WhetherNatureinherinfinitevarietyhaddeniedthegermsoftreestothesefertileplains，orwhethertheyhadoncebeencoveredwithforests，subsequentlydestroyedbythehandofman，isaquestionwhichneithertraditionnorscientificresearchhasbeenabletoresolve。
Theseimmensedesertswerenot，however，devoidofhumaninhabitants。Somewanderingtribeshadbeenforagesscatteredamongtheforestshadesorthegreenpasturesoftheprairie。
FromthemouthoftheSt。LawrencetothedeltaoftheMississippi，andfromtheAtlantictothePacificOcean，thesesavagespossessedcertainpointsofresemblancewhichborewitnessoftheircommonorigin;butatthesametimetheydifferedfromallotherknownracesofmen:*gtheywereneitherwhiteliketheEuropeans，noryellowlikemostoftheAsiatics，norblacklikethenegroes。Theirskinwasreddishbrown，theirhairlongandshining，theirlipsthin，andtheircheekbonesveryprominent。ThelanguagesspokenbytheNorthAmericantribesarevariousasfarasregardedtheirwords，buttheyweresubjecttothesamegrammaticalrules。Theserulesdifferedinseveralpointsfromsuchashadbeenobservedtogoverntheoriginoflanguage。TheidiomoftheAmericansseemedtobetheproductofnewcombinations，andbespokeaneffortoftheunderstandingofwhichtheIndiansofourdayswouldbeincapable。*h[Footnoteg:Withtheprogressofdiscoverysomeresemblancehasbeenfoundtoexistbetweenthephysicalconformation，thelanguage，andthehabitsoftheIndiansofNorthAmerica，andthoseoftheTongous，Mantchous，Mongols，Tartars，andotherwanderingtribesofAsia。ThelandoccupiedbythesetribesisnotverydistantfromBehring’sStrait，whichallowsofthesupposition，thatataremoteperiodtheygaveinhabitantstothedesertcontinentofAmerica。Butthisisapointwhichhasnotyetbeenclearlyelucidatedbyscience。SeeMalteBrun，vol。v。;
theworksofHumboldt;Fischer，"Conjecturesurl’OriginedesAmericains";Adair，"HistoryoftheAmericanIndians。"]
[Footnoteh:SeeAppendix，C。]
ThesocialstateofthesetribesdifferedalsoinmanyrespectsfromallthatwasseenintheOldWorld。Theyseemedtohavemultipliedfreelyinthemidstoftheirdesertswithoutcomingincontactwithotherracesmorecivilizedthantheirown。
Accordingly，theyexhibitednoneofthoseindistinct，incoherentnotionsofrightandwrong，noneofthatdeepcorruptionofmanners，whichisusuallyjoinedwithignoranceandrudenessamongnationswhich，afteradvancingtocivilization，haverelapsedintoastateofbarbarism。TheIndianwasindebtedtonoonebuthimself;hisvirtues，hisvices，andhisprejudiceswerehisownwork;hehadgrownupinthewildindependenceofhisnature。
If，inpolishedcountries，thelowestofthepeoplearerudeanduncivil，itisnotmerelybecausetheyarepoorandignorant，butthat，beingso，theyareindailycontactwithrichandenlightenedmen。Thesightoftheirownhardlotandoftheirweakness，whichisdailycontrastedwiththehappinessandpowerofsomeoftheirfellow—creatures，excitesintheirheartsatthesametimethesentimentsofangerandoffear:theconsciousnessoftheirinferiorityandoftheirdependenceirritateswhileithumiliatesthem。Thisstateofminddisplaysitselfintheirmannersandlanguage;theyareatonceinsolentandservile。Thetruthofthisiseasilyprovedbyobservation;thepeoplearemorerudeinaristocraticcountriesthanelsewhere，inopulentcitiesthaninruraldistricts。Inthoseplaceswheretherichandpowerfulareassembledtogethertheweakandtheindigentfeelthemselvesoppressedbytheirinferiorcondition。Unabletoperceiveasinglechanceofregainingtheirequality，theygiveuptodespair，andallowthemselvestofallbelowthedignityofhumannature。
