^a^ <^^^K .cu\^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // // y **'^ ^ ///t. ^^^ t-c'/ fe 1.0 !.:'" n- I.I 1.25 ■- lU m hiUi. IlliSi 1.4 116 j^" ^.^/' *r ^ >/ °W /A I'hotograi'iiic Sciences Coqxrdtioh U WMT MAIN %I»IIT WIHTIRNY I4M0 (7UI in^ioi L<*/ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Initltuta for Historical MIcroraproductlont / initltut Canadian da rnlcroraproductiona hiitorlquaa Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The to t( 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 significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D n D D D D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommag^e Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur,'e npun, and crurlty to, a civilized Indian community on the part of the Dominion of 0.\\VM\i\..'"~rr(K'i/«.i,'y'<'''"' Kifullican. "The victims have decided to ro to Alaska if they can be assured that under \niericiety. INTRODUCTION. IX All appeals of the Metlakahtlatis to the Domin- ion and Provincial Governments, have been treated with evasion or contempt. In contradiction to all precedents in British and American usage, and the repeated declarations of It)arl iJufferin, — while Gov- ernor-Cieneral of Canada ; — the authorities Irive proclaimed, that the Indians of British Columbia, arc, but beijgars, and have no rights whatsoever to the land, and that all their land belongs to the Crown. Recently the government authorities have sent men-of-war, and taken active coercive measures, to enforce their decision to despoil the peaceful, and law-abiding, ^^etlal^ahtlans ; and in consetpience of urging their rights by simple protests, without vio- lence, several of the Metlakahtlans have been arrested, and conveyed like criminals, six hun- le information on Indian laws and legislation. K. Kuhamah Scidmore for illustrations from '' Jotinicys in Alaskay Julia McNair Wriglit for an illustration from ".Iz/io/i;^ the Alas' k,ins.'' Kcv. J. J. IIalcomI)e for an illustration from " Stratij,',-)- than /•iifioii,'^ In (juoling from authors I have given credit in the text. EXPLANATION. Mctlakahtla is pronounced Mct-la-kaht-la. Tsimshcan is pronounced T'sim-she-an. CAPITALS and Italics in ([uotations, I have frequently taken the liberty of using at my own ,. ,. H. S. \V. discretion. i CONTENTS. CIIAPTEK I. Days ok Pkrii,, CIIAI'TER TI The Arcadian Vii.i.ac.e, • • CIIAITEK III. Halcyon Days, CHAPTER IV. EaRI. DUI'KEUIN AND OTHERS TesTIKY, , The Savac.e, , The Crisis, CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VH Coercion and 'I'urmoii., . • • CIIAI'TER VIll. CASIINli THE Toll,, PAGK I . 22 45 99 144 169 aiS as* xvin APPENDIX. CHAPTER IX. The Land Question, CHAPTER X. Seeking Home and Freedom, SUl'Pl-EMENTAL NoTE, PAGR , 283 . 339 . 377 APPENDIX. SUGGESTED PLAN OF MISSION WORK, . „.,■..•,, »«• Indian Commissioners, Mr. DUNCAN'S ADDRESS HEI-URE INDIAN V. ETC., • • • ■ Mr. DUNCAN'S REl'-UTATION, . • * ' ' TOMLINSON'S REFUTATION, . • ' * * AN AVl'EAI., . SERIOUS LOSS TO THE PROVINCE, . • ' ' . CoRRESroNOENCE IN BRITISH CuLUMUIAN JOURNALS, . I'AGR 379 384 401 411 428 430 431 ILLUSTRATIONS. rORTRAIT OF WiLLIAM DUNCAN, . Facing Title Page. Aboriginal House witm Carved Totem Tole, Dog-Eaters' Religious Orgies, FACING I'AGB I Legaic, Chief of all the Tsimshean Chiefs, attacking Mr. Duncan, . . . . . .12 Gold and Silver Bracelets, . . . -so Sea Voyage in Native Canoe, . , , .36 Legaic as a Simple Citizen and Carpenter, . . 40 A Native Belle, . . . . . .62 Burning the Dead, . • . . . .86 The Metlakahtla Church : Built Entirely hy the Natives, . . . . . . .128 The Devil Dance, . . . , , .148 AnoRiGiNAL Stockade, ..... 154 Carved Medicine-rattles ; Cedar Tray ; Carved Pipe ; Carved < >Mit, . . . . . .178 Chief lying in State, . . . . . 196 A Drummer of the Metlakahtla Brass-band, . . aio A Native Violet, ...... 334 A Native Hopeful, .,•.., 350 XX ILLUSTRATK )NS. An Infant Aerial Tomb, (iRASS-WOKK UASKET, . Leader Metlakaiiti-a nRASS-BANn, A Native-woven Man iue, . Carved To tem Toi-e, Native WooD-cARViNC, David LEASK, Secretary ok tuk Napivk Councii.. PAQR . 264 . 276 . 298 . 310 • 33<> . 344 . 362 PACE 264 276 298 310 344 362 NATIVK IIOIISI'. Willi CAIIVKI) TOIKM I'Ol.lt. The Story of Metlakaiitla. CIIMTKR 1. DAYS OF rKKII-. A civil, I/lNc; work without parallel, alike re- markable for the ori^^inal tlioii^ht and genius clis- playeil, and f(^r the heroic courage in execution; is that conceived and carried out by William Duncan, in liritish Columbia, on the North I'acific coast, near Alaska. Captain (now Admiral) IVevost, returning to Knglaiul from a cruise in the North Pacific, excited great public interest by his accouiit of the terrible state of barbarism that prevailed there. Mr. Dvm- can, sacrificed a highl\' lucrative position in a busi- ness house and started out for this field under the auspices of the Church Missionary Society, taking passage in a I ludson's Hay ( 'oinpany's sailing vessel, which rounded Cape Horn. On reaching Vancou- ver Island, Sir James Douglas, then the governor of ijje I ludson's 1 Jay Company, urgeil in the strong- ^1 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. est possible terms the folly of his attempting to civili/.e the murderous hordes of the North l*acific; asserting that it would be a fruitless sacrifice of his life. Notwithstanding this, Mr. Duncan, persisted in his determination to go on. and he was taken to Fort Simpson, a fortified trading post of the Hud- son's Bay Company. This post was protected by palisades of heavy timbers, massive gates, and flanked by four basli(/ns, with galleries on which cannon were mounted, and strongly garrisoned with rillemen.' Sentinels kept watch night and day. So fearful were the commanding officers of the treachery of the natives, that o'lly two or three were allowed to enter the stockade at a time; and these were admitted only through a narrow angular passage to the great store-room window, where they might pass in their furs in baiter for store-goods ; also, great care was taken not to display too many fine goods, to excite their cupiility. Diu'ing a siege it was sometimes necessary to keep the gates con- stantly closeil and barricaded for months at a time. The walls of the fort, ami roofs of the houses within showed many marks of bullets of the Indi- ans, fired while fighting among themselves or in at- tacking the post. Fort Simpson was the centre of an Indian settlement, consisting of nine Psimshe.m tribes, notorious on the whole coast for their cruel, bloodthirsty savagery -given up to dark supersti- tionsand atrocious habits of cannibalism constantly waging merciless war upon th<; neighboring tribcH. DAYS OF PERIL. Their warfare was carried on with revolting cruelty, and in taking captives they enslaved the women, and children, and beheaded the men. As they did not take scalps, the heads of their victims served as their trophies of war, which — after the manner of our own highly civilized ancestors in the last cen- tury — were borne home on the points of their spears ; to afterward dandle from their girdles din*- ing their hideous devil dances. Despite their atrocious barbarity, these people showed evidence of superior intellectual capacity. Their language, abounding in metaphors, is copious and expressive, and with few exceptions the sounds a»*e soft, sweet, and flowing. In front of every hut was erected a totem-pole, elaborately carveil with the figures of birds, or ani- mals, or other objects designating the crest of the clan to which the occupant belonged. Sometimes the entire front of the hut was carved and st'ined to represent the head and face of an animal or bird, the mouth or beak of which served as a door-way. Every article, whether canoe, fish-spear, war-club, or spoon, served as example» of their skill in carv- ing. Among their various occupations ; they wrought ami ox(|uisitely engraved bracelets and other orna- ments of gold, silver, and copper ; and made baskits and pouches, of a peculiar grass so closely woven as to hold water, all cmbellisheil with uni(|ue heraldic tlesigns. THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. A Stranger on visiting a village, could always claim, and was always certain, to receive entertain- ment at the hands of those of his own clan. Before white men's customs were adopted they produced fire by friction, by twirling rapidly be-, tween their hands a pointed stick resting on the edge of a split, against which was heaped a pinch of tinder-bark teased into a fibre. They also boiled water and cooked their food in wooden bowls by placing into them super-heated stones. The sea, rivers, and forest supplied them with food and raiment. Elk, deer, bear, mountain goat, salmon, herring spawn, oolachan, clams, and clak- kass, a ribbon-like seaweed similar to dulse pressed into cakes, and berries; were their principal food. The oolachan, or candle-fish, is rich in a butter-like fat much prized and very nutritious ; this fish is so inflammable when dried that when touched with a flame it burns, and is used as a torch. The coast is as rugged and fierc as the natives who inhabit it. liattling the elements in their struggle for life the savages actually seem to par- take of the character of their surroundings. A warm current from Japan setting in against their coast moderates the temperature for a few leagues inland — the season however is too short to ripen cereals. The Tsimsheans' beliefs and superstitions, are mainly based upon their rich fund of legendary lore. They have a version the flood ; they l)elievc in i o f th e creation, anc I of I good atui evil genius, DAYS OF PERIL. s and in special deities who control the sea, the storms, etc. They believe that the world was once wrapped in utter darkness and inhabited only by frogs. The frogs refusing to supply the devil with oolachan, to be avenged he sneaked into heaven and stole daylight, which was kept there in the form of a ball, and broke it ovci their heads, and, thus gave light to the world. The devil's chief traits were lying and stealing. The world was at one time very close to heaven, so very close, that, the people in heaven, could hear the voices of those on the earth, and, the people on earth, could hear the voices of those in heaven ; — the children of the earth made such a clamour, that they disturbed the great Shimanyet Lakkah, and he shoved the earth a long way off. In the next world the good will have the best quality of fish and game, while the wicked will receive only that caught out of season and of poorest tjuality. The medicine-man, claiming direct intercourse with the spirit-world, held great influence over the people, lie arranged himself, in the skin of a bear or wolf, the iiead and muzzle of which formed a helmet, the tushes falling about his temples; and a hideously carved mask covered his face, armlets and anklets of repulsive design encircled his shrivelled limbs. To adtl to the ferocity of his appearance, the exposed parts of his body were daubed with red and black paint, and he was covered with pending charms, such as dried skunk-skins, distended fi^h-bladders, THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. tails of animals, feathers, rare shells, highly polished little horns, eagles' claws, engraved bones and teeth, which dangled about him as he advanced into the room with a series of postures and jerks. Armed with a mystic wand and a huge wooden rattle, fashioned in the form of an eagle, with a demon carved on its back pulling out a man's tongue with its teeth, he proceeds aggressively, to overpower and frighten away the evil spirit by giving vent to a series of unearthly wailing and guttural sounds, vehemently brandishing and marking time with the rattle. However, if not successful in frightening away the evil one by these noises, he begins to hack the ailing part and suck or burn it out. The Sha- man received a liberal retainer, in view of securing his cleverest arts, in exorcising the invading demon. This evil spirit was supposed lO be sent by some designing enemy; who if discovered was killed by relatives of the afflicted. If the patient recovered the Shaman received an additional fee, but, if he died the fees must be forthwith returned, and some- times, he also suffered death as u penalty for his " had vu'dicinc ! " One of the most marked characteristics of these people is their inordinate personal pride and van- ity — in fact, this is true of all the North Pacific tribes. Hecause of a slight taunt or insult a man will sometimes kill a slave or destroy all his prop- erty, believing thereby he wipes out the disgrace. Some years ago an officer in charge of a division of "-, / . ->.<>^ C^J^'-' -*•-'■ - - "^ r^A^ I)()0-KATKKS' KI'.I.UJIOUS (iRC.lKS. DAYS OF PERIL. an Arctic search expedition ; indiscreetly gave out that he was about to send for a certain prominent chief. Word of which reached the ears of the chief in question, who was in the habit of being ivaited upon, or the honor of his presence requested, so, when tlie officer's emissaries arrived, they were carved, and grilled, and eaten by the affronted chief and his council — this to wipe out the insult. It was the ambition of every Indian to accumu-* late as much property as possible. Even depriving himself and his family for many years, of the ordi- nary comforts of life in his hoarding, in order some day to hold a great feast which should outrival in display those given by his neighbors. On such an occasion he gave away all his property, consisting mainly of blankets — a common form of currency. In doing this, he secured recognition as being a great man in his tribe and thenceforth, took a cer- tain prominent rank. It is their custom to confine for one month in an isolated cabin girls when attaining the age of puberty, usually their thirteenth year. No one is allowed to see them during this time, and it is supposed that they are away on a voyage to the moon, or to some other celestial abode ; and at the end of the month they return to their people amid great feasting and rejoicing. It is on the oc- casion of a feast accompanying the Potlach, or giv- ing away, or destroying of i)roperty ; or, the return of a maiden, or the initiating of youth into the 8 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. mysteries of Shamanism, that dog-eating and canni- balism^ devil-dancing and other wild revelries, occur. Shortly after Mr. Duncan's arrival he witnessed, while standing on the gallery of one of the bast- ions, a most sickening sight : a party of hideously painted and bedecked cannibals, tearing limb from limb, the body of a woman who had just been foully murdered by a chief, each struggling for a morsel of the human flesh, which they devoured, accompanying their fiendish orgies with unearthly howls, and weird beat of their medicine-drums. Bespattered with the blood of their victim, mad- dened with rum, frenzied by their hysterical en- thusiasm in these superstitious rites, they wrought themselves into a wild and furious delirium, imi- tating ravenous wolves in their ferocity. These ceremonies continued during the night, and were followed by debaucheries lasting for several days, during which most terrible atrocities were perpe- trated, several of their number being slain, just without the gates of the fort. Such scenes as those v ell might quail the stout- est heart — but, on the CMitrary, to Mr. Duncan, they proved a stimulus to iiis intrepid determination to rescue them, from their benighted state. In one of his letters he writes : — " To attempt to describe their condition would be but to produce a dark, revolting picture of human depravity. The dark mantle of degrading superstition envelopes them all, and their savage spirits, swayed by pride, DAYS OF PERIL. jealousy, and revenge, were ever hurrying them on to deeds of blood. Their history is little else than a chapter of crime and misery." Without a moment's delay he secured the services of Clah, one of the most intelligent Tsimshean natives, to assist him in learning their language in his quarters within the walls of the fort. No white man having yet mas- tered their tongue, all intercourse with these people had been through the medium of the Chinook jar- gon, and, a sign language common to the coast. The jargon, however, was too incomplete for teach- ing purposes, hence, Mr. Duncan, saw that to reach the inner life of the people, he must gain a thorough knowledge of the language, in which they formu- lated their thoughts. With great patience and rare ingenuity, by means of signs, gestures, and objects, Mr. Duncan soon secured from Clah a fair vocabulary of Tsimshean words, which he wrote down phonetically, and as soon as possible began to construct sentences. At the end of several months he was able to write out a simple address, explanatory of his mission among tlicm. However, in the meantime, through Clah, he had already conveyed to the Indians, the information that a white man had come, not, to barter, or get gain, but to bring them a message from the white man's God, and to teach them the knowledge of those things in which the white man, was superior to the red man. This naturally excited the curi- osity of the Indians, and finally, when Mr. Duncan, lO THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. ventured out among them, in spite of the warning of the ofificers of the fort, lie was warmly received by the cliiefs and people, who regarded him, as some supernatural being. In deference to their tribal customs, Mr. Duncan, found it necessary to speaU to the people of each of the nine Tsimshean tribes, at the houses of their respective chiefs, during ihe same day. In some instances, when Mr. Duncan, saw that the people gave mo;e attei.'ion to his buttons, or the cut of his garments, than to his words; he repeated his address until they did listen and comprehend his message. Mr. Duncan, had not ventured to address ♦hem until he felt certain he could make himself cleariy ujidi'istood. IIw had made it a special stuily to •icqui.e their picturescjue and expressive figures of speech. Literal translations into Indian tongues are V(.ry barren, and often extremely droll. One dignitary of the Church, who hcgan his address to a coast tribe — ** Children of the forest " — was not a little contused when he fv)und that his interpreter could only render it, in the Chinook jargon, '/\in'> niuiiity. I le selected for this purpose a place called Mctlakahtla, about twenty miles from Fort Simj)- son, the site of one of the ancient Tsimshean villages, which had been abandoned by the natives some years before, to join the trading settlement at Fort 20 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. Simpson. Metlakahtia presented the advantages of good and convenient fishing and hunting grounds, a good harbor, and a suitable soil for gardening — besides. Nature had modelled its surroundings on a plan of remarkable beauty and grandeur. For more than a year before the time fixed upon for removing to the new location Mr. Duncan, cir- culated among the people a set of rules, announc- ing that he should require all those who joined him to subscribe to them. These rules are as follows : 1. To give up their " Ahlied," or Indian deviltry. 2. To cease calling in " Shamans," or medicin men, when sick. 3. To cease gambling. 4. To cease giving away their property for dis- play. 5. To cease painting their faces. 6. To cease indulging in intoxicating drinks. 7. To rest on the Sabbath. 8. To attend religious instruction. 9. To send their children to school. 10. To be cleanly. 11. To be industrious. 12. To be peaceful. 13. To be liberal and honest in trade. 14. To build neat houses. 15. To pay the village tax. On the day appointed for the removal, fifty souls — men, women, and children — were ready to DAYS OF PERIL. 21 start, and othe.s promised soon to follow. Mr. Duncan, had pulled down his school-house, and formed the materials into a raft to be navigated to Metlakahtla harbor. He, describes as extremely solemn and impressive the embarkation of his little flock in their six canoes, freighted with their be- longings, while the whole population turned out to witness their departure and say farewells. Some earnest in their protestations that they too would soon join them, others faltering with indecision, many predicting failure and return, and not a few, headed by the Shamans, were openly hostile to the movement. Thus, firm in their adherence to the leadership of their good master, they set sail for their New Iloinc. .J aa THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. CHAPTER II. THE ARCADIAN Vn,I.Af)K. A On landinj^ at Motlakahtla, Mr. Duncan, ar.d his Indian converts bc^faii ininicdiatoly to erect huts and a school-house, whicli also served as a church. Mr. Duncan, was greatly encoura}^ed anil stren^^th- cned in his dierished project ; v^'hen within a week i'fter their arrival, a fleet of thirty canoes came from Fort Simpson; liriii^in^ recruils to the number of nearly three humlred, including two chiefs, The difllculties experienced in ortjani/.inj; and |(overnin^ a new community, composed of sucli crude material, were very ^;reat. Mr. Dimcan, . Iso- \y hcLjaii by placing; upon the people themselve."