IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. .S' V, ^ /a #^^^ /- A % V] ^;; y -^ 1.0 - |3.2 I.I 2.0 1.8 1.25 i-4 IIIIII.6 Photographic Sciences Corporalion 33 VV e5 i MAIN STREET WEBlTEJi.N.Y. 14S8C (716; c'.72 -»rj CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions histciriques Technical ind Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may sifjnificantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. □ Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur □ Covers damaged/ I Couverture endommagde □ Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur6e et/ou pelliculde □ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque □ Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) D D D n n Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relid avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re Mure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es lors d'une restauration apparaissert dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6X6 filmdes. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires; L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cat exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la m^thode normale de filmage sont indiquds ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleijr n D v/ Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaur^es et/ou pellicul6es Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tachet^es ou piquees Pages detached/ Pages d6tach6es Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Quality in6gale de I'impression D D This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmd au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 14X 18X 22X 10X c 1 I I Quality of print varies/ I I includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplementaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 film§es d nouveau de facon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. 26X SOX 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Coluirbia L'exemplaire fitmA fut reproduit grAce A la ginArositA de: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Columbia The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec lo plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition at de la netteti de Texemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper cove^i are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustratod impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplairss originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimie sont film^s en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmis en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol —^ (meaning "CON- TINUED "), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole —^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method' Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film^s d cdes taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul ciichd il est filmi A partir de Tangle supdrieur gauch>d, de gauche A droits, et de haut en bas, en prerant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ol/- ■> THE REPORT or THE , MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS nESPECTIKli THE ABORIGINES, PRESENTED TO THE YEARLY MEETING, 1841. LONDON : HARVEY AND DARTON, GRACECIIURCH STREET. 1841. [Tract Kelative Lo fue AboviginsH, No. 7.J ^\l 0? THE FOLLOWING TRACTS ARE PUBLISHED BY THE MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS. No. 1.— INFORMATION RESPECT[NG THE ABORIGINES IN THE BRITISH COLONIES. No. 2.— EFFECTS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF ARDENT SPIRITS AND IMPLEMENTS OF WAR AMONGST THE NATIVES OF THE SOUTH-SEA ISLANDS AND NEW SOUTH WALES. No. 3.— FURTHER INFORMATION RESPECTING THE ABORIGINES; containing Extracts from the Pro- ceedings of the Meetings for Sufferings in London, and of the Committee on Indian Affairs; of the Yearly INIeetings oi Philadelphia and Baltimore ; together with some particulars relative to the Seminole War. No. 4.— FACTS RELATIVE TO THE CANADIAN IN- DIANS. No. 5.— REPORT OF THE ABORIGINES COMMITTEE OF THE MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS, FOR THE YEAR 1840; with the Address to Lord John Russell; that to Friends settling in New Colonies ; and some par- ticulars respecting the state of Aboriginal Tribes. No. 6.— AN ADDRESS OF CHRISTIAN COUNSEL AND CAUTION TO EMIGRANTS. I 11 E P O R T FROM TIIK MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS TO THE YEARLY MEETING RESPECTING THE ABORIGINES. At a Mkktino for Sufferings, held the 11th of the mouth, 1841. 5tli The subject of the Ahorisines, which was referred by tlie last Yearly Meeting to the further care of the Meeting for Sufferings, has from time to time continued to obtain the attention both of the Meeting itself, and also of its standing Committee specially ap- pointed to that service. The Meeting, however, has received fewer communications, and has less variety of details to report to the Yearly Meeting, respect- ing the state of the uncivilized Aborigines in different parts of the globe, in this, than in some former yeavs. This deficiency is not referable to tl)e diminished claims which this portion of our fellovv- crratures presents to our sympathy, but rather to the difficulties w hioh have stood in the way of obtaining information. On various grounds the condition of the aboriginal po|)ulalion in the British Colonies never called for more serious and attentive consideration