98 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. II. 



THE BCEOTHICK INDIANS. 



By Alan Macdougall, M. Can. Soc. C. E. 



(Read i^tJi February, i8gi.) 



This powerful but peaceful nation has been completely destroyed by 

 the white man. The earliest notice of them is in Hackluyt's account of 

 the discovery of Newfoundland by Cabot in 1497, who says of them: 

 " The inhabitants of this island use the skins and furs of wild beasts for 

 garments which they hold in as high estimation as we do our finest 

 garments. In war they use bows and arrows, spears, darts, clubs and 

 slings." 



Hayes, who was second in command to Sir Humphrey Gilbert, about 

 1583, says, " the savages are altogether harmless." Capt. Richard Whit- 

 bourne, writing in 1622, describes them as "ingenious and tractable, full 

 of quick and lively apprehension, willing to assist the fishermen in curing 

 fish for a small hire." 



This race was cruelly exterminated by the French, who imported the 

 Mic-Macs from Nova Scotia to make war upon them. 



In 1769, the British government took an interest in the nation and 

 issued a proclamation prohibiting their being molested and killed. 

 Rewards were offered for the capture of an Indian; in 1804, a woman 

 was captured, treated kindly, loaded with presents and sent back to her 

 tribe, which she never reached ; a strong suspicion is entertained that 

 she was murdered by the man to whose care she was entrusted. 



In 1 8 10, Lieut. Buchan, R.N., was commissioned by the Governor, Sir 

 Thomas Duckworth, to discover and bring about friendly relations 

 with the Indians. He cruised up the bay of Exploits and at length 

 came on an encampment. He prevailed on two Indians to come on 

 board his vessel ; but to effect this, he had to leave two of his marines 

 with the Indians as hostages. His object in taking them on board was 

 to send back by them presents for the Indians. On his return to their 

 encampment he was horrified at finding the headless bodies of his men. 

 It is supposed the Indians got alarmed at the delay and feared he was 

 returning with reinforcements to capture them. The Indians had fled 

 from their camp after the murder ; the hostages escaped from Buchan 

 and were never again seen. 



In 1819, a party of furriers captured an Indian woman at Red Indian 



