THE PAMPAS INDIANS. 



119 



manner which they could not avoid or comprehend ; 

 and although the Christians are no longer considered 

 as divine, yet the Indians are so little accustomed 

 to, or understood the nature of fire-arms, that it is 

 natural to suppose the danger of these weapons is 

 greater in their minds than the reality. 



Accustomed to war among themselves with the 

 lance, it is a danger also that they have not learnt 

 to encounter ; and it is well known that men can 

 learn to meet danger, and that they become familiar 

 with its face, when, if the mask be changed, and it 

 appear with unusual features, they again view it 

 with terror. But even supposing that the Indians 

 have no superstitious fear of fire-arms, but merely 

 consider their positive effects, — is it not natural 

 that they should fear them.?^ In Europe, or in 

 England, what will people, with sticks in their 

 hands, do against men who have fire-arms ? Why 

 exactly what the naked Indians have been accused 

 of doing — run away. — And who would not run 

 away ? 



But the Hfe which the Indian leads must satisfy- 

 any unprejudiced person that he must necessarily 

 possess high courage. His profession is War, his 



