Page 296 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

292 ITISCONSIN UISTORICAL COLLECTIONS.

conserluent upon the planting and consolidating a mighty Re-
public ; and even at the present time, it is perhaps thought by
thousands of American born citizens, that some, if not all, of
the aforesaid tribes, have become now entirely extinct-if not,
they ask, Where are they ? The answer to this question forms
the subject of this letter.
Some time in the year 17-, I am unable to give the precise
date, but it mas many years after the tribes above spoken of
were conquered and dispersed, some lierc and some there, an
Indian by the name of DAVID FOWLER, of the Montank tribe,
who lived on the east end of Long Island, having acquired a
tolerable English education, took a, tour into the interior of the
State of New York.* Fortunately, he fell in with a large and
powerful tribe of his '' Red Brethren," called the 'L Oneidas,"
the principal chief of vhom, finding that FOWLER possesse a
good degree of the '' book learning," and other usefa1 knoml-
edge of the "pale faces," kindly invited him to set up his
lodge, and rest among them awhile ; and in the meantime to
open a school for cducclting the children of the Nation. To
this proposition, POWLER consented, and remained among
them a year or eighteen months ; during this time the chief
made many enquiries relative to his red brethren in the East,
particularly of the following tribes, to wit :-Narragansetts,
Pepuots, Montaulcs, Mohegans, Nahaniicks, and another tribe
who mere called Farmington Indiuns, what their Indian name
was is unknown. POWLER gave a true statement of the fallen

* This first visit of DAVID FOWLER to the Oneidas was in June, 1761, and
continued till the ensuinc August, when he returned to the white settlements,
having in charge three Mohawk youths, one of whom was the famous JOSEPH
BEANT, to be educated at WHIELOCK~S Indian School. FOWLER had entered
this School at Lebanon, about 1759 ; and .zfueis his return from the Oneidas
and Mohawka, in 1761, continued his studies ; and in March, 1765, was ap-
proved as an lndian teacher, and set out for the Oneida Nation on the 29th of
April following. Iie at once commenced his Indian School at Canajoharie ;
but 11 famine which visited Western New York this year, obliged the Oneidas
to remove in search of food to another quarter, and FOWLER returned to New
England for further aid. We have no means," says Dr. ~)CALLAOHAN,
of
following up the remainder of his career, but he is stated to have been alive
in 1811, at Oneida, an industrious farmer and useful man." See WHEELOCK)B
luihn Nnrralive of 1763; and Doc. Hisf. of T. E, vol. IV. L. C. D.