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ried on entirely by British houses, and almost the whole of the fur which is obtained from the other Indian traders is also sent to Canada, where it commands much higher prices than at New Orleans; where, in fact, there is no demand. It is also necessary to observe, that the further north we go, the greater is the value of the peltries. It is but a few years since peltries have been exported from America by way of the Ohio. It is to be desired, that the eastern part of America should encourage this exportation, by raising the prices of peltries to nearly those of Canada.

"The countries at the head of the Missouri and of the Columbia rivers hear a great similarity; being cold and very sterile, except in pasturage only. At the foot of the mountain, at the head of the Missouri, lives a tribe of Indians called Serpentine or Snake Indians; who are the most abject and miserable of the human race, having little besides the features of human beings.

"They live in a most wretched state of poverty, subsisting on berries and fish. The former they manufacture into a kind of bread, which is very palatable, but possesses little nutritious quality. Horses form the only article of value which they possess. In these the country abounds; and in very severe winters they are compelled to subsist on them, for the want of a better substitute for food. They are a very harmless, inoffensive people. When we first made our appearance among them they were filled with terrour; many of them fled, while the others who remained were in tears, but were soon pacified by tokens of friendship, and by presents of beads, &c. which soon convinced them of our friendly disposition.

"The Snake Indians are in their stature crooked, which is a peculiarity, as it does not characterize any other tribe of Indians that came within the compass of our observations. To add to this deformity, they have high cheek bones, large, light coloured eyes, and are very meagre, which gives them a frightful aspect.

"For an axe we could purchase of them a good horse. We purchased twenty seven from them, that did not cost more than one hundred dollars; which will be a favourable circumstance for transporting fur over to the Columbia river.

"At the head of the Columbia river resides a tribe by the name of Pallotepallars, or Flatheads. The latter name they derive from an operation that renders the top of the head flat, which is performed while they are infants, when the bones of

the cranium are soft and elastick, and are easily brought to the desired deformity. The operation is performed by tying boards, hewn to a proper shape for the purpose, which they compress on the head. In performing this eccentrick operation, many infants, I think without doubt, lose their lives. The more they get the head misshapen, the greater do they consider its beauty.

"They are a very kind and hospitable people. We left in charge with them, when we descended the Columbia river, our horses, which they kept safe. They likewise found where we had concealed our ammunition in the earth; and had they not been an honest people, and preserved it safe, our lives must have been inevitably lost. They delivered up the whole, without wishing to reserve any, or to receive for it a compensation.

"They, like the Snake Indians, abound in horses, which subsist in the winter season on a shrub they call ever green, which bears a large leaf, that is tolerably nutritious. They likewise feed upon the side of hills, out of which gush small springs of water, that melt the snow, and affords pasture. In this manner our horses subsisted while going over the Rocky Mountains.

"The country, inhabited by the Snake and Flatheaded Indians, produces but very little game.”

Our travellers thus describe the reception they met with from the

natives:

"The treatment we received from the Indians, during nearly three years that we were with them, was very kind and hospitable; except the ill treatment we received from the Sioux tribe, who, several times, made attempts to stop us; and we should have been massacred, had we not terrified them from their murderous intention, by threatening them with the small-pox, in such a manner as would kill the whole tribe. Nothing could be more horrible to them, than the bare mention of this fatal disease. It was first communicated to them by the Americans, and it spread from tribe to tribe, with an unabated pace, until it extended itself across the continent.

"This fatal infection,' says a western traveller, 'spread around with a baneful rapidity, which no flight could escape, and with a fatal effect, that nothing could resist. It destroyed, with its pestilential breath, whole families and tribes; and the horrid scene presented, to those who had

the melancholy and affecting opportunity of beholding it, a combination of the dead and dying, and such as to avoid the horrid fate of their friends around them, prepared to disappoint the plague of its prey, by terminating their own existence The habits and lives of those devoted people, who provide not to day for the wants of to morrow, must have heightened the pains of such an affliction, by leaving them not only without remedy, but even without alleviation. Nothing was left them but to submit in agony and despair. To aggra vate the picture, if aggravation were possible, may be added the sight of the helpless child, beholding the putrid carcase of its beloved parents dragged from their huts by the wolves, who were invited hither by the stench, and satiated their hunger on the mangled corpse. Or, in the same manner, serve the dog with food, from the body of his once beloved master. Nor was it uncommon for the father of a family, whom the infection had just reached, to call his family around him; to represent their sufferings, and cruel fate, from the influence of some evil spirit, who was preparing to extirpate their race; and to invite them to baffle death, with all its horrours, with their own weapons; and, at the same time, if their hearts failed in this necessary act, he was himself ready to perform the deed of mercy with his own hand, as the last act of his affection, and instantly follow them to the chambers of death' The Indians being destitute of physicians, living on animal food, and plunging themselves into cold water on the first discovery of the disease, rendered it generally mortal.

