very soon, if we had the means of feeding and clothing them. I do not know what opinion to form, as to what will result from the introduction of books into the Ojibeway language. We expect a small spellingbook, which Dr. James has been preparing, and which is probably printed before this time, on the return of the traders. We shall then make the experiment.

I have given considerable attention to the study of the language. My progress has not been very rapid. It is rather more difficult, than I hoped to find it. I have received considerable assistance from some manuscripts, which I procured of Dr. James. When we shall be able to give instruction in it, I cannot tell. Mr. Ayer has spent much time in studying it for the last two years, but does not speak it at all fluently. He has taught the school about half the time, since it was opened, the remainder of the time, it has been under my care. He has also collected the children into a Sabbath school, and has given considerable interest to our mission by teaching them to sing some Indian hymns. He and Mrs. Campbell return to Mackinaw with the traders. I shall have no means of preaching to the Indians till another interpreter

arrives.

LETTER FROM MR. BOUTWELL, DATED FON DU LAC POST, JUNE 25, 1832.

NOTICE was given in the last number, p. 274, of the reception of this letter. The object of this tour to the head waters of the Mississippi is, to learn the state of the Indians in those regions, with reference, ultimately, to their instruction.

I write in the midst of confusion; all is hurry and bustle to make ready for our departure from this place, where we arrived on June 2d. We passed the Sabbath with Mr. Aitkin, who was on the point of embarking for Mackinaw, but who remained with his clerks and men till this morning.

On arriving here I was not a little surprised to find nearly 400 souls. French half breed, Indians and white men. The scene at our landing was such as I never before witnessed, and enough to fill one, unaccustomed to the like as myself, with wonder, if not with fear. The yelling of Indians, barking of dogs, crying of children, running of the multitude, discharge of musketry and flourish of flags, was noise in the extreme.

||lish, the first sermon ever preached hereand at four, P. M., I addressed, through Mr. Johnston, more than twice that number-French, half breeds and Indians. Many of the latter of whom, for the first time, listened to the word of life. All listened with attention and interest.

My interpreter sat on my right, while a chief occupied a seat at my left, around and before me, on the floor, sat his men, women and children, in a state of almost entire nudity, many of whom had no more than a cloth about the loins and blanket, but some of the children not even a blanket.

All with their pipes and tobacco pouches, painted with all the variety of figures that can be imagined. The chief came to Mr. Schoolcraft three times, during the day, for permission to dance, but followed his advice, with the promise of the privilege in the morning. From five o'clock till twelve at night, my ears were filled with the monotonous beat of the Indian drum.

This morning, the drum was the first thing heard; and at eight, 30 or more, who joined in the dance, headed by their chief, for an hour. Their approach was the most came before our door, where they exhibited comical-a half hop, timed by the beat of two drums, accompanied with a monotonous sound of the human voice-each holding his musket in a presented position, which, as they came near, was discharged-two American flags were borne, at the right of their column.

The pipe was now lit, and first presented to Mr. S. and next to myself, then to Mr. Johnston, and finally went the rounds, when they commenced their dance, accompanied with the monotonous drum and the voices of a few squaws. At short intervals all united in a yell.

The bodies of the principal part of the men were naked, except the cloth about the loins and leggins, and painted in a manner to exhibit the most hideous spectacle possible. Their heads and the bodies of many were ornamented with the feathers of the eagle. One character, in particular, attracted my attention-this was their medicine man. He was superbly painted, leggined and rolled in a fine Buffalo robe, which being too cumbersome to join in the dance, he stood by as a looker on.

The pipe and dance with them are the highest marks of respect, and on which occasions they always expect presents. After the dance had proceeded a short time, one of the warriors began a sort of Philippic to the young men, recounting his exploits, in which he was careful to tell them how many of the Sioux he had killed.

able to furnish the with facts of the

acter.

Passed 24 hours at Le Point, with brother H., who is in health, and I am happy to say, laboring not without the prospect of doing good. I left Mackinaw on the 4th and St. Maies on the 7th of June. Met Mr. Warren, Ayer and Mrs. Campbell, one days' march from the Point.

Dear Friends-The object of our assembling this day is great and good, and may benefit both body and soul; but we are apt to think its of no importance, and, therefore, are inattentive to what is said at such times, when instructions are communicated to meliorate our conditions. Here we come and sit, and do we not often appear as a stick of wood when spoken to? Is it not because we never have sufficiently investigated the subject, and the causes of intem

Stockbridge Endlans.

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF MR. STE-
NEAR GREEN

VENS, AT STATESBURGH,
BAY, MAY 11, 1832.

Effects of Intemperance.

We have enjoyed uninterrupted health in our family, since last fall, for which we can never be sufficiently thankful, and there have been very few cases of severe sickness among this people. I believe there have been but three or four deaths here,

since last fall. One of these was a man, who would not be reclaimed from intem

perance. One day, he came from the river, and went to the house where the poison is kept, obtained some and drank, and was found the next day upon the ice.

