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Condition of the inhabitants of Canada part 2 · Canadian Scenery

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Section seventeen of Canadian Scenery Volume one. This is a LibriVox recording. All
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LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
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please visit LibriVox dot org. Canadian Scenery Volume one by Nathaniel Parker willis Condition
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of the inhabitants of Canada, Part two. In Upper Canada, along the
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Saint Lawrence and Lake Ontario, the Mississaugas are the leading tribe. Those of
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Kingston and Gananoque, only eighty two in number, are described as worthless and
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depraved, but such as dwell on the Bay of Kente and Rice Lake,
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amounting respectively to one hundred forty three and three hundred seventeen, have been converted
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to Christianity and are much improved. On the Bay are also three hundred and
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nineteen Mohawks, many of whom have applied themselves to agriculture and even adopted in
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some degree the European dress, though mixed in a grit grotesque manner with their
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native attire. On the River Credit, which falls into the western part of
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Ontario, are one hundred and eighty of the same nation, who have been
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greatly civilized by their conversion. Around Lake Simcoe and its vicinity, about five
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hundred fifty Chipowais reside under their chief Yellowhead. These also have expressed a strong
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desire for instruction and the knowledge of religion, but have not yet experienced those
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benefits in an equal degree. The banks of the Grand River, which falls
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into Lake Erie, to the extent of six miles on each side, were
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by a proclamation of General haldemannt set apart for the Mohawks and six nations who
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occupy it, to the amount of about two thousand. Some part of these
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lands has been sold with the consent of government, and the proceeds lodged in
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the British Funds, yielding an annual revenue of one thousand, five hundred pounds,
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which is distributed among them in goods. They still hold two hundred and
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sixty thousand acres of an excellence soil, over which they have spread themselves in
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small villages, and many of them attempt the simpler modes of farming. Farther
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west are the Munsis on the Thames four hundred and forty five in number,
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and three hundred nine Hurons, connected with the French settlement on the Detroit and
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converts to the Catholic form of worship. With the last exception, all the
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tribes in Upper Canada till within these few years remained in their primitive state of
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rudeness and ignorance. They are, now, however, willing converts to the
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Christian faith. Receiving instruction in reading and writing, their morals are greatly improved,
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and in short, the way is paved for their adopting, generally the
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habits of civilized life. This good work has been almost entirely accomplished by teachers
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from the United States belonging to the Canada Conference Missionary Society auxiliary to that of
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the Methodist Church of New York. The Indians have always shown themselves desirous to
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be instructed. In eighteen twenty seven, the tribes, when receiving presents at
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the remote station of Drummond Island, intimated to the agent that there was at
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Mitchellie Mackinac a school or place where the natives were taught to live as a
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whites do quote, to mark their thoughts on paper, and to think the
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news from books, read and write end quote. It was in their power
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to send their children thither to get sense. But not being partial to the
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big knives, and hearing that their great father at York was teaching their brethren
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to quote, cut up the ground and be beloved of the Great Spirit end
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quote, they would rather be instructed by him. In the same year,
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the tip Aways at Guillemburg, through their chief Yellowhead, delivered successive strings of
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wampum, importing that they wished to be settled together to pursue agriculture and quote
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to worship that God which is known to the whites in the Good Book end
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quote. The work of conversion and civilization was already proceeding through the exertions of
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the New York missionaries. Their first success was on the River Credit in the
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Home District, where they were greatly aided by mister Peter Jones Elias Cacawakwanabee,
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the son of a Welsh father by an Indian mother, and thoroughly acquainted with
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their customs and language. They formed themselves into a village where Sir Peregrine Maitland
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built for them twenty houses. They added fifteen for themselves with a mill,
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and the Methodist Society aided them in erecting a chapel, schoolhouse and workshop.