Thisunfortunateeffectofthedisparityofconditionsisnotobservableinsavagelife:theIndians，althoughtheyareignorantandpoor，areequalandfree。AttheperiodwhenEuropeansfirstcameamongthemthenativesofNorthAmericawereignorantofthevalueofriches，andindifferenttotheenjoymentswhichcivilizedmanprocurestohimselfbytheirmeans。Neverthelesstherewasnothingcoarseintheirdemeanor;
theypractisedanhabitualreserveandakindofaristocraticpoliteness。Mildandhospitablewhenatpeace，thoughmercilessinwarbeyondanyknowndegreeofhumanferocity，theIndianwouldexposehimselftodieofhungerinordertosuccorthestrangerwhoaskedadmittancebynightatthedoorofhishut;
yethecouldtearinpieceswithhishandsthestillquiveringlimbsofhisprisoner。Thefamousrepublicsofantiquitynevergaveexamplesofmoreunshakencourage，morehaughtyspirits，ormoreintractableloveofindependencethanwerehiddeninformertimesamongthewildforestsoftheNewWorld。*iTheEuropeansproducednogreatimpressionwhentheylandedupontheshoresofNorthAmerica;theirpresenceengenderedneitherenvynorfear。
Whatinfluencecouldtheypossessoversuchmenaswehavedescribed？TheIndiancouldlivewithoutwants，sufferwithoutcomplaint，andpourouthisdeath—songatthestake。*jLikealltheothermembersofthegreathumanfamily，thesesavagesbelievedintheexistenceofabetterworld，andadoredunderdifferentnames，God，thecreatoroftheuniverse。Theirnotionsonthegreatintellectualtruthswereingeneralsimpleandphilosophical。*k[Footnotei:WelearnfromPresidentJefferson’s"NotesuponVirginia，"p。148，thatamongtheIroquois，whenattackedbyasuperiorforce，agedmenrefusedtoflyortosurvivethedestructionoftheircountry;andtheybraveddeathliketheancientRomanswhentheircapitalwassackedbytheGauls。
Furtheron，p。150，hetellsusthatthereisnoexampleofanIndianwho，havingfallenintothehandsofhisenemies，beggedforhislife;onthecontrary，thecaptivesoughttoobtaindeathatthehandsofhisconquerorsbytheuseofinsultandprovocation。]
[Footnotej:See"HistoiredelaLouisiane，"byLepageDupratz;
Charlevoix，"HistoiredelaNouvelleFrance";"LettresduRev。G。
Hecwelder;""TransactionsoftheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety，"
v。I;Jefferson’s"NotesonVirginia，"pp。135—190。WhatissaidbyJeffersonisofespecialweight，onaccountofthepersonalmeritofthewriter，ofhispeculiarposition，andofthematter—
of—factageinwhichhelived。]
[Footnotek:SeeAppendix，D。]
Althoughwehaveheretracedthecharacterofaprimitivepeople，yetitcannotbedoubtedthatanotherpeople，morecivilizedandmoreadvancedinallrespects，hadprecededitinthesameregions。
AnobscuretraditionwhichprevailedamongtheIndianstothenorthoftheAtlanticinformsusthattheseverytribesformerlydweltonthewestsideoftheMississippi。AlongthebanksoftheOhio，andthroughoutthecentralvalley，therearefrequentlyfound，atthisday，tumuliraisedbythehandsofmen。
Onexploringtheseheapsofearthtotheircentre，itisusualtomeetwithhumanbones，strangeinstruments，armsandutensilsofallkinds，madeofmetal，ordestinedforpurposesunknowntothepresentrace。TheIndiansofourtimeareunabletogiveanyinformationrelativetothehistoryofthisunknownpeople。
