REMARKS, 
the minds of the few nations of them that jet 
remain,, and how sadly the morals of these na¬ 
tions have been corrupted by their intercourse 
with the whites; when we consider, finally* 
that in the course of fifty years more no ves¬ 
tige even of these once virtuous and amiable 
people will probably be found in the whole of 
that extensive territory* which lies between the 
Mississippi and the Atlantic* and was formerly 
inhabited solely by them ; instead of wishing 
to lessen the value or the number of the few 
trifles that we find are acceptable to them in 
their present state* we ought rather to be de¬ 
sirous of contributing still more largely to their 
comfort and happiness. 
Acceptable presents are generally found very 
efficacious in conciliating the affections of any 
uncivilized nation ; they have very great in¬ 
fluence over the minds of the Indians; but to 
conciliate their affections to the utmost* pre¬ 
sents alone are not sufficient; you must appear 
to have their interest at heart in every respect; 
you must associate with them * yon must treat 
them as men that are your equals* and* in some 
measure* even adopt their native manners. It 
was by such steps as these that the French* 
when they had possession of Canada* gained 
their favour in such a very eminent manner, 
and acquired so wonderful an ascendancy over 
them, The old Indians still say* that they 
