170 EEV. GEO. PATTEESOli ON THE BEOTHIKS 



the Eskimo on the extreme north and the powerful races to the south, and probably in 

 hostility with both. Impelled eastwardly, they at length reach the shores of the Atlantic 

 Here they meet tribes of the Algonkin race advancing, as all their traditions tell us, from 

 the south-west. Of these the Micmacs were the most northerly, and there is reason to 

 believe that here the two came into violent collision. When first met, in historic times, 

 that people were found carrying on war to New England on the south-west and to the 

 St. Lawrence on the north. Charlevoix tells us that they even pursued the Eskimo to 

 their haunts across it. The traditions of the Montagnais (see " Hind's Exploration in 

 Labrador ") tell abundantly of their contests with the Micmacs. Now, so far as known, 

 the former were on friendly terms, perhaps kindred and allied with the Beothiks. More- 

 over, according to the tradition of the Micmacs, they had driven out a previous race from 

 Nova Scotia. Of such conflicts we have probably the evidence in mounds, which have 

 been found to contain bones heaped together and bearing marks of violence. John G-yles, 

 in his account of his cai^tivity among the Indians on the St. John River, 1689-1698, I 

 believe Micmacs, certainly a tribe closely associated with them, after describing their fear 

 of the Mohawks, says : " They are called Maquas, a most ambitious, haughty and blood- 

 thirsty people, from whom the other Indians take their measures and manners and their 

 modes and changes of dress." I have already mentioned that the Micmacs called the Red 

 Indians Maquajic, which an Englishman would naturally translate the Maqu.as. We 

 cannot doubt that the reference is to the Beothiks, and the terms in which they arc 

 described simply expresses the hostile feelings entertained toward them and the fear 

 entertained of their powers. 



We regard, then, the Micmacs as the old enemies of the Beothiks, who were by them 

 driven from the continent to their final place of rest in Newfoundland. Sir Wm. Dawson 

 (" Fossil Men," p. 163) indeed tells us that they followed them thither. When, therefore, 

 the French established themselves on Newfoundland, and some Micmac families moved 

 over to reside there permanently, the collision with the B^^othiks that ensued we regard 

 as not originating with the French. The natural conclusion is that the latter were 

 drawn into it by their close alliance with the Micmacs, and that they here repeated the 

 mistake made by Oham^ilain, when, in association with the Algonkins, he made war upon 

 the vengeful Iroquois. 



Thus, to the poor Beothiks even this island beyond the sea, stretching so far toward 

 the old world, was to aflbrd no resting place for the sole of their feet. On the contrary, 

 they were here to meet foes more powerful and not more i^eaceful, furnished with more 

 deadly weapons, so that with Shanandithit, in 1829, the last of them passed away, leaving 

 neither name nor memorial on the earth. Such a total destruction of a people is almost 

 unparalleled. Other peoples have been cut off, but portions of them mixing with others 

 have perpetuated, if not their name, at least their blood, but to them might be applied the 

 lanjruasre of Loffan regarding himself: "There runs not the blood of a Beothik in the 

 veins of a single living creature." Nations have disappeared, but their material v\'orks or 

 their institutions remain as memorials of their genius or their power. But only a few 

 rude stone implements testify to the skill of this people. Other races haye had to see 

 themselves dispossessed of their territory, but the names remain, testifying on the face of 

 the country to the language of its former occupants, but not a storm swept headland on 



