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THE  STORY 


OF 


Metlakahtla 


BY 

HENRY    S.   WELLCOME 


ILLUSTRATED 


ADVANCE  COPY  FOR  REVIEW 

With  the  Publisher's  Compliments, 

Price,  $1.50. 


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<M  CO.,  39  CHAMBERS  ST..  NEW  YORK 

To  be  issued  to  the  trade  Monday,  June  ,3th,'  l887. 


LONDUM    Ai\i^   IN 
1887 


THE  STORY 


OF 


Metlakahtla 


BY 

HENRY    S.   WELLCOME 


ILL  USTRA  TED 


"  Materials  for  another  Evangeline."— -W.  Y.  Sun. 

"  The  case  is  one  of  great  interest  and  involves  a  story  of  peculiar  cruelty." 

— N.  y.  Herald. 

"Tired  of  British  rule."— N.  Y.  World. 

"  They  have  decided  to  try  to  get  the  protection  of  Uncle  Sam." 

— N.  Y.  Tribune. 

"  A  story  of  outrage  upon,  and  cruelty  to,  a  civilized  Indian  community  on 
the  part  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada." — Providence  Journal. 

"The  community  is  on  the  point  of  disorganization,  and  the  work  of  thirty 
years  is  threatened  with  destruction." — Springfield  Republican. 

"  The  victims  have  decided  to  go  to  Alaska  if  they  can  be  assured  that  under 
American  laws  they  will  be  protected  in  what  they  produce." — N.  Y.  Times. 

"  At  Columbia,  on  the  coast  of  the  Pacific,  a  practical  missionary  genius 
named  William  Duncan,  has  succeeded  in  civilizing  a  body  of  Indians,  degraded 
by  cannibalism,  and,  at  his  Metlakahtla  mission,  stands  at  the  head  of  a  com- 
munity of  some  thousand  persons,  which  has  a  larger  church  than  is  to  be 
found  between  there  and  San  Francisco.  Testimony  to  the  value  of  the  results 
was  borne  in  1876  by  Lord  Dufferin,  then  Governor-General  of  Canada,  who 
declared  that  he  could  hardly  find  words  to  express  his  astonishment  at  what 
he  witnessed." — Encyclopedia  Britannica. 


PUBLISHED    BY 

SAXON    &    CO. 

OF 

LONDON   AND   NEW   YORK 
1887 


COPYRIGHTED  BY 

HENRY  S.   WELLCOME, 

1887 

ALL   RIGHTS    RESERVED 


TROWS 

PRINTING  AND  BOOKBINDING  COMPANY, 
NEW  YORK. 


Ts 


DEDICATED 

TO   THE  CAUSE 

OF 

JUSTICE,   TRUTH,   AND    HUMANITY. 


1  ONCE  in  an  ancient  city,  a  brazen  statue  of  Justice 
Stood  in  the  public  square,  upholding  the  scales  in  its  left  hand, 
And  in  its  right  a  sword,  as  an  emblem  that  justice  presided 
Over  the  laws  of  the  land  and  the  hearts  and  homes  of  the  people. 
Even  the  birds  had  built  their  nests  in  the  scales  of  the  balance, 
Having  no  fear  of  the  sword  that  flashed  in  the  sunshine  above  them. 
But  in  the  course  of  time  the  laws  of  the  land  were  corrupted  ; 
Might  took  the  place  of  right,  and  the  weak  were  oppressed,  and  the  mighty 
Ruled  with  an  iron  rod.     Then  it  chanced  in  a  nobleman's  palace 
That  a  necklace  of  pearls  was  lost,  and  ere  long  a  suspicion 
Fell  on  an  orphan  girl  who  lived  as  maid  in  the  household. 
She,  after  form  of  trial,  condemned  to  die  on  the  scaffold, 
Patiently  met  her  doom  at  the  foot  of  the  statue  of  Justice. 
As  to  her  Father  in  heaven  her  innocent  spirit  ascended, 
Lo  !  o'er  the  city  a  tempest  rose  ;  and  the  bolts  of  the  thunder 
Smote  the  statue  of  bronze,  and  hurled  in  wrath  from  its  left  hand 
Down  on  the  pavement  below  the  clattering  scales  of  the  balance, 
And  in  the  hollow  thereof  was  found  the  nest  of  a  magpie. 
Into  whose  clay-built  walls  the  necklace  of  pearls  was  inwoven." 

— Evangelin  e. 


INTRODUCTION. 


A  CIVILIZED  Christian  community  of  native 
British  Columbians,  is  now  seeking  refuge  under  the 
American  flag  from  gross,  and  malicious  persecution, 
of  Church  and  State.  This  people,  only  thirty 
years  since,  consisted  of  some  of  the  most  ferocious 
Indian  tribes  of  this  continent,  given  up  to  constant 
warfare,  notorious  for  treachery,  cannibalism,  and 
other  hideous  practices.  Although  incurring  great 
personal  risk,  and  several  times  narrowly  escaping 
assassination,  Mr.  William  Duncan,  with  rare  forti- 
tude, and  genius,  began  single-handed  a  mission 
among  them  :  he  educated  them,  and  taught  them 
Christianity,  in  the  simplest  possible  manner ;  at  the 
same  time  gradually  introducing  peaceful  industries; 
and  by  these  means  he  wrought  in  a  single  gen- 
eration a  marvellous  transformation.  A  work  that 
stands  absolutely  without  parallel  in  the  history  of 
missions.  Where  blood  had  flowed  continually  he 


Vlll  INTRODUCTION. 

founded  the  model,  self-supporting  village  of  Met- 
lakahtla, — now  consisting  of  a  community  of  one 
thousand  souls, — that  will  compare  favorably  with 
almost  any  village  of  its  size  in  England  or  Amer- 
ica, for  intelligence,  morality,  and  industrial  thrift. 
There  are  also  several  thousand  other  civilized  Ind- 
ians, of  nearly  the  same  standard,  in  the  outlying  mis- 
sions under  his  influence  ;  who,  aggravated  by  simi- 
lar causes,  will  doubtless  follow  the  Metlakahtlans. 
This  successful  work  is  now  threatened  with 
utter  destruction.  In  spite  of  Mr.  Duncan's  pro- 
tests, the  Church  of  England  Missionary  Society 
through  its  bigoted  Bishop,  has  attempted  to  force 
these  simple-minded  Christians,  to  adopt  its  elabo- 
rate rites,  and  ceremonies.  The  Indians  resent  this, 
and  reject  the  Bishop.  The  Society  in  its  efforts 
to  destroy  the  independence  of  the  Metlakahtlans, 
and  compel  them  to  surrender  to  its  dictation,  has 
through  its  representatives  resorted  to  all  manner 
of  intrigues,  intimidations,  and  even  schemes  to 
cripple  them  by  impoverishment.  Failing  to  crush 
them  by  these  measures,  the  Society's  emissaries 
through  great  Church  influence,  have  succeeded  in 
inducing  the  Government  to  seize  a  portion  of  the 
Metlakahtlans'  land  without  compensation,  or  treaty, 
and  hand  it  over  to  the  Society. 


INTRODUCTION. 

All  appeals  of  the  Metlakahtlans  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  Earl  Dufferin.-while  Gov- 
ernor-General  of   Canada  ;-the   authorities   have 
proclaimed,  that  the  Indians  of  British  Columbia, 
are,  but  beggars,  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,  Metlakahtlans;  and  in  consequence  of 
urging  their  rights  by  simple  protests,  without  vio- 
lence, several    of   the    Metlakahtlans    have    been 
arrested,   and   conveyed   like   criminals,   six    hun- 
dred   miles   from   their  homes,   and   thrown   into 

prison. 

Despairing  of  justice  in  their  own  country,  an 
preferring  a  peaceful  solution  of  their  grievances, 
rather  than  avenging  themselves  by  warfare,  they 
have  unanimously  empowered  Mr.  Duncan,  to  treat 
with  the  Government  at  Washington  for  home- 
stead land  in  Alaska  (the  boundary  of  which  is 
but  thirty  miles  distant  from  their  present  abode) 
whence  they  may  remove,  and  re-erect  their  build- 


* 

V 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

ings,  re-establish  their  industries,  and  secure  to 
their  children  full  right,  and  title,  to  their  posses- 
sions. These  sorely  oppressed  people,  naturally  turn 
to  the  United  States  of  America,  which  has  ever 
been  looked  to  as  the  refuge  for  all  those  who  have 
been  persecuted  by  Church  or  State.  Mr.  Dun- 
can, comes  to  this  country  bearing  the  following 
letter,  signed  by  several  of  the  most  distinguished 
residents  of  British  Columbia : 

"VICTORIA,  B.  C,  November  16,  1886. 

"To   THE   LOVERS  OF  CIVIL    AND    RELIGIOUS 
LIBERTY  IN  AMERICA. 

"  The  bearer,  Mr.  William  Duncan,  for  thirty 
years  a  devoted  missionary  of  religion  and  civiliza- 
tion, in  North  British  America,  and  during  the 
whole  of  that  period  well  known  to  the  under- 
signed, is  on  his  way  to  Washington,  deputed  by 
the  native  Christian  brethren  of  Metlakahtla,  to  con- 
fer with  the  United  States  authorities,  on  matters 
affecting  their  interest  and  desires. 

"  Like  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  of  old,  this  afflicted  but 
prospering  and  thrifty  flock  seek  a  refuge  from  griev- 
ous wrongs,  and  hope  to  find  it  under  the  American 
flag. 

"They  prefer  abandoning  the  home  of  their  fa- 


INTRODUCTION.  xi 

thers,  and  the  precious  fruits  of  their  industry,  to 
submitting  to  the  violent  seizure  of  their  land,  and 
the  intolerable  stings  of  religious  greed,  and  inter- 
ference. 

"  We  therefore,  most  respectfully  commend  Mr. 
Duncan,  and  his  mission,  to  such  brothers  and 
friends  in  our  sister  country — the  land  of  the  free — 
as  may  be  disposed  to  use  their  influence,  in  aid  of 
the  oppressed. 

[Signed] 

"  E.  CRIDGE, 

BISHOP,  R.E.C.     Resident  since  1854. 

"  B.  W.  PEARSE, 

Formerly  Surveyor  General,  Van- 
couver Island;  also  Chief  Com- 
missioner Lands  and  Works, 
British  Columbia;  also  Resident 
Engineer,  P.  W.  Department, 
Canada.  Resident  since  1851. 

"  W.  J.  MACDONALD, 

Life  Senator  of  the  Dominion  Par- 
liament of  Canada  from  Brit- 
ish Columbia.  Resident  since 
1850. 

"  TURNER,  BEETON  &  Co., 

Merchants,  British  Columbia. 

"J.  H.  TURNER," 

Member  Provincial  Parliament,  Vic- 
toria, B.  C. 


Xll  INTRODUCTION. 

The  touching  appeal  of  these  people,  ought  to  stir 
the  heart,  of  every  liberty-loving  American  citizen. 
And  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  Congress  will  secure 
to  them  the  small  area  of  homestead-land,  which 
they  require,  out  of  the  many  million  wild  acres  in 
Alaska.  Our  Government  would  thereby  gain  sev- 
eral thousand,  industrious,  self-supporting,  thrifty 
settlers,  as  a  powerful  civilizing  nucleus,  whose 
influence  upon  the  yet  wild,  and  savage  tribes  of  the 
great  Arctic  State,  would  be  most  beneficial. 

My  first  acquaintance  with  this  subject,  dates  from 
a  visit  to  the  North  Pacific  in  1878,  when  I  learned 
much  of  Mr.  Duncan's  remarkable  civilizing  work. 
From  that  time,  I  have  kept  myself  well  informed 
in  regard  to  his  progress,  and  the  element  of  discord 
which  now  so  seriously  threatens  to  destroy  his 
prosperous  community. 

In  writing  THE  STORY  OF  METLAKAHTLA,  I  have 
drawn  information  from  official  and  other  reports 
of  the  North  Pacific,  dating  from  the  time  of  Cap- 
tain Cook's  voyages  to  the  present.  Many  of  the 
facts  have  been  recounted  to  me  personally  by  re- 
cent travellers  and  explorers. 

I  have  also  had  access  to  the  Metlakahtlans'  cor- 
respondence with  the  Governments,  and,  with  the 
Church  of  England  Missionary  Society ;  and,  to 


INTRODUCTION.  Xlil 

various  State  documents  bearing  upon  the  sub- 
ject. 

The  chief  object  of  this  volume,  is  not  to  panegy- 
rize either  Mr.  Duncan,  or  the  Metlakahtlans,  or  to 
make  a  tirade  upon  imaginary  foes  ;  but  more  is  the 
pity  of  it,  it  is,  but,  to  place  the  story  of  the  indubit- 
able wrongs,  of  the  Metlakahtlans  before  the  Ameri- 
can people,  and  enlist  public  sympathy.  I  have 
assumed  the  task  voluntarily,  and  solely,  at  my 
own  cost,  and  risk,  and  I  hold  myself  responsible  for 
.the  statements  I  place  before  my  readers ;  and  chal- 
lenge refutation. 

I  have  no  interest  to  serve,  save  that  of  humanity. 
If  the  book  should  meet  with  sufficient  success,  to 
yield  a  profit  above  the  absolute  cost  of  publication, 
and  distribution  of  a  certain  number  of  free  copies, 
every  penny  of  such  net  profit  to  me,  shall  go  to  the 
public  fund  of  the  Metlakahtlan  community. 

In  upholding  the  cause  of  the  Metlakahtlans,  I 
have  endeavored  to  urge  upon  my  readers,  a  humane 
consideration  of  all  Aboriginal  peoples ;  and  I  shall 
feel  more  than  repaid  for  my  efforts,  if  my  words 
should  in  any  measure,  result  in  promoting  a  better 
understanding  of  their  capacities,  and  a  recognition 
of  what  is  due  them  as  fellow-men. 

To  my  critics,  it  is  but  just  to  myself  to  say,  that 


xiv  INTRODUCTION. 

in  holding  the  chief  object  of  the  book  in  view,  I 
have  been  compelled  to  subjugate  literary  effect  too 
often  to  the  recordance  of  heterogeneous  facts. 

Mr.  Duncan  has  not  come  to  the  United  States 
begging  for  money,  but  merely  seeks  to  secure  to 
these  people  actual  homesteads,  with  suitable  fish- 
ing and  hunting  grounds.  However,  it  will  cost 
upwards  of  $50,000  to  move  their  houses  and  ef- 
fects, to  a  suitable  location  on  the  Alaskan  coast. 
Could  some  means  be  devised  by  which  the  bur- 
then, of  this  heavy  outlay  could  be  lifted  from  their 
shoulders,  it  would  measurably  relieve  the  Metla- 
kahtlans  from  one  of  the  greatest  hardships  in  being 
forced  to  abandon  the  homes  of  their  forefathers. 

It  rests  with  our  country,  with  its  "  government 
of  the  people — by  the  people,  and  for  the  people  " 
to  save  this  stricken  community  from  desperation, 
and  perhaps,  from  bloodshed. 

HENRY  S.  WELLCOME. 

LOTOS  CLUB, 
New  York,  May  10,  1887. 


OBLIGATIONS. 


To  those  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  information,  and  for  illus- 
trations I  extend  my  cordial  appreciation  and  thanks.  Among 
these  I  must  particularly  mention  : 

Mr.  William  Duncan  for  having  at  my  solicitation  placed  at  my 
disposal  requisite  evidences  and  documents. 

Mr.  Robert  Gordon  Hardie  for  sketches  from  drawings,  photo- 
graphs and  prints. 

Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  for  information  and  photographs,  and  also 
for  illustrations  from  his  book  "Alaska  and  the  Missions  of  the 
North  Pacific  Coast. " 

Col.  Vincent  Colyer  for  use  of  drawings  made  during  his  visit  to 
the  North  Pacific  Coast. 

Miss  Alice  Fletcher  for  valuable  information  on  Indian  laws  and 
legislation. 

E.  Ruhamah  Scidmore  for  illustrations  from  "Journeys  in 
Alaska." 

Julia  McNair  Wright  for  an  illustration  from  "Among  the  Alas- 
kans" 

Rev.  J.  J.  Halcombe  for  an  illustration  from  ' '  Stranger  than 
Fiction." 

In  quoting  from  authors  I  have  given  credit  in  the  text. 


EXPLANATION. 


Metlakahtla  is  pronounced  Met-la-kaht-la. 

Tsimshean  is  pronounced  T'sim-she-an. 

CAPITALS  and  Italics  in  quotations,  I  have 
frequently  taken  the  liberty  of  using  at  my  own 
discretion.  H.  S.  W. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

PAGE 

DAYS  OF  PERIL, 

CHAPTER  II. 
THE  ARCADIAN  VILLAGE,  .  .  •  •  22 

CHAPTER  III. 
HALCYON  DAYS,  •  •  •  45 

CHAPTER  IV. 
EARL  DUFFERIN  AND  OTHERS  TESTIFY,  .  .  -99 

CHAPTER  V. 
THE  SAVAGE,  .  *  •  •  •  •  *  I44 

CHAPTER  VI. 
THE  CRISIS,  .  .  .  •  -  •  •  l69 

CHAPTER  VII. 
COERCION  AND  TURMOIL,  .  .  •  •  •  2I5 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
CASTING  THE  TOIL,     .  •  252 


XVlll  APPENDIX. 

CHAPTER   IX. 
THE  LAND  QUESTION,  .....  283 


PAG  P. 


CHAPTER   X. 
SEEKING  HOME  AND  FREEDOM,         ....  339 

SUPPLEMENTAL  NOTE,  .  .  .  .  .377 


APPENDIX. 


PAGE 

SUGGESTED  PLAN  OF  MISSION  WORK,          .  .  .  379 

MR.  DUNCAN'S  ADDRESS  BEFORE  INDIAN   COMMISSIONERS, 

ETC.,        .......  384 

MR.  DUNCAN'S  REFUTATION,  .  .  .  .  .401 

TOMLINSON'S  REFUTATION,     .  .  .  .  .411 

AN  APPEAL,      .......  428 

SERIOUS  Loss  TO  THE  PROVINCE,      .  ..»         .  .  430 

CORRESPONDENCE  IN  BRITISH  COLUMBIAN  JOURNALS,         .  431 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PORTRAIT  OF  WILLIAM  DUNCAN,     .  .     Facing  Title  Page. 

FACING   PAGE 

ABORIGINAL  HOUSE  WITH  CARVED  TOTEM  POLE,      .  .       i 

DOG-EATERS'  RELIGIOUS  ORGIES,       .  .  .  .6 

LEGAIC,  CHIEF  OF  ALL  THE  TSIMSHEAN  CHIEFS,  ATTACKING 
MR.  DUNCAN,        .  .  .  .  .  .12 

GOLD  AND  SILVER  BRACELETS,  .  .  .  -30 

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  BY  THE 

NATIVES,    .......   128 

THE  DEVIL  DANCE,      .  .  .  .  .  .148 

ABORIGINAL  STOCKADE,  .....   154 

CARVED  MEDICINE-RATTLES  ;  CEDAR  TRAY  ;  CARVED  PIPE  ; 
CARVED  COMB,       .  .  .  .  .  .178 

CHIEF  LYING  IN  STATE,  .  .  .  .  .196 

A  DRUMMER  OF  THE  METLAKAHTLA  BRASS-BAND,      .  .210 

A  NATIVE  VIOLET,        ......  224 

A  NATIVE  HOPEFUL,     .....  .  250 


XX  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 


AN  INFANT  AERIAL  TOMB,       .....  264 

GRASS-WORK  BASKET,  ......  276 

LEADER  METLAKAHTLA  BRASS-BAND,  .  .  .  298 

A  NATIVE-WOVEN  MANTLE,     .....  -jiO 

CARVED  TOTEM  POLE,  .....  336 

NATIVE  WOOD-CARVING,  .....  344 

DAVID  LEASK,  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NATIVE  COUNCIL,          .  362 


NATIVE    HOUSE    WITH    CARVED    TOTEM    POLE. 


THE  STORY  OF  METLAKAHTLA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

DAYS    OF    PERIL. 

A  CIVILIZING  work  without  parallel,  alike  re- 
markable for  the  original  thought  and  genius  dis- 
played, and  for  the  heroic  courage  in  execution ;  is 
that  conceived  and  carried  out  by  William  Duncan, 
in  British  Columbia,  on  the  North  Pacific  coast, 
near  Alaska. 

Captain  (now  Admiral)  Prevost,  returning  to 
England  from  a  cruise  in  the  North  Pacific,  excited 
great  public  interest  by  his  account  of  the  terrible 
state  of  barbarism  that  prevailed  there.  Mr.  Dun- 
can, sacrificed  a  highly  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  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  sailing  vessel, 
which  rounded  Cape  Horn.  On  reaching  Vancou- 
ver Island,  Sir  James  Douglas,  then  the  governor 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  urged  in  the  strong- 


2  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

est  possible  terms  the  folly  of  his  attempting  to 
civilize  the  murderous  hordes  of  the  North  Pacific; 
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  bastions,  with  galleries  on  which 
cannon  were  mounted,  and  strongly  garrisoned  with 
riflemen.  Sentinels  kept  watch  night  and  day. 
So  fearful  were  the  commanding  officers  of  the 
treachery  of  the  natives,  that  only  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  barter  for  store-goods ; 
also,  great  care  was  taken  not  to  display  too  many 
fine  goods,  to  excite  their  cupidity.  During  a  siege 
it  was  sometimes  necessary  to  keep  the  gates  con- 
stantly closed  and  barricaded  for  months  at  a  time. 
The  walls  of  the  fort,  and  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  Tsimshean 
tribes,  notorious  on  the  whole  coast  for  their  cruel, 
bloodthirsty  savagery — given  up  to  dark  supersti- 
tions and  atrocious  habits  of  cannibalism — constantly 
waging  merciless  war  upon  the  neighboring  tribes. 


DAYS   OF   PERIL.  3 

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  dangle  from  their  girdles  dur- 
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 
are  soft,  sweet,  and  flowing. 

In  front  of  every  hut  was  erected  a  totem-pole, 
elaborately  carved  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  stained  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  examples  of  their  skill  in  carv- 
ing. 

Among  their  various  occupations ;  they  wrought 
and  exquisitely  engraved  bracelets  and  other  orna- 
ments of  gold,  silver,  and  copper ;  and  made  baskets 
and  pouches,  of  a  peculiar  grass  so  closely  woven  as 
to  hold  water,  all  embellished  with  unique  heraldic 
designs. 


4  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  fierce  as  the  natives 
who  inhabit  it.  Battling  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  of  the  creation,  and  of 
the  flood ;  they  believe  in  a  good  and  evil  genius, 


DAYS    OF   PERIL.  5 

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  over  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  quality. 

The  medicine-man,  claiming  direct  intercourse 
with  the  spirit-world,  held  great  influence  over  the 
people.  He  arranged  himself,  in  the  skin  of  a  bear 
or  wolf,  the  head  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  add  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  fish-bladders, 


6  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

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  to  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  a  penalty  for  his 
"  bad  medicine  !  " 

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.  Because  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 


• 


DOG-EATERS'  RELIGIOUS  ORGIES. 


DAYS   OF   PERIL.  7 

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  waited 
upon,  or  the  honor  of  his  presence  requested,  so, 
when  the  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  property ;  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  these  well  might  quail  the  stout- 
est heart — but,  on  the  contrary,  to  Mr.  Duncan,  they 
proved  a  stimulus  to  his  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.  9 

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 
them.  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, 


10  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

ventured  out  among  them,  in  spite  of  the  warning 
of  the  officers  of  the  fort,  he  was  warmly  received 
by  the  chiefs  and  people,  who  regarded  him,  as  some 
supernatural  being. 

In  deference  to  their  tribal  customs,  Mr.  Duncan, 
found  it  necessary  to  speak  to  the  people  of  each 
of  the  nine  Tsimshean  tribes,  at  the  houses  of  their 
respective  chiefs,  during  the  same  day.  In  some 
instances,  when  Mr.  Duncan,  saw  that  the  people 
gave  more  attention  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  them 
until  he  felt  certain  he  could  make  himself  clearly 
understood.  He  had  made  it  a  special  study  to 
acquire  their  picturesque  and  expressive  figures  of 
speech.  Literal  translations  into  Indian  tongues 
are  very  barren,  and  often  extremely  droll.  One 
dignitary  of  the  Church,  who  began  his  address  to 
a  coast  tribe — "  Children  of  the  forest " — was  not  a 
little  confused  when  he  found  that  his  interpreter 
could  only  render  it,  in  the  Chinook  jargon,  Tanass 
man  cupah  hyyu  stick — signifying,  little  men  among 
many  sticks  or  stumps. 

In  the  simplest  possible  manner,  after  their  own 
method  framing  his  speech  in  that  peculiar  figura- 
tive language  that  appealed  most  directly  to  their 
understanding,  Mr.  Duncan,  told  them  the  story  of 
the  Bible,  and  the  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ  ;  and 


DAYS   OF   PERIL.  II 

pointed  out  to  them  the  grave  sin  of  taking  human 
life;  and  the  abomination  of  their  present  heathen- 
ish practices  ;  and  pictured  to  them  the  benefits  of  a 
true  Christian  life. 

Mr.  Duncan,  opened  a  school  at  the  house  of  one 
of  the  chiefs.  This  school  was  eagerly  attended 
both  by  children  and  adults.  Finding  the  Indians 
so  responsive,  he,  with  the  assistance  of  a  few  of 
his  most  zealous  followers,  erected  a  log  school- 
house.  In  this  new  building  his  work  prospered. 
Soon  he  had  an  attendance  of  about  two  hundred 
pupils,  including  children  and  adults,  among  the 
latter  being  numbered  several  chiefs.  There  was  evi- 
dently a  general  desire  for  instruction,  and  a  strong 
feeling  prevailed  that  the  white  man,  possessed 
some  grand  secret  about  eternal  things  which,  even 
if  it  involved  the  overthrow  of  their  most  cherished 
superstitions,  they  were  intensely  anxious  to  know. 

By  frequent  visitation  to  the  houses  of  the  people 
of  all  classes,  and  by  searching  out  and  ministering 
to  the  sick,  he  gained  a  fair  insight  into  their  lives, 
familiarized  himself  with  their  customs,  and  un- 
locked a  special  entrance  to  their  hearts. 

" He  who  would  gain 


A  fond,  full  heart,          .... 
Should  seek  it  when  'tis  sore,  allay  its  pain, 
With  balm  by  pity  prest :  'tis  all  his  own  so  held." 

— ZOPHIKL. 

The  Shamans,   or  medicine-chiefs,  saw   in    Mr. 
Duncan's  teachings   the  utter  destruction  of  their 


12  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

craft,  for  with  education  and  enlightenment  ultimate- 
ly the  people  would  cease  to  believe  in  their  empty 
sorceries  ;  therefore,  they  determined  to  thwart  him. 
One  day  he  received  notice  from  Legaic,  the  head 
chief  of  all  the  tribes,  to  stop  his  school  for  a  month 
during  the  season  of  the  Medicine  Feast.  Recog- 
nizing that  compliance  would  be  regarded  as  a  sur- 
render, he  firmly  refused  to  close  his  school  so  long 
as  pupils  came  to  be  taught.  Legaic  threatened  the 
lives  of  Mr.  Duncan  and  his  pupils  if  he  did  not 
yield. 

Mr.  Duncan,  fearlessly  continued  his  work,  and 
that  day  struck  the  steel  which  served  as  a  bell  to 
call  the  children  together  as  usual.  Finding  he 
was  not  to  be  intimidated  by  threats,  Legaic,  fol- 
lowed by  a  party  of  medicine-men,  all  hideously 
painted,  and  decked  in  feathers  and  charms,  rushed 
into  the  school.  The  scholars  fled  from  fear,  but 
Mr.  Duncan,  met  Legaic  face  to  face,  and  believing 
that  they  expected  to  overcome  him  by  their  num- 
bers and  frightful  appearance,  he  spoke  in  a  calm 
and  conciliatory  tone  ;  pointing  out  the  evil  of  their 
ways,  urging  them  to  accept  his  teachings — at  the 
same  time  assuring  them  that  their  threats  would 
be  without  avail.  Legaic,  who  was  fired  with  drink, 
and  in  a  furious  passion  savagely  gesticulating,  re- 
plied that  he  himself,  and  his  companions  were 
murderers,  and  the  white  man's  teachings  could  do 
them  no  good.  Mr.  Duncan,  continued  to  address 
them  pacifically.  At  one  moment,  Legaic,  appeared 


DAYS   OF   PERIL.  13 

to  weaken,  but  one  of  his  confederates  taunted  him  ; 
and  demanded,  if  he  had  valor,  then,  to  cut  off  the 
white  man's  head,  and  he  would  kick  it  on  the  beach. 
Legaic's  pride  was  stung  by  this  and  he  drew  his 
knife,  and  was  about  to  make  a  thrust,  when  sud- 
denly his  arm  fell  as  if  smitten  with  paralysis,  and 
he  cowed  and  slunk  away. 

Unknown  to  Mr.  Duncan,  Clah,  his  faithful  pupil- 
teacher, — who  had  himself  been  a  murderer  previous 
to  his  conversion, — hearing  of  Legaic's  designs,  had 
armed  himself  with  a  revolver  and  crept  quietly  into 
the  school-house  ;  just  at  the  moment  Legaic  lifted 
his  knife  to  strike,  Clah  stepped  behind  Mr.  Duncan, 
and  it  was  the  sight  of  this  defender  that  repulsed 
the  would-be  assassin. 

One  day  while  addressing  his  congregation,  Mr. 
Duncan,  noticed  that  the  renowned  warrior  Cush- 
waht,  suddenly  rose,  gave  him  a  fierce  look,  and 
dashed  out  of  the  house  as  if  in  a  rage.  After,  the 
service  he  learned  that  Cushwaht,  was  mortally 
offended  at  a  portion  of  his  sermon,  and  was  "  talk- 
ing bad"  saying;  that  Mr.  Duncan,  had  told  all  the 
people  about  his  bad  ways.  In  reality  Mr.  Duncan, 
had  only  been  enumerating  and  condemning  the 
wrong-doings  of  all  those  who  still  continued  their 
heathen  practices.  Cushwaht's  own  pricked  con- 
science had  accepted  the  moral  challenge. 

It  was  this  savage  warrior  who  had  incited  Legaic, 
by  his  demand  for  Mr.  Duncan's  head,  and  later  on 
had  sought  to  kill  Mr.  Duncan,  and  failing  in  his 


14  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

attempt,  he  vented  his.  wrath  by  wantonly  smashing 
all  the  windows  of  the  school-house.  While  on  a 
trading  trip  to  Victoria  he  committed  some  violent 
deed,  for  which  he  was  publicly  whipped,  and  then 
imprisoned.  Mr.  Duncan,  being  in  Victoria  at  the 
time,  Cushwaht  sent  entreating  him  to  come  to 
him.  The  clement  man  went,  and  found  the  des- 
perado in  a  cell,  pale  and  haggard ;  completely 
crushed  now,  contritely  suing  for  his  intercession- 
he  said : — 

"  You  did  not  punish  me,  when  I  attempted  your 
life,  and  did  you  great  wrongs ;  but,  God  has  pun- 
ished me  bitterly  : — forgive  me  : — and  I  will  be 
good  : — you  have  great  influence  with  the  white 
chief : — pity  me  : — ask  him  to  free  me  : — let  me  go 
home: — the  white  chief,  will  surely  do  what  you 
ask." 

Mr.  Duncan  pleaded  for  the  release  of  this  pen- 
itent miscreant,  and  vouched  for  his  deportment. 
The  government  acceded  immediately ;  placing  him 
in  the  custody  of  Mr.  Duncan,  who  sent  him  forth- 
with to  Fort  Simpson ;  where  after  living  a  bet- 
ter life,  for  some  months  he  was  stricken  down 
with  small-pox.  The  contagiousness  of  his  malady, 
necessitated  his  sequestration ;  and  he  was  sheltered 
in  a  tent  on  the  beach.  As  the  fear  of  contagion, 
would  prevent  the  celebration  of  his  death,  with  the 
usual  pomp  and  ceremony  for  one  of  his  distinction  ; 
it  was  his  dying  request  that  his  death  should  be 
marked  by  the  firing  of  a  cannon  ;  and,  the  hoisting 


DAYS   OF  PERIL.  I  5 

of  a  flag  over  his  tent.  The  Tsimsheans  faithfully 
carried  out  the  behest,  of  this  once  cruel  and  merci- 
less warrior,  whose  name  had  been  a  terror  in  all 
that  region. 

During  the  first  few  years  of  Mr.  Duncan's  work 
among  the  Tsimsheans,  he  witnessed  many  scenes 
of  violence  and  bloodshed  :  their  recounting  would 
alone  fill  a  volume ;  however,  it  is  not  my  purpose 
to  chronicle  these  events,  only  insomuch  as  they  go 
to  illustrate  the  character  of  the  people,  and  the  dan- 
gers he  encountered.  On  several  occasions  he  nar- 
rowly escaped  assassination,  but  by  his  fearlessness 
and  earnest,  unselfish  devotion  to  their  welfare,  he 
gradually  won  their  confidence  and  drew  about  him 
a  goodly  band  of  faithful  followers. 

In  striving  to  induce  these  people  to  abandon 
their  barbarous  customs,  Mr.  Duncan,  perceived  he 
must  show  them  evidence  of  material  advantages 
to  be  gained  in  adopting  the  new  life.  He  recog- 
nized a  fact  which  has,  unfortunately,  been  so  little 
appreciated  in  the  past  by  those  attempting  to  civ- 
ilize heathen  people ;  hence,  the  comparatively  few 
marked  successes. 

Mr.  Henry  M.  Stanley,  one  of  the  greatest  stu- 
dents of  the  savage  mind,  and  one  whose  vast  practi- 
cal experience  enables  him  to  speak  with  authority, 
is  fully  alive  to  this  point.  In  his  book  "  Through 
the  Dark  Continent"  he  says: — 

"  It  is  strange  how  British  philanthropists,  cleri- 
cal and  lay,  persist  in  the  delusion  that  the  Africans 


1 6  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

can  be  satisfied  with  spiritual  improvement  only. 
They  should  endeavor  to  impress  themselves  with 
the  undeniable  fact  that  man — white,  yellow,  red  or 
black — has  also  material  wants  which  crave  to  be 
understood  arid  supplied.  A  barbarous  man  is  a 
pure  materialist.  He  is  full  of  cravings  for  posses- 
sing something  that  he  cannot  describe.  He  is  like 
a  child  which  has  not  yet  acquired  the  faculty  of 
articulation.  The  missionary  discovers  the  barbar- 
ian almost  stupefied  with  brutish  ignorance  with  the 
instincts  of  the  man  in  him,  but  yet  living  the  life 
of  a  beast.  Instead  of  attempting  to  develop  the 
qualities  of  this  practical  human  being,  he  instantly 
attempts  his  transformation  by  expounding  to  him 
the  dogmas  of  the  Christian  faith,  the  doctrine  of 
transubstantiation,  and  other  difficult  subjects,  be- 
fore the  barbarian  has  had  time  to  articulate  his 
necessities  and  to  explain  to  him  that  he  is  a  frail 
creature,  requiring  to  be  fed  with  bread,  and  not 
with  a  stone. 

"  My  experience  and  study  of  the  pagan  proves 
to  me,  however,  that  if  the  missionary  can  show  the 
poor  materialist  that  religion  is  allied  with  substan- 
tial benefits  and  improvements  of  his  degraded 
condition,  the  task  to  which  he  is  about  to  devote 
himself  will  be  rendered  comparatively  easy.  For 
the  African  once  brought  in  contact  with  the  Euro- 
pean becomes  docile  enough  ;  he  is  awed  by  a  con- 
sciousness of  his  own  immense  inferiority,  and  im- 
bued with  a  vague  hope  that  he  may  also  rise  in 


DAYS   OF   PERIL.  17 

time  to  the  level  of  this  superior  being  who  has  so 
challenged  his  admiration.  It  is  the  story  of  Caliban 
and  Stefano  over  again.  He  comes  to  him  with  a 
desire  to  be  taught,  and  seized  with  an  ambition  to 
aspire  to  a  higher  life,  becomes  docile  and  tractable ; 
but  to  his  surprise,  he  perceives  himself  mocked  by 
this  being,  who  talks  to  him  about  matters  that  he 
despairs  of  ever  understanding,  and  therefore,  with 
abashed  face  and  a  still  deeper  sense  of  his  inferior- 
ity, he  retires  to  his  den,  cavern,  or  hut,  with  a  dog- 
ged determination  to  be  contented  with  the  brutish 
life  he  was  born  in. 

"  It  is  not  the  mere  preacher  that  is  wanted  here. 
The  Bishops  of  Great  Britain,  collected  with  all  the 
classic  youth  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  would 
effect  nothing,  by  mere  talk  with  the  intelligent 
people  of  Uganda.  It  is  the  practical  Christian 
tutor  who  can  teach  people  how  to  become  Chris- 
tians, cure  their  diseases,  construct  dwellings,  under- 
stand and  exemplify  agriculture,  and  turn  his  hand 
to  anything,  like  a  sailor — this  is  the  man  who  is 
wanted.  Such  an  one,  if  he  can  be  found,  would  be- 
come the  saviour  of  Africa.  He  must  be  tied  to  no 
church  or  sect,  but  profess  God  and  his  Son  and 
the  moral  law,  and  live  a  blameless  Christian,  in- 
spired by  liberal  principles,  charity  to  all  men  and 
devout  faith  in  Heaven.  He  must  belong  to  no 
nation  in  particular,  but  to  the  entire  white  race." 

Of  the  missionaries  who  went  to  Central  Africa, 
disregarding  Mr.  Stanley's  warnings,  several  have 


1 8  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

been  brutally  murdered,  and  others  are  now  held 
captive,  while  nations  ripe  for  practical  mission- 
ary work,  first,  became  confused  by  the  theogonies 
which,  were  injudiciously  urged  upon  them  by  mis- 
sionaries of  rival  sects,  and  of  rival  nations  ;  then, 
out  of  this  discord  was  bred  suspicion,  which  has 
developed  into  absolute  hostility. 

The  plan  which  Mr.  Stanley,  recommended  for 
Central  Africa  is  practically  the  same  as  that  inau- 
gurated by  Mr.  Duncan,  in  1857  among  the  Tsim- 
sheans. 

Mr.  Duncan,  found  these  people  extremely  filthy 
in  their  persons  and  in  their  homes.  With  the  well- 
known  precept  in  view,  he  secured  an  abatement  in 
the  price  of  soap,  and,  after  removal  to  Metlakahtla, 
he  taught  them  the  art  of  soap-making — Formerly 
they  had  been  obliged  to  pay  one  mink-skin,  valued 
at  about  one  dollar,  for  a  piece  of  common  bar-soap 
the  thickness  of  one  finger;  whereas,  he  produced  a 
whole  large  bar  for  a  sixpence.  This  little  industry, 
though  very  simple,  had  a  marked  effect  upon  the 
minds  of  the  people.  However,  this  was  but  the 
beginning  of  the  introduction  of  many  other  peace- 
ful industries,  for  it  was  evident  to  Mr.  Duncan, 
that  in  elevating  these  people  and  introducing  civil- 
ized habits  of  life  he  was  imposing  increased  ex- 
penditures, and  in  consequence  they  must  find  new 
sources  of  income;  furthermore,  he  realized  that 
idleness  was  always  a  source  of  danger. 

However,   the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  saw  in 


DAYS   OF   PERIL.  19 

these  industries  an  interference  with  their  traffic 
with  the  Indians,  and  began  to  offer  opposition. 

At  the  end  of  four  years  Mr.  Duncan,  found,  as 
the  result  of  his  devoted  labors,  that  he  could  mus- 
ter a  fair  number  of  sincere  converts ;  but  these 
were  subject  to  the  temptations  incident  to  a  trad- 
ing post,  especially  as  regards  drunkenness.  Also, 
he  deplored  the  retrograding  influence  of  constant 
intercourse  with  those  natives  who  continued  their 
heathenish  rites,  and  who  sought  in  every  possible 
way  to  destroy  the  work  of  the  Christian  white  man. 
It  is  not  fair  to  presuppose  that  these  Indians,  with 
their  immature  intellects,  would  be  less  susceptible 
to  temptations  than  their  more  enlightened  white 
brethren. 

One  of  the  most  serious  difficulties  in  reforming 
the  women  lay  in  the  practice  of  the  parents  sell- 
ing their  daughters,  and  that  the  men  hired  out 
their  wives  and  slaves  to  white  men  for  prostitu- 
tion. In  holding  slaves  as  their  concubines,  not 
unfrequently  the  white  traders  left  children  of  their 
own  blood  in  slavery. 

In  consideration  of  these  obstacles  Mr.  Duncan,  re- 
solved to  remove  his  followers  from  their  pernicious 
surroundings,  and  establish  an  isolated  model  com- 
munity. He  selected  for  this  purpose  a  place  called 
Metlakahtla,  about  twenty  miles  from  Fort  Simp- 
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 


2O  THE  STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Simpson.  Metlakahtla  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  medicine- 
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  others  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 
Home. 


22  THE  STORY  OF  METLAKAHTLA. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  ARCADIAN   VILLAGE. 

ON  landing  at  Metlakahtla,  Mr.  Duncan,  and  his 
Indian  converts  began  immediately  to  erect  huts 
and  a  school-house,  which  also  served  as  a  church. 

Mr.  Duncan,  was  greatly  encouraged  and  strength- 
ened in  his  cherished  project ;  when  within  a  week 
after  their  arrival,  a  fleet  of  thirty  canoes  came  from 
Fort  Simpson;  bringing  recruits  to  the  number  of 
nearly  three  hundred,  including  two  chiefs. 
*  The  difficulties  experienced  in  organizing  and 
governing  a  new  community,  composed  of  such 
crude  material,  were  very  great.  Mr.  Duncan,  wise- 
ly began  by  placing  upon  the  people  themselves 
much  of  the  responsibility.  So  closely  was  their 
purity  and  integrity  guarded,  that  every  candidate 
for  membership  to  the  community,  must  be  accept- 
able to  all,  and  subscribe  to  the  rules  in  public  assem- 
bly. He  organized  a  village  council  of  twelve  in- 
cluding three  chiefs  who  had  joined  him  ;  and,  a 
native  constabulary  force. 

The  council  was  consulted  on  all  important  mat- 
ters relating  to  the  welfare  of  the  village,  however, 
Mr.  Duncan,  sometimes  found  it  necessary  to  act 


THE  ARCADIAN   VILLAGE.  23 

arbitrarily  and  disregard  their  opinions,  as  their  clan- 
nish prejudices,  inconsistencies,  and  oblique  ideas 
of  justice,  often  made  their  sitting  in  judgment  very 
anomalous,  especially  in  passing  upon  the  offences 
of  their  own  people.  With  time  and  experience, 
under  the  careful  guidance  of  so  just  a  man ;  they 
gradually  imbibed  ideas  of  equity,  and  as  their  sense 
of  justice  expanded  greater  reliance  was  reposed  in 
them. 

Various  public  works  were  required  and  conse- 
quently a  tax  was  necessary.  This  was  fixed  at  one 
blanket,  valued  at  $2.50,  for  each  male  adult,  and 
one  shirt,  valued  at  $i,  for  such  as  were  approaching 
manhood.  The  first  assessment  yielded  to  the  ex- 
chequer the  following  unique  returns  : — One  green, 
one  blue,  and  ninety-four  white  blankets;  one  pair 
white  trousers,  one  dressed  elk-skin,  seventeen  shirts, 
and  seven  dollars. 

Their  public  works  consisted  in  digging  drains, 
making  roads,  fixing  rests  and  slides  for  their  canoes 
to  serve  all  tides ;  erecting  two  large  houses  for  the 
accommodation  of  strange  Indians  who  came  to 
trade,  thus  avoiding  too  intimate  mingling  of  his 
people  with  their  uncleansed  and  barbarous  visitors. 
They  dug  wells  and  formed  a  public  common  and 
play-ground. 

Their  instructor  seemed  mindful  of  all  their  nat- 
ural wants,  regarding  evil  as  frequently  but  nature 
perverted,  hence  in  displacing  gambling  and  other 
objectionable  games,  which  had  previously  served 


24  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

as  a  pastime  among  them,  he  introduced  and  en- 
couraged cheerful  and  rational  amusements,  espe- 
cially among  the  young,  such  as  games  of  foot-ball, 
marbles,  gymnastic-bars,  swings,  etc. 

In  carrying  out  the  public  works  Mr.  Duncan, 
had  in  view  not  only  the  material  comforts  of  his 
people,  but  also  the  necessity  to  occupy  their 
minds  and  energies,  as  well  as  to  develop  in  them  a 
desire  to  improve  their  condition.  With  the  same 
object  he  introduced  new  trades,  encouraged  and 
facilitated  their  ancient  industries  of  hunting,  fish- 
ing, and  gathering  berries,  and  arranged  for  the 
exportation  of  their  various  products,  such  as  salt 
and  smoked  fish,  fish-oil,  dried  fruits,  and  furs. 

Owing  to  the  want  of  capital,  civilization  tended 
to  impoverishment  of  the  Indians,  by  calling  for  an 
increased  outlay  in  their  expenses,  without  aug- 
menting their  income.  Notwithstanding,  an  earnest 
desire  for  progress  and  enlightenment ;  the  native 
mind  was  not  fertile  in  conceiving  fresh  and  perma- 
nent modes  of  industry;  therefore,  it  became  neces- 
sary for  their  leader  to  think  out  for  them,  new 
sources  of  revenue. 

All  did  not  run  smoothly  in  Mr.  Duncan's  aggres- 
sive movements  to  wrest  the  heathen  from  the 
thraldom  of  their  abominations ;  at  every  step  in 
the  beginning,  he  encountered  insidious  resistance. 

Slavery  with  attendant  horrors  almost  indescrib- 
able, was  common  throughout  the  entire  North  Pa- 
cific country,  on  Mr.  Duncan's  arrival. 


THE   ARCADIAN   VILLAGE.  2$ 

From  the  time  of  the  earliest  voyagers  to  this 
region,  explorers  and  travellers  have  recorded  the 
most  revolting  cruelties  practised  upon  the  slaves. 
Hears  in  his  "  Voyages  to  the  Northwest  Coast  of 
America  "  writes  : — 

"  The  number  of  Maquilla's  slaves  were  very  con- 
siderable, not  only  at  Nootka,  but  in  other  parts 
of  his  territories.  And  when  the  fatal  day  arrived 
which  was  to  be  celebrated  by  the  feast  of  a  human 
victim,  a  certain  number  of  these  slaves,  were  as- 
sembled in  the  house  of  the  sovereign  chief,  who 
selected  the  object  to  be  eaten  by  him  and  his 
guests,  in  the  following  curious  manner : — the  in- 
ferior chiefs  were  invited  to  partake  of  the  cere- 
monies which  were  appointed  to  precede  it : — these 
consisted  of  singing  the  war  song,  dancing  round 
the  fire,  and  fomenting  the  flames  by  throwing 
oil  into  them.  A  bandage  is  then  tied  over  the 
eyes  of  Maquilla,  who  in  this  blindfold  state  is  to 
seize  a  slave.  His  activity  in  the  pursuit,  with  the 
dread  and  exertions  of  these  unhappy  wretches  in 
avoiding  it,  form  another  part  of  this  inhuman  busi- 
ness. But  it  is  seldom  a  work  of  delay, — some  one  of 
these  slaves  is  soon  caught ;  death  instantly  follows, 
— the  devoted  carcass  is  immediately  cut  in  pieces, 
and  its  reeking  portions  distributed  to  the  guests : 
when  an  universal  shout  of  those  who  have  escaped 
declares  the  joy  of  their  deliverance." 

It  has  been  the  custom  of  many  tribes  up  to 
our  day,  to  sacrifice,  the  life  of  a  slave  to  wipe  out 


26  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

an  insult,  or  on  the  grave  of  his  master  that  he 
should  go  to  the  other  world  attended,  as  became 
his  dignity. 

Chiefs  and  other  important  men  often  celebrated 
the  erection  of  their  houses,  by  planting  the  four 
posts,  on  the  bleeding  bodies  of  slaves  slaughtered 
for  the  occasion.  Slaves  were  marked  by  having 
their  hair  cropped  short.  They  were  subjected  to 
all  manner  of  abuse,  sold  and  hired  out  for  prostitu- 
tion, and  at  death  their  bodies  were  cast  into  the 
sea,  or  were  feasted  upon  by  cannibals. 

Even  within  close  proximity  to  the  white  settle- 
ments the  vile  traffic  in  human  beings  was  open,  and 
common.  Touching  this  topic  Whymper  writes,  of 
Victoria,  B.  C.  :— 

"  These  Indian  slaves  squatting  in  considerable 
numbers  in  the  bush,  for  what  purpose  it  is  not 
difficult  to  imagine,  and  the  extent  to  which  the 
nefarious  practices  referred  to  are  encouraged  by  the 
crews  of  her  Majesty's  ships,  is  a  disgrace  to  the 
service  they  represent,  and  a  scandal  to  the  country. 
Hundreds  of  dissipated  white  men,  moreover,  live 
in  open  concubinage  with  these  wretched  creatures. 
So  unblushingly  is  this  traffic  carried  on,  that  I  have 
seen  the  husband  and  wife  of  a  native  family,  can- 
vassing from  one  miner's  shanty  to  another  with 
a  view  of  making  assignations  for  the  clootchman 
(squaws)  in  their  possession.  On  one  occasion  I 
saw  an  Indian  woman  offering  to  dispose  of  her 
own  child,  the  offspring  of  the  guilty  alliance  with 


THE   ARCADIAN   VILLAGE.  27 

a  white  man,  for  $31,  at  the  door  of  a  respectable 
white  dwelling." — "  Travels  in  Alaska"  London, 
1868. 

D.  G.  F.  McDonald,  C.E.,  writes :  — "  These 
wretched  slaves  are  horribly  abused.  They  are 
made  to  do  all  the  filthy  work  under  the  torture  of 
the  lash,  which  their  fellow-savage  lays  on  unmerci- 
fully. Should  such  enormities  be  perpetrated,  or 
their  continuance  be  allowed,  in  a  British  colony  ? 
Surely  slavery  is  a  curse  so  intolerable  and  degraded 
that  it  ought  not  to  be  suffered  to  exist,  even  for  a 
single  hour." 

Upon  the  matter  of  slavery  the  Bishop  of  Colum- 
bia writes  : — "  Slavery  has  increased.  Female  slaves 
are  in  demand.  Distant  tribes  make  war  upon  each 
other,  and  bring  their  female  slaves  to  the  market. 
You  will  hardly  credit  it,  but  it  is  strictly  true, 
women  are  purchased  as  slaves  to  let  them  out  for 
immoral  purposes.  A  female  slave  has  been  known 
recently  to  be  purchased  for  $200  (£40)" — "British 
Columbia'''  London,  1862. 

While  at  Fort  Simpson,  Mr.  Duncan,  found  it 
impossible  to  do  more,  than  urge  upon  the  people 
the  iniquity  and  injustice,  of  holding  their  fellow- 
men  in  servile  bondage.  But,  as  soon  as  he  was 
firmly  established  at  Metlakahtla,  he  devoted  him- 
self arduously  to  freeing  all  slaves  who  came  with- 
in his  range  of  power,  and  also,  harbored  fugitives, 
until  they  could  be  restored  to  the  native  tribes 
from  which  they,  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.  As  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  difficulties  to  be  dealt 
with  was  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors.  White 
men  trading  along  the  coast  in  small  sailing  vessels 
made  liquor  selling  their  principal  business.  Some 
Indians  also  engaged  in  this  traffic  by  means  of  their 
canoes.  Their  visits  to  Indian  camps  were  invariably 
followed  by  brutal  outrages,  usually  with  murder  and 
not  unfrequently  intertribal  wars.  By  strictly  pro- 
hibiting indulgence  or  traffic  in  intoxicating  liquors, 
within  his  own  precincts,  Mr.  Duncan,  at  once 


THE  ARCADIAN   VILLAGE.  2Q 

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  imprisoned  at  Metla- 
kahtla  was  singularly  enough  converted  during  his 
term  of  imprisonment,  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  Kitahmaht  Indians  landed  a 
quantity  of  liquor  :  Mr.  Duncan,  at  once  caused  it 
to  be  seized.  The  Kitahmahts,  out  of  revenge  for 
this,  stole  a  little  boy  belonging  to  Metlakahtla, 
while  he  was  on  a  fishing  expedition  with  his  par- 
ents. He  was  worried  to  death,  and  literally  torn 
to  pieces  and  devoured  by  these  cannibals ! 

To  this  was  added  the  hostility  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company's  agents,  who  regarded  Mr.  Duncan's 
introduction  of  the  trades  and  industries  of  civiliza- 
tion as  undermining  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-making  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  Indians  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 ; 
he  ministered  to  them  as  far  as  possible,  always 


GOLD    AND    SILVER    BRACELETS. 


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  wrhite  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. 

He  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  down 
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,  and  for  traffic  with  the 
neighboring  tribes. 

At  the  end  of  a  few  months  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  it  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  depreciated 
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  progress. 


THE   ARCADIAN   VILLAGE.  33 

The  minds  of  the  people  exhibited  signs  of  develop- 
ment, and  their  benefactor  was  alive  to  the  require- 
ments of  their  advancing  intellects ;  he  delivered 
simple  lectures,  illustrated  by  maps  and  a  stere- 
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  badge  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  see  the  dissenter  privately.  Early 
the  next  morning  the  individual  called,  and  ex- 
plained that  on  a  certain  day,  the  candidate  had 
been  given  one  dollar  too  much  change  at  a  store, 
and  had  asked  him  if  he  ought  to  keep  it — 

"  He  ought  to  have  known  himself  that  he  ought 
to  be  honest  without  asking  me !  That,  is  why  I 
thought  he  ought  not  to  be  a  councillor." 

These  people,  just  wrested  from  dark  supersti- 
tions and  vicious  habits,  and  liable  to  the  natural 
weaknesses  of  mankind,  required  the  most  anxious 
watch-care.  And,  as  was  to  be  expected,  some 
transgressions  of  the  rules  occurred.  Those  guilty 
of  offences  of  a  grave  character  such  as  threatening 
or  attempting  bloodshed,  after  being  adjudged  by 
Mr.  Duncan,  and  the  council,  and  condemned,  were 
publicly  whipped  by  Mr.  Duncan.  This  was  the 
severest  form  of  punishment  inflicted,  which  oc- 
curred only  four  or  five  times  and  one  much  dreaded ; 
for  the  inherent  pride  and  vanity  of  the  people 
caused  them  to  regard  it  as  a  stinging  disgrace. 
Banishment,  was  also  resorted  to,  in  the  cases  of 
some  incorrigible  malefactors.  A  very  novel  mode 
of  dealing  with  a  certain  class  of  offences  was  the 
hoisting  of  a  black  flag  over  the  prison  ;  whenever 
this  flag  was  raised  the  people  inquired  of  each 
other,  "Who  is  the  offender?"  and  soon  public 
opinion  made  it  so  warm  for  him,  that  he  was  ob- 
liged to  make  ample  amends  or  quit  the  village. 

To  keep  pace  with  the  general  moral  and  mental 


THE   ARCADIAN   VILLAGE.  35 

progress,  and  furnish  them  with  the  comforts  and 
conveniences  of  modern  civilization,  it  was  necessary 
to  improve  the  dwellings,  and,  it  was  decided  to 
pull  down  all  the  old  houses  and  erect  new  ones. 
The  new  town  was  laid  out  in  lots  of  60  by  120 
feet,  on  each  to  be  erected  a  double  house.  As  the 
new  dwellings  were  to  be  substantial  and  commo- 
dious, and  somewhat  beyond  their  means,  Mr. 
Duncan,  pledged  himself  to  assist  them  in  lumber  to 
the  amount  of  $60  for  each  double  house.  A  new 
church,  seating  1,200  people,  a  town-hall,  dispensary, 
reading-room,  market-house,  blacksmith,  carpenter, 
cooper,  and  tin  shops;  work-sheds,  and  a  soap-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  heard 
that  Mr.  Duncan  intended  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  ! " 

And  thus  prosperity  continued.  The  public  im- 
provements were  largely  the  result  of  the  profits  ac- 
cruing from  the  schooner,  the  store,  and  the  trading 
expeditions  of  the  villagers,  but  were  assisted  by 
the  contributions  of  friends  of  the  mission  and  Mr. 
Duncan's  private  funds.  As  time  passed  on,  one 
practical  trade  and  industry  after  another  was 
added— the  people  were  kept  busy  and  happy.  Mr. 


36  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Duncan,  paid  a  flying  visit  to  England  in  1870, 
during  which  he  procured  machinery  and  learned 
various  trades,  such  as  weaving,  rope-making,  twine- 
spinning,  brush-making,  etc.  During  his  stay  he 
learned  the  gamut  of  several  instruments,  and  on  his 
return  to  Metlakahtla ;  gratified  the  musical  tastes 
of  the  people,  by  organizing  a  brass  band  of  twenty- 
one  instruments,  which  has  long  since  gained  great 
renown  on  the  coast.  And  an  organ  was  placed  in 
the  church. 

Had  Mr.  Duncan,  at  any  time  doubted  the  Ind- 
ians' appreciation  of  his  labors,  every  vestige  of  this 
must  have  been  dispelled;  when  on  his  return  from 
England,  the  population  of  his  ideal  mission  paid 
him  all  the  honors  that  they  could  have  accorded 
to  a  king.  His  brief  absence  had  seemed  to  them 
an  age.  The  touching  incidents  of  this  greeting 
are  best  recounted  in  his  own  modest  words  : — 

"  The  news  of  my  arrival  travelled  to  Metlakahtla, 
and  on  the  following  morning  a  large  canoe  arrived 
from  there  to  fetch  me  home.  The  happy  crew, 
whose  hearts  seemed  brimful  of  joy  at  seeing  me 
back,  gave  me  a  very  warm  welcome.  I  at  once 
decided  to  leave  the  steamer  and  proceed  at  once 
to  Metlakahtla  with  my  Indian  friends,  who  as- 
sured me  that  the  village  was  in  a  great  state  of  ex- 
citement at  the  prospect  of  my  return.  We  were 
favored  with  a  strong,  fair  wind,  and  with  two  sails 
up,  we  dashed  along  merrily  through  a  boiling  sea. 
I  now  felt  I  was  indeed  homeward  bound.  My 


THE   ARCADIAN    VILLAGE.  37 

happy  friends,  having  nothing  to  do  but  to  watch 
the  sails  and  sit  still,  could  give  free  vent  to  their 
long-pent-up  feelings,  and  so  they  poured  out  one 
piece  of  news  after  another  in  rapid  succession,  and 
without  any  regard  to  order,  or  the  changes  their 
reports  produced  upon  my  feelings  ;  thus  we  had 
good  and  bad,  solemn  and  frivolous  news,  all  mixed 
indiscriminately. 

"  On  sighting  the  village,  in  accordance  with  a 
preconcerted  arrangement,  a  flag  was  hoisted  over 
our  canoe,  as  a  signal  to  the  villagers  that  I  was  on 
board.  Very  soon  we  could  discern  quite  a  number 
of  flags  flying  over  the  village,  and  Indians  hurrying 
toward  the  place  of  landing.  Before  we  reached 
the  beach  large  crowds  had  assembled  to  greet  me. 
On  my  stepping  out  of  the  canoe,  bang  went  a  can- 
non, and  when  fairly  on  my  feet  bang  went  another. 
Then  some  of  the  principal  people  stepped  away 
from  the  groups  and  came  forward,  hats  off,  and 
saluted  me  warmly.  On  my  advancing,  the  corps 
of  constables  discharged  their  muskets,  then  all 
hats  were  doffed,  and  a  general  rush  to  seize  my  hand 
ensued.  I  was  now  hemmed  in  with  the  crowds  of 
solemn  faces,  many  exhibiting  intense  emotion, 
and  eyes  glistening  with  tears  of  joy.  In  strug- 
gling my  way  to  the  mission-house,  I  had  nearly 
overlooked  the  school  children.  The  dear  little 
ones  had  been  posted  in  order  on  one  side,  and  were 
standing  in  mute  expectation  of  a  recognition.  I 
patted  a  few  on  the  head,  and  then  with  my  feel- 


38  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

ings  almost  overcome,  I  pressed  my  way  to  my 
house.  How  sweet  it  was  to  find  myself  again  in 
my  own  little  room ;  and  sweeter  still  to  thank  God 
for  all  His  preserving  care  over  me.  As  numbers 
of  the  people  were  pressing  into  and  crowding  my 
house,  I  ordered  the  church  bell  to  be  rung.  At 
once  they  hurried  to  the  church,  and  when  I  en- 
tered it  was  filled.  Such  a  sight !  After  a  minute's 
silence  we  joined  in  thanksgiving  to  God,  after 
which  I  addressed  the  assembly  for  about  twenty 
minutes.  This  concluded,  I  set  off,  accompanied  by 
several  leading  Christian  men,  to  visit  the  sick  and 
very  aged,  whom  I  was  told  were  anxiously  begging 
to  see  me.  The  scenes  that  followed  were  very  af- 
fecting. Many  assured  me  that  they  had  constantly 
prayed  to  God  to  be  spared  to  see  me  once  again, 
and  God  had  answered  their  prayers  and  revived 
their  hearts  after  much  weeping.  On  finishing  my 
visit  I  made  up  doses  of  medicine  for  several  of  the 
sick,  and  then  sat  down  for  a  little  refreshment. 
Again  my  house  becoming  crowded,  I  sat  down  with 
about  fifty  for  a  general  talk.  I  gave  them  the 
special  messages  from  Christian  friends  which  I  had 
down  in  my  note-book,  told  them  how  much  we 
were  prayed  for  by  many  Christians  in  England, 
and  scanned  over  the  principal  events  of  my  voyage 
and  doings  in  England.  We  sat  till  midnight,  but 
even  then  the  village  was  lighted  up,  and  the  people 
all  waiting  to  hear  from  the  favored  fifty,  what  I 
had  communicated.  Many  did  not  go  to  bed  at 


THE   ARCADIAN   VILLAGE.  39 

all,  but  sat  up  all  night  talking  over  what  they  had 
heard. 

"  Such  is  a  brief  account  of  my  reception  at  Met- 
lakahtla.  I  could  but  reflect  how  different  this  to 
the  reception  I  had  among  the  same  people  in  1857. 
Then  they  were  ail  superstitiously  afraid  of  me, 
and  regarded  with  dread  suspicion  my  every  act. 
It  was  with  feelings  of  fear  or  contempt  they  ap- 
proached me  to  hear  God's  word,  and  when  I 
prayed  among  them  I  prayed  alone  ;  none  under- 
stood, none  responded.  Now  how  things  have 
changed  !  Love  has  taken  the  place  of  fear,  and 
light  the  place  of  darkness,  and  hundreds  are  in- 
telligently able  and  devoutly  willing  to  join  me  in 
prayer  and  praise  to  Almighty  God.  To  God  be  all 
the  praise  and  glory." 

It  was  not  long  after  the  founding  of  Metlakahtla; 
that,  the  example  of  its  inhabitants  began  to  pro- 
duce a  marked  impression,  upon  the  surrounding 
tribes,  and  even  far  in  the  interior,  and  up  and  down 
the  coast. 

Among   the   converts    had  been    numbered    the 

o 

chiefs  Legaic,  Neachshlakah-Noosh,  Leequneesh, 
and  Quthray,  the  leader  of  the  cannibal  feast  wit- 
nessed by  Mr.  Duncan,  on  his  first  arrival. 

It  was  only  after  a  hard  struggle  that  the  fierce 
barbarian  Legaic  yielded,  and  sacrificed  his  proud 
and  powerful  position  as  chief  of  all  the  chiefs  of 
the  Tsimsheans.  This  brutal  murderer,  who  boasted 
of  the  number  of  lives  he  had  taken — was  at  length 


40  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

humbled  and  led  like  a  lamb.  He  had  once,  as  I 
had  previously  shown,  attempted  to  assassinate  Mr. 
Duncan,  and  had  never  ceased  to  persecute  and 
harass  him  and  his  followers,  until  now,  like  Saul 
when  stricken,  he  was  transformed  into  a  faithful 
disciple  of  him  whom  he  had  bitterly  reviled,  and 
had  mercilessly  pursued.  Likewise,  as  Saul,  when 
baptized  he  chose  the  name  Paul.  He  became  a 
simple  citizen  of  Metlakahtla,  an  industrious  carpen- 
ter and  cabinet-maker,  a  truly  exemplary  Christian. 
While  he  was  away  on  an  expedition  to  some  tribes 
in  the  Nass  River  Country,  he  was  taken  with  a 
fatal  illness,  and  feeling  that  he  was  approaching 
death,  he  sent  pleading  letters  to  Mr.  Duncan  to 
come  to  his  bedside;  but  to  his  great  sorrow,  cir- 
cumstances rendered  this  impossible,  and  Mr.  Dun- 
can, could  only  send  comforting  messages. 

Legaic's  last  words  to  Mr.  Duncan,  written  down 
by  his  own  daughter,  were  as  follows  : 

"  I  want  to  see  you.  I  always  remember  you  in 
my  mind.  I  shall  be  very  sorry  if  I  shall  not  see 
you  before  I  go  away,  because  you  showed  me  the 
ladder  that  reaches  to  heaven,  and  I  am  on  the 
top  of  that  ladder  now.  I  have  nothing  to  trouble 
me;  I  only  want  to  see  you."  Then  he  passed 
peacefully  away. 

Thus  died  the  once  haughty  chieftain  Legaic. 

Mr.  Duncan,  had  visited  many  outside  tribes,  but 
most  of  his  time  was  occupied  with  his  work  at 
Metlakahtla. 


LEGAIC  AS  A  SIMPLE  CITIZEN  AND  CARPENTER   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 


THE   ARCADIAN    VILLAGE.  41 

Remembering  how  the  white  Christian,  who  with 
so  much  self-sacrifice  had  come  among  them,  to 
bring  them  out  of  darkness;  the  Indians  of  Metla- 
kahtla  felt  it  to  be  incumbent  upon  themselves,  as 
soon  as  they  had  sufficient  light,  that  they  should 
carry  the  knowledge  to  their  less  privileged  breth- 
ren. Native  missionaries  went  out  at  their  own  ex- 
pense. These  men  gave  their  message  in  a  simple, 
figurative  language,  yet  with  an  earnestness  and 
directness  of  purpose  that  carried  conviction.  The 
following  is  an  example  which  will  serve  to  illus- 
trate their  method  of  thought : 

"  Brothers,  sisters,  you  know  the  way  of  the 
eagle?  The  eagle  flies  high,  and  the  eagle  rests 
high !  He  rests  on  the  highest  branch  of  the  high- 
est tree,  then,  he  is  free  from  fear  of  all  beneath 
him ! — Brothers,  sisters,  Jesus,  to  us  is  the  highest 
branch  of  the  highest  tree !  Let  us  rest  on  Him, 
then,  we  too  need  not  fear,  all  our  enemies  are  be- 
neath us." 

Nor  were  the  regular  native  missionaries  the  only 
workers ;  the  hunters  and  fishermen  in  mingling 
with  the  people  of  other  villages,  told  them  of  the 
changes  wrought  by  the  new  life;  and  the  trading 
parties  who  journeyed  far  inland,  or  voyaged  along 
the  coast  in  their  canoes  bartering  for  furs,  each  did 
his  mission  work.  Nor  was  it  in  their  words  alone 
that  they  gave  evidence.  These  men,  who  had  for- 
merly been  a  terror  to  the  whole  coast  and  only 
received  with  suspicion,  were,  to  the  contrary, 


42  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

now  mild  and  peaceful.  What  had  wrought  this 
change  ? 

After  a  visitation  of  the  Metlakahtla  voyagers,  a 
chief  and  several  of  the  head  men  of  the  Chilkats,  a 
fierce  tribe  living  some  five  orsix  hundred  miles  north 
on  the  Alaskan  coast,  ventured  to  pay  a  visit  to  Metla- 
kahtla, of  which  they  had  heard  such  wonderful 
stories.  Just  before  landing  they,  as  usual  on  visiting 
a  settlement,  arrayed  themselves  in  all  their  magnif- 
icence of  barbaric  finery,  intending  to  impress  the 
people  with  their  greatness  and  importance.  As  they 
approached  in  solemn  state,  Mr.  Duncan,  was  notified 
of  their  coming  and  urged  to  attire  himself  in  his 
Sunday  best,  because  the  savages  were  in  gorgeous 
trappings  and  would  despise  him  if  he  was  poorly 
dressed.  He  had  on  his  common  work  clothes,  and 
was  in  the  midst  of  some  important  work,  which  he 
could  not  drop  at  the  moment. 

As  the  Chilkats'  superb  canoes  kissed  the  beach 
they  leaped  out  and  were  cordially  received  by  the 
Metlakahtlans.  They  were  struck  with  utter  amaze- 
ment at  the  sight  of  the  buildings,  the  manner  in 
which  the  people  were  clothed,  and  the  general  ap- 
pearance of  thrift  and  civilization  on  every  hand. 
They  were  impatient  to  see  the  great  master,  who 
had  wrought  all  these  wonders. 

Mr.  Duncan,  had  not  dressed  up, — at  all  times  he 
sought  to  discourage  the  assumption  of  pomp  and 
foolish  display,  which  he  found  so  wefted  in  these 
naturally  vainglorious  people.  When  the  Chilkats 


THE   ARCADIAN   VILLAGE.  43 

were  escorted  to  him,  and  he  was  pointed  out  as  the 
benefactor,  they  looked  over  and  beyond  him,  say- 
ing that  they  could  not  see  him,  but  when  this 
modest,  plainly  clad  little  man  greeted  them,  and 
his  personality  was  made  clear,  they  preserved  their 
countenances  in  stolid  rigor  to  maintain  their  own 
great  dignity,  never  uttering  a  word,  save,  the  cere- 
monies of  a  formal  greeting. 

Despite  their  efforts  to  conceal  their  thoughts, 
they  betrayed  great  astonishment ;  it  was  evident 
that  they  suspected  some  deception  was  being  prac- 
tised upon  them.  Mr.  Duncan,  evincing  great  cor- 
diality conducted  them  to  his  house,  and  gave  them 
the  customary  seats  of  honor  for  distinguished  guests. 
They  continued  to  look  at  him  in  utter  silence  for 
some  time,  when  finally  they  could  restrain  them- 
selves no  longer  they  broke  out,  saying  : 

"  Surely  you  cannot  be  the  man  !  Why,  we  ex- 
pected to  see  a  great  and  powerful  giant,  gifted  in 
magic,  with  enormous  eyes  that  could  look  right 
through  us  and  read  our  thoughts !  No,  it  is  im- 
possible !  How  could  you,  tame  the  wild  and  fero- 
cious Tsimsheans,  who  were  always  waging  war,  and 
were  feared  throughout  the  whole  coast  ?  It  is  only 
a  few  years  ago  that  all  this  country  was  a  streak  of 
blood,  now  we  see  nothing  but  white  eagle's-down 
(their  emblem  of  peace  and  amity) !  We  can  hardly 
believe  our  own  eyes,  when  we  see  these  fine  houses 
and  find  the  Tsimsheans  have  become  wise  like 
white  men !  They  tell  us  that  you  have  God's  Book, 


44  THE  STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

and  that  you  have  taught  them  to  read  it ;  we  wish 
to  see  it." 

On  the  Bible  being  placed  before  them,  and  on 
being  told  that  it  was  by  following  the  teachings  of 
this  Book,  that  the  Metlakahtlans  had  become  en- 
lightened, each  one  touched  it  reverently  with  the 
tip  of  his  finger  and  said,  "  Ahm,  ahm  " — It  is  good, 
it  is  good. 

Gifts  were  exchanged,  and  bartering  went  on,  and 
the  visitors  tarried  for  several  days,  during  which 
time,  they  marvelled  at  every  new  wonder  of  civil- 
ization which  they  beheld.  Mr.  Duncan,  seized 
every  opportunity  to  impress  upon  them,  the  funda- 
mental truths,  which  had  brought  about  this  change. 
He  showed  them,  that  the  prosperity,  and  material 
benefits,  which  they  witnessed,  were  but  the  reward 
of  the  adoption  of  the  new  life.  This  lesson  was  not 
lost  upon  them ;  they  returned  to  their  homes  re- 
solved to  adopt  the  Christian  white  man's  ways. 
And  thus,  came  many  from  afar  to  view  the  wonders 
of  civilization,  all  to  return,  and  proclaim  to  their 
people,  that,  the  Christian  white  man's  ways  were 
good. 


CHAPTER  III. 

HALCYON   DAYS. 

AN  era  of  prosperity  now  shone  upon  Mr.  Dun- 
can's civilized  Indian  community,  however,  in  the 
acquirement  of  those  things  essential  to  human  com- 
fort and  refinement ;  the  material,  was  never  allowed 
to  crowd  the  spiritual ;  the  material  was  only  the 
means  to  a  spiritual  end.  With  these  people  it 
was,  as  it  has  ever  been,  in  dealing  with  the  infant- 
mind  of  the  savage,  necessary  to  hold  up  the  bene- 
fits of  civilization  as  the  guerdon  of  a  better  life. 

No  better  evidence,  of  the  depth,  and  integrity, 
of  the  conversion  of  these  recently  groping  savages, 
could  be  required,  than  the  attestation  of  those  dis- 
tinguished dignitaries  of  the  Church  who  visited 
them,  and  observed  the  practices  of  their  daily  life, 
and  after  thoroughly  testing  the  candidates,  admin- 
istered the  rites  of  baptism. 

This  chapter  I  shall  devote  to  several  such  cita- 
tions for  a  twofold  purpose,  which  will  discover 
itself  in  the  progress  of  this  volume. 

The  Bishop  of  Columbia's  first  visit  to  Metla- 
kahtla,  was  during  the  oolichan  fishing  season,  1863. 
He  came  with  the  special  purpose  of  baptizing  those 


46  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

whose  probation  indicated  their  worthiness  to  re- 
ceive that  rite.  His  own  narrative  vividly  pictures 
the  incidents  of  his  arrival : 

"  The  Christian  Indian  settlement  of  Metlakahtla 
lies  retired  upon  a  recess  of  a  bay,  and  is  marked  by 
a  row  of  substantial  wooden  houses.  An  octagon 
building  is  the  school,  and  a  flagstaff  stands  near, 
upon  which  ascended  the  national  flag  when  we 
hove  in  sight,  and  fired  the  gun  to  announce  our 
approach.  We  could  soon  distinguish  a  canoe  put- 
ting off  to  us,  and  presently  it  approached,  flying  a 
flag.  It  was  a  large  canoe,  which  had  a  warlike 
appearance,  manned  by  ten  Indians,  and  in  it  was 
seated  Mr.  Duncan,  the  missionary  of  Metlakahtla. 
There  was  placed,  too,  by  his  side,  a  murderer,  who 
had  last  year  committed  a  cold-blooded  murder 
upon  an  Englishman,  and  who  had  given  himself  up 
against  the  coming  of  the  man-of-war." 

According  to  the  Bishop  of  Columbia's  account, 
the  man-of-war  "  Devastation  "  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.  The  Indians  defied  the  man-of-war,  but 
after  its  departure  the  murderer,  knowing  Mr.  Dun- 
can's renown  for  justice  and  clemency,  surrendered 
himself  at  Metlakahtla,  saying  to  Mr.  Duncan, 
"  Whatever  you  tell  me  to  do  I  will  do.  If  you  say 
I  am  to  go  on  board  the  gun-ship  when  she  comes 
again,  I  will  go." 

The  Bishop  continues :   "  For  six  months  he  had 


HALCYON   DAYS.  47 

been  there  at  large,  and  when  our  gun  sounded  he 
might  have  escaped ;  but  he  said,  *  What  am  I  to 
do  ? '  and  the  answer  was  'You  must  come  with  me 
a  prisoner.'  He  was  accordingly  handed  over  to  us 
a  prisoner,  to  be  taken  to  New  Westminster  to  be 
tried  for  his  life.  The  scene  was  touching  when  his 
wife  and  children  came  to  bid  him  farewell,  and  she 
earnestly  besought  Mr.  Duncan,  the  captain,  and 
myself  to  say  some  one  word  which  might  give  her 
a  ray  of  hope.  Thus  we  see  that  what  the  ship  of 
war  with  its  guns  and  threats  could  not  do  for  civil- 
ization, for  protection  of  life,  for  justice,  the  simple 
character  and  influence  of  one  missionary  could  ac- 
complish for  all  those  importuous  objects.  .  .  . 

"  Among  the  crew  in  Mr.  Duncan's  canoe  was  one 
man  who  had  been  a  noted  drunkard  and  a  violent 
chief,  a  slaughterer  of  many  human  victims  in  his 
day — indeed,  the  head  man  of  the  Tsimshean  tribes 
— who  had  given  up  all  evil  ways,  and  was  now  as 
a  little  child,  a  candidate  for  baptism.  .  .  . 

"  We  were  met,"  he  writes,  "  by  the  whole  village, 
who  stood  on  the  bank  in  a  long  line,  as  fine  a  set 
of  men,  well-dressed,  as  could  anywhere  be  seen 
where  men  live  by  their  daily  toil ;  certainly,  no 
country  village  in  England  would  turn  out  so  well- 
clad  an  assemblage.  .  .  . 

"  I  addressed  the  assembly,  and  was  interpreted 
by  Mr.  Duncan,  who  made  himself,  also,  an  earnest 
and  telling  discourse.  This  change  is  the  result  of 
four  and  a  half  years  of  his  faithful  and  earnest 


48  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

work  as  a  cat  ec  hist.  Beyond  the  expectation  of  all 
persons  acquainted  with  Indians,  success  and  blessing 
have  attended  his  labors"  .  .  . 

The  Metlakahtlans  are  very  dependent  upon  the 
catch  of  fish  during  the  season,  but  many  of  them 
made  great  sacrifice  of  their  time  to  receive  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism.  The  Bishop  of.  Columbia,  dwells 
very  particularly  upon  their  strict  observance  of  the 
Sabbath  while  so  strongly  tempted  to  seek  a  store 
of  food. 

"But  what  did  the  Christian  Indians  do  when 
Sunday  came  ?  The  first  Sunday  of  their  first 
fishing-season,  as  Christians,  although  the  fish  had 
come  up  in  greater  abundance  than  ever,  and  the 
season  was  so  short,  the  Christians  said, '  We  cannot 
go  and  fish.'  The  heathen  were  full  of  excitement, 
gathering  in  the  spoil;  but  the  Christians  said,  'No, 
we  are  God's  people  ;  God  will  provide  for  us,  and 
we  will  spend  His  day  as  He  tells  us  to  do.'  And 
they  kept  holy  each  Lord's  Day  in  the  midst  of  the 
fisldng-season?  An  example  which  a  later  Bishop 
would  have  done  well  to  copy. 

"  Got  to  the  mission-house  at  eight  to  breakfast. 
Afterward  engaged  the  whole  day  seeing  catechu- 
mens till  one  o'clock  next  morning.  One  after 
another  the  poor  Indians  pressed  on  to  be  examined. 
They  had  been  under  training  for  periods,  varying 
from  eight  months,  to  thr.ee  years.  They  had  been 
long  looking  for  a  minister  to  admit  them  to  bap- 
tism. It  was  a  strange  yet  intensely  interesting 


HALCYON   DAYS.  4p 

sight  in  that  log  cabin,  by  the  dim  glimmer  of  a 
small  lamp,  to  see  just  the  countenance  of  the  In- 
dian, sometimes  with  uplifted  eyes,  as  he  spoke  of 
the  blessedness  of  prayer ;  at  other  times,  with  down- 
cast melancholy,  as  he  smote  upon  his  breast  in  the 
recital  of  his  penitence.  The  tawny  face,  the  high 
cheek-bone,  the  glossy  jet-black  flowing  hair,  the 
dark,  glassy  eye,  the  manly  brow,  were  a  picture 
worthy  the  pencil  of  the  artist.  The  night  was  cold 
—I  had  occasionally  to  rise  and  walk  about  for 
warmth — yet  there  were  more.  The  Indian  usually 
retires  as  he  rises,  with  the  sun,  but  now  he  would 
turn  night  into  day,  if  he  might  only  be  allowed  to 
1  have  the  sign,'  and  be  fixed  in  the  good  ways  of 
God.  .  .  . 

"  Converts  from  heathenism  can  fully  realize  re- 
nunciation of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil. 
Among  these  Indians  pomp  of  display,  the  lying 
craft  of  malicious  magic,  as  well  as  all  sins  of  the 
flesh,  are  particularly  glaring,  and  closely  connected 
with  heathenism.  So  are  the  truths  of  the  Creed  in 
strongest  contrast  to  the  dark  and  miserable  fables 
of  their  forefathers,  and  heartily  can  they  pledge 
themselves  to  keep  the  holy  will  of  God,  all  the 
days  of  their  life,  seeing  Him  a  loving  and  true 
Father,  of  whom  now  so  lately,  but  so  gladly,  they 
have  learnt  to  know." 

The  Bishop  of  Columbia  continues:  "  I  first  drew 
forth  their  views  of  the  necessity  of  repentance,  its 
details,  and  their  own  personal  acquaintance  with 


50  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

it.  I  then  questioned  them  as  to  the  Three  Per- 
sons of  the  Trinity,  and  the  special  work  of  each, 
with  allusion  to  the  Judgment,  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  demanded  proof  of  their  resolution  to  keep  the 
will  of  God  for  their  guidef  to  speak  of  God,  and  to 
labor  for  God's  way,  all  their  life  long.  I  sought 
to  find  out  the  circumstances  under  which  they  first 
became  seriously  inclined,  and  to  trace  their  steps 
of  trial  and  grace.  Admitting  them  to  the  promise 
of  baptism,  I  exhorted  them  to  prayer  and  devotion, 
as  a  special  preparation  until  the  time  came." 

The  following  extracts  from  the  Bishop  of 
Columbia's  report  convey  a  most  convincing  testi- 
mony to  the  honesty,  and  depth,  of  conversion  of 
these  recently  reclaimed  savages. 

The  simplicity,  and  apparent  sincerity  of  the 
answers,  will  bear  a  thoughtful  comparison,  with 
those  rendered  in  our  home  churches.  I  beg  my 
readers  will  bear  this  examination  in  mind  while 
reading  the  reference  I  shall  make  to  the  report  of 
the  Society's  Deputation  in  Chapter  VII.  of  this 
volume. 

MALES. 

CLAH,  aged  35. — Answers  : — I  have  made  up  my  mind 
to  live  a  Christian.  Must  try  to  put  away  all  our  sins.  I 
believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  who  died  for  our 
sins.  God  is  good  to  us,  and  made  us.  God  gives  us  His 


HALCYON   DAYS.  5 1 

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  for  us  if  we  fall  away  after  we  have  begun.  I  repent 
I  was  not  baptized  a  year  and  a  half  ago. 

LEGAIC  (principal  chief),  aged  40. — Answers  : — We  must 
put  away  all  our  evil  ways.  I  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.  I  believe  the  good  will  sit  near  to  God  after 
death.  Am  anxious  to  walk  in  God's  ways  all  my  life.  If  I 
tura  back  it  will  be  more  bitter  for  me  than  before.  I  pray 
God  to  wipe  out  my  sins  ;  strengthen  me  to  do  right  ;  pity 
me.  My  prayers  are  from  my  heart.  I  think  sometimes 
God  does  not  hear  me,  because  I  do  not  give  up  all  my  sins. 
My  sins  are  too  heavy.  I  think  we  have  not  strength  of 
ourselves. 

Remarks. — Under  instruction  about  nine  months.  On  two 
occasions  before  attended  for  a  short  time,  but  fell  away. 
Mr.  Duncan  says  this  man  has  made  greater  sacrifices  than 
any  other  in  the  village.  Is  the  principal  chief,  and  has  left 
his  tribe  and  all  greatness.  Has  been  a  most  savage  and 
desperate  man  ;  committed  all  crimes.  Had  the  offer  of 
forty  blankets  to  return  to  his  tribe.  He  now  bears  the  rid- 
icule of  his  former  friends.  Yet  his  temper,  formerly  fero- 
cious, bears  it  patiently,  and  he  returns  kindness,  so  that 
some  have  melted  and  are  ready  to  come  with  him. 

LEE-QU-NEESH  (a  chief),  aged  39. — Answers:  When 
young  was  brought  up  in  sin.  No  one  ever  told  me  the 
good  news.  Cannot  tell  how  great  a  sinner  I  am.  I  be- 
lieve in  God,  and  cannot  turn  back  to  any  of  my  old  ways. 
The  great  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  the  earth.  Jesus 
Christ,  the  only  Son  of  God,  died  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  Spirit.  We 
must  all  stand  before  God.  God  will  know  who  are  good 


52  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

and  bad.  By-and-by  I  shall  know  if  God  hears  me.  My 
heart  is  dark  ;  I  cannot  clearly  tell  now.  A  long  time  I 
felt  it  was  contrary  to  God,  and  when  I  heard  the  good  news 
1  gave  up  evil  ways. 

NEEASH-LAKAH-NOOSH  (called  "the  Lame  Chief;"  he 
is  blind  also  of  an  eye  ;  fine  old  man)  ;  aged  70. — An- 
swers ; — When  asked  if  he  wished  to  become  a  Christian, 
said — For  that  object  I  came  here  with  my  people.  I  have 
put  away  all  lying  ways,  which  I  had  long  followed.  I  have 
trusted  in  God.  We  want  the  Spirit  of  God.  Jesus  came 
to  save  us.  He  compensated  for  our  sins.  Our  Father 
made  us,  and  loved  us  because  we  are  His  work.  He 
wishes  to  see  us  with  Him  because  He  loves  us.  When 
asked  about  the  judgment,  said,  The  blood  of  Jesus  will  free 
those  who  believe  from  condemnation. 

Remarks. — Under  regular  instruction  for  a  year,  and  be- 
fore that  for  some  time  by  his  daughter.  Is  most  consist- 
ent, trying  to  do  simply  what  is  right.  Recently  he  was  be- 
nighted on  a  Saturday,  on  his  way  to  spend  the  Sunday  at 
Metlakatillo,  seven  miles  off.  Would  not  come  on,  nor  let 
his  people  gather  herring-spawn,  close  under  their  feet ;  he 
rested  the  Lord's  Day  according  to  the  commandment. 

YILMAUKSH,  aged  22. — Answers: — I  believe  in  Jesus 
as  my  Saviour,  who  died  to  compensate  for  my  sins  to  God. 

Remarks. — Appears  very  earnest  ;  speaks  devoutly  and- 
freely.  Long  time  under  serious  impressions.  Brought 
out  from  heathenism  three  of  his  relations.  Eight  months 
under  special  instruction. 

LEHT,  aged  25. — Answers  : — I  feel  my  unworthiness,  but 
trust  to  God's  pity.  We  must  pray  constantly  to  God.  I 
have  not  two  hearts  ;  have  given  myself  to  God. 

Remarks. — Was  in  the  "Cariboo"  steamship  when 
blown  up  :  turned  to  God  then.  Three  years  under  in- 
struction. Son  of  a  chief.  Much  tempted  to  go  to  heathen 
feasts,  but  has  steadily  refused. 


HALCYON   DAYS.  53 

KANGISL,  aged  22. — Answers  : — I  am  striving  against  my 
sins,  determined  to  follow  God's  way.  God's  way  good  and 
right,  without  doubt.  Our  way  full  of  mistakes.  Christ 
searched  out  (exposed)  man's  way  and  showed  God's  way, 
and  then  was  punished  to  make  satisfaction  for  our  sins.  I 
pray  for  a  good  heart  and  for  pardon  from  my  sins. 

Remarks. — Four  or  five  years  ago  under  instruction  ;  fell 
away.  A  year  preparing  for  magic  ;  a  year  and  a  half  earnest. 

SHKAH-CLAH,  aged  35. — Answers: — I  have  not  long 
come  forward  for  baptism,  but  have  long  been  wishing  to 
be  fixed  in  God's  way,  and  have  been  struggling  against  my 
sins.  God  punishes  the  wicked  who  persevere  in  their  sins. 
I  must  pray  for  God's  Spirit.  God  teaches  us  humility, 
and  to  love  one  another.  I  pray  for  God  to  pardon  my 
sins,  and  to  dress  me  in  His  righteousness. 

Remarks. — Confesses  he  has  been  very  wicked.  Lately 
his  child  died.  As  it  lay  dying,  with  tears  he  touched  it, 
and  said,  "  This  is  for  my  sins."  Was  moved  strongly  to 
turn  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  child.  Belongs  to  a  lead- 
ing family.  His  brother,  a  heathen  chief,  tells  him  he  will 
be  nobody  if  he  becomes  a  Christian. 

LAPPIGH  KUMLEE,  aged  30. — Answers: — I  have  given 
up  the  lucrative  position  of  sorcerer.  Been  offered  bribes 
to  practise  my  art  secretly.  I  have  left  all  my  mistaken 
ways.  My  eyes  have  been  bored  (enlightened).  I  cry 
every  night  when  I  remember  my  sins.  The  great  Father 
Almighty  sees  everything.  If  I  go  up  to  the  mountains  He 
sees  me.  Jesus  died  for  our  sins  upon  the  cross  to  carry 
our  sins  away. 

Remarks. — Dates  his  change  from  seeing  a  convert  read- 
ing a  book,  and  he  felt  ashamed  that  he  knew  nothing,  and 
he  determined  to  learn,  and  soon  he  found  his  own  system 
false.  One  case,  when  his  spirit  said  there  would  be  recov- 
ery, death  came  ;  and  another,  when  he  foretold  death,  life 
remained. 


54  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Cow-AL-LAH,  aged  30. — Answers: — A  Christian  must 
put  away  sin,  lies,  drunkenness.  I  had  wished  to  come 
forward  at  the  last  baptism,  but  was  held  back  by  those 
around.  I  have  now  broken  away,  and  am  ready  to  give 
myself  to  God.  God  is  the  maker  of  heaven  and  earth. 
God  pitied  our  sins,  and  sent  Jesus  to  save  us.  The  Spirit 
helps  our  weakness.  If  we  follow  God  here  we  shall  find 
God  after  death.  All  must  stand  before  God  and  receive 
according  to  their  works.  Was  struck  at  the  dark  death  of 
many  of  his  relations.  He  and  they  knew  nothing  about 
the  future.  So  when  Mr.  Duncan  came  and  spoke  about 
those  things,  he  gladly  heard,  and  determined  to  follow 
him. 

QuiL-AH-SHKAHKS,  aged  25. — Answers : — I  have  put 
away  my  sins.  I  have  long  sinned  against  God.  I  am  afraid 
of  my  sins.  God  sees  me.  Jesus  has  opened  the  door  of 
heaven  to  us.  God  sends  His  good  Spirit  to  help  us.  God 
will  measure  our  ways  when  we  die.  So  long  as  I  live  I  will 
try  to  give  the  news  of  God  to  others.  The  word  of  God 
has  taught  us  to  hope.  In  the  summer  saw  the  people  die 
from  small-pox.  Saw  the  hand  of  God,  and  trembled  and 
resolved  to  turn  to  God.  We  are  not  strong  to  resist  the 
hand  of  God. 

NEEASH-AH-POOTK,  aged  35. — Answers: — I  have  long 
followed  sins  which  made  God  angry.  I  have  put  away  sin, 
but  if  I  am  ever  so  ignorant  in  my  endeavors  I  will  per- 
severe. Used  to  be  a  great  drunkard.  Have  given  up 
magic  and  display  of  property.  Felt  God  last  summer.  We 
have  turned  back  to  our  great  Father.  He  sees  all;  His 
Spirit  is  with  us.  The  blood  of  Jesus  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin.  How  happy  the  angels  will  be  to  see  us  good,  and  how 
they  will  cry  if  we  are  sinful !  At  the  last  God  will  divide 
us.  Lost  ten  relatives  by  the  small-pox  last  year,  and  it 
opened  my  eyes  to  my  sins.  God's  hand  was  strong  to  cut 
down  sinners. 


HALCYON   DAYS.  *    55 

KSHIN-KEE-AIKS,  aged  36.—  Answers:— I  will  fight  against 
my  sins,  and  continually  cry  to  find  God.  I  will  endeavor 
not  to  retaliate  when  ridiculed.  I  believe  in  the  Lord  in 
heaven,  who  made  the  earth  and  heaven,  and  us,  and  the 
food  we  eat.  Jesus  the  only  Son  of  God  died  to  save  us 
from  our  sins.  God  gives  us  the  Holy  Spirit  to  help  us  to 
contend  against  the  evil  spirits  who  come  against  us.  If  we 
are  sinful  when  we  die,  God's  face  will  be  against  us. 
Wherever  I  go  my  mind  is  fixed  to  serve  God.  At  the  last 
God  will  divide  the  good  from  the  bad.  Used  to  hear  God's 
Word,  and  always  went  back  to  my  sin.  But  at  last  came 
away  with  the  others,  and  was  fixed  then. 

KOW-KAYTH,  aged  18. — Answers: — We  must  leave  all 
sinful  ways,  and  take  hold  of  God's  ways.  I  have  long  car- 
ried sin,  but  must  not  carry  sin  to  God.  God  is  a  great 
Spirit.  Made  earth  and  heaven.  Jesus  died  in  our  stead. 
The  Spirit  of  God  ever  with  us  ;  the  hand  of  God  ever  near. 
If  we  .carry  our  sin  till  we  die,  God  will  punish  us.  We 
must  all  meet  God  when  we  die.  God  will  show  us  our 
ways.  My  father  was  cut  down  in  his  sins.  I  purpose  to 
do  differently. 

KAHLP,  aged  35. — Answers: — I  shall  fight  against  my 
sins.  My  heart  truly  says  I  will  turn  from  sin  to  God.  God 
is  perfectly  right  in  His  ways.  Sees  all,  good  and  evil.  God 
made  all  things — heaven  and  earth  and  us.  The  Son  of 
God  our  Saviour,  Jesus.  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth 
us  from  sin.  God  does  not  withhold  His  Spirit  when  we  cry 
for  it.  Whosoever  believes  in  God,  the  Spirit  of  God  lives 
in  his  heart.  Those  who  die  in  their  sin  go  to  darkness  and 
to  fire.  I  will  fear  God  as  long  as  I  live.  I  pray  for  God's 
Spirit  and  light  to  lead  my  own  spirit  along  the  path  to  Him- 
self when  I  die.  Was  a  slave  ;  was  poor  in  spirit,  and  was 
drawn  to  cry  to  God  to  take  my  heart. 

Remarks. — Answers  freely.  He  was  taken  slave  by  the 
Hydahs  ;  brought  back  and  sold  to  his  old  chief,  and  was 


56  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

some  years  a  slave.  The  chiefs  son  sold  him  to  his  own 
friends,  who  set  him  free. 

SKULLOH,  aged  30. — Answers  : — From  my  birth  I  have 
been  a  sinner.  I  cannot  understand  the  size  of  my  sinful- 
ness.  Cannot  of  myself  give  up  my  sins,  but  God  will  help 
me.  Jesus  our  Saviour  came  from  heaven  ;  that  is  the  rea- 
son why  we  can  be  saved.  I  feel  God  sees  and  understands 
all  we  do,  and  think,  and  speak.  Am  not  afraid  of  the  judg- 
ment, for  God  is  full  of  love  and  mercy, "and  the  Son  of  God  has 
made  our  peace.  I  pray  God  to  prepare  my  heart  to  see  Him. 

Remarks. — 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.  He  was  led  to  think  why  a  little  piece 
of  wood  should  thus  save  his  life  ;  he  became  thoughtful ; 
heard  Mr.  Duncan  was  to  come  to  speak  about  God,  and  at 
once  joined. 

OOSHI-NEEYAM-NAY,  aged  24. — Answers  : — I  will  try  to 
take  hold  of  God's  ways,  and  leave  sin.  When  I  remember 
my  sin  my  heart  cries.  I  believe  in  God,  who  made  heaven 
and  earth,  and  who  is  almighty.  Our  sins  were  the  death 
of  Jesus.  The  blood  of  Jesus  cleanseth  us  from  sin.  We 
must  pray  to  put  our  hearts  to  Him.  Jesus  will  dress  us  in 
His  goodness.  God  sends  His  Spirit  to  make  us  good.  I 
am  not  afraid  of  the  judgment,  for  I  hope  my  heart  will  be 
right  to  see  God  before  I  die.  If  our  hearts  are  not  right  to 
see  God,  He  will  cast  us  into  darkness. 

KlSHEESO,  aged  16. — Answers  : — A  duty  to  give  up  the 
ways  of  the  Tsishseans.  Was  very  wicked  when  quite 
young.  Will  try  to  put  away  my  sin.  I  cannot  eat  again 
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  before  any  other  thing.  My  father  and 
mother  still  in  heathenism,  but  I  cannot  go  back  to  them. 
I  rather  cry  when  I  think  of  them.  I  pray  night  and  morn- 
ing for  God  to  pity  and  to  pardon  me. 


HALCYON   DAYS.  57 

Remarks. — Came  by  himself  in  a  tiny  canoe,  across  the 
sea,  away  from  home,  to  join  the  Christian  people. 

THRAK-SHA-KAWN  (sorcerer),  aged  50. — Answers: — I 
wish  to  give  up  all  wicked  ways.  Have  been  a  medicine-man, 
and  know  the  lies  of  heathenism.  I  believe  in  the  great 
Father  who  made  us,  in  Jesus  who  died  on  the  cross  that 
God  would  pity  us.  I  want  the  Spirit  of  God  to  touch  my 
heart.  We  must  all  stand  before  God.  God  will  measure 
our  ways.  No  one  to  be  his  master  but  God.  I  will  not 
keep  my  eyes  on  the  ground  any  more,  but  will  look  up  to 
heaven  all  my  life. 

Remarks. — He  has  had  to  bear  much  scorn,  and  to  go 
through  much  struggle. 

QU-TL-NOH,  aged  19. — Answers  : — I  wish  to  put  away  all 
sin,  lies,  drunkenness.  Have  erred  in  following  man.  Must 
now  try  to  follow  God.  I  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  who  died 
for  our  sin.  God's  Spirit  prepares  us  for  baptism.  We  shall 
rise  from  the  dead  and  see  God's  face,  if  we  are  God's  chil- 
dren. I  am  wishful  to  serve  God  as  long  as  I  live. 

FEMALES. 

WAHTHL  (wife  of  Legaic),  aged  40. — Answers: — I  wish 
to  put  away  evil  and  have  a  clean  heart.  Feel  the  pain  of 
the  remembrance  of  sin  so  bad  I  would  sometimes  like  to 
die.  I  want  to  seek  God's  face,  but  feel  little  hope  ;  still  I 
determine  to  persevere,  though  miserable.  Loss  of  relatives, 
and  finding  no  peace  and  rest,  and  feeling  in  darkness,  led 
me  to  look  to  God.  I  know  that  God  sent  His  Son  Jesus  to 
die  for  our  sins. 

Remarks. — About  nine  months  under  regular  instruction. 
She  is  evidently  anxious  for  her  soul  ;  knows  the  truth,  but 
her  sins  are  a  burden  that  she  has  not  found  peace.  She 
has  been  anxious  her  husband  should  go  forwards  in  good. 

LOOSL  (widow  of  the  cannibal  chief  who  died  penitent), 


58  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

aged  25. — Answers : — I  know  how  blind  I  have  been.  Was 
first  turned  to  God  by  the  news  of  the  Saviour.  Was  struck 
that  He  came  down  amongst  us.  God  is  a  Spirit  full  of  love. 
Christ  came  to  carry  away  our  sins.  We  must  pray  for  the 
Spirit  to  help  us.  I  confess  my  sins  to  God  and  cry  for  pity. 
I  pray  for  my  friends.  After  death  the  judgment.  We  must 
stand  before  God.  Jesus  will  answer  for  those  who  trust  in 
Him. 

Remarks. — Upheld  her  husband  in  his  wickedness.  Was 
turned  by  his  turning  at  his  death. 

SHOODAHSL  (wife  of  Clah),  aged  30. — Answers:— We 
must  give  up  all  sin.  God  sees  and  knows  us  all  through. 
Jesus  died  in  our  stead  because  we  were  bad.  By  the  Spirit 
of  Jesus  we  must  learn  to  walk  in  the  good  way.  I  feel 
struggle  in  my  mind,  but  persevere.  I  pray  for  pardon. 
Will  do  all  I  can  to  keep  God's  way.  God's  own  Word 
promises  that  He  will  hear. 

NlSHAH-KIGH  (chieftainess  of  the  Nishkahs),  aged  45. — 
Answers : — I  must  leave  all  evil  ways.  I  feel  myself  a  sinner 
in  God's  sight.  I  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  and 
in  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  our  sins.  God  sends  down  His 
Spirit  to  make  us  good.  Jesus  is  in  heaven,  and  is  writing 
our  names  in  God's  book.  We  must  stand  before  God  and 
be  judged  by  Him.  I  feel  God's  Word  is  truth.  Have  been 
for  some  time  accustomed  regularly  to  pray. 

Remarks. — Two  years  ago  she  was  found  giving  Christian 
instruction  to  a  sick  and  dying  person.  Her  husband  tells 
me  she  passed  much  time  in  devotion.  When  she  first  heard 
the  Word  of  God  her  sorrow  was  great,  and  her  penitence 
more  than  she  could  bear.  Some  five  years  she  has  been 
earnestly  seeking  God. 

NAYAHK,  aged  30. — Answers  : —  I  have  been  a  great  sin- 
ner, but  God  has  opened  my  heart  to  see  good,  and  I  am 
resolved  by  His  help  to  put  away  all  evil  and  live  to  God. 
I  pray  for  pardon  and  God's  Holy  Spirit.  I  feel  unhappi- 


HALCYON  DAYS.  59 

ness  now  amongst  my  heathen  friends,  and  have  pleasure 
only  with  God's  people. 

Remarks. — Her  husband  has  been  sent  away.  She  re- 
mained, although  at  the  cost  of  much  privation  to  herself; 
but  she  would  not  go  back  to  heathenism.  Replied  well  as 
to  the  special  work  of  each  Person  of  the  Trinity. 

