E 99 
 .T8 D39 
 1904 
 
 iTLAKAHTLA 
 
 k . TRVE . NARRATIVE 
 
 :)F . THE . RED . MAN 
 
/ 
 
/fct> 
 
METLAKAHTLA 
 
DEDICATED TO 
 
 WILLIAM DUNCAN 
 
 THE 
 
 HEROIC FOUNDER 
 
 AND 
 
 PRESENT HEAD 
 
 OF THE 
 
 METLAKAHTLA SETTLEMENT 
 
METLAKAHTLA 
 
 A TRUE NARRATIVE 
 OF . THE . RED . MAN 
 
 •By GEORGE T. B. DAVI/ 
 
 Chicago : 
 THE RAM'S HORN COMPANY 
 
 )904 
 

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 ^aV 
 
 
 i(? 
 
 w'./- ^^'K 7 / 
 
METLAKAHTLA 
 
 By JULIA A. WILLIAMJ 
 
 MetlaRahtIa! beauteous isle, 
 
 On the broad Pacific's breast; 
 What hath God wrought? an holy calm 
 
 Where once was fierce unrest. 
 In the dense light of human hearts 
 
 A glorious Light hath shined — 
 A dazzling shaft from Calvary's cross 
 
 With love and mercy twined. 
 Slumber, to wake no more 
 
 Within that city's sea-girt wall, 
 The passions once untamed 
 
 That held our brethren there in thrall. 
 Metlakahtla! precious jewel 
 
 On the bosom of the sea, 
 God hath made thee what thou art, 
 
 Unto Him the glory be. 
 
COPYRIGHT 1904 BY GEO, T. B. DAVIS. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE VISIT OF THE WARSHIP. 
 
 T 
 
 ADMIRAL PREVOST. 
 
 H E British 
 warship H. 
 M. S. Vi- 
 rago was steam- 
 i n g north ward 
 through the Pa- 
 cific Ocean near 
 the southern 
 boundary of Alas- 
 ka. The steady 
 throb of the ship's 
 engines was the 
 only sound that 
 broke the stillness 
 of the beautiful 
 mountainous islands among which the ves- 
 sel was wending its way. 
 
 It was the year 1853, and several days 
 had passed since the ship had left Victoria, 
 five hundred miles southward. The war- 
 ship had kept close to the Canadian coast 
 throughout the journey and was now Hear- 
 ing Queen Charlotte Islands, where an 
 American schooner had recently been 
 plundered and destroyed by the savage In- 
 dian inhabitants. The warship had come 
 to punish the offenders. 
 The commander of the vessel. Captain 
 9 
 
10 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 J. C. Prevost, was a robust Englishman 
 of middle age, who was as thorough a 
 Christian as he was valiant a commander. 
 
 After anchoring in the bay a searching 
 investigation of several days was made, 
 but Captain Prevost was unable to fix the 
 guilt upon any particular tribe. Hence, he 
 assembled the various chiefs and gave 
 them stern warning of the power 
 of the white man, telling them how 
 easily his guns could thunder forth shot 
 and shell and destroy every vestige of the 
 village. In his own mind. Captain Prevost 
 believed that Edensaw, the head chief of 
 the Hydah tribes, was the guilty person, 
 but certain proof being lacking, he could 
 take no steps for his punishment. Before 
 leaving, however, he took one step, very 
 unusual, alas, among the commanders of 
 warships. Calling Edensaw to one side he 
 presented him with a copy of the New 
 Testament, on the fly-leaf of which was 
 written: 
 
 "From Captain Prevost, H. M. S. 'Satel- 
 lite,' trusting that the bread thus cast upon 
 the waters may be found after many days." 
 
 As the Captain handed the Indian chief the 
 volume, little did he dream of the beautiful 
 sequel to the action which would occur a 
 quarter of a century later. 
 
 After leaving Queen Charlotte Islands, 
 the ship kept her course northward for 
 nearly a hundred miles further until Fort 
 Simpson, a station of the Hudson Bay 
 
METLAKAHTLA ii 
 
 Company, was reached. This trading-post 
 was a heavily barricaded fort, surrounded 
 by a large body of fierce Tsimshean Indians. 
 So savage were these tribes that the in- 
 habitants of the fort had on certain occa- 
 sions kept sentinels on guard day and night 
 for weeks at a time for fear of an attack and 
 wholesale massacre. Captain Prevost's visit 
 to the fort was for the double purpose of 
 ascertaining whet'Hier all was well with the 
 garrison, and of making some needed re- 
 pairs to his vessel. 
 
 When the ship had dropped anchor the 
 Commander ordered a number of small 
 boats lowered and, surrounded by a heavy 
 guard of armed marines, he was rowed 
 ashore and the company marched to Fort 
 Simpson, several hundred yards distant. 
 As he passed through the long lines of 
 fierce-looking and painted Indians, Cap- 
 tain Prevost was struck at once by their fine 
 physique, but equally impressed by the de- 
 graded, savage, murderous appearance of 
 their faces. He was filled with compassion 
 for tbese ignorant children of the forest, 
 who knew naught of love or peace, or true 
 joy, but whose lives from the cradle to the 
 grave were filled with fear and cruelty, and 
 hate, and murder. At this time no protes- 
 tant missionary had ever come into the 
 Northland to tell the red men of the mes- 
 sage from God contained in the Bible, and 
 the only religion they knew was the Devil 
 Worship taught by the cruel medicine men. 
 
12 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 Arriving at the Fort, Captain Prevost re- 
 ceived a hearty welcome from the garrison, 
 for they thought the presence of the war- 
 ship would have a salutary effect upon the 
 red men. For a number of days the ship 
 remained there undergoing repairs, the 
 Captain meanwhile improving the time in 
 studying the wild, untamed children of the 
 forest. The more he saw of their nature, 
 bold and defiant even in the face of immi- 
 nent destruction, the more deeply was the 
 conviction borne in upon his soul that what 
 was needed to permanently restrain the In- 
 dians from murder and pillage, was not the 
 presence of a warship, but of a missionary 
 of the Gospel. He believed that the glad 
 tidings of salvation could transform even 
 these sad, warlike savages into happy, 
 peaceful Christians and citizens, and a 
 great desire sprang up in his heart to be 
 himself the means of giving them the light. 
 
 The repairs completed, Captain Prevost 
 ordered the vessel southward to Victoria, 
 and during the following weeks and months, 
 he went here and there in the North Pa- 
 cific waters, quelling an Indian uprising in 
 one place, settling an international dispute 
 in another, and in general preserving the 
 status quo in that far-ofT region. 
 
 But during all that time he did not forget 
 the sad, dusky faces of the Tsimshean In- 
 dians at Fort Simpson. His desire to up- 
 lift them and enlighten their eyes that they 
 
METLAKAHTLA 13 
 
 might see the true glory of life, grew rather 
 than lessened with the passing months. 
 
 At length, in 1856, Captain Prevost was 
 summoned to England for a conference with 
 the officials of the English navy. While in 
 London awaiting assignment to a new com- 
 mand the Captain attended an anniversary 
 meeting of a leading missionary organiza- 
 tion. Here he met Rev. Joseph Ridgeway, 
 an official of the Church Missionary So- 
 ciety, and to him he poured out the desire 
 of his heart concerning the Indians at Fort 
 Simpson. Mr. Ridgeway was impressed by 
 the graphic picture of the needs of the red 
 men of the Northland, but declared there 
 was no money in the treasury of the so- 
 ciety to equip a missionary and send him 
 out to that far distant region. However, 
 he invited Captain Prevost to write an ar- 
 ticle on the land and the people of the 
 North Pacific coast of America for their 
 periodical. The Church Missionary Intelli- 
 gencer. The Captain gladly accepted the 
 offer and wrote an able article giving the 
 history of the country, describing its soil, 
 climate and products, and showing what a 
 promising field was open to the missionary. 
 He said in part: 
 
 "It is difficult to ascertain, with any de- 
 gree of accuracy, the total number of the 
 native population; a mean, however, be- 
 tween the highest and lowest estimates, 
 gives 60,000, a result probably not far from 
 the truth. It is a fact, well calculated to 
 
14 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 arrest the attention, and to enlist in behalf 
 of the proposed Mission the active sympa- 
 thies of every sincere Christian, that this 
 vast number of our fellow-subjects have re- 
 mained in a state of heathen darkness and 
 complete barbarism ever since the discovery 
 and partial surveys of their coast by Van- 
 couver in 1792-1794; and that no effort has 
 yet been made for their moral or spiritual 
 improvement, although, during the last 
 forty years a most lucrative trade has been 
 carried on with them by our fellow country- 
 men. We would most earnestly call upon 
 all who have themselves learned to value 
 the blessings of the Gospel, to assist in 
 rolling away this reproach. The field is a 
 most promising one. Some naval officers, 
 who, in the discharge of their professional 
 duties, have lately visited these regions, 
 have been most favorably impressed with 
 the highly intelligent character of the na- 
 tives; and, struck by their manly bearing, 
 and a physical appearance fully equal to 
 that of the English, Whom they also re- 
 semble in the fairness of their complexion; 
 and having their compassion excited by 
 their total destitution of Christian and 
 moral instruction, they feel it to be their 
 duty to endeavor to introduce among them 
 the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ, un- 
 der the conviction that it would prove the 
 surest and most fruitful source of social 
 improvement and civilization, as well as of 
 spiritual blessings, infinitely more valuable. 
 
METLAKAHTLA 15 
 
 and would be found the only effectual anti- 
 dote to the contaminating vices which a 
 rapidly increasing trade, especially with 
 California and Oregon, is bringing in its 
 train." 
 
 The plea of the Christian Captain met 
 with a quick response. Among the gifts 
 received by the missionary society soon 
 afterward was one of $2,500, given by "Two 
 Friends" for the work among the red men 
 described by Captain Prevost. 
 
 In spite, however, of this gift the society 
 hesitated to act. They had the money, but 
 where was a suitable man to send. Thus, 
 two or three months passed, when Captain 
 Prevost came to them with the announce- 
 ment that he had been re-appointed to his 
 former naval station on the North Pacific 
 coast, and was to leave almost immediate- 
 ly in command of the warship Satellite. 
 Further, by the sanction of the Admiralty, 
 he was enabled to ofifer a free passage in 
 his ship to whatever missionary they might 
 choose to send to the Fort Simpson In- 
 dians. 
 
 Eleven days before the Satellite was to 
 sail on her journey to the other side of 
 the globe this was the situation: Thousands 
 of Indians at Fort Simpson needing the 
 Gospel; $2,500.00 in the bank to send out a 
 missionary; a warship ready to transport 
 the messenger of peace; and yet the com- 
 mittee unable to find the rigbt man for this 
 important missionary undertaking. 
 
i6 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 Could they find a man and could he get 
 ready to embark in the short time remain- 
 ing, was the problem that confronted the 
 society. On the tenth day before the war- 
 ship was ready to leave England, a young 
 man then attending a missionary training 
 school was suggested and his name ap- 
 proved by the committee. 
 
 Who he was, how he boarded the warship 
 a few hours before its departure, and his 
 strange and perilous experiences among the 
 red men of America, in his eflforts to win 
 them to Christ, will be related as our story 
 proceeds. 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 ^m K^ ' 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 INDIAN BOYS OF METLAKAHTLA. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 THE ARRIVAL AMONG RED MEN. 
 
 THE young 
 man chosen 
 by the com- 
 mittee for the haz- 
 ardous mission to 
 the American In- 
 dians was a student 
 in the Highbury 
 Training College in 
 London named 
 William Duncan. 
 On the eighth day 
 before the ship was 
 to sail, Dr. Alford, 
 the principal, called young Duncan into 
 his study and, pointing to the north 
 coast of America, asked whether he would 
 volunteer to go there as a missionary to 
 the Indians. The young man declared he 
 had no objections whatever; that he was 
 glad to go to whatever place the Society 
 should assign him. Dr. Alford then in- 
 formed him that he had been selected for 
 the undertaking, that a free passage on the 
 warship Satellite had been ofTered, and that 
 he had only eight days in which to prepare 
 his outfit, bid farewell to his relatives, and 
 reach the ship at Plymouth. 
 
 WM. DUNCAN. 
 
i8 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 The young man at once set about in haste 
 making the needed preparations for his 
 journey to the other side of the globe, 
 from which it was quite possible he would 
 never return. Just here, as he is earnestly 
 striving to take advantage of the generous 
 ofifer of Captain Prevost. let us glance at 
 his previous life and see how he came to 
 offer himself as a missionary to the heathen. 
 
 William Duncan was born in 1831, his 
 early life being spent in Beverly, Yorkshire. 
 While in his teens he entered the employ of 
 a wholesale house, and showed such pro- 
 ficiency that in a few years he became clerk 
 and traveling salesman. He was a member 
 of the Church of England, and one evening, 
 in company with another young man, his 
 chum, attended a quarterly missionary 
 meeting. It was a rainy nig"!!! and there 
 were only a few people present. Never- 
 theless, the speaker delivered an earnest 
 address upon the condition of the mission- 
 ary world at that time. He declared there 
 were regions that sorely needed mission- 
 aries; that there were funds in hand to 
 send out workers, but the men and women 
 to go were lacking. These words made a 
 deep impression upon the mind of young 
 Duncan. He asked himself why he should 
 not go, and decided that he would if an 
 opportunity offered. The first person to 
 whom he spoke on the subject was the 
 bosom friend with whom he had attended 
 the meeting. He suggested that they both 
 
METLAKAHTLA 19 
 
 offer themselves for the work, and the 
 friend consented. But, upon the young 
 man's suggesting the plan to his mother, 
 she declared his going would be her death- 
 blow, and he reluctantly relinquished the 
 idea. 
 
 Young Duncan, however, was not daunt- 
 ed by his friend's turning back, and told his 
 pastor, Rev. Mr. Carr, of his newly formed 
 desire. What was his surprise when Mr. 
 Carr turned to him and said: "William, 
 while we were listening to that address I 
 thought of you and prayed in my heart that 
 God would lead you to take up that work." 
 
 The minister wrote at once to the 
 Church Missionary Society recommending 
 William, and the result was that he was 
 accepted as a missionary candidate and 
 nominated to attend the Highbury Train- 
 ing School. 
 
 When William went to announce his res- 
 ignation to the two men at the head of the 
 wholesale firm he encountered strong op- 
 position to his going. He was a valuable 
 young man and they wished to keep him 
 in their employ. One of the firm said that 
 not only did he regret Duncan's leaving 
 but that William himself would also regret 
 it. The other partner said he thought the 
 missionary cause would be better served 
 by bringing natives from heathen lands to 
 England and then sending them back in- 
 stead of sending out missionaries to be 
 killed. Their opposition did not alter young 
 
20 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 Duncan's resolution in the least, but to 
 do the fair thing he offered to remain for 
 six months longer, until they could secure 
 a suitable man as his successor. 
 
 At the expiration of the allotted time he 
 resigned his business duties, and entered 
 Highbury College with what result we have 
 noted above. 
 
 The Satellite was to leave Plymouth on 
 Tuesday. On Monday evening the young 
 man had Succeeded in visiting his nearest 
 relatives to bid them a hasty good-by, had 
 bade farewell to the officials of the Church 
 Missionary Society and had secured the 
 needed outfit for the long journey. At 8 
 p. m. he left Paddington Station, London, 
 accompanied by Dr. Alford, and reached 
 Plymouth at 6 a. m. Tuesday morning. To- 
 gether they went aboard the man-of-war, 
 Satellite, where the doctor remained some 
 hours giving final advice and encourage- 
 ment to the young man, twenty-six years of 
 age, who was about to depart on such an 
 important mission. At 2 p. m., on the 22d 
 of December, 1856, the ship steamed out 
 of the harbor, and put to sea for a voyage 
 of nearly twenty thousand miles around 
 Cape Horn to the naval station at Victoria. 
 
 As he stands on the deck of the wars'hip, 
 taking a last look at the receding shore of 
 England, let us inspect more closely the ap- 
 pearance and character of this brave young 
 man who is starting on a heroic yet ex- 
 tremely hazardous enterprise to the other 
 
METLAKAHTLA 
 
 21 
 
 side of the globe. He is of medium height, 
 but firmly and strongly built, with every 
 muscle instinct with life and energy. His 
 
 CLAH, FROM WHOM MR. DUNCAN LEARNED 
 THE INDIAN LANGUAGE 
 
 face is beardless; his eyes large, blue, hon- 
 est and fearless. His whole countenance 
 and posture indicate a young man of strong 
 
22 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 resolution and iron will. He is an idealist, 
 but he has the force of character necessary 
 to transmute his dreams into realities in 
 the face of obstacles however difficult. Like 
 Paul, the greatest missionary, he is not a 
 man to shun dangers and perils by land or 
 sea, but rather to exult in them, if thereby 
 he can win men from darkness to light; 
 and many are the perilous experiences 
 through which young Duncan is destined 
 to pass ere he again sees the shores of his 
 native land. 
 
 In rounding the Cape terrific storms were 
 encountered by the Satellite and on more 
 than one occasion it was feared the ship 
 would sink. But finally the dangerous re- 
 gions were passed and on the 27th of June, 
 1857, after a voyage of over six months, 
 Victoria was safely reached. 
 
 On landing, the officials of the power- 
 ful Hudson Bay Company informed Mr. 
 Duncan that the Society had made an error 
 in appointing him to Fort Simpson, over 
 five hundred miles north of Victoria, as the 
 Indians in that country were in a most 
 barbarous condition, and the officials of the 
 company could not be responsible for his 
 safety. They advised him to work among 
 the Indians around Victoria, where he could 
 be afforded ample protection. Sir James 
 Douglass was then governor both of Van- 
 couver Island and of the Hudson Bay 
 Company in that vicinity. Shortly after 
 the arrival he and Captain Prevost walked 
 
METLAKAHTLA 23 
 
 with Mr. Duncan to tbe home of Rev. E. 
 Cric/ge of Victoria, discussing the matter. 
 Sir James plainly gave the Captain to un- 
 derstand that he and others objected to 
 Mr, Duncan's proceeding northward. But 
 the Captain scouted the idea of his not go- 
 ing forward and declared that if the com- 
 pany refused to let Mr. Duncan proceed 
 to Fort Simpson that he would carry him 
 back to England on his ship. 
 
