Newspaper Page Text
No. 21. Vol. IV.
FROM THE BOSTON RECORDER.
,ccount of the North-West Coast.
ead before the “ Society of Inquiry respect
ing Missions ,” in the Theological Semina
ry, Andover, July 23, 1822— ByS. Adams.
( (Continued from our last.)
1 shall now close the account of the char
ter and customs of the natives with a few
leresting anecdotes, in the words ofCapt.
.—, to all of which except the first one,
ivas an eye witness, and was acquainted
th the parlies concerned in the first one.
Respecting the Indians west of the Rocky
nun tains, Tie remarks: “Generally I
ould say they strongly resemble the orig
ii inhabitants on this side the continent;
are particularly those who inhabit the sea
ast, when our ancestors first visited it.
he native Indian, while uncontaminated
the vices of civilized man, is a proud,
dependent, high-minded being—possessing
any vi-'tues of the highest grade, but sub
ct to strong passions, which are not under
e control of reason or principle; ex
aniely jealous of personal freedom, and
udy to sacrifice any thing to preserve it.
id I leisure, I could furnish many anec
tes, which would illustrate their charac
• better than general description.
“ Those which follow may give some aid
forming an estimate of its worth. By
ly of explanation I must state, that those
10 visit the North-West Coast, for the
rpose of trading with the natives, do not
uture on share, to carry oo the traffick,
it remain on board their ships, which are
sorted to by the Indians in canoes, who
rrouod the vessel, while the chiefs repair
i board, and exchange the furs belonging
their tribes, for such articles as are suit-
Ito their wants. A few years since, a
ip belonging to this port [Boston] visited
powerful tribe who inhabit the village of
lasset, situated at the entrance of the
raits of Juan de Foca in lat. 48 deg.
heir chief. Utilla, ori of the finest looking
en I ever saw, and one of the best I ever
irw, not being acquainted with the com-
Knder of the ship, (who had not visited
e coast before,) required that a hostage
ould be sent into his canoe, alongside,
liile he came on board to trade. A
long man, clerk to the Capt., was accord
fly sent. After trading some time, an
arm was given, that a quarrel had taken
lace between a boat’s crew, tvho had gone
i shore after water, and some of the lo
ans. Several guns were immediately dis
larged towards the watering place, and in
fi confusion of the moment, the chief
rung into his canoe, and before he had
lie to permit the hostage to return to the
ip. was rashly fired on by those on board,
itb perfect coolness he stood erect in the
moe, and ordered his men to paddle for the
lore, which they reached amidst a shower
’ bullets one of which entered the fieshy
art of Uitlbi’s thigh, and there lodged,
‘hey landed in a cove at some distance from
le village, to reach'which they had to pass
ithin half cannon shot of the ship, or go
trough the woods. The ship opened a
re of grape shot, which struck the beach
ver which the group of natives were pas
ng to the village Utilla ordered his peo
e to provide for their own safety, and
iat of the young man, the hostage who
as with them, by crossing the wood out
’ reach of the ship’s guns; hut disdaining
show any thing like fear himself, hecon
nued to walk erect as his wound would
’rmit, along the beach, where the cannon
lot frequently struck so near as to throw
e sand over and around him, fortunately
me bj*t him, and he reached the village
further injury. The young man
:pecwd to be put to death instantly, bet
lilla, perceiving bis alarm, assured him of
fety, and while they were cutting the
11 out of his thigh, coolly observed to him,
You are not to blame for this, therefore
)u shall not be injured, but if I had your
apt. here —1 would •” [making at the
une time a most expressive jesture of
lunging the Indian dagger info the bosom,
thich they do in a very peculiar manner.]
’he young man was taken care of during
!ie night, treated with kindness, and the
ext day sent on board the ship. But Utilla
tonld have, no further intercourse with the
’apt. whose conduct was altogether unjus
i liable.”
“ Thin first time I visited the North
west t’Rjast,” continues Capt. S , “ the
’apt. of (be ship, of which I was then a jun
or officer, took as prisoners two chiefs,
vho had been concerned io the murder of
Capt. Hill aDd Mr. Elliot, belonging to a
vessel from this place. These chiefs he
delivered up to another tribe, with whom
they were at war, and the mother of whose
chief they had killed. They were execut
ed in our presence, and the execution was
a scene which I shall never forget, and
was strongly illustrative oflndipn character.
It took place in a small cove, where 3
American vessels were lying. Round the
head of the cove, all the men of the tribe,
nearly 1000, were collected in canoes,
forming a aemi-circlef The women and
children lined the high rocks and banks,
and the crew 9 of the vessels were all in
•he shrouds, and on the masts. It was a
calm, sunny day in May, aodall was still a
death. You might hear the dash of an oar
for half a mile. Kbou, the chief of the
THE MISSIONARY.
MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK COUNTY, GEORGIA,) MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1822.
tribe, came along-side the ship for the pris
oners, in a large war canoe, having with
him only his brother Kilcbart and another
young chief, and 2 slaves to paddle the ca
noe. Thq two young chiefs were te be the
executioners, and were entirely naked,
with daggers 14 inches in length, three at
the widest part, and as bright a9 silver, in
their hands. The prisoners were placed in
the canoe in a sitting posture near the cen
tre, ironed together, and the executioners
standing close behind them. The canoe
was then paddled about 100 yards from the
ship which placed her nearly in the centre
of the semi circle of canoes. The most
profound silence prevailed. Khou, who
was stnndingat the extremity of the canoe,
facing the prisoners turned from them, and
gave the signal for death. The raised
daggers were Instantly plunged into the
hearts of the unhappy victims. I shudder
even now when I think of the appearance
of those daggers, as drawn from the bodies
of the murdered chiefs. They were raised
in the nir, with the bright handles glitter
ing in the sun, and the tresh blood dripping
from the points. In an instant all was con
tusion. It seemed as if the sight of blood
had roused every ferocious feeling, and sav
age passion in the breast of the whole
tribe. Men, women and children uttered a
yell horrible beyond conception ; and the
men rushed forward with savage eagerness
to plunge their daggers into the dying bod
ies of the victims. Many of them would
plunge (heir hands into the wounds, and
then rub their own bodies and faces, thus
giving to their countenance an appearance
perfectly demoniack. It was an appalling
scene ; but it should he remembered that
the sufferers had without provocation mur
dered the mother of the principal chief of
the tribr who thus executed them.”
“ Two months subsequent to this event,
onrship again visited the same port. The
Indians had retired to their summer village,
situated about 40 miles up a narrow branch
or arm of the sea. I set out in a whale
boat, unarmed, with Kilcbart for a guide,
to announce to the tribe our arrival, and
request them to come and trade with us. I
was two days absent from the ship. As
we approached the village, the unexpect
ed appearance of a boat and white men, ex
cited great alarm. The warriours placed
themselves in hostile array, well armed
with muskets, &c. Kilchart, probably see
ing me alarmed at the reception we were
like to meet, endeavoured to quiet my
fears, but was himself greatly agitated, ap
prehensive (as he afterwards told me) that
his tribe might commit.some act of hostility
before they discovered our pacifick char
acter. Me assured me there could be no
doubt of a friendly reception the moment
we were known. “ But,” said lie, (and be
said it in a manner that left me no doubt of
his sincerity,) should it prove otherwise,
and should any outrage on you be attempt
ed, the weapon which is raised for your de
struction, shall only reach you through my
heart.” Thus you see that the individual,
who could with savage joy plunge his dag
ger into the bosom of a captive enemy, was
equally ready to sacrifice his own life to
preserve that of a stranger who had confi
ded in him. As soon as the tribe discover
er who we were, they treated ns with
great hospitality, and 1 returned to the ship
in safely.”
“ I should swell my communication to a
volume,” says Capt. S , “ were I to re
late half the anecdotes which press on my
mind, when I look back to the years spent
amidst the wild scenes of nature, far from
the haunts of civilized man.”
(and) Religion. —Having, I fear, already
trespassed too long on your patience, I
shall detain yon here but a short time. All
that I know about their religion can be told
in few words. They believe in a future
state for the good, and for those who perish
in battle, or are accidentally drowned.
The wicked they suppose are punished by
annihilation. The future state which they
contemplate is a material one, where the
pleasures of the chase and all the enjoy
ments of life will be possessed in higher
degrees than they are here. They have a
belief in two deities, the one good, the
other evil. “ Ail savages whom I have ev
er yisited,” says Capt. S , “ have a tra
dition of a general deluge, which very
nearly accords with the account of holy
writ. This is common to the natives of the
South Sea Islands and the continent I
have never known them offer sacrifices.
They have no regular religious worship;
but I have seen them on some interesting
occasions address themselves to Deity in a
highly impressive manner.” They have
some dances, which seem to partake of a
religious character. Before going to war,
or on a long fishing excursion, they go
through a course of ceremonies, which may
be called religious, such as frequent bathing,
abstinence from certain kinds of food, and
from some particular pleasures.
