Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-08-19

at this place there had been several sue
cessive trading house established on
Bagsduce now Castinc. Six years after
the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth,
i. c, in 1926, the colonies erected a
trading house at Penobscot for the pur-
pose of traffic with the natives. In six
or seven years .his house was robbed by
the French, and three years later the
colonists were obliged to abandon the
place.
Subsequently, in l6i0, D'Aulney, q
Frenchman, established himself there,
exerted powerful influence cn this coast.
In 1865 Baron Cas,inc, French noble
man, was sent to Canada as an officer in
the army. At the c.osc of the war, in
stead of returning to Lis native land he
allied himself to the savage Of this coun-
try. He established himself at Baga-
duce-in 1867 married daughter Of
Madockawando, the powerful chief of
the Tarratines attained great influence
over the savagcs, and vas reputed as an
dOtlNe anu dangerous ioe W tuc LII iioh'
He acquired large fortune by his ira
ffic with the Indians, and te in life re-
turned to France, and there closed his
days. His son, "Castine the younger,
remained at Bagaduce, and is represent
ed as having been mild pacific man.
Still his house vas plundered in 1903
and robbed of its most valuable articles.
The predatory habits of both the English
and natives the trcaehery and cruelty
mutually practiced-sorely shock our
sense Of moral integrity, and our feel
lings of humanity, and one is often in
doubt whether civilized or savage were
more to be blamed.
A part Of Maine, and the provinces
east called Acadia, were for long time
the source of much contention between
French and English, each claiming the
right of possession aad juiisdicton.-
Bloody contests were frequent, one
po ver sometimes prevailing. and some
times the other. In these contests both
parties endeavored to enlist the Indians
on their side. 1t is believed that the
natives most readily, and mole generally
sympathised with the French, and aided
them in their wars against the En-lish.
Tho infant settlements West of this
river were greatly annoyed by Indian
depredations, often instigated and led on
bv the French Solitary habi,ations, AMI
even neighborhoods and towns were
stealthiiy approached, and suddenly
a sailed, and TIE inhabitants murdered
y. ,,.a,e" s~r.;~a- Soe~es efre-a~;.,. ~.>l
cruelty on the one hand, and of distress
and anguish on the other, the recital Of
which, at this late day, makes the ears
to tingle and the heart to ache, were
otter witnessed. The Penobscot river
was the avenue through which incur
sions were made upon settlements wes.
of this
1t WAS to shut up this avenue, and
put stop to these incprsons, that a
fort at this place was projected. The
plan had been delayed from time to
time, on account Of prevailing wars
which had much exhausted the resources,
and wasted t &c Inhabitants Of the country.
In 1757, TAomas Pownal was made
Governor of Massachusetts,. lie seems
to have been eminently fitted for the
times. and the work they demanded. 1t
was during what has ever since been
known as the French War, in which
Quebec was captured, and the French
possessions in North America fell into
the hands of the En- dish. In 100 the
Governor urged upon the Legis laturc
the duty of tortlfying the fcnobscot
river "llc states that since the British
forces had seized upon the River St.
John, and fortified there, the enemy had
no other outlet to the sea than through
the Penobscot river" The policy was
to close this outlet, and prevent those
evils to the people which flowed through
it. The Legislature responded with
spirit, and "Rcsolved March 23d, that
400 men be employed under the Cover
nor 5 direction, to take possession of the
Penobscot country and erect y tortiica-
ton there" "Thc cnllstments for the
expedition were soon complete. Iht
men being arranged into four companies
Of a hundred each, were put under tht
command ofa Colonel, and embarked al
Boston May H." Gov. Powrall accom-
panied the expedit!on,and kept q journa
of proceedings. From this we learl
that the armament touched at Falmouth
now Portland, and remained some days
completing their outfits. May 8, they
lett Falmouth. and the next day arrivet
at Georges river, and there tarricd sew
eral days. From thence the Gov. son
a part of his force; across the country t,
Belfast, where the shipping met them tn
18th Of the month, and took them OF
board. On the l7th they rcache'
wha, is now known as Fort Point Har
Dor.
Gov. Pownal here landed his force
with all the prceau,ion which weul,
have been necessary if the surroundin;
forest had tcemel with vigilant foos.--
One at this day, can hardly suppress
smile as he reads the Governor accoun
of the landing, when he remembers tina
the once powerful nation of the Tarratne
had become SO reduced that thei
warriors amounted to only about ~ o
so men. There was no enemy-nor
says the Governor, did | expect any,
But could not have justified myself i
anything had happened. if l did no
take all the same prccaution as thougl
there were"
Tha landinu I think too,; nlacc at III