Extracts from the Diary of the Reverend Robert Tomlinson with additional remarks
Page 1
[1] Extracts from the Diary
[2] of the Revd Robert Tomlinson
[3] With additional remarks
[4] Kincolith July 15th
[5] 1868
[6] 1867
[7] Sep 20
[8] Arrived here in the Sloop “Endeavour” from
[9] Melekatla having bid a final adieu
[10] to brother Doolan who is to leave for
[11] Victoria in a day or two.
[12] Sep 22nd
[13] Sunday. Yesterday I was so busy with
[14] household arrangements that I did not
[15] realize my true position. Today however
[16] being freed from these and other worldly
[17] cares. when I saw the people assembling
[18] for service I felt how helpless I was
[19] Here were some 40 or 50 people anxious
[20] for instruction and what could I do
[21] I knew nothing of their language and
[22] but a very few words of Tchimshean
[23] Truly God’s ways are not our ways nor his
[24] thoughts our thoughts. The founder of the
[25] Mission called away before the Mission
[26] had gained any stability or there and
[27] before there was another qualified to take
[28] his place. I resolve with God’s blessing
[29] to apply myself to acquire this language.
Page 2
[1] 1867
[2] Sep 22nd
[3] When people assembled for morning
[4] service. I read two Tchimshean prayers
[5] and we all sang a hymn. It was Mr.
[6] Doolan’s practice to teach a verse of a hymn
[7] on Sunday afternoons. This practice I
[8] continued with this disadvantage however
[9] that I was unable to explain the meaning
[10] of the English words. Still I considered that
[11] the acquiring a new tune was a gain and
[12] I looked forward to the time when in Gods
[13] good providence I would be able to give
[14] them a Nishkah version of the hymn or
[15] another more suitable one at the same time.
[16] The evening service was similar to the
[17] morning.
[18] Oct 2nd
[19] Last night the mother of one of the settlers
[20] here (Philip Latimer baptized by Mr. Doolan
[21] in May 1867) died after a very short illness
[22] of disease of the heart her death was hastened
[23] by a rather violent attack of dyspepsia. She
[24] had been an attentive listener to Mr. Doolan’s
[25] teaching and had always shown in disposition
[26] to follow what was good.
[27] Oct 17th
[28] When Mr. Doolan left. the foundation of
[29] the schoolhouse had been laid and the sticks
[30] necessary for building ready squared. Ever
[31] since my arrival I had been very anxious
[32] to resume work on it, but until today
Page 3
[1] I have been unable to put my wish into effect
[2] as there were several outdoor arrangements
[3] which had to be completed first besides
[4] several of my best hands were busy putting
[5] up temporary houses. for themselves for the
[6] winter. Today I set 6 men to work and
[7] for the next 5 days we made very good
[8] progress towards the evening of the 5th day
[9] one of the men strained himself very seriously
[10] while lifting a heavy log. He lay in a very
[11] precarious state for three or four days. By
[12] Gods blessing however on the 4th day he began
[13] to improve an in a few days he was quite
[14] well. During his illness we got a very
[15] important piece of work accomplished.
[16] Namely a good pathway along the beach.
[17] Had we not done this it would have been
[18] impossible for those who lived in the 3
[19] furthest houses to have come to prayers or
[20] service in the winter.
[21] Nov 8
[22] This morning received a letter from Metlakatla
[23] containing a most cheering account of the
[24] progress of the Mission there. Such a letter
[25] coming from one so experienced as dear
[26] brother Duncan is well calculated to strengthen
[27] our Christian friendship.
[28] Nov 9th
[29] The young chief Ahshetan who was one
[30] of those who came here at the very commencement
Page 4
[1] 1867
[2] Nov 8
[3] though neither Mr. Doolan nor I ever thought
[4] that he came from motives of spiritual good
[5] still she seemed anxious to learn and resisted
[6] several attempts to induce him to return. Today
[7] however his mother has returned to Nass
[8] from Victoria laden with her illgotten
[9] gains and the temptation alas has proved
[10] too strong for him. He has turned his back
[11] on what he knows to be good and returned
[12] to his people. May he have grace to repent
[13] ere it be too late.