from the members of our Society than at the present time. Emigra- tion is proceeding with almost unprecedented rapidity, and to dis- tricts entirely new. Collisions are frequently occurring between colonists and natives, and under the existing systems they seem to be almost unavoidable ; and not only our countrymen at large, but our fellow-members in particular, are deeply interested in putting a stop to atrocities, by which the profession of Christianity is dis- graced, and the innocent often become sufferers. In relation to this subject, the Meeting has thought it right to draw up un Address to Emigrants who may be likely to be brought into relation with uncivilised men. This address has been supplied to several emigrant vessels, and its further distribution is continued under the care of some members of the committee. b2 The meeting is of opinion timt benefit would result from Friends in different parts of the country taking care that a supply of copies of the Address should be placed in the hands of such Friends and others as may be emigrating from their respective neighbourlioods to colonies planted in the vicinity of aboriginal tribes. No replies have yet been received from friends in Canada to the queries which were last year re|)orled to have been addressed to tliem, regarding the present state of the Indians residing within the limits, or on tlie borders of the British provinces, which is probably to be attributed to the fact, that tliere are no members of our Society living within many miles of the Indian settlements. From accounts received from other sources, it ajjpears that the conversion and in- struction of the Chippewa Indians continues to be a subject of serious attention with the meml)ers of other religious denomina- tions, although tlieir proj;ress has been somewhat obstructed by dif- ferent circumstances affecting the state of the jjrovinces, and in some instances by the removal of the Indians, in consequence of the treaty alluded to in former years. The Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, pub- lished at Washington on behalf of the Government, contains the following Letter from EliasNewby, addressed to W. Cummins, the United States Agent for Indian Affairs. It is, however, of old date, being written from the Friends' station, Shawnee nation, lOlh of lllh month, 1839. "Respected Fuiend, — These will inform you that we have had thirteen Shawnee children at scliool pretty regular, some a little over, and others a little under ten years old, aged as follows: — • " Two about sixteen years old ; four about eleven years old ; two about nine years old ; five under eight years old. None knew all their letters when tiiey commenced, with the exception of two, who could spell a little in two syllables. Now two are beginning to read in the Testament; four spell and pronounce pretty well any- where in the spelling-book, and pronounce in one or two syllables; four know their letters; two are writing on paper, seven on slates. Their advance in that branch equals anything I ever saw among the whites. 'Jhe prospect is to continue the school. We teach them the FiHglish language. I cannot tell but what the capacity of the Indian is equal to that of white children, — put them under the same embarrassments. " Fil.IAS NliWBV." " Richard IV. Cummins." Though this scanty account is much less encouraging than those which Friends in this country were wont to receive respecting the efforts of their brethren in America, wlien the Indian settlements had not been removed so far to the west ; still we cannot but arlmire the devotedness of tl'ose who are willing to continue their labour of love even in this preseiit remote siliuition, and amidst increased diflicul- ties in the way of their progress. 1 t i In a former year, tliis Committee reprinted some account of the exertions of Friends in Pennsylvania, to sustain the Seneca Indians in their remonstrance with the general government, against the in- iquitous attempts to eflect their removal. Tliey have now to re- port tliat those efforts iiave been rendered fruitless, by the pre- siding officer of the senate having given his casting vote in favour of tlie removal of the Indians ; but as five years are allowed for carrying the measure into execution, hopes are entertained that the change in the administration may produce some mitigation of their doom, as the United States government officially recognises rights on the part of the Indians, and votes considerable sums of money for Indian affairs, though the application of them appears to have been, in some instances, defeated by the conduct of those entrusted with them. Interesting accounts of many settlements of native Africans within the British dominions in the Cape colony have been laid before Friends, in the published extracts from the journal of our friends, James Backhouse and George Washington Walker. Like their statements regarding the natives of Australia and Van Diemen's Land, they furnish abundant proof that the uncivilised inhabitants of British Colonies have strong claims on our continued sympathy and succour. This Meeting would, in conclusion, express its hope that Friends in the country will be encouraged to cherish a lively and increasing interest on behalf of the various races of uncivilized men, who are brought into contact with civilized, and especially with British settlers, and that they will freely communicate such information as they may