NAYAHK  (wife  of  Lapplighcumlee,  a  sorcerer),  aged  25. 
— Answers : — Answers  well  and  clearly  upon  the  separate 
work  of  each  Person  of  the  Trinity.  Prays  for  pardon — for 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

Remarks, — Suffered  much  from  the  mockery  of  her  hus- 
band. At  her  earnest  demand  he  gave  up  devilry.  Under 
eighteen  months'  regular  instruction.  Been  consistent  in 
the  midst  of  opposition  ;  adhered  to  the  Mission  when 
many  were  against.  Has  been  a  blessing  to  her  family,  all 
of  whom  have  renounced  heathenism.  Her  husband,  the 
sorcerer,  laments  his  past  life,  and  would  be  the  first  to  put 
his  foot  upon  the  evil  system. 

AD-DAH-KIPPI  (wife  of  a  Christian  Indian),  aged  25. — 
Answers  : — I  must  put  away  sin.  I  know  I  have  been  mak- 
ing God  angry,  but  must  put  away  all  my  old  ways,  lies, 
and  the  evil  of  my  fathers.  God  gave  us  commandments. 
God  would  not  hear  us  till  we  put  away  our  sins,  Jesus 
would  make  peace  for  us  and  add  His  spirit.  Am  resolved 
to  endeavour  to  live  to  God  all  my  life.  Was  much  moved 
last  fishing  at  my  sinfulness,  and  then  repented  strongly, 
and  resolved  to  walk  with  God.  I  pray  morning,  noon,  and 
night  for  pardon  and  God's  Spirit. 

Remarks. — Had  opposed  her  husband,  who  is  a  Christian. 

WAH-TEE-BOO,  aged  16. — Answers  : — Have  been  sorely 
tempted.  Jesus  came  down  from  Heaven  to  save  sinners, 
and  to  make  our  peace  with  God.  Jesus  shed  His  blood  for 
our  sins.  Jesus  will  be  as  a  ladder  for  us  to  heaven  when 
we  die.  We  must  stand  before  God.  We  must  cry  to  God  be- 
fore we  die,  and  not  put  off.  I  pray  for  a  clean  heart  to  God. 


60  THE   STORY   OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

Remarks. — Made  a  touching  confession  of  her  sins,  when 
applying  for  baptism. 

PAIEK  (wife  of  Slulloh),  aged  25. — Answers  : — Want  to 
find  God.  I  repent  of  my  sins.  First  led  to  think  by  the 
shock  of  my  father  being  shot  in  the  house  by  another 
Indian.  Sought  peace  and  came  to  Metla-katla.  God  is 
almighty,  full  of  goodness,  and  truth,  and  love.  Jesus,  the 
Son  of  God,  died  for  our  sins.  Asked  what  we  should  ask 
God  for.  She  said,  light.  The  good  will  dwell  with  God 
for  ever,  the  bad  be  cast  away. 

LAHSL,  aged  22. — Answers  : — 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  God.  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  made  bad  by  my  people,  but  have  now  turned  to  God. 

Remarks  : — Eighteen  months  under  instruction.  Been 
afflicted,  and  shown  great  constancy. 

AHK-YAIK,  aged  22. — Answers  : — My  sins  I  must  leave. 
I  pray  to  God  for  pardon.  Believe  in  God  who  made  us, 
and  heaven  and  earth.  Jesus  Christ  the  son  of  God,  our 
Lord.  He  came  down  from  heaven  to  our  world  to  save 
sinners.  God  is  a  great  spirit.  God  will  measure  our  ways. 
I  have  struggled  against  iny  friends  who  wish  to  get  me 
away  from  here. 

Remarks  : — About  ten  months  under  instruction. 

SHYIT-LEBBEN  (wife  of  Kow-al-ah),  aged  23.—  Answers : 
— I  have  a  miserable  heart  when  I  think  of  my  sins.  Jesus 
had  compassion,  and  died  on  the  cross  for  our  sins,  that  we 
might  live  after  His  death.  God  sends  down  His  Spirit  to 
make  us  good.  After  death  God  will  show  us  our  sins  and 
divide  us.  I  pray  when  I  wake  in  the  night.  If  only  my 
tongue  speaks,  my  prayers  do  not  go  to  God;  but  if  my 
heart  speaks,  God  hears  my  prayers. 


HALCYON   DAYS.  6l 

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  I  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. 

OO-AH  (wife  of  Thrak-sha-kaun),  aged  38. — Answers  : — 
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.  We 
shall  find  God  when  we  die,  having  lost  our  sins.  Those 
who  remain  in  their  sins  will  be  carried  away.  I  prayed  to 
God  for  salvation. 

Who  can  read  these  simple  childlike  professions 
of  faith,  without  being  impressed  with  the  mighty 
change,  from  the  vicious,  defiant,  bravado  which 
many  of  the  self-same  men  and  women,  had  exhibit- 
ed when  Mr.  Duncan,  began  to  show  them  "  the 
way." 

On  the  day  appointed,  fifty-six,  accepted  candi- 
dates for  baptism,  assembled  in  the  church,  and, 
ranged  themselves  in  a  large  circle,  in  the  midst  of 
which  the  ceremony  was  to  be  performed. 

The  Bishop  of  Columbia  thus  describes  the 
scene  : — 

"  The  impressiveness  of  the  occasion  was  mani- 
fest in  the  devout  and  reverent  manner  of  all  pres- 
ent. There  were  no  external  aids — sometimes 
thought  necessary  for  the  savage  mind — to  produce 


62  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

or  increase  the  solemnity  of  the  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  for  the  font,  and  I  offi- 
ciated in  a  surplice.  Thus  there  was  nothing  to  im- 
press the  senses,  no  colour,  or  ornament,  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  prepared  to  offer  themselves  to  God,  and  to 
renounce  forever  the  hateful  sins  and  cruel  deeds 
of  their  heathenism ;  and  the  solemn  stillness  was 
broken  only  by  the  breath  of  prayer.  The  responses 
were  made  with  earnestness  and  decision.  Not  an 
individual  was  there,  whose  lips  did  not  utter  in 
their  own  expressive  tongue,  their  hearty  readiness 
to  believe,  and  to  serve,  God."  .  .  . 

On  the  following  day,  the  Bishop  was  called  upon 
to  unite  in  marriage  three  native  couples. 

"  Nothing  could  be  more  pleasing,  than  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  young  people  conducted  them- 
selves. The  service  evidently  impressed  both  them 
and  their  friends  who  came  to  witness  the  ceremony. 
The  custom  of  the  wedding-ring  was  quite  novel  to 
them,  in  connection  with  marriage.  Rings  they  have 
in  abundance  generally.  I  have  counted  thirty  on  a 


A   NATIVE    BELLE. 


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  was  no  confusion  ;  all  evidently 
were  properly  impressed.  Two  of  the  young  ladies 
had  white  dresses.  I  presented  each  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  be  decided  which  are  not  incidental 
to  old-established  countries.  Parents,  still  unbap- 
tized,  sought  baptism  for  their  children  ;  prudence 
prevented  this.  Children,  of  one  parent  Christian, 
the  other  heathen,  were  admitted.  Two  parents, 
still  unbaptised,  came  to  say  they  had  given  their 
child  to  a  sister  who  was  a  Christian,  and  who  had 


64  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

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  the  village. 

"  They  assembled  in  the  octagon.  Cloths  were 
laid  ;  all  brought  their  own  dishes  and  spoons. 
There  were  three  tables,  at  each  of  which  one  of  the 
chiefs  presided.  Their  custom  is  to  eat  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  find  it, 
Persevere,  and  never  mind  it' 

'  Come  tell  me  now,  sweet  little  bird, 
Who  decked  thy  wings  with  gold  ?  ' 

'See  our  oars,  with  feather'd  spray  ;  ' 

and  last,  '  God  save  the  Queen.'  In  this  they  were 
as  quick  and  lively  as  any  children  in  the  world  the 


HALCYON   DAYS.  65 

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  anotlicr 
visit  to  Metlakahtla,  about  three  years  later,writes  : 

"  Groups  of  well-dressed  Indians  were  waiting  to 
receive  us.  With  many  of  them  I  shook  hands, 
having  baptised  most  of  them.  The  great  octagon 
was  well  filled.  It  was  a  thankful  sight  to  behold 
the  clean,  neat,  and  orderly  flock  gathered  with  a 
devotional  object  to  the  Christian  house  of  prayer. 
In  a  front  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  of  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  prayers,  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  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  Sparrow-hawk?  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  quote 
from  Dr.  Halcombe's  report  : 

"  At  an  early  hour  a  party  from  the  ship  landed, 
to  help  decorate  the  mission-house,  and  bastion, 
with  a  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  Bishop  of 
Columbia,  who  officiated,  '  to  witness  the  devout 
manner  of  the  sponsors,  and  to  hear  their  audible 
responses.  None  anywhere  could  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,  and  nicely  dressed,  as 
the  children  of  the  best  village  school  in  England. 
After  singing  '  God  Save  the  Queen  '  in  English, 
they  were  each  presented  with  a  biscuit.  Next 
came  1 20  elderly  men  and  women,  to  whom  a  few 
leaves  of  tobacco  were  an  acceptable  token  of 
friendly  feeling ;  the  sick,  too,  were  remembered  ; 
and  last,  not  least,  the  councilmen  and  constables. 

"  Precisely  at  twelve  o'clock,  a  royal    salute   of 


HALCYON   DAYS.  6/ 

twenty-one  guns  boomed  forth  from  the  ship,  to 
the  great  satisfaction  and  some  astonishment  of  the 
groups  of  Indians,  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  the  old  time  and  the  new,  made 
up  a  scene  which  for  interest,  and  enjoyment,  could 
not  well  be  surpassed. 

"  But  the  most  exciting  part  of  the  programme 
for  the  day  was  the  regatta.  The  course  was  about 
two  miles,  round  the  island.  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,  rowed  by  women, 
also  contended  for  a  prize. 

"  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  Quoquolt 
Indians  came  to  Metlakahtla.  As  they  landed 
from  their  fleet  of  Bella  Bella  canoes,  the  contrast 
which  they  presented  to  the  well-dressed  and  re- 
spectable Metlakahtlans,  was  very  striking.  They 
were  clothed  in  tattered  blankets  which  scarcely 
covered  their  nakedness.  Their  faces  were  painted 


68  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  Legaic.  The  evening  was  devoted  to 
a  public  meeting,  and  a  magic-lantern  entertain- 
ment. 

"  At  the  meeting  several  of  the  officers  from  the 
'  Sparrow-hawk  '  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  idea  of 
the  general  line  of  the  addresses,  and  the  highly 
figurative  language  peculiar  to  Indian  oratory  : " 

ABRAHAM  KEMSkAH. — "  Chiefs,  I  will  say  a 
little.  How  were  we  to  hear,  when  we  were 
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 ;  we  struggle,  but,  in  spite  of  our  efforts,  we 
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  we  fall  short !  Still 
we  are  encouraged  to  persevere.  We  feel  we  are 
nearing  the  shore  ;  we  are  coming  nearer  the  hand 
of  God,  near  peace.  We  must  look  neither  to  the 
right  nor  left,  but  look  straight  on  and  persevere." 


HALCYON   DAYS.  69 

PETER  SIMPSON  (Thrak-shah-kawn — once  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  has 
brought  you  here  :  one  thing  was  the  cause.  To 
teach  us  the  way  of  God,  and  help  us  to  walk  in  it. 
Our  forefathers  were  wicked  and  dark  ;  they  taught 
us  evil,  they  taught  us  aldicd  (sorcery).  My  eyes 
have  swollen.  Three  nights  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  happy  to  see  so  many  of  my 
brothers  and  sisters  newly  born  to  God.  God  has 
spoken  to  us  :  '  let  us  hear.'  " 

RICHARD  WILSON. — "Chiefs,  as  we  have  now 
heard,  so  do  ye.  Indeed,  father  "  (addressing  Mr. 
Duncan), "  we  are  sinners  before  you  ;  we  often  make 
your  voice  bad  in  calling  us  ;  we  must  persevere,  we 
must  try,  though  we  are  bad  ;  we  are  like  the  wedge 
used  in  splitting  the  trees  ;  we  are  making  the  way 
for  our  children  :  they  will  be  better  than  we  are. 
The  sun  does  not  come  out  in  full  strength  in  early 
morn  ;  the  gray  light  at  first  spreads  itself  over  the 
earth  ;  as  it  rises  the  light  increases,  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." 

DANIEL  BAXTER  (Neeash-ah-pootk}.—"  Chiefs,  I 


70  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

am  foolish,  I  am  bad,  bad  in  your  sight.  What  can 
our  hearts  say  ?  What  shall  we  do  ?  We  can  only 
pray  and  persevere.  We  will  not  listen  to  voices 
on  this  side  or  that,  but  follow  on  till  we  reach  our 
Father  in  heaven." 

CHEEVOST  (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  God  for  help  to  follow  on.  We 
must  beg  God's  Holy  Spirit  to  strengthen  us  and 
to  guide  us.  Chiefs,  do  you  but  speak,  and  we  will 
obey." 

WOODEEMEESH  (Simeon}. — "  I  will  speak  to  my 
brethren.  What  has  God  done  to  us  ?  What 
does  He  see  in  us  that  He  should  be  working  for 
us  ?  We  are  like  the  fallen  tree  buried  in  the  un- 
dergrowth. What  do  these  chiefs  gain  by  coming 
to  us  ?  Did  we  call  them  ?  Do  we  know  from 
whence  they  are,  or  did  we  see  the  way  they  had 
come  ?  Yet  they  have  arrived  to  us.  They  have 
torn  away  the  undergrowth  ;  they  have  found  us ; 
and  they  have  lifted  up  our  hands  and  our  eyes  to 
God,  and  showed  us  the  way  to  heaven." 

To  those  men  who  now  in  attempting  to  destroy 


HALCYON  DAYS.  7 1 

the  Native  Christian  Church  in  Metlakahtla  declare 
—that  Mr.  Duncan's  work  is  superficial — "  he  is  too 
much  of  a  trader" — "  he  is  a  misleader" — "  incites 
them  to  lawlessness  " — "  he  influences  them  for  evil  " 
etc.,  I  commend  the  following  expressions  of  the 
Bishop  of  Columbia  ;  and,  the  Bishop  spoke  with  a 
knowledge,  and  with  a  personal  experience ;  and 
after  watching  the  development  of  this  little 
oasis  : — 

"  All  former  work,  varied,  and  interesting,  and  im- 
pressive as  ministerial  life  is,  seems  insignificant, 
before  this  manifest  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
touching  the  heart  and  enlightening  the  understand- 
ing of  so  many  recently  buried  in  the  darkness  and 
misery  of  ignorant  and  cruel  superstition. 

"  To  a  iv  or  thy,  zealous,  and  gifted  lay  brother,  is 
this  re^vard  of  his  loving  and  patient  labors.  Few 
would  believe  what  Mr.  Duncan  has  gone  through 
during  the  past  four  years  and  a  half,  laboring 
alone  among  the  heathen.  Truly  is  the  result  an 
encouragement  to  us  all." 

Speaking  of  Legaic's  reformation,  the  Bishop 
says  : — 

"  He  is  industrious,  and  gains  a  good  liveli- 
hood, and  lives  in  a  comfortable  house  of  his  own 
building,  with  good  glass  windows  and  a  veranda. 
Chairs  were  set  for  visitors,  and  we  had  much  talk 
about  the  Mission,  and  the  work,  and  the  tribe. 
His  only,  child  Sarah  is  one  of  the  most  promising 
girls  of  the  Mission-house." 


72  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Rev.  R.  Dundas  also  writing  at  about  the  same 
time  alludes,  to  Legaic's  family  : — 

"  He  and  his  wife  have  one  child  only,  a  young 
girl  of  fourteen.  She  was  a  modest-looking,  pleas- 
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 !  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  observed  on  Sunday  a  row  of  well-be- 
haved and  devout  young  girls  with  Bibles  in  their 
hands.  As  I  gave  out  my  text  they  found  the  pas- 
sage. On  Sunday  evening  I  heard  them  read  the 
Bible,  and  they  sang  chants  and  hymns,  some  in 
English,  and  some  in  Tsimshean.  To-day  I  exam- 
ined several  of  them  in  reading,  and  was  much 
pleased  by  the  accurate,  and  devout  manner,  in  which 
they  read  the  Word  of  God.* 

"  These  were  to  be  the  future  mothers  of  a  new 
generation.  Already  has  he  seen  one  set  go  forth 
from  the  Institution,  well,  and  respectably  married 


*  Compare  this  with  Deputations  Statement  Chapter  VII.  this 
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  aptly  related  the  inci- 
dent of  a  man  and  wife,  who,  when  seeking  advice 
as  how  to  combat  each,  the  other's  obstinacy,  were 
bidden  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  together ; 
then  it  was  drawn  over  without  resistance,  or  assist- 
ance. They  saw  the  point,  and  profited. 

The  Rev.  R.  Dundas  visited  Metlakahtla  about 
a  year  after  the  Bishop  of  Columbia's  first  visit. 


74  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

During  his  stay  arrangements,  were  made  for  the 
baptism  of  a  considerable  number  of  converts  who 
had  shown  themselves  worthy  of  that  sacrament. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Dundas  depicts  the  mission,  and 
the  incidents  of  his  visit : — 

"  It  was  a  pretty  sight  to  see  the  whole  popula- 
tion, old  and  young,  at  the  sound  of  the  bell, 
thronging  to  worship  God.  No  need  to  lock 
doors,  for  there  is  no  one  to  enter  the  empty 
houses.  Every  soul  is  assembled  in  the  one  place, 
and  for  one  purpose.  As  they  entered,  the  men 
took  the  right  and  the  women  the  left  hand  of  the 
great  circular  hall.  I  was  surprised  to  learn  from 
Mr.  Duncan  afterward  that  he  had  never  bidden 
them  to  do  this  ;  they  seemed  to  have  adopted  the 
arrangement  instinctively.  Service  began  with  a 
hymn  in  Tsimshean.  He  led  with  his  concertina. 
The  air  was  very  plaintive  and  beautiful — sung  by 
some  200  voices,  men,  women,  and  children — it 
thrilled  through  me.  Then  followed  prayers  in  Tsim- 
shean, at  the  close  of  which  all  joined  in  the  Lord's 
Prayer  in  English.  Then  followed  a  chant ;  one 
of  the  Psalms  he  had  translated  and  taught  them, 
to  a  fine  old  Gregorian.  His  address,  or  sermon, 
of  nearly  an  hour,  was  upon  the  story  of  Martha  and 
Mary.  His  manner  and  gesticulation  were  ani- 
mated and  striking,  very  much  after  their  own  style. 
Their  attention  never  seemed  to  flag  throughout. 
He  asked  me  to  address  them,  which  I  did,  shortly, 
upon  their  present  light  as  compared  with  their 


HALCYON   DAYS.  75 

past  darkness,  and  the  difficulties  they  must  expect 
in  their  new  cause  of  Christian  discipleship.  Mr. 
Duncan  interpreted  for  me.  Before  separating  they 
sang  again  in  Tsimshean  a  sort  of  sacred  air,  which 
seemed  familiar  to  me,  and  was  exquisitely  beauti- 
ful. I  found  afterward  it  was  the  anthem,  '  I  will 
arise,  and  go  to  my  Father,'  somewhat  altered,  and 
made  more  Indian  in  its  character.  It  suited  their 
voices  admirably.  I  closed  with  a  short  prayer  in 
English,  and  pronounced  the  Benediction. 

"  The  service  was  most  striking.  It  was  hard  to 
realize  that  three  years  ago  these  had  all  been  sunk 
in  the  deepest  heathenism,  with  all  its  horrible  prac- 
tices. What  hours,  what  whole  nights  of  wrestling 
in  prayer,  have  been  spent  by  this  single-minded 
faitJifnl  servant  of  God,  in  humble  supplication  that 
he  might  ( see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,'  and  how  has 
he  been  answered !  There  is  nothing  too  hard  for 
the  Lord. 

"  I  went  on  shore  in  the  afternoon,  to  take  up  my 
quarters  with  Mr.  Duncan.  About  four  o'clock  the 
bell  was  rung,  and  the  whole  village  assembled  at 
the  school-house,  when  Mr.  Duncan  told  them  that 
on  the  following  Sunday,  those  who  desired  it,  and 
also  on  examination  approved  themselves,  would  be 
admitted  to  Holy  Baptism.  Candidates  were  to 
assemble  that  evening  at  seven,  to  give  in  their 
names.  In  his  address  to  them  he  was  very  pointed 
and  stringent — fencing  in,  as  he  afterward  told  me, 


76  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

the  door  of  admission.  He  told  them  the  strict,  un- 
compromising requirements  in  those  who  thus  sought 
to  join  themselves  to  Christ  and  His  service.  Better 
that  they  should  postpone  so  solemn  and  awful  a  step 
than  come  to  it  unprepared.  At  the  hour  appointed 
the  candidates  were  assembled.  Fifty-five  gave  in 
their  names.  Several  were  absent  who  would  have 
come  forward  had  they  been  there ;  but,  as  my 
coming  was  not  anticipated,  at  least  150  to  200  were 
away  for  their  last  hunting  and  fishing  excursions 
before  the  winter,  and  would  not  be  back  for  some 
weeks.  .  .  . 

"  /  was  strongly  impressed  with  the  real  earnest- 
ness and  devotion  of  those  who  came  forward,  and 
with  their  acquaintance  with  the  simple,  saving 
truths  of  the  Gospel  message. 

"  A  few  answers  may  interest." 

"  COMKAHGWUM,  aged  about  twenty-five,  a  fine  young 
man — to  the  inquiry,  what  led  him  first  to  think  of  Christ — 
said,  *  It  was  the  winter  before  last.  The  new  school  was  built 
at  Fort  Simpson.  Mr.  Duncan  asked  all  the  Indians  one 
Sunday  to  come  to  church.  I  had  never  been.  I  went  then. 
He  told  us  of  our  evil  ways,  and  of  God  who  loved  us.  It 
was  good  to  my  heart  ;  I  was  deep  in  the  ground  then  ;  but 
now,  when  I  heard  this,  I  wanted  to  be  free,  and  to  love 
God  :  that  was  the  first  time  I  thought  of  him.' 

"  Tn  answer  to  the  inquiry  about  God's  view  of  sin,  and  His 
feeling  toward  sinners,  he  said,  '  God's  heart  is  against  sin, 
He  is  angry  with  it.  But  He  pitied  us.  It  was  all  for  Jesus' 
sake.'  (What  did  Jesus  Christ  do  for  us  ?)  '  Jesus  came 
down  from  His  Father  to  die  for  our  sins  on  the  Cross. 


HALCYON   DAYS.  77 

(Is  He  dead  still  ?)  '  Oh,  no  !  He  rose  up  from  death.  He 
is  in  heaven  now.  He  is  working  for  us  there.  He  is  sprink- 
ling us  with  His  blood  to  make  us  clean.'  (What  must  we 
leave  and  do  to  be  Christians  ?)  '  We  must  leave  our  sinful 
ways  ;  we  must  have  new  hearts  ;  our  old  hearts  are  bad. 
We  must  believe  in  our  Lord.'  (Who  will  help  you  ?)  '  Je- 
sus sends  down  His  Holy  Spirit  to  strengthen  our  hearts  : 
we  must  keep  praying  for  His  good  Spirit.'  (Do  you  pray 
for  it  ?)  'I  am  always  working  in  prayer  for  God  to  pity  me.' 
(If  you  are  tempted,  what  will  you  do  ?)  'I  will  fight  my 
sins.  God  will  help  me  to  fight.'  This  poor  man  has  been 
a  murderer  in  his  heathen  state.  Three  years  ago  he  was 
provoked  by  another  of  the  tribe,  and  wronged  in  the  same 
way.  He  watched  him  out  of  the  village  at  Fort  Simpson, 
and  then  shot  him  dead.  It  weighs  much  upon  his  mind 
now. 

"  Here  are  some  answers  of  an  elderly  woman  :  '  I  want 
to  take  hold  of  the  hand  of  God.  He  is  willing  to  pity  me  ; 
our  sins  killed  Jesus  ;  but  His  blood  saves  us.  I  must  leave 
all  my  sins,  for  Jesus  suffered  for  them.  We  shall  stand  be- 
fore God  ;  we  must  see  God's  righteousness.  He  will  give 
His  hand  to  the  good,  but  He  will  put  the  wicked  away  from 
Him.'  This  woman,  who  cannot  be  less  than  fifty,  has  had 
no  instruction,  save  what  she  has  heard  in  church.  It  has 
come  chiefly  from  her  own  daughter  of  fifteen,  who  is  one 
of  the  Mission-house  inmates,  and  has  been  with  Mr.  Dun- 
can for  four  years,  his  best  and  most  promising  young  con- 
vert. She  has  been  baptized  by  the  Bishop,  and  has  now 
been  the  instructress  of  her  parents,  both  of  whom  will  be 
baptized  by  me  to-morrow. 


"  From  two,  or  three  elderly  men,  I  got  of  course 
answers  less  full.  It  is  hard  for  them  to  remember 
truths  so  as  to  give  definite  answers  in  words.  They 


78  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

feel,  and  know,  more  than  they  can  explain.  In  a 
few  cases  Mr.  Duncan  said,  if  I  would  allow  him,  he 
would  not  put  any  questions  to  them  formally,  but 
would  leave  them  to  tell  in  their  own  way  why  they 
sought  for  baptism.  And  very  touching  it  was  even 
to  listen  to  them,  though  I  could  not  understand 
them.  One,  with  tears  streaming  down,  said  he  was 
very  old,  and  must  soon  die ;  but  he  wanted  to  be 
at  peace  with  God.  He  knew  his  ways  had  been 
bad  all  his  life  ;  but  he  had  had  no  light ;  and  now 
he  wanted  to  belong  to  Jesus,  for  he  knew  Jesus 
loved  him  and  died  for  him. 

"All  Saints'  Day.  To-day  I  was  privileged  to 
perform  the  most  interesting  scene  I  have  ever  taken 
part  in  since  I  left  England.  Fifty-two  souls  have 
been  baptized  with  water  and  the  Spirit,  and  added 
to  the  Church  of  Christ,  most  of  whom  were  walk- 
ing a  few  years  ago  in  the  darkness  that  might  be 
felt  of  degraded  heathenism. 

"  After  service  on  board,  Lieutenant  Verney  ac- 
companied me  on  shore.  The  Baptismal  Service 
was  arranged  to  take  place  at  two,  for  adults,  of 
whom  there  were  thirty-nine.  A  second  service  was 
fixed  for  the  infants  of  some  of  the  Christians,  thir- 
teen in  number,  at  five  o'clock.  A  large  number 
of  the  sailors  from  the  gun-boat  were  present,  and 
seemed  greatly  interested  in  the  solemn  rite.  A 
small  table  was  arranged  on  a  low  platform  at  one 
side  of  the  great  circular  Mission-house.  On  it 
were  placed  four  silver  dishes  containing  water, 


HALCYON  DAYS.  79 

which  Lieutenant  Verney  lent  for  the  occasion ; 
they  were  the  best  substitute  we  could  obtain  for  a 
font. 

"  The  service  of  course  had  to  be  gone  through 
twice  :  after  each  prayer  and  exhortation,  in  the 
adult  form,  had  been  offered  or  spoken  by  me  in 
English,  Mr.  Duncan  repeated  it  in  Tsimshean. 
The  candidates  were  arranged  in  rows — the  men 
behind,  the  women  in  front.  On  either  side  of  them, 
all  round  the  hall,  were  the  rest  of  the  congregation, 
Indians  and  sailors.  At  the  proper  point  in  the 
service,  one  by  one,  the  candidates  stepped  forward 
in  front  of  the  assembled  congregation.  Mr.  Dun- 
can called  up  each  by  his  heathen  name.  In  answer 
to  my  request,  '  Name  this  person,'  he  gave  the  new 
Christian  name,  and  by  it  I  baptized  the  candidate. 

"As  I  held  the  hand  of  each,  while  receiving  him 
or  her  into  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  signing  him 
with  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  I  could  often  feel  that  they 
trembled  with  deep  emotion.  On  returning  one  by 
one  to  their  places,  each  knelt  down  in  silent  prayer. 
The  Baptism  being  ended,  I  offered  up  the  two 
concluding  prayers,  all  joining  in  the  Lord's  Prayer 
in  English.  I  then  addressed  the  newly  baptized. 

"  In  describing  his  departure  he  said,  '  Up  anchor, 
and  started  at  seven.  Mr.  Duncan  came  off  in  his 
canoe  to  say  good-by.  The  Indians  ran  the  British 
ensign  up  as  we  passed  the  flag-staff,  which  Lieuten- 
ant Verney  acknowledged  by  hoisting  all  his  colors 
— red,  white,  and  blue — at  main,  fore,  and  mizzen. 


80  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

And  so  I  bid  good-by  to  this  most  interesting  place. 
//  takes  its  position  now  as  one  of  the  civilized  towns 
or  villages  of  British  Columbia.  But  it  is  more  than 
that :  it  is  the  enduring  witness  of  the  faith  and 
patience  and  love  of  one  unaided  Christian  teacher^ 
whose  sole  reward  (the  only  one  he  has  ever  coveted) 
is  the  souls  he  has  been  the  honored  instrument  of 
bringing  from  darkness  to  light.  i  I  have  seen  Mis- 
sions  in  various  parts  of  the  world  before  now '  (said 
Lieutenant  Vcrney  to  me],  '  but  nowhere  one  that  has 
so  impressed  me  with  the  reality  of  what  has  been 
accomplished?  " 

Bishop  Cridge,  then,  (Dean  of  Victoria),  gives  the 
following  picturesque  account  of  his  inspection  of 
Mr.  Duncan's  school,*  and  of  an  evening  gathering. 

"  Examined  the  writing  exercises  of  the  first  class 
of  girls.  The  words  '  whale,'  *  shark,'  '  salmon,' 
'seal,'  were  written  on  the  black-board,  and,  each 
girl  wrote  a  short  theme  in  connection  with  each 
word.  Some  of  the  exercises  were  as  good  as  in  an 
English  school  in  respect  to  composition,  spelling, 
and  penmanship. 

"  In  the  evening,  the  girls  sang  some  of  their  na- 
tive nursery  rhymes.  Some  were  very  pretty,  some 
ludicrous,  some  pathetic.  Among  the  latter  is  that 
of  the  little  slave-child,  who  is  told  by  her  captors 


*  It  is  worthy  of  mention  that  Mr.  Duncan  from  the  first,  in  his 
indefatigable  devotion  to  the  progress  of  .his  people,  realizing  the 
necessity  of  their  daily  toil,  held  night-school  for  the  adults. 


HALCYON   DAYS.  8 1 

that  her  mother  is  gone  getting   clams ;  and  the 
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- 
gend 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,  introducing  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  always  remember ; 
e.g.,  '  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 
straighten  his  neck.  The  man,  terrified,  cried  out, 
''Hold  hard  there!  Born  so,  born  so!"'  One 
evening  some  one  made  a  remark  on  their  Indian 
gait,  which  Mr.  Duncan  interpreted  to  the  girls,  to 
their  great  amusement;  and  one  of  them  exclaimed, 
in  English,  '  Born  so  ! '  which  was  immediately  taken 
up  by  the  rest,  some  of  them  jumping  up  and  cari- 
caturing their  own  peculiarities  ;  upon  which  Mr. 
Duncan,  explained  to  us  the  allusion. 

"  This  evening  Mr.  Duncan,  showed  me  a  letter, 
just  received  from  one  of  the  girls  whom  he  had 
occasion  to  reprove  in  the  morning.  In  broken 


82  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

English  she  bewailed  her  ingratitude  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  part  of  his  plan,  to  create  in  them 
a  love  of  home,  and  a  love  of  each  other,  and  purity 
of  relationship. 

This  letter  was  sent  to  a  sister  who  was  leading 
an  evil  life  in  Victoria.  Eliza  had  already  succeeded 
in  rescuing  one  of  her  sisters  from  a  life  of  shame. 
Many  are  the  Magdalens  whom  Mr.  Duncan  has 
fully  reclaimed  from  degradation. 

"  METLAKAHTLA. 

"  MY  DEAR  SISTER  :  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.  1  want  you  to  hear 
what  I  speak  to  you.  Come  now,  my  sister,  I  hope 
you  will  return  and  live  in  your  own  place.  Do  not 
persevere  to  follow  bad  ways.  You  must  try  to  for- 
sake your  way ;  repent  from  your  heart.  You  hear 
our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Cast  all  your  bad  ways 
on  Jesus.  He  know  to  save  us  when  we  die.  I 
very  happy  because  I  see  my  brother  and  sister 
come  again.  I  thank  God  because  He  hear  always 
cry  about  you. 

"  I  am  your  crying  sister, 

"  ELIZA  PALEY." 


HALCYON   DAYS.  83 

If  letter-writing  be  any  gauge  of  progress,  it  may 
be  worthy  of  note  that  in  1866  the  Metlakahtlans 
posted  about  200  letters,  each  voyage  of  their 
schooner. 

Bishop  Cridge  in  writing  of  the  store  and  schooner 
says  : — 

"  No  step  of  a  temporal  nature  was,  perhaps,  so 
loudly  demanded,  or  has  conferred  such  important 
benefits  on  the  people  of  Metlakahtla,  in  conducing 
to  their  comfort,  and  contentment  in  their  new  home. 
Instead  of  having  to  go  seventeen  miles  for  supplies 
to  a  heathen  camp,  they  can  procure  them  at  their 
own  doors  at  a  cheaper  rate.  Persons  who  come 
hither  to  trade,  carry  away  some  word  or  impression 
to  affect  their  countrymen  at  home.  During  my 
sojourn  at  Metlakahtla,  there  has  not  been  a  single 
Sunday,  in  which  there  have  not  been  hearers  of  this 
description,  attendant  on  the  word  of  life.  This  is 
one  of  those  branches  of  the  work  taken  up  by  Mr. 
Duncan,  simply  because  it  was  pressed  upon  him 
by  the  force  of  circumstances,  as  necessary  to  his 
entire  success. 

"  A  striking  benefit  of  the  trade  is  the  disposition 
of  the  profits,  for  with  a  view  to  transferring  it, 
when  possible,  to  other  parties,  he  has  always  con- 
ducted it  on  business  principles,  in  order  that  the 
parties  so  assuming  it  might  be  able  to  live  by  it. 
Hitherto  the  profits  realized  on  this  principle,  ab- 
sorbed by  no  personal  benefits,  have  been  expended 
on  objects  conducive  to  the  public  benefit,  in  the 


84  THE   STORY   OF   MKTLAKAHTLA. 

erection  of  public  buildings,  in  subsidies  to  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  only 
person  who  suffers  is  Mr.  Duncan  himself,  who  has 
sacrificed  his  comfort,  his  repose,  and  almost  his 
health,  for  the  sole  benefit  of  the  people  but  has  been 
more  than  compensated  by  the  rich  reward  of  feeling 
that  God  has  owned  and  blessed  the  sacrifice.  Be- 
sides this,  the  trade  affords  industrial  occupation 
for  the  people,  and  thus  aids  them  in  a  more  steady 
advancement  in  the  comforts  of  civilized  life.  It  is 
quite  a  lively  scene  to  witness  the  various  parties 
of  laborers  engaged,  some  in  bringing  the  rough 
timber  in  rafts  from  the  forest,  others  in  sawing  it 
into  planks,  others  planing,  others  cutting  the 
shingles,  others  with  nail  and  hammer  erecting  the 
building — all  devoting  themselves  to  their  daily 
task,  rather  with  the  constancy  of  the  English 
laborer,  than,  with  the  fitful  disposition  of  the  sav- 
age." 

In  reference  to  the  emancipation  of  slaves,  men- 
tioned by  Bishop  Cridge,  the  following  passage 
from  a  letter  of  Mr.  Duncan's  dated  March,  1876, 
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  Simpson  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 
Christian  family  here,  and  tenderly  cared  for. 
Both  the  man  and  his  wife  who  received  her  into 
this  home  had  themselves  been  slaves  years  ago. 
They  understood  her  language,  sympathized  deeply 
with  her,  and  laboured  hard  to  impart  to  her  the 
knowledge  of  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  After  three 
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  and  hardship.  She  was  a  great  suf- 
ferer during  the  last  few  weeks  of  her  life,  but  she 
died  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,  British  Columbia — 


86  THE   STORY   OF  METLAKAHTLA. 

visited  Metlakahtla  in  1871  for  the  purpose  of  bap- 
tizing converts.  He  recounts  his  approach  to  the 
village  as  follows  : — 

"  I  left  Will-a-claw  (at  the  mouth  of  the  Skeena 
River)  about  9  A.M.  by  canoe,  being  paddled  by  an 
Indian  and  his  wife. 

"  As  we  drew  near  to  Metlakahtla  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- 
tion to  it,  and  said  it  meant  'school ;  '  the  woman, 
however,  promptly  corrected  him,  saying  it  meant 
'  deatJi : '  of  course  my  own  ear  had  told  me  that  this 
was  its  meaning,  and  now  we  could  see  the  funeral 
procession  passing  in  canoes  from  the  villages  to  a 
small  island,  which  has  been  set  apart  as  a  grave- 
yard ;  so  that  when  I  actually  reached  the  landing- 
place,  I  learned,  as  I  expected,  that  Mr.  Duncan 
was  away  at  the  funeral." 

The  Metlakahtlans  now  inter  their  dead  after  the 
manner  of  Christian  burial.  When  the  old  heath- 
enish customs  were  in  vogue  they  disposed  of  their 
dead  by  earth,  water,  aerial  and  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  hide- 
ous, being  made  the  occasion  for  frightful  religious 
orgies  ;  in  some  cases  the  widow  or  slaves,  were 
burned  on  the  pyre.  The  most  picturesque  was  the 


HALCYON   DAYS.  S/ 

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  command. 

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.  He  records  an  incident,  of  the  journey, 
which  very  forcibly  illustrates,  how  consistently  the 
Metlakahtlans  lived  their  religion. 

"  Having  paddled  from  daylight  till  dark  with  a 
brief  rest  of  about  an  hour,  we  reached  the  only 
available  camping-ground  on  the  coast,  where  we 
rested  for  the  night  under  such  shelter  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  truly  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.  '  They  wont  work  on  Sunday ',  they 
wont  drink,  they  won't  lend  themselves  in  any  way, 
to  any,  kind  of  immorality?  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  peace  and  quiet 
of  their  own  village,  and  to  avail  themselves  of  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  ceremonies 
that  ensued  are  best  expressed  in  his  own  words : — 


QO  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  Sunday,  the  I2th  of  November,  is  a  day  to  be 
remembered  by  me.  /  have  had  in  the  course  of  a 
ministry  of  over  twenty  years  many  solemn  experi- 
ences, and  witnessed  many  touching  scenes,  but  never 
since  the  day  of  my  ovvn  ordination  as  a  priest  in 
the  ChurcJi  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  strength  to  have 
victory  and  to  triumph  against  the  devil,  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  infirmities 
of  age,  were  prevented  attending  the  service  in 
church,  making  a  total  of  eighty-four  persons 
baptized  at  Metlakahtla,  which,  with  the  twenty- 
two  baptized  at  Kincoulith,  gives  a  grand  total 


HALCYON    DAYS.  91 

of  1 06  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  arq  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. 
These,  in  combination  with  the  trading  store  in  the 
village,  have  a  very  practicable  bearing  on  the  well- 
being  of  the  Mission,  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  their  hunting  and  fishing,  so  that  they 
have  within  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  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

oil,  etc.,  to  the  trading-posts  outside  their  own  re- 
serve." 

In  the  winter  of  1877  and  1878,  the  Bishop  of 
Athabasca,  visited  Metlakahtla.  It  was,  at  a  very 
critical  moment,  in  the  history  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  England  clergyman  ;  who, 
through  various  indiscretions  soon  threw  the  mis- 
sion into  confusion,  and  necessitated  Mr.  Duncan's 
return.  He  had  barely  succeeded  in  restoring 
order  in  the  village,  when  the  Bishop  of  Athabasca 
arrived.  I  give  his  account  of  the  Christmas  fes- 
tivities in  his  own  words. 

"  The  festivities  of  the  season  commenced  here 
on  Christmas  Eve,  when  a  party  of  about  twenty- 
five  of  the  elder  school  girls  were  invited  to  meet 
us  at  tea.  After  tea  we  were  all  entertained  by 
Mr.  Duncan,  with  the  exhibition  of  a  galvanic  bat- 
tery and  other  amusements.  This  party  having 
dispersed  to  their  homes  in  good  time,  at  a  later 
hour  came  together  the  singers  who  were  appointed 
to  sing  Christmas  carols  during  the  night  along  the 
village  street,  led  by  the  schoolmaster.  After  their 
singing  they  returned  to  supper  at  the  Mission  be- 
fore retiring  to  rest. 

"  On  Christmas  morning  the  first  sight  which 
greeted  us  was  that  of  the  constables  ;  lengthening 
to  its  full  height  the  flag-staff  on  the  watch  house, 
to  hoist  the  flag  for  Christmas,  and  all  the  village 


HALCYON   DAYS.  93 

street  was  soon  gaily  dressed  with  flags.  The  con- 
stables then  marched  about  the  village  to  different 
houses  to  shake  hands  and  make  Christmas, — peace 
with  all  whom  they  had  been  called  to  interfere 
with  in  the  course  of  the  year.  At  eleven  o'clock 
the  church  bell  rang,  and  the  large  church  was 
thronged  with  a  well-dressed  and  attentive  con- 
gregation. 

"  After  service  all  the  villagers,  to  the  number  of 
about  six  hundred,  had  to  come  and  pass  through 
the  Mission-house  to  shake  hands  with  all  the  in- 
mates. In  doing  this  they  so  crowded  the  veran- 
dah that  the  boards  actually  gave  way  beneath 
them,  but  the  ground  being  only  about  two  feet 
below  no  injury  resulted.  After  all  the  shaking  of 
hands  was  over,  the  villagers  returned  home  to 
their  own  private  entertainments,  and  most  of  us  at 
the  Mission  enjoyed  a  quiet  Christmas  evening  to- 
gether; but  Mr.  Duncan  entertained  at  tea  a  party 
of  the  chiefs  and  principal  persons  of  the  village, 
whom  we  did  not  join,  from  inability  to  converse 
in  the  Tsimshean  tongue. 

"  The  day  after  Christmas  was  a  gay  one.  The 
constables,  twenty-five  in  number,  paraded  and  ex- 
ercised on  the  green  with  banners  and  music,  and 
about  fifty  volunteers,  in  neat  white  uniforms,  with 
drums  and  fifes  and  banners  flying,  went  through 
creditable  evolutions  and  exercises.  All  the  stran- 
gers who  had  come  from  neighbouring  villages  to 
spend  Christmas  at  Metlakahtla  were  collected  by 


94  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Mr.  Duncan,  in  the  Mission  Hall,  and,  after  a  suit- 
able address,  all  of  them  received  presents  of  soap, 
apples,  sugar,  tobacco,  etc.  In  the  evening  the  usu- 
al week-day  service  was  held  in  the  school-room, 
always  crowded. 

"  The  following  day  all  the  children  were  assem- 
bled by  Mr.  Duncan  at  his  house,  first  the  girls  and 
then  the  boys,  about  two  hundred  in  all ;  and,  after 
being  amused  by  him,  were  treated  to  sugar-plums 
and  apples,  and  each  one  received  some  article  of 
clothing  (cap  or  cape,  etc.),  so  as  to  be  sent  away  to 
their  homes  rejoicing. 

"  Next  day  all  the  men  in  the  village,  about  300, 
were  assembled  in  the  market-house  to  be  addressed 
by  Mr.  Duncan.  After  he  had  given  them  the  best 
advice  he  could  their  Christmas  presents  were  dis- 
tributed to  them  in  the  presence  of  all  the  Mission 
party.  These  consisted  of  one-half  pound  sugar, 
and  six  apples  to  each  one,  with  copy-book  and 
pencil,  or  tobacco  for  the  older  men. 

"The  day  after  this,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schult  kindly 
entertained  the  widows  of  the  village,  about  sixty 
in  number,  to  a  substantial  dinner.  It  was  a  pleas- 
ure to  see  even  the  old  and  decrepit  able  to  sit  at 
table  and  enjoy  their  meal,  and  it  made  us  enter 
fully  into  the  idea  of  the  renovating  influence  of 
Christmas  blessings,  to  think  in  what  dark  and  mur- 
derous heathenism,  these  aged  widows,  had  been 
reared  when  young.  After  dinner  Mr.  Duncan 
brought  them  to  his  Hall  to  listen  to  an  address,  so 


HALCYON   DAYS.  95 

that  they  might  not  return  home  without  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  present,  both  children  and  adults,  males  and 
females  being  in  separate  buildings.  All  the  elder 
scholars  learn  and  repeat  a  text  both  in  English,  and 
Tsimshean,  and  have  it  explained  to  them,  and  they 
arc  able  to  use  intelligently  their  English  Bibles  for 
this  purpose.  At  eleven  is  morning  service  in 
church,  attended  at  Christmas  time  by  700  to  800. 
Hymns  are  sung  both  in  English  and  Tsimshean, 
and  heartily  joined  in  by  the  congregation.  This 
being  the  last  Sunday  in  the  year,  the  service  was 
made  a  specially  devotional  one  to  seek  mercy  for 
the  offences  of  the  past  twelvemonth. 

"  After  morning  service  the  adults  met  again  in 
Sunday-school  to  learn  in  English  and  Tsimshean 
the  text  of  the  sermon,  and  have  it  again  explained 
to  them  by  the  native  Sunday-school  teachers,  who 
are  prepared  for  this  duty  at  a  meeting  with  Mr. 
Duncan  on  Saturday  evening.  It  is  very  interesting 
to  see  about  300  adults  gathered  together  in  the 
three  schools  at  midday,  entirely  in  the  hands  of 
native-teachers,  and  with  English  Bibles  in  their 
hands  poring  intelligently  over  the  text,  and  follow- 
ing out  again  the  subject  of  the  morning  discourse. 


96  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

/  cannot  but  think  it  would  be  a  great  gain  if  this 
sclicme  of  Mr.  Duncaris  could  be  largely  followed  in 
other  missions. 

"  Afternoon  service  is  held  in  the  church  at  three 
o'clock,  with  a  Litany,  and  after  this,  when  the  day- 
light lasts  long  enough,  there  is  a  second  Sunday- 
school.  The  church  is  as  full  in  the  afternoon  as  in 
the  morning,  and  the  punctuality  of  the  attendance 
is  surprising.  In  the  evening  at  seven  o'clock  ser- 
vice is  again  held  in  the  school-room,  which  is 
crowded,  and  occasional  meetings  are  held  by  the 
elder  converts  for  the  benefit  of  any  aged  people 
unable  to  come  to  church. 

"  To  return  to  the  Christmas  doings  :  on  the  Mon- 
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  pound  soap,  one  pound  rice,  and 
several  apples,  etc.,  so,  that  they  returned  home 
laden  and  rejoicing.  Altogether  about  £50  ($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  Psalm  xc.  :  '  So  teach  us  to  num- 
ber our  days,'  etc.  On  New-Year's  day,  the  festivi- 
ties were  renewed.  Bugle-notes  and  drums  and 
fifes,  and  the  exercises  of  the  volunteers,  enlivened 
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  company  has  in  it,  besides  ordinary 
members,  one  chief,  two  constables,  one  elder,  and 
three  councillors,  who  are  all  expected  to  unite  in 
preserving  the  peace  and  order  of  the  village.  The 
ten  chiefs  all  spoke  in  the  market-house  on  New- 
Year's  day,  and  in  sensible  language  promised  to 
follow  the  teaching  they  had  received,  and  to  unite 
in  promoting  what  is  good.  After  the  meeting  all 
adjourned  to  the  green  in  front  of  the  church,  and 
joined  in  singing  '  God  save  the  Queen,'  in  English, 
before  dispersing  to  their  homes.  The  rest  of  the 
day  was  spent  in  New- Year's  greetings. 

"  Wednesday  evening  was  occupied  by  the  usual 
week-day  service,  and  Thursday  and  Friday  even- 
ings were  devoted  to  the  exhibition  in  the  school- 
room, first  to  the  women  and  then  to  the  men,  of 
a  large  magic-lantern,  with  oxygen  light,  and  also  a 
microscope  showing  living  insects  and  sea-water  an- 
imalcules, as  well  as  various  slides. 

"  The  above  is  but  an  imperfect  sketch  of  the  ef- 
forts made  by  Mr.  Duncan  for  the  increase  and 
happiness  of  his  village." 

We  read  these  testimonies,  according  one  with 
another,  to  a  perfect  corroboration  and  repeat  to  our- 
selves,— "  what  hath  God  wrought  " — through  his 


98  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA0 

faithful  servant — but  wait,  and  we  shall  see,  how, 
when  this  devout  flock,  becomes  the  object  of  per- 
secution, and  relentless  tyranny,  men  wearing  "the 
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  returning  to  Eng- 
land and  the  United  States,  after  visiting  the  North 
Pacific,  gave  impressive  accounts  of  Mr.  Duncan's 
remarkable  work.  These  accounts  are,  unfortu- 
nately, for  the  most  part  buried  in  huge  reports,  or 
interspersed  through  books  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 
methods  and  work. 

An  event  of  no  little  importance  in  the  history  of 
Metlakahtla,  during  the  year  1876,  was  the  visit  of 
Lord  Dufferin,  when  Governor-General  of  Canada — 
accompanied  by  Lady  Dufferin.  Their  reception 
was  extremely  cordial. 

The  following  address  was  presented  by  the  na- 
tives. 


100  THE   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  Metlakahtla,  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  we  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  we  will  continue  to  uphold  and 
defend  the  same  in  our  community  and  nation. 

"  We  are  still  a  weak  and  poor  people,  only  lately 
emancipated  from  the  thraldom  of  heathenism  and 
savage  customs ;  but  we  are  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  and 
prosperity, 

"  We  have  the  honor  to  subscribe,  ourselves,  your 
Excellency's  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

"  For  the  Indians  of  Metlakahtla, 

"  DAVID  LEASK, 
"  Secretary  to  the  Native  Council" 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND   OTHERS   TESTIFY.     IOI 

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 
Queen,  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  life  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  aspect  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  God,  in  humility 
and  faith.  /  hope  you  will  understand  that  your 
White  Mother  and  the  Government  of  Canada  are 
fully  prepared  to  protect  you  in  the  exercise  of  your 


102  THE    STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

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  we  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. 

"  I  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  will  remember  that  it  is  to 
Mr.  Duncan  you  owe  this  blessed  initiation  into  your 
new  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  with  him  in  his  good 
work,  not  only  in  my  own  name,  not  only  in  the  name 
of  the  Government  of  Canada,  but  also  in  the  name  of 
Her  Majesty  the  Queen,  and  in  the  name  of  the  people 
of  England,  who  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  flower  of  his  life,  in  spite  of  innumerable 
difficulties,  dangers,  and  discouragements,  of  which 
we,  who  only  see  the  result  of  his  labors,  can  form  only 


104  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

a  very  inadequate  idea,  to  a  work  which  has  resulted 
in  the  beautiful  scene  we  have  witnessed  this  morn- 
ing. I  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  maidens  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.  Raise  your  thirty  thousand  Indians  to  the  level 
Mr.  Duncan  has  taught  its  they  can  be  brought,  and 
consider  what  an  enormous  amount  of  vital  power 
you  will  have  added  to  your  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  Mr. 
Duncan's  plan  of  dealing  with  his  people,  among 
other  things  says :— 


106  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  It  struck  me  that  he  threw,  and  successfully 
threw,  cold  water  on  the  Governor-General's  be- 
stowing any  special  mark  of  recognition  on  the 
chiefs.  He  has  to  conduct  his  operations  in  a  pecu- 
liar way,  and  it  can  be  easily  shown,  he  understood 
that  much  of  his  advice  and  direction,  would  be 
thrown  away,  were  there  a  recognized  authority 
over  the  Indians  other  than  himself.  He  strives  to 
make  industry  and  merit  tJie  standards  by  which  the 
men  of  the  village  are  measured  and  in  presenting 
an  address  to  the  Governor-General,  which  was 
done  immediately  after  the  singing  was  concluded 
there  was  no  apparent  priority  or  distinction  among 
them." — "  Sea  of  Mountains"  London,  1877. 

The  Church  of  England  Missionary  Society  of 
London,  was  so  proud  of  Mr.  Duncan's  work,  that 
it  published,  and  widely  circulated,  a  book  entitled 
" Metlakahtla"  in  which  it  extols  Mr.  Duncan's 
work,  giving  him  unstinted  praise,  for  the  marvel- 
lous things  he  had  accomplished,  among  the  fero- 
cious, wild  savages,  of  the  great  Northwest.  This 
book  was  the  means  of  bringing  many  thousand 
pounds  in  contributions  to  the  Society's  coffers  "  for 
the  purpose  of  converting  the  heathen  of  foreign 
lands."  The  Church  Missionary  Society's  publica- 
tions continually  chronicled  the  progress  of  his 
work,  and  held  him  up  as  an  example  for  mission- 
aries throughout  the  world. 

The  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Christian 
Knowledge,  London,  published  a  book,  edited  by 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS  TESTIFY.      IO/ 

the  Rev.  J.  J.  Halcombe,  M.  A.,  titled  "  Stranger 
than  Fiction."  This  book,  devoted  entirely  to  Mr. 
Duncan's  mission  work,  has  passed  through  many 
editions,  and  I  have  been  informed  ;  something  like 
twenty  thousand  copies  have  been  sold.  The  author 
begins  by  saying  that  Mr.  Duncan's  work  "presents 
a  series  of  incidents  without  parallel  in  the  mission- 
ary annals  of  the  Church,"  and  from  beginning,  to 
end,  lauds  his  methods. 

In  reference  to  the  founding  of  Metlakahtla  he 
says  : — 

"Gradually  assuming  shape  and  consistency,  un- 
til it  finally  issued  in  the  establishment  of  the  na- 
tive settlement,  the  singular  and  successful  develop- 
ment of  which  has  already  constituted  it  one  of  the 
marvels  of  the  day,  .  .  . 

"  Thus  we  have  seen  the  foundation  laid,  and  the 
superstructure  begin  to  rise  upon  it.  What  the  na- 
ture of  the  foundation  has  been  we  have  sufficiently 
indicated.  *  Other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than 
that  is  laid,  even  Jesus  Christ,'  seems  to  have  been 
pre-eminently  the  principle  upon  which,  as  a  true 
missionary — '  a  wise  master  builder ' — Mr.  Duncan 
from  the  first  proceeded  in  his  work.  '  Jesus  Christ 
and  Him  crucified, '  all  the  historical  facts  of  our 
Lord's  life  and  death,  the  causes  which  led  to,  and 
the  results  which  followed  from,  the  'one  all-suf- 
ficient sacrifice,  oblation,  and  satisfaction  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world, '  offered  by  Christ  upon 
the  cross;  these  had  been,  so  to  speak,  the  mate- 


108  THE   STORY    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  sufficiently  adequate  idea  of  the  untir- 
ing perseverance  with  which  Mr.  Duncan  seems 
thus  to  have  made  his  preaching,  and  teaching  rest 
upon  and  centre  round  the  great  facts  of  the  history 
of  mans  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  a  suc- 
cessful result  attending  it.  ... 

"But  of  all  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  bring  home  the  truths 
of  the  Gospel  to  their  heathen  brethren. "... 

In  narrating  the  remarkable  career  of  Legaic,  Dr. 
Halcombe  writes : — 

"  The  case  of  Paul  Legaic  was,  be  it  remembered, 
no  exceptional  one,  though  rendered  somewhat 
more  remarkable  by  his  former  rank.  His  history 
is  only  one  out  of  a  very  large  number  of  a  similar 
kind  which  the  experience  of  this  Mission  would 
furnish. 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     1OQ 

"  That,  humanly  speaking,  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  regarding  them,  there  can  be  no  doubt. 

"  How  far  the  moral  and  social  elevation  of  the 
whole  Indian  race  may  be  affected  by  what  is  being 
done  in  Metlakahtla,  and  what  may  be  the  result  of 
the  formation  of  a  sort  of  native  capital  and  model 
settlement,  it  is  impossible  to  predict.  That  with 
God'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  extension 
of  the  great  work  which  he  has  so  successfully  inau- 
gurated, we  have  no  means  of  judging.  Being  him- 
self a  layman,  he  naturally  wishes  to  see  a  clergy- 
man permanently  established  in  charge  of  the  settle- 
ment, and  speaks  continually  of  the  time  of  his  o^vn 
retirement  from  the  work  as  being  near  at  hand. 

"  That  a  man  possessed  of  such  singular  adminis- 
trative ability,  such  great  earnestness,  and  such  un- 
usual power  of.  influencing  others,  and  who  has 
gained  so  thorough  a  mastery  in  the  language  as  '  to 
think  and  dream  '  in  it,  should  entirely  withdraw 
himself  from  the  work  to  which  he  has  hitherto 
devoted  himself  would  be  a  cause  of  general  and 
deep  regret,  and  we  may  well  express  the  hope  that 


1 10  THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

the  day  for  his  doing  so  may  yet  be  far  distant. 
Great  as  has  been  the  work  which  has  been  already 
done,  a  greater  still  remains  to  be  accomplished. 
If  Metlakahtla  is  really  to  become  the  centre  of  any 
widely  extended  efforts  to  evangelize  the  native  tribes 
of  North-  West  A  merica,  it  must  be  under  the  guid- 
ing and  controlling  influence  of  such  a  mind  as  that 
of  Mr.  Duncan.  Most  sincerely  do  we  trust  that 
he  will  meet  with  such  encouragement  and  assistance 
as  will  enable  him  to  complete  that  which  he  begun 
so  well,  and  that  the  Christian  Community  which 
we  have  seen  so  successfully  organized  may  only  be 
the  first  of  many  other  settlements  modelled  on  the 
same  plan  and  showing  the  same  signs  of  material 
prosperity,  combined  with  a  thorough  appreciation 
and  practical  application  of  the  saving  truths  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

"  Yielding  to  '  no  consideration  of  comfort,  taste, 
interest,  reputation,  or  safety  (in  all  which  respects 
he  has  been  severely  tried ),'  did  Mr.  Duncan  labor  on 
year  after  year  resolutely,  sacrificing  himself,  and  his 
own  interests  to  the  work  which  he  had  undertaken, 
and  refusing  to  decline  or  abandon  any  undertaking 
which  he  believed  to  be,  under  the  providence  of  God, 
essential  to  its  success.  Who  that  reads  the  story  of 
what  the  strong  will  and  entire  self-devotion  of  one 
man  has  effected  will  deny  that  it  is  indeed  '  stranger 
than  fiction  '  ?  " 

We  shall  have  occasion  in  succeeding  chapters? 
to  ponder  over  some  of  these  strong  terms  of  praise, 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     Ill 

and  wonder  which  is  the  strangest  feature  of  Mr. 
Duncan's  experience;  his  anxious  struggle  to  wrest 
these  people  from  heathendom,  or,  his  resistance  of 
ecclesiastics,  who  seek  to  destroy  his  life's  work. 

The  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  in  its  treatise  on 
missions  says : 

"  At  Columbia,  on  the  coast  of  the  Pacific,  a  prac- 
tical missionary  genius,  named  William  Duncan,  has 
succeeded  in  civilizing  a  body  of  Indians,  degraded 
by  cannibalism,  and,  at  his  Metlakahtla  mission, 
stands  at  the  head  of  a  community  of  some  thou- 
sand persons,  which  has  a  larger  church  than  is  to 
be  found  between  there  and  San  Francisco.  Testi- 
mony to  the  value  of  the  results  was  borne  in 
1876  by  Lord  Dufferin,  then  Governor-General  of 
Canada,  who  declared  that  he  could  hardly  find 
words  to  express  his  astonishment  at  what  he  wit- 
nessed." 

Admiral  R.  C.  Mayne,  R.N.,  F.R.G.S.,  devoting 
nearly  five  years  to  exploration,  and  study,  of  the 
natives  of  the  North  Pacific,  in  his  highly  instructive 
report  writes : 

"  There  is  no  doubt  that  men  of  Mr.  Duncan's 
stamp,  who  will  in  a  frank,  manly  spirit  go  among 
them  (the  Indians),  diffusing  the  blessings  of  relig- 
ion and  education,  will  meet  a  cordial  reception 
and  an  abundant  reward.  But  without  any  desire 
to  disparage  or  dishearten  others,  I  must  say  that 
Mr.  Duncan  impressed  us  as  a  man  out  of  ten 
thousand,  possessing  with  abundant  energy  and  zeal 


112  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

that  talent  for  acquiring  the  confidence  and  love  of 
his  fellow-creature  which  all  who  come  in  his  way, 
were  they  whites  or  Indians,  could  not  fail  to  ac- 
knowledge and  feel  subject  to. 

"  The  labors  of  men  of  his  class  among  the  dis- 
tant heathen  are  undervalued  by  the  world,  which 
refuses  to  credit  the  fact  that  savages  such  as  these 
coast  Indians  undoubtedly  are,  can  receive  and  re- 
tain impressions  so  utterly  at  variance  with  their  nat- 
ure or  habits."  Then  Admiral  Mayne  quotes  Cap- 
tain Richards,  R.N.,  commanding  H.  M.  S.  Plump- 
er, who,  having  been  ordered  by  the  government 
to  quell  an  outbreak  at  Fort  Rupert,  reported  : 

"  I  have  had  some  trouble  with  the  Indians,  and  at 
a  large  meeting  they  asked  me  why  Mr.  Duncan 
was  not  sent  to  teach  them,  and  then  insisted  on 
the  injustice  of  his  being  sent  over  their  heads  to 
the  Tsimshean  Indians.  The  business  I  have  just 
had  with  the  Indians  convinces  me  that  it  is  not 
our  ships  of  war  that  are  wanted  up  the  coast,  but 
missionaries.  The  Indian's  ignorance  of  our  power 
and  strong  confidence  in  his  own,  in  addition  to  his 
natural  savage  temper,  render  him  unfit  to  be  dealt 
with  at  present  by  stern  and  unyielding  men  of 
war,  unless  his  destruction  be  contemplated,  which 
of  course  is  not.  Why  do  not  more  men  come  out, 
since  Mr.  Duncan's  mission  has  been  so  successful ; 
or,  if  the  missionary  societies  cannot  afford  them, 
why  does  not  government  send  out  fifty,  and  place 
them  up  the  coast  at  once  ?  Surely,  it  would  not 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     113 

be  difficult  to  find  fifty  good  men  in  England  will- 
ing to  engage  in  such  work  !  And  their  expenses 
would  be  almost  nothing  compared  with  the  cost 
which  the  country  must  sustain  to  subdue  the  In- 
dians by  force  of  arms." 

To  this  the  Admiral  adds  :  "  Such  are  the  ear- 
nest sentiments  of  one  of  Her  Majesty's  naval  cap- 
tains while  among  the  Indians.  And  such,  I  may 
add,  are  the  sentiments  of  myself — in  common,  I 
believe,  with  all  my  brother  officers — after  nearly 
five  years'  constant  and  close  intercourse  with  the 
natives  of  Vancouver's  Island  and  the  coast  of  Brit- 
ish Columbia." 

Matthew  Macfie,  F.R.G.S.  ("  Vancouver  s  Isl- 
and"}, London,  1865,  commenting  upon  the  utter 
degradation  in  which  he  found  the  British  Colum- 
bian Indians,  writes : 

"  From  these  facts,  some  idea  may  be  formed  of 
the  vexations  borne  by  Mr.  Duncan  at  the  begin- 
ning of  his  career.  But  a  noble  ambition  to  elevate 
the  social  and  religious  condition  of  the  Indian 
lightened  the  burden  of  his  toils.  Such  an  enter- 
prise was  sufficiently  onerous  to  one  cheered  by  the 
presence  of  Christian  sympathy ;  but  his  isolated 
situation,  struggling  without  a  pious  companion  of 
either  sex  to  share  his  anxieties  and  labors,  was 
fitted  to  deepen  the  interest  felt  by  the  religious 
public  at  home.  A  work  has  been  accomplished 
there  whose  success  has  rarely,  if  ever,  been  equalled 
in  the  history  of  missions  to  the  heathen. 


114  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  These  indispensable  auxiliaries  of  civilization 
did  not,  I  know,  formerly  receive  from  foreign  mis- 
sionaries in  the  Sandwich  Islands  the  attention  they 
merited,  and  consequently,  the  results  of  their  zeal- 
ous and  severe  exertions  were,  in  most  instances, 
sadly  out  of  proportion  to  the  time,  strength,  and 
money  expended  in  connection  with  their  work. 
I  trust  I  do  not  detract  from  the  dignity  of  the  mis- 
sionary calling,  or  from  the  power  of  the  Christian 
religion,  in  suggesting  that  the  arts  and  institutions 
of  civilized  life  ought  to  be  fostered  side  by  side 
with  the  communication  of  religious  instruction. 
These  arts  and  institutions  create  new  and  elevating 
social  relations,  and  open  up  the  most  worthy 
spheres  to  be  found  in  this  world  for  the  exercise 
of  Christian  virtues,  the  strengthening  of  heavenly 
principles,  and  the  development  of  the  divine  life. 
To  those  missionaries,  therefore,  who  have  been 
exclusively  ecclesiastical  in  their  plan  of  action,  I 
commend  the  enlightened  example  of  Mr.  Duncan.'' 

Whymper,  the  distinguished  English  traveller, 
made  an  extended  journey  of  exploration  through 
the  North  Pacific  country.  In  his  book,  "  Travels 
in  Alaska"  London,  1868,  after  giving  his  own  ideas 
regarding  the  civilization  of  the  aborigines,  says,  re- 
ferring to  Metlakahtla : 

"  The  success  of  this  station  is,  doubtless,  due  in 
part  to  its  isolation  from  any  large  white  settle- 
ment, but  Mr.  Duncan  must  have  labored  earnestly 
and  incessantly  in  his  noble  work. 


EARL    DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS  TESTIFY.     11$ 

"  I  think  it  is  fair  to  allude  to  one  objection  I  have 
heard  used,  both  in  and  out  of  the  colony,  to  Mr. 
Duncan's  work.  It  is  this,  that  for  a  missionary 
he  is  *  too  much  of  a  trader.'  I  cannot  say  to 
what  extent,  or  in  what  sense,  this  may  be  true  ;  I 
do  not  myself  believe  it  in  any  offensive  sense.  If, 
however,  Mr.  Duncan,  from  a  little  pecuniary  ad- 
vantage accruing  to  him,  should  be  induced  to  pro- 
long his  stay  among  the  Indians,  and  follow  out 
the  work  of  civilization  he  is  engaged  in,  no  one 
can  rightly  complain.  The  majority  of  missionaries 
do  not  stop  long  enough  in  any  one  locality  to  ac- 
quire a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  native  dialects, 
and  this  of  itself  must  be  a  fatal  hindrance  to  their 
efforts. 

"  If  this  gentleman,  by  giving  up  a  large  part  of  his 
life  for  the  benefit  of  these  savages,  can  at  the  same 
time  make  a  fortune,  may  success  attend  him." 

This  report  of  the  accusation  against  Mr.  Duncan, 
is  given  in  order  to  show  how  industriously  the 
liquor  traders,  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
agents,  circulated  their  slanders  against  him,  (see 
Chap.  II.  of  this  volume)  simply  because  he  en- 
deavored to  prevent  the  sale  of  intoxicating  drink  to 
the  Indians,  and,  because  he  introduced  industries 
that  enabled  the  natives  to  cheaply  manufacture 
articles,  that,  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  had  pre- 
viously supplied  at  exorbitant  prices.  Mr.  Duncan 
desired  peaceful  relations,  and  on  founding  Metla- 
kahtla  endeavored  to  induce  the  Hudson's  Bay 


Il6  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Company  to  open  a  store  there,  and  thus  avoid  the 
necessity  of  his  engaging  in  the  venture.  But  in 
their  bitterness,  they  obdurately  refused. 

The  liquor  traders  of  Alaska  maligned  him,  be- 
cause he  would  not  allow  them  to  poison  his  people; 
they  even  accused  him  of  complicity  in  smuggling,* 
and  based  their  charges  on  the  fact,  that  the  Tsim- 
sheans  bartered  their  goods,  up  and  down  the  coast ; 
as  they  had  ever  done  from  the  earliest  time.  It  is 
needless  to  add  that  the  accusation  was  false.  Had 
Mr.  Duncan  been  greedy  of  gain  he  would  hardly 
have  abandoned  a  lucrative  position,  with  bright 
future  prospects,  in  England  to  encounter  the  dan- 
gers, and  hardships,  of  missionary  life  among  the 
North  Pacific  savages. 

The  Nanaimo  Tribune  (British  Columbia)  pub- 
lished, the  following  account  of  a  visit  paid  to  Met- 
lakahtla,  in  1866  by  a  Roman  Catholic  gentleman, 
he  writes  : — 

"  Though  not  of  the  same  denomination  as  Mr. 
Duncan,  and  having  no  interest  to  subserve,  by  my 
advocacy  of  his  great  claims  to  the  respect  and 

*  Bancroft,  in  his  History  of  Alaska,  in  error,  attributes  a 
report  of  this  accusation  to  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  ;  but,  Dr. 
Jackson  positively  denies  that  he  has  ever  published  or 
made  such  a  statement,  and  credits,  its  circulation  solely  to 
Alaskan  liquor  traders,  or,  early  officials,  who  were  mixed 
up  with  them,  or,  were  anxious  to  stamp  out  mission  work, 
and  education.  The  early  history  of  Alaska  is  very  unsa- 
vory in  this  respect. 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     1 1/ 

gratitude  of  all  true  Christians,  for  his  meritorious 
services  in  the  good  cause,  it  is  with  feelings  of  the 
utmost  pleasure,  that,  I  bear  testimony  to  the  great 
good  effected  by  this  worthy  man,  during  his  period 
of  self-exile  at  Metlakahtla.  Some  time  ago  re- 
ports were  industriously  circulated  that  his  influence 
over  the  aborigines  was  rapidly  on  the  wane,  and 
that  he  used  every  means  to  prevent  his  people 
from  trading  with  the  vessels  calling  at  the  Mission. 
With  regard  to  the  first  assertion,  it  is  simply  ridic- 
ulous. The  confidence  reposed  in  Mr.  Duncan  by 
his  dusky  flock  has  never  for  a  moment  been  shaken, 
in  fact  is  daily  on  the  increase,  as  the  many  additions 
to  the  population  from  outside  sources  will  attest, 
as  well  as  the  alacrity  with  which  he  is  obeyed  in 
every  command,  having  for  its  object,  the  good  of 
the  community.  A  notable  instance  of  the  latter  I 
witnessed  in  the  ready  manner  in  which  they  turned 
out  to  do  their  quota  of  statute  labor  on  the 
streets,  or  paid  its  equivalent  in  blankets,  &c.:  no 
coercion,  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, 
and  stopped  ten  days  at  Metlakahtla,  and  had  every 
facility  afforded  me  by  Mr.  Duncan  in  trafficking 


IlS  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  1,000.  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.     I  19 

well  supplied  with  the  requisites  to  make  life  com- 
fortable as  any  of  our  laboring  class  here.  Cook- 
ing-stoves and  clocks  were  common  to  every  dwell- 
ing, arid,  in  a  few  instances,  pictures  adorn  the  walls 
of  the  more  luxuriously  inclined. 

"  The  sight  at  church  on  Sabbath  morning  was 
pleasant  to  behold.  The  congregation  numbered 
about  300,  the  females  preponderating,  the  major 
portion  of  the  males  being  at  that  time  away  at 
the  fishing-station.  They  were  all  well  clad — the 
women  in  their  cloth  mantles  and  merino  dresses  ; 
the  men  in  substantial  tweeds  and  broadcloth  suits, 
and  having  the  impress  of  good  health  and  content- 
ment on  their  intelligent  features.  Their  conduct 
during  divine  service  was  strictly  exemplary,  and 
would  have  done  credit  to  many  a  more  pretentious 
edifice  than  that  at  Metlakahtla. 

"  As  a  whole,  Mr.  Duncan's  people  are  industrious 
and  sober ;  they  are  courteous  and  hospitable  to 
strangers,  and,  if  properly  protected  by  the  Govern- 
ment against  the  poison-venders  of  this  land,  will 
in  time  become  a  numerous  wealthy  people." 

One  of  the  British  Columbian  journals,  publishes 
the  following  concerning  the  visit  of  Mr.  McKenzie, 
a  Scotch  gentleman,  to  Metlakahtla  during  a  pros- 
pecting tour  on  the  North  Pacific  Coast  : — 

"On  reaching  the  Metlakahtlan  settlement,  the 
party  were  astonished  to  witness  all  the  external, 
and  internal  evidences  of  civilization.  The  interior 
of  each  dwelling  is  divided  into  separate  apartments, 


120  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

and  what  little  furniture  they  contain  is  kept  in 
good  order,  and  clean. 

"  The  people,  both  male  and  female,  are  all  com- 
fortably clad,  the  result  of  their  own  industry  and 
provident  habits. 

"The  village  contains  a  church,  part  of  which  is 
used  as  a  school  during  the  week.  Mr.  McKenzie 
attended  divine  service  on  Sunday,  and  was  amazed 
at  the  sight  of  the  large  congregation  of  native  con- 
verts assembled.  Their  deportment  and  solemnity 
during  the  service,  he  declares,  could  not  be  excelled 
by  any  Christian  congregation  which  he  had  ever  pre- 
viously united  with  in  worship.  Mr.  Duncan  read 
the  Church  Service,  and  afterward  preached  in  the 
Indian  language.  It  was  evident  to  Mr.  McKenzie 
and  his  companions  that  the  natives  took  a  deep, 
and  intelligent  interest,  in  the  services  from  begin- 
ning to  end.  The  apathy,  and  listlessness,  which  is 
observable  in  the  countenance  of  an  untutored 
Indian  has  entirely  departed  from  the  Metlakah- 
tlans.  Most  of  their  faces  are  remarkable  for  an 
animated  appearance  and  intelligent  expression. 

"  Mr.  Duncan  teaches  school  during  the  week, 
and  instructs  the  natives  how  to  use  the  appliances 
of  modern  civilization  in  cultivating  their  gardens, 
building  their  houses,  and  sawing  timber,  as  well  as 
many  other  useful  arts.  He  also  superintends  the 
village  store,  acts  as  magistrate,  settles  all  disputes 
that  may  arise,  and,  in  fact,  has  his  hands  full  in 
performing  the  arduous  labors  which  devolve  upon 


EARL    DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     121 

him,  and  which  have  resulted  in  such  complete 
success  as  scarcely  to  be  believed,  unless,  as  Mr. 
McKenzie  states,  it  has  been  witnessed. 

"  The  contrast  between  the  Fort  Simpson  Indians, 
among  whom  Mr.  McKenzie  resided  last  winter, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  Metlakahtla,  is  like  that  be- 
tween darkness  and  light :  at  Fort  Simpson  all  is 
gross  ignorance,  barbarism,  degradation,  filth,  and 
evil :  whilst  at  Metlakahtla  civilization,  progress,  en- 
lightenment, cleanliness,  and  Christianity  are  every- 
where observable. 

"  Mr.  McKenzie  bears  willing  testimony  to  the 
amazing  amount  of  substantial  good  done  by  Mr. 
Duncan.  The  beneficial  influence  which  he  exerts 
over  the  natives  is  not  confined  to  those  under  his 
charge  alone.  The  improvement,  which  he  has 
been  the  zealous  instrument  of  bringing  about,  has 
become  extensively  known  among  the  wandering 
Arabs  who  inhabit  the  British  possessions  of  the 
Pacific,  and  the  tribes  are  now  desirous  of  being  in- 
structed by  Missionaries.  Mr.  McKenzie,  in  his 
travels  up  Naas  and  Skeena  rivers,  has  heard  the 
Indians  express  the  most  fervent  wishes  to  have 
'good  men'  laboring  among  them.  Mr.  McKenzie 
in  his  narrative  has  only  spoken  of  what  he  wit- 
nessed himself,  and  he  is  not  a  bad  witness  to  facts 
coming  under  his  own  observation.  He  is  an  intel- 
ligent Scotchman,  who  has  travelled  a  good  deal, 
and,  like  most  of  his  countrymen,  is  not  easily  de- 
ceived, being  of  *  an  inquiring  turn  of  mind.' " 


cv 
122  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

William  F.  Bainbridge,  in  his  book,  "  Tour  of 
Christian  Missions  around  the  World"  New  York, 
1882,  speaking  of  the  Church  of  England  Missions, 
writes : 

"  Their  most  interesting  station  is  at  Metlakahtla, 
near  Fort  Simpson,  upon  the  Pacific  coast  of  Brit- 
ish Columbia.  When,  in  1857,  Mr.  Duncan  was 
located  among  the  Tsimsheans,  his  task  seemed 
as  hopeless  as  when  the  explorer  Hudson  was 
cast  adrift  by  the  mutineers.  He  found  twenty- 
three  thousand  of  the  most  blood-thirsty  savages. 
Physically  a  superior  tribe,  they  yet  seemed  to 
have  sunken  lower  than  all  others  in  wretchedness 
and  crime.  Soon  after,  the  "  fire-water  "  was  intro- 
duced by  the  Victoria  miners,  and  a  reign  of  terror 
began.  But  the  missionary  felt  that  Christianity 
was  equal  to  even  such  a  situation  of  unparalleled 
horrors,  and  he  kept  to  work.  By  1862  he  had  in- 
fluenced some  fifty  to  a  better  life,  and  with  them 
formed  a  new  settlement  a  few  miles  distant.  Now 
over  a  thousand  are  gathered  there  about  him,  in 
well-built  cottages,  with  the  largest  church  edifice 
north  of  San  Francisco,  the  Sabbath  kept,  all  the 
children  at  school,  every  citizen  in  health  attending 
divine  worship.  No  intoxicating  drink  is  allowed 
in  the  community.  This  prosperous,  well-ordered, 
Christian  settlement  shows  what  evangelization  can 
do  under  the  worst  possible  embarrassments." 

Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  U.  S.  General  Agent  for 
Education  in  Alaska,  has  several  times  visited  Met- 


EARL   DUFFERIN    AND    OTHERS    TESTIFY.     1 23 

lakahtla,  and  has  repeatedly  borne  emphatic  testi- 
mony, to  the  great  influence  of  Mr.  Duncan's  Chris- 
tianizing, and  civilizing  work  upon  the  Alaskan 
Natives.  Dr.  Jackson's  extensive  experience  in 
mission  and  educational  work  among  the  Indians, 
lends  peculiar  force  to  his  opinions ;  he  says  of  Mr. 
Duncan's  mission  : — 

"  The  new  settlement  has  now  grown  to  one 
thousand  people,  forming  the  healthiest  and  strong- 
est settlement  on  the  coast.  "... 

"  These  Indians  are  a  happy,  industrious,  pros- 
perous community  of  former  savages  and  cannibals, 
saved  by  the  grace  of  God.  This  is  the  oldest  and 
most  successful  Indian  Mission  on  that  coast,  and 
illustrates  what  one  consecrated  man  by  Divine 
help  can  accomplish."  .  .  . 

"  Some  three  or  four  years  ago  the  head  chief  of 
the  Indians  upon  the  northern  end  of  Vancouver 
Island,  at  Fort  Rupert,  visited  Metlakahtla,  and 
asked  for  a  teacher,  saying  that  '  a  rope  had  been 
thrown  out  from  Metlakahtla  which  was  encircl- 
ing and  drawing  together  all  the  Indian  tribes  in- 
to one  common  brotherhood.'" — Alaska  and  the 
Missions  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast.  New  York, 
1880. 

I  shall  make  further  quotations,  from  Dr.  Jack- 
son, in  the  last  chapter  of  this  volume,  together 
with  a  quotation  from  the  Governor  of  Alaska. 

The  Hon.  James  G.  Swan,  was  appointed  a 
Special  Commissioner  of  the  Department  of  the 


124  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Interior,   in   1875,  to  visit  Alaska.     In  his  official 
report  we  find  the  following  : — 

"  From  Fort  Simpson  we  proceed  to  Fort  Ton- 
gass, in  Alaska,  some  15  miles  distant  from  Simp- 
son. This  is  an  abandoned  military  post,  belonging 
to  the  United  States,  and  now  occupied  by  a  band 
of  700  Tongass,  under  a  chief  named  Ya-soot.  He 
came  on  board  and  expressed  a  great  desire  to  have 
a  missionary  teacher.  He  said  he  felt  ashamed 
when  he  went  to  Fort  Simpson  to  see  all  the  chil- 
dren learning  to  read  and  write,  and  all  the  Indians 
going  to  church,  while  the  Tongass  Indians  had 
neither  a  missionary  nor  teacher  and  he  thought 
that  l  Washington '  does  not  take  as  good  care  of 
the  Alaska  Indians  as  King  George  (the  name  they 
give  the  English)  does  of  the  Indians  at  Fort  Simp- 
son. He  wished  me  to  ask  'Washington  '  to  send 
them  a  missionary,  and  he  would  make  his  people 
build  him  a  house,  and  he,  would  compel  all  the 
Indians  to  send  their  children  to  school.  Now  this 
apparent  eagerness  for  a  missionary  is  simply  owing 
to  a  feeling  of  jealousy  of  the  Tsimheans,  who  are 
given  to  boasting  to  the  Alaska  Indians  that  the 
English  Government  take  better  care  of  them,  than 
the  American  Government  does  of  the  Alaskans. 
Still,  a  beneficial  influence  is  exerted  by  the  feel- 
ing ;  for  in  all  my  experience  of  over  twenty  years 
among  the  coast  tribes,  the  great  difficulty  has  been 
to  get  them  to  allow  a  missionary  to  reside  among 
them.  This  same  feeling  was  exhibited  in  every 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS  TESTIFY.     12$ 

village  we  visited  during  our  cruise.  It  was  the  old 
cry,  '  Come  over  from  Macedonia  and  help  us.'  I 
sincerely  believe  if  this  matter  was  placed  in  the 
hands  of  various  missionary  societies,  and  they 
could  send  men  like  Mr.  Duncan  and  Mr.  Crosby, 
free  and  untrammelled  by  any  of  the  restrictions 
that  now  necessarily  surround  the  Indian  agents, 
under  our  present  plan,  that  far  more  good  would 
be  effected  among  the  natives,  and  at  far  less  cost 
than  by  our  present  system." 

Referring  to  a  Sunday  spent  in  Fort  Simpson  he 
says  : — 

"  I  was  so  impressed  with  what  I  had  seen  that 
day  that  I  could  not  help  the  thought  that  the 
people  whom  we  dare  to  call  savages  can  teach  the 
so-called  Christians  lessons  of  humility.  I  left  Fort 
Simpson  with  a  feeling  of  respect  for  those  Indians 
that  1  have  never  before  felt  for  any  tribe  I  have 
lived  with  on  the  Northwest  Coast,  and  I  feel  con- 
fident if  missionaries,  and  teachers,  are  sent  them 
by  the  various  missionary  societies,  of  all  denomina- 
tions of  Christians  in  the  same  untrammelled  man- 
ner accorded  to  Messrs.  Duncan  and  Crosby,  that 
the  Alaska  tribes  will  not  only  stay  at  home  and 
trade  with  our  own  people,  but  they  will  be  mor- 
ally, physically,  and  pecuniarily,  better  off  than  they 
will  be  should  our  present  miserable  policy  of  In- 
dian agencies  be  thrust  upon  them." 

Colonel  Vincent  Colyer  reporting  as  a  Special 
Commissioner  to  the  U.  S.  Government  after  a 


126  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

tour  of  inspection  through  Alaska  laid  great  stress 
upon  our  nation's  neglect  of  the  natives  there  and 
made  forcible  comparison  with  Mr.  Duncan's 
achievements  in  British  Columbia  : — 

"  '  You  ought  to  see  Duncan's  Mission  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  hundred  feet  ascended  a  flight  of  steps 
and  entered  the  market-house. 

"  This  market -house  is  a  neat,  well-built  house, 
of  about  forty  by  eighty  feet,  dry,  clean,  and  com- 
fortable. A  number  of  Indians  were  in  it,  sit- 
ting beside  their  heaps  of  oolichan,  boxes,  piles 
of  bear  and  deer-skins,  fish,  &c.,  and  seemed  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  twenty 
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  two  sides  of  a  triangle,  at  the  apex  of  which 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     I2/ 

the  church,  mission-house,  trading  store,  market  and 
and  '  lock-up  '  are  erected. 

"  The  store  was  well  furnished  with  substantial 
articles  of  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  has  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,  windows,  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  fenced  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.  Duncan  is  invested  with  the  powers  of 
a  civil  magistrate  under  the  Colonial  laws  of  Great 
Britain,  and  is  thus  enabled  to  settle  disputes  and 
nip  all  petty  misdemeanors  in  the  bud.  He  has 
organized  a  police  of  Indians  and  they  are  said  to 
be  well  disciplined  and  effective.  There  is  a  small 
'  lock-up '  or  caboose  built  of  logs  in  a  picturesque 


128  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

form,  in  which  the  disorderly  are  temporarily  con- 
fined. 

"  It  will  be  noticed  that  Mr.  Duncan  is  thus  in- 
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.  Hallock  on  his  return  from  Alaska,  wrote : — 

"  I  am  pleased  to  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  endeavors,  if 
properly  applied,  and  therefore,  an  encouragement 
to  persevere. 

"  Me tlakahtla  is  truly  the  full  realization  of  the 
missionaries'  dream  of  aboriginal  restoration.  The 
population  is  1,200.  .  .  .  Its  residents,  have 
a  rifle  company  of  forty-two  men,  a  brass  band,  a 
two-gun  battery  and  a  large  co-operative  store, 
where  almost  anything  obtainable  in  Victoria  can 
be  bought.  We  visited  this  port  on  our  return  trip 
from  Sitka,  and  were  received  with  displays  of  bunt- 
ing from  various  points,  and  a  five-gun  salute  from 
the  battery,  with  Yankee  Doodle  and  Dixie  from  the 
band.  The  Union  Jack  was  flying.  The  church 


THE  METLAKAHTLA  CHURCH  :     BUILT    ENTIRELY    BY   THE    NATIVES. 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     129 

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  for  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 
punctilious  Shaker  settlement. 

"The  best  testimony  that  can  be  offered* to  de- 
monstrate the  disposition  of  the  Indians  to  receive 
the  lights,  rights,  and  benefits  of  Christian  civiliza- 
tion is  contained  in  the  simple  appeal  made  by 
Chief  Toy-a-att,  at  Wrangell,  as  long  ago  as  1878, 


I3O  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

to  an  assemblage  of  several  hundred  whites  and 
Indians  ;  and  that  appeal  has  not  yet  been  regarded ! 
Is  philanthropy  a  sop  to  Indian  credulity  ?  Read 
what  follows : — 

(TRANSLATION). 

"  My  Brothers  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  we 
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  revered  as  gods. 

"  In  the  course  of  time  a  change  came  over  the 
spirit  of  our  dreams.  We  became  aware  of  the  fact 
that  we  were  not  the  only  beings  in  the  shape  of 
man  that  inhabited  this  earth.  White  men  appeared 
before  us  on  the  surface  of  the  great  waters  in  large 
ships  which  we  called  canoes.  Where  they  came 
from  we  knew  not,  but  supposed  that  they  dropped 
from  the  clouds.  The  ship's  sails  we  took  for  wings, 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND   OTHERS   TESTIFY.     131 

and  concluded  that,  like  the  birds  of  the  air,  they 
could  fly  as  well  as  swim.  As  time  advanced,  the 
white  men  who  visited  our  country  introduced 
among  us  everything  that  is  produced  by  nature 
and  the  arts  of  man.  They  also  told  us  of  a  God, 
a  superior  being,  who  created  all  things,  even  us  the 
Indians.  They  told  us  that  this  God  was  in  the 
heavens  above,  and  that  all  mankind  were  His  chil- 
dren. These  things  were  told  to  us,  but  we  could 
not  understand  them. 

"  At  the  present  time  we  are  not  the  same  people 
that  we  were  a  hundred  years  ago.  Association 
with  the  white  man  has  created  a  change  in  our 
habits  and  customs.  We  have  seen  and  heard  of 
the  wonderful  works  of  the  white  man.  His  in- 
genuity and  skill  have  produced  steamships,  rail- 
roads, telegraphs,  and  thousands  of  other  things. 
His  mind  is  far-reaching ;  whatever  he  desires  he 
produces. 

"  Each  day  the  white  man  becomes  more  perfect 
while  the  Indian  is  at  a  stand-still.  Why  is  this  ? 
Is  it  because  the  God  you  have  told  us  of  is  a  white 
God,  and  that  you,  being  of  His  color,  have  been 
favored  by  Him  ? 

"  Why  brothers,  look  at  our  skin ;  we  are  dark, 
we  are  not  of  your  color,  hence  you  call  us  Indians. 
Is  this  the  reason  that  we  are  ignorant ;  is  this  the 
cause  of  our  not  knowing  our  Creator  ? 

"  My  brothers,  a  change  is  coming.  We  have 
seen  and  heard  of  the  wonderful  things  of  this 


132  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

world,  and  we  desire  to  understand  what  we  see 
and  what  we  hear.  We  desire  light.  We  want 
our  eyes  to  become  open.  We  have  been  in  the 
dark  too  long,  and  we  appeal  to  you,  my  brothers, 
to  help  us. 

"  But  how  can  this  be  done  ?  Listen  to  me. 
Although  I  have  been  a  bad  Indian,  I  can  see  a 
right  road  and  I  desire  to  follow  it.  I  have  changed 
for  the  better.  I  have  done  away  with  all  Indian 
superstitious  habits.  I  am  in  my  old  age  becoming 
civilized.  I  have  learned  to  know  Jesus  and  I  de- 
sire to  know  more  of  Him.  I  desire  education,  in 
order  that  I  may  be  able  to  read  the  Holy  Bible. 

"  Look  at  Fort  Simpson  and  at  Metlakahtla, 
British  Columbia.  See-the  Indians  there.  In  years 
gone  by  they  were  the  worst  Indians  on  this  coast, 
the  most  brutal,  barbarous,  and  blood-thirsty.  They 
were  our  sworn  enemies  and  were  continually  at 
war  with  us.  How  are  they  now  ?  Instead  of  our 
enemies,  they  are  our  friends.  They  have  become 
partially  educated  and  civilized.  They  can  under- 
stand what  they  see  and  what  they  hear;  they  can 
read  and  write  and  are  learning  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  Queen  that  her 
Indians  should  be  educated.  We  have  been  told 
that  the  British  Government  is  a  powerful  one,  and 
we  have  also  been  told  that  the  American  Govern- 
ment is  a  more  powerful  one.  We  have  been  told 


EARL   DUFFERIN  AND   OTHERS   TESTIFY.     133 

that  the  President  of  the  United  States  has  control 
over  all  the  people,  both  whites  and  Indians.  We 
have  been  told  how  he  came  to  be  our  great  chief. 
He  purchased  this  country  from  Russia,  and  in  pur- 
chasing it  he  purchased  us.  We  had  no  choice  or 
say  in  change  of  masters.  The  change  has  been 
made  and  we  are  content.  All  we  ask  is  justice. 

"  We  ask  of  our  father  at  Washington  that  we 
be  recognized  as  a  people,  inasmuch  as  he  recognizes 
all  other  Indians  in  other  portions  of  the  United 
States. 

"  We  ask  that  we  be  civilized,  Christianized  and 
educated.  Give  us  a  chance,  and  we  will  show  to 
the  world  that  we  can  become  peaceable  citizens 
and  good  Christians.  An  effort  has  already  been 
made  to  better  our  condition,  and  may  God  bless 
them  in  their  work.  A  school  has  been  established 
here  which,  notwithstanding  strong  opposition  by 
bad  white  men  and  by  Indians,  has  done  a  good 
work  among  us. 

"  This  is  not  sufficient.  We  want  our  chief  at 
Washington  to  help  us.  We  want  him  to  use  his 
influence  toward  having  us  a  church  built  and  in 
having  a  good  man  sent  to  us  who  will  teach  us  to 
read  the  Bible  and  learn  all  about  Jesus.  And  now, 
my  brothers,  to  you  I  appeal.  Help  us  in  our 
efforts  to  do  right.  If  you  don't  want  to  come  to 
our  church  don't  laugh  and  make  fun  of  us  because 
we  sing  and  pray. 

"  Many  of  you  have  Indian  women  living  with 


134  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

you.  I  ask  you  to  send  them  to  school  and  church, 
where  they  will  learn  to  become  good  women. 
Don't  my  brothers,  let  them  go  to  the  dance-houses, 
for  there  they  will  learn  to  be  bad  and  learn  to 
drink  whiskey. 

"  Now  that  I  see  you  are  getting  tired  of  listen- 
ing to  me,  I  will  finish  by  asking  you  again  to  help 
us  in  trying  to  do  right.  If  one  of  us  should  be  led 
astray  from  the  right  path,  point  out  to  us  our  error 
and  assist  us  in  trying  to  reform.  If  you  will  assist 
us  in  doing  good  and  quit  selling  whiskey,  we  will 
soon  make  Fort  Wrangell  a  quiet  place,  and  the 
Stickeen  Indians  will  become  a  happy  people.  I 
now  thank  you  for  all  your  kind  attention.  Good- 
by."— Our  New  Alaska.  New  York,  1886. 

Mr.  N.  H.  Chittenden  in  his  book,  "  Travels 
through  British  Columbia"  Victoria,  B.  C.,  1882, 
writes : — 

"  Metlakahtla.— The  field  of  the  remarkably  suc- 
cessful work  of  Mr.  Duncan,  in  civilizing  and  chris- 
tianizing the  Tsimshean  Indians.  He  first  estab- 
lished a  mission  at  Fort  Simpson,  a  post  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  but  for  the  purpose  of 
greater  isolation  in  1862  removed  to  Metlakahtla, 
where  he  has  gathered  about  1,000  of  that  tribe, 
and  through  a  firm  government  and  faithful  secular 
and  religious  training  raised  them  from  barbarism 
to  the  condition  of  civilized  people.  They  live  in 
comfortable  houses,  dress  like  the  whites,  school 
their  children,  and  worship  in  one  of  the  largest 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     135 

churches  in  the  Province,  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$10,000." 

Julia  McNair  Wright,  in  her  book  devoted  to  the 
study  of  the  natives  of  Alaska,  writes  : — 

"William  Duncan  of  the  Church  of  England,  is 
another  of  these  bright  names.  Forgetting  ambi- 
tion, despising  ease,  forsaking  his  own  country  and 
his  father's  house,  counting  even  life  not  dear  if  he 
might  win  those  simple  Indian  souls  for  the  Son  of 
God,  he  has  created  a  civilization  in  Metlakahtla 
and  brought  many  souls  to  glory."  .  .  . 

"  The  longest  established,  and  most  successful 
work  among  any  Alaskan  Indians,  is  that  main- 
tained by  Mr.  Duncan.  .  .  . 

"  The  Chilcats  had  occasionally  visited  Fort  Simp- 
son, and  Metlakahtla,  where  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able of  all  missionary  enterprises  is  located,  and  also 
Sitka  and  Fort  Wrangell,  and  they  had  carried  to 
their  friends  wonderful  tales  of  Indians  '  become 
white,'  who  could  '  talk  on  paper '  and  '  hear  paper 
talk  '  and  who  wore  white  folks'  clothes,  and  lived 
in  houses  with  windows,  and  forsook  the  Shaman, 
and  ate  no  more  dog-flesh,  and  no  longer  killed  one 
another."  .  .  . 

Alluding  to  the  wretchedness,  of  the  Alaskan  In- 
dians in  their  native  villages,  she  adds  : — 

"  The  houses  of  the  Indians  are  not  fitted  for  any 
decency  of  home-life,  nor  for  maintaining  health. 
The  houses  are  often  without  partitions,  and  are  in- 
habited by  many  Indians  together,  of  all  ages  and 


136  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

both  sexes.  There  is  no  possibility  of  securing 
modesty  of  demeanor,  purity  of  thought  or  cleanli- 
ness of  living  under  these  circumstances.  Polyg- 
amy of  the  most  shameless  type  exists,  and  child- 
marriages  are  common.  There  is  no  need  to 
expatiate  on  the  moral  degeneration  resulting  from 
twenty,  thirty  or  more  persons  living  in  one  room  : 
the  results  would  be  evident  to  any  idiot." — "Among 
the  Alaskans"  Philadelphia,  1883. 

The  Church  at  Home  and  Abroad.  New  York, 
February  i,  1887.  In  a  leader  on  Mr.  Duncan's 
work  headed  "A  Notable  Stranger  among  Us" 
says : 

"  He  has  built  a  self-supporting  civilized  Chris- 
tian community  of  about  one  thousand  souls,  in  a 
neat,  well-ordered  town  called  Metlakahtla,  well 
known  to  all  the  late  tourists  that  have  visited 
Alaska,  and  seen  by  great  numbers  of  them. 

"  Metlakahtla  is  one  of  the  most  successful  un- 
dertakings in  the  elevation  of  the  Indians,  and,  as  a 
model,  is  a  fit  and  inspiring  study  for  all  the  Indian 
workers  on  the  continent. 

"  It  has  been  often  said  that  there  is  no  trouble 
between  the  Canadian  authorities  and  the  Indians. 
The  Riel  affair  of  last  year  was  a  sufficient  answer 
to  this  statement.  But  these  Metlakahtla  Indians, 
as  it  is  understood,  find  that  they  have  far  less  hold 
on  the  land  of  their  fathers,  than  have  the  Indians 
of  the  United  States,  and  no  such  guarantee  for 
permanent  possession.  They  are  liable  to  have  the 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     137 

land  on  which  Metlakahtla  stands  sold  from  under 
their  feet." 

"  The  infliience  of  these  Christian  Indians  for 
good  has  been  very  great  on  our  A  laska  tribes.  Some 
of  them  were  first  employed  as  laborers  while  we 
had  troops  at  Fort  Wrangell.  They  were  sober  and 
Sabbath-keeping  Indians  :  and  through  their  influ- 
ence a  considerable  number  of  the  Stickeens  at  that 
place  were  led  to  Christ  before  Mrs.  McFarland, 
our  first  missionary  teacher,  reached  Alaska.  They 
became  members  of  the  first  church  organized  there 
under  the  successful  labors  of  Rev.  Mr.  Young. 
Philip  the  first  teacher  and  native  preacher,  and 
Mrs.  Dickinson,  the  interpreter,  were  both  educated 
at  Metlakahtla. 

"  One  Sabbath  morning,  soon  after  the  church 
was  organized,  as  the  people  were  gathering  for  pub- 
lic worship,  five  stalwart-looking  Indians,  clad  in 
army  blue  and  each  with  a  waterproof  on  his  arm, 
walked  into  the  chapel  and  reverently  worshipped 
God  there,  though  it  appeared  afterward  that  they 
could  not  understand  the  dialect  used  in  the  ser- 
vices. They  proved  to  be  Metlakahtla  Indians,  who 
had  been  carrying  goods  up  the  Stickeen  River  to 
the  Cassiar  mines ;  on  their  return,  Saturday  night 
overtook  them  at  Fort  Wrangell,  and,  true  to  their 
principles,  they  fastened  their  boats  to  the  shore 
and  kept  the  Sabbath.  Monday  morning  they  went 
on  their  way  homeward.  But  such  an  object-lesson 
could  not  fail  of  its  influence  on  the  ruder  and  less 


138  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Christianized  race.  So  have  they  influenced  for 
good  all  the  tribes  among  which  our  missions  are 
located." 

I  might  add  to  these,  many  other  direct,  and  in- 
direct 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  Pre- 
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  savages,  that  Mr.  Duncan,  was  in- 
spired to  dedicate  himself  to  the  enlightenment,  of 
these  people ;  we  shall  now  observe  with  what 
wonderment,  he  beheld  the  transformation.  He 
says  : 

"Three  A.M.,  Tuesday,  i8th  June,  1878.  Ar- 
rived at  Fort  Simpson  in  the  U.  S.  Mail  Steamer 
'  California]  from  Sitka.  Was  met  by  William 
Duncan,  with  sixteen  Indians,  nearly  all  Elders. 
Our  greeting  was  most  hearty,  and  the  meeting 
with  Duncan  a  cause  of  real  thankfulness  to  God, 
in  sight,  too,  of  the  very  spot  (nay,  on  it)  where 
God  had  put  into  my  heart  the  first  desire  of  send- 
ing the  Gospel  to  the  poor  heathens  around  me. 
Twenty-five  years  previously  H.  M.  S.  '  Virago ' 
had  been  repaired  on  that  very  beach.  What  a 
change  had  been  effected  during  those  passing 
years.  Of  the  crew  before  me  nine  of  the  sixteen 
were,  to  my  knowledge,  formerly  medicine  men,  or 
cannibals.  In  humble  faith,  we  could  only  ex- 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     139 

claim,  '  What  hath  God  wrought !  '  It  is  all  His 
doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes. 

"  After  twenty-five  years'  absence,  God  had 
brought  me  back  again,  amidst  all  the  sundry  and 
manifold  changes  of  the  world,  face  to  face  with 
those  tribes  amongst  whom  I  have  witnessed  only 
bloodshed,  cannibalism,  and  heathen  devilry  in  its 
grossest  form.  Now  they  were  sitting  at  the  feet 
of  Jesus,  clothed,  and  in  their  right  mind.  The 
very  church-warden,  dear  old  Peter  Simpson,  who 
opened  the  church  door  for  me,  was  the  chief  of  one 
of  the  cannibal  tribes.  .  .  . 

"  Words  cannot  describe  the  happy  month  I 
spent  in  this  happy  Christian  circle.  I  can  only 
copy  from  my  rough  notes,  written  on  the  spot, 
some  of  the  events  which  occurred  to  me. 

