their full development, will justify the favourable opinion we have expressed.

The notes which illustrate the poem, and which are extracted from the manuscript journal of Governor Cass, of Michigan, are highly interesting, and throw considerable light upon the manners of the Indian race. Every memento of this people who are passing away before our eyes, should be scrupulously preserved. The time is fast approaching, when there will be nothing left of them, but the recollection that they once have been. The tide of emigration flows rapidly on. It is in vain that the Indian, reluctantly bartering his native hill, retreats from the white man's dwelling: Scarce is he settled in deeper forests, than the swarms of the honey-bee, the faithful. forerunner of civilization, announce to the savage the approach of the intruding strangers. Debased, subdued, but not civilized, the race is swiftly becoming extinct. But it is not this cause alone, which excites curiosity and interest for the Indian people. Their varied character-the obscurity which shrouds their origin, and which is rendered deeper by the antiquities to be found among them-their peculiar virtues and vices-their wild pursuits, and wilder superstitions-their patience in want, fortitude in suffering, and courage in danger-the faithfulness of their friendship, and the intensity of their hate, will ever render them subjects of interest: and while their history offers tempting themes for the poet, it also opens a wide field for the philosopher. It is not the least remarkable trait in the Indian character, that it withers at the touch of civilization. The savage, secluded within his own vast forest, and the savage placed within the reach of white men's vices, are distinct beings. After all that has been planned, and carried into execution, for the enlightening of the Indians-what has been done? Let the wretches we often see in our streets, and the horrid compound of savage and civilized vices, which mark the Indian whenever he has come in contact with his white brethren, answer the question. Amidst all the faults that stain the wild savage, he is exempted from one curse: He is temperate, for he has not the knowledge of intoxicating liquors; and it is this fatal gift that the white man brings him,-a gift that poisons every blessing he would confer. It is well known that, having once tasted spirit, they imbibe for it a passion neither to be overcome nor satiated. Of the brutalizing effects of this fondness for liquor, they are themselves aware: "You bring my people the Bible," said a Chief, "but you give us brandy." And it is in savage, as in civilized nature, to seize more greedily on the evil than the good. That they receive the Christian faith, with cold

ness, or suspicion, is little to be wondered at, when we consider the poor commentary the lives of the generality of persons, calling themselves Christians, afford, to the truths they would inculcate. Acuteness of observation, is the characteristic of the savage, and he is not slow to perceive the wide difference between the actions of his civilized instructors, and the sacred rules by which they profess to guide them. The Catholic missionaries, by their patience, their never wearied zeal, and their winning manners, have effected more than any other sect. But, as the forms of their worship rather strike the imagination than touch the heart, we find, that unless the faith of the wild convert has been strengthened and continued by constant attention, it has gradually faded from his mind; and, at last, the belief has been forgotten, which, perhaps, was never clearly understood. The author of these notes, speaks sensibly upon this subject:

The lessons of experience upon this subject are too important to be disregarded. In the zealous efforts, which are now making, to meliorate the condition of the Indians, we have much to learn from the history of the progress and result of the same experiment, which was made by the Jesuits. We cannot bring to the task more fervid zeal, more profound talents, more extensive or varied acquirements, nor probably a deeper knowledge of the principles of human nature. But, so far as respects any permanent or valuable impression, they have wholly failed. Very few of the Indians profess any attachment to the Christian religion; and of those who make this profession, there is not probably one whose knowledge is not confined to the imposing rites and external ceremonies of the Catholic church. A more vivid impression appears to have been made upon the Wyandots, than upon any others; and they preserved, for a longer term than any other tribe, traces of the indefatigable exertions of their spiritual fathers: But even with them, superior as they are in intellectual endowments, and placed by their local situation in contact with a Catholic community, the subject is forgotten; or, if remembered, it is remembered only by a few aged and decrepid persons, like other traditionary legends of their nation.

Fortunately for the cause of humanity, and for the discharge of the great moral debt which we owe to this miserable race of beings, deep interest has lately been excited upon this important subject. A spirit of inquiry has awakened, which cannot but produce beneficial results. The obligations under which we are placed, as an enlightened and Christian community, to teach our neighbours the blessings of civilization and Christianity, are universally felt and acknowledged. We have driven them from the Atlantic to the Mississippi. Our forefathers, who landed upon this continent, found them numerous, high spirited, and powerful. They are now few, depressed, weak, and miserable. For the fair possessions which once were

theirs, let us give them a more precious inheritance :-a gradual participation in those blessings, natural and intellectual, civil and religious, which have fallen to our lot.

There is reason to believe, that the failure of the Jesuits was owing to the principles upon which their operations were conducted, rather than to any intrinsic and insuperable difficulties in the object itself. It is easy to teach an Indian to comply with the external forms of the church; and he may make the sign of the cross, when he has no ideas, practical or speculative, upon the momentous subject which alone gives importance to these ceremonies. Any change, to be permanent, must be gradual and general. We must teach the Indians, by their own observations, the value of our institutions. We must induce them to abandon their present erratic life, and to establish themselves permanently. We must convince them that the scanty and precarious subsistence, which is now furnished by the chase, will be acquired with less toil and more certainty, by the labour of agriculture. We must teach them, above all, the value of separate and exclusive property-the cardinal principle in our own attempts upon this subject. In fact, their physical and moral improvements must be contemporaneous: Each will alternately act as cause and effect.

