Oldalképek
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

come among us who have eyes: they are not blind

- they are willing to deny themselves the profit of it for our good. We are glad that such a people are come among us. We must put it down by mutual consent: the cask must be sealed: it must not leak by day nor by night."* The seal, however, was speedily broken, and the English became soon as blind as the Dutch or the Swedes.

In some cases it would appear that the Indians are so well aware of the mischiefs arising from the introduction of spirituous liquors among them, that they take a very decisive mode of preventing it. Mr. Bartram, who spent many years among the Indians of the Creek confederacy, (Cherokees, Chocktaws, Chickesaws, &c.) relates that the most important object with them, in some of their treaties, was to prevent spirits from being brought into their country: the traders were allowed only two small kegs for each company, that quantity being thought sufficient for their consumption on the road. If, upon their approaching the Indian towns, any part of that allowance remained, they were obliged either to spill it on the ground or secrete it. He mentions that, in his journey from Mobile, he was overtaken by two American traders, who informed him that they had been smuggling forty kegs of strong rum into the country, and that they had been surprised

[ocr errors]

* Proud's History of Pennsylvania, vol. i., p. 148.

but there is sufficient to shew that, about that period at least, there was no want of zeal among them to promote the conversion and improvement of the Indians.

In the year 1665, the commissioners appointed by the king to inquire into the state of the New England colonies, were, among their other duties, directed "to make due enquiry what progress had been made towards the foundation and maintenance of any college or schools for the education of youth and conversion of Infidels; the king having taken abundant satisfaction in the accounts received of the designs of the colony herein, which he hoped would draw a blessing upon all their other undertakings." The answer given by the general court of the colony to this interrogatory, as far as related to the Indians, was "that there was at Canibridge a small fabrick of brick for the use of the Indians, built by the corporation in England, in which there were then eight Indian scholars, one of which had been admitted into college; that there were six towns of Indians in the jurisdiction, professing the Christian religion; and they had schools to teach the youth to read and write, and persons appointed to instruct them in civility and religion, who had orders to wait upon the commissioners and shew them the towns, and manners of life of the Indians, if it should be desired."* If any reasonable doubts,

• Hutchinson's History of Massachussets, chap. 2.

remain strong. The fault is not with us: it begins with the white people. For if they will bring us rum, some of our people will buy it: it is for that purpose it is brought. But if there was none brought among us, then how could we buy it? Brothers, be faithful, and desire our brethren the white people to bring no more of it.”*

Boudinot, Star in the West, ch. 8.

CHAPTER X.

CONDUCT OF THE FRENCH IN THEIR ENDEAVOURS

ΤΟ CONVERT THE NORTH AMERICAN

INDIANS

TO CHRISTIANITY.

It is recorded of Francis I., that wishing to rival Charles V. in the New World, as he had already rivalled him in the Old, he observed, "My brothers the kings of Spain and Portugal have divided America between them, but I should like to know what clause in the last will of Adam bequeaths it to them, and disinherits me." To support, therefore, his claim to a share in the heritage, and disregarding the papal bull of the Pontiff Alexander VI., who had granted in full right the whole continent of America, together with all its islands, to Ferdinand and Isabella, Francis sent Giovanni Verazano, a Florentine captain, with four ships, across the Atlantic to make discoveries; and, in his name, to take formal possession of as much of the Western hemisphere as his two brothers had not yet laid hold of. Verazano accordingly set out on his destination in the year 1524, making three successive voyages, and planting the arms of the king of France on various parts of the American coast,

chussets colony eleven hundred praying Indians in fourteen villages; in Plymouth colony, nearly six thousand; in Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, perhaps fifteen hundred more; and when to these were to be added those in Connecticut, he makes the total number "not far from ten thousand." But Gookin himself, in his account of the whole Indian population in New England at their most prosperous period, does not calculate them to exceed eighty thousand souls (a number which Dr. Dwight even admits to be probably overrated by at least ten thousand); so that we are thus desired to believe, that at the time alluded to, one-sixth or one-seventh part of the Indians in that part of America was converted to Christianity! The assertion is wholly incredible.

In the time of Queen Anne, attempts were made to establish missionaries among the Iroquois. Governor Hunter, at a grand council held at Albany with some of the Indians of that confederacy, after distributing presents among them, told them, "The queen had not only provided fine clothes for their bodies, but likewise intended to adorn their souls by the preaching of the Gospel, and that some ministers should be sent to instruct them. When the governor had finished his speech, the eldest chief rose up, and, in the name of all the Indians, thanked their good mother the queen for the fine clothes she had sent them; but that, in regard

S

« ElőzőTovább »