80 
AMEHICAXS. 
when his discourse began to flag, the Indian, to continue it, said* 
** Conrad, you have lived long among the white people, and know 
something of their customs ; I have been sometimes in Albany, and 
have observed, that once in seven days they shut up their shops, and 
assemble all in the great house ; tell me what it is for ‘‘They 
meet there,” said Conrad, “to hear and learn good things.” “ I do 
not doubt,” says the Indian, that thej tell you so ; they have told 
me the same ; but I doubt the truth of what they say, and I will 
tell you my reasons. I went lately to Albany to sell my skins, and 
buy blankets, knives, powder, rum, &c. You know I generally used 
to deal with Hans Hanson ; but I was a little inclined this time to 
try some other merchant. However, I called first upon Hans, and 
asked him what he would give for beaver. He said he could not 
give more than 4s. a pound ; but, says he, I cannot talk on business 
now ; this is the day w hen we meet together to learn good things, and I 
am going to the meeting. So I thought to myself, since I cannot do 
any business to-day, I may as W'ell go to the meeting too ; and I 
went with him. There stood up a man in black, and began to talk 
to the people very angrily. I did not understand what he said ; but 
perceived that he looked much at me and at Hanson. I imagined 
he was angry at seeing me there ; so I went out, sat down near the 
house, struck fire, and lit my pipe, waiting till the meeting should 
break up. I thought too, that the man had mentioned something of 
beaver, and I suspected that it might be the subject of their meeting. 
So, when they came out, I accosted my merchant : “ Well, Hans,” 
says I, “ I hope you have agreed to give more than 4s. a pound 
“ No,” says he, “ I cannot give so much,” I cannot give more than 
3s. 6d.” I then spoke to several other dealers, but they all sung the 
same song, — three-and-sixpence, three-and-sixpence. This made it, 
clear to me that my'suspicion was right ; and that whatever they 
pretended of meeting to learn good things, the real purpose was to 
consult how to cheat poor Indians in the price of beaver. Consider 
but a little, Conrad, and you must be of my opinion. If they met so 
often to learn good things, they certainly would have learned some 
before this time. But they are still ignorant. You know our prac- 
tice : If a white man, in travelling through our country, enters one 
of our cabins, we all treat him as I treat you ; we dry him if he is 
wet, we warm him if he is cold, and give him meat and drink to allay 
his thirst and hunger, and we spread soft furs for him to rest and 
sleep on ; we demand nothing in return. But if I go into a white 
man’s house at Albany, and ask for victuals and drink, they say. 
Where is your money ? and if I have none, they say. Get out, you 
Indian dog. You see they have not yet learned those little good 
things that we need no meeting to be instructed in, because our 
mothers taught them to us when we were children ; and therefore it is 
impossible their meetings should be, as they say, for such purpose, 
or have any such effect ; — they are only to contrive the cheating of 
Indians in the price of beaver.” 
Ingenuity, 
The Indians are acquainted with letters, and their history is pre- 
served in some few instances by hieroglyphic paintings, and sculpture. 