The obsequies paid to the dead are per
formed differently by different tribes, and
by the same tribe with some variation,
adapted to the rank of the deceased. Some
tribes simply inbumate. Surviving rela
tives will often visit the graves of their de
parted friends, and the places to which they
were specif; attached while living, and
i there sing plaintive songs. A mother will
GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.
go perhaps, while the sun is aettibg, to the
place where her deceased son used to en
camp, and tor two hours, sing over and
over again a song of the following import.
“My dear son, come to me. Why do you
leave me, my son !” Other tribes deposit
the dead in canoes, which are suspended
ten or twelve feet high between two trees.
This appears to be a very common method
of disposing of the dead. Other tribes
again, incinerate aud preserve the ashes
with religious care. In whatever manner
the body is disposed of, the best clothes,
the war implements, and some other choice
articles belonging to the deceased, are dis
posed of in the same way.
Parents are often more distressed for the
loss of young children, than for the death
of any other relative. This is owing in
part to their strong attachment to their
children, for which the Indians are very
remarkable ; and partly to a religions opin
ion, that an adult person can take belter
care of himself in the other world, than an
infant.
Thus I have given, as well as I could,
with my scanty means of information, some
account of the Indians in North-West Amer
ica. from what has teen said, both the
difficulties and the encouragements which
meet every attempt to improve their social
and moral condition are quite obvious.
T hat they stand in great need of being rais
ed to a better manner of life and to better
hopes, will not be denied. If those noble
traits ot mind, which now break through
their mental and moral depravation, so as
to asfonish us and command our admiration,
could be brought under the influence of
good education and the Christian religion,
they would be as good materials as the
church ever had to help her cause. The
time ha 9 now nearly come, when the im
portant question must be decided, —shall
we civilize and Christianize the Indians,
or shall we exterminate them? To use
their own figure, “ a broad pair of shears
are open, and Indians stand between. The
shears are closing together, and cutting us
off.” Shall we suffer them to close togeth
er and sever the magnanimous Aborigines
of America from the earth, or shall we stop
their exterminating progress, and raise the
oppressed Indian to the comforts and happi
ness of civilized life, and set down with him
hereafter with Abraham and Isaac, and Ja
cob in the kingdom of God? A Christian
mission ought to be established on the
North-West Coast. Many facilities are of
fered. A good and healthy climate, and
good soil, and good situations are not want
ing. The people to whom they would go
possess natural powers of the highest order.
The wandering life of the Indians, so often
raised as an objection, is an obstacle which
the Missionary must meet, not one which
should stop him. The tribes do not often
move f.om one to another distant place.
Though they have a summer and a winter
residence, they are commonly not far
apart. After they have come to have con
fidence in the utility of schools, they will
be willing to leave their children behind
them in permanent schools when they them
selves go from place to place ; and schools
are the grand machines which are to con
vert the Indians and the world. Still it
may be asked whether the Indians would
befriend and protect Missionaries? There
are good reasons for believing that they
would. They have heard of the Mission
aries at the Sandwich Islands, and the head
chief, Capt. Skittegates, of the most impor
tant tribe on the coast, inquires, “Why are
not Missionaries sent to me,” that is, to my
tribe.* “ I will protect them.” The Indi
ans are naturally friendly to white men.
They must be provoked before they become
enemies. Let a mission family or a small
colony once convince the natives of their
friendly intentions, and they would be Base.
Men go in pursuit of gain alt oyer the Indi
an country, and go safely too. Why should
the soldier of the cross be the only coward ?
It has been said that difficulties would grow
out of the instigations of foreigners who
visit the coast for purposes of traffick. In
stead of this, it is believed that great ad
vantage would in most cases be derived from
this enterprising class of men. The same
vessels, which have been so friendly and
so liberal to the Sandwich Island mission,
go also to the North-West Coast, and why
will they not exercise the same disposition
towards a mission among those very Indians
with whom they trade, and whom they
would wish to make friendly and hospita
ble, and honest, by every means in their
power?—lt is impossible to determine now
what will be the result of the colony con
templated by Congress on the North-West
Coast. Mr. Floyed reported a bill to Con
gress last winter in favour of establishing
one at the mouth of the Columbia; but
other very judicious men think there are
not sufficient inducements in a political or
pecuniary point of view to attempt such a
settlement. It is therefore probable if a
colony go, that they will be induced chiefly
bv the benevolent deSlre of improving the
natives. It is by no means desirable, that
an American colony of abandoned adven
turers should be established there or else
where on the coast. The natives have al
* A chief always uses ihe first person singular,
when he speaks in the uanie of his nation or tribe.
