161 
the Island of Nexa^oimdland. 
dians. All attempts hitherto to accomplish this object have 
been unsuccessful. The failure may, on very good grounds, be 
attributed to the interference of the Micmacs. The latter are 
jealous lest, if any intercourse were established with the English, 
the others should share in the fur trade. To prevent this, they 
take most effectual methods of impressing these timid creatures 
with a dread of their fire-arms, and of leading them to enter- 
- tain the same fears from the fire-arms of the English. 
The value of this piece of policy appears to be well under- 
stood by the Micmacs, and has been pursued unknown to the 
English. By a judicious management, however, the Micmacs 
might be made instrumental in bringing about the intercourse 
so much desired. As a first step towards it, it might not be 
improper for our Colonial Government to threaten in a man- 
ner suited to the occasion, such of the Micmacs as injure any 
of the other tribe, with severe punishment, and offer rewards to 
such of them as will interfere and bring about a friendly inter- 
course between the Red Indians and the English. 
The Red Indians are not numerous. Judging from the ex- 
tent of country which they inhabit, their number cannot exceed 
a few hundreds. They do not appear to go now farther south 
into the interior, than the vicinity of the Great Lake, the shores 
of which they inhabit, and which bears their name. They com- 
municate with the sea from this lake by Exploit River. 
It is a common report that the Micmacs plunder this tribe 
of their furs. There is no doubt that they frequent the Red 
Indian territory, and studiously conceal from the English the 
nature and object of such visits. 
The Micmacs say, among other things, of the Red Indians, 
tliat they catch deer in the pounds and kill them with spears, 
and that they dry great quantities of their flesh in autumn, as 
provision for winter. They also complain, that when they are 
encamped in the country of the Red Indians, the latter, during 
the night, steal their axek And they even affirm that this tribe 
are in the habit of devouring each other. 
I discovered no traces of them, although I was, by the ac- 
count of some Micmacs whom I met with hunting in the in- 
Jterior, at one time within twenty-five miles of their country. 
VOL. X. NO. 19. JAN. 18S4. L ± 
