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E E iS E A R C H h; s 
 
 > r./ .. ^ 
 
 >' V.' y 
 
 OR, 
 
 FACTS CONCERNING 
 
 * . - -^ - ^ 
 
 THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS ; 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 NOTICES OF THEIR PRESENT STATE OF. 
 IMPKOVEMExVT, 
 
 iN THElft SOCIAL, CIVILj AND RELIGlOl'S CONDITION: 
 
 WITH 
 
 HINTS FOR THEIR FUTURE 40VAI\C£M£iNL 
 
 Wi BENJAMIN SLIGHT. 
 
 MONTREAL: 
 
 PRIIfTED TOR THE AUTHOR, 31Y J. E, L. MILLER. 
 
 1644- 
 
£77 
 
 274463 
 
 s -L ; 17 ^^> ^ 
 
 .■-rtT\---"l 
 
 I' 
 
:/ 
 
 TO 
 
 THE REVERtr^D AND VENERABLE WILLIAM CASE, 
 
 rue. ardent and persevering 
 
 I' A T 11 <J N OF 
 
 INUIAN IMPROVEMENT AM) AD\ ANCEM ENT, 
 
 AND 
 
 THE FATHEK OF WF.SEEVAN INDiAN MISSIONS 
 
 IX LPPEIi CMS.IDJ ; 
 
 AM) 10 
 
 THE REVEREND JOSEPH STINS3N, 
 
 TRE L\TI: INDErVTlliAHLi: 
 
 SfPERlNTENDENT OF MISSIONS IN UPPER CANADA, 
 
 AND SINCERE F K I E N [> 
 
 CF TirK TEMPORAL AND SiHRlTUAI. PROSJ'LIUIY OF THK 
 
 INDIANS ; 
 
 r H L F O L E V) VV I N G \V O R K 
 
 IS RESPEC TFl'LLY AND A FF Ke TIONATKLY INStRlKEDiiV 
 THEIR FELLOW-LA UOUREB, 
 
 BENJAMIN SLIGHT. 
 
14F i^: 
 
 SI- 
 
#..' 
 
 C ONTENTS. . 
 
 Chapter I.— The Ongin of the Indians. 
 
 " 1I«— The Number of the Indians. 
 III.— Tribes. 
 IV. — Language. 
 
 a 
 
 
 v.— Their Genius and Character. 
 
 VI.— Manners and Customs ; Superstitions, Opi- 
 nions, and Worship ; Traditions. 
 
 « VII. -The Wrongs of the Indians, real or sup- 
 posed. 
 
 «< Vlll.— Suggestions for the future Improvement of 
 the Indians. 
 
 •* IX.— The Improvements effecte*' hy the intro- 
 duction of Christianity. 
 
 ■, ■ -V^*--.-"i.l^T', 
 

 p 
 
 f* 
 ).'• 
 
 H' 
 
Pill;: FACE. 
 
 TiiE diflerent varieties of the hun»an species alTonl in'.er- 
 eating objects of coiitetnphition, not only to the naturalist, 
 but lo tlie metaphy'^ician, autl to the Chiistian philautUro- 
 pi.st. Notices of tliO various families ot uivJivilizeil men, 
 especially of those mer!^in<r fiom that sliite, may he of spe- 
 cial inierost. liy exluiiitions ot this kin'i, the human 
 character is unfolJeii ; man is seen, not only vinder the ef- 
 fects of human culture, and polished rehnemeni, but as the 
 child of nalure. 
 
 Ill the lollowinif pages, perhaps, the yoiitig may And 
 cnLertainmcnt, and receive some useful anil iiisliuclivu 
 hints ; the natural curiosity of the enquirer may be satis- 
 tied ; and the necessity of missionary exertions may ap- 
 pear to be evident, lint one of my principal objects is to 
 show to the Chri-tian pliilantropist thut his benevolence 
 is not employed in vain, and to prompt him lo renewed 
 etertion. This, I trust, he may see fairly illustrated, by 
 the contrast of the former and present conditions of the 
 North American Indians — which is atlern'jted in these 
 pages. 
 
 There are various persons, who have taken barely a 
 bird's eye view — a passing glance of these people, who 
 have presumed dogmatically tojrtate various things con- 
 cerning them, which cannot be supported by the evidence 
 oi facts. Notwithstanding the acknowledged ability of 
 those writers, it cannot be expected that they should ar- 
 rive at accuracy^ principally from the want of opportunity 
 to give correct information. 1 regret that in these investi- 
 gations I have to contradict some of their statements ; but 
 1 beg the reader to consider thai I write from personal and 
 continuous observation ; and my observations have been 
 
 m 
 
 ade not barely on one isolated spot, or on one solitary 
 tribe, but from an acquaintance with several. First, I 
 
 •.\:a^k^''^iit'f^gf.'.\'^:' 
 
H 
 
 
 vi. 
 
 m 
 
 spent two years with tfie VVyaiidots, or llurons; aftei- 
 wanU four years with the Missi.s.uigali*, or Oclupwas, at 
 the Credit. 1 havp also visited other branches of the 
 Ochipwas ; also the Mohawks on the (Iraiul liiver. While 
 Jivm,2r Ht Amherslburgh, in the U'cstcin liistrict n( Upper 
 Canadii, I h;ui (he opportunity of sec iiifj thousands of Pa- 
 gans, and other Indians iroin the T^orth West, who used to 
 resort thither yearly for their prosents.— In addition to 
 this, I have iiad the ph:asurc ol iiitiinatc ac(iuainiance 
 With nearly al! the most lalciUt'd ImlJans in Upper Ca- 
 nada. 
 
 Should some oi these relations appear strange and 
 incredible, 1 would remind tlio read* r that they are well 
 atte-'ted. I cannot for a moment doubt the evidence 
 upon which they are fcunulfcd. I lea\e e.ich iiidivuMal to 
 form his own jiidgmenf, and to draw his own conclusion 
 — to receive or to rfject as he may thiiik proper. 
 
 It may be thouijht thai there is something!: sinular in some 
 parts of the following remfirk^ to what has appeared in 
 some other works on missinns; but it >o, 1 have only to ob- 
 seive that they are no imitations. My plan was formed 
 Ions' before 1 had seen anv of those W(.rks. I may differ 
 from some authors who have written on the Inaiau cha- 
 acter, but I have given my owt\ unbiassed opinion. 
 
 I must regret tlint I have not Iiad an opportunity ot 
 consulting some eminent Indian Missionaries, especially 
 the Rev. Messrs. W. Case, J. Kv .ns, W. Scott, and 
 ethers, from whom 1 might have derived many valuable 
 suggestions, and import.nl facts. 
 
 I can scarcely say why I have written such a work. 
 From my first intercourse with the Indians, ] have been 
 'n the habit of writing down any thing worthy of remarl. . 
 and afterwards I emjjloyed myself in arrangint^ them ; 
 rnd the tkiought occurred to me, that if publish'd they 
 might be read with some degree of interest bv some. Af- 
 ter several reflections on thi- subject, I resolved on mak- 
 ing the attempt, and the result is now before the public. 
 
I XTUODrCTlO N. 
 
 Foii aijes tho tiibes and f.imilics of ineti lived isolateil 
 from, and unliriown to each other. There sccuicd to have 
 been an insur'HoiintablR barrier to scpuatc one half of the 
 world from the other. So far -is mutual intercoarst? ivith 
 and knowledge of each other extended, the po^iulation of 
 thn eastern au'' western portions of our globe, especially, 
 miv;ht as well, almost, have been the uihabiiaats of da'Ier- 
 ent planets. 
 
 The spirit of cntcrprizo. however, I)eg[an at len;;th to 
 awaken ; and tlie bouiularies ot science to enlarj^re ; and 
 discoveries in various dep;i!t(nents were ijradually and 
 coiitinuiUy bein^ made. At lengt'i Coliimbus, who pod- 
 sesscd a Vi^rorous aw.] inquisitive mind, asul a stock of 
 knowledge uncommon \o Ins day, by the exorcise oj his 
 powers of reason or; a variety of principles and facts, ex- 
 pamled liis ideas many steps beyond those ordinarily en- 
 tertained, and be^^.tn to conceive that tliore must be ano- 
 ther side to the globe — some terra incognitas— lo cornple'e 
 the habitable earth. With aculeness of understanding 
 Colutnbus possessed cnerLry and perseverance in action ; 
 and after many impediments being removes, \ud astound- 
 ing ditncnltics surrnountcil, he discovered the object of 
 his search. Gieat bas been his fame, and many tiie ho- 
 nours conferred ii[.on liirn, at least, by posterity. 
 
 But the enquiry will naturally arise, what benofils have 
 accrued to tiie inhabitants of those regions by the disco- 
 very ; and their consequen; intercourse with the old world ? 
 This, I am aware, has bevii made a serious question by 
 
Vlll. 
 
 I 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 many ; hnd many haye dilattd upon it with different ob- 
 jects in view. For a length ot time, instead of being 
 bettered by their interco irse with Europeans, their cir- 
 cumstances were rendered worse. In consequence of the 
 cupidity of man, many evils unquestionably ensued to the 
 noble race who were found inhabiting this vast region. 
 In reading this portion of history, a tear must drop on the 
 page which records their wrongs and woes. Cruel exac- 
 tions were imposed upon them, and they groaned under 
 hardships of an appalling nature. Also, along with some 
 degree of refinement of manners derived from European 
 example, they imported a sad and awful degreo of I'^urope- 
 an vices and sins ; so that those heathens were rendered 
 still more earthly and sensual than before. 
 
 But does this statement contain the whole of the answer 
 to this question ? No : there are, on the other hand, real 
 advantages which have resulted from this important event 
 — advantages, too, whicl), when placed in contrast with 
 evils, great and awful as they were, far outweigh them. 
 By this event they have been made acquainted with the 
 revelation from heaven addressed to them jii common with 
 their follovv men — the Gospel has been preached to these 
 poor outcasts— the " common salvation" has been ex- 
 perienced and enjoyed by them— and civilization has 
 followed evangelization; and they have been exalted to 
 the proper rank of mrrn. Could all this have been antici- 
 pated by the savaij;es who mst Columbus when he landed 
 on the shores of the new world ; instead of that wonder 
 and astonishment which they manifested, they would 
 have joined him in the attitude and expression of devo- 
 tion to the A\Ul)or of these blessings. The sequel will, 
 perhaps, make this evident. It uill, at least, tend to 
 show, that deploring these evils which had been inflict- 
 ed, Christians hav« endeavoured to compensate them as 
 far as possible. 
 
 Great Biitain, in the all wise providence of God, is put 
 in possession of vast Colonial territories, in consequence 
 
is»" 
 
 of trhich her commerce is greatljr extended. And why is 
 it that he has given Britain, ships, commerce, and em. 
 pire, but that she may be the harbinger of the (iospel of 
 peace. This is the effect that follows, and this is the eflfect 
 which should follow. To facilitate the spread of Christian- 
 ity is an object not unworthy of the attention of those poli- 
 ticians at the helm of public affairs. The present actual 
 possessions of the orignal discotrerers and first possessors 
 of those regions should be admonitory to us. Nearly all 
 those territories in which they so greatly gloried, have 
 been wrested from their grasp ; and doubtless God has per- 
 mitted it, because triey did not promote the real spiritual 
 advantage of tlie people. Britain possesses a larger por- 
 tion of the new world than those nations who were the 
 original jproprietors. And our rulers should see that the 
 tenure of our possesiioos is our efibrts to spread scriptural 
 Christianity. 
 
1 
 
INDIAN RESEARCHES, 
 
 &c. &c. 
 
 ■« '.'^••v^.*. «N«s -.- 
 
 » '.-."v^"-^-^ 
 
 Chapter L 
 
 THE ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS. 
 
 When the new world was first discovered by Colum- 
 bus, it was inbabited bv a race ol'men scattered over 
 its vast extent. These people hnve been denominated 
 Indinni?, a term not sirictiy de?ignative of any particu- 
 lar race of people, but indifrriimnately applied to the 
 inhabitants of the east and west, to the Islands of the 
 Pacific, and of other places. Columbus thought his new 
 discoveries were a part of those regions of Asia, com- 
 prehended by the general name of India. Finally they 
 were dislinguitshed by the addition of the term west. 
 The term VVest Indies once included the islands still 
 bearing that designation, together with the whole of 
 North and South America, The aboriginal inhabitants 
 of the northern division of the Continent are termed 
 the North American Indians. 
 
 Thia people have, properly speaking, no distinct- 
 ive appellation in use among themselves. The term 
 they use is Aunishhinaubaag. which signifies the inha- 
 bitants of my country, or aborigineft of the country ; as 
 they always apply it in contradistinction with Shogge- 
 nosh, or the white inhabitants. 
 
 However, strir.tly speaking, they are not the abori- 
 gines of the country. That term applies to a much 
 more ancient race, and a widely different people to 
 themselves ; who have been entirely swept away, and 
 have mysteriously disappeared. Had we records of 
 
 fi 
 
 
fvi 
 
 II 
 
 1 
 
 « > 
 
 tlia events which must have tranj^pired in those regions, 
 wt?, U!i(loui)teilly, slioiiUl jjave hacl notiref? ofcontest^', 
 wars, battles, and nias'-ncieti, smrh as have no parrallcl 
 in any written account. We have perhaps lo>-t many 
 a rchilion of more ihnllinj.' interest than lhos»^ described 
 in the Illiad, or Encad ; nirmy a hisl(»ry niore cliiva!- 
 rouy than the A;:;syrian, F^gyptian, Grecian, oi- Ivonian. 
 But thoi«!e ever)tH are, and no dciihtnuist be, buried in 
 oblivion, until the great day of G(jd brings to light tlie 
 
 h 
 
 idden tilings o 
 
 fdarl^ 
 
 aies?. 
 
 fJowever, the rct^earches orant'fpiarianr? lia^ e brought 
 lo light viirious facts, from which iiill'reiices liave been 
 fairiv dediiced, iiidicntirti: the existence and characlfr 
 of a [)eo[)le, who once, it appears. Avere as widely spread 
 over thi.s continent as are the present race of iidiabit- 
 antH, That race are di}>tiiigui!-ht d by the name of 
 TultcranSy and have been idontihcd witli the Cydo- 
 ])eari race. Tlioy are sujipoised t(> have been of the 
 same race who \^andered from Ejiypt into ancient 
 Greece. By some learned writers, the whole t>r ihia 
 
 peopl 
 
 e, sometimes denomina 
 
 I ted fl 
 
 le vvanuennir mason.-^. 
 
 are t^\iy)[)Or^e(J to be Aiiakini^, Horites or liiviics, and 
 various other nations iidial iting Canaan and aiijaeent 
 countries, expelled from tiieir homes fir.st by the de- 
 f Ksau, anii aiuruard? by Joshua. The 
 
 sceneenls o 
 
 shepherds of Egypt were another hrancli ofthein, vvh.o, 
 beins: expelled Egypt, wsMidered irito Greece, ai'd 
 
 on 
 
 oth 
 
 er parts (>f the worh 
 
 mucli more 
 
 The Tuiiecans are said to iiave been 
 cultivated and refined than ever the Iridians have been. 
 In many parts of the new world, n)onuments and ves- 
 tiges of tiiat people are discovereii, much resembling 
 the ancient EgyjUians. They are as iJtunendous, taste- 
 ful, and wonderful 'A'? those of Egypt. Pyr.imids not 
 inferior to the Egyptian exist in many pnrts of the 
 Mexican territories and of Now Spa'n. Rums of towns, 
 witli. temph;s, palaces anil baths, of boldness in de- 
 sign and skill in execution, Iiave been discovered ; 
 scidjitmed itiols, planispheres and zotiiacs, v( great 
 perlecticMi, sliowing their skill in astronejoy and chro- 
 nology vo have been great ; vai^es, agreeing both in 
 
15 
 
 shnpe and ornnmont \\A\\ the earlier Kperimen« of 
 Egvpti'ui and lUruriaii pottery, have decu foiini) im therr 
 sepulchral ovcavaiioii.-5. Roadt^ iiave beoii louMdj corn- 
 poso'l of hirgo ^?(|u•<^re Mncks of red stones, like tht 
 
 R 
 
 ()nian niihf:irv roa* 
 
 ]] 
 
 lidtjos, of an f'xrt'llriil r(,.ii- 
 
 structioii and mnlrriuls, have also !jcen tliscovfrcd. In 
 ihorf, cv.'rv (hsciuorv which has tx-eii niaiU* relative: to 
 
 th 
 
 em, 
 
 deinonslrale them lo have heeri a hiiihly ciilliva' 
 
 ted and superior race ofnieri. But the people theni- 
 selvei have been entirely swept away ; no remains of 
 tlieni have heen dit«covered in all the length and 
 breadth ol'lhe land.* 
 
 i\!l the nations of t!»e eaith )uwe sprun^i froni one 
 paretit stock ; but rr()m what inrinjediaie lii'nnrh the 
 North American Indians; are derived, it* impossibh; ex- 
 actly U) ascertain. 
 
 Tliere is a fancy which has heen entertained by 
 various autliors, oftlieir iiaving sjn-nnii; from the tribes 
 of Israel. Much ingenious reasoning has been em- 
 ployed to ei^taldish this of)inion. '1 hi.'? is atteu'pted 
 from various sitnilariiies of language, manner.-?, «. iis- 
 V^arious writers have entraL'«d on this .^nb- 
 
 tOlOi!, 6lc 
 
 jec« 
 
 but J 
 
 ames 
 
 Ad 
 
 :«ir, an 
 
 f: 
 
 &"^/ 
 
 hLHlS 
 
 hn; 
 
 an, who resnie 
 
 among the Indians i'ov JO yenrs, has csarnined the mat- 
 ter most closely, and has collected a great niindier of 
 facts bearing on the subjeci. H(: bujjposed that he 
 discovered many )ioints of resenildanee beivvren the 
 two people. " Me com{>arei< tiiem under the follow- 
 ing heads; — Divisions into tribes— worship of Jeho- 
 vah- 
 
 notioriH ol theocracy — -belief in the njims^try 
 
 f 
 
 ol 
 
 angels — language and dialect — manner oi" counting 
 time — prophets and h'}.<;h priests — festivals, fasts, and 
 daily sacrifices— -ablutions and anomtinirs — lavAS i'or 
 uncleannesa — abstinence from unclean tilings — mar- 
 riages, divorces, and punishment;' for adultery — civil 
 punishments — cities of refuge — juirification, and cei-e- 
 raonies preparatory to war — ornaments — manner of 
 curing the sick — burial of the dead — raising sc<.'d to a 
 
 
 ../I;; 
 
 ♦For an account of thfse di.«POveries ttv St,<>phcns's Incidents 
 of Travel in Vuciiran, fee. 
 
\l 
 
 1 , : 
 
 1# 
 
 deceased brother — choice of names adapted to circum- 
 stances and times — traditions."* 
 
 Dr. E. Walsh, an Iriwsh physician, who attended 
 the army in Canada, was a believer in the Jewi h ori- 
 gin of the Indians. To examine their manners and 
 customs more minutely, he went to reside for some t'me 
 at a Shawonese town, near Bufl'alo Creek. He re- 
 jects several of the resemblances of Adair as fanci- 
 ful, but, from his own observation, confirms several 
 others of tliem. The following are some of the circum- 
 stances he observes: — Ttieir division into tribes, with 
 chiefs, and tmblemmatical distinctions, as the eagle, 
 bear, wolf, &.c. tribes j their religion, Theism, their gov- 
 ernment a theocracy ; their being addicted to charms, 
 prophecies, and revelations ; their celebration of a rite 
 somewhat similar to a pasriover; their laws of puriiica- 
 tion, and the separation of women at certain times j 
 their traditions. 
 
 To several of these resemblances I could bear my 
 own testimony ; some of them are fanciful and far 
 fetched ; and perhaps the whole of them are such as 
 might be discerned in most savage tribes, especially in 
 those of oriental relationship. And this theory, warm- 
 ly as it has been maintained, is falling to the ground. 
 
 The Indians think God created their I'orefathersi 
 here, and the white people in other parts of the world. 
 They are probably of Asiatic origin j descendants 
 of some tribe or tribes, cognate with the Tartar or Scy- 
 thian race. That vast region comprising the northern 
 portions of Europe and Asia was inliabited by immense 
 hordes of men who wore similar in their spirit, man- 
 ners, and customs. Upon the decline of the Roman 
 Empire, dilVerent tribes of this wandering race beca ne 
 the ©verrunners of the civilized parts of Europe, Asia, 
 and Africa. And what is singular, it may, perhaps, 
 be judged capable of proof, that they were the over- 
 runners of America too. And what are now deemed 
 the aborigines of America are probably the descendants 
 of the same people. But with this ditTerencCjthe original 
 
 • Hiiblin University Mag. 1834, p. 72. 
 
17 
 
 ^tock ilo not appear to be aiualgamated with ihe |)re' 
 
 sent race, 
 
 Tliey might entpr America by way of Komscliatka, 
 
 Some tribe, or some Oimiluis ol' this waiul* 
 
 r]ug pcopit' 
 
 mitrlit migrate (o the nearest isbtMls,an(l altliough cum- 
 paratively ignorant ol" navigation, l.licy might tro&s tbo 
 narrow strait, or by passing Hon) orn? island to another^ 
 roacM at length tiie vonA of Arneriea- Oll»er;3 might af- 
 terwartld follow. The two continents are so contiguoiit;, 
 that on two islands on the nmUlie of the citrait, hoth 
 roiitinent.s jnay be s^cen. The distance from each to 
 either sliore is s^hortofCiO miiet. The whole is joijied 
 together again during the winter. Similar instances 
 are known of the natives of the South Seas passing in 
 their canoes from isinnd to inland for a considerable dis- 
 tance. In such manner did the ancient Danes pass to 
 Englaiid in wicker boats, covered with bkinj;'. Some 
 of them have a tradition of the reasons for tiiu emigra- 
 tion of their fathfrs, and the manner of their coming .nto 
 this country. Tliey say that they traversed o great 
 lake or river, which was in one place narrow, shallow, 
 and full of islands, where tliey experienced great mis- 
 
 cry : it being always winter, with ice and deep snovTS. 
 In that plact^ there was abundance of copper. This 
 they suppose to be al.>out 2,'H)0 years ago. This an- 
 swers to Biierring's Straits ; copper is found there, 
 
 s3 
 
 ■ 7:i 
 
 ■A ■ 
 
1» 
 
 ',■ i 
 
 Chapter II. 
 
 THE NUMBER OF THE INDUNS. 
 
 What number of Fudians iniglu have inlKibited the 
 vast regions of the i.evy world nl the time when it was 
 first visited by the vvliite voyagers, is absolutely uncer- 
 tain. Even if the population were very scattered, it 
 must have been very great, consiilering the wide ex- 
 tent of country they possessed ; if indeed, which is pro- 
 bable, a great part of it were not ui»inhabited. The 
 following is an estimate of the number supposed at pre- 
 sent to be contained in North America : — 
 
 Within the United States, 330,937, viz: 
 
 Within the Indian Territory' 47,733t 
 East of the Mississippi 81,904 
 
 West of do. but not within the -* 
 
 Indian Terrritory, . . 201,300 
 
 Besides the numbers inhabiting the vast uncultivated 
 
 regions north and west of the VVestern territories of the 
 
 United States. According to a moderate estimate, the 
 
 . whole numbers of Indians in North America, exclusive 
 
 of Mexico, is 1,800,000 
 
 In Mexico, .... 2,600,000 
 
 Total, 4.,iOO,000 
 
 This estimate, it appears, does not include the In- 
 dians belonging to the British possesisions j which may 
 be estimated as follows : 
 Mr, M'Taggart says, in the N . W. Territory 
 
 and Hud. Bay Company, the number is, 939,000 
 
 • For a description of the Indian Territory, see chap. 8. 
 
 f In 1839, the number was stated to be 95,000. Some other 
 bodies from the United States, must have removed ; which, by 
 reducing the number in the United States, would leave the total 
 number the same. 
 
 I i'l! 
 
 M-' 
 
 m 
 
19 
 
 In Upper and Lower Canada, extending 
 to the Company's Territories, perhaps, 
 
 The numbers in New Brunswick, Nova- 
 Scotia, &c. I have no means of aacer- 
 *tainini{. They have been estimated at 
 
 26,000 
 28,000 
 
 To which we may add the above mentioned regions 
 north and west of the Western Territories. Perhaps 
 a total of f),000,000 would cover the whole amount. 
 And then, there is to be added to this sum the Indians 
 of South America, where they are perhaps more nu- 
 merous tlian in the North. 
 
 From these statements the reader will at once con- 
 clude that this interesting race of men must have been 
 fearfully diminished from what in all probability they 
 wevc, be^^rc visited by white men. The cause of this 
 diminution lias been matter of much inquiry and con- 
 jecture by many philanthropists. It ought to be first 
 considered, that most probably they vvere not originally 
 80 numerous as might be at first imagined, especially 
 in the northern regions, where the first visitants found 
 them more warlike than in the southern. For al- 
 though the regions in which they wandered were im- 
 mense, yet the population was thinly scattered. 
 Robertson says, their women seldom had more than 
 two or three children ; and, in consequence of their 
 difficulty in raising subsistence, they, in many cases, 
 destroyed their children, and always their old people ; 
 and it is doubtless the case, that great numbers of their 
 progeny have become amalgamated, and swallowed 
 up in the white population. There is doubtless 
 much guilt resting upon the heads of wicked, un- 
 principled men in introducing European vices among 
 them, especially that of drunkenness, in a more refined 
 form* iadd this qualification, because it appears, prior 
 to the visits of the white man, the South Americans had 
 the art of extracting intoxicating drinks. And then the 
 vast numbers which were cut off in the West Indian 
 Islands, and in South America, is matter of history. 
 But whatever amount of guilt rests upon white men^ 
 the main causes of their paucity of numbers is rather 
 
1 ' 
 
 I I 
 
 20 
 
 to ho ))lace<1 in the category of Pagan, than that of 
 Christian guilt. They often surtercd much from famine. 
 My friend, Mr. Murphy, who was captured hy the In- 
 dians when a httle boy, has givon mo appalling ac- 
 counts of their tsulTorings from this sc(>uru(.', and o\ the 
 desolations which in con-eijucnce enstied. Their des- 
 titutions and habits brought thcni under \\\e power of 
 various diseasos. On this Kul)ject the reader will fuiil 
 some remarks in a Bubscijufnt part of this work. 
 
 ■ Anotlior cfiuse of the decrease of their numbers is 
 their barbarous and <k'populaiinc wars. During their 
 pagan and savug(^ state, they are almost perpetually at 
 war. The barbaritie/, carnage, and destruftion of iiu- 
 man life, which are practised by them in a slate of 
 warfare, are awful beyond descri|>tion. Tiie detail 
 of these occurrences, does not well accord with '< the 
 simple virtues" for which they are so applauded by 
 feorne individuals; but would well illustrate that >«late 
 of nature which is depicted in prophetic vision, "The 
 dark places of the earth arc full of the ha})itation8 of 
 cruelty." What a fitness there is in the assertions of 
 scripture to the real condition of man ! what a con- 
 trariety in the theories of philosophers ! By these 
 means, tribes once numerous, poweiful, and mighty, 
 have been nearly swept away Irom the face of the 
 earth. The VVvandots, once one of the most numer- 
 ous and potent of those tribes, became nearlj extinct. 
 Many traditions might be referred to, to this eftect. 
 I will mention one, whicli I have had corroborated by 
 the testimony of both the Wyandots and Ochipvvas. 
 It is, in elTect, that a length of time back, there were 
 great wars among the Indian tribes, and great carnage 
 and much bloodshed was occasioned ; vast numbers 
 were cut oiT. There are great mounds in certain plch- * 
 ces, w^hich were raised over heaps of slain, and which 
 now contain their bones. The VVyandots were some- 
 times associated with the Ochipvvas, against the six 
 nations ; sometimes singly at war against the six na- 
 tions, and at other times against the Ochipwas. 
 Hounes, a person who was taken captive by the Wyan- 
 
 
21 
 
 (lots in early life,* made the following statement on this 
 subject. He said that the Wyandots waged almost a 
 constant war with the six nations for about seventy 
 years, but at length the English induced thorn to make 
 peace. This was displeasing to ihe majority of the 
 nation, and was a cause of their dividing into parties, 
 and dispcrjiing to dillerent places. Those who remain- 
 ed having become so dissipated by their long wars, 
 were wont to rob and murder each other. To put an 
 end to this harbnious practice, a coimcd of the nation 
 was called, which passed a law, that whoever should 
 rob and kill his brother should be put to death in the 
 following manner. Wiien the culprit was found guilty 
 by a council of the chiels of the nation, the dead body 
 should bt placed oa a piece of bark supported by four 
 forked sticks, and In such a position that the tlow of pu- 
 trid matter should concentrate ; bo that the murderer, 
 being secured beneath it with his mouth open, .should be 
 coubtrained to receive and swallow the drops until he 
 died. 
 
 In process of time a great treaty was made, by which 
 the country was apportioned among the various nations, 
 and by which moans each nation knew their proper 
 inheritence. This, by preventing aggressions, in some 
 degree, put a stop to those graat and general wars 
 which were formerly so destructive. Still, however, 
 smaller disputes often occurred, and, on u smaller scale, 
 wars were frequently carried on. This is a considera- 
 tion which will, in addition to the other causes men- 
 tioned, amply account for the decrease of the Indians* 
 
 * »Se^ Pr, Bangs' History of Methodist Missions, p 87. 
 
22 
 
 Chai'Ti:r in. 
 
 'it 
 
 H\ 
 
 i: ( 
 
 iin 
 
 'I 
 
 The Indians \vcrt», perhaps, at first all derived from 
 one stock. This appears extreirn.ly probaUJe, from 
 a great similarity of appe.irnnee, inanniTs, and cus- 
 tom*;, in these r(;s.pe(t,-<, when you hnve described 
 any portion of them, you have piven a description of 
 tJunn in t.^'ner■ll. Hut, no tlouht iVom cause** similar to 
 those which have induced the various divisions of 
 nlhor branches of the human race, they have been split 
 ort'lnto a great variety of ditl'erent tribes. I shall not 
 attempt a catalogue of the tnbes wliich have been, and 
 miglit bo enumerated. Many tribes which would have 
 to be included in such a catalogue, are no longer known, 
 at least by such denominations. Many bodies ar^ un- 
 doubtedly extinct, but they were either, niany of them, 
 the same people under another name, an vveseeexem- 
 pltied m the Hurons and Wyandots, which are only 
 two names of one identical body ; or a part of a nation 
 broken off, separatiul from the main boily, by a removal 
 to a distanct^, and passing under another name, assumed 
 from some circumstance ; and then, prubal)ly, reunited, 
 or swallowed up, in some other body, Tliis is seen in 
 the case of the Seminoles, which broke olf from the 
 Wyandot tribe, and went south, by the way of the 
 Wabash, who, as the French trailers say, speak the 
 Wyandot language. And ur»iioubtedly the Missisau- 
 gabs, Ottavvas, Pahtewahtemnhs, is.c. are branches of 
 the great body of Ochipwas. The Indian Tribes derive 
 their distinguishing names from rivers, lakes, swamps, 
 mountains, &c., and they frequently change their de- 
 nomination from a removal to another locality. The 
 term Missisaugah, (to whom the Credit Indians belong,) 
 
23 
 
 n in 
 
 the 
 
 the 
 
 the 
 
 5au~ 
 
 ;s of 
 
 rive 
 
 i« probably tJrrivecl from their rcr'iJenre near the 
 inonili of Htiriie river, as the n:inie si^rnifies. 
 
 With Iht' exi eptioii of the KM|iiini;iux, a branch of 
 natives which seernt" to lie ol an entire (h.^tinct laiiiily 
 from Sill the other Jnilian nations, there appears two 
 grfat classes, dislinnui^hetl by the ij;(Mieric names i>f Iro- 
 (juot.-», (pronoiiruod liuket s) anil AL'(,n(jiiinfri. (Ak'on- 
 kiris.) 'I'o the liotjUoiH, pfobahiv beh)iiii: the northern 
 brancher* t>l 'liat family, under two distinct divisions, 
 viz. the comederntioii of lli« five nati07is, the Mo- 
 hawks, Onciilas, Onondanos, Cayufiay, and Sonecas. 
 These are soM.ctiines culled the sir nutionn by adding 
 the Tiiscororas. The oriuinal boundary of the Terri- 
 tory of these nations did not extend we>t»'rly, farther 
 than the ANyuiidot bouiidary of I'ciisyKania. ll is 
 nltfo probable, tlio^c trd;e.>) lo the south be!of ir to thid 
 class, VIZ. the ('reok;^, Sominolos, ('herokees, Ciiec- 
 tnvvs, Cbecasaws, ami fome other minor distinctions. 
 It is said Ihen^ are vruious tribe?; ol the Iroquois family 
 east ol l!ie ril;s.-:;ssippi. The WjandDt branch of this 
 family consi>ted ol lour nations, the ^Vyarldots, Atfeo- 
 wauatularous, Krigas, and the Andales, south of I.aky 
 Erie. 
 
 The A'ijoncpiin family roiisis's of the Crecs, Ocliip- 
 was, OlUiwas, anil Pahuunatomies, all livii^' to he 
 north. Tlie I)c!;iwares, fora.erly livint; in the coun- 
 try bounded south ar.d uest by the Hudson river, but 
 novv on the river Thames in Upper Canada, and 
 so'tittimes callctl IMiincies, anil M(»ia\iai)S, are nearly 
 allied to this branch. John Jones told me their lan- 
 guage is very similar to tlie Ocliipwa. Formerly also, 
 the New Enulnnd indiar^s e.la,ssed with them, amona; 
 whom laboured Elliot, the Mahews, and D. liiainerd. 
 Elliot's translations were made in one of these dialects. 
 The present Ocbipwas, however, do not understand it ; 
 and probably one reason is from the want of an or- 
 th<"it;ra{)hy at pres(Mit understood. 7 l-e Micn.acs, and 
 other tribes formerly itdiabitine jSova Scotia, New- 
 IJrunswick, Kc. were of this family. In the Algon- 
 quin division are al:;o cla>sed the Menomonies. Mearne, 
 (Maumee) and IllinOiS tribes ; also the Sioux, (Soos) 
 
24 
 
 Fo±e9, Kickslpoos, and the Shawnocs, about the Mie» 
 aissippi. 
 
 The Iroquois arc more cultivated, and superior to 
 the Aigonquins, and ore farther advanced in agriculture. 
 The award of superiority was generally made to th<^m. 
 That the Hurons have applied themselves, more to this 
 art than the Ochipwos, appears from the speech of One 
 Canoe, afterwards: referred to. They are consequent- 
 ly les.'^ disponed to wander. They have, also, better 
 habitations, and more conveniences. Among the nu- 
 merous Indians who used annually to visit Amherst- 
 burffh, for their presents, I have observed some from 
 the north whom 1 understood to belong to this family ; 
 who, although Pagans, were really fine looking people, 
 and well dressed. They used to bring large quantities 
 of s 'gar, skins, and other articles, for sale, and were 
 scarcely at all addicted to intoxication. They spent 
 their money in the best cloth they could procure, and 
 in other articles of comfort. The Mohawks, another 
 branch of the same family, pride themselves on their 
 nobility, and look down with some degree of contempt 
 on the other nations. At the general council held at 
 the Credit, a Mohawk Chief, in one of his speeches, did 
 not fail to refer to this point. 
 
 The Wyandots, or as their real name is Yendots, 
 otherwise called Hurons, are a tribe which were long 
 distinguished as standing at the head of the great In- 
 dian family. The earliest travellers in Canada, first 
 discovered this tribe while ascending the St. Lawrence, 
 at Montreal. Where Montreal jiow stands, there was 
 a celebrated city inhabited tfy them. They were a 
 very powerful and great nation until wasted by their 
 wars. Although of the Iroquois genus, yet it appears, 
 they stood aloof from every other tribe, or sometimes 
 associated themselves with the Ochipwas, Pahtewa- 
 tomies. and Ottawas, against the six Tiations, and were 
 sometimes at war with the Ochipwas, &c. Hence the 
 people who went by the name of Iroquois, were of- 
 ten engaged in those fierce internal wars, which char- 
 acterized the Indiai\s of North America. The destruc- 
 tion of the greatest pail of their number was effected in 
 
 
 J,' 
 
 
05 
 
 1649. Tl)ey were then driven to the nortliprn shores 
 of Lake Huron. They were followed tliiiher by their 
 enemy, until the remnant of them were obliged to seek 
 refuge among the Sioux, who resided west of Lake 
 Superior. Whe.. the power of the lro<pioi^ was weak- 
 ened by tlie French, the Wyandots returned Irom 
 the Sioux country. They afterwords possessed both 
 sides of the river Detroit, ;ind Lake Huron, a^ far 
 north west as INLjckinuw in Lake Huifii ; they finally 
 took up their aljodo on tlie plains of Sandusky, in 
 Ohio, where they remained until their late removal 
 to the Indian Territory. A few of them took up Iheir 
 residence on a reservation in the Towiichi|; ol Malderi, 
 near to Amhers-tbuitih, in Cannda, and a small number 
 in Michioaji. 'I'he Indian reserve at Sandusky con- 
 tained 1 17.S10 acies of land, or about 19 miles in 
 lencth.from east to west, and 12 miles in breadUi, from 
 north to f?outh. The reserve at Maiden, was a tract of 
 land six miles square. x\fter their settlement in the 
 west tliey had frecpient wars wltli tlic OchipvTas, and 
 the six nations. They have the his^tory of these move- 
 me(\t3, lianded down by tradition. 
 
 The Ocliipwas at one time have been numerous and 
 powerful, as already observed ; they probably included 
 in one entire class, what are now Ochijnvas, Pahtawa- 
 tamies, and several other tribes. They form u }»rinci- 
 pal part of the Indians of L'pper Canada, and of the 
 Hudson Bay Territory, on Lake Superior, and to th« 
 south west of the United States. 
 
 West of the Rocky Mountains reside a singular tribe 
 ol Luliansc; lied Flat-Head*. •'•They dilferin appear- 
 ance (says Mr. Walker*) from any tribe of Indians I 
 have seen ; small in size, delicately formed limbs, and 
 the most exact symmetiy throuL'jiout, except the head. 
 I had always suj>posed, from their l)einy; called •'• Flat- 
 Heads," that the head was tlat on the top ; but tiiis is 
 not the case, 'j'he firotuberancc of the forehead is 
 flattened." From the ])oini of the nose to the top of 
 the head forms a [)erfectly -traiiiht line. 
 
 • Christian Advocate and Journal, March 1, 1833 
 
26 
 
 *' This is produced hy a pressure on the cranium while 
 in inraiicy. A [)adilinG; is pressed upon the forehead by 
 cords jKisscd through holes on erich side of the cnulle." 
 It will be easily supi»f)iscd that this must he a gradual 
 operation, and it is t^iudthe infant is kept in this manner 
 upwards of a year. The countenance of the infant is 
 distoited during the operation, and its little keen black 
 e.yes forced out to an unnatural dejiree. This must he 
 exceedingly injijrlouLUo the brain, and, in consequence, 
 to the whole system. 
 
 The .-sketch adjoined will give the reader the bet>t 
 idea of their singular appearance. ' '' 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 : 
 
 
 I 1 
 
 HA,*! J; 
 
 nii;; 
 
 How capriciou:? are the ideas of beauty. A flat 
 head is the beau tdeaU in the beau mondc across the 
 Rocky MountaiuvS. Other equally arbitrary distinc- 
 tions predominate among other classes of peo{)!e, even 
 among the civilized and highly cultivated. 
 
 The Flat-Heads are reported to have numerous 
 good qirtiitiea. It is naid, by travellers v.'ho have 
 vidited them, that they have lewer vices than any 
 of the tril)es in those regions. They are honest, 
 brave, and peaceai)le. The w(mien become exem- 
 plary wives and mothers. There are scarcely any 
 i.istanecs of conjugal infidelity e'si>3tlMo: nmong them. 
 
 Besides the genei'al divisiosi of t ibcs, there are also 
 m each tribe subdivisions, called ; Iso tribes. When 
 any particular ntuiou sign a treaty, or an jiddveit'S to the 
 Government, they nllix th.eir name, and the name of the 
 
27 
 
 Bubtribc to which lliey belong; niul nIlnoiiij;h unir;- 
 strncted ami uruiblc tu wr'Ae, yet ibey jiillx what i:^ c:i[~ 
 led their tootiinis, which is a rude fi^'ure of an otter, a 
 bear, and a tmlhj, Sec. SvC, according; to ihe tribe to 
 which they bchtn^r. I liavc in my possession the au- 
 tograph of some ot" the.se tooltirns, drawn bv chiefs, wlu) 
 signed an address to the Governor of Upper Canadu, 
 which they had requetsted mo to write for ihenj. 
 An example or two are here presented : — • 
 
 N O A. VV A S V. C N' (i . 
 
 (One >v!io . struggles ^\■'i'..h ilu: 
 night for (Jaylij;iil.) 
 
 2,1 Otic, 
 
 JaCOU MKTIOOWAn. 
 
 (A bow.) 
 
 // Reindeci 
 
 These su()trih 
 
 03 are 
 
 den( 
 
 rnals, towls, ami re(>liieH, 
 
 but ei<!ht or twelve of those subtribes. 
 
 onnnaled from various aru- 
 Thcro ;.rc in cacli nation 
 
28 
 
 Chapter IV. 
 
 LANGUAGE. 
 
 \s one pcrioil of the world's liintory all mankind spoke 
 one I;ine;iinge. We read of a distinct poriod when the 
 laneuaye at tli;;!, tiir.e viniver?al!y t^[iokcn was con- 
 fonnde'd, and (Ualecls were niviltiplied. How this wa.* 
 etVected, whethei- suddenly and imir.ediately by the di- 
 rect interpo.iition of God, or gradually and instrumen- 
 tally, and by the concurrence cf circumstances, has 
 been matter of mucii sj>eculation, conjecture, and dis- 
 pute among; learned men. Dr. Shuckford argues the 
 latter position.* Be tiii?! as it may, it is hiiddy ration- 
 al and probable to suppose, that several great branches 
 were formed, as Hebrew, Chinese, Slavonic, Teutonic, 
 ^i,c, 'rhe->e threat bruirhes, stript of additions and im- 
 provements, would all of them have many words simi- 
 lar to each other, and consequently to the Hebrew. 
 Thus it is said tliat the Welch languaj^e has many 
 words very similar to it. From this circumstance it 
 doubtless is that some int'enious men, bavins oi)served 
 some similarity between some v»'ords in the Indian and 
 the Hebrew languages, have made it an argument for 
 their origin having been Jewish, There have been 
 learned treatises written on the assimilation of lan- 
 guages, in which have been traced some similarity in 
 the roots of words among all nations: and this may 
 easily be accounted lor on the al)0ve supposition. 
 These great branches of language forme<l at Babel, 
 would aftervvai'ds, from a variety of causes, be again 
 dividCil and subdivided, as we know has happened in 
 
 * Sac. and Prof. Ilisl. Con. Book 2, 
 
29 
 
 later tunes. From what main tlivision the Indian lan- 
 guages nre ileriveJ, oih* present knowledeo will not 
 perhap-? warrant us in deciding. It lin« been ai tempt- 
 ed to ^hovv ihat a similiuMy cxisi-i between tlic^ir lan- 
 gua(j;e and that of tlic people inhabiiii^g the northern 
 p:irl.-i of Asia : iVom whence the same :iu{hor'' supposes 
 thoMi to have had their origin. 
 
 'j'hereare great varieties of lanifuioe useil among the 
 diiTerent tribes of Indians ; but althoni;;h they are seenr.- 
 ing!y etj.sentially dillerent, yet posrubly they niay all 
 have li.'jd one origin. Tiiore arc many caus^es for ihc 
 mutability of languni^e. Tiie two following, assigned, 
 among olher«, by Dr. Shuckfoni, as reahions for the ge- 
 neial divorsity of Ianifu;i;i;e, will apply to the caso of 
 the indiim-'. 
 
 •'* 1. The diiVerence of clim.ttes wdl insensibly cause 
 a variation of l;)!iiiuau;e, be('niise it ^'/iil occasion a diller- 
 enco of pronunciation It is easy to be observed, that 
 there is a pronunciation peculiar to almost every coun- 
 try in the world; and a'jcording to the climate, the 
 lanj^ruage will abound in aspirates or lenes, guttural 
 sounds or pectoratf-, labial.-' or vlentals ; a cwcumstauce 
 which would make the very same languap^e sound dif- 
 ferent from itself. The Kphramifes, we find, could not 
 pronounce the letter Sf./n'n, ixa their nelifbbours^ did. 
 (Judj;. xTi. ().) Thcto is a pronunciation peculiar to 
 almost every province ; so that if we were to buppo.-e 
 a number of men cif the same nation and language dis- 
 persed into dilVerent parlH of the world ; the several 
 climates in which their children would be born, would 
 so aOect their pi'onunciation, as in a few ages to make 
 their language very diOerent from one another." 
 
 "2. Another '■•cause of 'he mutability of language, is 
 the unsettled temper and disposition of r nnkind. 
 The very minds antl manners of men are coiilinually 
 
 ♦ The discovery of Amrricn. and tlio origin of the Norlh 
 Amcricnn Indiums, by J. Mackintcsh, pngo l.'b In the Ist chap- 
 ter ive havo shown iliis opinion cit th.e ')ris;in of the people i« 
 the most, probable • aiMl cotild \vc compnie the two lani^uages, 
 we shoidd pf ihaps lunl as great a similarity as can be expected 
 at this time. 
 
 c2 
 
 •T 
 
 'I' 
 
 
 %, 
 
 
30 
 
 I ' 
 
 .■'M 
 
 u 
 
 I'll! 
 
 ■if 
 
 1,1 
 I 
 
 changinif ; anil !«ince thoy nre so, it is not likely thai 
 their idloiiis and words should be fixed ?ind stable. 
 An uniformity of speech dej)cnds iipon an entire con- 
 sent of a number of people in their manner of expres- 
 sion ; but a lasting consent of ahirfre nundjcr of people, 
 is hardly ever to be obtained, or h>ng to be kept up, in 
 any one thinj^.* 
 
 From various reasons, we should be mcbned to 
 think, tlie Indians are all of one origin, and thai their 
 languages, howsoever diversified and dissiniiiar, were 
 originally one. 
 
 1. Their manners, customs, observances, traditions. 
 
 and 
 
 superstitions, nio all similar, 
 
 2. 'I'lioir languages all resemble each other in rcn- 
 strurium. 
 
 3. Facts testify to the i^reat chfinL'os wlsich have 
 
 be 
 
 en known to la 
 
 ke pli 
 
 ice in certau) larii>unj.'es. 
 
 or 
 
 some time the liehievv. Clialdaic, Svriac, Canaanitish, 
 
 V 
 
 lOMiiciaii, CxC. did i;t)t Uititerinllv <1 
 
 ifllr 
 
 r ; as appears 
 
 from the circumstance that Abraham coulil converge 
 
 with tlio Chaldeans, Canaanites, and Philistine! 
 
 N 
 
 
 
 douht all these languages, together with the Arabic, &c. 
 had all one'common root. But it must be evident to any 
 one that this dlil not long continue so, but they became 
 essentially diffcreni and uuinteirgibie to each other. 
 The san.e language is at one time dillcrent to what it is 
 at another time. The Salian verses, composed by 
 Numn, were scarcely umlerstocd by the pri^'sts in 
 Quimilian's time. The various modern langm'ges of 
 
 E 
 
 uroi 
 
 lave, in three or b)ur renlunet> ditleced so 
 
 much that it is extremely dillirult to understand the lan- 
 guages of our forefathers. And bonie of the ilivisions 
 of the Ochipwas and Wyandots, who iiave wandered 
 to a distance I'roin i}i(?m and have remained separate' 
 for some time, have, in a con.-iderable de^iee, chariged 
 tlioir language. 
 
 In the present stale of 'he Indian languages we may 
 trace two or three great ciasscs, to some of which all 
 the rest may be found more or less to accord. Thus, 
 
 * Shuckford's Cc.iicxioiis, buoK 2. 
 
 iU 
 
 I )i 
 
31 
 
 similar to the Ocl/ipwa laniruage, h i\\c Ottawa, the 
 Pottovvatomie, the Sioux : and the Dclawii"^ does not 
 iiujch ililTor. Also, the six nations i-fstniblc each 
 other in language. All these, in each class, must lta\e 
 been at one lime the same. 
 ^. The Ochipwa. and its variouH dialects, is very ex- 
 
 tensively spoken. 
 
 'I'i^eir 
 
 i!ii;runj;e IS very cxpref^slve, 
 
 regular and harmonious. Ti, with the other Indian 
 languages, is also highly rigurativf\ Nevertheless, it 
 contains a great many guiuiral sounds, \\hi<;ii cannot 
 well be expressed in Enghsh. The character of their 
 language might perhaps suirtrest a hint thai the liulians 
 have formerly been a far more cultivateil people, than 
 the first civilized navigators found them. 
 
 Tlie f^lnsilish inni^uai:..' exi)!t's.ies the relation which 
 
 one thing can l)i'ar to another l.iv three ra?e 
 
 am 
 
 1 by 
 
 the aid of a few prejiositions ; the liUtins and (Greeks 
 had five or six cases for the same purpose. But the 
 
 li 
 
 idian langmge is without prepositions 
 
 the 
 
 y express 
 
 all these relations, howsoever numerous, by son»e modi- 
 ficatit)!! ol'tlie oriii'nal root, or by some prefix or aflix 
 attached to it. The same may be said of ail tiie varie- 
 ties of the verli in tense and mood. Some industrious 
 
 ini 
 
 livid 
 
 u:ils have alread 
 
 CO 
 
 Ih'Ct 
 
 cil liuncireus, anc 
 
 nave 
 
 been informed others have collected tliousrinds of dif- 
 ferent modification:^ of the verb. An a< tive verb nnil- 
 tiplies as often us there are things to act upon. The 
 verb to eat, varies as many times as there are things to 
 eat. The verb to see, varies according to the object 
 of vision, — thus to see a man, and to see a s'onc, are 
 
 two din 
 
 trent ve;!)s ; to see any thing wnen n the phi 
 ral, dilTcrs according to the persons who are included ii 
 the address. In English we say, " we see. 
 
 without 
 
 variation. But in Oehipwa, they gay jicirauhemen 
 when they include the person addi'cssed ; and when 
 the person adflressed is not included, thcv sav f/ewau- 
 be?nfn. 
 
