The American Missionary — Volume 34, No. 10, October, 1880Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 34, No. 10, October, 1880
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
5th. Forty miles still further is Dunginess, a flourishing Indian
colony, named Jamestown, which is the centre of an Indian
population of about one hundred and forty. I generally visit them
twice a year. Six of our church members live here; they have a
small church built by themselves, a day school, and I also preach
to them sometimes. They sustain a weekly prayer meeting most of the
time, the only one in the county which has a white population of
over six hundred, and they likewise have the only church building
in this county, organized twenty-six years ago.
6th. Six miles from Jamestown is Sequim, a village of about forty
Indians, most of whom are aged and infirm. These are tributary to
Jamestown, sending their children to that school, some of whom
travel the whole distance twice each school day, and also on the
Sabbath.
7th. Between Port Gamble and Jamestown is Port Discovery, another
saw-mill town, where nearly forty Indians make their home, whom
I generally call to see on my journeys; but so much whisky is
sold near them that it has been almost impossible to stop their
drinking; they also live in a somewhat scattered condition, which
makes it difficult to make any permanent religious impression on
them.
8th. Once a year I calculate to go still farther; and twenty miles
beyond Jamestown is Port Angelos, with about thirty nominal Indian
residents. But few of them are settlers, and like those of Port
Discovery they are diminishing.
9th. Seven miles further is Elkwa, with about seventy Indians.
It has been the home of one of the most influential bands in
years past, but owing to the fact that there have been but few
white settlers from whom the Indians could obtain work, they
have hitherto done very little about cultivating the soil for
themselves; and as they could easily go across the straits to
Victoria in British Columbia, where there is but little restraint
in regard to their procuring whisky, because they are American
Indians, they have been steadily losing in influence and numbers.
Four families of them have “homesteaded” land, however, and others,
moved by their example and success, are taking the preparatory
steps to secure homes; but being scattered, and most of them back
from the water, as it is now impossible to homestead good land on
the beach, they will lose the benefits of school and church in a
great measure; but still the old way of herding together will be
broken up, and they will obtain more of their living from civilized
pursuits.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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