Part 10

In the same letter Mr. Collison mentions his translations, in which he had succeeded beyond his expectations. Portions of Scripture, a simple catechism, the Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the General Confession and Thanksgiving, several collects, ten hymns, and a series of "Short Addresses on Great Subjects," had been produced by him in the Hydah language.

Mr. Collison had visited several tribes at a distance, both on the islands more to the south, and on the coast of Alaska to the north. At Skidegate Inlet, which divides the two principal of the Queen Charlotte Islands, he had a particularly warm reception.

In a letter, dated March 21st, 1879, he wrote that he had thirty names on the list of catechumens, most of them heads of families.

Mr. Collison has since removed to Metlakahtla, to undertake the pastoral and school-work there. His place at Massett has been taken by Mr. G. Sneath, a zealous young missionary artizan, who twice went to East Africa to join the Victoria Nyanza Mission, and twice was ordered home by the consular surgeon at Zanzibar, and who has now essayed missionary service in a colder climate.

XI.

OUTLYING MISSIONS. III.--FORT RUPERT.

Fort Rupert is a trading post at the northern end of Vancouver's Island, some three hundred miles south of Metlakahtla. In that neighbourhood are found the Quoquolt Indians, and among them a Mission has lately been begun. This is, however, but a tardy response to their repeated entreaties for a teacher. It has always been a problem beyond their power to solve, why, when Mr. Duncan first arrived on the coast, he actually sailed past them on his voyage from Victoria, and went first to the Tsimsheans, who were so much further off; and on one occasion they stoutly remonstrated with the captain of a man-of-war, sent to punish them for marauding on the territory of another tribe, that they were left without a teacher, and were only visited when they had done wrong.

In due time teachers did appear, in the shape of a party of Roman Catholic priests; and Mr. Duncan, stopping at the Fort when on a voyage to Victoria in 1860, found that two of them had been there and had taught some of the Indians "a hymn to the Virgin Mary in the trading jargon." "I told them," he adds, "of Jesus the true and only Saviour, which the priests had neglected to do." These Romish Missionaries held their ground for eleven years, and then abandoned the Quoquolts as hopeless. As will be seen however, their hopes revived when at length a Protestant Missionary was found to be gaining an influence over the tribe.

In October, 1875, the head chief at Fort Rupert took the three hundred miles journey to visit Metlakahtla, and once more preferred his request. He addressed the Christians of the settlement, and said that "a rope had been thrown out from Metlakahtla, which was encircling and drawing together all the Indian tribes into one common brotherhood." Mr. Duncan planned to go and begin a Quoquolt mission himself; but it proved quite impossible for him to leave his multifarious work at the settlement, and ultimately the Rev. A. J. Hall, who was sent out in 1877, volunteered to go.

It was on March 12th, 1878, that Mr. Hall landed at Fort Rupert, and was kindly received by the Hudson's Bay Company's officer in charge. A large Indian house was purchased for the price of sixty blankets, and a school at once opened. On June 11th, Mr. Hall wrote:--

"I have taught them one English hymn, 'Jesus loves me, this I know,' and three simple chants in their own language; also three prayers--one the Lord's Prayer, four texts which they read from the black board, and a catechism, arranged and taught by Mr. Duncan at Fort Simpson. All this instruction has been given in their own tongue, translated to me by Mr. Hunt's son, who acts also as my interpreter at the Sunday services.

"I have been able to hold two services every Sunday since I first came, and sometimes I have had perhaps eighty attend. Many are away from the village now, trading and visiting other tribes, so that my congregation is reduced. I have felt it a great privilege to stand up before this dusky assembly and open up to them the Word of Life. They are all clothed in blankets, some of them highly ornamented with needle -work and pearl buttons. When they enter the building, the men take off the bandannah handkerchiefs which are tied round their heads, and squat all around me. The men sit on one side, and the women on the other, as a rule. This fact is in consequence of the inferior position of the women, and because they are not allowed to attend the meetings which the men constantly hold to talk over the affairs of the camp. At first my congregations came with painted faces, and were little inclined to stand when we sang. They are now, however, more clean in their appearance, and, with few exceptions, rise when I play the tune on my English concertina.