obtain, and such inquiries as they may be desirous of making to the Aborigines Committee of. the Meeting for Sufferings, directed to the care of William Manley. The following Report to the Yearly Meeting at Philadelphia was read at the last Yearly Meeting in London. To the Yearly Meeting, the Committee appointed for the gradual Improvement and Civilization of Indian J^atives, report, That in our Report of last year we informed the Yearly Meeting of our apprehension, that the numerous and powerful interests which were combined with the policy of the government in attempting to procure a cession of the remaining portion of the Indian reservations, and the consequent removal of these defenceless people to the west- ward of the Mississippi, would in all probability be successful. The pretended treaty of the eighth month, 1838, had been re- ferred to the Senate of the United States, and returned by that body to the President, with authority to make proclamation of the treaty, and carry it into effect whenever he should be satisfied that the assent B 3 of the Seneca tribes of Indians had been obtained, agreeably to the tri'e intent and meaning of the resolution adopted by the Senate in the sixth month, 183U, but no action upon this authority had taken place at the time of our last Yearly Meeting. The Secretary of War, to whose department the concerns of the Indians are chiefly entrusted, having announced to some members of this Committee his determination to hold a council in person with the Indians at Buffalo, in the seventh month following, and in- viting a delegation of our number to be present, it was thought advisable that a visit should be paid to the Indians previously to the expected council. Three friends were accordingly appointed in the fourth month last to visit the Indians at their different reservations ; to explain to them the nature of the treaty which was to be offered to their acceptance ; to endeavour to ascertain their disposition in respect to emigration, and either to attend the council held by the Secretary of War, or not, as they, upon a careful examination of circumstances, should judge best. The friends thus appointed re- paired to the Indian country in the sixth month following. As the Indians of Buffalo possess great influence in the councils of the Seneca nation, and have more frequent intercourse with the officers connected with Indian affairs than the occupants of the other reser- vations, it was thought eligible to ascertain the sentiments of their chiefs upon the subject of emigration, before proceeding to any other reservation. A council was accordingly held near the end of the sixth month, a few miles from Buffalo, which was attended by about fifty Indians. F'riends explained to them what they believed to be the intention of the Government; informed them of the visit to Washington, which was made on their account, the efforts which were used to convince the President and Secretary of War of the injustice inseparable from the ratification of the treaty, and the an-r fitness of the lands which were offered on the west of the Mississippi for the accommodation and support of the Indians. They also let them know that the President and Secretary distinctly stated that the Indiansmustbe removed fromthe State ofNew York, but that thePre- sident had declared his intention to submit the treaty once more to the Seneca nation, and try whether any modification of its terms could be made, which would render it acceptable; and that the Secretary of War expressed a willingness to permit a further examination of the lands in the west, in order to find a situation more satisfactory to the In- dians. The Indians listened to this address with intense anxi 'j-. In some of them the prospect of being compelled to abandon their present location appeared to produce a feeling of despair, while in others an indignant determination to contend and suffer for their rights was evidently awakened. They unitedly declared that they desired no new examination of the land west of the Mississippi, that they did not expect to find a more desirable location than their present home, from which they were determined not to be removed, except by force; that it was needless to consider the proposal of the Secretary of War, because they did not wish to treat for the sale of 1 \ i their lands upon any terms whatever. One of them, on belialf of the rest, expressed their thankfulness to Friends for their kindness and assistance, and desired that Friends would continue their atten- tion, even if they should be driven to the west. Hut he added, that these attempts to remove them were the frreatest bars to improve- ment; that the Indians had no encouragement to make improvenienls, from wliich they migiit be compelled to remove, and leave them for otiiers to enjoy ; tiiit they seemed to have no security for their pos- sessions, nor would they have, if removed to the west. That neither President nor Congress could give them any better security for the lands beyond the Mississippi than they had lor their present homes. If the white men wanted the land, then another President and Con- gress would take that from the Indians, as the present ones were doing now. From the conversation which our friends had with some of the principal Indians on that reservation, it appeared evident that the opposition to emigration had increased since the autumn of the pre- ceding year; and some of them who were