Neitherdidthosewholivedthreehundredyearsago，whenAmericawasfirstdiscovered，leaveanyaccountsfromwhichevenanhypothesiscouldbeformed。Tradition—thatperishable，yeteverrenewedmonumentofthepristineworld—throwsnolightuponthesubject。Itisanundoubtedfact，however，thatinthispartoftheglobethousandsofourfellow—beingshadlived。Whentheycamehither，whatwastheirorigin，theirdestiny，theirhistory，andhowtheyperished，noonecantell。Howstrangedoesitappearthatnationshaveexisted，andafterwardssocompletelydisappearedfromtheearththattheremembranceoftheirverynamesiseffaced;theirlanguagesarelost;theirgloryisvanishedlikeasoundwithoutanecho;thoughperhapsthereisnotonewhichhasnotleftbehinditsometombinmemoryofitspassage！Themostdurablemonumentofhumanlaboristhatwhichrecallsthewretchednessandnothingnessofman。
Althoughthevastcountrywhichwehavebeendescribingwasinhabitedbymanyindigenoustribes，itmayjustlybesaidatthetimeofitsdiscoverybyEuropeanstohaveformedonegreatdesert。TheIndiansoccupiedwithoutpossessingit。Itisbyagriculturallaborthatmanappropriatesthesoil，andtheearlyinhabitantsofNorthAmericalivedbytheproduceofthechase。
Theirimplacableprejudices，theiruncontrolledpassions，theirvices，andstillmoreperhapstheirsavagevirtues，consignedthemtoinevitabledestruction。TheruinofthesenationsbeganfromthedaywhenEuropeanslandedontheirshores;ithasproceededeversince，andwearenowwitnessingthecompletionofit。TheyseemtohavebeenplacedbyProvidenceamidsttherichesoftheNewWorldtoenjoythemforaseason，andthensurrenderthem。Thosecoasts，soadmirablyadaptedforcommerceandindustry;thosewideanddeeprivers;thatinexhaustiblevalleyoftheMississippi;thewholecontinent，inshort，seemedpreparedtobetheabodeofagreatnation，yetunborn。
Inthatlandthegreatexperimentwastobemade，bycivilizedman，oftheattempttoconstructsocietyuponanewbasis;anditwasthere，forthefirsttime，thattheorieshithertounknown，ordeemedimpracticable，weretoexhibitaspectacleforwhichtheworldhadnotbeenpreparedbythehistoryofthepast。
ChapterI:ExteriorFormOfNorthAmericaChapterSummaryNorthAmericadividedintotwovastregions，oneincliningtowardsthePole，theothertowardstheEquator—ValleyoftheMississippi—TracesoftheRevolutionsoftheGlobe—ShoreoftheAtlanticOceanwheretheEnglishColonieswerefounded—
DifferenceintheappearanceofNorthandofSouthAmericaatthetimeoftheirDiscovery—ForestsofNorthAmerica—Prairies—WanderingTribesofNatives—Theiroutwardappearance，manners，andlanguage—Tracesofanunknownpeople。
ExteriorFormOfNorthAmericaNorthAmericapresentsinitsexternalformcertaingeneralfeatureswhichitiseasytodiscriminateatthefirstglance。A
sortofmethodicalorderseemstohaveregulatedtheseparationoflandandwater，mountainsandvalleys。Asimple，butgrand，arrangementisdiscoverableamidsttheconfusionofobjectsandtheprodigiousvarietyofscenes。Thiscontinentisdivided，almostequally，intotwovastregions，oneofwhichisboundedonthenorthbytheArcticPole，andbythetwogreatoceansontheeastandwest。Itstretchestowardsthesouth，formingatrianglewhoseirregularsidesmeetatlengthbelowthegreatlakesofCanada。Thesecondregionbeginswheretheotherterminates，andincludesalltheremainderofthecontinent。TheoneslopesgentlytowardsthePole，theothertowardstheEquator。