 To make use of a thing that belongs to him that uses 
 it, or to him to whom we speak, are also two dillerent 
 verbs. T will give an exam])le of a verb, in its differ 
 
 ent variations. 
 
 It is taken fiom a little work bv tlie 
 
32 
 
 Rev. J:\mo3 Evans, Wesleyan Missionary, cnlled " The 
 Speller and Intoivioti-r.''' ' *» Th<' word 1 shall here 
 present is ncm^iiu/jcnandumooinencunfji; \n English, 
 our laui^hkrs of /////j'/— dividing ihc wonl at every dis- 
 tinct sound, whether vowfil or consonant : 
 
 J\;\e.ni,b.auJj.e,7iJf,n.d.um,o,o.e.7i.eJiMti^?i.c,7i 
 
 yi"'y^y 
 
 ,</,^, »,(,'<.,' 
 
 iV, I 
 i' ■ 
 
 \\, : ) :. ' 
 
 %: 
 
 #.i 
 
 
 baub 
 Nem - haul) 
 
 ban - bo d 
 bati - ben 
 ban - bo. - n.i 
 
 or 
 
 eas: 
 
 OfMl 
 
 liau 
 
 n;i;i 
 
 OS! n - 
 
 bail - be - naiul 
 
 ban - be - niin - du ~ 
 
 baa - be - nan - <lutn - aim 
 
 bail - be - nan - du - mo n 
 
 ban - be - tian ~- du - moo 
 
 ban - be - nan - du -• nio - oe 
 
 m 
 
 ^S 
 
 bdii 
 
 i)(? - nan 
 
 du 
 
 17)0 ~ C(-|iL 
 
 oaud 
 
 un 
 
 (lu - mo - oe 
 
 ban - bo - niin - du - mo - oo 
 
 bau - be - 11 Ml) - 
 
 ban - be - rum - 
 ban - bs - nMi 
 
 bail - be - n;m - 
 
 ncn 
 
 lu - n:o - 00 - in.' - nan 
 
 (!U 
 
 Din - 00 
 
 ne - iiiiun 
 
 du - mi) - 0.' - nc - iiau - no 
 
 ban - be - iuui - du - mo - oe - ne - nau 
 
 nen - g 
 
 Kach leltor aflcr the root l(.'yd. convevs a di^<ti^ct and 
 definite meaning. \]y adding the lettcrt; placed on the 
 right of the page to lhos;e linot« opno^rite to vviiich they 
 stand, either singly or unitedly, and where necessary, 
 the pronominal piviix, peifect fonni! of the verb and 
 other parts of' speech will he obtained.'' 
 
 This circumh'tanre renders it uncommonly difTicuIt 
 for a European to attain the language accin-ately. I 
 have not yet known one wl.o could preach in the ian- 
 guaire. There are some who alfemptit; but on the 
 testimony of t^enslble Indians, who well undertstantl 
 the Eniijlish languoiie, they oftentin^es give a very dif- 
 ferent sense to iinportan inuhs to what they in- 
 lerulod. 
 
«"*.Aviw«^t7i ' 
 
 88 
 
 It cannot be expected liial a barbarous, unvvriUen 
 language slioukl be ; o copious as that ol'a civili'/ed, cul- 
 tivated people. There arc many terms iVom llic artf, 
 Bciences, and inveiilions of men ; branches of t^tudy, 
 occupation, and of religion, of wliich they inus>t be 
 necessarily ignorant. Some alVuMn the Ochipwa lan- 
 guage is rich, others say it is poor. Hoth these allir- 
 njations may be true in a certain sense. It may pos- 
 se*i9 sulficient inllexions to express the various rela- 
 tions of thinud, and alVections of beings, and yet may 
 be deficient in expression. A clever Indian exhorter 
 came to me to enquire ahout a theological term. " I 
 once,'' said he, " thought our language was rich, but 
 now I sec it is very poor." I su]ipose he had been 
 much puzzhnl, on s'^veral occasions, to tnul terms. In 
 proof that it is meagre in expression, is the fact thai 
 they have seldom two words for one object, or (piality. 
 Thus, in reference to a dwelling ol' various descriptions, 
 we have hut, shanty, cottage, house, mansion, hall, 
 palace, &.o. The Indian word nugifcwauTn is useil to 
 express them all. Thus, for vessel we have boat, 
 Sioop, brig, cutter, Ingate, ship, etc. The Indian word 
 chemnun is used as apply inu; to all. • 
 
 Elementary books and translations liave already 
 been publisheii, principally in the Ochipwa ami Mo- 
 hawk languages. An Indian youn<: man named 
 Sa/ic;ahJc!raUahwch, alias John SmumerUeld, made 
 the first attempt to reduce the Ochi])wa language to 
 grammatical order. He himsel«.'«-cmaiks that '• it can- 
 not be expected to be otlierwise than imperfect, and 
 perhaps, in some respects, erroneous.'" The great fault 
 is, he has not given us llie genius of the Ochipwa, 
 but has implicitly followed the English, and has 
 simply given Indian expressions aniswering to nouns in 
 o«r numbers and cases ; and to verbs in oinr ten hcs 
 and moods ; but has left out of the quCvStion f/icir 
 own etymology. I have heard of another attempt to 
 compile a graiTuuar. An Indian youth is also compil- 
 ing a vocabulary. The aiphabet has been reduced to 
 tvyelve characters, and the orthography newly modi- 
 
u 
 
 
 filed, by tho Rev. James Evan*?, who also has announ- 
 ced his intention to publish the etymology of the lan- 
 guage. Some of the intellii?ent Indians say that Mr. 
 Evans'' plan is deficient in one or two sounds, il 
 may, mo«t likely, he amended, but it i.s pretty certain 
 h\i< principle must be adopted if we would ^-uccessfully 
 express by dignn, their words. Mr. Evans has bestovv- 
 ed imineiise pair.s, attention, afid observation on the 
 subject, and will, I hope, live to see hi:i plan adopted. 
 As a I'urlhor imjirovemeut, he hm. adopted a syllabic 
 character. A simihirplan to this had berm previously 
 devised by a Cherokee named George Cucss, which 
 markn his atitonirfhintr genius and powers of invention. 
 (Juess w;i^* not able to ripec?k fOnj^lish, but had perceiv- 
 ed that umrk.j could be made the t^ynibois of sound. 
 It sitruck him, that all the sijllabUs of the Cherokee 
 language might be thus expressed. He set himself to 
 accomplish it ; and after long and close application, he 
 cou! I pjiai.nibcr eit!;hly-rour syllables!, whicli he repre- 
 sented bv varinus characters, some of which Sio made 
 like our Roman letters, a very litth' altered; and 
 otuers he iuvcnled himself. After becoming thoroughly 
 acquainted with his marks or symbols, he commenced 
 writing ieUera to his unenlightened countrymen, which 
 ihey could rear! after a little instruction. It was soon 
 discovered rliat Indians could talk on paper to their 
 friends 500 miles beyond the Mi.->^issippi, which pro- 
 duced an astonishing cdect on the whole nation. The 
 tidings r-pread with such rapidity that enterprising 
 young men ti-avelled from the remote parts of the na- 
 tion to acquire tho art, which they gtmerally mastered 
 in two or three days. Wherever they went afterwardsj, 
 they were followed by multitudes, to whom they com- 
 munlcate<l the important art. It appears, there arc 
 only ninety t^yllables in the Cherokee language, although 
 it is con^iiclered a very copious one. 
 
 This is a pleasing fact, and illustrates what I have 
 elsewhere rcinnrkcd of the genius, and quickness of 
 invention, of tho Indians, and their capabilities in ge- 
 neral. Mr, Evans has seized this idea, and is using 
 
Ihave 
 
 58 of 
 ge- 
 
 35 
 
 tlic plan in communicatini: divine una iscfr htiin'«fi 
 knovvledpo nrnong the OrhipAvns of ll< n(.vt||.v at, 
 nnil it might no doubt be usefully exit^ni pd lo ciii oc 
 various languages and dialects spol^en on thin \ « 
 continent. 
 
 Some portions of the Scriptures finve been trnnelnt«(l 
 into the Ocliipwa and JMoliawk lan^rua^^es ; also, into 
 the Cherokee and other southern dialect?». 
 
 *^V' 
 
 
V. I 
 
 3G 
 
 Chapteii V. 
 
 THEIR GENIUS WD CHARACTER. 
 
 U i 
 
 
 ;r 
 
 .1 
 1:; 
 
 Individual nations jirwl tribes have generally been 
 supposed to ]tor-8ess certain distinctive characteris^tics. 
 Perhaps savage, barbarous, and uncultivated t)ii>es 
 have a coninion generic charaetcr. Yet upon a closer 
 inspection, and a )Tioru parlicular ob.sorvation, they 
 may be found to dillor. The Negro, the Hottentot, 
 the Hindu, and thj Indian, will be found to poissesa 
 characteristics diOerent from each other; and it is 
 therefore a laudable engagement to eiujuire into and to 
 mark those distinguibhing i4iadey, and specific dJtVer- 
 ences, by which they are identified. 
 
 The Indians have been the objects of keen prying 
 curiosity. The Phrenologi.^t has visited them to exa- 
 mine his cranium — the metaphysician to ascertain 
 the character of hirf mental powers — the politician to 
 subserve his own ends — and the travelling huok-maker 
 to fill up a evv vacant pages of the forthcoming 
 volume, with some a musinir theory, or bv^ld conjec- 
 ture, — and the Chri«tian philanthropist haM also made 
 hia comparisons on his state and condition, and mark- 
 ed hiti progi\>a of improvement. All these liave ex- 
 pressed tlieir opinion on the Indian character, and 
 have dout:. it from professed observation. They have, 
 perhaps, chanced upon an Indian settlement, and have 
 looked round for an hour or two ; and liave sat down 
 and given tlieir opinion with all the assurance of long 
 and intimate acquaintance. The publir will not won- 
 der to find thorn )tiC'.»rrect. There is one singular ex- 
 ception ; which is that of Sir Francis Bond Head, 
 
 ;i 
 
37 
 
 !iae Lieulenrml Governor of Upper Canada. Ho pro- 
 fcsies to haw visitcJ " every shanty or cottage, be- 
 w 'J, deflirous to judge with liis own eyes the actual 
 situation of ti»al purllon of the Indian population 
 which is undcT-goinir the operation of being civil- 
 ised." With rt'luctance 1 say, to my certain know- 
 ledge, this is incorrect, I lived at tin? Credit nt the 
 time wlien His KxcelKncy paid the only )K)lit;uy visit of 
 pn hour (»r two to thai place. He did go ifilo aonu of 
 tLic houses, hut far from the whole of iheni , and I 
 have reasons for «uying that lie ontor<'d more dwellings 
 at the Credit than at any otlier setllomenl. Some of 
 the villages, which were << undergoing the process of 
 civilization^" he never saw at all. It is noi then to be 
 wondiM'Cil, that even be has made many mi^lalies in 
 hi:i celebrated *•' l)i.spatebes." Some of these will be 
 noticed m other parts ol' these renmrkis. 
 
 But, we have had many other visitors^ who have 
 come " to judge with their own eyes" of the character 
 of the Indiaii'', and for the purpot^e of reporting to 
 hone.jt .fohn 13nll, the rcbuli of their jutlgment. I was 
 much surprised when I first met with the observations 
 of a Rev. Gentleman from England, who visited this 
 country, and came to the Credit station to inspect the 
 state and character of the Indians. This gentleman 
 characterizes die lndi;ins as being excessively stupid. 
 I much wonder thai a gentleman ot" In^ profession, 
 and of such respectabirny, should hazard hi.s rejiutation 
 as a candid man, by giving his opinion on any subject 
 having so little acquaintance with it. But it is certain 
 he has failed in obtaining a correct estimate. There 
 are no doubt many defects m the people concerning 
 whom he writes ; but that of stupidity cannot be impu- 
 ted to tliem with any degree of fairness, by any person 
 acquainted with ihem. The Indians, especially the 
 females, manifest shyness in the j>'.escnce of strangers, 
 which at first view gives them the appearance of 
 awkwardness. This the Rev. Gentleman, for want of 
 more acquaintance with them, might impute to stupidity. 
 I have contemplated numerous specimens in theirna- 
 
38 
 
 
 ■'1 
 
 t: • 
 
 ■!'; 
 
 
 live pagiin, aii'j m tlicir nioic cixilizctl coi:dlt'oi> ; snJ 
 have rievrr iwA with any tiiir^ vvliich roiiltl excite 
 a sii-^jjiciiMi in my iii id vi' that nature, but quite to 
 the contrary. 
 
 1 shall aitempt to iliviw up a few cliaracteris^tic*, by 
 which \vc inny .n^e the fallacy of such (>pini(in--5 ami 
 at the t-aiLc lime be cnublcJ to di: corn tlicir true quali- 
 ricatlori."=. 
 
 The pasr.-sions of 'he Irnlians are vigorous and live- 
 ly. In couirecjuence of their cool, cautious manner, 
 they arc not qnnkly moved; but when iTi<n-etl, fuiious- 
 iy agitated, and not (piickly calircd. TI.ey I er d urdor a 
 sen:-e of wrong, and endure injury \\itp. eoiiictliirff 
 of apathy; and they have :;n apparent aj'alliy, arid 
 cool phlegmatic ind.llereiice, uhen viewing tlie MiCcr- 
 iPif-r of others ; Init we must not !-'upp(.se that they do 
 not pos.-:CfrS fc:ym{>aiiietic foelii g. V\ eie ihi.s the case 
 it wood be selfixh and unnmiable. A e:i:^ual observer 
 AVoiild vup[>o«e t-o ; hut a e'or'or inspector would con- 
 clude olherwiso. Tlieir cool and luibitual caution 
 have induced iiabil.-! of this natiue. The outward ex- 
 pression is checked, held iiiidci' re^jtrnint, chnstencd, 
 and eontroled. The warm feelings of their heaits are 
 pe-il \\\) ; but tlieir alTeclions arc nut frozen : they 
 are really strong, and fill the whole heart. Tliey are 
 fond of fcociety, and love !o associate louether either in 
 )>arl.es of jdeasurc or bu.^.nes:? ; and will ; cldon) un- 
 dertake anything of importance l.iut in com]\'iny. 
 
 ff the gMidLnian niorred to erndd have been present 
 at ^iome c>concs wbi(di I ieive been called to witness, 
 he would, I Lave no doubt, have iiiven a iliU) rent ve- 
 |>ort. I refer to their expres-'ion of strong attachment 
 to the'r niir''ster'=', and lo t!\elr all'ectiiii!- paitinr's vvith 
 then*, wiien removing to other spheres of labour. 
 And again, to the solcti n tran.-at tions at the interncnt 
 of their iVeiid.-:. Tb(»se scene? place thcni in an ami- 
 abie ])oii't of view ; and slnnv their keen sensibilities, 
 and delii acy of feeling. Here we see pometirnes the 
 tumultuous ex)>re -sion of passicii : at otluM' times the 
 Uianiferilation of chasteneil uiief. 
 
ad 
 
 Tit 
 
 C- 
 'Itt 
 
 lih 
 \ir. 
 
 i,t 
 [li- 
 es, 
 he 
 he 
 
 I)i". Ru!)jrtiO!i is murU mist:»kon when ho asseits 
 they are not cnjnhlc oftlie softer nnd more louder pns- 
 sii)n3. M \;iy n tale niigiU be recorih?i] of tniu'hing nll'ec- 
 tion, c>i .ooiMiiiL' I'l-'ir constancy of aUatcluiicnt. And 
 w'len ata!l ref!!ievl,thcy are as ^^cn.si!)le of the altrnrlioit!? 
 of b.'aiity ail I i^.'acv- n- any ot'ior race of men. liulced 
 tIiL"ir percv,^i>rh)ns of tlic h^iir.il'iil in naUiro, lieroafter no- 
 ticed, would iiidiculv' tins, if all o'lier proof had been 
 ^vaali/^^ 
 
 T[ie fiidianf? po.s.5C-'^ a g.'oal dosriee of narural saga- 
 clt\' and inreiition. TIiov are 'inlck anti livolv in their 
 pjrceplions ; smart and pifgoi-t in their rephe.'. They 
 po;tee>":? real \v!t w'thont lov.ty. 'I'liis will ap]>ear frnin 
 several ri'inarks! in i'.u-i uo'k, at)d from many at* c- 
 dotes vvhiih liavo bvn pn!>!isshed. I have mark* d, 
 and have bo.M gralTi ?d with t'us quaiificalion In all 
 my intercoj.vsj v\it'i them. A proac her '.vho was dro- 
 nish in eith.M' matter or manner vvou'd not snd them. 
 A Mjliiwk, addres^jing the Rev. Mr. Stin^on concern- 
 ing a c'jang ? of preaciicr?', said, •' Send us a sharp axe, 
 that will ciit woil.*' A-^ an i.istance of the r tiagacity 
 and quickn.-is. I give thj folio v. nif nnecdote : 
 
 \ W'ya.i lot chief, who w is iinler my c.ire as a 
 niemhe;' of our sociv.-ty, I)Ogi!i to docllne in icliyion. 
 One proof of it v.-a-', he had sometimes joined a portion 
 of llie R:)m\:i Cat'iolie Iml/ms in dancing. The In- 
 terpreter male thi:? known to me, and asked my opi- 
 nion on d,^ncin!;^ ft .?eems he had exi'ostinated u ith 
 the chief, a;id had been s-xnewhat nonp!us>'eil by Irs 
 ap])oal to tlie Scriptures. '• David danced," saiil he, 
 *• and therefore it c;iniiot he vvri)nL!; to dui.cc" It r;]> 
 pcars the liiterpreler had not a reply at hand, and 
 therefore refoned t!ie nutUer to me ; my explanation 
 was, that all we did wa-j to be (hmo to the tj'ory of God 
 — that David daiiced on a rolitiious account, and there- 
 fore glorified Gv)d thorehy. If then the Chief really 
 niean.s to iilorlfy God, and to promote hks own spiri- 
 tual good by this act, let him dance as long as he will : 
 but if, on tiie contiarv, he by indnlgini.'- m the practice, 
 only intends to seek his own pleasure, and g'atify a 
 
m 
 
 1 
 
 ^^^^ 
 
 
 m 
 
 CJiriial propensity, at the peril of his soul he repeats the 
 act. The Interjueter quickly cniight the idea, and 
 seemed pleas-ed to have got a clue to this difTiciiIty of 
 Scripture. Sti-ikin<j iiist;inces of vivacity, ingemiity, 
 and tuel ;ire aifordtMl by John Sunday's varioHd addres- 
 acs, especially could we hear hiniir» his own language, 
 whicli lie speaks with copiousness and correctness. 
 His many beautiful simdies, and fine and .select illus- 
 trations of the thiiicTji of (rod, by natural objects, are 
 touchinif and dc'lijrhtl'ul. Mnny of these are as worthy 
 of being recorded as the poemn of Ossian, or the fables 
 of yEsop. 
 
 On one occasion I remember standingr with Sunday 
 on the platform of the Bible Society at Toronto. Af- 
 ter several other observations, he said, '^ When [ was in 
 En^rlnnd, I saw hii( churcir, big !>oose, bi^ steamboat, 
 tec. One day I visited a gentleman, and he showed 
 me into his library. T saw big book on a shelf under 
 the table. I take it up and open it. Then I read that 
 the ancient inhabits nt^ of that country used to live in 
 caves, hollow trees, ^c. 1 say, this just like Indian. 
 What, my Christian frientls, make this dilTerence ? ft 
 was tfie I? hie. Then, Mr. chairman, send my poor 
 brothers plenty <>f Bible, and they will soon have 
 b'Si steamboat, &c., and l)e happy Cliristian. Oh send 
 then» Bibles and missionaries. " 
 
 The Indians, in their wanderini^, manifest a relish 
 for, and quickly catch the beauties of Jialure. If there be 
 a beautiful, picturesque spot, they fix upon it as an en- 
 campment. I have often been struck with this when 
 passing some lovely scenery, and have been told that 
 formerly it was an ludiau encamjnnent. The places 
 where the bold, the romantic, the pecturesqiie, the va- 
 rious interspersions of liill and dale, of torest and 
 praire, and the gentle winding stream, with the broad, 
 smooth bay, exist, are sure to have this as an incident 
 in their history, that once the Indian wiggewaum was 
 erected there. Perhaps there are few spots so beauti- 
 ful as the Credit. I have often said, if an English gen- 
 tleman had such a domain he would make it an earth'^ 
 
 
41 
 
 ly parauise. It is lliis love for the beautiful in nature 
 vvliioh in iucr.H such a love for excursions, and to en- 
 canvunents for sijg:ir-n)akii)||f aii.I hu.jtiii;;. No woii- 
 dei- they sIhhiM associate u\th tucli K'vMunis iboitic- 
 t'liiig of tho Jis'iiie, aii.l imiLi n ; s.):i);' prosiiling deity ; 
 and t!iat l!\oy yhoulJ li'ivu a ;Hi^v.Mvstitiou.i veneration 
 for such scoiic.-^. 
 
 la further support of thi.s ass^rlioii, we may Just di 
 rect llio ivadoi- to their ing'^uious productlon^i. The 
 uaculilvaled sons and daui^hters of the fores^t show a 
 g.-eat doal of skill in any cmploymero. lo w'lich Ihcy di- 
 re. t their attention. The nici) nianufa(;lure a great 
 many articles in wood and bark — They conj-truct 
 canoes botli of ha:i< and frOiU the log — bowh-, scopes, 
 and a variet,\' of other articles ai'e made tor ^-aie. 
 There is scarcely any mechanical art int.o which 
 tliey are initiated, but in which ihey <pjickly excel. 
 'I'he woni.Mi n.ake baskets, work-boxes, work-bas- 
 kets, and ornaments of ddVerent kirids ; mokasins. 
 and gloves. They are excellent in needlework. 
 These articles are beautifully ornamented and diver- 
 fjified by porcupine quills, beady, is.c. There is one 
 great dilTercnce between the European and Indian 
 inanuficturei-. The European articles are, in their 
 pioces:-;, (lividcid anioni: dillereni departments of work- 
 men, and one nainuu^ branch only is tiie object of ihe 
 care and study of each department : the individual 
 Indian, on the contrary, completes the whole process. 
 The E ropean procures liis materials ready |>repareJ 
 for use : the Indian prepares all his materials from a 
 state of nature. Hence, an Indian woman will cut 
 down the black ash tree — beat it — strip oil' the slips — 
 thin them to a proper degree, and work her basikef ac- 
 cording to any dimension or shape. In adilition to all 
 this, she will procure certain woods and barks, and 
 make a variety of dilTeiently coloured dyes, by which 
 she will diversify the apj>earance of her neat work. 
 The skins of which they make their mokasins, are pre- 
 pared by themselves ready (or use, and in as great a 
 degree of perfection as an European production. 
 
 d2 
 
I' 
 
 42 ■ - 
 
 Tfje Indians have an extensive knowledge of a vast 
 quantily of simples, the natural productions of the 
 countr}'. Their medicine-batj;s will furnit^h you- a con- 
 Hidcrable quantity of t*pecirnens. There is scarcely a 
 *vood, a bark, an herb, or a plant ; a root, a moss, or 
 a stone; but they are acquainted with its properties. 
 It may be true that many of the qualities ascribed to 
 them are fanciful ; but it is alrso true thru many of them 
 are real ; and whether fanciful or real, tlip facts prove 
 their diligent study and apjdication, ns well as their 
 tact in ascertaining the nature and prt)perties of the ob- 
 jects with which they are conversant. Their [thiloso- 
 phy might, perhaps, be accounted crude and false ; but 
 yet there i:^ a tn-eat deal of the true spirit of a |/hilcso- 
 pher in all this knowledge and information. W'- must 
 acknowledge, that if we carry out the suljjcct of their 
 knowledge of nature, they are acquainted with scarce- 
 ly any thing of the principles, relations, nnd causes of 
 BurroundinL' phenomena, and eonsecjuently ascribe 
 them to superstition,. Thus, for any wonderful appear- 
 ance in nature there is generally attached some super- 
 natural being. But in this they do not much differ 
 from even the elegant Gjeek and Roman. In savage 
 life particularly, it is usual to account for every thing 
 they do not understand to supernatural ajrency. Their 
 tact in the battle lield, or in the civil council, is equally 
 remarkable. 
 
 As this is the true character of the children of na- 
 ture, and of those partly civilized and domesticated ; 
 so those also who attend to the cultivation of their 
 mental powers, equally prove themselves to possess 
 good parts, quickness of apprehension, clear jtidgment, 
 and discrimination. They are seldoni j)assed by their 
 compeers either in the school or in the college. At 
 the examination of the students of the Upper Canada 
 Academy at Cobourg, Indian youths have more than 
 once distinguished themselves ; and even when they 
 have had more than ordinary competitors, they have 
 acquitted themselves to the entire satisfaction of the au- 
 ditors. H. S. Steinhaur was second in distinction on one 
 
43 
 
 ir 
 
 a 
 
 ill 
 
 7 
 
 of those occa.siontJ,an(l olitained tlie encomiums ofa lite- 
 rary clergyman of the Church ofEngland, who witness- 
 ed the examination. There arc several classibal ^cho- 
 lars among the Indian youni>; men. 1 would mention, a- 
 mong others, H. Stoinham, H. Cliase, and J. Elliot. 
 The greater part of the younii; people at our Mission sita- 
 tions, not distinguished by the higher literary attoin- 
 monts, arc yet respectable in their acquisitions. The 
 greater part of the Indian youth can read, write, and 
 keep accounts. The tiand-writinLi of many of them 
 is beautiful, and they can read with jtropriety and 
 grace. There are many truly excellent speakers and 
 preachers. The knowledge of divinity some of them 
 possess has often surprised me. I would mention as 
 boecimens Poter Jones, John Sunday, who are regu- 
 larly ordained ministers. Peter Jacob.-', who is- now 
 employed in the Hudson's Bay Territory as an assist- 
 ant missionary, is a clever, active, well-informed man 
 — one who can, with extreme readiness, catch the 
 meaning of an English speaker, and very accurately 
 turn it into Ochipwa.* George Henry is a clever, res- 
 pectable look'Ug young n»an, a good speaker, said to 
 be a good divine, a tolerubk; lK)et, and an excellent 
 translator. D. Sawyer, who was my interpreter at the 
 Credit, is a good preacher. There are a great many 
 others, as Copway, Taunchy, Herkimer, &,c. &c., who 
 fid up useful stations in the church. At the close of 
 thin chapter I will furnish a specimen or two of their 
 productions in English ; at the same time observing, 
 they would shine much more in their native tongue. 
 
 The Indians are a thoughtful, reasoning race of men 
 — so much so, that we are often astonished at the 
 shrewdness of their remarks, and the justness of their 
 conclusions. They will reason well from any given 
 premises, and will quickly perceive the connexion be- 
 tween any two propositions. J3ut we cannot say that 
 their premises are always sound. They are not care- 
 ful enough always to ascertain this ; and, indeed, from 
 
 • This was written before P. Jacob'a visit to England, where 
 he was ordained a regular rnisaionary. 
 
44 
 
 tliclr a;-)30ci:irion.5. and Itahit.s Ibrmcil fiorn their as^.;o- 
 ciations, not always ca|>riltle. lIenL'c,liiey often come 
 to very enoncou.5 concliisionSj and entertain ojiinions 
 on somo i^ubjects not altogellH r correct. Tlio i^ovvers 
 of uhstrar.tlon and Eenernlisatioa mark tiie liiglier orders 
 ofintellect and cultivation ; and while liicir old hahits 
 
 con tin lie 
 
 and 
 
 1 more thorojiii'i cuUivation i:h he.-.towe 
 
 ed 
 
 upon them, these resiilt.s will not be expected to any 
 great ex^tent. But this '-vill not excite ifreat astonish- 
 ment in those who reflect on the hal)ils, mental power, 
 
 am 
 
 1 ul 
 
 ea. 
 
 
 
 r th 
 
 e uticultiv'i 
 
 I tod 
 
 Dortion oi civiii 
 
 scd 
 
 countries. 
 
 Ah 
 
 Indi 
 
 W'V 
 
 ll'iouii I I have ciiaracteneed the Indians ;\:i a 
 thoughtful people; yet. foretiiought ilocb not li)rm a 
 p'irt of tlieir cliaracter. The Indian who has provi- 
 sions beside him for a day or l\^o, is conleiited and 
 hnppy. ahhongli he kiiovvs not tVom whence the next 
 supply IS to be obtained ; he w il! Ijcgin to look out for 
 more alien want presses him, aii.l after his belt has 
 been tig'\tcned a.> close iis he ran <liaw it. ilaving 
 what ijuits their present convenience in other respects, 
 thev do not look far inio luturltv. Habit iias such 
 power and inHuence, and re:[uire3 counter habits to 
 counteract tliom, that even tiie more civilised Indian, 
 who begins to sec the value of property, will be profuse 
 when he i;ns plenty, and will not think of his future 
 necessities. And ihv.>, notwithstandinii their firm ad* 
 herence to a conijtact, they will not think of a con- 
 tracte;! debt until payment is di.Miianded and pressed ; 
 and then they will earne-otly seek ibr means ot meeting 
 the. demand. But as soon as the pressure is over, thoy 
 will be unconcerned until thev are again ury-ed. This 
 has caused some peojde to impute dishonesty to the 
 professing Indians, ;md to say you cnmiot trust them : 
 whereas the fact is, it arises from their characteristic 
 want of forethought. 
 
 From this it will appear they are preserved from that 
 cupidity and covctousness, which is the parent of so 
 many evils in civilised society. They will jiart with 
 a share of their last morsel to those more needy than 
 
 ;")■ ■ 
 
45 
 
 themselves, and will manifest suqirise when they are 
 ileriieil the same from persons of other ( abit3. They 
 are versatile, ami cannot have tlieir attention niaJe to 
 dwell long on one o!)ject. They want })erscvoranco 
 and firmness in npplication to their pursuits. Nolwith- 
 stundinu; tlicir vcr^•atility, they can carry out any plan, 
 or eAOctitt* any opcraiiosi, when dn'ected or stimulated ; 
 but seem not to have the power or inclination other- 
 wise of undertaking any great or unusual thing — but 
 coolly and calmly sulTer thinij.s to go on, which they 
 perceive to militate a^iainst them. They arc patient 
 under injuries, toil and disa|>pointment. until roused to 
 action: then revcige will he i^ouL'^ht at all hazai'dn. 
 
 They are rem;irkabte I'or f )rtitude under sulTeriiig.'^, 
 peril and pain, when actually laid upon them : yet 
 timid of those in prospect. The various relatione re- 
 corded of the manner in which prisoners bear the tor- 
 tures inllicted ui)on them, warrant thin remark. Their 
 patience and fortitude, however, is rather an aj)athy 
 of the stoical kind, than the genuine feeling of)»atience. 
 Dr. Walsh relates a circumstance of which he was 
 eye-witness, which will illustrate these remarks. A 
 woman was crossintr the Niagara river, a considerable 
 way above the Falls, but was caught in the current, 
 and hiuried on to the awful cataract. Finding all 
 her efforts unavailing, and that nhe was rushing to 
 inevitable death, she made no outcry, or gesture of 
 fear or impatience ; but laying down her paddles, she 
 estood u{) and looked quietly about her; then taking a 
 bottle of spirits from t!ie bottom of the canoe, she ap- 
 plied it to her head till .he drank every drop; she 
 then wrapped herself in her blanket, took up a pipe, 
 and continued calmly smoking till she shot over the 
 Falls, and disappeared for ever. 
 
 Revenge for injuries, and retaliation for wrongs, are 
 favourite objects with them. Many have been the 
 scenes of desolation resulting from the carrying out 
 of these principles. These remarks apply more espe- 
 cially to those noc brought under the power of vital 
 Christianity. Those tribes who live bordering on Lake 
 
Superior, aro generally in a stato of liostilily, arising 
 from lliosc «;ircum.':;tancos. If a man lias iiad a jola- 
 live cut oft by iiny tribe, be will never n»st until b»{ 
 ha* bail revenge. He will seek and watcb an oppor- 
 tunity; be will lay in aiiibusb near tbe re-iiilenee of 
 tiie olTendiiiL' tribe. 'Wben an uii)>iotected ItMiiale, or 
 old dcrrlpid per:-on, liaj^pcnrf to stroll iieaibiiri, be ri?5es 
 U{) anil wreaks bis vengeance upon tbe individu;d, and 
 bearK nway tbe scalp in triunipb, Tbi.s freipienlly 
 leads to relaliaiion, and often rerfult^ in borridly bor- 
 i)arous wars between ibe two tribey. 
 
 C.iulioM is a ritrikiiiii- feature in tbe Indian cb;ii'acter. 
 Ill a tilate of nature, tbey are j)erpe(ually e\[)o:-ed to 
 t!ie onsets an*l alLaek^ of tlielr enemies, \N'bo usre slra- 
 ta<f Miis, aiul lay in andjusb, to come upon eacb otlier 
 unawares. Tlii.s produces a constant excitement of 
 fear. From tbis circumstance tbey arc driven to a 
 perpetual watcbfubies^j and carefulness in all tbeir 
 movements; and tbis may iiave been tbe main cause 
 of inducing tbis lemperamcnt of mind — vvbieb is not 
 ninviy a babit, a second nature, but move properly and 
 really natural. They do not decide suddenly on any 
 t'ling: tbey must have tbe deliberations of a council 
 li.dore any decisions are couiO toy 'J'bis babit, or tem- 
 pf'mment, appears in ibe'.r wbole manner. 
 
 J'be bravery of tbe Indians bas been tbe subject of 
 frequent remark. But ibis must bo principally con- 
 fimul to tliose wbo are living in an entire state of na- 
 ture, and it mu>t tbeii be reduced, witb some noble ex- 
 rept'«)n^j to savage ferocity. IJy t!»e itrecedirg re- 
 m .rks it will be seen iUcy need in general some ex- 
 citing circumstances. AVbo bas not beard of Tecum- 
 sel), Brant, and many otbers, distinguisbed In warfare. 
 T'le following cbaracter of these men, priucipaHy drawn 
 from a memoir of E. Walsh, ^I.I).," will not, I trust, 
 ]);ovc unacceptabte to tbe reader 
 
 B 
 
 .•rail It, man}' o 
 
 f wh 
 
 ose surviving relatives 
 
 I h 
 
 ave 
 
 { 
 
 i 
 
 known, is well known in Europe as tbe destroyer of 
 
 • Dtibbn University Magazine for 1804, p. 7G. 
 
 \:: 
 
i 
 
 47 
 
 ■| 
 
 im 
 
 Wyoming, and Iiantled down to the horror ofpof^terity, 
 by Ciirnpljell, in his poom oi Girtriule. lie was a 
 Mohawk warrior, and obtained his nnine from a Dutch 
 lb:stor father, who took caro of tho yoiine; savrje m hin 
 infani-y. 1'ho liit(^ Manjiii.-^ of llastiiios, whoti Lord 
 Moiia, seeing hini in Aihorica, admired hi.scoinfige nnd 
 address, became hi- patron, niul brought liiin over to 
 Loudon. Hero ho was prevailed on to accompany 
 hiin to a nias(|uera(!o in Ins native costume, painted, 
 phoned, and ariiied an a real warrior ; with one hall" of 
 his face Hrineil Hack, and tlie cjther n\\. One of the 
 company, hahiied a.^ a (iraiid Tuik, douhtinji if it was 
 not a nurc masquerade dress, touched the lo[) of his 
 nose, to ascertain if he really wore a mask. ( f all 
 th'ngr?, an Aniei'ican Ind'an ci.ni.ol bear j.ersonal iVce- 
 dom. Bramlt took fire at the i^upposed insult, utit red 
 !i!.< terrific war-whoop, and hramlithirg his tomal awk, 
 would have (!o\en ami srol]ied tlie head oftiie (iliai.d 
 Turk, luui liot L(ii\i ]\Ioiia inteiposcd, and e.Nylaified 
 the mistake. The company, however, took frij^ht. ni d 
 the iiidinu warrior was left to hinuelf, str.lking t:p ai:d 
 down the room in solitary mntiiiificence. On his le- 
 turn to A 'ueiica he was much noticed, and for a t:n:e 
 h'glily respcvted. lie w.-.s employed on Indian ailairs, 
 was accurOvl by hi;s tribe of ollicird j^-eculation, and 
 called to acconnl. On this occasion, he requested the 
 inteiference of his tViei d. Dr. ^VaKh, who exerted liiir- 
 seifinhis favour. He posses^-ed some large estatc^*, 
 and lived in great repute. But he was prom! and in- 
 perous, unbendable in his disj-osiiion, and of the mo^.t 
 impetuous and unuovcrnaljle ]assions, and yiving him- 
 self up to tlie common pro]>ensily of the Indians in 
 general, arde»it spuits ; when intoxicated, was excited 
 to a species of niadncss. On one occasion a violetit 
 quarrel ensuoil with his eldest son, vvl-o was so cxas> 
 perated that he allacked his llilher. Tiiey rolled on 
 the floor, till the father, drawing his knife, stabbed iiis 
 son to the heart. After this.circumstance he became 
 truly miserable, and dieii shortly afterwards of inces- 
 sant intoxication. The relatives of Brandt are moally 
 
 ;r(i 
 
49 
 
 l!U « 
 
 perflons of superior talents, but some of whom are un- 
 happily addicted to thril propensity which proved his 
 ruin, and which bids fair to operate fatally to them- 
 selves. Brandt's life has been [)ub!islied in an exten- 
 sive form. — The village of liraniford, on the Grand 
 River, in Upper Canadii, derives its nanie from him. 
 
 Tccumseh, was a Shiiwonctic warrier. He jiosses- 
 Bcd all the energetic (pialitics, :ind none of the vices of 
 Brandt. He was a fine noble liirine ; many of the In- 
 dians I have seen are remarkable in iIiIm jiarlieular. 
 Tecumtiieh's name and deeds ns a w.'inicr >-till live in 
 the new world, and subscriptions are now being made 
 for the purj)ose of erecting a monument to his memory. 
 A township in Canada, and another in Michigan, Sear 
 his name. In the late American war, when hostilities 
 commenced on the Canadian fronlien', he took up the 
 hatchet ami commanded the Indian alllcf.' on our side. 
 He had the address to make his way tlnongh several 
 of the United Slates, and bring ofl'uith him many In- 
 dian recruits'; but the whole force iic could muster did 
 not exceed 050 merj. The iXmerican Cicncral Hull 
 crossed the strait at Amersiburjilu and erected the 
 American standard, evidently with a view to make a 
 permanent settlement in Caiiad;i ; but he attempted in 
 vain to bring over our Provincials and Indiiins — not 
 one joined him.* Tccumseh with his band of warriors 
 broke up for Lake Micliigan, and !:-ui|i-ised all the 
 American parties along the lake. He burst upon them 
 like another Judas Macabeus, briiigmg terror and deso- 
 
 »:■: 
 
 
 * ^^^lcn l wns stalionod at Amhorslbiirgli,. Warrow. a young 
 Wyandot Chief, brought me a bundle ol' papers and letters to 
 read over at my Icasuir, that I might ascertain A\hcther there 
 were any thing ol" importance among them or not. On inspoc- 
 lion I found a great deal of correspondence to tho Indians Crom 
 the Officers and agents of General Hull, inviting them to eo- 
 operaie with him in his designs, and trying to instigate them to 
 muster their forces and to take certain positions ; to meet ajid join 
 certain dctatchmcnts in certain directions. It does not appear, 
 however, as stated a ove, tiiat they succeeded with the Wyan- 
 dots ; but that tribe ook up the tomaiiawk for tiie British, and 
 were in several cnga cmcnts- 
 
49 
 • 
 
 lation. He co-opcratcd with Ocnen\l Brock at the 
 battle of KappohaiiMo, and forced Hull to iocioks the 
 strait. He wass pursued by 'I oruiD^ch, who atliuked 
 the Anieric.in camp before Detioil, ami obbged their 
 general to surrerider that ini|)Ortant fortress. Tecvini- 
 seh fell ill the field of battle, but ijot till the united bra- 
 very of the-»e uallaiit men liiid saved Tppei Canada. 
 With mingled emotions ol admiration and regret, I 
 have stood upon the t^pot wln'n; he fell. — a spot as yet 
 undislingui5?liod by any nurk in honour of the illustrious 
 individual. 
 
 Tccumseh wnsi not only a warrior, but an orator, a 
 sachem, and a prophet. And he was no less a politi- 
 cian. The vi;.':()ur of his physical povveis was only 
 fciurpassod by the energy of his mind. He conceived 
 a practical j^lan of collecting the various tribes to the 
 Wetit of the Lakcrt, and toundiiii: a confetleratv red re- 
 public. Bui I question, if he had lived to attempt it, 
 wdietlicr even his ircnius and ability could have i'uc- 
 ceedeil. Subsequent attempts have been made to 
 gather the fmlians together in one district or tract of 
 country, but as I have been informed, their own clan- 
 nish spirit and jealousies would alvsrays j^revent the 
 scheme from woi'king well. 
 
 Their wars, in a totally uncivilized state, are marked 
 by cruelty and stratagem, rather than by the essentials 
 of true bravery. Their native wars are predatory. 
 
 Cruelty marks savage life in general. The Indian, 
 in his pagan state, and in remote situations, is not 
 admitted to the rank of manhood until he can exhibit 
 the scalp of his enemy. This is generally obtained by 
 stratagem. The youth will issue from his native hut, 
 bteal to the abode of an antagonist-tnbe, will watch for 
 an opportunity of accomplishing his object, and will, 
 perhaps, fall upon some unprotected and defenceless 
 female, who has issued from lier habitation and wan- 
 dered to a short distance in pursuit of some domestic 
 object of her calling. Thus we have Iho awful fact 
 elicited that an Ii^dian cannot even be a man until he 
 has embrucd his hands in the blood of his fellow crea- 
 
 . -I -- 
 
 
&0 
 
 turc. The rcmnrk of tlie prophet is thus amply con- 
 firtnetl, " The dnk places ol' Uic carlh are full of 
 the hahilnlioMs ol cruelly." 
 
 With :i)l the t'erocity nnd cruelty of the Intlinn, he is 
 Ptill vhMtin^'nished for fiicrulship. Hii ailhereuce to a 
 ronij)nct — hi.s faillifiilnsss lo a promise or engagement, 
 arc celehraied as very remarkahle. This stamps a 
 true nohillty on the InJinii chracicr. 
 
 Dr. ^Val.sh, in diawiniJ simie general characteristica, 
 remarks, '■• li is not presuming too nuieh to suppose 
 that if the country Inid not been visited by Europe- 
 ans, they vvouUI have emulated, in some degree, the 
 Greek rojiublics. It is true, they had no lettets, but 
 neither could Homer or hi;s heroes read or write. Tlie 
 Iroqueetj joined the c'cxiuencc ol the Atlienians to the 
 courag<^ irugality, forlituile, and ecpiaiity of the Spar- 
 tans. They hat! r»o gorircons temph'.s built with hands, 
 but the sky was their temple, ami the Great Spirit was 
 their God. They fared ar^ well as the kmps of Spar- 
 ta, who eat their black broth at tlie same board with 
 thejr fellow-Citizens in a building not better than a 
 Mohawk council house. They lived in thatched ca- 
 bins, but so did Phoeian and Socrates in the midst of 
 the uuiLniificpiico of Athens." "An unlettered race, 
 their laws and customs, their feats in arms, tlieir 
 speeches, their wars, their treatie?», have been preserved 
 in their OA^n belts of v;ampum, a sealed book to all the 
 world but themselves. No Homer, no Ossian has 
 transmitted to posterity, in traditional rhapsodies^ their 
 heroes, l)altles, and adventures*'' 
 
 The Indians are much subject to peculiar and vio- 
 lent excitement in religion, when it is first introduced 
 to their attention, and when they experience it in its 
 genuineness and power. All the powers of nature 
 seem for a time suspended, and they are frequently 
 carried away from the spot stiff and apparently lifeless. 
 This is rather appalling to some spectators. 
 
 1 should he far from becoming the apologist for mere 
 rant and extravagance ; but I must odcr a few words 
 by way of explanation. Tlie individual who contem- 
 
 I 
 
51 
 
 platffl tho real work of God with a mini! imlnied with 
 sanctified |)liili»'»ptiy, will pnceivc ilrat al the C( ,n- 
 meru'cmi Ml o( a nuiarkuhlc vvor'.v :imor);j; any peoj e, 
 especially wliHri moral ami spiritual lU'alh has ))re- 
 vailed, thero is g-'nerally somethinj; ptTuliar in the 
 moilc ot* their heitig atVoftcd with a s-criso of their des- 
 titution (A religion, and oi' their daii'jjcr iVoin lyinji un- 
 der the wralh ami ciii-^i? of the .\liiiij»hty. Iliii.'', in 
 the early ministry <>! the liev. Messrs. AVes!ey and 
 Whitfield, (no enihusia^trs themselves,) and in the early 
 revivals in Airu;r ca, there were extraordinary eirciim- 
 fitanccs of this jiature. Undouhtcdly the wisilom of 
 God is manifested in this arrrjiijfciiuMil. It \r* suited to 
 the state of the minds of the majority ot' tin* people. 
 At those limes deadly unhelief and rank infidelity had 
 prevailed ; there was a darkness wliieh miirht he felt; 
 and the apathy of moral iJeatii, whieh pervaded all 
 ranks in the several communities. Someihinji; extra- 
 ordinary was wanted as an 'intidote to tlii-» infidelity 
 and apathy. The supernaiuial power of the gospel, 
 applied with energy hy the Hoiy Spint, was a proper 
 circun.slance to awaken their attention, and to arouse 
 their ener^i^ies. When those extraordinary occur- 
 rences first transy>ire(l, |)ersoiis of sueli eliaractcr were 
 astounded, all human reasoniiiij was overwhelmed, 
 and many were constrained to acknowledge a Oivine 
 interference. 
 
 All this may be applie 1 to the India ns. It is? a ncrt 
 of miracle for men to he alleetcd hy Divine power. 
 Something like a miracle seems needed to turn the 
 attention of an ignorant, harharous peoph^ to God. It 
 stands in the place of arguments, which thev could 
 not appreciate for want of estahlished and acknow- 
 ledged axioms a? premises. They feel the for> e of it. 
 They are conscious of something supernatural in the 
 Christian religion far above all the power of their 
 conjurors, and stand np()alUMl. As long as the magi- 
 cians of Egypt could perform something like a bungling 
 imitation of the miracles of Moses, he could produce 
 no conviction j but as soon as he went beyond their 
 
H 
 
 power to do so, they were constrained to say to Pha- 
 raoh, "* This is ihc fingor of God." Under tlie min- 
 istry of the early Methodists, some of the most philo- 
 Bophlral and iidulcl wore thi' subjects of those afloc- 
 lions ; ami it h;ul a inarveUoiis cll'tict upon hehoklers. 
 And at the intr(»duclion of (■hrislianity among the 
 Indians, some o\' their conjurors have been among 
 the first to l)e touched with the Divine power; and it 
 lias had the bjune eifect upon the j/'inerality in their 
 tribes. 
 
 ThO'O peculiarities generally ce.ise after such a 
 work has proji;resse(l for a time, i. e. when the wisdom 
 of God sees no further occuision of employing them. 
 Thus, after a time, the miracles of the early Clirisiians 
 ceased. After a time also tb.e work in the j^resent re- 
 vival of religion, called Methoilism, went on in the 
 ordinary uKinner of conviction and conversion; and it 
 is remarkable that such symptoms among the Indians 
 as were referred to, cease after Christianity has fairly 
 gainoil a 1ootii»g amonu liiom — when, Ijy cultivation 
 in knowleilge and ailvaiiciMnent in piety, there is a data 
 on which to erect an intellectual battery. 
 
