127 



qui propltius quasrenti occurrit. Ex illo ruinam domus extiiKJlofquc 

 fratres lugens audit, nee narranti deeft miferieordia. Spem vindiftie, Ma- 

 nitous, remedfum doloris infpirat ; atque teium ingens, inviftum, quod 

 potentiffimum habuit, in corbe magno ex viminibus contexto, repofitum, 

 prse fe ferens, in terras infellas, fupplice fubfequente, hoftili hocce ap- 

 paratu inftruftus, citato pede contendit. Vidit nee erubuit cordata fe- 

 mina, nee magnificum malum evadere tentavit ; fed novis artlbus, aequa- 

 lem fefe preftituram novo huic bello confidens, fortiter fe vulneribus ex- 

 pofuit. Loco flat firmus Manitous, et fie impetum reginje, quae faltu 

 pedibus corbe dejefto, in telum ruebat, excepit. Ilia per aera fublata, 

 fufpenfa, et ufque ad cervicis nexum et medullas penetrata, non penitus 

 transfixa, inter voluptatis et cruciatus limites divifum habuit imperium. 

 Per decern dies noftesque, terra, intafta regina punfto fufpenforio agitata 

 et circumvoluta, teli injurias fuftinuit. Undecimo autem die mane ten- 

 tigine et impetu et vulneribus, oppreffis viribus, laflata, poenas luens libi- 

 dinis, vit£e expers, in terram occubuit. Sed nee in ilia gens tota periit : 

 defunftas nulla proles, forores fuperftites. Lafcivas non terret fors fororis, 

 Juvenes cavete. 



Such are the amufements of men, whom fome have been led to con- 

 fider, as limiting their pleafurcs to the gratification of animal appetite, 

 and incapable of mental enjoyments. Whether the models upon which 

 the Indian imagination works, have been drawn through circuitous chan- 

 nels, from more refined fources, I cannot with a pofitivc certainty aflert 

 or deny. My firm conviftion is, that their tales and fables, and the 

 whole play of their fancy, are original.* The power of inventing and 



embellifliing 



* Mr. M'llvray and Mr. M'Kenzie, who have reCded many years among 'the north- 

 weftern Indians, aflure me, that the paffion for fiflions and tales is univerfal among all 

 thofe tribes. Though, from their accounts, I am induced to conclude that the imagina- 

 tion is lefs cultivated, and its produflions more rude and monotonous, than among those 

 Indians, who acquire fubfiftence with more eafe, and inhabit a more genial climate. 

 Thefe gentlemen are two of the partners of the Canadian north-weft company, who not 

 content with haying already enriched geography by important difcoveries, have lately 



added 