Theterritorycomprehendedinthefirstregiondescendstowardsthenorthwithsoimperceptibleaslopethatitmayalmostbesaidtoformalevelplain。Withintheboundsofthisimmensetractofcountrythereareneitherhighmountainsnordeepvalleys。Streamsmeanderthroughitirregularly:greatriversmixtheircurrents，separateandmeetagain，disperseandformvastmarshes，losingalltraceoftheirchannelsinthelabyrinthofwaterstheyhavethemselvescreated;andthus，atlength，afterinnumerablewindings，fallintothePolarSeas。
Thegreatlakeswhichboundthisfirstregionarenotwalledin，likemostofthoseintheOldWorld，betweenhillsandrocks。
Theirbanksareflat，andrisebutafewfeetabovetheleveloftheirwaters;eachofthemthusformingavastbowlfilledtothebrim。TheslightestchangeinthestructureoftheglobewouldcausetheirwaterstorusheithertowardsthePoleortothetropicalsea。
Thesecondregionismorevariedonitssurface，andbettersuitedforthehabitationofman。Twolongchainsofmountainsdivideitfromoneextremetotheother;theAlleghanyridgetakestheformoftheshoresoftheAtlanticOcean;theotherisparallelwiththePacific。Thespacewhichliesbetweenthesetwochainsofmountainscontains1，341，649squaremiles。*aItssurfaceisthereforeaboutsixtimesasgreatasthatofFrance。
Thisvastterritory，however，formsasinglevalley，onesideofwhichdescendsgraduallyfromtheroundedsummitsoftheAlleghanies，whiletheotherrisesinanuninterruptedcoursetowardsthetopsoftheRockyMountains。Atthebottomofthevalleyflowsanimmenseriver，intowhichthevariousstreamsissuingfromthemountainsfallfromallparts。Inmemoryoftheirnativeland，theFrenchformerlycalledthisrivertheSt。
Louis。TheIndians，intheirpompouslanguage，havenamedittheFatherofWaters，ortheMississippi。
[Footnotea:Darby’s"ViewoftheUnitedStates。"]
TheMississippitakesitssourceabovethelimitofthetwogreatregionsofwhichIhavespoken，notfarfromthehighestpointofthetable—landwheretheyunite。Nearthesamespotrisesanotherriver，*bwhichemptiesitselfintothePolarseas。
ThecourseoftheMississippiisatfirstdubious:itwindsseveraltimestowardsthenorth，fromwhenceitrose;andatlength，afterhavingbeendelayedinlakesandmarshes，itflowsslowlyonwardstothesouth。Sometimesquietlyglidingalongtheargillaceousbedwhichnaturehasassignedtoit，sometimesswollenbystorms，theMississippiwaters2，500milesinitscourse。*cAtthedistanceof1，364milesfromitsmouththisriverattainsanaveragedepthoffifteenfeet;anditisnavigatedbyvesselsof300tonsburdenforacourseofnearly500miles。Fifty—sevenlargenavigableriverscontributetoswellthewatersoftheMississippi;amongstothers，theMissouri，whichtraversesaspaceof2，500miles;theArkansasof1，300miles，theRedRiver1，000miles，fourwhosecourseisfrom800to1，000milesinlength，viz。，theIllinois，theSt。
Peter’s，theSt。Francis，andtheMoingona;besidesacountlessmultitudeofrivuletswhichunitefromallpartstheirtributarystreams。
[Footnoteb:TheRedRiver。]
[Footnotec:Warden’s"DescriptionoftheUnitedStates。"]
ThevalleywhichiswateredbytheMississippiseemsformedtobethebedofthismightyriver，which，likeagodofantiquity，dispensesbothgoodandevilinitscourse。Ontheshoresofthestreamnaturedisplaysaninexhaustiblefertility;