"  Peter  Simpson  (Thrakshakann).  *  I  remember 
when  you  put  your  ship  on  shore  at  Fort  Simpson. 
I  remember  how  nearly  we  were  fighting,  and  the 
guns  were  prepared.  You  had  a  rope  put  out  to 
keep  us  off,  and  we  heard  it  said  that  you  would 
fire  at  us  from  your  ship  when  you  got  afloat.  We 
knew  not  what  you  had  rather  planned  to  do.  You 
planned  to  bring  us  the  Gospel  and  that  has  opened 
our  eyes  to  heavenly  things,  and  oh  !  how  beauti- 
ful, very  beautiful  indeed  !  Metlakahtla  is  like  a 
ship  just  launched.  You  are  here  to  give  us  advice, 
where  to  put  the  most  in,  and  how  to  steer.  I  ad- 
dress you  thus,  though  you  are  great  and  I  am  poor. 
But  Jesus  despises  not  the  poor.  The  Tsimsheans 


140  THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

were  very  low,  yet  Jesus  raised  us,  and  we  are 
now  anxious  for  all  our  brethren,  the  tribes  around 
us,  to  be  made  alive.  We  see  them  now  willing 
to  hear,  and  we  are  trying  to  help  them.  We 
know  God  put  it  into  your  heart  to  come  here, 
and  brought  you  here  ;  God  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  up  on  the  beach 
above  high-water  mark.  Not  a  sound  heard.  The 
children  are  assembled  before  morning  service  to 
receive  special  instruction  from  Mr.  Duncan.  The 
church  bell  rings,  and  the  whole  population  pour 
out  from  their  houses — men,  women,  and  children — 
to  worship  God  in  His  own  house,  built  by  their 
own  hands.  As  it  has  been  remarked,  '  No  need 
to  lock  doors,  for  no  one  is  there  to  enter  the  empty 
houses.'  Two  policemen  are  on  duty  in  uniform, 
to  keep  order  during  service  time.  The  service  be- 
gins with  a  chant  in  Tsimshean,  '  I  will  arise  and 
go  to  my  Father,'  &c.,  Mr.  Schult  leading  with  the 
harmonium  ;  the  Litany  Prayers  in  Tsimshean  fol- 
low, closing  with  the  Lord's  Prayer.  The  address 
lasts  nearly  an  hour.  Such  is  the  deep  attention  of 
many  present,  that  having  once  known  their  for- 
mer lives,  I  know  that  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad 
in  their  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  can  alone  have 
produced  so  marvellous  a  change. 

"  First,  there  was  a  very  old  woman,  staff  in  hand, 


EARL   DUFFERIN   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  leaping  along.  Next  followed  a  dissipated  youth, 
now  reclaimed  ;  and  after  him  a  chief,  who  had 
dared  a  few  years  ago  proudly  to  lift  up  his  hand 
to  stop  the  work  of  God,  now  with  humble  mien, 
wending  his  way  to  worship.  Then  came  a  once 
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  widow,  then  a  young 
woman,  who  had  been  snatched  from  the  jaws  of 
infamy ;  then  ;  a  once  notorious  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  ? 
Blessed  sight  for  angels !  Oh,  the  preciousness  of 
a  Saviour's  blood  !  If  there  is  a  joy  in  heaven  over 
one  sinner  that  repenteth,  with  what  delight,  must 
angels  gaze  on  such  a  sight  as  this  !  I  felt  such  a 
glow  of  gratitude  to  God  come  over  me,  my  heart 
was  stirred  within  me,  for  who  could  have  joined 
such  a  congregation  as  this  in  worship  and  have 
been  cold,  and  who  could  have  preached  the  Gospel 


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  Metla- 
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,  and  when  I  told  them  (what  I  had  beforehand 
determined  upon)  that  my  present  would  be  a  set 
of  street  lamps  to  light  up  their  village  at  night, 
their  joy  was  unbounded.  Their  first  thought  had 
a  spiritual  meaning.  By  day,  God's  house  was  a 
memorable  object,  visible  both  by  vessels  passing 
and  repassing,  and  by  all  canoes  as  strange  Indians 
travelled  about ;  but  by  night  all  was  darkness — 
now  no  longer  so — as  the  bright  light  of  the  glorious 
Gospel,  had  through  God's  mercy  and  love  shined 
in  their  dark  hearts,  so  would  all  be  reminded,  by 
night  as  well  as  by  day,  of  the  marvellous  light 
shining  in  the  hearts  of  many  at  Metlakahtla,  even 


EARL   DUFFERIN   AND    OTHERS   TESTIFY.     143 

the  Indians  who  came  with  him  were  in  such  fear 
from  the  neighboring  tribes,  that  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- 
ligent observers,  who  have  investigated  with  scru- 
tiny, the  development,  of  this  ideal  community,  we 
have  evidence  beyond  question  that  Mr.  Duncan's 
work  is  an  unqualified  success;  totally  free,  from 
any  underlying  motives  of  personal  emoluments,  or 
actuated  by  ambition  for  self-aggrandizement. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   SAVAGE. 

WE  have  now  followed  Mr.  Duncan  in  the  noble 
work,  which  he  has  fearlessly  pursued  through  grave 
perils  and  sore  trials;  we  have  always  found  him 
faithfully  at  his  post,  sacrificing  everything  for  his 
cause  ;  we  have  followed  him  in  his  joyful  delight 
at  the  successes,  which  had  crowned  the  struggles 
he  had  sustained  with  such  manly  fortitude,  yet, 
with  modesty  and  Christian  simplicity.  We  have 
received  the  impressive  testimony  of  those  whose 
privilege  it  has  been  to  visit  his  modern  Arcadia, 
and  to  see  with  their  own  eyes,  how  he  has  brought 
order  out  of  chaos — how  he  has  builded  on  a  rock. 
Now,  it  remains  for  us  to  scan  his  methods,  and 
then  to  follow  him  through  a  course  of  cruel  events, 
unlocked  for,  uncalled  for,  and  almost  without 
precedent  in  the  modern  history  of  sectarian  perse- 
cution. 

We  have  observed  how  Mr.  Duncan  began  his 
work,  by  first  mastering  the  tongue  and  then  study- 
ing, in  their  own  homes,  the  minds  and  inner  life, 
the  habits  and  customs  of  these  painted,  half-naked 
savages,  as  at  night,  clustering  around  their  hearth- 


THE   SAVAGE.  145 

stone,  the  blazing  fire  cast  a  weird  glow  over  their 
swarthy  faces.  He  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  Samaritan  to  their  sick,  as  a  peacemaker  when 
fierce  passions  stirred  strife,  as  a  comforter  in  their 
hours  of  trouble  and  woe,  he  not  only  won  their 
affection  and  confidence;  but,  he  also  implanted  in 
their  hearts,  the  germs  of  good-will  and  forbearance 
toward  each  other.  He  exemplified  and  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,  how  essential  it  is  that 
missionaries,  should  teach  by  their  lives,  as  well  as 
by  their  words. 

"No  one  ever  gains  much  influence  in  Africa 
without  purity  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  white  man  because  he  was  pure,  and  never 
guilty  of  secret  immorality.  Had  he  been,  they 
would  have  known  it,  and,  untutored  heathen  though 
they  be,  would  have  despised  him  everywhere." 

The  moment  a  white  man  indulges  in  the  com- 
mon vices  among  savages  he  reduces  himself,  in 
their  estimation  to  their  own  level. 


146  THE   STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

The  unbounded,  all-absorbing  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  god  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  teachings,  this  he 
held  up  in  vivid  contrast  to  the  canting  hypocrisy 
invading  so  large  a  portion  of  the  Christian  Church. 

It  is  recorded  that  some  Brahmins,  conversing 
with  the  Danish  Missionary  Schwartz,  replied  to 
his  arguments  in  behalf  of  Christianity  : 

"  We  do  not  see  your  Christian  people  live  ac- 
cording to  that  Holy  Word.  They  curse,  they 
swear,  they  get  drunk ;  they  steal,  they  cheat,  they 
deal  fraudulently  with  one  another ;  they  blas- 
pheme and  rail  upon  matters  of  religion,  or  often 
make  a  mock  of  those  who  profess  to  be  religious ; 
they  behave  themselves  as  badly,  if  not  worse,  than 
we  heathen.  Of  what  advantage  is  all  your  profes- 
sion of  Christ's  religion,  if  it  does  not  influence  the 
lives  of  your  own  countrymen  ?  Should  you  not 
first  endeavor  to  convert  your  own  countrymen  be- 
fore you  attempt  to  proselyte  Pagans  ?  But  turn- 
ing to  him  they  said,  '  Of  a  truth  you  are  a  holy 
man,  and  if  all  Christians  thought  and  spoke  and 
lived  as  you  do,  we  would  without  delay  undergo 
the  change  and  become  Christians  also.' " 


THE   SAVAGE.  147 

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  central  idea  the  One 
Omnipotent  God, — Creator  of  all, — Ruler  of  hu- 
man destinies, — Controller  of  the  elements,  of  the 
earth,  and  of  the  heavens. 

He  told  them  of  the  fall  of  man,  and  how  God 
had  sent  His  own  Son  into  the  world  to  suffer- 
and  to  be  sacrificed,  for  the  redemption  of  all  sin- 
ners. He  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,  and  it  was  the 
Supreme  Ruler  Who  had  blessed  the  earth  with 
light,  and  warmth,  and  verdure ;  stocked  the  sea  and 
rivers  with  fish,  and  the  forests  with  game. 

He  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  world,  is  enshrouded  in  mys- 
tery. Neither  science,  nor  theology,  has  conclusive- 
ly solved  the  problem  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
world  was  peopled.  However,  we  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  ferocious  ani- 
mals quickened  his  intellect.  He  sought  shelter  from 
the  inclemency  of  the  elements  in  caves.  Commu- 
nal life  was  adopted  for  security,  and  the  strongest 
naturally  assumed  the  chieftainship.  Consequent 
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  tides,  the 
seasons,  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  his  friends 
to  make  a  mock  attack  on  him,  to  bind  him,  and 
treat  him  as  a  captive,  actually  submitting  to  a  con- 


THE   SAVAGE.  149 

siderable  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  answer  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  seethe  wind 
but  what  is  it  ?  Who  brings  it,  makes  it  blow,  and 
roar  and  terrify  us  ?  Do  I  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 


I5O  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

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  vapqry  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 — 600 
B.  C.  Xenophanes  wrote,  "  Men  seem  to  have  cre- 
ated their  gods,  and  to  have  given  to  them  their 


THE   SAVAGE.  151 

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.  Being  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 


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  symptoms  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  recognized  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  the  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,  are  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  have  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  not  mur- 
dered. I  have  not  done  fraud  to  men.  I  have  not 
changed  the  measures  of  the  country.  I  have  not 
injured  the  images  of  gods.  I  have  not  taken  scraps 
of  the  bandages  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,  I  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  enjoy  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  prog- 
ress "  (Bancroft). 

The  American  aborigine  is  among  the  least  fav- 
ored of  mankind  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  Indians  from  the  Columbia  River,  Oregon, 
to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  in  1832,  when  that  town  was  but 
a  military  outpost  and  fur-trading  station.  The 


THE   SAVAGE.  155 

Nez  Perces  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 
about  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  the  mission.  On  foot  they  jour- 
neyed the  trail  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  of  the 
fierce  Black  Feet  and  other  hostile  tribes,  cover- 
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  the  huge  fire-canoes  as  large  as  islands,  paddled 
without  hands  ;  yet  their  sacred  errand  was  upper- 
most in  their  thoughts.  They  were  feasted  cordially 
and  abundantly;  decked  with  finery,  and  clad  in 
showy  blankets  ;  in  truth,  for  kindliness  and  enter- 


156  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

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 
General  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.  I  came, 
with  one  eye  partly  opened,  for  more  light  for  my 
people,  who  sit  in  darkness.  I  go  back  with  both 
eyes  closed.  How  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 
many  winters — we  leave  asleep  here  by  your  great 
water  and  wigwam.  They  were  tired  in  many 
moons,  and  their  moccasins  wore  out.  .  My  peo- 


*  It  was  this  general  who  had  with  Lewis  made  the  famous  over- 
land journey  to  Oregon  and  the  Pacific. 


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  I  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-grounds.  No  white  man  will  go  with 
them,  and  no  white  man's  Book  to  make  the  way 
plain.  .  I  have  no  words." 

Then  sadly  and  silently  they  took  their  home- 
ward trail.* 

But  the  Nez  Perces  mission  was  not  a  failure, 
for  after  many  months  the  story  of  their  pilgrimage 
reached  the  ears  of  Mr.  Spaulding,  and  that  noble 
martyr  Dr.  Whitman,  who  planted  Christianity,  ac- 
companied by  seed-wheat  and  wagon-wheels.  It 
was  the  indirect  effect  of  the  Nez  Perces'  journey, 


*  Portraits  207  and  208  in  Catlin's  collection  represent  these  two 
handsome  young  Nez  Perces  braves. 


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  magnificent  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  Simpson. 

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  Perces  hoped  by  means  of  the  % white 
man's  book  to  acquire  his  arts,  his  wisdom,  to  learn 
therefrom  an  easy  trail  to  the  "Happy  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  prudent  prince  as  thou  art,  thou  knowest 
neither  law  nor  religion.  Believe  in  ours,  and 
honor  Mahomet.' — '  In  what  does  your  religion 
consist  ?  '  asked  Vladimir.  '  We  believe  in  God,' 
they  replied,  '  but  we  believe  also  in  what  the 
Prophet  teaches.  Be  circumcised,  abstain  from 
pork,  drink  no  wine  ;  and  after  death  choose  out  of 
seventy  beautiful  wives  the  most  beautiful.'  Vlad- 
imir listened  to  them  for  the  last  reason.  But  that 
which  he  did  not  like  was  circumcision,  the  ab- 
stinence from  pork,  and  above  all  the  prohibition 


I6O  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

of    drinking.      'Drinking    is  the  great   delight    of 
Russians,'  he  said ;  '  we  cannot  live  without  it.' 

"  Next  came  the  representatives  of  Western  Chris- 
tendom. '  The  Pope,'  they  said,  '  begs  us  to  tell 
you,  your  country  is  like  ours,  but  not  your  religion. 
Ours  is  light.  We  fear  God,  who  made  the  heaven 
and  earth,  the  stars  and  the  moon,  and  every  living 
creature,  whilst  thy  Gods  are  of  wood.'  '  What  does 
your  law  command  ? '  asked  Vladimir. — '  We  fast,' 
they  said,  '  to  the  best  of  our  power ;  and  when  one 
eats  or  drinks,  he  does  it  in  honor  of  God,  as  we 
have  been  told  by  our  master  S.  Paul.' — '  Go  home,' 
said  Vladimir. — '  Our  fathers  did  not  believe  in  your 
religion,  nor  receive  it  from  the  Pope.' 

"  Next,  came  some  Jews  (who  lived  among  the 
Khozars).  *  We  have  heard  say  that  the  Mahomet- 
ans, and  the  Christians,  have  tried  to  persuade  thee 
to  adopt  their  belief.  The  Christians  believe  in  Him 
whom  we  have  crucified.  We  believe  in  one  God, 
the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob.' — '  In  what 
does  your  law  consist  ?  '  asked  Vladimir. — '  Our  law 
requires  circumcision,  prohibits  pork  and  hare,  and 
enjoins  the  observance  of  Saturday.' — '  Where  then 
is  your  country  ?  ' — 'At  Jerusalem.' — '  What  is  Jeru- 
salem ?  ' — '  God  was  wroth  with  our  forefathers ;  he 
dispersed  us  for  our  sins  throughout  the  world,  and 
our  country  has  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Christians.' 
— '  What,'  said  Vladimir,  *  you  wish  to  teach  others 
— you  whom  God  has  rejected  and  dispersed  ?  If 
God  had  loved  you,  and  your  law,  He  would  never 


THE   SAVAGE.  l6l 

have  scattered  you  abroad ;  do  you  wish,  perhaps, 
that  we  should  suffer  the  same  ?  ' 

"  In  each  of  these  answers  we  detect  the  charac- 
teristic temper  of  the  Russian  ;  his  love  of  drinking, 
his  tenacity  of  ancestral  customs,  his  belief  in  the 
Divine  right  of  success. 

"  Another  agency  now  appears  on  the  scene.  It 
is  not  a  nameless  barbarian,  as  before.  It  is,  so  the 
chronicler  tells  us,  'a  philosopher  from  Greece.' 
The  glory  of  Grecian  culture  still  hung  about  its 
ancient  seats,  and  the  fittest  harbinger  of  Christian 
truth,  even  in  dealing  with  the  savage  Vladimir,  was 
thought  to  be  a  Greek  ;  not  a  priest  or  a  mission- 
ary, but  a  philosopher. 

"  'We  have  heard,'  said  he,  '  that  the  Mahomet- 
ans have  sent  to  lead  you  to  adopt  their  belief. 
Their  religion,  and  their  practices  are  abominations 
in  the  face  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  judgment  will 
fall  upon  them,  as  of  old  on  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 
This  is  what  they  do  who  call  Mahomet  a  prophet.' 

"  This  calls  forth  the  first  moral  spark  that  we  have 
seen  in  Vladimir's  mind.  He  spat  upon  the  ground 
and  said,  '  This  is  shameful.' 

"  '  We  have  also  heard,'  said  the  philosopher, 
'  that  messengers  have  come  from  Rome  to  teach 
you.  Their  belief  differs  somewhat  from  ours. 
They  celebrate  mass  with  unleaven  bread,  therefore, 
they  have  not  the  true  religion.'  Such  was  the 
point  on  which  the  two  greatest  Churches  of  the 
world  had  been  torn  asunder,  and  into  which  Vladi- 


1 62  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

mir  did  not  further  inquire.  He  then  took  up  the 
word  himself  and  said :  '  I  have  also  had  Jews  here 
who  said  that  the  Germans  and  Greeks  believe  on 
Him  Whom  we  crucified.'"  The  philosopher  assent- 
ed. '  Why  was  He  crucified  ?  '  asked  Vladimir. — '  If 
you  will  listen,'  replied  the  philosopher,  '  I  will  tell 
you  all  from  the  beginning.'  '  With  pleasure,'  replied 
Vladimir.  And  the  philosopher  then  proceeded  to 
relate  all  the  Divine  acts,  and  deeds,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world ;  the  whole  course,  we  may  say, 
of  ecclesiastical  history,  coming  to  a  characteristic 
close  in  the  Seventh  General  Council.  He  then 
defined  the  true  faith,  and  spoke  of  the  future  re- 
ward of  the  just,  and  the  punishment  of  the  impious, 
and  at  the  same  time  showed  to  Vladimir,  a  tablet 
on  which  was  painted  the  scene  of  the  last  judg- 
ment. Then,  showing  him  on  the  right  the  just, 
who,  filled  with  joy,  were  entering  Paradise,  he 
made  him  remark  on  the  left  the  sinners  who  were 
going  to  hell.  Vladimir,  as  he  looked  at  the  pict- 
ure, heaved  a  sigh  and  said, — '  Happy  are  those  on 
the  right ;  woe  to  the  sinners  on  the  left.' — '  If  you 
wish,'  said  the  philosopher  to  enter  with  the  just, 
who  are  on  the  right,  consent  to  be  baptized.' — Vla- 
dimir reflected  profoundly,  and  said,  '  I  will  wait 
yet  a  little  while.'  For  he  wished  first  to  be  in- 
structed about  each  religion.  But  he  loaded  the 
philosopher  with  presents  and  sent  him  away. 

"  Vladimir  in  the  next  year  sent  for  the  nobles 
and  elders,  and   told  them  of  the  different  inter- 


THE   SAVAGE.  163 

views.  c  You  know,  O  Prince,'  they  said,  ' that  no 
one  talks  evil  of  his  religion,  but  that  all,  on  the 
contrary,  praise  their  own.  If  you  wish  to  know 
the  exact  truth,  you  have  wise  men ;  send  them  to 
examine  each  faith  of  each,  and  the  manner  of  their 
worship.' 

"  We  need  not  follow  them  throughout  their 
journey.  They  reported  that  the  Mussulmans 
prayed  with  their  heads  covered,  and  that  their 
stench  was  insupportable  ;  and  that  the  German 
and  Roman  churches  had  no  ornaments  nor  beauty, 
though  better  than  the  Mussulman  mosques. 

"  But  the  nobles  insisted,  that  the  decision  should 
not  be  made  without  knowing  first,  what  was  the 
Greek  religion  ;  and  accordingly  the  envoys  pro- 
ceeded to  the  city  which  they  called  Tzarozorod. 
In  that  barbarous  name  we  recognize  *  The  City 
of  the  Czar '  or  '  King,'  the  great  Constantinople. 
What  it  was  at  that  period,  the  splendor  of  its 
ceremonial,  both  of  Church  and  State,  even  in  the 
most  minute  detail,  is  known  to  us  from  the  nearly 
contemporary  account  (A.D.  987)  of  the  German 
embassy  from  Otho.  Basil  Porphyrogenitus  was  on 
the  throne  with  his  brother  Constantine ;  and  his 
words,  in  giving  orders  to  the  Patriarch,  to  prepare 
for  a  magnificent  reception  of  the  strangers,  indi- 
cate more  than  many  treatises  the  importance  he 
attached  to  the  outward  show' of  the  ceremonial  of 
the  Church,  as  his  grandfather  had  to  the  outward 
show  of  the  ceremonial  of  the  court. — '  Let  them 


1 64  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

see,'  he  said,  c  the  glory  of  our  God.' — The  service 
was  that  of  a  high  festival,  either  of  St.  John  Chry- 
sostom  or  the  death  of  the  Virgin. 

"  It  was  in  the  Church — magnificent  even  now 
in  its  fallen  state,  then  all  gorgeous  with  gold  and 
mosaic — of  Saint  Sophia.  Even  had  they  been  as 
far  as  Rome  itself,  they  would  have  seen  nothing 
equal  to  it.  St.  Peter,  as  it  now  is,  was  far  in  the 
future.  Cologne  Cathedral  was  not  yet  born.  The 
boast  of  Justinism  was  still  the  masterpiece  of 
Christian  architecture. 

"  The  Russian  envoys  were  placed  in  a  conveni- 
ent position.  The  incense  smoked,  the  chants  re- 
sounded, the  Patriarch  was  in  his  most  splendid 
vestments.  One  incident  is  preserved  in  a  Byzan- 
tine annalist  which  the  Russian  chronicler  has 
omitted. — '  The  Russians  were  struck,'  he  says,  '  by 
the  multitude  of  lights,  and  the  chanting  of  hymns  ; 
but  what  most  filled  them  with  astonishment,  was 
the  appearance  of  the  deacons,  and  subdeacons  issu- 
ing from  the  sanctuary,  with  torches  in  their  hands;' 
and,  as  we  happen  to  know  from  an  earlier  source, 
with  white  linen  wings  on  their  shoulders,  at  whose 
presence  the  people  fell  on  their  knees  and  cried, — 
'  Kyrie  Eleison  !  '  The  Russians  took  their  guides 
by  the  hand  and  said  • — '  All  that  we  have  seen  is 
awful  and  majestic,  but  this  is  supernatural.  We 
have  seen  young  men  with  wings,  in  dazzling  robes, 
who,  without  touching  the  ground,  chanted  in  the 
air  Holy !  holy  !  holy  !  and  this  is  what  has  most  sur- 


THE   SAVAGE.  165 

prised  us.'  The  guides  replied  (and  the  Byzantine 
historian  repeats  it  without  changing  the  tone  of 
his  narrative,  even  in  the  slightest  degree) : — 'What ! 
do  you  not  know  that  angels  come  down  from 
heaven  to  mingle  in  our  services  ?  ' — '  You  are  right,' 
said  the  simple-minded  Russians ;  '  we  want  no 
further  proof ;  send  us  home  again.' 

"  It  is  a  striking  instance,  of  the  effect  produced  on 
a  barbarous  people,  by  the  union  of  religious  and  out- 
ward magnificence;  and,  the  dexterity  with  which 
the  Byzantine  courtiers,  turned  the  credulity  of  the 
Russian  envoys  to  account,  is  an  example  of  the 
origin  of  many  of  the  miracles  of  the  middle  ages ; 
not  wholly  fraud,  nor  wholly  invention,  but  a  union 
of  the  two  ;  a  symbolical  ceremony  taken  for  a 
supernatural  occurrence,  and  the  mistake  fostered, 
not  by  deliberate  imposture  but,  by  the  difficulty  of 
resisting  the  immense  temptation  to  deception, 
which  such  mistakes  afforded.  A  like  confusion 
supports  to  this  day  the  supposed  miracle  of  the 
Holy  Fire  at  Jerusalem. 

"  As  in  many  similar  cases  the  results  far  out- 
lasted the  sin  or  the  weakness  of  the  first  begin- 
ning.— '  We  knew  not,'  said  the  envoys  on  their 
return,  'whether  we  were  not  in  heaven  ;  in  truth, 
it  would  be  impossible  on  earth  to  find  such  riches 
and  magnificence.  We  cannot  describe  to  you  all 
that  we  have  seen.  We  can  only  believe  that  there, 
in  all  likelihood,  one  is  in  the  presence  of  God,  and 
that  the  worship  of  other  countries  is  there  entirely 


166  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

eclipsed.  We  shall  never  forget  so  much  gran- 
deur. Whosoever  has  seen  so  sweet  a  spectacle 
will  be  pleased  with  nothing  elsewhere.  It  is  im- 
possible for  us  to  remain  where  we  are.' 

"  The  rest  of  the  story  may  be  shortly  told. 
With  some  few  Eastern  touches,  it  is  not  unlike 
the  national  conversions  of  the  West.  Vladimir, 
still  in  a  state  of  hesitation,  besieged  the  city  of 
Cherson  in  the  Crimea,  and,  like  Clovis,  vowed  that 
he  would  be  baptized  if  he  succeeded.  He  then 
sent  to  demand  from  the  Emperor  Basil,  the  hand 
of  his  sister  Anne  in  marriage,  under  the  threat  of 
doing  to  Constantinople  as  he  had  done  to  Cherson. 
With  some  difficulty  Anne  was  induced  to  sacrifice 
herself  to  the  barbarian  prince,  in  the  hope  of  avert- 
ing so  great  a  danger  and  effecting  so  great  a  good. 
Her  sister  Theophano,  had  already  been  estab- 
lished on  the  throne  of  the  German  Otho.  She 
acquired  a  more  lasting  fame  as  the  channel  through 
which  Christianity  penetrated  into  Russia. 

"  He  was  baptized  accordingly  at  Cherson,  and 
then  issued  orders  for  a  great  baptism  of  his  people 
at  Kieff.  They  also  hesitated  for  a  short  time.  But 
a  like  argument,  combined  with  the  Grand-Duke, 
convinced  them  also.  The  huge  wooden  idol 
Peroun  was  dragged  over  the  hills  at  a  horse's  tail, 
mercilessly  scourged  by  twelve  mounted  pursuers, 
and  thrown  into  the  Dnieper,  where  it  was  guided 
and  pushed  along  the  stream  till  it  finally  disap- 
peared down  the  rapids,  in  a  spot  long  afterward 


THE   SAVAGE.  167 

known  as  the  Bay  of  Peroun.  The  whole  people 
of  Kieff  were  immersed  in  the  same  river,  some 
sitting  on  the  banks,  some  plunged  in,  others  swim- 
ing,  whilst  the  priests  read  the  prayers. — '  It  was  a 
night,'  says  Nestor,  '  wonderfully  curious  and 
beautiful  to  see  ;  and  when  the  whole  people  were 
baptized  each  one  returned  to  his  own  house.'  The 
spot  was  consecrated  by  the  first  Christian  Church, 
and  Kieff,  which  already,  as  we  have  seen  from  old 
traditions,  had  been  the  Glastonbury,  became  hence- 
forward the  Canterbury  of  the  Russian  Empire." 

Vladimir,  unlike  the  ordinary  savage,  was  more 
brutal  than  benighted.  He  was  able  to  discrimi- 
nate between  the  creeds  with  oriental  cunning. 
With  usual  designing  avarice,  and  cupidity,  he  ac- 
cepted the  Christian  religion,  only  to  gain  the  hand 
of  the  beautiful  Anne,  and  to  add  grandeur  to  his 
court,  and  to  glorify  his  reign. 

From  the  very  incipiency  of  his  development, 
primitive  man  has  thus  been  led  by  the  things  that 
satisfy  his  corporeal  cravings.  We  find  the  savage 
to-day  intellectually  in  his  infancy,  steeped  in  the 
vices  of  generations — a  demon  in  brutish  instincts 
— a  combination  of  childlike  simplicity,'  and  un- 
measured ferocity.  What  may  be  to  the  savage, 
virtue  is  to  civilized  people  often  an  enormity.  And 
vice  versa ;  for  example,  the  naked  Indian  maiden 
blushes  when  her  necklace  is  removed,  regarding  it 
to  be  an  indelicate  exposure  of  her  person. 

It  is  an  indubitable  and  acknowledged  fact  that 


168  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

the  savage  is  attracted  to  advancement  only  by 
those  things  which  appeal  to  his  senses.  "  The  first 
step  toward  teaching  a  savage  is  to  feed  him  :  the 
stomach  satisfied,  he  will  listen  to  instruction,  not 
before." 

Mr.  Duncan  grasped,  and  grasped  intelligently, 
the  true  science  of  civilization — he  learned  the  insist- 
ent needs,  and  pliant  capacities,  of  the  savages.  We 
have  seen  how  effectually  he  provided  for  these 
needs,  and  trained  these  capacities. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   CRISIS. 

CHRISTIANITY,  humanity  and  civilization  seemed 
to  triumph  over  all  this  region,  when,  suddenly,  in 
the  autumn  of  1881,  an  unrighteous  storm  of  perse- 
cution, gathered  in  a  quarter  altogether  unlocked 
for ;  soon,  it  broke  over  Metlakahtla  in  fury ;  and, 
has  continued  to  rage  ever  since,  with  cruel  asperity  ; 
at  this  moment,  it  threatens  the  settlement  with 
destruction. 

This,  all  because  Mr.  Duncan,  above  all  things 
dared  to  do  his  duty,  to  his  God,  and  to  his  people, 
despite  the  intrigues  of  his  foes. 

Mr.  Duncan,  left  England  as  a  missionary  layman, 
and  he  is  a  missionary  layman  still.  He  was  ex- 
pected, and  urged  to  take  Church  of  England  orders 
— even  the  title  of  Bishop  was  open  to  him — but 
his  labors  being  so  richly  blessed  as  a  layman,  he, 
refused  to  change  his  degree.  His  answer  to  the 
Bishop  of  Columbia  who  urged  him  was: — that  he 
feared  that  Church  orders  would  prove  to  him,  what 
Saul's  armor  was  to  David  ;  only  an  encumbrance, 
and  therefore,  he  preferred  keeping  to  the  use  of 
the  sling  and  stone. 


I/O  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

During  more  than  twenty  years  of  Mr.  Duncan's 
missionary  efforts,  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
under  whose  auspices  he  was  working,  unceasingly 
praised  him,  and  his  methods,  and,  the  Society  even 
went  so  far  as  to  issue  circulars,*  to  its  missionaries 
advocating  evangelistic  work,  on  the  very  plan  then 
being  carried  out  by  Mr.  Duncan,  and  whose  success 
no  doubt,  influenced  them  greatly  in  issuing  these 
circulars. 

It  was  not  until  after  the  death  of  the  great  Henry 
Venn,  who,  as  secretary  of  the  Society,  had  guided 
its  affairs,  for  so  many  years,  always  heartily  approv- 
ing of  and  encouraging  Mr.  Duncan  in  his  methods 
of  evangelistic  and  secular  work,  that  it  became 
manifest  that  the  Society's  directors  differed  from 
Mr.  Duncan  in  their  views  of  mission  work,  and 
methods  of  conducting  it.  The  present  bigoted  in- 
cumbent, only  assumed  the  secretaryship  f  a  short 
time  before  the  rupture  which  I  shall  describe  in 
this  chapter. 

It  was  after  this  melancholy  change  in  \.\\e  person- 
nel of  the  leadership,  and,  not  until  then,  that  the 
Society  gave  evidence  of  a  gradual,  though  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  re- 


*  See  Circulars,  Chapter  VIII.,  this  volume. 

f  Another  gentleman  now  dead  had  filled  the  brief  interim. 


THE   CRISIS.  I/I 

ports  to  the  Society.  His  observations,  and  analy- 
sis of  the  people  with  whom  he  had  to  deal,  caused 
him  to  avoid,  from  the  first  prompting,  or  leading 
them  in  conformity  with  the  elaborate  service  of 
the  Church  of  England,  which  was  the  Church  of 
the  Society ;  and  the  Church  of  which  Mr.  Duncan 
was  himself  a  member.  He  persistently  declared 
that  his  going  among  heathen,  was  to  save  sinners, 
and  not  to  glorify  the  Church ;  to  lead  them  to  a 
pure  life,  not,  to  teach  them  dogmas. 

Several  years  ago,  the  Society  became  impatient 
and  insistent  for  a  closer  resemblance  in  the  Met- 
lakahtla  Church  service,  to  that  of  the  Church  of 
England  ;  and  for  those  statistics  from  the  mission, 
which  are  deemed  to  count  for  so  much  in  publi- 
cations, but,  which  in  reality  are  often  fictitious  and 
misleading. 

We  have  in  following  Mr.  Duncan's  work  come 
to  understand,  that  one,  of  the  principal  character- 
istics of  his  teaching ;  and  one,  of  the  secrets  of  his 
success,  was  simplicity.  He  cared  solely  for  the 
sound  and  healthy  growth  of  the  work.  The  So- 
ciety, now  apparently  imagined  the  Indians  to  be 
advanced  Christians,  but  he  knew,  he  was  still  deal- 
ing with  Indians,  he  had  found  steeped  in  barbaric 
atrocities,  and  many  of  whom,  he  knew  to  be  still 
mere  babes  in  religious  comprehension.  The  So- 
ciety, conceived  that  the  forms  and  ritual  of  the 
Church,  were  safe,  and  suitable  for  the  Indians  to 
follow  ;  but,  Mr.  Duncan,  as  he  grew  in  experience, 


1/2  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

saw  more  and  more  clearly,  that  the  distinctive 
dress  of  the  ministers  and  Bishops,  as  well  as  the 
order  of  Service  of  the  Church — especially  in  the 
administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper, — were  calcu- 
lated to  bewilder,  rather  than  edify  the  Indians  with 
whom  he  had  to  do,  in  their  present  stage  of  prog- 
ress. 

Besides,  he  found  in  their  inordinate  passion  for 
spirituous  liquors  which  was  universal,  a  special 
danger  in  offering  them  wine  as  a  sacrament.  Fur- 
thermore, it  was  a  difficult  dilemma  to  reconcile,  the 
deviation  of  church  requirement,  from  the  prohibi- 
tory state  law,  which  imposed  the  penalty  of  im- 
prisonment upon  any  Indian  who  even  touched  wine, 
or  other  liquors. 

They  would  naturally  query  to  themselves,  how 
is  it,  that  the  church  law  is  at  variance  with  the 
Queen's  law  ?  The  Queen  says  no  !  The  Church 
says  yes  ! 

Mr.  Duncan  gave  this  subject  a  great  deal,  of 
serious,  and  anxious  consideration.  And  often  dis- 
cussed it  with  his  church  elders,  and  the  more  ad- 
vanced native  brethren  ;  explaining  to  them  the  full 
significance  of  the  rite : — they  seriously  apprehended 
the  effect  upon  their  weaker  brethren,  who  might 
depend  upon  the  sacrament,  as  a  charm  to  take  away 
sin,  and  afford  them  a  passport  to  heaven.  And 
one  might  naturally  expect,  that  many  of  the  yet 
unconverted  natives  would  regard  the  partaking  of 
the  sacred  fluid,  as  a  covert  manner  of  indulging,  in 


THE    CRISIS.  173 

that  which  was  forbidden  them  by  law,  even  if  a 
non-spirituous  wine  was  used.  Furthermore,  Mr. 
Duncan  was  dealing,  with  men  who  had  but  recently 
been  converted  from  cannibalism,  and  we  may  read- 
ily understand  that  the  introduction  of  a  rite,  which 
in  the  performance,  assumed  to  be  the  partaking  of 
the  body,  and  the  blood  of  our  Saviour,  was  a  mat- 
ter which  required  the  utmost  caution.  One  can 
but  recall  that  "  the  Roman  heathens  ascribed  to 
the  early  Christians,  that  the  sacrament  was  a  can- 
nibal's feast." 

To  those  who  had  formerly  regaled  themselves 
at  banquets  of  human  flesh,  how  fine  would  be  the 
point  of  distinction,  and  moral  consideration,  be- 
tween the  emblem  which  was  assumed  to  represent 
the  substance  ;  and  the  real  substance,  to  partake  of 
which,  they  were  now  taught,  was  a  most  atrocious 
sin.  They  who  had  tasted  human  flesh  in  their  days 
of  heathenism,  benighted  as  they  then  were,  would 
have  recoiled  with  horror,  at  the  bare  thought  of  con- 
suming, even  by  emblem  a  part  of  one  of  their  gods  ! 

It  must  be  apparent  to  all,  that  Mr.  Duncan  sought 
above  all  things  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  converts, 
and  would  be  the  last  one  to  withhold  from  them, 
anything  essential  to  their  salvation,  and  with  his 
knowledge  of  their  minds  and  dispositions,  and  the 
stage  of  their  development,  he  was  better  able  to 
judge  of  their  spiritual  requirements,  than  were  men 
in  London,  who  had  never  even  seen  them;  Yet, 
recently  these  perfunctory  dictators,  had  presumed 


1/4  THE   STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

to  square  them,  by  a  procrustean,  ecclesiastical  rule, 
and  insist  upon  the  introduction  of  an  elaborate 
eucharist ;  representing  that  without  such,  Mr.  Dun- 
can was  giving  the  Indians  but  a  "  mutilated  Chris- 
tianity "  and  "false  teachings  !  " 

In  the  minds  of  many  of  the  most  distinguished 
Christian  authorities,  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  is  more  honored  in  the  partaking  of  the  real 
invisible,  but  all  potent,  spiritual  essence  of  Christ ; 
than  in  the  actual  consumption  of  an  emblem ; 
though  it  is  generally  admitted  that  where  there 
are  no  impediments,  the  observance  of  this  sacred 
rite  is  most  desirable.  Participation  in  this  rite 
should  be  reserved  for  mature  minds,  with  full  con- 
sciousness of  its  import,  and  the  act  should  be  one 
of  intelligent,  personal  free  will.  The  Christian 
world  has  recognized  this  fact,  in  the  abandonment 
of  the  administration  of  the  sacrament  to  infants. 

On  this  subject,  the  late  Dean  Stanley, — account- 
ed the  most  learned  ecclesiastical  authority  of  our 
day, — spoke  very  plainly.  It  is  well  known  that 
he  held  as  paramount  to  forms,  and  ceremonies,  the 
rescue  of  the  human  soul,  and  the  dissemination  of 
true  Christian  religion,  in  whatsoever  manner,  it  was 
most  effective  in  its  application  to  those  especially 
to  be  saved.  I  quote  him  freely,  and  with  a  feeling 
of  great  reverence,  for  I  owe  to  his  lucid  expositions, 
a  fixed  belief  in  the  harmony  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion with  modern  science.  Dean  Stanley  thus, 
speaks  of  the  sacrament. 


THE   CRISIS.  175 

"  Not  a  single  church  now  communicates  in  the 
form  in  which  it  was  originally  given. 

"  It  has  been  well  said  by  a  devout  Scottish 
bishop,*  in  speaking  of  this  subject :  *  We  should 
not  expect  to  arrive  at  the  secret  of  Hamlet  by  eat- 
ing a  bit  of  Shakespeare's  body  ;  and  so,  though  we 
ate  ever  so  much  of  the  material  bones  or  flesh  of 
the  Founder  of  the  Eucharist,  we  should  not  arrive 
one  whit  nearer  to  "  the  mind  which  was  Christ 
Jesus."'  ... 

"  They  who  believe  in  the  singular  mercy  and 
compassion  in  the  Parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son,  or 
in  the  toleration  and  justice  due  to  those  who  are  of 
another  religion,  as  in  the  Parable  of  the  Good  Sa- 
maritan, they,  have  or  have  not  partaken  of  the  sac- 
rament, have  thus  received  Christ  because  they 
have  received  that  which  was  the  essence  of  Christ, 
His  spirit  of  mercy  and  toleration.  .  .  . 

"  These  three  things  then,  the  lifting  up  of  the 
heart  in  words  of  devotion  to  God,  the  performance 
of  kindly  and  useful  deeds,  to  men,  and  the  dedica- 
tion of  self  ,  are  the  three  things  by  which  the  Su- 
preme Goodness  and  Truth,  according  to  true  Re- 
ligion, is  pleased,  propitiated,  satisfied. 

"  In  the  great  exemplar  and  essence  of  Christian- 
ity, these  three  things  are  seen  in  perfection.  .  . 

''  The  constant  under-song  of  better  spirits  from 
the  earliest  times,  which  maintains  with  regard  to 

*  Bishop  Ewing. 


1/6  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA, 

both  sacraments,  not  only  that,  in  extreme  cases, 
they  may  be  dispensed  with,  but  that,  their  essence 
is  to  be  had  without  form  at  all. 

"  The  most  Protestant  of  all  the  statements  on 
this  subject  in  the  English  Prayer  Book  is  itself 
taken  from  an  earlier  rubric  to  the  same  effect  in 
the  mediaeval  church.  '  If  man  .  .  .  by  any 
just  impediment  do  not  receive  the  sacrament  of 
Christ's  body  and  blood,  the  Church  shall  instruct 
him  that  '  [if  he  fulfil  the  moral  conditions  of 
Communion],  '  he  doth  eat  and  drink  the  Body  and 
Blood  of  our  Saviour  Christ  to  his  soul's  health,  al- 
though he  do  not  receive,  the  sacrament  with  his 
mouth'  Such  a  concession  is  in  fact  the  conces- 
sion of  the  whole  principle.  .  .  . 

"  The  moment  that  door  is  opened,  for  the  moral 
consideration  of  what  is  due  to  mercy  and  humanity, 
the  whole  fabric  of  the  strict  sacramental  system 
vanishes,  and  reason,  justice,  and  charity  step  in  to 
take  their  right  place." 

Mr.  Duncan  always  looked  forward  hopefully  to 
a  time,  when  it  might  be  safe  to  introduce  the 
Lord's  Supper,  and  once  wrote  the  Society,  suggest- 
ing a  modified  form,  thinking  that  at  an  appropriate 
moment,  a  simple  emblematic  form  of  evening-meal, 
or,  social  feast,  might  be  adopted  which  would  re- 
semble the  original  repast ;  that  is  to  say,  not  ad- 
ministered by  a  priest :  but,  the  Society  wanted  the 
celebration  to  be  carried  out  with  full  detail,  cere- 
mony, and  vestments,  as  in  the  Church  of  England. 


THE   CRISIS.  177 

Therefore,  all  things  considered,  it  is  obvious  that 
they  could  not  agree. 

In  respect  to  Baptism,  Mr.  Duncan,  perceived  the 
necessity  for  carefully  guarding  this  rite,  and  keep- 
ing the  Indians  under  lengthy  probation.  He  had 
taught  them  that  Baptism  might  be  compared  to  a 
label  on  a  can  of  salmon,  to  signify,  and  vouch  for 
the  quality  of  its  contents.  The  Indians  are  now 
surprised  to  see  sectarians  running  eagerly  to  clap 
on  the  label  of  baptism,  without  much  regard  whether 
the  candidate's  life  corresponds  with  the  label,  or  not. 

Only  a  short  time  ago  a  Bishop  of  the  Society  on 
his  way  up  a  river — in  a  single  day  converted,  and 
baptized  a  sick  Indian  Chief  of  a  heathen  tribe, 
who  had  while  in  health  stoutly  refused  Christian 
instruction.  After  a  short  interview — the  chief 
yielded  to  the  Bishop's  advice,  handed  over  his  medi- 
cine-rattle,— and  accepted  baptism,  as  he  wanted, 
he  said,  to  be  saved — meaning  the  healing  of  his 
body.  The  Bishop  flourished  the  rattle  before  the 
Indian  spectators  as  a  trophy,  and  then  went  on  his 
journey  ;  congratulating,  himself  on  what  a  graphic 
article  he  could  write  of  the  incident,  for  his  mis- 
sionary publications.  But,  now  for  the  sequel. 
After  the  Bishop's  departure  the  baptized  invalid's 
sickness  increased.  Being,  therefore,  disappointed, 
he  consulted  some  of  his  people,  as  to  what  he  had 
better  do.  They  blamed  him  for  giving  up  his 
medicine-rattle  to  the  Bishop.  His  superstitious 
fears  became  aroused,  and,  he  resolved  to  demand 


178  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

its  restitution,  and  to  return  the  water  of  baptism 
to  the  Bishop.  A  cup  of  water,  was  accordingly 
placed  in  readiness  near  his  bed.  In  a  few  days  the 
Bishop  on  his  return  called  to  see  the  sick  man. 
Instead,  however,  of  receiving  a  friendly  greeting,  he 
was  met  with  a  sullen  ill-tempered  demand  for  the 
medicine-rattle.  In  vain  the  Bishop  remonstrated 
by  telling  the  baptized  Shaman,  he  was  now  a 
Christian.  The  savage's  demand  was  repeated  with 
a  clamorous  threat,  and  finally,  the  rattle  was  re- 
turned to  him. 

As  the  Bishop  left,  the  dying  Indian  threw  after 
him  the  cup  of  water,  saying  at  the  same  time : — 
"  take  back  your  baptism,"  and,  followed  it  with 
violent  imprecations. 

Bishop  Ingham,  in  his  fearless  and  flat-footed, 
charge  to  the  missionaries  at  Freetown,  West 
Africa  ;  in  referring  to  the  rotten  condition  of  affairs 
brought  about,  by  greater  efforts  to  enroll  names, 
and  establish  the  church,  than  to  purify  and  elevate 
the  converts,  he  says  it : — "  has  shown  up  a  mass  of 
iniquity  with  which  our  present  rules  of  discipline 
entirely  fail  to  deal.  The  church  is  responsible  for 
binding  as  well  as  loosing.  It  is  evident  that, 
amongst  church  members,  church  officers,  and  com- 
municants, there  is  much  undiscovered  iniquity. 
The  church  must  wash  her  hands  of  this  state  of 
things  ;  and  we  hope  to  enforce,  as  a  beginning,  some 
stricter  discipline  as  to  tJie  sacraments  of  Baptism 
and  the  Lord's 


I   AND   2,    CARVED   MEDICINE-RATTLES  J    3,    CARVED   CEDAR   TRAY  ; 
4,    CARVED  PIPE  J   5,    CARVED   COMB, 


THE    GRISTS.  179 

The  inconsistency  of  baptizing  unreformed  sav- 
ages, is  further  illustrated  in  the  incident  of  the 
landing  of  the  missionary  priest,  Father  Bolduc  at 
the  Songhee  village  Camosun  (now  Victoria)  be- 
fore the  establishment  of  the  first  trading  post. 
After  addressing  Chief  Tsilathach  and  his  people 
for  half  an  hour,  he  invited  them  to  be  baptized. 

Tsilathach  replied,  "  baptize  our  Enemies ! — do  not 
baptize  us,  a  priest  who  came  before  you  some  years 
ago  baptized  many  of  the  Kwanthmus  and  Cowi- 
chins,  and  they  all  died  !  " 

The  fact  was,  that  a  plague  had  visited  the  coast 
immediately  after,  and  the  association,  was  only 
natural  to  these  superstitious  people. 

It  is  told  of  an  old  barbarian  Chief,  who  when  he 
was  baptized  kept  his  right  hand  out  of  the  water, 
that  he  might  still  work  his  deeds  of  blood. 

How  necessary  all  this  proves  to  us  the  reserva- 
tion of  this  rite  to  the  truly  converted.  But  this 
necessity,  is  now  apparently  ignored  by  the  Society's 
agents.  It  is  a  twofold  sin  to  deceive  a  fellow-creat- 
ure, into  the  belief  that  there  is  a  magical  power,  of 
purification,  and  salvation,  in  the  mere  observance 
of  the  ceremony  of  baptism ;  and  it  is  distinctly  a 
deception,  to  turn  this  symbolic  Christian  ordinance, 
into  a  magical  rite,  to  invest  it  with  powers  it  does 
not,  and  never  did  possess. 

It  is  only  after  satisfactory  probation,  that  mem- 
bers of  the  Metlakahtla  congregation  are  baptized 
and  admitted  to  full  membership, — baptismal  rites 


180  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

being  administered  by  an  ordained  clergyman* — 
thus,  the  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.  He 
believes  that  to  insure  the  best  results,  every  Chris- 
tian congregation  gathered  out  of  Heathendom  ; 
should  begin  its  history  as  a  free,  and  independent 
branch  of  Christ's  Church,  in  unity,  and  in  sym- 
pathy-,  with  all  evangelical  Christians  ;  but,  allowed 
to  develop  naturally  on  Scriptural  lines,  and  adopt 
that  kind  of  church  order,  most  in  harmony  with  the 
native  mind.  Whereas,  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  rigorously  demand,  that  all  converts  to 
Christianity  through  its  agency,  shall  be  stamped 
as  members  of  the  Church  of  England,  conform  to 
its  exacting  ritual,  and  adopt  its  spirit  of  exclusive- 
ness.  It  did  not  recognize  with  Burke,  that  "  The 
cause  of  the  Church  of  England  is  included  in  that 
of  religion,  not  that  of  religion  in  the  Church  of 
England."  Here,  we  are  confronted  with  that  spirit 
of  bigotry,  that  has  wrought  havoc  with  freedom  of 
conscience  in  all  ages.  At  the  time  of  the  Refor- 
mation the  Protestants  declared  that  its  issue  was 
founded  on  this: — "that  the  Bible  is  a  sufficient 
guide  for  every  Christian  man.  Tradition  was  re- 
jected, and  the  right  of  private  interpretation  as- 

*  See  Chapter  III. 


THE   CRISIS.  l8l 

sured.  It  was  thought  that  the  criterion  of  truth 
had  at  length  been  obtained." 

But,  alas  such  was  not  to  be.  Calvin  in  roasting 
Servetus  to  death  over  a  slow  fire  at  Geneva — for 
daring  to  express  his  religious  convictions, — bore 
witness  that  human  ecclesiastical  prejudices,  still  sub- 
orned true  godliness.  Narrow-minded  hierarchy, 
has  clogged  the  wheels  of  Christian  religion,  from  the 
first.  The  utter  absurdity,  and  the  dire  conse- 
quences of  most  of  the  ecclesiastical  conflicts,  strikes 
with  amazement  every  student  of  history.  For  in- 
stance, the  unseemly  ecclesiastical  quarrels  of  the 
fourth  century,  affecting  the  co-eternity  of  Trinity; 
some  claiming  that  there  was  a  time  when  the  Son 
did  not  exist,  that,  as  a  necessary  condition  of  the 
filial  relation  the  Father  must  be  older  than  the  Son. 
The  opponents  argued  that  they  had  been  for  all 
time  co-existent ;  the  latter  faction  was  victorious  at 
the  Nicene  Council,  which  anathematized  all  who 
should  say,  that  there  was  a  time  when  the  Son  was 
not,  or  that  before  He  was  begotten,  He  was  not. 

This  contest  led  the  pagans  of  Alexandria,  to 
amuse  themselves  by  representing  on  the  Stage  the 
Father  and  Son  as  twins — but  worse  than  this  for 
Christianity  it  led  to  the  establishment  of  Ma- 
hometanism. 

In  the  stubborn  conflict  of  blind  dogmatism  with 
the  progress  of  knowledge,  the  true  spirit  of  Chris- 
tianity has  been  ruthlessly  hampered.  Christianity, 
if  it  serves  its  parleyed  purpose,  should  ever  go 


1 82  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

hand  in  hand,  with  knowledge,  to  the  betterment  of 
mankind. 

It  has  been  well  said  that,  in  the  annals  of  Chris- 
tianity the  most  ill-omened  day,  was  that,  in  which 
s.he  separated  herself  from  science,  and  antagonized 
intellectual  progression. 

If  the  lives,  time,  temper  and  wealth  expended 
in  establishing  dogmas  and  carrying  on  cruel  perse- 
cution, in  the  name  of  Christ,  had  been  devoted  to 
propagating,  teaching,  and  exemplifying  the  great 
central  truths  of  Christianity,  with  their  attendant 
blessings,  how  much  more  exalted  might  have  been 
to-day,  the  intellectual  condition  of  the  universe ; 
and  how  much  larger  portion  of  mankind,  would 
know  and  worship  God,  in  honesty,  and  in  truth. 
Christianity  has  not  been  maintained,  because  of 
its  divisions  and  creeds,  but  has  survived,  in  spite  of 
them. 

"  Look  at  the  Bible  on  the  one  hand,  and  History 
on  the  other  ;  see  what  are  the  points  on  which  the 
Scriptures  lay  most  emphatic  stress;  think  how 
much  of  the  sap  and  life  of  Christendom  has  run 
to  leaf,  and  not  to  fruit ;  remember  how  constant 
is  the  protest  of  Scriptures,  and,  we  may  add,  of 
the  best  spirits  of  the  universal  Church,  against 
preferring  any  cause  of  opinion,  or  ceremony  to  jus- 
tice, holiness,  truth  and  love ;  observe  how  con- 
stantly and  steadily  all  these  same  intimations  point 
to  One  Divine  Object,  and  One  only,  as  the  centre 
and  essence  of  Christianity."  (Dean  Stanley). 


THE   CRISIS.  183 

Prof.  Max  Miiller,  undoubtedly  the  most  re- 
nowned scholar  for  his  erudition,  not  only  in  the 
science  of  languages ;  but,  in  the  science  of  religions, 
in  one  of  his  lectures  on  this  subject  says  : — 

"  We  want  less  of  creeds,  but  more  of  trust ;  less 
o^  ceremony,  but  more  of  work  ;  less  solemnity,  but 
more  of  genial  honesty ;  less  of  doctrine,  but  more 
of  love. 

"  The  fundamentals  of  our  religion  are  not  in  these 
poor  creeds  ;  true  Christianity  lives  not  in  our 
belief,  but  in  our — in  our  love  of  God  and  in  our 
love  of  man  founded  on  our  love  of  God. 

"  Men  fight  about  religion  on  earth  ;  in  heaven 
they  shall  find  out  that  there  is  only  one  true  reli- 
gion, the  worship  of  God." 

Lord  Macaulay  on  his  return  from  India  to  Eng- 
land, said :  "  I  have  lived  too  long  in  a  country 
where  people  worship  cows,  to  think  much  of  the 
differences  which  part  Christians  from  Christians." 

This  is  a  practical,  reasoning  age,  and  though  we 
cannot  by  exact  science,  or  cold  reason,  solve  the 
mysteries  of  the  Infinite,  yet,  we  may  measurably 
judge  of  things  tangible  or  apparent. 

It  is  hardly  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  our 
age,  to  inflict  torture  upon  those  scientists,  who 
throw  new  light  upon  old  mysteries,  even  if  they 
do  not  exactly  correspond  with  our  interpretation 
of  Bible  science  ;  we  should  to-day  feel  little  sym- 
pathy with  a  movement  that  choked  off  the  prog- 
ress of  intellect,  or  the  revelation,  of  new  arts, 


1 84  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

and  sciences.  It  is  not  many  ages  since  all  the 
horrors  of  the  inquisition  threatened  those  who 
dared  vouchsafe  evidences,  to  show  that  the  world 
was  round,  not  flat — not  square  ! 

Yet,  this  is  an  age  of  anomalies.  In  our  day  we 
see  the  greatest  light  thrown  upon  the  Book.of 
God,  the  highest  cultivation  of  the  intellect,  the 
greatest  religious  freedom,  and  yet,  some  of  the 
most  shameful  cases  of  ecclesiastical  persecution. 
That  zealot, — Lord  Penzance  of  England  a  relic  of 
the  dark  ages,  posing  as  a  nobleman  in  this  age  of 
reason,  has  within  the  last  four  years  exercised  his 
hereditary,  or  so-called  divine  right  and  power,  by 
thrusting  clergymen  into  prison,  and  keeping  them 
incarcerated  for  months,  because  they  deviated  from 
the  prescribed  formulas  of  the  Church  in  their  ser- 
vices, or,  perhaps  burned  too  many,  or,  too  few 
candles  upon  the  altar ! 

In  comparison  with  this,  it  is  refreshing  to  read 
the  following  resolution,  passed  by  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  National  Convention,  at  Chicago,  October 
15,  1886. 

"  The  House  of  Bishops,  takes  the  opportunity  to 
assure  the  House  of  Deputies,  of  its  profound  sym- 
pathy with  the  spirit  of  their  resolution.  This 
House,  declares  its  hearty  respect,  and  affection,  for 
all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,  and 
at  this  time,  especially  for  their  fellow-Christians 
assembled  in  this  city,  as  the  National  Council  of 
Congregational  Churches  in  the  United  States. 


THE   CRISIS.  185 

This  House,  also,  avows  its  solemn  purpose,  under 
the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  promote,  with 
the  concurrence  of  the  House  of  Deputies,  some 
practicable  plan  for  bringing  before  all  our  fellow- 
Christians  in  this  land,  the  duty  to  our  common 
Lord  and  Saviour  of  terminating  the  unhappy  di- 
visions, which  dishonor  His  blessed  name,  and  hin- 
der the  triumph  upon  earth,  of  His  glorious  king- 
dom." 

There  is  nothing  objectionable  in  the  mere  matter 
of  variations  in  Church  organizations,  names,  manner 
of  conducting  service,  or,  differences  in  beliefs.  It 
is  the  proselyting  spirit,  the  attempt  to  force  arbi- 
trary dogmas  upon  others,  and  the  consigning  to 
perdition  those  who  disagree  with  them,  that  is 
un-Christlike,  pernicious  and  debasing. 

I  respect  all  religions,  and  creeds,  that  contribute 
to  the  unfolding,  and  elevation  of  mankind.  I  per- 
sonally have  no  secular,  or  sectarian  prejudices, 
which  could  prompt  me  in  a  trifling  spirit,  to  hold 
up  in  derision  the  sacred  religion  of  anyone.  I  am 
neither  orthodox  nor  heterodox  in  my  beliefs. 

"  When  I  list  to  such  bigotry,  and  witness  such 
coercion ;  I  yearn  to  wield  the  invisible  broad  sword, 
and  sharp  sword  of  Supreme  Justice,  and  cleave 
between  brambled  heterodoxy  and  orthodoxy  a 
broad  swath,  as  a  thoroughfare  for  right  doing,  and 
well-being  fof  all  humanity:  A  swath,  from  pole 
to  pole,  over  which  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,  with- 
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.  IS/ 

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  Emperor  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  I  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 


1 88  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

in  propitiation  for  his  apostasy,  is  said,  to  have  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 
English  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  incompatible  with 
the  simplest  form  of  Christian  teaching  and  prac- 
tice. I  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  preach  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  merciful  to  me  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  Miiller). 

"  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  Great  Spirit  in  all  exterior 
nature,  as  well  as  in  the  human  soul. 


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  august  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 "  (Becson). 

Efforts  were  made  to  tempt  Mr.  Duncan  to  sub- 
mit to,  and  accept  the  Society's  dogmatic  views. 
A  mere  hireling,  might  have  yielded,  but  Mr.  Dun- 
can, who  had  sacrificed  everything  for  the  service  of 
his  God,  was  decidedly  not  a  mere  hireling ;  besides, 
his  experience  and  observations  had  fortified  him  in 
his  convictions. 

He  had  seen  in  abandoned  mission  stations,  the 
failure  of  sectarian  methods.  He  had  seen  the 
hollow  work  sectarians  can  produce — alike,  hurtful 


THE   CRISIS.  IQI 

to  the  teacher,  and  the  taught.  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  into  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  quite  as  much  comprehension  of 
the  hymn,  as,  one  of  the  dogs  in  the  yard. 


IQ2  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  Indians  are  fond  of  singing ;  they  are  also  fond  of 
tobacco,  and  for  a  pipeful  apiece  you  may  baptize 
a  whole  tribe.  Why  will  intelligent  men  still  go  on 
talking  three  or  four  times  a  year  to  Indians  on  doc- 
trinal subjects,  by  means  of  a  jargon  which  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,  and  by 
slow  and  simple  teaching  lead  their  thoughts  above 
the  hunt  or  the  camp,  then,  and  not  until  then, 
will  they  be  competent  to  comprehend  the  simplest 
principles  of  right  and  wrong.  The  Indian  does  not 
think  in  the  method  that  civilized  men  adopt;  he 
looks  at  everything  as  '  through  a  glass — darkly.' 
His  whole  train  of  thought  and  habit  of  mind 
must  be  educated  to  a  higher  and  different  standard 
before  Christianity  can  reach  him. 

"  The  Indian,  unchanged  by  contact  with  the 
whites,  is  in  mind  a  child  without  the  trusting  affec- 
tion of  childhood,  and  with  the  will  and  passions  of 
a  man." 

Mr.  Duncan,  not  yielding  to  the  Society's  dom- 
ination, in  the  course  of  time  its  attitude  became 
imperious,  and  feeling  that  his  honesty  of  purpose 
was  at  stake  ;  he  determined  to  resign  his  post,  and 
surrender  his  Mission  to  other  hands,  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  wellnigh  wrecked, 
by  the  unwise  ecclesiastical  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  blindness,  was  actually  congratu- 
lating himself,  on  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but 
when  the  news  of  his  foolishness  reached  Victoria, 
there  was  a  general  demand  that  Mr.  Duncan 
should  instantly  return,  and  save  his  life's  work 
from  utter  destruction.  He  did  return,  but,  it  was 
with  great  difficulty  that  he  succeeded  in  eliminat- 
ing the  results  of  a  few  weeks'  misdirected,  fanatical 
zeal. 

The  Society  thanked  Mr.  Duncan,  very  heartily 


194  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

for  his  timely  interference ;  and  Bishop  Bompas, 
whom  they  sent  to  Metlakahtla  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  Bishop  had  come 
with  the  intention  of  introducing  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, he  saw  by  the  recent  proceedings,  that  these 
people,  yet,  needed  careful,  and  judicious,  man- 
agement and  guidance;  and  deemed  it  extremely 
precarious,  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-matured  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 
plans  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  England — was  created  a  Bishopric. 

The  Bishop  of  New  Caledonia,  made  Metlakahtla 
his  headquarters,  and  at  first  wrote  glowing  effu- 
sive accounts  of  the  work  there. 

In  establishing  himself,  he  asserted  his  authority 
not,  with  Christian  dignity,  but  in  a  pompous,  arro- 
gant and  offensive  manner.  He  took  care  to  dis- 
tinguish the  importance  of  his  caste,  by  conspicu- 
ously parading  his  sacerdotal  vestments,  before  the 


THE   CRISIS.  195 

Indians;  and  claiming  the  title  of  "  My  Lord" 
from  all.  His  deportment  forcibly  reminds  one  of 
H.  M.  Stanley's  pen-picture  of  another  ecclesiastical 
potentate. 

"  The  Bishop  in  his  crimson  robe,  and  with  his 
sacerdotal  title,  "  Missionary  Bishop  of  Central 
Africa  "  (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  clown's 
show.  I,  as  a  white  man,  solemnly  protest  against 
the  absurdity.  A  similar  picture  to  the  Bishop,  in 
his  priestly  robes  and  a  paper  cap,  in  a  tinker's  stall, 
is  the  King  of  Dahomey,  in  a  European  hat  with  his 
body  naked,  promenading  pompously  about  in  this 
exquisite  full  dress.  Whatever  the  Bishop,  in  his 
blissful  innocence,  may  think  of  the  effect  which  it 
produces  in  the  minds  of  the  heathen,  I  can  inform 
him  that,  to  the  Arabs  and  Wangwana  who  have 
settled  in  Unyanyembe,  he  is  only  an  object  of  su- 
preme ridicule ;  and  also,  that  most  of  his  pale- 
faced  brothers  entertain  something  of  the  same 
opinion. 

"  Poor,  dear  Bishop  Tozer !  I  would  fain  love 
and  admire  thee,  were  it  not  for  this  exhibition  of 


196  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

extreme  High-Churchism  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  defended  a  lapsus  which  no  one  else  dared 
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  I  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  the  '  Central  African 
Diocese'  is  occupied  only  by  the  lord  of  all  evil. 
It  is  with  a  sore  heart  that  I  say  it,  but  recent 
events  have  shown  to  those  who  have  so  long  been 
playing  at  being  missionaries ;  and  peeping,  across 
from  the  sickly  Island  of  their  diocese  on  to  the 
mainland  with  telescopes,  that  their  time  might 
have  been  turned  to  better  account." 


A   CHIEF  LYING   IN    STATE. 


THE   CRISIS.  IQ7 

Dr.  Livingstone  likens  the  Bishop  of  Central 
Africa,  to  a  man  of  similar  buffoonery  sent  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  after  a  very  successful,  mission- 
ary work,  had  been  established  there,  by  American 
missionaries. 

"  A  Bishop  they  got,  who,  in  sheer  lack  of  good 
breeding,  went  about  Honolulu  with  a  great  paper 
cap  on  his  head,  ignoring  his  American  brethren, 
whose  success  showed  them  to  be  of  the  true  apos- 
tolic stamp,  and  declaring  that  he  was  the  only 
true  Bishop. 

"  Of  all  mortal  men,  missionaries  and  Missionary 
Bishops  ought  manifestly  to  be  true  gentlemen." 

Henry  Venn,  the  late  distinguished,  secretary  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society,  speaking  from  vast 
experience,  was  wont  to  say,  that  translating  a 
missionary  to  a  Bishop,  bred  trouble  and  ruined 
the  man's  usefulness. 

Had  the  Bishop  of  New  Caledonia  clad  in  his 
showy  vestments,  accompanied  our  Saviour  on  a 
visit  to  savage  tribes,  the  Redeemer  would  have 
in  all  probability  been  ignored  for  His  simplicity  of 
apparel ;  as  was  the  case  with  a  certain  clergyman, 
of  many  frills,  who,  some  thirty  years  ago,  on  his 
way  to  the  North  Pacific,  called  at  Honolulu, 
donned  his  best  cloth,  arrayed  his  valet  in  glitter- 
ing livery,  and  gained  audience  with  the  King,  who 
rushed  past  the  prelate,  and  grasped  the  hand  of 
the  valet,  mistaking, — because,  of  his  magnificence, 
— the  slave  for  the  master  ! 


198  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

The  superstitious  mind  of  the  savage  naturally  at- 
tributes magical  powers  to  priestly  vestments.  Mr. 
Duncan,  had  always  found  it  necessary,  to  avoid 
peculiarity  of  dress,  as  any  oddity,  was  regarded 
as  a  symbol.  One  explorer  in  writing  of  British 
Columbia,  makes  mention,  of  a  priest  who  when  un- 
able to  visit  a  tribe,  sent  his  oddly  shaped  hat,  and 
the  people  fell  down  and  prayed  to  it,  as  to  an  idol ! 

It  is  not  the  gown  of  a  judge,  but  the  justice  he 
dispenses  that  commands  respect,  and  elevates  him 
in  our  estimation. 

It  is  the  invisible  toga  virilis,  that  makes  the  man, 
whatsoever  his  rank  in  life. 

I  for  one,  admire  the  vestments  of  the  clergy.  I 
enjoy  the  ceremonies  of  the  most  elaborate  ritual, 
they  are  to  me  beautiful,  picturesque,  and  I  fain 
would  have  them  remain  in  the  church  service 
whenever,  and  wherever,  their  true  value  and  sig- 
nificance is  understood ;  but,  their  introduction  to 
superstitious  savages,  ever  has  been,  and  ever  will 
be,  fraught  with  jeopardy,  to  genuine  Christianizing 
work.  Attractive  vestments,  and  ceremonies  sig- 
nify to  a  groping  savage,  a  hidden  meaning,  mere- 
tricious, and  calculated  to  distract  him  from  the 
real  essentials  of  salvation. 

"  *  You  have'  says  Faustus  to  Augustine,  'substi- 
tuted your  agapae  for  the  sacrifices  of  the  pagans ; 
for  their  idols  your  martyrs,  whom  you  serve  with 
the  very  same  honors.^  You  appease  the  shades  of 
the  dead  with  wine  and  feasts ;  you  celebrate  the 


THE   CRISIS.  199 

solemn  festivities  of  the  Gentiles,  their  Calends,  and 
their  solstices;  and,  as  to  their  manners,  those  you 
have  retained  without  alteration.  Nothing  distin- 
guishes you  from  the  pagans,  except  that  you  hold 
your  assemblies  apart  from  them  !  Pagan  observ- 
ances were  everywhere  introduced.  At  weddings  it 
was  the  custom  to  sing  hymns  to  Venus ! ' 

"  Let  us  pause  here  a  moment,  and  see,  in  antici- 
pation, to  what  a  depth  of  intellectual  degradation 
this  policy  of  paganization  eventually  led.  Heathen 
rites  were  adopted,  a  pompous  and  splendid  ritual, 
gorgeous  robes,  mitres,  tiaras,  wax  tapers,  proces- 
sional services,  lustrations,  gold  and  silver  vases, 
were  introduced,  the  Roman  lituus,  the  chief  ensign 
of  the  augur,  became  the  Crozier  "  (Draper). 

Ecclesiastical  Vestments.  "  The  antiquarian  in- 
vestigation of  this  matter,"  says  Dean  Stanley,  "  is 
not  in  itself  devoid  of  interest.  It  belongs  to  the 
general  survey  of  the  origin  of  usages  and  customs 
in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity.  The  conclusion 
to  which  it  leads  is  that  the  dress  of  the  clergy  had 
no  distinct  intention — symbolical,  sacerdotal,  sacri- 
ficial, or  mystical ;  but  originated  simply  in  the 
fashions  common  to  the  whole  community  of  the 
Roman  Empire,  during  the  three  first  centuries. 

"  The  Christian  dress  as  we  have  indicated,  was 
intended  in  its  origin,  not  to  separate  the  minister 
from  the  people,  but  to  make  him,  in  outward  show 
and  appearance  exactly  the  same.  .  .  . 

"  Unless  it  can  be  shown  that  they  were  sacerdo- 


200  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

tal  in  the  second  or  third  centuries,  it  is  wholly 
irrelevant  to  allege  that  they  became  sacerdotal,  in 
the  1 3th  or  iQth  centuries. 

"Whatever  sacerdotal,  or  symbolical,  or  sacra- 
mental associations  have  been  attached  to  them 
may  be  mediaeval,  but  certainly  are  not  primitive ; 
and  those  who  wish  to  preserve  the  substance  of  the 
primitive  itsage  should  officiate,  not  in  the  dresses 
wliich  are  at  present  worn  in  Roman,  Anglican,  and 
Non-conformist  Churches,  but  in  the  every -day  dress 
of  common  life — in  overcoats,  or  smock-frocks,  or 
shirt-sleeves,  according  as  they  belonged  to  the 
higher  or  inferior  grade  of  the  Christian  ministry. 

"  There  may  be  reasons  against  ecclesiastical  vest- 
ments of  all  kinds.  But  the  fact  of  their  being 
modern  is  not  itself  against  them,  unless  we  insist 
on  making  them  essential  as  containing  ideas,  which 
they  do  not,  and  never  were  intended  to,  symbol- 
ize." .  .  . 

"  This  leads  us  to  another  obvious  conclusion. 
If  there  be  no  intrinsic  value  in  these  vestments, 
then,  whether  the  law  forbids  them  or  enforces 
them,  the  same  duty  is  incumbent  on  all  those  who 
regard  the  substance  of  religion  above  its  forms, 
namely,  that  on  no  account  should  these  garbs, 
whether  legal  or  illegal,  be  introduced  into  churches 
or  parishes  where  they  give  offence  to  the  parish  or 
the  congregation.  The  more  any  clergyman  can  ap- 
preciate the  absolute  indifference  of  such  things  in 
themselves,  the  more  will  he  feel  himself  compelled 


THE   CRISIS.  201 

to  withdraw  them  the  moment  he  finds  that  they 
produce  the  opposite  effect  to  that  which  he  in- 
tended them  to  have.  On  the  necessity  of  such  a 
restriction,  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  believe  that  many 
even  of  those  whose  opinions  rather  incline  them  to 
these  peculiar  usages,  would  more  or  less  concur." 

In  these  outspoken  views  of  Dean  Stanley  many 
other  great  church  dignitaries  acquiesce. 

The  well-known  Church  of  England  journal 
"  The  Rock"  London  Nov.  I4th  1879,  in  a  lead- 
ing article  titled,  "  Do  Lord  Bishops  help  or  hin- 
der Foreign  Missions  ? "  told  such  plain  truths, 
that  certain  church  dignitaries  raised  a  perfect  tem- 
pest over  it.  I  quote  the  following,  from  the  ar- 
ticle : 

"  The  Standard  recently  informed  us  that  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury  in  an  address,  men- 
tioned that  he  had  recently  been  present  at  a  con- 
secration of  four  Bishops,  three  of  whom  were  ap- 
pointed to  foreign  Sees — viz.,  Jerusalem,  Travancore, 
and  a  place  in  the  extremity  of  North  America,  and 
one  for  East  London. 

"  His  Grace,  observed  that  he  looked  upon  the 
consecration  of  these  Bishops  as  "  fairly  represent- 
ing the  wide  field,  which  was  now  open  for  mission- 
ary effort  throughout  the  world. 

"  From  this  and  his  subsequent  observations,  it 
was  evident  that  in  the  estimation  of  the  Primate 
the  appointment  of  an  English  Bishop  to  any  region 
on  the  earth's  surface,  was  equivalent  to  taking  pos- 


202  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

session  of  that  region  for  missionary  enterprise,  and 
an  earnest  of  the  success  which  a  mission,  duly  sus- 
tained by  English  liberality  is  sure  to  achieve. 

"  Now  this  view,  however  natural  to  the  mind  of 
an  Archbishop  is  unfortunately  open  to  objections 
from  reason,  and  from  fact.  In  the  first  place,  it  is 
very  questionable  whether  the  presidency  of  a  prel- 
ate of  the  English  type  over  a  foreign  mission,  may 
not  act  as  a  serious  hinderance  to  the  spiritual  work 
altogether.  There  are  two  agencies  which  must 
never  be  lost  sight  of  in  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel among  uncivilized  people. 

"  First,  the  most  perfect  freedom  of  action  and 
second,  the  complete  absence  of  all  cut  and  dry 
forms,  and  systems  of  service. 

"  The  modus  operandi  while  exactly  suited  to 
place,  people  and  circumstances,  should  in  the  first 
instance,  be  too  irregular,  to  admit  of  its  being  sub- 
ject to  episcopal  control  in  our  sense  of  the  term. 
With  such  irregularity,  and  simplicity,  English  prel- 
atry  must  ever  be  coming  in  collision. 

"  Moreover,  experience  has  amply  proved  that  the 
attempt  to  transplant  English  episcopacy  into  for- 
eign mission  fields  has  proved  a  failure.  From  the 
time  that  Bishop  Selwyn  was  sent  out  to  preside 
over  the  New  Zealand  See,  to  the  present  hour  the 
difficulties  attending  the  experiment  have  been, 
more  and  more  apparent.  It  has  been  truly  said  of 
Bishop  Selwyn's  episcopate  in  New  Zealand,  that 
it  paralyzed  the  mission  work  there.  At  this  we 


THE   CRISIS.  203 

need  not  feel  surprised.  .  .  .  Yet  as  an  en- 
thusiastic New  Zealand  admirer  said,  he  was  not, 
as  he  was  called  in  England  a  Missionary  Bishop 
*  for  his  influence  with  the  natives  was  never  much, 
save  as  the  head  of  the  Church  of  England,  in  New 
Zealand  ' — that  is,  as  we  understand  it,  he  repre- 
sented the  Church  of  England,  but  not  the  religion 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  so  doing  he,  as 
far  as  in  him  lay,  undid  the  work  of  the  humble 
missionaries  who  for  years  before  Dr.  Selwyn's  ar- 
rival, had  so  successfully  labored  in  the  Gospel  with 
the  simple  object,  of  bringing  the  natives  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  salvation,  through  a  crucified  and  risen 
Saviour. 

"  Unfortunately  this  seems  to  be  the  case  with 
almost  all  so-called  Missionary  Bishops.  They  go 
out,  not,  so  much  to  labor  in  the  work  and  doctrine, 
as  to  represent  the  Mother  Church,  and  in  their 
several  dioceses  to  set  up  as  close  an  imitation  as 
possible  of  the  ecclesiastical  system  at  home,  with 
all  its  paraphernalia  of  cathedral  capitular  bodies, 
church  dignitaries,  rubrical  rites,  liturgical  services, 
and  the  like,  utterly  out  of  place — these  are  in  a  mis- 
sion station,  and  far  more  calculated  to  produce  dis- 
turbing complications,  than  to  promote  the  work  of 
evangelization.  Take  for  example,  the  very  dis- 
creditable relations  at  present  existing  between  the 
Bishop  of  Grahamstown  (Dr.  Merriman),  and  the 
Very  Rev.  F.  S.  Williams,  dean  of  St.  George's 
Cathedral,  there,  arising  out  of  a  question  of  pre- 


204  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

cedence  in  reference  to  the  cathedral  of  which  Dr. 
Williams  is  dean.  The  Bishop  claims  the  right  to 
preach  there,  as  well  as  in  every  church  in  his  dio- 
cese at  his  discretion.  To  this  the  dean  demurs, 
and  on  Sunday  April  2/th  last,  actually  ousted  the 
Bishop  from  the  Cathedral  pulpit,  by  preaching 
himself  after  he  had  received  formal  notice  of  his 
episcopal  superior's  intention  to  preach. 

"  For  this  and  other  alleged  acts  of  insubordina- 
tion and  contumacy,  Dean  Williams  has  been  tried 
in  his  absence,  condemned  and  sentenced  to  a 
month's  suspension  from  his  office ;  but  to  these 
proceedings  he  pays  no  attention.  Upheld  by  his 
people,  he  flouts  the  Bishop  and  treats  the  sentence 
of  the  episcopal  court  with  contempt.  So  much 
for  the  absurdity  of  attempting  to  set  up  the  Church 
system  in  the  wilds  of  South  Africa  ! 

"  Is  then  the  Arch-Bishop  of  Canterbury  pre- 
pared to  say  that  the  state  of  things  at  the  Cape — 
where  the  Bishop's  experiment  has  been  fully  tried 
— is  calculated  to  advance  the  cause  of  Christian 
missions  ?  or  that  cathedrals  and  their  appendages 
— which  we  believe  are  regarded  as  indispensable 
to  the  dignity  of  a  Bishop — are  more  likely  to  serve 
the  cause  of  Christ,  or  of  Satan  ? 

"  The  fact  is  the  prelacy,  after  the  lordly  type 
with  which  we  are  favored  at  home,  is  something 
worse  than  an  absurdity,  when  aped  in  the  colonies 
or  other  fields  of  foreign  labor.  Here  we  are  habit- 
uated to  mitres  and  croziers,  black  silk  aprons, 


THE   CRISIS.  205 

looped  up  hats,  knee  breeches,  and  buckled  shoes. 
They  form  the  bijouterie  of  a  pampered  church, 
and  represent  not  the  humility,  and  poverty,  of  the 
lowly  Jesus,  but — the  wealth,  and  dignity,  of  the 
proudest  empire  upon  earth. 

"Although  we  have  become  habituated  to  the 
doctrine  of  apostolic  succession,  we  cannot  shut  our 
eyes  to  the  egregious  folly,  of  reproducing  such  mon- 
strosities abroad.  The  notorious  cases  of  Doctor 
Mylne  and  Coppleston — the  Bishops  respectively 
of  Bombay  and  Colombo — are  sufficient  to  prove 
this ;  for  in  what  have  their  episcopal  labors  con- 
sisted, but,  in  thwarting  the  work  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  and  so  entangling  the  relations 
between  the  Society  and  the  Church,  that  is  their 
dioceses  simple  mission  work  or  Church-of-England 
principles  !  And  then  consider  the  positive  iniquity 
of  subordinating  an  evangelical  mission  to  a  Rom- 
ish Bishop  ! 

"  No  :  if  we  must  have  Bishops  in  our  colonies 
and  foreign  missions — and  we  admit  that  without 
them  an  Episcopal  Church  would  be  an  anomaly — 
let  us  have  them  without  the  bawbles,  and  ecclesias- 
tical frippery,  that  surrounds  them  at  home.  Let 
us  wait  till  a  Church  is  formed  by  the  simple  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel,  and  then  from  among  the  labor- 
ers in  the  field,  select  the  one  most  pious,  intelligent, 
laborious,  and  unassuming,  to  superintend  the  others, 
not  as  a  lord  over  them,  but  as  a  shepherd,  primus 
inter  pares •,  who  will  share  their  labors,  counsel  them 


206  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

in  their  difficulties,  correct  what  is  evil,  encourage 
what  is  good,  and  in  the  exercise  of  a  wise  and  lov- 
ing judgment  heal  all  dissensions  that  may  arise, 
and  watch  against  every  species  of  error  that  satan 
may  introduce.  Let  such  a  man  eschew  the  epis- 
copal habits  and  the  episcopal  vestments.  No  up- 
turned hat,  no  apron,  no  kneebreeches,  no  buckles, 
and  no  rings ;  and  above  all,  no  mitre,  no  crozier 
and  no  cathedral  with  its  episcopal  throne,  and  its 
train  of  Church  dignitaries  and  artificial  services. 
Let  the  heathen  be  taught  to  despise,  and  to  mourn, 
the  gross  folly  of  assuming  the  title  of  my  Lord. 

"  As  a  follower  of  his  Divine  Master,  he  will  find 
his  place  among  the  most  humble,  and  like  Him  he 
will  have  power  in  his  office  and  in  his  work.  Un- 
der his  superintendence  no  complications  will  arise 
with  committees  of  religious  societies  of  England. 
He  will  have  no  pretensions  of  personal  dignity  to 
protect,  and  they  will  not  desire  to  supersede  him 
in  the  highly  important  office  which  he  fills. 

"  As  it  is  the  sacerdotal  lordlings  intruded  under 
the  title  of  '  Bishops '  into  colonial  and  dominion 
Churches,  who  are  now  doing  so  much  mischief,  and 
giving  so  much  trouble,  it  is  evident  that  the  whole 
system  of  foreign  Church  patronage,  must  undergo 
revision  and  amendment,  if  sect  prelates  sent  out  is 
not  to  become  the  centre  of  a  discreditable  collision 
between  Bishops  appointed  by  one  authority,  and 
clergy  appointed  by  another.  The  evil  is  obvious ; 
and  is  assuming  formidable  dimensions,  nor  will 


THE   CRISIS.  207 

matters  ever  improve,  according  to  our  judgment, 
so  long  as  genuine  Christian  laborers  are  subjected 
to  the  absurd  pretensions,  of  those  who  are  more 
concerned  about  their  episcopal  dignity,  than  about 
the  interests  of  Christ,  or  the  salvation  of  §ouls." 

I  hold  in  no  disrespect  the  title  of  Bishop;  this 
title  has  been,  and  is,  honored  by  many  very  great 
men,  but  it  has  also  been,  and  is,  dishonored  by 
many  most  unworthy  men.  We  all  in  our  hearts 
respect  an  exalted  title,  when  that  title  represents 
the  measure  of  greatness  of  its  possessor :  but,  far 
better  be  a  grand  man,  devoid  title,  than  a  void 
man  with  a  grand  title. 

After  having  made  various  excursions  from  the 
direct  points  at  issue  to  show  my  readers  that  Mr. 
Duncan  is  sustained  in  his  course  of  action,  by  the 
most  learned  authorities,  and  by  men  whose  experi- 
ence, and  study  of  savages,  and  mission,  and  educa- 
tional work,  lend  peculiar  force  to  their  views,  I 
return  to  the  theme  of  my  story. 

The  Bishop  of  New  Caledonia,  soon  began  in  an 
overbearing,  pragmatic  manner,  to  interfere  with 
the  work  of  Mr.  Duncan,  and  others :  then  he  at- 
tempted to  provoke  contest  with  the  missions,  which, 
other  denominations  were  busy  establishing  for  the 
North  Pacific  Indians.  Continuing  in  his  high- 
handed course,  his  outrageous  interference  with  one 
of  the  Society's  missionaries,  led  the  Society  to 
check  him  ;  and,  in  order  to  avoid  further  complica- 
tions, the  Society  authorized  all  of  its  missionary 


208  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

staff  in  the  diocese,  to  meet  yearly,  for  conference 
on  mission  affairs.  In  July,  1881,  the  first  con- 
ference was  convened  at  Metlakahtla,  and  consisted 
of  three  clergymen,  and  three  laymen. 

The  Bishop,  who  had  by  his  indiscretion  ren- 
dered himself  somewhat  obnoxious,  conspicuously 
absented  himself,  from  the  conference  of  which  he 
was  chairman. 

Feeling  that  a  crisis  had  now  arrived,  in  the 
working  of  the  mission  at  Metlakahtlaj  Mr.  Dun- 
can, determined  to  place  the  responsibility  of  the 
dilemma  upon  the  Conference,  and  to  stand  by  the 
issue.  He  reminded  the  Conference,  that  he  was  a 
layman,  and  that  the  Society  wanted  an  ordained 
man  in  his  stead  :  and  asked,  in  view  of  these  facts, 
whether  they,  would  advise  him  to  resign  his  con- 
nection with  Metlakahtla ;  since  it  would  seem 
impossible,  as  well  as  unnatural,  for  anyone  to  su- 
persede him,  while  he  remained  in  the  mission. 

The  Conference,  in  Mr.  Duncan's  absence,  unani- 
mously agreed  upon  the  following  resolutions  : — 

"  The  Conference  having  heard  Mr.  Duncan's 
statement,  and  knowing  the  value  of  his  labors,  and 
experience,  not  only  to  the  work  at  Metlakahtla, 
but  also  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society's  mis- 
sions generally,  in  the  North  Pacific  field ;  unani- 
mously, decline  to  advise  Mr.  Duncan  to  resign." 

The  question  of  resignation  being  thus  disposed 
of  ;  another  question  naturally  arose  ; — namely  : 
How  the  difficulty  involved  in  his  remaining  at  his 


THE   CRISIS.  209 

post  could  be  met  ?  Therefore,  he  asked  the  Con- 
ference, whether  it,  was  prepared  to  advise  the 
Society,  to  allow  Metlakahtla  to  assume  its  inde- 
pendency— work  out  its  own  destiny, — and  bear  its 
own  expenses  ?  The  majority,  of  the  Conference ; 
resolved,  to  advise  the  Society  to  constitute  Metla- 
kaJitla  into  a  lay  mission,  and  leave  the  work  in  Mr. 
Duncans  hands,  without  clerical  supervision:  the 
minority,  wanted  to  give  the  mission  its  full  inde- 
pendence. 

These  resolutions  aroused  the  wrath  of  the  Bish- 
op, and  through  his  prompting,  the  Society  in 
London  was  led  to  take  very  hasty  action  in  the 
matter.  The  Society  wrote  a  letter  to  Mr.  Duncan 
inviting  him  home  for  conference,  and  on  the  same 
day  (as  it  afterward  appeared)  wTrote  another  letter 
disconnecting  him  from  the  Society,  and  calling 
upon  him  to  quit  his  work  at  Metlakahtla  ; — this 
second  letter  was  sent,  not  direct,  but  under  cover  to 
the  Bishop.  Crossing  these  letters  was  one  from  Mr. 
Duncan,  to  the  Society  in  which  he  had  stated  his 
views  on  the  position  of  affairs.  The  Society's 
letter  of  invitation  was  received  by  Mr.  Duncan, 
while  he  was  at  Victoria,  some  600  miles  distance 
from  Metlakahtla;  and,  just  at  a  moment  when 
business  matters  of  great  importance  to  the  com- 
munity, demanding  his  personal  attention,  rendered 
it  impracticable,  for  him,  to  immediately  comply 
with  the  Society's  request. 

He   wrote  at   once,  explaining  how  he  was  sit- 


2IO  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

uated,  and  alluded  to  the  letter,  he  had  recently 
posted,  and,  which  when  received  would  probably 
render  his  presence  in  England  unnecessary.  In 
any  case,  he  only  asked  to  postpone  his  visit  to  Eng- 
land, until  he  should  again  hear  from  the  Society. 

On  Mr.  Duncan's  return  from  Victoria  to  Metla- 
kahtla,  the  Bishop,  with  absolutely  indecent  haste, 
and  in  a  defiant,  officious  manner,  demanded,  an 
interview,  and  rudely  thrust  into  Mr.  Duncan's 
hands  the  "Enclosure" — actually  before  the  steamer 
which  had  brought  Mr.  Duncan  and  the  letter,  had 
left  the  harbor — the  " Enclosure"  which  finally  dis- 
connected him  from  the  Society,  and  thus  uncere- 
moniously severed  a  connection  of  twenty-five  years 
duration ! 

However,  the  Bishop,  in  his  ill-concealed  impa- 
tience to  get  rid  of  Mr.  Duncan,  had  flagrantly 
overstepped  his  commission.  He  had  been  instructed 
by  the  Society  to  give  the  "  Enclosure  "  to  Mr.  Dun- 
can, only  in  case,  Mr.  Duncan,  absolutely  refused  to 
visit  England.  The  Bishop  knew  from  Mr.  Dun- 
can's own  lips  that  he  had  not  refused.  On  the 
receipt  of  Mr.  Duncan's  letter  explanatory,  of  his  po- 
sition, the  Society  also  knew  full  well  he  had  not 
refused ;  therefore,  the  Society  at  once  addressed  a 
letter  to  the  Bishop  with  instructions  not  to  give 
him,  the  "Enclosure"  These  instructions  designed 
to  obviate  a  rupture,  came  too  late  ;  the  overweening 
Bishop,  had  done  the  mischief  beyond  reparation. 

The  Bishop  realizing  the  gravity  of  the  crisis  he 


A   DRUMMER    OF   THE    METLAKAHTLA    BRASS-BAND. 


THE   CRISIS.  211 

had  precipitated,  deemed  it  well  to  start  at  once,  to 
England ;  and,  attempt  to  mollify,  by  plausible 
misrepresentations,  and  quasi-evidences,  the  richly 
deserved  censure  which  he  had  earned,  and  feared, 
from  the  Society.  Also,  with  the  view  of  strength- 
ening himself  in  his  purpose  to  undermine  Mr. 
Duncan's  influence. 

The  Bishop  succeeded,  it  would  seem  by  subse- 
quent events,  in  justifying,  his  unprincipled  course 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Society. 

As  soon  as  the  Metlakahtlans  became  aware  of 
what  had  happened,  they  were  deeply  incensed,  and 
unanimously  and  heartily  entreated  Mr.  Duncan 
not  to  forsake  them,  but  remain  at  his  post,  and 
carry  on  his  work  as  heretofore. 

In  connection  with  this  incident  occurs  a  fair 
example  of  the  Bishop's  artful  system  of  conveying 
false  reports  to  the  Society  ;  his  process  of  making 
history.  Since  the  rupture  the  Society  has  shown 
an  unhealthy  thirst  for  this  sort  of  startling  fiction, 
and  has  drunk  it  in,  with  avidity  ;  and,  has  published 
gross  charges  ;  and,  has  pronounced  judgment,  with- 
out testing  its  witnesses,  or  giving  the  accused  a 
hearing  : — carefully,  refraining  from  publishing  the 
written  statements  of  the  Metlakahtlans,  while  they 
gave  wide  circulation  to  the  false  charges  made 
against  them. 

The  following  is  the  Bishop's  written  account  of 
the  meeting  of  the  Metlakahtlans,  when  they  peti- 
tioned Mr.  Duncan  to  remain  : — 


212  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  At  one  of  the  public  meetings  Mr.  Duncan  put 
the  question,  *  Will  all  on  the  Lord's  side  hold  up 
their  hands.'  All  held  up  their  hands.  Then  he 
artfully  said — *  All  on  the  Bishop's  side  hold  up 
their  hands.'  Imagine  their  surprise  at  being  thus 
ensnared.  Several  afterward  told  me  that  they  did 
not  know,  that  Mr.  Duncan  was  the  Lord,  or  they 
would  not  have  raised  their  hands." 

When  the  Bishop's  veracity  was  challenged  and 
this  statement  proved  to  be  a  barefaced  falsehood, 
he  made  an  apologetic  quibble. 

The  true  account  of  the  meeting  is  substantially 
the  subjoining. 

Immediately  on  learning  of  the  Bishop's  action 
the  Metlakahtlans  called  a  meeting,  at  which  assem- 
bled every  native  in  the  village  who  was  able  to  at- 
tend ;  even,  the  aged,  the  decrepit,  the  sick,  all,  came 
to  deliberate  upon  this  crisis  and  voice  their  senti- 
ment. 

We  may  well  understand,  that  these  people,  knew 
beyond  a  question,  to  whom,  they  were  indebted, 
for  their  past  development,  and  felicitous  condition, 
and  to  whom,  they  could  best  trust,  their  future 
guidance. 

It  was  but  a  brief  session.  Their  hearts  seemed 
to  throb  in  unison,  stirred  by  fealty  and  reverence 
for  their  benefactor.  There  was  no  prolonged  ha- 
rangue, but,  a  few  short  speeches  ;  pointed,  earnest, 
touching. 

Then,  the  Chairman  put   the  question,  will  you 


THE   CRISIS.  213 

have  the  Bishop,  or  Shim-au-git  *  (Mr.  Duncan) 
as  your  leader  ? 

When  Mr.  Duncan's  name  was  put  to  the  assem- 
blage, every  soul  voted  for  him  to  remain.  The 
Bishop  received  not  a  vote.  Mr.  Duncan  was  not 
present  during  their  deliberations  or  voting. 

After  these  proceedings,  Mr.  Duncan  was  sent  for, 
and  on  entering  the  crowded  assembly,  he,  was  beck- 
oned to  a  seat.  He  saic!  not  a  word — great  silence 
prevailed.  An  Indian  arose,  and  assured  him  in  the 
name  of  the  people,  that  he  was  unanimously  en- 
treated to  remain  amongst  them. 

When  the  Indian  had  finished  his  speech,  he, 
called  upon  all  present  to  testify  to  the  truth  of 
what  he  had  said,  and  to  show  Mr.  Duncan  how 
they  had  voted  before  they  had  sent  for  him. 
Every  soul  stood  up,  and  held  up  their  hands  that 
he  might  see,  and  be  convinced  of  their  unanimity. 

When  the  meeting  was  asked  to  show  him  how 
many  wished  to  retain  the  Bishop,  not  an  one  stood 
up,  not  an  hand  was  raised,  not  an  aye  was  uttered  ! 

Mr.  Duncan  then  briefly,  acknowledged  their  unan- 
imous call,  and  assured  them  that  he  accepted. 

The  officers  of  the  Society,  now  say  that  Mr. 
Duncan  should  have  ignored  this  call,  and  have  left 
Metlakahtla,  and  that, — "  The  real  secret  of  his  not 
acting  in  this  straightforward  manner  lies  in  the 


*  Shim-au-git  simply  means  chief  or  master,  and  is  the  name  by 
which  they  designate  Mr.  Duncan. 


214  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

power  he  had  gained  over  the  Indians.  His  word 
was  law,  and  he  did  not  wish  to  vacate  the  com- 
manding position  among  them,  which  he  had  at- 
tained." 

This  man,  whose  unsparing  immolation  of  self,  in 
his  sedulous  efforts,  in  rescuing  this  flock  from  bar- 
barism, saw  that  to  save  his  life's  work  from  utter 
destruction,  he  must  yield  to  their  appeal,  and  stand 
manfully  in  the  breach,  and  protect  them  from  the 
impending  calamity.  He  who  had  braved  the  ter- 
rors of  attempted  assassination  ;  and  had  stood  out 
so  uncompromisingly  against  the  Shamans  and  can- 
nibal chiefs,  the  slave  and  liquor  traders ;  and  had 
not  flinched  in  the  loathsome  presence  of  the  plague, 
was  not  found  wanting  in  //«>,  the  hour  of  their 
supreme  trial  and  peril. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

COERCION  AND  TURMOIL. 

AN  agent  of  the  Society,  who  remained  at  Metla- 
kahtla  after  the  rupture,  without  a  following,  and 
without  missionary  work  to  engage  him ;  recognized 
the  unanimity  of  the  Indians ;  and  openly  avowed 
his  intention  to  respect  such  ;  but,  with  shameful 
duplicity  secretly  schemed  to  destroy  the  harmoni- 
ous union. 

About  four  months  after  the  crisis,  this  agent 
abetted  a  secret  conclave,  of  three  or  four  Indians, 
who  had  been  chiefs  under  the  old  tribal  arrange- 
ment ;  but,  who  had  lost  their  prestige  through  the 
advancement  of  civilization.  These  chiefs,  came 
to  believe  that  by  allying  themselves,  to  his  fac- 
tion, he  could  afford  them  a  grand  opportunity 
to  reassert  their  importance.  Therefore,  they  re- 
nounced their  allegiance  to  the  body  of  Metlakahtla 
Christians,  and  were  eagerly  received  as  genuine 
adherents,  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 

The  conduct  of  these  Indians,  however,  is  not 
so  much  to  be  wondered  at :  it  is  the  conduct  of 
the  Society's  agent  that  is  so  astonishing.  He  well 
knew  what  these  men  were  aiming  at.  He  was 


2l6  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

also  aware  that  one  of  them,  was  a  convict  sent  by 
the  Governor-General  of  Canada  to  Metlakahtla, 
to  be  kept  under  surveillance ;  another,  he  knew 
had  often  been  sent  away  from  the  settlement  for 
treachery :  and,  that  neither  of  these  men  were  ac- 
tuated by  any  religious  conviction,  or,  love  for  the 
Society,  but,  simply  and  solely,  by  spite  and  ambi- 
tion. Yet  because  they  would  afford  a  foothold  for 
the  Society,  and  a  covering  for  the  Bishop's  dis- 
comfiture, they  were  received  with  open  arms,  and 
their  praises  trumpeted  to  England  as  "  Great  and 
mighty  chiefs."  "  The  most  Godly  of  the  chiefs  " 
and  "  Faithful  adherents." 

The  Bishop,  returned  to  Metlakahtla,  soon  after 
this  discreditable  movement  had  taken  shape,  and 
at  once  assumed  leadership.  Flaunting  the  Society's 
indorsement  of  his  course,  in  the  face  of  the  com- 
munity ;  he  endeavored  to  cow  all  into  submission 
to  "  his  Lordship  " — by  boasts  of  the  greath  wealth, 
and  power  of  the  Society,  accompanied  with  ex- 
pressions of  contempt  for  their  puny  benefactor. 
He  held  out  temptations  with  one  hand,  and  in- 
timidation with  the  other. 

The  following  in  a  nutshell,  is  the  essence  of  what 
the  Bishop  proclaimed : — Why,  that,  lone  insig- 
nificant little  man,  is  helpless, — he  can  never  stand 
against  the  great,  and  powerful  Society,  that  com- 
mands, an  annual  income  of  a  million  dollars.  I  can 
crush  him  without  an  effort — Come  to  my  fold  and 
you  shall  want  for  nothing — I  will  teach  you  the 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  2 1/ 

truth  the  only  truth — Your  old  teacher  is  a  misleader 
—He  has  taught  you  false  doctrines — Your  only 
way  to  salvation  is  to  follow  me. 

The  Bishop,  immediately  began  to  put  in  execu- 
tion his  designs  for  disrupting  the  Metlakahtlan 
community.  His  tactics  were  as  follows : 

I. 

On  the  very  day  of  the  rupture,  "  His  Lordship  " 
tried  to  bribe  the  native  teacher  David  Leask,  by 
offering  him  the  addition  of  ,£50.  a  year  to  his  salary 
of  £100,  if  he  would  forsake  Mr.  Duncan's  leader- 
ship and  accept  work  for  the  Society  under  his 
orders.  David  knew  nothing  of  the  rupture  at  the 
time  of  his  interview  with  the  Bishop,  but  suspect- 
ing from  the  Bishop's  words  and  manner  that  some- 
thing was  going  wrong,  stoutly  rejected  his  over- 
tures. 

II. 

On  the  Bishop's  return  from  England,  the  Indian 
Council  of  Metlakahtla  sent  him  a  letter.  The 
Bishop  assumed  the  air  of  offended  dignity, — met 
the  messenger,  took  the  letter  from  his  hand,  and, 
without  opening  it  tore  it  up,  then  threw  the  frag- 
ments down  and  stamped  them  under  foot.  A 
second  letter,  was  then  sent  to  him  by  the  Council. 
This  time  the  Bishop  called  the  messenger  into  the 
house,  led  the  way  to  the  fire,  took  the  letter,  and 
threw  it  into  the  flames. 


2l8  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

III. 

The  morning  after  the  Bishop's  return  the  school- 
master,— an  Englishman — who  had  been  employed 
and  paid  by  Mr.  Duncan  from  his  own  private  funds 
since  the  severance  from  the  Society ;  stepped  into 
Mr.  Duncan's  office  just  before  the  time  for  opening 
school,  and  announced,  that  he  had  been  informed, 
that  the  Government  had  authorized  that  the 
school  should  be  placed  under  the  Bishop's  control, 
and,  therefore,  he  had  accepted  work  under  the 
Bishop.  Straightway  without  an  hour's  notice, 
and  with  this  argument,  in  his  mouth,  which  was 
afterward  proven  to  be  utterly  false,  the  unprin- 
cipled white  man,  corrupted  by  the  Bishop,  quit 
his  duties  in  Mr.  Duncan's  school,  and  immediately 
joined  the  Bishop's  staff.  Mr.  Duncan  having  no 
one  to  occupy  the  deserted  post, — had  to  conduct 
the  school  himself  with  the  assistance  of  a  native. 

IV. 

