APPENDIX K.
Page 272.—“but it was not so in the days whereof I have spoken.”
From George Copway’s Life.
Converted Indians are thus described in the “Life” of their literary countryman, George Copway:—
Chippewas of the River Credit.—These Indians are the remnant of a tribe which formerly possessed a considerable portion of the Elome and Gore Districts, of which, in 1818, they surrendered the greater part for an annuity of 532l. 10s. reserving only certain small tracts at the River Credit; and at sixteen and twelve miles creeks they were the first tribe converted to Christianity. Previous to the year 1823 they were wandering pagans. In that year Peter Jones, and John his brother, the sons of a white by a Mississaga woman, having been converted to Christianity, and admitted as members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, became anxious to redeem their countrymen from their degraded state of heathenism and spiritual destitution. They collected a considerable number together, and by rote and frequent repetitions, taught the first principles of Christianity to such as were too old to learn to read, and with the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and Commandments, were thus committed to memory. As soon as the tribes were converted they perceived the evils attendant on their former state of ignorance and vagrancy. They began to work, which they had never done before; they recognised the advantage of cultivating the soil; they gave up drinking, to which they had been greatly addicted, and became sober, consistent, industrious Christians.
J. Sawyer, P. Jones, Chiefs; J. Jones, War-chief.
The Chippewas of Alnwick were converted in 1826-7 They were wandering pagans, in the neighbourhood of Belleville, Kingston, and Gannoyne, commonly known as Mississagas of the Bay of Quintè; they resided on Grape Island, in the Bay of Quintè, six miles from Belleville. They resided eleven years on the island, subsisting by hunting and agriculture. Their houses were erected partly by their own labour and by the Wesleyan Missionary funds; these consist of twenty-three houses, a commodious chapel and school, an infant school, hospital, smithy, shoemaker’s shop and joiner’s. There are upwards of 300 of these Indians.
The chiefs are—Sunday; Simpson; G. Corrego, chief and missionary interpreter.
Rice Lake Chippewas.—In 1818 the greater part of the Newcastle and Colburn districts were surrendered, for an annuity of 940l. These Indians have all been reclaimed from their wandering life, and settled in their present locations, within the last ten or twelve years. [FN: I think G. Copway is incorrect as to the date of the settling of the village, as it was pointed out to me in 1832. Note,—In the year 1822 the larger part of the Indian village on Anderson’s Point was built and cultivated.] The settlement is on the north side of the lake, twelve miles from Peterborough. Number of Indians, 114; possessing 1,550 acres, subdivided in 50-acre lots.
Chiefs—Pondash, Copway, Crow.
Deer were plenty a few years ago, but now only few can be found. The Ojebwas are at present employed in farming instead of hunting; many of them have good and well-cultivated farms; they not only raise grain, enough, for their own use, but often sell much to the whites.