 :\iid it is easy, not only to assien reasons for the 
 existence of these facts, but also to account for thera. 
 There are several persons, not i»nly amongthe Indians, 
 hut als»i among the while people — among cvilized as 
 well as among barbarous men— Iio have related cir- 
 cumstances in their conversion of a very extraordinary 
 character. Some of those ptM-sons have sup]>osed that 
 they have distinctly seen the Saviour as hanging upon 
 the cross ; and other-:, as in glory, .as before the throne, 
 with the glorious scan' of his body. A pious female 
 
 on 
 
 ce asked me it' .1 had ever heard of a case of a 
 
 ny 
 
 person who had seen the Saviour wiili his bodily eyes? 
 and then related to me her own case. She said, when 
 she was labouring under deep and painful convictions 
 of her sint'ul anil lost state, and was seeking a sense of 
 pardoning mercy, one day, while engaged in her do- 
 meotie- employment, she saw the Saviour hanging upon 
 tlio cross, and immediately felt assured of her interest 
 
 T^.-r - 
 
 K i: 
 
53 
 
 upon 
 
 [one, 
 
 nale 
 
 any 
 
 hen 
 lions 
 >e of 
 (lo- 
 ipon 
 ircst 
 
 in his blood, even the forgiveness of her sins. Others 
 have 8upp().se<l thai ihey have distinctly heard a voice 
 speaking to Ihcm in the hinguugo of some portion of 
 Scripture, or in other words. All this, i believe, will 
 admit o( illustration. The theory of perception i« as 
 follows: Tlie oulwan! senses are acted u)»on by some 
 outward object ; liiis proiJuces an altered slate of the 
 nerve called a sensation. This sensation is conveyed 
 to the brain, ami produces a perce[)tion of tht> 
 object. In this nuinner, the soul is, thruugh the 
 medium of the scrises, ujiule acquainted with oiitward 
 things. It is clearly shown by phi!()SO[)hers, that the 
 nerve may be brought, by various causes, into such an 
 altered state, without beinj! acted uj)on by external ob- 
 jects. Also, that, the brain itsell, without the process 
 of sensation, from various causes, may be so alfected, 
 as is usual in the act ol [)erceplion, when arj outward 
 sensation is conveycnl to it ; and in either case, the 
 subject of it suppostvs he hears or sees the external 
 object, and for the ohvitjus reason, that precisely the 
 same etfect is produced upon his brain as is produced 
 by the process of sensation. He has, therefore, au 
 firm a conviction that he really does hear and see, as 
 he can have vvhen that is actually tlie case. These 
 things have often been reab/ed by hig!i!y nervous per- 
 sons, by persons who are insane, and by persons of 
 strong imagination. Hence, some worldly-wise philo- 
 sophers suppose they can sulhcientlv ac(-ount for alt 
 
 thobe 
 
 impressions on phik»sop 
 
 ihical 
 
 pnncipii.'i^, an( 
 
 1 en- 
 
 deavour to explode the i it^a of all divine and superna- 
 tural interference and influence. But, ui a number of 
 cases 
 
 procee 
 
 not to be supposed that such impressions do 
 d from di-ordered actio'i of the intellect? 
 
 Sincere Chri.<lians believe tlnit the Holy Spirit has ac- 
 
 cess to, an 
 
 dd 
 
 oe 
 
 reallv inlluence, the souls of men, 
 
 And if he so work upon the mind os to produce the 
 same altered state of the brain as is precisely produced 
 by the process of perception, may not such individuals 
 justly sup]>ose they see an rnitward object, or hear an 
 o itward voice? And yj^-t this is nut the vagary of a 
 
 f,2 
 
 i\ 
 
54 
 
 ; 
 
 I j 
 
 
 ilisorJered imagination, but a real operation of the 
 Holy Spirit, and the niethoii he chooses to ennploy in 
 giving such indiviilualsi un assurance of their pari in 
 the atoning blood. 
 
 I ought to apologize for the ient'lh of this disquisition. 
 Let it not l>e thouyht I am enlhuoiasftic, or an advocate 
 
 for 
 
 miracles in these latter day 
 
 f 
 
 arn only attempt- 
 
 ing to assigfj reasons for the existence o^ fads. Such 
 appearance.-? do present themselves to our observa- 
 tion. I am well convinced they are not feigned, 
 or assumed by designing men, but that they are real, 
 and without hypocrisy ; ;ind. in reviewing the character 
 of the Indians, I thought it right to notice this charac- 
 teristic among others, and to endeavour to set it in its 
 true light. 
 
 In personal appearance, the Indians are straight and 
 erect, well proportioned, and noble in their bearing, 
 8ome of them reinaiUably so. They are cojiper-co- 
 lourred ; which, however, by a different mode of living, 
 and by attention to cleanliness, becomes of a lighter 
 yea, not rmich daiker than that of many perKonj) 
 
 Hie 
 ^fE 
 
 uropean ongui, 
 
 Tl 
 
 leir face is couni 
 
 1, th 
 
 eir c 
 
 heek 
 
 bones hiiih, forehead small, lips (hick, and noses gener- 
 ally broad, with wide nostrils : their eyes small and 
 black, or of a chestnut colour : their hair black, thick, 
 stron'T, and uncurled. Their women wear it Ions, and 
 
 ■tj 
 
 fa' 
 
 tie it with a string or ribbon near to the h^ad. The 
 men cro]) theirs clo^e on the forehead. They have lit- 
 tle or no beards on iheir face. They have small feet. 
 They are quick of sight and bearing, and swift of 
 foot. 
 
 The dress, among those who have bad no inter- 
 course with EurojieaM, has no great distinction be- 
 
 tween male and lemn' 
 
 T 
 
 iey wear no covenhgon 
 
 the head. Those who !)nve had a little intercourse 
 with civilized people wear a handkerchief tied, or 
 wrapped round their bonds. I have vseen some of the 
 Pagans, when assemb^'d for presents, with any thing 
 they could pick u]> from the white peo])le, liats or 
 caps of ail sizes, sliap'-s, textures, colours, and cora- 
 
 
55 
 
 le 
 
 or 
 le 
 
 positions, — some of them vei*}' grolesquo in appearance. 
 Many of the remote Pagans go barelootcJ, ur, at best, 
 with mockasins, matlc of deer-bkin, which are soon 
 soaked through with wet. In addition to this, they 
 have what are called leggings, or a piece of cloth 
 Btilched on on one sside, which covers from the thigh 
 downwards to the foot. These articles, with a shirt, 
 blanket, &e., comj>!ote their clotliing. The men wear 
 a red sash round tiit'lr wai.sts. 
 
 The Indians, however, on our most cultivated mis- 
 sion station.s, in general, dress like the white people ; 
 only they are Houd of the mockasiiii* and the sash. 
 Some of the females wear leggings. 'J'hey go without 
 ca[)."!, or bonnets, or ariy covering on their heads — wear 
 short gowns, whicii reach only to the knees, with the 
 other parts of their dross below ; thev throw a blanket 
 
 over their heads, and hold it round their waist. At 
 other times, you will see them with a hainlsome black 
 beaver hat, witli large briiu, but never with a bonnet, 
 and a neat length of blue cloth as a .-bawl. Some 
 few nearer approacdi to the Eurc»peaa costume. 
 
 M 
 
 an 
 
 y parts ol their be 
 
 ^t dre 
 
 sses are verv nmcii or- 
 
 namented with Iteads and porcupine quids, i. e. at the 
 bottom of the legsings aU'l gown, an<l rouiid the waists. 
 The Indians are, in gent'^ral, passionately fond of or- 
 
 nament- 
 
 Am 
 
 ong 
 
 the P 
 
 igan.-, the most rnpgo 
 
 l1 and 
 
 filthy will have largo stripes of silver round Uieir hats, 
 vvlicn they happen to ha\e lho;n, and round their arm3 
 and wrists, and [tending from their ears and noses*. 
 They wear also rings anil trinkets on their fingers and 
 other parts of their bcilies. The wild Pagans paint 
 their faces and dillerent. p.arts of their btxiieH various 
 colours. Taste is an arbitrary thing, depending upon 
 custom and habit, and not subject to any general fixed 
 rule ! 
 
 I now give, as before intimated, a s|>-:>cimcn in prose 
 and verse, of the talent of the native Ochipwas, The 
 first is an ariicle written by a younir man, with whom 
 I am personally and well acquainted, ami delivered at 
 an exhibition of the students of the Oneida con- 
 
 f( 
 
 jl 
 
ference-seminary, whose name has heen already men- 
 tioned. The second, by an Oc')ii>vva young man,who 
 was formerly an apprentice to liie printing business in 
 the Guardian Office \n 'I'oronlo. lie was subsequent- 
 ly sent to the Upper Canada Academy, where he 
 evinced talents of a superior order. 
 
 "MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE. 
 
 " The missionary elTi^rtn are tlie most puccessfiil of 
 all the benevolent enterprises that have bocn i)iil into 
 operation for the .spread of Cliristianiiy and civilization 
 in the world. When the night of barbarism and su- 
 perstition covered the whole fare of the continent of 
 America, the j)oor and degraded inhabitant made the 
 8un and the moon, the nbji/cts of his adoration. True, 
 ine had heard his forefathers sju'ak of the Great Spirit, 
 who presided over all, and created all, and recpiired the 
 adoration of all. But he knew not how to fulfil thia 
 requirement; and, though he never bowed himself be- 
 fore an iilol, nor oiTered himself as a sacrafice to ap- 
 {)ease the anger of bis g''ds, yet he never heard the 
 divine revelation of God's iiolv word till, in the course 
 of events, another race of men, from an unknown land 
 appeared on his native coasts, l>earing to bin), as has 
 been truly said, '< the seeds of life and death." Many 
 efforts w 're made by p'ous ajul Christian people for the 
 preservation of the Indian race; but in vain, till they 
 were disappearing from the limits of civilized society. 
 At length the voice of humanity ])revniled in every 
 heart of philanthropy, and now, at the presen* day, a 
 unanimous chord of sentiment is vibrating in the Chris- 
 tian and civilized world, to meliorate the condition of 
 the human race. Already has conimunity enlist- 
 ed its combined efforts in favour of the mission- 
 ary cause. Alreaily liave men turned their atten- 
 tion to the dark places of the earth, and even to the 
 distant islands of the sea, there to plan^ the standard of 
 Christianity, the Gospel of the Great Redeemer; to 
 those regic.ns where ignorance and idolatry are still 
 •waying their brutalizing influences over the mind of 
 
 A 
 
5t ' 
 
 man ; to Asia, where the demon of Idolatry exults in the 
 misery of the wretched inhaliitant, where its despotic 
 tyranny hag rent from tlie Imnnn heart all that i.s en- 
 dearing in life, and lias taught the inotlier to tear away 
 from her bodoni her infant, iind oiler it to contending 
 alligator'^ and the widow to ar^cend iho funeral pile 
 of her husband ; and to Africa, which appears tlie 
 t)lackcst in the cataloLme of human mis-ery, where the 
 people are p^ill howinti then)oolvcs down in the most 
 revolting idolatry, and wanting awny, as though a migh- 
 ty pestdence were making its dreadful ravages and de- 
 p{>pnlaling her sultry shores — whore the people of 
 other land.^ are capturing, with cruel tiaml, hor defence- 
 less .<ons, and consigning them to the cliaius of sla- 
 very. 
 
 The great object of this benevolent enterprise is the 
 general dispersion of ('hristianity, and tiie purification 
 of the whole world from the abominations of idnlatrv, 
 ignorance, and barbarity. Ii is not love of power or 
 dominion that induces the mi^^sionary to cross the 
 mighty deej>, anu proclaim the everlastinji truth to those 
 barbarian shores, and to penetrate the wilderness of 
 the west, to preach the name oi^ Clwist to those who 
 are sitting in diirlcness, and who are fast hastening to 
 destruction. Notwilhstamling all thai is dear ai home, 
 and the difliculties and dangers he may have to en- 
 counter, yet he has gone forth in the name tif his hea- 
 venly master who commanded to iro forth into all the 
 world and preach the Gosiic! to all nations. 
 
 How pleasing and gloiious has been the effect of 
 this holy cause in those parts where the missionary has 
 etnployed his labors I Idolatry and superstition are 
 vanishing like the shades of night before the splendour 
 of the rising sun. Where darkness so lately reigned, 
 the light of truth is shining, and thousands of the re- 
 deemed are sendinu'^ forth ttieir praises to their great 
 Deliverer. Thus far it has prospered. It will go on 
 from prosperity to prosperity, for it is the work, and it 
 is the hand of the Almighty. It will go on till the 
 niglit of barbarism shall bo dispelled from the face of 
 
 1 
 
the earth, and the pure and henign principles of Chris- 
 tianity every where prevail—** Then the wilderness and 
 the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall re- 
 joice and hlofsom as the rope." We may indeed in- 
 dulge the pleasing hope that the period is fast approach- 
 ing when all nations shall know thfMr God — when the 
 red man of the forest shall raisti his song of praise, and 
 the whole continent of America resound with the praises 
 of God, and re-echo from the shores of the Atlantic to 
 t'ue Pacific, the name of the Redeemer. 
 
 Shawahnekizhek 
 alius 
 H. Steinhaur." 
 
 HEBREW MELODY. 
 
 BY WILLIAM WILSON. 
 
 " We sat down on the banks of dark Babylon's streami, 
 And 1VC wept, as we thought of our Zion in dreams ; 
 And our harps, that so oft to street echoes were strung, 
 On the willows' soft branches now silently hurwg. 
 
 " For our foes that had ltd us ingluriously forth, 
 With the laugh of derision, required of us mirth ; 
 And in accents of scorn they t.hus taunted our wronj^i— 
 " Come, sing ye to us one of Zion's proud songs. 
 
 *' Ah ! how shall we sing in our lone fettered band, 
 The song of the Lord in a fur stranj^er land 1 
 Ah ! how shall we sing ;hose enrapturing alraiuo. 
 That once we have sung in loved Judea's plains '? 
 
 " Oh daughter of Zion ! thou chosen of God, 
 \N hose marbles so hallowi-d we often have trod, 
 Let the right of our hand its deep cunning forget, 
 If we chide for thy memory one tearful regret. 
 
 ** Far away from our homos shall our footsteps be bent, 
 Par away shall be heard our wild song of lament , 
 For the glow of our hearts as an oagie is crush'd, 
 And the joy of our bosoms in silence u hush'd. 
 
 *«-■ 
 
59 
 
 18- 
 
 nd 
 e- 
 n- 
 h- 
 
 he 
 nd 
 les 
 to 
 
 " Oh ! never again 'neath those halcyon skiea. 
 In the halls of our sirer, shall our orisons rise ; 
 For lo ! where the bright beam olgladiiFss once shone, 
 lialh dark desolation erected his throne- 
 
 *' Femcmber, O Lord, the proud Edomite train, 
 
 Who inockod in their madness thy sons that were slain, 
 
 And round the dread ruin exultmgly stood, 
 
 While the courts of tiiy temple were drenching in blood.'* 
 
 Some of their eminent oratf^rs otight to be mentio.,cd 
 here, with specitnens of their protluctions. I did not 
 think, however, I couhl more gratify the reader than by 
 pre>enting, from the Quebec Mercury, the following 
 observations on Indian ehxjuence. It will, at the same 
 time, illustrate their iharacter in many other particu- 
 lar:?, and thus ser\e to corroborate several remarks 
 already made : 
 
 " A few suns more, and the Indian will live only in 
 jjistory. A lew centuries, and that history v^ill be 
 coloured with the mellow romantic liglit in which time 
 robes the past, and contrasted with the then present 
 wealth and splendour of America, may seem so im- 
 possible, as to elicit from the historian a philosophic 
 doubt of its authet't'city. The period may arrive 
 when the same uncertainty which hangs over the he- 
 roic days of every people, may attend its records, and 
 the stirring deeds of the battle field and council fire 
 may be regarded as attractive fictions, or, at the Lest, 
 as beautiful exaggerations. 
 
 " This iii but in the nature of things. Actions always 
 love their reality and distinctness in the prospective of 
 agea : time is their chnrnel house; and no memorials 
 are to be lost or foigoticit, as soon as those of conquered 
 nations. Of the Angles and Sax<ms little more than 
 a name has survived, and the Indian nay meet no 
 better fate. Even though our own history is enveloped 
 in theirs, it is somowhyt to he feared, that, from nc^g- 
 lecl, the valuable cover will be sud'ered lo decay, and 
 
GO 
 
 u 
 
 III 
 
 care bestoweJ only on live precious cotitents. ' Be it 
 so,' exclaim some; *what pleasure or profit is to be 
 derived from the remembrance of such things? Let 
 the wild legend be forgotten ; they are but exhibitions 
 of a savage life, teeming with disgusting excess and 
 brutal passion. Thoy pourtray man in no interesting 
 light; for with every redeeming trait there rises on 
 some a revolving characteristic in horrid contrabt. 
 Was he grateful ? so was his revcnee bloody and eter- 
 nal. Was he brave? so was he treacherous. Was 
 he generous? to was ho crafty and cruel.' 
 
 "But a more philosophical mind would r?ay, 'No! 
 he presents u part of the panorjuna of humanity, and 
 his extermination is an emhodiment of a great j)rinciple 
 — the same retreat of the children of the wilderness 
 before the wave of civilization ; lirnte arises a decj> 
 interest in hi?- fortune, which should induce us to pre- 
 serve, carefully and faithfully, the mos-t triflinir records 
 of his liiealnes an J dciiredatiou. At a time when bar- 
 baroub natiors elsewhere had lost their primitive puri- 
 ty, we find him the only irue child of nature — the bes^t 
 
 We should 
 
 ppecimcn oi ntan m Ins native s-implicitv 
 
 rernemher liiin as a i^tudy ol human nature — as an in- 
 stance of a ttrnnge mixture of good and evil passions. 
 We perceive in him fine emotions of feelings and deli- 
 cacy, and unrestrained systematic cruelty, grandeur of 
 spirit, and hypocritical cunning, !i;enuine courage and 
 findish Ire.'x liery. He was like seme beautiful spar, 
 part of which is regular, clear, and sparkling, while a 
 portion impregnated with clay, is dark and forbid- 
 
 di 
 
 ng. 
 
 '* But above all, as being an engrossing subject to an 
 American, as coming to us the only rolic of the litera- 
 ture of (he aborigines, and the most perfect emblem 
 of their character, tiieir glory, and their intellect, we 
 should dearly cherish the remains of their oratory. 
 In those we see developed the motives which animated 
 their actions, and the lighi and shadows of their very 
 boul. The iron encasement of apparent apathy, in 
 which the savage had fortified himself, impenetrable 
 
61 
 
 in 
 
 at ordinary momenta, is laid asido in tho coiinril room. 
 The genius of eloquence hurst (he bujiihirg l);uids of 
 custom, and the Indian stands forth acciisaihU", natural, 
 and legihle. We commune with hun, listen to hij 
 complaints ; understand, appreciate, and even feel 
 his injuries. 
 
 " As Indian eloquence is a key to their character, so \i 
 it a nohle monument of their literature. Oratory sel- 
 dom fiadsi a ujore auspicious hold. A wild people, and 
 region of thought, forehade li-chleness ; uncultivated, hut 
 intelligent and sensitive, a |)urity uf idea, chastely com- 
 bined with enertry ofexiiression, rtMdy lluency a"d ima- 
 gery now exquisitely delicate, now soaring to the suh- 
 lime, all united to rival the eiVorts of any aiuient or mo- 
 dern orator. 
 
 "What can be imagined more impressive, than a 
 warrior rising in the council ro.>m to ailtiress those who 
 bore the same scarred mniks oi' ilr^Ir tide to fame and 
 the cliieftaiiiship ? The tlignified stature ,ilie easy jepose 
 of limbs — the cracelul gesture, the dark speaking eye, 
 excite equal admiration and expectation. We vvotdd 
 anticipate elo(|uence from an Intlinn. He has animating 
 remembrances — a poverty of language, which exacts 
 rich and a|>p(>site mptaphorical allu-ions, even for ordin- 
 ary conversation — a mind which, like his body.hos never 
 been trammeil^Ml and mechanised hy the formalities of 
 society, and passions which, from the very outward re- 
 straint imposed upon them, burnt moie fiercely within. 
 There is a mine of truth in t!ie reply of Red Jacket, when 
 called a warrior. ' A warrior ! said he ; ' I am an orator 
 — I was dorn an orator.* 
 
 *' There are not many speeches remaining on record, 
 but even in this small number there is such a rich, yet 
 varied vein of all the characteristics of true eloquence, 
 that we even rise from tKeir |)eru>'al with regret that so 
 few have been preserved. No where can be found a 
 poetic thought clothed in more caotivating simplicity of 
 expression, than in ihe answer of Tecumseh to Gover- 
 nor Harrison, in the conlerence at Vincennes, It con- 
 tains a liigh moral rebuke, and a sarcasm heightened ia 
 
%, 
 
 
 
 
 
 aiflii 
 
 efi'ect hy on ev'ulenl conacioiisncsH of loftiness above the 
 reach of irifiiilt. At the cUwj of his address, he found 
 thut no chair had been pluced for him, a neglect which 
 (Jovernor Harrison ordered to be reinedied as soon as 
 discovered. Suspecting, |)erhn|»s, that it was more an 
 aflront than a niisiake, with an nir of dignity elevated al- 
 most 10 haughtiness, he dechnet thu seal prodered, with 
 the words, ' your father reques- \ you to take a chair,' 
 and answered, as he crdinly tSsposed hini-^elf on the 
 ground, ' My father \ The sun is my father, and the 
 earth is my rnolher. 7 will repofne upon her bosum ? 
 
 " As they excelled in the beauliful^jSoalsD they possess^ 
 ed a riici? sense of the ridiculous. There is a clever 
 strain of irony, united vvith the pliaipest taunt, in the 
 .speech of Garangula to \)c l,i Barre, the Governor of 
 Canada, when that crafty Frenchman met his tribe in 
 council, for the purpose of obtaining peace, and repara- 
 tion ((>{• past injiu'ies. The Euroj)oan, a faithful beiiever 
 in the maxim that ' Enqueirez ou la pcau du lion ne pent 
 snHire il y faut coudre un loj)in de celle du regnard,' at-* 
 tempted to overawe the savage by tiireats, which he 
 wol! knew he hud no power to execute. Garangula, 
 who also was well aware of the weakness, replied, 
 * Yonondia, you must have believed, when you left Que- 
 bec, that the ^\\i\ bad burnt up all the foree-ts which ren- 
 der our country inaccess ble to the French, or the lakes 
 had so overflowed their banks, that thev had surrounded 
 our castles, and tnal it was in)])ossible for us to get out of 
 them. Yes, surely you tnn:^t have dreamed so, and 
 curiosity of seeing so great a v/onder has brought you so 
 far. Hear, Yonondia : our v^omen had taken their clubs, 
 our children and ohl men hail canied their bows and 
 arrows into the heart of your camp, if our warriors had 
 not disarmed them, and kept them back when your mes- 
 R'*ngrrs can\e to our ca^-tle.' We cannot give a better 
 iilea of the elTecl o( their harangues upon their own peo- 
 ple, and at the same time a finer instance of their grate- 
 fnlne s when skilfully touciied, th;.»n in the address to the 
 Wallah Wallahs by their young chief, the Morning 
 aiar. In consecjuciice of the death of several of their 
 
63 
 
 tribe, killed in one of tluVir predatorv exr iir!*ions ni;ninr<t 
 the whites, they hail colloclt^l in a lurj^o hody lor t!ie 
 purpose of assailing them. The stern, uncortipr'tniisirg 
 horitility with which they were animateil, may he iici- 
 gined from the vvonls thoy chanted «»n approachirii^ t > thrj 
 attack: * Kest, brothers, rerst ! V'oii will he aveiiiicvi ! 
 The tears of your widows will cea^e to fl!)W, when they 
 behold the blood of your riiurdfrers, and on secirjg ilioir 
 scalps; your children shall sin^ and leap www jny. 
 Rest, brothers, in peace ! R'.^st, we sho'l have b!ood !' 
 The last strains ot' the ileath sopti had died away. The 
 gleaming eye, burning with tho desire of revei gt^,— t!i« 
 countenance, fierce even through an Itidian's cloak,— tho 
 levelled gun and j))i<ed arrow firbade promise of pt^ace, 
 and their superior force a>' little hope of siicros-rtii re- 
 sistence. At this moment of awful excilemenf, a 
 moutiled Iroop burst in between them, and its leader 
 addressed his kindred : ' Friends and rrlations ! Three 
 snows have only pasr>ed over otir heads since we were a 
 poor, miserable people. 0;ir enejnies were numerous 
 and powerful ; we were few and weak. Our hearts 
 were as the hearts of children. We could not liifiit lilic 
 warriors, and were driven like deer about the plain. 
 When the thunder rolled, and the rains poured, we had 
 no place save the rocks whereon wo c^miM lay our heads. 
 Is such the case now? No. We have regained pos- 
 session of the land of o>ir falher?;, in which they and 
 their fathers' fa'hers lie burietl ; our hcfirts are great 
 within uSf and we are now a nation. Who has produced 
 this change ? The white man ! An! are we to treat 
 him with ingratitude? The vxirrior^ with the strong 
 arm and great hearty will ncvtr rob a friend !^ The 
 result was wonderful. There was a complete revulsion 
 of feeling. The angry waves were quieted, and the 
 savage, forgetting his ennitv, smoked ttie calumet with 
 those whom the eloquence of Morning Star alone had • 
 saved from his scalping knife. 
 
 " Fearlessness and success in battle were the highest 
 titles to honour, and an accus;it:on of co.vardice was a 
 deadly insult, A reproach of this kind to a celebrated 
 
 
 

 chief rereivi^l a rhivjilric reply, Kognethagecton, or, 
 OS he vvaH more jjenernlly colled, \Vliite i'yen, at the 
 lime his t\atu>ii u:i!4 .<s()h<-iti;ii to j>>io in the wnr ngniiist 
 ihe Air.erie.'ins, in dur •^ini^'irle fur liherty, exerted hia 
 inllueiicc njiain>t hit.stilc ine.is^ures. Mis» answer to the 
 Setieeas, wlm were in the Hnli^h interest, ami who, ir- 
 ritated hv his (ihstiriatf adheivnee to peace, attempted to 
 huml>k; hint hy referefiC! to an old story of the Dela- 
 wares heini^ :i ••orifpicred ponpli*, is a intiiilj and digni* 
 fied assertion ol intlejiend 'Hce. It remimls ono of the 
 ijohle motto of the Fivmhman — ' Je nVstime mi iiutre 
 p!urs grand que m<ti lor.s ()ue fai mon cpee.' * I know 
 well,' ta'ul he, ' that y< u consider us a <on(juered nation 
 — as women — as yonr inreiiors. You l»ave, aay you, 
 shortened our Ica-i, ami put |)etticoats on us. You say 
 you have given us a hoe and a eorn pountlcr, and told 
 us to plant and pound (or voti — vou men — vou warriors.* 
 But look at me — urn I not !"u'l jirown ? And have I not 
 a warrior's dress? Aye! I um a man — and these are 
 flie arms of a man — and nfl that enuntry is mine I' 
 What a daundess vindifat on of mardiooil, and what a 
 nice perception of Indian chnraiter, is Uiis appeal to 
 their love of eourairi', and their admiration for fine form, 
 vijjorous limbs, comjjletc arms, and a proud demean- 
 our ! How elVective and eniphatic the conclusion, ' all 
 that country is ndne !' exclaimed in a toue oi mingled 
 defiance and pride, and accompanied with a wave of the 
 hand over the rich country honiering on the Alleghany, 
 " This bold t»i>eech quelled for a lime all oppcsitiorj, 
 but the de.sire tc engage against the Americans became 
 60 vehement, 'hat, as a last resort, he proposed to the 
 tribe to wait ten days before C(»mmencing hostilities. 
 Even this was about to be denied him, and the term 
 traitor beginning to be whi-peiod around, when he rose 
 in council and began an a«iimated expostulation against 
 their conduct. He depicted its ineviiable consequences, 
 the sure advance of the white n>an and the ruin of hie 
 nation ; and then, in a generous manner, disclaimed any 
 
 ' This lliej u&ed to consider ivomen's employment. 
 
63 
 
 intoi-est or feclirifi; HJ^partile froin lliose frloihls, nn 1 atlileil, 
 ' Bill if you will ).'») out ill this war, yt>ujti;ill iit»t go 
 without me. 1 have taken poare nu*a»iirr<, it is true, 
 with a view of Having my triho from <K;sfriicti<)ii. Hut 
 it' yon tliink me in ihf wrong — if you give more credit 
 to runnwiiy va^^ulionds than to i/our own jriemlH—io 
 
 a 
 
 mon—io (i icdmor to a 
 
 Dil 
 
 lU'iire ; il you insist 
 
 up m liuliiirii thf Ain"iirai>s, m» ! uiitl I will ^o with 
 you. Jlnd I iri/l uoi f/o like the hnir fnmtir^ irho 
 sets his do<rs vpon the lUii/nof, to be het/ttn ahuut itith 
 his p'lU'S^ white he keeps himself at n s'lf disfiinre. 
 
 Hk) ! I will it*atl you 
 
 on. 
 
 I will place rny-jo'l in 
 
 the front. I will fall with tho rir>t of vai. Vuif. ca 
 
 n 
 
 lo as von choose 
 
 hut 
 
 s lor fiie^ I will not sur\i.c my 
 nation. I will not livett) hevvaii t[i;3 miM*ra!)le h.-struc- 
 tion of a brave people, who deserve !, as you do, a het- 
 ter fate !' 
 
 " The allusioii to their irreater ronfidonce in foiviirn- 
 ers than in their own kind.cil, is a fine speeiuM-n of 
 censure, wonderfully streiigtheneil by a beautiful cli- 
 materic arraiiiienicnt. Conuneru'iiiL^ with a friend — 
 and who so j^rateful as an Intiian ? — it pnss(^> t(; a 
 man — and who so vain of his birthritrht as an •ndian ? 
 then to a warrior — and who more glorious to the savage 
 than the man of battles? — and lastly, to a Delaware; — 
 a word which rintfs through the heart o( his hearerrt, 
 starts into life a host of proud associations ; arul, 
 while it deep'.Mis their conlemjit for the .straiig!;r, ira- 
 parts a grandeur to the orator, — in whom the friend, 
 the man, the warrior, the Delaware, are personified. 
 
 " The s[)irit of the conelusiun added to its torce. 
 It was the out-burstiiior of that tirm clelermmatiou 
 never to forsake their custom> and laws — that brother- 
 hood of feeling which have ever inspired the action of 
 the aborigines — a spirit vvliich time has strengthened, 
 insult hardened to obstinacy, and oppression rendeied 
 almost hereditary. It bespeaks a bold soul, resolved 
 to die with the loss of its country ""s liberties. 
 
 *' We pass by the ell'ect of this speech, iiy merely 
 slating that it was successl'ul, to notice a letter much 
 
 I 
 
of the same character as the close of the last, sent to 
 General Clinch by the thief who is now setting our 
 troops at defiiince in Florida.* * Voii have arms,' sayi 
 he, ' and so have we ; you have powder and lead,Qnd 
 so have we; you have men, and so have we; your 
 men will fight, and so will ours, till the. last drop of 
 the Semin()l(\^ hlood has moisiirml t/ie duai of his 
 hunting gronnd.'* This neoda no coninjeiit. Intre- 
 pidity is their character. 
 
 " View these evidences of attachment to the cus- 
 toms of their lathers, and of heroic resolution to leave 
 their hones in the foretfts where they were born, and 
 which were their inheritiipce ; ami then revert to their 
 unavaiiinj^, liopelest; resistence iigainst the march of 
 civili/atiotj 5 nnd, though we know it is the riglitful, 
 natural course of things, yet it is a hard heart which 
 does not feel for their fate. Turn to Red Jacket'a 
 graphic description of the fraud whicii pmloiiied their 
 territory, atid shame mingles soniewlnit with o\u inty. 
 ♦Brothers ! at the treaties [leld at the purchase of our 
 lands, the white men, with mived vcires and smiling 
 JaceSf told us they /o;W us, and they would not cheat 
 ua, but that the king's children on the other side of the 
 lake would clu\'it us These things j)uzzle our heads, 
 and we believe that the Indians must take care of 
 themselves, atid not trust either ni your people or in 
 the king's children. Brothers ! our seats were once 
 large, and yours very small. You have now become 
 a great people, and we have scarcely a place left to 
 spread our hlankds.'* True, and soon their graves 
 will be all they sliall retain of their own ami)le hunting 
 grounds. Ttieir strength is wasted, their countlesss war- 
 riors dead, their forests laid low, and their burial 
 places upturned ))y the ploughshai*e. There was a 
 time when the war cry o'( a Pawhaltan, a Delaware, 
 ■ nd an Abenrum s struck terror to the heart of a pale 
 face ; but now the Seminole is singing his last song. 
 
 ** Some of the speeches of Shenandoah, a cele- 
 
 • The reader will prrcr^ivft iliat an American was the ftuthor 
 i>f lUU arlicle. The b loiidaii war is here alluded to. 
 
 1 J 
 
8- 
 
 ;ele- 
 
 uhor 
 
 brated Oneida chief, contain the truest touches of 
 natural eloquence. He lived to r ijrcat age j and in 
 his last oration in council, he opened with the follow- 
 ing sentence : '•Brothers! I am ;in aged heuiiock. 
 The winds of an hundred winters have whistled through 
 my braiudies, and I am dead it the toj).' Every 
 reader who has seen a tall liernlork, with a dry and 
 lealless tof) surmounting its dark grcoii folinge, will feel 
 the force of the simile. * 1 am <lcail at the top.' Ilii 
 memory, and all the vigorous powers of youth, had 
 departed for ever. 
 
 " Not less folicitious was the close of a speech made 
 by Pushmataha, a venerable <;hier of a western tribe, 
 at a council held, we l)elievo, in VVashirit;tun, many 
 years since. In alluJinu; to his extreme age, and to 
 the j)rohability that he mitrht not even survive tho 
 journey back again to his tribe, he said ; • My children 
 will walk throiigh the f)rest, and the great spirit will 
 whistle in the tree tops, antl tlu* llowor-s will s|)ring up 
 in the trails' — !)ut Pushmat;iha v\ill hear not — he \\i\[ 
 see the llowcr-: »io more. Ik* will he gone. His peo- 
 ple will know that he i^ dead. The news will coma 
 to their cars, us Ike sound of the jail, of a mit^hty oak 
 in the si Hint ss of t/ie woods. ^ 
 
 '» The njost powcrlul tribes have been destroyed ; 
 and as S'.itlrkeaatic expressed it, ' strike at the root, 
 and when the trunk shall be cut down, the branciiea 
 shall fall of course.' The trunk has fallen, the 
 branches are slowly w.thering, shortly the <piestion, 
 who is there to mourn for Lof^rin '^ may be made of tho 
 whole race, add liiul not a sympathizing rep'y. 
 
 " Their actions may outlive, but their oratory wo 
 think must survive their fate. It contains many attri- 
 butes of true eloipience. With a language too barren, 
 and minds too Uvc for the rules of rhet«)ric, they still 
 attained the power of touchir^g the feeling, ami a subli- 
 mity of style whrh rival the highest productions of 
 their more cultivated enemies. Kxpression apt and 
 
 * An Itidbn path or track. 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
g8 
 
 M 
 
 ! ]' 
 
 }\ 
 
 . \ 
 
 
 I ,. 
 
 pointed — langnage strong and figurative — comparison 
 rich and buUJ — descriptions correct and picturesque, — 
 and gesture energetic and graceful, were the most 
 striking peculiarities of their oratory. The latter ora- 
 tions, accurate mirrors of their character ; their brave- 
 ry, immoveable stoicism,aiid a native grandeur, height- 
 ened as they are in ex])rest(iveness by the melan- 
 choly accompaniineiH of approaching cxtorniination, 
 will be as enduring as tlie svvanlike music of Attica 
 and Roman eloquence, which was the funeral son of 
 the liberties of those republics." 
 
 1 am convinced of tlie truth and propriety of these 
 remarks, as I have had numerous illui^trations of every 
 one of these points of their eloquence and action fre- 
 quently presented to my own observation : and it 
 would be easy to select passages of equal point and 
 force from the addresses which they are in the habit 
 of still delivering. I have been repeatedly charmed 
 with such occurrence.*. The Indians are remarkably 
 fond of a figurative style, and they select their figures 
 from the boldest and most striking a|)pearnnces of na- 
 ture. John Sunday, a young Wyandot exhorter ; and 
 several others, when sjieaking in ilieir native languages, 
 are good specimens of this excellency. When they 
 i*efer to the diminution ol' their numbers they feel 
 every emotion of their souls awakened, and give ex- 
 pression to them in bold and striking figures. In a 
 letter which the Stockbridge Indians addrest-ed to the 
 New York Baptist Association, the following graphic 
 language was employed. 
 
 *' Wise men and brothers, — We beg your attention 
 to the voice of your Indian brethren, commonly called 
 the Stockbridge Indians, having our fire place at the 
 front door of the diflerent tribes of Indians: we desire 
 to speak to your ears. 
 
 " In the first place, we will remind you, that we be- 
 lieve it was the will of the Great Spirit, that your fore- 
 fathers were brought over the great waters to this 
 island for a certain good purpose. Our forefathers 
 
69 
 
 then appeared like tall trees, but were under the dark 
 clouds, yet they contended well in then). 
 
 " B.-others, with sorrowful hearts we now desire 
 you to look back a little ; and view the ruins of our 
 mighty trees ; you can scarcely find where they have 
 fallen; scarcely find any stumps or roots remaining; 
 but if you h:)ok down nenr your feet, you will see the 
 rernnent of your brethren, like small bushes, who now 
 looking up speak io v'ou, for you are become very 
 great; you reach tc tl e clouds, you can see all over 
 the island, but we can scarcely reach to your an- 
 cles." 
 
 There are seniilar instances of this mode of speak- 
 ing ia several parts of this volume. 
 
 I 
 
' 1 
 
 Chapter VI. 
 
 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS j SUPERSTITJONS, 
 OPINIONS AND WORSHIP ; AND TRADITIONS. 
 
 Manners and Customs. — No community, whether 
 barbarous or civilized, could subsist in a slate of law- 
 less anarchy ; and we do not find such ti state of so- 
 ciety is ever attcm])ted. The exercise of a sovereign 
 control is universally established arnoPL'st men. Laws 
 and rules for the mnnagomeni of Imman conduct are 
 universally jiromulged, and as universally recognized. 
 The form, however, winch human irovcrnment as- 
 sumes, is Widely diversified. The aristocratic obtains 
 among men in the earlier sfOires of society ; afterwarda 
 it becomes mingled with the democratic by associating 
 the popular authority with the supreme ruler, or no- 
 bles. The most simj)Ie fornj of goveriuiiont is the 
 patriarchal, or the jrovernment of a lather or patri- 
 arch over his children and household, without being 
 responsible to any superim* authority ; as that of Adam, 
 Noah, and Abraham. Some patriarchs became gov- 
 ernors of several kindred families, or a tribe, and are 
 nailed chiefs. Thus .Jacob ap[iears to have had sove- 
 reign power over all the fanulics of his sons, although 
 each of them might possess a subordinate sway in liis 
 respective fan.ily. They had the absolute power of 
 life and death, of liberty or bondage, or any iiderior 
 punishment in their own hands. This is the govern- 
 ment of the Tartar and Arab tribes to the present day. 
 T'le Indian ffoverjiment in some respects resembles 
 it, in others it dilVers from it. They arc broken into a 
 few kindred families united in one association. At 
 least this a|)pears to have been the orium of their dif- 
 ferent tribes, oven viewing their great branches ; and 
 now these great branches are divided and subdivided 
 into separate communities. But the exerci-^e of the 
 controling power is not placed absolutely in the hands 
 of any one individual. 
 
 m 
 
71 
 
 The Indians are governed by a chief or by chiefs. 
 These duel's are sotnelimes hereditary, but more corn- 
 nionly chosen by the council. It ih>es not at all fol- 
 low that a man ia lo be a chief because his father was 
 one, for ho .iiny be, ami froijiienlly is, set aside on ac- 
 count of a viiriefy of ijni»iHiitnents. Even the son of 
 a chief, if he succeed.-^ his father, cannot do so except 
 
 he is sanctione 
 
 d by tl 
 
 ic council. There i.s one whoia 
 
 the head chief, to whom great deference is paid ; — one 
 of the chiefs is > iiled the w;ir chief and in their bar- 
 barous state he had the appointment of all military 
 ollicerf', and Ihr [)rinci[)le management of all matters 
 in reference to wai. The oflicera were bound to yield 
 implicit obedience to him, and ho was held accounta- 
 ble to the nation for the results of the camnJile^n. The 
 
 hief 
 
 IS not al)s 
 
 ohiu 
 
 1 i:5 com ma no s m 
 
 pjiig. 
 av be resisl<Mi. 
 
 He cannot either make war or peace or transact any 
 business without tiie concunvnee of his council. The 
 council consists of all in the tribe who are initiated 
 into the state of manhood. Oihors may attend their 
 meetings but do not s[»eak: or have any voice in de- 
 ciding affairs. Of course it recpiircs :i majority of 
 voices in the enactment of any new law. Nothing is 
 legal without it pass a council. The executive 
 power is his ; and he is seldom disobeyed when he ex- 
 ercises the power. He has two young men who are 
 termed messengers, whom he sends to execute his 
 commands, and lo be the bearer of his messrij^es to 
 other tribes, or to transact any other business. A 
 chief may be drposed by the vcice of a council. A 
 council is frequently called togetlier. One at a time 
 rises, and makes a speech, to which all pay attention, 
 generally with their heads in a reclining posture. All 
 have a right to e\pross their i-pinion, and in conse- 
 quence it is a very tedious proetv^s, and the councils 
 generally sii for many hoiu's togctlicr. I recollect on 
 one occasion wlien many Pagans were collected toge- 
 ther on one o( my stations for the purjiose of receiving 
 their presents, I accompanied the Rev. J. Evan.s, who 
 wished lo speak to the chiefs of a tribe residing in the 
 
72 
 
 neighbourhooil of his mission, to asccrtntn whether 
 they were willing to receive a missionary. The old 
 chief invited two or tlirce of his people who were pre- 
 eenl, to go wiih hini to a little distai)in% where they sal 
 down together in consultaiioti. Alter a little lime 
 spent in deliberation, lie ened out to us, "You may 
 come." And then conimunicaied the results of their 
 deliberation. 
 
 Besides these councils, which belong to their part'- 
 cuiar tribes, they have councils held hetween tw». 
 or more tribes, lor the settlenieut of but^iiiess concern- 
 ing each, or general counr iU lor a whole department 
 of the country. In these councils none attend but 
 chiefs!, or other perr^ons deputed from the several tribes. 
 A council of this nature was assembled at the Credit, 
 during my residence there, <^o'ut.' o( the ^<ittings of which 
 I attended Ihere were present Peigans nnd Chris- 
 tians, Roiuan Catholics and Proi<^^tauts, n)euibers of 
 the Church of England, Mef.hodists, and Moravians, 
 Ochipwas, Muron<, Six Ndiions, and Delawares. 
 Col. Jarvis, C, S. I. '\.. attended. As foon as all things 
 were projierlv adjusted the /w;;/- oj txdct' v\as jUTpared 
 and handed round bv Jauics Cln'(li(»k, the messenger 
 of the Credit tribe, tirst to Col. .Taivis, and then in ro- 
 tation to the rest. The head of the p'pe of pence was 
 of silver, in the torm of a t>unahawk, or nearly in the 
 form of a [)lasicrer\< lia miner, used in lathing. The 
 hammer end was the iiead of the pi|>e. ; the shank was 
 the shaft of the lomnhawU, which wa.s hollow, with a 
 tip and hoops of silver, and a bunch of ribbons of dif- 
 ferent colours tied to the eml, niter the emblematical 
 manner of the v:u»ipain. '\\\q messenger h.'ld it in 
 his hand to the mouth of each, and a sing.e putTof 
 two each desj»atched the business. They>J/>/ fj peace 
 was an usual ceremony in their council.-, when more 
 tribes than one were present. Aft^r this coremony 
 was ended, various chiefs arose with dijrnity and slate, 
 advanced to Mr. J., shook hands, and addressed him 
 in a speech expressive of their j)Ieasure to meet their 
 great fallicr there, and their brothers from different partj 
 
slate. 
 
 of the province ; also, of the gladnrs^ and pratilurt« 
 they felt lor the pntertinj; otul ft^fU'rirg care of tha 
 British (rovernmenl towards thftu. AlitMvvariis ihey 
 touched upon the poinls which ihcv pntu.-ipally wished 
 to introduce. Jo.^eph Sawyer, the hoati chief at th« 
 Credit, stated lo the Indian Suporintoiulant the husiricai 
 they wished to bring heforo the rouii'il. Some c.f thd 
 particulars had a refercnct' to alV;iirs with the govern- 
 ment, ami othe. -• between thenise'veis .is tribt'!;* ; lor 
 instance, to renew an ancient treaty witii the Mo- 
 hawks, and the oiher tribes of the Six Nations, I 
 could not but admire the manner in which the old 
 chief did tins. He artfully he^in wtih the mo^t trivial 
 and unimportant things, rising in a elirnatrit a! man- 
 ner to tliose which he imagined ucuikl be xwot^x difli- 
 cult to be granted. At the end of every important sen- 
 tence in the various speeches, the speaiters panned, 
 and a response was seconded by all the re>1 lo it : and 
 especially tiiis was practised at tfie end of a speech. 
 The conjuror, powow, or prophet, aj)(>e'ars to have 
 had great influence anti authority. The snper>litioa 
 of the Indians induced them to believe that (hey pos- 
 •«ssed supernatural influence, and the power of 
 predicting future events and the knmvledgt^ of the 
 past. He is the phys^ician and prit-vt of the triiie. 
 Their Indian names are derived from cirium^tancea 
 or from some objects in natm*e, some siemfying a 
 twan^ a deer^ an ffk, a briiiht liQ;hiy the sun Oreolang 
 through a (iovd, dispt-rtiing h'ght. Thun Kahkewa- 
 qaonaby (Peter Jones) "ilgnifies nn eagle. Shnhvvun- 
 daid (John Sunday,) thunder and Itg/ifning^ whuh is 
 m grand name among the Indinns. The name which 
 the Credit Indians gave to the writer of these pages is 
 Wahsayabnahqxiat, signifying a light or a clear sky : 
 and Mrs. Slight was named Ahnongguoqua, signifyirg 
 a female star. This was the custom ol the palri- 
 archa, and also of all the ancients. Thus William 
 Rufus, or the red, from the colour of his hair : Henry 
 Beauclerk — the learned; John J^ackland — from his 
 inheriting no territory : Richard Earl of Pembroke, 
 
■'^ 
 
 7i 
 
 •umamftd the slrongboio. The Lombards, from the 
 original name of Langobords, from the peculiar length 
 and fashion of their beards. And most likely most oC 
 our surnames are derive«l from similar circumstances. 
 But there are f>ecnliarities respecting the Indian names 
 we do not find elsewhere. The Hebrews and others 
 bad their names given them by their parents, or par- 
 ticular friends; whereas the Indians make it a public 
 matter ; and a person, whose proper olfjce it ia,tran8ac»s 
 this business. On a certain set day the parents of the 
 recently born infant, made a feast ; part of what was 
 provided was offered in sacrifice ; the ofliciatirg person 
 iifTefed up a ])rayer, in the course of which he pro- 
 nounced the name of the infant. They seldom make 
 now names, but choose the name of some celebrated 
 ancestor or of some noted warrior. Sometimes they 
 rhan<;e their names as they grow up, or on the occa- 
 sion of some memorable trahsaction. 
 
 The Christians, of course, discontinue t]ie sacrifice. 
 The chief generally gives the name to the child. 
 Many of these names, although very expressive, and 
 even elegant, in Indian, present a humoursome ap- 
 pearance to the English, when rendered into our lan- 
 guage: thus we havo Split-log (the old Wyandot chief 
 at Maiden,) Betwt^en-the-logs, Big-canoe, One-canoe, 
 firey-ey*^8, Bloody-eyes, ike. But they are not much • 
 more singular than many of our K.jrnames, which have 
 been much smoothed and softened by the omission of 
 syllables and letter?,' but whicii, in their original state, 
 were odd in appearance and signification. 
 
 Tlie civilized European has reason to be grateful for 
 the mode which he posses^-es of communicatmg his 
 ideas to others at a distance. If he wishes to give a 
 '•opf of his thoughts to a friend remote from him, ho 
 »iUi down nd dips his pen in ink, and, by a variety of 
 arbitrary marks and artificial signs drawn upon bis 
 sheet, cofiverses vvith him. The savage, though not 
 asqiiainted with this convenient method, has, by ne- 
 «ei«ity» been led to invent such modes of communic&> 
 iii^si as, IdM perfectly, it is true, yet satisfactordy, serve 
 
'nm^ 
 
 n 
 
 hit pufpose. The Indian method of intercourae with 
 thofle not present with him, is by strings ol xoampum. 
 Wampum is an Iroquois word, signifying a muscle. 
 A number of these muscles, cut and potished, an<l 
 strung together, about five or six feet in length, is 
 called *' a string of wnmpuvi,''^ Now, however, they 
 are generally formed of beads, of different colours, 
 strung on and tied with ribbon, which is also of dit- 
 ferent colours. Sometimes, also, among the pagans, a 
 piece or two of tobacco and other articles are added. 
 All those things are emblematical, and convey a deep 
 meaning to the Indians. Rq^X denotes war, sorrow, 
 &c, ; white, peace, friendship, or any good. Klaik in- 
 timates danger, suspicion, or fear. If they wieh to 
 convey a warning or caution, they send a string of 
 black wampum. If war be declared, the wampum of 
 red and black intermixed is sent. When a messenger 
 is sent on any business, he delivers his wampum and 
 maked a speech, and sometimes conforms parts of his 
 discourse by delivering strings o^ wampum. Any act* 
 of their councils, or any tiansactioi s with the Euro- 
 peans, or any particular circumstance or wish, is con- 
 veyed by a siring of wampum. The agreementa, or 
 treaties, into which they enter, one tribe with another, 
 are ratified by belts of wampum^ which formerly con- 
 sisted of four or six of those strings of shells, but now 
 are wrought with beads on a belt or broad piece of 
 cloth. These belta of wampum^ thus wrought with 
 beads, contain the figures of various beasts or reptiles, 
 and other marks. Anciently these were engraven on 
 pieces of bark. In the ^ame manner they formerly 
 made an historical record of transactions, achievt- 
 ments, and victories. These are kept in custody by 
 fome great and distinguished chief, and are carefully 
 preserved in a chest made for that purpose. They 
 refer to them as public records. At certain seasoni 
 they meet to study their meaning, and to be reminded 
 **<* ♦He obligation subsisting. So they did at the great 
 
 "* -1 k .1 . .u rs "* --*'"^"**'^ above, ihcbeitji 
 eooncil held at the Creuu niei....> 
 
 being in the custody of Ycilovv-head. If an Indian 
 
puti a siring of wampum into iho hand of another, and 
 •ays, " I am yowr IVierici," he will carefully preserve 
 it; and if at some future day necessity should demand, 
 he will prescMil the vHtmpum to the donor, and say, 
 ** You gave ine this, and saul you was my friend; I 
 am in neod, tin refore alV.»rd me help." 
 
