The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-11
CHRISTOPHER LEvETr.

The fifth volume of the publications
of the Gorges Society is issued from the
press of Stephen Berry, and IS republi-
cation of the rare volume of that adven-
turers' Voyage into New England, with
memoir of the author and critical
notes, by the Hon. James P. Baxter,
President of the Maine Historical Soci-
ETY.. The volume contains IT'S pages
cap quarto, with several interesting
plates, and illuminated title, in the same
attractive style as the other publications
of the society. The valuable contribu-
tions to our local history of the Gorges
Society cannot be too highly commend
ed, and it is gratifying that they are add
ed to the growing list of valuable Maine
publications, instead of swelling the
literary credit of older States.
We have been so accustomed to think
of George Cleeve as the first settler of
Portland, that we almost lose sight of
the fact that ten years earlier. and only
three years after the landing of the Pill
grims, Casco Bay was settled by a pro-
prietor who not only had grant from
the Council of New England, but
also acquired it by purchase from the
Indians, and who built substantial
house, probably of stone and sufficiently
fortified to be defensible from the saw
ages, and who would have brought his
family and permanently settled here if
death had not frustrated his plans.
Mr.. Baxter's memoir shows that Levett
was man of consequence in England,
well educated and a captain in the royal
navy. He was man of influence, too,
but that does not count, as influence
was mostly bought by bribing men in
office in the good old colony days. It is
more to his credit that he was man of
ability, and would have made his colony
of immediate consequence to the world
if he had lived to establish it. The la
Dor and expense which Mr.. Baxter be-
slowed when in England to hunt up the
missing history of Levett will be CRATE
fully appreciated by Portland citizens
now and hereafter, and Christopher
Levett will be recognized as the first set
tier, and as a man worthy to be held in
special honor.
But the portion of the book which
will most interest the reader, although
that is not new, is the narrative. itself,
because it is one of the clearest descrip-
tions of the conditions of the country
and the natives which has ever been
written, and it bears the marks of truth.
Many of the points made will be worth
remem bering.
He sailed up Fore River and named it
Levett's river, and the savages told him
there were salmon in it.
Mr.. Baxter suggestes that the name OF
Levett should be restored to the river,
which is certainly just and judicious.
At the mouth of the Presumpscot, to
which he did not give name, he found
a settlement of fifty savages, including
two chiefs.
He thought twenty good towns might
be well seated on the shores of Casco
Bay.
He won the savages by kind and just
treatment, while some of the mariners
who came to fish had already begun to
swindle and rob them.
He found that the Indians worshipped
one good spirit, Squanto, who dwelt in
the sky, and an evil spirit, Tanto, who
dwelt in the far west. Their priests, or
medicine men, dabbled in witchcraft
and were storm makers.
The Indians were marvellously quick
Of apprehension, subtle and disposed to
fatter for gain, yet despising their
dupes.
They were slow of speech and considered
prattler fool.