Lecture On The Aborigines Of Newfoundland | Page 5

stood another store-house
considerably larger than the former, but the ice being bad across the
river, it was not examined. Two Indians were seen, but avoided all
communication with the Whites. The two store-houses stood opposite
each other, and from the margin of the river on each side there
extended for some miles into the country, high fences erected for the
purpose of conducting the deer to the river, and along the margin of the
lake in the neighbourhood of those store-houses, were also erected
extensive fences, on each side, in order to prevent the deer when they
had taken the water from landing. It would appear that as soon as a herd
of deer, few or many, enter the water, the Indians who are upon the
watch, launch their canoes, and the parallel fences preventing the
re-landing of the deer, they become an easy prey to their pursuers, and
the buildings before described are depots, for their reception.
Captain Buchan's expedition, too, which is generally, but erroneously
spoken of as having been made in the winter of 1815 and 1816, in the
course of which two of his men were killed, was also commenced in
the autumn of this same year, 1810. Subsequently, indeed, he made one
or two journeys into the interior, but only on the one occasion did he
meet with any of the natives. The official account of his chief excursion
is dated the 23rd October, 1811, and is as follows:--

"Mr. Buchan went in the autumn, to the entrance of the River Exploits,
and there anchored his vessel, which soon became fixed in the ice. He
then began his march into the interior, accompanied by 24 of his crew
and three guides, and having penetrated about 130 miles, discovered
some wigwams of the Indians. He surrounded them, and their
inhabitants, in number about seventy-five persons, became in his power.
He succeeded in overcoming their extreme terror, and soon established
a good understanding with them. Four men, among whom was their
chief, accepted his invitation to accompany him back to the place,
where, as he explained to them by signs, he had left some presents,
which he designed for them. The confidence by this time existing was
mutual, and so great, that two of Mr. Buchan's people, marines,
requested to remain with the Indians; they were allowed to do so, and
Mr. Buchan set out on his return to his depot with the remainder of his
party and the four Indians. They continued together for about six miles,
to the fire-place of the night before, when the chief declined going any
further, and with one of his men took leave, directing the other two to
go on with Mr. Buchan. They did so, until they came near the place to
which they were to be conducted, when one of them became apparently
panic-struck and fled, beckoning to his companion to follow him. But
the tempers of the two men were different, the latter remained
unshaken in his determination, and with a cheerful countenance, and air
of perfect confidence in the good faith of his new allies, he motioned to
them with his hands to proceed, disregarding his companion and
seeming to treat with scorn Mr. Buchan's invitation to depart freely if
he chose to do so. Soon afterwards the party reached their
rendezvouz--slept there one night, loaded themselves with the presents
and returned again towards their Wigwams. The behaviour of the
Indian remained the same--he continued to show a generous confidence,
and the whole tenor of his conduct was such as Mr. Buchan could not
witness without a feeling of esteem for him. On arriving at the
wigwams they were found deserted, which threw the Indian into great
alarm. Many circumstances determined Mr. Buchan to let him be at
perfect liberty, and this treatment revived his spirits. The party spent
the night at the Wigwams, and continued their route in the morning.
They had proceeded about a mile, when, being a little in advance of the
rest, the Indian was seen to start suddenly backwards; he screamed

loudly and then fled swiftly, which rendered pursuit in vain. The cause
of flight was understood when Mr. Buchan the next moment, beheld
upon the ice, headless and pierced by the arrows of the Indians, the
naked bodies of his two marines. An alarm had, it is evident, been
given by the savage who deserted the party at the rendezvouz, and it is
supposed that to justify his conduct in so deserting, he had abused his
countrymen with a tale which had excited them to what they perhaps
considered a just retaliation. Thus ended an enterprise which was
conducted with an ability, zeal, perseverance and manly endurance of
extreme hardship, which merited a better success.--When the spring
became sufficiently advanced Mr.