warlike people; and were considered the strongest and oldest tribe of all the northern Indians, and were therefore called the "Grand Fathers." All the surrounding tribes looked to them for counsel; and their decisions were respected, and, in most cases, were final. When the French settled in Canada, it was by their "permission. At that time the Hurons were at war with the Six Nations, (so called,) all living in the state of New York. Their traditions say that this war lasted seventy summers, and was a bloody conflict. The Six Nations, being much better furnished with arms and ammunition, at first vanquished the, Wyandotts, and carried the war into their country; but the Ottowas and Chippewas united with the Wyandotts, and drove the Six Nations back to their former ground; and would, in all probability, have cut them off entirely, but for the interposition of the French and English, who brought about a treaty, which so much offended the nation as to cause a lasting separation; and a small part settled below Quebec, of which there is a portion yet remaining. Another part, supposed to be. fully one-third of the whole nation, left their country and went down the Mississippi river; and by traders who can speak the Wyandott language, are supposed now to be the Seminoles of the south, from the fact of their speaking nearly the same dialect. The other part continued in the vicinity of Detroit. While the nation remained together with their allies, they were a terror to all the surrounding tribes. They drove the Sac and Fox, and the Sioux tribes, west of the Father of Waters, (the Mississippi,) and had long and bloody wars with the Cherokees. Kentucky was their battle ground; and it is said this was the reason why Kentucky was never settled by Indians.

Each party frequently went there to hunt, but it was always at great hazard.

The Wyandotts were always a humane and hospitable nation. This is clearly manifested in their suffering their former enemies to settle on their lands, when driven back before the white population. They kindly received the Senecas, Mingoes, Mohegans, Mohawks, Delawares, and Shawnees, and spread a deer-skin for them to sit down upon; signifying the allotment of a certain portion of their country, the boundary of which was designated by certain rivers, or points on certain lakes; and freely given for their use, without money and without price.

This fact was clearly developed when the different tribes came to sell their lands to the government. The Wyandotts pointed out these bounds; and I heard Between-the-logs, a distinguished chief, say, that the Senecas on the Sandusky river had no right to sell their land without the consent of the Wyandott chiefs, for they at first only borrowed it from them.

Another proof of their humanity is their treatment of their prisoners, the most of whom they adopted into their families, and some in the place of their own chiefs who had fallen in battle. Hence the greater part of their nation is now very much mixed with our own people: as the families of Brown, Walker, Zane, Armstrong, and others, whose descendants now constitute the strongest part of the nation.

According to their traditions, it is about two hundred years since this nation divided; before which time, I was told by Honnes, one of their most venerable chiefs, that the warriors of their nation were called upon to put each one grain of corn into a wooden tray that would hold more than half a bushel, and that before all had done so,

the tray was full and running over. They were a numerous and powerful people, covering a large tract of country along the great lakes, and extending their claims to the Ohio river. But now, like many other mighty nations of the earth, they are gone into the shades of forgetfulness, and another race, with its teeming millions, is filling up the whole extent of their vast possessions. Their history, like themselves, too, is almost extinct; and but little is left to tell of the deeds of valor, or the mighty achievements of these heroes of the forest. A few only of their children now remain, pent up on small reservations; and these are, in most cases, dwindling away under the vices of a Christian and civilized people. The destructive "fire water," (intoxicating liquor,) introduced among them by white men, has slain its thousands. The fatal small-pox has swept them off with the besom of destruction. Other lothsome diseases, introduced amongst them by the basest of our race, have consigned great numbers of their victims to the tomb. These combined causes have exterminated whole tribes, and swallowd up their vast population. The graves and bones of these ancient lords of this fertile country, may yet be seen. Once in awhile, a stone ax, or other instrument, is turned up by the plow, and frequently the stone dart or arrow head is found on the surface of the ground, the manufacture of men who had no knowledge of the arts, but who manifested great ingenuity in making them.

Much has been said about the barbarity of these tribes in their mode of warfare. But let it always be recollected that they were nobly engaged in the defense of their country, their families, and their natural rights and national liberties. Never did men acquit themselves with more valor, nor, according to their means, make a better de

fense. It is true, they were ignorant of military tactics, and unacquainted with the science of war. They had not the equal advantages of weapons, nor the art of combining their whole forces, nor the numerical strength of their enemies. But how long and bloody was the conflict before they yielded to their new masters; and with what great reluctance they submitted to their numerous and increasing enemies, let the history of bygone years testify. Their bravery and unwillingness to yield, were clearly proven by the last struggles which they made; but at length they were obliged to submit and be dictated to by their masters. Their spirits are, in a great measure, broken, and the red man sits and smokes his pipe, and looks on his country as lost. The pleasant hunting grounds, in which he used to chase the deer and bear, and the luxuriant canebrakes, where the elk and buffalo fed, which furnished him and his family with meat and clothing, have fallen into the hands of strangers. The cheerful notes of the flute, and the hoarser sound of the turtle shell, no longer make the groves vocal with joyful melody. The red man is no more seen stretched before the sparkling fire, nor the tinkling horse-bell heard in the blue-grass plains. The Indian now sits and looks at the graves of his fathers and friends, and heaves a sigh of despair, while his manly face is bedewed with the silent tear. In strains of sorrowful eloquence he tells of the happiness of ancient days, and relates to his listening children the mighty achievements of his ancestors. Gloom fills his heart, while he sees at no great distance, the end of his tribe. He walks pensively into the deep and silent forest, wrapped up in his half-worn blanket, and pours out his full soul in his prayers to the Great Spirit, to relieve his sufferings, by taking him and his to rejoin his tribe in

another and better world. There he expects to have once more a country of his own, separate from white men, and good or bad hunting ground, according as he has been virtuous or vicious in this life.

But why should my pen dwell on these gloomy scenes? Am I, alone, called to sing the mournful dirge of this most of all injured, peeled, and ruined people? No; ten thousand voices shall be heard to sympathize with the poor Indian; and that God who "hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the earth," will judge his cause and avenge his wrongs.

In infancy the Indian males are placed on a board, and wrapped with a belt of cloth or skin, to make them straight. In early life they are subjected to hardships, and stimulated to acts of courage, activity, and firmness. The females are rather low of stature, and slow in motion. This may arise from their manner of life, being brought up to hard labor, and to carry heavy burdens. The men possess a lively imagination. This is discovered in the strength of their figure of speech and illustration. Their memory is remarkably retentive; and this may arise from their being destitute of the knowledge of letters, and having to commit all to memory. The correctness with which they can retain is most astonishing. In a speech made to them, every point is retained, considered, and answered distinctly. Their history and traditions are all kept in this way. They comprehend with great acuteness what belongs to their interest; and have given unnumbered specimens of their native strength of mind, and of their eloquence. They excel in stratagem to effect their purposes, both in the chase and in war. They are proverbial for their benevolence, and for the strength of their attachments to a friend-implacable, revengeful,