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Translation of part of the 19th Psalm into the Muhhe-con-nuk language, done at the Cornwall School, under the superintendence of the Rev. John Serjeant, Missionary.

1. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament

1. Neen woh-we-koi-wau-connun wih-tom-mon-nau-woh neh week-chau - nauq - tho- wau - con Poh - tom - now - waus; don neh pau- muh-hom-mau-we-noi-eke work.

wpon-nooth-ne-kaun wnih-taunuh-kau-wau-con.

2. Woh - kom- maun aup-tonaun, don tpooh-quon wau-wihtno-waun nooh-tom-mau-wau-con.

3. Stoh nit-hoh aup-to-nau-waucon een-huh un-neekh-tho-waucon neh au-ton-nih stoh ptowwau-mooq.

4. Wtoh-pih-haun-woh pkochchih au-so-khaun mau-weh paupaum❜h hkey-eke, donneen wtaupto-nau-con-no-waun pau- chih wihq'h h-key-eke. Whuk-kau

the

sheweth his handy

2. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

3. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

4. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath

wauk wtuh-tow-waun we-ke-neet he set a tabernacle for

neen ke-soo-khun.

the sun.

H

SOURCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

"Cassina Lake, the source of the Mississippi, is situated 17 degrees north of the Balize, on the Gulf of Mexico, and 2978 miles, pursuing the course of the river. Estimating the distance to Lake La Beche, its extreme northwestern inlet at 60 miles, which I conclude to be within bounds, we have a result of 3038 miles, as the entire length of this wonderful river, which extends over the surface of the earth, in a direct line, more than half the distance from the Arctic Circle to the Equator. It is also deserving of remark, that its source lies in a region of almost continual winter, while it enters the ocean under the latitude of perpetual verdure. Originating in a region of lakes, upon the table land, which throw their waters north into Hudson's Bay, south into the Gulf of Mexico, and east into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, it pursues its course to the falls of Peckagama, a distance of 230 miles, through a low prairie, covered with wild rice, rushes, sword-grass, and other aquatic plants.

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During this distance, it is extremely devious as to course and width, sometimes expanding into small lakes, at others narrowing into a channel of about 80 feet. It is about 60 feet wide on its exit from Red Cedar, or Cassina Lake, with an average depth of two feet.

"At the falls of Peckagama, the first rock stratum, and the first wooded island is seen. Here the river has a fall of 20 feet, and from this to the falls of St. Anthony, a distance of 685 miles, exhibits its second characteristic division. At the head of the falls of Peckagama, the prairies entirely cease, and below a forest of elm, maple, birch, oak, and ash, overshadows the stream.

"At the falls of St. Anthony, the river has a perpendicular pitch of 40 feet, and from this to its junction with the Missouri, a distance of 843 miles, it is bounded by limestone bluffs, which attain various elevations from one to four hundred feet, and present a succession of the most sublime and picturesque views. This forms the third characteristic change of the Mississippi. The river prairies cease, and rocky bluffs commence precisely at the falls of St. Anthony.

"The fourth change in the physical aspect of this river is at the junction of the Missouri, and this is a total and complete one, the character of the Mississippi being entirely lost in that of the Missouri. The latter is, in fact, much the largest stream of the two, and carries its characteristic appearances into the ocean. The waters of the Mississippi at its confluence with the Missouri, are moderately clear, and of a greenish hue; the Missouri is turbid and opake, of a greyish-white colour, and during its floods, which happen twice a year, communicates, almost instantaneously, to the combined stream its predominating qualities. The distance from the mouth of the Missouri to the Gulf of Mexico, is 1220 miles. This part of the river is more particularly characterized by snags and sawyers, fallingin banks and islands, sand-bars and mud-banks, and a channel which is shifted by every flood, and of such extreme velocity, that it was formerly thought it could not be navigated by vessels propelled with sails. The width of the river opposite St. Louis is one mile; it is somewhat less at New Orleans, and still less at its embochure. A bar at its mouth prevents ships drawing more than 18 feet water from entering."-Schoolcraft.

I.

Remarks on the Vestiges of ancient Civilization, which are found in North America, and on the Traces of an Asiatic Origin, exhibited by the Present Race of Indians.

In the following pages I have collected some particulars on the subject of the vestiges of ancient civilization in different parts of North America, and of the traces of an Asiatic origin which are to be found among the present race of Indians. I had proposed to digest and compress the substance of the large extracts which I have made, and which are principally from the Archæologia Americana, Dr. Dwight's Travels, the American Journal of Science and Art, vol. vii. No. 1, Dr. Jarvis's admirable Discourse on the Religion of the Indians, Humboldt, and Dr. Clarke. I am, however,

unwilling on so interesting a subject, and in a case in which imagination is so apt to exert an undue influence, to deprive the reader of the opportunity of forming some estimate of the credibility of these statements, by examining the internal evidence of their authenticity. I am also, aware that on a subject of this nature, a general outline is far less convincing and impressive, than particular descriptions and minute details.

The first class of Antiquities which I shall notice, comprizes the works which appear to have been erected chiefly for military purposes.

1

"On the south side of Ontario," says Mr. Attwater,

in a Paper published in the Archæologia Americana,

66 one not far from Black River, is the furthest in a north-eastern direction on this continent. One on the Chenango River, at Oxford, in the State of New York, is the furthest south, on the eastern side of the Allegha nies. In travelling towards Lake Erie, in a western direction from the works above-mentioned, a few small works are occasionally found, especially in the Gennessee country; but they are few and small, until we arrive at the mouth of Cataraugus Creek, a water of Lake Erie, in Cataraugus county, in the State of New York, where Governor Clinton, in his Memoir, &c. says, 'A line of forts commences, extending south upwards of fifty miles, and not more than four or five miles apart.' There is said to be another line of them, parallel to these, which generally contains a few acres of ground only, whose walls are only a few feet in height. At Salem, in Ashtabula county, there is one on a hill, which merits a few words, though it is a small one compared with others further south. The work at Salem, is on a hill, near Coneaught River, if my information be correct, and is about three miles from Lake Erie. It is round, having two parallel circular walls, and a ditch between them. Through these walls, leading into the inclosure, are a gateway and a road, exactly like a modern turnpike, descending down the hill to the stream, by such a gradual slope, that a team with a waggon might easily either ascend or descend it; and there is no other place by which these works could be approached, without considerable difficulty. Within the bounds of this ancient enclosure, the trees which grew there were such as denote the richest soil in this country, while those growing outside of these ruins, were such as denote the poorest. 2 E

VOL. II.

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