TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
391 
was said to them. On their side, they are 
profuse of promises, which they unblushingly 
deny having ever made, when it suits their 
convenience. I am not quite sure that they 
respect us, as politicians at least, for adhering 
to our word, although they are loud enough 
in praise of our disposition to veracity. To 
tell the truth, is one of the five great com¬ 
mandments of their religion; but never was 
a precept more disregarded. They pride them¬ 
selves, on the contrary, upon being cunning; 
and ascribe much more discredit to being over¬ 
reached, than to being convicted of the most 
flagitious falsehoods. Mr. Judson informed me, 
that when he was in prison, he overheard two 
chiefs, who were subjected to a temporary con¬ 
finement for some peccadillo, discoursing toge¬ 
ther on moral subjects. The elder of the two 
asked the other if he knew the proper definition 
of an 44 upright man.” The younger professed 
his ignorance ; when the senior added, 44 Then 
I will tell you: an upright man is exactly the 
same thing as a witless man or a simpleton.” 
Maongrit, the senior Atwen-wun, who gave in 
a formal note at the last conference, recom¬ 
mending to all parties loyalty, disinterestedness* 
and truth, was detected, in the course of the 
day, in what was little short of a forgery ; and 
