by the natives can be credited, this romantic stream might be sailed up almost to its source; but this I very much doubt, though timber comes down in rafts from remote parts of the interior.

The principal chief in this part was Tekokee, to whom the district belonged, though he was in some degree tributary to Tarra. Landing on the 27th, at a small village not dissimilar to that in which Tarra resided, we met with two young men, who readily undertook to conduct us to the chief; and after walking over some flat and marshy ground for about a mile, we ascended a hill, on the summit of which he was seated, with several of his people around him, who all behaved with much apparent respect. Like Tarra, he received us with manifest symptoms of pleasure and good-will, though his manner possessed not those engaging demonstrations of native politeness, which in that venerable chief were so clearly discernible. His demeanour, how ever, was firm and convincing, and his ingenuous countenance, the very index of sincerity, afforded the strongest proofs that nature had never intended it to reveal the subtle machinations of a designing heart. Nothing was to be seen in it that could in the least degree indicate either fraud or deceit, but the opposite qualities of honesty and candour were plainly legible to every beholder. In his person he was more robust than any man I had yet seen, and all his limbs displayed a perfect correctness of symmetry, evincing at the same time the greatest capability of laborious exertion. His broad shoulders were covered with a large

skin of different coloured furs, and his tall figure, bold as it was stately, and perfect as it was conmanding, might have supplied even to Phidias, had it existed in the days of that celebrated artist, a model not unworthy his inimitable powers. The chief, before we apprised him of the object of our visit, was already aware of it, having learned by some means that we wanted to buy timber of him; and addressing us on the subject, he told us there was nuee nuee racow, (plenty of wood,) and promised very willingly to shew us where we could be supplied.

The adjacent land was generally level, and the soil, with the exception of the marshy parts, most excellent.

Being accompanied by Tekokee, we re-entered the boat, and proceeded about two miles further up the river, till we came to where it divided itself into two branches; when getting out to enjoy an excursion on foot, we walked along the banks through a thick grove, which lined it on that side as far as the eye could reach. The underwood was here in such quantities, and so entangled with the trees, that a passage through it would have been utterly impracticable, had not the natives taken the pains to clear a path, which ran along through various intricate windings. The timber in this grove was not large, nor could I observe any trees of the pine species; though there were several that appeared of an excellent quality, and many of them I thought would supply very good materials for turnery in particular.

Leaving this side of the river,

we

we got into a canoe, and crossed over to the opposite bank, where we entered a noble forest of pines, growing to the height of eighty and a hundred feet, before they branched out, and all of them as straight as if they had been shaped by nature, for no other purpose than to shew her regularity. There were none of them more than six or seven feet in circumference, and being close to the river, could be floated down without any great trouble or expense.

We now engaged with Tekokee to set all his people to work at cutting down the trees, and giving him a large English axe, a present with which he was much gratified, we returned with him to his village, and thence repaired back again to the ship.

During this excursion, we were highly gratified with the friendly reception we met with from the. natives, and with the general appearance of the country, which was every where remarkably beautiful. The land on the east side of the cove rising in bold perpendicular eminences, connected with each other, and stretching along the whole extent in that quarter, forms as it were a natural wall, or rather a continued chain of fertile hills, producing on their sides a great deal of brush-wood and small trees, with a rich covering of varied herbage. The prospect on the western side assumes a different appearance, but not less attractive; the land swelling up in curious hillocks, covered with shrubs and fern, or extending in level plains of the richest verdure, and offering to the eye some of the most delightful spots that can be imagined. It were impossible for VOL. LIX.

me to give my readers any thing like an accurate idea of the countless beautiful views that are to be met with in this island; and the part of it where we had now been, was not surpassed by any other in grandeur and variety. A noble river, smooth and transparent, winding for some distance its intricate course through a forest both gloomy and majestic; hills forming themselves into grand amphitheatres, or ascending, with impervious steepness, to a considerable elevation; valleys sinking down in the most picturesque recesses, and green fields opening on the view at the skirts of the forest ;-these scenes, and many more, which I shall not here endeavour to enumerate, present themselves on either side of the Cowa-cowa.

One of the first of Mr. Bradbury's narratives relates to an Indian tribe, named the Osages, of whom the following account is given:

"I inquired of Dr. Murray concerning a practice which I had heard prevailed amongst the Osages, of rising before day to lament their dead. He informed me that such was really the custom, and that the loss of a horse or a dog was as powerful a stimulus to their lamentations as that of a relative or friend; and he assured me, that if I should be awake before day the following morning, I might certainly hear them. Accordingly, on the 9th, I heard before day that the howling had commenced; and the better to escape observation, I wrapped a blanket round me, tied a black handkerchief on my head, and fastened on my belt, in which I stuck my tomahawk, and then walked into the village. The doors of the The doors of the lodges were closed, but in the greater part of them the women were crying and howling in a tone that seemed to indicate excessive grief. On the outside of the village I heard the men who Dr. Murray had informed me always go out of the lodges to lament. I soon came within twenty paces of one, and could see him dis

tinctly, as it was moonlight: he also saw me and ceased, upon which I withdrew. I was more successful with another, whom I approached nearer unobserved. He rested his back against the stump of a tree, and continued for about twenty seconds to cry out in a loud and high tone of voice, when he suddenly lowered to a low muttering, mixed with sobs: in a few seconds he again raised to the former pitch. We breakfasted with the commandant, and afterwards walked out to view some improvements he had made in the fort. In our walk we observed what, on the first view appeared to be two squaws carrying a tub of water, suspended on a pole. Mr. Crooks desired me to notice them, which I did, and remarked that one of them had more the appearance of a man than of a woman. He assured me that it was a man, and that there were several others in the village, who, like the one we saw, were condemned for life to associate with the squaws, to wear the same dress, and do the same drudgery. I now learned, that when the Osages go to war, they keep a watchful eye over the young men who are then making their first essay in arms, and such as appear to possess the necessary qualifications are admitted to the rank of warriors, or, according to their own idiom, brave men. But if any exhibit evident proofs of cowardice, on the return of the party they are compelled to assume the dress and character of women, and their doom is fixed for life, as no opportunity is afterwards afforded them to retrieve their character. The men do not associate

