The Portland daily press., 1897-05-22

PiUAoh remaining with the army uH-
'il tile assault on the city, being honor
ably discharged in the middle of January
100. In 1919, he volunteered in the
6agaduce expedition and stated that dur
ing the war he was in several skirmishes
when several of his tribe were killed.
In 1856, Massachusetts attempted to get
some OF the Penobscots' land from them
and at the conference chief stated that
the tribe had been at Oldtown island 500
years and then that $50 blankets would
give each of the tribe one. When an agent
presented them paper to sign relin
gushing their lands they answered, "W e
don't know anything about writing. All
we know, we mean to have right heart
and right tongue" The agents were
unsuccessful.
| In 1896, the tribe gave up their claim to
land on both sides OF the river from
Nichols rock, in Eddington, the head of
the tide, thirty miles up, reserving their
islands in the river. This was done for
consideration. This land consisted of
! 169, 1926 acres and it was laid out into nine
townships. By another treaty, in 1918,
with Massachusetts,, the tribe conveyed
| to that state all the remainder of their
| lands except the islands and four town
ships, in consideration of a yearly annuity
| in goods worth about $500. Maine at
| the separation from Massachusetts, agreed
| to fulfill the obligations of the treaty,
and, in 1888, purchased their remaining
! townships for fifty thousand dollars.
The Penobscots were the Tarratines and
anciently owned all the territory watered
by the Penobscot river. In 1925, the tribe
were said to have numbered about eight
| thousand. In 1869, they were subdued by
the Mohawks. Their lands have been
encroached upon by the land grabber
until all that remains to them are islands
in the Penobscot river including Old
town island and all above it and attempts
have been made to get those. The state
holds fund of theirs amounting to
which they are paid six per cent interest
which with their shore rents, of about three
thousand dollars, with the appropriations
from the state leaves them in comfortable
circumstances, much more so than the
Passamaquoddys whose lands did not
prove as valuable.
Of Chief Orono, Williamson said that
he was white in part and Orono had not
the copper colored countenance, the spark
ling eye, the high cheek bones or tawny
features of a pristine native. On the
contrary, his eyes were Of a bright blue
shade, penetrating and full of intelligence
and benignity. In his person he was tall,
straight and perfectly proportioned; and
in his gait there was gracefulness which
of itself eyinced superiority He was
honest, chaste, temperate and industrious.
To remarkable degree he retained his
mental faculties and erect attitude to the
last years of his life. AS he was always
abstemious and as his hair was in his last
years of a milky whiteness, he resembled
in appearance clustered saint. His
wife, who was a full blooded native, died
several years after him. Orono died Feb.
5, 1901, aged 113 years.
isFor whittier Indians, to our shame we
see,
Are not SO yirtuous nor humane as he.
DiSdaining all the savage modes of life,
The tomahawk and bloody scalping knife,
He sought to civilize his tawny race,
Till death, great NimrOd of the human
race,
Hit on his track and gave this hunter
chase.
His belt and wampum now aside he flung,
His pipe extinguished and his bow I'M
strung.
When countless moons their destined
rounds shall cease,
He II spend an endless calumet of peace. "
The Penobscot tribe choose governor,
lieutenant governor and delegate to the
Legislature, to conduct their business
The state appoints an agent who has
charge of their affairs and reports to the
Legislature. The tribe have lived peace
ably with their neighbors since the Revo-
luton. They were never what could be
| called savage Indians and the white man
has been much to blame whenever they
have acted in that role.
Our forefathers pledged their word with
the Indian tribes of our state for peace,
when war meant the destruction of their
homes. They promised them protection
in their lands, and they have but little to
show for it today. The state and the
Indians have suffered together in regard
| to their lands from the avarice of the
white men but now there is no hope for
either to recover them. History can only
record the facts. Our ancestors promised
| little to the Indian considering what peace
was worth to them. The Indians were
faithful through the Revolution, when
they had easy access to the enemy, now
| let us be faithful to them The state
should keep its trust with them as they
did with us and insist that they must al
ways be honestly dealt with. They are
not as we are, they are different people,
we can afford to be patient with them
and take no advantage of their weak
nesses.
''The sum Of Indian happinessl-
! A wigwam, when the warm sunshine
Looks in among the groves of pine
A stream where, round thy light canoe,
The trout and salmon dart in view,
And the fair girl, before thee now,
Spreading thy mat with hand of snow,
| Or plying, in the dews of morn,
| uar hoe amidst thy match of conn