LIFE—WORK 1 3

July 4th. (At the Association.) . . . There seemed atone time no chance for the Micmac Mission. I felt gloomy, but found comfort casting my care upon the Lord. The cloud burst. I found that most of the ministers and people were interested in the matter. One brother—VVhitman Freeman—sent me a letter written in part in Micmac, enclosing 20/. Several other donations were received, and, at the Home Mission meeting, after I had made an address of half an hour, the Moderator proposed a collection and subscription for the Mission. It was acceeded to, and, with what was received before and after the meeting, £20, 18/4 were received. The Mis- sionary Board gave me an appointment as their missionary among the Indians for the ensuing year, with the prospect of obtaining £50 from Nova Scotia; and I am to continue my labours in connection with the church at Charlottetown if they choose. Hoping to receive as much as last year, besides what my ” Gulnare ” friends may ob- tain for me. This, I trust, will enable me to live and meet the expenses of the mission. I am in hopes of making a trip to Cape Breton in the “Gulnare,” to remain at least two months, to mingle among the Indians there, to make further progress in the language, and to do what I can for them.

Thus he laboured, from the inception of the work, never know- ing when or whence money would come to bear the necessary ex- penses. The idea of giving a portion of his income back to the Lord would have been ridiculous. He gave everything, and every power he possessed; and Christian people allowed him and his fam- ily to live as best they might on hopes and promises, while he laboured on as their representative among the Micmacs and Maliseets of the Maritime Provinces.

There has been, and perhaps yet is a common impression that the Micmacs are dying out. But anyone who is enough interested to consult the census reports will see that in spite of disease, and what we call civilization, they have been steadily increasing. Dur- ing the twenty years, from 1851 to 1871, they increased from 1,056 to 1,666 in Nova Scotia, from 1,116 to 1,403 in New Brunswick, and from to 323 in Prince Edward Island. Twenty years later they numbered 2,150 in N. 3., 4,511 in N. 3., and 321 in P. E. I.