The native American., 1837-10-07

did not stop here but carried his discoveries to mum
bers lie Of course knew nothing Of the Arabic digits
nor Of the power Of Roman letters in the science. The
Cberokees had mental numerals to one hundred, and
had words for all numbers up to that but they had nc
signs or characters TO assist them in enumeranG, ad
ding. snbsracting, multiplying, or dividing He re-
Elected upon this until he had created their elementary
principle in his mind; but he was at first obliged Il
make words TO express his meaniRg and then signs to
explain it, BY this process, he had agclear
ception OF numbers up to million. His great diff
Guilty was at the threshhod, 10 fix the powers of his
signs according 10 their places. When this was over
come his next step was in adding up his different num-
bers IN order TO put down the fraction Of the decimal,
and give the whole number TO his next place. But
when knew him, he had overcome all these difficult
ties. and quite ready arthmetician n the unda.
mental rules. This was the result of my interview;
and can safely say, that have seldom met with q
man Of more shrewdness than See-quah-yah. He adj
hered 70 all the customs of his country; and when his
assocata ehiefs the mission our costume,
be was dressed in all respects like Indian. See
qua yah possesses diversified talents; he passes from
metaphysical and philosophical investigation to me-
chanical occupations. with the greatest ease. The on
y practical mechanics he was acquainted with.
a few bungng blacksmith, who could make rongh
tomahawk tinker the lock of rife; yet he became
white and silver smith without any instruction, and
made spurs and silver spoons with neatness and skill
to the great admiration Of people of the Cherokee
ton. Seequah-yah has also great for painting.
science Of his tribe upon the subject he added to it
many chemical experiments of his own, and some Of
them were very successful, and would be worth being
known to our painters. For his drawings he had no
model but what nature furnished and he often copied
them with astonishing faithfnlness. His resemblance
Of the human FORM it is true COARSE but often sp
tied and correct and he gave action, and sometimes
grace to his representations of animals He had new
er seen camel hair pencil, when he made use Of the
hair OF wild animals for his brushes. Some Of his pro-
dno Gnrxx
of perspective; but he could not have formed rules
this. The painters in the early ayes many years
coming to knowledge of this part Of the art; and
even they more successful In the art than per-
feet in the rules Of it. The Of the American
Cadmus the most easy, and his habits those of the
most assidous scholar, and his disposition is more live
" than that Of any Indian ever saw. He understood
and felt the advantages the white man had long enjoy
ed. Of having the accnmulaons of every branch Of
knowledge, from generation to generations, by means
of written language, while the red men could only
commit his thoughts to uncertain tradition. He red
soned correctly when he urged this to his friends
the cause why the red man had made few advances
in knowledge in comparison with u.s. and to remedy
this Of his great aims, land one which he has
accomplished besopd that of any other man living, or
perhaps any other who ever evsted in rude state Of
nature
II perhaps may not be known that the Government Of
the United Suites had fount Of types for his al
phabet; and that newspaper, printed partly 10 the
Cherokee language. and partly in the English, has
been established at New Echota. and is characterized
by decency and good sense; and thus many Of the
Cherokees able read both languages. After put
ting these remarks to paper had the pleasure Of
ing the head chief Of the Cherokees. who confirmed
the statement of Seeqnah-yah and added that he was
an Indian Of the srictes veracity and sobriety. The
western wilderness is only to-" blossom like the
hut there has started np, and proved that ne
has degenerated since the primitive days Of Cecrops
and the romantic ages of wonderful effort and God-lke
renuwn.