[14] Dec 2nd
[15] During the month of November we made
[16] considerable progress with the school house
[17] though we were only able to work at if off times
[18] and on ^as^ the weather was so very unsettled.
[19] Today ^Dec 2^ we resumed work but were obliged
[20] to knock off before noon the snow was falling
[21] so fast. Many of the days in November we
[22] were at work the snow was nearly up to our
[23] knees. but today it became so very
[24] heavy it was impossible to see clearly
[25] what we were doing.
[26] Dec 4th
[27] This afternoon I received a parcel of letters.
[28] The contents of the Bishops and Mr. Gribbells
[29] are such as to cause me considerable grief and
[30] pain. They refer to statements made by Mr.
[31] Gribbell and Mr. Owen. This is a time
[32] when it behooves me to pray earnestly to
Page 5
[1] 1867
[2] Dec 4th
[3] (Continued)
[4] Him who has promised “I will never leave
[5] thee nor forsake thee”. Not that He has failed
[6] of his promise by no means, for in this
[7] same parcel I received letters from brother
[8] Duncan and Dean Cridge both most
[9] comforting in their and encouraging.
[10] I have no opportunity of answering either
[11] the Bishop or Mr. Gribbell and this as well
[12] as everything else seems wisely ordered by
[13] Him who knoweth our infirmities for I feel
[14] in a very unfit state to answer these letters
[15] especially the last which. And yet were there
[16] an opportunity of doing so I see not how
[17] I could withhold answers as the Bishop
[18] request me to answer his letter as soon as
[19] possible and the second contains a peremptory
[20] demand to that effect.
[21] Dec 15
[22] Sunday. Last Friday ^Thursday^ afternoon a schooner
[23] was sighted making the entrance of the river.
[24] One of the people came to know if he might
[25] go out for a canoe to her. Fearing that she
[26] might have whiskey on board I declined
[27] to give my permission. He therefore gave up
[28] the idea. Three others however who were regular
[29] attendants at my class for learning English
[30] went. A step which displeased me much
[31] and compelled me to exclude them from
[32] the class for one week. On Friday the
Page 6
[1] 1867
[2] Dec 15th
[3] Continued
[4] Master of the schooner paid me a visit. As
[5] I had heard from Mr. Duncan that when
[6] this schooner visited these parts last year
[7] her captain did not sell whiskey I readily
[8] acceded to his request to get him a canoe
[9] to carry some things up the river. He
[10] spent that evening with me. Amongst
[11] other matters he spoke very highly of the
[12] temporal improvement of those settled
[13] at Metlakathla. Said that he had himself
[14] been piously brought up but acknowledged
[15] with apparent regret that he had not
[16] followed what he had ben taught in
[17] youth. I invited him to come to me on
[18] Sunday he promised to do so. Today
[19] shortly after noon he came. He lunched
[20] with me and after lunch we had a
[21] short service. I spoke a good deal to
[22] him on the importance of personal
[23] religion and before his departure I lent
[24] him a bible and asked him to read
[25] attentively John III. Telling him at the
[26] same time to pray earnestly for Gods
[27] good spirit to bless what he read.
[28] Dec 30
[29] Ever since brother Doolan’s departure the
[30] language of these people had occupied
[31] my mind. I was quite at a loss to know
[32] how to begin. First I tried getting a few
Page 7
[1] words each day. In this way I acquired
[2] a knowledge of many words but as the
[3] words were disconnected and I am not
[4] endued with the talent for learning by
[5] heart what I do no understand I
[6] abandoned this plan. My next step
[7] was to teach some of the steadiest men
[8] here English and at the same time to
[9] acquire Nishkah from them. By this
[10] means I learned not only isolated words
[11] but also sentences. Here however a new
[12] difficulty presented itself. When
[13] I had learned a sentence in Nishkah I
[14] wrote it as accurately as I could in English
[15] characters. guess my disappointment
[16] after when after the lapse of a few weeks
[17] I referred to my manuscript. I was
[18] unable to read the sentence correctly.
[19] Moreover I had now acquired a knowledge
[20] of some words which I was unable to
[21] render cor accurately in English characters.
