MISSIONARY. 



225 



who might regularly attend at the appointed 

 school-hours. The missionary informed me 

 that he had many scholars before the arrival of 

 the Catholic priest, but afterwards the numbers 

 were greatly diminished. He appeared, how- 

 ever, determined to persevere in his benevolent 

 and truly Christian labours, as he was supported 

 by the high authorities, was patronized, and 

 received pecuniary aid from the United States 

 government and the government of the State 

 of Maine. The Maine Missionary Society also 

 encouraged him, in the hope of preventing that 

 open opposition and direct influence which had 

 been shown against the establishment of an 

 English school among the Penobscot Indians. 

 His plan was, in affording instruction to the 

 children, to give to their parents implements 

 of husbandry, to encourage them in the culti- 

 vation of the soil ; and I saw an acre of wheat 

 which one of the chiefs had sown, on receiving 

 the above assistance, with seed corn, that pro- 

 mised to reward his active industry, by a 

 plentiful crop. These Indians, though located 

 within the boundary line of the United States, 

 have intercourse with those of the British pro- 

 vince of New Brunswick, and sometimes meet 

 them on the river Saint John, to smoke the 

 calumet, and brighten the chain of friendship. 



Q 