* mucl\ of the resi)onsibility. So closely was their purity and integrity j^'-iarded, lliat every candidate for niend)ership to the community, must l)e accept- able t(> all, and stibscribe to the rules in public assem- bly, lie organized a villi^^e council of twelve in- cludin;; three chiefs who had joined him; and, a native constabulary ft)rce. The council was consulted on all lmi>ortant mat- ters rt'latin^; to the welfare of the village, however, Mr. Duncan, sonietlmcs fouiul it mressary to act THE ARCADIAN VILLAGE. 23 nrbitrarily and disregard their opinions, as their clan- nish prejudices, inconsistencies, and obiicpie ideas of justice, often made their sitting in judgment very anomalous, especially in passing ui)on the offences of their own peoi)le. VVitli time and experience, under the careful guichuice of so just a man ; tliey gradually imbibed ideas of ecpiity, and as tiieir sense of justice expanded greater reliance was reposed in them. Vari()us public works were required and conse- quently a tax was necessary. 'J'his was fixed at one blanket, valued at $2.50, for each male adult, and one shirt, valued at $l, for such as were approaching manhood. The first assessment yielded to the ex- liequer the following unicpie returns: — One green, »Mie blue, anil ninety-four white blankets; one pair white trousi'rs, one dressed elk-skin, seventeen siiirts, and seven dollars. Their public works consisted in (h'wer, and also, harbored fugitives, until they could be restored t<» the native tribes from whicli liiuy, or their ancestors had been seized, 28 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. As may be expected this called down upon him the retaliatory fury of many powerful chiefs, among whom was the treacherous Sebassah who ultimately was convicted for the murder of two white men. He and his confederates confessed the crime, he was condemned to death, but on the recommenda- tion of Mr. Duncan, this sentence was commuted to five years' surveillance at Metlakahtla. For his determined rescue of slaves Mr. Duncan's life was many times endangered, but he was heartily supported by the Metlakahtlans, and he continued his humane work in defiance of all threats. Finally Metlakahtla became known as an asylum of emanci- pation, and slaves from all parts of British Colum- bia and Alaska, sought a refuge within its sheltering precincts. y\s the result of the bold onslaught upon slavery begun by Mr. Duncan, to-day the practice has greatly diminished, and is now I believe only common among the inland tribes of British Colum- bia and Alaska. One of the most serious difficultiea to be dealt with was the sale of intoxicating litpiors. White men trading along the coast in small sailing vessels matle licpior selling their principal business. Some lndia!)s also etigaged in this tralVic by means of their canoes. Their visits to Indian camps were invariably followed by l)rutal outrages, usually with murder and not unfriMpiently intertribal wars. By strictly pro- liibiting indulgence or traflic in intoxicating li(|uors, within his own precincts, Mr. Duncan, at onco THE ARCADIAN VILLAGE. 29 brought himself into collision with these traders, and earned their eternal hatred. Being vested by the government with the powers of a magistrate, he found it necessary to exercise his functions, by fining and imprisoning several of the liquor traders ; and finally, as an example, seized the vessel of one who defied his authority and burned it on the beach. The owner, on returning to Victoria, in fitting out a new liquor-selling vessel, out of spite named it " The Duncan." One of the white traders imjjrisoned at Metla- kahtla was singularly enough converted during his term of imi)ris()nment, by the Indian guard, whose exemplary Christian life so impressed him, that he abandoned the nefarious traffic and became a Christian. However, some of these traders even went so far as to threaten Mr. Duncan's life, and did kill one of his constables and wound several others while attempting to make arrests. On one occasion a party of Kilahmaht Indians landed a (|uantity of li(|uor : Mr. Dmican, at once caused it to be seized. The Kitahmahts, out of revenge for this, stole a little boy belonging to Metlakahtlu, while lie was on a fishing expedition with his par- ents. I le was worried to death, and literally torn to pieces and devoured by these cannibals I To this was added tiie hostility (.. the Hudson's Hay C^)mpany's agents, who regarded Mr. Duncan's introduction of the trades and industries of civiliza- tion iis unilerminJMg their close monopoly. They 30 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. would no longer bring his supplies in their vessels. From this time forth the Hudson's Bay Company's agent and the coast traders lost no opportunity to revile him, charging that his mission was simply a private money-ma^-ing scheme ; therefore, he had as his sworn enemies not only the slave-traders and the Shamans and chiefs, who saw him destroying their power and influence ; but also the white traders of the coast, who were plotting for his overthrow and that of his mission. Just at this time there fell upon the coast a fear- ful plague of small-pox, destroying thousands of lives, and spreading universal destitution and terror. Five hundred Tsimsheans alone succumbed to its ravages. Thanks to the wise sanitary precautions taken by Mr. Duncan, who vaccinated all who came to him, only five deaths occurred among his original settlers who came with him from Fort Simpson, and several of these contracted the fatal malady while caring for outside sufferers. But the ravages of this scourge along the coast caused frightful misery and suffering. Seeing so many fellow-creatures stricken down on all sides about them, the Inilians were so demoralized with terror that they could hardly be induced, during its depressing reign, to continue their avocations; and trading between the tribes was almost wholly sus- pended. Mr. Duncan, humanely sent succor far and near, and numbers flocked to him for assistance ; l»e ministered to them as far as possible, always (i(> II) AND SILVI'.K IlKAil'l ETS. THE ARCADIAN VILLAGE. 31 guarding the welfare and safety of his own people as his prime duty. His heroic conduct and indefat- igable devotion during this trying ordeal, was not lost upon the Indians. These were certainly grave difficulties to be met single-handed by a lone white man, with an infant community of but half-enlightened savages. But the brave man who had not feared to face death, in the performance of the work to which he had so nobly dedicated himself, did not falter. Me determined to purchase a vessel, and thereby secure independent transportation. For this pur- pose he obtained subscriptions from his Indians in sums of five dollars to ten dollars, paid in their prod- ucts ; in total amounting to an equivalent of four hundred dollars ; then, appealing to the government, he secured a contribution of five hundred dollars (this latter sum being afterward apportionately re- funded), and added the deficit of six hundred dol- lars from his own private funds, and purchased a schooner costing fifteen hundred dollars. During the first voyage this schooner made tlown the coast to Victoria Mr. Duncan, was obliged to navigate the vessel himself. It proved a highly re- munerative investment, carrying their own products down the coast, and bringing up various goods to supply their own wants, antl for traffic with the neighboring tribes. At the end of a few moiiliis a handsome divi- dend was declared on each share. This part of the 32 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. proceedings somewhat puzzled the Indians, who, when the money was paid to them, imagined that they must necessarily be parting with their inter- est in the vessel. As soon, however, as the mat- ter was made clear to them, they evinced their ap- preciation by calling it " Kahah," or " Slave," signi- fying that // did all the work, and that they reaped all the profit. His own share of the profits Mr. Dun- can, devoted entirely to the objects of his mission. An important step in these commercial develop- ments, was, the establishment of a village store on the plan of a co-operative stock company, in which each villager held at least one share. This insti- tution also served as a savings-bank. Blankets, furs, etc., were received, and the value credited as a deposit, upon which a yearly interest of ten per cent, was allowed. On the payment of the first year's interest some of the Indians were surprised, for they imagined that they ought instead, to pay for the safe-keeping of their treasures. It was, in- deed, a revelation when they found that their ten blankets had " swollen " (to use their quaint expres- sion) to eleven ! It was their first idea of usury. Formerly, in storing up their furs and blankets in their own huts, they became injured and depreciateil by mildew and insects. After a time, prosperity began to smile upon this novel Arcadian community. The untiring zeal and energy of their leader, enabled them to override the many obstacles which had threatened their [)rogress. THE ARCADIAN VILLAGE. 33 The minds of the people exhibited signs of develop- mcn*;, and their benefactor was alive to the require- ments of their advancing intellects ; he delivered simple lectures, illustrated by maps and a stcre- opticon ; on history, geography, astronomy, natural history, and morals. He was at one and the same time pastor, missionary, secretary, treasurer, magis- trate, school-master, physician, carpenter, builder, chief-trader, friend and adviser. The growing exigencies, demanded modifications in the form and organization of the village govern- ment, also new and modified laws. The native council was increased in numbers and was made an elective body, without compensation ; they were allowed to wear a badf • of office on special occa- sions. The constabulary force was also increased, and free uniforms were supplied; the constables re- ceived a small remuneration when on duty. The entire male population was divided into ten com- panies, each having an equal number of councilmen and constables, who acted as monitors; and, in order to enlist the younger men in the public weal, a fire brigade was organized of six companies, ten men in each company. At one of these elections a little incident occurred that would amuse some politicians. The ballot in favor of a candidate for the council must be unani- mous, in order to secure election. On one occasion a black ball was cast, and as the nominee enjoyed an excellent reputation, Mr. Duncan, gave out that 34 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. he would like to sec the dissenter privately. Early the next morning the individual called, and ex- plained that on a certain day, the candidate had i)een ^iven one dollar too much change at a store, and had asked him if he ()U|4ht to kcjp it — " lie ou^ht to have known himself that he ou^ht to be honest without asking me! That, is why 1 thouL^ht he ou^ht not to be a councillor." These people, just wrested from dark supersti- tions and vicious habits, and liable to the natiu'al weaknesses of mankind, reciuiroil the tnost anxious watch-care. And, as was to be expected, some transgressions (^f the rules occurreil. Those i^uilty of offences of a {^rave character such as threatening; or attempting' blooilshed, after beiii}; adjudged by Mr. Duncan, and the outicil, and condemned, were publicly whippeil l)y Mr. Duncan. This was tlie severest form of punishment inHicted, which oc- curred only four or five times and one much dreaded ; for the inherent pride and vanity of the people caused them to re^^ard it as a stinjjin^ disj^race. nam'shmcnt, was also resorted to, in the cases of some incorrij;iI)le malefactors. A very novel mode of dealm^j with a certain class of offences was the hoistinj; of a black lla^ over the prison ; whenever this fla^ was raised the Mople in(|uired of each other, *'\\'ho is the olfender ? " and soon public opinion made it so warm for him, that hi* was (ob- liged to make ample amends or luit tite villa^je. To l.cep pace with Ihc general moral and mental TEIE ARCADIAN VILLAGE. 35 progress, and funiisli them with the comforts and conveniences of modern civilization, it was necessary to improve the dwellings, and, it was decided to j)ull dt)wn all the old houses and erect new ones. The new town v/as laid out in lots of 60 by 120 feet, on each to be erected a double house. i\s the new dwellings were to be substantial and commo- dious, and somewhat beyond their means, Mr. Duncan, pledged himself to assist them m lumber to the amount of $60 for each double house. A new church, seating i,joo people, a town-hall, dispensary, reading-room, market-house, blacksmith, carpenter, cooper, and tin shops; work-sheds, and a soa[)-fac- tory were built. And not the least important un- dertaking, was the building of a massive sea-wall to protect the village. In order to carry out the pro- posed improvements, it was necessary to erect a water-power saw-mill. One old Indian who hearil that Mr. Duncan inteniled to make water saw wood, said : — " If it is true that Mr. Duncan, can make water saw wood, I will .see it and then die I" And thus prosperity continueti. 'i'he public im- provements were largely the result of the profits ac- cruing from the schooner, tiie store, and the trading expeditions of the villagers, but were a.ssisted by the contributions t)f friends of the mission and Mr. Duncan's private funds. Ah time passeil on, one practical tr.ide and industry after another wuH added— tlic people were kept busy and happy. Mr. 3G Tin: STORY OF MKI'LAKAinLA. Duncan, paid a flying visit to England in 1870, during whicli he procured macliincry and learned various trades, such as weavinj,^ rope-niakin;j[, twine- spinnin;^, brush-makinfr, etc. During' liis stay he learned tlie ^amut of several instruments, and on Ids return to Mcthd fetch nu; home. The happy crew, wiiose lu'arts seemed brimful of joy at .seeing mo l)aek', ^javc me a very warm welcome. I at once decided to leave tiie steamer and proceeil at once to Mi'tlakalitla with tny Indian friends, wiio aB- sured me th.it tiie village was in a j^reat state of ex- citement at tiie prospect of my return. We were favored witli a stron(.j, fair wind, and with two sails up, we dasiied alon;.{ merrily tlirou;.;ii a boiling sea. I now felt I was indeed inMiiewanl bounil. My Its I w I/) TIIK ARCADIAN VILLAGE. 37 happy friends, liaviii^ nothini; to do but to watch the sails and sit still, could i^mvc free vent to their lon^-pent-up feelings, and so they poured out one piece of news after another in rapid succession, and witliout any regard to order, or tlie changes their reports produced ui)on my feelinj^s ; thus we liad j^ood and bad, solemn and frivolous news, all mixeil iniliscriminately. "On sij^hlin^ the village, in accordance with a preconcerted arran^fement, a fla^ was hoisted over our canoe, as a signal to tiie villagers tiiat I was on board. Very soon we could disc /n (juite a number of fla^^s n)'in;4over tlie villaj^^e, and Indians hurrying toward the place of landing'. Before we reached the beach lar^je crowds had assembK;d to ^reet nii;, On my stepping out of the canoe, ban^ went a can- non, and when fairly on my feet ban^ went another. Tlien some of the principal i)eople stepped away from the ^;roups and came forward, hats off, anil saluted me warmly. On my advancing, the corps of constables discharged their muskets, then all hats were doffed, and a^;eneral rush to seize my haiul ensued. I was now hennne to bed at THE ARCADIAN VIM-ACJR. 39 all, but sat up all niyht talking over what they had heard. " Such is a brief account of my reception at Met- lakahtla. 1 could but reflect how different this to the reception J had amonj^ the same people in 1H57. Then they were all superstitiously afraid of me, and rejT.irded with dread suspicion my every act. It was with feelin announce our approach. We could soon distin<(uish a canoe put- ting off to us, and presently it ap|)r«>.iched, flying a flag. It was a large canoe, which had a warlike app«\irance, manned by ten Inilians, and in it was seat«d Mr. i )uncan, the missionary of Metlakahtia. There was placed, too, by his sidi-, a murderer, who had last year comnntted a ct)ld-bl(M)(U;d murder upon an Knglishman, and who hail given himself up ajjainst the coming of the man-of-war." According to the Bishop of Columbia's account, the man-of-war •* Dnuistntion " had in vain directed her guns against the village of this man's tribe, threatening it with annihilation if they did not give him up. VUv Indians defied the man-of-war, but aftei its ilepartme the murderer, knowing Mr. Dun- can's renown for justice and clemel^cy, surrendered himself at Metl.ikahtla, saying to Mr. Duncan, " Whatever you tell me to do I will do. if you say I am to go on boar!^ craft of nialidons f/iaj^nCf as well as all sifis of tlw Jltsli, arc particularly }:^larin}!;y and closely connected ivith heathenisnt. So are the truths of the Creed in stron^^est contrast to the dark and miserable fables of their forefathers, and heartily can they pledge themselves to keep the holy will of (iod,allthe days of their life, seeing Ilim a loving ami true l''atlu'r, of whom now so lately, but so gladly, they iiave learnt to know." The Bishop of (^»lumbii^ rontlniics: " I first drew forth iheir vii-ws of the nece^nity of upeutance, its details, and tluir ou n personal ac(|uainlanci' with 50 TIIK STORY OK METLAKAIITLA. it. I then questioned them as to the Three Per- sons of the Trinity, and the special work of cacli, with allusion to the Judpjnient, and the state of the soul hereafter, inquiring into their private devotion, to learn their personal application of repentance and faith. I questioned their anxiety for baptism, and deuiamlcd proof of their resolution to keep the will of Ciod for their {^uide, to speak of Crod, and to labor ft)r (iod's wa)', all their life Ion;;-. I sou,L;ht to lind out the circumstances under which they first became seriously inclined, and to trace their steps of trial and ^race. Admittin<^ them to the promise of baptism, I exhorted them to prayer and devotion, as a si)ecial preparation until the time came." The following i.-xtracts from the iJishop of Columbia's report convey a most convlncin*^ testi- mony to the honesty, and dci)th, of conversion of these recently reclaimed savaj^es. The simplicity, and apparent sincerity of the answers, will biar a thoughtful lomparisou, with those rendered in our houie churches. I beg my readers will bear this I'xaminalioM in un'iul while readitig the reference I shall make to the leport of the Soci(;ty's l)eputation in Chapter V'll. of this volume. MALES. Cl.Aii, uged 3$.— .4ir/fi««* .'