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

quence VINO DecaHle tou laInllIdI Will
them.
They were bloody and treacherous
among themselves, killing men for their
women, and priding themselves on hav-
ing numerous wives. This does not agree
with the Jesuit historians who describe
them as gentle and continent, but it evil
IDENTIFY agrees with facts
Levett cornsels men not to trust them,
yet to use them kindly and to deal up
rightly with them.
There wa; no law but club law. and
the women were slaves.
They had no clothing but skins, which
was worn in summer with the hair side
out, and in winter with the hair side in
ward. There is difference of opinion
among white men on this point. Old set
tiers used to say turn the hair of the
buffalo robe out and it will keep you
warmer but it is recorded of Brian o.
Linn that he wore his sheepskin breeches
"The skinny out and the woolly side
in,
Twill be all the warmer, said Brian
O'Linn."
On the contrary it will be noted that
in cold countries animals are unanimous
n wearing the woolly side out.
But we leave the question of propriety
to the Natural History Society, the fact
is what interests the Historical Society.
The natives allowed their children to
90 naked until five or six years Old and
threw them into the snow to make them
tough. 1t is now thought that while
the savage theory was correct in regard
toughening, it resulted in draft upon
the vitality and shortened life.
But perhaps that wassbetter for savages
for, living as they lived, feeble old age
was to be dreaded.
Their houses were built in half an
hour of poles stuck in the ground and
covered with bark. Plainly, northern
Indians were all nomadic, and you have
to go far south to find builders.
Tribes within seventy miles of each
other spoke such different languages
that they found it easier to talk with
each other broken English.
He speaks of great plenty of walnuts,
chestnuts and small nuts. Chestnuts are
now quite rare in this vicinity, although
they may be found at Falmouth Fore
side, and walnuts are apparently dimin-
ishing
He records that it is almost Christmas
before winter begins, which accords with
modern observation, although the old
est inhabitantn thinks he remembers
quite otherwise of his youth.
To the objection that was urged IN
England that people who came here
would starve, he remarked that those
who went about to build forts and cas-
ties in the air, and neglected fishing and
planting, might be exposed to starvation
but that those who were provident could
easily provide subsistence. He admits
that one Chapman, a Londonel, actually
starved, but he undertook to live ike
gentleman, was extravagant, spent much
money in riotous living at Plymouth,
finally was reduced to become servant
of his own former servant, and then
starved rather than work. 1t sounds
queerly to us to hear that spendthrifts
W6lU W ny ulOuOA SoloAy loi PURPOSES VI
dissipation.
He dwells upon the condition of Eng
land, overburdened with unemployed
people who must starve, steal or mutiny,
to prove the necessity of colonies, while
he extols the advantages which would
inure from trade and the fisheries. How
prophetic he was is amply proved, and
England is enjoying the advantages to
the present day.
The narrative is graphic picture of
Casco Bay as the.white man found it,
and of the Englishman when he was
driven to seek these shores, and it recon-
Giles us to what may sometimes seem
hard times in our present life, contrastin
the comforts which nearly all enjoy wit
the hardships which nearly all then
suffered. If there are still to be found
among us the needy and destitute, it.
will be seen that they belong to a class
who have lately come from something
still worse on the other side of the ocean,
or, who, like Chapman, would rather
starve than work.
ADAM NEWBEHIN