A  few  days  after  this,  the  native  assistant  was 
missing  from  her  duties  in  the  morning.  In  the 
afternoon  she  appeared,  and  on  being  interrogated, 
confessed  that  she  had  been  away  on  the  Bish- 
op's Steam  Yacht.  It  was  evident  that  her  alle- 
giance also  was  being  tampered  with.  On  being 
rebuked  for  her  conduct,  she  threw  up  her  position, 
to  be  employed  by  the  Bishop  at  an  increased 
salary.  Thus  these  two  school  teachers  by  the 


COERCION   AND   TURMOIL.  2 19 

Bishop's  intrigues,  and  their  own  unfaithfulness 
deserted  Mr.  Duncan's  large  school,  without  any 
warning,  and  dropped  into  the  easy  employment  of 
conducting  a  school  of  some  ten  or  fifteen  children. 

V. 

These  attempts  to  cripple  Mr.  Duncan's,  school 
being  completed  the  Bishop's  next  design  was  to 
cramp  the  Metlakahtlans'  resources.  Since  Mr. 
Duncan's  severance  from  the  Society,  they  had  to 
rely  mainly  for  means  to  carry  on  the  Mission,  upon 
the  profits  derived  from  the  village  store,  in  sup- 
plying goods  to  the  neighboring  tribes,  and  on  the 
industries  which  had  been  mainly  created  by  Mr. 
Duncan's  money  and  labor.  Therefore,  to  imperil 
the  continuance  of  the  industries,  and  render  the 
store  unremunerative,  was  not  too  contemptible,  a 
thing  for  the  Bishop  to  attempt.  However,  to 
make  his  steps,  in  this  direction  appear  plausible, 
false  statements  were  published.  The  public  was 
told,  that  the  adherents  to  the  Society,  were  not 
allowed  to  trade  in  the  village  store,  on  equal  terms 
with  other  Indians,  and  were  insulted  by  Mr.  Dun- 
can's people;  therefore,  the  Bishop  was  obliged  to 
have  a  store  of  his  own.  The  sanction  and  capital 
being  obtained  from  the  Society,  the  Bishop  at 
once  opened  a  shop  in  the  mission-house,  in  which 
he  resided ;  and  having  no  risks  to  run,  or  expenses 
to  bear  he  could  well  afford  to  put  his  business  on 
a  basis,  which  would  prove  ruin  to  any  competitor's 


220  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

store.  The  success  of  this  underhanded  scheme 
demanded  this  unbusiness-like  basis,  therefore,  his 
goods  were  offered  at  prices  which  left  no  profit 
whatever. 

The  Bishop  entertained  great  expectation  from 
this  trading  project,  as  it  served  to  draw  non-ad- 
herents, to  his  house  for  trade ;  and  enable  him 
to  suggest  to  the  Indians,  how  much  they  were 
being  cheated  by  the  other  store ;  and,  also  it 
afforded  the  means  of  gratifying  his  few  adherents, 
with  loans  of  goods,  a  privilege  they  soon  took  ad- 
vantage of,  and  freely  became  his  debtors.  The 
Metlakahtlans  themselves  saw  the  trap  and  despised 
it.  But  the  Bishop  did  succeed  in  his  object,  in  so  far, 
as  he  lessened  their  income,  by  securing  consider- 
able of  their  business  from  neighboring  tribes ;  yet 
though  weakened  by  this  process  they  yielded  not. 

VI. 

The  next  step  the  Bishop  took,  was  to  bring  the 
secular  arm  to  his  aid. 

In  1882  the  Indians,  after  having  sought  and 
obtained  legal  advice,  decided  to  remove  their  own 
village  store  *  from  proximity  to  the  house  where 
the  Bishop  resided. 

The  Bishop  incensed  at  this  read  the  riot  act,  and 
sent  such  a  false  and  alarming  report  to  Victoria, 

*  See  Mr.  Duncan's  refutation  in  Appendix. 


COERCION   AND   TURMOIL.  221 

that  the  Government  was  induced  to  despatch  a 
man-of-war  to  Metlakahtla. 

At  the  time  there  was  no  British  ship  available, 
therefore,  an  application  was  made  to  Washington, 
and  the  services  were  obtained  of  the  United  States 
Revenue  Cutter,  "  Oliver  Wolcott"  and  in  due 
course  arrived  at  Metlakahtla  with  two  magistrates 
on  board. 

A  large  number  of  the  supposed  rioters  including 
Mr.  Duncan,  was  summoned  ;  but  to  the  complete 
dismay,  and,  mortification  of  the  Bishop,  the  magis- 
trates, after  investigation  declared  there  had  been 
no  riot,  hence  dismissed  the  case. 

This  false  alarm  cost  the  Province  it  is  said 
$7,000.  What  it  cost  Metlakahtla  cannot  be  told  ; 
but  no  one  has  ever  heard  of  the  Bishop's  even 
being  rebuked,  either  by  the  government,  or  by  the 
Society,  for  the  injury  he  had  wantonly  caused. 

VII. 

Before  the  arrival  of  the  "  Oliver  Wolcott "  to 
quell  the  so-called  riot,  a  fresh  case  occurred,  which 
the  magistrates  were  called  upon  to  deal  with. 

The  Bishop's  party  desiring  a  drum,  had  discov- 
ered one  in  the  possession  of  an  Indian,  and  pro- 
curing the  cash  from  the  Society's  agent  concluded 
a  purchase.  It  soon  transpired,  that  the  Indian  had 
no  right  to  sell  the  drum,  as  he  only  shared  its  own- 
ership, with  six  or  eight  others.  His  aggrieved 


222  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

partners,  after  ascertaining  the  disposition  made  of 
their  joint  property,  applied  to  Mr.  Duncan  as  the 
resident  magistrate  for  redress.  Wishing  to  avoid 
making  it  a  case  for  the  courts  to  settle,  he  wrote 
to  the  agent,  informing  him  of  the  circumstances, 
begging  him  to  investigate  the  matter,  and  do  what 
was  right.  The  agent,  however,  refused  to  comply, 
demanding  that  the  aggrieved  Indians,  should  sue 
the  offender ;  but,  promised  the  drum  should  not  be 
used  till  the  rightful  ownership  was  settled  by  law. 

A  few  days  elapsed,  when  this  promise  was  bro- 
ken. A  boy  was  seen  on  the  road  about  to  use  the 
drum.  Two  of  the  joint-owners  immediately  took 
possession  of  it,  and  the  boy  complained  to  the 
Bishop.  The  Bishop  issued  at  once  warrants  of 
arrest,  and  threw  the  two  men  in  the  lock-up ;  in- 
forming them  that  they  would  be  held  prisoners  for 
three  or  four  days,  or,  until  the  ownership  of  the 
drum,  was  decided  by  trial. 

As  soon  as  the  Bishop's  action  became  bruited 
about  in  the  village,  there  was  a  general  outcry 
against  the  injustice,  of  thus  consigning  men  to  pris- 
on, before,  they  had  been  examined  ;  and  a  meeting 
was  held  by  the  Indians,  of  which  Mr.  Duncan 
knew  nothing  till  it  was  over.  The  Indians  de- 
cided to  ask  the  Bishop,  to  accord  the  accused  men 
an  immediate  trial,  and  with  that  intention  started 
for  his  residence.  Espying  the  Bishop  on  the  road 
they  awaited  his  approach.  One  of  their  number, 
an  old  man,  accosted  him,  saying,  "  Why  do  you 


COERCION   AND   TURMOIL.  223 

not  try  the  two  men  before  putting  them  into 
prison  ?  " 

The  Bishop  deigned  no  reply,  but  passed  on. 
Another  man  then  stepped  up  to  the  Bishop,  and 
putting  out  his  hand  touched  him  on  the  shoulder, 
for  the  purpose  of  signing  him  to  stop  for  an  inter- 
view, and  repeated  the  question.  The  Bishop  sud- 
denly turned  upon  him  with  raised  fist  and  struck  him 
with  all  his  might.  The  Indians  who  were  standing 
about  fearing  the  man  might  retaliate  immediately 
cried  out,  "  Don't  strike  back,  but  appeal  to  the 
law."  Thus  entreated  the  man  restrained  himself. 
Another  Indian  standing  hard  by  cried  out,  "  Shame 
on  the  Bishop ! "  and  the  Bishop  dealt  him  a  blow 
and  put  himself  in  the  attitude  of  a  combatant. 
This  was  more  than  the  Indians  could  endure,  and 
the  Bishop  was  the  recipient  of  some  blows,  which, 
he  said  in  court,  kept  him  from  his  usual  avocations 
for  three  days.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  timely  in- 
terference of  the  Native  Constables,  doubtless  the 
Bishop  would  have  been  roughly  handled,  for  his 
passionate  and  uncalled  for  attack.  After  the  melee 
was  over,  which  the  Bishop's  overt  acts  had  pro- 
voked, the  exasperated  Indians  at  once  set  the  two 
imprisoned  men  at  liberty. 

When  this  case  came  before  the  magistrates,  the 
Bishop  testified  that  the  old  man  who  first  accosted 
him  "  struck  "  him  on  the  face.  Subsequently,  be- 
fore a  commissioner's  court  the  Bishop  declared, 
the  old  man  simply  placed  his  hand  before  his  (the 


224  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Bishop's)  face.  The  word  "  struck "  which  was 
false  was  omitted.  It  is  significant  to  notice,  what- 
ever the  old  man  did  he  was  not  indicted — only 
maligned — but,  the  man  whom  the  Bishop  had 
"  struck  "  but  who,  did  not  retaliate  was  fined  on  a 
point  of  technicality,  because  he  had  touched  the 
Bishop's  shoulder.  The  other  Indian  who  was 
first  struck,  by  the  Bishop,  and  then  returned  the 
blow  was  also  fined. 

The  Indians  wanted  to  appeal  the  case  to  a  high- 
er court,  but  the  wary  magistrates  to  shield  the 
Bishop's  conduct,  put  the  fines  so  low  that  appeal 
was  inadmissible. 

The  drum,  on  account  of  which,  the  whole  trou- 
ble had  arisen,  was  duly  returned  by  the  magis- 
trates to  the  rightful  owners  ;  and  nothing  was  done 
to  the  two  men  who  broke  prison,  as  their  arrest  and 
confinement  had  been  illegal. 

VIII. 

His  Lordship  resorts  to  firearms  !  The  Bishop 
by  a  course  of  intrigue,  nagging  and  brutal  violence 
had  so  irritated  the  Metlakahtlans  that,  it  was  only 
with  difficulty  that  Mr.  Duncan  restrained,  these 
men,  who  in  the  state,  he  found  them  a  few  years 
before,  would  have  avenged  such  wrongs  with  blood- 
shed. The  school-house  which  had  been  built  for 
the  community,  on  ground  belonging  to  the  com- 
munity, with  funds,  a  part  of  which  only  was  con- 


A   NATIVE    VIOLET. 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  225 

tributed  by  the  Society, — was  taken  possession  of 
by  the  Bishop  and  turned  into  a  rival  church.  The 
Indians  galling  under  many  indignities,  gave  no- 
tice to  the  Society's  agent,  that,  as  the  building 
was  not  being  used  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was 
originally  erected,  it  must  be  moved  to  closer  prox- 
imity to  the  mission  house.  The  agent  did  not 
heed  this  notice,  and  the  Indians  took  no  further 
steps. 

But  the  Bishop,  intimating,  that  he  had  informa- 
tion that  on  a  certain  night,  the  Indians  intended 
to  take  possession  of  the  building,  determined  to 
fight.  He  armed  himself  with  a  Winchester  rifle, — 
filled  the  magazine  with  bullet-cartridges,  and  with 
the  white  school-master,  he  had  inveigled,  he  spent 
the  night  in  the  school-house,  having  however,  pre- 
viously warned  his  own  party  not  to  approach  the 
building  lest  he  might  mistake  them  for  his  ene- 
mies. Whether  or  not,  the  Bishop  if  he  had  been 
given  a  chance  would  have  taken  as  many  lives,  as 
his  repeating  rifle  contained  bullets — is  best  known 
to  himself.  No  shooting  occurred,  for  the  reason, 
that  no  attack  was  even  contemplated.  The  Bish- 
op's night  watch,  first  became  known  to  the  Metla- 
kahtlans  when  in  early  morn,  he  was  seen  sneaking 
out  of  the  school-house  with  the  Winchester  rifle 
under  his  arm.  As  might  be  supposed  the  news 
quickly  spread  throughout  the  village,  and  subse- 
quently to  the  surrounding  tribes  ;  afid,  the  indig- 
nation it  kindled,  is  not  likely  to  soon  die  out. 


226  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

IX. 

Next,  the  Bishop  and  the  agent  of  the  Society 
came  into  collision  with  the  Metlakahtla  Council, 
by  backing  one  of  his  party  in  an  act  violating  a 
by-law  of  the  village.  Since  the  founding  of  Met- 
lakahtla, no  one  had  been  allowed  to  erect  build- 
ings, without  consent  of  the  community  as  repre- 
sented by  the  Council.  This  regulation,  had  been 
strictly  observed  and  had  proved  highly  beneficial 
in  many  ways.  The  Bishop  ignored  the  Council, 
and  sustained  one  of  his  followers,  in  an  extension 
to  a  building  on  communal  ground,  in  defiance 
of  the  by-law.  The  man  was  warned  to  desist, 
but  he  flouted  the  warning,  and  like  his  master, 
seemed  ready  to  defend  his  position  by  acts  of  vio- 
lence. His  courage  however  failed  him,  when  the 
Indians  walked  in  a  body,  and  quietly  took  down, 
the  few  scantling  he  had  erected.  The  Bishop  or 
his  assistant  forwarded  a  basely  exaggerated  report 
to  Victoria,  and  in  due  course, — as  usual, — a  man- 
of-war  was  despatched  to  Metlakahtla  : — This  time 
bringing  the  Superintendent  of  Indian  affairs,  and, 
an  Indian  agent  recently  appointed. 

These  gentlemen  first  endeavored  to  get  Mr. 
Duncan,  to  co-operate  with  them,  in  making  the 
Indians  believe  that  they  had  committed  a  grave 
offence  against  the  law ;  but,  that  if  they  would 
now  accept  tke  Indian  agent,  and  come  under  the 
yoke  of  the  Indian  act,  then  by-gones  should  be 


COERCION   AND   TURMOIL.  22/ 

by-gones.  Mr.  Duncan  refused  to  identify  himself 
with  these  gentlemen  and  their  mission,  and  so  the 
law  was  put  in  force.  Summonses  were  served 
without  the  slightest  opposition. 

All  was  going  on  satisfactorily  in  the  crowded 
court,  till  the  Bishop  appeared,  and  was  seen  whis- 
pering in  a  confidential  manner,  to  one  of  the  ma- 
gistrates ;  when,  as  if  an  earthquake  had  shaken 
the  building,  the  Indians  all  suddenly  rushed  out, 
leaving  the  bewildered  magistrates,  vainly  shouting 
for  order.  Both  Indians  and  magistrates  went 
straight  to  Mr.  Duncan's  house, — the  one  to  tell, 
and  the  other  to  ask  why,  the  panic  had  occurred. 

Mr.  Duncan  straightway  succeeded  in  showing 
the  Indians,  their  imprudence,  and  persuaded  them 
to  apologize,  and  return  to  Court.  The  magistrates 
took  good  care  to  keep  the  Bishop  from  again  in- 
terfering and  violating  the  rules  of  justice  by  acting 
both  as  plaintiff  and  adviser  to  the  bench. 

The  trial  resulted  in  the  magistrates  calling  upon 
the  accused,  to  enter,  into  their  own  recognisances 
to  keep  the  peace, — that,  was  all, — but  the  Indians 
refused,  offering  rather  to  surrender  their  liberty, 
and  be  kept  in  custody  till  their  case  could  be  heard 
in  the  Supreme  Court  before  a  Jury  at  Victoria. 
The  magistrates  declined  to  keep  the  Indians  in 
custody  and  so  nothing  whatever  was  done. 

The  man-of-war  departed,  but  the  Indian  agent 
remained  to  endeavor  to  bring  the  Indians  under 
the  Indian  Act,  and  induce  them  to  accept  his  ser- 


228  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

vices  as  agent.  Discussions  between  the  agent  and 
the  Indians  followed.  They  told  him,  that  the 
Indian  Act,  was  adapted  to  Indians  while  they 
were  ignorant,  and  wild ;  but  was  not  suitable  for 
Indians  in  their  condition  of  enlightenment.  They 
asked  why,  the  Government  had  not  selit  an  agent 
to  them,  twenty  years  ago,  when  his  services  were 
needed,  and  why  the  Government  wanted  to  de- 
grade them,  and  impede  their  progress,  by  put- 
ting them  under  such  a  yoke  as  the  Indian  Act, 
at  this  stage  of  their  advancement.  They  com- 
pared the  system  of  an  Indian  Agency,  to  a  small 
shoe,  suited  for  a  child's  foot ;  and  reminded  liim 
that  their  feet  were  now,  the  feet  of  men, — hence 
the  shoe  he  had  brought  them  was  obviously  too 
small. 

The  agent  saw  clearly  he  was, not  wanted,  and 
returned  to  Victoria  the  first  opportunity  that  of- 
fered. 

X. 

The  rights  of  the  community  to  their.land  being 
challenged,  and  infringed  upon,  and  the  Bishop 
continuing  to  aggravate  the  people  upon  every  con- 
ceivable pretext,  the  Indians  determined  to  have 
their  legal  rights,  defined,  and  established.  The 
school-house  was  still  being  used  as  a  rival  church, 
and  a  centre  for  a  party  of  bribed  deserters,  who 
with  their  ruler  openly  avowed  their  inimical  inten- 
tions, to  undermine,  and  destroy,  the  community. 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  22Q 

No  attention  having  been  paid  to  the  Metlakaht- 
lans'  notice  to  remove  the  building,  and  their  rights 
being  defied ;  after  fully  discussing  the  subject  in 
council,  they  determined  to  take  possession  of  it. 
Quietly  and  in  the  day  time  they  carried  out  their 
resolution.  The  Bishop  filed  an  information  against 
seven  Indians,  who  were  supposed  to  be  the  main 
actors  :  charging  them  with  riotously  and  tumultu- 
ously  breaking  into,  injuring,  and  taking  possession 
of  a  church — the  property  of  the  Church  Mission- 
ary .Society  of  London.  The  Indians  were  tried, 
but,  the  evidence  against  them  failed  in  every 
particular,  to  substantiate  the  indictment,  but  the 
magistrate  in  his  zeal  to  support  the  Bishop,  over- 
stepped the  law  and  committed  five  out  of  the 
seven  men  to  take  their  trial,  if  called  for,  at  the 
next  assizes  at  Victoria.  The  men  refused  to  give 
bail  and  were  therefore  sent  in  custody  to  Victoria, 
— 600  miles  from  their  homes.  On  arriving  there, 
tjiey  were  told  the  Grand  Jury  had  not  only  thrown 
out  the  "  Bill "  against  them,  but,  had  expressed 
the  utmost  astonishment  at  the  conduct  of  the 
'magistrate.  His  animosity  had  been  so  obvious, 
and  his  actions  so  illegal,  that,  had  the  case  con- 
cerned white  men  instead  of  Indians,  he  would  no 
doubt  have  been  called  up  to  suffer  a  severe  pen- 
alty. 

The  Indians  had  the  satisfaction  of  being  released, 
and  the  village  the  gratification,  of  having  resecured 
the  school-house  for  their  children. 


230  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

XL 

Close  upon  the  heels  of  this  trial  came  a  man-of- 
war  with  three  Commissioners,  to  inquire  into  the 
troubles  at  Metlakahtla.  One,  of  the  three  Com- 
missioners, was  the  very  magistrate,  who  had  just 
committed  the  five  Indians  before  alluded  to,  for 
trial,  and  the  other  two,  were  his  bosom  friends, — 
hence,  no  wonder  the  commission  proved  a  farce ; 
and  the  proceedings  in  court,  only,  an  exhibition  of 
how  constituted  authority,  may  be  prostituted,  to 
serve  personal  or  party  spite.  It  would  be  but  an 
act  of  justice  to  the  Indians,  if  the  proceedings  of 
these  Commissioners  were  exposed.  Their  course 
was  iniquitous  in  the  extreme,  from  the  moment  of 
landing  they  sided  with  the  Bishop ;  at  the  same 
time  assumed  a  severely  hostile  attitude  toward 
Mr.  Duncan,  and,  endeavored  to  persuade  his  peo- 
ple, that  he,  had  been  giving  them  "  bad  teachings." 
The  following  is  cited  from  the  Church  Missionary 
Society's  report  of  the  Chairman's  address,  and  will 
indicate  the  tenor : — 

"  Nothing  could  have  been  more  admirable  than 
the  tact,  and  patience,  with  which  the  Commis- 
sioners treated  the  Indians  who  came  before  them, 
and  explained  to  them,  what  they  thought  necessary. 
Thus,  at  the  commencement  of  the  proceedings,  the 
chairman,  Mr.  Davie,  addressed  them  (through  an 
interpreter)  as  follows  : — 

'  We  wish  to  tell  everybody  why  we  come  here. 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  231 

Somebody  has  told  the  Government  that  the  Ind- 
ians of  Metlakahtla  have  behaved  badly,  and  that 
other  Indians  say  they  will  do  the  same  as  the 
Metlakahtlans.  , 

'  The  Government  does  not  believe  the  Metla- 
kahtla Indians  are  bad  themselves.  The  Govern- 
ment think  the  Indians  may  have  had  bad  teach- 
ings;  that  the  Indians  would  not  do  bad  things 
unless  they  had  bad  teachings. 

'  We  are  told  that  at  Metlakahtla  people  have 
been  struck  ;  that  threats  have  been  made ;  that 
houses  have  been  taken  by  force  ;  that  people  have 
been  told  to  leave,  and  threatened  with  violence  if 
they  remained.  All  this  is  wrong.  We  think  the 
Indians  would  never  do  such  things  out  of  their  own 
lie  arts. 

'  We  are  also  told  that  a  church  was  pulled  down 
at  Kithralta.  This  is  wrong. 

'  We  are  told,  it  would  not  have  been  pulled  down, 
had  not  bad  example  been  set  by  Metlakahtla. 

'  We  are  told  the  bad  Indians  of  Queen  Charlotte 
Islands  tell  the  good  Indians  there,  that  they  will  do 
the  same  as  at  Metlakahtla ;  that  those  bad  Indians 
say  if  one  of  them  be  put  in  jail  at  Massett,  they 
will  pull  it  down.  All  this  is  wrong. 

'  We  are  told  the  Metlakahtlans  say  all  the  land 
belongs  to  the  Indians.  This  is  not  true.  White  men 
who  teach  this  are  false  to  both  Indians  and  whites. 
We  will  tell  you  the  truth  about  the  lands.  First,  all 
the  lands  belong  to  the  Queen.  .  .  . 


232  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

*  White  men  who  tell  the  Indians  otherwise  are 
false  both  to  Indians  and  whites,  and  make  trouble. 

1  We  are  told  the  Indians  laughed  at  Dr.  Powell 
and  laughed  at  the  gunboat.  This  was  wrong  and 
very  foolish.  Dr.  Powell  is  the  chief  Indian  Agent. 
He  is  the  agent  appointed  by  the  Canada  Govern- 
ment to  take  care  of  the  Indians,  and  look  after  their 
lands.'  " 

The  commissioners  in  their  report  say : — " '  In  jus- 
tice to  Bishop  Ridley  and  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  which  has  numerous  missions  in  the 
North-West,  it  is  proper  to  say  that  tlie  few  Metla- 
kahtla  Indians  associated  with  them,  have  not  been 
parties  to  any  of  these  disturbances,  -nor  have  the 
missionaries  of  that  Society,  so  far,  as  the  Commis- 
sion could  learn,  advocated  the  notion  of  the  Indian 
title,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Woods,  a  layman, 
whose  action  has  met  with  the  disapprobation  of 
Bishop  Ridley.  The  disturbances  and  disquietude 
have,  to  a  considerable  extent,  grown  out  of  a  desire 
on  the  part'of  the  majority  of  Metlakahtla  Indians 
(who  undoubtedly  are  in  a  great  measure  subject  to 
Mr.  Duncan's  influence)  to  have  what  they  have  been 
educated  to  call  unity,  and  to  expel  from  Metla- 
kahtla any  person,  or  any  sentiment,  not  in  accord 
with  the  will  of  the  majority.' " 

As  an  example  of  the  perfidy  rife,  I  will  cite  one 
of  the  principal  cases  brought  before  the  Commis- 
sion by  the  Bishop,  who  sought  to  brand  the  Metla- 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  233 

kahtlans  with  a  dark  crime,  but,  fortunately  the 
truth  came  out. 

Under  oath  the  Bishop  testified  that  a  short  time 
before,  he  had  been  fired  upon, — it  was  night — the 
shot  passed  througJi  a  window  close  to  him — he  dis- 
tinctly heard  the  report  of  the  gun^ — he  had  chased 
the  two  villains  in  the  dark,  half  way  down  the  vil- 
lage, but  was  outrun,  and  on  the  following  morn- 
ing the  bullet  was  found  upon  the  floor  of  the  room. 
When  surprise  was  expressed  by  the  Commissioners 
that  these  facts  had  not  sooner  been  made  public, — 
the  Bishop*  on  his  oath — declared  he  had  kept  the 
villainous  act  perfectly  secret  even  from  his  own 
party, — as  its  publicity  would  only  have  affected 
the  public  mind  for  evil.  The  truth  is,  Bishop  Rid- 
ley did  not  want  the  alleged  tragedy  investigated. 
It  served  his  purpose  best  to  keep  it  shrouded  in 
darkness  and  mystery.  How  sorely  chagrined  he 
must  have  been,  when  the  droll  facts  became  known, 
and  it  was  proven  tJiat  he.  had  not  been  fired  at — 
that  no  shot  had  been  fired  at  all,  therefore,  no  re- 
port could  have  been  heard  by  him : — but  a  young 
man  of  the  Bishop's  own  faction,  in  sport  had 
tossed  a  small  pistol-bullet  at  the  wall  of  the 
Bishop's  house,  for  the  purpose  of  startling  a  young 
girl  he  saw  at  a  window.  The  bullet  slipped  from 
his  fingers,  and  had  gone  instead  through  the  win- 
dow of  the  room  in  which  the  Bishop,  happened  to 
be  at  that  moment  ! 

The  Bishop,  when  asked  to  produce  the  bullet, 


234-  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

stated  he  could  not  find  it  then,  though  he  had 
kept  it  for  some  time. 

It  was,  a  shallow  but  convenient  quibble;  for, 
had  he  produced  the  bullet  it  might  have  told  a 
tale  against  either  or  both  the  Bishop's  veracity,  and 
his  common-sense. 

Then,  as  to  the  secrecy  the  Bishop  claimed  he  had 
observed ;  it  was  ascertained,  that  on  the  morning 
following  the  alleged  tragic  event,  the  Bishop  in- 
formed his  adherents  of  the  occurrence,  and  offered 
five  dollars  to  anyone  who  should  give  the  names  of 
the  "  two  villains."  When  this  reward  Was  offered, 
the  man  who  had  thrown  the  bullet  was  present,  and, 
but  for  shame  would  have  confessed,  and  claimed 
the  money.  The  Society's  reports  of  the  Bishop's 
evidence  before  the  Commission  assert, — "  In  only 
two  matters  were  his  statements  successfully  con- 
tradicted " — one  of  these, — his  declaration  under 
oath,  that  Mr.  Duncan  had  made  a  certain  state- 
ment ;  the  other,  wherein  he  took  oath,  that  he  had 
distinctly  heard  the  report  of  the  rifle  at  the  time 
he,  claimed  to  have  been  fired  at.  In  both  instances, 
his  testimony  was  proved  to  be  utterly  false.  The 
Society  aver  he  was  successfully  contradicted  in 
only  two  of  his  sworn  statements.  A  thing  to  boast 
of  in  a  Christian  Bishop,  who  should  exemplify 
truth.  The  deduction  consequent  upon  the  afore- 
said, seems  to  emphasize  the  melancholy  fact,  that 
the  greatest  sin,  is  in  being  found  out !  It  is  not 
surprising  that  this  fictitious  shooting  case,  has 


COERCION   AND   TURMOIL.  235 

made  "  His  Lordship  "  the  laugh  ing-stock  of  the 
whole  coast. 

XII. 

In  the  autumn  of  1885  during  Mr.  Duncan's  ab- 
sence in  England,  another  sinister  attempt  was 
made  by  the  Bishop,  to  bring  the  Metlakahtlans, 
into  trouble  through  the  machinery  of  the  law. 
"  His  Lordship  "  had  spared  no  effort  to  undermine, 
and  ruin  the  business  of  the  Metlakaht4ans  co-opera- 
tive stock-company  village-store ;  upon  the  profits 
of  which  the  community  mainly  relied  for  support- 
ing their  institutions.  His' shop  trick  was  partially 
successful,  inasmuch  as,  he  did  draw  from  the  com- 
munal store  a  considerable  amount  of  the  trade  of 
neighboring  tribes  and,  of  a  few  villagers.  Seeing 
the  need  of  resorting  to  some  means  for  self-pres- 
ervation the  Council  decided  to  levy  a  fine  upon  any 
member  of  their  community,  who  should  purchase 
goods  at  "  His  Lordship's  "  shop.  Shortly  after,  it 
came  to  the  notice  of  the  Council,  that  a  young 
woman  had  violated  the  by-law.  The  fine  was  col- 
lected without  the  slightest  remonstrance,  moreover 
this  same  young  woman,  was  sharing  the  privileges 
and  benefits  of  the  community,  and  it  was  a  matter 
of  her  own  option,  whether  she  should  remain  or 
leave. 

The  very  reason  for  the  first  exodus  of  these 
Christians  from  Fort  Simpson,  and  their  coming  to 
Metlakahtla,  was  to  form  a  Christian  community, 


236  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

membership  of  which  might  be  attained  by  converts 
from  any  of  the  many  surrounding  tribes.  Those 
who  came  were  to  give  up  their  tribal  and  other 
distinctions,  and  live  ,as  one  people,  united,  and 
binding  themselves  each  one  to  follow  the  rules 
laid  down,  from  time  to  time,  by  the  Council.  So 
that  unity  and  cohesion,  was  the  basis  and  protection 
of  the  settlement.  The  coming  of  each  was  volun- 
tary. His  stay  was  voluntary,  and  he  could  leave 
if  ever  he  found  the  rules  irksome.  They  wished  to 
live  as  brethren  united  in  all  things. 

The  Bishop,  on  hearing  of  the  action  of  the  Coun- 
cil took  special  pains  to  work  up  a  case  for  the  mag- 
istrate; in  which  he  succeeded  after  some  delay,  and 
considerable  trouble.  The  magistrate,  eager  as  be- 
fore to  serve  the  Bishop,  and  especially  in  any  way 
that  would  punish  the  Native  Council ;  again  acted 
unjustly  and  overstepped  the  bounds  of  his  jurisdic- 
tion. He  committed  two  Indians  to  prison,  but  as 
soon  as  their  case  came  up  before  a  Judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court — they  were  set  free.  The  magis- 
trate's illegal  proceedings  were  so  glaring,  they  could 
no  longer  pass  without  resentment.  A  lawyer  was 
instructed  to  bring  action  against  him  for  damages, 
but  the  magistrate,  managed  to  slip  out  of  the 
way,  by  going  to  California  ;  remaining  out  of  reach 
of  the  law  for  six  months  : — after  which  time,  no 
action,  according  to  law  could  be  instituted  against 
him. 

Although,  the  ease  was  dismissed  on  a  technical 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  237 

point  of  law  the  Judge  before  whom  this  appealed 
case  was  tried,  declared  it  was  fully  within  the 
rights  of  a  Society  or  Community,  to  enact  such 
rules  and  levy  fines, — just  as  clubs  and  other  simi- 
lar organizations  regulate  their  members,  and  mem- 
bership by  a  system  of  laws  and  fines. 

The  Church  Missionary  Society,  in  its  reports 
concerning  this  case,  dilate  at  length,  upon  the 
lamentable  idea,  that  the  young  woman,  was  an 
orphan,  and  paid  the  fine  to  save  herself  from 
prison  ; — these  statements  are  absolutely  false,  and 
their  falsity,  is  well  known  to  its  Bishop. 

In  this  manner,  "His  Lordship"  continued  the 
unholy  siege  against  Metlakahtla. 

My  only  reason  for  so  circumstantially  detailing 
these  cases,  is  that  they  have  been  so  outrageously 
misstated,  and  enlarged  upon  in  the  Society's  in- 
flated reports.  It  is  a  curious  and  suggestive  fact 
that  the  Society's  publications  which  had  indorsed, 
and  lavishly  eulogized  Mr.  Duncan's  work,  up  to 
the  date  of  the  rupture,  thenceforth,  veered  com- 
pletely around  ;  and  from  that  moment  have  spared 
no  opportunity  to  basely  traduce  him,  and  discredit 
his  work  ! 

There  is  no  enmity  so  bitter,  as  love  turned  to 
hate.  The  Society  from  profuse  honeyed  adulation 
turned  upon  Mr.  Duncan,  and  stung  him  with  the 
venom  of  a  scorpion. 

The  Society  had  suddenly  changed  its  tone  to- 


238  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

ward  the  mission,  although  no  change  had  occurred 
in  the  work,  only  a  metamorphosis  in  the  relation- 
ship. 

"His  Lordship's  "  reports  will  afford  us  a  little 
insight  into  his  methods  of  mission  work.  On  one 
occasion  he  tells  how  he  conquered  the  medicine- 
men at  one  of  the  Mission  Stations — they  disturbed 
him  by  their  noise,  and  he — "stepped  quickly  up  to 
the  chief  performer,  I  took  him  by  the  shoulders  and 
before  he  could  recover  his  self-possession  had  him 
at  the  river's  brink,  assured  him  I  should  assist  him 
further  down  next  time." — This  shows  what  a  gen- 
tle mild  mannered  man  was  this  Bishop,  though  the 
Society  has  already  assured  us  of  this,  in  speaking 
of  the  delicate  manner  in  which  Mr.  Duncan's  con- 
nection with  the  Society  was  severed  "  after  much 
loving  correspondence  "  that, — "  All  who  know  the 
Bishop  must  have  been  sure  that  he  would  have 
done  it  most  gently  and  lovingly." 

The  Bishop,  however,  is  versatile  and  shows  va- 
riety in  his  affectionate  methods.  He  reports,  his 
charge  to  a  native  assistant,  in  this  wise : — "  '  May 
I  go  down  and  hold  service  ? '  '  Yes  go  and  be 
gentle  as  Jesus  was'  I  said.  '  May  I  take  a  bell?' 
'Yes  take  a  small  one  because  you  have  only  a 
little  knowledge."  : 

How  touching,  is  the  comparison  between  the 
manner  in  which  the  Bishop  caressed  the  shaman, 
and  the  precept  he  offers  the  native  teacher. 

In  writing  of  the    Metlakahtlans  taking  posses- 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  239 

sion  of  the  school-house,  he  informs  us  how  our  old 
acquaintance — "  Paul  Sebassah,*  the  great  chief, 
has  since  told  me,  he  had  made  up  his  mind,  to 
recover  the  church  or  die  in  the  attempt.  When 
he  came,  with  the  rest,  to  report  the  seizure,  he 
could  scarcely  speak  for  half-suppressed  rage.  I 
saw  danger  impending,  and  was  at  my  wits'  end 
until  his  speech  was  ended.  I  was  then  expected 
to  speak,  so  I  said,  *  Let  us  pray  for  guidance.'  This 
subdued  his  anger.  God  has  indeed  sanctified. 
I  dreaded  the  effect  of  our  armed  watch,  we  were 
urged  by  the  magistrate  to  maintain.  It  for  a  time 
stirred  the  blood  of  the  men,  but  prayer  conquered 
again." 

We  have  already  observed  how  ingeniously  the 
Bishop,  can  pirouette  words  in  such  a  manner,  as 
convey  novel  versions  of  incidents,  quite  foreign  to 
facts.  There  is  something  remarkably  trmlling 
about  the  so  called  "  graphic  passage  "  written  by 
the  Bishop,  about  three  months  before  the  rupture 
while  taking  up  the  coast  his  little  steam  yacht 
"  Evangeline  "  (was  the  name  a  foreboding  to  the 
peaceful  settlement  ?) :  I  quote  this,  merely  because 
so  much  has  been  made  of  the  incident  to  prove  the 
great  courage,  and  heroism,  of  this  lordling  who  faced 
the  grave  dangers,  of  the  North  Pacific.  His  Lord- 
ship delivers  himself  thus  : — 

"  It  is  now   10.30  and  my  turn  to   be    on  deck. 

*  See  Chapter  II. 


240  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

The  moon  shines  brilliantly  on  a  glassy  sea.  The 
Indian  at  the  helm  is  singing  '  Rock  of  Ages  '  but 
he  must  go  to  bed !  The  only  other  person  on 
board  is  the  European  engineer  who  is  fast  asleep. 
We  must  go  on  until  we  reach  the  Skeena  to-mor- 
row morning  as  there  is  no  harbor  that  I  know 
nearer.  There  we  shall  (D.  V.)  spend  Sunday  and 
go  on  to  Metlakahtla  Monday  morning." 

The  inference  of  the  reader  with  nothing  more 
explicit,  is  that  the  Bishop  in  his  little  steam  yacht 
was  voyaging  from  Victoria  to  Metlakahtla,  with  only 
two  men,  and  that  there  is  no  harbor  for  anchorage 
known  to  him,  hence,  he  must  navigate  the  vessel 
during  the  lone  midnight  hours,  while  his  paltry 
crew  were  off  duty.  How  brave  all  this  looks  on 
paper  till  illuminated  by  truth.  The  unsentimen- 
tal ized  facts  are,  that,  the  "  Evangeline "  was  at- 
tached by  a  stout  hawser  to  a  large  steamer,  em- 
ployed in  the  coast  trade,  and  the  lesser  craft  was 
being  towed  at  a  fine  rate.  There  was  no  duty 
for  the  Bishop  to  perform,  as  the  two  men  found 
no  hardship  in  alternate  watches,  for  they  were 
merely  called  upon  to  hold  the  helm.  It  is  prepos- 
terous to  suppose  that  the  captain,  would  have 
asked  or  accepted  the  Bishop's  pilotage,  even  if  the 
Bishop  had  been  versed  in  navigation.  There  was 
a  calm  sea,  and  a  bright  moonlight,  and  no  obstacles 
to  an  all-night  cruise ;  for  the  captain  was  perfectly 
familiar  with  the  harbors  dotting  the  coast  line. 

The  Bishop  had  heralded  that  he  should  (D.  V.) 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  241 

spend  the  Sabbath  at  Skeena,  and  on  Monday 
voyage  thence  to  Metlakahtla.  However,  it  best 
suited  his  own  convenience  to  proceed  with  flags 
flying  into  Metlakahtla  on  Sunday  afternoon.  The 
Metlakahtlans  were  astounded  by  the  Bishop's  con- 
duct, as  there  was  no  necessity  whatever,  for  this 
violation  of  the  Sabbath,*  which  seemed  to  demon- 
strate to  the  natives  his  contempt  for  the  teachings, 
they  had  received,  and,  seemed  to  indicate  that  he 
was  not  so  bound.  It  discovers  the  key  to  the  man, 
and  his  writings,  and  is  a  specimen  of  his  capability 
for  disguising  the  truth. 

With  blind  conceit,  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety loses  no  opportunity  to  make  virulent  tirades 
upon,  and  to  read  lessons  to  the  Roman  Catholic 
Missionaries,  and  denounce  the  very  follies,  of  which 
it  is  itself  guilty.  The  Church  of  Rome  has  its  faults, 
and  has  made  its  mistakes  as  has  every  church. 

True,  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  will  ever  have 
to  bear  the  blame,  for  the  inhuman  methods  adopted 
to  Christianize  the  Spanish  American  countries, 
but  we  must  not  forget  that  at  the  same  time,  the 
Protestants  were  committing  quite  as  grave  errors. 
As  a  consequence  of  the  methods  adopted  by  the 
Roman  Catholics  in  Mexico,  Central  and  South 
America,  it  will  require  many  years  for  those  coun- 
tries to  reach  an  age  of  religious  reason. 


*  See  Chapter  III. ,  re  Metlakahtlans  observance  of  the  Sabbath. 


242  THE   STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

While  I  was  travelling  in  Ecuador  some  years 
since,  I  was  told  by  an  Indian  the  following  inci- 
dent, which  indelibly  impressed  itself  upon  my 
mind  :  A  party  of  priests  borne  on  the  backs  of 
Indians  went  as  missionaries  amongst  the  Napa's 
— a  tribe  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Andes,  that  had 
never  acknowledged  the  authority  of  the  Spanish 
invaders — soliciting  them  to  accept  the  religion  of 
the  cross,  like  the  other  nations,  who  after  the 
fall  of  Atahualpa  humbly  accepted  the  yoke  of 
oppression  ;  but  these  heathens,  shook  their  heads 
and  laughing  in  derision,  said,  pointing  to  the  slaves 
bearing  the  Jesuits :  "  And  carry  you  on  our  backs  ? 
Oh  no !  We  don't  want  a  God  that  will  transform 
us  into  beasts.  Our  God  is  the  Sun,  he  smiles 
upon  us,  gives  us  light,  and  makes  men  of  us,  not 
dogs !  " — What  a  moral  is  herein  embodied. 

Notwithstanding  the  many  mistakes  of  the  Church 
of  Rome,  it  has  numbers  of  devoted,  self-sacrificing 
missionaries  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  who  could 
give  the  Church  Missionary  Society  points  in  true 
practical  mission  work,  which  elevates,  reforms,  res- 
cues. The  success  of  missionary  work,  is  far  more 
dependent  upon  the  quality,  and  adaptability  of  the 
individual  missionary,  than  it  is  upon  the  name  of 
the  society  that  sends  him  out. 

A  full  history,  and  exposure  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society's  proceedings,  in  their  North  Pacific 
missions  during  the  last  five  years,  would  not  only 
unfold  a  sad  picture  of  ecclesiastical  arrogance,  and 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  243 

religious  intolerance;  but,  would  prove,  that  lam- 
entable incompetency  now  presides  over  the  affairs 
of  the  Society  at  headquarters.  It  cannot  be  pos- 
sible that  the  supporters  of  the  Society  really  know, 
the  true  state  of  affairs,  or,  how  shamefully  their 
funds  are  being  frittered  away  in  carrying  on  a  cruel 
persecution,  against  a  little  struggling  native  com- 
munity, in  retaliation  for  the  rejection  of  a  bigoted 
Bishop,  who  tried  by  foul  means  to  get  rule  over 
it ;  and  refusal  to  adopt  elaborate  formulas  of  ser- 
vice, which  were  illy-adapted  to  its  requirements. 

It  has  best  suited  the  purpose  of  the  clique  in 
control  to  smother  the  real  facts,  and  endeavor  to 
justify,  in  the  eyes  of  the  members  of  the  Society, 
the  iniquitous  course  pursued  by  the  Bishop,  and 
its  officers,  by  publishing  gross  misrepresentations. 

Not  less  than  fifteen  persons  (counting  the  wives 
of  six)  have  left  the  Society's  work  there  during  the 
last  four  and  a  half  years,  of  whom  seven  were  from 
the  Bishop's  station  at  Metlakahtla,  and  seven  from 
the  Skeena  River.  The  Society's  publications  have 
disguised  the  real  facts,  and  attributed  the  failures 
mainly  to  ill  health ;  but  in  truth,  disgust  at  the 
confusion  into  which  the  mission  work  has  been 
thrown,  is  the  actual  cause  of  most  of  the  resigna- 
tions. 

The  demoralized  state  of  the  Society's  work 
through  the  unwise,  and  overbearing,  conduct  of 
the  Bishop,  is  not  confined  to  Metlakahtla,  or  to 
the  Skeena  River :  their  agents  are  no  longer  well- 


244  THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

received  by  the  natives  anywhere  on  the  coast,  and 
in  one  place  have  actually  been  driven  away.  On 
the  Nass  River  the  Society's  mission  work  is  death- 
stricken  ;  on  Queen  Charlotte  Island  it  is  ready  to 
collapse ;  at  Alert  Bay  there  is  no  progress, — and 
yet,  the  Society  continues  publishing  magnified  re- 
ports respecting  these  places. 

Though  the  natives  are  literally  alienated  from 
the  Society's  agents,  who  have  fallen  into  such  bad 
repute — the  Society  evidently  does  not  want  to  be- 
lieve it  is  so,  and,  therefore,  goes  on  attributing  its 
own  distresses,  and  every  act  of  opposition  taken  by 
the  people  against  their  agents,  to  the  direct,  or  the 
indirect  prompting  of  Mr.  Duncan. 

Even  the  destruction  of  the  Church  by  the  Kith- 
rat  la  Indians  at  their  own  village,  the  Bishop  had  the 
audacity  to  ascribe  to  Mr.  Duncan's  direct  orders. — 
Whereas,  the  Bishop  well  knew  it  was  the  outburst 
of  long  pent  up  anger,  in  the  Indians  \vhich  led  to 
the  mischief,  and,  that,  their  anger  was  generated  by 
his  own  indiscreet  proceedings,  and  afterward  aug- 
mented by  the  insolent  conduct  of  a  native  teacher 
he  sent  to  them. 

The  Metlakahtlans  are  not  less  human  in  their 
feelings,  in  their  impulses,  than  are  white  men  : 
they  had  been  taught  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  their 
old  superstitions,  and  were  enjoying  the  fullest  meas- 
ure of  religious  liberty,  profiting  spiritually  and  ma- 
terially; delighting  in  carrying  the  message  to  the 
yet  heathen  tribes  :  But,  how  soon  was  this  scene 


COERCION   AND   TURMOIL.  245 

changed  ;  when  the  Lordly  white  Shaman  of  the 
Church  cast  a  pall  over  them  like,  the  black  plague. 
In  his  own  life,  they  saw  the  contradiction  of  what 
they  had  been  taught,  was  true,  and  right,  and  good. 
They  had  at  first  regarded  their  benefactor  as  a 
supernatural  being,  but,  as  they  became  enlightened 
they  recognized  in  him  the  mortal  man,  but,  one 
\vho  lived  in  all  honesty,  the  precepts  he  taught 
them ;  as  his  life  in  mingling  with  them,  became  to 
them  human,  the  grandeur  of  his  nature  became 
intensified  in  their  eyes  ;  — his  words  were  truths, 
his  ways  were  just,  wise,  patient  and  consistent. 

Can  we  wonder  at  their  resentment,  when  these 
people  found  this  Bishop  who  outrivalled  the  Chil- 
kat  chieftains  in  his  imposing  vestments,  overturning 
those  things,  which  had  proved  their  salvation,  bru- 
tally assaulting  men  after  the  manner  of  a  bully, — 
corrupting  their  weaker  fellows  by  lavish  expendi- 
ture of  the  Society's  funds, — maligning,  and  bearing 
false  witness  against  them,  and,  against  he  who  had 
led  them  out  of  darkness,  and  who  had  never  failed 
them  in  the  hour  of  trial, — inciting  the  Government 
to  despoil  them,  of  their  land,  harassing  them  with 
trumped-up  charges  in  the  law  courts,  and  by  means 
of  false  alarms,  bringing  frowning  men-of-war  to 
terrorize  them  ? 

Is  it  surprising  then,  that  they  rejected  and  re- 
sisted this  Bishop  ?  Rather  we  must  wonder  more 
at  the  patience,  with  which  they  endured  his  insults, 
and  assaults  so  long. 


246  THE   STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

Instead  of  inciting  these  people  Mr.  Duncan, 
often  found  it  most  difficult  to  restrain  them ;  and 
had  they  been  white  men  it  is  doubtful  if  he  could 
have  succeeded. 

The  Society  has  called  Mr.  Duncan's  rule  over 
the  Metlakahtlans,  autocratic  :  truly,  his  rule  is  au- 
tocratic^ but,  it  is  the  autocracy  of  love. 

The  Society  formerly  fully  endorsed,  and  ap- 
proved in  every  particular,  Mr.  Duncan's  methods 
of  religious,  and  secular  work;  but,  though  his  plan 
of  action  continues  unchanged,  the  Society  now, 
reviles  him  and  in  direct  contradiction  to  its  own 
previous  assertions,  and  in  the  face  of  the  over- 
whelming testimony  I  cite  in  Chapters  III.  and  IV. 
it,  now  unblushingly  gives  vent  in  print  to  such 
preposterous  expressions  as  this  ; — 

"  The  true  secret  of  Mr.  Duncan's  failure,  has 
been  his,  permitting  the  material,  and  secular  part 
of  his  employment,  to  supersede  the  spiritual." 

Failure,  the  Society  calls  the  result  of  Mr.  Dun- 
can's work ;  it  is  such  a  failure  as  most  men  would 
envy  him  ! 

Furthermore,  the  Society  congratulates  itself  that 
"  the  great  object  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
is,  not  to  make  men  expert  in  the  practical,  indus- 
tries of  life,  but  to  make  them  wise  unto  salva- 
tion." 

By  what  means  the  Society  "tries  to  make  men 
wise  unto  salvation,"  and,  how  well  it  has  succeeded 
we  have  abundantly  seen,  in  the  course  of  events 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  247 

at  Metlakahtla.  "  By  their  works  shall  ye  judge 
them." 

E.  Ruhamah  Scidmore  "Alaska"  Boston  1885 — 
in  a  highly  interesting  chapter  on  the  Metlakahtla 
Mission  thus  pictures  the  situation  of  affairs  : — 

"  Mr.  Duncan  is  one  of  the  noblest  men  that 
ever  entered  the  mission  field.  .  .  . 

"  It  was  with  real  regret  that  we  parted  at  the 
wharf,  and  it  was  not  until  we  were  well  over  the 
water  that  we  learned  of  the  serpent  or  the  skele- 
ton in  this  paradise.  Though  Metlakahtla  might 
rightly  be  considered  Mr.  Duncan's  own  particular 
domain,  and  the  Indians  have  proved  their  appreci- 
ation of  his  unselfish  labors  by  a  love  and  devotion 
rare  in  such  races,'  his  plainest  rights  have  been  in- 
vaded and  trouble  brewed  among  his  people.  Two 
years  ago  a  bishop  was  appointed  for  the  diocese, 
which  includes  Fort  Simpson,  Metlakahtla,  and  a 
few  other  missions.  .  .  .  Bishop  Ridley,  dis- 
approving of  Mr.  Duncan's  Low  Church  principles, 
went  to  Metlakahtla  and  took  possession  as  a  supe- 
rior officer.  Mr.  Duncan,  moved  from  the  rectory, 
and  the  bishop,  took  charge  of  the  church  services. 
In  countless  ways  a  spirit  of  antagonism  was  raised 
that  almost  threatened  a  war  at  one  time. 

"  The  whole  stay  of  the  Bishop  has  been  marked 
by  trouble  and  turbulence,  and  these  scandalous 
disturbances  in  a  Christian  community  cannot  fail 
to  have  an  influence  for  evil,  and  undo  some  of  the 
good  work  that  has  been  done  there.  Mr.  Dun- 


248  THE   STORY  OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

can,  made  no  reference  to  his  troubles  during  the 
morning  that  we  spent  at  Metlakahtla,  and  his  desire 
that  we  should  see  and  know  what  his  followers 
were  capable  of,  and  understand  what  they  had 
accomplished  for  themselves,  gave  us  to  infer  that 
everything  was  peace  and  happiness  in  the  colony. 
One  hears  nothing  but  praise  of  Mr.  Duncan,  up 
and  down  the  coast,  and  can  understand  the  strong 
partisanship  he  inspires  among  even  the  roughest 
people.  His  face  alone  is  a  passport  for  piety, 
goodness,  and  benevolence  anywhere,  and  his  hon- 
est blue  eyes,  his  kindly  smile,  and  cheery  manner 
go  straight  to  the  heart  of  the  most  savage  Indian. 
His  dusky  parishioners  worship  him,  as  he  well 
deserves,  and  in  his  twenty-seven  years  among 
them  they  have  only  the  unbroken  record  of  his 
kindness,  his  devotion,  his  unselfish  and  honorable 
treatment  of  them.  He  found  them  drunken  sav- 
ages, and  he  has  made  them  civilized  men  and 
Christians.  He  taught  them  trades,  and  there  has 
seemed  to  be  no  limit  to  this  extraordinary  man's 
abilities.  When  his  hair  had  whitened  in  this 
noble,  unselfish  work,  and  the  fruits  of  his  labor 
had  become  apparent,  nothing  could  have  been 
more  cruel  and  unjust,  than  to  undo  his  work, 
scatter  dissension  among  his  people,  and  make 
Metlakahtla  a  reproach,  instead  of  an  honor  to 
the  society  which  has  sanctioned  such  a  wrong. 
An  actual  crime  has  been  committed  in  the  name 
of  Religion,  by  this  persistent  attempt  to  destroy 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  249 

the  peace  and  prosperity  of  Metlakahtla  and  drive 
away  the  man  who  founded  and  made  that  village 
what  it  was.  British  Columbia  is  long  and  broad, 
and  there  are  a  hundred  places  where  others  can 
begin  as  Mr.  Duncan,  began,  and  where  the  bishop 
can  do  good  by  his  presence.  If  it  was  Low  Church 
doctrines  that  made  the  Metlakahtla  people  what 
they  were  a  few  years  since,  all  other  teachings 
should  be  given  up  at  mission  stations.  Discord, 
enmity,  and  sorrow  have  succeeded  the  introduction 
of  ritualism  at  Metlakahtla,  and  though  it  cannot 
fairly  be  said  to  be  the  inevitable  result  of  such 
teachings,  it  would  afford  an  interesting  comparison 
if  the  Ritualists  would  go  off  by  themselves  and 
establish  a  second  Metlakahtla  as  a  test." 

It  is  perhaps,  to  the  Society's  credit,  that  it  has 
remained  loyal  to  its  Bishop,  who  has  shared  in  its 
follies,  and  in  its  disgrace;  but,  the  following  quo- 
tation from  its  reports  reads  like  a  farce,  to  those 
who  know  the  truth  : — "  It  is  only  just  that  we 
should  pay  our  frank  and  hearty  tribute  to  Bishop 
Ridley  who  for  the  last  five  years  has  amidst  no 
ordinary  danger ',  obloquy,  and  discouragement,  fear- 
lessly maintained  the  Society's  position,  at  Metla- 
kahtla." 

Had  the  Bishop  been  actuated  by  high-minded, 
principles,  he  would  have  retired  from  Metlakahtla 
in  obedience  to  the  unanimous  voice  of  the  people, 
in  1 88 1  ;  or,  to  the  respectful  letter  they  in  public 
assembly  sent  him  in  1852.  He  chose,  rather  to 


250  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

treat  the  request  with  defiance,  and  contempt,  and 
began  a  contest  which  has  gone  on  increasing  in  in- 
tensity, and  bitterness,  up  to  the  present  time. 

Similar  appeals  to  the  Society  were  utterly  dis- 
regarded. The  plea  that  there  was  no  other  place 
to  which  the  Bishop  could  go,  is  but  a  shallow  sub- 
terfuge. 

And  now,  after  nearly  five  years  of  intrigue,  and 
lavish  expenditure  of  the  Society's  funds,  some  twelve 
or  fifteen  families,  form  the  Bishop^s  party. 

Judging  from  the  number  of  missionaries  em- 
ployed by  the  Society  at  Metlakahtla,  sometimes,  as 
many  as  eight  (male  and  female)  and  how  much  it 
has  cost  to  coddle,  and  bribe  their  adherents  and 
coerce  the  Metlakahtlans ;  the  sum  total  of  expense 
borne  by  the  Society,  since  the  rupture  cannot  be 
less  than  £6,000  or  about  $30,000. 

The  amount  paid  to  Mr.  Duncan,  for  his  services 
during  a  period  of  more  than  twenty  years,  and 
which  resulted,  in  the  creation  of  the  successful,  self- 
supporting  Christian  village  of  Metlakahtla,  was 
about  £3,000,  or  $15,000.  That  is  to  say,  about 
one-half  the  amount  the  Society  has  squandered  in 
coercive  schemes,  and  efforts  to  destroy  the  Metla- 
kahtla Christian  Union  since  1881. 

It  is  estimated  that  since  the  rupture,  the  Gov- 
ernment of  Canada  has,  at  the  instigation  of  the  So- 
ciety's agents,  spent  upwards  of  £6,000,  or  $30,000 
of  the  public  funds,  in  coercing  and  terrorizing 
the  Metlakahtlans  with  men-of-war :  add,  this  to 


A  NATIVE   HOPEFUL. 


COERCION   AND    TURMOIL.  251 

the  Society's  outlay,  and  we  have  a  total  of  $60,- 
ooo. 

It  is  beyond  comprehension,  that  the  citizens  of 
Canada  sit  quietly  by,  and  see  their  treasure  thus 
wasted  in  perpetrating  cruel  outrages  upon  their 
fellow  subjects. 

Consider,  how  hardly  money  is  obtained  for  mis- 
sionary purposes,  and  that  according  to  the  Society's 
own  published  statement,  the  poor  of  England  con- 
tribute more,  than  five  times  as  much  to  its  funds, 
as  the  opulent  nobility — /  Think  of  the  poor  dis- 
tressed creatures,  who  in  self-commiseration,  divide 
their  scanty  meals,  and  stint  their  own  home  com- 
forts, to  contribute  pennies  to  save  the  souls  of 
heathen  peoples,  whom  they  regard  as  more  unfor- 
tunate than  themselves, — illustrating  forcibly  how 
a  touch  of  nature  makes  one  wondrous  kind.— 
Surely,  it  is  an  outrageous  shame,  that  a  Society 
drawing  the  penny  dole,  and  widow's  mite,  for  the 
alleged  purpose  of  rescuing,  the  pitiable  heathen 
from  their  savagery,  should  be  guilty  of  squander- 
ing such  an  amount  of  these  precious  funds,  to 
propagate,  in  the  name,  of  Christ  a  work  of  mali- 
cious persecution !  Not  to  win  to  Christ,  but  to 
glorify  a  pompous  Bishop,  and  pull  down  the  work 
of  an  honest  Christian  layman,  because  he  dared, 
to  cast  his  lot  with  the  people,  whom  he  had  by 
his  own  fidelity,  and  genius,  raised  from  the  lowest 
state  of  barbarism  to  a  fair  state  of  civilization. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

CASTING   THE   TOIL. 

As  the  truth  about  the  Society's  blunders  at 
Metlakahtla,  and,  generally  on  the  North  Pacific 
Coast,  was  becoming  known  in  England,  and  scan- 
dalizing it ;  the  committee  resolved  to  send  out  two 
trusty  members,  to  report  upon  the  troubles  and 
vindicate  its  course.  With  exceptional  candor  it 
admits,  that  "  The  feeling  in  British  Columbia  ran 
high,  and,  on  the  whole  seems  to  have  been  adverse 
to  the  action  of  the  Society." 

Mr. 'Duncan  was  in  London  at  the  time,  and 
only  reached  Metlakahtla  after  the  meetings  and 
interviews  between  these  gentlemen,  and  the  In- 
dians, were  over,  and  he  had  but  an  hour's  conver- 
sation with  them  there.  Their  report,  published 
by  the  Society,  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able documents,  ever  issued  by  a  religious  body. 
It  abounds  in  barefaced  falsehoods,  and  many  of  the 
statements  not  wholly  false,  are  such  distortions  of 
the  truth,  as  to  make  them  equally  discreditable. 
The  real  authors  of  the  fiction  in  this  report  would 
put  Munchausen  to  blush. 
,  The  Deputation,  which  was  received  cordially, 


CASTING   THE   TOIL.  253 

and  treated  courteously,  began  its  work  by  attempt- 
ing in  an  insinuating  manner,  to  prejudice  the  Metla- 
kahtlans,  against  their  leader;  and,  to  corrupt  them 
into  secession,  by  holding  out  to  them  the  old  bribe; 
namely,  the  Society's  enormous  wealth,  and  power ; 
and  promises,  or  intimations  of  special  benefits,  if, 
they  would  but  join  the  Bishop's  party. 

To  give  force  to  their  attitude,  the  Deputies  ar- 
gued :  "  The  Church  Missionary  Society,  is  intrusted 
with  more  money  than  any  other  society  in  England." 
"  The  money  last  year  was  over  a  million  dollars." 

Soon,  this  invidious  course  excited  suspicion,  and 
doubt  in  the  minds  of  the  Metlakahtlans,  as  to  the 
honesty  of  purpose,  of  their  inquisitors ;  and,  hav- 
ing so  often  been  falsely  reported  by  the  Bishop  ; 
and,  in  the  Society's  publications,  they  wisely  re- 
solved to  commit  all  communications  to  writing. 
However,  this  precaution,  has  not  saved  them  from 
these  prevaricators,  whose  verdict  was  a  foregone 
conclusion. 

A  detailed  reply,  to  this  unique  report  is  being 
prepared  by  Mr.  Duncan  for  the  members  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society ;  as  there  is  ample  evi- 
dence, both  verbal  and  documentary,  for  the  com- 
plete refutation  of  the  statements  therein  contained. 
A  brief  reply,  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Tomlinson,  will 
be  found  in  the  Appendix  of  this  volume. 

The  Deputation  did  not  hesitate  to  take  advan- 
tage of  Mr.  Duncan's  absence,  by  seizing  the  oppor- 
tunity, to  make  a  most  cowardly  attack  upon  his 


254  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

character,  before  a  full  assembly  of  the  Metlakaht- 
lans.  However,  Mr.  Duncan's  inner  life,  and  the 
whole  truth  regarding  the  case  in  point,  was  too 
well  known  to  his  followers,  to  afford  any  success  in 
this  dastardly  attempt.  First,  I  quote  from  the 
Society's  report  of  the  Deputation's  work, — 

"  It  is  very  distressing  to  read  that  '  Mr.  Duncan 
represents  all  the  funds  that  pass  through  his  hands 
as  his  personal  property,  and  the  Society  was  prac- 
tically ignored.  In  fact,  there  is  clear  evidence  that 
on  one  occasion  he  distinctly  told  the  Indians  that 
the  Society  had  never  sent  him,  or  supported  him, 
or  given  him  anything.'  No  doubt  he  would  explain 
this  to  mean  that  both  the  impulse  to  come,  and  the 
support  in  the  work,  came  from  a  higher  source ; 
but  this  explanation  would  not  be  likely  to  suggest 
itself  to  the  Indian  mind." 

The  first  two  statements,  are  utterly  false;  the 
italicized  portion,  is  a  "  loving  and  affectionate " 
sneer,  quite  in  accord  with  its  whole  treatment  of 
this  matter. 

After  profuse  protestations,  of  the  deep  interest, 
the  Society  felt  in  the  Metlakahtlans  welfare,  the 
Deputation  launched  the  following  charge. 

"  Mr.  Duncan,  was  paid  a  salary  by  the  Society, 
year  by  year,  from  1857,  when  he  came  out  to  you, 
at  Fort  Simpson,  to  1881,  when  his  connection  with 
the  Society  was  severed.  The  Society,  also  sent 
out  money  besides  this  for  the  expenses  of  the  Mis- 
sion ;  according  to  the  rules,  and  to  the  actual  prac- 


CASTING   THE   TOIL.  255 

tice  of  the  Society,  all  money  given  for  the  Society's 
Mission  belongs  to  the  Society r,  not  to  the  Mission- 
aries ;  all  such  money  is  subject  to  the  control  of  the 
Committee  ;  it  makes  no  difference  whether  the  money 
is  paid  into  the  Society's  treasury  in  London,  or  given 
to  any  of  its  agents  for  special  purposes,  or  to  any 
Missionary  by  friends  at  home  or  abroad  for  any 
branch  of  the  work  carried  on  by  the  Missionaries. 

"  Mr.  Duncan,  collected  money  from  the  friends 
of  the  Society,  and  as  he  tells  us,  from  others  also. 
But  as  our  agent  he  collected  that  money  for  our 
Mission ;  if  he  had  not  been  our  agent,  the  money 
would  not  have  been  given  for  our  Mission,  and  he 
had  no  authority  to  collect  for  any  other.  The  fol- 
lowing is  one  of  the  Society's  rules.  *  Every  indi- 
vidual connected  with  the  Society  in  its  different 
missions,  in  whatever  department  of  labor,  shall 
keep  a  detailed,  and  accurate  account,  of  the  funds 
placed  at  his  disposal,  in  the  form  that  may  be 
pointed  out  to  him  ;  and  shall  regularly  transmit 
such  accounts  to  the  Parent  Committee,  or  to  their 
representatives  at  the  Mission,  at  such  period  as 
may  be  specified  for  that  purpose.' 

"  Mr.  Duncan  then  ought  to  have  accounted  for 
all  money  received  by  him  for  this  mission,  whether 
for  Church,  school,  sawmills,  or  other  purposes 
(The  Cannery  was  established  after  the  severance, 
and  does  not  therefore  come  under  the  rule).  Part 
of  the  expenses  of  the  other  works  came  from  trade 
profits  ;  but  these  profits  belong  to  the  Society, 


256  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

since  the  industries  were  part  of  the  Society's  mis- 
sion-work for  your  benefit.  Mr.  Duncan's  good 
management  made  them  more  than  pay  their  ex- 
penses. If  there  had  been  loss  on  the  whole  work, 
the  Committee  would  have  acknowledged  their  re- 
sponsibility for  making  up  that  loss."* 
•  The  Metlakahtlans  knowing  the  absolute  falsity 
of  the  accusation,  and  realizing,  the  manifest  unfair- 
ness in  thus  attacking  Mr.  Duncan,  in  his  absence ; 
when  the  Deputation  might  easily  have  brought  up 
the  charge  when  it  met  him  in  London,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  officers  of  the  Society,  and  when  access 
to  his  reports  and  accounts  could  have  been  had— 
they  were  extremely  indignant,  and  several  present 
expressed  their  feelings  by  leaving  the  room  at  the 
close  of  the  address. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Tomlinson  replied  to  the  ad- 
dress, charging  the  Deputies  with  making  a  cowardly 
attack,  with  the  intent  to  injure  Mr.  Duncan  in  the 
eyes  of  the  people,  and  he  characterized  the  charge 
as  a  base,  and  groundless  slander. 

The  Deputies  replied  they  imputed  no  motives. 

Mr.  Tomlinson,  declared,  that  it  was  not  a  ques- 
tion of  motives,  at  all.  Their  words  contained  a 
charge  of  fraud,  or,  breach  of  trust,  on  the  part  of 


*  In  the  Appendix,  is  a  full  statement  of  the  facts  connected  with 
the  secular  fund,  written  by  Mr.  Duncan  at  my  request ;  wherein 
he  completely  refutes  these  charges  which  were  originated  by  the 
Bishop. 


CASTING   THE   TOIL.  257 

Mr.  Duncan.  And  he,  would  not  sit  there,  and 
hear  an  honored  servant  of  God  thus  slandered. 

Two  days  afterward  the  Deputies,  proposed  to 
Rev.  Mr.  Tomlinson  that  they  should  withdraw 
part  of  what  they  had  said.  This  he  would  not 
accept.  The  following  day  the  Deputies  endeav- 
ored to  allay  the  irritation  their  indecent  assault 
had  caused  by  making  to  the  Metlakahtlans  the  en- 
suing written  statement. 

"  We  have  no  suspicion  whatever  that  Mr.  Duncan 
misused,  or  in  any  way  misapplied  the  funds  in- 
trusted to  his  care.  On  the  contrary,  we  believe  that 
he  used  them  strictly,  and  wisely,  for  your  benefit, 
and  in  a  manner  probably  which  the  Society  would 
heartily  approve." 

The  Deputies  pleaded  that  it  was  quite  possible 
Mr.  Duncan,  was  not  acquainted  with  the  rules,  and 
perhaps  he  was  not  even  asked  for  any  accounts. 

Rev.  Mr.  Tomlinson  replied. 

"  As  you  have  adopted  this  formal  manner  of 
contradicting  what  to  the  people  and  myself,  seemed 
to  be  the  plain  meaning,  we  gladly  accept  your  in- 
terpretation. At  the  same  time,  I  cannot  help  feel- 
ing, surprised,  and  grieved,  that  on  a  point  of  so 
much  importance,  you  are  so  ignorant  as  not  even 
to  know  whether  the  Society  asked  for  any  accounts, 
and  that  without  taking  the  least  pains  to  enlighten 
yourselves,  you  gave  utterance  in  a  public  meeting 
to  a  statement,  which  had  you  examined  into  the 
matter,  you  would  have  known  to  be  unfounded. 


258  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

And  shortly  afterward  Rev.  Mr.  Tomlinson  sent 
the  following  additional  statement  to  the  Deputa- 
tion : 

"  The  ground  which  you  appear  to  take  as  re- 
gards the  accounts  is  : — *  That  the  rule  of  the  So- 
ciety required  Mr.  Duncan,  to  render  accounts  of 
the  money  he  collected  for  the  Church,  the  Stores, 
the  Industries,  as  well  as  other  operations  of  the 
missionary.'  You  speak  of  the  rule  of  the  Society, 
but  you  do  not  say  when  it  was  made  or  how  long 
it  has  been  in  force.  If  the  rule  was  in  force  when 
Metlakahtla  was  founded,  then  the  whole  conduct 
of  the  Committee  and  Secretaries  of  tJie  Society  for 
over  twenty  years  in  approving  of  these  works  and 
industries,  and  yet  never  once  asking  for  accounts  of 
expenditure  on  them,  while  they  regularly  received, 
and  accepted,  the  accounts  for  all  the  Society's  money 
expended  during  those  years,  shows  that  the  rule  did 
not  refer  to  such  industries  at  all" 

What  more  could  be  required  to  expose  the  pu- 
sillanimous spirit  of  this  Deputation.  In  their  ad- 
dress opening  the  discussion,  the  Deputies  evaded 
the  subject  of  the  existent  troubles  between  the 
Society  and  the  Native  Christians — and,  placed 
the  burden  of  the  split,  on  Mr.  Duncan's  shoulders. 
Falsely  representing,  that  it  was  brought  about,  by 
a  change  in  Mr.  Duncan's  mind,  and  method- 
ignoring  the  truth — the  Society's  change,  and  not 
Mr.  Duncan's. 

The  Metlakahtlans  had  suffered  too  bitterly  by 


CASTING  THE  TOIL.  259 

the  petty  warfare  carried  on,  with  the  Society's 
funds,  and  sanction,  not  to  know  their  real  griev- 
ances ;  so,  the  smooth-tongued  flattery  of  the  Dep- 
utation was  lost  upon  them.  In  their  reply,  the 
Metlakahtlans,  indulged  in  no  evasive  terms  but 
went  directly  to  the  point.  They  knew,  that  the 
Society  failing  in  its  attempts  through  its  emissaries, 
to  bribe  them,  or  corrupt  them,  had  endeavored  to 
rob  them,  of  land  which  they  had  inherited  from 
their  fathers,  and  their  fathers'  fathers  ;  and  which 
was  as  veritably  theirs,  as  was  the  freehold  of  an 
Englishman  in  England  ! 

Furthermore,  they  knew,  that  for  the  past  five 
years  the  Society,  in  carrying  on  its  work  of  mali- 
cious persecution,  had  resorted  to  numerous,  unprin- 
cipled methods,  to  destroy  their  Christian  inde- 
pendence, and  force  them,  to  adopt  its  elaborate 
rites,  and  ceremonies  ;  and  to  submit  to  a  Bishop, 
whom  they  deemed  by  his  daily  deeds,  unworthy 
to  wear  the  cloth. 

This  Christian  community,  had  been  formed  for 
the  moral  protection  of  those  who  had  renounced 
their  evil  ways  :  they  w.ere  a  happy,  prosperous, 
people,  and  had  found  the  bond  of  union,  an  in- 
valuable safeguard.  What  wonder  then,  when  a  ser- 
pent came  among  them,  endeavoring  by  all  manner 
of  iniquitous  devices,  to  undermine  and  rupture 
their  union,  that  they  acted  upon  their  rights  in 
protesting  against  the  presence,  in  their  midst  of 
this  instigator,  and  his  band  of  pampered  hirelings, 


260  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

which  he  had  made  instruments  for  fomenting  dis- 
cord among  them.  The  very  primal  principles, 
union,  peace,  and  piety  upon  which  the  Community 
was  organized,  were  being  nullified,  and  by  whom  ? 

They  knew  that  their  weaker  and  more  venal 
native  brethren,  who  had  succumbed  to  the  cor- 
rupting fund,  would  hardly  have  defied  the  rules  of 
the  village  to  which  they  had  pledged  themselves, 
but,  for  the  instigation  and  backing  of  the  Society's 
representatives,  who,  treated  the  village  rules  with 
contempt. 

The  Metlakahtlans,  called  the  attention  of  the 
Deputation  to  the  fact,  that  the  Society,  had  re- 
fused their  request  that  a  deputation  should  be 
sent  out  to  investigate  the  troubles,  when  they  first 
began,  but  rather  had  attempted  to  force  them  into 
submission.  The  Society's  first  steps,  they  thought, 
should  be  to  right  the  wrongs  it  had  inflicted. 

In  their  letter  replying  to  the  Deputation's 
address,  they  expressed  themselves  as  follows  : 
"  We  wish  to  bring  before  you  in  a  few  words 
the  real  state  of  the  case,  which  you  have  not  so 
much  as  referred  to  in  your  speeches,  and  to  ask 
the  Society  two  questions. 

"  Metlakahtla,  including  the  two  acres,  was  Tsim- 
shean  land  and  the  site  of  an  old  village,  before 
ever  Mr.  Duncan  left  England.  The  first  Tsim- 
sheans  who  wished  to  serve  God  showed  this  place 
to  Mr.  Duncan  as  a  good  site  for  an  Indian  village. 
There  never  was  the  smallest  idea  of  taking  it  or 


CASTING  THE   TOIL.  26 1 

any  part  of  it  from  us.  We  were  ivilling  and  glad 
for  the  Missionaries  of  the  Society  to  occupy  the  two 
acres  as  long  as  we  felt  they  were  working  for  us, 
but  we  never  supposed  the  Society  would  try  and 
take  these  two  acres  from  us,  and  claim  them  because 
they  had  their  buildings  on  them,  any  more  than  we 
supposed  that  Mr.  Duncan  would  want  to  take  from 
us  the  pieces  of  land  on  which  he  erected  the  saw- 
mill and  other  works.  We  were  no  parties  to  the 
arrangement  between  the  Government  and  the  So- 
ciety about  the  two  acres.  We  feel  that  the  Society 
is  not  working  for  us  any  longer •,  but  is  opposing  and 
hindering  us,  and  we  wish  them  to  move  off  our 
land.  We  ask  the  Society  this  question  :  Will  the 
Society  in  consideration  of  our  prior  claim  to  the 
land,  and  our  earnest  request,  give  up  their  claim 
and  yield  to  this  our  unanimous  wish  ? 

"  The  reason  for  the  first  Christians  leaving  Fort 
Simpson,  and  coming  to  Metlakahtla  to  form  a 
Christian  community  of  members  from  any  of  the 
many  surrounding  tribes,  was,  unity.  Those  who 
came  were  to  give  up  their  tribal  and  other  distinc- 
tions,  and  live  as  one  people  united,  and  binding  them- 
selves each  one  to  follow  the  rules  laid  down  from  time 
to  time  by  their  Council.  So  that  unity  was  the  basis 
of  the  settlement.  The  coming  of  each  was  volun- 
tary, his  stay  was  voluntary,  and  he  could  leave  if 
ever  he  found  the  rules  irksome. 

"  Before  the  separation,  the  Society  told  us  they 
wished  to  make  some  changes  and  bring  us  into 


262  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

direct    connection    with   the    Church   of   England. 

o 

We  did  not  want  these  changes,  and  when  the  Society 
found  we  did  not  want  to  change  they  dismissed  Mr. 
Duncan  because  he  would  not  try  to  make  us  do  what 
they  wanted.  We  all,  without  any  exception  asked 
Mr.  Duncan  to  stay  here  among  us.  After  some 
months,  a  few  separated  from  us.  They  had  a 
right  to  leave  us  if  they  chose,  but  not  to  remain  at 
Metlakahtla,  after  they  had  separated  from  us,  be- 
cause they  had  promised  to  be  one  with  us.  It  is 
not  that  these  few  have  left  us  that  causes  the 
trouble,  but  that  they  are  being  supported  by  the 
Society  in  doing  what  they  ought  not  to  do. 

"  What  we  wish  to  ask  the  Society  is  this.  Will 
the  Society  refuse  to  hear  our  earnest  entreaty,  and 
in  opposition  to  our  unanimous  wish,  continue  to 
support  the  direct  cause  of  the  dissension,  and  dis- 
union among  us,  or  will  they  not  rather  listen  to 
our  prayer,  and  withdraw  their  support,  and  thus  put 
an  end  to  the  trouble,  and  enable  us  to  return  to 
the  old  paths,  and  again  enjoy  that  union  which 
was  such  a  blessing  to  us,  and  those  around  us  ? 

"  From  the  people  of  Metlakahtla  and  signed  for 
them  by 

"  DAVID  LEASK,  SECRETARY." 

The  Deputies  continued  their  invidious  course, 
and  met  the  frank,  open  statement,  of  the  Metla- 
kahtlans,  with  another  bid  ; — they  seemed  prepos- 
sessed with  the  idea  that  all  men  were  purchasable. 


CASTING   THE   TOIL.  263 

They  indicated  their  belief  in  the  success  of  the 
Bishop's  schemes  for  impoverishing  the  MetlakaJit- 
lans,  by  intimating  that  as  they  were  not  supported 
by  a  society,  the  permanence  of  the  present  Native 
Christian  organization  was  doubtful  ;  hence,  felt  it 
incumbent  upon  the  Society's  agents  to  remain  in 
their  midst,  for,  the  Society — so  solicitous  for  their 
welfare, — might  at  any  time  have  to  again  assume 
the  responsibility  of  their  support. 

In  their  report  to  the  Society,  the  Deputies  held 
out  this  hopeful  prospect  of  the  Metlakahtlans' 
capitulation.  "  Notwithstanding  the  special  in- 
ducements Mr.  Duncan  offers  to  the  Indians  in  the 
form  of  remunerative  employment,  which  are  not 
great,  the  Mission  may  yet,  under  God's  blessing 
bear  the  fruit  of  which  at  one  time  it  gave  so  much 
promise." 

Observe  the  artfulness  of  the  Deputies'  words, 
addressed  to  the  Metlakahtlans  in  reply  to  their 
letter. 

"  You  say  that  the  Society  is  not  any  longer 
working  for  you,  but  is  opposing  and  hindering  you. 
And  you  wish  them  to  move  off  the  land. 

"  You  have  separated  yourselves  from  the  Society, 
you  have,  of  course,  a  perfect  right  to  do  so  if  you 
choose.  But  the  Society  does  all  it  can  for  your 
benefit,  and  will  go  on  working  for  your  benefit 
still.  It  does  not  hold  Mission  Point  only  for  the 
benefit  of  those  who  adhere  to  it.  It  is  bound  to 
do  all  it  can  for  them.  But  it  is  bound  to  hold 


264  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Mission  Point,  and  does  hold  it,  for  your  highest 
benefit  also.  It  held  it  at  first,  that  the  word  of 
God  might  be  introduced  among  you.  It  holds  it 
now,  in  order  to  offer  you  the  full  benefit  of  the  re- 
ligion of  Christ,  which  has  so  happily  begun  to  take 
root  among  you.  For  instance — you  have  been  de- 
prived hitherto  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  This  is  one 
of  the  greatest  privileges  of  the  Christian  Religion, 
and  every  true  Christian  has  a  right  to  it.  While 
your  Christianity  is  in  this  and  other  respects  im- 
perfect^ the  Society  cannot  feel  that  its  work  of 
establishing  the  Gospel  among  you  has  been  com- 
pleted. Many  of  you  do  not  at  present  care  to  ac- 
cept the  ministrations  the  Society  offers  to  you. 
But  that  does  not  set  free  the  Society  from  the  duty 
of  putting  within  your  reach  an  unmutilated  Chris- 
tianity. Further  the  Society  cannot  lose  sight  of 
this,  that  at  present  you  are  not,  as  far  as  they  know, 
supported  by  any  society.  Thus  they  do  not  see  any 
guarantee  that  the  present  state  of  things  will  be 
permanent  among  you.  They  feel  therefore,  that 
they  may  at  any  time  have  to  take  up  again  that 
responsibility  for  the  support  of  the  Gospel  among 
you  which  they  bore  for  so  many  years." 

Then  with  amazing  audacity,  and  deliciously 
naive  arguments,  they  endeavored  to  convince  these 
poor  people,  that  they  had  no  rights  to  their  in- 
herited land,  except  by  the  charity  of  the  crown  ! 
Alas  !  Christianity,  what  ignoble  acts,  are  cloaked 
'neath  the  amplitude  of  thy  snowy  mantle. 


INFANT'S  AERIAL  TOMB. 


CASTING  THE   TOIL.  265 

Next  followed  a  letter  from  the  Metlakahtlans, 
which  is  born,  of  a  spirit  pregnant  with  that  love  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty,  that  is  ever  intensified  by 
tyranny  and  oppression.  , 

METLAKAHTLA,  May  4th,  1886. 

"  DEAR  SIRS  : — In  your  first  interview  with  usyou 
would  have  misled  us  into  t/ie  belief,  that  you  had 
come  from  the  Society,  seeking  reliable  information 
to  enable  them  to  decide  upon  a  course  of  action. 
Your  second  communication,  shows  us  that  this  was 
not  the  intention  of  the  Society,  for  they  had  al- 
ready made  up  their  minds  as  to  how  they  would 
act  in  the  only  two  matters  which  really  concerned 
us  and  them,  and  stood  in  the  way  of  peace  being 
restored.  So  that  any  discussion  of  matters  in  con- 
ference, would  have  been  so  much  waste  time. 

"  You  tell  us  the  Society  will  not  give  up  the  two 
acres,  and  you  refer  us  to  some  '  decisions,'  as  you 
are  pleased  to  call  them,  but  what  are  in  reality 
only  the  opinions  of  individual  Government  offi- 
cers, and  then  boldly  assert  we  can  have  no  claim 
on  these  two  acres.  The  God  of  Heaven,  who  cre- 
ated man  upon  earth,  gave  this  land  to  our  fore- 
fathers, some  of  whom  once  lived  on  these  very  two 
acres,  and  we  have  received  the  land  by  direct  suc- 
cession from  them.  No  man-made  law  can  justly 
take  from  us  this  the  gift  of  Him  who  is  the  source 
of  all  true  law  and  justice.  Relying  on  this  the 
highest  of  all  titles,  we  claim  our  land  and  notify 


266  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

the  Society ',  through  you  its  Deputies,  to  move  off  the 
two  acres. 

"  But  you  tell  us  it  is  not  only  to  maintain  the 
Society's  claim  of  the  two  acres,  that  they  refuse  to 
leave  Metlakahtla.  They  wish  to  continue  the  di- 
vision among  us.  The  Society,  you  tell  us,  cannot 
sanction  the  principle  adopted  by  us,  that  '  Relig- 
ious unity  is  necessary  to  civil  unity,'  and  even  dare 
tell  us  that  this  principle  is  contrary  to  God's  word. 
How  you  can  reconcile  this  last  assertion,  with  the 
history  of  God's  people  of  old,  as  recorded  in  God's 
word,  and  with  other  portions  of  the  blessed  script- 
ures, we  are  at  a  loss  to  imagine.  You  stand  forth 
as  the  champion  of  disunion,  civil  and  religious. 

"  Ever  since  the  disruption,  we  have  been  credited 
with  being  the  cause  of  the  existence  and  continu- 
ance of  the  dissension  among  us.  Now,  at  last,  the 
truth  has  come  to  light,  and  it  is  clear  to  all  men 
that  to  the  Society,  and  to  the  Society  alone,  belongs 
this  proud  distinction.  For  by  leaving  Metlakahtla 
the  Society  can  at  once,  and,  completely  put  an  end 
to  the  dissension.  For  unity  we  came  here.  For 
unity  we  remain  here.  And  for  unity  we  are  pre- 
pared to  contend  to  the  last.  God  inclined  our 
hearts,  while  we  were  still  in  the  midst  of  the  strifes 
and  divisions  at  our  old  heathen  villages,  to  accept 
this  principle.  God  has  blessed  us  acting  on  this 
principle,  and  God  will  help  and  defend  us  con- 
tending for  this  principle. 

"  You  say  we  have  departed  from  the  Society. 


CASTING  THE   TOIL.        ,  267 

We  never,  by  any  promise  or  agreement,  joined  the 
Society.  It  is  quite  true  the  Society  sent  out  and 
supported  our  teachers.  We  remember  this  and 
feel  grateful  to  them  for  it,  but  this  does  not  bring 
us  into  connection  with  the  Society.  The  money 
was  not  the  Society's,  but  the  contributions  of 
Christians  to  God  to  aid  in  the  spread  of  his 
Gospel.  Does  the  Society  for  the  Prevention  of 
Cruelty  to  Animals,  which  is  also  supported  by  con- 
tributions, claim  any  right  over  or  connection  with 
those  animals  which,  by  the  help  of  tJieir  paid  agents, 
they  have  rescued  from  torture.  If  not,  why  should 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  claim  any  such  right 
in  or  connection  with  its  converts  ? 

"Again  you  speak  to  us  as  if  we  had  left  the 
Church  of  England.  We  were  not  asked  to  join 
the  Church  of  England  when  we  came  to  Metla- 
kahtla,  nor  when  we  came  forward  for  Baptism. 
Though  we  were  visited  at  various  times  by  min- 
isters of  that  church*  who  baptized  many  of  us, 
yet  none  of  these  asked  us  to  join  the  Church  of 
England.  The  first  time  we  were  asked  to  join 
the  Church  of  England  was  when  the  Society  de- 
cided that  the  Lord's  Supper,  must  be  introduced 
among  us,  with  the  ceremonial  of  the  Church  of 
England.  At  once  we  objected  to  join  the  Church 
of  England,  or  any  other  denomination,  preferring 
to  be  an  independent  Native  Church,  with  power  to 

*  Several  Bishops,  an  Archdeacon,  a  Dean  and  other  clergymen 
of  the  Church  of  England.      See  Chap.  II. 


268  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

regulate  our  ceremonies  in  accordance  with  God's 
word,  and  as  best  suited  our  needs.  Our  statement 
in  our  former  letter,  that  the  Society  proposed  to 
make  changes  and  bring  us  into  direct* connection 
with  the  Church  of  England,  and  that  it  was  the  at- 
tempt to  force  this  upon  us,  which  caused  the  dis- 
ruption, is  simply  in  accordance  with  the  facts,  and 
your  attempt  to  explain  it  away,  only  shows  how 
ignorant  you  are  of  these  facts,  and  the  position  as- 
sumed by  the  Society  in  the  matter. 

"  You  say  we  have  been  deprived  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  It  is  not  so.  No  one  has  ever  done 
this.  The  way  the  Society  and  its  agents  have 
been  and  are  acting  has  made  us  hesitate  to  adopt 
the  rite.  Not  from  forgetfulness  of  our  blessed 
Lord's  Command,  but  because  through  love  and 
respect  for  Him  we  would  not  let  this  His  precious 
gift  be  mixed  up  in  the  controversy.  When  God, 
in  His  own  good  time,  has  restored  us  to  unity  and 
peace,  we  can  consider  the  subject,  and  introduce 
the  rite  among  us  in  the  way  most  nearly  accord- 
ing with  what  is  written. 

"  Again,  you  tell  us  that  because  we  are  not  in 
connection  with  any  other  society,  you  see  no  guar- 
antee that  the  present  state  of  things  will  be  per- 
manent. We  see  the  highest  guarantee  in  such 
beautiful  promises  as  that  which  was  a  source  of 
such  comfort  to  St.  Paul,  when  he  says  :  '  My  God 
shall  supply  all  your  need,'  and  while  we  recognize 
the  truth  that  God  often  uses  human  means,  have 


CASTING   THE   TOIL.  269 

the  highest  warranty  of  scripture  that  He  is  not 
only  not  dependent  on  them  but  sometimes  even 
refuses  to  use  them.  Your  reflection  on  Mr.  Dun- 
cans conduct  while  in  connection  with  the  Society,  ex- 
cited in  us  a  feeling  of  painful  surprise,  that  t^vo 
Christians  sent  out  by  a  Christian  Society,  could  come 
all  the  way  from  England,  and  in  his  absence,  try  to 
damage  the  character  of  one  whose  service  God  has  so 
signally  acknowledged.  In  your  letter  of  yesterday 
you  have,  we  are  happy  to  say,  explained  a  part 
of  what  you  originally  said,  but  you  still  cling  to 
your  unfounded  assertion  that  we  are  indebted  to 
the  Society,  and  not  to  Mr.  Duncan,  for  the  exist- 
ence of  the  various  industries  established  among 
us.  We  know  better,  and  so  your  assertion  goes 
for  nothing. 

"  You  say  the  Society  still  cares  for  us  and  is  anx- 
ious to  do  all  it  can  for  our  benefit.  How  has  it 
shown  its  interest  in  us  f  By  bringing  ships  of  war 
and  Government  officials  to  overawe  us,  by  dragging 
us  before  courts  and  magistrates,  by  fining  arid  im- 
prisoning some  of  us,  by  upholding  and  supporting 
everything  they  have  seen  to  be  objectionable  to  us, 
and  by  refusing  to  do  any  one  thing  we  asked  for. 
We  do  not  call  this  love  and  care,  but,  persecution. 

"  By  distinctly  refusing  to  give  up  our  land  or  re- 
move from  Metlakahtla,  the  Society  has  taken  away 
the  need  to  further  discuss  matters,  and  we  wish 
this  letter  to  close  the  correspondence. 

"  We  believe  the  time  for  conferring  about  or  dis- 


2/0  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

cussing  matters  has  passed,  and  the  time  for  deciding 
how  best  we  can  obtain  the  object  we  have  in  view 
has  arrived. 

"  From  the  people  of  Metlakahtla  and  signed  for 
them  by 

"DAVID   LEASK." 

Secretary. 

This  letter  was  accompanied  by  the  subjoined 
formal  notice  : 

METLAKAHTLA,  BRITISH  COLUMBIA, 

May  4th,  1886. 

To  the  Church  Missionary  Society  of  Salisbury 
Square ',  London,  England,  its  Deputies,  Agents, 
and  all  others  who  may  have  power  to  act  for 
it. 

NOTICE 

We,  the  people  of  Metlakahtla  hereby  notify  you 
to  move  off  and  leave  that  part  of  the  village 
site  of  Metlakahtla,  commonly  known  as  Mis- 
sion Point,  as  we  cannot  consent  to  you  oc- 
cupying this  portion  of  our  land  to  be  a  con- 
tinued source  of  disquiet  and  annoyance  to  our 
village. 

For  the  people  of  Metlakahtla, 

DANIEL  NEASHKUMKGEN 

JOHN  TAIT 

ROBERT  HEWSU 

THOMAS  NEASHLAHPSP. 


CASTING  THE   TOIL.  271 

The  Society  unblushingly  publishes  the  following 
statement  to  Christian  England  : 

"  When  the  mission  was,  in  its  infancy,  removed 
from  Fort  Simpson  to  Metlakahtla,  the  Indian  chief 
at  whose  suggestion  the  change  was  made,  gave  the 
Society  the  piece  of  land  on  which  his  own  house 
was  built;  and  the  principal  mission  buildings  were 
erected  on  it."  There  is  not  the  slightest  grain  of 
truth  in  this  statement,  as  can  be  fully,  and  irrefut- 
ably proven. 

The  Society  likewise  avers,  that,  "  there  was  more- 
over no  place  to  which  the  Society's  adherents, 
could  be  removed,  and  a  new  settlement  founded." 
This  is  too  preposterous  for  serious  consideration, 
as  it  is  well  known,  that  there  are  innumerable 
favorable  sites,  offering  equal  advantages,  and  that 
there  are  abundant  fields  for  mission  work,  untouched 
in  British  Columbia. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Tomlinson  addressed,  the  fol- 
lowing letter  to  the  Deputies  : 


METLAKAHTLA,  May  4th,  1886. 

"  DEAR  SIRS  :  In  the  accompanying  letter  of  the 
Indians,  I  find  the  statement  that  '  they  had  never 
been  asked  to  join  the  Church  of  England.'  It 
might  well  be  a  question  how  this  could  be  consist- 
ent with  the  fact,  that  from  the  first,  they  had  been 
under  the  instruction  of  those  who  were  members 
of  the  Church  of  England,  and  sent  out  by  the 


272  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Society  as  such.  As  one  who  was  for  many  years 
a  missionary  of  the  Society,  and  for  some  eleven  of 
those  years  the  only  ordained  missionary  attached 
to  the  Society's  North  Pacific  mission,  I  would  beg 
leave  to  lay  before  you  some  quotations  from  the 
Society's  annual  letters  to  the  missionaries,  from 
which  it  will  appear  that  such  a  result  was  not  only 
compatible  with  consistency  on  the  part  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, but  even  in  direct  harmony  with  the  views 
of  the  Society  at  the  time.  These  quotations  are 
marked  A.  B.  C.,  and  are  from  the  annual  letters  of 
1876,  1877,  1878.  To  these  I  add  an  extract  from 
a  letter  of  mine  to  the  Committee  dated  Ankiht- 
last,  August  28th,  1882,  written  before  I  left  the 
Society.  It  is  marked  D.  This  extract  is  but  an 
epitome  of  the  principles  which  actuated  me  while 
in  connection  with  the  Society.  Nothing  was  in- 
troduced which  was  in  any  way  contrary  to  the 
doctrine  and  practice  of  the  Church  of  England. 
While  at  the  same  time  we  always  considered  the 
native  Christians  had  a  right  to  choose  whenever 
they  wished  to  do  so,  such  rules,  orders,  and  cere- 
monials as  were  consistent  with  the  word  of  God 
and  for  their  benefit. 

"  Of  course  it  was  understood  that  whenever  they 
did  so  they  would  be  forming  themselves  into  an 
Independent  Native  Church,  and  must  not  count 
upon  further  help  from  the  Society. 

"  We  followed  the  example  of  the  Apostle  Paul. 
Himself  a  member  of  the  Jewish  Church,  and  sent 


CASTING  THE   TOIL.  2/3 

out  by  that  Church,  but  establishing  Independent 
Native  Churches  at  the  various  scenes  of  his  labors. 
"  Yours  sincerely, 

"ROBT.  TOMLINSON." 


QUOTATIONS. 

Church  Missionary  House,  London, 

September,  1876. 
ANNUAL  LETTER  TO  MISSIONARIES. 

A. 

"  The  time  seems  to  have  come  when  Native 
"  Christian  independence  may  be  still  further 
"  extended,  when  the  Native  Church  may  not 
"  only  draw  still  less  upon  European  resources 
"  than  it  does  at  present,  but  when  by  assum- 
"  ing  a  more  distinctly  native  character,  it  may 
"  exercise  a  more  powerful  attraction  on  the 
"  heathen  population  by  which  it  is  surrounded. 
"  We  would  therefore  suggest  that  Missionaries 
"  should  represent  this  subject  to  their  native 
"  brethren,  especially  to  the  leading  Laymen 
"  amongst  them.  Let  the  idea  become  familiar 
"  with  them,  let  the  Lay  delegates  of  the 
"  Church  Councils  have  it  frequently  brought 
"  before  them  and  should  any  circumstances 
"  arise  indicating  the  advantage  of  Church  inde- 
"  pendence  let  the  Church  Committees  and  dis- 
"  trict  and  federal  Church  Councils  at  once  take 
"  action.  A  general  request  from  native  Chris- 


274  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  tians  in  any  Mission  for  an  independent  native 
"  Church  would  be  irresistible" 

Church  Missionary  House,  London, 

October  ist,  1877. 
ANNUAL   LETTER   TO   MISSIONARIES. 

B. 

"  But  while  as  members  of  the  Church  of  England 
"  the  Committee  and  the  Society  generally 
"  desire  to  act  in  strict  obedience  to  the  laws  of 
"  that  Church,  as  well  as  in  conformity  to  its 
"  spirit  they  must  protest  against  the  same 
"  restrictions  being  imposed  on  those  Native 
"  Christians  in  various  foreign  countries,  whom 
"  it  has  pleased  God  to  bring  to  the  profession 
"  of  faith  in  Christ  through  the  Society's  in- 
"  strumentality. 

"  What  the  Committee  wish  to  see  in  these  con- 
"  verts  is  not  submission  to  the  Church  of 
"  England,  but  the  desire  for,  and  ultimately 
"  the  attachments  to,  an  Independent  Native 
"  Church. 

"  The  Society's  object  is  the  Glory  of  God  in  the 
"  evangelization  of  the  heathen  and  not  the 
"  aggrandizement  of  the  English  Church.  At 
"  the  same  time  they  regard  it  as  more  honor- 
"  able  to  the  Church  of  England  to  be  the 
"  Mother  of  independent  children  than  to  be  the 
"  Mistress  of  subject  communities." 


CASTING   THE   TOIL.  275 

Church  Missionary  House,  London, 

Oct.  ist,  1878. 
ANNUAL  LETTER  TO  THE  MISSIONARIES. 

c. 

"  This  independence  of  European  help  will  neces- 
"  sarily  involve  independence  of  coercive  Euro- 
"  pean  control.  Of  this  we  must  not  be  afraid. 
"  Our  object  is  not  the  extension  of  the  English 
"  Church.  In  many  fields  such  an  object  would 
"  be  unattainable.  .  .  .  The  connection 
"  therefore  between  the  Church  of  England  and 
"  those  native  congregations  which  have  been 
"formed  through  the  labors  of  the  Church 
"Missionary  Society's  Missionaries  must  be 
"  regarded  as  provisional  and  temporary.  The 
"  ultimate  relation  will  resemble,  probably, 
"  that  which  is  cherished  in  the  Protestant 
"  Episcopal  Church  of  the  United  States,  fra- 
"  ternal  or  even  filial  affection,  but  not  the 
"  smallest  approach  to  subordination." 

Ankihtlast,  August  28th,  1882. 
LETTER   OF   REV.    R.    TOMLINSON   TO    C.   M.    S. 
COMMITTEE. 

D. 

"  My  effort  among  these  poor  people  from  the  first 
"  has  been  to  teach  them  the  simple  Gospel,  to 
"  lead  them  to  study  their  Bibles,  to  encourage 


2/6 


THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 


"  and  help  them  to  rise  out  of  their  physical  as 
"  well  as  moral  degradation,  and  to  advance 
"  their  temporal  interests.  I  studiously  avoided 
"  drawing  their  attention  to  Church  or  Secta- 
"  rian  divisions  or  dissensions,  and  aimed  chiefly 
"  at  uniting  them  in  the  closest  bonds  to  fight 
"  against  heathenism  and  those  temptations 
"  which  their  position  exposes  them  to." 


In  these  circulars,  we  have  the  most  positive  evi- 
dence of  the  Society's  change  of  policy  which  no 
amount  of  quibbling  can  explain  away.  From  the 
very  beginning  of  his  Mission  work,  Mr.  Duncan 
had  faithfully  reported  to  the  Society  his  methods, 
and  it,  manifested  its  approval.  These  very  cir- 
culars were  without  a  doubt  measurably  prompted 
by  Mr.  Duncan's  successful  procedure. 


The  Society  states  in  one  of 
its  publications  : — 

"May,  1885  : 

"  Almost  tip  to  the  time  of  the 
separation,  there  was  no  reason 
to  suppose  that  the  Mission  was 
other  than  a  Church  of  England 


Why  does  the  Society  contra- 
dict itself  a  year  later  in  the  same 
publication  ? 

Sept.,  1886: 

"  It  had  been  long  known  to 
the  Committee  that  the  Mission 
which  had  been  so  favorably 
begun  was  not  being  carried  on 
according  to  the  principles  which 
they  upheld,  or  in  a  way  which 
they  could  approve." 


Who  is  responsible  for  the  falsifying  of  its  own 
statements  ? 


GRASS-WORK    BASKET. 


CASTING  THE  TOIL.  277 

Finding  itself  thwarted  in  all  other  attempts  to 
coerce,  or  bribe,  the  Metlakahtlans  into  submission 
to  the  Bishop's  mandate,  the  Deputation,  devoted 
itself  to  the  humane  act,  of  urging  the  Dominion 
Government  to  treat  them  as  wild  savages,  and 
force  upon  them  the  Indian  act,  and  the  pernicious 
system  of  Indian  agents.  Pointing  out,  that  this 
would  effectually,  put  a  stop  to  Mr.  Duncan's  "  in- 
fluence for  evil  over  the  Indians." 

After  returning  to  England,  the  Deputies  in 
order  to  justify  themselves  and  the  Society,  at- 
tempted to  discredit,  the  views  expressed  in  the 
letters  they  had  received  from  the  Metlakahtlans, 
by  declaring  that  they  were  made  to  state  thus  and 
so,  by  their  white  teachers,  and  not  allowed  to  speak 
freely  of  their  own  accord.  Why  did  not  the  Depu- 
ties challenge  there,  and  then,  these  letters,  while 
yet  at  Metlakahtla  ?  Be  it  remembered,  that  Mr. 
Duncan  was  in  England  at  the  time.  They  know 
that  their  statement  is  false,  and  that  those  letters 
do  faithfully  represent  the  views  of  the  Metlakaht- 
lans, hence  this  falsehood  is  as  cowardly  as,  their  at- 
tack upon  Mr.  Duncan  in  his  absence,  and,  of  a  piece 
with  such. 

To  further  justify  the  Society  in  its  offensive 
conduct,  the  Deputation,  makes  a  most  malevolent 
attempt  to  rob  Mr.  Duncan's  work  of  its  lustre,  it 
does  not  hesitate  to  assert,  that  : — "  Looking  below 
the  surface  the  state  of  education  is  very  low." 
..."  We  found  that  but  a  small  proportion  of  the 


278  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Indians  know  English  and  those  few  far  too  imper- 
fectly— to  use  with  profit  an  English  Bible."  .  .  . 
"  We  have  observed  the  mode  of  teaching,  and  the 
actual  work,  and  are  convinced  that  they  are  not 
calculated  to  promote  scriptural  knowledge  and 
spiritual  life."  .  •.  .  "  The  ordinances  of  relig- 
ion as  instituted  by  Christ  Himself  not  being 
properly  administered." 