inproportionasyourecedefromitsbanks，thepowersofvegetationlanguish，thesoilbecomespoor，andtheplantsthatsurvivehaveasicklygrowth。NowherehavethegreatconvulsionsoftheglobeleftmoreevidenttracesthaninthevalleyoftheMississippi;thewholeaspectofthecountryshowsthepowerfuleffectsofwater，bothbyitsfertilityandbyitsbarrenness。
Thewatersoftheprimevaloceanaccumulatedenormousbedsofvegetablemouldinthevalley，whichtheylevelledastheyretired。Upontherightshoreoftheriverareseenimmenseplains，assmoothasifthehusbandmanhadpassedoverthemwithhisroller。Asyouapproachthemountainsthesoilbecomesmoreandmoreunequalandsterile;thegroundis，asitwere，piercedinathousandplacesbyprimitiverocks，whichappearlikethebonesofaskeletonwhosefleshispartlyconsumed。Thesurfaceoftheearthiscoveredwithagranitesandandhugeirregularmassesofstone，amongwhichafewplantsforcetheirgrowth，andgivetheappearanceofagreenfieldcoveredwiththeruinsofavastedifice。Thesestonesandthissanddiscover，onexamination，aperfectanalogywiththosewhichcomposethearidandbrokensummitsoftheRockyMountains。Thefloodofwaterswhichwashedthesoiltothebottomofthevalleyafterwardscarriedawayportionsoftherocksthemselves;andthese，dashedandbruisedagainsttheneighboringcliffs，wereleftscatteredlikewrecksattheirfeet。*dThevalleyoftheMississippiis，uponthewhole，themostmagnificentdwelling—placepreparedbyGodforman’sabode;andyetitmaybesaidthatatpresentitisbutamightydesert。
[Footnoted:SeeAppendix，A。]
OntheeasternsideoftheAlleghanies，betweenthebaseofthesemountainsandtheAtlanticOcean，thereliesalongridgeofrocksandsand，whichtheseaappearstohaveleftbehindasitretired。Themeanbreadthofthisterritorydoesnotexceedonehundredmiles;butitisaboutninehundredmilesinlength。
ThispartoftheAmericancontinenthasasoilwhichofferseveryobstacletothehusbandman，anditsvegetationisscantyandunvaried。
Uponthisinhospitablecoastthefirstunitedeffortsofhumanindustryweremade。ThetongueofaridlandwasthecradleofthoseEnglishcolonieswhichweredestinedonedaytobecometheUnitedStatesofAmerica。Thecentreofpowerstillremainshere;whilstinthebackwoodsthetrueelementsofthegreatpeopletowhomthefuturecontrolofthecontinentbelongsaregatheringalmostinsecrecytogether。
WhentheEuropeansfirstlandedontheshoresoftheWestIndies，andafterwardsonthecoastofSouthAmerica，theythoughtthemselvestransportedintothosefabulousregionsofwhichpoetshadsung。Theseasparkledwithphosphoriclight，andtheextraordinarytransparencyofitswatersdiscoveredtotheviewofthenavigatorallthathadhithertobeenhiddeninthedeepabyss。*eHereandthereappearedlittleislandsperfumedwithodoriferousplants，andresemblingbasketsofflowersfloatingonthetranquilsurfaceoftheocean。Everyobjectwhichmetthesight，inthisenchantingregion，seemedpreparedtosatisfythewantsorcontributetothepleasuresofman。Almostallthetreeswereloadedwithnourishingfruits，andthosewhichwereuselessasfooddelightedtheeyebythebrilliancyandvarietyoftheircolors。Ingrovesoffragrantlemon—trees，wildfigs，floweringmyrtles，acacias，andoleanders，whichwerehungwithfestoonsofvariousclimbingplants，coveredwithflowers，amultitudeofbirdsunknowninEuropedisplayedtheirbrightplumage，glitteringwithpurpleandazure，andmingledtheirwarblingwiththeharmonyofaworldteemingwithlifeandmotion。*fUnderneaththisbrilliantexteriordeathwasconcealed。Buttheairoftheseclimateshadsoenervatinganinfluencethatman，absorbedbypresentenjoyment，wasrenderedregardlessofthefuture。
