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thirty broad. At the diftance of near twenty foot from the entrance begins a lake, of unfearchable extent, the water of which is tranfparent. Upon the walls the traveller observed many Indian hieroglyphics, which were cut in a rude manner, and appeared to be very ancient. A little hence is fituated the burying place of feveral bands of the Naudoweffie Indians; who, though they have no fixed refidence, and live but a few months on one fpot, bring hither, at certain periods, the bodies of their deceafed friends.

Our author informs us, that full fifty miles before he reached the Falls of St. Anthony, he could diftinctly hear the noise of the water, which forms a moft beautiful cataract above two hundred and fifty yards over. The water falls perpendicularly about thirty foot; and the rapids below, in the space of three hundred yards more, render the defcent confiderably greater ; fo that when viewed at a distance, the falls feem confiderably higher than they really are. In the middle of the fall ftands aimall island, and the adjacent country is faid to be exceeding beautiful.

We find that our author explored the Miffifippi as far as the river St. Francis, whither only father Hennipin had penetrated before him; but for any account of the parts to the northward of this boundary, we must yet remain indebted to the information of the Indians. By this channel, affifted with his own obfervations, Mr. Carver has learned, that the four most capital rivers on the continent of North America, viz. the St. Lawrence, the Miflifippi, the river Bourbon, and the Oregon, or the River of the Weft, have their fources in the fame neighbourhood. The waters of the three former are within thirty miles of each other; but the latter is more towards the west. Our author affirms, upon his own obfervation, that as he paffed to the weftward of the Miffifippi, he found the winter tarf from being fevere; and that the north-weft winds which blow on thofe countries, are confiderably more temperate than he had often experienced them near the coast of our American colonies. In delineating thofe immenfe tracts of territcry which has hitherto been unexplored by any European traveller, the author entertains us with the defcription of various lakes and mountains of amazing extent.

That range of mountains, iays he, of which the Shining Mc puntains are part, begin at Mexico, and continuing northward on the back, or to the eaft of California, feparate the waters of thofe numerous rivers that fall either into the Gulph of Mexico, or the Gulph of California. From thence continuing their course still northward, between the fources of the Miffiffippi and the rivers that run into the South Sea, they appear to end

in about forty-feven or forty-eight degrees of north latitude; where a number of rivers arife, and empty themselves either into the South Sea, into Hudfon's Bay, or into the waters that communicate between thefe two feas.

• Among these mountains, those that lie to the west of the river St. Pierre, are called the Shining Mountains, from an infinitenumber of cryftal ftones, of an amazing fize, with which they are covered, and which, when the fun fhines full upon them, fparkle fo as to be feen at a very great distance.

• This extraordinary range of mountains is calculated to be more than three thousand miles in length, without any very confiderable intervals, which I believe furpaffes any thing of the kind in the other quarters of the globe. Probably in future ages they may be found to contain more riches in their bowels, than thofe of Indoftan and Malabar, or that are produced on the Golden Coaft of Guinea; nor will I except even the Peruvian mines. To the welt of thefe mountains, when explored by future Columbuses or Raleighs, may be found other lakes, rivers, and countries, full fraught with all the neceffaries or luxuries of life; and where future generations may find an afylum, whether dri ven from their country by the ravages of lawlefs tyrants, or by religious perfecutions, or reluctantly leaving it to remedy the inconveniences arifing from a fuperabundant increase of inhabitants; whether, I fay, impelled by thefe, or allured by hopes `of commercial advantages, there is little doubt but their expectations will be fully gratified in thefe rich and unexhausted climes.

Lake Erie, we are informed, is prodigiously infested with the water-fnake. Of this kind the most remarkable fpecies is the hiffing-fnake, which is about eighteen inches long, and fpeckled. When any thing approaches, it flattens itself immediately, and its fpots, which are of various colours, become confiderably brighter through rage. On this occafion, it discharges from its mouth, with great force, a subtle vapour, which is faid to be of a naufeous fiell; and if inhaled with the breath, will infallibly bring on a decline, which proves mortal in a few months; no remedy being hitherto dif covered to counteract its noxious tendency.

The narrative of the author's Travels is fucceeded by a num ber of obfervations recited in different chapters, on the origin, perfons, manners, cuftoms, government, and religion of the Indians; with all which Mr. Carver appears to be particularly well acquainted. The following character of the Indians being concifely delineated, and ftrongly marked, we have extracted for the perufal of our readers.

The character of the Indians, like that of other uncivilized nations, is compofed of a mixture of ferocity and gentleness. They are at once guided by paffions and appetites, which they

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hold in common with the fierceft beafts that inhabit their woods, and are poffeffed of virtues which do honour to human na

ture.

In the following eftimate I fhall endeavour to forget on the one hand the prejudices of Europeans, who ufually annex to the word Indian epithets that are difgraceful to human nature, and who view them in no other light than as favages and cannibals; whilft with equal care I avoid any partiality towards them, as some must naturally arife from the favourable reception I met with during my ftay among them.

At the fame time I fhall confine my remarks to the nations inhabiting only the western regions, fuch as the Naudoweffies, the Ottagaumies, the Chipéways, the Winnebagoes, and the Saukies: for as throughout that diverfity of climates the extenfive continent of America is compofed of, there are people of different difpofitions and various characters, it would be incompatible with my prefent undertaking to treat of all thefe, and to give a general view of them as a conjunctive body.

