tales-of-Fogo-Island
tales-of-Fogo-Island tales-of-Fogo-Island
The Beheading of Michael TurpinDuring the summer months, the Beothuck Indians would journey down theExploits River and canoe along the coast. Sometimes, they would stop onFogo Island and prepare for their journey to Funk Island. The Beothucks livedin this land without torment until the white man came.When the Europeans arrived, many fights occurred between the settlers andthe natives. Often, these struggles ended in the death of the Indians since thewhite men had guns. The beheading of Michael Turpin on the morning of June13, 1789, did not fit this pattern.Michael Turpin and Patrick Murray were setting potatoes in their garden atSandy Cove when a group of Indians attacked them. The two men got such afright that they ran in separate directions.Patrick Murray ran toward Tilting. The Indians followed close behind. Theyalmost caught him when he got stuck in some mud near Reardon's Rock.Luckily, he was running so fast that his shoes came off and he continuedrunning in his bare feet. As it happened1 a lady by the name of Foley saw himrunning toward her with the Indians in hot pursuit. She pointed her spadetoward the Indians. They must have thought it was a gun because they turnedand ran away. Murray continued running until he fell at his wife's feet with twoarrows in his back. They removed the arrows and Murray survived.Meanwhile, Michael Turpin was in serious trouble. He tried to escape byswimming to a schooner anchored in Sandy Cove. However, the Indianseasily captured him and dragged him back to shore. There, they pushed himonto a large rock and chopped off his head. Michael Turpin's blood ran overthe rock and seeped into every crack and pore in its surface. The bloodremained on the rock for many years and it soon became known as Turpin'sRock.When the Beothucks left Fogo Island, they took Michael Turpin's head withthem. When they arrived at the mouth of the Exploits River, they put the headon a pole at a place now known as Point of Bay. This was unusual becausethe Beothucks did not 'scalp' their enemies.
Unfortunately, the Beothucks and European settlers continued to fight untilvery few Beothucks remained. The small number that did not die by the gun,perished after catching diseases from the white man.Questions to think and write about:1. Why did the Beothucks come to Fogo Island?2. Where was Michael Turpin killed?3. What did the Beothucks do with Turpin's head.
- Page 60 and 61: ShipwrecksWhen a schooner or other
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- Page 64 and 65: The Dominion and AlarmMany sealing
- Page 66 and 67: Tragedy at the IceThe seal hunt is
- Page 68 and 69: time they made it, they found nothi
- Page 70 and 71: Jumping Ship on Fogo IslandOn Octob
- Page 72 and 73: Year's Eve, some of the men became
- Page 74 and 75: The Lumber WoodsMany local men fish
- Page 76 and 77: They would be hungry after a long,
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- Page 82 and 83: They did not have one thing dry to
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- Page 90 and 91: Retriever or the 'Landseer'. The La
- Page 92 and 93: Strange EventsThe Ghost ShipA young
- Page 94 and 95: The Light in the BightOne evening i
- Page 96 and 97: BoatsBefore the days of long liners
- Page 98 and 99: The first 50 foot long liner of Fog
- Page 100 and 101: the loss of his wife and his daught
- Page 102 and 103: could hear strange noises. These so
- Page 104 and 105: medical facilities and other servic
- Page 106 and 107: Mr. William Donahue and his family
- Page 108 and 109: Anglican Church Indian Islands, 196
- Page 112 and 113: Bringing WaterYears ago, people did
- Page 114 and 115: The Good SheppardsOn the morning of
- Page 116 and 117: This is a copy of Nathaniel Sheppar
- Page 118 and 119: The Fogo ProcessMany people have he
- Page 120 and 121: When people watched themselves and
- Page 122 and 123: When the Markland finally came into
- Page 124 and 125: Bits and PiecesDrifting AwayOne day
- Page 126 and 127: Swan Skin MittsWhen birding and sea
- Page 128 and 129: TravelThis photo was taken in 1956
- Page 130 and 131: My First Pair of ShoesOne lady reca
- Page 132 and 133: A Poor Night, Not Too Long AgoApril
- Page 134 and 135: As darkness approached, fog and dri
- Page 136 and 137: All of the people involved in this
- Page 138 and 139: BibliographyArticles:Author Unknown
- Page 140 and 141: Photos and IllustrationsWinston Osm
The Beheading <strong>of</strong> Michael TurpinDuring the summer months, the Beothuck Indians would journey down theExploits River and canoe along the coast. Sometimes, they would stop on<strong>Fogo</strong> <strong>Island</strong> and prepare for their journey to Funk <strong>Island</strong>. The Beothucks livedin this land without torment until the white man came.When the Europeans arrived, many fights occurred between the settlers andthe natives. Often, these struggles ended in the death <strong>of</strong> the Indians since thewhite men had guns. The beheading <strong>of</strong> Michael Turpin on the morning <strong>of</strong> June13, 1789, did not fit this pattern.Michael Turpin and Patrick Murray were setting potatoes in their garden atSandy Cove when a group <strong>of</strong> Indians attacked them. The two men got such afright that they ran in separate directions.Patrick Murray ran toward Tilting. The Indians followed close behind. Theyalmost caught him when he got stuck in some mud near Reardon's Rock.Luckily, he was running so fast that his shoes came <strong>of</strong>f and he continuedrunning in his bare feet. As it happened1 a lady by the name <strong>of</strong> Foley saw himrunning toward her with the Indians in hot pursuit. She pointed her spadetoward the Indians. They must have thought it was a gun because they turnedand ran away. Murray continued running until he fell at his wife's feet with twoarrows in his back. They removed the arrows and Murray survived.Meanwhile, Michael Turpin was in serious trouble. He tried to escape byswimming to a schooner anchored in Sandy Cove. However, the Indianseasily captured him and dragged him back to shore. There, they pushed himonto a large rock and chopped <strong>of</strong>f his head. Michael Turpin's blood ran overthe rock and seeped into every crack and pore in its surface. The bloodremained on the rock for many years and it soon became known as Turpin'sRock.When the Beothucks left <strong>Fogo</strong> <strong>Island</strong>, they took Michael Turpin's head withthem. When they arrived at the mouth <strong>of</strong> the Exploits River, they put the headon a pole at a place now known as Point <strong>of</strong> Bay. This was unusual becausethe Beothucks did not 'scalp' their enemies.
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