[Footnotee:MalteBruntellsus（vol。v。p。726）thatthewateroftheCaribbeanSeaissotransparentthatcoralsandfisharediscernibleatadepthofsixtyfathoms。Theshipseemedtofloatinair，thenavigatorbecamegiddyashiseyepenetratedthroughthecrystalflood，andbeheldsubmarinegardens，orbedsofshells，orgildedfishesglidingamongtuftsandthicketsofseaweed。]
[Footnotef:SeeAppendix，B。]
NorthAmericaappearedunderaverydifferentaspect;thereeverythingwasgrave，serious，andsolemn:itseemedcreatedtobethedomainofintelligence，astheSouthwasthatofsensualdelight。Aturbulentandfoggyoceanwasheditsshores。Itwasgirtroundbyabeltofgraniterocks，orbywidetractsofsand。
Thefoliageofitswoodswasdarkandgloomy，fortheywerecomposedoffirs，larches，evergreenoaks，wildolive—trees，andlaurels。Beyondthisouterbeltlaythethickshadesofthecentralforest，wherethelargesttreeswhichareproducedinthetwohemispheresgrowsidebyside。Theplane，thecatalpa，thesugar—maple，andtheVirginianpoplarmingledtheirbrancheswiththoseoftheoak，thebeech，andthelime。Inthese，asintheforestsoftheOldWorld，destructionwasperpetuallygoingon。Theruinsofvegetationwereheapeduponeachother;buttherewasnolaboringhandtoremovethem，andtheirdecaywasnotrapidenoughtomakeroomforthecontinualworkofreproduction。Climbingplants，grasses，andotherherbsforcedtheirwaythroughthemassofdyingtrees;theycreptalongtheirbendingtrunks，foundnourishmentintheirdustycavities，andapassagebeneaththelifelessbark。Thusdecaygaveitsassistancetolife，andtheirrespectiveproductionsweremingledtogether。Thedepthsoftheseforestsweregloomyandobscure，andathousandrivulets，undirectedintheircoursebyhumanindustry，preservedinthemaconstantmoisture。Itwasraretomeetwithflowers，wildfruits，orbirdsbeneaththeirshades。
Thefallofatreeoverthrownbyage，therushingtorrentofacataract，thelowingofthebuffalo，andthehowlingofthewindweretheonlysoundswhichbrokethesilenceofnature。
Totheeastofthegreatriver，thewoodsalmostdisappeared;intheirsteadwereseenprairiesofimmenseextent。
WhetherNatureinherinfinitevarietyhaddeniedthegermsoftreestothesefertileplains，orwhethertheyhadoncebeencoveredwithforests，subsequentlydestroyedbythehandofman，isaquestionwhichneithertraditionnorscientificresearchhasbeenabletoresolve。
Theseimmensedesertswerenot，however，devoidofhumaninhabitants。Somewanderingtribeshadbeenforagesscatteredamongtheforestshadesorthegreenpasturesoftheprairie。
FromthemouthoftheSt。LawrencetothedeltaoftheMississippi，andfromtheAtlantictothePacificOcean，thesesavagespossessedcertainpointsofresemblancewhichborewitnessoftheircommonorigin;butatthesametimetheydifferedfromallotherknownracesofmen:*gtheywereneitherwhiteliketheEuropeans，noryellowlikemostoftheAsiatics，norblacklikethenegroes。Theirskinwasreddishbrown，theirhairlongandshining，theirlipsthin，andtheircheekbonesveryprominent。ThelanguagesspokenbytheNorthAmericantribesarevariousasfarasregardedtheirwords，buttheyweresubjecttothesamegrammaticalrules。Theserulesdifferedinseveralpointsfromsuchashadbeenobservedtogoverntheoriginoflanguage。TheidiomoftheAmericansseemedtobetheproductofnewcombinations，andbespokeaneffortoftheunderstandingofwhichtheIndiansofourdayswouldbeincapable。