[22] In this dilemma I had recourse to Lepsuis
[23] Standard Alphabet which Mr Venn
[24] so strongly pressed upon my notice
[25] before I left England. There are however
[26] what appears to me insuperable difficulties
[27] to the adaptation of this language to
[28] such a system. Were I merely to draw
Page 8
[1] December
[2] 1867
[3] 30th
[4] a grammar of the language for the use
[5] of highly educated men many of the
[6] difficulties would disappear. but when
[7] I wish to adopt a system the main
[8] characteristics of which is to be simplicity
[9] I do not this Professor Lepsius’s Standard
[10] Alphabet with all its niceties can suit
[11] that end. Firstly the printing and writing
[12] of it are separate arts studies. 2nd The
[13] difficulty of writing clearly the various
[14] marks and breakings (a large number of
[15] which would be required) is unsuperable
[16] to any but a well practiced hand. Again
[17] being written in English Characters its
[18] use would but add another difficulty
[19] in the way of those who are acquiring
[20] English. The one being a phonetic system
[21] and this by being written in similar
[22] characters calculated to mislead the
[23] student of English. For these and other
[24] reasons I gave up all idea of Lepsuis
[25] system. Being driven from this post
[26] I fell back upon Mr. Kirkby’s little
[27] work. But here I was disappointed. however
[28] well the system may have worked
[29] amongst the tribes at the with which
[30] he has come in contact is seems but
[31] a slender frame for which to draw up
[32] such
Page 9
[1] 1867
[2] December
[3] 30th
[4] such a language as this. And would
[5] I express accurately the variations of
[6] sounds one of two plans must be
[7] adopted. Either increase the number of
[8] diacritical points, or add a large number
[9] of new characters. Should either of these
[10] steps be taken the difficulty of learning
[11] or writing the language would be much
[12] increased. As my main object was
[13] to find some means for writing the
[14] language accurately and at the same time
[15] simply such as system as might be
[16] within the reach of all those endowed
[17] with average mental powers.
[18] To accomplish this end I framed a
[19] system taking Greek characters with
[20] a few additions. It is not a syllabic
[21] but phonetic system. There are no diacritic
[22] marks except the two prosodiacal signs.
[23] By the use of these two signs over the
[24] vowels I obtain 3 distinct sounds for
[25] each vowel so that in this way together
[26] with the y pronounced as a I get 16
[27] vowels. Now this large number of vowels
[28] serves formed in this simple way
[29] exactly answers the requirement of
[30] this language. I do not for a moment
[31] suppose that this system is the best
Page 10
[1] or that it will bear comparison with
[2] Lepsuis highly wrought one. I see clearly
[3] that there are many points in which
[4] it falls very far short of what it
[5] ought to be and if so many are
[6] apparent to me how many more
[7] might appear to an unprejudiced
[8] mind. Nor do I feel that I am in
[9] a position to draw up a really
[10] good system as I am almost totally
[11] ignorant of the language but time
[12] must shew whether this attempt will
[13] prove useful.
[14] 1868
[15] Jan 2nd
[16] Opened school today and taught
[17] part of the new alphabet. All very
[18] attentive and anxious to learn.
[19] Jan 14th
[20] Mr Cunningham accompanied by
[21] another of the H.B.Co. officers called to
[22] see mis this evening. They were on their
[23] way from Nass to Fort Simpson. I
[24] did not feel justified in offering
[25] them the hospitality of the Mission
[26] house. The reason (which I told them
[27] very plainly) is that Mr. Cunningham
[28] has taken such as decidedly anti-
[29] missionary course. I am not sufficiently
Page 11
[1] well acquainted with the language to
[2] make these people understand the distance
[3] between personal hospitality and a
[4] communion of feeling. And thus their
[5] good being the paramount {???} private
[6] feelings must give place. At the same
[7] time I offered to supply them as far
[8] as lay in my powers with anything
[9] of which they might be in want. An
[10] offer which they availed themselves.