 At this point the governor turned to 
 Mr. Duncan and said: "As you are the 
 most interested party I would like to see 
 you in private on the subject. Please come 
 and take dinner with me this evening." 
 After dinner the Governor appeared in a 
 more conciliatory frame of mind and after 
 stating his fears that his life would be taken, 
 said: "Do you still persist in wishing to go 
 northward?" 
 
 Mr. Duncan replied: "I cannot possibly 
 entertain any change in my plans. I have 
 been assigned to Fort Simpson, and can- 
 not work elsewhere without first consulting 
 with the Society in London which would 
 take a year'c time. If you will permit me 
 to go, all I will ask of you and the Hudson 
 Bay Company is that I be given the pro- 
 tection of the Fort until I can speak the na- 
 tive language. Then I will take the risk 
 of going out among the Indians without in- 
 volving the Company in any further re- 
 sponsibility." 
 
 Sir James then very kindly said: "You 
 
24 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 shall go and I will give instructions to the 
 Fort to treat you as one of the officers. 
 The only condition being that you do not 
 call the Indians within the Fort for any 
 meeting." 
 
 Mr. Duncan was now ready to proceed at 
 once to the northland. But for the follow- 
 ing three months he was compelled to re- 
 main in Victoria, as a steamer only went 
 to the Fort twice yearly: once in the Spring 
 and again in the Autumn. 
 
 In the latter part of September he em- 
 barked for the final journey of five hundred 
 miles. One of the ports where the ship 
 called was Fort Rupert, where there was a 
 settlement of one thousand Indians, and 
 there Mr. Duncan caught his first glimpse 
 of the savage, ferocious character of the 
 northern tribes. It was a sight dreadful 
 enough to make the heart of any save the 
 most heroic missionary quake with fear. 
 Scattered about on the beach lay the dead 
 and mangled bodies of a band of Hydah 
 Indians who had stopped there on a jour- 
 ney homeward a few days previous, and had 
 been attacked and the bodies hacked to 
 pieces by the resident tribes. All but two 
 of the party had been killed and those were 
 held as prisoners. 
 
 The arrival at Fort Simpson occurred at 
 night when it was so dark one could not 
 see his hand before him. Soon their com- 
 ing was heralded throughout the Indian 
 camp, and in a few moments the beach was 
 
METLAKAHTLA 25 
 
 alive with excited figures running hither 
 and thitlier waving fire-brands of welcome. 
 
 The following day Mr. Duncan examined 
 the Fort and found it consisted of dwell- 
 ings, and warehouses, trading stores and 
 workshops enclosed within a stockade one 
 hundred yards square. The palisade was 
 very solid, being built of heavy tree trunks 
 sunk into the ground and projecting about 
 twenty feet upward. At the corners were 
 wooden bastions, mounted with cannon. On 
 the inside 01 the stockade near the top a 
 platform or gallery had been constructed 
 from which one could view the surrounding 
 country, or fire at an enemy, and on which 
 the garrison was accustomed to take daily 
 exercise. The entire garrison numbered 
 scarcely more than twenty persons, while 
 two or three thousand Tsimshean Indians 
 lived nearby. Hence the greatest caution 
 had to be constantly exercised for fear of 
 a wholesale massacre. For this reason 
 more than two or three Indians were never 
 admitted into the Fort at one time. 
 
 Immediately, Mr. Duncan set about to 
 find an Indian from whom he could learn 
 the Tsimshean language. He selected Clah, 
 who had access to the Fort, but who was 
 unable to speak English, and began with- 
 out delay. 
 
 The evening following his arrival at the 
 Fort Mr. Duncan beheld with his own eyes 
 the awful fact that the Indians he had come 
 so many thousand miles to win to Christ 
 
26 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 were not only savages, but in a sense can- 
 nibals! In the twilight he was walking on 
 the gallery of the Fort when he saw a 
 slave woman murdered on the beach at the 
 command of a chief and the body thrown 
 into the water. Presently two parties of 
 Indians approached the spot, each headed 
 by a naked medicine man, who performed 
 wild and weird motions and gave forth hor- 
 rible guttural sounds, and in every way en- 
 deavored to work the minds of their follow- 
 ers into an hysterical, devilish condition. 
 On reaching the body it was torn to pieces 
 by the teeth of the beastly, demoniacal 
 red men. 
 
 Within a week another significant event 
 occurred, calculated to inspire fear and dis- 
 couragement in the soul of any save a mis- 
 sionary whose heart was aflame with love 
 and who did not count his life dear, pro- 
 vided he could follow in the footsteps of 
 his Master. In the near vicinity of Fort 
 Simpson there were located nine tribes of 
 Tsimshean Indians. Each tribe had its 
 own chief, but a famous medicine man 
 named Legaic was the head chief of all 
 the tribes of the Tsimshean nation. Legaic 
 was several times a murderer and one of the 
 most desperate and wicked Indians on the 
 North Pacific Coast. A few days after Mr. 
 Duncan's arrival he h.ad, while partly in- 
 toxicated, been holding a conference with 
 some subordinate chiefs. Their words had 
 angered him, and he departed from the 
 
METLAKAHTLA 
 
 27 
 
 mcieting in an irritable mood. Meeting a 
 strange Indian from a neighboring tribe 
 within a few hundred feet of the Fort, he 
 shot him down in cold blood, simply be- 
 cause he was feeling disgruntled. Then with 
 Satanic indifference, he ordered two of his 
 men to go and fire two more shots into the 
 helpless, wounded Indian. An ofTficer of 
 the Fort, walking on the gallery, had wit- 
 nessed the chief's devilish deed, and Mr. 
 Duncan himself saw the last shots fired by 
 the subordinates. 
 
 Was Mr. Duncan discouraged by this 
 appalling outburst of savagery? Not at all. 
 But it was well that he did not know what 
 the future held in store for him not many 
 months distant in connection with this 
 same Legale. 
 
 THE GENERAL STORE AT METLAKAHTLA 
 AND MR. DUNCAN'S OFFICE 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 RESCUED BY PROVIDENCE. 
 
 W 
 
 ITH the 
 a s s i st- 
 ance of 
 Clah, who became 
 warmly attached 
 to him, Mr. Dun- 
 can made rapid 
 progress in learn- 
 ing the Tsimshean 
 lang u a g e. His 
 method was as 
 follows: Selecting 
 fifteen hundred of 
 the commonest 
 English words 
 from the diction- 
 ary he sought to 
 discover from Clah the Tsimshean equiva- 
 lents for them. Many were the difficult and 
 often amusing experiences which occurred 
 in this attempt to formulate and put down 
 in order for the first time the native tongue 
 of the Indians. By patient and oft-repeated 
 signs he finally wrote phonetically in Eng- 
 lish 1,500 words and 1,100 short sentences. 
 Early in the year 1858, not long after Mr, 
 Duncan's arrival at the Fort, he received a 
 28 
 
 PAUL LEGAIC 
 
 WHO ATTEMPTED TO TAKE 
 MR. DUNCAN'S LIFE. 
 
METLAKAHTLA 29 
 
 significant visit from one of the Tsimshean 
 Indians. 
 
 The native said to him: "What do you 
 mean by 1858?" 
 
 Mr. Duncan informed him that 1858 rep- 
 resented the number of years that had pass- 
 ed since Christ came to earth with the mes- 
 sage of salvation. 
 
 The Indian then said: "Why didn't you 
 tell us of this before? Why were not our 
 fore-fathers told this?" 
 
 To this pertinent and accusing query Mr, 
 Duncan could make no reply, for he real- 
 ized anew the guilt of the church in taking 
 its ease for so many centuries while thou- 
 sands and millions of men and women and 
 children, red and yellow and black, were 
 perishing without the Gospel. 
 
 The Indian then asked: "Have you got 
 the Word of God?" 
 
 Translated into English the Indian's 
 query meant: "Have you got a letter from 
 God?" Hence Mr. Duncan answered: 
 "Yes, I have God's letter." 
 
 "I want to see it," said the native. 
 
 Mr. Duncan went to get his Bible, glad 
 of an opportunity to impress upon the In- 
 dian mind the fact that he had brought a 
 message, not from any human being, but 
 from the King of Kings, the God of Heav- 
 en. It had been rumored throughout the 
 Indian camp that the white missionary had 
 a message from God and this man was 
 eager to see it and confirm the report. 
 
30 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 When Mr. Duncan brought the Bible to 
 him he asked: "Is this the Word?" 
 
 "Yes," said Mr. Duncan, "it is." 
 
 "The Word from God?" 
 
 "It is." 
 
 "Has He sent it to us?" 
 
 "He has, just as much as He has to me," 
 repHed Mr. Duncan. 
 
 "Are you going to tell the Indians that?" 
 he asked. 
 
 "I am." 
 
 "Good, that is very good," he said, and 
 departed to spread the good news through- 
 out the camp. 
 
 It was not until the summer of 1858, after 
 a period of eight months of diligent study 
 of the language, that Mr. Duncan ventured 
 to formally address the Indians in their na- 
 tive tongue. During the winter, however, 
 he frequently visited among them, endeav- 
 oring to prepare the way for the presenta- 
 tion of his formal message in Tsimshean, 
 To the Church Missionary Society in Lon- 
 don Mr. Duncan wrote a vivid letter, de- 
 scribing his first general visit among the na- 
 tives. Part of it read as follows: 
 
 "It would be impossible for me to give a 
 full description of this, my first general 
 visit, for the scenes were too exciting and 
 too crowded to admit of it. I confess that 
 cluster after cluster of these half-naked sav- 
 ages round their camp-fires was, to my un- 
 accustomed eyes, very alarming. But the 
 reception I met with was truly wonderful 
 
METLAKAHTLA 31 
 
 and encouraging. On entering a house 1 
 was saluted by one, two or three of the 
 principal persons with 'Clah-how-yah,' 
 which is the complimentary term used in 
 the trading jargon. This would be repeat- 
 ed several times. Then a general move- 
 ment and a squatting ensued, followed by a 
 breathless silence, during which every eye 
 was fixed upon me. After a time several 
 would begin nodding and smiling, at the 
 same time reiterating in a low tone, 'Ahm, 
 ahm, ah ket, ahm, Shimauget' (good, kind 
 person, good chief.) 
 
 'Tn some houses they would not be con- 
 tent until I took the chief place near the 
 fire, and they always placed a mat upon a 
 box for me to sit upon. My inquiries after 
 the sick w-ere always followed by anxious 
 looks and deep sighs. A kind of solemn 
 awe would spread itself at once," 
 
 In the course of his visits among the 
 people Mr. Duncan carefully noted the re- 
 ligious ideas which the Indians had held 
 in their savage condition. As the result of 
 his observations he found the following pe- 
 culiar beliefs held sway over their minds 
 and hearts, and doubtless had done so for 
 ages past: 
 
 "The idea they entertain of God is that 
 He is a great Chief. They call Him by the 
 same term as they do their chiefs, only add- 
 ing the word for above: thus, 'shimauget' is 
 chief and 'lakkah' above; and hence the 
 name of God with them is Shimauget Lak- 
 
32 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 Kah. They believe that the Supreme Be- 
 ing never dies; that He takes great notice 
 of what is going on amongst men, and is 
 frequently angry and punishes offenders. 
 They do not know who is the author of the 
 universe, nor do they expect that God is the 
 author of their own being. They have no 
 fixed ideas about these things, I fully be- 
 lieve; still they frequently appeal to God 
 in trouble; they ask for pity and deliver- 
 ance. In great extremities of sickness they 
 address God, saying it is not good for them 
 to die." 
 
 With these hazy feelings of a divine Ruler 
 of the world, the Indians "felt after God, if 
 haply they might find Him." But those 
 faint glimmerings of religion did not con- 
 stitute the Gospel, and in what a sad condi- 
 tion they had left the red men of the forest, 
 for lo, these many centuries! 
 
 On the 13th of June, 1858, Mr. Duncan 
 delivered his first formal message to the 
 Tsimsheans in their native speech. De- 
 scribing the memorable occasion in his 
 journal, he wrote: 
 
 "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all 
 creation join in chorus to bless His Holy 
 Name. True to His word, *He giveth 
 power to the faint, and to them that have 
 no might He increaseth strength.' Bless 
 forever His Holy Name! 
 
 "Last week I finished translating my first 
 address for the Indians. Although it was 
 not entirely to my satisfaction, I felt it 
 
34 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 would be wrong to withhold the message 
 any longer. Accordingly, I sent word last 
 night (not being ready before) to the chiefs, 
 desiring to use their houses today to ad- 
 dress their people in. This morning I set 
 ofT, accompanied by the young Indian 
 (Clah) whom I have had occasionally to as- 
 sist me in the language. In a few minutes 
 we arrived at the first chief's house, which 
 I found all prepared, and we mustered 
 about one hundred souls. This was the 
 first assembly of Indians I had met. My 
 heart quailed greatly before the work — a 
 people for the first time come to hear the 
 Gospel tidings, and I, the poor instrument, 
 to address them in a tongue so new and 
 different to me. Oh, those moments! I 
 began to think that after all I should be 
 obliged to get Clah to speak to them, while 
 I read to them from a paper in my hand. 
 Blessed be God, this lame resolution was 
 not carried. My Indian was so unnerved at 
 my proposal that I quickly saw I must do 
 the best I could by myself, or worse would 
 come of it. I then told them to shut the 
 door. The Lord strengthened me. I knelt 
 down to crave God's blessing, and after- 
 wards I gave them the address. They were 
 all remarkably attentive. At the conclu- 
 sion I desired them to kneel down. They 
 immediately complied, and I offered up 
 prayer for them in English. They preserved 
 great silence. All being done, I bade them 
 good-by. They all responded with seeming 
 
METLAKAHTLA 35 
 
 thankfulness. On leaving, I asked my In- 
 dian if they understood me, and oi*e of the 
 chief women very seriously replied, 'Nee, 
 nee,' (yes); and he (Clah) assured me that 
 from their looks he knew that they under- 
 stood and felt it to be good. 
 
 "We then went to the next chief's house, 
 where we found all ready, a canoe-sail 
 spread for me to stand on, and a mat placed 
 on a box for me to sit upon. About 150 
 souls assembled, and as there were a few 
 of the Fort people present I first gave them 
 a short address in English, and then the 
 one in Tsimshean. All knelt in prayer, and 
 were very attentive as at the other place. 
 This is the head chief's house. He is a 
 very wicked man, but he was present, and 
 admonished the people to behave them- 
 selves during my stay. 
 
 "After this I went in succession to the 
 other seven tribes, and addressed them in 
 the chiefs' houses. In each case I found 
 the chief very kind and attentive in pre- 
 paring his house and assembling his people. 
 The smallest company I addressed was 
 about fifty souls, and the largest about 200. 
 Their obedience to my request about kneel- 
 ing was universal, but in the house where 
 there were over 200 some confusion took 
 place, as they were sitting so close. How- 
 ever, when they heard me begin to pray, 
 they were instantly quiet. Thus the Lord 
 helped me through. About 800 or 900 souls 
 in all have heard me speak; and the greater 
 
36 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 number of them, I feel certain, have under- 
 stood the message. May the Lord make 
 it the beginning of great good for this piti- 
 able and long-lost people." 
 
 Mr. Duncan's next endeavor was to es- 
 tablish a school where instruction would be 
 given in both secular and spiritual things. 
 What was his surprise and delight when the 
 notorious head-chief Legale ofifered his 
 large house in which to conduct it for a 
 time. About two weeks later it was opened 
 with an attendance of twenty-six children in 
 the forenoon and fourteen or fifteen adults 
 in the afternoon. Everything went happily 
 for a few weeks, until Legale and his wife 
 departed on a fishing expedition, and the 
 house was closed. 
 
 The school was such a success, however, 
 and was proving such an effective means of 
 attracting the Indians, that Mr. Duncan set 
 about building a school-house at once. Late 
 in the autumn it was completed and on the 
 19th of November, the opening day of 
 school, there was registered an enrollment 
 of one hundred and forty children and fifty 
 adults. As the days and weeks passed the 
 'nterest grew rather than lessened and the 
 Gospel teaching was making rapid inroads 
 upon the heathen ideas and customs. 
 
 There was one class of men amongst the 
 Indians to whom the teaching was doubly 
 displeasing; namely, the medicine men. 
 They were the high' priests of the heathen 
 religion, and the spread of knowledge and 
 
METLAKAHTLA 37 
 
 the Gospel meant the deathblow to their 
 calling and the position of honor in which 
 they were now held. Four chiefs had al- 
 ready abandoned their medicine practices 
 and were giving earnest heed to Mr. Dun- 
 can's instruction. 
 
 As the month of December progressed 
 the season drew near for the holding of the 
 annual medicine rites and ceremonies, which 
 were attended by large numbers of visi- 
 tors from other tribes and were marked by 
 devilish abominations and much debauchery. 
 Legale and other leading medicine men held 
 a conference and sent notice to Mr. Duncan 
 through the manager of the Fort that he 
 must close the school for four weeks while 
 the medicine work was in progress. He 
 declared that such a course was impossible. 
 A little later he received word that the 
 chiefs would be content provided the school 
 was closed for two weeks — and that after- 
 ward they would all come to be instructed 
 — while if he did not comply with their re- 
 quest, the pupils would be shot as they came 
 to school. Mr. Duncan knew that his own 
 life as well as that of the scholars would be 
 in danger if he refused, but his duty in the 
 matter was perfectly plain. Like Daniel 
 of old he determined to do right whether 
 he lived or died. He returned answer that 
 he could not close the school a single day 
 in deference to their heathen abominations; 
 that Satan had ruled there long enough and 
 it was time his rule should be disturbed. 
 