then in favour of the treaty had become hostile to it. A General Council was afterwards convened at Buffalo, on theSth of seventh month, which, however, theTonawanta and Oneida chiefs were prevented from attending. This council our friends were in- vited to attend : there the explanations given at the former council were repeated, and the chiefs appeared all to unite in the sentiments which were expressed in the former. From Buffalo, Friends proceeded to Tunisassah, where a family of Friends continues to reside, and spent several days on that reser- vation and its vicinity. Tiiey had the satisfaction to believe that the Indians there have not retrograded in regard to industry and sobriety. Many of the chiefs and other influential natives manifest a disposition to discourage the sale and use of ardent spirits. Most of them have small dealings which they cultivate, and the appearance of their crops generally indicated industry and attention. Hence there ap- peared a reasonable prospect that they would be sufficiently sup- plied for the ensuing veur. But they labour under numerous and complicated difficulties. There are among them some who are too infirm to provide for their own support, and widows with large fa- milies, where children are too young to contribute much towards their subsistence. Besides, the flood and frost of 1836 and 1837 have reduced numbers of them to a condition from which they can- not suddenly recover. The loss of their horses and oxen has ope- rated very unfavourably upon their agricultural operations, and promoted the practice of letting out their land to white men to be cultivated. This practice encourages habits of idleness among the Indians, and increases a population on their land, whicli it is vefy desirable to keep away. On many parts of the reservation there are white people located, whose principles and morals can scarcely fail to deteriorate the simple natives. The navigable river, which passes through the middle of this reservation, furnishes em- 8 ployment to boatmen of loose principles, who are likely to diffuse tlie poison of their exaniplo anion;^ the native inliiihitants, as they pass to and fro. To tliis may he added the circumstance so feelingly alluded to in the council at Huflalo, that tiie uncertain tenure by which their possessions are held, and the oftbrts incessantly making to procure their removal, must operate as a serious discouragement, and greatly counteract any disposition which may be excited among them to cultivate habits of industry and economy, when the fruits of their labours may be soon wrested from them. In a Council held at Cold Spring, on this reservation on the I2th of seventh month. Friends endeavoured to impress upon the Indians, , the importance of establishing habits of greater industry, and of pre- venting the white people from settling on their lands. This advice appeared to be well received, the chiefs endeavouring to impress it on the minds of the young. The same determined opposition to emi- gration which had appeared in the council at Buffalo, was mani- fested at Cold Spring. The two belonging to this reservation, who signed the treaty, are said to be now opposed to it. ITpon deliberate consideration, it was concluded most eligible for the sub-committee not to attend the council which the Secretary of War proposed to hold with the Indians. We have been informed that the council was opened by the Secretary at Cataragus, on the 12th of eighth month. There the Indians were urged to accede to the terms of the amended treaty, and some endeavours were made to convince them of the advantagesto bederived from emigration, and of the liberality of the Government towards them. In reply, fresh proofs were exhibited of the corruption practised in procuring signatures to the treaty, in the form of contracts, securing to the signers sums of from four to six thousand dollars, besides other advantages ; and an earnest appeal was made to the Secretary on behalf of the great mass of the nation, tliat they might be suffered to remain where they are, and prosecute *heiv improvements. They also requested that their annuities, which are greatly in arrear, might be paid. They further offered to ratify a treaty securing to such Indians as chose to emigrate their full share of land and all other national property. The Secretary closed the council by a short speech, in which he ad- vised the Indians to promote harmony and friendship among them- selves, to cultivate their land, to build better houses, and to send their children to school. He told them he would communicate to the President the substance of what had passed, and inform them shortly of their conclusion respecting the treaty. Soon after the opening of the present session of Congress, the Pre- sident transmitted the treaty to the Senate with information, that, in his opinion, it had not received the assent of the Seneca nation in the manner contemplated and directed by the former resolutions of the Senate; yet, after a long discussion of the subject, that body passed a resolution by the casting vote of the presiding officer, declaring that it had been sufficiently assented to by the Senecas, and advising and recommending that the President proceed to proclaim it, and carry n it3 provision into offcct. It lins acconlingly been proclf.imed, and there is no reason to ilo il)t but it will be executed at llie earliest pe- riod of wliicli its terms admit, and tlie Seneca