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They now renounced the fire waters spirits, the effects of which had been so
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pernicious, and without giving up hunting, combined with it the culture of the
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ground and the rearing of cattle. According to the report of the Reverend mister
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McGrath, they had in March eighteen twenty eight brought thirty five acres into cultivation
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and possessed nine yoke of oxen, twelve cows and six horses. The adults
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were taught to get by heart the most essential doctrines of religion, but for
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the children of both sex menes schools were established, attended by thirty five boys
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and thirty six girls. The Mississauguas near Belleville soon followed the example of their
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brethren, and with the aid of the Society, formed a village on Grape
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Island in the Bay of Kente. Finding this position too limited, they applied
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for more land and were allowed to select the requisite number of vacant lots in
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the Midland District. This salutary process was soon afterwards extended to the Mississauguas on
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the borders of Rice Lake and of Mud Lake northward of Cobourg. They occupied
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by right the islands on the former, and on the petition of their teachers
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were allowed. Besides twelve hundred acres of waste land. Improvement was next extended
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to the Chippeways near Lake Simcoe. They were entitled to three islands, but
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Sir John Colborn thought it more for their benefit that they should be located on
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its northwestern shore and on the road to Lake Huron. In these objects,
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about three thousand pounds were spent, chiefly saved out of the annual presence.
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Another establishment has been formed at Munseytown on the River Thames, and it appears
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that much has been done among the six nations, particularly the Mohawks on the
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Grand River. In short, there seems no room to doubt that the whole
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of this savage race will soon be brought within the pale of Christianity and civilization.
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Vehement objections have been taken against the religious body by whom this change has
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been effected. They are accused of propagating the political creed of their own country,
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accompanied with sentiments of hostility to the established church. It does not appear,
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however, that any disloyal or turbulent proceedings have resulted, and when they
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are doing so much good, it would certainly be very inexpedient to obstruct their
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operations until some efficient substitute shall be found. Sir John Colburn expressly says quote
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that the established clergy have not affected any Indian conversions, and the worthy Bishop
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of Cabbet candidly observes that, whoever were the instruments, the effect must be
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a source of satisfaction, and that the hand of God seems to be visible
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in it. The society allow forty pounds or fifty pounds a year to their
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missionaries and maintain ten schools attended by two hundred and fifty one pupils. The
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Indians, as already observed, have certain fixed stations to which they resort for
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the purpose of receiving their annual presence. These are in Lower Canada, Quebec,
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to which in eighteen twenty seven there came six hundred and fifty two,
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Saint Francis five hundred and forty one, Cocknawaka nine hundred and sixty seven,
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Lake of Two Mountains eight hundred and eighty seven, and Saint Regis three hundred
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and forty eight. In Upper Canada they are Kingston eight hundred and fifty nine,
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York seven hundred and eighty one, Fort George, Niagara, eighteen hundred
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and fifty seven, Amherstburg five thousand, nine hundred and six and Drummond Island
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three thousand, five hundred and sixteen. The expense became very large during the
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war when their services were so valuable. Between eighteen thirteen and eighteen sixteen it
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averaged one hundred and fifty thousand pounds a year. Since that time it has
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been reduced to about sixteen thousand pounds, which with four thousand, four hundred
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pounds for management, raises the Indian Department to twenty thousand, four hundred pounds
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a year. This in Upper Canada is estimated at eighteen shillings nine pence to
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each individual, for which Slender remuneration some travel five hundred miles. References have
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been made from the Colonial Office to ascertain whether this sum might not be still
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further reduced and paid in money by which the estimates could be formed with greater
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precision. To the first point, it has been replied by the governors that
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the donation is one to which we are bound by the faith of treaties made
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in return for important services, and its discontinuance would excite the deepest indignation and
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provoke an hostility which might be attended with disastrous consequences. Probably like all rude
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nations, the Indians, instead of viewing these gifts as in any degree humiliating,
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pride themselves upon them as testimonies of respect, perhaps even as a species
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of tribute. As to the payment in money, it was deprecated in the
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strongest terms by almost all the chiefs and those interested in their welfare, because
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the immediate consequence would be its conversion into spirits, thereby causing a serious injury
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instead of a benefit. The principal articles presented to them in eighteen thirty two
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were thirty five thousand, seven hundred yards of different kinds of cloth, the
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prime cost varying from one shilling one pence to three shillings fourpence, four thousand
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two hundred yards of linen, thirty three thousand, eight hundred yards of cotton
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and calico sevenpence to one shilling sevenpence, eighty four thousand, five hundred yards
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of gartering of scarlet, green and fancy colors three quarters of a pence per
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yard, twenty thousand yards of blanketing one shilling elevenpence to five shillings ninepence nine
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thousand, two hundred and sixty pairs of combs, six thousand, seven hundred
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shoemaker's awls, eight thousand, seven hundred and forty butcher's knives, eight hundred
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and seventy kettles, eighteen thousand, one hundred and sixty sewing needles, two
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hundred and forty guns, twelve shillings ninepence to thirty shillings, sixteen thousand,
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two hundred pounds of lead ball, forty six thousand, three hundred pounds of
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shot, twenty thousand flints, three thousand, four hundred and fifty pounds of
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carrot tobacco, seventeen pounds ten shillings per hundred weight. Since the diffusion of
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civilization, many of the Indians have consented and even desired to exchange these presents
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for houses, implements of agriculture, and other useful objects. A considerable number
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have even begun to wish for money, which happily they no longer abuse as
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formerly, but rather find the most convenient instrument in procuring whatever they may happen
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to want. As anse a chief said that at York he found it convenient,
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when hungry, to be able to put his hand into his pocket and
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find something jingling there for which he could get bread. It may be observed
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that the Indians in Upper Canada are entitled to the annual pay of five thousand,
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one hundred and seven pounds current four thousand, four hundred and twenty six
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pounds sterling for land seated by them to government, who give the value in
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goods as the Crown obtained in exchange nearly five million acres of fertile land.