38 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 A few days later, on the 20th of Decem- 
 ber, as the children were assembling for the 
 afternoon session of the school, Mr. Duncan 
 looked out of the door and saw Legaic ap- 
 proaching, followed by a motley crowd of 
 medicine men dressed in their fantastic 
 garb. When they reached the building, Le- 
 gaic shouted at "the top of his voice to the 
 few children who had just come in, order- 
 ing them to hurry home at once. He then 
 entered the room, followed by seven or 
 more of the medicine men, and drawing 
 near to Mr. Duncan, they tried to intimidate 
 him by their terrorizing language and 
 frightful appearance. Legaic declared the 
 school must be closed four days, at least, 
 or he would shoot at the pupils as they 
 came to school; that if he was unable to 
 stop the school medicine men from other 
 tribes would shame and perhaps kill him; 
 that he knew how to kill men (drawing his 
 hand across his throat as he spoke); that 
 he was a wicked man and would go down 
 anyway. 
 
 God enabled Mr. Duncan to stand calmly 
 during the long harangue, and then to ad- 
 dress the intruders with far more fluency 
 than usual. He was enabled to tell them 
 of their sin faithfully, and to vindicate his 
 own conduct. He declared that God was 
 his Master and that he must obey Him 
 rather than men; that the devil had taught 
 their fathers what they were practising and 
 
METLAKAHTLA ^9 
 
 it was bad; that he had come to tell them 
 of God's way and it was good. 
 
 During the excited scene, which lasted 
 fully an hour, Legale once pointed to two 
 men standing near and said they were mur- 
 derers as well as himself, hence it was use- 
 less for them to go to school. At this point 
 Mr. Duncan broke in, declaring the Gospel 
 was for murderers as well as others; that 
 if they would repent and amend they could 
 still be saved. 
 
 Toward the close of the interview, how- 
 ever, two vile-looking confederates went 
 and whispered something into Legaic's 
 ear; doubtless a taunt that he was afraid to 
 kill the missionary. Legale at once became 
 passionately inflamed and drawing near to 
 Mr. Duncan, gesticulated wildly, having a 
 knife concealed in his right hand. 
 
 Without doubt, he was preparing to mur- 
 der Mr. Duncan at once, when something 
 occurred, which though human, was also 
 providential and miraculous, and showed 
 that God still watches over His servants, 
 even as in the days of Daniel. 
 
CHAPTER JV. 
 PLANNING A MODEL VILLAGE. 
 
 A 
 
 S Legaic ap- 
 p r o a c lied 
 Mr. Duncan 
 and was about 
 raising his hand 
 to slay him, he 
 happened to 
 glance behind 
 him, and saw a 
 person he had not 
 previ o u s 1 y ob- 
 served, stand i n g 
 behind Mr. Dun- 
 can, silent, yet 
 guarding him 
 with eagle eyes. 
 It was Clah, the faithful interpreter 
 and friend. He had heard of the 
 visit of the medicine men, and hastily se- 
 curing his revolver had hurried to the 
 school-house, resolved to shoot anyone 
 who attempted the life of the missionary. 
 He had entered the building unobserved by 
 either Mr. Duncan or Legaic, and it was 
 not until the latter drew near to Mr. Dun- 
 can that he saw Clah standing behind him. 
 Legaic knew that Clah's hand, which was 
 slipped just inside his blanket, contained a 
 40 
 
 MRS. SAMUEL MARSOEN. 
 
METLAKAHTLA 41 
 
 revolver and that the moment he raised his 
 arm to kill the missionary, he v^rould be 
 shot. With the new turn of affairs Legaic 
 realized that his mission was a failure, and 
 in a few moments sullenly withdrew, fol- 
 lowed by his disappointed confederates. 
 
 Thus was Mr. Duncan's life wonderfully 
 preserved and the Gospel triumphant over 
 heathenism. The school was not closed, 
 but Legaic's hostility continued and as his 
 house stood near the school it was difficult 
 for the children to attend. At this juncture 
 another chief proffered the use of his house 
 for the school, and it being in a less danger- 
 ous locality the offer was gladly accepted 
 and the scholars transferred to the new 
 place where rapid progress was made. Mr. 
 Duncan's connection with Legaic by no 
 means terminated with this incident. Of 
 his future career we shall hear in detail as 
 the narrative progresses. 
 
 The first Christmas spent by Mr. Duncan 
 among the Tsimsheans was very different 
 from his later ones. However, he did what 
 he could to make the day notable, and to 
 explain to the people its glorious meaning. 
 In a letter to the Missionary Society he 
 described the day in the following manner: 
 
 "Yesterday I told my scholars to bring 
 their friends and relatives to school today, 
 as T wanted to tell them something new. 
 We numbered out two hundred souls. I 
 tried to make them understand why we dis- 
 tinguished this day from others. After this 
 
42 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 I questioned the children a little and then 
 we sang two hjmms, which we also trans- 
 lated. While the hymns were being sung, 
 I felt I must try to do something more, al- 
 though the language seemed to defy me. I 
 never experienced such an inward burning 
 to speak before, and therefore I determin- 
 ed to try an extemporaneous address in 
 Tsimshean. The Lord helped me; a great 
 stillness prevailed, and I think a great deal 
 was understood of what I said. I told them 
 of our condition, the pity and love of God, 
 the death of the Son of God on our ac- 
 count, and the benefits arising to us there- 
 from, and exhorted them to leave their sins 
 and pray to Jesus. On my enumerating the 
 sins of which they are guilty, I saw some 
 look at each other with those significant 
 looks which betoken their assent to what I 
 said. I tried to impress upon them the 
 certain ruin which awaits them If they pro- 
 ceed in their present vices. Very remark- 
 ably an illustration corroborating what I 
 had said was before their eyes. A poor 
 woman was taken sick not four yards from 
 where I stood, and right before the eyes of 
 my audience. She was groaning under a 
 frightful affliction, the result of her vices." 
 During the ensuing four years Mr. Dun- 
 can made slow but steady progress In In- 
 structing the people and wooing fjiem from 
 heathenism and savagery to Christianity and 
 civilization; even Legale often attending 
 school and listening eagerly with the rest. 
 
METLAKAHTLA 43 
 
 Nor were his efforts confined entirely to 
 the nine Tsimshean tribes surrounding ■ 
 Fort Simpson. Occasionally he made 
 journeys to interior tribes who had never 
 heard the story of the Gospel. It was on 
 a visit of this character up the Nass River 
 that a most remarkable incident occurred. 
 Let us give Mr. Duncan's own narrative of 
 the visit as it was afterwards related by 
 him: 
 
 "They had heard that I was coming, and 
 the chief, in order to show his great delight 
 at my arrival, put up what they call a large 
 cap. Their cap was an umbrella. They had 
 no idea of preventing rain from falling on 
 their heads by its use, but looked upon it 
 simply as a web-footed cap, and so they 
 used it on state occasions. As soon as I 
 landed I saw the man with the umbrella, 
 and saw the excitement. He sent a mes- 
 sage to this effect: T would like you to 
 come into my house and I shall send my 
 messenger to tell you so,' 
 
 'T immediately encamped upon the bank 
 of the river. By and by I was told that all 
 things were ready and prepared to receive 
 me. I said to my little crew— for in those 
 days I took only boys with me, being afraid 
 to take men, as they might kill me for the 
 purpose of getting my clothes— I said, 
 'What are they going to do when I go into 
 the house?' 
 
 "'Dance.' 
 
 " Tell them I did not come here to see 
 
44 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 dancing, and I cannot go therefore.' 
 
 "They told the messenger to tell the chief 
 that I objected to seeing them dance, thai 
 I had come with a solemn message to them. 
 
 "The chief replied. Tell the white chief 
 he must come; if he doesn't come to me I 
 won't go to hear his word; but if he will 
 come I will go and hear him,' 
 
 "That changed the matter altogether. I 
 had a little consultation with my boys, and 
 they said, 'You had better go; if you do not 
 go the chief will not come to hear what 
 you have to say.' 
 
 "I walked up to his house, I confess, in 
 a very grum kind of a spirit. I did not like 
 to attend a dance. But I saw that I had to 
 do it. I was very glad afterward that I 
 did go. When I entered the house there 
 was a person there ready to point out a seat 
 for me. There was a bear-skin spread over 
 a box for me to sit on. The chief had all 
 of his men placed around in diflferent por- 
 tions of the house, which was a very large 
 one. I observed that he had gotten a large 
 sail and used it for a curtain in part of the 
 room. 
 
 "Very soon I saw two men step out. One 
 had a rod in his hand beating the floor. 
 They had a kind of theatrical performance. 
 The old man, after stamping his foot and 
 putting his rod down very firmly, said, in 
 his own language, of course, 'The heavens 
 are changing.' 
 
 "The other man was there to respond, 
 
METLAKAHTLA 
 
 45 
 
 'Yes, so it seems; the heavens are chang- 
 
 ing. 
 
 "A few little remarks of this sort were 
 
 THOMAS EATON AND FAMILY. 
 
 made, and then the sail was drawn aside 
 and out dashed the chief, dressed in most 
 magnificent costume, his head being com- 
 pletely covered with feathers and other or- 
 naments. He had his rattle in his hand. He 
 
46 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 shook it before my face; walked up a little 
 way to me and then put up his hand with 
 his rattle in it; he looked through the hole 
 in the center of the roof where the smoke 
 came out, and immediately began a beauti- 
 ful prayer. I was astonished. This was 
 no dance. If I could only give you his 
 prayer in his own beautiful and eloquent 
 language, you would be astonished also. I 
 can only give you the substance of it: 
 
 "'Great Father in Heaven, pity us! Give 
 us Thy good Book to do us good and to 
 cleanse away our sins! This Chief (Mr. 
 Duncan) has come to tell us about Thee. It 
 is good, Great Father, we want to hear! 
 Whoever came to tell our forefathers Thy 
 will? No! no! But this Chief has pitied us 
 and come. He has Thy Book. We will 
 hear! We will receive Thy Word! We will 
 obey!' 
 
 "When I heard this prayer I felt thunder- 
 struck. I had expected to be disgusted at 
 seeing their heathen abominations, but the 
 people sat solemnly during the ceremonies, 
 even saying amen to the prayer. 
 
 "After this the Indians began a chant, 
 clapping their hands. It was an extempora- 
 neous song and I listened to it with a great 
 deal of pleasure. There was a man among 
 them who extemporized the song as they 
 sang it, verse by verse as they wanted it. 
 The chant was a very plaintive one. I 
 found the song was all about God having 
 
METLAKAHTLA 47 
 
 sent His servant and His messenger to 
 teach the Indians. 
 
 "When this was done the chief turned to 
 me and made a short speech to the effect 
 that they wanted me amongst them as they 
 wanted God's Word. They wanted to cast 
 away their evil ways and to be good." 
 
 Mr. Duncan spent the day visiting a num- 
 ber of houses, and invited every one to his 
 tent for the evening address, where he told 
 them as much as possible about the won- 
 derful news of salvation. 
 
 The first public reception of Indian con- 
 verts into the church occurred on the 26th 
 of July, 1861, when fourteen men, five wom- 
 en and four children were baptized on their 
 public profession of faith in Christ. Others 
 also came forward, but it was thought best 
 that they wait for a time; while several who 
 believed in Christ were afraid to come bold- 
 ly out for fear of their relatives. 
 
 As the years had passed since Mr. Dun- 
 can began his work among the Indians,, he 
 had realized more and more the necessity 
 of separating the converts, and especially 
 the children under instruction in the school 
 from the vices and immorality and heathen- 
 ism around Fort Simpson. As early as 
 1859 he wrote as follows to the Missionary 
 Society in London: 
 
 "What is to become of the chddren and 
 young people under instruction, when tem- 
 poral necessity compels them to leave 
 school? If they are permitted to slip away 
 
48 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 from me into the gulf of vice and misery 
 which everywhere surrounds them, then the 
 fate of these tribes is sealed, and the labor 
 and money that has already been spent for 
 their welfare might as well have been 
 thrown away. The well-thinking part of the 
 Indian people themselves see this, and are 
 asking, nay, craving, a remedy. The head 
 chief of one tribe (a very well-disposed old 
 man) is constantly urging this question 
 upon me, and begs that steps may be taken 
 which shall give the Indians that are in- 
 clined, and especially the children now be- 
 ing taught, a chance and a help to become 
 what good people desire them to be," 
 
 Gradually the conviction grew in his mind 
 that what was demanded for the spiritual 
 welfare of the Indians was a Christian col- 
 ony, where peace and quiet would l^ign, 
 wlicre industries would be taught and toil 
 rewarded, and where the terrible evils of 
 fire-water would be unknown. He talked 
 the plan over with his followers and they 
 not only highly favored it, but suggested 
 that the colony be located on the beautiful 
 island of Metlakahtla*, only seventeen miles 
 distant, where they and their forefathers 
 had lived before they removed to Fort 
 Simpson. So glowing were their accounts 
 of the beauty and suitability of the island 
 that Mr. Duncan visited it, and found it ad- 
 mirably adapted to the plan in every par- 
 ticular. 
 
 ♦Metlakahtla means "Inlet of Kahtla." 
 
METLAKAHTLA 49 
 
 Mr. Duncan believed such a village would 
 not only be an infinite blessing to the In- 
 dians themselves, but would be a Gospel 
 lighthouse, shedding its radiance through- 
 out the entire northland. In describing the 
 project, he wrote: "All we want is God's 
 favor and blessing, and then we may hope to 
 build up in His good time, a model Chris- 
 tian village, reflecting light and radiating 
 heat to all the spiritually dark and dead 
 masses of humanity around us." 
 
 His first step toward the actual realiza- 
 tion of the settlement was the drawing up 
 of a set of fifteen rules which all who joined 
 the colony would be required to sign. They 
 were as follows: 
 
 1. To give up "Ahlicd" or Indian devil- 
 
 try. 
 
 2. To cease calling in "Shamans" or 
 
 medicine men when sick. 
 
 3. To cease gambling. 
 
 4. To cease giving away their property 
 
 for display. 
 
 5. To cease painting their faces. 
 
 6. To cease indulging in intoxicating 
 
 drinks. 
 
 7. To rest on the Sabbath. 
 
 8. To attend religious instruction. 
 
 9. To send their children to school. 
 
 10. To be cleanly. 
 
 11. To be industrious. 
 
 12. To be peaceful. 
 
 13. To be liberal and honest in trade. 
 
 14. To build neat houses. 
 
50 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 15. To pay the village tax. 
 
 In the winter of 1861-2 active prepara- 
 tions for the embarkation to the new home 
 went forward, but it was not until May 27th 
 that everything was in readiness for the 
 long planned event. For some time previ- 
 ous to the day of departure Mr. Duncan 
 devoted himself to visiting from house to 
 house, and to delivering farewell addresses 
 to the tribes in the homes of the chiefs. 
 
 Several days before the date set for de- 
 parture the school-house was torn down 
 and made into a raft on which ten Indians 
 went in advance of the main group, pilot- 
 ing the logs through the sea seventeen miles 
 to the island where it was to be speedily re- 
 transformed into a school-house. 
 
 Finally, the eventful day arrived and the 
 1 arty of pilgrims gathered on the shore, 
 ready to set out on their journey. Those 
 who had subscribed to the rules and were 
 ready to leave home and friends for the 
 sake of the Gospel numbered in all about 
 fifty souls; men, women and children. Six 
 large Indian canoes lay at the water's edge 
 ready to receive the pilgrims and bear them 
 to their new home. A large company of 
 Indians had assembled to witness the de- 
 parture and looked on with solemn and 
 earnest faces, many promising to join the 
 settlement in the near future. 
 
 As the heroic band entered the canoes 
 tliey were filled with solemn joy at the 
 thought of the Christian community in 
 
METLAKAHTLA 
 
 51 
 
 which they were going to dwell. Mr. Dun- 
 can realized fully what an eventful page in 
 the history of the Indians was being turned, 
 and his joy was great when as the cancel 
 left the shore, the sun which had been hid 
 behind the rain-clouds, broke forth and dis- 
 closed to view a beautiful rainbow. It was 
 a happy omen as the pilgrims departed for 
 their new home on th*», island of Metla- 
 kahtla. 
 
 A CORNER IN AN INDIAN HOME OF TODAY 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 THE ARCADIAN ISLE. 
 
 T 
 
 DAVID LEASK. 
 
 HE six Indian 
 canoes freighted 
 with heroic pil- 
 grims had left Fort 
 Simpson in the after- 
 noon and it soon be- 
 came evident that they 
 could not reach Metla- 
 kahtla until late at 
 night. Hence, when 
 they reached a good 
 camping place only a 
 few miles from the 
 Fort, the canoes were 
 headed for the shore, and soon all were on 
 the beach gathering fuel for fires and pre- 
 paring tents and blankets for the night. 
 After supper all gathered around the camp- 
 fire while Mr. Duncan conducted evening 
 prayers. It was a beautiful and impressive 
 sight and one long to be remembered, to 
 see those Indians, who, only a short time 
 since were degraded savages, sitting quietly 
 around the camp-fire with faces aglow with 
 Christian joy, singing praises to their Cre- 
 ator and King in softly flowing Tsimshean 
 accents. 
 
 Mr. Leask was for many years a leader among the 
 Metlakahtla Indians. 
 
 52 
 
METLAKAHTLA 53 
 
 Early the next morning they broke camp 
 and in a few hours reached the shore of 
 their new island home, where much event- 
 ful history was to occur during the com- 
 ing years. 
 
 During the next few days all were ac- 
 tively engaged in selecting sites for their 
 homes and in making preparations to build. 
 Each evening after the labor of the day, 
 they gathered together on the beach, like 
 a large, happy family, for prayer and sing- 
 ing and a short Scripture address by Mr. 
 Duncan. 
 