Within the three years, I have been in this region of country, there have been as many as a dozen murders committed in the country, and as many, or more, have been found dead-frozen and drowned, &c.; and all have been directly the effects of intemperance. Could all the groans and sufferings and wailings, caused by ardent spirits, only along the shores of this river, come into the ears of the makers and venders of these death potions, surely they would at once relinquish this murderous work.

Temperance Address.

I am conscious, as well as assured, that the formation of this Temperance Society is an object worthy of our attention, for without it we shall never rise to be a prosperous and happy people. I deem it of great importance, and well adapted to our necessities; and it seems to point the only way the poor Indians can be saved from certain and swift destruction.

The commencement of this work cannot be said to be too soon, but rather too late, nor are its rules too strict in the attempt to save us. A man, who for a long time has been attacked by disease, and often been led to distress, if finally partly restored, doth not say, it is too soon, nor immaterial to use farther means to his perfect recov ery. The use of ardent spirits, certainly has done more mischief among our people than any thing else, and though heretofore, it was just as necessary that measures should be taken to prevent it as now; but we ourselves never discovered, what method to take, probably observed not the danger.

I have often been surprised to behold the young people so intemperate; they are worse than the old people. How they became thus, is a question for you to deterinclined." And further, when I was young, mine. "Just as the twig is bent the tree is Was it not by them, you yourselves were I never saw the like, only in the aged. led to it? And by you it is now handed down to the young; and so, at last, it has become so common to drink to excess, that the dreadful and overwhelming evil of it had almost lost its terror. We often looked upon an intemperate man, without any feeling or sense of his real situation. This was the case with professors of religion, before we left Stockbridge, N. Y. Our eyes were so accustomed to the beholding of the drunkard, we paid but little attention to the representation; as he passed on, we laugh

is not this too much the case with us yet? grew callous, and unfeeling of the guilt. If our pity had ever been excited as it ought, if we have ever seriously reflected upon the real situation of the habitually intemperate, if we have ever recalled to mind,

what they have been, what they will be in a few years, and of the eternity, prepared for all accountable creatures, we had not remained thus far so cold and unfeeling. Just recal to mind the cases of some whom you have known for years, who became miserable drunkards. In early life, his hopes and prospects exhibited as much encouragement as any of ours now-and who finally died like a beast;-his body was picked up in the street, and thrown out of the way. Let us remember, that this guilty, wretched creature had an immortal mind, he was like us, of the same flesh and blood, he was our brother, destined to the same eternity, created by, and accountable to, the same God, and will, at last, stand at the same judgment bar; and who, amid such awful reflections, will not weep at his fater whose eye can remain dry, and whose heart unmoved?

How rapidly has this evil made its progress, since a few years. Undoubtedly by your unfaithfulness, and those who were before you and responsible for your welfare, you neglected to impress upon the minds of your children the baneful effects produced by drunkenness. Notwithstanding the great number of melancholy events, many of you have lived to witness, occasioned by intemperance, in the lives of those, whom you were intimately acquainted with, still you have never been sufficiently awake to this subject.

It would be a different thing, had I related circumstances, which you, or I, have heard to have occurred to some nations, or

people, in a distant country; but these scenes, with your own eyes, you have beheld among your relatives, friends and neighbors. And you need not to look far back; even some of those children now present, were eye witnesses of the occurrences. Since we have migrated to this country, an aged woman was burnt and consumed in the flames. One of our school girls was terribly burnt, and so expired in a few days. One of our school boys frozen to death. All of which, was effected by the poisonous stuff.

But ah! the occasion and manner of these deaths were then no surprising events, nor were they considered an awful warning to the living. We looked upon them as the natural result of all things. It is true they are no more than what might have been expected, in considering our ordinary lives, and the way the youth were trained up. They only fell into the custom and imitated the example set before them, by their parents; but unfortunately before they proceeded far in the paths their parents had trod, they were ushered into the presence of their angry Judge, only to hear the sentence, Depart ye drunkards! Oh! here language fails! poor mortal man cannot describe! tongue can never express the excruciating pains which must then be felt! And perhaps the very moment the sentence

was pronounced, they exclaimed, O you cruel parents! had you done as you ought to have done, we might have made our escape! In all your admonitions, your eyes remained dry, and a tear was never shed therefrom; neither did your example give force to your precepts and warnings! and, therefore, we continued in unbelief unti we are ruined! and lost forever!

It fully appears, that the aged and parents have heretofore led the young peohelpless, they attempted to do away the ple astray, even when the child was yet natural disrelish of ardent spirits. At the birth of an infant, (I have noticed this to be the general practice, among our people, whether it is so yet, I know not, but I am rather inclined to imagine it is) according to custom, the father starts in order to try to purchase a quantity of spirit. If he cannot get it from one place, he runs to another, till he gets it. It is thought to be as necessary as any thing else. And the parent certainly acts, as if the child could

not be born without it. The father treats his friends and his household, and the mother partakes with the rest. The infant is fed with it; as if he could not know the good things, he is heir to, without a taste of ardent spirits. They are kept on hand and often given to him, as medicine, especially where the parents are fond of it themselves. By this practice, even in the cradle, his disrelish for ardent spirits is done away.

