New-York daily tribune., 1843-03-07
THE TRIBU u N E.
literarp Notices.

zen, and cheap shape IN the peilef that II Wll be
warmly received and cordially read by every one
who wishes FOR correct knowledge of the bound
,as, wilderness of the West-that region towards
which the Star of Empire takes its way, which
must sooner later be densely Peopled by the An
so.Saxon race, and, in connection with the United
GATES, play grander part and exert more pow
erfal influence over the deslnies Of the Race than
suy other portion Of the globe. The eyes of our
hold and enterprsing people are u3ssady turnod to-
wards it, with longiags to explore its wealth and
10 avail themselves Of the benefits its promises.
Emigration ,hither is becoming not uncommon, and
the hearts of thousands venture farther towards It's
borders than their feet have dared to follow. The
recent ar tation of the question Of its military
enpatioa by our Government III the halls of Con
sress has still farther stimulated curiosity con-
cenips it, and the opposing statements concerning
IA character and true wealth, made by some of the
most erninent statesmen of the country sufficiently
eyncs the lack Of full and accsrate information
with regard TO It,
In this state of the public mind we regard our
selves az fortunate in being able to offer work
written by gentleman possessed of most edmira-
BE qualifications for the successful exploration of
any ntw country, who has travelled over every per-
,on of this wild wilderness, and made himself
perfectly farailiar with it in every respect. Mr..
r.PsuAM was formerly member Of the Bar in
this State, end undertook his Western Expedition
mainly from love Of travel and adventure and
five may Judge from the record of his journey, hc
found enough Of both to satisfy any man of ordIn-
srv desires He first left the frontier near Inde
neodence, Mo-; travelled thence South to the Ar
kansas-followed that River into the Rocky Noun
tains--discovered and explored the sources of the
Great Platte River as we'll as those of the Colora
do of the West-desccndcd into Oregon Territory
and travelled in different parts of it more than 600
miles The record of his long travel is filed with
Incidents of the deepest interest. The statistical
information which he collected concerning the In
dans that have been renoved west OF the Missis.
sippi, is OF itself highly valuable. The account ei
Oregon and the Rocky Mountains is very full and
particular, and will do more to enlighten the pub
lie concerning this important section of country
lnsn any other work that has ever been published
We have not space for extended extracts from
this work but we present one or two passages,
chosen entirely at random, which may Indicate the
style and general tone Of the whsle. The follow
ing account of the first meeting of an Indian with
the whites is interesting and graphically told
Among the several pcrsoiiages whom chanced
10 meet at Browns Hole, was an old Snake In
dian, who saw hlassrs. Lewis and Clark on the
head waters of the Missouri In lSO5 lie is the
individual of his tribc who first saw the explorers
cavalcade. He appears to have been galloplng
from place to place in the office OF sentinel to the
Shosonie camp, when he suddenly found himself
in the very presence of the whites Astonishncnt
fixed him to the spot. Men with faces pale as
ashes, had never been seen by himself or nation
"The head rose high and round, the top fiat 1t
iutted over the eyes in a thin rim; their SKIN was
loose and hoH1iiig, aid of various colors." Hls
fears at length overcoming his curiosity he fled IN
the direction Of the Indian encampmcnt. But
being seen by the whites they pursued and brought
him to their camp; exhibited to him the effects OF
their fre-arms-loaded him with presents, and let
him go. Having arrived among his own people,
nc told them he had seen men with faces paie as
ashes. who were makers OF thunder lightning,
&c. This information astounded the whole trloe.
They had lived many years, and their ancestors
had lived many more, and there were many le-
ccnds which spoke of many wonderful things
but "a tale like this they never had heard.
council was therefore assembled to consider the
matter The man of strange words was sum-
moned before it and he rchcarscd, IN substance,
what he had before told 10 others; but was not
believed. "All men were red, and therefore he
could not have seen men as pale as ashes. lhe
Great Spirit made the thunder and the lightning;
he therefore could not has seen men OF any color
that could produce it. he had seen nothing; he
had lied to his chief, and should die" At tins
stage of the proceedings, the cuprlt produced some
of the presents which he had received from the
pale men. These being quite as new to them as
pale faces were it was determined that lie should
have the privilege of leading his Judges TO the
place where he declared he had seen these strange
people: and if such were found there, he should
be exculpated; If not, these presents were to be
considered as conclusive evidence against hnl, that
he dealt with evil spirits and that he was worthy
OF death by the arrows of his klniolks.' Inc paie
men-the thunder makers-were found, and were
witnesses of the poor fellows story. lie was re,
leased and has ever since beenmuch honoreo ana
loved BY his tribe, and every white man III 'hc
mountains He is now about 50 years old, ana
Toer But as he is always about Fort ba"o
Crockett, he is never permitted to want
TAc following account OF the terrible ravages OF
the Small Pox among one of the numerous trioes
described in this book, has terrible interest:
The Blackieet Indians reside on the Marlas and
other branches of the Missouri above the Grcat
Falls. In l62S they numbered about 2,5OU lodges
or families. During that year, they stole bian-
kct from the American Eur Companys steamboat
on the Yellowstone, which had belonged to man
who had died of the smallpox on the passage
up the Missouri The infected article being car
red 10 their encampment upon the 'left hand fork