464 HYBRIDITY AND ABSORPTION 



to be "welcomed as an ethnical element in tlie young nations that are 

 supplanting them. But a merely savage stage is not necessarily an 

 evidence of incapacity or innate inferiority. The Maori of New 

 Zealand, with his traditional legends and poetry, is not -without 

 resemblance to the cruel but vigorous pagan Northman by whom the 

 half-civilized Anglo-Saxons were wasted, and then reinvigorated. 



It cannot but excite regret that any race with unmistakable apti- 

 tudes for civilization should iitterly perish. But we have either to 

 expatriate, exterminate, or absorb the races with which, in the pro- 

 gress of colonization, we ai'e thus brought in contact ; and the last- 

 named process will be accelerated by proceedings most consonant to 

 the interests of the race which we have now specially in view. The 

 Indian, under the care of his official Superintendent, is guarded 

 against the acquisition of an absolute personal right in his share of 

 the common reserve of his tribe, from the just apprehension that he 

 would speedily be ousted from it by some crafty land-speculator. 

 Yet such a state of pupilage must come to an end sometime or other; 

 and it is well that steps are already being taken which aim at such a 

 result. Free-trade in their own land may be beneficially introduced 

 among themselves, without at present allowing of its alienation from, 

 the tribe. The industrious provident Indian will thus acquire it, as 

 against his idle, improvident, or dissolute fellow-Indian. Still more, 

 the rising generation must be admitted as speedily as possible to passf 

 beyond the Indian pale into the general community. This can be best 

 done by apprenticing Indian boys to mechanical or other trades, for 

 which they show an aptitude. The Rev. J. Maurault, Roman Catholic 

 Missionary at St. Francis, — speaking of a tribe consisting entirely 

 of Half-breeds,— says : " Many suppose that our Indians are intellec- 

 tually weak and disqualified for business. This is a great mistake. 

 Certainly, as far as the Abenakis are concerned, they are nearly all 

 keen, subtle, and very intelligent. Let them obtain complete free- 

 dom, and this impression will soon disappear. Intercourse with the 

 "Whites will develop their talents for commerce. No doubt sonie of . 

 them would make an improper use of their liberty, but they would 

 be but few in number. Everywhere, and in all countries, men are to 

 be found, weak, purposeless, and unwilling to understand their own 

 interests ; but I can certify that the Abenakis generally are superior 

 in intelligence to the Canadians. I have remarked that nearly all 

 those who have left their native village to go and live elsewhere free, 