"While we were at fort Mandan the Sioux robbed several of our party when they were returning to the fort, with the fruits of an excursion after game; and murdered several of the Mandan tribe in cold blood, without provocation, while reposing on the bosom of friendship. On hearing of this massacre, captain Clarke and the greater part of us volunteered to avenge the murder; but were deterred by not receiving succour from the Mandan warriours; who declined to avenge the outrage committed on them. The probable reason of their not enlisting was, that they were too much afraid of the superiour number of the Sioux to venture an engagement.

"Soon after this massacre, we received authentick intelligence, that the Sioux had it in contemplation (if their threats were true) to murder us in the spring; but were prevented from making the attack, by our threatening to spread the small pox, with

all its horrours among them. Knowing that it first originated among the white people, and having heard of inoculation, and the mode of keeping the infection in phials, which they had but an imperfect idea of, a bare threat filed them with horrour, and was sufficient to deter them from their resolute and bloody purpose. This stratagem may appear insignificant to our reader, but was of the greatest consequence to us; for to it alone we owed not only the fate of the expedition, but our lives.

"Most of the tribes of Indians that we became acquainted with (except the Sioux) after being introduced by our in. terpreter. and having found that our intentions were friendly towards them, never failed of greeting us with many tokens of their friendly disposition. Soon after our interview, we were invited to smoke the calumet of peace, and to partake freely of their venison. The women and children, in particular, were not wanting in showing tokens of friendship, by endeavouring to make our stay agreeable. On our first meeting, they, generally, held a council, as they term it, when their chief delivers a talk,' in which they give their sentiments respecting their new visiters; which were filled with professions of friendship, and often were very eloquent, and abounded with sublime and figurative language.

"When we departed, after taking leave, they would often put up a prayer, of which the following is a sample, which was put up for us by a Mandan:- That the great spirit would favour us with smooth water, with a clear sky by day, and a bright starlight by night; that we might not be presented with the red hatchet of war; but that the great pipe of peace might ever shine upon us, as the sun shines in an unclouded day, and that we might be overshadowed by the smoke thereof; that we might have sound sleep, and that the bird of peace might whisper in our ears pleasant dreams; that the deer might be taken by us in plenty; and that the great spirit would take us home in safety to our women and children.' These prayers were generally made with great fervency, often smiting, with great vehemence, their hands upon their breast, their eyes fixed in adoration towards heaven. In this manner they would continue their prayers until we were out of sight."

There are some curious traits of the Indian character in the subsequent extract:

"They are extremely circumspect and

deliberate in every word and action; nothing hurries them into any intemperate wrath, but that inveteracy to their enemies, which is rooted in every Indian's breast, and never can be eradicated. In all other instances they are cool and deliberate, taking care to suppress the emotions of the heart. If an Indian has discovered that a friend of his is in danger of being cut off by a lurking enemy, he does not tell him of his danger in direct terms, as though he were in fear, but he first coolly asks him which way he is going that day, and having his answer, with the same indifference tells him, that he has been informed, that a noxious beast lies on the route he is going, which might probably do him mischief. This hint proves sufficient, and his friend avoids the danger with as much caution, as though every design and motion of his enemy had been pointed out to him.

"This apathy often shows itself on occasions that would call forth the fervour of a susceptible heart. If an Indian has been absent from his family for several months, either on a war or hunting party, and his wife and children meet him at some distance from his habitation, instead of the affectionate sensations that naturally arise in the breast of more refined beings, and give rise to mutual congratulations, he continues his course without looking to the right or left; without paying the least attention to those around him, till he arrives at his house; he there sits down, and with as much unconcern as if he had not been absent a day, smokes his pipe; those of his friends who followed him, do the same; perhaps it is several hours before he relates to them the incidents that have befallen him during his absence, though, perhaps, he has left a father, a brother, or a son dead on the field (whose loss he ought to have lamented) or has been successful in the undertaking that called him from his home.

