Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 2 of 2]Weld, Isaac
History
Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 2 of 2]
Weld, Isaac
Canada -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; United States -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
The numbers of the Cachenonaga nation, in the village near La Chine, are
estimated at one hundred and fifty persons. The other Indian villages,
in the civilized parts of Lower Canada, are, one of the Canasadogas,
situated near the mouth of the Utawas River; one of the Little
Algonquins, near Trois Rivieres; one of the Aberachies, near Trois
Rivieres, at the opposite side of the river; and one of the Hurons, near
Quebec; but none of these villages are as large as that of the
Cachenonagas. The numbers of the Indians in the lower province have
diminished very fast of late years, as they have done in every other
part of the continent, where those of the white inhabitants have
increased; in the whole lower province, at present, it is thought that
there are not more than twelve hundred of them. Many of these Indians
are continually loitering about the large towns, in expectation of
getting spirits or bread, which they are extremely fond of, from the
inhabitants. No less than two hundred, that had come a great distance in
canoes, from the lower parts of the river St. Lawrence, were encamped on
Point Levi when we visited Quebec. These Indians, squalid and filthy in
the extreme, and going about the streets every day in large parties,
begging, presented a most melancholy picture of human nature; and
indeed, if a traveller never saw any of the North American Indians, but
the most decent of those who are in the habit of frequenting the large
towns of Lower Canada, he would not be led to entertain an opinion
greatly in their favour. The farther you ascend up the country, and
consequently the nearer you see the Indians to what they were in their
original state, before their manners were corrupted by intercourse with
the whites, the more do you find in their character and conduct
deserving of admiration.
[Sidenote: BRIGADE OF BATEAUX.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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