HISTORY. 89 



I 



This country, wliosc discovery and occupation has been 

 chronicled in tlie foregoing very concise epitome, comprises 

 about three-fourths of a milHon of square miles in extent, 

 mostly of a soil that has not its equal on the earth, and 

 covers nearly in latitude the whole of the northern temperate 

 zone. Its features are peculiar. Most conveniently and 

 beautifully distributed in grove and prairie, the settler finds 

 the labor of subduing it but the sport of a season ; fertile as 

 the chemistry of nature can produce, the husbandman almost 

 forgets he is subject to the law laid upon his first parent, and 

 is scarcely conscious that in the sweat of his brow he earns 

 his bread. It is not more beautiful to the sense, than grate- 

 ful to the toil, of man. 



In the enterprises, humble in means and in the mode of 

 prosecuting them, silent, luiapplauded, hazardous and toil- 

 some, great in their results, a few brave and polite French- 

 men, accompanied by two or three pious, peaceful and 

 zealous disciples of the cross, surmounted with comparative 

 ease and impunity, obstacles which, to explorers of different 

 material, would have presented pictures of blood and death. 

 The acquisition of this invaluable country was made by 

 them almost without disaster, which, if attempted by others, 

 would probably have made our peaceful story a series of 

 most moving tragedies. The Frenchman forgets not that 

 the uncivilized, as well as civilized man, is his brother, and 

 he deports himself as man to man. The sturdy Saxon treats 

 the Indian like a dog. The Frenchman adapts liimself to all 

 situations, and to all people. The American thinks every- 

 thing is to be accommodated to him. But the churchmen 

 were also greatly useful in inspiring the savages with peace- 

 ful emotions, by their religious emblems, services, devotions 

 and instructions. By these means, and by such deportment, 

 aided by a few presents judiciously bestowed, and with such 



