330 Expedition to the 



the events of his story, and notes a variety of little circum- 

 stances in detail, which contribute much to give the whole 

 an air of truth to his auditors, who listen with an undivided 

 attention, uttering occasionally an interjection, as their feel- 

 ings are excited. 



That the inferior animals did, in ancient times, march to 

 battle with simultaneous regularity, that they conversed in- 

 telligibly, and performed all the different actions of men, 

 many of them appear to admit, with as much faith as many 

 equally absurd doctrines are believed in Christendom. But 

 these qualities are supposed to be no longer inherent, and if 

 an animal shoulu now speak with the voice of man, it is 

 either the effect of the immediate inspiration of the Wahcon- 

 da, or the apparent animal is no other than the Wahconda 

 himself incarnate. 



The Indians sometimes indulge in pleasantry in their con- 

 versation, and Shaumonekusse seemed to be eminently witty, 

 a quality strongly indicated by his well marked features of 

 countenance. Their wit, however, is generally obscene, par- 

 ticularly when in conversation with the squaws. 



Washingguhsahba conversing familiarly with a Frenchman, 

 who had long resided in the Omawhaw village, observed, 

 that the white people being in the habit of reading books, 

 with the desire of acquiring knowledge, probably knew the 

 "cause of the difference of colour which exists between them- 

 selves and the Indian ; he therefore requested information 

 from the Frenchman on this subject. The latter, assuming 

 an air of great gravity, assured him that the cause was very 

 well known, and was no other than that the Indian was form- 

 ed of red horse-dung. The chief, with every appearance of 

 candour, which, however, he did not feel, instantly placed 

 his hand on the arm of his companion, and replied that this 

 observation was a convincing proof of the great knowledge 

 of the white people, and that they were perfectly familiar 

 with the early operations of the Master of Life. He had no 