Indians be compeiled to abandon their improvements on tlie reservation to wbicli tliey have so fondly clun^;, and seek new homes in the territory assigned tliem west of the Mississippi. The depressed condition of these interestin;; people, and the com- plicated wronj^s which they have sutt'ered, and are sufferinf'', from the more enlightened inhabitants of our common country, present strong claims uportour sympathy and Christian commiseration, and ought to awaken a serious in(piiry as to what remains for us to do towards removing or mitigating the evils to which they are exposed. By an examination of the Treasurer's account, we find that he has in his possession bonds and mortgages to the amount of 5900 dollars, and »37 ^ in cash. This Committee having been several years under appointment, we suggest to the Yearly Meeting the expediency of a new nomina- tion. Signed, by direction of the Comniiln e, THOMAS WISTAR, VhUadclphia, Cm;uk. 4 mo. 10, 1840. The following particulars relating to some of the class of Aborig- ines, for whom the interest of Friends has been engaged, are added by way of Apj)endix to the Report, although they were not produced at the Yearly Aleeting. Ilesh-ton-a-quet, a Chippewa Indian chief, formerly resident on the Canadian side of the boundary, and wiio became known to some friends in England, when fraudulently brought here by an adventurer, who designed to make a show of him, has at length been induced to dispose of iiis rej^ervalions, which were partially situated on the Ame- rican side, and has accepted the ofl'ers of the American (Jovernment, and removed beyond the Missouri, lie has had dilHculties to contend with, wliicli are described in the following letter, addressed by him to Sir Augustus d'Este. " Qsagc River, west of Mississippi, .'ll>ril2{), 1841. " Sir Aiif/Hslus d'Hsle, " My 15ii0Ti!i:H, — I was very happy to find in Westport, a few days ago, a letter from uiy friend Thomas liodgkin. I rejoice to 10 hear that your life and health is continued, as well as that of my friend IIod<(ivin. For two nights I could not sleep; I felt when I looked at the letter, that I could almost see you both. T, too, am mucli blessed; my ht 1th is good, but I am constantly sick in my heart on account of the recent death of my eldest son. I feel tliat the Creator of all thinn;s has taken him from me; so I am compelled to tliink it is all for the best. That which is contained in the letter is true ; T was certainly foolish to sell off my land, and come to this place. If the Americans had not cheated me, I would not iiave come here, but they bought my lands, and then would not pay me until I removed to this place; so it was not my wish to come here, but it was your own kind of people, tiie whiteskins. I was told that if I did not come liere, I should not have any money, but if I should come here I could have a great deal. I accordingly came, but still do not get paid. I have just s[)cnt all that my friends in England gave me, and I am now poor; I did not make myself poor, buttlie Americans did it. That which you say.is probably true, thatthegovernmentdoesnotcheat me, but some of its servants. I was promised wlien leaving my old home for this place, that, on my arrival here, we sliould be furnished with eight yoke of oxen, and all kinds of farming utensils, but al- though we have been here two winters, we have not received, as yet, anything of tlie kind. I have just now returned from Westport, sixty miles distant, where I purchased for our use one yoke of oxen, twenty hoos, and a plough ; I have al / bouglit cows, hogs, &e. I am pleased with this country ; the land is good, and tlie climate pleasant, but I am afraid that the U. S. will continue as tiiey have begun — tocheatme. Prol)ably, when I get improvements made here, the white man will again take it from me. I sometimes think that if I liad removed into Canada, I should liave been better otl'. The time is probably not far when they shall want me to plough with my foot, and use hands instead of the hoe. Since we came here, we have received but six hundred dollars of my old debt, which they owed my father. I remember that in Canada, your people always gave much to the Indians, and that when your people promised any- thing we were sure to receive what was promised. But iiere it is not so. We were promised that on our arrival here we should be ieii, but we were here two months before we received anything, and we were compelled to run in debt for our food. So many failures make me tliink that we shall at lust be cheated more and more, inuring the winter before last, we worked hard to clear off large fiekls. I sold a horse to get seeds, expi eting that we should g(,'t our oxen as we were promised, but have never got any till I just now bought one yoke, 'i'iie hope that we should get the oxen, &c. stimulated us to work hard ; I brought with me goods to last me for several years. I then sold all oil", to enable me to enclose and cultivate a large farm, ho])ing that with my money which I was to receive, 1 could get goods for clothing again. Our clothing is given out; we have no money, and we are indeed poor. The while man comes from the Atlantic, and says to us, Go a little further. As soon as we are set- II tied, we hear the coitimftncl again, Go a little further. When I last sold my land, I was promised, by treaty, that I sliould i)ave a deed for my land here ; but I cannot get it. I shall |)robal)ly soon hear