 Only four or five days after their arrival 
 others began coming from Fort Simpson, 
 singly and in groups, while on the 6th of 
 June great excitement was created by the 
 arrival of thirty canoes, bringing three hun- 
 dred souls, with two chiefs. 
 
 Scarcely had the exodus occurred when a 
 fearful plague of small-pox brok-e out at 
 Fort Simpson, which swept away over five 
 hundred Indians and spread up and down 
 the coast carrying death and desolation in 
 its wake. In terror they fled in all direc- 
 tions from the dread disease, many now 
 coming to Metlakahtla and pleading to be 
 allowed to join the colony. Most of them 
 were admitted, but some who were still 
 steeped in heathenism Mr. Duncan was 
 compelled to refuse. Many of the new- 
 comers were infected with the small-pox 
 and Mr. Duncan was kept busy day and 
 night tending the sick. The members of 
 
54 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 the original colony were wonderlully pre- 
 served from the plague, only five of them 
 dying, three of these deaths being occa- 
 sioned by attending sick relatives who al- 
 ready had the disease when they reached 
 the island. 
 
 The colonists fervently thanked God for 
 their marvelous escape from the surround- 
 ing destruction, and as the plague subsided 
 they set earnestly to work to build up a 
 handsome village which should be a verita- 
 ble Christian Arcadia. 
 
 Since he had left Victoria, Mr. Duncan 
 had by no means been forgotten by the 
 governor. Sir James Douglas. The gov- 
 ernor took pains to converse with Indians 
 who had been under Mr. Duncan's instruc- 
 tion when they visited Victoria, and was 
 delighted at the results observed. He re- 
 quested Mr. Duncan to send him reports 
 from time to time concerning the prog- 
 ress of the mission. 
 
 The governor's request was gladly com- 
 plied with by Mr. Duncan, and in a report 
 sent in the spring of 1863, about ten months 
 after the arrival at Metlakahtla, he wrote 
 Sir James a long letter, giving many in- 
 teresting details of the new settlement. A 
 part of the communication was as follows: 
 
 "To many who have joined me, the sur- 
 rendering their national and heathen cus- 
 toms performed over the sick— ceasing to 
 give away, tear up, or receive blankets, 
 etc., for display, dropping precipitately 
 
METLAKAHTLA 
 
 ^:: 
 
 their demoniacal rites, which have hitherto 
 and for ages filled up their time and en- 
 grossed all their care during the months 
 of winter; laying aside gambling, and ceas- 
 ing to paint their faces — had been like cut- 
 ting oflf the right hand and plucking out the 
 right eye. Yet I am thankful to tell you 
 that these sacrifices have been made; and 
 had your Excellency heard the speeches 
 made by the chiefs and some of the prin- 
 cipal men at our Christmas evening meet- 
 ing, alluding to these and other matters, 
 you would, I am sure, have rejoiced. 
 
 "On New Year's Day the male adult set- 
 tlers came cheerfully forward to pay the 
 village tax, which I had previously pro- 
 posed to levy yearly, viz., one blanket, or 
 two and one half dollars of such as have at- 
 tained manhood, and one shirt, or one dol- 
 lar of such as are approaching manhood. 
 Out of 130 amenable we had only ten de- 
 faulters and these were excused on account 
 of poverty. Our revenue for this year thus 
 gathered amounts to one green, one blue, 
 and ninety-four white blankets, one pair of 
 white trousers, one dressed elk skin, seven- 
 teen shirts and seven dollars. The half of 
 this property I propose to divide among 
 the three chiefs who are with us, in recog- 
 nition of stated services which they will be 
 required to render to the settlement, and 
 the other half to spend in public works. 
 
 "As to our government; all disputes and 
 difficulties are settled by myself and ten 
 
56 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 constables; but I occasionally call in the 
 chiefs, and intend to do so more and more, 
 and when they become sufficiently instruct- 
 ed, trustworthy and influential, I shall leave 
 civil matters in their hands. I find the In- 
 dians very obedient, and comparatively easy 
 to manage, since I allow no intoxicating 
 drinks to come into our village. Though 
 we are continually hearing of the drunken 
 festivals of the surrounding tribes I am 
 happy to tell you that Metlakahtla has not 
 yet witnessed a case of drunkenness since 
 we have settled here — a period of ten 
 months. Still, not all with me are true 
 men. Some few, on their visits to Fort 
 Simpson, have fallen; and two, whose cases 
 were clearly proved and admitted of no ex- 
 tenuation, I have banished from our midst. 
 
 "On Sabbath days labor is laid aside, a 
 solemn quiet presides and the best clothing 
 is in use. Scarcely a soul remains away 
 from divine service, excepting the sick and 
 their nurses. Evening family devotions are 
 common to almost every house, and, better 
 than all, I have a hope that many have ex- 
 perienced a real change of heart. To God 
 be all the praise and glory. 
 
 "We have succeeded in erecting a strong 
 and useful building, capable of containing 
 at least 600 people, which we use as church 
 and school. We held our first meeting in 
 this building on the night it was finished, 
 the 20th of December last. I have about 
 one hundred children who attend morn- 
 
58 . METLAKAHTLA 
 
 ir.g and afternoon and about one hundred 
 adults (often more) in the evening. I oc- 
 cupy the principal part of the time in the 
 adult school, in giving simple lectures on 
 geography, astronomy, natural history and 
 morals. These lectures the Indians great!)' 
 prize. 
 
 "Trusting, by God's blessing upon us, we 
 shall go on improving and continue to merit 
 your Excellency's favor and good-will, 
 
 "I have the honor to remain, with warm- 
 est gratitude, 
 
 "Your Excellency's humble and obedient 
 servant, "W. Duncan." 
 
 A few weeks later, the Bishop of Colum- 
 bia visited Metlakahtla to baptize those who 
 were ready to receive the sacred rite, Mr. 
 Duncan being a lay, not a clerical mission- 
 ary. Two full days were spent in examin- 
 ing the candidates, of which the Bishop 
 wrote: 
 
 "We were met by the whole village, who 
 stood on the bank, in a long line — as fine 
 a set of men and as well dressed as could 
 anywhere be seen where men live by their 
 daily toil — certainly no country village in 
 England would turn out so well-clad an as- 
 semblage, 
 
 "At three the bell was rung and almost 
 instantly the whole population were wend- 
 ing their way to church. There were 
 hymns and prayers in Tsimshean. They 
 repeated the answers to a catechism in 
 Tsimshean. I addressed them and ofifer- 
 
METLAKAHTLA 59 
 
 ed prayers in English, which were interpre- 
 ted by Mr. Duncan. 
 
 "Converts from heathenism can fully real- 
 ize renunciation of the world, the flesh and 
 the devil. Among these Indians pomp of 
 display, the lying craft of malicious magic, 
 as well as all sins of the flesh, are particu- 
 larly glaring, and closely connected with 
 heathenism. So are the truths of the Creed 
 in strongest contrast to the dark and mis- 
 erable fables of their forefathers and heart- 
 ily can they pledge themselves to keep the 
 holy will of God, all the days of their life, 
 seeing in Him a loving and true Father, of 
 whom now so lately but so gladly, they have 
 learned to know. 
 
 "I first drew forth their views of the ne- 
 cessity of repentance, its details and their 
 own personal acquaintance with it. I then 
 questioned them as to the Three Persons 
 of the Trinity, and the special work of 
 each with allusion to the Judgment, and the 
 state of the soul hereafter, inquiring into 
 their private devotion to learn their person- 
 al application of repentance and faith. I 
 questioned their anxiety for baptism, and 
 demanded proof of their resolution to keep 
 the will of God for their guide, to speak 
 of God, and to labor for God's way, all 
 their life long. I sought to find out the 
 circumstances under which they first be- 
 came seriously inclined, and to trace their 
 steps of trial and grace. Admitting them 
 to the promise of baptism, 1 exhorted them 
 
6o METLAKAHTLA 
 
 to prayer and devotion, as a special prep- 
 aration until the time came. 
 
 "A simple table, covered with a white 
 cloth, upon which stood three hand-basins 
 of water, served for the font, and I offi- 
 ciated in a surplice. Thus there was noth- 
 ing to impress the senses, no color, nor 
 ornament, nor church decoration, nor music. 
 The solemnity of the scene was produced by 
 the earnest sincerity and serious purpose 
 with which these children of the far West 
 were prepared to offer themselves to God, 
 and to renounce forever the hateful sins 
 and cruel deeds of their heathenism; and the 
 solemn stillness was broken only by the 
 breath of prayer. The responses were made 
 with earnestness and decision. Not an in- 
 dividual was there, whose lips did not ut- 
 ter in his own expressive tongue, his 
 hearty readiness to believe and to serve 
 God." 
 
 The Christian experiences of the candi- 
 dates for baptism were most touching and 
 impressive. 
 
 Clah, who had saved Mr. Duncan's life 
 and was his first friend, testified as follows: 
 
 *T have made up my mind to live a Chris- 
 tian. Must try to put away all my sins. I 
 believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, 
 who died for our sins. God is good to us 
 and made us. God gives us His Spirit to 
 make us clean and happy. I pray to God 
 to clean my heart, and wipe out my sin 
 from God's book. It will be worse for us 
 
METLAKAHTLA 6i 
 
 V. we fall away after we have begun." Clah's 
 wife was also baptized with him. 
 
 The chieftainess of the Nish-Kahs, named 
 Nishah-Kigh, whose sorrow was great 
 when she first heard the message of salva- 
 tion and who had been seeking God for 
 five years, said: 
 
 "I must leave all evil ways. I feel myself 
 a sinner in God's sight. I believe in God, 
 tlie Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ, 
 who died for our sins. God sends down 
 His Spirit to make us good. Jesus is in 
 Heaven, and is writing our names in God's 
 Book. We must stand before God and be 
 judged by Him. I feel God's Word is 
 truth. Have been for some time accustom- 
 ed regularly to pray." 
 
 A young man, Kappigh Kumlee by name, 
 thirty years of age, who had been a sorcer- 
 er, but found no satisfaction in the calling, 
 said: 
 
 "I have given up the lucrative position 
 of sorcerer. Been offered bribes to prac- 
 tice my art secretly. I have left all my mis- 
 taken ways. My eyes have been bored (en- 
 lightened.) 1 cry every night when I re- 
 member my sins. The great Father Al- 
 mighty sees everything. If I go up to the 
 mountain He sees me. Jesus died for our 
 sins upon the cross to carry our sins away." 
 
 Kappigh Kumlee's wife was baptized with 
 him. and all their family having renounced 
 heathenism, they were doubly united in the 
 bonds of Christian fellowship. 
 
62 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 A chief seventy years of age named 
 Neeash-Lakah-Noosh, when asked if he de- 
 sired to become a Christian, said: 
 
 "For that object I came here with my 
 people. I have put away all lying ways, 
 which I had long followed. I have trusted 
 in God. We want the Spirit of God. Jesus 
 came to save us. He compensated for our 
 sins. Our Father made us and loved us 
 because we are His work. He wishes to 
 see us with Him because He loves us." 
 When asked about the judgment he said: 
 "The blood of Jesus will free those who 
 believe from condemnation." 
 
 Vilmauksh, a young man who rescued 
 three of his relatives from the darkness of 
 heathenism, said: 
 
 "I believe in Jesus as my Savior, who 
 died to compensate for my sins to God." 
 
 One, named Neeash-ah-Pootk, who was 
 converted by losing ten of his relatives by 
 the plague of small-pox, said: 
 
 "I have long followed sins which made 
 God angry. I have put away sin, but if I 
 am ever so ignorant in my endeavors I will 
 persevere. Used to be a great drunkard. 
 Have given up magic and display of prop- 
 erty. Felt God last summer. We have 
 turned back to our great Father. He see 
 all; His Spirit is with us. The blood of 
 Jesus cleanseth us from all sin. How happy 
 the angels will be to see us good, and how 
 they will cry if we are sinful! At the last 
 God will divide us. Lost ten relatives by 
 
METLAKAHTLA 63 
 
 the small-pox last year, and it opened my 
 eyes to my sins. God's hand was strong 
 to cut down sinners." 
 
 A beautiful testimony was given by 
 Kahlp, only thirty-five years of age, who 
 had had a sad and checkered career. When 
 a young man he was captured by the Hy- 
 dab Indians. Later he was brought back 
 and sold to his old chief, who kept him in 
 slavery several years. The chief's son final- 
 ly sold him to his own friends, who set 
 him free. He said: 
 
 "I shall fight against my sins. My heart 
 truly says I will turn from sin to God. God 
 is perfectly right in His ways. Whosoever 
 believes in God, the Father, the Spirit 
 of God lives in his heart. Those who die 
 in their sin go to darkness and to fire. I 
 will fear God as long as I live. I pray for 
 God's Spirit and light to lead my own 
 spirit along the path to Himself when I 
 die. Was a slave; was poor in spirit, and 
 was drawn to cry to God to take my heart." 
 
 One of the most touching experiences of 
 all was that given by a boy sixteen years of 
 age, named Kisheeso. It shows how, when 
 the Gospel really fills one's heart, one is 
 willing to forsake all for Christ. This boy 
 left his heathen home, and came by himself 
 in a tiny canoe across the sea to join the 
 Christian people. He said: 
 
 "A duty to give up the ways of the 
 Tsimsheans. Was very wicked when quite 
 young. Will try to put away my sin. I pray 
 
64 
 
 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 night and nioniiiig for God to pity and to 
 pardon mc." 
 
 These are only a few of the tonching tes- 
 timonies given by these Indians who had 
 for centuries been steeped in heathenism, 
 but had at last seen a great light, had come 
 into possession of the pearl of great price, 
 without which life is a dreary waste, but 
 with which it is a foretaste of the Heaven 
 hereafter. 
 
 The most notable of all the Indians bap- 
 tized by the Bishop was one with whom we 
 have already become acquainted; who from 
 being a persecutor was marvelously trans- 
 formed into a saint. The story of his con- 
 version and valiant career as a Christian 
 rea'^s like a new chapter in the Acts of the 
 Apostles. 
 
 
 
 TYPICAL INDIAN RESIDENCE AT METLAKAHTLA, 
 THE RESIDENCE OF JOHN TAIT. 
 
A 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE TRANSFORMATION OF LEGAIC 
 
 FEW months after 
 the settlement 
 had been estab- 
 Hshed at Metlakahtla a 
 thrill of surprise and 
 delight ran throughout 
 the village at the an- 
 nouncement that a no- 
 table recruit had arrived 
 at the island, determin- 
 ed to sign the rules and 
 AN INDIAN BOY cast in his lot with 
 
 SON OF AN EARLY CONVERT , , /"•! • . ■ , ~rt 
 
 the Christian party. I he 
 newcomer was none other than Legaic, 
 head-chief, murderer and medicine man, 
 who had so nearly succeeded in taking Mr. 
 Duncan's life. The Spirit of God had long 
 been working upon his heart until he had 
 come to loathe heathenism and to long for 
 the peace and joy which he saw were the 
 outcome of the Christian life. To openly 
 join the Christian party at Metlakahtla, 
 however, would be to make a tremendous 
 sacrifice, for it would mean the practical 
 renunciation of the headship of the Tsim- 
 shean nation. But the victory over self was 
 won and Legaic had finally arrived at the 
 village ready to subscribe to the fifteen 
 65 
 
66 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 a 
 
 rules. Accompanying Legaic were his wife 
 and daughter, and Mr. Duncan and the na- 
 tives gave them a warm and hearty wel- 
 come. 
 
 Legaic began building a beautiful home, 
 but was often interrupted by messengers 
 from Fort Simpson urging him to return 
 and resume his position over all the Tsim- 
 shean tribes. The temptations were so 
 strong and constant that Legaic finally 
 weakened, and gathering the Metlakahtla 
 Indians together on the beach, he told them 
 that he could hold out no longer, but must 
 return to his old life. He said he knew it 
 was a wrong step and he might perish as 
 the result, but that he was being pulled 
 away by influences stronger than he was 
 able to resist. In deep sorrow, amid falling 
 tears, he shook hands with each one pres- 
 ent, then turned and entered his canoe and 
 paddled silently away. 
 
 As he disappeared from sight, do you 
 think the Indians went back to their homes 
 criticising him and discussing the weakness 
 of human nature, as most white people 
 would have done under similar circum- 
 stances? Not at all. They knelt on the 
 beach and held a prayer-meeting, imploring 
 God to check Legaic in his backward 
 course and to restore him to his right mind. 
 
 The subject of their prayers paddled rap- 
 idly toward Fort Simpson until night came 
 on and he was compelled to put the canoe 
 ashore. He wrapped himself in his blank- 
 
METLAKAHTLA 67 
 
 et and lay down to sleep, but sleep came not 
 to his eyes. Instead, he tossed and turned 
 in awful unrest of soul. The Spirit of God 
 was wrestling mightily with him even as 
 with Jacob of old. Finally, the torture be- 
 came unbearable. Such misery overwhelm- 
 ed him as words cannot describe, until the 
 Spirit conquered and kneeling in the dark- 
 ness he repented of his evil, and weepingly 
 besought God for pardon. Next morning 
 he turned his canoe about and once more 
 appeared at Metlakahtla, this time a thor- 
 oughly saved man. Saul, the persecutor, 
 had become Paul, the apostle. In afterward 
 describing the agony he endured on that 
 memorable occasion, Legale declared: 
 
 "A hundred deaths would not equal the 
 sufferings of that night." 
 
 Six months later a visitor to Metlakahtla 
 wrote as follows of Legaic and his family: 
 
 "I paid a visit to the wife of the chief, 
 Paul Legaic. He it was who nearly took 
 Mr. Duncan's life at the head of the medi- 
 cine band attacking the school. They were 
 both baptized by the Bishop last April. Le- 
 gaic was the wealthiest chief of the Tsim- 
 sheans at Fort Simpson. He has lost 
 everything — has had to give up everything 
 by his conversion to Christianity. It was 
 with many of them literally a 'forsaking of 
 all things to follow Christ.' 
 