"If an Indian has been engaged for several days in the chase, or any other laborious expedition, and by accident continued long without food, when he arrives at the hut of a friend, where he knows that his wants will be immediately supplied, he takes care not to show the least symptoms of impatience, or betray the extreme hunger that he is tortured with; but, on being invited in, sits contentedly down, and smokes his pipe with as much composure as if his appetite was cloyed, and he was perfectly at ease; he does the same if among strangers. This custom is strictly adhered to by every tribe; as they esteem it a proof of fortitude, and think the re

verse would entitle them to the appellation of old women.

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"If you tell an Indian, that his children have greatly signalized themselves against an enemy, have taken many scalps, and brought home many prisoners, he does not appear to feel any strong emotions of pleasure on the occasion; his answer generally is: They have done well,' and makes but very little inquiry about the matter; on the contrary, if you inform him that his children are slain, or taken prisoners, he makes no complaints, he only replies: 'It is unfortunate,' and, for some time, asks no questions about how it happened.

"This seeming indifference, however, does not proceed from a suppression of the natural affections; for, notwithstanding they are esteemed savages, I never saw among any other people greater proofs of filial tenderness; and although they meet their wives after a long absence with the stoical indifference just mentioned, they are not, in general, void of conjugal affection.

"Another peculiarity is observable in the manner of paying their visits. If an Indian goes to visit à particular person in a family, he mentions to whom his visit is intended, and the rest of the family immediately retire to the other end of the hut or tent, and are careful not to come near enough to interrupt them during the whole conversation. The same method is pursued when a young man goes to pay his addresses to a young woman; but then he must be careful not to let love be the subject of his discourse, whilst the daylight remains.

"They discover an amazing sagacity, and acquire with the greatest readiness any thing that depends upon the attention of the mind. By experience, and an acute observation, they attain many perfections, to which Americans are strangers. For instance, they will cross a forest or a plain, which is two hundred miles in breadth, so as to reach with great exactness the point at which they intend to arrive, keeping, during the whole of that space, in a direct line, without any material deviations; and this they will do with the same ease, let the weather be fair or cloudy.

"With equal acuteness they will point to that part of the heavens the sun is in, though it be intercepted by clouds or fogs. Besides this, they are able to pursue, with incredible facility, the traces of man or beast, either on leaves or grass; and on this account it is with great difficulty a flying enemy escapes discovery.

"They are indebted for these talents, not only to nature, but to an extraordina

ry command of the intellectual faculties, which can only be acquired by an unremitted attention, and by long experience.

"They are, in general, very happy in a retentive memory. They can recapitulate every particular that has been treated of in council, and remember the exact time when they were held. Their belts of wampum preserve the substance of the treaties they have concluded with the neighbouring tribes, for ages back, to which they will appeal and refer with as much perspicuity and readiness, as Europeans can to their written records.

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Every nation pays great respect to old age. The advice of a father will never receive any extraordinary attention from the young Indians; probably they receive it with only a bare assent; but they will tremble before a grandfather, and submit to his injunctions with the utmost alacrity. The words of the ancient part of their community are esteemed by the young as oracles. If they take, during hunting parties, any game that is reckoned by them uncommonly delicious, it is immediately presented to the eldest of their relations.

"They never suffer themselves to be overburdened with care, but live in a state of perfect tranquillity and contentment, being naturally indolent. If provisions, just sufficient for their subsistence, can be procured with little trouble, and near at hand, they will not go far, or take any extraordinary pains for it, though by so doing they might acquire greater plenty, and of a more estimable kind.

"Having much leisure time, they indulge this indolence to which they are so prone, by sleeping and rambling about among their tents. But when necessity obliges them to take the field, either to oppose an enemy, or to procure food, they are alert and indefatigable. Many instances of their activity on these occasions, will be given when we treat of their wars.

"The greatest blemish in their character, is that savage disposition, which impels them to treat their enemies with a

severity that every other nation shudders

at. But if they are thus barbarous to those with whom they are at war, they are friendły, hospitable, and humane in peace. It

may with truth be said of them, that they are the worst enemies, and the best friends, of any people in the world.

