Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-02-22

G alias Telariolin, a
Huron of Ancienne Lorette, born in
1893, a pure-blooded example of the
great Huron-lroquois stock, says the
Montreal Gazette. His father and
grandfather had been Hurons from
Huron mothers; his mother was a
Huron Iroquois of Ir0quois descent.
DR.. Beers prefaced his account of the
gifts, character and achievements of
his bero-for, in spite of his failings,
there vas something heroic in Zacharie
by contrasting the two main sections
of the Huron-Iroquois race. The points
of difference that marked off the Iro-
qnois from the Hurons in the days OF
Champlain and Frontenac and Mont
calm and under the British dispense
ton have continued to distinguish
their descendants, changed though they
be from the formidable warriors Of old
DR.. Beers illustrated this difference OF
traits that had come under his per-
sonal observation. He then related the
tradition of the original home Of the
Hurons and outlined their migration
since Carriers visit to Hochelaga (the
beaver damn.
The legend that they had come out
Of mountain between Quebec and the
great sea had been explained to DE-.
Beers by an Okla chief to indicate the
period during which the Hxrons we're
hiding from the tomahawks of their
warlike kinsmen, the Iroquois. Zach
arie did justice to his full-blooded or
igin In that. from childhood. he was a
vagabond of the woods and waters,
Long before he could use gun or load
a gun to use he pursued feather and
fur and even fin, with a bow and ar
row. To the end he loved the outdoor
life OF his fathers. =. He also-alas!-
loved whisky blanc, though he was
quite aware Of it's mortal badness. In
his philosophic moments he said: 1T
was de ribber of de debil; not deep
but she drown all de same; bad for In
| dian and bad for white man" DR..
Beers thought the white man was re-
sponsible for good share of the In
dams wrongdoing, and he therefore
sought to atone for 1t, in some degree,
by trying to rescue this gifted Indian
from his enemy He invited him up to
Montreal, intending to send him rail-
way ticket II he accepted, but Zach
arie and his son Cyprien or Dawenron
straight, like stick suddenly made
their appearance before him. having
tramped the whole distance. For two
years he lived in Caughnawaga, coming
to town now and then to sell picture
or piece of wood carving. When he
began to fail and his end seemed near
Dr. Beers sent him back to Lorette
He went to the marine hospital, Que
bee, and soon afterward died, in hi,
eightieth year. DR.. Beers exhibited a
| portrait of Zacharie Vincent, painted
by himself, picturesque head, with
the gray hair running out on either
side from the natural parting in the
center
He recalled the alleged exclamation
of the French On first seeing the Wy,
andots, "Quelles hures"' (what boars
headsD They were surprised at the
"bristling ridges" in which they wore
their hair, and thus these lakeside Indi.
ans won new name-the Hurons. And
the last of his race was, in this respect
a true Huron He was. however, very
par .eElar about his person; he never
wore flannel until seven months before
| he died. His winter attire was coat
under it another coat, under that 9
third coat, and then nothing DR.
Beers exhibited picture of Mercy,
which Zacharie had painted entirely
| by memory, from the original of New
York artist. as we'll as a number Of
sketches. He gave pathetic and i'm.
pressiye description of the Huron ar.
fists mode Of life-a constant fight fol
existence for the most part--the happi.
est portion of it being the vagabond
| life in the woods. Several times he
was badly frozen; many times he was
nearly drowned; once he had hand.
to-hand tussle with bear, which he
killed with a knife.
No promise of comfort could induce
him to settle down permanently in the
village Of Lorette. He liked the free
dom of the bush and communion with
nature better than village gossip. The
trees, the air, the sky, were full of a
mystic company, with which in i'm.
| agination he held intercourse. DR.
Beers then described Zacharie's meth
DDS of work, the character of his in.
spiration, his devotion to his art, his
preference for certain colors and OBJ
| lection to others. In 1848 he painted
portrait of Lord Elgin and sold 1t to
him, and in Lorette church are some oil
his religious works. He never painted
anything low or vulgar. His language
was alike free from blasphemy and he
was not without religious emotions
His one vice was made up for by many
virtues and among those was SELF
respect that kept him from begging in
all his hardships. Dr.. Beers spoke at
some length of the artistic faculty in
the native races, Of which Zacharie's
gift was conspicuous example. He
mentioned Catlin's record of his life in
the wilds and indicated the rich endow-
ment in some forms of decorative art
which makes the work Of some cast
srn races inimitable in the west.