— 1 luivc madr nj) luy niii)il tn live a Chrittinn. Must try to put awuy all uur »u\h. 1 hrliivc in Jtsun Chrini, ilu' Son "( (ioti, wlu) tliid for our siiii. (iiid is i;t»od lu u'^. .mil in.ulv- uii. <>)kI <;iv«.'s us His HALCYON DAYS. 5' Spirit to make us clean and happy. I pray to God to clean my heart, and wipe out my sin from God's book. It will be worse fur us if we fall away after we have begun. I repent I was not baptized a year and a half ago. Li'XiAic (principal chieO, aged 40. — Answers : — We must put away all our evil ways. 1 want to take hold of God. I believe in God the Father, who made all things, and in Jesus Christ. I constantly cry for my sins when I remem- ber them. 1 believe the good will sit near to God after de.ilh. Am anxious to walk in Ciod's ways all my life. If I turn back it will be more bitter for me than before. I pray God to wipe out my sins ; strengthen me to do right ; i)ity me, My prayers are from my heart. I think sometimes God drjcs not hear me, because I do not give up .ill my sins. My sins are too heavy. I think we have ni ' stren^jlh of ourselves. lifttiark's. — Under instruction about 'dne months. On two occasions before attended for a slurt lii;' ■. but fell away. Mr. Duuean s.iys this man has made greater sacrifices than any other in the vUlage. Is the princip.il cliu f, and has left his tribe and all greatness. lias been a nvtst savage and desperate man ; committed all crimes. Had the ofler of forty blankets to return to his tribe. He now bears sus Christ, the only Son of God, diitl for our sins that God might pity us on that account. God is a Spirit, full of love and goodness ; but we must pray for God's Holy Spiiit. We inubt all :(|. A'«7//i %£ ///// ^^ i^ 56 THE STORY OF MKTLAKAIITLA. some years a slave. The chiefs son sold him to his own friends, who set him free. Skuli.oh, aged 30. — Answers: — From my birth I have hecn a sinner. I eannot understand tlie si/.e of niy sinful- ness. Cannot of myself give up my sins, hut (lod will help me. Jesus our Saviour came from heaven ; that is the rea- son why we can be saved. I feel Ood sees and understands all we do, and think, and speak. Am not afraid of the judg- ment, forCiod is full of love and mercy, and the Son ofCicjd has made our peace. I pray God to prepare my heart to see 11 im. Ki'marks. — Was in a canoe with a child, who fired a gun by carelessness. A portion of the boat turned the shot from going into his back, lie was led to think why a little piece of woo 1 should thus save his life; he became thoughtful; heard Mr. Duncan was to come to speak about God, and at once joined. OoHiii-NKKYAM-NAY, aged 24.— ////.fTfVT.v .•— I will try to take hold of God's ways, and leave sin. When I remcml)er my sin my lu-art cries. 1 believe in God, who made heaven and earth, and who is almighty. Our sins were the death of Jesus. The blooil of Jesus cleanseth us from sin. We must pray to |>ut our hearts to Him. Ji-sus will dress us in Mis gooilness. God sends His Spirit to make tis good. I am not afraid of the judgment, for I hope my lu-art will be right to see God before I die. If our hearts are not right to see God, lie will cast us into darkness. KisiiKKso, ngcd 16, — Answers: — A duty to give up ih- ways of the Tsishseans. Was very wicked when cpiito young. Will try to put away my sin. I cannot eat a);a;n what I have vomited. God is almighty. Jesus the Son of God, our Saviour. God will hear me if I cry to Him. We must seek God first befoie any «»ther thing. My father and mother still in heathenism, but I cannot go back to them, I rather cry when I think of ihem. I pray night and morn- ing for God to pity and to pardon me, TIATXYON DAYS. 57 Remarks. — Came by himself in .1 tiny canoe, ncross the sc:i, a\v;iy from hoir.e, to join the Christian people. Tiirak-SIIA-KaVVN (sorcerer), aj^ctl 50. — Answers :—\ wish to give up all wicked ways. Have been a medicine-man, and know the lies of heathmism. I believe in the great leather who made us, in Jesus who died on the cross (hat (iod would pity us. I want the Spirit of Clod to touch my heart. We must all stand before (iod. Cod will measure our ways. No one to be his master but Cod. I will not keep .ny eyes on the ground any more, but will look up to heaven all my life. A'rmarks. — \\v has had to bear much scorn, and to go through much struggle. QU-Ti,-NOH, aged 19. — Answers : — I wish to j)ut away all sin, lies, drunkenness. Have erred in following man. Must now try to follow Cod. 1 believe in Jesus Christ, who died for our sin. Cod's .Spirit prepares us for baptism. We shall rise from (he dead and see Cod's face, if we are Cod's chil- dren. I atn wibhful lu serve Gud as lung as 1 live. FKMAI.KS. WAlli'lir, (wife of l-egaic), aged .\o. — Answers: — I wish to put away evil and have a clean heart. Keel the pain of the remembrance of sin so bad I woidd sonii'times like to die. I want to seik Cod's face, but feel little hope; still I determine to persevere, though miserable. Loss of relatives, and liuding no pe.ice and rest, and feeling in darkness, led me to look to Coil. 1 know that (lOiX sent liin Sou Jesus to die for our sins. A'eniitris. -About nine months under regular Instruction. She is evidently anxious for her soul ; knows the truth, but her sins are a burden th.it she hacrs : — I wish to be a Christian. Must put away all sin. I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, who takes away my sin. The Spirit is almighty ; strengthens my breath. We must all stand before (»od. We must try to be good. Knowing this, I pray to God morning and evening. Death in the family first led me to think. I have been mad i bad by my people, but have now turned to God. Kcmarks : — Eighteen months under instruction. Heen affiicted, and shown great constancy. Ahk-YAIK, aged 22. — Answrrs : — My sins I must leave. 1 pray to God for pardon. Helieve in ("lod who made us, and heaven and earth. Jesus Christ the son of God, our Lord. lie came down frcvm heaven to our world to save sinners. God is a great spirit. God will measure our ways. I have struggled against my friends who wish to get mc nway from here. Rt'inarks : — About ten months under instruction. SllYir-l.lciuiK.N (wife of Kow-al-ah), agi'd 2-^.- /Iptswrrs : — I have a miserable heart when I think nf my sins. Jesus had compassion, and died on the cross for our sins, that wo might live after His ilealh. God sends down Ilis Spirit to make us good. After death God will show us our sins and diviile us. 1 jjray when I wake in the night. If only my tongue speaks, my prayers do not go to God ; but if iny heart speaks, God hears my prayers. HALCYON DAYS. 6i Tah-tiks, aged 24. — Answers: — I must give up all my old ways. I believe Jesus Christ died for my sins. We shall be happy with the angels if we are good here The people of heaven and earth will be brethren. God will be to us a brother. Long time .ago 1 knew good, but it died in my heart, and I followed sin ; but I had an illness, and de- termined to do differently, and when the move here was made, I followed. Did follow evil, but am changed. C)()-AII (wife of Thrak-sha-kaun), aged 38. — Ans^urrs : — I wish to be a Christian. Was long time in sin, but now hope to give up every sin. Jesus died for our sins. Our Father made us and all things. The spirit helps us. Wc shall find God when we die, having lost our sins. Those who remain in their sins will be curried away. I prayed to God for salvation. Who can read these simple childlike professions of faith, witliout beinj; impressed with the mighty cliange, from the vicious, defiant, bravado which many of the self-same men and women, had exhibit- ed wlien Mr. Duncan, began to show them " the way." On the day appointed, fifty-six, accepted candi- f' ites for baptism, assembled in the church, and, i.mged themselves in a large circle, in the midst of wliich tile ceremony was to !)e i)erformed. The Uishop of Columbia thus describes the scene : — " The impressivene«s of tlu; occasioti was mani- fest ill the ilevout and reverent manner of all pres- ent. rh ere w ere no external aids — sometimesi thought necessary for the savage mind — tt» proihico 62 THE STORY OK MK ILAKAHTLA. or itivcrcasc the solemnity of tlic scene. The build- ing is a bare and unfinished octagon of logs and spars- -a mere barn — sixty feet by sixty, capable of containing seven hundred persons. The roof was partly open at the top ; and, though the weather was still cold, there was no fire. A simple table, covered with a white cloth, upon which stood three hand-basins of water, served fortlie font, and I offi- ciated in a sur[)lice. Thus there was nothing to im- press the senses, no colour, or ornamcMit, or church decoration, or music. The solemnity of the scene was produced by the earnest sincerity and serious purpose with which these children of the Far West were prei)ared to offer themselves to (j(hI, and to renounce forever the hateful sins and cruel deeds of their heathenism ; and the solemn scillness was broken only by the jjreath of prayer. The responses were made with earnestness and decision. Not an individual was tliere, whose lips did not utter in their own expressive tongue, their hearty readiness to lielieve, and to serve, Clod." . . . On the following day, the Hishop.was called upon to unite in marriage three native coup.les. •* Nothing could be more pleasing, than tlie man- ner in wliich the young people conducted them- selves. The service evidently impressed both them and their friends who came to witness tlie ceremony. The custom of the wediling-ring was tpiite novi-l to them, in coimection \vith marriage. Rings they have in abuuilance generall)'. I havi-iounti'd thirty on a ild- :ind .-of was her blc, I roc )fri- im- ich one OIIS to cds was ISL'S an ■ in less Mm an- .Mll- etn to ivo A NATIVE IIEI.I.E. )t1 a HALCYON DAYS. 63 single pair of hands. All rings were, however, ab- sent on this occasion, except the third finger had on a gold ring. There vasno confusion ; all evidently were properly impressed. Two of the young ladies had white dresses. I presented e.ach of the couples with a fifty-pound bag of flour and five pounds of sugar. " It is customary amongst Indians for the newly married pair to give presents to their friends, some- times to their own impoverishment. We desire to establish rather the more healthful practice of en- couraging the new home by substantial help." On the same day fourteen children were also bap- tized. " It was pleasing to see the strong desire of the Christians for the admission of their children to the same privilege of union with Christ's Church as themselves. They all took places — parents, spon- sors, and children — in the same ring as the adults of yesterday, and came up, leading the little ones between two, and, on returning, reverently knelt down, remaining in private devotion for a while, as was the case with the adults. Several questions were necessary to bedecidetl which are not incidental to old-established countries. Parents, still unbai)- ti/.ed, sought baptism for their children ; prudence prevented this. Children, of one parent Christian, the other heathen, were admitted. Two parents, still unbai)tised, came to say they hat! given their child lo a si.sler who was a Christian, ami who had 64 THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. adopted it for her own, that it might be baptised and trained as a Christian. This I allowed. Chil- dren over seven I did not admit, considering they might be imbued with heathen ideas, and should undergo training in Christianity as a preparation for baptism, though to be baptised as infants. It was interesting to see, afterwards, children brought by their parents, and coming of their own accord to have their names set down for preparation." Before his departure, the Bishop gave a feast of rice and molasses to all ^hc village. *' They assembled in the octagon. Cloths were laid ; all brought tlieir own dishes and spoons. There were three tables, at each of which one of the chiefs presided. Their custom is to cat little at the time, but take away the principal part of the allotted portion : all rise before and after the meal, for grace. Singing was then introduced, and excellent, cer- tainly, were the strains of harmony poured forth in the English tongue. Several well-known rounds were capitally sung. First, a boat-song; then — * When a weary task you fintl it, Persevere, and never mind it.' *Comc tell nic now, sweet little bird, Who decked thy wings witli gold ? ' 'See our oars, witli feather'd spray ; ' and last, ' Clod save the Queen.' In this they were as c^uick and lively us any cliildrcn in the world tiic HALCYON DAYS, 65 by to men joining, too, in good time, voices soft and sweet. Mr. Duncan afterwards addressed them in an ear- nest speech." The Bishop of Columbia, reporting upon another visit to Metlakahtla, about three years later,vvrites : " Groups of well-dressed Indians were waiting to receive us. With many of them I shook hands, having baptised most of them. The gr^j' octagon was well filled. It was a thankful sight \.n behold the clean, neat, and orderly flock gathered with a devotional object to the Christian house of prayer. In a liont row were ten young girls, all with Eng- lish Bibles in their hands, as modest and devout as could be seen in any village church ot Old England. I was glad to see so many children, and never have I seen better behaved ones anywhere. The first hymn was in English, * How sweet the name of Jesus sounds ! ' I then said some ^jrayers, and Mr. Duncan said the Litany in Tsimshean, after which a hymn in that language was sung; I then gave an address. It was pleasing to hear the fervent Amens, both in English and Tsimshean prayers, and also the responses to the Litany universally made." The Bishop visited the attractive island-gardens of the mission lying in the bay opposite the vil- lage; he was particularly struck by the intelligent methods of agriculture, and the industry of men, women, and children. The Queen's birthday occurred during the Bish- op's sojourn, and the officers and men of H. M. S. 66 TIIK STORY OF MKTLAKAIITLA. '■'' Sparroiv-liawk^'' anchored off the village, partici- pated in the celebration. This holiday was the one always most observed, for they had been taught to worship God, and honor their Queen. The fol- lowing account of this day's festivities, I (juotc from Dr. Ilalcombe's report : " At an early hour a party from the ship landed, to help decorate the mission-house, and bastion, with ;; festoon of flags of various nations. The day was delightful ; the sun shone bright, and all the beautiful scenery of the islands, placid sea, and dis- tant mountains contributed to the charm. "The proceedings of the day commenced in the house of God, where seventeen children were bap- tized. * It was pleasing,' writes the Hishop of Columbia, who orficiated, 'to witness the devout manner of the sijonsors, and to hear their audible responses. None anywhere couUl behave better, or show more appreciation of this sacrament of the Gospel.' " A distribution of gifts then took place. First came 140 children, as orderly, ami nicely dressed, as the chiklren of the best village school in I'Jigland. After singing '(niil Save the Queen' in liinglish, they were each presented with a biscuit. Next came 120 elderly men and women, to whom a few leaves of tol)acco were an acceptable token of friendly feeling; tlu; sick, too, were remembered; and last, not least, the councilmen and constables. " Precisely at twelve o'clock, a royal salute (»f HALCYON DAYS. G^ twenty-one guns boomed forth from the ship, to the trrcat satisfaction and some astonishment of the groups of Indirjis, who, in their Sunday-best, had gathered to the village square, to join in the festiv- ities, which now commenced in earnest. Children playing at ball, and taking turns at a merry-go- round ; young men competing at gymnastic bars ; the eighteen policemen of the village in regi- mentals, ready for review ; and the elders walking about comparing tlie old time and the new, made up a scene which for interest, and enjoyment, could not well be surpassed. " Hut the most exciting part of the programme for the day was the regatta. The course was about two miles, round tlie islaml. In the first race, five canoes, manned by forty-one young men in their prime, were engaged. The canoes flew through the waves, throwing the white foam on every side; and right gallantly were the efforts sustained until the goal was reached. Three canoes, nnved by women, also contendiHJ for a ()ri/.e. "Next, came foot-races, running in sacks, blind- man's buff, and such like amusements. It so hap- pened that on this day a large body of yuocjuolt Indiaiiis came to Mctlakahtla. As they 1 uuled fr(»m tlv'ir fleet of IJella IJella canoes, the CJ^ntrast which .hey presented to the well-dressed .md re- sp(;ctab'e Metlakahtlans, was very striking. They were clothed in tattered l)Iankets which scarcely covered their nakeilness. Their faces were painted C8 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. black and red, and their hair was matted and dis- hevelled. Not a little astonished at all they saw around them, they eventually retired, as though wishing to hide themselves from observation. Their chief, a stately personage, alone remained as the guest of Lcgaic. The evening was devoted to a public meeting, and a magic-lantern entertain- ment. ** At the meeting several of the officiirs from ihc ' .S/<7r/vw-//^KC'/' ' addressed the Indians. Some of the chief men replied ; Mr. Duncan, acting as inter- preter for both sides. The time being short, the speakers were limited to a few minutes each. Two or three quotations will serve to give some iilea of the general line of the addresses, and the highly figurative language peculiar to Inilian oratory :" AiiKAHAM Kkmskaii. — *• Chiefs, I will say a little. How were we to hear, when we wore young, what we now hear? And being old, and long fixed in sin, how are we to obey ? We are like the canoe going against the tide which is too strong for it ; wc struggle, but, in spite of our efforts, wc are carried out to sea. Again, we are like a youth watching a skilled artisan at work : he strives to imitate his work, but fails; so we ; we try to fol- low God's way, but how far wc fall short I Still we arc encouraged to persevere. We feel we are Hearing the shore ; we are coming nearer the iiand t)f (iod. near piace. Wi- must look neither to the right n M' left, but look straight on and persevere." HALCYON DAYS. 69 Peter Simpson ( Thrak-shah-kawn—oncc a sor- cerer). — '* Chiefs, I will speak. As my brothers before have entreated, so do ye. Why have you left your country and come to us ? One thing lias brought you here: one thing was the cause, lo teach us the way of God, and help us to walk in it. Our forefathers were wicked and (hirk ; they taught us evil, they taught us ahlied (sorcery). My eyes have swollen. Three nigiits I have not slept ; I have crept to the corner of my house to cry, reflect- ing on God's pity to us in sending you at this time. You are not acting from your own hearts : God has sent you. I am liappy to see so many of my brothers and sisters newly born to God. God lias s[Kiken to us : ' let us hear.' " RiCliAKi) VVii.soN. — "Chiefs, as wc have now heard, so do ye. Indeed, father " (addressing Mr. I )uncan), *• we are sinners before you ; wc often make your voice bad in calling us , we must persevere, wc must try, tliough we are bad ; wc are like the wedge used in splitting the trees ; we arc making tlie way for our children : they will be better than we are. 'i'lic sun dojs not come out in full strength in early morn ; the gray light at first spreads itself over the earth ; as it rises the light ii'creases, and, by-and- by, is the mid-day sun. We shall die before we have reached much, but we shall die expecting our children to pass on beyond us, and reach the wished for-goal." Daniei .vUEK {^Nciash-ah-pootk).—'' Chiefs, I 70 THE STOKY OF METLAKAIITLA. am foolish, I am bad, bad in your sight. What can our hearts say ? VVliat sliall wc do ? Wc can only pray and persevere. We will not listen to voices on this side or that, but follow on till wc reach our Father in heaven." CllKKVOST [Jacob). — *• Chiefs, we have heard you. Why should we try to mistake the way you teach us ? rather we must try to follow on ; though our feet often slip, we must still try; we have rocks all round us ; our sins are like the rocks, but the rudder of our canoe is being held. She will not drift away. We are all assisting to hold the rudder and keep her in her course. What would she be without the rudder? — Soon a wreck upon the rocks. So we must cry to G -d for help to follow on. We must beg Ood's I loly Spirit to strengthen us and to guide us. Chiefs, do you but speak, and wc will obey." WooDKKMKKSIl (.SV///(W/).