ready been exposed too long to the contam
inating influence of such men. It is time
to exert a counteracting influence and the
sooner this is done, the easier and the bet
ter. The deterioration of the Indian char
acter is progressing, and will continue to
progress till it is checked. We mav be
lieve, from the character of Mr. Floyd’s
report, as well as for other reasons, that a
colony either large or small, would enjoy
the patronage and protection of our enlight
ened and liberal government; especially
if one great object of such a colony were
to improve and meliorate the condition of
the noble and generous, yet suffering na
tives. It would be as easy to communicate
with establishments here, as with the Sand
wich Islands; and the intercourse between
the two places, would be frequent, easy
and pleasant. What may be done among
Indians by proper management, has been
shown among our Floridian Indians. If
some Kingsbury would go and erect (lie
standard of Immanoel on the western
shores of America, we have reason to hope
that Immanuel himself would go with him,
and that many a proud Indian, who never
bowed his heart or his knee to God or
man, would follow the standard of the cross,
and humbly bow his heart and knee to the
law of Jesus. There is reason to hope, to
believe, that in a good old age, some second
Kingsbury, might fall asleep in the affec
tionate bosom of a Christian church on the
western shores of America. Yes, let us look
to God for help, and make some mighty ef
fort that the extent of Christianity in our
country, may become as broad and ns long
as the territory we possess.
Late Missionary Intelligence.
EGYPT.
Extract of a letter from the Rev. Pliny Fisk,
American Missionary at Palestine , on his
return from Egypt to Malta, —to the Edi
tor of the Boston Recorder.
(Concluded from our last.)
After dining in Capt. C’s. grotto we set
out at 3 P. M. for Cairo, where we arrived
at 6. It was in many respects pleasant and
profitable to have company in this excur
sion, but my ears were almost stunned with
profane language. The gentlemen who
were with me seemed to think it necessary
to swear at every breath. Ah ! when will
men of sense and education leave off a prac
tice so foolish and useless ?
The population of Cairo, is probably be
tween 2 and 300.000; though some suppose
it to be much greater. All Egypt is sup
posed to contain between 2 and 3 millions.
Among these there are a considerable num
ber of Copts, a few Jews, Armenians,
Greeks and Catholicks and Turks, but the
great body of the people are Arabs. Os
these there are several sorts, as the Bedow
ins or dwellers in tents, who live by their
flocks; the Mogrehbians or western people
whose ancestors came from the states of
Barbary; and the Fellahs descended from
the Saracens who conquered Egypt and
composing the great mass of peasants and
labouring people.
Under the government of Mahomed Ali
Pasha, Egypt is remarkably quiet, and good
order is maintained. The state of things
present a very pleasing contrast to what vvaß
taking place during the whole of the last
and the commencement of the present cen
tury. In many respects this Pasha certain
ly deserves a high reputation. True he is
not a man of education, but he is beyond
doubt, a man of good native talents; he has
learned to read and write since he became
Pasha, and be is a patron of learning and
wishes to introduce the arts and sciences of
Europe into his dominions. It i9 true that
he is a despot and a tyrant; the objects of
his government are the aggrandizement of
himself and the enriching of his favourites
aud courtiers, while the interest of the
poorer classes who compose almost the
whole number of his subjects, passes for
nothing; but it is better to be under one ty
rant than twenty; better for a country to suf
fer under the peaceable thoughsevere exac
tions of an arbitrary despot than to be dis
traded by continual bloody revolutions and
intestine wars. It is true that his publick
life has been marked by deeds of cruelty at
which humanity is shocked, and hissprivate
life is disgraced by vices such as cannot with
decency be named in a civilized country;
still his government has done much to in
troduce better order and better morals too,
among his subjects, than existed before the
country was subject to him. Then a trav
eller could scarcely pass through the coun
try in safety. Neibuhr who travelled
through Egypt about 60 years ago, says the
wandering Arabs often came near to Alex
andria and pillaged the country. He once
saw some hundreds of these robbers en
camped within a quarter of a league of the
city. He also witnessed a quarrel between
them and the citizens in which several were
killed. He speaks too of the Nile being
infested with pirates and robbers. When
Ali Bey was at Cairo, in 1806, though he
travelled as a Mussulman of high rank, yet
the country was so much infested with hos
tile Arabs that he was not able to visit the
Pyramids except as he looked at them from
a distance. To travel in Upper Egypt or
to attempt passing the dsserfs in any direc-
Price J f 3 ! 50 P r - ann - or* I
rrrte, f J3>(W jn advance
tion, was formerly dangerous. Now thro’
the good order introduced and maintained
by the present government, it would per-,
haps be difficult to find a country on earth
io which a peaceable, civil traveller, what
ever may be his object, his religion, coun
try or costume, can travel with greaier qui
etness and security than in Egypt. This 13
especially true of Europeans who are very
much favoured and encouraged by the Pa
sha. He is so far from being influenced by
a fanatick and intolerant spirit, that be read
ily employs Christians in places of profit and
honour, and is no doubt himself rather a
Deist than a Mussulman. When we con
sider the previous state of the country and
the effects of his government, as well as the
manner in which he was educated and the
general character of Turkish Pashas, we
may certainly pronounce him a distinguish
ed character. Would to God every part of
Turkey were under as good government.