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We do think that this slender annuity ought not to exhaust the kindness of the
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British ministry towards this unfortunate race. They receive also one thousand, two hundred
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and sixty seven pounds sterling for property sold to private into visuals, the greater
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part of which is lodged in the funds. This sum is paid in money
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to the chiefs. The Indians, as formerly observed, retain in general their
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original fashion of dress, but instead of composing it entirely of the skins of
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wild animals, they have adopted as more commodious materials of English manufacture. For
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the outer covering or greatcoat, a blanket is decidedly preferred. The shirt beneath
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is chiefly of calico or printed cotton, the leggings and pouches of common cloths.
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The gartering of gaudy colors serves for binding and ornamental borders. The moccasins
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only an article so extremely suited to their habits cannot be composed of any better
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material than their own deerskin. When, however, any particular piece of finery
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strikes their fancy, they eagerly seek to procure it and combine it, often
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fantastically, with their old habiliments. The vicinity of Europeans, where it does
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not induce the destructive habit of intoxication, affords the various means for bettering their
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condition. A ready sale for venison, wild ducks, and other feathered game,
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and for the fish which they spear, is found among settlers who have
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themselves little leisure for angling or the chase. The skins and furs, also
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of the animals caught by them, are readily bought by the merchants. The
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women make baskets, trays, and other utensils of birch, bark, and
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sometimes of the inner rind of the basswood and white ash, which, when
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ornamented with porcupine quills dyed in beautiful colors, form elegant articles of furniture.
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Their moccasins, similarly adorned, are often purchased by Europeans for winter use.
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They cannot, however, be depended upon for making or procuring any article to
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order. They produce and bring their commodities to market when it suits their own
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convenience, and they are disposed to drive a pretty hard bargain, especially the
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females on whom that task usually devolves. The converted Indians are said to display
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a simple, fervent and sincere devotion. They pay a particular regard to the
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sanctity of the Sabbath, and while singing hymns on the evening of that day,
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their rich, soft voices, rising on the still air, are extremely
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sweet. This principle of piety, having produced the valuable fruit of inducing them
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to renounce the ruinous habit of intoxication, has made a most happy change in
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their condition. And since the evil's incident to the savage hath thus been removed.
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Perhaps the admirer of the picturesque in human life may not feel impatient for
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that thorough amalgamation with Europeans which some of their friends ardently desire. They may
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be willing that some trace should still survive of the peculiar costume, aspect and
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occupations of this remarkable Aboriginal race. The means of religious instruction in Lower Canada
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have long existed on a liberal scale. The great majority of the inhabitants,
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as formerly observed, are French Roman Catholics. They support their clergy by a
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contribution of a twenty sixth part of the produce of their lands, which does
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not, however, as has been sometimes represented, form a compulsory assessment,
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since Protestant converts may discontinue payment. This affords to upwards of two hundred vicuae
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and curie an average income of three hundred pounds per annum, which in Canada
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is very liberal. They are described as respectable in character and attainments, very
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attentive to their parishioners, and extremely beloved by them. They have been accused
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as hostile to the diffusion of knowledge, yet no mention is made of any
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opposition made by them to the late remarkable spread of elementary schools. The bishop,
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who has under him two coadjutors and four Vicars General, receives from government
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a stipend of one thousand pounds a year. There are also monastic establishments containing
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upwards of three hundred monks and nuns. The English Church has assigned for its
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support asse of all the lands unoccupied by the Abbitah and formed into townships.
