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pointed in not finding their communications inserted in this volume; we are sorry to inform them that they were unavoidably postponed on account of matter previously obtained: in the second volume, however, we hope to be able, to give them to the public. THIS little book, cannot fail of being interesting to the people of this country; many of whom, yet remember the transactions, and few there are, whose fathers, or brothers, or friends, have not participated in them. The historian, will here find materials to assist him in conveying to after ages, an idea of the savages who were the primitive inhabitants of this country; and to future generations of Americans, the many difficulties, toils, and dangers, encountered by their fathers, in forming the first settlement of a land, even at this day so fair, so rich, in every kind of cultivation and improvement. The philosopher who speaks with delight, of the original simplicity, and primitive innocence of mankind, may here learn, that man, uncivilized and barbarous, is even worse than the most ferocious wolf or panther of the forest. That men of philosophic minds, feeling in themselves the impulse of humanity entertain such mistaken notions of the Indians, is evident from the writings of many; who were they to trust themselves to these people, would find themselves as much mistaken as the philosopher Sograin and Pike, to whom Mr. Brackenridge alludes, in his observations published in the course of the Indian war, and lately extracted in his Gazette Publications, of which we give a paragraph.

"I consider men who are unacquainted with the savages, like young women who have read romances, and have as improper an idea of the Indian character in the one case, as the female mind has of real life in the other. The philosopher, weary of the vices of refined life, thinks to find perfect virtue in the simplicity of the unimproved state. He sees green fields and meadows in the customs and virtues of the savages. It is experience only can relieve from this calenture of the intellect. All that is good and great in mán, results from education; an uncivilized Indian is but a little way removed from a beast who, when incensed, can only tear and devour, but the savage applies the ingenuity of man to torture and inflict anguish.

"SOME years ago, two French gentlemen, a botanist and a mineralist, the botanist a very learned man, and truly a philosopher-but his brain turned with Jean Jacques Rousseau's, and other rhapsodies-the man of nature was his darling favourite. He had the Indians with him at his chamber every day.-Fitting out a small boat on the Ohio, with only two other persons, and without arms, he descended. It was in vain to explain the danger, and dissuade him. He was conscious to himself of loving Indians, and doubtless they could wish him no harm. But approaching the Scioto river, a party came out in a canoe, as he thought, to pay their respects, to him; but the first circumstance of ceremony when they came on board, was to impress the tomahawk and take off the scalp of the philosopher."

SIR,

MR. ARCHIBALD LOUDON.

Agreeably to your request, I have collected and send you the relations of Slover and Knight, which, appeared in the papers subsequent to Crawfords expedition, to which they relate. They were originally sent by me, to the Printer of the Freeman's Journal Philadelphia. That of Slover I took down from his own mouth; that of Knight I think he wrote himself and gave it to me. I saw Knight on his being brought into the garrison at Pittsburg; he was weak and scarcely able to articulate. When he began to be able to speak a little, his Scottish dialect was much broader than it had been when I knew him before. This I remarked as usual with persons in a fever, or sick, they return to the vernacular tongue of their early years. It was three weeks before he was able to give anything like a continued account of his sufferings.

After a treaty or temporary peace had taken place, I saw traders who had been with the Indians at Sandusky, and had the same account from the Indians themselves which Knight gave of his escape, but the Indian who had him in charge had magnified the stature and bulk of the body of Knight to save his

credit; but was laughed at by the Indians who knew him to be a weak feeble man, which was the reason that a guard of one Indian had been thought sufficient. The reason of the gun not going off, was that the Indian had plugged it, as usually done, to keep the wet from entering the touch hole. The Indians confirmed the account of Slover in all particulars, save as to the circumstance of his escape which they said was with the assistance of the Squaws. The story of the lame Indian, and of the trial of Mamachtaga is extracted from a memorandum made at the time.

I had often thought of minuting down many things that occurred in the Indian war, but I neglected it. A short time after I went to the western country in the spring of '81 many particulars occurred of Indian barbarity on the frontier, and of activity on the part of the inhabitants in the pursuit of the Indians in their retreat from the settlement. The personal prowess of two brothers of the name of Poe, I think Adam and Andrew in an encounter of five Indians would deserve a particular relation, but I cannot give it. Some of your correspondents in Washington County, of the Cross Creek settlement could give it. Within three miles of Pittsburg on the Ohio bank, on this side three fine boys of the name of Chambers, were murdered in a corn-field, and to the south of the garrison on a branch of Shertiers Creek, part of a family of the name of Walker were murdered, and several other butcheries that I could depict; but at

the time I declined going to visit the scene, as it was not absolutely necessary, and even now to relate is not pleasant. Perhaps in the course of your publication, and before you finish it I may communicate to you some other particulars.

In the mean time, I am,

Your most obedient,

Humble servant,

H. H. BRACKENRIDGE.

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