Tete dc Boulc Indians. 27 



from such an acquaintance with truth have been conuncu- 

 surate with the gratification afforded by the perusal of the 

 sublime poetical perversion in part founded on it; or of 

 the yet more enticing aberrations of eloquent historians, 

 glad to make it the vehicle of more imposing, because less 

 suspected, naratives ? I should answer i/cs ; — and if called 

 upon to substantiate the assertion, point out as an example, 

 the historical dramas of Shakspeare; which, however 

 known to the critic to be false history, possess not the less 

 influence over his imagination, even in the closet. The 

 interest excited in the mind by the desire of learning plain 

 truth, and that caused by the semi-transparent fictions of 

 fine poetry, grounded on reality, are differeui passions 

 congenial with the ^anlc mind. Nor, to illu trate the 

 sentiment by a remark somewhat bearing upon our subject, 

 do we less admire the fine poetical draught of Indian 

 character developed in "The last of the Mohicans,'* 

 because we may have closely seen, in some of our excur- 

 sions, the real native savage in his homely, dirty blanket 

 garb, and perhaps at a time when labouring under the 

 effects of the least poetical of his customary inclinations. 



Passing inimediatLly to <iur subject, the nation of tlicTOtc 

 de Bt-ule Indians, inhabiting the country around the upper 

 part of the UiverSt. Maurice,andconcentratii)gtowards We- 

 inouuchin(|ue, as the mart for their hunting produce, is that 

 oo which these observations are principally intended to be 

 made. These people, once a formidable race, are now 

 reduced by small-pox, and more specially by the baneful 

 cfl'ects of rum, to a uiiserable ri lunant of some twenty or 

 twenty-five families, spread over an extent of country, 

 ineasiuing probably seven or tight hiuulred scpiare leagues, 

 and coubidering all this great tract ais their ouu Itiwful 



