The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-10-29
wolf. and multitudes. 81 smaller animals.

klOOuAy WluleF. MOHtuS, anu oedcouc
and years cime and went with their
usual alterations of heat and cold, of
sunshine and storm, all paying mute
tribute to tie power and greatness of
the Creator.
The only representatives of the human
family for ages unknown, were the wild
savages of the forests. Their origin re-
mains to this day an unsolved problem.
Conjecture supplies the place'of certain
ty. 1t probably must supply it the ages
to come. They dwelt by rivers and
shores, and gained precarious subsist-
characteristic of civilized nations was
far as Indian history is known, they fur
nish this melancholy proof that they are
of the same race as civilized man. The
different tribes were often engaged in
bitter feuds and bloody strifes.
Some formidable tribes of aborigines
inhabited what is now the State of Maine.
Among these the Tarratines, dwelling
on the shores of the Penobscot-a rem
nant of which still survive, and are
now known as the Penobscot tribe-held
a distinguished rank. They were the
most powerful nation in this part of the
continent.
There are no certain traces of any
permanent European settlement in all
this valley, prior to the building of the
fort on this point. 1t is said that clear
ed land was found at Sandy Point, and
on the southeast end of Orphans Island,
and it has been conjectured that some
French families once resided there. But
no authentic record of such fact, as |
can learn, has yet been found. Nor
have learned that any traces, any signs
of the habitations of civilized man, had
ever existed there. By whom those
lands were cleared or occupied, remains
a profound secret. | suggest the query
whether it be not probable that the In
dams had, at some previous day, made
these places their residence, and found it
for their convenience to clear away tue
forest? Perhaps they here raised corn,
for it is we'll established fact that they
had some rude forms of cultivation,
when first discovered by European ma
tions. This strikes me as the more prob
able solution of the problem.
Long before the building OF the fort at
this place there had been several success
i've trading houses established on Baga-
duce now Castine. Six years after the
landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. /.
e., in 1926, the colonies erected trading
house at Penobscot for the purpose Of
traffic with the natives. In six or seven
years this house was robbed by the
French, and three years later the colon
lists were obliged to abandon the place.
Subsequently, in 1910, D'Aulney, a
Frenchman, established himself there,
and built Notifications, and for season
eXerted a powerful influence on this
coast. In 1865 Baron Castine. a French
nobleman, was sent to Canada as an Off
Ger in the army. At the close of the
war, instead of returning to his native
land he allied himself to the savages of
this country. He established himself at
Bagaduce-in 1867 married daughter
of Madockawando, the powerful chief
of the Tarratines- attained great inf1u-
ence over the savages, and was reputed
as an active and dangerous foe to the
English. He acquired a large fortune
by his traffic with the Indians, and late
in life returned to France, and there
closed his days, His son, "Castine the
Younger remained in Bagaduce, and is
represented as having been mild pacific
man. Still, his house was plundered in
17O3 and robbed of its most valuable ar
ticles. The predatory habits of both the
English and natives-the treachery and
cruelty mutually pracliced- sorely shock
our sense of moral integrity, and our
feelings of humanity, and one is often
in doubt whether civilized or savage were
more to be blamed.
A part of Maine, and the provinces
east called Acadia, were for long time
the source of much contention between
the French and English, each claiming
the right of possession and jurisdiction.
Bloody contests were frequent, one pow
er sometimes prevailing, and sometimes
the other. In these contests both parties
endeavored to enlist the Indians on their
side. 1t is believed that the natives
most readily, and more generally, sym.
pathised with the French, and aided
them in their wars against the English.
The infant settlements West of this river
were greatly annoyed by Indian depre'
datlons, often inslig ated and led on by
the French. Solitary habitations, and
even neighborhoods and towns, were
stealthily approached and suddenly as
sailed, and the inhabitants murdered OF
taken captive. Scenes of feroclty al {
cruelty on the one hand, and of dlstress
and anguish on the other, the recital OF
which, at this late day, makes the ears
to Jingle and the heart to ache, were
often witnessed. The Penobscot rlvel
was the avenue through which incursion!
were made upon settlements west OF this
1t was to shut up this avenue, and pu
a stop to these incursions, that for
at this place was projected. The plar
had been delayed from time to time, OF
account of prevailing wars which hat
much exhausted the resources. and vast
ed the inhabitants of the country. Ii
1757, Thomas Pownal was made Gov
ernor of Massachusetts. He seems t.
have been eminently fitted for the time:
and the work they demanded. 1t wa
during what has ever since been know
as the French War, in which Quebec
was captured, and the French possess
ions in North America fell into the hand
of the English. In 1853 the Governor
urged upon the Legislature the duty o
terrifying the Penobscot river. III
states that since the British forces ha
seized upon the River st. John, and for
titled there, the enemy had no other out
let to the sea than through the Penobsco
river" The policy was to close TIM
outlet and prevent those evils to tn
people which flowed through it. Tn
Legislature responded with spirit, an
"Resolved, March 23d, that 400 men b
employed under the Governors direc
ton, to take possession of the Penobsco
country and erect tortificatlon there.
1.-The enlistments for the expedition
were soon complete. The men being
i 80 <f him