The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-17

Nearly Disappeared-Somo Still Near
Martha's Vineyard-study of Indian
Language Suggested.
| In spite of the inclement weather a
body of members of the New Haven
Colony Historical society listened to a
lecture on the Indians of Connecticut"
by the Rev. DR.. Joseph Anderson of
Waterbury last evening. The speaker
was introduced by the Rev. DR.. Lines,
who presided.
DR.. Anderson's remarks were most
interesting and We're listened to with
deep interest by those fortunate enough
to be present. In speaking of the Con-
necticut Indians he said that there We're
three great classes of Indians, those
that resided in villages and led more or
less regular lives; the rowing class,
those that We're continually moving
from place to place, and the third class
embracing those having the character
istics of both. The rowing class includ-
ed many scattered tribes, who We're
continually moving from place to place,
constituted the majority. The Indians
of Connecticut, though, come under the
third class, those having characteristics
of both the village and rowing Indians
They generally had some sort of a viii
lage or good camping ground and We're
inclined to follow the streams in the
neighborhood of good fishing. Connec-
ticut Indians have for the most part
disappeared. There are a few scatter
ed tribes still in existence, one of them
in the vicinity of Martha's Vineyard,
Mass. On the other hand, the Indians
of Central America are on the increase
and are in a very good state Of civili-
cation.
DR.. Anderson spoke further on the
character and traits of the Connecticut
Indians and then gave a very fine de-
scription of the distinction between the
savage, the barbarian and the civilized
Indian. The savages use fire, bow and
arrows and manufacture pottery. The
DdIDdlldL IdiSStl dDONc Illllt ny hSeplllS
domestic animals: in Europe by irri-
eating land in America by making
adobe huts, and the smelling of iron
for various uses. All intelligence above
that tended toward civilization.
In connection with these points of diff
ference Rev. DR.. Anderson declared
that there could be no civilization in
America at the time Of the discovery,
as the Mexican Indians had not yet
learned to smelt iron ore and were in
the middle stages of barbarism. Rev.
DR.. Anderson then gave an interesting
talk upon the arrow head, and the col
lections which have been formed of
them, and regretted the way in which
some really good collections of these
had been lost He also told how every
Indian camp had it's arrow head maker,
who made thousands of these from
the rough implements with which he
was supplied. In conclusion he said: II
fear we are apt to regard the Indians
too much from the point of view with
which the newspapers regard the
Plains Indians. Whenever the Indian
comes into contact with white men he
rapidity from then on. He learns to
drink and many other vices as soon as
he comes within the pale of this So
called civilization. From this fact
arises the old saying the only good In
dian is the dead Indian. But this is
not the opinion we should have of the
Indians. The Connecticut Indians We're
religious and reverent and intelligent in
thelr own way Concluding Rev. DR..
Anderson said he wished that there was
more interest shown in the history of
the Indian among school children and
hoped that the time would soon come
When group of New Haven Young
men would take up the study of the In
alan language, as it is such an inter-
est1ng subject, and offers such a broad
field of investigation.