did all commissions by water. All were willing to +work, and seemed to enjoy their life, and on Saturdays we gave them a +few cents pocket-money as an encouragement to good conduct. True, the +matron was sometimes at her wit's end, with so many to provide for and +such raw young hands to do the work, and it was doubtless a task of +considerable difficulty to keep everything in order, and to have meals +in time and well cooked, with only these young girls as her assistants, +the greater number of whom could scarcely speak a word of English; and +great credit I felt was due to her for her patience with them. However, +they really did try to do their best, and were quick enough when they +could understand what was wanted of them. + +On Sundays the children used all to walk to the Sault to church in the +morning, and in the evening we had service in the School-room. On +Sunday afternoons there was Sunday school, and on Wednesday and Friday +evenings Bible-class. Every morning at prayers the children would +repeat a verse of Scripture after me, so as to know it by heart at the +end of the week. This plan has been continued uninterruptedly, and the +children who have been with us have thus a good store of Scriptural +knowledge. They were also taught the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Ten +Commandments, the Catechism, and the Collects in English, their lessons +being of course varied according to their capacities. Our great desire +was that they might all prove themselves to be true Christians-- +servants and soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. + +The industries which we taught at the first outset were capentering, +boot-making, and farming. + +It was of course a great object to make the children talk English. +Twice a week I had an English class, and taught them to repeat English +words and sentences, to point to their eyes, nose, ears, &c., and to +bring me things I specified. In order to induce them to keep a check +upon one another during play-time, I dealt out to each a certain number +of buttons of a particular pattern each Saturday, and if any of them +heard a companion speak Indian he was to demand a button, and the +following Saturday the buttons were exchanged for nuts. We certainly +have been very successful in teaching our pupils to talk English. It is +an understood thing in the Institution that they must do so, and no +Indian is allowed except for about an hour each day. Boys who come to +us unable to speak a word of English in September, by the following +June can generally manage to make themselves well understood. + +For the support of our pupils we looked chiefly to the Canadian Sunday +Schools, many of which undertook each a _protege_ at L15 per +annum. This would cover the cost of food and clothing for an individual +child; and for the general expenses of the Home we depended on the +contributions of our friends in England and a grant from the Canadian +Government. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +RUNAWAY BOYS. + + +One day three boys were missing; nobody could tell what had become of +them; the bush was scoured, the roads searched, and messengers +despatched to the Sault to try and gain some clue to their whereabouts. +After a time it was discovered that some bread and other things were +missing, and it became clear that they had decamped. Their home was 300 +miles away, and the idea was that they had probably gone to Garden +River, about ten miles below us, with the intention of getting on board +the first steamboat that might pass, and so get home; so we made up a +crew, and late the same evening despatched the schoolmaster and some +boys in _The Missionary_ to Garden River. They arrived back the +next day, bringing word that a boat had been stolen from one of the +Indians there during the night, and that, moreover, an Institution +button, with "Shingwauk Home, Sault Ste. Marie" imprinted on it, had +been picked up in the sand near the place from which the boat was taken. + +Nothing more was heard of these boys for ten days, except that one of +the steamboats brought a report that they had seen three boys in an +open boat near Bruce Mines, and that they had been hailed by them and +asked for bread. Ten or eleven days after these boys decamped, we were +preparing to start on an expedition up Lake Superior to Batcheewauning; +our four sailor boys were ready, dressed in their new blue serge suits +and straw hats from England, _The Missionary_ was well loaded with +camp-kettles, tent, and provisions. We got as far as the Sault, when +the wind, which had been favourable, suddenly veered round and blew a +heavy gale in our faces, accompanied by thunder and heavy rain. As it +was already between 3 and 4 p.m., it was plain we could not start that +day, And just at the critical moment word came that those three runaway +boys were on an island forty miles below. Our informant was a Garden +River Indian. The boys, be said, had turned adrift the boat they +escaped in, which was a small one, and had taken a larger one belonging +to a Sugar Island Indian. This Indian finding his boat gone, pursued +the boys in his canoe, overtook them, took his boat away from them, and +left them alone to their fate on an island. Shabahgeezhik did not think +the boys would be in distress, as there were a few settlers on the +island who would feed them if they worked for their board. As soon as +we heard this news, we immediately decided to head our boat round and +run before the wind down to this island and catch our boys. We just +stopped for ten minutes at the Shingwauk in passing, to get a dry coat +or two and tell of the change in our plans, and then off we started. It +was 5 p.m., and we thought we could make the island that night. +Shabahgeezhik went with us as pilot. We ran along at good speed through +Hey Lake, across the American channel, in and out among islands. We +were soon wet and cold, and it became very dark. Shabahgeezhik steered, +and seemed to know well what he was about, but we had some narrow +shaves of running into islands, it was so dark. Once or twice we were +close upon rocks, but just saved ourselves. We passed through the +"Devil's Gap," about as narrow as one of the canal locks, and soon came +in sight of the dark line of the Bruce Mines Shore. We had run well; it +was only 10 o'clock, and we were nearly there. Once or twice we saw a +fire on the lonely, uninhabited shore, where fishing or exploring +parties were encamping. It looked cheerful, but we did not stop. Now at +length we reached our island, and drew along shore to grope for the +dock. There were lights shining from two dwellings--one near the shore, +the other upon the hill. Securing our boat, we landed and went up to a +log hut. A half-breed woman appeared at the door when we knocked, but +she seemed scared when she found there were so many of us. We wanted to +find Mr. Marks' house, he being the principal settler on the island. +The woman gave us some hurried directions, and then shut and locked the +door. We started in search of Mr. Marks' house, which it would seem was +up the hill, about a mile distant. After scouring round a little to +find the road, we at length hit on a cattle-track which seemed to go in +the right direction. But what a track it was! Every step we took it +became worse; it led along the side of the hill through the bushes and +tall grass, and under foot slimy sticks and roots spread over a black +swamp. For a few steps one would balance one's self, and then down one +would go, knee deep in the mire. Always hoping that the road would +improve, we persevered for nearly half a mile. But it only got worse, +and reluctantly we had to turn back to our starting-point. Then +Shabahgeezhik took a run further up the hill to look for another road. +In a few minutes he shouted for us to follow, and the track this time +led us out just above Mr. Marks' house. It was nearly midnight, but Mr. +Marks was standing outside. We told him who we were and what our +errand, and he immediately gave the satisfactory information that the +boys we wanted were with a half-breed in a shanty just below. He showed +us which way to go, and we descended the hill-side in quest of them. +Arriving at the shanty, we knocked at the door. A man answered in +English, and asked what we wanted. At length the door was cautiously +opened. We said that Mr. Marks had told us to come here for three boys +who had run away. Upon this the man opened the door, and said, "Yes, +the boys were there, and we could take them." A lamp was lighted, and +we told the boys, who were, lying on the floor and scarcely awake yet, +to get up and come along, and then our sailor boys each took charge of +one prisoner, and we marched them down to the boat. The boys got the +tent up and went to bed with their prisoners, while we accepted the +kind hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Marks, and slept in their house. It +was 1 a.m. when we got to bed, and at 4 a.m. we were astir again, and +prepared for the start home. The wind was against us, and we had to +pull. At 7.30 we went ashore for breakfast. We were very chilly, our +things still being wet, and we lighted a large fire and got everything +dry. After breakfast we managed to sail a little, tacking against the +wind, and by 12.30 p.m. we had made Sugar Island. Here was the American +channel, and we resolved to get dinner, and wait for a tow. In this we +were very fortunate, for just as we were finishing dinner a propeller +came along. We signalled to her, and she very politely shut off steam +and gave us a line from her stern. A storm was getting up, rain +beginning to fall, and we had to cross Lake George, and had rather a +rough time of it, the propeller dragging us forward mercilessly through +the crested waves, the spray and foam dashing all over us, so that we +shipped a good deal of water and had to bale. Arriving at length +opposite the Shingwauk, we got our masts up, and, giving the propeller +a wave of hats and a cheer, the tow-line was let go, up went our sails +in a trice, and in a few moments more we had arrived at the shore. All +the boys were dancing on the dock, greatly edified to see the return of +the runaways. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +CHARLIE AND BEN. + + +During a short visit which I paid to England in the winter of 1877, +the idea was formed of building a separate Home for Indian girls, and +now it became necessary to make the project known also in Canada. +Accordingly, in the summer vacation of that year I started off, taking +with me two little fellows from our Institution--Charlie and Ben, and +also a model which I had made of the Shingwauk Home. My object was not +so much to collect money as to tell the friends who had been helping us +what, by God's help, we had been enabled to do, and what, with His +blessing, we still hoped to do. + +The first part of the journey was a dash of two miles along a muddy +road in a buggy drawn by my spirited little mare "Dolly," with only ten +minutes to catch the boat. The next 300 miles were passed on board the +steamboat _Ontario_, which, after rather a rough passage, landed +us in Sarnia on the night of Tuesday, May 22nd. From Sarnia we took +train to Toronto. Here we passed the Queen's birthday, and the boys saw +a splendid display of fireworks in the evening. The most remarkable +part of the entertainment was a races between a pig and an elephant in +mid-air. They were fire balloons shaped like those animals, and it was +really very good. On Friday we arrived in Belleville about noon. This +was the beginning of our work, and we held our first meeting that +evening in the Town Hall. There was a fair attendance, and after the +meeting our two boys distributed papers about our Home, and +contribution envelopes, which I asked the people to take home with +them, and at any future day that they might feel disposed, to put +something in and place it on the offertory plate, and it would thus in +due time come to us. The envelopes, I should mention, had the following +words on them: "Algoma. A contribution to God's work in the Indian +Institution at Sault Ste. Marie." + +After visiting Brockville, Smith's Falls, and Prescott, we arrived in +Ottawa on the 31st. I had here an interview with the Premier in regard +to my work among the Indians, which was quite satisfactory, and in the +afternoon we went to pay our respects to the Governor-General. Happily +his Excellency was at home, and he received the boys very kindly, and +showed them through the rooms of Rideau Hall. One thing that he said to +them at parting I hope they will always remember. He said, "I hope you +boys will grow up to be good Canadians." This just expresses the secret +of our work; this is just what we want to do with our Indian boys: to +make Canadians of them. When they leave our Institution, instead of +returning to their Indian Reserves, to go back to their old way of +living, we want them to become apprenticed out to white people, and to +become, in fact, Canadians. + +At Montreal we had several meetings, and met with many kind friends +who evinced great interest in our work. + +Early on the morning of June 8th we arrived in Quebec, and found rooms +provided for us at the hotel. The Synod of the diocese was sitting, and +we received a hearty welcome from the Bishop and many of the clergy +whom I knew. In the afternoon I took the boys to the citadel, where +they were greatly pleased to see the soldiers and the big guns; and in +the evening we dined at the Bishop's. Both the Bishop and Mrs. Williams +have always taken much interest in our work. On Sunday evening I +preached at the cathedral. The following day I took my boys over the +ocean steamship _Sardinian_, and in the afternoon drove out to +visit Wolf's monument and the gaol. The boys each took a copy of the +inscription on the monument, and we returned to Mr. Hamilton's for +dinner. There was a capital meeting in the National School Hall in the +evening. The Bishop of Quebec presided, and nearly all the city clergy +were present. + +We had not intended to go further east than St. John, N. B., but finding +we had a day or two to spare, we resolved to run on into Nova Scotia and +visit Halifax. Two telegrams had been despatched, one to Rev. Geo. Hill, +rector of St. Paul's, Halifax, to tell of our intended visit, and the +other to Montreal in the hope of obtaining a pass from the manager of +the line. The application for the pass was happily successful, and after +travelling all day and all night and half the next day, we at length +reached Halifax, met with a warm reception from Mr. Hill and had a +capital meeting. The boys enjoyed themselves immensely, paddling about +in the sea water among the limpets and star-fish and sea-weed, and +making vain attempts to catch crabs. + +Returning by way of New Brunswick, we next visited Fredericton, and +were the guests of the Lieutenant Governor, who had most kindly invited +us. The Bishop and a large party of clergy and others came to lunch at +two p.m., and at four o'clock in the afternoon was a Sunday-school +gathering in the school-house, the model was exhibited and I gave an +address. After this there was a very pleasing little ceremony at +Government House. At Lady Tilley's invitation a number of young girls, +members of her Sunday-school class, had met together week after week at +Government House and made a variety of articles for sale, then--shortly +before our arrival--a bazaar had been held, and the large sum realized +of 300 dollars. This sum was presented to me by one of the little girls +when they were all assembled in the drawing-room, and is to be applied +to the building fund of the Wawanosh Home. The most successful meeting +of any that we held took place in the large Temperance Hall. Lady +Tilley kindly consented to become one of the patronesses of our Girl's +Home. The following day, Wednesday, I called on the Bishop and we spent +an hour and a half very pleasantly in examining every part of their +beautiful cathedral--the _one_ church gem in Canada. The Bishop +set to work in his own way to satisfy himself what our boys were good +for, and I am glad to say that the result of the examination was +satisfactory. + +The afternoon of this day, June 26th, we bade farewell to our +Fredericton friends and took the train back to St. John. About half an +hour before we arrived we received word that a fearful fire was raging, +and as we drew near the fated city we found that the report was only +too true. The whole city seemed to be in a blaze, the fire appearing to +extend fully two miles, even at that early hour, about 6 p.m. Leaving +the two boys at the Rev. Mr. Dowling's house, Mr. Dowling and myself +started to cross the harbour to try and render some assistance to our +friends. We could not take the ferry for the landing stage was on fire, +so we hailed a fishing-smack, and landed in Portland. We walked around, +to the back of the fire; all the principal part of the city was in +flames, and everything in wild confusion; hundreds of people, old and +young, heavily ladened and hustling each other along, fire engines at +every corner, the open places crowded with a motley throng of people +with piles of baggage and furniture. + +We made our way round to Mrs. Peter's house, where we had been on +Saturday; they were all packed up ready to fly, but could not get a +team. The flames were fast advancing upon them. The gas works were +close by, and it was expected they would blow up every minute. The +younger children were already sent off with their nurse. We staid