152 



SELF-CONCEIT OF INDIANS. 



racy, without any other guide than the tops of 

 the trees, and the course of the sun. These are 

 exploits which., in their estimation, form the 

 hero, and to which the expansion of their mind 

 is confined. Their intellectual powers are very 

 limited, as they enter into no abstruse medita- 

 tions, or abstract ideas ; but what they know in 

 the narrow range of supplying their wants, and 

 combating with their fellow men, they know 

 thoroughly, and are thereby led to consider 

 themselves the standard of excellence. In their 

 fancied superior knowledge they are often heard 

 to remark, when conversing with the European, 

 " You are almost as clever as an Indian." They 

 must be educated before they can be led to 

 comprehend the benefits to be received from 

 civilization, or ere a hope can be cherished that 

 their characters will be changed under the mild 

 influence of the Christian religion. Man is as his 

 principles are, and wandering under the influ- 

 ence of those savage-taught habits, in which 

 he has been nurtured, which tend to harden 

 the heart, and narrow all the sources of sympa- 

 thy, the character of the North American 

 Indian is bold, fierce, unrelenting, sanguinary, 

 and cruel ; in fact, a man-devil in war, rejoicing 

 in blood, exulting in the torments he is inflicting 

 on his victim, and then most pleased when his 



