nces
which the one encampment presented. Then we have the testimony of a
writer, an anonymous one it is true, yet it is evidently the testimony
of a person who was present at the scenes he describes, and he tells
us that in 1819 he estimated the number of Indians he saw, at from
three to four hundred, including women and children. Then again, we
find Mr. Cormack, in 1827, declaring "that hundreds of Indians must
have been in existence not many years ago," otherwise it would be
impossible to account for the great extent of deer fences which he
found so late as the period above-named, yet in being. And lastly, we
have the opinions of the Micmacs, who are so satisfied of the
continued existence of the Red Indian tribe, that they can with
difficulty be made to comprehend that it is possible to entertain a
doubt of a fact, which to them appears so palpable. Their opinion is
that the whole tribe of Boeothicks passed over to the Labrador some
twenty or twenty-five years since, and the place of their final
embarkation, as they allege, is yet plainly discernable.

In the _Royal Gazette_, dated the 2nd September, 1828, there appears a
statement referring to the Red Indians, of which the following is a
copy:--"Nippers Harbor, where the Red Indians were said to have been
seen three weeks ago, and where one of their arrows was picked up,
after having been ineffectually shot at one of the settlers, is in
Green Bay." This accumulation of facts, all of a widely different
character from Shaw-na-dith-it's testimony, would seem, to render the
latter more than doubtful, and it ought to be borne in mind that
Shaw-na-dith-it acquired a knowledge of the English language very
slowly; and though it is said that before her death she could
communicate with tolerable ease, yet it would be incorrect to assume
that she could, without fear of mistake, make such a detailed
statement as that which is attributed to her; but even allowing that
which is most uncertain,--allowing that she expressed herself with
tolerable clearness, and admitting that the parties to whom she made
her communication fully understood her broken English, and were
acquainted with the Boeothick words, which it was her wont to mingle
in all she said--admitting all this--yet even in this view of the
case, it may not be difficult to suppose a reason for her giving an
incorrect account of the state of her tribe. Shaw-na-dith-it knew from
bitter experience, that all former attempts m