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Lecture on the Aborigines of Newfoundland - Delivered Before the Mechanics' Institute, at St. John's, - Newfoundland, on Monday, 17th January, 1859 by Joseph Noad
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manner showing us that she was not unused to scolding. When Mr.
---- saw it displeased her, he, rather irreverently, threw the
log on one side: on this she rose in a rage, and would, had not
her hands been fastened, have inflicted summary vengeance for
the insult offered to the hideous idol. Wishing to pacify her,
he rose, and taking his _reverence_ carefully up, placed him
where he had taken him from. This pacified her. I must here do
the poor creature the justice to say, that I never afterwards
saw her out of temper. A watch was set outside; and having
partaken of the Indian's fare, we began to talk over the events
of the day. Both ---- and myself bitterly reproached the man
who first stabbed the unfortunate native; for though he acted
violently, still there was no necessity for the brutal
act--besides, the untaught Indian was only doing that which
every _man_ ought to do,--he came to rescue his wife from the
hands of her captors, and nobly lost his life in his attempt to
save her. ---- here declared that he would rather have
defeated the object of his Journey a hundred times than have
sacrificed the life of one Indian. The fellow merely replied,
"it was only an Indian, and he wished he had shot a hundred
instead of one." The poor woman was now tied securely, we
having, on consideration, deemed it for the best to take her
with us, so that by kind treatment and civilization she might,
in the course of time, be returned to her tribe, and be the
means of effecting a lasting reconciliation between them and
the settlers.

After the men had laid themselves down around the fire, and the
watch was set outside, the door, Mr. ---- and myself remained
up; and, in a low voice, talked over the events of the day. We
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