the matter, and sure that the person who spoke before them has finished all that he had to say. In their pub lic councils, every man is heard in his turn according as his years, his wisdom, or his services to his country, have ranked him. Not a whisper, nor a murmur is heard from the reast, while he speaks; no indecent com. mendations, no ill-timed applause. The young attend for their instruction; for here they learn the history of their nation, are animated by those who celebrate the warlike actions of their ancestors; are taught what is the interest of their country, and how to cultivate and pursue it.

Hospitality is exercised among them with the utmost generosity and good will: Their houses, their provisions and even their young women are presented to a guest. To those of their own nation they are likewise very humane and beneficent. If any of them succeed ill in hunting, if his harvest fails, or his house is burnt, he feels no other effect of his misfortune, than its giving him an opportunity of experiencing the benevolence and regard of his countrymen, who, for that purpose, have almost every thing in common. But to the enemies of his country, or to those who have privately offended him, the native American is implacable. He never indeed makes use of oaths, or indecent expressions, but cruelly conceals his sentiments, till by treachery or surprise he can gratify his revenge. No length of time is sufficient to allay his resentment; no distance of place is great enough to protect the object; he crosses the steepest mountains, pierces impervious forests, and traverses the most hideous deserts; bearing the inclemency of the season, the fatigue of the expedition, the extreems of hunger and thirst, with patience and cheerfulness, in hopes of surprising his enemy, and exercising upon him the most shocking barbarities. When these cannot be

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effected, the revenge is left as a legacy, transfered from generation to generation, from father to son till an op portunity offers of taking what they think ample satisfaction. To such extremes do the Indians push their friendship, or their enmity; and such indeed is, in general, the character of all uncivilized nations. They, however, esteem nothing so unworthy a man of sense, as a peevish temper, and a proneness to a sudden and rash anger.

On the other hand, they are highly sensible of the utility and pleasures of friendship: for each of them, at a certain age, makes choice of some one nearly of the same standing in life to be their most intimate and bosom friend, these two enter into mutual engagements, by which they oblige themselves to brave any danger and run any risk, to assist and support each other. This attachment is even carried so far as to overcome the fear of death, which they consider as only a temporary separa. tion, being persuaded that they shall meet and be united in friendship in the other world, never to be separated more; and that there they shall need one another's assistance as well as here.

It does not appear that there is any Indian nation that has not some sense of a deity, and a kind of superstitious religion. Their ideas of the nature and attributes of God are very obscure, and some of them absurd, though they conceive of him as the Great Spirit, and imagine that his more immediate residence is on the island of the great lakes. They seem to have some idea that there are spirits of a higher and more excellent nature than man; and supposing them to be every where present, frequently invoke them, and endeavour to act agreeable to their desires. They likewise imagine that there is an evil spirit, who they say is always inclined to mischief, and bears great sway in the creation; this indeed is the

principal object of their devotions; they generally address him most heartily, beseeching him to do them no harm but supposing the others to be propitious, and ever inclined to do good, they intreat those spirits to bestow blessings upon them and prevent the evil spirit from hurting them. Major CARVER relates that one of the most considerable chiefs among the Ottawaws with whom he remained a night, on attending him to his canoe the next morning with great solemnity, and in an auda. ble voice offered up a fervent prayer, as he entered his canoe, "that the great spirit would favor him with a prosperous voyage; that he would give him an unclouded sky, and smooth waters by day, and that he might lie down by night on a beaver blanket, enjoying uninterrupted sleep and pleasant dreams; and also that he might find continual security under the great pipe of peace." To procure the protection of the good spirit, they imagine it necessary to distinguish themselves, and that they must above all other attainments, become good warriors, expert hunters, and steady marksmen.

Their priests often persuade the people that they have revelations of future events, and are authorised to command them to pursue such and such measures. They also undertake to unfold the mysteries of religion, and to solve and interpret all their dreams. They represent the other world as a place abounding with an inexhaustible plenty of every thing desirable, where they shall enjoy the most full and exquisite gratification of all their senses. -This is doubtless the motive that induces the Indian to meet death with such indifference and composure; none of them being in the least dismayed at the news that he has but a few hours or minutes to live, but with the greatest intrepidity sees himself upon the brink of being separated from all terrestrial things, and with great serenity talks to all around him: thus a father

leaves his dying advice to his children, and takes a for mal leave of all his friends.

They testify great indifference for the productions of art; when any curious piece of mechanism is shown them they say, "It is pretty, I like to look at it," but express no curiosity about its construction. Such however is not their behaviour when they are told of a person who dis tinguishes himself by agility in running; is well skilled in hunting; can take a most exact aim; work a canoe along a rapid with great dexterity; is skilled in all the arts which their stealthy mode of carrying on a war is capable of; or is acute in discovering the situation of a country, and can, withont a guide pursue his proper course through a varst forest, and support hunger, thirst, and fatigue with invincible firmness; at such a relation their attention is aroused; they listen to the interesting tale with delight, and express in the strongest terms their esteem for so great so wonderful a man.

They generally bury their dead with great decency and deposit in the grave such articles as the deceased had made the greatest use of and been most attached to; as his bow and arrows, pipes, tobocco, &c. that he may not be in want of any thing when he comes to the other country: The mothers mourn for their children a long time, and the neighbours make presents to the father; and he in return gives them a feast.

Every band has a leader who bears the title of Sachem or chief warrior, and is chosen for his tried valor and skill in conducting war; to him is entrusted all military operations, but his authority does not extend to civil affairs, the pre-eminence there being given to another, who possesses it by a kind of hereditary claim, and whose assent is necessary to render valid all conveyances of land, or treaties of whatever kind to which he affixes the mark of the tribe or nation. Though these military and civil.

chiefs are considered as the heads of the band, and the latter is usually styled king, yet the American Indians consider themselves as controlled by neither civil nor mil. itary authority: every individual regards himself as free and independent, and would never renounce the idea of liberty; therefore injunctions conveyed in the style of a positive command, would be disregarded and treated with contempt. Nor do their leaders assume an ascendancy repugnant to these sentiments, but merely advise what is necessary to be done, which is sufficient to produce the most prompt and effectual execution, never producing a

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murmur.

Their great council is composed of the heads of tribes and families, with such whose capacity has raised them to the same degree of consideration. They meet in a house, built in each of their towns for that purpose, and also to receive ambassadors, to deliver them an answer, to sing their traditionary songs, or to commemorate the dead. In these councils they propose all such matters as concern the state, and which have been already digested in the secret councils, at which none but the head men assist. The chiefs seldom speak much themselves at these general meetings, but intrust their sentiments with a person who is called their speaker, or orator, there being one of this profession in every tribe or town; and their manner of speaking is natural and easy, their words strong and expressive, their style bold, figurative, and laconic, whatever is told tending either to form the judgment or rouse the passions.

When any business of consequence is transacted, they appoint a feast upon the occasion, of which almost the whole nation partakes. Before the entertainment is ready, the principal person begins a song on the remark able events of their history, and whatever may tend to their honor or instruction. The others sing in their