The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-18
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
The St. Regis Indians, -Their Raid on Deer
field, Mass.-The Rapids of the St. Law
renee River-M ontreaI-Around the
Mounrain-The Nunnerles-The
Churches. and other Sights.
MONTREAL, CANADA.
OTTAWA HOTEL.
July 18th. 1874.


who live or half live by fishing and hunt
ing and tilling their little gardens. Their
reservation is about the only garden spot
in the vicinity of Northern New York
The only thing they take any pride IN Is
their Catholic church, built about the year
100. During its building, as the story
goes, and it is undoubtedly true, the In
dams were made to believe that their wor-
ship would not be complete without bell
for the church. So the whole tribe set to
work collecting furs and selling them, I'M
til sufficient funds were raised, and sent to
France. A magnificent bell was purchas-
ed and shipped for Canada but the vessel
was captured by an English cruiser and
the bell taken to Salem, Mass. 1t was at
forwards purchased by church at Deer
field. The Indians hearing of the location
of their property. and with the strong pre-
iudices of their race, fitted out
AN EXPEDITION TO DEERFTELD.
Joining the forces then operating against
the New England Colonies, they proceeded
through the trackless forests to Deerheld,
which they attacked in the night The in-
habitants were aroused only to meet the
scalping-knife and tomahawk-forty seven
were killed and hundred and twelve ia
ken captive. The Indians, after complet-
ing their work of destruction, fastened
the bell to long pole and carried it to the
place where the city of Burlington, Yer
mont, now stands, and in the following
spring removed it to the church at St. Re
gis, where it now hangs, an object Of rev
erence to the whole tribe THIS is the
story you will hear from the old men Of
the tribe, varied with the exploits Of their
sires. The Indians are very jealous OF
their church, and have filed it with curl
Gus and valuable ornaments characteristic
of their race 1t is kept open night and
day, and visitors are gladly admitted, al
ways with uncovered heads and with due
solemnity-unless you want a Sowing In
dian peerng into your face.
LAKE ST. FRANCIS
is the next point of interest 1t is a broad
expansion of the St. Lawrence, forty miles
in length. interspersed with many small
islands. You pass Lancaster, Cedars,
Beauharnois, and La Chine, all small vii
lagos, and which, from their names and
the low style of the buildings, you know to
be of French origin All have their
churches in fact, you are hardly out Of
sight of church spires on the entire trip OF
the st. Lawrence, In passing these places
you encounter the Cedar Rapids the rapids
of Split Rock, the Cascades and Coteau.
The most exciting Of these is Split Rock.
The boat has peculiar motion, as though
settling down, as it passes over the differ
cnt lodges and at other places seems to be
headed directly for huge lodges, but four
men at the wheel and two on the tiIler,
which is placed astern to the rudder, while
the wheel that governs the rudder itself is
placed ahead keeps the boat headed with
the current as it turns about among the
rocks.
BELOW BEAUHARNOIS
village canal by the same name begins,
where ascending boats are taken around
these rapids into Lake St. Francis where
branch of the Ottawa river enters the
St. Lawrence Here the river again widens
Into lake, called St Louis lake. From
this lake a view of Montreal Mountains,
nearly 80 miles distant, is had. In this
lake is Nuns Island, belonging to
THE GREY NUNNEKY,
of Montreal On this island they have a
school, and here their fancy articles are
made, which are sold and the proceeds
devoted to the purposes Of the nunneries,
OF which there are several in Montreal.
Quite a number Of these islands belong 70
these nunneries, from which they derive
large revenues.
Our party visited the Grey nunncry and
learned much of the practical work of the
institution. To giver any proper account
would require more space than is allowed US
III these short letters.
LaChine and an Indian village, called
Caughnawaga pronounced cock ma wa ga
OF praying Indians. though they were
noted for their thievlng, the bell in their
church being the proceeds of one of their
predatory raids upon the New England col
onies, are situated at the head of the La
Chine Rapids, the last rapids before ar
irving at Montreal
AT Caughnawaga, as part Of the show, |
the old Indian pilot, "Baptiste," comes on
board to pilot the boat through the rapids
lie was the first to take boat over these
dangerous rocks years ago where it seems
as though the boat were going headloug
into
A BOILING CHASN
OF rocks and white foam as she careens on .
one side and slides among the rocks. but /
there Is an abundance OF water and instead /
Of being demolished she rides through the
foam and dashes on to the next. while th.
passengers cling 10 the railing with abatrl
breath. The guides tell You that thi, H.
dian has plotted these boats for forty
years aud that h5 i teaching Iii, son T.
take his place when the Great Spirit call,
him to the happy hunting grounds He
has not missed day for - wears and il !,
almost as much a curiosity 10 see him clme
Oh board IN his tlrch cauue is the la.,5,e
OF the rapids eiycs-uniy the h.st
dont stop for him, the regular lilst has
outwltted Mr. Indian and learned 10 take
the boat safely through. 1t i only an,
state occasions that Mr. Barti,te Is invited
10 take hand at the wheel Through the
rapids your boat takes a long sweep and
passes under the far famed
VICTORIA BRIDGE,
one and quarter miles long, resting on