[11] Jan 27
[12] Everything frozen hard ^today Jan 27 1868^. Warm water
[13] froze in my basin this morning in a
[14] quarter of an hour. I have been very an
[15] anxious to have large trees behind
[16] the house cut down but the continuance
[17] of northerly winds prevented me hitherto
[18] from carrying out my wish. Today
[19] being calm I set two boys to cut
[20] down the largest. They had almost
[21] completed their task when a sudden
[22] gust of wind brought the tree down
[23] on the roof of the house just over my
[24] rooms. Of course this portion of the
[25] roof was completely smashed in
[26] but though my two rooms were left
[27] unroofed and full of debris no
[28] further harm was done. That night
[29] I was left without any roof over me
Page 12
[1] except the canvass tent which only
[2] partially answered the purpose.
[3] Though the frost was extreme I suffered
[4] no harm thank God.
[5] Feb 2nd
[6] Sunday. Shortly after breakfast a
[7] canoe arrived which I was informed
[8] had whiskey on board. Feeling the
[9] importance of p decided action and
[10] well knowing that if once liquor
[11] was permitted to be landed here
[12] all order and all the objects for which
[13] this station was founded were sure to
[14] be at an end. Having asked for guidance
[15] from Him who alone can give give answering
[16] and unfailing strength, I proceeded to
[17] examine the canoe and afterwards the
[18] luggage of those who had travelled in
[19] her. I failed to discover any whiskey
[20] and one of those who had travelled in
[21] her told me that their was not any
[22] but that a larger canoe would shortly
[23] arrive fully freighted with liquor. I
[24] gave them clearly to understand that no
[25] canoe with whiskey on board should
[26] land here unless they were prepared to
[27] give me all the whiskey. This decision
[28] was most thoroughly endorsed by all
[29] the settlers here. The large canoe arrived
Page 13
[1] 1868
[2] Feb 2nd (Continued)
[3] in a short time but when they those on
[4] board heard my decision they thought
[5] it more prudent to proceed up the river
[6] than to attempt a landing here. The
[7] most painful part of the matter is that
[8] the whisky was the property of the man
[9] who had visited this place early in
[10] December and had pretended such a
[11] wish for the good of these people.
[12] Feb 11th
[13] This evening a little girl about 10 years
[14] of age died. She had been ill about
[15] 4 weeks. There is a superstition among
[16] these people that death is the result of
[17] some evil influences and that the person
[18] when very near his last hours can indicate
[19] by whose evil influence his is doomed
[20] to die. I had been particularly kind to
[21] this little child as her mother was dead
[22] and she was her father’s only child. No
[23] parent could be more attentive to a sick
[24] child than he was to her for a fortnight
[25] before her death he never got a good
[26] sleep by day or night. Two days
[27] before her death she lost the power of
[28] speech. On the day before she died I
[29] visited her. she was speechless but
[30] immediately recognized me and
Page 14
[1] 1868
[2] lifting her now wasted hand and while March 3rd
[3] pointing it towards me made several
[4] attempts to speak. In vain her father
[5] endeavoured to understand here almost
[6] inarticulate accents. I saw very plainly
[7] that some of those present though that
[8] she wished to indicate that I was the
[9] cause of here sickness. It grieved me
[10] not to be able to talk to them on the subject
[11] but my knowledge of the language is
[12] still too small to attempt to speak
[13] about a superstition so deeply rooted.
[14] Every thought that she had meant to
[15] refer to me as the cause of her disease
[16] was by Gods good hand eternally dissipated
[17] today. Going to visit here that afternoon
[18] I found her ^face^ stamped with the precursory
[19] signs of death but her mind which for
[20] the last few days had been clouded
[21] by a dreamy delirium was now clear
[22] as ever. On my entrance her face
[23] brightened she beckoned to me to come forward
[24] grasped me warmly by the hand and
[25] looked the thanks she could not speak.
[26] This action completely removed all
[27] suspicion from the minds of those
[28] who were before inclined to look
[29] on her death as the result of my medicine.
Page 15
[1] 1868
[2] March 3rd
[3] Mr. Cunningham on his return to
[4] Nass from Fort Simpson in February
[5] arrived here on a Friday. On Saturday he
[6] was unable to proceed the wind was so
[7] high. On the following Sunday however
[8] disregarding the commandment he
[9] left started on his journey having induced
[10] 2 of my settlers to accompany him.