till +after midnight, doing what little we could to help, and then returned +to Carleton by the suspension bridge, bringing several refugees with +us. The following day, Thursday, we drove to the station in St. John by +way of the suspension bridge. The city was still on fire and enveloped +in smoke. Happily, however, the station was just outside the burnt +district, so we bade adieu to our friends and started once more for the +west. + +After visiting and holding meetings in Toronto, Hamilton, St. +Catharines, and elsewhere, we arrived July 4th at Niagara. We were now +in the great fruit district of Canada, strawberries, cherries, grapes, +apples, plums, peaches, all in the greatest abundance, orchards +everywhere, rich luxuriant vines trailing over trellis-work, the earth +fairly teeming with plenty. What a contrast to poor Algoma, where we +can grow neither apple nor plum and cannot even ripen tomatoes. Nothing +delighted our boys more than to sit up in a cherry tree and eat +cherries _ad libitum_--such a delicious novelty--and then to be +summoned in for a tea of strawberries and cream! In the evening we met +Archdeacon McMurray, who received us warmly. He was the first +Missionary at Sault Ste. Marie, more than forty years ago, and very +kindly gave us an organ for the Institution. From Niagara, we proceeded +by train to Drummondville. The falls of Niagara were scarcely more than +a stone's throw from the house, and the following morning as soon as +breakfast was over we went to pay them a visit. Grand and impressive as +was the sight, I fear that our boys, boylike, were more taken up with a +couple of bears in their cages than with that enormous mass of water +surging over the rocks, and tumbling 200 feet into the boiling basin of +white foam below. + +On Friday the 6th we arrived in Brantford and had a meeting in the +evening. The following day we walked out to visit the Mohawk +Institution, supported by the New England Company; this institution has +been, I believe, nearly thirty years in existence, and they have at +present thirty-eight boys and forty-two girls. It was strange how shy +our boys seemed of the young Mohawks, though making friends so readily +with white boys. Mohawks and Ojebways were hereditary enemies, and, in +days gone by, used to delight in scalping one another. + +Altogether we travelled upwards of 4000 miles, and I calculated that I +had addressed about 5,500 people at meetings and about 6700 Sunday- +school children, besides sermons in churches. Though we made no +collections, I nevertheless had handed to me 990 dollars for the Girl's +Home Building Fund, and 225 dollars for the Shingwauk. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +A TRIP UP LAKE SUPERIOR. + + +It had been arranged that directly the holidays commenced at the +Shingwauk Home, the Bishop and myself should start on a Missionary tour +up Lake Superior, the plan being simply as follows:--We would take with +us our boat, _The Missionary_, five or six Indian boys to man it, +and provisions for six or seven weeks. We would first proceed by +steamboat 300 miles direct to Prince Arthur's Landing, taking our boat +on board; remain there about a week, during which we would pay a visit +into the interior; then coast the whole way back, visiting all the +Indians along the north shore of the Lake. + +When we reached the Landing, the Indian superintendent, to our great +satisfaction, invited us to join him in an expedition to the "Height of +Land" where he was going to pay the wild Indian tribes their annuity +money. + +At length after four days we reached the Hudson Bay waters, the +Savanne connecting through a long chain of lakes and rivers with Lake +Winnipeg. Lac des Milles Lacs, into which we soon entered, is a perfect +labyrinth of lakes and islands. Here and there were expectant Indians +come out to meet us in their frail bark canoes, and, paddling up +alongside, they joined the cluster at our stern. A strange and +impressive sight was it when we at length hove in sight of the "Height +of Land," a huge rocky eminence like an upturned basin, literally +swarming all over with Indians, in every position and every imaginable +costume. One solitary wigwam stood at the top and others could just be +seen, betraying a considerable village in the rear. A large Union Jack +also floated from a mast planted in the rock. There they sat and +crouched and smoked, or stood, or leaned with that majestic composure +peculiar to the Indian race; while below, on the slippery sides of the +rock, tumbled and rolled about their dirty children, or prowled their +grim and wolfish-looking dogs. It was a gay holiday time for them all. +For three days and three nights pork and flour and tobacco would be +flowing freely into their laps from their great and good mother, the +Queen; and to every individual, man, woman, and child, yea, to even the +papoose of a day old, would be given L1 to spend as they pleased. + +We got our tents pitched--the Bishop's and our own--and then went out +to survey the scene. A most novel and interesting one indeed it was, +wigwams on all sides of us, some of them containing perhaps forty +people, others conical, in which were two or three families with a fire +common to them all in the middle. In the water near the dock were +several boys bathing and diving, as though perfectly in their element. +Here and there stalked a stately chief in his scarlet coat, leggings, +mocassins, and feathers in his head. The councillors, of which there +were three to each band, wore dark coats with scarlet trimmings. But +there were more outlandish personages than these to be seen; tall, lank +men, with nothing on them but a scarlet blanket wound around the naked +body, at times covering the shoulders, at times drawn only around the +waist. Nearly all had plaited hair and silver earrings, and many had +feathers in their heads, or head-dresses of beads and ribbons. The +squaws were dressed much the same as our own Indians in bodices and +skirts, though not quite so tidily. Some of the bead-work worn by the +men was very handsome; it consisted mostly of garters below the knee, +waistbands and tobacco-pouches worn round the neck and covering the +front of the body. They also had their curiously-carved pipes, some of +them with stems a yard long, tomahawks, knives, and other appendages. + +Soon men and squaws were seen wending their way to their wigwams, +bending under the weight of a side of bacon or a bag of flour. Now was +a high time of joviality for them all--even the dogs licked their lips +and prepared for the feast. + +A crowd collected in rear of the Government buildings; and squatting +upon mats on the ground were the musicians, three or four in number, +beating away vigorously at their very unmusical drums--just the size +and shape of a flat cheese, their drumsticks being shaped like a crook. +Soon the war-dancers appeared upon the scene, each with a whoop and a +flourish of his knife or tomahawk. Conspicuous among them was +Blackstone--no longer in European dress, but with legs bare on either +side to his hips--a white shirt almost hidden by massive beadwork +ornaments, long braided hair, feathers in his head, and his right hand +flourishing a bayonet. The dancing consisted in the actors leaping +suddenly to their feet with a whoop, and working the whole body +convulsively up and down while standing on their toes, without moving +from their position, a monotonous whirring sound being kept up all the +time, in which the squaws sitting around assisted. This was kept up +long enough for me to sketch one man, when with another whoop and a +flourish they sank into a squatting position, the drums still going on +unceasingly. After a little rest up they got again, and so it kept on +for a couple of hours. The proceedings, however, were broken in the +middle by a speech from Blackstone. + +When it was nearly tea-time I went out to look for my boys, and found +Esquimau talking to an old man under a bark shelter with a stick or two +burning at their feet; the old man was living quite alone and this was +his wigwam, just room for him to lie down and no more. I sent the +younger boys to light a fire and get tea ready, and then stayed with +Esquimau to talk to the old man. When he found I was going to speak +about religion, he called to his children--two men and a squaw--to come +and listen. Another man came up, and in rather an officious manner +informed me that it was no use for me to talk to the Indiana about +religion; that they would not listen to me, and did not intend to +accept Christianity. The Great Spirit, he continued, has made us all, +and he has given one religion to the whites and another to the Indians. +He does not wish his red children to accept the white man's religion. I +said I was sorry that any of them should think that, but that if any of +them did not wish to hear me they could go somewhere else, and I would +talk only to the old man. The old man, however, had now changed his +mind and said he did not wish to hear me speak. Several others came +round and all said that I must not speak to them about Christianity. +One said their custom was for any one who wished to speak to them first +of all to put down tobacco. This roused me. "No!" I said, "I am not a +trader to carry tobacco about. I am working for my Master, the Great +Spirit: the Great Spirit has told His followers that when they go out +to preach they are not to carry money or anything else with them, they +are simply to tell His message, if they are received, it is well, if +not, they are to go away from that place and take the message to +others." I then said to Esquimau--"We had better kneel down and ask God +to help us, and teach us what to do." So we knelt, and each offered +prayer, amid the jeers and interruptions of the Indians. Then I stood +out among them and said in a loud voice, "My friends, I have come here +to see you about religion, not to buy and sell, and trade with you, but +to tell you about the Great Spirit who made you. Your Superintendent, +Mr. Wright, has come to pay you money, but I have come to speak to you +on religion. I have no tobacco, no pork, no money to give you. But I +come to tell you of God who made us, and of His Son who came into the +world to save us. I have been told that I must not speak, that none of +you will listen to me, but I tell you that I will speak to you: God has +told me to speak to you, so this evening I will come among you to +speak; those that wish to hear me can listen, those who will not hear +can keep away." + +During tea it was arranged that the Bishop and myself, with the four +Indian boys, should go out about sundown and address the people. Before +starting we knelt together in the tent, and the Bishop offered up an +earnest prayer to God that He would give us grace and wisdom to speak, +and incline the hearts of these heathen people to hear and accept His +word. + +On the road there we were met by Blackstone. He seemed very angry, and +said, "I am told that you are going to speak to the people to-night. +You must not speak to-night, you must wait until to-morrow." I said, +"No, my friend, I must speak to them to-night." "It shall not be," said +Blackstone, "you will not be listened to to-night; to-morrow I will let +you speak." I pointed to the sky, and said, "The Great Spirit has told +me to speak to-night and I must obey the Great Spirit, I cannot obey +man about this.". Blackstone still refused to allow me to speak, but I +was determined, and we went on. We went to the top of the rocky +elevation, and immediately began singing a hymn in Indian. Our boys +stood out nobly, and sang splendidly. I felt that it required more +determination on their part to face the opposition of their own people +than for us who were recognised as "black-coats." + +The singing attracted a number of people around us, and I spoke out +loudly and addressed them. We then sang another hymn suitable for the +occasion and the boys sang out lustily, like good soldiers of Christ. +After this the Bishop gave a short, but very earnest and pointed +address. Then Esquimau spoke very freely and forcibly, urging upon the +people to give up their vain customs and accept Christianity. Then we +knelt on the bare rock and prayed God to turn the hearts of the people +to Himself, after which we left. Quite a number of people had gathered +together when the singing commenced, and remained during more than half +the time. + +_July_ 24.--The next evening we had service again; myself and my +four boys standing on the summit of the rocky eminence in the dim +twilight, wigwams on all sides below us; a couple of old women cooking +at a fire just beside us, and a few straggling Indians or children +lying or sitting about. We sang a hymn in Indian at the top of our +voices. This brought a great many people out, but not so many as last +night. Then I addressed them. + +We then sang another hymn, after which Esquimau spoke and urged the +people to give up their vain customs and to become Christians; and, +after kneeling on the hard rock and offering up an earnest prayer to +God to change the hearts of these poor heathen, we departed. + +Black clouds had gathered overhead and it was beginning to rain +heavily when we sought the shelter of our tent. + +_July_ 25.--The day following Blackstone appeared at my tent +door. I asked him to come in but he declined. He seemed to be in a +better frame of mind, and spoke in friendly terms, telling me all about +the journey from here to the place where he generally lives, at the +North-west angle about 200 miles distant. I showed him a photograph of +the Shingwauk Home, and he asked some questions about it. He stayed +some little time, and then said that the Indians were going to hold a +council, and left. + +About noon the boys returned with a tin pail of raspberries which we +stewed and had for dinner. The monotonous sing-song and drum-beating of +the Indians had been going on the whole morning in an adjoining wigwam; +we were expecting hourly that the council would begin, but Blackstone +kept putting it off. I suspected that he intended to have it at our +usual time of meeting so as to draw away the people, and so for that +reason we had our meeting earlier, about five o'clock. Before starting +I called the boys together into the tent, and, after reading a few +verses of Scripture, asked them if either of them were inclined to give +up the attempt to teach these heathen people; they had been with me +through it all, they had seen the reception we had met with, they had +acted their part according to the talent committed to them; would they +now give it up as hopeless, or would they go with me again to-night? To +this they each in turn replied cheerfully and earnestly that they +wished to go with me; so we knelt in prayer and asked for God's help +and proceeded forth once more to our rocky pulpit. We saw Blackstone +going to and fro among the wigwams, and I thought I would ask him once +more whether he would give his countenance to our service. So I called +to him, "Blackstone, may I speak to you?" "Pahmah, pahmah," (by-and-by, +bye-and-bye), was his reply; "I am busy just now." We waited until he +came round again, and as he merely brushed past I resolved to commence +at once. We chose a new situation this time, another rocky eminence in +the middle of the wigwams. We conducted our little service as usual, +and urged upon the people once more to forsake their customs and to +accept the crucified Saviour. When I spoke of the Resurrection of +Christ on the third day, there was a jeering laugh from some of the +Indians which made me think of Acts xvii. 32. Blackstone, as I had +expected, commenced his pow-pow or council directly we began our +service, and so drew away all the principal men. + +But it was time to prepare for our departure. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +COASTING AND CAMPING. + + +Quite a high sea was running on Thunder Bay when, on _July_ 30, +having parted with the Bishop, I started off in _The Missionary_ +with my seven Indian boys. A stiff south-east wind was blowing, and, as +our course lay in a southerly direction, we had to tack. We managed, +however, to run across Thunder Bay within five or six miles of our +point, and then tacked about to reach it; and about three miles further +ran into a nice little sheltered bay, where we camped for the night. +The boys were merry, and soon had a capital fire blazing up and the +camp-pots hissing and bubbling. By eight o'clock supper was ready, and +then, after prayer and singing and each one repeating a verse of +Scripture around the camp fire, we all turned in for the night, having +safely accomplished the first twenty miles of our homeward trip. + +It may be well to state at this point, for the information of those +who are not acquainted with the topography of Canada, that Lake +Superior, upon which we were now sailing, is the largest body of fresh +water in the world, the length of it from end to end, by the course +which the steamboats take, being 623 miles. The breadth of the lake at +the widest point is 160 miles. Its area is fully as large as Ireland, +and its mean depth is 1000 feet. The north shore of the lake belongs to +the Province of Ontario, is exceedingly wild and rocky and is +inhabited almost exclusively by Indians with a few Hudson Bay Company's +posts at various points on the route. Prince Arthur's Landing is the +_only_ Canadian town on the north shore, and that has risen into +existence only within the last few years. The south shore of Lake +Superior, borders on the State of Michigan. + +_July _31. A dense fog filled the air when we arose early this +morning. We waited until eight o'clock to see if it would lift, but as +it appeared to have no intention of doing so, we started off, myself +steering and the boys rowing. With a good compass, we steered our +course straight into Silver Islet. We landed on the main shore, and +spent half an hour viewing the silver stamping mills. The fog was now +clearing, and we proceeded to cross Black Bay. This was a wide stretch, +and we had to pull as there was no wind. After this, we got into a +narrow channel studded with islands: then were out on the open lake +again, a heavy swell rolling in and breaking on reefs near the shore. +About five p m. we came off Cape Magnet, and soon after reached a snug +little bay, where we camped for the night. + +After two more days sailing, we got into Neepigon, and found the +Bishop (who had come on the _Manitoba_) waiting for us. The Bishop +had his tent pitched on the shore, and had been cooking for himself in +two little bright tin pots. We were all wet and cold, and as quickly as +possible our two tents were up and a large camp-fire built, over which +were soon hissing three ugly black kettles--one with water for the tea, +another with potatoes, another with rice and currants--while the +Bishop's little kettle hung meekly by, at one end of the horizontal +stick, and soon lost its brightness under the unwonted heat of the fire. + +At 8:30 we all gathered for prayer, and then went to rest. The total +distance we had come, since leaving Prince Arthur's landing, was about +100 miles. + +We passed a quiet Sunday in our camp at Red Rock. No Indians came +round, but we had a little service for ourselves under an awning. In +the afternoon our boys gathered for Sunday-school, and the Bishop +examined them in the Scriptures and Catechism. + +_Aug_. 5.--We had intended to be up and preparing for our trip to +Lake Neepigon at five a.m., but heavy rain caused us to prolong our +slumbers, and we did not breakfast until 7:30 a.m. By this time, +however, the weather was clearing, and we determined on making a start. +There was plenty to do. We had a trip of 200 miles before us and +expected to be away about ten days. All the things in _The +Missionary_ that were not wanted were packed away in Mr. McLellan's +storehouse; provisions were given out sufficient to last the three boys +who were to remain behind, and supplies put up for the travelling +party. Then--about ten a.m.--the large canoe which we had hired was +brought round; Uhbesekun, our guide, put in his appearance; portage +straps were brought out, the packs made ready, and all placed on board. +The Bishop and myself walked across the portage, about three-quarters +of a mile in length, while Uhbesekun and the boys propelled the loaded +canoe up the rapids with poles. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +UP THE NEEPIGON RIVER. + + +Five miles of paddling above the rapids brought us to the mouth of the +river Neepigon, a rapid stream about 500 yards in width, we had to keep +close to shore in order to avoid the current. + +Our canoe was about 20 feet in length, and weighed perhaps 150 lbs., +she sat as light as a feather upon the water, and the least movement on +the part of any of the party tipped it over to one side. The paddlers +sat on the cross bars--about two inches wide, Uhbesekun in the bows, +then Joseph, the Bishop and myself, Jimmy and William, and Esquimau in +the stern, six paddles in all, and we travelled at the rate of from +four to six miles an hour. + +About 1.30 p.m. rain began to fall, and the clouds threatened a storm. +We paddled on fast to a convenient landing-place, and then went ashore +for dinner, which we partook of under the tent, the rain pelting down +in torrents. However, it was merely a thunder-shower, and in the course +of an hour we were able to proceed. + +By four o'clock we had reached our first long portage--three miles in +length--and now began the tug of war. Esquimau and Uhbesekun got the +huge canoe mounted on their shoulders--one at either end of it--keeping +it in its position by ropes which they held as they walked, with their +arms outstretched. Then followed Joseph with the bag of flour (70 lb.) +carried by a portage strap, placed in true Indian style round his +forehead. Then started Jimmy with the tent, blankets, axe, and gun, and +the Bishop with his bundle of wraps hung on his umbrella. William +remained behind with me while I made a sketch. There was no great hurry +for us, as the canoe-bearers would have to return again to take the +remainder of the things. William's pack consisted of my camp-bed, +blankets, mat, coats, &c, and I had the Bishop's valise and some coats. +The portage track was narrow, raspberry canes and high grass almost +hiding the path; up hill and down hill, and across a creek. We soon met +the canoe-bearers going back for their second load, and a little +further on was Joseph, who had deposited his flour and come back to +meet us. + +The tents were already pitched when we reached the end of our tramp on +the shores of Lake Jessie, and soon our cook was at work baking bread +and frying pork for our evening meal. + +We were all tired, and went to bed about 9 o'clock, after uniting +together in singing and prayer under the open vault of heaven. "Sweet +hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, That calls me from a world of +care," was the hymn we sung. William shared my tent with me, and the +rest of the boys, with Uhbesekun, slept under the canoe. + +The next morning was bright, but with a headwind, we made slow +progress. We accomplished twelve miles across Lakes Jessie and Maria +and pulled up for dinner at Split Rock portage. Here was some of the +grandest scenery we had yet witnessed--high, towering rocks, their +crests clad with fir and birch-trees, the rapids rushing in a white +foaming torrent over the rocks in two rushing, roaring streams, divided +one from the other by a high, precipitous, rocky island. I made a +sketch, and we had dinner, and then, having accomplished the portage +once more, started paddling. It was not far to go this time. In half an +hour we had reached Bland portage, and everything again had to be +unladen and carried. Soon we were in the canoe again heading for the +opposite shore, with a new set of rapids on our right. Now for some +stiff work again, a long portage of about two-and-a-half miles. We each +took our packs and toiled away, getting into camp about 6 p.m. + +We were rather disappointed with the appearance of Lake Neepigon, with +its large unbroken line of horizon, land being almost too distant to be +visible. Our baggage was deposited on the face of a great slippery +rock, sloping down gradually into the deep water of the lake. A +favourable breeze was blowing, and as soon as we had dinner our blanket +sail was rigged up. When we were well out into the lake we found quite +a high sea running, and our canoe shipped water. Still we kept on, and +made about twenty miles before we put into an island for the night at +7:30 p.m. + +A disappointment awaited us next morning. A strong head-wind was +blowing. We started at 8 a.m., and made about twelve miles. It was very +rough, and the waves dashed over the prow of our frail canoe. We went +in to an island for dinner, and, the wind increasing, we were obliged +to remain there for the rest of the day. All our baking-powder was +gone, and we were reduced to "grease bread," i.e., flat cakes of flour +and water fried in pork fat. They make a good substitute for bread, but +are rather greasy. Joseph had shot a brace of ducks in the morning +before coming away, and one of them we had for supper; which, with some +potted beef and tea in a tin basin, made very good fare! + +_August 9th_--We packed up, got all on board, and started +precisely at 6:30. It was a head-wind and a high sea still, so we +proceeded only about one mile to another island, and then pulled in to +have breakfast and wait until the wind went down. At 1 p.m. we made a +start, and ran about five miles to another island. After running twelve +miles more we put in for supper. We calculated we had come fifty miles +on the lake, and had twenty miles more to go. The direct course was +sixty-five miles, but we had lost way by going into the bays. + +_August 10th_--We stopped two hours on the island where we landed +for supper last night, and then--it being bright moonlight, and the +wind having calmed down, we started again on a twenty mile stretch, +determined, if possible, to reach the H. B. C. Post at the head of Lake +Neepigon before midnight. + +The Bishop settled himself down in the bottom of the canoe, and +Uhbesekun, the four boys and myself, plied vigorously at our paddles-- +forty-two strokes per minute. It was a glorious night, and the keen air +put fresh strength into our muscles, so that we kept on untiringly for +nearly three hours. Just at 11 o'clock we came underneath a stupendous +cliff, its dark, rugged face glittering in the moonlight, extending far +up towards the sky above us, with a few ragged fir trees crowning its +summit. It was the grandest scenery we had seen yet. + +Our voices echoed as we passed beneath it, and we heard afterwards +that it was called Echo Rock. After passing the cliff, another mile or +so brought us to the Post. We had some difficulty in finding a camping +ground in the dark. The shore was rocky, and we had to cut out a place +in the thick bush on which to pitch our tents. The boys made up a large +fire, which was grateful in the chill night air, and soon we had the +pot boiling for tea. It was 1.30 a.m. when we got to bed, well tired +after our long paddle of seventy miles across the lake. + +Next morning the Bishop was the first one astir. About 8 a.m. I got up +and went with Uhbesekun to H. B. Co.'s store to buy baking-powder and +sugar, both of which we had run out of. Prices are high here, flour is +6_d_. a pound--at the Sault it is only 1 1/2_d_. Our cook had +only just woke up, and was rubbing his eyes when we got back. We were +glad to get "spider-bread" again (bread baked in a spider or frying-pan) +instead of grease bread. Several Indians came round. I had a very +interesting talk with a chief this morning. He and another man came +over in a canoe from an island close by, and Esquimau and myself talked +to them as they sat floating on the water, keeping the canoe off the +rocks with their paddles. The chief was certainly the most intelligent +Indian we had yet met with on our travels. He was greatly interested in +hearing about the Shingwauk Home, and said that if he had a son young +enough to go he would send him, but his children were all either grown +up or dead. + +We felt very thankful thus to meet one at length who will listen, and +who seems anxious for the improvement of his people. The old man's way +of speaking reminds me very much of "Little Pine" of Garden River, and +he appears to be a man of much the same stamp. Just after this a couple +of young boys visited our camp. One of them was a half-breed. They +carried bows and arrows, and were shooting squirrels. We gave them an +alphabet card. Most of the Indians just round the Post are Roman +Catholics, but those scattered over the lake, about 500 in number, are +nearly all pagans. The name of the chief with whom we talked this +morning is David Winchaub (Bowstring). + +We had tea about 7 o'clock, and then put our canoe in the water and +paddled over to the island to visit our friend the chief. He was +sitting cross-legged in a large tent, his summer residence, cooler +probably than a wigwam. Only Esquimau and Joseph were with me. We +entered the chiefs tent and soon got into conversation with him. + +I asked him if he would like me to relate to him the history of Little +Pine's conversion to Christianity. He said yes, and listened very +attentively, several times uttering ejaculations, as I recounted to him +how bewildered Little Pine had been about the many religions offered to +him when he was still a pagan some forty years ago; how he and his +father and other Indians made a journey of 300 miles in a canoe, and +then walked another 100 miles till they got to Toronto; how they went +to visit the Great Chief, Sir John Colborne, and asked his advice as to +what they should do about religion, and how Sir John Colborne said to +them, "This country belongs to the Queen. I belong to the Queen's +Church, and I think all you Indians, who are so loyal, ought to belong +to the Queen's Church too." And then, how Little Pine and his party +returned to Garden River, and ever since that time had been faithful +members of the Church of England. + +The Chief then made some remarks expressing his approval of what we +had told him, and said he quite understood all that we meant. + +I then asked him if he would like me to tell him what was written in +God's book, the Bible. There was only one Bible. French Christians and +English Christians were the same in that,--they had only one Bible. He +would see from what I would tell him whether it was the same as what he +had been taught. He said he was willing to hear and asked me to +proceed. As he was rather deaf, and I wanted him thoroughly to +understand. I asked Esquimau to interpret what I said instead of +speaking to him myself. As I dwelt on the universal sinfulness of +mankind, and urged that there was not a single one free from sin, the +Chief said emphatically, "Kagat, kagat, kagat, kagat! me suh goo +azhewabuk!" (Truly, truly, truly, truly, it is indeed so!) The boys and +myself then knelt and offered up prayer to God for this poor, ignorant, +yet eagerly-listening chief, and for his people, that they might be +taught the true way to life and eternal happiness. It was 9.30 p.m. +when we paddled back to our camp. We met as usual around the camp fire, +and each one repeated a verse of Scripture; then we knelt in the shade +of the dark bush, with the ripple of the water in our ears, and God's +heaven lighted up by His silvery moon, nearly at its full, and offered +up our confessions, and prayers, and praises to Almighty God before +retiring to rest. + +_Sunday, August 11th_--While I was dressing, William came to say +that a squaw had come in a canoe with fish to sell. I said, "No, we do +not buy fish on Sunday." So he gave her a piece of bread and sent her +away. We had arranged with the Chief to hold a short service in the +afternoon at his camp, so we passed the morning quietly among +ourselves, reading the first part of the Church prayers, chanting the +Psalms, and one lesson, and then the Bishop taught and catechised the +boys from the Gospel for the day (Matt. vii. 15). + +In the afternoon, about 4 p.m., we put our canoe in the water, and +leaving our pagan guide to take care of the tents, the Bishop, four +boys, and myself, paddled across the water to Winchaub's camp. After +waiting some little time, about sixteen or seventeen people gathered +together; being Roman Catholics, the Bishop thought it best not to +attempt a service, but merely to address them on the object of our +visit. So, after shaking hands with the Chief, the Bishop began.. He +spoke first of man's sin and the love of God in preparing a way of +salvation for us by the sacrifice of His own Son. Then he spoke of the +uselessness of mere formal religion, and that we must give our hearts +to God. The Bible, he said, teaches us to care for and to do good to +one another. Then he referred to our Industrial Home at Sault Ste. +Marie, and after urging the people to send their children to it, left +it to me to give a detailed account of the work of the Home. The +Indians listened attentively to all we said, and the Chief thanked the +Bishop, and said that he and the other men would talk together about +what they had heard, and later in the evening he would come over and +give the Bishop their answer. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +THIRTY YEARS WAITING FOR A MISSIONARY. + + +At 8 p.m. Chief Winchaub came over, having had a friendly cup of tea, +he delivered his promised answer.--The Indians, he said, approved all +that we had said; they were glad to see us, and that we had built this +big teaching wigwam for Indian boys, they would like to have their +children educated, but most of them thought it was too far to send +their children. He, for his part, if he had a child, would send him, +and another man was willing to send his little boy when older, at +present he was too young. We asked him about one promising-looking lad +we had seen, the dark-eyed boy with the bow and arrows. The Chief said +he had spoken to that boy's father, but he was not willing to send him, +it was too far, and he would never know how it fared with him. + +The Chief then said he had one other thing he wished to speak about,-- +there was one band of Indians on the lake, not belonging to him, who, +he understood, wished to embrace Christianity and become members of the +Church of England. At the time of the great council at Sault Ste. +Marie, thirty years ago, the great White Chief had told them that they +should have a Missionary of the English Church, and they had been +waiting for him ever since. After telling us this he bade us adieu and +left. + +We had already gone to bed, in preparation for an early start in the +morning, and I was lying awake, when my attention was attracted by the +splash of paddles and an animated conversation going on upon the water. + +Esquimau came to my tent and said, "One of those men that the Chief +was talking about has just arrived, and he has two boys with him." I +said to William, "This is God's doing," and we both got up and went out +to see the man; the Bishop also got up and came out. It was a most +interesting interview. We stirred up the dying embers of the camp fire +and sat around it on logs. This man, whose name we found was Mesten, +had travelled about forty miles, not knowing that we were here till he +met Esquimau. He said that he and his people, though at present pagans, +were prepared to accept the English religion. Their former chief, who +was now dead, had told them to do so thirty years ago. He had waited +for a Missionary to come until he died, and since then they had been +waiting on year after year; they would not accept the French religion, +but were waiting for an English Black-coat to come and teach them. + +He did not know how many they were in number, but he thought about a +hundred; our guide, Uhbesekun, he said, was one of their number. We +then made inquiries as to their location, and found it would take us +about ten miles out of our way to visit them. The Bishop was so +impressed with the evident leading of God's Providence in the matter +that even, though it might cause some alteration in our plans, we +determined to pay them a visit. + +_August 12th_.