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Show 4 ') T JU F,L '1 II ROUGH UPPER Ci\ N ADA: Our fri ·nll N ekio;, the Litt]c Otter, had been invite(l to dine with us ,1 t the houfe of a g~11tlcman at Del roi t, and he came accord inn 1 )', ac ·ump.tnicd by l1is ion, a littk: boy of about nine or ten ycars o[ ;1gc. After dinner a v.1ri ty of fruits were fcrved up, and ~.m on g fl: tb~..: rcfl: full1c peaches, a dith of whd1 wa handed to the young Indian. JJc he l1,cct hi 111[elf to one with becoming propriety; but itnrncdiate ly afterwards he put the fruit to his mouth , and bit a piece out of it. The father cyc:J him with i1Jdignation, and fpol e fomc words to him in a low voice, which I could not undcrftand, but which~ on being interpreted by one of the company, proved to be a warm reprimand for his having been fo defi cient in obfcrvation a not to peel his peach, as he f..1w the gentleman oppoti tc to him had done. The little fellow was extremely an1:Jmecl of him{clf; but he quickly retrieved his error, by drawing a plate towards him, and pealing the fruit with the grcatdl neatnefs. omc port wi11c, which he was afterwards help d to, not being by any means agreeable to l: is palate, the lit tle fellow made a wry face, as a child might naturally do, after drinking it. This called forth another 1·eprimand from the father, who told him, th::~t he defpaired of ever feeing him a great man or a good warrior if he appeared then to diflikc what his hofi: had kindly helped .him to. The boy drank the r fl: of his wine with feeming plcafure. The Indians fc::~rccly ever lift the1r hands againfl: their children; but if they are unrnindful of what is faid to them, they fometimes throw a little water in their facec, a fpccics .of reprimand of which the children have the greatcfl: dread, :1.nd which produce an infiantancou good cfreCJ:. One of the French miili.on:uies tells us of his having feen a girl of an advanced age {o Vt:Jccd at having fomc water thrown in h er fitce by her mother, as if ihc was fl:i11 a child, that {he in£lantly retired, and put an end to her .cx ifl:cnce. As long as they remain children, the young Indians arc attentive in the extreme to the advice of their parents; but arrived at the age of puberty, and able to provide for themfdves, they no longer have any refpoct for them, and they will follow their own will R E M A R K S 0 N T I1 E I . D I A 1 S. 40l will and pleafurc in fpitc of all th ir remonOran e~, nnl cf: , indeed, their pare nts be of an advanc~d age. Old a'J'e never f.til to commanJ thci · mo{l: profoend veneration. No people arc polfdfed of a greater iliar of natural politencfs than the Indians: they will never interrupt you whilfl: you arc fpcaking; nor, if you have told them any thing which they think to be fulfc, will they bluntly contradiCl you; " W c dare fay brother," they will anfwer, " that you yoi.ufelf believe what you tell us to be true; but it appear to " us fo improbable that we cannot give our alfent to it." In their conduCt towards one another nought but gentlcncfs and harmony is obfcrvable. You are never witnefs, amongfi: them, to fu ch noify broils and clamorous contentions as are common amongfl: the lower clailes of people in Europe; nor do you perceive amongft them any traces of the coarfe vulgar manners of thefc latter people; they behave on all occafions like gentlemen, and could not fo mnny glaring proofs he adrluccd to the contrary, you never could imagine that they were that ferocious !:wage people in war which they arc faid to be. It mufl: be undcr.fiood, however, that I only fpeak now of the lndians in their fuber il:ate; when intoxicated with fpirits, which is but too often the cafe, a very different picture is prefented to our view, and they appear more like devils incunate than human beings; they roar, they fight, they cut each other, and commit every fort of outran-e ; indeed fo fc:nfible arc they of their own infirmities in this Date, that when a number of them are about to g t drunk, they give up their knives and tomaluwks, &c. to one of the party, vYllO is on h nom t remain fc)bcr, and to prevent mif' hief, and who generally Jocs behave ace nJing to tbis promife. If they happen to get drunk wi<hont having taken this pn.:caution, tbl!ir fquaws tnl e the earlidl: opportunity to deprive them of their we::~ pons. The Indians prefer whifl·ey and nun to all other fpirituous liquor ; but they do not f~em eager to obtain thcfc liqnors (o much for the plea furc of gratifying their palates as for the fake of intoxication. There is not one in a hundred that can refrain from drinking to l!Xcds if he have it in his power; and the aenerality of them having once got a tafic of any intoxicating liquor, will ufc every means to gain more; and to do fo 3 l• they |
