The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-12-11

Your Obedient servant,
GEO. p. BURNHAM,
.Hias the " Young 'Un.'
WHITE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ur1Icnns.
Among large number Of volume,
which have recently appeared or
the subject of Oregon, California,
and the neighboring regions-called
forth, in a great measure, by the in
terest attached to the recent con-
troversy with Great Britain and the
present war with Mexico-we have
derived much information from
an anonymous publication entitled
"Scenes in the Rocky Mountains,
Oregon, California, New Mexico
Texas, and Grand Prairies; or notes
by the way during an excursion Of
three years; with description OF
the countries passed through" The
work processes to furnish the results
Of personal observation, and, in most
respects, is very full and clear
transcript Ct scenes and events in
countries of which little positively
is known, and that little vague and
inconclusivc. The facts contained
in the book are valuable and inter-
es;ing; the style ambitious, bombas:
tic, and extremely faulty. Fortu-
nately, in the present instance, the
garb in which the author has chosen
to convey his impression is of minor
consequence. The public have on
ly to deal with the material, and his,
as we observed, will abundantly re-
pay earnest attention and analysis.
While sojourning in California, the
author had occasion to become IA
miliar with race Of savages, Of
which the few loose and imperfect
accounts hitherto furnished have in
spired a general desire for more am
pie information. We allude to the
"White Indians" or ''MunclIies, f"
as they are called. A synopsis OF
the details given by the writer may
be interesting to our readers.
The Munchies are nation of
white aborigines, actually existing
in valley among the Sierra de los
Minbros chain, upon one Of the af-
fiuent9 of the river ella, in the ex-
tremc northwestern part OF the pro-
vince Of Sonora. They number O.
bout eight hundred in all. Their
features are Of the Caucasian tvpc,
with fair complexion and graceful
form. They are patriarchal in their
habits, peaceful in their character,
and possessed Of many of the arts
and comforts of civilized life. They
spin and weave, subsist by agricul-
ture, raise cattle, horses, and sheep.
Their laws are few and simple.
They are ruled by the seniors OF the
tribe, whose government is mild, and
rather suasivc than coercivc. I'm
morals they are represented as hon
est and virtuouS. In religion thew
are said to differ but little from 9th
er Indians. The country inhabited
by this singular and anomalous peo-
pie is difficult of access, and enclos-
ed by lofty mountains. Hence, per-
hsps, the sparseness and obscuri:y
OF all previous accounts Of them.
Their dwellings are spacious apart
ments, nicely excavated in the hill
side, and are frequently cut in The
solid rock. They know little or
nothing Of war, and when, per-
chance, an enemy crosses the rochy
barrier which surrounds them, they
retreat with al, their valuatles 10
caveVns in the mountains, and there
remain till the danger be passed.
or their origin, we are told, they
have lost all knowledge, and even
the dim light of tradition has failed
to cast rag upon the darkness which
enshrouds their history. The few
writer's who have spoken of this tribe
are disposed to conclude that the
Munchies ore the progeny Of Euro
beans, and must h ave settled in Mex
co since the discovery of America.
Such an inference, though warrant
I'd by their color, their gentleness
'f character, pacific habits, and COM
,arative advance in civilization, is
nearly ire concilable with their utter
ignorance of their own origin. It's
highly improbable that a colony of
European stock would, in the space
IF three centuries, have lost all re-
collection of the original country of
heir ancestors. Their language
night aid in removing the doubts
md difficulties which environ the
subject; but neither the author of
he work i'm question. nor the scat