--Uhbesekun was commissioned to wake everyone at +half-past four, but I was the first to wake, and sent William to arouse +the others. A head-wind was blowing, so we had to paddle and row hard; +we accomplished about thirty miles in seven consecutive hours. We had +dinner on a rocky island, and then five or six miles more brought us to +the Indian encampment in Chiefs Bay. There were only two wigwams +visible, with six or seven people in each, a few canoes on the shore, +and seven or eight large dogs prowling about. After introducing +ourselves to the men and telling them the object of our visit, we +paddled on about a mile further to deposit our baggage at the portage, +and left two boys and the guide to light a fire and erect the tents, +and then the Bishop, Joseph, William, and myself, returned to the +Indian camp. The men were away when we got there, so I sat down and +made a sketch of the camp and our boys showed the photograph of the +Shingwauk Home to the women, and told them all about it. By this time +the men had returned, a fish-box was brought for the "Big black-coat" +to sit on, and a tub turned up for me, and then the pow-wow began. + +The Bishop briefly related what had led us to visit them, how one of +their number had fallen in with us the night before, and had told us +that they were desirous of embracing the English religion, and so we +had come on purpose to see them. + +There were two principal men listening to us, and they several times +expressed their approval as the Bishop proceeded. One of them then +replied at length. He said, "Thirty years ago all the Indian Chiefs were +called together at the Rapids (Sault Ste. Marie) to meet the Great White +Chief in order to make a treaty with him about surrendering their lands +to the Queen, My father was chief at that time; his name was +Muhnedooshans. The Great White Chief (Sir John Robinson) made a treaty +with us. We were each to receive L6 a year as an annuity. My father +often spoke to us about it when he was alive. My eldest brother is now +our chief; his name is Cheyadah. The chieftainship has been in our +family for many generations past. We still carry out the precepts of our +father; we do not do as the other Indians do. The Great White Chief gave +my father a paper which showed the boundaries of the land set apart for +our use by the Queen. My eldest brother now has this paper. My father +said to us, 'Do not travel about all the time as the other Indians do, +but settle upon this land and farm like the white people do.' We obey +the precepts of our father. We have already cleared some land, and every +year we plant potatoes. We cannot do much more than this until we have +some one to teach us. We have built also three log-houses like the white +people. Some of us live in these houses in the winter time. Our land is +about four miles in extent. At present it is our fishing season, so we +are scattered about fishing, and live in wigwams as you see us now. This +is how we gain our living. Another thing that the Great White Chief said +to my father was, that we should not join the French religion, but he +would send us an English black-coat to teach us. So every year my father +was waiting for the English teacher to come; he waited on in vain, year +after year, and died a pagan. His last words to us were that we should +still wait for an English teacher to come, and that when he came we must +receive him well and ask him to open a school for our children to be +taught. He also told us never to sell our land to the white people, but +always to keep it, and not to scatter about, but to keep together. Thus +to this present day have we kept to the precepts of our father, and we +now welcome you as the English teachers that our father told us to look +for." + +The Bishop then spoke again, and told them that he felt most thankful +in his heart to hear their words; he was very thankful that the Great +Spirit had directed his steps to come and see them. He had it in his +heart to do all he could for them; he was sorry that he could not at +once send them a teacher; that was impossible for the present. All that +he could offer was to take one or two of their boys into our +Institution at Sault Ste. Marie. Then, at the Bishop's request, I gave +the people a full account of the origin and history of our Shingwauk +Home, much the same as I had said to Chief Winchaub the night before. +They seemed much interested, though afraid to send any children on +account of the great distance. + +After this the conversation became general. They told us their names; +they said they were very thankful we had come to see them; they knew the +white man was right about religion, for he knew everything, their knives +and axes and clothing were all made by white men; Indians were poor and +ignorant, and needed to be taught. They had almost given up looking for +a Missionary. When they went to the Hudson Bay Post in the spring, they +were told they had better join the Roman Catholics, but they said, No, +they would still wait, and they were glad now that they had done so. I +then made a list of the heads of families and the number belonging to +each, the total being about seventy. We showed them a hymn-book printed +in Indian at the Shingwauk Home, which interested them greatly, though +at first they held it upside down. Then I showed them the Indian +Testament, and told them this was the Book that God had given to us. +They handled it very reverently, and answered readily in the affirmative +when asked if they would like to hear some of the words it contained. I +read part of the 8th chapter of St. Mark, about the feeding of the four +thousand, the curing of the blind man, and our Lord's words about the +worth of the soul. The people listened most intently, indicating their +wonderment by suppressed ejaculations as I read anything that especially +struck them, such, for instance, as the fact that 4000 men were fed with +the loaves and fishes; but what produced the most intense attention was +the account of our Lord's mockery, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. Their +sympathy with the suffering Saviour was most marked, and their simple +astonishment most evident when I came to the part about the stone rolled +away and the angels telling the women that Jesus was risen from the dead. + +When we were preparing to go back to our camp, Oshkahpuhkeda said to +me, "Well, if my son is not too big, you may take him with you; I know +I shall be sad without him, I shall weep often for him, but I want him +to be taught, and I will try to control myself until he returns to see +me next summer." I said I should be very glad to take the boy, and +would treat him as my son, and I would write to the Hudson Bay +Company's agent at Red Rock, that through him he might hear how his son +fared, and next summer his boy should go back to him, and he need not +send him again unless he wished. I also asked him whether he would be +willing that the lad should be baptized after he had received +instruction. "Yes, yes," he said, "that is what I wish; I wish my son +to be educated and brought up as a Christian. My wife," he continued, +"is dead; I also have a sickness working in my body--perhaps I shall +not live long. If I die, I wish you to take all my children: this boy +who is going with you, his brother whom you saw with Meshen last night, +this little girl sitting here (about ten years old), and that papoose,-- +you may have them all and bring them up as Christians." + +We thought it would be better to take the younger of the two boys, if +Meshen (with whom he had gone) should get back in time, and to this the +father also agreed. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +THE PAGAN BOY--NINGWINNENA. + + +We returned with thankful hearts to our camp. The Bishop was much +impressed, and said it reminded him of Cornelius, who was waiting, +prepared for the visit of the Apostle Peter; and for my part I thought +of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, whose followers carried out to the +letter the precepts of their father. + +At our meeting for prayer that evening I said to Uhbesekun, "I hear +that you belong to these people whom we have been talking to. Will you +not join us to-night in our prayers?" So Uhbesekun instead of going +away, as had been his custom, remained with us, wrapped in his blanket +on the ground near the camp fire, and when we knelt for prayer he also +turned over with his face toward the earth. + +Oshkahpuhkeda came over in good time the next day according to +promise, with his two boys. The younger one was to go with us. His name +is Nin-gwin-ne-na, and he is a quiet, gentle lad of thirteen or +fourteen. The father repeated his wish that we should take all his +children in the event of his death, and took an affectionate leave of +his son. "I know I shall lie awake at night and grieve the loss of my +boy." he said, "we Indians cannot bear to be parted from our children, +but it is right that he should go. If my heart is too heavy for me to +bear, I shall come to Red Rock and get on the Fire Ship and come to see +him." I took the boy by the hand and said, "Ningwinnena shall be my son +while he is away from you; I will take great care of him." The Bishop +also said, "We will take good care of your son, and shall hope to come +and see you again." Then Ningwinnena followed me along the portage track. + +Arriving once more on the shore of the lake, we found a favourable +wind blowing, and put up a blanket for a sail. We had thirty miles to +go to bring us to Flat Rock, where we should leave the lake and make +our first portage inland. We reached it at five minutes to four, the +portage occupied fifty minutes, and soon we were launched once more on +Sturgeon Lake. A heavy thunderstorm came on, and continued during the +time we wended our way through the narrow, stony creek which connects +Sturgeon Lake with the river Neepigon. The Bishop and myself sat in the +canoe with our mackintoshes on while the boys waded along knee deep in +the water, and twice we had to get out and pick our way along the +stepping stones as there was not water enough for the canoe. By-and-bye +we emerged on the broad Neepigon river, and its swift current now bore +us quickly along upon our course to Long Pine portage, where we were to +camp for the night. It had now ceased raining; it was 7.30 p.m., and we +had travelled forty miles. The tents were pitched, a fire lighted, +supper consumed, prayers round the camp-fire as usual, the new boy +Ningwinnena joining with us, and then we retired for the night, three +boys and the guide under the canoe, and myself and two boys in the tent. + +_August_ 14_th_.--Esquimau came to call up the cook at 4 +a.m. He and Uhbesekun were to carry the canoe across the portage, and +return here for breakfast before conveying the remainder of the +baggage, hence the early start. We had only twenty miles more to go, +and expected to reach Reed Rock in the evening, which was according to +the programme we had made before starting. + +Ningwinnena seems to be a very nice boy, and quick at taking things +in. He has that gentleness of disposition peculiar to savage life, and +follows me about like a faithful hound. Last night I gave him his first +lesson in the alphabet, and I never saw any boy make such rapid +progress; he could say the alphabet through in half-an-hour, although +at first not knowing A from B, and a little while after he was spelling +and reading such short words as dog, cat, man, fish. He must come of a +good stock. He was also most handy in putting up my tent last night, +and rolling up my camp bed this morning, seeming to take in at once the +right way to do things. + +The day has passed, and we are once more back at our Neepigon +encampment, having arrived in the middle of pouring rain at 5.10 p.m. +The three boys were very pleased to see us back, and we went up to Mr. +McLellan's house for supper. He has been most kind in supplying us with +milk and fresh butter. + +_August_ 16_th_.--The morning opened with a heavy mist, +threatening clouds and wind. Hoping for a change for the better, we +took down our tents, and by 9 a.m. all was packed on board _The +Missionary_,--then, as was our custom, the boys gathered in a +semicircle, a hymn was sung, a portion of Scripture read, and prayer +offered, Ningwinnena standing beside me and looking curiously at my +book as I read. By the time we started, the wind had become favourable +and we made a splendid run, getting into Pugwash Bay at 5.30 p.m. Eight +or ten birch bark canoes on the shore told us the whereabouts of the +Indians, though no wigwams were visible, the bush being so thick; as we +neared the shore, the people began to show themselves, men, women, and +children starting up one after another from amid the dense foliage and +gazing at us with curious eyes. There were about seventy people, though +nearly half of them were away. Some had been baptized by the Jesuits, +others were pagans. After ascertaining these facts we paddled along the +shore a little way to a sandy beach, where we made our camp. Our three +tents were pitched in the thick of the bush like the Indians, and a +huge fire lighted in the middle as the weather had become autumnal and +chilly. + +These poor people seem to have nothing to eat as a rule except fish +and small animals; and they sat and lay around like half-starved dogs +while we partook of our evening meal. Two or three of them brought +raspberries for which we gave them bread in exchange, and we invited +one man, who seemed to be something of a chief among them, to take +supper with the boys. These Indians are of a very low type, and are +very dirty, appearing to have no idea of anything beyond pork and flour. + +I went to see an old man who had been baptized about a year ago by the +Roman Catholics, and read the Bible to him. His wife was still a pagan, +but they both listened attentively while I read and seemed glad to be +visited. + +_August_ 19_th_.--By 8.15 a.m. we were fairly out on the +bay. I steered and the boys rowed till the wind being favourable, we +hoisted our sails and made a good start, winding our way for some miles +among islands, and then coming out on the open lake. The wind fell, and +the last part of the way we had to row, which made us late in getting +to Pic Island,--and a hard matter indeed it was to get in. In the dim +twilight we could see nothing but high, forbidding rocks, with the dark +rippling waves lapping their sides. Being on the side of the island +exposed to the lake, we could not think of attempting to land until we +should find a secure harbour for our boat, for a sudden storm rising in +the night would knock her to pieces on such a coast. At length, groping +about among the rocks, we espied a crevice into which it appeared +_The Missionary_ would just fit. But, oh! what a place for the +night! High, slippery rocks, piled about us by some giant hand, no wood +for a fire, no grass, no place for a camp--nothing but sharp ledges and +points of rocks. The boys clambered about with their shoeless feet like +cats, and we heard them shouting,--"This is where I am going to sleep! +This is where I shall sleep!" The Bishop groaned and said, "I shall +remain on the boat." + +I, for my part, followed the boys, and presently found a sort of small +cavern under a ledge of rock, into which I had my camp-bed carried, and +having lighted a candle, sent Esquimau to bring the Bishop. It was +really most comfortable, and, moreover, in the corner of the cavern we +found a dry log, probably washed there by the waves in a storm; and +with this log we lighted a fire and made some tea, and so--after all-- +we had quite a cosy time of it. + +_August_ 20_th_.--We all slept sweetly till about 5 a.m., +when I think we awoke simultaneously; at any rate we were all on the +stir soon after that hour. And now we were hungry, and there was no +bread, no fire, and no wood, and fourteen miles to get to the mainland, +and a head-wind. What was to be done? By the kindly light of day we +discovered that our position was not so distressing as we had at first +imagined. A little way over the rocks was a shore with drift-wood lying +on it, our cook was despatched with the frying-pan and his bag of +flour, and after all we did famously. + +Before starting off we joined in repeating the morning psalms. We had +a hard pull against a steady head-wind, and could only make two miles +an hour, so that it was a little after three when we reached Pic River; +and having run the boat on to a sandy shore, carried up our things and +prepared our camp. + +After eight more day's sailing, we reached the Shingwauk again, where +a warm welcome awaited us. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + +BAPTIZED--BURIED. + + +"I know I shall lie awake at night and grieve at the loss of my boy,--we +Indians cannot bear to be parted from our children, but it is right that +he should go." Such were the words of the pagan Indian on the shores of +Lake Neepigon, when he parted from his loved son Ningwinnena, and gave +him up to return with us. I remembered those words,--and often over the +camp fire--as we journeyed home I looked across at my adopted son and +thought, I will take the very best care I can of you and I trust that +by-and-bye it may please God for you to return and do a good work among +your people. Such a nice intelligent boy he was,--such gentle eyes, and +such a trustful look,--he seemed quite to accept me as his father and +guardian, and was always ready to give a helping hand, and he learned +with marvellous rapidity. Our arrival at Sault Ste. Marie was quite a +new era in his life,--the steamboats, the shops, and people;--few of +course in comparison to places further south--but multitudes compared to +the Neepigon region, and he had never seen a horse in his life till he +reached the Sault. + +It was a great pleasure to me preparing this dear boy for baptism, +there were two other pagan lads from Michipicoten and I had them in a +class together. I had good reason to hope and believe that all of them +embraced the truth and accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. The +three boys were baptized by Bishop Fauquier at St. Luke's Church, Sault +Ste. Marie, on the 27th of October; the Bishop took a great fancy to +Ningwinnena, became his godfather, and gave him his own name, +Frederick. Everyone indeed loved the Neepigon boy; he was so gentle in +his ways, so quiet and polite in his manner, and made such quaint +efforts to converse in English. He seemed so pleased too at any little +attention shown him. + +But, poor boy, he was soon laid on the bed of sickness. His mother had +died of consumption, and that terrible hereditary disease was secretly +sapping his life. At Christmas time he was ill with bronchitis and +inflammation of the lungs. + +From this attack he never thoroughly recovered. There was a hollowness +of the cheek, and an unnatural brightness about the eye, and yet +otherwise, he had become well enough again to occupy his place in +school and pursue his studies with the other boys. Just after +recovering from this illness he wrote a short note in English to the +Bishop, composed by himself, in pencil. "Me not learn much book, all +the time sick me," and so forth. + +Shortly after this he was much delighted at receiving a letter from +his father. His poor father spoke of the longing he felt to see his +loved son once more, and how anxiously he was looking forward to the +spring, when he hoped to see him again. The Bishop also kindly wrote to +him in reply to his little letter--exhorting him to try and live as God +tells us to do in the Book which He has given to us; and concluding +with the earnest hope that when he died, he might go to that happy +place where the Saviour Jesus Christ is preparing to receive all who +truly love him, "Goodbye, my dear boy," added the Bishop, "may God +bless, and make you good." This letter Frederick fondly treasured to +the time of his death, and afterwards expressed his desire to see the +Bishop again. + +On Sunday, March 28th, Frederick was at church in the Sault with the +other boys. There was administration of the Holy Communion, and the +other boys who had been confirmed remained to partake. Frederick +remained with them and innocently came up with the rest to kneel at the +rails. I was very sorry to turn him back, but whispered to him in +Indian, that only those who were confirmed were about to take the +Sacrament, and he quietly withdrew to his seat. Afterwards I explained +it to him, and, a day or two subsequently, wrote to the Bishop asking +him to arrange, if possible, to hold a confirmation before the boys +dispersed for their holidays, so that Frederick, among others, might be +confirmed. Had I known that he was so soon to die, and that in his last +illness he would not be sufficiently conscious to partake intelligently +of the sacred feast, I would not have turned the dear boy back. Too +often do we, perhaps, unwittingly act the part of the disciples who +hindered the little children in their approach to Jesus. + +On Sunday evening, April 27th, Frederick came in for a little talk +with me after service. He seemed very earnest and spoke very nicely of +his trust in the Saviour. I said to him (in Indian) I want you to get +quite well, Frederick, before you go home, perhaps your father will be +angry with me if he sees you sick. He looked up in my face to see if I +meant what I said, and, seeing me smile, replied, "No, I am sure he +will not be angry. He entrusted me to you. My grandfather said, before +he died, that we were to wait for an English teacher, and that when he +came we must listen to him, and do what he told us. That is why my +father gave me up to you." + +The dear boy seemed to have some presentiment that he might not live, +and expressed himself on the subject in his broken English to one of +our little children who had taken him up some canned peaches. "All the +time my head just like broke. All the time sick me. By-and-bye I guess +me dead." + +A few days after, severe symptoms set in, and the doctor was sent for. +Frederick became delirious and had to be watched constantly both night +and day. We never have any difficulty in procuring night watchers among +our Indian boys. Quite a forest of hands generally goes up when the +question is put after evening prayers. "Who will stay up to watch to- +night?" Two boys stay at a time, and the change is made every three or +four hours. + +For three days and nights poor Frederick lay in a perfectly +unconscious state, taking neither medicine or nourishment. The doctor +pronounced it to be organic disease of the brain, the result of a +consumptive tendency in his system, and gave but faint hope of his +recovery. Day and night we watched him; and were glad when on the +fourth day he showed signs of returning consciousness. His brain never +seemed to become quite clear, but he had intervals of intelligence, +during which he would often answer questions and attempt to repeat +verses of Scripture. The verse "Suffer little children to come unto +Me," he said through. He attempted also "God so loved the world," but +only got as far as "believeth in Him." Two nights before he died, he +tried to say the Lord's prayer, but it seemed to be an effort to him; +at the words, "as it is in heaven," he stopped, and after a pause, +said, "can't say 'my Father.' Too much runaway me." + +After a pause I asked him--"Who was it that died on the Cross for us, +Frederick?" He rambled for a moment or two, and then, as the meaning of +my question flashed upon him, spoke out in clear accents "Jesus +Christ." Very little longer was he to live. We had prayed earnestly, +constantly, for his recovery, but it was not God's will. On Saturday +evening, after prayers, I perceived that he was sinking, and told the +boys who were watching him that I did not think he would live through +the night. He was breathing heavily and quickly. He would take no +notice when spoken to, and could not swallow. An hour or two sped by, +it was ten o'clock, and he was now gasping frequently for breath, his +pulse being scarcely perceptible. I called to his bedside those boys +who had made the Lake Superior trip with me last summer, and we stood +watching him. Then as his end drew near, we knelt and I offered up the +beautiful commendatory prayer for the sick, and we joined in repeating +the Lord's prayer. As we rose from our knees the dear boy gave one more +faint gasp for breath and expired. How wonderful are the ways of God, +how little can we understand His dealings. But the very essence of +faith is the trusting in God when we do not understand His dispensations. + +We had earnestly hoped that Frederick's father would have arrived in +time to see his boy's body before its burial, and for that reason we +kept it twelve days packed in ice, and I wrote to him and sent money +for his passage. But it was not so to be. The Manitoba arrived at +midnight on Wednesday, the 28th of May, but instead of the father, came +a letter from him full of expectancy and longing to see his loved son. +This seemed to make it sadder still. The letter was dated May 12th; it +was written evidently for him by some white man at the Post; and said +that he was patiently waiting at Red Rock, with his son Muqua, for +Frederick to return; it also enclosed money for the boy's passage on +the steamboat. + +The day after I received this letter, we buried Frederick. I prepared +a slab for his grave, on which were inscribed the words--"_Frederick +Oshkahpukeda_, a boy from the wild regions of Lake Neepigon. Was +baptized a Christian, Oct. 27th, 1878: and was taken home to his +Saviour, May 17th, 1879;--aged fourteen." "'Blessed are the dead which +die in the Lord.'" The Bishop read the service at the grave. + +Sometime after, I received the following touching letter from the poor +pagan father; written for him by some friend who understood Indian. + +"_Red Rock, May_ 31_st_, 1879. + +DEAR SIR,--I learn that my poor boy is dead, so that our talk is dead, +for I will not send any more of my children to the Home; but if you +want to follow out the engagement you made then, put up a schoolhouse +somewhere round here, so that our children may learn, for after what +has happened I don't think that any of the Indians at Neepigon will let +their children go to the Home. + +I don't think that we will be able to visit the grave of my poor boy. +I would have been very glad if you could have sent the body in the +steamer. + +I feel very sorry for what has happened, my heart is sore. I do not +know what to do. + +Did not my poor boy say anything before he died? Surely he said +something about his father! If so, let me know when you write. I do not +blame anybody about the death of my boy, but I am most happy for the +care you have taken with him. I want you to send me an alphabet, and a +small book with words of two or three letters, about the school. I have +nothing more to say at present. I am very sick at heart. My respects to +you, and I hope to see you soon, or hear from you about my son's last +words. I would like very much to know. + +Your sincere friend, + +OSHKAHPUKEDA. + +P.S.--Tell all the boys I send them my love; and the boy that he loved +best I shall think him my son. Good-bye." + + * * * * * + +A year after this, Oshkahpukeda, and a number of the other Indians of +Lake Neepigon were baptized; the site for a Mission was selected, and a +roughly built log school-house with bark roof was constructed, also +another log-house for a teacher. Joseph Esquimau, a pupil of the +Shingwauk Home was placed in charge of the Mission temporarily, and +conducted services, and taught school very successfully. In the summer +of 1881, the Rev. R. Renison, was appointed by the Bishop to take +charge of the Mission, and moved there with his family. Several of the +Indians had by that time built log-houses for themselves, and the +village is called Ningwinnenang, after the boy who died. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + +THE WAWANOSH HOME. + + +The spot selected for the Wawanosh Home was rather more than a mile +above the village of Sault Ste. Marie. I bought five acres of bush land +at three pounds an acre as a site for the Institution, and a ten-acre +cultivated lot, just opposite, for L60. + +Immediately after making the purchase, we took all our boys up there +for a "clearing bee;" they hoisted the Union Jack on the site of the +new Home, and within a few days had cleared a considerable piece of +land and commenced digging the foundations. It was to be a stone +building of two storeys high with a frontage of about forty-five feet, +and a wing running back, and to cost about L700. During the summer our +boys got out all the stone necessary for building, most of it was +collected on the Shingwauk land, and they were paid 20 cents a cord for +piling it. + +We were anxious as soon as possible to get the new Home into +operation. After the summer of 1876 no girls returned to the Shingwauk, +and we doubled our number of boys. It seemed hard to shut the girls out +from the privileges of Christian care and education, and we were +naturally desirous of receiving back as soon as possible those whom we +had already commenced teaching. For this reason we thought it well at +once to make a beginning by erecting the back wing of the Institution +first. During the winter stone and sand were hauled, and on the 5th of +May, 1877, building operations commenced. We took the contract +ourselves. I had a good practical man as carpenter at the Shingwauk, +and we got our plans and specifications; then an estimate was made, and +after being approved by a third party--a person experienced in such +matters--the work began. Mrs. Fauquier, our Bishop's wife, and two or +three other ladies kindly joined with me as a committee to manage the +Institution, a lady was engaged as lady Superintendent, a man and wife +as gardener and matron, and about the first week in September the girls +began to arrive. + +We only took ten girls that winter, as we were of course cramped for +room. + +It was rather uphill work bringing into operation the Wawanosh Home, +but difficulties during the progress of a work often have the effect of +making it more solid and strong in the end. To induce Sunday Schools +and friends to aid us, I divided the estimated cost of the building +with its fittings and furniture, into forty-four lots, and a +considerable number of these lots were "taken up." Still we were short +of money. When the Spring of 1878 came, all our money for building was +gone, and the fund to meet current expenses, even with only ten girls +to provide for, was found to be insufficient. It was very discouraging. +Sorrowfully I told our lady Superintendent that we must close the +Institution for the present,--and sorrowfully I dismissed the girls for +their holidays and told them that they must not come back until they +heard from me that we were able to receive them. + +But God heard our prayers and opened the way for us. + +On Sunday Sept. 7th, I had just returned from Garden River where I had +been to hold service with the Indians, and on my arrival found a sail- +boat lying at our dock. An Indian had come over a hundred miles and had +brought five little girls for the Wawanosh Home. Two of them had been +with us the winter before and had misunderstood me about coming back, +and the other three were new ones,--they all looked so happy and +pleased. But their faces fell when I explained to the man our +circumstances, that we had closed for want of funds, and could not see +our way towards re-opening for the present. The Indian said it seemed +very hard to have come such a long distance and then to have to go all +the way back again. "Can you not manage to take them," he said; "I will +help you all I can,--I will bring you some barrels of fish in the Fall" + +I told the man they could all remain with us that night, and I would +let him know what could be done after I had thought it over. I went to +see Mrs. Fauquier, and the other ladies came together, and we talked it +over and had much earnest prayer. It seemed to us all that it was the +hand of God pointing out the way, and that we ought to have faith to go +on. The end of it was that we kept those five children; the lady who +had had charge of the Home the previous winter most generously agreed +to remain for another year at a reduced salary and to do without the +services of a matron. And so the Wawanosh Home was open again. + +Two weeks later I received a letter from England: "I have good news to +tell you. Miss ---- wrote a few days ago to ask how much money was +wanted to complete the Girls' Home. We sent her word that the original +estimate was L700, and that about L500 had been collected. I to-day +received from her a cheque for L350! Of this L100 is her annual +subscription, and L250 for the completion of the Home. You will I am +sure look on it as God's gift in answer to the prayer of faith." The +following January a letter came from the Indian Department at Ottawa, +saying that the Government had in reply to my request, made a grant of +L120 towards the building expenses of the Wawanosh Home, and that this +grant would be continued annually, provided there were not less than +fifteen girls, towards the maintenance of the Institution. + +Thus did Almighty God open the way for us, and clear away all our +difficulties. By the middle of the summer of 1879 the building was +completed, the ground in front cleared and formed into a garden, with a +picket fence and two gates, and a drive up to the front door, and at +the back a stable, cow-house, pig-styes, &c. + +The cottage on the other side of the road was now occupied by Mrs. +Bridge, the laundress, and a year or two later, we built a new laundry. + +The new Home was opened on the 19th of August, 1879, and that winter +we had fourteen girls. + +The following letter from an English lady who visited the Wawanosh +Home in the summer of 1880, gives a good idea of the Institution and +its surroundings:-- + +"I drove to see the Indian girls' Home, and was surprised to find in +these wilds such an English stone building, but with the advantage of a +nice verandah and green blinds which keep the house cool in summer. The +inside of the house I thought very, nice; all the rooms are high and of +a good size; a hall, school-room, class-room, and dining-room, and +prettily furnished sitting-room for the lady superintendent, a laundry, +and good kitchen with a large stove--all these are on the ground floor. +Upstairs there is a large dormitory with eight double beds and a smaller +one with four beds. These rooms are more airy and give more space to +each girl than in many institutions I have seen in England. A small room +is set apart for the sick. The lavatory is well fitted up, and +everything is clean and neat. The girls do the work partly themselves +under the matron, and learn to become servants. The Home has only been +fully opened a year, so of course it is still rough round the house, but +soon the ground will be laid out. On one side of the house will be the +vegetable garden, which the girls will be taught to keep weeded and in +order. On the other side of the house the committee intend putting up a +gymnasium with money a lady in England has collected: It is a room very +much wanted, for, in the winter, with the snow three to four, and +sometimes five feet deep, it is impossible to send children out, and if +they do not get exercise they would suffer. The room is to be 40 feet by +20, with one end divided off for a meat-house and tool-house; when I say +a meat-house I mean a place to keep meat, for they kill cattle and sheep +enough for the winter at the beginning of the very cold weather, it +freezes hard and keeps well. The gymnasium will, when finished, only +cost about 200 dollars. The children look very happy and very little +amuses them. I showed them some English village children's games, and +left them delighted." + +There is always a "but," that is, kind friends are wanted to provide +for some of the new girls just come to the Home. If any one would give +or collect four shillings a week, that is sufficient to feed a child. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + +A SAD WINTER. + + +The winter of 1882 was a sad time. There was great mortality all +through the country, and our Homes did not escape. + +Our kind friend, Mrs. Fauquier, who, though a constant invalid, had +done very much to promote the interests and welfare of our Girls' Home, +was called away to the Heavenly Rest on the 4th of November, 1881. +During the last few years of her life she had made the Wawanosh Home +her special care, her work for Christ. Those girls were always in her +thoughts: she it was who devised their uniform dress of blue serge +trimmed with scarlet, and got friends in England to supply them; she +chose the furniture for the Home and fitted the lady superintendent's +rooms so prettily and tastefully. Many were the kind words of counsel +that the girls received from her, and it used to be her delight to have +them to visit her in the afternoon at the See House. + +Only a month had passed after we heard of Mrs. Fauquier's death,--she +died in New York,--when the appalling tidings reached us that the +Bishop, too, was gone. He had died suddenly in Toronto on December 7th. +In the same mail bag which brought the sad news was a letter to me from +him, written only an hour or two before he died. + +"The sad void," he wrote, "which my dear wife's departure hence has +made seems to grow wider and deeper; and it seems difficult to settle +down to work as of old. I must try to realize more fully than I have +done in the past what a blessing her presence for more than thirty +years has been. How true it is that we seldom appreciate our blessings +and privileges until they are taken from us." + +The church at Sault Ste. Marie was draped with black the following +Sunday, and the Indian children of the Homes wore black scarves in +token of respect for him who had had their welfare so much at heart. + +The next death was that of our carpenter's wife: she had been ailing +all through the previous autumn, and died January 2nd. + +Then three days later we lost one of the Indian boys, a little fellow +named Charlie Penahsewa, who had only been with as a few months. We +buried him the next day in our little cemetery at 7 p.m. The boys +carried torches. + +Several other boys were at this time in the sick room, two or three +also of the Wawanosh girls were ill, and the doctor was to and fro at +both the Homes. + +Poor little Beaconsfield, one of the Michipicotin boys who had been +baptized at the same time as Frederick, was among the sick. His only +name when he first came to us, nearly five years before, was Chegauns +(little man close by); he was a little wild pagan boy, but with soft +eyes and gentle disposition, like Frederick, and was very quick to +learn. A kind lady in Kingston undertook his support, and took great +interest in him, and at her wish we named him "Benjamin Beaconsfield." +We had every reason to hope and believe that there was a work of grace +in his heart. The little fellow had a tender conscience, and would come +and tell me if he had been playing on Sunday or had told an untruth, +and would ask me to pray for him. Another boy in the sick room was +little Peter, Peterans as we called him [ans at the end of a word makes +its diminutive]; he was a grandchild of my old friend, widow Quakegwah, +at Sarnia. We sent him and another little fellow who was ailing to the +Wawanosh, for change of air and more careful nursing. But it was all in +vain. Beaconsfield died on the 16th of January, and little Peter died +at the Wawanosh on the 8th of February. They were both buried in our +little cemetery. + +After this I had to go down to Toronto to attend to diocesan matters, +and was away about two months, going through the Muskoka district, and +being present in Montreal when the Provincial Synod met, and our new +Bishop, Dr. Sullivan, was unanimously elected. + +When I returned to the Shingwauk things looked brighter; the sick room +was empty, and every one seemed more cheery. But our hopes were doomed +to be disappointed. I had only been home three days when my dear boy, +William Sahgucheway, the captain of our school, was taken suddenly ill +with inflammation, and a day or two later we were in the greatest alarm +about him. I felt about him as I had about Frederick--that surely his +life would be spared to us, he of all others was the one whom we looked +to as the pride and hope of our Institution; he was nineteen years of +age, and was looking forward and preparing for the ministry. But it was +not to be. God had called him, and eight days after he was taken ill +and died. In the next chapter I shall give a little account of his life. + +Three days after William was buried, the bodies of our late dear +Bishop and Mrs. Fauquier arrived in charge of two of their sons, it +having been their expressed wish to be buried in our little cemetery +with our Indian children. On Monday, the 22nd, the long funeral cortege +moved slowly to the cemetery. There was a large gathering of people +both from the Canadian and American sides--people of all classes and +creeds. First, the clergy in their surplices, then the Indian boys, two +and two, one of them, who had been supported by the late Bishop, +carrying a banner with the words, "He rests from his labours;" then +came the hearse bearing the late Bishop's remains, with four horses, +all draped, and the Wawanosh girls followed, one of them bearing a +banner with the words, "She is not dead, but sleepeth;" then the +hearse, and members of the family and other mourners--a long mournful +procession. A vault had been prepared, and the coffins, covered with +flowers, were laid within it, and the latter part of the Burial Service +read. Thus the good, kind-hearted, self-sacrificing Bishop, the first +Bishop of this wild Missionary diocese, and his afflicted yet devoted +wife, who had laboured so earnestly for the welfare of the Indians +during the latter part of their lives, were now laid side by side in +the Indian cemetery to await the joyful resurrection to eternal life. + +The very next grave to the Bishop's was that of Frederick, the +Neepigon boy. + +Before the summer holidays commenced, the cemetery gate had once more +to be opened and the earth once more to be turned, for another boy, +Simon Altman, from Walpole Island, was dead. This was the fifth boy who +had died during the winter, not from any malignant disease or fever, +but from various causes, and seven bodies in all had been committed to +the silent dust. For a time we were afraid that the saddening effect +of so many deaths would lead to a complete break up of our work, as the +Indians are of course very superstitious and might be afraid to send +any more of their children to us. + +Next autumn our number at both the Homes was very much reduced, still +we were able to keep on, and now our pupils are once more steadily on +the increase. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +WILLIAM SAHGUCHEWAY. + + +William Sahgucheway was born on the Indian Reserve of Walpole Island +about the year 1862, the exact date is not known. His father and mother +both died eight or ten years ago, and since then he had lived with an +uncle and aunt, of both of whom he was very fond. He had two younger +brothers, but no sisters. One of the brothers, Elijah, was a pupil with +William at the Shingwauk Home for two or three years. He left when the +Home was temporarily closed in the spring of 1880, and before it had +re-opened he had been called home to his Saviour. William felt the death +of his little brother very deeply. In a letter dated June 4th he says, +"Last Sunday my brother Elijah died: but now he is with Jesus and the +angels. This text he had in his Bible. 'Blessed are the dead which die +in the Lord' (Rev. xiv. 13); and also the Bible was dated May 30th, +1879. This is important to me, like if it were telling me how he died +and when he died." + +William Sahgucheway came first to the Shingwauk Home on the 17th of +June, 1875. I had paid a visit to Walpole Island that summer, and +William was one who, in company with five or six other children, came +back with me to Sault Ste. Marie. He was at that time a bright, +intelligent looking lad of twelve or thirteen years of age, and being +an orphan, he was made rather a special favourite from the first; the +attachment grew, and soon the boy learned to look upon me as his +father, and always commenced his letters "My dear Noosa" (father) when +writing to me. William like the other boys in the Institution, was +supported by the contributions of Sunday school children, and it was +quite hoped that he would at no distant day have become a student at +Huron Theological College. + +William's Indian name was "Wahsashkung"--shining light. A most +appropriate name, for his presence always seemed to bring light and +happiness; he was always so cheerful, so ready to help, so self- +denying; grown people and little children were equally his friends. +We always regarded that verse in Matt. v. as specially his verse,--"Let +your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and +glorify your Father which is in heaven." + +William accompanied me on many of my travels. He was with me on the +shores of Lake Neepigon in 1878, when that pagan tribe was discovered, +who for thirty years had been waiting for a Missionary to come to them. +He befriended the pagan boy, Ningwinnena, and taught him to pray and +love his Saviour. And when the poor boy died at Christian, six months +after entering the Institution, William was among those who knelt at +his bedside and watched his last expiring breath. In 1879 William +accompanied me to England, and while there wrote a little journal of +his travels, extracts from which were published. Wherever he went he +made friends, and many white people on both sides of the Atlantic will +long remember his bright, intelligent face, his gentle voice, and kind +obliging manner. + +In the spring of 1880, when I was dangerously ill and my life +despaired of, William was one of the few Indian boys who were +privileged to come to my bedside, and the only one who was allowed to +take turn in watching beside me at night; for whenever there was +anything to be done requiring special effort or care, it was always +William who was wanted, and William who was ready. + +About three years before this time the dear boy became truly in +earnest about religion, and dedicated his life to the Saviour. From his +earliest boyhood he would appear to have been a child of grace, +avoiding what was bad, with a desire to follow what was pure and good; +but with nearly all followers of Christ there is probably some period +in life which may be looked back to when the seeds of truth began more +distinctly to germinate in the soul, and that blessed union with the +Saviour, which is the joy of all true believers, was for the first time +perhaps fully realized and felt. It was on the 23rd March, 1877, that +this dear boy, William, after a long earnest talk, knelt down beside me +and yielded his heart to the Saviour: "Tabaningayun Jesus, kemeenin +ninda noongoom suh tebekuk, kuhnuhga kayahhe che tebanindezosewaun keen +dush chetebanemeyun"--"Lord Jesus, I give my heart to Thee this night, +no longer to belong to myself, but to belong to Thee." I gave him a +Bible the same evening, and it became his most valued treasure; on the +first leaf is the verse, "Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise +cast out," and on the last leaf, "God is love." + +I always tried to impress on those who had dedicated themselves to the +Saviour's service, that they should prove the fact of their union with +Christ by working for Him and bearing fruit to the glory of His name. +William seemed to be especially impressed with this, and rarely a week +passed without his trying to exercise some influence for good among his +companions. Many are the boys now in the Institution who can trace +their first serious thoughts on their spiritual condition to his +intercourse with them. In January, 1878, a boys' prayer meeting was +commenced weekly, and continued almost without interruption, except +during holidays. The boys met on Wednesday evenings after prayers-- +quite by themselves--one read a portion of Scripture in his own +language, and others offered a few words of simple prayer. It was due +to William and one or two like-minded companions that these little +gatherings were kept together, and there can be little doubt that much +blessing resulted. + +William used latterly to take notes of the sermons which he heard on +Sundays. + +And now we come to the last scenes of the dear boy's life here on earth. + +I had been away on a tour through the other dioceses, and William, as +captain of the school, had additional duties devolving upon him during +the principal's absence. He had charge of the clothing store and had to +give out clothing each week to the boys, and perform other duties +requiring care and attention. The bodies of the late Bishop Fauquier +and Mrs. Fauquier were expected shortly to arrive for interment in the +Shingwauk cemetery, and preparations had to be made for this; the road +to the cemetery, which was blocked in places by large boulders and old +pine stumps, had to be cleared and levelled. William, of course, was +called into service for this--no one could clear a road through a rough +tract of land better than he. He was busy preparing for the spring +examinations, and very anxious to be victor; but books were laid aside +without a murmur, and he shouldered his pickaxe and shovel, and in +company with two or three other big boys set cheerfully and heartily to +work. It seemed strange that his last work on earth should be preparing +this road to the cemetery along which his own body would be carried +before those of the Bishop and Mrs. Fauquier arrived. That hard work, +with taking a chill, was probably in some measure the cause of his +death. He seemed very well on the Friday, the day on which I returned +home, and joined the boys in offering a hearty welcome, but the +following Sunday he seemed to be ailing, and on Monday, although he had +come down to lessons, and was setting to work, he was trembling and +scarcely able to stand. I recommended him to return to his room to bed, +which he at once did, but it was very soon evident that a serious +illness was setting in. An Indian woman was engaged to nurse him, and +the doctor from the Sault attended him. For the first few days no great +alarm was felt, and the pain seemed to in some measure subdued. No one +would allow himself to imagine that death was so near. It was not until +Friday evening, the 12th, that a decided change for the worse set in. +He became very low and weak, with a slight tendency to delirium. We +were all very anxious, and the Indian boys took turns watching at his +bedside. On Sunday afternoon ten or twelve of the boys came up to his +room for prayer. William, though very weak, and only able to say a few +words at a time, asked permission to speak to them, and he spoke very +earnestly for six or seven minutes in his own language; then we knelt +and prayed--prayed with great earnestness that God, if it were His holy +will, would permit our dear boy to recover. All Monday he was very ill. +Our hopes were sinking. It scarcely seemed possible that