'If this great cause be placed in proper hands, and prosecuted with zeal and judgment proportioned to its importance, we may safely anticipate a successful result. But it must be the work of time and labour. It cannot be accomplished speedily or easily. Inveterate habits must be eradicated, strong prejudices encountered, and the feelings and opinions of a whole race of human beings entirely changed, before complete success can attend our exertions. But, such a bloodless victory would be more important to the character of our country, than the most sanguinary battle which stains the pages of history.' pp. 99-101.

The importance and real glory of such a conquest, no one can doubt; but we fear that it will never be effected. By what inducement shall we tempt the Indian to leave his native forests, and the pursuits which have grown into his nature, to accommodate his rambling disposition to the restraints of custom, and the artificial trammels of society? How shall we persuade him, who never takes thought of the morrow, to become an industrious and careful plodder? Or, if he accept the invitation, by what magic panoply shall we guard him against our vices, while we are teaching him our habits?

The safeguard of the Indian is the independence of his character. In this he forms a contrast to the African, who readily imbibes other customs, and soon loses his distinguishing traits. Not so the Indian; he retains his original habits with great tenacity, and even if (which has rarely happened) he becomes civilized, he does not assimilate with the strangers around him. He

abides with white men as if neither his heart, nor home, was among them, and is scarce ever firm enough to withstand the temptation of returning to his natural habits. The instance of Peter Otsekett, the protegé of the Marquis De La Fayette,-who was instructed by the most polished masters in Paris, and had made some progress in acquiring the accomplishments of refine ment-yet, who returned to his native woods, threw off the dress and manners of civilized men, and sunk into a drunken and ferocious savage,-speaks volumes.

That there is a charm in their mode of living, that retains the Indians, and even allures the white man, has often been observed. We have heard a scientific foreigner, whose pursuits led to a residence of some months among the Indians, assert, that those were as happy days as he had known. He described the chief attraction of their life as arising from a perfect absence of care, an exemption from all those irksome, artificial restraints of society, and petty vexations and intrigues, which harrass the life of civilized man. It must, however, be allowed, that the feelings of this person might have been very different, if he had looked forward to the prospect of spending his life with these people, and bidden farewell to the delights of refined conversation, and that pleasure which the acquirement of knowledge brings.

The history of the founder of St. Regis, is a strong example of the attachment which the Indian life inspires. His name was Cammon. When a mere boy, rambling with his sister, a girl of fourteen, in the woods, near the settlement of Caughnawaga, they were surprised by a party of Indians. The girl, in attempting to climb a tree in order to conceal herself, fell, and broke her arm. The savages seized the boy, but probably not caring to be troubled with the wounded girl, left her to find her way home as well as she could. The Indians, according to their custom, adopted their little prisoner, and educated him in their own babits. The quickness and talent he evinced, as he grew up, obtained him the confidence of the tribe; and at manhood he became, virtually, the Chief of the village. At this time, Father Gordon, the Catholic priest, struck by the singularity of the circumstance of a white possessing so much influence over the Indians, inquired into his history, and with some difficulty traced his family-who joyfully claimed the lost one. After remaining with them some time, Cammon's wild habits prevailed, and he quitted the comforts of civilized life, for the freedom of the children of the desert. He found, however, that his absence had given offence, and excited jealousy among the Indians, and that many of them regarded him with unfriendly eyes. Under these circumstances, Father Gordon advised him to select the most at

tached of his friends, and form a new settlement. He accordingly followed this counsel, and founded the village of St. Regis. He married an Indian woman, and left a large family of sons, who have the influence, if not the rank, of Chiefs among the Indians.

The various and wild superstitions of the Indians, at once re fute the assertion, that they have no imagination. The extravagance and absurdity of some of their tales is only to be equalled by the implicit belief with which they receive them. Their dreams are oracles. Governor Cass says:

The Indians have great confidence in dreams: They are considered as the immediate manifestations of the will of the Great Spirit; and it is almost impossible to persuade them to disregard these impressions. The most important expeditions are sometimes stopped and turned back, by a dream of one of the party. In the year 1778, a party of about one hundred Chippewa warriors, led by a Chief named Wa-be-gon-a, left Detroit upon a war excursion against the infant settlements of Kentucky. During the march, warrior after warrior abandoned the party, affected by the dreams which they had, or feigned to have; until the number was reduced to twenty three. When they arrived upon the Ohio, they struck a road apparently much travelled. They watched this road some time; but not meeting with any success, they returned, and proceeded one day's march towards home. On the evening of this day, a British interpreter, who was with the party, remonstrated against their return, and urged the Chief to remain in the country, until they could strike the Americans. He dwelt upon topics obvious to the Indians; and represented the disgrace which would attend an unfortunate expedition. The Chief finally consented to refer the question to a dream. He prepared himself for the approaching communication, and in the morning stated that the Great Spirit had appeared to him, and had directed him to watch the road again, until a party of the Americans should pass. The Indians returned with great confidence, stationed themselves upon the road, and there remained until party approached-upon whom they fired. They took two scalps and three prisoners

'It was not difficult to perceive that this road was daily travelled, and the Chief hazarded little in advising his warriors to watch it. The whole plan was probably contrived between him and the interpreter, to restore confidence to the dispirited party.' ****

It is obvious that the minds of the Indians are prepared for these impressions. Fasting, watching, long conversations and intense reflection upon the subject, produce the very result of which they are in pursuit. They dream because their faculties, intellectual and corporeal, are in a state of excitement most favourable to such an object.'