CHAPTER FOURTEENTH.

Missions among the Indians of New York-Memorial of the Earl of Bellamont-The Rev. Thoroughgood Moor-Is there any virtue in a name?-The Mohawks' castle-Indian deceit -The mission fails-Lord Cornbury's outrageous acts-Imprisonment of Mr. Moor-Lost at sea-Four chiefs go to England-New mission to the Indians-The Rev. William Andrews-First view of the Indian country-Customs of the tribes-Hopes of doing good-Repeated discouragementsWithdraws from the field-Other laborers succeed him-The fruits of long and patient waiting-Honored names.

HUS far we have been led to notice the efforts made to establish the English Church among the white settlers of the province of New York. In this chapter we shall furnish some account of the early missions for the benefit of the Indian tribes.

In 1700, the Earl of Bellamont, then governor of New York, sent a memorial to the Lords of Trade and Plantations on the want of clergymen of the Church to instruct the Five Nations of Indians, and to prevent their being brought under the control of the French, through the influence of Jesuit priests.

Although the motive which prompted this movement was rather political than religious, the cause was a good one, and the Rev. Thoroughgood Moor arrived at New York in 1704 to engage in this noble service. My younger readers will be struck with this clergyman's Christian name. If there is any virtue in a name, he certainly started under the best auspices possible.

Mr. Moor was received with much apparent kindness by Lord Cornbury (who succeeded Lord Bellamont in the government of New York and New Jersey), and repaired without delay to Albany. Here he occupied himself in learning the Indian language, and in cultivating a friendly acquaintance with the members of the various tribes who came to that town for trade.

As soon as the roads were passable in the spring, the missionary travelled through the woods to "the Mohawks' Castle," whither one of the Indian sachems had invited him to come, in order that he might instruct the children of the forest in their religious duties. Although this was certainly a most promising beginning, the end did not turn out as well as might have been anticipated. When Mr. Moor proposed to make his permanent abode with the red men,

the cunning chief always had some plausible excuse for delay; and there is every reason for believing that the French were secretly at work to undermine the influence of the English. The good missionary having waited nearly a whole year at Albany, in the vain hope of being allowed to carry out the plan which was so dear to his heart, at last became completely discouraged, and retired to Burlington, New Jersey, with the view of assisting in the duties of the Church at that place. And now more serious difficulties awaited him; and one who ought to have encouraged and protected him became his worst enemy. We refer to the conduct of the governor. Lord Cornbury was a man of profligate habits and headstrong temper, who was finally driven from his office by a series of outrageous acts, which could no longer be patiently endured. He remained in power long enough, however, to make a great many persons feel the weight of his petty tyranny; and among them was Mr. Moor.

At one time, when the governor had been guilty of the gross impropriety of dressing himself in female attire, and walking, in broad day, along the ramparts of the town, the faithful clergyman very properly expostulated with him on such unbecoming behavior. This

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aroused his lordship's indignation, and he commanded Mr. Moor to be cast into prison. Here he remained until he could find an opportunity to escape; but the vessel in which he embarked for England was lost at sea, and thus ended the disastrous career of the first English missionary to the Iroquois.

In 1709, four Indian chiefs went to England to confirm the peace which had been made by their tribes with the governor of New York; and to request the king to send out clergymen to instruct them. It was accordingly concluded that two missionaries, together with an interpreter and schoolmaster, should be provided for the Mohawk and Oneida Indians; and the queen gave directions for the erection of a fort, with a chapel and house for the clergyman, in the country of the Mohawks.

The Rev. William Andrews, the first missionary selected, arrived at Albany in 1712; and in giving an account of his reception, he says: "When we came near the town, we saw the Indians upon the banks, looking out for my coming. When I came ashore, they received me with abundance of joy-every one shaking me by the hand, bidding me welcome over and over.”

After some further account of his proceed

ings, he gives the following particulars as to the customs and mode of living of the Indians: "The number of adults of this nation is about two hundred and sixty. They have a great many children. There are seldom above half of the Indians at home together, but always going and coming. Their chief townor castle, as it is called-stands by the fort, consisting of forty or fifty wigwams, or houses, palisaded round. Their houses are made of mats and bark of trees, together with poles about three or four yards high. Their clothing is a match-coat like a mantle-either a blanket or a bear-skin; their bed is a mat or a skin. They paint and grease themselves much with bear's fat clarified; cut the hair off from one side of their heads, and some of that on the other they tie up in knots upon the crown with feathers. The men are slothful and lazy enough; the women laborious, true servants to their husbands, carry all the burdens, fetch home out of the woods the venison their husbands kill, the wood they burn, carry the children about on their backs, hoe the ground, plant the corn, wait upon their husbands when they eat, and take what they leave them: yet, for all this, they say the women court the men when they design marriage."