Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/439

 the North American Indians.

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��on fuch public occasions, my companions were fully trimmed out, and did not flrip themfelves, as they expected no fuch difafter. By (looping to fave themfelves from being difmounted, their favourite looking glafies were '(bat tered to pieces, the paint moftly rubbed off their faces, their (kins of fmall hawks, and tufts of fine plumes, torn from their heads, and their other or naments, as well as their clothing and fkin, (bared alfo in the misfortune. As foon as they could (lop their horfes, they alighted : and, when I had done laughing at them, they according to cuftom, faid only, La phene, " O flrange !" The Indians are very happy in not (hewing the lead emotion of anger, for any mifchance that befalls them, in their fportful exercifes. I jefted them in commending the fwiftnefs of their horfes, even through a bramble thicket, and applauded their (kill in fitting, and guiding them fo weir, by the help of their neck bridles. By this time, the hindmoft of our company came up, who laughed heartily at the fight of our tattered horfemen, and told them, that they expected I would jockey them in fome fuch manner. But the young ambitious heroes afcribed the whole difafter only to the vicioufhefs of my horfe, faying " he was mad."

From what hath been already faid, it muft be evident, that with proper cultivation, they would (hine in higher fpheres of life ; and it is not an cafy matter to feduce them from their fuppofed interefts, to the incoherent projects, that our home-bred politicians confidently devife over their fpark- ling bowls and decanters. The friendly and warlike Indians have an intenfe affection to their country and people, and fo have the Britifh Americans : and whatever fome may think of the colonifts martial abilities, our wife (latefmen may be foon convinced, that they will be able to maintain all the invalu able blefllngs of free men for themfelves, and convey them to their pofte- rity in their purity and luflre, according to the old Engliili conftitution, which is built on plain wholefome laws, and not on the fophifms of tyranny.

This leads me to (peak of the Indian method of government. In ge neral, it confifts in a fcederal union of the whole fociety for mutual fafety. As the law of nature appoints no frail mortal to be a king, or ruler, over his brethren ; and humanity forbids the taking away at pleafure, the

I i i 2 life

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