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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Missionary Work Among The Ojebway Indians
+by Edward Francis Wilson
+
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+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]
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+Edition: 10
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+Language: English
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+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 ***
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