The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-08-08
From The london LITERARY Ga.ef,e.

be substance Of a Journal during n
Residence at the Red River Co
lony. British North America, and
Frequent excursions among the
North West American Indians. in
1920. /. 2, aud 8. BY John
West. NJ. A. late Chaplain OF the
Hudson Bay Company.
This volume possesses greater in
terest at the present moment than il
might otherwise have done Though
IN itself production ofmerii,) from
The Circumstance of its describing,
With accuracy. the manners and Gus
toms of those tribes. among which,
or others, of similar habits, parties
OF our countrymen. are about to
range in expeditions Of much public
curiosity. When We do hear Of
Captain Franklin and his associates
(whom Mr.. West met before, and
from whom, by the bye, il is rather
strange that no accounts have yet
been received, we shall find them
about to traverse country inhabited
by beings such as are here painted !;
and upon whose feelings. perhaps.
the success of their undertaking
must in a considerable degree. de-
pend. We therefore read Mr..
Vests mpretending narrative with
" increase Of appetite ;" nor is it
diminished by observing the sensible
zeal with which he states the results
of his humane aud religious labours
as a missionary.
From York Factory the author
embarked for the Red River Colony,
and passing up Lake Winnipeg, at
ter difficult navigation. got among
the Indians round Fort Douglas
Proceeding to Qu'appelle, he relates
OF the Stoneiadians
*** Before | left the fort, !
married several of the company's
servants who had been living with
and had families by, Intlian or half
cast women. and baptised their chill
drcn. ] explained to them the ma
ture and obligations of marriage and
baptism, and distributed among them
some Bibles ard Icstaments, and
Religious Tracts.
:" With the Indians who were at
the tort there Vas one Of the Compa-
ny's servants who had been With the
tribe nearly a year and a half, to
learn their language as an inteiprc-
ter. They were very partial to him,
and treated him with great kindness
and hospitality. He usually lived
with their chief, and upon informing
him who | was and the object for
which came 10 the country, he
welcomed me by hearty shake Of
the hand while others came round
me, and stroked me on the head, as
fond father would his faVorite boy.
On one occasion, when particular
~ noticed one Of their children, the
boys father WAS so affected with
the attention, that with tears he ex .
claimed, See ! the God takes notice
of my child Many of these In
dams were strong, athletic men, and
generally we'll proportioned their
countcnances were pleasing with a
outline noses and beautifully white
and regular teeth. The bnfialoe
supplies them with food, and also
with clothing. The skin was the
principal, and almost the only arti-
Gle Of dress they wore, and was
wrapped round them, or worn taste
fully over the shoulder like the high
land plaid. The lcggins of some Of
them we're iI.ingcd with human hair,
taken from the scalps Of their enc
mics and their mecasius, or shoes,
we're realty ornamented with por-
cupine quilts. They are nptori-
Gus horse stealers, and often make
predatory excursions to the Msndan
Villages on the banks of the Missou-
ri to steal them. They sometimes
visit the Red River for this purpose,
and have swept off. at times, nearly
the whole Of our horses from the set
Element. Such indeed is their pro-
pensity for this species of theft, that
they have fired upon and killed the
company's servants close to the forts
for these useful animals. They run
the butfaiGe with them in the sum
mer, AVID fasten them to sledgcs
which they drag over the snow when
they travel in the winter; While the
dogs carry burdens upon thclrbacks,
like packs upon the pack horse. IL
does not appear that chastity is
much regarded among them. ! hey
take as many wives as they please,
aud part with them for season. or