614 
together; with) an: assidtity and” solemnity 
which) made it be supposed they entertained 
a‘sincere desire to learn ‘and’ emibrace' the 
truths of:Christianity’ but'they would sud- 
denlyrefram from ‘coming to church, 'say- 
ing coolly to the missionary, ’* You had no’ 
one’ to pray with you ; I took compassion 
upon’ you in’ your ‘solitude, ‘and kept you 
company.’ Others ‘at’ present are willing 
to render “you the same’ service, I there- 
fore’ take my leave.” ‘This fact, Charlevoix 
says,’ he learned’ from a missionary, to 
whom the circumstance happened at Mi- 
chillimakinaec’; and. that he also had read, 
in some of their accounts, that several of 
the Indians had even carried their com- 
plaisance so far as to request and receive 
the rites of baptism, performing for some 
time the Christian duties; after which 
they declared they had done all this only 
to please the priest, who was pressing them 
to ‘change.-their religion.”—Hist. de la 
Nouvelle France, liviv. 
The commencement of this volume 
tends to place the Indian character in 
a far more humane and superior light 
than our philanthropic civilizers of ig- 
norant savages would give them credit 
for. It represents them as being a 
brave, candid, generous, hospitable, and 
peaceful people, highly intellectual, pa- 
tiently enduring the worst of privations, 
affectionate husbands and fathers, and 
extremely ingenious; these qualities, it 
must be recollected, are allowed them 
by those who have lived among them 
for years. And why not then have left 
them so? they were then most happy. 
—But no—our zeal for the salvation of 
their souls, or the possession of their 
soil, made us ardent to undertake their 
civilization and conversion, and mark 
the means we took: 
“* In the year 1789, the American. Gene- 
ral Knox gave an. entertainment at New 
York, to a number of Indian chiefs, sa- 
chems, and warriors. Before dinner, se- 
veral of these walked from the apartment, 
where they were assembled, to the baleony 
in front of the house, from which there was 
a commanding view of the city and its har- 
bour, of the East and North Rivers, and 
of the island upon which New York now 
stands, and which, at the first settlement of 
the Dutch, got the name of Manhattan. 
On returning into the room, the Indians 
seemed dejected, and their principal chief 
more so than the rest. _ This was observed 
by Géneral Knox, who kindly asked if any 
thing had happened to distress him. ‘ Bro- 
ther,” replied the chief, ‘I will tell you. I 
have been looking at your beautiful city, 
the great water, your fine country, and I 
see how happy you all are. But then, I 
could not help thinking that’ this fine cous- 
Halkett’s Historical’ Notes 6n the Indians of North America. 
to attend our churches,” says he, ‘for years” 
try) afd this*#reat watery were rie Gtits*’ 
Oui¥ ancestors lived héte 3 ‘they enjoyed i" 
as their own’ in ‘peace? Ht Was’ 'the Pitt VF 
the Great Spirit to them Gind°¢hen® chile | 
dren: At length ‘the White ijieople' éame® 
in’a great canoe! ‘They askéd'6nly to ‘Tet ° 
them tie if to'a treé, that the waters might” 
not carry it away. ” They then "sdid-that' 
some of their people were “sick; and they 
asked permission to land them and -put’ 
them under the shade of thé trees!!! The 
ice afterwards came, and'they ould ‘not go 
away. They then begged apiece ef ground” 
to build Wigwams: for the winter ‘this ‘we - 
granted. -They then asked for “some” corn: 
to keep them from starving: we furnished 
it to them, and they ‘promised to depart! 
when the i¢e was gone. ‘When the ice’ 
was gone, we fold’ them they must? now! 
depart; but they pointed to their big ‘guns: 
round their wigwams, and said’ they would: 
stay; and we could) not!’ make “them go! 
away. ‘Afterwards more ®¢arne.’* “They 
brought with them ‘intoxicating /and* de-~ 
structive liquors, of which the! Indians be+ 
came very fond. They’ persuaded usi to 
sell them ‘some land and) finally; they 
drove us back, from time ‘to time, into’'the 
wilderness. They lave destroyed’ the 
game ; our people have wasted away’; ‘and 
pow we live miserable and wretched}! while 
the White people are enjoying’ ourfine and 
beautiful country. It is this, Brother} that 
makes me sorry.’”’ 2 OWS PRRIDIML 
But mark the. moral consequences, of 
our civilized intercourse: 
“« Of the numerous vices imported from 
the Old World into the ‘New, there’ is 
none which has proved so great a scourge 
to the Indians as the intemperate’ use’ of 
spirituous liquors. To the’ Freneh,’ the 
Dutch, the Swedes, the British, and, in 
later times, to the Americans of the United 
States, have the North Américan Indians 
been indebted for the pernicious ‘effects 
which intoxicating liquors’ have produced 
among them. IOMTSVOR 10 
“ That the baneful and destructive’ Sys- 
tem of disposing of spirits to the’ Indians 
had always prevailed in full force, is not’ to 
be controverted ; and the’ practice not only 
tended to increase their natural ferocity ‘in 
time of war, but to prevent their improve- 
mént in time of peace. Those who have 
witnessed the effects of intoxication” only 
upon Europeans, can scarcely form anade- 
quate notion of the frenzy with which'a 
North American Indian is infuriated when 
under the influence ‘of liquor: ‘In’ that 
state, every savage passion, which’ nature 
or habit has implanted in him, is let'loose. 
He will then, with equal indifference; Shed 
the blood of friend or foe; will ''sacrifice 
his nearest and dearest conhexio me 
dering without compunction, or the slightest 
cause of offence, his parents, his ‘bretlirén, 
his wife, or his offspring. Whet'tle fitof 
insanity has passed, and the’ unforttitiate 
wretch 