That the Indians are of a cruel, revengeful, inexorable difpofition, that they will watch whole days unmindful of the calls. of nature, and make their way through pathlefs, and almost unbounded woods, fubfifting only on the fcanty produce of them, to pursue and revenge themselves of an enemy; that they hear unmoved the piercing cries of fuch as unhappily fall into their hands, and receive a diabolical pleasure from the tortures they inflict on their prifoners, I readily grant; but let us look on the reverse of this terrifying picture, and we fhall find them temperate both in their diet and potations (it must be remembered, that I speak of thofe tribes who have little communication with Europeans) that they withstand, with unexampled patience, the attacks of hunger, or the inclemency of the feafons, and esteem the gratification of their appetites, but as a secondary confideration.

We fhall likewife fee them fociable and humane to those whom they confider as their friends, and even to their adopted enemies; and ready to partake with them of the laft morsel, or to risk their lives in their defence.

In contradiction to the report of many other travellers, all of which have been tinctured with prejudice, I can affert, that notwithstanding the apparent indifference with which an Indian meets his wife and children after a long abfence, an indifference proceeding rather from custom than infenfibility, he is not unmindful of the claims either of connubial or parental tendernefs.

• Accustomed from their youth to innumerable hardships, they foon become fuperior to a fenfe of danger or the dread of death; and their fortitude implanted by nature, and nurtured by example, by precept, and accident, never experiences a moment's allay.

• Though

Though flothful and inactive whilft their ftore of provifion remains unexhaufted, and their foes are at a distance, they are indefatigable and perfevering in pursuit of their game, or in circumventing their enemies.

If they are artful and defigning, and ready to take every advantage, if they are cool and deliberate in their councils, and cautious in the extreme either of difcovering their fentiments, or of revealing a fecret, they might at the fame time boast of poffeffing qualifications of a more animated nature, of the fagacity of a hound, the penetrating fight of a lynx, the cunning of the fox, the agility of a bounding roe, and the unconquerable fiercenefs of the tyger.

In their public characters, as forming part of a community, they poffefs an attachment for that band to which they belong, unknown to the inhabitants of any other country. They com bine, as if they were actuated only by one foul, against the enemies of their nation, and banish from their minds every con fideration opposed to this.

• They confult without unneceffary oppofition, or without give ing way to the excitements of envy or ambition, on the measures neceffary to be pursued for the deftruction of thofe who have drawn on themfelves their difpleasure. No felfifh views ever influence their advice, or obftru&t their confultations. Nor is it in the power of bribes or threats to diminish the love they bear their country.

The honour of their tribe, and the welfare of their nation, is the firft and most predominant emotion of their hearts; and from hence proceed in a great measure all their virtues and their vices. Actuated by this, they brave every danger, endure the moft exquifite torments, and expire triumphing in their fortitude, not as a perfonal qualification, but as a national characteristic,

From thence alfo flow that infatiable revenge towards those with whom they are at war, and all the confequent horrors that difgrace their name. Their uncultivated minds being incapable of judging of the propriety of an action, in oppofition to their paffions which are totally infenfible to the controuls of reafon or humanity, they know not how to keep their fury within any bounds, and confequently that courage and refolution which would otherwife do them honour, degenerates into a favage ferocity.

But this fhort differtation muft fuffice; the limits of my work will not permit me to treat the fubject more copiously, or to pursue it with a logical regularity. The obfervations already made by my readers on the preceding pages, will, I truft, render it unneceffary; as by them they will be enabled to form a tolerably juft idea of the people I have been defcribing. Experience teaches, that anecdotes, and relations of particular events, however trifling they might appear, enable us to form a truer judgment of the manners and cuftoms of a people, and are VOL. XLVI. Dec. 1778. much

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much more declaratory of their real ftate, than the moft ftudied. and elaborate difquifition, without these aids.?

To his account of the Indians Mr. Carver has fubjoined a fhort vocabulary of the Chipeway and Naudoweffie languages; in the former of which, we are told, they have not either of the confonants F or V. The animal and vegetable productions of the Indian nations are afterwards defcribed: and in an Appendix the author treats of the probability and means of rendering the interior parts of North America. commercial colonies; and of the difcovery of a north-weft paffage.-The laudable motives from which Mr. Carver undertook his travelsin North America delerve the warmest commendation; and as he appears to have profecuted his researches with great induftry, as well as faithfully related them, we hope he will experience fome degree of compenfation for fo voluntary and pezhaps confequential an exertion in the fervice of the public..

The Prefent State of the Weft Indies: containing an accurate Defeription of what Parts are poffeffed by the several Powers in Europe. luftrated with a complete Map of the West Indies. 4to. 31. Jerved. Baldwin..

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BY the change introduced at the laft peace, refpecting the property of feveral of the Weft India islands, the accountsof them formerly published have been rendered in a great measure obfolete; and to remedy this defect is the defign of the prefent treatife. With the hiftory and accurate defcription of each of the iflands, the author gives a detail of their trade, inhabitants, ftrength, government, and religion. For the gratification of our readers we fele&t the account of Dominica, the late feizure of which by the French has rendered it particularly an object of public attention.

Dominica, between Martinico and Guadalope, was difcovered by Columbus, the 3d of November, 1493, and called after the Sunday which happened on that day. Its length is 8 leagues and its greatest breadth in the middle about four.. It is certainly one of the best islands in the Weft Indies, and, after Jamaica, the most important, perhaps, of those belonging to England. Its appearance is rugged and mountainous, elpecially towards the fea; but the afcents are commonly easy, which makes their cultivation lefs difficult, and the inner part contains very rich vallies with feveral fine plains. general, is a black deep mold, extremely fertile, repays abundantly the labours of the planter. watered by a great number of rivers full of fish,

The foil, in which foon The island, and favour

able.

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