— " I will speak to my brethren. What h.is (iocl done to us? What does lie see in us that lie should be working for us? We are like the fallen tree buried in tlu- un- dergrowth. W'hat do these chiefs gain by coming to us? Dill we call them? Do wc know from whence they are, or did we see the way they hail come? Yet they have arrived tons. They have torn away the undegrowth ; tiiey have found us; and they have lifted up «»ur hands and our eyes to (ioil, and showed us the w.iy to heaven." Tu those men who now in attempting to destroy HALCYON DAYS. 71 the Native Christian Church in Metlakahtla declare — that Mr. Duncan's work is superficial — '* he is too much of a trader" — " he is a niisieader" — " incites them to lawlessness" — " he influences them for evil " etc., I commend the followin^^ expressions of the JJishop of Columbia ; and, the Bishop spoke with a knowledge, and with a personal experience ; and after watchin^^ the development of this little oasis : — *' All former ivork^ varied, ixnd interesting, and im- pressive as ministerial life is, seems insignifieant, before this manifest poiver of the Spirit of God, toiiehing the heart and enlightening the understand- ing of so many reeently buried in the darkness and misery of ignorant and cruel superstition. •* To a "a'orthy, aealous, and gifted lay brother^ is this reward of his loving and patient labors. Few would belie7>e what Mr. Dunean has gone through during the past four years and a half, lahorinj^ alone among the heathen. Truly is the result an encourai^cment to us all." Speaking of Legaic's reformation, the iJishop says : — '• He is industrious, and gains a good liveli- ".ood, and lives in a comfortable house of his own building, with good glass windowH and a veranda. Chairs were set for visitors, and we had much talk about the Mission, anil the work, ami the tribe. I lis only, child Sa'ah is one of the most promising girls of the Mission-house." 72 THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. Rev. R. Dundcis also writing at about the same time alludes, to Lcgaic's family : — " He and his wife have one child only, a young girl of fourteen. She was a modest-looking, i)leas- ing child, very intelligent; one of the first class in the school. She did not look like one who had been * possessed with a devil ' ; and yet this is the child whom three years ago her teacher saw naked in the midst of a howling band, tearing and devour- ing a bleeding dog. How changed I She who ' had the unclean spirit sits now at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in her right mind.'" The Bishop of Columbia, was very much im- pressed by the methods, and results, of Mr. Dun- can's instruction, of the youth, and says, — " I had obs'^rved on Sunday a row of well-be- haved and devout young girls with Bibles in their hands. As 1 gave out my text they found the pas- sage. On Sunday nrnintj- I heard thcni read the lUbh\ and they sani^ ehants and hynins^ some in /ini;/i.\h^ and some in 7'simshean. To-day I exam- ined several of them in readini^, and was much pleased by the aeeurate, and devout manner^ in ivhieh they read the Word of (lod.^ •* These were to be the future mothers of a new generation. Already has he seen one set go forth from the Institution, well, and respecttibly married • CDiiipnrc this with TK-pntntloim Stnlcmcnt Clinplcr VII. thli volume. HALCYON DAYS. 73 to young men, who had proved worthy of the Christian profession. " Those now in the Institution are the second set, several of whom are about to be married, and there are others, waiting to come and supply their place. So great is Mr. Duncan's influence, that none are married without his consent, and he is entirely trusted by the parents. Constantly is he applied to by the many young men who desire this, or, that one, for a partner ; and not a little interesting, if not amusing, are the accounts he can relate, of the care and watchfulness with which he guards the tender plants from too early or ill-advised exposure to the blasts and storms of the voyage of life." In his charges to newly-wedded couples, Mr. Duncan impressed upon both bride and groom, the necessity of unity of heart, unity of thought, and unity of purpose. On one occasion, to illustrate the folly of antagonism, he ai)tly related the inci- dent of a man and wife, who, when seeking advice as Ivnv to combat each, the other's obstinacy, were hidden to throw a rope over the roof of their house, and each to pull an end on opposite sides, with their might, and see which should pull it over; they did so and pulled in vain; then, they were told to both take hold of one end and pull t llic proRrcmi of liin pcopli', rcnlifinj» tlio iicccsHity u( their daily toil, held iiiKht-Hchool for the ndullti. HALCYON DAYS. 8r that her mother is gone getting clams ; and tlic little thing lisps, ' Raven, have you seen my mother ? Sea-gull, have you seen my mother?' After this, one of the party commenced the le- j^cnd of ' The Chief's Proud Daughter ; ' but the night advancing, we were obliged to defer the con- clusion. " On Tuesday Mr Duncan gave the girls a merry evening with the galvanic battery, intrixlucing the bucket of water and the silver coin, which none succeeded in getting. Mr. Duncan has great art in keeping them cheerful, telling them humorous stories, the point of which they alwa)'s remember; c.^if., * A man with a wry neck fell and hurt himself; a friendly by-stander picked him up, and began to set him generally to rights, and among the rest to straiglUeti h.s neck. The man, terrified, cried out, ''Hold h.ucl there! Morn so, born sol'" One evening some one made a remark on their Indian gait, which Mr. Dune ui interpreted to the girls, to theirgreal amu.'^'ment ; and one of them exclaimed, in l^nglish, ' Horn so !' which was immediately taken up by the rest, some of them jmnping up and cari- caturing their own piiuliarities ; u\nn\ which Mr. i )imcan, explained to us the allusion. •• This evening M*'. Duncan, showed inc a letter, just received from one of the girls whom he had occasion to repr«>ve in tlir niorning. In broken 82 THE srORY OF METI.AKAHTLA. English she bewailed her in^nititudo and hard heart, asked his forgiveness, and entreated his prayers that she might be a better girl." A letter written by one of Mr. Duncan's first set of scholars, illustrates, how efficaciously he had cul- tivated in them, the affectionate ties of brothers and sisters. It was a uart of his j)lan, to create in them a love of home, .I'ul a love of each other, and purity of relationship. This letter was sent to a sister who was leading an evil life in Victoria. li^liza had already succeetled in rescuing one of her sisters from a life of shame. Many are the Magdaleiis whom Mr. Duncan has fully 1 ;claimed from degradation. " MKri,AW .HI I. A. *'Mv Dear Sis ri;R : I send this little news to you. I very much wish to see you, my sister. I tell you sometimes I very much cry because I re- member your way not right. I want you to hear what I speak to you. Come now, my sister, I hope you ^vill return and live in vour own place. Do uttt persevere to follow bad ways. N'oii must try to for- sake your way; rei)ent from your heart. \'ou hear our Saviour Jesus Christ. Cast .ill )'oin' bad ways on Jesus. 1 le know to save us when we die. I very li.ippy because I see my brother and sister come again. I thank (lod because ile liear ahvay.s cry about you. • I am )'otM" er\ iug sister, *' I'il.l/A I'ai.kv." HAIX'YON DAYS. 83 Tf letter-writing be any gauge of progress, it may be worthy of note that in 1866 the iMetlakahtlans posted about 200 letters, each voyage of their schooner. liishop Criclgc in writing of the store and schooner says : — " No step of a temporal nature was, pcrhajis, so loudly demanded, or has conferred such important benefits on the people of Mellakahtla, in conducing to their comfort, and contentment in their new home. Instead of having to go seventeen miles for supplies to a lieathen camp, they can procure them at their own doors at a cheaper rate. I'ersons who come iiither to trade, carr}^ away some word or impression to affect their countrymen at home. During my sojourn at Mellak.dula, there has not been a single Sunday, in which there have not Iuxmi hearers of this descrii)tion, attendant on the word of life. This is one of those branches of the work taken up b}' Mr. Duncan, simply because it was pressed upon him l)y the force of circumstances, as necessary to his entire success. •• A striking benefit of the trade is the dispr^sition of the profits, for with a view to transferring it, when possible, to otlu-r parties, lie has always con- duited it on l)usiness principles, in order that the parties so assuming it might be able to live by it. I litherto the profits reali/eil on this principle, al)- sorbed by no personal benefits, have been expended on objects conducive to liic public JKni.fil, in llir 84 THE STORY OF MKTLAKAHTLA. erection of public buildings, in subsidici5to the peo- ple, in aid of improving the roads, and wharves for canoes, in charity to the poor, and even in the re- demption of slaves. The sum of £600, has already been expended on such objects, and ;^400, are in hand ready to be applied to similar uses. In fact, the ouly person ivho suffers is Mr. Duncan himself^ who has sacrificed his comfort, his repose, and almost his health, for the sole benefit of the peojjlc but has been more than compensated by tlie rich reward of feeling that (lod has owned and blessed the sacrifice. He- sides this, the trade affords industrial occu.i)ation for the people, and thus aids them in a more steady advancement in the comforts of civilizeil life. It is quite a lively scene to witness the various parties of laborers engaged, some in bringing tlie rough timber in rafts from the forest, others in sawing it into planks, others planing, others cutting tlu^ sliingles, others with nail and hammer erecting the buihling -all devoting tiu'mselves to thi'ir daily task, rather with the constancy »>f the I'jiglish laborer, than, with the fitful disposition of the sav- age." In reference to tlie emancipation of slaves, men- tioned by Bishop Oidgc, the following passage from a letter of Mr. Duncan's dated March, 1H76, has interest as a touching illustration, of the repu- tation of Metlakahtla, as a refuge, for the suffering, and oppressed; HALCYON DAYS. 85 "A poor slave woman, still young in years, who had been stolen away when a child, and carried to distant tribes in Alaska Territory, where she had suffered many cruelties, fled from her oppressors last summer, and though ill at the time, took to the sea in a canoe all alone, and determined to reach Metlakahtla or perish in the attempt. On her way (and she had upwards of one hundred and fifty miles to travel, she was seen and taken by a party of Fort Sim[)son Indians, who would no doubt have been glad to hand her back to her pursuers for gain, but on hearing of her case, I demanded her freedom, and finally she was received into a C'iiiistian family here, and tenderly cared for. lioth the man and his wife who received her into lliis home had themselves been slaves years ago. They understood her language, symi)athi/ed deeply with her, and laboured hard to impart to her the knowledge of the Saviour of sinners. After tliree months her cruel master with his party came here to recapture her, but they had to return home un- successful. In three months more her strength succumbed to the disease which had been brought on by cruelty ami hardsliip. She was a great suf- ferer during the last few weeks of her life, but she dieil expressing her faith in the Saviour, and rejoic- ing that she had been led here to end her days." Archdeacon Woods -rector of the Holy Trinity Church, New Westminster, iJrilish Columbia — 86 THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. visited Mctlakalitla in 187 1 for the purpose of bap- tizing converts. He recounts his approach to the village as follows : — '• 1 left Will-a-claw (at the mouth of the Skeena River) about 9 A.M. by canoe, being paddled b}- an Indian and his wife. ... " As we drew near to AFetlakahtla the sound of the church-bell over the still waters of the bay- could be heard for a considerable time before we reached the village. The man called my atten- ti')n to it, and said it meant \^c/ioo/ ;^ the woman, however, promptly coriected him, saying it meant ^ death : ' of course my own ear liad told me tliat this was its meaning, and now we could see the funeral procession passing in canoes from the villages to a small islanil, which has l)een set apart as a grave- yard ; so thai when I actually reached the laniling- place, 1 learned, as I expected, that Mr. Duncan was away at the funeral." The iMetlakahtlans now inter their dead af*^er tlie manner of Christian burial. When the old hrath- enish customs were in vogue tliey dis[)oscd of their deail l)y earth, water, aerial ami canoe burials, and by burning. All of these customs prevailed along the coast ; none were peculiar to any one tribe, and some individual tribes practised all. The ceremonies of burning were the most liide- ous, being made the occasion for frightful religious orgies ; in sonic cases tlie widow or slaves, were burned on the pyre, 'JMie mt)sl i)ictures(pie was the ot car OIK crc ov pr nc us ur of hi tc h. ir SI t; 1; ^" I! HALCYON DAYS. 87 canoe burial. Julia McNair Wright thus describes one : — *' The canoe — often a very handsome one — cov- ered with pictures and thirty feet long, is suspended between poles. The dead lies in this canoe, and over the body a smaller canoe is turned, affording protection from birds or from the weather. " These canoe burial-places — in the solemn still- ness and darkness of the spruce and cedar woods, and usually on the bank of some wide stream — are pict- uresque and touching. The bowls, the cups, the weapons of the dead one, suggest the occupations of his life, and also the blackness that brooded over his future when he drifted into another world, ut- terly unknown, that all his life had bounded his horizon with a wall of darkness." Chieftains and Shamans were laid out in state mid great ceremony — and were arrayed in all the splendors their people could ct)mmand. Archdeacon Woods, visited the Niskah Mission Station on the Naas River some seventy miles dis- tant, before performing the rites of baptism at Met- lakahtla, lie records an incident, of the journey, which very forcibly illustrates, how consistently the Mellakahtlans lived their religion. *' Having paddled from daylight till dark with a brief rest of about an hour, wo reached the only available camping-ground on the coast, v 'lere we rested for the night under such sheltiT as the canoe sail stretched across the mast could afford ; and hav- 88 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. ing lighted a fire, prepared supper. Mr. Duncan, having provided me with food already cooked, my supper was soon made, and I laid down to rest, wearied with sitting all day in the canoe. The In- dians cooked their venison and salmon Indian fashion, and then, all reverently taking off their caps, one said grace v.ith every appearance of de- votion. After supper I was amused at the evident fun that was going on amongst them ; for though I could not understand their language, a laugh is understood all over the world ; and certainly, if laughter be an evidence of jokes and fun, they were rich in merriment., notwithstanding the discomfort of camping out on wet ground and under heavy rain. By-and-by, as I was dropping asleep, I was roused by their sudden stillness. My first impression was that they were getting wearied ; but it was not so, they were only calming down before retiring to rest, and soon I observed them all, with heads uncovered and reverently bowed, kneel round the camp fire while one said prayers for all. And as the Lord's Prayer (for I could recognize it in the strange lan- guage in which it was clothed) ascended from be- neath the shades of the forest from lips which only lately had acquired the right to say * Our Father,* and as I doubt not from hearts which tru'y felt the mighty privilege which holy baptism had conferred, I could not fail to realize how grandly catholic is that prayer which He Himself gave to those to whom alone He gives the right to use it. HALCYON DAYS. 89 " The miners and traders reach Skeena mouth by steamer for Victoria, but thence to the mines the transit is made for a considerable distance up river in a canoe. Consequently in the spring and autumn (the seasons for going to and returning from the mines), there is considerable traffic up and down the river, and those Indians who choose to put their canoes on the river command good wages and con- stant employment. The Metlakahtla Indians freely avail themselves of this means of earning money, and in connection with this valuable testimony of the sincerity of their profession came under my no- tice from the miners who took passage down to Victoria on the return trip of the ' Otter' All agreed in witnessing to the honesty, the self-denial, and the determination to resist temptation of the Metla- kahtla Indians. * TJicy zvoiCt work on Sunday, they won't drink, they ivon't lend themselves in any ivay, to any, kind of inunorality.' The truth of the first part of this statement I observed for myself during the time of my stay at Metlakahtla. I noticed how the Indians flocked home on Saturday nights, some of them from long distances, many of them from Skeena mouth, to enjoy the Sunday jjcace and ciuiet of their own village, and to avail themselves 01 those * means of grace ' which the Sunday Church ser- vices and Sunday-schools afforded." Returning to Metlakahtla the Archdeacon exam- ined the candidates for baptism. The cerenH)nies that ensued are best expressed in his own words: — 90 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. " Sundaj^ the 12th of November, is a day to be remembered by me. / Jiave had in the course of a ministry of over twenty years many solemn experi- ences, and zuitnessed many touching scenes, bnt never since the day of my own ordination as a priest in the Church of Christ, have I felt anything like the solemnity of that day, when I saw before me a crowded congregation of Christians — of heathen seeking after Christ, and of the little band of fifty- nine about to be received through holy baptism into the ark of Christ's Church. " Holy Baptism, at all times a most solemn rite, seemed to me specially so at this time, when I was called upon to administer that Holy Sacrament to men and women who, of their choice, yet influ- enced, as I fully believed, by the power of the Holy Ghost, came forward to renounce heathenism — to give up in more than one instance all that was dear to them in this world, and to enlist in the army of Christ. Oh, may the merciful God grant that they may have power and st'-'.-ngth to have victory and to triumph against the dcvil^ the world, and the flesh ! *' In the evening, accompanied by Mr. Duncan, I visited several houses in the village and baptized five adults, who, through sickness or the infirmilies of age, were prevented attending the service in church, making a total of eighty-four persons baptized at Mellakahtla, which, with the twenty- two baptized at Kincoulith, gives a grand total HALCYON DAYS. 91 of 106 persons added to the Church on this oc- casion." In alluding to the industries at Metlakahtla Arch- deacon Woods says : — "A marked and important feature of the Met- lakahtla Mission is the aspect imparted to it by the fostering and utilizing of native industry ; at present there are carried on a lumber-mill, the manufacture of soap, the dressing of skins, and blacksmithing, while preparations are being actively urged forward for weaving, rope-making, and shoe-making, the materials for weaving and rope-making being found in abundance in the immediate neighbourhood. T/icsr, in combination with tJic trading store in the '-,'i//agi\ have a very practicahh' bearing on the well- being of the Afissiofi, quite apart from the mere money gain, though this too is a matter of con- siderable importance to the success and prosperity of the Mission. " The trade store in the village brings to the In- dians all the necessaries of life beyond what their own labour can provide, and takes from them in exchange the skins and oil which are the chief re- sults of thoir hunting and fishing, so that they have withii the limits of their own village the means of exchanging the produce of their labour for necessaries and luxuries beyond their own ability to procure, and this without bringing them in contact with the temptations which must neces- sarily beset them if compelled to carry their skins, 92 TIIK STORY OF MKTLAK AIITI.A. oil, etc., to the trading-posts outside their own re- serve." In the winter of i.S;; and i87(S, the Bisho,) of Athabasca, visited ATethd-cahtla. It w-'is, at a very- critical moment, in the liistory of the Mission, as Mr. Duncan had resigned, and had left the settle- ment but a short time previously, to make way for an ordained Church of I^ngland clergy man ; who, through various indiscretions soon threw tlie mis- sion into confusion, and neces'-'itated Mr. Duncan's return. lie liad barely succeeded in restoring (M'der in the village, vb.en the Hishoj) of Athabasca arrived. T give his account of the Christmas fes- tivities in his own words. " The festivities of the season C(unjj. After dinner Mr. Dnntan brought tlu'iii to hi, 1 1, ill to listen to ,iu .iddrcss, so I HALCYON DAYS. 95 that they nii^ht not return home witliout words of Gospel truth, and comfort, to cheer for struggling days. "The morrow, being Sunday, was marked by the usual services. These consist, first, of morning Sun- day-school at half-past nine, at which about 200 are i)resent, both children and adults, males and females being in separate buildings. All the elder scholars learn and ri'[)eat a text both in I^nglish, and Tsimshcan, and have it expb'.Ined to them, anil tJuy arc able to u8chool to learn in I*!nglish and Tsimshcan h' ".: a'' of the sermon, and have it again explained to ti.'" (1 (»y the native Sunday-school ti.'achers, who are prepared for this duty at a meeting with Mr. Dmuan on Saturday evening. It is very inter sting to sec about 300 adults gathm'd fogither in the three schools at midda>-, entirely in tii>^ hands of native-teachers, and with lui^'.iish Hibles in their hands poring intelligently over the text, and follow- 'iv; out again the subject of the morning discourse. 