 The follovvjPg account of a general council, given 
 Xo the Rev. (». Mursden, hy Peter Jacohiii, m 1834", 
 will illustrate the line oi" wampum, and will equally il- 
 lustrate the fact that the Chrstian religion will be 
 spread by those nieihods : — 
 
 '' When I was in Canada," said Mr. M., " I heard 
 that a meeting of a very singular nature had been held 
 in the month of July last. The council of the Indian 
 ehiels was hold at the Narrows, by Lake Simcoe. 
 There were present Christian Indians from Credit mis- 
 sion, firupe Island miN-^ion, T^ice Lake mi>':5ion,Sahgeeng 
 mission, and Mud Lake mi^jsion. The Pagan Indian 
 chiefs were from various tribes, scattered abroad be- 
 tween that place and the Rocky Mountains, some of 
 whom must have travelled from fifteen hundred to nearly 
 ivTO thousadd miles. The names of the Christian 
 chiefs were Joseph Sawyer, John Crane, George 
 Pahtash, John Crane, jun., George Yellowhead, Tho- 
 mas Shillitig, Josej)li Nuincngkeshkengk, and John 
 Big-canoe, wiili two Ctiri?tian Indiana who are not 
 chiefs. There vv re six. Pagan chiefs. The council 
 was openc I with singing and prayer by one of the 
 Christian chiefs. After prayer, the first Pagan chief 
 who rose to adJress the meeting was called Shengwang- 
 koonse,* which signifies a younjt»- pine tree. He held 
 in his hand a string of white vmmpum, which colour 
 ignified his present objecf, viz. searching after a clean, 
 white heart. He enipiirod first of the Christian chiefs, 
 ' Are you truly more happy now in your hearts than 
 when you had our father's religion ? If you are so, 
 I wish you to icil me. You see me this day, with this 
 string of wiiite vmmpum^ come to enquire whether 
 
 - it©w ft Uhrslian. ffce account of YelJowliead*s wampum^ 
 iH % tubseqiieut pirt of lliU chapter. 
 
77 
 
 you are now more liapny in the white man"'8 religion 
 iiian you were before.' He ihrn saiil, ♦ I had a 
 child, an only child, whom I loved r/iuch. This child 
 was taken sick. I took all tho nninnetrgk (meunirg 
 hit gods) out of the niahshkemood, (hia bag,*) and 
 placed theni uroiuiU the chiUl, to ^ee if they could 
 cure it, I told them to leave none of their power 
 behind, but lo biitig ai! their power with them ; but 
 the chilil died. I then leathered them up lor the laiit 
 time, and 1 said, Kowahprjenim, I throw jou away. 
 I then begin to think, what shall 1 do without a God T 
 I remember John Sunday speaking about a great God ; 
 and I thought that I would come to this rounlry, to 
 see who knew about John Sunday's God ? I hav* 
 heard of many siars bhining over my head (mean- 
 ing the different denominations of Christians) : I wish 
 very ruuch that some of you would give me informa- 
 tion which is the true star. Just before I left home I 
 received a string of black and white wampum and a 
 tomahaivk, the blade of which was painted red. 
 When I considered that although my arms were 
 very longf, and my body very large|, should I enter 
 into this wa , I should be the means of spilling much 
 blood. I determined to decline it ; and therefuir made 
 this answer: "I am now unable to render you ;iny 
 aiisistarice in this warfare, having just commenced to 
 seek after a Great Spirit, and feeling very poor \n my 
 heart." He then delivered the string of white wam- 
 pum which he held in his hand to Joseph Sawyer, tho 
 head chief present, as a token of peace and union be- 
 tween the tribe of Sawyer and Shengwong-koon-c. 
 
 ** The chief, Joseph Sawyer, then arose to reply. He 
 said, * I can inform you that since I got this good re- 
 ligion in my heart, I have had more true happiness in 
 one day, than I ever enjoyed before in all my life. 
 I W!ih you to look for yourself, which star is best. 
 
 * His medicine bag, which is fubaequently described. 
 
 t Denetinff he had poiieasion of a very large country. 
 
 % A large body lignifiea that he had many people u\ hii tr , 
 
78 
 
 You sec thin village built sinco wo got thii religion ; 
 you lee this school- hounc ; and the change frooi 
 drunkenncds so sobriety. And could you visit our 
 village at the Crcillf- river, you would see a great many 
 good houses, a chnpcl, n. school-house, a work-shop, 
 a saw-mill, and many other improvempnls.* After 
 Joseph Sawyer, the other Christian chiefs spoke 
 equally in favour of (he Christian religion. Before the 
 council closed, oil iho Pajran rhield said, ** Send 
 us teachers and missionaries, and we will worship 
 as you worship." They further hn\d " Be sure le 
 send us books, misdionarieri, and teachers next year, 
 and our people will listen to them.' " 
 
 In the year 1838, Kahkcwnquonaby, being to risit 
 England, was deputed by the tribe of Indians at the 
 River Credit to present a vampum to Her Majesty, 
 Victoria the Queen. U consisted of white and red 
 beads, in certain proportions strung on red ribbon. 
 The white signilied the ha)>itiness they felt on being 
 under the sway of Her Ma je.st/ ; — the red, that not- 
 withstanding, they felt considcable sorrow and pain 
 at heart on account of their not posse^ising a deed for 
 their lands, or any ponsitivo right in them, or security 
 ia the possession of them. 
 
 In 1838, Chief Mesquahkeence, or Yellowhead, 
 head chief of Lake Simroe, sent n wampum to the 
 Pagans on the American side of Lake Superior, toge- 
 ther with a speech. The wampum consisted of seven 
 strings of white, and one of coloured beads, with 
 nearly two yards of red rihbon, and two pieces of to- 
 bacco. The red ribbon, instead of signifying war, was 
 explained to signify that the Son of God came into our 
 world and shed liis blood for sinners. The white 
 beads signified that there was peace proclaimed on 
 earth and good will to men by the blood of the cross. 
 
 The mode of conveying a wampum is to forward it 
 from one tribe to another. Yellowhead sent it to 
 Shongwongkoonse, a ch ef on the ('anadian side of 
 thvi St. Mary's river; Shorgwongkoonse sent it to 
 the other village at Kevvawenon. From Kevvawenon 
 
 .N» 
 
 T' 
 
79 
 
 it vftit sent on to • pngan settlement near that place. 
 It was handed to a chief in rotincil by a (Christian 
 class-leader, with a speech. Tliis circumstance gave 
 rise to a variety of comnuinicalions, speeches, and let- 
 ters. Yellowhead handed the whole of those docu- 
 ments to me, with a request that I would write him a 
 copy to foi-ward to Miincey Town, that they might in 
 their turn forward the in><lrument to the other Indian 
 tribes in Canada. From thi« original, thus put into my 
 hands, 1 made extracts of the principal parts for mj 
 own use, which I doubt not will be entertaining to th« 
 reader; and at the same time nll'ord him information 
 concerning the manner in which God's providence and 
 grace co-oppcrate in the spread of the (rOHpel. 
 
 The Sabbath follovving the reception of the wampum 
 and speech, the chief to whom it was handed sent a 
 canoe to the Christian villag'?, to inform them that h» 
 was ready to give an answer to the wampum he had 
 accepted, and called a council for that i^urpose. The 
 Christian went to hiH settlement and found 30 or 40 
 men seated around two fires, in a largo birch bark 
 wiggewaum. The chief opened the council in a 
 speech, in answer to that of the Canada chief. Other 
 
 S)eakcrs followed. This speech has been sent to 
 iiief Yellowhead, and will be found in the seriuel. 
 It was favorable to the reception of Chris<tionity. 
 
 A few days after this council, three men, two of 
 whom were 8ub-chier<, and men of considearble in- 
 fluence, openly renounced their heathenism, and joined 
 themselves to the Church of Christ as seekers of 
 of salvation ; also two women of their relations. Tha 
 schoolmaster at the mission station, at the request of 
 the chief, wrote the speech of the Canada chief, to- 
 gether with his reply, in the form of a circular, to all 
 the Ochipwa chiefs in the United States; and which, 
 with the wampum then accepted by the chief, was 
 forwarded on to every band of the tribe. The cflect of 
 this may be great beyond all calculation ; and perhapt 
 only the great day of God will fully explain it. 
 
 The following is the reply of the chiefs at Kewawe- 
 nao to Yellowhead, before referred to : — 
 
 I I 
 
 i\ 
 
80 
 
 « My Chief who slu at Lake Sitncoe, 
 " I rise to give you my answer to the «>a»»/mm which 
 you »ent us. Listen well to what I say. We hear and 
 unde. stand you. We »vill receive your words, and em- 
 brace this holy religion. There are but few of us here. 
 The most of our old men are deaJ, but we who are left 
 with our wives and children, will embrace the religion 
 which you recommend. I send you my wamjmniy* 
 which tells you that I now turn Ciiristian. You will 
 see my wampum (which is my words) is whitey which 
 shows that I have embraced the pure religion. My 
 wampum has no endy which signifies we will never 
 cease serving the Great Spirit, nor change our religion 
 again ; and also that there tshall be no end lo our bro- 
 therly love to you for your kindness in remembering us. 
 You may take hold of the end vviiere the ribbon is, 
 and we will hold the other end, which signifies that 
 we shall all be brothers and know each other. Wo 
 know of no othf^r way to become happy and procure 
 a blessing for ourselves and children, but the way 
 the Great Spirit tells us in his holy word. Once 
 we were in darkness and knew not the Great Spirit ; 
 but now we are coming to the light, as you have. 
 We thank you for informing us of your happiness in 
 religion, and we also 'lesire to (ind and enjoy the same. 
 *♦ I speak this for all our people here, at the mission 
 village at Kewuwenon, and to all your people in Ca- 
 nada. 
 
 *^ Tell all the chiefs and people what we say, and 
 what we will do ; that is, to turn Christians. VVe ex- 
 pect you will write to us, and let us know whether you 
 have received our words* or not. We all shake hands 
 with you, and your women and children, and want you 
 10 pray for us. 
 
 "David King, fx/tcr.? Que-we zhan-shish." 
 
 <' Mesquahkeence, (Sub-Chief at Kewawenon.) 
 Kewawenon Mission, February 4, 1838. 
 
 » 
 
 *■ ThU voampHm Chief Yellowheod brought with him ?vhen 
 b« e&me to^Uie Cr«4it, &ad handed to me along >Tith the other 
 docuneata. 
 
 V 
 
81 
 
 REPLT OF THE HEAD CHIE7. 
 
 ■ "My dear Chief, 
 
 "When I first heard your spec^.h, I iliJ not fully 
 understand it ; but I afterwards eiK|uirC(l more about 
 it) and then I understood it, and was very glad to hear 
 it. I thank you with all my heart for your kindness 
 in sending us the wampum^ and your kind speech with 
 it ; and I have sent it on West to the other chiefs. My 
 young chief gave his answer first, because ho under- 
 stood it belter that» I did. His answer is good, and 
 I will now join with him. So you may take hia word* 
 for my answer, and the answer of us all. 
 
 " I shake hands with you all in iry heart, and all 
 the other chiefs in Catiada, and with all your people. 
 
 " Na-zhe-ka-pe-na-se, 
 Kewawenon Chief .^* 
 
 " Misqua-Kence." 
 
 Here follows alettcr of ackno.vlpdgmentto thjj chief 
 V^ resident on the Canadian side of the SauU.» de St. 
 Maries, whose tribe had received the Gosp'^' from a 
 minister of the Church of England : — 
 
 " Kewawcnon Mission, February 4, 1838. 
 " My Chi«»f Shengwok, 
 
 " I have received the wampum from the Mesquah- 
 keence which yon .<ent, and I thank you f«)r sending 
 it on without delay. I havi' s^nit it on West to all the 
 chiefs. I have given my answer to Mesquah-keence, 
 which you will see, and which \ W!:<h you to send on 
 to him %vithout delay. If you wish to send him any 
 wonl about us, you can sem* it. 
 
 ♦* i shake hands v-ith you in my iieart, &.C., 
 
 " •Iji-iriL-ii.A-PK-rtii'si** 
 
 M Shungwok, 
 
 " Fer R. H. Chubb." 
 
 K€wa^:jcnon ChuJ* 
 
 
 -— ;-v 
 
 i i 
 

 8a 
 
 Shungwok writes to Yellowhead ag follows :— - 
 
 " My dear Brother Mesquahi-keence, 
 •• I came in tiiis morning to a brother's house, 
 where they are teaching the way to Heaven, that are 
 of the same Jenominaiion as you are. Last summer 
 we saw each other's faces, — Nekahnis, or Netahwis, 
 Mesquah-keence, f\. e. my brother or cousin,* Yellow- 
 head.) When we handed our pipes to each other 
 to smoke, wc talkeJ about religion 5 and now I am 
 holding my ears to the Hpeakera, to hear what those 
 men from the interiersay. 1 feel very glad indeed 
 in my heart for what you have done to help the good 
 rn' n, or the missionaries, that our Indian friends may 
 Bee and taste the goodness of our Saviour, the Al- 
 mighty. May the Almighty bless the poor Indians j 
 and I shall now cloRe my letter, my Chief Ne-ta-wis- 
 mesquah-keense. I shake hands with y >u, and all 
 your boys and women, and children ; ^nO T want you 
 to tell ali the chief:s : I name them as far as 1 know 
 about them. 
 
 John Sunday, John Ash-sance^ 
 
 Khe-che-ah-ne-beesh, Peter Jones, 
 Me-squah-keenoe, Joseph Sawyer. 
 
 " And now I rise to speak in truth to say, that the 
 Almighty has done great deal good to our Indian friends. 
 May God bless you ail, and may he send the good 
 news far in the interior. Amen. 
 
 " Kea-ah~ni.s-shung-wok-koonse.*' 
 
 When their signature is required to any document 
 of any kind, in connexion with their names, they affix 
 what is called their tootams^ having the same juxta- 
 position as the seal of an Eiighsh tjansaotion. The 
 iootam is a ruue sketch of some fish, fowl, or animal, 
 
 • The Indians consider if rude to call & mar. by hi» proper 
 name i„ common u.»cou.-«e. TucJ l]'.::" T'" '"'" ^*"'- '<'^*"^^ 
 he haa with respect to the speaker ; but »»ncn there ii between 
 them no relation or aflTinity, they use the term of brother or 
 uncle, nephew or cousin, according; to each other'i age, or ihi 
 feeling they po8»c«« towards ihc person they address. 
 
 f 
 
 n 
 
83 
 
 which is dciignative of the tribe to which the indivi- 
 dual belongs, or expressive of the name, he as an indi- 
 vidual, bears. I have seen several apecimens of thia 
 signature. The petition which was sent to the Qaeeo 
 accompanying the wampum Irad them. 
 
 The following is the fnc simile of one wbieh I in- 
 duced the individuals (Saugerngf) whoi-e names are 
 attached to it to deleniate after they had done tho 
 same on a petition to the Governor which I had just 
 drawn up for them. 
 
 
 ■■^^^•^^i*^^ .>>rww^^*** 
 
 }per 
 ilitr 
 
 Marriage. — There is no analogy between ihe In 
 dians and the fjllovvcrs of Robert Owen on the subject 
 of marriage. The practices of this notorious society, 
 ii a refinement above a state of nature, as wnll as 
 above orditjary degrees of civilization. The Indians 
 recognize the «tate of matrimony. Poligamy is not 
 very common, yet it somcMimes occurr). There have 
 been living at the Credit two women, the widows of 
 one man who dird before tiiey embraced Christianity ; 
 they both, with the son of one of them, lived together 
 in one hous*'. They do not consider the marriags 
 contract binding fur life. If ihey foel an inclination 
 to part, and agree to a separation, the woman returns 
 to her relations, and the children accompany her. But 
 separations seldom occur after they have children. 
 
 A man, in the clioice of his wifs, is not influenced 
 by considerations of beauty or elegance. One that 
 can cut and carry most wood, and that can perform 
 most labour in their little plantations of corn, being thd 
 mostdttsirabie. The wife is the slave of the husband. 
 { believe this arose from their r ire urn stances, and from 
 their habits ; for, ns I have elsewhere observed, th« 
 Indian is susceptible of ideas of beauty, for they mani- 
 
84 
 
 feit it in their admiration of beautiful objects in na* 
 turc ; also, of ihe tender sensibilities of the passion of 
 love, for their warm friendships and Htrongaltachn>entt 
 to their friends and iheit hildren demonstrate it. And 
 •ince Christianity h;»s altered their condition, in many 
 cases beauty lias its charms, and love exerts its power. 
 Parents often, without the consent of the young 
 people, make treaties of marr.age, just as it happens to 
 •uit their convenience or |»romot'3 their interests. 
 They will provnle a hushaud for a p,lrl when they 
 think he continues loo long unmarried, There is, 
 therefore, not much congugai ami social happiness to 
 be looked for. The female was never looked uj)on as 
 the equ'il of the male, but nlways kept at a respectful 
 distance, and showeil ohscuiuioua coinphancc to his 
 will. There have been, howevi r, exceptions to all 
 this : the social pa^^sionK hnve had their exercise ; and 
 then the female being beloved, has been honoured. 
 And Chistianity has made a markeii diderence in all 
 these respecttfi. Woman be;Tins to take her proper 
 rank, and domestic happiness is more tlioroughly rea- 
 lized. 
 
 When the parties choose for themselves, they trans- 
 act the affairs of their courtship through the medium 
 of their friends. The young man engages a friend, 
 generally a married female, to comrnunicaie his wishes 
 to the young woman, and she returns her message 
 through the same medium. If she accepts His propo- 
 sal, he sends her u present. 
 
 They are remarkably modest in their courtship, and 
 in the ceremony of marriage. I have had great 
 difficulty in some cases to conduct the ceremony, 
 from not beiiig able to induce the parties to speak. 
 — It is customary, in some cases, ior the female not 
 to speak to her husband for a moi iji after their mar- 
 riage i and sometimes not to cohabit with him for 
 the same space of time. There have been many 
 cases of concubinage : white men, previously to tho 
 conYersic!.'! of the Indians, having lived with Indian 
 iTO(n«n : but J believe it has arisen from the im-> 
 
 I 
 
•l 
 
 I 
 
 perfect notions the Indians then hnil of (he nature 
 of the m!irriagn cm tract. This is the gt'ncral view 
 of the matter, for I do not wish to ho iiiH!«.'r.»ti)od to 
 assert t!ia» tlicre was no licentiousness existing — facta 
 would conli'adict iiio assertion. 
 
 Dancing i.s much the ra>hi(m among the Indians. 
 Dances arc practised on almost ail ucca^ionJ', at feasts, 
 and at religious ccrcMndnios!. The wor-dance is per- 
 formed hel'orc the c<»miriencenient of h<)>lililies. T 
 was once a witness of tins ccreniony at Amherst- 
 burgh. It wa.s pert'of.noil hy thf l';i{i;an Ind ..uj:, who 
 had visited that place for their presciits, to giatify the 
 luhahitaiitf. 
 
 is- 
 im 
 .d, 
 ica 
 I go 
 pe- 
 
 ak, 
 not 
 jar- 
 for 
 iny 
 the 
 ian 
 tn- 
 
 ReLIOIOUS OlMNTONS AND SUPERSTITIONS. — Tho 
 
 Indian?* acknoulr )ge one supiemc Cu'd, which the 
 Och.[)vvas term Keshanuwu doo, G eat i<oAy or Kccho 
 inenoniunedoo, great good fJod, the Mohawks Nijoh j 
 the Wyandot^', Harllerldi^!Ml. This \rienl Beir g Miey 
 think does not eoncem himsell nlxjiit human nfTtir?, hut 
 that there are other inrerior lifin^s aj^pointeil !> [ire.^idc 
 over an<l uiiliold all Uiif'{j:s in the wi.rlil. Thes(j they 
 call mtmedoor*, which siffi'i^ies a ><;reat spirit, a term not 
 nsed for the sonl <'f mnn, which ternj is ochcchauj^. 
 They worshij) the munedups. Tl>\v .s.i[ipos!c all objects 
 have a presiding spirit, as uuxuitriin^, falls! of water — aa 
 Niagara river, the sn >, m<»oM. &.i. Jn many iii>tan- 
 ces, aa has been t!ie east- iii the origin of all idolatry, 
 they do not diglinguish bctaeeii the ohjecl, and the pre- 
 Biding spirit ; and henoe tiio oI»ject itj^elf is ai!op>d and 
 accounted a muncdco. In s'.iort, rveiy thing mysicrioua, 
 avery thing to them nnaccoanlable, «>• reckoned divine. 
 
 Then- nntmor«'l nmul 
 
 Sees Gud in ctgudi and licu'^* hi'n in die wind. 
 
 M 
 
 They think every thing is animat»-d by a snint • the juice 
 of every thing is accounted a spirit, and they otter saeii- 
 fiee to these s[>irit.-< that they may be ravomable to them. 
 In this Ihey &dorc vhat cneigy which God bestowed on 
 
 ( i| 
 
I i 
 
 I •! 
 
 86 
 
 nature tvhcn he on<1owcJ cnch ?proie9 ofanimal or vepe- 
 tahio uilh a iriiinplo of lifo ; nml tiiibijlitiitc it for (he 
 crealive energy of tlie Almighty Mcing. *Tlu) thunder it 
 arroiiiited a god, or a gronl bad being of which ihoy aro 
 afraid. When it ?<tnkfs ihe g-ound ihey ll.ink it id hi« 
 •pear or arrow striking fur jji'ipents, which is his meat. 
 They therel'oro veritMit'c xUr scrpenta as U\a er»eniy.— 
 They are of ojiiiiinn ihyt the ihundcr is a great bird, tho 
 1 ghtiiing u the tlash.ng of his eyes ^ iho report, the iioiao 
 made by his mouth. It is only seen in thoKe part* 
 t^hen ill the spring if gofs to the .sdUihwanl, anl in the 
 fall when it n tiinis. Tiu-y say the tlmnder hatchet 
 young one8 on a fii^h nuuintain in ihc north. There ia 
 a story vvhic'i is firn)iy h<*l:evel h\ the Ind any, Tiireo 
 men, it is >raid, were determined to fniu o\A the thunder'a 
 nest. They tiavelieil to a high mountain ; it was very 
 h'gh, inasn.ueh as it took the.'n three day^ to gri to the 
 fop of it. When ihey roac.'jod tiie top, thry found the 
 ihunde/ji nest, oiid liie I. Hie young lliunders ^ilting^ 
 rach about the t<ize of a man. One of the men pro- 
 r4?eded to pluck otf-oine of the feather-, but being afiaiJ 
 he offeie.l a NUCiihce l>y way <>f i^a'i>l'ue.'ion. Another 
 ol'lhe men being wcki^d, was lU.le to the young thun- 
 deia, and put the puint of hi^ arrow into the eye of one 
 of diem. When n wmkeif wiih its eye'ids, it s}>lit hie 
 arrow a«under. Tlli^ \\o-» all ihe povNcr the young <)ne 
 pfw-aes ed. The other n en « xpoisti'lated wlih the wick* 
 Pil, rash man ; ant! t( M him the "hi Muuider would be 
 argry with hiu\ tor it. lUit lo «lid nt-t regard, and 
 «t\II in .sporl j>ui other <>f hi:^ uirowa into bin ejes ; and 
 apain the y»Mu g thundi r >p! t then* asunder. By and 
 bye thev set (ft' down ll c mo\nitain : a'tjo he old thuii- 
 dt:f came home. As they were d ^ceiu'.ing frtin tho 
 mountain, the cloid cafiie, and the thunder witii it, and 
 be kdird the ()i<"fane Indii-rt, 
 
 Ti ey bc!icvo in a g'Oai man of the mouiitoire, who 
 rcrosion.'dly deKeeruls froni bin elcvatit n to CetA on 
 a»ankii«d. Thry im.gine rhot the eouimotio» •* ol the 
 ci;jth are ocrasioneo liy a Uian, vr «ome fu^emalural 
 b*>'nf, placed in the bowels thereof toioewbero about 
 
 K 
 
 ri 
 

 f 
 
 1 
 
 87 
 
 Lftke Superior. They wor«h p ilie <Ioai}, or l^m a m 
 crifice as a iliar'ty to l'e<'(i tlioiti. 
 
 Thpy believe in a great wickeJ gpirlt, whom t!iey 
 call Majemiinnp<I<n>, or t'lC devil. They worship him 
 that he nuiy *Ut iIh.mu no liarin. Tlicy iKjIieve in vvitchcii. 
 — They Pu;>pose tlnir po.vwowtf are groator than 
 ivitchcs. Of the oower.s tti. y i^npposc th.ir conjurofi 
 to poisea^, rnori* will l,c s.uil liere.iiter. 
 
 It o''lf*n occurs that p r-o s use u[), who preterm! (o 
 be proj)hets, ami v\ljo prolcss to receive tlivine oornmU' 
 nications. Several <»<" tho>r p'rsor^-i hav.? pretended lo 
 receivtj r«?vplalicfis I'ontrarv to Chrisiianity and have 
 yarned the [HJoph' ngrrn^t helieviia the inisaionariey. 
 They are ij/ •.•t!«.':l of eve»y t'lint; »»lin'h fe^'p<'t•ts roirect 
 ideas of lile and unnortnhu , i hey hs-ljeve in the lin- 
 morlality of the soul, hut li ive no idea of liie resurrec* 
 tion of the b 'dv. I ft t!ii-» ihev me on a par with th« 
 rest of the heathen world, aheihcr ancient or modern. 
 They hav«5 a ni<'ion of a heaven anil a hell. They 
 think, tliat afior t*iey dio tSey go tt» the Ku;>r:sinpi there, 
 tlieie IS plenty of deer, ifcr*., and that ihero ihey will 
 feast, dance, and enj >y thein:>e!ve«. 
 
 " And think, atltriiMed *p lh.it equal skr, 
 Their failhrul il-j;; sliull bcir ihein coir>|iany 
 
 «> 
 
 They Ihmk, before they lome tlieir, t'lere is a great nver 
 interposing, and a pole by which ihfy have to crosH 
 AM do not get nrniss ; tlie I tzv, the iinrhnritable, and 
 tlnme who would not eng'ii."* in war, drop in an»l are 
 carried av\ay by the ( iinnt they know not where. — 
 Tl«**v think the Irulian^ g ij i" v.-rv dilTcrent from iho 
 G mJ of th«' white people ; and tha' then- relij^ion is ad* 
 apted to theni as tnnch oh the ri'liyion of (he white 
 people is Huiied to theni. Their iir^'iihets, in their op- 
 position t'» the Christian i I ijion, innke rnurfi me of this 
 idea. Fi^r tiiis purpose, t'ev pu: ei creidation a utory 
 of the lollowingkmd : An Indinn enili-aced the Chris- 
 tian religion ; jmuI in eours*e of tone he die«l. He went 
 to and knocked at the ilooi of the I >di.iit'H paradise. 
 Tho presiding tpirit o>keii »• Who is there V* He 
 
88 
 
 anawcrcd, ** on Indlnn.'* ITe openc'l the rioor j but 
 perceiving he wns n Ciiri>tl;m, he refused him admit* 
 (ance, nrui tolil iiiiii lie ini|>lit g> t.) the Chrlstiati'd hea- 
 ven, fif he colli I not cnUM- ihere. The pour Inihan 
 found ills woy to l!ic Chr >ti;iii'.-i paradiiC and knocked at 
 the door. The sam'^ qucstioti was put, and le answered 
 *' A Christian." Hni when the door-keeper had opened 
 the door, ami peiceved hf was an Indian — he told hiir, 
 he conld n(.th»; sulinved thee. Tlie poor Inihan knew 
 not what to do, ai'd liad to wander up and down 
 without a resting place." 
 
 TItey have |)uI)1k: n-»sernblie8 for doing honour and 
 payif i» iioninie to the IVjiiy once every >ear, nhout the 
 monlh of May. Tli»\v Sil-.'ct o larjre nii-c p-jle ; ihey 
 piinl it in alterttale ^'rip.'3 of red u.id hlncU j they Jjang 
 upon it I hacco, rihhons, ond 8omctiine» a while do^*, 
 wlien they can sj)are one, (lortht^y use diein forlW.) 
 Then they erc'ct the pole, At the yan:io time a fenst is 
 made, on which occasion t!ie chief, «ir the liead of iho 
 family, if it he a faiii !v s^acrillcf, iK'livcrs a long speech 
 to the Greai Sj)lrii. They exprcs;' their thankfulners for 
 all hishenefil.s conferred upon them arulM»metimes touch 
 thepi)lo in token of (;r ititnde. The younw people ore ex- 
 horted to he benevolent, aiitl never to JM-hissy, but to be 
 gO')d hunter?, and then their fairnlies will never uant: 
 but if they are \<\\>\ none nliluMr neit»!ii>our.H vvill associate 
 With llunn, for n^^rh cnnilnrt i.-s considered as .shameful. 
 They have private sai rificcs duiing the year. When they 
 are f/rossing the waters \\ ith their eonoc»< they throw into 
 tlio water tobacco or birds which have their throatsi cut, 
 toreador the g ids of the waters propitious to them. In 
 honour of the tsun, and sometinies also of die inferior 
 spirits, they throw into the fire a part of every thing they 
 U3e,and whicli they aeknowleilge to hohl from them. 
 
 The following connnunuation, sent me by H. Bi 
 Slinehaeur, <////* Shahwahnege/hik, is on the subject 
 of their sacrilii^es, and tiie instructions they give on thu 
 occasion to their youth. 
 
 »* it was the custom of my grandfather, at certain 
 feaiions of the year, luovioui to hi3 feaiLi which he ap- 
 
f 
 
 ct 
 no 
 
 In 
 
 i 
 
 40J tun( lii .lij ot i'|it u) -inj. .>;<) i.u .mo )U»|j jiu« : uiii( o) 
 noo3 pj.jua>s s!i ^stxl" m • {) j > .^-'J-Jip pjuoj p in *«pueq 
 •iq Uf (no.>p p'lQ N!l l'"'l '*T^ 3 ".'^a H'0>3 ^m rcm 
 poQ loiji : ij ui .-niPA AMB jM{,[ )i >fii.;ij» v>tJ ]«nin Xaip 
 ♦AUO'iKriaj p.>-;'i;!()i;l .»i(i oj ki; 'uk->i|i pjoj j •uomula 
 im Ji^u <'j iii.M| p.i.s iu').».i piiR 'j.)u)jdidiU! aq loj v 
 p;)iiiou *pun| r)';j i<> rfii-jj xnoj uuhugui <>j ino-^jn djom 
 idl{l 9uiM.>.iiOil MjQiil siii>;'l u ^nM0r)'>U9lll JIV) JO OUQ 
 •3A8i| \t|3m A.iiji u.)i|»iii|.) .i.-^no Auo )<) qiuap oqi 
 jUiiAOid oi 'OAn.iiJ \i\\\ .l■>^(» pii : ijiijiiw hiiiiouioido pu9 
 gO^ti DlllOiJ p,).;()'.lo.i I 'tiJ^ljiO Olios puu 'p^iuioj vc-w joip 
 -oui i»qi iijoqw «»i ('[.m;.) p!«> nip jo ?j\.\\ oiji) '3oij!i(ls 
 •wj,\j *j}ijijiI>j^io ji.) .) |«» .>;()i|A\ 9i|i *uo.«pjMp oojqi 
 
 \9o\ Ac^noiAjjii a 11 ABj PI"!' »^"i' .)" '^i"'5J"<i ^'ix 'Pim*' 
 
 o X.in 1 o) u3gi[ A wiMpij .)!j« OJ \\^^\\ |„ •sa\o(|Oj 
 «Q |Gtunof Xiu HI i)Oii;|.ri <i i|,)mA\ 'j.jof |i\3 fiin oi oai) 
 
 -B|aj U(»H«AJO.-(|<> U\\ » AIM japiiH pj.lJUJ.JO OJC.BlXUiaOJIO 
 
 Y •suoiiiilo.n! oopjunia .>t|j .lopuiu u\ 'sspMOLij jioinjo 
 ^uoujj^jui am \n Koiaoiuoi.).) puu soiij lu.ioj.iad X^tij, 
 
 •UI.IOJ lOlll OJUI pjSlJIMjD ?0M 
 
 *d3U3niv-<n'fi P^'Q SiiiisR) )0 f-o jnp suoii^ipu pii| jo loni^au 
 aqwqi oqA\ *Aoq m a.xKi si;u it xv.a \m\\^ {'iyj^qo) 
 uiqoj oqj joj uoinjJot'^A p) jios c oarij sunjpu} oqj^ 
 
 •mp;o!| o\ pjjuisoj Of] .{v.\u 5p)iH oip JOIjl 
 pue 'Xi!v")(Y oqi J<> qiwj v\ otp opnoddo Xcuj Xoq> mqi 
 'jj;)|9 aqi jdj tsooyujus j.>p'* puu sjshoj o^v;ui Xoqj^ 
 
 ^^•.♦3« pDnir,ij8i| 
 -uo fiiqi UI XiaiDoa p.iziiiA'o jo oir,]s p,"Hiijoj isoiu 
 aqi aju.i^-Jip ][c lu jou p(iuiA\ jpiiqi i '«)suj«j |rjoui 
 Jiaqj UI ii.i)^«i pun *v(^\\ ^qj (M iipliuuc; orj p(noqs Xoq) 
 jl *Joad(Jc Xeui .(aqi sn su();nf|(;| qiluaqi 'sSupj] osaqj^ 
 •pacaq oq pu pajoqui, iiioj oi( .m) *[Ioa\ ru (uiq poAjaa 
 JOUJC^I oqi JO .\.i(»iu.)iu ai]! i.)j^ •aiijHf)X oqi 3ujiC3 
 -npa aoj asii ui won kiuldh: n oi^ inoqiiw qSuoq) *uoii 
 -onji^ui JO sapom oiuo:? ojov> ojaqi um|\ Acs o) outnuoA 
 Xbiu J '.iaAaA\of| 'ponpuo Moorj snq uioisno iiaq) jo 
 Vied 8|qi lUtji 'cjiJamY j<> «.'>">qs .«qi no jooj f.iq paocpl 
 uoiu d|iq v\ f»t|i oniia (loisixa .uao i.'L'!| q >m|a\ 3.itpnrojd 
 i\^ \^t\0{\\ 'uoiuiJo oi'^tunq Xiu ui *8i \\ iuq 'isaio}8cri> 
 
 06 
 
•Hijrs Mfi no ?iii») pAi| ).ii« (fnoisdflOjd m^ p^nwjt itqi 
 
 aaq*t '<ur..tip tnuiinionl peq Xh<) ji iqSnom tuvip(i| <>« X i 
 
 Rpinu ji>oj ;)qi JO i(3«a pa»«»jco4 
 po8 • iv«|i «iii!(pii| 4i|i iiioun uou<uiod jj;|»q « ujqt •im )| , 
 
 pun Rj.iiiMPiii Ji.)i|) uiiii I aiintxjn .(jiiuSipp dAVq oqM 
 aoixj) Ai| (».»i.vMr.»>ip ii,>;)tj Kuij Aj)uno^ tiM]) jo vaual 
 
 •jiqmj 
 'piiTM3 Am JO Aioi<» ntn •i.iqtuonioj iiu:) | ktj ^j/ridu no *if 
 *"l.r /-^'iuno* .\('(I«M| itiji UK .1) |>.>|>n);»T(» ac; ||ci)s uaui 
 pc)>|.>i.\t j)i -iios ||i; |>ur •iiiO|i)|>m ,)i|i '.».u,>|unui 9qi )nq 
 : jliiiiji j.MiH" AjjAo |»iic \)iinr(jt» Ajnajd n\ njai|) ajaijM 
 
 ijiUIIO.) irtuU|!J|.lt)(»[J U «<s,>JiHilJ |Hnj« 'fi.l()|JJCA\ OAtBjq 
 
 0(|i |».n! '.»ji| »;ii|i III \HU>A uo,)(j i)AiM| it'm ©POUJ, 
 •(),iiiiiH| .-nj ciiJ|ir (ifii^ jAjiJw puu *j>a(ijfu| aq jjcqa 
 
 8irM|) A.l.».\.> lOj 's^j )i).l a\|) (I) il.MI) ,)UO X«I1J ||jA\ UIBA U| 
 
 •^iM sn| .>\.o).).i iiRiis Ar(> jm;j }« aim XjaAy •n8itl 
 |u.»W .1IH JUr»i| a'oih ui»ijA\ .>|«iuuui .1011 Soiiioj Xep icqi 
 
 UOq AN p|tM|K ;)<| UtU |;r!l|»!'.»J(| SHil ni pO»J WOdC] »Mi\\ \fA{\ 
 3i;(»t(j^ ■.)|(|Hi.>.n ||IM{K (l|J.IV.") ♦)lj}) |l pill! *I)I.IIJ3 d(|) JdAO 
 IIR p.H?Ol| 1)«| l!«:l|>l C>.>iOA .t«H|A\ '•>}.K».l 01|1Jt> i^UIANOJ.l at{| 
 
 JCdi| 
 
 UJil.- 11(1 
 
 .».Hill» tiU .iq ||IMjS |;.>ANp 
 
 no.{ 
 
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 IJO qi.nr,> pi|j (i;iija\ <t)iinio.) .\rp it y aiouj 'Hi^jo puO 
 0(|l 10 i<n<l<ii:t| ||iA\ ii!i|) i^iiii|i iUio «io.^ ijci |pA\ J I' J! I 
 
 • ll|) (II tiM(H.uls<l.l(l .M; (>) A>UI| AMI|J)j O) .l.ipJO (JI 0U(1p 
 
 a\rn m»A iniw a\'<ij>| j *ui)s X|^' , : lup 9111 p^sviup 
 
 -pU JJI i">>J A>OU>| J lUi)A\ 0(( OJOIjA\ (UJU *JlllO'J ou 
 
 O'JuotjAN Uf').i.| -jiiSis Xtii 01 |u.MnrtMin s»;a\ (n>ucjc9tl 
 -de .iso'jiw tnim 1: AVPH j 'j'ii^l'i If <l,»»">|« Aiu ui pur *o9 
 
 8UOp piJl| J HOI|^y\ •p,")A:)(p» A*|2lll'p.lO;i.-)B j puR *0UI1J 
 10 ijiiiviOi un:jM.> »i J<>| |"»<M '"'^•'.) I|.mAuj iii«jr(|U p|noi|i 
 I ie(|) pdj>nbi).i siiio.ii.'ti A'tij ^^um».( f^CAv | <idi;w «« 
 
 'UI(!<lJp ^M( JU XjO)t 
 
 8uiA\oi|oj v>i(i p.^njp.i rn\ ivA\\ si.oisco;)o onnji jo ouo uo 
 lUAi 1] 'OAiM| (>i ritio Xuu j(\} oitoinbci.i pun XjKKfico 
 -au ii|^ruH|) noi|i SL^^^ I|.)|i|a\ put! ''piMi ai| ,.SpaiA\oui| 
 oqt uioip o)Uii i.ii!(!uii ot joip. !?()) up.ip|ii|j vii{ n|(|Ui«s 
 Hio o) ,''{:puiA\ Jtuij .))(] JU spo3 juoj dij) o) opciu X|^cnu 
 
91 
 
 Thii was suflirifnl to sails'^)* the parents of tlie chiUI, 
 and all our meii.l)<»r.-4 ; but Mm. Sphtl, g ihonghi iliey 
 oiij?ht to liavc ihfir own way, fN|v.»i nlly, a.s slie vanf, 
 (hey ha I id o!il iimt'sj ivpeaic.ily <noil tin? exporim«'nt» 
 ami had routui it to h».» sik ressiul, nml an it waH the 
 result of experieiico th-y oii;;ht to try it again. But 
 tipon my inakini;^ a few more icniarks, ai.d oli«erving 
 if they penviiled m rtvor iuti 1" "nfh nieth Js, I could 
 have noihinp *o do wtfji the Imipral, ua I rotild not 
 mix up njy^eir Willi Henih.-n tru'iiK-ijics*, aUe tiehis'ed, 
 and we went on with the fuiomt a rvice. There be- 
 ing several |irest'nt, who do ir i nftcrul our preaching, 
 being lioinarHHts, I took the oppoitun.iv ol ninkmg ^otne 
 remarks, in my a.ldros.s, which I jiiIjimI wi).iid he ime- 
 ful, and the iiitt'i|i,»jlcr toid mo hi; believed they felt the 
 force of llie tiiitii." 
 
 WiTclicnAFT — Tiu; Indians pro'i nd to trnco the 
 orxqin of w.tchcr ill, conpiror-i, an) miNhnnos, to in«-pi- 
 rauc!\. They say they were (auyhl it by a man fr.im 
 above. There was ocL-urring ai one liinc, i\ grt-at deal 
 of aickne-'a nnd tlcvu'.i : the pi.'opi':' moiM-ned and 
 Wf'pt very much. One tnafi had l^^t a I his fnetidt', 
 and gncveil ex'-essivclv. The pian troin the a r cnme to 
 him, and asked why he mouine»l. I!n r.taloil the oc- 
 casion to him. The niysteriouR visitnni replied, thi* 
 it your own fault, I om-.c helore to'd t'le Indians, 
 how to use iho mediiiiu'M, and not to ki;l one another 
 aa they were m the pmctice ol iliuu^ — only to revenge 
 n!urder &.c. Then he instructed him in the use ofdie 
 herbs, 8tnne?i, 8tc, and how to nj^ply t'lcm hv witch- 
 craft. The It»diaiiti 3incer'*ly heheve there is power in 
 these medicines, a^.d ihnl their ronitirors are superna- 
 (urally endowetl. Kven the conv«'!tcil Imlian- lieheve 
 the devil helpt-d ihem in ihe.-c i>roces«;es. S'lrne of 
 them have n( know'edjied thnl before tiicir conversion 
 they posies8ed the power of wilchcrafr, which, hovy- 
 ever, now they have lost. An anecdote whicli wa* 
 
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 related to me at Mnncey Town, an Ochipwa setlle- 
 inent, by the Rev. Ezra Adams, ihen We-leyan mi»- 
 ■ionary at that p'ace, will te d to illustrate the feelings 
 of the Indians on this suhject. One of the meant 
 adopted by Mr. A. for their bonefil is, what he i-alli 
 an enquiry meeting. At these m» etii gs questions are 
 allowed to he put to the missionary by the Indians 
 concerning any douht ihey may I ave on their minds; 
 or for any information thev mny wish concerning any 
 Christian duty, or priviledge ; or conctTiiiiig .my dilem- 
 ma they may be in of any kitid wi.atj^oever. Atone 
 of those meetings Sou!t, after\Nar(ls, a zealous an<l Use- 
 ful Chri:sttan and clasn^-teadrr, and who had hcen a 
 conjuror, obs rved, that on his eon version to Chris- 
 tianity, he had destroyed all l.i.^ medicines out of hia 
 mashkemood (uiedicme haj/,) excepting one, the virtue 
 of which was to keep oH' bullets in the time of war. 
 The missionary replied : m the fir^^t place there waa 
 no virtue in ihe medicine refeire*! to ; and that if even 
 there were he ought to renounce nil other dependence, 
 and trust solely in the living G(><l who alone can create 
 and destroy. On this ansjwer beii g returned, he de- 
 tired permission to speak. This being readily granted, 
 be delivered a warm oration. Dur.ng the delivery, 
 be made so many gestures, hfiing up one hand as hig!i 
 at he could, and holding the other dt>wn to the ground, 
 and again lifting up both together to tUeir utmost 
 ttretch, that the mis-ionary vvas afraid he m ght po>*i- 
 Wy be angry at the decision he had given. When 
 be had concluded, tht* interpreter gave the pen.-^e in 
 English. He said that for some time he had been 
 balf-hearted : he had been disposed to hold the world 
 in one hand, and God in the other : but he perceived 
 this vroufd not do ; and now he was resolved to take 
 bold of God with both hands. He concludtd by cx- 
 borting all present to give themselves entirely to God. 
 I have seen and exauiined several of those medicine 
 bags, and will here give a short description of one* 
 1^ is made of an otter's or a heaver's skin, sowed up, 
 ftnd tomewhat ornamented with porcupine quills, or 
 
other ornamental matters. Its contents ore a variety 
 of herbs, barks, roots, — powdered, — Kliells*, stones, and 
 other arlic.es, which are called medicines, all careluUy 
 wrapped up and duly arranged. Tliese form his dis- 
 pensary out of which he adminislers to the sick, and 
 sometimes with gni) I eifeci, for the Indians really are 
 skilled in the knowledge oi iheir qualities. In a sepa- 
 rate department aro deposited a few varied figures, 
 which are their god:i, or repi-esentativcs of their ''''"'^'^g 
 or muriedoo^. Among ihe.c ;< ^ -^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ of wood, 
 inclosed in - j.^,j| giiai^jj'j, ^|.jp^ j^ small shell belonging 
 to some kind of sheU-fisli, or a little bone. The otter^a 
 skin is generally inclose<l ir. a bag of larger dimensions, 
 made of bark finely pplit by being firet boiled, then 
 separated into fine fibres and twisted like thread. 
 This is woven into a kind of cloth, and made up into 
 a kind of bag ; in this bng, among ether things, as well 
 as the otter's skin, is contained a little canoe, about 
 four inches long. In time of emergency, if the owner 
 wants to cross a river or a ia!%e, lie says he gets into it. 
 Either he is reduced to a size equal to it, or the canoe 
 is magnified proportionable to bis size. The conjuror 
 profe.^ses to use the contents of bis mashkimoud in 
 various ways. He takes the snake in his hand, and 
 moves it quickly about, and spends it out of his hand 
 with a commi:?slon to hunt afier something. He has 
 also a bird's skin, g?nernlly that of a screech-owl, 
 which he sends to hoek out bis enemy, or any one 
 who has offended the conjuror. Sometimes the owl 
 is sent to make a noise to frighten away the game of 
 his enemy, thnt he may starve. If in ten or fifteen 
 days the man to whom he is oppo-^ed finds he cannot 
 get any game, he suspects be is bewitched. He 
 watches the owl which is searching round his camp, 
 and shoots it, immediately putting it into the ashes of 
 the fire. If he can accomplish this, the conjuror, 
 finding his owl does not return to him, begins to think 
 he is caught, and, in the course of five or six weeks, 
 he himself, as be pets rather smartly burnt, the be- 
 witched man is sati^ified. But it the bewitched maa 
 
 
 
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 cannot get the owl, then in the first drunken uprce 
 they have together, he takes the oppoitunity of giving 
 the conjuror a good beating, and having had iiis re- 
 venge he ia satisfied. The small shell is then said to 
 return to the conjuror. But if the injured person sus- 
 pects he is bewitched, he sends for another conjuror 
 to eiTect his cure. The second conjuror extracts the 
 shell and keeps it. The conjuror has another bird's 
 Bkin wii.C!l ^'^'' ''"*'* about his neck in time of battle, 
 «o that irtoo closely pursue J I:; ^»'s enemy, he may 
 fly away as a bird. 
 
 There are four gradations in the oflTicc of conjur'^r: 
 1. Wahbanoo ; 2. Meta ; 3 Chesekee-wineneh ; 4. 
 Tebekee-vvineneh. In addition to these, there are fe- 
 male conjurors, who perform precisely the same feats 
 as the male.4. 
 
