Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-06-14
MAINE INDIANS.
Aborigines That Are Slowly
Passing Away.
The Old Customs Of the Famous Pas
samaquoddys and Penobscots.
Where They Iise-Hos They Esist-Last Of a
Noted Race.

Z
following concerning the Indians of the
state The largest tribes Of Indians east
Of the Mississippi in this country are the
| Penobscots, having headquarters on tbs
I islansls in a river Of the same name. Twelve
miles above this city, and the Passama.
/ 4aosi,lys, the latter living along the
I Eassanaqaosiay Bay and the st. Croil
| River which form the boundary line for
| 100 nsliss between the United States ani
! Lower Canada
| II - difficult To compute with accuracy
th. number in the tao tribes, as many oi
! them have married with Canadian French
1hi half breeds while others have joined
| the NJ. Francis and Tobiqae tribes of New
I Brunswick, but they probably can muster
| l9a men and boys and go women, girl
snd infants While the Penobseots srs
| still much given 10 woodcrsft, canoe max
/ Ing snowshoe aud elegant basket work, ihs
n,gre easterly tribe is but tribe of basket
makers and -hrewd merchants.
In al things, except when aroused by the
excitement of the hunt and in driving log
/ upon the dangerous rapids in the lumber
| regions the Indians of tie East are COW
/ ards, and they are much given TO vice
| i.et one Of them be attacked by a moose,
| bear or caribou, or even a wildcat, and he
viii battle To the end. They will take great
hazards on thin ice over whirling waters fol
tish. and 40 jam of logs has terror foi
them, even though " hite men turn away.
! But let hog of civilization growl al
them; let them see yellow sun or comet
| pat them on board Il steamboat or take
them into court for sumc transgression, and
| they show abject fear and cowardice. Even
| spirituous liquor. do not give them a tenn
! porary courage. They are only self-pos-
sessed and brave when in the forest, or
/ lake. stream, or lonely woohland.
They have no place with the voting popu-
/ latiou of the State, though many of them
I can reah and write, and s0mc of them are
regular newspaper correspondents, but they
1 hays a tribal form of government, choosing
At their elections n Governor, Lieutenant.
/ Governor, and a member of the Legislature,
/ The latter is always at the capital at the
! opening.
! He draws his pay and mileage at once
I and Immediately returns home. leaving the
public business to he conducted by whoever
! takes an interest im it, All members of the
tribes ride at half fare On cars and steam
boats when they have the money to pay
/ and free when out of funds. They never
attempt 10 rid, in the latter way when they
can pay.
A. laborers for all purposes of the whites
the Indians. both men and women, are
worthless. and are never employed in the
.ettlcmcnta But in hunting fishing, canos
work and ronking they excel and the men
/ a. l., hos
/ born woo,ls and water Indians. There is
not a horse in the two tribes owned by an
ln,ian. and they would as take balloon
trip as a ride in saddle.
! Living on the islands of the Penobscoi
/ arr 100 men ~ squaws, and Si pappooses
( They own between Dld Town and Malta
wamkeag, distance of fortN-si5 miles, lJt
/ islands most of which are let to lumber
: n,en .iie hang RATS of loeS along the shore
{ In the island at Old Town are 100 frame
! houses. a church, schuolhouse and town
house, where the weddings and dances are
( held. The Indians have common canoe
ground where they buih their craft, and
/ they maintain baseball ground.
While some of the homes have plush
furniture. Bru7scls carpets. pianos aui the
{ like others are poverty stricken ahodea
/ Yet society lines are not drawn on tins ac-
count WI speak Wv t"'',"' ''t ~
+ tongues ana many u'e g'l"'V., ~ "" l,
prevalent III ah"n"' i''I" NV ~ '''''
resides, his salary being $50 per annum
Ab"ut houf' lhp thniahs VI ~ '"'' w 81
the ordinary cio'h'"G %, Wv ""''' ','" H., w.,
women are very partlal !" re' 'n" fe,To" .r
/ head wear "ilh req of 'l'' ~,
males, old and young "''A tn'"9eN,S WI"
gay rtothlhg "neh t''N -" V" ~ 49, ~.
Nil, tho women anu S'r'' lh''hf''' S''"N'
the pipe The latter are experts WIN "''
canoe do, ho.- .,.
But there are some WI" c"uoo' "eht ''''
restraints OF elVihzati"n' VINO Il" "'' ''t' u
mlngie with the whites "h'h '"'N H'V +"
numbers and VINO are '"n''" o',tS "nc' "
the forest or canoe, Among tne'' j. ''o'
! N"cal'NlN. Na'-"'eo'''" i''''n' w
/ descended from orono' great ciiet '''
warrior. 80,
+. Having hshed ami hhnt'H "ueh ""'
{ Socaiexis, tue Correspondent pas ,e"rh',
Of the old time ways OF the fi'',"o" y
lived, hshcd and hnntcu more tn'n Nv
/ yeass ago when Maine was almost "hoiiS
II "ad'IheSs' ''' -: g.,
wears OF age, got much Information iioa
/ his father and wrote II ou' on hafh' ''i'
since then some OF the a'ho'ic P'eS'
have rewritten 1t IN tngllShi
While now these lnhiahS are 1l'Pieu NV
I factions and families an th'n u'ed if",