484 
MASSISAN, THE DAUGHTER OF THE CHIEF; 
29 July, 
as I was. myself at beholding, in the midst of a nation which sought to 
enrich itself, only by the plunder of its neighbours, so rare a specimen 
of honest industry, one of those moral virtues which elevate the 
character of a people upon a basis incomparably more firm and 
respectable than any which can be raised by the sword, and in the 
same proportion in which the arts of peace stand morally higher, and 
are more honorable, than the arts of war. 
That I might possess a genuine specimen of his workmanship, 
I sent him some spike-nails to be made into a knife and a hassagay. 
These he accomplished with tolerable exactness ; and, if the tools 
with which he worked, be considered, they afford a proof of some 
skill. 
After leaving the blacksmith, I went to a different part of the 
town to take a further view of it, and make another sketch. All the 
buildings were formed so nearly alike, that a painter finds but little 
variety of subject for his pencil, if the outlines of the houses only 
be regarded ; but the scene is every where so strange and interesting, 
and the moving accompaniments so varied and remarkable, that he 
might for a long time employ himself at Litakun. 
At my return home, I found a little girl standing in the mootsi, 
looking at my people as they were at work. She was the prettiest I 
had hitherto seen, and appeared to be about twelve or thirteen years 
of age. She was the daughter of Mattivi ; her name was Massisdn 
(Massisaan) ; and as she presented a good specimen of Bachapin 
beauty, I asked her to sit for her portrait ; to which she consented 
with a degree of good nature which might give a favorable opinion of 
her disposition. Seeing the book in my hand, she immediately com- 
prehended what was required of her, and with remarkable patience 
stood perfectly still, till I had quite finished the drawing. 
The accompanying plate will give a correct idea of her features 
and appearance, and will, besides, exhibit the usual dress, and the 
peculiar manner in which the females of this tribe twist their hair so 
as to give it the form of a cap. This singular fashion will be more 
particularly described in the eighteenth chapter. The only ornaments 
which she wore, were two manjenas or mangjenas (manyanas) or 