"I proceeded to examine the neighbouring country, and soon discovered that pigeons were in the woods. I returned, and exchanged my rifle for a fowling piece, and in a few hours shot 271, when I desisted. I had an opportunity this day of observing the manner in which they feed; it affords a most singular spectacle, and is also an example of the rigid discipline maintained by gregarious animals. This species of pigeon associates in prodigious flocks: one of these flocks, when on the ground, will cover an area of several acres in extent, and are so close to each other that the ground can scarcely be seen. This phalanx moves through the woods with considerable celerity, picking up as it passes along every thing that will serve for food. It is evident that the foremost ranks must be the most successful, and that nothing will remain for the hindermost. That all may have an equal chance, the instant that any rank becomes the last, they rise and flying over the whole flock, alight exactly ahead of the foremost. They succeed each other with so much rapidity, that there is a continued stream of them in the air; and a side view of them exhibits the appearance of the segment of a large circle, moving through the woods. I observed that they ceased to look for food a con

siderable time before they become the last rank, but strictly adhere to their regulations, and never rise until there are none behind them."

The account of a famous chief, named Blackbird, or Oiseau Noir, presents a remarkable example of a man doomed by nature to act the part of a tyrant.

"This chief, called by the French Oiseau Noir, ruled over the Mahas with a sway the most despotic : he had managed in such a manner as to inspire them with the belief that he was possessed of supernatural powers; in council no chief durst oppose him-in war it was death to disobey. It is related of him at St. Louis, that a trader from that town arrived at the Mahas with an assortment of Indian goods; he applied to Blackbird for liberty to trade, who ordered that he should first bring all his goods into his lodge, and the order was obeyed; Blackbird commanded that all the packages should be opened in his presence, and from them he selected what goods he thought proper, amounting to nearly the fourth part of the whole; he caused them to be placed in a part of the lodge distinct from the rest, and addressed the trader to this effect-Now, my son, the goods which I have chosen are mine, and those in your possession are your own. Don't cry, my son, my people shall trade with you for your goods at your own price. He then spoke to his herald, who ascended to the top of the lodge, and commanded in the name of the chief, that the Mahas should bring all their beaver, bear, otter, muskrat, and other skins to his lodge, and not on any account 2H 2

to

to dispute the terms of exchange with the trader, who declared on his return to St. Louis, that it was the most profitable voyage he had ever made. Mr. Tellier, a gentleman of respectability who resided near St. Louis, and who had been formerly Indian agent there, informed me that Blackbird obtained this influence over his nation by the means of arsenic, a quantity of that article having been sold to him by a trader, who instructed him in the use of it. If afterwards any of his nation dared to oppose him in his arbitrary measures, he prophesied their death within a certain period, and took good care that his predictions should be verified. He died about the time that Louisiana was added to the United States; having previously made choice of a cave for his sepulchre, on the top of a hill near the Missouri, about eighteen miles below the Maha village; by his order his body was placed on the back of his favourite horse, which was driven into the cave, the mouth closed up with stones, and a large heap was afterwards raised on the summit of the hill."

An interview with a tribe of Indians is the subject of the following narrative :

"Before breakfast this morning we discovered two Indians on a bluff on the north-east side of the river: we stopped opposite to them to breakfast, during which they frequently harangued us in a loud tone of voice. After we had breakfasted, Mr. Hunt went over the river to speak to them, and took with him Dorion, the interpreter. We noticed, that when he landed, one of the Indians went away, and for a short time disappeared from

our sight, but immediately reappeared on horseback, and went at full speed over the bluffs. Mr. Hunt informed us on his return, that these Indians belonged to the Sioux nations; that three tribes were encamped about a league from us, and had 250 lodges. They were the Yangtons Ahnah, the Tetons Bois Brulé, and the Tetons Min-na-kine-azzo. The Indian informed Mr. Hunt that they had been waiting for us eleven days, with a decided intention of opposing our progress, as they would suffer no one to trade with the Ricaras, Mandans, and Minaterees, being at war with those nations. It is usual to reckon two warriors to each lodge, we there fore found that we had to oppose near six hundred savages, with the character of whom we were well acquainted; and it had also been stated by the Indian that they were in daily expectation of being joined by two other tribes, Tetons Okandandas and Tetons Sahore. We proceeded up the river, and passed along an island, which, for about half an hour, intercepted our view of the north-east side of the river. On reaching the upper point we had a view of the bluffs, and saw the Indians pouring down in great numbers, some on horseback, and others on foot. They soon took possession of a point a little above us, and ranged themselves along the bank of the river. By the help of our glasses we could perceive that they were all armed and painted for war. Their arms consisted chiefly of bows and arrows, but a few had short carbines: they were also provided with round shields. We had an ample sufficiency of arms

for