TRAVELS IN 
I now fat forward again, and after eight or ten 
miles riding, arrived at the banks of St. Mary’s, 
oppofite the fcores, and got fafe over before dark. 
The river is here about one hundred yards acrofs, 
has ten feet water, and, following its courfe, about 
fixty miles to the fea, though but about twenty 
miles by land. The trading company here received 
and treated me with great civility. On relating 
my adventures on the road, particularly the laft 
with the Indian, the chief replied, with a counte- 
nance that at once befpoke furprife and pleafure, 
“ My friend, corrfider yourfelf a fortunate man: 
“ that fellow,” laid he, cc is one of the greateft vil- 
cc lains on earth, a noted murderer, and outlawed 
<c by his countrymen. Laft evening he was here, 
<c we took his gun from him, broke it in pieces, 
<c and gave him a fevere drubbing : he, however, 
made his efcape, carrying off a new rifle gun, 
(C with which, he faid, going offi he would kill 
(S the firft white man he met.” 
On ferioufly contemplating the behaviour of this 
Indian towards me, fo foon after his ill treatment, 
the following train of fentiments infenfibly crowded 
in upon my mind. 
Can it be denied, but that the moral principle, 
which diredts the favages to virtuous and praife- 
worthy adlions, is natural or innate ? It is certain 
they have not the afliftance of letters, or thofe 
means of education in the fchools of philofophy, 
where the virtuous fentiments and adlions of the 
moft illuftrious charadlers are recorded, and care- 
fully laid before the youth of civilized nations : 
therefore this moral principle muft be innate, or 
they muft be under the immediate influence and 
guidance of a more divine and powerful preceptor, 
who. 
