The National tribune., 1901-09-19

Benjamin Christmas by name.
Great pains were taken to give him an
education. He was coddled, nurtured,
pampered fostered, and eventually be-
came a Baptist clergyman and was EN-
plcyed 10 assist the missionaries sinong
his own people, and occasionally filling
pulpits in lending Baptist churches.
Whether civilization was too much for
his nature OF not is left an open ques-
ton, but, despite all their endsayors TO
keep him in the straight and mar
row way, he went back TO the forest, and
in the frequent beatings Of bis wife
showed that he had forgotten the teach
ings of kindness toward the weaker sex
that Christianity enjoins.
When the country was first settled by
the white man, the Micmacs were large
and powerful tribe, having inhabited the
forests since TINA :1memerial. They nat
urally resented the intrusion upon their
domain of the settlers, and irritated, no
doubt, by acts Of .barbarity committed by
the whites, avenged themselves upon the
intruders by committing outrsges, which
became so numerous that in ITO law
was passed Offering bounty of $50 for
the scslp Of an Indian or a prisoner.
The French, remarkable for their pow
ers Of address,, won the good will OF tae
savages, who thus became enemies of the
English. After the fall OF Quebec their
atrocities subsidized and peace was de-
clared.
RAPID DECREASE OF THE TRIBE.
With the advance Of civilization the
red man steadily decreased, owing not as
in the South to any attempt to enslaye
them or make them in any way sub
servient to the Europeans, but to the in
temperate use of ardent spirits, acquired
through intercourse with the whites, and
the introduction Of yirulent and conta-
gious diseases previously unknown. In
addition to these causes, fewer children
were reared than in civilized countries,
the squaw being unable to care for a
second child until the first had reached
an age where it was in a measure able
to care for itself. Early marriages, too,
| were rare, though there were seldom more
than two or three children. So great has
| been the decrease that in 1880 the tribe
numbered only 2,164.
AS a~tribe the Micmscs are silent,
thoughtful, shrewd and sensible; but when
inhamed by strong drink they become
riotOus and troublesome, heaping their
vengeance upon the squaws, who submit
without a murmur; never in any instance
allowing any interference from the whites.
The shrswdness Of the Indian is well
Illustrated by the following anecdotes:
One of their number entered a tavern
to procure some rum. The price asked
was doJ he the sum for which it could
be procured in Halifax. Upon remonstra-
| ton, the landlord answered him that the
| loss of interest on the money spent, to-
was very great; equal, in fact, to that of
maintaining a COW. Maybe it drink as
| much water, but surely il no eat as much
hay" was the ready answer.
An Indian brought some skins to Hall
fax to sell. Taking them to an anc-
| tioneer, they were placed upon q shelf
with the promise that they should be dis
about them. Finally, his patience was
exhausted and he demanded an answer.
The auctioneer in petulent mood
snapped out Rats ate them" Rats eat
EN-" was the quick reply; auction eat
EN- more Ike" and, Disguised, he left
the store.
There is on record one case only where
an Indian was tried for murder. The
trial occurred in the Supreme Court in
Halifax in 1880. The accused was Peter
Paul. He lived at Indian River, Ham
mond's Plains, 10 miles from Halifax.
Paul had become jealous Of his wife, and
wished to take her from the encamp-
ment. When all was ready he started,
taking his two boys with him and one
Of the bundles of household goods. Be-
fore he had proceeded far he was over
taken by some OF the women, who told
him that his squaw was unable to carry
the load left. He then retraced his steps,
leaving the boys TO await his return; bat
when he got back he found the children
gone. He Immediately started in search
of them. His wife and her mother fol-
lowed him. When jumping a fence he
fell. AS he arose he turned and fired at
the mother, who dropped dead. Fearful
OF the consequences, he fled to the woods,
but his conscience troubled him. He then
returned to Halifax, and gave himself up
to the authorities.
The prosecution was conducted by the
Grown officers. Two leading barristers