THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 1 7 



EARLY INDIAN HISTORY. 



Read before the Hainilto7i Association Deceuiber ijth, 18^4. 

 BY DR. P. E. JONES. 



When, in 1524, just 370 years ago, the first settlers from France 

 laid the foundations of civilization in what is now this fair Dominion 

 of Canada, they expected to find the aboriginal inhabitants a mere 

 race of savages, meagre and starving wretches, whose constant exer- 

 tions were only employed in attempting to escape the famine with 

 which they, they supposed, were perpetually threatened. The dis- 

 coverers were therefore surprised to find a proud race of dignified 

 men, terrible in war and mild in peace, led by able warriors, states- 

 men and orators, capable of maintaining order without the restraints 

 of law, and uniting by the closest ties the members of the same band. 

 They found a wild but noble race, in peace, wandering over these 

 beautiful hills and dales, securing easily a subsistence from the 

 abundant game, or in their swift canoes gliding over these magnifi- 

 cent lakes and rivers, often meeting together as they now occasion- 

 ally do in Grand Council, when the assembled people would some- 

 times enliven the proceedings by dancing or athletic sports, giving 

 rise not seldom to merry peals of laughter. They were numerous, 

 powerful, wise and happy, and nothing but the weight of many years 

 bore them down to the grave. The Indian mother could then rear 

 a large family of healthy and happy children ; the Indian corn grew 

 tall and rank round their villages ; the old men made their feasts and 

 smoked their pipes ; the young men and women danced ; the medi- 

 cine men applied from nature's store such simple remedies as then 

 sufificed to drive away the grim monster Death. These were happy 

 days of sunshine and calm to the red sons of the forest. 



But in ivar these Frenchmen found them different. Instead of 

 the merry laugh the hills rang again with the fierce war-whoop, and 

 the merry dance was changed to the savage war-dance. The pipe of 



