Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-05-03
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 1882.
rrrom the New York American ]


,he western side of the Rocky Mountains. among
various tribes of Indians hitherto unknown; toge-
Their with a Journey across the American CONT
nent." The Messrs. Harpers have done well in re-
publishing this volume. b the public are more be-
holden 10 them for it than for hundred'novels. In
the strides that civilization is taking across our con-
tinent, each picture OF savage life which repre-
,ents the red forester in his real lineaents is be-
coming more aud more valuable. They further
the exert,ous Of the philanthroplst in improving
the condition Of the Indians. by pointing out
where his humane Efforts will be most available:
they arrest for the historian the heeDs and trail
record of fading race, and they treasure up
boards Of nsaferiel for the poets who shall here
after snatch its memory from oblivion when che
las, remnants have disappeared. The views OF
savage life, with which we are most familiar, are
rarely Just or authentic. They. for the most
mart. are either colOred with the romantic fancy
Of Chateaubriand or Campbell; or else, as in
the case Of Tanner, are limited to few torlorn
and poverty stricken tribes, representations OF
which are offered as fair specimens OF the whole
race. Mr.. Cox's book, We think, Is better calcu-
lated 70 set matters right than any we now recoi-
lect to have met with. The amount Of his OBJ
serya,ions upon Indian character and manners
may be gwen in a lew words. inseneral appear
ance aud in certain characteristics, the American
savage is the same from Chill to Athabasca, aud
from Npotka 10 Labrador. There Is an lndescrlO-
able coldness about him, that checks familiarity:
He is stranger to our hopes and fears, our joys
or our sorrows His eyes are seldom moisfened
b, a tear, or his features relaxed by smile; and
1--WE adopt the beautiful language OF our author)
whether he basks beneath a vertical sun ON the
aurnIn. plains 1T the Amazon, or freezes IN eter.
nal win or on The ice bound shores ct the Ar,tc
Ocean. the same piercing black eyes, ana stern
immobility Of COuBtenance. equally Set al hausht
the skill nf the physio. nomist. But IN moral
character aud personal habits, the various tribes,
even when living adjacent to each other differ
almost as much as DO civilized communities.-
Most If the tribes at the Mouth oil the COLUMBIA,
for .nstance. are treacharous mis-shapen. thiev-
ish set who smear themselves with h-h oil. and
live in filthy novels: while. as an exception,
there are bands which, like the Chinooks, are
well formed, frank in their manners, cleanly IN
their persons, and every way trustworthy These
ingenious people have hous-> 1t wood. eighty
fee, in length by forty broad. divided By parti-
tons eighteen feet high; they construct canoes
ffry feet in leos,b. which will carry thirty per-
sons; and besides the usual offensive arms OF the
Indian, wear armor of elk skin ia leather he'll
NETS, so prepared as to be arrow proof, and ire
nuently even tarn ID ball. Again, IN advancing
into the interior. some miserable, squaiid look
mn skuiking tribes, who live by trapping. are to
be found in the immediate vicinity OF thriving
race uf men, whose habits aud appearance are to-
,ally the reverse. The last are generally those
who hunt the buffalo on horseback, and with
frames invisorate,l by the chase, and spirits
ID by the constant encounter of peril are equal
~ fearless in character and noble in their car
riane. And both ON the coast and in the lnter-
or sune tribes are entirely absolved from the re-
s,rain,s of chastity. while others punish inconti.
nency with death; many clans again are addicted
10 stealing and lying, while these vices are held
in such adherence by others, that those who
commit them are driven out from their cummu-
mites. Cruelty to their enemies and iortitude
rnder the ind lctinn Of pain. seem to be the only
qualities winch are common to all. VI this we
have horrible example in the following extract:
=. Having been informed that the Flatheads
were about pu ting one OF their prisoners TO death,
[ went to their canpt witness the spectacle
The man was ued TO tree; after which they heat
ed an old barrel "fa gun until IT became red hot,
with which they burned him on the legs, thighs,
neck, cheeks, and belly. They then commenc-
ed cutting the flesh from about the nails, which
they pulled out, and mex separated the fingers
from the hand jnint by joint. During the PERFORM
snce vf these cruelties the wretched captive ne.
yer WINGED, and ifstead OF suing for mercy, he
added fresh stimulants to their barbarOus inge- |
nui,y by the NEST irritating reprOaches, part OF
which our interpreter translated as follows
=. MY heart is s,rong.-You do not hurt me-
Won can't hurt me- You are foos.-YOu do not
know now 60 torture.-rry 1t again - don't ieel
any main vet.--We torture your relations agreat
deal better, because we make them erv out loud
like lntle childrer.-You are not brave: you
have small hearts, and YOU are always afraid to
fight Then addressing one IN particular. ne
said, cit VAS hy nv arrow you lost your eyes
upon which the Flathead darted at him and with
a knife in a moment sconped OUT one of his eyes
Mt the same time cutting the bridge of his nose
nearly in two. This did no, stop him: with the
remaining eve be io"ked sterny al another, and
said. 81 Killed your brother, and sca'ped your
oil tool oG "A father" The warrior to whom
this was addressed instantly sprung at him, and
sonar ated the scalp from his head. He was then
about pungiug knife in his heart, until he was
told by the chief to desist. The raw skull.
hoody socket, and mutilated nose, now present
hut bv chang