Smith's Canadian gazetteer - ElectricCanadian.com

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of the remainder for the chase will have altogether ceased. They are mnch
improved in their habits of industry and mode of agriculture, and they raise a
gi'eater variety of grain and vegetables than formerly.
As regards religion, the Mohawks had been Christians for many years before
the American revolution. The church at the Mohawk village -was built by the
government for their use, the year after the settlement. For many years,
however, they had no resident missionai'y among them ; the nearest clergyman
lived at Niagara, seventy miles distant. About 16 years ago, a clergyman v.as
first settled here for the "benefit of the Indians, by the " Company for the Propagation
of the gospel in New England, and the parts adjacent in America," commonly
called the " New England Company." Some attention had been previously
paid to the inhabitants of this neighbourhood, by one of the missionaries of the
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts; but by an arrangement
with the New England Company, the care of this station was entirely I'esigned
to that company, who have ever since maintained a missionary at the Mohawk
village, kept the church in repair, and have established several schools, and
a mechanics' institute, for the Indians in and about the station. More recently
they have established an assistant missionary in the Tuscarora village, where
they have built a church and a parsonage house. There is also a Methodist
church at the Salt Springs.
A large majority of the Indians on the Grand River are Christians, and
belong mostly to the Church of England. A few years ago, some of the Lower
Mohawks left that church and attached themselves to the Episcopalian Methodists;
but lately, part of these have returned to the Church. During the last
year, about forty of the Tuscarora tribe joined the Baptists: there are also some
Wesleyan Methodists. A considerable number, however, of the Upper and
Lower Cayugas, the Onondagas, Senecas, and some of the Delawares are still
heathens.
A boarding School has been established by the New England Company in
the Mohawk village. The instruction is carried on altogether in English.
Fifteen boys are being instructed in the several trades of waggon nuiking,
blacksmith, carpentering, and shoemaking. The girls, twelve in number, are
taught house-keeping, needlework, spinning and knitting. The total number
of cliildren under instruction in the settlement is 160. These tribes have increased
by about 100, during the last ten jears. The number of half-breeds
among them is small, not above three in a hundred.
The Six Nations Indians are under the superintendence of an officer of the
Indian Department, who resides at Brantford; and they receive medical attendance
from practitioners in the same town, who are remunerated out of the
funds of the tribe.
A large poition of the land on the banks of the Grand River is well settled and
cultivated. The township of Dumfries, which has been settled about forty years,
is the best settled township in the Province; and the townships of Waterloo,
Guelph and Brantford, are also in a high state of cultivation. Most of the land
on the Grand lliver is rolling, the timber varying according to locality, but
being generally a mixture of hardwood and pine. Splendid white oak is found
in great quantities, within a convenient distance from the river; and a considerable
business is carried on in square timber, sawed lumber and staves. Gypsum
of excellent quality has been found in large beds in th* neighbourhood of Paris,
in the township of Oiieida, and in Cayuga: it is much used in agriculture, nuiny
of the farmers coming several miles to procure it. The flourishing towns and
villages of Dunnville. Cayuga, Indiana, York, Seneca, Caledonia, Brantford,
Paris, Gait, Preston, Elora (where is a beautiful fall), and Fergus, are situated
oa the Grand River.