 "His house is the nicest and best situated 
 in the village. A very little labor and ex- 
 pense in the way of interior fittings would 
 
68 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 make it quite comfortable. He and his wife 
 have one child only, a young girl of four- 
 teen. She is a modest looking, pleasing 
 child — very intelligent — one of the first class 
 in the school. She does not look like one 
 who has ever been 'possessed with a devil'; 
 and yet this is the child whom, three years 
 ago, her teacher saw naked in the midst of 
 a howling band, tearing and devouring the 
 bleeding dog. How changed! She who 'had 
 the unclean spirit' now sits at the feet of 
 Jesus, clothed and in her right mind." 
 
 Not many months later Mr. Duncan paid 
 a visit to Fort Simpson to preach the Gos- 
 pel to the heathen Indians, who still re- 
 mained there. He was accompanied by two 
 natives, Clah and Paul Legaic. On their 
 return, in a letter to the Missionary So- 
 ciety, Mr. Duncan related a remarkable in- 
 cident which occurred during the trip. He 
 said: "I have just returned from a visit to 
 Fort Simpson. I went to proclaim the Gos- 
 pel once more to the poor, unfeeling heath- 
 en there. I laid the Gospel again distinctly 
 before them, and they seemed much aflfected. 
 The most pleasing circumstance of all, and 
 which I was not prepared to expect, was, 
 that Paul Legaic and Clah (the one in 
 times past a formidable enemy and opposer, 
 and the other one among the first to hear 
 and greet the Gospel), sat by me, one on 
 either side. After I had finished my ad- 
 dress on each occasion, they got up and 
 spoke, and spoke well. 
 
f 
 
70 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 "Legale completely shamed and con- 
 founded an old man who, in replying to my 
 address, had said that I had come too late 
 to do him and other old people good; that, 
 had I come when the first white traders 
 came, the Tsimsheans had long since been 
 good; but they had been allowed to grow 
 up in sin; they had seen nothing in the 
 first whites who came amongst them to un- 
 settle them in their old habits, but those 
 had rather added to them fresh sin, and 
 now their sins were deep laid, they (he and 
 the other old people), could not change. 
 Legale interrupted him and said: 'I am a 
 chief, a Tsimshean chief. You know I have 
 been bad, very bad, as bad as anyone here. 
 I have grown up and grown old in sin, but 
 God has changed my heart and He can 
 change yours. Think not to excuse your- 
 self in your sins by saying you are too old 
 and too bad to mend. Nothing is impossi- 
 ble with God. Come to God; try His way; 
 He can save you.' 
 
 "He then exhorted all to taste God's 
 way, to give their hearts to Him, and to 
 leave all their sins; and then endeavored to 
 show them what they had to expect if they 
 did so — not temporal good, not health, long 
 life, nor ease, nor wealth, but God's favor 
 here and happiness witJi God after death." 
 
 Legale had been known far and wide 
 along the coast, and the traders who heard 
 of his conversion and transformation coul 1 
 scarcely believe it. As time went on he be- 
 
METLAKAHTLA n 
 
 came of immense service to Mr. Duncan in 
 the prosecution of the work, and came to 
 be called "Mr. Duncan's Grand Vizier." 
 
 For seven years Legaic played a promi- 
 nent part in the life of the settlement, eager 
 to assist in every undertaking for the bet- 
 terment of his fellows, and humbly earning 
 his living as a carpenter. In 1869 he made 
 a journey up the Nass River, and on reach- 
 ing Fort Simpson on his way home, was 
 taken suddenly ill. He at once dispatched 
 a messenger to Mr. Duncan, bearing this 
 note: 
 
 "Dear Sir: — I want to see you. I always 
 remember you in my mind. I shall be very 
 sorry if I shall not see you before I go 
 away, because you showed me the ladder 
 that reaches to Heaven, and I am on that 
 ladder now. I have nothing to trouble me. 
 I only want to see you." 
 
 Mr. Duncan wished greatly to go at once 
 to the bedside of Legaic, but his duties at 
 Metlakahtla would not permit him to leave, 
 for a peculiar epidemic was raging just 
 then and there were a score of sick people 
 on the island whom he was attending day 
 and night. 
 
 A second and third messenger followed 
 in quick succession, but still Mr. Duncan 
 could not leave. Then came the sad tidings 
 of the death of the famous chieftain, ac- 
 companied by the following lines, which 
 were still unfinished when the death angel 
 bore his soul to the long home above: 
 
12 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 "My Dear Sir: — This is my last letter, 
 to say I am very happy. I am going to rest 
 from trouble, trial and temptation. I do 
 not feel afraid to meet my God. In my 
 painful body I always remember the words 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ" — 
 
 Here the letter ended abruptly, and in 
 this triumphant manner ended the life of 
 the Apostle Paul of the Tsimshean Indians. 
 He was a modern miracle of grace, a strik- 
 ing example of the power of Christ's blood 
 to wash away the darkest sins and to trans- 
 form men from darkest sinners into saints. 
 * * * 
 
 During the years from 1863 to 1869 the 
 spiritual progress of the settlement had 
 gone on apace. In 1868 the Bishop of Co- 
 lumbia paid a second visit to Metlakahtla 
 and baptized sixty-five adults, of whom he 
 wrote: "I truly believe that most of these 
 are sincere and intelligent believers in 
 Christ, as worthy converts from heathenism 
 as have ever been known in the history of 
 the church." 
 
 In the autumn of the following year Mr. 
 Cridge, then Dean of Victoria, baptized 98 
 adults and 18 Indian children. 
 
 The desire of Mr. Duncan that the island 
 should be a beacon of Gospel light to the 
 Indians of all the Northland was being hap- 
 pily fulfilled. Wherever the Metlakahtla 
 Indians went on their fishing, trading and 
 hunting expeditions, they carried with them 
 
METLAKAHTLA 
 
 IZ 
 
 the Gospel message and proclaimed it at 
 every opportunity. 
 
 On one occasion a party of Metlakahtla 
 people visited the Chilkat Indians, who 
 lived on the Alaskan coast, 500 to 600 miles 
 
 A PART OF OLD METLAKAHTLA. 
 
 to the north. So impressed were these 
 northern Indians with the wonderful tales 
 they heard of the power of the Gospel and 
 of the material progress at Metlakahtla, 
 that they decided to pay a visit to the island 
 
74 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 to see the man who had accomplished such 
 marvels. A delegation came down the coast 
 in their handsome canoes, and as they near- 
 ed the shore they put on their finest apparel 
 and barbaric ornaments to suitably impress 
 the people with their importance. On land- 
 ing, they approached in solemn state, and 
 Mr, Duncan was advised to dress in his 
 best clothes, as the savages might despise 
 him if he appeared in rough garments. He, 
 however, was engaged in some important 
 work which he could not drop just then. 
 
 The Chilkats marched through the village 
 well-nigh struck dumb with astonishment 
 at what they beheH; the beautiful buildings, 
 the strange industries, the civilized clothing 
 of the Metlakahtlans. 
 
 Finally, Mr. Duncan left his work, just 
 as he was, and hastened to greet the visit- 
 ors. As he drew near and was pointed out 
 to the Chilkats, they looked over and be- 
 yond him and declared they could not see 
 him. When he cordially welcomed them 
 they said scarcely a word beyond the form- 
 al syllables of recognition, so disappointed 
 were tbey. 
 
 Mr. Duncan escorted them to his house, 
 and there their peiit-up astonishment gave 
 way, and they exclaimed: 
 
 "Surely, you cannot be the man! Why, 
 we expected to see a great and powerful 
 giant, gifted in magic, with enormous eyes 
 that could look right through us and read 
 our thoughts! No, it is impossible! How 
 
METLAKAHTLA % 
 
 could you tame the wild and ferocious 
 Tsimsheans, who were always urging war, 
 and were feared throughout the whole 
 coast? It was only a few years ago that all 
 this country was a streak of blood. Now we 
 see nothing but white eagle's down (their 
 emblem of peace and amity.) We can hard- 
 ly believe our own eyes when we see these 
 fine houses and find the Tsimsheans have 
 become wise like white men! They tell us 
 that you have God's Book and that you 
 have taught them to read it; we wish to 
 see it. 
 
 Mr. Duncan then brought out a Bible and 
 placed it before them. That sacred book, 
 he declared, contained the Word of God, 
 the Message of the Great King, the Way 
 of Life Everlasting. It was only because 
 the Metlakahtla Indians had obeyed the 
 words of that Book that they had built such 
 a beautiful city. 
 
 Each of the Chilkat delegation then went 
 forward and reverently touched the Bible, 
 exclaiming, "Ahm, Ahm"— 'Tt is good, it is 
 good." 
 
 For several days the delegation remainei 
 ['t Metlakahtla inspecting the truly wonder- 
 ful results, which ha' been achieved by the 
 Metlakahtlans during the few short years 
 of their residence. 
 
 As the years passe 1, Metlakahtla became 
 not only a Gospel beacon, but a great light, 
 radiating law and order throughout all the 
 surroun(]ing country. Mr. Duncan was ap- 
 
76 
 
 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 pointed a magistrate by the Canadian Gov- 
 ernment, with jurisdiction up and down the 
 coast for hundreds of miles. In the enforce- 
 ment of his duties, chief among which was 
 the suppression of illegal liquor selling, 
 many thrilling and perilous experiences 
 were encountered, some of which will next 
 he related. 
 
 INTERIOR OF NEW CHURCH AT NEW METLAKAHTLA. 
 
 ALL THE FURNISHINGS MADE BY THE INDIANS THEMSELVES, 
 EXCEPT THE PIPE OR'GAN AND THE LAMPS. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 FIGHTING AGAINST FIRE-WATER. 
 
 
 
 NE of the 
 
 first steps 
 taken b y 
 Mr. Duncan on 
 his arrival at Met- 
 lakahtla had been 
 the appointment 
 of a body of In- 
 dian constables to 
 maintain order. 
 Although he an- 
 ticipated no trou- 
 ble, yet he deem- 
 ed it wise to take 
 time by the fore- 
 lock, remember- 
 ing that many who had signed the fifteen 
 rules had had very little training, and had 
 not yet fully surrendered themselves to 
 Christ. 
 
 By the year 1866 there were twenty of 
 these constables, "as fine a set of young 
 men as you would wish to see — the very 
 pick of the Christians." The Indians gr<-at 
 ly enjoyed their distinction as guardians of 
 the law, and to be admitted into the force 
 v/as esteemed the highest honor that could 
 be conferred upon a stalwart young man. 
 
 A TYPICAL INDIAN GIRL. 
 
78 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 In his duties as magistrate and justice of 
 the peace along the Alaskan and Canadian 
 coasts, Mr. Duncan found these constables 
 indispensable. 
 
 At this period, as today, it was against 
 the law to sell liquor, or fire-water, to any 
 Indian, However, wicked white men and 
 Indians constantly attempted to sell it in 
 secret, though they well knew that liquor 
 set the red men on fire with evil and led 
 them to commit the most horrible crimes. 
 The influence of intoxicating drinks on white 
 men is sufficiently terrible, but on the In- 
 dians it is often two-fold worse. 
 
 One of the saddest incidents in connec- 
 tion with his duties as magistrate was the 
 following, which Mr. Duncan reported to 
 the Canadian government in 1865: 
 
 "The Indian camps about us are deluged 
 with fire-water, and, of course, every kind 
 of madness is rife. 
 
 "It is just because our village makes a 
 stand against the universal tide of disorder 
 that we are being threatened on every side. 
 
 "In July last I apprised his Excellency, 
 the Governor, that we had in the sprmg 
 seized a quantity of liquor, which a party of 
 Kitahmaht Indians brought here for sale. 
 
 "In revenge for the loss of their liquor (I 
 am sorry to inform you) these Indians, in 
 the summer, stole a little boy belonging to 
 this place, while he was away with his 
 parents at a fishery on the Skeona River. 
 And. horrible to write, the poor little fel- 
 
METLAKAHTLA 79 
 
 low was literally worried to death, being 
 torn to pieces by the mouths of a set of 
 cannibals at a great feast they had made. 
 
 "This atrocious deed would have met 
 with summary vengeance from the relatives 
 of the boy had it happened a few years ago. 
 in this case, however, though highly exas- 
 perated, they would not allow themselves 
 to do anything until they had seen me. In 
 order to prevent blood being shed at ran- 
 dom, I ordered them to wait till the arrival 
 of a ship of war, when I promised to refer 
 the matter to the captain, and hoped they 
 would have justice done them in a civilized 
 way. 
 
 "Last week, however, an Indian, (uncle 
 to the unfortunate boy, but not a Metla- 
 kahtla man), arrived here from Victoria, 
 where he had been living for the last two 
 years and a half. On his learning of the 
 Kitahmaht atrocity, it seems he secretly 
 resolved to take the law in his own hands, 
 and for that purpose proceeded two or 
 three days ago to Fort Simpson, where a 
 party of Kitahmaht Indians had recently 
 arrived. 
 
 "This morning at two o'clock, I was 
 awakened and informed that a Kitahmaht 
 Indian had fallen a victim to this man's re- 
 venge, and that great excitement was oc- 
 casioned at Fort Simpson. Nor is it known 
 who will be the next to fall, to feed the 
 stream of blood which has commenced to 
 
8o METLAKAHTLA 
 
 flow, but every Indian around me is in 
 fear for his life." 
 
 Mr. Duncan and his heroic band of con- 
 stables performed valiant service in ridding 
 the coast of the illegal and infernal liquor 
 traffic, and in nearly every case without 
 loss of life. On one occasion, however, 
 one Indian was killed in the attempt to 
 capture a sloop, manned by white men, 
 which was smuggling in liquor to be sold to 
 the Indian camps. Mr. Duncan, hearing of 
 the presence of this vessel in the neighbor- 
 hood, sent several Indians with a warrant 
 for the arrest of the captain. The result 
 of the encounter and the series of events 
 following were thus related by Mr, Duncan: 
 
 "The. sad result was that the five Indians 
 serving the warrant were fired upon by the 
 tliree white men on board the sloop, one 
 being killed on the spot, three be- 
 ing severely wounded. The sloop got 
 away and it was not till the following day 
 that the Indian unhurt returned to the set- 
 tlement, bringing his three wounded com- 
 panions in a canoe. Unfortunately, at the 
 time, I had very few people left in the vil- 
 lage, so that we were unable to follow the 
 murderers while within a reasonable dis- 
 tance of us. After I had done all and the 
 best I could for the wounded men, I de- 
 termined to run down to Victoria, it being 
 unsafe from the unsettled state of the coast 
 to send the Indians alone. 
 
 "On the 25th of August I started for Vic- 
 
82 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 toria in a small boat, and on the 5th of 
 September, by seven a. m. I was in Nan- 
 aimi, the nearest white settlement, having 
 been brought by a gracious God safely 
 through many perils on the sea and perils 
 by the heathen. 
 
 "I need scarcely say that, as soon as pes 
 sible I communicated the shocking tidings 
 to the Governor of each colony, to Admiral 
 Denman. and to all our friends. All deeply 
 sympathized with us; and Governor Sey- 
 mour, of British Columbia, lost not a mo- 
 ment of time till all the needful despatches 
 were written, and forwarded to the two 
 neighboring governments, Russian and 
 American, and to the Admiral of the station, 
 calling upon all to do their utmost to seize 
 the murderors and hand them over to jus- 
 tice. The Governor also engaged a doctor 
 to visit the wounded men, and Admiral 
 Denman sent up H. M. S. 'Grappler' with 
 the doctor .ind myself on board to the set- 
 tlement. 
 
 ''I cannot express to you the anxiety I 
 felt while away and how restless I was to 
 return to the sick men. But God was better 
 to me than my fears. We arrived on the 
 4th instant at Metlakahtla and to my great 
 1 elief I found the wounded men doing well, 
 and all the settlement going on prosperous- 
 ly. I called a meeting of the village on the 
 evening of our arrival, to return thanks to 
 Almighty God, that He had remembered us 
 in our affliction. In my addresses both be- 
 
METLAKAHTLA ^s 
 
 tore going to Victoria and since my return 
 I have been greatly helped in opening to 
 the Indians the passages and truths from 
 the Scripture which this late dispensation of 
 Providence illustrated; and I have been 
 shown by unmistakable signs that this se- 
 vere chastisement with which it has pleased 
 God to visit us, will be productive of great 
 good to us. 
 
 "It would take too long to detail to you 
 the series of Indian laws of revenge and 
 compensation which this sad occurrence 
 and its sequences have revived, met, defeat- 
 ed and dispersed forever; and how the 
 Christian laws on these matters have been 
 put forward in strong contrast, approved, 
 magnified, and made to triumph; and how 
 for the first time a calamity which would 
 have called forth only savage fire and re- 
 lentless fury in the Indian as heathen, has 
 only called <'orth patient endurance and law- 
 ful retaliation in the Indian as Christian." 
 
 Among the scores of persons brought to 
 justice by Mr. Duncan and his constable a 
 notable case was that of Peter Gargotitch 
 who, on account of a grudge against Mr. 
 Duncan, had boasted in Victoria that he 
 would make the Metlakahtla Indians drunk. 
 
 Some weeks later the Indians reported 
 that there was a white man at Inverness, 
 ten miles distant from Metlakahtla, selling 
 liquor contrary to law. Mr. Duncan told 
 his constables to find out definitely the facts 
 in the case and report to him. Accordingly 
 
84 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 Iwo Indians went to Inverness to gather 
 evidence. While one went into the man's 
 tent and bought some Hquor in a bottle, 
 the other looked through a hole in the tent 
 ir order to testify as a witness. As soon 
 as they reported to Mr. Duncan he sent a 
 white man then staying on the island at the 
 head of several constables to arrest the of- 
 fender. When the party reached Inverness 
 with the warrant the liquor seller drew a 
 levolver, and brandishing it in their faces, 
 declared he would shoot the man who at- 
 tempted to serve the warrant upon him. 
 The white man, at the head of the consta- 
 bles, did not wish to risk his life, so he 
 returned to Mr. Duncan with the warrant 
 unserved. Mr. Duncan declared that on no 
 account must the offender be allowed to 
 escape. He asked the man if he would 
 make another attempt at capture, if it were 
 made certain that his life would not be in 
 danger. He consented and Mr. Duncan 
 completed his plans without delay. 
 