"  The  Deputation  heard  of  no  gatherings  for 
prayer  or  for  mutual  edification,  and  there  are  no 
signs  of  missionary  zeal  among  them,  nor  any  at- 
tempt to  make  known  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  to 
their  heathen  fellow-countrymen." 

The  Deputies  thus  give  the  "  lie  direct  "  to  those 
distinguished  clergymen,  explorers,  and  others, 
whose  personal  corroborative  observations,  I  have 
quoted  in  Chapters  III.  and  IV.  A  proud  and 
noble  thing,  for  two  high-minded  gentlemen  to  lend 
themselves  to  such  sneaking  falsehoods.  As  to  the 
standard  of  education,  I  need  only  refer  to  the  re- 
liable testimony  which  I  have  quoted. 

During  the  Deputation's  stay  in  the  village,  the 
Metlakahtlans  held  their  regular  services  of  prayer 
which  however,  it  seems  the  Deputation,  did  not 
see  fit  to  attend.  The  statement  in  regard  to 
native  missionaries,  is  also,  a  wicked  falsehood, 
as  previous  evidences  prove ;  and  at  the  very 
time  of  the  Deputies'  visit,  money  was  being  sub- 
scribed by  the  Metlakahtlans,  from  their  scanty 
incomes,  to  bear  the  expenses  of  two  native  mis- 


CASTING   THE   TOIL.  2/9 

sionaries,  whom  they  were  sending  out  to  heathen 
tribes. 

A  statement  quite  in  accord  with  the  foregoing, 
is  that, — "Another  extraordinary  regulation  was  that 
a  demand  was  made  on  each  person  who  adhered 
to  the  Society,  for  the  payment-  of  thirty  dollars, 
which  sum,  it  was  alleged,  had  been  given  by  Mr. 
Duncan,  from  his  own  money,  to  nearly  every 
householder  as  an  assistance  in  building  his  house. 
One  person  paid  tJiis  amount  while  others  declined; 
but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  enactment 
served  as  a  strong  inducement  with  many  to  re- 
main, on  Mr.  Duncan's  side.  There  is  no  excuse 
for  such  an  unwarrantable  demand  having  been 
made." 

This  assertion  is  barren  of  a  single  grain  of  truth. 
No  such  demand  has  ever  been  made  !  No  one 
has  ever  returned  such  money  !  No  one  has  ever 
had  an  opportunity  to  decline !  Alas,  Ananias, 
thou  hast  been  usurped. 

Had  the  object  of  the  Deputation  been  to  make 
an  honest  investigation,  to  learn,  and  convey  the 
truth,  to  the  benevolent  contributors  to  the  Society's 
missionary  fund  in  England,  one  would  have  natu- 
rally expected  it,  to  have  ascertained  : 

ist.  The  real  cause  of  the  rupture,  and  how  it  was 
brought  about. 

2nd.  Whether,  or  not,  the  Metlakahtlans  had 
really,  and  honestly  been  unanimous,  in  voting  for 
Mr.  Duncan  as  their  leader. 


280  THE    STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

3rd.  If,  Mr.  Duncan  had  misled  the  Indians,  and, 
if  so,  how. 

4th.  If  the  Bishop's  party  was  genuine. 

5th.  Whether  the  Society  was  really  promoting, 
or  injuring  Christianizing  and  civilizing  work,  by  re- 
maining at  Metlakahtla  after  the  people  had  re- 
quested its  withdrawal. 

6th.  Whether,  or  not,  there  was  any  truth  in  the 
charges  trumped  up  by  the  Bishop,  and  not  based 
on  the  financial  secretary's  statement  respecting  Mr. 
Duncan's  accounts,  before  they  made  their  public 
accusation. 

7th.  Whether,  or  not,  Earl  Dufferin's  declaration 
to  the  Indians,  that  they  had  a  title  to  the  land  was 
right  and  just,  before  inciting  the  present  Govern- 
ment to  rob  the  Indians  of  their  land,  without 
compensation,  or  treaty. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  Deputation  did  nothing  of 
the  sort.  It  assumed  from  the  first  that  the  Soci- 
ety, the  Bishop  and  his  party,  were  right,  and  that 
Mr.  Duncan,  and  the  Metlakahtlans  were  wrong. 
It  resorted  to  whatever  schemes  and  intrigues,  it 
thought  most  likely  to  succeed  in  discrediting  Mr. 
Duncan,  and  whitewashing  the  Society's  and  the 
Bishop's  disgraceful  acts.  On  returning  to  Eng- 
land the  report  was  accepted  by  the  Society's  offi- 
cers as  highly  satisfactory,  and  the  faithful  emissa- 
ries were  heartily  thanked.  The  Society  is  made 
by  its  officers  to  announce  that  Mr.  Duncan  whom 
they  had  treated  with  such  loving  kindness^  "  could 


CASTING  THE  TOIL.  28 1 

not  even  if  he  had  wished  and  requested  it,  which 
he  has  not,  be  received  back  into  connection  with 
the  Society."  Forgiveness  impossible  !  The  Bible 
precepts — the  Lord's  prayer,  forgive  us  as  we  forgive, 
the  Prodigal  son — notwithstanding  :  what  mockery 
of  Christianity,  justice  and  truth  !  Who  the  trans- 
gressor, who  the  judge  ? 

Mr.  Duncan  with  gentle  mien,  has  stood  firmly 
and  steadfastly,  in  his  devotion  to  the  grand  cause 
for  which  he,  sacrificed  a  lucrative  post,  with  every 
prospect  of  an  affluent  and  commanding  position,  in 
England ;  to  accept  a  paltry  ;£ioo  a  year,  and  en- 
counter untold  hardships  and  dangers.  He  held 
to  his  purpose  of  rescue,  in  the  midst  of  the  dark 
and  bloody  scenes  of  his  early  experience,  as,  true 
set  as  the  needle  to  the  pole.  He  met  unswerving- 
ly, face  to  face,  the  foes  of  his  adopted  people  ;  he 
ministered  tenderly  to  the  wants  of  the  little  chil- 
dren, the  aged,  the  decrepit,  or  the  dying  brave, 
who  wrestled  for  the  retention  of  the  lamp. 

When  the  legitimate  foes  had  been  conquered, 
and  when  the  fruits  of  his  labors  seemed  ripening, 
revealing  the  signs  of  an  abundant  yield,  there  came 
an  intolerant  scourge  to  devast  and  lay  all  to  waste. 
He  then,  fearlessly  threw  himself  athwart  the  path, 
to  check  the  portentous  evil  as  best  he  might. 

The  Society  in  its  anxiety  to  pull  down  Mr. 
Duncan's  work,  has  basely  intimated,  that  he  seeks 
gain  and  glory.  How  false  this  is  must  be  evident 
to  all  wh'o  know  the  facts.  Not  only  has  he  dedi- 


282  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

cated  his  life  to  these  people,  with  marked  abne- 
gation but  every  penny  of  his  possessions  as  well ! 

The  report  of  the  Deputation  vindicated  the  So- 
ciety in  the  eyes  of  its  officers — truth  was  hood- 
winked— the  sword  of  justice  warped — the  poor 
Indians  defrauded — a  noble  layman's  spotless  char- 
acter assailed — the  mission's  benefactors  in  England 
deceived  and  betrayed! 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   LAND    QUESTION. 

THE  bitterest  was  not  yet.  The  Bishop  backed 
by  the  Society,  had  aggressively  resorted  to  all 
manner  of  devices,  to  undermine  and  encompass 
the  ruin  of  the  Metlakahtlan  Christian  Union.  He 
had  even  wantonly  charged  them  with  crimes  of 
which  they  were  guiltless.  His  incessant  and  ag- 
gravating persecutions  wore  them  to  the  quick. 
They  felt  that  they  could  no  longer  endure  the 
presence  of  this  serpent  in  their  midst ;  for,  he 
spread  only  strife,  and  contention,  where  there 
should  reign  peace  and  harmony. 

With  a  love  of  home  native  to  all  humanity,  they 
with  one  accord  resolved  to  appeal  to  the  Govern- 
ment for  relief  from  their  oppressors.  For,  had  not 
Canada  been  renowned  for  her  generous  and  hu- 
mane conduct,  toward  her  aboriginal  subjects  ?  and, 
had  not  Lord  Dufferin  with  much  emphasis  as- 
sured the  Metlakahtlans,  that  their  rights  should 
be  respected,  and  their  interests  guarded  by  the 
Queen  and  the  Government  ?  Surely,  thought 
they,  the  Government  will  come  to  our  rescue  when 
it  knows  our  wrongs. 

Hence  the   Metlakahtlans   laid  their  grievances 


284  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

before  the  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  and 
through  him,  before  the  Government.  The  Super- 
intendent apparently  sympathized  with  the  com- 
plainants and  expressed  his  hopes,  of  a  speedy 
restoration  to  peace  in  the  settlement.  In  his 
annual  report  of  1884  to  the  Dominion  Govern- 
ment he  writes  as  follows  : — 

"  I  am  exceedingly  sorry  to  state  that  serious 
trouble  and  the  most  unhappy  religious  rancor  still 
exists  at  Metlakahtla,  dividing  the  Indians  and 
causing  infinite  damage  to  Christianity  in  adjacent 
localities,  where  sides  are  taken  with  one  or  other, 
of  the  contending  parties.  The  retirement  of  either, 
or  both,  would  seem  the  only  solution  of  the  diffi- 
culties ;  and  if  the  latter  alternative,  is  not  desirable, 
and  as  fully  nine-tenths  of  the  people  are  unanimous 
and  determined  in  their  support  of  Mr.  Duncan,  the 
withdrawal  of  the  Agents  of  the  Society  to  more 
congenial  headquarters,  would,  I  think,  be  greatly 
in  the  interests  of  all  concerned." 

In  Canadian  politics  there  is  strong  evidence  of 
the  existence,  and  powerful  influence  of,  the  log 
rolling  system,  and  that  cowardice,  which  is  born 
of  political  fatuity, — the  truckling  to  the  Church 
and  other  parties,  just  as  some  American  and  Eng- 
lish politicians,  without  actual  sympathy,  flirt  with 
the  Irish  party,  the  Catholic  party,  or  the  Labor 
party — seeking  only  political  ends  and  fearing  to 
initiate  or  support,  acts  of  public  justice,  until  they 
can  make  political  capital  thereby. 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  285 

Regarding,  first,  its  own  political  security,  the 
Government  took  no  steps  whatever,  to  carry  out 
the  recommendations  of  the  Superintendent  of  In- 
dian Affairs,  but  pursued  a  vacillating  course,  rely- 
ing upon  the  chance,  of  one  of  the  parties  subjugat- 
ing the  other.  It  is  well  known  that  individual 
members,  did  so  far  evince  the  courage  of  their 
opinions,  as  to  privately  express  in  not  very  com- 
plimentary terms,  their  contempt,  for  the  Bishop's 
conduct,  and  wish  him  out  of  the  way, — but,  offi- 
cially it  appears  they  feared  to  deal  with  him. 

The  Metlakahtlans  being  thus  disappointed  in 
obtaining  redress,  where  they  had  been  led  to  look 
for,  and  expect  it ;  naturally  enough  turned  their 
attention  to  their  rights  in  the  soil  :  for  were  not 
they  the  sole  owners  of  the  land  at  Metlakahtla  ? 
and,  was  not  the  Bishop  a  trespasser  in  their  village, 
against  .their  will  ?  Hence,  they  notified  him  to 
remove  from  their  property  in  so  much,  as,  he  had 
no  legal  footing  thereon. 

No  sooner  had  the  Metlakahtlans  taken  this  po- 
sition, for  the  solution  of  their  difficulties,  than  at 
once  the  Government  was  up  in  arms,  to  quell  the 
natural  assumption. 

And  now  it  was  that,  the  mean,  and  cowardly 
silence  which  the  Provincial  Government,  had, 
hitherto  maintained  toward  its  Native  subjects,  in 
reference  to  land  matters,  had  to  be  broken.  The 
concealed  injustice  was  now  proclaimed  ;  and,  the 
Natives  to  their  dismay,  were  told,  that  they  had  no 


286  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

rights  in  the  land  whatsoever  ;  but  that  the  Queen, 
owned,  as  well  as  ruled,  all  the  country  of  British 
Columbia,  not  excepting  even  the  village  site  of  Met- 
lakahtla !  To  back  up  this  appalling  announce- 
ment the  Government  sent  a  party  of  surveyors, 
especially,  to  Metlakahtla,  to  survey  two  acres  in 
the  village,  to  be  alienated  from  the  Natives  and 
secure  such  to  their  bitter  enemy,  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society.  The  Natives  stood  amazed  at 
seeing  and  hearing  all  this ;  for  had  they  not  heard 
from  the  lips  of  Earl  Dufferin,  when  Governor-Gen- 
eral of  Canada,  of  the  goodness,  and  sympathy  of 
the  Queen — and  how  safely  they  might  confide  their 
interests  to  her  keeping.-  The  question  with  them 
arose,  who  were  they  to  believe — Lord  Dufferin 
when  speaking  in  the  name  of  the  Queen,  or,  the 
Provincial  Government  ?  Were  they  to  throw 
aside  their  long-treasured  trust  in  the  justice  of 
British  Law,  and  bow  submissively,  at  once  to  glar- 
ing avarice,  and  cruel  wrong,  announced  and  enact- 
ed in  the  name  of  law  ? 

In  their  perplexity  the  Indians  sought  and  ob- 
tained the  advice  of  an  eminent  lawyer  at  Victoria; 
and  his  opinion  was,  "  that  Indians  cannot  be  mo- 
lested in  the  possession  of  lands  occupied  by  them 
prior  to  the  advent  of  white  men  unless  in  pursuance 
of  treaties  duly  entered  into  by  them." 

Before,  the  above  opinion  reached  Metlakahtla, 
it  was  shown  to  the  Provincial  Executive  Council, 
and  they  requested  it  might  be  kept  from  the  knowl- 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  287 

edge  of  the  Indians,  and  they  promised  to  hand  over 
the  two  acres  of  the  village-site  to  the  Metlakahtlans, 
if  the  Dominion  Government  would  ask  them  to 
do  so. 

It  being  supposed  from  this,  that  the  two  govern- 
ments were  about  to  adjust  matters  without  having 
recourse  to  law,  it  was  therefore,  thought  best  that 
the  Indians  should  not  immediately  be  made  ac- 
quainted with  the  lawyer's  opinion.  They  were 
told  what  the  Provincial  Government  had  offered, 
and  in  order  to  facilitate  an  amicable  arrangement, 
the  Metlakahtlans  deputed  three  of  their  members 
to  go  to  Ottawa,  in  the  summer  of  1885,  and  lay 
their  complaints  personally  before  the  Superintend- 
ent-General of  Indian  Affairs.  This  trip  covering 
a  journey  of  seven  thousand  miles,  involved  ex- 
penses very  large  for  so  poor  a  people  to  bear,  yet, 
they  cheerfully  made  the  sacrifice,  so  anxious  were 
they  to  have  the  wonted  peace,  and  the  prosperity 
of  their  settlement  restored. 

The  results  of  their  appeal  to  Ottawa,  were  re- 
garded by  the  Indians  on  the  return  of  their  Dele- 
gates, as  satisfactory;  inasmuch  as  Sir  John  Mac- 
donald  had  promised  to  communicate  with  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  of  London,  and  ask  or 
advise  that  Society  to  withdraw  its  agents  from 
Metlakahtla ;  and,  also  he  assured  them,  that  all 
their  other  grievances  should  be  adjusted. 

While  in  Ottawa  with  the  Delegates  Mr.  Dun- 
can, at  the  request  of  the  Deputy  Minister  of  In- 


288  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

dian  Affairs,  drew  up  an  outline  of  a  new  policy 
for  the  management  of  the  Native  subjects  in 
British  Columbia,  by  which  in  his  opinion  the  dif- 
ficulties which  had  arisen  with  the  Natives,  would 
effectually  be  removed,  and  peace,  and  loyalty,  re- 
stored. 

No  exception  was  taken  to  Mr.  Duncan's  recom- 
mendations —  only,  that  the  Deputy  Minister, 
thought  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  man  qualified 
to  carry  them  out. 

During  an  interview,  Sir  John  Macdonald  in- 
timated that  he  would  be  glad  to  have  Mr.  Dun- 
can appointed  Government  agent,  to  be  responsible 
for  the  management  of  the  Northern  Section,  of  the 
British  Columbian  Indians.  Mr.  Duncan  mani- 
fested his  readiness  to  accept  the  position  provided 
the  Indians  were  accorded  their  rights,  in  conform- 
ity with  the  suggestions  he  had  filed  with  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  he  called  the  attention  of  the  ministers 
to  the  anomalous  condition  of  the  land  question,  in 
the  Province,  and  quoted  opinions  of  Govern- 
ment authorities  from  Sessional  papers,  and  Blue 
Books  of  Canada. 

The  Minister  of  Interior,  Mackenzie's  Govern- 
ment, writing  from  Ottawa  November  2,  1874,  to 
the  Government  of  British  Columbia,  says  : — 

"  A  cursory  glance  at  these  documents  (from 
Indian  Commissioner  and  others]  is  enough  to 
show  that  the  present  state  of  the  Indian  land  ques- 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  289 

tion  in  our  territory  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
is  most  unsatisfactory — and  that  it  is  the  occasion 
not  only  of  great  discontent  among  the  aboriginal 
tribes,  but,  also  of  serious  alarm  to  the  white  set- 
tlers. .  .  . 

''The  guaranteeing  the  Aborigines  of  British 
Columbia,  tJie  continuance  of  a  policy  as  liberal  as 
was  pursued  by  the  Local  Government  seems  little 
short  of  a  mockery  of  their  claims.  IF  THERE  HAS 
NOT  BEEN  AN  INDIAN  WAR  IT  IS  NOT  BECAUSE 
THERE  HAS  BEEN  NO  INJUSTICE  TO  THE  INDIANS, 
but  because  the  Indians  have  not  been  sufficiently 
united.  .  .  . 

"  In  laying  tJic  foundation  of  an  Indian  Policy 
iit  that  Province  on  the  same  permanent  and  satis- 
factory basis  as  in  the  other  portions  of  the  Domin- 
ion— the  Government  of  the  Dominion,  feel  tJicy 
would  not  be  justified  in  limiting  their  efforts  to 
what  under  the  strict  letter  of  the  Terms  of  Union, 
they  were  called  upon  to  do.  They  feel  that  A 
GREAT  NATIONAL  QUESTION  like  this, — a  question 
involving  possibly  in  the  near  future  an  Indian 
war,  with  all  its  horrors,  sJiould  be  approached  in 
a  very  different  spirit,  and  dealt  with  upon  other 
and  higher  grounds. 

"  The  policy  foreshadowed  in  the  provision  of 
the  I3//Z  Clause  of  British  Columbia  Terms  of 
Union,  is  plainly,  altogether  inadequate  to  satisfy 
the  fair,  and  reasonable  demands,  of  the  Indians. 
To  satisfy  these  demands,  and  to  secure  the  good 
19 


2QO  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

will  of  the  Natives — the  Dominion  and  Local 
Governments  must  look  beyond  the  terms  of  that 
agreement ;  and  be  governed  in  tJieir  conduct  to- 
ward the  aborigines  by  the  justice  of  their  claims , 
and  by  the  necessities  of  the  case.n 

It  should  be  noticed'  in  reference  to  the  foregoing 
quotation  from  the  Blue  Book,  that  the  Minister 
of  Interior  of  Canada,  is  complaining  to  the  British 
Columbian  Government,  of  the  gross  injustice  to 
the  Indians,  in  regard  to  their  land  rights,  which 
the  terms  of  Union  embodied,  and,  he  is  demand- 
ing that  a  just,  and  liberal  policy  be  inaugurated. 

So  anxious  had  the  Administration,  under  Sir 
John  Macdonald,  been  to  get  British  Columbia  into 
the  Union  with  Canada,  that  so  little  a  matter  as 
justice,  to  the  aborigines  was  apparently  lost  sight 
of,  and  the  Provincial  Land  Grabbers  had  all  their 
own  way.  Had  it  not  been  that  the  Mackenzie 
Government,  on  succeeding  to  power  soon  after, 
put  a  check  upon — the  cruel  robbery  of  the  aborigi- 
nal subjects  which  had  already  been  sanctioned, 
would  no  doubt  have  been  enforced  by  the  Do- 
minion. Happily  however  a  change  of  Adminis- 
tration came  in  time  to  avert  this  calamity,  and 
the  Minister  of  Interior,  boldly  unmasked,  and  de- 
nounced the  wrong.  It  is  certain  that  no  Cabinet 
Minister  in  his  official  capacity,  would  have  had  the 
effrontery,  to  use  the  language,  which  this  Minister 
of  Interior  did,  had  he  not  been  convinced,  that 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  2QI 

the  evil  he  was  denouncing,  was  an  outrage  on 
humanity. 

Now  for  the  facts,  which  had  met  the  eye,  and 
raised  the  indignation  of  this  Minister.  In  British 
Columbia  there  were  at  that  time  about  30,000 
whites  and  about  the  same  number  of  aborigines. 
The  Country  is  nearly  three  times  as  large  as  Eng- 
land— Ireland — Scotland  and  Wales  combined — 
viz.,  218,375,200  acres — yet  out  of  all  this  immense 
territory  all  the  land  the  30,000  whites  agreed  to 
allow  the  30,000  natives, — the  ancient  and  original 
inhabitants  of  the  soil — was  a  miserable  two  acres 
per  capita^  or  in  the  aggregate  something  less  than 
ten  miles  square  !  !  It  can  scarcely  be  believed  that 
there  are  men  living  in  this  iQth  century,  under  the 
Christian  rule  of  Queen  Victoria,  who  could  be 
guilty  of  planning  such  a  scheme  of  wholesale  rob- 
bery in  the  name  of  law  and  government.  Yet 
such  men  hold  up  their  heads  in  British  Columbia, 
and  find  ardent  supporters  in  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society  of  London,  and  its  lordly  Bishop  ! 

Next  may  be  given  some  quotations  from  a  Re- 
port written  from  the  Department  of  Justice  in 
Canada,  and  signed  by  both  the  Minister  of  Justice, 
and  the  Deputy  Minister,  dated  Ottawa  iQth  Jan. 
1875. 

"  Nor  can  the  undersigned  find  that  there  is  any 
legislation  in  force  in  British  Columbia  which  pro- 
vides reservations  of  land  for  the  Indians.  .  .  . 

"No  surrenders  of    lands   in    British  Columbia 


292  THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

Province  has  ever  been  obtained  from  the  Indian 
tribes  with  one  exception.  .  .  . 

"Any  reservations  which  have  been  made  have 
been  arbitrary  on  the  part  of  the  Government,  and 
without  the  assent  of  the  Indians. 

"  There  is  not  a  shadow  of  doubt  that  from  the 
earliest  times  England  has  always  felt  it  impera- 
tive to  meet  the  Indians  in  Council  and  to  obtain 
surrenders  of  tracts  of  Canada  as  from  time  to 
time,  such  were  required  for  the  purposes  of  set- 
tlement. 

"  It  is  sufficient  for  present  purpose  to  ascertain 
the  policy  of  England  in  respect  to  the  acquisition 
of  the  Indian  territorial  rights,  and  how  entirely 
that  policy  has  been  followed  to  the  present  time 
except  in  the  instance  of  British  Columbia." 

The  above  quotations  speak  for  themselves. 

Earl  Dufferin,  Governor-General  of  Canada,  de- 
livered the  following  speech  on  the  Land  Question 
at  Government  House,  Victoria,  B.  C.,  September 
20,  1876: 

EARL  DUFFERIN'S  SPEECH  ON  THE  LAND  QUES- 
TION. 

"  From  my  first  arrival  in  Canada  I  have  been 
very  much  occupied  with  the  condition  of  the  Ind- 
ian population  in  this  province.  You  must  re- 
member that  the  Indian  population  are  not  repre- 
sented in  Parliament,  and,  consequently,  that  the 
Governor-General  is  bound  to  watch  over  their 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  293 

welfare  with  especial  solicitude.  Now  we  must  all 
admit  that  the  condition  of  the  Indian  question  in 
British  Columbia  is  not  satisfactory.  Most  unfort- 
unately, as  I  think,  there  has  been  an  initial  error 
ever  since  Sir  James  Douglass  quitted  office,  in  the 
Government  of  British  Columbia  neglecting  to  rec- 
ognize what  is  known  as  the  Indian  title.  In  Can- 
ada this  has  always  been  done :  no  Government, 
whether  provincial  or  central,  has  failed  to  ac- 
knowledge that  the  original  title  to  the  lands  existed 
in  the  Indian  tribes  and  the  communities  that  hunt- 
ed or  wandered  over  them.  Before  we  touch  an 
acre  we  make  a  treaty  with  the  chief  representing 
the  bands  we  are  dealing  with,  and  having  agreed 
upon  and  paid  the  stipulated  price,  oftentimes  ar- 
rived at  after  a  great  deal  of  haggling  and  diffi- 
culty, we  enter  into  possession,  but  not  until  then  do 
we  consider  that  we  are  entitled  to  deal  with  a  sin- 
gle acre.  The  result  has  been  that  in  Canada  our 
Indians  are  contented,  well  affected  to  the  white 
man,  and  amenable  to  the  laws  and  Government. 
At  this  very  moment  the  Lieutenant-Governor  of 
Manitoba,  has  gone  on  a  distant  expedition  in  or- 
der to  make  a  treaty  with  the  tribes  to  the  north- 
ward of  Saskatchewan.  Last  year  he  made  two 
treaties  with  the  Crees  and  Chippeways,  next  year 
it  has  been  arranged  that  he  should  make  a  treaty 
with  the  Blackfeet,  and  when  this  is  done  the  Brit- 
ish Crown  will  have  acquired  a  title  to  every  acre 
that  lies  between  Lake  Superior  and  the  top  of  the 


294  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Rocky  Mountains.  But  in  British  Columbia — ex- 
cept in  a  few  places  where  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Co.,  or  under  the  auspices  of  Sir 
James  Douglass,  a  similar  practice  has  been  adopt- 
ed— the  Provincial  Government,  has  always  as- 
sumed that  the  fee  simple  in,  as  well  as  the  sover- 
eignty over,  the  land,  reside  in  the  Queen.  Acting 
upon  this  principle  they  have  granted  extensive 
grazing  leases,  and  otherwise  dealt  with  various  sec- 
tions of  the  country  as  greatly  to  restrict  or  inter- 
fere with  the  prescriptive  rights  of  the  Queen's  Ind- 
ian subjects.  As  a  consequence,  there  has  come  to 
exist  an  unsatisfactory  feeling  among  the  Indian 
population.  Intimations  of  this  reached  me  at  Ot- 
tawa two  or  three  years  ago,  and  since  I  have  come 
into  the  province  my  misgivings  on  the  subject  have 
been  confirmed.  Now,  I  consider  that  our  Indian 
fellow-subjects  are  entitled  to  exactly  the  same  civil 
rights  under  the  law,  as  are  possessed  by  the  white 
population,  and  if  an  Indian  can  prove  prescriptive 
right  of  way  to  a  fishing-station,  or  right  of  any 
other  kind,  that  that  right  should  no  more  be  ig- 
nored than  if  it  were  the  case  of  a  white  man.  I 
am  well  aware  that  among  the  coast  Indians  the 
land  question  does  not  present  the  same  character- 
istics as  in  other  parts  of  Canada,  or  as  it  does  in 
the  grass  countries  of  the  interior  of  this  province ; 
but  I  have  also  been  able  to  understand  that  in 
these  latter  districts,  it  may  be  even  more  necessary 
to1  deal  justly  and  liberally  with  the  Indian  in  re- 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  295 

gard  to  his  land  rights,  than  on  the  prairies  of  the 
North  West.  I  am  very  happy  that  the  British 
Columbian  Government,  have  recognized  the  ne- 
cessity of  assisting  the  Dominion  Government,  in 
ameliorating  the  present  condition  of  affairs  in  this 
respect,  and  that  it  has  agreed  to  the  creation  of  a 
joint  commission  for  the  purpose  of  putting  the  in- 
terests of  the  Indian  population  on  a  more  satisfac- 
tory footing.  Of  course  in  what  I  have  said  I  do 
not  mean  that  in  our  desire  to  be  humane,  and  to 
act  justly,  we  should  do  anything  unreasonable  or 
Quixotic,  or  that  rights  already  acquired  by  white 
men  should  be  inconsiderately  invaded  or  recalled, 
but,  I  would  venture  to  put  the  Government  of 
British  Columbia  on  its  guard  against  the  fatal 
eventualities  which  might  arise  should  a  sense  of 
injustice  provoke  the  Indian  population  to  violence, 
or,  into  a  collision  with  our  scattered  settlers.  Prob- 
ably there  has  gone  forth  among  them  very  incor- 
rect, and  exaggerated  information  of  the  warlike 
achievements  of  their  brethren  in  Dakota,  and 
their  uneducated  minds  are  incapable  of  calculating 
chances.  Of  course,  there  is  no  danger  of  any  se- 
rious or  permanent  revolt,  but  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  even  an  accidental  collision  in  which 
blood  was  shed,  might  have  a  most  disastrous  ef- 
fect upon  our  present  satisfactory  relations  with  the 
warlike  tribes  in  the  North  West,  whose  amity,  and 
adhesion,  to  our  system  of  government,  is  so  essen- 
tial to  the  progress  of  the  Pacific  Railway ;  and  I 


296  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

make  this  appeal,  as  I  may  call  it,  with  all  the  more 
earnestness  since  I  have  convinced  myself  of  the 
degree  to  which,  if  properly  dealt  with,  the  Indian 
population  might  be  made  to  contribute  to  the  de- 
velopment of  the  wealth,  and  resources,  of  the  prov- 
ince. I  have  now  seen  them  in  all  phases  of  their 
existence,  from  the  half-naked  savage  in  a  red 
blanket,  perched  like  a  bird  of  prey  upon  a  rock, 
trying  to  catch  his  miserable  dinner  of  fish,  to  the 
neat  Indian  maidens  in  Mr.  Duncan's  school  at  Met- 
lakahtla,  as  modest,  and  as  well-dressed  as  any  cler- 
gyman's daughter  in  an  English  parish,  and  to  the 
shrewd  horse-riding  Siwash  of  the  Thompson  Val- 
ley, with  his  racers  in  training  for  the  Ashcroft 
stakes,  and  as  proud  of  his  stock-yard  and  turnip- 
field  as  a  British  squire.  In  his  first  condition  it 
is  evident  he  is  scarcely  a  producer  or  a  consumer ; 
in  his  second,  he  is  eminently  both,  and  in  propor- 
tion as  he  can  be  raised  to  the  higher  level  of  civ- 
ilization will  he  contribute  to  the  vital  energies  of 
the  province.  What  you  want  are  not  resources, 
but  human  beings  to  develop  them,  and,  consume 
them.  Raise  your  30,000  Indians  to  the  level 
which  Mr.  Duncan  has  taught  us  is  possible,  and 
consider  what  an  enormous  amount  of  vital  power 
you  will  have  added  to  your  present  strength." 

These  words  of  Lord  Dufferin,  require  no  eluci- 
dation, they  give  no  uncertain  sound,  as  to  the 
distinguished  statesman's  views,  of  the  injustice, 
which  has  been  fastened  upon  the  Indians  in  regard 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  297 

to  their  land :  but,  his  eloquent,  and  powerful  ar- 
guments, were  lost  upon  the  British  Columbian 
authorities.  No  change  of  policy  has  ensued  since 
his  visit  to  the  Province,  and  quite  recently  the 
Chief-Justice  at  Victoria,  while  arguing  on'  the 
question  of  the  Indians'  land  rights,  declared,  em- 
phatically that  the  Indians  of  British  Columbia, 
have  no  rights  in  the  land,  whatever,  but  such  as  the 
Crown  out  of  its  bounty  and  charity  may  accord 
them  ;  and  added,  that  all  that  Earl  Dufferin  in  his 
great  speech  had  said  to  the  contrary,  was  only 
"  blarney  for  the  mob  //  " 

Now  to  return  again  to  what  took  place  at  Otta- 
wa. It  seemed  apparent  to  Mr.  Duncan,  and  the 
Indian  Delegates — judging  from  Sir  John  Mac- 
donald's promises — that  the  Indians'  grievances  were 
in  a  fair  way  to  be  settled  without  litigation,  and  this 
decided  Mr.  Duncan  not  to  return  at  once  to  Met- 
lakahtla ;  but  to  give  time  to  Sir  John  Macdonald 
to  frame  the  improved  policy,  for  the  Native  Sub- 
jects, for  the  ensuing  parliament,  as  he  had  inti- 
mated that  he  would  then  bring  it  forward.  Mr. 
Duncan,  in  the  interim  went  to  England,  on  be- 
half of  the  Metlakahtlans.  While  there  he  had 
an  interview  with  the  Secretaries  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  learnt  from  them,  that,  Sir  John 
Macdonald,  had  written  the  letter,  he  had  promised 
the  Metlakahtlans  he  would  write,  advising  the  So- 
ciety to  withdraw  from  Metlakahtla.  Mr.  Duncan 
also  met  Sir  John  Macdonald  in  London  by  appoint- 


THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

ment,  and  during  the  interview  was  told  by  Sir  John, 
that  a  Deputation  from  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety, had  waited  upon  him  to  discuss  the  situation, 
but  that  he  had  adhered  strictly,  to  the  advice  which 
he  had  previously  offered  the  Society  by  letter. 
Sir  John,  also  assured  Mr.  Duncan,  that  as  soon  as 
the  difficulty  with  the  Society  was  out  of  the  way, 
he,  would  secure  for  him,  the  appointment  he  had 
alluded  to  while  in  Ottawa. 

However,  it  must  be  distinctly  borne  in  mind 
that  Mr.  Duncan  was  not  seeking  Government  em- 
ployment, but,  he  had  promised  only  to  be  re- 
sponsible for  the  inauguration  of  the  new  policy, 
which  he  had  drafted,  if,  it  was  accepted  by  the 
Government — as  he  well  knew  by  accepting  the 
position,  and  establishing  a  new  era  in  the  manage- 
ment of  aboriginal  people,  he  would  be  conferring  a 
benefit  to  Indians  generally  throughout  the  land. 

It  would  seem  however  before  Sir  John  Mac- 
donald  left  London,  and  after  having  had  a  second 
interview  with  the  representatives  of  the  Society, 
/ie,  Jiad  changed  Jiis  mind,  and  his  plans.  Mr.  Dun- 
can was  informed  by  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  the 
Society,  that  Sir  John  Macdonald  and  the  Society, 
had  come  to  an  understanding.  Which  understand- 
ing it  would  seem  secured  to  the  Society  the  in- 
valuable services  and  advocacy  of  this  Minister  of 
State ;  and  insured  to  him  this  powerful  Church  of 
England  Missionary  Society's  moral  endorsement 
of  his  iniquitous  Indian  policy ;  and  the  political 


LEADER    OF   THE   METLAKAHTLA   BRASS-BAND. 


THE   LAND   QUESTION.  299 

support  of  this  Society's  Agents,  and  its,  sympa- 
thizers in  the  Church  of  England  party  of  Canada, 
for  the  approaching  general  election  which  must 
decide  his  political  fate. 

While  still  in  London  Mr.  Duncan  thought  it 
well  as  matters  had  turned ;  to  acquaint  the  Abo- 
rigines Protection  Society,  with  the  circumstances 
surrounding  the  Indian  land  question.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  copy  of  a  letter  he  addressed  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  that  Society  : 

"LONDON,  5th  March,  1886. 

"  DEAR  SIR  :  I  beg  to  address  you  on  behalf  of 
the  Tsimshean  and  other  Indian  tribes  inhabiting 
the  northern  portion  of  British  Columbia,  with  a 
view  of  soliciting  on  their  account  the  sympathy  and 
aid  of  the  Aborigines  Protection  Society,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  question  of  their  land  interests. 
From  authoritative  government  documents  in  Can- 
ada it  is  clearly  demonstrable  that  the  Indian  land 
question  in  British  Columbia  is  in  a  very  unsatis- 
factory state,  owing  as  it  would  seem,  to  the  arbi- 
trary, and  unprecedented  policy,  adopted  by  the 
Government  in  regard  to  it. 

"  It  appears  that  the  Imperial  edicts,  and  usages, 
which  have  always  defined,  and  guarded,  Indian  land 
rights  in  Canada,  are  by  the  Provincial  Government 
of  British  Columbia,  virtually  ignored  : — the  Indian 
title  is  not  recognized,  nor  any  treaties  with  the 
Indians  made,  but  an  absolute  control  of  all  the 


300  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

lands  of  the  Province  is  assumed  in  the  name  of  the 
Queen,  as  if  the  aborigines  were  a  conquered  race, 
and  all  their  ancient  inheritance  had  been  confis- 
cated. 

"  These  anomalies  have  been  pointed  out  to  the 
Provincial  Government,  by  the  Minister  of  Justice, 
and  the  Minister  of  Interior  in  Canada,  in  the  years 
1874  and  1875  (and  I  might  add  in  1876  by  Earl 
Dufferin,  Gov.-Gen'l.  of  Canada)  but  apparently 
without  effect. 

"  The  Indians  themselves  have  till  lately  been 
comparatively  silent  on  land  matters.  Their  silence 
may  be  ascribed  partly,  to  their  ignorance  of  the 
Government  policy,  and  partly,  because  the  ques- 
tion had  not  been  directly  forced  upon  their  atten- 
tion by  any  great  encroachment  upon  their  ancient 
privileges, — owing  to  the  sparseness  of  white  settlers 
as  yet  in  the  North. 

11  A  change  however,  in  this  respect  has  taken 
place.  The  Indians  are  now  fully  alive  to  the  im- 
portance of  the  land  question,  and,  its  bearing,  on 
their  prosperity,  and  social  progress.  The  action 
of  the  Government  which  more  than  anything 
else  precipitated  this  change,  was  their  ordering 
the  survey  of  two  acres  of  land  in  the  centre  of 
the  Indian  village  of  Metlakahtla,  for  the  purpose 
of  conveying  the  same  to  a  religious  Society,  and 
thereby  asserting  their  claim  to  absolute  control  over 
the  land  even  in  a  village-site,  in  spite  of  the  Indians' 
protest. 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  3<DI 

"  Though  the  Indian  proprietors  were  greatly  in- 
censed by  this  overbearing  act  of  injustice,  I  am 
happy  to  say  that  no  violence  was  offered  to  the 
Government  servants,  who  made  the  survey.  The 
Indians  decided  rather  to  appeal  to  the  Law  Courts, 
and  trust  in  the  justice  of  their  case. 

"  Legal  advice  was  obtained  from  one  of  the  most 
prominent  lawyers  in  Victoria,  who  after  referring 
to  the  Sessional  Papers  of  Canada  and  Imperial 
Edicts,  says — '  Hence,  it  is  I  think  apparent  that 
Indians  cannot  be  molested  in  their  possession  of 
lands  occupied  by  them  prior  to  the  advent  of  white 
men  unless  in  pursuance  of  treaties  duly  entered 
into  by  them/ 

"  When  the  legal  opinion  was  shown  the  Provin- 
cial Government,  they  requested  that  the  Indians 
might  not  be  made  acquainted  with  it,  and  offered  to 
hand  over  the  two  acres  of  land  to  the  Indians  ;  if, 
the  Dominion  Government  would  ask  them  to  do  so. 

"  This  concession  was  evidently  only  an  attempt 
to  shift  responsibility  on  to  the  Dominion  Govern- 
ment, (for  so  did  the  Premier  of  Canada  regard  it) 
hence  nothing  came  of  it. 

"  The  Indians  then  determined  before  invoking 
the  law,  to  represent  their  case  to  the  Indian  De- 
partment, and  three  Indian  Delegates  were  accord- 
ingly sent  to  Ottawa  last  summer.  The  result  of 
this  appeal  to  the  Super't-General  of  Indian  Affairs, 
was  to  return  to  the  Indian  complainants  an  assur- 
ance that  their  grievances  would  receive  careful 


302  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

attention,  and  that  steps  would  be  taken,  which  it 
was  hoped  would  soon  remove  all  causes  of  com- 
plaint. 

"  It  is  now  about  seven  months  since  these  assur- 
ances were  made,  but  no  remedy  of  the  evils  com- 
plained of,  is  forthcoming,  and  I  fear  there  is  little 
prospect  of  any  remedy  being  found  without  an 
appeal  to  the  law. 

"  I  am  hoping  to  return  to  Metlakahtla  early 
next  month,  and  I  should  be  very  glad  if  on  my  ar- 
rival there  I  can  inform  the  Indians  that  the  Abo- 
rigines Protection  Society,  had  decided  to  aid  them 
in  vindicating  their  rights,  and  thus  afford  them  a 
proof  there  are  in  England,  those  who  take  pleasure 
in  defending  the  weak,  and  helping  the  poor,  with- 
out regard  to  race  or  nationality.  I  remain,  Dear 
Sir,  yours  faithfully, 

W.  DUNCAN." 

"  To  F.  W.  CHESSON,  ESQ., 

Sec'y  Abor.  Prot.  Society, 

London." 

To  the  above  letter  the  following  reply  was  re- 
ceived. 

"ABORIGINES  PROTECTION  SOCIETY, 

6  ROOM,  BROADWAY  CHAMBERS,  WESTMINSTER, 

LONDON,  S.  W.,  March  25,  1886. 

"  DEAR  MR.  DUNCAN  :  At  a  Meeting  of  the 
Committee  held  here  a  few  days  ago,  Sir  Robert 
Fowler,  M.P.,  Mr.  George  Palmer,  late  M.P.,  for 
Reading,  Mr.  Alfred  Fowell  Buxton  and  I,  were 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  303 

appointed  a  deputation  to  wait  upon  Sir  Charles 
Tupper  with  reference  to  the  Indian  difficulty  in 
British  Columbia.  We  shall  wait  upon  him  within 
the  next  fortnight,  and  support  the  cause  of  the 
poor  Indians.  Very  faithfully  yours, 

F.  W.  CHESSON,  Sefy.n 
"  To  W.  DUNCAN,  ESQ." 

The  Metlakahtlans  received  a  letter  last  summer 
(1886)  from  the  Aborigines  Protection  Society,  in- 
forming them  that  a  Deputation  from  that  Society 
had  waited  upon  Sir  Chas.  Tupper — High  Com- 
missioner of  Canada,  in  London  and  presented  a 
Memorial  to  him  on  their  behalf. 

For  this  sympathy  and  help  from  the  Aborigines 
Society,  the  Metlakahtlans  seemed  very  grateful, 
and  the  Native  Secretary  of  the  Council  wrote  a 
letter  of  thanks  to  that  society. 

Before  leaving  England  Mr.  Duncan  had  occa- 
sion to  address  another  letter  to  Sir  John  Macdon- 
ald,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy. 

"  LONDON,  March  24,  1886. 

"  The  Right  Honorable  SIR  JOHN  A.  MACDONALD, 
K.C.B.,  Superintendent-Gen' I  of  Indian  Af- 
fairs, OTTAWA. 

"  SIR  :  I  have  this  day  received  letters  from  Met- 
lakahtla,  conveying  to  me  information  with  which  I 
feel  it  my  duty,  to  make  you  acquainted  without 
delay. 


304  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  From  the  words  arid  assurances  you  were  good 
enough  to  send  through  the  Deputation,  which 
waited  upon  you  last  summer  in  Ottawa — the  Ind- 
ians of  the  settlement,  and  neighboring  tribes,  were 
induced  to  refrain  from  immediately  appealing  to 
the  Law  in  vindication  of  their  land  claims,  and 
were  led  to  hope  that  their  complaints  against  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  Agents,  would  receive 
your  immediate  attention,  and,  personal  interven- 
tion. 

"  It  is  now  eight  months  since  these  assurances 
were  received,  and,  these  hopes  indulged,  but  I  re- 
gret to  say  the  Indians  are  now  complaining  even 
more  bitterly,  than  ever,  of  the  overbearing  effron- 
tery of  the  Agents  of  the  Society. 

"  It  appears  that  the  Bishop  has  lately  read  a 
letter  to  his  few  adherents,  which  they  were  led  to 
believe  emanated  from  you,  and  from  which  they 
were  assured  the  two  acres  of  the  village-site, 
known  as  Mission  Point,  now  belong  to  the  Church 
Missionary  Society. 

"  After  this  announcement  was  made — a  number 
of  flags  were  hoisted  over  the  Bishop's  house — can- 
nons were  fired,  and  a  party  paraded  the  village 
with  banners,  and  triumphant  hilarity.  The  masr, 
of  Indians  who  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
Bishop  were  then  informed  that  the  land  question, 
was  now  settled,  by  you  ;  and,  that  the  efforts  of 
the  Deputation  last  summer,  had  resulted  in  noth- 
ing. 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  305 

"  On  being  asked  however  to  show  your  letter 
— the  Bishop  admitted,  that  the  letter  he  had  read 
was  not  written  by  you,  but  Mr.  Fenn  of  the  C.  M. 
Society  had  written  it  to  convey  the  words  uttered 
by  you,  at  an  interview  with  the  representatives  of 
the  Society  in  London. 

"  I  deeply  regret  these  occurrences,  and  canno* 
but  feel  sure  that  the  Bishop  has  made  an  exagger- 
ated, and  an  improper,  use  of  your  words,  to  the 
Society,  and  thus,  made  matters  worse  than  ever  to 
arrange. 

"  There  seems  no  course  open  now,  which  will 
prove  a  satisfaction  to  the  Indians  but  an  appeal  to 
the  Law,  and  unless  all  such  offensive  prejudging  of 
the  case  as  has  been  recently  enacted  be  stopped,  I 
fear  the  Indians  will  be  driven  to  desperation. 

"  I  am  thankful  to  add  that  the  Aborigines  Pro- 

o 

tection  Society,  are  now  in  possession  of  the  facts  of 
the  case,  in  which  they  feel  a  deep  interest. 

"  Their  assistance  to  bring  matters  to  a  right 
issue  is  already  promised. 

"  I  hope  to  be  passing  through  Ottawa  on  my 
return  to  Metlakahtla,  about  the  middle  of  April, 
when  I  trust  you  will  favor  me  with  an  interview 
at  which  I  can  give  you  further  particulars.  I  re- 
main, etc.  "  W.  DUNCAN." 

In  April  (1886)  Mr.  Duncan  left  England  to  re- 
turn to  Metlakahtla.  On  his  way  he  called  at 
Ottawa  but  was  unable  to  secure  an  interview  with 


306  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Sir  John  Macdonald.  Not,  therefore,  being  able  to 
see  the  Head  chief,  he  addressed  a  letter  to  the 
Deputy  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  : 

"  OTTAWA,  April  20,  1 886. 

"  SIR  :  Being  now  on  my  way  to  Metlakahtla 
and  feeling  assured  that  on  my  arrival  there  the 
Indians  will  press  me  for  information  relative  to 
their  affairs,  now,  before  the  Indian  Department. 
I  am  therefore,  anxious  to  lay  before  you  the  ques- 
tions I  anticipate  they  will  ask  me,  and  beg  that 
you  will  be  good  enough  to  furnish  me  with  such 
answers,  as  I  may  give  them  in  your  name.  The 
questions  are  as  follows. 

"ist.  Will  the  Land  (Reserve)  Commissioner 
Mr.  O'Reilly  receive  orders  to  adjust  the  difficulty 
between  the  Tsimshean  and  the  Nass  River  Ind- 
ians, in  connection  with  the  fishing  interests  and 
occupancy  of  the  land  on  the  banks  of  the  Nass 
River  ? 

"  2d.  Will  the  Land  (Reserve)  Commissioner  re- 
ceive orders  to  meet  the  Tsimshean  Indians  in 
Council  to  reconsider  and  readjust  their  Reserves  ? 

"  3d.  Has  the  Superintendent-General  of  Ind- 
ian Affairs  given  to  the  Committee  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  the  authority  of  his  word  that 
the  two  acres  known  .as  Mission  Point  at  Metla- 
kahtla, belong  to  that  Society  ? 

"  4th.  Is  the  Indian  Department  prepared  to  ad- 
vise the  Government  of  British  Columbia  to  enter 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  307 

into  treaties  with  the  Indians  of  that  Province  in 
regard  to  Lands  to  be  surrendered  by  them  ? 

"  5th.  Should  the  Indians  of.  Metlakahtla  be 
compelled  to  test  the  legality  of  the  survey  of  Mis- 
sion Point  made  by  orders  of  the  British  Colum- 
bian Government ;  what,  attitude  will  the  Indian 
Department  take  in  reference  to  their  action  ? 

"  6th.  Does  the  Indian  Department  permit 
bands  of  natives  to  settle  upon  lands  which  are  the 
private  property  of  white  men  or  of  Religious  So- 
cieties— the  Indians  not  having  been  instructed  as 
to  the  exigencies  involved  in  their  action  ? 

"/th.  Is  the  Indian  Department  satisfied  with 
the  work  and  conduct  of  the  Magistrate  appointed 
over  the  Indians  in  the  Northern  portion  of  British 
Columbia,  and  if  not  are  they  proposing  to  remove 
him  ?  I  have  the  honor  to  be  Sir,  your  humble 
and  obedient  servant,  "  W.  DUNCAN." 

' '  To  THE  DEPUTY  MINISTER  OF  INDIAN  AFFAIRS, 
Ottawa." 

The  Deputy  Minister  promised  to  mail  an  answer 
to  the  foregoing  letter  in  a  short  time. 

On  Mr.  Duncan's  arrival  at  Metlakahtla  the  Ind- 
ians pressed  him  for  information  on  the  questions 
which  they  had  laid  before  the  Government ;  and 
naturally  enough,  were  greatly  disappointed,  when 
told  he  had  no  definite  information  to  give  them. 
However,  he,  informed  them,  that  he  had  antici- 
pated their  inquiries,  and  placed  such  before  the 
Deputy  Minister  of  Indian  Affairs,  and  further,  that 


308  THE   STORY  OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

he  hoped  the  next  mail, — some  two  or  three  weeks 
hence, — would  bring  them  the  Deputy's  reply. 

The  next  mail  brought  no  letter  from  the  Gov- 
ernment or  the  Indian  Department  :  Hence  it  was 
that  Mr.  Duncan  addressed  a  further  communica- 
tion to  Sir  John  Macdonald, — a  copy  of  which  is  as 
follows. 

"  METLAKAHTLA,  May  29,  1886. 
"  The   Right   Hon.    SIR   JOHN  A.    MACDONALD, 
K.C.B.,  Supt -General  of  Indian  Affairs,  OT- 
TAWA. 

"  SIR  :  On  the  2Oth  ult.  at  Ottawa  I  had  the  hon- 
or to  submit  to  the  Deputy  Minister  of  Indian  Af- 
fairs certain  questions,  which  are  now  engrossing 
the  minds  of  the  Indians  in  this  Section  of  the 
Country. 

"  On  my  arrival  at  Metlakahtla  on  the  loth  inst. 
I  found  as  I  had  anticipated,  the  Indians  were  fully 
expecting  some  definite  information  from  me  on 
these  questions.  All  that  I  could  tell  them  was 
that  the  Deputy  Minister  had  promised  a  commu- 
nication on  the  subject,  and  that  I  had  reason  to 
hope  the  next  mail  (about  three  weeks  later)  would 
bring  them  the  desired  information.  In  the  mean 
time,  fresh  troubles  have  arisen  between  the  Tsim- 
shean-and  Nass  River  Indians,  in  reference  to  their 
land  claims,  making  us  look  even  more  eagerly  for 
the  promised  communication. 

"  Yesterday  the  mail  arrived  but  without  any  let- 


THE    LAND    QUESTION.  309 

ter  from  the  Deputy  Minister,  and  while  the  Ind- 
ians were  brooding  over  this  fresh  disappointment, 
they  ascertained  that  the  Steamer  had  brought  up 
a  gentleman  to  survey  Reserves.  This  led  to  their 
calling  a  meeting  at  which  I  gather,  they  com- 
plained bitterly  of  the  treatment  they  are  receiving 
at  the  hands  of  the  Government,  in  reference  to 
their  land  claims,  especially,  when  they  had  been 
led  to  expect  from  promises  made  them  through 
their  Delegates  last  summer,  that  Reserves  would 
be  reconsidered  and  readjusted  before  being  finally 
fixed. 

"I  learn  since  commencing  this  letter  that  the 
Fort  Simpson  Indians,  have  also  taken  alarm  at  the 
arrival  of  the  Surveyor  and  have  written  a  letter  to 
Metlakahtla  calling  the  Indians  to  meet  them  to 
consider  the  situation. 

"  I  do  sincerely  hope  the  Government  will  with- 
out delay  adopt  a  course  which  will  result  in  settling 
the  minds  of  the  Indians  on  the  land  question  be- 
fore some  fatal  blow  is  given  to  the  peace  of  the 
Country.  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

"  Your  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

"  W.  DUNCAN." 

Mr.  Duncan  was  non-plussed,  that  he  received  no 
replies  to  either  of  the  letters  addressed  to  Sir  John 
Macdonald,  or,  to  the  one,  he  sent  to  the  Deputy 
Minister.  Common  courtesy  alone,  would  have  de- 
manded a  respectful  answer  to  these  communica- 


310  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

tions,  involving  as  they  did,  the  welfare  of  several 
thousand  of  Her  Majesty's  loyal  subjects,  addressed 
in  a  regular  and  official  manner. 

What  answer  could  be  made,  when  these  people 
had  been  cruelly  betrayed — the  Minister  whose 
duty  it  was  to  protect  them  had  played  them  false  ; 
bartered  their  rights  and  independence  to  their  de- 
signing enemies. 

Instead  of  the  Reserve  Commission  being  sent  to 
the  Tsimsheans,  to  readjust  his  previous  incomplete 
work,  as  had  been  promised, — a  surveying  party 
was  sent  to  Metlakahtla,  in  the  autumn  of  1886,— 
authorized  and  paid  by  the  Dominion  Government, 
to  survey  what  it  pleased  the  Government  to  allow 
the  Indians  for  a  reserve, — although  there  had  been 
no  treaty,  or  agreement  made  with  the  Indians,  for 
the  lands  which  they  were  called  upon  to  sur- 
render. 

Naturally  enough  the  Indians  were  aroused  and 
indignant,  at  this  frpsh  violation  of  all  right  deal- 
ing ;  and  after  due  deliberation,  decided  to  forbid 
the  survey  being  made — with  a  view  to  bring  their 
land  matters  to  an  issue.  They  saw  the  time  had 
come  when  their  title  to  the  land  must  be  decided ; 
either  substantiated,  or  nullified  forever  in  a  court 
of  law.  As  the  news  spread,  the  Indians  gathered 
from  various  quarters,  to  join  in  the  protest  against 
the  survey. 

They  quietly  but  resolutely  prevented  the  sur- 
veyors from  going  on  with  their  work.  "  The  sur- 


NATIVE   WOVEN    MANTLE. 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  311 

veyor  plants  his  instrument ;  the  natives  take  it  up. 
The  surveyor  drives  a  stake  ;  the  natives  pull  it  up. 
The  surveyor  lays  a  chain  ;  the  natives  take  it 
away." 

The  Indians  however,  used  no  violence,  though 
frequently  provoked,  by  the  irritating  and  insolent 
conduct  of  the  surveying  party. 

The  Church  Missionary  Society,  with  its  usual 
high-minded  sense  of  truth,  and  justice,  referring  to 
this  incident  delivers  itself,  as  follows  : 

"  With  deep  regret  we  have  to  report  the  renewal 
of  lawless  proceedings  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Duncan's 
Indians  at  Metlakahtla,  under  his  direct  sanction 
(acknowledged  by  himself)  if  not  (as  is  believed)  at 
his  instigation" 

In  another  reference  to  the  Land  Question,  the 
Society  publishes  the  following  charge  : 

"  We  now  come  to  what  is  undoubtedly  the  heart 
of  the  matter.  The  object  of  Mr.  Duncan,  is  power  : 
the  desire  of  the  Indians  is  land.  The  land  ques- 
tion is  here,  as  it  has  been  elsewhere,  the  secret  of 
all  the  discontent,  and  Mr.  Duncan  has  skilfully 
fostered,  and  worked  upon  the  prejudices  of  the 
people.  He  has  represented  to  them  that  the  whole 
of  the  land  belongs  to  them,  and  not  to  the  Govern- 
ment ;  and  the  result  has  been  a  lawless  defiance  of 
authority." 

These  are  the  sort  of  falsehoods  the  blundering 
officers  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  have  been 
publishing  to  the  world,  to  cover  their  own  shame 


312  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

and  discomfiture.  Why  accuse  Mr.  Duncan  of  in- 
forming the  Indians  ?  Did  not  that  distinguished 
Governor-General  Earl  Dufferin,  tell  them  that  not 
an  acre  of  their  land,  should  be  taken  from  them 
until  surrendered  by  treaty,  or  paid  for,  at  a  stipu- 
lated price  ?  No  one  familiar  with  the  history  of 
Metlakahtla,  is  likely  to  believe,  the  assertion  that 
Mr.  Duncan  instigated  his  people,  to  violence,  or 
lawlessness. 

The  officers  of  the  Society,  have  arrayed  them- 
selves on  the  side  of  lawless  land-grabbers  to  de- 
fraud the  poor  Natives  of  their  land,  and  they  can- 
not veil  their  own  infamy,  by  slandering  a  man, 
whose  shoes,  they  have  shown  themselves  unworthy 
to  unlatchet. 

The  facts  of  the  case  are,  that,  in  order  to  prevent 
hostile  feeling  from  arising,  the  Indians  not  only 
reasoned  with  the  Chief  of  the  Surveyors,  but,  also 
showed  him  the  letter,  they  had  received  from  Sir 
John  Macdonald,  the  contents  of  which  implied 
that  their  grievances  about  land  matters,  would  be 
settled  before  the  survey  was  made. 

While  affairs  were  thus  pending  the  action  of  the 
Government,  the  Metlakahtlans  decided  .for  the  sake 
of  clearing  up  the  whole  of  the  land  question — to 
take  formal  possession  of  the  two  acres  of  their  vil- 
lage-site, which  the  Government  had  assumed  the 
right  to  alienate.  To  this  end  they  built  a  house 
on  the  two  acres  and  placed  men, — unarmed  men, — 
in  charge  of  it ;  which  action  the  Church  Missionary 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  313 

Society,  has  been  pleased  to  describe,  as  an  outrage 
on  the  Bishop. 

In  the  absence  of  the  Bishop  it  says  ;  "  About 
100  Indians,  led  by  Mr.  Duncan's  chief  lieutenants, 
broke  down  the  fence  surrounding  the  mission 
ground,  and  began  to  put  up  the  new  building. 

Mr.  N protested,  but  was  informed  they  did  it 

expressly  to  assert  their  right  to  the  land.  The 
building  was  soon  finished  and  was  then  occupied 
by  armed  men."  .  .  .  On  the  Bishop's  return, 
"  As  the  steamer's  anchor  was  let  go,  a  boat  ran 
alongside,  and  one  of  the  Bishop's  lads  leaped  on 
deck.  He  brought  a  scrap  of  paper"  .  .  . 
begging  the  Bishop  "  not  to  land,  as  there  would  be 
violence  to  prevent  him  coming  home.  He  in- 
stantly jumped  into  the  boat  and  pulled  to  shore. 
Crowds  of  Indians  awaited  him,  but  his  own  people 
men  and  women,  had  come  down  to  the  shore  armed, 
and  surrounded  him  as  he  stepped  ashore.  The 
other  Indians  were  cowed  and  fell  back.  On  reach- 
ing his  house,  he  found  that  during  his  absence  Mr. 
Duncan's  Indians,  had  erected  a  building  on  the 
Mission  ground  within  a  yard  of  his  windows." 

The  statements  that  the  building  was  occupied 
by  armed  men,  and  that  an  armed  and  threatening 
mob  of  Metlakahtlans  awaited  the  Bishop's  landing, 
are  utter  fabrications,  coined  in  the  brain  of  the  So- 
ciety's faithful  Agent. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Tomlinson,  who  was  present  at 
the  time,  thus  refutes  the  Society's  report: — "As 


314  THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

regards  that  portion  of  the  paragraph,  which  re- 
fers to  the  landing  of  Bishop  Ridley,  had  it  ap- 
peared in  an  ordinary  newspaper  it  might  well  be 
treated  as  a  huge  joke,  but  appearing  where  it  does, 
it  affords  a  most  melancholy  example  of  the  length 
to  which  the  agents  of  the  Society,  emboldened  by 
our  long  forbearance,  and  silence,  are  prepared  to 
go  in  their  endeavor  to  blind  Christians  at  home, 
and  to  bolster  up  the  indefensible  position,  of  the 
Society  at  Metlakahtla. 

"  That  the  building  was  occupied  by  armed  men 
— that  there  was  the  smallest  idea  of  preventing  the 
Bishop's  landing — or  the  least  show  of  resistance, 
or  any  ground  for  apprehension  on  the  part  of 
Bishop  Ridley  ...  or  that  crowds  of  Indians 
awaited  him,  or  that  they  were  cowed  by  and  fell 
back  from  his  armed  adherents,  is  all  simply  untrue. 
Can  anything  be  more  lamentably  shocking  than 
that,  in  giving  a  simple  account,  those  who  were 
eye-witnesses  and  supposed  to  be  above  equivoca- 
tion, much  more  falsehood,  should  fall  so  low  ? 

"  Two  questions  naturally  suggest  themselves  in 
connection  with  this  incident.  The  first  is,  whether 
the  Bishop,  by  sanctioning,  if  not  directly  approving, 
of  the  conduct  of  the  C.  M.  S.  adherents  at  Metla- 
kahtla, men  and  women  coming  armed  to  protect 
him,  and  this  be  it  remembered  against  those  who 
had  not  even  threatened  him,  much  less  displayed 
arms,  whether,  I  say  bearing  this  in  mind,  the  say- 
ing '  that  Missionary  work  which  once  was  carried 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  315 

on  by  a  Henry  Martyn  is  now  carried  on  by  a  Mar- 
tini-Henry,' has  not  passed  from  a  sceptic's  sneer 
to  an  actual  fact  ? 

"  The  second,  and  more  serious  question  is,  if  the 
notices  of  these  missions  which  have  appeared  in 
the  Society's  publications,  are  so  much  at  variance 
with  the  facts  they  are  supposed  to  relate,  what  cre- 
dence can  be  given  to  the  accounts  of  the  work  car- 
ried on  at  other  missions  of  the  Society?  Has  not 
the  time  come  when  the  Christian  public  should 
demand  an  opportunity  of  judging  of  these  facts, 
other  than  from  the  garbled  accounts  of  prejudiced 
secretaries  ?  " 

Some  may  question  the  wisdom  of  the  Metla- 
kahtlans'  action  in  making  a  test  case  of  the  two 
acres ;  *  but  be  it  remembered,  these  two  acres  had 
been  arbitrarily  alienated  from  them  by  the  Gov- 
ernment, without  compensation,  treaty,  or  surrender 
by  them  of  any  kind  whatsoever ;  and  these  two 
acres  were,  notwithstanding  their  protest,  assigned, 
to  their  enemies,  who  made  the  premises  a  centre 
for  disturbing  the  peace  of  their  village.  Further- 
more, they  were  now  officially  informed  that  despite 


*  In  allowing  the  Society's  buildings  to  be  erected  on  the  two 
acres — the  Indians  had  no  idea  of  surrendering  the  land,  nor,  did 
they  ever  consent  in  any  way,  shape,  or  manner,  to  give  the  Society 
a  title.  They  regarded  the  measures  of  the  Government  as  solely 
a  formal  matter  to  keep  off  white  trespassers.  The  Indians  them- 
selves, however,  had  no  voice  in  the  arrangement.  See  pages 
260-261. 


316  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

the  legal  opinions  they  had  obtained,  as  well  as  the 
assurances,  before  cited  of  Earl  Dufferin  ;  the  Pro- 
vincial Government  had  decided  that  they  had  no 
rights  whatever  to  the  soil,  and,  that  though  they 
had  inherited  it  from  their  forefathers,  they  were 
simply  objects  of  charity,  and  their  occupancy  of 
any  plots  of  land  set  apart  for  them,  was  solely  by 
the  generous  bounty  of  the  crown. 

Nor  was  this  all.  They  saw  that  even  reserve 
titles  granted  by  the  Government  were  worthless  : 
for,  the  reserve  rights  of  the  neighboring  tribes  were 
being  ruthlessly  violated  and  set  at  naught,  by  the 
administration.  The  time  was  ripe  to  settle  con- 
clusively for  all  time,  their  rights  as  loyal  subjects. 
There  was  a  vital  principle  at  stake,  which  involved 
their  very  homes,  the  sacred  roofs  that  sheltered 
them  and  their  families. 

This  subject  of  test  cases,  is  not  so  insignificant 
as  might  appear  at  a  glance.  Since  in  civic,  and 
politic  history  many  of  the  most  important  events 
have  pivoted  upon  like  tests.  John  Hampden  suf- 
fered imprisonment  rather  than  pay  a  few  paltry 
shillings  on  the  levy  of  Charles  the  First,  because, 
his  test  case  involved  the  rights  of  Englishmen  at 
large,  and  his  action  ultimately  brought  them  relief. 
The  people  of  England  then  occupied  very  much 
the  same  position  as  the  Natives  of  British  Colum- 
bia do  now  ;  inasmuch,  as  the  Exchequer  Chamber 
had  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  crown,  the  entire 
property  of  the  English  people  ;  and  the  King  had 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  3 1/ 

his  Star  Chamber,  and  High  Commission  Courts, 
which  filled  a  place  similar  to  that  occupied  by  cer- 
tain high-minded  justice-dealers,  of  British  Colum- 
bia, of  the  present  day. 

At  the  same  period,  the  King  gave  the  Puritans 
and  the  Scots  a  holy  cause  ;  just  as  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  sustained  by  the  Dominion 
and  Provincial  Governments,  has  given  a  holy 
cause  to  the  Metlakahtlans.  Even  Charles  the 
First's  cruel  system  of  terrorizing,  and  imprison- 
ing, those  patriots  who  dared  to  resist  the  un- 
lawful trespass  of  their  rights,  has  been  reproduced. 
And  to  make  the  parallel,  complete,  Canada  has 
the  prototype  of  Charles  the  First,  in  the  person  of 
Sir  John  Macdonald  the  Prime  Minister,  of  whom 
it  may  be  said,  as  of  Charles  the  First : — "  his 
promises  were  violated  without  scruple  or  shame !  " 

It  would  seem,  that  Sir  John,  not  only  bartered  the 
inherited  rights  of  the  Metlakahtlans  to  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  but,  also  hired  himself  out  to 
that  body  as  its  advocate.  In  his  report,  1887,  as 
Superintendent-General  of  Indian  Affairs,  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada,  he  ignores  and  says  not  a  word 
about  the  correspondence,  and  evidences  of  their 
grievances,  placed  before  him  by  the  Metlakahtlans  ; 
nor,  does  he  say  a  word,  about  his  own  official  prom- 
ises which  he  so  wantonly  violated,  but  he  proceeds 
to  cover  up  his  infamy,  by  reiterating  statements, 
which  originated  with  the  Society,  and  which  he 
knows  by  positive  evidences,to  be  absolutely  untrue. 


3l8  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

In  referring  to  the  Metlakahtlans'  protest  against 
the  survey,  he  says  their  action  was  "  it  is  feared, 
the  result  of  evil  counsel  given  them  by  those  who 
should,  from  the  position  occupied  by  them,  toward 
the  Indians,  have  been  their  advisers  for  good  in- 
stead of  for  evil.  This  is  all  the  more  to  be  re- 
gretted, in  view  of  the  fact  that  one  at  least  if  not 
more,  of  those  suspected  of  having  used  their  influ- 
ence with  the  Indians  to  instigate  tliein  to  the  com- 
mittal of  tJie  acts  of  lawlessness  above  described,  was 
for  many  years  largely  instrumental  in  promoting 
their  welfare,  and  indeed  in  reclaiming  them  from 
their  condition  as  savages.  But  of  late  years  owing 
to  chagrin  at  the  action  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  in  whose  service  the  work  had  been  from 
the  outset  carried  on,  in  refusing  its  sanction  to  cer- 
tain changes  inaugurated  or  proposed  to  be  intro- 
duced in  the  ritual  of  the  Church  of  England  at 
Metlakahtla,  which  resulted  in  the  appointment  of 
Bishop  Ridley  .  .  .  bitter  antagonism  has  been 
displayed ;  the  former  lay  incumbent  of  the  mis- 
sion, being  the  leader  of  a  very  large  contingent  of 
the  Indian  population,  whose  feeling  toward  Bishop 
Ridley  and  his  adherents,  has  led  them  to  the  com- 
mission of  acts,  which  cannot  even  be  justified  on 
the  ground  of  law,  much  less  on  that  of  Christian 
amity." 

Sir  John,  knows  the  history  of  this  contest  too 
well,  to  make  such  a  statement  through  ignorance. 
He  knows  that  Mr.  Duncan,  has  not  instigated  the 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  319 

Indians  to  revolt,  or  to  lawlessness ;  and  that  the 
Society  and  the  Government  officials  alone,  have 
broken  the  peace,  and  committed  acts  of  violence. 

A  more  deliberate  misstatement,  can  hardly  be 
conceived  than  Sir  John's,  declaration,  that  the  rupt- 
ure between  the  Society  and  the  Metlakahtlans, 
was  brought  about  by  the  Society's  "  refusing  its 
sanction  to  certain  changes  inaugurated  or  proposed 
to  be  introduced  in  the  ritual  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land at  Metlakahtla "  by  Mr.  Duncan.  I  have 
placed  before  my  readers  in  Chapters  VI.  and  VII. 
abundant  evidence,  that  the  change  has  been  solely 
on  the  part  of  the  Society. 

It  seems  almost  incredible  that  this  great  Min- 
ister of  State,  should  find  it  necessary  to  resort,  to 
such  petty  intrigues  against  a  struggling  commu- 
nity ;  in  order  to  gain  his  personal  ends,  and  main- 
tain his  political  position. 

Mr.  Duncan  who  would  not  be  a  tool  in  the  hands 
of  this  man,  to  rob  the  Indians,  is  now  pitilessly  put 
upon  and  slandered  by  him. 

Nearly  two  months  elapsed  after  the  arrival  of 
the  surveying  party,  and  no  steps  having  been 
taken  by  the  Government  to  bring  matters  to  an 
issue,  Mr.  Duncan  left  for  Victoria.  On  his  arrival 
there,  he  at  once  proceeded,  by  invitation,  with 
other  friends  of  the  Indians,  to  a  meeting  in  the 
Provincial  Secretary's  Office.  The  whole  question 
in  reference  to  the  Indians'  rights,  and  the  atti- 
tude they  had  taken  to  obstruct  the  Survey  of 


320  THE   STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

their  reserve,  was  fully  discussed.  It  was  evident, 
throughout  the  discussion,  that  the  Provincial  Sec- 
retary was  in  favor  of  adopting  peaceful  measures  ; 
but  his  colleagues  were  for  coercion.  The  Govern- 
ment had  in  fact,  before  Mr.  Duncan's  arrival  at 
Victoria,  committed  itself  to  a  menacing  policy,  and, 
therefore,  for  its  dignity  sake,  it  was  hard  to  re- 
nounce such,  though  shown  to  be  utterly  unjust, 
and  uncalled  for.  A  man-of-war  was  therefore 
despatched. 

The  following  vigorous  editorial  from  the  Indus- 
trial News,  Victoria,  B.  C.,  October  30,  1886,  shows 
that  the  harsh,  coercive,  measures  of  the  Govern- 
ment, do  not  find  universal  approbation  amongst 
the  white  population  of  British  Columbia : 

THE   METLAKAHTLA   TROUBLE. 

"  The  '  Cormorant^  has  been  despatched  to  Metla- 
kahtla  to  enforce  the  survey.  The  day  the  '  Tri- 
umph '  was  leaving,  word  was  sent  to  the  Admiral 
that  the  premier,  the  Hon.  Mr.  Smithe,  wished  to 
see  him  very  particularly  before  the  vessel  left. 
The  ship  was  actually  detained  some  little  time. 
The  premier  drove  down  with  Captain  Troupe,  and 
thus  obtained  the  order  for  the  despatch  of  the  blue- 
jackets to  coerce  the  Indians.  This  matter  requires 
looking  into  more  closely  than  people  might  at  first 
imagine.  The  whole  of  this  trouble  might  probably 
be  traced  to  the  Fort  Simpson  land  grab.  Of  course 
anything  relating,  even  so  remotely,  to  that  grab, 


THE    LAND    QUESTION.  321 

sits  very  closely  to  the  premier's  heart.  To  secure 
it  to  his  friends,  he  did  not  hesitate,  in  the  first  in- 
stance^ to  infringe  Jiis  oatJi  of  office  and,  by  so  do- 
ing, bring  disgrace  upon  tJic  high  position  he  occu- 
pies. The  cabinet  secret  which  he  held,  and  which 
was  guarded,  not  only  by  his  honor  as  a  man,  but 
by  his  oath  as  a  minister,  he  divulged,  to  enable  his 
friends  to  make  this  grab.  It  has  been  called  a 
steal ;  it  is  not  a  steal — it  is  only  a  grab,  secured  by 
dishonorable  and  dishonest  means.  But  while  de- 
frauding the  province,  it  seems  they  moreover  have 
alarmed  the  Indians.  And  this  last  is  the  difficulty 
in  the  way  now. 

"  These  Metlakahtla  Indians,  thanks  to  the  de- 
votion, perseverance,  and  wonderful  management  of 
Mr.  Duncan  for  thirty  years  or  more,  are  civilized ; 
they  no  longer  are  nomads.  These  men  build  houses 
and  live  in  them,  know  trades  and  work  at  them, 
till  the  soil  and  live  from  it,  and  having  been  taught 
the  value  of  a  home,  they  declined  to  be  turned  out  of 
tJicirs.  They  are  unwilling  to  allow  the  surveyors 
to  enter  upon  their  reservation.  Is  there  anything 
strange  in  that  ?  There  never  has  been  any  treaty 
between  these  Metlakahtla  Indians  and  the  Govern- 
ment. The  Indians  are  on  their  own  land.  It  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  they  do  not  know  what  a 
survey  is  the  usual  prelude  to.  Surveyors  were 
very  busy  over  the  Indian  reservation  opposite  the 
city  just  before  it  was  handed  over,  at  a  nominal 
figure,  to  Mr.  Dunsmuir. 


322  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  Surveyors  have  been  busy  about  Fort  Simpson, 
and  their  presence  was  simultaneous  with  the  secur- 
ing of  that  grab  by  the  omnipresent  Mr.  Dunsmuir 
and  others.  The  Indians,  no  doubt,  are  aware  of 
all  these  facts,  and  they  not  unnaturally  dread  the 
presence  in  their  midst  of  these  civil  engineers  and 
their  instruments.  Moreover,  they  have  appealed 
to  the  Dominion  authorities,  and  asked  for  a  proper 
and  legal  inquiry  into  their  case.  They  do  not  pre- 
tend to  place  themselves  in  antagonism  to  constituted 
authority,  they  only  deny  the  claim  made  to  their 
land,  and  ask  the  hearing  every  proprietor  is  entitled 
to  before  being  dispossessed.  There  is  nothing  un- 
lawful in  that  so  far,  and  furthermore  their  applica- 
tion has  been  granted,  and  the  investigation  they 
demand,  promised  them.  This  is  the  first  and  most 
important  cause  of  trouble.  Round  it,  of  course, 
circulate  others.  A  ritualistic  bishop,  whom  nature 
intended  for  the  more  congenial  occupation,  of  super- 
intending the  decking  of  mimic  altars  by  baby-girls, 
has  managed  to  mix  himself  up  in  the  matter. 

"  Mr.  Duncan  was  Christianizing  these  people, 
and,  what  is  more  important  to  the  State,  civilizing 
them.  As  soon  as  they  got  to  know  enough  to 
take  in  the  fact  that  it  was  their  duty  to  support 
their  clergyman,  of  course  a  bishop  of  the  Church 
of  England  came  to  the  front  to  take  the  living. 
And  for  the  punishment  of  the  unknown  sins  of 
these  unfortunate  Indians,  the  choice  is  said  to 
have  fallen  on  a  ritualist. 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  323 

"  All  bishops,  we  know,  are  high,  no  matter  how 
broad,  or  how  low  they  may  have  been  as  clergy- 
men. Ritualism  means  sacerdotal  power  extended. 
Now  these  ill-used  aborigines,  who,  no  doubt,  have 
found  it  difficult  enough  to  master  the  first  princi- 
ples of  the  Christian  creed,  will  have  an  opportunity 
to  exercise  their  half-awakened  intellects  over  the 
subtle  distinctions,  that  separate  the  Ritualist  from 
the  Romanist.  They  will  be  told  of  the  horrors  of 
the  papistical  confessional,  but  advised  when  in 
trouble,  and  the  spirit  moves  them,  to  seek  relief  by 
pouring  the  full  tale  of  their  sins,  into  the  ear  of 
their  fatherly  spiritual  master.  The  absurdity  of 
the  Romish  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  will  be 
impressed  upon  them,  and  at  the  same  time,  they 
will  be  advised  to  go  fasting  to  the  Holy  Com- 
munion ;  they  will  be  told  that  it  is  not  the  real 
presence,  but  they  must  think  it  is,  and  treat  the 
bread  with  the  same  reverence,  approach  it  with  the 
same  fear,  bow  to  it  with  the  same  fervor  as  if  it 
were.  These  pretty  little  distinctions  without  dif- 
ferences, these  posturings  and  twistings,  genuflex- 
ions and  eastward  inclinations,  that  they  have  been 
taught  to  look  at  with  distrust,  will  no  doubt  be 
grafted  upon  them  if  his  lordship  has  his  way,  so 
that  in  a  short  time  we  shall  have  a  population, 
neither  Catholic  or  Protestant,  simply  heathens  de- 
prived of  their  idols. 

"It  is  said  that  Sir  Matthew  Begbie's  name  is 
used  as  the  authority  for  instructions  to  the  com- 


324  THE   STORY   OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

mander  of  the  gun-boat,  in  the  event  of  the  Indians 
resisting  the  survey,  to  seize  Mr.  Duncan  and  bring 
him  down  here  and  try  him  for  conspiracy.  It  is 
somewhat  difficult  to  decide  what  the  Chief  Justice 
might  not  say  or  do.  Before  the  exposure  which  has 
accompanied  the  Sproule  case  we  certainly  would  not 
have  believed  him  capable  of  making  such  a  speech. 
Now,  we  should  not  be  astonished  to  hear  that  he 
had  added :  ( and  bring  him  before  me,  I'll  try  him.' 
"  These  Indians  having  appealed  to  the  Domin- 
ion authorities  for  an  investigation.  Why  is  this 
survey  being  forced  now  ?  It  is  because  the  Premier 
feels  tJiat  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  drive  these 
men  to  resistance,  and  by  starting  a  small  Indian 
war  draw  attention  from  his  own  dishonorable  do- 
ings. Must  Mr.  Duncan  be  cast  into  gaol  and  sub- 
jected to  the  tender  mercies  of  such  a  man  as  Sir 
Matthew  Begbie,  in  order  that  Bishop  Ridley  may 
enjoy  a  living,  sport  a  beretta,  and  teach  the  Indian 
maidens  to  decorate  his  altar  and  attend  his  con- 
fessional ?  If  the  government  for  a  moment  imagine 
that  the  people  of  British  Columbia  are  going  to 
tolerate  anything  of  the  kind,  they  are  egregiously 
mistaken.  If  tliere  has  been  any  conspiracy,  it  has 
been  on  the  part  of  those  who  have  combined  to  rob 
the  Indians  and  rob  the  Province,  and  the  head  and 
front  of  that  conspiracy  is  the  Hon.  William  Smithe, 
the  Chief  Commissioner  of  Lands  and  Works,  who 
violated  his  oath  of  office  in  order  to  enable  his  asso- 
ciates to  make  the  grab." 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  325 

The  man-of-war  arrived  at  Metlakahtla.  The 
Indians  were  treated  as  criminals  and  eight  of  the 
supposed  leaders  arrested,  taken  to  Victoria  600 
miles  from  their  homes,  and  thrown  into  prison. 
As  to  the  house  the  Indians  had  built  on  the  two 
acres — the  Chief  Justice  granted  an  injunction  to 
pull  it  down,  and  took  occasion  at  the  same  time 
to  declare,  "  the  Indians  have  no  rights  in  the  land  " 
and  to  treat  the  words  of  Lord  Dufferin  with  scorn 
and  contempt. 

In  the  face  of  these  trying  circumstances  the  Ind- 
ians controlled  themselves  both  nobly,  and  bravely ; 
submitting  quietly  to  the  mandates  of  the  authori- 
ties. 

Cowardly  prostitution  of  official  trust,  is  openly 
charged  by  the  British  Columbians,  against  the  au- 
thorities ;  their  acts  speak  for  themselves.  Nothing 
is  sacred  that  comes  within  the  snap  of  the  maw  of 
these  voracious  Land  vultures  ! 

Might — asserting  its  supremacy  over  right,  sends 
flagrant  injustice  unabashed  to  drive  the  Indians 
from  their  homes. 

How  long  will  generic  differences,  be  held  up  as 
an  argument  to  preclude  the  Indian,  from  the  ca- 
pacity of  experiencing,  that  love  of  home,  and 
country,  which  is  preached  up  as  one  of  the  cardinal 
virtues  of  the  human  family  ? 

From  the  time  of  Captain  Cook's  voyages,  nearly 
every  explorer,  records  the  strong  attachment  of  the 
North  Pacific  Natives,  to  their  land.  They  have 


326  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

an  emphatic  and  distinct  idea,  of  personal,  and 
tribal  rights  of  property.  Admiral  Mayne  R.N. 
reports  : — 

"  On  our  way  we  stopped  at  the  northern  settle- 
ment on  Admiral  Island,  as  it  had  been  reported 
that  some  Indians  had  been  troublesome  there. 
We  found,  however,  that  the  Indians  had  been 
doing  nothing  more  than  to  tell  the  settlers  occa- 
sionally, as  Indians  do  everywhere,  that  they  (the 
whites)  had  no  business  there  except  as  their  guests, 
and,  that  all  the  land  belonged  to  them. 

"  It  appeared  to  be  most  desirable  here,  as  at 
other  places,  that  the  Indians  should  be  duly  paid 
for  their  land." 

The  official  policy  of  defrauding  the  Indians,  and 
dividing  the  spoils,  is  not  a  new  one  in  British  Co- 
lumbia, though  it  has  in  the  past,  been  conducted 
with  such  artfulness,  as  not  to  attract  much  public 
attention. 

The  belief  that  the  attitude  of  the  Canadian 
Government, — toward  its  Indian  subjects  has  been 
universally  humane,  and  just,  is  a  popular,  but  an 
egregious  error.  Bancroft  writing  of  the  British 
Columbian  Indians  says  : — 

"  The  cruel  treacheries,  and  massacres  by  which 
nations  have  been  thinned,  and  flickering  remnants 
of  once  powerful  tribes  gathered  on  Government 
reservations,  or,  reduced  to  a  handful  of  beggars, 
dependent  for  a  livelihood  on  charity,  theft,  or  the 
wages  of  prostitution,  form  an  unwritten  Chapter  in 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  327 

the  history  of  this  region.  That  this  process  of 
duplicity  was  unnecessary  as  well  as  infamous,  I 
shall  not  attempt  to  show,  as  the  discussion  of  Ind- 
ian policy  forms  no  part  of  my  present  purpose. 
Whatever  the  cause,  whether  from  an  inhumane 
civilized  policy  or  the  decrees  of  fate,  it  is  evident 
that  the  Columbians,  in  common  with  all  the  abo- 
rigines of  America,  are  doomed  to  extermination." 

In  illustration  of  the  high-minded  sense  of  justice 
of  the  men  who  are  now  scheming  to  rob  the  na- 
tives of  their  land,  I  will  cite  an  incident  from  the 
career  as  magistrate  of  Dr.  Helmcken,*  one  of  the 
present  land-grab  leaders.  While  Dr.  Helmcken 
was  in  the  dual  employment,  of  the  Government 
and  Hudson's  Bay  Co.  three  sailors  deserted.  Indi- 
ans were  hired  to  pursue  them,  with  orders  to  bring 
them  back  dead  or  alive — the  Indians  shot  them 
down  in  the  forest,  and  returning  produced  evi- 
dences that  they  had  killed  them  all,  and  were  duly 
paid  the  promised  reward. 

"  Now  mark  the  course  of  justice  pursued  by  the 
officers  of  the  imperial  government.  Instead  of 
proceeding  against  the  instigators  o(  the  murder, 
and  arresting  the  officers  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany, as  they  should  have  done,  they  direct  the 
full  force  of  their  vengeance  against  the  natives. 
Helmcken,  the  newly  fledged  magistrate,  cognizant 

*  Bancroft's  History  British  Columbia,  see  Appendix  of  this  vol- 
ume for  full  account. 


328  THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

of  the  whole  affair,  and  zvell  knowing  who  were  the 
guilty  persons,  and  what  hand  he  Jiimself  had  in  it, 
goes  to  the  Newittee  camp,  twelve  miles  distant, 
and  loudly  demands  the  surrender  of  the  murderers. 
The  savages  acknowledge  the  murder,  but  plead 
that  they  were  only  executing  orders.  Truer  to 
themselves  and  to  the  right  than  were  the  white 
men,  they  refuse  to  give  up  the  perpetrators  of  the 
deed,  but  offered  to  give  up  the  property  paid  them 
by  the  white  men  for  the  commission  of  the  crime. 
This  did  not  satisfy  the  European  justice-dealers. 
Servants  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  Some 
one  must  be  punished  ;  and  as  they  did  not  wish 
to  hang  themselves,  they  must  find  victims  among 
their  instruments.  As  the  magistrate  was  unable 
to  accomplish  their  purpose,  Wellesley  sent  a  force 
under  Lieutenant  Burton,  in  three  boats  of  the 
1  Dadalus '  against  the  Newittees.  Finding  their 
camp  deserted,  Burton  destroyed  the  village,  and 
made  a  bonfire  of  all  the  property  he  could  find. 
The  following  summer,  H.  M.  S.  '  Daphne,"  Cap- 
tain Fanshawe  arrived.  Meanwhile  the  Newittees 
had  rebuilt  their  village,  supposing  the  white  men 
satisfied  with  the  injury  already  inflicted.  One  day 
while  holding  a  potlach,  and  being  at  peace,  as  they 
believed,  with  the  white  men,  the  *  Daphne's*  boats, 
under  Lieutenant  Lacy,  crept  into  their  harbor,  and 
announced  their  arrival  by  a  discharge  of  musketry. 
Men,  women,  and  children  were  mercilessly  cut 
down,  persons  innocent  of  any  thought  of  wrong 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  329 

against  their  murderers,  and  their  village  again  de- 
stroyed. Then  the  '  Daphne'  sailed  away.  Justice 
was  satisfied ;  and  Blenkinsop  and  the  rest  of  them 
went  about  their  work  as  usual." 

Who  now  will  question,  the  propriety  of  Dr. 
Helmcken's,  sitting  in  judgment  upon  the  rights 
of  the  Natives  ? 

The  Indian's  bitter  cry  for  mercy,  has  found  no 
lodgment  in  the  hearts,  of  the  avaricious  admin- 
istrators, who  have  not  only  ignored  the  natives  an- 
cient land  rights,  but,  have  also  ignored  official 
pledges  to  these  poor  oppressed,  and  long-suffering, 
but,  loyal  subjects  of  Queen  Victoria. 

Again  and  again,  has  the  bitter  cry  been  wailed, 
but  ever  with  the  same  heartless  response  : 

I  quote  the  following  extract  from  an  address 
delivered  some  time  since  by  the  chief  of  the  Nana- 
imo  Indians,  to  the  Governor : 

"  You,  OUR  GREAT  CHIEF  :  We,  the  Nanaimo 
Indians,  have  long  wanted  to  see  you  and  speak  our 
hearts  to  you,  and  we  want  Mr.  Crosby  to  translate 
our  words. 

"  We  want  to  keep  our  land  Jiere  and  up  the  river. 
Some  white  men  tell  us  we  shall  soon  have  to  re- 
move again  ;  but  we  don't  want  to  lose  these  re- 
serves. All  our  other  land  is  gone,  and  we  have 
been  paid  very  little  for  it.  God  gave  it  to  us  a  long 
time  ago,  and  now  we  are  very  poor,  and  do  not  know 
where  our  homes  will  be  if  we  leave  this.  We  want 
our  land  up  the  river  to  plant  for  food.  Mr.  Doug- 


330  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

lass  said  it  should  be  ours  and  our  children  s  after 
we  are  gone.  We  hope  you,  our  new  chief,  will 
say  the  same.  We  have  300  people  in  our  tribe, 
though  a  number  are  away  fishing  now.  Many 
are  old  and  not  able  to  work,  and  some  of  our 
children,  who  have  neither  father  and  mother,  have 
no  clothes.  We  hope  you  will  be  kind  to  them. 
Our  hearts  are  good  to  all  white  people,  and  to 
you,  our  great  chief.  We  hope  you  will  send  our 
words  to  the  great  Queen.  We  pray  that  the 
Great  Spirit  may  bless  her  and  you.  This  is  all  our 
hearts  to-day." 

Similar  prayers  are  being  offered  to-day  by  out- 
raged natives  on  every  hand ;  sacred  pledges  to 
them  have  been  violated,  their  lands,  illegally  seized, 
and  sold,  in  spite  of  their  protests.  They  have 
found  the  Indian  agents  to  be  in  league  with  the 
trespassers,  and  partners  in  the  profits.  From  the 
Government,  if  answers  come  at  all,  they  are  couched 
in  artful  phrases,  or  words  without  meaning.  They 
are  granted, — from  their  own  inherited  land — such 
meagre  reserves  as  suits  their  iron-handed  masters, 
with  intimations  "  that  beggars  should  not  be 
choosers,"  and  that  gun-boats,  or  artillery  will  an- 
swer remonstrances  ;  thus,  making  bitter  oppression 
more  bitter. 

As  if  to  afford  these  despairing  Indians  further 
evidence — if  such  is  needed — of  the  insecurity  of 
tenure  they  hold  over  reserves  set  apart  for  them 
in  British  Columbia — it  has  lately  come  to  their 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  331 

knowledge ;  that  Sir  John  Macdonald  on  his  visit  to 
Victoria  in  the  summer  of  1886,  took  upon  himself 
to  sell  the  Indian  reserve  in  the  vicinity  of  Vic- 
toria, for  $60,000,  or  about  one  quarter  of  its  value, 
to  a  wealthy  citizen  of  the  Province.  In  this  trans- 
action the  Premier,  did  not  even  consult  the  Ind- 
ians who  owned  the  reserve. 

If  then  the  Superintendent-General  of  Indian 
Affairs,  can  when  it  pleases  him,  dispose  of  an 
Indian  reserve,  which  was  settled  by  solemn  agree- 
ment, and  legally  defined  by  documents  many 
years  ago, — signed  and  sealed — as  was  the  reserve 
just  sold — how  much  easier  will  reserves  set  apart 
arbitrarily  by  the  government,  without  any  legal 
document  intervening,  be  at  the  mercy  of  his  will  ? 

Dr.  Powell,  the  present  Dominion  Superinten- 
dent of  Indian  Affairs  for  British  Columbia,  wrote 
the  following  letter  to  Mr.  Duncan,  shortly  before 
the  rupture : 

"BRITISH  COLUMBIA  INDIAN  OFFICE, 

VICTORIA,  August,  1879. 

"  SIR  :  Referring  to  my  recent  visit  to  the  vil- 
lage of  Metlakahtla,  may  I  beg  to  convey  to  you 
my  acknowledgments  for  the  kindness,  courtesy, 
and  co-operation  with  official  duties  you  were  good 
enough  to  extend  to  me  while  at  the  mission.  I 
cannot  conclude  without  heartily  congratulating  you 
on  the  wonderful  effects  of  your  arduous  mission 
labors  among  the  Tsimsheans  for  the  last  twenty 
years.  I  consider  that  you  have  performed  a  great 


332  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

and  noble  work  in  reclaiming  from  ignorance  and 
barbarism  a  most  useful,  contented,  and  law-abiding 
community,  the  effect  of  which  is  not  confined  to 
your  own  locality,  but  is  felt  and  highly  appreciated 
by  all  the  Northern  tribes. 

"  At  Queen  Charlotte's  Island,  ...  I  found 
your  name  highly  respected,  and  an  ardent  desire 
generally  prevalent  among  the  Hydahs  to  partici- 
pate in  the  great  reforms  you  have  been  chiefly 
instrumental  in  creating  among  the  Tsimshean 
Indians. 

"  Personally,  I  wish  you  every  success,  and  I 
shall  not  fail  to  acquaint  the  Honorable  Superin- 
tendent-General, with  the  loyal  feeling,  and  great 
progress  in  civilization,  I  saw  so  fully  exhibited 
among  the  Indians  during  my  brief  and  pleasant 
sojourn  at  Metlakahtla.  I  have  the  honor  to  be, 
sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  J.  W.  POWELL, 

"Indian  Superintendent." 

Since  then  Dr.  Powell  has  soiled  his  hands  by 
collusion  with  the  land  grabbers,  even  participating 
in  the  spoils.  It  is  obvious  that  he  now  feels  it 
incumbent  upon  himself,  to  justify  the  recent  out- 
rages, by  making  the  following  statements  in  his 
report  to  the  Dominion  Government ;  statements, 
which  he  knows  beyond  a  question  to  be  absolutely 
false. 

He  says  : — "The  most  violent  efforts  have  been 
made  by  Mr.  Duncan's  adherents  to  seize  the  prop- 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  333 

erty  and  drive  the  Bishop  thence.  Threatening 
notices,  riotous  assaults,  and  every  kind  of  intimi- 
dation, have  for  the  long  period  which"  has  since 
elapsed,  been  tried  in  vain,  and  the  place  has  only 
been  held,  it  would  appear  vi  ct  armz's." 

The  Metlakahtlans  "  have  taken  possession  of 
the  jail,  or  provincial  lock-up,  holding  the  keys 
and  they  do  not  hesitate  to  impose  fines,  or  im- 
prisonment, upon  any  whom  their  boycotting  sys- 
tem cannot  reach." 

To  this  he  adds  several  other  misstatements, 
which  originated  with  the  Society's  Agents,  and 
have  appeared  in  the  Society's  publications.  Had 
Dr.  Powell  desired  to  tell  the  truth,  he  had  every 
facility  for  testing  the  Society's  charges  ;  the  slight- 
est investigation  of  which,  would  have  proved  them 
to  be  without  foundation. 

The  authorities,  are  evidently  startled  by  the  in- 
dignant outcry  of  the  Indians,  which  is  reaching 
them  from  nearly  every  quarter  of  British  Columbia, 
in  regard  to  the  land  robberies  ;  and  seeing,  that  an 
Indian  war,  or,  a  popular  outburst,  now  threatens, 
Dr.  Powell  endeavors  to  shield  the  Dominion  of- 
ficials, first  by  manufacturing  a  case  against  the 
Metlakahtlans,  and  then  throwing  the  entire  blame 
of  the  threatened  uprising  of  the  Indians,  upon  the 
Provincial  officials,  who  have  shared  in  plunder- 
ing them. 

Dr.  Powell  in  a  recent  report,  thus  speaks  of  the 
Punic  faith  of  the  Provincial  Government  :  "  Even 


334  THE   STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

the  promises  of  the  joint  Reserve  Commission,  have 
not  so  far  been  carried  out,  or,  acknowledged,  and 
in  some  instances,  indeed,  reserves  of  land  solemnly 
assigned  to  them  have  been  alienated  and  sold. 

"  //  is  therefore  wonderful,  to  report  to  you,  a  peace- 
ful condition  among  any  of  the  tribes  thus  treated, 
and  certainly  one's  congratulations  cannot  be  at- 
tended under  such  circumstances,  with  any  consci- 
ousness of  the  ordinary  fairness  or  justice. 

"  Great  inconvenience  in  dealing  with  Indians 
arises  from  the  conflicting  nature  of  the  relations 
of  the  Dominion  and  Provincial  Authorities  toward 
them." 

Sir  John  Macdonald's  virtuous  indignation,  is 
evidently  aroused,  by  the  course  pursued  by  the 
Provincial  Government  of  British  Columbia.  In 
his  recently  published  report,  he  says  : — 

"  A  serious  complication  has  been  occasioned 
owing  to  the  sale  by  the  Provincial  Government  of 
the  reserve  of  the  Sha-ma-us,  land  after  it  had  been 
allotted  to  those  Indians  "...  and  "  The  sale 
by  the  Provincial  Government  of  the  meadow  lands 
on  this  [the  En-ke-mip]  reservation,  has  also  occa- 
sioned great  dissatisfaction  among  these  Indians." 

The  British  Columbian  authorities,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  justify  their  action,  by  accusing  Sir  John 
Macdonald  of  like  guilt,  in  arbitrarily  selling  the  re- 
serve above  alluded  to,  though  the  Indians  held  it 
by  a  sacred  title,  officially  accorded  by  the  state. 
Thus,  the  Dominion  and  Provincial  officials,  in 


THE  LAND  QUESTION.  335 

their  recriminations  charge  each  other  with  bad 
faith. 

It  is  to  be  hoped,  that,  "  if  the  rogues  fall  out 
honest  men  may  yet  get  their  dues  ! " 

What  a  complete  contradiction  do  we  find  in  this 
situation,  and  policy,  to  the  policy  upheld  by  that 
wise,  and  noble  statesman,  Earl  Dufferin,  a  man 
whose  soul  of  honor,  renders  him  invulnerable  to 
corruption  or  duplicity.  Read  his  words  : — 

"  The  purchase  of  the  Indian  title  upon  liberal 
terms  is  recognized  as  a  necessary  preliminary  to  the 
occupation  of  a  single  square  yard  of  native  terri- 
tory. 

"  Let  me  assure  you  that  so  long  as  I  administer 
the  government  of  this  country,  every  Indian  sub- 
ject, no  matter  what  his  tribe,  what  his  nation,  or 
what  his  religion,  will  find  in  me  a  faithful  friend 
and  sure  protector." 

"  Even  the  Indian  in  his  forest,  or  on  his  reserve, 
would  marshal  forth  his  picturesque  symbols  of 
fidelity,  in  grateful  recognition  of  a  Government,  that 
never  broke  a  treaty,  or  falsified  its  plighted  word, 
to  tJie  red  man  (great  applause)  or  failed  to  evince 
for  the  ancient  children  of  the  soil,  a  wise,  and  con- 
scientious solicitude."  .  .  . 

THE   PLEDGE   OF   BRITAIN'S   WORD. 

"  The  people  of  Canada  and  the  people  of  Brit- 
ain, will  not  cease  to  recognize  the  obligations 
which  have  been  imposed  upon  them  by  the  hand 


336  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

of  Providence,  toward  the  Indian  fellow-subjects, 
and  NEVER  SHALL  THE  WORD,  OF  BRITAIN  ONCE 
PLEDGED,  BE  BROKEN,  but,  from  one  end  of  the 
Dominion  to  the  other  every  Indian  subject,  shall 
be  made  to  feel  that  he  enjoys  the  rights  of  a 
freeman,  and  that  he  can  with  confidence  appeal 
to  the  British  Crown  for  protection." 

In  the  hands  of  Earl  Dufferin  the  pledged  word 
of  Britain,  was  sacred  and  inviolable,  it  is  left  to 
the  Government  of  Sir  John  Macdonald,  and  the 
contemporary  Government  of  British  Columbia,  to 
dishonor  that  pledge,  and  inconsequently  betray 
the  trust  imposed  in  them  by  the  people,  to  guard 
the  welfare  of  even  the  weakest,  and  lowliest  of  the 
Queen's  subjects.  These  Britons,  make  of  these 
British  pledges,  "  ropes  of  sand,"  to  the  dishonor  of 
their  country  and  their  Queen. 

I  would  not  have  my  readers  infer  that  I  charge 
the  people  of  Great  Britain,  or  the  people  of  Canada, 
with  this  grievous  outrage  upon  the  sacred  rights  of 
their  loyal  fellow-subjects,  perpetrated  by  corrupt 
Dominion  and  Provincial  officials,  who,  have  dared  to 
prostitute  the  powers  vested  in  them,  by  the  crovn, 
and  the  people,  to  serve  their  own  personal  ends. 

I  believe  that  the  hearts  of  the  English,  Scotch, 
Irish,  Welsh  and  Canadian  people,  when  they  read 
this  sad  story  of  wrong,  will  bleed  in  sympathy 
with  the  poor  down-trodden  Metlakahtlans,  and 
would  rescue  them  from  their  unhappy  plight,  were 
they  not  themselves,  commensurately  tied  hand  and 


CARVED  TOTEM  POLE. 


THE   LAND    QUESTION.  337 

foot,  by  an  official  system,  that  renders  them  as 
individuals,  helpless  zeros. 

Were  the  people  of  Great  Britain,  free  to  voice 
and  act  their  sentiments  to-day;  without  fear,  or 
favor,  we  should  hear  no  more  of  Irish  and  Scotch 
crofters'  grievances,  but,  rather,  right — justice — 
truth,  would  prevail  throughout  all  Greater  Britain. 

I  have  lived  too  much  in  England,  and  admire  too 
much,  the  true  type  of  Briton,  and  his  proverbial 
love  of  fair-play,  to  believe  that,  that  race,  as  a  race, 
at  heart  would  defend  oppression ; — they  are  emi- 
nently a  just  though  long-suffering  people,  who  in 
their  conservatism,  will  endure  wrong  to  the  last 
degree,  before  they  risk  an  outburst  for  redress. 