the dear boy +could live more than another day or two. We had much earnest prayer at +his bedside, and the faintest signs of improvement were eagerly looked +for. He was quite resigned to God's will, wishing to recover if it were +his Father's will, or ready to die if the call had come. In the +afternoon he seemed to realize that his end was drawing near. To one +who visited him and remained a short time alone with him he said, "I +should like to meet my little brother Elijah again; I do so love +Elijah." And after a pause he said, "I don't think I shall live long, I +am getting very weak." "We all love you very much," was replied, "we +indeed wish to keep you with us, but God's will must be done." "Yes." +he said, "God's will must be done. May be God will revive me, but I +have no wish whether to live or die. I wish for what is God's will." +"Is there anything you want?" was asked. "No--thank you," he replied +with great effort, then put his hand to his heart and slowly waved it +upwards. "I shall soon be singing on the golden shore," he said. To one +of our little girls who came in he said, "Do you like to see me like +this, Winnie?" "No," said the little child, the tears trickling down +her cheeks. "Perhaps I will get well again if it is God's will," he +said, "but I don't know." To the carpenter, who had lost his wife only +a few months before, he spoke very earnestly: "You see," he said, +"there is nothing to trouble me, nothing at all; God is love, this is +all God's love to me; may be God will take me away." "Poor boy, poor, +boy," ejaculated the carpenter, with tears in his eyes, "how you are +changed; how much you must have suffered." "Oh, it is just nothing," +said William; "God is love, I can trust in Him: 'the blood--of Jesus +Christ--cleanseth us--from all sin.'" + +I could hardly bear to speak to him of death,--it seemed to me as +though he must live, that a change for the better would set in, and +that the dear boy would revive. I repeated some passages of Scripture +to him and knelt often for prayer. Many, indeed, were the earnest +prayers that went up to the throne of grace for the boy's recovery. + +Between eleven and half-past he was left for the night in charge of +two Indian boys, Kahgaug and Willis. They were to keep hot bricks to +his hands and feet, and administer a stimulating mixture and +nourishment, and at two o'clock their place would be taken by two other +boys. Having been up a great part of the preceding night, I then +retired to rest, to be called if there was any change for the worse. + +Just at half-past two there came a knock at the door,--"William is +worse; please come at once." + +I hurried up to the sick room as quickly as possible, but it was a +moment too late--the dear boy had breathed his last. His hands were +clasped on his breast, his eyes lifted to heaven, a smile just fading +on his lips, and thus he had left the earth and gone to meet his +Saviour. Three boys only were with him when he died--Wigwaus, Benjamin, +and Davidans. We knelt together, and I offered up prayer, humbly +commending the soul of the dear brother departed into the hands of +Almighty God, as into the hands of a faithful Creator and most merciful +Saviour. + +A feeling of awe seemed to pervade the whole household when, at early +dawn, the tolling of the school-bell told only too plainly that the +beloved spirit had departed. Never was a boy more loved by his play- +mates or more honoured and respected by his teachers. As he lived he +died, trusting in the merits of an Almighty Saviour for his salvation. + +On the evening of his death his dear form was laid by loving hands in +the coffin, and some white flowers placed on his breast; the lid was +drawn back a little, and on it were placed his Prayer-book, his Bible +(open at I John iv.), a photograph of him in a frame, and a single wax +taper. Then the folding doors leading into the back school-room were +opened and the boys gathered around and sang the hymn he loved, "Safe +in the arms of Jesus." Scarcely an eye was dry, and many a sigh was +heaved, and many a sob broke the silence of the apartment as they came +up one by one to look on the marble face of their dead companion, and +to imprint a kiss on his cold brow. Many of the boys would not be +satisfied with coming once; they came again and again, and some laid +their faces down on his and sobbed. Several hymns were sung: "Here we +suffer grief and pain," "There is a happy land," and "My God, my +Father, while I stray," and prayer also was offered. + +The funeral was on Thursday, Ascension day, at nine o'clock in the +morning. The coffin was brought into the school-room by six boys, who +had been appointed pall-bearers, and I read the opening sentences of +the burial service and special psalms and lessons; then, after a hymn, +was the sermon, from I John iii. 2, "We know that when He shall appear, +we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is," and I read some +extracts from William's diary, which he had commenced keeping four +years before; they show what the boy's thoughts were and how near he +lived to his Saviour. + +_Jan_. 27, 1878.--"O Lord Jesus Christ, I have given my heart to +Thee. I belong to Thee, and I want to work for Thee as long as I live. +Give me Thy Holy Spirit in mine heart. May I not get cold and careless, +but may I always be full of love to Thee. May I not be a dead branch, +but may I bear much fruit to the glory of Thy name. Amen." + +_March_ 5.--"O Lord Jesus Christ, give me Thy Holy Spirit that I +may be able to fight the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the +devil." + +_Oct_. 1.--"O God, I give my body unto Thee, and wherever you +want me to go, I will go, and whatever you want me to do as long as I +live, I shall do this for the name of Christ." + +_March_ 21, 1879.--"O Lord. I am trying to work for Thee. Am I +trying to walk in the light every day? Am I going to serve God or serve +the devil? Let me not think too much of the things of this world. Let +me more think about the things of heaven. This is all,--for Christ's +sake." + +After another hymn had been sung, a procession was formed to the +cemetery, and the dear boy's body was laid in the grave, earth to +earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of a +glorious resurrection to eternal life. + +There was one more duty to be performed on the return of the funeral +party to the school-room, and that was to distribute some of the dear +boy's books and treasures to those who would specially value them. I +took for my share the Bible which I had given him four years before, +and an ancient arrow head, which he had dug up while making the road to +the cemetery, and had laughingly remarked that he would keep it till he +died. The rest of the things were packed in a box and sent home to his +aunt. + +Who shall estimate the amount of good done by this earnest whole-souled +Indian boy during his short career? He sowed good seed, and we trust +there may be an abundant harvest in the hearts and lives of the other +boys. When asked how many of them had received special benefit by their +intercourse with William, twenty boys rose to their feet. Many testified +that they had been spoken to by him of the Saviour, others that they had +been checked by him in doing something sinful, others, that he had +talked or read or offered prayer with them. What a blessed testimony, +that in a school of fifty-four boys, twenty should have been benefited +by the example and teaching of one boy who loved the Saviour! May God +the Holy Spirit bless this simple recital to the hearts of those who +read it, and may other boys, whether white or Indian, be stirred in +their souls to follow the example of this young soldier of the cross, +and let their light shine before men as did this young Indian boy-- +Wahsashkung--Shining light--William Sahgucheway. + + + + +CHAPTER XL. + +OUR INDIAN HOMES. + + +Come and visit our Indian Homes now, this summer of 1884. No longer are +we in the midst of bush and swamp, as we were ten years ago. The land +has been cleared up and a good part of it brought under cultivation, +fences have been put up, and several new buildings added. Let us visit +the Shingwauk Home first. We may go by water, and land at the Shingwauk +dock; there is the boat-house, with our new boat, _The Missionary_, +given to us by the children of St. James's Sunday-school, Toronto, +floating gently on the dark water within. We have no need to walk up to +the Institution. There is an excellent tramway, which has just been +completed, and visitors are requested to take their seats in the +tramcar, and some of the Indian boys will push them up to the Home. We +can already see the Institution over the brow of the hill, and a little +to the right the Memorial Chapel, and nearer to us the Factory, and off +to the left the boot shop and carpenter's cottage. We note that there +are neat stone walls round some of the fields, and a white picket fence +inclosing the Institution; the old-fashioned lych-gate in front of the +Chapel also strikes us, with the hops clambering over it; but we must +hasten on and enter the Home. As we walk up the central drive we notice +that the Institution is a substantial stone building, the bareness of +the walk relieved by a pretty trellis-work, up which hops and other +creeping plants are climbing; to our right is a cottage-wing, which is +the principal's residence, and to our left the entrance hall, with an +ornamental belfry over it; a little further to our left is another small +stone building--the dairy. We enter the hall, and, having written our +names in the Visitors' book, we ascend the oak staircase and visit the +school-room. Here the boys are all busy at work with their slates and +books, and Mr. Wotton, the master, is instructing a class by the black- +board. The school-room is nicely fitted up with modern desks and other +appliances; on the walls are large maps and pictures, which give it a +cheerful look; the ceiling is panelled in woods of two shades. Opening +into the school-room is a smaller room, a class-room separated from it +by three folding-doors. Ascending the staircase, we visit the +dormitories. The east dormitory for the senior boys is fitted with +English iron bedsteads, the junior dormitory has wooden bedsteads +painted blue, and wide enough for two little fellows to sleep in each; +the front dormitory, which is the largest of them all, is hung with +hammocks,--there is sleeping accommodation altogether for about sixty- +five boys. Descending once more, we pass through the lavatory and the +matron's sitting-room down to the dining-hall, and we note as we go +along every here and there a shelf with three white pails full of water +and an ominous F painted on them. Evidently experience has taught +caution. The dining-hall is a fine large room, the ceiling panelled like +the school-room. It has five long tables, at each of which twelve or +fourteen boys can sit comfortably. One side of the room we notice is +railed off--this is called the pen, and here the boys have to wait in +patience while the tables are prepared for meals. Adjoining the dining- +hall are the kitchen on one side, the work-room on the other. Every +thing looks clean and tidy and well kept--the matron takes pride in +having her department all in good order. In the work-room we find the +Indian servant, Eliza, working at the sewing-machine making garments for +the boys. Passing on through the other doorway, we cross a passage, and +enter the class-room where John Esquimau is sitting at his studies, +reading theology and studying Latin and Greek, with a view to entering +the ministry. Adjoining this room is the office and dispensary. + +And now we must leave the Institution building and visit the Chapel +(see Frontispiece), a little winding path under the trees leads us to +it. The building is of stone, set in a frame-work of wood, which, +painted dark, gives a most picturesque appearance. There is a deep +porch at the western entrance with stained glass window; within are +heavy oak doors with ornamental mountings, and these, being opened, +give us a view of the interior of the Chapel, and a very pretty view it +is. In front of us are pillars supporting the chancel arch, and on +either side a smaller arch, one enclosing the vestry, the other the +organ-chamber; the space between the top of these arches and the roof +being filled with fretwork. The windows are stained glass. The pulpit +and prayer-desk and all the seats are of oak, and nicely carved. Under +the chancel window is an oak reredos, on which are inscribed the Creed, +the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments in Indian. The altar-cloth +is a very handsome one, given by a lady in England, and the stone font +was presented by relatives of the late Bishop. Service is held in the +Chapel twice every Sunday, the pupils from both Homes attending; and on +Wednesday evenings there is a short service and catechizing. + +Crossing to the other side of the road after leaving the Chapel, we +enter the sash and door factory, and are immediately deafened by the +din of the various machines in motion. Three Indian boys are at work +here under the foreman, making doors, window-sash mouldings, and turned +work of all descriptions. The boys are old pupils who have passed +through the Institution, and now receive wages for their work, but they +attend school every evening, which is a great advantage to them. One or +two of the younger boys are also commencing to learn carpenter work at +the factory. Crossing to the other cottage to the left of the +Institution, we enter the boot shop; here we find another old pupil at +work,--Harry Nahwaquageezhik,--and a very good boot maker he is. He +does all the work for the Institutions, both mending and making, and +has one or two younger boys under his instruction. When not required at +the boot shop, Harry goes to garden or farm work. + +And now we must drive out to the Wawanosh Home and pay it a visit +also. It is upwards of two miles from Shingwauk, up the northern road +and away from the river. As we drive up the road bordered with fields +of grain or grass on either side, or shaded by birch and fir trees, we +catch sight of the stone building to our right, in a nest of green +foliage; and on the left white garments flapping in the breeze bespeak +the presence of the laundry, with the laundress' cottage close beside. +A number of the girls are on the verandah, or amusing themselves on the +grass, for it is play-time and school is over. Miss Cunningham, the +lady Superintendent, meets us at the door, and conducts us through the +building; on the left as we enter are the school-room and work-room +with folding doors between, and on the right Miss Cunningham's little +sitting-room, and the girls' dining-room; then at the back are the +kitchen and wash-house, and overhead the girls' dormitories and +lavatory and other bed-rooms. All is kept very clean and neat, and does +credit to those who are in charge. + +Such are our buildings and our work, and such the efforts that we are +making for the evangelization and training of these poor Ojebway Indians. + +And now perhaps the question will be asked:-- + +DO THESE INDIAN HOMES SEEM LIKELY TO PROVE A SUCCESS? + +Have we reason to expect that we shall, in due time, achieve our +object, and raise the Indian to a position equal to that of his white +brethren? Is this idea of inducing them to exchange the bow and arrow +for the carpenter's bench, the war-club for the blacksmith's hammer, +the net and canoe for the plough, a mere visionary one, or is it a +scheme that we have a good prospect of seeing carried into effect? The +following questions suggest themselves and we are prepared with the +answers:-- + +1. Are the Indians willing to make the change? Yes, for the most part, +they desire it. + +2. Are their sons capable of receiving education and acquiring a +knowledge of the various trades sufficient to make a livelihood? We +refer to the appended letters from the masters of the various trades +that our boys are learning: and as to education, our own experience is +that Indian boys can learn as fast as white boys, and many of them will +_retain_ what they have learnt a good deal better. They read +distinctly, without any foreign accent, write a capital hand, and are +very fair arithmeticians. + +3. Will they stick to their work? Yes. We were doubtful about this at +first, but now we can say yes. Our apprentice boys work ten hours a +day, six days a week, and very rarely ask for a holiday. Having once +become accustomed to regular work, they like it, and will stick to it +as well as any white man. + +4. Will their love for a wild life ever be eradicated? Perhaps not. Why +should it? Our boys, all of them, thoroughly enjoy a "camp out," such as +we have sometimes in the summer, but scarcely one of them would wish to +go back and spend his whole life in this manner. They know that a life +depending on hunting and fishing means poverty, dirt, and ignorance; and +they don't mean to go back to this. We don't wish to un-Indianize them +altogether, we would not overcurb their free spirit; we would not pluck +the feather from their cap or the sash from their waist or the moccasin +from their foot. They are a proud, grand nation in their way. An Indian +was never a slave any more than a Briton. An Indian has no words of +profanity in his language. An Indian is noted for his loyalty to the +British Crown. Let them hand down their noble and good qualities to +their children. But in the matter of procuring a livelihood let