[11] On the first opportunity I sent him
[12] a letter to the following effect.
[13] Dear Sir,
[14] This place from its position will
[15] often be a halting place for you and
[16] such other of the company’s officers as
[17] are interested in the trade on this river.
[18] I wish therefore earnestly and affectionately
[19] to beg you not proceed on your journey
[20] again from this place on a Sunday. It
[21] is only with outward acts man can deal.
[22] God alone can judge the inward motive
[23] and your know we must all stand before
[24] the judgement seat of Christ who is Lord
[25] of the Sabbath and who came not to
[26] destroy but to fulfill that law which
[27] Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
[28] Six days shalt thou labour and do
[29] all that thou hast to do but the
[30] seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord
Page 16
[1] thy God on it thou shalt do no manner
[2] of work. Trusting this kind remonstrance
[3] may have the desired effect.
[4] I remain yours truly,
[5] Robt Tomlinson
[6] Such was the letter I addressed to him.
[7] today I received an answer to it of
[8] a very satisfactory kind in which he
[9] excused himself on the plea of ^the difficulty^ getting
[10] a fair day at that time of year and
[11] assured me that I would not have to
[12] complain again of a like occurrence.
[13] Both tod yesterday and today ^March 3 & 4 1868^ we have
[14] been at work on the school house
[15] though we were obliged to use the pickaxe
[16] to remove the large blocks of ice and snow.
[17] March 7th
[18] Received letters today. It is 3 months
[19] and 2 days since I heard of or from
[20] brother Duncan. My letters has set me
[21] thinking how best I can manage
[22] to visit Victoria. But two ways present
[23] themselves. The H B Co steamer Otter, and
[24] a canoe. To the first I have a decided
[25] repugnance as the 7th Commandment
[26] is openly violated by many of the officers
[27] on board not excluding the Captain and
[28] nothing but the fact of its being a necessity
[29] would make me bring up my wife in
Page 17
[1] 1868
[2] March 7th (Continued)
[3] such a ship on board ^of^ which such conduct
[4] is sanctioned. The second alternative
[5] a canoe seems a wild idea, as it is
[6] nearly 600 miles from here to Victoria.
[7] However I will lay my canoe plan
[8] before brother Duncan and be guided
[9] by his experience.
[10] March 28
[11] I have been to Metlakathla and laid
[12] the whole matter in detail before brother
[13] Duncan. His only objection to ^the^ canoe plan
[14] is his fear of some difficulty with the
[15] coast tribes, several white men have
[16] perished at different times from their
[17] assaults. This objections does not way
[18] much with me as most of those
[19] who perished were murdered either for
[20] boats or by trading whiskey. Neither
[21] of theses incentives to crime exist in
[22] my case. So we have decided on the
[23] canoe. The expense will be nearly
[24] double what it would cost to travel
[25] by steamer but the advantages are
[26] very great. So much so that I have
[27] told brother Duncan to charge only the
[28] steamer prices to the society. I will {???} [pay]
[29] the remaining sum from my own salary.
[30] I have arranged to take 5 men, 2 boys
Page 18
[1] and one woman (wife of the owner of the
[2] canoe with me). We start please God
[3] on Monday the 30th. There is but one
[4] thing that makes me anxious about
[5] leaving now. The small fish season is
[6] not over. There are some 4,000 indians
[7] of various tribes on the river and
[8] already two whiskey schooners have
[9] made their appearance and I very
[10] much fear some drunken row may
[11] take place and perhaps end in
[12] something worse. But it is only the only
[13] time I can possibly leave.
[14] _______
[15] H.M.S. Beaver leaves tomorrow
[16] morning so I take this opportunity
[17] to forward these this much of ^extracts from^ my
[18] diary.
[19] I intend God willing to send
[20] later extracts and my annual
[21] letter next month. Which will
[22] explain much of what was
[23] only in the bud when at the dates
[24] to which these refer. till then
[25] with kindest regards from Mrs.
[26] Tomlinson.
[27] Believe Me
[28] Yours very faithfully
[29] Robt Tomlinson
