Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 8).djvu/330

 Almighty arm, and the cause of the oppressed will not always be unavenged.

Whilst in Natches I met with a company of Indians, of the Choctaw tribe. Most of them were intoxicated, and all highly painted. A few days before my visit to this place, an Indian had, in a moment of passion, murdered one of the company. The law of the tribe declared the act worthy of death; and the criminal was immediately called upon to meet his fate. With a fearless and composed aspect, he marched off, faced his executioners, and opened his arms to receive their fire.—In a moment he was a dead man. It is a singular fact, that Indians when condemned to die for the violation of the laws of their tribe, never attempt to escape.—The rules of education are more operative than those of legislatures.

Before I left Natches, I witnessed an interesting race between two Indians. Their speed was very great.

Having, in the course of my tour, seen hundreds of Indians, both of the northern and southern tribes, I was able to form an opinion as to their relative aspect. The northern Indians are more athletic than the southern. They are also more grave, and as to manner resemble the Germans. The southern {218} Indians are slender, volatile, cunning, vindictive, and in their manners resemble the Italians.

In Natches there are a great many Turkey Buzzards; and their colour and tameness remind one of Pliny's crows. The Buzzard is nearly as large as a small turkey. By day these birds fly about the city, occasionally lighting upon the houses, and in the yards, like pigeons. Towards night they all retire to the highest part of the precipice fronting the river, and there remain until the morning. Seeing them thus assembled, suggests the idea of Milton's conclave in Pandemonium.