96 THE STORY OF METLaKAHTLA. / cannot but think it would be a gnat gain if this scheme of Mr. Duncan's could be largely followed in other missions. " Afternoon service is held in the cluircli at three o'clock, with a Litany, and after this, when the day- lij^ht lasts long enou^ "', there is a second Sunday- school. The church is II in the afternoon as in the morninj^, and the pun, ualityof the attendance is surprisinij. In the evening at seven o'clock ser- vice is again hold in the school-room, which is crowiled, and occasional nieetings are helil by the elder converts for the benefit of any aged people unable to come to church. •' To return to the Christmas doings : on the ^^on- day, all the women of the village, about three hun- dred, assembled in the market-house, and, after suitable addresses, valuable presents were made to each, viz. : one pouml soap, one pound rice, and several aj)ples, etc., so, that they returned home laden and rejoicing. Altogether about £i^o ($250) must have been spent upon the Christmas pres- ents. "On Monday evening, being the last night of the old year, a suitable service was held in church, the subject being I'salm xc. : *So teach us to num- l)ir our days,' etc. ( )n New- Year's day, the festivi- ties were renewed. IJiigk:-notes and drums .ind fifen, and the exercises of the volunteers, enlivem-d the .scene. The youth of the village played foot- HALCYON DAYS. 9/ ball on the sands. All the men of the village were assembled in the market-house, and were perma- nently enrolled in ten companies, the members of each company receiving rosettes of a distinguishing colour. Each comi)aiiy has in it, besides ordinary members, one chief, two constables, one elder, and three councillors, who are all ex[)ccted to unite in preserving the peace and order of the village. The ten chiefs all spoke in the market-house on New- Vear's day, and in sensible languaf * promised to follow the teaching they had received, . 'id to unite in promoting what is good. After the meeting all adjourned t<> the green in front of the church, and joined in singing '(iod save the (hieiMi,' in P'nglish, before dispersing to their homes. 'I'he rest of the day was spcui. in New-Year's greetings. " Wuduesday evening was occupied by the usual week-day service, and Thursday and I'riday even- ings were devoted to the exhibition in the school- room, first to the women and then to the men, «)f a large magic-lantern, with oxygen light, and also a microscope showing living insucts and sea-water an- imalcules, as well as various slides. "The above is but an imi)erfect sketch of the ef- forts made by Mr. I )uncan for the increase ami hap|)iness of his village." We read tluse testimonies, according one with another, to a perfect corroboration and repeal to our- 8eivc», — "what hath (iod wrought" through his 98 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. faithful servant-but wait, and we shall see, how, when this devout flock, becomes the object of per- secution, and relentless tyranny, men wearmg '' ihc cloth " presume with temerity to declare that white is black. CHAPTER IV. EARL DUFFERIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. Statesmen, explorers, naval officers, travellers, merchants, and missionaries, on returnint^ to Kng- land and the United States, after visiting the North I'acific, gave impressive accounts of JMr. Duncan's remarkable work. These accounts are, unfortu- nately, for the most part buried in liuj^e reports, or inters[)ersed throu^^h bot)ks which are of a more or less technical or special character, having interest but to the few. However, I shall quote some extracts which I have gleaned from the writings of a few of those who have visited Mr. Duncan's mission, or studied his meth«)ds and work. An event of no little importance in the history of Mellakahtla, during the year hS/f), was the visit of Lord Duflerin, when Ciovernor-Cieneral of Canada — accompanied by Lady Duffcrin. Their reception was extremely coidial. The following address was presented by the na- tives. lOO TIIK STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. "To His Excellency the Earl of Dufferin, Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada : " May it Please Your Excellency^ — We, the in- habitants of Mctlakahtla, of the Tsimshean nation of Indians, desire to express our joy in welcoming your Excellency and Lady Dufferin to our village. Under the teaching of the Gospel vvc have learned the Divine command, ' Fear God, honor the King,' and thus as loyal subjects of her Majesty Queen Victoria we rejoice in seeing you visit our shores. " We have learned to respect and obey the laws of the Queen, and wc will continue to uphold and defend the same in our community and nation. " We are still a weak and poor peo[)le, only lately emancipated from the thraldom of heathenism and savaiie customs ; but we u*e struggling to rise and advance to a Christian life and civilization. "Trusting that we may enjoy a share of your Excellency's kind and fostering care, and under your administration continue to advance in peace anil prosperity, " We have the h(mor to subscribe, ourselves, your li^xcellency's humble and obedient servant, "For the Indians of Mctlakahtla. (I •* David Leask, Secretary to the Native Council^ EARL DUFFERIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. 1 01 The Governor-General replied as follows: — " I have come a long distance in order to assure you, in the name of your Great Mother, the Queen of England, with what pleasure she has learned of your well-being, and of the progress you have made in the arts of peace and the knowledge of the Christian religion, under the auspices of your kind friend, Mr. Duncan. You must understand that I have not come for my own pleasure, but that the journey has been long and laborious, and that I am here from a sense of duty, in order to make you feel, by my actual presence, with what solicitude the (.)ueen, and Her Majesty's Government in Canada, watch over your welfare, and how anxious they are that you should persevere in that virtuous and in- dustrious mode of »ife in which I find you engaged. I have viewed with astonishment the church which you have built entirely by your own industry and intelligence. That church is in itself a monument of the way in which you have profited by the teach- ings you have received. It does you the greatest credit, and we have every right to hope that, while in its outward as[)ect it bears testimony to your con- formity to the laws of the Gospel, beneath its sacred roof your sincere and faithful prayers will be re- warded, by those blessings which are promised to all those who approach the throne of (lod, in humility and faith. / hope yon ivill uiuicr stand that your White Mother and the Government of Canada are fnlly prepared to proteet you in the exereise of your 102 THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. religion^ and to extend to you those laws which know no difference of race or of color, but under which justice is impartially administered between the hum- blest and the greatest in the land. " The Government of Canada is proud to think that there are upward of thirty thousand Indians in the territory of British Columbia alone. She rec- ognizes them as the ancient inhabitants of the country. The white men have not come among you as conquerors, but as friends. We regard you as our fellow-subjects, and as equal to us in the eye of the law as you are in the eye of God, and equally entitled with the rest of the community to the benefits of good government, and the opportunity of earning an honest livelihood. " I have had very great pleasure in inspecting your school, and I am quite certain that there are many, among the younger portion of those I am now ad- dressing, who have already begun to feel how much they are indebted to that institution, for the expan- sion of their mental faculties, for the knowledge of what is passing in the outer world, as well as for the insight it affords them into the laws of nature, and into the arts of civilized life; and >ve have the fur- ther satisfaction of remembering that, as year after year flows by and your population increases, all those beneficial influences will acquire additional strength and momentum. " 1 hope you are duly grateful to him to whom, under Providence, you are indebted for all these EARL DUFFERIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. IO3 benefits, and that when you constrast your own condition, the peace in which you live, the com- forts that surround you, the decency of your habita- tion — when you see your wives, your sisters, and your daughters contributing so materially by the brightness of their appearance, the softness of their manners, their housewifely qualities, to the pleas- antness and cheerfulness of your domestic lives, contrasting as all these do so strikingly with your former surroundings, you ivill remember that it is to Mr. Duncan you oivc this d/essec' initiation into your fiezv life, " By a faithful adherence to his principles and his example you will become useful citizens and faith- ful subjects, an honor to those under whose auspices you will thus have shown to what the Indian race can attain, at the same time that you will leave to your children an ever-widening prospect of increas- ing happiness and progressive improvement. ** Before I conclude I cannot help expressing to Mr. Duncan and those associated xvith him in his good ivorky not only in my ozun name, not only in the name of the Government of Canada, but also in the name of J fer Majesty the Queen, and in the name of the people of England, ivho take so deep an interest in the well- being of all the native races throughout the Queens dominions, our deep gratitude to him for thus having devoted the floivcr of his life, in spite of innumerable difficulties, dangers, and discouragements, of which ivcy who only see the result of his labors, can form only 104 THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. a very inadequate idea, to a work which has resulted in the beautiful scene we have ivitnessed this morn- ing. 1 only wish to add that I am very much obliged to you for the satisfactory and loyal address with which you have greeted me. The very fact of you being in a position to express yourselves with so much propriety is in itself extremely creditable to you, and although it has been my good fortune to receive many addresses during my stay in Canada from various communities of your fellow-subjects, not one of them will be surrounded by so many hopeful and pleasant reminiscences as those which I shall carry away with me from this spot." Subsequently, Lord Dufferin, in a speech delivered in Government House, Victoria, before about two hundred leading citizens, including the members of the Provincial Government, said : *' I have traversed the entire coast of British Co- lumbia, from its southern extremity to Alaska. I have penetrated to the head of Bute Inlet ; I have examined the Seymour Narrows, and the other channels which intervene between the head of Bute Inlet and Vancouver Island. I have looked into the mouth of Dean's Canal, and passed across the entrance to Gardener's Channel. I have visited Mr. Duncan's wonderful settlement at Metlakahtla, and the interesting Methodist Mission at Fort Simpson, and have thus been enabled to realize what scenes of primitive peace, and innocence, of idyllic beauty, and material comfort, can be presented by the stal- EARL DUFFERIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. 105 wart men, and comely m-Juens of an Indian com- munity under the wise administration of a judicious, and devoted Christian missionary. I have seen the Indians in all phases of their existence, from the half-naked savage, perched, like a bird of prey, in a red blanket upon a rock, trying to catch his miser- able dinner of fish, to the neat maiden in Mr. Dun- can's school at Metlakahtla, as modest and as well dressed as any clergyman's daughter in an English parish. . . . What you want are not resources, but human beings to develop them and consume them. Rai'ic your thirty thousand Indians to tJic level Mr. Duncan has taught us they can be brought, and consider ivhat an enormous amount of vital poiver you ivill have added to yoiir present strength.'' A further quotation will be given later on in reference to the land question, from this speech of Lord Dufferin. Lord, and Lady Dufferin, were greatly impressed by the evidences they beheld on every hand, at Metlakahtla, of the substantial creation of a civilized community, from a people rescued in a single gene- ration, from the lowest degradation, and savagery. Lady Dufferin, especially noted a remarkable re- finement of taste and the choice of quiet colors, and modest dresses of the women. Mr. St. John who accompanied Lord Dufferin and reported the above address, writing of Mi. Duncan's plan of dealing with his people, among other things says : — io6 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. " It struck mc that lie thirnv, and successfully throw, C(^ld water on the Governor-General's be- stowing^ any special mark of reco<^nition on the chiefs. I le has to conduct his operations in a pecu- liar way, and it can be easily shown, he undeisto'ui that much of his advice and direction, would be thrown away, were there a reco<^nized authority over the Inilians other than himself, lie scri'i'cs to make industry and merit the standards by which the men of the 7'i//ai^e are nieasnred and in presenting an address to the Governor-Cieneral, which was done immediately after the sini;ini^ was concludeil there was no apparent priotity or distinction amon^ them." — '^ Sea of Monntains'' London, 1S77. The Church of lui^land Missionary Society of London, was so proud of Mr. Duncan's work, that i. published, and widely circulated, a book entitlei' *^ Metlakahthi^' in which it extols Mr. Duncan's work, t^ivin^ him unstinted praise, for the marvel- lous thinj^s lie hail accomplished, amoni; the fero- cious, wild savages, of the \^\\\\\. Northwest. This book was the means of brinj^in^; many thousand po'uids in contributions to the Society's coffers "for the purpose of converting,' the lieathen of fori-ij^n lantls." The C hurch Missionary Sv)ciety's publica- tions coutinuall)' ihroniclco the pro^jress of his work, aiul held l>im up as an t.'xamplo for mission- aries tlirou^hout the work!. Tl.. Society for the IVoinotlon of Christian Knowledge, London, published a book, edited f)y KARL DUFFERIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. 10/ the Rev. J. J. Halcombc, M.A., titled " Stranger than I'ictionr This book, devoted entirely to Mr. niincan's mission work, has passed through many editions, and I have been informed; somethin;^ like twenty thousand copies have been sold. The author begins l)y saying that Mr. Duncan's work "presents a seiies of incidents without par.dlel in the mission- ary annals of the Church," and from beginnini^, to end, lauds his methods. In reference to the foundin^^ of Metlakahtla he says : — "Gradually assuminj^ shape and consistency, un- til it finally issued in the establishment of the na- tive settlement, the sin^nilar and successful tlevelop- ment of which has already constituted it one of the marvels of the iia)\ . . . "Thus we have seen the foundation laid, and the superstructure bej^in to rise upon it. What the na- ture of the foundation has been we havesufncicntly indicate! our Lord's lite aiul death, the causes which led vo, ai\d llu? results winch followed from, the * one all-suf- ficietit sacrifice, oblation, anil satisfaction for the sins of the whole world,' olTered by Christ upon the cross; these had been, so to speak, the nialo- I08 THE STOKY OF METLAKAHTLA. rials ceaselessly thrown in amongst the quicksands of ignorance, and superstition, which would other- wise have baffled all hope of erecting any solid superstructure upon them. " It is difficult, in a narrative like the present, to convey any sufTiciently adequate idea of the untir- ing perseverance with which Mr. Duncan seems thus to have made his preaching, and teaching rest upon atid centre round iJie great facts of the history of man s redemption. Line upon line, precept upon precept, in season, and, as some would have thought, out of season the same theme was evidently re- garded as the only motive-power, which could be brought to bear with any reasonable hope of u suc- cessful result attending it. . . . *' JiUt of a// tests of progress in such a settlement as Metlakahtla the development of a missionary spirit is the most trustworthy. Nor was this sign wanting. Amongst all classes of the community there seems to have been a constant desire leading to continued and earnest efforts to briug home the truths of the (iospd to their heathen brethren. "... In narrating the remarkablr career of Legaic, Dr. Halcom!)e wriles ; - *• Tile case of Paul Lf^aic was, be it remembered, no e.xeeptinnal one, thou^;h rendered soimwhat more remarkable by his former rank. His history is only one out of a very large numlur of a similar kind wliiih tiie experience of this Mission wouM fiu-nish. . . . EARL DUFFERIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. lOQ "That, luinianly spcakinj^, a great part of Mr. Duncan's success, especially at first, was due to the persistency with which he went to those who would not come to him, and to his resolute determination to declare to all 'whether they would hear or whether they would forbear,' the counsel and will of God regartlin<^ them, there can be no doul)t. •' How far the moral and social elevation of the whole Indian race may be affected by what is being done in Metlakahtla, and what maybe the result of the formation of a sort of native capital and model settlement, it is imi)ossiblc to predict. That with (ioil's blessing it may result in the saving of a goodly remnant of a whole race we would fain hope. "What Mr. Duncan's own plans are, and how far he will hereafter devote himself to the e.\tensi"n of the great work which he has so successful' • in.ui- gurated, we have no means of judging. Bcuij, liim- .self a layman, he naturally wishes to see a clergy- man pirinanently established in charge of thesettle- nuMit, nn(f s/>i-ercion, all was voluntary, for they see the benefit in front of their own doors. Their hearts seem to be centred in their little town, and you can inflict no greater punishment on them, than to exile them, from it and its founder. " In regard to the allegation about the prohibition to trading, I have only to remark that it is as ground- less as the other. I myself was on a trading voyage, antl stopped ten days at Metlakahtla, and had every facility afforded me by Mr. Duncan in trafficking ii8 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. with the natives. The reason is obvious enough : our trade was not in whiskey. That branch of trade is certainly discouraged at the Mission, hence the outcry about 'interfering with commerce.' . . . " A word or two now about Metlakahtla and its beautiful environs, all blooming with the blossoms of that useful esculent the potato, some twenty acres of which were under cultivation and looking splendid. The town is triangular in shape ; the Mission-buildings being located on a bold promon- tory forming the apex. The view from the southern entrance of the harbor, looking townward, is ex- tremely pretty. The church, of octagonal form,* hav- ing a handsome portico and belfry, and surmounted with the emblem of Christianity and peace, occu- pies a prominent position in the foreground ; adja- cent to this are the parsonage, store, and saw-pits, the latter supplying lumber of good quality, the product of native labor, at the rate of fifteen dol- lars per i,ooo. The houses, numbering about fifty, are nearly all of a uniform size — 16 by 24 feet — good frame, weather-boarded and shingled, glazed windows, and having neat little gardens in front ; the whole forming two handsome esplanades, one fronting the outer and the other the inner harbor. "The interior of the houses did not belie the promise held out by the exterior. Everything was neat and scrupulously clean. The inmates were as * The old church. EARL DUFFERIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. 