"They are, in general, strangers to the passion of jealousy, and brand a man with folly that is distrustful of his wife. Among some tribes the very idea is not known; as the most abandoned of their young men very rarely attempt the virtue of married women, nor do these put themselves in the way of solicitations: yet, the Indian women, in general, are of an amorous disposition; and, before they are married, are not the less esteemed for the indulgence of their passions.

"The Indians, in their common state, are strangers to all distinction of property, except in the articles of domestick use, which every one considers as his own, and increases as circumstances admit. They are extremely liberal to each other, and supply the deficiency of their friends with any superfluity of their own.

"In dangers they readily give assistance to those of their band who stand in need of it, without any expectation of return, except those just rewards that are always conferred by the Indians on merit. Governed by the plain and equitable laws of nature, every one is rewarded according to his deserts; and their equality of condition, manners, and privileges, with that constant and sociable familiarity which prevails throughout every Indian nation, animates them with a pure and patriotick spirit, that tends to the general good of the society to which they belong.

"If any of their neighbours are bereaved, by death, or by an enemy, of their children, those who are possessed of the greatest number of prisoners, who are made slaves, supply the deficiency: and these are adopted by them, and treated in every respect as if they really were the children of the person to whom they are presented."

We cannot conclude without

strongly expressing the degree of

satisfaction and instruction which we have received from the perusal of the present volume.

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FROM THE LITERARY PANORAMA.

tend to affect deeply the interest of the Ottoman Porte. To draw decisive inferences from these and other incidents, is not easy; insomuch that we are almost tempted to take refuge in the Turkish doctrine of fate, and to conclude, that till the date appointed for the execution of "what is written" arrives, this empire must subsist; as at that period, nothing can save it from dissolution.

Travels in Turkey, Italy, and Russia, during the years, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806; with an Account of some of the Greek Islands. By Thomas Macgill. Small 8vo. 2 vols. pp. 520. Price 10s. London. 1809. THE personal talents, and the opportunities for observation, enjoyed by travellers, impart to their works, real differences, though it is not easy to express the distinctions between them. The author of these volumes, "engaged almost constantly in the pursuits of commerce, has had little, in fact, no leisure, for those of literature." This avowal protects him from censure, on account of his literary deficiencies; and equally from the imputation of repeating that information which had been already communicated by others, of more classick attainments, prior to their visits to the east, and of greater leisure for more minute inspection of particulars when actually travelling in those countries.

Readers who are acquainted with former publications of travels into the Levant, especially, by British literati, will find no considerable accession of novelty, in the letters of Mr. Macgill. His descriptions are superficial, and his incidents differ little from those of daily occurrence. Yet we think him a genuine and independent witness; and incline to add, that he has communicated facts of a commercial nature, which the learned have either overlooked, or had not opportunities of observing.

Late years have seen several important changes take place in the commercial relations of Turkey, equally as in the political situation of that cumbrous empire. The modern establishments of Russia in the Black sea; the possession of Malta by the British, the unsettled state of Egypt, the interruption of the Turkish caravan to Mecca, by the Wehabees, and insurrections almost innumerable in some of her fairest provinces, are circumstances which VOL. III

2 Q

In the mean time, we are desirous of obtaining the latest intelligence relating to Turkey. If it be on the verge of exhibiting another instance of the instability of human establishments, then is it the more interesting as a subject of curiosity; while it also partakes of the nature of a political lesson. If this empire should continue, the world may inquire, not without surprise, on what principles a mussulman sovereignty, long doomed to subversion, by the discerning, has withstood those storms, by which Christian sovereignties have been either completely overset, or most sorely shaken.

In answering such inquiries Mr. Macgill affords us no assistance.— His employment was in the less splendid, but more safe and more honourable walk of commerce.

We find him first at Venice, whence he sails to Trieste, and from thence by the Greek islands to Smyrna. He visits Constantinople, Ephesus, the Black sea, with Odessa; the plains of Troy, and other places in the neighbourhood. An appendix by another writer, contains a more particular account of Odessa; the publick tarif of the duties paid by British goods in the Ottoman empire; and the progress of the culture and com merce of tobacco in Macedonia.

We believe it is not easy to in

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