The Eight Families of Indians-Algonquins, Huron Iroquois, Dahkotahs, Catawbas, Cherokees, Uchees, Choctaws, and Natchez.-Their Character, Manners, Customs, etc.

1. SUCH were the manners and customs of the New England Indians; they were, however, only a small part of those who dwelt within the present limits of the United States.

2. These comprised numerous small bands, though historians class them in eight great families. First, there was the AL-GON'-QUIN FAMILY, Occupying nearly the whole country from the Canadas to the Carolinas, and embracing nearly all the Indians with whom the early settlers came in contact, as well those of New England as the Middle States and Virginia.

3. The second family was that of the Hu'-RON IR-O-QUOIs, their

CHAP. XL.-1, 2. What of the bands or tribes among the Indians in the territory of the United States at the time of its settlement? Into how many great families are they divided by historians? What of the Algonquin family?

seat being around Lake Erie and Lake Huron. The third family was that of the DAH-KO'-тAHS, or SIOUX [sioo], living mostly west of the Mississippi, where they still form a powerful tribe.

INDIAN CHIEF.

4. The fourth family was that of the CA-TAW'-BAS, living in the interior of Carolina. To the west of these lived the CHER-O-KEES', still a powerful tribe in the West, where they have become partially civilized. The U-CHEES', a small family whose history is little known, dwelt in the northern part of Georgia.

5. The CHOO'-TAWS, called the Mobilian Family, occupied the southern parts of the present United States, from the Mississippi to the Atlantic. It included many nations, and among them the CREEKS, whose history has largely figured in the annals of our country.

6. On the east bank of the Mississippi, near the site of the present city of NATCHEZ, lived the family of that name. They were a small tribe, but appear to have had some connection with the Mexicans, which had imparted to them some ideas of civilization not shown by the other natives we have mentioned.

7. Each of these great families had its own language, yet they all bore a general resemblance to each other. As we have stated, the minor tribes had also their peculiar dialects, yet all those belonging to one family could communicate with each other. Thus the several tribes of New England could all communicate with each other, and also with the other branches of the Algonquin family, as the Del'-a-wares, the Mi-am'-is, Ot'-ta-was, &c., living further to the west.

8. The manners and customs of these tribes were nearly the same as those we have described as belonging to the New England Indians. With them all, war and the chase, with fishing, were the chief occupa

3. The Huron Iroquois? The Dahkotahs? 4. The Catawbas? The Cherokees? The Uchees? 5. The Choctaws? 6. The Natchez? 7. Language of the Indians?

tions of the men: the women tilled the land and bore all burdens dur ing journeys. Among some tribes they dressed skins for clothing and hut covers, and wove mats for beds from the bark of trees.

9. The love of display in dress was a characteristic of the men, even the warriors, who not only tattooed their faces, arms, necks, and shoulders, but decorated themselves with the heads of wild animals, the claws and feathers of birds, and the bones of fishes.

10. Among all the tribes the women were mere slaves, condemned to perform all the menial labor, and not only excluded from war and hunting, but even from the sports of leaping, dancing, target-shooting, ball-playing, and various games of chance, in which the men indulged with passionate delight. The highest indulgence of the female sex was to witness these sports on the part of their lords and masters.

11. At the time of the settlement of the English in this country, by far the greater part of the Indians lived east of the Mississippi; now they are nearly all removed west of that river. Many of the tribes that flourished in the early days of the colonies, have entirely passed

& Manners and customs? 9. Love of display in dress? 10. Condition of the women? 11. Where did the greater part of the early Indians dwell?

away: all are reduced to comparative insignificance. Most have exchanged the bow and arrow for the rifle, and wear blankets instead of skins.

12. When first known by the whites they had neither horses, cattle, dogs, sheep, nor domestic fowls: now they have horses, and are among the swiftest and most dexterous of riders. Nevertheless, they are gradually dwindling away, and before many years are past, the race will doubtless be entirely blotted out.

13. Such is a brief outline of the character and condition of tl.e 3avages within the boundaries of the United States, at the early period of which we are speaking. We shall have occasion to fill up this picture by incidents and narratives, illustrative of their disposition, habits, and capacity.

CHAPTER XLI.

Evangelizing the Indians in New England.-The May hews.-Eliot, the Indian Apostle.

1. We now return to the history of New England.

ELIOT PREACHING.

One of the more important as well as more interesting results of the union of the colonies, of which we have given an account, was the civilization and improvement of the Indians, whose manners and customs, as we have seen, were altogether rude and savage. During the peace with

them, between the Pequod war and the war with Philip, it pleased God to put it into the hearts of many to do them good. Among these benefactors were several persons of the name of Mayhew, and John Eliot,

CHAP. XLI.-1. What followed the union of the colonies?