438 INDIANS. 



climbs hills, stretches out on the vast, trackless, water- 

 less wastes, doubles and hides, and covers his trail, 

 killing emigrants, pillaging farmhouses, outraging women, 

 running off stock, and leaving only disaster and dismay 

 behind him. 



The more bulky father, patient and indomitable, 

 follows slow, but sure as a bloodhound, certain as fate. 

 He almost has the youngster in his clutches, when by 

 another dexterous double the fatal grasp is eluded, and 

 the boy, realising the sure fate in store for him, expends 

 all his remaining strength in a race for home. Still on the 

 trail, the pursuer relentlessly follows ; and when he, too, 

 finally arrives at home, it is to find the truant with his 

 head in his mother's lap, her arms about him as a shield, 

 and he is told that all is made up, that ' the boy is a good 

 little boy, and don't need any whipping.' 



This is the actual inception, progress, and result of 

 nine-tenths of the Indian troubles. If, as has been stated 

 time and again on the floor of Congress, it costs a million 

 of dollars to kill an Indian, the reason can easily be seen. 

 An Indian expedition necessarily costs money. If it fails 

 from the defects of a system too absurd to waste argument 

 upon, the blame should certainly not attach to the 

 army. 



3. Yielding too much to sentimental humanitarianism. 



No system of government, either religious or secular, 

 worthy of serious consideration, has yet been devised in 

 which punishment of the wicked and lawless does not 

 bear a prominent part. The strongest of all restraining 

 forces is the fear of punishment. Human nature is so 

 'prone to evil,' that, but for this fear, the world would 

 itself be a hell rivalling Dante's in wickedness, misery, 

 and horror. 



For one person who acts rightly from right and con- 

 science sake, a thousand so act from fear of punishment. 