119 well supplied with the requisites to ma1pe had i)een thniwn out from Met lakahtla which wa** encircl- ing and drawing together all the Indian tribes in- to one connnon brotherhood.'" .Mnskn and the Missions of the North l\uijic Coast, AVjc Yorl-, iHHo. I shall make fjuther (piotations, from Dr. Jack son, in the last chapter of this volume, together with a cpiotation froui the (lovernor of Alaska. The Ibm. Janus (i. Swan, was appointevernment after a 126 THE STORY OK METLAKAHTLA. tour of inspection througli Alaska laid great stress upon our nation's neglect of the natives there and iviade forcible comparison with Mr. Duncan's achievements in British Columbia : — " * Vou ouglit to see Duncan's Missi(»n before you leave the Pacific Coast,' said many people to me on my journey. . . . " ' It is really astonishing what he has done for the Indians in a short time,' said they. . . . " We arrived at the mission at three o'clock hav- ing started at eight. Mr. Duncan, was away on a visit to another mission which he looks after up in Nass Bay. We landed at a well-constructed stone wharf, built for canoes, and passing up this about one hunilred feet ascended a flight of steps and entered the market-house. " This market-huuse is a neat, well-built house, of about forty by eigiity feet, dry, clean, and com- fortable. \ number of Indians were in it, sit- ting beside their heaps of oolichan, boxes, piles of bear and deer-skins, fish, i<:c., and seemetl as con- tented, cheerful, and enterprising as many white people I have seen in like places. Ascending from the market-place a flight of about tw-jnty steps, which are lengthened out on either side along a terrace two hundred feet, you come to the plateau on which the mission village is lo- cated. •' The two streets on which the houses are built form twi> .sides of a triangle, at the ape.\ of which EAkL DUM'KRIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. 12/ the church, mission-house, trading store, market and and * lock-up' are erected. " The store was well furnished with substantial articles (jf daily necessity, and at fair prices. Up- stairs there was a good stock of marten, mink, fox, bear, and beaver-skins, which Mr. Duncan had received in exchange for the goods. The mis- sionary's own residence is simple and commodi- ous. "But the chief interest is in the construction and condition of the dwellings of the Indians. In these Mr. Duncan lias shown much practical good sense. Taking the common form of habitation peculiar to all Koloshan tribes along this coast, he has improved upon it by introducing chimneys, wind(nvs, and doors of commodious size, and floors elevated above the ground. For furniture he has introducd chairs, and tables, bedsteads, looking-glasses, pictures, and window curtains, in front he has fcnceii off neat court-yards, and introduced the cultivation of flow- ers, while in the rear of their dwellings are vegetable gardens. Altogether the village presents many in- structive and encouraging features. " Mr. Dunc.m is invested with the powers <»f a civil magistrate under the Colonial laws of (ireal IJritain, and is thus enabled to settle disputes and nip all petty misdemeanors in the bud. He h;iH organized a police of Indians and they are said Vo be well disci|)lined and effective. There is a small Mock-up 'or caboose built of logs in a picturesque 128 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. form, in which the disorderly arc temporarily con- fined. " It will be noticed that Mr. Duncan is thu?^ mi- vested with the powers of an Indian agent, teacher, missionary, trader, and justice of the peace, and as he is considered an honest man, and his books of record are open to inspection, among a primitive people, as Indians are, he can be a most efficient officer." Chas. 1 IalI(Kk on his return from Alaska, wrote : — " I am pleased lo be able to give fair sketches of the remarkable Indian settlement of Metlakahtla, above referred to, not only, as an instance of the advanced state of civilization to which some of the Pacific Coast Indians have already been brought, but because it is an earnest of the enviable results which must surely crown our own endeavoi if properly applied, and therefore, an encouragement to persevere. ^* Met /oka /it in is tru/y t)ic fu// na/ization of t/ic missionaries drcain of alu^rigina/ restoration. The pojmlation is i,2cx\ ... Its resitlcnts, have a rific company of forty-two men, a brass band, a two-gun bailery and a large co-operative store, where almost anything obtainable in Victoria can be bought. VVY> visited this port on our return tri|> from Sitka, and were received with displays of l)unt- ing from various points, and a five-gun salute from th'j battery, with Yankee Dood/e and Dixie from the band. The Union Jack was flying, J'ijg chuitli TIIK MUn.AKAllTt.A ClIUKCil : IIUII.T ENl'IKEI.Y IIY THE NATIVES, EARL DUFFERIN AND OTHKRS TESTIFY. I29 is architecturally pretentious and can seat 1,200 persons. It has a belfry and spire, vestibule, gal- lery across the front end, groined arches and pulpit carved by hand, organ and choir, Brussels carpet in the aisles, stained glass windows, and all the appointments and embellishments of a first class sanctuary; and it is wholly native handiwork! This well ordered community ; occupy two story shingled and clap-boarded dwelling houses of uni- form size, 25 X 50 feet, with three windows and gable ends, and door in front ; and enclosed flower gardens, and macadamized sidewalks ten feet wide along the entire line of the street." "These people have also a large town hall or assembly room of the same capacity as the church, capable of accommodating the whole population. It is used (or councils, meetings, and for a drill room. It is warmed by three great fires placed in the centre of the building, and lighted by side lamps. The people dress very tastefully in modern garb, and I»am not sure but they have the latest fashions. The women weave cloth for garments, and there are gardens which afford vegetables and fruit in abundance. It is as cleanly as the most j)unctilious Shaker settlement. "The best testimony that can be offered to de- nionstrate the disposition of the Indians to receive the lights, rights, and benefits of Christian civiliza- tion is contained in the simple aj)j)eal maile by Chief I'oy-a-att, at VVrangell, as long ago as 1878, I 't 1 130 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. to an assemblage of several hundred whites and Indians ; and that appeal has not yet been regarded ! Is j)hilanthropy a sop to Indian credulity? Read what follows : — (Translation). " My Bi others and Friends : I come before you to-day to talk a little, and I hope that you will listen to what I say, and not laugh at me because I am an Indian. I am getting old and have not many summers yet to, live on this earth. I want to speak a little of the past history of us Sitka Indians and of our present wants. In ages past, before white men came among us, the Indians of Alaska were barbarous, with brutish instincts. Tribal wars were continual, bloodshed and murder of daily occur- rence, and superstition controlled our whole move- ments and our hearts. The white man's God wc knew not of. Nature showed to us that there was a first great cause; beyond that all was blank. Our god was created by us; that is, we selected animals and birds, which we reveiod as gods. "In the course of t'me a change came over the spirit of (e l)artially educated and civilized. They can under- stand what they see and what they hear; they can read and write ami are learnin}.,' to become Chris- tians. These Indians, my brothers, at the places just spoken of, are British Indians, and it must have been the wish of the British ^huen that her Indians should be educated. V'e have been loUl that the British (iovernm it is a powerful one, and wc have also been t'ou aiJiain to help us in tiyiuj^ to do ri^ht. If one of us should be led astray from the ri^ht i)ath, j)(>int out to us our error and assist us in trying to reform. If you will assist us in d(Mn^ }r,,od and cjuit selling; whiskey, we will soon make I'ort VV^rangell a ([uiel place, and the Stickeen Intlians will become a liappy people. I now thank you for all your kind attention, (iood- by:'—ONr New .lUK^t. New York, iMsr). Mr. N. II. Chittenden in his book, " /rirvr/s //iroKx/' Uritis/t ColuifiOia" N'ictoria, H. (\, 1.S.S2, writcH: — " Metlak.ihtla. — The field of the remarkably suc- cessful work of Mr. Duncan, in civilizing and chris- tianizin^j the Tsnnsluaii Indians. He first estab- lished a mission at I'Ort Simps(»n, a post of the Hudson's Hay Company, but for the purpose of greater isolation in 1M62 removi'd to .Metlakahtla, where he has gathered about i.rxK) of that tribe, and tluou^fh .1 firm j^overnnunt and faithful secular and reli^^ious training raised them from barbarism to the condition of civili/ed people. They livi- in comfortable houses, dress like the whites, school their children, and worship in one of the lurt;e.sl EARL DUKFF,KIN AND OTIIKKS IKSTIKV. 1 35 cluirclics ill the Province, erected at a cost of $IO,OCX)." Julia McNair VVritjjht, in lier book devoted to tin- study of the natives of Alaska, writes: — •'VVilliani Duncan of the Church of England, is another of these bright names. I'^or^'ettiih^; ambi- tion, despising ease, fi)rsakin^;" his own country and his father's liousc, countin^^ even life not dear if he mi^^ht win those simple hulian souls for the Son of God, he has created a civili/iition in Metlakahtla ukI brou^^ht many souls to i^lory." . . . "The !oni;est established, arid most successful work amou}^ any Alaskan Indians, is that main- tained by Mr. Dimcan. . . . "TiieChilcats liad occasionally visitid I'ort Simp- son, atid Met lakahl la, where one of tile most remark- able wore white folks' clothes, and lived ill houses with windows, and f»»rs(iok the Shaman, and .'.le no nuMe do^'-ievsh, and no longer killed one another." . . . Allu(b'n^ t<» the wretchedness, of the Ala*kan In- dians in their native villa).;es, she adds: "The houses of the Indians are not tittid fur any decency of home-life, nor for maintainiiu; health. The houses nre often w ithout partilio.is, ,ind are in- habited by mail) IndiAiis together, of ull iiy,v<* and 136 TlIK STORV OF MF/ILAKAHi LA. both sexes. There is no possibility of securing modesty of demeimor, purity of thouj;ht or cieanh- ness of living under these circumstances. l'oI>{4- amy of tiic most shameless type exists, and child- marriages are common. Tliere is no need to e.\|)atiate on the moral dt ,;em:rati<)n resulting from twenty, thirty or more i)ersons livin;^ in one room : the results would be evident to any idiot." — " Ainon^i( t/u- Alaskans:' Philadelphia, 1.S.S3. I^ii- Cliurch at Home and AbnHui, New York, February I, 1887. In a leailer on Mr. Duncan's ^v■ork headed "/i Xotablc Stranger amon^ (/s" says : " lie h.is built a s-.'lf-supportinj; civili/ed Chris- tian community of about one thousand souls, in a neat, well-ordered town called Metlakalula, well known to all tlu- late tourists that have visited Alaska, .md seen by ^reat numbers of them. *' Metlakai)tla is one of tlie most successful un- dertaking;.'! in the clev.ilion of tlu* Indians, .uul. as a model, is a fit an 1 inspirin^j study for all the Indian workers on the continent. " It has been often said thai there is no trouble betwien the C'anailian authorities ami the Indians, The Kiel affair of last )'iar was a sulTicient answer to ti\is statement. But these Metl.ikaiilla Indians, us it is understood, find that the\' h.ive far less h«ild on the land of tiieir fathers, than h.ive the liuliaiis of the United States, ai)d no siivh ^,Miarantee for permanent ponmssion. Ihcy arc liable tu liavu uic KARL DUI'l-liKIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. 1 37 land on which Mctlakahtla stands sold from under their feet." " riii' iiijh(cnic of these Christian Indians for good has been very great on our Alaska tribes. Scjnio of them were first employed as laborers while we had troops at I'Ort Wran^ell. Tlu.y were sober and Sabbath-keeping Indians: and through their inllii- ence a considerable number of the Stickeens at that l)lace were led to Christ before Mrs. Mrl'>rland, our first missionary teacher, reachd Alaska. IMiey became members of the first church orj^'anixed th.ere under the successful labors of l^cv. Mr. Voun^. IMiilip the first teacher and native preache,, and Mrs. Dickinson, the interpreter, were both educated at Me'lak.dula. "One Sabbath morning, soon after the church wasor^;ani/ed, as the p«.'oplc were gathering' f«)r pub- lic worship, five stalwart-lookin;^ Indians, clail in army blue and each with a waterproof on his arm, walked into the cliapel and reverently worshipped Cfod there, thouijh it a|>peareil afterward that they could not underst.md the dialect used in the ser- vice^. They proved to be Metlakahtla Indians, who had l)een carryin^; j^mkhIs up tlie Stickeen Kiver to the C'assiar mines; on their return, Saturday ni^ht overtook them at I''«irt Wran^'i'll, and, true to tlieir priiuiples, they fastent'd tluir boats t») thi' #iore Ai)d kept the S.d)bath. Momi.iy morniu^ tlu y went on tlu'ir way h(unewartl. Hut such .m object -lesmin could not fail of its inrtuuticf on the ruder and Ichu us THE STOKV OF MKTLAKAIITLA. Cliristiani/.cd race. So liavc they influenced for ^'ood all the tribes among which our missions are located." 1 mi^dit add to these, many other direct, and in- dii'.'ct tributes, that have been paid to Mr. Duncan, and his work, but it will suffice for my purpose to close this chapter, with extracts from Admiral I're- vost's narrative of his late visit to Metlakahtla. It will be remembered, that it was through his {graphic portrayal, of the barbarous, degradation of the Tsimshean savaj^as, that Mr. Duncan, was in- spired to iledicate himself to the enlis^dUenmi-nt, of these people; we shall now observe with wiiat wonderment, he beheld the transformation. He says : •' 'I'hree A.M., Tuesday, iSth June, 1878. Ar- riveil at I'Ort Simpson in the W S. Mail Steamer * Cn/i/ornin,' from Sitka. Was met by William Duncan, witli sixteen Indians, nearly all I'ilders. Our ^jreetin}^ was moit heart)', and the meetin^j with Duncanacau.se of real ih.inKfulncsH to (>od. In si^jht, too, of the very spot (nay, on it) where (iod had tjut into my heart tiie first desire of send- ini; the (it^spel to tile poor heathens around nu". Twenty-five years previously 11. M. S. ^I'udi^o' had been repaired on that very l»eaeli. What a* than^'e had been effected durinj^ tlvse passing; years. Of tin- crew l>eforc me nine of the si.\teen were, to my 1l afloat. We knew n"t wliat you liad rather plannrd to do. Von planned to bring us tlie (rospel and that has opetied our eyes to heavenly tlMiigs, aiul oh I how beauti- ful, very beautiful indeed ! Metlak^^tla is like a ship just launcited. You are here to give us advice, w here to p»it the most in, ami how to steer. I ad- dress you thus, though you are great and I am poor. liut Jesus despises not the poor. Ihc Tsimshcans 140 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. were very low, yet Jesus raised us, .ind we arc now anxious for all our brethren, the tribes around us, to be made alive. We see them now willinyj to hear, and we are trying; to help them. We know God put it into your heart to come here, and brouijht you here ; (iod bless you for com- ing.' " Sunday, 23rd. — To me, all days at Metlakahtla are solemnly sacred, but Sunday, of all others es- pecially so. Canoes are all drawn u[) on the beach above hiyjh-water mark. Not a sound heard. The children are assembled before morninj; service to receive special instruction from Mr. Duncan. The church bell rings, and the whole populatioti pour out from their houses — men, women, and chiidren — to worship God in His own house, built by their i>\\ n hands. As it has been remarked, • No need to lock doors, for no one is tlicre to enter the empty Houses.' Two policemen are on duty in uniform, to keep order during service time. The service be- gitu* with a chant in Tsimshean, ' I will arise and \*(^ to my Father,' &c., Mr. Schult leading with the harmonium ; the Litan>' Prayers in Tsimsiiean ft)l- low, closing with the Lord's IVayer. The aiUlres.H lasts nearly an hour. Such is the deep attention of maity present, that having «)nce known lu-ir for- mer lives, I know that the love of (tod sh il abioiiil in tlu'ir hearts bj' the I loly Gh^Ht can alone have producetl so marvellous a change. "I'lrsl, there was a very old won\||i, stall in iiand, EARL DUKl'ERIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. 141 Stepping with such solemn earnestness ; after her came one who had been a very notorious gambler ; though now almost crippled with disease, yet he seemed to be forgetting infirmity, and literally to be ieajiing along. Next followed a dissipated youth, now reclaiined ; and after him a chief, who had dared a few years ago i)roudly to lift up his hand to stop the work of (iod, now with humble mien, wending his way to worship. Then came a onco still more haughty man of rank ; and after him a mother carrying her infant child, and a father lead- ing his infant son, a grandmother, with more than a mother's care, watching the steps of her little grandson. Then followed a willow, then a young woman, who had been snatched from the jaws of infaitiy ; then ; a once notoricnis chief; and the last I reflected upon was a man walking with solemn gait, yet hope fixed in his look. When a heathen he was a murderer: he had murdered his own wife and burnt her to ashes. What are all these now, I thought, and the crowds that accompany them ! Whither are they going? And what to do? IJIessed sight for angels! Oh, the preciousness of a Saviour's blood ! If there is a joy in heaven i)ver one sinner that repenteth, with what delight, must angels ga/.e on such a sight as this ! I fell such a glow of gratitude to (ioti come over me, my heart was stirred williin me, far who could have joined such a congregation as this in worshij) and liavi* been cold, and who could have i)reuched the Ci«iff)el 142 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. to such a people and not have felt he was standing where God was working ? " After morning service, a class of female adults remain in the church and receive further instruction from the native teachers. At the same time the male adults meet Mr. Duncan in his own room. At three, the church bell again assembles all the vil- lage to worship ; and again at seven, when they generally meet in the school-room, the address be- ing given by one of the native teachers." . . . "July 1 6th. Before my departure from Metlii- kahtla, I assembled the few who were left at the village, to tell them I was anxious to leave behind some token both of my visit to them after so long an absence, and also that I still bore them on my heart. What should it be ? After hours of consul- tation they decided they would leave the choice to me, anil when I toUl them (what [ had hcforehanil determined upon) that my present woidd be a set of street lamps to liglit up their village at m'glit, their joy was unbouiuled. Their first thought had a spiritual meaning. By day, God s house was a memorable object, visible both by vessels passing and repassing, aiul by all canoes as strange Indians travelled about; but by night all was darkness — MOW no longer so — as the bright light of the glorious (nisjiel, had through (rod's mercy ami love shined in their dark hearts, so wouUl all be reminded, by m\l)\t as well as by day, of the marvellous light ghining in the hearts u( many ftt Metlakahtla, even EARL DUFFERIN AND OTHERS TESTIFY. 