superiority of freemen to slaves. Yet, on the day of trial, from whatever cause it proceeded, the fate of the country and its liberties was always committed to a handful of mercenaries, the very things which were the eternal theme of our scorn and derision. The fact must either be, that the effective strength of a nation does, after all, reside in regular disciplined forces, or that appearances were lamentably deceitful; and that the gallant affair of Runker's hill, and others, were but the effects of momentary excitement. America does not seem to be a soil for enthusiasm; and I am not at all disposed to dispute the assertion contained in a letter of general Du Portail, in the time of the war, that there was more of it in a single coffee house in Paris, than on our whole continent put together. From these facts, and facts they assuredly are, let our theoretical men calculate the probable result of a formidable invasion of our country in our present state of preparation; and if, in the heroic epoch alluded to, when there had been really a promise of great things, so little was done, how much less, is rationally to be expected from the empty vapouring of demagogue valour. Would it have been credited in the year 1775, that a British army of eighteen thousand men could have marched in perfect security from the Chesapeake to Philadelphia ? that a much smaller force could have penetrated through the Jerseys to the Delaware? and that mere partizan bodies could have traversed the southern states, in utter contempt of the long knife of Virginia! All these things were done; and yet our babbling statesmen will talk, "Ye gods! how they will talk," of the irresistable prowess of a nation of freemen! From the perseverance of Spain, when compared with the short lived exertions of Austria and Prussia, some argue the superiority of a determined people to regular armies. But it is not certainly like Spain, that we would wish to have our country defended, to be first over-run and destroyed! Neither can the glory we aspire to, be merely that of the boxer, who bears a great deal of beating, and solely depends on cut winding his adversary. I have lately seen sneers at what are called technical armies; but what are we to call those with which Napoleon has achieved his victories and attained his present fearful ascendency! We can hard

ly say, they are not technical, because, in part, composed of conscripts; and, if by the term, is meant disciplined, who will deny them that qualification ?

Memoirs of a life chiefly passed in Pennsylvania, &c. &c.

Ravenous appetites of the Shoshonee Indians.

AFTER the hunters had been gone about an hour, captain Lewis again mounted with one of the Indians behind him, and the whole party set out; but just as they passed through the narrows, they saw one of the spies coming back at full speed across the plain: the chief stopped and seemed uneasy, the whole band were moved with fresh suspicions, and captain Lewis himself was much disconcerted, lest, by some unfortunate accident, some of their enemies might perhaps have straggled that way. The young Indian had scarcely breath to say a few words as he came up, when the whole troop dashed forward as fast as their horses could carry them; and captain Lewis, astonished at this movement, was borne along for nearly a mile before he learnt, with great satisfaction, that it was all caused by the spy's having come to announce that one of the white men had killed a deer. Released from his anxiety, he now found the jolting very uncomfortable; for the Indian behind him, being afraid of not getting his share of the feast, had lashed the horse at every step since they set off; he therefore reined him in, and ordered the Indian to stop beating him. The fellow had no idea of losing time in disputing the point, and jumping off the horse, ran for a mile at full speed. Captain Lewis slackened his pace and followed at a sufficient distance to observe them. When they reached the place where Drewyer had thrown out the intestines, they all dismounted in confusion, and ran tumbling over each other like famished dogs; each tore away whatever part he could, and instantly began to eat it; some had the liver, some the kidneys, in short, no part on which we are accustomed to look with disgust, escaped them: one of them who had seized about nine feet of the entrails, was chewing at one end, while with his hand he was diligently clearing his

way by discharging the contents at the other. It was, indeed, impossible to see these wretches ravenously feeding on the filth of animals, and the blood streaming from their mouths, without deploring how nearly the condition of savages approaches that of the brute creation: yet, though suffering with hunger, they did not attempt, as they might have done, to take by force the whole deer, but contented themselves with what had been thrown away by the hunter. Captain Lewis now had the deer skinned, and after reserving a quarter of it, gave the rest of the animal to the chief, to be divided among the Indians, who immediately devoured nearly the whole of it with out cooking. They now went forward towards the creek, where there was some brush wood to make a fire, and found Drewyer, who had killed a second deer: the same struggle for the entrails was renewed here, and on giving nearly the whole deer to the Indians, they devoured it even to the soft part of the hoofs. A fire being made, captain Lewis had his breakfast, during which, Drewyer brought in a third deer: this too, after reserving one quarter, was given to the Indians, who now seemed completely satisfied and in good humour.

