Travels In The United States Of America; Commencing In The Year 1793, And Ending In 1797. With The Author's Journals Of His Two Voyages Across The Atlantic By William Priest
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Ever Since My Arrival In America, I Have
Made Up My Mind To Take The First Opportunity Of Going To
The westward on
a shooting party, for a month or two, among the Indians; for which purpose
I procured an
Introduction to the young _corn-planter_, son to a
chief of the six nations, who is here for his education. He was no sooner
informed of my intention, than he gave me a cordial invitation to attend
him on his return in the fall; or, if I could not then make it convenient,
at any other time; but the distance is so great, that, to confess the
truth, I have never yet been able to raise the _necessary supplies_,
and am likely to leave America without seeing a single wigwam.
The Indians have a fine natural genius for oratory, painting, and
sculpture: I have a specimen of the latter cut with a knife on a piece of
hickory, which is destitute neither of elegance of design, nor neatness of
execution. But the most extraordinary trait in the character of these _red
men_ is their _continence_. We have every year fourteen or fifteen of
their chiefs in this city, to form treaties, and other public business.
They are often attended with well-made young men in the prime of life,
and yet I never heard but of _one_ instance of their engaging in a
love-intrigue of _any kind_. They frequently tomahawk and scalp the most
beautiful women, who are so unfortunate as to fall into their hands in
time of war.
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