 The Wahbanoo has the power to extinguish fire. 
 This is done by chewing a root, and spitting the extract 
 into his hands ; and then he hns power to E^crape the 
 coals together and smother them. The Meia is the 
 man who uses the bone or shell in killing, and the 
 bird's skins. He possesses a knowledge of the herbs, 
 roots, &c., which furnish his medicine bag, and the 
 art of healing. If they want to bring a distant person 
 to them, it is said the Meta can do it, if only he can 
 get a bit of the person's hair or a shred of his garment. 
 Suppose he wants to get a young woman to come to 
 him. He has two images tied together, ond some 
 love powder. He puts the hair, or the piece of gar- 
 ment, to it ; and no matter where she is, or where else 
 ahe would go, she must come to him and follow him 
 whithersoever he wanders, or else she would go crazy. 
 W. herkimer, native missionary, has assured me of 
 the truth of this. If he wants to bring another person, 
 he puts in another kind of powder. The Indian women 
 are in the habit of providing a love powder, which if a 
 person wear?, the opposite sex grow enamoured of '*er. 
 I remember, while missionary at the Credit, at one of 
 our leaders' meetings, a woman was accused of tho 
 crime of carrying love powder in her pocket* 
 
The Chesekcc-wineneh, has the power of revealin| 
 •ecretfl. I shall Jeicribe iiia operations in the wordH of 
 an eye witness, ns he related it to me. Peter Jacobs 
 says, " When I was about ten or twelve years of age, 
 the body of Indiana to whom I belongod had lieen 
 drinking, and hail g^it very ktweesquabe. My sister, 
 when in this sl.te liid a keg of whiskey and some 
 beads. When they were becoming a little sober, they 
 felt as though they wanted a little more ; but she could 
 not remember where she had put it. They were ail 
 much concerned, and proposed to the Chesekee- 
 vnneneh to find out the pecret. He conisented, and 
 resorted to the usual method atlopted on such occa- 
 >• sions. This is as follows. *^They construct a little 
 wiggewaum ; make it very strong by driving about 
 eight poles, six loet long, as far as three feci in the 
 ', ground; and bend them with two hoops in the shape 
 
 of a canoe. Then they usually enclose it with birch 
 % bark. The conjuror then enters ami begins to sing, 
 
 and presently the little spirits come. The wiggewaum 
 begins to whirl about as by some great force. As 
 soon as they enter we can distinctly hoar them speak 
 to one anoliier. The spirits enquire whether there are 
 any questions to be asked. The person on the outside 
 puts the question they wish. In this case some one 
 asked after the kog of whiskey. It was replied, * You 
 must go to a certain direction (describing it by the 
 course of the sun) and you will come to an old man 
 lying down, and a young man standing over him,' 
 with one leg on either side. Me t'tands upon the 
 whiskey.' An old man on the outside said * Now 
 boys, do you understand?' Anl ti en he explained, 
 The old mar., he said, was an old tree fallen down ; 
 and the young man, was a young tree growing with 
 Us roots over 'he trunk of the old one. I, with five or 
 aix other boys, ran in the direction descr bed in the 
 search of a trea in such a situation : and sure enough 
 we found one precisely so. We set to work in search- 
 ing under the roots ; and certainly there we found the 
 keg and beads." The same person related to mo ano« 
 
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 ther instance vi\\\c\\ fell undt r liis own observation. 
 •* Soon after our conver>sioii lo Clnistiaiiity,'^ aaya hCf 
 •* a party of our people went a liimling to the head 
 waters of il»e river which riina lIirovi<ih B» lleville. I 
 was desired to take the religious ()verrsi{;hi of thorn. We 
 met with a pnrly of pagtins, vviu) had henrd oi' our em- 
 bracing Ch^i^5lianity, They questioned whether wc 
 had done well in taking that s^tep, and thought the old re- 
 ligion was? bet : However, they n solved to consult the 
 Chesekee-wimne/i. Accordingly preparations were 
 made. The que:?iion was put. * Is the religion which 
 Mr. Casj and P. Joni^s preach the host religion V The 
 answer was contrary to what I expected. I thought 
 they would speak in favour of the pagan ijuperstitions. 
 But the answer was, •• The Chri^tinii rol g on is the best, 
 and that is the religion the Great Spirit wi^ies her chil- 
 dren to have.'* 
 
 I have heard of anotlier instance of a Cheseket- 
 wtneneh obtaining an aiiiwer in favour of the Chris- 
 tian religion : — Several native mij=*:ioraries were at a 
 place where there were s-Mne pagans. One of these 
 conjurors was jealous of them, and resorted to his 
 usual melhod of collecting huN ppirits, and had ap- 
 pointed a person outside to aijk the question respecting 
 the Christian religion, hoping to obtain an answer 
 against the new relig on, and to check the progiese of 
 the Gospel. The answer returned was s^in»iiar to the 
 above. But the conjuror, it s^eerns, possessed more of 
 the spirit of enmity to God than even the devil him- 
 ■elf; for when he could not obtain an answer to his 
 mind, he was so cnragcil that he drove all the little 
 spirits out, saying, " Be jjone !" and in8ta».tly jumped 
 out of the Chesakon. Thomas Magce, one of the ex- 
 hortors on the Credii mission, was present on this occa- 
 •ion, and he attests the truth of the above statement. 
 It is usual to resort to thebe men on various occasion*. 
 
 * This teems something like the case of the Pythoness tl 
 Philippi, who cried after the Apcslle and hit compariious, tayins, 
 ** These men are the servants of the most high Gcd, uUich shsir 
 «ntO US the way ol salvation.'* Acts xvi. i7. 
 
III time of war, to learn where the enemy is, at what 
 itirttance, &.c. If any thing be lost, to ohlaiii iuforinu- 
 tion respecting it. 
 
 The office of the last of these ^ratios of conjuror:?, 
 viz. the Tttbekee-enenoh^ is in some rei>}>oct.s salutary. 
 Ho has the power to extract tlie lone, &.c. sent into 
 the body l>y the .l/'t'/rc, as a!)Ovc desciibed. 
 
 tn stating these particulars, 1 give no opinion — I 
 hazard no hypothesis : I j»ive the simple facts as they 
 have been lehitcJ to rue, and leave tiie reailo* to form 
 his own opinion rs best suits his own inclination. 
 The Indians, both bctbre and after their conversion, 
 believe in their reality ; aiul perliaps we ought to remark 
 that, allowin^r Tor ignorance and superslitioi», still that 
 supernatural, iuiiucnce, yea diabolical, cannot be well 
 rejected without rejecting irK«piration and Christianity. 
 VViule Bayle, and men of liis school, exerted their 
 learning in opposition to tlie belief of the Heathen 
 oracles, tsinillar things have been credited of them, by 
 writers who cannot be suspected of weaknesis of miml. 
 Most of the lather.-? of the chiifch Huppose<l that the 
 devil issued oracles. Vossius thought the same. 
 Bishop Sherlock, in his discourses concerning the Use 
 and Intent of Prophecy, expresses hit> opinion, that it 
 is impious to disbelieve the heathen oracles, and to 
 deny them to have been given out by llie devil. Dr. 
 Leiand saVvS it may be proved that oracles were silenced 
 about, or soon after, the time of our Savioui'^s advent. 
 Mr. Watson says, " they were probably imitations, 
 first, of the answers given to the holy patriarchs from 
 the divine presence or Shcchinah, and secondjy, of 
 the responses to the .lewish High Priest from the 
 mercy seat; for all paganism is a parody of the true 
 religion."* 
 
 The Indians have many traditions. In many of 
 them there may be tiaced some reference to some 
 scripture narration. They have a story which plamly 
 alkides to the Deluge. There is much of the marv^el- 
 
 • Watson's Biblical and Tluolosicai Dic(., Art. Oracle, 
 
98 
 
 ;' 
 
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 i ^1 
 
 I 
 
 ■I 
 
 'i 1 
 
 I'll 
 
 louii in tliis story, anil much dark confusion ; but at 
 least it may rcl'er to the (Icstruction of the earth, and 
 to tho cause of it —the lawless conduct of men. These 
 trujitions are orally handed down from one generation 
 to another : and hecorne no doubt darker and more 
 cnufused each succeeding generation. There are old 
 men who arc well versed in all this traditionary lore, 
 who will have assembled around them a number of 
 young i»eople, to whom they relate these stories, like 
 the old bards who used to relate the traditions and his- 
 tory of past ages. At the end of each story the boys 
 give him a bit of tobacco, or some other trifle, and ask 
 him for another tale ; one o\' the auditors of one of 
 those ciironiclers related many of these legends 
 to me. 
 
 They mention an imaginary being called Nanihuzhu, 
 of whom many marvellous things are told. This per- 
 ponai^fi is not introduced to us in any formal manner. 
 There is nothing said as to what order of beings he be- 
 longs, or any thing of his descent or relationship, after 
 the manner of Pagan mythology. But yet the relation 
 may be classed with Ovid's metamorphoses. The 
 story to which I allude is one of them, which I se- 
 lected from among several others. 
 
 Nanabuzhn observed several lions which used to 
 come to a rock to sun themselves, and among the rest 
 a white one. Me thouglit his skin would make him u 
 nice tobacco pouch j and he greatly desired to catch 
 him for that purpose. He fjiiled of accomjtlishing his 
 object. One morning he thought he would go to the 
 rock before they came, and change himself into a black 
 stump, and then the lions would not suspect him, and 
 he might shoot the white one. Accordingly the lions 
 came. One of them 8avv the stump, "Ah," says he, 
 ^^ I never saw that stump before. Is not that Nanabuz- 
 hu?" Another said, '< I think it is." "You fool," 
 says a third, " it is a pine stump." " However," 
 said they, " let us go and shake it, and see if it will 
 move, and we shall find it out ! They went : three of 
 them laid hold of him, and used all their effbrta to 
 
dd 
 
 sed to 
 \c rest 
 him a 
 catch 
 ng his 
 to the 
 
 a black 
 
 m, and 
 lions 
 ys he, 
 
 nabuz- 
 fool," 
 ever," 
 it will 
 iree of 
 
 forts to 
 
 move him : tliey had nearly shaken him, but Nuna- 
 buzhu contrived to he firm. The lionfi laid down, 
 and by and bye fell asleep, when iNanalmzhu jiliui ihe 
 white one. His arrow stuck last, but he did not kill 
 him ; and they all }ilunged into the river. Nanabuzhu 
 was very sorry that he failed in getting the lion, and 
 was walking solitarily in the woods, when he met 
 with a very old woman. She was loaded vvitli bass 
 bark. Nanabu/hu aeco<ted Iter tlln^•, '■' Clrunnv, u hat 
 are you going tij do with the bi.k ]" *' Oii," said she, 
 "you cannot think what trouble we are in ; for Nana- 
 bnzhu has shot one of our chiefs; and I am going tu 
 boil this bark, and make it into a cord and faj^len it at 
 the far ends of the world, east and west, north and 
 south, and then we sIkiH >et «onie men at the centie 
 where the lines cross, that when Nanabu/.hu is walk- 
 ing carefully, and hits upon the line we hIiuII know 
 what fp) arte r of the world he is in ; then they will go 
 and kill him." The old woman tiMd hitn she had been 
 greatly honoured in being commi&.'iioned tu attend upon 
 the chief, and that she had already with lier some 
 roots she had gathered, and which she \va« about to 
 boil in her kettle, and put upon her dish, which she 
 had in her house, to administer to tlie chief for his re- 
 covery. Nanabuzliu, upon learning where she lived, 
 tomahawked and skinned her, and put her skin and 
 clothes upon himself, and the bark upon his back ; 
 and walking like an olil woman, went in search of 
 her house. He soon found it, and found the kettle 
 and dish she had mentioned ; boiled the roots, and 
 put them on the dish, and w r to the chief's house. 
 Many people were gathered tog; her, all in confusion : 
 but when they saw, as they thought, the old woman 
 coming, they filed to the right and to the left and let 
 her pass. Nanabuzhu administered the medicines ; 
 but seeing the arrow which he had .shot sticking in 
 his side, he pulled it out, and made another thru«t 
 with it and killed him ; then made his esca|)e. They 
 consulted what they must do to destroy Nanabuzhu, 
 and concluded they had better drown liim, as they 
 
 1 
 
 ;i \ 
 
100 
 
 ^ ! 
 
 1 V 
 
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 iin 
 
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 i: ' 
 
 hail power to raise the water. They uccordirgly 
 fiiadc :he water ribc, and it soon ovc'rllovved the plaifis. 
 Nanabiizliu ra:i to the mountains: the watcra still 
 rose ; and he I'efjjnn to think what he tntist do. He 
 contrivetj to get a Tew logs together for a raft. Ho 
 saw variuii-j a.iiniaU swiiMnonf.^ around ; and thought 
 if he coidd hut get a little cartli, he could sioon 
 make another woild. He first spoke to the heaver, 
 and told him he was goirij^ to make a world for hini 
 ttiul for himjiell'; and if he could hut dive to the bot- 
 tom of the water?; and hrine him up a little earth he 
 would acconipiish it. The heaver dived, and after n 
 time came u]», but could i ot reach llie Lolloni. He 
 then tried the musk-rat. The mu:tk-rat dived down, 
 juid t'tiiid a lont^ time ; and at last oanie up ilead : Na- 
 nabuzhu took hold of him, and exum'ncd him, and 
 perceived u iiitie earth on hi^. pa'As^, and also on liis 
 nioulij. Me carefully took it in his hand : then shook 
 the rat, and rct^uscltated him, and put him aside. He 
 ptit the earth on iho water, and blowed upon it to en- 
 large it. Then tie put a little moii:-e upon it ; and hy 
 its running refund repeatedly, it extended. Jle next put 
 the mu^>k-rat upon it, and ihen the uiartin, to cficct 
 the .-ame purpo?-e : at the same time he guarded tiie 
 youuf! productioji with a stick to keep ott' the larsrer 
 animals, that they mitiht not sink it. Py and bye, it 
 was iage enough, and he went on himself, and took 
 all the aninuds tipon it. And this is the earth on 
 which we live. 
 
 f have given this story as it was related to me. 
 It iir, I confess, sulTiciei.tly absurd, but it illustrates 
 some of their mannert?, and shows the features of 
 their ndnd.s. 1 have thouiiht if it does not allude 1o 
 S()iTte ttaditi 'iiii of the general deluge, it may refer 
 to i-ome of their transactions with that aboriginal race, 
 of whom 1 have before spoken, and point to thote'e 
 scene;' of carnr^ge and destruction they irflicted upon 
 them ; and, perhaps, to some great inundation which 
 either they thenK-(;lves contrived to swallow up a 
 great numljer of them, or to spme naturid occur- 
 rence which brouglit great desolation upon them. 
 
 — ^»-«in»Jti»( ryK«)n^^ 
 
101 
 
 TliL» coMstrnclion ol the coiinlry viipgesla llie itlea 
 llial swell occiinencos may liavf l? un pliicc. There 
 mav have beon seme va^l bodies )r wnler, j:\u'Ij as 
 the prodent lakes, which may have covei'iii even 
 the hij^hcr |)nrU of the country. 
 
 The Aiiierion!! ('.(Mitineiit is tho\ighl to have been 
 mt»re recently formed than that of the old world. 
 Perhaps it was never so densely populated as the 
 other divisions of the globe. All my relleetioii!* on this 
 subject have induced me to form this opuuon. And 
 if 80, It tendti lo establish the belief of its n\oie recent 
 formation. In the «listribution of the dill'ercnt potions 
 of the earth among the son.-* of Noah, we find no 
 mention made of America, or any land which might 
 hit supposed to refer to it. In those charts whicli 
 delineate their possessions, they are {)laced with ex- 
 actness over the old eontiinml ; and there is no difli- 
 culty in giving each his lot without at all sailing 
 across the ocean. The new world seems to have 
 been ke[U in reserve, perhaps tor centuries after, 
 covered with water, to he jjradually drained od for 
 a superabundant population, or for the spirit of en- 
 terprize whenever it misrht arise. First, it would 
 seem those wanderer<!,called Tullecans by some means 
 found their way bitlier either from the eastern coasts of 
 Asia, or from the western coasts of Africa ; more 
 probably from the latter to south America, or to the 
 southern parts of^ North America. Next it would op- 
 pear that families of the Tartar race found their way, 
 first to tl>e northern parts of North America, and 
 slowly amidst bloody wars lorced their way south- 
 ward, until in some unknown manner the original race 
 have either entirely di^appoared or become amalgama- 
 ted. Afterwards it was destined to atTord a retreat tor 
 the swarming millions of Europe. These vast bodies 
 of water, by some convulsion of nature, may have 
 found vent, inundated the plains below, after they had 
 become formed, and may have gradually drained them- 
 selves into the sea, with the exception of some of 
 those great swamps whicli exist in many place=. The 
 
10'2 
 
 lakes tliiiM drolned olT, would possess tlieoppearoncc of 
 va^!t prairie:?. And what is reiiiaikabit*, gcologiMtfi ore 
 of opi!)ion that niatiy of llio cxislii >^ pruiries actually 
 aftbril every evidence tijat tliey liavo really been at one 
 time the beds of hikes or sens. IVrson;»l obHervation 
 has also suggested tlio same thought to my own mind. 
 The a.'une thing might lake place again. The following 
 remarks will abundantly verify this idea, and at the 
 hamo time illustrate what may have taken place in past 
 time. 
 
 The level of Lake Superior is six hundred feel above 
 the ocean, ff it could bur^t its barriers, ii would C(>n~ 
 «cquently inunuato and overwhelm the vast plains of 
 the JMid^issipJ)i, tlic St. l^awM'ence, or thr 11 uclsor, and 
 leave a new and vn«t valley, or plain, interspersed with 
 lake:^ and mountains. The islands in the lakes would 
 form mountains, and the deepest soundings in the lake, 
 which are Ujuvard;} of fifty feet below the level of the 
 Atlantic Ocean, would form various lakes of that depth. 
 It is supposed thai the lakes were at one lime much 
 higher than Uiey are at the present day, as the appear- 
 ance of the Hhores and highlands demonstrate, and that 
 the Huron, Micliigan, and Superior have found vein by 
 some of those channels. The country along the course 
 of the St. Lawrence is evidently alluvial. There are 
 vast masses of stone in a detached slate, which could 
 not have come there but by means of thia kind. Ai\ 
 earthquake might remove these barriers, and make a 
 passage for the miglity, overwhelming, and destructive 
 torrent, and consequendy may have effected a similar 
 change in times paa. 
 
 What mighty changes in this counivy an event of 
 this kind would make ! What desolation it would 
 spread ! And perhaps the tradiiion 1 have related may 
 refer to some occurrence of this kind. Nanabuzhu 
 may refer to some survivor of a desolation of this na- 
 ture, who living more in the upper country, where the 
 Indians arc supposed to have entered, and about which 
 ispots may have engaged in wars with the Tultecans, a.nd 
 may have vvitnesseil ilie desulation of that people ; and 
 
103 
 
 hence the story may have hnil iti origin. Thiu m only 
 coiijeclurai, uiut nd tiiich it must Htand. 
 
 A curious tradiliiin pi'uvails among the Flai-hratl 
 Iniliaris concerning beavers*. I'Vom thT?ir sagacity, t!ioy 
 aro indiiceil to believe ihcy .irc a rullcn race ol'lndiani, 
 who have been condemnrd by the Great Spirit, on ac- 
 count ol" their great wickednerft^, to their present Corni 
 of the brute creation. At j^oine I'uturts period, they also 
 declare, that these fallen creatijre:< will be restored to 
 their tbrmrr slate. Doea not lliis appear bke the rudo 
 renjains of a iradiiidn of the full and tbo recovery «»f 
 man ? The sons of Noah, in tiicir miifrations, would 
 carry theuc facts and promisef, which in course of 
 lime n.ight have Ixjen partly !o><t, .-ind the remnins mucii 
 adulterated. 
 
 
104 
 
 ! ' Chapter VI. 
 
 thp: wrongs of the Indians. 
 or supposed. 
 
 REAL 
 
 AlucH has been saiil on the subject of the wrongs of 
 the Indians ; nnd a handle has beoii made of it by dis- 
 alFected men to disturb the (julet and repose of those 
 who would fear God and honour the King. That 
 much \NiOng lias becii done to the Indians, especially 
 in the earlier days of the setllerf, by trader?-, and by 
 subordinate officers of the British Government, I am 
 disposed to allow, because I have had such evidence 
 of it as 1 cannot call in quef>t;on. The conduct of the 
 Spaniards and Portuguese forms a dark chapter in the 
 history of the world. 1 also admit that schemes have 
 been devised in later years by which their interests 
 would have been much jeopardised. But I am by no 
 means disposed to join in the loud cry which lias been 
 rai.sed on this subject. I believe, notwithstanding the 
 cupidity and the theorising schemes of some individuals, 
 that the British Governraetit intend to do them justice, 
 and strongly desire their welfare. One of the princi- 
 pal char|^s of wrong done to them is in driving them 
 from the^ lands. I admit they liave, on this score, 
 endured hardships truly great ; and for which, when 
 properly considered, 1 would by no means be back- 
 ward to condemn. But this subject looks far worse, 
 when viewed in a cursory manner, than the case stands 
 in reality. Hence it is generally argued, " What 
 should we tliink if any people stronger than we are, 
 were to drive us from oiir houses and lands, from the 
 graves of our fathers," &c. But here there is no strict 
 analogy. Various considerations may be taken into 
 the account, 1. As to their proprietorship. Barely 
 roaming over a tract of country one hundred times 
 larger than necessary for their wants, does not constjr 
 
105 
 
 tulc a people proprietors. <* Tlic earth liatli lie (God) 
 given to the children of men." Me inau;' the wor.ci 
 lor a proposed end, i. e. f«r t'lo i.i?e and subsislence of 
 his creatures. It is capable of ciillivation to such a 
 degree that it may alVord subsislenco to a luindreJ 
 tinaes the luunber of people it could in it- natural state. 
 Here was a va-.t continent nearly altogether unculti- 
 vated, and thcrefoiv. not ap.swering the liesign of the 
 iireat Crealor in its pioduction. Tiie inha!)ilantt:' had 
 not t!ie art or the means of uiaking it productive ; nei- 
 ther were they suiftciently numerous, had they been 
 diapojod, and liad they posr-essed the ab Jity lo have 
 done so. The older portions of tlie world needed ex- 
 pansion ; therefore the emigration to some (Alier re- 
 gion, we may suppose, as an abHtract rpiestion, 
 was the will of God. Indians have formerly liad, 
 when land was not of much value, t.acis assigned them 
 by the English government, ten tiujes larger than they 
 could occupy. 2. Land was of scarcely any value to 
 ihenfi but for the purposes of fuel and hunting, and a 
 {e\v roods on which to grow a little corn. Property is 
 to be considered valuable according as It furnishes the 
 means for the necessaries and comforts of life. To a 
 savage, larg? tracts of hunting ground are viewed in 
 this light. But notu'ith.staniling thi;<, l.c often sulftM's 
 from want. 11' you give him an equivalent, you do 
 him no injustice. Hence the peitect Cv^uity of con- 
 tracts with a savage people for large tracts of land they 
 do not want, for a remuneration small in itself, but t.) 
 them great, because equivalent to the good they could 
 derive from such a tract. 3. Tlie migratory habits of 
 the Indians are well known ; tu?y, therefore, do not 
 feel ISO much at removing as persons more accuston)ed 
 to settled life do. Yea, it is generally at their own wish 
 and desire. '!•. The Indians, in their worst state of 
 apcommodalion, are far better off than in their wild 
 state, with a trnct of hundreds of miles. In that state 
 they were truly in an a*,^ iilly destitute condition. Be- 
 fore their conversion, and consequent civilization, the 
 Credit Indiana were roaming about the country, living 
 
 m 
 
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 ! 'A 
 
106 
 
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 1|;- 
 
 on precarious resources, and sometimes reduced to the 
 necessity of subsisting on ineie ran ion. My friend, 
 Mr. Muri)hy, who, when a boy, »as taken captive by 
 a tribe of Indians, gave me a fearful description of their 
 destitution. He stated, that for some seasons of the 
 year, they have had to live for moiiths together on a 
 mere weed. On the north shore of Lake Superior, 
 men will kill their wives fur food ; and some instances 
 have occurred of women having killed their husbands 
 for a like purpose. An old woman and her daughter 
 lived together. The husband of the young woman 
 was taken sick and died. The old woman asked her 
 daughter for the child to eat. She consented ; how- 
 ever, fche waa afierwards very sorry and wej)t. The 
 old woman''s anger was excited, and she tomahawked 
 her daughter, and ate her. Afterwards, she dug up 
 the body of the young woman's husband and ate it. 
 She ti.en made an attempt to kill iier own son, a boy 
 of about twelve years of age. She look the gun to 
 shoot liim. He begged she uould not shoot him. 
 However, he made his escape to another body of In- 
 dians. The old v'oman often expressed a desire to feed 
 on children. She would look at them while running 
 about, and j^ay, ■■• Fine fat ladi?." All this is authenti- 
 caled by P. Jacobs, who saw some of the relatives of 
 the old woman, from whom he heard the story. 
 
 It is not an object of much wonder, that the white 
 inhabitants in the immediate neighbourhoods of im- 
 mense uncultivated tracts of land, and who have long 
 experienced the barrier it presents to improvements, 
 should lament to tee it, and should ardently wish it 
 were otherwise. 
 
 But it will be obvious to every one who thinks on 
 the subject that, J. It is absolutely unjust to harrass 
 the Imlians from one part to another. '2. To remove 
 them from any spot against their wish, and without 
 their consent. 3. To contract for any tract of land 
 without allotting them a sufficient portion for their 
 use, on the same scale as the white man : viz. his 
 present ability to cultivate the whole is not to be con- 
 
107 
 
 sidered as the criterion, for neither has the white man 
 euch a capability at his first settlement — and some 
 should 1)0 left in reserve for his family. 4-. Tliey ought 
 to have a fair lemunerotion for all they pos.se6s, if 
 parted with, and according to its relative value. Land 
 is more valnab's in a cultivated country than in one 
 nearly wild. The Indians who parted with their land 
 in Maldon ouglu to have had a greater compensation 
 than those at Saugeeng, and so ought those at the Cre- 
 dit, should they part with theirs. It is the labour of 
 the settler whicli has imparted a value to the soil. 
 Thousands of acre^* in the far back wilderness would 
 not be worth owning until it is opened up and settled by 
 degrees, because it could not be made available for 
 the purposes of life. But a small part of this labour 
 has been performed by the Indian ; but he ought to 
 find an interest in that he has performed, and some 
 interest also in the change of things which the provi- 
 dence of God has brought about. 
 
 In full consideration of all the concessions T have 
 been disposed lo make, as above stated, still I think 
 the Indians, on many occasionss, have been injured and 
 op])ressed. I rejoice to say that in His Excellency 
 Sir John Colborne (now Lord Sealon) the Indians 
 had a firm and sincere friend. His Lordship was 
 always anxious to j)romote their temporal and spiri- 
 tual good by every means in his power. The same 
 t'l'stimony I most willingly bear concerning His Ex- 
 cellency Sir George Arthur. But although I can- 
 not believe these distinjiu'shed individuals would do 
 anything to injure those people, or that the British 
 Government would sanction any unjust encroach- 
 ments; yet at other times contracts have been made 
 with them of a most singular character. Some of 
 tliose have been made in favour of individuals, who 
 have by these nicans acquired large and fertile tracts 
 of land: and some in favour of tlie Government. 
 All that immense and rich portion of the country 
 from Niagara to the Western Distiict was ceded 
 to the Government, with the exception of a few 
 
 
 ■'i'* 
 
 •I 
 
 ■'"Yk 
 
 m 
 
 n 
 
 
108 
 
 I i 
 
 ii' 
 
 specified reserves, for the trifling sum of about £300, 
 to be paid in gooils. In my intercourse with the 
 Wyandota of Maldon, who were one of the contract- 
 ing tribes, I was shown a ccpy of the original docu- 
 ment signed by the British ofllcerts, and by the Iridian 
 chiefs. Several of the reserves themselves have since 
 been ceded by the tribes located on them without 
 the rt'servo of a single foot for their own use. Some 
 transactions which took place during the administra- 
 tion of His Excellency Sir Francis Bond Head were 
 of a very painful nature. His celebrated " Despatches" 
 which were printed by order of the House of 
 Assembly, contain statements utterly at variance with 
 fact. His project was to remove the Indiana) to the 
 ManatoHn Islands. He professes to sympathize with 
 them deeply ; and to wish to ameliorate their condi- 
 tion. He announces several diKSCoveries he has made 
 of the character and condition ol' the pco)de, which 
 lie hoped wcikl sanction the s^tep, and reconcile all 
 the humane to his scheme. The statements which he 
 makes, it will be necessary to examine. Some of 
 iheni here ; others will more properly belong to an- 
 other department of thcbo Researches. 
 
 Sir F, ?ny:s, " During my inspection tour of the 
 jMovince, T also vi^',led (with one O" two triflirg ex- 
 Ci»j>tions) the whole of the Indian ^ett'oments in Upper 
 Canada ; and in doing so, made it my duty to enter 
 every shanty or cottiioe, being desirous to judge, wiih 
 my own eyes, of the actual ^^ituation of that portion of 
 the Indian population which i,s undergoing the operation 
 of being civilized." 1 have else vi- here remarked upon 
 the miM-lr.t;Mncnt lieie n)ade, of visiting, " with one or 
 i'vo irifli?2(y cxceptioiis, the whole of the Indian settle- 
 merits," and " entering every shanty or cottage." I 
 believe, and 1 have good means of knowing, he never 
 entered the one-tcnih part of the Indian habitations. 
 ]3ut from hence he argne>t his knowledge of the Indian 
 character, and makes it the "data" ol'all his observa- 
 tionri. I cheerfully ascribe to Sir F. great abilities, and 
 quick disci^rnmoiitj but I contend, were iie ever so dc- 
 
 ii 
 
 i i 
 
109 
 
 •jrious of acquiring accurate information, he had not 
 sulTicient data to come to a just conclusion. Besides 
 this, he came to the consideration with his opinions 
 formed, and with hi.N scheme floating in his mind, to 
 which he caused every thing to bend. 
 
 From the accurate knowledge which Sir F. fancied 
 he had formed of the Indian character, he speaks 
 lightly of their improvements, and abilities to become 
 tarmera, which I shall consider more particularly in 
 another place ; and with the same comprehensive 
 glance he perceives the barren rockn of the thousund 
 islands of Lake Huron, were exactly suited to them, 
 and which, in his benevolence, he caused to be ceded 
 for their occupation. And how does this gentleman, 
 after a personal inspection, speak of those islands 1 
 *^ Although," says he, " formed of granite, they are co- 
 vered with various trees growing iu the interstices of 
 the rocks, and with several descriptions of berries, upon 
 which the Indians ket] ; the surrounding waters 
 abound in fish." Such spots he considers quite a 
 paradise for Indians, and t'lerefore speaks of it as a 
 place " possessing the double property of being admi- 
 rably adapted to them, (inasmuch as it afforda fishing, 
 hunting, bird-shooting and fruit,) and yet (n no way 
 adapted to the white population." Again when ad- 
 dressing the Indians in counatl, — " I consider from 
 their (the thousand islands) facilities they might bo 
 made a most desirable place of residence for many 
 Indians who wish to be civi'ized, as well as to be 
 totally separated from the whites ; and I now tell 
 you that your Great Father will withdraw his claim 
 to these islands, and allow them to be applied for 
 that purpose." He further states, '* this locality 
 being admirably adapted for supporting them, but] 
 not for white men." An absurdity appears on the 
 face of this scheme. If those islands arc not suited to 
 the civilized whites, how can they be suited to the 
 Indians approaching to that character, and how are 
 they calculated to promote their civilization ? Does 
 
 K 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 N 
 
no 
 
 r 1 • 
 
 ! 
 
 Ills Excellency de.'-ign tfie Indians to continue to live 
 on berries, and never to advance to the condition of the 
 white nrien ? 
 
 The Indians should certainly be ai? good judges wiiat 
 is suited to their state, at? the white rnan is to his. 
 And how dill they regird this matter? Were they 
 deligiited and ir;ti)xicaied with the idea of such a wide 
 range ; excellent fishing, and hunting; and the luxury 
 of feedii\g on berries 1 f speak advisediy when I say, 
 it produced universal ciisgnsf^ miinnuring DPd discon- 
 tent. But { will sponk more particularly of the people 
 with whom I at that time resided, (the Credit fn- 
 diaus.) The Credit being near to Toronto, I conse- 
 quently soon received copies^ of the IJispaic/ics. I met 
 with the Indians in council, to consider the matter. 
 The Rev. J. Stinson, the excellent and indefatigable 
 superintendent of the Indian JVIissiont^, and sincere, 
 friend of the Indians, being at that time on a Mission- 
 ary tour, 1 took the earliest opportutiity of sending liim 
 a copy of the documents, with a letter, from which I 
 will insert a levv extracts: 
 
 '••Dear Brother, — You will receive a copy of 
 certain documents on Indian affairs, which 1 send you, 
 thinking, perhaps, you might not, if you at all receive 
 them, receive them f-'o early, from any other quarter. 
 "It becomes my duty, at the request of the Indians, 
 in council asstmhUd, to write to you in reference to 
 these matters. You will readily perceive that various 
 of the statements made are incorrect; and above all, 
 that it is not the wisli of the Indians to remove. The 
 object they have in view in wishing me to write to 
 you is to request you to take the whole matter into your 
 re-consideration, and to adopt such measures as may 
 serve tiiem in their present circumstances. 
 
 *' If you will pardon me,, I would suggest the propri- 
 ety of a memorial being drawn up and signed by all 
 the missionaries, stating (tn- opinion of the civil, do- 
 mestic, and religious advantages they have received in 
 consequence of our attempts to civilize and christian- 
 ize them. In tliis I know we could be corroborated by 
 
 ' fif': 
 
of 
 
 111 
 
 hundreds of their white iieiu;!il)Ours. — An J 2iiLl!y. a 
 petition to bo drawn up, cojJieH to be written out, and 
 one sent to ea«di ol ihe mission fetutions lor the fi^nu- 
 ture of the Indians, expressive ofiho views of the In- 
 dians relative to the proposed change. Chief Sawyer 
 testifies that they are far more iiappy, in every res- 
 pect, since the niissiionarics cdUie among them, than 
 they wore before. ' Nt)\v,' says he, '- we raise our oun 
 corn, potatoes, wheat, Ike; we Imvc? oalile, and many 
 comlbrts, and conveniences. But if we go to Manee- 
 tooHn, we could not livx? ; soon we should be extinct 
 as a people ; we could rais>e no potatoes, corn, pork, or 
 beef; nothing vv(nild orovv hv putting the seed on the 
 smooth rock. We could p-'t very few of the birds the 
 Governor speaks of, and there are no deer to he had. 
 We have been bred anioufr ihe whit'> people, and our 
 children cannot live wiUiout bread, uii J other lhii;g>-, to 
 which they are now accustomed.' 
 
 *' Tiie Indi-ms have tlie gieauist reluctance to leave 
 their lands. — They wish to express the hi^sh esteem 
 they entertain for their late Father Sir John Colborne. 
 
 '* I have heard that the Indians in the State;^ are 
 leaguing togedier to rid themselves of the oppression 
 under which they groan ; and are determined to a man 
 to gain their object; or die. They havi sent deputations 
 over to Saugeeng, in oi'der to ncgociale settlements in 
 Canada. But on finding that the Governor had got 
 their lands, they said that the English were as bad as 
 the Americans, and that they would curry on a war of 
 extermination. They advise the Indians in Canada, 
 if they cannot join them, to be :^t;ill. Some of i;»cir 
 messengers have been here."' 
 
 I am, &,c. 
 
 IJr.NjAMi.v Slight. 
 "To the Rev. J. Stinson, Gen. Supermtendent," &c. 
 
 Mr. Stinson afterwards sent circulars to all the niis- 
 slonaries, containing cptestions, to which he desired 
 answers drawn from facts. The answers returned by 
 every missionary were higidy satisfactory, and were a 
 
 ^ \\ 
 
 ! >l 
 
 a 
 ■I 
 
112 
 
 M 
 
 
 cotni^letc refutation of the unfounded charges which 
 were preferred. 
 
 The contracts which Sir F. made with the Indians 
 fir various tracts of land require notice hero, as the 
 subject specially helong.s to this chapter, the wrongs of 
 the Indians. His Excellency all along flatters the 
 Colonial Olficc wilh the idea that on the part of the 
 Indians it was a willing, voiuniary act. But it is no- 
 torious this is incorrect. The entire opposite is the 
 truth. He infornis the Colonial Secretary, that he 
 had made a contract '< with the Moravian Indians for 
 the surrender of about six miles square of black rich 
 land, situated on the banks of the Tiiames Kiver, for 
 an annuity of JC150." Poor Tecumsch, (whose re- 
 mains repose within the compass,) was it for this he 
 fDiig'it, and bled, and expired ! However, as I am un- 
 acquainted with the circuu).staiice under which this 
 surrender was made, 1 pass it by. Perhaps the JC150 
 per annum may be more beneficial to them than a 
 vast tract of spare land which they could not cultivate. 
 But neither could they themselves sell it; and why 
 was not that done for them with their receiving a fair 
 proportion of the advantages. " The Sangeeng Indians 
 also voluntarily surrendered to me a million and a half 
 of acres of the very richest land in Upper Canada." 
 This surrender was made, I believe, without any re- 
 compense whatever. And as to the act having been 
 voluniarily performed, I feel myself obliged to con- 
 tradict the assertion. Tiue it is, they signed the trea- 
 ty, but very re'uctantly. They were influenced by 
 fear of olTending His Excellency. Their principal 
 ch\cf (^IVahwahnos/i) wai^ unacquainted with the act of 
 the rest ; and he resisted the measure to the utmost 
 of his ability, afer he became acquainted with it ; and 
 further, the whole of them are disgusted with the 
 transaction. 
 
 We have al; o an ar.connt of the surrender of lands 
 in Maiden, belonging to the Wyandots or Hurons. 
 The. following is His Excellency's account of the 
 transaction : " On proceeding to Amherstburgh, I as- 
 
113 
 
 landB 
 Irons, 
 the 
 II as« 
 
 eemblc'd the Huroiis, wlm occupy in tliat n igliLour- 
 \\ood a' liiiiitifiij-gi'ourHl u\ rirli hiiiJ, of .>•; x miles 
 
 B(|Uiiro, two 
 
 llufi 
 
 Is ol wIjicii llicv !iiinoii. cioil to inc. 
 
 on coniiitioM tKaf one ol' tlie saiii Uvo tliiriLs slioiiM be 
 Bokl, ami the |>ro(:ei':(ls tlieroor invested To tlu'ir bone- 
 ^h\A ti'ansaciion aro-'.' out of tircunifelaiicca 
 
 i> 
 
 (it 
 
 with which 1 ani well U'Ujuui leii, having iranj<,ircil 
 at the time wlien I was staliv»Med at A i.hersthurgh, 
 wherj I reguhirly j).'eacheil to them the j.',lad ti^hlli|,^^ of 
 salvation. I aUvay.s himentcd that llie Wya.dota 
 pos.sesfict] thoii-nmls ')fa«'re.s of so(ne (d' the r;clicst 
 lanld 111 the wliole provuu i', (uoro than they could 
 ever p.)S.-5ibly use themselves, and alwayis advised them 
 to agree to the sde oIhucIi a portion u.s reniamtd alter 
 a jiroper (pianl'Iy had been set apart lor themselves. 
 The while inliabitaids, a« was very niiiural to sii[);>o.^e 
 they would, full thin a icavy (Minimhrancr on the 
 improvement of the suii'oundina; couotry, ;nul fom- 
 plained g.ecordin^iy. So- John Colborne (now Lord 
 Soaton) was the.i Lieutenant Governor. The n.atter 
 having been referred t) him, he advisciJ then) as a 
 father. It is with f>iu;h .satirtractii)n I can say tliat ihe 
 whole conduct o\' this tiuly » xiellent nohlemun, ap- 
 pears to have proceeded from principle, and was 
 strictly upright. He ende ivoure.i to piomoti* the wel- 
 fare of the lnli:ins. Tl»e In lians tliere were p rlly 
 Roman Catholics, and parMy Aletiin i.>t.s. The Mc- 
 thodists, of which party was Chief Bro^vn, with War- 
 row, a Roman 
 
 Coith. 
 
 olic Chiot, were <li!-^p')sed to act in 
 accordance with his Loroship's advice. Hoi Snl.th)g, 
 a Roman Catholic Chief, who it is said n'-icil m ac- 
 cordance with the wi.shes of the Priest, relbst^d to com- 
 ply, and prevailed Uj)on the preafest part of tin; Roman 
 Catholics to oppose the overture. After every eHort 
 had proved itself to be unavaiial)le, a few of the white 
 inhabitants formed a scheme, which in t!ie end pr ved 
 successful. There were a n.nv Pagan Ochipwa? 
 (about twelve in numbjr,) living on the Re:«erve. 
 They had at their head a poor drunken, dissolute yenng 
 man as a chief; whom they engugrul in thjir scheme. 
 
 Hi 
 
 
114 
 
 r:v 
 
 I. ! 
 
 :■*,:• 
 
 It was briefly ns follows. They invented the theory 
 thai the Reecrvu belonged j«)intly to the lfiirui>',Oi-hip- 
 was, Pahtatu\atomie.s, and Olowas. They eoncoetcd a 
 petition to llic Guvemor, then Sir. W B. Head, signed 
 by ihirt j)oor intemperate young ni;in, in his name and 
 in the name of the other two nntions, in which they 
 asserted the above fiction, and tiial three fourths of 
 the |)roi)rietors were wilhng to sell out fticir |)ortion8 
 entirely ; and as the Iluron-i were u.iwilling to do so, 
 praying there might be a division made of the lands in 
 that proportion. To all this was added every oppro- 
 birous thing against the Wyandols that could be 
 scraped together. The j)oor Indiar.s were dis;rc8sed, 
 and knew not what to do, or where to find a friend. 
 They thought at first that I, as their minister, would not 
 like to engage in warfan^ f.igaiii!<t those v. bite people. 
 But knowing not where else to gain any helj), they 
 requested my assistance. Although it was no p'eatant 
 task to perform, yet I considered 1 was in duty bound 
 to render them all the aid in my power. I according- 
 ly met them in council, to obtain all the inronuation 
 on the subject 1 could, and embodied their whole 
 case in a petition to His Excellency. As it will cast 
 light on the transaction, and at the same tiivie furnish 
 some interesting circumstances respecting this people, 
 I shall insert the principal part of it. , 
 
 To our Great Falhtr, Sir F. B. Head. 
 
 pATMEn, — We, the undersigned, chiefs and war- 
 riors of the Wyandot Indians, residing in the town- 
 ship of Maiden, beg leave to addreiss you on the sub- 
 ject of the lands reserved for our nation, wh-ch !ia\e 
 lately, though we conceive unreasonably, become a 
 litigated mutter. 
 
 Father, we have been made acquainted with tlie 
 fact, that a meinoriTl has been presented to you res- 
 pecting claims purporting to be made by three other 
 tribes of Indians ; but, we possess such confidence in 
 you, that we believe you would never sutler such a 
 question to be settled without first hearing what we 
 had to say in our own behalf. 
 
115 
 
 ibeory 
 Orbip- 
 octcvi a 
 , signed 
 n.e and 
 ;h they 
 uiths of 
 portions 
 o do so, 
 lands in 
 ,' oppro- 
 Diild be 
 sircased, 
 \\ friend. 
 ouUl not 
 ? people, 
 l]), they 
 p'eaiant 
 ty bound 
 r cord in g- 
 bnijation 
 ir whole 
 will cast 
 furnish 
 people, 
 
 nd vvar- 
 le tovvn- 
 tbe sub- 
 ch iiave 
 eccinie a 
 
 with the 
 you res- 
 •ee other 
 dcnco in 
 r such a 
 hat we 
 
 And, Father, we /?;\v/ br>r leave to moke you aware 
 
 of a conviction of our minds, tliat the 
 
 petiti' n pre- 
 
 sented to you, signed by an Ocbipvva chief, and [lur 
 porting to be sigried by him also on behalf of two other 
 
 chiofs", never had the sanction of the rther Iw 
 
 ind 
 
 that we apprehend they are totally ignorar;l of the af- 
 fair; and that, in fact, we have a strong ()resumption 
 that the petition has originated with two or llnve jr.di - 
 viduals, not belongin*; to any Indian lrd>e wfiatrver. 
 We believe they have been provoked to lahe this step 
 in conse(|uenee of the oppositioa made I > the s^ale of 
 our spare lands by Split-log, our wai-chief. These 
 individuals have been justly ngi^rieved by our spare 
 lands lying u.seless ; and when the above-mentioned 
 indiviilual opjiosed their sale, they supposed, could 
 they make up a claim from the other tribes, a contract 
 might easily l/c ei.tered into with them ; for, as they 
 had nothing to lo.<o in the allair, any thirggained would 
 be aocejiluble. But we, who are connected with a 
 large majoiity of the nation, and who have included 
 in our number the only two hereditary chiefs belong- 
 ing to us, are, and have for a long time been, disposed 
 to enter into such a contract. 
 
 Father, we seconvlly wisli t > remind 5'<>u that the 
 mQmorial alluded to aim« at entirely invalidating our 
 claim to a right in these lands, but with a Hfeminu; ge- 
 nerosity proposes to allow us a fourth part thereof. 
 This seeming generosity of theirs carries a presumptive 
 hint of the entire unfairness of tlieir claim ; for, if 
 they could have made their claim good to the whole, 
 we lake it for granted, they would not have conceded 
 a part. '"■ 
 
 Father, we beg leave to support this assertion. This 
 we shall do — 1. From i\n' ])dHlon itself. It rests ita 
 demand upon a certain Treaty — in which, it appears, 
 a large tract of land, of which part belonged to the na- 
 tions in question, and part to ours, was, by one deed, 
 ceded to our fathers the British. The petition from 
 our opponents states that this Treaty was sigried by our 
 chiefs as well as by the chiefs of the other three tribes. 
 
 
 I I. 
 
 
IIG 
 
 «V«i 
 
 i\ 
 
 I 
 i 
 
 ; ) 
 
 1 1 i 
 
 = f ! 
 
 ■^ 
 
 ! ? 
 
 «; I 
 
 Now, if' they luid no j)ropL'rty in the hinils, why got 
 ihcni to sign tlio Trraly, iis ii i onti'iutiiig j)fii*ty ? ^Vhy 
 not trjifislitr it wiilmui ilicir coiKUiK'iue ? loi it A-eetuH 
 the hiHiiic^^ wns retiuJotl iiiitl tht'H coficunefice could 
 be ohtairicd. 
 
 Our o|>|)()ii('nts pny, the olhi r chiersi harcly allowed 
 us to live on this hind ; they Ikowige iiiruiii, tliougli 
 not in the potit.nn, that nt' unr a rorM|uered pccjjle, 
 und tlisil till' liMids wt'i'c tht»:r>< hy right of conqnoat. 
 AtUiCMiL'h our Milton vs;is tiiiuh xNn^lcd and dimiiilMht d 
 by tht; lont;; wars \v«» carricil on wlih tin' six nations, 
 (with whom the Oohi])un8 weiv n;'sociated,) yet tlit>e 
 lands wore never f»o lai \-. icyti'd from us u^ to cause U8 
 to lose tin; posisession ol'tlieiu,' And hei ce, when 
 the Treaty hefore rcliMrod to was n.nde, imr af^en's, iit 
 the niMlviiijj; and .>it!;Mi( j:' o' it. Iind t!;one hi-yoid the in- 
 structions dv liverci to ihein, 'l"lt«\ had ;i^net'd to sell 
 the whole tract ; hut a ch'erori'urs, nnjiicd Scnalnnot, 
 (or the Kl .ck Chicr,) tleclnred he >\onid not consent 
 to it. Aildres^^itg t!ie cliiels ol the other nations, he 
 Bai>l, " I and my people ilill'cr fi-ini yonis. When 
 you are hungry you take yonr pun, and pioeuri^ some 
 game ; or you launch your canoe u\h\ catch fish. I 
 and iiiy people have he(Mi nfcntomrd to planicorn; 
 and I must and will have a little land (or that purpose." 
 To carry all on anncahly t!ii> uas aji;rced upon. On 
 that occasion it was that ffie smccm h, so often referred 
 to, was delivered hy iMjichuawn, declaring his con- 
 currence in the measure. f 
 
 In this arran<iement the oilier three nations, as 
 
 • I bclipve llie wars riTcrrt d to i\etc prior to llirir settlement 
 on those lands — a circiiiiisfaine I al, lliil tiiii*' ovei looked. 
 
 f Thp Wyandols, on Scriuhrnols' intcrfcrriicr , resisted the ces- 
 sion of the whole of Ihi' huge liiicl ct hiiid lioiii JNi;;i;<nu \vc»l- 
 Avard. When he rhiirnril a rent r>< tor the ii ()^^ ii |iin|)o»cs, oi> 
 delivery of M:ichitnua's s|)<e(h, U »\Ha n;vnTd lo. Th.it .speech 
 was quoted by tho oppomrits of \hi; \^yaiidots, find made to 
 bear the sniise of his graritiiis; Ihem the privilege of residing 
 there. Whereas, Mnchuawu's meaning evideiiUy was, — As 
 Scaahmot refuses fu sign vvi;ho;:t a r( .Trve being made, let hii 
 request be graiUtd — wo mil coiisenl lo it. 
 
117 
 
 well as the Brilisli Government, concurreil j an«l it 
 was dourly uiuierstooil hy all |)artic-<, that thih sliuulJ 
 tie considored tho VVj-aruiot Reserve. This was not 
 g'-ajilift^ n privileirc^ lo prove vvhlcii it li:i!» liowo- 
 vcr often been quoted ; but otdy enterin)^ into nn ar- 
 rangement tlial the Treaty niiirlit be clVected. The 
 petition slatd* that tlic Ochi|»wa8 have resided on the 
 Re*.Mve from thiit time to this, fbiinerly in large nuuj- 
 bcjs, u!illl our Father t!ic latf" Covernor removed them : 
 8on\e lo St. CInir, and some to Muney. We do not 
 deny ihii. They had been accustomed to make 
 their own fues there liclore the arrangement Jutit 
 m;}nt,oncd, and our eliiet'aj were not willing to hinder 
 them from bo doing, so long as thoy condMcled them- 
 eelvcs peaceably. And the late Governor removed 
 them at lentrth, bocnunc they began to contend about 
 the proprietorship of a certain island, called Fighting 
 Island ; and becau.se he was well convinced that this 
 land was properly itiirii, of which we shall say 
 more shortly. The Governor said to them, ••• You 
 have plenty of other lauils ; tho Wyandots liave only 
 these \ therefore leave them in possession of f/uir own, 
 and lake po sestsion of your own. 
 
 Now, because such a Treuty was made by the four 
 niitions all together, for lands belonging to each nation, 
 and signed by all t'lc four parties, they pretend to say 
 that they have a right to three fourths of this Reserve. 
 But on the grounds of t!\is very Treaty we contend 
 they have no right to t uch them. They have iiad 
 lands, either then or since, assigned them in the 
 same ceded country. Either the Reserve we oc- 
 cupy is altogether ours ; or if they c'aim a right 
 to three fourths of tliis, then we also claim a right in 
 one fourth of the lands reserved in that portion of 
 the province for them. We care not which of these 
 methods are adopted. We are confident these things, 
 deliberately considered, will establish our claim, that 
 the land was originally ours, and that it was not taken 
 from us by conquest. 
 
 ^»'' 
 
 II 
 

 ■n 
 
 
 118 
 
 But, 2. We wish to esta]>rish slill more irrefraga- 
 bly our original riwlit in the land ; although \vc are 
 not aware that this is dtMibted by the other tribes of 
 Indinns themselvcji. They rest their claim solely on 
 the plea that it was coiKjuered from us j but this 
 plea is olTi^red without any proof ; and wiiat we 
 have to say of our origina! irgh\, will aUo tend to 
 answer that pleii. 
 