Parents, has not this been the case with many of you, if it has, then never be surprised again at the prevalence of intemperance, even if it is practised by your children, as though you did not know who has been the cause of it. If you have been drunken, and taken notice of by your children, is it not enough to lead you (especially if any of them have died in an unprepared state) to weep and mourn over the past, during the remainder of your lives? O how great must be the guilt that awaits you! I would, that we were all made to feel our guilt. O that there was such a heart in us, that we would fear the Above and keep his commandments. O that we were wise, that we understood this, that we would consider our latter end.

Look at your children, and try to realize their frailty, and the worth of their souls. These dying immortals are placed peculiarly under your care, their instruction is committed to you. God commands you to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and to train them up in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it. And what if they perish through your neglect? How then could you meet them at the judgment bar? What exertions are then required of us, to promote and uphold that which tends to the rescuing of the rising generation, as well as those which are yet unborn. Much, very much depends on the

course which we will now follow. Therefore, teach your children an abhorrence of intemperance, train them in such a way, as to fear even to touch any distilled spirits, as much as they would fear to stick their hands into the fire that would burn them. Allow them not to drink a little, any more than allow them to tell a little lie.

At my arrival at Green Bay, I entered a grog-shop, and in gentleman fashion, in- || tended to call for a dram; but observing a soldier in the shop, who was cursing and swearing in so shocking a manner, that the oaths he uttered, made me tremble, I had almost said, as much as Belshazzer, the king, when he saw wrote over upon the plaster of the wall of his palace, these words, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. I would not remain in the house; but thought I again, I will wait till he goes off. So foolish was I and ignorant, I did not perceive that ardent spirits had made this man so wicked.

And were I now in the eastern country, and should come to the dwellings of my old acquaintances, and see the bottle in the old place, or carried about their farms, with far more care and attention, than they give to the Testament, I should be apt to think they are hypocrites, for no one can "drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils." Scrutinize the book which God has given us, and you will find, that it is full of woes against it. Isaiah v. 11. "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, till wine inflame them." Isaiah xxviii, 1. "Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim," &c. "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that putteth thy bottle to him, and makest|| him drunken." Hab. ii. 5.

If you wish well of yourselves and your children, watch over their conduct. Keep them from evil company. Remember Eli. He was a good man, but it appeared that he neglected family government. You see, it is said, "his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not." His misguided tenderness brought upon his house, and upon the whole land, a succession of calamities; "For there fell of Israel 30,000 footmen, and the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain." When Eli heard this, it so agitated his frame, that he fell from off his seat, backward, by the side of his gate, and his neck brake, and he died." O that parents may profit by this tale of woe. Give your children wholesome advice, reason with them, pray with them, and for them. You may be the means of saving them from temporal ruin, and perhaps from

- eternal death.

Lift up your heads and look around you; do you see the many men, you formerly sat with, a few years back, at your elections, councils and meetings. Where are they? Have they staid at home to work? No,

they are all numbered with the dead and forgotten. Have they died with old age? No, they were cut off in the midst of their days. Were they so destitute of means, that they died with hunger? No, they had plenty of improved land, and received all the advantages, which are necessary, to make them happy. Were they sickly and unable to attend to any work? No, if they did, they sickened themselves, some of them appeared healthy, fell down and expired. What then is the cause of their ruin? It is whiskey. These have not only shortened their lives, but also destroyed their souls; and where can we expect their habitation must be; they have rushed into hell, where their worm dieth not, and their fire can never be quenched. For the scriptures say, "Drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Let us also attend to the manner in which our people have died. It has happened in various ways. Some killed one another instantly; some were butchered; some die a lingering, gradual death; some died in the streets; some were drowned in a creek or pond; some frozen and burnt, while riding in a sleigh, or in a tavern. Some, when drawing to the very close of life, by consumptive complaints, still would drink; some on a sick bed desired strong drink, and said, If I have some more I will re

cover.

In this small circle, I see that most of our relations have died in the manner I have just described. We understand, that some have promised, it should be the last time they would ever drink; but on that very day were in another world; surely they never drank again; others talked the like, but finally died drunkards. And why then should we continue to exhilarate ourselves with that which will ruin our race, and cut them off from every prospect of happiness in this world as well as the next. Or shall we continue a little longer? Shall we be younger, and the love of it diminish? No, perhaps at our departure, we shall be heard to ask for more? None of such will ever escape the wrath of God, who called on ardent spirits as their God."

We have read, or heard of heathen, who worship gods of stone, brass, &c., and we are filled with amazement, almost beyond measure. We think they are miserable and know nothing. Do you not apprehend they may have the same opinion, were they to hear of us, and our devourer. They would pity us. If we are any way at all like the heathen, we may resemble a few, and the worst of them, who cut themselves with sharp knives, or walk upon them. Or suspend themselves with hooks on poles. And lo! after the sacrifice of the body, are plunged into hell. Their gods do no mischief, nor operate on man either to divest him of his clothing or to desolate his body.

Let us look at that which we seem to value as God. When it begins to stimu.