 Very early the next morning, a number 
 of large canoes left Metlakahtla, filled with 
 forty Indians, all fully armed, with the white 
 man at their head. When they reached In- 
 verness t'bey found that the liquor dealer 
 had loaded qll his kegs into a canoe and set 
 off up the river, accompanied by two com- 
 panions. The Indians at once started in 
 pursuit. After going a few miles they saw 
 the fugitives in their canoe paddling for 
 dear life. When it was seen that the In- 
 
METLAKAHTLA 85 
 
 dians would soon overtake them the canoe 
 was headed for the shore and beached, 
 with the liquor still in it, while the three 
 men took to the woods. They knew that 
 escape was impossible, for the forest was 
 well-nigh impenetrable, and behind them 
 were forty fieet-footed Indians. Hence, 
 tliey ran only a few rods and hid in the 
 bush. As the pursuing canoes came oppo- 
 site the place where the leader was hid the 
 officer with the warrant shouted out that 
 he wished to see him. The leader stepped 
 boldly out, prepared as before to defy his 
 captors. The of^cer then shouted that he 
 placed him under arrest and ordered him to 
 hold up his hands at once or he would be a 
 dead man. At the same instant the rifles 
 of the forty Indians standing in the ca- 
 noes were leveled at the dealer with orders 
 to fire if he offered the least resistance. 
 The man saw he was caught and at once 
 held his hands high above his head. 
 
 The warrant was served and the three 
 men, with the canoe and liquor, were 
 broug'ht to Metlakahtla. As the leader was 
 brought before Mr. Duncan, who should 
 it prove to be but Peter Gorgotitch, who 
 had threatened to make the Metlakahtla 
 Indians drunk? He was fined $500, which he 
 succeeded in borrowing and paying, and he 
 left the Island a sadder but wiser man. The 
 circumstances of the arrest did not allow 
 Mr. Duncan to confiscate Gorgotitch's 
 twenty-three kegs of liquor, each contain- 
 
86 METLAKAMTLA 
 
 ing ten gallons. A few weeks later, how- 
 ever, about half of it was stolen, and Gor- 
 gotitch returned to Victoria burdened by 
 debt and in a pitiable condition. For sever- 
 al years he went here and there, until news 
 reached Mr. Duncan that he had been killed 
 in British Columbia. The activity of Mr. 
 Duncan and his constables in enforcing the 
 law became more and more feared by the 
 .smugglers and liquor sellers until by 1876 
 the illegal traf^c had almost entirely ceased. 
 
 During the eight years following the ar- 
 rival of the pilgrims at Metlakahtla in 1862 
 great material progress had been made. 
 Between one hundred and two hundred 
 houses had been built, almost every one hav- 
 ing a neat garden attache:!. A large gener- 
 al store had been estahlishe 1, which was 
 patronized not only by the Metlakahtla In- 
 dians, but by men from surrounding camps 
 who were ihus brought into contact with 
 Christian influences. A court house and 
 commodious school house had been erected 
 and several industries started, including a 
 soap-house, blacksmith shop, and by no 
 means least, a saw-mill run by water power. 
 When one old Indian heard that Mr. Dun- 
 can intended to make water saw wood, he 
 exclaimed: 
 
 "If it is true that Mr. Duncan can make 
 water saw wood, then I will see it and die." 
 
 In 1870 Mr. Duncan paid a visit to Eng- 
 land, where he procured machinery for new 
 industries and spent several weeks learning 
 
METLAKAHTLA 87 
 
 the arts of weaving, rope-making, twine- 
 spinning and brush-making. In addition, 
 he acquired the gamut of each instrument 
 in a band of twenty-one pieces, which was 
 presented to him for the settlement. On 
 his return journey he spent nearly three 
 months in Victoria, reaching Metlakahtla 
 once more in February, 1871, after a year's 
 absence. Describing the first evening after 
 his arrival, Mr. Duncan wrote: 
 
 "At night, after visiting among the sick, I 
 sat down with about fifty for a general 
 talk. I gave them the special messages 
 from Christian friends which I had down in 
 my note-book, told them how much we were 
 prayed for by many Christians in England, 
 and scanned over the principal events of 
 my voyage and doings in England. We sat 
 till midnight, but even then the village was 
 lighted up, and the people all waiting to 
 hear from the favored fifty, what I had 
 communicate l Many did not go to bed at 
 all, but sat up all night talking over what 
 they had heard." 
 
 As may be seen from this royal welcome 
 accorded to Mr. Duncan, and from events 
 shortly to be narrated, the Tsimshean In- 
 dians were far from being a stolid, unemo- 
 tional race. At times they fairly overflowed 
 with emotion and excitement, and no peo- 
 ple enjoyed holidays and festal occasions 
 more than they. At this period there oc- 
 curred two notable celebrations which were 
 red letter days in the history of the settle- 
 ment. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 GALA DAYS ON THE ISLAND. 
 
 THE island of Metlakahtla being in 
 Canadian territory one of the days 
 most elaborately celebrated by the 
 Indians was Queen Victoria's birthday. 
 On one occasion the date occurred when a 
 British warship, "The Sparrow-Hawk," was 
 anchored in the bay ofT the village. The 
 Bishop of Columbia had come on the ship 
 to Metlakahtla to receive fresh converts 
 into the churchi, and he and the of^cers of 
 the vessel joined heartily in the eflfort to 
 make the day one long to be remembered. 
 
 The day dawned bright and beautiful and 
 at an early hour a party of sailors rowed 
 ashore to decorate the mission house and 
 bastion with flags of all nations. 
 
 The proceedings of the early part of the 
 day were spiritual, seventeen children be- 
 ing baptized in the house of God. Later, a 
 distribution of small gifts took place among 
 140 nicely dressed Indian children. 
 
 On the stroke of twelve o'clock a royal 
 salute of twenty-one guns thundered from 
 the ship, and the special exercises of the 
 occasion began. There were sports and 
 games of all sorts which were engaged in 
 most heartily and joyously by young and 
 old. There were foot races, sack races. 
 
METLAKAHTLA 89 
 
 etc., with such games as blind man's buff, 
 and a review of the village constables. The 
 most exciting feature of the afternoon was 
 the canoe race. The course was two miles 
 long around the island. Five large canoes 
 entered for the contest, eight or nine stal- 
 wart young Indians being seated in each. 
 Beneath the deep, swift strokes of the pad- 
 dles the canoes shot forward like birds, and 
 the race was as beautiful as it was exciting. 
 
 In the evening a public meeting was held 
 when a number of the officers of the "Spar- 
 row-Hawk" addressed the Indians, and sev- 
 eral of the Metlakahtla leaders made brief 
 but eloquent replies. A few of the short 
 speeches made by the Indians were report- 
 ed as follows: 
 
 Abraham Kemskah: — "Chiefs, I will say 
 a little. How were we to hear when we 
 were young, what we now hear? And, be- 
 ing old and long fixed in sin, how are we 
 to obey? We are like the canoe going 
 against the tide which is too strong for it; 
 we struggle, but in spite of our efforts we 
 are carried out to sea. Again, we are like 
 a youth watching a skilled artisan at work; 
 he strives to imitate his work but fails; so 
 we: we try to follow God's way, but how 
 far we fall short. Still we are encouraged 
 to persevere. We feel we are nearing the 
 shore; we are coming nearer the hand of 
 God, near peace. We must look neither 
 to the right nor left, but look straight on 
 and persevere," 
 
90 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 Richard Wilson: — "Chiefs, as we have 
 now heard, so do ye. Indeed, father" (ad- 
 dressing Mr. Duncan) "we are sinners be- 
 fore you; we often make your voice bad 
 in calHng us; we must persevere, we must 
 try, though we are bad; we are like the 
 wedge used in splitting the trees; we are 
 making the way for our children; they will 
 be better than we are. The sun does not 
 come out in full strength in early morn; 
 the gray light at first spreads itself over 
 the earth; as it rises the light increases and 
 by and by, is the mid-day sun. We shall 
 die before we have reached much, but we 
 shall die expecting our children to pass on 
 beyond us, and reach the wished-for-goal." 
 
 Daniel Baxter (Neeash-ah-pootk) : — 
 "Chiefs, I am foolish, I am bad, bad in 
 your sight. What can our hearts say? 
 What shall we do? We can only pray and 
 persevere. We will not listen to voices on 
 this side or that, but follow on till we reach 
 our Father in Heaven." 
 
 Jacob (Cheevost): — "Chiefs, we have 
 heard you. Why should we try to mistake 
 the w'ay you teach us? Rather we must 
 try to follow on; though our feet often 
 slip, we must still try; we have rocks all 
 around us; our sins are like the rocks, but 
 the rudder of our canoe is being held. She 
 will not drift away. We are all assisting 
 to hold the rudder and keep her in her 
 course. What would she be without the 
 rudder? Soon, a wreck upon the rocks; so 
 
METLAKAHTLA 91 
 
 we must cry to God for help to follow on." 
 
 * * * 
 
 As the Indians had grown enlightened 
 under Mr. Duncan's teaching, and had 
 come to understand the full meaning of 
 Christmas day, they entered as heartily as 
 their white brothers into making it a seas- 
 on of joy and gladness, and thus fittingly 
 celebrating the birthday of Him who re- 
 deemed the world from darkness and death. 
 The Christmas season of 1873 was especial- 
 ly notable because large numbers of Fort 
 Simpson Indians were invited to Metla- 
 kahtla to spend the period with their Chris- 
 tian brethren. Of the series of events 
 which filled up the days with happy mem- 
 ories Mr. Duncan sent the following 
 graphic report to the Missionary Society: 
 "This is the first season that the heathen 
 customs at Fort Simpson have been gen- 
 erally disregarded, and hence we thought 
 it well to encourage Christian customs m 
 their place. To this end we decided to in- 
 vite all the congregation at Fort Simpson 
 to spend the festival of Christmas with us 
 at Metlakahtla, that they might receive the 
 benefit of a series of special services, and be 
 preserved from falling into those excesses 
 which we had reason to fear would follow 
 should they spend the Christmas by them- 
 selves. About two hundred and fifty avail- 
 ed themselves of our invitation and they ar- 
 rived at Metlakahtla the day bc:fore Christ- 
 mas in twenty-one canoes, which, indeed, 
 
92 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 presented a picture as they approached us 
 with flags flying. 
 
 "According to previous arrangement 
 they all clustered to the market house, 
 which we at present use for our church and 
 which has been very appropriately decor- 
 ated. On our guests being seated I gave 
 them a short address, and after prayer, in 
 company with Mr. and Mrs. Collison, shook 
 hands with them all. They then were quar- 
 tered around the village and a very ex- 
 citing scene ensued, all the villagers literal- 
 ly scrambling for the guests. After the 
 scramble several came running to me to 
 complain that they had not succeeded in 
 securing a single guest, while others had 
 got more than their share. To settle mat- 
 ters amicably, I had to send two consta- 
 bles round the village to readjust the dis- 
 tribution of our new friends. 
 
 "Our Christmas eve was spent in prac- 
 ticing with a band of twenty young men, a 
 new Christmas hymn in Tsimshean, which 
 I managed to prepare for the occasion. 
 About 1 :30 on Christmas morning we re- 
 assembled, when Mr. Collison and myself 
 accompanied the twenty waits to sing round 
 the village, carrying the harmonium and 
 concertina with us. We sang in seven dif- 
 ferent places and three hymns in each place. 
 The village was illuminated and the sing- 
 ing was hearty and solemn. This was the 
 first attempt of the Indians at part-singing 
 in their own tongue. 
 
94 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 "Christmas day was a great day, houses 
 decorated with evergreens, flags flying, 
 constables and council passing from house 
 to house in their uniforms, and greeting 
 the inmates. Now a string of young men, 
 then another of young women, might be 
 seen going into this house, then into that; 
 friends meeting on the road, shaking hands 
 everywhere; everybody greeting everybody; 
 hours occupied with handshaking and inter- 
 changing- good wishes; nobody thinking of 
 anything else but scattering smiles and 
 greetings, till the church bell rings, and all 
 wend their way to meet and worship God. 
 
 "The crowd seemed so great that fears 
 were entertained that our meeting house 
 could not accommodate them. I at once 
 decided that the children should assemble 
 in the school-house and have a separate 
 service. Samuel Marsden kindly volun- 
 teered to conduct it. Even with this ar- 
 rangement our meeting house was crowded 
 to excess. There could not have been less 
 than seven hundred present. What a 
 sight! Had anyone accompanied me to 
 the Christmas-day services I held twelve or 
 fourteen years ago at Fort Simpson, and 
 again on this occasion, methinks if an in- 
 fidel lie would have been confused and puz- 
 zled by the change; but if a Christian his 
 heart must have leaped for joy. The 
 Tsimsheans might well sing on this day. 
 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth 
 peace, good will towards men.' 
 
- METLAKAMTLA 95 
 
 "The following day the young men en- 
 gaged in the healthy game of foot-ball, and 
 all the people turned out to witness the 
 sport. Mr. and Mrs. Collison and myself 
 were present to encourage them. After 
 foot-ball a marriage took place. A young 
 woman formerly trained in the mission- 
 house, was married to a chief. A marriage 
 feast was given, to which between four and 
 five hundred people were invited. 
 
 "On Friday, the second day of January, 
 our guests departed home. When ready to 
 start the church bell rang, and they paddled 
 their canoes to the meeting-house, which is 
 built upon the beach. Leaving their ca- 
 noes, they reassembled for a short address 
 and a concluding prayer. This out, again 
 entering their canoes, they pushed a little 
 from the beach, a cannon was fired, and 
 amid the ringing cheers of hundreds of 
 voices they dashed ofif, paddling with all 
 their might." 
 
 The most memorable events of the next 
 few years were the completion of the re- 
 markable church, and the visits of two dis- 
 tinguished personages, with one of whom 
 our narrative has already been concerned, 
 and whose presence again in their midst 
 filled the Metlakahtlans with the keenest 
 joy. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 TWO NOTABLE VISITORS. 
 
 WITH each passing year the settle- 
 ment at Metlakahtla grew strong- 
 er, the village more prosperous 
 and beautiful. On the sixth of August, 1872, 
 there was laid the corner-stone of a mas- 
 sive new church which was to be the crown- 
 ing glory of the Christian colony. Al- 
 though part of the cost of the church was 
 given by outsiders; yet the Indians sacri- 
 ficed largely and often that the work might 
 progress unhindered. A little over two 
 years from the laying of the corner-stone, 
 on Christmas day, 1874, the beautiful edi- 
 fice — entirely the work of Indian hands — 
 was dedicated to the service of God. It 
 was a time of great rejoicing and gladness. 
 Describing it, Mr. Duncan said: 
 
 "Over seven hundred Indians were pres- 
 ent at our opening services. Could it be 
 that this concourse of well-dressed people 
 in their new and beautiful church, but a 
 few years ago made up the fiendish assem- 
 blies at Fort Simpson! Could it be that 
 these voices, now engaged in solemn pray- 
 er and thrilling songs of praise to Almighty 
 God, are the very voices I once heard yell- 
 ing and whooping at heathen orgies on dis- 
 mal winter nights!" 
 
 96 
 
METLAKAHTLA 97 
 
 At tills period the Governor-General ol 
 Canada was the Earl of Dufferin. He was 
 one of the great statesmen of the age, and 
 one of the leaders of the English aristo- 
 cracy. In the year 1876 he made an ex- 
 tended trip through the western part of 
 Canada, in the course of which he planned 
 to visit Metlakahtla, of which he had heard 
 most glowing accounts. The Indians on 
 their part were greatly delighted at tlvt 
 prospect of receiving a visit from so fa- 
 mous a man. As one method of showing 
 their appreciation of his coming, they pre- 
 pared the following address of welcome, 
 whicn was presented to him on his arrival: 
 
 "May it please your Excellency: We, the 
 inhabitants of Metlakahtla, of the Tsim- 
 shean nation of Indians, desire to express 
 our joy in welcoming your Excellency and 
 Lady Dufferin to our village. Under the 
 teaching of the Gospel we have learned the 
 Divine command, 'Fear God, honor the 
 King,' and thus as loyal subjects of her 
 Majesty, Queen Victoria, we rejoice in see- 
 ing vou visit our shores. 
 
 "We have learned to respect and obey the 
 laws of the Queen, and we will continue to 
 uphold and defend the same in our com- 
 munity and nation. 
 
 "We are still a weak and poor people, 
 only lately emancipated from the thraldom 
 of heathenism and savage customs; but we 
 are struggling to rise and advance to a 
 Christian life and civilization. 
 
98 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 "Trusting that we may enjoy a share of 
 your Excellency's kind and fostering care, 
 and under your administration continue to 
 advance in peace and prosperity. 
 
 "We have the honor to subscribe our- 
 selves, your Excellency's humble and obed- 
 ient servant, 
 
 "For the indian-s of Metlakahtla, 
 
 "David Leask, 
 "Secretary to the Native Council." 
 