*h[Footnoteg:Withtheprogressofdiscoverysomeresemblancehasbeenfoundtoexistbetweenthephysicalconformation，thelanguage，andthehabitsoftheIndiansofNorthAmerica，andthoseoftheTongous，Mantchous，Mongols，Tartars，andotherwanderingtribesofAsia。ThelandoccupiedbythesetribesisnotverydistantfromBehring’sStrait，whichallowsofthesupposition，thatataremoteperiodtheygaveinhabitantstothedesertcontinentofAmerica。Butthisisapointwhichhasnotyetbeenclearlyelucidatedbyscience。SeeMalteBrun，vol。v。;
theworksofHumboldt;Fischer，"Conjecturesurl’OriginedesAmericains";Adair，"HistoryoftheAmericanIndians。"]
[Footnoteh:SeeAppendix，C。]
ThesocialstateofthesetribesdifferedalsoinmanyrespectsfromallthatwasseenintheOldWorld。Theyseemedtohavemultipliedfreelyinthemidstoftheirdesertswithoutcomingincontactwithotherracesmorecivilizedthantheirown。
Accordingly，theyexhibitednoneofthoseindistinct，incoherentnotionsofrightandwrong，noneofthatdeepcorruptionofmanners，whichisusuallyjoinedwithignoranceandrudenessamongnationswhich，afteradvancingtocivilization，haverelapsedintoastateofbarbarism。TheIndianwasindebtedtonoonebuthimself;hisvirtues，hisvices，andhisprejudiceswerehisownwork;hehadgrownupinthewildindependenceofhisnature。
If，inpolishedcountries，thelowestofthepeoplearerudeanduncivil，itisnotmerelybecausetheyarepoorandignorant，butthat，beingso，theyareindailycontactwithrichandenlightenedmen。Thesightoftheirownhardlotandoftheirweakness，whichisdailycontrastedwiththehappinessandpowerofsomeoftheirfellow—creatures，excitesintheirheartsatthesametimethesentimentsofangerandoffear:theconsciousnessoftheirinferiorityandoftheirdependenceirritateswhileithumiliatesthem。Thisstateofminddisplaysitselfintheirmannersandlanguage;theyareatonceinsolentandservile。Thetruthofthisiseasilyprovedbyobservation;thepeoplearemorerudeinaristocraticcountriesthanelsewhere，inopulentcitiesthaninruraldistricts。Inthoseplaceswheretherichandpowerfulareassembledtogethertheweakandtheindigentfeelthemselvesoppressedbytheirinferiorcondition。Unabletoperceiveasinglechanceofregainingtheirequality，theygiveuptodespair，andallowthemselvestofallbelowthedignityofhumannature。
Thisunfortunateeffectofthedisparityofconditionsisnotobservableinsavagelife:theIndians，althoughtheyareignorantandpoor，areequalandfree。AttheperiodwhenEuropeansfirstcameamongthemthenativesofNorthAmericawereignorantofthevalueofriches，andindifferenttotheenjoymentswhichcivilizedmanprocurestohimselfbytheirmeans。Neverthelesstherewasnothingcoarseintheirdemeanor;
theypractisedanhabitualreserveandakindofaristocraticpoliteness。Mildandhospitablewhenatpeace，thoughmercilessinwarbeyondanyknowndegreeofhumanferocity，theIndianwouldexposehimselftodieofhungerinordertosuccorthestrangerwhoaskedadmittancebynightatthedoorofhishut;
yethecouldtearinpieceswithhishandsthestillquiveringlimbsofhisprisoner。Thefamousrepublicsofantiquitynevergaveexamplesofmoreunshakencourage，morehaughtyspirits，ormoreintractableloveofindependencethanwerehiddeninformertimesamongthewildforestsoftheNewWorld。*iTheEuropeansproducednogreatimpressionwhentheylandedupontheshoresofNorthAmerica;theirpresenceengenderedneitherenvynorfear。