"I have almost exclusively spoken to them from the Book of Genesis, and have brought in the work of our Lord from these lessons, e.g., when speaking on sacrifices, the offering of Isaac, and the life of Joseph. These narratives in Genesis have attracted them very much, and they listened very attentively to my interpreter. All my addresses are written before I enter my church, and read to the interpreter, and therefore, I believe, they are already acquainted with many truths from God's Word, which do strike against the immorality in which they are living. Sometimes, when I speak in the church, they talk among themselves, either approving what is said, but more often because the truth spoken is a rebuke to some of them."

In a later letter, dated March 1st, 1879, Mr. Hall further describes his interesting congregation;--

"The Indians did not rush to my services at first, and then drop off. No! a few came at first, and they have gradually increased, and on the Sunday before they all went to Alert Bay there were probably eighty at my first service, the majority being men--men who have frequently committed murder, and who have bitten each other from their youth upwards in the winter dances. Medicine-men were present who have often eaten the bodies of dead men, exhumed from their graves, and who to this day are dreaded by all the people, because there is not an Indian in the camp but that superstitiously believes these doctors can kill them by their sorcery. I cannot tell you yet that these wicked men who come to my services are earnestly seeking a better way. I cannot tell you yet that I can see any change in them. I know that some of them hate me and my message, and speak against it; but they come and hear the truth; and who can say but that God will give them His Holy Spirit, and that they may be turned from darkness to serve the living and true God?

"My congregation will not sit upon the forms I have had made; they prefer to draw their dirty blankets tightly round them, and to squat on the floor. When I am speaking, they generally rest their heads upon their bent knees, and fix their eyes upon the floor. Not a muscle seems to move, and they appear to drink in every word that is spoken to them, as if they thirsted for the truth. In teaching these people I treat them as children, but I know they have nothing of the gentleness and simplicity of children; they are cunning, 'deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.'"

The Roman Catholics having left a memorial of their abandoned mission in the shape of a good school-house, which was standing idle, Mr. Hall wrote to them at Victoria for leave to use it. The request was refused, "because," they wrote, "our missionaries may require it again." And a few months afterwards, when Mr. Hall was beginning to feel his way among the people, a priest appeared at Nu-wit-ty, the northern point of Vancouver's Island, thirty miles from Fort Rupert, just when Mr. Hall was visiting the tribe residing there. He (the priest) called a meeting of the Indians, concerning which Mr. Hall writes, on March 10th, 1879:--

"The Indians went to the meeting, and I went as well; probably one hundred were present. He told them to kneel down; they did so, and then he told them to look at him, and cross themselves as be did, and the poor Indians followed him. He then told them about the Fall, and it was very good what he said; but soon he spoke of a way that went to heaven, and one that went to hell, and he told them that if they followed him he would lead them to heaven, and that if they followed me they all would go to hell, and I should go with them. He said he wanted to baptize them, and then they would be as white as snow. When he spoke against me, many Indians interrupted him, and one went up to where he was standing and blew a lamp out. They then called out my name, and wished me to address them. I did so, and told them all to kneel down, and put my hands together, telling them to do the same. We repeated the Lord's Prayer, which is very beautiful in the Indian language; they call it 'good words.' When the priest spoke I took my hat off and listened, but when I spoke the priest kept his hat on, and smoked all the time.

"My address had been written some time before; it was about 'Lying, stealing, pride, and drunkenness.' Perhaps I did wrong, but I did not refer to what the priest had said against me. George Hunt, who was present, was indignant at the way the priest spoke, and, directly the priest finished, he made an earnest speech in my favour. In coming away from Hu-wit-ty, the head chief begged me to come and live among them, and I promised I would do something for them."

The work at Fort Rupert is much interfered with by the migratory habits of the Indians there. From June to November, 1879, for instance, they were almost all away on a visit to Nu-wit-ty River; and at our last date, March, 1880, they were gone for a month to Alert Bay. Mr. Hall, however, has not been content to be left behind sitting still. He has made canoe voyages to other parts of Vancouver's Island, and sought to gain access to other tribes; but he describes the vice and degradation as most painful, especially amongst the women. In September, 1879, in company with Admiral Prevost, who was paying him a visit, he walked across the island to the west coast, where the Koshema (or Quatseno, or Quatsinough) Indians are found, a tribe hitherto quite untouched. The Admiral addressed a large number who gathered together, and said, "Thirty years ago I came among you with my man-of-war, but to-day I come with a message of peace from the King of heaven." "It was," writes Mr. Hall, "an act worthy of an Admiral to struggle, for ten hours, across the most difficult trail I have ever met."