 The Governor-General was accompanied 
 by his accomplished wife. Lady Dufferin, 
 and to say that they were pleased with 
 what t'ley saw is putting it mildly. Lord 
 Dufferin declared he would treasure their 
 address of welcome above all others he re- 
 ceived during his journey. In an address 
 to the Indians assembled in the open air 
 on a beautiful summer day the Governor- 
 General said in part: 
 
 "I have come a long distance in order to 
 assure you, in the name of your Great 
 Mother, the Queen of England, with what 
 pleasure she has learned of your well-being, 
 of the progress you have made in the arts 
 of peace and the knowledge of the Chris- 
 tian religion, under the auspices of your 
 friend, Mr. Duncan. ] have viewed with 
 astonishment the church which you have 
 built entirely by your own industry and in- 
 telligence. That church is in itself a monu- 
 ment of the way in which you have profited 
 by the teachings you have received. It 
 does you the greatest credit, and we have 
 
METLAKAHTLA 99 
 
 every right to hope that, while in its out- 
 ward aspect it bears testimony to your con- 
 formity to the laws of the Gospel, beneath 
 its sacred roof your sincere and faithful 
 prayers will be rewarded by those blessings 
 which are promised to all those who ap- 
 proach the throne of God in humility and 
 faith * * * 
 
 "Before I conclude T cannot help express- 
 ing to Mr. Duncan and those associated 
 with him in his good work, not only in my 
 name, not only in the name of the Govern- 
 ment of Canada, but also in the name of 
 Her Majesty, the Queer, and in the name 
 of the people of England, who take so deep 
 an interest in the well-being of all the na- 
 tive races throughout the Queen's domin- 
 ions, our deep gratitu'le to him for thus 
 having devoted the flower of his life, in 
 spite of innumerable difficulties, dangers 
 and discouragements to a work which has 
 resulted in the beaurif'.il scene we have wit- 
 nessed this morning. I only wish to add 
 that I am very much obliged to you for the 
 satisfactory and loyal address with which 
 you have greeted me. The very fact of 
 you being in a position to express your- 
 selves with so much ]'»ropriety is in itself 
 extremely creditable to you, and although 
 ic has been my good fortune to receive 
 many addresses during my stay in Canada 
 from various comninni^ie<^ of your fellow- 
 subjects, not one of th<.m will be surround- 
 ed by so many hopeful and pleasant rem- 
 
100 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 iniscences as those >vhich I shall carry 
 away with me from tliis ^pot." 
 
 But there was one person whose coming 
 to the island threw it into a far greater 
 commotion of pleasurable excitement than 
 even the visit of the Governor-General. 
 That person was none other than Admiral 
 Prevost, who, twenty-five years before, as 
 Captain Prevost, had been the means of 
 starting the entire work. His visit has 
 been well called "the most joyous and 
 memorable event in the history of the set- 
 tlement." It was the red letter day of Met- 
 lakahtla. 
 
 Throughout a quarter of a century amid 
 all the dangers and perils of naval life God 
 had preserved the gallant captain, and had 
 honored him enabling him to reach the ex- 
 alted station of Admiral. During all the 
 years, however, he had not lost sight of the 
 glorious work he inaugurated, and now at 
 last he was permitted to see with his own 
 eyes the marvelous results of his early ef- 
 forts. The Admiral spent a full month 
 among the Metlakahtlans, declaring that 
 words could not describe the joy he experi- 
 enced at witnessing their transformation. 
 He sent a graphic account of his visit to 
 the Church Missionary Society, part of 
 which was as follows: 
 
 "Three a. m., Tuesday, i8th June, 1878. 
 Arrived at Fort Simpson in the United 
 States Mail Steamer California, from Sit- 
 ka. Was met by William Duncan with six- 
 
102 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 teen Indians, nearly all elders. Our greet- 
 ing was most hearty, and the meeting with 
 Duncan was a cause of real thankfulness to 
 God, in sight, too, of the very spot (nay on 
 It) where God had put into my heart the 
 first desire of sending the Gospel to the 
 poor heathen around me. Twenty-five 
 >ears previously H. M. S. Virago had been 
 repaired on that very beach. What a 
 change had been effected durmg those 
 passing years! Of the crew before me 
 nine of the sixteen were, to my knowledge, 
 formerly medicine men or cannibals. In 
 humble faith, we could only exclaim, 'What 
 hath God wrought!' It is all His doing, 
 and it is marvelous in our eyes. 
 
 "It did not take long to transfer ourselves 
 and our baggage to the canoe and at 4:30 
 a. m. we started against wind and tide, 
 lain, too, at intervals; but having much to 
 talk about of past events and future plans 
 the twenty miles of distance soon disap- 
 peared and about noon we crossed the bar 
 and entered the 'inlet of Kahtla.' On the 
 north side of the inlet stands on an emi- 
 nence 'the church of God;' on either side 
 of it spreads out the village of Metlakaht- 
 la, skirting two bays whose beaches are at 
 once a landing-place for its inhabitants 
 and a shelter for the canoes. As we ap- 
 proached the landing-place two guns were 
 fired and flags displayed from house to 
 house — conspicuous by a string of them 
 reaching the Mission House verandah, in- 
 
METLAKAHTLA 103 
 
 scribtd, 'A Real Welcome to Metlakahtla.' 
 Near to this were assembled all the village 
 —men, women and children— gaily dressed. 
 "After twenty-five years' absence God 
 liad brought me back again amidst all the 
 sundry and manifold changes of the world, 
 face to face with those tribes amongst 
 whom I had before witnessed only blood- 
 shed, cannibalism and heathen deviltry in its 
 grossest form. Now they were sitting at 
 the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in their right 
 mind. The very church-warden, dear old 
 I'eter Simpson, who opened the church- 
 door for me, was once the chief of one of 
 the cannibal tribes * * * 
 
 "Bel ore my departure from Metlakahtla 
 I assembled the few who were left at the 
 village, to tell them I was anxious to leave 
 behind some token both of my visit to 
 them after so long an absence, and also 
 that I still bore them, on my heart. What 
 should it be? After hours of consultation, 
 they decided they would leave the choice 
 to me, and when I told them (what I had 
 beforehand determined upon) that my pres- 
 ent would be a set of street lamps to light 
 up their village by night, their joy was un- 
 bounded. Their first thought had a spirit- 
 ual meaning. By day, God's house was a 
 memorable object, visible both by vessels 
 passing and repassing, and by all canoes as 
 strange Indians traveled about; but by 
 night all had been darkness, now this was 
 no longer so— as the bright light of the 
 
104 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 glorious Gospel had through God's mercy 
 and love shined into their dark hearts, so 
 would all be reminded by night as well as by 
 day, of the marvelous light shining into the 
 hearts of many at Metlakahtla." 
 
 But tne narrative of the Admiral's visit 
 would by no means be complete without 
 relating the sequel to the beautiful action 
 which haa occurred on the Queen Char- 
 lotte Islands a quarter of a century pre- 
 viously. One day a well built tanoe con- 
 taining two stalwart Indians was seen ap- 
 proaching Metlakahtla. When the occu- 
 pants landed they proved to be Edensaw, 
 the head chief of the Hydahs, and his son. 
 They had heard of Admiral Prevost's visit 
 and had made the long journey through the 
 open sea to see his face once more. Their 
 meeting with the Admiral presented a beau- 
 tiful scene, which reached its climax when 
 Edensaw put his hand into his bosom and 
 drew forth a little book which he handed 
 to the Admiral. The heart of the venerable 
 commander overflowed with wonder and 
 praise to God when he saw written on the 
 fly-leaf these lines: "From Captain Pre- 
 vost, H. M. S. 'Satellite,' trusting that the 
 bread thus cast upon the waters may be 
 found after many days." 
 
 Truly it had been found after 'many 
 days' indeed! The son of Edensaw was an 
 earnest Christian — the first person among 
 the Hydahs to come out boldly on the 
 Lord's side. Edensaw himself was con- 
 
METLAKAHTLA 105 
 
 vinced that Christianity was the right way, 
 but he was a proud man and had not yet 
 been wiHmg to sacrifice his power and 
 wealth as chieftain in order to follow Christ. 
 But who can estimate the part played by 
 that small testament in preparing the 
 heart of the son to receive the Gospel? 
 Doubtless scores of times as a boy he had 
 heard his father relate the story of how he 
 received'The Letter of God"from the great 
 white Chief, and he had without doubt 
 longed earnestly to know the meaning of 
 the message contained in the strange Eng- 
 lish book. Hence when the missionary 
 came to the Queen Charlotte Islands it was 
 natural that the son of Edensaw should be 
 the first convert. 
 
 And now once more in this world, father 
 and son stood 'face to face' with their spir- 
 itual benefactor, after a full quarter of a 
 century had passed, whitening the hair of 
 the Admiral and bringing wrinkles into the 
 face of the old chief. It was a memorable 
 meeting worthy of the brush of a great 
 painter. It was a strange and wonderful 
 illustration of the glorious fruitage that re- 
 sults in the far distant future from the 
 
 good little deeds of today. 
 * * * 
 
 But ere long the idyllic life of the colony 
 was to be shattered to pieces, only to spring 
 up again more beautiful than ever on an 
 isle of paradise under the glorious banner 
 of the stars and stripes. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 IN QUEST OF A NEW HOME. 
 
 EARLY in the eighties when the 
 Christian colony was in the full 
 bloom of its vigor and prosperity a 
 cloud appeared on the horizon, which grew 
 larger with each passing year until the 
 Metlakahtlans finally left their dearly loved 
 island, and, in company with Mr. Duncan, 
 set out in search of a new home. The trou- 
 ble began soon after the death of the great 
 Henry Venn, secretary of the Church Mis- 
 sionary Society, who had most heartily ap- 
 proved of Mr. Duncan's methods and plans 
 for the conversion and education of the In- 
 dians. Following his decease, however, a 
 Missionary Bishop was appointed to over- 
 see the work at Metlakahtla and other mis- 
 sions in British Columbia. He decided that 
 the Indians should conform more closely to 
 the customs of the Church of England; 
 that the Lord's Supper should be instituted 
 with the use of real wine in the service; 
 and that much of the ritual and ceremony 
 of the English church should be introduced 
 among the red men. Mr. Duncan strongly 
 objected to these changes. He knew the 
 inordinate passion of the Indian for intox- 
 icants and felt it would be wrong to use 
 fermented wine in the communion service; 
 1 06 
 
METLAKAHTLA 107 
 
 while in addition the law of Canada prohib- 
 ited any Indian from touching wine under 
 penalty of imprisonment. 
 
 In regard to the elaborate ritual of the 
 Church of England, Mr. Duncan believed 
 it entirely unsuited to the worship of the 
 Indians, and felt that if introduced it would 
 seriously weaken and undermine their spir- 
 itual life. 
 
 The Bishop, however, still insisted on the 
 changes being made. But Mr. Duncan was 
 accustomed to adhering to principle at 
 whatever cost, and rather than submit to 
 what he believed was wrong, he left the 
 Church Missionary Society and started an 
 Independent Native Church. All but a few 
 of the Indians at Metlakahtla followed him 
 and joined the new church. The Mission- 
 ary Society, on the advice of its Bishop, 
 but against that of several of its mission- 
 aries in the vicinity, still continued to carry 
 on a mission among the few who remain- 
 ed, and claimed the ownership of the two 
 most central acres of land in the village on 
 which the mission buildings stood. The 
 Canadian Government supported the So- 
 ciety in this claim, to the Indians' aston- 
 ishment and dismay, for the land had been 
 theirs for ages past. 
 
 Mr. Duncan and his followers carefully 
 considered the situation and rather than 
 have discord and disunion in their Arcadia 
 determined to set out for the second time 
 in quest of a new home. 
 
io8 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 A short time later a band of Metlakaht- 
 lans set out in their canoes in search of an- 
 other island upon which they could erect a 
 new and more beautiful Christian city. 
 They went northward into Alaska, explor- 
 ing the land carefully as they went. At 
 last, about one hundred miles north of Met- 
 lakahtla, they found an island which even 
 surpassed the old one in beauty and natural 
 advantages. When the Indians saw it they 
 unanimously exclaimed that they would 
 look no farther, for it was certainly an isle 
 of paradise they had found, with its mar- 
 velously beautiful harbor, its virgin forests, 
 its purple mountains, and its silvery water- 
 fall. As the scouts approached Metlakaht- 
 la on their return, they signalized the suc- 
 cess of their mission by singing the "Ca- 
 noe-song," the most beautiful of all the na- 
 tive melodies. 
 
 Mr. Duncan now started for Washington 
 to secure permission from the United 
 States Government to settle on the land. 
 The case of the Metlakahtlans was care- 
 fully considered by President Cleveland, the 
 secretaries of the Interior and Treasury, 
 the Attorney-General and others. Many 
 distinguished people earnestly seconded the 
 cause of the Indians, among them being the 
 Governor of Alaska, Henry Ward Beecher 
 and Dr. Sheldon Jackson. 
 
 By the advice of the Attorney-General, 
 the Secretary of the Interior finally de- 
 cided that the Metlakahtlans could settle 
 
METLAKAHTLA 109 
 
 upon any unoccupied land in Alaska, but 
 that no reservation could be set aside for 
 them, as land laws for the territory had not 
 yet been made. He also declared that when 
 Alaskan land laws should be formed "am- 
 ple provision will be made to meet the ne- 
 cessities of all law-abiding inhabitants." 
 
 With this assurance of fair treatment 
 from the United States, Mr. Duncan was 
 fully satisfied. He mailed the good news 
 to the Indians and during the summer of 
 1887 a small number of them journeyed 
 northward in their canoes to fell the forest 
 and prepare the way for the remainder. 
 On the 7th of August, Mr. Duncan reached 
 the new island, having been absent in the 
 United States nearly nine months. His 
 welcome was most hearty as he stepped 
 upon the beach of the New Metlakahtla, 
 which was to be the future home of the col- 
 ony. A memorable service, like that the 
 Pilgrims must have held on landing at 
 Plymouth Rock, was at once arranged, 
 which a newspaper correspondent who was 
 present described graphically as follows: 
 
 "The day was a perfect one and the visit- 
 ors were at once put on shore. A more 
 lovely place than this harbor it is impossi- 
 ble to imagine. It is semi-circular in shape, 
 opening out through a number of small is- 
 lands to the westward. On the east and 
 north were wild, rugged mountains, com- 
 ing down to the water's edge, and on the 
 south is a low, green shore skirted by a 
 
no METLAKAHTLA 
 
 gravel beach that winds in and out in 
 beautiful curves. The place was entirely 
 uninhabited except by thirty or forty of the 
 men of Metlakahtla with their families who 
 had come on as an advance guard. The re- 
 mainder, in all about one thousand people,, 
 men, women and children, will come as 
 soon as provision can be made for them 
 and the means of transportation shall ar- 
 rive. 
 
 "The exercises were impromptu and Mr. 
 Duncan first addressed his people in their 
 native tongue. He told them of his trip 
 to the "United States, and concluded by in- 
 troducing Hon. N. H. R. Dawson, the U. 
 S. Commissioner of Education then upon 
 an ol^cial tour of Alaska, who had kindly 
 consented to make an address upon this 
 occasion. In Mr. Dawson's address, in- 
 terpreted by Mr. Duncan into the native 
 language for the benefit of those who did 
 not understand English, they were impres- 
 sively told of the power and glory of the 
 great American Government, under whose 
 protection they were coming, and were as- 
 sured that when its flag was raised over 
 them, they would be protected in their 
 lives and liberties, that their homes and 
 lands would be assured to them, and that 
 their education and welfare would be the 
 cherished care of the great Government, 
 to which they had intrusted themselves. 
 
 "When he concluded, the flags were rais- 
 ed, the ship saluting them as they went up 
 
112 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 with its battery of one gun. The natives 
 then sang 'Rock of Ages' exquisitely in 
 their native tongue. Rev. Dr. Fraser of 
 San Francisco, in a touching prayer, then 
 commended the new settlement to the pro- 
 tection of Divine Providence, after which 
 all united in singing 'Coronation.' One of 
 the principal chiefs or selectmen, Daniel 
 Ne-ash-kum-ack-kem, then replied to Mr. 
 Dawson's address in a short speech as fol- 
 lows: 
 
 " 'Chiefs, I have a few words of truth to 
 let you know what our hearts are saying. 
 The God of Heaven is looking at our do- 
 ings here today. You have stretched out 
 your hands to the Tsimsheans. Your act 
 is a Christian act. We have long been 
 knocking at the door of another govern- 
 ment for justice, but the door has been 
 closed against us. You have risen up and 
 opened your door to us, and bid us wel- 
 come to this beautiful spot, upon which we 
 propose to erect our homes. What can 
 our hearts say to this, but that we are 
 thankful and happy. The work of the 
 Christian is never lost. Your work will 
 not be lost to you. It will live, and you 
 will find it after many days. We are here 
 only a few today who have been made 
 happy by your words; but when your words 
 reach all of our people, numbering over a 
 thousand, how much more joy will they oc- 
 casion. * * * We come to you for pro- 
 tection and safety. Our hearts, though 
 
METLAKAHTLA 113 
 
 often troubled have not fainted. We have 
 trusted in God, and He has helped us. We 
 are now able to sleep in peace. Our con- 
 fidence is restored. God has given us His 
 strength to reach this place of security and 
 freedom, and we are grateful to Him for 
 His mercy and loving kindness. We again 
 salute you from our hearts. I have no 
 more to say.' 
 
 "At the conclusion of this reply, which 
 was delivered in the musical intonations of 
 his native tongue, with a grace and elo- 
 quence that did credit to the picturesque 
 forum in which he stood. Dr. Eraser gave 
 the benediction." 
 
 During the autumn of 1887 the remaind- 
 er of the colonists removed to their new 
 home, and throughout the following winter 
 and spring building preparations went rap- 
 idly forward. Mr. Duncan drew up a beau- 
 tiful design for the streets and homes and 
 public buildings of the new village, so that 
 it should be a model city in every respect. 
 A new set of rules, or declaration of prin- 
 ciples, was also drawn up in harmony with 
 the present enlightened character of the 
 people. It read as follows: 
 
 "We, the people of Metlakahtla, Alaska, 
 in order to secure to ourselves and our 
 posterity the blessings of a Christian home, 
 do severally subscribe to the following 
 rules for the regulation of our conduct and 
 town aflfairs: 
 
 "i. To reverence the Sabbath and to re- 
 
114 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 frain from all unnecessary secular work on 
 that day; to attend Divine Worship; to 
 take the Bible for our rule of faith; to re- 
 gard all true Christians as our brethren, 
 and to be truthful, honest and industrious. 
 