143 the Indians who came with him were in such fear from the neighborini; tribes, tliat they begged him not to have a fire burning at night or show a light in his house. The system of murder was then so general, that whenever an enemy saw a light he sneaked up to it, and the death of the unsuspecting Indian was generally the result. Thus my selection was a happy one, and I thanked God for it." In the testimony of these independent, and intel- liLient observers, who have investigated with scru- tiny, the development, of this ideal community, we have evidence beyond cpiestion that Mr. Duncan's work is an uiKjualified success; totally free, from any underlying motives of personal emoluments, or actuated by ambition for self-aggrandizement. •^ sTIi, t> ^-^ O^. \'^>Tn% IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ? ^ // '*;.> '<' C^x £/ ,/> .v^ 4^ 1.0 JL 1.25 l^|Z8 12.5 1^ lU III 2.2 !t I4£ 1 2.0 lU 11.4 IIIIII.6 % ^^>1^> '> ^>» ^ PhotQgJDplllC Sciences Corporatioii 99 Wllf MAIN ftTillT viriMtiiiNy I4SI0 (71*) •79-4S09 '<" C^x L<5> s^ v\ 6^ CHAPTER V. THE SAVAGE. ; We have now followed Mr. Duncan in the noble work, which he has fearlessly pursued throutjjh ^rave perils and sore trials; we have always found him faithfully at his post, sacrificing^ everything ft)r his cause ; we have followed him in his joyful tlelight at the successes, which had crowned the stru^i^lcs he had sustained with such manly fortitude, yet, with modesty and Christian simplicity. VVc have received the impressive testimony of those whose l)rivile};c it has been to visit his modern Arcadia, and to see with their own eyes, h.ow he has brought order out of chaos — how he has buildcd on a rock. Now, it remains for us to scan his methods, anil then to follow him through a course of cruel events, iinlooked for, uncalled for, and almost without l)recedent in the modern history of sectarian perse- CUtJo!!. We have observed how Mr. Duncan l)egan his work, by first mastering the tongue and then study- ing, in their own iiomes, the miiuls and inner life, the hal)its and customs of these painted, half-naked savages, as at night, clustering around their heaitli- TlIK SAVAGE. 145 stone, the blazing fire caFt a weird glow over their swarthy faces. Me learned from them their ideas of the creation, of the mystery of death, their relig- ious superstitions, their history as told in legends ; in short, he studied them, and their capacities, as a scientist studies, the relative equivalents of the ele- ments in chemistry. As a samarit m tf) their sick, as a peacemaker when fierce passions stirred strife, as a comforter in tiieir iiours of trouble and woe, he not only won their affection and confidence; but, he also impianleil in their hearts, the germs of good-will and forbearance toward each other. 1 le ex'emjjlified a id upheld by his own pure, every-day, Christian life, those true principles of morality that stood the crucial test, of the ever suspicious scrutiny of the savage. Dr. Livingston tells us, liow essential it is that missionaj'ies, should teach by their lives, as well as by their words. "No one ever gains nuich influence in Africa without piM*ity and uprightness. The acts of a stranger are keenly scrutinized, by both old and young. I have heard women speaking in admira- tion of a while man because he was pure, and never guilty of secret immorality. \\m\ he been, they would have known it, and, untutored heathen though they be, would have despised him everywhere." The moment a while man indulges in the com- mon vices among savages he reduces himself, in llieir cstimatii)n to their ou n K \el. 146 THE STORY OF METLAKAiriT^A. The unbounded, all-absorbiiii; devotion of heathen peoples in their worship, and their subservience to their own deities and avowed cults, and that they often make voluntary sacrifice of their own lives, or the lives of their kin, to glorify their j^od or propi- tiate his wrath is well known. The late Dean Stan- ley dwelt much upon their honest, unreserved devo- tion, and declared that however revolting their be- liefs they lived consistently to their teachintjfs, this he held up in vivid contrast to the cantinjjj hypocrisy invading so large a portion of the Christian Church. It is recorded that some Hrahniins, conversing with the Danish Missionary Schwartz, replied to his arguments in behalf of Christianity : " \\'"e do not see your Christian j)eople live ac- cording to that Holy Word. They curse, they swear, they get drunk ; they st<'al, they cheat, they deal fraudulently with one another; thi;y blas- pheme a!id rail upon matters of religion, or often make a mock of those who jirofess to be religions; they behave themselves as badly, if not worse, than vvc heathen. Of what advantage is all your profes- sion of Christ's religion, if it does not inlluence the lives of your own countrymen ? Should )'ou not ^irst endeavor to convert your own countrymen be- fore you attempt to proselyte Pagans? lUit turn- ing to liini they said, 'Of a truth you are a holy man, and if all Christians thought ami spoke and lived as )'ou do, we would without delay undergo the change anil become Christians also."* THE SAVAGE. H7 Based on his study of the infant minds, and the needs of these people, Mr. Duncan began by teach- ing them the simple truths of the Christian religion. He dispensed with everything in the way of form or ceremony that would distract their minds; he represented to them as the cential idea the One ()mniiK)tent God, — Creator of all, — Ruler of hu- man destinies, — Controller of the elements, of the earth, and of the heavens. lie told them of the fall of man, and how God had sent I lis own Son into the world to suffer- and to be sacrificed, for the redemption of all sin- ners. I le told them of the reward for the righteous, and the punishment of the wicked. He did not tell them, that his God was better than theirs ; he taught them, that there was but one God, anil it was the Sui)reme I^uler Who had blessed the earth with light, and warmth, and verdure ; stocked the sea and rivers with fish, and the forests with game. lie was dealing with simple, primitive minds, whose only idea of creation, and, the origin of sur- rounding wonders of nature, had been conveyed through tribal legends. Notwithstanding, the many plausible speculations and theories advanced by learned investigators, prim- itive autochthonic life, not only in America but throughout the entire worlil, is enshrouded in m)'s- tery. Neitlier science, nor the(»logy, iuis conclusive- ly solved the problem of the manner in wiiich the world was peopled. 1 lowcvcr, wc may consistently 148 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. conjecture that man primordially was without a knowledge of the true God, knew absolutely nothing. His development was like the babe from birth, and his gradual unfoldment was the result of necessity, and, the impulsion of the inevitable. His cravings to appease hunger caused him to seek wherewith to satisfy his need; the fruits and the weaker creat- ures about him served as his food ; in his struggles with nature he devised means to ensnare and kill animals, whose skins should protect him from cold. His very strife in self-defence against fcticious ani- mals quickened his intellect. He sought shelter from the inclemency of the elements in caves. Commu- nal life was adoptevl for security, and the strongest naturally assumed the chieftainship. Consecpient upon being thus thrown together, attrition of one mind with another, enlarged their mental hori- zon. The savage beheld with awe the phenomena of nature. Light, darkness, the storms, the lidos, the seasL ns, his own origin, all signified some hidden power, which, unable to solve, he attributed to the workings of some good or evil spirit, visible or invisi- ble. Many of their beliefs hung upon the figments of their dreams, which were to them realities. '* So strong was the [aboriginal] North American faith in dreams, that on one occasion when an Indian dreamt he was taken captive, he induced iiis friends to make a mock attack on him, to bind him, and treat him as a captive, actually submitting to a con- u •/; ■< a M u h THE SAVAGE. 149 sidcrable amount of torture, in the hope thus to fulfil his dreams. The Greenlanders, also, believe in the reality of dreams, and think that at night they go hunting, visiting, courting, and so on " (Sir John Lubbock). These children in intellect ever struggled with the mysterious problems of nature. M. Ambrousset was told by Sekesa a Kaffir : " Your tidings are what I want ; and I was seeking before I knew you as you shall hear and judge for yourselves. Twelve years ago I went to feed my flock. The weather was hazy, I sat down on a rock and asked myself sorrowful questions ; yes sorrowful because I was unable to answe.r them. * Who has touched the stars with his hands ? On what pillars do they rest?' I asked myself. 'The waters are never weary ; they know no other law than to flow, with- out ceasing, from morning till night, and from night till morning ; but where do they stop ? And who makes them flow thus ? The clouds also come and go, and burst in water over the earth. Whence come they ? Who sends them ? The divines cer- tainly do not give us rain, for how could they do it ? And why do I not see them with my own eyes, go up to heaven to fetch it ? I cannot see the wind but what is it ? Who brings it, makes it bhnv, and roar and terrify us ? Do 1 not know that the corn sprouts ? Yesterday there was not a blade in my field; today I returned to the field and found some. Who can have given to the earth the wisdom and ISO THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. power to produce it ? ' Then I buried my face in both my hands." Awe, wonderment and reverence were com- manded by the mundane environments of the sav- age. " Thick black clouds, portentous of evil, hung threateningly over the savage during his entire life. Genii murmur in the flowing river, in the rustling branches are felt the breathings of the gods ; gob- lins dance in vapory twilight, and demons howl in the darkness " (Bancroft). Even the personality of dead heroes, whose val- iant deeds, oft recounted, became, in the passage of time, merged with their deities. Heathen peoples in their worship have invariably exhibited a gradual development and advancement from, polytheism towards monotheism : first, pay- ing homage to objects of nature, finally conceiving that there is One Supreme Power, which controls the universe. This supreme being ever remains to them a mys- tery, as for the matter of that, does their own duality of soul and body, which is suggested to them by shadows and dreams, and the realization that when breath leaves the body, the light goes out. Idolatry comes from an attempt to materialize and render tangible their deities. Recognizing man- kind as the highest type, naturally they often es- sayed to model their gods after man's image — rxDO B. C. Xenophanes wrote, '* Men seem to have cre- ated their gods, and to have given to them their THE SAVAGE. i5r own mind, voices and figure. The Ethiopians made their gods black and flat-nosed ; the Thracians theirs, red-haired and blue-eyed." As the inexorable domination of the strongest in brute force prevailed, so alike in mental force the strongest, with most creative imagination, as- serted and assumed knowledge of all supernatural things, and finally claimed to be vested with the power of controlling the forces of nature. The natural desire for an intermediary between them- selves, and their vague deities, and the desire to propitiate such, made this supremacy not difficult for the crafty to attain. " There are several ways in which the worship- per can hold personal intercourse with his deities. These, being souls or spirits, are of course to be seen at times in dreams and visions, especially by their own priests or seers, who thus get (or pretend to get) divine answers or oracles from them. Heing a soul, the god can also enter the body, and act and speak through it, and thus hysterical and epileptic symptoms, which we have seen to be ascribed to an evil demon possessing the patient, are looked on more favourably when the spirit is considered to be a deity, come to inspire his minister, and talk by his voice. The convulsions, the unearthly voice in which the priest answers in the name of the deity within, and his falling into a stupor when his god departs, all fit together, and in all quarters of the world the oracle-priests, and diviners, by familiar '■ii 152 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. spirits seem really diseased in body and mind, and deluded by their own feelings, as well as skilled in cheating their natives with sham jymptoms and cunning answers " (E. B. Tylor). Thus began priestcraft or Shamanism ; and as the valiant chieftain led and commanded them in warfare, so the Shaman, manifested and exercised his power when sickness or calamity fell upon them : aye, from chief, to slave, all bowed in submission to his mandate. The power of the priest was thus lecognized and yielded to ; he became an important factor, and must needs be consulted in all personal or State affairs ; sometimes, supernatural and temporal power were merged in one and the same person. Church and State, superstition and despotism, were thus united in the darkest ages of mankind. Variety and similarity characterized the cults of primitive man in every part of the globe. What- ever the form of worship it is a noticeable fact, there has been a gradual progressive awakening in the formation of society, with the recognition of the rights of others. At the very dawn of civilization in the old world, as we may still see in any museum, "the scene of the weighing the soul of the deceased, and his trial by Oseris the Judge of tlie dead, and the forty-two assessors, while Thoth, the writing-god stands by to enter the dread record on his tablets. In the col- umns of hieroglyphics, arc set down the crimes, of THE SAVAGE. 153 which the soul must clear itself, a curious mingling of what we should call ceremonial, and moral sins, among them the following; 'I ha^ e not privily done evil against mankind. I have not told false- hoods in the tribunal of Truth, I have not done any wicked thing. I have not made the labouring man do more than his tasks daily. I have not cal- umniated the slave to his master. I have no' 'nur- dered. I have not done fraud to men. I have ; ot changed the measures of the country. I have not injured the images of gods. T have not ta^ en scraps of the ban"!.:i=j:es of the dead. I have not committed adultery. I have not milked milk from the mouths of sucklings. I have not hunted wild animals in the pasturage. I have not netted sacred birds. I am pure, I am pure, 1 am pure ! ' " (E. B. Tylor). Despite the recognition of moral responsibilities, many anomalies occur in the ethics of the savage. As the savage fought with beasts of prey to se- cure subsistence, so battled he with his fellowman for spoils. Warfare caused a uniting of communi- ties for defence and offence ; conquest enriched and increased the power of the triumphant few. Avarice, greed, pride, ambition, all contributed their quota as an incentive to gain dominion and precedence. Human conflicts then, as to-day, wrought good as well as evil ; they were attend- ed with mental activity that largely tended to the unfolding of the intellectuality. With the gain of wealth, came the desire for pomp and splendor. 154 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. They built pretentious huts or wigwams. The patrons of art in those days, as now, found ready hands, deft in fashioning their frippery. Development was but the sequence of the ever reaching after the unattainable, hence the unfolding continued. When individual desires had been grati- fied — communal and national desires, arose and grew apace. In some lands advancement was rapid, in others, resisted, retarded, and ofttimes defeated. We who enj(3y the benefit of an advanced state of civilization, often forget, that it is but a few gen- erations since our own forefathers, grovelled, in the darkest superstitions. *' The nations now most civilized were once bar- barians. Our ancestors were savages, who, with tangled hair, and glaring eyes, and blood-besmeared hands, devoured man and beast alike. "The difference between the cultured and primi- tive man lies chiefly in the fact that one has a few centuries the start of the other in the race of i)r()g- ress " (Bancroft). The American aborigine is among the least fav- ored of majikind in the progress of enlightenment. We find him still, the associate of wild beasts, and still, groping in darkness, but, seeking for light. One of the most touching and romantic incidents in history, is that of the pilgrimage of four Nez Perces hulians from the Columbia Kiver, Oregon, to St. Louis, Mo., in 1S32, when that town was but a military outpost and fur-trading station. The M' w \ r < < r THE SAVAGE. 155 Ncz r^crc6s had learned from an American trapper much about the white men's arts and wisdom ; he told them that the pale-faces owed their greatness to the teachings of the supreme God ; that they possessed God's book of wisdom, which they could read ; this book revealed the secrets of life and of the hereafter ; taught them to be good and wise. The Nez Perces talked much among themselves about this wonderful book, held anxious councils over their camp-fires. The desire to learn more al)out the white man's God grew upon them, and became their uppermost thought. Finally two trusted old braves, and two stalwart young braves, were chosen for ♦^he mission. On foot they jour- neyed the trai' of many moons toward the rising sun, enduring unspeakable hardships, encounter- ing many perils, crossing the great rivers on im- provised rafts, scaling the mountain ranges, steal- ing silently by night, through the land {»f the fierce IJlack I'Vet and other hostile tribes, ctwer- ing their tracks, subsisting solely on the game of the forest and plains. Thus for more than two thousand miles they wended their way to the white man's camp. They arrived and though they mar- velled at the many strange sights, the great lodges, and tile huge fire-canoes as large as islands, paddled witiiout hands ; yet their sacred errand was upper- most in their thoughts. They were feasted cordially and abundantly; d» rk«"' .vith finery, and clad in showy blankets; ..i irulh, for kindliness and enter- 156 THE STORY OF METLAKAIiTLA. tainment they lacked naught ; but to them their mission was a failure, they sought in vain for " The Book." St. Louis was exclusively a Roman Cath- olic town, and, as is well known, it is not the cus- tom or policy of that church, to give the Bible to the people. The two old braves died in St. Louis, and one of the young men contracted a disease, from which he died on his homeward journey. On taking their departure, their hearts burdened with disappoint- ment, one of them delivered the following speech to (iener.il Clark,^ then commanding the station, in the presence of a small group of officers and traders : " I came to you over the trail of many moons from the setting sun. You were the friend of my fathers, who have all gone the long way. 1 came, with one eye partly oi)ened, for more li^ht for my people, who sit in darkness. T go back with both eyes closed. I low can I go back blind, to my blind people ? I made my way to you with strong arms, through many enemies and with strong hands, that I might carry back much to them. " I go back with both arms broken and empty. The two fathers who came with us, the braves of maiiy winters — we leave aslee|) here by your great water and wigwam. Thev were tired in n\any moons, and their moccasins wore out. . My peo- ' * It wns lliin jjt'tirrnl wlio lm«l witli T.uwIh made the frtinuiis over land journey tu Oroyon nnd ihu I'ncific, THE SAVAGE. 157 pie sent me to get the white man's Book of Heaven. You took me where you allow your women to dance, as we do ours, and the Book was not there. " You showed me the images of good spirits, and pictures of the good land beyond, but the Book was not among them to tell us the way. . I am going back the long, sad trail to my people of the dark land. . You make my feet heavy with bur- dens of gifts, and my moccasins will grow old in carrying them, but the Book is not among them. *' When 1 tell my poor blind people, after one more snow, in the big council, that I did not bring the Book, no word will be spoken by our old men, or, by our young braves. One by one, they will rise up and go out in silence. . My people will lie in darkness, and they will go on the long way to the other hunting-groumls. No white man will go with them, and no white man's Book to make the way l)lain. . I have no words." Then sadly and silently they took their home- ward trail.