[Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci., XI, No. 15, pp. 369 to 377, October 13, 1898.] 



SOME PASSAMAQUODDY D(3CUMENTS. 

 J. DvNFLFA' Prince. 



(Read April 25, 1898.) 



The Passamaquoddy Indians of Maine are members of the 

 Wabariaki or northea.stern group of the great Algonkin family 

 which in earHer times occupied territory extending from James' 

 Bay on the north to the Carolinas on the south. The IVa- 

 banaki tribes which still exist are (i) the St. Francis Indians, of 

 Canada, who are at present a small sept of mixed race resident 

 on the St. Francis river, near Quebec. These people, who call 

 themselves by the generic name Abnakl or Wabanaki^ are com- 

 posed of Wabanakis of various tribes from New Hampshire 

 and Massachusetts, of Sagadahoks, and of Norridgewoks,^ from 

 Maine. (2) The Penobscot Indians of Maine are very closely 

 allied both in race and language to the St. Francis tribe. (3) 

 The Passamaquoddies ^ of Maine are practically identical with 

 (4) the Maliseets (Milicetes) of New Brunswick. (5) Finally, 

 the Micmacs of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick constitute the 

 easternmost branch of the Wabaiiaki. 



The Passamaquoddies, like many other Indian tribes, have 

 an extensive oral literature, consisting of historical, mytholog- 

 ical and legal traditions, as well as many songs and recitations. 

 A great part of this material is preserved by means of a mne- 

 monic system of wampum shells arranged on strings in such a 

 manner as to suggest to the mind of the reciter certain sen- 

 tences of a tale already committed to memory."* 



In 1887, during a visit to Bar Harbor, Me,, I obtained from 

 Mr. Louis Mitchell, a Passamaquoddy Indian, who was at that 

 time Indian member of the Maine Legislature, some selections 

 from this oral material which he had committed to writing. 

 Undoubtedly, the most important of these, both from an his- 



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