The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-10-28
For the Union and Journal.
St. Aspinquid.
by Z. G. MOODY.

Many persons no doubt have hesr,i OF
the subject Of this article, but few Know
the real history Of this great and GOOD
man. and we propose to sketch orien ~
few leading points In hi, honored IRE.
Born May lst 1888. n scion OF inc great
Algonquin family. the largest In America;
its territory extended hom tho Mississip-
M Tn the ST. Lawrence. from Hudson Bay
TO the Rocky Mountains. and rs one nc
count records Il. from the ATLANTIC tn tho
California SEA-" This family numbered
MS msny warriors n, tlp other families
united, Probably Aspinquid was men,
Der of the Pawtuckcts. or the hcnnecook
tribe, and Il may be supposed, reasonably,
tina, until he reached the age or iUrty-u REQ
years, his life was not unlike that q his
fellows who roamed fres over the pleas
ant hunting grounds padded f.eir canoes
up and down tho ippling brooks, along
the rushing river and over tie placid lake.
No doubt nc possessed strong intellect
aad sound Judgment. these allied with his
powers OF elOVuencc. no doubt gave him
an honored seat by the Council fire. AMI
when Aspinquid arose, silence rcigned.
except rs broken by the thrilling words Of
the Orator. speaking for peace, or for
war, rs the occasion demanded. Thus
much for Aspinquid the warrior. Let us
now turn for while TO Aspinquid tho
\. Saint. At the age Of forty-threc he WAS
converted to christianity. through whose
influence. we cannot say; tradition or his
tory does not inform us: several colonies
had made settlements nj that time, l7jl.
He entered the Indian apostles work Mt
the end Of u year. preaching the truth he
loved. advancing the cause he had es-
pouscd, revealing 20 them the Great Spir-
1t, showing them now way To the happy
hunting grounds Of the land beyond tho
river.
Thus he spent the remainder Of his life.
an object greatly venerated by all natives
from the Atlantic To the California sen. "
At the advanced age of ninety-four years
he died. and WAS buried on the summit
of Mount Agamenticus in. York. And
ever after this, to the Indian II was n 81
cred mountain; In all his wanderin.s, rs
his eve caught sight Of this grand old hill.
he could hut think of him he loved, who
lay buried there. and lift the secret pray
or. that when his wanderings were over
he might meet him In the Elysian fields.
The Sachems OF all the tribes attended
his funeral; each rs he was able bringing
his Offering for sacrifice. The ceremonies
were conducted with much pomp and dis
play, including the sacrificing OF an im-
mcnsc number of wild animals, in honor
of the deceased. The whole number of
animals was six thousand seven hundred
and eleven. On his tombstone, long
since csumbled to dust, was this inscrip-
lion. present, uselnl-absent, wanted
lived dcsired-died lamented. "a true
epitaph. no doubt. The following Is n
list which has been preserved. OF the an
imals sacrificed:
25 bucks, CO does, 30 bears, sc moose.
90 wolves, S2 wildcats, 8 catamounts,
900 muskquashes, B ermines, 50 weastls.
80 woodchucks. 1872 foxes, 32 buffalocs,
400 offers. GO beavers, 1900 mihks, 10
ferrets. $50 raccoons. sol fishes, 50 porcu-
pines. $50 martins, and l12 rattlesnakcs.
II may not be out Of place. in closing this
article. To refer to the sacrificing Of bufla-
loes and rattlesnakes. Many people
doubt the whole matter because these are
named in the list; they say there never
existed buffsloes or rattlcsnakes In New
England. and how could they be sacri-
feed on the top Of Mount Agamenticus3
Very wen. hut they do exist. and did
then, out on the prairies Of the west, and
by western chiefs they were brought: for
they. too. loved and honoie ed st. Aspin-
quid.
York. Oct. Is. 1870.