 1. An ancitnl tradilion, derived from an old while 
 mill: named Ilounes), captuPv'd by the Hurons when 
 a boy, and who lived ainonfi us until considerabiy 
 abovr; a iuiiubed years ol' ag?. It appears on his 
 testi.'Tiony, derived it seerus iVoni hi-i own knowledge, 
 and from wiiat he bad learned from others, that the 
 whole country on both sidesi of" the Detroit River, as 
 tar north east as Mackinaw, belonged to the liu- 
 ron.s. Indeed the Hurons appe'ii' to have been pow- 
 erful and numerous about (^uebee, until, by the 
 thanees of war witii the Irotpiois, they were driven 
 to these shores. It must have been about from a 
 liundred to a hundred and twenty years since Hounes 
 was .aken by the Huron,-'. 
 
 2. Lake Muion derives its nnme from the circum- 
 stance of our nation having once resided on its 
 shorey. " " ' ' ' " ■ ' "' -' 
 
 >i. Thei'e are many people about Sandwich who 
 possess leases from our nation, and we gave the 
 French Catholirs the land on which to build iheir 
 cljurch in the Tovvnshifi of SaiuUvich. The land 
 here mentioned, which is held iiy lease, was, we 
 believe, first given by our tribe l> Mr. Walker; and 
 by him lea-ed to the individvials referred to. And 
 others in the neighborhood of Andicrsthurgh ob- 
 tained binds of our people. The latter are the 
 lands lef'rred to in the Treaty, called ^' the Indian 
 ollieer^s land." 
 
 4'. The other tribes of Ijidians have, we believe, 
 at several times acknowledged our right, especially 
 our original right. 
 
 m 
 
 M 
 
 I 
 
 • -i 
 
119 
 
 e are 
 
 jes of 
 ly v^n 
 t this 
 at we 
 ;nd to 
 
 vvhite 
 
 when 
 lerably 
 on Ills 
 vletlge, 
 lial the 
 vei'i OS 
 le Hn- 
 n pow- 
 by the 
 5 driven 
 
 from a 
 Hounes 
 
 icircum- 
 on its 
 
 :h who 
 ive tho 
 lid iheir 
 ie land 
 lay, \yQ 
 pr; and 
 And 
 Igh ob- 
 lare the 
 Indian 
 
 |)clieve, 
 )ecially 
 
 5. The Treaty especially mentions the Reserve of 
 the Indians ; and although it does not menlion for 
 what tribe it was reserved yet in the minutes of 
 the council, in the speech of Egoirh-e-ouac, and in 
 that of Major Patrick Murray, it is said t!i»tinctly to be 
 for, and that it shall be tor the JHurons. Only that 
 speech mentions it being granted by the otiier na- 
 tions, whereas we have proviJ that it was only oc- 
 quiesced in ; and it is clem Major P. refers to the 
 adjustment then made when our chief demanded a re- 
 serve. There the torm granted means yiclditig to our 
 demand. 
 
 6. Our late Father, Sir John Colborne, expreFsed 
 himself fully convinced of the justice of our claim, 
 and a.*!sured us he would support it. A letter on 
 this su!)ject was sent to u\-i iliroui.;h the medium of 
 George Ironsides, Esquire. Indian Agent at Amhcrst- 
 burgh. ft \vas occasioned by a claim wli'oh was 
 made by our opponents to Fighting; Ishind. Our 
 Father, Sir John Colborne, then made that deci- 
 sion, and advi.n?d us to dispose of our ifjpare lands. 
 
 All this has actually led to a Treaty heUveen 
 ourselves and the Government ; and that, in faith of 
 this, and in the high confidence we have ever re- 
 posed in the honour of our Fathers the Lritisii Gov- 
 ernors, we have already proceeded to take steps 
 which have involved some of us in consideral'Ie ex- 
 penses, /nd it his been done on tho faith of a Trea- 
 ty with a Briii^ih Governor, for wliich li'» had the 
 sanction of our Great Father the King of the Drifish 
 Dominions; we supposed in iloing so we should be 
 perfecUy safe, and we do yet rely upon your fatherly 
 concurrence and sanction. 
 
 And still. Father, we beg leave to say, tiiat we are 
 happy in the protection of the fatherly care of the 
 Brilisii Government. We have observ(?d with pleasure 
 how mindful they have been to ap[>ropriale a home to 
 every branch of the various Indian trihes, who have put 
 themselves under tlieir protection ; md we see this is tha 
 only spot of land tiie Wyandots, or liurons, have had re- 
 
 Tl 
 
 it 
 li 
 
120 
 
 served for them in the whole Province, while the Ochip- 
 was, especially, have several ; and we cannot for a mo- 
 ment conceive that you will now leave us homeless and 
 friendless. We entertain confidence in you, that you 
 will be as mindful of u? as our former Fathers have 
 been of our brothers belonging to other tribes. 
 
 Father, we beg leave to say that notwithstanding all 
 our opponents have insinuated to the contrary, that we 
 entertain a sincere attachment and loyalty to the 
 British Government. It is true, that the greatest part 
 of the Wyandots are now subject to another state ; but 
 when they first built their wig-gncuums there, that 
 country also belonged to the British Government. We 
 can prove that we have been engaged in various ac- 
 tions and enterprizei-, in behalf of our Great Father the 
 King. And now, in times of peace, when it is no 
 longer necessary to brandish the tomahawk in defence 
 of his authority, we constantly join in prayers for the 
 happiness of our Great Father the King, and all who 
 govern under him ; an<l for the prosperity of the whole 
 realm. And we believe he will not abandon us, a part 
 of his Indian children. 
 
 Signed by the chiefs and warriors. 
 Witness: Benjamin Slight. 
 
 1 .- 
 
 ;' i 
 - I 
 
 ;■ 1 
 
 m 
 
 Another of their urongfi is their non-admittance to 
 the rank of citizens. 1 am tavourable to such an admit- 
 tance under due regulation.s. But I do not consider 
 the Indians, as a boily, qualified for such responsi- 
 bility. The majority of the oldest settled tribes may be *, 
 but the majority in some others, in my judgment, are 
 not. In the subsequent chapter \ have stated my views 
 of a plan to facilitate such an object. The Indians 
 would not judge so calmly as to qualify them to act as 
 jurors. I have stated my opinion of their character- 
 istics of ralnd to be sagacity, quickness and justness of 
 conclusion, where their premises are nght ; but 1 know 
 from observation, that they would often fail of seizii g 
 fact in any case before them ; they would be carried 
 away vvith prejudice and warmth of feeling. Oite of 
 
121 
 
 the respected Secretaries of tho Wcsleyan iVIissionary 
 Society, the Rev. John Beech^ni, in his Essay on Colo- 
 nization, laments their non-atlnriission to these rights. 
 But let it bd rememhered, that the <;!enr and strong 
 judgment of ♦hat distinguished gentleman cannot be 
 brought to bear on this que.<tion. He has only seen 
 two or three specimens of the cultivated Indians; and 
 had he seen and marked the daily procedures of 
 the tnass, no doubt he would hove c< ncluded other- 
 wise. Mr. B. remarks, " They are not el'gihle even 
 to sit upon 1 conmer's inquot, held upon the body of 
 one of their countrymen. A c;ise in point occurred so 
 late as last September (1838), at the village of Chris- 
 ttan Indians on the River Credit. An Indian died a 
 few days after he had received some blows from a 
 Frenchman, and the coroner was in consequence 
 sent for ; but he was unable to allow any of the Indians 
 to be put upon the jury." 1 was present at that in- 
 quest : the coroner allowing me to be there as a specta- 
 tor. I can testify that the kindest consideration was 
 paid by the respectable and well informed gentleman, 
 the coroner, to everything that w;js advanced ; and 
 every degree of pains was taken to come ; t the truth 
 The unfortunate deceased was the most worthless and 
 abandoned drunkard in the viUage, who could not be 
 brought into an attendance of the means of grace. 
 Nothing could be elicited to prove that the blows of 
 the French, nnn had caused his d«.'ath. Intemperance 
 was his foe ; he had become ince^^santly intoxicated, 
 and had lain out in the wet all nigiit. The medical 
 gentleman who was paid to attend on the Indians, 
 opened the body ; and in a conversation I had with 
 him afterwards. I learnt that there were no marks what- 
 ever of ir»jury from an external caust; — that disease 
 had commenced from intempetan«'e, and inllammation, 
 caused by exposure, had hurried him away. 
 
 As to ciril right^t.—Werc every householder to bo 
 admitted to town meetings, they would, as I have 
 known in other cases, bo easily svvajeil by intriguing 
 men, to the injury of the commun.ty. And although 
 
 L 
 
 s 
 
 
n.1 
 
 J.T.I 
 
 
 j 
 
 1= 
 
 1 
 
 i ': 
 
 ■V- 
 
 |1^ 
 
 they do not vole for to\vnshi|) rri;ulation.«, yet the taxes 
 imposed Tor thy siistcnfaliMn of improvements nre not 
 levieil up'on them. Tlir* rase of the coloured people ia 
 allogi.j as i;i point, who ;tro oiii^ibli; to purchase lands 
 witli n jTOvenujuMil title. But it should be remember- 
 ed, the coioiHVci |)Coj>ic c:in lioM no Inndt: but such na 
 they themselves p\!rch;ise. F am not aware, but the 
 Indians themMe!v<\s niii:;lit do so also. It is not the 
 case that the ( rovernmcnt entrusts the coloured people 
 with lands, as a gift. 'Were the Indians entrusted in- 
 discriminately v\Mi!i individual deaU of their lands, not 
 many weeks would j>ass bel'ore the majority of them 
 in Canada wouhl be siript of every foot of it, and be 
 t!>rovvn m a ^latc of dentitution on the charity of the 
 community. I should heartily rejoice to see the In- 
 dian;f in possession of tree litle.^. and of all the civil 
 rights of ciiizenrj;. were they equal to the rf'sponsd)ility ; 
 as the ibljowirsg chapter will testdy. liut I should fear 
 tiiis beini; <jrant.?d without due precaution. 
 
 i 
 
 M 
 
 ri 
 I 
 
 i. 
 
 ■i 
 
 ih 
 
 ! • 
 
 M 
 
1Q3 
 
 CHAPTEK Vlll, 
 
 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FUTURE IMPiiOVE- 
 JVJENT OF THE INDiAx\S, 
 
 It will probably be granted, from a coiii^ideiation of 
 the foregoing ubservaliotit, lliat ulready l!;e ]:idi;nis 
 havfi ill reality been much improved. Eut that tlicy 
 are susceptible of still farlher, nnd mucli greater iin- 
 provemeritrf, will be readily ndmiited by their best 
 friends. Various plaiiy to efl'ect so detiiaijlc a project 
 have bi-en suggested. I will enumerate a ilnv o{ l!lc'^c 
 plans. 
 
 The plan of the Government of the Uiiite I Stales 
 merits some altenlion. That Government has set apati 
 a large tract of country exclusively for the iudiaus, 
 forever, and to remove thither all tiie Indians of the 
 United Stales. Previous to 1S39, 9i)5050 had actu- 
 ally removed to tliat tract, it is situated \vest of tlie 
 State of Missouri, and the Tv^rritory of the Arkansas ; 
 of an average vvidili from ea>it to west of 'JOG miles, 
 and of the length from north to -iouth of about ()00 
 miles. The tract is raiher high and level. Tlie pod 
 is in general fertile. It is watered by numerous rivers;, 
 creeks, and rivulets. The atmospliere is t<aid to he 
 Balubrious. U contains much mineral coal, and i^alt 
 water, some lead, and some iron ore. 
 
 The tribes are to remain distinct, each occupy- 
 ing its own portion of the Territory, within certain de- 
 iiniie boundaries. Each tribe to govern itself accord- 
 ing to its own customs. The Ckodavi have adopted 
 
 
124 
 
 f ; 
 
 Mi 
 
 ;;:] ^ ' 
 
 a written constitution : which provides for a Legis- 
 lative Council, consisting oC three principal chiefs, 
 elected by the people for the term of four years ; and 
 thirty councillors, to be chosen annually by the peo- 
 ple. Many excellcni laws have been enacted, which 
 ire well executed. The introduction of ardent spirits 
 i. severely prohibited, and intemperance is now little 
 known among the Chociaws, The Cherokees are still 
 further advanced in civilization. Their Legislative 
 consists of Upper and Lower Houses, each of which 
 lias a President and a Secretary ; they nieet annually 
 in antumn ; find, by order of the principal chiefs, may 
 be convened ai any oiher time. Each district has 
 two Judi'os, and two Slierilfs. The Creeks^ likewise, 
 have a General Council, written lawe, Judges, Sheriffs, 
 and other olViceifcf. The other tribes are less civilized, 
 but tliey have all tome forms of internal government, 
 and they will be constantly stimulated to further im- 
 provement by the three principal tribes. There are 
 Agents from the United States, who exercise a super- 
 visory power. 
 
 It ia proposed to adopt a form of goverment for the 
 whole territory, in wiiich till the tribes shall be united 
 by a civil compact. The measure is desired by many 
 of the tribes ; aikd many of the natives are considered 
 capable of (illit)g resju)iisible oflices in the Government. 
 It has been thought to admit them into the Union as 
 a state. 
 
 The Cherokees, Choctaws, and Creeks, have adopt- 
 ed the habits of civilized men. They are agricul- 
 turists, manufacturers, mechanics, merchants, &c. 
 They own a great quantity of horses, horned cattle, 
 hogs, sheep j also, ploughs, and other implements of 
 liusbandry, as well as necessaries for carrying on 
 trades. They have griat-mills, saw-mills, &,c. 
 
 Thfy have made great progress in education. 
 They have several printing presses, and periodical and 
 other works are constantly issuing in their own several 
 tongues, and various articles from their own pens. 
 
 There are missions established in co-t'^exion with the 
 Presbyterian, Jiaptist, and Me'hodisi ^.iissionary Soci- 
 
 ..1 
 
 '^ 
 
 I ' 
 
 i 
 
 
 
125 
 
 cliL-s, jinil the (j'0>ij>ol lias uiailc coiit^uiera'ble jriprofcs 
 in th;it Territory. • 
 
 This plan uKiy he thou{!ht to be exiellcni, and in- 
 deed it has Its exccllt iicirs. But it is ohjcctioiialile in 
 several p.irticularfi. I. Thea" must he somo dojiiee vi 
 
 injustice HI e 
 
 italil 
 
 ishinw (hem in a cuiinlrv ahc; viv oc 
 
 (•u[)ied hy uthciri. !t \< ihc counlry of the Os-agc, 
 Sioux, (proii. Sooz.) Pawnees, Comnuehc s, Paneahp, 
 Arropohoesi, Assiriahoins, KeecarecH, YauKton!-^, Onui- 
 havNs, Blai-k-leet, Oltoe-, Crow-Indirm?', Sac?, roxe.". 
 
 I 
 
 ovvas. 
 
 1, Tl 
 
 ley propot^e to giv 
 
 e tlie 
 
 rn (juIv :tei 
 
 ef 
 
 or 
 
 acre. The country they are to leave bting cultivated, 
 and posse>sin«r many advantages ; and the one they are 
 to proceed to beinj'r wihi. 3. Neilh.er tjie quality of 
 the land, die apj)earance of the coi-ntry, or its fatiliiiei^. 
 are so ^ood as represented. 4. The Indians them- 
 iselves are much opposed to it. Tlie Semii.olcH and 
 Creeks have resisted, and have earned c;n a war, in 
 which great havock has been made amongf^t thcni. 
 The Wyandols of Ohio and Michigan sent agents to 
 inspect the country, and found it un.-uitable to thcju ; 
 and therefore decided not to remove, if poss^ible to avoid 
 it. However, since I have leartit, iVom haviji^ been 
 further ])res.sed hy the Governmetit, they have con- i ^^ 
 siented. 5. They will, ])erhfips, become hostile to each 
 other. At least there is a danger of thi^•, from so ma- 
 ny tribes being associated together on one Territory. 
 
 Th« 
 
 e various Jnues, m tueir .1 agan slate, are exceed- 
 ingly jealous of each other. Aggressions are irerpienl- 
 ly committed, and this has led to their numerouis and 
 desolating wars. And csTn in their more civilized 
 btate, they do not entirely loie the feeling. When 1 
 and others mentioned a bimilar plan, though on a smal- 
 ler scale, respecting the settlement of all the Canadian 
 fndians on the Saugooig Tract, I was informed by t!>e 
 Indians thennselves. this might prove fatal to its liar- 
 monious result. Thi-j, iiowever, might be obviated. 
 The Six Nations have been i^ettled together on the 
 Grand Kiver, and have been tolerably ^oclal witii each 
 oth; r. 0. I ilo not think it a desideratum to scparaie 
 he Indians from the whites. I a 
 
 rti 01 opmionj 
 
 in 
 
 I 
 1 
 
 .1 
 
 V.Z 
 
126 
 
 I 
 
 
 I I 
 
 I' 
 
 uliich, ul-o, a gn^nl many sensible people with wIjo/u 
 I have conversed, agree with nie, that it would be es- 
 senlially advar.iageous to Oo away all tlistinctions and 
 pef.ujiaritio!? Worn among the Indians. They ,.re mark- 
 ed as a peculiar people in their dress, esieciaily tht; 
 females — also in then' manners and customs. If all 
 such pecnliarilittj were laid aside, ihcy would much ea- 
 sier mix up with the rest of society, and probably be- 
 ron»e amalgamated. I am aware the bare introduction 
 of this term la hahle to give lar^'c offence in certain quar- 
 ters'. But, m>twithstanding diis, I mu-st avow that my 
 decided convictiorj is, tliat this will rvenliially be the 
 case, and also that it would he an advantageous cir- 
 cumstance. Such has been the case in past ages. The 
 present inhabitants of Kuropo, aye, and the Americans 
 too, are a»i amalgamation of the Northern hordes of 
 barbarians who once overrun the cont-nent, with the 
 ancient inhabiianti< of the countries. In all our Indian 
 (settlements there is a mixturi.' of the racc^, and the | ro- 
 eess Is now going on, not by illicit intercoiu'se, but by 
 lawful matrimony. 1 could point out various respecta- 
 ble families as instances. 
 
 His Excellency Sir F. B. Head, late Governor of 
 Upper Canada, proposed a schenje of taking all the Ca- 
 nadian Indians from their various settlements, and of 
 fixing tliLMn on the rucks of Lake Huron. I have ahea- 
 dy had occasion to notice his Despatches when speak- 
 ing of the wrongs of the India. is j and shall have further' 
 opportunity when I come to discuss the advantages 
 which have been conferred upon them by Christianity. 
 /kll I have to do with them here t.s to show that this 
 scheme for their improvement, is rather a scheme lo 
 retard that improvement, and to militate against their 
 interest. The object of it, 1 have no di)ubt, was to se- 
 cure their lands — of which some tribes, I confess, made 
 tooliltie use. But the object should have been to en- 
 spirii them to more diligence, and to facilitate them in 
 the attainment of a higher tone and character. 
 
 I have sometimes turned my attention to this sub- 
 ject ; and liiiik something more might be done for 
 b tterinn \hjir condition than las ever vet been at- 
 
127 
 
 tempted. 1 will here introduce an extract from the 
 answer! forwarded to the Government ([uestions be- 
 fore referred to. Part of Query 24^ is, " Can you of- 
 fer any suggestions for the imj)rovemeiit of the condi- 
 tion of the Indians?" The answer is, — "I am ol 
 opinion that all distinctive characteristics in drcsd, 
 manners, &c. ought to be done away. The migratory 
 habits of some tribes, their fondness for hunting and 
 making excursions, militate against their iniprovement : 
 as all tliese things hinder that attention — that steady 
 application to agricultural pursuits — so strictly neces- 
 sary to proficiency, and pievorit their children attend- 
 ing at the school. The more they are encouraged in 
 agricullurnl pursuits, tliey will become the more set- 
 tled : inasmuch as those pursuits require their constant 
 attention, their attcnlion will be engrossed thereby — 
 and the gradual experience of its benefits will be con- 
 stantly adJiiig a zest to thc-ir application. I have 
 known some Indian.^ at the Credit, who have pn^spered 
 by (arming, almost entirely lay aside hunting. Their 
 lack oiindividual proj>erty in their own lands, is a 
 great bar to their improvement. They have not that 
 inducement to dear lands, raise buildings, &,c. they 
 otlierwis.^ woulil have ; because, (as has been too fre- 
 (juenily the case) they ii;ight be taken from them. 
 Perhaps a jilan similar to the rollovving uiight be ad- 
 vantageous to the Indian*^, in prcmoling their improve- 
 ment. 
 
 I. All those tribes not judged !?uiTicieritly advanced 
 in civilization, (as may be the case with those living 
 remote lro(u the most thickly settled parts of the coud- 
 try,) to remain under tlie immediate care of the Go- 
 vernment, in a manner similar tu the preseril usage; 
 but with proper steps being adt>f)(cd to promote their 
 civilization by schools, and encouiigemenl being given 
 to agricultural pursuits. 
 
 II. When a tribe is sup|)osed to be advai:cing to a 
 sufficient capability of acting individually for them- 
 selves, lei all the privileges of the white people be 
 thrown open to them lor competition, under the ful- 
 lowing regulations: • 
 
128 
 
 I* 
 
 i 
 
 I. riiis caiiahilily to ho rcrotjniscil on tlieir oun 
 pclitioii. This jjctitiori, however, hh( uKI he rorfrineU 
 by the lesliinoiiy ol Mich persons livirg ainoritr thcin, 
 or arouiii.1 thetn, who may he ^upjioseil to he capable 
 ofjucJ^ing concerning the inoilor. The ability of ac- 
 (liiirina; 8uch a n.cnu)r!al would be llie caii.-e of Ihe pe- 
 tition being presented. 
 
 II. If the (jJoverninent decided in ihoir favour, liieii 
 tlie plan advisable to be pursuetl woulil be, to appoint 
 a B.)ard of Comn)isr5ibneis in each tribe. This J^oard 
 to have as their provir»ce the con-ideralion of all ii\di- 
 vidual cases In that tribe vvho elainicd their |)rivileges ; 
 and to report upon each, anil to recoaHnend each in<li- 
 vidual thouiflu worthy to the proper (Invcrtinirnt of- 
 ficer, to «i;rant to him a deed of his hind in fee simple. 
 'J'he individual to put in his claim to the Board, and to 
 Kupport hin (luulificution by the evidence of respectable 
 indiviiluaU. 
 
 3. The Hoard of Comntisv-ionersi to i onsibt ol the 
 lawful Chiefs of that tribe, and one or two other prin- 
 cipal persons in the tribe, elected by themselvc;* in 
 council ; and one more than an equal number of white 
 }>ersous, acquainted with the tribe, to he appointed by 
 Govennrient, The wliile membci>" to elect one of 
 their own number to be President of the Board. 
 
 Persons might be foutid who would sit at such a 
 Board once a month wilboui a salary. 
 
 N.B. That this Board aluayt* sit at the council-hou.>e 
 of the village, and not at any tavern. This regulation 
 is necessary to avoid bringing the Indians under tenipl- 
 alion to intemperance. 
 
 4. Tliat the deed so granted shall make ihe land as 
 much their own, as the laihl of any white proprietor 
 belongs to himself; with only this proviso, that lor 
 
 fori// years ensuing the propiietors shall not be enahird 
 to sell, or otherwise be deprived of it, without the con- 
 sent of the Board of Commissioners ; but that this 
 Board shall have the power of granting any f^uch per- 
 Fon the privilege of disposing of his lot, if the reasons 
 for his wishing to i\o so be satisfactory : suppose, tor 
 
 I'd 
 
 instance, any such j)erson s!.ould wi 
 
 di to enter into 
 
iMwriiii i 
 
 
 m 
 
 trade, to builil a mill, or to eiig;< ui uiiy aei project, 
 requiring capital. 
 
 An individual proprietory in their land ia nece»-.^(y 
 to promote their industry and enterprizo , and ' oa«»- 
 not SCO that nny thing else sUiriils elloctually us v »Mif- 
 rier to their julvancement." 
 
 This j)lan, when minutely inspected, would be 
 found to secure their privilege^, when necessary to be 
 granted. The number of \v«.ll disposed Indians, and 
 other persons desirous of ])r()nioting their prosperity, 
 who would b'' on the Hoard, would alwayrs secure a 
 thorough ami candid coiisideialion of their case. It 
 will also be found to embody every check against de- 
 i*igning men bwindlijig them out of their property. 
 IVovidcd the Indiana Uiight be duped and itrfluenced, 
 there would be a majority of white persons to turn the 
 Bcale, and IIkmu would alwayc; be in the number some 
 judicious and well dir»posed Indians to co operate w.th 
 them. 
 
 The foliovvin^r paragraph, concerning the distribution 
 of presents, annuities, and proceeds of tiie sales of spare 
 lands, follows tlie one aljove cpjoted : 
 
 *•■ They should be so distributed to them, as to pro- 
 mote their permanent advantage and elevation in so- 
 ('.'.cly. If a Board of Commissioners (as above stated) 
 were a|)pointed, they mi^hi be distributed to them un- 
 der their management. The objects to which they 
 might be applied are, — promoting the education of their 
 children j ))rocurin<r for them the knowledge of trades ; 
 settling them in business j or providing for any pres- 
 sing want of the parent or children. I thir.'', howe- 
 ver, the parents should not have the pioc.eds taken 
 from them without their consent ; and an equal distri- 
 butior. to every adult individual ought to be made with 
 a due reference to wido^v.s and orphans. When an 
 individual acquires the full conlroul of his own lands, 
 then he might have paid to him, without any farther 
 controul, his proper share of interest, or even principal 
 Itself — that he might, as in the case of the white man, 
 promote his own intercr-ts in life." 
 
 \\ 
 
 ii 
 
 if] 
 
 
130 
 
 
 Another mean of accelerating their jm prove nnent 
 woulJ lie, to estjiblish t'chciolri for ihe Instruction of the 
 childnin and youth. AIren<ly wo hove schools on 
 every mission station, vvliich have doiic much ^lod ; 
 but the tiling to which I now rder is, to estahjinh 
 schools of u si)|)enor order. Manual labour schools 
 would be oxceileutly adapted \o ilirir circum8tarice«. 
 The Jiov. and Venerable W. C'tU^Cj the ardetit patron 
 of Indian leairiing and iinprovenierU, and the father of 
 the Canadian ^Vcr^It•ya^ Indian IMisisions, has for noiue 
 time had a school of this nature urider Ins manage- 
 ment, nndor tho din^ction and patronage uf the W es- 
 leyan Missionary Society — vvliich has been productive 
 of much good. Fiut there iw still a de^^:deralum. There 
 should be .'i high Hi'liool, or college,, fur Indian students 
 exi'.hiHively, under al>le rnas'tcrs and profi'ssor!?, to pro- 
 mote thr^ir edncalion in the higher hranctio,'? of litera- 
 ture and science ; to which tlie most promising of the 
 youth.s from the common schools might !)e transhTicd, 
 to fii them for professions, and the higher wallsa oflile, 
 which uumy of them, I am persuaded, might adorn. 
 Such a co!leg*3 mij^jht bo located on .some ce/itral Re- 
 serve. A portion of ihose annuities to which 1 huve 
 referred, from each tribe, niighf, under the direction of 
 the Government Agent, be appropriated to it.^ sup- 
 port. Perhaps, a portiotj of their money could not be 
 belter, and to themselvef^ more advantageously, ex- 
 pended. Those who engage in tiaining the Indian, 
 Bhould understand something of his character. A 
 great degree of coercion would not succeed. He must 
 be brought forward by firmneKS, but that firmness must 
 be mildly exercised. Encouragement will do more 
 than kindnod.s. 
 
 }3y methods of this nature, the Indian would be gra- 
 dually and permanently advanced in the scale of civil 
 society ; his migratory habits, and fondness for roam- 
 ing, would be cured ; and an interesting class-of our 
 fellow men rescued from degradation. 
 
131 
 
 Chapter IX. 
 
 THE IMPRO\T.MENTS EFFECTED BY THE 
 INTRODLTCTJON OF CHRrSTlANITY. 
 
 At various periods offimo t!iere l^jnve been attemptu 
 ma<Je to introduce Christianity amofi{; tlio Indians', with 
 more or loss success. Tiie iiniTn.'S!* of Elliot, Matiew, 
 and Brainerd stand distingiiiplicd among their honefac- 
 tors. The puruf^al of the biography ol those worthy 
 nnd apostuhc men cannot tail to nlVonl pleasure to a 
 pion-'* tnirul. From liieso I will give only a lew par- 
 ticulars. 
 
 In New England, soon al'ter its settlement, cHVirts 
 were made to promulgate the (lospel among the abori- 
 gines of the country. In Ui4G, the jreneral Court of 
 Massachusetts passed an Act, to encouratre these mea- 
 suref*. Oil the recommendation of tl'ut Act, the mi- 
 nisters ast^cmblei' to consult on t!ie best means for their 
 conversion ; and Mr John Elliot, afterwordr!, from his 
 labour-* and success, called tiij Apostle of the Indiana. 
 was ch^^en to umlertake tlic first Mission. Many 
 were converted. The Indians built town?', and adopt- 
 ed a form of civil goverrmient recommended by him. 
 He cotujileted a translation of the Dible in the Indian 
 language in ltIG3, which was published. There were 
 two editions issued from the press. Towards meeting 
 the expenses of those editions, and of the missions 
 generally, the Hon. H. Bovle gave XT)00. Th(^ vene- 
 rable El'liot die-i ii! \'^9'). yf the age of 86. 
 
 J'' 
 
l\ u 
 
 
 5 I 
 
 ■.. •' *, » 
 
 132 
 
 \n the year 1650 the Facv, Thonios Atahevv rom- 
 menced hi.* labours on the islniul of Vlarlha-s Vine- 
 yard. The whole t^lana griiclually embraced Chrifl- 
 tianity ; and, after some time, adopted the English 
 manners and customs in the inanagenient of their va- 
 rious occupations. In 179-', there were wilhin the 
 jurisdiction of Massachuseils fourteen towns of praying 
 Indians, numbering 1100 individuals; and in New 
 England, a total of al)out 3997. After the death of 
 Thomas, his father, the f^overnor of IMartha's Vine- 
 yard, from deep concern for the Indians' welfare, and 
 peeing no [)robal)ility of a rejrular minister to succeed 
 his son, applied himself to the acquirement of the In- 
 dian language, and preached to them with success. 
 He laboured among tliem until the Olhl j'ear of his age. 
 His grandson, Mr. John Mahew, was associated with 
 him — who laboiu'cd aiuong them about sixteen years, 
 and died in 16S9. The Row l'^x)>erience Mahew, the 
 son of John, succeeiled him in the work, ano conti- 
 nued in it about thirty-two years. 
 
 In 1712, an unsuccessful mi.ssion was commenced 
 among the iVIohawks, by the Rev. Mr. Arulrews. In 
 173(), nijjety years after Elliot, the Rev. Messrs. John 
 and Charles Weslev went on a mission to Georsia, 
 with a view of evntigelizing the Cherokee Indians. In 
 I7't'4', eight years after the Wesleys, the pious, devo- 
 ted, and successful David l^rainerd was ordained a 
 Missionary. His lat)ours and fruit are well known. 
 Subsequently, Christianity was nearly destroyed from 
 among them. The revolutionary war, trgether with 
 wars among themselves, and t!ie vice of intoxication, 
 the;.- besetting sin, acted unfavourably lo their pros- 
 perity, > 
 
 In 1741h, the same year us Biauierd commenced hia 
 mission, the Moravians sent Missionaries to the North 
 American Indians in the colonies— which exiet to the 
 present day. In later years, other bodies ol Ctiristians 
 have sent missionaries to various tribes of Indians, in 
 different parts of the United States and Canada. But 
 I shall principally confine my remarks to the opera- 
 tions of the Rlethodists. ■ 
 
 
133 
 
 rom- 
 Vine- 
 Chrifi- 
 Ingflish 
 EMT va* - 
 in the 
 >raying 
 I New 
 ;nth of 
 
 Vine- 
 e, and 
 iicceed 
 ihe In- 
 uccess. 
 his age. 
 !cl with 
 1 years, 
 evv, the 
 i conti- 
 
 menced 
 vs. In 
 s. John 
 jeorgia, 
 p.y. In 
 8, devo- 
 iinf-d a 
 nown. 
 bd from 
 
 th 
 
 er \vi 
 
 i (ration, 
 ir ores- 
 
 ice 
 
 la 
 
 dh 
 North 
 It to the 
 iristians 
 in 
 . But 
 opcra- 
 
 a.iis, 
 
 tn 1816, the Method!, 4 f^piscopal Cliurcli in tlic 
 United States commenced their fust !n 'ian Mission 
 among ttie VVyandot^j ot" Sandusky, in the state of 
 Ohio. The honoured instrument emph^yed by God in 
 effecting this great, good work was John Stewart, a 
 man of colour. Having hirnseirexperii'nced true reli- 
 gion, he felt deeply impressed that it waa his duty to 
 call sinners to repentance. His mind was directed to- 
 wards the north-west. He set out accordingly, and 
 travelled through the untracked wilderness until he ar- 
 rived at Pipetown,on Sandusky river, the resuience cf 
 a trihe of the Delaware Jiidiiins. After having conti- 
 nued there a few day?-', he proceeded further toward 
 Upper Sandusky, to a settlement of the VVyandots, and 
 found a person named Jonathan Pointer, alwo a colour- 
 ed man, taken captive by the Indiana in his youiii, and 
 who spoke their language with facilily. Jonathan act- 
 ed as his interpreter. Stewart laboured on, and was 
 rendered a blessing: many were converteti. The Rev, 
 James B. Finley visited them in 1819, and in 1821 
 was appointed their missionary ; and in IS^I*, the num- 
 ber of the members of the church was 2()(). Some other 
 mis.-iions were subsequently formed and onrr'ed on by 
 tlie Methodists in the United States among the Creeks, 
 Cherokees, Pahtawatomies, Oneidas, Shawnees, and 
 other tribes. These labours have been attended with 
 great and growing eflccts. The Rev. Messrs. Lee and 
 others, have still more recently crossed the Rdcky 
 Mountains, and, with fair pro^^pects, have commencct' 
 amission in the Oregon territory. 
 
 A mission in connexion with the Church of England 
 at the Red River settlemem. was originated in 1820 at 
 the suggestion of the Rev. John West, chaplain of the 
 Hon. Hudson's Bay Company. Mr. West observes, 
 " There are a great many willows to be cut down, and 
 roots to remove, as an Indian chitf said to me, when 
 he welcomed me to the country, before the path will 
 be clear to walk in. The axe, however, is laid to the 
 root of the tree, in the establishment of schools, as the 
 means of instruction, and of ditTusing Christian know- 
 
 M 
 
 1'. 
 
 #• 
 
• .Vs*v- *■», -iV** 
 
 134. 
 
 
 
 f-tl-.r,';* ", ■ 
 
 letig<? in the moral wilderness ; and wc may triumph 
 in the hope that numbers will ari^e to enjoy what they 
 arc capable of fcclinj/, — the endearment of social life, 
 as well as of moral and of religious elevation." In a 
 subsequent letter he remark?, *' 1 must confess that I 
 am anxious to see the first little Christian church and 
 steeple of wood rising among the wilds, and to hear the 
 s»ound of the first sabbath bell whicli has tolled here 
 isinco the creation.'* This was afterwards accomplish- 
 ed, and he observes, "From the beginninc^ of Marcli 
 till about the middle of June, the congregation consist- 
 ed, on an average, of from TOO to 130 persons, and a 
 school of generally 40 or ')0 scholars, including some 
 Indian women married to Europeans* 
 
 The Methodist Missions among the Indians of Up- 
 per Canadi) were first regularly established by the Me- 
 thodisil Episcopal Church in the United States. The 
 first attempt was made among the Mohawks and the 
 Six Nations, settled on the Grand River, at whose head 
 was Colonel Brandt. In the year 1822, the Rev. Al- 
 vin Torry was appointed to the work, and the Reve- 
 rend and Venerable W. Case soon joined him. i 
 have heard Mr. Case state that he was present at the 
 conversion, among the Methodists, of the first Indian 
 in Upper Canada. Mr. Case has lived to see the 
 work assume such a degree of extent and stability, he 
 could never have previously anticipated ; and is still 
 zealously and uselully employed in promoting their 
 temporal and spiritual welfare. What an honour to be 
 a father iin Christ (o a distinct church, and race of 
 people ! An honoiir in competition for which a king 
 might cast away his crown, and a monarch descend 
 from his throne ! 
 
 In 1823, many of the Mohawks embraced religion. 
 Peter Jones, an Ochipwa, at that time residing there, 
 was converted soon afterwards. Some Ochipwns, 
 who usual! V lived about the shores of Lake Ontario, 
 between Toronto and Hamilton, and on the banks of 
 various rivers falling into it, occasionally visiting the 
 (irand River, were also converted, in the year 1825» 
 
 i'l.. 
 
 I- 
 
135 
 
 igion. 
 there, 
 pwas, 
 iitario, 
 nks of 
 ng the 
 1825- 
 
 . ll 
 
 Among iliese were Joseph Sawyer, tiie oUl tlntf c-f 
 the Credit Indians, his son David, and several oiIkms ; 
 who have been faithful inenibers of die chinch. 
 These afterwards with their tribe settled on the Kivcr 
 Credit, where a Misoionary was scliled with them, and 
 amongst whom the work of religion ^jpnud. 
 
 In 1821, the Rev. James B. Finley came over lo 
 the Wyandot Reserve in the Townsiiip of Maiden, 
 near Amherstburgh — preached a few liuies, and join- 
 ed some of the n;itives in society. They continued 
 together, receiving occasional visits from the prearhers 
 who happened to come in their way ; when, in ISol-, 
 the writer of these remarks was anpointtHl, in con- 
 nexion with the neiglihorhood, their n gular Mission- 
 ary. The writer found, with the exception of two or 
 three, that they had but little experimental relii^ion 
 among them, but most of them irnprovcu' in this l•t•^- 
 pect, and several died in the faith. 
 
 The missions at the CreJit, and at Muncey-town, 
 were commenced in 1825. Muncey-town is o.i il»e 
 River Thames, about 24" miles from the town of Lon- 
 don, and the Keserve is settled I ., Delavvores and 
 Ochipwas. 
 
 In March, 1825, the Indians about Belviile, nfter- 
 wards settled at Grape Island, and nov/ nt Alderville 
 on Rice Lake, were visited bv Mr Case, assisted bv F. 
 Jones and W. Beaver, as interpreters. John Sunday, 
 iiow a Missionary at Rice Lake, and Peter Jacobs, 
 now a Missionary in the Hudson Bay Territory, were 
 among the early converts, who since that time have 
 rendered themselves very useful. Their talents are 
 very superior, and they are very efficient speakers, es- 
 pecially when they addre>^s their own people in their 
 native language. 
 
 The Lake Simcoe Mission was commenced in 1827. 
 In 1828 a mission was commenced on the horders of 
 Rice Lake, Mud Lake ami Schoogog Lake. The Coid 
 Water and Saugeeng mis. ions were also cstablithed 
 soon after the last date. . , 
 
 I ' 
 
 %. 
 
i ! 
 
 I-' If.;;: 
 
 m . :'r 
 
 The Saugecngs, like mast of tlicir brt'tlircn, were uO 
 torly wild and Pagan. Tliey led a wandering life, be- 
 ing acquai tiled with neither letters, .'i^rriculture, nor the 
 arts of civiliz •(! life. They first lieard the name of 
 Jasiis Christ, Horn Thomas Magee and John Thomas, 
 tA'o native speakers, in \S'2S. When P. Jones viisitej 
 them in 1S23, they requested a school lor their chil- 
 dren ; after tliici they became so desirous to learn that 
 tiiey enijnired of all strangers, if they would teach 
 them. Thomas T3ig- Canoe said. ''- 1 have L-een to the 
 River Credit, and have learned some of the white 
 man's marks.'' The^e ho sketched as well as he was 
 able on the bark for the children to lenrn, A school- 
 teacher, with a native speaker, were sent to tiiem. 
 Afterwards Mr. T. {Iiirlburt wa;-. appointed teacher, 
 who was subsequently ordained tlieir missionary. In 
 1838, Wm. Ilei'kimer and John E liot, both natives, 
 were appointed, one as assistant missionary, and the 
 other as school-teacher, for which olTice he was well 
 (jualifie I, having studied at a seminary of high respecta- 
 bility i 1 the Uuiteil States. Now t'iie Indians at that 
 fetation can read and write ; attenil to the cultivation of 
 the'r land ; and, more than all, have embraced, ex- 
 j)jrlenceJ, and bring lorlh the fruits of Christianity. 
 
 In 1S32, a mission was cstablislied at St. Clair, 
 Ilia Excellency Sir John Colborne being anxious to 
 promote tlieir temporal and spiritual interests, af^plied 
 to the Wesleyan Missionary Committee in London for 
 a missionary for that place. The Ilev. Thomas Tur- 
 ii:?r was appointed, liis Excellency assisted ihem in 
 clearing their lantl. and in the erection of habitations. 
 Mr. Turner laboured two years among them with great 
 f lithfulaess and zeal ; and was the instrument of pre- 
 paring the way of the Gosj^el. Their habits of intoxi- 
 c3t!on were a great int])edimenl. The Rev. James 
 Evans succeedeil Mr. Turner, and after some time, the 
 seed sow.i l)y his predecessor and himself, sprung up, 
 
 and many WcM'o con 
 
 verted. The work of conversion 
 
 J 
 
 went 0.1 under jis succe.ssors, the Kev. J. Douse an<l 
 
 ,(■■ « 
 
137 
 
 the Rsv. W. Scott. This is now one of the most im- 
 portant an J eOicient missions? in CaiiaJa. la ihu year 
 ISti, un lerthe supM-inlenJanoe of Mr. Sco i, some of 
 the excellent exhoiior?? and pr.i3'-er-lca(lers of that sta- 
 tion visited a tril)e of Pagan Indians in Michigan 50 
 miles fi'o.Tj St.. Clair, who had expressed a desire to 
 liear the Gj^spal. By the labours! of these useful men, 
 they were so far convinced of ihe truth, as to renounce 
 their idols and medicine bags, and commenced ear- 
 nestly to seek the Loid : and sent an ear:iest request 
 taat the missionary would visit them. Mr. S. attended 
 to that request, instructed thcni in the doctrines and 
 duties of the Christian religion, and preached the first 
 sermon they had ever heard, from 1st Timothy, ii. .'i, 
 6. After continuing several days, explaining Chris- 
 tian duties, experience, and pirvilrges ; and j)raying 
 with and for them ; he receiv<^d into the church about 
 ."JO adults and 33 children. Mr. S. laid th 'ir case be- 
 fore the Michigan Conference, which resulted in the 
 establishment of a Mission and a school, and the ap- 
 pointment of a clever native teacher, as missionary 
 and superintendent of the school. This occurrence, it 
 is thought, will lead to the conversion of other tribes 
 situated in those parts. 
 
 In the year 1S39, under the patronage of the Hon. 
 the Hudson Bay Company, a mission was commenced 
 in their Territories : a vast tract of countrv, over which 
 there are roving a large body of Indians. The Rev. Jas. 
 Evans had made a tour very extensively in that r. giun 
 two years previously, in order to ascertain what open- 
 ings for the establishment of a mission would he pre- 
 sented, and received much encouragement fr.)m the 
 o.Ticers of the Hon. Company ; and which finaliy re- 
 sulted in their application to the Committee in London 
 for missionaries. In consequence of this application, 
 th? Rev. Messrs. James Evans, T. Hurlburt, and P. 
 Jacobs, were appointed as niissionaiies, and Mr. H. 
 Steinhaur a? schoolmaster and interpreter; together 
 with three young men from England. The Rev, 
 Me6:?rs W. Mason, G. Barnlev, and R. F. RunJle, 
 
 m2 
 
 I- \ 
 
IJW ' . 
 
 138 
 
 i/'.i- 
 
 from EnolanJ, were appointee] to the irrportaiit charge. 
 The niishionnrios iVoni C ghiiid arrived in JS-lO. God 
 has blessed the elVurt witli sueecss. A few ore truly 
 converted to God, and many are enlightened, and en- 
 quiring the way to Zion. i will give a ievv extracts 
 Iroin letters sent hy the inissiofiaries!. 
 
 The Rev. T- HuHburl, under date of '• Pie, North 
 ?:liorc o: hake Supej iur, Jan. 6tli, 1840,'' writes, '-The 
 prospects for nii.ssionary oj)eralionis throughciut the 
 whole of this extensive region are very goed. The 
 way is smoothed and prepared, t^o tliut tlie ir.ibsionory 
 need not undergo any special hardships; «nd a very 
 extensive des^ire prevaiij- for heaiing the Goi^pel, ^o 
 that the work of instruction may Le inimediidely en- 
 tered upon, witiu»ul the tedious process of combattir.;^ 
 deep-rooted prejudices. I have the nau.es of ihiriy 
 places^ where, I am informed upon good authority, 
 mi^t•sion^: might be immedialely conmiei.eed. The 
 hifge mountains of dan^^er, suflering, ;ind privation, us 
 seen through the m'.-5iis of distance, all vanish upon 
 near a[>proaeh ; the Hudson Bay Company ufibrdir.g 
 every a?^sistai,ce that could be devised. , ■ : 
 
 '•lietitnot be thought that this wi!derne.ss affords 
 no resources of enjoymefit — there are muiy. He/e 
 we lind many thiiigs that are new — some beautiful, 
 and others grand and sublnue. With a mind properly 
 const. tuted. ther.' are inexhaustible stores of enjoyment 
 and profit. Were I a geologist, I might run mad, and 
 break my neck under ^ome crag or precipice. A phi- 
 lologist here could open a rich vein, and f^pecuiate up- 
 on the formation and change of language, riow aflect- 
 ed by accidental circumstan( e;-i, and by country and 
 climate. Among other things might be mentioned, 
 besides, that uiiieh motit of all must interest the mis- 
 sionary — tie seeing a whole j)eople shaking off the 
 •slumbers of thousand.^ of years, and casting their idols 
 to the moles and bats." 
 
 Peter vlaeobi*, after expressing his confidence in tiie 
 God of .loshua, who caused the vsalls of Jericho to fall 
 down, gives some extracts from his journal : v 
 
.39 
 
 |.)ned, 
 mis- 
 the 
 iilols 
 
 rj the 
 10 fuU 
 
 *' 1839, Sept. 15. — Sunday nioi-ning, after hreaktast, 
 1 and the Interpreter of this phice, went up to the 
 Lake to see some of these Indians that were camped 
 ttiere ; and when we got there we went into a lar^e lent 
 to sit down ; tind after a few minute^ they gave ua 
 Rome rice to eat. After tliis I t!;ave the chief some 
 tobacco, and when they began tu smoke their pipe, ! 
 be^an to talk with them as I sat down, and toid them 
 how God made men and woinen at first, and told them 
 to be very good and keep his words whatever he said 
 to them ; but they did not keep his words good, they 
 disobeyed hi^ words, and by so doing they sinned, 6cc. 
 &.C. Then God promised them his Son, Miat should 
 die for them, &c. From these two persons all the na- 
 tions of this world spring ; ai\d thus there is but one God 
 that made all men, and all things of this vNorid. And 
 after a long time v^e people get t^o very wicked that 
 God destroyed all of them by v. ater, aiu\ only saved 
 Noah and his family ; and from these again sprung all 
 the families of t!)e earth. And after a long time (iod 
 gave a law by Moses to the children of Israel, and this 
 law is now written in this book, which 1 have in my 
 hand now, called the Holy Bd)le. This is what haa 
 made the white man so wise and good, and powerful 
 and rich. But God did more than this for the peojtle 
 of this vvur'd, for he gave Ihem his only Son to teacli 
 them the right way to serve God, and he teach them 
 the way to lieaven. When all break his law and n.ust 
 die forever, then He die on the cross in mari''s stead 
 f jr all men, and say, that ' Whosoever believel'h in 
 him should not perish, but have everlasting life,' kc. 
 And that if you the chief, aid your young nien. 
 would serve God in the way that his Son had told us 
 to serve him, you may all be wise and good and happy 
 like the good white man. You will be happy in this 
 life, but much more haj>py in the wo»'d to come, &c. 
 &c. After I had got done, the chief said, ' I believe 
 all you say about this God to be such as you spoke of 
 him ; and it is the same (!od that 1 and my family and 
 and all my young men have been serving for this* few 
 
1 'i' 
 
 V' 
 
 uo • 
 
 years. And I am very glad to hear you speak of this 
 God, for 1 know that thcro is do other God on earth or 
 in all the world, but the God that you serve — the God 
 of heaven. I am determined to pervc the fianie God, 
 (in his w;\y,) but I must not speiik nnioh of thid God 
 today, for my camp is not very clear; to tjicak much of 
 this rl>?an God. But if you vvImIi to gee the way \ 
 worship thisgreiit God, you can come, (on the ISth of 
 thicj month.) I have to nay that it is believed by all 
 the Indians that this man will be the Hrst one that will 
 embrace the Christian religion. What 1 have seen 
 and heard oflhis Uian, 1 should call him half a Chris- 
 tian, for he knows the {lature of the true God better 
 than good many of the other Indians, and he also 
 thinks that tlie dead do go to heaven, (the good.)' 
 
