- [ 57 ] 
tion convinced me, that the Indians mull certainly 
have Tome method or other to extract the bright 
and lading colour, which I could not perform*. 
They ufe perhaps the root quite frefh, which circum- 
ftauce probably makes them fucceed in their dying 
procefs. If it could he brought about,, to extract 
and afterwards to fix on wool the dye of this root, 
it would, no doubt, on account of its bright colour, 
be a valuable acquifition for our manufactures : and 
I do not in the lead doubt of the probability to fuc- 
ceed in the attempt, as the wollen duffs are ani- 
mal fubdances as well as the porcupine quills, and 
therefore eafily fufceptible of any dye. 
The directors of the Hudfon’s-bay Company will, 
we hope, order their fervants at the fettlements to 
examine carefully and minutely, the method em- 
ployed by the Indians jn dying red with this root,., 
and to fend an account thereof, and greater quan- 
tides of this root over, that feveral chemifts may 
be enabled to make experiments at large with them;, 
for often, rn dying, the experiments will not fucceed, 
when tried in fmall quantities. 
The wild inhabitants of North America are cer- 
tainly poffeffed of many, important arts ; which, , 
when thoroughly, known, , would enable the Euro- 
peans to make a better, and more extenfive ufe 
of many unnoticed plants, and productions of this 
vad continent, both in phyfic, and in improv- 
ing our manufactures, and ereCting. new branches 
of commerce. 
To give an indance of this, Twill only mention/, 
that the Spaniards of Mexico have but lately learnt 
of the inhabitants of California, the art of dying- 
V,ol.. JLXJI. X. the.: 
