Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1864-01-22

"sFrED THEPLOw."
AntAe arr. asd seie-ce. psr.pisirr % iis- are
ch~iy haked tegvthes ,sadars "a iuaates coss-ct-
81 ~sth Agr,ealSars'-AeHt
Frea the Le~i.tes 5surn-i
The Indians on the Androseoggin.
M \. T. rKUK. Nd.
Written for the Maine Historical Society.
CHATTER I.-SNTRODUCrroN.
The history Of the Indians IN Maine has
net yet been written. exccps in the most frss-
nent ary manner. Familiar with tbs geo
graphy Of the AndrOscoggin River. and
accustomed IN early childhood to listen %
the stories and legends ofthOse Who we're
tamlar r. with the scenes Of Indian var
fare. have long feh an incrcAsinS desire
that the ar history might be written. 80 far
n possible. IN chronological order. Coald
som e historian be foond residing on each
offhe -four principal rivers Of Maine. who
would undertake the task ofwriting ou; the
history Of the Indian tribes who once IN
habited their banks. Il would form a val
liable addition 10 the already existing ~
cords Of the State.
propose. IN accordance With this view.
20 con6ne usvsehto the history % the In
dams on the An1roscoggin River. The
tribes residing there PLAYED no unimportaat
part IN the colonial history Of Ne- Tag
land Ia viii be NV eneeavor TO sift out
the true from the legcndary. and arrange
all known facts IN nv Possession. in their
proper order.
To the general rcsder. some chapters
WI be q less interest than other but such
viii bear in nind that tie historian can
not NsxE history. lie can ouly transrribe
from What has ALREADY existed in the ANAL,
Of the past.
THErR oEIGTN.
Much has be-n written on the origin Of
the Indians in America. Writers unsklIled
IN chronological studies. have started varue
and Wild notions which have assumed Al.
eharActer % auihority. Some have enaea-
ror-d 70 trace then ba ok 20 The lost tribe.
Of Israel. Others that they came from Ee-vpt
while the study % races By scientific men
within ihe last half century has forced upon
them conclusion that they are q Asiatie
origia. and IN all probability found her
way Acr0ss Behring'S Straits. The color.
the hair. the high cheek bone. the sombre
cast Of eountenanee. have been preserved
IN remarkable degree for ages. and
give EamistAkAbie evidence Of their
origin.
THEIR ANTIQUITY.
There - no doubt that the American In
dams date back their history 20 an early
perifd. five have no written record. n
The TACT. there Is much indirect evidence 20 H.
prove Il. 50 long has been their removal
IRON the parent country that no trace. have
yet been made q any similarity or derisa- 4
tion Of Ser language from those IN Al.
Tine has evidently completely CHANGED
the structure Of their languages on tia.
Continent D,frrcat tribes have di4e-r,t
languages without any seHblancc ofa CON.
mon origin.
No less than eight distinct fam il;c. 49,
ing dissimilAr languages. are krow, =,
have existed IN North America. OF H..
the largest l. the Algonquin 70 Which III.
Indians q Maine belonged. The ipB;-,-
tons arising from the numerous u,ouns. "a
other antiquities in the western St..s. A..
that a stiil more ancient race inhabit.d III.
country and va driven our BY TIRE p-..er,
races Of Indians.
AT the time When the country "a. f-~,
VIsIied BY Europeans. the Indians had o.
cupied al ihe best cultivated lands On ali
the principal rivers FROM the Pacific 9th.
Atantic. IL must have repaired cen,ur;e.
FOR then thus 70 secure comparativel,
quiet possession % the soil over 80 rre.t
an extent Of seriace. Tbelsvi,Iences'of th.;-
antiquity 10 the State q Maine are not well
defined. The immense piles Of clarnsb.Il.
on The coas; and Al AGENT Islands would Ind
cate long period q time. The ver~.,ble
mould Accumulated in some place. ssv.r,l
ieet IN thickness. would also Iead 10 the
same result. Their stone implements found
along the banks ofihe Asdroscorrin. ~.
hibit traces Of having been made Cor a lone
period. Arrow heads from the bo-r-s,o.e
Of Nc hineo. on MooseheaI Lake. have
become bianehed and affected through tbs
whole substance q the rock. Their corn
heids also bore evidence q having been
cultivated for centuries.
A s'il stronger evidence q their ia an.
tiIuiiy may b. argued from the f,rt ,b,,