224 TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA t 
Indian affairs at large, you must read Le P, 
Charlevoix, Le P. Hennepin, Le Hontan, 
Carver, &c. &c. who have each written vo¬ 
lumes on the subject* 
LETTER XXXY* 
A brief Account of the Persons , Manners , Cha¬ 
racter, Qualifications , mental and corporeal , 
of the Indians; interspersed with Anecdotes. 
Malden. 
WHAT I shall first take notice of in the 
persons of the Indians, is the colour of their 
skins, which in fact, constitutes the most strik¬ 
ing distinction between their persons and 
ours. In general their skin is of a copper 
cast; but a most wonderful difference of co¬ 
lour is observable amongst them : some, in 
whose veins there is no reason to think that 
any other than Indian blood flows, not having 
dark complexions than natives of the south 
of France or of Spain, whilst others, on the 
contrary, are nearly as black as negroes. Many 
persons, and particularly some of the most re- 
spectable of the French missionaries, whose 
long residence amongst the Indians ought to 