It is possible that the Mission may be moved from Fort Rupert to some other place more convenient for reaching a large number of Indians. That God has a people among the Quoquolts and Quatsenos, as well as among the Tsimsheans and Hydahs, we cannot doubt, and in His own time, and by His own grace, they too shall be gathered out.

XII.

LORD DUFFERIN AT METLAKAHTLA

Four great events have signalised the last four years at Metlakahtla. These events were the visits of four important personages. First, Lord Dufferin, then Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada, in August, 1876. Secondly, Bishop Bompas, of Athabasca, in the winter of 1877-78. Thirdly, Admiral Prevost, the founder of the Mission, in June, 1878. Fourthly, the new Bishop of Caledonia, Dr. Ridley, in October, 1879. The following very interesting account of Lord Dufferin's visit is all the more valuable as coming from an independent source:--

(From the _Toronto Mail_, September 19, 1876)

"On board Steamer 'Sir James Douglas,' _August 29th, 1876_

"About half-past six in the evening the 'Douglas' and the 'Amethyst' dropped anchor in a bay at a place called Metlakahtla. This is an Indian village started here about fourteen years ago by Mr. William Duncan, under the auspices of the Church Missionary Society in England. It has now a resident population of about eight hundred souls belonging to what is called the Tsimshean nation. Mr. Duncan, who seems to be possessed of an immense amount of activity, combined with deep interest in the work in which he is engaged, still remains in charge of the station, but has during the past two years had the assistance of an English clergyman and his wife, named Collison, [Footnote: Mr. Collison was not ordained at the time] who came out from England for the purpose of working in the mission field among the Indians. Mr. Collison is studying the language of the Tsimshean Natives, when proficient in it, which he soon will be, judging from the progress he has already made, he will labour among the Indians of Queen Charlotte's Islands.

"Under Mr. Duncan's instructions the Indians of Metlakahtla have already made great strides in the direction of civilization and Christianity. He has laid the village out regularly, and given to each head of a family a large-sized lot of land. The houses, which have been erected under his direction, are much more comfortable and convenient than Indian domiciles generally, though somewhat accommodated in their plans to the peculiar habits and mode of living of the race. The houses which Indians build for themselves are without floors. Those of Metlakahtla are floored with plank, and in the centre of the principal room there is a level stone fireplace, from which the smoke, instead of being left to find its way out of the house through a hole in the roof, as in the dwellings built in the primitive Indian fashion, rises into a sort of square inverted hopper which hangs over the fire, and from it passes out of the house by way of a chimney. Under Mr. Duncan's supervision the Indians have built a church in the village large enough to accommodate the whole population. It is clapboarded on the outside, and with its steeple, buttresses, and broad flight of steps ascending to the front entrance, presents an imposing appearance. The wood (of the interior at least) is cedar, the odour from which greets one's nostrils on entering the building.

"Mr. Duncan is a member of the Church of England, and conducts his services in accordance with the Anglican form of worship, but it is understood declines ordination, although qualified for it. He is an autocrat among his people, but his rule, though despotic, is benign, and leaves them as full freedom as the members of any white community enjoy, except that the use of intoxicants is prohibited, as is also their introduction into the place, and the villagers are consequently teetotalers "willy nilly." He is a Justice of the Peace under commission from the Provincial Government, with a jurisdiction including within it Queen Charlotte's Islands. He has a number of Indian policemen to assist him in preserving order, and a gaol in Metlakahtla, in which he incarcerates malefactors. There is at present undergoing a two months' imprisonment in this bastile a white man who was caught distilling in Queen Charlotte's Island. In extenuation of his offence the prisoner asserts that it was from the Indians he acquired a knowledge of the art, which resulted in himself being jugged instead of the spirits he was making. In a very neat building, specially erected for the purpose, Mr. Duncan conducts a school, in which he gives instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as in the doctrines of Christianity, to a large number of the young of the village. Both boys and girls attend this school, but when the former arrive at about the age of fourteen they are taken from it and sent to an industrial school, which is also carried on at the place; girls are allowed to remain at the other school beyond that age. To his already multifarious occupations Mr. Duncan has just added that of running a saw-mill--he was cutting up the first log in it this evening when the 'Amethyst' signalled her arrival by firing a gun. Mr. Duncan is a bachelor, a circumstance which, to many, will make the energy he throws into his work and the success of it all the more remarkable.