the same old command. Go a little further ; this is what t'lscourages and alarms me. In your last letter, you still sliow symptoms of great friendsliip; you encourage me much by promising to help us. I put my trust in you. I still feel that my English father has not forsa- ken me yet; I shall slill hope for help from you. Your letter encou- rages me to look for another; I therefore shall now wait to know what help is coming, and shall gladly accept of whatever your libe- rality shall bestow upon us. I have told my people what you say to me, which causes them all to rejoice. If our Great Father shall pity me, and spare my life and health, I design within three or four years from this time, having ])rovided a comfortable home for my family, to visit all of my friends in London. I assure you that I feel ex- tremely anxious to see you all again. I shake your hands, my dear friends, d'Mste and Hodgkin. 1 am, as ever. Your sincere friend, IIESII-TON-A-QUET. Direct your letter to me, the care of Jothan Meeker, Wcstport, Jackson's County, Missouri. It is gratifying to believe that his difficulties are likely to be re- moved, and ti)at he will probably prove a useful neighbour to other Indians, likewise sent to that quarter. Tlie following paragraph is extracted from a letter written by a gentleman connected with the Government at Washington : — " I learn through Mr. M'Coy, the mis- sionary that Hesh-ton-a-quet lives in his neiglibourhood : that he is a very worthy Indian, is doing very well, and his removal would be a great loss and a serious injury to other Indians, as tiiey would be deprived of his good example. His band consists of between fiftj^ and one hundred persons, and they have thiiteen square miles, or 8,320 acres of excellent land. There was a bill before Congress to pay them their emigration expenses, but I am inclined to the opinion that it was not acted on, for want of time. It will probably be carried through at the extra session, which is to take place on the 31st of May." The Seminole Indiann, The war between the United States and the Seminole Indians has not yet terminated ; but numbers of these unhappy people, find- ing further resistance useless, are submitting in small companies to the will of the American Government, and are to be sent to the i'ar- west. There is now in tiiis country a very interesting Seminole lad of about eleven years of age. He is a remarkably well disposed and intelligent child, and it is hoped that his education in this country 12 Si? may, if suitably diiectod, be of essential service to liis countrymen. He is the nephew of the chief Oceola, who died a prisoner in the United States. .'Iburit/iiies of Australia, Launcelot Threlkeld, the conductor of a mission to the Aborigines in tlie neighbourhood of Lake Macquarie, in his annual report, pub- lished in the beginning of this year, gives some interesting particu- lars respecting tliese people, which tend to prove the great practical evil which results from the inadmissibility of their evidence in cri- minal cases. The ends of justice are thereby frustrated, whether they suffer from the hands of a colonist, or from violence committed by other natives. This deficiency has been the subject of repeated re- monstrance in the interviews which Friends have had at the Colonial office, and it was believed that in Australia at least a remedy would be applied, yet it is stated inThrelkeld's report, aftergiving the particulars of certain murders which had been committed, "Since the transactions related took place, the Royal ' disallowance' of the act to allow the Aborigines of New South ^V^ales to be received as competent witnesses in criminal cases !ias been gazetted, and thus leaves them without any hope of redress, exposed to the violence of any one, excepting proof can be obtained from white witnesses, which is most easily avoided in this colony. I had apprised them of the expected piece of justice to the Aborigines. I am now perfectly at a loss to describe to them their position. Christian laws will hang the Aborigines for violence done to Christians, but Christian laws will not protect them from the aggressions of nominal Christians, because Aborigines must give evidence only upon oath [which it is pretended that they are not sufficiently enlightened to be allowed to take]. The cases mentioned show the pitiable state in which the Aborigines are abandoned by the disallowance of their evidence ; nor can the small remnant of the tribes long exist to call forth sym- pathy, even were they to enjoy every protection of British law, unless some fostering arm be stretched out, some special Providence intervene to rescue them from ruin." Launcelot Threlkeld, who it may be observed became acquainted with our friend Daniel Wheeler when he visited Australia, states facts in another part of the report, which prove that these Aborigines are not incapable of acquiring the manners of civilized life. " Some of them gain employment as carriers, messengers, and servants, and others going on board numerous vessels which frequent the coast. At Twofold Bay there are two whale-boats entirely manned by Aborigines; one of the boats took five whales in one season, the other three. The men live in huts with their families, and cook their own provisions, the same as white people. Some of these women are good washerwomen, and one or two have made gowns for themselves." I Harvey and Diut"n, Primers, Oracechurih Street.