 "2. To be faithful and loyal to the Gov- 
 ernment and laws of the United States. 
 
 "3. To render our votes when called 
 upon for the election of the Town Council, 
 and to promptly obey the by-laws and or- 
 ders imposed by the said council. 
 
 "4. To attend to the education of our 
 children and keep them at school as regu- 
 larly as possible. 
 
 "5. To totally abstain from all intoxi- 
 cants and gambling, and never attend heath- 
 en festivities or countenance heathen cus- 
 toms in surrounding villages. 
 
 "6. To strictly carry out all sanitary 
 regulations necessary for the health of the 
 town. 
 
 "7. To identify ourselves with the prog- 
 ress of the settlement, and to utilize the 
 land we hold. 
 
 ''8. Never to alienate — give away — or sell 
 our land, or building lots, or any portion 
 thereof, to any person or persons who 
 have not subscribed to these rules." 
 
 In the land of the free, in the midst of un- 
 surpassed natural landscape, a new and 
 more beautiful village sprang into existence 
 under the skilled and willing hands of Mr. 
 Duncan, and his devoted followers. A sal- 
 mon cannery and saw-mill were erected, 
 
METLAKAHTLA 115 
 
 numerous stores opened, and after months 
 of faithful and loving toil a large and beau- 
 tiful church was built. Peace and joy dwelt 
 in the hearts of the people; industry, puri- 
 ty and harmony guarded the homes; and 
 the spot became indeed Paradise Island, a 
 bit of the garden of Eden regained. 
 
 Sixteen years after the foundation of the 
 new village it was the good fortune of the 
 writer to make a 3,000 mile journey across 
 the continent and up into the Northland, 
 solely to obtain the strange and inspiring 
 history of these red men and to observe 
 their present condition. The story of the 
 journey and of some of the remarkable 
 things seen and heard at Metlakahtla will 
 next be related. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 ON THE ISLE OF PARADISE. 
 
 AS the Queen of Sheba traveled far 
 to pay a visit to the court of King 
 Solomon to see for herself the mar- 
 vels of which she had heard so much, so the 
 writer made a round -trip journey of 6,000 
 miles to see the wonderful model city of 
 Metlakahtla inhabited by red men, who 
 yesterday were wild savages, today are 
 well-dressed exemplary Christians. The 
 trip from Chicago occupied nine days. 
 Leaving the inland metropolis on Monday 
 evening the writer reached Seattle Friday 
 afternoon, and the following day arrived at 
 Victoria, the old English city on Vancouver 
 Island, which is so frequently mentioned in 
 our narrative. Here I saw the naval sta- 
 tion which was the headquarters of Admiral 
 Prevost half a century previous, and called 
 upon the venerable Bishop Cridge, who en- 
 tertained Mr. Duncan upon his arrival in 
 the city in 1857, and has ever since been a 
 staunch friend and warm supporter. A de- 
 lightful Sunday was spent in this quaint 
 English city where the Sabbath is observed 
 far better than in the United States. Early 
 Monday morning I embarked on the swift 
 steamer, "Cottage City," and for two days. 
 as we sped northward, enjoyed a changing 
 116 
 
METLAKAHTLA 117 
 
 panorama of sea and land scenery which 
 is probably unparalleled on the North 
 American continent. At five-thirty Wed- 
 nesday morning we reached Ketchikan, 
 Alaska, a gold-mining town fifteen miles 
 from Metlakahtla, where it was necessary 
 to change steamers. It proved to be a 
 typical frontier village with less than a 
 thousand inhabitants and eight saloons 
 into whose cofifers, I was informed, went 
 two-thirds of the wages of the miners. 
 
 But fortunately I had not long to wait in 
 the town. At nine a. m. a large steamer 
 approached, which proved to be "The Dol- 
 phin," carrying the United States Sena- 
 torial Committee of five members, appoint- 
 ed to inspect Alaska for the purpose of 
 framing laws for the territory. The vessel 
 was just returning from a special visit to 
 New Metlakahtla to enable the committee 
 to see the famous Indian settlement and 
 to obtain Mr. Duncan's views on the needs 
 of Alaska. As the ship touched the dock I 
 hastened on board and greeted Senator 
 Dillingham, chairman of the committee, 
 whom I had met in Seattle a few days pre- 
 vious. He took me into the captain's 
 cabin and there introduced me to the man I 
 had come three thousand miles to see — 
 William Duncan! And yet, could it be pos- 
 sible that the vivacious, ruddy-faced man 
 with whom I was shaking hands was the 
 missionary who had spent forty-six years of 
 toil and privation among the red men? 
 
ii8 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 His hair and beard were white, but at sev- 
 enty-two years of age he had the energy 
 and vigor of mind and body of a man of 
 fifty. 
 
 Mr. Duncan had come from Metlakahtla 
 to Ketchikan as the guest of the Senator- 
 ial party, and was accompanied by two 
 leading members of the Indian community, 
 Mr. John Tait and Edward K. Mathers. 
 After several hours of waiting the luxuri- 
 ous excursion steamer "Spokane" reached 
 Ketchikan on its way to Metlakahtla, 
 which it visits on every trip to Alaska, and 
 Mr. Duncan, the Indians, and myself, were 
 soon speeding rapidly toward the village, 
 whose fame has reached round the world. 
 
 As we came into the bay — which I have 
 never seen equaled for beauty at home or 
 abroad — and beheld the quiet, peaceful vil- 
 lage, set like a jewel between the blue sea 
 and the purple mountains, I was filled with 
 amazement and awe and could only in- 
 wardly exclaim: "Fifty years ago savages 
 and today this!" What a tremendous 
 power is contained in the Gospel! No other 
 force on earth or above or beneath it could 
 have transformed those savage tribes into 
 that tranquil Indian village! Truly I was 
 looking upon a modern miracle of the Gos- 
 pel and it was marvelous beyond the power 
 of description. 
 
 Eleven delightful days I spent at Met- 
 lakahtla as the guest of Mr. Duncan. 
 Needless to state, there is no saloon on the 
 
METLAKAHTLA 119 
 
 island, and during my entire stay I saw no 
 one intoxicated and heard no profane nor 
 angry word! Instead, a spirit of peace and 
 quiet contentment broods over the island 
 and fills the heart with satisfaction, and one 
 realizes as never before of what little ac- 
 count are the riches and honors of the 
 world compared with the true riches of liv- 
 ing right with God! 
 
 The village lies on a right-angled point 
 of land so that two sides of it face the sea. 
 The houses of the Indians are on the aver- 
 age considerably finer than those in an 
 American village of eight hundred inhabi- 
 tants. They are mainly two stories in 
 height, plentifully supplied with windows 
 and usually have a verandah. The village 
 sidewalks are wide and well built. 
 
 The church stands on an eminence just 
 at the back of the village and is far the 
 most handsome and pretentious building in 
 the town. It was constructed entirely by 
 the Indians themselves under Mr. Duncan's 
 direction. The interior is finished in spruce 
 and cedar, and the large arched auditorium, 
 capable of seating over seven hundred peo- 
 ple, is most impressive. The handsome 
 pews and ornamental pulpit, with the paint- 
 ing of the Angels at Bethlehem above the 
 pulpit, — indeed, everything save the pipe or- 
 gan, is the result of native handicraft. The 
 church is the largest in Alaska and has fitly 
 been called "The Westminster of the In- 
 dians." 
 
120 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 The combined school house and town 
 hall stands next to the church, and has the 
 unique distinction of being equipped with 
 a gymnasium. Next to the school house is 
 a commodious building designed for a boy's 
 home or boarding school, and next that a 
 girl's boarding school. At present there 
 are only nine girls in the school, but it is 
 expected the number will be shortly in- 
 creased to fifteen or more. 
 
 The two most important industries in the 
 village are the salmon cannery and the saw- 
 mill. During a recent season the former 
 turned out over 800,000 cans of salmon, 
 while the latter employs a considerable 
 number of people the year round. If any 
 of our readers wish a good can of salmon 
 and at the same time a souvenir from Met- 
 lakahtla let them ask their grocer for sal- 
 mon put up by "The Metlakahtla Industrial 
 Company." The chief occupations of the 
 800 inhabitants are salmon fishing in the 
 summer and logging in the winter. There 
 are nine stores In the town, the largest 
 being owned by Mr. Duncan, the other 
 eight by natives. The saw-mill and most 
 of the stock of the salmon cannery are also 
 owned by Mr. Duncan, some of the shares, 
 however, being held by the Indians. There 
 is no doubt but that Mr. Duncan is simply 
 acting as trustee for the people in con- 
 ducting these enterprises and that at his 
 decease the profits, if there be any left, 
 will be given to the village. Today Mr. 
 
122 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 Duncan pays Ihe salary of his assistants 
 in the work, Dr. and Mrs. Boyd, and sup- 
 ports the girls' school, which is conducted 
 by the doctor and his wife. Last year, as 
 previously, Mr. Duncan personally taught 
 the public school, in addition to all his 
 ether duties, but he finds the burden very 
 severe and is desirous of securing a young 
 minister and his wife to undertake this 
 work and to assist in the spiritual training 
 of the people. 
 
 Mr. Duncan is still the active pastor of 
 the church, serving without salary. He 
 preaches twice on Sunday, conducts the 
 children's Sunday School, and the mid- 
 week prayer-meeting. He is also the spir- 
 itual and temporal adviser and counselor 
 of his people, and his office, where he 
 spends many hours daily as active man- 
 ager of the cannery, saw-mill and store, is 
 the natural resort of anyone in trouble or 
 difificulty. I spent considerable time with Mr. 
 Duncan in his office, and sometimes there 
 would be a stream of callers which would 
 occupy his attention for hours together. 
 
 The home life of the people is beautiful 
 and affectionate. Among strangers they 
 appear stolid, for they hide their feelings, 
 but among themselves they are often most 
 lively and gay. I saw considerable of the 
 nine girls in the boarding school, and they 
 were constantly bubbling over with fun of 
 some sort and frequent bursts of hearty, 
 wholesome laughter filled the air. Some of 
 
METLAKAHTLA 123 
 
 the homes are furnished very attractively, 
 two houses in the village containing pianos. 
 The energy and natural talents of the 
 people are amazing. Many of them earn 
 double wages by doing double work. For 
 example, the blacksmith at the cannery, 
 Mr. Edward K. Mathers, works at night at 
 his home carving queer figures on silver 
 spoons. Going to the native stores on 
 several occasions I found them locked, un- 
 til I discovered that the proprietors worked 
 at the cannery or saw-mill during the day, 
 and opened their shops after a hasty sup- 
 per in the evening. The village photo- 
 grapher, Benjamin A. Haldane, does not 
 hesitate to work in the cannery when it is 
 running and looks after his picture-mak- 
 ing and developing after or before working 
 hours. Mr. Haldane is a versatile and tal- 
 ented young man. In addition to being an 
 excellent photographer, he is leader of the 
 village band, and plays the pipe organ in 
 the church. One of the two pianos in the 
 town is in his home, and one evening he 
 displayed much skill in playing several diffi- 
 cult selections for my entertainment. It 
 is typical of the people that they learn any 
 art or trade with astonishing ease and ra- 
 pidity. There are several excellent silver- 
 smiths in the village, and at least one skilled 
 wood carver. In addition most of the older 
 women weave handsome baskets out of a 
 certain kind of bark which find a ready 
 sale to tourists. 
 
124 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 The two Sundays spent in Metlakahtla 
 were red letter days in my experience. On 
 Sabbath morning all is peace and quiet 
 throughout the village, and the spirit of 
 worship permeates the atmosphere as 
 strongly as the spirit of gladness fills the 
 air of our land at Christmas-tide. At ten 
 o'clock I stood on the church steps and 
 watched the streams of people coming from 
 different directions, all converging at the 
 church door. They were dressed in the 
 bright colors they love, and the sight of 
 the happy people and the quiet village, with 
 the sea and mountains for a background, 
 made one of the most beautiful pictures I 
 have ever seen. I was especially struck 
 with the large number of Indian boys and 
 girls who accompanied their parents to 
 church, and with the sight of the very aged 
 coming to the House of God as long as 
 they were able to walk. One old woman, 
 probably nearly or quite ninety years of 
 age, bent over a large stafif as she slowly 
 approached the church. After going up a 
 couple of steps she sat down to rest 
 awhile, and then found strength to enter 
 the building and worship her Creator. 
 
 Part of the church service was in the na- 
 tive Tsimshean language and part in Eng- 
 lish. Following the organ voluntary play- 
 ed by Mr. Haldane, came a song in soft, 
 flowing Tsimshean accents. Mr. Duncan 
 then offered prayer in Tsimshean, at the 
 close of which all repeated the Lord's 
 
METLAKAHTLA :25 
 
 Prayer in the native tongue. The beauti- 
 ful song, "He Leadeth Me," was next sung 
 in English by the congregation, followed 
 by a short prayer in our language by Mr. 
 Duncan. A passage of Scripture was then 
 read in English by Mr. Duncan, followed 
 by the sermon, which is always delivered 
 in the native tongue. A short prayer in 
 Tsimshean closed the service, an organ 
 postlude being played as the people passed 
 out of the church. The order of service 
 in the evening varies little from that in the 
 morning. 
 
 But two services during the whole of the 
 Sabbath day cannot at all satisfy the en- 
 ergetic Indians. At three o'clock in the 
 afternoon they gather in the church again 
 for an "Adult Sunday School," the chil- 
 dren's Sunday School being held in the 
 school house. Here there are often more 
 than twenty classes all taught by native 
 teachers. 
 
 At the conclusion of the Sunday School 
 Mr. Mathers, the blacksmith and silver- 
 smith, invited me to attend a "Sing Prac- 
 tice" which he holds at his home on Sun- 
 day afternoons. It is an informal gather- 
 ing of ten or a dozen friends and neigh- 
 bors in his parlor to learn and sing Gos- 
 pel hymns. I gladly accepted and greatly 
 enjoyed hearing the old familiar hymns 
 in a new tongue. Some of their favorite 
 songs are: "There's a Stranger at the 
 Door," "There's a Land That is Fairer 
 
126 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 Than Day," "I Will Tell the Wondrous 
 Story," "I Must Tell Jesus," "Nearer the 
 Cross." 
 
 Mr, Mathers is an elder in the church and 
 a native evangelist. Whenever he is away 
 fishing or on any business he gathers the 
 people together and preaches to them. One 
 day he showed me a large account book, 
 in which he kept a record of every preach- 
 ing service he held and of every prayer- 
 meeting or sing-practice he led. The rec- 
 ord was headed thus: "Record of God's 
 Work Done by E. K. Mathers, Lay Preach- 
 er." He set down accurately the date, 
 place and number of people at each meet- 
 ing. 
 
 There are sixteen elders in the Metla- 
 kahtla church and each gladly grasps the 
 opportunity to preach and exhort when 
 he is absent from the island and can 
 gather a few Indians together. Family 
 worship is held in most of the homes, and 
 daily Bible reading is the rule. I asked 
 one young man how he read the Bible, and 
 he said it was his custom to read it through 
 yearly, reading three chapters each week 
 day and five on Sunday. 
 
 One of the wisest and most devout men 
 now living at Metlakahtla is Mr. John 
 Tait. He is over sixty years of age, was 
 one of Mr. Duncan's early converts and 
 has been one of his staunchest friends and 
 followers. 
 
 One day I asked Mr. Duncan if he would 
 
METLAKAHTLA 127 
 
 again become a missionary if he had his 
 hfe to live over. In reply he said: "I have 
 enjoyed my work and would gladly go 
 through it again if necessary. Looking 
 back over my career I have nothing to re- 
 gret in regard to my plans and methods of 
 conducting the work, and if called upon to 
 begin again would follow the same pro- 
 gram." Mr. Duncan believes all missions 
 would be more successful if they would fol- 
 low the "Christian village" plan. He said: 
 
 "I firmly believe that missionaries all 
 o-ver the world should adopt the Christian 
 settlement plan of procedure. Just as soon 
 as a small group of Christians have been 
 won from heathenism they should remove 
 and form a separate and distinct colony. 
 The converts will in that way grow and 
 develop far better and faster than when 
 living in daily contact with all sorts of 
 vices common among the heathen. 
 
 "Why, suppose I had never removed my 
 people from Fort Simpson, I could never 
 have obtained the result you see today in 
 this village. Tn one house there would be 
 living a Christian family and in the next a 
 heathen one. The Christians would con- 
 stantly be in trouble, enduring slanders and 
 seeing and bearing evil things that would 
 mar the beauty of their characters. 
 
 "Now, if it were necessary for the converts 
 to come into daily contact with all kinds 
 of evil the plan of separation would be un- 
 wise, but no good purpose is served by it; 
 
128 METLAKAHTLA 
 
 On the contrary the departure of the Chris- 
 tian from evil surroundings has been the 
 divine plan from the beginning. God call- 
 ed Abraham to come out from Ur and re- 
 move to a place where a separate people 
 could be trained up into holiness. Again 
 the Children of Israel were led out from 
 Egypt and given a land where they would 
 be separated from other nations and where 
 they w'cre given an opportunity to become 
 a light unto all the world." 
 * * * 
 
 Such is the strange and remarkable story 
 of Metlakahtla. Its lessons of zeal and 
 heroism, of faith and devotion, are many 
 and inspiring. If those poor red men with 
 their meagre advantages can produce such 
 a beautiful Christian life in a single gen- 
 eration what ought not we to be and ac- 
 complish with our countless advantages 
 and our generations of Christian ancestors! 
 
 There are other red men, and yellow 
 men, and black men, and white men in all 
 parts of the earth living and dying without 
 the Gospel. Let us arise and carry the 
 news of salvation to them, or help others 
 to do so by giving largely of our earnings! 
 THE END.