CHAP. i. HABITS OF INDIANS ON THE COAST. 5 



young people become consumptive, the middle-aged 

 rheumatic, and death rapidly thins the ranks of this once 

 numerous and singularly interesting race. 



After much trouble we succeeded in procuring the 

 services of an Abenakis* and a Montagnais, at the rate of 

 one dollar a day each and their provisions. Neither of 

 these men knew the country beyond a point fifty miles 

 from the coast ; but they told us we should be sure to 

 meet with Montagnais, and probably also some Nasqua- 

 pees, descending the river from the far interior to see the 

 priest, according to an arrangement made with them two 

 years ago. 



* This tribe is represented in Canada by two villages the Abenakis of 

 St. Francis and the Abenakis of Befancour. They are sometimes called the 

 Abeuquois. The date of the deed assigning to them certain lands on the 

 St. Francis River, Lower Canada, is Aug. 1700. They number now 387 soiils 

 on the St. Francis, and 172 in the village of Be9ancour. Their hunting- 

 grounds formerly extended over a considerable part of New Brunswick, the 

 State of Maine, and the country drained by the St. Francis, in Lower Canada. 

 They are half civilised ; and most of them speak either the English or 

 French language, in addition to their native tongue. The Abenakis are 

 Algonquins, but their language differs so much from the Montagnais dialect, 

 that our Indian could not understand his companion, so as to carry on a 

 conversation. The word Abenakis is derived from Waban, 'it is morning,' 

 and ykhi, 'earth,' the whole signifying 'men of the morning,' or east. The 

 village and environs of the Abenakis of St. Francois, in 1821, contained 

 500 souls. In 1818 their church was burned, and they petitioned the 

 Legislature of Lower Canada for assistance in rebuilding it. Their 

 interpreter, J. B. D'Estimanville, gave evidence before the Committee of the 

 House, appointed to investigate the claim of the ABENAKIS, to the effect that 

 lie had resided among the tribe for twenty years, and had been their inter- 

 preter since 1804. Among their claims he mentioned the loyalty of this 

 people during the first American war ; their great influence over the other 

 Indians south of the River St. Lawrence, from Cape Breton to Missisquia 

 Bay, and over the CHAOTJANS and the nation of the WOLVES of Upper 

 Canada, in alliance with them. In 1637 the Abenakis ascended the St. 

 Lawrence as far as Three Rivers, to trade porcelain beads (wampum) with 

 the Algonquius, for beaver skins. In 1661 they were at war with the 

 Iroquois, whose conquests had extended to their hunting-grounds. 