us, for +their own good, induce them to lay aside the bow and fish-spear, and, in +lieu thereof, put their hand to the plough, or make them wield the tool +of the mechanic. + +We hope to see the day, if it please God, when these Indian Homes +shall be three times their size, and the number of the pupils deriving +benefit from them shall be three-fold increased. + +The tailor to whom one boy was apprenticed writes as follows:-- + +"DEAR SIR,--Aubee has all the necessary qualifications to make a good +tailor. I think it would be better for him to come every week, instead +of every second week, as at present. + +Yours &c., + +W. VAUGHAN." + + +_From the Printer_. + +"The Indian boys who are employed in the Shingwauk Printing Office--in +charge of which I have been for the past eighteen months--have, during +that time, made very considerable progress. I have found them, as a +rule, apt, obedient, steady and clever, and do not doubt, that in +course of time and with proper education, they will make excellent +printers. + +S. REID." + + +_From the Tinsmith_. + +"DEAR SIR,--I think that you have not a boy in the Home better +deserving of praise than Pedahjewun. He will make a first-class +tinsmith. He has been with me two years and I never knew him to tell me +a lie in that time. + +H. P. PIM." + + +_From the Carpenter and Builder_. + +"SIR,--From the time Jackson has been under me, he has learnt the +trade fast. He is fond of it, is steady and obliging, and I think will +make a good mechanic as joiner and carpenter. + +Yours truly, + +E. MURTON (Builder)." + + + + +CHAPTER XLI. + +A POW-WOW AT GARDEN RIVER. + + +The following is an account of a visit paid by the Bishop and Mrs. +Sullivan to Garden River, where Indian names were conferred on them:-- + +Garden River was reached about 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 29th, the +tent pitched, the vacant Mission house occupied, fires lighted, water +brought from the river, and other preparations made for the night, the +boys of the party voting, with true tramp-like instinct, that they +preferred slumbering in the new mown hay in the barn. After tea under +the shade of a spreading pine tree, the Bishop and myself spent some +time visiting the Indian houses, among them that of an old man of +eighty, who had been blind for four years, but bore his affliction, +augmented as it was by other trials, with an uncomplaining submission. +Another dwelling visited was that of Chief Buhkwujjenene, already known +to our readers. On the table his Indian Testament lay open, his +constant study, in which, he told the Bishop, he had taught himself to +read his own tongue. + +At 9 p.m. all assembled in the little church, and there, by the light +of "a lantern dimly burning," and amid a holy calm, unbroken save by +the rustling of the leaves at the open windows, joined in the evening +sacrifice of prayer and praise. + +Soon after breakfast next morning the tinkling of the church bell was +heard, and groups of two or three were seen assembling, and passing +into the sacred building, with a quiet, silent reverence. The service, +with the exception of the Old Testament lesson and the sermon, which +was interpreted, was in Ojebway, and old and young listened attentively +as the preacher told the story of the Brazen Serpent, and pointed his +hearers to Him who said of Himself, "I, if I be lifted up, will draw +all men unto Me." + +At 3 p.m. the bell was rung, the flags hoisted, and the whole party +ushered into the school-house to find the platform furnished with chairs, +the centre one carefully reserved for the "Kechemakadawekoonuhya" (the +big black coat). By the time the feast was over the sun was setting. Now +the table was put aside, benches arranged, and the signal for the +pow-wow, given on the drum, when all who could find space to sit or stand +crowded in. A few minutes' silence followed, and then Chief Buhkwujjenene +rose, advanced to the platform, shook hands (an invariable preliminary to +an Indian speech), and said, "Chief's, principal men, brothers, and +sisters, we were told many days ago that our new Bishop was coming among +us, and we decided to have a cup of tea with him. Now he has come, and +has eaten and drank with us. Now (turning to the Bishop) we are glad that +you have come, and that you have told us the Gospel." His way being paved +by this brief introduction, the Bishop addressed them, saying that he +thanked them for the feast they had prepared, and the very kind welcome +they had given to him. When Jesus Christ was on earth, Matthew the +publican and others made feasts for Him, and as the Indians had received +him in Christ's name and for His sake, therefore they would receive the +fulfilment of the promise which Christ gave, that "whosoever gave to a +disciple a cup of cold water only should in no wise lose his reward." At +his last visit he told them he would go to school and learn their +language, and he had done this, and as he had a good teacher, Mr. Wilson, +he had been able to read part of their beautiful services yesterday in +their own tongue; it was a hard language to learn, but he would persevere +until he was able to preach to them. He had some good news to tell them +about their church. A gentleman in Toronto, whom he had never seen, had +sent him 50 dollars in aid of it (great clapping of hands), and more, he +was sure, was on the way, for God never failed to hear and help His +children who prayed to Him in their trouble and difficulty. He had heard +that they were going to give him a new name. He had had two names +already, first Edward Sullivan, then Edward Algoma, and he hoped that the +new one would be a good one, and that he would not be ashamed to tell it +his friends and theirs in Montreal and Toronto. + +After this the other old Chief, a fine looking specimen of the aboriginal +race, rose from his seat, and, divesting himself of his loose scarlet +jacket, put on a fantastic head-dress composed of eagle feathers, then +threw round his neck a blue ribbon with a heavy silver medal suspended +from either end (one presented to his father by George III, and the other +to himself by the Prince of Wales). Then fastening on his right wrist an +armlet made of polecat skins, he stepped on to the platform, and +apologizing, for the lack of a portion of his costume, on account of the +excessive heat, proceeded in highly poetic strains, and with a fervid, +impassioned manner, to which no description could do justice, to picture +the glory of the rising sun, how at first the night is dark, very dark, +and the darkness clears a little, and the light looks through, and the +great sun appears, creeping up slowly higher and higher, from east to +west, till the whole heaven is filled with his brightness, making all +things glad--"so," said the old Chief, turning suddenly to the Bishop, +"has your teaching been, and our hearts are glad because of the new +light, and henceforth you will be called 'Tabahsega,' _i.e._, +'spreading or radiant light.'" Here he extended his hand, and said, +"Boozhoo (_i.e._, good day) Tabahsega," a salutation which was +re-echoed by the others, who, coming forward in succession, repeated the +ceremony of hand-shaking. The old Chief then beckoned to the Bishop's +wife to come forward, and going back to his former figure, to bring out +the idea of the soft roseate hue that overspreads the sky before the +rising of the sun, announced that her name should be "Misquahbenooqua" +(_i.e._, rosy dawn), at which there was great applause, and a number +of squaws came forward and confirmed the title given by going through the +hand-shaking process again. The evening was by this time far advanced, +but there still remained a part of the ceremony which could not possibly +be dispensed with. This was the smoking of the pipe of peace. The pipe +was no ordinary one, but about four feet long, the bowl carved of stone, +and the stem of wood in spiral form, dyed with alternate lines of red and +blue. With this in his hand, duly prepared and lit, old Shingwauk stood +in the centre of the group, and, first taking a few preliminary whiffs +(for the pipe to go out before all have smoked is unlucky), presented it +to each, of the guests, beginning with the Bishop, who performed his part +as well as could be expected of one who was a stranger to the art, the +others following his example, so far, at least in some cases, as putting +the pipe to their lips. This being the last scene in this interesting +drama, the Bishop addressed a few parting words of counsel to those +present, through the interpreter, expressing the hope that, as they had +feasted together very happily on earth, they might be permitted, in God's +mercy, to sit down together at the marriage supper of the Lamb. He then +concluded with a collect and the benediction in Indian, after which our +kind and hospitable entertainers dispersed to their homes, and the +visitors returned by boat to Sault Ste. Marie. + + + + +CHAPTER XLII. + +GLAD TIDINGS FROM NEEPIGON. + + +I shall now close this little volume with a letter from, the Rev. R. +Renison, who is labouring most devotedly among the poor Neepigon +Indians. It is dated February, 1884, and it speaks for itself. + +"On Monday, Feb. 12th, Oshkahpukeda and myself left Ningwinnenang to +visit a family of pagan Indians about forty miles from this Mission. +Our blankets, overcoats, provisions, and cooking utensils, made a pack +of forty pound weight for each to carry; over lakes, through the dense +bush, up steep hills which were sometimes almost insurmountable. It was +one of the most beautiful winter mornings that I have ever yet +experienced. The sun shone brightly, and it was just cold enough to +render a brisk walk enjoyable. At 11 a.m. we reached a wigwam at the +north end of McIntyre Bay, which was occupied by Mishael Obeseekun, +their wives and children, who had left the Mission some time previous +for the purpose of snaring rabbits, which at present is the chief +support of the Indians. Here we received a hearty welcome; a large pot +of rabbits was quickly cooked--we enjoyed them thoroughly; and all the +little children declared that they were glad to see their Missionary. +Mishael's wife having noticed that my moccasin was badly torn, took her +needle and thread and had it fixed 'in less than no time.' + +Before leaving I took the Indian New Testament and read the following +verse:--'This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that +Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.' +I find it a good plan, when reading to the Indians, to take one text at +a time. They differ very much from the white people in this respect, as +you may read it over and over twenty times and yet they will be glad to +hear it again. The result of this plan is, that many of the Indians at +our Mission have committed to memory several verses. I was much +astonished as well as delighted a few days ago to find that Obeseekun +could repeat accurately ten texts. + +Well, at 2 p.m. we reached 'Kookookuhooseebee' (owl river). We +followed this river for about half an hour, and then entered the bush. +We walked till sun down, and then camped near the shore of Black +Sturgeon Lake. We had a splendid fire, as there was plenty of dry pine +close at hand. We ate heartily, but slept little, as the night was very +cold. We had breakfast by moonlight, and then recommenced our journey. + +Our route lay through the middle of the lake, which is about ten miles +long. As we again entered the bush at its north end, to our great +astonishment we met the very pagan Indian whom we were so anxious to +see. He had a small tebaugan drawn by one dog--was on his way to the +'Neepigon Post' for pork and flour. His wife and children were very +hungry, rabbits and fish this winter being so scarce that several of +the Indians are obliged to abandon their usual hunting grounds. + +'Kebuk,' for this is the pagan's name, was very glad to see us, a +large fire was quickly made, snow melted, pork fried, and soon the +Missionary, guide, and pagan were enjoying a hearty meal. + +About two years ago, and upon two different occasions, I had visited +this pagan family. I tried to preach Christ to them the Saviour of all +men. I must confess that after twice travelling a distance of eighty +miles through the dense bush, that I was a little discouraged and +depressed in spirits to find that the invitation was refused, and full +and free salvation through the precious blood of Jesus rejected. + +And now for the third time the Missionary and pagan meet face to face. +He knows full well the errand on which I have come. As we sat for a few +minutes in silence around the blazing fire I prayed to my Father in +secret to enlighten his understanding, and give him grace to receive +the Gospel message and enter the fold of the Good Shepherd. + +'Owh suh kadabwayandung kuhya kabaptizooind tahbemahjeah, owh +duhyabwendusig tahnahneboomah.' ('He that believeth and is baptized +shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be condemned.') The +once proud pagan now kneels in prayer; he receives Christ rejoicingly; +accepts, this time, the Gospel invitation. 'Proceed on your journey,' +said he, 'go to my wigwam, baptize all my children, and next spring, +when navigation opens, I will go to the Mission and myself and wife +will be baptized in the church at Ningwinnenang. This is my wish, I +will build a house on the Mission ground and am very anxious that my +children should be properly instructed.' After bidding us a friendly +'boozhoo,' he proceeded on his journey to the Neepigon Post, and we +hastened toward the wigwam from which we were still ten miles distant. + +At about 3 p.m. we reached Muskrat Lake, which is four miles long. On +the opposite shore we saw the pagan's daughter fishing for pike with +hook and line under the ice. When she first noticed us approaching, she +quickly disappeared in the bush, entered the wigwam and apprized them +of our coming. + +When we arrived we found eight pagans, including two old women of 80 +and 75 years old, one girl and four children. After many friendly +'boozhoos' and hearty expressions of welcome, the Missionary and guide +seated on shingoob branches rested their wearied limbs beside a blazing +fire, whilst the two old women smoking their pipes and preparing +rabbits and pike for dinner, were heard to say 'pooch tah pukedawaug +pooch tah-kadishkhusk-enawug' (they must be very hungry and must have a +hearty meal). After dinner the Indian New Testament was introduced, the +simple Gospel expounded and some of Christ's beautiful invitations +read. I tried to prove to them from God's own Word that we all need a +Saviour, for that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; +that there is one way only by which we can be saved, namely, by +entering the fold of the good Shepherd; that Jesus Christ himself is +the door, 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.' + +It appears that nearly two months ago these nine pagans had +unanimously agreed to become Christians and join our mission at +Ningwinnenang. The seed sown two years ago was not sown in vain, the +bread cast upon the waters is found after many days, God's word will +not return to Him void. One of the old women, 80 years old, with only +one eye, determines to return with the Missionary, a distance of 40 +miles through the dense bush and over frozen lakes, to be instructed at +the Mission and prepared for baptism. The young woman and four children +were baptized. The rest of the family, namely an old man of 75, +'Kebuk,' and his wife will (D.V.) be baptized in the spring in our +little church, and then we hope to have quite a nice congregation. + +In conclusion, let me add that poor old Wesqua, who returned with us +to the Mission, has not yet recovered from the fatigue of the journey, +the last day's travelling in particular for her was very trying. We had +to cross an arm of the lake about 15 miles in breadth, and the piercing +north wind was too much for an old woman of 80, whose entire clothing +consisted of an old canvass bag rent in two and rolled around her legs +for leggings, her skirts of blue calico did not reach much below her +knees, and a piece of old blanket thrown over her head and shoulders +was all that she had to save her from the sharp wind which blows at +intervals across the Neepigon Lake. When she arrived the blood had +almost ceased to circulate, her hands were numb, and she was indeed in +a pitiable condition. Half a teaspoonful of stimulant in a cup of warm +water was all we had to give. She revived, and after a supper of bread +and tea was soon herself again. + +Let me ask some of my Christian friends to whom 'the lines have fallen +in pleasant places' to remember the poor Indians at Neepigon. Cast off +warm clothing even of an inferior quality, will be thankfully received +and gratefully acknowledged; and we trust that those who cannot assist +us from a pecuniary point of view will at least remember us in their +prayers." + + +THE END. + + +Trancriber's note: The following words (may be mis-spelt) in original +text, are retained to get the flavour of the author's language: + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Missionary work among the Ojebway +Indians, by Edward Francis Wilson + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MISSIONARY WORK AMONG THE OJEBWAY *** + +This file should be named 6983.txt or 6983.zip + +This eBook produced by Avinash Kothare, Tom Allen, Juliet Sutherland, +Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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