In  Mr.  Duncan,  we  have  a  true  sterling  type  of 
Englishman — with  that  full  measure  of  British 
pluck — heroism — persistence — endurance,  that  has 
characterized  his  greatest  countrymen,  and  has 
given  England  her  present  proud  position,  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Ignoring  all  precedents  in  British  and  American 
law,  and  custom,  the  Indians  of  British  Columbia, 
without  conquest,  treaty,  or  compensation,  are  de- 
clared to  have  no  rights  in  the  land,  which  has  been 
occupied  for  centuries,  by  them,  or  their  ancestors, 
this,  their  land  is  now  claimed  to  be  the  property 
of  the  Queen,  while  these,"  ancient  children  of  the 
soil"  are  beggared,  and  allowed,  but  the  meanest 
scraps  of  earth  out  of  the  chanty,  and  bounty,  of 
the  crown ! 


THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

The  United  States  of  America,  have  great  reason 
to  feel  humiliated  by  the  history  of  their  treatment 
of  the  Aborigines,  but  the  one  great  principle,  which 
is  also  recognized  by  Great  Britain,  has  at  all  times 
prevailed  and  been  maintained.  Namely,  the  Indian 
has  the  right  of  possession  which  can  only  be  taken 
from  him  by  conquest,  or  obtained  through  treaty, 
or  compensation.  It  may  be,  that  this  has  been, 
but  a  form ,  and  a  mockery,  perhaps,  a  jug  of  rum,  or 
a  blanket,  or  a  pint  of  glass  beads,  in  payment  for 
a  vast  province,  but  the  principle  quid  pro  quo — 
has  always  been  sustained. 

To  wrest  property  from  a  man,  because  he  has  not 
the  power  to  resist,  is  not  a  whit  better  than  highway 
robbery,  whether  performed  by  an  unscrupulous  in- 
dividual, or  by  an  unscrupulous  Government. 

Sir  John  Macdonald  has  fixed  upon  himself,  but 
shame,  and  ignominy ;  by  the  cowardly  duplicity, 
which  has  characterized  his  treatment  of  the  Met- 
lakahtlans  :  he  has  displayed  to  perfection,  that 
fox-like  cunning,  and  artfulness,  which  many  con- 
sider, the  proper  attributes  of  a  professional  poli- 
tician. 

After  solemn,  and  repeated  promises  to  the  Met- 
lakahtlans  of  relief  and  adjustment,  of  their  griev- 
ances; to  ignore  their  prayers,  and  to  barter  for  his 
own  political  gain  their  land,  and  their  religious 
liberty  to  their  relentless  enemies  ;  has  earned  him 
the  title  of  the  Betrayer  of  the  Poor,  the  merciless 
Oppressor  of  the  Weak. 


CHAPTER   X. 

SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM. 

To-DAY  we  find  the  Metlakahtlans  in  sore  dis- 
tress, disheartened,  crushed,  impoverished,  by  the 
combined  intrigues,  and  brutal  acts  of  church  and 
state. 

They  have  been  pursued,  harassed,  and  maligned, 
by  a  religious  society,  in  the  name  of  Christ.  They 
have  been  galled  beyond  endurance  with  cruel  per- 
secution, and,  that  too,  maintained  with  the  misap- 
plied pennies,  wrung  from  the  duped  poor  of  Eng- 
land, who  in  tender  pity  have  thus  shared  their 
scanty  means,  with  intent  to  send  a  ray  of  light,  and 
blessing,  to  heathen  peoples  they  imagined  still 
more  wretched  than  themselves. 

They  have  been  betrayed,  trampled  upon,  robbed 
and  traduced  by  the  Government,  whose  sworn 
duty  it  is,  to  protect  them  as  loyal  British  subjects, 
in  their  rights  of  property,  and  religious  liberty. 

The  hour  has  struck. — A  climax  has  come.— 
These  down-trodden  people,  unable  to  secure  jus- 
tice, civil  or  religious  liberty  in  the  land  of  their 
forefathers;  have  now  resolved,  to  seek  refuge  in 


340  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Alaska,  under  the  United  States  Government,  whose 
constitution  is  founded  upon  principles  of  justice, 
and  freedom,  to  all  mankind. 

After  serious  and  prolonged  deliberations,  the 
Metlakahtlans  have  decided,  that  they  have  reached 
that  limit,  beyond  which,  their  endurance,  and  sub- 
mission to  the  servile  yoke  of  oppression,  and  re- 
ligious intolerance,  would  cease  to  be  a  virtue. 
"  What  an  English  King  has  no  right  to  demand 
an  English  Subject  has  a  right  to  refuse — "  *  "  Is 
not  protection  as  justly  due  from  a  king  to  his 
people,  as  obedience  from  the  people  to  their  king  ?  "  t 
In  their  straitened  circumstances,  they  are  unable 
to  bear  the  great  expense  incumbent  upon  sending 
a  deputation,  to  lay  their  case  before  her  Majesty 
Queen  Victoria,  whom  they  truly  believe,  would 
have  sympathy  with  them,  and  do  them  justice, 
could  she  but  know  the  truth,  and  depths  of  their 
wrongs.  Furthermore,  they  have  already  wasted 
much  of  their  substance  in  sending  their  deputation, 
on  the  vain  mission  to  the  Government  at  Ottawa, 
and  in  obtaining  legal  advice.  Their  finances  are 
also  considerably  depleted  by  the  Bishop's  shop 
trick. 

Still  more  serious,  however  is  the  hard  fact, 
that  at  court  they  would  encounter  the  invincible 
opposition  of  the  Church  party,  in  the  form  of  that 
great,  wealthy,  and  influential  society,  with  its 

*  John  Hampden.  f  Benjamin  Franklin. 


SEEKING   HOME    AND    FREEDOM.  341 

vaunted  million  a  year,  whose  officers  have  halted 
at  no  underhanded  means  to  effect  their  downfall. 

They  would  likewise  meet  at  Court,  the  resistance 
of  that  powerful,  and  corrupt  Colonial  Government 
of  Canada,  which  in  order  to  cover  its  own  perfidy, 
and  that  of  the  Provincial  Government,  cotite  que 
cotite,  would  denounce  them  as  lawless,  and  fight 
them  "  nail  and  tooth" 

All  who  know  by  experience  what  a  net-work  of 
red  tape  "  doth  hedge  about  "  the  throne,  know  how 
futile,  would  be  a  mission  from  the  Metlakahtlans 
in  the  face  of  such  overwhelming,  and  unscrupu- 
lous opposition. 

How  often  we  have  seen  the  nominal  potentates, 
or  emissaries,  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  Queen's  domains,  like  Tawahwai 
King  of  the  Maories  of  New  Zealand,  seeking  at  the 
Court  of  St.  James  redress  for  grievous  wrong ; 
only  to  be  feasted,  exhibited,  placated  with  empty 
promises  for  the  morrow,  then,  to  return  to  their 
people  with  the  pleasures  of  a  hope  never  to  be  re- 
alized. 

Civilization  has  shorn  the  Tsimsheans  of  their 
resistant  strength  and  terrors.  Once,  they  were 
powerful  and  brave  in  warfare,  and  any  invasion  of 
their  rights  was  met  with  valiant  disputation.  Such 
is  only  a  memory  now.  No  longer  do  their  dusky 
warriors,  decked  and  plumed,  thirsting  for  blood 
and  spoils,  take  to  the  war-path,  to  return,  if  at  all, 
—in  triumphant  glory  to  recount  their  deeds  of  val- 


342  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

or,  to  youth  and  maidens  who  listen  with  throb- 
bing hearts,  and  chant,  and  dance,  to  the  honor  of 
their  favorite  heroes. 

These  braves  of  other  days,  in  yielding  to  civiliza- 
tion ;  and  in  their  pursuit  of  knowledge,  have  sur- 
rendered themselves  to  the  mercy  of  white  men. 
Shall  these  helpless  people,  now  be  crushed,  and 
robbed,  because  they  are  unable  to  defend  their 
rights  ?  Who  does  not  despise  the  burly  bully,  who 
wrenches  the  penny  from  the  cripple — why  then 
should  we  respect  a  government,  which  in  its  power, 
and  majesty,  robs,  and  grinds  under  foot,  its  weaker 
subjects,  because  they  cannot  strike  back  ? 

But  even  take  the  Indian  in  his  savage  state, 
what  chance  has  he,  with  his  bow  and  arrows,  his 
lance,  his  scalping-knife,  his  tomahawk,  or,  even  the 
musket ;  against  a  powerful  disciplined  army  of 
whites  with  the  modern  machinery  of  warfare  ? 

On  what  principle  of  right  and  equity,  can  we 
justify  the  strong  in  trampling  upon  the  weak. 
— Alas,  "  man's  inhumanity  to  man  makes  countless 
millions  mourn."  And  it  would  seem  that  the  car 
of  civilization  has  advanced  more  like  that  of  Jug- 
ernaut,  than  as  an  ambulance. 

I  do  not  approach  this  subject  as  a  sentimental- 
ist ;  it  was  my  fate,  to  be  in  the  midst  of  Little 
Crow's  great  Sioux  war  in  Minnesota,  and  witness 
some  of  the  most  blood-curdling  scenes  :  when 
several  thousands  .of  the  white  settlers,  men, 
women,  and  children  were  brutally  massacred ; 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  343 

among  whom  were  my  intimate  friends.  The 
fiendish  atrocities,  of  these  infuriated  savages,  have 
never  been  surpassed.  My  hatred  for  red-skins 
was  then,  so  intensified  by  these  horrors,  that  I,  in 
common  with  many,  regarded  them  as  so  many 
reptiles,  and  their  extermination  but  meet  and  just. 
However,  on  careful  study  of  the  cause  of  that 
war ;  and  a  retrospection  of  nearly  all  our  Indian 
wars;  I  have  found  the  Whites  injustice  and  out- 
rages, upon  the  Indians  the  primal  cause.  Bancroft, 
well  said  in  speaking  of  the  policy  of  extermination, 
in  retaliation  for  some  treacherous  outrage,  or  dia- 
bolical act  of  cruelty,  perpetrated  by  the  Indians  to 
avenge  some  invasion  of  their  rights — "judged  by 
this  standard  has  not  every  nation  on  earth  incurred 
the  death  penalty  ?  Human  nature  is  in  nowise 
changed  by  culture.  The  European  is  but  a  white- 
washed savage.  Civilized  venom  is  no  less  virulent 
than  savage  venom."  As  a  rule,  white  men  in  put- 
ting the  smell  of  gunpowder  into  the  nostrils  of 
savages,  have  been  actuated  by  no  humane  motives. 

I  have  had  the  privilege  of  studying  the  Aborigi- 
nes in  various  parts  of  North,  Central,  and  South 
America;  and  my  experience  has  led  me  to  believe, 
that  all  have  in  them  the  germ  of  manhood  ;  a  germ, 
that  may  be  developed  for  good  or  for  evil,  accord- 
ing to  surrounding  conditions. 

During  the  autumn  of  1886  while  on  a  hunting 
trip  of  several  months  in  the  wild  forests  of  Maine 
and  Canada,  starting  from  Kineo,  Moose  Head 


344  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Lake  ;  most  of  the  time  far  beyond  the  reach  of 
habitations  ;  I  had  as  my  guide  Louis  Ketchum,  a 
Penobscot  Indian  ;  famed,  as  the  most  expert  hunt- 
er and  river  driver  in  all  that  region.  Through- 
out our  cruise  of  something  over  a  thousand  miles, 
in  our  birch-bark  canoes  ;  by  the  intimacy  of  con- 
stant companionship,  I  had  a  rare  opportunity  of 
studying  his  mental  traits,  his  own  ideas  of  life  ; 
and  of  listening,  to  his  analysis  of  the  white  men, 
with  whom  he  had  come  in  intimate  contact  while 
serving  them  as  guide  :  Among  these  were  such 
men  as  the  Hon.  Hannibal  Hamlin,  Mark  Twain 
and  others  of  renown ;  and,  I  venture  to  believe 
that  no  critic  could  ever  penetrate  more  keenly,  or 
depict  more  vividly,  the  true  inwardness  of  these 
men  than  did  this  Indian.  Ketchum's  knowledge 
of  nature;  human,  brute  and  inanimate,  I  found 
something  amazing;  and  this,  he  has  acquired 
solely  from  observation. 

Whatever  he  did,  he  did  in  a  masterly  man- 
ner. He  commanded  my  unbounded  admiration, 
whether  by  his  subtle  arts  in  tracking  or  decoy- 
ing game  as  he  led  me  to  the  chase  ;  or,  by  his 
quick  judgment  and  action  when  suddenly  over- 
taken, and  imperilled,  by  a  squall,  far  from  shore  in 
the  great  mountain  lakes  ;  or,  by  his  expedients  and 
endless  resources,  in  improvising  our  shelter-camps  ; 
or,  as  with  a  nerve  and  muscle  of  iron  he  advanced 
before  in  his  own  gracefully  modelled  canoe,  to  pilot 
me  through  the  furious,  boiling,  bounding  rapids, 


NATIVE   WOOD-CARVING. 


SEEKING    HOME    AND    FREEDOM.  345 

anticipating  and  meeting  every  surge,  trick,  and 
prank,  of  the  treacherous,  eddying  waters ;  gliding 
like  a  serpent  around,  or  between  the  threatening 
ledges  and  bowlders ;  alert,  but  fearless  and  im- 
mobile, while  I,  though  not  a  novice,  and  with 
eveiy  desire  to  be  brave,  could  not  resist  a  degree 
of  trepidation  as  I  followed  after,  in  my  frail  "  Poca- 
hontas." 

Ketchum,  is  a  true  genius  and  a  hero  too  ;  for  he 
has  many  times  courageously  risked  his  life  to  save 
his  fellows.  Honest  as  the  day  is  long,  an  untu- 
tored man,  and  yet  having  a  remarkable  insight  and 
comprehension  of  men  and  things.  With  his 
mental  capacity  and  desire  for  knowledge,  had  his 
mind  been  turned  to  other  pursuits,  and  had  he  had 
the  advantages  of  education,  he  would  I  believe 
have  commanded  respect  in  any  calling.  This 
Indian  is  no  phenomenon  but  the  prototype,  of  a 
vast  number  of  Aborigines  of  the  American  Conti- 
ennt. 

The  red  man  in  so  far  as  he  demonstrates  his  ca- 
pacity, has  just  as  good  a  right,  human  and  divine, 
to  demand  a  foothold  and  rank  in  the  category  of 
humanity,  as  has  the  white  man  ;  and,  especially  is 
this  so,  when  we  find  him  raised  in  a  single  genera- 
tion, from  the  grossest  savagery,  to  a  condition  in 
which  he  rivals  the  white  man  in  his  letters,  and  in 
his  arts. 

It  is  gratifying  to  note,  that  while  Canada  has  so 
unfortunately  taken  a  backward  step  in  her  Indian 


346  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

policy,  the  American  nation  has  awakened  to  the 
realization,  and  recognition  of  the  fact,  that  the 
Aborigines  have  an  equal  right  to  justice  and  equity 
with  all  mankind.  In  Canada  under  the  present 
administration,  there  are  being  enacted  such  out- 
rages upon  the  rights,  and  liberties,  of  the  natives  of 
the  soil,  as  are  a  disgrace  to  any  civilized  country. 
On  the  other  hand,  in  the  United  States  a  better 
spirit  prevails,  and  Congress  supported  by  the  Gov- 
ernment, has  during  the  last  session  passed  laws 
which  give  our  Indians,  in  severalty,  every  right  and 
privilege  that  is  enjoyed  by  white  men  under  the 
same  conditions. 

In  this  the  fiftieth  year  of  the  reign  of  Queen 
Victoria,  when  her  loyal  and  frugal  subjects,  the 
Metlakahtlans  would  gladly  and  joyously  join  in 
the  jubilee,  they  are  expatriated,  and,  driven  by  the 
oppression  of  her  unworthy  representatives,  to  seek 
in  a  foreign  land,  freedom  of  worship,  and  homes 
that  shall  be  secure  to  their  children,  and  their  chil- 
dren's children. 

At  the  last  Christmas  day  festival,  for  the  first 
time  in  the  history  of  Metlakahtla,  no  British  flag 
was  raised,  and  singing  "  God  Save  The  Queen " 
was  omitted  ;  "  Hold  the  Fort  "  was  sung  in  its 
stead.  This  out  of  no  disrespect,  to  the  good  lady, 
whom  they  have  been  taught  to  honor,  but,  because 
they  have  been  denied,  the  rights  of  loyal  subjects, 
by  those  misrepresentativcs  of  the  crown,  who  rule 
over  their  country,  and  from  whom>  they  might  well 


SEEKING   HOME   AND   FREEDOM.  347 

raise  their  voices  in  chanting  "  God  Save  The 
Queen,  and  her  people" 

Unanimously,  these  people  resolved  to  place 
themselves  beyond  the  reach  of  their  persecutors, 
by  migrating  to  Alaska  ;  the  southern  boundary  of 
which  territory,  is  only  thirty  miles  distant  from 
Metlakahtla.  To  this  end,  they  turned  to  their 
staunch  benefactor  Mr.  Duncan,  who  had  ever 
pledged  his  constancy,  in  any  consistent  and  peaceful 
policy.  They  delegated  him^with  full  powers  to 
act  for  them,  to  visit  Washington,  and  lay  their  case 
before  the  United  States  Government.  Some  of  the 
leading  citizens  of  British  Columbia,  having  watched 
the  course  of  cruel  events,  and  having  vainly  joined 
in  protests  against  the  repeated  outrages,  perpetrated 
upon  the  Metlakahtlans,  both  by  the  Society,  and 
the  State  ;  and  seeing  justice  denied  them  by  both 
the  Provincial  and  Dominion  Governments,  drew 
up  and  signed  the  document — which  I  publish  in 
my  Introduction,  heartily  indorsing,  and  commend- 
ing the  Metlakahtlans'  cause,  to  the  American  peo- 
pie. 

Mr.  Duncan  has  been  cordially  and  sympatheti- 
cally received,  and  the  case  of  the  Metlakahtlans 
carefully  considered  by  His  Excellency  President 
Cleveland,  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury,  the  Attorney-General,  the 
Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  the  Governor  of 
Alaska  and  the  Agent-General  for  Education,  in 
Alaska. 


348  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Every  encouragement  has  been  given  Mr.  Duncan, 
in  this  matter,  that  is  consistent  with  International 
courtesy. 

The  following  correspondence  will  explain  it- 
self :- 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  C,  Feb.  9,  1887. 
"  THE   HONORABLE    THE    SECRETARY  OF    THE 
TREASURY,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  address  you  on  behalf 
of  a  community  of  Tsimshean  Indians  numbering 
about  1,000  souls  now  located  at  Metlakahtla,  Brit- 
ish Columbia,  near  the  border  of  Alaska,  and  in 
whose  interests,  I  have  been  deputed  to  visit  Wash- 
ington. 

"  This  people  for  over  twenty  years,  have  been 
struggling  their  way  to  civilized  life,  and  their  sub- 
stantial progress  has  won  for  them,  the  admiration 
of  all  who  have  visited  their  settlement. 

"  Of  late  years,  however,  their  prosperity  has  been 
cruelly  arrested  by  the  untoward  action  of  the  Pro- 
vincial Government  in  reference  to  the  land  ques- 
tion. 

"  It  would  seem  that  British  Columbia  has  as- 
sumed that  the  Indians  have  no  rights  in  the  land, 
and  a  land  policy  has  been  adopted  there,  altogether 
foreign  to  the  edicts,  and  usage,  which  have  been  fol- 
lowed in  all  other  parts  of  Canada. 

"  The  Indians  thus  wronged  are  driven  almost  to 
desperation,  but  rather  than  proceed  to  hostilities 


SEEKING   HOME    AND    FREEDOM. 

they  have  decided  to  abandon  their  home  and  seek, 
protection  under  the  American  flag. 

"  They  are  now  looking  anxiously  to  this  country 
for  sympathy,  and  for  permission  to  build  them- 
selves a  village  in  Alaska. 

"  The  losses  involved  in  such  a  removal,  to  such 
a  poor  people  are  very  appalling,  and,  hence  the 
burden  of  my  letter — which  is — that  if  you  can  by 
any  lawful  means,  permit  them  to  take  into  Alaska 
their  belongings  free  of  duty,  you  will  confer  a  great 
favor  upon  a  deserving  and  suffering  community. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir,  yours  very  respect- 
fully, W.  DUNCAN." 

[Indorsed] 

"  I  most  earnestly  indorse  the  foregoing  request. 
The  removal  of  these  civilized  and  largely  educated 
Indians  into  Alaska  will  not  only  add  a  number  of 
industrial  enterprises,  but,  have  a  very  beneficial  ef- 
fect upon  the  Natives  of  that  Territory.  They  will 
make  good  industrious  citizens  whose  influence  upon 
the  Native  tribes  of  A  laska  will  go  far  toward  their 
complete  civilization. 

A.  P.  SWINEFORD, 

Governor  of  Alaska" 

[Indorsed] 

"  I  have  known  Mr.  Duncan,  and  his  people  for 
the  last  ten  years. 

"  Have  visited  them  and  inspected  their  indus- 
tries upon  two  different  occasions,  and  consider  his 


35O  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

settlement  the  most  advanced  in  civilization  of  any 
native  people  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

"  The  transfer  of  these  people  to  the  American 
side  of  the  international  boundary  line,  will  be  very 
advantageous  to  Alaska  and  the  United  States. — 
So  much  so,  that  it  is  the  part  of  wisdom  to  give 
them  every  encouragement. 

"  As  the  taking  down  of  their  present  frame 
houses,  removing  them  to  the  American  side,  and 
re-erecting  them  out  of  the  old  material,  will  involve 
serious  pecuniary  losses  to  them,  I  hope  that  so  far 
as  you  have  discretionary  power  in  the  matter,  you 
will  prevent  their  being  troubled  with  custom  dues. 

"  A  few  years  ago.  Congress  was  ready  to  vote  a 
large  sum  of  money  to  encourage  a  colony  of  Iceland- 
ers to  remove  to  Alaska.  Surely  the  Government 
can  afford  to  encourage  these  people  who  ask  for  no 
money  help.  Truly  yours, 

SHELDON  JACKSON, 
U.  S.  General  Agent  of  Education,  in  Alaska." 

"  Division  of  Customs,  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

Form  3.     (H.  F.  268.)          OFFICE  OF  THE  SECRETARY, 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  February  n,  1887. 

"  MR.  W.  DUNCAN,  care  of  Bureau,of  Education, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

"  SIR  :  You  are  hereby  referred  to  the  collector 
of  Customs  at  Sitka,  Alaska,  for  the  Department's 
decision  of  this  date,  on  the  case  mentioned  in  your 
letter  dated  the  Qth  instant,  relative  to  the  free  entry 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  351 

of  the  effects  of  certain  Indians  into  that  Territory. 
A  copy  of  the  Department's  letter  to  the  Collector 
is  enclosed  herewith.     Respectfully  yours, 
(i  enc.) 

(Signed)  C.  S.  FAIRCHILD, 

Assistant  Secretary? 

11  (A.  T.  268)  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

OFFICE  OF  THE  SECRETARY, 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C,  Feb.  n,  1887. 

"  COLLECTOR  OF  CUSTOMS, 

Sitka,  Alaska. 

"  SIR  :  The  Department  is  in  receipt  of  a  letter 
dated  the  Qth  instant,  from  Mr.  W.  Duncan,  repre- 
senting the  community  of  Tsimshean  Indians, 
numbering  about  one  thousand  souls,  now  located 
at  Metlakahtla,  British  Columbia,  near  the  border 
of  Alaska,  in  which,  stating  that  the  community 
proposes  at  an  early  day  to  move  in  a  body  into 
Alaska,  he  asks  that  their  belongings,  consisting  of 
their  houses,  household  furniture,  hunting  and  fish- 
ing gear,  tools  of  trade,  personal  effects,  etc.,  etc., 
may  be  admitted  free  of  duty." 

"  Section  2512,  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  as  con- 
tained in  the  act  of  March  3,  1883,  prescribes  that 
"  no  duty  shall  be  levied,  or  collected  on  the  im- 
"  portation  of  peltries  brought  into  the  Territories 
"  of  the  United  States  by  Indians,  nor  on  the 
"  proper  goods  and  effects,  of  whatever  nature,  of 
"  Indians  passing  or  repassing  the  boundary  line 
"  aforesaid,  *  and  the  free  list  also  exempts  from 


352  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  only,'  wearing  apparel  in  actual  use,  and  other 
"  personal  effects  (not  merchandise),  professional 
"  books,  implements,  instruments,  and  tools  of 
"  trade  occupation,  or  employment,  of  persons  ar- 
"  riving  in  the  United  States,"  "  and  under  these 
provisions  the  Department  is  of  opinion  that  the 
request  of  Mr.  Duncan,  may  be  properly  granted 
with  regard  to  all  of  the  articles  belonging  to  such 
Indians,  except  such  as  may  be  found  to  consist  of 
merchandise  imported  and  intended  as  such  for 
sale.  You  will  be  governed  accordingly.  Respect- 
fully yours, 

"  (Signed)  C.  S.  FAIRCHILD, 

Assistant  Secretary." 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury's  decision,  as  will 
be  observed,  facilitates  the  emigration  of  the  Met- 
lakahtlans  to  Alaska,  by  granting  them  exemption 
from  custom  duties,  on  their  belongings. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  acting  under  the 
advice  of  the  Attorney-General,  decided,  that  all 
lands  in  Alaska  being  public  domain,  it  is  not  com- 
petent for  the  President  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  to  set  apart,  any  reservation  in  that  terri- 
tory, and  that  land  in  Alaska  can  only  be  dealt  with 
by  Congress ; — but,  that  the  Metlakahtlans  might 
move  into  Alaska,  and  settle  upon  unoccupied  land, 
reporting  the  occupancy  to  the  Department.  And, 
furthermore  said,  that  when  the  general  land  laws, 
of  the  United  States  are  extended  to  Alaska,  "ample 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  353 

provision  will  be  made  to  meet  the  necessities  of 
all  law-abiding  inhabitants." 

The  Territorial  Committee  of  the  Senate,  has  for 
some  years,  had  under  consideration  the  subject  of 
the  formation  of  a  Government  for  Alaska,  which 
shall  meet  the  requirements  of  the  people.  Our 
present  Territorial  system,  it  is  thought  does  not 
exactly  meet  the  needs  of  the  Alaskans,  and  a 
modified  form,  somewhat  resembling  the  Colonial 
system  of  Great  Britain,  has  been  suggested.  What- 
ever the  form  adopted,  it  is  sincerely  to  be  hoped, 
that  it  will  be  so  wisely  ordered,  and  administered, 
as  to  prevent  the  possibility,  of  the  re-occurrence  of 
such  outrages  upon  life,  property,  and  public  de- 
cency, as  has  characterized,  the  earlier  history  of 
Alaska. 

It  would  be  a  most  humiliating  culmination  of 
events,  if  the  Metlakahtlans  in  seeking  homes, 
liberty,  and  protection  ;  under  the  beneficent  rule  of 
Uncle  Sam ;  should  find  themselves,  subject  to  the 
whims,  and  freaks  of  irresponsible  local  authorities, 
who  judging  by  the  past,  have  not  always  dealt  out 
even-handed  justice ;  and  furthermore,  if  they  should 
find  themselves  intruded  upon  by  unprincipled 
adventurers,  such  as  abound  upon  that  coast.  Un- 
der such  circumstances  it  would  seem  a  precari- 
ous venture  for  the  Metlakahtlans,  to  tear  down 
their  present  houses  and  factories,  and  re-erect  them 
in  Alaska  only  to  find,  that  they  have  but  escaped 
from  Charybdis  to  fall  into  the  jaws  of  Scylla. 


354  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

As  an  American  Citizen,  my  own  feelings  of  con- 
fidence and  reliance,  prompt  me  to  believe  that  the 
Metlakahtlan  community,  with  its  thrifty  indus- 
tries, in  seeking  refuge  in  America,  will  beyond 
peradventure  be  protected,  and  fostered,  by  our 
liberty-loving  people,  when  once  their  cause  be 
known. 

President  Cleveland,  but  expressed  the  popular 
feelings  of  Americans  when  he  said  :  "  a  farmer 
who  builds  his  little  house  and  sets  about  the  im- 
provement of  the  acres  on  which  he  has  settled— 
when  such  a  man  has  legally  taken  possession  of 
his  1 60  acres  he  ought  to  feel  that  the  Government 
is  behind  him,  and  that  if  his  rights  are  ever  invaded 
the  Government  will  stand  by  him  and  see  that  no 
injustice  is  done." 

( '  This  is  a  Government  by  the  people  and  for  the 
people,  and  the  people  otight  to  feel  always  that  its 
full  force  will  be  exercised  to  protect  them  from 
any  unlawful  encroachments.  I  will  go  even  fur- 
ther than  that,  and  say  that  if  by  any  construction 
of  the  law  a  seeming  injustice  is  done  to  the  hum- 
blest farmer  in  the  furthest  corner  of  the  land,  then 
the  law  ought  to  be  changed  and  changed  at  once. 
I  am  of  the  people.  I  believe  in  the  people,  and  I 
stand  by  them  and  with  them— first,  last  and  all  the 
time'' 

The  subject,  of  land  laws,  and  citizenship  will 
undoubtedly  be  dealt  with  simultaneously,  with  the 
forming  of  a  local  government.  Senator  Dawes 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  355 

whose  "  Severally  Bill "  promises  a  new  and  hope- 
ful era  in  the  treatment  of  the  Indians  of  the 
United  States — has  been  appointed  Chairman  of  a 
Committee,  to  visit,  and,  report  upon  affairs  in 
Alaska  this  summer. 

Senator  Dawes  has  already  shown  a  keen  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  the  Metlakahtlans,  and  regards  the 
establishment  of  these  people  in  Alaska,  as  a  matter 
of  great  importance,  to  the  future  progress,  of  that 
far-off  territory.  I  learn  that  Mr.  Herbert  Welsh 
whose  fruitful  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  Aborigines 
of  America,  are  so  well  known,  has  espoused  the 
cause  of  the  Metlakahtlans,  and,  contemplates  a  visit 
to  their  village  this  summer ;  his  report  will  be 
looked  forward  to  with  interest. 

Dr.  J.  A.  Tonnerthe  U.  S.  Army  Surgeon  whose 
good  services  in  reforming  the  sanitary  conditions 
of  the  Alaskan  Stations,  has  been  so  widely  recog- 
nized, writes  : — "  In  going  to  Alaska  our  attention 
was  drawn  to  the  superior  character,  and  appearance 
of  the  Indians,  we  saw  at  Metlakahtla,  and  I  noticed 
afterward  during  their  visits  to  Sitka,  the  apparent 
influence  they  exercised  over  the  Koloshes,  who 
bartered  their  fur  for  articles  manufactured  by  the 
Metlakahtlans. 

"  The  Alaskan  Indians  evinced  a  disposition  to 
copy  the  Metlakahtlans,  and  had  much  to  say  about 
the  good  white  man  who  had  gone  to  dwell  among 
the  savage  Tsimsheans,  and  in  a  few  years  made 
them  live  like  white  folks. 


356  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  During  my  stay,  of  a  year  and  a  half  in  Alaska 
I  was  much  impressed  by  the  confidence  in  which 
Mr.  Duncan  was  held  by  his  people,  and  the  effec- 
tive work  he  was  doing.  I  sincerely  believe  that  the 
proposed  transfer  of  the  Metlakahtlans,  with  their 
zealous  missionary  leader,  would  be  one  of  the  great- 
est benefits  that  could  possibly  be  conferred  upon 
the  Alaskan  Indians." 

Mr.  Wm.  H.  Dall,  in  his  reports  upon  his  scien- 
tific expeditions  to  the  North  Pacific,  has  taken  oc- 
casion to  point  out  with  much  emphasis,  the  folly 
of  superficial,  sectarian  missionary  methods  ;  but,  he 
has  heartily  indorsed,  Mr.  Duncan's  work,  which 
he  has  found  imitated  with  creditable  success  by 
some  of  the  American  missionaries  in  Alaska.  Mr. 
Dall,  has  evinced  deep  sympathy  with  the  Metla- 
kahtlans in  their  troubles,  and  has  expressed  his 
belief  that  the  migration  of  these  people,  and  their 
leader,  would  have  a  powerful  influence  upon  the 
wild  tribes  of  Alaska.  He  says,  of  Mr.  Duncan's 
mission,  "  it  is  the  only  really  successful  Indian 
mission  on  the  North  West  coast,  .  .  .  big- 
otry, and  an  unchristian  spirit,  could  hardly  be 
pushed  further  than  in  the  case  of  the  Bishop,  who 
has  practically  broken  up  the  mission  to  secure  his 
own  supremacy." 

Recently,  there  has  been  put  forward  by  some  in- 
dividuals, a  very  short-sighted  proposition  to  turn 
Alaska  into  a  Penal  Colony,  to  transport  the  crimi- 
nals and  outcast  of  the  great  cities  of  the  United 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  357 

States  to  that  Territory,  to  debauch  and  drag  the 
natives  to  a  still  lower  state  of  degradation ;  there 
to  create  a  festering  pest-pen,  and  reproduce  the 
horrors  of  Siberia,  and  thereby,  indelibly  smirch 
the  good  name  of  our  country. 

I  cannot  believe  that  the  American  people,  will 
ever  permit  the  state  governments,  to  so  sneakingly 
shirk  their  responsibilities,  in  the  care  and  refor- 
matory measures  necessary  to  protect  the  public, 
and  provide  for  their  criminals,  as  this  base  and 
cowardly  scheme  demands. 

Nor,  do  I  believe  that  we  shall  ever  elect  an  ad- 
ministration so  blind,  and  forsooth  so  irresponsible, 
that  it  will  encourage  such. 

The  native  Alaskans,  however  benighted,  are  our 
fellow-subjects,  and  we  owe  them  justice,  and  pro- 
tection,— the  more  helpless,  the  more  they  deserve 
our  compassion.  It  would  be  an  infamous  outrage 
upon  the  inherent  rights  of  the  people  of  this  un- 
organised state,  to  foist  upon  them,  because  they 
could  not  resist  us,  an  eternal  pestilence,  which  would 
contaminate  every  fibre  of  their  social  fabric.  Such 
a  course  would  contradict  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples, and,  the  traditional  policy  of  our  Republic, — 
to  secure  to  all  equal  rights — to  foster  the  weak — to 
promote  progress.  It  would  debase  and  crush  a 
struggling  Territory ;  an  act,  akin  to  smothering 
an  unborn  child,  though  the  quickening  is  a  known 
fact. 

We  have  heard  much  of  state  rights,  but  what 


358  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

can  be  said  of  a  policy  which  would  so  defy  the 
spirit  of  our  constitution,  as  to  heap  the  criminals  of 
all  the  states  like  vipers,  upon  the  veiled  bosom  of 
a  single  embryo  territory,  to  inoculate  her  with 
their  envenomed  fangs. 

Every  State  should  guard  her  own  criminals,  and 
there  is  no  more  justice  in  New  York's  debouching 
her  convicts  into  Alaska,  than  for  turning  them 
loose  upon  Connecticut !  Or,  one  city  to  turn  her 
small-pox  patients  loose  upon  the  inhabitants  of  a 
neighboring  village  !  Or,  to  pour  her  noisome  sew- 
age, into  the  streams  from  which  the  neighboring 
towns  must  drink. 

The  natives  of  Alaska,  in  common  with  the 
other  natives  of  the  North  Pacific,  are  as  a  rule  in- 
tellectually superior  to  the  Aborigines  of  other 
parts  of  the  United  States. 

Hon.  A.  P.  Swineford,  Governor  of  Alaska,  in  his 
report  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  1885,  says. 
They  "  all  are  self-sustaining.  These  people,  it 
should  be  understood,  are  not  Indians.  Their  ap- 
pearance, habits,  language,  complexion,  and  even 
their  anatomy,  mark  them  as  a  race  wholly  different 
and  distinct  from  the  Indian  tribes  inhabiting  other 
portions  of  the  United  States.  They  are  far  su- 
perior intellectually,  if  not  in  physical  development, 
to  the  Indian  of  the  plains ;  are  industrious,  more 
or  less  skilful  workers  in  woods  and  metals  ;  and 
that  they  are  shrewd,  sharp  traders  all  who  have 
had  dealings  with  them  will,  I  think,  be  willing  to 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  359 

testify.  They  yield  readily  to  civilizing  influences, 
and  can,  with  much  less  care  than  has  been  be- 
stowed upon  native  tribes  elsewhere,  be  educated 
up  to  the  standard  of  a  good  and  intelligent  citizen- 
ship. Just  in  proportion  to  their  educational  prog- 
ress, they  should  have  the  rights  and  privileges 
conferred,  and  the  duties  and  penalties  of  full  citi- 
zenship imposed,  upon  them." 

Alaska  has  an  area  of  about  600,000  square 
miles  ;  produces  annually  $2,000,000  in  furs;  $800,- 
ooo  in  minerals;  $750,000  in  fish  and  oil;  and 
yields  to  our  government's  revenue  a  net  profit  of 
over  $200,000  above  all  expenses  and  appropriations. 

The  population  of  Alaska  is  35,000  of  which  one 
fourth  are  either  civilized,  or  fairly  advanced  in 
civilization,  of  the  latter,  one-half  are  whites,  Creoles 
and  hyphens. 

Add  to  this  population  the  1,000  Metlakahtlans, 
and  1,000  or  2,000  other  civilized  Tsimsheans,  who 
will  undoubtedly  follow  from  Fort  Simpson  and 
other  neighboring  villages,  with  their  annual  com- 
merce of  upwards  of  $100,000  and  Alaska  will  gain 
a  vital  progressive  force,  that  will  materially  con- 
tribute to  the  development  of  her  vast  latent  re- 
sources, and  speed  the  day,  when  she  shall  take  the 
proud  position,  of  an  enlightened,  powerful  and 
wealthy  state,  which  shall  be  an  honor  to  our 
country. 

Missionary  and  educational  measures  copied  after 
Mr.  Duncan's  plan,  have  already  gained  a  fair  foot- 


360  THE    STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

ing  in  Alaska,  and  are  prospering,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  assisted  by  Mrs. 
Jno.  W.  McFarland,  Miss  Lydia  McAvoy,  Miss 
Clara  A.  Gould,  and  others. 

In  educational  matters,  not  only  are  the  savage 
tribes  to  be  considered,  but  also  2,000  children  of 
civilized  parents. 

How  unjust,  and  how  unwise,  it  would  be  to 
abort  this  industrial,  educational,  and  Christianizing 
work,  which  is  beginning  to  bear  abundant  fruit. 

Our  Government  netting  above  all  expenses,  and 
appropriations,  a  profit  of  at  least  two  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  annually,  out  of  Alaska,  ought  to  deal 
generously  with  its  inhabitants ;  rather  than  herd 
them  with  criminals,  and,  I  truly  believe  that  jus- 
tice, and  humanity  will  prevail,  and  that  no  such  a 
curse  as  a  Penal  Colony,  will  ever  be  forced  upon 
our  Arctic  Province. 

With  a  liberal  educational  policy,  and  a  well- 
organized  government,  Alaska,  has  every  prospect 
of  a  bright  future.  I  commend  to  the  calm  consid- 
eration of  political  economists,  a  comparison  be- 
tween the  two  propositions :  Namely,  the  emigra- 
tion and  fostering,  of  the  vigorous,  industrial  colony 
of  civilized  British  Columbians,  who  will  develop 
and  enrich  the  country  ;  or,  the  revolting  scheme 
of  converting  Alaska  into  a  den  of  criminals,  to 
ruin  its  future  beyond  all  hope  ? 

The  industries  of  the  Metlakahtlans,  as  I  have 
shown  in  the  second  chapter,  consist  of  the  usual 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  361 

handicrafts  of  English  and  American  villages,  in 
addition  to  their  ancient  pursuits,  of  hunting,  fish- 
ing, gathering  berries  and  clakkass.  Being  expert 
voyagers,  and  renowned  for  their  honesty,  and  in- 
dustry, they  are  much  sought  for  as  carriers,  to 
transport  in  their  canoes  supplies,  up  the  swift 
streams  to  the  mines.  Several  years  since,  they 
purchased  a  small  steamer,  also  added  to  their  in- 
dustries a  co-operative  salmon-cannery,  from  which 
they  have  already  exported  upward  of  thirty  thou- 
sand cases  ;  however,  owing  to  the  very  low  price  of 
this  staple,  the  profits,  have  only  yielded  fair  wages 
to  the  people.  An  amusing  incident  occurred  in 
connection  with  the  establishment  of  this  industry. 
Mr.  Duncan  was  introducing  a  telephone,  between 
his  dwelling-house  and  the  cannery.  The  new  in- 
vention was  regarded  with  great  interest  by  the 
Indians.  One  of  whom  said  incredulously,  "this 
machine  may  speak  English,  but  it  can  never  speak 
Tsimshean  !  "  Great  was  the  amazement,  and  de- 
light of  this  man  and  his  fellows;  when  they  found 
it  articulating,  the  mellow  and  flowing  tones  of  their 
own  tongue. 

These  people  exhibit  great  skill,  and  ingenuity 
in  all  their  industries,  but,  especially  in  wood- 
working. They  are  imitative  almost  to  the  de- 
gree of  the  Japanese.  The  officers  of  one  of  the 
first  steamers  to  voyage  to  this  vicinity,  relate  an 
incident,  illustrative  of  this  trait.  The  natives 
were  struck  with  awe,  and  expressed  admiration,  at 


362  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

the  grandeur  and  speed  of  the  enormous  fire-canoe 
propelled  with  invisible  power.  They  scanned  the 
steamer  over  in  every  part  with  great  curiosity, 
then  with  significant  nods  of  satisfaction,  said,  "  We 
will  build  one  like  her."  They  fashioned  out  of 
a  large  tree,  almost  a  perfect  model  of  the  steamer, 
about  thirty  feet  in  length,  and  painted  her  black ; 
she  had  decks,  ports,  and  red  paddle-wheels. 
When  finished  they  launched  her  amid  great  flour- 
ish and  display.  This  craft  made,  it  is  said,  about 
three  knots  an  hour;  the  Indians  working  the 
paddles  and  helm  out  of  sight,  below  deck. 

Carpentering,  cabinet-work  and  architecture,  are 
occupations  in  which  they  are  particularly  expert. 
Their  fine  church  of  which  I  have  given  a  drawing, 
is  built  entirely  by  Natives,  with  lumber  sawn  at 
their  own  mill. 

It  has  been  Mr.  Duncan's  plan  from  the  first,  to 
keep  these  people  busy,  opposed  as  he  is,  from 
principle,  to  giving  charity  to  those  able  to  help 
themselves,  he  has  striven  to  fix  in  them  industrial 
habits,  to  make  them  self-supporting,  and  to  divert 
their  inherent  barbaric  pride,  to  a  pride  of  manly  in- 
dependence and  self-reliance.  He  stimulates  them 
to  vie  with  each  other  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge, 
by  demonstrating  the  practical  advantages,  thereby 
to  be  attained. 

Recently  when  one  of  the  natives, — whom  Mr. 
Duncan  found  at  Fort  Simpson,  as  an  infant  in  the 
arms  of  his  savage  mother,  both  having  been  aban- 


DAVID    LEASK,    SECRETARY   OF   THE    NATIVE   COUNCIL   OF  METLA- 
KAHTLA. 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  363 

doned  by  the  white  father  who  was  an  employe  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company— contributed  an  article 
to  one  of  the  journals  at  Victoria,  signing  himself 
"  A  Native"  some  of  the  detractors  of  Metla- 
kahtla  denounced  the  article  as  a  hoax,  and  said, 
"  no  Metlakahtlan  native,  could  write  such  a  let- 
ter, or  be  familiar  with  the  famous  English  authors 
this  man  quotes."  Nevertheless  the  communication 
was  genuine,  and  the  critics  would  be  still  more 
astonished  to  view  the  library  of  this  man,  David 
Leask ;  so  well  educated  by  Mr.  Duncan,  and  now 
head  school-master,  as  well  as  Secretary  of  the  Na- 
tive Council. 

Mr.  Duncan's  colleague,  in  the  mission,  the  Rev. 
Robert  Tomlinson,  has  successfully  devoted  some 
fifteen  years  to  missionary  work,  in  British  Co- 
lumbia. About  three  years  since,  on  conscientious 
grounds,  he  resigned  his  connection  with  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  to  join  Mr.  Duncan,  at  Metla- 
kahtla.  To  do  this  he  has  bravely  faced  the  pros- 
pects of  reduced  finances,  although,  he  is  married 
and  has  a  family  dependent  upon  him. 

A  devoted  Christian  medical  gentleman,  J.  D. 
Bluett,  M.R.C.S.,  L.R.C.P.,  having  become  in- 
terested in  Mr.  Duncan's  work  from  the  accounts 
given  of  it  by  his  friends,  who  had  visited  the  coast ; 
volunteered  to  leave  England  at  his  own  expense, 
to  join  the  mission.  For  more  than  two  years  he 
has  been  at  Metlakahtla  rendering  gratuitously  his 
professional  services  to  the  Indians,  both  there  and 


364  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

in  the  surrounding  settlements,  as  well  as  taking 
part  in  the  preaching. 

Such,  then  is  the  stamp  of  the  men  who  with  great 
self-sacrifice,  are  now  assisting  Mr.  Duncan,  in  his 
missionary  work  at  Metlakahtla. 

The  village  is  still  governed  by  the  Native  Council, 
and  the  church  is  under  the  direction  of  native 
elders.  The  people  are  united,  in  their  affection  for, 
and  faith  in,  their  leader,  and  each  other.  At  this 
moment  they  seem,  "  knit  together  with  heart-break 
pain  "  and  are  ready  to  meet  unflinchingly,  the  great 
sacrifice,  necessary  to  carry  out  their  resolution,  to 
abandon  the  country  of  their  birth. 

.     .     .      "A  band   of  exiles:    a  raft,  as  it  were,   from  the  ship- 
wrecked 

Nation,  scattered  along  the  coast,  now  floating  together, 
Bound  by  the  bonds  of  a   common   belief   and    a  common  mis- 
fortune ;" 

As  I  have  shown,  the  United  States  Government, 
has  opened  the  way  for  the  Metlakahtlans  to  enter 
Alaska  ;  but,  it  is  of  great  importance,  that  with  as 
little  delay  as  possible,  after  they  come  under  the 
new  jurisdiction,  they  should  have  laws  to  protect 
them  in  their  lives,  and  property,  courts  to  admin- 
ister those  laws,  and  executive  officers,  to  enforce 
such  ;  that  they  may  not  become  "the  jilts  of  capti- 
ous chances."  Legislation  is  absolutely  necessary 
to  secure  this  end  ;  and  it  is  proposed  by  those  in 
sympathy  with  the  movement,  to  urge  Congress  to 
some  action  during  the  next  session. 


SEEKING    HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  365 

For  the  furtherance  of  this  purpose,  I  have  de- 
voted myself,  to  the  task  of  collecting  the  correla- 
tive facts,  connected  with  the  creation  of  the  Met- 
lakahtla  Mission,  and  with  the  troubles  which  now 
threaten  it  with  destruction.  My  study  of  the  sub- 
ject, leads  me  to  believe  that  the  knowledge  of  these 
facts,  will  command  for  these  oppressed  people,  the 
warmest  sympathy,  and  support  of  every  liberty- 
loving  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

At  the  urgent  request  of  several  distinguished 
supporters,  Mr.  Duncan,  has  tarried  for  a  time  in  the 
United  States,  and  has  spoken  before  various  assem- 
blages of  those  interested  in  Indian  affairs,  in  order 
to  acquaint  them  with  the  existent  facts.* 

The  late  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  who  was 
ever  a  champion  of  the  oppressed,  extended  a  very 
cordial  invitation  to  Mr.  Duncan,  to  speak  from  his 
pulpit ;  an  honor  seldom  accorded  to  an  outsider  be 
he  ever  so  renowned. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  Brooklyn 
Eagle  s  account  of  Mr.  Duncan's  address  delivered 
at  Plymouth  Church. 

"  BRITISH  AMERICAN  TRIBES  WHO  SEEK  THE 
PROTECTION  OF  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES. 
A  MISSIONARY'S  LIFE-WORK." 

"  A  very  interesting  and  pathetic  address,  on  the 
condition  of  the  aboriginal  tribes  of  Canada,  was 

*  See  in  Appendix  Mr.  Duncan's  address  delivered  before  the 
Indian  Commission  Conference,  Washington,  D.  C. 


366  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

delivered  yesterday  evening  at  Plymouth  Church, 
by  William  Duncan,  who  has  for  thirty  years  been 
engaged  in  humanizing,  Christianizing  and  civilizing 
the  Indians  in  Canada.  His  labors  have  taken  him 
chiefly  among  the  Tsimshean  tribes  about  Metla- 
kahtla,  and  of  him  Lord  Dufferin  declared  that  he 
had  solved  the  problem  of  civilizing  savages.  Mr. 
Duncan  is  a  rosy-cheeked,  hearty-looking  gentleman 
whose  hair  is  not  quite  as  white  as  that  of  Mr. 
Beecher,  who  sat  on  the  platform  during  the  ad- 
dress, an  interested  listener. 

"  Mr.  Beecher  introduced  the  speaker  in  the  fol- 
lowing terms :  '  I  desire  to  introduce  to  our  Chris- 
tian brethren  Mr.  Duncan,  who  is  certainly  a  mis- 
sionary, a  minister,  a  priest,  a  bishop  and  a  ruler 
by  the  grace  of  God,  without  the  imposition  of  hu- 
man hands,  or  any  external  civil  ceremony.'  .  .  . 
"  '  He  comes  to  us  well  recommended,  not  to  raise 
money,  but  to  devise,  means  of  transferring  his  peo- 
ple to  Alaska,  so  that  they  may  go  beyond  the  reach 
of  ecclesiastical  despotism,  and  avarice,  of  the  men 
surrounding  his  settlement.  I  think  the  least  the 
Government  can  do  is  to  allow  someone  to  settle 
in  Alaska.'  " 

EXTRACT  FROM  MR.  DUNCAN'S  ADDRESS. 

" '  The  Natives  of  whom  I  shall  speak,  are  at  this 
present  time  suffering  a  cruel  wrong.  They  have 
adopted  civilization,  and  the  white  man  has  taken 
to  the  war-path.  Ecclesiastical  domination,  allied 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.        -      367 

with  the  greed  of  the  white  man  for  land,  has 
combined  to  crush  these  poor  people.  They  are 
the  aborigines.  They  have  been  cruelly  wronged 
and  grievously  misrepresented.  I  have  found  in 
my  thirty  years  experience  that  they  are  a  people 
who  should  be  fostered.  If  they  had  had  the  chances 
we  have  had,  they  would  be  an  honor  to  the  world. 
If  they  were  treated  sympathetically,  they  would 
rise  up  and  be  a  blessing  to  the  country  in  which 
they  live.' " 

"  *  Now  these  poor  people  are  in  trouble — griev- 
ous trouble.  If  they  could  tell  their  own  story 
every  heart  would  bleed  for  them.  They  are  be- 
ing ground  down  under  ecclesiastical  tyranny,  and 
the  insatiable  greed  for  land. 

"  '  If  the  Native  had  kept  his  war-paint  on,  and  his 
knife  in  his  hand,  he  would  have  been  recognized 
by  treaties  and  agreements.  Let  us  devise  some 
means  by  which  these  poor  people,  can  be  taken  to 
some  land  where  they  will  be  treated  as  citizens  of 
the  country.' " 

At  the  close  of  Mr.  Duncan's  address  Mr. 
Beecher  arose  and  put  the  following  questions  : — 

MR.  BEECHER. — Let  me  ask  you  what  is  the 
plan  and  purpose  that  brought  you  here  ? 

MR.  DUNCAN.— To  get  our  people  into  Alaska. 
They  want  to  leave  the  land  of  their  fathers. 

MR.  BEECHER. — How  far  is  it  from  where  they 
are  now  to  Alaska  ? 

MR.  DUNCAN. — The  nearest  point  is  thirty  miles. 


368  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

MR.  BEECHER. — Are  the  soil  and  climate  suit- 
able for  them. 

MR.  DUNCAN.— The  climate  is  the  same.  The 
land  of  Alaska  is  practically  the  same. 

MR.  BEECHER. — Do  they  depend  on  agriculture 
now  ? 

MR.  DUNCAN. — No.  There  is  only  sufficient 
summer  to  ripen  vegetables. 

MR.  BEECHER. — Have  they  means  of  transport- 
ing themselves  and  of  rebuilding? 

MR.  DUNCAN. — Well,  they  have  no  banking  ac- 
count and  little  property.  The  cost  of  removal 
will  be  about  $50,000.  But  it  is  feared  that  the 
government  will  not  permit  them  to  take  their 
houses  down  because  they  do  not  own  the  land- 
fen  technical  English  common  law — H.  S.  W.] 

MR.  BEECHER. — What  have  you  undertaken  to 
do  with  our  Government  ? 

MR.  DUNCAN. — I  want  a  guarantee  that  they 
will  not  be  molested. 

MR.  BEECHER.— Will  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  make  over  the  land  in  fee  simple  ? 

MR.  DUNCAN.— I  have  not  yet  ascertained, 
Alaska  has  not  been  surveyed.  .  .  . 

On  Mr.  Beecher's  suggestion,  assistant-pastor  Hal- 
liday  moved  and  General  Horatio  King  seconded, 
that  the  pastor,  deacons  and  trustees  of  Plymouth 
Church,  petition  Congress  in  the  name  of  the  as- 
semblage to  permit  the  Tsimsheans  to  take  land  in 
Alaska. 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  369 

The  immense  audience  among  which  were  many 
distinguished  public  men,  responded  with  a  hearty 
and  unanimous,  "  yea  !  " 

It  seemed  exceedingly  appropriate  that  this  ad- 
dress, should  be  delivered  from  the  pulpit  where 
emancipation,  and  civil,  and  religious  liberty,  have 
been  more  fearlessly,  and  powerfully  expounded, 
than  from  any  other  pulpit  in  Christendom. 

"  Mr.  Beecher's  creed  had  one  pivotal  idea,  and 
that  was  that  Christianity  is  not  a  conglomerate 
of  ethics  and  moral  dogma,  but  a  simple  and  pure 
and  worthy  rule  for  living  well  and  nobly.  Believ- 
ing this,  he  never  hesitated  to  discuss  any  public 
question  from  the  pulpit,  and  all  the  great  ques- 
tions of  the  day,  slavery,  licentiousness,  labor  and 
capital,  the  lust  for  power,  intemperance,  monop- 
olies— all  subjects  of  the  hour — were  texts  for  him, 
and  his  power  was  felt  in  political  balances  more 
perhaps  than  that  of  all  the  other  clergymen  in  the 
land  together.  He  was  a  St.  Jerome,  a  Xavier 
and  a  Demosthenes  in  one." — New  York  World. 

Mr.  Beecher  evinced  a  very  warm  interest  in  the 
case  of  the  Metlakahtlans  :  he  said  to  Mr.  Duncan 
"  get  your  people  land  in  Alaska,  and,  then  we  will 
devise  means  to  help  them  bear  the  burden  of  re- 
moval— you  don't  ask  it  but  they  need  it." 

One  of  Mr.  Beecher's  last  official  acts  before  the 
fatal  stroke  of  paralysis  prostrated  him,  was  on 
March  3d  to  affix  his  signature  to  the  subjoining 
Petition. 


370  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 


THE  PETITION. 

At  Plymouth  Church  on  Sunday  evening  Janu- 
ary 1 6,  1887,  Mr.  W.  Duncan  in  an  hour  and  a  half, 
gave  a  resume  of  what  had  been  accomplished 
among  the  Tsimshean  Indians  of  Metlakahtla  Brit- 
ish Columbia,  during  thirty  years  of  Missionary 
labor. 

At  the  close  of  his  most  interesting  address  our 
Pastor  the  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher  asked  Mr. 
Duncan,  in  what  practical  way,  we,  as  a  congrega- 
tion could  aid  him  in  his  work.  Mr.  Duncan  re- 
plied that  he  had  been  deputed  by  the  Indians  to 
visit  Washington,  D.  C,  and  try  to  arrange  with 
the  Government  of  the  United  States  of  America 
on  their  behalf,  for  a  grant  of  land  in  Alaska,  upon 
which  they  may  settle. 

Mr.  Beecher  turning  to  his  people,  said  "  you 
have  heard  Mr.  Duncan's  statement,  and  the  object 
of  his  visit  to  this  country  what  is  your  pleasure  ?" 

The  following  Resolution  was  then  offered  and 
upon  being  put  to  the  large  congregation  assem- 
bled, was  passed  by  acclamation. 

Whereas, — Mr.  Duncan,  representing  about  1,000 
Tsimshean  Indians  of  Metlakahtla  has  come  to  this 
country  to  obtain  from  our  Government  of  the 
United  States  of  America  a  grant  of  land  in  Alaska, 
on  which  to  settle  with  his  followers  and  of  which 
they  may  have  a  secure  tenure  ;— 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM. 

Resolved, — that  it  is  the  sense  of  this  Congrega- 
tion in  every  way  desirable  for  the  future  welfare 
of  the  Indians  in  question,  and  the  building  up  of 
our  Alaskan  possessions,  that  so  large  a  body  of  peo- 
ple, grounded  in  Christian  and  Industrial  princi- 
ples, should  be  welcomed  to  our  soil : — 

Resolved, — that  the  Government  at  Washington, 
D.  C.,  be  strongly  urged  to  give  all  possible  facili- 
ties to  enable  Mr.  Duncan,  to  secure  for  this  Com- 
munity of  Indians  their  cherished  plans  in  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  future  home  : — 

Resolved, — that  our  Pastor  and  consistory  of  this 
church  be  requested  to  forward  a  copy  of  the  pro- 
ceedings, and  a  copy  of  these  Resolutions  to  the 
proper  authorities  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

BROOKLYN,  N.  Y.,  March  3,  1887. 

[Signed]         HENRY  WARD  BEECHER, 

Pastor. 
AUGUSTUS  STORRS, 

President  Board  Trustees. 
L.  W.  MANCHESTER, 

CJiairman  Board  Deacons. 
SAMUEL  B.  HALLIDAY, 

Assistant  Pastor. 

Not  only  directly,  but  indirectly,  the  coercion  and 
turmoil  at  Metlakahtla  has  inteferred  with  the  Met- 
lakahtlans  industries,  causing  them  losses,  and  ma- 
terially lessening  their  income.  The  expense  of 
tearing  down,  transporting,  and  re-erecting,  their 


3/2  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

buildings,  will  be  very  considerable,  and  while  they 
bravely  face  this  hardship,  and  will  meet  it  with 
that  heroic  spirit,  which  has  ever  characterized  pa- 
triots striking  against  the  grinding  heel  of  tyranny, 
— or  bondsmen  making  a  plunge  for  liberty, — yet, 
the  hardship  will  be  none  the  less  severe. 

The  Metlakahtlans  though  poor,  have  only  asked 
for  homestead-lands,  liberty,  and  justice  ;  they  have 
not  asked  the  American  people,  to  aid  them  with 
money  in  their  dire  distress ;  for,  their  benefac- 
tor, has  so  thoroughly  imbued  them  with  the  spirit 
of  self-reliance,  and  the  dignity,  and  merit,  of  per- 
sonal endeavor,  that  they  look  forward  to  making 
the  desperate  struggle,  and  encountering  all  the  mis- 
ery and  privations  necessary  to  found  a  new  home, 
by  their  own  sacrifice,  and  bitter  cost,  with  a  grand 
fortitude  that  knows  no  quailing. 

In  taking  this  step  the  Metlakahtlans  look  to 
the  future  ;  to  use  their  own  metaphor  "  like  the 
wedge  used  in  splitting  the  trees,  we  are  making 
the  way  for  our  children  :  They  will  be  better  than 
we  are." 

We  have  seen  the  quality  of  the  people  who  are 
now  knocking  for  admission  to  our  land  of  historied 
freedom. 

People,  such  as  were  the  Pilgrim  fathers,  who 
knew  how,  and  dared  to  make  sacrifice  for  liberty 
of  conscience,  and  freedom  of  action. 

As  the  resolute  Puritan  pioneers  driven  by  the 
tyranny  of  church  and  state,  under  very  similar  cir- 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  373 

cumstances  sought  refuge  on  the  Eastern  Coast,  and 
fearlessly  faced  dangers,  and  hardships,  to  create  a 
New  England,  and  raise  up  the  bone  and  sinew  of 
our  nation  :  We  may  reasonabty  expect  that  the 
Metlakahtlans,  who  have  proved  to  us,  that  they 
are  patriots  of  the  true  heroic  mould,  will  in  facing 
the  rigors  of  bleak  Alaska,  build  up  a  New  Metla- 
kahtla  which  shall  surpass  that  idyllic  village  which 
has  cradled  their  enlightenment;  and  found,  on 
American  soil  a  sturdy  race  of  Alaskan  yankees,  who 
shall  by  means  of  their  own  native  missionaries,  and 
example  of  industries,  thrift,  and  morality,  radiate 
a  civilization  which  shall  permeate  and  quicken 
even  the  atrocious  slave-dealing  cannibals,  and  other 
heathen  tribes — of  which  there  are  yet  many  in 
Alaska;  lifting  them  to  their  own  level,  making 
them  worthy,  useful,  and  responsible  citizens  ;  and 
an  active  contributive  force  in  the  development  of 
that  Territory,  instead  of  as  at  present,  an  humiliat- 
ing disgrace  to  the  great  American  Republic,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  rescue  them  from  their  benighted 
state. 

In  conclusion  my  countrymen,  I  appeal  to  you, 
as  you  love  liberty,  freedom  and  justice ;  prove  to 
these  people  that  this  is  truly  the  home  of  the  free, 
and  the  land  of  the  brave ;  that  our  Goddess  of 
Liberty  still  bears  the  torch  to  light  the  way  of  pro- 
gress. 

That  American  hearts  beat  as  one,  in  full  and 
strong  sympathy  with  down-trodden,  and  oppressed 


374  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

humanity,  whatsoever,  the  accident  of  creed,  color, 
or  country. 

I  trust  that  the  perusal  of  these  pages,  may 
awaken  in  you  an  interest  in  these  people,  and  ani- 
mate you  to  make  their  cause,  your  cause,  and  that 
you  will  heartily  support  any  consistent  legislative 
measures,  that  may  be  brought  forward,  that  will  se- 
cure to  them  equal  land  and  citizenship  rights,  with 
our  native-born  of  like  qualifications. 

Having  studied  the  circumstances,  and  condition, 
of  these  people  very  closely,  I  take  it  upon  myself 
without  apology  to  appeal,  to  you,  not  in  their  name, 
but,  in  the  name  of  humanity,  to  lend  a  helping  hand 
and  voice,  to  this  band  of  pilgrims. 

In  the  words  of  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  "  They 
don  t  ask  for  money,  but  tJiey^need  it"  In  the  up- 
rightness of  their  noble  surrender,  rather  than  main- 
tain their  rights  by  a  bloody  warfare,  they  stand 
stripped  of  their  patrimony  as  naked  in  worldly 
treasure  as  the  new-born  babe !  Yearning  for  an 
opportunity  to  demonstrate  their  unquestionable 
gratitude,  for  the  chance  to  live  and  let  live. 

Find  in  your  generous  hearts,  a  niche  in  which  to 
place  their  cause. 

I  would  suggest  contributions  to  a  public  com- 
munal fund,  which  shall  cover  their  losses,  by  as- 
sisting them  to  build  new,  or,  re-erect  their  old 
public  buildings  ;  and  afford  each  one  an  advance  of 
a  small  sum,  for  materials  necessary,  in  erecting 
habitations  suitable  to  protect  them,  from  the  rigors 


SEEKING   HOME   AND    FREEDOM.  375 

of  the  frigid  North.  Such  sums  to  be  regarded  as 
loans,  and  to  be  ultimately  repaid  into  the  public 
fund,  which  shall  be  used  only  for  the  common  weal. 

I  feel  certain  that  in  America  there  are  many 
who  blessed  with  wealth,  or  moderate  means,  or 
even  though  possessed  of  a  bare  competency ;  but 
enjoying  t\ie  priceless  boon  of  an  unusurped  home,  will 
regard  it  a  privilege,  and  a  pleasure,  to  contribute 
something  as  a  heart-offering,  to  smooth  the  thorny 
path  of  these  afflicted  people. 

To  countercheck  the  sinister  carping,  of  misan- 
thropes, and  those  who  hastily  attribute  the  motive 
of  some  personal  benefit,  to  every  initiator  of  phi- 
lanthropy ;  I  will  here  state,  that  this  appeal  is  made 
solely  of  my  own  accord,  without  a  suggestion  from 
anyone,  and  is  prompted  solely,  by  the  keen  sym- 
pathy excited  in  my  heart,  by  the  wrongs  suffered 
by  these  innocent  people.  Moreover,  I  would  say 
that  while  I  heartily  invite  contributions,  to  tide 
them  over  this  tempestuous  moment  ;  under  no 
circumstances,  will  I  personally  receive,  or  in  any 
way,  become  the  repository  of  such  funds  as  may  be 
offered. 

I  vouchsafe  to  suggest  that  any  offerings  sent  to 
David  Leask  the  Native  Secretary  of  Metlakahtla, 
or  to  Bishop  Cridge  or  Senator  W.  J.  Macdonald, 
Victoria,  British  Columbia,*  will  be  certain  to  reach 

*  I  suggest  these  names,  rather  than  Mr.  Duncan's,  out  of  deli- 
cacy for  Mr.  Duncan's  feelings,  whose  mission  to  this  country  is 
other  than  that  of  soliciting  funds. 


3/6  THE    STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

the  people,  and  be  applied  as  the  contributors  may 
designate. 

My  countrymen,  the  fate  of  the  Metlakahtlans 
rests  in  your  hands.  Loyal  and  peaceful  subjects 
that  they  are — because  they  have  not  the  power  to 
resist — robbed,  denied  justice,  their  rights  bartered 
away  by  the  present  rulers  of  the  land  of  their 
fathers, — now  driven  to  seek  refuge  on  our  shores — 
are  they  to  be  left  homeless,  and  stranded,  in  their 
desolation  ? 

Treated  as  rebels,  because  they  protest  against 
wrong,  must  they  submit  to  be  down-trodden,  and 
driven  to  desperation  by  their  heartless  oppressors  ? 

Denounced  as  lawless,  because  they  refuse  their 
necks  to  the  intolerable  yoke  of  tyranny,  merci- 
lessly thrust  upon  them,  must  they  yield, — be  co- 
erced,— terrorized  ? 

Slandered,  cruelly  persecuted,  and  torn  asunder 
by  a  Sectarian  Society,  under  the  name  of  religion, 
shall  they  be  led  to  doubt  the  existence  of  a  brother- 
hood, of  Christianity  and  humanity  ? 

I  sincerely  hope  that  all  who  read  THE  STORY 
OF  METLAKAHTLA, — of  the  bitter  wrongs  of  these 
people,  will  give  to  this  appeal  an  answer  which 
shall  have  no  uncertain  ring.  Let  your  sympathy 
reach  them  in  this,  the  hour  of  their  distress.  Let 
them  not  be  driven  to  the  brink  of  despair.  There 
are  moments,  when  postponement  is  calamitous. 
See  to  it,  that  they  be  allowed  to  secure  homes  in 
a  land  where  their  rights  shall  be  defended,  where 


SUPPLEMENTAL   NOTE.  3/7 

they  shall  enjoy  the  blessings  of  freedom  and  of 
peace ;  where  they  may  work  out  their  own  des- 
tiny as  an  independent,  and  united  Christian  Com- 
munity, leading  the  way  for  their  brethren  yet  in 
darkness,  and  where  they  may  become  the  true,  and 
loyal-hearted  citizens,  of  the  country  that  fosters 
them. 


SUPPLEMENTAL   NOTE. 


SINCE  the  last  page  of  this  volume  was  in  type 
and  cast  for  printing,  I  have  the  information,  that 
the  authorities  are  taking  steps  to  prevent  by  force 
the  Metlakahtlans  from  taking  down  and  removing 
their  buildings — with  the  view  of  checking  the  pro- 
posed exodus.  These  high-handed  measures,  are 
apparently  based  on  a  point  of  technical  law. — If 
the  Crown  claims  ownership  of  the  Metlakahtlans' 
inherited  lands,  then  with  equal  right,  it  can  claim 
ownership  of  the  buildings  erected  thereon.  It  is  to 
be  hoped  that  this  last  outrage  may  not  drive  the 
Metlakahtlans  "weary  with  dragging  the  crosses, 
too  heavy  for  mortals  to  bear  "  to  desperate  resist- 
ance— but  if  bloodshed  follows  this  catastrophe, 


3/8  THE    STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

the  blood   be   upon  the  heads  of  those  who  alone 
are  responsible. 

It  is  but  a  fitting  denoument  to  the  story  of  be- 
leaguered Metlakahtla. 

H.  S.  W. 


APPENDIX. 


A  PLAN  FOR  CONDUCTING  CHRISTIANIZING  AND 
CIVILIZING  MISSIONS  ON  THE  NORTH  PA- 
CIFIC COAST, 

BY  MR.  WILLIAM  DUNCAN,  BASED  ON  His 
OWN  EXPERIENCE. 

"NEW  YORK,  March  36,   1887. 
"  DEAR  MR.  WELLCOME  : 

"  In  response  to  your  request  for  me  to  sketch  a 
plan  of  Mission  work  suitable  for  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  based  on  my  own  experience,  I  have  pre- 
pared the  enclosed. 

"  Yours  Very  Sincerely, 

"WILLIAM  DUNCAN." 

PLAN. 

1.  Preach  the  Gospel  in  the  Native  tongue  : 

2.  Itinerate  among  all  the  tribes  of  the  same  tongue  : 

3.  Aim  at  breaking  up  the  tribal  system  : 

4.  Commence  a  Christian  Settlement  : 

5.  Secure  a  Reserve  of  land  round  the  Settlement  : 


380  THE    STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

6.  Allow  all  the  settlers  allotments  of  land  : 

7.  Encourage  handcraft  trades  in  the  Settlement : 

8.  Settlers  should  not  be  allowed  to  alienate  land  : 

9.  Land  on  Reserve  not  utilized  to  be  public  domain  : 

10.  Treaties  made  only  with  Indians  in  the  Settlement  : 

11.  Government  aid   restricted  to  Native  towns  and  em- 
ployed only  on  Public  works  : 

12.  Intoxicating  liquors  forbidden  in  Native  Settlement  : 

13.  The  Missionary  to  be  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  : 

14.  A  Corps  of  Native  Police  organized  in  Settlement : 

15.  A  native  council  elected  by  ballot  to  institute  and  en- 
force by-laws — Control  public  moneys  and  lands,  and  carry 
out  public  works  : 

16.  The  Native  Church  to  be  unsectarian  : 

17.  Officers  of  the  Church  to  be  elected  by  the  Congre- 
gation : 

1 8.  Industries  to  be  introduced  and  fostered  in  the  Settle- 
ment : 

19.  Every  member  of  the  Settlement  entitled  to  serve  the 
public  weal  some  way  : 

20.  Amusements  such  as  athletic  games,  brass-band,  and 
other  forms  of  music  to  be  introduced  and  encouraged  : 

The  aforesaid  more  particularized  as  follows  :  — 
I.  Make  a  breach  into  the  tribal  system  of  the  Indians  by 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  To  this  end  let  the  Christian 
Missionary  first  learn  the  Native  tongue, — then  let  him  itin- 
erate from  a  temporary  centre  to  all  the  scattered  tribes 
speaking  the  same  language. 

As  soon  as  the  Missionary  discovers  there  are  some,  how- 
ever few,  in  the  bands  who  are  willing  to  join  him  in  com- 
mencing a  Christian  settlement,  let  him  at  once  select  a 
suitable  location  for  a  Native  town  ;  and  then  move  thither 
with  his  followers,  and  there  erect  permanent  Mission  prem- 
ises— Church  and  School,  but  let  the  work  of  itineration 
still  go  on. 


APPENDIX.  381 

The  essentials  for  a  suitable  location  in  such  a  case  would 
be:  — 

1.  A  good  beach  for  canoes  : 

2.  A  good  harbor  for  ships  : 

3.  A  gentle  slope  of  country  extending  from  the  beach  : 

4.  A  stream  with  flow  and  fall  suitable  for  a  saw-mill  : 

5.  Not  far  from  a  stream  where  salmon  abound  : 

6.  Being  on  the  line  of  route  of  Mail  Steamers  : 

7.  Being  not  less  than  five  miles  from  every  Settlement  : 

II.  Let  a  tract  of  land  in  the  locality  chosen   for  a  town 
site  be  reserved  for  the  Indian  settlers,  of  sufficient  size  so 
as  to  insure  : — 

1.  Enough  for  agricultural  purposes  : 

2.  A  preserve  for  game  : 

3.  A  public  Park  : 

4.  And  securing  not  less  than  five  miles  of  land  on  every 
side  of  the  Settlement. 

Such  Reserve  should  be  surveyed  at  the  expense  of  the 
Government  into  allotments  as  called  for  by  the  Dawes 
Bill,  granting  lands  in  Severally  to  the  Indians. 

Every  adult  Indian  in  Settlement  should  be  allowed  an 
equal  allotment  of  land,  whether  he  use  it  or  not ;  and  such 
Indians  as  cannot  utilize  the  soil,  but  would  rather  follow 
some  business  or  calling  in  and  needful  for  the  native  town, 
should  be  allowed  to  rent  their  allotments  to  other  members 
of  the  community. 

In  no  case  should  an  Indian  be  allowed  to  alienate  his 
property  in  the  land  or  rent  it  to  others  outside  the  commu- 
nity to  which  he  belongs. 

In  case  of  the  death  of  any  land-owner,  and  there  being  no 
heir  to  take  his  allotment,  not  already  in  possession  of  an  al- 
lotment of  his  own,  then  such  land  left  without  an  owner 
should  revert  to  the  public  domain  of  the  Settlement,  and 
be  controlled  by  the  Native  Council. 

III.  Treaties  should  be  made  with  the  Civilized  Indians 


382  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

for  the  relinquishtnent  of  all  rights  to  lands  outside  the  Re- 
serve. Such  treaties  should  insure  compensation  from  the 
Government  for  lands  and  ancient  privileges  which  the  Ind- 
ians have  been  called  upon  to  surrender.  The  amount  of 
compensation  promised  should  be  a  reasonable  yearly  allow- 
ance to  the  Native  town  or  settlement,  and  the  channels  for 
the  disbursement  of  the  money  granted  should  be  restricted 
to  those,  and  those  only  through  which  the  Government  are 
wont  to  render  aid  to  Settlements  of  Whites — consisting  of 
grants  for  Education — sanitary  and  medical  purposes — mak- 
ing roads — and  promoting  the  development  of  Public  works. 
Note. — The  system  of  making  presents  of  food  and  cloth- 
ing to  individual  and  uncivilized  Indians,  cannot  be  too 
strongly  condemned  ;  its  .tendency  is  to  sap  self-reliance — 
foster  indolence,  pauperism  and  discontent.  The  Indians 
while  surrounded  and  fettered  by  their  old  tribal  associa- 
tions, do  not  trace  the  presents  made  them  to  any  good  feel- 
ing on  the  part  of  the  Whites,  but  regarding  such  gifts  as  a 
bribe  to  secure  their  favor,  they  remain  therefore,  both  un- 
grateful and  disloyal. 

IV.  For  the  protection  of  the  Native  Settlement,  in  its 
pupilage — the  Government   should  make  it  illegal  for  any 
intoxicating  liquors  to  be  found  in  the  Settlement,  for  other 
than  medicinal  purposes. 

V.  Law  and  order  in  the  new  Settlement  should  be  estab- 
lished and  maintained  by  means  of  the  Natives  themselves. 

The  Missionary  or  School  teacher  should  be  granted  a 
Commission  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  he  should  select  a 
number,  say  from  ten  to  twenty  natives,  to  act  as  special  con- 
stables. All  that  the  Corps  would  require  for  their  services 
would  be  a  uniform  and  remuneration  when  called  to  special 
duty.  Thus  the  presence  of  a  Military  force,  would  not  be 
needed  except  in  cases  of  emergency  as  in  white  settle- 
ments. 

VI.  For  the  good  Government  of  the  Settlement  a  native 


APPENDIX.  383 

Council  should  be  organized  and  trained  in  its  duties,  by  the 
Missionary,  for  the  management  of  local  affairs. 

The  Council  should  have  at  first,  partial,  and  ultimately, 
full  control  of  public  works — and  the  public  moneys  of  the 
town, — and  be  empowered  to  look  after  sanitary  affairs,  and 
the  public  morals. 

The  Election  of  the  Council  should  be  by  ballot,  and  every 
member  of  it  voted  for  by  at  least  nine-tenths  of  the  voters. 

The  number  of  Councilmen  should  be  regulated  by  the 
size  of  the  Settlement — in  the  proportion  to  one  councillor 
for  every  ten  families. 

Native  Chiefs  should  have  to  stand  their  chances  of  elec- 
tion into  the  Council  like  others,  and  thus  tribal  fetters  detri- 
mental to  the  progress  of  the  Indians,  would  be  removed 
and  the  best  men  for  governing  would  come  to  the  front. 

VII.  For  the  stability  and  growth  of  Christianity,  Mis- 
sionaries should  not  display  their  denominational  procliv- 
ities.    All  should  work  together  in  brotherly  unity  for  the 
planting  of  the  Gospel  in  its  primitive  simplicity,  avoiding 
every  unessential  ceremony  and  most  of  all,  every  priestly 
assumption.     As  soon  as  a  congregation  gives  evidence  of 
having  an  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  Gospel,  and  sound- 
ness in  the  faith — let  it  be  called  upon  to  elect  its  elders,  and 
officers   to   assist  in   the   Church  work.     Elders  should  be 
elected  yearly  by  ballot. 

VIII.  Let  Industries  be  established  and  fostered  as  fast, 
and  as  much  as  possible,  but  no  coercive  measures  should  be 
taken  to  enforce  the  adoption  of  civilized  modes  of  living.    Let 
the  people  be  educated  up  to  every  step,  before  it  is  taken. 

IX.  Let  it  be  a  rule  in  the  Settlement  that  every  member 
of  it  should  be  identified  in  some  way  or  other,  with  the  pub- 
lic weal,  by  rendering  his  assistance  to  promote  it.     A  fire 
brigade  would  enlist  a  good  many. 

X.  Amusements   in   the   way  of  music — and  recreations 
should  by  all  means  be  encouraged  in  the  Settlement. 


MR.  DUNCAN'S  ADDRESS  BEFORE  THE  BOARD  OF 
INDIAN  COMMISSIONERS,  AND  THE  CONFER- 
ENCE OF  MISSIONARY  BOARDS,  AND  INDIAN 
RIGHTS  ASSOCIATIONS. 

BY  invitation  of  the  President  Mr.  Duncan  de- 
livered the  following  address  before  the  Board  of 
Indian  Commissioners  and  the  Conference  of  Mis- 
sionary Boards,  and  Indian  Rights  Associations  at 
the  annual  meeting  held  at  Washington,  D.  G, 
January  6,  1887— 

Mr.  Duncan's  address  : — 

Mr.  President  and  ladies  and  gentlemen  :  I  feel  it  to  be  a 
very  great  honor  that  I  am  permitted  to  be  present  with  you 
this  morning.  I  have  not  met  such  a  body  as  this  before 
during  the  whole  of  my  life  ;  a  body  where  all  who  sympa- 
thize with  the  Indian  are  admitted  and  invited  to  partici- 
pate. I  have  listened  with  very  great  interest  to  all  that  has 
been  said,  and  am  ready  to  indorse  especially  a  good  deal 
of  what  has  been  said  in  reference  to  the  capabilities  of  the 
Indian  to  be  made  a  good,  honest,  and  upright  Christian 
man.  It  has  often  been  said  that  it  was  impossible  to  im- 
prove the  Indian  ;  we  have  lived  to  prove  that  utterly  false. 
For  thirty  years  I  have  devoted  my  life  to  the  Indians,  and 
I  have  lived  to  see  in  this  present  generation  men  drawn  out 
from  the  very  lowest  and  the  most  degraded,  barbarous  sav- 
ages to  be  men  that  I  am  proud  of. 

I  may  give  briefly,  in  a  few  moments,  a  statement  which 


APPENDIX.  38^ 

will  explain  to  you  where  I  have  been  living.  About  thirty 
years  ago  I  left  England  to  come  over  to  this  country  ;  I 
had  to  go  around  South  America,  for  there  were  no  railroads 
across  the  country  in  those  days.  I  went  to  a  place  where 
it  was  supposed  the  largest  numbers  of  Indians  were  living 
in  one  locality,  that  is,  at  Fort  Simpson,  in  British  Colum- 
bia. There  were  two  thousand  three  hundred  Indians  lo- 
cated there  ;  they  were  not  the  kind  of  Indians  you  have  in 
these  Territories  ;  they  were  not  moving  about  'from  place 
to  place,  but  they  had  a  large  village  ;  I  counted  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  large  houses.  They  were  in  the  most  de- 
graded condition  ;  so  degraded  that  it  would  be  simply  im- 
possible for  me  to  tell  you  in  detail  the  abominable  sights  I 
saw.  They  had  gotten  down  to  cannibalism,  for  I  have  seen 
them  there  acting  under  the  influences  of  their  medicine 
men,  committing  the  most  horrible  outrages  upon  human 
bodies.  I  found  them  in  a  most  savage  condition,  so  savage 
it  was  not  safe  for  a  white  man  to  move  among  them.  On 
my  way  out  the  few  whites  that  were  established  in  a  fort  at 
Victoria,  about  500  or  600  miles  from  the  place  to  which  I 
was  destined  ;  endeavored,  with  all  their  power,  to  keep  me 
away  from  these  people.  They  said  they  would  be  certain 
to  hear  of  my  death.  I  begged  that  I  might  be  permitted  to 
live  in  a  stockade  that  had  been  erected  by  some  white  men 
up  there  for  trade  ;  I  begged  to  live  there  until  I  could 
speak  the  Indian  language.  I  was  given  that  privilege,  and 
for  eight  months  I  did  nothing  but  study  the  language,  for  I 
did  not  believe  in  mutilating  the  Gospel  by  going  and  talk- 
ing to  them  in  broken  English,  or  in  Chinook  jargon,  as  I 
wanted  to  give  it  to  them  in  their  native  language.  I  there- 
fore for  eight  months  did  little,  or  nothing  but  to  keep  my- 
self close  in  the  stockade  with  an  Indian,  who  did  not  know 
English.  By  the  acting  of  words  I  got  a  good  deal  of  his 
language  from  him,  and  in  eight  months  I  was  able  to 
preach.  At  that  time  I  went  out  to  the  various  camps.  Al- 


386  THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

though  they  were  living  in  one  locality,  I  found  they  were 
divided  into  nine  different  tribes  or  bands,  under  their  old 
chiefs. 

The  Indians  themselves  ridiculed  the  idea  of  their  ever 
accepting  the  white  man's  teaching.  They  have  their  own 
stereotyped  notions  about  God,  as  they  have  about  every- 
thing else.  The  white  man  is  another  being  altogether  to 
them. 

I  simply'  kept  straight  on  teaching  day  by  day,  and  al- 
though I  was  attacked  on  various  occasions,  and  my  life  was 
in  jeopardy  over  and  over  again,  yet  by  God's  help  I  was 
able  to  persevere.  At  first  I  did  not  attack  these  people  in 
their  customs  ;  I  did  not  ridicule  them  or  speak  against 
them  wantonly.  I  went  on  simply  teaching  them — giving 
them  light.  I  saw  they  wanted  light,  and  as  the  light  began 
to  dawn,  those  works  of  darkness  began  to  disappear,  and  in 
a  very  few  years  their  heathenish  customs  simply  dwindled 
away.  My  great  point  was  to  get  an  influence  over  them  ; 
to  isolate  as  soon  as  possible  the  little  germ  of  Christian 
truth  which  had  made  its  way  into  their  minds — to  get  it 
away  from  heathen  influence.  Therefore,  for  the  first  five 
years  I  worked  there,  it  was  with  the  view  of  getting  a  party 
to  begin  a  new  life — a  new  era  in  their  history.  After  five 
years'  efforts  I  succeeded  in  getting  50  under  my  influence, 
and  these  50  left  with  me.  We  started  a  new  little  colony 
17  miles  away  from  the  heathen  camp,  and  that  50  has 
grown  into  a  1,000.  It  finally  became  so  strong,  so  loyal, 
and  so  thoroughly  civilized,  that  its  power  has  extended  all 
over  the  country  around,  upon  all  sides  of  us,  even  to  Alas- 
ka. The  Indians  have  become  anxious  for  teachers.  There 
is  no  longer  any  barrier  ;  it  has  disappeared,  and  now  they 
see  just  as  other  men  see  ;  it  is  to  their  advantage  and  to 
their  comfort,  and  happiness,  to  know  God,  and  to  live  in  a 
civilized  and  Christian  way. 

I  will  just  mention  two  or  three  points,  which  I  believe  es- 


APPENDIX.  387 

sential  for  the  advancement  of  the  Indian.  It  is  a  sad  thing 
that  almost  every  department  necessary  for  the  advance- 
ment of  men  everywhere,  in  every  part  of  the  world,  has 
been  well  studied  except  the  Indian  question  ;  it  has  never 
been  thoroughly  and  consistently  studied.  There  have  been 
more  mistakes  on  the  part  of  the  white  man,  a  great  deal 
than  on  the  part  of  the  Indian.  In  my  opinion  the  giving 
away  of  presents  to  the  Indian,  has  had  the  effect  of  pau- 
perizing them  ;  bribing  them  to  keep  quiet,  terrorizing  them  ; 
in  fact  every  measure  which  has  kept  them  back  has  been  a 
mistake.  Trust  the  Indian  !  I  can  indorse  fully  what  I 
have  heard  Captain  Pratt  say  in  regard  to  trusting  the  Ind- 
ian. The  way  I  acted  when  I  got  this  little  colony  was 
simply  to  trust  them  as  men  we  had  raised  up,  who  had  be- 
come capable  and  industrious.  Those  men  are  now  able  to 
compete  with  the  white  men  in  their  various  industries,  and 
we  have  now  a  ship  taking  away  from  our  little  province 
8,300  cases  of  canned  fish,  all  done  by  the  Indians.  [Ap- 
plause.] We  manage  a  saw-mill,  and  run  a  little  steamer, 
all  done  by  the  Indians.  The  people  said  I  was  mad  be- 
cause I  was  trusting  these  Indians,  but  I  had  not  been  de- 
ceived by  them.  I  saw  from  the  first  that  the  only  way  of 
advancing  them  was  to  trust  them.  I  have  had  instances  of 
men  doing  wrong,  yet  I  may  say  I  have  had  fewer  such  in- 
stances among  the  Indians,  than  among  the  same  number 
of  white  men.  I  believe  they  are  capable  of  all  the  brain 
power,  of  all  the  conscientiousness,  and  of  all  the  ability  nec- 
essary to  make  splendid  men  of  themselves,  and  it  is  a  dis- 
grace to  our  nation,  a  disgrace  to  our  civilization,  that  we 
have  Indians  now  at  the  present  time  in  the  state  they  are. 
[Several  voices  :  Amen  !  That  is  so  !  Applause.] 

One  of  the  most  embarrassing  questions  that  was  ever  put 
to  me  by  an  Indian,  was  one  that  was  put  when  I  first  went 
there.  It  was  this:  "  What  do  you  mean  by  1858?"  I 
had  to  tell  him  that  1858  represented  the  number  of  years 


388  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

that  we  had  the  Gospel  of  God  in  the  world.  He  said, 
"  Why  didn't  you  tell  us  of  this  before  ?  why  were  not  our 
forefathers  told  this  ?  "  I  looked  upon  that  as  a  poser.  He 
said  to  me,  "  Have  you  got  the  word  of  God  ?  "  That,  in 
the  English  language,  would  be  equivalent  to  saying,  "  Have 
you  got  a  letter  from  God  ?  "  I  said,  "  Yes,  I  have  God's 
letter."  That  would  really  be  the  idea  that  would  reach  the 
Indian.  He  said,  "  I  want  to  see  it."  I  then  got  my  Bible. 
Remember,  this  was  my  first  introduction.  I  wanted  them 
to  understand  that  I  had  not  brought  a  message  from  the 
white  man  in  England,  or  anywhere  else,  but  a  message  from 
the  KING  of  Kings,  the  GOD  of  HEAVEN.  They  wanted 
to  see  that.  It  was  rumored  all  over  the  camp  that  I  had  a 
message  from  God.  The  man  came  into  the  house  and  I 
showed  him  the  Bible.  He  put  his  finger  very  cautiously 
upon  it  and  said,  "  Is  that  the  Word?  "  "Yes,"  I  said, 
"  it  is."  "  The  Word  from  God  ?  "  I  said,  "  It  is."  He 
said,  "  Has  he  sent  it  to  us  ?  "  I  said,  "  He  has,  just  as 
much  as  he  has  to  me."  "Are  you  going  to  tell  the  Ind- 
ians that?"  I  said,  "I  am."  He  said,  "  Good,  that  is 
very  good." 

Now,  you  see,  if  I  had  gone  out  there  in  the  name  of  a 
single  party  ;  if  I  had  gone  and  told  them  I  had  come  from 
the  queen,  or  from  a  nation,  immediately  I  would  have  cre- 
ated in  that  man's  mind  a  sort  of  antagonism  ;  but  as  soon 
as  I  told  him  I  had  a  message  from  God,  who  made  him,  he 
instantly  began  to  pause  and  think,  and  wanted  to  know 
about  that  message.  When  I  was  able  to  tell  those  Indians 
in  their  own  language  the  Word  of  God,  it  just  had  the  same 
effect  upon  them,  that  it  has  upon  the  white  people,  and 
their  congregations  are  as  earnest,  as  conscientious,  and  as 
indefatigable  in  their  worship  of  God,  as  any  congregation  of 
white  men.  The  influence  of  this  work  has  spread  all  over 
the  country. 

I  will  just  give  you  a  brief  idea  of  how  I  was  deceived,  on 


APPENDIX.  389 

that  point,  in  a  very  heathen  tribe.  They  had  heard  that  I 
was  coming,  and  the  chief,  in  order  to  show  his  great  de- 
light at  my  arrival,  put  up  what  they  call  a  large  cap. 
Their  cap  was  an  umbrella.  They  had  no  idea  of  prevent- 
ing rain  from  falling  on  their  heads  by  its  use,  but  looked 
upon  it  simply  as  a  web-footed  cap,  and  so  they  used  it  on 
state  occasions.  As  soon  as  I  landed  I  saw  the  man  with 
the  umbrella,  and  saw  the  excitement.  He  sent  a  message 
to  this  effect  :  "  I  would  like  you  to  come  into  my  house, 
and  I  shall  send  my  messenger  to  tell  you  so."  I  immedi- 
ately encamped  upon  the  bank  of  the  river.  By  and  by,  I 
was  told  that  all  things  were  ready  and  prepared  to  re- 
ceive me.  I  said  to  my  little  crew — for  in  those  days  I 
took  only  boys  with  me,  being  afraid  to  take  men,  as  they 
might  kill  me  for  the  purpose  of  getting  my  clothes — I  said, 
"  What  are  they  going  to  do  when  I  go  into  the  house  ?" 
"Dance."  "Tell  them  I  did  not  come  here  to  see  danc- 
ing, and  I  cannot  go  therefore."  They  told  the  messenger, 
to  tell  the  chief  that  I  objected  to  seeing  them  dance,  that  I 
had  come  with  a  solemn  message  to  them.  The  chief  re- 
plied, "Tell  the  white  chief  he  must  come  ;  if  he  doesn't 
come  to  me  I  won't  go  to  hear  his  word  ;  but  if  he  will 
come  I  will  go  and  hear  him."  That  changed  the  mat- 
ter altogether.  I  had  a  little  consultation  with  my  boys, 
and  they  said,  "You  had  better  go  ;  if  you  do  not  go  the 
chief  will  not  come  to  hear  what  you  have  to  say."  I 
walked  up  to  his  house,  I  confess,  in  a  very  grum  kind  of  a 
spirit.  I  did  not  like  to  attend  a  dance.  The  idea  of  a 
missionary  going  in  to  see  a  dance !  [Laughter.]  But  I 
saw  that  I  had  to  do  it ;  public  opinion  was  in  my  favor. 
[Laughter.]  I  was  very  glad  afterward  that  I  did  go. 
When  I  entered  the  house  there  was  a  person  there  ready 
to  point  out  a  seat  for  me.  There  was  a  bear-skin  spread 
over  a  box  for  me  to  sit  on.  The  chief  had  all  of  his  men 
placed  around  in  different  portions  of  the  house,  which  was 


390  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

a  very  large  one.  I  observed  that  he  had  gotten  a  large  sail 
and  used  it  for  a  curtain  in  part  of  the  room.  Very  soon  I 
saw  two  men  step  out.  One  had  a  rod  in  his  hand  beating 
the  floor.  They  had  a  kind  of  theatrical  performance.  The 
old  man,  after  stamping  his  foot  and  putting  his  rod  down 
very  firmly,  said,  in  his  own  language,  of  course,  "  The 
heavens  are  changing."  The  other  man  was  there  to  re- 
spond, "  Yes,  so  it  seems  ;  the  heavens  are  changing."  A 
few  little  remarks  of  this  sort  were  made,  and  then  the  sail 
was  drawn  aside  and  out  dashed  the  chief,  dressed  in  most 
magnificent  costume,  his  head  being  completely  covered 
with  feathers  and  other  ornaments.  He  had  his  rifle  in  his 
hand.  He  shook  it  and  then  pointed  it  in  my  face  ;  walked 
up  a  little  way  to  me  and  then  put  up  his  hands  with  his 
rifle  in  it ;  he  looked  through  the  hole  in  the  centre  of  the 
roof  where  the  smoke  came  out,  and  immediately  began  a 
beautiful  prayer.  I  was  astonished.  This  was  no  dance. 
If  I  could  only  give  you  his  prayer  in  his  own  beautiful  and 
eloquent  language,  you  would  be  astonished  also.  I  can  only 
give  you  the  substance  of  it.  It  was  something  like  this  : 
' 'Great  Father!  Great  Father  of  Heaven!  Thou  hast 
sent  Thy  Word  !  Thy  letter  has  reached  this  place.  We, 
Thy  children  here,  are  wanting  it.  Thy  servant  has  come 
here  with  it.  Help  him  to  teach  us  and  we  will  listen. 
Thanks  to  Thee,  Great  Father,  for  sending  Thy  word  to 
us." 

That  is  just  the  outline.  It  was  uttered  in  a  most  pathetic, 
eloquent,  and  solemn  manner. 

Having  said  this  little  prayer,  he  looked  at  me,  thanked 
me  for  coming.  Then  he  began  to  dance,  and  the  Indians 
began  a  chant,  clapping  their  hands.  It  was  an  extempo- 
raneous song,  and  I  listened  to  it  with  a  great  deal  of  pleas- 
ure. There  was  a  man  among  them  who  made  a  hymn,  just 
as  they  wanted  it,  and  when  they  wanted  it.  The  tune  was 
a  sad  one  in  this  instance.  It  was  a  chant ;  the  words  were 


APPENDIX.  391 

all  extemporized  by  this  man.  I  found  that  the  song  was 
all  about  God  having  sent  his  servant  and  his  messenger  to 
teach  the  Indians.  They  clapped  their  hands  and  sung 
with  the  greatest  joy.  It  was  a  grand  reception. 

The  Indian  is  all  that ;  but  as  soon  as  he  begins  to  see 
that  he  is  treated  with  a  sort  of  dread,  or  fear,  or  suspicion, 
or  you  try  to  terrorize  him,  or  drive  down  his  throat  what 
you  believe,  and  what  he  does  not  believe,  he  then  stands 
aloof  from  you.  He  wants  to  be  treated  as  a  brother.  He 
wants  to  be  treated  as  a  man.  The  Indian  has  all  in  him 
that  is  necessary  to  make  him  a  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  it  may  be  that  some  day  you  will  have  a  man  of 
Indian  blood  the  President  of  this  great  nation.  [Applause.] 
They  have  all  the  qualities  necessary  to  make  men  of  them- 
selves. They  are  men  who,  when  they  understand  it,  can 
preach  the  Gospel  in  a  most  eloquent  and  effective  way ; 
they  are  men  who»can  appreciate  and  receive  it  just  as  much 
as  you  and  I. 

Of  course  they  have  their  characteristics.  I  will  just  al- 
lude to  one  point  in  regard  to  which  I  am  reminded  here. 
I  see  representatives  of  various  denominations,  and  various 
Christian  bodies  all  united,  gathered  here  to  tell  of  the  efforts 
they  are  making  in  the  one  great  work.  I  say  God  speed 
those  organizations  and  denominations.  God  speed  their 
work.  But  let  me  say  that  when  you  go  to  talk  to  the  Ind- 
ians, bury  all  church  creeds  and  doctrines,  and  give  them 
the  Gospel  pure  and  simple.  Take  him  that,  and  he  will 
bless  you,  and  he  will  grow  up  to  be  an  honor  to  the  country. 

Here  comes  in  the  great  difficulty,  that  we  have,  in  uniting 
in  our  efforts  on  behalf  of  the  Indians.  Here  is  where  we 
have  often  injured  the  great  work,  by  jealousy,  rivalry,  and 
sectarianism.  Let  us  go  simply  in  the  name  of  Christ. 
Simply  take  him  the  Gospel.  Let  the  Gospel  itself  develop 
the  Indian,  and  then  you  will  see  a  real,  true,  and  substan- 
tial, Christian  man. 


392  THE    STORY    OF   MKTLAKAHTLA. 

Now,  with  regard  to  his  physical  and  temporal  affairs. 
The  trouble  is,  we  leave  the  Indian  down  in  the  mud.  We 
do  not  believe  in  a  missionary  being  only  a  teacher  of  re- 
ligion, as  such.  A  missionary,  should  be  a  man  who  will  look 
at  the  Indian  as  a  whole  ;  take  him  body  and  soul,  and  try 
to  lift  him  up.  My  endeavors  have  been  to  make  them  self- 
supporting.  We  have  no  Government  aid.  I  wish  I  had 
time  to  tell  you  about  the  present  policy  of  the  Government 
under  which  we  live,*  but  I  cannot  tell  you  all  I  want  to  say 
about  it,  as  it  would  take  too  long.  I  will  say  this,  how- 
ever, that  they  do  not  believe  in  helping  the  Indians. 
They  believe  in  paying  the  Indians  to  keep  quiet.  If  he 
has  his  war  paint  on,  they  will  pay  him  money  to  keep  him 
quiet,  but  they  have  given  evidence  that  they  do  not  care 
for  the  Indian  if  he  is  an  improved,  civilized  Indian.  Which 
is  certainly  a  great  mistake. 

What  we  want  is  to  lift,  or  assist  these  hidians,  as  soon  as 
possible  by  these  religious  associations  so  as  to  make  them 
independent  of  the  Government.  The  Government  has  no 
soul,  no  heart  ;  a  Christian  has  a  heart. 

Now,  Christian  men  and  Christian  ladies,  come  forward 
and  help  the  Indian  ;  get  him  out  of  this  difficulty  with  the 
Government,  and  make  him  a  man,  and  then  he  will  be 
treated  as  other  men  are  by  the  Government. 

I  would  say,  therefore,  by  all  means  take  and  teach  the 
Indian  how  to  support  himself.  .  .  . 

In  the  first  instance,  when  I  began  in  this  little  place,  I 
had  no  house.  I  lived  in  one  of  the  little  Indian  bark  sheds  ; 
by  and  by  we  began  to  build,  and  little  by  little  help  came 
to  us. 

I  very  soon  saw  these  Indians  were  desirous  of  learning  all 
kinds  of  work.  I  put  up  a  little  saw-mill,  and  when  the 
Indians  found  out  I  was  going  to  make  water  saw  wood,  they 
first  of  all  did  not  believe  it.  ... 

*  The  Canadian  Government. 


APPENDIX.  393 

Then  we  began  to  make  soap.  I  knew  it  was  necessary 
to  teach  the  Indians  to  be  cleanly.  .  .  .  After  that  we 
had  cleanly  Indians. 

Then  I  erected  a  blacksmith's  shop,  and  a  cooper  shop, 
and  a  sash  shop,  and  planing  arrangements.  Afterwards  I 
started  weaving,  as  I  wanted  to  get  the  Indians  to  making 
their  own  coarse  clothing.  They  have  now  learned  to  spin, 
and  have  already  produced  some  shawls.  They  are  not 
very  pretty  ;  I  do  not  suppose  they  would  be  wanted  here, 
but  they  are  very  useful  to  the  Indians.  But  the  greatest 
industry  of  all  is  the  cannery.  I  said  to  myself,  "  Why, 
see  these  poor  aborigines  of  the  country  ;  robbed  out  of 
everything,"  and  so  I  started  that  business.  Altogether, 
since  we  began,  we  have  put  up  over  30,000  cases  of  salmon, 
and  their  salmon  has  commanded  as  good  a  price  in  the 
market  as  any  salmon  does. 

I  say,  let  us  give  them  all  the  industries  that  we  can.  I 
have  seen  enough  to  convince  me  that  the  Indian  problem 
is  solved,  so  far  as  the  Indian  is  concerned,  but  it  is  not 
solved  so  far  as  the  white  man  is  concerned.  This  is  be- 
cause of  our  ignorance.  Therefore,  whenever  a  man  speaks 
tome  about  the  difficulties  of  civilizing  the  Indian,  I  always 
tell  him  that  the  difficulties  are  on  the  side  of  the  white 
man  ;  that  the  white  man  is  pig-headed,  stupid,  and  doesn't 
know  anything  about  the  Indians  at  all.  Every  man  would 
have  a  different  impression  of  the  Indian,  if  he  had  lived 
amongst  them  as  I  have  done.  I  am  happy  to  say  that  I 
am  proud  of  the  Indians.  I  have  seen  the  Indian  dying,  and 
dying  with  the  same  hopes  that  cheer  us.  They  hold  to  the 
same  faith,  and  grasp  the  teachings  of  the  Saviour,  as  eager- 
ly as  do  the  white  men.  In  dying  they  die  with  the  blessed 
hope  of  meeting  their  Saviour  above. 