*'' But the Ne/ Perces mission was not a failure, tor after many months the story of their pilgrimage reached the ears of Mr. Spaulding, and that noble m.iri/r Dr. Whitman, who planted Christianity, ac- companied by seed-wheat and wagon-wheels. It was the indirect effect of the Nez I'erccs' journey, * I'lirlrnils 207 nml 20S in Callin's idllcition it|nrMiil iIkm' h/ » liandhoini' young Nu/. I'iiuIb l)i'uveii, 158 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. which brought about the fruitful mission work and Dr. Whitman's heroic midwinter, horseback ride of four thousand miles, in four months from the Colum- bia to the Potomac^ that resulted in England's con- cession of Oregon to the United States — this, too, at the time when the air was afume with '■'' fifty-four forty, or fight.''' " There have been eminent express rides, full of import to families and states; these have carried messages of war and for peace, for trade and tower- ing ambition. It would be difficult, however, to find one that for distance, time, heroic daring, peril, suf- fering, and mafTiiificent consequences, could equal Whitman's ride ' (Barrow). Nor was this the only benefit. In time the Hud- son's Bay Company, which had previously discour- aged missionaries and settlers, found the American missionaries making such invasions within their ter- ritory, that they opened their gates hospitably to English missionaries ; and, it was after this change of their policy that Mr. Duncan, was allowed to begin his work at Fort Simi)son. I have thus digressed to show that the savage is a seeker after light, but a seeker when that light brings a benefit, which he can see, and feel, and measure. The Nez IVrct's hoped by means of the white man's book to accpiire his arts, his wisdom, to learn therefrom an easy trail to the "Ilappy Hunting Ground." We have every evidence that it is mankind's in- THE SAVAGE. 159 carnate selfishness, more or less, blended with cow- ardice and fear, that has in all eras, in all parts of the world, prompted the outreaching for or ac- ceptance of deities and creeds, having always in view self-preservation, and betterment of condition. Sometimes this selfishness has taken the form of self-aggrandizement ; sometimes has found vent in the gratification of a grand passion. How quaintly comes to us now, Nestor's story [as given by Dean Stanley] of the conversion of that ferocious Russian Prince Vladimir, when he and his people were still pagans and in the depths of bar- barism. He, who was as much distinguished for his zeal for the rude idolatry of his own country- men, as for his savage crimes. Vladimir having gained great renown through the known world, there came to him in about the year 986 envoys of the various religions. — " First the Bulgarian mussulmans from the Volga, saying: ' Wise and [)rudent prince rrson' fill of the leadership, and, not until then, that the Society j^ave evidence of a ^raditai, thoiti^h marked change in its policy. Its aims which heretofore had been broadly evangelistic, now soon became deeply colored, and circumscribed with ecclesiasticism. Mr. Duncan was always perfectly frank in his rc- • Set* Circulrtrn, ('linplrr VIII., tliis volume. \ Atut ion y\.o turn this symbolic Christian ordinance, into a m.igical rite> to itivest it with powers it docs not, and never did possess. It is only after satisfactory probation, that mem- l)erH of tlu- Metlakahtla congre!;ation are baptizi-d and admitted lu full memb(jr>liip, bu^Hi»mal ritcH na 180 THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. being administered by an ordained clergyman* — thus, tlie sacrament is made more impressive as an emblem in its original significance to cleanse, to purify. Mr. Duncan, regards the duties of a missionary as purely evangelistic, and not ecclesiastical. lie believes that to insure the best results, every Chris- tian congregation gathered out of I leathendom ; should begin its history as a free, and indcpenilent branch of Christ's Church, in unity, and in syni- pnt/iy, zvith all evangelical Christians ; but, alUnved to develoi) naturally on Scriptural lines, and adrt>//r Justice, and cleave between brambled heterodoxy and orthodoxy a broad swath, as a thonnighfare for right doing, and well-being \oy all humanity: A swath, from pole to pole, over wiiich the white, the black, the red, the yellow, enfranchised ; untrammelled; might safely 1 86 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. traverse toward the light through all existence, luith- out jostling one another" (M. French Sheldon). I believe there is grace in all religions, and that righteousness and holiness belong exclusively to none. I make this plain, that I may not be mis- understood when I would impugn those men, who degrade true holiness, by cant, and hypocrisy. True piety is revered by all, sectarianism is the bane of Christianity. It is the misfortune, but not necessarily the fault of a church, that among its representatives appear Asses guised in Lions' skins, and Wolves in Sheep's clothing. However, if when the bray, or treacher- erous fangs reveal the truth, and then the church persistently insists, that the Ass is a Lion, and the Wolf is a Sheep, can we wonder that the world mocks ? Atheism, is mainly fed by the revulsion caused by sectarianism, tinged too highly, with canting hypocrisy. Honesty in religion, is, as essential, as honesty in business. When the highly educated people of civilized countries fail to comprehend the creeds, and doc- trinal distinctions ; how, can the infant mind of a benighted savage, be expected to grasp them ? If one teaches the savage that this, or that rite, or ceremony, is essential to his salvation, how is he shocked, and thrown into confusion, when the prelate of another creed comes along, and proves to him by the Bible, that his previous teachings are all wrong. THE CRISIS. 187 as and gives him a new plan of redemption ! This divine, is followed by another who condemns the teachings of his predecessors, and as conclusively proves his theories, by the selfsame book, of the white man's God. The savage, bewildered by these polemics, dis- credits all. The central truth has been so obscured by dogmas, that he sees before him only uncertain trails ; even the white men straggle and do not agree, as to which one leads to heaven ; how then can he, poor groping savage, with inferior intellect decide, when the wise men are confounded ? He relapses into heathenism, returns to the reli- gion of his fathers, worships the gods that have piloted them to the happy hunting ground ; or per- haps like M'tesa the Em[)eror of Uganda, to whom Stanley broke the light of Christianity, pure and simple, and left him pleading, — in his own words — " Stamlee, say to the white people, when you write to them, that I am like a man sitting in darkness, or born blind ; and that all I ask is that I may be taught how to see, and I shall continue a Christian while 1 live." M'tesa received missionaries cordially until in a competitive contest, — rivalling that held before Vladimir — by their wrangling, over distinctions in creeds, and nationality, and by contradictory teach- ing, he became convinced, that they knew no more of the true way, than did he. In his distraction, he turned to his ancient worship for consolation, and i88 THE STORY OF METLAKAIITLA. in propitiation for his apostasy, is said, to liave com- mitted most horrible acts. Thus the missionaries themselves, by greater loyalty to sect, than to God, by greater loyalty to nation than to humanity, turned back, to the most atrocious heathenism, and barbarism ; this willing convert to civilization, and Christianity, and his seeking people. " I have for years thought," wrote that distin- guished authority Bishop Patterson — " that we seek in our missions a great deal too much to make E)iglisJi Christians. . . . Evidently the hea- then man is not treated fairly, if we encumber our message with unnecessary requirements. The an- cient Church had its selection of fundamentals." . . . Anyone can see what mistakes we have made in India. . . . Few men think them- selves into the state of the Eastern mind. . . . We seek to denationalize these races, as far as I can see; whereas, we ought surely to change as little as possible — only what is clearly inc(impatible with the simplest form of Christian teaching and prac- tice. 1 do not mean that we are to compromise truth . . . but, do we not overlay it a good deal with human traditions ! " The mistakes in the East have been repeated, in nearly, every part, of the mission world. '* Let missionaries i)reach the Gospel again as it was preached when it began the conquest of the Roman Empire, and the Gothic nations ; when it THE CRISIS. 189 had to struggle with powers and principalities, with time-honored religions and triumphant philosophies, with pride of civilization and savagery of life— and yet come out victorious. At that time conversion was not a question to be settled by the acceptance or rejection of certain formulas or articles ; a simple prayer was often enough : ' God be tnerciful to mc a sinner.'' "Among uncivilized races, the work of the mis- sionary is the work of a parent ; whether his pupils are young in years or old, he has to treat them with a parent's love, to teach them with a parent's au- thority ; he has to win them, not to argue with them. I know this kind of mission work is often despised; it is called mere religious kidnapping; and it is said that missionary success obtained by such means proves nothing for the truth of Chris- tianity; that the child handed over to a Moham- medan becomes a Mohammedan, as much as a child handed over to a Christian missionary be- comes a Christian. All this is true; missionary success obtained by such means proves nothing, nothing for the truth of one Creed " (Max Miillen! " The Indians have their own myths, it is true ; but they are eminently spiritual; and we should not condemn them because they are so constituted as to demand rational solutions of whatever is pre- sented to them as truths. They read intelligently the writing of the (ireat Spirit in all exterior nature, as well as in the human soul. ' I90 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. " The tints of the flower, the cells and fibres of the leaf, the granules of the rock, and the veins of the wood, are poems — hymns — sermons — not of unmeaning and lifeless words, that fall coldly on the ear, like flakes of spring-snow, only to dissolve and pass away, but living utterances of that great Interior Life, which in all they see, and hear, and know, they recognize, and honor and adore. This great sentiment of praise pervades the whole charac- ter of the true Indian. It informs, it inspires, it exalts him. Think then how impossible it must be for him to exchange this aug'.st worship, that has grown with his growth, and strengthened with his strength, for any of those dogmas, which are so far from satisfying Christianity itself, that they have cut into the very heart of the Church, dividing it into hostile factions, armed with deadly hate against each other, until history in almost every age, has been dyed crimson with the blood of the faith- ful " (Berson). Efforts were made to tempt Mr, Duncan to sub- mit to, and accept the Society's dogmatic views. A mere hireliui:;, might have yielded, but Mr. Dun- can, who had sacrificed everything for the service of his God, ivas deeidedly not a mere liireling ; besides, his experience and observations had fortified him in his convictions. He had seen in abandoned mission stations, the failure of sectarian methods. He iiad seen the hollow work sectarians can produce —alike, hurtful ■ THE CRISIS. 191 to the teacher, and the '.aught. He had observed how men, who worked for the fame of their Church party, wrote too frequently exaggerated reports, to please ; although they spared themselves both the time, and trouble to dig deep — do genuine work, and wait patiently for results. Apropos of which W. H. Dall, narrating his ex- periences on the Yukon River, during his extensive exploration in Alaska, makes the following cogent remarks, after attending the services of a well-mean- ing missionary, the sermon being rendered ii .0 a jargon by an interpreter : " In the evening the Indians, old and young, gathered in the fort -yard and sang several hymns with excellent effect. Altogether, it was a scene which would have delighted the hearts of many very good people who know nothing of Indian character; and as such will doubtless figure in some missionary report. To anyone at all who under- stood the situation, however, the absurdity of the proceeding was so palpable that it appeared almost like blasphemy. " Old Sakhniti, who has at least eighteen wives, whose hands are bloody with repeated and atrocious murders, who knows nothing of what we understand by right and wrong, by a future state of reward and punishment, or by a Supreme Being— this old heathen was singing as sweetly as his voice would allow, and with (|uite as much comprehension of the hynui, as, one of the dogs in the yard. 192 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. " Indians arc fond of singinij ; they arc also fond of tobacco, and for a pipeful apiei.o you may baptize a whole tribe. Wiiy will intelligent men still ynon talking three or four times a year to in'lians on doc- trinal subjects, by means of ;) jargon whicii cannot express an abstract idea, and the use of which only throws ridicule on sacred things, and still call such work spreading the truths of Christianity ? " When the missionary will leave the trading-posts, strike out into the wilderness, live with the Indians, teach them cleanliness first, morality next, anil by slow and sim[)le teaching lead their thoughts above the hunt (-r the catrip, then, ami not until then, will they be competent to con\prehend thesimjilest jirinciples of right and wrong. The Indian does not think in the nu.thod that civilized mcn;ulopt; he looks at cverj'thing as ' through a glass — darkly.' llis whole train of thought and iiabit of mind must be educated to a higher and different standard before Christianil)' can reach him. •* The Indi;m, unchanged by contact with the whites, is in mind a child without the trusting ai'fec- tion of childhood, and with the will and passions of a nan." Mr. Duncan, not yielding to the Society's dom- ination, in the course of time its attituile bec.une iini)erious, and feeling that his iionesty of purpose v',"\9 at stake ; lie determined to resign his jxist. .nid surrender his Mission to other h.uuls, that would mould it, as the Society wished ; while he would ■ THE CRISIS. 193 seek a fresh field of labor among unreclaimed, heathen tribes. This was distinctly signified to the Society, and, it is well known, that again and again, it endeavored to fill his place with an ordained man ; or at least by someone likely to take orders. At one time, Mr. Duncan entirely abdicated the mission at Metlakahtla to an ordained clergyman, sent out by the Society, and had only been absent a few weeks, preparing for a new mission, when Metlakahtla was thrown into a state of dreadful confusion ; and the organization well nigh wrecked, by the unwise ccclesiastic.il enthusiasm of the new missionary; the effect of whose methods, upon many of the still superstitious minds, was to create a sort of fanatical cyclone. Some were led in the fever of their delirium, to declare that they wit- nessed miracles; beheld, and held converse with the Holy Spirit; and that angels hovered about the village. This man in his i)lindness, was actually congratu- lating himself, on the work of the Holy (lliost, but when the news of his f(K)lishness reached Victoria, there was a general demand that Mr. Di, lan should instantly return, atid save his lifeV work from utter destruction, lie did return, but, it was with great difilculty that he succeedi-d in eliminat- ing the results of a few weeks' misdirected, fanatical zeal. The Society llianked Mr. Duncan, very heartily 1 94 THE STORY OF METLAKAIFTLA. for his timely interference ; and Bishop Bompas, whom they sent to Methikahtla just after this inci- dent ; severely censured the clergyman for his in- discretion, and expressed the fullest approval of Mr. Duncan's course. Although, the iJisho|) had come with the intention of introducing the Lord's Sui)- pcr, he saw by the recent proceedings, that these people, yet, needed careful, and judicious, man- agement and guidance ; and deemed it extremely jirecarious, and inopportune to initiate the admin- istration of the sacrament during his stay. In this decision, he was but in accord with Mr. Duncan's well-maturetl judgment ; though, recently it has been falsely intimated by the Society that Bishop Bompas was only prevented from introducing the rite, by Mr. Duncan's resistance. A succession of failures nullified the Society's ])lans to relieve, Mr. Duncan, and necessitated his remaining from year to year. Finally, the northern part of British Columbia ; — containing but three ordained clergymen of the Church of Kngland — was created a Bishojjric. The Bishop of New (^iledonia, maile Metlakahtla his iieatliiuarters, and at first wrote glowing effu- sive accounts of the work there. In establisiiing himself, he asserted his autliority not, with Christian dignity, but in a p()mi)ous, arro- gant and offensive manner. I le took care to dis- tinguish the importance of his caste, by conspicu- ously parading his s.icerilotal vestments, bcft)rc the THE CRISIS, 195 il u- Indians; and claiming the title of "My Lord'' from all. His deportment forcibly reminds one of II. M. Stanley's pen-picture of another ecclesiastical potentate. " The Bishop in his crimson robe, and with his sacerdotal title, " Missionary Bishop of Central ;\frica " (why he should be so named I cannot con- ceive), has reached the bourne of aspiring priest- hood, and is consequently ineffably happy. But this High Church (very high church indeed) prel- ate, in his crimson robe of office, and in the queer- est of all head-dresses, seen stalking through the streets of Zanzibar, or haggling over the price of a tin-pot at a tinker's stall, is the most ridiculous sight I have seen anywhere outside of a clow n's show. I, as a white man, solemnly protest against the absurdity. A similar picture to the I op, in his priestly robes and a paper cap, in a tinker . st;ill, is the King of I )ah()mcy, in a lunopean iiat with hih body nakeii, promenading pompously about in this cxcjuisite full dress. Whatever tiie Bishop, in his blissful innocence, may think of the effect which it produces in the minds of the heathen, I can itiform liim that, to the Arabs and Wangwana who iiavc settled in Unyanyembe, lie is only an object of su- preme ridicule; and also, that most of his [)alc- f.iced brothers entertain something of tile swmo opinion. *' ro()r, dear Bishop Tozer ! T wouKl fain love and admire thee, were it not for liiis cxliibition of 196 THE STORY OF METLAKAHTLA. extreme High-Church ism in a place like Zanzi- bar ! " Dr. David Livingstone, who was very much incensed at this sort of mock mission-work, com- mented very pungently upon the self-same Bishop. " The excellent Bishops of the Church of Eng- land, who all take an interest in the 'Central Afri- can Mission,' will, in their kind and gracious way, make every possible allowance for the degeneracy of the noble effort of the Universities into a mere Chaplaincy of the Zanzibar Consulate. One of them even defendeil a la/^sKs which no one else daretl to face ; but whatever in their kind-heartedness they may say, every man of them would rejoice to hear, that the Central African had gone into Central Africa. If 1 must address those who hold back, I should say : Come on, brethren ; you have no idea how brave you are till you try. The real brethren who are waiting for you have many faults, but also much that you can esteem and love. . . . " Some eight years have rolled on, and good Christian people have contributed the money annu- ally for Central Africa and tin- '(V'lUral African Diocese' is occujjicd only by the lord «>f all evil. It is with a sore heart that I say it, but recent events have shown to those who have so long been I)laying at being missionaries; and peeping, across from the sickly Islan