Whatinfluencecouldtheypossessoversuchmenaswehavedescribed？TheIndiancouldlivewithoutwants，sufferwithoutcomplaint，andpourouthisdeath—songatthestake。*jLikealltheothermembersofthegreathumanfamily，thesesavagesbelievedintheexistenceofabetterworld，andadoredunderdifferentnames，God，thecreatoroftheuniverse。Theirnotionsonthegreatintellectualtruthswereingeneralsimpleandphilosophical。*k[Footnotei:WelearnfromPresidentJefferson’s"NotesuponVirginia，"p。148，thatamongtheIroquois，whenattackedbyasuperiorforce，agedmenrefusedtoflyortosurvivethedestructionoftheircountry;andtheybraveddeathliketheancientRomanswhentheircapitalwassackedbytheGauls。
Furtheron，p。150，hetellsusthatthereisnoexampleofanIndianwho，havingfallenintothehandsofhisenemies，beggedforhislife;onthecontrary，thecaptivesoughttoobtaindeathatthehandsofhisconquerorsbytheuseofinsultandprovocation。]
[Footnotej:See"HistoiredelaLouisiane，"byLepageDupratz;
Charlevoix，"HistoiredelaNouvelleFrance";"LettresduRev。G。
Hecwelder;""TransactionsoftheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety，"
v。I;Jefferson’s"NotesonVirginia，"pp。135—190。WhatissaidbyJeffersonisofespecialweight，onaccountofthepersonalmeritofthewriter，ofhispeculiarposition，andofthematter—
of—factageinwhichhelived。]
[Footnotek:SeeAppendix，D。]
Althoughwehaveheretracedthecharacterofaprimitivepeople，yetitcannotbedoubtedthatanotherpeople，morecivilizedandmoreadvancedinallrespects，hadprecededitinthesameregions。
AnobscuretraditionwhichprevailedamongtheIndianstothenorthoftheAtlanticinformsusthattheseverytribesformerlydweltonthewestsideoftheMississippi。AlongthebanksoftheOhio，andthroughoutthecentralvalley，therearefrequentlyfound，atthisday，tumuliraisedbythehandsofmen。
Onexploringtheseheapsofearthtotheircentre，itisusualtomeetwithhumanbones，strangeinstruments，armsandutensilsofallkinds，madeofmetal，ordestinedforpurposesunknowntothepresentrace。TheIndiansofourtimeareunabletogiveanyinformationrelativetothehistoryofthisunknownpeople。
Neitherdidthosewholivedthreehundredyearsago，whenAmericawasfirstdiscovered，leaveanyaccountsfromwhichevenanhypothesiscouldbeformed。Tradition—thatperishable，yeteverrenewedmonumentofthepristineworld—throwsnolightuponthesubject。Itisanundoubtedfact，however，thatinthispartoftheglobethousandsofourfellow—beingshadlived。Whentheycamehither，whatwastheirorigin，theirdestiny，theirhistory，andhowtheyperished，noonecantell。Howstrangedoesitappearthatnationshaveexisted，andafterwardssocompletelydisappearedfromtheearththattheremembranceoftheirverynamesiseffaced;theirlanguagesarelost;theirgloryisvanishedlikeasoundwithoutanecho;thoughperhapsthereisnotonewhichhasnotleftbehinditsometombinmemoryofitspassage！Themostdurablemonumentofhumanlaboristhatwhichrecallsthewretchednessandnothingnessofman。
Althoughthevastcountrywhichwehavebeendescribingwasinhabitedbymanyindigenoustribes，itmayjustlybesaidatthetimeofitsdiscoverybyEuropeanstohaveformedonegreatdesert。TheIndiansoccupiedwithoutpossessingit。Itisbyagriculturallaborthatmanappropriatesthesoil，andtheearlyinhabitantsofNorthAmericalivedbytheproduceofthechase。
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