Ladies  and  gentlemen,  let  us  do  what  we  can  for  these 
people  ;  do  not  let  them  be  crushed  out  ;  do  not  let  them 
die,  as  it  were,  with  the  curse  upon  the  white  man,  but  let 


394  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

us  remove  this  curse  ;  remove  these  wrongs  and  lift  the 
people  up,  and  God  will  bless  the  nation  and  the  people 
who  do  it. 

At  a  subsequent  session  of  this  assembly,  Mr. 
Duncan  participating  in  the  discussion  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Indian  land  and  citizenship  rights,  made  the 
following  remarks : 

MR.  DUNCAN.— I  am  in  sympathy  with  treating  the  Ind- 
ians as  men,  and  in  keeping  them  as  Indian  communities. 
I  do  not  believe  in  their  being  scattered  among  the  white 
men,  because  they  are  weak  and  they  will  go  to  the  wall. 
They  are  not  in  a  position  at  present  to  cope  with  the  white 
man.  First  bring  them  up  to  manhood  ;  teach  them  how  to 
maintain  themselves,  and  then  send  them  out  into  the  world. 
They  should,  in  their  present  condition,  be  treated  as  chil- 
dren are  treated  by  parents  until  they  reach  manhood.  In 
British  Columbia,  I  found  in  the  50  men  I  had,  that  there 
was  a  little  germ  of  life  ;  they  had  gotten  the  seed  of  life  in 
them.  There  was  an  aspiration  after  a  better  life  ;  they 
had  gotten  to  know  the  God  who  could  help  them,  and  to 
look  up  to  Him.  We  started,  and  we  grew.  Gradually  we 
asserted  our  position  by  accumulating  all  the  appliances  of 
civilization.  We  had  law.  I  organized  a  native  council. 
This  native  council  managed  its  business  as  well  as  the 
council  in  Washington  could.  I  organized  a  native  police 
force.  In  every  way  they  managed  their  own  little  affairs. 

Therefore,  I  say,  if  you  want  to  develop  the  Indians  you 
must  keep  them  in  communities  ;  don't  divide  them  upon 
different  portions  of  land,  and  scatter  them  away  from  civi- 
lization. Becoming  thus  isolated,  they  will  feel  themselves 
cut  off  from  the  world,  and  that  will  not  tend  to  develop 
them.  You  cannot  make  all  of  them  farmers  any  more  than 
you  can  make  all  white  men  farmers.  Have  a  community, 


APPENDIX.  395 

and  some  of  them  will  become  blacksmiths  ;  some  farmers, 
some  tinsmiths,  some  shoemakers,  and  others  will  follow 
other  of  the  different  trades. 

I  will  state  that  our  Government  has  declared  that  these 
Indians  have  no  rights  in  the  land,  except  such  as  may  be 
accorded  them  by  the  charity  of  the  Crown  of  England. 
They,  therefore,  are  allowed  to  use  the  land  on  which  their 
forefathers  lived,  and  on  which  they  were  born,  by  suffer- 
ance* In  view  of  this  condition  of  affairs  they  are  border- 
ing on  a  state  of  desperation,  and  that  has  led  me  to 
come  here  and  see  if  I  cannot  get  permission  to  have  them 
transfer  themselves  to  the  Territory  of  Alaska.  There 
seems  to  be  no  difficulty  with  the  Indians,  it  is  all  with  the 
white  man.  The  insatiable  greed  of  the  white  man,  leads 
him  to  desire  to  obtain  all  that  the  Indian  has,  and  if  he 
cannot  get  it  without  law,  he  will  have  a  law  enacted  which 
will  enable  him  to  get  it.  That  is  the  condition  of  things  in 
British  Columbia,  where  there  are  about  the  same  number 
of  white  men  in  the  province  as  there  are  Indians.  This  is 
a  fact.  The  British  Columbia  Government  represents  about 
30,000  white  people,  and  there  are  30,000  Indians  in  that 
same  province.  I  do  not  know  how  many  millions  of  acres 
there  are  in  British  Columbia,  but  I  know  this,  that  while 
there  are  30,000  white  people  and  30,000  Indians,  the  Indians 
were  to  have  just  2  acres  a  head — that  is,  60,000  acres  in  all 
— of  forest,  lake,  and  bog,  while  the  white  man  was  to  have 
the  balance.  And  yet,  notwithstanding  this,  the  Indians 
are  told  that  even  2  acres  do  not  belong  to  them  ;  that  it 
has  been  given  to  them  out  of  the  bounty,  and  the  charity, 
of  the  Crown  of  England.  That  is  what  has- led  the  Indians 
to  say,  "  After  all  we  have  been  told  by  good  and  great  men 
among  the  missionaries  ;  after  we  have  been  told  that  we 
are  on  the  right  track  when  we  accept  the  religion  of  the 
Bible,  and  follow  the  steps  of  the  white  man  ;  all  at  once 
we  are  brought  face  to  face  with  injustice,  wrong,  cruel 


396  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

wrong  j  and  when  we  ask  if  we  may  have  the  same  privi- 
leges as  white  men,  when  we  adopt  their  laws,  we  are  told 
we  cannot  have  them." 

When  the  Indian  has  developed  in  the  manner  he  has,  in 
the  little  colony  of  which  I  have  spoken,  what  a  shame  it  is 
to  say  that  now  the  Government,  the  Government  of  the 
people,  is  the  difficulty,  is  that  which  will  not  only  hinder 
further  progress,  but  which  will  destroy  all  that  has  been  at- 
tained up  to  this  time.  We  are  now  endeavoring  to  get 
these  people  into  a  Territory  where  they,  perhaps,  will  not 
be  disturbed  in  their  comfort  and  future  happiness.  I  will 
simply  say  this,  that  it  seems  to  depend  entirely  upon  the 
success  of  my  visit  here  whether  the  result  shall  be  war 
or  peace  ;  whether  these  Indians  will  go  back  to  their  bar- 
barism, or  whether  they  will  join  those  inclined  to  war. 
Whether  these  poor  people  will  be  dragged  down  again  to 
shed  man's  blood,  rests  upon  the  proper  determination  of 
the  question,  as  to  whether  the  insatiable  greed  of  the  white 
man,  to  possess  all  that  the  Indian  holds,  shall  be  allowed 
to  prevail  or  not. 

.  MR.  TlBBLES. — Wouldn't  this  whole  difficulty  be  settled 
if  these  men  were  put  on  legal  status  exactly  the  same  as 
white  men  are  ? 

MR.  DUNCAN.— Yes,  that  is  what  we  want. 

MR.  WILLARD. — Do  you  want  anything  more  in  order  to 
insure  complete  success,  than,  for  the  Indians  to  have  title 
to  their  land  ? 

MR.  DUNCAN. — All  the  Indians  want  is  this,  to  feel  a 
secure  tenure  of  the  land  on  which  they  live  ;  to  feel  secure 
in  the  buildings  that  they  erect,  and  that  the  industries 
they  establish  may  continue  to  be  theirs.  We  have  been 
earnestly  struggling  for  many  years  ;  by  the  most  persever- 
ing efforts  I  have  succeeded  in  establishing  branches  of  in- 
dustry among  these  Indians,  which  have  enabled  them  to 
support  themselves,  and  yet,  they  have  not  the  merest 


APPENDIX.  397 

shadow  of  a  tenure  to  their  lands,  or  to  their  industries,  for 
that  matter.  Let  me  state  an  instance  in  point.  The  pre- 
mier of  Canada,  Sir  John  Macdonald,  went  this  last  summer 
into  British  Columbia  and  sold  an  Indian  reservation  there 
for  $60,000,  without  even  consulting  the  Indians  who  lived 
upon  it ;  nor  did  he  even  consult  his  colleagues  in  the  Gov- 
ernment, but  simply,  as  an  arbitrary  measure,  took  the  mat- 
ter into  his  own  hands  and  sold  the  land  to  a  private  citizen 
for  $60,000,  that  sum  being  about  a  quarter  of  its  value! 

MR.  TIBBLES. — Is  there  any  possible  way  to  secure  this 
tenure,  that  you  speak  of,  to  the  Indians  except  by  placing 
them  on  the  same  equality  before  the  law  as  the  white  men, 
for  you  cannot  whip  Great  Britain  ? 

MR.  DUNCAN. — We  cannot  get  those  rights  ;  that  is  what 
we  want.  The  Indian  simply  wants  the  same  privileges,  the 
same  laws,  the  same  immunities  as  the  white  man,  and  he 
will  pay  the  taxes  the  same  as  the  white  man. 

CAPT.  PRATT. — The  picture  that  Mr.  Duncan  has  drawn 
is  a  very  beautiful  one  ;  he  certainly  is  engaged  in  a  grand 
work,  and  has  accomplished  wonders,  but  I  would  like  to 
ask  him  what  would  become  of  that  community  to-day,  if  the 
head  were  taken  away  ? 

MR.  DUNCAN. — I  am  very  happy  to  answer  that.  Had  I 
preached  William  Duncan  it  would  have  been  so,  but  I 
preached  Christ,  and  in  the  strength  of  that  Gospel,  that 
has  done  so  much  for  the  white  man,  I  can  safely  leave  the 
Indians  there.  I  assure  you  that  we  have  at  the  present  in 
that  community,  as  substantial  and  Christian  men  and  wom- 
en, as  are  to  be  found  among  any  community  of  white  peo- 
ple. They  are  now  in  a  position  to  be  left  to  attend  to  their 
own  affairs,  without  any  assistance  from  me. 

CAPT.  PRATT. — I  would  like  to  know  how  Mr.  Duncan  rec- 
onciles what  he  has  been  telling  us,  in  answer  to  my  question 
with  what  he  said  a  little  while  ago,  that  upon  the  success  of 
his  mission  here  depended  whether  they  would  have  war  out 


398  THE   STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

there  or  not.  I  cannot  see  the  consistency  of  these  two 
statements.  He  is  here  to  do  something  to  prevent  war,  and 
yet  if  he  is  taken  away  everything  will  go  on  all  right. 

MR.  DUNCAN. — I  will  tell  you  that  for  five  years  this  com- 
munity has  been  put  into  a  very  difficult  position.  It  has 
been  persecuted,  and  their  progress  has  been  impeded,  in 
fact  almost  stopped.  Last  year  three  of  them  were  deputed 
by  the  community  to  visit  Ottawa  with  me.  We  went  there. 
These  poor  people  supported  the  families  of  these  three  men 
who  went  away  while  they  were  absent.  We  spent  three 
months  at  Ottawa.  Promises  were  made  by  the  Govern- 
ment, that  so  and  so,  should  be  done.  All  these  Indians 
asked  for  was  for  justice.  They  wanted  the  survey  that  had 
just  been  made  adjusted.  I  stated  at  Ottawa  that  these 
people  were  not  like  other  Indians,  receiving  subsidies  from 
the  Government  ;  that  they  had  to  fight  their  own  way,  and 
that  all  they  wanted  was  to  have  their  surveys  properly 
adjusted.  The  officials  promised  certain  things.  These 
promises  were  simply  shelved  and  nothing  done.  At  last 
the  Indians  were  driven  to  a  sort  of  feeling  of  desperation, 
and  about  two  months  ago,  while  I  was  away  at  Victoria,  a 
ship-of-war  went  up  there  and  arrested  eight  of  them.  And 
for  doing  what  ?  Nothing  more  than  any  white  man  would 
have  done  if  placed  in  a  similar  position.  These  three  Ind- 
ians that  went  as  a  deputation  to  Ottawa  last  year  repre- 
sented to  the  Government  that  the  survey  commission  had 
been  up  there,  and  without  consulting  them  had  made  cer- 
tain lines  in  reference  to  their  reserve,  which  lines  were 
found  to  be,  when  the  Indians  returned  and  had  thoroughly 
looked  into  the  matter,  very  incorrect  and  injurious  to  them. 
Therefore,  they  wished  the  reserve  commissioner  to  return, 
and  they  would  show  him  where  his  mistakes  had  been 
made.  We  expected  him  to  come,  instead  of  which,  last 
autumn,  a  party  of  surveyors  arrived.  The  Indians  naturally 
protested.  They  said,  "  We  have  represented  the  matter  to 


APPENDIX.  399 

the  premier  ;  here  is  his  letter,  read  it,  in  which  he  promises 
this,  that,  and  the  other  shall  be  done,  and  yet  nothing  has 
been  done.  Therefore  we  ask  you  not  to  make  this  survey, 
as  it  is  not  right."  The  surveyor  wrote  a  report  to  Victoria 
that  he  was  obstructed,  and  a  man-of-war  was  sent,  and 
eight  of  these  men  were  put  in  prison.  These  eight  men 
are  suffering  for  what  eight  hundred  would  have  done — 
endeavoring  to  stop  the  reserve  being  surveyed  on  wrong 
lines  ;  lines  represented  to  be  wrong  to,  and  acknowledged 
to  be  wrong  by,  the  head  of  Indian  affairs.  Therefore  it  is 
that  these  Indians  want,  if  possible,  permission  to  go  over 
to  the  border  of  Alaska,  where  they  may  have  the  benefit  of 
the  laws  of  your  country. 

Now,  as  a  direct  answer  to  Capt.  Pratt's  question,  the  Ind- 
ians have  intimated  to  me  that  if  they  are  not  allowed  to  go 
to  Alaska,  and  have  the  privilege  of  settling  there,  and  be- 
coming free  men,  and  citizens  of  that  country,  they  will  leave 
the  place  where  they  are  and  join  the  interior  Indians, 
where  they  feel  they  have  a  position  of  strength,  and  where 
they  will  be  able  to  cope  with  the  white  man,  with  the  rob- 
ber, with  the  man  who  does  them  an  injustice.  I  was  told 
by  my  Indians  that  the  other  tribes  of  Indians,  that  were  still 
uncivilized,  were  urging  my  people  to  join  in  a  defensive  war. 
I  am  still  hoping  that  we  shall  be  able  to  bridge  over  the  dif- 
ficulty, and  let  these  poor  people  know  that  there  is  still  in 
our  Christianity  that  which  they  can  grasp  ;  something  that 
is  tangible  ;  something  that  is  not  merely  a  theory  of  relig- 
ion, which  will  not  leave  them  to  fight  all  their  battles  by 
themselves,  but  something  that  will  reach  out  to  them  a 
helping  hand,  and  enable  them  to  remain  as  they  are  now, 
a  happy  and  self-supporting  people. 

Suppose  I  should  have  to  go  back  to  these  Indians  and 
say,  "There  is  no  room  in  America;  the  white  man  has 
turned  his  back  upon  you,  as  Canada  has."  What  will  be 
the  effect  ?  What  will  these  people  then  do  ?  Are  they  to 


400  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

be  left  to  live  upon  lands  on  which  they  feel  they  are  allowed 
merely  by  sufferance  of  the  Crown  of  England  ?  I  say  no 
man  living  could  exist  under  such  circumstances,  and  be 
content  and  happy.  What  they  will  have  to  do  if  they  can- 
not go  to  Alaska,  will  be  to  go  up  the  river  and  join  these 
other  Indians.  Whether  that  will  result  in  war  or  not  I  can- 
not tell. 

THE  PRESIDENT,  HON.  CLINTON  B.  FISK. — When  Lord 
Dufferin  made  that  wonderful  speech  at  Victoria,  after  re- 
ferring to  the  Indians  of  British  Columbia,  he  said,  in  that 
wonderful  appeal  to  the  people,  "  You  must  do  for  these 
Indians  as  you  would  do  for  yourselves.  There  will  be  no 
peace  for  you  until  they  become  citizens  of  the  Crown  and 
British  subjects,  and  have  their  own  homes."  I  had  a  con- 
versation with  him  in  New  York,  and  I  have  never  heard  a 
man  voice  my  sentiment  better  than  he  did. 

PRESIDENT  GATES. — Mr.  Duncan  has,  in  very  forcible  and 
eloquent  language,  made  known  to  us  to-day  the  great  suc- 
cess that  he  has  achieved  among  the  Indians  of  British  Co- 
lumbia. He  has  shown  us  what  can  be  accomplished  where 
you  have  a  good  and  earnest  man,  working  in  behalf  of  his 
brethren  ;  preaching  Christ  ;  instilling  Christian  principles, 
and  at  the  same  time  enforcing  such  with  good  sense  ;  mak- 
ing practical  his  teachings  ;  looking  after  the  wants  of  the 
men  ;  supplying  them  with  saw-mills,  and  with  other  means 
of  providing  for  their  necessities. 


MR.  DUNCAN'S  REFUTATION  OF  SOME  OF  THE 
FALSEHOODS  ORIGINATED  BY  BISHOP  RID- 
LEY AND  PUBLICLY  STATED  BY  THE  DEPU- 
TATION. 

BISHOP  RIDLEY  is  the  author  of  the  following 
statement,  and  in  substance  it  was  repeated  in 
public  assembly  at  Metlakahtla  by  the  Society's 
Deputation  in  Mr.  Duncan's  absence.* 

The  Charge. — "  I  [Bishop  Ridley]  requested  him  [Mr. 
"  Duncan]  to  hand  over  to  me  all  the  books,  and  all  the 
"  property  of  the  Society.  This  he  refused  to  do,  but 
"  afterward  handed  over  some  of  the  accounts  to  Mr.  Col- 
"  lison.  .  .  .  The  store  and  its  stock  was  believed  by 
"  the  Church  Missionary  Society  to  be  its  property  before 
11  the  destruction  began.  .  .  .  We  have  been  told  that 
"  the  Public  works  were  stopped  by  the  rupture,  and  I  beg 
"  to  add  that  the  funds  from  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
"  ciety,  and  not  his  personal  credit  enabled  him  to  carry 
"  on  the  public  works  previously.  For  instance  here  is  an 
"  entry  in  the  Church  Missionary  Society's  periodical  for 
"September,  1870  (The  Record)  '  Metlakahtla  Fund,  A 
"  Friend,  ^25.'  Such  entries  are  very  common  in  the  So- 
1 '  ciety's  accounts.  If  the  profits  of  the  store  built  up  the 
"  Public  Works  at  Metlakahtla— I  should  like  to  know  what 
"  use  he  made  of  such  contributions  ?  If  he  is  so  ready  to 
"lay  before  the  Commissioner  an  account  of  such  moneys, 

*  See  page  254. 


402  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

"  why  did  he  cut  out  those  twelve  pages  from  the  Society's 
"Ledger  which  detailed  such  account?  The  Society  will 
"  be  glad  to  receive  an  account  from  Mr.  Duncan  of  the 
"expenditure  of  the  large  sums  so  received.  They  asked 
"  through  me  in  vain." 

Here  then  it  is  seen  the  Bishop  charges  me  with  having 
refused  to  render  up  to  the  Society  certain  property  stock-in- 
trade  and  accounts,  also  with  having  cut  twelve  pages  out  of 
the  Society's  Ledger  which  contained  the  record  of  money 
received  by  me  from  the  Society,  and  the  expenditure  of 
which  money  the  Society  has  sought  in  vain  to  obtain. 

I  will  first  meet  these  charges  in  few  words  and  then  enter 
into  details  and  explanation. 

Immediately  after  receiving  the  letter  disconnecting  me 
from  the  Society,  I  ceased  to  exercise  any  control  over  the 
property  of  the  Society,  and  within  a  day  or  so  I  left  the 
mission  premises.  The  persons  I  left  in  the  Mission  House 
were  Mr.  Collison  and  family.  The  Bishop  had  gone  away. 
The  Society  had  no  stock-in-trade  at  Metlakahtla  or  ever 
had — for  me  to  hand  over.  The  Society's  accounts  I  handed 
over  to  the  agent  Mr.  Collison  appointed  to  keep  them. 

Whoever  told  the  Bishop,  that  the  Public  works  at  Metla- 
kahtla, were  stopped  by  the  rupture  made  a  mistake.  The 
fact  is  the  Public  works  have  been  largely  increased  since 
the  rupture  which  was  certainly  not  "  due  to  Mr.  Duncan's 
connection  with  the  Society." 

The  Book  which  the  Bishop  says  I  cut,  was  not  a  Ledger, 
but  contained  only  copies  of  the  yearly  accounts  ;  both  the 
originals  having  been  sent  to  the  Society  which  accounts, 
originals,  and  copies,  were  complete  in  every  particular  when 
I  handed  them  over. 

Now  for  details  and  explanation — 

i.  I  have  to  state  that  until  the  advent  of  Bishop  Ridley 
all  the  money  drawn  on  account  of  the  North  Pacific  Mis- 
sion from  the  Society,  for  over  twenty  years  passed  through 


APPENDIX.  403 

my  hands,  and  every  penny  was  accounted  for  by  me  to  the 
Financial  Secretary  yearly. 

2.  In  not  one  instance,  to  my  knowledge  during  all  that 
time  was  I  ever  notified  of  any  discrepancy,  or  omission,  till 
the  last  year,  when  the  Financial  Secretary  wrote  to  ask  me 
for  an  explanation  on  two  items.    One  item  was,  that  a  draft 
for  ^500  had  been  presented  to  the  Society  for  payment, 
which  draft  did  not  appear  among  those  accounted  for  in  my 
yearly  statement. 

This  omission  was  explained  by  the  fact  that  Bishop 
Ridley,  had  drawn  the  draft,  but  had  failed  to  advise  the 
Society,  or  render  to  them,  or  myself  any  account  of  it,  or 
for  it. 

The  other  it^m  for  explanation,  was  that  the  total  sum  of 
general  expenses  of  the  Masset  Mission  Station,  as  it  ap- 
peared on  my  statement,  did  not  agree  with  the  amount 
rendered  direct  to  the  Society  by  Mr.  Collison — the  mission- 
ary at  Masset.  This  discrepancy  was  explained  by  Mr. 
Collison  himself  to  the  Financial  Secretary — showing  the  ac- 
count as  sent  through  me  was  the  correct  one. 

3.  That  the  accounts  in  the  Society's  hands  will    testify 
how  careful  I  have  been  over  disbursing  the  Society's  funds, 
and  that,  year  by  year,  as  I  was  able,  I  sought  to  lighten  the 
general  expenses  of  the  mission,  by  contributions  from  my 
own  salary,  and  from  money  paid  me  for  services  rendered 
to  the  government,  and  also  from  profits  arising  from  our 
village  industries. 

4.  I  was  ever  careful  to  guard  against  using  the  Society's 
funds  for  any  object,  however  good,  outside  the  limits  al- 
lowed generally  to  all  missions. 

The  mission-house,  and  premises  and  school-house  were 
within  those  limits  and  they  are  the  only  buildings  erected 
at  Metlakahtla  by  the  Society's  money — though  not  exclu- 
sively by  their  money  /  and,  these  buildings  I  resigned  the 
use  of  immediately  I  was  disconnected  from  the  Society. 


404  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Not  even  the  new  and  costly  church,  much  less  the  work- 
shops at  Metlakahtla  ever  cost  the  Society  a  penny,  that  I 
am  aware  of,  and  as  for  the  Society  having  any  stock-in- 
trade,  or  machinery  at  Metlakahtla,  the  claim  is  simply  ab- 
surd. For  how  could  a  Society  be  owners  of  a  property  they 
never  acquired  or  possessed — or  ever  erected — maintained, 
ordered  or  controlled  ?  Stranger  still,  if  the  Society  knew 
they  had  a  trade  at  Metlakahtla,  for  which  they  were  respon- 
sible, and  from  which  profits  were  accruing,  that  they  should 
have  allowed  it  to  go  on  for  so  many  years,  and  never  once, 
remembering  to  call  their  agent,  to  render  an  account  of  it, 
till,  after  they  had  dismissed  him  ! 

As  I  have  before  said — the  claim  is  simply  absurd  ;  and  I 
must  add,  that  not  one  of  the  Society's  officers,  whose  busi- 
ness it  was  to  put  it  forward,  had  it  existed,  ever  once 
breathed  it  to  me.  And  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  even 
Bishop  Ridley — whose  business  it  was  not — never  dreamed 
of  such  a  claim,  till  after  the  rupture  ;  and  until  he  needed  to 
look  for  stones  to  throw  at  me. 

All  that  can  be  said  in  truth  is,  that  I  was  a  missionary,  or 
teacher  under  the  auspices  of  the  Society,  and  while  I  was 
doing  the  work  of  a  teacher,  as  enjoined  by  the  Society  I 
added  other  labors  to  my  lot,  with  the  sanction  and  approval 
of  the  Society,  but  not  by  their  orders,  or  instruction,  nor  at 
their  cost,  or  risk,  or  for  their  benefit,  but  at  my  own  cost, 
and  risk,  and  for  the  sole  benefit  of  my  poor  people. 

The  Bishop  no  doubt  assumes,  that  because  a  few  friends 
made  use  of  the  Society's  clerks,  to  transmit  their  subscrip- 
tions to  me,  that  therefore,  all  that  I  erected  by  that  money, 
and  money  from  any  other  source,  belonged  to  the  Society. 
As  well  might  it  be  said,  that  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London, 
owns  a  hospital  in  Spain,  because  some  subscribers  to  that 
institution  influenced  by  him,  sent  their  subscriptions  to  it 
through  him. 

5.   I  will  now  state  from  what  sources  the  money  came, 


APPENDIX.  405 

which  I  have  used  for  secular  purposes,  and  church-building 
at  Metlakahtla. 

The  starting  of  a  fund  was  in  1863,  about  a  year  .after  I 
commenced  the  Settlement.  All  the  money  I  had  to  begin 
with,  was  my  own  private  means,  augmented  by  a  few  loans 
from  Indians,  and  a  small  grant  from  the  government,  to  help 
me  in  purchasing  a  schooner.  The  loan  was  all  paid  back 
to  the  Indians  in  due  time,  and  also  the  proportion  of  the 
government  grant  was  returned,  (though  not  asked  for)  when 
the  schooner  was  sold. 

Seven  years  later  (1870)  I  visited  England,  and  many 
friends  anxious  to  assist  my  work,  insisted  upon  my  taking 
their  subscriptions  personally,  and  not  as  was  usual  through 
the  Society's  funds. 

After  I  returned  to  Metlakahtla  (1871)  many  subscriptions 
were  sent  me,  from  time  to  time.  Some  through  the  agency 
of  the  Society,  and  others  by  channels,  and  from  persons,  not 
at  all  connected  with  the  Society. 

The  Indians  at,  and  around  Metlakahtla,  also  subscribed 
liberally  toward  the  erection  of  their  new  church. 

All  these  subscriptions  I  carefully  recorded,  and  I  have 
the  records  for  inspection,  and  the  total  amount  received  by 
me  from  all  quarters  is  Five  Thousand  eight  hundred  and 
seventy-seven  dollars  and  ninety-one  cents  ($5,877.91),  very 
nearly  about  ^1,200. 

I  may  here  mention,  that  those  subscriptions  which  were 
sent  to  me  through  the  agency  of  the  Society,  were  always 
accompanied  with  a  paper  from  the  Society's  office,  contain- 
ing the  names  of  the  Subscribers,  and  the  amounts. 

One  of  these  papers  dated  Church  Missionary  House 
March  24,  1873,  is  I  am  glad  to  say,  still  in  my  possession 
and  is  headed  "  Amounts  received  for  the  private  account  of 
Mr.  William  Duncan  "  and  this  was  the  usual  heading  of 
every  such  paper. 

Under  these  circumstances,  therefore,  I  cannot  see  that  I 


406  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

was  called  upon  to  render  any  account  of  my  Secular  fund, 
to  the  Society,  as  they  only  stood  in  the  position  of  Agents, 
or  Bankers,  in  such  case  ;  and  I  must  add  that  I  have  never 
been  called  upon  by  the  Society,  to  render  to  them  any  account 
of  such  fund,  or  the  disbursement  thereof. 

I  am  at  a  loss  now  to  reconcile  the  Society's  silence  to  me 
personally,  or  directly  for  upward  of  twenty  years,  with  the 
statement  of  the  Bishop  that  through  him  they  have  sought 
for  an  account  from  me,  but  have  sought  in  vain.  Would  it 
not,  I  ask  have  been  more  reasonable,  and  proper  for  the 
Society,  to  have  written  to  me  for  the  account  they  sought, 
rather  than  that  I  should  first  hear  of  their  request  through 
a  Bishop,  and  a  stranger  to  those  accounts  ! 

The  only  persons  to  whom  I  feel  accountable  in  regard  to 
the  subscriptions,  are  the  subscribers  themselves  ;  and  the 
question  to  settle  for  their  satisfaction, — is — have  I  spent  or 
used  the  money  intrusted  to  me,  as  they  intended  I  should  ? 
In  answer  to  that  question,  I  will  here  give  a  brief  summary 
of  outlay  from  the  secular  fund. 

1.  New  Church  total  cost $12,572  65 

2.  Current  expenses  of  Church  for  1874  to  1881 387  58 

3.  Assistance  rendered  to  Indians  building  their 

New  Houses  and  sums  spent  for  their  help 7.238  93 

4.  Establishing  Industries  at  Village  and  buildings 

for  the  same 11,426  10 

5.  For  Village   Improvements  and  Public  roads, 

houses  and  wharves 3.°4o  76 

Total $34,666  02 

To  the  above,  should  be  added  a  large  sum  which  I  have 
given  to  the  Society  during  the  years  I  have  been  at  Metla- 
kahtla,  and  which  their  own  books  will  verify.  The  total 
amount  cannot  be  less  than  three  thousand  dollars,  ($3,000.- 
oo)  thus  showing  that  I  have  spent  over  six  times  the 
amount  I  have  received  in  aid,  from  every  quarter.  Even 
the  Metlakahtlan  Church  alone  cost  me  more  than  double 


APPENDIX.  407 

the  amount  of  all  subscriptions  sent  me  ;  and  yet,  the  Bishop 
asks  what  has  become  of  all  the  money  I  have  received. 

Now  it  may  be  asked  how  has  all  this  money  been  real- 
ized ?  I  answer — It  has  come  to  us  from  God's  blessing  on 
our  labors,  and  in  lawful  business  transactions.  It  must  be 
understood  too,  that  I  have  not  hoarded  any  of  my  salary,  or 
fees  paid  me  for  services  rendered  to  the  Government,  but  I 
have  thrown  all  I  had  into  the  work. 

Let  me  now  explain  about  the  cutting  out  the  pages  of  the 
so-called  Society's  ledger,  which  the  Bishop  makes  so  much 
talk  about,  and  most  assuredly  lost  no  opportunity  of  using 
against  me. 

I  have  already  said  the  book  referred  to  is  not  a  ledger  at 
all,  but  contains  only  copies  of  yearly  cash  statements  sent 
to  the  Society  the  originals  having  been  transmitted  to  the 
Society  yearly. 

The  book  is  a  large  one,  and  it  would  have  taken  a  vast 
number  of  years  to  fill  it,. if  it  was  kept  for  its  original  pur- 
pose alone  :  so  for  economy's  sake,  I  made  use  of  it  to  re- 
cord the  names  of  subscribers  to  my  secular  fund.  Hence 
I  counted  off  many  blank  pages,  sufficient  to  hold  copies  of 
yearly  accounts,  to  the  Society  for  many  years  to  come,  and 
then,  commenced  to  enter  the  subscriptions  sent  to  me  on 
my  private  account. 

After  I  was  disconnected  from  the  Society — I  had  of  course 
to  hand  over  this  book,  and  to  save  the  labor  of  copying,  I 
carefully  cut  out  the  seven  leaves  which  my  secular  fund 
account  occupied.  I  did  this  with  the  full  knowledge  of  the 
Society's  Agent,  and  without  any  protest,  being  made  on 
his  part.  The  accounts  of  the  Society  I  never  touched  and, 
if  I  had,  it  would  have  mattered  nothing,  as  the  original  ac- 
counts were  already  in  the  hands  of  the  Society  in  London. 
Nor  did  I,  in  any  way  materially  injure  the  book  for  the  pur- 
pose to  which  it  is  applied. 

I  will  now  explain  why  I  have  carried  on  the  secular  work 


408  THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

at  all.  The  Bishop  fears  not  to  make  random  statements 
for  the  public  to  hear  about  the  losses,  which  he  would  have 
people  to  believe  the  Society  have  sustained,  in  destruction 
of  buildings  at  Metlakahtla. 

I  commenced  then,  the  secular  work  at  Metlakahtla,  in 
the  first  place,  as  a  necessity,  and  as  a  protection  from  un- 
just, and  iniquitous  traders  ;  and  I  have  carried  it  on  from 
year  to  year,  and  extended  it  because  I  could  find  no  one 
else,  to  take  it  up  on  my  lines,  which  are  to  render  it  an  aux- 
iliary, to  the  furtherance  and  maintenance,  of  the  spiritual 
and  educational  work,  at  the  settlement. 

My  experience  has  led  me  to  recognize  the  necessity  for  a 
missionary  being  everything  to  the  poor  people,  forwhom  he 
labors  in  the  Gospel,  and  if  he  would  have  his  work  prosper, 
he  must  aim  at  doing  good  to  the  bodies,  as  well  as  the  souls, 
of  his  people, — and  concerning  himself  with  whatever  con- 
cerns them.  More  particularly  does  this  apply  to  mission- 
aries among  the  North  American  -Indians,  who  are  a  race  of 
people  without  the  means  of  appliances  necessary,  for  ad- 
vancement in  civilized  life ;  and  whose  labors  in  hunting 
are  but  barely  sufficient  to  supply  their  daily  needs.  Here 
I  would  ask,  how  can  such  a  people  as  this,  if  they  become 
Christians,  be  expected  ever  to  maintain  their  own  churches, 
and  schools,  unless  fresh  industries  are  introduced  among 
them,  and  markets  opened  to  them,  for  what  they  can  be 
taught  to  produce? 

In  corroboration  of  my  views  on  this  subject,  I  may  refer 
to  the  state  of  the  Indians  in  the  territory  of  North  America, 
where  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  hold  sway — and  among 
whom  the  Gospel  has  been  preached  for  many  years.  I 
believe  it  will  be  found,  as  the  missionaries  report,  that 
most  of  these  Indians  are  as  poor  now,  as  they  were  reported 
to  have  been  fifty  years  ago,  and  hence,  no  nearer  being  able 
to  support  Christian  teachers,  or  school-masters  for  them- 
selves, now,  than  they  were  then.  This  in  my  opinion  should 


APPENDIX.  409 

not  have  been  the  case,  and  if  missionaries  had  followed 
more  nearly  the  footsteps  of  their  Master,  instead  of  mind- 
ing the  conventionalities  of  churches  at  home,  or  fearing 
what  the  world  would  say, — it  would  not  have  been  the 
case. 

Such  being  my  convictions,  I  have  labored,  though  with 
small  means  to  open  up  industries,  and  trade  at  Metlakahtla  : 
— My  aim  and  object  being  to  establish,  and  secure  to  the 
natives  an  industrial  plant,  sufficient  to  sustain  all  the  mis- 
sion expenses,  and  after  my  death,  to  render  the  church  and 
school  of  Metlakahtla  independent  of  foreign  aid. 

How  nearly  I  had  arrived  at  the  goal  of  my  hopes,  may  be 
conjectured,  when  I  offered  to  the  Society  (at  the  conference) 
to  take  the  risk  of  rinding  the  finances  necessary  for  the  mis- 
sion, if  the  church  might  have  its  independence. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  the  Society  did  not  accede  to  my  pro- 
posal, especially  so,  as  it  would  seem,  from  a  circular  they 
sent  me  in  1877,  I  was  but  advancing  on  the  lines  they  de- 
sired their  missionaries  to  work.  The  words  in  the  circular 
were, — "  What  the  committee  wish  to  see  in  these  converts, 
is  not  submissiveness  to  the  Church  of  England,  but  a  desire 
for  and  ultimately  the  attachment  to  an  independent  church 
of  their  own." 

It  is  sadder  still  to  tell  that  the  Society,  not  only  disallowed 
my  proposal,  but  have  allowed  their  Agents  to  do  their  ut- 
most in  compassing  the  destruction  of  our  temporal  affairs, 
and  all  for  the  mean  purpose,  of  starving  me  out  of  Metla- 
kahtla. 

It  was  the  Bishop's  constant  assertion  of  the  claims  of  the 
Society  to  the  building  erected  by  our  secular  fund,  that  led 
us  to  seek  and  obtain  legal  advice,  on  the  subject,  and  it  was 
in  obedience  to  this  advice,  that  the  Indians  took  down,  some 
buildings  which  happened  to  be  in  proximity  to  the  mission 
premises. 

The  loss  of  the  buildings,  was  a  blow  to  the  temporal 


410  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA, 

progress  of  the  village,  but  not  any  loss  to  the  Society,  for 
the  buildings  had  cost  them  nothing. 

I  ought  to  mention,  that  while  the  Indians  were  taking  down 
and  removing  the  village  store — the  Bishop  read  the  Riot 
Act,  and  wrote  an  alarming  report  to  the  Government,  that 
a  riot  had  taken  place  at  Metlakahtla.  A  ship-of-war  with 
two  magistrates  on  board  promptly  arrived  to  quell  the  sup- 
posed riot,  but  on  investigation  they  found  that  there  had 
been  no  riot  at  Metlakahtla,  excepting  in  the  Bishop's  heart 
and  brain. 

I  must  in  connection  with  this  matter,  further  quote  the 
Bishop's  words  before  the  Commissioners.  He  said  : — "  The 
property  that  was  destroyed  is  reckoned  to  be  worth  seven 
thousand  dollars." 

Now  I  would  like  to  ask  if  the  Indians  destroyed  seven 
thousand  dollars,  worth  of  property  belonging  to  the  So- 
ciety, why,  were  they  not  punished  for  their  acts,  and  why 
did  the  magistrates  acquit  the  Indians  without  even  calling 
a  witness  against  them  ?  There  is  but  one  answer,  viz.  the 
charge  was  not  true. 

W.  DUNCAN. 


TOMLINSON'S  REFUTATION. 

METLAKAHTLA  AND  THE  C.  M.  S. 

BEING  A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  POSITION  TAKEN  BY  THE  NA- 
TIVE CHRISTIANS  AND  THEIR  TEACHERS,  AND  AN  AN- 
SWER TO  THE  FALSE  CHARGES  BROUGHT  AGAINST 
THEM. 

EVER  since  the  rise  of  the  unhappy  dissensions  between 
the  C.  M.  S.  and  the  native  Christians,  we,  though  urged  by 
our  friends  to  come  forward,  have  hitherto  held  back,  and 
thus  the  C.  M.  S.  have  made  their  statements  without  con- 
tradiction, and  many  of  their  friends  and  supporters  no 
doubt  think  that  we  have  kept  silent  because  we  were  un- 
able to  refute  these  statements.  Such  however  is  not  the 
case  ;  we  had  good  reasons  for  remaining  silent  up  to  the 
present. 

Our  respect  for  the  Society  with  which  we  had  been  so 
long  connected,  our  unwillingness  to  believe  that  the  So- 
ciety were  aware  of  what  their  agents  here  were  doing,  or 
that  they  would  sanction  their  actions,  our  hope  that  the 
Society  would  have  their  eyes  opened  to  the  true  state  of  af- 
fairs, but  above  all,  the  fact  that  it  was  no  plan  or  wish  of 
ours  to  oppose  the  Society  by  setting  up  an  opposition  mis- 
sion or  church,  but  simply  to  endeavor  to  assist  these  native 
converts  to  establish  and  maintain  what  they  wished  and 
had  asked  for,  an  independent  native  church.  Now,  how- 
ever, the  case  is  altered,  two  deputies  sent  by  the  C.  M.  S. 
have  visited  Metlakahtla,  and  extracts  from  their  report 
have  been  published  by  the  Society,  and  the  Committee 
have  expressed  their  determination  to  continue  the  line  of 
action  adopted  by  Bishop  Ridley.  We  feel  that  to  remain 


412  THE    STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

longer  silent  would  be  to  permit  the  gravest  misstatements 
to  pass  for  truth. 

Mr.  Duncan  will  soon  publish  a  separate  pamphlet  giving 
an  account  of  the  (roubles  caused  at  Metlakahtla  by  the 
agent  of  the  C.  M.  S. 

WILLIAM  DUNCAN. 

ROBERT  TOMLINSON. 


A  REPLY  TO  THE  ARTICLE  ON  METLAKAHTLA  IN  THE 
''CHURCH  MISSIONARY  INTELLIGENCER"  OF  SEPTEM- 
BER, 1885. 

In  their  preface  to  this  Article  the  C.  M.  S.  ask  their 
readers  to  refer  to  the  account  of  the  Government  Commis- 
sion at  Metlakahtla  which  appears  in  the  Intelligencer  of 
May,  1885.  Anyone  who  does  so  will  find  there,  p.  240,  as 
follows  :  "  Almost  up  to  the  time  of  the  separation  there 
was  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  Mission  was  other  than  a 
distinctively  Church  of  England  one,"  and  if  he  will  then 
turn  to  their  present  Article  at  p.  663,  he  will  read  :  "  It 
had  long  been  known  to  the  Committee  that  the  Mission 
which  had  been  so  favorably  begun  was  not  being  carried 
on  according  to  the  principles  which  they  upheld,  or  in  a 
way  which  they  could  approve."  Here  is  an  evident  con- 
tradiction. Does  not  this  show  what  straits  the  Society  are 
put  to  in  their  effort  to  exonerate  themselves,  and  at  the 
same  time  condemn  Mr.  Duncan  ? 

They  clearly  see  that  to  be  found  supporting  the  line  of 
action  which  Bishop  Ridley  initiated,  and  opposing  what 
they  had  so  long  supported  and  approved,  requires  an  ex- 
planation. 

They  refuse  to  admit  to  themselves  or  their  supporters 
what  is  undoubtedly  the  true  reason,  viz.,  that  with  chang- 
ing years  they  have  changed,  and  that  where  once  they  were 
satisfied  with  a  union  in  spirit  and  doctrine  with  their  con- 
verts, they  now  demand  uniformity  in  ritual  and  practice. 


APPENDIX.  413 

They  cannot  deny  that  they  approved  of  and  praised  the 
work  as  carried  on  at  Metlakahtla,  but  they  are  unwilling 
to  adopt  the  straightforward  course  and  acknowledge  that 
their  views  have  changed,  and  so  it  is  that  in  casting  about 
for  some  plausible  excuse,  they  find  themselves  aground  on 
one  of  the  many  quicksands  which  ever  beset  those  who  de- 
sert the  path  of  rectitude. 

And  now  we  would  ask,  whom  did  the  C.  M.  S.  Deputies 
come  to  Metlakahtla  to  see  ?  Not  Mr.  Duncan,  for  he  was 
in  England,  and  did  not  reach  Metlakahtla  until  all  their  in- 
terviews with  the  native  Christians  were  finished.  Then  why 
in  their  report  are  they  chiefly  concerned  with  censuring 
him  ?  Let  anyone  who  has  read  the  C.  M.  S.  publications, 
since  the  founding  of  Metlakahtla  collect  a  few  of  the  many 
notices  of  that  Mission  wherein  Mr.  Duncan  is  spoken  of  in 
terms  of  affection,  praise  and  admiration  by  the  Society  and 
its  friends,  and  then  try  to  realize  that  this  is  the  Mr.  Dun- 
can referred  to  in  the  Deputies'  report  where  he  is  said  to  be 
undoing  his  former  great  work,  deliberately  disobeying  his 
Lord  ;  inciting  the  Indians  to  riot  and  lawless  acts,  that  it 
was  he  who  from  pride  and  jealousy  "  drove  all  the  ordained 
Ministers  from  Metlakahtla  "  and  demanded  that  it  should 
be  a  lay  Mission,  claimed  all  the  C.  M.  S.  funds  that  passed 
through  his  hands  as  his  own,  denied  that  he  was  assisted 
by,  or  connected  with,  the  C.  M.  S.  at  any  time  ;  perse- 
cuted the  few  faithful  who  still  adhered  to  the  C.  M.  S.,  and 
demanded  thirty  dollars  from  each  of  them ;  and  lastly, 
that,  "  it  was  his  unconciliatory  temper  that  thwarted  every 
effort  the  Deputies  could  devise  for  the  creation  of  harmo- 
nious action  between  the  two  sections." 

History  repeats  itself,  but  who  would  have  thought  that 
after  the  lapse  of  so  many  years  the  conduct  of  the  people 
of  Lystra  toward  Paul  and  Barnabas  would  be  repeated  by 
the  C.  M.  S.  with  the  difference,  that  while  the  one  used 
stones,  the  C.  M.  S.  used  the  deadlier  weapon  of  the  pen. 


4H  THE    STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

The  Deputies  say  they  "  made  every  exertion  to  ascertain 
the  exact  state  of  public  opinion  at  Metlakahtla."  They 
addressed  the  Indians  and  received  their  replies  in  writing. 
The  wording  of  the  English  of  these  replies  is  by  Mr.  Tom- 
linson,  but  he  studiously  avoided  introducing  anything  ex- 
cept what  had  been  decided  upon  by  the  Indians  assembled 
in  meeting.  This  course,  suggested  by  the  people  them- 
selves, was  deemed  the  wisest,  as  it  enabled  the  Deputies  to 
arrive  at  what  the  Indians  wished  to  say,  in  the  easiest  way. 
The  Deputies  were  on  the  spot  and  were  assisted  by  an  ad- 
herent of  the  C.M.S.,  as  interpreter,  whom  they  had  chosen 
with  the  special  object  of  preventing  their  being  imposed 
.upon. 

If  the  Deputies  had  any  doubt  that  these  letters  accurately 
expressed  what  the  Indians  said,  why  did  they  not  raise  the 
question  when  at  Metlakahtla  ?  They  never  expressed  the 
least  doubt  to  the  people  while  here.  Moreover  when  ad- 
dressing the  Indians,  they  spoke  of  their  letters  as  "  your 
words,"  "  your  letters,"  but  now,  unwilling  or  unable  to  meet 
these  words  of  truth  and  soberness,  they  presume  to  doubt 
that  they  emanated  from  the  Indians.  Is  not  such  an  impu- 
tation unworthy  of  the  men  themselves,  and  the  great  Society 
which  has  indorsed  it  ? 

No  fair-minded  person  can  read  the  extracts  from  the 
Deputies'  report  and  compare  them  with  the  Indians'  letters 
and  not  be  struck  with  the  absence  of  any  attempt  on  the 
part  of  the  Deputies  or  the  Society,  to  meet  the  Indians  on 
their  own  ground.  Abuse  of  Mr.  Duncan,  interspersed  with 
remarks  derogatory  to  Mr.  Tomlinson,  the  conduct  of  the 
Mission  work,  and  the  people's  condition  is  not  an  answer, 
it  is  only  a  repetition  of  the  old  story  :  "  No  case,  abuse  the 
opposing  counsel." 

While  we  felt  so  sure  of  the  justice  of  the  Indians'  cause, 
that  no  stand  could  be  maintained  against  it  without  desert- 
ing "he  platform  of  truth  and  Christian  principle,  we  did  not 


APPENDIX.  415 

anticipate  that  the  C.  M.  S.  would  be  found  relying  upon 
misstatements  and  untruths  to  aid  them  in  opposing  a  large 
body  of  native  Christians,  struggling  to  maintain  Christian 
law  and  order  in  their  settlement  ;  and  whose  whole  creed 
and  practice  is  based  upon  the  written  Word  of  God.  These 
are  hard  words,  and  I  would  to  God  they  were  not  true  ;  but 
how  can  we  think  otherwise  when  we  read  the  following 
statements  which  we  know  to  be  one  and  all  simply  untrue  ? 

First,  at  p.  655.  "  When  the  Mission  was,  in  its  infancy, 
removed  from  Fort  Simpson  to  Metlakahtla,  the  chief,  at 
whose  suggestion  the  change  was  made,  gave  the  Society 
the  piece  of  land  on  which  his  own  house  was  built,  and  the 
principal  Mission-buildings  were  erected  on  it." 

Second,  at  p.  667.  "  Mr.  Duncan  represented  all  the 
funds  that  passed  through  his  hands  as  his  personal  prop- 
erty, and  the  Society  was  practically  ignored.  In  fact 
there  is  clear  evidence  that  on  one  occasion  he  distinctly 
told  the  Indians  that  the  Society  had  never  sent  him,  or  sup- 
ported him,  or  gave  him  anything." 

Third,  at  p.  669.  "  He  (Mr.  Duncan)  ultimately  drove 
them  (the  ordained  Missionaries)  away  one  after  another." 

Fourth,  at  p.  669.  "  His  last  demand  was  that  Metla- 
kahtla should  be  carried  on  purely  as  a  lay  Mission." 

Fifth,  at  p.  672.  "  If  they  were  allowed  to  purchase  at 
all,  it  was  at  the  risk  of  insults  and  annoyance.  It  was 
therefore  imperative  that  another  store  should  be  established 
for  the  benefit  of  these  Indians,  otherwise  they  would  have 
to  suffer  the  worst  penalties  of  the  petty  boycotting  system." 

Sixth,  at  p.  673.  "  Another  extraordinary  regulation  was 
that  a  demand  was  made  on  each  person  who  adhered  to  the 
Society  for  the  payment  of  thirty  dollars,  which  sum,  it  was 
alleged,  had  been  given  by  Mr.  Duncan,  from  his  own  money, 
to  nearly  every  householder  as  an  assistance  in  building  his 
house." 

All  these  were  learned  from  hearsay ,  and  in  no  instance 


416  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

could  the  deputies  have  made  any  bonafide  attempt  to  verify 
them  and  yet  they  are  set  down  as  absolute  facts  by  these  very 
men  who  say,  p.  666.  "  We  were  careful  to  set  aside  mere 
hearsay  and  surmises  and  to  learn  the  facts  on  full  and  reli- 
able evidence  " 

Let  us  now  consider  these  statements  seriatim. 

First.  If  the  Deputies  had  inquired  of  some  of  those  who 
accompanied  Mr.  Duncan  when  he  first  settled  at  Metla- 
kahtla  (and  several  of  them  were  among  those  who  met  the 
Deputies),  they  would  have  learned  the  true  state  of  the  case 
and  seen  how  groundless  their  statement  was. 

Second.  The  Deputies  say  they  read  this  statement. 
Where  did  they  read  it  ?  and  why  did  they  not  produce  this 
"clear  evidence?"  Why  did  they  not  ask  the  Indians  if 
any  such  representation  had  ever  been  made  by  Mr.  Duncan  ? 

Third.  They  heed  only  to  have  examined  the  documents 
in  the  Society's  possession  and  they  would  have  known  that 
Mr.  Duncan  was  not  responsible  for  any  of  those  leaving 
Metlakahtla.  The  Rev.  F.  B.  Gribbell  left  on  account  of 
his  wife's  health,  the  Rev.  R.  A.  Doolan  was  unwillingly 
compelled  to  return  on  account  of  death  in  his  family  at 
home,  and  the  Rev.  A.  J.  Hall  was  moved  to  Fort  Rupert 
on  the  advice  of  Bishop  Bompas.  There  were  only  these 
three  ordained  Missionaries  sent  to  Metlakahtla  who  left  it 
before  the  separation. 

Fourth.  The  demand  that  Metlakahtla  be  made  a  lay 
Mission  was  made  at  a  conference  held  at  Metlakahtla  in 
August,  1881,  by  the  Revs.  Hall  and  Collison,  without  con- 
sulting Mr.  Duncan  or  obtaining  his  consent,  as  can  be 
learned  from  the  minutes  in  the  possession  of  the  Society. 

Fifth.  It  was  only  necessary  to  ask  for  the  names  of 
those  thus  treated  to  clear  up  this  wilful  misstatement. 

Sixth.  No  such  demand  was  made  by  Mr.  Duncan  from 
any  of  the  Society's  adherents  for  the  repayment  of  the 
thirty  dollars  he  had  given  to  assist  them  in  building  their 


APPENDIX.  417 

homes,  here  again  it  was  only  necessary  to  ask  for  the  name 
of  the  one  who  it  is  said  paid  that  amount  and  this  statement 
would  have  appeared  in  its  true  light  as  utterly  untrue. 

Intense  indeed  was  the  feeling  of  painful  surprise  in  the 
minds  of  these  simple-minded  Christians  at  the  utter  dis- 
regard for  truth  into  which  the  Deputies  and  the  Society 
have  permitted  themselves  to  be  led.  But  it  is  not  alone 
by  the  untruths  above  referred  to  that  the  animus  of  the 
Deputies  and  the  Society  against  the  native  Christians  and 
their  teachers  at  Metlakahtla  is  shown.  The  very  way  in 
which  they  give  expression  to  the  praise  which  a  fear  of  con- 
tradicting members  and  friends  of  the  Society  who  have  at 
various  times  visited  Metlakahtla  has  wrung  from  them 
together  with  a  succession  of  mis  statements  and  half -state- 
ments all  clearly  show  this.  For  example,  in  the  opening 
paragraph  of  Mr.  Morris'  statement  he  would  have  us  believe 
that  it  was  only  years  ago,  at  the  beginning  of  his  labors, 
that  Mr.  Duncan  displayed  any  missionary  devotion,  etc.  ; 
whereas  up  to  the  very  time  of  the  separation  the  progress 
of  the  work  was  receiving  the  very  warmest  praise,  not  only 
from  the  society  but  also  from  those  in  authority.  Even 
Bishop  Ridley  on  his  arrival  sent  home  a  letter  expressing 
his  approbation,  and  Admiral  Prevost,  a  vice-president,  who 
had  twice  visited  Metlakahtla,  shortly  before  the  separation 
addressed  numerous  meetings  in  England  on  his  return  on 
behalf  of  the  C.  M.  S.,  and  on  each  occasion  spoke  in  praise 
of  Metlakahtla. 

The  Statement  that  Mr.  Duncan  visited  England  last  year 
on  his  private  business  is  one  of  those  half -statements  which 
has  adroitly  been  turned  to  make  a  point  against  him.  His 
visit  to  England  was  made  for  the  sake  of  these  people  and 
with  the  hope  of  aiding  in  the  settlement  of  these  unhappy 
troubles,  but  because  while  in  England  he  transacted  some 
private  business,  if  such  a  term  can  be  applied  to  a  business 
which  so  intimately  affects  the  temporal  welfare  of  these 


41 8  THE   STORY   OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

people,  it  is  asserted  he  went  for  that  purpose.  Again  the 
Deputies  speaking  of  the  case  of  Ada  Stanley  say,  "  he  (Mr. 
Duncan)  alleged  that  the  shawl  which  was  taken  from  Ada 
Stanley  in  default  of  payment  was  voluntarily  given,  but  in 
point  of  fact  it  was  given  to  avoid  imprisonment,"  the  fact 
being  that  the  village  rule  which  she  violated  does  not  in- 
clude imprisonment  in  case  of  non-payment  of  fines  ;  and 
further  they  go  on  to  say  that  the  two  men  sent  to  prison  in 
this  case  by  the  Stipendiary  Magistrates  were  only  set  free 
on  technical  grounds,  implying  that  they  were  really  guilty, 
but  only  escaped  through  some  flaw  in  the  proceedings, 
whereas  had  th£y  inquired  of  anyone  present  in  Court  when 
the  Judge  signed  his  order  for  their  release,  they  would  have 
learned  that  they  had  not  violated  the  law,  and  further  that 
the  village  has  power  to  make  rules  and  impose  fines  so 
long  as  they  do  not  use  compulsion. 

The  above  are  only  a  few  out  of  a  number  of  statements 
of  a  similar  class,  but  a  perusal  of  the  correspondence  and 
Mr.  Duncan's  statement,  will  bring  to  mind  and  refute  many 
more.  In  no  one  instance,  perhaps,  does  the  bitter  animos- 
ity of  the  Deputies  and  the  Society,  show  itself  more  clearly 
than  when  they  came  to  speak  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  This 
is  a  subject  of  the  deepest  interest  to  every  friend  and  sup- 
porter of  the  C.  M.  S.,  and  without  doubt  the  Deputies  and 
the  Society  owed  it  to  these  friends,  to  give  them  a  clear 
account  of  the  reasons  which  those  Christian  Indians  gave, 
for  not  yet  having  this  rite  established  among  them.  The 
Deputies  never  so  much  as  mentioned  that  they  had  brought 
this  matter  before  the  people  and  yet  they  had  given  the 
Deputies  a  clear  exposition  of  their  views  on  it  ;  but  they 
deliberately  charge  Mr.  Duncan  with  withholding  the  rite, 
and  this  too,  in  contradiction  to  the  Indians'  plain  statement. 
Could  their  bitterest  enemy  have  acted  more  unfairly  ?  And 
here,  it  can  scarcely  escape  the  notice  of  even  an  ordi- 
nary reader  of  the  C.  M.  S.  account,  how  unwilling  the  So- 


APPENDIX.  419 

ciety  has  shown  itself  to  publish  the  Indians'  words.  From 
the  beginning  of  this  trouble,  it  has  been  characteristic  of 
all  the  notices  in  the  Society's  publications  bearing  on  the 
subject,  that  they  have  abstained  from  publishing  any  one 
of  the  many  communications  they  have  received  both  from 
these  people  and  their  teachers.  If  only  some  independent 
Christian  minds  could  gain  access  to  the  correspondence 
from  both  sidesy  how  astonished  they  would  be  at  the  real 
state  of  the  case  ;  and  how  grieved  that  the  Society  has  so 
persistently  misrepresented  it ! 

Mr.  Blackett,  in  speaking  of  the  religious  teaching  among 
these  people,  after  admitting  that  the  attendance  at  public 
worship  was  all  that  could  be  desired,  reproduces  the  sneer 
uttered  against  the  Apostles  of  old,  "  Whence  have  these 
men  learning"  because  he  found  native  teachers  whose 
knowledge  of  English  he  considered  limited,  teaching  "with 
only  an  English  Bible  in  their  hand,"  they  were  teaching 
word  by  word,  only  brief  texts.  He  does  not  even  urge 
that  there  was  any  error  in  the  teaching,  but  simply  because 
these  native  teachers  were  following  the  old  Scripture  rule 
of  "  line  upon  line,  precept  upon  precept,  here  a  little  and 
there  a  little"  he  would  cast  them  aside  and  replace  them 
with  European  priests,  who  with  their  ignorance  of  the  lan- 
guage, idiom,  and  habits  of  thought  of  these  people  could 
not  give  them  even  this  little  accurately. 

The  Deputies  say  further,  p.  668,  "  we  heard  of  no  gath- 
erings for  prayer  or  for  mutual  edification,  and  there  are  no 
signs  of  missionary  zeal  among  them  ;  nor  any  attempt  to 
make  known  the  Gospel  to  their  heathen  fellow-country- 
men." We  can  thank  God  that  this  is  only  true  as  far  as 
the  Deputies  are  concerned,  such  meetings  are  regularly 
held,  and  there  was  no  cessation  during  the  Deputies' 
stay. 

Teachers  have  been  sent  out  at  various  times  from  among 
these  people  to  the  surrounding  tribes,  and  at  that  very 


420  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

time  a  subscription  was  being  raised  to  meet  the  expenses 
of  two  of  their  number  to  be  sent  out  in  the  autumn  when 
the  people  are  at  their  villages  ;  the  Deputies  made  no  in- 
quiry, and  as  there  was  no  bell-ringing  or  noise  about  all 
this,  of  course  they  heard  nothing. 

We  leave  it  to  our  readers  to  imagine  what  was  the  spirit 
which  must  have  actuated  the  Deputies,  when  throughout 
their  report  they  refuse  to  recognize  the  position  these  Ind- 
ians have  assumed  as  members  of  an  Independent  Native 
Church,  and  persistently  speak  of  them  as  Mr.  Duncan's 
Indians,  as  if  Mr.  Duncan  had  set  himself  up  to  be  the  head 
of  a  new  sect  or  church.  If  such  had  been  his  intention  he 
would  have  acted  very  differently  from  the  way  he  has  done. 
His  desire  is  best  expressed  in  the  words  of  Gideon,  "  I 
will  not  rule  over  you,  but  the  Lord  shall  rule  over  you,"  and 
the  attempt  of  the  Society  to  fasten  upon  these  people  a  de- 
nominational title  opposed  to  the  very  principles  upon  which 
they  had  formed  themselves  into  a  Christian  community,  is 
only  an  exhibition  of  their  vexation  at  being  detected  in  an 
attempt  to  hinder  this  really  laudable  effort. 

The  Deputies  are  strong  in  their  denunciation  of  Mr. 
Duncan  for  upholding  the  Indian  title  to  the  land ;  Mr. 
Duncan  is  not  by  any  means  the  first,  or  the  greatest  advo- 
cate, for  the  recognition  of  this  title,  as  will  be  seen  from  the 
following  extract  from  a  speech  of  Lord  Dufferin  when 
Governor- General  of  Canada,  delivered  at  Victoria  in  1876, 
"Now,  we  must  all  admit  that  the  condition  of  the  Indian 
question  in  British  Columbia,  is  not  satisfactory.  Most  un- 
fortunately, as  I  think,  there  has  been  initial  error  ever 
since  Sir  James  Douglas  quitted  office,  in  the  Government 
of  British  Columbia  neglecting  to  recognize  what  is  known 
as  the  Indian  title.  In  Canada  this  has  always  been  done  : 
no  Government,  whether  provincial  or  central,  has  failed 
to  acknowledge  that  the  original  title  to  the  land  existed  in 
the  Indian  tribes  and  communities  that  hunted  or  wandered 


APPENDIX.  421 

over  them.  Before  we  touch  an  acre  we  make  a  treaty  with 
the  chiefs  representing  the  lands  we  are  dealing  with,  and 
having  agreed  upon  and  paid  the  stipulated  price,  oftentimes 
arrived  at  after  a  great  deal  of  haggling  and  difficulty,  we 
enter  into  possession,  but  not  until  then  do  we  consider  that 
we  are  entitled  to  deal  with  an  acre.  " 

And  again  further  on,  "  Now  I  confess  I  consider  that 
our  Indian  fellow-subjects  are  entitled  to  exactly  the  same 
civil  rights,  under  the  laws,  as  are  possessed  by  the  white 
population,  and  that  if  an  Indian  can  prove  a  prescriptive 
right  of  way  to  a  fishing  station,  or  a  right  of  way  of  any 
other  kind,  that  that  right  should  no  more  be  ignored  than 
if  it  was  the  case  of  a  white  man.  I  am  well  aware  that 
amongst  the  coast  Indians  the  land  question  does  not  present 
the  same  characteristics  as  in  other  parts  of  Canada,  or  as  it 
does  in  the  grass  countries  of  the  interior  of  the  Province, 
but  I  have  also  been  able  to  understand  that  in  these  latter 
districts  it  may  be  even  more  necessary  to  deal  justly  and 
liberally  with  the  Indian  in  regard  to  his  land  rights  even 
than  on  the  Prairies  of  the  North  West.  " 

Lord  Dufferin's  views  on  the  Indian  land  question  as  set 
forth  in  the  foregoing  extracts  are  fully  confirmed  by  legal 
opinion  obtained  both  from  Dominion  and  Provincial  law- 
yers. 

The  Society  in  speaking  of  their  adherents  at  p.  664,  say, 
"  They  are  100  in  number  and  have  hitherto  been  supposed 
to  be  one-tenth  of  the  entire  community,  this  estimate  does 
not  appear  to  be  quite  as  accurate  as  we  are  now  informed 
[hearsay  again]  That  the  total  number  does  not  exceed  600 
instead  of  being  1,000  as  previously  reported.  "  The  popu- 
lation of  Metlakahtla  according  to  an  enumeration  which 
has  just  been  made  is  as  follows  ;  adherents  of  the  Society 
(including  boarders  in  the  Mission  House,  although  some  of 
these  do  not  properly  belong  to  Metlakahtla)  94,  members 
of  the  Native  Church  854,  total  948.  From  this  it  will  be 


422  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

seen  how  inaccurate  the  information  is  on  which  the  So- 
ciety rely  and  how  ready  they  have  been  to  accept  what- 
ever seemed  to  favor  themselves  or  disparage  these  people, 
ex  hoc  uno  disce  omnes.  .  .  . 

Following  is  an  extract  expressing  the  "deliberate  opin- 
ion "  of  the  Deputies  on  the  same  subject.  "  After  our  res- 
idence among  the  Indians,  and  our  informal  and  unre- 
stricted intercourse  with  those  attached  to  the  Society,  we 
have  no  hesitation  in  expressing  the  opinion  that  the  work 
done  among  the  latter,  is  sound  and  very  encouraging. 
There  is  a  marked  contrast  between  those  attached  to  the 
Society,  and  the  majority.  The  general  appearance  and 
straightforward  bearing  of  the  former  impressed  us  favor- 
ably, while  on  the  other  hand,  we  brought  to  the  notice  of 
Mr.  Tomlinson,  that  the  course  pursued  in  respect  to  the 
majority,  was  demoralizing  to  their  own  agents.  "  It  is  not 
our  object  in  this  reply  to  show  how  groundless  are  the 
praises  here  bestowed  on  the  C.  M.  S.  agents  and  adherents  ; 
but  we  quote  a  speech  from  one  of  their  number,  a  commu- 
nicant, and  one  of  their  leading  members.  Samuel  Pel- 
ham's  speech  in  a  meeting  with  Metlakahtla  Christians  Oc- 
tober 12,  1886.  It  was  at  his  own  request  that  this  meeting 
was  held,  and  his  words  as  afterwards  written  out  are  as  fol- 
lows : — 

"  MY  BRETHREN: — Ever  since  we  were  separated  I  did 
not  sleep  well  nor  feel  happy  because  I  left  you.  I  missed 
the  true  Christians  who  used  to  help  in  God's  work.  I  often 
said  to  myself  where  is  the  old  path,  the  path  of  Christian 
union.  Above  all  I  miss  your  presence  in  reading  and 
talking  of  God's  words.  I  say  this  because  not  one  of  those 
of  our  party  care  for  things  that  I  used  to  taste  with  you, 
that  is  talking  and  thinking  of  heavenly  things  or  consider- 
ing God's  word.  Whenever  I  ask  any  of  our  party  of  these 
things  they  do  not  know.  I  speak  concerning  our  party — 


APPENDIX.  423 

Who  shall  I  ask  of  them  ?  Will  Donald  give  an  answer  if  I 
ask  him  of  God's  word?  I  tell  you  not  one  of  them  ever 
thinks  of  such  things  except  Matthew — sometimes  he  and  I 
have  a  little  talk  about  God's  word.  I  speak  to  you  now 
because  I  know  you  have  no  bad  feelings  to  me,  I  know  all 
of  you,  and  I  want  that  love  that  I  missed  so  long  to  be  re- 
stored to  me  again,  and  to  join  with  you  in  the  good  work 
as  before,  and  no  more  to  put  on  the  "  devil  face"  when  we 
meet  each  other.  It  is  not  only  myself  I  am  speaking 
about,  but  the  rest  of  my  family  who  are  still  with  the  party 
we  belong  to,  that  all  of  us  may  again  feel  that  happiness  that 
we  have  tasted  when  we  first  came  here.  I  know  that  many 
of  you  are  striving  for  the  same  good  work  and  considering 
God's  words,  but  on  our  side  none  of  them  ever  do  such 
things.  I  feel  this  feeling  working  in  me  for  quite  a  time, 
and  I  cannot  refrain  from  telling  you  what  God  has  put  in 
my  heart  to  tell  you.  " 

Such  are  his  words,  yet  he  still  continues  with  his  party, 
so  it  is  not  for  us  to  comment  upon  them.  Before  we  con- 
clude we  cannot  help  referring  to  a  matter  which  has  been 
so  presented  to  their  readers  by  the  Society  as  possibly  to 
mislead  them,  I  refer  to  the  position  assumed  by  the  Society 
as  the  defenders  of  religious  liberty  at  Metlakahtla.  Now 
how  will  such  an  assumption  be  borne  out  by  the  facts  ? 
Years  ago  a  small  body  of  Native  converts  under  the  direc- 
tion of  an  European  Missionary  drew  up  certain  rules,  and 
agreed  that  both  themselves  and  any  who  might  join  them 
should  obey  these  rules. 

To  avoid  interfering  with  others  or  being  interfered  with 
themselves,  they  chose  a  site  for  a  settlement,  and  the  con- 
dition of  becoming  a  settler  on  this  site  was  a  promise  to 
obey  these  rules  or  leave.  The  C.  M.  S.  knew  that  these 
rules  had  been  made  and  showed  their  approval  of  them  by 
indorsing  what  their  Missionary  had  done.  For  years  these 


424  THE    STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

rules  were  carried  out  in  practice  and  drew  nothing  but 
praise  from  the  Society,  although  during  that  time  several 
to  whom  these  rules  were  irksome  had  to  leave  the  settle- 
ment. The  blessing  of  God  rested  on  these  rules  and  the 
settlement  increased  and  prospered.  These  are  the  same 
rules  which  the  people  are  contending  for  now,  and  yet  the 
Society  which  for  so  many  years  approved  of  them  and  ap- 
plauded the  Indians  for  maintaining  them,  are  now  their  bit- 
terest opponent.  Now  why  is  this  ? 

Neither  the  principles  on  which  these  rules  are  founded 
nor  the  rules  themselves  have  changed,  then  why  the 
opposition  from  the  C.  M.  S.  ?  Because  the  Society  has 
changed. 

A  few  years  ago,  as  the  extracts  from  the  Annual  letters 
show,  the  single  aim  of  the  Society  was  the  glory  of  God 
and  they  would  have  rejoiced  that  a  body  of  Christians  such 
as  those  at  Metlakahtla  had  the  courage  to  form  themselves 
into  a  Native  Church  bearing  their  own  burdens.  Now, 
however,  the  aim  of  the  Society  is  twofold,  and  no  advance- 
ment in  Christianity  by  their  Converts  will  satisfy  them  un- 
less at  the  same  time  there  be  a  corresponding  attachment 
to  the  rites  and  ceremonial  of  the  Church  of  England. 

Had  Mr.  Duncan  been  as  anxious  for  the  establishment 
of  the  Church  of  England  among  these  people  as  he  has 
been  for  simple  Gospel  Christianity  we  would  still  be  hear- 
ing his  praises  sounded  by  the  C.  M.  S.  These  Christians 
are  only  anxious  to  be  allowed  to  continue  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  privilege  of  union  which  they  believed  they  had 
secured  by  founding  their  village  in  the  way  they  did. 
How  far  the  C.  M.  S. ,  by  opposing  them  in  this  lawful  and 
laudable  demand,  appear  as  the  defenders  of  religious  lib- 
erty, we  leave  to  our  readers  to  decide. 

In  conclusion  we  would  remark  that  this  attempt  of  the 
C.  M.  S.  to  put  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  young  dis- 
ciples endeavoring  to  form  themselves  into  a  Christian  com- 


APPENDIX.  425 

munity  with  rules  and  ceremonials  based  on  the  simple 
word  of  God  and  suited  to  their  particular  needs,  must  from 
its  very  nature  be  displeasing  to  God  and  we  need  not 
wonder,  should  the  Society  persist  in  such  a  narrow-minded 
course,  if  God  withdraw  his  favor  and  blessing  from  them. 

Again  and  again  the  Society  deplore  the  failure  of  this 
Mission,  "how  sadly,"  say  they,  "has  the  success  of  the 
early  days  been  clouded  over."  How  clouded  over  ?  Have 
the  converts  relapsed  into  heathenism  ?  Have  they  cast 
aside  the  simple  Gospel  and  adopted  some  strange  form  of 
belief?  Thank  God,  no.  They  still  cling  to  their  simple 
faith.  They  would  guide  their  lives  by  the  light  of  God's 
own  word,  and  obey  their  Lord's  every  command  ;  yes, 
His  every  command,  for  it  is  not  from  ignorance,  or  a  spirit 
of  disobedience,  but  as  they  themselves  plainly  tell  us  from 
a  feeling  of  reverence  and  because  they  realize  the  true  ob- 
ject for  which  it  was  instituted,  that  they  have  postponed  the 
introduction  of  the  blessed  rite  of  the  Lord's  Supper  among 
them.  Threatened  and  harassed  as  they  have  been  with 
the  whole  influence  of  Church  and  State  against  them  it  is  a 
triumph  for  the  Gospel  that  they  have  continued  united  and 
firm  in  seeking  by  lawful  means  to  maintain  their  right  both 
as  Christians  and  loyal  British  subjects,  and  that  is  what  the 
Society  is  weeping  over  instead  of  rejoicing  that  these  con- 
verts, many  of  whom  only  a  few  years  ago  were  sunk  in  the 
depths  of  heathenism,  have  organized  themselves  into  a  Na- 
tive Christian  Church.  "How  the  gold  has  become  dim 
and  the  most  fine  gold  changed  !  " 

ROBERT  TOMLINSON. 

POSTSCRIPT. 

METLAKAHTLA,  Jan.  3ist,  1887. 

Since  writing  the  above,  the  printing  of  which  has  been 
unexpectedly  delayed,  my  attention  has  been  called  to  a 
paragraph  in  the  C.  M.  S.  Intelligencer  for  Dec.  1886,  which 


426  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

sadly  illustrates  and  accentuates  the  leading  characteristics 
of  previous  notices  viz. :  ignorance,  innuendos  and  untruth- 
fulness. 

Notwithstanding  the  frequent  communications  which  the 
C.  M.  S.  Committee  acknowledge  to  have  received  from 
their  agents  here,  and  the  visit  of  Deputies  last  spring  they 
are  still  so  ignorant  of  this  land  question  and  its  bearing  as 
to  say  "  The  Provincial  Government  arranged  to  survey  the 
land  as  a  token  of  their  control  over  it,  and  to  appoint  an 
Indian  agent."  It  was  the  Dominion  and  not  the  Provincial 
Government  who  did  this. 

The  point  would  hardly  be  worth  referring  to  were  it  not 
that  the  C.  M.  S.  so  confidently  asserts  their  thorough  ac- 
quaintance with  the  case  in  all  its  bearings.  The  force  of 
the  charge  against  Mr.  Duncan  of  sanctioning  lawless  pro- 
ceedings, accompanied  as  it  is  with  the  insinuation  that  he 
instigated  them,  must  necessarily  depend  on  what  action 
was  taken.  The  Indians  put  up  a  house  on  the  two  acres, 
and  they  stopped  a  surveyor. 

The  Indians  claim  the  two  acres  which  are  situated  in  the 
middle  of  their  village  as  their  property,  and  they  also  claim 
that  these  two  acres  were  unjustly  taken  from  them  by  the 
Provincial  Government.  Legal  opinion  went  to  confirm  their 
claims  but  the  Government  refused  to  surrender  the  land 
and  it  was  that  the  matter  might  be  tested  in  the  courts  that 
the  house  was  quickly  and  quietly  erected  on  the  land. 

No  interference  was  made  with  the  Bishop's  domestic 
arrangements.  This  was  a  perfectly  legal  and  proper  pro- 
ceeding on  the  part  of  the  Indians  and  carried  out  in  such  an 
orderly  way  that  even  our  adversaries  could  not  associate  it 
with  disorder  or  riot. 

In  preventing  the  surveyor  sent  by  the  Dominion  Govern- 
ment, the  Indians  were  simply  asserting  their  just  and  equi- 
table right  to  be  dealt  with  on  the  same  principle  and  in  the 
same  way  as  all  other  Indians  in  every  other  Province  of  the 


APPENDIX.  427 

Dominion.  They  are  not  asking  to  be  permitted  to  prevent 
the  settling  up  of  the  country,  but  that  those  privileges  and 
rights  which  they  have  enjoyed  for  ages,  and  from  which 
they  derive  much  of  their  living,  should  be  secured  to  them, 
or  where  this  is  impossible,  that  they  should  be  remunerated 
for  their  loss. 

That  in  stopping  the  surveyor  they  unwittingly  violated  a 
provincial  statute  is  true,  but  it  is  also  true  that  as  soon  as 
they  knew  of  the  statute  they  immediately  pleaded  guilty  to 
the  violation,  expressed  their  regret,  and  bore  their  punish- 
ment without  a  murmur,  and  thereby  gave  proof  of  that  law- 
abiding  and  Christian  true  spirit  which  has  actuated  them 
from  the  first. 

As  regards  that  portion  of  the  paragraph  which  refers  to 
the  landing  of  Bishop  Ridley,  had  it  appeared  in  an  ordinary 
newspaper  it  might  well  be  treated  as  a  huge  joke,  but 
appearing  where  it  does  it  affords  a  most  melancholy  ex- 
ample of  the  length  to  which  the  agents  of  the  Society, 
emboldened  by  our  long  forbearance  and  silence,  are  pre- 
pared to  go  in  their  endeavor  to  blind  Christians  at  home 
and  to  bolster  up  the  indefensible  position  of  the  Society  at 
Metlakahtla. 

That  the  building  was  occupied  by  armed  men — that  there 
was  the  smallest  idea  of  preventing  the  Bishop's  landing — or 
the  least  show  of  resistance,  or  any  ground  for  apprehension 
on  the  part  of  Bishop  Ridley,  ...  or  that  crowds  of 
Indians  awaited  him,  or  that  they  were  cowed  by  and  fell 
back  from  his  armed  adherents,  is  all  simply  untrue.  Can 
anything  be  more  lamentably  shocking  than  that,  in  giving 
a  simple  account,  those  who  were  eye-witnesses  and  supposed 
to  be  above  equivocation,  much  more  falsehood,  should  fall 
so  low  ? 

Two  questions  naturally  suggest  themselves  in  connection 
with  this  incident.  The  first  is,  whether  the  Bishop,  by 
sanctioning,  if  not  directly  approving,  of  the  conduct  of  the 


428  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

C.  M.  S.  adherents  at  Metlakahtla,  men  and  women  coming 
armed  to  protect  him  and  this  be  it  remembered  against 
those  who  had  not  even  threatened  him  much  less  displayed 
arms,  whether,  I  say  bearing  this  in  mind,  the  saying  "  that 
Missionary  work  which  once  was  carried  on  by  a  Henry 
Martyn  is  now  carried  on  by  a  Martini  Henry,"  has  not 
passed  from  a  sceptic's  sneer  to  an  actual  fact  ? 

The  second  and  more  serious  question  is,  if  the  notices  of 
these  missions  which  have  appeared  in  the  Society 's publica- 
tions are  so  much  at  variance  with  the  facts  they  are  sup- 
posed to  relate  what  credence  can  be  given  to  the  accounts  of 
the  work  carried  on  at  other  -missions  of  the  Society  ?  Has 
not  the  time  come  when  the  Christian  public  should  demand 
an  opportunity  of  judging  of  these  facts  other  than  from  the 
garbled  accounts  of  prejudiced  secretaries  ? 

ROBERT  TOMLINSON. 


THE  METLAKAHTLANS  APPEAL  TO  THE  COMMANDER  OF 
THE  CORMORANT  FOR  PROTECTION. 

I  beg  to  call  special  attention,  to  this  appeal  from 
the  people  of  Metlakahtla.— H.  S.  W. 

THE   INDIANS'   GRIEVANCES. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C. ,  November  17,  1886. 

THE  following  petition  from  the  people  of  Metlakahtla 
and  Fort  Simpson  was  presented  to  the  captain  of  H.  M.  S. 
Cormorant  on  her  arrival  at  Metlakahtla  : 

SIR  :  An  attempt  has  been  made  on  behalf  of  the  Do- 
minion and  Provincial  Governments  to  take  from  us  by  force 
part  of  our  patrimony  and  the  inheritance  which  we  received 
from  our  fathers.  We  have  reason  to  believe  that  this  at- 
tempt will  be  renewed,  and  therefore  we  ask  your  assistance. 
We  firmly  believe  that  these  lands  are  ours  and  that  those 


APPENDIX.  429 

that  would  take  them  are  acting  illegally.  The  reasons  why 
we  believe  this  are  :  That  we  inherited  them  ;  that  no 
surrender  of  these  lands  has  been  made  by  us  to  either  gov- 
ernment, nor  has  either  government  made  any  treaty  with 
us  about  these  lands.  Lord  Dufferin,  when  Governor-Gen- 
eral of  Canada,  told  us  that  in  every  other  province  of 
Canada  the  Indian  title  had  always  been  acknowledged,  and 
that  no  government,  either  provincial  or  central,  had  ever 
claimed  a  right  to  deal  with  an  acre  until  a  treaty  had  been 
made.  We  sought  for  legal  advice  in  the  matter  from  an 
eminent  lawyer  in  the  province.  His  written  opinion, 
backed  by  a  further  legal  opinion  previously  obtained  in 
Canada,  bears  us  out  in  our  claims.  We  have  asked  both 
governments  to  have  the  matter  settled  in  the  law  courts, 
and  that  we  are  willing  to  abide  by  that  decision.  Instead 
of  doing  this  they  try  to  frighten  us  and  to  force  us  to  give 
up  our  rights.  Under  these  circumstances  we  appeal  to  you, 
as  captain  of  one  of  H.  M.  ships  of  war,  to  protect  us  and 
our  property.  Though  Indians,  we  are  and  have  been  for 
years  loyal  subjects  of  Her  Majesty.  We  have  no  wish  to 
oppose  the  law  or  the  authorities.  We  are  only  anxious  to 
prevent  our  possessions  from  being  taken  from  us,  and  we 
know  that  it  is  to  protect  the  interests  of  all,  even  the 
poorest  of  Her  Majesty's  subjects,  that  ships  of  war  and 
soldiers  are  maintained. 

PAUL  LEGAIC, 

ALFRED  DUDOWARD, 
(Signed)  MATTHIAS  HALDANE, 

DANIEL  AURIOL,    . 

ALBERT  SHAKES, 
For  the  people  of  Metlakahtla  and  Fort  Simpson. 


43°  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

SERIOUS  Loss  To  THE  PROVINCE. 
EDITORIAL  FROM  THE  DAILY  COLONIST. 

From  the  Daily  Colonist  Victoria  B.  C. 

THE  INDIAN  TROUBLES.— We  are  informed  by  the  Rev. 
William  Duncan  that  he  is  deputed  by  the  Tsimshean  Ind- 
ians to  proceed  to  Washington  and  interview  President 
Cleveland,  and  his  Cabinet  with  a  view  to  removing  the 
entire  nation  to  Alaska,  just  beyond  the  border.  If  his 
mission  meets  with  success  the  Indians  will  remove,  "bag 
and  baggage,"  to  the  land  of  "  the  midnight  sun,"  and 
luxuriate  in  Uncle  Sam's  territory.  Mr.  Duncan  goes  east 
to-morrow  morning,  and  hopes  to  make  the  necessary  ar- 
rangements. The  loss  would  be  a  serious  one  to  the  prov- 
ince. — Editorial. 


CORRESPONDENCE  ON  THE  CHURCH  AND  STATE 
COERCION,  AND  THE  INDIAN  LAND  RIGHTS. 

THE  following  animated  correspondence,  ap- 
peared in  the  British  Columbian  journals,  during 
the  past  several  months,  and  will  be  perused  with 
interest  by  those  who  desire  to  more  fully  acquaint 
themselves,  with  the  details  of  this  story  of  grievous 
wrong. 

The  letters  from  the  defenders  of  the  wrong- 
doers, seem  almost  to  answer  themselves  by  their 
obvious,  wilful  distortion  of  known  facts,  and  the 
iniquity  of  their  propositions. 

The  correspondence  is  printed  in  order  of  the 
date  of  publication,  beginning  with  the  letter  of 
Bishop  Cridge,  the  earliest  resident  (living)  clergy- 
man on  the  Canadian  Pacific  coast — and  a  man 
who  has  enjoyed  rare  opportunities  for  acquiring  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  this  whole  question  from  its 
very  incipiency.  H.  S.  W. 


THE  METLAKAHTLANS. 

From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C.,  October  28,  1886. 
To  THE  EDITOR  :  The  intended  despatch  of  another  war- 
vessel  against  the  Metlakahtlans  leads  me  to  solicit  a  space 
in  your  columns  for  a  few  words  in  the  interests  of  justice  and 
peace.     My  familiar  acquaintance  with  the  affairs  of  that 


432  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

settlement  from  the  beginning,  and  my  firm  conviction  of 
the  peaceful  character  and  loyal  intentions  of  its  inhabitants, 
induce  me  to  use  my  humble  efforts  to  move  the  government 
from  their  design.  To  those  who  have  impartially  watched 
the  course  of  events  it  will  be  apparent  that  the  Metlakah- 
tlans  have  been  guilty  of  no  illegal  acts,  nor  hostile  demon- 
strations, in  the  steps  they  have  taken  to  establish  their 
rights  to  their  ancient  inheritance.  They  have  in  a  peaceful 
way  done  no  more  than  what  is  common  in  disputes  about 
land  to  bring  the  question  to  a  legal  issue.  The  issue  is 
twofold,  first  with  the  government,  and  secondly  with  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  an  ecclesiastical  sect  (for  in 
this  province  it  is  simply  a  sect)  whose  services  they  have 
dispensed  with. 

The  issue  with  the  government  is  vital,  being  nothing  less 
than  denial  of  their  title  to  the  land.  The  Metlakahtlans, 
resting  on  the  principles  of  natural  justice  held  all  the  world 
over,  claim  that  they  have  a  communal  title  to  the  land 
held  by  their  forefathers  from  time  immemorial,  and  that  no 
power  has,  through  conquest,  acquired  the  right  of  giving 
it  away.  This  view  of  the  case  has  been  enunciated  by  the 
most  competent  legal  authorities,  and  was  endorsed  by  the 
Viceroy  of  the  Dominion,  the  nearest  approach  to  the  pledge 
of  majesty  that  could  be  made.  The  Metlakahtlans  claim 
a  right  to  the  land,  not  through  favor  of  any  reserve  made 
by  government,  but  because  it  is  their  patrimony. 

The  governments  deny  this  but  the  Indians  know  it ;  and, 
therefore,  they  have  regarded  the  act  of  the  government  in 
surveying  the  reserve,  not  as  a  friendly  proceeding  in  their 
interest  as  wards  of  the  crown,  but  as  a  preliminary  step  to 
depriving  them  of  all  right  and  title  in  the  land,  if  needs  be 
by  force  of  arms.  They  therefore  looked  upon  the  surveyor 
in  the  light  of  a  trespasser,  and  in  pulling  up  his  stakes  they 
intended  no  rebellion,  but  employed  their  only  or  best 
means  of  bringing  the  contention  to  a  legal  issue. 


APPENDIX.  433 

To  this  end  they  have  also  subscribed  a  sum  of  money  to 
meet  the  expenses  of  the  action,  and  this  they  conceive  to 
be  the  highest  pledge  they  could  afford  of  their  loyal  and 
peaceful  intentions. 

The  contention  with  the  ecclesiastical  body  referred  to  is 
somewhat  different. 

The  "Society"  who  were  permitted  to  occupy  the  site  of 
the  mission  house  solely  on  account  of  services  rendered  to 
the  inhabitants,  now  that  those  services  are  no  longer  re- 
quired, still  hold  possession,  apparently  claiming  ownership 
or  at  least  the  right  of  perpetual  occupancy.  The  Metla- 
kahtlans,  therefore,  have  taken,  without  violence  or  riot, 
the  step  of  erecting  a  building  on  the  land  in  question  with 
the  sole  view  of  bringing  this  contention  also  to  a  legal  is- 
sue. Should  the  Society  take  the  legal,  peaceful  means  of 
redress  open  to  them  through  a  civil  action  the  Metlakah- 
tlans  are  prepared  to  abide  by  the  ultimate  decision  of  the 
law,  whatever  that  may  be.  But  as  long  as  the  govern- 
ments seek  to  coerce  the  Metlakahtlans  into  submission  by 
the  sword  it  is  hardly  to  be  expected  that  the  Society  will  be 
anxious  to  redress  themselves. 

This  brings  me  to  speak  of  the  rights  of  the  Indians  as 
subjects.  The  state  of  pupilage  in  which  they  are  means 
only  restraint  in  certain  social  and  civil  respects,  but  does  not 
affect  their  immunities  in  respect  of  life,  liberty,  and  property, 
none  of  which,  any  more  than  those  of  white  people,  may  be 
infringed  upon  except  by  due  process  of  law.  If  I  am  cor- 
rectly informed  on  this  matter,  the  house  of  an  Indian  is  as 
sacred  as  that  of  a  white  man,  and  not  even  the  government 
can  make  forcible  entry.  If  it  be  alleged  that  he  has  no 
title  he  can  only  be  ejected  by  process  of  law.  If  this  be  so, 
then  the  forcible  measures  taken,  or  to  be  taken  against  the 
Indians,  are  surely  illegal.  And  certainly  no  less  contrary 
to  sound  policy.  The  consequences  of  resorting  to  a  policy 
of  war  may  be  very  grave.  The  Metlakahtlans  certainly 


434  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

will  not  resist  her  majesty's  forces.  But  the  tribes  far  and 
near  are  watching  the  case  with  intense  anxiety,  as  that  on 
which  their  own  rights  depend.  They  will  regard  forcible 
seizure  at  Metlakahtla  as  the  forerunner  of  what  will  happen 
to  themselves,  and  there  are  not  wanting  signs  to  show  that 
in  such  a  case  they  will  be  exasperated  and  alarmed  in  the 
highest  degree.  If  war  ensues  these  down-trodden  members 
of  the  human  family  must  be  conquered  in  the  end,  but  the 
whole  guilt  of  innocent  blood  will  surely  rest  on  those  who 
rejected  the  peaceable  means  of  settlement  provided  by  the 
law  and  sought  it  by  force. 

October  26,  1886.  Your  obedient  servant, 

EDWARD  CRIDGE. 

[Bishop  R.  E.  C.,  Resident  since  1854.] 


CORRECTION. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C. ,  October  29,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  Permit  me  to  make  a  correction 
needful  to  the  sense  of  my  argument  in  my  letter  on  the 
Indian  troubles  in  this  morning's  issue.  After  my  statement 
of  the  claim  advanced  by  the  Indians  to  rights  in  the  land 
not  by  favor  of  reserves  but  as  their  patrimony,  the  types 
make  me  say,  "  The  governments  deny  this  but  the  Indians 
know  it."  The  argument  clearly  requires,  "  and  the  Indians 
know  it,"  that  is,  know  that  the  governments  so  deny,  and 
that,  knowing  this,  they  regard  the  surveying  of  the  land,  not 
as  a  friendly,  but  as  a  hostile  act  on  the  part  of  the  govern- 
ments. 

Permit  one  word  more.  It  is  not,  in  the  opinion  of  many 
thoughtful  people,  a  just  recognition  and  equitable  adjust- 
ment of  their  claims  that  will  inflame  the  native  minds,  but 
statements  put  forth  by  authority  that  they  have  no  rights 
beyond  what  the  rulers  of  the  country  may,  in  their  grace 


APPENDIX.  435 

and  charity,  be  pleased  to  grant  them.     Should  such  state- 
ments reach  their  ears,  and  be  taken  seriously,  there  is,  I 
think,  nothing  more  likely  to  drive  them  to  desperation. 
October  28,  1886.  EDWARD  CRIDGE. 


METLAKAHTLA. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C. ,  October  29,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  Rev.  Bishop  Cridge,  in  a  letter  in  your 
columns,  has  put  forward  views  with  regard  to  the  right  of 
the  Indians  to  the  lands  of  the  province  which  are  entirely 
at  variance  with  law  which  has  been  recognized  ever  since 
England  became  a  colonizing  nation.  And  I  cannot  help 
thinking  that  the  publication,  at  this  juncture,  of  such  views 
as  are  contained  in  that  letter,  is  nothing  more  than  an 
active  encouragement  to  the  Indians  to  resist  a  peaceable 
settlement  of  what  has  been  a  continual  source  of  expense 
and  trouble  to  the  province.  The  Indians  only  act,  speak, 
and  think  as  they  are  advised,  and  nothing  would  have  been 
heard  about  this  claim  to  the  lands  of  the  province  as  their 
patrimony  if  it  had  not  been  pressed  upon  them  by  injudici- 
ous advising.  I  will  quote  the  following  extracts  from  the 
judgment  of  Chancellor  Boyd,  of  Ontario  : 

"The  colonial  policy  of  Great  Britain,  as  it  regards  the 
claims  and  treatment  of  the  aboriginal  populations  in 
America,  has  been  from  the  first  uniform  and  well  defined. 
Indian  peoples  were  found  scattered  wide-cast  over  the  con- 
tinent, having,  as  a  characteristic,  no  fixed  abodes,  but  mov- 
ing as  the  exigencies  of  living  demanded.  As  heathens  and 
barbarians,  it  was  not  thought  that  they  had  any  proprietary 
title  to  the  soil,  nor  any  such  claim  thereto  as  to  interfere 
with  the  plantations,  and  the  general  prosecution  of  coloni- 
zation. They  were  treated  '  justly  and  graciously,'  as  Lord 
Bacon  advised,  but  no  legal  ownership  of  the  land  was  ever 
attributed  to  them.  The  Attorney-General,  in  his  argument, 


43^  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

called  my  attention  to  a  joint  opinion  given  by  a  '  multitude 
of  counsellors,'  about  675,  touching  land  in  New  York, 
while  yet  a  province  under  English  rule." 

The  opinion  referred  to  was  as  follows  : 

"  Councell's  opinion  concerning  Coll  Nicholl's  patent  and 
Indian  purchases  : 

"The  land  called  N.  York  and  other  parts  in  America 
now  called  N.  East  Jersey,  was  first  discovered  by  Sebastian 
Cobbitt,  a  subject  of  England,  in  King  Henry  ye  Seventh 
time,  about  180  years  since  and  afterwards,  further  by  Sir 
Walter  Raleigh,  in  ye  reign  of  Queen  Eliz.  and  after  him  by 
Henery  Hudson  in  ye  reign  of  King  James,  and  also  by  the 
Lord  Deleware  and  begun  to  be  planted  in  ye  year  1614  by 
Dutch  and  English.  The  Dutch  placed  a  governour  there, 
but  upon  complaint  made  by  the  King  of  England  to  ye 
states  of  Holland,  the  said  states  disowned  ye  bisness  and 
declared  it  was  only  a  private  undertaking  of  ye  West  India 
Company,  of  Amsterdam,  so  ye  King  of  England  granted  a 
comison  to  Sir  Edward  Laydon  to  plant  these  parts  calling 
them  New  Albion  and  ye  Dutch  submitted  themselves  to  ye 
English  government,  but  in  King  Charles  ye  I's  reign  ye 
troubles  in  England  breaking  forth,  the  English  not  minding 
to  promote  these  new  plantations  because  of  ye  troubles,  ye 
Dutch  pretended  to  establish  a  government  there  again  until 
ye  year  1660,  when  afterwards  it  was  reduced  under  ye  Eng- 
lish government  and  included  and  ratified  in  ye  peace  made 
between  England  and  Holland ;  then  it  was  granted  to  ye 
Duke  of  York,  1664,  who  ye  same  year  granted  it  to  ye  Ld 
Barckley  and  Sr  George  Cartrett,  betwixt  ye  Duke's  grant 
to  ye  Ld  Barckley  and  Sr  George  Cartrett,  and  notice 
thereof  in  America  several  persons  took  grants  of  land  from 
Coll  Nicholls,  ye  Duke's  govnor.  Severall  of  ye  planters 
have  purchased  of  ye  Indians,  but  refuse  to  pay  any  ac- 
knowledgement to  ye  King's  grantees. 

"  O.   ist.    Wither  ye  grants  made  by  Coll   Nicholls  are 


APPENDIX.  437 

good  against  the  assigns  of  ye  Ld  Barckley  and  Sr  George 
Cartrett. 

"  Q.  2nd.  Wither  the  grants  from  ye  Indians  be  sufficient 
to  any  planter  without  a  grant  from  ye  King  or  his  assigns. 

"  Ans.  ist.  To  ye  first  question  the  authority  by  which 
Coll  Nicholls  acted  determined  by  ye  Duke's  grant  to  ye  Ld 
Barckley  and  Sr  George  Cartrett  and  all  grants  made  by 
him  afterwards  (tho  according  to  ye  comison)  are  void,  for 
ye  delegated  power  wch  Coll  Nicholls  had  of  making  grantes 
of  ye  land  could  last  no  longer  than  his  master's  interest 
who  gave  him  ye  power  and  ye  having  or  not  having  notice 
of  ye  Duke's  grant  to  ye  Lord  Barckley  and  Sr  George  Car- 
trett, makes  no  difference  in  ye  law,  but  ye  want  of  notice 
makes  it  great  equity,  yet  ye  present  proprietrs  should  con- 
firm such  grant  to  ye  people  who  will  submitt  to  the  co- 
missions  and  payments  of  the  present  proprietors.  Quitt 
rents,  otherwise  they  may  look  upon  them  as  Deceivers 
and  treat  them  as  such. 

"Answ.  To  the  2nd  Question  by  ye  Law  of  Nations  if 
any  people  make  ye  Discovery  have  ye  Right  of  ye  Soyle 
and  Governt  of  yt  place  and  no  people  can  plant  there  with- 
out ye  Consent  of  ye  Prince  or  of  such  persons  to  whom  his 
rights  is  Devoulved  and  conveyed.  The  practice  of  all 
Plantations  has  been  according  to  this  and  no  people  have 
been  Suffered  to  take  up  Land  but  by  ye  Consent  and  Ly- 
cence  of  ye  govr  or  proprietors  under  ye  princes  title  whose 
people  made  ye  first  discovery  and  upon  their  submition  to 
ye  laws  of  ye  place  and  contribution  to  ye  public  charge  of 
ye  place  and  ye  payment  of  such  rent  and  other  value  for 
ye  soile  as  ye  proprietrs  for  ye  time  being  required,  and 
tho  it  hath  been  and  still  is  ye  usuall  practice  of  all  proprie- 
trs to  give  their  Indians  some  recompence  for  their  land 
and  seem  to  purchase  it  of  them,  yet  yt  is  not  done  for  want 
of  sufficient  title  from  ye  king  or  prince  who  hath  ye  right 
of  discovery,  but  out  of  prudence  and  Christian  charity, 


THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

least  otherwise  the  Indians  might  have  destroyed  ye  first 
planters  (who  are  usually  to  few  to  defend  themselves)  or 
refuse  all  commerce  and  conversation  with  the  planters  and 
thereby  all  hopes  of  converting  them  to  ye  Christian  faith 
would  be  lost.  In  this  the  common  law  of  England  and  ye 
civill  law  doth  agree,  and  if  any  planter  be  refractory  and 
will  insist  on  his  Indian  purchase  and  not  submit  to  this  law 
of  plantations,  ye  proprietrs  who  have  ye  title  under  ye 
prince  may  deny  them  ye  benefit  of  ye  law  and  prohibitt 
commerce  with  them  as  opposers  and  enemys  to  ye  public 
peace.  Besides  tis  observable  yt  no  man  can  goe  from 
England  to  plant  in  an  English  plantation  without  leave 
from  ye  government,  and,  therefore,  in  all  patents  and 
grants  of  plantations  from  ye  king  a  particular  license  to 
carry  over  planters  is  inserted,  which  power  is  prohibitting, 
is  'now  in  ye  proprietors  as  ye  king  assigns,  and  therefore 
the  same  planters  have  purchased  from  ye  Indians,  yett 
having  done  soe  without  ye  consent  of  ye  proprietors  for 
ye  time  being  ye  title  is  good  against  the  Indians,  but  not 
against  the  proprietors  without  a  confirmation  from  them 
upon  the  usuall  terms  of  other  plantations." 

"  WM.  LEEK,  Jo.  HOLT, 

WM.  WILLIAMS,   WM.  THOMSON, 
JO.  HOLLES,          RlCHD.  WALLOP, 
JOHN  HOYLE,        HEN.  POLLEXFEN. 

"  A  true  copy  : 

GARVIN  LAURIE, 
ROBT.  WEST." 

The  above  printed  extract  is  from  vol.  xiii.  of "  Docu- 
ments relating  to  the  Colonial  History  of  the  State  of  New 
York,"  p.  486. 

I  think  it  accurately  states  the  constitutional  law  in  these 
words : 

"  Though  it  hath  been  and  still  is  the  usual  practice  of  all 
proprietors  to  give  their  Indians  some  recompense  for  their 


APPENDIX.  439 

land,  and  so  seem  to  purchase  it  of  them.  Yet  that  is  not 
done  for  want  of  sufficient  title  from  the  king  or  prince  who 
hath  the  right  of  discovery,  but  out  of  prudence  and  Chris- 
tian charity,  least  otherwise  the  Indians  might  have  de- 
stroyed the  first  planters  (who  are  usually  too  few  to  defend 
themselves),  or  refuse  all  commerce  and  conversation  with 
the  planters,  and  thereby  all  hopes  of  converting  them  to  the 
Christian  faith  would  be  lost.  In  this  the  common  law  of 
England  and  the  civil  law  doth  agree.  .  .  .  Though  some 
planters  have  purchased  from  Indians,  yet  having  done  so 
without  the  consent  of  the  proprietors  for  the  time  being  the 
title  is  good  against  the  Indians  but  not  against  the  proprie- 
tors without  a  confirmation  from  them  upon  the  usual  terms 
of  other  plantations  ?  (Vol.  xiii.,  "  Documents  relating  to 
Colonial  History  of  the  State  of  New  York,"  p.  486.) 

Of  the  six  counsel  who  sign  this  opinion,  one  (Richard 
Wallop)  became  Cursitor  Baron  of  the  Exchequer,  another 
(Henry  Pollexsea)  became  Chief  Justice  of  the  Common 
Pleas,  and  a  third  (Holt)  was  afterward  Chief  Justice  of 
England. 

In  a  classical  judgment,  Marshall,  C.  J.,  has  concisely 
stated  the  same  law  of  the  mother  country,  which  the  United 
States  inherited  and  applied,  with  such  modifications  as  were 
necessitated  by  the  change  of  government,  to  their  late  deal- 
ings with  the  Indians.  I  quote  passages  from  Johnson  and 
Mclntosh,  8  Wheat,  p.  595,  etc. 