LEWIS AND CLARKE.

Providential escape of Captain Lewis from a Bear.

CAPTAIN LEWis then descended the hill, and directed his course towards the river falling in from the west. He soon met a herd of at least a thousand buffalo, and being desirous of providing for supper, shot one of them; the animal immediately began to bleed, and captain Lewis, who had forgotten to reload his rifle, was intently watching to see him fall, when he beheld a large brown bear which was stealing on him unperceived, and was already within twenty steps. In the first moment of surprise, he lifted his rifle, but remembering instantly that it was not charged, and that he had not time to reload, he felt that there was no safety but in flight. It was in the open level plain, not a bush nor a tree within three hundred yards, the bank of the river sloping and not more than three feet high, so that there was no

possible mode of concealment; captain Lewis, therefore thought of retreating in a quick walk as fast as the bear advanced towards the nearest tree; but as soon as he turned, the bear ran open mouth, and at full speed upon him. Captain Lewis ran about eighty yards, but finding that the animal gained on him fast, it flashed on his mind, that by getting into the water to such a depth that the bear would be obliged to attack him swimming, there was still some chance of his life; he therefore turned short, plunged into the river about waist deep, and facing about, presented the point of his espontoon. The bear arrived at the water's edge, within twenty feet of him, but as soon as he put himself in this posture of defence, he seemed frightened, and wheeling about, retreated with as much precipitation as he had pursued. Very glad to be released from this danger, captain Lewis returned to the shore, and observed him run with great speed, sometimes looking back as if he expected to be pursued, till he reached the woods. He could not conceive the cause of the sudden alarm of the bear, but congratulated himself on his escape, when he saw his own track torn to pieces by the furious animal, and learnt from the whole adventure never to suffer his rifle to be a moment unloaded.

Ibid.

Curious traditionary account of the origin of the Osage Indians.

AMONG the peculiarities of this people, there is nothing more remarkable, than the tradition relative to their origin. According to universal belief, the founder of the nation was a snail, passing a quiet existence along the banks of the Osage, till a high flood swept him down to the Missouri, and left him exposed on the shore. The heat of the sun at length ripened him into a man, but with the change of his nature, he had not forgotten his native seats on the Osage, towards which he immediately bent his way. He was however soon overtaken by hunger and fatigue, when happily the Great Spirit appeared, and giving him a bow and arrow, shewed him how to kill and cook deer, and cover himself with the skin. He then

proceeded to his original residence, but as he approached the river, he was met by a beaver, who enquired haughtily who he was, and by what authority he came to disturb his possession. The Osage answered, that the river was his own, for he had once lived on its borders. As they stood disputing, the daughter of the beaver came, and having by her entreaties reconciled her father to this young stranger, it was proposed that the Osage should marry the young beaver, and share with her family the enjoyments of the river. The Osage readily consented, and from this happy union there soon came the village and the nation of the Wasbasha, or Osages, who have ever since preserved a pious reverence for their ancestors, abstaining from the chace of the beaver, because in killing that animal, they killed a brother of the Osage. years, however, since the trade with the whites has rendered beaver skins more valuable, the society of their maternal relatives has visibly been reduced, and the poor animals have nearly lost all the privileges of kindred.

Of late

Ibid.

Account of an Irish sailor, who resided, for several years, on a desolate island in the Pacific ocean.

THIS place will probably immortalize an Irishman, named Patrick Watkins, who some years since left an English ship, and took up his abode on this island, built himself a miserable hut, about a mile from the landing called after him, in a valley containing about two acres of ground capable of cultivation, and perhaps the only spot in the island, which affords sufficient moisture for the purpose. Here he succeeded in raising potatoes and pumpkins in considerable quantities, which he generally exchanged for rum, or sold for cash. The appearance of this man, from the accounts I have received of him, was the most dreadful that can be imagined; ragged clothes, scarce sufficient to cover his nakedness, and covered with vermin; his red hair and beard matted, his skin much burnt, from constant exposure to the sun, and so wild and savage in his manners and appearance, that he struck every one with horror. For several years this G