If the same kind of government could be
continued, with such improvements as would
naturally be introduced, the best effects
might be anticipated. lam however sorry
10 say that many people in Egypt entertain
very strong apprehensions that the death of
Mahommed Ali will be the signal for car
nage and revolution. The history of Tur
key and all its dependencies for the past
century, gives strong ground to fear this. It
has sometimes happened, that a Pasha of
better talents and dispositions than the rest,
has succeeded in establisniug order through
bis province, and has commenced some im
provements for the good of his people. By
doing this he has generally excited the
jealousy of the Porte, and in conse uence
fallen a victim either pobiickly to its ar
mies or privately to its spies and assassins;
or at best his death lias left his province to
the violent and bloody contentions of differ
ent pai ties ami different chiefs, it is immi
nently dangerous fora Turk, of whatever
ran!;, to attempt any innovation or improve
ment. except it bf an increase of the trib
ute to those on whom he is dependent.
Since writing the above, 1 have been
reading a Compendium of Abdollatitf’s His
tory of Egypt; published in Arabick and
Latin, by J. White, who was Professor of
Arabick at Oxford. It contains some noti
ces of the places mentioned in my letter,
which may not be wholly uninteresting to
you. 1 will therefore give you an abstract
of some of the Author’s observations.
Prefixed to the work is a very brief “Life
of Abdollatiff ” He was a physician, born
in Bagdad in the year of the Hejra 537, i.
e. A. D. 1161. His father Joseph being a
learned man, took care that his son should
be instructed in all the learning of Bagdad,
which was then the seat of the Kahfs ot lhe
house of Abbas and the school of the arts
and sciences. Abdollatiff having lard a sol-*
id foundation not only by the study of Gram
mar, Rhetorick, Dialects, History, Poetry
and the other elegant and useful branches
of learning, but also the Koran and the dog
mas of the Mahommedan law, and especial
ly of the art of Medicine of which he was
to be Professor, began to travel in the year
of the Hejra 585. when he was 28 years
old. He went first to Mosula in Mesopota
mia, then to Damascus, Jerusalem, Acca,
(or Ptolemais) and fiually to Egypt. He
travelled not as modern travellers ofton <tn„
from curiosity, or amusement, but like the
ancient Philosophers, to visit the schools of
learning, and to learn in each city such
things as seemed to him most worthy of at
tention. Among the learned of Egypt
whom he was desirous to visit, was the cel
ebrated Jew, Moses Maimonides. After
ward he again visited Damascus and Jeru
salem, and then Berea in Greece, and ma
ny cities in Asia Minor, Armenia and Syria.
He died at Bagdad in the year of the Hejra
629, as he was going on a pilgrimage to
Mecca. He was twice in Egypt, and pub
lished a work containing his own travels in
that country, and what he could collect
from books and from other men on the sub
ject. This was called “ the Large Book.”
He afterwards published his owu observa
tions alone, and called this “the Little
Book, or the Compendium.” This is what
professor White republished with a Latin
translation, begun by Pocoke and finished
by himself.
Abdollatiff remarks that the Nile had
two peculiarities. One was its length,
there being no longer river known on earth.
Its origin was supposed to be in the moun
tains of the moon, in 11 degrees South, and
its mouth at Damietta,in3l 1-2 N. latitude,
making its course about 3000 miles, with
out any allowance for its windings, which
very much increase its length. The source
of the river is not now supposed to be so
far south ; but if the Niger is a branch of
the Nile, the whole length is considerably
greater. The other peculiarity is its an
nual inundation, beginning at midsummer,
and reaching its height about the autumnal
equinor. There is no account of raio fal
ling in upper Egypt. In lower Egypt they
have rain but by no means a sufficiency.
There is no spring in Egypt nor any river
except the Nile. Ilis description of the
Pyramids agrees for substance with that of
modern travellers. Os the two great Pyra
mids of Jeezah (or Gizah,) he says the base
was 400 cubits square and the height 400.
It is now found by actual admeasurement,
that the base, is greater and the height lees