 Wednesday the iSth, lie de-cribesi the worship the 
 chief refers to above. The tt^mple was 60 leet long, 
 and 30 feet wide, made of bark, ail painted of many 
 colours. 'J'here were aVtout SO men and women pre- 
 sent, and they had eight drums and other metic ; and 
 when they drum and sing, all the men and women 
 dance. Before they begin, the iMed-di, or conjurers, 
 deliver !*peeches, a'jout the true God, or other gods. 
 Afterwards they feast all day. The chief faid, "I 
 wi ] at thi« time take the drum, to drum, to ting, or to 
 pray ; but I begin to look at one side ; I see the mis- 
 sionarie;! are come to tell us of another way of wor- 
 shiping the Great Spirit. 1 therefore will tell you, 
 my brothers, that I know not l)ut this will be the last 
 time of joining with you in this way of worshipping, 
 for I think a great deal of what they say to me ; but 
 ] do not say 1 am become a Chri^i-tian, but only I think 
 about it." 
 
 Mr. Evans was stationed at Norway-house ; but not 
 having arrived from Canada, whither, after his tour, 
 lie had returned for his family, Mr. Rundle, who was 
 stationed at Edmonton, near the Kocky Mountain!', 
 olTtciated for him until his arrival. There have been 
 communications from Mr. R. published, from which 
 T. extract a few particulars : .• 
 
 ^i t^ 
 
Ul 
 
 lis- 
 or- 
 
 ou, 
 
 ng, 
 
 tut 
 
 ink 
 
 ■" -I s 
 
 Ken 
 
 '' SiHulav, Jan. ll. — I aJdresacd the Indians lor the 
 first time tlaougli the inediiin. of an inlerpieter. Great 
 was the attention they manire:5ted, whilst I unfolded 
 to them the plan of redeeming love. Ahout lOu In- 
 dians and half-cast-s were |)iesont. After the wer- 
 vice, i bapti>ed a native infant which was sirk, and 
 whose father told nie, that he was very desirious'of bo- 
 injr instructed in the ( hri.stian religion. In the even- 
 ing I went witn the Interpreter across the river, to meet 
 the Indians in their own village. I believe nearly 
 every grown-up person in the place was present ; and 
 I think their attention exceeded that in the al'ternoon. 
 I spoke to them more lully on the nature of salvation ; 
 and never shall I forget the events of that evening. — 
 After service throe adult candidates presented them- 
 selve:* for baptism. J3ut as I wished them to .be far- 
 ther instructed in the things of God, I declined com- 
 plying with their request for a season, 
 
 *• June 28. — Three adults j)resented themselves for 
 baptism ; but as I wished first to examine them pri- 
 vately, and to make them better acquainted with the 
 nature and die design of this sacrament, 1 deterred its 
 administration until some future period. 
 
 ** July 2. — I met today with some Indians belonging 
 to Nelson River, one of the stations belonging to this 
 district. They were delighted at the thouglits of my 
 visiting them. But how can I visit them ? Cumber- 
 land attracts one way, and Nelson JRiver the other. 
 ' The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are 
 few.' 
 
 *' 16. — Today, an ohJ Indian, n;imed Wirch-e-crn, 
 about seventy five-years of age, called on me, to be 
 instructed in the Christian religion. 1 found on con- 
 versing with him, that he had been wrought upon by 
 the Spirit of God, the first time I visited the village." 
 
 17. — He relates the particulars of a very interest- 
 ing meeting. The people were very much ailected. 
 One woman in particular wept. She said that her 
 distress had been so great of late, as to prevent her 
 
 1 \ v;.:;' 
 
 Id) 
 
U2 
 
 i : .fv'.-' 
 
 ! . fl 
 
 taking rest by night, unless when her fancy brought be- 
 fore lier view a Bible, on which she rested her eyes, 
 antl so Hoothed her ternpcst-tossed 5«pirit. She soon 
 aCterwardfl found nierc\, and was b;i[)tised by the nan'.e 
 of Flora Wesley. 
 
 *' Sunday, 19lh. — Wliat a monnorable day has this 
 been ! ' Surely the Lord is with nie! This morning 1 
 preached at the. Fori, on "the new and living way." 
 in the afternoon and eveninu, \ held Indian services, 
 and particularly addressed tbe seekere! of salvation. In 
 the evening we had a most interesting service. T 
 thought several present were affected ; bnd I invited 
 those that were so to come forward, in order that I 
 might give them some advice. Imnjediately eight per- 
 sona came near me ; and their expressions of peniten- 
 tial sorrow reminded me forcibly of bygone days in 
 England. Shortly after, the number of penitents was 
 increased to twelve. 1 talked with them about the 
 great love and power of Christ, and exhorted them all 
 to come to Him to be saved. Surely the wilderness is 
 blossoming like the rose ! 
 
 " 21st. — The penitents thi.s evening presented a most 
 interes?ting group. Little did I imagine, whilst crossing 
 the Atlantic in April last, that I should be called upon 
 to address a group of penitents in the ' wilderness of 
 the far west,' before the termination of July. 
 
 " 24th. — Among the penitents tonight, I cbiCrved 
 an old man of about seventy-five ; another man about 
 forty ; and a young man about twelve. Thus the Gos- 
 pel triumphs. 
 
 "August 9th. — This mission is increasing in inter- 
 e.st. The Indians now come from a distance to hear 
 the word of life. 
 
 '•' 17th. — Mr. Evans has arrived. I have already 
 traversed upwards of three thousand miles of the Ame- 
 rican continent, and I have now a journey of about 
 one thousand to perform before J reach Edmonton- 
 House. This mission is daily increasing in interest 
 and importance." 
 
 '.\-; 
 
 ; 
 
 
143 
 
 Under (late of Moose Factory, August 2 kh, ISiO, 
 Mr. Barnley gives sorno interesting particuiara con- 
 cerning liis jouriiios, services with the ln«hans, and hiii 
 mode ol' teaching. The IndiaiiH were deeply interest- 
 ed, and many of them seriously impressed. Mr. fJ. 
 had established an interesting Hchcol. 
 
 The Rev. James Evans haH travelled extensively, 
 and viHited many parts of the extensive Territory. He 
 has constructed a syllabic alphabet, made a foimt of 
 Indian type, and a prews, and printed a conaiderable 
 portion of sheets. 
 
 There is oi.e singular fact, which 'Uiglit to be noticed, 
 viz : it appears that the Indians in every part of Nortii 
 America, are willing and anxious lo receive the Gos- 
 pel. This Macedonian cry is a sure indication of 
 Divine Providence that it is our duty to visit them — 
 that they have a first claim upon our attention. I have 
 already made some remarks on the means by which 
 the Gospel spreads from one tribe to another, when de- 
 scribing the wampum. Every intelligent observer muFt 
 he riMnarkably struck with t!)c concurrence of Divine 
 Providence in missionary enterprise. And if mdeed it 
 ts a work in accordance with the will of God, we may 
 expect his providence will v^ork with his grace. Nu- 
 merous instances will immediately occur to ilie read- 
 er's niind, in connection with every effort of this kind, 
 in every part of the world. Such interferences of Pro- 
 vidence cannot fail to be pleasing and consolatory lo 
 all who wish the prosperity of Zion, and the eidarge- 
 ment of her borders. Other intcn sting instances f 
 will insert here. 
 
 When Mr. Walker was, with somf? other Indians, 
 on a tour as a deputation from the Wyandots at San- 
 dusky, to inspect the Indian Territory, he called, on 
 business, at St. I^ouis, upon General Clarke, Superin- 
 tendent of Indian AlTairs. General Clarke informed 
 him that four chiefs from the Flat-Head Nation had 
 visited him from the west of the Rocky Mountains — 
 who had proceeded thiiher on foot, a distance of three 
 thousand miles, to enquire concerning the Christian 
 
 I' 
 
u 
 
 i : :,:.■ 
 
 144 
 
 religion. It a|ipr>areil iliai some wlutc man had pene- 
 trated into t)\eir C('Uiitry, and hnpponod to be a ssjxjcta- 
 tor at one ol' their n-ligiousi ceremonies, vvhirh they 
 scrupulously perConn at Htate«l periods'. He informed 
 them that their riifHle ol' norshipping the Supreme Be- 
 ing was radically wrong, and wa<> displeasing to him. 
 He further inlbrnH d them (hat the white people^ who 
 lived lowanls the rismcr of the sun, hoH been put in 
 possession of the true mode of perforn»ing i'. Thjitttey 
 had Ji hook conlaininji directiot.s how to conduct them- 
 selves in order to enjoy his favour ; and with this guide 
 no one need go ustray, hut that, following these direc- 
 tions, would enjoy hi« favour in this life, and after 
 death would he received into the country where the 
 Great Spirit resides, and live with him forever. 
 
 Upon receivint; this information, liiey ealled a na- 
 tional council, to take this object into consideration. 
 Some said, if this be true, it is high time we were put 
 into possession of this mode; and if our mode of wor- 
 shipping be wroiijj:, it is time we laid it aside. We must 
 know something more about this: it is a matter that 
 cannot be put oft", the sooner we know it the better. 
 They accordingly sent to General Clarke to enquire of 
 him, having no doubt he would tell them the whole 
 truth about it. General Clarke informed them, the 
 white man had told them the truth — related to them 
 the history of man, and of redemption — and explained 
 to them the moral ])recepts contained in the Bible— 
 and that Christ would judge the world at the last day. 
 Two of these chiefs died at St. Louis ; and the le- 
 maining two, though somewhat indisposed, pet out 
 for their native land. Whether they reached home 
 or n< t, is not known. 
 
 Intelligence of our misBlonary operatic ns spreads in 
 this manner, and excites in the breasts of the hearers 
 desires to become acquainted with Christianity. While 
 the Rev. G. Marsden was on a visit to the Credit 
 mission, an occurrence took place of a somewhat sin- 
 gidar character. Mr. M. thus describes the incident,* 
 
 ♦ Wcsleyan Melhoilist Magazine, 18S4. p. 136. 
 
145 
 
 pcnc- 
 l»<3Cta- 
 
 I th*'y 
 ormed 
 ^^i Bc- 
 ) him. 
 ^ who 
 put in 
 {itU.ey 
 
 ihem- 
 s guide 
 ' direc- 
 
 II after 
 :Te the 
 
 a na- 
 rration, 
 ere put 
 of vvor- 
 le must 
 ier that 
 better, 
 juire of 
 who'e 
 m, the 
 them 
 lained 
 ible— 
 St ilay. 
 he le- 
 et out 
 home 
 
 ;ad8 in 
 learera 
 iWhile 
 ICredit 
 it sin- 
 Ident.* 
 
 ) 
 
 ''^ On Saturday im>rriin;5 Mr. Stinxun and I were wnk- 
 ing throui^h the villi)ge, and we saw a oomiiany of 
 Indiana ju.it iivmntifijr on horseback. Their chief, ra- 
 ther in age 1 persoii, waw curiously dres't(ed--hoving 
 round hi-^ head what .tpptared to he a rmi of s IvfM, 
 ^iirniojriied i>y feathers, and ^orne leathers' iinnyinii 
 down his hack. O.i his breast was a eilver phitc or 
 n:edal, and many feathers round it ; the rihcr parts ol 
 Wis (IreiH coiupietely Indian. Several Indiana, nuile 
 and teiualr, on hor-ebaek, accompanied him. One 
 youn|» woman, apparently aboui seveitieen year>? ol 
 age, ol nn open jioud eouniennnce, was sjlill on foot, 
 but going to mount, on hor.sebark ; and though 1 thought 
 it very douhtlid wiiether she u'ouhl und»'r?-tand any 
 thin^jofthe Eng'i.-jh langmge, 1 went to her, and en 
 ipiired who the piuMy of fndians wore who were leav- 
 ing the viiJ.Tge. To my surprise, she spoke in good 
 iwigliah — lijat ib.ey ha. I been to the (Governor at York, 
 (Toronto.) expeciing to receive dome presents; but 
 from some cf:use, (I think it was the absence of the 
 ai^ent,) they lin.l been ilisappoinied, and were returjijng 
 to their own ?ribe ; lh;'t having hoard of the Credit 
 village, they wfre desirous of yttemg it, and for thai 
 purpose had returned that way. She then saiJ, *hat. 
 on the piecoding evening, she had been at the meeting 
 at the chapel, and was desirouH to attend the meeting 
 which wan to be held thisi morning ; but the party 
 would not wait for her. ( then asked her if she could 
 read; to which she answered in the alTumative; and 
 liaving a few tracts with me, \ gave her some of them : 
 which she received with pleasure, promising that they 
 should be read to hf.r peo[)le ; and she then pursued 
 her journey." 
 
 A pleasing incident of this nature occur.red while \ 
 was at the Credit, it is narrated in my journal as fol- 
 lows: — "Dec. 2(5, 1836. The Credit mih'sion is in 
 some degree u ceiitre of attraction ; and Indiana from a 
 distance come hero to enquire concerning the Christian 
 religion. There have just left us /i?'e pagan Indians, 
 vvUo have travelled hither on loot from Natawasauga 
 
 v» 
 
 u 
 
 n-- 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 > I 
 
 1 1 
 
 1 1 
 
 flay, a dir-'limco of more th;in ono luimlred mile?, uiili 
 this special object in vic\v ; rind alf^o, in hope ol' pro- 
 furinti; a few iittle lj(>oiv>«, o-pecinlly an ItiJinn hymn- 
 book, a IImv :<late , and pencils. Thc?e Indians ha«l 
 lormerly, from an Indian trader who vis^ilcd their coun- 
 try, learned to read a little, and to write on t^intes. 
 A boot two years ago they uridert; ok a journey to C .Id- 
 watcr, in hope ol fi'Mlmt; a mis>:ionriry. iVoin whom 
 they miglit -rcl some instriielion ; but, untortunately, at 
 that time there was not one there. The Christian In- 
 dians at that place tani»ht them to sing our hymns, and 
 to pray to the Gi'eal S|)irit, These thi gs tliev hove 
 practised rrorn that lime amopg themselve-!, To my 
 surprise, they could .sinn almost every hymn in the In- 
 dian hymn-bo( k ; nnt] when I and my interpreter 
 were praying with them before their departure, one of 
 them also prayed vciy tUier.tly. I spent many hourti 
 in giving them in^truetion. I ar^ked them if they knew 
 the Great Book, or any ihinjr of the Great Spirit ; and 
 it' they ever prayed to him. They J*aid they did not 
 know tiie (rreat JJook ; they prayed a little to the Gre;it 
 Spirit, but had no one to teach them ; and thnt their 
 object in coming to the Credit was to learn these thing*", 
 T introiiuced a fimily bib!e in4to ; they viewed it wit!\ 
 great vener.itjon ; and .Mrs. Slight taking 't on her lap, 
 they surrounded her on their knees. \l\'^. S. showed 
 them the word ' God,' and told them that was the 
 name of tfie (rreat Spirit, in our langurig'N Diey ap- 
 peared pleased with it, and qui( kly turned over the 
 pnges, and pointed out t'le word wherever it oreurred, 
 with the remark, ' God agairt.' 'I'l^«\y '■tn'med never 
 tired witU listen 12, and bestowed the ir ost infen-e at- 
 tention for hourr! together, asking varioui? questions on 
 subjects conceridng which they vvished 'o enquire. 
 Among other enquiries, they seemed anxious to know 
 what the Indiani« prav for — how pviblic worship is con- 
 dut-'e I — .'ind what frst^prd meanL I endeavoured to 
 satisfy tbem oti the:-e points, and toUl them we should 
 have worship in a day or two. The Hrst opportunity 
 fi>r attending Divmo worship uas on Cbn^tmas-tlay. 
 
 I i 
 
miie?, witli 
 I ope of pro- 
 idinn hynm- 
 indinn:^ had 
 I their coun- 
 ) on t^Ir.tes. 
 loy to C'lKi- 
 from whom 
 •rtuiiiilcl}'. at 
 1'hrist.ian In- 
 ■ hymns, and 
 Tfi lliev linve 
 ■en, To my 
 n in the In- 
 )' interpreter 
 irUii'C, oiiC of 
 many hourd 
 if they knew 
 t Spirit ; and 
 they dill not 
 ; to the Gre;it 
 nd thrt tlieir 
 thcs" thing", 
 ie'.ved it wit!\ 
 on her lap, 
 S. showed 
 fit was tb.e 
 They np- 
 nod over the 
 it ornirred, 
 eiiied never 
 t inten«-c at- 
 \iestion!* on 
 'o encpiire. 
 ous to kntiw 
 ">r!-hip is con- 
 leavonred to 
 m we shouK) 
 I opportunity 
 in^lmas-day. 
 
 » 
 
 m 
 
 1 had tohJ them it was the day set apart in memory of 
 the hirih of Je.sus CMuTit. They were all present, i'w 
 the lirst time they had ever seen wurslnp regularly con- 
 ducted by a Chiisiiaii minister. At parliig. wo gave 
 them what hule hookr^ we ha.l in Oehipwa, with a few 
 slates and penci's. They expressed jT|-eat ihankluhicss 
 for the.s3 piesent'v and for the instruction they had re- 
 ceived; aiid were very ^.-rry at liavm!^ to leave us. 
 They said, ' We g;o av^ay, and see no more misi-ion- 
 ary ;' adding, ' We <o;i!t^ again and see n.ioMionary.' '' 
 In J\;bruaiy, ISH, when we h:id removed to 
 Guelph.an Indian whom 1 did not reeoiinize called up- 
 on us, to sell some haskels. He appeared to recog- 
 nize us, smiled and ^'alll, "• Vou leiuember me ] '' — 
 " CleJit." (lie invarial)ly pionounccd the / lor /".) 
 lie was one ol" ihe abovenu'iiijoned piiiiy. ^\ lien \ni' 
 und(?rblood wlio he wa.s he i;eemfil hiirhly pleased. 
 When a^ked oy Mrs. Siigiit, •' Do you still pray to ihe 
 Great S()',ril ('^ he replied, »• 0:i, yes— me pleach."' 
 '• Indeed I how lon^f is it sine;: vcui heiran to prt»ach ?" 
 " Four years/' ^' Wiiy. tl.cn, you began hoon after 
 you iell till' Ciedit.''' Tiie poor ^imple-heaited crea- 
 tures lollovvt'd the gootl way as far as they knew it, 
 and as soon as they knew it ; and diligently communi- 
 cated all they had learnt to tijeu" brethren. He further 
 told us, — " We [)'ayer-meelings in can»p — lM;imossa," 
 (an adjoining township, where thev had jucamped for 
 the purpose of making and selling baskets.) Then 
 holding u|j his fingers, he touched each with the fore- 
 finger of his other luiud, and said, ''Monday nigtil 
 player-meeting;" and proeeetled through ihe days of 
 the week, until he came lo Sunday — '"and Sunday," 
 said lie, his countenance light tiu up uilii animation — 
 " player- meetijig all the day. (Jreai Spirit comedown 
 in our hearts— wa.n» it — make it happy all v>ver — 
 (moving his hand over his bosom,) — Sqtjaw Imlian 
 get very hai)py — big tear run down cheek of S<{uavv 
 Indian, and then Stjuaw Indian fall down/' After ex- 
 horting him to be faithful, we parted, iliarddul that 
 vStill fruit remains ol i»ur humble enjeavour::; lo inspart 
 to them the knowledge of Christ, 
 
 '"^n 
 
lis 
 
 :t I 
 
 r, -< 
 
 ' h 
 
 ; i 
 
 Hriving given as brief an account as T ronlJ of the 
 various e (Torts to benefit this interesling rh-ss ot" men, 
 especially so fai as the Methodists have been roncerned 
 in tbcuj ; I must now proceed 1o cxrimiiio the benolits 
 the lj;utDfis hnve realized bj- t!ie iniroduction of Cliris- 
 tiauity :ii)if)iig llunu. To any CiniNiian phiiantliiojiist, 
 it mu.^t l»e inleivslaig to conloiriplate the blessings 
 Ciu'istian'.tv confors upon any heretofore pngan people. ' 
 The dilTeroi oe between thepogun .iiid C'lirisi"an Indian 
 Is very i^trilxing, r;nd only fuiiy appreriated by sueh 
 persons as have duly conionijibte-l the appearance, 
 manner;:), and donie.?lic comfoits of bo h classes;. 
 Leaving rel'g'on out of the queblion, and con.-riderinp . 
 the Christian Indian t:i reference to leni]>oi;d matters 
 only ; it would :ij>po. f that they have re})aid all the \ 
 expense, labour, am' ; piinn be8tov\ed upon iheni. But 
 many of them are ak-o truly pious and d( voted Chris- 
 tian?!. 
 
 The Gorspel is s .Ited and adai ted lo mnu ; an<i 
 wherever there is a n,'M\ there iis a Saviour, no matter 
 what eircunj'tances may be attnched to bis condition. 
 It IS rather too late in the day to echo the outcry wliich 
 ti^ed to be nit.de conerrniiig the iiopele .sncas of at- 
 tenipt.s to evai felizc die heathe.'. The Gospel is the 
 power of God nnto salvation wherever it is faitlifully 
 and fully prejuhed, and whenever ccrd"ally believed 
 and receivet' ; and to many are the triumphant proofs 
 of its pov\er actually realized in the >f.1vation arid ele- 
 vation of savaL'e Intiiais, that it would rerpi're a great- 
 er degree of efiVontery tiinn ib jrcnerally {Possessed, to 
 reitera'e the assertion. Tlie Nep:r(>e>, the Hottentots, 
 and, lately, the North American [ndians, hf<ve been 
 excepted GV men. wlio are \vij«e above what is written. 
 But, happi!\ , we can n.ake our appeal to focis^ and to 
 facts selected from d.n'erei.t poi'MMis of the family of 
 man, so as to form a wule induction, ard from whicii 
 asol'd concbu5;u!i n;ay be drawn. The elo(}uent Wat- 
 >on !?aid, when lie contem[,iated tiie rising f^tate of the 
 spiritual temple, — •' It is-- a joyful sight, ad it opers the 
 gate of tijo mo^t splcr.did and delightful hopes. What 
 
 light bre:d{si u| on t!u' y,Uu;ni of ages, and the gloom of 
 
 ( ' 
 
 1 t 
 
UD 
 
 millions ! ^Vliot sweet r.i;il rcficshinfr vn\hirc sprir'ii^t 
 up in l!ie desert! What sounds ol'iii-aii-o fall upon uur 
 cars from Negro \\u[>: ;uul Indian totlnircs ; tlio hum of 
 t^choois, where heathen children read oi' Christ; the 
 happy faniiliod ihiU have been created by Chriistian 
 truth and renewins: i^raec ; tlie eye of age lighted up 
 with celestial sccne.^ : the bod ofileath made soft witli 
 
 hone 
 
 W 
 
 icre V say you 
 
 W 
 
 licrever you liave 
 
 made the attempt." 
 
 In the face of all this evidence and unvarying ex- 
 perience, SirF. B. Head had the hardihood to come 
 lofward, and make assertions hi<:h!y derogatory to Mis- 
 
 The men," he says, '' having lost 
 
 sionary operat'ons, 
 their hardihood, j>erish, or rather rot in numbers by 
 consumption ; While, as it regards the women, it is 
 iuipossible for any necurate observer to relVain from 
 remarking, that civilization, in t|)ite of the pure, hon- 
 
 est, ami unremitting zeal oft ur Missionaries 
 
 bv 
 
 some 
 
 arcurscd prnciss^ has blanchdl ikeir habits'' fares ; in 
 short, oiir philanthropy, hke our friendship, has fiiled 
 
 in its professior. 
 
 Vroducins; deaths by consumjUion. 
 
 it has more than decimated iti Ibllowers ; and under 
 the pretence of eradicating from the female heart the 
 errors of a Pag-in's creed, it has implanted in their 
 stead the germs of Christian guilt. 
 
 " What is t!ie reason cf all this I — Why the t^impie 
 virtues of the Red Aborigines of America should, under 
 all circumstances, Aide b>.'l"orc the vice and cruelty of 
 the old world, is a problem which no one among us 
 id competent to solve — the dispensation is as mysterious 
 as iis object is inscrutable. I have merely mentioned 
 the facts, because J feef that before ike subjerf of ihc 
 Indians in Upper Canada ran be fairly cnnsidered, iti ft 
 neccsan/ fo refute the idea vdiieh gcncralhj (.ristfi in 
 Englandy about the success v.drich bus attended the 
 CbristianiziniT and drill zing of the Indians. "Where- 
 as, r firmly believe every person of sound mind in this 
 countrV; who is disinterested in their conversion, and 
 who is acnuainted with the Indian character, will 
 agree. — 
 
 u2 
 
tiM 
 
 
 i 
 
 It- j ; 
 
 ir; 
 
 1, 
 
 i i 
 
 Li 
 
 1 
 
 . v\ .■ '\ 
 
 Si 
 
 i i 
 
 ' l" ■ ■ , 
 
 hi 
 
 I 
 
 ■ 1 ' 'l-..! 
 
 fc 
 
 1 
 t 
 
 
 \ w 
 
 ■k 
 
 150 
 
 " 1. That an attempt to make farmers of the Red 
 men, has been, generally t^peaking, a compleie failure, 
 
 *' 2. Tliat ronirregaliiig them lor the purpose of civi- 
 lization has iiriplanteii more vices than il has eradicat- 
 ed ; and, consequently, 
 
 '' 3. That the greate.-M kind: ess we can j)erform 
 towardij tho!<e intelligent, simple-minded people, is to 
 remove and fortify them, ns mucii as possille, from all 
 communication with the Whites." 
 
 This is a daring blow at all mii^sionary operations. 
 While Sir Francis appears to yield some meed of 
 jjrais'C to the missionaries, he boldly iniiiufitcs, that ihe 
 "errors of a Pogm'^ creed," and tiie "simple virtue:*'' of 
 adruuken, criitM, barbarous, savage peoj.le, are superior 
 to the blessingcs of Christian. ty ; and the btiil bolder as- 
 sertion that the idea of success having attended the ef- 
 forts to Clirisiiaiiize and <Mvilize the Indians Is refut- 
 able, andjhat more vices have been implanted thereby 
 than eradicated. Whereat:, tlrt?re is no proof at- 
 tempted for all this,only a belit-j exprcijsed that all uisin- 
 tertsted persons of sound mind^ will agree with him. 
 Now I happen to know, that there are many persons 
 not at all biased, and who mighr make some preten- 
 sions to sanity, who will not agree to the assertion. 
 1 for one, at the risk of having these imputations ap- 
 plied, and the addition of want of accurracy of obser- 
 vation) will not shrink from cominiJ forward to disagree. 
 
 If these assertions are factvS, tlien they falsify all 
 our statements and nullify all our efiorts. We muet 
 cease at once all our operations, and we can never 
 more, either on a j)latform or in a report, state that 
 good has been etVect.*d. No (acts are mentioned ; but 
 we have facts t > oiler counter to the assertion. 
 
 I have already considered the last of these proposi- 
 tions, which Sir F. has deduced from his previous re- 
 marks, in a former chapter. This is the result at which 
 His Excellency aimed all liis statements. The inten- 
 tion of his Excellency was to forwi a jjretext to banisli 
 the poor Indians from their lands, their improvement!?, 
 .«nd their comfo table homes. But I think I have mi- 
 
 
151 
 
 f 
 
 ficiently demonstrated that it would not be the greatest 
 kindness which we can perform towards them ; but an 
 absolute and glaring evil, and injustice ! 
 
 If the premises Sir Francis has laid down were true, 
 still his conclusion would not follow as a matter of 
 cour.-e. The conclusion ought to be : endeavour to find 
 out the reasons why these attempts do not produce the 
 desired end ; and having discovered the cause, remove 
 it, that the eiTects may cease. But mine will not be 
 a hard task to prove, that the premises themselves are 
 false. This is the taisk which now devolves upon me. 
 
 Lord Glenelg, himself a pious Christian, and for ma- 
 ny years the warm friend of Christinnizicg the world 
 — to whom, ai? Secretary of State for the Colonial De- 
 partment, the Despatches were adJivssed — was better 
 instructed, and beit.T disposed, than to credit all tliese 
 assertions; and, therefore, thus rebukes Sir Francis: 
 " I should most reluctantly yield to the conviction, 
 t'lat, in t!io prosoculion of the object, we must abandon 
 the hope of imparting ?o the Indian the blessings of 
 Christianity, on the ground, tluit those blessings were 
 necessarily more than countorbiilanced by the evils 
 with which they have been ur.haj)pily associated. \ 
 shall rather be disjiosed to attribute those evils to the 
 counteracting tendency, which, under unfavourable 
 circumstances, ordinary intercourse with white men 
 has had on the instruction and example of Christian 
 teachers, than to any inherent inaptilmle in the Indian.*:' 
 for the reception of a religion, in itself peculiarly qual- 
 ified to elevate and raise iha standard of morality." 
 
 Let us consider, 
 
 1. Their industry, and, consequently, the increase 
 of the comforts of life, and their elevation in society, are 
 promoted by thor instruction in Christianity. Their 
 capability and willingness to cultivate the soil, has in 
 these Despatches, been denied \ yea, the contrary has 
 been taken for self-evident : — '' The attempt," it is 
 affirmed, «< to make farmers" of them, is in general a 
 complete failure — *' it is against his nature to cultivate 
 the soil." I grant it i? against liis habits; but a ba- 
 
 i .. 
 
152 
 
 !'■ 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 I, 
 
 i 
 t 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 ii-r 
 
 ( '.' 
 
 •' ./ 
 
 I 1 
 
 bit for such an cinnlovment niiiv be — bas been ac- 
 quireJ. Every one inu;t believe, that it is a tliflicu'l 
 matter, and niu.4 be a uork of lime, to take a wande r- 
 ing savage, and to bring him to such a state as to pos- 
 sess all the diiigenee, regularity, and apjiliralion neces- 
 sary t,) be a sMi'cessful I'armer. And we do not blush 
 to f>^ay, tltat the Indians are not, in this respect, 
 every thing we could de.-iire. Those who are ac- 
 quainted with histo:y well know the great dilTiculties 
 which always* have attended the bringing of roving 
 tribes to t!ic coridiiiun ol'settkd husband iuen. Gibbon 
 allbrdd abundant evidence lo subrlant'ato t:iis remark . 
 He states, th;tt the liighly-cuItivateJ lands of Europe, 
 which were overrun by iho bar! arians, were sufTered 
 to become wastes. And let it be renieiubeicd,that the 
 Indians, wb.en/t/'v/ emerging from a st;;le of barbarism, 
 have forcdsio subdue ; but tliis, to a cerlam degree. 
 they aconiplish. \Ve do, liowcvcr, wilhout fear <f 
 reasonable contradiction, say, they, as a body, aie gra- 
 dually and regularly ('duanring to such habits, and tea 
 respectable standing in society. • ■■ 
 
 The Credit Itulians had n arly nine liiindrt d acres 
 enclosed for pasturnj.^j and tilhi_'-. The whole Ke- 
 8erve is, I am informed, three thousanl acres in ex- 
 tent. 'V\ui. theref(Me, forms ru:arly one-third of the 
 whole Reserve- -which is as uiucIit or more, than the 
 
 major par 
 
 tofth 
 
 ntle 
 
 rs in a new country have clear- 
 
 ed, in the same number of vears. Each man has fiftv 
 acres allotted him. There is scarcely one who has not 
 some improvements on his lot. Chief Sawyer said, 
 the young men havc^ been a bttle backward for the last 
 year and a half, in consoqticncc of the discourage- 
 ments thev have received. They did not feel a wish 
 to improve lands from which they might be immediately 
 removed, and in which in fact they bad no permanent 
 
 posse 
 
 ssion. 
 
 Th( 
 
 ey raise gram of all Kinds, tiay, 
 
 pota- 
 
 toe!?, and other roois, apple^!, v.nd vegetables. They 
 also raise pork and beef, have milk and butter. They 
 possess cattle, horsis, and pigs. They own two pub- 
 lic stores, in which (liey receive produce and good -as 
 
 
 ■5^ 
 
153 
 
 )ccn fic- 
 
 iJillicult 
 
 vvande r- 
 
 1o jiOS- 
 
 n iicccs- 
 
 A blush 
 
 respect, 
 
 are ac- 
 
 iTi cullies 
 
 r roving 
 
 Gibbon 
 
 reraaiK. 
 
 Kuropc, 
 
 KufTereii 
 
 , ibat the 
 
 ibarivsm, 
 
 degree. 
 
 fear ( f 
 
 aic gra- 
 
 nnci te a 
 
 •J ruTCs 
 ole Ik- 
 in ex- 
 of the 
 an the 
 clear- 
 as fifty 
 las not 
 r said, 
 the last 
 o 11 rage - 
 a vvisli 
 diately 
 manent 
 pota- 
 They 
 They 
 ro pub- 
 od as 
 
 forwarding merchants — two saw mills, one black- 
 smith's e'ho]), one carpenter's shop. They are the 
 proprietors of two-thirds of the shares in the Credit 
 Harbour Company. They had Ijuilt eight or nine 
 barns, an 1 twenty-four or twenty-five houres, since 
 Government commenced thoir seitlcnunt at the Cre- 
 dit village. The village had been improved in ap- 
 pearance, having boarded the nide-walks through the 
 village. TJjero were a few idle, \vorthlett5 men ; but 
 for the most part, I can testify that they were very 
 industrious, for, in addiiion to their agricultural produce, 
 moat of the men will make from eighty to one hundred 
 and fifty dollars per annum l)y hunting and fishing. 
 Some were engaged in the lumber buiiness, and cutting 
 firewood for sale. From the review, I think we may 
 warrant the conclusion, that, with du? encouragement, 
 the Indians vvculd ^oon become ret-peCtable and weal- 
 thy members of civil society. 
 
 They enjoy domestic comforts, and the blessings of 
 Focial and civilised life. To eontemplate the poor 
 wandering Indian, Without home, hou^e, (excepting 
 the wretched wiggewaunri. consisting of a few polex 
 and a little bark placed around them,) without mcann 
 of subsistence, except what he can casually acquire by 
 the chase, and Fometimeb, after several days fruitless 
 toil, returning home without a t-up[.ly to their famish- 
 ing families, ami being driven frequently to pick up 
 mere carriou and to devour it as subsistence ; and now 
 to see the contrast ; the Indian^ with his wife and 
 family, in a comfortable cotfoge, with decent furniture 
 and comtortable provisions in his cellar, barn, &.C., 
 must afibrd conviction to every unprejudiced, sonnd 
 mind. The following entry in my journal will sub- 
 stantialo this observation: — "Oct. 12, 1S3€ — In the 
 course of visiting from house to house, 1 was much 
 struck and highly gratified on coming to the house of 
 Bunch Sunnegoo. There are but few white people 
 in the middling stations of life that have houses so 
 neat, clean, comfortable, and respectable as ihia house 
 is." The excellent wife of this individual is elsewhere 
 
I 
 
 (I 
 
 I; 
 
 ''I 1 
 
 I 1 
 
 !■ 1 
 
 «i i 
 
 ;!, 
 
 mentioned as dislirirruiisheJ for lier superior piety. 1 
 reniembtM' once especially luiving been forcibly struck 
 with this contrast. On a tour \vitl\ the Rev. J. Slin- 
 «on, in approaching JNlnncy Town, we came up to a 
 ■Nvretchcd, filthy, and dc-sliiutc wiggowaum, and some 
 of the half naked and lilthy occupiers were outside. 
 On en(|uiry, I kiarid the o\\ ru'r was a Pagan, Casting 
 rny eye forward, at sonu.' di.^tance i espied a very 
 neat and even handsome cottaue, and learnt it belonged 
 to one of our plou.s Ch;i.stian (ndiauf-. I fcit deeply 
 im[)refc!5!e(l ; 1 could not helj) cxclaimii g to my compa- 
 nion, '• ilcvc, Sir, is Paganism — and there id Chris- 
 tianilv." 'I'hc artist has cau<ilit the same idea. On 
 tlie portrait of P> tor Jones, ;n the Wcislcyan INIagazine 
 for Juno, 1S33, we liavc the same representation made 
 to our visual organ. Many of the Indians are really 
 respeitable j>eople ; and I have elsewhere remarked, 
 that many of tiem have cultivated their talents to a 
 fespeclaole degree, indeed, the impruvemcnt of the 
 Indians in these rei<pects is a matter of notoriety. I 
 have conversed with numbers (jfrcsjiei table and intel- 
 ligent individuals, who have lived contiguous to the 
 ('redit Indians, and vnIio have marked them before and 
 afer their convtTsion, who have tv?::tified, in the most 
 unequivocal terms, of the very great dilference there is 
 in their present slate, compared with their past. This 
 lias l).?en expressed with marked emotions of astonish- 
 ment and admiration. Soon after 1 commenced 
 j>reaching to the Indians near 7\ndier::tbuigh, an old 
 !iian was present at one of our nicetings, who was ori- 
 ginally frcur. England. lie \'\as taken prisoner by the 
 
 Ind 
 
 ians when a bt<v, aUendinir Sir W. Crawford's ar- 
 
 my, and has resided with the Indians ever since. He 
 
 marrieu an 
 
 Ind 
 
 lan, 
 
 ind I 
 
 las a liaugtiier, i 
 
 ^l' 
 
 a fine lookirLr 
 
 woman, marritd to an haif-cast, ulio has an interest- 
 ing family. The ma)) seemed much allectcd ; and, 
 at the close of the service, sliook me heartily by the 
 hand, being particularly glad lo see me so recently from 
 England. He expiessed himself heaitily glad to sec 
 the Moor Indians so einriloved, and said, — '' Oh Sir! I 
 
 •J 
 
 ■.^HMAM^^wMinpi^fMIMMWM 
 
1 
 
 55 
 
 am yi'fiil to ?CG these people listen to thn trutiis of the 
 Gospel. Minve been with them for sn:ty years, lorg 
 before any white man showed Ills face here: and then 
 Sir, they were a losi people. 1 hope tliey will con- 
 tinue to listen to the same great tnithc." One of o 
 
 )Ul- 
 
 coloured ifiembers, wlio resided at Amlier>;tburgh, call- 
 ed upon a ,Kiorold white riuin. who occupied a house 
 upon t'le Indian Reserve. Ujion his introducing the 
 subject of religion the old man observed, — '-These 
 Melhoilists are tlie finest people in iho world. Look 
 ordypttlie In lians. Formerly they were tlie most 
 abruidoned people in the world ; but since the Mttlio- 
 (!i>»ts have prerichcd among lliem, they have become 
 like wiiitG men — they are civili/cd, morfdized, and 
 Christianira^d." Tn 'he place ofthe<!G two testimonies, 
 [ m''i;!it have iiitroluced nuuierovis others from persona 
 in all ranks of hl'c ; but f have chosen tiieiJC from per- 
 ^«on'3 whose interes:s t^eem incorporated in tlieir.-^, and 
 who h;id marked every progressive charge. 
 
 One proof of t!ie beni fits tliey have realized l)v 
 Chriritianity, id ilu^ elevation ol' their women in -ocial 
 lif**. " Experience has proved (sayt^ a populnr histo- 
 rian) t'lat savoips a;-'^ the tyr;intsofthe fenude ••-•ex, and 
 that the comltion of women is tistially softened by jhc 
 
 refinements of social life 
 
 The RcY. R. Wat: 
 
 ^on, 
 
 when treating on tlie actual efTocfs produced by Chris- 
 tia; ity upon socii ty, obricrves, — " [t h;i.-! put an en4 to 
 polygamy and divorce ; and by the institution of inar- 
 raf^e in an inilissolui)le bond, has ^iven biith to a feli- 
 city and sanction in the ilomestic circle which it never 
 before knew. It has exalted the condition and chn- 
 racter of worn'^n ; and by that means, has humanized 
 man, given refinement and delicacy to society, and 
 created a new and important aftection in the human 
 breast — the love of woman founded on esteem : an af- 
 fection generally unknown to Henthcns the niosl re- 
 fined." — (VVorkfs, vol. ix. p. 323.) The condition of 
 females among tbe Indians in t'-.eir savage state, is tru- 
 ly deplorable. They are men ly beasts of burden, an<l 
 are beaten and abused worse than such animals usually 
 
are. But now, you will see as much tenderness, afl'ec- 
 tlon, and consideration paid to them, as you will usujilly 
 see among civilized men. Tl»e Christian females st 
 our Mission stations .ire very grjiiolully sensible of all 
 thifl; and will frei|uently, in Ihor prayers, with tcara 
 acknowledge it l)el'ur.^ God, and it is very remakable 
 that onr Ciiristian fu?Males are more fiiithful to their 
 profession, and more liligcnt in ihc meanf] of grace, 
 thari the males ; although, in tiieir papnn state, they 
 were as much, and p 'rhaps more, addicted to dissipa- 
 tion than the males;. 
 
 2. It is asserted thai the state ofthair health suf- 
 fers in conse<|uerice of their civilization — that having 
 loil their hardihood, tlicy perish, or rather roi^ in num- 
 berj!, by consiiin[)tion. It is necessary to enquire, — Is 
 this overstated i Does their more civilized condition 
 induce and increase those disorders ? There are some 
 tiiseases to which the Indians are particularly liable. 
 All inflanimafory disorders are very fatal to them. — 
 The small-pox is a dreadful scourge. Formerly it car- 
 ried oir multitudes wherever it attacked them — yea, 
 sonjetimes whole tribes are swept away by its ravages. 
 The srmic may be said of other inflammatory diseases. 
 The small-pox made an mroad among the Indiat.s at the 
 Credit. But by the faithful attendance and regulations 
 of their medical ailvisers, and our own supervision, the 
 disease was much mitiga:ed, and several recovered. 
 The doctors vaccinaled the children, and the disease, 
 in Its worst form, spread among but few. Formerly, 
 when the Indians were taken with this disease, it 
 was considered a hopeless case ; but not so now. The 
 following extract iiom the Memoir of Dr. Walsh, will 
 con6rm the above statements:' — "The small-pox is 
 one of those awful scourges that allbct the Indian 
 tribes, and is more fatal in fweeping away the popula- 
 tion, than all their exterminating wars aniong each 
 other." Of this he has recorded a most aflecting inci- 
 dent, communicated to him by an eye-witness: — *< A 
 distant tribe, in alliance with the Ochipwas, had been 
 in a flourishing state, when it was first attacked by \\m 
 
 wmm 
 
157 
 
 u afllec- 
 
 ales fk 
 ; of all 
 h tears 
 luikahle 
 .0 their 
 f gruce, 
 e, they 
 (lissipa- 
 
 Ith suf- 
 having 
 in num- 
 iire. — Is 
 ondilion 
 '0 some 
 r liable, 
 them. — 
 ly it car- 
 m — yon, 
 raTnges. 
 iscases. 
 t.s at the 
 Illations 
 ion, the 
 oveied. 
 disease, 
 rmerly, 
 tease, it 
 V, the 
 h, will 
 
 -})0X ib 
 
 Indian 
 [popula- 
 ^ each 
 ig inci- 
 :—'< A 
 id been 
 
 by thift 
 
 awful pest. In vain their priesly, prophets, and phy- 
 sicians attem[)tt'd to arrest its projrres.s—they them- 
 selves became its victims. The survivors shifted their 
 encampments from place to place ; the inexorable pes- 
 tilence pursued them, till the whole uniiori perished, 
 with the exception of one famdy : a man, hit* wife, and 
 child. ThiH last man lied towards the BntiMh settle- 
 ment!?, and was seen to pitch his wiggevvaum at the 
 edge of the toresl. Hut l)ere, too, his enemy found 
 him. The womim and child s'ickrned and died ; and 
 the last survivor dug thi'ir grave, and laid theiu in it. — 
 He then sut down on the edge, and in this attitude he 
 was found by a passing; traveller. Him he requested 
 to cover him up with his wife and child; and then 
 giving himf^elfa mortal wound, he flunjj; himself upon 
 the bodies. The Indians seldom or never commit sui- 
 cide J but this was ;m extreme ca<?e, which overcame 
 the fortitude of- the man without a tear.' " 
 
 No wonder that they shouhl feel a great dread when 
 an inflammatory disease visit^j them. \ have known 
 when persons have been taken i^ick with a disease of 
 this nature, that it is scarcely possible to get any one 
 to attend upon iln m. Their friends will convey them 
 away into the woods, erect a wiggewauni, and do the 
 best they can for them there ; and when one of them 
 dies under such circumstances, no one, scarcely, will 
 venture to approadi them to assist at their interment; 
 but they will, as soon as poi^sil)le, be thrown into a 
 grave. When you enquire after the dead for the pur- 
 pose of performing the funeral service, you find they 
 are buried out of the sight of surviving friends. 
 
 During the vifilation of the Credit with this disease, 
 I heard of the death of a woman, who had lived with 
 her husband and family at a distance on the Reserve, 
 and had expected the corpte to have been brought to 
 the burying ground for interment in the afternoon. — 
 But going over in the morning to anc ther family near, 
 I found the corpse in a rough colTin outside the door, 
 and the grave dug a little distance from the house. — 
 The Indians would dig the grave, or assist in any war, 
 
 o 
 
153 
 
 I i 
 
 •\ 
 
 at a distanro, butdare ruit cotnc near. Tlie oltl chief, 
 who liaii the ilisordiT, aiul was theroforo rot afraid, 
 was in allci.danro, and had r0cjui">'ted the assielanco 
 of a Frcnchnmri maniod to an Indian woman, who 
 Ijad a\M had ihe (hsordtT ; bul ho did not arrive, and 
 th'3re were not .snllicient piM.sons to carry the corpse. 
 A kind old woiiian, who hud rnii the nAi of atteiMling 
 on ihe poor woman tluriii;^ her aillictinii, came for- 
 ward to liclp 5 and Mrs. S. and mybelfiiadto alTord 
 our assistance. l)y ths moans, we manageil to get 
 ihe poor cicalnrc conveyed uver tl)C rough ground, 
 slumps, and faiicn limi;fr, to the open grave — where 
 I performed the hisl !^ad otliec. 
 
 To arrest the pro;;re.ss, and ameliorate the charac- 
 ter, of this dkicase, Dr. Wahdi, with some of the medi- 
 cal olficcrs, werescnl hv gover .ment to ihtroducc vac- 
 cination ; which was elll'ctual in answering these pur- 
 poses. 
 
 'I'lie Indians are partirulaHy llahlc to consumptions. 
 Many ciiililren ahso die in their infancy. Put tiiia is 
 not atlrihutnhle eitlier to civilization or Christianity; 
 but rather to ilie want of a greater degree o!" it. Fond 
 as they are of their chldren, and <leej>ly ar^ they lament 
 their dealh, ihry have not that thoromh niai.agement 
 and care oftliem, to keep them ("rom exposure — t:o as, 
 in all cases, to pi'e;^erve their health. When we have 
 pointed out i\\\s to tlicm, they have teen it, tind have 
 refojved to be niore carel'ul ; hut, a:> I have already 
 observed, their former hal>il.^ are not overcome all at 
 once. Notvvit'.istantlii!^ ail that has heen ^■aid to liio 
 fontrary, I am prep.ire 1 to hh('W t'lat the results of 
 "the lovely and heaniifui theory of congrrsating them 
 in villagr?s of t;ult>iiint;id log lumtet:," are to meliorate 
 their disorders, a*id promolo their longevitv, as well 
 as their comforts, [t is mrdnlv Pi^'anism, and hantized 
 heathenr*. worse than simple Picans, which is (ho 
 cau;!e of their diminisiiirg nurwliers. This is capable 
 of detnonstr;ition, and has. in lent, been demonstrated. 
 When these accusations were i^iCtA made [)td)lic, I as- 
 certained, froii) a cuuncil of Indians at the Credit tta- 
 
159 
 
 tion, which I had wishc.l to asseniblo for t!^o purport'-", 
 that the Indians [)ai.l actually increase I in riunjlter. — 
 After deliherato cnnsullation arnoii;:; thotn^iClves', tlioy 
 stated, that, to the best i>l l!\eir Unovvledgp,thc nuinbor of 
 draths dunntjtho |»eriod often years before they embra- 
 ced Christianity, and when they were roving on their 
 huntitig-jrroundr!, was nbonl tiiree hundred ; and dur- 
 ino; ten years suuse(/uent iv that important event— "^ 
 about fiUy or sixty. Included in this latter rumbcr 
 were the dcntlis which had occurred by two (;r tlirce 
 epidemics — by which, durinj^ that period, they had 
 been visJited. Tiieir nuin!)er when they first settled nt 
 the Credit, about ten yeai-.-i befon? thatli.Tio, was two 
 hundred and five ; then, tlie number was two hundred 
 and forty. Ttiis was no eonjeeture ; ns both numb- r^ 
 were taken Ironi the books wlixh contained the rec<:; !.•* 
 of indivi(binls to whom presents were di -tributed, Ji 
 each period referred to. The increase ofpopuiation in 
 England for ton years is 14- or Ifi percent, 'i'his shows 
 that civili/alion and Gliriatianity was really doing them 
 no injury in respect to their longevity ; and tliat liio 
 Mianii Caceque's exclamation, *' The red men aro 
 nieiting away like snow before the sinnmcr's Bun.^' 
 was applicable to those unfortunate individuals who 
 had not come under the nursing band of Christianity. 
 This also sliow.s tbit Sir Francis's c;dri;\ttion is un- 
 founded. '* We have only to bear patiently with 
 them," says he, " for a short tinte, and with few ex- 
 ceptions, principally half- casts, tiieir unliappy race, 
 beyond the power of redemj/t on, will be extinct." I 
 believe, if the Indians do not bc'ome amalj^amv.f'd, 
 which will probably be the case, the patienrt of those 
 who wait for such an event will be exhaus'ted. In 
 adviiiion to the evidem'.e 1 have brought to hear upon 
 the subject, t will further (iroduce that of their medi- 
 cal attendant. He said he couid positively contradict 
 those assertions in relation to the health of the Indianis, 
 and wondered their physician liad not been comnilled 
 before such a statement bad been made, 
 
r 
 
 ■' ■ ' ISO 
 
 •l 
 
 Chief Sawyer, when alloncliDg ibe council I have re- 
 ferred to, took a practical and common sense view of 
 the subject. He immediately entered upon an ex- 
 planation of the diflerer>(■(^ '^ Bclore we were Chria- 
 tians," said he, "we were all drunkards: many used 
 to perish by fire and water, and by the handa of 
 each other. " When intoxicated, they would subject 
 theriisolves to the most awful exposure to the weather, 
 being out in the open air in heavy rains and severe 
 frosts. Some have, in the morning, been found frozen 
 to the ground. When they do not actually and ini:- 
 inedialcly poiitili, this rxiiosure induces disorders of 
 vario\is kinds, especially that to which they are very 
 subject — the cotisumplion, Others, perhaps, reel or 
 crawl hofne ; ami when they have reached it, have 
 during the nii^hi, rolleil upon the fire, and have been 
 consumed themselves, and set iheir wiggovvaum on 
 fire, artd have burnt aii assend)ly olsleeping drunkards. 
 And others agarn, in attempting to reach home, have 
 fallen into the water, and have been drowned. Old 
 Tanevva. a woman at the Credit, who, after her conver- 
 sion, often got baulicrncnlum^ (very happy.) was, in 
 her pagan stale, one night very drunk, with a chiW 
 on her back, proceeding home. She stumbled over & 
 log which was against a small pond. The next morn- 
 ing shi^ was found at home without her child, and could 
 give no account of what had become of it. Numer- 
 ous instances of death by exposure, accident, and 
 fighting, while in a stale ol intoxication, might be re- 
 lated \ but 1 will close these remarks by inserting an 
 account which my interpreter, D. Sawyer, gave of a 
 circumstance wliich happened to himself. He wai 
 discarding on the blessings they had received by the 
 gospel. '••At one time," said he, " wlien we were 
 assembled at the mouth ot' the Credit, to receive our 
 presents, we provided ourselves with a fiddler, that we 
 might have a dance and be merry. I was then grown 
 up a youth, and, with the rest, l\ad got very drunk. 
 
