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TRAVELS IM 
I now fat forward again, and after eight or tern 
miles riding, arrived at the banks of St. Mary’s, 
oppofite the (lores, 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 Tea, 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, 
(C My friend, conkder yourfelf a fortunate man : 
that fellow,” laid he, <€ is one of the greateft vil- 
<c lains on earth, a noted murderer, and outlawed 
u by his countrymen. Laft evening he was here, 
“ we took his gun from him, broke it in pieces, 
<c and gave him a fevere drubbing : he, however, 
<c made his efcape, carrying off a new rifle gun, 
with which, he faid, going off, he would kill 
‘ c 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 dire6ls the lavages to virtuous and praife- 
worthy addons, is natural or innate ? It is certain 
they have not the afiiftance of letters, or thofe 
means of education in the fchools of philosophy, 
where the virtuous fcijjiments and addons of the 
moft illuftrious charaders are recorded, and care* 
fully laid before the youth of civilized nations ; 
therefore this moral principle muft be innate, or 
they rnuft be under the immediate influence and 
guidance of a more divine and powerful preceptor, 
who. 