"According  to  the  theory  of  the  British  constitution,  all 
vacant  lands  are  vested  in  the  crown,  as  representing  the 
nation  ;  and  the  exclusive  power  to  grant  them  is  admitted 
to  reside  in  the  crown  as  a  branch  of  the  royal  prerogative. 
.  .  .  This  principle  was  as  fully  recognized  in  America 
as  in  the  land  of  Great  Britain.  So  far  as  respected  the  au- 
thority of  the  crown,  no  distinction  was  taken  between  vacant 
lands  and  lands  occupied  by  Indians.  The  title,  subject  to 
the  right  of  occupancy  by  the  Indians,  was  admitted  to  be  in 


440  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

the  king,  as  was  his  right  to  grant  that  title."  At  p.  588  : 
"All  our  institutions  recognize  the  absolute  title  of  the  crown, 
subject  only  to  the  Indian  right  of  occupancy,  and  recognize 
the  absolute  title  of  the  crown  to  extinguish  that  right." 

Again  :  The  relations  between  the  government  and  the 
Indians  charge  upon  the  establishment  of  reserves.  While 
in  the  nomadic  state  they  may  or  may  not  choose  to  treat 
with  the  crown  for  the  extraction  of  their  primitive  right  of 
occupancy.  If  they  refuse,  the  government  is  not  ham- 
pered, but  has  perfect  liberty  to  proceed  with  the  settlement 
and  development  of  the  country,  and  so  sooner  or  later  dis- 
place them.  If,  however,  they  elect  to  treat,  they  then  be- 
come, in  a  special  sense,  wards  of  the  state,  are  surrounded 
by  its  protection  while  under  pupilage,  and  have  their  rights 
assured  in  perpetuity  to  the  usual  land-reserve.  In  regard 
to  this  reserve  the  tribe  enjoy  practically  all  the  advantages 
and  safeguards  of  private  resident  proprietors. 

BEFORE  THE  APPROPRIATION  OF  RESERVES  THE  IND- 
IANS HAVE  NO  CLAIM  EXCEPT  UPON  THE  BOUNTY  AND 
BENEVOLENCE  OF  THE  CROWN.  After  the  appropriation 
they  become  invested  with  a  legally  recognized  tenure  of 
defined  lands,  in  which  they  have  a  present  right  as  to  the 
exclusive  and  absolute  contract,  and  a  potential  right  of  be- 
coming individual  owners  in  fee  after  enfranchisement. 

It  follows  that  land  ungranted,  upon  which  Indians  are 
living  at  large  in  their  primitive  state  within  any  province, 
form  part  of  the  public  lands,  and  are  held  as  before  Con- 
federation by  that  province  under  various  sections  of  the  B. 
N.  A.  Act.  M.  W.  T.  DRAKE. 


RIGHTS   OF   ABORIGINES. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C.,  October  30,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :    No   one,    I    imagine,  who   considers 
the  human  necessity  to  the  *fe  facto  governments  pf  the 


APPENDIX.  441 

world,  entertains  for  a  moment  the  wild  idea  that  the 
rights  of  aborigines  in  the  soil  occupied  by  their  fathers  are 
to  be  placed  on  a  level  with  civilized  tenures.  In  no  case, 
that  I  am  aware  of,  has  such  a  notion  been  entertained, 
even  by  the  natives  themselves.  The  Indians  perfectly  un- 
derstand that  the  land  is  not  of  the  same  value  to  them  as  it 
is  to  the  civilized  community,  and  that  they  cannot  make  it 
so  ;  and  they  are  therefore  ever  found  content  with  fair  and 
equitable  reserves  and  capitation  grants  (non-interceptible), 
coupled  with  the  protection  of  the  law,  and  adjustment  of 
claims  in  certain  limited  localities  whereon  their  livelihood 
depends.  This,  I  apprehend,  is  the  whole  science  of  deal- 
ing with  Indian  rights,  the  fundamental  principle  of  which 
is  natural  justice,  or  that  unwritten  law  which  the  most  bar- 
barous governments  cannot  afford  wholly  to  despise. 

I  discern  this  principle  underlying  Mr.  Drake's  quota- 
tions, veiled  as  it  is  by  a  species  of  lofty  grandiloquence, 
which  reads  rather  strangely  in  our  day,  from  which,  how- 
ever, that  gentleman  appears  to  draw  conclusions  which  are 
neither  just  nor  accordant  with  facts. 

There  is  no  risk,  as  there  ought  to  be  no  disdain,  in 
treating  with  the  Indians  with  the  extinction  of  their  claims. 
This,  however,  our  governments,  so  far  as  the  northern 
tribes  are  concerned,  have,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  stiffly  re- 
fused to  do,  preferring  apparently  the  Alexandrian  method 
of  cutting  the  knot  which — one  cannot  but  fear — they  are  too 
haughty  to  stoop  down  to  unloose,  therein,  also,  uniquely 
departing  from  the  almost  universal  method  pursued  in 
the  States,  in  Canada,  and  in  other  parts  of  this  province, 
and,  in  fact,  laid  down  as  law,  in  Mr.  Drake's  own  chosen 
authorities. 

Without  wishing  to  use  strong  language,  truth  and  a  deep 
sense  of  the  public  weal  compel  me  to  express  my  convic- 
tion that  the  governments  have  been,  and  still  are,  sadly 
and  fatally  going  astray  over  this  very  simple  matter.  The 


442  THE   STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

track  of  blood  which  in  the  Northwest  has  marked,  and  in 
this  province  now  threatens  to  mark,  the  executive  path,  I 
pray  God  may  not  be  laid  to  the  charge  of  our  rulers,  but 
that  they  may  be  shown  the  better  way  of  peace. 

I  may,  in  conclusion,  add  my  belief  that  after  the  unquali- 
fied declaration  alleged  to  have  been  made  by  the  highest 
legal  authority  of  the  province  in  this  very  case,  that  the 
Indians  have  no  rights  in  the  land — a  declaration  which, 
for  the  sake  of  majesty,  must  be  received  with  awe,  if  not 
with  conviction— the  Metlakahtlans  will  see  the  futility  of 
prosecuting  their  rights  by  civil  process  ;  the  matter  be- 
ing already,  by  anticipation,  decided  against  them  ;  and 
as  I  am  well  persuaded  that  they  will  not  resort  to  vio- 
lence (I  speak  not  of  the  uncultivated  tribes  beyond),  my 
counsel  to  this  troubled  community,  whose  temper  and  for- 
bearance the  highest  in  the  land  might  do  well  to  imitate,  is 
to  bow  to  the  storm  ;  appeal  to  God  and  the  Queen,  as  a 
people  hemmed  in  by  the  sword  but  not  conquered  ;  re- 
serve their  contributions  ;  pursue  their  industries  ;  and 
wait  for  the  day.  The  day  will  surely  come,  and  I  would 
call  upon  all  Christian  people  to  pray  the  King  of  kings,  and 
Judge  among  judges,  to  give  wisdom  to  the  rulers,  peace  to 
the  realm,  and  glory  to  His  own  great  name. 

October  29,  1886.  EDWARD  CRIDGE. 


BELLIGERENT    INDIANS. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C. ,  October  30,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  An  article  published  in  the  Weekly 
Times  of  the  I7th  ult.,  headed  "  Belligerent  Indians,"  con- 
demned our  action  in  preventing  Mr.  Tuck,  the  surveyor, 
from  taking  off  a  piece  of  our  land  to  be  a  reserve.  May  I 
ask  you  kindly  to  allow  me  to  say  a  few  words  in  your  paper, 
that  your  readers  may  see  why  trouble  is  still  existing,  and 
increasing  among  us.  This  trouble,  which  began  nearly  five 


APPENDIX.  443 

years  ago,  could  easily  have  been  settled  if  it  had  been 
only  treated  in  a  civilized  way  in  the  commencement,  for  "  a 
stitch  in  time  saves  nine." 

When  we  knew  that  our  case  was  a  severe  one,  and  the 
wound  was  deep,  we  at  once  laid  it  before  the  government 
authorities,  and  pointed  out  to  them  where  the  sore  was. 
The  men  in  authority  acknowledged  that  the  wound  was  a 
painful  one,  and  expressed  their  wish  to  see  it  cured.  The 
only  remedy  they  tried  to  cure  it  with  was  speaking  to  us  of 
government  power  or  soothing  us  with  promises  of  justice. 

The  one-sided  Government  Commission  of  Inquiry,  in 
"  Micawber's"  style,  pretended  to  examine  into  the  cause 
of  this  trouble  ;  but,  like  "  Micawber,"  failed  to  make  any 
satisfactory  settlement.  But  instead,  they  recommended 
the  government  to  take  off  two  acres  of  our  village  site, 
against  our  written  protest,  to  be  government  land  held  in 
trust  by  the  government  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society. 

When  we  found  out  that  all  this  work  was  not  meant  to 
settle  our  trouble  but  was  mere  pretension,  we  sent  three  of 
our  native  brethren  as  delegates  to  "  Ottawa,"  who  conveyed 
complaints,  especially  about  the  "  two  acres,"  to  the  Do- 
minion Government.  Sir  John  Macdonald,  the  Premier,  lis- 
tened to  our  complaints  and  told  our  representatives  he 
would  write  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society  advising  them 
to  remove  from  the  "  two  acres"  and  that  he  would  consider 
the  other  matters  we  had  told  him  of.  He  also  wrote  us  a 
letter,  dated  July  29,  1885,  in  which  he  says  :  "  On  receipt 
of  a  reply  from  that  society  I  will  write  you  regarding  said 
matter  and  in  respect  to  the  other  subjects  brought  before 
me  in  the  papers  filed  by  you." 

Up  to  this  date  we  have  not  received  his  promised  letter ; 
but  instead  of  writing  to  us  he  sent  up  Mr.  Tuck  on  August 
24th  last,  to  scratch  the  old  sore  with  a  surveying  instru- 
ment. 


444  THE   STORY  OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Sir,  it  may  be  the  $60,000  sale  of  the  Songeesh  village 
made  the  Dominion  Government  forget  the  promise  they 
made  to  us  about  settling  our  land  troubles.  Possibly  they 
are  looking  forward  to  another  lucky  sale  of  our  land  when 
it  is  surveyed  into  a  "  reserve,"  and  to  transport  us,  the 
lawful  owners,  to  another  "  ten-mile  point,"  for  "what  man 
has  done  man  can  do  again." 

I  ask  by  what  right  the  Dominion  Government  own  the 
money  that  Mr.  Dunsmuir  paid  for  that  property  ?  Is  honest 
and  strict  John  Bull  aware  of  these  "  semi- civilized  "  ways 
of  doing  business  ?  The  Times  railed  at  us  as  a  set  of  law- 
less people  warring  against  government  power  because  we 
say  that  the  land  of  our  forefathers,  which  we  have  inherited, 
belongs  to  us  and  not  to  the  government,  and  recommended 
that  a  gun -boat  should  be  sent  up  again  to  settle  this 
trouble,  as  if  it  could  be  cleared  by  grape-shot.  This  "  semi- 
civilized  "  talker  knows  not  that  Her  Majesty's  ships  are  pro- 
tectors of  the  lives  and  property  of  all  those  who  are  under 
the  British  flag,  and  not  oppressors. 

The  game  of  trying  to  cure  our  complaints  with  gun-boats 
was  played  on  us  several  times,  and  several  times  we  have 
been  falsely  accused  in  the  Queen's  name  as  law-breakers, 
and  unlawfully  punished.  But  every  time  when  our  case 
was  tried  in  a  court  of  law  we  were  treated  not  as  law- 
breakers but  as  law-abiding  people. 

If  we  are  again  to  be  maliciously  punished  in  the  name  of 
our  Queen,  for  being  land-owners,  we  will  submit  to  such 
punishment  as  before  ;  but  to  be  as  squatters  on  our  own 
land,  we  cannot  submit  to  that.  The  Queen's  own  repre- 
sentative, Lord  Dufferin,  acknowledged  our  right  to  this 
land,  and  did  not  claim  it  to  be  the  Queen's  land  without  a 
treaty  having  first  been  made  with  us.  His  civilized  words 
are  still  ringing  in  our  ears.  Cannon  balls  will  not  kill  them. 
The  Times  recommends  a  gun-boat  to  "  bring  us  to  our 
senses."  Is  it  the  way  of  civilized  people  to  recommend 


APPENDIX.  445 

punishment  to  persons  before  they  are  known  to  have 
broken  the  law  ? 

And  are  we  out  of  our  senses  and  warring  against  England's 
law  because  we  hold  fast  our  title  to  our  inheritance  ?  Is 
not  the  love  of  a  bird  for  its  nest  a  natural  feeling  given  to 
it  by  the  Creator  ?  Does  it  need  a  "  white  teacher  "  to  im- 
plant this  feeling  in  its  breast  ?  In  the  Tsimshean  heart 
just  the  same  love  for  their  "nest"  (nest  is  the  word  by 
which  the  Tsimsheans  used  to  call  their  land)  has  existed 
for  generations  before  the  "white  teacher "  came.  Mr. 
Duncan  did  not  put  this  feeling  into  our  hearts.  Before 
he  came  our  people  fought  and  killed  those  who  tried  to  rob 
them  of  their  land  ;  and  since  he  came  he  has  shown  us  a 
better  way  of  defending  it.  The  Times  falsely  says  that  Mr. 
Duncan  has  taught  us  to  be  lawless,  and  trouble-makers  ;  in- 
stead of  this  he  has  taught  us  to  appeal  to  the  laws  of  our 
Queen  as  our  protection.  Is  this  a  crime  ?  Mr.  Duncan's 
work  among  Tsimsheans  for  the  past  twenty-nine  years 
speaks  for  itself. 

Cheating  and  underhand  dealing  with  Tsimsheans  is  now 
too  late.  That  game  .would  have  answered  thirty  years  ago 
when  European  fur-dealers  paid  for  a  prime  black  bear-skin 
with  a  lacquered  tin  cup.  What  is  wanted  nowadays  in 
dealing  with  our  fellow-men  is  a  civilized  way  of  doing  busi- 
ness, "  a  just  balance,  just  weights,  a  just  ephah,  and  a  just 
hin." 

Sir,  I  must  confess  that  I  do  not  believe  our  inheritance 
will  be  taken  away  from  us  by  oppression  by  our  Christian 
Queen,  whose  righteous  laws  are  from  God's  book,  the  Bible, 
and  were  made  for  the  benefit  of  all.  It  is  written,  "  The 
prince  shall  not  take  of  the  people's  inheritance  by  oppres- 
sion to  thrust  them  out  of  their  possession  ;  but  he  shall 
give  his  sons  inheritance  out  of  his  own  possession  ;  that  my 
people  be  not  scattered  every  man  from  his  possession  " 
(Ezekiel  xlvi.  18). 


446  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Let  the  world  know  that  we  are  upholding  the  just  laws  of 
our  Queen.  Oppression  and  robbery  are  contrary  to  the 
laws  both  of  God  and  the  Queen. 

Y.  D.  DETERMIN. 
[DAVID  LEASK], 
Native  of  Metlakahtla. 
METLAKAHTLA,  B.  C,  October  8,  1886. 


THE  INDIAN  QUESTION. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C. ,  October  31,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  Bishop  Cridge,  in  a  letter  to  your 
journal,  has  expressed  his  opinion  as  to  the  right  of  the 
Indians  to  the  soil  they  have  occupied  for  centuries,  an 
opinion  not  intended  to  be  an  exposition  of  the  law  of 
England  with  regard  to  the  Indian  title  and  the  old  policy, 
but  an  opinion  founded  on  common-sense  and  principles  of 
justice.  The  nations  of  Europe  by  superior  force,  and  not 
by  right,  have  made  a  law  unto  themselves  with  reference 
to  the  rights  of  the  inhabitants  of  lands  they  have  discov- 
ered. England  and  other  nations  discover  an  island  or  a 
continent  inhabited  by  a  people  they,  from  their  stand-point, 
call  barbarians,  and  by  reason  of  their  superior  force  and 
the  weakness  of  the  so-called  barbarians,  they  take  posses- 
sion of  their  country,  and  out  of  Christian  charity  they 
allow  them  to  occupy  a  part  of  it.  Where  does  the  Chris- 
tian charity  commence  ?  Is  it  in  first  knocking  a  man  down 
and  robbing  him  because  you  are  civilized  and  Christian, 
and  your  victim  is  not,  and  then  out  of  Christian  charity 
giving  him  back  the  smallest  possible  portion  of  his  own 
goods — which  were  taken  by  force  ?  This  is  the  law  of  Eng- 
land as  expounded  by  eminent  counsel,  as  quoted  by  Mr. 
Drake  in  his  letter  of  yesterday,  in  which  he  censures 
Bishop  Cridge  for  his  opinions  and  says,  '  That  he  cannot 
help  thinking  that  the  publication,  at  this  juncture,  of  such 


APPENDIX.  447 

views  as  are  contained  in  that  letter,  is  nothing  more  than  an 
active  encouragement  to  the  Indians  to  resist  a  peaceable 
settlement  of  what  has  been  a  continual  source  of  expense 
and  trouble  to  the  province.'  Now,  sir,  I  would  like  to  ask 
which  is  most  likely  to  engender  feelings  of  discontent  and 
revenge  in  the  Indian  mind — to  be  told  by  Bishop  Cridge 
that  they  have  rights  in  and  to  the  country  which  they  and 
their  ancestors  have  occupied  for  centuries,  or  to  be  told 
by  Mr.  Drake  on  the  authority  of  counsel,  however  eminent, 
that  they  have  no  right  or  title,  and  that  the  portions  of 
their  own  country  set  apart  for  them  by  those  who  took 
possession  of  their  country  is  theirs  only  by  charity  and 
clemency  and  not  by  a  shadow  of  right  ? 

I  am  not  a  lawyer  and  I  therefore  ask  the  question,  Is 
not  the  law  in  very  many  cases  founded  on  custom  ?  And  al- 
though European  nations  in  their  colonial  policy  made  unto 
themselves  a  law  for  claiming  and  holding  discovered  inhab- 
ited lands  by  force  if  necessary,  yet  what  has  been  the  cus- 
tom even  in  the  (now  antiquated;  legal  opinions  quoted  by 
Mr.  Drake,  in  support  of  the  exclusive  right  of  title  in  the 
crown,  the  following  will  be  found  :  '  Though  it  hath  been, 
and  still  is,  the  usual  practice  of  all  proprietors  (sovereigns) 
to  give  their  Indians  some  recompense  for  their  land  (it  will 
be  seen  that  the  land  is  here  called  their  land — inadvert- 
ently, no  doubt,  those  words  of  truth  slipped  in),  and  so 
seem  to  purchase  it  from  them,  yet  that  is  not  done  for  want 
of  sufficient  title  from  the  king  or  prince  who  hath  the  right 
of  discovery,  but  out  of  prudence  and  Christian  charity, 
least  otherwise  the  Indians  might  have  destroyed  the  first 
planters,  who  are  usually  too  few  to  defend  themselves,  or 
refuse  all  commerce  or  conversation  with  the  planters,  and 
thereby  all  hopes  of  converting  them  to  the  Christian  faith 
would  be  lost.'  I  say,  then,  if  recompense  has  been  the 
usual  custom  for  200  years,  is  it  not  now  the  law  ? 

I  ask  any  common  person  to  imagine  what  the  effect  must 


448  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

be,  and  what  evils  have  taken  place  in  trying  to  enforce  a 
law  founded  on  the  principle  of  might  here  laid  down. 

We  are  told  that  out  of  prudence  and  charity  they  are 
paid  ior their  land.  "  Their  land"  must  mean  the  Indian's 
own  land.  The  charity,  it  will  be  observed,  was  not  for  the 
Indians  but  for  the  planters  who  might  be  too  few  to  defend 
themselves — and  lest  the  Indians  should  refuse  to  trade — so 
that  Christian  rulers,  from  the  actual  fear  that  the  Indians 
were  too  powerful  for  the  early  colonists  and  that  the  gains 
of  the  colonists  or  planters  should  be  lessened  by  the  In- 
dians not  trading  with  them,  have  of  their  Christian  bounty 
paid  them  for  their  own  lands — and  on  these  noble  and  dis- 
interested principles  of  justice  is  founded  the  law  of  England 
affecting  the  colonial  policy. 

I  think  I  am  correct  in  stating  that  the  law  quoted  by  Mr. 
Drake  is  unwritten  so  far  as  being  enacted  by  any  imperial 
statute,  and  is  entirely  the  outcome  of  ignorant  and  arbi- 
trary expediency  of  past  ages.  Since  the  colonies  took  in 
hand  the  management  of  their  own  affairs,  the  governments 
of  nearly  every  colony  and  territory  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion, whether  from  motives  of  fear  or  honesty,  that  the 
original  occupiers  of  the  soil  must  be  dealt  with,  and  their 
rights  to  those  portions  of  the  country  not  requisite  for  their 
actual  use  they  should  be  invited  to  surrender  by  treaty  for 
a  substantial  consideration.  In  the  United  States  all  the  Ind- 
ian nations  have  been  settled  with  by  treaty,  and  in  lieu  of 
the  domain  surrendered  they  receive  an  annual  allowance 
in  food,  clothing,  and  perhaps  money — the  government  of 
that  country  fully  recognizing  that  if  the  food-supply  of  the 
Indians  is  lessened  by  the  settlement  of  the  whites  on  their 
former  hunting  grounds,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  government 
to  provide  for  their  wants.  Such  a  policy  as  this  has  been 
enjoined  by  imperial  recommendation  or  proclamation  on 
the  older  provinces  of  Canada,  to  which  they  have  in  nearly 
every  case  given  effect.  We  have  only  to  look  at  the  Indian 


APPENDIX.  449 

policy  of  the  Dominion  Government  in  the  Northwest  Terri- 
tory to  be  satisfied  that  Indians  have  some  right  and  title  to 
the  soil  they  occupy,  and  that  the  opinions  quoted  by  Mr. 
Drake,  although  law,  have  through  custom  become  inopera- 
tive in  the  light  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  Dominion 
Government  has  so  fully  and  freely  acknowledged  the  claims 
of  Indians  to  the  soil  over  which  they  roamed  that  they  have 
been  most  anxious  that  such  claims  should  be  surrendered 
by  legal  treaty,  as  being  necessary  in  the  interests  of  peace, 
good  government,  and  the  settlement  of  the  country,  and  all 
the  tribes  who  have  "taken  treaty"  receive  subsidies  in 
money,  food,  and  clothing.  Such  a  policy  is  in  perfect  har- 
mony with  Bishop  Cridge's  views,  because  they  are  humane 
and  just.  W.  J.  MACDONALD. 

[Life  Senator  of  Dominion  Parliament  of  Canada  from  British  Columbia.] 


THE  METLAKAHTLANS. 

From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C.,  November  2,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  The  Metlakahtla  "  fizgig "  is  oc- 
casioned by  the  endeavor  and  intention  of  the  provincial 
government  to  define  the  boundaries  of  a  tract  of  land 
seventy  thousand  acres  in  extent  attached  to  and  surround- 
ing the  Indian  village  at  Metlakahtla  and  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Indians  and  no  one  else.  The  Indians,  through  their 
white  misleaders,  prevent  by  violence  the  surveyors  ap- 
pointed by  the  government  performing  this  duty.  They 
openly  oppose  the  government,  but  thus  far — chiefly  through 
the  forbearance  of  the  surveyors — no  grievous  bodily  harm 
has  been  done  to  anyone.  The  Metlakahtla  question  is  not 
one  of  pscudo- Christianity  or  pseudo-philanthropy;  but 
whether  Indians  shall  be  allowed  at  the  instigation  of  their 
misleaders  to  set  the  rule  of  the  province  at  their  defiance. 
There  can  be  but  one  answer  to  this  question.  Neither 
the  Indian  policy  of  the  United  States  nor  that  of  Eastern 


45°  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Canada  has  ever  been  adopted  by  British  Columbia,  so 
their  practice  has  nothing  to  do  with  that  of  this  province. 
Some  five  and  thirty  years  ago  Vancouver  Island  had  a 
government  of  its  own,  and  in  dealing  with  the  Indian  ques- 
tion had  to  make  a  policy  suitable  to  the  Indians  and  to 
local  conditions. 

It  was  determined  that  the  Indians  should  not  be  dis- 
turbed in  their  villages,  but  that  a  tract  of  land  surrounding 
each  village  should  be  marked  off  for  the  inhabitants  thereof 
for  their  use  and  benefit.  It  was  determined  not  to  remove 
them  from  their  villages  and  huddle  them  into  one  or  more 
general  pen  or  pens  for  various  reasons,  such  as  that,  being 
fish-eating  Indians,  they  could  sustain  themselves  better  in 
several  localities  than  in  one  ;  that  the  tribes,  being  perpet- 
ually at  variance  with  each  other,  nothing  but  murders 
would  ensue  if  hostile  tribes  were  huddled  together  ;  that 
the  sentimental  feelings  of  the  Indians  with  regard  to  their 
village  sites  and  graveyards  should  be  respected  ;  that  by 
segregation  and  living  near  or  among  the  whites  they  would 
follow  their  example — learn  to  work — to  become  farmers 
and  so  forth — to  become  civilized  and  ultimately  to  be 
merged — when  they  know  civilized  ideas  of  right  and  wrong, 
as  equals  in  the  body  politic.  Such  has  been  the  Indian 
policy  of  Vancouver  Island  for  the  past  thirty-five  years, 
almost  as  long  as  the  foundation  of  the  colony.  During  this 
period  Vancouver  Island  and  the  mainland  became  united 
into  one  colony.  The  Indian  policy  of  Vancouver  Island 
was  put  in  force  on  the  mainland  also,  when  the  united 
colonies  became  part  and  parcel  of  Canada.  This  system 
was  unaltered,  and  to-day  is  the  rule  and  policy  of  British 
Columbia,  and  must  be  submitted  to  by  Metlakahtlans  and 
their  misleaders,  as  well  as  by  other  Indian  tribes.  It  is  a 
system  suitable  generally  to  the  province  and  to  the  abo- 
rigines. 

During  the  past  forty  years,  too,  the  province  has  had 


APPENDIX.  451 

many  and  every  variety  of  governors— imperial  and  other- 
wise, but  the  policy  was  never  altered  on  their  account ;  in 
fact,  they  probably  did  not  even  recommend  it.  That  this 
policy  has  been  beneficial  to  the  Indians — look  at  results — 
they  are  patent  to  all.  A  few  years  ago  the  tribes  were  per- 
petually at  war,  and  the  Indians  lived  ever,  night  and  day, 
in  dread.  Now  they  live  in  peace  and  quiet.  A  few  years 
ago  they  murdered  each  other  ;  now  they  do  not.  A  few 
years  ago  they  were  comparatively  naked  ;  now  they  are  well 
clothed,  and,  instead  of  being  poor,  they  are  rich,  rich  in 
various  ways  and  in  money,  and  the  misleaders  had  better 
ask  themselves  whose  superscription  is  the  current  coin.  A 
few  years  ago  the  strangers  drove,  when  they  could,  tribes 
from  their  lands  and  appropriated  them  ;  even  this  was  the 
case  on  the  Northern  coast  and  at  Metlakahtla.  These  con- 
querers  did  not  give  the  conquered  anything  but  death  or 
slavery.  Talk  of  compensation  for  land!  Why,  the  Indi- 
ans have  been  compensated  a  thousand-fold,  and  are  still 
continuing  to  be  compensated,  by  having  had  and  still  hav- 
ing, a  civilized  people  among  them.  A  civilized  people  who 
have  induced  the  Indians  to  become  civilized,  to  leave  off 
murder,  leave  off  stealing,  leave  off  wars,  and  leave  off 
quasi-cannibalism  at  their  "  medicine  feasts."  The  civilized 
give  them  employment  and  pay  them  therefor,  give  them 
the  knowledge  of  bettering  their  condition,  of  which  they 
avail  themselves  to  a  considerable  degree  ;  in  fact,  owing  to 
the  presence  of  the  whites,  the  Indians  are  now  better  off 
than  myriads  of  people  in  Great  Britain,  inland,  and  other 
large  and  civilized  communities.  And  yet  their  misleaders 
ask  for  compensation.  Shame  ! 

British  Columbia  has  not,  during  the  past  thirty-five  years, 
acknowledged  any  Indian  title  to  land,  save  that  given  them 
by,  may  I  say,  their  conquerors — not  by  the  sword,  but  by 
civilization  and  commerce.  Do  these  misleaders  want  this 
policy  altered  for  the  sake  of  the  Metlakahtlans  ?  Do  they 


452  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

want  to  reduce  the  Metlakahtlans  to  a  lot  of  beggars — beg- 
ging a  small  pittance  of  blankets  and  molasses,  for  what  ? 
Will  not  the  Metlakahtlans  disdain  to  ask,  and  be  ashamed 
to  receive,  charity?  They  are  not  paupers  and  would  be 
ashamed  to  be  considered  such.  They  are  able-bodied  and 
intelligent — can  work  for  themselves,  get  their  own  living 
and  become  rich,  as  many  of  them  are,  and  be  like  white 
men — but  to  be  mendicants — surely  never  ! 

The  British  Columbian  Indian  policy  has  never  deprived 
the  Indians  of  anything.  They  have  their  liberty.  They 
have  justice  equally  with  the  whites — no  obstruction  to  their 
fishing  and  hunting.  They  have  a  larger  number  of  people 
to  buy  their  produce — in  fact,  they  are  a  thousand  times 
better  off  than  ever  before — and  they  know  it!  Land  they 
never  made  use  of — the  sea  afforded  them  their  means  of 
subsistence.  Do  the  misleaders  not  make  a  mistake  in  not 
asking  compensation  for  the  sea  instead  of  for  useless  land  ? 
The  Indians  have  the  benefit  of  the  sale  of  land  as  well  as 
the  white  men.  The  government  make  roads  and  a  host  of 
other  things  with  the  money,  which  are  as  useful  to  the  In- 
dians as  whites.  Do  the  Indians  contribute  anything  to  the 
provincial  revenue?  If  they  held  what  their  misleaders 
term  their  land— would  they  not  have  to  pay  five  cents  per 
acre  upon  "  wild  land  ?  " 

Teach  the  Indians  to  work,  and  work  with  advantage  ;  this 
is  the  chief  way  of  civilizing  them  and  enabling  them  to  be- 
come part  and  parcel  of  ourselves,  but  to  teach  them  to  re- 
bel is  against  the  law  and  must  not  be  tolerated.  Many 
agitators  have  lost  their  heads,  metaphorically  and  really, 
before  to-day. 

Dulce  et  decorum  est  pro  patria  mori,  but  the  misleaders 
take  good  care  to  keep  away  from  the  conflict— bide  and 
hide  in  safety.  "  Prudence  is  the  better  part  of  valor." 

J.  S.  HELMCKEN. 


APPENDIX.  453 

The  name  of  Dr.  Helmcken  is  not  new  in  British 
Columbian  history ;  his  name  will  long  be  remem- 
bered in  connection  with  the  subjoining  case  of 
high-minded  justice.  Bancroft  in  descanting  on 
the  treatment  of  the  Aborigines  under  the  com- 
bined rule  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Co.  and  Colonial 
Government  writes  : 

"  From  one  of  the  Company's  vessels  then  lying  at  Vic- 
toria, three  men  deserted  to  the  "England"  which  then 
continued  her  way  to  Fort  Rupert.  Meanwhile  notice  was 
sent  to  Rupert  of  the  deserters,  who  thereupon  became 
frightened,  left  the  "  England"  and  took  to  the  woods,  in- 
tending to  join  the  vessel  at  another  port.  Indians  were  sent 
in  pursuit  with  orders  from  Blenkinsop,  then  acting  for  the 
Company  at  Fort  Rupert,  to  bring  the  deserters  dead  or 
alive.  Four  days  afterward  the  Indians  returned  and 
claimed  the  reward  saying  that  they  had  killed  them  all.  It 
was  true.  The  sailors  had  been  shot  down  in  the  forest  by 
savages  set  upon  them  by  an  officer  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Co. 

"  Now  mark  the  course  of  justice  pursued  by  the  officers 
of  the  imperial  government.  Instead  of  proceeding  against 
the  instigators  of  the  murder,  and  arresting  the  officers  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  as  they  should  have  done,  they 
direct  the  full  force  of  their  vengeance  against  the  natives. 
Helmcken,  the  newly  fledged  magistrate,  cognizant  of  the 
whole  affair,  and  well  knowing  who  were  the  guilty  persons, 
and  what  hand  he  himself  had  in  it,  goes  to  the  Newittee 
camp,  twelve  miles  distant,  and  loudly  demands  the  sur- 
render of  the  murderers.  The  savages  acknowledge  the 
murder,  but  plead  that  they  were  only  executing  orders. 
Truer  to  themselves  and  to  the  right  than  were  the  white 
men,  they  refused  to  give  up  the  perpetrators  of  the  deed, 


454  THE   STORY   OF  METLAKAHTLA. 

but  offered  to  give  up  the  property  paid  them  by  the  white 
men  for  the  commission  of  the  crime.  This  did  not  satisfy 
the  European  justice-dealers.  Servants  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company.  Some  one  must  be  punished  ;  and  as  they  did  not 
wish  to  hang  themselves,  they  must  find  victims  among  their 
instruments.  As  the  magistrate  was  unable  to  accomplish 
their  purpose,  Wellesley  sent  a  force  under  Lieutenant  Bur- 
ton, in  three  boats  of  the  "  Dczdalus"  against  the  Newittees. 
Finding  their  camp  deserted,  Burton  destroyed  the  village, 
and  made  a  bonfire  of  all  the  property  he  could  find.  The 
following  summer,  H.  M.  S.  "  Daphne"  Captain  Fanshawe 
arrived.  Meanwhile  the  Newittees  had  rebuilt  their  village, 
supposing  the  white  men  satisfied  with  the  injury  already 
inflicted.  One  day  while  holding  a  potlach,  and  being  at 
peace,  as  they  believed,  with  the  white  men,  the  "  Daphne's" 
boats,  under  Lieutenant  Lacy,  crept  into  their  harbor,  and 
announced  their  arrival  by  a  discharge  of  musketry.  Men, 
women,  and  children  were  mercilessly  cut  down,  persons 
innocent  of  any  thought  of  wrong  against  their  murderers, 
and  their  village  again  destroyed.  Then  the  tl  Daphne" 
sailed  away.  Justice  was  satisfied  ;  and  Blenkinsop  and  the 
rest  of  them  went  about  their  work  as  usual." 

Who  now  will  question,  the  propriety  of  Dr. 
Helmcken's,  sitting  in  judgment  upon  the  rights 
of  the  Natives  ? 


RIGHTS    OF   ABORIGINES. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C.,  November  2,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  Bishop  Cridge's  letter  in  the  Colo* 
nisfs  issue  of  the  28th  inst.  is,  I  apprehend,  not  likely  to 
promote  the  cause  of  peace  and  good  will,  but  the  contrary, 
should  it  reach  the  recusant  Metlakahtlans  ere  they  have 


APPENDIX.  455 

been  shown  the  error  of  their  ways.  And  here,  parenthet- 
ically, let  me  state  that  before  Mr.  Duncan's  settling  at  Muh- 
ki-tli-kaatla  (the  Indian  name  of  the  place),  no  sept  of  the 
Tsimshean  speakers  went  by  that  name.  That  it  had  been 
an  ancient  village  site  for  one  of  these  septs  I  perceived 
when  there  very  early  in  1866,  and  utilized  by  Mr.  Duncan, 
then,  by  his  desire  visiting  the  sick  throughout  the  modern 
settlement  of  his  forming.  Several  erroneous  positions  are 
assumed  in  the  worthy  bishop's  letter,  to  be  duly  dealt  with, 
no  doubt,  when  tfce  Metlakahtla  case,  if  ever,  comes  into 
court. 

Practically,  this  Western  Canada  of  ours  became  a  British 
possession  so  soon  as  fur-traders  from  Montreal  and  Hudson's 
Bay,  working  toward  the  setting  sun,  had,  much  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  savage  natives,  reached  the  shores  of  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean.  These  white  men,  in  pursuit  of  the  still  too 
mighty  dollar,  and  not  without  their  due  share  of  human  in- 
firmities, from  which,  alas  !  neither  clergyman  nor  mission- 
aries are  exempt,  were  nevertheless  chiefly,  but  not  alto- 
gether in  furtherance  of  their  commercial  pursuits,  great 
civilizers  of  the  untutored  red  men,  whom  from  Southern 
Alaska  to  Southern  Oregon  they  tamed  into  peaceable  re- 
ception of  the  immigrating  white  man,  who,  mainly  through 
his  own,  perhaps  inevitable,  blundering,  and  necessarily 
after  fur-trading  influence  for  peace,  much  weakened,  had 
no  trouble  with  the  Indians. 

On  our  own  northwest  coast,  from  Nisqually,  W.  T.,  to 
the  Canadian  Alaskan  boundary,  influences  for  peace  for 
more  than  twenty  years  before  Mr.  Duncan,  as  a  guest  at 
Fort  Simpson  (H.  B.  Co.'s  post),  began  his  then  useful 
teachings,  had  been  greatly  increased  by  the  equalization  of 
distribution  of  Hudson's  Bay  guns  and  ammunition,  by  the 
regular  visits  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  steamer  Beaver 
to  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  very  large  sea-frontage  of 
our  mainland,  wherever  furs  could  be  purchased.  Thus,  in 


456  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

due  time,  kidnapping  and  plundering,  murderous  raids,  ex- 
ecuted with  the  greatest  treachery  and  secrecy,  were  ter- 
minated ;  and  all  found  it  advantageous  to  meet  peaceably, 
to  sell,  buy,  and  barter  at  the  white  man's  trading  post,  or  at 
the  appointed  rendezvous  of  his  trading  steamer.  Be  it  also 
remembered  that  at  Hudson's  Bay  posts,  in  a  measure, 
doubtless,  in  the  interests  of  trade,  it  was  a  rule  to  dis- 
countenance the  marauder  and  murderer,  and  to  encourage, 
by  kindly  treatment,  the  peaceable  and  industrious.  The 
murderer  of  a  white  man  was  pursued  relentlessly  and  in  the 
end  punished  as  he  deserved,  or  made  an  outcast  of. 

I  had  got  thus  far,  when  in  the  Colonist  of  to-day,  Octo- 
ber 3Oth,  I  observed  my  friend  Bishop  Cridge's  second  let- 
ter under  the  heading  "  Rights  of  Aborigines,"  which  I 
gladly  adopt  as  the  title  or  caption  of  "  these  presents."  I 
have  only  to  say  particularly  of  the  bishop's  second  letter,  and 
I  say  it  emphatically,  that  the  bloodguiltiness,  if  any  should 
anywhere  ensue,  from  present  recusancy  of  a  very  small 
portion  of  the  Tsimshean  wide-spread  nation,  will  be  directly 
chargeable  against  the  mal-advisers  for  the  last  five  years 
of  those  previously  peaceable,  and  for  good  ends  eminently 
tractable  people.  Next,  I  cordially  appeal  to  the  sense  of 
natural  justice,  to  the  unwritten  laws  mentioned  in  my 
friend's  second  letter.  I  call  a  halt,  I  urge  a  truce  between 
the  present  contending  parties,  and  invite  them  jointly  with 
"  all  Christian  people  "  (to  quote  my  friend's  words)  and 
other  humane  men  and  women,  within  the  province  and 
throughout  the  Dominion,  to  combine  with  us  in  an  im- 
mediate and  urgent  effort  to  induce  our  worthy  Dominion 
Premier  and  his  able,  right-minded  Cabinet  to  give  to  the 
Tsimshean  now  at  Metlakahtla,  with  their  tribes-men,  and 
to  the  Songeesh  and  Swhymal  Indians,  conjointly,  of  our  own 
near  neighborhood — all  on  suitable  reservations — able  teach- 
ers of  English,  spoken  and  written,  instructors  in  the  most 
needed  useful  arts,  a  boarding-house  for  scholars  from  a 


APPENDIX.  457 

distance,  a  hospital  for  the  infirm  and  for  her  foundlings,  and 
such  other  aid  as  would  fit  the  Indians  middle-aged  and 
young  for  voting  and  for  earning  a  livelihood  as,  and  among, 
the  white  occupants  of  their  country,  of  their  wonted  use  of 
which  they,  in  certain  parts,  but  not  on  the  Northwest 
coast,  have  been  greatly  deprived  by  our  pastoral  claims, 
enclosures,  flocks,  herds,  etc. 

Surely,  Mr.  Editor,  sectarian  divisions,  weakening  as  the 
years  roll  on,  should  not  prevent  all  religionists,  churched 
or  unchurched,  or  humane  people,  if  unhappily  without  re- 
ligion, from  joining  in  this  suggested  good  work,  so  urgently 
required  at  this  critical  moment. 

As  people  claiming  to  be  in  the  van  of  civilization  we 
Columbians,  Midland  and  Eastern  Canadians,  owe  to  our 
Indians  a  very  kind,  liberal,  and  judicious  management,  as 
from  wise  guardian  to  helpless  ward.  It  is  painful,  sir,  to 
know,  as  I  do  from  frequent  inquiry  at  Indians  in  Victoria 
streets,  how  very  few  of  their  children  outlive  infancy. 

W.  F.  TOLMIE. 


"  MISLEADERS  "  OF  THE  INDIANS.    . 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C. ,  November  3,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  The  attention  of  the  public  is  again 
being  directed  to  the  Indian  land  question,  and  well  will  it 
be  for  the  province  if  the  subject  is  met,  discussed,  and 
settled  honestly,  dispassionately,  and  equitably. 

The  question  of  land  interests  is  confessedly  just  now  a 
knotty  and  vital  one  for  more  countries  than  British  Colum- 
bia. No  question  of  modern  times  is  engrossing  so  much 
time  and  taxing  the  talents  of  our  statesmen.  And  it  is 
notorious  that  most  of  the  troubles  of  this  generation  are 
the  outcome  of  blundering  and  injustice  in  years  gone  by, 
in  reference  to  land  matters. 


458  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAIITLA. 

British  Columbia  is  called  upon  to  settle  the  question 
squarely  and  justly.  It  is  not  a  matter  to  be  settled  by 
abusing  individuals .  or  talking  of  generalities.  If  British 
Columbia  is  to  be  exempt  from  the  errors  and  sad  experi- 
ence of  older  countries  the  rights  of  the  Indians  in  the  land 
must  be  ascertained,  defined,  enforced,  and  as  sacredly 
defended  as  the  rights  of  white  men  are. 

Unfortunately,  the  question  is  hampered  at  the  outset  by 
the  fact  that  the  Indians  are  the  weak,  the  poor,  and  the 
despised  ones.  In  asserting  their  claims  they  are,  there- 
fore, ever  in  danger  of  arousing  the  enmity  and  greed  of 
their  powerful  neighbors.  Those  of  us  who  dare  befriend 
them  or  interpret  their  words  or  views  are  denounced  as 
conspirators.  Be  it  so.  History  is  ever  repeating  itself,  be- 
cause the  conditions  of  life  remain  unchanged.  The  strug- 
gle of  right  with  wrong  inevitably  must  go  on  to  the  disad- 
vantage of  right  till  the  tune  on  the  organ  of  the  present 
dispensation  is  finished  and  the  stop  is  changed  by  the  hand 
of  the  Omnipotent  and  All-wise. 

For  the  purpose  of  throwing  new  light  on  the  subject  at 
issue,  it  may  not  be  inopportune  at  this  juncture  to  place 
before  the  public  the  statements  of  persons  in  authority 
now  living,  and  leave  readers  to  decide  for  themselves 
whether  those  persons  who  deal  with  facts  are  misleaders 
or  not  in  Indian  affairs.  The  Superintendent-General  of 
Indian  Affairs  occupying  the  same  position  as  Sir  John  Mac- 
donald  does  now  toward  the  Indians,  in  a  communication 
to  the  provincial  government,  dated  Ottawa,  November  2, 
1874,  says:  "A  cursory  glance  at  these  documents  is 
enough  to  show  that  the  present  state  of  the  Indian  land 
question  in  our  territory  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  is 
most  unsatisfactory,  and  that  it  is  the  occasion  not  only  of 
great  discontent  among  the  aboriginal  tribes,  but  also  of 
serious  alarm  to  the  white  settlers.  The  guaranteeing  the 
aborigines  of  British  Columbia  the  continuance  of  a  policy 


APPENDIX.  459 

as  liberal  as  was  pursued  by  the  local  government  seems 
little  short  of  a  mockery  of  their  claims. 

"  If  there  has  not  been  an  Indian  war,  it  is  not  because 
there  has  been  no  injustice  to  the  Indians,  but  because  the 
Indians  have  not  been  sufficiently  united." 

Again,  in  a  communication  from  the  Department  of  Jus- 
tice, dated  Ottawa,  January  19,  1875,  occur  the  following  : 

"  No  surrenders  of  lands  in  British  Columbia  Province 
has  ever  been  obtained  from  the  Indian  tribes  with  one  ex- 
ception. .  .  .  Any  reservations  which  have  been  made 
have  been  arbitrary  on  the  part  of  the  government,  and  with- 
out the  assent  of  the  Indians  themselves. 

"  There  is  not  a  shadow  of  doubt  that  from  the  earliest 
times  England  has  always  felt  it  imperative  to  meet  the  In- 
dians in  council,  and  to  obtain  surrenders  of  tracts  of  Canada 
as  from  time  to  time  such  were  required  for  the  purposes  of 
settlement.  .  . 

"It  is  sufficient  for  the  present  purpose  to  ascertain  the 
policy  of  England  in  respect  to  the  acquisition  of  the  Indian 
territorial  rights,  and  how  entirely  that  policy  has  been  fol- 
lowed to  the  present  time  except  in  the  instance  of  British 
Columbia." 

I  think  it  unnecessary  to  quote  further  from  these  author- 
itative documents,  but  surely  such  words  from  such  men 
ought  to  have  weight  with  every  honest  mind. 

The  words  and  views  on  this  subject  of  that  great  states- 
man Lord  Dufferin,  when  occupying  the  highest  position 
in  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  are  well  known.  I  will  re- 
mind the  public  only  of  a  line  or  two.  He  said  :  "  Most 
unfortunately,  as  I  think,  there  has  been  an  initial  error  ever 
since  Sir  James  Douglas  quitted  office,  in  the  government  of 
British  Columbia  neglecting  to  recognize  what  is  known  as 
the  Indian  title," 

In  conclusion,  I  would  ask,  can  it  be  rigj^t  to  characterize 
such  persons  whose  views  I  have  quoted  as  misleaders  of 


460  THE   STORY   OF  METLAKAHTLA, 

the  Indians,  and  is  it  not  startling  to  hear  from  the  lips  of 
the  chief  justice  in  a  court  room — that  the  words  of  the  Gov- 
ernor-General of  Canada  on  this  subject,  spoken  before  "  the 
leading  men"  of  this  province  in  Victoria,  were  only"  blar- 
ney for  the  mob  ?  " 

If  the  editor  of  the  Colonist  will  permit  me,  I  propose  pub- 
lishing copies  of  the  documents  which  were  filed  last  summer 
on  Indian  affairs  when  the  Tsimshean  delegates  visited  Ot- 
tawa.' From  these  documents  it  will  be  seen,  I  think,  that 
the  Indians  ask  for  nothing  unreasonable  and  certainly  for 
nothing  in  the  direction  of  presents,  which  some  suppose 
they  ask  for.  WILLIAM  DUNCAN. 

INDIAN   TITLE. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C,  November  4,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  Does  not  Mr.  Duncan  see  that  in 
writing,  "  Lord  Dufferin  considered  the  Indians  to  have  a 
title  to  the  land,"  and  then  immediately  afterward  writing 
'•'  that  the  chief  justice  ridiculed  the  assertion,"  that  the  one 
assertion  at  least  neutralizes  the  other  ?  The  chief  justice's 
opinion,  indeed,  does  away  with  Lord  Dufferin's  fancy  alto- 
gether, and  so  destroys  Mr.  Duncan's  contention. 

With  regard  to  the  ideas  of  the  Superintendent-General 
of  Indian  Affairs,  in  1874,  relative  to  the  supposed  Indian 
rights,  he  only  knew,  at  this  early  period  after  "confedera- 
tion," what  he  had  been  told  probably  by  interested  parties, 
and  judged  according  to  his  ideas  of  the  policy  pursued  by 
his  government  on  the  east  side  of  the  mountains.  He  is 
wiser  now.  The  truth  is,  the  position  of  our  coast  tribes — 
the  amphibiae — is  vastly  different  to  that  of  the  plain  Indians 
on  the  eastern  side — the  one  wants  sea-water,  the  other  land. 
The  plain  Indians  were  removed  from  their  homes,  huddled 
together  in  hordes,  and  thus  their  means  of  subsistence 
(hunting,  etc.)  more  or  less  thus  taken  away  and  also  de- 


APPENDIX. 

stroyed  by  "  sportsmen  "  foreign  to  them.  They  therefore 
required  food,  implements,  and  so  forth,  from  the  govern- 
ment, and  annually  got  them. 

The  case  of  the  coast  Indian  is  entirely  different.  He  has 
not  been  removed  from  his  home,  and  the  sea  and  all 
therein  is  have  not  been  taken  away  from  him.  His  means 
of  subsistence  remains  in  full,  and  he  has  an  abundance  of 
land  for  his  purpose  given  him  (reserves)  into  the  bargain. 
The  Indian  policy  of  one  government  must  necessarily  differ 
from  that  of  the  other — and  one  may  be  suited  to  the  condi- 
tion of  things. 

With  regard  to  the  Superintendent-General's  ideas  of  In- 
dian troubles  likely  to  arise  (quoted  by  Mr.  Duncan)  with  the 
Indians,  about  the  "  Indian  title,"  there  would  be  no  danger 
of  anything  of  the  kind  if  misleaders  and  agitators  did  not  put 
their  own  cranky,  socialistic,  untenable,  impracticable,  and 
unlawful  notions  into  Indian  heads.  As  it  is,  which  has  had 
an  Indian  war  first,  Eastern  Canada  or  British  Columbia? 
Judging  by  this,  whose  "  policy"  is  the  better? 

Can  anything  more  explicitly  point  out  the  desirability  of 
extending  the  Nanaimo  railway  to  the  north  end  of  the 
island.  Such  extension  would  render  access  to  the  Indians 
quick  and  safe  in  times  of  trouble  with  them.  More  of  these 
communicative  cranks  and  teachers  will  appear  among  the 

Indians,  for  "  history  repeats  itself." 

J.  S.  HELMCKEN. 

VICTORIA,  B.  C,  November  3,  1886. 


THE   INDIAN    QUESTION. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C.,  November  4,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  I  think  it  is  quite  possible  for  a  person 
to  come  to  the  discussion  of  any  important  public  question 
without  any  bitter  feelings,  or  saying  hard  things  of  a  per- 


462  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

sonal  character,  especially  when  nothing  is  to  be  gained  by 
either  party  and  the  discussion  is  intended  only  to  ventilate 
important  subjects.  Calling  persons  who  may  express  an 
opinion  misleaders,  instigators,  agitators,  and  cowards  is 
no  argument,  and  will  not  carry  conviction  to  the  mind,  al- 
though it  may  tickle  the  ear  of  some  parties.  The  opinions 
on  either  side  of  this  Indian  title  to  land  is  not  going  to  set- 
tle the  question  as  if  carrying  the  force  of  a  "  pragmatic 
sanction,"  and  it  is  therefore  as  well  to  take  it  in  a  good- 
natured  way. 

It  is  a  matter  of  fact  that  a  large  reserve  surrounding 
Metlakahtla  has  been  made  for  the  Tsimshean  tribe,  but 
only  after  much  pleading  and  exhorting  of  the  government 
by  Mr.  Duncan  to  that  end,  at  a  time  when  the  intention  of 
the  government  was  to  give  ten  acres  only  to  each  family, 
regardless  of  the  quality  of  the  soil  or  the  character  of  the 
country. 

To  my  knowledge  there  are  no  white  misleaders  of  the 
Metlakahtlans,  but  quite  the  contrary.  White  friends  of 
theirs  have  advised  them  to  keep  within  the  law,  and  to  con- 
duct themselves  with  forbearance  and  moderation.  This  is 
not  a  mere  assertion.  I  can  bring  the  proof,  and  I  am  con- 
vinced that  in  this  direction  Mr.  Duncan  has  always  advised 
them.  "  Shame  !  "  might  indeed  be  cried,  and  Mr.  Duncan 
or  anybody  else  might  well  be  called  a  coward  "  in  hiding," 
did  he  or  they  not  stand  up  manfully  for  the  rights  of  the 
Indians  whenever  an  attempt  is  made  to  ignore  those  rights. 
No  white  man  has  instigated  them  to  set  the  rule  of  the  prov- 
ince at  defiance.  Those  Indians  have  very  good  ideas  of 
right  and  wrong,  which  have  been  instilled  into  their  minds 
by  white  traders.  It  is  true  that  British  Columbia  has  not 
adopted  an  Indian  policy  similar  to  that  of  Eastern  Canada, 
that  does  not  put  her  in  an  impregnable  position,  but  the 
reverse,  and  the  sooner  she  deals  with  the  Indian  question 
the  easier  and  cheaper  will  it  be  for  her.  It  is  true  that  the 


APPENDIX.  463 

village  sites  in  Vancouver  Island  were  set  apart  for  the  In- 
dians, but  there  was  no  policy  for  civilizing  them,  for  better- 
ing their  condition,  or  training  them  to  anything  good.  No 
government  of  British  Columbia  attempted  to  establish  a 
school,  church,  farm,  or  factory  for  their  instruction.  Noth- 
ing was  done  to  elevate  the  Indians.  Not  until  missionaries 
took  up  the  question  of  instruction  and  civilizing  was  any- 
thing done  for  their  temporal  or  spiritual  improvement. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Government  of  Canada  has  some 
consideration  for  the  Indians — they  aid  the  missionary  with 
money  grants  for  educational  purposes,  and  in  the  North- 
west instruct  them  in  farming  and  other  pursuits,  but  I  am 
afraid  that  in  their  sincere  efforts  to  benefit  the  red  man  that 
their  aims  are  thwarted  by  the  selfish  indifference  of  subor- 
dinate agents,  who  may  be  too  much  occupied  with  their 
private  business  to  attend  to  that  for  which  they  are  paid. 
Many  of  the  people  of  Victoria  will  remember  the  great 
speech  delivered  by  Lord  Dufferin  to  our  best  citizens,  in 
which  he  alluded  in  a  very  emphatic  way  to  the  unsatisfac- 
tory condition  of  -the  Indian  title  in  British  Columbia.  This 
subject  was  not  brought  to  his  notice  by  Victorians  ;  he  evi- 
dently felt  it  to  be  a  pressing  and  important  question,  or 
he  would  not  have  mentioned  it  at  a  time  when  other  ques- 
tions demanded  more  immediate  attention.  Hesaid:  "That 
there  could  be  no  doubt  that  the  Indians  had  a  title  to  the 
land  over  which  they  roamed  and  which  ought  to  be  extin- 
guished." Although  those  words  have  not  the  force  of  law, 
yet  they  are  those  of  an  eminent,  clear-sighted,  and  astute 
statesman,  and  not  "  blarney  for  a  Victoria  mob,"  who  were 
not  thinking  of  Indians  then.  We  were  afflicted  with  a  rail- 
way mania,  and  the  Governor-General's  words  on  the  Indian 
question  could  not  be  intended  to  conciliate  us.  The  im- 
proved condition  of  the  Indians  cannot  be  due  to  the  B.  C. 
Indian  policy — there  was  none,  beyond  that  of  "  masterly 
inactivity." 


464  THE    STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

No  doubt  the  white  men  with  whom  they  first  came  into 
contact  sharpened  their  appetites  for  commerce,  and  if  com- 
merce helped  to  civilize  them  it  was  unintentional  on  the 
part  of  the  white  man.  His  advent,  however,  showed  them 
that  the  results  of  exertion  and  labor  were,  of  some  value  ; 
they  could  see  that  inter-tribal  war  was  not  conducive  to 
hunting  and  trade,  and  that  it  was  more  profitable  to  slay 
wild  animals  than  human  beings.  Next  came  the  mission- 
ary influence  and  example,  and  first  and  foremost  among  the 
savage  tribes  of  the  North  were  the  labors  of  Mr.  Duncan, 
who  made  .the  first  attempt  to  christianize  and  civilize  them, 
who  first  broke  down  their  heathen  customs,  who  first  built 
schools  and  churches  in  that  part  of  the  country,  who  first 
taught  them  to  respect  the  laws  of  the  country,  who  first 
taught  them  to  live  in  some  degree  of  comfort,  and  who  first 
made  them  taste  the  benefits  of  living  a  settled,  and  civil- 
ized life.  Few,  very  few,  whites  gave  the  Indians  work  for 
the  sake  of  benefiting  them,  but  Mr.  Duncan  did,  and  with 
much  anxiety  planned  and  schemed  how  he  could  find  re- 
munerative employment  for  them.  If  they  are  well  off  to- 
day it  is  not  because  the  white  man  tried  to  make  them 
so,  but  because  he  wanted  their  services  and  their  furs, 
for  which  he  paid  the  smallest  price  possible.  The  Indians 
indirectly  contribute  largely  to  the  provincial  revenue,  and 
in  a  large  degree  directly  to  the  federal  revenue,  but  I 
never  knew  the  government  do  the  smallest  thing  to  benefit 
them  ;  trails  formerly  used  would  be  as  useful  to  them  as  the 
roads  of  the  white  man.  When  they  become  voters  no 
doubt  sidewalks  and  roads  will  be  made  to  their  doors. 

In  conclusion,  I  maintain  that  the  Indians  have  rights  to 
the  soil,  and  that  in  saying  so  I  am  misleading  no  one. 

W.  J.  MACDONALD. 


APPENDIX.  465 

DR.  HELMCKEN'S  LETTERS. 
From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C.,  November  25,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  Several  statements  made  by  Dr. 
Helmcken  in  his  correspondence  on  the  Indian  question  in 
your  columns,  if  taken  in  the  usual  significance  of  such  lan- 
guage and  read  in  the  light  of  the  original  documents,  will 
place  the  doctor  in  the  front  rank  of  "  misleaders."  In 
your  weekly  issue,  November  5th,  he  says  :  "  Some  five 
and  thirty  years  ago,  Vancouver  Island  had  a  government 
of  its  own,  and  in  dealing  with  the  Indian  question,  had  to 
make  a  policy  suited  to  the  Indians  and  local  conditions." 
He  then  proceeds  to  give  what  can  only  be  called  a  carica- 
ture of  said  policy,  leaving  out  all  reference  to  the  Indian 
title — the  very  matter  now  in  issue — and  adds  :  "  Such  has 
been  the  Indian  policy  for  the  past  thirty-five  years,  almost 
from  the  foundation  of  the  colony.  During  this  period, 
Vancouver  Island  and  the  mainland  became  united  in  one 
colony.  The  Indian  policy  of  Vancouver  Island  was  put  in 
force  on  the  mainland  also,  when  the  united  colonies  be- 
came part  and  parcel  of  Canada.  This  system  was  unaltered 
and  to-day  is  the  ruling  policy  of  British  Columbia,  and 
must  be  submitted  to  by  Metlakahtlans  and  their  misleaders 
as  well  as  by  other  Indian  tribes.  British  Columbia  has 
not,  during  the  past  thirty-five  years,  acknowledged  any 
Indian  title  to  land  save  that  given  them  by,  may  I  say, 
their  conquerors — not  by  the  sword,  but  by  civilization  and 
commerce."  Again,  in  the  weekly  issue  of  November  I2th  : 
"  Please  remember  the  Indian  policy  of  British  Columbia 
is  not  an  accident — it  was  formulated  by  that  '  great  and 
good  man,  Sir  James  Douglas,'  and  put  into  practice  with 
the  knowledge  of  Her  Majesty's  Government,  and  the  whole 
system  explained  to  them  in  a  number  of  despatches." 
Speaking  of  the  acquisition  of  the  land  in  Victoria  district, 


466  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

the  doctor  says  :  "  Sir  James  Douglas  made  what  he  termed 
a  treaty  of  amity  and  friendship  with  the  Indians,  in  order  to 
put  the  earliest  settlers  on  an  amicable  footing  with  the  In- 
dians. The  ;  buying  out,'  as  Mr.  Duncan  terms  it,  consisted 
in  giving  the  Indians  a  quantity  of  blankets  and  other  iktas 
— they  had  no  further  claims.  Although  Sir  James  Douglas 
continued  governor  for  many  years  after  this  transaction,  he 
never  repeated  it — never  gave  any  other  tribe  a  potlatch  on 
this  account.  The  Indians  were  not  averse  to  the  settle- 
ment of  white  people  among  them,  so  potlatches,  being  un- 
necessary, were  discouraged  and  not  resorted  to.  This  very 
case,  then,  goes  to  show  that  Sir  James  Douglas  was  of  opin- 
ion that  the  Indians  had  not  any  legal  rights — thus  agreeing 
with  the  judges  and  jurists." 

In  reply  to  the  £bove,  permit  me  to  call  attention  to  the 
following  from  original  documents,  as  showing  the  views 
and  true  Indian  policy  of  the  home  government,  Sir  James 
Douglas,  and  the  colonial  House  of  Assembly  of  Vancouver 
Island. 

Governor  Douglas  to  the  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies. 

VICTORIA,  March  25,  1861. 

MY  LORD  DUKE  :  I  have  the  honor  of  transmitting  a 
petition  from  the  House  of  Assembly  of  Vancouver  Island  to 
your  grace,  praying  for  the  aid  of  Her  Majesty's  Govern- 
ment in  extinguishing  the  Indian  title  to  the  public  lands  in 
this  colony  ;  and  setting  forth  with  much  force  and  truth 
the  evils  that  may  arise  from  the  neglect  of  that  very  neces- 
sary precaution.  2.  As  the  native  Indian  population  of 
Vancouver  Island  have  distinct  ideas  of  property  in  land, 
and  mutually  recognize  their  several  exclusive  and  posses- 
sory rights  in  certain  districts,  they  would  not  fail  to  regard 
the  occupation  of  such  portions  of  the  colony  as  the  white 
settlers,  unless  with  the  full  consent  of  the  proprietary 


APPENDIX.  467 

tribes,  as  national  wrongs  ;  and  the  sense  of  injury  might 
produce  a  feeling  of  irritation  against  the  settlers,  and  per- 
haps disaffection  to  the  government  that  would  endanger 
the  peace  of  the  country.  3.  Knowing  their  feelings  on 
that  subject,  I  made  it  a  practice,  up  to  the  year  1859,  to 
purchase  the  native  rights  in  the  land,  in  every  case,  prior 
to  the  settlement  of  any  district ;  but  since  that  time,  in 
consequence  of  the  termination  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's charter,  and  the  want  of  funds,  it  has  not  been  in 
my  power  to  continue  it.  Your  grace  must,  indeed,  be  well 
aware  that  I  have,  since  then,  had  the  utmost  difficulty  in 
raising  money  enough  to  defray  the  most  indispensable 
wants  of  the  government.  4.  All  the  settled  districts  of  the 
colony,  with  the  exception  of  Cowichan,  Chemainus,  and 
Barclay  Sound,  have  been  already  bought  from  the  Indians 
at  a  cost  in  no  case  exceeding  £2.  IDS.  sterling  for  each 
family.  As  the  land  has,  since  then,  increased  in  value, 
the  expense  would  be  relatively  somewhat  greater  now,  but 
I  think  that  their  claims  might  be  satisfied  with  a  payment 
of  £3  to  each  family  ;  so  that,  taking  the  native  population 
of  those  districts  at  1,000  families,  the  sum  of  ;£  3,000  would 
meet  the  whole  charge.  5.  It  would  be  improper  to  con- 
ceal from  your  grace  the  importance  of  carrying  that  vital 
measure  into  effect  without  delay.  I  have,  etc., 

(Signed)  JAMES  DOUGLAS. 

The  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies  to  Governor  Douglas, 
C.£. 

DOWNING  STREET,  October  19,  1861. 
SIR  :  I  have  had  under  my  consideration  your  despatch  No. 
24,  of  the  25th  of  March  last,  transmitting  an  address  from 
the  House  of  Assembly  of  Vancouver  Island,  in  which  they 
pray  for  the  assistance  of  Her  Majesty's  Government  in  ex- 
tinguishing the  Indian  title  to  the  public  lands  in  the  col- 


468  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

ony,  and  set  forth  the  evils  that  may  result  from  a  neglect 
of  this  precaution.  I  am  fully  sensible  of  the  great  impor- 
tance of  purchasing  without  loss  of  time  the  native  title  to 
the  soil  of  Vancouver  Island  ;  but  the  acquisition  of  the 
title  is  a  purely  colonial  interest,  and  the  legislature  must 
not  entertain  any  expectation  that  the  British  taxpayer  will 
be  burthened  to  supply  the  funds  or  British  credit  pledged 
for  the  purpose.  I  would  earnestly  recommend  therefore 
to  the  house  of  assembly,  that  they  should  enable  you  to 
procure  the  requisite  means,  but  if  they  should  not  think 
proper  to  do  so,  Her  Majesty's  Government  cannot  under- 
take to  supply  the  money  requisite  for  an  object  which, 
while  it  is  essential  to  the  interests  of  the  people  of  Van- 
couver Island,  is  at  the  same  time  purely  colonial  in  its 
character  and  trifling  in  the  charge  that  it  would  entail.  I 
have,  etc., 

(Signed,)  NEWCASTLE." 

It  should  be  here  mentioned,  that  in  previous  despatches, 
dated  July  31,  1858,  and  April  11,  1859,  respectively,  the 
Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies  had  written  :  "  Let  me  not 
omit  to  observe,  that  it  should  be  an  invariable  condition  in 
all  bargains  or  treaties  with  the  natives,  for  the  cession  of 
lands  possessed  by  them,  that  subsistence  should  be  sup- 
plied to  them  in  some  other  shape."  <%  In  the  case  of  the 
Indians  at  Vancouver  Island  and  British  Columbia,  Her 
Majesty's  Government  earnestly  wish  that  when  the  advanc- 
ing requirements  of  colonization  press  upon  lands  occupied 
by  members  of  that  race,  measures  of  liberality  and  justice 
may  be  adopted  for  compensating  them  for  the  surrender  of 
the  territory  which  they  have  been  taught  to  regard  as  their 
own. 

From  these  official  documents  the  following  conclusions 
will  probably  be  reached  by  impartial  readers  : 

i.  The  Indian  policy  of  Sir  James  Douglas  recognized  in 


APPENDIX.  469 

a  most  specific  and  distinct  manner  the  proprietary  title  of 
the  Indians  to  the  lands  in  the  different  districts  which  they 
inhabited.  This  is  still  further  apparent  by  the  wording  of 
the  documentary  instruments  by  which  that  title  was  con- 
veyed to  Sir  James  Douglas  as  representative  and  agent  of 
the  H.  B.  Co.,  in  respect  to  the  lands  from  Sooke  to  Saanich 
(inclusive)  and  also  Nanaimo  and  Fort  Rupert.  Copies  of 
these  documents,  thirteen  in  number,  are  now  before  me,  and 
are  denominated  "  Conveyance  of  land  to  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  by  Indian  tribes."  In  the  body  of  each  document 
it  is  called  a  deed,  and  the  transaction  is  called  a  sale.  The 
price  in  pounds,  shillings,  and  pence  is  in  each  case  stated, 
and  conditions  carefully  noted.  Signatures  of  Indian  chiefs 
and  heads  of  families  are  affixed,  as  also  those  of  witnesses, 
with  date  and  place  of  execution. 

2.  That  the  government  of  Her  Majesty  enjoined  such  a 
policy  and  warmly  approved  Sir  James  Douglas'  efforts  to 
carry  it  out. 

3.  That  the  House  of  Assembly  for  Vancouver  Island  just 
as  clearly  recognized  the  Indian  title,  and  the  necessity  for 
purchasing  it  before  the  settlement  of  the    various  districts 
by  the  whites,  and  asked  for  aid  in  continuing  this  policy. 

4.  That  the  reason  why  this  humane,  British,  and  Chris- 
tian  policy   was    not    continued,    was    not    that  Sir   James 
Douglas,  or  the  local  house,  or  the  home  government,  had 
ascertained  the  policy  to  be  unwise,  or  wrong,  or  that  they 
had  changed  their  minds  in  reference  to  its  wisdom  and  jus- 
tice ;  but  simply  and  solely  that  a   depleted  colonial  ex- 
chequer would  not  supply  the  requisite  funds,  and  the  home 
government  were  unwilling  to  use  British  funds  for  colonial 
purposes.     From   that   date   the    "policy"   of  Sir  James, 
indorsed  by  the  local  house,  the  home  government,  and  later 
the  Dominion  Government,  has  been  held  in  abeyance.    The 
evil  effects  of  this  condition  of  things  has  shown  itself  from 
year   to   year  in   dissatisfaction    and  difficulty   among   the 


4/0  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

Indians  where  the  whites  have  settled  without  the  Indian 
title  having  first  been  dealt  with.  This  appears  from  the 
official  correspondence  of  government  agents  and  surveyors, 
and  is  not  confined  to  the  northwest  coast  of  the  mainland, 
much  less  to  Metlakahtla. 

5.  As  the  titles  or  claims  in  question  do  not  cancel  them- 
selves by  the  lapse  of  years,  it  may  be  affirmed  to-day,  in 
the  language  of  Mr.  Nind  (then  government  agent  at 
Lytton),  under  date  July  17,  1865  :  "  They  (the  Indians) 
are  jealous  of  their  possessory  rights,  and  are  not  likely  to 
permit  settlers  to  challenge  them  with  impunity  ;  nor,  such 
is  their  spirit  and  unanimity,  would  many  settlers  think  it 
worth  while  to  encounter  their  undisguised  opposition. 
.  .  .  I  believe  the  only  method  of  settling  this  matter 
satisfactorily,  and  with  equity  to  both  Indians  and  whites, 
will  be  for  the  government  to  extinguish  the  Indian  claims, 
paying  them  what  is  proper  for  so  doing,  and  giving  them 
certain  reservations  for  their  sole  use."  It  is  to  be  hoped, 
in  the  interest  of  justice  and  British  fair  play,  to  say  nothing 
of  humanity  and  religion,  that  the  government  will  take  hold 
of  this  skeleton,  kept  in  the  official  cupboard  for  so  many 
years,  which  "  will  not  down  "  any  longer,  and  deal  with  it  in 
a  fair,  equitable,  and  statesman-like  manner.  And  I  may  be 
permitted  to  suggest,  as  my  humble  opinion,  that  it  can  best 
be  done  by  taking  up  the  matter  where  it  was  left  when  the 
above-quoted  reply  of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  to  the  address 
of  the  local  house  was  received  at  Victoria.  It  will  no  doubt 
cost  more  to  settle  these  claims  by  treaty  now  than  it  would 
have  done  then  ;  but  not  so  much  as  some  people  suppose, 
and  besides,  its  being  right  and  in  accordance  with  the 
golden  rule  (which,  it  is  to  be  feared,  some  who  think  more 
of  the  gold  than  of  the  rule,  care  little  about),  it  is  after  all 
the  most  economical  way  in  which  the  matter  will  ever  be 
settled.  Enough  has  already  been  spent  in  utterly  abortive 
efforts  at  settlement  upon  a  wrong  basis  to  have  extinguished 


APPENDIX.  471 

quite  a  number  of  these  claims — and  the  end  is  not  yet ! 
When  General  Sherman  was  sent  to  settle  the  Cheyennes, 
he  spent  $15,000,000  in  killing  thirty  Indians.  A  word  to 
the  wise  is  sufficient.  E.  ROBSON. 

NANAIMO,  November  19,  1886. 


THE    GOVERNMENT   AND    THE    TSIMSHEAN    IN- 
DIANS. 

From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C. ,  December  19,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  Since  the  relations  between  both  the 
Dominion  and  Provincial  Governments  with  the  Tsimshean 
and  surrounding  tribes  have  become  so  strained  that  a  col- 
lision of  some  sort  seems  imminent,  I  feel  sure  that  you  will 
find  space  in  your  paper  for  the  following  remarks  on  the 
present  position  of  affairs.  And  first  of  all  let  me  say  that 
it  is  not  my  intention  to  go  over  the  story  of  the  troubles 
which  have  existed  here  for  more  than  five  years,  but  to  en- 
deavor to  show  how  matters  stand  at  the  present  moment — 
the  position  taken  by  the  governments — the  position  as- 
sumed by  the  Indians  and  their  teachers — the  policy  adopted 
by  the  governments  to  maintain  their  position — the  present 
effects  of  this  policy  and,  finally,  to  make  some  suggestions 
toward  the  adoption  of  a  policy  which  would  avert  the 
threatened  collision  and  benefit  the  province.  The  subject 
is  a  large  one,  and  your  space  is  limited,  so  my  remarks 
must  of  necessity  be  short  and  to  the  point — but  no  disre- 
spect is  intended  thereby. 

The  provincial  government  assumes  that  the  fee  simple  of 
all  the  lands  of  this  province  is  in  the  crown  and  that  the 
Indians,  as  the  original  inhabitants,  have  no  title  or  rights  in 
any  portion  of  these  lands.  In  support  of  this  claim  Mr. 
Drake,  entirely  ignoring  later  opinions  and  proclamations, 


4/2  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

as  also  the  actual  practice  of  the  British  Government  in 
dealing  with  native  tribes,  not  only  in  Canada  but  the  other 
dependencies,  has  quoted  in  his  letter  to  your  paper  some 
opinions  which,  though  antiquated,  might  have  some  weight 
from  the  high  legal  standing  of  those  who  gave  them  if  the 
condition  of  the  natives  referred  to  in  them  was  similar  to 
that  of  these  Tsimshean  Indians,  but,  unfortunately  for  his 
argument,  this  is  not  so.  The  natives  then  referred  to  were 
nomad  tribes  without  any  fixed  habitation,  while  these  In- 
dians have  not  only  fixed  abodes,  but  hereditary,  defined 
tracts  for  hunting,  fruit-gathering,  and  fishing.  The  provin- 
cial government,  moreover,  relies  on  the  thirteenth  section 
of  the  terms  of  union  to  support  them,  forgetting  that  since 
the  union  the  terms  of  this  section  as  the  basis  of  an  Indian 
policy  have  been  officially  condemned  by  both  governments, 
and  as  may  be  seen  in  the  blue-book  of  1875,  the  then  attor- 
ney-general of  the  province  sketched  a  policy  which  included 
the  recognition  of  the  very  claim  which  these  Indians  are 
now  making  about  their  hunting  grounds.  The  Dominion 
Government,  too,  though  in  1875  they  considered  the  adop- 
tion of  the  thirteenth  section  for  an  Indian  policy  would  be 
"  little  short  of  a  mockery  of  the  Indian  claims,"  now  seem 
willing  to  sanction  and  aid  the  provincial  government  in  the 
adoption  of  such  a  policy. 

Thus  the  government  claims  the  right  to  deal  arbitrarily 
with  all  the  lands — to  decide  the  size  and  nature  of  the  re- 
serves— to  dispose  of,  whenever  they  wish,  all  land  outside 
of  the  reserves  now  used  by  the  Indians  for  hunting  or  fruit- 
gathering  (even  where  these  are  within  defined  limits  and 
have  been  hereditary  in  particular  families)  without  granting 
any  remuneration  or  acknowledging  any  claim  or  right  of 
the  occupiers  of  these  special  tracts.  In  fact,  the  Indians 
are  dependent  upon  the  charity  of  the  government  for  the 
very  ground  on  which  they  set  their  feet. 

The  Dominion  Government,  in  recognizing  this  claim  by 


APPENDIX.  473 

the  provincial  government,  is  permitting  a  mode  of  dealing 
with  the  Indians  in  this  province  which  is  at  direct  variance 
with  that  adopted  in  all  other  parts  of  Canada  and  which 
puts  the  Indians  on  a  very  different  footing,  and  yet  the  gov- 
ernment assume  the  right  to  enforce  a  special  act  (the  In- 
dian Act),  though  this  act  presupposes  that  treaties  have  al- 
ready been  made  with  the  Indians  and  the  lands  surrendered. 
The  position  assumed  by  the  government,  then,  is  :  I, 
Power  to  deal  with  all  Indian  lands  without  regarding  the 
interests  of  the  Indians  in  them  ;  2,  the  right  to  bring  the 
Indians  under  a  special  act  which  puts  them  entirely  and 
helplessly  in  the  power  of  the  Indian  Department  and  de- 
prives them  of  their  freedom  and  power  to  advance  them- 
selves. 

And  now  let  us  turn  to  the  position  assumed  by  these  In- 
dians, but  before  doing  so,  let  us  first  take  a  glance  at  the 
position  held  by  the  Indians  at  Metlakahtla  and  its  imme- 
diate neighborhood  at  the  time  the  care  of  the  Indians  was 
handed  over  by  the  provincial  government  to  the  Dominion. 
At  that  time  these  Indians  were  the  most  advanced  of  any 
in  the  province.  Metlakahtla  was  not  only  the  seat  of  order 
but  the  centre  from  which  an  influence  had  radiated  through- 
out the  surrounding  district,  which  was  powerful  enough  to 
establish  peace  and  order  among  all  the  tribes  for  more  than 
one  hundred  miles  around.  These  Indians  had  received 
the  approval  of  the  highest  government  officials — had  been 
spoken  to  and  recognized  as  free  British  subjects  and  en- 
couraged to  advance  ;  had  obtained  redress  whenever  their 
rights  were  endangered,  while  they  had  shown  consideration 
for  the  claims  of  white  men  coming  to  reside  in  their  neigh- 
borhood* because  they  felt  that  there  was  room  for  both  the 
white  men  and  themselves,  while  they  fully  trusted  the  gov- 
ernment to  protect  their  interests. 

Both  government  and  Indians  were  acting  out  the  golden 
rule ;  thus  there  was  general  peace  and  prosperity,  and  a 


474  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

more  loyal,  contented,  and  peaceable  community  did  not  ex- 
ist in  the  province. 

Now  let  us  inquire,  What  is  the  present  position  of  these 
Indians  ?  Disheartened  at  the  frequent  rebuffs  they  have 
received,  and  the  favor  shown  to  those  who  would  overthrow 
the  very  foundation  of  their  prosperity  ;  disgusted  with  the 
disregard  of  its  pledged  word  which  the  government  has 
shown ;  believing  and  knowing  that  in  all  right  and  equity 
they  have  a  title  to  the  lands  and  ought  to  be  consulted  re- 
garding them  ;  that  the  arbitrarily  apportioning  of  reserves 
before  their  homes  are  secured  and  their  hunting  and  other 
claims  settled,  and  the  forcible  taking  of  all  lands  by  the 
government  ;  but,  above  all,  their  being  placed  under  a  law 
and  rule  which  relegate  them  to  the  position  of  wild,  illit- 
erate tribes,  will  render  it  impossible  for  them  to  maintain 
their  position,  much  less  advance.  Therefore,  it  is  that  they 
have  combined  to  prevent  the  infliction  of  this  intolerable 
yoke,  but  in  thus  combining  they  have  not  forgotten  that 
they  are  Christians  and  owe  allegiance  to  the  King  of  kings. 

The  combination  is  not  against  law  and  order,  nor  does  it 
spring  from  a  spirit  of  disloyalty  or  any  objection  to  bear 
the  burdens  of  citizenship.  It  is  a  combination  against  the 
infliction  of  a  cruel  and  uncalled-for  injury,  an  injury,  they 
have  good  reason  to  believe,  which  will,  if  inflicted  prove  the 
death-blow  to  their  retaining  their  individuality  in  face  of 
advancing  civilization.  The  means  they  would  use  are  such 
as  good  men  need  not  be  ashamed  of,  but  they  are  heavily 
burdened.  Around  them  are  tribes  having  the  same  inter- 
ests, but  without  the  same  principles  to  guide  them,  and 
whom  they  have  to  restrain  while  at  the  same  time  they  fully 
sympathize  with  them.  Then,  on  the  other  hand,  the  appar- 
ently harsh  and  uncalled-for  action  of  the  government  from 
the  beginning  of  these  troubles  is  exasperating  and  makes 
it  still  more  difficult  for  them  to  maintain  this  position. 
What  the  Indians  are  asking  for  may  be  summed  up  thus  : 


APPENDIX.  475 

1.  That,  as  in  the  case  of  all  other  Indians  in  Canada, 
treaties  be  entered  into  with  them  in  respect  of  their  gen- 
eral and  particular  land  claims  before   the  reserves  are  set 
apart. 

2.  That  if  the  Indian  Act  is  to  be  put   in  force  among 
them,  such  changes  should   be  made    in    the    act  as   their 
special  circumstances  call  for  and  which  will  make  it  a  help 
and  not  a  hinderance  to  their  advancement. 

In  other  words,  they  are  asking  to  be  dealt  with  as  reason- 
able and  reasoning  beings,  and  not  as  wild  and  uncivilized 
savages  whose  only  weapon  is  brute  force,  and  who  must  be 
restrained  by  force.  This  is  the  position  assumed,  and  we 
feel  that  in  upholding  them  in  this  position  we  are  not  only 
not  exciting  them  to  disorder  but,  on  the  contrary,  helping 
to  obtain  for  them  that  simple  justice  which  is  the  privilege 
of  even  the  poorest  who  dwells  beneath  the  shadow  of  a 
Christian  government.  And  this  leads  me  to  speak  of  the 
policy  hitherto  adopted  toward  these  Indians,  and  its  results 
so  far.  This  policy  is  based  upon  the  fallacy  that  the  Ind- 
ians are  a  set  of  irresponsible  beings,  ignorant  alike  of 
what  is  good  for  them  and  how  they  can  obtain  this  good  ; 
that  the  government  without  consulting  them  or  listening  to 
their  appeals  know  exactly  what  is  best,  and  that  the  Indians 
should  simply  acquiesce  in  these  measures  and  thank  the 
government  for  proposing  them  ;  that  any  attempt  on  the 
part  of  the  Indians  to  show  the  government  that  the  pro- 
posed measures  are  sure  to  prove  detrimental  to  their  wel- 
fare is  to  be  looked  upon  as  an  attempt  to  rebel,  and  must 
be  repressed  with  force  and  even  the  sword  if  necessary ;  and 
that  any  white  man  who  would  endeavor  to  support  the 
claims  of  the  Indians  is,  ipso facto,  exciting  them  against  the 
government.  In  one  word,  it  is  a  policy  of  "coercion,"  and 
as  the  Indians  have  not  acquiesced  in  it  we  have  had  the 
exhibition  of  force  on  the  part  of  the  government,  together 
with  the  threat  of  more  severe  measures  if  those  already 


476  THE   STORY    OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

used  have  failed.  Now  what  are  the  results  so  far?  As  re- 
gards the  government:  I.  An  expenditure  of  public  funds 
of  over  $30,000 — if  my  calculation  be  correct — with  a  worse 
than  negative  result.  2.  The  government  have  shown  them- 
selves as  ready  to  use  force  against  those  who  have  laid 
aside  all  force  and  are  merely  seeking  redress  for  a  real  griev- 
ance, and  have  thus  destroyed  every  vestige  of  trust  in  their 
good  will. 

Third,  they  have  succeeded  in  raising  from  a  little  matter, 
which  might  easily  have  been  settled  at  first,  a  question 
which  affects  nearly  every  Indian  in  the  province,  and,  finally, 
they  have  so  shaken  faith  in  the  justice  of  English  rule  as 
cannot  fail  to  affect  the  loyalty  of  even  the  most  loyal.  In 
fact,  such  have  been  the  results  that  there  seems  to  be  good 
reason  for  the  question,  Are  the  Dominion  and  Provincial 
Governments  combining  to  excite  an  Indian  rising,  and 
thereby  secure  an  opportunity  to  take  by  force  from  the  Ind- 
ians the  land  which  they  refuse  to  acquire  by  treaty  ? 

As  regards  the  Indians,  the  results  so  far  seem  to  be  even 
more  disastrous  to  the  government,  for  this  last  attempt  to 
overawe  and  frighten  them  and  to  treat  as  guilty  felons 
those  who  were  merely  endeavoring  to  prevent,  what  to  them 
seemed  an  irreparable  injury  being  inflicted  on  them,  has 
stirred  the  people  to  the  heart.  The  lukewarm  are  becom- 
ing whole-hearted  ;  subscriptions  are  flowing  in  ;  sorrow  is 
expressed  by  those  at  Fort  Simpson  and  elsewhere  that  none 
from  their  places  were  among  those  sent  to  jail.  It  has  made 
this  question  the  question  of  the  hour,  and  its  consideration  is 
the  one  absorbing  thought.  It  must  not,  however,  be  under- 
stood that  there  is  the  smallest  idea  on  the  minds  of  these 
people  that  they  can,  or  even  wish  to  oppose  force  to  force. 
These  christianized  coast  Indians  know  better,  though  no 
one  at  all  acquainted  with  the  tribes  at  the  head-waters  of  the 
Naas  and  Skeena  would,  for  a  moment,  doubt,  that  if  the 
question  is  raised  while  they  are  still  in  their  wild  and  un- 


APPENDIX.  477 

christianized  state  it  would  become  probably  a  war  of  exter- 
mination, with  all  its  attendant  horrors.  With  the  coast 
Indians  recourse  to  arms  would  only  be  as  a  last  and  des- 
perate resort.  Meanwhile  they  are  strengthening  themselves 
in  their  trust  in  their  God  and  waiting  on  him,  for  they  feel 
and  know  they  have  right  on  their  side,  and  well  they  know 
that  he  can  laugh  at  the  most  powerful  armaments  of  nations, 
and  in  his  own  way  and  time  help  and  protect  even  the 
poorest  and  weakest. 

Living  among  these  Indians  and  hearing  and  seeing  what 
goes  on,  such  is  the  picture,  as  I  see  it,  of  the  present  state 
of  affairs,  and  sad  I  am  to  have  to  tell  the  tale,  and  little  did 
I  once  dream  that  I  should  have  to  disclose  such  a  state  of 
things.  There  are,  I  think,  two  questions  that  every  thought- 
ful mind  in  the  province  will  ask  :  "  Are  the  government  jus- 
tified in  continuing  to  act  on  a  policy  which  has  so  far  proved 
worse  than  useless  ?  and,  secondly,  is  there  no  alternative 
policy?  "  To  the  second  of  these  questions  I  answer,  that  it 
seems  to  me  to  be  quite  possible  to  frame  a  policy  free  from 
the  evils  attending  the  present  one — less  expensive  in  opera- 
tion and  securing  the  settling  up  of  the  country  in  a  peaceable 
way.  Of  course,  after  the  past,  the  Indians  will  naturally  look 
with  suspicion  on  any  proposal,  and  patience  and  tact  in 
dealing  with  them  will  be  needed  ;  but  since  the  government 
would  gain  the  aid  and  influence  of  every  true  friend  of  the 
Indians  their  task  would  be  facilitated  and  a  bond  of  union 
re-established  between  the  government  and  the  Indians. 
The  basis  of  such  a  policy  should  \>Q  justice,  and  it  should 
be  so  framed  as  to  show  that  it  emanated  from  the  govern- 
ment as  a  voluntary  effort  and  not  as  if  wrung  from  them. 
Then,  again,  it  must  be  so  framed  as  not  to  be  made  a  prec- 
edent to  unsettle  Indians  whose  claims  have  already  been 
dealt  with  and  who  are  satisfied.  And  again,  it  should  so 
deal  with  the  question  of  the  general  land  claims  as  to  take 
away  its  significance  and  absorb  it  in  secondary  matters, 


4/8  THE   STORY   OF   METLAKAHTLA. 

and  thus  while  extinguishing  it  not  direct  attention  to  it.  I 
believe  it  to  be  quite  practicable  to  frame  such  a  policy,  and 
I  feel  sure  that  every  right-minded  citizen  will  agree  with  me 
in  saying,  that  if  such  is  possible  now  is  the  time  to  make 
the  attempt,  and  if  the  government  will  meet  in  a  fair  and 
friendly  spirit  those  who  know  these  Indians  and  who  have 
thought  the  matter  over  in  all  its  bearings  they  will  find  them 
ready  to  give  them  such  information  as  will  enable  them  to 
satisfy  the  Indians,  maintain  the  interests  of  the  province, 
and  support  the  honor  of  the  government. 

ROBERT  TOMLINSON. 
METLAKAHTLA,  November  26,  1886. 


METLAKAHTLA. 

From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C.,  December  19,  1886. 

BELOW  will  be  found  a  letter  from  J.  W.  Powell,  Indian 
Superintendent,  to  Mr.  Duncan,  which  speaks  for  itself : 

BRITISH  COLUMBIA  INDIAN  OFFICE, 

VICTORIA,  August,  1879. 

SIR  :  Referring  to  my  recent  visit  to  the  village  of  Met- 
lakahtla,  may  I  beg  to  convey  to  you  my  acknowledgments 
for  the  kindness,  courtesy,  and  co-operation  with  official 
duties  you  were  good  enough  to  extend  to  me  while  at  the 
mission.  I  cannot  conclude  without  heartily  congratulating 
you  on  the  wonderful  effects  of  your  arduous  mission  labors 
among  the  Tsimsheans  for  the  last  twenty  years.  I  con- 
sider that  you  have  performed  a  great  and  noble  work  in 
reclaiming  from  ignorance  and  barbarism  a  most  useful,  con- 
tented, and  law-abiding  community,  the  effects  of  which  are 
not  confined  to  your  own  locality,  but  is  felt  and  highly  ap- 
preciated by  all  the  Northern  tribes. 

At    Queen   Charlotte's     Island,     ...     I    found    your 


APPENDIX.  479 

name  highly  respected,  and  an  ardent  desire  generally 
prevalent  among  the  Hydahs  to  participate  in  the  great 
reforms  you  have  been  chiefly  instrumental  in  creating 
among  the  Tsimshean  Indians. 

Personally,  I  wish  you  every  success,  and  I  shall  not  fail 
to  acquaint  the  Honorable  Superintendent-General  with  the 
loyal  feeling  and  great  progress  in  civilization  I  saw  so  fully 
exhibited  among  the  Indians  during  my  brief  and  pleasant 
sojourn  at  Metlakahtla.  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  your 
obedient  servant,  (Signed,)  J.  W.  POWELL, 

Indian  Superintendent. 
—  Com. 


THE   INDIAN  QUESTION. 

From  the  Daily  Colonist,  Victoria,  B.  C. ,  1886. 

To  THE  EDITOR  :  On  examining  the  length  of  the  docu- 
ments I  submitted  to  the  Indian  Department  last  year,  at 
Ottawa,  on  Indian  affairs,  I  feel  it  would  be  unfair  to  ask 
you  to  publish  them  in  extenso.  But  at  the  request  of 
friends,  and  by  your  kind  permission,  I  will,  instead,  lay  be- 
fore the  public  a  brief  review  of  the  questions  at  issue. 
First,  a  few  words  on  Indian  land  interests.  The  matter 
stands  thus.  Either  the  aborigines  have  rights  in  the  land,  or 
they  have  not.  All  British  provinces,  we  are  told,  with  the 
exception  of  British  Columbia — the  latest  born — have  un- 
mistakably settled  the  question  in  favor  of  the  aborigines. 
Treaties,  we  know,  have  been  made,  and  do  now  exist,  be- 
tween several  governments  and  Indians.  These  treaties  are 
confessedly  for  the  extinguishing  of  Indian  claims  on  lands, 
and  therefore  imply  that  the  Indians  have  rights  to  extin- 
guish. For  governments  to  make  treaties  with  Indians  to 
extinguish  their  rights — if  rights  they  had  none — would  be 
absurd. 

British  Columbia,  by  refusing  to  make  treaties  with  Ind- 


430  THE   STORY   OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

ians,  is  undoubtedly  marking  out  for  itself  a  new  and  un- 
tried experience,  and  virtually  ignoring  the  constitutional 
laws  and  usages  which  bind  all  other  provinces  of  the  Brit- 
ish empire  on  this  subject.  In  the  meantime  the  Indians 
regard  their  rights  in  the  soil  of  British  Columbia  to  be  as 
valid  as  are  the  Indians'  rights  in  other  provinces  ;  nor  will 
they  be  easily  persuaded  that  their  foothold  in  the  country 
which  their  forefathers  discovered  and  inhabited  ages  ago 
rests  solely  upon  the  bounty  of  the  English  crown.  If  the 
Indians  are,  however,  entertaining  a  fallacy,  based  upon 
their  natural  instincts,  then  I  would  ask  why  were  they  not 
corrected  by  the  Governor-General,  a  colonial  governor,  a 
lieutenant-governor,  and  the  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs 
on  their  several  official  visits  to  the  North,  in  years  gone  by  ? 
And  why  did  that  great  and  good  man,  Sir  James  Douglas, 
as  governor,  meet  the  Indians  of  Victoria  and  neighboring 
tribes,  and  buy  out  their  right  to  a  large  tract  of  land,  in- 
cluding the  site  of  this  city  ? 

Next,  as  to  the  Indian  policy  adopted  by  British  Columbia. 
The  Indians,  by  the  terms  of  Union,  were  to  have  an  allow- 
ance of  ten  acres  of  land  to  each  family  of  five  persons,  and 
Indian  agencies  were  to  be  established  and  paid  for  by  the 
Dominion  Government.  When,  however,  the  Mackenzie 
Government  came  into  power  at  Ottawa,  exception  was 
taken  to  the  position  assumed  by  the  British  Columbia  Gov- 
ernment in  reference  to  the  Indian  land  question,  and  a 
stout  resistance  was  offered  to  the  ten-acre  allowance  to  Ind- 
ians as  "  being  little  better  than  a  mockery  of  their  claims." 
The  result  of  the  struggle  between  the  two  governments  was 
that  British  Columbia  gave  way,  and  the  ten-acre  policy 
was  abandoned  as  untenable. 

The  facts  are  before  the  public  as  evidence  of  the  foolish 
and  selfish  policy  which  obtained  on  Indian  matters  when 
the  province  was  incorporated  in  the  Dominion.  It  may  be 
that  some  of  the  "  misleaders"  of  the  province  at  that  time 


APPENDIX.  48l 

are  still  in  this  city,  and  may  possibly  feel  aggrieved  at  being 
reminded  of  the  failure  of  their  scheme. 

Then  as  to  the  Indian  agencies.  What  have  they  done  for 
the  Indians,  even  for  those  few  who  have  been  favored  for 
many  years  by  being  the  nearest  .to  headquarters  ?  Are  the 
results  in  any  sense  commensurate  with  the  expense  of  the 
machinery  ?  Is  it  not  proverbial  that  the  system  of  Indian 
management  is  a  burlesque,  and  an  outrage  on  common- 
sense  ?  Would  such  a  system  of  mismanagement  be  allowed 
to  continue  if  white  men's  interests  were  involved  ?  I  be- 
lieve not.  But  the  Indians  have  no  voice  in  Parliament,  and 
therefore  no  means  of  correcting  abuses  in  the  management 
of  their  affairs.  They  are  but  wards  of  the  government,  and 
have  only  the  right  to  be  silent.  If  they  dared  to  complain 
they  must  travel  two  or  three  thousand  miles  at  their  own 
expense,  wait  a  month  before  their  grievances  are  heard, 
and  be  sent  back  with  promises  which  are  never  fulfilled. 

This  brings  me  to  notice  the  requests  the  Indians  made 
through  their  deputation  at  Ottawa.  First:  They  asked  for 
their  reserves  to  be  readjusted  in  a  few  particulars  before 
being  surveyed.  They  complained  that,  not  having  been 
notified  of  the  reserve  commissioner's  visit,  many  of  their 
people  were  away  when  he  came,  and  that  thus  it  was  im- 
possible for  them  to  give  that  due  consideration  to  his  busi- 
ness which  their  interest  demanded.  They  begged,  there- 
fore, for  the  reserve  commissioner  to  pay  them  a  second 
visit. 

A  second  request  was  that  a  treaty  should  be  made  with 
them  for  the  lands  they  were  to  surrender,  as  had  been  done 
with  other  Indians  of  the  Dominion.  They  did  not  ask  for 
presents,  but  only  that  a  portion  of  the  money  voted  yearly 
for  the  Indians  of  British  Columbia  might  reach  their  com- 
munity, and  help  them  in  public  improvements. 

A  third  request  was  that  the  two  acres  of  their  village  site 
at  Metlakahtla  known  as  Mission  Point  should  not  be  taken 


482  THE   STORY    OF    METLAKAHTLA. 

from  them.  And  Sir  John  Macdonald  undertook  to  write  to 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  to  advise  them  to  withdraw 
their  agents  from  the  occupancy  of  the  land  in  question. 

Further — the  Indian  deputation  assured  the  Deputy  Min- 
ister of  Indian  Affairs  that  their  brethren  would  gladly  en- 
rol themselves  as  free  men  under  the  British  flag — but  the 
position  of  slaves  or  paupers  they  could  not  accept.  I  wish 
here  to  add  that,  at  the  request  of  the  deputy  minister,  I 
wrote  a  letter  on  the  subject  of  Indian  management,  with 
a  view  to  assisting  the  government  in  effectually  removing 
all  causes  of  complaint  among  the  Indians. 

To  the  present  time  I  have  not  made  known  to  the  In- 
dians the  terms  of  my  letter  ;  but,  moderate  as  they  were 
(and  the  deputy  minister  acknowledged  they  were  moder- 
ate), I  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  Indians  would  be 
willing  to  accept  them,  and  if  they  did  so,  disloyalty  would 
effectually  be  removed  and  peace  restored. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  urge  upon  all  who  have  an  inter- 
est in  the  province,  that  Indian  management  is  demanding 
patient  and  dispassionate  hearing  before  it'  is  too  late.  It 
is  for  the  people,  through  their  representatives,  to  put 
things  right.  There  has  been  enough  of  blundering,  the 
Northwest  rebellion  being  a  proof  of  that — a  rebellion 
which,  it  is  said,  has  cost  the  country  as  much  money  as 
would  suffice  to  support  all  the  Indians  of  the  Northwest  in 
a  first  class  hotel  for  their  natural  lives. 

The  Indian  troubles  are  no  new  thing,  nor  are  they  due 
to  seditious  teachers.  The  government  has  been  too  eager 
to  listen  to  false  reports,  emanating  from  persons  who  had 
their  own  hypocritical  ends  to  serve.  Warlike  armaments 
are  not  the  remedy  for  Indian  complaints,  but  patience  and 
just  dealing  are.  It  may  be  in  the  memory  of  some  of  your 
readers  that,  when  an  Indian  village  on  the  Skeena  was 
burned  down  some  years  ago,  through  the  carelessness  of 
some  miners,  the  Indians  closed  the  river.  The  intention 


•  APPENDIX.  483 

of  the  government  to  force  the  river  by  armed  men  was 
only  abandoned  through  the  counsel  and  help  of  the  mis- 
sionary. Thus  a  disaster  and  expenditure  of  blood  and 
treasure  were  averted,  and  by  a  patient  hearing  and  equi- 
table arrangement  the  goodwill  of  the  Indians  was  restored. 
On  my  arrival  in  Victoria  at  the  present  juncture,  I  lost  no 
time  in  beseeching  the  government  to  refrain  from  sending 
a  ship  of  war  to  Metlakahtla.  I  offered  to  go  up  in  the 
coast  steamer  with  any  gentleman  the  government  might 
depute  and  use  my  best  efforts  to  bring  about  an  amicable 
settlement.  I  pointed  out  that  the  most  suitable  person  to 
go  was  the  reserve  commissioner,  and  Mr.  O'Reilly  offered 
to  go  if  he  received  orders.  The  peaceful  measures  I  pro- 
posed were,  however,  rejected  and  the  ship  of  war  has  gone. 

W.  DUNCAN. 


THE   END. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


TWENTY-FIFTH    THOUSAND, 


SHELDON'S  SalammbO 

OF 

FLAUBERT. 

A  GLOWING  STORY  OF  LOVE,  PASSION,  AND  WAR. 

This  Thrilling  Historical  Romance  has  excited  more  deep  in- 
terest and  fierce  controversy  in  Europe  and  America  than 
any  other  novel  of  this  century. 

HENRY  M.  STANLEY,  The  Great  Explorer,  says:  "  Once 
again  my  blood  has  coursed  furiously  through  the  veins  as  it  did  when, 
a  boy,  '  Ivanhoe's'  magic  pages  first  burst  upon  my  enraptured  senses.  Now, 
as  then,  I  know  what  power  lies  in  a  stirring  book.  Heart  and  brain  beat  and 
throb  in  unison  with  every  movement  portrayed.  Sheldon's  Salammbo  is  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  and  fascinating  books  that  I  have  ever  come  across." 
— Scotsman  (Edinburgh). 

WILKIE  COLLINS  writes  to  Sheldon  :  "Your  translation  has 
honestly  met,  and  triumphantly  conquered,  the  innumerable  difficulties 
of  transforming  the  language  of  France  into  the  language  of  England.  From 
the  beginning  of  the  book  to  the  end,  I  admire,  without  reserve,  the  profound 
knowledge  of  the  two  languages,  the  delicacy  of  handling,  and  the  inflexible 
integrity  of  interpretation,  which  you  have  brought  to  your  task.  Your 
translation  of  Salammbo  has  given  an  English  book  to  English  readers.  I 
say  this  honestly,  and  I  need  say  no  more." 

"   A      FASCINATING     STORY— Set     in     Glowing     Barbaric 
£\    Splendor." — Times  (London). 

"TV TO    NOVEL    ever   issued   probably   had   such    sudden   and 
XM      such  universal  effect." — Standard  (London). 

" 'T^HIS   BOOK  has  made  an  unusual  stir  in  London  Literary 

J.      and  Art  Circles." — Court  Journal  (London). 

Similar  expressions  have  been  received  from  PROF.  MAX  MULLER,  PRINCE 
MALCOLM,  MAX  O'RELL,  and  numbers  of  others  of  the  most  learned  in  the 
Church,  Literary,  and  Political  worlds.  QUEEN  VICTORIA  and  the  PRINCE  OF 
WALES  have  placed  copies  in  their  private  libraries,  and  have  congratulated 
M.  FRENCH  SHELDON,  and  made  favorable  comments  upon  the  work. 
Cloth,  8vo.  pp.  440.  Price,  S1.5O. 


SAXON  &  CO.,  Publishers,  London  and  New  York. 

AMERICAN  NEWS  COMPANY,  Agents,  New  York. 


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