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This proportion appears large, and has even been complained of as such, yet
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it has not hitherto produced any great revenue. The clergy of this church are
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at present forty in number, yet the head of whom is the Bishop of
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Quebec, with a stipend of one thousand pounds a year. There are fourteen
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Presbyterian ministers connected with the Church of Scotland, partly paid by government, and
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also twelve Methodists of the Wesleyan Persuasion. Upper Canada, as already hinted,
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was long miserably destitute of the means of religious instruction. In eighteen hundred,
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according to mister Talbot, there were only three clergymen in the country. In
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eighteen nineteen they had increased to ten, and in eighteen twenty four were still
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only sixteen. Since that time, effective measures have been taken to supply this
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great deficiency. There are now forty three clergymen belonging to the English established Church,
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and two archdeacons at Toronto and Kingston subject to the Bishop of Quebec,
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have each three hundred pounds a year. The remainder of the clergy received in
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eighteen thirty five an income of six thousand, seven hundred and eighty four pounds
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eleven shillings eight pence, of which five thousand, four hundred and eighty four
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pounds eighteen shillings was defrayed from the proceeds of the ecclesiastical reserves, which,
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as in Lower Canada, consists of one seventh of the uncultivated lands. The
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rest was paid out of the crown revenue. The Catholics have twenty four priests,
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of whom the bishop bearing the title of Rerigiopolis has five hundred pounds.
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The rest received one thousand pounds annually, divided among them out of the public
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purse. From the same fund were paid in eighteen thirty five to the ministers
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of the Church of Scotland, one thousand, five hundred and eighty six pounds
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to those of the Presbyterian synot of Upper Canada. Seven hundred pounds. One
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hundred and seventy one pounds was granted to the fund for building Catholic churches.
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Five hundred and fifty pounds was given for the same purpose to the Scottish Church,
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and five hundred fifty pounds to the Wesleyan Methodists. From this fund was
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also allowed two thousand, three hundred and forty four pounds eleven shillings eight pence
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for missionaries of the Church of England. There are said to be also twenty
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eight Methodist and forty or fifty Baptist churches which appear to be supported by the
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congregations. The means, even of the most common education, were long extremely
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deficient in Canada. This want was equally felt in the Lower Province, where
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the Catholic clergy, though diligent in their religious ministrations, either opposed or did
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nothing to forward elementary instruction. They particularly interfered to prevent attendance on the schools
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organized in eighteen seventeen by what was termed the Royal Institution, as being chiefly
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under the management of Church of England clergymen. In eighteen twenty nine, however,
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the legislature votic for this object six thousand, four hundred and thirty nine
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pounds, which was gradually increased to upwards of twenty thousand pounds. In that
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year, the number of scholars was fourteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty three,
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of whom only about a third paid fees. In eighteen thirty five,
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the number of free scholars had risen to seventy two thousand, four hundred and
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ninety eight, of those paying to twenty five thousand, one hundred and sixty
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showing thus a wonderful increase both in the gross number and in the proportion of
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those who defrayed their own charges. In eighteen thirty six, however, the
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vote of the House of Assembly for this patriotic purpose was negatived by the Legislative
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Council, a step which seems not unworthy of the severe animate versions made on
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it by the popular leaders. The Council stated that their motive was to induce
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the people to contribute more towards the education of their families. This was admitted
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to be desirable as an ultimate object, but it could not justify the abrupt
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withdrawal of the means by which nearly forty thousand children were educated, without allowing
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time or even legal authority to substitute any other. In Upper Canada, also,
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the government is making great exertions to remove that cloud of ignorance in which
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the country was once involved a college at Toronto is supported on a liberal footing.
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There are also grammar schools in every district to the teachers, of which
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one hundred pounds yearly is allowed by the legislature. The scholars attending them amount
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in all to about three hundred and fifty The sum of seven thousand, three
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hundred and eighty pounds was also granted in eighteen thirty five for the support of
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common schools, estimated to amount to several hundreds and to educate about twenty thousand
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children. In the same year, the legislature voted a hundred eighty pounds and
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ninety pounds to the mechanics institutes at Toronto and Kingston. End of Section seventeen,
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read by Sandra Near, Montreal, twenty twenty three.