"The Indians of Metlakahtla gain their livelihood by fishing and hunting. Away up here, above the fifty-fourth parallel of latitude, the climate is such as would not admit of agriculture being extensively engaged in. Wheat cannot be brought to maturity. Potatoes and other root crops seem to grow pretty well.

"Formerly the Indians of the Tsimshean nation offered human sacrifices, and it is said that they also indulged cannibalistic proclivities. It would seem, however, that they confined their eating of human flesh to their 'medicine' festivals, and even then no one, as far as I can ascertain, ever saw them do more than, while engaged in the demoniacal rites which were customary on these occasions, merely bite it. The victims at these celebrations were members of other tribes whom they had enslaved. Not only are the teaching and influence of Mr. Duncan having the effect of making the Indians fall away from such inhuman and heathenish practices, but they are also removing much of the deadly hostility which formerly existed among different tribes. More Indians are gradually coming in from the country round about and making Metlakahtla their home.

"In the administration of the affairs of the village the Indian institution of the council is retained, and Mr. Duncan consults with them in regard to all matters appertaining to the general weal. Some of the Indians when baptized are given English names, while others prefer to keep their Indian appellation, and are permitted to do so."

"_August 30th._

"The Governor-General and party proceeded on shore at Metlakahtla this morning at half past nine o'clock. The day was a beautiful sunshiny clear one, the first without fog and rain that we have had since leaving Nanaimo. Although Mr. Duncan had learned that his Excellency was in British Columbia, his visit to Metlakahtla was quite unexpected. A large proportion of the inhabitants of the village were consequently away working at fisheries some miles off, who, had they known of the Governor General's visit, would have been present to join in receiving him. It was understood that their absence from the village on so auspicious an occasion would be a bitter regret to them. However, there was about a couple of hundred of the villagers at home, including several members of the council--the rest were chiefly young lads, young women, and children, with a few old people. They assisted their energetic white chief in getting up a demonstration which, under the circumstances, was quite creditable to them. Several Union Jacks were hoisted throughout the village, and a red cloth, with 'God save the Queen' worked on it, was stretched across between two houses near the landing. As the vice regal party went ashore a small cannon was fired off several times from the gaol, a small hexagonal structure with a balcony round the top. The next thing was the singing of the National Anthem to an accompaniment supplied by some of the members of a brass band which exists among the young men of the community. The latter were gorgeous in cast-off uniforms of United States soldiers, purchased at a sale of condemned military clothing recently held in Alaska. Half-a-dozen Indian maidens then came forward and presented Lady Dufferin with a bouquet, after which the distinguished visitors were taken to see the church, the school house, and one of the Indian residences. Subsequently all the people were assembled in the open air, and the younger portion of them sang, under the direction of Mr. Duncan and Mr. Collison, a number of songs and hymns, both in their native tongue and in English. They pronounced the words of the pieces that were in the latter language with a remarkably good accent, although every effort to induce any of them to converse in it was futile. Lord Dufferin endeavoured to get some of them to talk with him about their studies, but was not successful in extracting from any of them, including a young Indian woman whom Mr. Duncan has placed in the position of an assistant teacher in the school, any more definitely English expression than a simper. Mr. Duncan stated that many of his pupils understood English very well, but were somehow averse to speaking it. The voices of the singers sounded very well, when allowance is made for their bashfulness. Some of their pieces were of a fugue character and the time which was kept in singing them was remarkably good, considering that there was no accompaniment to them.

"After some time had been spent in singing, a young man advanced and read the following address in excellent style:--

_"To His Excellency the Earl of Dufferin, Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada_.

"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY,--We, the inhabitants 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, honour 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 honour to subscribe ourselves your Excellency's humble and obedient servants.

"For the Indians of Metlakahtla,

"DAVID LEASK,

"Secretary to the Native Council."

"The members of the Council all came forward in turn and signed the document by making their marks."

The Governor-General replied as follows--