 'I 
 
 m-^i 
 
161 
 
 I retired to a liitie distance, and fell a^leep I-'uring 
 the night i awoki^, an, I thonglu f heard my comjianions 
 in their carouj.ing. 1 e^r.rtod to inalvj my v ay for 
 them, in the diivciion ol" the noise, unl:) suddenly I 
 found myself up to the niuidle In water. I ^Jtriiggled 
 out, went hack, and fell asleep again. After a ur.ic I 
 awoke agiin, and -iij>pu.sed 1 heai'd my companions 
 again ; und once more iftarted to go in the direction 
 from whence the noise proceeded, until ngain I found 
 myscH up to liie middle in water. This 1 repeated 
 three tmieH. I then fo'«nii thiiithe noi^r wltict), in the 
 Htupidity of diunkeniie:'?'. 1 niifelcvk for the f'.']d\c nnd 
 niirlh of my couipaniohB, was occaHioneU by the bull- 
 frogs." 
 
 I think, from all that has been Bald, it will bn ac- 
 knowledjj^i'd thai it is Paganisin and not Christianity, 
 which is the cause of their diniicVished num'oerH. Other 
 concoiii Hants of Pnirarrism, and their clTcctj: upon 
 their diojinution, 1 have observed in another chajiter j 
 and as Ih' i^ubject does not belong to this head, I bare- 
 ly reler to liiat part of these rarfs. I tru!?l ih.csc re- 
 marks will prove the charjro (rroundlesH, and fully es- 
 tablish a coru-iciiofi (d' tlif; fact, that Christianitv and 
 civilc/ation have in;proved their condition in respect to 
 health. 
 
 3< The improvements (.'hiittianity has produced 
 annong this noble ilahs of men will further appear by 
 a consideration o\' the r moral charaviir. In the 
 ** Dei patches," tii.ir tii'iraiity has been grnsnly im- 
 preacheil. *" Civii)zan(ui." ii is «aii|, <* by ^'Ofl;e ac- 
 cursed proces^•, \\\\}i blauthed tkiir babies' face^.'^ By 
 this expression, the di.-iini:mslu'd writer evidently in- 
 tends to bring the charge o'i illicit ii'iercouri«e against 
 the female Indians ; Uw it ' ad Is, — •■' I'nder tbe/;r<:fc'nrc 
 of eradicalirii; from the lema'e li'^art tlie i^'rorw of a 
 pagan'.^ rived; it i)a8 ii>.'.lai'tt'«l, m their stead, the 
 germs o\i Chndian g'uii!.''^ In rep'y to this, 1 will 
 insert Q,ue;aion 20th in the Cimih^r jrom the Indian 
 Commission, and my an.sw -r : — •• Docs the birth of 
 iliegiiuncte children among »!;c , nmarricd wonjcn oc- 
 
 0*: 
 
 W 
 
'162 
 
 cur fVeqii-'nlly ? And in what light is the circum- 
 stance viewed liy the Indians?" Answer — " I only 
 knew one vnstanre, which occurred at the Credit. 
 The Indiana, m general, abhorred hrr conduct.''^ This 
 answer enibruces a period of six yeary residence. 
 Cased of hasturdy did /VfyMr;///// occur beloro they be- 
 came Chrislian.i; : but Chiistianity has eflected this 
 j^ood among them. 1 do not mean to deny that their 
 babies, fates wore in no cases blanched ; but I deny 
 that it was by any arcursed process. We had white 
 m(M\ married to Indian women, and Indian men to 
 white wonien. Besides;, a ditVerent mode ol" living, less 
 exposure, and more cleanliness, has eflecied a change 
 in this respect. 
 
 The l)esi)atches refer also to their dnmktnness. 
 This i? well Icnown to be their besetting sin. But such 
 as maintain a conncMcn with the Christian church, 
 (I speak as far as ihi": Methodist branch olthe Church 
 of Christ is concerned) are pr.-'served from this vice, 
 otherwise they arc expelled. And what is material to 
 observe is, tl)e expulsions are few. Such also as are 
 not in close membership have a constant check upon 
 them. Notwithstanding their natural propensity, 
 their great exposure to tetnplatioii from monsters in the 
 •hape of white men ; there was, perhaps, less drunk- 
 enness in the Credit Indian village than in any village 
 or seitlemeni of white people of the; same number of 
 inhabitants. I have seen hundreds of villages in Eng- 
 land, and in Canada, and can testify, I do not know 
 one more decent, orderly, and well behaved than the 
 Credit village. There we were not accustomed lo see 
 any open violation of the Sabbath ; the house of God 
 was frequented, and o;ir-//!tV(i of the total mhabitante 
 were in actual membership with the Church — which 
 they could not have been, considering the strictnest of 
 our discipline, had they not been pious, devout, and 
 sincere Christians. Perhaps an enlargement of obger- 
 vation, on iheir qniet and religious observance of the 
 Sabbath, may be here appropriate, and will contribute 
 tovvard producing conviction on the mind of the reader, 
 
163 
 
 ircum- 
 • I only 
 Credit. 
 ThiB 
 idencc. 
 hey be- 
 ed lhi8 
 it thoir 
 1 deny 
 1 wliite 
 rn^n to 
 ing, less 
 change 
 
 hnness. 
 Jut such 
 church, 
 Church 
 jis vice, 
 iterial to 
 as arc 
 ck upon 
 pcnsity, 
 rs in the 
 drunk- 
 village 
 iibcr of 
 in Eng- 
 t know 
 mn the 
 see 
 of God 
 abitanlB 
 which 
 tneet of 
 |ut, and 
 f ob»er- 
 of the 
 itribiite 
 reader. 
 
 of the influence Christian principle has exerted upon 
 them, in promoting moral conduct. The river Credit, 
 at certain period:j of the year, possesses a valuable 
 treasure of jsriliuon, and o'lher fish. From ilti mouth, 
 and several miles upwnrds, it runs through ihc Indian 
 Reserve, and ou^ht to be considered theii property. 
 Any o'her proprietor would cluim tl)e excliitJive right o( 
 fishing, ami vvo.:l'J not aliokv an intruder on llieir iaiids, 
 at least, for the (purpose of taking the fish, However fa- 
 vourable might be the circumstances which presented 
 themnelves on a Sabbat'i day, 1 never knew the Indians 
 to attempt breaking the sabbath by lishiiig; but would 
 allow them to run by uiunolesled. liut while they 
 were quietly vvorAhipping God in his house, it frequent- 
 ly happened that wicked. ur;j>rincipled white men from 
 the ne'gltbourliood, v/ouM cotre down with their nets 
 and rob iliem of abutHbuKO ol ti.-<h. They are some- 
 times very scrupulous concernir)^ Sabbath observance, 
 one Saturday, in the winter, one of our pious men, who 
 lived a mile and a hull from the cha])el, came to me 
 and said, — *' 1 something want to ask you. When 1 
 come to chapel on Sundays, my little boy too young to 
 walk — and don't like to carry him on my back — so I 
 bring him on a little hamlsleigh. Is it a sin to do so?" 
 They are very exact in avoiding doing any little thing 
 on the Sabbath- In the neighbourhood among the 
 white people, 1 was often annoyed by hearing the 
 sound of the axe, in preimring fuel, on the Sabbath j 
 but I never once heard it among the Indians. While 
 I resided at the Credit, Christmas-day once lell on 
 Monday. They generally came from a liunting ex- 
 cursion the day previously. At the time 1 allude to, 
 they came home ratiier late on Saturday evening, and 
 immediately the village presented a busy scene, in 
 preparing for the Sabl)ath : the females in domestic af- 
 fairs, a-id the men in preparing fuel. On Monday 
 morning, (Christrnas-dny.) one ol our Indian speakers 
 going through the vilhige, s:iw an old man blowing his 
 fingers, and gathering chips. "It's pretty cold,'" said 
 the eld man ; " I came home late on Saturday night, 
 
 >?» 
 
16t 
 
 anil (liJ not chop cnonj^h wood to serve mo to-day 
 over, and I nm obliged to [>ick a few cliips to kot^p us 
 wrn-ni."" 'the otl»or ttiought thorc was soruo distinction 
 between Christmas-day anj tlie Sabbatli, but proposed 
 to enijuire ofthe Mis-jion-Tv. I told bim it was good 
 to abstain from labour on Cliristmas-day — ibat wo aiigbt 
 worr^bip (.111(1, and think on liis grent goodness in send- 
 ing his Son into the world to rfLlfOin us ; but in a eaiso 
 like the one in qir.'stion, we should not d'.» wrong in 
 providing lor a ])re.;sing warit, as Ciirislnias-»i*jy was 
 not coniniaiuled to bo kept lioly in the word of GoJ, but 
 was alteuiled to by piou^s men for these purpuse?*. 
 
 4-. Their Christian e.haracter tuny be fiiirly com- 
 pared with other proTesisors of Ciiristianay. What- 
 ever dintinguishing ,eature oftrue p eiy is introduct'd as 
 a test of Christian eharueler, we do noltihrink froin its 
 apj»iieation to tluMU. 
 
 ff love to tin; hou^'O of God, and fjiiiifnl nitcndancs 
 vpn7i the ordinavA's i>f n/iiiii fly i> de^iglli.tive of i^in- 
 
 cere piety ; then wo snv, iho nnlians are truly pions. 
 They love tho luibitatioo of God\s houso. Tiie atten- 
 dance i,s ^roo(], S( r ous, and devout; and when any 
 un[t»*eeedenti'd < r extra services .-ire to be held., the 
 pound ofthe cburcii-gning bell v\ill cause tliein to flock 
 thither. 
 
 A Christian is a man of prayer. The Scriptures 
 represent it as con.stiMiiiny an cij-eiitial chafaclenstic 
 of a Christian. So the Indians ar(nT\ei» o\' j»rayt r. — 
 They delight in prayer-meetinsrs ; they areearnctft \u (lie 
 exercise. Passing through the viliage at tt)e hours of 
 morning and evening fanidy \\'orsh;p, yoii may hear on 
 nil hands, the fiioat l^t\\\<^ {Kt.shninnm'doo) addressed 
 in the voice of supp'ic.it'on, nra\et, arid ijjan >sgiving. 
 
 Asj>irationfi oi' pr-nsf are fuMinentiy tieard from real 
 Chnylians. [t follows in the nature of ihtngs, that the 
 conscious recipient of favours «hould enquire, '* What 
 shall I render ?" In aci ordaiice ivith this, the Apostle 
 says, '' Rejoice everaioie, pr.-y without ceasit«g, in 
 every thing give ih.inka" The I idiana are thankful 
 for thj blesriings they enjoy, John Sunday uaid, "I 
 
169 
 
 do not care for the lanJs we have lost, only send us 
 plenty « f teachers in&t»^ad ; we value ( hrisiianity 
 more." Tiiey often ex[)ress their gratitnd). to the peo- 
 ple over the great waters for sendirg llieiii Mission- 
 aries. It is allectinfr to hear their prayer in brhalfof 
 the good people ot England, who have thu:5 favoured 
 them. ]>ut above all, they ihank God. It is truly 
 delightful to hear their animated expressions in their 
 prayers, in love-teast:?, atul in class-tnec tinps, to this 
 effect. A few extracts; froni my journal n.ay ))erhaj)8 
 le interesting, and will lend to illubtrate ti,e point in 
 hand : — 
 
 "July 31. Is:3fi. Thomas Smith, an old Indian 
 class-leader, said, — • I wish f could tell my whito bro- 
 thers and sisters, in their own language, the great things 
 the Lord has done lor mo. Many of them are well 
 aware, that befuie we embraced Chri.>tianity, we were 
 a wretched people, lyinji in the streets, and abnul 
 their houses, drunk. But the Lonl has brought us to 
 himself. I sought the Lord one y<.'ar before 1 fcund the 
 comforts of religion ; but wheti the Lord did manlfe«;t 
 himself to me, it was in so powertul a mumcr that I 
 waa nearly struck down to the ground by the force of 
 it. I have been very happy ever since, and 1 feel ro 
 today."" An aged woman said,- -' Before I embraced 
 Christianity I was in a most wretched condition. I 
 appeared a:toi!,t'tlu:r ](j5U But l!ic Lord put (h)vvn his 
 arm in the. dark, and h;ippened to meet with nie, and 
 brought me out into marvellojis light. She was so lost 
 and wretched, that she seemetl to think that ii was al- 
 most a wonder that the FiOrd found her out. — 
 On another occasion T. Smith said, — ' The Lord 
 has blessed us very mu<.'h in the stigar bush. On Sun- 
 day nighi I felt u\y heart very poor, and began to pray, 
 and soon al'ier retired to rest. I do not know whether 
 r was sound asleep, or nearly awake ; but suddenlly 
 1 seemed to be surrounded by a bright light. Directly 
 1 felt very happy, and was when I awoke, and have 
 been ever si'u-.e.' Thi.s is a good man ; and iVom the 
 time of his conveisioo (about twelve yearj} ago) to the 
 
li 
 
 166 
 
 present t'imo, (ISrH) has almost invariably walked un- 
 der tho light ol God's comitenfiiu-o." 
 
 "July '('), 1837. An fruiiuii woman was itjiich 
 bl.3ssci] la>^t c'voiiing at class-ineelin^;. She felt inilood 
 
 * tho oVrwhc'lmir.g jiouer of saviisir grace.' [ had 
 heci) preaching the preccciling work iroin Matt. v. 6. 
 The acrouMt sho has since »;iven of hert-eliis as follows : 
 
 * For ton y','ars I have etijoyed this hapi>y religi^ hut 
 never so inueii of it as I do now. Fur tliis la veek 
 I have heen fil'lvij:, anil filling; but at this time, I 
 thoii^lit I shc'ul.i hnrst.' As a proof of tht- iiuture of this 
 good Woman";* reli^Mon, I would rcniarU, it matiifesta 
 itj;.'lf by submission to the blessed will of (iod. »She lias 
 lost several children, and lately the only one fcshe had 
 with her ; she said, • I love my child very itjucIi, but 
 wlu:*n it was taken sick, directly I fi;;ive it u[» to the 
 Loi'iJ, and said, Lord jUf>t Jo what thou wilt with my 
 ciiild.'" 
 
 *' March 4, 1838. The !ove-leafct was a time of 
 great enjoyment, \ noticed e.-specially what one or two 
 of t ic Iiidcins sauj. Jamet; Hezhegoo said, — ' f carry 
 tlni L ird about vvitli m.' whcrevci 1 go, (meaning he 
 IkuI a constant sense of the Divine prese.a'o) and ho 
 la-ike.s me happy — happy in my i^oui — ! led it in my 
 body, my flesh, an«l my bones.' Peter Pacobs & lid, — 
 ' When I firsi felt a sense of pardoning mercy, 1 felt 
 transported beyond myself. When I was walking 
 alonu [ ol'tcn actnally looked down to see whether my 
 feet touched the ground, or uhrther I wa3 walking in the 
 nir.' I may introduce another circumstance reispecting 
 J. Rezhegoo. IJefore hh conversion he was addicted 
 to the sensual vice of the Indians — drunkenness j but 
 afterwards, by the gi-ace of God, entirely overcame it. 
 Janif^s was highly respected as an industrious, honest 
 man ; and was f.r many years in the liabit of sellnig 
 
 .i 
 
 his venison to a gentleman in Tin-onto, who held a 
 respectable post untler government. Thi? gentleman 
 respected James, and used to ask him iiito his jiarlour, 
 
 anil converse with hi 
 
 m. 
 
 At one time when James 
 
 called, he had a parly of gentiemi i, and lie was m 
 
liked Un- 
 as in 1 1 ("I I 
 It ifhlceii 
 • [ l.ad 
 nil. V. 6. 
 i follows: 
 gi> but 
 a veek 
 
 liiiie, I 
 iro of this 
 mMtiifosts 
 
 She lias 
 ' she had 
 lUcii, but 
 {» to the 
 with my 
 
 time of 
 ne or two 
 -' I cany 
 anirifj; ln3 
 and ho 
 in n:y 
 t lid, — 
 1 felt 
 walking 
 iher my 
 ngin the 
 pectin g 
 -Tildicted 
 j but 
 came it. 
 honest 
 selhhg 
 held a 
 utlcman 
 parlour, 
 James 
 was as 
 
 ebs 
 
 167 
 
 u-^ual as!<ed in. They were rjiltins; ronnd a table am- 
 ply furni>ihed with lifiiiors and wines, of which they 
 were partakiiitj. jair.es was invited to pnrtike with 
 thum ; he declined, and was lu'gcd. I'pon which ho 
 
 replied, ' Mr. , yon have known mc lonu time, 
 
 have you Jioi, ?' ' Yes, Jumos,' was the rejily. Mk- 
 fore 1 became Christian, you know, I usfd to be about 
 the streets .J;iink, did I not?' Again Mr. re- 
 plied in the nlTn'.Tiative. James continued. — 'But since 
 [ have been Christian, T have left oil' drinking. I have 
 never tasted since*,' — and iidded, 'uthly looking him 
 full in the face, — •■ When, Sir, do you mean to leave 
 otV?' Tliirf had a confoiiiuhnL' elVect uj)on tl e whole 
 company. James -at an hnur or two longei - but 
 duriiur his stav, \\r.{ a •ilaf^.i; or decanter was t-niched. 
 I rneatiiMi tlieso tiiin<^s to s-how the nature of the reli- 
 gion the liiilians po.->e-s. Sonie of them (all into sin, 
 anil no wonclo!. con^nlerir |£ their temptations ; yet 
 bl ssed be (lod, they all d" rot 
 
 1? 
 
 1 will here introduce a fact which lra»)spired prior 
 to my a[)poiiitnieiit to this station. TiiC Indiars VACie 
 much heser by wicked men, wlio laboined by all means 
 in their power to innke them ilruid;, 'I'hey >-:ometime 
 eucceeiled, and e pecially with one poor man. 
 
 ^v 
 
 len 
 
 he became s^ober, Ik' felt his great loss; he became 
 wretched and disiinded. He warulered about in the 
 woodrf in a car-e of dc.-pair, r nd at bitt actually shot 
 himi^elf. Many pcni-ons will not woiuler tisat we are 
 able to preserve any in the paths of recii'ude, when wo 
 are surrounded by r-uch incarnate devils 
 
 A Christian loves Mie \Aord of God. It is the 
 
 gen- 
 
 uine feeling of a man of God. The P.-u'mist could 
 say, *' Thy testimonies are my de.icht, and my coun- 
 sellor — I will delight mysell' in the ci mmanilmonts 
 which I have loved. More to be desirc(' are they than 
 gold, yea than much fine gold : sweeter also than honey 
 and the honeycomb." The Iiidi.ins also profesvS a 
 warm attachment to the word of God; and 'bus pre- 
 sent a mark of their genuine Christianity. David 
 Sawyer once said at a love-feast, — " Svuretimea by 
 
 \ 
 
168 
 
 temptation all seems dark around mc ; but then, 1 go to 
 God's word, and it seems to castliglit before me on the 
 road to h(?aven ; it disperses all the dark clouds. I 
 experience such pleasure and delight from the perusal 
 of the word of (rod, as f cannot express." 
 
 At the linu; when the Mormons were making a stir 
 in Upper Canada, by the propagation of their monstrous 
 doctrines, they [>nid us a visit nt the Credit. 1 took 
 occasion to show the Indians the design and uses of 
 Scripture, and that the Mormon bible could not sub- 
 stantiate its rlaim lo be a revelation from God, but that 
 it was merely a bungbng ins»;nti<)n of wicked nien ; 
 that it was not calculated to answer the ends of in- 
 struction, or to [)romoto the pioly and holiness of those 
 who adopted it. They soon abandoned our village, 
 but took up a pofsition in the neighLourhood. One 
 of our excellent tndian speakers, who had not been 
 present on that occasion, but who hnd heard of the 
 Mormons, and not rightly understanding what they 
 were, came to mc one morning for the purpose 
 of enquiry, as they were accustomed to do in case 
 of any dilliculty. He addressed me, ^'^ Brother S. I 
 want to know about these Mormons." — " Well, sit 
 down. Brother H., and I will tell you." I happened 
 to have what i:? called " The Book of Mormons" by 
 me, and I commenced reading a few passages out ofit, 
 where it contradicted statemeiits made in the scriptures. 
 I saw he felt very uneasy and restless ; as I was pro- 
 ceeding, he inUMTupted me by saying, " Shut it up. If 
 it contradicts this book," — laying his hand on a bible 
 on the table, in a dignified manner, — '* I want to hear 
 no more ofit. This hook does me good here," — lay- 
 ing his right hand on liis heart — " an<i I want to hear 
 nothing which contradicts it." 
 
 About the same time, a Mormon preacher was hold- 
 ing forth somewhere in the Bay of Quinte, and speak- 
 ing largely in praise of their system. Among other 
 things he dilated on the Mormon book ; how Joseph 
 Smith found it concealed in the earth ; that it was writ- 
 ten in golden plates !hat he was inspired to translate 
 
169 
 
 it : and that the angel desired him to bury them again, 
 where they should lay concenled until the last day. 
 When he had gone through with his ihscourso, as wai 
 usual with them, he asked if' any individual had any 
 thing to say ; if so they were quite 'atld)eity to speak. 
 An Indian had been pasainij that way, ririil perceiving 
 there was a meeting, stepped in. When the preacher 
 gave the invitation and pernnsj^ion <or o^mnrks, rwid all 
 were silent, he got up, and saitl, '* May Irujiau speak?" 
 "Yes," replied the preacher, 'Indian may speak." 
 "Along time ago,'' Raid he, 'Mhe Great Spirit send 
 his book to the white men over the vvaierf. He re- 
 ceive it— believe it, and it make his heart all over glad. 
 White man then send it over to ibis couritry to poor 
 Indian. He reeeive it — believe it ; and it also make 
 his heart all over glad. The de\il wee thin — he enry 
 the Great Spirit, and he try to make a hook just like it; 
 but when he had dono, he (ailed so much — it v\a3 so 
 very unlike Great Spirit'^J book — that the devil he 
 ashamed of it, and hid it 'n the ea.'th in the woods. 
 By and bye, Joe Smith, he come aloiig, iimJ he dig it 
 up; and this is the Morinon IVihie.*' ThiK ^!tory was 
 told us shortly afterward.s it the. Credit, and we subse- 
 quently had the opportunity to prove its aulhenticily. 
 
 The Indians not only love the Bible in word, but in 
 deed. They prove their love for the sacred In^nsure by 
 their act*. Th^^ following extract from my journal is 
 •ufficient evidence of the truth of this assoition : — 
 
 " May 9th, 1839. This evening we assembled in our 
 Mission Chapel, for the purpose uforganiziii^ a branch 
 Bible Society, in connexion with the Toronto Auxi- 
 liary. I was appointed the President. It is at nil 
 times interesting to see those who, a short tijue ago, 
 were pagans, coming forward to do any thing to send 
 the Gospel to other?^. But on this occasjon it x^as 
 more particularly interesting, inasmuch ;is this is tht 
 first Bibh Society ever formed among the rrd men. 
 We had the assi^Mance of the Rev. James Thompson, 
 from the Parent Society. ;ind Agent for tli'- f\hole of 
 British North America, late Agent in ihe West Indies, 
 
no 
 
 ,*ftv. 
 
 anJ formerly in South Amoiica an«l Mexico. Wo 
 were aLso a.s.iisleil by my hrollier In-iavv, the liev. W. 
 Scott. About X:) wci-G siiliscril.'Ov'." At the cl.^sc of 
 the year, Komcthing above X'lO were r. aiized. 
 
 A deul/t bed h a \2\ of siinccrify — the nuK-«t rigu) of 
 all scrutlnuis. Those person?) who can, with imi-hrink- 
 irig confnlenco, coaunit their so»il>! into the I aiids of 
 r»()d, and wiih joy face the jiii lament- i<eat, must Lo 
 sinctire. The Chnsilan fitdian hjjs iVetjUcriily stood 
 the npplionnon of Ihis te.st — has pa^^^od trimnphanliy 
 throi.gh l!ie fiery onlenl, und ha* liierehy proved the 
 Hinccrily of I, is profesoioii. T have often beeM by the 
 8i.!c ofllie bed of d<'a;h, and have witnessed ihen-^ood 
 confession. They havt* humbly eoMfes^ie(i, i.i afi^cting 
 langiiaj^e, their siidulnes.-* and unvvorliiiness' ; iheir en- 
 tire Irusl and eonjjdeiire in th;' nifriLs of the Kedcernrrj 
 their joy and tiiu;n|)h of soul, from a sense of his fa- 
 vour and gracious aercjifance of Ihcin ; and liic l)jight 
 hope and joyt'ul aiilitipaiuMi they poasess (»f everlast- 
 ing hapi)i'.e>.s. .J<>hn^e^, a brotlier of Johr. Sunday, 
 whrn in his la."«l s'eknei-s. s.iid, reaehing forth his ema- 
 cin'.ed arnj.'^, and lUMuy times elasping togetlier his 
 handrt, — ^'- Kesfinfnnntdoo,, az/ie-a-f/Ua-iKm ! disk 
 ouiui-dance ! JWi-wn-jxm-daiiavi ^ ucnssa-avn,^^ &c. 
 *" God opens the door of heaven ! F see the ligiit of 
 hi.> glory ! IMy son! is v/ry happy ! 1 am g;'ing to 
 lieaven whee .K>ns is!" &,(*. Withii; u lew days of 
 the close of my l:i'>oiir.s at Amherslburgh, tiie ((allow- 
 ing iusertio i was madj in my journal :— ^' Was called 
 to preach at the funeral o\\ an<l to inter one of our fe- 
 male Indian meml>ers. She uas one of our mo.-t pif db 
 fearalen. We have now lost, by death, Jive Indian 
 nv?:nb''r.s sinee I came to this mi:.-si()n--()t every one 
 of whom I l>avo good hope thnl ihey have gone to 
 
 h 
 
 e a veil 
 
 I cannot now state the number who died 
 
 dm'ing my four years' residence at the Credit; but 
 t!»ere were several, all of whom died w.th firm confi- 
 dence in llje aoning blood, ajid with assurance of a 
 blc^-'eil imino tality. Were it not for llie fear of mak- 
 ing thiri ar'icb too 1 ngtliy, it would have afforded me 
 
171 
 
 ^. We 
 ifv. W. 
 cU^sc of 
 
 ik-ltririk- 
 anda of 
 piust be 
 tly stood 
 nplianlly 
 
 DVt'll tljC 
 
 n l)y iho 
 lioir good 
 nfiV-ctirig 
 il^clr di- 
 ed c cm rr; 
 oC his fa- 
 [\\e briglit 
 r.verlr.!<t- 
 , Sunday, 
 , li;;^ rmo- 
 ;ct!ier hi« 
 
 (/?4/» 
 
 :i7/r3," &.C. 
 e liglJt of 
 g;,ing to 
 ,v days of 
 )e Cuitow- 
 /as c rilled 
 ()(■ our I'e- 
 
 no-t J;ifllB 
 
 he Indian 
 every one 
 e gone to 
 
 who died 
 icdit ; but 
 irin corifi- 
 once of a 
 ar of irnk- 
 
 orded me 
 
 g.vat pleasure to have inKCrtrd s.)mc :u".(iMut ol a ft-w 
 oflliose Iiiiinble Ibll'jivcrsdf liicir Suviour ; 1 iil Itir llii»« 
 reason, I rnujt lorljenr. Many of the sons oftlie fori'bt 
 ar) already niing!in;j: their a itlieins of praise wiil» the 
 countless ruinibtT of those svho have pa^-nd tlar.u^^h 
 givat Irihulalio,^, and uho have vvanhni their n hi-s und 
 mad«3 thorn wli'te in tlm hNxwi ul'tliv Lanili ; a;id nri- 
 ny more, \viil» ChiXsliaij deviated ne^s, are ou iLcif VM«y 
 to join tlieu). 
 
 To eoiiilude t'lis review, — I can tally tlat llw- r 
 religion is ol'a <j;0Muint^ anil .-H'.ciptiiral ciiarai'lor. TluMr 
 vie'.vs o\' i'm nuturc ofi-jal rciiiion are coircct. 'll.^^\ 
 it i^ iiolliin^ exU.Tr.al — that it do. s lutl eon^itt in no 
 tons, or inci-ely in i*eii»."irnlion ol liCe; hid in a ihvinc- 
 supc.Matur.il [)o;ver and infUicnce on the h.'art. Tlifv 
 fe:5l on t!\j true foundation, nrul Ini M tIier"'on wi'ii 
 prcciou.* materials. 1 have (d'ten noLced tuis wilii 
 plea>?u-o wien J ha/e it:-tea' d to their prayers and ex- 
 liortalioiis, aad to llie re!:iii"n <'i' their experii-iit :> in 
 our lovc-feastrf and cIa;Jt;-n!eetii!g:J. The V/yandt^t^ 
 would ori'.'n, u il'i fiM'/otn" ol feeling and rioleuiu revcr- 
 encej oMre^is the Divine Reinn as Goii the Father, 
 Son, and il'»ly S;)irit, — •• O Hai.iuhdi^'izhn- — Jizaz 
 — O Su.\':':$j)!''' aiul the Oehipvva — •• O K'shumn- 
 ned(K) — O P.nuztd K<i(:hcooch<ichuu.^,^'' Tite fe/ics 
 trczAurca/ij Q\x'A\\.) lauri'iiluu, m* tu.oiito,- (great, 
 
 • From iliia Icrtii, F Ijclievr ne ;ic.|iiitc lliti n-inio of T(uufiii>, 
 tlu' K)i'inor ca;ilt il ui' lii)[((rr Curitli. 'l'!u:ri' u;is lirsl « lov> iisli!;> 
 of l!iat iiarne ; and wliiii tlia ii uiit; o( iho c'»Y '.vas io be r.Ki'.ijj- 
 cd I'-'Oiu York, Ihis iiatiic ua.s itJucltil. lloiv it uaa l.i.it .» 
 VVy uidot iiaui'; '.va-* '^ivcii Id u. tovv!i -;'.:,) so rtrnolc io U'C 
 present rcsiih'iKv ol' liia' liibc, I Uiunv iiol ; Uiit ;ii.; iiu..iic is 
 ackiiuwioiljjcd lo I).' Iii'Jiaii, aii<l iuu.il. li.ive Lucii, by aome 
 means, taken liorii llvil l:iii;ii:i :;'• It m boruiliAil boUi in 
 sjutul and si^rnilic itioii. Tliut tj a township aJjoiriiny; '.he 
 to-.vii6!i!',) oi' Toroiilu bc;irhi;j die name c( Kiobicukc, « prtt- 
 iiouticoil Tobico,) ubich i.s uii ()t'ii;)ivu word .si^.-ufviir^ an ii.!d- 
 er ; ami lijal hti^hbourlnoil was so cailid Ity the Iiiduins, 
 from the ciri:iun:.l;ificc ol" the aliier biiab hcw^ ihfre ])Ic(iurul. 
 Tiiorc is nl.-io :i l'>Av:)s!iii» near llio svne sjn»» calkd Cl>iii:;ua~ 
 cousey, (proa. Cbincusy,) which is an Imliaa name derived 
 iVom the ciroiiinalasice, ii" I rt;corcct r!j,ht, oi iho abjiidarieo ol 
 pines foriTicrly growing there. 
 
172 
 
 large, or plenty,) wnre often used by the former, when 
 applying to the divirti proviMions of the atonement. 
 And the ialtei would also frequently introduce ihe 
 great foundation of ilie Christian'sj hnpe — the propitia- 
 tion made by Cliris^t, by his blood-shedding, (oo-me- 
 squeem.) Their favourite hymns are thoHC which re- 
 fer to such Bulijecls. Their tounteniinceB would often 
 lighten ujt, when, with Macred leeling, ihcy would sing: 
 
 " Oo - n\o. - sqii^em on - eho ■ bee » nc zham 
 Nen kusi) - ke - c - '•^ou 'zahu," 
 
 " Ilia blood cun make the foulest clean, 
 Uis blood a vail 'd far nic.'" 
 
 And theirs was not a mere Antinomian confidence. 
 They sought to exerc ise a faith which works* I^y love, 
 and purifies the hemt. 'I'hey were frequently using 
 such terms as pohpcnendaim, (happy,) panizid„ (holy,) 
 zhavnnedeuin^ (l(>ve,) as expre.-sive of their feelings 
 and desires. " i am unworthy,''* said u poor old wo- 
 man, on a bed of sickness, *" but I remember Jesus 
 died for me, and this makes me very happy." Our 
 hearts were frequently gladdened with similar expres- 
 bions in similar circumslantes. It would afl'ord plea- 
 sure to any lover of Jesui?, to witness awme scenes in 
 their worship, when the i-ervanls of the cross have diss- 
 played the "'unspeakable gift'" and ^^ the ansearcha- 
 blo riches of Christ/* All this illustrates the /ownt/a- 
 tion of their hope, and the sotirce of their happiness. 
 In short, tlicy are convinced by the Divine Spirit of 
 their gnilt and wretihedness as sinners; they are 
 brouglit to rely solely or the atonement of Jesus Christ 
 forpreijent pardon and aeceptnnce ; they experience a 
 sense of forgiveness of uins, and the enjoyment of an 
 inward kingdom of heaven, which is "righteousness, 
 peace, and joy in the Moly Ghost;" and they orna- 
 ment their prolession by a consistent life — by the ma- 
 nifestation of ( hristian graces. Considering, then, the 
 contrast between their past and present state, of which 
 they are themselves deeply conscious, we shall not 
 wonder that they frequently sing, almost with raptu- 
 rous feeling : 
 
 t 
 
 I 
 
m 
 
 tt 
 
 Jtc - zwi ncti • 
 Du - hun - ou 
 
 O 
 
 IK! 
 
 I) - ino* - (j'lf'ii), «tc 
 
 aim - ilo - na - ai 
 »tc - no - OiiiT ; 
 
 tiuo 
 
 zhc • 1110 - c«l. 
 
 Ki;c - Uc • /.In: - cu - iic - lie." 
 
 " Jc8!i« soucjilt xup uhi'ti a .■«'r.ii.a;<;r, 
 W.mil. iiii^ liO'ii ilic iMil ol'^icil; 
 II'', lo rt'fciK; DM! from ilaimor, 
 
 j» 
 
 II will app.wr, by tlie remarks foniainoti in lliis diop- 
 ter, ihal in vvhufovri* poml of view we contcntplnto the 
 Imliuiij; wIu'lliiM" wo coiitr.isf their present witl» their 
 pa.Ustat.': wheilior we coiisuler their toriiporiil rondi- 
 tiuti, or their spiiit.ial erijoy/miiils, -Jniy particular 
 branch (»t Cliristian duly — or llio cloin;; srone ol hie — 
 all unite thoi.' t05?timuiiy lo ihc jjeniiinencss of the 
 CI ri^ritiaii char.icter they cxliibit ; ai:! lo the tart that 
 Christianity ha.s ilonc iIumii good. We fan, wi'.bout 
 (ear oi'Ijoiiij^ eorifroated, no; wi'hstundntg every alie^a« 
 tion to tho coiilrary, poirii ti» niany sfenes arid hun- 
 dreds oi living chanictifrs, and ^ay, ^ Tlu>e are our 
 epistle-^, known and rcadofall aien who candidly apply 
 
 liiiiinsi^'vi's to tiio siibject 
 
 \h 
 
 ^1 
 
 Ti.-jl the reader decidr.' wlint would be the u;renles! 
 
 kinilnesri we e.w:ild bo.^l^)W iDon tliein — to lea\e 
 
 th 
 
 orn 
 
 to their unciihivattd habil.:* — tothrir d-'solate eondilion 
 — willuMit hope, and without (iod in the worUI I or to 
 cheer thoni with the light orii(i% and the gloncH ofiiu- 
 mortality and eternal day? I ktiow the co' c!ii!»ion td 
 every Chi isiian. yeaoTevery philaiiilirof)i>t, will be, 
 hi us Tiduiildr out fff>trh lo send (hem th, dospcl. 
 I i'cel a re>;ret thil so many of my ob.-ervatioiijs iav« 
 
 bi) 
 
 en aj)ologe(ie 
 
 llowcve;, that ihev have bad to 
 
 assun:ic tliis^ cha.acler, i> not any laiili (.l.i.ine. I Ci>ii!d 
 wiili greiter pleasure have iliutstratcd 'be benetlin they 
 have received IVo.ii Chnntiaidtv m the shape of plain 
 jj'.atenient. I)iit the attacks I base noticed, rouM itol 
 piss without ri'Tulalion in a ihf^uje of l!.e i atu'.e I bad 
 purpojiod t ) nivself. [ ft\.] sd!l more tioeidy to rf grct 
 that 1 liavo bad lo as^unie a pojtitiuii antaj^ordst to ono 
 80 high in station as the late Lieutenaht Governor of U]*- 
 
174 
 
 per Canada. Bui necessity was laid upon me. When 
 the power ot the (^fosnel to evangelize and civilize the 
 deepcHt degraded sovfige is cilleJ in question, every 
 Minister of the Go.-pel is concerned therein, especially 
 those engaged in i hat very work. And every Evan- 
 gelist, in whatever part of the v!o\\d he may be engag- 
 ed, ia interested in such a refutation : for the objection, 
 if admissable in one case, mu«t ho also in every other. 
 And although the time e\T\c.c Sir F. B. Head publish- 
 ed his Despatches has so long gone by, yet I trust the re- 
 marks will not be out of place, as the cause is one 
 which will exist to thi" end of time ; and the subject 
 j» therefore of permanent importance. 
 
 "\ 
 
 ,*' 
 
17;) 
 
 Vhcn 
 
 sc the 
 
 pvery 
 
 cially 
 
 rivan- 
 
 ingag- 
 
 ction, 
 
 other. 
 
 iblish 
 
 ihe re- 
 
 18 one 
 
 ubject 
 
 COXCLUSfON. 
 
 Ca.vada requires a far greater degree of religious cul- 
 ture than has ever hilhorto been bestowed upon it. 
 V^anous denominations of Christians are beginning to 
 be conscious of this. Aiul Hurt»ly, th(^ Wcsleyan Me- 
 thodists oii{j;ht to fee! the inipoitance oi greater exer- 
 lion^i being nndo to extend their htbuiirs in this highly 
 important — this no!)le colony. They have been the 
 pioneers, who have penetrated into remote par's of the 
 country, in its uncultivalfl state, ju.d a]ino>l inarces- 
 •ible condition ; at.d whtii settlements. villogCM, and 
 towns are rising on every hand, uliich h* ve been part- 
 ly en!ip:hten<'d, aiul have had a taste for j.j)iritiial things 
 imparted by then exertions ; surely they ought to fol- ^ 
 low up the exertions they have made, and not lose, at 
 least to themselves, the fruits of their previous hard 
 toil. 
 
 It is natural lo imrigine our own •'phere of labour of 
 importance ; and it is right it should be so. Various 
 portions of the Mission field have of late years found 
 able advocates, who by their thrilling appeals have pro- 
 duced considerable sensation on the mintlH of the be- 
 nevolent iiul Christian people of England on their be- 
 half. Happy, m thfs respect. Fegee, Ashanti, and In- 
 dia, in being favoured with such able advocates. Glad 
 «hould 1 be, ifi could bo repre«ent the claims of Ca- 
 nada, eo as to produce any elTect, or in any greater de- 
 gree to impreiis the minds of the friends of Missions 
 with the necessity of licstowing m'TC attention to this 
 part of the world Kowever, I will take leave to say, 
 that it is my own impression, giving all due importance 
 lo all that has beon snid in behal! of other parts of the 
 
17C 
 
 woiU, ihrjt Canada i.^ o.^ irnporlanl ns any other i!is- 
 tmct .splioiv; of operation. ]\cic wo liavo a vast ex- 
 tent orcoiintr}'- lining up wiili in! al)ilant!*, ilotined at 
 no distant diiy to lonn malerials lor a grt'at cm[)irc. 
 Toeniir jr rri;||ioii>i will doiibtii'.ss popiila c this rt<^ion. 
 Tho VVc-st Indian l.>lands at pre^;olit pr(..-«nit imposing 
 niiinl*crs of Chnroli fi)onit}er:» ; but thoy aro t>«.a-g''rt 
 isles, and cantiot allord rnon) for tii;it cKlen^ion of in- 
 
 Hi 
 
 cnco as this va.st cousitry, whii h \>> evei 
 
 hich 
 
 ly day 
 
 eX" 
 
 tendin;^ its hoMiularicr*. And thev aiv l>' no <d' your 
 hone, Din! flesh of your IIoh!!. And ought not Eriti.sh 
 Mothudir.iLs to he eonroiiK'd that tiueh .sho-dd po^>e.-8 
 
 \ti sail!'* liappv prsvdeiios they tiii'in.^eivcs pos-hiOj-e. 
 
 th 
 
 fn atlJil.oii to til s consideration, th s pi rtion ot the 
 Mist-iofj fii'ld <• )inl.iaes ulinu.^t every other specietJ of 
 claim that anv <»tlii'r eountry posscssoH. Is it necfK- 
 sary to eiiipUiy in I eland AlisMunaries ^peal;iIl!•; lo tiio 
 inhahitanr-' in lUir own tiuigui', and to cs ahhsh 
 schools, to e .hjr'.ieii those 8o sadly en\eh?j)ed in the 
 darkness ol Popory ? Then tlie .^airie necet^sily ex»;-='.'} 
 here. IT re i'opery exi.-Jls in its worst lorinM, and in 
 ilsd;irke-^l r^haues. A!read'. the chior is oj>cnin«: in va- 
 rious directinij. Alii if i( Ik? neiessary i(» en)f)loy in 
 Franee a greit ^].:», ionary force; the Katne neresnly 
 c'Ubls in Canida-- u it'i ihe a<h!itioii;il inducement, it 
 is our owa ^o I. Xr- your hearts) louehed with tha 
 sorrows of th'se who ha-lcn altci other liods ? flerc 
 also are pag'.ns, •.\iio liave never yet reroived a Chris- 
 tian teailier, hut \vli,» are anx <)usly ties, ring lhen». 
 [ii short, the co ul in;") ( iainiti of d).'>titute settlers, pa- 
 pi;<tsnnd [lagauK, wliiti;, retl, and coloured people, hear 
 foreihiy ujinn us. an 1 re<iuiic a deep sympathy , and 
 itc'lous cxorlionb. 
 
177 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ;iisli 
 
 va- 
 
 )}' in 
 •i<:-ity 
 
 it. it 
 
 lerc 
 iritt- 
 ion». 
 ),a- 
 
 and 
 
 At page I5f>, I have remarked, I might have mtrn- 
 duceJ numerous testimonies of the great improvement 
 of the Indians, from persons in all ranks of hfe ; bui 
 that I [)referred the insertion of one or two from persona 
 whose interests were intimately connected with theirs. 
 Since liien, I have received the following letter from 
 the Rev. R. L. Lushkr. It contnins a testimony 
 and sentiments loo valuable to be omitted. The well 
 known resi>ectabihty and judgment of the esteemed 
 writer will tend to give ^reat weight and force «.o the 
 testimony he bears. The testmiony Sir Augustus 
 d'Este bears to the inientions of Lord Gieneig, accord* 
 with my owi view of them; and I am inclined to 
 think, had it not been that the piety and benevolence 
 of that excellent nobleman had induced him to j>resent 
 a check to t! " intrusions of Sir F. B. Head, the In- 
 dians would I'lve been Hlripped of their possessions, 
 and would now have been located on the barren rocki* 
 of the Thousand Islands, and left there, not only to be 
 decimatedj but exterminated. 
 
 Montreal, dugutt 1, 1844. 
 
 Ret. and Dear Sir, 
 
 I am ^lad to learn from your prospectus, which has 
 for some time heon before the public, that it i.s your in- 
 tention to publish, under the name of ^< Indian Research- 
 es," &c., a work illustrative of the character, condition, 
 and prospects of our North American (ndiaas ; which, from 
 
173 
 
 your inlimnte acquaintance with the subject, will, I have 
 no doubt, be intcresliri;^ to the juiljlic in fjencral^ and to 
 the Cliristian piihlic in particular. 
 
 How lamentaMy paa;.".!! ami de^^radcd soever, the greater 
 portions ol the Indian nations o( this conlinent may con- 
 tinue to bf", it is ph'iisin'j to know, tliat eornetliing has 
 been att(?m|itt'd an.] accampiishiMj in ihoir ()ehall', — as is 
 pvidont from the j;roat clian^:f; which has oeen wrought 
 in the soci;il and nionil coniiition ol'thoso of tlie Aborigi- 
 nal Trihos, whii.h liavc been hronKtit rMidci the influence 
 of ,'^hrbliiui instrnctioa an! ((lintipte by th« agents of our 
 ovvii, iind other Missionary iSocietie.s. Of this, in one in- 
 flance, 1 am prcfiared to bear my linmldt', (csllmnnyj from 
 the opjioitiiiiity I once baJ ot visitin.!? the »et(lcn\enf an;! 
 iiiii.sion «'.>tablish',d among the Hchipwa Indi.iiid on the 
 C'ledii Kiver, a few miles above Toronto, while that mis- 
 sion w;is under your pastoral e;irp. I was indeed delight- 
 ed, wliio! fxoin-^ from house to house thronzii tiie village 
 on a hl.itnrday cveninj^, to observe the cleanliness of their 
 dvvelliii'i;s and persons, and their calm a(id (luiei prepara- 
 tions lor the Sabbath. S'l'.l more delighted was I on that 
 holy <.\Ayf lo ^vitiiPss t!ieir devout attachment to the du- 
 ties and ordini>nccs ol roli^ion ; and can say, that I never 
 it ny where saw the Sabbath more properly observed. — 
 And eouid 1 have visited the other Indian missions in 
 I'anada West, I should no (Uiubt have witnessed similar 
 t\hil;it!ons ol the iiallowin'? and civilizing inlUience of 
 ('hiiali.<oil3'. Idttle, lunvever, 1 (ear has b»!en dvne for the 
 Inn;^-ne^,lected and deeplv-injnroil Ahori;i,ines of this con- 
 tinent, compared with wliat remaiiib" to be done. On tliia 
 Fubji^ct, I beg to submit to you an extract of a liitei which 
 I recfiv'd some time since Irom that illustrious friend of 
 the In 'in:-;, Sir Au'^nsliiH d'Este, son to Wn Uoyal High- 
 ness l.ic late Duk^! of Sussex ; — 
 
 " 1 ho sun of the CJreat Spirit is si»inin!jf upon his Red 
 ChiKiren : it is for his o'.vn favoured onos of a lairer skin, 
 DOiO to take a«!vanta^'e of it. I^urd Ciloneltr up>H'(irs lo me 
 to lie a blessin_'' upon the Indians, lie is wil!in«!;, more, 
 dairou.i to make np to these now livinsi:, for the tinright- 
 oon* deal'n'^s of the pnst ; in ee.nseqnenco of which, the 
 Departed arc ;;onf, I'-aviu'j^ their Descendants our ('redi- 
 tors, whose debts Justice herself would never be able to 
 liquidate.'* 
 
 You have my liijst wislies, dear Sir, for the success o^ 
 youi undertaking^ ; and sincerely do I hope, tliut it may 
 
 m 
 
179 
 
 be the means of crpating a <lcofor intcrpsf jn behalf of a 
 race of men whom yon, I have no doulit, will be able to 
 show are among l!ic most nofile of our unltjtorcJ species, 
 a;id in every way worthy of the betievolenl and most 
 strenuous OAertions which can be made fur the accom> 
 plisbment of their civil and moral iinprovrment. 
 
 I am, dear Mr, 
 Kcsp^'CtfuUy and aU'ectionatcly yours, 
 
 H. L. Li'SNCR. 
 The Kev. P. Slight. 
 
 lii!;h- 
 
 vkin, 
 
 iiioro, 
 i;;ht- 
 , the 
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 bio to 
 
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 rublishcd by the .icwk? auikot, price 6(i 
 
 Tin: MYSTI^RY OF (lODMNF-SS, llir PILLAR 
 AND THE GROUND OF TMls TRUTH : A Ser- 
 mon pre .'C bed ou the Credit Misnon, &c. Vuldi^beJ 
 by rcquciC.